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Sirach / Chapter 39

Sirach 39

42 verses • Latin Vulgate (Jerome)

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

The chapter opens with the ideal portrait of the scribe-sage who devotes himself to the Law, prophecy, and proverbs, travels among peoples, and serves before rulers. His wisdom comes through prayer, and God fills him with understanding. The second half is a hymn of praise declaring that all God's works are good and serve their purpose at the appointed time -- even destructive forces like flood, fire, and wild beasts are instruments of divine judgment.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

The portrait of the scribe (vv. 1-14) is Ben Sira's self-portrait and his most complete statement of the sage's vocation. The hymn (vv. 16-41) is one of the earliest systematic theodicies in Jewish literature: everything God made is good and fulfills its purpose, including apparent evils that serve as instruments of judgment against the wicked.

Translation Friction

The claim that all creation is good for the good but turns to evil for sinners (v. 33) raises difficult questions about natural disasters and innocent suffering that Ben Sira does not fully address. The theodicy is elegant but incomplete.

Connections

Genesis 1:31 (God saw everything and it was very good); Psalm 104 (hymn to creation's order); Romans 8:28 (all things work together for good); Wisdom 11:24 (God loves all that he has made).

Sirach 39:1

Sapientiam omnium antiquorum exquiret sapiens et in prophetis vacabit.

The wise man seeks the wisdom of all the ancients, and devotes himself to the prophets.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

prophetis
"prophets"

The prophetic writings as a body of literature to be studied, not just lived revelation; Ben Sira treats prophecy as part of the scribe's curriculum.

Translator Notes

  1. Continuing directly from 38:39-40, this verse completes the contrast: while craftsmen work with their hands, the scribe studies the tradition.
Sirach 39:2

Narrationem virorum nominatorum conservabit et in versutias parabolarum simul introibit.

He preserves the narratives of famous men and enters into the subtleties of parables.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

versutias parabolarum
"subtleties of parables"

The intricate turns of proverbial wisdom; versutia implies cleverness and complexity in interpretation.

Translator Notes

  1. 'Famous men' (viri nominati) anticipates the Praise of the Ancestors beginning in chapter 44. The scribe is the custodian of Israel's collective memory.
Sirach 39:3

Occulta proverbiorum exquiret et in absconditis parabolarum conversabitur.

He searches out the hidden meanings of proverbs and occupies himself with the enigmas of parables.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

occulta proverbiorum
"hidden meanings of proverbs"

The deeper, non-obvious layers of wisdom texts that require sustained study and interpretive skill to unlock.

Sirach 39:4

In medio magnatorum ministrabit et in conspectu praesidis apparebit.

He serves in the midst of the great, and appears before the ruler.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

praesidis
"ruler"

The governing authority; praeses can refer to a Roman governor or any person exercising political jurisdiction.

Translator Notes

  1. The scribe's vocation includes political counsel: he serves in the court of power, bringing wisdom to governance.
Sirach 39:5

In terram alienigenarum gentium pertransiet bona enim et mala in hominibus temptabit.

He travels through the lands of foreign peoples, for he tests the good and evil among mankind.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Travel broadens wisdom: the sage gains understanding of human nature by experiencing diverse cultures.
Sirach 39:6

Cor suum tradet ad vigilandum diluculo ad Dominum qui fecit illum et in conspectu Altissimi deprecabitur.

He sets his heart to rise early before the Lord who made him, and he prays in the presence of the Most High.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

diluculo
"early"

At dawn; the traditional hour for the first prayer of the day in Jewish practice.

Translator Notes

  1. The scribe's intellectual work is anchored in prayer. Dawn prayer (diluculo) was the standard first act of the pious day.
Sirach 39:7

Aperiet os suum in oratione et pro delictis suis deprecabitur.

He opens his mouth in prayer and makes supplication for his sins.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The sage begins not with teaching but with confession -- his authority is grounded in humility before God.
Sirach 39:8

Si enim Dominus magnus voluerit spiritu intellegentiae replebit illum.

For if the great Lord wills it, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

spiritu intellegentiae
"spirit of understanding"

The divine spirit that enables comprehension; echoes Isaiah 11:2 (the spirit of understanding resting on the Messiah).

