1  Wisdom will praise her own mind, and she will be honored by God, and she will be glorified in the midst of her people.

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

2  And she will open her mouth in the churches of the Most High, and she will be glorified in the sight of his virtue.

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

3  And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly.

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

4  And she will have praise within the multitude of the elect. And she will be blessed among the blessed. And she will say

5  “I went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures.

6  I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud.

7  I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud.

Sir24:4  I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.

8  I alone have encompassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated to the depths of the abyss, and have walked upon the waves of the sea,

Sir24:5  I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.

9  and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people,

Sir24:6  In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

10  and in every nation, I have held primacy.

Sir24:7  With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

11  And by virtue, I have tread upon the hearts of all, the great and the lowly. And I have sought my rest in all of them. And I will continue, as the inheritance of the Lord.

12  Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle.

Sir24:8  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.

13  And he said to me: ‘Let your dwelling place be with Jacob, and let your inheritance be in Israel, for you shall take root among my elect.’

14  From the beginning, and before the world, I was created. And even unto the future world, I will not cease to exist. For I have ministered before him in the holy habitation.

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

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

15  And in this way, I was established in Zion. And likewise, in the holy city, I found rest. And my authority was in Jerusalem.

Sir24:11  Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.

16  And I took root among an honorable people, within the portion of my God, within his inheritance. And so my abode is in the full assembly of the saints.

Sir24:12  And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord’s inheritance.

17  I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion.

18  I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho.

Sir24:14  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.

19  I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road.

20  I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh.

Sir24:15  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.

21  And I perfumed my dwelling place with sweet gum, and aromatic resin, and flower petals, and aloe, as well as the finest cedar from Lebanon. And my fragrance is like undiluted balsam.

22  I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace.

Sir24:16  As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.

23  Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity.

Sir24:17  As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

24  I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.

Sir24:18  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.

25  All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me.

26  Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest.

Sir24:19  Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.

27  For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb.

28  My memory is for the generations of all ages.

Sir24:20  For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.

29  Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still.

Sir24:21  They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.

30  Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin.

Sir24:22  He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.

31  Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.”

32  All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth.

Sir24:23  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.

33  Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.

Sir24:24  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.

34  God appointed David as his servant, in order to raise up from him a most mighty King, who would sit upon the throne of honor forever.

35  It is he who fulfills wisdom, like the Phison river and the Tigris river in the first days.

Sir24:25  He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.

36  It is he who fulfills understanding, like the river Euphrates. It is he who multiplies understanding, like the river Jordan in the time of the harvest.

Sir24:26  He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.

37  He sends forth discipline like the light, and he stands forth like the river Gehon in the time of the vintage.

Sir24:27  He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.

38  He first had perfect knowledge of her, for a weaker one would not search for her.

Sir24:28  The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.

39  For her thoughts abound like the sea, and her counsels abound like the great abyss.

Sir24:29  For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.

40  “I, wisdom, have poured forth rivers.

41  I am like a brook leading to a river of immense waters. I am like a channel flowing from a river. And I went forth from Paradise like an aqueduct.

Sir24:30  I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.

42  I said: I will irrigate my garden of plantings, and I will thoroughly water the fruits of my field.

Sir24:31  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.

43  And behold, my brook became overflowing, and my river drew near to the sea.

44  For I illuminate doctrine to all, like the first light. And I will announce doctrine, even to those who are far away.

Sir24:32  I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.

45  I will reach to all the lower parts of the earth, and I will gaze upon all who sleep, and I will illuminate all who hope in the Lord.

46  Even now, I pour forth doctrine like prophecy. And even now, I bequeath doctrine to those who seek wisdom. And I will not cease from their progeny, even unto the holy time.

Sir24:33  I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.

47  See how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking truth!”

Sir24:34  Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.

25:1  My spirit is pleased with three things; these are approved in the sight of God and men

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  the harmony of brothers, and the love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well together.

25:3  My soul hates three kinds of things; and I am greatly distressed over their souls

Sir25:2  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.

