Sirach 14:20–23:28

Part IV begins with a fourth poem on the pursuit of wisdom, in which Ben Sira emphasizes the determination necessary to find her (14:20–27) and the benefits she grants to those who do (15:1–10). He then considers the questions of human sin, free will, responsibility, the origin of evil (15:11–20), and God’s punishment of sinners (16:1–23). This is followed by a reflection on God’s wisdom, justice, and mercy in his creation of man (16:24–17:14). Because God repays all human actions with rewards or punishments, all must forsake their sins and turn to God (17:15–32), the benevolent judge (18:1–14). Ben Sira also urges people to exercise prudence in words and deeds by giving gifts graciously, engaging in self-examination, restraining their appetites, and avoiding gossip (18:15–19:17). The wise person distinguishes between true and false wisdom (19:18–30), knows when to choose between silence and speech (20:1–31), avoids sin’s deceptive paths (21:1–22:18), preserves valuable friendships (22:19–26), and seeks God’s help to control thoughts, words, and deeds (22:27–23:28).

²⁰Blessed is the man who meditates on wisdom
and who reasons intelligently.
²¹He who reflects in his mind on her ways
will also ponder her secrets.
²²Pursue wisdom like a hunter,
and lie in wait on her paths.

²³He who peers through her windows
will also listen at her doors;
²⁴he who encamps near her house
will also fasten his tent peg to her walls;
²⁵he will pitch his tent near her,
and will lodge in an excellent lodging place;
²⁶he will place his children under her shelter,
and will camp under her boughs;
²⁷he will be sheltered by her from the heat,
and will dwell in the midst of her glory.

^15:1The man who fears the Lord will do this,
and he who holds to the law will obtain wisdom.
²She will come to meet him like a mother,
and like the wife of his youth she will welcome him.
³She will feed him with the bread of understanding,
and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
⁴He will lean on her and will not fall,
and he will rely on her and will not be put to shame.
⁵She will exalt him above his neighbors,
and will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly;
she will fill him with a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
and clothe him with a robe of glory.
⁶He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing,
and will acquire an everlasting name.
⁷Foolish men will not obtain her,
and sinful men will not see her.
⁸She is far from men of pride,
and liars will never think of her.

⁹A hymn of praise is not fitting on the lips of a sinner,
for it has not been sent from the Lord.
¹⁰For a hymn of praise should be uttered in wisdom,
and the Lord will prosper it.

OT: Ps 1:1–2; Prov 8:34; 9:1–6; Song 2:9; Wis 8:2

NT: John 4:10–15; 1 Cor 2:6–16

Catechism: wisdom is truth, 215–17; Mary, seat of wisdom, 721; praise, 2639–43

Lectionary: 15:1–6: St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor; St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor; Common of Doctors of the Church

[14:20–21]

Blessed or happy (14:1–2; Matt 5:3–11) is the one who meditates on wisdom: this is an echo of Ps 1:1–2, which praises the person who meditates on the ^†Torah (Sir 6:37; Ps 119:15). One who does so reasons intelligently and lucidly. One who reflects in mind and heart on her ways and steadfastly keeps God’s commandments not only finds pleasantness and peace (Prov 3:17; 8:32) but also ponders her secrets—deeper insights that wisdom reveals to those who follow her persistently (Sir 4:18; 39:3, 7).

[14:22–23]

Pursue wisdom like a hunter—with cleverness and determination—and lie in wait with patience and perseverance on her paths, where she is found. The Hebrew suggests pursuing her “like a scout” (NABRE) or “like a spy” (Latin quasi investigator), implying the use of shrewdness in pursuing her. The image of peering through her windows could develop the spy metaphor but more likely evokes courtship (Song 2:9). A young man eager to pursue Wisdom might even listen at her doors, suggesting that Lady Wisdom dwells in a home (Prov 8:34; 9:1).

[14:24–25]

Wisdom’s suitor is so dedicated to winning her that he encamps near her house, close to her walls, not hesitating to pitch his tent and live near her as her neighbor. To learn her deeper secrets, it is not enough to pay her an occasional visit; one must lodge permanently in the excellent lodging place where she abides. The Hebrew describes the seeker as “dwelling in a good dwelling” or “tabernacling in a good tabernacle,” evoking Israel’s sanctuary in the wilderness, in which God’s presence rested (24:10).

[14:26–27]

The metaphor shifts to present wisdom as a sheltering tree: the wisdom seeker places his children under her shelter so that they may find protection in her (Hebrew: “he builds his nest in her leaves”; see NABRE). Sheltered from the heat of life’s trials beneath her branches, he dwells in the midst of her glory (Hebrew: “in her home,” NABRE). The theme of wisdom’s glory—alluding to the revelation of God’s glory at Mount Sinai and in the temple—recurs frequently in Sirach (4:13; 17:13; 42:16–17; 50:11).

[15:1–2]

Ben Sira describes the rewards that await the wisdom seeker once he attains her. As explained elsewhere (1:11–20; 2:7–17; 19:20; 21:11), one who fears the Lord perseveres in his pursuit of wisdom (14:20–27) by observing the law and its commandments (1:26; 6:37; 9:15) until he proves himself worthy to obtain wisdom. Using a double metaphor, Ben Sira personifies Wisdom coming to meet him like a tender mother welcoming her cherished son (Wis 7:12; Isa 49:15; 66:13), or like the wife of his youth (Greek: “a virgin bride,” NJB) eagerly waiting for her beloved husband (Prov 4:6–9; Wis 8:2).

[15:3–4]

No longer displaying her earlier severity (4:17; 6:20–21), Wisdom prepares a lavish meal for her son or husband, eager to feed him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of wisdom to drink. This scene recalls Lady Wisdom’s similar feast in Prov 9:1–6, where she invites her followers to partake of her banquet of insight and understanding, in contrast to Dame Folly’s paltry meal of vice and ignorance leading to death in Prov 9:17–18 (also Isa 55:1–2; John 4:10–15; 6:35).In Proverbs, “Lady Folly” or “Dame Folly” is a personification of foolishness and Wisdom’s nemesis. Later Jewish literature often refers to the “bread” and “water” (or wine) of the Torah.Midrash Song of Songs Rabbah 1.2.19; Midrash Genesis Rabbah 70.5; Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah 14a. The one who fears the Lord, strengthened by Wisdom’s banquet, will lean on her and will not fall, for she is his support and pillar. By relying on her, he is not put to shame (Sir 24:22), like Adam and Eve before the fall (Gen 2:25), and in contrast to those who, by sinning and pursuing Folly, are covered with shame (Job 8:22; Prov 9:13; Dan 12:2). The image of Wisdom as a loving mother and virgin bride anticipates the Church’s identification of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the “Seat of Wisdom” (Catechism 721).

The Torah Exalts Her Followers

In Sirach and in Jewish tradition, the law is the expression of God’s wisdom (24:23), for it teaches how to live in communion with him. Accordingly, just as Wisdom exalts her followers in Sirach, so does the law in rabbinic literature. The †Mishnah thus exhorts its readers: Pursue the †Torah, and the Torah will exalt you.

Everyone who occupies himself with Torah for its own sake merits many things; not only that, but he makes the entire world worthwhile. He is called beloved friend, a lover of God, a lover of humanity, one who gladdens God, and gladdens humanity. His Torah study clothes him in humility and reverence, and leads him to be righteous, pious, upright, and faithful. It distances him from sin, and draws him near goodness. From him come the benefits of counsel and resourcefulness, of understanding and courage . . . (Prov 8:14). It gives him sovereignty and dominion and discerning judgment. It reveals to him secrets of Torah. He becomes an ever-flowing fountain, a stream that never runs dry. He becomes modest, patient, and forgiving of affronts. It magnifies and exalts him over all creation.Mishnah, Avot 6:1, in William Berkson, Pirke Avot: Timeless Wisdom for Modern Life, trans. Menachem Fisch (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2010), 213.

a. Mishnah, Avot 6:1, in William Berkson, Pirke Avot: Timeless Wisdom for Modern Life, trans. Menachem Fisch (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2010), 213.

[15:5–6]

Wisdom will exalt the one who fears the Lord to a position of honor and prominence above his neighbors, so that he will open his mouth and speak wisely in the public forum, as Wisdom does (24:1–2). The †Vulgate adds that she will fill him with a spirit of wisdom and understanding (see Isa 11:2) and clothe him with a robe of glory (Sir 6:29–31; 45:8; 50:11). He will not only find gladness but also reign with a crown of rejoicing (1:11) and acquire an everlasting name, suggesting that he will be remembered forever (Isa 56:5).

[15:7–8]

While those who fear the Lord are assured of finding wisdom, she remains hidden from foolish and sinful men. This confirms that the pursuit of wisdom is not only an intellectual quest but also a moral and spiritual one. The wicked can never attain her, because she is far from pride (Hebrew: “scoffers”) and deceit; liars never think of her because her nature is truth, as God himself is truth (4:25, 28; Catechism 216–17).

[15:9–10]

A hymn of praise is the natural response of the just, who pursue wisdom and laud God not only for what he does but for who he is (Catechism 2639). As they recognize God’s character—his goodness, mercy, justice, power, and strength—he grants them fitting words to express their praise. Such words are not fitting on the lips of a sinner, not only because sinners fail to recognize who God is, but also because their praise would be insincere, given their violation of God’s will. Thus, the Lord does not grant sinners such a hymn, for it should be uttered in wisdom and not in hypocrisy. The Hebrew reads: “But praise is uttered by the mouth of the wise, and its rightful owner teaches it” (NABRE). Praising God is the outward manifestation of the wisdom of the just.

¹¹Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”;
for he will not do what he hates.
¹²Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”;
for he has no need of a sinful man.
¹³The Lord hates all abominations,
and they are not loved by those who fear him.
¹⁴It was he who created man in the beginning,
and he left him in the power of his own inclination.
¹⁵If you will, you can keep the commandments, they will save you;

if you trust in God, you too shall live.
¹⁶He has placed before you fire and water:
stretch out your hand for whichever you wish.
¹⁷Before a man are life and death, good and evil,
and whichever he chooses will be given to him.
¹⁸For great is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power and sees everything.
¹⁹The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
and he knows every deed of man.
²⁰He has not commanded any one to be ungodly,
and he has not given any one permission to sin.

**OT:**Gen 1:27,31; 3:1–7; Deut 11:26–28; 30:15–20
**NT:**James 1:13–15
Catechism: providence and the scandal of evil, 309–14; the fall and original sin, 385–409; human freedom, 1730–48
Lectionary: 15:16–20: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

[15:11–13]

Ben Sira now considers the question of sin, human free will, and divine justice: Is God responsible for evil? Some may try to excuse their wrongful actions by claiming that God led them to sin, saying, “Because of the Lord I left the right way” (Hebrew: “my transgression is from God”), or “It was he who led me astray.” This view, which may derive from the misinterpretation of some Old Testament passages (Exod 9:12; 2 Sam 24:1; Isa 45:7), is untenable. God never leads people to sin, for he will not do what he hates—namely, sin and evil (Ps 97:10; Prov 8:13; Amos 5:15; James 1:13–15)—and he does not need a sinful man to accomplish his purposes. Although he may use the wicked to achieve his ends (Hab 1:5–11), this may turn out to be either for their salvation (Gen 50:20) or for their demise if they persist in rejecting God and his ways (Prov 16:4; Rom 9:22). Just as the Lord hates all abominations (Hebrew: “evil and abomination”), so the wise who fear him should also love what he loves and hate what he hates by diligently avoiding whatever he has declared to be evil.

The Good and Evil Inclinations

Ben Sira’s assertion that God left man “in the power of his own inclination” (Hebrew yetzer; Greek diaboulion, 15:14) points to a concept that would later become central in Jewish thought. According to rabbinic tradition, God formed two impulses in man, the good inclination (yetzer hatov) and the evil inclination (yetzer hara’).Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 61a; Qiddushin 30b. Although this idea seems to conflict with Christian doctrine, which asserts that “God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil” (Catechism 311), it may be a metaphorical way of saying that God created man with the freedom to choose between good and evil. The Catholic theological tradition certainly rejects the idea that God “formed” the evil inclination in man. Yet the Catechism adds that God permits evil (by giving each person the possibility of choosing it) “because he respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it” (Catechism 311). The Jewish concept of the yetzer hara’ is closely related to the Catholic notion of concupiscence—“the movement of the sensitive appetite contrary to the operation of the human reason” (Catechism 2515). Both traditions hold that this inclination toward evil unsettles man’s moral faculties and inclines man to commit sins. Yet Christian tradition holds that concupiscence is not formed by God but “stems from the disobedience of the first sin” (Catechism 2515; see also 405).

The yetzer hara’ is first mentioned in Gen 6:5 (“Every imagination [yetzer] of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually”) and Gen 8:21 (“The imagination [yetzer] of man’s heart is evil from his youth”). In Jewish tradition, it is loosely associated with untamed natural passions (especially sexual desire). In this light, some rabbis teach that there is something redeemable about the yetzer hara’, as without it, a man would never build a house, take a wife, or beget children (see 1 Cor 7:9).Midrash Genesis Rabbah 9:7. At the same time, the yetzer hara’ is also associated with the angel of death and Satan,Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra 16a. manifesting itself in traits such as vindictiveness, avarice, anger, and vanity. It tends to grow with a person, so that the greater the person, the greater his or her yetzer hara’: at first, it is a mere traveler in the soul (a careless sin); then it becomes a guest (a habitual sin), until it finally makes itself master of the house (an ingrained vice), prevailing over and seeking to kill the person daily.Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 52a–b. Thus, the yetzer hara’ must be resisted and overcome. A rabbinic parable on Eccles 9:14–15 depicts the yetzer hara’ as a great king besieging a little city—the human body and heart. The city is delivered by a poor wise man (the yetzer hatov), repentance, and good deeds.Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 32b. Another effective antidote to the yetzer hara’ is the study and observance of Torah because it orders, guides, and disciplines untamed natural urges.Babylonian Talmud, Qiddushin 30b. The yetzer hara’ will no longer have power over man in the age to come.Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 52b. For now, the rabbis interpret the injunction to love God “with all your heart” (Deut 6:5) as an invitation to love him wholly by subordinating both instincts to divine ends and redirecting their inner division toward a wholehearted devotion to God.Mishnah, Berakhot 9:5. In the New Testament, St. Paul identifies the inclination to sin with the rebellion of the “flesh” against the “spirit” (Rom 8:5–13; Gal 5:16–26; Eph 2:3). In contrast to the Jewish idea of “redirecting” the yetzer hara’ toward good ends, however, Paul teaches that concupiscence or “the flesh” must always be resisted. If God has indeed left man “in the power of his own inclination” or counsel (Sir 15:14; see Catechism 1730), this is so that he may always combat the movements of concupiscence and bring them in line with God’s will and commandments—a spiritual battle that can be won only with the aid of God’s grace (Catechism 409, 978, 1264).See Joseph Jacobs, “Yezer ha-ra,” in The Jewish Encyclopedia, ed. Isidore Singer (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1901–6), 12:602–6. See also Samuel Rosenblatt, “Inclination, Good and Evil,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, ed. Fred Skolnik and Michael Berenbaum (Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007), 9:756–57.

[15:14]

To explain the origin of sin, Ben Sira returns to the Genesis account of creation: God created man in the beginning (see Gen 1:27) and made him “very good” (1:31). The Hebrew adds: “and put him into the hand of his kidnapper”—possibly a reference to Satan. Yet the presence of evil in the world cannot be used as an excuse to sin, for God left man in the power of his own inclination (Hebrew yetzer; see the sidebar “The Good and Evil Inclinations” above), deliberation, and free choice. God endowed Adam and Eve with free will and the capacity to obey him. Yet tempted by the devil, they abused their freedom and deliberately chose to disobey God’s commandment (Gen 3:1–7; Catechism 397). In the same way, each person is given the freedom to choose his or her own actions. As the Second Vatican Council expresses it, “God willed that man should be ‘left in the hand of his own counsel,’ so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him.”Gaudium et Spes 17; see also Catechism 1730. God created humanity good, but sin came into the world because human beings abused their free will and strayed from God’s will. Thus, evil originates in people, not in God (Rom 5:12).

