Sir 44

1 Preise we gloriouse men, and oure fadris in her generacioun. 2 The Lord made myche glorie bi his greet doyng, fro the world. 3 Grete men in vertu weren lordis in her poweris, and riche in her prudence; tellynge in profetis the dignete of profetis, and comaundynge in present puple, 4 and tellynge hoolieste wordis to puplis, bi the vertu of prudence. 5 Sekynge maneres of musik in her childhod, and tellynge songis of scripturis. 6 Riche men in vertu, hauynge the studie of fairnesse, makynge pees in her housis. 7 Alle these men gaten glorie in the generaciouns of her folk; and ben had in preysyngis in her daies. 8 Thei that weren borun of hem, leften a name to telle the preisyngis of hem. 9 And summe ben, of whiche is no mynde; thei perischiden as thei that weren not, and thei weren borun as not borun; and her sones perischiden with hem. 10 But also tho men of mercy ben, whose pitees failiden not; 11 and good eritage dwellide contynueli with the seed of hem. 12 And the seed of her sones sones stood in testament, 13 and the eritage of her sones dwellith for hem, til in to with outen ende; the seed of hem, and the glorie of hem, schal not be forsakun. 14 The bodies of hem ben biried in pees; and the name of hem schal lyue in to generaciouns and generaciouns. 15 Puplis tellen the wisdom of hem; and the chirche tellith the preysyng of hem. 16 Enok pleside God, and was translatid in to paradis, that he yyue wisdom to folkis. 17 Noe was foundun parfit and iust, and he was maad recouncelynge in the tyme of wrathfulnesse. 18 Therfor residue seed was left to erthe, whanne the greet flood was maad. 19 Testamentis of the world weren set anentis hym, lest al fleisch myyte be doon awei bi the greet flood. 20 Abraham was the greet fadir of the multitude of folkis; and noon was foundun lijk hym in glorie, which kepte the lawe of hiy God, and was in the testament with hym. 21 He made a testament to stonde in his fleisch; and he was foundun feithful in temptacioun. 22 Therfor God with an ooth yaf to hym glorie in his folk; God made hym to encreesse, as an heep of erthe, 23 and to enhaunse his seed as sterris, and to enherite hem fro the see `til to the see, and fro the flood `til to the endis of erthe. 24 And to Isaac God dide in the same maner, for Abraham, his fadir. 25 The Lord yaf to hym the blessing of alle folkis; and confermyde his testament on the heed of Jacob. 26 He knew hym in hise blessyngis, and yaf eritage to hym; and departide to hym a part in twelue lynagis. 27 And he kepte to hym men of merci, fyndynge grace in the siyt of eche man.