Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament: Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

The Wisdom of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus) contains the sayings of Ben Sira, arguably the last of Israel's wise men and its first professional scribe, whose world was defined and dominated by Greek ideas and ideals. This Hellenistic worldview challenged the adequacy of the religion passed down to the Palestinian Jews of the second century B.C.E. by their ancestors. Ben Sira's training in both Judaic and Hellenistic literary traditions prepared him to meet this challenge. He vigorously opposed any compromise of Jewish values; and his teachings bolstered the faith and confidence of his people. Through its elegant poetry and vehement exhortations, The Wisdom of Ben Sira exposes the ill effects of sinful behavior on one's health, status, and spiritual and material well-being. Ben Sira's rigorous code of moral behavior was the measure of Jewish faithfulness in an era of ethical and religious bankruptcy.

Contents: The ways of wisdom -- Man's life under divine providence -- Maxims of prudence and self-discipline -- The praise of wisdom -- Counsels upon social behavior -- True piety and the mercy of God -- Man in society -- The wonders of creation -- Heroes of Israel's past -- Epilogue.

Old Testament message, Vol. 19.

A two-volume commentary on Sirach.

Contents: Greek and Hebrew transliteration -- Translating Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) -- Translator's prologue -- Book one (1.1- 23.27) -- Book two (24.1- 42.14) -- Book three (42.15- 50.24) -- Concluding matters (50.25 51.30)

Contents: The Book of Tobit: an ancestral story / Irene Nowell, O.S.B. -- "Eyes to the blind": a dialogue between Tobit and Job / Anathea Portier-Young -- The Psalms and the Book of Tobit / Stephen Ryan, O.P. -- Avenues of intertextuality between Tobit and the New Testament / Vincent Skemp -- The medieval Hebrew and Aramaic texts of Tobit / Loren. T. Stuckenbruck and Stuart D.E. Weeks -- Ben Sira, reader of Genesis 1-11 / Maurice Gilbert, S.J. -- The influence of the Book of Exodus on Ben Sira / Friedrich v. Reiterer -- In search of parallel:
Ben Sira and the Book of Kings / Pancratius C. Beentjes -- Ben Sira and the prophets / Leo G. Perdue -- An intertextual study of Proverbs and Ben Sira / Jeremy Corley -- Multum in parvo: Ben Sira's portrayal of the patriarch Joseph / C.T. Robert Hayward -- Ezra, scribe and priest, and the concerns of Ben Sira / Michael W. Duggan -- "Faith in God" rather than "fear of God" in Ben Sira and Job : a necessary adjustment in terminology and understanding / Renate Egger-Wenzel -- "Come, let us be wise" : Qoheleth and Ben Sira on true wisdom, with an ear to Pharaoh's folly / J. Edward Owens, O. SS. T. -- Ben Sira and the Book of the watchers on the legitimate priesthood / Benjamin G. Wright III -- Amid trials : Ben Sira 2:1 and James 1:2 / Núria Calduch-Benages -- Sanctus Matthaeus, magister sapientiae, summa cum laude / James K. Aitken -- Alexander A. Di Lella : bibliography

Contents: Introduction : some major topics in Ben Sira research -- Pt. I. Studies of literary units -- 1. "Full wisdom is from the Lord" : Sir 1,1-10 and its place in Israel's wisdom literature -- 2. "Sei den Waisen wie ein Vater und den Witwen wie eine Gatte" : Ein kleiner Kommentar zu Ben Sira 4,1-10 -- 3. Ben Sira 5,1-8 : a literary and rhetorical analysis -- 4. "Ein Mensch ohne Freund ist wie eine linke Hand ohne die Rechte" : Prolegomena zur Kommentierung der Freundschaftsperikope Sir 6,5-17 -- 5. "How can a jug be friends with a kettle?" : a note on the structure of Ben Sira chapter 13 -- 6. "Full wisdom is fear of the Lord" : Ben Sira 19,20-20,31 : context, composition and concept -- 7. Tranen, Trauer, Totenklage : Eine kleine Studie uber Ben Sira 38,16-23 -- 8. Scripture and scribe : Ben Sira 38:34c-39:11 -- 9. 'praise of the famous' and its prologue : some observations on Ben Sira 44,1-15 and the question on enoch in 44,16 -- 10. "The countries marvelled at you" : King Solomon in Ben Sira 47,12-22 -- 11. Hezekiah and Isaiah : a study on Ben Sira 48,15-25 -- 12. "Sweet is his memory, like honey to the palate'. King Josiah in Ben Sira 49,1-4 -- Pt. II. Essays on thematic topics -- 13. Canon and scripture in the book of Ben Sira (Jesus Sirach / ecclesiasticus) -- 14. In search of parallels : Ben Sira and the book of kings -- 15. Relations between Ben Sira and the book of Isaiah : some methodological observations -- 16. Prophets and prophecy in the book of Ben Sira -- 17. God's mercy : 'Racham'(pi.), 'Rachum', and 'Rachamim' in the book of Ben Sira -- 18. Brotherhood in the book of Ben Sira -- 19. Theodicy in the wisdom of Ben Sira -- Pt. III. Hebrew text(s) of Ben Sira -- 20. book of Ben Sira in Hebrew : preliminary remarks towards a new text edition and synopsis 21. reliability of text-editions in Ben Sira 41,14-16 : a case study in repercussions on structure and interpretation -- 22. Reading the Hebrew Ben Sira manuscripts synoptically -- a new hypothesis -- 23. Hebrew texts of Ben Sira 32[35].16-33[36].2 -- 24. Hermeneutics in the book of Ben Sira : some observations on the Hebrew Ms. C -- 25. Some misplaced words in the Hebrew manuscript C. of Ben Sira -- 26. Ben Sira 36,26d according to Ms. C. -- a new proposal -- 27. closer look at the newly discovered sixth Hebrew manuscript (Ms. F.) of Ben Sira

Contents: Woman as a good wife -- Woman as mother and widow -- Woman as bad wife -- Woman as adulteress and prostitute -- Woman as daughter -- Conclusion -- Appendix: -- Numerical sayings -- The text of Sir 40:18-20

"The Book of Ben Sira" is the longest Jewish wisdom book. This study examines all teachings concerning sexuality in the context of family relations and gender issues with a special regard to the differences between the Hebrew original text of the book and its Greek translation.

