Sirach 24:1–43:33

Sirach 24:1–33:17

Lady Wisdom’s hymn of praise, describing her journey from heaven to Israel’s sanctuary on earth (24:1–34), marks the beginning of Book Two and Part V (see outline of Sirach). Ben Sira’s practical wisdom teachings resume in chapter 25, where he gives advice on interpersonal relations and on gaining wisdom from youth to old age (25:1–12), followed by controversial reflections on wicked and virtuous women (25:13–26:27). He continues with more relational advice on dealing with others with honesty and integrity (26:28–27:15) and on avoiding offenses that harm friendships, such as betrayal, anger, strife, and slander (27:16–28:26). Ben Sira also provides financial advice on helping those in need by means of loans, alms, and surety (29:1–20), along with practical tips on living frugally and rearing children (29:21–30:13). While everyone seeks a happy life, not all succeed in attaining it, as many mistakenly believe it depends on their financial well-being. Ben Sira insists that health and gladness of heart, rather than wealth, are the key to happiness (30:14–31:11). Banquets are joyful occasions, and to fully enjoy them it is important to respect the proper etiquette in regard to eating, drinking, and speaking (31:12–32:13). Finally, Ben Sira concludes this part with general advice on fearing the Lord and trusting divine providence, along with a reflection on the diversity of people in the world (32:14–33:17).

¹Wisdom will praise herself and is honored in God,

and will glory in the midst of her people.
²In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth,
and in the presence of his host she will glory.
In the midst of her people she is exalted;
in holy fulness she is admired.
In the multitude of the chosen she finds praise,
and among the blessed she is blessed, saying:
³“I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
the first-born before all creatures.
I ordained that an unfailing light
should arise in the heavens,
and I covered the earth like a mist.
⁴I dwelt in high places,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
⁵Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven
and have walked in the depths of the abyss.
⁶In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth,
and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession.
⁷Among all these I sought a resting place;
I sought in whose territory I might lodge.

⁸“Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment,
and the one who created me assigned a place for my tent.
And he said, ‘Make your dwelling in Jacob,
and in Israel receive your inheritance,
and among my chosen put down your roots.’
⁹From eternity, in the beginning, he created me,
and for eternity I shall not cease to exist.
¹⁰In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him,
and so I was established in Zion.
¹¹In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting place,
and in Jerusalem was my dominion.
¹²So I took root in an honored people,

in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance,
and my abode was in the full assembly of the saints.

¹³“I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon,
and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
¹⁴I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi,
and like rose plants in Jericho;
like a beautiful olive tree in the field,
and like a plane tree I grew tall.
¹⁵Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth the aroma of spices,
and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor,
like galbanum, onycha, and stacte,
and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.
¹⁶Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,
and my branches are glorious and graceful.
¹⁷Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud,
and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit.

OT: Gen 1–2; Exod 25:8–9; Prov 8:22–31; Song 4:12–5:5; Hosea 14:5–7

NT: John 1:14; Col 1:15

Catechism: God creates by wisdom and love, 295

Lectionary: 24:1–2, 8–12: Second Sunday after Christmas; Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary

[24:1–2]

This chapter—Lady Wisdom’s hymn of praise—is the central passage of the book.The RSV-2CE largely follows the text of the Vulgate throughout this chapter, including several additions that are omitted from other English translations. In the first part of the hymn, personified Wisdom reveals her divine origin and cosmic universality: she is present everywhere, in heaven and on earth (24:1–7). Ben Sira announces that Wisdom will praise herself and declare her excellence in her own words. Being already honored in God (†Vulgate) in the heavenly realms, she will also glory on earth among her people, Israel, with whom she desires to dwell. In the heavenly assembly of the Most High—presumably the angels (Ps 82:1)—Wisdom will open her mouth to speak God’s word (Prov 8:6–8), and in the presence of his angelic host she will declare her glory. The Vulgate adds that she is exalted, admired, praised, and blessed in the midst of her chosen people, Israel.

[24:3]

Lady Wisdom begins her hymn, speaking in the first person (see also Prov 8:22–9:12). Her origin from the mouth of the Most High identifies her with God’s word spoken at creation (Prov 2:6; Wis 7:25; Isa 48:3). The Vulgate adds that she is the first-born before all creatures (Col 1:15): although she preexisted the world, she is still a created being (Sir 24:8–9; Prov 8:22–31).On the distinction between created and uncreated wisdom, see the commentary on Sir 1:4, 9, and the sidebar “Created and Uncreated Wisdom,” p. 51. By ordaining that an unfailing light should arise in the heavens, she echoes God’s first words at creation: “Let there be light” (Gen 1:3). She also covered the earth like a mist—possibly alluding to the Spirit of God, who hovered over the waters at creation (Gen 1:2; Wis 1:6–7; 9:17), or the “mist” that went up from the earth (Gen 2:6).

[24:4–5]

Wisdom dwelt in high places—in heaven—yet her throne was in a pillar of cloud—the visible presence of God that led the Israelites through the wilderness (Exod 13:21–22). Wisdom’s association with the pillar of cloud (Wis 10:17) establishes not only a spatial connection between heaven and earth but also a temporal one between creation and the time of the exodus. Like a rainbow she encircled the vault of heaven above—the firmament made on the second day of creation (Sir 43:12; Gen 1:6–8; Job 22:14)—and walked in the depths of the abyss below (Gen 1:2). Thus, Wisdom is present and active in every realm of creation—in heaven, on earth, and below the earth (Prov 8:27–28).

[24:6–7]

Lady Wisdom is active in the waves of the sea, in the whole earth—recalling the separation of the waters from the dry land on the third day of creation (Gen 1:9–10); and in every people of the earth she acquired a possession—alluding to the creation of the human race on the sixth day of creation (Gen 1:26–31). Yet, although Wisdom is found among all nations at every moment of human history, she still sought a more intimate home and resting place among a particular people, in whose territory she might lodge.

[24:8]

This section (24:8–12) describes how Wisdom leaves her heavenly abode, “contracting” herself, as it were, to make her home in Israel’s tabernacle. Though she is God’s word, she remains distinct from him and acts in accordance with his will: for the Creator of all things gave her a commandment to leave heaven, as it were, and assigned a specific place for her tent or “tabernacle” (Greek skēnē), saying to her, “Make your dwelling” or “pitch your tabernacle” (John 1:14) in Jacob—that is, in Israel—so that you can receive your inheritance. The Vulgate further emphasizes Israel’s status as God’s elect people: and among my chosen put down your roots.

[24:9]

Wisdom continues to underscore her ancient origins: from eternity or “before the ages” (NRSV), in the beginning, before the world came into being, God created her. Since Wisdom was created, she is not eternal as God is. Yet for eternity (literally, “for all the ages”) she will not cease to exist: although she has a beginning, she will have no end (Prov 8:23).

[24:10–11]

Wisdom now provides more details about her earthly home: In the holy tabernacle (Greek skēnē)—the sanctuary and seat of God’s presence that accompanied Israel through the wilderness during the exodus (Exod 25:8–9; 40:34)—she ministered or “performed a liturgical ministry” before the Lord. Given that the tabernacle was an earthly representation of the heavenly sanctuary (Wis 9:8), Wisdom’s liturgical ministry in the earthly tent mirrors her service before God in the heavenly sanctuary. Later she was also established in Zion—Jerusalem, which was conquered by King David (2 Sam 5:7)—where David’s son Solomon built the temple that replaced the tabernacle as the new seat of God’s presence (1 Kings 8:1–11). Wisdom was thus present with Israel both in the tabernacle during the exodus and in the temple at the time of the Davidic Kingdom. Jerusalem is God’s beloved city (see Pss 87:2; 132:14), which he gave to Wisdom as a resting place (Ps 132:8, 14) and as her dominion, where she could exercise her power and authority.

[24:12]

By saying that she took root in an honored people—the people of Israel, who are the portion of the Lord (17:17; Deut 32:9)—Wisdom reasserts that she is establishing her residence in Jerusalem. Additionally, she introduces a new metaphor that will be developed in the following verses: Wisdom is also a firmly planted, life-giving tree. The Vulgate adds: and my abode was in the full assembly of the saints—as God’s praise is found in the assembly of the faithful (Ps 149:1).

[24:13]

From her “root” in Israel, Lady Wisdom grows like a majestic tree. Ben Sira depicts her using imagery of lush vegetation and spices that evokes the garden of Eden, the temple liturgy, the Song of Songs, and the prophetic vision of the future restoration of Israel (24:13–18). Read in light of other passages where she is depicted as a loving mother or wife calling her followers to “love her” (4:11–12; 15:2–3) and in light of the banquet invitation that follows (24:19–22), this imagery, brimming with echoes of the Song of Songs, implies that Lady Wisdom is calling Israel to a nuptial encounter with her, restoring her people to the lost paradise by means of the temple liturgy, which in turn anticipates the future messianic age. She grew tall like a cedar, a beautiful evergreen tree that grows predominantly in Lebanon and provides strong, durable wood (Ps 92:12), and like a cypress, a tall evergreen tree, on the heights of Hermon, a mountain northwest of Israel at the border of Lebanon and Syria. Both cedars and cypresses are mentioned in the Song of Songs (Song 1:17),The Hebrew word for “cypress” is sometimes translated as “fir tree” (Ezek 31:8) or “pine” (Song 1:17). as are Lebanon and Hermon (3:9; 4:8; 5:15). According to Ezekiel, both trees were found in the garden of Eden (Ezek 31:8), and both types of wood were used in the construction of the temple (1 Kings 5:6–10; 6:15–36). The two trees are also characteristic of the time of redemption, also known as the messianic age, as described by the prophets (Isa 41:19; 60:13; Hosea 14:5–8).

Figure 7. Model of the Jerusalem temple in the Second Temple period [M.t.lifshits / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons]

[24:14]

Wisdom also grew tall like a palm tree—a symbol of peace and prosperity. In the Song of Songs, the beloved’s stature is likened to a palm tree (Song 7:8–9). Palm trees decorate the doors and walls of both Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:29–35) and the future temple in Ezekiel’s vision (Ezek 40:16; 41:18–20, 25–26). En-gedi, an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea, appears in the Song of Solomon (Song 1:14). Flowers such as rose plants or lilies also characterize the Canticle (Song 2:1–2, 12, 16; 6:2–3), the tabernacle and temple furnishings (Exod 25:31–34; 1 Kings 7:19, 22, 26), and the future messianic age (Isa 61:11; Hosea 14:5). Jericho, a famous city in the southern Jordan Valley west of the Jordan River, was destroyed by Joshua and the Israelites at the time of the conquest (Josh 6) and is known as “the city of palm trees” (2 Chron 28:15). Wisdom is also likened to a beautiful olive tree, which is widely grown in Israel and symbolizes peace and security. Its oil was used both for the lamp (Exod 27:20) and anointing oil (30:24) of the sanctuary and was offered with sacrifices (29:2, 40; Lev 2:1–7). The cherubim and doors of the temple were made of olive wood (1 Kings 6:23, 31–33), and olive trees are also prophesied to characterize the messianic age (Isa 41:19; Hosea 14:6). The plane tree is a tall, fast-growing tree with large leaves that is rarely mentioned in the Old Testament but is present in Ezekiel’s vision of the garden of Eden (Ezek 31:8).

[24:15]

Lady Wisdom is also likened to fragrant spices: cassia (or cinnamon) and camel’s thorn (perhaps calamus or aromatic cane), together with other spices and choice myrrh, were used to make the anointing oil of the tabernacle (Exod 30:23–25). These fragrances are frequently mentioned in nuptial contexts (Ps 45:8; Song 4:13–14; 5:1). Galbanum, onycha, and stacte were used to make the incense offered in the tabernacle, together with frankincense (Exod 30:34–35), which is also featured in the Canticle (Song 3:6; 4:6). Wisdom’s association with the anointing oil and incense as she ministers in the tabernacle (Sir 24:10) confirms her liturgical and priestly role in Israel’s sacred worship, mediating between God and his people.

[24:16–18]

Wisdom returns to the analogy of trees: Like a terebinth—a far-spreading tree possibly related to the pistachio (sometimes translated as “oak”)—she spread out her branches, which become glorious and graceful. The imagery continues to suggest that she invites her followers to return to the garden of Eden by joining her in a nuptial union enacted in Israel’s temple worship. Like a vine—often mentioned in nuptial settings (Song 6:11; 7:8, 12; 8:11–12)—Wisdom caused loveliness or grace to bud. Wine was offered with the sacrifices in the tabernacle and temple (Exod 29:40), and it will flow abundantly in the messianic age (Isa 25:6; Hosea 14:7; Joel 2:24; Amos 9:13–14). Wisdom’s blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit—other texts identify this as symbolizing long life, riches, and honor (Prov 3:16; 8:18–21). Wisdom’s life-giving “fruit” (especially when read together with v. 22) suggests a contrast with the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which was deceivingly “a delight to the eyes” and “to be desired to make one wise” (Gen 3:6) but ultimately brought death. GII adds verse 18,I am the mother of beautiful love, of fear, of knowledge, and of holy hope; being eternal, I therefore am given to all my children, to those who are named by him (Sir 24:18, RSV-2CE footnote; compare NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE footnotes). in which Lady Wisdom describes herself as the mother of beautiful love, of fear, of knowledge, and of holy hope. She offers these rich gifts along with herself, who is eternal, to her children, who are chosen and named by God.

¹⁹“Come to me, you who desire me,
and eat your fill of my produce.
²⁰For my teaching is sweeter than honey,
and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb,
and my remembrance lasts throughout all generations.
²¹Those who eat me will hunger for more,
and those who drink me will thirst for more.
²²Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
and those who work with my help will not sin.”

²³All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God,
the law which Moses commanded us
as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.
²⁵It fills men with wisdom, like the Pishon,
and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.
²⁶It makes them full of understanding, like the Euphrates,
and like the Jordan at harvest time.
²⁷It makes instruction shine forth like light,
like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
²⁸Just as the first man did not know her perfectly,
the last one has not fathomed her;
²⁹for her thought is more abundant than the sea,
and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.

³⁰I went forth like a canal from a river
and like a water channel into a garden.
³¹I said, “I will water my orchard
and drench my garden plot”;
and behold, my canal became a river,
and my river became a sea.
³²I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn,
and I will make it shine afar;
³³I will again pour out teaching like prophecy,
and leave it to all future generations.
³⁴Observe that I have not labored for myself alone,
but for all who seek instruction.

OT: Prov 9:1–6; Bar 4:1; Ezek 47:1–12
NT: Matt 11:28–30; John 4:14; Rev 22:1
Catechism: Mary, Seat of Wisdom, 721

[24:19–20]

Come to me: Lady Wisdom invites those who desire her (1:26; Wis 6:13) to dine with her at her banquet (Sir 24:19–22; Prov 9:1–6; Matt 11:28–30), so they may eat their fill of her produce—her “fruits” of life, riches, and honors (Sir 6:19; Prov 3:16; 8:18–19). Eating Wisdom’s fruit is likened to eating from the tree of life (Prov 3:18), in contrast to eating from the tree of knowledge, which brought alienation and death (Gen 2:9, 16–17; 3:19). Wisdom’s teaching is sweeter than honey—as are God’s words and commandments (Pss 19:10; 119:103; Prov 16:24; 24:13–14) and the delights of married love (Song 4:11; 5:1). The inheritance she grants her disciples is sweeter than the honeycomb. The †Vulgate adds that Wisdom’s remembrance lasts throughout all generations.

[24:21–22]

Lady Wisdom not only invites her followers to eat at her table. At this feast, she is the one who is consumed: Those who eat and drink her will hunger and thirst for more of her (John 4:14; 6:35, 53–56). The surprising metaphor of “eating” and “drinking” Wisdom points to the familiar exhortation to obey her; those who do so will not be put to shame, and those who work with her will not sin. The themes of life-giving obedience and work, shielding one from shame and sin, again echo the Eden narrative, offering a contrast to eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, an act of disobedience that sought wisdom but instead brought sin, shame, and death (Sir 51:18; Gen 3:6–7, 19; Prov 8:35–36).

