Sirach
This book is known by its two names: Sirach and Ecclesiasticus. The first one recalls its author, Jesus, the son of Sirach and the second name refers to its welcome by Christians for centuries. It was considered as the epitome of practical wisdom, more elaborate and more “religious” than the Book of Proverbs.
Written in Hebrew, it was later translated into Greek by the grandson of the author (see the preface of the book). In Jesus’ time, the book existed in the two languages although it was especially used by Greek synagogues and a few years later, Jews did not accept it as “Scripture.” The Church used the book although it only knew the Greek version and it was only in the 19th century that part of the Hebrew text was found. It is slightly different from the Greek translation that sometimes added a few verses and the different numbering of the verses added to the confusion. The Hebrew versions are not necessarily older or more faithful to the original than the Greek text. In that regard, we have made our choices without prejudice or absolute rule.
This book consists of two main parts:
– Chapters 1–42 include seven series of maxims. Each one starts with the praise of wisdom. The poem on wisdom in chapter 24 is particularly interesting.
– Chapters 43–51 begin by praising God whose wisdom shines in the order of the universe and continue with a description of God’s wise activity through the great people of the Old Testament.
This book is one of the deuterocanonical books.
Foreword by the translator from Hebrew to Greek
• The Law, the Prophets and the other Writings which came later have transmitted to us so many and such great lessons that it seems fitting to praise Israel for its reputation in knowledge and wisdom. But it would not be enough to keep these truths for our own instruction: those who love wisdom want to be helpful in what they say and write to those who are not so familiar with her teachings.
My grandfather, Jesus, who devoted himself constantly to the reading of the Law, the Prophets and the later Writings of our fathers and had acquired a thorough familiarity with them, began himself to write something about their teachings and wisdom, in order that those people desiring to gain knowledge might take advantage of his writings and make even greater progress in living according to the Law.
You are therefore invited to read this book with kind consideration and attention, and to show indulgence where, in spite of my painstaking efforts in interpretation, I may appear to have badly conveyed the meaning. Those things, which in this book are written in Hebrew, lose their force when they are translated into another language. In fact, not only this book but the Law itself, the Prophets and the other Writings differ considerably from the original text.
When I went to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of King Euergetes and settled there, I found an example of this important teaching and I judged it very necessary to exercise great care and make serious efforts in translating this book.
I have therefore, during this time, devoted many sleepless nights and much study in order to finish this book and to publish it for the use of those who, though they live outside Palestine, wish to become lovers of wisdom and to conform their manner of living to the Law.
