Sirach 24

1Wisdom will praise herself, And in the midst of her people she will boast.

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2In the assembly of the Most High, she will open her mouth And boast in the presence of His host.

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

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4I pitched my tent in the high places And my throne on the pillar of cloud.

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5I alone encircle the ring of heaven, And I walk in the depth of the abyss.

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6In the waves of the sea, in all the earth, And in every people and nation I have gained a possession.

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7With all these, I have sought a place to rest; In what inheritance will I lodge?

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8'Then the Creator of all things commanded me, And He who created me gave me a place to live. He said, 'Pitch your tent in Jacob And receive an inheritance in Israel.'

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9Before the age, He created me from the beginning, And in the age to come I will not cease.

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10I serve before Him in His holy tabernacle; Therefore, I am established in Zion.

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11In the beloved city likewise He gives me rest, And my authority is in Jerusalem.

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12I am firmly rooted among an honored people, Among the Lord's portion, His inheritance.

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13'Like a cedar tree I was raised on high in Lebanon, Like a cypress tree in the mountains of Hermon.

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14I was exalted like a palm tree in En-Gedi And like rose bushes in Jericho; I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plain And grew tall like a plane-tree.

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15I gave forth the fragrance of aromatic spices Like cinnamon and camel-thorn, And I spread a fragrance like choice myrrh, And like galbanum, onyx, and oil of myrrh, And like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.

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16I spread forth my branches like a terebinth tree, And my branches were glory and grace.

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17I yield grace like a vine, And my flowers produce the fruit of glory and riches.

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18I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children who are named by Him.

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19'Come to me, you who desire me, And take your fill of my fruits.

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20For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, And my inheritance is sweeter than the honey comb.

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

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22He who obeys me will not be put to shame, And those who work with me will not sin.'

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23All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God—The law Moses commanded us, The inheritance of the congregations of Jacob.

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24Faint not to be strong in the Lord; That He may confirm you, cleave unto Him: For the Lord Almighty is God alone, And beside Him there is no other Savior.

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25This law fills men with wisdom, Like the Pishon and the Tigris at the time of firstfruits;

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26And it fills them with understanding, Like the Euphrates and the Jordan at the time of harvest.

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27This law shines forth instruction like light, Like the Gihon in the days of vintage.

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28As the first man did not know wisdom perfectly, So the last man has not searched out her depths.

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29For her thoughts are deeper than the sea And her counsel than the great abyss.

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30I went forth like a canal from a river And like an aqueduct into a garden.

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31I said, 'I will water my garden And drench the garden beds.' And behold, my canal became a river, And my river became a sea.

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32I will yet make instruction shine like the morning, And I will make it shine far away.

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33I will yet pour forth teaching like prophecy, And I will leave it behind for future generations.

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34As you can see, I have not labored for my self alone, But for all who seek wisdom.

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