Shirach — 50

Simun Son of Unyas

1 The leader of his brethren and the pride of his people was Simun the high Kuhan, son of Unyas, who in his life repaired the house, and in his time fortified the temple.

2 He laid the foundations for the high double walls, the high retaining walls for the temple enclosure.

3 In his days a cistern for water was quarried out, a reservoir like the sea in circumference.

4 He considered how to save his people from ruin, and fortified the city to withstand a siege.

5 How esteemed he was when the people gathered round him as he came out of the inner sanctuary!

6 Like the morning star among the clouds, like the moon when it is full;

7 like the sun shining upon the temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and like the rainbow gleaming in awesome clouds;

8 like roses in the days of the first fruits, like lilies by a spring of water, like a green shoot on Labanun on a summer day;

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

10 like an olive tree putting forth its fruit, and like a cypress towering in the clouds.

11 When he put on his awesome robe and clothed himself with superb perfection and went up to the Qadash altar, he made the court of the sanctuary beautiful.

12 And when he received the portions from the hands of the Kuhanym, as he stood by the hearth of the altar with a garland of brethren around him, he was like a young cedar on Labanun; and they surrounded him like the trunks of palm trees,

13 all the sons of Aarun in their splendor with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s offering in their hands, before the whole congregation of Yashar'AL.

14 Finishing the service at the altars, and arranging the offering to  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the Almighty One,

15 he reached out his hand to the cup and poured a libation of the blood of the grape; he poured it out at the foot of the altar, a pleasing odor to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the Ruler of all.

16 Then the sons of Aarun shouted, they sounded the trumpets of hammered work, they made a great noise to be heard for remembrance before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.

17 Then all the people together made haste and fell to the ground upon their faces to worship 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the Almighty One.

18 And the singers Yadah  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH with their voices in sweet and full-toned melody.

19 And the people besought  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in prayer before Him who is merciful, till the order of worship of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH was ended; so they completed His service.

20 Then Simun came down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the sons of Yashar'AL, to pronounce the Barakah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH with his lips, and to give Kabad in 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH's Name;

21 and they bowed down in worship a second time, to receive the Barakah from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.

A Benediction

22 And now barak the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of all, who in every way does great things; who exalts our days from birth, and deals with us according to His mercy.

23 May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH give us gladness of heart, and grant that Shalum may be in our days in Yashar'AL, as in the days of old.

24 May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH entrust to us His mercy! And let 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH deliver us in our days!

Epilogue

25 With two nations my soul is vexed, and the third is no nation:

26 Those who live on Mount Sair, and the Philistines and the foolish people that dwell in Shacham.

27 Instruction in understanding and knowledge I have written in this book, Yashua the son of Shirach, son of Alaazar, of Yahushalam, who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.

28 Baraked is he who concerns himself with these things, and he who lays them to heart will become wise.

29 For if he does them, he will be strong for all things, for the light of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is his path.