Liber Ecclesiasticus, 24

1. sapientiæ laus sapientia laudabit animam suam et in Deo honorabitur et in medio populi sui gloriabitur

1. Wisdom shall praise her own self, and shall be honoured in God, and shall glory in the midst of her people,

2. et in ecclesiis Altissimi aperiet os suum et in conspectu virtutis illius gloriabitur

2. And shall open her mouth in the churches of the most High, and shall glorify herself in the sight of his power,

3. in medio populo exaltabitur et in plenitudine sancta admirabitur

3. And in the midst of her own people she shall be exalted, and shall be ad- mired in the holy assembly.

4. in multitudine electorum habebit laudem et inter benedictos benedicetur dicens

4. And in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise, and among the blessed she shall be blessed, saying:

5. ego ex ore Altissimi prodivi primogenita ante omnem creaturam

5. I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all creatures:

6. ego in cælis feci ut oriretur lumen indeficiens et sicut nebula texi omnem terram

6. I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never faileth, and as a cloud I covered all the earth:

7. ego in altis habitavi et thronus meus in columna nubis

7. I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne is in a pillar of a cloud.

8. gyrum cæli circuivi sola et in profundum abyssi penetravi et in fluctibus maris ambulavi

8. I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated into the bottom of the deep, and have walked in the waves of the sea,

9. et in omni terra steti et in omni populo

9. And have stood in all the earth: and in every people,

10. et in omni gente primatum habui

10. And in every nation I have had the chief rule:

11. et omnium excellentium et humilium corda virtute calcavi et in his omnibus requiem quæsivi et in hereditate ejus morabor

11. And by my power I have trodden under my feet the hearts of all the high and low: and in all these I sought rest, and I shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord.

12. tunc præcepit et dixit mihi creator omnium et qui creavit me requievit in tabernaculo meo

12. Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and he that made me, rested in my tabernacle,

13. et dixit mihi in Jacob inhabita et in Israël hereditare et in electis meis ede radices

13. And he said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect.

14. ab initio ante sæculum creata sum et usque ad futurum sæculum non desinam et in habitatione sancta coram ipso ministravi

14. From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him.

15. et sic in Sion firmata sum et in civitate sanctificata similiter requievi et in Hierusalem potestas mea

15. And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem.

16. et radicavi in populo honorificato et in parte Dei mei hereditas illius et in plenitudine sanctorum detentio mea

16. And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of mg God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.

17. quasi cedrus exaltata sum in Libano et quasi cypressus in monte Sion

17. I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on mount Sion.

18. et quasi palma exaltata sum in Cades et quasi plantatio rosæ in Hiericho

18. I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in Jericho:

19. quasi oliva speciosa in campis et quasi platanus exaltata sum juxta aquam in plateis

19. As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by the water in the streets, was I exalted.

20. sicut cinnamomum et aspaltum aromatizans odorem dedi quasi murra electa dedi suavitatem odoris

20. I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon. and aromatical balm: I yielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:

21. et quasi storax et galbanus et ungula et gutta et quasi libanus non incisus vaporavi habitationem meam et quasi balsamum non mixtum odor meus

21. And I perfumed my dwelling as storax, and galbanum, and onyx, and aloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my odour is as the purest balm.

22. ego quasi terebinthus extendi ramos meos et rami mei honoris et gratiæ

22. I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my branches are of honour and grace.

23. ego quasi vitis fructificavi suavitatem odoris et flores mei fructus honoris et honestatis

23. As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

24. ego mater pulchræ dilectionis et timoris et agnitionis et sanctæ spei

24. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.

25. in me gratia omnis vitæ et veritatis in me omnis spes vitæ et virtutis

25. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.

26. transite ad me omnes qui concupiscitis me et a generationibus meis implemini

26. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.

27. spiritus enim meus super melle dulcis et hereditas mea super mel et favum

27. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb.

28. memoria mea in generatione sæculorum

28. My memory is unto everlasting generations.

29. qui edunt me adhuc esurient et qui bibunt me adhuc sitient

29. They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst.

30. qui audit me non confundetur et qui operantur in me non peccabunt

30. He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin.

31. qui elucidant me vitam æternam habebunt

31. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.

32. hæc omnia liber vitæ testamentum Altissimi et agnitio veritatis

32. All these things are the book of life, and the covenant of the most High, and the knowledge of truth.

33. legem mandavit Moses in præceptis justitiarum et hereditatem domui Jacob et Israël promissionis

33. Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.

34. posuit David puero suo excitare regem ex ipso fortissimum in throno honoris sedentem in sempiternum

34. He appointed to David his servant to raise up of him a most mighty king, and sitting on the throne of glory for ever.

35. qui implet quasi Phison sapientiam et sicut Tigris in diebus novorum

35. Who filleth up wisdom as the Phison, and as the Tigris in the days of the new fruits.

36. qui adimplet quasi Eufrates sensum qui multiplicat quasi Jordanis in tempore messis

36. Who maketh understanding to abound as the Euphrates, who multiplieth it as the Jordan in the time of harvest.

37. qui mittit disciplinam sicut lucem et adsistens quasi Geon in die vindemiæ

37. Who sendeth knowledge as the light, and riseth up as Gehon in the time of the vintage.

38. qui perficit primus scire ipsam et infirmior non investigavit eam

38. Who first hath perfect knowledge of her, and a weaker shall not search her out.

39. a mari enim abundavit cogitatio ejus et consilium illius abysso magna

39. For her thoughts are more vast than the sea, and her counsels more deep than the great ocean.

40. ego sapientia effudi flumina

40. I, wisdom, have poured out rivers.

41. ego quasi tramis aquæ inmensæ de fluvio ego quasi fluvius Doryx et sicut aquæductus exivi a paradiso

41. I, like a brook out of a river of a mighty water; I, like a channel of a river. and like an aqueduct, came out of paradise.

42. dixi rigabo meum hortum plantationum et inebriabo pratus mei fructum

42. I said: I will water my garden of plants, and I will water abundantly the fruits of my meadow.

43. et ecce facta est mihi tramis abundans et fluvius meus propinquavit ad mare

43. And behold my brook became a great river, and my river came near to a sea:

44. quoniam doctrinam quasi antelucanum inlumino omnibus et enarrabo illam usque in longinquo

44. For I make doctrine to shine forth to all as the morning light, and I will declare it afar off.

45. penetrabo inferiores partes terræ et inspiciam omnes dormientes et inluminabo sperantes in Deo

45. I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord.

46. adhuc doctrinam quasi prophetiam effundam et relinquam illam quærentibus sapientiam et non desinam in progenies illorum usque in ævum sanctum

46. I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and will leave it to them that seek wisdom, and will not cease to instruct their offspring even to the holy age.

47. videte quoniam non soli mihi laboravi sed omnibus exquirentibus veritatem

47. See ye that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek out the truth.