In the Light of Christ (24:19–22)
Lady Wisdom’s invitation to “eat” and “drink” her recalls Jesus’s words in the Gospel of John, where he promises that whoever comes to him “shall not hunger,” and whoever believes in him “shall never thirst” (John 4:14; 6:35). Jesus, as Wisdom incarnate, may have Sir 24:21 in mind when he invites us to eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:53–56). Lady Wisdom’s invitation to obedience here parallels Jesus’s invitation to abide in him and in his word. Wisdom’s remembrance, like the sacramental presence of Jesus’s body and blood, is both sweet and enduring to all generations.
The figure of Lady Wisdom in Sir 24 has also been traditionally associated with Mary, who is known and acclaimed in Christian tradition as the “Seat of Wisdom” (Catechism 721).

[24:23–24]

Lady Wisdom has concluded her speech. Ben Sira now explains that all this—Wisdom’s self-revelation in verses 3–22—is the book of the covenant of the Most High God, which he gave to Israel at Mount Sinai. Wisdom is thus identified with the Torah, the law which Moses commanded to Israel as an inheritance (17:11; Exod 24:7–8; Bar 4:1), a divinely given heritage for the congregations of Jacob, the people of Israel (Deut 33:4). The Torah, therefore, bestows wisdom, and “in the Law wisdom is expressed in the language of men.”J. Gavigan, B. McCarthy, and T. McGovern, eds., The Navarre Bible: Wisdom Books (New York: Scepter, 2004), 464. Since Wisdom predates the world (Sir 1:4; 24:9), this suggests that the Torah also existed before creation. GII adds verse 24.Do not cease to be strong in the Lord, cleave to him so that he may strengthen you; the Lord Almighty alone is God, and besides him there is no savior (Sir 24:24, RSV-2CE footnote; compare NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE footnotes). Since God gave the law to Israel as their guide, they are empowered to be strong in the Lord (see Eph 6:10) and have the means to cleave to him so that he may strengthen them (Deut 10:20; 13:4). All other pursuits are futile, for the Lord Almighty alone is God, and besides him there is no savior (see Isa 43:11).

Wisdom as Preexistent Torah
Like Ben Sira, the ancient rabbis identified divine wisdom with the *Torah. Drawing from Prov 8:30, where Wisdom describes herself as a “master workman” working alongside God at creation, they held that the divine wisdom revealed in the Torah existed before the creation of the world and functioned like an architect, disclosing the “blueprint” of the world. The *Midrash on Genesis depicts the creation of the cosmos as a collaboration between God and his wisdom—the Torah—personifying it through a parable: God creates the world through the Torah (his wisdom), just as a king builds a palace through the skills of an architect:

The Torah declares: “I was the working tool of the Holy One, blessed be He” (Prov 8:30). In human practice, when a mortal king builds a palace, he builds it not with his own skill but with the skill of an architect. The architect moreover does not build it out of his head, but employs plans and diagrams to know how to arrange the chambers and the doorways. Thus God consulted the Torah when he created the world. So the Torah declared, In the beginning God created (Gen 1:1); beginning referring to the Torah, as in the verse, The Lord made me as the beginning of His way (Prov 8:22).Midrash Genesis Rabbah 1:1, in Harry Freedman and Maurice Simon, eds., Midrash Rabbah (London: Soncino, 1939), 1:1. The last point is based on a pun on the Hebrew word for “in the beginning” (bereshit), which could also mean “by means of the beginning.” Since Wisdom is both the “beginning of the Lord’s way” (Prov 8:22) and the Torah, the authors of the Midrash reinterpret “In the beginning God created . . .” as “By means of ‘the beginning’ [i.e., by means of the Torah] God created . . .”

[24:25–27]

The Torah, as the source of wisdom, is now closely associated with the four rivers that flowed from the garden of Eden (Gen 2:10–14) and with the Jordan River. It fills those who observe its commandments with wisdom, like the Pishon (of unknown location) and the Tigris (which flows the length of modern Iraq into the Persian Gulf) at the time of the first fruits in springtime, when the water reaches its highest levels. The law also brims with understanding, like the Euphrates (which rises in Turkey and flows across Syria and Iraq, until it joins with the Tigris) and like the Jordan (which flows through the Jordan Valley in the east of Israel) at harvest time, also in the spring. The Torah makes instruction shine forth like light,Or perhaps “pours forth instruction like the Nile” (NRSV; compare Syriac, NABRE, NJB). like the Gihon—another river of paradise of unknown location, and also a spring on the eastern slope of Mount Zion in Jerusalem (1 Kings 1:33; 2 Chron 32:30)—at the time of vintage, in autumn, when grapes were picked. This identification with the four rivers of Eden implies that the wisdom of the Torah—elsewhere described as a life-giving fountain (Prov 16:22; 18:4; Bar 3:12)—originally flowed in Eden and was intended for all humankind in the primeval paradise, long before she made her abode in Israel. The association of Wisdom with the Jordan River here, in addition to the four rivers of Eden, points to her presence in Israel.

[24:28–29]

No one can fully plumb the depths of Wisdom. Just as the first man, Adam, did not know her perfectly, despite her presence in Eden, even a hypothetical last man has not fathomed her, nor will he ever be able to do so, because her thought is more abundant than the vast sea, and her counsel deeper than the great abyss (24:5; Ps 36:6). The scope and depth of Wisdom’s insights are unsearchable.

[24:30–31]

Ben Sira now speaks in the first person, describing his own vocation as a teacher of wisdom. He began as a modest canal, drawing a small quantity of water from the great river of wisdom, and like a water channel irrigating a garden, he transmitted wisdom to others, becoming a source of life and fruitfulness for them (Isa 58:11). Though initially he intended only to water his orchard and drench his garden plot, seeking wisdom for himself and those closest to him, eventually his canal grew wider, became a river, and then expanded into a vast sea of wisdom (Isa 11:9)—so that he is now writing a wisdom book that will benefit many. This ever-widening current alludes to the waters flowing out of Ezekiel’s end-time temple, which become a source of life in the wilderness and produce trees bearing miraculous fruit (Ezek 47:1–12; Joel 3:18; Zech 14:8; Rev 22:1).

[24:32–34]

Ben Sira’s task of communicating wisdom to others is not yet complete. He still intends to make instruction shine forth like the dawn—as the Torah is a shining light to Israel and the nations (Ps 119:105; Wis 18:4; Isa 2:5)—and to pour out teaching like prophecy: he considers his mission of teaching wisdom a prophetic one that will reach even future generations, as indeed it has. In this sense, his own labor and quest for wisdom were not solely for his own benefit but for all who seek instruction.Sir 24:34 is nearly identical to 33:17.

Courting Lady Wisdom through Salvation History
Wisdom’s hymn of praise evokes many familiar Old Testament themes. Lady Wisdom’s followers are frequently invited to love her and sometimes even “marry” her.Prov 4:6; 8:17; Wis 7:10; 8:2; Sir 4:12; 15:2. This nuptial symbolism is evident in the many echoes of the Song of Songs in Sir 24: the trees, plants, flowers, spices, frankincense, honey, and springs of water suggest that communion with Lady Wisdom is akin to the joyful, ecstatic union of lover and beloved described in the Song. At the same time, the imagery in Sir 24 hints that she was present at key moments in salvation history.

Wisdom’s presence at creation and in the garden of Eden is reflected in the setting of lush vegetation, rivers, spices, and fragrances that evokes the ancient paradise (Gen 2:8–14; Ezek 31:8).The book of Jubilees, written around the same time as Sirach, confirms these literary parallels. In an expansion on Adam’s expulsion from Eden, Adam takes from paradise some of the spices mentioned in Sir 24 (“frankincense, galbanum, stacte, and spices”) to bring them to God as an offering (Jubilees 3.27). See also Apocalypse of Moses 29.6. Eden was Wisdom’s primary sanctuary; she dwelt with Adam and Eve and was intended to be “married” to the entire human race. But she was lost when they ate of the forbidden tree of knowledge, which offered them a false wisdom but brought alienation and death (Gen 3:5–7, 17–22).
Wisdom was restored when God gave the Torah to Israel at Mount Sinai (Exod 19–24; Bar 4:1)—which Jewish tradition views as God’s betrothal of Israel.Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 3. See André Villeneuve, Divine Marriage from Eden to the End of Days: Communion with God as Nuptial Mystery in the Story of Salvation (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2021), 58-64. Loving Wisdom is thus best expressed by keeping the commandments, for both Wisdom and the commandments heal sin and restore life (Deut 30:19–20; Prov 3:1–2, 16–18; Sir 1:20).
Wisdom also continued to dwell with God’s people in the liturgy of the tabernacle and temple—which perpetuated God’s presence in Israel’s history, commemorating the Sinai covenant in every generation. This is evident in Sir 24’s imagery of cedars, cypress, palm trees, and flowers, which were all prominent in the building, spices, and fragrances of both the tabernacle (Exod 30:23, 34) and the temple (1 Kings 5–7). Rabbinic literature also depicts the temple as a bridal chamber where God was nuptially joined to Israel, symbolized by the cherubim in the holy of holies that embraced each other as a sign of the love between them.Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 54a.
Finally, Sir 24’s imagery of trees, vines, flowers, and streams of water echoes the prophets’ eschatological vision of the messianic age, when the Lord will turn the desert into a new Eden.Isa 14:8; 35:1-2; 41:18-19; 51:3; 60:13; Ezek 47:1-12; Hosea 14:5-9; Joel 3:18. This suggests that Wisdom will be present at the end of human history, as the marriage between God and his people is consummated and humanity returns to the tree of life (Rev 19:7–9; 21:2–3; 22:1–2).

¹My soul takes pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of the Lord and of men:
agreement between brothers, friendship between neighbors,
and a wife and husband who live in harmony.
²My soul hates three kinds of men,
and I am greatly offended at their life:
a beggar who is proud, a rich man who is a liar,
and an adulterous old man who lacks good sense.

³You have gathered nothing in your youth;
how then can you find anything in your old age?
⁴What an attractive thing is judgment in gray-haired men,
and for the aged to possess good counsel!
⁵How attractive is wisdom in the aged,
and understanding and counsel in honorable men!
⁶Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.

⁷With nine thoughts I have gladdened my heart,
and a tenth I shall tell with my tongue:
a man rejoicing in his children;
a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes;
⁸happy is he who lives with an intelligent wife,
and he who has not made a slip with his tongue,
and he who has not served a man inferior to himself;
⁹happy is he who has gained good sense,
and he who speaks to attentive listeners.
¹⁰How great is he who has gained wisdom!
But there is no one superior to him who fears the Lord.
¹¹The fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom shall be likened the one who holds it fast?

OT: Ps 133:1; Prov 18:22; 31:10–31; Wis 4:9 NT: Matt 5:3–11; 1 Tim 2:2; 5:17
Catechism: the person and society, 1878–85

[25:1–2]

Ben Sira now considers people who deserve either praise or blame especially in how they relate to others. In two numerical proverbs, he contrasts three praiseworthy behaviors with three blameworthy ones. He delights in three things, which are beautiful and pleasing both to the Lord and to men because they create peace and concord within society (1 Tim 2:2): agreement between brothers (Sir 7:12; Ps 133:1) emphasizes the importance of unity within the family; friendship between neighbors extends goodwill beyond the household; and a wife and husband who live in harmony testify to the role of marriage as the most fundamental unit of society. By contrast, Ben Sira hates three kinds of men because of their conduct. While pride is always unpleasant (Sir 10:7–18), a beggar who is proud is particularly objectionable, as he seeks support while maintaining an arrogant attitude. Similarly, while lying is always wrong (20:24–26), a rich man who is a liar is especially disgraceful, as the wealthy have no material need and no reason to be deceitful. Lastly, while adultery is always morally reprehensible (Exod 20:14), an adulterous old man who lacks good sense is especially repugnant, since a person with such life experience should exemplify wisdom and virtue.

[25:3–6]

Addressing a hypothetical foolish old man, Ben Sira blames him for having gathered nothing of wisdom in his youth, presumably due to pursuing frivolous things. If such a man failed to seek wisdom when he was young, how should he expect to find it in his old age? In contrast to the foolish old man, Ben Sira praises the judgment of gray-haired men who have lived well and sought wisdom throughout their lives, so that they now possess good counsel in their old age (Wis 4:9; 1 Tim 5:17). He considers highly attractive and beautiful the wisdom, understanding and counsel that these honorable men have acquired. They can now draw from their rich experience—their crown—to help and guide others. Their wisdom is most evident in that they boast not in power or wealth but in the fear of the Lord—the beginning and crown of wisdom (Sir 1:14, 18).

[25:7–8]

Ben Sira begins a †numerical proverb that extends to verse 11, listing ten praiseworthy thoughts, which some have referred to as Ben Sira’s “ten beatitudes” (compare Matt 5:3–11). These bring him such joy that he wishes to tell others about them. The first is a man rejoicing in his children who have grown to adulthood and turned out well (Ps 127:3–5). The second is a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes—wicked men who prospered for too long and seemed to cast a shadow on God’s justice (Pss 54:7; 92:11). The third is the happy man who lives with an intelligent—that is, wise and discerning—wife (Sir 26:1–4); according to wisdom literature, she is a gift of surpassing value (Prov 31:10–31).Proverbs describes finding a wife in almost the exact same terms as finding wisdom (Prov 8:35; 18:22). The fourth is missing from the Greek text but appears in the Hebrew and Syriac, declaring happy “the one who does not plow with ox and ass together”NRSV; compare NABRE, NJB. (compare Deut 22:10)—implying that a man is blessed if he is well-matched with a compatible wife. The fifth is the man who has avoided an embarrassing or foolish slip with his tongue that would have brought him trouble or shame (Sir 14:1; 20:18; James 3:2). The sixth is the man who has not served a man inferior to himself, either unworthy in intelligence or character, or perhaps from a lower social class. Serving such a person would have been considered an embarrassment in the ancient world (Eccles 10:5–7).

[25:9–12]

The seventh praiseworthy thing is the happy man who has gained good sense. The Latin, following the Syriac, reads perhaps more plausibly, gained a (true) friend (see NRSV, NABRE). The eighth is someone who speaks to attentive listeners and commands their respect. The ninth great achievement is for one to have gained wisdom. Although this appears to be the ultimate goal of every disciple, it is surpassed by the tenth, for no one is superior to him who fears the Lord. While the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (1:14), it is also its crown and full measure (1:16, 18), so that the fear of the Lord by which one gives him honor, reverence, and obedience is, in some sense, even better than possessing wisdom. Thus, the fear of the Lord surpasses everything: nothing is more important than maintaining this humble disposition of awe before him. The answer to Ben Sira’s rhetorical question, To whom shall be likened the one who holds it fast? is clearly “no one.” The longer Greek text adds verse 12: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him.RSV -2CE, NRSV, ESV-CE footnotes; compare NABRE footnote. This thought mirrors the connection Ben Sira previously established between loving wisdom and having faith in her (4:11–16).

¹³Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a wife!
¹⁴Any attack, but not an attack from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
¹⁵There is no venom worse than a snake’s venom,
and no wrath worse than an enemy’s wrath.
¹⁶I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon,
than dwell with an evil wife.
¹⁷The wickedness of a wife changes her appearance,
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
¹⁸Her husband takes his meals among the neighbors,
and he cannot help sighing bitterly.
¹⁹Any iniquity is insignificant compared to a wife’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
²⁰A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.
²¹Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.
²²There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
²³A dejected mind, a gloomy face,
and a wounded heart are caused by an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees

are caused by the wife who does not make her husband happy.
²⁴From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
²⁵Allow no outlet to water,
and no boldness of speech in an evil wife.
²⁶If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.

OT: Prov 6:25; 12:4; 21:19; 25:24; 27:15
NT: 2 Cor 11:3; Eph 5:22–24; Col 3:18; 1 Tim 2:8–15
Catechism: original sin and death, 397–400

Beginning with 25:13 and continuing to 26:27, Ben Sira offers counsel about marriage, good and evil wives, and raising daughters. His treatment of women is often seen as harsh, to the point that some have considered his views misogynistic. But it is important to keep a few points in mind to understand what Ben Sira is saying (see the section “Sirach as Sacred Scripture” in the introduction, pp. 32–34). First, the author addresses a particular culture very different from our own—one in which women did not have the rights that they enjoy today. Ben Sira’s counsel on women and his severe critique of “evil wives” must be viewed as the product of the patriarchal society of his time, where leadership within the family and society was predominantly assigned to fathers, and men and husbands held near total power over their wives. Thus, considerable adaptation would be required to apply his counsel in contemporary Western culture. Second, these teachings, like most of the wisdom literature, are written by a man speaking to younger men and therefore offer a male perspective. Imagining how similar and dissimilar wise counsel from a mature woman to younger women about the flaws of men and the challenges of marriage might be can provide balance. Third, the words of praise Ben Sira extends to the “wise,” “good,” “intelligent,” and “modest” wife (7:19; 25:8; 26:1–4, 13–18; 40:23) indicate that his harshness is directed not at all women indiscriminately but specifically at wicked ones—the female equivalent of the male fool he criticizes with similar vehemence throughout his book (e.g., 20:13–20; 22:7–15). Ben Sira warns against the miseries of associating with both foolish men and wicked women; both should be avoided at all costs. Finally, this Old Testament teaching lacks the fuller revelation of Christ, his teaching and that of the apostles regarding marriage and divorce, along with the grace of the New Covenant through Christ’s death and resurrection. As such, it is incomplete, and Christians must apply it in the light of the fuller revelation brought by Christ.

