Sirach 50:1–9

¹It was Simon, the son of Onias, the high priest, who in his life repaired the house, and in his days strengthened the temple.↗

²The foundation was built by him to the height of the double walls, the lofty retaining walls of the temple enclosure.↗

³In his days, a water cistern was dug, the brazen vessel like the sea in circumference.↗

⁴He planned to save his people from ruin, and fortified the city against siege.↗

⁵How glorious he was when the people gathered around him as he came out of the house of the veil!↗

⁶He was like the morning star among clouds, like the full moon,↗

⁷like the sun shining on the temple of the Most High, like the rainbow shining in clouds of glory,↗

⁸like roses in the days of first fruits, like lilies by a water spring, like the shoot of the frankincense tree in summer time,↗

⁹like fire and incense in the censer, like a vessel of beaten gold adorned with all kinds of precious stones,↗