Texts in Conversation
Sirach echoes the language of Psalm 131, describing wisdom as obedience to the Torah and emphasizing to avoid speculation about divine truths that are hidden and have not been revealed to humanity.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Psalm 131:1
Hebrew Bible
1 A song of ascents, by David. O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor do I have a haughty look. I do not have great aspirations, or concern myself with things things too marvelous for me. 2 Indeed, I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child with its mother; I am content like a young child. 3 O Israel, hope in the Lord now and forevermore!
Sirach 3:21
Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
20 For great is the might of the Lord; but by the humble he is glorified. 21 Neither seek what is too difficult for you, nor investigate what is beyond your power. 22 Reflect upon what you have been commanded, for what is hidden is not your concern. 23 Do not meddle in matters that are beyond you, for more than you can understand has been shown you. 24 For their conceit has led many astray, and wrong opinion has impaired their judgment.
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Notes and References
"... Strophe two (Sirach 3:21–24) may also have a literary frame. In the parallelism of verse 21, manuscript C juxtaposes the “marvelous things” (verse 21a) with “evil things” (verse 21b). Skehan proposes that these terms may originally have been singular and that the Hebrew in 3:21b may have been רם (“high”). This suggestion brings the bicolon into line with biblical parallels (Psalms 131:1; 139:6). While this is plausible, another possibility should be kept open. It is conceivable that ben Sira wants his readers to think of the biblical parallels. ..."
Argall, Randal A.
1 Enoch and Sirach: A Comparative Literary and Conceptual Analysis of the Themes of Revelation, Creation and Judgment
(p. 74) Scholar's Press, 1995
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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