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Apoteichisis

The Old Testament

Wisdom of Sirach 24

ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ · 24

Brenton 24:1

Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.

Brenton 24:2

In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.

Brenton 24:3

I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.

Brenton 24:4

I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.

Brenton 24:5

I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.

Brenton 24:6

In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

Brenton 24:7

With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

Brenton 24:8

So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel.

Brenton 24:9

He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.

Brenton 24:10

In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.

Brenton 24:11

Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.

Brenton 24:12

And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord's inheritance.

Brenton 24:13

I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.

Brenton 24:14

I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a plain, and grew up as a plane tree.

Brenton 24:15

I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.

Brenton 24:16

As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.

Brenton 24:17

As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

Brenton 24:19

Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.

Brenton 24:20

For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.

Brenton 24:21

They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.

Brenton 24:22

He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.

Brenton 24:23

All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law which Moses commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.

Brenton 24:25

He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.

Brenton 24:26

He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.

Brenton 24:27

He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.

Brenton 24:28

The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.

Brenton 24:29

For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.

Brenton 24:30

I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.

Brenton 24:31

I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.

Brenton 24:32

I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.

Brenton 24:33

I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.

Brenton 24:34

Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.

Brenton supplied wording, small capitals, translation notes, Greek wording, and edition-specific verse identifiers are retained. Parallel passages keep each edition's own references. Editions and sources.