Ben Sira - chapter 45

45: 1 - 26 (translated by Edgar Goodspeed)
From His (the LORD's) posterity, the Lord brought a man of mercy, who found favor in the sight of all mankind, and was beloved by God and man -- Moses, whose memory is blessed.  The Lord made him equal to His holy ones in glory, and made him great in the fears of his enemies.  By His words He brought wonders to pass; He made him glorious in the sight of kings.  He gave him commands for His people, and showed him some of His glory.  Through faithfulness and meekness He sanctified him, He chose him out of all mankind.  He made Moses hear His voice; He brought him into the thick darkness, and gave him His commandments face to face, the law of life and knowledge, to teach Jacob His agreement, and Israel His decrees.
He exalted Aaron, a holy man like him, who was his brother, from the tribe of Levi.  The Lord made him an everlasting ordinance, and gave him the priesthood of the people.  He blessed him with stateliness, and put on him a splendid robe; the Lord clothed him with glorious perfection, and strengthened him with garments of authority, the drawers, the robe, and the apron, and he surrounded him with pomegranates, with very many gold bells all around to ring out as he walked, to make their sound heard in the temple, to remind the sons of His people; with a holy garment, with gold and violet and purple, a work of embroidery; with the oracle of judgment, the decider of truth.  With twisted scarlet, the work of an artist; with precious stones, engraved like signets, in a setting of gold, the work of an engraver, for a reminder, in carved letters, giving the number of the tribes of Israel; with a gold crown upon his turban, engraved like a signet with "Sacredness"" a glorious distinction,a work of might, the desire of the eyes, richly adorned.  Before him, there never were such beautiful things, no alien will ever put them on, but his sons alone and their posterity forever.  His sacrifices will be wholly consumed twice every day perpetually.  Moses filled his hands, and anointed Aaron with sacred oil; it became an everlasting agreement with him and his posterity all the days of heaven, to minister to the Lord and act as priest and bless the people in His name.  The Lord chose Aaron out of all the living to offer sacrifice to the Lord, incense and fragrance for a memorial sacrifice, to make atonement for your people.  In His commandments he gave him authority over the agreements about judgments, to teach Jacob the decrees and to enlighten Israel with His law.  Strangers conspired against him, and envied him in the desert; the men with Dathan and Abiram, and the company of Korah, in their wrath and anger.  The Lord saw it and was not pleased, and they were destroyed by His fierce anger; the Lord executed signs upon them, to devour them with his blazing fire.  And He increased Aaron's glory, and gave him his inheritance; the Lord apportioned to him the very first of the first fruits; he prepared the Presentation Bread in abundance, for they are to eat the sacrifices of the Lord, which He gave to Him and his posterity.  But he has not share in the land of the people, and he has no portion among the people, for Aaron himself is your portion and your inheritance.
Phineas, the son of Eleazar, is the third in glory, for he was zealous for the fear of the Lord, and stood fast, when the people turned away, in the goodness and eagerness of his soul, and made atonement for Israel.  Therefore an agreement of peace was established with him, that he should be the leader of the saints and of his people, that he and his posterity should possess the dignity of the priesthood forever.  And an agreement was made with David, the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah; as the king's inheritance passes only from son to son, the inheritance of Aaron is for his posterity.  May He give you wisdom of mind to judge His people with uprightness so that their prosperity may not come to an end, but their glory may last through all their generations.