Sirach 47 Afterward in the time of king Dauid, there rose vp a prophet called Nathan.

Bishops⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Afterward in the time of king Dauid, there rose vp a prophet called Nathan. ² For lyke as the fat is taken away from the offering: so was Dauid chosen out of the children of Israel. ³ He played with the lions as with kiddes, and with beares lyke as with lambes of sheepe. ⁴ Slewe he not a giaunt when he was yet but young, & toke away the rebuke fro his people, what time as he toke the stone in his hande, and smote downe proude Goliath with the sling? ⁵ For he called vpon the highest Lorde, which gaue him strength in his right hande, so that he ouerthrewe the mightie giaunt in the battaile, that he might set vp the horne of his people againe. ⁶ So he glorified him in ten thousand, and made him to haue a good report in the prayse of the Lorde, that he should weare a crowne of glorie. ⁷ For he destroyed the enemies on euery side, rooted out the Philistines his aduersaries, and brake their horne in sunder, lyke as it is broken yet this day. ⁸ In all his workes he praysed the hyest and holiest, and ascribed the honour vnto him: with his whole heart did he prayse the Lorde, and loued God that made him. ⁹ He set singers also before the aulter, & in their tune he made sweete songes, that they might geue prayses euery day to God with songes. ¹⁰ He ordayned to kepe the holy dayes worshipfully, & that the solempe feastes through the whole yere should be honorably holden, with praysing the name of the Lorde, and with singing betimes in the morning in the sanctuary. ¹¹ The Lorde toke away his sinnes, and exalted his horne for euer: he gaue him the couenaunt of the kingdome, and the throne of worship in Israel. ¹² After him there rose vp the wyse sonne [called Solomon.] who by him dwelt in a large possession, and for his sake he droue the enemies away far of. ¹³ This Solomon raigned with peace in his time, and he obtayned glory: For God gaue him rest from his enemies on euery side, that he might builde him an house in his name, and prepare the sanctuarie for euer. ¹⁴ How wyse wast thou in thy youth, and filled with wysdome and vnderstanding, as it were with a water flood? ¹⁵ Thou coueredst and filledst the whole lande with similitudes, & wyse prudent sentences. ¹⁶ Thy name went abrode in the Iles, because of thy peace thou wast beloued. ¹⁷ All landes maruailed at thy songes, prouerbes, similitudes, and at thy interpretations. ¹⁸ And in the name of the Lorde God, which is called the God of Israel, thou gatheredst golde as tinne, & thou hadst as much siluer as leade. ¹⁹ Thou wast moued in inordinate loue toward women, and wast ouercome in affection. ²⁰ Thou staynedst thy honour & worship, yea thy posteritie defiledst thou also, in bringing the wrath of the Lorde vpon thy children, and hast felt sorowe for thy folly. ²¹ So that thy kingdome was deuided, and Ephraim became an vnfaithfull and a rebellious kingdome. ²² Neuerthelesse, God forsooke not his mercie, neither was he vtterly destroyed because of his workes, that he should leaue him no posteritie: as for the seede that came vpon him, which he loued, he brought it not vtterly to naught, but gaue yet a remnaunt vnto Iacob, and a roote vnto Dauid out of him. ²³ Thus rested Solomon with his fathers, and out of his seede he left behinde him a verie foolishnes of the people, and such one as had no vnderstanding: euen Roboam, which turned away the people through his counsell, and Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, which caused Israel to sinne, and shewed Ephraim the way of vngodlines: ²⁴ Insomuch that their sinnes and misdeedes had the vpper hande so sore, that at the last they were driuen out of the lande for the same: ²⁵ Yea, he sought out and brought vp all wickednes, tyll the vengeaunce came vpon them.