Translator Notes

  1. Wisdom is ultimately a gift, not an achievement. The conditional 'if the Lord wills' preserves divine sovereignty over the distribution of wisdom.
Sirach 39:9

Et ipse tamquam imbres mittet eloquia sapientiae suae et in oratione confitebitur Domino.

And he will pour forth words of his wisdom like rain showers, and in prayer he will give thanks to the Lord.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

imbres
"rain showers"

Generous, nourishing rainfall; the sage's words bring growth to those who receive them.

Translator Notes

  1. The sage's teaching is like rain -- life-giving, abundant, and descending from above. The image links wisdom to natural fertility.
Sirach 39:10

Et ipse diriget consilium eius et disciplinam et in absconditis suis consiliabitur.

And the Lord will direct his counsel and knowledge, and he will ponder God's hidden things.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

absconditis
"hidden things"

The deeper mysteries of the divine economy that are accessible only through Spirit-guided study.

Sirach 39:11

Ipse palam faciet disciplinam doctrinae suae et in lege testamenti Domini gloriabitur.

He will make known the instruction of his teaching, and he will glory in the law of the Lord's covenant.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

lege testamenti Domini
"law of the Lord's covenant"

The Torah understood as the written expression of God's covenant relationship with Israel.

Translator Notes

  1. The scribe's teaching is not private but public: he is an authorized interpreter of the covenant tradition.
Sirach 39:12

Conlaudabunt multi sapientiam eius et usque in saeculum non delebitur.

Many will praise his wisdom, and it will never be blotted out.

Sirach 39:13

Non recedet memoria eius et nomen eius requiretur a generatione in generationem.

His memory will not depart, and his name will be sought from generation to generation.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Enduring memory is the scribe's immortality -- his teaching outlives him across the generations.
Sirach 39:14

Sapientiam eius enarrabunt gentes et laudem eius enuntiabit ecclesia.

The nations will declare his wisdom, and the assembly will proclaim his praise.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

ecclesia
"assembly"

The gathered community of Israel in worship; the sage is honored in the liturgical assembly as well as in international reputation.

Translator Notes

  1. The sage's reputation extends beyond Israel to the nations -- a universalist hope for the influence of Torah-shaped wisdom.
Sirach 39:15

Si permanserit nomen derelinquet plus quam mille et si requieverit proderit illi.

If he lives long, he will leave behind a name greater than a thousand others, and if he rests, it will profit him.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Even in death ('if he rests'), the sage's legacy continues to benefit him through the honor paid to his memory.
Sirach 39:16

Adhuc consiliabor ut enarrem sicut furore enim repletus sum.

I will ponder further so that I may declare, for I am filled as with a frenzy.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

furore
"frenzy"

An ecstatic state of inspiration; the sage is overwhelmed by the urge to speak wisdom, echoing prophetic compulsion (cf. Jeremiah 20:9).

Translator Notes

  1. Ben Sira speaks in first person, claiming an almost prophetic compulsion to teach -- 'filled as with a frenzy' suggests divine inspiration.
Sirach 39:17

Voce dico audite me divini fructus et quasi rosa plantata super rivos aquarum fructificate.

With a voice I say: Hear me, you divine shoots, and bear fruit like a rose planted beside streams of water.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

divini fructus
"divine shoots"

Literally 'divine fruits'; the audience is likened to plants bearing God's own produce.

Translator Notes

  1. The hymn begins with an address to the audience as 'divine shoots' -- plants of God's own planting, called to flourish.
Sirach 39:18

Quasi Libanus odorem suavitatis habete.

Have a fragrance of sweetness like Lebanon.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

Libanus
"Lebanon"

The cedar forests of Lebanon, famous for their beauty and fragrance; a standard biblical image of majesty and sweetness.

Translator Notes

  1. Lebanon's cedars were proverbial for their fragrance; the wise life should be similarly aromatic -- perceptibly excellent.
Sirach 39:19

Florete flores quasi lilium et date odorem et frondete in gratiam et conlaudate canticum et benedicite Dominum in operibus suis.

