Sirach 24

¹Wisdom will praise her own soul, and will proclaim her glory in the midst of her people.

²She will open her mouth in the congregation of the Most High, and proclaim her glory in the presence of his power.

³“I came out of the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as a mist.†⇄ (21 connections)

⁴I lived in high places, and my throne is in the pillar of the cloud.† (1 connection)

⁵Alone I surrounded the circuit of heaven, and walked in the depth of the abyss.†⇄ (18 connections)

⁶In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I obtained a possession.† (1 connection)

⁷With all these I sought rest. In whose inheritance shall I lodge?† (1 connection)

⁸Then the Creator of all things gave me a command. He who created me made my tent to rest, and said, ‘Let your dwelling be in Jacob, and your inheritance in Israel.’

⁹He created me from the beginning, before the ages. For all ages, I will not cease to exist.

¹⁰In the holy tabernacle, I ministered before him. So I was established in Zion.

¹¹In the beloved city, likewise he gave me rest. In Jerusalem was my domain.

¹²I took root in a people that was honored, even in the portion of the Lord’s own inheritance.

¹³I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon, And like a cypress tree on the mountains of Hermon.

¹⁴I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore, like rose bushes in Jericho, and like a fair olive tree in the plain. I was exalted like a plane tree.

¹⁵Like cinnamon and aspalathus, I have given a scent to perfumes. Like choice myrrh, I spread abroad a pleasant fragrance, like galbanum, onycha, stacte, and as the smell of frankincense in the tabernacle.

¹⁶Like the terebinth, I stretched out my branches. My branches are glorious and graceful.

¹⁷Like the vine, I put forth grace. My flowers are the fruit of glory and riches.

¹⁸

¹⁹“Come to me, all you who desire me, and be filled with my fruits.

²⁰For my memory is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance than the honeycomb.

²¹Those who eat me will be hungry for more. Those who drink me will be thirsty for more.†⇄ (2 connections)

²²He who obeys me will not be ashamed. Those who work with me will not sin.”†⇄ (13 connections)

²³All these things are the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded us for an inheritance for the assemblies of Jacob.

²⁴

²⁵It is he who makes wisdom abundant, as Pishon, and as Tigris in the days of first fruits.

²⁶He makes understanding full as the Euphrates, and as the Jordan in the days of harvest,

²⁷who makes instruction shine forth as the light, as Gihon in the days of vintage.

²⁸The first man didn’t know her perfectly. In like manner, the last has not explored her.

²⁹For her thoughts are filled from the sea, and her counsels from the great deep.

³⁰I came out as a canal stream from a river, and as an irrigation ditch into a garden.

³¹I said, “I will water my garden, and will drench my garden bed.” Behold, my stream became a river, and my river became a sea.

³²I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, and will make these things clear from far away.

³³I will continue to pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all generations.

³⁴See that I have not labored for myself only, but for all those who diligently seek wisdom.