Sirach 24

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 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 And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly.

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 went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures.

⁶ I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud.

⁷ I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud.

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 and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people,

¹⁰ and in every nation, I have held primacy.

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 Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle.

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 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 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 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 I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion.

¹⁸ I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho.

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 I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh.

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 I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace.

²³ Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity.

²⁴ I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.

²⁵ All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me.

²⁶ Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest.

²⁷ For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb.

²⁸ My memory is for the generations of all ages.

²⁹ Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still.

³⁰ Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin.

³¹ Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.”

³² All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth.

³³ Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.

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!”