[25:13–15]

Any physical wound is better than a painful, emotional wound of the heart caused by marital conflict. For a man, any wickedness is preferable to the wickedness done by a wife (or “woman,” NRSV, NABRE), given the closeness of the relationship and the pain that she can cause through injurious words or actions. More generally, any attack is more bearable than one from hateful foes, and any vengeance preferable to that of enemies who seek to inflict maximum harm, for their wrath (Syriac and Latin: “a woman’s wrath”) is as deadly as a snake’s venom.

[25:16–19]

Using a bold hyperbole for rhetorical effect, Ben Sira states that he would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than with an evil wife or hateful woman, who should be avoided at all costs (Prov 21:19; 25:24; 27:15). The notion that her wickedness affects her appearance underscores the power of evil, which can distort even a person’s external countenance so that it darkens her face like that of a ferocious bear (see 1 Sam 17:34–37; 2 Sam 17:8; 2 Kings 2:24). The unhappy husband who cannot bear his wife’s presence is so distressed that he takes his meals (Hebrew: “sits”) among the neighbors, sighing bitterly from the grief she has caused him. Given that a wife’s iniquity is the greatest torment for her husband, Ben Sira wishes that a sinner’s lot befall her—that is, that God would punish her in a manner appropriate for sinners.

[25:20–22]

As a sandy ascent is difficult to climb for the aged, so an overly talkative, garrulous wife is difficult to endure for a quiet husband. The warning not to be ensnared by (literally, “do not fall for”) a woman’s beauty appears frequently in Scripture; ignoring it has led to the downfall of many men (9:8; Jdt 10:19; 16:7–9; Prov 6:25). Less common is the advice not to desire or marry a woman for her possessions (Hebrew: “for what she has”), allowing the man to live off her wealth. Ben Sira views this as shameful, and it was indeed a source of great disgrace in the ancient world for a wife to financially support her husband: societal norms dictated that a man should be the primary provider for his family. A man should choose a wife not for her appearance or wealth but for her strength of character and godliness (Prov 31:30). In a modern context, while it may be preferable for a husband to provide for his family, especially if the wife is involved at home in the care of small children, financial reasons, the job market, or other practical circumstances may not allow this today. If so, there is no shame in being a stay-at-home father.

[25:23–24]

A husband’s marriage can affect his mental and physical state: a dejected mind, a gloomy face, a wounded heart, drooping hands and weak knees are the signs of discouragement and depression caused by an evil wife who does not make her husband happy (just as an evil husband can make his wife’s life equally miserable). These warnings lead Ben Sira to make a sweeping theological statement: From a woman—Eve, when she was deceived by the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:6)—sin had its beginning, for her disobedience led to Adam’s fall (2 Cor 11:3; 1 Tim 2:14); and because of her we all die. While Ben Sira places the blame on Eve for the entrance of death in human history, St. Paul emphasizes Adam’s culpability (Rom 5:12, 17–19; 1 Cor 15:22).

Death through Eve; Life through Mary
In his classic second-century work Against Heresies, St. Irenaeus of Lyons illustrates how the “knot” of Eve’s disobedience and unbelief was untied by Mary’s obedience and faith—an image that later gave rise to the popular devotion to “Mary, Undoer of Knots.”

[Eve] was disobedient, and became the cause of death for herself and for the entire human race. In the same way, Mary, though she had a man destined for her beforehand, yet nevertheless a virgin, was obedient and was made the cause of salvation for herself and the entire human race. . . . In like manner, the knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience. For what the virgin Eve tied by her unbelief, this Mary untied by her belief.Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.22.4, in St. Irenaeus of Lyons: Against the Heresies, Book 3, ed. M. C. Steenberg, trans. Dominic J. Unger, Ancient Christian Writers 64 (New York: Newman, 2012), 104.

[25:25–26]

A wise man should not remain passive if his wife is unruly. Just as one must allow no outlet to water by preventing a jar or cistern from leaking, so too must the wise man, as head of the household (1 Cor 11:3; Eph 5:22–24), allow no boldness of speech in an evil wife: he should not allow her to speak unchecked, particularly if she engages in gossip or slander, is insulting or verbally abusive, or blasphemes God. If she continues to be belligerent, the man is advised to separate her from himself (literally, “cut her away from your flesh”). This likely refers to divorce, as it was permitted by the Mosaic law (Deut 24:1–4). In the Gospels, however, Jesus explains that the permission to divorce was a concession to human sinfulness, and he calls his followers to a higher standard of lifelong fidelity, as God intended from the beginning (Gen 2:24; Mark 10:2–12). Nevertheless, certain circumstances may arise in marriages that make separation necessary (1 Cor 7:10–15).

¹Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of his days will be doubled.
²A loyal wife rejoices her husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.
³A good wife is a great blessing;
she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.

⁴Whether rich or poor, his heart is glad,
and at all times his face is cheerful.

⁵Of three things my heart is afraid,
and of a fourth I am frightened:
The slander of a city, the gathering of a mob,
and false accusation—all these are worse than death.

⁶There is grief of heart and sorrow when a wife is envious of a rival,
and a tongue-lashing makes it known to all.

⁷An evil wife is an ox yoke which chafes;
taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion.

⁸There is great anger when a wife is drunken;
she will not hide her shame.

⁹A wife’s harlotry shows in her lustful eyes,
and she is known by her eyelids.

¹⁰Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,
lest, when she finds liberty, she use it to her hurt.

¹¹Be on guard against her impudent eye,
and do not wonder if she sins against you.

¹²As a thirsty wayfarer opens his mouth
and drinks from any water near him,
so will she sit in front of every post
and open her quiver to the arrow.

¹³A wife’s charm delights her husband,
and her skill puts fat on his bones.

¹⁴A sensible and silent wife is a gift of the Lord,
and there is nothing so precious as a disciplined soul.

¹⁵A modest wife adds charm to charm,
and no balance can weigh the value of a chaste soul.

¹⁶Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
¹⁷Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,
so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.
¹⁸Like pillars of gold on a base of silver,
so are beautiful feet with a steadfast heart.

OT: Prov 31:10–31; Sir 36:21–26; 40:23
NT: Titus 2:4–5; 1 Pet 3:1–8
Catechism: male and female, 369–73, 2331–36; marriage in God’s plan, 1601–17, 1643–51
Lectionary: 26:1–4, 13–16: St. Monica; St. Hedwig, Religious; Common of Holy Men and Women; Sacrament of Marriage

[26:1–2]

This section partially offsets the negative comments regarding evil wives in the previous verses. In contrast to the miserable husband of an evil wife, Ben Sira calls happy or blessed the husband of a good and godly wife (40:23; Prov 12:4; 31:10–12). Because she is faithful to the law, she embodies wisdom and becomes a source of long life (Prov 3:1–2, 13–18), even to the point that her husband’s lifespan will be doubled. A loyal, virtuous, or excellent wife (Prov 31:10) brings joy to her husband, allowing him to live out his years in peace (see Ps 128). The benefits, of course, are mutual, for a good marriage brings happiness to both spouses. While the focus here is on the happiness a good wife brings to her husband, it is equally true that a virtuous husband brings great happiness to his wife. Similarly, an evil, drunken, or unfaithful husband causes great sorrow to his wife.

Figure 8. An ancient Jewish wedding [Edouard Moyse / Public domain / The Jewish Museum]

[26:3–4]

A good wife is a great blessing—literally, “a good portion” or good gift—that the man who fears the Lord is fortunate to have. The man seeking a good wife, therefore, is well advised to grow in the fear of the Lord (26:23; Prov 18:22; 19:14). In contrast to the wretched man who pursued an ungodly woman for her wealth (Sir 25:21–23), the man married to a good wife—whether he is rich or poor—is glad and consistently cheerful, for a happy marriage is more important than material prosperity.

[26:5–6]

With a †numerical proverb, Ben Sira resumes his critique of the evil wife. He returns to the subject by expressing dread of three things that cause great harm: the slander and malicious reports that spread in a city, the gathering of a frenzied mob dominated by emotion rather than reason, and a false accusation that leads to unjust charges, corrupts judicial proceedings, and undermines justice. Although Ben Sira considers these to be worse than death, he names a fourth that also frightens him: the grief of heart and sorrow that arises when a wife is envious of a rival. This may refer to polygamy, which may still have been practiced in Ben Sira’s day,Instances of polygamy among the Jews well into the Christian era are attested by Josephus (Antiquities 17.1.2) and Justin Martyr (Dialogue with Trypho 134). It is still sanctioned in the Talmud (Yebamot 44a, 65a), though the sages advise against it. or to a situation in which a wife is suspicious and jealous of other women (37:11). Malicious tongue-lashing and slander not only has devastating effects within the home; it also reaches beyond it, making the feud known to all and bringing shame upon the family. Ben Sira may be implicitly warning his disciples of the dangers of bigamous or polygamous marriages, which cause great harm to all parties involved. All four situations illustrate the destructiveness of vicious talk.

[26:7–9]

An evil wife is like a loose-fitting ox yoke that chafes and hurts the ox by moving back and forth; attempting to restrain her can be as dangerous as grasping a scorpion. Great anger also arises when a wife is drunken, making her more prone to act offensively and shamelessly. A wife’s harlotry—or perhaps more accurately, a “woman’s fornication”—shows in her lustful eyes or “haughty glance”; she is known by her eyelids, flirtatiously fluttering and winking, and possibly enhanced with makeup (Prov 6:25; Jer 4:30; Ezek 23:40).

[26:10–12]

Ben Sira advises fathers to keep strict watch over a stubborn, headstrong daughter who insists on having her own way (7:24–25; 42:9–14). If she is not well supervised, when she finds liberty, she will abuse it and take advantage of any opportunity, often to her own hurt. A protective father in Ben Sira’s traditional society would have had to be on guard against the impudent (shameless) eye of such a daughter and remain vigilant for any actions that might bring shame upon her family through sexual immorality. A graphic euphemism describes the promiscuous daughter as being as eager for a sexual encounter as a thirsty wayfarer willing to drink from any water near him, and as a quiver ready to receive any arrow. Since wisdom writings primarily address men, Ben Sira warns the fathers of young women; other passages in Proverbs (5:1–10, 15–20; 6:23–25; 7:4–27) and Sirach (26:19–21) directly warn young men against sexual temptation.

[26:13–14]

Ben Sira returns to praising the good wife (26:1–4), whose charm delights her husband, and whose skill in managing the household (including animal care, farming, trading, and cooking) puts fat on his bones—a sign of health and prosperity in the ancient world (Deut 31:20; Neh 9:25) that would have made her husband happy and content. A sensible and silent wife who speaks discreetly and with restraint—in contrast to the garrulous wife (Sir 25:20)—is a gift from the Lord; her self-discipline makes her particularly commendable and a model of wisdom, for nothing is so precious as a disciplined soul (6:18–22).

[26:15–16]

A holy and modest wife adds charm to charm (or “grace upon grace”), and a chaste, self-controlled, and disciplined soul is of such value that it cannot be weighed. As bright and radiant as the sun rising in the heights of the Lord—either at sunrise or perhaps the noonday sun at its zenith (43:9)—so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home. The Greek phrase for “well-ordered home” is “kosmos of her home.” The term kosmos means “world” or “universe,” so the verse could be rendered as “Like the radiance of the noonday sun in the Lord’s heaven is the beauty of a good wife in the world of her home.” The good wife’s home is a beautiful, well-ordered microcosm of the world. The similarity of language between 26:16 and 50:5–7 suggests that she rules over her home as the high priest symbolically rules over the cosmos.

[26:17–18]

The beauty of the good wife is now compared to the splendor of the holy light shining in the sanctuary: Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand—the seven-branched menorah in the temple (Exod 25:31–39; 1 Macc 4:49–50)—so is the beautiful face and stately figure of a godly wife. Like the pillars of gold on a base of silver upon which hung the veil at the entrance of the holy of holies (Exod 26:32; compare Song 3:10; 5:15) are her beautiful feet and her steadfast heart. These cosmological allusions imply that the good wife, through her faithful obedience to the word of God, her liturgical role in the home, and her acts of kindness, in some sense “holds the world together,” as expressed in Jewish tradition: “Upon three things the world stands: upon the †Torah, upon [temple] worship, and upon acts of kindness.”Mishnah, Avot 1:2, in William Berkson, Pirke Avot: Timeless Wisdom for Modern Life, trans. Menachem Fisch (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2010), 185.

The longer Greek version, followed by the Syriac, adds verses 19–27:RSV-2CE, ESV-CE, NABRE footnotes, NRSV.

¹⁹My son, keep sound the bloom of your youth,
and do not give your strength to strangers.
²⁰Seek a fertile field within the whole plain,
and sow it with your own seed, trusting in your fine stock.
²¹So your offspring will survive
and, having confidence in their good descent, will grow great.
²²A harlot is regarded as spittle,
and a married woman as a tower of death to her lovers.
²³A godless wife is given as a portion to a lawless man,
but a pious wife is given to the man who fears the Lord.
²⁴A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully,
but a modest daughter will even be embarrassed before her husband.
²⁵A headstrong wife is regarded as a dog,
but one who has a sense of shame will fear the Lord.
²⁶A wife honoring her husband will seem wise to all,
but if she dishonors him in her pride she will be known to all as ungodly.
Happy is the husband of a good wife;
for the number of his years will be doubled.
²⁷A loud-voiced and garrulous wife is regarded as a war trumpet for putting the enemy to

flight,
and every person like this lives in the anarchy of war.

[26:19–21]

My son indicates the beginning of a new section, where Ben Sira exhorts his male readers to sexual propriety and warns them against fornication and adultery: keep sound the bloom of your youth or “the peak of your age,” and do not give your strength—your potential children—to strangers by engaging in sexual relations with women other than your wife. Any children born of adultery would grow up as if they were the children of the woman’s husband (Prov 5:7–17; 31:3). Instead, seek a fertile field within the whole plain—a euphemism for finding a good wife from among all available women—and sow it with your own seed, begetting children and establishing a family with her, trusting in your fine stock or excellent descent (Tob 4:12–13). Unlike children conceived in adultery, the offspring of a sound marriage will survive—perhaps an allusion to the prosperity and fruitfulness promised as rewards for faithfulness to the covenant (Deut 28:11). Having confidence in their good descent and certainty about their parentage, these children raised in a stable home will grow great and prosper.

[26:22–23]

The prostitute and adulteress are to be avoided at all costs: A harlot is scorned as spittle, and an adulterous married woman is even more dangerous, for she is a tower of death to her lovers (literally, “to those who use her”). Ben Sira views the quality of a wife as either a reward or punishment for a man, depending on his fear of the Lord or lack thereof (26:3). Every man gets the wife he deserves, according to the Lord’s favor (Prov 12:4; 18:22; 19:14; 31:10): A godless wife . . . to a lawless man, but a pious wife . . . to the man who fears the Lord.

[26:24–25] A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully and embarrasses her husband, but a modest daughter is embarrassed (or “acts modestly”) even before her husband. While a stubborn, headstrong wife is considered as unclean as a dog (26:10), one with a sense of shame (decency or modesty) will fear the Lord—a great virtue for both women and men.

[26:26–27]

The wisdom or foolishness of a woman is revealed in how she treats her husband (compare 1 Cor 11:7): one who honors and respects her husband seems wise to all, but one who pridefully dishonors him becomes known to all as ungodly and brings shame upon herself. Thus (repeating 26:1), happy is the husband of a good wife, for she will prolong his life. By contrast, a boisterous, overly talkative wife is like a war trumpet sounding the charge to put the enemy to flight, and a man who submits to such an overbearing woman lives in a constant state of anarchy, as in war (25:20).

