The text was written sometime between 196 and 175 BCE, and Ben Sira's grandson translated the text intoKoine Greek and added a prologue sometime around 117 BCE.[4] The prologue is generally considered to be the earliest witness to a tripartite canon of the books of theHebrew Bible.[6] The fact that the text and its prologue can be so precisely dated has profound implications for thedevelopment of the Hebrew Bible canon.
The Book of Sirach is generally dated to the first quarter of the 2nd century BCE. The text refers in the past tense to "the high priest, Simon son of Onias" in 50:1.[8] This passage almost certainly refers toSimon the High Priest, the son ofOnias II, who died in 196 BCE. Because the struggles between Simon's successors (Onias III,Jason, andMenelaus) are not alluded to in the book, nor is theSeleucid kingAntiochus IV Epiphanes (who acceded to the throne in 175 BCE), the book must therefore have been written between 196 and 175 BCE.[5]
The person who translated the Book of Sirach intoKoine Greek states in his prologue that he was the grandson of the author, and that he came to Egypt (most likelyAlexandria) in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of "Euergetes".[4] This epithet was borne by only two of thePtolemaic kings. Of these,Ptolemy III Euergetes reigned only twenty-five years (247–222 BCE), and thusPtolemy VIII Euergetes II must be intended. Since this king dated his reign from the date of his first ascension to the throne in the year 170 BCE, the translator must therefore have gone to Egypt in 132 BCE. Ben Sira's grandson completed his translation and added the prologue circa 117 BCE, around the time of the death of Ptolemy VIII.[4] At that time, the usurpingHasmonean dynasty had ousted the heirs ofSimon II after long struggles and was finally in control of theHigh Priesthood. A comparison of the Hebrew and Greek versions shows that he altered the prayer for Simon and broadened its application ("may He entrust tous his mercy") to avoid closing a work praising God's covenanted faithfulness on an unanswered prayer.[9]
The Greek version of the Book of Sirach is found in many codices of theSeptuagint.[10]
TheKoine Greek translation was accepted in theSeptuagint under the abbreviated name of the author:Sirakh (Σιραχ). Some Greek manuscripts give as the title the "Wisdom ofIēsous Son ofSirakh" or in short the "Wisdom ofSirakh". TheVetus Latina Bible was based on the Septuagint, and simply transliterated the Greek title into Latin letters:Sirach. In theLatin Vulgate, the book is calledSapientia Jesu Filii Sirach ("The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach").
TheGreek Church Fathers also called it the "All-Virtuous Wisdom", while theLatin Church Fathers, beginning withCyprian,[11] termed itEcclesiasticus because it was frequently read in churches, leading the Latin Church Fathers to call itLiber Ecclesiasticus ("Church Book"). Similarly, theNew Latin Vulgate and many modern English translations of the Apocrypha use the titleEcclesiasticus, literally "of the Church" because of its frequent use in Christian teaching and worship.
As with otherwisdom books, there is no easily recognizable structure in Sirach; in many parts it is difficult to discover a logical progression of thought or to discern the principles of arrangement.[4] However, a series of six poems about the search for and attainment of wisdom (1:1–10, 4:11–19; 6:18–37; 14:20–15:10; 24:1–33; and 38:24–39:11) divide the book into something resembling chapters, although the divisions are not thematically based.[4] The exceptions are the first two chapters, whose reflections on wisdom and fear of God provide the theological framework for what follows, and the last nine chapters, which function as a sort of climax, first in an extended praise of God's glory as manifested through creation (42:15–43:33) and second in the celebration of the heroes of ancient Israel's history dating back to before theGreat Flood through contemporary times (see previous section).[4]
Despite the lack of structure, there are certain themes running through the book which reappear at various points. The New Oxford Annotated Apocrypha identifies ten major recurring topics:
The Creation: 16:24–17:24; 18:1–14; 33:7–15; 39:12–35; and 42:15–43:33
Death: 11:26–28; 22:11–12; 38:16–23; and 41:1–13
Friendship: 6:5–17; 9:10–16; 19:13–17; 22:19–26; 27:16–21; and 36:23–37:15
Happiness: 25:1–11; 30:14–25; and 40:1–30
Honor and shame: 4:20–6:4; 10:19–11:6; and 41:14–42:8
Money matters: 3:30–4:10; 11:7–28; 13:1–14:19; 29:1–28; and 31:1–11
Sin: 7:1–17; 15:11–20; 16:1–17:32; 18:30–19:3; 21:1–10; 22:27–23:27; and 26:28–28:7
Women: 9:1–9; 23:22–27; 25:13–26:27; 36:26–31; and 42:9–14.[4][12]
Some scholars contend that verse 50:1 seems to have formed the original ending of the text, and that Chapters 50 (from verse 2) and 51 are later interpolations.[13]
