The hymn of wisdom
1 ① Listen to wisdom singing her own praises and extolling herself in the midst of her people. 2See, she opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High, she glories in herself before the Almighty.
3I came out from the mouth of God and covered the face of the earth like a mist; although 4my dwelling place is in the highest heavens, my throne is within a pillar of cloud.
5I alone have seen and understood the vault of the skies and strolled through the depths of the abyss, 6taking possession of the raging sea and of the earth as well, with all its peoples and nations.
7In all of these, I looked for a place to rest; in which territory would I set up my abode?
8Then the creator of the universe commanded me, he who created me assigned the place of my rest, “Pitch your tent in Jacob; Israel will be your homeland.”
9He created me from the beginning, before time began, and I will never cease to be, 10I celebrate in his presence the liturgy of his Holy Dwelling and this is why I settled in Zion.
11The Lord let me rest in his beloved city and Jerusalem is the heart of my kingdom. 12I took root in the people God has favored, in the land of the Lord, in their inheritance.
13I grew like a cedar in Lebanon, as the cypress on Mount Hermon.
14I grew like the palm trees in Engedi and the rosebuds of Jericho; as a magnificent olive on the plains and like a plane tree I grew tall.
15I poured out my perfume like a fragrant flower, like exquisite myrrh I have given choice scent; like fragrant plants and as the smoke of incense which burns in the Sanctuary of God.
16I spread out my branches like a vine; these are Glory and Grace. 17As a vine I put out graceful shoots and my blossoms are riches and glory.
18* 19Come to me, you who desire me and take your fill of my fruits. 20To experience me is sweeter than honey and to possess me sweeter than any honeycomb. 21Those who eat me will hunger still; those who drink me will thirst for more. 22Those who obey me will not be put to shame; those who serve me will not fall into sin.
23All this is in the Bible, the Testament of the Most High God, the book of the Law which Moses entrusted to us, the inheritance of the congregations of Israel.
24* 25This Law feeds the springs of wisdom, like the Pishon or Tigris in the season of fruit. 26Waters overflowing with understanding come from it, as from the Euphrates and Jordan at harvest time; 27the floods of instruction run like the Nile or the Gihon in time of vintage.
28He who comes first is unable to grasp her fully and neither will the last exhaust her. 29For her thoughts are wider than the sea and her designs, deeper than the abyss.
I have not worked for myself alone
30 ② I, for my part, went forth like a brook from a river, a stream diverted into a delightful garden. 31I thought, “Let me irrigate my orchard and water my flowers.” But now my brook has grown into a river and the river, into a sea.
32May my teaching shine forth like the dawn; may I carry its light to faraway places. 33I will spread my teaching like a prophecy and leave it to future generations.
34See, all of you, that I have not worked for myself alone but for all those who seek wisdom.
- Sir 24,1 This poem attributed to the Wisdom of God is similar to those in Proverbs 8 and Wisdom 7. What is emphasized here is the presence of Wisdom in God's people. Two events from sacred history help us understand this presence of God himself through his Wisdom: - the cloud which accompanied the Hebrews in the desert (see Ex 13:21); - the Tent which served as sanctuary in the desert (see Ex 25). The first image teaches us that God's glory so surpasses us, that we can only know something of God when he hides his glory in the cloud. The second image teaches us that the real dwelling of God is not something material that we call heaven; God dwells in this world in a mysterious and provisional way, as in a tent. The Wisdom of God rules the universe and all the nations. It has inspired the sages and the religions of all countries and yet it came in a special way to Israel, which is its dwelling and inheritance. This prepares us for what John says in his Gospel 1:3 and 1:9: the Wisdom of God is Christ, and the people through whom it will be present is the Church. Catholic liturgy has used this poem for the feasts of the Virgin Mary, because the words fit the role that God gave her in the Church. On the day of the Annunciation, she received the Wisdom in the name of all. This is why she has been granted to be the first of God's people and the mother of all others. The last verses return to practical things: the Wisdom of God is found especially in the Law, that is, in the book of his words. Sir 24,30 Ben Sira is a sage. After years of fidelity in his duty as father of a family, counselor and businessman, he marvels at all that he has received from divine Wisdom. He is well aware that his work is of exceptional importance for many believers in the future, and he gives thanks to God. The All-powerful has done great things for me (Lk 1:49).
- Sir 24,1 This poem attributed to the Wisdom of God is similar to those in Proverbs 8 and Wisdom 7. What is emphasized here is the presence of Wisdom in God's people. Two events from sacred history help us understand this presence of God himself through his Wisdom: - the cloud which accompanied the Hebrews in the desert (see Ex 13:21); - the Tent which served as sanctuary in the desert (see Ex 25). The first image teaches us that God's glory so surpasses us, that we can only know something of God when he hides his glory in the cloud. The second image teaches us that the real dwelling of God is not something material that we call heaven; God dwells in this world in a mysterious and provisional way, as in a tent. The Wisdom of God rules the universe and all the nations. It has inspired the sages and the religions of all countries and yet it came in a special way to Israel, which is its dwelling and inheritance. This prepares us for what John says in his Gospel 1:3 and 1:9: the Wisdom of God is Christ, and the people through whom it will be present is the Church. Catholic liturgy has used this poem for the feasts of the Virgin Mary, because the words fit the role that God gave her in the Church. On the day of the Annunciation, she received the Wisdom in the name of all. This is why she has been granted to be the first of God's people and the mother of all others. The last verses return to practical things: the Wisdom of God is found especially in the Law, that is, in the book of his words. Sir 24,30 Ben Sira is a sage. After years of fidelity in his duty as father of a family, counselor and businessman, he marvels at all that he has received from divine Wisdom. He is well aware that his work is of exceptional importance for many believers in the future, and he gives thanks to God. The All-powerful has done great things for me (Lk 1:49).
