Open English Translation SIR Chapter 49

49 The memory of Yoshiyah (Josiah) is like the composition of incense

prepared by the work of the perfumer.

It’ll be sweet as honey in every mouth,

and like music at a banquet of wine.

2 He did what was right in the reforming of the people,

and took away the abominations of iniquity.

3 He set his heart right towards the master.

In lawless days, he made godliness prevail.

4 Except David, Hizkiyah (Hezekiah), and Yoshiyah (Josiah),

all were wicked,

because they abandoned the Most High’s law.

Yehudah’s (Judah’s) kings came to an end.

5 They gave their power to others,

and their glory to a foreign nation.

6 They set the chosen city of the sanctuary on fire

and made her streets desolate, as it was written by Yirmiyah’s (Jeremiah’s) hand.

7 Because they mistreated him;

yet he was sanctified in the womb to be a prophet,

to root out, to afflict, to destroy

and likewise to build and to plant.

8 Yehezkel (Ezekiel) saw the vision of glory,

which God showed him on the chariot of the cherubim.

9 Because truly he remembered the enemies in rainstorm,

and to do good to those who directed their ways aright.

10 Also of the twelve prophets,[fn]

may their bones flourish again out of their place.

He comforted Ya’akov’s (Jacob’s) people,

and delivered them by confident hope.

11 How can we praise Zerubavel?

He was like a signet ring on the right hand.

12 So was Yeshua (Jesus) the son of Yotsadak,

who in their days built the house,

and exalted a[fn] people holy to the master,

prepared for eternal glory.

13 Also of Nehemyah (Nehemiah) the memory is great.

He raised up for us fallen walls,

set up the gates and bars,

and rebuilt our houses.

14 No man was created on the earth like Hanok (Enoch),

for he was taken up from the earth.

15 Nor was there a man born like Yosef (Joseph),

a leader of his kindred, a supporter of the people.

Even his bones were cared for.

16 Shem and Shet (Seth) were honoured among men,

but above every living thing in the creation was Adam.