Sirach 24

1Wisdom shall praise her own self, and shall be honoured in God, and shall glory in the midst of her people,

2And shall open her mouth in the churches of the most High, and shall glorify herself in the sight of his power,

3And in the midst of her own people she shall be exalted, and shall be admired in the holy assembly.

4And in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise, and among the blessed she shall be blessed, saying:

5I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all creatures:

6I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never faileth, and as a cloud I covered all the earth:

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

8I 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,

9And have stood in all the earth: and in every people,

10And in every nation I have had the chief rule:

11And 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.

12Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and he that made me, rested in my tabernacle,

13And he said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect.

14From 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.

15And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem.

16And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.

17I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on mount Sion.

18I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in Jericho:

19As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by the water in the streets, was I exalted.

20I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon. and aromatical balm: I yielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:

21And 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.

22I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my branches are of honour and grace.

23As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

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

25In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.

26Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.

27For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb.

28My memory is unto everlasting generations.

29They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst.

30He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin.

31They that explain me shall have life everlasting.

32All these things are the book of life, and the covenant of the most High, and the knowledge of truth.

33Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.

34He appointed to David his servant to raise up of him a most mighty king, and sitting on the throne of glory for ever.

35Who filleth up wisdom as the Phison, and as the Tigris in the days of the new fruits.

36Who maketh understanding to abound as the Euphrates, who multiplieth it as the Jordan in the time of harvest.

37Who sendeth knowledge as the light, and riseth up as Gehon in the time of the vintage.

38Who first hath perfect knowledge of her, and a weaker shall not search her out.

39For her thoughts are more vast than the sea, and her counsels more deep than the great ocean.

40I, wisdom, have poured out rivers.

41I, 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.

42I said: I will water my garden of plants, and I will water abundantly the fruits of my meadow.

43And behold my brook became a great river, and my river came near to a sea:

44For I make doctrine to shine forth to all as the morning light, and I will declare it afar off.

45I 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.

46I 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.

47See ye that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek out the truth.

1[Sapientia laudabit animam suam, et in Deo honorabitur, et in medio populi sui gloriabitur,

2et in ecclesiis Altissimi aperiet os suum, et in conspectu virtutis illius gloriabitur,

3et in medio populi sui exaltabitur, et in plenitudine sancta admirabitur,

4et in multitudine electorum habebit laudem, et inter benedictos benedicetur, dicens:

5Ego ex ore Altissimi prodivi, primogenita ante omnem creaturam.

6Ego feci in cælis ut oriretur lumen indeficiens, et sicut nebula texi omnem terram.

7Ego in altissimis habitavi, et thronus meus in columna nubis.

8Gyrum cæli circuivi sola, et profundum abyssi penetravi: in fluctibus maris ambulavi.

9Et in omni terra steti: et in omni populo,

10et in omni gente primatum habui:

11et omnium excellentium et humilium corda virtute calcavi. Et in his omnibus requiem quæsivi, et in hæreditate Domini morabor.

12Tunc præcepit, et dixit mihi Creator omnium: et qui creavit me, requievit in tabernaculo meo.

13Et dixit mihi: In Jacob inhabita, et in Israël hæreditare, et in electis meis mitte radices.]

14[Ab initio et ante sæcula creata sum, et usque ad futurum sæculum non desinam: et in habitatione sancta coram ipso ministravi.

15Et sic in Sion firmata sum, et in civitate sanctificata similiter requievi, et in Jerusalem potestas mea.

16Et radicavi in populo honorificato, et in parte Dei mei hæreditas illius, et in plenitudine sanctorum detentio mea.]

17[Quasi cedrus exaltata sum in Libano, et quasi cypressus in monte Sion:

18quasi palma exaltata sum in Cades, et quasi plantatio rosæ in Jericho:

19quasi oliva speciosa in campis, et quasi platanus exaltata sum juxta aquam in plateis.