Although Ben Sira discusses both the “evil wife” and the “good wife,” one must admit that his portrait of women comes across as predominantly negative—even considering that most of his criticisms throughout his book are directed at men. Much of his critique reflects on the interpersonal consequences of sin, which affect the people closest to us—especially spouses. If Ben Sira views women in light of the fall—by which relationships between husbands and wives have become “marked by lust and domination” (Catechism 400; see Gen 3:16)—and through the lens of the patriarchal culture in which he lived, we must keep in mind woman’s original vocation as “a helper fit for [her husband]” (Gen 2:18, 20–24), yet sharing with him perfect equality and the same inalienable dignity: both are human persons created in the image of God, reflecting his wisdom and goodness (Catechism 369). It is therefore also true that man and woman are called to exist mutually “one for the other,” helping each other in an exchange of interpersonal communion.John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem 7. Although wives are still instructed to defer to their husbands under the New Covenant (Eph 5:22–24; Col 3:18), both husbands and wives must also be “subject to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21), and husbands are called to love their wives “as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25; see also Col 3:19). As every person—and particularly every woman—seeks to discover the fullness of their dignity and vocation in union with God, the best model and “most complete expression of this dignity and vocation”John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem 5. remains Mary, the mother of the Incarnate Word, who fully and perfectly lived out her dignity and vocation as a woman.

²⁸At two things my heart is grieved,
and because of a third anger comes over me:
a warrior in want through poverty,
and intelligent men who are treated contemptuously;
a man who turns back from righteousness to sin—
the Lord will prepare him for the sword!

²⁹A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,
and a tradesman will not be declared innocent of sin.
^27:1Many have committed sin for a trifle,
and whoever seeks to get rich will avert his eyes.
²As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones,
so sin is wedged in between selling and buying.
³If a man is not steadfast and zealous in the fear of the Lord,
his house will be quickly overthrown.

⁴When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains;
so a man’s filth remains in his thoughts.
⁵The kiln tests the potter’s vessels;
so the test of just men is in tribulation.
⁶The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;
so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a man’s mind.
⁷Do not praise a man before you hear him speak,
for this is the test of men.

⁸If you pursue justice, you will attain it

and wear it as a glorious robe.
⁹Birds flock with their kind;
so truth returns to those who practice it.
¹⁰A lion lies in wait for prey;
so does sin for the workers of iniquity.

¹¹The talk of the godly man is always wise,
but the fool changes like the moon.
¹²Among stupid people watch for a chance to leave,
but among thoughtful people stay on.
¹³The talk of fools is offensive,
and their laughter is wantonly sinful.
¹⁴The talk of men given to swearing makes one’s hair stand on end,
and their quarrels make a man stop his ears.
¹⁵The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed,
and their abuse is grievous to hear.

OT: Prov 12:7; 14:11; 15:9; 21:21

NT: Matt 6:33; 7:16–19; 12:33–37

Catechism: living in the truth, 2465–70

Lectionary: 27:4–7: 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

[26:28]

Ben Sira now addresses certain sins against honesty and integrity that harm interpersonal relationships, beginning with a †numerical proverb describing three reversals of fortune. He is grieved at the first two because they are injustices: a warrior who, instead of being honored for his courage, is afflicted by poverty, and intelligent men who, instead of being respected for their wisdom, are treated contemptuously (compare Job 30:1–10). Yet while their misfortune lies outside their control, the third situation—a man who turns back from righteousness to sin—angers Ben Sira because this man is responsible for his own undoing. Because he has freely chosen evil over good, the Lord will prepare him for the sword—signifying the judgment of a violent death.

[26:29–27:3]

Because people who engage in commercial activities are constantly trying to make a profit, a merchant will find it difficult to resist greed and wrongdoing. The temptation toward greed and avarice is so great that many have sinned for a trifle (or “for gain”)—even to make the smallest profit. Whoever seeks to get rich at all costs will ignore the voice of conscience, avert his eyes, and overlook shady dealings for the sake of expediency (Prov 28:27). As a stake or tent peg is driven firmly into a fissure between stones to hold it tightly, so sin is wedged in almost inevitably in business transactions that involve selling and buying. Thus, if a man who conducts business is not steadfast and zealous in the fear of the Lord by frequently examining his conscience on the integrity of his dealings with others, his house will be quickly overthrown, and his wealth gained dishonestly will be lost (Prov 12:7; 14:11). Thankfully, experience shows that there are honest businesspeople who fear the Lord and conduct fair trade.

[27:4–7]

With three comparisons, Ben Sira illustrates that reasoning and conversation reveal a person’s true worth. When a sieve is shaken to sift grain or corn, the flour passes through the mesh, while the refuse—the straw and dung left by the oxen that threshed the grain—remains in the sieve; so a man’s filth—his faults and sinful habits—remains in his thoughts and is revealed when he talks. As the kiln or furnace tests the potter’s vessels by baking them in intense heat, so the quality of the just person is tested and revealed in the furnace of tribulation.Vulgate. The Greek reads “in his conversation” (NRSV) or “reasoning” (ESV-CE). See the fuller treatment of this topic in the commentary on Sir 2:4–6. As the fruit discloses how well a tree has been cultivated, so the verbal expression of a person’s thought discloses how well this person has cultivated his mind (literally, “a man’s heart”) and what he truly cares for. These three analogies lead to a practical conclusion: Do not praise a man before you hear him speak, for what people like to talk about reveals their true character. Jesus may have had this text from Sirach in mind in formulating some of his teachings on speech (see Matt 7:16–19; 12:33–37).

[27:8–10]

Every person must choose to pursue either justice or iniquity and will reap the rewards or punishments fitting that choice. Righteousness is its own reward; thus, those who pursue justice will attain it (see Prov 21:21; Matt 6:33; Rom 9:30–32) and wear it as a glorious robe (Job 29:14; Isa 59:17; Eph 6:14)—as the wisdom seeker “wears” wisdom like a splendid garment (Sir 6:31) and like the “glorious robe” of the high priest (45:7–13; Wis 18:24). Just as birds flock with other birds of their kind, so truth returns to those who strive to live by it and practice it (Sir 13:15). By contrast, as a fierce lion lies in wait for prey, so the sin of those who work iniquity will hunt them down and ultimately devour them (21:2; Gen 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8).

Testing the Potter’s Vessels
In the third century AD, St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, comments on the formative role of tribulation and suffering in the Christian life:

When weakness and inefficiency and any destruction seize us, then our strength is made perfect. Then, if our faith is put to the test, it will stand fast and receive a crown, as it is written: “The furnace tries the vessels of the potter, and the trial of tribulation tests just people” (Sir 27:5). This, in short, is the difference between us and others who do not know God, that in misfortune they complain and murmur, while adversity does not call us away from the truth of virtue and faith but strengthens us by its suffering.Cyprian of Carthage, On Mortality 13, in Sever J. Voicu, ed., Apocrypha, ACCS:OT 15 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2010), 307–8.

[27:11–12]

The talk of the godly man is always wise. To emphasize the steadfastness and brilliance of the godly, the Latin reads instead, A holy man continues in wisdom as the sun (see Douay, 27:12). In contrast, the fool is inconsistent and unreliable and changes like the moon from night to night. Keeping company with such a person is a waste of time. If you find yourself among stupid people, therefore, watch for a chance to leave (literally, “watch the time”), but among thoughtful people stay on, for time in their company is a well-spent opportunity to learn from their wisdom (6:36).

[27:13–15]

The talk of fools is offensive, lacking propriety and good taste, and their laughter is wantonly sinful (literally, “an extravagance of sin”), filled with crude jokes and vulgarities. By contrast, a wise person speaks and acts with dignity (Prov 10:23; Eph 4:29; 5:4, 15–17). The speech of those given to swearing and cursing (literally, “a man of many oaths”) makes one’s hair stand on end in embarrassment due to its abundance of profanities, and the violent quarrels that inevitably follow make a man stop his ears in disgust. The strife of the proud leads to violence and bloodshed, and their abusive curses and insults are grievous to hear (23:11). It is best to avoid the company of fools altogether before their conversation degenerates into such a brawl.

¹⁶Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence,
and he will never find a congenial friend.
¹⁷Love your friend and keep faith with him;
but if you betray his secrets, do not run after him.
¹⁸For as a man destroys his enemy,
so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbor.
¹⁹And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand,
so you have let your neighbor go, and will not catch him again.
²⁰Do not go after him, for he is too far off,
and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.

²¹For a wound may be bandaged,
** and there is reconciliation after abuse,**
but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope.

²²Whoever winks his eye plans evil deeds,
** and no one can keep him from them.**
²³In your presence his mouth is all sweetness,
** and he admires your words;**
but later he will twist his speech
** and with your own words he will give offense.**
²⁴I have hated many things, but none to be compared to him;
** even the Lord will hate him.**
²⁵Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own head;
** and a treacherous blow opens up wounds.**
²⁶He who digs a pit will fall into it,
** and he who sets a snare will be caught in it.**
²⁷If a man does evil, it will roll back upon him,
** and he will not know where it came from.**
²⁸Mockery and abuse issue from the proud man,
** but vengeance lies in wait for him like a lion.**
²⁹Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare,
** and pain will consume them before their death.**
³⁰Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
** and the sinful man will possess them.**
^28:1He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the Lord,
** and he will firmly establish his sins.**
²Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
** and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.**
³Does a man harbor anger against another,
** and yet seek for healing from the Lord?**
⁴Does he have no mercy toward a man like himself,
** and yet pray for his own sins?**
⁵If he himself, being flesh, maintains wrath,
will he then seek forgiveness from God?
Who will make expiation for his sins?
⁶Remember the end of your life, and cease from enmity,
remember destruction and death, and be true to the commandments.
⁷Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor;
remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook ignorance.

OT: Deut 32:35; Prov 6:16–19; Sir 22:19–22
NT: Matt 5:21–26; 6:12–15; 18:23–35; Mark 11:25; James 2:13
Catechism: forgiving others, 1425, 2842–45; anger and vengeance, 2259–62, 2302; respect for the truth, 2489
Lectionary: 27:30–28:7: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

[27:16–18]

Ben Sira now addresses offenses that harm friendship. The first is betraying a confidence (27:16–21). Friends who trust each other typically confide in each other, and this calls for discretion (Catechism 2489). Whoever betrays secrets breaches a friend’s trust and destroys confidence between them; having undermined his own trustworthiness, he will never find a congenial friend (literally, “a friend to his soul”) willing to confide in him again (22:22). Thus, love and respect your friend and keep faith by being loyal to him; if you reveal to someone else what he has confided in you, do not run after him to try to repair the friendship you have destroyed. Avoid such a breach of trust in the first place rather than trying to fix it after irreparable damage has been done.

[27:19–21]

As a bird that escapes from your hand will never come back, so you have let your neighbor go and forfeited his friendship by betraying his trust. You should not expect to catch him again among your circle of friends. Do not go after him to seek reconciliation, for he is too far off from you in heart and soul, having escaped like a swift gazelle running away from a snare. While a wound can still heal after it is bandaged, and reconciliation can still be attained after exchanging words of reproach, whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope of seeing the friendship restored (22:19–22).

[27:22–24]

Another offense that undermines trust is insincerity and deceit (27:22–29). Those who mislead others will reap the consequences of their own actions. Whoever winks his eye as a sign of duplicity (Prov 6:12–13; 10:10; 16:30) plans evil deeds. His mind is so set on wrongdoing that no one can dissuade him or convince him to change his course of action. In your presence the deceptive person’s mouth is all sweetness—he appears friendly and kind to you (Sir 12:16), and he admires your words, pretending to agree with you. Yet later, when you are no longer present, he will twist his speech and speak very differently behind your back, and with your own words he will give offense (literally, “he makes a stumbling block with your words”) and use them against you. Of all hateful things, none is comparable to the duplicitous and hypocritical person, so that even the Lord will hate him. When the Bible speaks of God hating evil or evildoers (Ps 5:5; Prov 6:16–19; 8:13), it refers not to personal animosity but to a decisive rejection of what is incompatible with God’s nature, which is holiness and love (1 John 4:8). In the same way, we are to love good and hate evil (Ps 97:10; Amos 5:15; Rom 12:9).

[27:25–27]

Evil eventually returns to its perpetrators, just as a stone thrown straight up falls back on the head of the one who has thrown it. Similarly, a treacherous blow opens up wounds (the Latin adds in the deceiver)—that is, the one who strikes treacherously harms himself. Likewise, one who digs a pit will fall into it, and one who sets a snare will be caught in it—common images in the Old Testament (Ps 9:15–16; Prov 26:27; Eccles 10:8). These metaphors illustrate that one who does evil will see that same evil roll back upon him and hurt him; yet he will not know its origin. When evil strikes him, he will not realize that it is the fruit of his own doing.

[27:28–29]

As mockery and abuse issue from the proud man (literally, “are of the proud man”), so they will also befall him (compare NABRE). The vengeance of the people he has offended lies in wait, personified as a lion ready to devour him. Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly are particularly malicious and will be caught in a snare—often one that they have set, as was the case with Haman (Esther 5:14; 7:9–10; 9:24–25). Not only will they die prematurely, but pain will consume them before their death (compare Job 21:19–20).

[27:30–28:1]

Anger and wrath also are abominations, destroying relationships just as the betrayal of secrets, treachery, and mockery do. The sinful person holds onto anger, refusing to let it go until it controls him. Anger often arises from a misplaced sense of justice that seeks to punish others for the wrongs they have done. Yet vengeance belongs not to man but to God, who alone enacts perfect justice (Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30). The one who tries to assume this role and takes vengeance on others—which the Torah strictly prohibits (Lev 19:18)—will suffer vengeance from the Lord, who will firmly establish (or “keep a strict account of,” NRSV) his sins.

[28:2]

The concept of forgiving others as a condition for obtaining God’s forgiveness is often thought of as a Christian idea (Matt 6:12–15; 18:23–35; James 2:13). Yet Ben Sira anticipates it here as he exhorts his readers: Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned by God when you pray. The idea is also preserved in postbiblical Jewish tradition: “For whom does [God] pardon iniquity? For the one who pardons transgression [in others].”Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 17a, in Jacob Neusner, The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2011), 6b:86–87.

[28:3–5]

With four rhetorical questions Ben Sira underlines the importance of avoiding resentment and granting forgiveness to others. A man cannot harbor anger or hold a grudge against another, refusing to forgive, and yet seek for healing—from illness, interior wounds, or his own sin—from the Lord (Exod 15:26; Hosea 6:1). It would be hypocritical to have no mercy toward others and yet pray to obtain forgiveness for one’s own sins. If one who is flesh—a mortal human prone to sin (Sir 17:31; 1 Cor 15:50; Gal 5:19)—maintains wrath against others, he should not expect to obtain forgiveness from God. How can anyone make expiation or atonement for his sins, as was done in Old Testament times through the offering of sacrifices (Lev 4:27–35), now that he has forfeited God’s forgiveness? Jesus confirms that only the merciful shall obtain mercy (Matt 5:7) and only those who forgive others will be forgiven (6:12, 14–15)—a teaching that he dramatizes in the parable of the unforgiving servant (18:23–35).

[28:6–7]

A key to living well is to remember, first, the end of your life (literally, “the last things”); since life is short, do not remain angry but cease from enmity today. Second, remember the destruction and death that will inevitably come when the Lord renders to each according to their works (7:36; 11:26–28; 38:20), and be true to his commandments, for observing them is the only thing of lasting value (Eccles 12:13; Matt 19:17). Third, Ben Sira repeats: Remember the commandments, especially the one that enjoins you to “not hate your neighbor,” take vengeance, or be angry, but “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:17–18). Fourth, remember the covenant that God the Most High made with Israel at Mount Sinai (Sir 17:12; 24:23; 39:8; Exod 24:7–8), and overlook the faults that others commit involuntarily through ignorance.

⁸Refrain from strife, and you will lessen sins;
for a man given to anger will kindle strife,
⁹and a sinful man will disturb friends
and inject enmity among those who are at peace.
¹⁰In proportion to the fuel for the fire, so will be the burning,
and in proportion to the obstinacy of strife will be the burning;
in proportion to the strength of the man will be his anger,
and in proportion to his wealth he will heighten his wrath.
¹¹A hasty quarrel kindles fire,
and urgent strife sheds blood.
¹²If you blow on a spark, it will glow;
if you spit on it, it will be put out;
and both come out of your mouth.

