Texts and Versions of The Book of Ben Sir A

The Texts and Versions of the Book of Ben Sira
Supplements
to the
Journal for the Study

of Judaism
Editors
Benjamin G. Wright, III

Department of Religion Studies, Lehigh University
Associate Editors
Florentino Garcia Martinez

Qumran Institute, University of Groningen
Hindy Najman
Department and Centre for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto
Advisory Board
G. BOHAK - J.J. COLLINS - J . DUHAIME - P.W. VAN DER HORST A.K. PETERSEN - M. POPOVIC - J.T.A.G.M. VAN RUTTEN J. SIEVERS - G. STEMBERGER - E.J.C. TIGCHELAAR J. MAGLIANO-TROMP
VOLUME 150
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.nl/jsjs
The Texts and Versions of the Book

of Ben Sira
Transmission and Interpretation
Edited by
Jean-Sbastien Rey
Jan Joosten
BRILL
LEIDEN . BOSTON
2011
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CONTENTS
Preface
vii
HEBREW TEXTS OF BEN SIRA
An Alternative Hebrew Form of Ben Sira: the Anthological

Manuscript C
Jeremy Corley
Reconstructions and Retroversions: Chances and Challenges
to the Hebrew Ben Sira Text
Pancratius C. Beentjes
23
Wordplay in the Hebrew to Ben Sira

Eric D. Reymond
37
Animal Imagery in the Hebrew Text of Ben Sirach

Nuria Calduch-Benages
55
GREEK VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA

Translation Greek in Sirach in Light of the Grandsons Prologue
Benjamin G. Wright III
75
The Literary Attainment of the Translator of Greek Sirach

/. K. Aitken
95
Le mtier de scribe un mtier diffrent: quelques rflexions

partir de la version grecque de Siracide 3 8 - 3 9
Franoise Vinel
127
SYRIAC VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA

Ben Sira in the Syriac Tradition
Wido van Peursen
143
Archaic Elements in the Syriac Version of Ben Sira

Jan Joosten
167
Christian Features in the Peshitta Text of Ben Sira: the Question

of Dependency on the Syriac New Testament
Robert J. Owens
177
Vi
CONTENTS
LATIN VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA

The Old Latin Version of Sirach: Editio Critica and Textual
Problems
Anthony J. Forte
199
La version latine de Ben Sira: tat de la question, essai de

classement thmatique des additions
Thierry Legrand
215
HERMENEUTICAL AND THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

The Additions to Ben Sira and the Books Multiform Textual
Witness
Jason Gile
237
L'esprance post-mortem dans les diffrentes versions du

Siracide
Jean-Sbastien Key
257
La prire de Ben Sira dans les manuscrits hbreux et dans

les versions anciennes
Maria Carmela Palmisano
281
La sagesse dans les batitudes de Ben Sira: tude du texte

de Si 51,13-30 et de Si 14,20-15,10
Emile Puech
297
Index of Ancient Sources
331
Index of Modem Authors
348
PREFACE
The textual history of the book of Ben Sira witnesses, firstly, to the great
popularity of the work in a wide variety of settings and, secondly, to
the fact that this writing was not considered authoritative to the same
degree as most books that ended up in the Hebrew canon. The Hebrew
text of the book is preserved only fragmentarily, but the attested bits
represent wildly different versions. The Greek translation is known in
two or three recensions, all of which differ markedly from all Hebrew
versions (although there are similarities and connections as well). The
Latin version must have been made from the Greek but diverges from
it considerably. The Syriac version appears to go back to a lost Hebrew
source text, perhaps complemented by a Greek version whose contours
can no longer be identified.
Usually, these textual witnesses are analyzed with a view to recon
structing early stages of the Hebrew text. In this perspective, the disu
nity of witnesses can only be apprehended as chaos. There is however a
different way to look at the textual multiplicity of Ben Sira. If text forms
differ strongly, this may be due, at least in part, to the great importance
scribes and communities attached to the work. Instead of simply copy
ing and transmitting it, each generation of readers appears to have ap
propriated the text anew, updating it and interpreting it in light of their
own experience. In this light, the different textual traditions can be
searched for tell-tale indications showing what moved certain scribes,
or circles of readers, to change the text in a certain way. The versions
may be read as witnesses to their own milieu, rather than the original
text of Ben Sira. It is in the latter perspective that Jean-Sbastien Rey
conceived the ideaencouraged and supported by Jan Joostento or
ganize a symposium on the different versions of Ben Sira. The sympo
sium took place in Metz on October 1 5 - 1 7 , 2 0 0 9 and brought together
some of the foremost experts in the field of textual studies on Ben Sira.
The present volume contains most of the papers read at the symposium.
viii
PREFACE
Four papers are concerned with the Hebrew texts of Ben Sira: Jeremy
Corley presents a new examination of manuscript C from the Geniza,
its anthological and thematic organization, as well as its original read
ings; Pancratius C. Beentjes argues for an edition which should only
contain the actual recovered texts, without reconstructions of illegible
consonants or gaps in the manuscripts; Eric D. Reymond shows that
the textual transmission of the book has resulted in a text that incor
porates, in some instances, more word play than the original; Nuria
Calduch-Benages analyzes animal imagery in some selected passages
of Ben Sira.
The Greek versions of the text are discussed next: Benjamin G.
Wright looks at the relationship between what the prologue says about
the following translation and how that relates to the translation itself;
James K. Aitken examines some key examples that illustrate the transla
tor s method, placing his Greek within the biblical tradition and within
the koine Greek of the Hellenistic age; Franoise Vinel examines the
vocabulary of skills and professions in Sir 38.
The following three papers deal with the Syriac tradition: Wido van
Peursen gives a survey of the witnesses of the text (Peshitta manu
scripts, Syriac patristic literature, exegetical literature, poetic reworking
of the book, Syro-Hexapla), and uses Sir 1:1-10 as a sample text to illus
trate the relationship between the various sources; Jan Joosten points to
linguistic features in the Syriac version of Ben Sira that seem to reflect a
western Aramaic dialect, arguing that these elements may indicate that
the translation was made in two stages; Robert J. Owens discusses im
portant passages of the Syriac text of Ben Sira where a serious case can
be made for influence from the New Testament, concluding that Syriac
Ben Sira is a Christian product.
The Latin version of the book is not neglected: Anthony J. Forte dis
cusses the process of editing the Vetus Latina of Sirach 25-52; Thierry
Legrand presents a thematic classification of the additions found in the
Latin version, highlighting some characteristic themes such as the im
portance of the fear of God and the insistence on truth and justice.
Finally, a few papers take a more transversal approach: Jason Gile ar
gues that the multiformity of the text of Ben Sira cannot be reduced to
two distinct text-forms underlying the extant textual witnesses, as has
sometimes been attempted; Jean-Sbastien Rey proposes to revise the
study of Konleth Kearns by comparing the different texts dealing with
post-mortem hope in Hebrew and Greek; Maria Carmela Palmisano
PREFACE
ix
studies some euchologic texts in the book of Ben Sira (Sir 36:1-17 and
Sir 51:1-12) and observes characteristic features in each textual tradi
tion; Otto Mulder focuses on the semantic meaning of ~DT in the last
part of Ben Siras book, specifically in the exordium in 44:1-15; Finally,
Emile Puech deals first with the acrostic poem from Sir 51:13-30 and
the value of the Hebrew text of 11Q5 X X I 1 3 - X X I I 1 .
Thanks are due to our institutions, the research group in Protestant
Theology of Strasbourg University (EA 4378) and the research center
"critures" (EA 3943) of the University Paul Verlaine in Metz, for sup
porting the organization of the symposium. We thank Brill and Hindy
Najman for accepting the proceedings in the series Supplements to the
Journal for the Study of Judaism. Most of all, we thank the participants
in the symposium for their interesting papers.
Jan Joosten
Jean-Sbastien Rey
HEBREW TEXTS OF BEN SIRA
AN ALTERNATIVE HEBREW FORM OF BEN SIRA:

THE ANTHOLOGICAL MANUSCRIPT C
Jeremy Corley
Ushaw College, Durham
About two-thirds of the Hebrew text of Ben Sira is now available in at

least one of the nine ancient or medieval Hebrew manuscripts. The
earliest manuscript, discovered at Masada in 1964, perhaps dates from
about a century after the works composition, yet even it shows prob
able signs of scribal editing, since it never uses the Tetragrammaton.
A very fragmentary section of Sirach 6 appears in a manuscript from
Qumran Cave 2, while half of Ben Siras final acrostic poem appears in
the Qumran Cave 11 Psalms Scroll. From the Cairo Genizah six Ben
Sira MSS have hitherto been discovered, perhaps dating between the
ninth and the twelfth centuries of our era. Five of these six surviving
Genizah Hebrew manuscripts are essentially continuous transcriptions
of the text. In contrast, MS C is distinctive by presenting only extracts
from the book, often in a changed sequence. Hence scholars have called
this text "anthologicaT; in other words, it is an excerpted manuscript,
not entirely unlike the ancient excerpted biblical manuscripts discov
ered at Qumran.
1
For listings of these MSS see P. C. Beentjes, The Book of Ben Sira in Hebrew
(VTSup 68; Leiden: Brill, 1997), 13-19.1 am grateful to Dr. Ben Outhwaite for access
to the Cambridge Genizah manuscripts and to Dr. James Aitken for enabling me to see
an electronic version of the newly discovered leaf and for discussions on the origin of
MS C. I am also grateful to Vincent Skemp for help in locating articles, Renate EggerWenzel for copying an article for me, and John Moriarty for computer assistance. In
addition, my thanks are due to Jean-Sbastien Rey for letting me see a pre-publication
copy of his article on the recently discovered leaf of MS C, as well as for organizing the
2009 conference in Metz.
P. W. Skehan, "The Divine Name at Qumran, in the Masada Scroll, and in the
Septuagint," BIOSCS 13 (1980): 14-44, here 18-20.
Note that the acrostic poem has been removed from its context in Ben Sira and
placed in a liturgical setting among psalms and hymns. On 51:13-30 see the article by
Emile Puech in the present volume.
2
JEREMY CORLEY
This study builds on the earlier articles on MS C by Pancratius

4
Beentjes, Claudia Camp, and Marco Zappella. Valuable discussions of

the text of MS C are also found in the monographs of Antonino Minis5
sale and Wido van Peursen. In 2008 Shulamit Elizur published a new
leaf of the manuscript, and useful articles on this latest material have
appeared by Jean-Sbastien Rey and Renate Egger-Wenzel.
Until today, four bifolia of MS C have been discovered. It is certain

that the present opening of manuscript C is not original, and it is very
likely that the beginning of the manuscript originally had more on the
care of parents from the early part of chapter 37 There is a gap in the
middle between the two major blocks of preserved text, and the miss
ing text may have been quite extensive, since the gap covers from chap
ter 8 to chapter 18. The end of our present manuscript (in my view,
containing the first word of 27:17) is evidently not the conclusion of
8
the original manuscript. Hence Rey suggests that perhaps one bifolium
has been lost from the exterior and one or two bifolia have been lost
9
from the middle. The first half of the preserved text has principally
extracts from chapters 3 - 7 , while the second half has mainly briefer
extracts from chapters 1 8 - 2 6 . It is noteworthy that the compiler of MS
P. C. Beentjes, "Hermeneutics in the Book of Ben Sira. Some Observations on

the Hebrew Ms. C," in his essay collection, "Happy the One who Meditates on Wisdom"
(SIR. 14,20): Collected Essays on the Book of Ben Sira (CBET 43; Leuven: Peeters, 2006),
333-47; idem, "Some Misplaced Words in the Hebrew Manuscript C. of Ben Sira," in
"Happy the One who Meditates on Wisdom? 349-54; C. V. Camp, "Honor, Shame, and
the Hermeneutics of Ben Siras MS C," in Wisdom, You Are My Sister (ed. M. L. Barr;
FS R. E. Murphy; CBQMS 29; Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Association of Amer
ica, 1997), 157-71; M. Zappella, "Criteri antologici e questioni testuali del manoscritto
ebraico C di Siracide," RivB 38 (1990): 273-300.
A. Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide (AnBib 133; Rome: Pontifical Biblical
Institute, 1995); W. T. van Peursen, The Verbal System in the Hebrew Text of Ben Sira
(Studies in Semitic Languages and Linguistics 41; Leiden: Brill, 2004).
S. Elizur, "A New Hebrew Fragment of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus)," Tarbiz 76/1
(2008): 17-28; Eadem, "Two New Leaves of the Hebrew Version of Ben Sira," DSD
17 (2010): 13-29; J.-S. Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet du manuscrit C de la Genizah du
Caire," in Florilegium Lovaniense (ed. H. Ausloos et al.; FS F. Garcia Martinez; BETL
224; Louvain: Peeters, 2008), 387-416; R. Egger-Wenzel, "Ein neues Sira-Fragment des
MS C," BN138 (2008): 107-14.
Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 388. It is unclear whether it also had extracts from
the first two chapters of Ben Sira, which are more heavily theological.
I have argued that the final Hebrew word HDJ ("test") is actually the first word of
Sir 27:17a, since it matches the Syriac text, though the Greek differs; see J. Corley, Ben
Siras Teaching on Friendship (BJS 316; Providence, RI: Brown University, 2002), 174-75
n. 79.
Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 388.
5
AN ALTERNATIVE HEBREW FORM OF BEN SIRA
C has inserted 13 bicola (or distichs) from 36:24-37:26 within extracts

from 5:13-27:17.
Various dates have been suggested for MS C. Moses Gaster (the
scholar who first published the leaf of MS C containing extracts from
Sirach 1 8 - 2 0 ) dated the manuscript to the late 1 0 or early 1 1 centu
ry. Similarly, Patrick Skehan and Alexander Di Leila assert that MS
C is "older than MSS A and B," and hence older than about 1090 CE
(when MS A was copied). While Moshe Segal claims that generally
MS C "represents an older text" than MS A, the actual manuscript may
have been copied somewhat later. In fact, the auction catalogue adver
tising the recently discovered leaf of MS C suggested a date of "11th12th century."
th
th
10
11
12
13
A. ANTHOLOGICAL H E B R E W PSALMS AND TORAH MANUSCRIPTS
The anthological character of MS C makes it different from all the other

medieval Genizah Hebrew manuscripts of Ben Sira. In fact, this manu
script diverges from those other Ben Sira MSS in two ways: excerpting
and resequencing. First, it selects (or excerpts) text by omitting sec
tions from the regular sequence of verses. And second, it rearranges
(or resequences) some sections of the text; the resequenced sections are
indicated in my translation by italics. Yet this excerpted manuscript of
Ben Sira is not the only ancient Hebrew anthological text, since even
within the Hebrew Bible, comparable cases can be found among sev
eral psalms. Indeed, both excerpting and resequencing appear in earlier
biblical manuscripts.
The most striking example of an excerpted and resequenced psalm
(made up of elements from three others) is the hymn sung by Asaph
and his kindred when David first brought the Ark of the Covenant
to Jerusalem (1 Chr 1 6 : 8 - 3 6 ) . Table 1 shows that 1 Chr 16:8-36 is a
14
10
M. Gaster, "A New Fragment of Ben Sira," JQR 12 (1899-1900): 688-702, here
691; cf. Zappella, "Criteri antologici," 273.
P. W. Skehan and A. A. Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira (AB 39; New York:
Doubleday, 1987), 52.
M. H. Segal, "The Evolution of the Hebrew Text of Ben Sira," JQR 25 (1934-35)
91-149, here 127.
Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 387, n. 2. James Aitken also suspects that MS C
dates from the 12th century (personal communication).
A. E. Hill, "Patchwork Poetry or Reasoned Verse? Connective Structure in 1
Chronicles XVI," VT33 (1983): 97-101; P. C. Beentjes, Tradition and Transformation in
11
12
13
14
JEREMY CORLEY
composite poem made up of a slightly modified form of Ps 105:1-15,

Ps 96:1-13, and Ps 1 0 6 : 1 , 4 7 - 4 8 .
1 Chr 16:8-36
Psalm Texts
1 Chr 16:8-22
1 Chr 16:23-33
1 Chr 16:34
1 Chr 16:35-36
Ps 105:1-15
Ps 96:1-13 (slightly abbreviated)
Ps 106:1
Ps 106:47-48
Table 1: Psalm Texts Used in 1 Chronicles 16
Within the canonical Psalter, Psalm 108 is an anthology of excerpts

(slightly modified) from Psalms 57 and 60, as shown in Table 2.
Psalm 108
Earlier Psalms
Ps 108:2-6
Ps 108:7-14
Ps 57:8-12
Ps 60:7-14
Table 2: Earlier Psalms Used in Psalm 108
Moreover, Psalm 70 is a slightly reworded form of Ps 40:14-18. In ad

dition, among psalms of the canonical Psalter, several (notably parts of
Psalms 9 6 , 9 7 , and 135) are themselves anthologies of psalm verses that
occur elsewhere in the Psalter, though they are not exactly excerpted
psalms since new material is also introduced. Similarly, Ps 144:1-10
includes rearranged lines modified from Ps 18, interspersed with mate
rial based on parts of Ps 8, 33, 39, and 104.
In fact, Dead Sea manuscripts of canonical psalms show many oth
er omissions and rearrangements. Perhaps the most ancient Psalms
text, 4QPs (4Q83), jumps from Ps 31:23-25 to 33:1-12, and also from
Ps 38:16-23 to 7 1 : 1 - 1 4 . In addition, 4QPs (4Q86) places Psalm 147
before Psalm 104, while 4QPs (4Q92) places Psalm 135 before Psalm
99.
15
16
17
the Book of Chronicles (SSN 52; Leiden: Brill, 2008), 170-71; G. H. Wilson, "The Qum
ran Psalms Scroll Reconsidered: Analysis of the Debate," CBQ 47 (1985): 624-42, here
632-34. A few differences exist between 1 Chr 16:8-36 and the related Psalm texts; for
instance, 1 Chr 16:13 speaks of the "offspring of Israel" whereas Ps 105:5 mentions the
"offspring of Abraham," and 1 Chr 16:27 declares that "strength and joy are in his place"
whereas Ps 96:6 asserts that "strength and splendor are in his sanctuary." For the Psalter,
I use the Hebrew verse numberings.
Thus, most of Ps 135:8-20 consists of material based on Ps 115:4-6, 8-11 and
Ps 136:10,17-22. While the general presumption is that psalms that appear later in the
arrangement of the canonical Psalter were composed later, this is unproven.
E. Ulrich et al., DJD 16,12-15.
Ulrich, DJD 16, 66-71, 124. Beyond the Psalter, a few other anthological texts
exist within the Hebrew Bible. For instance, the book of Joel contains close echoes of
15
16
17
AN ALTERNATIVE H E B R E W FORM OF BEN SIRA
Qumran non-canonical hymn collections also contain anthological

compositions that draw material from canonical psalms. Thus, 4Q380
1 i 7 - 1 0 is based on some opening verses from Ps 106, while sections
preserved in 4Q381 are based on rearranged verses from Ps 9, 18, 69,
76, 86, 89, and 106. One brief example appears in Table 3.
18
Non-Canonical Psalm (4Q381 15 4-7)

4Q381 15 4-5
4Q381 15 6
4Q381 15 7
Lines based on Psalm 89

Ps 89:10-11,12b
Ps 89:14, 7
Ps 89:8,18
Table 3: Lines from Psalm 89 echoed in non-canonical Psalm 4Q381 Frag

ment 15
The Dead Sea Scrolls have also preserved some ancient anthological
Torah MSS. For instance, in a way analogous to phylactery scrolls,
4QDeutf (4Q37) contains portions of Deut 5:1-6:3, 8:5-10; 11:6-21,
then Exod 12:43-13:5, followed by Deut 32:7-8. Table 4 charts the ex
cerpting and resequencing evident in 4Q37.
19
4Q37
Biblical Text
Columns I-IV
Deut 5:1-6:3
Column V
Deut 8:5-10
Columns VI-VII Lacuna [? Deut 10:12-11:5]
Columns VIII-X Deut 11:6-21; Exod 12:43-13:5
Columns XI-XII Lacuna [? Exod 13:6-16; Peut 32:1-6] + Deut 32:7-8
Table 4: Probable original contents of4Q37
n
In comparable fashion, 4QDeut (4Q41) contains portions of Deut 8:510 and then 5:1-6:1, while 4QExod (4Q15) jumps from Exod 13:15-16
to Exod 15:1. All in all, we note that analogues to MS C exist among
d
20
earlier prophetic texts (e.g., Joel 2:2 echoing Zeph 1:15 and Joel 4:16 echoing Amos 1:2).
New Testament scholars accepting the hypothesis of the lost Q-source (represented by
most non-Marcan sayings in Luke) might see some discourse material in Matthew as
a thematic anthology of Q material. For instance, Matt 10:26-39 may be regarded as
an adapted compilation of Q-material preserved in Luke 12:2-9, 51-53 and 14:26-27.
E. M. Schuller, Non-Canonical Psalms from Qumran: A Pseudepigraphic Collec
tion (HSS 28; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1986), 35-37. Table 3 is based on information
on p. 35.
This table is adapted from the chart by J. A. Duncan, "4Q Deut'," in DJD 14,
75-91, here 76.
S. W. Crawford, "4Q Deut ," in DJD 14, 117-28; J. E. Sanderson, "4Q Exod ,"
in DJD 12, 127-28. Cf. E. Tov, "Excerpted and Abbreviated Biblical Texts from Qum
ran," RevQ 16/4 (1995): 581-600, here 588-90. See also L. Doering, "Excerpted Texts
in Second Temple Judaism: A Survey of the Evidence," in Selecta colligere II (ed. R. M.
Piccione and M. Perkans; Hellenica 18; Alessandria: Edizioni dell* Orso, 2005), 1-38,
18
19
20
JEREMY CORLEY
the excerpted (and sometimes resequenced) Psalms and Torah MSS

found at Qumran.
21
B. ANALYSIS OF F I V E SAMPLE PASSAGES FROM MANUSCRIPT C
By my approximate reckoning (which includes double counting), the

preserved leaves of MS C deal with the following major topics: women
(26 bicola), wisdom and folly (23 bicola), speech (19 bicola), friend
ship (14 bicola), and honor and shame (10 bicola). Here we will ana
lyze sample passages dealing with these five themes, so as to illustrate
characteristic features of the manuscript. The five passages are here
considered in the order in which they appear in MS C : (a) 41:16; 4:21;
20:22-23; 4:22 (on shame); (b) 5:9-13 (on speech); (c) 36:24; 6:5-6;
37:1-2; 6:7-10, 1 2 - 1 5 (on friendship); (d): 3:27; 6:18-19, 28, 35 (on
wisdom); and (e) 2 6 : 1 - 3 , 1 3 , 1 5 - 1 7 (on the good wife).
(a) 41:16; 4:21; 20:22-23; 4:22 (on shame):
Not all shame isfittingto observe,
and not all being disgraced is to be chosen.
There is a shame (that is) a burden of iniquity,
but there is a shame (that is) grace and glory.
20:22 jh
j
destroys himself out of shame,
and in stupidity of face he will inherit it.
20:23 jh
i
j disgraced and makes promises to his neighbor,
and acquires him (as) an enemy for nothing.
Do not show favoritism for yourselves,
but do not be ashamed (so that it becomes) a stumbling-block for you.
4hl6hc
4:21
22
ere
s o n e
ere
$ o n e
4:22
Here the producer of MS C has brought together bicola from three dif
ferent chapters in Ben Sira's book. As a result of this thematic rese
quencing, a new poem has been created on the topic of shame. This
section of five bicola cleverly employs the root una ("be ashamed") five
times in nouns or verbs. The compiler s skill is also evident in the use
23
here 26-28.
Anthological collections also occur within rabbinic texts; cf. S. C. Reif, "A Midrashic Anthology from the Genizah," in Interpreting the Hebrew Bible (ed. J. A. Emerton
and S. C. Reif; FS E. I. J. Rosenthal; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982),
179-225; E. Segal, "Anthological Dimensions of the Babylonian Talmud," Prooftexts 17
(1997): 33-61.
In my translation, the round brackets (thus) mark words added for the sake of
English style. Verses in italics indicate bicola moved from their "canonical" sequence.
Beentjes, "Hermeneutics," 345; Camp, "Honor, Shame, and the Hermeneutics,"
159.
21
22
23
here of five more repeated words, since this section twice uses the nouns
UtoJ ("soul, self") and D'M ("face"), as well as twice using the roots KUtt
("lift up"), tb'D (niphal: "be disgraced"), and pn ("be gracious"). In ad
dition, the composer has developed the anaphora with UP ("there is") by
inserting 20:22-23 after 4:21.
(b) 5:9-13 (on speech):
Do not be one who scatters in every direction,
and do not walk in every track.
Be firm upon your word,
and afterward your words shall happen.
Be ready with hearing what is good,
and in length you are indeed to answer correctly.
If you have (it) with you, answer your neighbor,
and if not, place your hand over your mouth.
Glory and dishonor are in the hand of a chatterer,
but the tongue of a human being is his deliverer (MS C).
5:9
5:10
24
5:11
5:12
5:13
For comparison, here are the same verses from MS A.

5:9
Do not be one who scatters in every direction,

or one who turns in the direction of aflowingstream.
Be firm upon your knowledge,
and let your word be one thing.
Be hasty to give ear,
but in length of spirit return a message.
If you have (it) with you, answer your neighbor,
and if not, let your hand be over your mouth.
Glory and dishonor are in the hand of a chatterer,
but the tongue of a human being is his downfall (MS A).
5:10
5:11
5:12
5:13
Because the compiler of MS C is interested in social dealings, as ex

pressed in speech, he has included the whole of 5:9-13 on the topic,
instead of merely selecting extracts. The presence of these verses in MS
A and MS C allows a clear comparison in this section. Unlike in other
portions of MS C, here there has been no resequencing of bicola. Nev
ertheless, it is likely that MS A generally preserves a more original text,
and that the compiler of MS C has made a few changes in wording. In
5:13, whereas MS A declares negatively of the chatterer, "the tongue of a
human being is his downfall" (compare the Greek), MS C seems to have
reversed the meaning by saying positively, "the tongue of a human being
24
This translation reads the first word as in*0 ("and afterward"). But possibly there
is confusion between the Hebrew letters dalet and resh, and thus the word should be
read as inKl ("and one" = MS A), so that the line would say: "and let your words be
one thing."
JEREMY CORLEY
10
is his deliverer." It is unclear if this is a textual corruption or a deliberate

change. In 5:10a, MS C seems to have changed "[njn ("your knowledge,"
MS A) to Tim ("your word"), echoing T^XT ("your words") in 5:10b.
Then in 5:11, MS C seems to have adapted the saying to create repeti
tion of l*DJ in two senses ("ready, correct"): "Be ready with hearing what
is good, and in length you are indeed to answer correctly." Moreover,
by comparison with MS A, MS C has omitted the word "spirit" in 5:11,
but added the verb "place" in 5:12. However, because MS C sometimes
uses a fuller orthography than MS A, it is likely that the last word of
5:12a ( T J ^ ) is
( it might seem) "your neighbors," but rather a
plene spelling of the singular form "your neighbor" (as in 2 Sam 12:11),
thereby agreeing with MS A (which has *]JTl).
n
a s
(c) 36:24; 6:5-6; 37:1-2; 6:7-10, 12-15 (on friendship):

A palate will taste the delicacies of a gift,
and an understanding heart will discern deceptive delicacies.
A sweet palate will multiply friends,
and gracious lips, those who ask peace.
The men of your peaceslet them be many,
but the possessor of your secret, one out of a thousand.
Every friend will say, "I am a friend!'
37:2aa j^-g # not at a time reach him?
37:2ap-b Q fc)
f death
a companion like oneself will be turned into a foe.
You have acquired a friendwith testing acquire him,
and do not make haste to trust in him.
There is a friend, turned into an enemy,
but he will withhold the dispute of your reproach.
There is a friend, a table partner,
but he will not be found on a day of evil.
There is a friend in view of a time,
but he will not stand on a day of distress.
If it befalls him, he has turned against you,
and from your presence he will be hidden.
From your enemies be separated,
and from your friends be wary.
A faithful friend is a strong shield,
and as for his finder, he has found wealth.
3624(l9)
6:5
6 6
37:la
15
26
6:7
6:9
6:10
6:8
6:12
6:13
6:14
25
The final word of 37:1a in MS C appears to read "his love" through confusion
between waw and yod but probably "I am a friend" is meant, as in MSS B and D.
Without the soph pasuq (in the form of a raised dot in MS C), it might be pos
sible to render: "Is it not at the time (when) the judgment of death reaches him (that) a
companion like oneself will be turned into a foe?"; cf. Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 394.
y
26

6:15
11
A faithful friendthere is no price,

and there is no weighing for his goodness.
As in the case of the first sample passage, the producer of MS C has

again brought together bicola from three different chapters in Ben Siras
work. Apart from the first four Hebrew words of 36:24, this section
comes from the newly discovered bifolium published by Elizur in 2 0 0 8 .
It is immediately evident that the compiler of MS C has introduced
a long section on friendship (containing most of 6:5-17) by quoting
36:24, which speaks of exercising discernment when making choices.
Shortly afterward, MS C has inserted 37:1-2 (on friendship) into the
earlier passage concerning friendship. In particular, 37:1-2 resembles
6:9 with the motif of a friend who turns into someone hostile.
Thematic resequencing has resulted in the presence of anaphora,
since the word "palate" begins 36:24 and 6:5. The compiler retains the
later anaphora in the threefold expression, "There is a friend" (6:8-10),
though he has moved 6:8 after 6:9-10. In addition, making use of the
phrase "a faithful friend" in 6:14-15, he has made more exact anaphora
(by comparison with MS A) by omitting the preposition "for" at the
beginning of 6:15. However, the third bicolon to speak of "a faithful
friend" (6:16) has been omitted, perhaps because of its mention of God;
we will see that MS C has a general tendency to avoid verses mentioning
the Deity. There is also the minor omission of the word "evil" in 6:12,
because the resequencing of 6:8 after 6:9-10 means that the near syno
nym "distress" can stand as the subject of the verb in 6:12. A possible
reversal of meaning exists, since the original text of 6:9b probably says
that the unfaithful friend "will expose the dispute of your reproach" (so
MS A), whereas MS C seems to make the more positive statement that
he "will withhold the dispute of your reproach."
27
In addition, my general claim is that MS C aims to preserve complete

bicola of Ben Sira. The compiler had a problem in 37:1-2, since 37:1b
seems to have been lost to him, just as 37:1b is absent from the first
hand of MS B (though later included in its margin). We may compare
37:1-2 in MS D, which preserves what seems approximately the origi
nal form of these two verses:
28
27
Elizur, "A New Hebrew Fragment," 22-25; Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 389-400;
Egger-Wenzel, "Ein neues Sira-Fragment," 108-13.
Note that the full text of 37:1-2 is added in the margin of MS B; cf. Beentjes, The
Book of Ben Sira in Hebrew, 63.
28
JEREMY CORLEY
12
37:1
37:2
Every friend says, "I am a friend,"

yet there is a friend who is a friend in name (only).
Is it not a sorrow reaching to death
a companion like oneself, turned into a foe?
Whereas these verses in MS D make good sense, the absence of 37:1b

causes obscurity. Hence, the compiler of MS C had to stretch out 37:2a
across two cola, resulting in a rather unclear saying. As a final point,
we may note that some of these verses were evidently significant within
medieval Judaism, since there are quotations of 6:6 in the Babylonian
Talmud (tractates Sanhdrin and Yebamoi), and the tenth-century rab
bi Saadya Gaon also cites 6 : 7 - 8 , 1 3 .
29
(d): 3:27; 6:18-1% 28, 35 (on wisdom):

A stubborn heart will make heavy like a stone,
and a sinner will add sin to sin.
6:i8 My son, from youth receive instruction,
and until gray hair you will attain wisdom.
6:i9ab
plowman and like a harvester draw near to it,
and wait for the abundance of its produce.
Because in its labor you will labor a little,
and in the future you will eat its fruit;
Because later you will find its rest,
and it will be turned for you into enjoyment.
Desire to hear every conversation,
and let not a proverb of understanding bypass you.
3:27
6:19cd
6:28
6:35
By way of stark contrast with the rest of this section, the compiler of
MS C has used a form of 3:27 (a proverb on stubbornness) to introduce
extracts from 6:18-37 about being ready to receive wisdom. Note that
here we have a reworked form of 3:27, by comparison with the saying
in MS A:
3:27
A stubborn heartits pains will be many,

and a mad person will add iniquity to iniquity.
30
In MS C the compiler not only echoes the repetitious phraseology at

the end of 3:27b but also includes a repetition of the Hebrew root TlD
("heavy, stubborn") in 3:27a, a repetition that may be reflected in the
29
Although the text of 37:1-2 is slightly confused, the manuscript clearly has a
raised dot (equivalent to soph pasuq) and a gap between "to him" and "judgment/sor
row", so that MS C has included words from 37:2a as 37:1b. Hence my interpretation
here differs somewhat from the analysis of Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 394-95.
In 3:27b I read "mad person" (înno) where many editions read "one who
writhes" (Winno); cf. Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 163.
30
13
Greek. The rest of this section omits many bicola from 6:18-37, per
haps because of the compiler s lack of interest in anything too doctrinal,
though it is interesting that MS A also omits some verses from this pas
sage (namely, 6:18, 2 3 - 2 4 , 26, 34). The omission of bicola here creates
a minor case of anaphora, through the juxtaposition of *0 ("because")
in 6:19cd and 6:28.
(e) 26:1-3,13,15-17 (on the good wife):
26:i A good wifehappy is her husband,
and the number of his days is double!
A valiant wife will fatten her husband,
and she will gladden the years [of his life] .
263 A good wife is a [good] portion,
and into the share of one who fears YYY she will be given.
26:i3 A wife's [graciousness] will benefit her husband,
and her prudence will fatten [his bones].
Grace upon [grace] is a bashful wife,
and there is no weighing for a tight-lipped woman.
The sun [ris]ing in the heights abovebeautiful is a wife in a chosen temple.
A burning lamp upon a lampstand of the sanctuary
is (her) splendor of face upon a well-proportioned height.
26:2
31
26:15
26:16
26:17
The passage concerns a matter, not of theological doctrine, but of prac

tical concern: the value of a good wife, as seen from a male viewpoint.
The selection of these verses by the compiler of MS C suggests that it is
likely to be the work of a man rather than a woman. Here we observe
the anthological setting, since this passage immediately follows 25:24
(omitting 25:25-26) and precedes 3 6 : 2 7 - 3 1 . This thematic arrange
ment omits 26:5-12 on the evil wife and thus brings together extracts
from two sections (26:1-4 and 26:13-18) that deal with the good wife.
At the opening there is threefold anaphora, since all three bicola begin
with a form of the word HU>K ("wife"); indeed, 26:1 and 26:3 both begin
with the phrase m i o
("a good wife"). There is also anaphora be
tween 26:13 and 26:15, both of which begin with the Hebrew word jn
("grace," reconstructed in 26:13). While 26:3 is one of only five bicola
that make mention of God in MS C, it is noteworthy that the follow
ing section passes directly from 26:13 to 26:15, omitting 26:14 (which
32
31
In my translation, square brackets [thus] indicate words restored where there are
lacunae in the text.
The omission of25:25-26 in MS C results in an interesting juxtaposition; whereas
25:24 speaks of woman as the cause of death for men, 26:1 describes the good wife as
doubling the numbers of days of her husband's life.
32
JEREMY CORLEY
14
also refers to the Deity). Finally, we note that 26:1 and 26:3 were also
significant in medieval Judaism, since they are attested in rabbinic tradition (b. Sank 100b; b. Yeb. 63b). The exact wording of the rabbinic
form of the two sayings is slightly different, though in fact only four of
the fifteen Hebrew words diverge. After giving the Hebrew text in both
traditions, I add a translation of the talmudic form of the sayings.
33
26:1, 3 (MS C)
D ?D w lDQi ntyn nw* mio nuw
inin K T p^nm mro run nmo nvx
>1
26:1, 3 (Talmud)
D*6D vry naoQ ntyn nw* n*r nvx
26:1
26:3
A beautiful wifehappy is her husband;

the number of his days is double!
A good wife is a good gift;
into the bosom of one who fears God she will be given.
C.
M A J O R T H E M E S OF T H E M A T E R I A L
INCLUDED IN M A N U S C R I P T C
The reason for making this anthological text of Ben Sira is not entirely
clear. Some scholars have proposed an educational function, not only
because of the content, but also because the manuscript has large Hebrew letters written on small leaves of paper. Emanuel Tov s observation regarding Greco-Roman anthologies has an interesting analogy in
MS C: "Most classical excerpted texts in poetry and prose were made
for educational purposes, illustrating a certain topic or idea (virtues,
richness, women, etc.)." Indeed, among other topics MS C deals with
virtues such as wisdom (e.g., 3 7 : 1 9 , 2 2 , 2 4 , 2 6 ) and relations with women (e.g., 2 6 : 1 - 3 , 1 3 , 1 5 - 1 7 ) , as well as the generous use of riches (briefly
34
35
33
J. R. Labendz, "The Book of Ben Sira in Rabbinic Literature," Association for Jewish Studies Review 30 (2006): 347-92, here 388-89; B. G. Wright, "B. Sanhdrin 100b
and Rabbinic Knowledge of Ben Sira," in Treasures of Wisdom: Studies in Ben Sira and
the Book of Wisdom (ed. N. Calduch-Benages and J. Vermeylen; BETL 143; Leuven:
Peeters, 1999), 41-50, here 43.
I. Levi, Êcclsiastique ou la Sagesse de Jsus, fib de Sira (2 vols.; Paris: Leroux,
1898, 1901), 2.xviii; Beentjes, "Hermeneutics," 345. The purpose was for memorizing
according to Zappella, "Criteri antologici," 275.
Tov, "Excerpted and Abbreviated Biblical Texts," 598, where he also suggests that
most Qumran excerpted texts were made for liturgical purposes.
34
35
AN ALTERNATIVE H E B R E W FORM OF B E N SIRA
15
in 4:31 ). Another possible purpose of this manuscript, suggested by the

small size of the pages, is that these selected verses were for use of a
traveler. Whatever the exact purpose, the thematic rearrangement in
MS C reveals a good knowledge of the wider Hebrew text of Ben Sira
for the attested chapters, since the compiler often picks out a later verse
on a similar theme to insert into an earlier chapter.
In fact, MS C has a specific focus, described thus by Zappella: "From
the material known to us, one has the impression that MS C wishes to
avoid any saying that sounds too theoretical or doctrinal, and prefers
instead those [sayings] concerning human experience." The five sample passages (discussed above) offer some evidence that the composer
of this MS has focused on social ethics, especially relations with ones
wife and friends, as well as wise speech and avoidance of disgrace. Although there is an occasional mention of God, the main focus is on
dealings with others. Whereas selected verses appear from the practical sapiential poem in 6:18-37 (namely 6:18-19, 28, 35), the newly
discovered leaf passes directly from 23:11 to 25:7 without quoting any
verses from the great theological wisdom poem of chapter 24. However,
there are abundant quotations from 36:23-37:31, including the whole
of 36:27-31 on the value of a wife, as well as extracts from 37:19-26 on
the practical use of wisdom.
36
37
Here it is worth examining the use of the divine name in MS C in

comparison with other textual traditions of Ben Sira. Considering
that more than a hundred bicola of Ben Sira survive in MS C, the mention of God is rare here (3:16, 18; 5:4; 7:4; 26:3). Indeed, within its 102
bicola, MS C refers to the Deity in only five places, as listed in Table 5 .
For 26:3, where MS C is the only surviving Hebrew Ben Sira manuscript, we may make reference to the form of the saying preserved in
the Talmud.
38
39
36
Zappella, "Criteri antologici," 276 n. 12 (translation mine).

Zappella, "Criteri antologici;' 283.
By way of comparison, the divine name Kpio ("Lord") occurs more than 200x
in the Greek version of the book. On the divine names in the textual traditions of Ben
Sira see W. Horbury, "The Deity in Ecclesiasticus," in The God of Israel (ed. R. P. Gordon; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007), 267-92, esp. 269-78,283-88. On
the use of the Tetragrammaton and other divine names in Qumran writing see Skehan, "The Divine Name," 14-28; for their use in the non-canonical psalms (4Q380 and
4Q381) see Schuller, Non-Canonical Psalms from Qumran, 38-43.
Manuscript C matches the Syriac text in three out of the five cases and the Greek
in two out of five cases. By way of comparison, in all the four preserved parallel cases
MS A matches the Syriac and never the Greek (which has "Lord" throughout).
37
38
39
16
JEREMY CORLEY
Divine
Name MSC
Other Hebrew Text
Syriac
3:16b
3:18b
5:4b
^("God")
trrbx ("God")
(YHWH")
Man ("his Creator, MS A)

bu ("God," MS A)
^ ("God," MS A)
His Creator [= MS A] KUpiou ("Lord")

God[=MSSAandC] KUpiou ("Lord")
God [= MS A]
Kpio<;("Lord")
7:4a
26:3b
^("God")
(YHWH")
("God," MS A)
DVfTK ("God," b. Sank
[=MSC]
God[=MSSAandC] Kupiou ("Lord")
Kpiov ("Lord")
Lord [= MSC]
Greek Uncials
[=MSC]
100b)
Table 5: Mentions of the Deity in Manuscript C

Since only about 5% of the bicola included in MS C mention the Deity,
it seems that the compiler of the manuscript avoided heavily theological passages. Table 6 samples some of the omitted bicola mentioning
the Deity (adjacent to bicola included in MS C).
Mention of God
Bicola Omitted from MS C
3:20 (but 3:21 included)
in Hebrew MS A or Greek
D T T W ("God? MS A)
Comment on MS C
"God" already mentioned in

6:37 (but 7:1-2 included)
7:5 (but 7:4 and 7:6ab included)
25:10-11 (but 25:7-8 included)
(YHWH," MS A)
3:16,18
"YHWH" mentioned in 5:4
("God," MS A)
rty ("Most High," MS A)
Kupiou ("Lord")
O[3o. KUpiou ("fear of the
Lord")
"God" already mentioned in 7:4
26:14 (but 26:13 and 26:15
Aai Kupiou ("gift of the
"YHWH" already mentioned
included)
Lord")
in 26:3
Table 6: Omitted Bicola Mentioning the Deity

The data included in Table 6 confirm the view that MS C tends to avoid
material dealing with doctrinal matters, so as to make space for sayings
concerned with social ethics.
D. COMPARISON WITH BEN SIRA SAYINGS
IN RABBINIC LITERATURE
Benjamin Wright has observed that Ben Sira was twice anthologized
in medieval Judaismespecially for his advice on womenin Tractate Sanhdrin 100b and in Genizah MS C . This observation makes it
worthwhile to undertake a broader comparison of MS C with Ben Sira
sayings occurring in rabbinic literature. In fact, it is noteworthy that
almost twenty bicola found in MS C overlap with verses transmitted in
4 0
Wright, "B. Sanhdrin 100b, 49.
17
rabbinic tradition, though the text is not always exactly identical.
41
It is
thus interesting that almost a fifth of the approximately one hundred

surviving bicola of MS C are quoted or alluded to in rabbinic texts from
the Mishnah (ca. 200 CE) to Saadya Gaon ( 1 0
th
century) and Rabbi
th
Nissim ben Jacob ( 1 1 century). Also interesting is the fact that neither
MS C nor the rabbinic quotations or allusions listed in the studies of
Solomon Schechter and Benjamin Wright include any of the Praise of
the Ancestors (Sir 44:1-50:24). Table 7 lists rabbinic quotations of or
allusions to Ben Sira passages preserved in MS C .
Book of Ben Sira
in MSC
3:21-22
5:5-7
6:6
6: 7-8,13
7:17
21:22-23
23:11
25:13,19
26:1,3
42
Rabbinic Quotation or Allusion

B. Hag. 13a;;. Hag 77c; Midr. Gen. Rab. S;j. Sot. 22a
Nissim, Sefer Maaseiot; Saadya Gaon, Sefer hagalui
B. Sank. 100b; b. Yeb. 63b; Saadya Gaon, Sefer hagalui
Saadya Gaon, Sefer hagalui
M. Abot 4:4
Pirka de Rabbenu Haqadosh 14a
Midr. Aseret Hadibrot
B. Shab. 11a
B. Sanh. 100b; b. Yeb. 63b
Table 7: Bicola Preserved in Manuscrit C and Rabbinic Tradition

Whereas MS C preserves only Ben Sira material, MSS A and B both include some sayings traditionally associated with the long Ben Sira quotation in Tractate Sanhdrin of the Babylonian Talmud (b. Sanh. 100b),
which is mostly duplicated in Tractate Yebamot (b. Yeb. 6 3 b ) .
41
43
Thus,
On the Ben Sira quotations in rabbinic literature, see S. Schechter, "The Quotations from Ecclesiasticus in Rabbinic Literature," JQR 3 (1890-91): 682-706; A. E.
Cowley and A. Neubauer, The Original Hebrew of a Portion of Ecclesiasticus (Oxford:
Clarendon, 1897), xix-xxx; R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach erklrt (Berlin: Reimer, 1906), xlvi-lvi; M. Z. Segal, Sper ben-Sra hallTm (3rd d.; Jerusalem: Bialik
Institute, 1972), 37-42; Wright, "B. Sanhdrin 100b," 41-50; D. S. Levene, "Theology
and Non-Theology in the Rabbinic Ben Sira," in Ben Siras God (ed. R. Egger-Wenzel;
BZAW 321; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2002), 305-20; G. Veltri, Libraries, Translations, and
'Canonic Texts (JSJSup 109; Leiden: Brill, 2006), 204-20; A. Linder, "Ricerche sul linguaggio di Ben Sira," RivB 54 (2006): 385-411, here 408-9; Labendz, "The Book of Ben
Sira in Rabbinic Literature," 347-92.
This listing ignores some suggested cases (with a parallel in MS C) where the
wording is not close: Sir 4:30 // b. Git. 6b; Sir 5:11 // m. Abot 5.10; Sir 7:2 // m. Abot
1.7; Sir 8:7 // Baraita Kallah 7b; Sir 21:22-23 // b. Nid. 16b; Sir 36:29 // b. Yeb. 62b. It
also ignores the similarity of Sir 7:1 to Aramaic sayings in Midr. Gen. Rab. 22 and Midr.
Qoh. Rab. 5.
On this long rabbinic quotation see Schechter, "The Quotations from Ecclesiasticus," 691-92,700-1; Wright, "B. Sanhdrin 100b," 41-50; Veltri, Libraries, Translations,
42
43
18
JEREMY CORLEY
the text of 11:29-34 in MS A includes additions from Tractate Sanhdrin (as well as a bicolon from Jer 5:27 after Sir 11:29). Moreover,
in the margin of MS B around Sir 40:24 there is a passage, also found
associated with the long Ben Sira quotation in Tractate Sanhdrin (b.
Sanh. 100b), beginning with Prov 15:15a ("All the days of the poor are
evil") and then adding an inauthentic saying about the rain falling on
the roof of the poor man. Thus, MS A (in the main text) and MS B
(in the margin) transmit inauthentic Ben Sira material from Tractate
Sanhdrin, whereas MS C contains none of this material. However, MS
C does overlap with this Talmudic passage (b. Sanh. 100b) by including
Sir 6:6 and 26:1, 3, though the text differs slightly.
44
45
E. M E T H O D OF ARRANGING M A T E R I A L IN B E N SIRA MS
Finally we will consider the method of arranging material in MS C,

in comparison with the arrangement in Genizah MSS A and B. As we
have seen in the sample passages discussed above, the composer of MS
C likes to use anaphora, either preserving or creating through juxtaposition a series of adjacent sayings beginning with the same word or
phrase. Table 8 lists such juxtapositions, with comments added on the
reading of MS C in comparison with other forms of the text. Perhaps
the most significant case of anaphora occurs in 7:23-24, where MS C
repeats "if you have sons" in both verses, whereas MS A seems to preserve a more original reading with the series, "if you have sons,.. .if you
have daughters,..."
46
Another salient feature of the verse selection of MS C is the tendency

to include the opening or closing bicolon of a pericope. Indeed, almost
a fifth of the bicola in MS C (18 out of 102) serve as the opening or
closing bicola of pericopes according to the divisions in standard commentaries. This is evident from Table 9.
47
and 'Canonic Texts, 214-18; Levene, "Theology and Non-Theology," 309-10.

Segal, Sper ben-Sra halllm, 75-78.
Beentjes, The Book of Ben Sira in Hebrew, 70; Schechter, "The Quotations from
Ecclesiasticus," 692-93.
Beentjes, "Hermeneutics," 335-44; Zappella, "Criteri antologici," 276-77; Elizur,
"A New Hebrew Fragment," 20 n. 19. One case of rearrangement may possibly be for
the sake of similar line endings, since the resequencing of 6:8 to follow 6:10 juxtaposes
two bicola that show rhyme and assonance.
See Segal, Sper ben-Sra halslm, vi-viii; Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of
Ben Sira, xiii-xvi.
44
45
46
47
MSC
3:17-18
4:21; 20:22-23
4:22-23, 30-31; 5:4
36:24; 6:5
6:9,10, 8
6:14-15
6:19cd, 28
7:1-2,4,6
7:23-24
18:32-33
20:5-6; 37:19, 22
37:24, 26; 20:13
22:21-22
25:7-8
25:8,13
26:1-3
26:13,15
19
Anaphora
My son
There is
Do not
Palate
There is a friend
A faithful friend
Comment
Wording changed in second bicolon
Bicola reordered
Intervening bicola omitted
Bicola reordered
Bicola reordered
Omitting initial preposition from
second bicolon
Because
Do not
Wording changed in second bicolon
If you have sons
Original
Do not
Bicola reordered
There is
Bicola reordered
Someone wise
Against a friend
Original
Happy is
Original
A wife
Original
A wife
Grace/graciousness Intervening bicolon omitted
Table 8: Link Words Between Bicola in Manuscript C

Pericope
3:1-16
3:17-24
4:20-31
5:9-13
6:5-17
6:18-37
7:1-17
18:15-19:3
20:1-31
25:13-26
26:1-4
26:13-18
36:23-31
37:1-6
37:19-26
Theme
Care of parents
Humility
Honor
Speech
Friendship
Seeking wisdom
Honest conduct
Discipline
Practical wisdom
Evil wife
Good wife (part I)
Good wife (part II)
Choice of a wife
Friendship
Wisdom
MSC
3:16
3:17
4:31
5:9,13
6:5
6:18
7:1,17
19:2a, 3b
20:31
25:13
26:1
26:13
36:31
37:1a
37:19, 26
Start
End
Start
End
Start
Start
Start
Start
End
End
Start
Start
Start
End
Start
Start
or end of Pericope
8c end
& end
& end
Table 9: Selection of Bicola Opening or Closing Ben Sira Pericopes

In the full text of Ben Sira it is noteworthy that many pericopes end with
mention of death in some way (e.g., 7:17; 7:36; 9:9; 11:18; 14:19; 19:3; 28:7).
48
48
J. Corley, "Searching for Structure and Redaction in Ben Sira: An Investigation of

Beginnings and Endings," in The Wisdom of Ben Sira: Studies on Tradition, Redaction,
and Theology (ed. A. Passaro and G. Bellia; DCLS 1; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2008), 21-47,
JEREMY CORLEY
20
In MS C the verb ytt ("expire") also plays a structural role, since it con
cludes several lines on folly (22:12) and this manuscripts section on the
evil wife (25:24). In addition, the word rip ("time") thrice indicates the
opening or closing of sections in MS C (4:23, 31; 5:7), though only 4:31
concludes a full pericope.
Besides following an anthological principle, the compiler of MS C en
gaged in the frequent resequencing or rearrangement of verses. This fea
ture is not entirely unique among the Genizah Ben Sira MSS, since occa
sionally other MSS show minor examples of rearrangement. Thus, MS A
adds a form of 5:14ab after 4:28, and places a form of 8:14 after 4:27. Table
10 compares 4:20-31 in Hebrew MSS A and C, as well as the Greek
49
50
Hebrew MS A
4:20
4:21
4:22-23
4:24-27
8:14
4:28
5:14ab
4:29
4:30-31
Hebrew MS C
4:21
20:22-23
4:22-23
4:30-31
Greek (4:20-31)
4:20
4:21
4:22-23 (including 4:23bfromLucianic MSS)

4:24-27
4:28
4:29
4:30-31
Table 10: Bicola Arrangement of 4:20-31 in Hebrew MSS A & C and in

Greek
In addition, MS A shows some variations from the original in its repre

sentation of 6:18-37, since it inserts 27:5-6 after 6:22, and omits 6:18,
2 3 - 2 4 , 26, 34. Table 11 offers a comparison of 6:18-37 in Hebrew MSS
A and C, as well as the Greek.
Besides the intrusion of verses from elsewhere in the book, MS C
occasionally exhibits local disruptions of verse order (e.g., 6:8 is placed
after 6:9-10, and 25:8ab after 25:8cd). A similar disruption occurs occa
sionally in MS A, where (for instance) Sir 11:34 and 12:1 are reversed.
51
here 40.
The same verb also appears at 8:7 in MS A (two words after the end of a preserved
portion of MS C), where it begins a new section.
Smend, Weisheit, lxi. Moreover, MS A has 7:15 instead of 7:9 and includes 23:16f
after 12:14b. In comparable fashion, MS B has 7:21a within 10:25,20:4 after 30:20a, and
possibly a variant form of 27:16 after 31:2.
Furthermore, in three cases, MS C switches the second colon of bicola by com
parison with the Greek text. First, MS C presents 19:2a, 3b; second, 21:22a, 23b, 23a,
22b; and third, 22:21a, 22b, 22a, 21b. It is arguable that MS C here may preserve the
original text form in some of these places.
49
50
51
21
Moreover, while MS C has no repeated bicola, MS A has a few doublets

(e.g., 5:led and 8:led) and MS B includes many duplications (e.g., at
10:25; 15:11; 16:4; 30:20; 31:4).
52
Hebrew MS A
6:19
6:20-22
27:5-6
Hebrew MSC
6:18
6:19
Greek (6:18-37)
6:18
6:19
6:20-22
6:25
6:27
6:28
6:29-33
6:23-24
6:25
6:26
6:27
6:28
6:29-33
6:34
6:35
6:36-37
6:28
6:35
6:36-37
6:35
--
Table 11: Bicola Arrangement of 6:18-37 in Hebrew MSS A & C and in

Greek
F. CONCLUSIONS
1. Manuscript C is an anthological manuscript, in many ways compa

rable to the excerpted and resequenced biblical manuscripts found
at Qumran.
2. The main Qumran excerpted MSS occur among the Psalms, though
a few Torah scrolls also have excerpted texts.
3. While the medieval Genizah MS B contains many doublets and
glosses, MS C preserves only the text of Ben Sira, though often in a
unique form.
4. Whereas the scribe of MS B performed a text-critical function by
recording doublets, the composer of MS C fulfilled a creative role
in juxtaposing similar verses taken from different parts of Ben Siras
book.
5. While all the other surviving Genizah MSS present the text of Ben
Siras book in approximately its canonical order (as attested by the
52
Perhaps in MS B the doublets serve a text-critical purpose (like the marginal

readings), preserving variants of the Ben Sira tradition from more than one source; cf.
Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 58.
22
JEREMY CORLEY
versions), MS C uniquely juxtaposes bicola from different passages.