The Book of Sirach is a collection of ethical teachings that closely resemblesProverbs, except that—unlike the latter—it is presented as the work of a single author and not as an anthology ofmaxims oraphorisms drawn from various sources. The teachings of the Book of Sirach are intended to apply to all people regardless of circumstances. Many of them are rules of courtesy and politeness, and they contain advice and instruction as to the duties of man toward himself and others, especially the poor and the oppressed, as well as toward society and the state and, most of all, toward God. Wisdom, in Ben Sira's view, is synonymous withfear of God and sometimes is identified in the text with adherence to theLaw of Moses. The question of which sayings originated with the Book of Sirach is open to debate, although scholars tend to regard Ben Sira as a compiler or anthologist.[4]
By contrast, the author exhibits little compassion for women and slaves. He advocates distrust of and possessiveness over women,[14] and the harsh treatment of slaves (which presupposes the validity of slavery as an institution),[15] positions which are not only difficult for modern readers, but cannot be completely reconciled with the social milieu at the time of its composition.[improper synthesis?]
The Book of Sirach contains the only instance in a biblical text of explicit praise for physicians,[16] though other biblical passages take for granted that medical treatment should be used when necessary.[17][18] This is a direct challenge against the idea that illness and disease were seen as penalties for sin, to be cured only by repentance.[19]
As inEcclesiastes, the author exhibits two opposing tendencies: the faith and the morality of earlier times and anEpicureanism of modern date. Occasionally, Ben Sira digresses to attack theories that he considers dangerous; for example, that man has nofreedom of will and that God is indifferent to the actions of humankind and does not reward virtue. Some of the refutations of these views are developed at considerable length.
Throughout the text runs the prayer of Israel imploring God to gather together his scattered children, to fulfill the Prophets' predictions, and to have mercy upon his Temple and his people. The book concludes with a justification of God, whose wisdom and greatness are said to be revealed in all God's works and in the history of Israel. The book ends with the author's attestation, followed by two hymns, the latter a sort of alphabeticalacrostic.[20]
Of particular interest to biblical scholars are chapters 44–50,[21] in which Ben Sira praises "famous men, our ancestors in their generations", starting from the antediluvianEnoch and continuing through toSimon, son ofOnias (300–270 BCE). Within the text of these chapters, Ben Sira identifies, either directly or indirectly, each of the books of the Hebrew Bible that would eventually become canonical (all of the five books of theTorah, the eight books of theNevi'im, and six of the eleven books of theKetuvim). The only books that are not referenced areEzra,Daniel,Ruth,Esther, and perhapsChronicles.[22] The ability to date the composition of Sirach within a few years, given the autobiographical hints of Ben Sira and his grandson (author of the introduction to the work), provides great insight regarding the historical development and evolution of the Jewish canon.[23]
"Alle Weiſsheit ist bey Gott dem Herren..." (modern spelling:Alle Weisheit ist bei Gott dem Herrn) (Book of Sirach, first chapter, German translation), anonymous artist 1654
Despite containing the oldest known list of Jewish canonical texts, the Book of Sirach itself is not part of theJewish canon. Some authors suggest this is due to its late authorship,[4][24] although the canonwas not yet closed at the time of Ben Sira.[25] For example, theBook of Daniel was included in the canon even though its date of composition (between 168 and 164 BCE as some scholars claim)[26][27][28] was later than that of the Book of Sirach. Others have suggested that Ben Sira's self-identification as the author precluded it from attaining canonical status, which was reserved for works that were attributed (or could be attributed) to the prophets,[29] or that it was denied entry to the canon as arabbinic counter-reaction to its embrace by theJewish Christians.[30]
Because it was excluded from the Jewish canon, the Book of Sirach was not counted as being canonical inChristian denominations originating from theProtestant Reformation, although some retained the book in an appendix to the Bible called "Apocrypha". TheAnglican tradition considers the book (which was published with other Greek Jewish books in a separate section of theKing James Bible) among thebiblical apocrypha as deuterocanonical books[citation needed] and reads them "for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet [does] not apply them to establish any doctrine".[43] TheLutheran churches take a similar position.