[15:15]

Ben Sira strongly affirms human free will and personal responsibility: If you will, you can keep the commandments. Despite the wound of original sin, man still has “the possibility of choosing between good and evil, and thus of growing in perfection or of failing and sinning” (Catechism 1732). This freedom makes people responsible for their acts (Catechism 1734). The RSV-2CE (following the Vulgate) adds that the commandments will save you—or more accurately “preserve” or “protect” you (conservabunt te) by keeping you on the right track. The statement if you trust in God, you too shall live follows the Hebrew (see Hab 2:4).The Greek of 15:15b is difficult. It could be further emphasizing human free will, stating that “to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice” (RSV, NRSV; compare ESV-CE); or it may be simply asserting that by keeping the commandments you will “be faithful to his will” (NJB). While the law and commandments serve as divine aids guiding man toward salvation, man still needs grace and faith to sustain him (Matt 19:17–21; Gal 5:6; Eph 2:8; James 2:14–26; Catechism 1949).

[15:16–17]

Ben Sira presents life’s fundamental choice using the symbols of fire and water placed before every person. Each individual has the power to shape their own fate and can freely stretch out their hand to pick either one. Both fire and water are needed for life, but here, fire likely represents destruction, while water stands for life (3:30). These images reflect the choice between life and death, good and evil that is central to God’s covenant with humanity (Deut 11:26–28; 30:15–20; Jer 21:8). One’s destiny is ultimately in one’s own hands: whichever he chooses will be given to him.

[15:18–20]

The mysterious interaction between divine providence and human free will reveals the greatness of the Lord’s wisdom. Although people remain free to choose their destinies, God is still mighty in power and sees everything. He looks kindly upon those who fear him and knows every deed of man, including each person’s choices for good or evil. Ben Sira concludes his argument by rebutting again the allegations made in 15:11–12: God is never responsible for moral evil. He never desires anyone to be ungodly, nor does he give any one permission to sin, but he desires everyone to choose the good. The Hebrew adds: “And he does not show mercy to the one who works vanity or to the one who reveals secret counsel.”

Ben Sira makes some startling claims about the commandments. First, he asserts that it is possible to observe them. Second, he seems to attribute salvific power to them (15:15). The law of Moses contains 613 commandments—365 prohibitions and 248 positive mandates.Babylonian Talmud, Makkot 23b. Is it possible to keep them all? And do they have power to save?
At first sight, the New Testament seems to contradict Sirach. St. Paul argues that the “law of sin” in the human heart wages war against the law of God (Rom 7:14–23), making it virtually impossible to consistently keep the commandments and do what is right. Submitting to the law is likened to taking on a “yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1) that is impossible to bear (Acts 15:10). Those who attempt to rely exclusively on the law are even placed under a curse (Gal 3:10). Thus, even though “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good” (Rom 7:12), one is justified before God not by the works of the law but by grace through faith (Rom 3:20, 28; Gal 2:16; 3:11; Eph 2:8–9). Christ is the one who saves, not the law.
And yet, several biblical texts indicate that keeping the law is possible (Deut 30:11–14), and that one can be “blameless” before God in regard to the commandments (Pss 18:23–24; 119:1–3; Luke 1:6; Phil 3:6). God’s law and precepts are called “perfect,” for they revive the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, and enlighten the eyes (Ps 19:7–10). In this sense, the commandments guide us toward salvation, though they are insufficient to attain the fullness of salvation (Catechism 1949). This said, even in Old Testament times, keeping the law did not require attaining an impossible standard of perfection. The Israelite who sinned (and all sinned, Ps 14:3; see also Rom 3:23) could ask God for forgiveness (Pss 19:11–13; 32:1–5; 51:1–17) and obtain atonement by offering sin and guilt offerings (Lev 4:1–6:7). Thus, an ancient Israelite could be righteous before God and “live by his faith” (Hab 2:4) by striving to keep the commandments to the best of his ability while trusting in God’s mercy and obtaining forgiveness through repentance and sacrifices whenever he fell short.

How does this apply to Christians today? First, it is important to note that the 613 commandments of the Torah are not binding on Christians as they originally were on Israel (Acts 15), but are now fulfilled and perfected by the “Law of the Gospel” (Catechism 1967). And yet, “far from abolishing or devaluing the moral prescriptions of the Old Law,” the New Law “releases their hidden potential and has new demands arise from them” (Catechism 1968). These demands are expressed in the Church’s exposition of the Decalogue as found in the third part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catechism 2083–557).
Still, Ben Sira’s principles remain the same: although it is impossible to lead a morally perfect life “by the natural power of free will and without the necessary help of God’s grace,”Overconfidence in a person’s ability to live a good life without the help of God’s grace is known as the heresy of Pelagianism (Catechism 406). this does not mean that we should not try! Too many people in our time despair of their ability to make good moral choices, perhaps thinking that “I was born this way” or “my depression (or anxiety, or addiction, or upbringing) made me do it.” While human freedom is greatly compromised by the wound of original sin, Scripture teaches that human beings can and must choose right over wrong, and they always remain responsible for their actions (Catechism 1734).Quoting St. Augustine, the Council of Trent condemns the idea that the commandments are impossible to observe and asserts that they can be observed with the help of Christ’s grace: “But no one, however much justified, should consider himself exempt from the observance of the commandments; no one should make use of that rash statement forbidden under an anathema by the Fathers, that the commandments of God are impossible to observe for a man who is justified. ‘For God does not command impossibilities, but by commanding admonishes you both to do what you can do, and to pray for what you cannot do, and assists you that you may be able’; ‘whose commandments are not heavy’ (1 John 5:3), ‘whose yoke is sweet and whose burden is light’ (Matt 11:30)” (DS 1536; see also 1569–70; Catechism 2068, 2072).

¹Do not desire a multitude of useless children,
nor rejoice in ungodly sons.
²If they multiply, do not rejoice in them,
unless the fear of the Lord is in them.
³Do not trust in their survival,
and do not rely on their multitude;
for one is better than a thousand,
and to die childless is better than to have ungodly children.
⁴For through one man of understanding a city will be filled with people,
but through a tribe of lawless men it will be made desolate.
⁵Many such things my eye has seen,
and my ear has heard things more striking than these.
⁶In an assembly of sinners a fire will be kindled,
and in a disobedient nation wrath was kindled.
⁷He was not propitiated for the ancient giants
who revolted in their might.
⁸He did not spare the neighbors of Lot,
whom he loathed on account of their insolence.
⁹He showed no pity for a nation devoted to destruction,
for those destroyed in their sins;
¹⁰nor for the six hundred thousand men on foot,
who rebelliously assembled in their stubbornness.
¹¹Even if there is only one stiffnecked person,
it will be a wonder if he remains unpunished.
For mercy and wrath are with the Lord;
he is mighty to forgive, and he pours out wrath.
¹²As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof;
he judges a man according to his deeds.
¹³The sinner will not escape with his plunder,
and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated.
¹⁴He will make room for every act of mercy;
every one will receive in accordance with his deeds.

¹⁷Do not say, “I shall be hidden from the Lord,
and who from on high will remember me?
Among so many people I shall not be known,
for what is my soul in the boundless creation?
¹⁸Behold, heaven and the highest heaven,
the abyss and the earth, will tremble at his visitation.
¹⁹The mountains also and the foundations of the earth
shake with trembling when he looks upon them.
²⁰And no mind will reflect on this.
Who will ponder his ways?
²¹Like a tempest which no man can see,
so most of his works are concealed.
²²Who will announce his acts of justice?
Or who will await them? For the covenant is far off.”
²³This is what one devoid of understanding thinks;
a senseless and misguided man thinks foolishly.

OT: Gen 18:20–19:28; Wis 3:10–4:6

NT: Matt 16:27; Rom 8:28; 9:22; Rev 22:12

Catechism: particular judgment, 1021–22; final judgment, 1038–41

[16:1–2]

Having emphasized each person’s responsibility for their own sins, Ben Sira now discusses God’s punishment of sinners. He begins with ungodly children (16:1–5). Although Scripture consistently views children as a blessing (Gen 15:5; Pss 127:3–5; 128:3–4), it is pointless to desire many children without a firm commitment to raise them well, lest they grow up to be useless and ungodly. While parents must love their children unconditionally, they must also train them to grow up in the fear of the Lord. A large family is of no advantage if the children turn out to be wicked, as they will leave behind a bitter legacy, and their inheritance will perish (40:15–16; 41:5–6).

[16:3]

Parents should not place their trust in the survival of their children or assume they will have a long life, as they may come to an untimely end (Deut 28:15–19; Job 24:24; Ps 55:23; Wis 14:15). Neither should parents rely on having a multitude of children. As the longer Greek text explains, many ungodly children only bring greater grief: “For you will groan in untimely mourning, and will know of their sudden end.”NRSV footnote; compare ESV-CE footnote. The next clause is somewhat obscure but clarified by the ⁺Vulgate: for one who fears God is better than a thousand wicked sons (compare Douay). It is better, therefore, to die childless after having lived a virtuous life than to have ungodly children who will bring evil into the world (Wis 3:10–4:6).

[16:4–5] Godliness is inherently fruitful: through one man of understanding (Hebrew: “a solitary childless person who fears the Lord”) a city will be filled with people—as it was with Abraham, who became the father of a great multitude even though his wife Sarah was initially barren (Gen 15:2–5). Ben Sira may also have in mind the tale of a “poor wise man” who by his wisdom delivered a besieged city (Eccles 9:14–15). By contrast, a tribe of lawless men—such as the inhabitants of Sodom—will make a city desolate, for its iniquity will draw divine judgment upon it (Gen 18:20–19:28). Ben Sira appeals to his own experience and eyewitness account: he has personally seen families that increased in numbers but not in virtue and only left a legacy of godlessness and chaos. He also recalls striking accounts from the past when God punished sinners for their wicked deeds (16:6–10).

[16:6–8]

In an assembly of sinners—such as that of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their followers—a heavenly fire will be kindled, as fire consumed those leaders of a disobedient nation when they rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and divine wrath was kindled against them (45:18–19; Num 16:1–35; Ps 106:18). God was not propitiated—that is, he did not forgive the ancient giants (Hebrew: “princes of old”), those “mighty men” who unleashed the flood when they revolted against God (Gen 6:1–4; Wis 14:6). Nor did he spare the neighbors of Lot—the wicked inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah who were loathed and destroyed because of their insolence and pride. Other biblical sources also attribute the sins of Sodom to neglect of the poor and sexual immorality (Gen 19:1–25; Ezek 16:49–50; Jude 7).

[16:9–10]

The Lord showed no pity to the Canaanites, notorious for their immoral practices and thus doomed to destruction; they were dispossessed and destroyed in their sins (see Exod 34:11–16; Num 33:51–56; Deut 7:1–2; Wis 12:3–7). Neither did the six hundred thousand Israelites of the exodus, who stubbornly rebelled against Moses and God during their wilderness wanderings, escape punishment for their sins (Sir 46:7–8; Exod 12:37; Num 11:21; 14:1–35).

[16:11–14]

Ben Sira turns from examples of the past to warnings about the future (16:11–16). Just as it was for the generation of the exodus (Exod 32:9; 33:3–5), so it will be for stiffnecked individuals who stubbornly oppose God—they will not go unpunished. Mercy and wrath are two essential attributes of the Lord: with the former, he is mighty to forgive those who repent and turn to him, but he also metes out punishment to those who continually resist him (Sir 5:6). As great as his mercy is, so are his reproof and chastisement severe. He judges each person according to his deeds—expressing the classic doctrine of retribution (11:26; 12:2; Matt 16:27; Rev 22:12): the sinner will not escape with ill-gotten plunder, and God will reward the patience of the godly for their every act of mercy, for he will not overlook a single act of kindness.

[16:15–16]

The Hebrew, long Greek text, and Syriac add these two verses (omitted from the shorter Greek text and the Latin Vulgate).¹⁵The Lord hardened Pharaoh so that he did not know him; in order that his works might be known under heaven. ¹⁶His mercy is manifest to the whole of creation, and he divided his light and darkness with a plumb line (Sir 16:15–16, RSV-2CE footnote; compare NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE footnotes). The Lord hardened Pharaoh at the time of the exodus so that the stubborn king of Egypt did not know God (Exod 7:3; 9:12; 10:27; 11:10). This was done so that his mighty works of delivering Israel from slavery might be known to all nations under heaven. In this way, his mercy was manifest not only to Israel but to all creation. The lessons of the exodus serve as a stark reminder of God’s justice and mercy to Ben Sira’s own generation.

[16:17]

In response to Ben Sira’s confidence that God will judge all sin, some might be tempted to think that their own deeds will go unnoticed (16:17–23), saying, “I shall be hidden from the Lord.” The skeptic foolishly believes that God does not see him among so many people in the world and that he will not be noticed, thinking his soul is insignificant in the boundless creation. By assuming that he is not important to God, or that God is too great, inscrutable, and remote to concern himself with the skeptic’s sins, such a person expresses a form of Deism, denying that God is intimately involved in every aspect of his creation (Catechism 285).

[16:18–19]

The skeptic depicts the supreme power of God over all creation: even the highest heaven (literally, “the heaven of heavens”; see Deut 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27), the subterranean abyss or “great deep” (Hebrew tehom) of primordial waters (Gen 1:2; 7:11), and the earth will tremble when God comes to judge the earth (Pss 18:7–8; 97:4–5; Isa 29:6; Joel 2:10). The longer Greek text (GII) adds to verse 18: “The whole world past and present is in his will,”NRSV footnote; compare ESV-CE. so that even the mountains and the earth’s foundations shake with trembling at the Lord’s mere glance.

[16:20–21]

The Greek text (followed by the RSV-2CE and most other translations) continues the thought of verse 19, asserting that God’s works are far removed from human knowledge and activity: no mind will reflect on the Lord’s supreme power over creation, so that no one will ponder his mysterious, awe-inspiring ways. Like a violent tempest that people cannot see until it is suddenly upon them, so most of the Lord’s works remain concealed from the human eye until the day of judgment. The Hebrew is quite different, continuing the thought of the skeptic in verse 17 who thinks he can get away with sinning with impunity: “Of me, therefore, he will take no notice; with my ways who will be concerned? If I sin, no eye will see me; if all in secret I act deceitfully, who is to know?” (NABRE). Such sinners mistakenly believe that the universe is so vast that God cannot possibly pay attention to their actions.

[16:22]

The skeptic now asks: Who will announce God’s acts of justice? Or who has the patience to await them indefinitely to see whether God is, in fact, just? To the skeptic, the covenant between God and his people, and the promise of just retribution for man’s deeds, seems far off: he wonders whether it will even come to pass, believing that God is slow in fulfilling his promises. The longer Greek text and Vulgate add: “and a scrutiny for all comes at the end”NRSV footnote; compare ESV-CE.— further emphasizing how God’s judgment seems distant to the skeptic.

[16:23]

Ben Sira dismisses the words of the skeptic (16:17–22) as those spoken by one devoid of understanding; only a senseless and misguided man thinks foolishly enough to suppose that God will overlook both sins and good deeds. The truth of each person’s relationship with God, along with their most secret deeds, will be revealed at the last judgment (Wis 4:20–5:23; Dan 7:10; Mal 3:18; 1 Cor 4:5; Catechism 678; 1039). Moreover, each person will be “rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith” at the particular judgment (Catechism 1021; see also Luke 16:22–23; Heb 9:27).

²⁴Listen to me, my son, and acquire knowledge,
and pay close attention to my words.
²⁵I will impart instruction by weight,
and declare knowledge accurately.