6. Although the anthological principles are not always clear, they in
clude stylistic and thematic considerations.
7. Stylistic principles of resequencing of bicola include juxtaposition
of similar opening words (e.g., "palate" in 36:24 and 6:5).
8. Thematic principles of resequencing mean that the compiler of MS
C has created new poems on topics like shame (41:16; 4:21; 20:2223; 4:22) and friendship (36:24; 6:5-6; 37:1-2; 6 : 7 - 1 0 , 1 2 - 1 5 ) .
9. Whereas MS C has a tendency to omit doctrinal passages, its pre
ferred themes usually focus on social topics such as women, speech,
friendship, honor and shame.
10. While MS C has much to say on practical wisdom, it avoids seri
ous doctrinal treatment of wisdom, moving from chapters 23 to 25
without quoting from the great sapiential poem in chapter 24.
11. The Deity is rarely mentioned in MS Conly five times in the 102
surviving bicola.
12. Almost a fifth of the bicola occurring in MS C are also attested in
rabbinic literature (e.g., b. Sanh. 100b), though the wording some
times differs.
13. MS C preserves a Hebrew form of about 6% of Ben Siras book
(namely, 102 out of about 1616 bicola).
14. Sometimes the text of MS C is identical with that of other MSS (e.g.,
5:5 and 6:10), but at other times it is rather different (e.g., 3:15-18).
15. While the first preserved half of MS C contains much of chapters
3-7, the second preserved half has mostly brief extracts from chap
ters 18-23, though it adds substantial material from chapters 2 5 - 2 6
on good and bad wives.
16. The scribe of MS C occasionally missed out words (e.g., "distress" in
3:15a; "ruler" in 7:6a).
17. The copyist frequently uses plene Hebrew spelling (e.g., TWO in
20:22; 25:22; 41:16, though not in 4:21).
18. While the exact function of MS C is unclear, it may have served
an educational purpose, or may possibly been used as a convenient
anthology for a traveler.
19. By comparison with the five other surviving Genizah Hebrew man
uscripts of Ben Sira, the alterity or otherness of MS C is evident,
because it is an anthological or excerpted text.
20. Whereas the interests of the compiler of MS C are evident, his his
torical identity remains lost from our view.
RECONSTRUCTIONS AND RETROVERSIONS:

CHANCES AND CHALLENGES
TO THE HEBREW BEN SIRA TEXT
Pancratius C. Beentjes
Tilburg University
Shortly after the publication of my text edition of the Hebrew Ben Sira
manuscripts, quite diverse reactions were rendered relating to the pre
sentation of the material. In fact, there were three different types of
comment:
1. First, I was fiercely criticized by some scholars not to have recon
structed illegible consonants and/or larger gaps in the manuscripts.
2. Second, some scholars even expected that I should have presented a
Hebrew retranslation of those lines that are missing in the recovered
Hebrew manuscripts, but are extant in the Greek and/or Syriac.
3. Third, much to my relief some Ben Sira colleagues were in heartfelt
agreement with the way the material was presented in the text edi
tion.
It wasand still ismy conviction that a scholar who wants to publish
a text edition of whatever kind should give the readers as much accu
rate information as possible with respect to the original manuscript. An
editor cannot be allowed to deviate from the text as it has been recov
ered. If he, or she, nevertheless is doing so, one has created a newnon
existent!text in which problems might have been covered up or put
aside. In my view, however, it is the task of the reader of the text edition
to (try to) solve the problems that emerge in a specific text. The reader
might find an explanation for some problems to which the editor never
gave a thought.
1
With respect to an edition of the Hebrew Ben Sira manuscripts, such

a publication, therefore, should only contain the actual recovered texts,
with the lines in the order found in the manuscripts, without recon
structing illegible consonants or larger gaps in the manuscript.
1
P.C. Beentjes, A Text Edition of all Extant Hebrew Manuscripts & A Synopsis of all
Parallel Hebrew Ben Sira Texts (VTS 68; Leiden: Brill, 1997; Atlanta: SBL, 2006).
PANCRATIUS C. BEENTJES
24
That these basic principles are not self-evident can easily be demon
strated. As an example, one might refer to Zeev Ben-Hayyim, who in
his presentation of the Hebrew texts of Ben Sira quite often is swayed
2
by the Greek text. As everyone can ascertain, more than once he has
adapted the sequence of the elements in the Hebrew manuscripts (both
of Ms. B and the Masada Scroll) to the order of the verses of the Greek
translation. By the way, Ben-Hayyims Hebrew text edition is the only
one that has taken over the major dislocation of the text in the Greek
3
manuscripts after Sir 30:24. By far the most remarkable presentation,

therefore, is his rendering of the prayer in Sir 36:1-17, which in the
Hebrew manuscript B is rendered as a continuous text but has been
divided by him into two parts to be found at different places in his text
edition.
Apart from the text edition of Ben-Hayyim, also the popular Ben
Sira polyglot published by Francesco Vattioni frequently renders the
Hebrew texts in the order of the Greek translation, i.e., contrary to the
5
sequence of the recovered Hebrew manuscripts. Since also in a num

ber of text editions examples of the same procedure are easily to be
found, the reader should always be on the alert.
This volume offers an excellent opportunity to pursue this problem

in greater depth. Before doing so, some definitions and notions are in
order.
Z. Ben-Hayyim, The Book of Ben Sira. Text, Concordance and an Analysis of the
Vocabulary (The Historical Dictionary of the Hebrew Language; Jerusalem, 1973).
Sir 33:13bc; 34; 35; 36:l-16a; 30:25-40; 31; 32; 33:l-13a; see F.V. Ritrer, Zhlsynopse zum Buch Ben Sira (FoSub 1; Berlin, 2003), 176-94.
Sir 36:l-lla (Ben-Hayyim, The Book of Ben Sira, 28) and Sir 36:llb-17 (BenHayyim, The Book of Ben Sira, 34-35). In addition, even the position of several cola in
his presentation of these lines is not in accordance with the recovered Hebrew text of
Ms. B.
F. Vattioni, Ecclesiastico. Testo ebraico con apparato critico e versioni greca, latina e
siriaca (Publicazioni del Seminario di Semitistica, Testi 1; Naples: Istituto Orientale di
Napoli, 1968). See, for instance, in both editions Sir 3:25; 7:15; 11:32-12:1; 31:21-22;
31:27-28; 36:18 ff.; 37:24-25; 41:14-16; 42:9; 44:15; 46:16-20; 48:7-8; 51:19-20. As to
Sir 41:14-16, see P.C. Beentjes, "The Reliability of Text Editions in Ben Sira 41:14-16:
A Case Study in Repercussions on Structure and Interpretation," Bijdragen 49 (1988):
188-94; repr. in "Happy the One who Meditates on Wisdom* (Sir 14,20): Collected Essays
on the Book of Ben Sira (CBET 43; Louvain: Peeters, 2006), 293-99.
See e.g., the incorrect reproduction of Sir 49:15-50:1 by Vattioni, Ecclesiastico,
269, and of Sir 3:24-28 by I. Knabenbauer, Commentarius in Ecclesiasticum. Cursus
Scripturae Sacrae, Commentariorum in Vet. Text. Pars II, in libros didacticos (Paris:
Lethielleux, 1902), IV-VI, and by R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach. Hebrisch
und Deutsch (Berlin: Reimer, 1906), 2.
3
RECONSTRUCTIONS AND RETROVERSIONS
A.
25
D E L I M I T I N G T H E NOTIONS
"RECONSTRUCTION" AND "RETROVERSION"
The notions "reconstruction" and "retroversion" should be marked off

very carefully. The term "reconstruction" is used in those cases where a
text is more or less lacunal and its gaps need to be filled up in the most
plausible way.
With respect to the topic "retroversion," as far as the book of Ben Sira
is concerned, one has to draw a distinction. On the one hand, it refers
to the heated discussion at the end of the nineteenth century relating
to the question whether the then recently discovered Hebrew Ben Sira
manuscripts to some extent represented the original Hebrew document
or ought to be considered a retroversion from the Syriac and/or the
Greek. Nowadays, there still is an ongoing debate relating to this topic.
7
The notion "retroversion," on the other hand, is used when scholars

offer translations from the Syriac and/or the Greek into Hebrew for
those verses or passages that untill now are missing among the redis
covered Hebrew Ben Sira manuscripts. In this contribution, we will just
pay attention to this latter category of "retroversion."
B. GRANDDAD AND GRANDSON
As a complete Hebrew text of the book of Ben Sira is not at hand, the
study of the versions of the book of Ben Sira is therefore of great impor
tance, but at the same time has its limits. Is the Greek translation, for
instance, a reliable reflection of Ben Siras Hebrew text?
In this respect, one should refer here to the investigation by Benja
min G. Wright, who in 1988 offered an excellent monograph dealing
with the interrelationship of the Greek translation of the book of Ben
7
E.g. D.S. Margoliouth, The Origin of the "Original Hebrew'* of Ecclesiasticus (Lon
don: Parker, 1899); W. Bacher, "An Hypothesis about the Hebrew Fragments of Sirach,"
JQR 12 (1899-1900): 92-108; G. Bickell, "Der hebrische Sirachtext eine Ruckubersetzung," WZKM 13 (1899): 251-56; T. Tylor, "Ecclesiasticus: The Retranslation Hypoth
esis," JQR 12 (1899-1900): 555-62; R. Storr, "Einige Bedenken gegen die Echtheit des
hebrischen Jesus Sirach," TQ 106 (1925): 203-31; C.C. Torrey, "The Hebrew of the
Geniza Sirach," in Alexander Marx Jubilee Volume (ed. S. Lieberman; New York: Jewish
Theological Seminary, 1950), 585-602.
E.g. C. Martone, "Il testo ebraico delTEcclesiastico: Originale o retroversione?"
Renovatio 25 (1990): 595-601; W. Th. van Peursen, "The Alleged Retroversions from
Syriac in the Hebrew Text of Ben Sira Revisited: Linguistic Perspectives," Kleine Untersuchungen zur Sprache des Alten Testaments und seiner Umwelt 2 (2001): 47-95.
8
26
9
Sira and its Hebrew parent text. He posed the question whether the
Hebrew parent text of the Greek translation could be reconstructed at
all. His investigation tends to be pessimistic about the prospect of re
covering the grandsons Hebrew text.
Among other things, Wright elucidated this conviction by referring
to Patrick W. Skehans retroversion of chapter 24 from the Greek Ben
Sira text, adducing solid evidence that Skehans retroversion is far
from convincing. It is a pity, therefore, that Wright has not favored the
most obvious conclusion, i.e., that both the Hebrew text of Ben Sira and
the Greek translation by his grandson must be considered as literary
entities of their own, which cannot be exchanged at pleasure.
In 1995, Antonio Minissale published a monograph dealing with a
particular aspect of the Greek version of Ben Sira. He offers an analy
sis of ten pericopes in the book of Ben Sira which are all attested in
more than one Hebrew Ben Sira manuscript and dealing with one cen
tral topic. The aim of his study is to re-examine the Greek translation
in its relation to the Hebrew source text and establish to what extent the
Greek translator(s) have been influenced and inspired by a hermeneutic of midrashic and targumic conventions.
10
11
12
13
Minissales study reveals that the Greek text seems to be more spe
cific, picturesque and generic, expressing the cause instead of the effect
and vice versa, the concrete instead of the abstract and vice versa. The
matic variations include concern for the transcendence of God, stress
ing the action of God but avoiding references to divine causality with
respect to evil and natural phenomena, and avoidance of mythological
allusions.
14
B.G. Wright, No Small Difference: Sirachs Relationship to its Hebrew Parent Text
(SCS 26; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989).
P.W. Skehan, "Structures in Poems on Wisdom: Proverbs 8 and Sirach 24," CBQ
41 (1979): 365-79.
Wright, No Small Difference, 236-50.
A. Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide confronto con il testo ebraico alia luce
dellattivit midrascica e del metodo targumico (AnBib 133; Rome: Editrice Pontifico
Istituto Biblico, 1995). It is a slightly revised version of his doctoral thesis supervised by
Roger Le Daut, defended on May 25th 1992 at P.I.B., Rome.
Sir 4:20-6:4; 6:18-37; 10:19-11:6; 31:25-32:13; 32:14-33:6; 37:16-31; 41:14-42:8;
42:15-25; 44:1-15; 51:13-30.
A rather weak point of this study is, however, that nowhere a definition is of
fered as to what Minissale actually understands by "midrash(ic)" and "targum(ic)."
This might be the reason why the huge amount of material collected in this study is not
really evaluated.
10
11
12
13
14
27
In my opinion, both Benjamin Wrights and Antonio Minissales

monographs allow just one conclusion: the Greek translation is unsuited to serve as a reliable witness for a reconstruction of the Hebrew
text(s). Therefore I like to argue strongly in favour of the view that
in fact there is only one legitimate way to investigate the book of Ben
Sira properly, namely to study each text, each version, even each manu
script, on its own, and not to mingle them ad libitum, thus offering a
text that does not even exist.
15
C . SOME SPECIFIC CASES OF RECONSTRUCTION
1. Sir
16
12-.10-14
One of the most curious, if not bizarre, reconstructions of a Hebrew

Ben Sira passage ever is the attempt by Harold Louis Ginsberg to re
construct "the real Hebrew originaT of the recovered Hebrew text of
Sir 12:10-14. Since according to Ginsberg, the Genizah Hebrew text
17
is composed in an idiom which (a) is for the most part hideous, (b) is
rarely presupposed by G [reek], and (c) for the most part alternates be
tween execrably literal reproduction of S[yriac] and substitution of bibli
cal (or other) flourishes which only vaguely suggests the general thought
of S...; who would recover some resemblance of the real Hebrew original
must reconstruct it, as best he can, primarily from G.
18
Ginsberg does not state any reason why he has chosen this particular
paragraph in Ms. A., which in fact consists of an uninterrupted Hebrew
text that runs from Sir 3:6 to Sir 16:26. In order to get a quick impres
sion of Ginsbergs modus operandi, in the following chart the Genizah
text of Sir 12:10-11 and its reconstructed "real Hebrew original" by
Ginsberg have been put together, followed by a translation into English.
Sir 12:10
Ms. A
Ginsberg
15
b
*r*?rr ipn nwruD ^
injn T^nn wmD *o
a
lyb mwi pon bx
ubiyb
\mn bx
"... the grandsons translation could be characterized as not representing the He

brew closely. ... the Greek Sir would not seem to provide a firm basis for reconstruc
tions. The grandsons approach to the Hebrew seems to reflect more of a concern for the
message than the mdium;" Wright, No Small Diffrence, 115.
The article by C. Selmer, "A Study of Ecclus. 12:10-19," CBQ 8 (1946): 306-14 is
on the Latin text, and therefore may be left aside here.
H.L. Ginsberg, "The Original Hebrew of Ben Sira 12:10-14," JBL 74 (1955): 93-5.
Ginsberg, "The Original Hebrew," 93.
16
17
18
28
Sir 12:11
Ms. A
Ginsberg
Sir 12:11
Ms. A
Ginsberg
Ms A:
"Never trust your enemy,
for his wickedness is like corrosion in bronze.
Even though he acts deferentially and peaceably toward you,
take care to be on your guard against him.
Treat him as one who would breach a confidence
so that he may not be able to harm you,
and be sure that in the end envy will still be there".
19
Ginsberg:
"Never trust thine enemy;
for his malice burrows like a snake.
Tho he humble himself and walk bowed,
give heed and beware of him.
Thou shalt be to him as one who bruises a head,
and be mindful of the end of his burrowing."
20
Greek:
"Never trust your enemy;
he will turn vicious as sure as metal rusts.
If he appears humble and obsequious,
take care! Be on your gard against him.
Behave towards him like a man who polishes a mirror
to make sure that it does not corrode away."
21
Syriac:
"Never trust an adversary
because he is as (corroded) brass which defiles his companion.
Even if he listens to you and walks before you bowed down
set your heart to fear him.
Be not as one who reveals a secret
and he will not find (an opportunity) to ravage you
and you will (come) to know the (full) range of his envy."
22
19
20
21
Skehan, Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 243.

Ginsberg, "The Original Hebrew," 95.
J.G. Snaith, Ecclesiasticus (CBC; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1974),
65.
22
N. Calduch-Benages, J. Ferrer, J. Liesen, La Sabiduria del escriba. Wisdom of the

Scribe. Diplomatic Edition of the Syriac Version of the Book of Ben Sira according to
29
Quite often, substantial dissimilarity can be ascertained. Ginsberg s reconstruction of Sir 12:1 led, for instance, "is based upon the reading of
the Syrohexpla, which agrees with S and makes better sense than the
received text of G."
To my mind, Ginsberg does no justice to Ms. A. at all. The Genizah
text has a good sense of its own and must therefore be considered more
original than Ginsberg s "reconstruction." Here we come across the essence of the question: the Greek translation by the grandson is far from
being considered to be a slavish rendering of its Hebrew parent text.
It therefore can hardly be consulted in order to easily reconstruct the
Hebrew Bn Sira text.
By the way, already in a short communication from 1937, Ginsberg
had expressed his conviction that the Hebrew Ben Sira at least basically
is a retroversion, most probably from an Aramaic text which afterwards
has been updated by using the Peshitta.
23
24
25
2. Sir 48:11
It is really such a pity that at the end of Ben Siras presentation of Elijah (Sir 48:1-11) only the opening words of versellc-d have survived:
7*Ci nUJN. The extensive lacuna in the remainder of this verse
has given rise to a vivid debate on what should be considered the most
obvious reconstruction of the Hebrew text. Since both the Greek and
the Syriac of this line, however, are at variance , there is no possibility to present an unambiguously reconstructed Hebrew text, as can be
demonstrated by the following short overview of six reconstructions
suggested by Ben Sira scholars:
26
27
Codex AmbrosianuSy with Translations in Spanish and English (Biblioteca Midrsica 26;
Estella: Verbo Divino, 2003), 112.
Ginsberg, "The Original Hebrew", 95.
For a full discussion of Ginsbergs reconstruction, see A.A. Di Leila, The Hebrew
Text of Ben Sira (Studies in Classical Literature 1; The Hague: Mouton, 1966), 42-44.
"dass der hebr. Ben Sira wenigstens in der Hauptsache eine Ruckubersetzung ist
(etwa aus einem aramischen Text unter stellenweiserwohl nachtraglicherBenutzung der Peschitta);" H.L. Ginsberg, "Zu ZAW 1936,152," ZAW14 (1937): 308-9.
For a detailed analysis of Sir 48:1-11, see PC. Beentjes, "Ben Sira's View of Elijah
(Sir 48:1-11)," in Rewritten Biblical Figures (ed. E. Koskenniemi and P. Lindqvist; Studies in Rewritten Bible 3; Turku, Winona Lake: Eerdmans, 2010,47-56).
See the synopsis in W. Th. van Peursen, "Que vive celui qui fait vivre: le texte
syriaque de Sirach 48:10-12," in L'enfance de la Bible hbraque. Histoire du texte de
l'Ancien Testament (ed. A. Schenker and P. Hugo; Le monde de la Bible 52; Genve:
Labor et Fides, 2005), 288.
23
24
25
26
27
30
a) rrm u m a oa *o / noi i*n nw*

"Gluckselig, wer dich sieht und stirbt / Denn auch wir werden wieder
aufleben."
28
b) rrnn n^n o Tnuw / noi "T*n nuw
29
c) rrnn n^n *o T W K / noi "pn nw*

"Selig wer dich sieht und stirbt, / [aber seliger du selbst], denn [du]
lebst!"
30
d) n [ w rrn Kin]
"O / n]oi *r*n w
e) nia rmttnJNJK *O / noi i*n nuw

"Blessed is he who shall have seen you before he dies! For we too shall
certainly come to rest."
32
f) r r m Dn inn <o / noi i*n nuw

"Heureux celui qui te voit avant de mourir, car tu rendras la vie et il
revivra."
33
Whatever reconstruction one likes most, it should be emphasized that

there is no question of a biblical quotation or a rewritten variant of it
here, so that any of these reconstructions remains highly hypothetical.
34
Although the content of Sir 48:11 is of the highest theological importance, there is no other option than to mark this passage as a crux interpretum.
28
N. Peters, Derjungst wiederaufgefundene hebrische Text (Freiburg im Br.: Herder, 1902), 421.
I. Levi, The Hebrew Text of the Book of Ecclesiasticus (SSS 3; Leiden: Brill, 1969),
67 note q ("Perhaps ...").
R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach. Hebrisch und Deutsch (Berlin: G. Reimer, 1906), 87 (Deutsch), 55 (Hebrisch).
M.Z. Segal, tfwn KTD"P nao (Jerusalem: Bialik, 4933, 1958), 330.
"Could the original Heb lib, not represented in MS B, have read ki ap anahnu
nah nnah, "for we too shall certainly come to rest" in the sense of the nhat olm of
Sir 30:17b?"; Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 532.
E. Puech, "Ben Sira 48:11 et la resurrection" in Of Scribes and Scrolls. Studies
on the Hebrew Bible, Intertestamental Judaism, and Christian Origins presented to John
Strugnell on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday (ed. H.W. Attridge, J.J. Collins, T.H.
Tobin; College Theology Society Ressource in Religion 5; New-York: University Press
of America, 1990), 81-90 [89].
Since in the second colon there are traces of a taw and of a final nun, the reconstruction \nn by Puech should be considered the most probable.
29
30
31
32
33
34
31
D . SOME SPECIFIC CASES OF RETROVERSION
"Needless to say, retroversion is a precarious

operation at best; at worst, it is presumptuous."
35
1. Sir 17:17
Sir 17:17
Segal
Kahana
Here we have an interesting case, specifically from a methodological and
lexical point of view. The Greek text of Sir 17:17 runs as : eKdato) 0vi
KataTr]Gv rjyouêvov Kai |ipl Kupiou IaparjX atv. From a grammatical point of view, both Hebrew retroversions of the Greek text are
quite possible. There are, nevertheless, some thoughts to show a preference for Moshe Zevi Segals rendering. Whereas vo in the Greek
translation of the book of Ben Sira can be the rendering of the Hebrew
noun m (10:8, 16; 35:18d [Gr. 32:23]; 39:23; 46:6c) and some times is
the representation of the Hebrew noun Dp (36:3 [Gr. 33:3]; 50:25), the
Greek noun |ipi almost exclusively appears to be the rendering of the
Hebrew noun pbn (7:31b; 14:9; 26:3; 41:21; 44:23; 45:22c). The only occurrence that |ipi is the rendering of rfrm is found in 45:22b.
36
So, in the first place, there are some lexical arguments in favour of
Segals retroversion of Sir 17:17. At a closer look, however, one might
adduce some further evidence to support his rendering, since Sir 17:17
can hardly be denied to be a more than superficial allusion to Deut
32:8-9. For not only the rare collocation \izp\q Kupiou (Sir 24:12; Deut
32:9; Josh 22:25.27; Amos 7:4), but more specifically the identical content of Sir 17:17c and Deut 32:9a should be considered a substantial
argument to support Segal s retroversion.
This example underlines the rather circumstantial and complicated
way to argue the retroversion of one single verse.
35
Di Leila, Hebrew Text, 43-4.

The text critical question that Sir 17:16a-17a, 18 are only found in the so-called
Greek II is left out of consideration here, since it does not affect the argumentation; see
J. Ziegler, Sapientia Iesu Filii Sirach (Septuaginta Vetus Tetamentum Graecum Auctoritate Academiae Scientiarum Gottingensis editum XII,2; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck &
Ruprecht, 1965), 203.
36
32
2. Sir
22:21-22
As to three pericopes on friendship lacking a Hebrew text (Sir 19:1317; 22:19-26; 27:16-21), Jeremy Corley in his doctoral thesis made a
reconstruction by means of retroversion from the Greek and the Syriac,
37
often following Segals reconstructed Hebrew text. In the meantime,

however, some lines of Sir 22:19-26 have recently been discovered in a
Hebrew version, which is part of the anthological manuscript C ,
have been published by Shulamit Elizur.
Sir 22:21
Segal
Corley
Elizur
Sir 22:22
Segal
Corley
Elizur
and
39
b
nmtente**o uwin
miten w TD uwnn bx
nui:) w *D nu[] to*
raiten
38
b
*unte*TD Tn*>n to*
nsn u)* *D m a n
to*
te*
*a mm *?**
a
mn nsbv) DN ITIN by
mn f?ten DN nniN by
mn yfrtento*nn[ ] to*
a
HID nnna DN nniN to>
na nnan D** nmt* by
na nnn
nn[] to*
Apart from some minor differencessuch as a distinction of prepositions (QX/by/bx) and tempora (perfect/imperfect)immediate attention is attracted by the position of the noun rQlWl, which in both Segals and Corley s retranslation is found at the end of 22:21b, whereas
in Ms. C. it is the final word of 22:22b.
37
40
In this particular case, the
J. Corley, Ben Siras Teaching on Friendship (BJS 316; Providence: Brown University, 2002), 193-211; see also J. Marbck, "Gefhrdung und Bewhrung: Kontexte zur
Freundschaftsperikope Sir 22,19-26," in Freundschaft bei Ben Sira (ed. F.V. Ritrer;
BZAW 244; Berlin: W. de Gruyter, 1996), 87-106.
See PC. Beentjes, "Hermeneutics in the book of Ben Sira. Some Observations on
the Hebrew Ms. C," EstBib 46 (1988): 45-59 repr. in "Happy the One who Meditates on
Wisdom", 333-47; C.V. Camp, "Honor, Shame and the Hermeneutics of Ben Siras Ms
C," in Wisdom, You Are My Sister. Studies in Honor of Roland E. Murphy (ed. M. Barr;
CBQMS 29; Washington DC: Catholic Biblical Association of America, 1997), 157-71.
S. Elizur, "KTD p -ID bw nnyn nouno Win yvp. A New Hebrew Fragment of
Ben Sira," Tarbiz 76 (2008): 17-28; see also J.-S. Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet du manuscript C de la Genizah du Caire," in Florilegium Lovaniense: Studies in Septuagint and
Textual Criticism in Honour ofFlorentino Garcia Martinez (eds. H. Ausloos, B. Lemmelijn and M. Vervenne; BETL 224; Louvain: Peeters, 2008), 387-416. In 1931, Joseph
Marcus published a prosodie version of Ben Sira, indicated as "Ecclesiasticus xxii, 2 2 xxiii, 9". This manuscript ("Ms. Adler 3053"), however, starts at Sir 22:22c; see J. Marcus, The Newly Discovered Original Hebrew of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus xxxii,16-xxxiv,l).
The Fifth Manuscript and a Prosodie Version of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus xxii,22-xxiii,9)
(Philadelphia: Dropsie College, 1931).
"Il ressort que le grec et le syriaque combinent les deux seconds stiques des versets
21 et 22;" Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 19.
38
39
40
33
retranslations by Segal and Corley may serve as an illustration that the

Greek and/or Syriac version are not to be considered a direct reflection
of their Hebrew parent text(s). There is no doubt whatsoever that each
of them has its own dynamics.
The position of the noun nniwn in Ms. C. as opposed to its posi
tion in the retranslations by Segal and Corley is a good illustration of
how Ben Sira scholars should exercise restraint in their assumption(s)
that the Greek translation is a direct reflection of the parent Hebrew
text. This particular aspect has circumstantially been studied by Ben
jamin Wright and has recently been exemplified up again by Anssi
Voitila. The latter scholar has demonstrated that "in the Greek trans
lation, there are words, expressions, and even whole verses that seem to
be placed into a different order in comparison with one of the extant
Hebrew manuscripts." This is true, for instance, for Sir 3:16 (MSS A
and C) and Sir 10:24 (MSS A and B). In both cases, only one of the
manuscripts supports the word order of the Greek translation. In other
instances, there is evidence that the Greek translator has changed the
Hebrew word order to comply with the Greek idiom or style. In other
words, there may have been various reasons why the word order of the
Hebrew text has consistently been changed by the grandson.
41
42
43
44
3. Retranslating the Greek noun ekeoq into Hebrew

Of course, it is a pity that some passages, or even full chapters, of the
Hebrew Ben Sira are still missing. Therefore, one can imagine that
scholars make every effort to retranslate such missing Hebrew passages
with the help of the Greek and/or Syriac version and under support
of the fragments of the Hebrew Ben Sira texts that have actually been
recovered.
41
"Le fait que ces deux proverbes soient coups de leur chute change considrable
ment leur signification. Rey, "Un nouveau bifeuillet," 19.
Wright, No Small Difference, 35-54; "it is clear that the grandson was not as con
cerned with the exact word order of his parent text," 51; A. Voitila, "Differences in
Order of Sentences, Lines, and Verses in the Hebrew and Greek Texts of Ben Sira,"
BIOSCS 41 (2008): 76-83.
Voitila, "Differences," 77. This phenomenon occurs elsewhere too. See Voitila,
"Differences," 77 n. 8.
"1st die Rekonstruktion eines ,Urtextes' oft bereits dort problematisch, wo neben
den alten Versionen hebrische Sirachfragmente zur Verfugung stehen, gilt dies umso
mehr fur Stellen wie 22,19-26, wo solche Zeugnisse fehlen;" Marbck, "Gefhrdung
und Bewhrung," 88.
,,
42
43
44
34
In what way, for instance, should one translate the Greek noun EXEO
into Hebrew in those instances where up to now no Hebrew Ben Sira
text has been discovered? When we take a look at more than twenty Ben
Sira passages that have been documented both in Hebrew and Greek,
the problem becomes manifest. For it looks as if the Greek translator
had at his disposal only one and the same noun (Xeo) to reflect no
less than five different Hebrew nouns:
45
46
tram
njntf*
Ton
pn
nrrUT'
Sir 5:6; 16:11.12; 51:8

Sir 35:25
Sir 44:10; 46:7; 47:22; 50:24; 51:3
Sir 50:22
Sir51:29
47
48
This state of affairs is confirmed by presenting an inventory of those occurrences in the Syriac translation where the Greek has the noun eXeo:
-
rC*\i-)^,
goodness*
salvation
mercy'
righteous'
goodness
will'
mercy
Sir 2:7
Sir 2:9
Sir 2:18; 51:3
Sir 44:23
Sir 44:10; 47:22; 51:29
Sir 50:22
Sir 50:24; 51:8
And to complicate matters, the Syriac translation is far from consistent

with the Hebrew text(s). In Sir 44:10 and 47:22, the Hebrew noun ion
is rendered r^*\cN-n\,, in 50:24 rtvny*. In 51:8, however, râm*. is the rendering of the Hebrew noun O^Qm.
Precisely for these reasons, in my mind a Hebrew text edition such as
the one of Segal to a high degree is unreliable in those instances where
the Greek and the Syriac have been the basis for a retranslation into
Hebrew for all the passages of Ben Sira that have not been recovered in
45
According to R. Smend, Griechisch-Syrisch-Hebrischer Index zur Weisheit des

Jesus Sirach (Berlin: G. Reimer, 1907), 74 e\eo is found in Sir 2:7, 9,18; 5:6; 16:11,12;
18:5, 11, 13; 29:1; 32:25, 26; 36:28; 44:10, 23; 46:7; 47:22; 50:22, 24; 51:3, 8, 29. A reference to Sir 28:4, however, has been omitted.
See N. Calduch-Benages, En el Crisol de la Prueba: Estudio exegtico de Sir 2,1-18
(Asociacin Biblica Espanola 32; Estella: Verbo Divino, 1997), 101-12; 283-84 (Appendix 2*).
Referring to Sir 51:3, Smend, Griechisch-Syrisch-Hebrischer Index, 74 has not
included the Hebrew equivalent Ton.
Quite remarkable is the collocation Xeo KC T T p a u t n (Sir 36:28) rendering the
Hebrew collocation ftih NTID (both in Mss B and C).
46
47
48
35
Hebrew. In his retranslation, he has only two Hebrew nouns rendering

Xeo: 10D (Sir 2:7, 9 , 1 8 ; 18:5; 35:20) and t r a m (Sir 18:11,13a, 13b).
49
E.
FINAL REMARKS
1. The present author is fully aware that his approach represents a min
imalists point of view, as he in fact refuses, on the one hand, to fill
up gaps in the Hebrew manuscripts with reconstructions and, on the
other hand, to provide retranslations into Hebrew that are based on
the Greek and/or the Syriac versions. The following quotation from a
recently published monograph that is both inspiring and intriguing can
serve as an illustration of the problem:
The edition of Beentjes represents an improvement over those of Vattioni
and the Hebrew Language Academy, in that it presents the Hebrew texts
in the order in which they appear in the Hebrew manuscripts. In addi
tion, the Beentjes edition is more conservative, as it refrains from recon
structing gaps or unreadable consonants in the manuscripts.
50
2. Ben Sira scholars who, on the contrary, advocate a maximalists ap

proach should, nevertheless, exercise restraint, not only in their efforts
to reconstruct lacunous Hebrew fragments, but also in retranslating
Greek and Syriac Ben Sira texts into Hebrew. Too often it has appeared
to be a dangerous liaison.
49
For an overview of in what way the root Dm and its drivtes have been rendered
in the Greek Ben Sira, see: RC. Beentjes, "Gods Mercy: Racham (pi.), Radium, and
Rachamim in the book of Ben Sira," in Ben Siras God. Proceedings of the International
Ben Sira Conference. Durham - Ushaw College 2001 (ed. R. Egger-Wenzel; BZAW 321;
Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2002), 101-17.
G. Schmidt Goering, Wisdoms Root Revealed. Ben Sira and the Election of Israel
(JSJS 139; Leiden: Brill, 2009), 252.
50
WORDPLAY IN T H E HEBREW TO BEN SIRA

Eric D. Reymond
Yale Divinity School
"The beginning of any work (is) a word,

and the beginning of any deed is a thought"
(Sir 37:16; Ms B).
1
The Wisdom of Ben Sira, more than most other Hebrew texts that precede it, displays an obvious concern for language. Perhaps, this is partially attributable to the author s belief that thinking and language are
interconnected, a notion that the parallelism of Sir 37:16 seems to reflect. In addition, it should also, I think, be attributed to the importance
of spoken language in the life of a scribe or ancient intellectual, a life
for which the book seeks to provide practical advice. Such passages as
Sir 13:22 recognize that the words one uses are not always interpreted
as one would like and have merit in the eyes of others relative to one s
own status. Sir 13:22b reads in Ms A: "though his words [i.e., the words
of a wealthy person] are contemptible, they are considered beautiful,"
2
or, more literally, "though his words are ugly, they are made beautiful."
The Hebrew in Ms B reads rQOTD KTI byi b"D WNm \ i m nwpn bl W*n, while
that of Bm reads nnwnD tyl b vzb \
nurjQ bl vtn. (Quotations of the Hebrew text of Ben Sira here and in what follows are drawn from P. C. Beentjes, The Book
of Ben Sira in Hebrew: A Text Edition of All Extant Hebrew Manuscripts and a Synopsis
of All Parallel Hebrew Ben Sira Texts [VTSup 68; Leiden: Brill, 1997], and the corrections to this work in idem, "Errata et Corrigenda," in Ben Siras God: Proceedings of the
International Ben Sira Conference, Durham-Ushaw College 2001 [ed. R. Egger-Wenzel;
BZAW 321; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2002], 375-77. Also consulted: Z. Ben-Hayyim, The
Book of Ben Sira: Text, Concordance and an Analysis of the Vocabulary [The Historical
Dictionary of the Hebrew Language; Jerusalem: The Academy of the Hebrew Language,
1973]; J. Ziegler, Sapientia lesu Filii Sirach [Septuaginta: Vetus Testamentum Graecum
12:2; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1965]; N. Calduch-Benages, J. Ferrer, and
J. Liesen, La Sabiduria del Escriba I The Wisdom of the Scribe [Biblioteca Midrsica 1;
Estella: Verbo Divino, 2003]. The context of human actions and deeds in chapter 37
diminishes the chances that nwpD would be understood as "written works" (as it seems
to be in Ps 45:2; 4QMMT [4Q394 3-7 i 4-5 and 4Q398 14-17 ii 2-3], Psalm 151 A:3c-d,
4b [11Q5 XXVIII6-7]) and therefore as part of a wordplay with im.
The Hebrew reads r{n}Q pPDD m i l . The participle IPDD in Sir 11:2 (Ms A,
2
38
ERIC D. REYMOND
This passage not only implies the problems inherent in the verbal inter
actions between humans of different social and financial classes, it also
points to speech as inherently unreliable, something that depends on
context for its significance. This latter idea is underlined in the strik
ing juxtaposition of the otherwise opposite ideas of "ugly" and "made
beautiful."
The book of Ben Sira also reveals a sensitivity to languages inherent
imprecision. Lexical (and grammatical) ambiguity is exploited through
out the book to communicate its ideas; this is seen most keenly in the
numerous examples of wordplay, which often depend for their effect on
the semantic ambiguity inherent in polyvalent words as well as the am
biguity created by etymologically unrelated words that have the same
or similar sounds. It is assumed that Ben Sira is the author of most of
the wordplay in his book based on a number of factors, including the
presence of such explicit puns in the earliest Hebrew manuscripts (spe
cifically, the Masada scroll) and on the agreement of the various ancient
translations. Nevertheless, there seems also to have been a tendency
for alliteration and wordplay to enter the Hebrew text through such fa
miliar mistakes as dittography. Although it is common to dismiss such
readings as simple gaffs, and to focus on a preferred reading, the pre
sent study investigates these secondary examples of wordplay in order
to demonstrate how the textual transmission of the book has resulted in
a text that incorporates, in some instances, more puns than the original,
and to investigate the nature of these secondary puns. Although not
original, these puns would have been appreciated by the later readers of
the text, especially if other versions were not known to them.
3
Bm) describes physical appearance. See I. Levi, L'Ecclsiastique (Paris: Leroux, 1898),
2:97 and W. Th. van Peursen, The Verbal System in the Hebrew Text of Ben Sira (SSLL
41; Leiden: Brill, 2004), 349. Although Ben Sira is not trying to undermine the percep
tion of languages referential capacity, the idea that he saw the meaning of some words
as relative to their context seems consistent with his other views concerning the relative
worth of speech in general (see, e.g., Sir 13:9-12,23; 32:7-8).
The book of Ben Sira uses the same rhetorical device to describe the duplicity of
fair-weather friends in 12:9a (Ms A).
In the present study, "wordplay' and "pun" are used synonymously to refer to the
relationship between two or more words (usually within a single verse) of identical or
similar pronunciation where the meaning of the words (and especially the dissimilarity
in meaning) has some relevance to the idea being expressed; "wordplay" also refers to
the use of polysemous words whose different meanings, likewise, have relevance to the
context in which they appear.
3
WORDPLAY IN T H E H E B R E W TO BEN SIRA
39
Wordplay creates not only an artful effect and concise expression,

but it also implies its own messages; for the book of Ben Sira, one of
these messages must surely be that scribes (and those who study Wis5
dom) possess linguistic dexterity in reading and writing. Such acumen, it might be noted, is clearly demonstrated in other texts too, like
the chronologically close peshers from among the Dead Sea Scrolls.
In these texts words and phrases from the Bible are reinterpreted ac7
cording to phonetically similar words. For example, the noun "taunt"

(or "prophetic discourse" = bWD) in Hab 2:6, cited in lQpHab VIII,
6 - 1 0 , is interpreted as an indication of the Wicked Priests activity in
Israel, namely his "ruling" (bw); similarly, the noun "lion" (bTVV) in
Hos 5:14, cited in 4QpHosb 2, 2 - 3 (= 4Q167), is interpreted as an indication of the activity of the priest who "will send" (nVttP) his hand
against Ephraim; and, the verb phrase "he can run" (yw)
in Hab 2:2,
cited in lQpHab VII, 3 - 5 , is interpreted as an indication of "the secrets

8
(DTi) o f . . . the prophets" taught to the Teacher of Righteousness. This

kind of hermeneutics even extends into the Rabbinic era when similar
kinds of connections between scripture and interpretation continue to
9
be identified. Individuals with an affinity for such manner of reading, I
E V Ritrer, "The Sociological Significance of the Scribe as the Teacher of Wisdom in Ben Sira," (trans. R. W. Bernard), in Scribes, Sages, and Seers: The Sage in the
Eastern Mediterranean World (ed. L. G. Perdue; FRLANT 219; Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008), 219.
For the dates of these peshers, see G. L. Doudna, 4Q Pesher Nahum: A Critical Edition (JSPSup 35; London: Sheffield Academic, 2001), 38-43, 675-82 and the literature
cited there.
On wordplay among the peshers, see M. Fishbane, "The Qumran Pesher and Traits
of Ancient Hermeneutics," in Proceedings of the Sixth World Congress of Jewish Studies,
Held at the Hebrew University ofJerusalem, 13-19 August 1973, under the Auspices of the
Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities (vol. 1; Jerusalem: World Union of Jewish
Studies, 1977), 97-114; M. Horgan, Pesharim: Qumran Interpretations of Biblical Books
(CBQMS 8; Washington: Catholic Biblical Association of America, 1979), 245-47;
Doudna, 4Q Pesher Nahum, 253-65, and, most recently, S. L. Berrin, The Pesher Nahum
Scrollfrom Qumran: An Exegetical Study of4Q169 (STDJ 53; Leiden: Brill, 2004), 28,95,
156 n 80, 157 n 85, 250 n 57, 294. Puns in the pesher interpretations perhaps preserve
variants to the MT (see S. Talmon, "Aspects of the Textual Transmission of the Hebrew
Bible in the Light of Qumran Manuscripts," in Qumran and the History of the Biblical
Text [ed. F. M. Cross and S. Talmon; Cambridge: Harvard University, 1975], 261-63).
See Horgan, Pesharim, 245 nn 67, 68 and Doudna, 4Q Pesher Nahum, 253-57.
For example, in m. Hag 1:1, the House of Hillel argued that pilgrimage was a
requirement only for those who could walk, based on the fact that the word "times" in
Exod 23:14 (D*6n) is the plural word for "feet," which usually appears in the dual (D.
Instone-Brewer, "Hermeneutics, Theology of," in The Encyclopedia ofMidrash: Biblical
Interpretation in Formative Judaism [eds. J. Neusner and A. J. Avery-Peck; Leiden: Brill,
6
ERIC D. REYMOND
40
presume, were responsible for the preservation of Ben Siras own book
in the form that we have it today; therefore, it is fitting that we consider
wordplay in relation to the text s transmission.
In an essay published in 2008, Friedrich V. Ritrer calls attention
to the use of polysemous words throughout Ben Siras book and in a
footnote comments that "further treatment of this field will enrich
understanding of Sirach in the future, and is only at the beginning of
research."
10
In that same footnote he cites the recent dissertation by

11
Nicolas Seger on this very subject. Before this, the existence of wordplay in the Hebrew to Ben Sira was early on recognized by the first commentators on the Genizah texts, especially Peters and Smend. These
scholars offered relatively short lists of puns, including those related
to names, but did not dwell at length on these as a whole.
12
Similarly,
the works of Levi, Segal, Skehan and Di Leila, and others sometimes
mention puns and wordplay, but do not thoroughly discuss these as
13
an independent topic in Ben Siras work. Seger notes that the study of
wordplay in Ben Sira has been recognized in some more general treatments of Hebrew poetry especially that done by W. G. E. Watson, who
2005], 1:297). One may also note the wordplay in medieval Hebrew poetry from approximately the same time as the Ben Sira Genizah manuscripts and the prominence
of repetition (in place of synonymous word pairs) among the Targums; see C. H. Toy
and I. M. Casanowicz, "Rime," in The Jewish Encyclopedia 2 (New York City: Ktav, 1964
[1901-1906]), 10:425-27; T. Lewenstein, Prolegomena zu Moses ibn Esras Buch der
Tajnis (Halle: Friedrichs University, 1893); E. van Staalduine-Sulman, The Targum of
Samuel (SAIS 1; Leiden: Brill, 2002), 706.
Ritrer, "The Sociological Significance of the Scribe," 219 n 8.
N. Seger, "L'Utilisation de la polysmie des raciness hbraques chez Ben Sira"
(unpublished Ph.D. diss.; Strasbourg: Universit Strasbourg 2 [Marc Bloch], 2005).
Peters lists the following examples of "Wortspiele": n^l / m DÎQ (4:11); "ID1D /
(6:22); IT / n (8:18); niUtt I W / m m i m n / D"T1 - m (40:9); U>P / H U W (42:13); n*Wl /
-inu (43:1); Wa / *7D (45:14); nfew / nfatn (45:19); n>U>r6 / rtwrb (46:7); tpinA / pinAi
/ PHMVI (49:7); pin? / nmb (50:8) and as etymological word play typical of scribes: unn
vnnnn vnrn (43:8); on* pan
Drraa (44:19); pi KXID / nvn (44:23); IDTO prcnrr
/ nfrru nywn (46:1); bxwm I
(46:13); nnfw I rrtw (47:13); o j n m / xin* a m
/ Dp pnfln (47:23); TXV pm 1TPT1T (48:17); 1 H W T l D J W 1 (48:20);OTpn*/ ptm
i n OTl (48:22) (N. Peters, Derjngst wiederaufgefundene hebrische Text des Bches
Ecclesiasticus [Freiburg: Herdersche Verlagshandlung, 1902], 85*). Smend cites Peters
and some of the same examples, but adds pip / -Qprp (7:16); mriD / Hnn (42:14) (R.
Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach, erklrt [Berlin: Reimer, 1906], XLII).
Levi, L'Ecclsiastique; M.Z. Segal, Sefer Ben Sira (Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 1953)
(in Hebrew); P. W. Skehan and A. A. Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira (AB 39; New
York: Anchor Doubleday, 1987); J. G. Snaith, Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Jesus Son
of Sirach (Cambridge Bible Commentary; Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1974).
10
11
12
13
WORDPLAY IN T H E H E B R E W TO B E N SIRA
41
14
cites several passages from the book. More often, however, studies
of wordplay in ancient Hebrew do not include Ben Sira in their treatments. Seger s recent dissertation on the subject, of course, is a corrective to this previous neglect. In his work, he focuses especially on
those cases where a single word can have multiple meanings in a single
passage. He analyzes at length the following texts: Sir 4:11; 6:22,24; 9:4,
8; 14:9; 35:21ab; 4 8 : 1 7 - 2 5 . Despite his many insightful comments and
analyses, much can still be said about wordplay in Ben Sira.
Puns in Ben Sira, as in the peshers described above, appear in a variety of forms. The following examples are not intended as a comprehensive description of all the different types of puns that Ben Sira uses,
but rather to highlight some of the more interesting and provocative.
The phrase "double entendre" in English refers to a type of wordplay in
which a single word is used once in a passage where two or more of its
meanings are relevant; in some cases it is used with the implication that
one of the meanings has a sexual connotation. Examples of this type
of pun appear in Sir 51:13-30, found in the Dead Sea Scroll H Q P s (=
11Q5), especially in verses like 51:19e-f, where the language resonates
with sexual imagery and vocabulary from the Bible.
15
16
rmnnN nvnpnfm]
[nnpu; n]nn * r
My hand open[ed her gates]

[that] I could consider her hidden things (Sir 51:19; 11Q5 XXI, 17).
17
Here the words "hand" and "open" have secondary sexual meanings, as
demonstrated in their use in Cant 5:2-4. The effect of this language is,
in the context of Sir 51:13-30, an emphasis on the idea that Wisdom
should be pursued with the enthusiasm one might (but perhaps should
not) show in the pursuit of a human bride.
14
Watson cites Sir 4:11, 9:8,14:9, 33:21a-b (see W. G. E. Watson, Classical Hebrew
Poetry: A Guide to Its Techniques [JSOTSS 26; Sheffield: JSOT, 1984], 237-50). See also
J. J. Gluck, "Paronomasia in Biblical Literature, Semitics 1 (1970), 50-78, esp. pp. 59-60
on Sir 6:22,24.
See, e.g., I. M. Casanowicz, Paronomasia in the Old Testament (Boston: Norwood,
1894); L. Alonso Schkel, A Manual of Hebrew Poetics (SB 11; Rome: Pontifical Biblical
Institute, 1988), 29-31; E. Greenstein, "Wordplay, Hebrew," in The Anchor Bible Dictionary (ed. D. N. Freeman; New York: Doubleday, 1992), 6:968-71.
Seger, "L'Utilisation de la polysmie," 78.
For the reconstruction and explanation of this passage, as well as other cases
of double entendre in this poem, see E. D. Reymond, "Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5
(=HQPs ) 21.11-22.1," RevQ 23 (2007): 207-31.
,,
15
16
17
ERIC D. REYMOND
42
A similar kind of polysemous wordplay appears in Sir 6:22 (Ms

A), between 1 0 1 0 , the noun derived from the root no**, "discipline,"
and the identically pronounced Hophal participle from the verb niD,
"withdrawn."
18
nnnj NTI wy
ti
wn p nouo noinn
19
For discipline, like its name, so it (is):

it is not obvious to many (Sir 6:22; Ms A).
20
Presented with only the first colon of 6:22, a reader might be forgiven for
connecting "1D1Q ("discipline") to the common verb
"to discipline,"
and expecting in the next colon to read something about how it causes
instruction (meyasser, the Piel participle) or how it causes someone to
become a chastened person {meyussar, the Pual participle). But, in the
second colon, the understanding of noiQ as discipline no longer seems
entirely satisfactory, and the reader must search for another meaning.
This disruption of sense and the reader s expectation complements the
message of the verse; reading the text demonstrates the dedication one
must have in order to acquire wisdom.
21
A similar type of pun, but one sometimes distinguished from the

preceding, is called, according to its classical label, antanaclasis; in cases
18
On this wordplay, see Levi, L'Ecclsiastique, 2:35; this reading was first proposed
by W. Bacher, "Notes on the Cambridge Fragments of Ecclesiasticus," JQR 12 (18991900): 277. In addition, another pun exists with the similar sounding 1D1Q "bond,"
something that would not be initially apparent to someone reading this verse, but that
becomes relevant in the following verses that mention NON ("chain") and k \ o i ("collar") in 6:24 and JTMOID ("her bonds") in 6:30. On this latter pun, see Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 25; Gluck, "Paronomasia in Biblical Literature," 59-60; L. Schrader, Leiden und
Gerechtigkeit: Studien zu Thologie und Textgeschichte des Sirachbuches (Frankfurt am
Main: Peter Lang, 1994), 167; Seger, "L'Utilisation de la polysmie," 87-96.
The noun "discipline" is considered feminine, presumably because it is to be associated with Wisdom; in Prov 4:13 it is also referred to with feminine pronouns. The 3ms
pronoun KIN at the end of the clause is perhaps a mistake for NTL, or, perhaps, part of an
impersonal phrase, the pronoun referring to the general idea of the preceding clause,
"discipline is like its name." For the impersonal use of the m.s. pronoun, see Gen 44:10,
Jos 2:21, and for that of the f.s. pronoun, Job 5:27.
The vocalization of NNIDJ in Ms A suggests that a later scribe wanted to read the
word not as an adjective "plain" (as in Prov 8:9), but the Niphal participle from ny
(Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 25).
Another example of this kind of wordplay is found in 11:28 (Ms A): "Before his
death do not call a human happy, / in his posterity (or, how his life ends, lit. in his end
= INNNNL) (is) a person distinguished" (see Skehan and Di Leila, Wisdom of Ben Sira,
241).
19
20
21
43
of this sort one word appears twice with two different meanings. An
example occurs in Sir 13:10.
Kwn ja pmnn bx\
pmnn ja mpnn *?N
Do not bring yourself forward lest you become a stranger,

but do not keep far off, lest you are hated (Sir 13:10; Ms A).
In this verse, the verb p m in the Hithpael implies in its first occurrence a passive notion, "to be made far off," and in its second implies a
reflexive notion, "to make oneself far off." The word order throws the
subtle variation between the two meanings into greater relief. As in the
preceding example, the wordplay enhances the message of the proverb;
just as one can use the same word to mean different things in different
contexts, so one must approach people of greater power with caution
and subtlety, modifying ones behavior as context demands. Another
example appears in 40:29 (Mas and Ms B), where the word "life" repeats: "As for the person always attentive at a stranger s table, / one cannot count his life ( v n ) a life (D^n) " This verse plays on the different
common meanings of "life": "the period from birth to death" (OED2,
s.v.) and "happiness . . . consisting of earthly felicity" (BDB, s.v.); in addition, it would seem, given the topic of the verse, to also play with the
rarer meaning "sustenance" (found only in Prov 27:27), implying that
a sycophants sustenance is not truly sustaining. Another example appears in Sir 3:12-13 (Ms A).
22
23
pn w bi inntpn
w bz iniK trten bx\
T I N T Q D I pmnn m
)b mtp IJTTQ non* DN nan
My child, be sustained through the glory of your father,

and do not abandon him all the days of your life.
And, even if he loses his sense, be forgiving to him (or, leave (it) to him),
do not humiliate him all the days of his life (Sir 3:12-13; Ms A).
22
The Hithpael of pm occurs only in post-biblical Hebrew. The Greek translates

with 7ta)a0jj (the subj. aorist passive of TtcoOo) "lest you be pushed back") and
uaKpv cpioTU) ("go far off"). The Syriac, on the other hand, expresses the Hebrew pun
with wordplay of its own;
appears twice, the first time it is presumably in the Ettaphal, meaning "be removed," and the second in the Ethpaal, meaning "to go far away."
The translation "attentive" for by TVX&n is based on the usage of the verb in
post-biblical Hebrew, as well as on the Greek translation (pinarv siq [see LSJ, s.v., def.
II.2]), the Syriac translation (.k. \=>a>), and the custom of guests serving food and drink
implied in Sir 29:24-27. See E. D. Reymond, "Even unto a Spark: An Analysis of the
Parallelistic Structure in the Wisdom of Ben Sira 40:11-44:15" (Ph.D. diss.; Chicago:
University of Chicago, 1999), 142-43.
23
ERIC D. REYMOND
44
In the second verse, *\b mty, at first blush, looks like it should be translated "abandon him" (according to the idiom of IChr 16:37). But, this
cannot be the sense of the verse, since this runs entirely opposite to the
advice of 3:12b. To understand 3:13 in its context, one must assume that
the verb has in 13a its less common meaning of "leave alone" (Ru 2:16);
or "leave in safe-keeping" (Is 10:3), if not an entirely different meaning,
like "be considerate of," or that, in fact, it is a different verb altogether
(what is often listed as ntp II: "to repair"). The use of this particular
verb in 13a makes the reader think twice about the advice being given;
it invites him or her to remember the preceding verse and reject the
more common meaning of ntp for one of its secondary senses.
Another kind of wordplay, sometimes called paronomasia, involves
similar sounding words. In Sir 4:9, phonetically similar words from the
roots pis and pip are set in opposite cola, suggesting through their similar pronunciation and juxtaposition other possible correspondences.
24
uwnn -ynn fipn bxi
rpntno pain pwm
Deliver the oppressed from their oppressors,

let your spirit not dread just judgment (Sir 4:9; Ms A).
25
The alliteration underscores the idea, implicit in the verse, that oppression survives due to the fear or trepidation of those responsible for applying justice. And, one should note that the emendation of flpn to
*"ipn ("be discouraged at"), suggested by most commentators, also
creates alliteration between these words for similar effect. This kind of
wordplay occurs with some regularity in Ben Sira.
26
It is assumed that much of the wordplay in the book is part of the

original text, and, in as much as anything can be attributed to an ancient author, the puns are attributed to the Jerusalemite sage, Ben Sira,
himself. However, there are many other cases that seem to be the result
24
Levi suggests that the Hebrew verb has the same associations as the Aramaic p2U>,
which also means "forsake, leave," as well as "pardon, forgive" (L'Ecclsiastique, 2:5).
Some commentators follow the Greek and Syriac translations and correct Vp^DO
to D^p^Q TO, (Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 10), while others suggest the translator misread an
original |D (Smend, Sirach: erklart, 38). Most commentators assume that the Hebrew
had originally ISpn in place of yipn, since the Greek \iyo\|/uxa) ("to be hesitant")
regularly translates 12fp (see Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 10 and Smend, Sirach: erklrt, 38;
Box and Oesterley, "Sirach," 328). The Syriac, on the other hand, uses the Ethpaal of
r e ' v i ("to be despairing").
See also Sir 6:4 (Ms A): nnttttl / nriOW; 1 l:4c-d (Ms A): m*6a / nbyi I ity; 13:24
25
26
(Ms A):
(< my) /
(< my); 13:25a (Ms A): WMHIHW; 33:5a (Ms F): bll 2b bp bxbX;
37:18b (Ms B): nWlO / \wb; 38:25a (Ms B): -pin / DDnJV; and 43:6 (Mas): m [ \ | / rmw.
45
of textual transmission, due to the anonymous scribes who copied and

re-copied the text for centuries adding and subtracting from the text,
and, in general, altering the original words. These cases of wordplay
are of especial interest since they offer a window into the manner that
the Hebrew text survived through the first millennium and the literary
contribution and/or distraction that was made through this process,
regardless of whether these alterations were done intentionally or not.
Identifying which cases of wordplay derive from textual transmission
is not easy, especially because Ben Siras textual history is so difficult to
unravel. In the past, it was commonly assumed that textual transmis
sion had led to a great many duplications of roots and/or words in the
Masoretic text; for example, Ezek 26:15 contains the phrase JHH JTinn
("when the slaughtering is executed"), thought by some to be a cor
ruption of a less repetitive inn n n n (BHK) ("when the sword slaugh
ters") or nnn p n m (BHS3) ("when sword(s) are drawn"). Although
more recent scholars are more cautious about suggesting these kinds
of emendations, it is likely the case that the scribal process of copying
manuscripts did result in repetitions of words and/or alliteration which
the original text did not contain. This is suggested, for example, in the
duplication of passages from Samuel and Kings in Chronicles. Isaac Kalimi lists and discusses these; of the six examples he notes, the following
two are representative.
27
28
(lKgs 9:5) banor NOD bya w& ^ my vb nn* f n a i n by TTOT ami

(2Chr 7:18) torittPn tano VPH ~[b my xb no*6 TQN T r t *rro n w o
"Just as I spoke to (2Chr: I cut [a treaty] with) David, your father, saying
'they will not be cut off from over the throne of Israel' (2Chr: no ruler will
be cut in Israel).
(2Kgs 24:1) tan -jta nsKHnnj nby m
(2Chr 36:6) tan "jta TSKTOHJ nby vby
In his days (2Chr: against him) Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came
up...
In these passages, Kalimi argues that the Chronicler has changed the
words found in his source in order to produce wordplay (what he calls
paronomasia) and increase the associative power of the words. In the
27
For similar cases, see F. Delitzsch, Die Lese- und Schreibfehler im Alten Testament:
Nebst den dem Schrifttexte Einverleibten Randnoten Klassifiziert (Berlin: de Gruyter,
1920), 82-84,98-103 (his examples are not always convincing).
I. Kalimi, An Ancient Israelite Historian: Studies in the Chronicler, His Time, Place
and Writing (SSN 46; Assen: Royal van Gorcum, 2005), 67-81.
28
46
ERIC D. REYMOND
case of 2Chr7:18, the wordplay "reinforces the reader's sense of the

eternal nature of the Davidic dynasty based on a divine covenant."
For the second passage, the similarity in sound between the verb and
prepositional phrase contributes to the linking of the verbal action and
its target. Of course, it is easy to see how these examples could also
be the result of scribal errors; nevertheless, it is undeniable that the
later text contains more alliteration and wordplay than the earlier text.
While this is true, the more repetitive text cannot always be assumed
to be the earlier one, since Northwest Semitic poetry is dominated by
repetition, even in later periods. 1 have tried to base my determina
tions of the earlier and later Hebrew readings on a consideration of
the context of the verse and on the ancient translations, especially the
Syriac and Greek, all the while availing myself of the copious notes and
opinions left by preceding and contemporary scholars. Furthermore,
it bears mentioning that although one cannot prove beyond a shadow
of a doubt that the readings labeled below "later" do, in fact, post-date
the other readings, the accumulation of examples should demonstrate
the general thesis that for certain verses later readings do contain an
accumulation of wordplay.
29
30
31
32
33
Sometimes the wordplay that is the result of textual transmission

consists of simple alliteration; this kind of wordplay is referred to above
as paronomasia and is quite common throughout the book. Sir 7:25
exhibits this kind of pun in the reading preserved in Ms A.
29
Kalimi, An Ancient Israelite Historian, 7 0 - 7 1 and 74.

