| 1 | The name of Josiah is like blended incense prepared by the skill of the perfumer; his memory is as sweet as honey to every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wine. |
| 2 | He did what was right by reforming the people, and removing the wicked abominations. |
| 3 | He kept his heart fixed on the Lord; in lawless times he made godliness prevail. |
| 4 | Except for David and Hezekiah and Josiah, all of them were great sinners, for they abandoned the law of the Most High; the kings of Judah came to an end. |
| 5 | They gave their power to others, and their glory to a foreign nation, |
| 6 | who set fire to the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made its streets desolate, as Jeremiah had foretold. |
| 7 | For they had mistreated him, who even in the womb had been consecrated a prophet, to pluck up and ruin and destroy, and likewise to build and to plant. |
| 8 | It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of glory, which God showed him above the chariot of the cherubim. |
| 9 | For God also mentioned Job who held fast to all the ways of justice. |
| 10 | May the bones of the Twelve Prophets send forth new life from where they lie, for they comforted the people of Jacob and delivered them with confident hope. |
| 11 | How shall we magnify Zerubbabel? He was like a signet ring on the right hand, |
| 12 | and so was Jeshua son of Jozadak; in their days they built the house and raised a temple holy to the Lord, destined for everlasting glory. |
| 13 | The memory of Nehemiah also is lasting; he raised our fallen walls, and set up gates and bars, and rebuilt our ruined houses. |
| 14 | Few have ever been created on earth like Enoch, for he was taken up from the earth. |
| 15 | Nor was anyone ever born like Joseph; even his bones were cared for. |
| 16 | Shem and Seth and Enosh were honored, but above every other created living being was Adam. |