²⁶The works of the Lord have existed from the beginning by his creation,
and when he made them, he determined their divisions.
²⁷He arranged his works in an eternal order,
and their dominion for all generations;
they neither hunger nor grow weary,
and they do not cease from their labors.
²⁸They do not crowd one another aside,
and they will never disobey his word.
²⁹After this the Lord looked upon the earth,
and filled it with his good things;
³⁰with all kinds of living beings he covered its surface,
and to it they return.

^17:1The Lord created man out of earth,

and made him into his own image;
²he turned him back into earth again,
but clothed him in strength like his own.
³He gave to men few days, a limited time,
but granted them authority over the things upon the earth.
⁴He placed the fear of them in all flesh,
and granted them dominion over beasts and birds.
⁶He made for them discretion, with a tongue and eyes and ears;
he gave them a mind for thinking,
and filled them with the discipline of discernment.
⁷He created in them the knowledge of the spirit;
he filled their hearts with understanding,
and showed them good and evil.
⁸He placed the fear of him into their hearts,
showing them the majesty of his works.
⁹He made them glory in his wondrous deeds,
¹⁰that they might praise his holy name,
to proclaim the grandeur of his works.
¹¹He bestowed knowledge upon them,
and allotted to them the law of life.
¹²He established with them an eternal covenant,
and showed them his justice and his judgments.
¹³Their eyes saw his glorious majesty,
and their ears heard the glory of his voice.
¹⁴And he said to them, “Beware of all unrighteousness.”
And he gave commandment to each of them concerning his neighbor.

OT: Gen 1:27; 2:7; 3:19

NT: 1 Cor 11:7

Catechism: man, the image of God, 356–61, 1701–15

[16:24–25]

The fatherly address Listen to me, my son marks the beginning of a new section. In response to the skeptic who thinks that God is too far removed to care about each person’s deeds (16:17–23), Ben Sira urges his disciple to acquire knowledge and pay close attention (literally, “set your heart”) to the master’s words and instruction, which accurately explain how the Lord’s wisdom permeates every detail of creation.

[16:26–28]

Reflecting on the works that the Lord created from the beginning, Ben Sira recalls the first chapter of Genesis, which describes how God determined the divisions, realms, boundaries, and functions of everything he made. God arranged his works—referring here to the sun, moon, and stars—in an eternal order, so that their dominion over day and night would endure as long as the present universe (Gen 1:14–18; Ps 136:8–9). That the heavenly bodies neither hunger nor grow weary, nor cease from their labors, points to the enduring stability of the created order (Isa 40:26; Jer 31:35–36). The galaxies and planetary systems do not crowd one another but follow their course with extraordinary regularity. As part of a fine-tuned, well-ordered system, they never disobey the Creator’s word and order of creation (Pss 104:19; 148:5–6), unlike humans, who have the capacity to abuse their free will and stray away from his good purposes.

[16:29–30]

After creating the heavenly bodies, the Lord looked upon the earth that he had made and filled it with his good things—such as the sea creatures and birds created on the fifth day of creation (Gen 1:20–23)—and the living beings that covered its surface—the land animals created on the sixth day (Gen 1:24–25). All of these return to the earth when they die (Sir 40:11; Ps 104:24–30; Eccles 3:20).

[17:1–2]

Ben Sira turns from God’s creation of the universe to his creation of humankind and the gifts he bestowed on all humanity (17:1–10)No Hebrew text is extant for this section. The text of the manuscripts is in disarray, resulting in different verse numbers between modern English translations. The RSV-2CE generally follows the Latin Vulgate. and specifically on Israel (17:11–14). Drawing from the first two chapters of Genesis, Ben Sira recalls that the Lord created man out of earth (Gen 2:7) and made him into his own image and likeness (Gen 1:26–27). This double allusion to Genesis points to human nature as a union of matter and spirit, body and soul (Catechism 362). Although God turned him back into earth after man sinned and became subject to death (Gen 3:19; Ps 146:4; Catechism 400), God still clothed him in strength like his own, delegating his authority, glory, and honor to humankind (Ps 8:5; 1 Cor 11:7).

[17:3–5]

Since the fall, God allotted humans a limited time to live (18:9–10; Gen 6:3; Job 14:1–2; Ps 90:10), yet he still granted them authority to rule over the earth (Gen 1:26–28; Ps 8:6–8; Wis 9:2–3). He placed the fear of them in all living beings (Gen 9:2), granting them dominion over beasts and birds. Human dominance over the animal kingdom and mastery over nature through science and technological achievement reflect the unique gifts that God has given to the human race. The longer Greek text adds verse 5.They obtained the use of the five operations of the Lord; as sixth he distributed to them the gift of mind, and as seventh reason, the interpreter of his operations (Sir 17:5, RSV-2CE footnote; compare NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE footnotes). To enable people to rule over creation, the Lord not only gave them five operations—the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch that humans share with animals. He also granted them the gift of mind or intelligence (Greek nous)—that is, the psychological faculty of understanding, thinking, and deciding—as well as the gift of reason (Greek logos), which Ben Sira views as the interpreter of his operations, which enables humans to process rationally what they perceive through the senses.

[17:6–7]

Rationality is what sets humans apart from all other animals. The Lord gave them discretion (Greek diaboulion, translated as “inclination” in 15:14)—that is, counsel or deliberation enabling them to discern, make, and express rational decisions by means of the senses, using the tongue to speak, eyes to see, and ears to hear. God also gave them a mind (literally, “heart”) for thinking and understanding. The †Vulgate adds that he filled them with the discipline of discernment so that they could make good decisions, granted them knowledge of the spirit (perhaps meaning “spiritual knowledge”), filled their hearts with understanding, and revealed to them the difference between good and evil. This seems to allude to the fall of Adam and Eve. While in their state of innocence Adam and Eve intuitively knew the good, they obtained the knowledge of good and evil when they ate of the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden (Gen 2:17; 3:5, 22).

[17:8–10]

God placed the fear of him into their hearts:Follows a few Greek manuscripts and the New Vulgate. Most Greek manuscripts read: “He set his eye upon their hearts” (ESV-CE). as people contemplate the majesty of his works and the greatness of his creation revealed to them, they are drawn to fear him and grow in wisdom. He made them glory in his wondrous deedsVerse 9—an addition from GII—is placed here according to a few Greek manuscripts, followed by the New Vulgate. Verse 9 follows v. 10 in some translations (NRSV) or is relegated to a footnote (ESV-CE). so that, as they recognize his goodness in the magnificence of creation, they praise his holy name and proclaim the grandeur of his works in worship and adoration. Sirach, like Rom 1:19–20, teaches that human beings are able to see God’s greatness in creation and thus should honor and praise him for it. However, Sirach focuses on the positive response of some human beings, while Romans addresses the Gentile world that rejected this revelation and instead worshiped idols.

[17:11–13]

While God gave knowledge to all people, he bestowed a special kind of knowledge upon his people Israel by endowing them with the law of life—the †Torah given at Mount Sinai, which is a source of life (24:23–29; 45:5; Deut 28:1–14; 30:16; Bar 4:1). As expressed in ancient Jewish tradition, “One who has acquired words of Torah acquires life in the World to come”Mishnah, Avot 2:7. The Mishnah: A New Integrated Translation and Commentary, https://www.echok.com/mishnah/nezikin_vol_2/Avot2.pdf.—that is, one who hears the word of God, understands it, and applies it to his or her life bears great fruit for the kingdom of God (Matt 13:23). This idea finds its supreme fulfillment in the person of Jesus, who, as the Incarnate Word (Greek Logos), is also the “Incarnate Torah” (see John 1:14; 5:39–40). At Mount Sinai, the Lord established with Israel an eternal covenant (Exod 19:5–6; Deut 5:1–5); by giving them the law, he showed them his justice and his judgments. The Israelites saw his glorious majesty when he appeared to them in thunder and lightning, fire and smoke, and they heard the glory of his voice when he spoke to Moses and to all the people (Sir 45:5; Exod 19:16–20:18; 24:15–17).

[17:14]

God said to Israel at Sinai, in effect, “Beware of all unrighteousness”—that is, of sins prohibited by the Torah, such as idolatry and Sabbath violation. Thus, he gave commandment not just collectively to the entire nation but also to each individual concerning his neighbor by prohibiting murder, adultery, theft, bearing false witness, and coveting (Exod 20:1–20). Israel’s obedience to the Torah is the standard by which their faithfulness to the covenant is measured.

¹⁵Their ways are always before him,
they will not be hidden from his eyes.
¹⁷He appointed a ruler for every nation,
but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.
¹⁹All their works are as the sun before him,
and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
²⁰Their iniquities are not hidden from him,
and all their sins are before the Lord.
²²A man’s almsgiving is like a signet with the Lord,
and he will keep a person’s kindness like the apple of his eye.
²³Afterward he will arise and repay them,
and he will bring their recompense on their heads.
²⁴Yet to those who repent he grants a return,
and he encourages those whose endurance is failing,
and he has appointed to them the lot of truth.

²⁵Turn to the Lord and forsake your sins;
pray in his presence and lessen your offenses.
²⁶Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity,
and hate abominations intensely.

Know the justice and the judgments of God,
and stand firm in the lot that is set before you,
in prayer to God, the Almighty.
²⁷Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades,
as do those who are alive and give thanks?
Tarry not in the waywardness of the ungodly,
and give thanks before death.
²⁸From the dead, as from one who does not exist, thanksgiving has ceased;
he who is alive and well sings the Lord’s praises.
²⁹How great is the mercy of the Lord,
and his forgiveness for those who turn to him!
³⁰For all things cannot be in men,
since a son of man is not immortal.
³¹What is brighter than the sun? Yet its light fails.
So flesh and blood devise evil.
³²He marshals the host of the height of heaven;
but all men are dust and ashes.

^18:1He who lives for ever created the whole universe;
²the Lord alone will be declared righteous.
⁴To none has he given power to proclaim his works;
and who can search out his mighty deeds?
⁵Who can measure his majestic power?
And who can fully recount his mercies?
⁶It is not possible to diminish or increase them,
nor is it possible to trace the wonders of the Lord.
⁷When a man has finished, he is just beginning,
and when he stops, he will be at a loss.
⁸What is man, and of what use is he?
What is his good and what is his evil?
⁹The number of a man’s days is great if he reaches a hundred years.
¹⁰Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand
so are a few years in the day of eternity.
¹¹Therefore the Lord is patient with them
and pours out his mercy upon them.
¹²He sees and recognizes that their end will be evil;
therefore he grants them forgiveness in abundance.
¹³The compassion of man is for his neighbor,
but the compassion of the Lord is for all living beings.
He rebukes and trains and teaches them,
and turns them back, as a shepherd his flock.
¹⁴He has compassion on those who accept his discipline
and who are eager for his judgments.

OT: Ps 8; Zech 1:3–4; Mal 3:7

NT: Matt 4:17; Luke 5:32; 24:47; Acts 2:38; Rom 11:32; Rev 2:5

Catechism: conversion and penance, 1427–60; works of mercy, 2447; mercy and sin, 1846–48

[17:15–16]

Ben Sira previously admonished the skeptics who think that God is not concerned with their actions (16:17–23). This skepticism is foolish, because God reigns over the whole universe (16:26–30), over all humanity (17:1–10), and especially over Israel, to whom he gave the law as an expression of his justice (17:11–14). He now counters the same skeptics who deny that God will repay every human action with rewards or punishments (17:15–24). Their ways are always before him, for the Lord is constantly aware of people’s actions. The longer Greek text adds verse 16 and part of verse 17.GII adds: ¹⁶Their ways from youth tend toward evil, and they are unable to make for themselves hearts of flesh in place of their stony hearts. ¹⁷For in the division of the nations of the whole earth . . . (Sir 17:16–17, RSV-2CE footnote). Although everyone remains free to choose good or evil, fallen human nature inclines people toward evil from an early age, leaving them prone to sin (Gen 6:5; 8:21). Even Israelites, who have the Torah as their guide, are unable to make for themselves, without the help of divine grace, hearts of flesh able to love God and neighbor in place of their stony hearts hardened by sin (Ezek 11:19; 36:26).

[17:17–18]

For in the division of the nations of the whole earthAn addition from GII (RSV-2CE footnote). established after the flood (Gen 10), the Lord appointed a ruler for every nation, meaning either a civil or perhaps an angelic ruler (Deut 32:8–9; Dan 10:13–21). Yet unlike the other nations, Israel is the Lord’s own portion and treasured possession (Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; Ps 135:4). The longer Greek text adds verse 18.GII adds: whom, being his first-born, he brings up with discipline, and allotting to him the light of his love, he does not neglect him (Sir 17:18, RSV-2CE footnote). Because Israel is God’s first-born (see Exod 4:22), he brings up the nation with discipline as an expression of his love (Prov 3:12). By shining the light of his love on Israel, he does not neglect his chosen people but manifests his bountiful providence toward them (Deut 31:6–8).

[17:19–21]

All human works are as the sun before him—as visible as they are in broad daylight (17:15; 23:19; Ps 94:11). Contrary to the claims of the skeptic (Sir 16:22), God always considers their ways so that none of their iniquities is hidden from him. Everyone’s good deeds, but also their sins, are in plain sight before the Lord. Verse 21 (an addition from GII)GII adds: But the Lord, who is gracious and knows his creatures, has neither left nor abandoned them, but spared them (Sir 17:21, RSV-2CE footnote). emphasizes the Lord’s kindly providence over his judgment: because he is gracious and knows his creatures, he has not abandoned them, but spared them. God does not only keep track of evildoing; he also watches over his people and extends mercy whenever they turn to him (Deut 31:6–8; Ps 103:13–14; Wis 11:23–24).

[17:22–23]

The righteous are identified by their almsgiving, which is like a signet with the Lord—that is, “a work of justice pleasing to God” (Catechism 2447). A signet or “seal” was a signature ring that carried an engraved mark of identification (49:11; Song 8:6). The Lord remembers a person’s kindness and good deeds like the precious apple (pupil) of his eye (see Deut 32:10; Ps 17:8; Zech 2:8), just as people value their eyesight as something very precious. Afterward, in the end, he will arise on the day of judgment and repay those skeptics who think that God does not act (Sir 16:22); he will bring their recompense or punishment upon them according to their works, so all will receive what they deserve (Ps 7:16; Jer 23:19; Ezek 22:31).

[17:24] Yet to those who have failed to live righteously in the past but then repent (Greek metanoeō) of their sins, God grants a return to himself, to the covenant, and to a good life (Ezek 33:11). In every act of repentance, God’s grace is at work. As the first agent of repentance, he gently nudges the human soul away from sin and death toward goodness and life (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25). The Lord encourages those who are discouraged or whose endurance is failing to continue pursuing righteousness and justice, for he has appointed to them the lot of dwelling in his saving truth (†Vulgate) by calling them to reconciliation and communion with him.

Repent and Return
Behind the Greek verb metanoeō in 17:24 lies almost certainly the Hebrew word shuv, which means both “to repent” and “to return.”The text of Sir 17 has not been preserved in any extant Hebrew manuscript. Thus, the act of repenting is an act not just of turning away from sin but also of returning to where we truly belong, to what is true and good—to God. Repentance is the central message of the prophets (Isa 31:6; Ezek 14:6; Zech 1:3–4; Mal 3:7), of Jesus (Matt 4:17; Luke 5:32; 13:3–5; Rev 2:5), and of the apostles (Acts 2:38; 17:30; 2 Tim 2:25). The Catechism defines repentance as “a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed” (Catechism 1431). One could argue that repentance is the central message of the Bible.

Ancient Jewish tradition extols the power of repentance: “Great is repentance, which brings healing to the world, . . . reaches up to the throne of glory, . . . brings redemption near, . . . lengthens the years of a person; . . . for on account of a single individual who repents, the whole world is forgiven in its entirety.”Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 86a–b, in Jacob Neusner, The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2011), 5a:338–40. This hyperbolic statement is reminiscent of Jesus’s own parables and teachings on repentance—for example, when he says that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

b. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 86a–b, in Jacob Neusner, The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2011), 5a:338–40.

