Ecclesiasticus 24

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.

Wisdom — the divine Love-Wisdom of the Source, ordering all things — shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.

2In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.

In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before His power.

3I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.

I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth — the outer life — as a cloud.

4I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.

I dwelt in high places — exalted states — and my throne — the seat of ruling authority — is in a cloudy pillar.

5I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.

I alone compassed the circuit of heaven — the inner realm — and walked in the bottom of the deep — the subconscious depths.

6In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

In the waves of the sea — the great subconscious — and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

7With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

8So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel.

So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and He that made me caused my tabernacle — the structured dwelling of the Presence — to rest, and said, Let your dwelling be in Jacob — the striving intellect — and your inheritance in Israel — the spiritual man who has striven and prevailed.

9He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.

He created me from the beginning — the first principle — before the world, and I shall never fail.

10In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.

In the holy tabernacle I served before Him; and so was I established in Sion — Zion, the love-height of consciousness where the Source is enthroned.

11Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.

Likewise in the beloved city He gave me rest, and in Jerusalem — the established centre of spiritual consciousness — was my power.

12And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord’s inheritance.

And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the indwelling LORD's inheritance.

13I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.

I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon — exalted states bearing established belief.

14I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water.

I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water — by the current of life and thought.

15I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.

I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.

16As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.

As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace — the unmerited inflow of divine favour.

17As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

As the vine — the cultivated spiritual life — I brought forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

18I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.

I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of Him.

19Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.

Come unto me, all you that are desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits — the results of belief made visible.

20For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.

For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance than the honeycomb.

21They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.

They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty — the more of Wisdom taken in, the more the soul desires.

22He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.

He that obeys me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.

23All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law which Moses commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.

All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God — the law of relationship written into consciousness — even the law which Moses — the deliverer-lawgiver faculty — commanded for a heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.

24Faint not to be strong in the Lord; that he may confirm you, cleave unto him: for the Lord Almighty is God alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour.

Faint not to be strong in the indwelling LORD; that He may confirm you, cleave unto Him: for the LORD Almighty is God alone — the Divine Mind alone — and beside Him there is no other Saviour.

25He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.

He fills all things with His Wisdom, as Phison — Pison, the river of increase — and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.

26He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.

He makes the understanding to abound like Euphrates — the great river of life-consciousness — and as Jordan — the descending river of life — in the time of the harvest.

27He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.

He makes the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light — understanding dawning — and as Geon — Gihon, the river bursting forth — in the time of vintage.

28The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.

The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.

29For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.

For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.

30I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.

I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden — the cultivated inner life.

31I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.

I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.

32I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.

I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning — the dawning of a new state — and will send forth her light afar off.

33I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.

I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy — the forth-telling of the inner hearing — and leave it to all ages for ever.

34Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.

Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek Wisdom.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.