Such errors include dittography, confusion of letters, but could also encompass
other kinds of changes like the replacement of obscure words with more common ones.
Perhaps, wordplay is, in some cases, also attributable to the common tendency to inad
vertently use similar-sounding words in a clause or sentence. On this, see J. Culler, "The
Call of the Phoneme: Introduction," in On Puns: The Foundation of Letters (ed. J. Culler;
Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1 9 8 8 ) , 1 - 1 6 , esp. 1 1 - 1 2 .
Another example is Is 13:10 in lQIsa , where the phrase DUN WW ("shine their
light") replaces DUN 1*7JT ("shine their light"); the result is greater alliteration, although
the change is often attributed to the replacement of obscure words with more common
ones (see, e.g., E. Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible [Minneapolis: Fortress,
1 9 9 2 ] , 2 5 9 ) . See also 4 Q 4 1 6 2 iii 16 where liO is mistakenly written for *7*a (as found
in 4 Q 4 1 8 9 17), due to the following word irTON.
E.g., iniNan D*Ton n n m / in H I T nm i n ("Apostrophe to Zion" [l 1Q5 XXII,
30
31
32
3-4]).
33
For an analysis of lexical repetitions in the Syriac translation of Sirach and the
difficulties in discriminating between repetitions for literary effect and repetitions due
to scribal confusion or error, see W. Th. van Peursen, Language and Interpretation in the
Syriac Text of Ben Sira: A Comparative Linguistic and Literary Study (MPIL 16; Leiden:
Brill, 2 0 0 7 ) , 6 2 - 7 6 .
47
mnn i m
bm
pop w \ nn *rcin
Bring forth a daughter and worry will go forth,
but associate her with an intelligent man (Sir 7:25; Ms A).
34
35
m i t pm [nn]a bw
pop N!n [nn a]*nn
Bring forth a daughter and worry will go forth,
but bestow her to an intelligent man (Sir 7:25; Ms C).
Notice that the alliteration in Ms A emerges not only through the words
m n n and nnjt, but also in their unexpected juxtaposition. In this text,
although Ms As reading is possible, most commentators agree that the
more likely expression is that found in Ms C, especially since the verb
of this reading matches more closely the Greek and Syriac translations.
36
In other cases, the resulting text, although alliterative, does not always
make terribly good sense. This is seen, for example, in the doublet of
Sir 9:3 (in Ms A), where one finds the vocalized phrase Tnip^n TDîl }),
duplicating the more comprehensible JTJTTtepn bSsn }) "lest you fall
into her traps," the latter supported by both the Greek and Syriac trans37
lations. In the doublet, whatever word that hides behind the jumble of
consonants and vowels at the colons end probably contained the letters
lamedh and qoph, if not also taw, which would create alliteration with
the letters of the verb lamedh-kaph-daleth
that immediately precedes
it. One wonders if the text were on its way to becoming even more alliterative (and semantically parallel to its alternative in Ms A) through a
future correction of the last word into TOVrafroi "in her snares."
34
38
The verb
is a simple imperfect, based on the similar expression in Prov 22:10;
see van Peursen, Verbal System, 172 n 33.
The rection of "inn with bto occurs in the Bible and in Sirach where the verb is
in the Qal and Piel, and in Sirach where the verb is in the Pual; see Sir 13:16b and 17a.
The Greek has copco ("to give") and the Syriac J D O I . ("to give"); see Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 33, 335; Smend, Sirach, hebrisch und deutsch, 7; idem, Sirach, erklart, 70;
Levi, VEcclesiastique, 2:45. The verb inn in biblical and post-biblical Hebrew is not associated with marriage; the order of words "QJ pnj, while possible (as an appositional
pair of words [see GKC 132b]), is less likely than the opposite order pnj m j , as most
commentators agree.
The Greek has ur|7toTE unan i r T t c r y i a imj and the Syriac
râ
m&xiVarious
explanations have been offered for the last word of the Ms A reading, including a misspelling of HTrfrpnn "through her stumbling blocks" (Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 41); nnp*?n "with her (seductive?) speech," similar to the use of the word
in Prov 7:21 (Smend, Sirach, erklrt, 83); nnip^n "through her punishment," though
TWpb is an Aramaic word (Levi, Êcclsiastique, 2:55); HTllp^nn "through her flatteries"
(ibid.); nni^pn "through her sounds" (V. Hamp, "Sirach," in Echter Bibel: Die Heilige
Schrift in Deutscher bersetzung, DasAlte Testament [Wurzburg: Echter, 1951], 28).
See also Sir 6:30a (Ms A), where the presumed HP "ornaments" is replaced by the
letters by, which might be the long form of the preposition by or the defectively spelled
35
36
37
38
48
ERIC D. REYMOND
More common are the cases where the chronologically later text contains a repetition of a given root, something that is perhaps, but not
necessarily, the result of the common scribal error of dittography As in
the following verse from 42:2, the later and more repetitive expression
sometimes seems redundant.
pun pnan*? USWD byi
prn ]vby m m by
(Do not be ashamed...) concerning the Law of the Most High and (his)
statute,
or concerning the exercise of judgment so as to exonerate the criminal
(Sir 42:2; Mas).
39
pun pnarfr pnso by\

pirn \vby m m by
. . . or concerning the one justifying the exoneration of the criminal (Sir
42:2; Ms B).
40
Here the Ms B text does make sense, but it seems inferior to the Mas
text, which has, obviously, less alliteration. Sir 4:22 provides another
example; in Ms A we see a text that contains root repetition and alliteration between the verb and its complement.
41
ybwinb bunn bxi

Do not stumble at your hindrances (Sir 4:22, Ms A).
42
*\b Viuorf? uran bw

Do not be ashamed to (the extent of being) ruined (Sir 4:22, Ms C).
Although the text in Ms A is repetitive, this does not imply that it is
necessarily nonsense. Moreover, the repetitiveness underlines the connection between the action to be avoided and its potential effect. Nevertheless, the context of this passage as well as the ancient translations
plural construct of "yoke." See Peters, Ecclesiasticus 27, 332; Smend, Sirach, hebrisch
und deutschy 6; idem, Sirach erklrt 60; Levi, L'Ecclsiastique, 2:36-37. The emendation
follows the Greek: Kauo yp xpvoeq oTiv ETC xmj. Cf. Segal, who notes that the
word "ornament" does not match the parallel term .TmoiD (Sepher Ben Sira 42).
On the syntax of this verse, see Reymond, "Remarks on Ben Sira's Instruction on
Shame," ZAW115 (2003), 388-400, esp. 388-91.
The word DDWD is found in Ms Bm.
The Greek translation parallels the Mas and Bm readings. The Greek has Ttepi
K p i u a x o iKaUaai t v cre^f) ("concerning the judgment to exonerate the godless").
The early commentators all agree in following the marginal reading (Peters, EcclesiasticuSy 195, 397; Smend, Sirach hebrisch una deutsch, 42; idem, Sirach erklart 389; Levi,
L'Ecclsiastique, 1:44-46; Segal, Sepher Ben Sira 282).
For the translation and interpretation of this verse, see Reymond, "Remarks on
Ben Sira's Instruction on Shame," 394-95.
y
39
40
41
42
49
suggest that, in fact, the original was closer to what is preserved in Ms

In still other cases, determination of an earlier or later variant is difficult for a variety of reasons, though the more repetitive text is often
thought to be the later reading. For example, in Sir 32:14, Ms B and Bm
attest four different versions of the verse; the third of these preserves
the phrase npb NP* "takes learning," a variant that most commentators
agree is secondary to the likely original 1 0 1 0 RIP* "takes instruction,"
44
though the former also makes sense and fits the context. Sir 43:19 offers another example.
m mon nD2n
"prop r6oD man [ux]
Yea, he pours out frost like salt,
and makes blossoms sprout like a thorn-bush (Sir 43:19; Mas).
45
t n r s TDon y^r\
hw}
pw* nfroa I I M oa
Yea, frost abides like salt {he [i.e., God] pours out frost like salt},
and makes blossoms bloom (or, shine) like sapphire (Sir 43:19; Ms B
{Bm}).
46
43
The Greek has uf| evxpaTtfic and the Syriac

Ms C still may not preserve
the original text; Peters suggested reading nbm for the first verb, helping to explain
the mistake in Ms A (Ecclesiasticus, 14, 326). Smend reads Win (Sirach, hebrisch
und deutsch, 3), as does H. P. Ruger (Text und Textform im Hebrischen Sirach [BZAW
112; Berlin: de Gruyter, 1970], 33), and Box and Oesterley ("Sirach," 330). Cf. Levi
(L'Ecclsiastique, 2:20-21), Segal (Sepher Ben Sira, 28), and Schrader (Leiden und Gerechtigkeit, 44).
See Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 374; Smend, Sirach, hebrisch und deutsch, 28; idem,
Sirach, erklrt, 292 (where he notes one could just as easily read npb for 101D); Levi,
L'Ecclsiastique, 2:158; A. Fuchs, Textkritische Untersuchungen zum hebrischen Ekklesiastikus (Biblische Studien 12/5; Freiburg: Herder, 1907), 71-72. The idiom npb npb
does not occur elsewhere in Ben Sira or in the Dead Sea Scrolls. It does not occur in the
reading of this verse in Ms F, though Ms F does preserve a version of this colon similar
to the third version in Ms B (see P. C. Beentjes, "A Closer Look at the Newly Discovered
Sixth Hebrew Manuscript (MS. F) of Ben Sira," EstB 51 [1993]: 173-74, reprinted in
"Happy the One Who Meditates on Wisdom" (SIR. 14,20): Collected Essays on the Book
of Ben Sira [CBET 43; Leuven: Peeters, 2006], 363-64).
On the interpretation of the verb phrase FiDSPl, see van Peursen, Verbal System,
90-91. The sense of this colon is that ice crystals and frost make a flowering bush look
like a thorn bush. Alternatively, the last word might be interpreted to mean something
like "ice," since
(in post-biblical Hebrew), like nSPS (in both biblical and post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic), can refer to "filament, thread" (see Jastrow, s.v.). Peters suggested reading win "needles (of hoarfrost)" in place of tPSPS of the Ms B text, noting
the "Wortspiel" this creates with n r s ("cold of") in the following verse (Ecclesiasticus,
217,403).
The consonants f T of the Ms B reading, could represent the Hiphil of Y\2
("to make blossom" or perhaps "make shine" [the Qal appears with this meaning in
Ps 132:18]), the Hiphil of the denominative verb YXI ("to make blossom," occurring in
44
45
46
ERIC D. REYMOND
50
Here, it is not at first clear which reading represents the earlier form
of the text, nor for that matter which words the consonants are representing; both readings fit the context. Preference might be given to the
earlier witness, the Mas text, though the age of a manuscript cannot be
taken as a sure sign of its reading s originality.
47
Often, as in the cases cited above from Sir 7:25 and 42:2, the wordplay that has resulted from the textual transmission lacks a great deal of
significance for its context. At other times, however, it involves a complex pun, though, in these cases, the wordplay and alliteration seem to
overburden the respective colon or verse. This happens, most clearly,
in Sir 4:19. In this passage, Wisdom speaks in the first person about a
hypothetical student.
o m o N i irrrrrcm
<or, irrnwMi>irrnitMi mo* DN
If he should turn (from me), I will make him bend (<or, I will leave him>),
will discipline him with bonds (or, trials).
If he should turn from me, I will throw him off,
and will deliver him to robbers (Sir 4:19; Ms A).
48
49
In this case, the first and fourth cola seem closest to the Greek translation, which most commentators assume reflects best the Hebrew origi50
nal. In contrast to the expression of the same idea in the fourth colon,
at least three biblical passages and in the DSS, 11Q5 XXIV 13), or the Hiphil of the rarer
verb yxi ("to shine"), which occurs only in the Qal in biblical Hebrew, only in Ezek 1:7.
An early commentator, S. Fraenkel, suggested that TfiO was a mistake for TO ("hook,
thorn") (cited without reference in W. Bacher, "The Hebrew Text of Ecclesiasticus," JQR
9 [1896-1897]: 562).
In Sir 37:14b, Ms B preserves an alliteration between
"sentries" and nSQ
"watch tower," while Ms Bm and D offer a variant to the last word: ]W "rock." The context fits both readings.
The sense of the Hebrew verb HOJ is presumably "make prostrate" (assuming the
emendation 1TITO1), somewhat similar to the meaning "to bend" in, e.g., Gen 49:15.
Most commentators assume the text should be corrected to reflect the verb
Note
the rarity of an apodosis to a conditional clause beginning with a waw-consecutive
perfect (van Peursen, Verbal System, 359-61).
The last word may be the biblical word "bonds" (TOK), or, perhaps the word
"trial, example" (usually in post-biblical Hebrew T 0 \ but spelled tniOW in the Targums
[Jastrow, s.v.]).
The Greek reads: "If he should go astray, she will abandon (EYKATAXATTCO)
him, / and deliver (ttapaicoui) him over to his downfall ( T t r a i ; lit., "into the hands
of his destruction")"; see Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 13-14, 325; Smend, Sirach, hebrisch
und deutsch, 3; idem, Sirach, erklrt, 43; Ruger, Text und Textform, 12-13; A. Minissale,
"The Metaphor of 'Falling* Hermeneutic Key to the Book of Sirach," in The Wisdom
of Ben Sira: Studies on Tradition, Redaction, and Theology (ed. A. Passaro and G. Bellia; DCLS 1; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2008), 269. Fuchs has suggested that the third colon
47
48
49
50
51
1
the second colon contains wordplay involving the roots no and

which plays on the similar sounding T10 present in both the first and
third cola. This not only results in euphony, but also creates in the first
bicolon a pun where abandoning Wisdom (110) is contrasted with the
disciplining that this results in ("lO'O, which action, in turn, is complemented by the way this discipline is applied (10K [reading "bonds"] or
no** [reading "trials"] ). This verbal play between roots in a variant to the
Ben Sira text is all the more remarkable because it mimics the wordplay
already described above between noiQ and 101Q in 6:22.
As observed above, the wordplay in a later text often depends on the
repetition of a given word or root. The text of Sir 40:13 reveals a clear
example of this, of the same variety cited above from 40:29 where the
word D"n is repeated with different senses (labeled antanaclasis).
n[fap tnm TTN p^*oi]
[pro* bnn] VipQ Vn
Wealth from injustice [(is) like an ever-flowing wadi,]
[like a channel (made) magnificent with thunderbolt] s (Sir 40:13; Mas
[Ms B, Bm]).
51
niVip tnm T*TN pâni

From sand to sand ( ? ) . . . (Sir 40:13; Ms B).
pro* bnn bm bx bmn

52
p^fcoi
Wealth from strength . . . (Sir 40:13; Ms Bm).
bmn bm
53
While the Ms Bm phrase expresses the same approximate sense as the

Mas text, the Mas expression is likely the earlier text, as suggested by
the Greek and Syriac translations. Notice that the Mas text presum54
was introduced as a parallel to the first, and the second colon was added to create a
neat bicolon structure (Textkritische Untersuchungen, 10). The doublet may owe, in
part, its origin to the secondary meaning of IJtO in the Hiphil "to imprison," which
could have led to the use of oniON. By contrast, Levi implies that the first and second
cola are original, the third and fourth owing their existence to a back translation from
Syriac (L'Ecclsiastique, 2:18-19). The Syriac does parallel the third and fourth cola; it
reads: "If he turns away from me, I will cause him to fall Gcusrirf) and deliver him
CcnaisaYaLff) into the hand of the rapacious (rdao^)."
For an explanation of the translation, see Reymond, Innovations in Hebrew Poetry, 27-28.
Or, perhaps, "from writhing to writhing . . ." or "from profaneness to profaneness..."
The homographie word
"writhing" or "anguish" is also possible, though unlikely, as is a repetition of the same sense: "wealth from wealth," since usury is not
discussed in the passage.
The Greek has xpiucrra i K c u v , while the Syriac has rîno*.* r^mî. Some of the
early commentators predicted the form of the Mas verse (see Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 178,
392; Smend, Sirach, hebrisch und deutsch, 39; idem, Sirach, erklart, 373); while others
51
52
53
54
ERIC D. REYMOND
52
ably already contains alliteration, between Vn and Vm, which brings

together the two elements of the comparison. Nevertheless, the readings from Ms B and Bm contain still more. The reading from Bm,
"wealth from strength," plays on the different meanings of the word
Vn, implying an inherent link between wealth/influence and violence,
a link which seems relevant given the mention of Don two verses later
in 40:15. While such a pun is interesting and relevant to its context, its
clarity is diminished due to the overlapping meanings of Vn, which
seem so close they do not offer an obvious contrast.
The wordplay in Sir 43:8 (Ms B) is akin to the kind of wordplay noted
above in that it involves the repetition of a word and contains an (over)
abundance of alliteration.
[inunwnn tnu nn]
[unn]nn Kin IDUO unn
The new moon, as its name (implies), re [news] itself;
[how breathtaking in its changing] (Sir 43:8; Mas [Ms B]).
55
inunwra *nu nn
unnnD ton ranm unn
The new moon, each month, renews itself (or, month by month it renews itself);
how breathtaking in its changing (Sir 43:8; Ms B).
56
The Mas reading is likely the earlier, based on the fact that it uses an
idiom known from other Sirach passages and it more closely matches
the ancient translations, as well as the variant in Ms Bm (Kim 1QUO).
Although a reading like that of the Mas scroll was available in the Ms
Bm, several scholars like Peters, Levi, and Box and Oesterley preferred
the Ms B reading. This has some literary merit. The context, from
which this verse derives, describes the celestial bodies; thus, a reader
57
saw wordplay here and read according to the Ms Bm text (Levi, L'Ecclsiastique, 1:20;
Segal, Sepher Ben Sira, 270).
The participle unnnD of Ms B could be interpreted as reflexive, as in Ps 103:5,
or as passive "be renewed." Since the moon is represented as active in the surrounding
verses, I assume the participle has a reflexive notion.
It is conventional to refer to Num 28:14 and Is 66:23 in commenting on this
verse, though in Num 28:14 unn is part of a construct phrase and in Is 66:23 it is part
of a prepositional phrase. While the phrase in Sir 43:8 may be a distributive phrase
("month by month"), it is also possible that it is to be construed as the word "new
moon" followed by the distributive phrase "each month," following the analogous use
of IDTa alone in Deut 24:15.
The Greek and Syriac read: ufjv K c r r t o voua i r r f j ativ / uavusvo
("the moon is like its name, / increasing . . . " ) ; ruaikcna I , a * u K ' vx**. v y r f
("the
moon is like its name, / it increases . . . " ) . See Peters, Ecclesiasticus, 211-12, 401; Levi,
L'Ecclsiastique, 1:68-69. Box and Oesterley remark "the word-play... is marked" ("Sirach," 475). Smend (Sirach, hebrisch und deutsch, 45; idem, Sirach, erklrt, 403), on the
other hand, calls iwrra a mistake. Ms Bm contains a variant to the last word, iraiwro.
55
56
57
53
is expecting unn to indicate the planetary satellite. Yet, upon reading

the verse, he or she confronts the word s other common meaning, a pe
riod of time. This wordplay is then further complicated by the following
participle and its meaning of "renewing." Though the semantic contrast
between the different notions implied by the noun urm and its related
verb is thrown into sharper relief in the Ms B reading, its literary value
is diminished somewhat due to the fact that Ittnrn unn is an idiomatic
phrase; thus a reader would perhaps not pause over its meaning in the
same way that one might pause, for example, over the meaning of nny
in Sir 3:13 or noiQ in 6:22.
The above examples illustrate some of the complexities in analyzing
the wordplay that is found in the Hebrew to the Wisdom of Ben Sira.
While it is not always clear which reading of a given verse is earlier or
later, it seems that the textual transmission has contributed in some
cases to the production of greater wordplay in the text. This occurs in
places where it is likely the result of a scribal error, like dittography, and
in other cases, like in Sir 4:19, where it seems to be the result of a con
scious alteration of an earlier, less alliterative text. In general, the results
are puns that create euphony and that emphasize the connection be
tween a given verb and an etymologically related object. In some cases,
the wordplay is of a more complex variety that plays on the meaning
of a single word or even distinct but similar sounding words. In these
instances, although the wordplay seems in some ways more interesting
than the language of the preferred reading, it often also seems over
written, as though the scribes were eager to find and exploit alliterative
connections between words and prove their own linguistic dexterity.
ANIMAL IMAGERY
IN T H E HEBREW T E X T OF BEN SIRACH
Nuria Calduch-Benages
Pontifical Gregorian University
Animals play an important role in Ancient Near Eastern literature and

1
in the Bible, especially in the prophetic and wisdom writings. Among

the latter, Proverbs and Sirach, two wisdom books with an essentially
didactic aim and framework, stand out. Their authors use countless
ways to capture and retain the attention of their disciples and, most
importantly, to leave their teachings fixed in the hearts of the young.
One of these means consists in incorporating animal imagery in their
wide-ranging repertory of literary patterns (prohibitions, comparative
sayings, pieces of advice, rhetorical questions, instructions, numerical
sayings...), with the aim of illustrating different aspects of human life
as well as different forms of human behavior.
The images of animals in Proverbs were recently studied by Tova L.
Forti, in an excellent monograph that has shed light on various aspects
2
of our investigation. Our obviously much more modest work could

serve as a starting point for further investigations on the subject. Here,
1
Cf. J. A. Rimbach, Animal Imagery in the Old Testament. Some Aspects of Hebrew
Poetics (Ph.D. Dissertation Johns Hopkins University, 1972); Y. Feliks, Nature and Man
in the Bible (London - Jerusalem - New York: Soncino Press, 1981); E. J. Schochet,
Animal Life in Jewish Tradition. Attitudes and Relationships (New York: KTAV, 1984); J.
H. Eaton, The Circle of Creation. Animals in the Light of the Bible (London: SCM Press,
1995); P. Riede, Im Spiegel der Tiere. Studien zum Verhltnis von Mensch und Tier im
alten Israel (OBO 187; Freiburg Schweiz - Gttingen: Universittsverlag - Vandenhoeck
& Ruprecht, 2002); B. J. Collins, d., A History of the Animal World in the Ancient Near
East (HdO 64; Leiden - Boston - Cologne: Brill, 2002); C. E. Watanabe, Animal Symbo
lism in Mesopotamia. A Contextual Approach (WOO 1; Vienna: Institut fur Orientalistik, 2002); B. A. Strawn, What is Stronger than a Lion? Leonine Image and Metaphor in
the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East (OBO 212; Fribourg - Gttingen: Academic
Press - Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2005).
T. L. Forti, Animal Imagery in the Book of Proverbs (VTS 118; Leiden - Boston,
MA: Brill, 2008). Cf. also K. J. Dell, "The Use of Animal Imagery in the Psalms and
Wisdom Literature," Scottish Journal of Theology 53 (2000): 275-91 (as for the wisdom
literature, she only deals with Proverbs, Job and Qohelet).
2
NURIA CALDUCH-BENAGES
56
the intention is to analyze the animal images in some selected passages

of the Hebrew text of Ben Sirach, according to the following classification: animal imagery and reprehensible behavior (Sir 4:30; 33:6; 42:13),
animal imagery and social categories (Sir 13:17-19; 33:25), a new wisdom paradigm (Sir 11:3), and a controversial image (Sir 25:8ab).
A.
A N I M A L IMAGERY AND R E P R E H E N S I B L E BEHAVIOR
Unlike the book of Proverbs, where animal images appear as models to

4
be imitated (cf. Prov 6:6-8; 30:25, about the ant), Ben Sira often uses
them to illustrate reprehensible forms of human behavior in family and
social circles.
1. The Lion (Sir 4:30)
Sir 4:30 belongs to a series of negative precepts beginning in 4:20
with the vocative
(my son) and ending with 6:4. These precepts are
constructed according to the following arrangement: prohibitive particle (*7K) + verb in imperfect (with value of imperative) + motivation
(missing in some cases). This negative series begins with an instruction
about shame and arrogance (4:20-31); its final strophe (4:29-31) constitutes the immediate context of our verse. The text appears in Mss A
7
(4:29-31) andC(4:30-31):
Cf. also Sir 25:17 Ms C and Gk, where a person (in Hb the husband of a wicked
woman; in Gk the wicked woman) is compared to a bear.
Forti, Animal Imagery in the Book of Proverbs, 31-34.
For a different opinion, cf. P. W. Skehan and A. A. Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben
Sira. A New Translation with Notes by fPatrick W. Skehan. Introduction and Commentary by Alexander A. Di Leila, O.F.M. (AB 39; New York: Doubleday, 1987), 181. According to Di Leila, 4:20-31 and 5:1-6:4 are two separate units.
For a comparison of the Hebrew text with the Greek version of 4:20-6:4, cf. A.
Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide. Confronto tra testo ebraico e versione greca
alia luce del metodo midrascico-targumico (AnBib 133; Roma: Pontificio Istituto Biblico,
1995), 33-55.
The reading of Ms A is followed by Syr: "Do not be boastful with your tongue
and slack and weak in your works. Do not be a dog (oA^) in your house and terrible
and fearful in your works. Let your hand not be extended to receive and let it (not) be
withdrawn to give."
The Greek translation of 4:30-31 follows Ms C: uf| aOi <b iarv v T> OKO) aou
Kal 9avTaaioK07td)v v TO olicTai aou. uf| OTO> r| xeip aou KTeTauvn ei T \a(tev
Kal v Ttp Ttoivai auvearaXuevn. Cf. also Lat: (4:35) noli esse sicut leo in domo tua
evertens domesticos tuos [et opprimens subiectos tibi] (4:36) non sitporrecta manus tua
ad accipiendum et ad reddendum collecta.
4
ANIMAL IMAGERY IN T H E H E B R E W T E X T
ymtn
10
miiDp nu;n npm
29 Ms A
"jirn JTH*O Tin bu 3 o M s C
irrnnpn tnanoi
12
jmjt vin
57
mwb
nuunD I T Tin bx 31 Ms C
29 Do not be presumptuous with your tongue,

and sluggish and lax in your deeds.
30 Do not be like a lion in your home,
nor mistrusting with your servants.
31 Let not your hand be extended to take,
and withdrawn when it is time to repay.
13
In this instruction the sage advises against a series of dishonorable atti14
tudes which hide great cowardice: speaking much and doing little, intimidating ones family and mistrusting the servants, and finally "keep-
Ms A:
(like a dog). Reading preferred by Peters, Das Buch Jesus Sirach, 50; J.
Vella, "Eclesistico," in La Sagrada Escritura. Texto y Comentario. Antiguo Testamento,
vol. V(eds. Profesores de la Compania de Jesus; BAC 312. Seccin I. Sagradas Escrituras;
Madrid: Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, 1970), 25 and G. Sauer, Jesus Sirach/Ben Sira
(ATDA 1; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2001), 73. On the origin of these two
readings, cf. A. A. Di Leila, The Hebrew Text of Ben Sira. A Text-Critical and Historical
Study (Studies in Classical Literature 1; The Hague: Mouton and Co., 1966), 23-24; H.
P. Ruger, Text und Textform im hebrischen Sirach. Untersuchungen zur Textgeschichte
und Textkritik der hebrischen Sirachfragmente aus der Kairoer Geniza (BZAW 112;
Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1970), 34 and T. Penar, Northwest Semitic Philology and the
Hebrew Fragments of Ben Sira (BO; Rome: Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1975), 18.
Ms A: "jrDN^Dl
"inD (and strange and terrible in your works). These
two participles (Hophal from ~ltt and Hithpael from RT) have been interpreted in different ways: "fremd und herrisch" (N. Peters, Das Buch Jesus Sirach oder Ecclesiasticus
[EHAT 25; Munster: AschendorfT, 1913], 47), "miedoso y apocado" (L. Alonso Schkel,
Proverbios y Eclesistico [LSS VIII.l; Madrid: Cristiandad, 1968], 159), "pavido e timoroso" (H. Duesberg and I. Fransen, Ecclesiastico, in La Sacra Bibbia... a cura di Mons.
Salvatore Garofalo. Antico Testamento [ed. G. Rinaldi; Torino: Marietti, 1966], 110),
"sly and suspicious" (Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 174), "verndert
und ngstlich" (O. Kaiser, Weisheitfur das Leben. Das Buch Jesus Sirach. Ubersetzt und
eingeleitet [Stuttgart: Radius, 2005], 17).
Ms A: nnpb nmna (open to receive).
Ms A: fno Tinn ninapi (and closed in middle of the gift), referring to the gift you
make to another person.
With Ruger (Text und Textform in hebrischen Sirach, 34) and Minissale (La versionegreca del Siracide, 39), we believe that tnanoi in Ms C (Hitphael of tna, to behave
insolently) is probably the model for Gk <pavTamoKOTtd)v (part, of <pavTaaioK07tcu,
to strecht one's imagination, to indulge in fantasies), which could mean here: having
unfounded misgivings about the servants or blufhng with them. Cf. also M. Z. Segal,
SepherBen Sira HaShalem (Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 1972), 29. For 9avTaaiOKOTt)v,
cf. C. Wagner, Die Septuaginta-Hapaxlegomena im Buch Jesus Sirach (BZAW 282; Berlin - New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1999), 321-22.
Pirqe Aboth 1,16: "Rabbi Shammai said, Make thy Thorah an ordinance; say little
and do much; and receive everyman with a pleasant expression of countenance."
10
11
12
13
14
58
NURIA C A L D U C H - B E N A G E S
ing ones hand open to receive and closed when it comes to giving"
(cf. Deut 15:7-8; Acts 20:35). From a literary point of view, the three
negative precepts in 4:29-31 are accentuated by the double anaphora at
the beginning of each verse (Tin
do not be), the use of parallelismus
(pnru, presumptuous / BPttrn **ni, sluggish and lash;
with your
tongue / "friDK^Dl, in your deeds; mND, as a lion / tnnDl, mistrusting;
"[irai, in your home / ^ m n y i , with your servants; JTOUflQ, extended /
mi)p, withdrawn; nNU^ to take / nu>n nym when it is time to repay)
and the absence of motivations (cf., in contrast, 4 : 2 1 , 2 4 , 2 7 d ) .
The expression "like a lion," placed in the very center of 4:29-31, receives special emphasis. Instead of this expression, Ben Sira could have
used an adjective (cf. 4:29) like "authoritarian," "imperious" or "dominating," but he preferred to use the image of an animal, i.e., the lion.
His roar and his ferocity characterize the king of the beasts, and these
qualities make him a very fearsome animal, although less dangerous
according to Ben Sirathan a wicked woman (!). Of her, Ben Sira says,
"It is better to live with lion and dragons than with a wicked woman"
(25:16Gk). In 21:2Gk, it is said that "the snake with lions teeth destroys
peoples lives" (cf. Joel 1:6). In 27:10Gk, the lion lying in ambush for a
prey is compared to sin that stalks workers of iniquity and, in 27:28Gk,
to vengeance waiting for the insolent. Finally, in 28:23Gk we read that
death, like a lion, shall be sent to those who abandon the Lord. So, the
lion appears like a ferocious animal stalking, attacking and devouring
its prey.
15
16
17
Ben Siras admonition in 4:30a "Do not be like a lion in your home"
could be understood to mean: do not impose yourself forcefully on your
family, since the home is not the appropriate place for such behavior.
18
15
In Didache 4,5, the Letter of Barnabas 19,9 and the Apostolic Constitutions 7,12,1,
there is an adaptation of this verse: "Do not be like those who reach out their hands to
take, but draw them back when the time comes for giving."
Cf. Strawn, What is Stronger than a Lion?, 34-36.
Cf. Ahiqar, saying 9: "The lion catches the scent of the stag in (its) hidden den,
and he [...] and sheds its blood and eats itsflesh.Just so is the meeting of [men]." Here,
however, the lion's catching its prey and devouring it is compared to the predatory
character of human relations; cf. J. M. Lindenberger, The Aramaic Proverbs ofAhiqar
(The Johns Hopkins New Eastern Studies; Baltimore - London: The Johns Hopkins
University Press, 1983), 60.
Cf. b.Gittin 6b: "R. Hisda (and R. Abbahu) said: A man should never terrorize his
household [...] Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: If a man terrorizes his household,
he will eventually commit the three sins of unchastity, blood-shedding and desecration of the Sabbath." According to Epstein, the reason for the blood-shedding sin is the
following: "Because the members of his household run away from him and meet with
16
17
18
59
The man acting in such a way will only be feared by the people closest to
him, and thereby create an atmosphere of tension and hostility
In sum, with relation to close family members, the sage advises
against authoritarian conduct, and with servants he advises against
distrustfulness (or insolence/boasting). Both attitudes hamper human
relations by creating distance and fear between people.
2. The Horse (Sir 33:6)
19
This "curious" verse belongs to 33:1-6, a pericope placed between

32:1-14 (on the fear of the Lord) and 33:7-15 (on polarities in creation). This pericope is composed of six apparently unrelated proverbs
that highlight the opposition between the attitude of the sage (Le., the
one who fears the Lord) and that of the fool.
Sir 33:6 appears in Ms E (damaged in the beginning of the first stichoi) and in Ms F. Both manuscripts contain the entire passage with
the exception of 33:3.
20
Sir 33:5-6 closes the pericope with two strong
images.
24
bnv nniK *?D nnn

5
23
22
*U11P iniK plQ OlOD
(Like) a cart-wheel is the mind of a fool,

and his thoughts (like) a turning axle.
fatal accidents" (I. Epstein, ed., The Babylonian Talmud. Seder Nashim [London: The
Soncino Press, 1936], 21, note 2).
We borrow the expression from Smend: "Wahrend v. 5 deutlich hierher passt,
erscheint v. 6 zunchst als etwas Fremdartig" (R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach
[Berlin: Georg Reimer, 1906], 297).
Ms B only has 33:1-3.
The first two words are missing in Ms E.
Thefirsttwo words are missing in Ms E. In contrast to Ms F (plQ, prepared) and
Syr (r^x.^, prepared [for battle]), Gk reads e xeiav (in heat), creating a more powerful image (Lat admissarius). According to Minissale (La versione greca del Siracide, 83)
and others the expression probably derives from
(part. Pual of ]V, to be in heat, cf.
Jer 5:8), of which plQ would be a corruption.
Instead of WW (who hates), "surely secondary" according to Skehan (cf. Skehan
and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 396), we prefer to read yb (insolent, unscrupulous), which corresponds to reading of Gk UCOK (mocking, crafty), Lat subsannator.
Differently, Sauer, Jesus Sirach/Ben Sira, 230: "[Wie ein geiler Hengst] ist ein Freund,
der da hafit," and C. Mopsik, La Sagesse de ben Sira. Traduction de l'hbreu, introduction
et annotation (Les dix paroles; Paris: Verdier, 2005), 197: "un ami haineux."
Missing in Ms E. Instead of nmK (repetition of 33:6a, also present in Syr), we read
IDn (rider), which corresponds to Gk rtiKaOnuvou andfitsbetter into the context, cf.
Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide, 83 and J. Corley, Ben Sira's Teaching on Friendship (BJS 316; Providence RI: Brown University, 2001), 171, n. 131 and 220, n. 9.
19
20
21
22
23
24
6o
Like a horse prepared (for battle) is an insolent friend,

he neighs under every rider.
While in 33:5 Ben Sira compares the mind of the fool with the unpro
ductive movement of a wheel or an axle that constantly goes around in
circles, in 33:6 he uses an image from the animal world: he compares
the insolent friend with the abrupt and unforeseeable movement of a
horse prepared (perhaps saddled) for battle.
As to the literary structure of the verses, the first proverb has a syn
onymous parallelism ("cart-wheel" corresponds to "turning axle," and
"mind of the fool" to "his thoughts"). The second proverb, on the other
hand, is expressed in the form of an explicative parallelism, i.e., the
second line explains the content of the previous one. In other words,
in Sir 33:6a the sage establishes a comparison between two syntagmas
("horse prepared for battle" and "insolent friend") using the particle
-5 (missing in 33:5), and in 33:6b explains it by developing the image
previously used. Just as the horse prepared for battle neighs under every
rider, the insolent friend speaks and behaves uncontrollably and impul
sively with all those who approach him, without discernment. Moved
by strong impulses, the horse prepared for battle tries to jolt off anyone
who mounts it or tries to restrain it. The same is true of the insolent
friend, who is unable to tolerate any "saddle," i.e., any advice or instruc
tion (cf. 6:20-21). This kind of behavior reveals his incapacity for selfcontrol, discernment and learning, in other words, his lack of wisdom.
25
26
27
3. The Moth (Sir 42:13)

In the much debated pericope about daughters or more precisely about
the worries which daughters cause to their father ( 4 2 : 9 - 1 4 ) , Ben Sira
includes, among other teachings, two pieces of advice concerning how
28
25
Sauer, Sirach/Ben Sira, 231: "Audi fur die Kriegsfuhrung gewann das Pferd, seit
der Zeit der Hyksos (17. Jh. v.Ch.) im Vorderen Orient bekannt, immer grfiere Bedeutung."
Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 399: "Considerations of time or
place, of courtesy or confidence, mean nothing to him."
In 30:8 Ben Sira compares an untamed horse with a spoiled son. Cf. L. Alonso
Schkel, "Notas exegticas al Eclesistico (Ben Sira)," EstBtb 54 (1995): 305-7.
Cf. the very detailed study by A. Piwowar, La vergogna come criterio delta fama
perptua. Studio esegetico-teologico di Sir 40,1-42,14. Dissertazioneper UDottorato nella
Facolt di teologia dlia Pontificia Universit Gregoriana (Katowice, 2006), 369-422.
Surprisingly in 42:9-14 Ben Sira does not mention the mother! Cf. 7:24-25; 22:4-5;
26:10.
26
27
28
61
daughters should relate to other people (men and women) outside the
family circle.
The text appears in Mss B and Mas, but the second stichoi in the lat
ter are badly preserved.
33
32
Tinon bt* TO n n i
nuw n*n nwKQi
35
31
nan
30
p n bx m t bch 1 2
oo w 1x2a *o 1 3
29
34
12
Let her not exhibit her beauty (lit.: aspect) before any man,
and let her not speak confidently in the midst of women (i.e., "mar
ried women");
13 for from garments comes the moth,
and from a woman comes a woman's wickedness.
These two preventive recommendations are indirectly addressed to the

father,
36
since he is responsible for the influences his daughter is ex
posed to. One of his main duties is to protect the daughter from some
dangers, especially before marriage. The dangers could come from
questionable relationships, e.g., from men seduced by feminine beauty
(cf. 36:22), but also from excessive acquaintance with married women
who might deprave a young girl with their experience.
Both recommendations are formulated as negative precepts. The
formula bit + imperfect with imperative value (42:12ab) is followed by
a double motivation in two parallel parts (42:13ab). In the first part
(42:13a), the mention of the moth appears within its normal context,
29
m g
Ms B erroneously reads "DTn from the verb HT (to recall).

Hiphil from the verb pi with the meaning to expose, to show, to reveal (cf. Dan
8:16). This reading is preferable to Ms B: fnn, Qal from the verb ]T\X (to give), cf. Y.
Yadin, The Ben Sira Scroll from Masada. With Introduction, Emendations and Com
mentary (Jerusalem: The Israel Exploration Society and The Shrine of the Book, 1965),
25. In contrast, Skehan, following Strugnell, reconstructs fun Hiphil from the verb rU3
(to turn) that he translates with "reveal." Cf. Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben
Sira, 480.
The line is missing in Mas.
This is a dittographic mistake in the place of pi (to enter), confirmed by Gk and
Syr.
Ms Bmg reads Tinon. Both forms, written differently, are Hithpael of TIO (to
converse, to confide, to share secrets, to become intimate, to treat in a familiar manner,
to begin a friendship).
Ms B reads the synonym U>p (moth). In Ahiqar lines 184 and 186 we find the
expression NOD rbsi (the moth fell). According to Lindenberger, it is impossible to re
construct the text from the fragment; it probably was an animal saying (Lindenberger,
The Aramaic Proverbs of Ahiqar, 183-84).
This line is partly damaged in Mas and reconstructed according to Ms B.
Note the verbs in third person feminine singular (fin and Tinon). Gk and Syr,
on the other hand, use the second person singular.
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
62
i.e., related to garments, and in the second part (42:13b) it is metaphor

ically applied to women behavior. The resulting parallelism is the fol
lowing: "garments" corresponds to "women," the verb "come from" is
inferred in 42:13b, and "moth" corresponds to "woman's wickedness"
(nwK njn).
37
38
The moth (in Hebrew DO or u>P) is a small nocturnal butterfly, the

larva of which eats wool and makes a kind of cocoon with the mate
rial (wool, cloth, skins, etc.) effectively destroying a vestment to make
a nest. Therefore, as the sage rightly states in 42:13a, the moth comes
out of the garments. The correlation between the garment and the moth
is indeed the most significant aspect of the image. Usually ignored by
authors when commenting on this verse, the moth does not come out
of new garments but out of old ones. This small but very significant
detail is, according to us, the key to understand the meaning of 42:13:
just as out of the (old) garment comes the moth that damages another
garment (which is supposedly new), likewise from a woman (who is an
elderly married and therefore experienced woman) comes the wicked
ness that corrupts another woman (who is supposedly young and does
not have the experience of marriage).
39
B. A N I M A L IMAGERY AND SOCIAL CATEGORIES
In some texts Ben Sira uses animal images to refer to social (and some
times moral) categories present in human societies. The sage incor40
37
Mopsik, La Sagesse de ben Sira, 255: "Le mot mat ichah signifie ici 'le malheur
dune femme,' l'image de la teigne est loquente cet gard: cette moisissure dtriore le
tissu, cause sa perte, elle ne le rend pas mchant'!" Instead of "a woman's wickedness"
Lat reads "a man's wickedness" (iniquitas viri) influenced perhaps by 42:13.
The first term (DD) is only found in Isa 51:8, where it symbolizes the destruction
that shall strike those who revile the people of the Lord. For this hapax legomenon see
H. R. (Chaim) Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena in the Light of the Akkadia and Ugaritic
(SBLDS 37; Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 114, note 21. The second term (VV)
is more common and symbolizes either man's destruction (Isa 50:9; 51:8; Psa 39:12;
Job 13:28; Hos 5:12) or fragility (Job 4:19; 27:18).
Cf. R. Egger-Wenzel, "'Denn harte Knechtschaft und Schande ist es, wenn eine
Frau ihren Mann ernhert' (Sir 25,22)," in DerEinzelne und seine Gemeinschaft bei Ben
Sira (eds. R. Egger-Wenzel and I. Krammer; BZAW 270; Berlin - New York: Walter de
Gruyter, 1998), 27.
Cf. Sir 11:29-30 (a very corrupted text) where the figure of the wicked (presented
as slanderer, arrogant, talebearer, grumbler) is compared to a predatory bird, a wolf,
a dog and a bear! Skehan refers to the expansion of 11:30 in Ms A as "an astonishing
zoo!" (Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira 244).
38
39
40
ANIMAL IMAGERY IN THE HEBREW TEXT
63
porates these images into his instructions in order to help and invite
the disciple/reader to further his or her reflection on the chosen topics
(relation between the rich and the poor, how to treat the servants) in
order to draw his or her own conclusions.
1. Contrasting Pairs of Animals and Persons (Sir
13:17-19)
Sir 13:17-19 are part of a teaching on social classes (13:15-24), introduced by four general statements (13:15-16). In these verses, it is said
that every living being loves its own kind and every human loves those
who are like him or her. The instruction begins, therefore, with a definition of a human being that likens him or her to animals: by nature,
41
a human being loves his or her associates. Yet, human beings create
divisions between those who belong to the same species. These divisions, unlike those in the animal world (cf. in contrast, Isa 11:6-7), are
not natural but have a social and religious character.
Here are our verses according to Ms A:
\xnvf? yun p
4 2
una bx nm nnirr nn
bxxi
b& Ttpp p i
ibi bx p m v\bv *vp*n
naro una n a bixn
43
un bx Twp mbw pan

trVi Tip? rrjno p
4 5
i7ab
17c
i8ab
i9ab
17 What fellowship has a wolf with a lamb?

So it is with the sinner and the just,
and so with the rich and the man in need.
18 Can there be peace between a hyena and a dog?
41
This idea is echoed in the following proverbs: "Similis simile gaudet", "ogni simile
ama il suo simile," "cada cual ama a su igual," "le semblable aime le semblabe," "like
rejoices in like," "gleich und gleich gesellt sich gern," "soort zoekt soort."
Although preserved in Gk and Syr, according to Mopsik, 13:17b does not fit into
the context (cf. Mopsik, La Sagesse de ben Sira, 148).
Missing in Gk and Syr. According to Skehan, 13:17c is a supplementary line that
does not make sense: "and so for the rich man keeping close to the (poor) man," where
bum is perf. Niphal of but* II (join) and poor (tth) is a conjecture for BPN (Skehan and
Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 251). Conversely, we translate bX82 as part. Niphal
ofbxx I (separate, remove, withdraw), cf. E Zorell, ed., Lexicon hebraicum Veteris Testamenti (Romae: Pontificium Istitutum Biblicum, 1984), 76: spoliatus, pauper. Sauer offers a different translation: "Und so auch mit einem Reichen in bezug auf einen Mann,
dem (Gut) versagt blieb" (Sauer, Jesus Sirach/Ben Sira, 121).
ttPKO can be understood as ur n/ND (what is?), cf. Smend, Die Weisheit Jesus Sirach, 127 or better as pNQ (there is not), cf. Sauer, Jesus Sirach/Ben Sira, 12.
This adjective means "coloured, variegated," cf. Jer 12:9, yim* wy (a variegated
bird of prey). In the LXX, however, this expression is rendered by arrijXaiov aivn (a
hyenas cave). The hyena is also present in Sir 13:18Gk and in Syr. Lat differs from all the
versions and reads sancto homini.
42
43
4 4
45
64
19
Can there be peace between a rich man and a poor man?

Wild asses in the wilderness are the prey of lions;
so the poor are pasture for the rich.
46
Combining rhetorical questions and comparative sentences, Ben Sira

compares the animal world to human society. The protagonists appear
grouped in contrasting pairs the components of which have nothing in
common. In fact, some of them are even natural enemies as the hyena
and the dog, for example. While the hyena attacks the flock, the dog
defends it. Therefore, any kind of association Clin) or peaceful rela
tionship ( D l ^ ) between them is unconceivable. Indeed it goes against
nature.
On one side, the wolf, the hyena and the lion, dangerous and fero
cious animals, are identified with the rich man, and, on the other side,
the lamb, the dog and wild asses, much weaker and peaceful animals,
represent the poor man. In this way, Ben Sira not only asserts the com
plete incompatibility between rich and poor (between the hyena and
the dog, cf. Jer 12:9) but also the great distance between sinners and the
just (between the wolf and the lamb, cf. Isa 11:6). The sage also attrib
utes moral values to these pairs, distinguishing the good ones (just and
poor) from the bad ones (sinners and rich). Therefore, in this context
the initial statements in 13:15-16 do not refer to just any human being
but to one of the same social class who shares the same scale of values
or has the same religious spirit.
47
48
The climax of the instruction is reached in 13:19, with the mention

of the wild ass and the lion (cf. Job 24:4-5 and Psa 35:17; 58:7). The
striking analogy between
*7DKD (lit.: prey of the lion) and JVJTlQ
TWP (pasture for the rich) adds a dramatic aspect to the comparison:
the poor are devoured by the rich, i.e., they become the victims of their
oppressors.
49
46
The rhetorical question in 13:17 is immediately followed by two applicative

clauses introduced by the particles ^3 and p "thus, so" (here the first element of the
comparison is inferred). In 13:18, however, both rhetorical questions are followed by
a comparative sentence composed of two clauses. In the first one the particle 3 "as" is
missing while the second one is introduced by ]2. In such a way the applicative clauses
are emphasized.
Yet wild asses are notoriously untamable.
The sinners and the just do not resemble each other in any way nor have anything
in common (cf. Prov 29:27).
Cf. Aesop's fable The wild ass and the lion the moral of which is "might makes
right."
47
48
49
A N I M A L IMAGERY IN T H E H E B R E W
65
TEXT
In this instruction Ben Sira used the comparison with the animal
world to denounce and condemn the hostility between the rich and the
poor. According to Alonso Schkel, such hostility is provoked by the
one who holds the upper position; it consists in a permanent attitude of
hate and may even lead to aggression.
50
2. The donkey and the servant (Sir 33:25)

In Sir 33:25-33, Ben Sira presents his teaching about servants (cf. 7:2021). In the culture of that time servants were considered, just like herds
of cattle, to be personal property of the owner (cf. Exod 10:17; Job 1:2
where they are mentioned together with cattle).
Here is the beginning of the unit according to Ms E:
[7i]yb HDfcn n m o i
52
51
niorf? awm oiun KIOD
25
25 Fodder and a stick and burdens for a donkey;

[bread] and discipline and work for a servant.
Inappropriate as it sounds in our ears, this proverb was nevertheless intended to favorably draw the attention of the reader/listener. Without
any introductory remark on the subject Ben Sira compares the servant
with the donkey, an animal noted for its stubbornness (cf. the Balaam
pericope in Num 22:21-30). Due to its initial position this comparison
becomes the key for interpreting the following verses (33:25-30). In
fact, although the term mon does not reappear in the instruction, the
mention of the yoke and thong that bend the servants neck in 33:27a
reminds the reader/listener of the donkey (cf. Prov 29:19 and Sir 42:5c).
53
54
50
Alonso Schkel, Proverbios y Eclesistico, 189.

