For all Akathists published on our site, click here. This Akathist was recently provided in English by Maxim, who kindly asks all Orthodox Christians to keep him in their prayers for his repentance.
Icon of Sophia, the Wisdom of God
Kontakion 1
To you, O wise teacher planted by the streams of the Law, who gathered the flowers of ancient piety and wove them into a crown of instruction for the latter generations, we sing with joy:
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Ikos 1
Seeing how the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, you opened your mouth and drew from the wells of salvation, pouring forth rivers of understanding upon the people. Therefore we cry to you:
Rejoice, scribe made skillful by the Spirit of God!
Rejoice, faithful steward of the treasures of Israel!
Rejoice, you who searched the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings!
Rejoice, you who added your own fruit to the ancient tree!
Rejoice, teacher of youth in the streets of Jerusalem!
Rejoice, guide of the mature in the courts of the Temple!
Rejoice, for your words shine brighter than gold!
Rejoice, for your precepts are sweeter than honey from the comb!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 2
Your grandson, journeying into Egypt, carried your scroll as a pilgrim carries fire, and offered it to the Greek-speaking children of Abraham, that all might cry to the Lord: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Beholding the dispersion of your people, you feared lest the light of understanding be quenched; therefore you kindled a great torch of instruction, and we, warmed by its rays, proclaim:
Rejoice, guardian of the heritage of the fathers!
Rejoice, bridge between Jerusalem and Alexandria!
Rejoice, for your book became a school for the nations!
Rejoice, for your maxims disciplined both Jew and Hellene!
Rejoice, gentle physician of careless souls!
Rejoice, sharp surgeon of hardened hearts!
Rejoice, mirror showing us the beauty of humility!
Rejoice, trumpet awakening us from the sleep of sloth!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 3
You taught that “the beginning of pride is to forsake the Lord,” and you walked humbly before Him all your days, offering the sacrifice of a disciplined tongue and a contrite spirit, singing inwardly: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
Like a father instructing his beloved son, you admonished us concerning wine, women, wealth, and words; wherefore, receiving your fatherly correction, we cry:
Rejoice, you who warned us against the strange woman!
Rejoice, you who taught moderation at the table of kings!
Rejoice, friend of the poor and enemy of oppression!
Rejoice, lover of mercy and hater of bribes!
Rejoice, for you praised the physician yet exalted the Great Physician!
Rejoice, for you honored the dead yet pointed to the Living God!
Rejoice, singer of the great hymn of the fathers!
Rejoice, for through you Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses still speak!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 4
When the storms of Hellenism beat against the house of Israel, you strengthened its foundations with the cement of godly fear, that it might stand fast and all within might sing: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
You beheld Wisdom building her house in the midst of the city, hewing her seven pillars, and you hastened to sit at her table; therefore we, tasting the same banquet, bless you:
Rejoice, faithful disciple of the eternal Wisdom!
Rejoice, companion of all who seek understanding!
Rejoice, for your book is read in the assemblies of the Church!
Rejoice, for your counsels comfort monks in their cells!
Rejoice, light to the married and guide to the celibate!
Rejoice, staff to the aged and shield to the young!
Rejoice, for even the angels delight in your proverbs!
Rejoice, for the martyrs were strengthened by your words!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 5
You wrote: “Honor a physician according to your need of him,” yet you yourself became a physician of souls, healing us with the medicine of instruction, that we might cry to God who heals all our diseases: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hidden in the fear of the Lord, and you revealed this mystery plainly; marveling at your clarity, we greet you thus:
Rejoice, clear mirror of practical piety!
Rejoice, golden chain linking knowledge with virtue!
Rejoice, destroyer of the illusion that learning alone saves!
Rejoice, planter of the tree whose fruit is loving-kindness!
Rejoice, for you taught us to speak little and listen much!
Rejoice, for you showed silence to be stronger than strife!
Rejoice, teacher who never wearied of repeating the truth!
Rejoice, father who never despaired of wayward children!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 6
In the great choir of the righteous you stand among the scribes and sages, and with Enoch, Moses, David, and Solomon you sing the thrice-holy hymn before the throne: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
Let every generation that reads your book rise up and call you blessed, for you left us an inheritance richer than silver mines or Egyptian grain; therefore with thankful hearts we cry:
Rejoice, spiritual father of countless children unborn in your days!
Rejoice, voice still speaking though your body sleeps in the tomb!
Rejoice, for your scroll unrolls across the centuries!
Rejoice, for your counsels grow ever fresher with time!
Rejoice, morning star that heralds the Sun of Righteousness!
Rejoice, faithful steward awaiting the Master’s return!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 7
Though the nations rage and philosophies multiply like weeds in a garden, you stood firm in the ancient paths, teaching us to cling to the God of our fathers, that we might ever sing: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
You praised the wise woman who builds her house upon the rock, and you yourself became such a builder for the household of faith; wherefore, entering through the door you opened, we exclaim:
Rejoice, architect of godly living in turbulent times!
Rejoice, cornerstone laid upon the foundation of the Torah!
Rejoice, for you extolled the virtues of a good wife!
Rejoice, for you cautioned against the snares of folly!
Rejoice, encourager of parents in raising faithful children!
Rejoice, admonisher of the rebellious and the proud!
Rejoice, for your wisdom flows like the Jordan in spring!
