Sirach 24:13-31
-
13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.
-
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.
-
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.
-
16 As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.
-
17 As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
-
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.
-
19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.
-
20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.
-
21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.
-
22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.
-
23 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.
-
24 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.
-
25 He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.
-
26 He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.
-
27 He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.
-
28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.
-
29 For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.
-
30 I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.
-
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.