Masada casemate room 1109: Discovery site of Ben Sira scroll (MasSir)
The Book of Sirach was originally written inBiblical Hebrew and was also known as the "Proverbs of ben Sira" (משלי בן סירא,Mišlē ben Sirā) or the "Wisdom of ben Sira" (חכמת בן סירא,Ḥokhmat ben Sirā). The book was not accepted into theHebrew Bible and the original Hebrew text was not preserved by theMasoretes. However, in 1896, several scroll fragments of the original Hebrew texts of the Book of Sirach, copied in the 11th and 12th centuries, were found in theCairo Geniza (a synagogue storage room for damaged manuscripts).[44][45][46] Although none of these manuscripts are complete, together they provide the text for about two-thirds of the Book of Sirach.[47] According to scholars includingSolomon Schechter andFrederic G. Kenyon, these findings support the assertion that the book was originally written in Hebrew.[48]
In the 1950s and 1960s, three fragments of parchment scrolls of the Book of Sirach written in Hebrew were discovered near theDead Sea. The largest scroll, Mas1H (MasSir), was discovered in casemate room 1109 atMasada, the Jewish fortress destroyed by the Romans in 73 CE.[49][50] This scroll contains Sirach 39:27–44:17.[51] The other two scroll fragments were found atQumran. One of these, theGreat Psalms Scroll (11Q5 or 11QPsa), contains Sirach chapter 51 (verses 13-20, and 30).[52] The other fragment, 2Q18 (2QSir), contains Sirach 6:14–15, 20–31. These early Hebrew texts are in substantial agreement with the Hebrew texts discovered in Cairo, although there are numerous minor textual variants. With these findings, scholars are now more confident that the Cairo texts are reliable witnesses to the Hebrew original.[53][54]
Although excluded from the Jewish canon, the Book of Sirach was well known among Jews during the lateSecond Temple period. The Greek translation made by Ben Sira's grandson was included in theSeptuagint (the 2nd-century BCE Greek version of the Hebrew Bible), which became the foundation of the early Christian canon.[49] Furthermore, the many manuscript fragments discovered in theCairo Genizah evince its authoritative status among Egyptian Jewry until well into theMiddle Ages.[24]
The Book of Sirach was read and quoted as authoritative from the beginning of therabbinic period. TheBabylonian Talmud and other works ofrabbinic literature occasionally paraphrase Ben Sira (e.g.,Sanhedrin 100b,Hagigah 13a,Bava Batra 98b,Niddah 16b, etc.), but it does not mention his name. These quotes found in the Talmud correspond very closely to those found in the three scroll fragments of the Hebrew version of the Book of Sirach found at Qumran.Tractate Sanhedrin 100b records an unresolved debate between R'Joseph andAbaye as to whether it is forbidden to read the Book of Sirach, wherein Abaye repeatedly draws parallels between statements in Sirach cited by R'Joseph as objectionable and similar statements appearing in canonical books.[55]
The Book of Sirach may have been used as a basis for two important parts of the Jewishliturgy. In theMahzor (High Holiday prayer book), a medieval Jewish poet may have used the Book of Sirach as the basis for a poem,Mar'e Kohen, in theYom Kippurmusaf ("additional") service for the High Holidays.[56] Yosef Tabori questioned whether this passage in the Book of Sirach is referring at all to Yom Kippur, and thus argued it cannot form the basis of this poem.[57] Some early 20th-century scholars also argued that the vocabulary and framework used by the Book of Sirach formed the basis of the most important of all Jewish prayers, theAmidah, but that conclusion is disputed as well.[58]
Current scholarship takes a more conservative approach. On one hand, scholars find that "Ben Sira links Torah and wisdom with prayer in a manner that calls to mind the later views of the Rabbis", and that the Jewish liturgy echoes the Book of Sirach in the "use of hymns of praise, supplicatory prayers and benedictions, as well as the occurrence of [Biblical] words and phrases [that] take on special forms and meanings."[59] However, they stop short of concluding a direct relationship existed; rather, what "seems likely is that the Rabbis ultimately borrowed extensively from the kinds of circles which produced Ben Sira and the Dead Sea Scrolls ....".[59]
inMatthew 6:7, Jesus said "But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions", where Sirach has "Do not babble in the assembly of the elders, and do not repeat yourself when you pray." (Sirach7:14)
Matthew 6:12 has "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," where Sirach has "Forgive your neighbor a wrong, and then, when you petition, your sins will be pardoned" (Sirach28:2)
inMatthew 7:16, Jesus said "You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" where Sirach has "Its fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree" (Sirach27:6)[63]