[17:25]

Because God will judge all sin, Ben Sira calls his reader to repent (17:25–32): Turn to the Lord and forsake your sins. Although no Hebrew text is extant for this verse, the original Hebrew word for “turn” or “return” is almost certainly shuv, which also means “repent” (see the sidebar “Repent and Return”). Thus, turning to the Lord implies renouncing sin and returning to the “place” where one truly belongs (Ps 90:3; Mal 3:7). To pray in his presence perhaps means to “pray in the temple” or “pray in earnest.” Lessen your offenses may be an encouragement to come to prayer with the right disposition; or it may describe the outcome of earnest prayer.

[17:26]

Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity is a †parallelism that repeats the first half of verse 25. GII adds: for he will lead you out of darkness to the light of health,Sir 17:26, RSV-2CE footnote. emphasizing the role of divine grace in the process of conversion and healing. One who repents and returns to God must hate abominations intensely—just as the Lord does (15:13). The rest of the verse is an addition from the Vulgate: Know the justice and the judgments of God, and stand firm with patience in the lot that is set before you, whether in joy or in suffering, always persevering in prayer to God, the Almighty.

[17:27–28]

Ben Sira asks rhetorically: Who will sing praises to the Most High in †Hades? Hades (Hebrew Sheol) is the dark abode of the dead in Old Testament times, where it was believed that no one could praise God (Pss 6:5; 30:9; Isa 38:18–19). From the Old Testament’s perspective, before Israel learned about life after death, only those who are alive can praise and thank God. Thus (the Vulgate adds), tarry not in the waywardness of the ungodly, who in their self-centeredness are unable to turn their hearts and souls toward heaven; instead, seize the day and give thanks before death. While in Old Testament times it was believed that this life offered the only chance to thank and praise God, the New Testament reveals that the saints will praise God forever in heaven (Rev 7:9–12; 19:5–8). Yet from Ben Sira’s perspective, it is as if the dead did not exist. For them, thanksgiving has ceased; only those who are alive and well are able to sing the Lord’s praises. The wise, therefore, must not miss this opportunity to give thanks as long as they are alive.

[17:29–32]

Ben Sira continues to call his readers to repentance, reminding them of the mercy of the Lord, who is ever willing to extend his forgiveness to those who turn to him with a contrite heart (Pss 86:5; 103:8; 145:7–9). Not all things, such as mercy and forgiveness, are within human reach, for we are not immortal and thus cannot grasp the extent of God’s mercy. Although nothing is brighter than the sun, even its light fails and is darkened by night or an eclipse; how much more are flesh and blood (human nature) darkened when men devise evil (see Job 25:4–6)? If God marshals the host of heaven, ruling over and judging heavenly powers such as the sun, moon, and stars, as well as the angelic hosts with which they were often associated (Isa 24:21; 34:4), how much more will he judge all men who are but dust and ashes (see Gen 18:27)?

[18:1–3]

Ben Sira continues to contrast God’s majesty (18:1–7) with man’s smallness (18:8–10) and then considers the Lord’s role as the righteous and benevolent judge of humanity (18:11–14). Because the eternal God created the whole universe, he alone is found righteous—that is, true and wise in all things. The longer Greek text addsGII adds: and there is no other beside him; ³he steers the world with the span of his hand, and all things obey his will; for he is king of all things, by his power separating among them the holy things from the profane (Sir 18:2–3, RSV-2CE footnote). that there is no other beside him, for he is the only true God (1 Sam 2:2; Isa 45:21); he steers the world and governs the universe with the span of his hand (see Isa 40:12). All elements of creation obey his will; for he is king who rules over all things, and by his power he separates and distinguishes holy things from the profane—not good things from evil, but rather things set apart and consecrated to God for his service from those used for common purposes (Lev 10:10; Ezek 22:26).

[18:4–7]

To none has the Lord given the ability to proclaim his works, comprehend the grandeur of his mighty deeds, measure his majestic power, or fully recount the countless times when he manifested his infinite mercies (1:3; 42:17; Job 9:10; Ps 145:3). No one can diminish or increase them, for he has acted perfectly in every situation; nor is it possible to trace the wonders of the Lord that he has accomplished in human history. Anyone who believes he has finished recounting these wonders and merciful deeds (Ps 77:12–13) is really just beginning, and when he stops recounting them, he remains perplexed by his inability to understand God’s works.

[18:8]

In contrast to God’s supreme majesty and power, Ben Sira asks: What is man, and of what use is he? The human person is insignificant compared to his Maker (Pss 8:4; 144:3). What is his good and what is his evil? is a perplexing question that surely does not deny or downplay the morality of human actions, which is strongly affirmed throughout the entire book. Perhaps it expresses man’s confusion in discerning good from evil without the guidance of God’s law, for apart from it he often does not know what is truly good for him.

[18:9–10]

Human insignificance is also evident in short lifespans, for a man’s age is considered great if he reaches a hundred years. Yet this is barely a moment from God’s perspective (Ps 90:10). GII adds “but the death of each one is beyond the calculation of all,”Sir 18:9, NRSV footnote. for no one knows the day when it will come. As insignificant as a drop of water and a grain of sand are the few years of human life when considered from the standpoint of eternity (Sir 1:2; Ps 90:3–6).

[18:11–12]

Precisely because people are so fragile and short-lived, the Lord is patient with them. Because he wants them to live, he pours out his mercy upon them. Because he recognizes that their end will be evil, painful, and grievous when they die, he grants them abundant forgiveness throughout their lives, even up to the moment of death.

[18:13–14]

A person tends to show compassion to his neighbor, who is close to him. By contrast, the Lord is compassionate to all living beings (literally, “all flesh”), even when demonstrating “tough love” as he rebukes and trains and teaches them (see Wis 12:19–22; 2 Macc 6:12–16). He turns them back to himself in repentance, as a shepherd tends his flock, using a stick to guide stray sheep to stay with the herd (Ps 23; Ezek 34:11–16; John 10:11–18). Although the Lord extends his mercy to all, he has compassion especially on those who accept his discipline and exercise the fear of the Lord by eagerly observing his judgments and precepts.

It is no secret that the present generation is going through a profound crisis of faith. This is a theological crisis insofar as it involves a widespread forgetfulness of who God is, but also an anthropological crisis because the loss of faith has led to a pervasive confusion about who the human person is. This is evident in manifold ways: Many couples choose to cohabitate without getting married; others would rather have pets than children. Many think it is morally permissible to end the life of the most vulnerable through abortion or euthanasia. Some believe their identity is defined by their sexual attractions, or that they can change their gender at will. Still others no longer accept the male-female duality of the sexes, holding that numerous genders exist on an ever-expanding “nonbinary” spectrum.

This breakdown of traditional societal structures points to a profound identity crisis: modern people have forgotten who they are. If they do not know who they are and think they are only animals, then everything becomes permissible.

In response, the Bible asserts that “God created man in his own image, . . . male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). This truth has significant implications for the moral life. It means that, unlike other animals, man is a rational being, capable of knowing and loving his Creator and sharing in his life (Catechism 356). It means that humans possess infinite dignity and worth and are capable of self-knowledge, self-possession, and self-gift for the sake of entering into communion with God and others (Catechism 357). It means that humans are a union of body and soul, and that what they do with their bodies is not morally indifferent (Catechism 362). It means that the male-female duality is not an arbitrary social construct but a good reality willed by God, who created man and woman for each other so that they could bring forth new life and cooperate in his work of creation (Catechism 369–72). Finally, the reality of sin means that not every human instinct, desire, or attraction is good. On the contrary, the concupiscence that is deeply ingrained in fallen human nature tends to pull people “downward” toward their animal nature and away from their divine purpose (Catechism 405). Repentance is God’s call to turn away from base, animalistic impulses and “return” to our identity as adopted children, created in the image and likeness of God.

¹⁵My son, do not mix reproach with your good deeds,
nor cause grief by your words when you present a gift.
¹⁶Does not the dew assuage the scorching heat?
So a word is better than a gift.
¹⁷Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift?
Both are to be found in a gracious man.
¹⁸A fool is ungracious and abusive,
and the gift of a grudging man makes the eyes dim.

¹⁹Before you speak, learn,
and before you fall ill, take care of your health.
²⁰Before judgment, examine yourself,
and in the hour of visitation you will find forgiveness.
²¹Before falling ill, humble yourself,
and when you are on the point of sinning, turn back.
²²Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly,
and do not wait until death to be released from it.
²³Before making a vow, prepare yourself;
and do not be like a man who tempts the Lord.
²⁴Think of his wrath on the day of death,
and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his face.
²⁵In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger;
in the days of wealth think of poverty and need.
²⁶From morning to evening conditions change,
and all things move swiftly before the Lord.

²⁷A wise man is cautious in everything,
and in days of sin he guards against wrongdoing.
²⁸Every intelligent man knows wisdom,
and he praises the one who finds her.
²⁹Those who understand sayings become skilled themselves,
and pour forth apt proverbs.

OT: Num 30:2; Prov 6:6–11; Eccles 5:4

NT: Matt 6:22–23; Luke 1:28

Catechism: examination of conscience, 1454; conscience, 1776–94; prudence, 1806

[18:15–18]

With the fatherly address My son, Ben Sira opens a new section. Having reflected on God’s mercy, he now encourages the reader to imitate the Lord by giving graciously: do not mix reproach with your good deeds by casting blame or accusations, nor cause grief by adding uncharitable words of criticism when you present a gift with the wrong intention or attitude. As the dew provides relief from the scorching heat (43:22), so a kind word is better than a gift, for it brings joy and encouragement to its recipient. Both are found in a gracious man. In the Gospel of Luke, the same Greek term for “gracious” (kecharitomenos) is used when the angel Gabriel calls Mary “full of grace” (Luke 1:28). Ancient Jewish tradition confirms these principles on gracious giving: “Any one who gives a penny to the poor is blessed with six blessings, and anyone who speaks to him in a comforting manner is blessed with eleven.”Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra 9b (Neusner, Babylonian Talmud, 15:34). But unlike the wise man who gives cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7) in imitation of God (James 1:5), a fool is ungracious and abusive, giving grudgingly and with reproach (Sir 20:14–15). His gift makes the eyes dim or “waste away” (ESV-CE)—perhaps when the receiver is humiliated by his cruel words. The expression may also refer to the eyes of the grudging giver, drawing on the Hebraism “to have a bad eye,” which means to be selfish and stingy (Matt 6:22–23).

[18:19–20]

The wise person must exercise prudence and be prepared for all situations by taking proper precautions (18:19–29). Ben Sira offers this advice with a series of injunctions on preparedness, beginning with “before . . .”: Before you speak on any topic, learn about it so you can speak knowledgeably; before you fall ill, take care of your health, for prevention is the best medicine. The same principle applies to the health of the soul: Before the coming of God’s judgment, examine yourself, for a good examination of conscience is the first step toward repentance; if you do so, when the Lord comes to judge you in the hour of visitation—that is, at the moment of sickness or death (16:18)—you will find forgiveness.

[18:21]

Before falling ill—which may at times be a form of divine chastisement (2 Chron 26:20)—humble yourself to avoid the punishment that may follow (Sir 2:17; 7:16–17), and when you are on the point of sinning (literally, “at the time of sins”), turn back or “repent.” This exhortation reflects the Hebrew word shuv, which means both “return” and “repent” (see the sidebar “Repent and Return,” p. 156). It is better to turn back to God before sinning (and thus not to sin at all) than to repent after sinning.

[18:22–24]

One should pay a vow—that is, fulfill a solemn promise made to God—promptly (Num 30:2; Eccles 5:4). Do not postpone this task indefinitely or wait until you are close to death to be released from your obligation to fulfill it. Before making a vow, therefore, prepare yourself, consider it carefully, and ensure you have the means to fulfill it in due course. A person who makes a rash vow that he is unlikely to keep tempts the Lord—in other words, he puts the Lord to the test (Deut 6:16; Prov 20:25; Matt 4:7) by “tempting God” to punish him if he does not keep his vow. One who leaves promises unfulfilled can expect to encounter God’s wrath on the day of death. Ben Sira considers one who fails to keep his vows as having turned his back on God. Thus, the day of judgment will be a moment of vengeance (requital or retribution) as God turns away his face from this person (Deut 31:17–18; Ps 30:7).

[18:25–26]

In the time of plenty, the wise should think of the time of hunger that may follow. This could be an appeal to store up material provisions in days of wealth to prepare for times of scarcity (Gen 41:29–36; Prov 6:6–11). Or, since hunger and poverty can sometimes be divine punishments for sin, it may be a reminder not to take God’s blessings for granted and to remain faithful to him in days of abundance, lest laxity and sin lead to poverty and need (see Deut 8:10–20; 28:33). From morning to evening—in the span of a single day—conditions change and life can turn around radically (2 Kings 7:1–16; Job 4:19–21); all things move swiftly before the Lord: he is able to suddenly turn one’s fortune from prosperity to destitution.

[18:27–29]

A wise man is cautious in everything, for prudence—“right reason in action” (Catechism 1806)—is a mark of the wise. When sin prevails widely, or when the wise person is tempted to sin, he or she carefully avoids all wrongdoing by vigilantly resisting temptation. An intelligent person knows how to recognize wisdom in others; he praises and encourages the one who pursues her, finds her, and lives wisely. Those who understand sayings (or are “skilled in words”)NRSV, NABRE. become skilled, clever, and wise, so that they are able to utter their own apt proverbs and become a source of wisdom for others.

³⁰Do not follow your base desires,
but restrain your appetites.
³¹If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base desire,
it will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.
³²Do not revel in great luxury,
lest you become impoverished by its expense.
³³Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money,
when you have nothing in your purse.

^19:1A workman who is a drunkard will not become rich;
he who despises small things will fail little by little.
²Wine and women lead intelligent men astray,
and the man who consorts with harlots is very reckless.
³Decay and worms will inherit him,
and the reckless soul will be snatched away.

⁴One who trusts others too quickly is lightminded,
and one who sins does wrong to himself.
⁵One who rejoices in wickedness will be condemned,
⁶and for one who hates gossip evil is lessened.
⁷Never repeat a conversation,
and you will lose nothing at all.
⁸With friend or foe do not report it,
and unless it would be a sin for you, do not disclose it;
⁹for some one has heard you and watched you,
and when the time comes he will hate you.
¹⁰Have you heard a word? Let it die with you.
Be brave! It will not make you burst!
¹¹With such a word a fool will suffer pangs
like a woman in labor with a child.
¹²Like an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh,
so is a word inside a fool.

¹³Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it;
but if he did anything, so that he may do it no more.
¹⁴Question a neighbor, perhaps he did not say it;
but if he said it, so that he may not say it again.
¹⁵Question a friend, for often it is slander;
so do not believe everything you hear.
¹⁶A person may make a slip without intending it.
Who has never sinned with his tongue?
¹⁷Question your neighbor before you threaten him;
and let the law of the Most High take its course.

OT: Prov 17:9; 21:17; 23:21; 25:9–10; 31:3–7

NT: Matt 18:15–17; Rom 13:14; Gal 5:16–24; Col 3:5

Catechism: temperance, 1809; offenses against truth and respect for truth, 2475–92

[18:30–31]

Ben Sira turns to the virtue of self-control or temperance, the cardinal virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and natural desires for good things (Catechism 1809). Do not follow your base desires or passions, but restrain even your legitimate appetites, lest they dominate your life (Rom 13:14; Gal 5:16–19; Col 3:5). If you allow your soul to indulge in base passions, your lack of self-control and excessive self-indulgence will make you appear foolish, and you will become the laughingstock of your enemies (6:4).