In this exploration of Jewish Wisdom during the Hellenistic period,internationally known scholar John J. Collins examines the books of Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon,the Sentences of Pseudo-Phocylides and the recently discovered Qumran Sapiential A text from the Dead Sea Scrolls-Offering one of the first such looks at this text in print. This commentary is a compelling analysis of these four important texts and their continuing traditions.

Contents: pt. 1: Literary analysis: heroes and history -- The profile of the hero -- The structure of history -- pt. 2: Rhetorical considerations: reading and writing -- Reading: in the place of praise -- Writing: the glory of the scholar-sage -- pt. 3: Hermeneutic: text and cultural contexts -- The hymn and Jewish and Hellenistic text -- Wisdom as text and texture

Introduction to and scholarly consideration of how Jesus Ben Sira (Jesus, the son of Sirach and Jewish wisdom teacher of the late third and early second century B.C.E) communicated his wisdom teachings, which psychological and sociological assumptions underlay his teachings, and what they might contribute to the personal and social formation of persons today.

Contents: Introduction: International Hellenism -- 1. Ben Sira's relation to Judaic tradition -- The proverbial wisdom tradition -- Divergencies from proverbial wisdom characteristics -- Divergencies in specific details -- Non-proverbial wisdom -- The Torah -- 2. Ben Sira's relation to Hellenic tradition -- Preliminary observations -- Theognis -- Other Greek authors -- Hellenistic veneration of Isis -- Stoicism -- Greek themes and terms -- Ben Sira's manner of borrowing -- 3. Ben Sira's relation to Egyptian tradition -- Egyptian texts other than Papyrus Insinger -- Phibis (Papyrus Insinger) in Paul Humbert's analysis -- Phibis in Werner Fuss's analysis -- Further evidence of borrowing -- Ben Sira's manner of borrowing -- Possible relation to other demotic works

Contents: Part 1, Toward Defining the Form of Sirach 44-50 -- Introduction -- The Extent of the Hymn -- Current Discussions of Genre -- Part 2, Sirach 44-50: An Encomium of Simon II -- The Proposal of an Encomiastic Genre -- Terminology -- The Encomium: A Historical Sketch -- The Form of the Encomium and Sirach 44-50 -- Conclusion

Contents: Methodological and hermeneutical trends in modern exegesis on the Book of Ben Sira / Maurice Gilbert -- Searching for structure and redaction in Ben Sira: an investigation of beginnings and endings / Jeremy Corley -- An historico-anthropological reading of the work of Ben Sira / Giuseppe Bellia -- Ben Sira and Qumran / Emile Puech -- The hymn to the creation (Sir 42:15-43:33): a polemic text? / Nuria Calduch-Benages -- "Full Wisdom is from the Lord": Sir 1:1-10 and its place in Israel's Wisdom literature / Pancratius C. Beentjes -- The secrets of God: Investigation into Sir 3:21-24 / Angelo Passaro -- The true sage or the Servant of the Lord (Sir 51:13-30 Gr) / Silvana Manfredi -- A common background of Ben Sira and the Psalter: the concept of hr"AT in Sir 32:14-33:3 and the Torah Psalms / Jan Liesen -- The interpretation of the Wisdom tradition of the Torah within Ben Sira / Friedrich Vincenz Reiterer -- Ben Sira's doctrine on the discipline of the tongue: an intertextual and synchronic analysis / Alexander A. Di Lella -- The metaphor of "falling": hermeneutic key to the Book of Sirach / Antonino Minissale -- Christian interpretations in the syriac version of Sirach / Giovanni Rizzi -- Blessing of the sage, prophecy of the scribe: from Ben Sira to Matthew / Rosario Pistone -- Sirach, or the metamorphosis of the sage / Angelo Passaro and Giuseppe Bellia -- Indexes

Contents: Methodological and hermeneutical trends in modern exegesis on the book of Ben Sira -- L'Ecclésiastique. Quel texte? Quelle autorité? -- The book of Ben Sira: implications for Jewish and Christian traditions -- The Vetus Latina of Ecclesiasticus -- Ben Sira dans la tradition -- Jérôme et l'œuvre de Ben Sira -- Grégoire de Nazianze et le Siracide -- The wisdom of the poor: Ben Sira 10,19-11,6 -- God, sin and mercy: Ben Sira 15,11-18,14 -- L'"éloge de la Sagesse": Siracide 24 -- Prêt, aumône et caution: Siracide 29,1-20 -- "N'empêche pas la musique!": Ben Sira 32(Gr 35),3 -- L'action de grâce de Ben Sira: Ben Sira 51,1-12 -- Venez à mon école: Ben Sira 51,13-30 -- Introduction to Kearns' dissertation -- Voir ou craindre le Seigneur? Siracide 1,10d -- L'addition de Siracide 1,21: une énigme -- Les additions grecques et latines à Siracide 24 -- Ben Sira et la femme -- Prayer in the book of Ben Sira: function and relevance -- Wisdom and cult according to Ben Sira -- Ben Sira reader of Genesis 1-11 -- Qohélet et Ben Sira -- The review of history in Ben Sira 44-50 and Wisdom 10-19 -- Où en sont les études sur le Siracide?