Great travail is laid on every son of Adam from the womb to the grave, on the king as on the man in a linen frock: anger, envy and fear of death trouble even his sleep, sevenfold more for sinners. The goods of the unjust dry up like a river, but bountifulness is a fruitful garden. A long series of comparisons follows: wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them both; gold and silver make the foot stand sure, but counsel is esteemed above them, and highest of all is the fear of the Lord. Better to die than to beg.
Sirach 40 - Summary
Summary
Read Sirach Chapter 40 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
Noah
Found perfect and righteous, kept as a remnant when the flood came, with an everlasting covenant
Abraham
Father of many nations, faithful when tested, to whom God swore to bless the nations in his seed
Moses
Beloved of God and men, brought into the cloud and given the law of life; the law he commanded is identified with Wisdom
Aaron
Given an everlasting priesthood; his vestments are described at length
David
Chosen out of Israel, slayer of Goliath, singer who set singers before the altar, given a covenant of kings
Solomon
Wise king of peace who built the temple, then stained his honour through his women
Elijah
Prophet 'as fire', taken up in a chariot of fire and appointed to turn the heart of the father to the son
Ben Sira
Author and sage of Jerusalem, who signs the book, praises the fathers and closes with his own prayer
Adam
First Man
Places in This Chapter
Position in Book
The Fear of the LordChapters 1-2
Parents, the Poor and Wisdom's DisciplineChapters 3-4
Speech, Friendship and PrudenceChapters 5-9
Pride, Wealth and GenerosityChapters 10-14
Free Will and God's MercyChapters 15-18
The Tongue and the FoolChapters 19-23
Wisdom Praises HerselfChapters 24
Wives and the HouseholdChapters 25-26
Honest Dealing and ForgivenessChapters 27-32
God's Order, True Worship and a Prayer for IsraelChapters 33-36
Counsellors, Physicians and the ScribeChapters 37-39
Life, Death and the Glory of CreationChapters 40-43
The burdens of human life, the sentence of death, true and false shame, a father's care for his daughter, and a great hymn to sun, moon, stars and weather.
The Praise of the FathersChapters 44-50
Thanksgiving and the Search for WisdomChapters 51