[18:32–33]

One who indulges in great luxury runs the risk of becoming impoverished, for the cost of living lavishly can lead to financial ruin. The Hebrew expresses this advice vividly: “Do not rejoice in a little pleasure that will produce twice as much poverty.” Self-indulgence is particularly destructive when it entails living beyond one’s means: it is foolish to become a beggar (Hebrew: “a glutton and a drunkard”; compare NABRE) by feasting with borrowed money, when you have no financial means of your own. As the longer Greek text explains, by living such a reckless lifestyle “you will be plotting against your own life.”Sir 18:33, NRSV, ESV-CE footnotes. [19:1]

Ben Sira continues to advise prudence and self-control in matters of passions and appetites. A workman who is a drunkard (Hebrew: “Whoever does this”) will not become rich. Indeed, drunkenness often leads to poverty (Prov 21:17; 23:21). The Hebrew text refers to the previous verse—that is, he who feasts with borrowed money will not become rich.NRSV, NABRE. Likewise, one who despises small things will be careless with greater matters as well and will fail little by little until his negligence leads him to ruin (Matt 25:14–30).

[19:2–3]

Wine and women—symbolizing drunkenness and sexual immorality—lead not only fools but even intelligent men astray, for all are vulnerable to those common temptations (31:25–30; Prov 31:3–7; Hosea 4:11). One who frequents prostitutes is particularly reckless and does not think about the consequences of his actions. Decay and worms—a metaphor for death—will take possession of him as the ultimate consequence of his foolish actions (Prov 5:5; 7:26–27; Rom 6:23; Gal 6:8), and the reckless soul who indulges in such pleasures will be snatched away to his demise.

[19:4]

Ben Sira now advises on speaking wisely and avoiding gossip (19:4–17). One who trusts others and believes what they say too quickly or uncritically lacks prudence and has a shallow mind. This thoughtless disposition encourages gossip; one who sins—for example, by speaking carelessly—does wrong to himself (literally, “to his own soul”).

[19:5–6]

One who rejoices in wickedness by enjoying malicious talk will be condemned—either by God or by other people. The longer Greek text adds:GII adds: but he who withstands pleasures crowns his life. He who controls his tongue will live without strife, (Sir 19:5–6, RSV-2CE, ESV-CE footnotes; compare NRSV footnote). but he who withstands pleasures by refusing to listen to gossip crowns his life. He who controls his tongue and refrains from idle speech lives without strife, at peace with others; one who hates gossip and does not indulge in it spares himself much evil. Alternatively, “whoever repeats gossip is lessened in heart” (Syriac) or “has no sense” (NABRE).

[19:7–9]

Never repeat a conversation (literally, “a word”), and you will not lose anything that is of value to you, such as your friends or reputation (Prov 17:9; 25:9–10). With friend or foe do not report your conversation or speak ill of anyone, unless it would be a sin for you to remain silent—for example, by becoming complicit in another’s sin or by putting someone in danger. For if someone has heard you and watched you as you engaged in gossip, sooner or later he will hate you because you have proven yourself untrustworthy. People who hear you gossip will mistrust you, because if you gossip to them, you will likely gossip about them as well.

[19:10–12]

Have you heard a word or rumor against your neighbor (†Vulgate, Douay)? Do not repeat it, but let it die with you—let it go no further. Be brave! It will not make you burst!—says Ben Sira in jest. Fools are unable to restrain themselves from gossiping, imagining that they will explode if they don’t repeat rumors they have heard (Job 32:18–19). He describes a fool who cannot control his speech as suffering pangs like a woman in labor. Just as a woman suffers pain until a child is born, or someone feels the pain of an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh until it is removed, so the gossiper is in agony until he lets the words out of his mouth.

[19:13–15]

Ben Sira has exhorted his readers not to engage in gossip. But how should they respond to it? Question or “admonish” (NABRE) a friend if you hear a rumor that he has done something wrong; perhaps the rumor is unfounded and he did not do it. First get the facts straight by speaking with him (Matt 18:15–17). If the rumor turns out to be true, then it is better to discuss the matter frankly with him rather than talk behind his back, so that he may do it no more. Similarly, question a neighbor who has allegedly started a rumor or repeated something inappropriate; perhaps he did not say it and the rumor is unfounded or the result of miscommunication. But if he said it, admonish him so that he may not say it again. Likewise, if you hear an accusation against a friend, question him about it, for often it is slander—a false rumor spread maliciously about him; so do not believe everything you hear nor be too quick to trust everyone (19:4).

[19:16–17]

Not all gossip is malicious or intentional: anyone may make a careless slip of the tongue. Correction concerning gossip should be given kindly and charitably, because everyone has sinned with his tongue and spoken carelessly at some point. False rumors can stir up anger, either toward the source of the rumor or its object. Yet one should not assume malice but give others the benefit of the doubt. Question your neighbor and get the facts straight before you reprove or threaten him, and let the law of the Most High take its course—a probable reference to Lev 19:17–18, which exhorts one not to take vengeance or bear a grudge against one’s brother but to “love your neighbor as yourself,” and to Deut 32:35, which assures readers that God’s justice will handle wrongs done to them (compare Rom 12:19).GII adds: and do not be angry (Sir 19:17, RSV-2CE, NRSV footnotes).

²⁰All wisdom is the fear of the Lord,
and in all wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law.
²²But the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom,
nor is there prudence where sinners take counsel.
²³There is a cleverness which is abominable,
but there is a fool who merely lacks wisdom.
²⁴Better is the God-fearing man who lacks intelligence,
than the highly prudent man who transgresses the law.
²⁵There is a cleverness which is scrupulous but unjust,
and there are people who distort kindness to gain a verdict.
²⁶There is a rascal bowed down in mourning,

but inwardly he is full of deceit.
²⁷He hides his face and pretends not to hear;
but where no one notices, he will forestall you.
²⁸And if by lack of strength he is prevented from sinning,
he will do evil when he finds an opportunity.
²⁹A man is known by his appearance,
and a sensible man is known by his face, when you meet him.
³⁰A man’s attire and open-mouthed laughter,
and a man’s manner of walking, show what he is.

OT: Ps 1:1; Prov 8:5; Wis 1:3–5

NT: Luke 20:23; 1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14

Catechism: prudence, 1806; law and wisdom, 1950–51; truthfulness, 2468–70

[19:18–19]

The longer Greek text adds two verses introducing the next section on true and false wisdom.¹⁸The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance, and wisdom obtains his love. ¹⁹The knowledge of the Lord’s commandments is life-giving discipline; and those who do what is pleasing to him enjoy the fruit of the tree of immortality (Sir 19:18–19, RSV-2CE, NRSV, ESV-CE footnotes). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of being accepted by God, and by seeking wisdom one obtains his love (4:10–14). The knowledge and observance of the Lord’s commandments is life-giving discipline or “education for life,” for it forms one’s character with the habits necessary to live a good life; those who please him enjoy the fruit of the tree of immortality (see Prov 3:18). Immortality, or the doctrine of a blessed afterlife, is not typical of most books of the Old Testament, but it is representative of later Old Testament theology (Wis 3:4; 4:1; 6:18–19; 8:13–17) and the New Testament (Rom 2:7; 1 Cor 15:53–54; 2 Tim 1:10).Some commentators suggest that the mention of immortality in v. 19 is a development of the theology of the afterlife in the longer Greek text that was added by another author after Ben Sira’s lifetime. See Patrick W. Skehan and Alexander A. Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, AB (New York: Doubleday, 1987), 299.

[19:20–21]

In contrast to counterfeit forms of wisdom, Ben Sira reiterates the essence of all authentic wisdom, which is the fear of the Lord (1:9–30; 2:7–17; 10:19–20; 21:6), in which there is the fulfillment of the law because fearing God is expressed by keeping the commandments (9:15; 15:1; 21:11; 24:23; Bar 4:1). GII adds that in wisdom there is also the knowledge of his omnipotence.GII adds: and the knowledge of his omnipotence. ²¹ When a servant says to his master, “I will not act as you wish,” even if later he does it, he angers the one who supports him (Sir 19:20–21, RSV-2CE footnote; compare NRSV, ESV-CE footnotes). Wisdom is not just a path to a better life; she is also the path to knowing the power of God. Yet obedience is necessary to remain in God’s favor: When a servant refuses to obey his master, even if later he changes his mind and does what was commanded, he angers his master, who supports him. Likewise with God: the fear of the Lord is expressed not by reluctant or halfhearted obedience but by prompt and willing obedience to his commandments (Matt 21:28–32).

[19:22]

The knowledge of wickedness—whether this means knowing about wickedness, or the knowledge possessed by wicked people—is not wisdom, for “wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin” (Wis 1:4); nor is there prudence where sinners take counsel, for their reasoning never provides sound counsel to follow (Ps 1:1).

[19:23–24]

Ben Sira begins a series of declarative statements (beginning with “there is”) to clarify the difference between godly wisdom and its counterfeits. There is a cleverness or craftiness (Greek panourgia; see 21:12) which is abominable because it is deceptively used to achieve evil ends (21:12). Those who maliciously use their intelligence imitate the serpent’s cunning when he deceived Eve (2 Cor 11:3) and are far worse than a fool who merely lacks wisdom. Therefore, it is better to be a devout, God-fearing man who lacks intelligence but keeps God’s commandments than a highly prudent or shrewd man who transgresses the law. True wisdom is found not primarily in intellectual capacity but in devotion and adherence to God and to the ^†Torah.

[19:25–26]

Cleverness can be scrupulous and meticulous, yet at the same time dishonest and unjust (see 1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; Eph 4:14). It is found in people who feign and distort kindness, misusing it to deceive others and gain a verdict—that is, to win their case—for an ulterior motive or to obtain a personal favor. Likewise, a hypocritical rascal bowed down in mourning may look solemn by putting on a show of false humility, but inwardly he is deceitful and seeks only to take advantage of others.

[19:27–28]

The cunning person hides his face—that is, he avoids eye contact and pretends not to hear or notice you; but after putting you off guard, when no one notices, he will take advantage of you. If this sly opportunist by lack of strength is temporarily prevented from sinning, he will do evil when he finds an opportunity and when you least expect it.

The Body Reflects the Soul

In his Baptismal Instructions, St. John Chrysostom (ca. 347–407) comments on Sir 19:30, explaining how one’s external appearance reflects the inner disposition of the soul:

Let each of our actions be very dignified. As it says, “A person’s attire, his laughter and his gait reveal who he is” (Sir 19:30). The external posture can be a clear image of the condition of the soul; indeed, the movement of the members reveals its beauty in a particular way. If we go into the town square, let our gait, our serenity and our composure be such as to attract the notice of those we encounter, let our eye not roam or our feet walk in a disorderly manner, and let our tongue proffer words with tranquility and gentleness. In other words, let our entire exterior disposition indicate the interior beauty of the soul.John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instructions 4.24–26, in Sever J. Voicu, ed., Apocrypha, ACCS:OT 15 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2010), 272.

[19:29–30]

Even if fraudsters mask their true intentions, a man’s character is still known by his appearance. A wise, discerning person can “read” body and facial language and recognize a sensible, trustworthy individual. Although appearances can be deceptive, a man’s attire, hearty laughter, and manner of walking may still reveal much about his true character (2 Macc 15:12–13).

¹There is a reproof which is not timely;
and there is a man who keeps silent but is wise.
²How much better it is to reprove than to stay angry!
And the one who confesses his fault will be kept from loss.
⁴Like a eunuch’s desire to violate a maiden
is a man who executes judgments by violence.
⁵There is one who by keeping silent is found wise,
while another is detested for being too talkative.
⁶There is one who keeps silent because he has no answer,
while another keeps silent because he knows when to speak.
⁷A wise man will be silent until the right moment,
but a braggart and fool goes beyond the right moment.
⁸Whoever uses too many words will be loathed,
and whoever usurps the right to speak will be hated.

⁹There may be good fortune for a man in adversity,
and a windfall may result in a loss.
¹⁰There is a gift that profits you nothing,
and there is a gift that brings a double return.
¹¹There are losses because of glory,
and there are men who have raised their heads from humble circumstances.
¹²There is a man who buys much for a little,
but pays for it seven times over.

¹³The wise man makes himself beloved through his words,
but the courtesies of fools are wasted.
¹⁴A fool’s gift will profit you nothing,
for he has many eyes instead of one.
¹⁵He gives little and upbraids much,

he opens his mouth like a herald;
today he lends and tomorrow he asks it back;
such a one is a hateful man.
¹⁶A fool will say, “I have no friend,
and there is no gratitude for my good deeds;
those who eat my bread speak unkindly.”
¹⁷How many will ridicule him, and how often!

OT: Prov 10:19; 15:23; 17:28; Eccles 3:7
NT: Matt 18:15–17; Col 4:6; 2 Tim 4:2; Heb 3:13; James 1:19
Catechism: discretion, 2488–89; modesty in silence, 2522

[20:1]

There is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccles 3:7). While it is sometimes appropriate and even necessary to exhort or rebuke someone who has done wrong (Matt 18:15–17; 2 Tim 4:2; Heb 3:13), an untimely reproof can cause more harm than good. Thus, one who keeps silent but is wise in his restraint discerns carefully the right time to speak.

[20:2–4]

In a situation of conflict, it is often better to reprove your adversary and openly address the problem than to stay angry and resentful. While trying to save face or “win the argument” can escalate and worsen the conflict, one who confesses his fault with candor is kept from loss or failure and shielded from embarrassment. The ^†Vulgate emphasizes the importance of humility in such situations: How good it is to show repentance when you are reproved, for so you will escape deliberate sin!Sir 20:3 (RSV-2CE footnote). GII places this addition after 20:8 (NRSV, ESV-CE footnotes). By contrast, just as a castrated eunuch’s desire to violate a maiden is as futile as it is evil, so too one who executes judgments by violence and tries to control others by force will never succeed in doing what is right.

[20:5–6]

Wisdom is not always demonstrated by speech. On the contrary, one who keeps silent is often considered wise—whether or not he actually is wise (Prov 17:28). Certainly, some people are detested for being too talkative, either because they engage in gossip or are unable to engage in an authentic dialogue, which requires not just talking but also attentive listening. There are good reasons to remain silent: one person may refrain from speaking because he has nothing to say; another may exercise restraint because he knows when to speak and waits for the opportune time to give his “word in season” (Prov 15:23).

[20:7–8]

While the wise person knows how to remain silent until the right moment (James 1:19), a braggart and fool who lacks self-awareness and seeks to show off does not notice when it is best to start or stop talking. The babbler who uses too many words and usurps the right to speak by posing as an authority figure or by constantly interrupting others will be hated (see Prov 10:19); many will avoid conversation with such a person altogether.

[20:9–10]

Everyone experiences gain and loss in life. Yet things are not always as they seem: apparent losses may turn out to be blessings in disguise—and vice versa (20:9–17). Good fortune may be the lot of a person in adversity, for times of trouble sometimes bring unforeseen blessings (Matt 5:2–12). Conversely, a windfall—some unexpected good fortune, as when the wind blows fruit off a tree—may result in a loss or misfortune. Similarly, the giving of gifts is also unpredictable: you may give a gift to another that profits you nothing in return, while at other times you may give a gift that brings a double return, so that you receive back twice as much as you gave.

Silent until the Right Moment

In his Pastoral Rule, St. Gregory the Great (ca. 540–604) emphasizes the value of speaking discreetly at the right time and on the right occasion.

Those who notice what is evil in their neighbors, and yet refrain their tongue in silence, withdraw, as it were, the aid of medicine from observed sores and become the cause of death because they would not cure the venom that they could have cured. The tongue, therefore, should be discreetly curbed, not tied up fast. For it is written, “A wise person will hold his tongue until the opportune time” (Sir 20:7). . . . This is something we need to learn with discretion so that we use our voice in a discreet and fitting time to open the mouth, and at the appropriate time also let silence close it. But those who spend time in much speaking are to be admonished that they vigilantly note from what a state of being they fall away when they flow forth in a multitude of words.Gregory the Great, Pastoral Rule 3.14 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 273).

