The Book of Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus) [The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus]
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Anonymous
24:5 I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.
24:6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.
24:7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?
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.
24:9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.
24:10 In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.
24:11 Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.
24:12 And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord’s inheritance.
24:13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.
24:14 I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water.
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.
24:16 As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.
24:17 As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
24:18 I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.
24:19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.
24:20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.
24:21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.
24:22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.
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.
24:24 Faint 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 Saviour.
24:25 He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.
24:26 He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.
24:27 He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.
24:28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.
24:29 For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.
24:30 I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.
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.
24:32 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.
24:33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.
24:34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.
25:1 In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful both before God and men: the unity of brethren, the love of neighbours, a man and a wife that agree together.
25:2 Three sorts of men my soul hateth, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a liar, and an old adulterer that doateth.
25:3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, how canst thou find any thing in thine age?
25:4 O how comely a thing is judgment for gray hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!
25:5 O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.
25:6 Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.
25:7 There be nine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that hath joy of his children; and he that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:
25:8 Well is him that dwelleth with a wife of understanding, and that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served a man more unworthy than himself:
25:9 Well is him that hath found prudence, and he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear:
25:10 O how great is he that findeth wisdom! yet is there none above him that feareth the Lord.