inMatthew 11:28, Jesus said "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," where Sirach has "See with your own eyes that I have laboured but little and found for myself much serenity." (Sirach51:27)
Mark 4:5 has "Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow,"[64] where Sirach has "The children of the ungodly won't grow many branches, and are as unhealthy roots on a sheer rock." (Sirach40:15)
Luke 1:52 has "He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly,"[65] where Sirach has "The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers, and enthrones the lowly in their place." (Sirach10:14)
inJohn 6:35, Jesus said "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst." where Sirach has "They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst." (Sirach24:29)
inJohn 14:23, Jesus said "If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him." where Sirach has "They that fear the Lord, will not be incredulous to his word: and they that love him, will keep his way." (Sirach2:18)
inActs 20:35,Paul the Apostle remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive", whereas Sirach has "Do not let your hand be stretched out to receive and closed when it is time to give" (Sirach4:31)
Colossians 1:15 has: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:..", whereas Sirach has: "I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all creatures:.." (Sirach24:5)
James 1:19 has "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath,"[66] where Sirach has "Be quick to hear, but deliberate in answering." (Sirach5:11)
Some Christians regard the chapter where Wisdom praises itself as containingMessianic prophecy. Sirach 24:34-35 reads "He appointed to David his servant to raise up of him a most mighty king, and sitting on the throne of glory for ever. Who filleth up wisdom as the Phison, and as the Tigris in the days of the new fruits" whichCatholic scholars have seen as a prophecy about Jesus.[67][68][69][70]
Some Christians also see the catalogue of famous men in the Book of Sirach as containing severalmessianic references. The first occurs during the verses onDavid. Sirach 47:11 reads "The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his power for ever; he gave him the covenant of kings and a throne of glory in Israel." This references the covenant of 2 Samuel 7, which pointed toward the Messiah. "Power" (Hebrewqeren) is literally translated as 'horn'. This word is often used in a messianic and Davidic sense (e.g. Ezekiel 29:21, Psalms 132:17, Zechariah 6:12, Jeremiah 33:15). It is also used in theBenedictus to refer toJesus ("and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David").[71]
Another verse (47:22) that Christians interpret messianically begins by again referencing 2 Samuel 7. This verse speaks of Solomon and goes on to say that David's line will continue forever. The verse ends stating that "he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David a root of his stock". This references Isaiah's prophecy of the Messiah: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots"; and "In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek…" (Isaiah 11:1, 10).[72]
References in the Book of Sirach and pre-modern texts
The treatises ofZara Yaqob, Emperor of Ethiopia, on the nature and power of the Virgin Mary quotes Sirach 3:30, "Water extinguishes a burning fire and almsgiving atones for sin."[77]
The opening lines ofChariots of Fire, Best Picture at the 1982 Academy Awards, is from Sirach 44:1: "Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us."[80]
In "Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book", the first ghost story in his first published collection,M. R. James has his protagonist, Dennistoun, quote lines from Ecclesiasticus 39:28: "Some spirits there be that are created for vengeance, and in their fury lay on sore strokes."
^Stone, Michael E., ed. (1984).Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period: Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Qumran, sectarian writings, Philo, Josephus. Van Gorcum, Assen, Netherlands,p. 290,ISBN0800606035
^Trenchard, Warren C. (1982).Ben Sira's View of Woman: A Literary Analysis. Chico, CA: Scholars Press.
^Mulder, p. 11. However, other scholars take the position that the Book of Sirach started with chapters 1–23 and 51, with the intermediate sections being inserted thereafter. Mulder, pp. 30–31.
^See, e.g., Sirach 42:12–14, especially v. 14a ("Better the wickedness of a man than the goodness of a woman."); Sirach 22:3 ("A father is disgraced by producing an ignorant son, But a daughter is born to his loss."). For these translations, seeTrenchard,Ben Sira's View of Women, pp. 147, 135 respectively. The Book of Sirach also has some neutral and positive remarks about women, e.g., 7:27; 36:24–25.
