Books of the Apocrypha: Sirach

My whole being takes pleasure in three things,
and these are beautiful to the Lord and to human beings:
harmony among brothers and sisters,
friendship among neighbours,
and a wife and husband who adapt to each other.
(Sirach 25:1 CEB)

What is Sirach?

Sirach is the fifth book in the Apocrypha and is also referred to as Ecclesiasticus. It reminds me of Proverbs, with short sayings about life, God, and wisdom such as the one above. It was likely written in 190-180 BC, when Palestine was under the influence of the Greeks.

The author was a Jew named Jesus ben Sirach, thus the name of the book. The USCCB explains that Sirach, “a sage who lived in Jerusalem, was thoroughly imbued with love for the wisdom tradition, and also for the law, priesthood, Temple, and divine worship. As a wise and experienced observer of life, he addressed himself to his contemporaries with the motive of helping them to maintain religious faith and integrity through study of the books sacred to the Jewish tradition.”

The fifty-one chapters of this book are a hodge-podge of diverse subjects, from hymns to the glory of God in nature and in history to brief maxims grouped loosely by topic.  Sirach teaches traditional doctrine, saying that wisdom “comes from God; it is rooted in the fear of the Lord; it forms the youthful character and brings happiness” (themes also seen in Proverbs).

On Catholic Answers, Margaret Finley notes, “Part of the Lord’s Prayer may have its roots in Sirach. Christ said to his followers, ‘For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you’ (Matt. 6:14). Sirach advises, “’orgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray’ (28:2). The Lord’s Prayer, which includes this thought, has been prayed for centuries.”

Wise Words on Friendship

Other verses that caught my attention were these on friendship:

Trustworthy friends are a strong shelter;
whoever finds one has found a treasure.
Trustworthy friends have no price,
and no one can estimate their worth.
Trustworthy friends are life’s medicine,
and those who fear the Lord will find them.
Those who fear the Lord will direct their friendships well,
because they will associate with people of like mind.
(Sirach 6:14-17 CEB)

My previous encounters with Sirach have been hearing it read during Mass. While I find it harder to read than other books of the Bible because of the lack of storyline, it also provides much to think about, especially as many of the individual sayings are easy to remember or meditate on.

Father Mike reads and comments on Sirach in ten episodes of the Bible in a Year Podcast.