Saturday Sources: Sirach

The bulk of Sirach was written in Hebrew around 200BC, then translated into Greek in Egypt by the author's grandson in the late second century BC (author of Prologue). Many think Jesus ben Sira, the author, might have been a scribe. It's too early to pin to one of the later, well known Jewish groups. It's theology would come closest to the Sadducees at least in respect to the afterlife, but it's hard to know.

Here are excerpts I think are particularly relevant to New Testament study. Quotations are taken from the NRSV. I have put in bold items of particular interest.
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From Prologue: Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets and the others that followed them, and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. Now, those who read the scriptures must not only understand them, but must also as lovers of learning be able through the spoken and written word help the outsiders. So my grandfather Jesus, who had devoted himself especially to the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the other books of our ancestors, and had acquired considerable proficiency in them, was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, so that by becoming familiar also with his book those who love learning might make even greater progress in living according to the law.

1:1, 4, 11-14
All wisdom is from the Lord and with him it remains forever... Wisdom was created before all other things, and prudent understanding from eternity...

The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation,
and gladness and a crown of rejoicing.
The fear of the Lord delights the heart,
and gives gladness and joy and long life.

Those who fear the Lord will have a happy end;
on the day of their death they will be blessed.
To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
she is created with the faithful in the womb.

3:1-4, 12, 14-15
Listen to me your father, O children:
act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety.
For the Lord honors a father above his children,
and he confirms a mother's right over her children.
Those who honor their father atone for sins,
and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure...

My child, help your father in his old age,
and do not grieve him as long as he lives...
For kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
and will be credited to you against your sins;
In the day of your distress it will be remembered in your favor;
like frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away...

3:30
As water extinguishes a blazing fire,
so almsgiving atones for sin.

5:9-11, 13-14
Do not winnow in every wind,
or follow every path.
Stand firm for what you know,
and let your speech be consistent.
Be quick to hear,
but deliberate in answering...

Honor and dishonor come from speaking,
and the tongue of mortals may be their downfall.
Do not be called double-tongued
and do not lay traps with your tongue...

6:18-19, 23-26, 28-30
My child, from your youth choose discipline,
and when you have gray hair you will still find wisdom.
Come to her like one who plows and sows,
and wait for her good harvest.
For when you cultivate her you will toil but little,
and soon you will eat of her produce...

Listen, my child, and accept my judgment;
do not reject my counsel.
Put your feet into her fetters,
and your neck into her collar.
Bend your shoulders and carry her,
and do not fret under her bonds.
Come to her with all your soul,
and keep her ways with all your might...

For at last you will find the rest she gives,
and she will be changed into joy for you.
Then her fetters will become for you a strong defense,
and her collar a glorious robe.
Her yoke is a golden ornament,
and her bonds a purple cord.

7:36; 8:5
In all you do, remember the end of your life,
and then you will never sin.

Do not reproach one who is turning away from sin;
remember that we all deserve punishment.

11:14, 21, 25-28
Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, come from the Lord...

Do not wonder at the works of a sinner,
but trust in the Lord and keep at your job;
for it is easy in the sight of the Lord to make the poor rich suddenly, in an instant...

In the day of prosperity, adversity is forgotten,
and in the day of adversity, prosperity is not remembered.
For it is easy for the Lord on the day of death
to reward individuals according to their conduct.
An hour's misery makes one forget past delights,
and at the close of one's life one's deeds are revealed.
Call no one happy before his death;
by how he ends, a person becomes known.

14:12-19
Remember that death does not tarry,
and the decree of Hades has not been shown to you.
Do good to friends before you die,
and reach out and give to them as much as you can.
Do not deprive yourself of a day's enjoyment;
do not let your share of desired good pass by you.

Will you not leave the fruit of your labors to another,
and what you acquired by toil to be divided by lot?
Give, and take, and indulge yourself,
because in Hades one cannot look for luxury.
All living beings become old like a garment,
for the decree from of old is, "You must die!"
Like abundant leaves on a spreading tree
that sheds some and puts forth others,
so are the generations of flesh and blood;
one dies and another is born.
Every work decays and ceases to exist,
and the one who made it will pass away with it.

15:11-20
Do not say, "It was the Lord's doing that I fell away";
for he does not do what he hates.
Do not say, "It was he who led me astray";
for he has no need of the sinful.
The Lord hates all abominations;
such things are not loved by those who fear him.

It was he who created humankind in the beginning,
and he left them in the power of their own free choice.
If you choose, you can keep the commandments,
and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.
He has placed before you fire and water;
stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.
Before each person are life and death,
and whichever one chooses will be given.

