Home Master Index
←Prev   Sirach 24 as rendered by/in  Next→ 


24:1  Wisdom praises herself and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.
24:2  In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:
24:3  “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High and covered the earth like a mist.
24:4  I encamped in the heights, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
24:5  Alone I compassed the vault of heaven and traversed the depths of the abyss.
24:6  Over waves of the sea, over all the earth, and over every people and nation I have held sway.
24:7  Among all these I sought a resting place; in whose inheritance should I abide?
24:8  “Then the Creator of all things gave me a command, and my Creator pitched my tent. He said, ‘Encamp in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance.’
24:9  Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me, and for all the ages I shall not cease to be.
24:10  In the holy tent I ministered before him, and so I was established in Zion.
24:11  Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting place, and in Jerusalem was my domain.
24:12  I took root in an honored people; in the portion of the Lord is my inheritance.
24:13  “I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
24:14  I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi and like rosebushes in Jericho; like a fair olive tree in the field and like a plane tree beside water I grew tall.
24:15  Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth perfume, and like choice myrrh I spread my fragrance, like galbanum, onycha, and stacte, and like the odor of incense in the tent.
24:16  Like a terebinth I spread out my branches, and my branches are glorious and graceful.
24:17  Like the vine I bud forth delights, and my blossoms become glorious and abundant fruit.
24:19  “Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my fruits.
24:20  For the memory of me is sweeter than honey and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb.
24:21  Those who eat of me will hunger for more, and those who drink of me will thirst for more.
24:22  Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame, and those who work with me will not sin.”
24:23  All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law that Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.
24:25  It becomes full, like the Pishon, with wisdom and like the Tigris at the time of the spring harvest.
24:26  It fills up, like the Euphrates, with understanding, and like the Jordan at harvest time.
24:27  It pours forth instruction like the Nile, like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
24:28  The first man did not know wisdom fully, nor will the last one fathom her.
24:29  For her thoughts are more abundant than the sea and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.
24:30  I came forth like a canal from a river, like a water channel into a garden.
24:31  I said, “I will water my garden and drench my flower beds.” And look, my canal became a river and my river a sea.
24:32  I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn, and I will make it clear from far away.
24:33  I will again pour out teaching like prophecy and leave it to all future generations.
24:34  Observe that I have not labored for myself alone but for all who seek wisdom.