25:4  an arrogant pauper, a wealthy liar, a foolish and senseless elder.

25:5  The things that you have not obtained in your youth, how will you find them in your old age?

Sir25:3  If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, how canst thou find any thing in thine age?

25:6  How beautiful it is for a grey head to have judgment, and for elders to know counsel!

Sir25:4  O how comely a thing is judgement for gray hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!

25:7  How beautiful it is for those who are aged to have wisdom, and for those who are honored to have understanding and counsel!

Sir25:5  O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.

25:8  Great experience is the crown of the aged, and the fear of God is their glory.

Sir25:6  Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.

25:9  I have magnified nine things, overlooked by the heart; and a tenth, I will declare to men with my tongue

Sir25:7  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

25:10  a man who finds joy in his children, and one who lives to see the undoing of his enemies.

25:11  Blessed is he who lives with a wise wife, and he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served those unworthy of himself.

Sir25:8  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

25:12  Blessed is he who finds a true friend, and he who describes justice to an attentive ear.

Sir25:9  Well is him that hath found prudence, and he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear

25:13  How great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge! But there is no one above him who fears the Lord.

Sir25:10  O how great is he that findeth wisdom! yet is there none above him that feareth the Lord.

25:14  The fear of God has set itself above all things.

Sir25:11  But the love of the Lord passeth all things for illumination: he that holdeth it, whereto shall he be likened?

25:15  Blessed is the man to whom it has been given to have the fear of God. He who holds to it, to whom can he be compared?

25:16  The fear of God is the beginning of his love; and the beginning of faith has been joined closely to the same.

Sir25:12  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love: and faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him.

25:17  The sadness of the heart is every wound. And the wickedness of a wife is every malice.

25:18  And a man will choose any wound, but the wound of the heart,

25:19  and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a wife,

Sir25:13  Give me any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman

25:20  and any obstacle, but the obstacle of those who hate him,

25:21  and any vindication, but the vindication of his enemies.

Sir25:14  And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

25:22  There is no head worse than the head of a serpent,

Sir25:15  There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.

25:23  and there is no anger above the anger of a wife. It would be more agreeable to abide with a lion or a dragon, than to live with a wicked wife.

Sir25:16  I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.

25:24  A wicked wife changes her face. And she darkens her countenance like a bear. And she displays it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbors,

Sir25:17  The wickedness of a woman changeth her face, and darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth.

25:25  her husband groans, and hearing of this, he sighs a little.

Sir25:18  Her husband shall sit among his neighbours; and when he heareth it shall sigh bitterly.

25:26  All malice is brief compared to the malice of a wife. Let the fate of sinners fall upon her!

Sir25:19  All wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman: let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.

25:27  As climbing over sand is to the feet of the aged, so is a talkative wife to a quiet man.

Sir25:20  As the climbing up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.

25:28  You should not favor a woman’s beauty, and you should not desire a wife for her beauty.

Sir25:21  Stumble not at the beauty of a woman, and desire her not for pleasure.

25:29  The anger and disrespect and shame from a wife can be great.

25:30  The wife, if she has primacy, is set against her husband.

Sir25:22  A woman, if she maintain her husband, is full of anger, impudence, and much reproach.

25:31  A wicked wife debases the heart, and saddens the face, and wounds the heart.

Sir25:23  A wicked woman abateth the courage, maketh an heavy countenance and a wounded heart: a woman that will not comfort her husband in distress maketh weak hands and feeble knees.

25:32  A wife who does not make her husband happy enfeebles the hands and weakens the knees.

25:33  The beginning of sin came from a woman; and through her, we all die.

Sir25:24  Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.

25:34  You should not provide an exit to your water, not even a little; nor should you give permission for a wicked wife to exceed the limit.

Sir25:25  Give the water no passage; neither a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.

25:35  If she will not walk at your hand, she will confound you in the sight of your enemies.

Sir25:26  If she go not as thou wouldest have her, cut her off from thy flesh, and give her a bill of divorce, and let her go.

25:36  Tear her away from your body, lest she abuse you continually.