¹³Curse the whisperer and deceiver,
for he has destroyed many who were at peace.
¹⁴Slander has shaken many,
and scattered them from nation to nation,
and destroyed strong cities,
and overturned the houses of great men.
¹⁵Slander has driven away courageous women,
and deprived them of the fruit of their toil.
¹⁶Whoever pays heed to slander will not find rest,
nor will he settle down in peace.
¹⁷The blow of a whip raises a welt,
but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.
¹⁸Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
but not so many as have fallen because of the tongue.
¹⁹Happy is the man who is protected from it,
who has not been exposed to its anger,
who has not borne its yoke,
and has not been bound with its chains;
²⁰for its yoke is a yoke of iron,
and its chains are chains of bronze;
²¹its death is an evil death,
and Hades is preferable to it.
²²It will not be master over the godly,
and they will not be burned in its flame.
²³Those who forsake the Lord will fall into its power;
it will burn among them and will not be put out.
It will be sent out against them like a lion;

like a leopard it will mangle them.
²⁴See that you fence in your property with thorns,
lock up your silver and gold,
²⁵make balances and scales for your words,
and make a door and a bolt for your mouth.
²⁶Beware lest you err with your tongue,
lest you fall before him who lies in wait.

OT: Ps 101:5; Prov 15:18; 26:20–21; 29:22; Sir 19:4–17; 22:19–22
NT: Matt 5:21–26; 7:1–5; 2 Cor 12:20; James 3:1–10; 4:11–12
Catechism: slander, 2475–79

[28:8–10]

Ben Sira now warns against quarreling (28:8–12). Refrain from strife—that is, arguments and quarrels—because these increase occasions of sin. A hot-tempered man will kindle strife like a fire by starting pointless arguments (Prov 15:18; 26:21; 29:22). Whether intentional or not, a sinful man disrupts friendships and causes strife simply by his presence, sowing discord among those who are at peace. Just as a fire burns more intensely when fuel is added to it, so too does the intensity of a quarrel increase when the belligerents persist in obstinacy and stubbornness. Likewise, the more a man increases in strength and wealth—and becomes accustomed to getting his way—the more his position of power makes him prone to anger and wrath.

[28:11–12]

A sudden quarrel kindles fire that may start out small but can quickly rage out of control and cause devastating damage (James 3:5–6). Similarly, a hasty strife can rapidly escalate from a verbal argument to physical violence and bloodshed. Conflicts are better managed early on, before they grow out of control. Just as one who blows on a spark makes it glow and turn into a flame, so provocative words can turn a minor conflict into a major one. There is a better course of action: just as one who spits on the spark puts it out, so gentle, patient words can diffuse a conflict (Prov 15:1; James 3:9–10). Your mouth is a source of either conflict or peace, death or life (Prov 18:21).

[28:13]

Ben Sira again addresses the evils of slander and vicious talk (28:13–26; compare 5:14; 22:19–22; James 3:1–12). Because the whisperer and deceiver (or “gossiper and double-tongued”) sows strife through slander, Ben Sira urges his readers to curse such a person (Sir 5:14–6:1; 19:4–17), for he has destroyed many who were at peace. Ben Sira accepts the biblical principle that evil must be purged from the community because it spreads like a cancer (Deut 19:16–19; 27:26). Such excommunications, however, are often intended to prompt the sinner toward repentance and reconciliation (1 Cor 5:5–7).

[28:14–16]

Slander is literally “a third tongue” in Greek, meaning the tongue of a meddlesome person who interferes in the affairs of two others. With hyperbolic language, Ben Sira emphasizes the destructive power of gossip and slander, describing how these sins of speech have shaken many individuals, societies, and even nations, scattering people from nation to nation, destroying strong cities, and overturning the houses of great men. Slander has even driven away courageous or virtuous women who were deprived of the fruit of their toil, possibly when their husbands divorced them after their reputations were ruined by false accusations (7:26). Whoever pays heed to gossip or slander, therefore, is not innocent, as engaging in such speech involves a degree of participation in the sin. For this reason, one who listens to gossip or slander cannot expect to find rest or peace of mind.

[28:17–18]

The painful blow of a whip raises a welt—a visible mark on the body from a lash. Yet even this wound is minor compared to a blow of the tongue, as malicious words figuratively crush the bones, causing deeper wounds to the soul than a whip can inflict on the body (Prov 15:4; 25:15). While many have fallen in battle by the edge of the sword, even more have met their downfall because of the tongue that engaged in vicious talk.

[28:19–21]

Happy is the man whom God has protected from slander, from the inevitable anger at its evil effects, and from engaging in it. Slander enslaves not only the slanderer but also the slandered and those who believe the slander. It is compared to a heavy yoke and constraining chains—in stark contrast to the liberating “yoke” and “chains” of Wisdom (6:24–25, 29–30; 21:19). Slander brings an evil death—not only the “death” of one’s reputation but also the shame and social stigma that follow, which seem even worse than ^†Hades, the realm of the dead (14:16).

[28:22–23]

Although hardly anyone escapes being the target of slander (28:13–15), it will not rule over the godly—either because they will be delivered from its harmful effects, or because they refuse to engage in it, as Ben Sira forcefully exhorts (28:24–26)—so that they are not burned in its devastating flame. Those who forsake the Lord, however, will fall into its power and suffer its consequences. Because they have abandoned virtue and engaged in malicious talk, harming others and themselves, like an uncontrollable fire their gossip will burn among them, and like a ferocious lion or leopard, the anger unleashed by their calumnies will mangle them and tear them to pieces.

The “Evil Tongue”

Jewish tradition views gossip and slander—known in Hebrew as lashon hara’ (the “evil tongue”)—as grievous sins. This view is based on two commandments of the ^†Torah: “You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people” (Lev 19:16), and “You shall not wrong one another” (25:17), which both Jewish and Catholic tradition understand as forbidding harm through speech—even if it is true. Some have compared harmful speech to an arrow: once released, words, like arrows, cannot be recalled; the harm they cause can be neither stopped nor predicted—for words, like arrows, often go astray. According to the †Talmud, one who engages in lashon hara’ is considered as though he has denied the fundamental belief in God. The †sages even consider slander to be as serious as the three cardinal sins in Judaism: idolatry, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. This is because lashon hara’ kills three: the person who speaks it, the person who hears it, and the person about whom it is told.Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 15b.

Christian tradition also emphasizes the gravity of sins of speech. Jesus warns against insulting (Matt 5:22) or wrongly judging one’s brother (7:1–2), and the apostles often condemn gossip and slander (Rom 1:29–31; 2 Cor 12:20; 1 Pet 2:1). These injunctions are based on the eighth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exod 20:16), which requires respect for the reputation of persons and forbids “every attitude or word likely to cause unjust injury,” such as rash judgment (assuming without foundation the moral fault of a neighbor), detraction (disclosing a person’s faults to others), and calumny or slander (harming the reputation of others and giving occasion for false judgments concerning them).Catechism 2477–79.

[28:24–26]

Some manuscripts (followed by the Syriac and Latin) order verses 24–25 as follows: 24a, 25b, 24b, 25a (NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE), resulting in a clearer meaning: just as you fence in your property with thorns (v. 24a) to protect it from intruders, you should make a door and a bolt for your mouth (v. 25b) to guard it from speaking words of slander (22:27; Ps 141:3). And just as you lock up your silver and gold (v. 24b) to prevent them from being stolen, you should make balances and scales for your words (v. 25a) to weigh them carefully before they fly out of your mouth (16:25; 21:25). In summary, be careful not to err with your tongue, lest you say something imprudent and fall before him who lies in wait, ready to use your own words against you (14:1; 21:7; James 3:2; 4:11).

Wounds of the Tongue
In his Homilies on Numbers, Origen emphasizes the profound harm that sins of speech inflict on the soul, underscoring the importance for believers to resist them:
If a wound is inflicted on the body . . . wounds of this sort . . . are barely healed with great pain and suffering over a long period of time. . . . Pass now from the example of the body to the wounds of the soul. However often the soul sins, just that often it is wounded. . . . O, if we could only see how with each sin our inner person is wounded, how bad words inflict a wound! Have you not read, they say, that “swords inflict wounds, but not as much as the tongue.” The soul is wounded, then, even by the tongue; it is also wounded by evil thoughts and desires; but it is fractured and shattered by the works of sin. If we could see all this and feel the scars of a soul that has been wounded, we would certainly resist sin to death.Origen, Homilies on Numbers 8.1.6–8 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 316–17).

What is the remedy against malicious speech? According to Jewish tradition, the disciple of a ⁺sage should keep occupied with ⁺Torah, while an ordinary person should humble himself, for one who is humble will not speak wrongly about another (Prov 15:4).Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 15b. Christians can learn much from these principles: indeed, studying Scripture and cultivating humility are both effective ways to become more self-aware of one’s speech concerning others.

Controlling one’s tongue, moreover, requires practicing at least three cardinal virtues: prudence, which guides us to discern and choose intelligently when, what, and how to speak; justice, which focuses on what we owe to God and neighbor, such as respect for the reputation of others; and temperance, which is the will’s mastery over instincts, restraining the impulse to speak impulsively or carelessly.
Growing in these virtues is vital, for, according to the psalmist, the one who shall sojourn in the Lord’s tent and dwell in his presence is “he who walks blamelessly, and does what is right, and speaks truth from his heart; who does not slander with his tongue, and does no evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor” (Ps 15:1–3).

¹He that shows mercy will lend to his neighbor,
** and he that strengthens him with his hand keeps the commandments.**
²Lend to your neighbor in the time of his need;
** and in turn, repay your neighbor promptly.**
³Confirm your word and keep faith with him,
** and on every occasion you will find what you need.**
⁴Many persons regard a loan as a windfall,
** and cause trouble to those who help them.**
⁵A man will kiss another’s hands until he gets a loan,
** and will lower his voice in speaking of his neighbor’s money;**
but at the time for repayment he will delay,
** and will pay in words of unconcern,**
** and will find fault with the time.**
⁶If the lender exerts pressure, he will hardly get back half,
** and will regard that as a windfall.**
If he does not, the borrower has robbed him of his money,
** and he has needlessly made him his enemy;**
he will repay him with curses and reproaches,
** and instead of glory will repay him with dishonor.**
⁷Because of such wickedness, therefore, many have refused to lend;
** they have been afraid of being defrauded needlessly.**

⁸Nevertheless, be patient with a man in humble circumstances,
** and do not make him wait for your alms.**
⁹Help a poor man for the commandment’s sake,
and because of his need do not send him away empty.
¹⁰Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend,
and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost.
¹¹Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High,
and it will profit you more than gold.
¹²Store up almsgiving in your treasury,
and it will rescue you from all affliction;
¹³more than a mighty shield and more than a heavy spear,
it will fight on your behalf against your enemy.

¹⁴A good man will be surety for his neighbor,
but a man who has lost his sense of shame will fail him.
¹⁵Do not forget all the kindness of your surety,
for he has given his life for you.
¹⁶A sinner will overthrow the prosperity of his surety,
¹⁷and one who does not feel grateful will abandon his rescuer.
¹⁸Being surety has ruined many men who were prosperous,
and has shaken them like a wave of the sea;
it has driven men of power into exile,
and they have wandered among foreign nations.
¹⁹The sinner who has fallen into suretyship
and pursues gain will fall into lawsuits.
²⁰Assist your neighbor according to your ability,
but take heed to yourself lest you fall.

OT: Exod 22:25–27; Lev 25:35–37; Deut 15:7–11; Prov 6:1–5; 11:15; 14:21; 17:18

NT: Matt 6:19–20; 19:21; 25:18, 29; James 5:3

Catechism: almsgiving and love for the poor, 2443–49

[29:1–2]

Ben Sira turns to the topic of household economics or personal finances, focusing on lending and borrowing, which were common practices in ancient Israelite society. He that shows mercy or kindness will willingly lend money to a neighbor—in this context, his Jewish neighbor (Lev 19:18). He that strengthens and supports a neighbor by lending him a hand keeps the commandments, for the ⁺Torah instructs Israelites to lend money without charging interest to fellow Israelites (Exod 22:25; Lev 25:35–37; Deut 15:7–11). Ben Sira echoes these commandments: Lend to your neighbor when he is in need, for it is an act of charity, and when you are the one who has taken out a loan, repay your neighbor promptly (literally, “on time”), when the loan falls due (Sir 4:31; Ps 37:21).

[29:3–4]

Confirm your word by keeping your promise to repay the loan on time, and keep faith—that is, be honest with him (27:17). If you repay your loans faithfully, you will establish good credit and on every occasion you will secure the loans you need in the future. Yet many irresponsible persons regard a loan as a windfall that is theirs to keep (20:9)—like fruit blown off a tree by the wind that requires no effort to pick. Such people cause trouble to those who help them by failing to pay back their loans.

[29:5]

A dishonest person in financial need will hypocritically kiss another’s hands, feigning love and respect toward the potential lender until he gets a loan. Perhaps he will disingenuously lower his voice, appearing respectful while speaking of his neighbor’s money that he hopes to borrow. But at the time for repayment he will delay, offering only words of unconcern—excuses and empty promises—and will find fault with the time, claiming that the due date for repayment is too soon.

[29:6–7]

If the lender exerts pressure on such a borrower, demanding repayment, he will be fortunate to get back even half, and will regard any amount repaid as a windfall. If he does not insist on getting repaid, he will not be repaid at all: the borrower has robbed him of his money and needlessly made the lender his enemy. Perhaps repressing a sense of shame and guilt, the borrower may even repay the lender with curses and reproaches, and instead of glory or gratitude will repay him with dishonor. Because of such wickedness on the part of bad borrowers who abuse the generosity of their lenders, many have refused to lend their money to others for fear of being defrauded needlessly and losing their possessions altogether.

[29:8–9]

Giving alms is another way of helping the needy (29:8–13). Be patient and merciful toward a person in humble circumstances; be quick to assist him, and do not delay or make him wait for your alms. Give to a poor person for the commandment’s sake—as prescribed by the Torah (Deut 15:7–11). Helping the needy is a duty of God’s people (Sir 3:30–4:6; Prov 14:21, 31; 19:17); thus, one must not send a poor person away empty-handed (compare James 2:14–15; 1 John 3:16–18).

[29:10–13]

Lose your silver means to generously give your money to a brother or friend in need; do not let it rust or tarnish under a stone, for if you hoard your money it will be wasted and lost (Matt 6:19; 25:18; Luke 12:16–21; James 5:3). Instead, lay up your treasure by distributing your wealth according to God’s commandments, and it will profit you more than gold. This creates a paradox: the person who hoards ends up losing, while the person who gives liberally provides for the future. Therefore, store up almsgiving in your treasury, for giving alms is an investment in the “bank” of God’s mercy. This concept is echoed in Jesus’s teaching on almsgiving (Matt 6:19–20; 19:21; see 1 Tim 6:18–19).

“Lending” to the Lord secures divine favor (Prov 19:17; Matt 6:20; 19:21), ensuring that he will remember your generosity and rescue you from all affliction in your time of need (Sir 3:14–15, 30–31; 12:2; Tob 4:7–11). To shift from an economic to a military metaphor, almsgiving is so powerful that it protects more than a mighty shield and serves as a weapon more potent than a heavy spear, for it will fight on behalf of generous givers against their enemies.

[29:14–15] Another way of assisting a neighbor is by “acting as surety”—that is, guaranteeing to repay a loan if a borrower defaults on his obligation (29:4–6). While Proverbs warns against this practice, seeing it as risky and unwise (Prov 6:1–5; 11:15; 22:26–27), Ben Sira acknowledges the risk but appreciates the potential benefit to a poor neighbor and commends the person who is willing to do so (Sir 8:13). Ultimately, choosing whether or not to guarantee a loan is a matter of prudence. A good man is willing to be surety for his neighbor by cosigning on a loan, but one who is without shame, lacking honor, decency, and compassion, will fail his neighbor and refuse to provide surety. However, Ben Sira reminds the borrower: Do not forget all the kindnesses of the person who has acted as your surety, for he has given his life by risking his financial stability for you.

Rescued through Almsgiving
Drawing from Sirach and other scriptural texts, St. Augustine argues that it is not enough merely to avoid sins to inherit the kingdom of God. One must also actively do good, including giving generously to the poor. These charitable deeds have atoning power and store up merit for the day of judgment—not by their intrinsic value, but as the overflow of God’s grace manifest in the life of a believer (Eph 2:8–10).

