Глава 24

Hymn of Divine Wisdom: the divine origin of Wisdom, Her omnipresence, deep presence in the chosen people; the spiritual greatness of Divine Wisdom, the beneficialness and saving power of Her meal. Sir.24:1 Wisdom will glorify herself and be praised among her people. 1. Within the books of the Old Testament, we find the most extensive teaching about divine wisdom in the books: Proverbs of Solomon, Wisdom of Solomon and Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach. In the scope of the concept of divine wisdom, sacred writers include either the concept of hypostatic Wisdom; or the concept of Wisdom, as a property of the divine mind manifested in the world creation; or the concept of human wisdom created in the image of divine Wisdom. This chapter speaks jointly of both the creative wisdom of the divine mind (Prov. 3:19) and the hypostatic Wisdom, the actions of which seal the existence of all existing goodness (John 1:1–5). Sir.24:2 In the church of the Most High she will open her mouth, and before His army she will glorify herself: Sir.24:3 “I came out of the mouth of the Most High and covered the earth like a cloud; Sir.24:4 I have set the tabernacle on high, and my throne in the pillar of cloud; Sir.24:5 I alone walked around the circle of heaven and walked in the depths of the abyss; Sir.24:6 I had possession on the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and nation: 3–6. It speaks of divine dignity and omnipresent creative Wisdom. Sir.24:7 Among all of them I sought peace, and in whose inheritance I might settle. Sir.24:8 Then the Creator of all commanded me, and He who created me showed me a resting place and said: Sir.24:9 settle in Jacob and take up the inheritance in Israel. Sir.24:10 Before the world began He made me, and I will never pass away. Sir.24:11 I served before Him in the holy tabernacle, and thus I was established in Zion. Sir.24:12 He has also given me rest in my beloved city, and my authority in Jerusalem. Sir.24:13 And I took root in the illustrious people, in the inheritance of the Lord. 7–13. It speaks of the eternal Divine Wisdom (v. 10) and Her special dwelling in the chosen people of God. The entire history of the chosen people testifies to the influence of Divine Wisdom on the chosen Jewish people (and through them on the rest of humanity). Sir.24:14 I am exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on the mountains of Hermon; Sir.24:15 I am exalted like the palm tree in Engaddi and like the rose bushes in Jericho; Sir.24:16 I am raised up like a beautiful olive tree in the valley and like a plane tree. Sir.24:17 Like cinnamon and aspalaf, I gave off a fragrant smell and, like excellent myrrh, I spread a fragrance, Sir.24:18 Like halvani, onyx, and stakti, and like the fragrance of incense in the tabernacle. Sir.24:19 I have spread out my branches like Terebanth, and my branches are branches of glory and grace. Sir.24:20 I am like a vine that produces grace, and my flowers are the fruit of glory and wealth. 14–20 . Through comparisons taken from the plant kingdom, the idea of ​​the extreme greatness, power and beneficence of the spiritual gifts of Divine Wisdom becomes clear. Sir.24:21 Come to me, you who desire me, and be satisfied with my fruits; Sir.24:22 For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, and the possession of me is more pleasant than a honeycomb. Sir.24:23 Those who eat me will still hunger, and those who drink me will still thirst. Sir.24:24 He who hears me will not be put to shame, and those who labor with me will not sin. 21–24. Those who are saturated with the spiritual gifts of Divine Wisdom will be granted true well-being and bliss. Sir.24:25 All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God, Sir.24:26 the law which Moses commanded as an inheritance to the hosts of Jacob. Sir.24:27 He fills with wisdom, like Pison and like the Tigris in the days of new times; Sir.24:28 He fills with understanding, like the Euphrates and like the Jordan in the days of harvest; Sir.24:29 He pours out teaching like light and like Gion during the grape harvest. 25–29. The book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law that Moses commanded, serves as a perfect reflection of the actions of Divine Wisdom in relation to the chosen people, and through them, all of humanity. The beneficial effect of the God-given law on believers is compared with the beneficial effect on the thirsty earth of the abundant streams of the heavenly rivers of the Tigris, Euphrates, Gion, and Pison. Sir.24:30 The first man did not achieve complete knowledge of it; neither does the latter explore it; Sir.24:31 For her thoughts are fuller than the sea, and her intentions are deeper than the great abyss. Sir.24:32 And I, like a canal from a river and like a water pipe, went out into paradise. Sir.24:33 I said, I will water my garden and water my ridges. Sir.24:34 And behold, my canal became a river, and my river became a sea. Sir.24:35 And I will make the teaching shine like the morning light, and I will manifest it far; Sir.24:36 And I will pour out the teaching as a prophecy, and I will leave it for everlasting generations.” 30–36. The fullness of Divine Wisdom is immense: her thoughts are fuller than the sea, her intentions are deeper than the great abyss; its means are inexhaustible; beneficial and saving action is endless. Sir.24:37 You see that I worked not for myself alone, but for all who seek wisdom. 37. The verse is an afterword by the writer of the book.