"... In addition to explicit instruction, there are a few important, though subtle claims that Ben Sira makes about God’s appointment of leaders by means of his distinctive poetic style. In verses 4–5 one finds semantic and syntactic parallelism between two entire bicola, i.e., verse 4a forms a parallel with 5a, as does verse 4b with 5b. The parallel arrangement of these lines points to two important connections: first, God’s dominion over the world (verse 4a) and his activity of prospering every person are linked (verse 5a); and second, God’s appointment of human leaders at the right time (verse 4b) is somehow congruous with his bestowal of splendor upon said leaders ... This sapiential outlook on human leadership was particularly helpful during Ben Sira’s own lifetime because it provided a way for the Jewish people to understand their situation as subjects within an empire without abandoning their heritage ..."