Those who will receive the kingdom have given aid to the poor. . . . If they had not, their lives otherwise suited to holiness would have remained sterile, limiting themselves to abstaining from sins, not violating chastity or abandoning themselves to drunkenness, not stealing or doing anything bad. If they had not added charitable actions, they would remain sterile, only observing the first part of the commandment, “Stay far away from evil,” and not the other part, “and do good” (Ps 37:27). Thus, when it says, “Come, receive your kingdom,” this call is not motivated by the fact that they have lived in chastity, refrained from stealing, or that they have not taken advantage of the poor, or robbed other people’s possessions or perjured themselves. Rather, it says, “Enter into the kingdom because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” (Matt 25:35). . . . It is written, “As water extinguishes a blazing fire, so aid given to the poor cancels one’s sins” (Sir 3:30). [This demonstrates] the importance of mercy in order to extinguish and to cancel sins. . . . Therefore, they will be saved, not because they have not sinned but because they have redeemed their sins with their good works.Augustine, Sermon 389.5 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 320).

a. Augustine, Sermon 389.5 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 320).

[29:16–18]

An unscrupulous and ungrateful sinner will squander the prosperity of the benefactor who acted as surety. Neglecting or abandoning one’s obligations to the guarantor and rescuer could lead him to financial ruin. For this reason, cosigning on loans should be done only with prudent consideration, as being surety has ruined many wealthy and powerful people. The loss they incurred shook them like a wave of the sea; they not only lost their homes and possessions but were driven into exile and wandered among foreign nations, being forced to seek work abroad.

[29:19–20]

Conversely, another kind of sinner guarantees the loans of others not out of benevolence but with the intent to take advantage of borrowers by extorting money from them. The dishonest guarantor who pursues gain—perhaps by charging interest from borrowers, a practice prohibited by the Torah (Exod 22:25)—will fall into lawsuits and suffer consequences for his extortion. In sum, despite the risks of providing surety, assist your neighbor generously and according to your ability, but remain cautious and be wary of dishonest people lest you fall and incur significant loss.

Ben Sira’s advice on lending, giving alms, and guaranteeing loans points to the virtue of liberality or generosity, which involves the proper use of wealth for good purposes—especially when it comes to giving to others.Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 4.1. As indicated by the only known saying of Jesus not recorded in the Gospels—“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)—the virtue of liberality contributes to human happiness. A liberal person “liberates” money from his or her own possession, thus demonstrating detachment from material wealth.Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 80 a. 1–4. Because it is directed toward others and promotes harmonious human fellowship, liberality is closely related to the cardinal virtue of justice, which concerns rendering to each their due.Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 80 a. 5. However, liberality is even more pleasing than justice, because the liberal or generous person willingly gives more than what is owed, imitating God’s generosity (James 1:5).
Liberality is the “golden mean” between the excesses of covetousness (or avarice)—the excessive love of possessing wealth or material things (see the Reflection and Application section for 14:3–19, pp. 134–35)—and prodigality, the careless and foolish squandering of riches.Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 4.1; Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II qq. 118–19. A wise and prudent person will avoid both covetousness and prodigality, being willing to help others generously without recklessly endangering his own possessions.

²¹The essentials for life are water and bread
and clothing and a house to cover one’s nakedness.
²²Better is the life of a poor man under the shelter of his roof
than sumptuous food in another man’s house.
²³Be content with little or much.
²⁴It is a miserable life to go from house to house,
and where you are a stranger you may not open your mouth;
²⁵you will play the host and provide drink without being thanked,
and besides this you will hear bitter words:
²⁶“Come here, stranger, prepare the table,
and if you have anything at hand, let me have it to eat.”
²⁷“Give place, stranger, to an honored person;
my brother has come to stay with me; I need my house.”
²⁸These things are hard to bear for a man who has feeling:
scolding about lodging and the reproach of the moneylender.
^30:1He who loves his son will whip him often,
in order that he may rejoice at the way he turns out.
²He who disciplines his son will profit by him,
and will boast of him among acquaintances.
³He who teaches his son will make his enemies envious,
and will glory in him in the presence of friends.
⁴The father may die, and yet he is not dead,
for he has left behind him one like himself;
⁵while alive he saw and rejoiced,
and when he died he was not grieved;
⁶he has left behind him an avenger against his enemies,
and one to repay the kindness of his friends.

⁷He who spoils his son will bind up his wounds,
and his feelings will be troubled at every cry.
⁸A horse that is untamed turns out to be stubborn,
and a son unrestrained turns out to be willful.
⁹Pamper a child, and he will frighten you;
play with him, and he will give you grief.
¹⁰Do not laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with him,
and in the end you will gnash your teeth.
¹¹Give him no authority in his youth,
and do not ignore his errors.
¹²Bow down his neck in his youth,
and beat his sides while he is young,
lest he become stubborn and disobey you,
and you have sorrow of soul from him.
¹³Discipline your son and take pains with him,
that you may not be offended by his shamelessness.

OT: Prov 13:24; 22:6; 23:13–14; 29:15, 17
NT: Phil 4:11–12; 1 Tim 6:6–8; Heb 13:5
Catechism: education of children, 1652–58, 2201–6, 2214–31; poverty of heart, 2544–47

[29:21–23] In the ancient Greco-Roman world, a man could improve his life by living in the household of a wealthy benefactor, enjoying better food and a more comfortable home, but at the cost of his independence and self-respect since he placed himself at the service of the benefactor. Ben Sira advises against this kind of dependency, recommending instead a more frugal life and contentment with the necessities—water, bread, clothing, and a modest house that provides privacy and shelter. Better is the frugal life of a poor man living independently under his own roof than sumptuous food in another man’s house while being dependent and obligated to him. True happiness lies in being content with what you have, whether little or much (see Phil 4:11–12; 1 Tim 6:6–8; Heb 13:5). GII adds: and you will not hear reproach for your sojourning—meaning that if you live in your own home, no one will accuse you of being a permanent guest dependent on others’ hospitality.Sir 29:23, RSV 2CE footnote; compare NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE.

[29:24–25]

One who relies on others for sustenance leads a miserable life, going from house to house as a visitor in other people’s homes. As a stranger, he will not dare to speak freely in a place where he does not belong. Acting as a servant of the housemaster, he will play the host, welcoming guests and providing them drink without being thanked for his service. Worse yet, the guests will humiliate him with rude and bitter words.

[29:26–27]

“Come here, stranger,” the guests will say condescendingly to the sojourner as if he were a servant, “prepare the table for a meal, and give me whatever you have to eat.” Equally rudely, the host will order him to give up his place to an honored person, such as his brother or some other important guest (see Luke 14:7–11). If the host needs space in his house, there may be no more room for the sojourner, making him unwelcome.

[29:28]

These things discussed in verses 1–27 are hard to bear for a sensible, self-respecting person, because being scolded about lodging at someone else’s expense and being reproached by a moneylender for defaulting on debts would shame him. For this reason, a wise, sensible person should take care to live independently and pay off his debts.

[30:1]

Ben Sira now turns to the education and training of children (30:1–13). Reflecting the cultural context of his time, he assumes that a good father should be rigorous in disciplining his children, with corporal punishment as a normal part of a child’s education. This portrait of a strict, disciplinarian father (in contrast to the indulgent father who spoils his son in v. 7) mirrors Wisdom’s own approach: she disciplines her children for their own good because she loves them (4:17–18; 6:18–31). Nevertheless, not all of Ben Sira’s advice should be observed literally in a modern context; it should be understood in light of the teachings of the New Testament and the Church. For Ben Sira, a father who loves his son should whip him often,It is likely that Ben Sira exaggerates and is not speaking literally when he says “whip him often”; modern parents also sometimes use hyperbole when they speak about punishing children. correcting his misbehavior with appropriate corporal punishment (Prov 13:24; 23:13–14; 29:15) so that the father may rejoice in how the child turns out when he grows into a mature and responsible adult. While children need firm correction to grow into people of good character, physical abuse is never acceptable. The point of this passage is not to inflict harm but to avoid spoiling children. As St. Paul writes, parents should “not provoke [their] children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4; see also Col 3:21; Catechism 2223).

[30:2–3]

A father who disciplines his son through education and training (Prov 22:6; 29:17), teaching him to behave virtuously, will profit by him—for such a son will be a blessing to the household. His father will boast of him among acquaintances and friends and will even make his enemies envious of his well-behaved son and harmonious household.

[30:4–6]

Even if the father dies, it is as though he is not dead, for he has left behind a legacy: his son, raised to be like himself. While he was alive the father rejoiced over his beloved son, and when he died—that is, while on his deathbed—he was not grieved because he knew that his son had learned his ways and would continue where he left off. In dying, the father left behind him an avenger who would defend the security and honor of his family against his enemies—sons were expected to stand by their father and their family in ancient Israel (Ps 127:5)—and who could repay the kindness of his friends even after his death.

[30:7–8]

By contrast, a father who spoils his son and allows him to misbehave without punishment encourages his evil conduct. Through his own reckless behavior, the son incurs wounds that the father will need to bind up. If the father is too soft or sentimental, his feelings will be troubled every time his wayward son cries. Just as an untamed horse remains stubborn and wild, so does a son unrestrained by discipline become willful and reckless.

[30:9–10]

Pamper a child, and he will frighten you (literally, “astonish you”—in a bad way); play with him or indulge him, and he will give you grief. Ben Sira warns that a father who is overly familiar with his child may lose the child’s respect. He exhorts the father not to laugh with him, perhaps to avoid encouraging frivolous behavior, but (in line with ancient customs) to exercise a measure of emotional self-restraint to avoid future sorrow because of him. If the child remains undisciplined and reckless, the father will gnash his teeth in mental distress and turmoil (Ezek 18:2; Matt 8:12; 13:42). This advice, however, should not be taken literally; fathers can play with their children while still maintaining appropriate respect and healthy emotional boundaries (see the Reflection and Application section below).

[30:11–13]

To train a son well, a father should give him no authority, meaning he should not allow the child to do whatever he wants. The father should also not ignore his errors but correct them patiently and steadfastly. Returning to the metaphor of training a horse (30:8), the father should bow down his neck (i.e., train him to be obedient) in his youth, and beat his sides as a rider whips his horse while he is young, lest he become stubborn and rebellious—like the wayward son of Deut 21:18–21, whom the ^†Torah condemns to death—and cause the father sorrow of soul.The fact that there is no record of the death penalty ever being carried out on a “stubborn and rebellious son” as described in Deut 21:18–21 indicates that this law may have been given primarily as a deterrent against youthful disobedience and to encourage parental discipline rather than to actually enforce the execution of wayward sons. On the injunction to beat the son, see note 25 above. While this advice seems excessively harsh, the modern reader should remember that the author speaks metaphorically and hyperbolically within the context of horse training: just as a rider trains his horse by beating its sides, so a father should discipline his son with appropriate firmness. Jesus also used striking hyperboles to emphasize the importance of self-discipline, without expecting his words to be taken literally (Matt 5:29–30). In sum, a father should discipline his son and take pains with him (Hebrew: “and make his yoke heavy” by keeping him engaged with responsibilities), that he may grow to be a God-fearing man, so that the father will not be offended by his shamelessness if he remains stubborn and disobedient. Fathers then, as now, loved their sons and were often inclined to indulge them. Ben Sira underscores that fatherly discipline is essential for a son to grow into a well-rounded individual.

Training One’s Children
St. John Chrysostom, drawing inspiration from the words of Proverbs and Sirach, advises parents not to spoil their children but to discipline them for their own good. Just as a general trains his troops to prepare them for battle against enemy armies, so parents must train their children for the spiritual battle against sin and worldly temptations.

One who is always helping his child ruins him, while the one who does not always help saves him. A wise man said the same thing: “If you beat your child with the rod, he will not die. Rather, you will free his soul from death” (Prov 23:13–14). And, “One who spoils his child will bind up his wounds” (Sir 30:7). This is also the case in the army. If the general, in his concern for the soldiers, orders that they always stay inside the city, he will cause not only the soldiers to die, but the others in the city as well. So that this would not also happen to you, [the Lord] says, You must be ready for a continual death (Matt 16:25–26). Indeed, even now a difficult battle breaks out. Do not remain inside, therefore, but go out and fight. Even if you fall in battle, you will have lived. If, in earthly wars, one who is ready to be killed is held in more esteem than the others and is more invincible and fearsome to the enemy . . . how much more in these battles, with such a great hope of resurrection, will the one who exposes his life to death find it, first because he will not be taken quickly, and second, because even if he falls, it will bring him to a higher life.John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 55.2 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 324–25).

Though Ben Sira’s view of parental education seems harsh by today’s standards, he still offers valuable lessons for modern parents. While the ancients tended to err on the side of excessive discipline, many parents today fall into the opposite error by failing to correct their children and adopting a lax, laissez-faire attitude, often reflected in expressions such as “I don’t want to impose my values on them,” “Let them grow up and make their own decisions,” “They will learn from their own mistakes,” or “It’s the school’s job to educate them.” Such attitudes are diametrically opposed to the biblical and Catholic view of education, which holds that parents are the primary educators of their children, responsible for their moral education and spiritual formation. Because family life is “an initiation into life in society,” the educational role of parents is “primordial and inalienable” and “of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute” (Catechism 2207, 2221). This role includes creating a home “where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule”; educating children in the virtues, which requires “an apprenticeship in self-denial, sound judgment, and self-mastery”; and guiding and correcting them by example (Catechism 2223). Parents are responsible for evangelizing and catechizing their children from their earliest years (Catechism 2225–26). Although this is a challenging task, it is a noble and crucial one in an age when the culture continues to drift further from a Christian worldview. Today’s parents are blessed to have access to an abundance of good Catholic books, websites, podcasts, and other resources to assist them in their role as primary educators of their children.

¹⁴Better off is a poor man who is well and strong in constitution
than a rich man who is severely afflicted in body.
¹⁵Health and soundness are better than all gold,
and a robust body than countless riches.
¹⁶There is no wealth better than health of body,
and there is no gladness above joy of heart.
¹⁷Death is better than a miserable life,
and eternal rest than chronic sickness.

¹⁸Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed
are like offerings of food placed upon a grave.
¹⁹Of what use to an idol is an offering of fruit?
For it can neither eat nor smell.
So is he who is afflicted by the Lord;
²⁰he sees with his eyes and groans,
like a eunuch who embraces a maiden and groans.

²¹Do not give yourself over to sorrow,
and do not afflict yourself deliberately.
²²Gladness of heart is the life of man,
and the rejoicing of a man is length of days.
²³Delight your soul and comfort your heart,
and remove sorrow far from you,
for sorrow has destroyed many,
and there is no profit in it.
²⁴Jealousy and anger shorten life,
and anxiety brings on old age too soon.
²⁵A man of cheerful and good heart
will give heed to the food he eats.

^31:1Wakefulness over wealth wastes away one’s flesh,
and anxiety about it removes sleep.

²Wakeful anxiety prevents slumber,
and a severe illness carries off sleep.
³The rich man toils as his wealth accumulates,
and when he rests he fills himself with his dainties.
⁴The poor man toils as his livelihood diminishes,
and when he rests he becomes needy.

⁵He who loves gold will not be justified,
and he who pursues money will be led astray by it.
⁶Many have come to ruin because of gold,
and their destruction has met them face to face.
⁷It is a stumbling block to those who are devoted to it,
and every fool will be taken captive by it.

⁸Blessed is the rich man who is found blameless,
and who does not go after gold.
⁹Who is he? And we will call him blessed,
for he has done wonderful things among his people.
¹⁰Who has been tested by it and been found perfect?
Let it be for him a ground for boasting.
Who has had the power to transgress and did not transgress,
and to do evil and did not do it?
¹¹His prosperity will be established,
and the assembly will relate his acts of charity.

OT: Tob 3:6, 10, 13; Prov 15:15; 17:22; Eccles 5:10–11; 11:9–10
NT: Matt 5:3; 6:19–21, 24; Mark 10:23; Luke 12:16–20; 16:9–13; 1 Tim 6:9–10
Catechism: our vocation to beatitude, 1716–24; the passions, 1762–70; avarice, 2536

[30:14–16]

In this section, Ben Sira argues that health contributes more to happiness than wealth does (30:14–25). A person is better off poor yet healthy and fit than rich but afflicted in body (see Matt 5:3). Health and soundness of body are better and of greater value than all gold, and a robust body than countless riches (Hebrew: “and a good spirit than pearls”; compare NABRE). The Hebrew of verse 15 supports the notion conveyed in verse 16 that not just the health of body but also a sound mind or joy of heart is far superior to all material possessions.