20Sicut cinnamomum et balsamum aromatizans odorem dedi; quasi myrrha electa dedi suavitatem odoris:

21et quasi storax, et galbanus, et ungula, et gutta, et quasi Libanus non incisus vaporavi habitationem meam, et quasi balsamum non mistum odor meus.

22Ego quasi terebinthus extendi ramos meos, et rami mei honoris et gratiæ.

23Ego quasi vitis fructificavi suavitatem odoris: et flores mei fructus honoris et honestatis.

24Ego mater pulchræ dilectionis, et timoris, et agnitionis, et sanctæ spei.

25In me gratia omnis viæ et veritatis: in me omnis spes vitæ et virtutis.

26Transite ad me, omnes qui concupiscitis me, et a generationibus meis implemini:

27spiritus enim meus super mel dulcis, et hæreditas mea super mel et favum.

28Memoria mea in generatione sæculorum.

29Qui edunt me, adhuc esurient, et qui bibunt me, adhuc sitient.

30Qui audit me non confundetur, et qui operantur in me non peccabunt:

31qui elucidant me, vitam æternam habebunt.]

32[Hæc omnia liber vitæ, et testamentum Altissimi, et agnitio veritatis.

33Legem mandavit Moyses in præceptis justitiarum, et hæreditatem domui Jacob, et Israël promissiones.

34Posuit David, puero suo, excitare regem ex ipso fortissimum, et in throno honoris sedentem in sempiternum.

35Qui implet quasi Phison sapientiam, et sicut Tigris in diebus novorum:

36qui adimplet quasi Euphrates sensum, qui multiplicat quasi Jordanis in tempore messis:

37qui mittit disciplinam sicut lucem, et assistens quasi Gehon in die vindemiæ.

38Qui perficit primus scire ipsam, et infirmior non investigabit eam.

39A mari enim abundavit cogitatio ejus, et consilium illius ab abysso magna.

40Ego sapientiam effudi flumina:

41ego quasi trames aquæ immensæ de fluvio: ego quasi fluvii dioryx, et sicut aquæductus exivi de paradiso.

42Dixi: Rigabo hortum meum plantationum, et inebriabo prati mei fructum.

43Et ecce factus est mihi trames abundans, et fluvius meus appropinquavit ad mare:

44quoniam doctrinam quasi antelucanum illumino omnibus, et enarrabo illam usque ad longinquum.

45Penetrabo omnes inferiores partes terræ, et inspiciam omnes dormientes, et illuminabo omnes sperantes in Domino.

46Adhuc doctrinam quasi prophetiam effundam, et relinquam illam quærentibus sapientiam, et non desinam in progenies illorum usque in ævum sanctum.

47Videte quoniam non soli mihi laboravi, sed omnibus exquirentibus veritatem.]

1Wisdom will praise her own mind, and she will be honored by God, and she will be glorified in the midst of her people.

2And she will open her mouth in the churches of the Most High, and she will be glorified in the sight of his virtue.

3And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly.

4And 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.

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

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

8I 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,

9and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people,

10and in every nation, I have held primacy.

11And 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.

12Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle.

13And 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.’

14From 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.

15And in this way, I was established in Zion. And likewise, in the holy city, I found rest. And my authority was in Jerusalem.

16And 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.

17I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion.

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

19I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road.

20I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh.

21And 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.

22I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace.

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

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

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

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

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

28My memory is for the generations of all ages.

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

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

31Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.”

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

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

34God 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.

35It is he who fulfills wisdom, like the Phison river and the Tigris river in the first days.

36It 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.

37He sends forth discipline like the light, and he stands forth like the river Gehon in the time of the vintage.

38He first had perfect knowledge of her, for a weaker one would not search for her.

39For her thoughts abound like the sea, and her counsels abound like the great abyss.

40“I, wisdom, have poured forth rivers.

41I 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.

42I said: I will irrigate my garden of plantings, and I will thoroughly water the fruits of my field.

43And behold, my brook became overflowing, and my river drew near to the sea.

44For I illuminate doctrine to all, like the first light. And I will announce doctrine, even to those who are far away.

45I 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.

46Even 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.

47See how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking truth!”