Sirach 24:12-31

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

¹² Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and he that made me, rested in my tabernacle,

¹³ And he said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect.

¹⁴ From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him.

¹⁵ And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem.

¹⁶ And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.

¹⁷ I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on mount Sion.

¹⁸ I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in Jericho:

¹⁹ As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by the water in the streets, was I exalted.

²⁰ I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon. and aromatical balm: I yielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:

²¹ And I perfumed my dwelling as storax, and galbanum, and onyx, and aloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my odour is as the purest balm.

²² I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my branches are of honour and grace.

²³ As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

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

²⁵ In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.

²⁶ Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.

²⁷ For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb.

²⁸ My memory is unto everlasting generations.

²⁹ They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst.

³⁰ He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin.

³¹ They that explain me shall have life everlasting.