Sirach 24

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Wisdom sings her own praises, before her own people she proclaims her glory;	1 Wisdom shall praise her own self, and shall be honoured in God, and shall glory in the midst of her people,
2 In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, in the presence of his hosts she declares her worth:	2 And shall open her mouth in the churches of the most High, and shall glorify herself in the sight of his power,
3 "From the mouth of the Most High I came forth, and mistlike covered the earth.	3 And in the midst of her own people she shall be exalted, and shall be admired in the holy assembly.
4 In the highest heavens did I dwell, my throne on a pillar of cloud.	4 And in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise, and among the blessed she shall be blessed, saying:
5 The vault of heaven I compassed alone, through the deep abyss I wandered.	5 I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all creatures:
6 Over waves of the sea, over all the land, over every people and nation I held sway.	6 I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never faileth, and as a cloud I covered all the earth:
7 Among all these I sought a resting place; in whose inheritance should I abide?	7 I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne is in a pillar of a cloud.
8 "Then the Creator of all gave me his command, and he who formed me chose the spot for my tent, Saying, 'In Jacob make your dwelling, in Israel your inheritance.'	8 I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated into the bottom of the deep, and have walked in the waves of the sea,
9 Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be.	9 And have stood in all the earth: and in every people,
10 In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in Zion I fixed my abode.	10 And in every nation I have had the chief rule:
11 Thus in the chosen city he has given me rest, in Jerusalem is my domain.	11 And by my power I have trodden under my feet the hearts of all the high and low: and in all these I sought rest, and I shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord.
12 I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of the LORD, his heritage.	12 Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and he that made me, rested in my tabernacle,
13 "Like a cedar on Lebanon I am raised aloft, like a cypress on Mount Hermon,	13 And he said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect.
14 Like a palm tree in En-gedi, like a rosebush in Jericho, Like a fair olive tree in the field, like a plane tree growing beside the water.	14 From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him.
15 Like cinnamon, or fragrant balm, or precious myrrh, I give forth perfume; Like galbanum and onycha and sweet spices, like the odor of incense in the holy place.	15 And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem.
16 I spread out my branches like a terebinth, my branches so bright and so graceful.	16 And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of mg God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.
17 I bud forth delights like the vine, my blossoms become fruit fair and rich.	17 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on mount Sion.
18 Come to me, all you that yearn for me, and be filled with my fruits;	18 I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in Jericho:
19 You will remember me as sweeter than honey, better to have than the honeycomb.	19 As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by the water in the streets, was I exalted.
20 He who eats of me will hunger still, he who drinks of me will thirst for more;	20 I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon. and aromatical balm: I yielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:
21 He who obeys me will not be put to shame, he who serves me will never fail."	21 And I perfumed my dwelling as storax, and galbanum, and onyx, and aloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my odour is as the purest balm.
22 All this is true of the book of the Most High's covenant, the law which Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the community of Jacob.	22 I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my branches are of honour and grace.
23 It overflows, like the Pishon, with wisdom-- like the Tigris in the days of the new fruits.	23 As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
24 It runs over, like the Euphrates, with understanding, like the Jordan at harvest time.	24 I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.
25 It sparkles like the Nile with knowledge, like the Gihon at vintage time.	25 In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.
26 The first man never finished comprehending wisdom, nor will the last succeed in fathoming her.	26 Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.
27 For deeper than the sea are her thoughts; her counsels, than the great abyss.	27 For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb.
28 Now I, like a rivulet from her stream, channeling the waters into a garden,	28 My memory is unto everlasting generations.
29 Said to myself, "I will water my plants, my flower bed I will drench"; And suddenly this rivulet of mine became a river, then this stream of mine, a sea.	29 They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst.
30 Thus do I send my teachings forth shining like the dawn, to become known afar off.	30 He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin.
31 Thus do I pour out instruction like prophecy and bestow it on generations to come.	31 They that explain me shall have life everlasting.
	32 All these things are the book of life, and the covenant of the most High, and the knowledge of truth.
	33 Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.
	34 He appointed to David his servant to raise up of him a most mighty king, and sitting on the throne of glory for ever.
	35 Who filleth up wisdom as the Phison, and as the Tigris in the days of the new fruits.
	36 Who maketh understanding to abound as the Euphrates, who multiplieth it as the Jordan in the time of harvest.
	37 Who sendeth knowledge as the light, and riseth up as Gehon in the time of the vintage.
	38 Who first hath perfect knowledge of her, and a weaker shall not search her out.
	39 For her thoughts are more vast than the sea, and her counsels more deep than the great ocean.
	40 I, wisdom, have poured out rivers.
	41 I, like a brook out of a river of a mighty water; I, like a channel of a river. and like an aqueduct, came out of paradise.
	42 I said: I will water my garden of plants, and I will water abundantly the fruits of my meadow.
	43 And behold my brook became a great river, and my river came near to a sea:
	44 For I make doctrine to shine forth to all as the morning light, and I will declare it afar off.
	45 I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord.
	46 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and will leave it to them that seek wisdom, and will not cease to instruct their offspring even to the holy age.
	47 See ye that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek out the truth.