1 | Let us praise the men of glory, and our ancestors in their generation. |
2 | The Lord has wrought great glory, by his own magnificence, from ancient times. |
3 | There are those who rule with their authority, men of great virtue, who are gifted with prudence. There are those who announce among the prophets, with the dignity of prophets. |
4 | And there are those who rule over the present generation, by the virtue of prudence, with very holy words for the people. |
5 | There are those who, by their skill, compose musical themes, so as to set the verses of Scripture to music. |
6 | There are men rich in virtue, who make a study of beauty, who live in peacefulness in their houses. |
7 | All these obtained glory in their generations, and they had praise in their days. |
8 | They left behind a name for those who were born of them, so that their praises might be described. |
9 | But for some of them, there is no memorial. They have passed away as if they had never existed; and they have become as if they had never been born, and their sons along with them. |
10 | But these were men of mercy, whose pious deeds have not failed. |
11 | Good things continue with their offspring. |
12 | Their descendents are a holy inheritance, and their offspring stand firm in the covenants. |
13 | And because of them, their sons remain even unto eternity. Their offspring and their glory will not be forsaken. |
14 | Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives on, from generation to generation. |
15 | Let the people declare their wisdom, and let the Church announce their praise. |
16 | Enoch pleased God, and he was transferred to Paradise, so that he might offer repentance to the nations. |
17 | Noah was found to be perfect and just, and so, in the time of wrath, he was made a reconciliation. |
18 | As a result, there was a remnant left for the earth, when the great flood was made. |
19 | The covenants of the world were placed with him, so that all flesh would not be wiped away by the great flood. |
20 | Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one was found to be like him in glory. He observed the law of the Most High, and he formed a covenant with him. |
21 | In his flesh, he caused the covenant to stand, and when tested, he was found to be faithful. |
22 | Therefore, by an oath, he gave glory to him among his people, so as to increase him like the dust of the earth, |
23 | and to exalt his offspring like the stars, and to give an inheritance to them from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. |
24 | And he acted in like manner toward Isaac, because of his father Abraham. |
25 | The Lord gave the blessing of all the nations to him, and he confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob. |
26 | He acknowledged him in his blessings, and he gave an inheritance to him, and he distributed to him the portion of the twelve tribes. |
27 | And he preserved for him men of mercy, who were found to have grace before the eyes of all flesh. |