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Ecclesiasticus / Sirach - Chapter 24

1 Wisdom speaks her own praises, in the midst of her people she glories in herself.

2 She opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High, she glories in herself in the presence of the Mighty One:

3 'I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and I covered the earth like mist.

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

5 Alone, I have made the circuit of the heavens and walked through the depths of the abyss.

6 Over the waves of the sea and over the whole earth, and over every people and nation I have held sway.

7 Among all these I searched for rest, and looked to see in whose territory I might pitch camp.

8 Then the Creator of all things instructed me and he who created me fixed a place for my tent. He said, "Pitch your tent in Jacob, make Israel your inheritance."

9 From eternity, in the beginning, he created me, and for eternity I shall remain.

10 In the holy tent I ministered before him and thus became established in Zion.

11 In the beloved city he has given me rest, and in Jerusalem I wield my authority.

12 I have taken root in a privileged people, in the Lord's property, in his inheritance.

13 I have grown tall as a cedar on Lebanon, as a cypress on Mount Hermon;

14 I have grown tall as a palm in En-Gedi, as the rose bushes of Jericho; as a fine olive in the plain, as a plane tree, I have grown tall.

15 Like cinnamon and acanthus, I have yielded a perfume, like choice myrrh, have breathed out a scent, like galbanum, onycha, labdanum, like the smoke of incense in the tent.

16 I have spread my branches like a terebinth, and my branches are glorious and graceful.

17 I am like a vine putting out graceful shoots, my blossoms bear the fruit of glory and wealth.

18

19 Approach me, you who desire me, and take your fill of my fruits,

20 for memories of me are sweeter than honey, inheriting me is sweeter than the honeycomb.

21 They who eat me will hunger for more, they who drink me will thirst for more.

22 No one who obeys me will ever have to blush, no one who acts as I dictate will ever sin.'

23 All this is no other than the Book of the Covenant of the Most High God, the Law that Moses enjoined on us, an inheritance for the communities of Jacob.

24

25 This is what makes wisdom brim over like the Pishon, like the Tigris in the season of fruit,

26 what makes intelligence overflow like the Euphrates, like the Jordan at harvest time;

27 and makes discipline flow like the Nile, like the Gihon when the grapes are harvested.

28 The first man did not finish discovering about her, nor has the most recent tracked her down;

29 for her thoughts are wider than the sea, and her designs more profound than the abyss.

30 And I, like a conduit from a river, like a watercourse running into a garden,

31 I said, 'I am going to water my orchard, I intend to irrigate my flower beds.' And see, my conduit has grown into a river, and my river has grown into a sea.

32 Making discipline shine forth from daybreak, I shall send its light far and wide.

33 I shall pour out teaching like prophecy, as a legacy to all future generations.

34 And note, I have been working not merely for myself, but for all who are seeking wisdom.

Book of Ecclesiasticus / Sirach Chapters

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We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

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We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

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