Blossom like the lily and give fragrance; put forth leafy branches in grace; sing a song of praise and bless the Lord in all his works.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. A burst of botanical imagery calling the community to praise. The lily, the fragrance, the branches -- each image suggests natural, effortless beauty.
Sirach 39:20

Date nomini eius magnificentiam et confitemini illi in voce labiorum vestrorum et in canticis labiorum et citharis et sic dicetis in confessione.

Give his name magnificence, and praise him with the voice of your lips, with songs of the lips and with harps; and thus you shall say in your confession of praise:

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

citharis
"harps"

Stringed instruments used in Temple worship; the kinnor was the standard instrument of the Levitical musicians.

Translator Notes

  1. The liturgical setting is made explicit: vocal praise, instrumental music, and a formal confession of faith.
Sirach 39:21

Opera Domini universa bona valde et omne mandatum in tempore suo.

The works of the Lord are all exceedingly good, and every command is fulfilled in its time.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

bona valde
"exceedingly good"

Directly echoes the Genesis creation narrative: tov meod. Everything made by God has inherent goodness.

Translator Notes

  1. The thesis statement of the hymn, echoing Genesis 1:31 ('very good'). All of creation, including what appears harmful, serves its divinely appointed purpose.
Sirach 39:22

Non est dicere quid est hoc aut quid est istud omnia enim in tempore suo quaerentur.

One should not say, 'What is this?' or 'What is that?' -- for all things will be sought out in their time.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. A rebuke of impatient questioning: the purpose of each element of creation will become apparent at the appointed moment.
Sirach 39:23

In verbo eius stetit aqua sicut congeries et in sermone oris illius sicut exceptoria aquarum.

At his word the waters stood still like a heap, and at the utterance of his mouth the reservoirs of waters appeared.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

congeries
"heap"

A massed pile; the waters stand in a solid wall at God's command, echoing the exodus miracle.

Translator Notes

  1. An allusion to both the creation (Genesis 1:9) and the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:22). God's word controls the primordial waters.
Sirach 39:24

Quoniam in praecepto eius placor fit et non est minoratio in salute illius.

For at his command his purpose is accomplished, and there is no limit to his saving power.

Sirach 39:25

Opera omnis carnis coram illo et non est quicquam absconditum ab oculis eius.

The works of all flesh are before him, and nothing is hidden from his eyes.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Divine omniscience: God's knowledge encompasses all human activity without exception.
Sirach 39:26

A saeculo usque in saeculum respicit et nihil est mirabile in conspectu eius.

He watches from age to age, and nothing is marvelous in his sight.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

a saeculo usque in saeculum
"from age to age"

The fullest expression of temporal infinity available in Latin: from eternity to eternity.

Translator Notes

  1. From God's perspective, nothing is surprising. His eternal vantage point encompasses all of time.
Sirach 39:27

Non est dicere quid est hoc aut quid est istud omnia enim in tempore suo quaerentur.

One should not say, 'What is this?' or 'What is that?' -- for all things are searched out in their time.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. A near-repetition of v. 22, forming a refrain that brackets the creation hymn section.
Sirach 39:28

Benedictio illius quasi fluvius inundavit.

His blessing overflows like a river in flood.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. A river in flood is not gentle; God's blessing is abundant to the point of overwhelming -- an image of superabundant grace.
Sirach 39:29

Quomodo cataclysmus aridam inebriavit sic ira ipsius gentes quae non exquisierunt eum hereditabit.

As the flood drenched the dry land, so his wrath will be the inheritance of the nations that have not sought him.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

cataclysmus
"flood"

The great deluge of Noah; used as a type of overwhelming divine judgment.

Translator Notes

  1. The same flooding force that blesses Israel becomes judgment upon the nations -- the dual function of divine power.
Sirach 39:30

Quomodo convertit aquas in siccitatem et siccata est terra et viae illius viis illorum directae sunt sic peccatoribus offensiones in ira eius.