^See: Sirach 33:24–28 ("Fodder and a stick and burdens for an ass; bread and discipline and work for a servant. Set your slave to work, and you will find rest; leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty. Yoke and thong will bow the neck, and for a wicked servant there are racks and tortures ... Set him to work, as is fitting for him, and if he does not obey, make his fetters heavy."). But see: Sir. 33:30–31 ("If you have a servant, let him be as yourself, because you have bought him with blood. If you have a servant, treat him as a brother, for as your own soul you will need him.")
^Snaith, John G. (1974),Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible, Cambridge University Press[page needed]
^Marttila, Marko.Foreign Nations in the Wisdom of Ben Sira: A Jewish Sage between Opposition and Assimilation, pp. 196–199 (Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. 2012),ISBN978-3110270105.
^Mulder, Otto (2003).Simon the High Priest in Sirach 50. Koninklijke Brill NV. p. 3 fn. 8.ISBN978-9004123168.The highly esteemed book of Ben Sira is not sacred Scripture [because] 'the author was known to have lived in comparatively recent times, in an age when, with the death of the last prophets, the holy spirit had departed from Israel.
^Sulmasy, Daniel P.The Rebirth of the Clinic: An Introduction to Spirituality in Health Care, p. 45 (Georgetown Univ. Press 2006),ISBN978-1589010956.
^Westcott, Brooke Foss (2005).A general survey of the history of the canon of the New Testament Page 570 (6th ed.). Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock.ISBN1597522392.
^abWestcott, Brooke Foss (2005).A General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament (6th ed.). Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock. p. 570.ISBN1-59752-239-2.
^"Canon XXIV. (Greek xxvii.)",The Canons of the 217 Blessed Fathers who assembled at Carthage, Christian Classics Ethereal Library
^Crawford, Sidnie White (2000). "Review of Masada VI: Yigael Yadin Excavations 1963–1965. Final Reports".Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research.319: 81.doi:10.2307/1357566.JSTOR1357566.
^Lehmann, M.R. (2000), "The Writings of Ben Sira, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Temple Worship in the Liturgy of Yom Kippur", inPiyyut in Tradition, vol. 2 (eds. B. Bar-Tikva and E. Hazan [Hebrew]; Ramat Gan: Bar-Ilan University), pp. 13–18.
^Tabori, Yosef (1996).Mo'ade Yiśra'el bi-teḳufat ha-Mishnah ṿeha-Talmud (in Hebrew) (Mahad. 2. metuḳenet u-murḥevet. ed.).Hebrew University, Jerusalem: Hotsa'at sefarim 'a. sh. Y.L. Magnes. p. 260 n. 4.ISBN9652238880.
^Reif, Stefan C.Prayer in Ben Sira, Qumran and Second Temple Judaism: A Comparative Overview, in Ben Sira's God: Proceedings of the International Ben Sira Conference, Durham, Renate Egger-Wenzel ed., p. 322 (Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. 2002),ISBN3110175592.
^"Epistle of Barnabas".Early Christian Writings: New Testament, Apocrypha, Gnostics, Church Fathers. Translated byLightfoot, Joseph Barber. Peter Kirby. 2024. Retrieved27 January 2024.
^Lapide, Cornelius Cornelii a; Crampon, A. (Augustin) (1865).Commentaria in scripturam sacram (in Latin). University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Parisiis : L. Vivés. pp. 571–572.
^Skehan, Patrick (1987).The Wisdom of Ben Sira: a new translation with notes. Series: The Anchor Bible. Vol. 39. New York: Doubleday. p. 524.ISBN0385135173.
^See footnote a at Ecclesiasticus 13:2-3 inTheJerusalem Bible, Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1966
^Rollston, Chris A. (2001). "Ben Sira 38:24–39:11 andThe Egyptian Satire of the Trades".Journal of Biblical Literature.120 (Spring):131–139.doi:10.2307/3268597.JSTOR3268597.
^Zärˀa Yaˁəqob. 1992. "Revelation of the Miracle of Mary according to John Son of Thunder (Raˀəyä Täˀammər)", in The Mariology of Emperor Zära Yaˁqob of Ethiopia: Texts and Translations, edited by Getatchew Haile, 70–145. Rome, Italy: Pontificium Institutum Studiorum Orientalium.
Askin, Lindsey A. (2018)Scribal Culture in Ben Sira E.J. Brill, LeidenISBN978-9004372863
Beentjes, Pancratius C. (1997)The Book of Ben Sira in Hebrew: A Text Edition of All Extant Hebrew Manuscripts and a Synopsis of All Parallel Hebrew Ben Sira Texts E.J. Brill, Leiden,ISBN9004107673