A word seems to be missing (probably orf?, very similar to llDrf?), to make the
parallel between the lines complete. In fact, this word appears in G (apxo K a i Ttaieia
K a l epyov, bread and discipline and work) followed by Lat (panis et disciplina et opus)
and in Syr in a different position ( r ^ u A o & o r&*u\a p e ^ o r o , and correction and bread
and work).
The noun mT]D (from TlO) means "rebellion." Yet here, coinciding with its homonym ne'fcvor (marduta), it is better to understand it as discipline (cf. Zorell, Lexicon
hebraicum Veteris Testamenti, 471) or corporal punishment (Skehan and Di Leila, The
Wisdom of Ben Sira, 403-4).
Cf. Ahiqar, saying 5: "A bow for a serving-boy, a rebuke for a slave-girl, and for all
your servants discipline (NJ^K)" and Papyrus Insinger, 14,11: "If the stick is far from
the master, the servant/slave does not listen to him."
According to Gk: vy K a l iu rpaxnXov Kdutyoumv, since Ms E is corrupt: [...]
DDin "TOlfi (...the stick of its wielder?). Following the Gk only in the first half of the
line Segal reconstructs 1TDD "itth rvbjn bp (yoke and rope, stick and blows) cf. Segal,
SepherBen Sira HaShalem, 215.
51
52
53
54
66
Ben Sira seems to have forgotten that in spite of his stubbornness the
donkey was indispensable for the farmer and represented the main
means of transport for people and merchandise.
Both lines are composed of two nominal phrases shaped accord
ing to the typology of similarity patterns. The comparison functions
without the help of any particle. The fodder, a stick and the burdens
for the donkey correspond to the bread, discipline and work for the
servant. The implicit teaching in this proverb does not leave any room
for doubt: the master of the house must treat the servant as he treats
the donkey, i.e., severely, because as it is stated in the book of Proverbs
"the servant pampered during his childhood will be in the end ungrate
ful" (Prov 29:21). This is also what a popular Spanish proverb says: "Al
mozo nuevo, pan y huevo, y andando el ano, pan y palo" (to a new lad,
[give] bread and eggs and, in the course of the year, [give him] bread
and the stick).
55
C.
A N E W W I S D O M PARADIGM
Sometimes Ben Sira reveals himself to be a sage inventor. It is a matter

of fact that in his teaching he makes use of traditional imagery in a free
and original way. By inserting an old image into a new context fash
ioned after wisdom models, he also changes its former meaning and
connotations. In such a way a new wisdom paradigm may come to life.
Sir 11:3 is a good example. This verse is part of a small unit (11:2-6),
in which the sage advises against judging on the basis of appearances.
Here is his first teaching (conserved in Mss A and B):
56
55
Cf. O. Borowski, Every Living Thing: Daily Use of Animals in Ancient Israel (Wal
nut Creek: Alta Mira, 1998), 90-99; F. E. Deist, The Material Culture of the Bible. An
Introduction. Edited with a Preface by Robert P. Carroll (The Biblical Seminar 70; Shef
field: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000), 159.
The author of the book of Proverbs did the same thing with the locust (Prov 30:27).
Cf. Forti, Animal Imagery in the Book of Proverbs, 62.
Both Ms A and Ms B add an explicative gloss after DTK, probably "lyDO (part.
Pual of IpD, deformed). Ms Bmg reads [.]pDO and B ITpD (?).
According to Segal, bbx should be understood as "divine, revered like a god," cf.
Segal, Sefer Ben Sira HaShalem, 67. Ms B presents a repetition of the verse with only
one change (rutfp, small, instead of
worthless), which seems secondary, cf. Skehan
and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 229. Syr has a different reading: r c \ i T . , despised.
56
57
58
2
3
67
Do not praise a person for his (or her) (good) looks,

nor loathe a person because of his (or her) unpleasant appearance.
Insignificant amongflyingcreatures is the bee,
but her product is thefirst/bestof (her) fruits.
The image of the bee is used to explain the two previous prohibitions,
which stand out because of their antithetic parallelism (do not praise /
do not loathe; beauty / ugliness). Ben Sira asserts that a persons physi
cal appearance is a bad criterion that can be misleading, and the ex
ample of the bee corroborates this assertion. Its physical weakness, in
comparison to other flying creatures, contrast with the excellence of the
honey it produces (cf. Prov 16:24; 24:13; 25:6, 2 7 ) .
It should be noted that in this piece of advice there is no grammatical
link between the negative precepts (ll:2ab) and the following example
(ll:3ab). As in other similar cases one would expect the presence of
some particle (3 or }? by example) indicating the kind of relation be
tween 11:2 and 11:3. Its absence leaves the decision up to the reader/
listener who will have to draw his or her own conclusions.
On the one hand, this positive characterization of the bee is in
keeping with the Septuagints expanded version of the Ant Parable
(Prov 6:8a-c), where the bee, while being physically weak, is presented
as a model of diligence and industry. On the other hand, this image
certainly breaks with the former tradition, according to which our pro
tagonist is an insidious and dangerous insect, especially when it moves
and attacks in a swarm. In Deut 1:44, the Amorites chase the Israel
ites like bees; in Psa 118:12, the psalmist complains that the gentiles
surround him like bees; and in Isa 7:18-19, Yahweh himself calls the
flies of Egypt and the bees of Assyria to invade the kingdom of Judah:
"They will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of
the rocks, and on all the thorn bushes, and on all the pastures" (7:19).
59
60
61
62
63
59
Cf. Papyrus Insinger 25,2: "The little bee brings the honey." The theme of slighting
small things becomes a topos in Hellenistic times, cf. also Sent. Men. 172 and Sentences
ofSextus 9-10 quoted in M. Lichtheim, Late Egyptian Wisdom Literature in the Interna
tional Context. A Study ofDemotic Instructions (OBO 52; Freiburg Schweiz - Gttingen:
Universittsverlag - Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1983), 163.
Cf. T. L. Forti, "Bees Honey From Realia to Metaphor in Biblical Wisdom
Literature," VT 56 (2006): 327-41.
Cf. Forti, Animal Imagery in the Book of Proverbs, 107.
According to Borowski, it would have been more appropriate to apply the image
of the bee to Egypt than to Assyria, since bee-keeping and honey production are not at
tested in Mesopotamia while they are in Egypt (cf. Borowski, Every Living Thing, 161).
According to some scholars, the denigration of the bee is a reaction of biblical
60
61
62
63
68
Thus, in Ben Siras view, the image of the bee has become a new wisdom paradigm transmitting a positive teaching: smallness is not incompatible with good quality.
D . A CONTROVERSIAL IMAGE
Sir 25:8ab is a much debated verse. Its difficulty lies in the expression
' plow as an ox with a donkey" which can be interpreted literally or in
a figurative way.
Before entering into the discussion of this problem, let us remember that the complete reconstruction of the text of Ms C was possible
thanks to the discovery made by A . Scheiber in 1982. In addition to the
sixth Hebrew manuscript of Ben Sira (Ms F ) , this Hungarian scholar
discovered two fragments, one of which is the corner of page V (recto),
containing the missing portions in 25:8.
Here is the reconstructed text of Ms C:
64
una nbpi my VI
ninn Dp IIUD urnn xbi
pun bsn bxv niM*

nbzva nu>N tyn nuw
8cd
8ab
8cd Happy he who does not fall/sin with the tongue

and [he who] does not serve an inferior to him.
8ab Happy the husband of an intelligent wife,
and [he who] does not plow as an ox (yoked) with a donkey.
65
Sir 25:8 is part of a numerical poem consisting of ten beatitudes (placed

in five parallel pairs), culminating in the praise of the fear of the Lord
(25:7-11). Our verse contains four beatitudes, the only ones that exist
in Hebrew. For the rest of the text, it is necessary to use the translations.
Except for the last two beatitudes (they call happy the man who does
66
authors to the importance that this animal had among the Philistines. Cf. H. Margulies,
"Das Rtsel der Biene im Alten Testament," VT 24 (1974): 56-76; Deist, The Material
Culture of the Bible, 133-34; O. Borowski, "Animals in the Literature of Syria-Palestine,"
in A History of the Animal World in the Ancient Near East, 297.
A. Scheiber, "A Leaf of the Fourth (sic; read Sixth) Manuscript of the Ben Sira
from the Geniza," Magyar Konyvszemle 98 (1982): 185; A. A. Di Leila, "The Newly Discovered Sixth Manuscript of Ben Sira from the Cairo Geniza," Bib 69 (1988): 237-38.
The other fragment contains the words missing in 25:20-21 on the verso of page V.
Cf. A. Spatafora, "Intelligent or Sensible Woman (Sir 25:8)?," Theoforum 31
(2000): 267-81.
Syr has the complete text and the right order (25:8abcd). Gk (and Lat) only has
25:8acd (b is lacking).
64
65
66
69
the same sort of thing, i.e., "to find wisdom" and "to fear the Lord"), the
rest of them juxtapose two unrelated feelings or actions. For instance,
to rejoice in ones own children and to live to see the downfall of ones
foes (25:7cd), not to fall with the tongue and not to serve an inferior
(25:8cd), to find a friend and to speak to attentive listeners (25:9ab).
Many authors think that it is also the case for Sir 25:8ab. In our opinion,
however, the second beatitude (8b) sheds light on the first (8a). Apparently unrelated, both refer to the same thing, i.e., matrimonial life.
From a literary point of view, it is noteworthy that three times in the
poem the formulation of the beatitude is completely positive (25:7cd;
9ab; lOab) while 25:8cd is completely negative. Only in 25:8ab Ben Sira
combines both. By doing so he creates a link by means of opposition
between 25:8a and 25:8b and at the same time puts the accent in the
first beatitude, the one formulated in positive terms.
Let us see the original (and obviously implicit) relationship the sage
establishes between the two apparently unrelated stichoi. While 25:8a
evokes a matrimonial context (husband and intelligent wife, cf. 26:1-4;
40:23), 25:8b is associated with the agricultural world (farmer and labor animals) by means of an allusion to Deut 22:10 (cf. Lev 19:19). It
is our contention that Ben Sira slightly modified this biblical text to
give space to a figurative interpretation. The Deuteronomic prescription, which prohibits working in the field with two different species
of animals: "You shall not plow with an ox and an ass together" (~tfb
HIT nbnirnw? UTinn) has been adapted by the Syriac translation of
Ben Sira: "(Happy) he who has not yoked the plough with ox and with
ass together" (25:8b). This translation suggests, especially in view of
25:8a, the image of a marriage in which the two wives of the husband
(the ox and the ass) do not live at peace with one another because of
67
68
69
67
Smend, Die Weisheit Jesus Sirach, 227: "Der Satz hat hier natrlich bildlichen
Sinn" [...] "Gliicklich, wer keine reiche Frau geheiratet hat und somit nicht der Esel
neben den Ochsen (mWD) ist (vgl. v. 22.23)."
The same expression is found in 4Q418 103 ii 7-8. According to Rey, "En 4Q/wstruction, la mention de celui qui laboure avec un buf et un ne ensemble, et de celui qui sme deux semences diffrentes, vient illustrer l'interdiction de mlanger son
commerce avec celui de son prochain" (J.-S. Rey, 4QInstruction: sagesse et eschatologie
[STDJ 81; Leiden - Boston: Brill, 2009], 113).
Many modem translations follow Syr. Cf., for example, Minissale, Siracide (Ecclesiastico) (NVB 23; Roma: Paoline, 1980), 131; Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben
Sira, 339; Kaiser, Weisheit fur das Leben, 60. By contrast, Alonso Schkel, Proverbiosy
Eclesistico, 234; Sauer, Jsus Sirach/Ben Sira, 189.
68
69
70
their incompatible temperament. Consequently, the normal life in the

household becomes unbearable (cf. 37:11a; 26:6; 25:14?).
Now, the Hebrew text of Sir 25:8b does not say: "(Happy) he who
does not plow with ox and with ass together" but rather "(happy) he
who does not plow as an ox with an ass." In this case, the figurative
meaning of the sentence changes: the ox and the ass are not the two
rival wives in a polygamous marriage, but the ox is the husband (sup
posedly intelligent and strong) and the ass is his wife (supposedly stu
pid and stubborn). In other words, the deuteronomic expression is
probably intended to evoke "an undesirable marriage" because of the
incompatibility between the partners. As Minissale puts it: "The hus
band is happy when there is no disparity of intelligence with his wife
(cf.2Cor6,14)."
70
71
72
73
In short, Ben Sira has interpreted an ancient agricultural law, which

prohibited plowing with an ox and an ass together, in a metaphorical
sense by applying it to a failed marriage.
74
E. CONCLUSION
The metaphorical instances of animal imagery in the book of Ben

Sira are, as we have seen, inserted in a broad range of literary forms.
Except for one (the bee), all the instances are distinguished by their
negative connotations. Far from examples to be imitated, animal im
ages exemplify objectionable and unpleasant models of human con
duct. While in the fable (cf. Aesops fables) some human attributes are
70
Smend and Mopsik observe that the reading ~\W2 (with an ox) instead of ~\W2
(as an ox) could refer to a polygamous marriage (cf. Smend, Die Weisheit Jesus Sirach
227 and Mopsik, La Sagesse de ben Sira, 171, note 2). On polygamy in Ben Sira, cf. R.
Egger-Wenzel, "Spricht Ben Sira von Polygamie?," in Jahrbuch der Universitt Salzburg
1993-1995 (ed. A. Buschmann; Munchen - Eichenau: Roman Kovar, 1996), 57-64.
According to Mopsik, even the verb "to plow" is to be understood in a figurative
way as "to get married, to take a woman in marriage," cf. Mopsik, La Sagesse de ben
Sira, 171, note 2.
Skehan and Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 342.
Minissale, Siracide (Ecclesiastico), 131. In view of 25:10ab, Spatafora contends
that if the happiest man is the one who finds wisdom and fears the Lord, his wife should
be "an intelligent woman who shares in that faith, who shares the same attitude before
God" (Spatafora, "Intelligent or Sensible Woman," 280).
Mopsik, La Sagesse de Ben Sira, 171-72, n. 2.
71
72
73
74
71
applied to animals, here some animal attributes (mainly negative ones)

are applied to human beings.
The first group of images expresses reprehensible types of human
conduct: the authoritarian behavior of the pater familias in the home
(Sir 4:30), the uncontrolled and impulsive reaction of the insolent
friend (Sir 33:6) or the wickedness of the married woman who corrupts
girls without marital experience (Sir 42:13).
In the second group, the animal images have a social perspective:
their intention is to denounce the hostility between rich and poor
(Sir 13:17-19) and to advise stern treatment of servants (Sir 33:25).
In Sir 11:3, the sage creates a new wisdom paradigm contrasting with
the former Biblical tradition: the bee seen from a positive point of view
as a model of human behavior; and, in Sir 25:8ab, he interprets an an
cient law metaphorically by slightly changing an expression familiar to
the reader in order to apply it to a matrimonial context.
In conclusion, Ben Siras teaching not only draws on ancestral exam
ples, on his intimate relationship with the Lord or his personal experi
ence but also on an empirical knowledge of nature, especially of the
animal world. This knowledge allows him to use animal symbolism as
a didactic and rhetorical means for investigating the nature of human
behavior, especially its more obscure sides. In this way, his teaching
becomes more attractive for his disciples and, at the same time, more
convincing.
75
75
T. L. Forti, "Animal Images in the Didactic Rhetoric of the Book of Proverbs," Bib
77 (1996): 50.
GREEK VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA
TRANSLATION GREEK IN SIRACH

IN LIGHT OF THE GRANDSON'S PROLOGUE
Benjamin G. Wright III
Lehigh University
The translator of the book of Ben Sira, who claims to be the author s
grandson, offers scholars a unique window into his work. Unlike the
rest of the Jewish-Greek translation corpus, commonly called the Septuagint, Ben Siras grandson composed a prologue to his translation
that gives insight into his motivations for and attitudes toward his proj
ect. In a short apologia, he expresses some concern about the character
of his translation and about the relationship between a text, written in
Hebrew, and one that is subsequently "rendered in another language."
These brief comments preserve a rare bit of evidence about the realities
of the translation process in antiquity.
A second important feature of the prologue is the character of its
Greek, which stands in stark contrast to the Greek of the translation,
a Greek whose quality never comes close to the level of the prologue.
This "translation" Greek was executed in an isomorphic manner (that
is, mostly at the word level and not at the phrase, clause or discourse
level), and in numerous places it represents closely aspects of its He
brew Vorlage. Such an observation, however, does not presume that the
grandson disregarded Ben Siras message. Indeed, he did try to com
municate his grandfathers teaching to a Greek-speaking audience, but
within the confines of a specific translation approach that resulted in
a Greek whose character contrasts dramatically with a prologue com
posed originally in that language.
In this short paper, I want to consider several facets of the prologue,
since its uniqueness prompted me over twenty-five years ago to study
the Greek translation of Ben Sira for my Ph.D. thesis. Then, I was fas
cinated by the fact that an ancient Jewish translator would reflect on
1
The thesis was later published as No Small Difference: Sirachs Relationship to Its
Hebrew Parent Text (SBLSCS 26; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989).
BENJAMIN G. W R I G H T
76
the process of translation, and I thought that the grandsons initial mus
ings might help to illuminate some of his translation techniques. Sev
eral years ago I revisited the prologue for similar reasons. I wanted to
look at it more closely for what it could tell modern scholars about the
grandsons claims concerning ancient translation activity as well as the
context for his translation. That work resulted in a short article in which
I tried to reconstruct the context and motivation for the translation
of Ben Sira and to make some generalizations about different types of
ancient translations. Recently that article has prompted two responses,
whose criticisms I want to address briefly in the first part of this paper,
one by Tho A.W. van der Louw in his book Transformations in the
Septuagint and the other by Dries de Crom in his article "Translation
Equivalence in the Prologue to Greek Ben Sirach."
2
These two responses have focused on my understanding of the

meaning of the verb iaouva|ia), "having the same power or force, be
equivalent to," in line 22 of the prologue: "for what was originally ex
pressed in Hebrew does not have the same force when it is in fact ren
dered in another language." In a nutshell and without rehearsing the
entire argument here, I concluded that, since the context of the transla
tion indicates that the grandsons audience was comprised of Greekspeaking Jews for whom comparisons with the Hebrew were likely not
possible, the Greek verb iaouva|ia) does not connote a lack of exacti
tude in meaning between Hebrew and Greek, which is how it is most
often understood. I did not (and I still do not) think that the grandsons
statement is simply a rhetorical disclaimer, but that he was genuinely
apprehensive about how his work would be received among his Greek5
Thefirstarticulation of the ideas came as part of a longer article, "Access to the

Source: Cicero, Ben Sira, the Septuagint and Their Audiences," JSJ 34 (2003): 1-27. A
second article, dedicated solely to the prologue, appeared as "Why a Prologue? Ben
Sira's Grandson and His Translation," in Emanuel: Studies in Hebrew Bible, Septuagint
and Dead Sea Scrolls in Honor of Emanuel Tov (S.M. Paul et al., eds.; VTSup 94; Leiden:
Brill, 2003), 633-44. In this paper I will base my comments primarily on the argument
as I made it in the Tov FS.
With the subtitle Towards an Interaction of Septuagint Studies and Translation
Studies (Leuven: Peeters, 2007).
The article appeared in XIII Congress of the International Organization for Septua
gint and Cognate Studies. Ljubljana, 2007 (Melvin K.H. Peters, d.; SBLSCS 55; Atlanta:
SBL), 99-111.
Translations of the Greek of Ben Sira are taken from my translation in A New
English Translation of the Septuagint and the Other Greek Translations Traditionally In
cluded Under that Title (Albert Pietersma and Benjamin G. Wright, eds.; New York:
Oxford University Press, 2008) (hereafter NETS).
3
77
speaking readers. Thus, I suggested that iaouva|iu) probably connotes

something like having the same effect or impactthat is, having the
same rhetorical force rather than having the same meaning.
Van der Louws critique actually depends primarily on his under
standing of the word ouvajiic, which can connote "meaning," particu
larly as it is used in Plato's Cratylus and in Iamblichus (fourth century
C E ) . His main contention is that, since uva|ii can indicate the mean
ing of a word, in the prologue to Sirach the verb laouva|iu) must mean,
"to have the same meaning." From this conclusion, he argues that in the
prologue we find a purely rhetorical disclaimer, which, although now a
commonplace, constituted "quite a discovery" to Ben Siras grandson.
De Croms article examines the uses of iaouva|iu) from the fourth
century BCE until the first century CE. To summarize his position
without doing it too much of a disservice, de Crom notes, "In essence,
iaouva|iu) is used to establish an actual or figurative equivalence be
tween two things with regard to one of their aspects or features. The
precise interpretation of the verb often depends on the identification of
this tertium comparationis"* He shows that iaouva|i(o has the broad
semantic range of "to have the same force" or "to be equivalent" in
music, logic, philosophy and even language. Specifically as a technical
term, it is used in astrology ("to be equipollent"), and, more for our
purposes, in grammar, where it means "functionally interchangeable"
or "synonymous." One of de Croms significant observations is that the
Greek verb is not used in any case that he can find for inter-linguistic
transformations, such as translation. In one case only, that is, in Berossus s Babyloniaca, do we see the term used in an inter-cultural context
where one crop is called the equivalent of another.
6
10
Neither van der Louw nor de Crom have convinced me that the
position I took in my earlier article is incorrect. The heart of van der
Louw s critique is the connection of ouverte; in its sense of "meaning"
and iaouva|iu), which then must mean, "have the same meaning."
Several factors complicate van der Louws point, however. First, the
word uva|ii does not appear in the prologue, and thus, we are not
11
van der Louw, Transformations, 33-35.

van der Louw, Transformations, 48.
de Crom, "Translation Equivalence," 104.
de Crom, "Translation Equivalence," 107,109.
van der Louw, Transformations, 47-48. He notes that this meaning occurs in "ref
erences in the lexica."
7
10
11
78
explicitly dealing there with "meaning" as his argument implies. In the

prologue to Sirach, the operative expressions used with iaoouvajieo) are
T()v Xev, "some expressions," and aura, "these things," although the
grammar of the entire sentence is somewhat difficult. The latter word
functions as the subject of iaouvajie and most likely recalls the earlier
phrase cp' o, which in NETS I translated "in cases." Van der Louw
depends on Plato's Cratlyus, where uva|iic; connotes "meaning," as his
primary piece of evidence. Within that dialogue, however, the objects
of the discussion are: (1) ovojiara, "names," or, in grammatical contexts, "nouns"; (2) in what sense names represent something inherent
in a thing; and (3) the knowledge communicated by them. In Cratlyus
435, uvajiic; seems to mean "function" (as H.N. Fowler translates it)
or even "use" (as B. Jowett renders the term). Although van der Louw
has tried to establish a lexical and semantic framework for iaouvajia)
on the basis of ouvajiic;, he ignores the social and discursive contexts of
the grandsons prologue. The social context is one in which the grandson is translating for a Greek-speaking, Jewish audience, which most
likely does not know Hebrew, at least not enough to read his grandfather s book. The discursive context specifically concerns the problem of
translation, conveying into Greek things that originally were expressed
in Hebrew, and the grandsons inability to translate adequatelynot on
how nouns relate to the objects that they name or some other philosophical theory of meaning.
Third, I do not accept van der Louw s "opinion" that the grandsons
disclaimer is solely rhetorical and that it does not reflect genuine angst
on his part. Van der Louw does not deal with the matter of why the
grandson would invent a rhetorical disclaimer that indicts the translations of "the Law, the Prophets, and the other books" as having the same
sorts of failures that his work had. Without at this juncture speculating
on the extent to which the grandson thought these translations to be authoritative, he undoubtedly viewed them as important vehicles for his
audience to gain access to the content of the Hebrew originals, which
certainly were authoritative, even sacred. His desire to translate his
grandfather s teaching into Greek "for those living abroad if they wish
to become learned, preparing their character to live by the law" (NETS)
points to his own regard for this translated corpus, however well or ill
defined it was at the time. Moreover, given the evidence of the Letter of
Aristeas, probably written in Alexandria shortly before the grandsons
arrival in Egypt, his Alexandrian Jewish audience held these transla-
79
12
tions in the highest regard. Again, the discursive and social context of
the prologue makes it unlikely in my view that the grandson was saying
to his audience the equivalent of, "Look; if you think that I have failed at
any point to make a good translation or to get it right, then what about
your highly regarded translations; they are just as problematic." This
approach equally denigrates both the translations that the Alexandrian
Jews already possessed and the grandsons own work.
De Crom spends more time than van der Louw on the meaning and
use of iaouva|io). He demonstrates effectively that this verb actually
has a rather wide range of uses that suit the basic meaning of "having
the same force or power" and more generally "equivalence." With re
spect to my interpretation, de Crom damns with faint praise when he
writes, "Of course, this argumentum e silentio [i.e., my claim that iaouvajia) refers to "rhetorical force"] alone is not entirely unimaginable
even if it is not supported by actual evidence." He also suggests that
my position implicitly assumes in the grandsons prologue that, since it
is a compound of ouvafiic, iaouva(ico has some semantic overlap with
the Latin Ws, which can have the sense of "style" or "expressive force,"
although he says that this "will be hard to prove as long as no parallels
are found in the Greek language." He further notes that ouvajiic can be
used with Xi, and when they occur together, uvaû indicates a per
sons faculty of speech. But as I noted above, ouvajiic does not occur in
the prologue, so (1) to rely on uvajii to establish the specific meaning
of iaouvanco in the prologue does not seem to me to be decisive and
(2) what it means when used in combination with Xi is not entirely
relevant to what we find in the prologue.
13
14
Several other difficulties, as I see it, attach to de Croms critique of

my position. First, I am not arguing, nor am I assuming, that we have
implicitly in the prologue the same set of connotations that we find in
Latin. Part of the problem derives from the data that de Crom gathers
about the uses of iaouvanco. He cannot cite a case where the verb
indicates inter-linguistic transformation. That realization means, how
ever, that the semantic, social and discursive contexts for the verb in the
prologue are unique among its usages in ancient Greek literature. Given
12
On the Septuagint in Aristeas, see B.G. Wright, "The Letter ofAristeas and the Re
ception History of the Septuagint," BIOSCS 39 (2006): 47-67 [reprinted in B.G. Wright,
Praise Israel for Wisdom and Instruction, Essays on Ben Sira and Wisdom, the Letter of
Aristeas and the Septuagint (JSJSup 131; Leiden: Brill, 2008), 275-95.
de Crom, "Translation Equivalence," 101, n. 9.
13
14
8o
the unique contexts of the verb in the prologue, one should not expect
to find an exact parallel to uses of iaouva|ico elsewhere. So, with that
in mind, we might anticipate that iaouva|i(o in the prologue would be
used with a slightly different nuance from the ones that de Crom cites,
but one that still fits into its general sense.
De Crom cites one example that approaches how I understand the
verb in Sirach. Polybius (2nd century BCE; Histories 11, la) speaks
about why he has chosen to use summaries or prefatory accounts
(npoicOeai) of events rather than traditional prefaces (npoypacpri),
and he says that, since prefaces had declined in style, he decided to
use the prefatory account. Besides, he says, "the prefatory account is
not only equally as effective as the preface, but even somewhat more
effective" (rfj yp npoeKQoeq ou (ivov iaoSuva(iouar|<; Ttp rf]v
Ttpoypcupfiv, \ X Kal TTEOV TI Suva|ivr|). Here the idea of "the same
force/power," especially in the light of the final clause above, indicates
effectiveness or impact, rather than equivalence of function. About this
passage de Crom notes that the point is not that meanings or words
are seen to be equivalent, but it is the "concept" that is at stake, in this
case the literary form. Within the discursive context of the prologue
to Sirach, this notion of effectiveness or perhaps even impact, I contend, more likely connotes rhetorical power or effect (but not necessarily style, as de Crom imputes to m e ) rather than meaning. By understanding the term this way, contrary to de Croms contention, I have
attempted to stay within a more general understanding of the verb that
coheres with its earlier uses in the literature, even as de Crom has set
them out, and at the same time to give the word some appropriate nuance within the prologues discursive and social situations.
15
16
15
de Crom, "Translation Equivalence," 101, n. 9.

Moreover, I retained the general sense of the verb in my NETS translation and
rendered it "have the same force." In my article concerning my suggestion for the
meaning of iaoVvaua) in the prologue, I used the phrase, "within the viable semantic
range" ("Access to the Source," 18). I also note here that de Crom does not in the end
take any position on what the verb means here. He says for the prologue that where in
the semantic range of the verb one ought to come down "is still very much undecided"
("Translation Equivalence," 110). Christian Wagner (Die Septuaginta-Hapaxlegomena
im Buck Jesus Sirach [BZAW 282; Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1999], 125) attributes a
sense to this verb similar to the meaning that I assigned to it, although he, too, uses
uvaui as a point of comparison. He says, "Der Hauptakzent der Aussage liegt bei iaouvauev zweifelsohne auf der vaui d.h. der (inhaltlichen und sthetischen) Wirkkraft eines Text auf den Leser."
16
81
With my responses to these two critiques in mind, I would like to

make some brief observations that I did not make in my earlier article.
First, the sense of the entire section in which iaoSuvapu) occurs is difficult to get a firm hold on. Part of the reason is that the beginning of
the apologia seems more restrictive than the end. The grandson begins
his defense by asking his reader to have some forbearance "in those
cases where we might be thought to be insipid with regard to some
expressions that have been the object of great care in rendering" (cp*
o v SoKd>|iv T(v K a r a Tf|v p|ir|veiav 7t(piXo7tovr||ivu)v tiaiv TGOV
Xfecov aSuvapetv). This clause hints that the grandson expects that his
readers might experience difficulties with some expressions in his translation, even though he has executed it using great effort and care. On
the face of it, this does not seem to be a general statement about the
translation as a whole.
In the next clause he offers his justification for these anticipated difficultiesthings originally expressed in Hebrew do not have the same
impact in Greek. Interestingly, the grandson does not use in this clause
any of the standard Greek verbs for translation. He says, "when they
[i.e., the unspecified "things"] are rendered [lit. conveyed or transferred] into another language" (TCXV |ieTax6fj el tpav yXooav). As
I noted above, but it has implications here, the subject of iaoSuvapE
is aura, which generally refers to "things." By using this pronoun, the
grandson seems to make a more general statement about translation,
and by extension to his translation in particular. This interpretation
seems to be confirmed in the next clause, which generalizes the situation to the entirety of the translated books known to the grandson and
his readers: "not only in this case, but also in the case of the Law itself
and the Prophets and the rest of the books the difference is not small
when these are expressed in their own language" (ou pvov taOta
XX Kal aT vpo KCX! ai 7tpocpr|Tiai Kai r Xoirt tcov Pi(JXicov ou
piKpv e\ei tf|v iacpopv v auto \ey\ieva).
Thus, there are two different tacks one could take when considering the grandsons apologia. First, the reader could emphasize the very
beginning of the section where the grandson suggests that his work
might be found wanting in some passages. Thus, he is not defending
the entirety of it, but only those places where someone might think
he has failed. Otherwise, he is quite satisfied with his accomplishment.
Second, the tack that I, and most scholars, have taken, is that the grandson is speaking in general of the difficulty of translating Hebrew into
82
Greek. That is, although he has worked hard, bringing great care to the
effort, he recognizes that his translation, as a translation, somehow has
less effect than the original and that this same lack of effect/power also
characterizes the translations of the Law, Prophets and other books.
While admitting that this section presents interpretive difficulties, I
still contend that when he invokes these other translations, which were
highly prized in the Alexandrian community in which he now resided,
he indicates real nervousness about the reception of his translation and
that he is worried about its general acceptance and not simply about a
passage or two that he might have flubbed. I think if I were to go back
and revise my NETS translation, I might well now translate, "for what
was originally expressed in Hebrew is not equally effective (or perhaps,
does not have the same impact) when it is in fact conveyed into another
language."
However we understand the grandsons concern in his defense of his
work, it is undeniable that the Greek of the prologue differs dramatical
ly from the Greek that we find in the translation itself. The prologue, as
has been frequently noted, contains three good periodic Greek sentenc
es, that display some literary sensitivity on the grandsons part. The
translation, by contrast, exhibits almost none of that literary sensitivity.
Why would the grandson, who could clearly write decent Greek, settle
for such a low register of the language in his translation?
17
One of the distinct benefits of having the grandsons prologue is that

it provides a context for his work, since he tells his readers why he made
the translation. His explanation allows us to venture some suggestions
about why he took the approach that he did. In writing on a different
Jewish text, the Letter of Aristeas, I have used the work of the translation
theorist Gideon Toury as a framework for looking at its claims about
the Septuagint. Toury s work is particularly appropriate for thinking
about the prologue to Sirach together with the translation that follows,
because, as he says: (1) "all translations are facts of target cultures" and
(2) the intended function (position) of a translation, its textual-linguis
tic makeup, and the translator s strategies for executing the translation
18
17
See, for example, P.W. Skehan and A.A. Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira (AB 39;
Doubleday: Garden City, NY, 1987), 132.
See, for example, "The Letter of Aristeas" (cited in n. 12 above). The best source
for Toury s ideas is Descriptive Translation Studies and beyond (Benjamins Translation
Library 4; Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1995). Toury's work also in
formed the translations of the LXX/OG corpus in NETS.
18
83
19
"do not constitute a series of unrelated facts." These interconnected

facts move in one direction given the inherently teleological nature
of translation. Thus, for Toury, "the prospective systemic position or
function of a translation determines its appropriate surface realization
(=textual-linguistic makeup), which governs the strategies whereby a
target text (or parts thereof) is derived from its original, and hence the
relationships that hold them together." One important implication of
this work for examining any translation in the L X X / O G corpus, including Sirach, is that in this light translations must be seen as fundamentally socio-cultural and historical in nature. This insight pushes us to
try to connect the facts of the translation itself, as we encounter them,
with answers to historical and socio-cultural questionssuch as why
the grandson translated as he did. For the remainder of this paper, I
will take Toury s three interconnected facts about translation and think
about how they might inform us about the grandsons project.
20
A . " T H E PROSPECTIVE SYSTEMIC FUNCTION/POSITION

OF A TRANSLATION"
The most important initial question that we must ask of Sirach is "What
function or position did the grandson intend for his work?" Part of
the answer to that question involves understanding how he valued his
grandfather s book. What sort of a book was he translating?
The prologue begins with a comment on the value of "the Law, the
Prophets, and the others that followed them." These books have been
the conduit of "many and great things," and as a result Israel should be
praised for "education and wisdom." The grandson insists that those
who read these books must do so not only for their own understanding, but also, since they are "lovers of learning," they must be of service
to "outsiders" (1. 5; TO EKT), probably those who are outside of the
circle of those learned people. Whether we view these three categories
21
19
Toury, Descriptive Translation Studies, 29,24. See also the chart of these relationships on p. 13.
Toury, Descriptive Translation Studies, 13.
This is the way that J.H.A. Hart interprets the term. See "The Prologue to Ecclesiasticus," JQR 19 (1907): 284-97 (here 290). There is no evidence that the grandson
has in mind a non-Jewish audience for his own translation, and thus it seems even less
likely that he would see his grandfather s book as having some benefit for non-Jews as
well. The term, "outsiders," then, should refer to Jews, and the most likely group is those
who, for whatever reason, must be served by the "lovers of learning." Are these "lovers
20
21
84
of Jewish books as a canonical formulation or not is immaterial. The

grandson certainly holds them in high regard as authoritative in some
sense. In the second half of this first sentence, the grandson compares
his grandfathers work to them, using some significant parallel expressions, which suggest that he saw Ben Siras book as being on a par with
these earlier ones. So, he refers a second time to "the Law, the Prophets,
and the other ancestral books," which his grandfather had read carefully. Ben Sira had accomplished the first of the two requirements that
the grandson had laid out in lines 4 - 5 ; he had gained understanding
and "considerable proficiency in them." The grandson continues, "He
too was led (nporJxTl Kai a t ) to compose something pertaining to
education and wisdom." In his estimation, then, Ben Sira had produced
a book that conferred the same benefits as these other books and that
could stand alongside of or even be added to them. Although it is hard
to reach a definite conclusion, the grandson seems to have viewed the
categories Law, Prophets and other books as a kind of short hand for a
corpus of authoritative texts that had been handed down, and he was
convinced that his grandfathers book belonged among them.
22
The last clause of the sentence only confirms this conclusion: "in order that lovers of learning, when they come under their sway as well,
might gain much more in living by the law." By mentioning "lovers of
learning," the grandson again reaches back to those same people in the
earlier clause, who benefited from the education and wisdom contained
in the Hebrew version of the Law, Prophets and other books. The importance of the parallel should not be underestimated here. In the first
clause, the lovers of learning have read Israel s authoritative texts, and
in the second they are people who have come under the sway of education and wisdom through Ben Siras book.
23
Thus, this first sentence establishes that the grandson understood his
grandfathers work as occupying a similar place to those other Jewish
books to which he refers. It was a central and authoritative addition
of learning" sages, like Ben Sira, who teach the people?
I do not see these categories as evidence for a tri-partite Jewish canon in this period. On this problem, see John Barton, Oracles of God: Perceptions ofAncient Prophecy
in Israel After the Exile (Oxford: New York, 1986) and more recently his article, "The
Significance of a Fixed Canon of the Hebrew Bible," in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: The
History of Its Interpretation. Volume 1: From the Beginnings to the Middle Ages (Until
1300) (ed. Magne Saebo; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1996), 67-83.
The word "law" here is given with a lower case "1," since the grandson almost
certainly is not referring to a category of books but to the content of all these categories
together.
22
23
85
to the Israelite literary heritage. If these earlier books contained wisdom and education and if lovers of learning must read and understand
them, then his grandfather, just like those who had produced the earlier
books, had written a book that should be studied along with themas
he says, "he too was led."
If the grandson believed that he had translated a book that belonged
with "the Law, the Prophets and the others that followed them," what
position/function did he envision for his translation?
The third sentence evokes several expressions found in the first and
provides some evidence for how the grandson envisioned the function
or position (in Toury s sense of cultural slot) of his translation. Several terms appear here that also appear earlier: "education" (1. 29, cf.
1. 3; TtcuEia), "to love learning" (1. 34, cf. 1. 5; (piXojiaOev), and "by the
law" (1. 35, cf. 1.13; vv(ia)c,). The reference to "education" or "instruction" occurs as part of the difficult phrase, "an exemplar ((p[ioiov) of
no little instruction/education." The noun cpôiov, translated here as
"exemplar," does not occur elsewhere in Greek, and what that exemplar
was, the grandson does not say. Many scholars have taken it to refer
to some other book of wisdom that was already available to the Jews of
Alexandria. Since the other two uses of the noun "education" in the
prologue refer to what is contained in books, the occurrence here most
likely indicates that the grandson found some book or books after he
arrived in Egypt. Whatever the nature of this "exemplar" was, however,
he found it instructive. The second two terms above have similar uses
to those already seen in the prologue. The grandson devoted a lot of
energy to publishing this translation "for those living abroad if they
wish to be lovers of learning, preparing their character to live by the
law" (1. 34, cf. 1.13-14). Finally, the phrase v tfj Ttapoucia, "those living
abroad," recalls the outsiders of line 5, those who do not have access
to this wisdom. In the prior case, the reference to outsiders appears to
indicate those who, for whatever reason, could not study the Hebrew
24
25
26
24
The parallels between the two sentences have been recognized for a long time.
Already Hart ("Prologue," 284-85) noted the similarity and on that basis argued that
the three sentences should be rearranged to move the third sentence to follow the first.
Scholars have not generally followed his suggestion.
The root does occur as a verb, adjective, and a differently formed noun. Many
scholars have commented on the text-critical problems connected with this noun. See
Skehan and Di Leila, Wisdom of Ben Sira, 134-35..
See, for example, Hart, "Prologue," 295; P. Auvray, "Notes sur le Prologue de
L'Ecclsiastique," in Mlanges bibliques (A. Robert, d.; Travaux de lTnstitut Cath. de
Paris 4; Paris, 1957), 281-87 (here 285); Skehan and Di Leila, Wisdom of Ben Sira, 134.
25
26
86
BENJAMIN G. WRIGHT
texts (due to illiteracy or some other reason?). Here the point is similar;
those who live abroad also do not have access to the Hebrew texts, be
cause they do not know Hebrew.
Nothing in this last sentence indicates that the grandson thought
that his translation would occupy the same cultural niche as his grand
father's wisdom. The parallel terms refer back to "the Law, the Prophets,
and the others that followed them" and to Ben Siras book of wisdom in
their Hebrew originals. I see no evidence in this sentence that the trans
lator thought that he was producing a central or authoritative work.
I also do not see any indication that he believed that his translation
would function within a highly literary contextthat is, a context that
called for a literarily sensitive Greek text. The intent seems manifestly to
make available Ben Siras book for Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt, with
the Greek making the Hebrew accessible in a Greek-only milieu, so that
these Jews, as those who wanted to become lovers of learning, could,
as they already could with "the Law, the Prophets, and the others that
followed them," live by the law. Thus, he also intended his translation
to function in a monolingual context. In short, the grandson wanted to
make his grandfather's wisdom available to an audience that could not
read it in the original, while still focusing attention on his grandfathers
teaching. The emphasis here is on the centrality and significance of Ben
Siras book in Hebrew not necessarily on the grandsons translation of
it. Within such a set of expectations, we should not be surprised to dis
cover that the grandson would give precedence to the source text and
language rather than to the target language.
27
28
B. "DETERMINES ITS TEXTUAL-LINGUISTIC M A K E U P "
If the evidence of the prologue leads us to think that the grandson

privileged the source text (i.e., his grandfathers Hebrew) above the
translated text with respect to the intended position of the end product,
how would that determine the textual-linguistic makeup, the surface
realization, of the translation? In general terms, one ought to expect
2 7
For a discussion of the grandson's audience, see Wright, "Why a Prologue?" 635-
36.
28
I would then disagree with scholars such as Bruno Rochette ("Le prologue du
livre de Ben Sirach le Sage et la traduction des crits sacrs," Babel 42 [1998]: 139-49),
who argue that the grandson was trying to confer on his translation the same value or
status that the original had.
87
two things. First, the translation will more probably be concerned

with what Toury has called "adequacy" than with "acceptability." These
two terms signify two ends of a spectrum that represents the extent
to which a translator will adhere more to source language norms (the
"adequacy" end of the spectrum) or more to target language norms (the
"acceptability" end). Another way to think about this would be to ask
about the extent to which a translation can be judged to be acceptable
that is, it looks like a well-formed textin the target language. In either
case, one would expect to encounter in Sirach, which focuses first of all
on the target language and text, a translation that, as a general descrip
tion, frequently deviates from the target language norms that would re
sult in a well-formed text. It is important to note here that to formulate
the issue in this way does not preclude the target text from maintaining
target language norms as well. We are not faced with an either/or situ
ationeither the translation in all instances coheres with or deviates
from target norms. We are dealing with a spectrum on which the trans
lation can be set, and in the case of translations that intend to fill the
cultural niche (i.e., peripheral with respect to the source text, monolin
gual, non-literary) that the grandson indicates for his translation, we
would expect deviation from target norms to predominate. And in fact,
the Greek translation of Sirach does just that on numerous occasions.
29
Second, within a general approach that tends to deviate from target

norms, we would expect to see a high frequency of occurrence of both
positive and negative interference. Positive interference can be de
fined as the use in the target text of target language features that occur
regularly in the target language but that have distributions at odds with
their conventional distributions in the target language. Negative inter
ference occurs when a translator privileges features of the source lan
guage, which then determine the selection of target language features
to the extent that the resulting translation is ill-formed by the standards
of the target language. Since no translation is ever a straightforward
performance in the target language, we can expect interference of both
sorts to appear as a default. In other words, all translations display in
terference to some degree. In the case of Sirach, we encounter many ex30
29
Toury, Descriptive Translation Studies, 56-57. Some scholars have raised method
ological issues with Tourys notion of "adequacy." Cameron Boyd-Taylor has suggested
that these questions can be answered by speaking of assimilation to or deviation from
acceptability. See, Reading Between the Lines: The Interlinear Paradigm for Septuagint
Studies (Biblical Tools and Studies, 8; Leuven: Peeters, 2011).
On this idea, see Toury, Descriptive Translation Studies, 274-79.
30
88
amples of both positive and negative interference (see below), so many

that the Greek translation does not look anything like a well-formed
Greek text.
If we segue to the specific features of the prologue that offer clues
to what we might expect of the textual-linguistic makeup of the trans
lation, we come to the second of its three periodic sentences, which
contains the final reference to "the Law, the Prophets, and the rest of
the books." However we understand the import of this sentence as a
whole, whether it be my interpretation of it or that of other scholars,
the grandson is well aware that his translation is no example of a wellformed Greek text, and his comparison to the translations of these
other books only reemphasizes that he realizes that they are not either.
While I admit to a bit of speculation in what I am about to say, I
think that this second sentence gives some reason to think that (1)
the grandson looked to these translations to determine an approach
for his own work and (2) he expected that his translation could stand
along with them as a significant avenue to gain access to the contents of
his grandfather's wisdom. Unfortunately, the grandson remains silent
about exactly how he came to adopt the translation approach that he
did. If his project was one that essentially represented an ad hoc deci
sion, after arriving in Egypt and encountering the enigmatic "exem
plar," to translate the book of Ben Sira, as I have suggested elsewhere,
then he likely looked for some model on which to base his own enter
prise. As it was, he considered his grandfather s wisdom eligible to be
included in the literary tradition that he had inherited, and it seems
reasonable that he would look to the translations of these other books
for an approach that would work. If his translation were to accomplish
what these others did (and also perhaps stand along with them in the
Alexandrian Jewish community), then his translation would require
translation methods similar to theirs. The situation might not be more
nuanced or sophisticated than that. It is clear, however, that he did not
study these translations carefully so that he could mimic the particulars
of their translation techniques. His own approach is not close enough
to the L X X / O G translations to justify that conclusion. He adopted an
approach, however, that would achieve the textual-linguistic makeup
that was necessary to fit the cultural niche he intended, which was also,
31
32
31
"Why a Prologue?" 642.

For a comparison of particular translation techniques in Sirach to the LXX/OG
corpus, see Wright, No Small Difference.
32
89
and probably not coincidentally, the same one as the saw the L X X / O G
corpus fittingan approach I have already characterized as isomor
phic.
One additional consideration might be relevant here as well. Toury
notes, in his explanation of interference, that "attempts to produce
translations which would represent their sources as closely as possible'
are in constant tension with the attempts to establish in a target culture
and language native-like texts, especially if these are designed to per
form for the target audience a job which is more or less similar to the
one performed by the source texts for their own addressees." When
we look at the prologue, and then at the grandson's translation, we can
see some ways in which what Toury describes as a general translation
phenomenon applies to our specific case. It certainly seems that the
grandson wanted to represent his source text closely. Careful examina
tion shows that the grandson worked primarily at the level of individual
morphemes. This same approach characterizes the L X X / O G corpus
generally. Whereas Toury notes that tension exists between such an ap
proach and the desire to create a "native-like text," I wonder whether
the previously existing translations to which the grandson refers rep
resented native-like texts for him. He knew that they were translations,
but they must have served for some time as independent Greek texts for
the Alexandrian Jews who used them. In that sense the grandson might
have regarded them as "native-like." Of course, even though we have his
grandson's assessment, we do not know what Ben Sira thought about
how his book should function, and so we cannot know whether the
grandson wanted his translation to play a similar role in Egypt. What
does seem clear is that he hoped that his translation would perform a
job similar to the one that the L X X / O G translations performed for Jews
in Alexandria.
33
In any case, the grandson seems to have looked to the L X X / O G trans

lations for two major reasons. First, he saw them occupying a cultural
slot similar to the one that he intended for his translation, and he want
ed his to do a similar job. Second, these already existing translations,
which had a distinctive textual-linguistic makeup, became the general
model for the way that he would work. As he planned and executed
his translation project, he adopted the general approach to translation
that he found in "the Law, the Prophets and the rest of the books." If he
BENJAMIN G. WRIGHT
90
wanted his translation to serve the same cultural function as they did,
that would require a similar textual-linguistic makeup.
C . " W H I C H GOVERNS T H E STRATEGIES

W H E R E B Y A TARGET T E X T IS D E R I V E D FROM ITS ORIGINAL"
Once the grandson had determined what the translation should look
like, what its textual-linguistic makeup would be, his "vision" for it governed the particular translation strategies he employed. So, as I noted
above, one strategy that the grandson pursued, as did the Greek translators whose approach he took, was isomorphism. That is, he treated
his source text as primarily an "organization of lower-level linguistic
entities" rather than as one holistic entity. Even working at this level,
however, one should not expect strategies that produce exact one-toone correspondences to comprise the overwhelming majority of cases.
There were plenty of translation options from which to choose within
this general framework. Sirach 13:10 offers a good example of an isomorphic translation that accounts for every source element.
34
a w n ja pmnn
pmnn p> mpnn bx
Do not be forward, or you may be rebuffed; and do not stand aloof, or
you will be hated.
(if) euTtiTtte va (if) TtcoaOfj KCU (if) uaKpv acpiata) va uf) 7TiXna0fj
Do not be forward, lest you be rejected; and do not stand far off, lest you
be forgotten.
In this example, the translator has dealt with each word separately,
even though he has varied his rendering of the verb p m n n , and he has
understood correctly the function of Hebrew p , which he effectively
renders as va |j.rj. He has not left any words or word components unrepresented in the Greek. But an isomorphic approach does not signal
that (1) every element in the original will map directly onto one in the
translation or vice versa or (2) the translator will avoid exegesis of his
source. Sirach 44:20, which treats Abraham, illustrates the point.
pin *6 n-o r r o m IDP r r m am
And he [God] entered into a covenant with him; in his flesh he made for
him a statute.
34
91
eyeveto v Sia0r|Kr] \ier amov v aapKi amov eorr\oev ia0rJKr|v

And he entered in a covenant with him; in hisfleshhe established a covenant.
Kal
Two aspects of this verse are relevant here. First, the translator has rendered two different Hebrew nouns, pin and f i n i as 6ia0r|Kr|, which
changes the basic meaning of the passage from the Hebrew. Second, the
translators use of eoTX]oev made the pleonastic 1*7 unnecessary in the
translation. Despite these two differences between Hebrew and Greek,
the translator is still clearly working at the word level, and not at any
larger phrase or clause level, but he has made some significant choices
that have affected the meaning in Greek vis--vis the Hebrew.
Examples like these could be multiplied a hundred-fold and are typical for this translation. The importance of privileging the source text
determined what kind of translation the grandson would produce and
that expectation then governed the choice of isomorphism as a strategy
for rendering the Hebrew into Greek.
This same idea of what the textual-linguistic makeup of the translation should be also produced the result that the grandson has on
numerous occasions deviated from the norms of the target language,
which also means that we see a very high frequency of both positive
and negative interference. His product does not read like a well-formed
text in Greek, and it bears the marks of what Septuagint scholars often
vaguely call translationese Greek, which seems to be shorthand for an
isomorphic translation approach characterized by a high frequency of
interference, both positive and negative, that results in an ill-formed
text when judged by the standards of normal Greek. To say this, of
course, does not mean that the Greek text makes no sense, although it
does not in some places, but that the translation as a text does not meet
the standards of the target language.
If we look first at examples of positive interference, we can see how
constructions that occur in standard Greek contribute to producing an
ill-formed text. Perhaps the best example in Sirach is the use of the
dative of possession. In the Hebrew of Ben Sira, the usual way to indicate possession is some form of the verb "to be" with the preposition
lamed plus pronominal suffix. This construction also occurs in Greek,
although it is not the usual Greek construction for expressing possession. Because of its ubiquity in Hebrew, the dative of possession appears
far more frequently in Sirach than it would in normal Greek. So, for
example, Sir 3:22:
92
nnno poy Y? pi
And you have no business with hidden things.
o yp crav aoi XP i TC&V Kpwrrwv

For you have no need of hidden matters.
Here, rather than the more usual verb, eyo), to indicate possession, we
have "to be" plus a dative. If we look at the entirety of Sirach, the verb
X0) occurs only fourteen times. In the first eleven chapters of the Greek
done, the dative of possession appears at least a dozen times. Thus,
even though this construction appears in standard Greek and would be
understood by a Greek reader, its sheer frequency in Sirach contributes
to the sense of awkwardness and "ill-formedness" that one encounters
in the translation.
Negative interference, or the preference for features in the source
language that determine representations in the target language, is also
rife in Sirach, and it, as much as any other aspect of the translation,
conveys the impression of the translationese character of its Greek. Examples of this type of interference abound, some of which recur frequently and others that look to be ad hoc attempts to render individual
passages. One of the clearest examples of negative interference that recurs throughout Sirach is the translation of WSi by \|/uxn> particularly
in cases where the Hebrew has the noun with pronominal suffix to indicate a reflexive, a construction that Greek does not have. So, Sir 4:22:
bp t j
Do not show partiality to your own harm [lit. against yourself]
bn
\ir\ Xa(Jnc 7Tpaa)7Tov Kcrr Tfj \|n>xf) O~OU

DO not receive a person [lit. face] against your soul.
This example actually contains two instances of negative interference.
First, the grandson renders the Hebrew idiom, "do not show partiality," woodenly into Greek, where that same expression does not have
that idiomatic meaning, and second, he renders the Hebrew reflexive
mechanistically. The entire sentence would likely create confusion for
a Greek reader. With respect to the literalistic use of \|/uxn> though, the
grandson does know that
with the suffix can be reflexive, because
he translates it in several other passages using the usual Greek reflexive
pronoun. Given the evidence of the translation, the grandson seems to
have chosen to allow the Hebrew construction to determine his target
language rendering in many instances, even though he apparently understood what the Hebrew meant. So, for example, in 4:27:
93
bub ysn bx
Do not subject yourself to a fool.

Km (if) i)7toaTpd)an v0pd)7t(p [icopcp oeavrv
Do not subject yourself to a foolish person.
In Sirach, as in most of the L X X / O G corpus, prepositions and other
structure words are often the cause of negative interference in the translation. One brief example is Sir 7:19:
[her] grace is more than pearls
lc
r| x<*P . aTfj imp T xpumov

her grace is beyond gold
Here the translator has chosen to use mp for the Hebrew preposition
}D when it indicates comparison, even though the Greek preposition
does not express comparison. In cases like this, the motivation seems
to be a desire to maintain some kind of one-to-one correspondence. Yet
elsewhere in the book, the grandson will sometimes represent comparison with the Greek genitive case, which is the usual Greek way to do it.
In other cases, and for different reasons, the translator chose to represent a word or phrase in such a way that the Hebrew construction was
transferred directly into Greek, even though the Greek does not share
that meaning. In many of these places, the resulting text would probably
have made little sense to a Greek reader. One such instance, Sir 35:12,
finds the Hebrew phrase pj) 2101, which means "with generosity," rendered woodenly into Greek as v yaQ 0<pQa\\iCb "with a good eye," a
phrase that does not have the idiomatic sense of the Hebrew.
y
D . CONCLUDING REMARKS
When we look back at the relationship between the prologue to Sirach and the translation, we find that the grandson has indeed opened
a rare window into the mind of an ancient translator. His introductory remarks enable us to make some determinations about his translation project. When we put together what the grandson says about his
and his grandfather s work with contemporary translation theory, we
gain significant insight into the translation of Ben Sira. The Greek that
we see in the translation resulted from processes that began when the
grandson initially determined that he wanted to translate his grandfather's instruction. Whether he had thought for a long time about trans-
94
lating it into Greek or whether he came to the decision after he had

traveled to Egypt and perceived the need for what his grandfather had
taught is not clear. One cannot deny, though, that "the Law, the Proph
ets, and the rest of the books," both in their Hebrew originals and in
their Greek translations, played a central role in his own project. He
was convinced that his grandfather s wisdom belonged with the books
that had been handed down, and it appears as if he hoped that, by trans
mitting his grandfather s book to those who wanted to become "lovers
of learning," his Greek translation would fulfill the same function as the
other Greek translations. One of the interesting, and perhaps uncer
tain and potentially controversial, aspects of his hope was that he seems
not to have regarded the translations of the Law, Prophets and other
books as scriptural or authoritative in the way that the originals were.
The prologues tone and content, in which he seems to subordinate the
translations to the originals, also point to the possibility. This assess
ment would be a far cry from that of the Letter of Aristeas, composed
in Alexandria perhaps only a few decades before the grandson arrived
there, in which the Septuagint had already taken on the aura of holy
writ. In fact, Aristeas was probably composed in order to propagate a
foundation myth for considering the Septuagint as scripture. Unlike
this native Alexandrian author, who probably knew no Hebrew and for
whom the Septuagint was the only scriptural corpus that he knew, Ben
Siras grandson was an immigrant, who undoubtedly knew the Law,
Prophets and other books along with his grandfathers book in their
original Hebrew. The prologue indicates that he privileged these texts
in their native language, and thus could he imagine his own translation
taking its place alongside the translations of these other Jewish books,
being published for those living abroad, those who were outsiders to
the Hebrew language, "if they wish to become learned, preparing their
character to live by the law."
35
35
On this issue, see Wright, "The Letter of Aristeas" and S. Honigman, The Septua
gint and Homeric Scholarship (London/New York: Routledge, 2003).
THE LITERARY ATTAINMENT

OF T H E TRANSLATOR OF GREEK SIRACH
J. K. Aitken
University of Cambridge
It is rare to find a Septuagint book so little studied in a field that is be

coming heavily populated. Particular issues have been at the forefront
of the discussion of Greek Sirach, most notably the recensional history,
but these have led to the neglect of many other basic issues in appreciat
ing the Greek. Apart from textual studies such as those by Ziegler and
Kearns, there have been few detailed analyses of either the translation
technique or the wider linguistic and interpretative features of the ver
sion. Given the importance of the versions for determining the text of
Ben Sira, it is regrettable that little study has been devoted to under
standing the translator. This is all the more so when we have the voice of
the translator in his own preface. A number of brief studies have recent
ly appeared that have touched on the Greek, to complement the older
work by Ziegler and Cadbury. Ziegler s research already highlighted
the many distinctive lexical examples in Sirach, recording words that
occur elsewhere once, twice or three times in the Septuagint. He also
noted phrases that might allude to earlier Septuagint translations and
observed items of vocabulary that are shared with Symmachus, an issue
1
J. Ziegler, "Zum Wortschatz des griechischen Sirach," in Von Ugarit nach Qumran.
Festschrift O. Eissfeldt (ed. J. Hempel and L. Rost; BZAW 77; Berlin: A. Tpelmann,
1958), 274-87; C. Kearns, "The Expanded Text of Ecclesiasticus: Its Teaching on the
Future Life as a Clue to its Origin," (Ph.D. diss., Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome,
1951) (See A New Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture [ed. R.C. Fuller et al.; Lon
don, 1969], 541-62).
E.g., J.-M. Auwers, "L'apport du texte long du Siracide au lexique du grec biblique,"
in Interpreting Translation: Studies on the LXX and Ezekiel in Honour ofjohan Lust (ed.
F. Garcia Martinez and M. Vervenne; Louvain: Peeters, 2005), 33-44; R. Egger-Wenzel,
"The Change of the Sacrifice Terminology from Hebrew into Greek in the Book of
Ben Sira. Did the Grandson Understand his Grandfathers Text Correctly?" Biblische
Notizen 140 (2009): 69-93; H. J. Fabry, "Fehler, die es eigentlich nicht geben sollte:
Anmerkungen zum Text des Griechischen Sirach," in Interpreting Translation, 139-50.
J. Ziegler, "Zum Wortschatz."
2
J. K. A I T K E N
that still needs further exploration. Cadbury s excellent, if brief, study

of 1955 identified many of the features of the translation, noting word
preferences and rare words chosen by the translator. Although he observed a good deal of variation exhibited by the translator, he concluded
sensibly that: "They are natural psychological phenomena, unconscious
tendencies such as any of us may have and may never notice".
Three major monographs on the Greek translation have appeared in
recent years, by Wright, Minissale and Wagner. Wright s monograph is
the one that has devoted most attention to the specifics of the translation technique. He demonstrated through a statistical analysis, aided
by the CATSS database, that the translator was consistent in segmentation and quantitative representation of elements in the Hebrew, following the word order closely, but that he was not at all consistent in lexical
choices and equivalents. While there was only some variation in other
features, the translator demonstrated no desire for stereotyped lexical
equivalents. Importantly too, Wright has shown that often the translator was not influenced by the Septuagint Pentateuch or other Greek
translations, even in places where one might expect a biblical allusion,
especially given their frequency in the Hebrew. Minissale meanwhile
draws up features of the Greek that he classifies according to midrashic
techniques. As the title of his monograph implies there is little clear definition of midrash or targum, and although he highlights many points
he does not produce a systematic understanding of the translator. It is
nonetheless informative on some of the techniques employed in the
translation, and in particular highlighting the freedom with which the
translator worked, even within the constraints of consistent quantitative representation. Finally, Wagner provides a commentary on each
of the so-called hapax legomena. His definition of a hapax legomenon
is too broad to be informative on the language alone, taking any word
that seems to appear once in the Septuagint no matter how common
or how natural a compound formation in Greek. Nevertheless, the im4
H.-J. Cadbury, "The Grandson of Ben Sira," HThR 48 (1955): 219-25, here 223.
B. G. Wright, No Small Difference. Sirachs Relationship to its Hebrew Parent Text
(SBLSCS 26; Atlanta, Ga.: Scholars Press, 1989).
Wright, No Small Difference, 119-230.
A. Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide: confronto con il testo ebraico alia luce
dellattivit midrascica e del metodo targumico (AnBib 133; Roma: Editrice Pontificio
Istituto Biblico, 1995).
C. Wagner, Die Septuaginta-Hapaxlegomena im Buch Jesus Sirach. Untersuchungen zur Wortwahl und Wortbildung unter besonderer Bercksichtigung des textkritischen
und ubersetzungstechnischen Aspekts (BZAW 282; Berlin: W de Gruyter, 1999).
5
T H E LITERARY ATTAINMENT OF T H E TRANSLATOR
97
pressive list of words not attested elsewhere in the Septuagint is itself

a demonstration of the independence of the translator from the other
Greek translations, and of the wide stock of words from which he made
his choices.
There remains much work to be done on the translation itself, de
spite the many complex textual difficulties. The opportunity of hav
ing a prologue by the translator is rare (the closest comparison being
the epilogue to Esther, but even that cannot be compared in size or
importance) and affords additional insight to the translator s task. But
an evaluation of the Greek itself is particularly needed, to determine
from internal Greek features how the translator interpreted his task,
and the stylistic and educational levels at which he saw himself work
ing. Through this we may gain better insight into the choices he made
and thereby the reasons for his translational technique.
9
10
A.
T H E PROLOGUE
Most attention has perhaps been devoted to the prologue to the Greek
translation. Naturally this has particularly focused on its possible al
lusions to the tripartite canon (11. 1-2, 2 4 - 2 5 ) . Attention here will be
confined to elucidating what we might learn from the prologue about
the translator and how he saw his task. Wright has already drawn atten
tion to the value of placing the prologue alongside the translated por11
The colophon does not enter into any detail on the translation, though, and it is
not the original work of the translator. See E. J. Bickerman, "The Colophon of the Greek
Book of Esther," JBL 63 (1944): 339-62.
Cf. A. Salvesen, in a review of Wright, JSS 37 (1992): 99-100, here 100: "It is a
pity that the book does not go more deeply into the sphere of lexicography since the
grandson evidently had a wide vocabulary and fluency in Greek, borne out by the pro
logue of Sirach."
E.g., H. M. Orlinsky, "Some terms in the prologue to Ben Sira and the Hebrew
canon," JBL 110 (1991): 483-90; J. G. Campbell, "4QMMT(d) and the Tripartite Can
on," JJS 51 (2000): 181-90; A. Lange, "The Law, the Prophets, and the Other Books of
the Fathers (Sir, Prologue): Canonical Lists in Ben Sira and Elsewhere?" in Studies in
the Book of Ben Sira, Papers of the Third International Conference on the Deuterocanonical Books, Shimebn Centre, Papa, Hungary, 18-20 May, 2006 (ed. G. G. Xeravits and
J. Zsengellr; Leiden: Brill, 2008), 55-80. On the reception in the canon in the later
church, see P. Auvray, "Notes sur le prologue de l'Ecclsiastique," in Mlanges bibliques
rdigs en Vhonneur de Andr Robert (Travaux de lTnstitut Catholique de Paris 4; Paris:
Bloud & Gay, 1957), 281-87 (284); and N. Calduch-Benages, "Ben Sira y el Canon de
las Escrituras," Gregorianum 78 (1997): 359-70.
10
11
J. K. AITKEN
98
12
tions of the book and determining how one informs the other. It will
be shown here how far the translator professes a literary justification for
his enterprise and this will lead on to considerations of his Greek itself,
in both the prologue and the translated portions.
1. The grandson himself
The translator s prologue covers three main issues: a description of the
labours of the grandfather in composing the Hebrew book and learning
from the Jewish traditional books (11. 1-14), an address to the readers
including an apology for the deficiencies in the translation (11. 15-26),
and an expression of the motivation and labours of the translator (11.
2 7 - 3 6 ) . All three sections are replete with key expressions that indicate the translators purpose and from which we might derive something of the social context in which he worked. The grandson declared
he went to Egypt (11. 2 7 - 2 8 ) and felt there the need for a translation,
although the precise nature of the need is dependent on the interpretation of o piKpctc; naiEiac; cppoiov "a copy of no small learning."
13
14
We should note that the translator specifies Egypt and not Alexandria, and we need not assume it is Alexandria. A Hellenistic writer
could refer to Alexandria as Egypt (e.g., Herodas, Mimiamb 1.27), but
there is every reason to think an educated Jew could have gone to other
parts of Egypt, especially when we do not know the original purpose
of his trip. Evidence for the presence of Jews in Egypt is comparatively extensive in many regions from early on in the Hellenistic period.
From the Persian period there is already the garrison at Elephantine,
15
12
B. G. Wright, "Why a Prologue? Ben Siras Grandson and his Translation," in