[30:17]

For those who suffer, death may seem better than a bitter, miserable life, and eternal rest—the sleep of death, which offers reprieve from life’s hardships—may seem preferable to chronic sickness. However, this is no argument for euthanasia. While righteous people sometimes express a desire to die when suffering acutely, they ultimately entrust their lives to God (Tob 3:6, 10–13; Job 3:11; Eccles 4:1–2). They recognize that their lives are a gift from God and that God remains the sovereign Master of life. They understand they are stewards, not owners, of their lives, and that life is not theirs to dispose of (Catechism 2280).

[30:18–20]

The sick person is compared to three things that cannot enjoy life: a grave (v. 18), an idol (v. 19), and a eunuch (v. 20). Good things (i.e., food) given to a mouth that is closed due to illness are like offerings of food placed upon a grave for the dead (prohibited in Deut 26:14) or offered to an idol (Hebrew). A person too sick to eat cannot enjoy good food any more than a dead person or an idol. Offering fruit to an idol—a common practice in Near Eastern religions but ridiculed in Israel (Deut 4:28; Ps 115:4–7; Dan 14:1–22)—is useless to the idol that can neither eat nor smell. Similarly, food is useless to one who is afflicted by the Lord with a serious illness. He sees the food and groans in frustration, like a eunuch who embraces a maiden and groans because he is unable to enjoy sexual intimacy.

[30:21–22]

The following verses (30:21–31:2) propose attitudes that foster physical, mental, and emotional health. By exhorting his reader, Do not give yourself over to sorrow by yielding to chronic unhappiness, Ben Sira implies that sorrow is not an uncontrollable feeling but often the result of a choice and act of the will. Do not afflict yourself encourages the reader not to deliberately distress themselves, as one can choose, to some extent, not to dwell on negative emotions such as sorrow, anxiety, and depression (Eccles 11:9–10). Cheerfulness brings health benefits: gladness of heart gives life meaning and makes it worth living, and rejoicing is length of days—that is, it prolongs one’s life expectancy (Prov 17:22).

[30:23]

Delight your soul (literally, “deceive your soul”; compare 14:16) and comfort your heart (†Vulgate: have mercy on your soul, pleasing God; see Douay, 30:24). As the saying goes, happiness is a state of mind. Just as you can choose to resist negative emotions, you can “trick yourself” and choose to embrace joy regardless of your circumstances by removing sorrow and its chief cause—worry—far from you (compare Matt 6:34). For sorrow has destroyed many, leading them into depression and despair—and there is no profit in it. Jewish tradition also highlights the futility of worry: “Do not worry about tomorrow’s sorrow, ‘For you do not know what a day may bring forth’ (Prov 27:1). Perhaps tomorrow you will no longer exist and it will turn out that you will worry about a world that is not yours.”Babylonian Talmud, Yebamot 63b (Neusner, Babylonian Talmud, 8:329).

The Anxiety of Riches
St. John Chrysostom highlights the paradox that, while pursuing riches leads to bondage, embracing poverty leads to freedom:

Why, O mortal, do you pile up gold? Why acquire for yourself a more bitter slavery? A harsher imprisonment? Why create for yourself a more piercing anxiety? . . . If you want to be formidable, eliminate the occasions by which [others] might take advantage of and harm you. Have you never heard the proverb that says that not even a hundred people together could ever despoil a poor, naked person? In fact, he has the greatest defender, poverty, one that not even the king could subjugate and conquer. Instead, all these things create anguish for the avaricious person. . . . What, therefore, is the pleasure of riches? . . . What, you might reply, are the unpleasant aspects? Worries, plots, hostilities, hatred, fear, endless thirst after riches and anxiety over them.John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 83.2–3 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 326).

a. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 83.2–3 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 326).

[30:24–25]

Jealousy and anger shorten life—a fact supported by modern medicine and psychology—and anxiety not only proves futile but also accelerates aging. A cheerful person, unburdened by worries, can gratefully enjoy the food he eats as long as his health enables him to do so (Prov 15:15).

[31:1–2]

Although wealth is a blessing, worrying about it can be hazardous to one’s health (31:1–11). Wakefulness due to worry over wealth—perhaps stemming from a guilty conscience over dishonest gain (40:5–8; Prov 13:11, 22; Eccles 5:11–14) or from fear of loss—wastes away one’s flesh, causing fatigue and impacting one’s health. Moreover, anxiety about possessions disrupts sleep. Wakeful anxiety (Hebrew: “anxiety about sustenance”)—potentially rooted in worries about making a living—prevents slumber, much like severe illness leads to insomnia.

[31:3–4]

In these verses, Ben Sira reflects on a common situation of social inequality in which the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. Although both labor and toil, the rich person’s wealth accumulates, and when he rests he enjoys life’s luxuries, indulging in delicacies (see Luke 12:16–20). By contrast, the poor man’s livelihood diminishes no matter how hard he works. If he does get a chance to rest he becomes needy and cannot make ends meet.

[31:5–7]

In verses 5–7, however, Ben Sira warns that wealth also has its downside. He who loves gold will not be justified before God, for he is driven by greed; he who pursues money is led astray by his own covetousness, inevitably falling into sin (Prov 28:20; Eccles 5:10). Many have come to ruin because of gold, since avarice leads not only to financial loss but also to moral and spiritual destruction (1 Tim 6:9–10). Though wealth is morally neutral, it often becomes a stumbling block, causing those devoted to it (as to an idol) to trip and fall. Every fool will be taken captive and enslaved by their own greed (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:9–13), for covetousness is nothing less than idolatry (Col 3:5).

[31:8–9]

A better outcome for the rich is possible: Blessed is the rich man who has preserved his integrity and remains blameless, who does not succumb to greed or go after gold (Hebrew: “mammon”). Who is he? Such a righteous rich person is rare (Mark 10:23–25). He is called blessed, for he has done wonderful things by acquiring wealth without committing sin.

[31:10–11]

Who has been tested by wealth and been found perfect? The implied answer to this rhetorical question is “very few people.” The righteous rich person has all the more a ground for boasting, because very few people with the power to transgress have resisted the temptation to do evil. By safeguarding his integrity, this person’s prosperity will be established, for wealth is ultimately a blessing from God (Deut 30:5, 9). Such a man will likely be generous as well, and the whole community will recognize his acts of charity.

Everyone desires to be happy (Catechism 1718). Yet we often perceive happiness as something that largely depends on our circumstances or emotional states (also known as “passions”). When life does not go according to our plans, hopes, or desires, we experience disappointment, sadness, or discouragement. While these emotions are normal, they need not dominate our soul; if we allow them to do so, our happiness will remain constantly at the mercy of external circumstances, which we can never fully control.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus proposes a radically different path to human happiness (Matt 5:3–12). This path—marked by poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst for righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, and peace—reflects Jesus’s own journey to the cross. God calls every person to this counterintuitive path to happiness, which is nothing less than a sharing in Christ’s own joy and divine life (Catechism 1720–21; Matt 25:21).
Because this happiness surpasses natural human understanding, it must be received by faith as a free gift of God (Catechism 1722). It requires us to make decisive choices, choosing joy in God’s love rather than seeking it in the goods of this world: “True happiness is not found in riches or well-being, seeking it in human fame or power, or in any human achievement—however beneficial it may be—such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love” (Catechism 1723).

¹²Are you seated at the table of a great man?
Do not be greedy at it,
and do not say, “There is certainly much upon it!”
¹³Remember that a greedy eye is a bad thing.
What has been created more greedy than the eye?
Therefore it sheds tears from every face.
¹⁴Do not reach out your hand for everything you see,
and do not crowd your neighbor at the dish.
¹⁵Judge your neighbor’s feelings by your own,
and in every matter be thoughtful.
¹⁶Eat like a human being what is set before you,
and do not chew greedily, lest you be hated.
¹⁷Be the first to stop eating, for the sake of good manners,
and do not be insatiable, lest you give offense.
¹⁸If you are seated among many persons,
do not reach out your hand before they do.

¹⁹How ample a little is for a well-disciplined man!
He does not breathe heavily upon his bed.
²⁰Healthy sleep depends on moderate eating;
he rises early, and feels fit.
The distress of sleeplessness and of nausea
and colic are with the glutton.
²¹If you are overstuffed with food,
get up in the middle of the meal, and you will have relief.
²²Listen to me, my son, and do not disregard me,
and in the end you will appreciate my words.
In all your work be industrious,
and no sickness will overtake you.
²³Men will praise the one who is liberal with food,
and their testimony to his excellence is trustworthy.
²⁴The city will complain of the one who is miserly with food,
and their testimony to his miserliness is accurate.

²⁵Do not aim to be valiant over wine,
for wine has destroyed many.
²⁶Fire and water prove the temper of steel,
so wine tests hearts in the strife of the proud.
²⁷Wine is like life to men,
if you drink it in moderation.
What is life to a man who is without wine?
It has been created to make men glad.
²⁸Wine drunk in season and temperately
is rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul.
²⁹Wine drunk to excess is bitterness of soul,
with provocation and stumbling.
³⁰Drunkenness increases the anger of a fool to his injury,
reducing his strength and adding wounds.

³¹Do not reprove your neighbor at a banquet of wine,
and do not despise him in his merrymaking;
speak no word of reproach to him,
and do not afflict him by making demands of him.
^32:1If they make you master of the feast, do not exalt yourself;
be among them as one of them;
take good care of them and then be seated;
²when you have fulfilled your duties, take your place,
that you may be merry on their account
and receive a wreath for your excellent leadership.

³Speak, you who are older, for it is fitting that you should,
but with accurate knowledge, and do not interrupt the music.
⁴Where there is entertainment, do not pour out talk;
do not display your cleverness out of season.
⁵A ruby seal in a setting of gold
is a concert of music at a banquet of wine.
⁶A seal of emerald in a rich setting of gold
is the melody of music with good wine.

⁷Speak, young man, if there is need of you,
but no more than twice, and only if asked.
⁸Speak concisely, say much in few words;
be as one who knows and yet holds his tongue.
⁹Among the great do not act as their equal;
and when another is speaking, do not babble.

¹⁰Lightning speeds before the thunder,
and approval precedes a modest man.
¹¹Leave in good time and do not be the last;
go home quickly and do not linger.
¹²Amuse yourself there, and do what you have in mind,
but do not sin through proud speech.
¹³And for these things bless him who made you
and satisfies you with his good gifts.

OT: Ps 104:15; Prov 20:1; 23:1–8, 29–35; 31:4–5; Sir 37:29–31

NT: Luke 21:34; Gal 5:19–21; Eph 5:18; 1 Pet 4:3; 1 John 2:16

Catechism: gluttony as capital sin, 1866; drunkenness, 1852; temperance in food and drink, 2290 [31:12–13]

Turning to guidelines on etiquette at banquets, Ben Sira advises moderation in eating (31:12–24), drinking (31:25–31), and conversation (32:1–13). If you are seated at the table of a great man for some banquet or festive occasion, do not be greedy (literally, “do not open your throat at it”), displaying a gluttonous impatience to eat, and do not comment on the quantity of food on the table—as praising a host’s food was considered rude in ancient Eastern cultures (Prov 23:1–3). A greedy eye (literally, “evil eye”) is a bad thing, for it expresses both envy and gluttony, two of the capital sins. The eye is particularly greedy because it covets many things (14:9; 1 John 2:16), and it easily sheds tears because it cannot have everything it wants.

[31:14–15]

A polite guest should not reach out ravenously to grasp everything on the dinner table, nor should he crowd his neighbor to reach the dish and take the best portions. Judge your neighbor’s feelings by your own (Hebrew: “know that your neighbor is like you”), and in every matter be considerate of others and not just of yourself (Matt 7:12).

Figure 9. Fresco of a symposion (banquet) [Simone Crespiatico / Shutterstock]

[31:16–18]

Eat like a civilized human being rather than like an animal. Do not chew greedily—for example, by taking huge bites or overfilling your mouth—lest you be seen as someone with poor manners. Show moderation and be the first to stop eating; do not, like some young men, be a ravenous, insatiable eater, but restrain your appetite lest you give offense. Similarly, at the beginning of the meal, do not reach out your hand to fill your plate before the other guests.

[31:19–21]

Just a little food is sufficient for a well-disciplined person who eats in moderation. Unlike the glutton, he does not breathe heavily upon his bed after overeating but sleeps soundly and feels better. It is well known that healthy sleep depends on moderate eating. The temperate and disciplined person rises early, and feels fit (literally, “and his soul with him”), while the glutton suffers from sleeplessness, nausea (indigestion), and colic (pain or cramps in the gut). To someone who ignores this advice and suffers stomach pain from overeating, Ben Sira suggests they get up in the middle of the meal to vomit—a practice that may have been common in the ancient Greco-Roman world—hopefully, to find relief from the overeating rather than to continue eating. This time-conditioned practice is obviously ill-advised today.

[31:22–24]

Ben Sira again exhorts his disciple to listen to his advice, for while it requires discipline and self-denial, in the end he will appreciate its value. He counsels his disciple to be industrious (or “moderate”) in all things so that no sickness or misfortune will overtake him. From criticizing gluttony and praising moderation, Ben Sira turns to generosity and stinginess regarding food. In ancient as in modern times, hospitality was highly regarded in the Middle East. People readily praise the one who is liberal with food and complain about a miserly host; their testimony to the generous host’s excellence and to the stingy host’s miserliness is considered trustworthy and accurate. When a person hosts a banquet, they leave an honorable or shameful impression that will precede them wherever they go (Prov 23:6–8).

[31:25–27]

Turning to the pleasures and hazards of drinking wine (31:25–31), Ben Sira warns his readers not to try to be valiant over wine, proving their manhood and strength by excessive drinking (Isa 5:22), for wine has destroyed many, as often attested in Scripture (Jdt 13:2; Prov 20:1; 23:29–35). As a furnace tests the temper of steel and the work of the metalsmith, so wine tests the hearts of the proud when they quarrel, revealing their true character. Nevertheless, wine is like life to men—a blessing when drunk in moderation. The rhetorical question, What is life to a man who is without wine? implies, hyperbolically, that life is not worth much without it, for God created wine to make men glad (see Judg 9:13; Ps 104:15).

[31:28–30] Ben Sira contrasts wine drunk at the right time in the right amount, which brings rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul, and wine drunk to excess, which brings only bitterness of soul, along with provocation and stumbling (Hebrew: “headache, derision, and disgrace”). Rabbinic tradition teaches a similar lesson: “If one has merit, wine makes him glad, if not, it makes him sad.”Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 76b (Neusner, Babylonian Talmud, 5a:297). Drunkenness not only leads to unhappiness; by inhibiting self-control, it can cause a drunken fool to lose his temper and hurt himself—whether through self-inflicted injury or by quarreling with others—reducing his strength and adding wounds, perhaps by making him “an easy target for angry blows” (GNT). Drunkenness is a “work of the flesh” that excludes one from the kingdom of God (Luke 21:34; Gal 5:19–21; 1 Pet 4:3).

Banquets in the Ancient World
The modern reader may find Ben Sira’s interest in banquet etiquette intriguing. Does such a topic really belong in the Bible? Does God truly care about etiquette at meals?
Banquets in the ancient world were not just meals but significant social events and public occasions that defined social boundaries and created social obligations between participants. In Greco-Roman culture, a formal banquet—known as a symposion—typically consisted of a festive evening meal followed by a drinking party that included entertainment and philosophical conversation. It was an occasion for both festive joy and instruction. Dinner guests reclined around a U-shaped table while eating and conversing, and a guest’s position at the table was an indication of relative honor (see Luke 14:7–11).
Social etiquette at a symposion demanded that participants appear humble and even deferential to their host and to other guests. Thus, etiquette mattered at such events, where many people would be watching. Anyone seeking to be well thought of and to succeed in life would welcome advice about conducting himself honorably and wisely at a banquet. Then as now, a festive meal provides a concrete opportunity to put others before oneself and to show charity and respect.

[31:31]

Despite the risks of drunkenness, one should not reprove a neighbor at a banquet of wine, for it is a joyful occasion; nor should one look down on a person or spoil his merrymaking with words of reproach. In Ben Sira’s day as in ours, a banquet is not the proper time or place to offer fraternal correction or to make demands of people who are enjoying themselves (20:1).

