Sirach 24

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Wisdom will praise her own mind, and she will be honored by God, and she will be glorified in the midst of her people.	1 Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.
2 And she will open her mouth in the churches of the Most High, and she will be glorified in the sight of his virtue.	2 In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.
3 And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly.	3 I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.
4 And she will have praise within the multitude of the elect. And she will be blessed among the blessed. And she will say:	4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.
5 “I went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures.	5 I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.
6 I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud.	6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.
7 I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud.	7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?
8 I alone have encompassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated to the depths of the abyss, and have walked upon the waves of the sea,	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 and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people,	9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.
10 and in every nation, I have held primacy.	10 In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.
11 And by virtue, I have tread upon the hearts of all, the great and the lowly. And I have sought my rest in all of them. And I will continue, as the inheritance of the Lord.	11 Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.
12 Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle.	12 And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord's inheritance.
13 And he said to me: ‘Let your dwelling place be with Jacob, and let your inheritance be in Israel, for you shall take root among my elect.’	13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.
14 From the beginning, and before the world, I was created. And even unto the future world, I will not cease to exist. For I have ministered before him in the holy habitation.	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 And in this way, I was established in Zion. And likewise, in the holy city, I found rest. And my authority was in Jerusalem.	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 And I took root among an honorable people, within the portion of my God, within his inheritance. And so my abode is in the full assembly of the saints.	16 As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.
17 I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion.	17 As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
18 I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho.	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 I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road.	19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.
20 I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh.	20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.
21 And I perfumed my dwelling place with sweet gum, and aromatic resin, and flower petals, and aloe, as well as the finest cedar from Lebanon. And my fragrance is like undiluted balsam.	21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.
22 I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace.	22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.
23 Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity.	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 I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.	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 All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me.	25 He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.
26 Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest.	26 He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.
27 For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb.	27 He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.
28 My memory is for the generations of all ages.	28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.
29 Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still.	29 For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.
30 Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin.	30 I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.
31 Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.”	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 All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth.	32 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.
33 Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.	33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.
34 God appointed David as his servant, in order to raise up from him a most mighty King, who would sit upon the throne of honor forever.	34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.
35 It is he who fulfills wisdom, like the Phison river and the Tigris river in the first days.
36 It is he who fulfills understanding, like the river Euphrates. It is he who multiplies understanding, like the river Jordan in the time of the harvest.
37 He sends forth discipline like the light, and he stands forth like the river Gehon in the time of the vintage.
38 He first had perfect knowledge of her, for a weaker one would not search for her.
39 For her thoughts abound like the sea, and her counsels abound like the great abyss.
40 “I, wisdom, have poured forth rivers.
41 I am like a brook leading to a river of immense waters. I am like a channel flowing from a river. And I went forth from Paradise like an aqueduct.
42 I said: I will irrigate my garden of plantings, and I will thoroughly water the fruits of my field.
43 And behold, my brook became overflowing, and my river drew near to the sea.
44 For I illuminate doctrine to all, like the first light. And I will announce doctrine, even to those who are far away.
45 I will reach to all the lower parts of the earth, and I will gaze upon all who sleep, and I will illuminate all who hope in the Lord.
46 Even now, I pour forth doctrine like prophecy. And even now, I bequeath doctrine to those who seek wisdom. And I will not cease from their progeny, even unto the holy time.
47 See how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking truth!”