Jul 21 - Sirach 24-25
Sirach
1Wisdom will praise her own mind, and she will be honored by God, and she will be glorified in the midst of her people2And she will open her mouth in the churches of the Most High, and she will be glorified in the sight of his virtue3And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly4And she will have praise within the multitude of the elect. And she will be blessed among the blessed. And she will say5"I went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures6I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud7I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud8I alone have encompassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated to the depths of the abyss, and have walked upon the waves of the sea9and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people10and in every nation, I have held primacy11And 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 Lord12Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle13And 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.14From 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 habitation15And in this way, I was established in Zion. And likewise, in the holy city, I found rest. And my authority was in Jerusalem16And 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 saints17I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion18I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho19I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road20I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh21And 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 balsam22I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace23Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity24I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope25All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me26Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest27For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb28My memory is for the generations of all ages29Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still30Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin31Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.32All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth33Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel34God appointed David as his servant, in order to raise up from him a most mighty King, who would sit upon the throne of honor forever35It is he who fulfills wisdom, like the Phison river and the Tigris river in the first days36It is he who fulfills understanding, like the river Euphrates. It is he who multiplies understanding, like the river Jordan in the time of the harvest37He sends forth discipline like the light, and he stands forth like the river Gehon in the time of the vintage38He first had perfect knowledge of her, for a weaker one would not search for her39For her thoughts abound like the sea, and her counsels abound like the great abyss40"I, wisdom, have poured forth rivers41I 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 aqueduct42I said: I will irrigate my garden of plantings, and I will thoroughly water the fruits of my field43And behold, my brook became overflowing, and my river drew near to the sea44For I illuminate doctrine to all, like the first light. And I will announce doctrine, even to those who are far away45I 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 Lord46Even 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 time47See how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking truth!
1My spirit is pleased with three things; these are approved in the sight of God and men2the harmony of brothers, and the love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well together3My soul hates three kinds of things; and I am greatly distressed over their souls4an arrogant pauper, a wealthy liar, a foolish and senseless elder5The things that you have not obtained in your youth, how will you find them in your old age6How beautiful it is for a grey head to have judgment, and for elders to know counsel7How beautiful it is for those who are aged to have wisdom, and for those who are honored to have understanding and counsel8Great experience is the crown of the aged, and the fear of God is their glory9I have magnified nine things, overlooked by the heart; and a tenth, I will declare to men with my tongue10a man who finds joy in his children, and one who lives to see the undoing of his enemies11Blessed 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 himself12Blessed is he who finds a true friend, and he who describes justice to an attentive ear13How great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge! But there is no one above him who fears the Lord14The fear of God has set itself above all things15Blessed 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 compared16The fear of God is the beginning of his love; and the beginning of faith has been joined closely to the same17The sadness of the heart is every wound. And the wickedness of a wife is every malice18And a man will choose any wound, but the wound of the heart19and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a wife20and any obstacle, but the obstacle of those who hate him21and any vindication, but the vindication of his enemies22There is no head worse than the head of a serpent23and 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 wife24A wicked wife changes her face. And she darkens her countenance like a bear. And she displays it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbors25her husband groans, and hearing of this, he sighs a little26All malice is brief compared to the malice of a wife. Let the fate of sinners fall upon her27As climbing over sand is to the feet of the aged, so is a talkative wife to a quiet man28You should not favor a woman’s beauty, and you should not desire a wife for her beauty29The anger and disrespect and shame from a wife can be great30The wife, if she has primacy, is set against her husband31A wicked wife debases the heart, and saddens the face, and wounds the heart32A wife who does not make her husband happy enfeebles the hands and weakens the knees33The beginning of sin came from a woman; and through her, we all die34You should not provide an exit to your water, not even a little; nor should you give permission for a wicked wife to exceed the limit35If she will not walk at your hand, she will confound you in the sight of your enemies36Tear her away from your body, lest she abuse you continually