[32:1–2]

Ben Sira turns to the etiquette of conversation at banquets (32:1–13). One who is chosen to be master of the feast—the master of ceremonies who organizes and presides over the banquet (2 Macc 2:27; John 2:8)—should not exalt himself or act as if he is more important than others. Instead, he should modestly mingle with the guests as one of them. He should take good care of them and ensure their comfort; only after having fulfilled his duties of hospitality is he free to sit down and be merry with them. In this way he will have earned a ceremonial wreath or garland of flowers on the head (Isa 28:1; Wis 2:8), a token of appreciation and honor for his excellent leadership.

[32:3–6]

It is fitting that older men, being wiser, be expected to speak at banquets, but they should do so with accurate knowledge, without pompous words, and without interrupting the music or entertainment provided at the dinner party. They should not pour out talk—for the guests may prefer to enjoy the music rather than listen to long speeches—or make an untimely show of their cleverness by attempting to impress others with wit or wisdom. A music concert at a banquet of wine is highly valued, being likened to a ruby seal or a seal of emerald in a rich setting of gold, as it greatly enhances the enjoyment of the banquet (Eccles 2:8; Isa 5:12).

The Pleasures and Dangers of Wine
St. Ambrose explains that wine can be used for evil or for good. When abused without restraint it leads to drunkenness and disgrace; when consumed in moderation it not only promotes health and relaxation but also becomes a source of salvation in the Eucharist.

God gave us wine, knowing well that when drunk in moderation it contributes to health and increases discernment, whereas gulped without measure, it gives birth to vices. He left to human freedom the choice between frugal sobriety and the damage of abuse and guilt of drunkenness. Noah became drunk and, groggy from wine, fell into a deep sleep. In this way he who gained glory through the flood was disgraced by wine. But the Lord also preserved in wine the good qualities of his creature, even making its fruit contribute to our salvation, making the forgiveness of our sins derive from it.Ambrose, Hexameron 5.17.72 (Voicu, Apocrypha, 331–32).

[32:7–9]

On the other hand, a young man should be modest and not overly self-assertive or talkative at a banquet. He should be aware of his junior position and speak only if asked. His words should be brief and few, showing that he is knowledgeable yet self-restrained by holding his tongue. Among the great—whether eminent or elderly people—he should not act as their equal but should defer to them; and when another is speaking, he should not babble or make frivolous remarks, which would make him a nuisance.

[32:10–11]

As lightning speeds before the thunder, so approval precedes a modest man. Once he has established a good reputation, he is welcome wherever he goes. Another mark of good manners is not to overstay one’s welcome but to leave in good time, without delay, and not be the last at the dinner party. When the time comes to go home, do so quickly without lingering at the door.

[32:12–13]

Once at home after the banquet, it is fine to relax and amuse yourself, being now freed from the restraints of etiquette. However, one should beware not to sin through proud speech; the pleasant atmosphere at banquets may lead people to speak carelessly, but restraint in speech is still necessary after the party is over. For all these things—good food, wine, music, and conversation—it is fitting to bless God, who made you and satisfies you (literally, “intoxicates you”) with his good gifts.

Gluttony—the immoderate consumption of food—is a vice often overlooked, perhaps because it is considered more “harmless” than other sins. Yet gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins or vices from which all other sins derive. Along with lust, it is the most carnal of the deadly sins (committed with our bodies), in contrast to purely spiritual sins such as pride and envy. While gluttony may sometimes be a relatively minor or venial sin, it becomes more serious when it endangers one’s health. If an inordinate desire for food leads one to abandon virtue and God altogether, gluttony can even become a mortal sin.Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 148 a. 2.
Gluttony is not limited to simply eating too much; it can also involve eating too hastily or impatiently (being unable to wait for the next meal), too greedily (voraciously gulping down food), too sumptuously (seeking only fine foods), or too daintily (being overly particular about food preparation).Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 148 a. 4. St. Gregory the Great identifies five “daughters” of gluttony, or sins that derive from it: unseemly joy (inappropriate laughter), scurrility (untimely or offensive humor), uncleanness (loss of sexual self-control), loquaciousness (excessive talkativeness), and dullness of mind.Gregory the Great, Moralia on Job 31.45; Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 148 a. 6.
Closely related to gluttony is the sin of drunkenness—the immoderate desire for and consumption of alcohol. Like gluttony, drunkenness can be a mortal sin when a person “willingly and knowingly deprives himself of the use of reason, whereby he performs virtuous deeds and avoids sin.”Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II q. 150 a. 2 (trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province [New York: Benziger Bros., 1948]). By impairing their reason, people who indulge in drunkenness greatly increase their risk of falling into other sins.
Since gluttony and drunkenness are principally sins against temperance, they are best combated by exercising self-control and self-denial, especially through acts of abstinence, fasting, and prayer—for which the season of Lent is particularly fitting. However, since ascetic practices alone have limited effectiveness in restraining bodily cravings (Col 2:23), St. Paul reminds Christians: “Live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh” (Gal 5:16 NABRE). Paul urges us to set our minds not on the things of the flesh but on the things of the Spirit (Rom 8:5–13; Eph 5:18–20). Sometimes the support of a counselor or a twelve-step group can be essential in helping a person overcome addiction to food or drink.

¹⁴He who fears the Lord will accept his discipline,
and those who rise early to seek him will find favor.
¹⁵He who seeks the law will be filled with it,
but the hypocrite will stumble at it.
¹⁶Those who fear the Lord will form true judgments,
and like a light they will kindle righteous deeds.
¹⁷A sinful man will shun reproof,
and will find a decision according to his liking.

¹⁸A man of judgment will not overlook an idea,
and an insolent and proud man will not cower in fear.
¹⁹Do nothing without deliberation;
and when you have acted, do not regret it.
²⁰Do not go on a path full of hazards,
and do not stumble over stony ground.
²¹Do not be overconfident on a smooth way,
²²and give good heed to your paths.
²³Guard yourself in every act,
for this is the keeping of the commandments.
²⁴He who believes the law gives heed to the commandments,
** and he who trusts the Lord will not suffer loss.**
^33:1No evil will befall the man who fears the Lord,
** but in trial he will deliver him again and again.**
²A wise man will not hate the law,
** but he who is hypocritical about it is like a boat in a storm.**
³A man of understanding will trust in the law;
** for him the law is as dependable as an inquiry by means of Urim.**

⁴Prepare what to say, and thus you will be heard;
** bind together your instruction, and make your answer.**
⁵The heart of a fool is like a cart wheel,
** and his thoughts like a turning axle.**
⁶A stallion is like a mocking friend;
** he neighs under every one who sits on him.**

⁷Why is any day better than another,
** when all the daylight in the year is from the sun?**
⁸By the Lord’s decision they were distinguished,
** and he appointed the different seasons and feasts;**
⁹some of them he exalted and hallowed,
** and some of them he made ordinary days.**
¹⁰All men are from the ground,
** and Adam was created of the dust.**
¹¹In the fulness of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them
** and appointed their different ways;**
¹²some of them he blessed and exalted,
** and some of them he made holy and brought near to himself;**
but some of them he cursed and brought low,
** and he turned them out of their place.**
¹³As clay in the hand of the potter—
** for all his ways are as he pleases—**
so men are in the hand of him who made them,
** to give them as he decides.**

¹⁴Good is the opposite of evil,
and life the opposite of death;
so the sinner is the opposite of the godly.
¹⁵Look upon all the works of the Most High;
they likewise are in pairs, one the opposite of the other.
¹⁶I was the last on watch;
I was like one who gleans after the grape-gatherers;
by the blessing of the Lord I excelled,
and like a grape-gatherer I filled my wine press.
¹⁷Consider that I have not labored for myself alone,
but for all who seek instruction.

OT: Deut 30:15–20; Ps 119:105; Prov 6:23; Wis 1:12–14; Sir 2:16; 15:1

NT: Matt 7:13–14; 23:23–28; James 1:23–24

Catechism: the two ways, 1696; the law as way to life, 2052–74

[32:14–15]

Ben Sira now reflects on the fear of the Lord and the Torah as guide to right living. Life is best lived by honoring God and keeping his commandments (32:14–33:17; Eccles 12:13). He who fears the Lord demonstrates true honor and reverence by accepting the Lord’s discipline (Hebrew musar; Greek paideia)—his training, correction, or chastening (Sir 4:17; 18:14; Prov 3:11–12; Heb 12:5–6).For more on the Hebrew word musar, see the commentary on the prologue and on 6:20–22. Those who earnestly rise early to seek him, therefore, will find favor with God (Sir 4:12; 6:36; 39:5). He who seeks the law by studying it and searching out its meaning (Eccles 1:13; Ezra 7:10) will be filled with its wisdom and nourished by it as he learns to master it and put it into practice. In contrast, the hypocrite—who may study the Torah but has no intention of observing it, or does so only to gain human approval—will stumble and be ensnared by it (Hebrew, NABRE). Anyone who does not genuinely value God’s law cannot truly grow in character and will ultimately suffer loss (Matt 23:23–28; James 1:23–24).

[32:16–17]

Those who fear the Lord and observe the law will form true judgments and know what is right and just (Prov 28:5). Since the Torah is a guiding light (Ps 119:105; Prov 6:23), those who follow it will kindle righteous deeds—that is, they will produce good works that shine as light (Hebrew: “will bring forth much wisdom from their heart”) (Matt 5:14–16). A sinful man, however, shuns reproof—despising criticism and correction—and prefers to make decisions according to his liking (Hebrew: “and forces the law to suit his purpose”). Rather than obeying the Torah, he reinterprets it to justify his own lifestyle.

[32:18]

While a wise person with judgment is humble enough to consider someone else’s idea, suggestion, or warning—coming, for example, from one’s spouse, children, or subordinate—an insolent and proud man is not deterred by a healthy fear of negative outcomes (Hebrew: “a scorner will not receive instruction”) and does whatever seems right to him (Prov 12:15).

[32:19–20]

It is a mark of wisdom to do nothing without deliberation and to think carefully before acting (37:16), then not to regret the action by looking back and changing one’s mind. By contrast, it is foolish to go on a path full of hazards by choosing a dangerous course of action that may lead to stumbling over stony ground (Hebrew: “do not stumble over an obstacle twice,” i.e., by repeating the same mistake).

[32:21–24]

The wise person should not be overconfident on an apparently safe but unfamiliar road; instead, he should consider carefully his paths, for they may hide unexpected dangers. Guard yourself in every act by being cautious in all that you do; the commandments call for such prudence (Deut 4:9; Prov 16:17; 19:16). Conversely, one who believes the law gives heed to the commandments (Hebrew: “He who keeps the Torah guards his soul”), and one who trusts the Lord will not suffer loss (Hebrew: “will not be put to shame”). In other words, accepting the authority of the divine law, observing the commandments, and trusting the Lord forms a hedge of protection that enables the just person to flourish (2:16; 15:1; 19:20).

Like most authors of the Old Testament, Ben Sira is unaware of rewards and punishments after death. Following Deuteronomy’s law of retribution (Deut 28) and like Proverbs (Prov 24:12), he therefore expects God’s justice, which rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked, to be fulfilled in this life. While often this works out in practice, sometimes it does not. God’s perfect justice, which often remains shrouded in mystery in this life, is more fully revealed in the later Old Testament understanding of life after death (Wis 3:1–10; Dan 12:2–3), and even more so with the New Testament promise that rewards and punishments will be meted out at the final judgment. The fuller revelation in Christ teaches that God’s perfect justice ultimately prevails, partly in this life and fully in the next (Matt 16:27; Rom 2:6–11; Rev 20:12).

[33:1–3]

Ben Sira develops the thought of the previous verse: no evil will befall or hurt the one who fears the Lord. Although such a person will not always be shielded from trial or temptation, God will keep him safe and deliver him, especially against moral evil (Job 5:19; Prov 12:21). Thus a wise man will not hate but love the law, because he understands that it is the key to a flourishing, secure life in communion with God. Those who are hypocritical about the law, however, giving it lip service but not observing it, are like a boat in a storm, tossed around by life and unstable in all that they do. A sensible person relies on the law because it is as dependable as an inquiry by means of Urim. The Urim and the Thummim were sacred objects worn in the high priest’s breastplate and used to determine God’s will (Sir 45:10; Exod 28:30; 1 Sam 14:41).It is unclear whether the Urim and Thummim were still in use in Ben Sira’s time. There is no clear evidence of their use after the time of King David, though Ezra 2:63 and Neh 7:65 attest to their continued significance in the †postexilic period. The Torah is thus the sure way to discern the Lord’s will.

[33:4–6]

When you are asked to speak, prepare and think in advance what you plan to say so that you may be heard and respected; draw from your instruction, training, and experience to answer those who question you. Do not be like a fool, whose heart is like a cart wheel with thoughts going round and round like a turning axle because he has not prepared what he wants to say, constantly changing his mind. A mocking friend is just as unreliable: like a stallion that neighs under every one who sits on him, he either praises or objects to whomever is speaking, lacking clear convictions.

[33:7–9]

While Ben Sira generally emphasizes human free will by reminding his readers that they can choose to pursue wisdom, in the next section he explains that the world consists of many contrasting things and people because of divine predestination (33:7–15).

Why is any day better or holier (i.e., the Sabbath and religious holidays) than another, when all daylight comes from the sun and all days appear to be the same? By the Lord’s decision (Greek: “knowledge”; Hebrew: “wisdom”) he distinguished various days and appointed different seasons and Jewish feasts such as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, which he exalted and hallowed to reveal his purposes to Israel and the world (Gen 2:3; Lev 23; Deut 16:1–17).

[33:10–11]

Just as all days seem the same, so all human beings are also created equal from the ground, like Adam, who was created of the dust of the earth and returned to it when he died (Gen 2:7; 3:19; Job 10:9; Eccles 3:20). Yet in his infinite knowledge the Lord distinguished people from one another and appointed their different ways, granting them distinct roles, functions, and destinies.

[33:12–13]

Some, such as the people of Israel, he blessed and exalted (Gen 12:2; Exod 19:5–6; 32:13); some, such as the Aaronic priests (Exod 28:1), he made holy and brought near to himself. Others, such as the Canaanites, he cursed and brought low by expelling them from their place because of their wickedness (Gen 9:25; Lev 18:24–30; Deut 18:9–12). Although the Lord chooses some people to receive a unique calling, those who are cursed have brought this upon themselves by freely choosing to do evil. Nevertheless, God is sovereign over all his creatures: As clay is in the hand of the potter—to be molded as he pleases—so people and their destinies are in the hand of God, who made them; they will receive whatever he decides according to his just judgment (Isa 29:16; 45:9; Jer 18:4; Rom 9:21). The Catechism explains the interplay between human freedom and God’s sovereignty: “To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of ‘predestination,’ he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace” (Catechism 600).

[33:14–15]

Good is the opposite of evil, and life the opposite of death; so the sinner is the opposite of the godly. These three pairs of opposites are not metaphysical necessities in the world (as some forms of Gnosticism hold), since God declared his creation to be “very good” (Gen 1:31; Catechism 339). While the material world reflects God’s goodness, life, and excellence, the presence of evil, death, and sin in creation is the result of humanity’s tragic ethical choices (Gen 3:1–7; Wis 1:12–14). In other words, while Christianity rejects metaphysical dualism (the notion that good and evil, life and death are necessary aspects of existence), it acknowledges the reality of ethical dualism—that every person faces a decisive moral choice between two ways, one the opposite of the other—as stated in the ancient Didache: “There are two ways, the one of life, the other of death; but between the two, there is a great difference.”Didache 1.1; see also Deut 30:15–20; Matt 7:13–14; Catechism 1696.

[33:16–17]

Ben Sira briefly reflects on his own calling and on how he acquired his wisdom. He considers himself the last on watch in a succession of wisdom teachers, gleaning knowledge from the wisdom of his predecessors like one who gleans after the grape-gatherers. Yet he does not give himself credit for his own excellence but attributes it to the blessing of the Lord, for like a grape-gatherer he filled his wine press of wisdom (Prov 9:1–5) from the study of Scripture and Israel’s tradition. Moreover, he labored not for himself alone, merely to satisfy his curiosity or to win fame, but for the benefit of all who seek instruction (Sir

24:34).Sir 33:17 (RSV-2CE) is numbered 33:17–18 in most other versions (NRSV, ESV-CE, NABRE, NJB). Ben Sira’s earnest desire to educate and edify others through his work offers a praiseworthy model for parents, teachers, and evangelists to emulate.