The Wisdom of Ben Sira (180-175 BCE)
A foundation for childhood development into adulthood
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The Wisdom of Ben Sira, or The Wisdom of Yeshua Ben Sira or merely Sirach, called Ecclesiasticus by Christians, is a book written circa 180-175 BCE. The author, Yeshua ben Sira, was a Jew who had been living in
The Greek Church Fathers called it also “The All-Virtuous Wisdom”. The Latin Church Fathers, beginning with Cyprian, termed it Ecclesiasticus because it was frequently read in churches, and was called Liber Ecclesiasticus (Latin and Latinized Greek for “church book”). Today it is more frequently known as Ben Sira or simply Sirach.
Although it was not accepted into the Tanakh, the Jewish biblical canon, The Wisdom of Ben Sira is quoted, though infrequently, in the Talmud, and works of rabbinic literature. It is included in the Septuagint and is accepted as part of the biblical canon by Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, but not by most Protestants. There is another, different medieval work called The Alphabet of Ben Sira.
The author is called in the Greek text “Jesus the son of Sirach of Jerusalem.” The copy owned by Saadia Gaon had the reading “Shim`on, son of Yeshua`, son of El`azar ben Sira”; and a similar reading occurs in the Hebrew manuscripts. By interchanging the positions of the names “Shim`on and Yeshua`,” the same reading is obtained as in the other manuscripts. The correctness of the name “Shim`on” is confirmed by the Syriac version, which has “Yeshua`, son of Shim`on, surnamed Bar Asira.” The discrepancy between the two readings “Bar Asira” and “Bar Sira” is a noteworthy one, “Asira” (“prisoner”) being a popular etymology of “Sira.” The evidence seems to show that the author’s name was Yeshua, son of Shimon, son of Eleazar ben Sira. (“Jesus” is the Anglicized form of “Yeshua`”. The Greek name “Ihsou~” or “Lesus” is used for both Yeshua` and Yehoshua`.)
The surname Sira means “the thorn” in Aramaic. The Greek form, Sirach adds the letter chi similar to Hakeldamach in Acts 1:19.
According to the Greek version, though not according to the Syriac, the author traveled extensively and was frequently in danger of death. He speaks of the perils of all sorts from which God has delivered him. The calumnies to which he was exposed in the presence of a certain king, supposed to be one of the Ptolemaic dynasty, are mentioned only in the Greek version, being ignored both in the Syriac and in the Hebrew text. The only fact known with certainty, drawn from the text itself, is that Ben Sira was a scholar, and a scribe thoroughly versed in the law, and especially in the “Book of Wisdom.”
The Prologue to Ben Sira is generally considered the earliest witness to a canon of the books of the prophets. Thus the date of the text as we have it is the subject of intense scrutiny.
The Book of Ben Sira is a collection of ethical teachings. Thus Ecclesiasticus closely resembles Proverbs, except that, unlike the latter, it is the work of a single author, not an anthology of maxims drawn from various sources. Some have denied Ben Sira the authorship of the apothegms, and have regarded him as a compiler but nonetheless the wisdom rings through the work.
The teachings are applicable to all conditions of life: to parents and children, to husbands and wives, to the young, to masters, to friends, to the rich, and to the poor. Many of them are rules of courtesy and politeness; and a still greater number contain advice and instruction as to the duties of man toward himself and others, especially the poor, as well as toward society and the state, and most of all toward God. These precepts are arranged in verse, which are grouped according to their outward form. The sections are preceded by eulogies of wisdom which serve as introductions and mark the divisions into which the collection falls.
Wisdom, in Ben Sira’s view, is synonymous with the fear of God, and sometimes is identified in his mind with adherence to the Mosaic Law. The maxims are expressed in exact formulas, and are illustrated by striking images. They show a profound knowledge of the human heart, the disillusionment of experience, a fraternal sympathy with the poor and the oppressed, and an unconquerable distrust of man and woman.
As in Ecclesiates, two opposing tendencies appear in the author: the faith and the morality of olden times, which are stronger than all argument, and an Epicureanism of modern date. Occasionally Ben Sira digresses to attack theories which he considers dangerous; for example, the doctrines that divine mercy blots out all sin; that man has no freedom of will; and that God is indifferent to the actions of mankind, and does not reward virtue. Some of the refutations of these views are developed at considerable length.
Through these moralistic chapters run the prayer of
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About the Book
This book is designed for the layman as a readable text to expose one’s self to the wisdom writings of Ben Sira. It is in a simplified format so as not to be so intellectual that it becomes a scholar’s reference. I want the average person to be able to concentrate on the wisdom and its reverberating thought and not other writings which could distract from the essence of thought that Ben Sira is propagating. It is taken from the original text in the King James Version of the Holy Bible and can be used as a family study guide or classroom lesson. It constitutes the wisdom writings of Ben Sira in the Apocrypha, which were translated into Greek by his grandson in the 2nd Century BCE.
Unfortunately in life, most people seem to go through a stage where they learn from their hard mistakes, but here Mr. Sira gives you the ability to forgo this process by giving you the formula to avoid it. It can be said that from these writings: “Why experiment with one’s own life when the lessons had already been learned and tested many thousands of years ago?”
Sira’s wisdom, if incorporated at an early age, will help all of us avoid the pitfalls of this wrong decision making process which leads to grief, sorrow, and in many cases a wasted life or death. Do not get frustrated if you do not understand a phrase or saying; be patient and read it again, for the essence of the wisdom will come upon you. It is not to be read as a judgment or condemnation nor should it be construed as ancient babble or chauvinistic idealism, for these wise writings are as pertinent today as they were then. The lessons they teach, together with the powers that emanate from those lessons, will have an everlasting positive effect on one’s spiritual being by showing the way to deliverance from the bondage in which this culture attempts to ensnare all.
May God bless you,
John Eric Sparacio
About the Author
About three years ago I was diagnosed with a fatal physiological disorder which caused an awakening to come upon me. Instead of reading it as a death sentence, I understood it as a call from grace, God himself telling me to wake up from the false reality I was living. I then started using my valuable time on this earth and in this cherished human state to understand the wisdom of the universe. I redirected my energies from play and the pursuit of materialism to the gaining of knowledge and the understanding of my being.
As this process continued, I had different levels of awakening, and to this day I am still growing with new thoughts and ideas streaming out of my consciousness on a daily basis.
Also, what I read is extremely important in this process; I chose to learn from the ancient stories of creation which tell of the powers in the human being. For as Isaac Newton believed, all ancient stories streamed a breath of wisdom and science which transcended through the word and filtered into the consciousness as enlightenment.
Two years after this awakening I wrote my first two books, “Waking the Sleeping Mind” and “Unlocking the Consciousness of a Thought,” which are reflections of this process and are delivered in a philosophical way which I feel ignites our sleeping mind in a metaphysical manner. Life has become more exciting for me as I learn of the consciousness in our being. It becomes like a ride on the most fantastic time machine. Every day is a new discovery and challenge. I still have the same emotions as I had, but for some reason they are more apt to be on the side of wonder than fear and despair.
If one believes in God, then the belief in one’s self as a truly wondrous creation will open your eyes to the magnificence of the human being and all its possibilities for we were created in God’s image; and if God created the universe, then what are we able to accomplish?
May the spirit of God be with you always.
JES