For great is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power and sees everything;
his eyes are on those who fear him,
and he knows every human action.
He has not commanded anyone to be wicked,
and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

17:1-3, 17, 27-28
The Lord created human beings out of earth,
and makes them return to it again.
He gave them a fixed number of days,
but granted them authority over everything on the earth.
He endowed them with strength like his own,
and made them in his own image...

He appointed a ruler for every nation,
but Israel is the Lord's own portion...

Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades
in place of the living who give thanks?
From the dead, as from one who does not exist,
thanksgiving has ceased.

24:1-12, 21-23
Wisdom praises herself,
and tells of her glory in the midst of the people.
In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,
and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:

"I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist.
I dwelt in the highest heavens,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
Alone I compassed the vault of heaven
and traversed the depths of the abyss.
Over waves of the sea, over all the earth,
and over every people and nation I have held sway.
Among all these I sought a resting place;
in whose territory should I abide?

"Then the Creator of all things gave me a command,
and my Creator chose the place for my tent.
He said, 'Make your dwelling in Jacob,
and in Israel receive your inheritance.'
Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me,
and for all the ages I shall not cease to be.
In the holy tent I ministered before him,
and so I was established in Zion.
Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting place
and in Jerusalem was my domain.
I took root in an honored people,
in the portion of the Lord, his heritage...

Those who eat of me will hunger for more,
and those who drink of me will thirst for more.
Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
and those who work with me will not sin."

All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God.

25:16, 19, 23-24; 26:1-2
I would rather live with a lion and a dragon
than live with an evil woman...

Any iniquity is small compared to a woman's iniquity...

Dejected mind, gloomy face,
and wounded heart come from an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
come from the wife who does not make her husband happy.
From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die...

Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of his days will be doubled.
A loyal wife brings joy to her husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.

26:29
A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,
nor is a tradesman innocent of sin.

28:1-5
The vengeful will face the Lord's vengeance,
for he keeps a strict account of their sins.
Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
Does anyone harbor anger against another,
and expect healing from the Lord?

If one has no mercy toward another like himself,
can he then seek pardon for his own sins?
If a mere mortal harbors wrath,
who will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins?

33:13
Like clay in the hand of the potter,
to be molded as he pleases,
so all are in the hand of their Maker,
to be given whatever he decides.

33:26-29
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 slave there are racks and tortures.
Put him to work, in order that he may not be idle,
for idleness teaches much evil.

34:22-23, 31
If one sacrifices ill-gotten goods,
the offering is blemished;
the gifts of the lawless are not acceptable.
The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of the ungodly,
nor for a multitude of sacrifices does he forgive sins...

So if one fasts for his sins,
and goes again and does the same things,
who will listen to his prayer...

35:15-17, 21-23
... the Lord is the judge,
and with him there is no partiality.
He will not show partiality to the poor;
but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.
He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan,
or the widow when she pours out her complaint...

The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds,
and it will not rest until it reaches its goal;
It will not desist until the Most High responds
and does justice for the righteous and executes judgment.
Indeed the Lord will not delay,
and like a warrior will not be patient
until he crushes the loins of the unmerciful
and repays vengeance on the nations;

42:9-14
A daughter is a secret anxiety to her father,
and worry over her robs him of sleep;
when she is young, for fear she may not marry,
or if married, for fear she may be disliked;
while a virgin, for fear she may be seduced
and become pregnant in her father's house;
or having a husband, for fear she may go astray,
or, though married, for fear she may be barren.

Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,
or she may make you a laughingstock to your enemies,
a byword in the city and the assembly of the people
and put you to shame in public gatherings.
See that there is no lattice in her room,
no spot that overlooks the approaches to the house.
Do not let her parade her beauty before any man,
or spend her time among married women;
for from garments comes the moth,
and from a woman comes woman's wickedness.
Better is the wickedness of a man
than a woman who does good;
It is a woman who brings shame and disgrace.

43:26
Because of him [God] each of his messengers succeeds,
and by his word all things hold together.

44:23-45:2, 6-7, 13-14
From his [Jacob's] descendants the Lord brought forth a godly man,
who found favor in the sight of all
and was beloved by God and people,
Moses, whose memory is blessed.
He made him equal in glory to the holy ones,
and made him great, to the terror of his enemies...

He [the Lord] exalted Aaron, a holy man like Moses
who was his brother, of the tribe of Levi.
He made an everlasting covenant with him,
and gave him the priesthood of the people...
His sacrifices shall be wholly burned
twice every day continually.

51:23-28
Draw near to me, you who are uneducated,
and lodge in the house of instruction.
Why do you say you are lacking in these things,
and why do you endure such great thirst?
I opened my mouth and said,
Acquire wisdom for yourselves without money.
Put your neck under her yoke,
and let your souls receive instruction;
it is to be found close by.

See with your own eyes that I have labored but little
and found for myself much serenity.
Hear but a little of my instruction,
and through me you will acquire silver and gold.