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Old Testament Reading - Famous people of the past

HYMN IN HONOUR OF OUR ANCESTORS^{a 1}Let us now sing the praises of famous men,
our ancestors in their generations.
²The Lord apportioned to them^b great glory,
his majesty from the beginning.
³There were those who ruled in their kingdoms,
and made a name for themselves by their valour;
those who gave counsel because they were intelligent;
those who spoke in prophetic oracles;
⁴those who led the people by their counsels
and by their knowledge of the people’s lore;
they were wise in their words of instruction;
⁵those who composed musical tunes,
or put verses in writing;
⁶rich men endowed with resources,
living peacefully in their homes—
⁷all these were honoured in their generations,
and were the pride of their times.
⁸Some of them have left behind a name,
so that others declare their praise.
⁹But of others there is no memory;
they have perished as though they had never existed;
they have become as though they had never been born,
they and their children after them.
¹⁰But these also were godly men,
whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten;
¹¹their wealth will remain with their descendants,
and their inheritance with their children’s children.^c
12Their descendants stand by the covenants;
their children also, for their sake.
¹³Their offspring will continue for ever,
and their glory will never be blotted out.
¹⁴Their bodies are buried in peace,
but their name lives on generation after generation.
¹⁵The assembly declares^d their wisdom,
and the congregation proclaims their praise.

1. This title is included in the Gk text.
2. Heb: Gk created
3. Heb Compare Lat Syr: Meaning of Gk uncertain
4. Heb: Gk Peoples declare