Sir 24:3 I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.

Sir 24:4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.

Sir 24:5 I alone compa.s.sed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.

Sir 24:6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

Sir 24:7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

Sir 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.

Sir 24:9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.

Sir 24:10 In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.

Sir 24:11 Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.

Sir 24:12 And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord's inheritance.

Sir 24:13 I was exalted like a cedar in Liba.n.u.s, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.

Sir 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.

Sir 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.

Sir 24:16 As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.

Sir 24:17 As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

Sir 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.

Sir 24:19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.

Sir 24:20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.

Sir 24:21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.

Sir 24:22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.

Sir 24:23 All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high G.o.d, even the law which Moses commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.

Sir 24:24 Faint not to be strong in the Lord; that he may confirm you, cleave unto him: for the Lord Almighty is G.o.d alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour.

Sir 24:25 He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.

Sir 24:26 He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.

Sir 24:27 He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.

Sir 24:28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.

Sir 24:29 For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.

Sir 24:30 I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.

Sir 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.

Sir 24:32 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.

Sir 24:33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.

Sir 24:34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.

Sir 25:1 In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful both before G.o.d and men: the unity of brethren, the love of neighbours, a man and a wife that agree together.

Sir 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.

Sir 25:3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, how canst thou find any thing in thine age?

Sir 25:4 O how comely a thing is judgment for gray hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!

Sir 25:5 O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.

Sir 25:6 Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of G.o.d is their glory.

Sir 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:

Sir 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:

Sir 25:9 Well is him that hath found prudence, and he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear:

Sir 25:10 O how great is he that findeth wisdom! yet is there none above him that feareth the Lord.

Sir 25:11 But the love of the Lord pa.s.seth all things for illumination: he that holdeth it, whereto shall he be likened?

Sir 25:12 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love: and faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him.

Sir 25:13 [Give me] any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

Sir 25:14 And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

Sir 25:15 There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.

Sir 25:16 I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.

Sir 25:17 The wickedness of a woman changeth her face, and darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth.

Sir 25:18 Her husband shall sit among his neighbours; and when he heareth it shall sigh bitterly.