Book of Sirach

“ And regard his priests with reverence.
Love your Creator with all your strength,
And do not neglect his ministers.
I. Date and Character of Jesus, the Son of Sirach. Out of the large number of anonymous books that come from the Persian and Greek periods one stands forth unique. It is the Wisdom of Ben Sira. With the exception of the Psalter and Isaiah, it is the largest book that has come to us from ancient Israel. Fortunately, its date and authorship may be determined with reasonable certainty. ”

“ “I cannot tell you how thankful I am for your reminding me about the apocrypha here. For the moment, its being such escaped me. Fact is, when all is bound up together, it’s sometimes confusing. The uncanonical part should be bound distinct. And, now that I think of it, how well did those learned doctors who rejected for us this whole book of Sirach. I never read anything so calculated to destroy man’s confidence in man. This son of Sirach even says—I saw it but just now: ”

“ But as their books were approved, we may conclude they were rich, because a poor man's book would never be approved, no matter how useful it might be.
To this Sirach, a man inspired by God, bears witness when he says: "The rich man uttereth a folly, and all are silent, his words are vaunted to the skies. ”

“ His faith was that of the fathers, and his purpose constructive. Out of the wealth of teachings inherited from the past, and also out of his own personal experience and observation, he sought to inspire right ideals in the young and to develop them into happy and efficient servants of God and of their fellow-men. In this respect he was a worthy representative of the wise who during this period moulded the life of Judaism.
II. His Writings. The prologue to the Greek version of the wisdom of Sirach states that he was a devoted student of the earlier scriptures of his race. ”

“ Sirach says, "My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation. Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble. Cleave unto him, and depart not away, that thou mayest be increased at thy last end. Whatsoever is brought upon thee, take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate. ”

“ A high-priest from among their own number would not only be master of the treasures in the Temple, but leader of the nation. He could assist them in the introduction of Greek customs, and, by reason of his spiritual office, add weight to the efforts of the Hellenists, who had become so demoralised that they held nothing sacred.
These secret devices soon became known, and roused the indignation of many who clung to the old customs and traditionary teachings. Amongst these was a poet and writer of proverbs, Jesus Sirach by name, the son of Eleazar (200–176) . ”

“ To envisage him will humanise our notion of the Wise-men and may give to their ideals a coherence which in the abstract they may seem to lack.
Jesus ben Sirach was a Jew of Jerusalem who lived about 250 to 180 B.C.; that is, well on in the period of Hellenic influence. By profession a scribe, he seems all his days to have been a man of earnest mind, naturally inclined to intellectual and literary pursuits. ”

“ But all his zeal was kindled at sight of the social and religious backsliding of his brethren, and their consequent humiliation in the eyes of the neighbouring peoples. The social depravity of his co-religionists grieved him more than their political oppression. Sirach stung with the lash of sarcasm the arrogance, deceit and lust of the rich Hellenists, who worshipped Mammon. He also denounced lechery, warned them against the companionship of dancers, singers and painted women, and he painted in no flattering colours the portraits of the daughters of Israel. ”

“ The writer’s full name is given in l. 27 (Heb. text) as “Simeon the son of Jeshua (i.e. Jesus) the son of Eleazar the son of Sira.” In the Greek text this name appears as “Jesus son of Sirach Eleazar” (probably a corruption of the Hebrew reading) , and the epithet “of Jerusalem” is added, the translator himself being resident in Egypt. The whole name is shortened sometimes to “Son of Sira,” Ben Sira in Hebrew, Bar Sira in Aramaic, and sometimes (as in the title prefixed in the Greek cod. B) to Sirach. ”

“ And if as the son of Sirach says, “A man may be known by his look, and one that has understanding may be perceived by the marking of his countenance,” they must be indeed, superficial observers, that could not discern in his very aspect the excellencies that dwelt within him. An air of wisdom and piety appeared in him continually. ”

