BenSira:24

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* Wisdom shall praise herself , and shall glory in the midst of her people . * In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth , and triumph before his power . * I came out of the mouth of the most High , and covered the earth as a cloud . * I dwelt in high places , and my throne is in a cloudy pillar . * I alone compassed the circuit of heaven , and walked in the bottom of the deep . * In the waves of the sea and in all the earth , and in every people and nation , I got a possession . * With all these I sought rest : and in whose inheritance shall I abide ? * 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 . * He created me from the beginning before the world , and I shall never fail . * In the holy tabernacle I served before him ; and so was I established in Sion . * Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest , and in Jerusalem was my power . * And I took root in an honourable people , even in the portion of the Lord 's inheritance . * I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus , and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon . * 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 . * 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 . * As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches , and my branches are the branches of honour and grace . * As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour , and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches . * 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 . * Come unto me , all ye that be desirous of me , and fill yourselves with my fruits . * For my memorial is sweeter than honey , and mine inheritance than the honeycomb . * They that eat me shall yet be hungry , and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty . * He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded , and they that work by me shall not do amiss . * 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 . * 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 . * He filleth all things with his wisdom , as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits . * He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates , and as Jordan in the time of the harvest . * He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light , and as Geon in the time of vintage . * The first man knew her not perfectly : no more shall the last find her out . * For her thoughts are more than the sea , and her counsels profounder than the great deep . * I also came out as a brook from a river , and as a conduit into a garden . * 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 . * I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning , and will send forth her light afar off . * I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy , and leave it to all ages for ever . * Behold that I have not laboured for myself only , but for all them that seek wisdom .

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