[20:11–12]

While some losses are experienced due to a misguided or excessive pursuit of glory and honor, people have also risen from humble circumstances and lowly origins to places of high honor (1 Sam 2:4–9; Ps 113:7–9; Luke 1:51–53). Business transactions are similarly unreliable: one thinks he has found a bargain—such as a used car—and buys much for a little money, but in the end pays for it seven times over in maintenance and repairs.

[20:13]

A wise person makes himself beloved through few, well-chosen words, establishing himself as a person of integrity who utters gracious speech, “seasoned with salt” (Col 4:6). By contrast, people see through the insincere courtesies and flatteries of fools, which are wasted because few believe them.

[20:14–15]

A fool’s gift will profit you nothing: he gives only reluctantly and for an ulterior motive, for he has many eyes instead of one. This difficult expression may mean “the fool thinks his gift is worth much more than it is, and he expects too much in return.” The Syriac reads: “He looks for recompense sevenfold” (NRSV). The fool gives little and upbraids much, having little to offer other than criticism; he opens his mouth to disparage others like a herald—a public announcer shouting news with a loud voice. Unstable and self-serving, today he lends and tomorrow he asks for repayment, making himself hateful to both God and humans.

[20:16–17]

Ever lacking in self-awareness, the fool fails to consider his actions and instead feels sorry for himself, saying, “I have no friend”—probably a true statement, but through his own fault. He laments that no one shows him gratitude for his imagined good deeds—though he has not really done any—for even those who eat with him at his table speak unkindly of him. Ben Sira concludes his reflections on the self-inflicted misery of the fool with a stinging exclamation: How many will ridicule him, and how often!

¹⁸A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue;
so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily.
¹⁹An ungracious man is like a story told at the wrong time,
which is continually on the lips of the ignorant.
²⁰A proverb from a fool’s lips will be rejected,
for he does not tell it at its proper time.

²¹A man may be prevented from sinning by his poverty,
so when he rests he feels no remorse.
²²A man may lose his life through shame,
or lose it because of his foolish look.
²³A man may for shame make promises to a friend,
and needlessly make him an enemy.

²⁴A lie is an ugly blot on a man;

it is continually on the lips of the ignorant.
²⁵A thief is preferable to a habitual liar,
but the lot of both is ruin.
²⁶The disposition of a liar brings disgrace,
and his shame is ever with him.

²⁷He who speaks wisely will advance himself,
and a sensible man will please great men.
²⁸Whoever cultivates the soil will heap up his harvest,
and whoever pleases great men will atone for injustice.
²⁹Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise;
like a muzzle on the mouth they avert reproofs.
³⁰Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure,
what advantage is there in either of them?
³¹Better is the man who hides his folly
than the man who hides his wisdom.

OT: Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; Prov 6:16–19; 15:27; 26:7–9
NT: Matt 5:3
Catechism: lying, 2482–87

[20:18–20]

Ben Sira offers more guidelines on appropriate and inappropriate speech, noting that there are consequences for saying the wrong thing. A slip on the pavement leading to a painful fall is still better than an imprudent slip of the tongue, which can cause significant damage in interpersonal relationships. The downfall of the wicked occurs just as speedily as a physical fall, presumably because they tend to speak rashly. An ungracious or rude person is like a story told at the wrong time (literally, “an ungracious man, an untimely tale”). Those who speak too much (20:8) are prone to tell offensive stories or jokes at inappropriate moments, for such things are continually on the mind and lips of the ignorant. Even a proverb that usually commands attention and respect is disregarded when uttered from a fool’s lips, for he speaks it in an untimely manner rather than at its proper time (see Prov 26:7–9).

[20:21]

Ben Sira holds that a person may be prevented from sinning by his poverty. It is not that a poor person cannot sin, but that his material poverty may help him avoid occasions of sin and lead him to the poverty of spirit that draws one near to God (Matt 5:3), so that when he rests he feels no remorse or guilty conscience for the sins he did not commit.

[20:22–23]

Verse 22 is difficult: A man may lose his life—perhaps meaning his reputation or self-respect—through shame or timidity. This could occur because of his foolish look or “posturing” (NABRE), lack of frankness, or failing to resist the foolishness of another. The NJB reads that such a person “courts destruction for the sake of a fool’s opinion.” A person may also for shame—that is, out of weakness—make promises to a friend that he is unable to keep, thus becoming an enemy when the friend asks him to follow through on his promise.

[20:24–26]

A lie is a grave defect in a person’s character (7:13; 25:2; Prov 6:16–19), continually on the lips of ignorant or undisciplined people who are not ashamed to speak falsehoods. A habitual liar is even worse than a thief—for if theft is a sin against the property of others (Exod 20:15), lying consists in “stealing the truth” from those to whom it is due, distorting their perception of reality. Thus, the disposition or habit of a liar brings disgrace and shame because he ruins his own credibility and reputation through his falsehoods.

[20:27–28]

If fools should remain quiet, one who speaks wisely achieves success in life, for a sensible, prudent person will naturally please and impress—whether intentionally or not—those who are influential and powerful, as Joseph did in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon (Gen 41:38–40; Dan 1:17–20). Just as one who cultivates the soil reaps a full harvest, so one who pleases great men wins their goodwill and atones for injustice—in other words, he disposes them to overlook or forgive one’s misdeeds in due time.

[20:29]

Presents and gifts—that is, bribes—blind the eyes of the wise. The †Torah forbids the giving and taking of bribes because they subvert justice and negatively affect even the judgment of the wise (Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; Prov 15:27; 17:23). Like a muzzle on the mouth of a dog that prevents it from barking or biting, so bribes avert reproofs and inhibit authorities from correcting others.

[20:30–32]

Wisdom is meant to be shared with others: Hidden wisdom is as useless as an unseen treasure—there is no advantage to either of them, because no one benefits from them. While it is good for the fool to hide his folly, the wise person should not hide his wisdom when it could be beneficial to others (41:14–15). GII adds verse 32:Unwearied patience in seeking the Lord is better than a masterless charioteer of one’s own life (Sir 20:32, RSV-2CE, ESV-CE footnotes; compare NRSV footnote). Unwearied patience or persistent endurance in seeking the Lord, even if it requires effort, is better than trying to be a masterless charioteer of one’s own life—that is, a moral relativist who tries to live life without the guidance of divine wisdom.

The art of listening is a lost skill. All too often, a conversation between two individuals, rather than being an authentic dialogue, turns out to be little more than two monologues. This tendency is exacerbated on social media, where everyone seems eager to express their opinions (and attack those who don’t share them) but is slow to listen and try to understand opposing viewpoints. The advice of Ben Sira and other biblical authors is particularly relevant in such situations. While it is often necessary to reprove sin and rebut falsehood, it is also a sign of wisdom to be “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19) and be patient enough to be “silent until the right moment” (Sir 20:7)—seeking to genuinely understand an opponent’s point of view before launching into a potentially fruitless

argument. Even in friendly interactions, who has never emerged out of a conversation with an uneasy sense that one’s interlocutor was not really listening? Or, conversely, how often has a friend tried to share something personal with us, but we were “slow to hear and quick to speak”? While wisdom is expressed through speaking, it is primarily gained through listening—an art that is well worth developing through intentional practice (Sir 6:33).

¹Have you sinned, my son? Do so no more,
but pray about your former sins.
²Flee from sin as from a snake;
for if you approach sin, it will bite you.
Its teeth are lion’s teeth,
and destroy the souls of men.
³All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword;
there is no healing for its wound.

⁴Terror and violence will lay waste riches;
thus the house of the proud will be laid waste.
⁵The prayer of a poor man goes from his lips to the ears of God,
and his judgment comes speedily.
⁶Whoever hates reproof walks in the steps of the sinner,
but he that fears the Lord will repent in his heart.
⁷He who is mighty in speech is known from afar;
but the sensible man, when he slips, is aware of it.

⁸A man who builds his house with other people’s money
is like one who gathers stones for his burial mound.
⁹An assembly of the wicked is like tow gathered together,
and their end is a flame of fire.
¹⁰The way of sinners is smoothly paved with stones,
but at its end is the pit of Hades.

¹¹Whoever keeps the law controls his thoughts,
and wisdom is the fulfilment of the fear of the Lord.
¹²He who is not clever cannot be taught,
but there is a cleverness which increases bitterness.
¹³The knowledge of a wise man will increase like a flood,
and his counsel like a flowing spring.
¹⁴The mind of a fool is like a broken jar;
it will hold no knowledge.

¹⁵When a man of understanding hears a wise saying,
he will praise it and add to it;
when a reveler hears it, he dislikes it
and casts it behind his back.
¹⁶A fool’s narration is like a burden on a journey,
but delight will be found in the speech of the intelligent.
¹⁷The utterance of a sensible man will be sought in the assembly,
and they will ponder his words in their minds.

¹⁸Like a house that has vanished, so is wisdom to a fool;
and the knowledge of the ignorant is unexamined talk.
¹⁹To a senseless man education is chains on his feet,
and like manacles on his right hand.
²⁰A fool raises his voice when he laughs,
but a clever man smiles quietly.
²¹To a sensible man education is like a golden ornament,
and like a bracelet on the right arm.

²²The foot of a fool rushes into a house,
but a man of experience stands respectfully before it.
²³A boor peers into the house from the door,
but a cultivated man remains outside.
²⁴It is ill-mannered for a man to listen at a door,
and a discreet man is grieved by the disgrace.
²⁵The lips of strangers will speak of these things,
but the words of the prudent will be weighed in the balance.
²⁶The mind of fools is in their mouth,

but the mouth of wise men is in their mind.
²⁷When an ungodly man curses his adversary,
he curses his own soul.
²⁸A whisperer defiles his own soul
and is hated in his neighborhood.

OT: Gen 4:7; Prov 22:11; 23:32; Eccles 10:12

NT: Matt 7:13–14; 18:6–9; John 8:11

Catechism: interior penance, 1430–33; consequences of sin, 1472–73, 1487–88; sin, 1849–69

[21:1–2]

In this section, Ben Sira warns against various forms of sin (21:1–10), beginning with a rhetorical question and forceful exhortation: Have you sinned, my son? Do so no more, for sin, which means to “miss the mark” in both Hebrew and Greek, is a failure to achieve the deepest purpose for which you were created. Thus, pray about your former sins, that God may forgive you and give you the moral strength not to sin again. Flee from sin and stay far from it as if it were a snake—like the serpent who tempted Eve in the garden (Gen 3:1–5); for if you approach sin by yielding to temptation, it will bite you and cause you great harm (Prov 23:32; Matt 18:6–9). Ben Sira illustrates the deadliness of sin by personifying it as a venomous snake and a dangerous lion whose teeth destroy the souls of men (Sir 27:10; Gen 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8).

[21:3–5]

All lawlessness, the proud refusal to abide by God’s life-giving law, is like a two-edged sword—a long, pointed sword, sharp on both edges, that is particularly deadly (Judg 3:16; Ps 149:6). Like a wound inflicted by this sword, the wound caused by lawlessness to the sinner’s soul and the societal order can scarcely be healed (Prov 5:4)—even if one later seeks God’s forgiveness. Lawless people engage in acts of terror and violence (or “insolence”) against others that waste away riches—including their own—so that the house of the proud will eventually be uprooted, and they will lose everything they have (Prov 15:25). In contrast to the lawless, who proudly oppose God, the prayer of a humble, poor man goes from his lips to the ears of God, who hears him readily and responds promptly, so that justice is quickly granted him (Pss 18:6; 34:15; 86:1).

[21:6–7]

Whoever hates reproof and resents being corrected for wrongdoing (32:17) follows the steps of the sinner and exposes his soul to mortal danger. In contrast, one who fears the Lord with respect and reverence—the mark of true wisdom—readily acknowledges his sins, repents quickly, and strives to avoid them in the future. While one who is mighty in speech—an eloquent or perhaps boastful person—is known from afar for his forceful speaking, the thoughtful, sensible man, when he slips and makes mistakes, is humble enough to be aware of his shortcomings (or perhaps recognizes the errors in the assertions of the mighty in speech).

[21:8–10]

A person who builds his house—that is, increases his own fortune—with other people’s money, perhaps by excessive borrowing or by dishonest means, is like one who gathers stones for his burial mound: he constructs his own tomb and condemns himself to a premature death. An assembly of the wicked (or “lawless”) is like tow—highly flammable fibers from the flax plant used for spinning into linen thread—gathered together and destined for a flame of fire. This does not necessarily refer to punishment in hell (a doctrine that was not fully developed in Ben Sira’s day) but refers to a quick and decisive end for the wicked in this life. The way of sinners may seem secure and inviting, as if smoothly paved with stones (see Prov 14:12; 16:25; Matt 7:13), but it leads only to the pit of ⁺Hades, the gloomy abode of the dead (Sir 14:16; 17:27).

[21:11–12]

Ben Sira now contrasts the wise and the foolish in both their words and actions (21:11–28). In stark contrast to the lawless, whoever keeps the law controls his thoughts or “impulses.” Jewish tradition confirms this idea: “Keep yourselves occupied with teachings of the ⁺Torah, and [sin] will not control you.”Babylonian Talmud, Qiddushin 30b (Neusner, Babylonian Talmud, 12:136). St. Paul says something analogous: “I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh” (Gal 5:16 NABRE). Thus, wisdom is the fulfillment and perfection of the fear of the Lord, evident in the devout and wise observance of the law. By contrast, one who is not clever cannot be taught or disciplined. Cleverness (Greek panourgia) is a good that ought to be pursued (34:10). However, cleverness in the sense of craftiness can also involve a harmful cunning that increases bitterness because it is misused to deceive or hurt others (19:23–25; 2 Cor 11:3).

[21:13–14]

Ben Sira portrays the knowledge of the wise as increasing like a flood—not in a destructive way, but like a source of life-giving water. Their counsel, similarly, is refreshing like a flowing spring (literally, “a fountain of life”) (24:30–31; Ps 36:9; Prov 10:11; 18:4). According to an ancient Jewish tradition, one who occupies himself with the Torah “becomes an ever-flowing fountain, a stream that never runs dry.”Mishnah, Avot 6:1, in Berkson, Pirke Avot, 213. Compare Ezek 47:1–12. The mind (literally, “inward parts” or “heart”) of a fool, on the other hand, is like a broken jar that cannot contain anything (Jer 2:13): it holds no knowledge or wisdom, for he soon forgets whatever he learns.

[21:15–17]

An intelligent person welcomes and cherishes words of wisdom. When he hears a wise saying, he readily praises it and adds his own wise insights to the conversation. By contrast, a self-indulgent reveler who lives luxuriously dislikes and dismisses words of wisdom, quickly changing the subject. While a fool’s chatter is tiresome and tedious, like a burden on a journey, the speech of the intelligent and sensible person is gracious, pleasant, and refreshing (Prov 22:11; Eccles 10:12). Such speech is even sought in the assembly or public forum, and people are eager to ponder his words in their minds (literally, “in their heart”) (Sir 15:5).

[21:18–21]

Like a house in ruins, so is wisdom to a fool: he is unable to dwell in wisdom’s “house,” where she feasts with her followers (Prov 9:1–6); for the knowledge of the ignorant is futile, consisting of unexamined, incoherent talk. A senseless person views education or discipline as chains on his feet and manacles on his right hand that restrict his movement and hamper his freedom. The fool is shallow and boisterous: he raises his voice when he laughs (Sir 19:30; Eccles 7:6), in contrast to the clever person, who smiles quietly with self-restraint. The fool fails to see that wisdom’s education does not enslave her disciples; it is a costly gift, like a golden ornament or a bracelet, that makes one beautiful and leads to true freedom (Sir 6:23–31; 21:21). Submitting to her discipline is a source of rest, joy, and protection.

[21:22–24]

With three antithetic ^†parallelisms, the bad social manners of the fool, boor, and ill-mannered person are contrasted with the good manners of the person of experience, who is cultivated and discreet. While the former is rude, shamelessly eavesdropping and violating people’s privacy in their own homes, the latter is considerate and scrupulous in respecting these social boundaries and is grieved by the disgrace caused by the fool’s indiscretions.

