Sirach 24

1 Wisdom will praise herself and boast among her people.

2 She will open her mouth in the assembly of the Most High and boast before his power.

3 I came out of the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as a mist.

4 I camped in the heights, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.

5 I alone traveled around the circuit of heaven and walked through the depths of the abyss.

6 I gained a possession among the waves of the sea, throughout the earth, and among every people and nation.

7 Among all these I sought a place to rest. In whose inheritance would I settle?

8 Then the Creator of all commanded me. The one who created me gave my tent rest and said:

“Make your dwelling in Jacob, and take Israel as your inheritance.”

9 He created me from the beginning, before the age, and I will never fail.

10 I served before him in the holy tent, and in this way I was established in Zion.

11 He gave me rest in the beloved city as well, and my authority was in Jerusalem.

12 I took root among an honored people, in the Lord’s portion—his inheritance.

13 I rose high like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on the mountains of Hermon.

14 I rose high like a palm tree in En-gedi, like rose bushes in Jericho, like a beautiful olive tree in a field, and like a plane tree.

15 I gave off fragrance like cinnamon and aromatic reed. I spread a pleasant fragrance like choice myrrh, galbanum, onycha, storax, and the smoke of frankincense in the tent.

16 Like a terebinth I spread out my branches, branches filled with honor and favor.

17 Like a vine I produced favor, and my flowers became fruit of honor and wealth.

18 I am the mother of beautiful love, fear, knowledge, and holy hope. Because I am eternal, I am given to all my children who are named by him.

19 Come to me, all you who desire me, and fill yourselves with my fruit.

20 My memory is sweeter than honey, and inheriting me is sweeter than honeycomb.

21 Those who eat me will hunger for more, and those who drink me will thirst for more.

22 Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame, and those who work with me will not sin.

23 All this is the book of the covenant of God Most High, the law Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the assemblies of Jacob.

24 Do not grow weary, but be strong in the Lord. Hold fast to him so that he may strengthen you, for the Lord Almighty alone is God, and there is no other one who saves.

25 It fills everything with wisdom, like the Pishon and the Tigris during the season of new fruit.

26 It makes understanding overflow like the Euphrates and like the Jordan at harvest time.

27 It makes instruction shine out like light, like the Gihon at grape harvest.

28 The first person did not know her completely, nor will the last person fully discover her.

29 Her thoughts are more abundant than the sea, and her counsel is deeper than the great abyss.

30 I also came out like a canal from a river, like a channel flowing into a garden.

31 I said, “I will water my garden and soak my garden bed.” Then my canal became a river, and my river became a sea.

32 I will make instruction shine like the dawn and reveal it far away.

33 I will pour out instruction like prophecy and leave it for every generation forever.

34 See that I have labored not only for myself but for everyone who seeks her.