Sirach 24

KING JAMES BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.	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.
2 In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.	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.
3 I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.	3 And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly.
4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.	4 And she will have praise within the multitude of the elect. And she will be blessed among the blessed. And she will say:
5 I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.	5 “I went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures.
6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.	6 I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud.
7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?	7 I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud.
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.	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,
9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.	9 and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people,
10 In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.	10 and in every nation, I have held primacy.
11 Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.	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.
12 And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord's inheritance.	12 Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle.
13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.	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.’
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.	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.
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.	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.
16 As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.	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.
17 As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.	17 I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion.
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.	18 I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho.
19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.	19 I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road.
20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.	20 I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh.
21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.	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.
22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.	22 I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace.
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.	23 Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity.
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.	24 I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.
25 He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.	25 All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me.
26 He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.	26 Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest.
27 He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.	27 For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb.
28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.	28 My memory is for the generations of all ages.
29 For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.	29 Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still.
30 I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.	30 Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin.
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.	31 Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.”
32 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.	32 All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth.
33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.	33 Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.
34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.	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.
	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!”