“ Dearly beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, if all parents, who glory in the name of the Lord, would deeply impress the words of Sirach upon their hearts, and inscribe them on the tablet of their souls, O how virtuous, pious and devout would many children be raised, who now, alas! run wild and unrestrained, honoring neither their parents, nor the church and gospel of Christ. "An evil nurtured son," says Sirach, "is the dishonor of his father;" again, says he, "Though they multiply, rejoice not in them, except the fear of God be with them; for one that is just, is better than a thousand ”

“ Weep for the dead, for he hath lost the light,
and weep for the fool, for he wanteth understanding:
make little weeping for the dead, for he is at rest,
but the life of the fool is worse than death. [270] This, however orthodox (as former generations had counted orthodoxy) , was rank Sadduceanism, and hence (for how otherwise to interpret the glosses of the Greek and Syriac versions of xlviii. 11b [271] it is difficult to see) very early readers of Sirach, especially perhaps well-meaning but unscrupulous Christian readers, effected an entrance for their cherished beliefs by violence. ”

“ Little importance is to be attached to the silence of Jesus Sirach in his ὗμνος πατέρων, Sirach 49, regarding Daniel, since an express mention of Daniel could not justly be expected. Jesus Sirach passes over other distinguished men of antiquity, such as Job, the good king Jehoshaphat, and even Ezra the priest and scribe, who did great service for the re-establishment of the authority of the law, from which it may be seen that it was not his purpose to present a complete list. ”

“ The inspired son of Sirach makes it an imperative duty: “Let us now praise men of renown, and our fathers in their generation.... Let the people show forth their wisdom, and the church declare their praise.” ”

“ The Wisdom of Jesus (Greek for Joshua) , Ben Sirach or Ecclesiasticus is a commentary on the times. It was written about B.C.E. 180, in Judea, before the persecution began under Antiochus, the Syrian who was so little Greek and so largely pagan. It urges obedience to the Law and Commandments and gives copious rules of conduct in every relation of life.
Ben Sirach was a Jewish scribe. Some of his sayings are edited and some are original. Here are a few quotations:
Woe to the sinner that goeth two ways. ”

“ Now there are certain Jews, whom thou hast set over the works of the province of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: these men, O king, have slighted thy decree: they worship not thy gods, nor do they adore the golden statue which thou hast set up.
3:13. Then Nabuchodonosor in fury, and in wrath, commanded that Sidrach, Misach, ad Abdenago should be brought: who immediately were brought before the king. ”

“ We may apply to the whole of devotion those words of the Son of Sirach: "When you glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for even jet will he far exceed: and when you exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough." ”

“ It will be seen from these examples that, though Sirach adapted and imitated, he did so with much originality. His style has colour, variety, and vivacity, and though Hengstenberg accuses the author of too uniform a mode of treatment, yet a fairer judgment will recognise the skill with which the style is proportioned to the subject; now dithyrambic in his soaring flight, now modestly skimming the ground, the author of the πανάρετος σοφία (for so Sirach, no less than Proverbs, was called [264] ) is never feeble and rarely trivial. ”

“ And if a Sirkha goes out from the lower parts of the lobe and spreads on the back of the Ona and is Nirsakh to the wall, if the majority of the Sirkha is on the back of the Ona it's kosher and if not it's treif. ”

“ Faith Ben Sirach has a wise passage in recognition of the transcendent majesty of God. He has been seeking to describe the marvels of the universe, and words have failed him; how much more then if he should strive to declare the glory of the Creator! Wonderful as the visible world may be, Many things are hidden greater than these, and we have seen but a few of His works.... The Lord is terrible and exceeding great, and marvellous is His power. ”

“ The younger Jesus Sirach, who spoke both the Hebrew and Greek tongues equally well, at a time when they were still living languages, writes as follows about the translation of his grandfather's work:
"The knowledge of many and great things hath been shown us by the Law and the Prophets, and others that have followed them, for which things Israel is to be commended for doctrine and wisdom; because not only they that speak must needs be skilful, but strangers also, both speaking and writing, may by their means become most learned. ”

