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The Praise of Wisdom ^*

24Wisdom praises herself,
   and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.
² In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,
   and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:
³ ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
   and covered the earth like a mist.
⁴ I dwelt in the highest heavens,
   and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
⁵ Alone I compassed the vault of heaven
   and traversed the depths of the abyss.
⁶ Over waves of the sea, over all the earth,
   and over every people and nation I have held sway.^*
7 Among all these I sought a resting-place;
   in whose territory should I abide?

⁸ ‘Then the Creator of all things gave me a command,
   and my Creator chose the place for my tent.
He said, “Make your dwelling in Jacob,
   and in Israel receive your inheritance.”
⁹ Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me,
   and for all the ages I shall not cease to be.
¹⁰ In the holy tent I ministered before him,
   and so I was established in Zion.
¹¹ Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place,
   and in Jerusalem was my domain.
¹² I took root in an honoured people,
   in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.

¹³ ‘I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon,
   and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
¹⁴ I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi,^*
   and like rose-bushes in Jericho;
like a fair olive tree in the field,
   and like a plane tree beside water^* I grew tall.
¹⁵ Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth perfume,
   and like choice myrrh I spread my fragrance,
like galbanum, onycha, and stacte,
   and like the odour of incense in the tent.
¹⁶ Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,
   and my branches are glorious and graceful.
¹⁷ Like the vine I bud forth delights,
   and my blossoms become glorious and abundant fruit.^*

¹⁹ ‘Come to me, you who desire me,
   and eat your fill of my fruits.
²⁰ For the memory of me is sweeter than honey,
   and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb.
²¹ Those who eat of me will hunger for more,
   and those who drink of me will thirst for more.
²² Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
   and those who work with me will not sin.’