Sirach 24 Clementine Vulgate
1 [Sapientia laudabit animam suam, et in Deo honorabitur, et in medio populi sui gloriabitur,
1 Wisdom will praise her own soul, and will proclaim her glory in the midst of her people.
2 et in ecclesiis Altissimi aperiet os suum, et in conspectu virtutis illius gloriabitur,
2 She will open her mouth in the congregation of the Most High, and proclaim her glory in the presence of his power.
3 et in medio populi sui exaltabitur, et in plenitudine sancta admirabitur,
3 “I came out of the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as a mist.
4 et in multitudine electorum habebit laudem, et inter benedictos benedicetur, dicens:
4 I lived in high places, and my throne is in the pillar of the cloud.
5 Ego ex ore Altissimi prodivi, primogenita ante omnem creaturam.
5 Alone I surrounded the circuit of heaven, and walked in the depth of the abyss.
6 Ego feci in cælis ut oriretur lumen indeficiens, et sicut nebula texi omnem terram.
6 In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I obtained a possession.
7 Ego in altissimis habitavi, et thronus meus in columna nubis.
7 With all these I sought rest. In whose inheritance shall I lodge?
8 Gyrum cæli circuivi sola, et profundum abyssi penetravi: in fluctibus maris ambulavi.
8 Then the Creator of all things gave me a command. He who created me made my tent to rest, and said, ‘Let your dwelling be in Jacob, and your inheritance in Israel.’
9 Et in omni terra steti: et in omni populo,
9 He created me from the beginning, before the ages. For all ages, I will not cease to exist.
10 et in omni gente primatum habui:
10 In the holy tabernacle, I ministered before him. So I was established in Zion.
11 et omnium excellentium et humilium corda virtute calcavi. Et in his omnibus requiem quæsivi, et in hæreditate Domini morabor.
11 In the beloved city, likewise he gave me rest. In Jerusalem was my domain.
12 Tunc præcepit, et dixit mihi Creator omnium: et qui creavit me, requievit in tabernaculo meo.
12 I took root in a people that was honored, even in the portion of the Lord’s own inheritance.
13 Et dixit mihi: In Jacob inhabita, et in Israël hæreditare, et in electis meis mitte radices.]
13 I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon, And like a cypress tree on the mountains of Hermon.
14 [Ab initio et ante sæcula creata sum, et usque ad futurum sæculum non desinam: et in habitatione sancta coram ipso ministravi.
14 I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore, like rose bushes in Jericho, and like a fair olive tree in the plain. I was exalted like a plane tree.
15 Et sic in Sion firmata sum, et in civitate sanctificata similiter requievi, et in Jerusalem potestas mea.
15 Like cinnamon and aspalathus, I have given a scent to perfumes. Like choice myrrh, I spread abroad a pleasant fragrance, like galbanum, onycha, stacte, and as the smell of frankincense in the tabernacle.
16 Et radicavi in populo honorificato, et in parte Dei mei hæreditas illius, et in plenitudine sanctorum detentio mea.]
16 Like the terebinth, I stretched out my branches. My branches are glorious and graceful.
17 [Quasi cedrus exaltata sum in Libano, et quasi cypressus in monte Sion:
17 Like the vine, I put forth grace. My flowers are the fruit of glory and riches.
18 quasi palma exaltata sum in Cades, et quasi plantatio rosæ in Jericho:
18 Not in this translation
19 quasi oliva speciosa in campis, et quasi platanus exaltata sum juxta aquam in plateis.
19 “Come to me, all you who desire me, and be filled with my fruits.
20 Sicut cinnamomum et balsamum aromatizans odorem dedi; quasi myrrha electa dedi suavitatem odoris:
20 For my memory is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance than the honeycomb.
21 et quasi storax, et galbanus, et ungula, et gutta, et quasi Libanus non incisus vaporavi habitationem meam, et quasi balsamum non mistum odor meus.
21 Those who eat me will be hungry for more. Those who drink me will be thirsty for more.
22 Ego quasi terebinthus extendi ramos meos, et rami mei honoris et gratiæ.
22 He who obeys me will not be ashamed. Those who work with me will not sin.”
23 Ego quasi vitis fructificavi suavitatem odoris: et flores mei fructus honoris et honestatis.
23 All these things are the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded us for an inheritance for the assemblies of Jacob.