Just as he turned waters into dry land and the earth was dried, and his ways were made straight for their paths -- so for sinners, his wrath sets stumbling blocks.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. God's creation serves a dual purpose: pathways for the righteous, obstacles for the wicked. The same elements of nature function differently depending on one's moral standing.
Sirach 39:31

Bona bonis creata sunt ab initio sic nequissimis bona et mala.

Good things were created for the good from the beginning, just as for the wicked there are both good and evil.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The core theodicy principle: creation is designed to reward the righteous and discipline the wicked.
Sirach 39:32

Initium necessariae rei vitae hominum aqua et ignis et ferrum et sal et lac et panis similagineus et mel et botrus uvae et oleum et vestimentum.

The chief necessities of human life are water, fire, iron, salt, milk, bread of fine flour, honey, the grape cluster, oil, and clothing.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

panis similagineus
"bread of fine flour"

Not rough barley bread but wheat bread of the best grade -- a measure of civilized life.

Translator Notes

  1. A catalog of civilization's essential goods. The list moves from raw elements to processed products, reflecting increasing human labor.
Sirach 39:33

Haec omnia sanctis in bona sic et impiis et peccatoribus in mala convertentur.

All these things are for good to the godly, but for the impious and sinners they are turned to evil.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The same material goods that bless the righteous become occasions of sin for the wicked -- a moral interpretation of natural abundance.
Sirach 39:34

Sunt spiritus qui ad vindictam creati sunt et in furore suo confirmaverunt tormenta sua.

There are winds that were created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on their torments.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

spiritus
"winds"

Spiritus means both wind and spirit; the destructive storms are simultaneously natural phenomena and spiritual agents of God's justice.

Translator Notes

  1. 'Winds' or 'spirits' (spiritus) -- the dual meaning is deliberate. Natural forces of destruction are agents of divine judgment.
Sirach 39:35

In tempore consummationis effundent virtutem et furorem eius qui fecit illos placabunt.

In the time of reckoning they pour out their force, and they satisfy the fury of the one who made them.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

consummationis
"reckoning"

The moment of final accounting; when God brings matters to their appointed conclusion.

Sirach 39:36

Ignis grando fames et mors omnia haec ad vindictam creata sunt.

Fire, hail, famine, and death -- all these were created for vengeance.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. A catalog of destructive forces that are not random but purposeful: each serves God's justice against wickedness.
Sirach 39:37

Bestiarum dentes et scorpii et serpentes et romphaea vindicans in exterminium impios.

The teeth of wild beasts, scorpions, serpents, and the avenging sword -- all bring destruction upon the ungodly.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

romphaea
"avenging sword"

A large, broad-bladed sword; here personified as an agent of divine punishment.

Translator Notes

  1. Even dangerous animals serve the divine economy: they are instruments of judgment upon the wicked.
Sirach 39:38

In mandatis eius epulabuntur et super terram in necessitates praeparabuntur et in temporibus suis non praeterient verbum.

At his commands they feast, and upon the earth they stand ready for their tasks, and in their appointed times they will not disobey his word.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Even destructive forces 'feast' at God's bidding and obey his timetable precisely.
Sirach 39:39

Propterea ab initio confirmatus sum et consiliatus sum et cogitavi et scripta dimisi.

Therefore from the beginning I was firmly convinced, and I reflected and left my thoughts in writing.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Ben Sira speaks again in first person, claiming that his theodicy is the product of long reflection, now committed to writing for posterity.
Sirach 39:40

Opera Domini universa bona et omne opus hora sua subministrabit.

All the works of the Lord are good, and he supplies every need at its proper hour.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. A reprise of v. 21, reinforcing the hymn's thesis: divine timing governs all creation.
Sirach 39:41

Non est dicere hoc illo nequius omnia enim in tempore suo conprobabuntur.

One should not say, 'This is worse than that,' for all things will prove their worth in their time.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The concluding refrain: human judgments about the relative value of created things are premature. Time will vindicate God's design.
Sirach 39:42

Et nunc in omni corde et ore conlaudate et benedicite nomen Domini.

And now with all your heart and mouth give praise, and bless the name of the Lord.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The hymn concludes as it began: with a call to praise that unites inner conviction (heart) with outward expression (mouth).
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