Emanuel: Studies in Hebrew Bible, Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls in Honor of Emanuel
Tov (ed. S. Paul, R. A. Kraft, L. H. SchirTman and W. Fields; VTSup 72; Leiden: Brill,
2003), 633-44.
J. H. A. Hart, "The Prologue to Ecclesiasticus," JQR 19 (1907): 284-97 (284-85)
indentifies the three sections of the prologue, but argues that sections two and three
have been reversed in transmission
See, e.g., P. Auvray, "Notes sur le prologue," 285.
The assumption that it was Alexandria is widespread: see L. Alexander, The Preface to Lukes Gospel: Literary Convention and Social Context in Luke 1. 1-4 and Acts 1.
1 (SNTS 78; Cambridge/New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 153; M. Delcor, "The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Hellenistic Period," in The Cambridge
History of Judaism, vol II: The Hellenistic Age (ed. W. D. Davies and L. Finkelstein;
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989), 409-503, here 416: the translation was
produced "for the use of Alexandrian Jews among whom he was living"; M. Harl, G.
Dorival and O. Munnich, La Bible Grecque des Septante: du Judasme Hellnistique au
Christianisme Ancien (Paris: Cerf, 1988), 101: "sans doute Alexandrie".
13
14
15
99
although this is far to the south. By the third century, crucial as the
most likely time of the translation of the Pentateuch, a Jewish district
seems to have existed in Memphis. In the Fayoum, a number of villages contain Jews or peoples with Semitic names, and there is extensive
inscriptional support by the time of the grandson for Jews in many regions. We now know of an organised administrative district in Heracleopolis at a similar time to the grandson. Among the Fayoum papyri
the village of Trikomia is particularly informative, since there we find
in the third century a population in the sub-district Maron that might
have been largely Jewish (in a population of 132,89 are Jewish names or
names favoured by Jews). This group of Jews at Trikomia were classed
in the salt tax regulations as hellnes, tax-Hellenes, and belonged to that
privileged group that did form a separate category in the third century
from other Greeks, at least for fiscal purposes. Their status was high,
receiving exemption from the salt-tax, no doubt arising from participation in the gymnasium curriculum or involvement in the army or administration. Their level of Greek education need not have been high,
but it would have been sufficient to be classed as 'Greek'. It is, therefore,
quite possible that the grandson travelled in Egypt, visiting areas such
as the Fayoum and Alexandria. Nonetheless, by the end of the second
century there seems to have been a vibrant literary Greek community
in Alexandria as well, if Aristeas is anything to judge by.
16
17
18
19
Ben Siras grandson is important evidence of a Jew who travelled,

although we do not know why he actually went to Egypt. He is perhaps
a man of independent wealth, the sort portrayed in Ben Siras book (Sir
34:9-13). We can surmise that he was a scholar, without particular attachment to the temple, who made money either in business, teaching
16
D. J. Thompson, Memphis under the Ptolemies (Princeton: Princeton University

Press, 1988), 91-92 (based on the evidence of the third-century Caiaphas stele). For a
survey of evidence for Jews in Ptolemaic Egypt, see J. M. G. Barclay, Jews in the Mediterranean Diaspora: from Alexander to Trajan (323 BCE-117 CE) (Edinburgh: T&T Clark,
1996), 19-47, although recent finds mean that it already requires updating.
W. Horbury and D. Noy, Jewish inscriptions of Graeco-Roman Egypt: with an index of the Jewish inscriptions of Egypt and Cyrenaica (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992).
J. Cowey and K. Maresch, Urkunden des Politeuma der Juden von Herakleopolis
(144/3-133/2 v. Chr) (R Polit Jud.) (Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag, 2001).
W. Clarysse, "Jews in Trikomia," in Proceedings of the 20th International Congress
of Papyrologists, Copenhagen 23-29 August 1992 (ed. A. Bulow-Jacobsen; Copenhagen:
Museum Tusculanum, 1994), 193-203; W. Clarysse & D. J. Thompson, Counting the
People in Hellenistic Egypt. Volume 1: Population Registers (P. Count); Volume 2: Historical Studies (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006).
17
18
19
100
J . K. A I T K E N
or through some personal patronage. He would probably have needed

to, in order to gain a high level of education (as we shall see from his
translation) and to have the time and means to undertake the translation. He perhaps supported himself as a teacher that afforded him the
skills and the income to make the translation. Such a teacher would
have been in high demand in Egypt where social preferment was provided by education in Greek. He might have been attached to individuals, as a personal tutor, or to schools, perhaps themselves attached to
a proseuche. This much is speculation from the silence with which he
himself surrounds his activities, but we may nonetheless infer the high
educational level that he reached through what he does say in the prologue.
2. Publication of the translation
In the final paragraph the translator draws attention to the completion
of and publication of the work (11. 3 2 - 3 5 ) :
v rep SiaaTiîiati tov xpvov 33 7tp t o em Ttpa ayayovTa to fiifiXiov
ekSooOcu 34 Kal to v tfj TtapoiKia pouXouvoi (piXoftocOev 35 TtpOKataaKEuaouvou t a fjOrj 36 vv|ia) (ioTseiv.
During that time I have applied my skill to complete and publish the
book for those living abroad who wished to gain learning and are disposed to live according to the law.
Publication here is a misleading term. K6a0cu is a technical term for
the action of the author when he wishes to make available his work
to others. This might be a two-stage process, first showing a copy to
friends for their comments, and then, after their feedback, to a wider
readership. This provision of a copy of a work might be through donations to friends, deposit in a library, which could be in a private house,
or supplying it to a school. In the case of Sirachs work we can imagine him placing a copy of such a sapiential work in a school library, or
20
21
20
For this process among Roman writers, see R. J. Starr, "The circulation of literary
texts in the Roman world," Classical Quarterly 37 (1987): 213-23. Cf. K. Quinn, "The
Poet and his Audience in the Augustan Age," ANRW 30.1 (1982): 75-180.
See B. van Groningen, "EKDOSIS," Mnemosyne 16 (1963): 1-17; H. Y. Gamble,
Books and Readers in the Early Church: a History of Early Christian Texts (New Haven/
London: Yale University Press, 1995), 83-85; Alexander, Preface, 196; S. Lieberman,
Hellenism in Jewish Palestine: Studies in the literary transmission, beliefs and manners of
Palestine in the I century B.C.E.-IV century C.E. (New York: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1950), 85. Van Groningen discusses the particular use of such works
in philosophical schools.
21
T H E L I T E R A R Y ATTAINMENT OF T H E TRANSLATOR
101
that associated with a proseuche, and him using it for teaching purposes or distributing it among the Egyptian Jewish literati. According
to this paragraph the translator is making the work available, as a piece
of literature for those in the TtapoiKia (the term used of Egypt in Wisdom 19:10), and encouraging it to be read by those who desire to be
lovers of learning (cpiXo|ia0iv). This publication indicates that he felt
it an important work, already implied in his desire to fill the need he
found in Egypt, and one worthy of such literary promulgation. It also
reflects the standard language of completion of a book.
That he is publishing it for the "lovers of learning" is the first indication that the grandson has a defined literary agenda. He has already
used the verb cpiXo|ia0iv of those who have studied the Bible (1. 5) and
the noun qnXo|ia0 (1. 13) of those who have read Ben Siras Hebrew
work, and thus we have a trilateral equation. As much as the Hebrew
scriptures are for those who love learning, so Ben Siras Hebrew work
is too, since the grandfather has studied the law, prophets and other
writings. Accordingly, the grandsons translation should also be seen in
such a manner, since he has expended the same effort as his grandfather in producing a translation of such a learned work. In the manner
of his near-contemporary Aristeas we have an equation of the status of
the Greek translation with the Hebrew original. The "publication' of
the work, then, and its equation with the Hebrew original are rhetorical tropes to heighten the importance of the translation itself, and this
becomes clearer on closer examination of the rhetorical force of the
prologue.
3. The rhetoric of the prologue
More important than the apologetic section on the limitations of the
translation, is the translator s drive to present himself in terms of the
literary enterprises of his day. It is possible that his use of iaoouvafieco,
whatever its precise referent, is to express in the literary style of his day
apologetic for an author s work. Indeed, in the Greek translation of the
Oracle of the Potter from Egypt, the translator apologises that he has
undertaken the translation K a r a rv uvatv "as far as he was able," a
22
22
This verb has been much discussed, and its uses have been recently documented
by D. De Crom, "Translation Equivalence in the Prologue to Greek Ben Sirach," in
XIII Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies. Ljubljana, 2007 (ed. M. K. H. Peters; SBLSCS 55; Atlanta, Ga.: Society of Biblical Literature,
2008), 97-109. See also B. Wrights contribution to the present volume.
J. K. A I T K E N
102
23
term also appearing in demotic contracts for Greek tribunals. Hence

the apology for the translation might have a local colouring. Nevertheless, and a reason for considering the apology more a literary device
than real, is that the style of the Greek prologue is certainly intended
to be elevated. In Rahlfs' apparatus he records a number of metrical
features throughout. According to Rahlfs, and confirmed by others,
the opening clause is a complete hexameter, followed by a Sapphic foot.
As far as I can tell, this is not quite accurate since the fifth foot of the
hexameter seems to break down when the short vowel of v|iou stands
in the place where we would expect a long:
24
25
26
IIo"\\d)"v| m!" fi yd X|a)"v f|"u|"v Sf cf | xov' vo\\iov~ kcli~

T(I)v" Ttpocpn'TdTv
Hexameter:
Sapphic foot:
I - ^Î
- w
|- ^^|- ^ |
Even if it is not a complete hexameter, the attempt to approximate so

closely to one is clear. Hexameter is of course the standard epic meter in
Greek, but popular in all forms of writing too. Thucydides in concluding his transition to the third part of his preface (History 1.21.2) opts for
a hexameter rhythm of all but a complete line of epic verse, tellingly at
an important moment in speaking of the great scale of the war he is to
recount:
27
nXcoaei uco ueicov Yeyevrjuvo attov.

"it will be seen to have been greater than any predecessor"
23
W. Peremans, "Notes sur les traductions de textes non littraires sous les Lagides,"
Chronique d'Egypte 60 (1985): 248-62 (252); T. Rajak, Translation and Survival: The
Greek Bible of the Ancient Jewish Diaspora (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009),
136.
Alexander, Preface, discusses the prologue to Sirach, and provides many parallels
in other literature. Given the topic of her book, most of those parallels are scattered
throughout her work rather than focused on Sirach, and the full rhetorical force of
Sirachs prologue is not presented.
Septuaginta: id est, Vtus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interprtes (ed. A. Rahlfs;
Stuttgart: Privilegierte Wurttembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935), 377.
D. N. Wigtil, "The Independent Value of Ancient Religious Translations," ANRW
II 16,3 (1986): 2052-2066, here 2059.
A. J. Woodman, Rhetoric in Classical Historiography: four studies (London:
Croom Helm, 1988), 9-10; W. R. Connor, Thucydides (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1984), 29.
Note in the second foot the epic correption of reading a diphthong as short before
the following vowel.
24
25
26
27
28
103
The overall flavour of the prologue has been well summarized by Wigtil
as comprising three long periods with genitive absolutes, subordination, chiasm and clausulae. The preference for compounds is notable
(resulting in some rare words such as auyxpoviCo)), as is the preference
for uncommon case endings. Wigtil sharply contrasts the prologue
with the translated portions, where in the latter the rhetorical flourishes
disappear, the grammatical structures are simplified, the Hebrew word
order is maintained, and the vocabulary chosen is that used by Hellenistic Jews and the same as that for translating other biblical books. We
shall return in due course to the issue as to how far we should delineate
a contrast between prologue and translation, but the opening of the
prologue certainly does establish by its long and complex clauses the
literary nature of the work.
29
It appears that many of the words in the prologue have been chosen
for their rhetorical force more than their factual information. It opens
with a typical beginning in Greek rhetoric of noXvq and its derivatives,
providing both an emphasis on the importance of the topic and a pleasing alliteration on the letter 71, so popular in ancient Greek.
30
TloXXv Kal peyaXiov r|uv Si t o v u o u Kal t>v TtpocpnTv . . .

Many and great teachings [have been given to us] through the law and
the prophets
A comparable example can been found in Demosthenes (fourth century BCE) in the opening of his second oration against Aphobus (2.1.1):
TloXX Kal [teyX' \|/uauvou Ttp u Acpo(3ou . . . .

We may also compare Demosthenes' oration against Neaeras (1.1):
TloXX [it r napaKaXovvra fjv, (b dvpe Onvaoi, yp\|/aa9ai Naipa

tfjv ypacpr)v taurnvl Kal eiaeXGev ei u.
As an expression of humility it was common to identify the decision
for writing as arising from necessity or a perceived need, and here the
translator indicates that his grandfather was moved to write something
31
29
Wigtil, "The Independent Value of Ancient Religious Translations," 2059, and

copied by B. Rochette, "Le prologue du livre de Ben Sirach le sage et la traduction des
crits sacrs," Babel 44 (1998): 139-49, here 142. Cf. P. W. Skehan & A. A. Di Leila, The
Wisdom of Ben Sira: A New Translation with Notes, Introduction and Commentary (AB
39; New York: Doubleday, 1987), 132.
For similar examples of openings, see E. Fraenkel, "Eine Anfangsformel attischer
Reden," Glotta 29 (1961): 1-5; Alexander, Preface, 109.
Alexander, Preface, 70, n. 6; 99.
30
31
J. K. A I T K E N
104
(1. 12) and how he too felt he was duty bound to translate the work (1.
30). It is striking that he describes his grandfathers effort as one "writing up" or "compiling" using the verb auYYpd\|/ai (12). ovyypip is
merely to collect and write, an unpretentious word never used of poetry, but for technical discussions, or manuals, or documentary sources (e.g., P. Col. 4.83, 3 ) . In this the grandson might be implying the
educative purpose of the original composition more than its literary
pretensions, and in this it would be an important insight into the early
reception of Ben Sira. Perhaps too he is seen as "compiling" the wisdom
of the ancients found in the Bible. However, we should also note that
ovyypy is the technical term used by Thucydides in the opening of
his history:
3 2
0ouKU(n Gnvao ^vvypaê tov TtXepov trv IIeXo7Tovvr|aia)v kc

AGrjvaicov (1.1)
Thucydides the Athenian compiled the record of the war between the
Peloponnesians and the Athenians
The verb serves an important role in Thucydides connecting up in I
22.4 with i>Y
> which describes the end of the literary process. Indeed, it seems by the Hellenistic period Thucydides was known as the
ovyypayevq. The importance attached to the word in the Hellenistic
period is seen by its later adoption by Pausanias. It is not impossible
that the grandson was familiar with the prologue of Thucydides, as the
historian seems to have been known to both Aristeas and Josephus,
but at the very least the word might have had a certain cachet by this
time.
KlTal
33
34
As already noted, throughout the prologue the grandson aligns his

task of translation with the task of composition by his grandfather, and
in turn with the very composition of the biblical books, implying that
they are all of equal status. It is by reading scripture that one becomes
learned (1. 4, v a y i v c u a K O ) ) , and Ben Sira himself made a reading of
32
Cf. S. Hornblower, A Commentary on Thucydides (3 vols.; Oxford: Clarendon

Press, 1991-2008), 1, 8.
V. Pirenne-Delforge, Retour la source. Pausanias et la religion grecque (Kernos
Supplments 20; Lige: Centre International d'tude de la Religion Grecque Antique,
2008), chapter 1.
In Aristeas, compare, for example, the opening word aCioXoyoc with Thucydides
1.1.1, 1.14.3, 1.17.1, etc. For Josephus, see T. Rajak, Josephus: The Historian and his
Society (2d d.; London: Duckworth, 2002), 233-36, on Thackeray s views. The debate
centres on the use or otherwise of a 'Thucydideari editor, but the point of Thucydidean
influence still remains.
33
34
THE LITERARY ATTAINMENT OF THE TRANSLATOR
105
Scripture (1. 10) so that accordingly the addressees of the prologue are
35
invited to read the translation (1.17). This reading allows the lovers of
learning ((piXopaco) to help those outside (1. 5, Tot icr), just as the
translator published his work for those in the diaspora who wish to be
lovers of learning (1. 30, rote; v rfj T t a p o u d a ) . His grandfather devoted
much effort in his study (1.7, ni TtXeov auTv So) just as the grandson applied himself to completion (1.33 npoq T m T t p a ) , resulting in
sleeplessness (1.31, aypunvia), all for the purpose that people might live
according to the law (of Ben Sira in 1.14; and of the grandsons work in
1. 36). The knowledge that one might acquire in reading the scriptures
(1.4, maTrjiKov yiveaai) is applied by the grandson in the production
of his own translation (1. 31, m a T r j p r | ) , and the learning and wisdom
found in the law and prophets (1. 3, TtaiSeia K a i 0091a) are matched by
the learning found or to be made good in Egypt (1. 29, Kaieia).
The choice of terms too is significant and typical of prologues.
ypUTtvia (1. 31), a favourite word of the translator (Sir 31:1, 2, 20;
38:26, 27, 2, 30; 42:9), is the common expression by Alexandrians for
the idea of composition as hard work. Callimachus (Epigram 56GP)
speaks of Aratos going without sleep (aypuTtvir]), and 2 Mace 2:26
declares that the task of producing a digest has been hard work and
resulting in loss of sleep. Herodas (Mimiamb 8.71) in similar fashion
describes his corpus as "labours" (TO po pxOou). Theocritus (Id.
7.51) also speaks of Simichidas producing his ditty with toil (c7Tvaa a ) , to which we might compare the toil in Sirachs prologue ("lover of
toil", 11. 20, 30) and the toil of compositions elsewhere in the book (Sir
11:11; 13.5?; 13:26). anouao (cf. a7tourj, 1. 30) is often a term for
the dedicatee to be urged (Archimedes, Erastoth. 428.18; Apollonius of
Perge, Con. 1.2.6; Philo, Pneum. 458.6f 10; Dionysius 22; Artemidorus
236.2). Particularly common in Hellenistic prologues are verbs and
adjectives compounded with 91X0-. The grandson accordingly speaks
of (piXopao) (5 and 34) and oi qnXopae (13), compounds attested
too in the prologues of Hipparchus (I, pp.2.7, 10, 4.16, 24: 9iXopa6ia
and 9iXoT8xvia), Ps-Scymnus ( 1 0 , 6 3 , 1 0 4 ) , and Vettius Valens (172.22,
36
37
38
35
Hart, "Prologue," 288-90, suggests "reader" is a technical term for scribes, and
that lovers of learning are scribes within an oral tradition (cf. Auvray, "Notes," 284). His
focus is very much on the Jewish context without due attention to the Hellenistic uses
of these words, as outlined here.
On some of these terms, see Alexander, Preface, 100.
Cadbury, "The Grandson," 222.
Alexander, Preface, 100.
36
37
38
io6
J. K. AITKEN
272.22). Strikingly in the Jewish contemporary Aristeas we also have

addresses to a lover of learning (Aristeas 1, 7 , 1 7 1 , 286, 300):
17T87t8ipa(iai acuptb K 0 a 0 a i aoi, KaTeiXrjccbc fjv xei q>i\o|ia0fj iGeaiv
I have attempted to draw up a clear exposition of the matter for you, for I
perceive that you possess a natural love of learning
OVT
7 <pi\o|ia0(> yp X * <w>i nepi tcov uvajivcuv dxpeXfjacu idvoiav

ov ati jietaivai
As you are so eager to acquire the knowledge of those things which can
benefit the mind, I feel it incumbent upon me to impart to you...
171 OiXKpcnre, f f]v xei <piXou0eiav.
Philocrates, since you have a love of learning
Likewise we find in Sirachs prologue the verb (piXonovco in line 20 and
cpiXoTtovia in 30, a term used by Galen (K XII 894) of his addressees.
Aristeas (112) too extols the qnXo7Tovia of farmers in Israel.
All these features serve to indicate that the prologue has a highly
rhetorical stance, as indeed the very existence of a prologue might imply. It also shows that the translator was familiar with the canons of
Alexandrian literary style, and we should not take the self-effacement
of the prologue too seriously as genuine concern but a typical literary
conceit. He is aiming to show that his work is of equal value to the
Hebrew original and indeed to the Hebrew of the Law, the Prophets
and other writings. Accordingly, since we can see uniquely the literary
pretensions and mastery of the translator in free composition, we may
wonder how far any of these features are evident in his translation. It is
the one example in the translations of the bible in antiquity where we
may see how far the restrictions are that are imposed on a translator by
the translator s art through comparison with the prologue.
Recent debate regarding the prologue has centred on B. G. Wright's
interpretation of how the translator viewed his own product, a debate
which Wright elucidates first in his study "Access to the Source" and
then in more detail in "Why a prologue?" As already noted above, he
has been preceded by Wigtil, who had contrasted the complex style of
the prologue to the translated portions. Wright himself contrasts the
prologue, written according to him "in good literary koine Greek" and
"fairly elegant koine Greek" to the translation in which "the character
39
40
39
40
"Access," 250.
"Why," 634.
107
41
of the Greek changes dramatically". As his terminology shows, Wright

is restricted by the traditional way we understand Septuagint Greek and
the limited set of terms we use. There is a tendency to fall on one or
other side of the literal-free debate, and to apply vague descriptors for
Greek such as bad or non-classical. Wright focuses on the expression in
section II of the prologue,
to be indulgent in cases where, despite our diligent labour in translat
ing, we may seem to have rendered some phrases imperfectly. For what
was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense
when translated into another language (11.18-25).
He argues that the passage is not, according to the traditional reading
of it, talking about the lack of semantic equivalence (iaouvaû)) be
tween Hebrew and Greek, which would imply even the L X X itself was
at fault. Instead, it is a contrast between standard Greek and transla
tion Greek. The translator is worried he might be at fault for inelegant
Greek. As a result Wright suggests there would be few who would know
Hebrew, especially given his stated audience being those with no access
to the Hebrew originals. There remain, however, three issues that need
to be taken into account. The first is that too much focus has been on
the lexical semantics of iaouva|i(o, a rare word at best, and van der
Louws and De Croms responses merely perpetuate that problem by
arguing for particular meanings, or in De Croms case concluding we
cannot be certain of any meaning. It is the syntactic context that is
most important, and Wright does not clarify how a passage contrasting
things said in Hebrew to things translated can be a contrast between
things written in Greek from things translated into Greek. The second
problem is that of the rhetorical nature of the prologue. It is true that
the prologue is in a way apologetic for the translation, but this is liter
ary conceit typical of many ancient prologues (especially Roman, such
as Catullus I, but see Isocrates III) and is part of the ironic presenta
tion of an excellent, in the author s view, piece of work. Wright disal
lows it being a rhetorical disclaimer since it might imply criticism of the
42
41
The broad brush descriptions that Wright uses are repeated throughout. He em
phasises that the good koine Greek of the prologue differs from the wooden translationese Greek of the translation ("Access," 258; "Why," 641), which is further denned
as "stilted translationese" ("Access," 262), "often wooden Greek translationese" ("Why,"
634), "not very good" ("Access," 262; "Why," 639) and "not very elegant" ("Why," 643).
T. A. W van der Louw, Transformations in the Septuagint: Towards an Interaction
of Septuagint Studies and Translation Studies (CBET 47; Leuven: Peeters, 2007), 47-48;
De Crom, "Translation Equivalence".
42
io8
J. K. AITKEN
43
original, but a rhetorical device does operate by implying criticism of

itself for the effect. Praise is implied through humility. A third problem,
already intimated, is Wright s dismissal of the Greek of the translated
parts of Sirach, to which we will turn shortly. It is true that there is
linguistic interference from the source text, producing syntactic and
idiomatic features untypical of Greek, but this is perhaps a standard
feature of all translations in antiquity. What is not clear is whether the
translator saw himself as writing inferior Greek, or whether by contrast
he put every effort into producing as literary a translation as possible,
given the circumstances of a translation.
44
B . T H E TRANSLATION
The Greek translation is clearly a curious specimen of translation work.

It is strikingly inconsistent in its renderings of the Hebrew, as far as we
can tell, and yet at times chooses a range of favourite words and a vast
number of words not attested elsewhere in the Septuagint, or attested
only in the later Greek compositions (such as 3 and 4 Maccabees). My
intention here is to draw up some features that contribute further to
the profile of the translator, but these will inevitably be highly selective.
In particular, I am interested in features of the Greek that reflect the
educational level or literary intent of the translator. While Sirach is a
translation as most of the rest of the Septuagint, we should be able to
separate the features of the Greek from features generated by transla
tion technique. Thus, while consistency can be a feature of translation
technique, it can also reflect the literary intentions of the author. Syntax
and consistent rendering are translation features, but the choice of lex
eme and at times the idiom are evidence of the koine register that the
translator was using.
1. General features of the translation
While the translation is largely consistent, it has long been noted that
departures from the sense of the Hebrew were made by the translator
owing to his living at the time of the Hasmoneans. Many of the ex
amples have been gathered by Hayward, among others. These include
45
43
4 4
45
"Why," 637.
See below, note 67.
C. T. R. Hayward, The Jewish Temple: A Non-Biblical Sourcebook (London: Rout-
109
recognition of the leadership role of the priesthood (Sir 45:24; cf. 45:7),
the questioning of the priestly covenant (50:22-26), the portrayal of the
temple (50:1-4), and the emphasis on God "Most High" (49:15-50:26).
While further work could be undertaken on these questions, we will focus here on general features of the language and style of the translation.
As already noted by Cadbury, Sirach has a predilection for certain
words, such as auvrXeia, XXoi, Xarra) and XrrcDai / XXra)|ia. The translator also favours y p U T t v i a , noted above as important in
the prologue, but also important in the rest of the book, and the verb
veXexi and cognates (e.g., eveke\). This latter verb seems to be
unique to Sirach in the Septuagint. At the same time there are many
words in Sirach not attested elsewhere in the Septuagint, indicating the
translator s independence from earlier books and his wide vocabulary
stock. These include 9avTaaiOK07to) (4:30), KaTyvcoai (5:14), ToX|ir)p (8:15), andri3|iop(poc;(9:8). Compound forms are popular too, perhaps as a literary device: for example, Xiyo\|/uxa) (7:10), auvemvo
(9:16), and vGo|ioXYr)cri(; (17:27).
46
Other features of his translation are typical of translation literature

in general. He both translates and transliterates names, as we may see
in Oiacov (24:25) in contrast to 7toTa|ic; (47:14; Hebrew "Nile"). At the
same time there is a high degree of variation in lexical equivalence, and
the quantitative equivalence is not always consistent:
uf| moatpcbari vGpamu) ucopcp aeavtv (4:27)
The two words avGpumq) [icopcp are the equivalent of the one Hebrew
lexeme, in the extant manuscript, of *?21 There is the occasional misreading too, such as Hebrew wn "venom" being misread as "head", KE9aXr| (25:15), or a locative being read as a temporal (46:2).
Linguistic interference from his setting might also be observed in
the translation. Although influence from his specifically Egyptian setting are few, we may note the presence of the Egyptian loan-word cyi
(Sir 40:16), which is well attested elsewhere in the Septuagint. What is
striking about its appearance in Sir 40:16 is that it does not seem to be
translating its standard equivalent in Hebrew, the Egyptian loan-word
47
ledge, 1996), 73-84; cf. "The New Jerusalem in the Wisdom of Jesus Ben Sira," SJOT 6
(1992): 123-38; O. Mulder, Simon the High Priest in Sirach 50: An Exegetical Study of the
Significance of Simon the High Priest as Climax to the Praise of the Fathers in Ben Siras
Concept of the History of Israel (JSJSup 78; Leiden: Brill, 2003).
See respectively, Hayward, The Jewish Temple, 82, 81-82, 77-78, 75-76.
See Cadbury, "The Grandson," 225.
46
47
110
J. K. A I T K E N
in**. Aramaic influence is also rare, if the translator were an Aramaic

speaker. His consistent rendering of pn and n m by 6ia0r|Kr| is comparable to the rendering of both by the Aramaic ND^p, which has both
meanings, but it is not certain if this has influenced the translator. The
hapax legomenon (Joouyiov (Sir 26:7) might reflect the interference
of Hebrew, and certainly Hebrew interference through the adoption of
words from the Pentateuch is evident: xaX(3dvr| (24:15), rjXarv (33:3).
Such features are unsurprising in any translation. The overall impression, though, from the vocabulary is of a rich and elegant translation
that stands apart from many other Septuagint books. As an illustration,
the following one sentence conveys many distinct traits of the Sirach
translator (Sir 20:19):
48
vOpamo &xapi, |iv9o icaipo- v aTuctri rtaieuTcuv vSeXeXiaOrjaeTai.

xapi "unpleasant", \mQoq "tale" and diccupoc; "untimely" only appear
in Sirach in the Septuagint. dicaipo meanwhile (found twice in Sirach)
also appears to be a word-play on xapi, and adds to the assonance
of alphas in the verse. T t a i s u t o c ; "uneducated" is a vocabulary item
only shared with Proverbs in the Septuagint, thereby being rare but reflecting Sirachs close relation to Proverbs. Finally v e X e x ^ as noted
above, is a favourite word of Sirach (appearing eight times), and in fact
is first attested in Greek in the book. Such striking sentences reveal a
translator at pains to produce an elegant, even sophisticated, translation, even if sometimes through the choice of obscure words more than
typical literary vocabulary. The task is to determine how far he was successful according to the expectations of his day.
2. Literary level
It is true that the book has its fair share of words only attested from
koine or from everyday language. Such words in themselves are not to
be classed as non-literary, but if there exists a preferred literary term
and it has not been chosen, then the translator is clearly not aiming to
produce the most sophisticated level of Greek, or at least did not have
the knowledge to identify the preferred lexeme. We may take as an example the word 7tooxov "storehouse" found in Sir 1:17.
48
See C. T. R. Hayward, Divine Name and Presence: The Memra (Totowa, N.J.: Al-
lanheld, Osmun, 1981), 67, for comparison.
111
1:17 T t a v t a t v okov carrcov \m\f\oei emGuunuatcov

r noSoxda no tjv Yevnudtcov avrrfj.
Kal
Every house she fills with her delights

and storehouses from her produce.
This is the standard term used in agriculture, attested from the third
century BCE in papyri (P. Cairo Zen. 3 59341a. 33). In literature it is
only found in Sirach and Melito of Sardis (peripascha 2 8 0 ) , but Sirach
seems to prefer it, using it three times (Sir 1:17; 39:17; 50:3), presumably in each case for the Hebrew mpD (so in 50:3). In 1:17 it can be seen
as an appropriate term for agricultural storehouses, from which the
produce comes. As there was an alternative, namely Orjaaup (found
eight times in Sirach), that could have been used, but was not, the translator is not aiming at the highest literary level. We should, however, be
cautious, since if his education, although at a reasonably high standard
given the techniques and allusions in the prologue, had not been at
the best Alexandrian schools, he may not have studied all of the best
literary vocabulary lists and techniques. Certainly the author is not an
Apollonius Rhodius, replete with Homeric vocabulary and style, but
then we might not have expected that anyway. So, what sort of Greek is
it? Let us take another example of a koine usage in the book.
49
9:7 pf) TtepipXrou v pvftai TtXeco

Do not look about in the streets of the city
The word pu|ir| is well attested in classical Greek to denote a "turning
about", especially of troops on the battle field (e.g., Thucydides 2.81.4).
However, in koine it develops a second sense of "street" or "lane," attested as early as the third century BCE (P. Cair. Zen.764.142). It is found
three times in the L X X (Isaiah, Tobit and Sirach), and appears in the
New Testament (Luke 14:21; Matt 6:2). We are minded to consider it a
non-literary term under the influence of the later Atticists. As ever the
Atticists condemn non-classical usage (if sometimes mistakenly) and
in so doing confirm that the koine meaning was known well enough
50
49
On the spelling and some speculative alternative readings, see P. Walters, The Text
of the Septuagint: its Corruptions and their Emendation (London: Cambridge University
Press, 1973), 47.
For the history of the word, see G. P. Shipp, Modern Greek Evidence for the Ancient Greek Vocabulary (Sydney: Sydney University Press, 1979), 483.
50
J. K. AITKEN
112
51
for them to disapprove. Thus, Phrynichus (Eclogues 383; cf. Pausanias

Atticist, lambda 4) expatiates:
c
Pi3(ir|. Kdi t o t o oi uv Gnvaoi ni Tfj p(ifj TiGeaav, oi vvv \ia0e m t o oTevamo. oke S uoi Kal t o t o MaKeovucv evai. XX
GTevcoTtv KaXev \pr\ pv\ir\v Tf|v puiyv.
y
rum: While the Athenians use this term for the movement, those uneducated among us apply it to a street. I believe it is a Macedonian word. But
one should call a street atevcoTr, and the movement pi3ur|.
Leaving aside the doubtful opinion that the word derives from Macedonian, itself a form of condemnation, Phrynichus implies that authors
were using pupr) in literary contexts, and therefore he had to criticise.
Indeed we do find it in the later author Chariton ( 1 or 2 century C E ) :
st
n d
52
napfjaav Kal a l y v v a K e ai EupaKoaicov nl Tf|v ohdav vuiicpaycoyovaai. 'Y|ievaioc fjeto Kara rraav rr\v 7tXiv- {lecnc al pOpai ore(pvcoVy XauTtcov- ppaiveto Ta npQvpa ovcp Kai ^lpoc,.
Even the women of Syracuse were there to attend the bride. The marriage
hymn sounded throughout the city; the streets were filled with garlands
and torches, and the doorways sprinkled with wine and perfume. (Chariton, Callirhoe 1.1.13)
It is also used by the Jewish author of the third Sibylline oracle (3.364),
a work known for its high level of literary sophistication:
rrrai Kal Zîoc, uô, aetrai AfjXoc, anXo,
Kai'PcbuTi p>uT|- T a GacpaTa TrvTa TeXeTai.
Samos will be sand, Delos will be invisible
and Rome a mere street. All the divine oracles will be fulfilled
In this case the author is clearly playing on the word sounds for rhetorical effect, and pupr| suited him as an equivalent of Rome, but for such a
literary author it was still a word he could choose to use. This particular
portion of the Sibylline oracle comprises diverse oracles independent
from the main body of the work, and deriving from a variety of sources.
As the main body is usually attributed to the later second century B C E ,
53
51
On the important evidence from the Atticists for koine, see R. Browning, Medieval and Modern Greek (2d ed.; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983), 47-49.
The date of Chariton is disputed and largely dependent on how far he was seen
as part of the Atticist movement or not. See C. Hernandez Lara, "Rhetorical Aspects of
Chariton of Aphrodisias," Giornale Italiano diFilologia 42 (1990): 267-74; and, C. RuizMontero, "Aspects of the Vocabulary of Chariton of Aphrodisias," Classical Quarterly
41 (1991): 484-89, who dates him to the later first century ce.
For discussions of dating, see J. J. Collins, Between Athens and Jerusalem: Jew52
53
113
it is still possible that even this section comes from a similar time period to Sirach. This would suggest that the strict exclusion of such words
from literature was not universal, any more than the purist Atticistic
movement was.
2.1. Particles
Particles are an important indicator of educational level or literary ambition, especially by the koine period when there was a notable decline
in particle use. Certainly the paratactic nature of Hebrew, and less frequent use of connective particles other than waw, discourage the use of
particles in the Septuagint translation as a whole, but the employment
of particular particles by some translators show their desire to write a
more refined level of Greek in comparison to other translators. In the
Greek of Sirach, we find a number of particles that are notable for their
infrequency in the rest of the Septuagint. In many cases, where they
are found elsewhere in the Septuagint, they are in books traditionally
seen as of a higher literary quality. In this we may question Thackeray's
well-known, although still for the most part valid, grouping of Septuagint books. Comparison here will be made with books falling into his
categories of "Good Koivr| Greek" (number 1), "Literary" (4) or "Literary and Atticistic" (5). Sirach, by contrast, he placed under "Indifferent
Greek" (2).
54
55
We begin with the strongly emphatic particle roryapov. This is

found once in Sirach (41:16):
56
Toryapotiv vTp7tr|T n\ tco prjfiaTi |iou-
ov yp aTiv ndaav aioyvvryv iacpuXijai kcxXv,

Kal o n v T a n o r v v m a t e i eoKiueTcu.
ish Identity in the Hellenistic Diaspora (2d d.; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2000),
84-85. In the most recent study, a date in the later first century BCE is proposed: R.
Buitenwerf, Book III of the Sibylline Oracles and its Social Setting, with an Introduction,
Translation, and Commentary (SVTP 17; Leiden: Brill, 2003).
See, e.g., J. Blomqvist, Greek Particles in Hellenistic Prose (Lund: Gleerup, 1969),
132; J. A. L. Lee, "Some Features of the Speech of Jesus in Mark's Gospel," Novum Testamentum 27 (1985): 1-26 (1-2); T. V. Evans, "Standard Koine Greek in Third Century
BC Papyri," in Proceedings of the Twenty-Fifth International Congress ofPapyrology, Ann
Arbor 2007 (ed. Traianos Gagos; Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2010),
211-20.
H. St.-J. Thackeray, A Grammar of the Old Testament in Greek according to the
Septuagint, vol.1, Introduction, orthography and accidence (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1909), 2.
There does not appear to be an equivalent to the particle in the Hebrew here of
ms B or Masada.
54
55
56
J. K. A I T K E N
114
Therefore, show respect in your word.

For it is not good to harbour every disgrace,
and not all things are well thought of by everyone in faith.
It is possible that ToiyapoOv is favoured amongst late Hellenistic writers, perhaps owing to a weakening in its strength, as seen in its placement second in the sentence (e.g., 4 Mace 9:7; 13:16; 17:4) or in its repetition in close succession (Prov 1:26,31; cf. SEG 26.821). Its popularity
in the Hellenistic and Roman periods is evident from its frequency in
such writers as Polybius, Josephus, Philo, Plutarch, Epictetus, and Dio
Chrysostom. Nevertheless, it is a particle that is expected in a higher
register, primarily appearing only in very late papyri and inscriptions.
Its distribution in the Septuagint, attested only in 2 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Proverbs, Job, and Isaiah, is testament to its use particularly in
the literary translations or compositions. Sirachs use of it would imply
a similar attempt at literary Greek.
Other examples of complex particles where a simpler one might have
been chosen can easily be noted, dre in Sir 41:4 is striking since it is
only found elsewhere in the Septuagint in the books of Joshua (24:15
bis), Job (9:21), and Isaiah (30:21 bis).
she ica she KciTv she \iXia tn,
ok ativ v aou eXeypoc tofj (Sir 41:4)
The emphatic negative |ir|7TOT appears in Sir 19:7.
I^rjnore Seirrepcoan Xcryov,
Kal o)0v aoi o uf| XarrovcoOfj.
It is only attested elsewhere in the Septuagint in 3 Maccabees (3:16;
7:4, 11). More significant perhaps is the L X X hapax legomenon [irJTtco
(Sir 28:26):
Ttpaexe
[Mjn XiaOn v cunfl,

vepeovto.
pf] Ttan KaTvavTi
This particle seems to have an epic flavour to it, since it is common in

Homer, Hesiod, and Aesop, although occasional too in Plato. It is notable that it is taken up by Apollonius Rhodius in the Hellenistic period
in his attempt to imitate Homeric epic style. Whether or not it was distinctly epic, it was rare in prose and therefore would have been marked.
The same may be said for the introduction of the particle ye, for which
there is no Hebrew equivalent:
115
34(31):12 E7tl TpaTtn ueyaXnc K8iaa;

(if) voin in aTfj cppi^y gov
Kal pf) eTtn JToXX ye t a tri airrfjHowever, we may also note the use of a koine particle that would not
have been typical of classical Greek, namely adversative TtXrjv:
17.24 nXrjv uetavoouaiv E S C O K E V Ttvoov
Kal TrapeicXeaev icXeiTtovra 7ropovt]v.
The translator displays inconsistency in his application of a higher literary register, as we have already noted in his choice of vocabulary, but
this does not undermine the attempt that he does make in many places.
In his lexical choices and range of particles he could be placed within
the same class as Proverbs and Job, although he is less prolific in his selection of particles. He still prefers KCU and KCU yap, while is also very
common, and he does not use such ones as [lvroi or re.
2.2. Sophistication
Some examples may be noted where the translator has been sophisticated in his translation, choosing Greek equivalents that match cleverly
the Hebrew Vorlage, or that provide an even heightened literary significance.
3:15 v r|upa 8Xi\|/(b gov vapvna0r|aeTai govcb evia (Heb Dn) rii naysr, oihxo vaXi)0rjaovTai gov ai papTcu.
On the day of your distress it will be remembered for you
As fine weather on frost, so your sins will be relieved
The Septuagint hapax legomenon eia is striking here, since the usual
equivalent for Hebrew on is 6p|i or cognates. As a translation it is
perfectly acceptable, since its meaning of fair weather is appropriate for
a description in the simile of warm weather melting frost. As an example we may compare the description of fair weather as an appropriate
time for sailing (P. Oxy 9 1223,12):
el r] Kal eia ati
Kal TO TtXoov vevyKai avevevKe o
vatai v tfj ar)pepov
If it is calm weather and he cannot bring back the boat today.. ,
57
57
Translation of A. S. Hunt, The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, IX. Edited with Translation

and Notes (London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1912), 267. The papyrus is late, probably
from the end of the fourth century CE.
116
J. K. AITKEN
eia is, however, also a more subtle translation in Sirach, since it can
refer to the state of peaceful conditions, whether political or social.
Thus in the Rosetta Stone (OGIS 90.11) the concord or tranquillity that
Ptolemy V tried to bring to Egypt is remembered:
... Kal Sanva TtoXX imo|i|ivr|KV veKa to tfjv AyuTtTov el eviav
yayev Kal t a ep KataoTrjaaaOai
... and has undertaken much outlay to bring Egypt into prosperity, and
to establish the temples
A pun on evia is perhaps afforded by the third-century Alexandrian
Herodas (Mimiamb 1.28):
t a yp Ttavta,
aa eati K O D Kal yivex\ ox v Aly^TtTcoiTCXOTO, TtaXaiatpn, >va|ii[], evrj, â,

9ai, cpiXaocpoi, xpvaiov, venviaKoi
Everything
you can find anywhere else is there in Egypt wealth, the wrestling-club, power, the peaceful life, reputation,
shows, philosophers, money, young lads .. .
58
Is he saying that everything in Alexandria is relaxing and peaceful, or is

he also alluding to the fair weather, being on the coast? The pun is apt in
Sirach too. While the simile requires the meaning of "fair weather" for
melting frost, the parallelism with 6Xi\|/i "turmoil" recalls the meaning
"tranquillity", and therefore the translator has brought out the double
sense of the word effectively. As a result the simile works even better in
Greek than in Hebrew.
A second type of sophistication is the technique of translating the
Hebrew by formal equivalents, but in so doing providing an idiomatic
Greek rendering. An example is the use of the imperative OEXE, both in
a positive command (Sir 6:35) and in a prohibition (Sir 7:13):
6:35 Ttaav iityriaiv Oeiav OXe KpoaOai,
Kal 7tapoi|iiai auvaeco [if| eKcpEvyeTcoaav ae.
7:13 /ifi dXe \|/euea9ai nv yeoc,

yap veXexia|ic, avxov OVK el yaOv.
In these cases the verb OXo) is the equivalent of Hebrew fun, one of
only a number of equivalents chosen by Septuagint translators. What
58
Translation by G. Zanker, Herodas Mimimabs. Edited with a Translation, Introduction and Commentary (Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2009), 17.
117
is striking is that the particular use of the imperative of BXco produces

what appears to be an idiomatic expression in koine, especially in gnomic type sayings. Thus we find, among many koine examples, in the
second-century Life of Aesop (P, 247):
... vno KaXrv veaviaKcuv UTtrjpeteaai uf| 0Xe,
From a Jewish-Christian work, the Life of Adam and Eve (31), we find
similarly:
(if) 0Xe cppovtiaai Ttepi TtpayiiatcovThe translator has translated accurately, but also produced an idiom
typical of the time.
Finally, vocabulary choices can reveal much about the literary level
aimed at and also about the type of literature being read. The case of
o<pi6Sr|KTO(; is informative in this regard:
12:13 tic Xerjaa 7taoiv cpirjKrov
Kal Ttdvta TO Ttpoadyovtac, 9r|pioi
Who will pity a charmer when he is bitten by a snake,
or all those who go near wild beasts?
There are two poorly attested words in this verse. Ttao is known
from elsewhere in the Septuagint (Lev 20:27), but is not attested in classical literature. As a variant of TTip, it denotes "an enchanter" (LSJ,
679), and presumably denotes here a snake charmer. (pir|KTO(;, an
adjective denoting "one bitten by a snake", is also not attested before the
Septuagint, and even then is only attested in Sirach in the Septuagint.
Such compound forms are popular in the Hellenistic period to display
some literary attainment, but in this case its appearance elsewhere is
illuminating. Although cpir|KToc; is not attested earlier than the Septuagint, it is found in scholia on Homer, inter alia, on Iliad 2.722 where
Philoctetes is in anguish from an evil wound sustained from a deadly water-snake. The Scholiasts say that the priests of Hefaistos served
those bitten by snakes:
59
fleiaav yp, Toc/Hcpaiatoi) iepe BepaTteeiv toi) cpior|KTov (Scholia in IliademD721)

Given the rarity of this word, and its non-existence in literature until
late antiquity, one wonders whether the translator, in learning to read
59
The only possible appearance is in a fragmentary source, the philosopher Timon

(4-3 century BCE), Fragment 799.
118
J. K. AITKEN
and write Greek from Homer, was introduced to this word by the teacher. The scholia might often reflect the notes used by teachers and commentators when reading Homer with students. At the very least it is an
unusual form to choose.
2.3. Rhetoric
The identification of rhetorical features in the translation is an obvious
marker of the translator s education, although not definitive as to the
level of education that the translator reached. It does, however, demonstrate some of the translators concerns to produce a pleasing and
literary aesthetical text. Each of these examples has been chosen since
they do not seem to be based on an expected rendering of the Hebrew.
Variatio is evident in a number of places. In Sir 2:13-14 the addition
of a preposition to produce the compound verb after the simplex is an
obvious example:
60
13 oal Kapia 7Tapiuevn, TI o Ttiateei- Si TOTO O OKenaodrjoerai.

14 oal pv TO TtoXXeKaiv Tf|v 7touovr|v- Kal TI 7toirjaT Tav
moKnrrjrai
o Kpio;
Likewise, in Sir 4:14 variatio is achieved through choosing two Greek

words meaning to serve, where the extant Hebrew only has the same
verb repeated:
oi Xarpevovreq atfj Xeirovpyrjoovoiv ayicp,
Kal TO yanvra avrf\y yan Kpio.
In this case, this variation is then balanced by the repetition of the verb
yan "to love'. A similar effect is achieved in Sir 9:10, where variation
through the use of two different words for "new" (Kpocpato, vo) is
then counterbalanced by the repetition of vo:
Mf| eyKaTaXiTtrjc cpiXov pxaov,
yp npofaro OK ativ qnao ar
ovo vo cpiXo voVariation of syntax is also an important Greek stylistic trait, and we find
examples such as in Sir 11:7-8:
riplv fiTan, pf|
uu\|/n- vrjaov npxov Kal rare 7tiTipa.

8 npiv f) Koaai pf| anoKpivou Kal v paco Xycov pf| 7tappPdXXou.
60
See J. K. Aitken, "Rhetoric and Poetry in Greek Ecclesiastes," BIOSCS 38 (2005):

55-78, here 58-61, for more details on the method of identifying literary features in the
Greek independent from the Hebrew.
119
Two constructions for npiv are employed, first to follow it with a subjunctive, and then second with fj and an infinitive.
Variation can also be achieved through coordination of a standard
word with a poetic word, which at the same time displays the poetic
flair and vocabulary knowledge of the translator. In Sir 26:9 the standard word for eye, <p9aX|i6<;, is in parallelism with the poetic word
(Xcpapov;
Ttopveia yuvaiK v ^leTecopiauo fdaXfiwv
Kal v TO pXefpoi airrfj yvcoaGfjaeTai.
Although pXcpapov is used by Hippocrates and Aristotle, it is almost
exclusively used before the Septuagint in Homer, epic poets and tragedy. It is adopted by some of the Alexandrian poets such as Theocritus
and Callimachus and is strikingly frequent in Apollonius Rhodius in
his imitation of Homeric style. Within the Septuagint it is rare, found
only in Proverbs, Psalms, Job, and once in Jeremiah. A similar example
is Sir 27:30, where the poetic word for "wrath" (ifjvi, so well known
from the opening line of the Iliad, appears alongside opy^:
Mfjvi Kal pyr/, Kal TaT ativ peXuyuata,
Kal vf|p uaptcoX yKpaTf| atai atrv.
(ifjvi is in fact used twice by Sirach (here a n d in 28:5), a n d then
found in the Septuagint elsewhere only in the poetic Gen 49:7 a n d in
Num 35:21. Equally striking is the word Xpo "wealth" in Sir 30:15, attested only here in the Septuagint, and in parallelism with the common
TtXoaio in the previous verse:
yieia Kal eeia (ieXucov Ttavr xpuaiou,
Kal Ttveua eupcocrrov f\ X(o uTpn-ro.
Anaphora (repetition of forms) is easily achieved through the parallelism of compound forms with the same prepositional prefixes, a feature
that does n o t have an equivalent in Hebrew and is therefore a stylistic
choice of the translator.
4:3 Kapiav napcopyio^vriv uf] npooTap^rj
Kal uf) napeXKVorj Saiv npooSeofivov.
In the case of Sir 4:3 the rhetorical intention is clear from the parallelism of the prefixes n a p a - and npoa- in each line. This is corroborated
by the choice of a very rare verbal form KpoaTapdaaa), first attested
here in Greek and only found in late antique literature. To produce the
effect the translator chose a word hardly used elsewhere, if not created
120
J. K. AITKEN
by him. Another case of a word first attested in Greek in Sirach, and in

this case only attested elsewhere in the seventh century CE (Antiochus
Monachus) in a quotation of Sirach, is in Sir 13:3.
tcXouoto r|SKnaev, Kal airr Ttpoaeve/ipifirjaaro'
TTToox rjhayrai, Kal arr npooSerjOrjoeTcci.
7tpoa(ippi(io|iai "to be indignant" appears to have been coined to
serve in parallelism with Ttpoaopai "to need".
The repetition of vd in the next example is more sophisticated since
it appears both in compound verbs and as an adverb:
25:18 v |iaov t>v TtXnaiov amov vaneoerai vnp arrfj
Kai Kouoi veorva&v TtiKpd.
Homoeoteleuton is evident in the repetition of the adjectival ending
-6)8r\q in Sir 25:20, once more notable in the use of ppd)r|(; only here
in all of the Septuagint:
vjaoT [ifi(bSrj v Ttoaiv Ttpeaputepou,
outoj yvvf\ yXcooocoStj vpl f\ovx<j.
A possibly further deliberate variation is in the verbs at Sir 34(31 ) : 15 ( 18) :
vei xa to TtXnaiov K aeauTo
Kai m Ttavtl TtpyiiaTi Siavoov.
Alliteration was a common device, and the most favoured letter for
such effects was the letter pi. A classic example is that from Pindar,
Pyth. 1.54:
61
npipoio nXiv npaev, teXeutaaev t e tcvod avao

In Sirach we have a similar effect in 21:12:
ov naiSevdriaerai ok crriv navovpyo
crriv navovpyia nXrjOvvovoa micpiav.
y
Word-play is more difficult to determine, but there might be some cases in Sirach. Thus, the parallelism of two verbs with the element -pimight be intentional at 3:9:
61
J. D. Denniston, Greek Prose Style (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1952), 126, 129,
notes the popularity of alliteration on 7t in Pindar and Plato. Examples from other parts
of the Septuagint are noted by J. A. L. Lee, "Translations of the Old Testament. I. Greek,"
in Handbook of Classical Rhetoric in the Hellenistic Period, 330 B.C.-A.D. 400 (ed. S. E.
Porter; Leiden: Brill, 1997), 778 and n. 9; and, Aitken, "Rhetoric and Poetry," 63-64.
121
eXoyia yp Ttatp orrjpiei okou tekvcjv,

Katpa untp etcpio OeuXia.
For a blessing from a father will set fast the children's houses
But a curse from a mother will uproot the foundations
The case of 28:7 is more complex:
uvrjaOrrn vToXv Kal uf| unviarj r(b nXnaiov,
Kal iaiKnv )\|/iaTou Kal Ttpie ayvoiav.
Remember the commands and do not bear a grudge against your neighbour,
and the covenant of the Most High, and overlook ignorance
Unfortunately there is no Hebrew extant for this chapter, so that we
cannot determine how far stereotypical translations have been chosen
or how far the word play in Greek is deliberate on the part of the translator. Nevertheless, the command to remember derives from Exod 20:8
("remember the sabbath day"), but the rest of the line is a conflation of
Lev 19:18. We cannot be sure if the Vorlage already made a connection
between these two biblical passages, but the result in Greek at least is a
play on the two verbs.
2.4. Poetic words
Poetic words are harder to identify or define. Words that might have
been used exclusively in poetical works in the classical period do sometimes appear in prose writers of the Hellenistic age. When they do, it
sometimes is not clear whether they appear in prose since they had lost
their poetic tenor, or whether the authors were using them to add a
heightened literary style to their prose. Nonetheless, we may note some
possible examples in Sirach.
AdpDy yXi)Ki) TtXnOuve qnXou ato,
Kal yXcuaaa euXaXo TtXnOuvE tvnpoor\yopa.
ETtpoarjyopoc; at Sir 6:5 is a Septuagint hapax legomenon. It first appears in poetry, found in both Euripides and Menander, but by the time
of later koine (Roman period) it is employed by prose writers too (Dionysius of Halicarnassus; Josephus; Vita Aesopi). Sirach sits somewhere
between Menander and these Roman writers in time, making it difficult to extrapolate how he viewed the word, but its rarity and initial use
in poetry almost certainly would have meant that he viewed it as part
of a higher register. A similar problem arises with the noun Ttpoyovoc;
for "children" (Sir 8:4):
122
J. K. A I T K E N
ur) npcTtaie naieTcp, va (if) Tipcovrai oi npyovoi gov.

