Saltar a la lectura
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 24
Sir
Home
›
Books of the Bible
›
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
›
Chapter 24
Discourse of Wisdom
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 in a pillar of cloud.
5
Alone I encircled the vault of the sky, and I walked on the bottom of the deeps.
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
I ministered before him in the holy tabernacle, and thus was I established on 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 Engedi, as the rose bushes of Jericho; as a fine olive in the plain, as a plane tree I have grown tall.
15
I have exhaled a perfume like cinnamon and acacia, I have breathed out a scent like choice myrrh, like galbanum, onycha and stacte, like the smoke of incense in the tabernacle.
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.
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
Whoever listens to me will never have to blush, whoever acts as I dictate will never sin’.
Wisdom and the Law
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.
25
That is what makes wisdom brim like the Pishon[*a], like the Tigris in the season of fruit,
26
what makes understanding brim over like the Euphrates, like the Jordan at harvest time
27
and makes discipline flow like the Nile, like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
28
The first man never managed to grasp her entirely, nor has the most recent one fully comprehended her
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
Now I shall make discipline shine out, I shall send its light far and wide.
33
I shall pour out teaching like prophecy, as a legacy to all future generations.
34
Observe that I have not toiled for myself alone, but for all who are seeking wisdom.
Chapters of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Home
Search
Readings
Settings