1. Simon, Onias’ son, wasa great high priest.During his life, he repaired the houseand, in his time,strengthened the temple’s defenses.
2. He made the foundationfor the courtyard wall,a high fortification for thetemple enclosure.
3. In his time, he dug out a storage basinfor water,a reservoir with a circumferencelike a lake’s.
4. He gave forethought to keepinghis people from disaster,and he strengthened the cityagainst sieges.
5. How glorious he was as the people thronged around himwhen he came out from behindthe curtain and left the temple!
6. Like a morning starin the midst of a cloud,like the full moon at the time of a feast,
7. like the sun shiningon the temple of the Most High,like a rainbow gleamingin glorious clouds,
8. like a rose blossom in springtime,like lilies by streams of water,like a fresh shoot of the incense treein the summertime,
9. like fire and incensein an incense burner,like an object of hammered goldadorned with all sortsof precious stones,
10. like an olive tree sprouting fruit,and like a cypress toweringto the clouds.
11. When he put on his glorious robeand clothed himselfwith perfect splendor,when he stepped up to the holy altar,he brought glory to the courtsof the temple.