This once more appears to be poetic, being found first in Homer and
Pindar, but soon appearing in the prose of Thucydides and Isocrates. In
the Septuagint the noun is also attested in Esther, and 1,2, and 3 Maccabees. That it is a rarer variant for ui or tekvov does at least suggest
it would have been seen as an attempt at refined or elevated language.
2.5. Allusions of a literary nature
Certain allusions to earlier portions of the Septuagint are notable, not
so much for what they tell us about the translator s use of the Septuagint in similar contexts, but the influence of vocabulary, often without
attention to the sense. In this, his use of Septuagintal words is a form
of literary device to create a higher-sounding register. In Sir 9:9 (and
18:33) we find a rare verb meaning "to be drunk":
62
[iT imvpou yuvaiK pf| kolGou t auvoXov

Kal pr) ovpPoXoKonrjorjq pet' avrrfj v ovcp
The verb au|i(3oXoKOTta) is only attested in the Septuagint, Philo and
later Church Fathers. The one occurrence in the Septuagint outside Sirach is in Deuteronomy (21:20), which most likely was the influence on
Sirach:
'O ui r|p)v outo neiQel Kal peOiei,
o>x taKoei Tfj cpcovfj r|pd>v, aup(JoXoK07tcov oivocpXuye
This our man is disobedient and stubborn;
he does not heed our instruction, revelling he is drunk.
There is nothing distinctive about each of their contexts to make any
connection, beyond the subject of drunkenness. Therefore, it does not
seem that Sirach is trying to recall the earlier passage or make an allusion to it; instead he is merely choosing the sophisticated vocabulary.
Likewise, in Sir 26:6 and 37:11 the rare term vTir|Xo appears:
ctXyo Kapia Kal TrvGo yvvi] vrinXo tnl yuvaiKl
Kal pdaTt yXcoaan Traiv emKoivcovouaa.
Pain of heart and grief is a woman who is a rival to a wife
And the scourge of the tongue is the one who shares with everyone.
62
As already noted, Wright, No Small Difference, 119-230, has undertaken a detailed study of dependence on the Septuagint, but tends to focus on where it might be
expected, rather than on these unexpected vocabulary choices.
123
This adjective again is only first attested but once before this, in Leviticus (18:18):
63
rii eXcpfj aTfj o Xr||iyr| vTinXov 7tOKaXv|/ai rf)v axrjuoavnv aTfj zri aTfj E T I can aTfj.
yuvaKa
You shall not take a wife as a rival to her sister to reveal her dishonour
before her, while the other is still alive
In this case one can detect a possible rewriting of the Leviticus command into a proverbial saying, but the choice of such a rare word is in
itself striking.
C.
SIRACH AND T H E N A T U R E OF L I T E R A R Y KOINE
We know less about the literary standards of the early koine period than
we might like. The high canons of Callimachus and Theocritus represent only one end of the spectrum, and certainly are not for comparison
with the Septuagint. As a translation, and in the translation methods of
the day, there would not have been the opportunity to implement all
the literary techniques known to the translator, had he wished to do so.
Standardization in language was not typical of the Hellenistic period,
even if there was recognition of dialectal Greek and an appreciation of
literary norms. Literature of the time was written in a non-standard
form, seen in the varieties of Polybius and Plutarch, as well as in biblical
Greek. Callimachus and Menanders Greek was more complex, whereas
in Plutarch only occasional words are derived from verse or would have
felt like verse. Accordingly, different literature would have generated
different expectations on the part of their readers, and much of the vocabulary in Hellenistic koine was of a non-literary standard, occasionally subject to influence from belletristic classical Attic. Some writers
would not have felt it necessary or even desirable to choose an artificial
literary form; over time, however, the standard language of koine came
to be associated with administration, and accordingly Atticism arose
as a response. Even then Atticism was not accepted universally. The
64
63
In the Roman period, as well as appearing in Jewish and Christian literature, it is

found in Vettius Valens.
So M. S. Silk, "The Invention of Greek: Macedonians, Poets and Others," in
Standard Languages and Language Standards: Greek, Past and Present (ed. A. Georgakopoulou and M. S. Silk; Centre for Hellenic Studies, Kings College London publications 12; Farnham: Ashgate, 2009), 3-31(here 22 and n. 78); cf. G. Horrocks, Greek: A
History of the Language and its Speakers (London: Longman, 1997), 37.
64
J. K. A I T K E N
124
later purists have ensured, however, that much writing in koine is lost
to us today, and if we had more sub-literary writing we might be in a
better position to judge the extant writings. We should aim, therefore,
to judge the translator of Sirach by the terms of his day rather than the
expectations we might impose upon him. It is perhaps no chance that
at times the best comparisons with Sirach and other Septuagint writ
ers are the novelists such as Chariton and Vita Aesopi, even if they are
from a later time. They perhaps represent a more popular level of liter
ary composition that is similar to the Septuagint. Indeed, comparison
with Chariton is not at all far-fetched, even if he comes from a slightly
later period. For, his vocabulary displays a lexical concern, but not rigid
in its following of Atticism, and is a "hybrid" containing vulgarisms,
technical terms (Fachprosa) and words from the literary tradition. This
seems to be the style of koine writers of the later period, reflecting con
flicts between vocabulary and rhetorical style. The same might be said
of the earlier period, where there was no Atticistic movement but there
was an awareness of literary canons that were not rigidly followed. As
a literary author Sirach was sensitive to vocabulary choice and rhetori
cal techniques, but he has no intention of re-writing a translation into
an original literary composition, and he had no interest in being rigid
in his application of the literary norms. We can never be sure how far
he was limited by his own educational background and how far by the
translation technique, but the features of the prologue identified here
suggest he did have a reasonably high level of technical education.
65
66
We may identify the translator as displaying grammatical compe

tence in Greek, even if pragmatic competence is compromised by the
translation process itself. His writing is well-formed on the level of pho
nology, morphology, syntax and semantics. It is only on the idiomatic
level that there is some questioning, and this throws into relief the prag
matic competence. It is generated however, by the method of transla
tion at the time, and there appears to be no other translation method as
yet. The literary translation styles of Cicero and Catullus are in the fu67
65
Ruiz-Montero, "Aspects of the Vocabulary of Chariton," 489.

Given recent work on the complexity of the Greek educational system, and the
mixing of the traditional three tiers of education, I refrain from concluding which
level of education the translator might have attained. See R. Cribiore, Gymnastics of
the Mind: Greek Education in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton
University Press, 2001).
See the Res Gestae as an example of similar translation technique, containing
interference from the source language in syntax and semantics: D. N. Wigtil, "The
66
67
125
ture. Wigtil and Rochette, like Wright, suggest the translator wishes to
safeguard the effect of the original; since it is his grandfather s work and
it is based on the Law. The opposite would seem to be the case. The
translation method has naturally limited the scope of idiom and word
order, but since the translator wishes (according to his prologue) to el
evate his translation to the status of the other books, he need not make
it like the others. He rather applies his own flourishes much more than
has been realised. We can be blinded by the apparent Hebrew word or
der. We can also apply too simple a method, as succinctly expressed by
Evans, who warns that focusing on the Hebraistic elements, which are
mostly manifestations of the literalistic impulse of the translators, there
is a tendency to overlook the significance of natural Greek phenom
ena. Wright concludes that Sirach wished to give the reader access to
the source text/language, taking a positional authority of subservience
to the source. This does not seem to be the case in view of both the
literary presentation of the translation in the prologue and the exten
sive use of higher register features and rhetoric in the translation itself.
68
69
70
Although there is far greater consistency in translation equivalence

in Sirach in comparison to Job or Proverbs, he is comparable to them
in his lexical choices and literary techniques. He does not have the
expansionist tendencies of those two L X X books, although it is free
at times to rewrite portions of the text and make small modifications
(e.g., 50:22-26). If in a recent study Reed is correct to date the epilogue
in Greek Job to after the Idumean conversion under John Hyrcanus
(112/111 B C E ) , then we might have a case for saying that these ver71
Translator of the Greek Res Gestae of Augustus," The American Journal of Philology 103
(1982): 189-94; A. E. Cooley, Res Gestae DiviAugusti: Text, Translation, and Commen
tary (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009), 26-29.
Wigtil, "The Independent Value of Ancient Religious Translations," 2059; Roch
ette, "Le prologue du livre de Ben Sirach," 142.
T. V. Evans, "Approaches to the Language of the Septuagint," JJS 56 (2005): 25-33.
Rajak, Translation and Survival, 135, under the influence of Wright, confuses technique
with language. At this point we can also note the argument of Veltri, that in his pro
logue the grandson appears to be reverent towards the Septuagint, but in fact admits
that a translation can never be perfect. He points instead to the translations weakness
in adequately rendering Hebrew into Greek, amounting to an imperfect copy of "Pales
tinian Truth" for Egyptian Jews (G. Veltri, Libraries, Translations, and 'Canonic* Texts:
the Septuagint, Aquila, and Ben Sira in the Jewish and Christian Traditions [JSJSup 109;
Leiden: Brill, 2006], 190-222).
"Why," 641-43.
A.Y. Reed, "Job as Jobab: The Interpretation of Job in LXX Job 42:17b-e," JBL 120
(2001): 31-55.
68
69
70
71
126
J. K. A I T K E N
sions, of equal literary skill and artistic tendencies, are as late as Sirach.
This, however, is not central to the argument. In terms of the literary
profile of Sirach, it should be placed on a much higher level than it has
so far been given credit. Accordingly, the pretensions of the prologue
are continued through the rest of the work, given the limitations of
translation technique. Although it could be true that these techniques
led to the translator to apologise for his style, this would not seem to
accord with the either the intentions of the prologue or the literary em
bellishments of the translation.
LE MTIER DE SCRIBE U N MTIER DIFFRENT :

QUELQUES RFLEXIONS PARTIR DE LA VERSION
GRECQUE DE SIRACIDE 3 8 - 3 9
Franoise Vinel
Universit de Strasbourg
On a beaucoup crit sur Siracide 3 8 - 3 9 et le rapprochement avec le

texte gyptien de la Satire des mtiers est signal dans les notes de
toutes les Bibles. L'loge du mdecin au chapitre 38 et l'vocation de
la fondation et du fonctionnement dune cit en Si38,31-34 peuvent
lgitimement susciter des parallles avec la civilisation hellnique.
Cependant, l'ambition de ces pages est de suggrer que la comparaison entre mdecine, mtiers manuels et fonction de scribe a aussi un
enjeu thologique, dans la mesure o chaque type de mtier est associe une reprsentation de Dieu. La question (mais aussi l'hypothse
de travail) qui a t la mienne en prparant ce travail pourrait donc
se formuler ainsi : est-ce que les mtiers voqus, dcrits, y compris
celui de scribe dont Ben Sirach assure en quelque sorte la promotion,
ont quelque chose voir avec Dieu, le crateur ou le trs-haut, et, plus
prcisment, avec la reprsentation que l'on s'en fait?
Une des premires questions a t de dlimiter le texte : l'habitude,
et c'est par exemple le cas dans le commentaire suivi de Di Lella et
Skehan dans la collection Anchor Bible, est de distinguer le bloc Siracide 38,24-39,11, centr sur l'opposition entre mtiers manuels et rle
du scribe. Mais deux points m'ont fait prfrer largir la squence
Si 38,1-39,11 : d'une part, la place faite en Si 38,1-15 au mdecin (et
au pharmacien ou au parfumeur, le |iupe\|/<;)> c'est--dire un autre
mtier; et d'autre part, les procds d'inclusion et les rcurrences de
termes l'uvre dans le texte, aspects qui seront tudis dans la premire partie et semblent contribuer dfinir une unit de cette squence.
1
P. Skehan et A. A. Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira (AB 39 ; New York : Doubleday, 1987).
128
FRANOISE VINEL
Quelle part faire sur cette question la comparaison avec les fragments hbreux ? Pour la squence Si 38,1-39,11, le texte B nous donne :
Si 38,1-9 et 38,13-25 ; les versets 38,10-12 et 3 8 , 2 6 - 2 7 sont incomplets ;
enfin, la fin du chapitre 38 (v. 28-31) et 39,1-11 ne sont pas connus
dans la version hbraque. Il s'agit d'abord pour nous de comprendre
la version grecque dans son unit et sa signification, mais le travail de
comparaison avec les fragments hbreux nous oriente aussi utilement
vers la question de l'intention du traducteur: introduit-il des modifications significatives en traduisant ? Quelques exemples seront signals
au fil de l'tude.
2
On procdera en trois tapes, qui seront autant de lectures du passage. Une analyse rhtorique des versets, d'abord : la prsence d'effets
d'inclusion, la rcurrence de certains termes en Si 38,1-39,11 tiennent
lieu de dmonstration. Autrement dit, le travail sur la structure de la
squence invite reprer une rhtorique argumentative.
On fera ensuite appel, non sans quelque prcaution, l'intertextualit : cela nous permettra de dcouvrir diverses citations ou allusions
empruntes d'autres livres bibliques; sans doute donnent-elles au
texte la forme d'un bricolage, pour reprendre une image chre aux
structuralistes, mais elles contribuent aussi la dmonstration de Ben
Sirach, en mettant en vidence le lien privilgi entre Dieu et les artisans.
Puisque, partir de Si 38,24, la fonction de scribe est loue, ces deux
premires parties d'enqute sur Si 3 8 - 3 9 nous conduiront la question : y a-t-il aussi un lien privilgi entre Dieu et le scribe ? et quel est
le Dieu du scribe ?
A.
R H T O R I Q U E DU T E X T E : U N E VISE ARGUMENTATIVE
3
l'intrieur de l'ensemble Si 3 8 - 3 9 , je relverai deux series de propositions rcurrentes.

1. La premire srie est lie aux emplois du verbe KTISIV dans la
squence consacre au mdecin et marque de faon pressante la
2
Voir A. Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide. Confronto con il testo ebraico
alla luce dellattivit midrascica e del metodo targumico (AnBib 133 ; Rome : Pontificio
Istituto Biblico, 1995).
Les versets Si 38,16-23 du chapitre 38, qui abordent la question de la mort et
du deuil, ont t laisss de ct c est encore l'occasion de souligner la difficult
dfinir une composition des chapitres.
3
LE MTIER DE SCRIBE
129
prsence du Crateur auprs de celui-ci : icnaev arv KUpio, trouvet-on en 38,1b et 38,12a. Mais plusieurs autres expressions rappellent
l'uvre du Crateur. Ainsi en 38,4a: KUpio EKTKJEV ic yf\q q>dp|iaKa; en 38,15a et 39,5b: TOU Ttoirjaavroc; arv. Et, comme en clture
de 1 ensemble portant sur les mtiers, une expression rappelle le rcit
mme de la cration (Gn 2,31).
Cette rptition du verbe KTIEIV porte en elle-mme l'cho du dbut
de la Gense et cela appelle quelques remarques. Ses emplois dans le
Siracide sont d'ailleurs particulirement nombreux (23 occurrences c'est le livre biblique qui l'emploie le plus), et lorsque la comparaison
avec l'hbreu est possible, on peut noter un travail d'uniformisation
du traducteur grec, le verbe grec traduisant trois racines hbraques
diffrentes. Sur le sens technique de ce terme, E. Bons, dans un article
paru en 2007 sous le titre Le verbe KTEIV comme terme technique
de la cration dans le Nouveau Testament et la Septante , explique
le choix de ce verbe par le lien avec un sens attest dans la littrature
profane, signifiant l'acte solennel de la fondation d'une cit, un acte
qui suppose une rflexion, un dessein pralable. L'article d'E. Bons ne
porte pas spcifiquement sur le Siracide mais il note Si 39,21 comme
une allusion vidente au rcit de la cration : Et Dieu vit que cela
tait bon (Gn 2,31) . On lit en effet en Si 39,21b : Ttvra yp i xpeiaq
aTcv KTiarai; et le mme motif se retrouve en Si 39,33a: Ta epya
Kupiou 7tvTa yaO.
4
Dans d'autres versets, c'est le verbe 7toiv qui rappelle l'uvre du

Crateur ainsi en Si 38,15a et 39,5b.
2. La seconde srie de termes et expressions rcurrentes se trouve dans
la section 38,24-31 et constitue un schma syntaxique rpt pour
chaque mtier.
Notons d'abord l'adverbe comparatif OUTO), plac en tte de trois
versets (v. 27a, 28a, 29a); sa premire mention, en 27a, prsuppose
un terme antrieur, l'agriculteur en l'occurrence. L'important, nous
semble-t-il, est que cet adverbe est porteur d'une interprtation de la
srie des mtiers numrs dans ces versets: si diffrents qu'ils paraissent, ils ont quelque chose en commun, une ressemblance. C'est ce
que confirme la fin du passage l'emploi de nvre OTOI (V. 31a). La
4
E. Bons, Remarques sur le vocabulaire de la cration dans la Septante et dans

le Nouveau Testament in Voces Biblicae. Septuagint Greek and its Significance for the
New Testament (ds. J. Joosten et P. J. Tomson; Leuven : Peeters, 2007), 1-15.
E. Bons, Remarques sur le vocabulaire, 7.
5
FRANOISE V I N E L
130
proposition apparat comme l'aboutissement d'une dmonstration: le

rle de la main est mis en vidence c'est cela, prcisment, que ces
mtiers ont en commun.
Deux autres lments de paralllisme vont dans le sens de cette ressemblance entre les divers mtiers :
1. l'expression o)Kv Kapav ato + infinitif (27e, 28g, 30c et
dj prsente propos du premier mtier cit, celui d'agriculteur, au v.
26a). C'est une traduction littrale du tour hbraque, dont on a aussi
quelques emplois dans le livre de l'Ecclsiaste (Qo 1,13.16; 8,16). Elle
est d'ailleurs galement employe propos de la tche du scribe en
Si 39,5a : tf|v Kapiav ato mcoaei ppiaai. Une mme application,
une mme concentration dans leur tche caractrise tous ces mtiers.
2. la rcurrence du terme ypunvia en Si 38,26b.27f.28h.30d. Il est
notable que ce sont, avec une occurrence en 2 M 2,26, les seuls emplois
du mot dans la L X X . Le verbe ypuTtvev, cependant, est attest une
dizaine de fois dans la L X X . Dans le livre du Siracide mme, il apparat
d'abord dans le prologue et en Si 33,16: Et moi, j'ai veill le dernier
(Kayti) axatoc; rjypU7tvr|aa) . Dans le chapitre 38, le substantif caractrise un point commun aux mtiers, la veille, il redouble l'expression
prcdente en exprimant l'attention requise par une tche, jour et nuit.
Associe des mtiers manuels dans le Siracide, cette qualit est un des
traits de la vie des disciples du Christ dans le Nouveau Testament puis
dans la tradition asctique chrtienne .
6
Enfin, deux termes rcurrents associent le mdecin aux autres mtiers :

d'une part, pour les uns et les autres est mentionne l'uvre qui est
leur finalit, d'o la rcurrence du substantif pyov tantt au singulier,
tantt au pluriel et du driv pyacria.
Le terme xeip> la main, a lui aussi un rle dcisif dans tout ce passage. Il est ce qui dfinit ou symbolise le travail manuel; on en
6
Dans le NT, emploi du pluriel en 2 Co 6,5 et 11,27, ainsi que plusieurs emplois du
verbe (Me 13,33; Le 21,36; Ep 6,18; Hb 13,17).
Si Prol. 30 : le motif des nombreuses veilles dues au travail du traducteur trouve
un parallle dans 2 M 2,26 : les vv. 19-32 de ce chapitre constituent en effet un prface
insre la suite de la Lettre aux Juifs d'Egypte qui ouvre le livre ; le v. 26 voque
le travail du rdacteur : Pour nous, qui avons pris sur nous le pnible labeur de ce
rsum, c'tait l non une tche facile, mais une affaire de sueurs et de veilles . On n'a
sans doute dans ces deux passages qu'un lieu commun pour caractriser les mtiers
d'criture.
Voir les attestations signales dans G.W.H. Lampe, A Patristic Greek Lexicon
(Oxford : Oxford University Press, rd. 1969).
7
LE M T I E R DE SCRIBE
131
trouve la mention propos du mdecin (Si 38,13a.l5b) ainsi que pour

les autres mtiers pris globalement, au v. 31a: tous ces hommes ont
mis leur confiance dans leurs mains (TtvTe OUTOI ei x p aTcv
niaTeuaav). Il est significatif qu'il apparaisse ainsi en fin de squence,
dans une proposition qui a valeur d'affirmation gnrale c'est la ressemblance annonce par l'emploi rcurrent de l'adverbe OUTCO, signal
prcdemment. Mais l'affirmation est tellement vidente qu'on peut
s'interroger sur sa ncessit; ne peut-on pas alors penser qu'elle a une
place dans l'conomie gnrale des deux chapitres, c'est--dire dans
l'opposition entre la srie des mtiers et celui du scribe ?
Dans cette rhtorique du texte, il y a aussi place pour des jeux de mots,
reposant sur la polysmie : c'est le cas avec irjyr|ai. ct du verbe
ir|yea0ai, le substantif est principalement employ dans le Siracide .
En Si 38,25d, il a le sens de compte, dcompte des btes fait par celui
qui n'est pas nomm par son nom mais par la srie de ses activits
(Si 38,25-26), agriculteur et leveur la fois ; ce sens est attest aussi en
Jg 5,14 (B) : . . . de Zabouln (sont descendus) ceux qui entranent avec
la baguette de dcompte du scribe . Puis en Si 39,10, le verbe driv
iriyeaOai signifie raconter : les nations raconteront sa sagesse , est-il
dit propos du scribe. Passant ainsi du sens propre au sens figur, ou
du sens concret au sens abstrait, le mme mot se rapporte un mtier
manuel et celui de scribe.
9
10
Un tel jeu dans les glissements de sens permet sans doute de considrer que le traducteur est un fin rhteur. Et dans ce cas, la proximit
phonique entre la main, yeip, et le substantif xpect, utilit, qui est employ au dbut de notre squence en Si 38,1a et devient rcurrent dans
le chapitre 39 (v. 21,26a, 31b, 33b) n'est pas sans intention. Le locuteur
tient affirmer que tout a t cr en vue d'une fin.
Il y a un vritable procd d'inclusion dans la squence Si 38,1a39,21 :
11
38,1a: Tiua iarpv Ttp Tac, xpe^t avxov

39,21 : TtvTa yp ei Xpi<* clvxQv KTiatai
En concurrence avec le doublet inynua.

Trad. P. Harl dans La Bible d'Alexandrie VIL Les Juges (Paris: Cerf, 1999). Sur
le texte du Vaticanus (B), ibid., Introduction, p. 25-27.
noter cependant qu'au v. 31, TAlexandrinus donne x P
li
de
Xpeia une inversion de lettre qui ne saurait surprendre.
10
11
El
a u
e u
FRANOISE VINEL
132
Mais le jeu de mots entre xîp et X P ^

office bien prcis dans la
dmonstration qui sbpre au fil du texte. Il est porteur dune question :
la main est-elle indispensable pour produire une utilit quelconque,
seule pourvoyeuse de ce qui est utile ?
Un autre jeu de mots est peut-tre prsent dans notre passage, le jeu
entre evwia et eoia mais les divergences graphiques selon les manuscrits le rendent peu assur (contrairement ce qui se passe avec
Xeip / XP kO> c est pourquoi je ne m'y arrterai pas.
12
a a
13
Pour conclure ces premires remarques, il faut noter que tous ces
termes ou expressions, l'exception de ypuTtvia, terme rare dans la
langue classique, appartiennent la langue la plus courante, prosaque,
par contraste avec le lexique plus riche employ pour dcrire les diffrents mtiers. C'est d'ailleurs dans ces aspects descriptifs, o la spcificit de chaque mtier apparat, que se manifeste la satire, justifiant
le rapprochement souvent fait avec le texte gyptien intitul la satire
des mtiers . Mais si satire il y a, les effets rhtoriques qu'on vient de
relever nous orientent vers un autre niveau d'interprtation, qui n'est
plus social mais religieux. Cela va se prciser avec le reprage d'indices
d'intertextualit dans nos deux chapitres.
14
B. Au CRIBLE DE L'INTERTEXTUALIT :
UN D I E U A M I DES ARTISANS E T ARTISAN LUI-MME
Les tudes rassembles et publies en 2005 par Jeremy Corley et Vincent

Skemp, sous le titre Intertextual Studies in Ben Sira and Tobit, proposent un regard systmatique sur les liens entre Ben Sira et, successivement, l'Exode, les livres des Rois, les Prophtes et le livre des Proverbes.
Si l'on fait le rapprochement avec le dbut du Prologue Beaucoup
de grandes choses nous ont t transmises par la Loi, les Prophtes et
ceux qui les ont suivis , on peut suggrer que les citations et allusions se font aussi dans la conscience d'une Bible compose de groupes
de livres, la Loi, les prophtes et les crits. Mais la question reste de
savoir si, tout en visant nouer le lien entre les diffrents livres et
souligner la rfrence la Torah, ces effets d'intertextualit ne reclent
12
Voir la contribution d'E.D. Reymond, Wordplay in the Hebrew to Ben Sira,

dans ce volume, p. 37.
Voir apparat critique de Ziegler pour Si 20,9 ; 38,13 ; 43,26.
Les commentaires suivis du Siracide, comme les notes des traductions bibliques
signalent le parallle.
13
14
LE M T I E R DE SCRIBE
133
pas aussi une forme de contestation ou du moins le signe d une volution de situations et d'affirmations dsormais considres comme
d'une poque rvolue. La porte des allusions et citations serait dans ce
cas ambivalente ou paradoxale : signe d'unit du corpus biblique et en
mme temps marque d'un dplacement constant, au cours des sicles
de sa constitution et des phases de sa rdaction, du discours sur Dieu
et sa relation avec les hommes.
Friedrich Ritrer, dans un article sur l'influence du livre de
l'Exode sur Ben Sirach, dfinit ainsi la manire dont Ben Sirach utilise la Bible : the sage quotes a passage more or less word for word,
mostly not very literally. It is clear he expects his readers to know the
passage. However, the allusion or the literal citation is there for a deliberate purpose . En particulier, l'auteur ne se sert pas de la rfrence
biblique comme argument d'autorit mais, continue Ritrer, he
expects that the readers again should not just consider the quotation
itself, but rather they would wonder why Ben Sira refers to such a biblical passage her and in this context .
15
Les analyses de Ritrer soulignent une prfrence pour l'allusion,

ce qui pose la question des critres pour retenir un effet d'intertextualit; mais malgr les rticences, exprimes par Skehan et Di Lella
dans leur commentaire, allonger la liste de ces emprunts d'autres
livres bibliques, il me semble lgitime de se demander si le procd
n'est pas vritablement un mode de composition du texte, au service
d'une intention bien dfinie. Dans la perspective plus restreinte de ces
pages, ce sont seulement les passages se rapportant aux mtiers qui
nous intressent ici.
Pour commencer, l'intrieur du Siracide mme, deux passages peuvent tre mis en parallle avec Si 3 8 - 3 9 . D'abord, l'loge du travail des
champs en Si 7 , 1 5 : Ne dteste pas le travail pnible ni le travail des
champs cr par le Trs-Haut (|if| |iiarjar|<; 7Ti7tovov pyaaiav KC yecopyiav im \|/i(rrou 8KTia|ivr|v) le lien thmatique avec les versets
de Si 3 8 consacrs au travail des champs est renforc par le lien lexical :
le substantif pyaaia et, ici encore, le verbe KTIEIV ; le second passage
est l'loge des artisans en Si 9 , 1 7 : Dans la main des artisans, c'est
16
15
F.V. Ritrer, The Sociological Significance of the Scribe as the Teacher of Wis-
dom in Ben Sira, in Scribes, Sages and Seers. The Sage in the Eastern Mediterranean
World (d. L. G. Perdue; FRLANT 219; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht,
2008), 116-17.
Sans doute l'image du travail des artisans appelle-t-elle la mention de la main,
16
FRANOISE V I N E L
134
El
l'ouvrage qu'on loue (v X P Tex >v pyov TraivearjaeTai) . Et l'on

se trouve l, les commentateurs le notent, devant une contradiction
l'intrieur du livre: d'un ct (Si 7,15), l'attestation d'une dvaluation
habituelle des travaux agricoles, et dans le second passage, l'loge des
productions des manuels. La forme interrogative de Si38,25 rend
peut-tre compte de cette hsitation sur la place faire l'agriculteur
dans la hirarchie des mtiers.
viT
Qu'en est-il pour les autres mtiers... et les autres crits bibliques?
Concernant les chapitres 38-39, des rapprochements s'imposent avec
des passages mentionnant un lien entre Dieu crateur, lui-mme fabricant si l'on peut dire, et les artisans. F. Ritrer insiste dans son article sur l'image du Dieu qui gurit en Exode 15, rapprocher des versets consacrs par Si 38 au mdecin , et j'y reviendrai dans la dernire
partie. Mais au verset 25 de ce mme chapitre 15, on peut d'ailleurs
relever une proposition yXuKvOr] Scop, l'eau a t adoucie, textuellement reprise en Si 38,5. Le fait que l'association des deux termes
ne se trouve que dans ces deux passages de l'Ancien Testament plaide
en faveur d'une citation effective de la Loi dans les crits.
17
Mais le lien avec les chapitres 3 5 - 3 6 de l'Exode est plus pertinent

encore : en E x 35,32-33, Mose vante le savoir-faire que Bealel a reu
de Dieu pour matriser la conception en tous les travaux de conception artistique, pour ouvrer l'or, l'argent et le bronze; et pour ciseler la
pierre, pour travailler les bois et uvrer tout travail d'habilet : les
termes pxiTEKTovev, pxitEKtovia, termes rares, ce qui fonde mieux
le rapprochement , mais aussi xÂxe (Si 38,28) et pyov, termes plus
communs mais qui gagnent en intrt cause de la prsence des deux
autres termes, se retrouvent dans Si 38. Mais le discours de Mose suggre que ces mtiers sont le fait de la bienveillance de Dieu qui a rempli (Belael) d'un esprit divin d'habilet, d'intelligence et de sciences
de toutes choses (Ex 35,31).
18
19
D'autres mtiers mentionns dans le Siracide suscitent des rfrences la Loi; c'est le cas de la glyptique qui fait partie des mtiers
mais notons l'homognit de vocabulaire entre les deux chapitres et cette insistance
sur la main .
Ritrer, The Sociological Significance of the Scribe, 110-15.
J'emprunte ici la traduction de l'Exode (LXX) A. Le Boulluec dans La Bible
d'Alexandrie IL L'Exode (trad. A. Le Boulluec et P. Sandevoir; Paris: Cerf, 1989).
La frquence des mots ou expressions me parat pouvoir tre considr comme
un des critres permettant d'affirmer un effet d'intertextualit.
17
18
19
L E M T I E R DE SCRIBE
135
participant la fabrication des vtements du grand prtre en Exode :

tu graveras...une gravure de sceau, YXU\|/I ... yXuppa acppayio,
lit-on en E x 28,9.11. Le verset de Si 38,27c, avec le mme effet dbbjet
interne, est alors bien proche d'une citation : oi yXucpovTe yXuppaTa
acppcryicov d'autant plus que les emplois du substantif yXuppa sont
rares dans la L X X : deux occurrences dans l'Exode (Ex 28,11 et 35,10)
et dans le Siracide (Si 38,27 et 45,11), et seulement deux autres emplois
dans le livre d'Isae (Is 45,20 et 60,18), o le terme est pris dans un
autre sens.
Le mtier de potier, quant lui, suggre une relecture d'Is 45,8.9.11,
qui joue sur l'analogie entre les mains du potier modelant la terre (le
substantif 7tr]Xv est aussi prsent en Si 38,30a) et celles de Dieu qui a
cr l'homme et toutes choses.
Le lien s'affirme donc entre le Dieu crateur et la production matrielle, concrte, des diffrents artisans : c'est uvre de sagesse, comme
y insistent les chapitres 3 5 - 3 6 de l'Exode, o l'alliance des termes habilet et intelligence est rpte comme marque du don spcifique
fait par Dieu l'artisan. Mais cet ouvrage est aussi travail des mains.
N'est-ce pas alors l'image d'un Dieu lui-mme artisan, uvrant de ses
propres mains, qui s'impose? Ainsi interroge Isae, en effet: L'argile
dira-t-elle celui qui lui donne forme : "Que fais-tu ? ", et l'uvre ralise par toi dira-t-elle : "Il n'a pas de mains" ? (Is 45,9).
2 0
21
Nous retrouvons ici la porte religieuse, on n'ose dire thologique, de la critique des mtiers manuels dans le Siracide. Alors que
dans la Loi et les Prophtes , les mtiers manuels sont d'une faon ou
d'une autre du fait de la bienveillance de Dieu ou pour les besoins
du culte lis Dieu, limiter la valeur du travail manuel, comme
le fait Ben Sirach, n'est-ce pas refuser cette image d'un Dieu proche
des artisans ou artisan lui-mme, tel un potier, pour en proposer une
autre qui serait l'image du scribe lui-mme ?
22
2 0
Les emplois du verbe sont un peu plus nombreux (voir Concordance HatchRedpath, s.v.).
A. Le Boulluec souligne le travail d'harmonisation du grec qui ajoute intelligence en Ex 35,35; l'expression double se retrouve ainsi trois fois (Ex 35,31.35 et
36,1). Voir La Bible d'Alexandrie IL L'Exode, note ad loc.
Une telle gnralisation est srement excessive.
21
22
136
FRANOISE V I N E L
C.
LE SCRIBE N'A PAS DE MAINS, D l E U NON PLUS
Notre intrt se portera d'abord sur la squence du Siracide qui commence avec l'loge du mdecin, au dbut du chapitre 38, et ces versets
prparent aussi, comme ceux consacrs aux divers mtiers, l'loge du
scribe.
1. En contrepoint: le mdecin et Dieu mdecin
C'est lorsqu'il s'agit de dfinir l'image et la fonction du scribe que les
versets consacrs au mdecin en Si 38,1-15, prennent tout leur sens,
me semble-t-il, c'est pourquoi je m'y arrterai en commenant cette
troisime partie.
On a soulign dans la premire partie la rcurrence du verbe KTISIV
dans ces versets, une uniformisation lexicale du grec; le lien troit
entre le mdecin et Dieu est ainsi fortement marqu, ainsi que sa comptence dans l'art de gurir. Robert North, dans son tude Medicine in
Biblical Background, souligne que cet loge du mdecin et de son collaborateur, le |iup\|/c;, qui apparat un peu comme son double, s'enracine la fois dans l'arrire-plan biblique et dans la culture grecque.
Plus encore, l'tude de cette pricope par S. Fasce souligne qu'une
thologie de la cration sous-tend l'ensemble du Siracide, le mdecin
apparaissant dans le chapitre 38 comme un instrument au service de la
bienveillance de Dieu.
Mais les emplois des termes gurir et gurison dans ces versets, et
surtout la chute au v. 15 Celui qui pche la face de Celui qui l'a
fait, puisse-t-il tomber aux mains du mdecin ! montrent que la
proximit avec Dieu se double d'une rivalit. Le mdecin est crdit
pour son utilit (v.la et 12b: XP faO P
science (v. 3a: TtiaTrjîri),
mais la gurison est l'uvre du Seigneur (v. 2a.9b.14c) et tomber aux
mains du mdecin, selon l'expression employe au v. 15b est alors un
grand risque et une punition. L'ambivalence de la place faite au mdecin apparat bien dans l'opposition qui existe entre Si 38,13 Il
y a un moment o ton rtablissement est entre leurs mains , et
23
o u r
s a
24
23
S. Fasce, La lode del medico nel libro biblico del Siracide (Genve : ECIG, 2009).
Je remercie N. Calduch-Benages de m'avoir signal cette publication.
L'emploi de Kcup suggre S. Fasce d'intressants rapprochements avec la
mdecine grecque (La lode del medico, 88-92), mais propos des 9puaKa crs par
Dieu (Si 38,4), le parallle qu'elle propose (p. 58) avec le livre des Jubils (Jub 10,10
14) fait nouveau le lien avec le Dieu crateur.
2 4
LE MTIER DE SCRIBE
137
Si38,15b (celui qui pche...), qu'il tombe aux mains du mdecin ! . Avec la mention des mains , on retrouve la figure de l'artisan,
mais l'expression rappelle aussi une formule rcurrente de l'Ancien
Testament: tomber aux mains du Seigneur. Encore un effet d'intertextualit pour un lecteur attentif, le scribe lui-mme ? Dans le premier
livre des Chroniques (1 Chr21,13), l'opposition entre tomber aux
mains du Seigneur et tomber aux mains des hommes est reprise
de 2 Rgn 24,14. David s'adresse au prophte Gad: Je suis dans une
grande angoisse ! Que je tombe plutt entre les mains du Seigneur, car
sa misricorde est trs grande, mais que je ne tombe pas entre les mains
des hommes ! .
Dans le Siracide, l'expression est employe en 2,18 Nous tomberons
entre les mains du Seigneur et non entre les mains des hommes ; car
telle est sa grandeur, telle aussi sa misricorde; et en 8,1: tomber
dans les mains d'un homme puissant est chose craindre . Autrement
dit, les hommes et dans notre chapitre 38, le mdecin, sont comme
des images ngatives de Dieu: leurs mains sont dangereuses, alors que
les mains de Dieu sont un lieu salutaire. Les mains des artisans, il est
vrai, ne sont pas prsentes comme dangereuses, mais l'affirmation du
v. 31, dj voque tous ceux-l ont mis leur confiance dans leurs
mains est suivie de toute une srie de ngations aux versets 32 et
33 (9 ngations successives ! ) suggrant que la proposition signifie en
ralit : ils n'ont mis leur confiance que dans leurs mains . Ds lors,
reprsenter Dieu comme un artisan est inacceptable et le scribe est l
pour proposer une autre image de Dieu.
2. Le portrait du scribe: image d'un Dieu sans mains
Ce que je souhaite suggrer est donc que, en face de mtiers dcrits
comme travail des mains et qui ont pu tre utiliss dans la Loi et les
Prophtes comme reprsentation de Dieu, Ben Sirach le scribe tend
proposer, en dcrivant sa propre activit, une nouvelle image de Dieu,
un Dieu sans mains... un peu plus intellectuel, si je puis dire !
Cela ne manque pas d'tre paradoxal, car le scribe , c'est bien un
manuel sa faon. Dans la Loi et les Prophtes, il est un secrtaire , associ aux juges au roi. Le verset de 2 Chr 26,11 utilise l'expression i x po hr|X TO yp^p^Tcoc;, littralement par la main du
secrtaire Yel . Cette fonction de secrtaire concorde tout fait avec
les emplois du mot dans la littrature grecque: par exemple dans la
Constitution des Athniens d'Aristote o sont mentionns les secrl
FRANOISE VINEL
138
taires des thesmothtes ( 55, 59, 7 et 63), les greffiers au tribunal

( 67), le secrtaire de la prytanie ( 54).
Dans le Siracide, le terme n est employ que deux fois, en 38,24, notre
passage, et en 10,5, du moins en grec : dans la main du Seigneur est le
succs de l'homme, sur la personne du scribe (hbreu: du lgislateur)
il fait reposer sa gloire . Le dcalage entre l'hbreu et le grec n'est-il pas
ici tout fait significatif d'un changement de modle ? le reprsentant
ou le lieutenant de Dieu, ce n'est plus le lgislateur, mais le scribe.
D.
Q U E L L E EST L'IMAGE DU SCRIBE EN SI 3 8 3 9 ?
l'oppos des mtiers manuels dcrits dans leur ralit concrte, parfois touffante (ainsi avec l'image de la fournaise pour le forgeron), le
lexique de l'intelligence et de la pense domine dans les versets consacrs au scribe. En Exode 35, Mose louait l'intelligence et la sagesse
des artisans (le couple auveai / aocpia est employ plusieurs fois dans
ce chapitre) ; ces qualits sont dsormais celles du scribe. L'expression
sagesse du scribe inaugure d'ailleurs la prsentation du personnage
en Si 38,24 et le terme sagesse se retrouve la fin de la squence, en
39,10. Mais il faut y associer d'autres termes termes : Siavoa6ai (38,33 ;
39,7), PouX^v (39,7), maTrj|ir| (39,7, association des deux termes); en
outre, le poids de ces qualits est renforc du fait qu'ils ont t ts aux
artisans dans les derniers versets du chapitre 38. Ces qualits de pense
et de dcision sont l'apanage du scribe et ds lors, les mains n'ont
plus d'importance, elles n'ont plus besoin d'tre mentionnes, ce qui
vite de ranger le scribe parmi les manuels .
Quel est l'objet de cette intelligence, de cette sagesse ? non plus un
objet fabriqu, mais un savoir cach, dchiffrer . En 39,2-3, la mention des proverbes, nigmes et paraboles nous renvoient d'ailleurs
Pr 1,6, Salomon lui-mme !
Si 3 9 , 2 - 3 : v arpocpa 7tapa(oX)v (...) Kai v aiviypaai 7tapa(}oXd>v
Pr 1,3.6 : crrpocp Xycov (...) 7Tapa(oXf)v Kal GKOTEIVV (...) Xyov (...)
KCU crtviypaTa.
En Si 39,3 et 7, l'emploi de l'adjectif TtKpucpa nous renvoie l'ide
d'un savoir cach, invisible: il cherchera les secrets des proverbes...
il rflchira sur les secrets du Seigneur. Peut-on voquer ici un dieu
cach, non anthropomorphique et pourtant prsent, proche ? c'est ce
que suggre Si 39,5 : . . . pOpiacu Ttp Kupiov TOV TtoirjaavTa arv Kai
vavTi \|/iatou r|0i]aTai.
L E MTIER DE SCRIBE
139
Et si Ton peut penser que le Dieu artisan est riv son ouvrage,
comme le potier, la sagesse de Dieu, le Dieu sage, compar au scribe et
sa sagesse, est mobile , rapide comme il est dit dans le livre de la Sagesse, c'est un Dieu exportable ; l'ambition du scribe est bien d'aller
au milieu des nations selon l'expression de 39,4c. Et l'on retrouve la
mention des nations en Si 39,10. Telle serait alors la transformation
de la reprsentation de Dieu opre par la promotion de la fonction de
scribe : un Dieu sage , plutt qu'un Dieu artisan .
La mobilit du scribe, son sens de la mission, nous renvoie au Prologue et l'ambition avoue du traducteur : mener bien ce travail et
le publier l'intention de ceux qui, l'tranger (TO v tfj TtapoKia),
veulent tre amis du savoir et conformer leurs murs la vie selon la
Loi [nous soulignons]. C'est toute l'utilit des veilles (Ypu7tviai)
du traducteur, des veilles bien plus nobles que celles des artisans dans
leur choppe.
E.
CONCLUSION
J'ai fait peu de place dans ces rflexions sur Si 3839 la satire des
mtiers manuels, et une interprtation de ce passage au plan sociopolitique et culturel et en lien avec l'affirmation de la place du scribe
dans la socit. Plusieurs articles rcents ont soulign ces aspects, en
particulier dans le recueil intitul Scribes, Sages and Seers. The Sage in
the Eastern Mediterranean World, des tudes rassembles et publies
en 2008 par L. Perdue . Au-del des oppositions entre statuts sociaux,
les deux chapitres 3 8 - 3 9 me semblent donc poser la question d'un
changement dans l'image de Dieu une modification qui consonne,
me semble-t-il, avec l'ide de livre de sagesse. Si Ben Sirach s'en prend
aux artisans, c'est peut-tre pour un motif social, mais c'est aussi parce
qu'est lie eux une image trop anthropomorphique de Dieu. Quant
l'loge du scribe, il devient paradoxal si la pricope suggre bien que
celui qui tait, sinon un manuel, du moins un auxiliaire vou par sa
profession l'criture, est dsormais avant tout dfini par sa sagesse et
son intelligence.
25
25
L. G. Perdue (d.), Scribes, Sages and Seers. The Sage in the Eastern Mediterra-
nean World (FRLANT 219 ; Gttingen : Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 2008).
SYRIAC VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA
BEN SIRA IN THE SYRIAC TRADITION

Wido van Peursen
Leiden University
The book of Ben Sira or, in Syriac, Bar Sira, has a solid place in the
Syriac tradition. Although the number of commentaries on it is lim
ited compared to those on, for example, Genesis and Exodus, and its
liturgical use is restricted to certain passages, a rich variety of sources
demonstrate the various ways in which it was received in the Syriac
tradition. These sources include manuscripts of the Peshitta and the Syro-Hexapla, patristic writings containing quotations from Sirach, com
mentaries, lectionaries, canonical lists, and traditions about the identity
of Bar Sira found elsewhere in Syriac literature. This contribution will
give a survey of these witnesses.
1
A.
PESHITTA MANUSCRIPTS
1. General Survey
Table 1 shows the Peshitta manuscripts in which the Syriac translation
of Sirach has been preserved. The table gives the sigla that are used in
the Leiden Peshitta edition. The first number of the siglum indicates the
presumed century of origin of the manuscript. The table shows that Sir
ach has been preserved in 65 manuscripts from the seventh (or sixth )
2
The research lying behind this contribution has been supported by the Nether
lands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).
Based on [W. Baars, and M. D. Koster,] List of the Old Testament Peshitta Manu
scripts (Preliminary Issue, edited by the Peshitta Institute, Leiden University; Leiden,
1961) and the supplements to the List that appeared in the "Peshitta Institute Com
munications" (PIC) in VT12 (1962): 127-8 (PIC 1), 237-8 (PIC 2), 351 (PIC 3); VT18
(1968): 128-43 (PIC 7); VT27 (1977): 508-11 (PIC 14); VT31 (1981): 358 (PIC 17).
The date of 7a 1 is debated. A sixth-century origin has been proposed as well; cf.
W. Th. van Peursen, Language and Interpretation in the Syriac Text of Ben Sira. A Com
parative Linguistic and Literary Study (Monographs of the Peshitta Institute Leiden 16;
Leiden: Brill, 2007), 4, note 1, with further references.
2
W I D O VAN P E U R S E N
144
to the nineteenth century. The second element of each siglum is a letter

designating the character of the manuscript. Sirach has been preserved
in a-, c-, g-, h-, k- and m-manuscripts. The explanation of these letters
is given in Table 2.
Cent
VI
VII
a
7al
8a 1
h
7h3
k
7pk2
Total
3
1
IX
9cl
10cl.2
XI
llcl
9ml
10k7
10ml.2.3 6
llml.2.3.
8
4.5.6.7
XII
12al
XIII
13al
XIV
15/14al
14cl
XV
15a3
15cl
XVI
16al
16cl
XVII
17al.2.3.4.5.
17cl.2
6.7.8.9.10.11
12h2
16g3
18/16g6
16h2
17g2.3.5
17hl
18g3.5
18hjl
XVIII
18cl.2
XIX
19cl.2.3.4 19gl.5.7
Total
18
15
10
12k2
12ml
13ml
5
17ml
18
5
8
14
65
Table 1: Peshitta manuscripts containing Sirach

siglum
contents
Manuscript which comprises a complete or almost complete Bible
Manuscript containing a Beth Mawtb
g
h
Manuscript containing an uncommon grouping of books

Manuscript containing one book only
Fragment(s) of one book only
Masoretic manuscript
Table 2: Character of manuscripts containing Sirach according to their sigla

2. Pandects
From the period up to the twelfth century, only four Syriac pandects
(manuscripts containing a complete Bible) have been preserved, three
of which contain Sirach: 7a, 8al and 12al (see Table 1). Its absence in
4
This is a copy of 11ml.
BEN SIRA IN T H E SYRIAC TRADITION
145
the fourth pandect, 9 a l , is remarkable. R. Beckwith has suggested Sirach was part of 9al at the lost end of the manuscript, but this assumption is not completely satisfying.
5
3. Beth Mawtb
manuscripts
In the Syriac tradition Sirach belonged to the Beth Mawtb or "Book of

the Sessions", indicated by a "c" in the siglum. This collection contains
the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Qoheleth, Ruth, Songs, Job
and Sirach. The reasons why these books were treated as a single collection and why they were called the "Book of Sessions" are unclear. It has
been suggested that the congregation remained seated when passages
from these books were read in the liturgy, but this is not certain.
7
4. Manuscripts containing uncommon groupings of books

Whereas in the c-manuscripts Sirach is found in a common selection
of books, on other occasions its co-occurrence with other books, both
biblical and non-biblical, is less predictable. Thus in 17g3 it occurs
alongside some chapters of an anonymous "Book on the Cause of the
Causes"; homilies by Ephrem and Jacob of Sarug; discussions of the
numerical value of the letters and the astronomic division of the year;
and the book of Qoheleth.
8
5. Masoretic manuscripts
On the foundations laid by the grammatical and philological work of
Jacob of Edessa, a number of so-called masoretic manuscripts were
composed in the ninth to the thirteenth centuries. They contained
notes concerning orthography and vocalization. Although the development of the Syriac Masora runs parallel to the development of the He5
R. Beckwith, The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church and its Background in Early Judaism (London: SPCK, 1985), 195-96.
Cf. W. Th. van Peursen, "La diffusion des manuscrits bibliques conservs: typologie, organisation, nombre et poques de copie," in VAncient Testament en syriaque (ed.
F. Briquel-Chatonnet and Ph. Le Moigne; tudes Syriaques 5; Paris: Geuthner, 2008),
193-214, esp. 204, note 58.
Cf. Van Peursen, "La diffusion des manuscrits bibliques conservs," 197, with further references.
For a complete list of the contents of this manuscript see H. Zotenberg, Catalogue
des manuscripts syriaques et sabens (mandates) de la Bibliothque nationale (Paris:
Imprimerie Nationale, 1974), 199-200; cf. Van Peursen, "La diffusion des manuscrits
bibliques conservs," 201, note 33.
6
146
WIDO VAN PEURSEN
brew Masora, the Syriac material has two striking differences: First, the
masoretic manuscripts do not provide the continuous text of the Bible,
but only the difficult or ambiguous words and phrases. Second, these
words and phrases are not only taken from the Old Testament but also
from the New Testament and even from patristic texts. The selected
passages often reflect significant exegetical problems.
9
B. QUOTATIONS
In our monograph Language and Interpretation in the Syriac Text of Ben

Sira, we discussed a number of quotations from Sirach in Syriac litera
ture, evaluating previous research by M. M. Winter, R. J. Owens, W.
Strothmann and W. D. McHardy, and in a separate article we dealt
with the complex character of the Sirach quotations in the works of
Philoxenus of Mabbug. We will not repeat what we have written there,
but just give a short summary.
In the earliest Syriac literature up to the fifth century, quotations
from Sirach occur in the works of Ephrem, Pseudo-Ephrem, Aphrahat,
The Book of Steps (Liber Graduum), and The Life ofEulogius the StoneCutter. These sources predate the earliest biblical manuscripts contain
ing Sirach, which date from the sixth or seventh century (see above).
M. M. Winter held the opinion that these quotations in early Syriac
literature demonstrate that once there existed a Vetus Syra of Sirach,
10
11
13
12
14
15
Cf. Van Peursen, "La diffusion des manuscrits bibliques conservs," 199, with fur
ther references, to which we can now add : J. A. Loopstra, "Patristic Selections in the
'Masoretic Handbooks of the Qarqapt Tradition" (2 vols.; Ph.D. diss., Catholic Uni
versity of America, 2009).
For details see above, note 3.
M. M. Winter, Ben Sira in Syriac (Ph.D. diss., Freiburg, 1974); idem, "The Origins
of Ben Sira in Syriac," VT27 (1977): 237-53 (Part I), 494-507 (Part II).
R. J. Owens, "The Early Syriac Text of Ben Sira in the Demonstrations of Aphra
hat," JSS 34 (1989): 39-75.
W. Strothmann, "Jesus-Sirach-Zitate bei Afrahat, Ephraem und im Liber Graduum," in A Tribute to Arthur Vbus: Studies in Early Christian Literature and its Envi
ronment, Primarily in the Syrian East (ed. R. H. Fischer; Chicago: Lutheran School of
Theology at Chicago, 1977), 153-8.
W. D. McHardy, A Critical Text of the Syriac Version of Ecclesiasticus (Ph.D. diss.;
Oxford, s.a.).
W. Th. van Peursen, "Sirach Quotations in the Discourses of Philoxenus of Mab
bug: Text and Context," in The Peshitta: Its Use in Literature and Liturgy Proceedings of
the Third Peshitta Symposium Held at Leiden University, 12-15 August 2001 (ed. R. B.
ter Haar Romeny; Monographs of the Peshitta Institute Leiden 15; Leiden: Brill 2006),
243-58.
10
11
12
13
14
15
147
a Syriac translation prior to and different from the Peshitta version,

but this claim cannot be maintained. Nevertheless, the quotations are
interesting because they may shed some light on the earliest Syriac text
of Sirach and because they show how the early Syriac authors treated
Sirach as Scripture.
Another group of quotations that are interesting from a text-historical perspective occurs in the works of Philoxenus of Mabbug. Philoxenus' quotations from the Old Testament play a crucial role in the debate as to whether the Philoxenian revision of the biblical text covered
also some books of the Old Testament. R. G. Jenkins has demonstrated
that this is probably the case for Genesis, Exodus and Isaiah, and
Winter has argued that also the citations from Sirach show that Philoxenus quoted from his own version rather than from the Peshitta. This
claim is hard to maintain, although the remarkable differences between
Philoxenus' quotations and the text in the extant Peshitta manuscripts
still awaits a satisfying explanation.
16
McHardy has investigated quotations from Sirach in some later Syriac sources, such as John Rufus' Plerophories (6th cent.), the letters of
Ishoyabh III (7th cent.), the Synodicon Orientale (8th cent.), the Zuqnin
Chronicle (8th cent.), and Ishodad of Merv's commentary on the New
Testament (9th cent.). The references to Sirach do not reveal striking
differences from the Peshitta text (basically the Textus Receptus), and
if they do, they can be explained as allusions rather than quotations.
C . COMMENTARIES
1. General Survey
17
Commentaries on Sirach in the West Syriac tradition include those

by Bar Salibi (12th cent.) and Barhebraeus (13th cent.). In the East
16
R.G. Jenkins, The Old Testament Quotations of Philoxenus ofMabbug (CSCO 514,
Sub. 84; Leuven, 1989).
Cf. the lists in Strothmann, "Jesus-Sirach-Zitate," 157-8, and N. CalduchBenages, J. Ferrer and J. Liesen, La Sabiduria del Escriba. Edicin diplomtica de la
version siriaca del libro de Ben Sira segn el CodiceAmbrosia.no, con traduccion espahola
e inglesa - Wisdom of the Scribe. Diplomatic Edition of the Syriac Version of the Book
of Ben Sira according to Codex Ambrosianus, with Translations in Spanish and English
(Biblioteca Midrsica 26; Estella: Verbo Divino, 2003), 60-61. Neither of these lists,
however, mentions Isho' bar Nun or the Anonymous Commentary. According to J. P.
van Kasteren, "De Canon des Ouden Verbonds bij de Syrische Christenen," Studin.
Tijdschrift voor Godsdienst, Wetenschap en Letteren n.s. 40 (1908): 385-403, 520-38,
17
148
W I D O VAN PEURSEN
Syriac tradition Sirach is commented upon in Theodor bar Koni s Scholia (8th cent.); Isho' bar Nuns Selected Questions on the Old Testament
(9th cent.); Ishodad of Mervs commentary on the Old Testament (9th
cent.); the Gannat Bussm, a commentary on the East Syriac lection18
ary (10th or 13th cent. ), and the Anonymous Commentary to the Old
Testament. The latter is a designation for three distinct but interrelated
texts,
19
namely, (1) the commentary on Genesis-Exodus 9:32 in MS
(olim) Diyarbakir 22 (8th cent.),
20
(2) an anonymous commentary on

21
the Pentateuch (dependent on Ishodad, and hence of a later date) ; and

(3) a continuation of the latter, covering the complete Old Testament
22
(also dependent on Ishodad, and hence of a later date; 10th cent.? ).

