The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Son of Sirach 24
1 Wisdom will praise her own soul,
and will proclaim her glory in the
midst of her people.
2 She will open her mouth in the congregation
of the Most High, and proclaimher glory inthepresence
of his power.
3 “I came out ofthe mouth ofthe Most High,
and covered the earth as a mist.
4 I lived in high places, and my throne
is in the pillar of the cloud.
5 Alone I surrounded the circuit of heaven,
and walked in the depth of the abyss.
6 In the waves of the sea, and in all the
earth, and in every people and nation,
I obtained a possession.
7 With all these I sought rest.
In whose inheritance shall I lodge?
8 Then 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.
9 He createdme fromthebeginning, before
the ages. For all ages, I will not cease to exist.
10 In the holy tabernacle, I ministered before him.
So I was established in Zion.
11 In the beloved city, likewise he gave me
rest. In Jerusalem was my domain.
12 I took root in a people that was honored,
even in the portion of the Lord’s own
inheritance.
13 I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon,
And like a cypress tree on the mountains of Hermon.
14 I 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.
15 Like 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 off rankincense in the tabernacle.
16 Like the terebinth, I stretched out my
branches. My branches are glorious and graceful.
17 Like 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.
20 For my memory is sweeter than honey,
and my inheritance than the honey comb.
21 Those who eat me will be hungry for
more. Those who drink me will be thirsty for
more.
22 He who obeys me will not be ashamed.
Those who work with me will not sin.
23 All 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 §
25 It is he who makes wisdom abundant, as
Pishon, and as Tigris in the days of first fruits.
26 He makes understanding full as the Euphrates,
and as the Jordan in the days of harvest,
27 who makes instruction shine forth as the
light, as Gihon in the days of vintage.
28 The first man didn’t know her perfectly.
In like manner, the last has not explored her.
29 For her thoughts are filled from the sea,
and her counsels from the great deep.
30 I came out as a canal stream from a river,
and as an irrigation ditch into a garden.
31 I said, “I will water my garden,
and will drench my garden bed.”
Behold, my stream became a river,
and my river became a sea.
32 I will yet bring instruction to light as the
morning, and will make these things clear from
far away.
33 I will continue to pour out teaching like
prophecy, and leave it to all generations.
34 See that I have not labored for myself
only, but for all those who diligently
seek wisdom.