Rejoice, for your insights pierce like the arrows of truth!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 8
In the marketplace of ideas, you bartered not with vain words but with the currency of eternal truth, buying souls for the Kingdom and teaching them to cry: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
Like a merchant seeking fine pearls, you traveled in thought through the annals of history, gathering gems from the lives of the holy ones; marveling at your treasury, we proclaim:
Rejoice, collector of the deeds of the righteous!
Rejoice, chronicler of the glories of Israel!
Rejoice, for you honored Aaron, Joshua, and the judges!
Rejoice, for you lauded David, Hezekiah, and Josiah!
Rejoice, voice echoing the triumphs of the prophets!
Rejoice, herald proclaiming the endurance of the faithful!
Rejoice, for your praise of Simon the high priest endures!
Rejoice, for your hymn inspires us to emulate the saints!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 9
You warned that “a slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue,” guarding us from hasty speech and leading us to the silence of contemplation, where we sing to the Word made flesh: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
As a gardener prunes the vine for greater fruit, so you trimmed away excess from our lives, teaching simplicity and contentment; pruned by your words, we bear fruit and cry:
Rejoice, pruner of the branches of vanity!
Rejoice, cultivator of the fruits of the Spirit!
Rejoice, for you taught generosity to the needy!
Rejoice, for you condemned the hoarding of wealth!
Rejoice, advocate for justice in the gates of the city!
Rejoice, defender of the widow and the orphan!
Rejoice, for your counsels mend broken friendships!
Rejoice, for your precepts heal divided families!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 10
When the shadows of doubt crept over the land, you lit the lamp of discernment, showing that true knowledge comes from above, and all who see by its light cry out: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
You beheld the Creator in the wonders of creation, from the stars above to the depths below, and you wove praise into your teachings; awed by your vision, we greet you:
Rejoice, contemplator of the heavens and the earth!
Rejoice, admirer of the wisdom in the works of God!
Rejoice, for you marveled at the sea and its creatures!
Rejoice, for you wondered at the mountains and their might!
Rejoice, teacher who saw God’s hand in every season!
Rejoice, sage who discerned the Lord’s purpose in all things!
Rejoice, for your words reveal the harmony of the cosmos!
Rejoice, for your insights unite faith with observation!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 11
In the furnace of trials, you refined your soul like gold, emerging pure and teaching us to endure with patience, singing through afflictions: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
Like a shepherd leading his flock to green pastures, you guided us away from the wolves of error and into the fold of truth; safely gathered, we bless you thus:
Rejoice, vigilant watchman on the walls of Zion!
Rejoice, gentle shepherd of wandering sheep!
Rejoice, for you warned against false teachers and idols!
Rejoice, for you upheld the purity of the faith!
Rejoice, comforter in times of sorrow and loss!
Rejoice, encourager in seasons of doubt and fear!
Rejoice, for your legacy endures in the hearts of the pious!
Rejoice, for your book is a beacon in the night of ignorance!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 12
You concluded your work with a prayer for mercy upon Israel, entrusting your people to the Almighty; joining in that supplication, we cry to Him who hears all prayers: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
As the evening star fades into dawn, so your earthly life gave way to eternal light, yet your wisdom shines undimmed; illumined by it, we proclaim with one voice:
Rejoice, star that never sets in the firmament of faith!
Rejoice, light that guides pilgrims to the heavenly Jerusalem!
Rejoice, for churches echo your verses in their liturgies!
Rejoice, for scholars ponder your depths in their studies!
Rejoice, intercessor for all who seek understanding!
Rejoice, patron of teachers and students alike!
Rejoice, for your name is blessed among the wise!
Rejoice, for your spirit lives in every act of virtue!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Kontakion 13
O holy and wise teacher Jesus son of Sirach, who by divine inspiration composed a book of everlasting instruction: accept this hymn from thy unworthy servants, and by thy prayers obtain for us the grace to walk in wisdom all our days, that at the end we may dwell with thee in the mansions of the just, singing eternally: Alleluia!
This Kontakion is repeated three times.
Then repeat Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1.
 Ikos 1
Seeing how the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, you opened your mouth and drew from the wells of salvation, pouring forth rivers of understanding upon the people. Therefore we cry to you:
Rejoice, scribe made skillful by the Spirit of God!
Rejoice, faithful steward of the treasures of Israel!
Rejoice, you who searched the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings!
Rejoice, you who added your own fruit to the ancient tree!
Rejoice, teacher of youth in the streets of Jerusalem!
Rejoice, guide of the mature in the courts of the Temple!
Rejoice, for your words shine brighter than gold!
Rejoice, for your precepts are sweeter than honey from the comb!
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
 Kontakion 1
To you, O wise teacher planted by the streams of the Law, who gathered the flowers of ancient piety and wove them into a crown of instruction for the latter generations, we sing with joy:
Rejoice, O Jesus son of Sirach, luminous lamp of wisdom!
Prayer to the Holy Wisdom-Bearer Jesus Son of Sirach
O wise and God-inspired teacher Jesus, son of Sirach, who by the grace of the All-Holy Spirit distilled the piety of the fathers into maxims of life everlasting: accept this hymn of thy spiritual children, and by thy holy prayers make us also wise unto salvation. Teach us to number our days, to bridle our tongues, to humble our hearts, and to walk in the fear of the Lord all the days of our life, that with thee and all the saints we may glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