Century
West Syriac
East Syriac
VIII
Theodor bar Koni
IX
Isho* bar Nun

Ishodad of Merv
esp. 525-6, Sirach is also included in a "list of Syriac words from the Bible, the reading
and punctuation of which could cause problems" by Jacob van Edessa, but it is not clear
to us what work of Jacob Van Kasteren is referring to, and for that reason we have not
included it in the present discussion. Perhaps Van Kasteren was thinking of one of the
masoretic manuscripts (see above, section 1.5), of which Jacob was seen as the great
instigator, if not the author. (I am indebted to Bas ter Haar Romeny for this suggestion.)
However, as we shall see below (section 5), Jacob did not acknowledge Sirach as a true
canonical book (pace Van Kasteren ibid.).
Opinions differ about the date of the Gannat Bussm; see the discussion in G.
J. Reinink, Gannat Bussame. 1. Die Adventssonntage (CSCO 501-502, Syr. 211-212;
Leuven: Peeters, 1988), II, ix-x, with further references.
Cf. A. Baumstark, Geschichte der syrischen Literatur mit Ausschlufi der christlichpalstinensischen Texte (Bonn: Marcus und Webers, 1922), 290; L. Van Rompay, "Development of Biblical Interpretation in the Syrian Churches of the Middle Ages," in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. The History of Its Interpretation 1.2 (ed. M. Saebo; Gttingen:
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2000), 559-77, esp. 568-9.
Edition and translation: L. Van Rompay, Le commentaire sur Gense-Exode 9 32
du manuscrit (olim) Diyarbakir (CSCO 483-484, Syr. 205-206; Leuven: Peeters, 1986)
The introduction to Van Rompay s translation also contains a discussion of the other
parts of the Diyarbakir manuscript (II, vii-ix; including the information that fol. 131r138r contains the commentary on Sirach) and the Anonymous Commentary (pp. xlxliv).
Cf. C. Van den Eynde, Commentaire dTlo'dad de Merv sur VAncient Testament 2.
Exode-Deutronome (CSCO 178-179, Syr. 80-81), II (translation), xxiv-xxv.
On this part of the commentary see C. Van den Eynde's introduction to his translation of Ishodad's commentary on the Beth Mawtb: Commentaire dTo'dad de Merv
sur VAncient Testament 3. Livres des Sessions (CSCO 229-230; Syr. 96-97; Louvain: Secrtariat du CorpusSCO, 1962), II, xxxv-xxxvi.
18
19
20
21
22
B E N SIRA IN T H E SYRIAC TRADITION
149
Anonymous Commentary
Gannat Bussm (or XIII)
X
XI
XII
Bar Salibi
XIII
Barhebraeus
Table 3: Commentaries on Sirach in Syriac tradition

Only one out of Isho' bar Nuns 145 Questions on the Old Testament
relates to Sirach: Question 74 deals with Sir 20:4/30:20.
Bussm contains a commentary on Sir 4 4 : l - 4 5 : 2 .
23
The Gannat
24
2. Theodor bar Koni

Theodor bar Koni s Scholia were transmitted in two versions, the Seert
25
26
recension and the Urmiah recension. His commentary is very compact, mainly giving explanations to difficult words. Thus on Sir 1:9
, a o o : v n i - Acv^X c h \ j > o COTDCTXIO c h E a a (huo c h o x a
He explored her, saw her, counted her, and appointed her and He divided
her among all His works
Bar Koni comments:
27
Explored her - revealed her and made her known; counted her - instead
of made her known.
23
C. Molenberg, "The Interpreter Interpreted. Io* bar Nuris Selected Questions on

the Old Testament" (Ph.D. diss., Groningen University, 1990), 170; cf. Van den Eynde's
note to his translation of Ishodad of Merv's commentary on this verse in Livres des Sessions, 11,217, note 2.
Only part of this commentary, dealing with the Sundays of Advent (not including
the commentary on Sir 44:1-45:2) has been published; see G. J. Reinink, Gannat Bussame. 1. Die Adventssonntage (above, note 18).
Edition: A. Scher, Theodorus bar Kni Liber Scholiorum, Pars Prior (CSCO 55,
Syr. 11/65; Paris and Leipzig: E Typographeo Reipublicae etc. and Harrassowitz, 1910),
331-4; translation: R. Hespel and R. Draguet, Thodore Bar Koni. Livre des Scolies 1
(CSCO 431, Syr. 187), 279-80.
Edition: R. Hespel, Thodore bar Koni. Livre des Scolies (recension dVrmiah)
(CSCO 447-448; Syr. 193-194; Leuven: Peeters, 1983), I, 93-4 (text); II, 66-7 (translation).
Text: Scher, Theodorus bar Kni Liber Scholiorum, 332; translation: Hespel and
Draguet, Thodore Bar Koni. Livre des Scolies, 279.
24
25
26
27
W I D O VAN
150
PEURSEN
3. Ishodad of Merv
28
Ishodads commentary is more elaborate, and has much in common

with Bar Konis Scholia? This should probably be explained from a
common source, on which both Bar Koni and Ishodad drew. Sometimes Ishodad quotes various authorities representing different interpretations. Thus on 4:21 r^m^ rt*\=>* r e o i s iture'n J ^ w "For there is a
shame that creates sins," he comments
9
30
31
32
.rf r*A:\ .furf r^^n ^

jirt
Xsx> r&"\ rd^n r^\y<\n
&\cn=3&\
.rH^cvO) t u K ' r?\sy^ r&n* .vnr&
jA f u r ^ s ^ ' c u o t . r d r a r ^ , \ K ' m ^ v n
jirt
vyr^
t u K ' A<\i i r u r ^
(...) . rdi\,n .rdv^Qô rfÂi . jooovaosn KîavXa vyrt'o .Âo^ ,-Aoo ooO^*)
r C ^ o ^ o r d ^ c \ \ j U \^rîa .vy*rs_^:i r ^ r v ^ i ^s* t u r f :un^ta:i >A r&i
Xizen
.-iCY)^\o f ^ n i f i Q r ^ a c n o ^ n
v/yi*> . r m ^ a r f T i r ^
&\<n=)&\
. vy&ur*'
rf&\<M:n
That is to say: when you see deeds, do not be ashamed when you hide
them (i.e., do not hide them out of shame ), lest you too fall into sins.
Mar Aba: that happens if there is shame when someone does not the
things that are proper because of it, as to the correction of his ways, multiplying sins (i.e., there is a shame that multiplies sins, when someone
does not the things that are proper because of shame...). Qatraya: (...)
when you are ashamed of the desire of your own will, which desires
rapine, wickedness etc., then from this shame of uncovered sin you will
be drawn. Others: when you are in the position of judgeship, do not be
ashamed of someone, even if he is greater than you in family or in age and
show partiality, because a similar shame of many sins should draw you.
33
4.
>
Barhebraeus
34
Barhebraeus commentary is more elaborate and sometimes more

"philological." Thus, after a general discussion of the book of Sirach and
28
Edition and translation: Van den Eynde, Livres des Sessions (above, note 22), I,
174-97 (text), II, 207-33 (translation).
Compare the many references to Bar Koni in the footnotes in Van de Eynde's
translaton of Ishodads commentary.
Cf. A. Salvesen, "Obscure Words in the Peshitta of Samuel, according to Theodore Bar Koni," in Ter Haar Romeny, The Peshitta: Its Use in Literature and Liturgy (see
note 15), 339-49, esp. 339 (with further references).
On the authorities quoted by Ishodad see also Van den Eynde's introduction to
his translation: Livres des Sessions, II, x-xxx ("Les sources"), esp. xxii (on Sirach).
Van den Eynde, Livres des Sessions, 1,177 (text), II, 210-11 (translation).
Cf. Van den Eynde, Livres des Sessions II (CSCO 230, Syr. 97), 210: "ne (les) cache
pas par respect humain."
Edition and translation: S. Kaatz, Die Scholien des Gregorius Abulfaragius Bar
29
30
31
32
33
34
151
the name of its author, the first remark that Barhebreus makes concerns
chnxa in 1:9 (quoted above, in section 3.2), on which he comments that
the Dalath has a Rukkakha, in other words, that this verb should be
read as a Peal rather than a Pael This analysis agrees with the gloss
that he gives, namely *\:u, "renews her," because both the Peal and the
Pael can have the meaning "to search out," "to investigate," but the Peal
can also mean "to restore, repair." This example illustrates the way in
which Barhebraeus takes up the masoretic tradition. Remarks of this
type are found throughout his commentary alongside the identifications of the meaning of certain words or ambiguous expressions.
35
36
5. Johannes of Mosul
37
Another work that is sometimes listed as a commentary on Sirach is

authored by Johannes of Mosul (13th cent.). This work, however, is
not a commentary in the tradition of the aforementioned Syriac scholars, but rather a "moralizing commentary" or a "poetic reworking"
of sections from Sirach. In his work cfHao* * \ O A * . ("The Beauty of Discipline"), Johannes discusses human virtues and vices. To this he adds
his commentary to the three Wisdom books Proverbs, Sirach and Qoheleth. Strothmann gives the following characterization of his work:
38
39
41
40
42
Johannes von Mossul, der im. 13. Jahrhundert gelebt hat, behandelt in
seinem Werk, r^Hsc* )*G\X*.
(Schnheit des Wandels), das er im siebensilbigen Metrum verfafit und in vierzeilige Strophen gegliedert hat, eth-
Hebraeus zum Weisheitsbuch des Josua ben Sira nach vier Handschriften des Horreum
Mysteriorum mit Einleitung, Vbersetzung und Anmerkungen (Halle, 1892).
Kaatz, Die Scholien, 7 (text), 21 (translation).
R. Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus (2 vols.; Oxford: Clarendon, 1897-1901), I,
452-3; J. Payne Smith, A Compendious Syriac Dictionary Founded upon the Thesaurus
Syriacus byR. Payne Smith (Oxford: Clarendon, 1903), 35b-36a.
Thus, e.g., Strothmann, "Jesus-Sirach-Zitate," 157-8.
Edition and translation: W. Strothmann, Johannes von Mossul. Bar Sira, herausgegeben, bersetzt und mit einem vollstndigen Wortverzeichnis versehen (Gttinger
Orientforschungen 1/19; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1979).
Cf. Calduch-Benages, Ferrer and Liesen, Wisdom of the Scribe, 62: "un comentario de tono moralizante al libro de Ben Sira en 1184 versos de siete silabas con rima
final."
Cf. Baumstark, Geschichte der syrischen Literatur, 307: "poetische" Bearbeitung.
Cf. K. Deppe, Kohelet in der syrischen Dichtung. Drei Gedichte uber das KoheletBuch von Afrm, Jakob von Sarug und Johannes von Mossul herausgegeben, bersetzt und
mit einem vollstndigen Worterverzeichnis versehen (Gttinger Orientforschungen 1/6;
Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1975), 122-47.
Strothmann, Johannes von Mossul, ix-x.
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
WIDO VAN PEURSEN
152
ische Problme der Lebensfuhrung. (...) Johannes von Mossul beschreibt

menschliche Tugenden und Laster und fugt seinen Darlegungen einen
Bibelkommentar an, in dem er die drei Weisheitsbucher, Proverbia, Jesus
Sirach, und Kohelet, exegesiert, die er entsprechend der nestorianischen
Bibeltradition in r&x_ (Abschnitte) einteilt. In diesen Kommentaren
will er nicht Weisheit und Erkenntnis vermitteln, sondern moralische
Anweisungen und Ratschlge geben. Deshalb erklrt er auch nicht jeden
Vers, sondern nimmt eine Auswahl vor. Durch diese biblischen Schriften
erlutert und rechtfertigt er seine ethischen Grundstze.
Although Johannes' commentary is far from linguistic or philological,
his work occasionally sheds light on the interpretation of a difficult expression. Thus Sir 4:21 (see above, section 3.3) is reworked as follows:
43
.rdi\CDC\jj
r d i n > a : r n & \ c u : i rt'fcvfcvcna ^ o ^ \ K * r ^ r t ' c n r j r f v y r t '
.ncf)t\S\^^
^V3&uacc*rt
cnom^ +âaA^x
r v a : i r t ' i ^ c n r j ruK' rxu^:\ t
K'îjJSO r^VriC\-M
IK'tNCUj^X f ^ n n s ' w a . r t ' & j j r f
I r d i o r j o j c &vl^.
r^LinX
There is a shame that creates sins due to the companionship of famous

people and famous friends, who are regarded as fathers. And there is a
profitable shame, that is set free of shortage and that is a reason for forgiveness of all sins by nature. There is a shame that creates sin for the
judge for another reason that perverts the judgeship due to discretion
and fear.
D.
LITURGY
Some readings from Sirach occur in Syriac liturgies. In Table 4 we give

the following sources: (1) "COMES"; (2) the liturgy of the Upper Monastery; (3) the lectionary system of the Church of Kokhe. The first, COMES,
is an index of scriptural readings from the fifth or sixth century, preserved in manuscript B.M. Add. 14,528. It is the oldest available index of
readings and has played a key role in the research into the early history
of Syriac liturgy by F. C. Burkitt, A. Baumstark, W. F. Macomber, K.
44
43
45
46
Strothmann, Johannes von Mossul, 12-3.

Cf. F. C. Burkitt, "The Early Syriac Lectionary System," Proceedings of the British
Academy 10 (1923): 301-38.
Cf. A. Baumstark, Nichtevangelische syrische Perikopenordnungen des ersten
Jahrtausends im Sinne vergleichender Liturgiegeschichte untersucht (Liturgiewissenschaftliche Quellen und Forschungen 15; 2nd d.; Munster, Westfalen: Aschendorff,
1972), 10-14.
Cf. W. F. Macomber, "The Chaldean Lectionary System of the Cathedral Church
of Kokhe," OCP 33 (1967): 483-516.
44
45
46

47
153
48
D. Jenner and S. P. Brock. Regarding the second, the monastic liturgy

of the Upper Monastery, and the third, the cathedral liturgy, Macomber
has argued that they represent two strands in the East Syriac rite.
Source
49
Sirach passage
Occasion
44:1-49:6
Thursday in the Week of Rest,

(i.e., the week after Easter)
50
COMES
44:1-45:26
36:1-17
Liturgy of the Upper Monastery 44:1-45:4 (van:
44:1-23)
Commemoration of Martyrs
51
52
Rogation of the Ninevites

Fridays of the Saints
53
31:8-11; 32:18-22a;
8th (var. 7th) Friday of Epiphany
39:l-4a, 5b-14
54
Liturgy of the Church of Kokhe
50:1-... 16-26
50:1-... 16-26
55
56
Table 4: Passages from Sirach used in Syriac liturgy
E.
SYRO-HEXAPLA
1. The Hexaplaric recension of the deutero-canonical
books
The Hexapla is commonly described as Origens attempt to establish

the relations between the Hebrew text of the Old Testament and the
Septuagint,
47
57
but this qualification does not give a satisfying answer to
Cf. K. D. Jenner, "De perikopentitels van de gellustreerde Syrische kanselbijbel

van Parijs (MS Paris, Bibliothque Nationale, Syriaque 341): een vergelijkend onderzoek naar de oudste Syrische perikopenstelsels" (Ph.D. diss., Leiden University, 1994),
11-15.
Cf. S. P. Brock, "the Use of the Syriac Versions in the Liturgy," in Ter Haar Romeny, The Peshitta: Its Use in Literature and Liturgy, 3-25, esp. 5-6.
Cf. Jenner, Perikopentitels, 15-17; Macomber, "The Chaldean Lectionary System"; Baumstark, Nichtevangelische syrische Perikopenordnungen, 14-70 (on the liturgy
of the Upper Monastery), 70-77 (on the liturgy of the Church of Kokhe).
Burkitt, "The Early Syriac Lectionary System," 311; Jenner, Perikopentitels, 400,
460.
Burkitt, "Early Syriac Lectionary System," 313; Jenner, Perikopentitels, 400,460.
Baumstark, "Nichtevangelische syrische Perikopenordnungen," 62,64.
Baumstark, "Nichtevangelische syrische Perikopenordnungen," 52-4.
Macomber, "Chaldean Lectionary System," 500.
D. C. Parker, "Hexapla of Origen, The," ABD III, 188-9, esp. 188: "Origens aim
was to establish a relationship between the Septuagint (LXX) and Hebrew texts of the
OT"; A. Vbus, The Hexapla and the Syro-Hexapla. Very Important Discoveries for
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
WIDO VAN PEURSEN
154
the question as to the purpose and sources of the Hexplaric recension

of Sirach and other books that are not included in "the Hebrew text
of the Old Testament." Thus in the case of Sirach, questions that arise
are: Was the Hexaplaric recension also the work of Origen, or rather
of other scholars after him? Does it reflect an attempt to demonstrate
the relations between the Septuagint and a Hebrew text? Was a Hebrew
source used for that purpose, or rather Greek texts that allegedly were
more faithful to the Hebrew?
The same questions apply to the other deutero-canonical or apoc
ryphal books, including Tobit, 1(3) Esdras, Wisdom of Solomon, Baruch, the Epistle of Jeremiah, Suzanne, and Bel and the Dragon. Some
of these books do not stem from Hebrew originals, which makes the
commonly stated purpose of Origens work even more inapplicable.
Nevertheless, for most of these books scholars have argued for the
existence of a "Hexaplaric recension" in the Greek tradition, which also
constituted the basis for the Syro-Hexapla in the Syriac tradition. In
some cases the Hexaplaric recension entered into Peshitta manuscripts
and replaced another version. Thus in the case of Tobit, MS 8fl con
tains the complete Hexaplaric text, whereas other sources, including
the pandect 12al, combine a Hexaplaric text (1:1-7:11) and "another
version which cannot be properly called the Peshitta" (7:12-end).
58
2. The Hexaplaric recension of Sirach

With respect to Sirach, J. Ziegler has argued that the cumulative evi
dence of the text of Sirach in the Syro-Hexapla and the Greek text in
Minuskel 253 shows that a Hexaplaric recension of Sirach existed, per
haps made by Origen himself, but more likely by his students Eusebius
or Pamphilus. In the Syro-Hexaplaric version of Sirach the Asterisk
was used to mark additions, although this usage seems to have been
59
60
Septuagint Research (Papers of the Estonian Theological Society in Exile 22; Stockholm:
ETSE, 1971), 2: "[W]hat he had set as his goal was the conformation of the Septuagint
with the current Hebrew text, producing a Greek version corresponding as closely as
possibel to the Veritas Hebraica."
J. C. H. Lebram, "Tobit," in The Old Testament in Syriac according to the Peshitta
Version IV/6 Canticles or Odes, Prayer ofManasseh, Apocryphal Psalms, Psalms of Solo
mon, Tobit, I (3) Esdras (Leiden: Brill, 1972), ii; idem, "Die Peschitta zu Tobit 7,11-14,
15? ZAW 69 (1957): 185-211.
J. Ziegler, "Die hexaplarische Bearbeitung des griechischen Sirach," BZ, N.F. 4
(1960): 174-85, esp. 181.
R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach erklrt (Berlin: Reimer, 1906), lxxiv; Zie
gler, "Die hexaplarische Bearbeitung des griechischen Sirach," 177-78; pace A. Schlat58
59
60
155
61
restricted to Chapters 1-13. The Obelos is not used and in the Minuskel 253 neither the Asterisk nor the Obelos is used. The assumption that the Asterisk marks additions raises the question as to which
texts were used for the comparison and the identification of "additions."
There is no one-to-one relationship between the passages marked with
an Asterisk and, for example, the readings of the so-called Expanded
Text of Sirach.
According to Ziegler the yardstick against which the Greek text was
evaluated was the Hebrew text, but the actual comparison was done
on the basis of Greek witnesses that were revised according to the Hebrew text, a phenomenon that is also found in the proto-canonical
books of the Prophets. This implies that the Hexaplaric reworking of
Sirach was basically the result of the comparison of various Greek witnesses. They show a philological interest by scholars, who had to deal
with the variety of Greek versions that circulated in the first centuries
of the Common Era, a variety that is also visible in the various readings
that are commonly called the Expanded Greek Text of Sirach or GrII.
As Ziegler puts it:
62
63
64
Man kann annehmen und es aus dem Wortschatz von GrII auch beweisen, dafi nicht nur eine, sondern mehrere griech. bersetzungen oder
Revisionen des Sirach im Umlauf waren. Diese wurden fleifiig benutzt
und schon von Origenes mit dem alten griech. Text des Enkels verglichen
und bearbeitet; besonders hat man die fehlenden Teile ergnzt, ganz so
wie es Origenes spter in seiner Hexapla getan hat. Solche "hebraisieren-
ter, Das neugefundene hebrische Stuck des Sirach. Der Glossator des griechischen Sirach
und seine Stellung in der Geschichte der jdischen Thologie (BFCT 1,5-6; Gutersloh:
Bertelsmann, 1897), 103.
Cf. Ziegler, "Die hexaplarische Bearbeitung des griechischen Sirach," 178.
J. Ziegler, Sapientia Iesu Filii Sirach (Septuaginta 12/2; 2nd d.; Gttingen:
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1980), 58; Ziegler, "Die hexaplarische Bearbeitung des griechischen Sirach"; on the relationship between the O-version and the Hebrew text see
also idem, "Die Vokabel-Varianten der O-Rezension im Griechischen Sirach," in Hebrew and Semitic Studies Presented to Godfrey Rolles Driver in Celebration of his Seventieth Birthday 20 August 1962 (ed. D. W. Thomas and W. D. McHardy; Oxford: Clarendon, 1963), 172-90.
Ziegler, "Die hexaplarische Bearbeitung des griechischen Sirach," 182; cf. ibid.
184-5: "Wie bei der Untersuchung ber die hexaplarische und lukianische Rezension
mufi man von den anderen Buchern der LXX, namentlich der Proph.-Sept., ausgeben
[sic]. Hier is deutlich zu sehen daft Origenes (und auch Lukian) ihre Zustze und Wortlautnderungen nicht direkt von einer hebr. Handschrift, sondern von den jungeren
griech. bersetzern, namentlich von Theodotion, bezogen. So wird es sich auch beim
griech. Sir verhalten haben."
Ziegler, "Die hexaplarische Bearbeitung des griechischen Sirach," 185.
61
62
63
64
i 6
WIDO VAN PEURSEN
den' Texte lagen bereits Clemens von Alexandrien vor, der gerade von
Sir zahlreiche Zitate bringt, die GrII nahe stehen. (...) Schliefilich haben
Origenes (oder ein Spterer) und Lukian dise Quellen ausgeschpft,
und aus den Rinnsalen ihrere Rezensionen sind uns wertvolle Teile der
jngeren griech. bersetzungen des Sir geflossen, die man meinetwegen
als "GrII" bezeichnen kann, wobei aber immer bemerkt werden mufi,
dafi GrII keine einheitliche Grfie ist.
3. The Syrohexaplaric version of Sirach in the Syriac tradition

In the Syriac tradition the Syro-Hexapla of Sirach underwent the same
fate as the Syro-Hexapla of the other books of the Old Testament. It
was considered as the representative of the Greek Bible and was often
referred to as "the Greek" or "the Translation of the Seventy." The need
to make a translation from the Greek Old Testament probably arose
among Syriac scholars who translated Greek commentaries into Syriac
and found that the text that the exegetes were writing about was not
identical to their own Syriac Bible. It can also be seen against the more
general background of a strong orientation towards the Greek culture
and the increasing prestige of the Greek language and literature. However, although for some time its influence was strong, neither in scholarship nor in liturgy did the Syro-Hexapla replace the Peshitta.
65
66
67
The Syro-Hexapla was used in Syriac scholarship. The West Syriac

exegete Dionysius bar Salibi wrote commentaries on some books (not
including Sirach) in the Syro-Hexaplaric version in addition to his
commentary on the Peshitta, and the East Syriac exegete Ishodad of
68
65
R. B. ter Haar Romeny, "The Syriac Versions of the Old Testament," in Sources
syriaques 1. Nos sources: arts et littrature syriaques (ed. M. Atallah et al.; Antlias:
CERO, 2005), 75-105, esp. 101; idem, "The Greek vs. The Peshitta in a West Syrian
Exegetical Collection (BL Add. 12168)," in Ter Haar Romeny, The Peshitta: Its Use in
Literature and Liturgy, 297-310, esp. 297.
Cf. S. P. Brock, "Toward a History of Syriac Translation Technique," in III Symposium Syriacum 1980 (ed. R. Lavenant; Orientalia Christiana Analecta 221; Rome,
1983), 1-14; T. M. Law, "La version syro-hexaplaire et la transmission textuelle de la
Bible grecque," in Briquel-Chatonnet and Le Moigne, VAncient Testament en syriaque
(see note 6), 101-20, esp. 106.
See further Ter Haar Romeny, "The Syriac Versions of the Old Testament," 102-3;
Law, "La version syro-hexaplaire"; Vbus, The Hexapla and the Syro-Hexapla, 54-60
(= "5. The Role of the Syro-Hexapla").
Cf. S. D. Ryan, "The Reception of the Peshitta Psalter in Bar Salibis Commentary
on the Psalms, in Ter Haar Romeny, The Peshitta: Its Use in Literature and Liturgy,
327-38; idem, Dionysius bar Salibis Factual and Spiritual Commentary on Psalms 73-82
(CahRB 57; Paris: Gabalda, 2004), 46-53. Among other things, Ryan modifies the gen66
67
68
157
Merv frequently refers to the Syro-Hexapla in his commentary on the

Old Testament. In his commentary on Sirach, there is a reference to
"the Greek" in the explanation of the author s name. Both at the begin
ning and at the end of his commentary Ishodad tells that "the Greek"
has Asira instead of Sira.
69
Although the Syro-Hexapla probably originated in a scholarly mi

70
lieu, it was also used in the West Syriac liturgy. Consequently, West
Syriac Old Testament lectionaries provide a rich source of Syro-Hex71
plaric texts. As A. Vbus puts it:
72
There are sources which manifest a phenomenon which can be inter

preted to mean that attempts were made for this version to make inroads
into the domain of liturgy and cult. Strange as such a phenomenon may
be, that a biblical text of this character so heavily graecized could find
access into the realm of liturgy, the testimony of the sources cannot be
contravened.
The West Syriac Old Testament lectionaries ceased to borrow lessons
from the Syro-Hexapla by about 1000 C E ,
73
but there are some inter
esting examples of lectionaries from a much later period, which con

tain readings from the Syro-Hexapla, including Mardin Orth. 47 (16th
cent.) and Mardin Orth. 48 (18th cent.).
74
eral consensus that Bar Salibi based his "factual" commentary on the Peshitta and his
"spiritual" commentary on the Syro-Hexapla.
Cf. Van den Eynde's Preface to his translation, Livres des Sessions, II, xxx; see also
below, section 7.
Cf. Brock, "The Use of the Syriac Versions in the Liturgy," 8.
W. Baars, "New Syro-Hexaplaric Texts Edited, Commented Upon and Compared
with the Septuagint" (Ph.D. diss., Leiden University; Leiden: Brill, 1968), 17; cf. Baum
stark, Nichtevangelische syrische Perikopenordnungen, 88-97 (= "B. Die Perikopennotierungen syro-hexaplarischer Hss. des 7. und 8. Jarhhunderts").
Vbus, The Hexapla and the Syro-Hexapla, 58.
Cf. A. Vbus, A Syriac Lectionary from the Church of the Forty Martyrs in Mar
din, Tur'Abdin,Mesopotamia (CSCO 485, Sub. 76; Leuven: Peeters, 1986), xiv; similarly
Baars, New Syro-Hexaparic Texts, 30.
Cf. Vbus, A Syriac Lectionary from the Church of the Forty Martyrs, xiv: "The
fact that even as late as the sixteenth century, under totally changed conditions due to
the catastrophes and calamities that had befallen Syrian Christianity, the version of the
Syro-Hexapla could still exercise attraction, is incredible"; similarly Baars, New SyroHexaparic Texts, 30. Both these manuscripts contain readings from Sirach. For details,
see below.
69
70
71
72
73
74
158
4. Syro-Hexaplaric manuscripts containing Sirach or parts of it

For the text of Sirach in the Syro-Hexapla the most important manuscript is Ambrosian Library C. 313 Inf., a codex from the end of the 8th
or the beginning of the 9th century, containing the Wisdom literature
75
and the Prophets. The text of Sirach 51 is not included in this manuscript, because one folio is missing.
76
Another manuscript contain-
ing Syro-Hexaplaric texts is B.L. Add. 7145. This single leaf from the
9th century includes Sir 31:8.
77
According to Wrights catalogue, it is a
manuscript "whose character and purpose are difficult to determine."

In addition to these two manuscripts,
79
78
there are West Syriac lec-
tionaries that contain passages from the Syro-Hexplaric text of Sirach,

80
including Mardin, Orth. 47 (1569 A.D.) and Mardin, Orth. 48 (1738/9

A.D.).
81
They contain the following readings from Sirach:
Manuscript Folio
39a-39b
Mardin,
Orth. 47
1:16-26
117b-118a 24:1-14
84a
69a-69b
75
Sirach
passage
82
Occasion
Thursday of the fourth week

The Feast of Tabernacles and the Transfiguration
48:1-11
Friday of White
51:6-11
Ninth hour of the Friday of the crucifixion, and

the worship of the adorable cross
Facsimile edition: A. M. Ceriani, Codex Syro-Hexaplaris Ambrosianus photolithographice editus (Monumenta Sacra et Profana 7; Milan: Pogliani, 1874).
Baars, New Syro-Hexaplaric Texts, 4-5: "One folio, with the text of Sirach LI (and
presumably a part of the general introduction to the Minor Prophets) is missing after
folio 96"; pace Ziegler, Sapientia Iesu Filii Sirach, 58: "In Syh fehlt Kap. 51, wohl nicht 'in
Folge einer Versriimmelung der Hs.' (Smend S. LXXII), sondern weil es in der griech.
Vorlage nicht stand."
cf. Baars, New Syro-Hexaplaric Texts, 17: "a single, damaged leaf that is difficult to
read. This leaf, which is to be dated to the 9th century, contains the Syro-Hexaplaric text
of Gn. xxvi 26-31 followed by that of Jos. xxii 1-6; Pr. ii 1-12; Sir. xxxi 8."
78 w Wright, Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum (3 vols.; London: British Museum and Longman & Co, 1870-1872), III, 1201.
A third manuscript is Mosul Orth. 177, which, according to Vbus, Discoveries
of Very Important Manuscript Sources for the Syro-Hexapla, 17, contains Sirach, 1-3
Maccabees, the Book of Josippon, 1(3) Esdras and Tobit, but we were unable to consult
this manuscript.
Edition: A. Vbus, The Lectionary of the Monastery of Azzal in Tur Abdin,
Mesopotamia. A Startling Depository of the Syro-Hexapla Texts. A Facsmile Edition of
Ms. Marin Orth. 47 (CSCO 466, Sub. 73; Leuven: Peeters, 1985). Sir 51:6-11 has also
been edited in Baars, New Syro-Hexaplaric Texts, 129-31 (with discussion on p. 30). On
this manuscript see also Vbus, The Hexapla and the Syro-Hexapla, 59.
Edition: Vbus, A Syriac Lectionary from the Church of the Forty Martyrs (note
73).
76
77
79
80
81
Mardin,
Orth. 48
141b-142a 24:1-14
159
Feast of Tabernacles and the Transfiguration of

our Lord
Table 5: Passage of Sirach (Syro-Hexapla) in West Syriac Lectionaries

Since Sirach 51 is missing in the Ambrosian codex, the text of Sir 51:611 in Mardin, Orth. 47 is important for completing the textual evidence
for the Syro-Hexaplaric text of Sirach. The text of Sir 51:1-5 and 1 2 - 3 0
is still missing.
83
D O C U M E N T S DEALING W I T H T H E CANON
Source
Cent
Sirach
Catalogus Sinaiticus
IV?
Included
Junillus Africanus, Instituta regularia divinae legis (Latin

transi, from Syriac?)
VI
Included
Apostolic Constitutions (Syriac translation from Greek)
ca. 600 "for instruction"
Jacob of Edessa
VII
West-Syriac Synodicon (ed. Vbus)
XII
Excluded
"for instruction"
Abdisho of Nisibis, Nomocanon
XIII
"for instruction"
Abdisho of Nisibis, Codex Librorum
XIII
Included
Table 6: Canonical lists and related sources

Various canonical lists have been preserved in Syriac (see Table 6 ) ,
8 4
and most often Sirach is an undisputed part of the Old Testament canon. Thus it is mentioned as one of the books of the Old Testament in
the Catalogus Sinaiticus edited by Agnes Smith Lewis (prob. 4th cent.).
85
Another early source that is relevant in this context is the Instituta regu-
82
Mardin Orth. 47 according to Vbus, The Lectionary of the Monastery of

Azzal, 11-4; Mardin Orth. 48 according to Vbus, A Syriac Lectionary from the
Church of the Forty Martyrs, xxiii, xxvii.
Baars, New Syro-Hexaparic Texts, 27; cf. Vbus, The Lectionary of the Monastery
of Azzal, 36.
For this section we have made ample use of J.-C. Haelewyck, "Le canon de
TAncient Testament en syriaque (manuscrits bibliques, listes canoniques, auteurs),"
in Briquel-Chatonnet and Le Moigne, LAncient Testament en syriaque (see note 6),
141-71. Haelewyck also discusses some disputed sources, which on closer inspection
appear not to give a list of the books of the Old Testament canon, but rather an inventory of literary works. However, a discussion of all these sources is beyond the scope of
the present article.
A. Smith Lewis, Catalogue of the Syriac Mss. in the Convent of S. Catharine on
Mount Sinai (Studia Sinaitica 1; London and Cambridge: Clay and Cambridge University Press, 1894), 4-16.
83
84
85
i6o
laria divinae legis of Junillus Africanus, which is allegedly a Latin translation from Syriac, composed in the middle of the 6th cent.
86
Sirach is
included in these sources, as it is in later sources, such as the catalogue

of Syriac writings of Abdisho of Nisibis (13th cent.).
87
Whereas all these sources seem to consider Sirach as an undisputed

part of the Old Testament, a somewhat different formulation is found
in the Syriac translation of the Apostolic Constitutions (ca. 600 CE). This
translation has been preserved in three versions: an ancient one, which
has been preserved in six manuscripts, one of them edited by Lagarde;
88
and two later versions, one included in the West-Syriac Synodicon edited by Vbus
89
and one in the East-Syriac Nomocanon of Abdisho* of
Nisibis ( t 1318). In these sources a list of biblical books is followed by

the following remark:
v \ W rîsAcx., \rr> 6cm r?hzr\-\\* ,rf\\j*
rxliAcvA:\ vyr^ ^cv=A rt'ocnifv i=A
Besides, let there be for you as for the instruction of your children the
wisdom of the very learned Sirach.
90
This seems to suggest that Sirach had a somewhat different position in

the canon. It is questionable, however, whether these sources reflect the
Syriac situation. According to J.-C. Haelewyck, the Syriac text is rather
a faithful translation from the Greek.
86
91
Thus Haelewyck, "Le canon de l'Ancient Testament en syriaque," 151. Edition:

M. Maas, Exegesis and Empire in the Early Byzantine Mediterranean. Junillus Africanus
and the Institua Regularia Divinae Legis (With a contribution by E. G. Matthews, Jr;
with the Latin text established by H. Kihn; translated by M. Maas; Studien und Texte zu
Antike und Christentum 17; Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2003), with reference to Sirach
on pp. 134-5.
Facsimile edition: I. Perczel, The Nomocanon of Metropolitan Abdisho of Nisibis.
A Facsimile Edition of MS 64 from the Collection of the Church of the East in Thrissur
(with a new introduction by H. Kaufhold; Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias, 2005); cf. D. Phillips,
"The Reception of Peshitta Chronicles: Some Elements for Investigation," in Ter Haar
Romeny, The Peshitta: Its Use in Literature and Liturgy (note 15), 259-95, esp. 288-9;
Van Kasteren, "Canon des Ouden Verbonds," 527.
A. P. de Lagarde, Reliquiae iuris ecclesiastici antiquissimae syriace (Leipzig:
Teubner, 1856).
A. Vbus, The Synodicon in the West Syrian Tradition (CSCO 367-368, 375376; Syr. 161-164; Leuven: Secrtariat du CorpusSCO, 1975-1976), I, 71-2 (text), II,
83 (translation).
Lagarde, Reliquiae iuris ecclesiastici antiquissimae syriace, p. Q>. The Synodicon and
Abdisho's Nomocanon contain the same remark with small differences; cf. Phillips, "The
Reception of Peshitta Chronicles," 288-9 (quoting Abdisho's Nomocanon).
Haelewyck, "Le canon de l'Ancient Testament en syriaque," 153: "Il nous parat
toutefois que le tmoignage des Canon Apostoliques n est pas retenir. Le traducteur
syriaque, par fidlit l'original grec, a repris le texte de sa source tel quel, sans l'adapter
87
88
89
90
91
BEN SIRA IN THE SYRIAC TRADITION
l6l
A different voice was also heard. The great West Syriac scholar Jacob
of Edessa ( t 708) explicitly excluded Sirach from the Old Testament
canon in one of his letters. This may be related to his concern for the
avoidance of controversies or speculations and for the preservation and
continuation of the Christian tradition in response to the challenges
that the Church had to face at the end of the seventh century, especially
due to the rise of Islam. However, given the stable position of Sirach in
the rest of the Syriac tradition, Jacobs rejection of it as part of the canon
remains enigmatic, as do some other particular views of Jacob.
92
G . T H E AUTHOR'S NAME AND IDENTITY
The author s name varies considerably in the ancient textual witnesses. Thus the Hebrew manuscript B has KTD p nt^N p yw p
"Simeon son of Eleazar son of Sira" (50:27) andfcapJWjnttP p liyow
KTD p "Simeon son of Yeshua, who is called Ben Sira" (subscription).
In 50:27 the Septuagint has Irao ui (e)ipax EXeaap IepoaoXuprrri, "Jesus, son of Sirach Eleazar, the Jerusalemite."
93
In Syriac the author is most often called

"Bar Sira," but instead of re'W* "Sira" we find also rt\ia>r< "Asira" (thus, e.g., the subscription in MS 7 a l ) , v^w "Sirach" (thus e.g. the superscription in
the Syro-Hexapla), and
(thus e.g. Jacob of Edessa in the letter
mentioned in section 6). We further find combinations of "Simeon,"
"Yeshua" and "[A]Sira/Sirach" such as nCvx \=> ^^ô}^yi^
"Simeon
who is called the son of Sira" (superscription in MS 9c 1) and
K ' W K ' \=> rt\nhza*
^ o ^ i x . "Yeshua, the son of Simeon, who is called
the son of Asira" (superscription in MS 12al). In the Ambrosian codex
of the Syro-Hexapla we find vîiite* mira ^C\JL "Yeshua, son of Sirach"
94
la situation propre de son glise syriaque."

Letter to John ofLitarba; manuscript: B.L. Add. 12,172; translation: F. Nau, "Cinq
lettres de Jacques d'desse Jean le Stylite," Revue de VOrient Chrtien 2.4/14 (1909):
427-40, esp. 429; for details see also J. J. van Ginkel, "Greetings to a Virtuous Man: The
Correspondence of Jacob of Edessa," in Jacob of Edessa and the Culture of His Day (ed.
R. B. ter Haar Romeny; Monographs of the Peshitta Institute Leiden 18; Leiden: Brill,
2008), 67-81, esp. 78.
See e.g. J. F. Coakley, "The Old Man Simeon (Luke 2.25) in Syriac Tradition," OCP
47(1981): 189-212, esp. 201.
Ishodad attributes this version of the author's name to "the Greek"; cf. above,
section 5.3.
92
93
94
12
(superscription) and rte&x.\art

Û^LW*
"Yeshua, son of
Sirach, of Eleazar, the Jerusalemite.
Whereas the name rt\xa> and ^ ( r ^ w can easily be explained as
mirroring the Hebrew and the Greek form of the name respectively, the
alternative K'wsne' is remarkable. Smend calls it simply "schlecht," but
it seems that there is more going on than just a scribal error.
In this context we should recall an interesting publication by J. E
Coakley in which he discusses Syriac sources that attest to traditions
that identify Sirach as the son of the High Priest Simeon, the son of
Onias (whom the author praises in Chapter 50) and identify this Simeon with the old man Simeon in Luke 2, to whom "it had been revealed
by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lords
Christ" (Luke 2:26). In other words: Bar Asira was the son of Simeon,
the one who was "bound" (hence asira) to live until the Messiahs arrival in the temple. Thus we find in Ishodad s commentary:
>>
95
96
97
RLxCN=3
^p*A C R A N T . a
y\ir.
O C B
r?\x&
K ' C T T - W R\RVX.O
IRAI
K ' O M
^*R\r^s>
^cncorf*
JGOOJLX
yt*n\rva ^
ojL>T\^>T\R<'O
^LINRC*
,c73C\^..I
Some transmit that he who carried our Lord in the temple on his hands
is the father of Bar Sira and his life lasted 216 years.
The same tradition, without the modal nuance that there are "some"
who say so, is found in Ishodads commentary on Luke:
98
rîjojj is rijci:i om m b
crA
omi^â rdioo ^cw^T.a .rîlncu^ rdr>^\-\-> .n*r\^
R ^ C N - S . RVRUIO ^ * \ R Z >
r^\r.
^ O M S
It is written in the book of Jubilees" that this Simeon who carried our
Lord is the son of Onias son of Onias the High Priest and the father of
Jesus bar Sira. For he was bound in spirit until that time, which was 216
years.
100
This identification of the author s father is also found in Barhebraeus'

commentary on Sirach, and in a number of other sources which have
95
Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach erklart, xiv.

Coakley, "The Old Man Simeon."
Van den Eynde, Livres des Sessions, 1,174, (text), II, 208 (translation); cf. Coakley,
"The Old Man Simeon," 199, note 37.
M. D. Gibson, The Commentaries on the New Testament of Ishodad ofMerv Bishop
ofHadatha (c. 850 A.D.) in Syriac and English (with an introduction by J. R. Harris; 5
vols.; Horae Semiticae 5-7,10-11.1-2; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 19111916), III, x. (text), 1,155 (translation).
This was probably a Christian Chronicle; see Van den Eynde, Livres des Sessions,
II, xix; Coakley, "The Old Man Simeon," 200.
On this reading see Coakley, "The Old Man Simeon," 199, note 39.
96
97
98
99
100
163
101
been described in detail by J. F. Coakley, including the Maronite

Chronicle (7th cent.), a letter of George the bishop of the Arabs (8th
cent.), Dionysius bar Salibis commentary on Luke (12th cent.), and
Michael the Greats Chronicle (12th cent.). These sources show that the
exegetical tradition under discussion was wide-spread, even though alternative traditions are attested as well and some of these sources give
the various traditions together. Thus Bar Salibi gives seven alternative
identifications of the old man Simeon in his commentary to Luke 2:25,
including not only the identification with the father of Bar Asira, but
also with, for example, Simeon the son of Jeshua the son of Jozadak,
who returned from the Babylonian exile, which requires even a much
older age for the old man in Luke 2.
It is debatable whether the name Asira laid the basis for the exegetical traditions that identify this Asira with the old man Simeon in the
temple, or rather the other way round, that the exegetical tradition enhanced the renaming of Bar Sira into Bar Asira. Coakley has argued
that the latter is the case because of, on the one hand, the wide distribution of the exegetical tradition, which suggests that it was already well
known before its earliest attestations in the seventh century, and, on the
other hand, the gradual spread of the name Asira, only from the seventh century onwards. The identification may have been stimulated
by some Sirach passages that could be regarded as allusions to the old
man Simeon in the temple, especially 48:11, which in the Peshitta
reads
102
103
Blessed is he who sees you and dies. But he will not die, but will certainly
live.
For those acquainted with the New Testament, it would not have been
difficult to read this verse as an allusion to Simeons words in Luke 2:2930 (RSV: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast
prepared in the presence of all peoples").
101
Coakley, "The Old Man Simeon."

Thus Coakley, "The Old Man Simeon," 205.
See Coakley, "The Old Man Simeon," 203; Van Peursen, Language and Interpretation, 119; idem, "Que vive celui qui fait vivre: le texte syriaque de Sirach 48:10-12," in
L enfance de la Bible hbraque. Histoire du texte de Y Ancien Testament (ed. A. Schenker
and Ph. Hugo; Le monde de la Bible 52; Genve: Labor et fides, 2005), 286-301, esp.
299-300.
102
103
i64
WIDO VAN PEURSEN
H.
CONCLUSIONS
In the Syriac tradition Sirach plays an undeniable role as part of the Old
Testament scriptures. It occurs in biblical manuscripts, including three
of the four pandects from the period up to the twelfth century, the Beth
Mawtb manuscripts, and the masoretic manuscripts.
Sirach is quoted as Scripture from the first phase of patristic Syriac
literature onwards. The patristic quotations shed some light on the tex
tual history of the Syriac version of Sirach, but Winter s claims about
the existence of a Vetus Syra (appearing in the earliest patristic quota
tions) and of a Philoxenian version (appearing from Philoxenus' own
quotations from Sirach) cannot be maintained.
The great commentators Theodor bar Koni, Ishodad of Merv and
Barhebraeus included Sirach in their biblical commentary. The char
acter of their commentaries, from the very compact explanation of dif
ficult words by Bar Koni, through the somewhat more elaborate pres
entation of various interpretations by Ishodad, to Barhebraeus' rather
comprehensive commentary, which also draws on the masoretic tradi
tion, agrees with the development of the Syriac exegetical tradition that
we know for other biblical books.
A different type of commentary is the poetic reworking by Johannes
of Mosul, which shows that commentaries on Sirach arose not only
from philological and exegetical interests, but also from the practical
interest to convey Sirachs moral instructions and adapt it to the literary
exigencies of a later period.
Several passages from Sirach were used on various occasions in Syr
iac liturgy, which again shows the solid place of Sirach as Scripture in
the Syriac tradition. In our discussion of the Syro-Hexapla we had to
touch upon a question that has been largely ignored in Hexapla studies,
namely, the question as to what we mean when we speak of Hexapla
ric recensions of those books to which the general characterization of
Origens work as an attempt to establish the relationship between the
Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint does not apply. The existence of these
recensions requires a somewhat broader description of their purpose
in terms of a philological interest of scholars who had to deal with a
variety of Greek versions.
Just as other parts of the Syro-Hexapla, the Syro-Hexaplaric ver
sion of Sirach functioned not only as an object of study, but also as a
source of liturgical readings. Although these readings never replaced
16
the Peshitta, their influence was rather strong and continued untill long
after the high days of the Syro-Hexapla as two lectionaries from Mardin
(from the 16th and the 18th centuries) show.
Documents dealing with the canon, such as canonical lists, confirm
our observation that Sirach had a solid place as Scripture in the Syriac
tradition. The only source that reflects some reservation in this respect,
the Syriac version of the Apostolic Constituents, is a faithful translation
from the Greek and reflects the Greek rather than the Syriac situation.
At the end of our survey of the place of Sirach in the Syriac tradi
tion we discussed various traditions about the name and identity of
the author. Whereas the names Bar Sira and Bar Sirach can easily be
explained as mirroring the Hebrew and the Greek forms of the author s
name, an alternative form, Bar Asira, is related to, and probably even
depends on, an exegetical tradition that identifies this Sira(ch)/Asira
with Simeon the High Priest whom the author praises in Chapter 50 as
well as with the old man Simeon in Luke 2. After having been "bound"
(asir) for 216 years, he appears as an old man in the temple on the day
that Christ is presented there.
ARCHAIC ELEMENTS
IN THE SYRIAC VERSION OF BEN SIRA
Jan Joosten
In a contribution to the Moshe Bar Asher Festschrift, published in

2007, the present writer drew attention to some instances of West Aramaic vocabulary in the Syriac version of Ben Sira. It was tentatively
suggested that those elements reflected the remains of an earlier stage
of the text written in western Aramaic. In the present study, some additions and adjustments to the earlier analysis will be proposed, and the
working hypothesis sketched out in the earlier article will be further
buttressed.
1
A. INTRODUCTION
In spite of the warning against the WW byx the iyXaaoc; or double-tongued (5:14), which all readers of Ben Sira must surely take to
heart, the Syriac version of the book undeniably presents a somewhat
schizophrenic character to the attentive reader. Some of its distinctive
features unequivocally point to a Jewish, even a Rabbinic background.
Clear instances include the mention of the Shekinah in 36:13 and such
typical targumisms as "revealed before him ( , a i o ^ i - ^ ) are all hidden
things" (42:18). Other characteristics, however, equally clearly point to
a Christian milieu. Here one may make mention of a number of allu3
J. Joosten, "lments d aramen occidental dans la version syriaque de Ben Sira,"

in Shaarey Lashon. Studies in Hebrew, Aramaic and Jewish Languages Presented to
Moshe Bar Ashen Vol. IIMishnaic Hebrew and Aramaic (eds. A. Maman, S. E. Fassberg
and Y. Breuer; Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 2007), 42-55.
The textual basis for the present article is the edition of the Syriac text by R de Lagarde, Libri veteris testamenti apocryphi syriace (Leipzig: Brockhaus/London: Williams
& Norgate, 1861). The book of Ben Sira is still missing in the Leiden edition, see W. Th.
van Peursen, "Progress Report: Three Leiden Projects on the Syriac Text of Ben Sira,"
in Ben Siras God. Proceedings of the International Ben Sira Conference Durham-Ushaw
College 2001 (ed. R. Egger-Wenzel; BZAW 321; Berlin: De Gruyter, 2002), 361-70. Important variant readings are quoted in M.M. Winter, A Concordance to the Peshitta
Version of Ben Sira (Leiden: Brill, 1976).
See M.H. Segal, Sepher Ben Sira ha-shalem (2nd edition ; Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik,
1958), 59-63.
See, e.g., Targums Onkelos and Neofiti to Gen 3:5; 29:32; 31:12.
2
168
JAN JOOSTEN
sions to New Testament motifs, for instance the phrase: "his faith will
save him" (>o3cuA\ ,m (Dâ&uai, 3 7 : 1 3 ) .
In linguistic perspective, too, the Syriac version is definitely diglossos. Most of the translation reflects the Syriac language as we know it
from the Peshitta version of other biblical books and from other early
texts. Some of its traits are distinctively Syriac and are found in no other
Aramaic dialects. A reference to the use of the perfect of the verb iôm
with a following participle to express general prescriptions will suffice:
fcuo, means "you should be humble" ( 3 1 : 2 2 ) . This type of syntax
is not found in any other Aramaic dialect. At the same time, the book
contains several features unattested in other Syriac textsand not only
rare animal and plant names.
6
B. W E S T E R N A R A M A I C IN THE SYRIAC VERSION OF B E N SIRA
Some of the foreign features clearly point to a western dialect. In the

earlier article, seven items were listed:
"to hasten" Sir 3 6 ( 3 3 ) : 8
^ W D I "hectic (fever)" Sir 2 6 : 2 6
K'IUA "very" Sir 1:29; 5 1 : 2 4
"to make oneself known" Sir 12:8

rcSiT> "poor, miserable" Sir 4:1
>uxi "to comfort" Sir 4 8 : 2 4
Kdlscvo "darkness" (?) Sir 2 3 : 1 9

>îW "to be pleased" Sir 3 7 : 2 8
Admittedly, not all these elements are equally strong. I would hesitate
today to include
"to comfort." The meaning "to comfort," required
in 4 8 : 2 4 , while attested in no other Syriac texts, is common in western
Aramaic dialects. In Syriac this verb normally means "to resuscitate."
The usage in the Syriac version of Ben Sira may therefore be explained
as an intrusion of a West Aramaic element in the Syriac text. It is also
possible, however, to attribute the usage in 4 8 : 2 4 to the influence of the
Hebrew source text. Contrary to what was affirmed in the earlier article,
influence of the source text on the choice of Syriac words is not uncommon in this version. Consider one example: in 11:27, the clause: "a time
of suffering makes one forget (rD#n piel) pleasure" is rendered: "the
See also the contributions of Wido van Peursen and Bob Owens to the present
volume.
Note also the use of typical Syriac idioms, e.g.: 4:9 vyio^ nfv**\*\; 4:22 rdara anu.
6
ARCHAIC ELEMENTS IN T H E SYRIAC VERSION OF BEN SIRA
169
suffering of a day finds (jjâtv) the happiness." There are several other
instances of this phenomenon, as has been remarked also by Wido van
Peursen in his recent book. In 4 8 : 2 4 , the use of the Syriac verb >MU may
be simply an unintelligent transcription of Hebrew D m
One or other item in the list may similarly leave room for doubt. But
at least the words
"to hasten," <<**A "very,"
"poor, miserable"
and
W "to be pleased" must come from West Aramaic. These words
are never used with these meanings in other Syriac texts. Moreover, the
meanings in questions are normally expressed by other words in Syriac,
even within the Syriac version of Ben Sira itself. "To hasten" is ^Dm\a>
(Sir 4 3 : 5 ) , "very" is ^ (7:17 etc.), "poor" is rf\sm-* and "to be pleased"
is rD_g or >=\j^r<r (15:16; 5 1 : 1 3 ) . The former words, meanwhile, are
the normal ones for expressing those meanings in western Aramaic. In
fact, all four are found in the dialect of Targum Onkelos and Targum
Jonathan.
7
Ben Sira
"to hasten"
K'ruxX "very"
r c s . r , "poor"
^ i W "to be pleased"
Targumic Aramaic
plN TJ 1 Kgs 22:9
tarb TOJ passim
9
xyvn TJ 1 Sam 2:8
*jnnK TO Gen 34:3
Standard Syriac
^m\a>
^
rc^m
>=\_z
C . M O R E EXAMPLES OF WESTERN VOCABULARY
A further instance of West Aramaic usage in the Syriac version of Ben

Sira has come to my attention more recently. In chapter 2 3 (unfortunately lacking in Hebrew), the root .sAr^/^L is used three times with a
meaning unusual in Syriac but typical of western dialects:
Sir 23:9 v>^*>c\& .aXJtv
r^taaoÂ
To oaths do not accustom your mouth (Gk pfj Oian).
Sir 23:13 v ^ a a a
K^CNKCYA ^ r C
Do not accustom your mouth to stupidity either.
See W. Th. van Peursen, Language and Interpretation in the Syriac Text ofBen Sira.
A Comparative Linguistic and Literary Study (MPIL 16; Leiden: Brill, 2007), 54-59.
TO = Targum Onkelos, TJ = Targum Jonathan, TOJ = Onkelos and Jonathan.
Although it is traditionally connected to the root yvn meaning "to be dark" (with
shin), it may be better to connect the adjective with the root *p#n (with sin) meaning "to
withhold, keep back." In any event, the word is systematically written with the U> sign,
not with samekh.
8
170
JAN JOOSTEN
Sir 23:15 *&\ci r^X rfbtt-w* >OOCXOJ >^)cu

r^tvlîb rîsb
i*-^ rîn^
A man accustomed (Gk auveOiuevo) to vain words will not learn wisdom all the days of his life.
In Syriac, the root ^ X r c ' / ^ L invariably refers to learning or studying.
The meaning "to accustom" is unusual in Syriac. It finds a clear parallel, however, in West Aramaic dialects. In Num 22:30, Balaams donkey
says: "Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this
day? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way?" Targum Onkelos
1 1
uses here the root ^ N : p D
TlpQ1? Xl&bx ^bnn. The usage is found
also in Christian Palestinian Aramaic. In Syriac, the normal way to
express the meaning "to accustom" is with the root ^ : nC:u^, "custom,"
"accustomed,"
(pael), "to accustom." There are no examples of
the verb m./*<*. in Ben Sira, but the dictionary of Payne Smith quotes
the phrase: K ' f c v a l ^ * rf\r\\
"one who has accustomed his tongue to
falsehood," which parallels the thought of Sir 23:9. It appears therefore
that the examples in Sir 23:9,13 and 15 may be added to the list of West
Aramaic usages occurring in the Syriac version of Ben Sira.
10
12
13
The hybrid nature of the Syriac version is confirmed also by linguistic features whose distribution is less conclusive. For "grace," Hebrew
TD1, the Syriac version uses both 'rua*, and ^ o n ^ : the former is
typically western and Targumic (and ultimately derives from Hebrew),
while the latter is the normal Syriac word. The word nC:un*>, "grace," is
found a number of times in other Syriac texts, however, which makes
it hard to argue that the word reflects western Aramaic influence in
Syriac Ben Sira. Nevertheless, the occurrence of the two synonyms side
by side remains striking.
14
Similarly, for "city," our version uses both K'k.vi, and nCM.:i=*; for
"friend" it uses rCva*> and rns\; in translating Hebrew
"inclination," it uses both r^\_^ and K'kîrv. In each of these word pairs, the
first term is typically Targumic, the latter more genuinely Syriac.
10
C. Brockelmann, M. Sokoloff, A Syriac Lexicon (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns/Piscataway: Gorgias, 2009), 51, finds the meaning "to accustom, familiarize" in Ahiqar,
but the usage is somewhat different: "Teach your son hunger and thirst, so that he may
learn to direct his household."
The Peshitta has here a different interpretation of this difficult Hebrew verb.
See F. Schulthess, Lexicon Syropalaestinum (reprint of the 1903 edition; Amsterdam: APA - Oriental Press, 1979), 9-10.
See Thesaurus Syriacus (R. Payne-Smith, ed.; Oxford: Clarendon, 1879-1901),
2825; Brockelmann/Sokoloff, Syriac Lexicon, 1076-7. According to the Thesaurus, the
verb ^ is also the one used in the Syrohexapla of Sir 23:9.
In 36:18(13) these two words are variant readings in different manuscripts.
11
12
13
14
1J1
D . A SYRIACIZED VERSION OF A W E S T A R A M A I C T E X T ?
T H R E E TEST CASES
How can one account for this mixture of linguistic features? In the conclusions to the earlier study referred to above it was suggested that a
West Aramaic translation of Ben Sira might have been "syriacized" secondarily and that the remaining western elements are the last residue
of the original translation. The translation would have come about in
two stages: first the Hebrew would have been translated into a West
Aramaic dialect close to the idiom of Targums Onkelos and Jonathan;
then it would have been modified so as to make it comprehensible to
Syriac readers. Clues pointing in this direction are found in the following verses:
15
1.
Sir 23:19
The eyes of God are ten thousand times bigger than the sun, and he sees
the ways of all human beings, and he knows what is in darkness, the face
of their works.
Greek: cxpGaXpol Kvpiou pupiOTtXaaico rjXiou cparreivTepoi TupXTtoTtdaa So vGpdmv Kal KcnravoovTe ei TtKpucpa pprj
The eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun; they
look upon all the ways of human beings and see into hidden corners.
VT
The Hebrew text is unfortunately still lacking in this passage.