24 Ego mater pulchræ dilectionis, et timoris, et agnitionis, et sanctæ spei.
24 Not in this translation
25 In me gratia omnis viæ et veritatis: in me omnis spes vitæ et virtutis.
25 It is he who makes wisdom abundant, as Pishon, and as Tigris in the days of first fruits.
26 Transite ad me, omnes qui concupiscitis me, et a generationibus meis implemini:
26 He makes understanding full as the Euphrates, and as the Jordan in the days of harvest,
27 spiritus enim meus super mel dulcis, et hæreditas mea super mel et favum.
27 who makes instruction shine forth as the light, as Gihon in the days of vintage.
28 Memoria mea in generatione sæculorum.
28 The first man didn’t know her perfectly. In like manner, the last has not explored her.
29 Qui edunt me, adhuc esurient, et qui bibunt me, adhuc sitient.
29 For her thoughts are filled from the sea, and her counsels from the great deep.
30 Qui audit me non confundetur, et qui operantur in me non peccabunt:
30 I came out as a canal stream from a river, and as an irrigation ditch into a garden.
31 qui elucidant me, vitam æternam habebunt.]
31 I said, “I will water my garden, and will drench my garden bed.” Behold, my stream became a river, and my river became a sea.
32 [Hæc omnia liber vitæ, et testamentum Altissimi, et agnitio veritatis.
32 I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, and will make these things clear from far away.
33 Legem mandavit Moyses in præceptis justitiarum, et hæreditatem domui Jacob, et Israël promissiones.
33 I will continue to pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all generations.
34 Posuit David, puero suo, excitare regem ex ipso fortissimum, et in throno honoris sedentem in sempiternum.
34 See that I have not labored for myself only, but for all those who diligently seek wisdom.
35 Qui implet quasi Phison sapientiam, et sicut Tigris in diebus novorum:
35 Not in this translation
36 qui adimplet quasi Euphrates sensum, qui multiplicat quasi Jordanis in tempore messis:
36 Not in this translation
37 qui mittit disciplinam sicut lucem, et assistens quasi Gehon in die vindemiæ.
37 Not in this translation
38 Qui perficit primus scire ipsam, et infirmior non investigabit eam.
38 Not in this translation
39 A mari enim abundavit cogitatio ejus, et consilium illius ab abysso magna.
39 Not in this translation
40 Ego sapientiam effudi flumina:
40 Not in this translation
41 ego quasi trames aquæ immensæ de fluvio: ego quasi fluvii dioryx, et sicut aquæductus exivi de paradiso.
41 Not in this translation
42 Dixi: Rigabo hortum meum plantationum, et inebriabo prati mei fructum.
42 Not in this translation
43 Et ecce factus est mihi trames abundans, et fluvius meus appropinquavit ad mare:
43 Not in this translation
44 quoniam doctrinam quasi antelucanum illumino omnibus, et enarrabo illam usque ad longinquum.
44 Not in this translation
45 Penetrabo omnes inferiores partes terræ, et inspiciam omnes dormientes, et illuminabo omnes sperantes in Domino.
45 Not in this translation
46 Adhuc doctrinam quasi prophetiam effundam, et relinquam illam quærentibus sapientiam, et non desinam in progenies illorum usque in ævum sanctum.
46 Not in this translation
47 Videte quoniam non soli mihi laboravi, sed omnibus exquirentibus veritatem.]
47 Not in this translation
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… to have been emitted from the mouth of God; and if we believe that is the soul, we must consequently acknowledge it to be of the same substance, and equal to that wisdom, which says, "I come out of the mouth of the Most High." Wisdom, indeed, does not say it was breathed out of the mouth of God, but …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For while He said, "Blessed are the hungry, for they shall be filled;" it is again said of Wisdom, "Those who eat Thee shall hunger again, and those who drink shall thirst again." Nay, but He did not say "again," but he said, "still:" for "shall thirst again" is as if once having been filled he departed and digested, and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)