[21:25–26]

The lips of strangers will speak of these things. The meaning of this phrase is unclear. One manuscript reads: “The lips of babblers speak things that are not their own”—in other words, they speak of what is not their concern (NRSV). By contrast, the prudent carefully consider their thoughts and weigh their words before speaking. Thus, the mind (literally, “heart”; compare Douay) of fools is in their mouth—that is, they speak before they think—while the mouth of wise men is in their mind (“heart”)—they think before they speak.

The Speech of the Fool and of the Wise

St. Hilary of Poitiers (ca. 315–67) comments on the stark contrast between the speech of the fool and the speech of the wise:

If a fool’s heart is in his mouth, it is because he does not say what he has thought but thinks afterwards about what he has said. This refers to the tongue of the fool. . . . [But] the tongue of the wise is born of meditation on wisdom, and therefore of itself, like the pen of a scribe, it does nothing disordered or uncertain. It submits itself, rather, to what has been thought and read, which make it flow nimbly according to the judgment of reasonHilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms 51.7 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 282)..^a

a. Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms 51.7 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 282).

[21:27–28]

When an ungodly man curses his adversary (literally, “curses Satan”; compare Job 1:6–12), he curses his own soul. Perhaps this means that the wicked shirk responsibility for their own sins by “cursing Satan” instead of confessing their guilt. Yet by failing to repent of their wrongdoings, they ultimately curse themselves. A whisperer who gossips or discloses another’s faults for no valid reason commits detraction (Catechism 2477). In doing so, he harms his own reputation more than that of the one he is gossiping about and defiles his own soul, so that he is disrespected and hated in his own neighborhood (Sir 5:14; 19:4–17; 28:13).

¹The indolent may be compared to a filthy stone,
and every one hisses at his disgrace.
²The indolent may be compared to the filth of dunghills;
any one that picks it up will shake it off his hand.

³It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined son,
and the birth of a daughter is a loss.
⁴A sensible daughter obtains her husband,
but one who acts shamefully brings grief to her father.
⁵An impudent daughter disgraces father and husband,
and will be despised by both.
⁶Like music in mourning is a tale told at the wrong time,
but chastising and discipline are wisdom at all times.
⁷He who teaches a fool is like one who glues potsherds together,
or who rouses a sleeper from deep slumber.
⁸He who tells a story to a fool tells it to a drowsy man;
and at the end he will say, “What is it?”
¹¹Weep for the dead, for he lacks the light;
and weep for the fool, for he lacks intelligence;
weep less bitterly for the dead, for he has attained rest;
but the life of the fool is worse than death.
¹²Mourning for the dead lasts seven days,
but for a fool or an ungodly man it lasts all his life.

¹³Do not talk much with a foolish man,
and do not visit an unintelligent man;
guard yourself from him to escape trouble,
and you will not be soiled when he shakes himself off;
avoid him and you will find rest,
and you will never be wearied by his madness.
¹⁴What is heavier than lead?
And what is its name except “Fool”?
¹⁵Sand, salt, and a piece of iron
are easier to bear than a stupid man.

¹⁶A wooden beam firmly bonded into a building
will not be torn loose by an earthquake;
so the mind firmly fixed on a reasonable counsel
will not be afraid in a crisis.
¹⁷A mind settled on an intelligent thought
is like the stucco decoration on the wall of a colonnade.
¹⁸Fences set on a high place
will not stand firm against the wind;
so a timid heart with a fool’s purpose
will not stand firm against any fear.

OT: Prov 1:22; 6:9–11; 24:30–34; 26:13–16 NT: Matt 25:24–27; 2 Thess 3:10–11
Catechism: sloth, 1866

[22:1–2]

While the wise are diligent, fools are lazy and—in Ben Sira’s view—repugnant (compare Prov 6:9–11; 24:30–34; 26:13–16). He compares the indolent (lazy people) to a filthy stone, presumably soiled by animal or human feces, from which people recoil in disgust, and to the filth of dunghills that soils any one that picks it up.

[22:3]

Undisciplined children are a source of distress to their parents (22:3–6). It is a disgrace and embarrassment to be the father of an undisciplined sonAlthough the RSV-2CE and other translations render the phrase as undisciplined son, there is no word for “son” in the Greek text. It is more likely that Ben Sira means a “child” of either sex here.—particularly in the Middle East, where the honor of the family is more highly valued than individual honor, and the unruly child’s actions reflect unfavorably on the parents. The second half of the verse, which the RSV-2CE renders as the birth of a daughter is a loss, seems to say that the birth of any daughter is a loss.The NRSV, ESV-CE, and NJB also follow this reading. Yet this translation is misleading. It is more likely that the adjective “undisciplined” carries over to the daughter as well, so that a more accurate rendering would be: “It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined child; if [this undisciplined child is] a daughter, she is born to his loss” (see NABRE). Women in the ancient world were financially dependent upon men—first their fathers, then their husbands. Thus, an undisciplined daughter would have not only humiliated her parents; she would have caused them financial loss as well due to marriage expenses or other costs if she remained unmarried or got divorced.

[22:4–5]

A sensible and prudent daughter is more likely to find a husband.The Latin reads: is an inheritance to her husband (compare Douay). A well-raised daughter will make a good wife; her virtues will attract a good husband who will cherish her as a treasure. But an impudent or insolent daughter who acts shamefully will bring grief to both her father and her husband; she will cause them heartache to the point that both will eventually despise her.

[22:6]

The next few verses describe challenges in teaching. Just as joyous music is inappropriate during seasons of mourning, so a tale—perhaps to instruct one’s children—can be told at the wrong time. If they are not disposed to listen, exhorting them will be ineffective. Yet chastising—here in the sense of corporal punishment, which was more prevalent in Ben Sira’s day than in today’s context—and discipline are useful tools to train children in wisdom at all times.

[22:7–8]

He who teaches a fool engages in a futile task and only wastes his time; he is like one who glues potsherds together. Just as a broken pot, even when repaired, no longer holds its content reliably, so a fool does not retain anything that he is taught (Prov 1:22; 23:9; 24:7). The effort is as pointless as trying to rouse a sleeper from deep slumber. Likewise, telling a story to a fool is like telling it to a drowsy man who, being barely awake, does not pay attention to what he is told; at the end, when you are done speaking, he will ask, “What is it that you just said?”

[22:9–10]

GII adds verses 9–10, which are thematically related to verses 3–6.⁹Children who are brought up in a good life, conceal the lowly birth of their parents. ¹⁰Children who are disdainfully and boorishly haughty stain the nobility of their kindred (Sir 22:9–10, RSV-2CE footnote). These are numbered 22:7–8 in the Greek text and in other English translations (NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE footnotes). Children who are brought up in a good life, with a clear sense of propriety, conceal the lowly birth of their parents if they come from lower social classes. In contrast, spoiled, arrogant children stain the nobility and reputation of their kindred, even if they come from higher social classes.

[22:11–12]

While it is natural to weep for the dead, for he lacks the light and can no longer see, one should weep for the fool even more because he lacks intelligence and is unable to “see” reality as it truly is. Indeed, one should shed tears less bitterly for the dead, who has found rest from this life, than for the fool, whose impoverished life is worse than death. In the Bible and Jewish tradition, mourning for the dead lasts seven days (see Gen 50:10; Jdt 16:24; Job 2:13); yet for a fool or an ungodly man it lasts all his life because his conduct continually brings grief to those around him.

[22:13–15]

Do not talk much with a foolish man who has nothing valuable to say, and do not visit an unintelligent man, for it is a waste of time. The longer Greek text adds: “for being without sense he will despise everything about you.”NRSV footnote; compare ESV-CE footnote. Fools cannot endure the presence of the wise because they hold diametrically opposed values. Therefore, guard yourself from him and avoid his company to escape trouble and avoid being soiled when he shakes himself off like a pig after wallowing in the mud, dirtying everything and irritating everyone with his madness. What is heavier than lead if not a fool, whose company is likened to carrying a burdensome load? Sand, salt, and a piece of iron—other heavy items that are difficult to carry (Job 6:3; Prov 27:3)—are still easier to bear than a stupid man. This refers not to someone with a low IQ but rather to a person who consistently refuses to pursue wisdom. The †Vulgate clarifies this by translating “stupid man” as imprudent, foolish, and wicked (compare Douay, 22:18).

The Fool
Ben Sira derives his concept of “the fool” from earlier biblical books, especially Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. For these authors, a fool is not simply one who lacks intelligence but the opposite of one who is prudent and wise. The fool is not only uneducated; he despises wisdom and instruction (Prov 1:7; 15:5) and does not fear the Lord (Ps 14:1). He is undisciplined (Prov 5:23), lazy (24:30–31), perverse (19:1), reckless in speech (10:14), quick-tempered (29:11), contentious (20:3), angry (29:9), unrestrained (14:16), and spiritually blind (Eccles 2:14). The fool shamelessly flaunts his folly (Prov 13:16), refuses to take advice from others (18:2), and is always convinced of being right (12:15). Ultimately, folly is self-destructive (Prov 1:32), for it misleads (14:8) and punishes the fool (16:22), “tears down” a house (14:1), and leads to ruin (5:23; 19:3; see Matt 7:24–27). Accordingly, Proverbs personifies Lady Wisdom’s counterpart and nemesis, “Dame Folly,” as a promiscuous woman who leads young men to their destruction and death (Prov 7:6–27; 9:13–18).

[22:16–18]

Unlike the fool, who is fickle and burdensome, the wise person is stable and strong. Just as a wooden beam fastened into a building is held firmly enough to withstand the tremors of an earthquake, so a well-formed mind firmly fixed on a reasonable counsel is steadfast and unafraid of any crisis. The mind does not rely on its own cleverness but is settled and supported by an intelligent thought guided by wisdom, just as an elegant but fragile stucco decoration is supported by the solid wall of a colonnade. In contrast to these sturdy structures, fences set on a high place will not stand firm against the wind. Instead of “fences,” some manuscripts read “small stones” (NABRE) or “pebbles” (NJB), which were placed on the top of garden and vineyard walls to alert watchers of predators such as jackals that might try to invade the property. Just as the pebbles would be easily blown off by the wind, so a cowardly, timid heart with a fool’s fickle resolve will not stand firm against any fear caused by difficult situations.

Compared to the more notable vices of pride, anger, and lust, laziness is often considered a relatively “harmless” sin. The wisdom authors do not share this view: neither Proverbs (6:9–11; 24:30–34) nor Sirach (22:1–2) conceals their contempt for the “indolent,” “sluggard,” or “slothful” person. In fact, spiritual apathy, traditionally known as “acedia” or “sloth,” is one of the seven deadly sins—also referred to as “capital sins” because they are vices, bad habits that dispose us toward sinful acts and “engender other sins” (Catechism 1866).

In Dante’s Divine Comedy, the souls that are saved but not yet purified must ascend Mount Purgatory and purge themselves of the seven capital sins before they can reach the earthly paradise and be taken up to heaven. These vices are all portrayed as failures to love God and neighbor. First, the penitents must rid themselves of the perverted love of self that aims at harming one’s neighbor—the vices of pride, envy, and wrath. Second, they must overcome their deficient love for God, who is the highest good—this is the vice of sloth. Third, they must tame their excessive love for the lower goods of wealth, food, and sex—these are the vices of avarice, gluttony, and lust.Dante, Purgatorio 17.112–38.

Sloth, then—an oppressive sorrow or sluggishness of mind that neglects to do goodThomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 35a. 1.—acts as a type of “hinge” between the spiritual sins of pride, envy, and wrath and the material or carnal sins of avarice, gluttony, and lust. A slothful person who fails to love the highest good will struggle to resist temptations associated with perverted self-love or excessive love of lower goods. Accordingly, St. Gregory the Great assigns six “daughters” of sloth, or sins that arise from it: malice, spite, faintheartedness, despair, sluggishness in regard to the commandments, and wandering of the mind after unlawful things.Gregory the Great, Moralia on Job 31.45; Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 35 a. 4. These clearly demonstrate that sloth is anything but a “harmless” vice. How, then, shall we overcome sloth? St. John Climacus recommends singing psalms, performing manual labor, thinking about death, and engaging in “prayer backed by a firm hope in the blessings of the future.”John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, ed. Richard J. Payne, Classics of Western Spirituality (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1982), 164.

¹⁹A man who pricks an eye will make tears fall,
and one who pricks the heart makes it show feeling.
²⁰One who throws a stone at birds scares them away,
and one who reviles a friend will break off the friendship.
²¹Even if you have drawn your sword against a friend,
do not despair, for a renewal of friendship is possible.
²²If you have opened your mouth against your friend,
do not worry, for reconciliation is possible;
but as for reviling, arrogance, disclosure of secrets, or a treacherous blow—
in these cases any friend will flee.
²³Gain the trust of your neighbor in his poverty,
that you may rejoice with him in his prosperity;
stand by him in time of affliction,
that you may share with him in his inheritance.
²⁴The vapor and smoke of the furnace precede the fire;
so insults precede bloodshed.
²⁵I will not be ashamed to protect a friend,
and I will not hide from him;
²⁶but if some harm should happen to me because of him,
whoever hears of it will beware of him.

OT: Prov 20:19; 25:9–10; Sir 6:5–17; 12:8–18; 27:16–21
NT: Matt 18:21–22; John 13:13–15; Eph 4:32
Catechism: friendship, fruit of charity, 1829; forgiving enemies, 2842–45

[22:19–20]

This brief section on preserving and repairing friendships builds upon previous discussions of the same topic (6:5–17; 12:8–18). The eye and heart are two of the most sensitive and vulnerable parts of the human body—the eye, physically, and the heart, metaphorically, as the seat of human emotions and affections. Both are easily wounded but difficult to heal. Likewise, it is easy to throw a stone at birds to scare them and scatter them, but not as easy to gather them again. These metaphors illustrate the principle that it is easy to revile and damage a friendship, but much more difficult to mend it after it has been broken.

[22:21–22]

Even if you have drawn your sword and engaged in a violent argument with a friend, or opened your mouth and exchanged sharp words with him or her, there is no need to despair, for a renewal of friendship through forgiveness and reconciliation is still possible (Matt 18:21–22; Eph 4:32). Yet some actions, such as reviling with contemptuous insults, arrogance or pride, breaching confidence through the disclosure of secrets (Prov 20:19; 25:9–10), or a treacherous blow or “stab in the back” (NJB) constitute such a breach of trust that they often irreversibly damage friendships. One can expect any friend to flee from such betrayals, to the point that reconciliation is very difficult if not impossible (Sir 27:16–21).

[22:23–24]

Difficult times present opportunities to strengthen friendships. If you gain the trust of your neighbor in his poverty and help him (or her) in time of affliction, you will have proven that you are not a fair-weather companion of convenience but a true friend. Your friend will remember your loyalty and invite you to rejoice with him in his prosperity, and he may even share his inheritance with you (compare John 15:13–15).GII adds: For one should not always despise restricted circumstances [i.e., poverty], nor admire a rich man who is stupid (RSV-2CE footnote). Yet trust in friendship must also be fostered with mutual respect and kind words. Just as vapor and smoke appear before a fire bursts into flames, so insults precede bloodshed or murder. As the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt: friends must guard their tongues and avoid insults lest they escalate into violence.

Five Vices That Dissolve Friendship

In his twelfth-century classic Spiritual Friendship, the Cistercian monk Aelred of Rievaulx comments on the five vices that dissolve friendship according to Sir 22:22: reviling (or slander), insulting reproach (a false accusation or taunt), arrogance (or pride), the disclosure of secrets, and a treacherous blow.Aelred follows the Vulgate of Sir 22:22 (22:27 in the Vulgate), which lists five vices rather than the Greek’s four.

