Sirach 24

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Wisdom will praise herself, and will glory in the midst of her people.	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 will open her mouth, and in the presence of his host she will glory:	2 And shall open her mouth in the churches of the most High, and shall glorify herself in the sight of his power,
3 "I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist.	3 And in the midst of her own people she shall be exalted, and shall be admired in the holy assembly.
4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne was in 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 Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven and have walked in the depths of the abyss.	5 I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all creatures:
6 In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth, and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession.	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; I sought in whose territory I might lodge.	7 I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne is in a pillar of a cloud.
8 Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and the one who created me assigned a place for my tent. And he said, 'Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive 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 From eternity, in the beginning, he created me, and for eternity I shall not cease to exist.	9 And have stood in all the earth: and in every people,
10 In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him, and so I was established in Zion.	10 And in every nation I have had the chief rule:
11 In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting place, and in Jerusalem was my dominion.	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 So I took root in an honored people, in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance.	12 Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and he that made me, rested in my tabernacle,
13 I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon, and like a cypress on the heights of 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 I grew tall like a palm tree in En-ge'di, and like rose plants in Jericho; like a beautiful olive tree in the field, and like a plane tree I grew tall.	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 cassia and camel's thorn I gave forth the aroma of spices, and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor, like galbanum, onycha, and stacte, and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.	15 And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem.
16 Like a terebinth I spread out my branches, and my branches are glorious and 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 Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud, and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit.	17 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on mount Sion.
18 .	18 I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in Jericho:
19 "Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce.	19 As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by the water in the streets, was I exalted.
20 For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb.	20 I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon. and aromatical balm: I yielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:
21 Those who eat me will hunger for more, and those who drink me will thirst for more.	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 Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame, and those who work with my help will not sin."	22 I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my branches are of honour and grace.
23 All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.	23 As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
24 .	24 I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.
25 It fills men with wisdom, like the Pishon, and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.	25 In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.
26 It makes them full of understanding, like the Euphrates, and like the Jordan at harvest time.	26 Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.
27 It makes instruction shine forth like light, like the Gihon at the time of vintage.	27 For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb.
28 Just as the first man did not know her perfectly, the last one has not fathomed her;	28 My memory is unto everlasting generations.
29 for her thought is more abundant than the sea, and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.	29 They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst.
30 I went forth like a canal from a river and like a water channel into a garden.	30 He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin.
31 I said, "I will water my orchard and drench my garden plot"; and lo, my canal became a river, and my river became a sea.	31 They that explain me shall have life everlasting.
32 I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn, and I will make it shine afar;	32 All these things are the book of life, and the covenant of the most High, and the knowledge of truth.
33 I will again pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all future generations.	33 Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.
34 Observe that I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who seek instruction.	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.