Sirach 24

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Wisdom sings her own praises, before her own people she proclaims her glory;	1 Wisdom shall praise herself, 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 In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.
3 "From the mouth of the Most High I came forth, and mistlike covered the earth.	3 I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.
4 In the highest heavens did I dwell, my throne on a pillar of cloud.	4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.
5 The vault of heaven I compassed alone, through the deep abyss I wandered.	5 I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.
6 Over waves of the sea, over all the land, over every people and nation I held sway.	6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.
7 Among all these I sought a resting place; in whose inheritance should I abide?	7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?
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 So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel.
9 Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be.	9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.
10 In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in Zion I fixed my abode.	10 In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.
11 Thus in the chosen city he has given me rest, in Jerusalem is my domain.	11 Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.
12 I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of the LORD, his heritage.	12 And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord's inheritance.
13 "Like a cedar on Lebanon I am raised aloft, like a cypress on Mount Hermon,	13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.
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 I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water.
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 I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.
16 I spread out my branches like a terebinth, my branches so bright and so graceful.	16 As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.
17 I bud forth delights like the vine, my blossoms become fruit fair and rich.	17 As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
18 Come to me, all you that yearn for me, and be filled with my fruits;	18 I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.
19 You will remember me as sweeter than honey, better to have than the honeycomb.	19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.
20 He who eats of me will hunger still, he who drinks of me will thirst for more;	20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.
21 He who obeys me will not be put to shame, he who serves me will never fail."	21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.
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 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.
23 It overflows, like the Pishon, with wisdom-- like the Tigris in the days of the new fruits.	23 All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law which Moses commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.
24 It runs over, like the Euphrates, with understanding, like the Jordan at harvest time.	24 Faint not to be strong in the Lord; that he may confirm you, cleave unto him: for the Lord Almighty is God alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour.
25 It sparkles like the Nile with knowledge, like the Gihon at vintage time.	25 He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.
26 The first man never finished comprehending wisdom, nor will the last succeed in fathoming her.	26 He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.
27 For deeper than the sea are her thoughts; her counsels, than the great abyss.	27 He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.
28 Now I, like a rivulet from her stream, channeling the waters into a garden,	28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.
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 For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.
30 Thus do I send my teachings forth shining like the dawn, to become known afar off.	30 I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.
31 Thus do I pour out instruction like prophecy and bestow it on generations to come.	31 I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.
	32 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.
	33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.
	34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.