Let us carefully consider these five vices, that we may not bind ourselves by the ties of friendship to persons whom either the fury of anger or some other passion tends to incite to these vices. Slander, indeed, injures reputation and extinguishes love. For such is the wickedness of men, that whenever a friend makes a charge against a friend under the impulse of anger, even though it is not believed, it is yet broadcast as if it were the utterance of a confidant of secrets. . . . What is more impious than reproach which suffuses the countenance of an innocent man with a pitiable blush even when the charge is false? But what is less to be endured than pride, which excludes the remedy of humility and admission of guilt by which alone the broken friendship could have been healed? It renders a man bold in wrongdoing and passionate in recrimination. Then follows the revelation of hidden things, that is, of secrets, than which nothing is more base, nothing more detestable, leaving no love and no charm between friends, but filling all with the bitterness of indignation and sprinkling all with the venom of hatred and grief. . . . The last vice by which friendship is dissolved is treacherous persecution, which is nothing other than secret detraction. A treacherous blow indeed, it is the death-dealing blow of the serpent and the asp. . . . Therefore, should you discover anyone habituated to these vices, you ought to avoid him, nor, until he repents, should he be chosen for friendship.Spiritual Friendship 3.24-26. Aelred of Rievaulx, Spiritual Friendship, trans. Mary Eugenia Laker (Washington, DC: Cistercian Publications, 1974), 96-97. Adapted, with emphasis added.

[22:25–26]

Ben Sira switches to the first person and asserts his own loyalty in friendship: I will not be ashamed to protect a friend, he says. Nor will he shirk responsibility and hide from his friend in his hour of need. However, if a friend is disloyal and causes him harm, the untrustworthy friend will damage his own reputation, for whoever hears of his treachery will beware of him.

²⁷O that a guard were set over my mouth,
and a seal of prudence upon my lips,
that it may keep me from falling,
so that my tongue may not destroy me!
^23:1O Lord, Father and Ruler of my life,
do not abandon me to their counsel,
and let me not fall because of them!
²O that whips were set over my thoughts,
and the discipline of wisdom over my mind!
That they may not spare me in my errors,
and that it may not pass by my sins;
³in order that my mistakes may not be multiplied,
and my sins may not abound;
then I will not fall before my adversaries,
and my enemy will not rejoice over me.
⁴O Lord, Father and God of my life,
do not give me haughty eyes,
⁵and remove from me evil desire.
⁶Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me,
and do not surrender me to a shameless soul.

⁷Listen, my children, to instruction concerning speech;
the one who observes it will never be caught.
⁸The sinner is overtaken through his lips,
the reviler and the arrogant are tripped by them.
⁹Do not accustom your mouth to oaths,
and do not habitually utter the name of the Holy One;
¹⁰for as a servant who is continually examined under torture
will not lack bruises,
so also the man who always swears and utters the Name
will not be cleansed from sin.
¹¹A man who swears many oaths will be filled with iniquity,
and the scourge will not leave his house;
if he offends, his sin remains on him,
and if he disregards it, he sins doubly;
if he has sworn needlessly, he will not be justified,
for his house will be filled with calamities.

¹²There is an utterance which is comparable to death;
may it never be found in the inheritance of Jacob!
For all these errors will be far from the godly,
** and they will not wallow in sins.**
¹³Do not accustom your mouth to lewd vulgarity,
** for it involves sinful speech.**
¹⁴Remember your father and mother
** when you sit among great men;**
lest you be forgetful in their presence,
** and be deemed a fool on account of your habits;**
then you will wish that you had never been born,
** and you will curse the day of your birth.**
¹⁵A man accustomed to using insulting words
** will never become disciplined all his days.**

OT: Exod 20:7; Lev 19:12; 24:15–16; Prov 6:2

NT: Matt 5:34–37; Eph 5:4; Col 3:8; James 1:21; 5:12

Catechism: temperance, 1809; lust and gluttony, 1866; taking the name of the Lord in vain, 2150–55; purity of heart, 2517–27

[22:27]

Aware that imprudent words can cause him untold harm (20:7–8, 18–20; 22:22; 28:24–26), Ben Sira longs for better self-control over what he says, wishing he had a guard watching over his mouth, and a seal of prudence preventing his lips from speaking rashly, lest they lead to his downfall. This transitional verse links the previous discussion on preserving friendships and the following prayer for help against sin.

[23:1]

Next Ben Sira prays for divine protection over his thoughts (which rule speech, 23:1–3) and his desires (23:4–6), which he addresses in the rest of the chapter with advice on speech (23:7–15) and sex (23:16–28). Addressing God as Lord, Father and Ruler of his life—terms that express God’s loving care and sovereign authority—he prays not to be abandoned to the counsel of his mouth, lips, and tongue. By personifying his organs of speech, as if they had a

will of their own, Ben Sira emphasizes how easily they can lead to a person’s downfall if not guarded by prudence. The fact that Ben Sira prays to God as “Father” indicates that this was a known practice for Jews of his day (2 Sam 7:12–14; Ps 103:13; Isa 63:16; Jer 3:4, 19) and that Jesus was not the first to do so (Matt 6:9; Mark 14:36; John 20:17; Gal 4:6).

[23:2–3]

Ben Sira wishes that whips were set over his thoughts to restrain and tame them, and the discipline of wisdom over his mind to rule it, for control of one’s actions and words begins with controlling one’s thoughts. This self-discipline consists in submitting to God’s fatherly discipline—an expression of his love (Prov 3:11–12). Ben Sira wishes that the whips of chastisement would correct his errors of ignorance and sins so that these may not abound. Uninhibited thoughts open the door to a multitude of transgressions that ultimately lead to one’s downfall and the triumph of one’s enemies.

[23:4–6]

Repeating the address of verse 1 in nearly identical terms, Ben Sira implores the Lord, Father and God of his life to keep him from haughty eyes (an arrogant attitude) and evil desire (covetousness or lust). He prays that neither gluttony nor lust—the two cardinal sins that are most closely associated with the body (Catechism 1866)—will overcome him, acknowledging that the desires of the flesh are particularly difficult to master. His plea that the Lord would not surrender him to a shameless soul is a prayer for protection from his own soul should it fall prey to these shameless passions.

“Do Not Surrender Me to a Shameless Soul”
The fifth-century bishop of Carthage Quodvultdeus explains how the temptation of the Israelites to return to Egypt during the exodus prefigures the Christian’s temptation to avoid what is good but difficult, and to choose what is harmful but pleasant:

Forgetful of freedom and grace and desiring the Egyptian foods, the people were found guilty of murmuring against God and against Moses. They say, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish that we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the leeks, the garlic and the onions. Now, however,” they add, “our life has dried up, and we see nothing before us but this manna” (Num 11:4–6). The sweet things are rejected, the bitter desired. A grave, debilitating illness leads the soul to want to take what is harmful and to despise and reject what is useful and good for salvation. . . . To those who murmured, the divine majesty offered meats that did not restore but instead ruined those who ate them (Num 11:33–34). It says in Scripture, “The natural person does not understand the things of the Spirit (1 Cor 2:14): every sluggard lives in concupiscence (Prov 21:25).” It is right that the spiritual person asks that the desires of his flesh be taken from him (Sir 23:6). All these things show that it is wicked to desire and to ask of God things that are harmful to the soul, and especially to ask for them with murmuring. If a soul desires to enter the promised land, it must guard itself from offending God with such a desireThe Book of Promises and Predictions of God 2.8.14 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 288)..^a

a. The Book of Promises and Predictions of God 2.8.14 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 288).

[23:7–8]

As a spiritual father, Ben Sira addresses his readers as his children, offering them instruction concerning speech. Those who follow his advice will never be caught or ensnared by their own words (20:18; Prov 6:2), unlike the sinner, who is overtaken by his own reckless speech, or the reviler and the arrogant, who by insulting others are tripped by their own ill-considered words.

[23:9–10]

The wise should not become accustomed to swearing oaths. Solemn pledges that invoke God’s name should be sworn only in the gravest of circumstances (Matt 5:34–37; James 5:12). One should also not habitually utter the name of the Holy One (Sir 4:14; 43:10; 47:8), for just as a disobedient servant is examined and beaten by his master, so one who always swears and utters the Name of God in vain will be punished for violating the second commandment of the ^†Decalogue (Exod 20:7; Deut 5:11).

[23:11]

Many afflictions await a person who swears many oaths and thereby profanes the name of God through his inability to keep all the oaths he swears (27:14; Lev 19:12). This causes him to be filled with iniquity, so that the scourge of divine punishment will not leave his house—for the family of a sinner often suffers the consequences of his transgressions. One whose word cannot be trusted incurs the wrath of God. If he offends by rashly swearing an oath, he sins, and if he disregards it by failing to fulfill what he has sworn to do, he is doubly guilty. If he swears casually or needlessly, he will not be justified or pardoned, and his house will be plagued with calamities.

[23:12–13]

There is an utterance or blasphemous way of speaking evil against God that is comparable to death—that is, punishable by death according to the ^†Torah (Lev 24:15–16). Ben Sira desires that such speech never be found in the inheritance of Jacob, among the Jewish people. Such conduct must remain far from the godly, who would not dare to wallow in sins like pigs roll in the mud. The wise must also stay clear of lewd vulgarity or indecent language, for it is also sinful speech before God (Eph 5:4; Col 3:8; James 1:21).

[23:14–15]

A good way to control one’s speech is to remember your father and mother when among prominent people, lest you forget and speak carelessly or coarsely in the presence of people of importance and bring dishonor to your parents. Especially in a culture where honor and shame are paramount, one who disgraces himself may well regret having been born and curse the day of his birth (see Job 3:3; Jer 20:14). People are creatures of habit. Those who habitually use insulting words or abusive language rarely become disciplined. It is all the more vital to train one’s speech from a young age and to pray to God for self-control over one’s thoughts and words (Sir 23:1–3).

¹⁶Two sorts of men multiply sins,
and a third incurs wrath.
The soul heated like a burning fire
will not be quenched until it is consumed;
a man who commits fornication with his near of kin
will never cease until the fire burns him up.
¹⁷To a fornicator all bread tastes sweet;
he will never cease until he dies.
¹⁸A man who breaks his marriage vows
says to himself, “Who sees me?
Darkness surrounds me, and the walls hide me,
and no one sees me. Why should I fear?
The Most High will not take notice of my sins.”
¹⁹His fear is confined to the eyes of men,
and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord
are ten thousand times brighter than the sun;
they look upon all the ways of men,
and perceive even the hidden places.
²⁰Before the universe was created, it was known to him;
so it was also after it was finished.
²¹This man will be punished in the streets of the city,
and where he least suspects it, he will be seized.
²²So it is with a woman who leaves her husband
and provides an heir by a stranger.
²³For first of all, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High;

second, she has committed an offense against her husband;
and third, she has committed adultery through harlotry
and brought forth children by another man.
²⁴She herself will be brought before the assembly,
and punishment will fall on her children.
²⁵Her children will not take root,
and her branches will not bear fruit.
²⁶She will leave her memory for a curse,
and her disgrace will not be blotted out.
²⁷Those who survive her will recognize
that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord,
and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.

OT: Exod 20:14; Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22–24; Prov 9:17; Wis 3:16–4:6
NT: John 8:4–5
Catechism: adultery, 2380–81

[23:16–17]

Ben Sira prayed for self-control over bodily urges and especially sexual desires (23:4–6). He addresses those temptations here (23:16–28), beginning with a numerical proverb: Two sorts of men multiply sins, and a third incurs wrath—referring to the three sexual sins that follow. First, the soul that burns with sexual passion is not quenched until it is consumed: an unrestrained sexual drive ultimately burns itself out along with the person who gives in to it. Second, one who commits fornication with his near of kin (literally, “a fornicator in the body of his flesh”)—perhaps referring to incest (Lev 18:6–18), masturbation, or sexual licentiousness in general—will become enslaved by his compulsion until the fire burns him up. Third, to a fornicator all bread tastes sweet: a habitually immoral person will pursue sexual relations indiscriminately (Prov 9:17) and is unable to stop until the day of his death.

[23:18] A man who breaks his marriage vows (literally, “who wanders from his bed”) foolishly believes that his sin is hidden and says to himself, “Who sees me?” Because he sins surrounded by darkness, enclosed by four walls, he imagines that he has no reason to fear, thinking that even God the Most High will not notice his sins (16:17–23; Job 24:15). Such rationalization is typical of sinners, who convince themselves that their deeds remain hidden (Isa 29:15; Ezek 8:12).

[23:19–21]

The adulterer fears only the eyes of men: his sole concern is to escape the punishment and public disgrace that he would suffer if caught. He is oblivious to the all-seeing eyes of the Lord, which are ten thousand times brighter than the sun and shine upon his most hidden thoughts and actions (17:19–20; Ps 33:13–15; Prov 15:3, 11). Before the universe was created, every deed was known to the omniscient God; so he knows all things now and always (Sir 42:18; Ps 139:1–16). God will render to each one according to their works: despite the adulterer’s secrecy, he will eventually be exposed and publicly punished—death by stoning, as prescribed by the law (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22–24; John 8:4–5). In the meantime, the adulterer must live with the daily fear of being caught, a fate that will occur when and where he least suspects it.

[23:22–23]

Likewise, the adulteress, the woman who leaves her husband (i.e., she is unfaithful to him; women in the ancient world could rarely abandon or divorce their husbands) will be punished, especially if she provides an heir—that is, if she conceives a child—by a stranger, another man. Her wrongdoing is threefold: first, she has sinned against God by disobeying his law that prohibits adultery (Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18); second, she has sinned against her husband by her infidelity; third, she has sinned against herself by committing adultery through illicit sexual encounters. Moreover, by bringing forth illegitimate children by another man, she has disgraced them as well.

[23:24–25] Like the adulterer, the adulteress will be caught and brought before the assembly for a public trial. Punishment will fall not only on her but also indirectly on her children. Illegitimate Jewish children were not considered part of the congregation of Israel and were unable to marry into the Jewish community and have children of their own (Deut 23:2; Wis 3:16–4:6). Because her children could not take root or find a respectable place in society, the adulteress’s own branches could not bear fruit. Ancient Israel, like other traditional societies, held strong legal and social norms upholding marital fidelity so that childbearing and rearing would take place, whenever possible, in a family with a father and a mother. While this value remains of paramount importance in the Church, forgiveness is available to adulterers (John 8:1–11) and inclusion in the Christian community to those born out of wedlock.

[23:26–28]

The consequences of adultery are bitter and long-lasting for the adulteress and her posterity. She will leave her memory for a curse—possibly uttered against her by the tribunal or the assembly (Num 5:11–31)—and her disgrace will outlive her. Those who survive her and live after her death will recognize the value of fearing the Lord (and the consequences of not doing so) and of heeding his commandments (Pss 19:10; 119:103)—the fullest expression of the fear of the Lord that leads to the attainment of wisdom.GII adds verse 28: It is a great honor to follow God, and to be received by him is long life (RSV-2CE, NRSV footnotes; compare ESV-CE footnote).

Although Ben Sira asks for prudence (22:27), his prayer (23:1–6) is primarily a petition for temperance or self-control, which is defined as “the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods” (Catechism 1809). This prayer is fitting in a day and age when so many people desperately seek to satisfy their desires but end up enslaved to their passions and ultimately unhappy. As Ben Sira says elsewhere, “Do not follow your base desires, but restrain your appetites” (18:30). There are many aspects of temperance. These include shamefacedness or a natural sense of shame (Ben Sira’s “good shame,” 4:21; 41:17–23)—that is, the modest recoiling from what is immoral or disgraceful; a sense of honor or respectability by which one loves the beauty of temperance; moderation in food and sobriety in drink; chastity, or “the successful integration of sexuality within the person” (Catechism 2337); and her sister purity, the right ordering of the thoughts, imagination, words, and desires. Also closely related to temperance are continence, which restrains the will from pursuing sexual pleasures; meekness, which moderates anger within one’s soul; modesty, which moderates outward dress and movements; and humility, which moderates the mind’s pursuit of excellence.Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 143 a. 1.