“ Behold, dear Jan’s daughter, thus are we exhorted to patience, for with patience and resignation we can overcome much tribulation and affliction; but he that is impatient cannot stand in the sufferings of Christ. Hence Sirach may truly say; “Woe unto those that have lost patience, and have turned aside into perverse ways! ”

“ For, behold, thus Sirach teaches: Keep only with such as fear God, whom thou knowest to keep God’s commandments, who are minded as thou art, who have compassion on thee, if thou stumble; and abide by their counsel (he says, abide by their counsel) , for thou shalt find no more faithful counsel, and such an one can often see something better than seven watchmen that sit above in a high tower. Sir. 37:12. Again: The true beginning of wisdom is the desire of discipline. ”

“ It is also alleged that the grandson of Jesus Sirach, who translated his grandfather s work during his abode in Egypt, knew no difference between the Hebrew and Greek canon, though he speaks of the Greek version ; he speaks as a Palestinian, without having occasion to allude to the difference between the canonical books of the Palestinian and Egyptian Jews. The latter may have reckoned the apocryphal writings in the third division ”

“ Remember likewise there are persons who love fewer words, an inoffensive sort of people, and who deserve some regard, though of too still and composed tempers for you. Of this number was the Son of Sirach: for he plainly speaks from experience when he says, “As hills of sand are to the steps of the aged, so is one of many words to a quiet man.” ”

“ And there are places where their practice is being lenient even in this, but to me it seems the first opinion (is right) , to not crush in the Varda, and any Sirkhot that are not in their order, since the Sirkha that's not in their order is treif is mentioned in the Gemara, so there's no arguing with that; there's no relying on those that say to be lenient regarding crushing and feeling (and so it sounds from the language of MHRY"V, no arguing) . ”

“ Hence I will now say with the prophet Micah: “I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.” Micah 7:9. And with Sirach: “I will rather fall into the hands of the Lord, than into the hands of men; for his mercy is as great as he himself is.” Sir. 2:18. He forgives sin, and helps in distress. Ps. 32:5. Hence, my dear wife, be patient in the tribulation that is upon us both; confess with Judith, that our punishment is less than our sins. Judith 8:27. And he helps in distress ”

“ Sirrah, Sirrah, says I, you shall know tomorrow to your cost, that I am alive, and alive like to be. Why, 'tis strange, sir, says he, you should make such a secret of your death to us that are your neighbours; it looks as if you had a design to defraud the church of its dues; and let me tell you, for one that has lived so long by the heavens, that's unhandsomely done. ”

“ After a time King Sinaubar said: “That young man is a long time on the roof; go and bring him here.” But there was no sign of the prince upon the roof; only, far away in the sky, the Simurgh was seen carrying him off. When the king heard of his escape he thanked heaven that his hands were clean of this blood.
Up and up flew the Simurgh, till earth looked like an egg resting on an ocean. ”

“ What Jesus the son of Sirach said centuries ago is true still: "The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth, and he that is wise will not abhor them ... by such doth he heal men, and taketh away their pains. ”

“ The Syriac Old Testament frequently approximates the original Hebrew text too closely; and, precisely because of the intimate relationship of the languages, we sometimes find ourselves at a loss as to whether the verbal reproduction is still in conformity with the true Syriac idiom, or is really a Hebraism. It should farther be noticed, that the genuine Syriac Canon is of much less compass than that of the Western Churches, and lacks, for instance, the Book of Esther and the Chronicles. ”

“ One who said, “Whoever reads such writings as Sirach and the later books loses all part in everlasting life,” can have no weight. He outheroded the Palestinian tradition respecting the Jewish productions of later origin, which merely affirms that they “do not pollute the hands.”— (Toss. Yadayim, c. 2) 69.Studien zur Geschichte, u. s. w., p. 150, &c.70.Geiger's Urschrift, p. ”