Chapter 24

A hymn of Divine Wisdom: the divine origin of Wisdom, her omnipresence, her special dwelling in the chosen people; the spiritual greatness of Divine Wisdom, the bountifulness and salvation-bringing nature of her table.

Sirach 24:1. Wisdom will praise herself and will be honored in the midst of her people. 1. Within the books of the Old Testament, the most extensive teaching on divine wisdom we find in the books of the Proverbs of Solomon, the Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach. In the concept of divine wisdom the sacred writers include either the concept of hypostatic Wisdom; or the concept of Wisdom as an attribute of divine mind, manifested in the creation of the world; or the concept of human wisdom, created in the image of divine Wisdom. In this chapter there is discussion both of the creative wisdom of the divine mind (Prov 3:19), and of Hypostatic Wisdom, by whose acts the whole being of all existing goodness is sealed (John 1:1-5).

Sirach 24:2. In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth, and in the presence of his host she will glory in herself: 3. “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a cloud; 4. I set my tent in the height, and my throne is in a pillar of cloud; 5. I alone have made the circuit of the heavens, and walked through the depths of the abyss; 6. in the waves of the sea and in all the earth and in every people and tribe I have had my dominion: 3-6. There is discussion of the divine dignity and all-pervading, creative Wisdom.

Sirach 24:7. among them all I sought a resting place; in whose inheritance would I settle? 8. Then the Creator of all commanded me, and he who made me fixed my dwelling; and he said to me, 9. “Dwell in Jacob, and take your inheritance in Israel.” 10. Before the ages, from the beginning, he created me, and I shall not cease to exist forever. 11. I ministered before him in the holy tabernacle, and so I was established in Zion. 12. He gave me rest in the beloved city, and in Jerusalem I have my authority. 13. I took root in a people of honor, in the portion of the Lord’s inheritance. 7-13. There is discussion of eternal Divine Wisdom (verse 10) and her special dwelling in the chosen people of God. The effect of Divine Wisdom upon the chosen Hebrew people (and through them upon all mankind) is testified to by the entire history of the chosen people.

Sirach 24:14. I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon, and like a cypress on the mountains of Hermon; 15. I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi, and like rose bushes in Jericho; 16. like a fair olive tree in the field, and like a plane tree I grew tall. 17. Like cinnamon and aspalathus I gave forth fragrance, and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor, 18. like galbanum, onycha, and stacte, and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle. 19. I spread out my branches like a terebinth, and my branches are glorious and graceful. 20. I am like a vine, putting forth grace, and my flowers are the fruit of glory and wealth. 14-20. By means of comparisons drawn from the plant kingdom, the thought is clarified concerning the extraordinary greatness, power, and bountifulness of the spiritual gifts of Divine Wisdom.

Sirach 24:21. Come to me, you who desire me, and satisfy yourselves with my fruits; 22. for the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb. 23. Those who eat me will hunger for more, and those who drink me will thirst for more. 24. He who listens to me will not be put to shame, and those who work with me will not sin. 21-24. Those who satisfy themselves with the spiritual gifts of Divine Wisdom will attain true blessedness and happiness.

Sirach 24:25. All this is the book of the covenant of God the Most High, 26. the law which Moses commanded as an inheritance for the assemblies of Jacob. 27. It fills with wisdom as the Pishon, and like the Tigris at the time of the new fruit; 28. it fills with understanding as the Euphrates and like the Jordan at the time of harvest; 29. it overflows with instruction as the light and like the Gihon at the time of vintage. 25-29. The book of the covenant of God the Most High, the law which Moses commanded, serves as a perfect reflection of the actions of Divine Wisdom in relation to the chosen people, and through them to all mankind. The bountifulness of the action upon the faithful of the divinely-given law is compared to the beneficial action upon a thirsty land of the abundant streams of the Paradise rivers Tigris, Euphrates, Gihon, and Pishon.

Sirach 24:30. The first man never fully comprehended her; nor will the last one search her out. 31. For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsel deeper than the great abyss. 32. And I, like a channel from a river and like an aqueduct, came forth into a garden. 33. I said, “I will water my garden and drench my garden beds.” 34. And behold, my canal became a river, and my river became a sea. 35. And I will make my teaching shine forth as the morning light, and I will make it shine afar; 36. and I will pour forth my teaching as prophecy, and leave it to the generations forever.” 30-36. The fullness of Divine Wisdom is incomprehensible: her thoughts are more than the sea, her counsel deeper than the great abyss; her means are inexhaustible; her beneficial and salvation-bringing action is infinite.

Sirach 24:37. See that I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who seek wisdom. 37. This verse represents a postscript by the author of the book.