In its present form, the Syriac is certainly comprehensible. Nevertheless, the expression "the face of their works" is unexpected and does not
correspond to anything in the Greek text. One may suspect, therefore,
that the word r d l a a o hides a more original r d a a c (presumably pronounced in the same way) meaning "darkness." The notion of darkness fits the context much better. The noun r d ^ a c , "darkness," is not
attested in Syriac, but it is found in western dialects. In one form or
another (*6lp, tibyp more rarely fcmp) it occurs in Targums Onkelos
and Jonathan, the Palestinian Targums, Christian Palestinian Aramaic
16
15
A similar hypothesis has in the past often been defended with regard to the Old
Testament Peshitta but is abandoned in more recent research. See RB. Dirksen, "The
Old Testament Peshitta," in Mikra. Text, Translation, Reading and Interpretation of the
Hebrew Bible in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity, (ed. M. J. Mulder; Assen/Philadelphia: Van Gorcum, 1988), 255-97, inparticular 264-97.
See Joosten, "lments d'aramen occidental," 52-53.
16
JAN JOOSTEN
172
and Samaritan Aramaic. If it be accepted that the original text read

cdrao, "darkness," one may further submit that the Syriac word
entered the text as an explicative gloss on the poorly understood western Aramaic word. Admittedly, the two words,
and rdacvo do
not, in the present text, occupy the same syntactic slot. But this may be
due to later adaptations by scribes, perhaps after the word rdLaoo, "darkness," had been syriacized into rdlrjan, "face." The original Aramaic text
underlying the Syriac may have been:
17
.. .he perceives what is in darkness, their works

Or alternatively:
.. .he perceives the darkness of their works
If this scenario is approximately correct, it transpires that a West Aramaic text, written in a dialect very close to that of Targums Onkelos and
Jonathan, was syriacized at a later stage.
A similar explanation may account also for the text of another passage where a western Aramaic element is present:
2. Sir 37:28
For not all food is good, and not every person is easily reconciled (?).
Hebrew B: nmn |T ta IMMtavh mu ta*? tan tib 'O
For not every thing is good for everyone, and not every person will
choose all kinds (of food).
Bm jtuyn n o 'ib *? *a
D nran IT ta vsu ta ? NVI Jtuyn mo ta*? t
For delights aren't good for everyone, therefore you will not choose all
kinds (of food) for every person.
Greek o yap navra naiv ov\i(ppei Kal ov noa yux ! v navrl OK
For all things are not profitable for all men, neither hath every soul pleasure in every thing (KJV).
1
17
Just in passing, it may be observed that the meaning of the verb J L * * U K ' called
for in this verse, "to look at, to perceive," is that of the Targumic cognate. In Syriac, the
verb more usually means "to understand, to know." But of course, the two meanings
are very close.
ARCHAIC E L E M E N T S IN T H E SYRIAC VERSION OF B E N SIRA
173
In light of the Hebrew and Greek texts, there can be little doubt that
the verbal form r ^ i * v = * in the Syriac text was originally chosen to express the meaning "to be well pleased with, to choose." This meaning
is common for the verb "'jnnN (ithpeel) in Targumic Aramaic, where
the expression ...1
JTjnnK, "his soul was well pleased with," is attested several times. But the meaning is otherwise unattested in Syriac.
In Syriac, the verb means, in the ethpeel, "to think," and in the ethpaal
"to be reconciled, to agree with."
The origin of the Syriac expression must be sought for in West Aramaic. But its meaning in the present form of the Syriac is less than clear.
It should be noted that the text does not follow the Hebrew, nor the
Greek. One would have expected: r&.\*cx> 1*=> T*Y<\\ 1* r * \ o "not every
person is well pleased with every thing" or something similar. One
wonders whether the divergence may be linked to the use of the West
Aramaic element. Could it be that A^D, "with every thing," was changed
into . \ . \ n n "with little, easily" because the meaning "to be well pleased"
was no longer understood? A scribe unfamiliar with the meaning "to be
well pleased" and acquainted only with the meaning "to be reconciled"
might have been tempted to change the non-sensical "every person isn't
reconciled by all things" to "not every person is reconciled easily"
even though this thought did not fit the context. If some such process
explains the Syriac text contained in the manuscripts, this would again
be a case where a text written in western Aramaic was changed at a later
stage so as to conform it to Syriac usage.
3. Sir 23:4
God, my father and lord of my life, do not throw me down into their
apostasy.
Cf. 23:1 Greek: Ki3pie Ttorep K<xi aTtora a>fj uou uf| eyKaTaXiTtnc; ue v
(3ou\fj avxv
O Lord, Father and Governor of all my whole life, leave me not to their
counsels (KJV).
While no Hebrew text is attested, Segal hypothesized on the basis of
the Greek version of 23:1 that the Hebrew text translated into Syriac
read "in their counsel," Dnapn, instead of "in their apostasy." He cau18
18
See Segal, Sefer Ben Sira, 138. Compare the Latin of 23:4 Ne derelinquas me in
cogitatu illorum.
174
JAN JOOSTEN
tiously suggests that Syriac ^ 0 ^ 0 4 , is a corruption of a more original

^ O C T ^ O ^ , "their counsel." Van Peursen argues similarly that the original Syriac text was ^ o * ^ , "their counsel." The reasoning of these
scholars is sound. What neither of them remarks upon, however, is that
the words they reconstruct, ^ < \ % \ \ and rô^, are unattested in Syriac. The meaning "counsel" is consistently expressed by the word r&*
in this language. To my mind, this does not mean that they are wrong,
but an additional stage must be postulated in the textual history. If the
word rc'o^ (or rcr*\oi\,s ) , "counsel," was found in the earliest version
of this passage, this must have happened at a period when the text was
not yet written in Syriac, but in West Aramaic. The word HUP, "counsel,"
is not found in Targums Onkelos and Jonathan, but it does occur in the
Targums to the writings and in Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. Moreover,
the word itself is old, for it is attested several times in the Ahiqar text
found in Elephantine and once in Biblical Aramaic (Dan 2:14).
The change into r C * \ o i s \ , may have come about because Syriac scribes
did not know what to make of the West Aramaic word in this place. The
change reposes essentially on the inversion of two root consonants and
is made easily enough. So, once again, it appears an early version of Ben
Sira into a western Aramaic dialect was secondarily adapted to Syriac
usage.
19
20
These three case studies do not suffice to elevate our working hypothesis to a level of probability which would make it capable of consensus.
Many uncertainties remain in each example. Nevertheless, they concur
in showing how an earlier, western Aramaic, version may have been
syriacized secondarily by later scribes. In all three cases, the later rewriting of the version seems to have been done without reference to the
source text, neither the Hebrew, nor the Greek.
Although it is dangerous to heap hypothesis upon hypothesis, the
analysis of the three passages suggests that the whole translation went
through a similar process. Ben Sira appears to have been translated in
two stages. First a Hebrew source text would have been rendered into
a western Aramaic dialect. Thereafter, the Aramaic version may have
been adapted to the Syriac idiom. This would account for the admix-
19
20
See van Peursen, Language and Interpretation, 9.
See the Targum to Ruth 3:4; 4:22; Esth 1:1; and Pseudo-Jonathan to Gen 10:11;
11:1; 29:22.
175
ture of West Aramaic elements observed above and for the lack of con
stancy in the rendering of some key terms such as "grace" or "city"
E . CONCLUSIONS
The Syriac version of Ben Sira is a writing about which very little is
known. The recent monograph by Van Peursen is a big step forward,
but much remains to be done. It is clear that the translation does not
come from the same group that produced the other books translated
from the Hebrew in the OT Peshitta. But when, where, how and why it
was produced has not been established with any precision. The identity
of the translator(s) remains a mystery.
In principle the mixture of typically Jewish with typically Christian
features could go back to the original translation. The translator would
then have to be identified as a Jewish Christian, or a Christian of Jewish
descent, as has indeed been proposed by Segal and others.
The linguistic profile of the version throws this global approach into
doubt, however. The peculiar mixture of West Aramaic and Syriac ele
ments characterizing this text can hardly be attributed to a single trans
lator or a single team of translators. The linguistic data suggest rather
that the version was produced in two stagesone of translation and
one of adaptation to normal Syriac styleand that the second stage was
carried out incompletely. Close study of a small number of test cases
confirmed this suggestion even although it must be admitted that the
philological analysis of the Syriac version of Ben Sira is challenging.
Since the West Aramaic elements of the version are close to Targumic Aramaic, and since Targumic features are part and parcel of its
Jewish face, one is tempted to characterize the two stages as Jewish and
Christian respectively. An early Jewish "Targum" of Ben Sira would
have been secondarily syriacized in a purely Christian milieu. As our
case studies tend to show, the "syriacizing" was done freely without
reference to the Hebrew source text. Nevertheless, at this point in our
theorizing we have moved beyond what the evidence has told us so far.
More research is needed before we can hope to solve the mysteries of
the Syriac version of Ben Sira.
CHRISTIAN FEATURES
IN THE PESHITTA TEXT OF BEN SIRA:
THE QUESTION OF DEPENDENCY
ON THE SYRIAC N E W TESTAMENT
Robert J. Owens
The General Theological Seminary, New York
Any attempt at a general characterization of the Syriac translation of

Ben Sira is complicated by the formidable variety of its differences from
the extant Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. Though certainly based on
a Hebrew Vorlage, it is full of divergent readings that Levi grouped in
the following categories: commentary; paraphrase; eccentric rendering;
repetition; collapsing of several lines into one; additions; expansions;
misunderstandings. Commentators have identified many of these di
vergent readings as the result of sheer misunderstanding, carelessness,
or accident. Rudolf Smend, for example, famously described Syriac Ben
Sira as "probably the worst piece of translation in the Syriac Bible." Box
and Oesterly concluded that the Syriac translation was "done carelessly
and without much trouble being expended upon it." However, within
this mlange of textual vagaries, some interpreters have claimed to be
able to perceive patterns that reflect an original Christian Tendenz.
Ryssel and Nelson also proposed traces of a Christian hand, but only
as secondary revisions of an original Jewish translation. The careful
1
I. Levi, L'Ecclsiastique ou La Sagesse de Jsus, Fils de Sira (Paris: Ernest Leroux,

1901), l:lii.
R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jsus Sirach erklrt (Berlin: Georg Reimer, 1906),
cxxxvii.
G. H. Box and W. O. E. Oesterly, 'The Book of Sirach; in APOT 1:288.
So, for example, Smend, Weisheit, cxl; N. Peters, Das Buch Jesus Sirach oder Ec
clesiasticus (EHAT 25; Munster: Aschendorff, 1913), lxxviii; Box and Oesterley, APOT
1:288; A. A. Di Leila, The Hebrew Text of Sirach: A Text-Critical and Historical Study
(The Hague: Mouton: 1966), 150.
V. Ryssel, "Die Spriiche Jesus', des Sohnes Sirachs," in APAT, 1:253; M. D. Nelson,
The Syriac Version of the Wisdom ofBen Sira Compared to the Greek and Hebrew Materi
als (SBLDS 107; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1988), 153-54.
2
178
ROBERT J . OWENS
analysis offered in the recent monograph by Wido van Peursenthe

most extensive to datealso points tentatively toward the view that the
Syriac translator was a Christian (or Jewish Christian).
It is mainly the following patterns within the unique Syriac readings
that have been posited as evidence of a Christian hand:
6
- Omits or changes references to altar worship and priesthood, and to the

nation of Israel
- Elevates prayer as the equivalent of cultic worship
- Eliminates or softens references to the Law
- Aggrandizes the spiritual value of poverty
- Introduces the notion of eschatological judgment and eternal life
However, the caution displayed by Van Peursen and most others is
justified by the following facts: 1. None of these proposed tendencies
is entirely consistent throughout the book. Thus, for example, in 1:12
(where the Hebrew is not extant) the Greek reads: "The fear of the Lord
makes the heart rejoice and gives gladness and joy and length of days."
Maybe it is the Christian doctrine of the Syriac translator that leads him
to change "length of days" to "eternal life" (TIUNS rs). But if indeed
the translator s Christian sensibilities are so reactive at this subtle level,
why does that same translator leave 10:11 unchanged: "When a person
dies corruption is his portion and his worm crawls before him"? And
one recalls that "eternal life" (oVip "n) does indeed occur in the He
brew Bible (Dan 12:2) as well as in other Jewish apocalyptic writings. 2.
This points also to the second fact, namely, that some of these religious
concepts that occur in the Syriac are not incompatible with the beliefs
of Jewish groups as well, especially the doctrine of eschatological judg
ment or the valuation of poverty. The pluriform character of SecondTemple Judaism, and the complexity of the process by which orthodox
Christianity finally became distinct from rabbinic Judaism, are much
better understood now than was the case early in the twentieth century.
3. Some of the proposed Christian patterns in the Syriac consist almost
entirely of textual "minuses" over against the Hebrew and Greek. Given
a pervading tendency to shorten throughout the Syriac text (Smend
counted 370 such minuses throughout the book ), it is methodologi
cally risky to assume that a given omission was consciously made in
7
W. van Peursen, Language and Interpretation in the Syriac Tex of Ben Sira (MPIL
16; Leiden: Brill, 2007), 419-20.

Smend, WeisheiU cxxxvii.
7
CHRISTIAN F E A T U R E S IN PESHITTA
179
order to Christianize the text when there are many other omissions that
cannot be so explained.
Michael Winter has stood largely alone in the force with which he
has asserted the Tendenz reflected in these textual patterns and in his
confidence that Christian (or Ebionite) sensibilities can account for
9
many of the unique features of the Syriac translation. In 1989 I pre

sented a strong critique of Winters theory, in connection with a study
10
of Aphrahats citations of Syriac Ben Sira. Peursen, too, has also now
refuted a number of the key aspects of Winters work.
11
Although many of these allegedly Christian patterns of divergent

texts remain ambiguous, and controversial, one proposed feature of the
Syriac translation has the potential more decisively to confirm a Chris
tian hand at work; this is the presence of specific phraseology taken
from the Syriac New Testament. About eleven different verses have
been proposed by various interpreters (including Winter) as contain
ing phrases or clauses that derive from the text of the Syriac New Testa
ment. Peursen has conveniently listed them in his book, but his larger
purpose for that work did not permit him space fully to discuss them.
12
My purpose here is to analyze them in detail.
See the full discussions by Peursen in Language and Interpretation, 77-96,126-32,

and in his article, "The Peshitta of Ben Sira: Jewish and/or Christian?" Aramaic Studies
2 (2004): 243-62.
M. M. Winter, "Peshitta Institute Communication XII: The Origins of Ben Sira
in Syriac (Part I)," VT27 (1977): 237-53, and "Peshitta Institute Communication XIII:
The Origins of Ben Sira in Syriac (Part II)," VT 27 (1977): 494-507. Also, "Ben Sira
in Syriac: An Ebionite Translation?" in Studia Patristica XVI: Papers Presented to the
Seventh International Conference on Patristic Studies Held in Oxford 1975 (ed. E. Liv
ingston; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984), 121-26. These articles were based on
his 1974 Fribourg doctoral dissertation. His complicated theory of an original Ebionite
Syriac translation, later revised by an orthodox Christian in thefifthcentury CE was
cited approvingly by Di Leila in Wisdom of Ben Sira, 57 and 62.
R. J. Owens, "The Early Syriac Text of Ben Sira in the Demonstrations of Aphrahat,"/SS 34 (1989): 39-75.
After a twenty-year silence, in "Theological Alterations in the Syriac Translation
of Ben Sira," CBQ 70 (2008): 300-312, Winter recently re-affirmed his commitment to
the basic views he put forth in 1977. Strangely, in this article he does not deign even to
mention the publications of Peursen and me (or that of Nelson). More importantly, he
makes no attempt to interact with the specific criticisms that have been leveled at his
various philological and textual arguments.
Van Peursen, Language and Interpretation, 117-20.
9
10
11
12
i8o
ROBERT J . OWENS
1. 3:22
ninnon Y? w bt* poyi. .

ninnon pop ii n*o . . .
C l 3
". . . but you should not trouble yourself with hidden things."
Greek:. . . ov
yp ativ aoi XP ^
Kpwrrwv
Syriac:. . . ce'&uxn^ A^. rdiiô^ v>^ vAo

. . but you should not have trust in hidden things."
This verse occurs within a passage (3:17-24) which advocates intellectual humility, marked by the wisdom not to try to delve into things that
are beyond human limitation. This is probably targeting Greek philosophical speculation, in contrast to the divinely given Torah: "Attend to
what is committed (i.e., authorized) to you, but do not trouble yourself
with hidden things." The Syriac differs in the final clause, substituting a
noun meaning "trust" ( r c ^ o * \ ) for the Hebrew expression that means
"to trouble or concern oneself with."
Hans Peter Ruger proposes that the Syriac translator for some reason
chose here to borrow language from Syriac 1 Timothy 6:17: "As for the
rich in this world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes
on wealth which is not trustworthy (,cnoL>. )*A* n^*\a^
^cd^û r d
riL*o*\), but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy."
13
14
Throughout this study, the Old Testament texts have been taken from the following sources: Hebrew Ben SiraP. C. Beentjes, The Book ofBen Sira in Hebrew (VTSup 68;
Leiden: Brill, 1997); GreekJ. Ziegler, Sapientia Iesu Filii Sirach (Septuaginta 12/2; 2nd
d.; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1980); SyriacA. M. Ceriani, Translatio syra
pescitto veteris testamenti ex codice Ambrosiano sec. fere VI photolithographice dita (2
vols.; Milan: A. della Croce and J. B. Pogliani, 1876-1883), 2:458-86, checked against
all readings in Paul A. de Lagarde, Libri veteris testamenti apocryphi syriace (Leipzig:
Brockhaus, 1861), iv-x, and 2-51.
H. P. Ruger, Text und Textform im hebrischen Sirach: Untersuchungen zur Textgeschichte und Textkritik der hebrischen Sirach fragmente aus der Kairoer Geniza
(BZAW 112; Berlin: De Gruyter, 1970), 113. In this paper, Old Syriac and Peshitta
Gospel texts have been taken from G. A. Kiraz, ed., Comparative Edition of the Syriac
Gospels: Aligning The Sinaiticus, Curetonianus, Peshitta And Harklean Versions (4 vols.;
Leiden: Brill, 1996). For other NT books, the text is taken from the 1913 edition of
the Pauline books prepared by G. H. Gwilliam and W. Barnes, reprinted in The New
Testament in Syriac (London: British and Foreign Bible Society, 1919). There happen to
be no pertinent differences between the Peshitta and pre-Peshitta texts at issue in this
study. Although the earliest stage of development of the Peshitta NT text is hidden from
view, assuming (on the basis of the Syriac Diatessaron and the Sinai and Curetonian
Gospel Mss) that some form of Syriac NT existed as early as the second century CE, it
would have been known to the Syriac translator of Ben Sira, working perhaps as late as
the third century.
14
CHRISTIAN F E A T U R E S IN P E S H I T T A
181
15
Peursen agrees that the argument for this is "rather strong." Smend
notes the similarity of expression but does not assert a direct influence;
other commentators do not even point out the resemblance.
Syriac Ben Sira is making an interpretative alteration that is in no
way suggested by the Hebrew text itself. But it is difficult to see what
could have prompted him suddenly to revert to wording from the
1 Timothy passage. Both passages involve warning against arrogance,
but in Ben Sira it is philosophical arrogance that is at issue, whereas
1 Timothy warns against over-confidence based on material wealth.
The Syriac noun r^fcum* ("hidden things") certainly does not suggest
wealth any more than does the Hebrew n n n o n . This is the only place
in Hebrew Ben Sira where the noun poy ("business, concern") occurs,
but it should not have posed difficulty for the translator. It is a common
word with a close cognate in Syriac; I find no trace of its ever connoting
"wealth."
16
In fact, the Syriac reading need not be derived from 1 Timothy 6 : 1 7 .

There is no reference to "hidden things" there; the only point of similarity is the core phrase A*. r i l * o * \ *uX, and this expression is not unique
to Syriac Timothy. The noun rdiL*o*\ meaning "trust, confidence" occurs a number of times in both the Syriac Old and New Testament
books, often with the preposition 1 ^ ; for example, Isaiah 3 6 : 4 " . . .
what is this confidence. . . ? ( * A * * \ W : i r 6 rîiôv o ) ; 2 Corinthians 1:9"Let us not have trust in ourselves. . ."
rtAâk
^ rSacm r d *
^xki); Philippians 3 : 4 " . . . for confidence in the flesh" ( ^ ^ r c ^ o i j \
ne'vna 1 ^ ) . See also Peshitta Jeremiah 1 7 : 7 and 4 8 : 1 3 . Syriac Ben Sira
uses the similar verbal expression A*. A^*\ at least eight times with the
meaning "trust in." Furthermore, there is actually a significant difference between the function of this expression in Ben Sira 3 : 2 2 and in 1
Timothy 6 : 7 . The latter verse uses cdil*o*\ in the sense of "trustworthiness"literally, "there is no trustworthiness in it"whereas in our Ben
Sira passage the Syriac translator is employing its other related sense
of "trust, confidence." My conclusion is that there is no evidence of
dependence on Peshitta 1 Timothy 6 : 7 in this verse. The two passages
employ a phrase that is common in Syriac, and they do so in slightly
different ways.
17
15
Van Peursen, Language and Interpretation, 120.
16
Smend, Weisheit, 30.

Ben Sira 5:1,2, 5,8; 13:11; 16:3; 35(32):21; 38:21.
17
ROBERT J. OWENS
182
2.
15:15
u i n tf? muni
:rr[
]
: u m nitop^ m u m
Bm
H e
[
]
mso iQu;n pann DN
H
rrnn nna DJI U pnan ON
"If you will, you can keep the commandment; and faithfulness is the doing of the will of God. [Ms A addition: "If you believe in him, even you
will live."]
A
18
Greek: v 9\n auv-rnprjaei vroX Kal Ttiativ 7toifjaai eSoida

Latin: Si volueris mandata conservabunt te et in perpetuumfidemplacitam
facere
Syriac: rsh, ur*'
m a ^Mcnh, ^rfo >oocu:ioc\k T^rv r^j_^tv
"If you will, you can keep his commandments, and if you believe in him
also you will live."
A fundamental question with this verse is whether the Syriac translator depended on a Hebrew Vorlage like Ms A for the text of the third
colon, or, conversely, the latter colon originated in the Syriac. Peursen
has surveyed the pertinent scholarship, and concludes that, while there
is no certain way to decide the question in 15:15 on purely linguistic
grounds, generally in Ben Sira one must remain open to the possibility that some phrases entered the Hebrew manuscripts as retroversion
from the Syriac. It seems most probable here that the extra line in Ms
A is indeed a retroversion from the Syriac, for the following reasons:
19
- The three-colon line in vs. 15 seems overloaded, relative to Ben Siras

normal style.
- Hebrew Ms A displays a tendency toward secondary, expansionary
readings elsewhere in chapter 15.
- While not an impossibility, the occurrence of OJt in the apodosis is unusual.
- The striking disagreements between the Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, and
Latin versions in the second part of the verse suggest a history of textual
20
18
Peursen discusses the various possibilities for translating the syntax of the second colon in his Leiden dissertation, The Verbal System in the Hebrew Text of Ben Sira
(1999), 217,223-24, and 236.
W. van Peursen, "The Alleged Retroversions from Syriac in the Hebrew Text of
Ben Sira Revisited: Linguistic Perspectives," in KUSATU: Kleine Untersuchungen zur
Sprache des Alten Testaments und Seiner Umwelt 2 (2000): 47-95.
Peursen, "Alleged Retroversions," 67, points out that it also occurs one other time
in an apodosis, at 13:23 in Ms A, where there is no question of retroversion from Syriac.
19
20
CHRISTIAN FEATURES IN PESHITTA
183
instability there. This new line in the Syriac could have been prompted
by difficulty in its Vorlage.
- As worded, the third colon could be typical Christian phraseology.
The majority opinion has been that the third colon is a secondary construction, expounding nJlOK in the first line, but most interpreters attribute it to a Hebrew glossator, in that later stage of development of the
text which is often termed Hebrew II. However, they fail to provide a
convincing motivation for this addition. Habakkuk 2 : 4 , the closest parallel in the rabbinic canon, was not an especially popular verse in Jewish
tradition, and Judaism generally had no tendency to emphasize faith as
a religious quality. In his dissertation Di Leila argues that this third line
in Ms A is a retroversion from the Syriac, but he too thinks that it derived primarily from other Old Testament texts, Peshitta Habakkuk 2 : 4
. ) ; Isaiah 7:9; and 2 Chronicles 2 0 : 2 0 .
2 1
It is true that the Old Testament often speaks of life or living as the
result of obeying the divine commandments (e.g., Prov 4:4; Ps 1 1 9 : 9 3 ) .
It is also true that ten verses (nine in the Peshitta) refer in some way
to "faith" (noun) or "believe" (verb) in God, explicitly employing the
preposition "in." But never elsewhere in the Old Testament (Hebrew
or Syriac) do all three elements occur together that are important components of this extra colon: the verb "believe"; the prepositional phrase
"in God" (or pronoun for deity), and a noun or verb for "live" or "life."
By contrast, in the New Testament the verbal expression, "believe in"
usually referring to Christis common, especially in the Fourth Gospel, and its collocation with "live" or "life" is also not unusual. See for
example:
22
John 6:40:
rd> oA ^ o o o u I c n a ^ o o a a K'vA r?\s^
. . .
John 11:25: r^jxi kvccai
â*cnsn* ^ . . .
Hebrews 1 0 : 3 8 : . . . r c ^ u JL.* r ^ c u s u ^
rdicrf*
Compare Syriac John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47; 20:31; Rom 1:17 [citing Hab 2:4];
and 1 Tim 1:16.
Given the theological significance in Christianity of the concept of
eternal life as the result of faith in Christ (as opposed to the "works of
the law") and given the fact that the Syriac text of this additional line
closely echoes various Peshitta New Testament passages much more
closely than it echoes any Old Testament texts, the safest conclusion
21
Di Leila, The Hebrew Text, 125-29.

Gen 15:6; Exod 14:31;Num 14:11 (but Peshitta lacks the preposition "in"), 20:12;
2 Kgs 17:14; 2 Chr 20:20; Ps 78:22; Jonah 3:5; Hab 2:4.
22
ROBERT J . OWENS
184
is that this addition is a Christian expansion, deriving from the Syriac

New Testament. At the same time, one must note that it falls short of
a direct quote or exact reproduction of any one New Testament verse.
23
3. 18:13
Hebrew is missing
Greek: eXeo vOpdmou rii TV TtXnaiov arro Xeo Kupou ni
Ttaav apKa Xyxcov Kai Ttaieucov Kal iSaKcov Kal Ttiarpcpcuv cb
TtOl|if]V T TtOlUVIOV aTO
"A persons mercy is upon his fellow, but the mercy of the Lord is upon all
flesh, when h e corrects a n d instructs a n d teaches a n d turns as a shepherd
does his flock."
Syriac:
cmu^X
r d ^ " U rc^n\^ rc\s.,n v y r C '
a c n \
uy&zna
ôctA * a J b a a r ^ i n a
?t\h*?3
"A persons mercy is o n his o w n kin, but the mercy of God is o n all of his
works, instructing and directing and teaching them, and turning them as
the good shepherd shepherds his flock."
The Syriac stands alone in adding the adjective "good" in the final line,
and Winter is probably correct in seeing here a Christian feature. The
phrase ' good shepherd" nowhere appears in the Hebrew Bible or elsewhere in the Syriac O.T. Theoretically, it should not have been impossible for the phrase "good shepherd" to suggest itself to a Jewish commentator who was reflecting on the discussion of the divine alternative
to the faithless shepherds (kings) described in Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah
23 and Zechariah 11, but in fact that seems not to have been the case.
One searches in vain for "good shepherd" in the Midrashim and Targum to these passages. Assuming that the Greek and Syriac texts here
are generally close to their Hebrew Vorlage, then the final line of the
original Hebrew text must have closely echoed the start of Isaiah 40:11:
p T m y njTD (Cf. Peshitta o n u ^ nc^ nc^.i v y ^ ) .
24
25
Although Jewish interpretation of Isaiah 40:11 tended not to use the

phrase "good shepherd," given the popularity of this New Testament
metaphor for Christ (John 10:11, 14; cf. Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 5:4), it is not
surprising that a Christian translator would readily think of the phrase,
23
This is the opinion also of Levi, L'Ecclsiastique, 111.

Winter, "Origins (Part II)," 498-99.
It is important to note that the phrase "good shepherd" does occur occasionally
in rabbinic sources, but usually in reference to Moses or David rather than God, and
the more typical phrase is HIT nyn rather than lit) nyin, e.g., Midrash I Exodus 2:2: "He
tested David with the sheep, and found him to be a good s h e p h e r d . . . "
24
25
185
"good shepherd" here. Theodoret of Cyrus, for example, in his Commentary on Isaiah, explicitly connects John 10:14 to Isaiah 40:11: "Of
this prophecy let us observe the fulfillment... In the first place, the
Lord has said, 1 am the good shepherd. . . " The phrase, "the good
shepherd," was important and ubiquitous in early Christian discourse,
and it seems highly probable that its intrusion into Syriac Ben Sira 18:14
derives from the translators familiarity with Syriac John 10:11 and 14:
rf-\j r&.\ r f ^ nn^ . The addition of the phrase also introduces a substantial Christian theological idea into the text, that the restoring activity of God upon all humanity will be by means of the instrumentality of
Christ the good shepherd.
26
4.
32(35):11
. .]an T w[y]o
H
TWO
H e
pwo
H *
"In all your deeds [let your face shine] and with gladness consecrate your
tithe"
B
nwpn unpn puwni
Bm
Bm
Greek: v nor\ oei iXdpcoaov T Ttpaamv aou Kai v ecppoauvr]

yiaaov KaTr]v
"With every act of giving brighten your face, and with gladness consecrate a tithe."
Syriac:
"In all your gifts let your face shine, and with gladness lend to one who
cannot repay you."
Cf. Peshitta Luke 6:34-35: "If you lend (^\ccn)
to him from whom you
hope to be repaid ( ^ a ^ i a i \ i \ ^ ) , what virtue is that to you? Even sinners
lend (^xa\o*>) to sinners in order to be repaid ( ^ o ^ i a i i u ) . But love your
enemies, and do good, and lend ( c v a t o r f a ) . . ."
The combined testimony of Hebrew Ms B and the Greek makes it virtually certain that the second half of the verse read: "and with gladness
dedicate your tithe." The Syriac alters this dramatically: "and with gladness lend to him who will not repay you" This substitution of an act of
personal generosity (almsgiving) for an act of Temple liturgy (tithe) is
itself thought by Winter and others to be motivated by Christian antipathy toward Jewish liturgy, and they cite quite a number of other
passages in Syriac Ben Sira where similar displacement has occurred,
26
Quoted in J. Manley, Isaiah Through the Ages (Menlo Park: Monastery Books,
1995), 580.
186
ROBERT J . OWENS
including the extended passage here, 32(35):1-13. Evaluation of that

larger thematic Tendenz is not part of my purpose here; 1 limit myself
to the question of the source of the unique Syriac line.
The importance of almsgiving in early Judaism needs no documenta
tion. The giving of money or goods to the needy is enjoined frequently
in Second Temple and rabbinic sources. Ben Sira himself bluntly ex
horts in 7:10 " . . . do not neglect to give alms," and Tobit 12:8 repre
sents an ethic echoed by many later Jewish writers when he pleads: "It
is better to give alms than to lay up gold." "Alms" in such teachings is
always understood to be a gift. Lending as an act of benevolence was
also a Jewish virtue. "R. Abba also said in the name of R. Simeon b. Lakish, 'He who lends is greater than he who performs charity" (b. Shabbat 63a). Midrash I Exodus 31:4-6 commends a wealthy person who
refuses to charge interest on a loan to a fellow Jew as being the equiva
lent of one who observed all the commandments. What one never finds
in the rabbinic literature is an admonition to blur the boundary be
tween alms and a loan. To the contrary, the rabbinic literature seems to
take for granted that one who had been given a loan would feel abso
lutely bound to repay, so much so that the compassionate lender might
even avoid going to a place where a delinquent borrower who is late in
repaying might see him and thus feel humiliated (Shulhan Arukh: Hoshen Mishpat 97:23:1). In a situation where one was inclined to assist a
needy person so destitute that ability to repay a loan would be doubt
ful, halakic tradition would steer a prospective benefactor away from
making a loan; in such a circumstance the rabbis would advocate alms.
27
28
Therefore, Jesus' statement in Luke 6:34-35 is quite unique: "If you

lend to him from whom you hope to receive, what virtue is that to
you? Even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much again. But love
your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return."
Note that the Peshitta translation of this Luke passage uses the slightly
more specific verb, "repay" ( ^ t e ) in place of the more general Greek
verb "to receive" (XapPavco). Not only does the Syriac line very closely
echo the unique thought of the Luke passage, but it uses the same two
key verbs ( J * U and ^ t e ) : "If you lend (^\cea)
to him from whom you
hope to be repaid (â^te*v*\:i), what virtue is that to you? Even sin-
27
I have discussed this in "Early Syriac Text," 56-65. See also now van Peursen,
Language and Interpretation, 79-83.
I am grateful for expert counsel on this question provided by Prof. Robert Harris
and Rabbi Prof. Joel Roth of Jewish Theological Seminary, New York.
28
18
ners lend (^cea)

to sinners in order to be repaid ( ^ o ^ t e f c u ) . But love
your enemies, and do good, and lend ( a a w ^ o ) . " I see no alternative
explanation than that this line in Syriac Ben Sira depends directly upon
Luke 6:34-35, and thus introduces into the text a distinctive instruction
given by Jesus.
5.
38:24
B
[. .]nrv
pop [.]om norm nxin nain nnsn
H
"The skill [lit. "wisdom"] of a scribe multiplies wisdom, and he that lacks
toil shall become wise."
Greek: aocpia ypaujiaTco v eKcupia axoXfj Kal Xaaaoi3|ivo
avrov aocpiafâeTai
"A scribes wisdom is in the opportunity for leisure, and he who does less
business, is the one who will become wise."
Ttpfei
Syriac: T&TUJ&U om r<'r\ii_a> >iC*) rd\no rfbtt-w* CTA .KY>ak\ rtx&Bo* cnbzn'w*
"The wisdom of a scribe increases wisdom, and the one who does not pay
attention to vain things will become wise."
Cf. Peshitta 1 Timothy 5:13: "They (i.e., young widows) also learn idleness, wandering from house to house; and not only idleness, but they also
multiply speaking and they occupy themselves with vain things ( ^ r i a i o
r^fctt.v) and they speak what is not proper."
38:24-34 expounds the theme which this verse capitulates: Time and
energy devoted to other normal types of work, however useful such
trades might be to society, will make it impossible for a man to develop
the level of learning and wisdom necessary for one in the scribal class.
The original text of the second Hebrew line must have been: pDJJ "iDITl
ODnrP Kin, "and the one lacking business will become wise." This verse
is quoted several times in rabbinic sources. The Syriac paraphrases: "and
the one who does not pay attention to vain things will become wise,"
thus labeling useful but distracting business as "vain things" ( r ^ W w ) .
There is no reason to think that the Syriac translator intends "vain
things" to refer to religious heresies. He uses the word (or the similar
n e ' f c x o . w ) at least five other times, always with the usual basic sense
of "pointless, lacking worth or validity." He probably was prompted
to this paraphrase by his earlier reflection on 34(31):23(28), where he
termed the ceaseless constructing and tearing down of buildings in human commerce, "vain labor" ( r c ^ w r d ^ ) , "vain" in the sense that it
29
Ben Sira 19:15; 29:6-7; 31(34):1,23.
188
ROBERT J . OWENS
never achieves a final stopping point. What the Greek calls "hard labor" there (nXeiov f\ KTIOU; Hebrew is missing), the Syriac translator
calls "vain labor" It is in this sense, then, that he says in 38:24 that the
dedicated scribe will avoid those labors which are re'fcvii.w. While not
intrinsically worthless, they seem relatively so when measured against
the value of scribal learning.
Actually, the precise meaning of this participial phrase is debatable.
The Syriac verb ate has as its central semantic component "divide,
break off;" ate with the other very common meaning "rescue, save"
may or may not be a separate lexeme. Elsewhere Syriac Ben Sira always
(over 18 times) uses it with one of these two meanings. However, neither of these two definitions seems to fit here in 38:24 or in the similar
expression in 1 Timothy 5:13. After giving the basic Pael definitions,
"to break off, rend, dislocate; to take away," Thesaurus Syriacus cites this
Ben Sira verse and renders it, qui non studet vanitatibus; similarly, for 1
Timothy 5:13 it gives, quae res vanas agitent. Payne Smith cites various medieval lexicographers who understand the expression this way,
as does Bruns Dictionarium (non studens vanitatibus) and Jennings's
Lexicon ("distracted oneself with").
30
31
Neither Brockelmanns original Lexicon nor its revision by Sokoloff

gives the definition "be distracted, busy with"; they see the Pael verb
in our expression as meaning "babble, chatter": "which babble empty
things." This meaning of "babble" is possible in 1 Timothy 5:13, where
it is preceded and followed by references to speech, but it scarcely fits
the context of Ben Sira 38:24. Philoxenus uses it twice in his Discourses,
but both times probably echoing our Timothy and Ben Sira passages:
32
- There is a spiritually unstable person who on one occasion occupies

himself with prayer, "and another time with speaking that babbles?/occupies itself with? vain things" ( r d o v . o t e s M rdSxn ÛDO).
33
30
R. Payne Smith 2.3294. In her minor edition of the Thsaurus, A Compendious

Syriac Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1903), 2: 464b, Jesse Payne Smith
renders this specific phrase as "distracted with vanities." Strangely, she adds a prepositional es to the noun.
J. Brun, Dictionarium Syriaco-Latinum (Beirut: Society of Jesus Press, 1895),
529; W. Jennings, Lexicon to the Syriac New Testament (rev. ed. U. Gantillon; Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1926), 180.
C. Brockelmann, Lexicon syriacum (rev. ed.; Berlin: Reuther & Reichard, 1928),
606; M. Sokoloff, Syriac Lexicon: A Translation from the Latin, Correction, Expansion,
and Update ofC. Brockelmanns Lexicon syriacum (Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns,
2009), 1251a.
E. A. Wallis Budge, ed., The Discourses of Philoxenus, Bishop ofMabbog, A.D.
31
32
33
CHRISTIAN F E A T U R E S IN P E S H I T T A
- There is a type of godless person who resists spiritual things saying,

"For these are vain things to me, and I do not devote myself to?/babble?
Vain things" ( r ^ i i V x>iar<':i >TH C K ' r&*\ r&a Âcn A ^=**\^
K'iui.Hflo).
34
The established denotative meanings of jaia , "break off" and "save,"

do not connect semantically with either "be busy with" or "babble." It
appears either that the verb used in our text is a different lexeme altogether ( M * II or III), or that r ^ * u i * w
is an entirely idiomatic expression. The latter seems most likely, since the expression seems to be
rarely attested elsewhere, and only in passages that may echo 1 Timothy 5:13 (or our Ben Sira text). Aphrahat never uses it, and I cannot find
it in works of Ephrem Syrus. According to Sokoloff s dictionaries of
east and west Jewish Aramaic, the cognate verb carries neither of these
two definitions in those Aramaic dialects. It seems very unlikely that
a translator of something as important as a Bible text would himself
invent a neologism, but he might well make use of a colloquial idiom
that, by accident, has not been preserved in many other literary texts.
35
Given the fact that this expression apparently was rare, its occurrence in both Ben Sira 38:24 and 1 Timothy 5:13 suggests textual dependency. It does not occur elsewhere in the Syriac Bible. It is intrinsically more probable that a Christian translator of Ben Sira used an
expression which he knew from 1 Timothy, than that the translator of
1 Timothy borrowed an unusual expression from a marginal writing
such as Ben Sira (if Syriac Ben Sira existed yet when 1 Timothy was
translated). I suggest that Brockelmann and Sokoloff are wrong in their
definition of "babble" for either text. "Babble" is certainly out of place in
the thought of Ben Sira 38:24. And in 1 Timothy 5:13, a term meaning
"babble," while not impossible, would not be an accurate translation of
Greek neptepyoi, which means: "paying attention to matters that do not
concern one," "undue or misdirected curiosity." However, s>\ as "busy
oneself with" would be a quite accurate rendering of the Greek.
36
485-519 (London: Asher, 1894), 1:319, line 18. SokolofT translates this line as: "speech
which babbles empty things." Budge himself renders it: "speech which breaketh forth in
empty things" (Discourses, 2.369, line 18).
Discourses, 1:369, line 22. Here Budge switches to the alternate definition: "and I
do not devote my attention to vain things" (Discourses, 2:353, line 22).
In a private communication, Jan Joosten has tentatively suggested the possibility
that this might be an idiom involving the alternate definition of s>\a> as "to comb," with
a literal meaning for the phrase something like, "to divide what is combed (i.e., hair,
wool)." This would resemble the English idiom, "to split hairs," meaning to be excessively preoccupied with details, to be overly precise.
BDAG, 800b.
34
35
36
190
ROBERT J. OWENS
I conclude that in both passages (and those in Philoxenus) ate should

be understood as meaning "busy oneself with, be distracted with." The
Syriac translator of Ben Sira knew the expression from 1 Timothy 5:13,
and as the term K'fcui.w came to his mind for tasks that the scribe must
avoid, it brought with it the whole phrase from 1 Timothy.
37
38
6. 40:28
Heb înoDD *io*o mo Tin bu inn n
H
H
Bmg
"My son, do not live the life of a beggar; better to perish than to be brazen
[= beg in public]."
Greek: TKVOV cofjv TtaiTrjae pf| (Juban K p e a a o v toavev f\ enaiT8V
"Child, a life of begging do not live; it is better to die than to beg."
Syriac: C\OJ^*A .n^ ,om r&r? .\\ n'yA
K'OOT^ r&a mc\t\"\b\ r& v>^ Ardat-S
,V3
"My son, who asks of you, do not refuse; and do not be good to kill.
Rather, be good to make alive."
J
Cf. Syriac Matthew 5:42:
. - ^
P\ vy=*> A t r d n r e b ^ a ^*>o
aA
V>^ \ r ^ ^
"Who asks of you, give to him; and who wants to borrow from you, do
not refuse him."
Either his Hebrew Vorlage was damaged, or the Syriac translator seriously misunderstood it, as he created a very different sentence. Only a
single point of connection exists between the Hebrew and the Syriac:
the concept of begging. The wording of the Syriac clearly echoes Jesus'
saying in Peshitta Matthew 5:42: &\r&*
cn\
,ooaA*t\ r^l v y . It is in fact an exact quotation of the beginning and
end of the Peshitta Matthew verse, telescoped. Whatever motivated the
translator to borrow the wording from the Gospel, that he did so is virtually beyond dispute. He has intruded not only the wording, but the
essential idea, of this New Testament passage.
37
G. Sionita also understood it as meaning "be occupied with," according to Smend,

Weisheit, 346.
Van Peursen (Language and Interpretation, 118), citing also Winters dissertation,
agrees that there is dependence here on the Timothy verse. So also M. Segal, The Complete Book of Ben Sira [Hebrew] (rev. ed.; Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 1958 ), 255.
38
191
7. 48:6
ornonf.] Oman nnu> by hn Tnmn
"You sent kings to destruction, and nobles from their beds.
Syriac: âcTjaxcvooHa^ K'Wu .'nim'q

"You brought down nobles from their thrones."
Cf. Syriac Luke 1:52: K^CVOCV^ raofc\ AUB
"He brings down powerful ones from thrones
This verse alludes to Elijahs prediction of death for the bed-ridden
king Ahaziah in 1 Kings chapter 1. It is impossible to say why the Syriac abbreviates and rewords the Hebrew. Van Peursen has tentatively
pointed out the possibility of influence from Luke 1:52 on the Syriac
at this point; his caution is justified. The verb A*a>, "throw down,"
is common in the Peshitta Old Testament. Its Pael and Ithpael forms
occur twenty-four times in the prophetic books alone, often naming
some enemy of God or Israel who is destroyed by divine action, such
as Babylon (Isa 14:17), Pharaoh (Ezek 32:4), Tyre (Ezek 26:12), and Assyria (Isa 10:33). And this is the verb employed in the Song of the Sea
in Exodus 15:7: "you overthrew your adversaries." The Syriac translator seems to prefer this verb, since he uses it also in 10:14 and 17, and
13:23, where there is no question of an echo from a New Testament
passage. Also, references to casting down thrones or a throne (as metonymy for ruler) can be found three other places in the Syriac Bible:
Psalm 89:44 (". . . and hurled his throne to the ground"); Isa 14:9; and
Hag 2:22. (See also Wis 5:23.) In all of these passages, the same noun
is used for "throne" ( r&sx>\c<*), which is indeed common in the Peshitta
Old and New Testament. The Ben Sira and Luke passages employ different nouns for "nobles'V'powerful ones."
39
40
41
At the same time, one must reckon with the following facts: A. Only
here and in the Luke 1:59 text is this term for "throne" used as the object
of the verb ^
. B. "Overthrowing thrones" is actually not a frequent
expression in the Bible; three times is not many. C. Although different
nouns are used for "powerful ones," there is word-for-word parallelism
in the syntax of two passages. D. Luke 1:59 is part of the song of Mary
39
40
Van Peursen, Language and Interpretation, 119
It is widely suggested that the Greek text of 10:14 influenced the original composition of Luke 1:59.
See also the Greek (but not the Syriac) of Wis 5:23, "... and evil-doing will overturn the thrones of rulers."
41
192
ROBERT J. OWENS
termed the "Magnificat," which was used in the liturgies of the ancient
Syriac churches. Any Syriac-speaking Christian would be especially familiar with this passage.
It is the importance of the Magnificat especially that makes one suspect here an echo of Luke 1:59, but the echo is faint. In any case, one
cannot find here proof of actual verbal dependence on the Syriac Gospel passage.
8. 48:10
B
]ish *i rvivnb
nyb pai ainan
H
b[
]w panVi m a by ma 2b atfrf?
"It is written, he is destined for the time to put an end to wrath before
[the day of the Lord] / To turn the heart of fathers to sons and to establish
[the tribes of Israel]."
42
Greek: KaTaypacpei v Xeyuo ei Kaipo KOTtdaai pyr|v 7tp Guuo

morpyai Kapiav TtaTp Ttp uiv Kal KaTaaTfjaai cpuX IaKu)(
Syriac:
KJATD c v ^ a a ^ o X r*a:i crasacu r ^ v r ^ n > l n ( r ^ v r ^ n IT1S 7 a l )
r ^ a r ^ a X Xrvs^ o m o
"He is destined to come before the day of the Lord comes, to turn the
sons to the fathers and to announce good news to the tribes of Jacob."
Cf. Peshitta Malachi 3:23-24a [= English 4:5-6a]:
rîi-n A*. r^cn=)r^^
to
r=A c d i & n . r ^ L j J i o rd=ri r ^ i r s n CTEQCU r^fcxrdn p*a r ^ m \ r ^ A r ^ X
"Behold I am sending to you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day comes, who will turn the heart of the fathers to the sons and the
heart of the sons to the fathers,..."
Cf. Syriac Matthew 11:14:
:u*v^:i
rciW
" . . . and if you are willing, receive that he is Elijah who is destined to
come."
Cf. SyriaC Luke 3:18: r ^ * A v a n n e r ^ o .<\\*n rtb\râ> ^ r^rvjuiiiiK'
" . . . also he [John the Baptist] was teaching many other things and proclaiming good news to the people."
42
B. G. Wright, No Small Difference: Sirachs Relationship to Its Hebrew Parent Text

(SCS 26; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989), 210, follows Beentjes in arguing that niron is
not a formula citandi but rather an adjective modifying Elijah: "who was surely appointed for the time."
193
The Syriac translator is being rather free in his handling of his Hebrew
text here, apparently being influenced both by the wording of the Malachi passage as well as by the two Gospels passages in Syriac. His choice
of rt'xrcsA : u h ^ for ny*? JDJ and his omission of m r o n altogether must
have been governed by Matthew 11:14. The verb
, instead of
which Peshitta Malachi uses, reflects his own stylistic preference; he uses
vâcn often throughout the book, ten times in translating Hebrew
.
It is not clear why he reverses the order of "sons" and "fathers," although
it may be that the phraseology of Luke 1:16, which certainly echoes the
Malachi text, is subtly influencing him: *\cA piai J L v n . r e '
^> r ^ r ^ ^ p o
ôcnW n.w. The introduction of "announce" or "proclaim" to Israel
is probably the clearest echo of Luke 3:18, where xaa> is also employed;
it is frequently used in the New Testament for Christian proclamation.
However, one must acknowledge that also in Judaism there was a solid
tradition of Elijah being an eschatological preacher. As the one heralding the final redemption of Israel he was titled, the "good messenger
of salvation." The idea of Elijah preaching would not have to come
from a Christian source. But taken together with the other echoes of
New Testament texts, the most economical explanation is that the text
of Syriac Luke 3:18 is influencing our Ben Sira translator at some level.
43
9. 48:11
T*[
[ ]m*TNnnu>N
44
E. Puech reconstruction
r v m Dn jnn *o
M. Segal reconstruction
rrn* rvn Nin IN *D
Skehan and Di Leila reconstruction
nm i*n niw*
45
nm i*n
TON
nm
TON
46
Greek: paKdpioi 01 lovTe ae Kai oi v ayajTrjaa KKOipr|pvoi Kal

yp f|pe cofj (rjapeGa
"Happy are those who saw you and those fallen asleep in loving, for we
too shall live by life."
43
See, for example, Pesiqta Rabbati 35:3: "Elijahs voice will be heard from world's
end to worlds end. And then he will say to the children of Israel: 'Peace has come.
E. Puech, "Ben Sira 48:11 et la rsurrection', in Of Scribes and Scrolls : Studies on
the Hebrew Bible, Intertestamental Judaism, and Christian Origins (ed. H. Attridge, J.
Collins, and T. Tobin; Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1990), 81-90.
Segal, Complete Book of Ben Sira, 330.
Skehan and Di Leila, Wisdom ofBen Sira, 531-32: " . . . for we too shall certainly
come to rest," comparing 30:17b.
,,>
44
45
46
ROBERT J . OWENS
194
Syriac: r^jxi rd>ja r&rt }s\r&s rtS. Js\=2 tuô vÛ>n\ >OT03O\
Blessed is the one who saw you and died, but he is not dead; rather he
surely lives."
7
Actually, I exclude this passage from serious consideration simply because of the fragmentary state of the second colon in the Hebrew Ms.
It would be poor methodology to try to determine textual influences
involving a text that hardly exists! While it is a safe guess that the missing line contained some form of the verb "live" (rvn), further reconstruction can never be more than sheer speculation. This Hebrew text
has been the subject of extensive comment in many publications, and
the text-critical value of the Syriac has been discussed most recently
by Puech and van Peursen. 1 include it simply because Winter has so
energetically argued that the Syriac here contains a New Testament title
for Christ, the "life-giver": "Blessed is he who saw thee and died, / But
he is not dead, / But vivifying he will cause life." He proposes that the
reference to Elijah in this section led the Christian translator to think
about the resurrected Jesus Christ who had seen the prophet Elijah at
the Transfiguration. His translation rests upon identification of rd>c*>
rtsx* as an Aphel participle followed by Aphel imperfect third person
singular. This identification is not impossible. The absolute form of
the Aphel participle of rcSuj is used once in the New Testament with
Christ as subject (John 5:21), but never in combination with an imperfect form. Imperfect Aphel forms of the verb occur twenty-seven times
in the New Testament, but only once (Rom 8:11) with its denotative
meaning of "make alive," and there "Spirit" is the subject. Elsewhere the
finite forms of this verb usually translate the Greek verb acoco, and are
intended to bear the more general meaning of the latter: "save." Therefore, even if Winter were correct in identifying these as Aphel forms, as
such they would not echo typical New Testament language or any specific New Testament passage. Furthermore, Winter is very misleading
when he states that the Aphel participle of rdo* is frequently used in New
Testament and Christian literature as a title for Christ, "Our Life-Giver,"
47
48
49
47
Puech, "Ben Sira 48:11;" W. Th. van Peursen, "Que vive celui qui fait vivre: le
texte syriaque de Sirach 48:10-12," in L'enfance de la Bible hbraque: Histoire du texte
de l'Ancien Testament (ed. A. Schenker and P. Hugo; La Monde de la Bible 52; Genve:
Labor et Fides, 2005), 286-301.
Winter, "Origins of Ben Sira (II)," 500-501.
See T. Nldeke, Compendious Syriac Grammar (trans, and rev. J. Crichton; Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2001), 183(7), 133-34. They may, however, be read as Peal
forms: "he will indeed live."
48
49
CHRISTIAN F E A T U R E S IN PESHITTA
195
implying that this same form is the one used here in verse 11. In fact,
when used as a title for Christ, the Aphel participle is in the emphatic
state, ruja, which is of course spelled differently from the form that
occurs here. In the New Testament that Syriac emphatic participle nor
mally translates Greek ao)Tr)p, "Savior," rather than a word that means
literally "life-giver."
However, again especially since the Hebrew text of the second colon
is so badly broken, it would seem only prudent methodology, before
reaching for a Christological interpolation, to try to make sense with
in the context of 48:1-11 as attested in the Hebrew and Greek texts.
Clearly, the Syriac translator shares Ben Siras exalted view of Elijah;
he attempts (though not without some misunderstanding) generally
to render accurately the whole laudatory passage. It is important to
note that only a few verses earlier, in 48:5, he accurately translates Ben
Siras allusion to Elijahs raising of the dead boy in 1 Kings 17:17-24:
"who made alive (Aphel of rdo. ) the dead one from Sheol according
to the will of the Lord", nd.i=*:i c m o ^ v y r ^ Acu*. ^ rCfcuso ^ K ^ . In the
Peshitta text of that narrative, the same verb is used twice: verse 22, "he
revived" ( r c i ^ o ) , and verse 23, "is alive" (rdo>). That the Syriac translator
had on his mind at this point prophetic power to raise the dead is also
suggested by the way he recasts a comment about Elisha a few verses
later, at 48:14b. There, where Hebrew Ms B reads "and in his death he
did marvelous deeds," the Syriac says, "and in his death he made alive"
(K'fcusa y*>r* c73*\cc*=d), using the Aphel of rciu*. Until further manuscript
discoveries provide a better witness to the Hebrew text of 48:11,1 prefer
to assume that the Syriac is in some way alluding to Elijahs raising the
widow s son.
50
10. Conclusion
The analysis I have presented here identifies six verses in Syriac Ben
Sira as containing language that derives from the Syriac New Testa
ment. Four of these echo or quote phrases from the Gospels in such a
way that a distinctly Christian idea enters the verse: believe in Christ
and have life (15:15); God tends his people in the form of Christ the
Good Shepherd (18:13); one should lend to those who cannot repay
(32[35]:11); and do not refuse a needy person who asks something
50
The Syriac is in fact making more explicit the Hebrew text s allusion to 2 Kgs 13:21,
where a dead man came back to life when he was thrown into Elishas grave and con
tacted his bones.
196
ROBERT J . OWENS
from you (40:28). Two others38:24 and 48:10employ phraseology

that is found in the Syriac New Testament, but seem to do so uncon
sciously, or at least without intruding a Christian concept into the text.
48:6 contains an intriguing echo of a New Testament passage, but actual
verbal dependency is questionable. I judge 3:22 and 48:11 not to be
influenced by the New Testament. This is not a large number of texts,
but their small number and the subtlety of the dependency (especially
in 38:24 and 48:10) actually help to make it unlikely that these features
are the result of secondary revision of a different original Syriac. Some
one intent on "Christianizing" Ben Sira by interpolating New Testa
ment passages into the translation could easily have found more clear
and dramatic ways to do so, and in a greater number of passages. These
readings, distinct and widely distributed, seem to me to make it virtu
ally certain that this is the work of a Christian translator. While this
conclusion does not eliminate the need for rigorous, inductive evalua
tion of every proposed example of Christian Tendenz, it should make
interpreters fully alert to the possibility that the Christian identity of
the translator may indeed explain at least some of the oddities of Syriac
Ben Sira.
51
51
I have entirely excluded from this study two other verses, 25:8 and 40:15, which
contain no specific verbal resemblance to any NT passages. See Peursen, Language and
Interpretation, 117-18.
LATIN VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA
THE OLD LATIN VERSION OF SIRACH:

EDITIO CRITICA AND TEXTUAL PROBLEMS
Anthony J. Forte
Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome
Pierre Sabatier (1682-1742) produced a monumental, three-volume

work entitled Bibliorum Sacrorum Latinae versiones antiquae seu Vetus
Italica that was published in Reims a year after his death. In his edition
of the Old Latin Bible (Vetus Latino), Sabatier sought to incorporate
readings into his text of the Bible that were collected essentially from
the writings of the Fathers of the Church. The materials that Sabatier
had at his disposal were somewhat limited and, for this reason, there
was a need for a new edition of the Old Latin Bible to build upon Saba
tier s groundbreaking study. Josef Denk (1849-1927) was encouraged
by E. von Wfflin to continue and supplement Sabatier s work, and at
the same time, to enrich von Wfflins own academic enterprise, the
Thesaurus Linguae Latinae, with biblical and patristic exempla. Denks
research had not progressed sufficiently so as to publish a new Saba
tier, but the material results of his work, thousands of patristic citations
containing readings that were often different than those of the Vulgata,
ended up in the Abbey of Beuron where Benedictine Fathers Alban
Dold and Bonifatius Fischer began to rework and develop the fruits
of Denks research. Many new critical editions of the Fathers had been
published in the meantime and scholars now had access to hundreds
of manuscripts of the Bible that Denk did not have at his disposal. It
was only in 1949 that Fischer established the "Vetus Latina Institute" at
Beuron. B. Fischer was fully aware of the complexities and challenges
1
See P.-M. Bogaert, "Sabatier (Pierre)," DBS X:l 127-1131, 1985, for a critical ap
praisal of Sabatier s contribution to the study of the Latin Bible.
For a description of the beginnings of the Vetus Latina Institute and the meth
odology adopted for the Institutes publications, see Roger Gryson, Rpertoire Gnral
des auteurs ecclsiastiques latins de Vantiquit et du haut moyen ge, (Freiburg: Verlag
Herder, 2007), I, 15-29. Gryson's essay is a translation and updated version of Bonifa
tius Fischers 1963 introductory article to his Verzeichnis der Sigelfur Kirchenschriftsteller, reproduced in Gryson s Rpertoire Gnral, 30-43. See also B. Fischer, "Die Bibel im
2
200
A N T H O N Y J . FORTE
of his project to advance the work begun by Sabatier that he later formulated the problematic as a "stumbling block." In discussing the Latin
translations of the Bible, he wrote as follows: "Die sprachliche Gestalt
der lateinischen Bibel war in all ihren unterschiedlichen Formen fur
den gebildeten Menschen der Antike ein Stein des Anstofies."
The term Vetus Latina refers in general to the different and sometimes contrasting character of the oldest text of the Latin Bible which
differs from the Vulgata. The Old Latin versions of the Bible are those
texts which were not translated by Jerome and which date back to the
patristic period. The Vulgate is the text of the Bible which took its initial
form in the Carolingian period and a more definitive shape in the 16th
century with the publication of the Sixto-Clementine Vulgate. Both versions of the Latin Bible are closely connected and are sometimes even
difficult to distinguish. This is true especially for the New Testament
and the books of the Old Testament whose Vulgate version is a direct
translation from the Greek and, for this reason alone, it transmits only
a particular form of the Vetus Latina. Although it is true that the sections of the Scriptures that Jerome translated directly from the Hebrew
demonstrate a pronounced difference, there are sufficient indications of
"contamination" between the two versions.
3
It is not without importance to note that the title of each edition of

Old Latin Bible reads "VETUS LATINA. Die Reste der altlateinischen
Bibel nach Petrus Sabatier neu gesammelt [...]." The Vetus Latina Institutes primary function has been to collect all the extant witnesses of
the Old Latin text of the Bible (manuscripts, patristic citations, liturgical texts)and that is the meaning of the words "die Reste" written on
the title page of every individual publication of the Vetus Latinaand
to present them in the form of a critical edition. Our knowledge of the
Vetus Latina is thus based upon these manuscripts and the Old Latin
biblical citations used by the ecclesiastical writers. The Vetus Latina
Abenland," 4. Arbeitsbericht, 12-23,1955.
Bonifatius Fischer, "Das Neue Testament in lateinischer Sprache", in Die Alten
Ubersetzungen des Neuen Testaments, Die Kirchenvterzitate und Lektionare (Herausgegeben von K. Aland; Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1972), 13.
Ibid, 1-92; See also B.M. Metzger, The Early Versions of the New Testament. Their
Origin, Transmission and Limitations (Oxford: Clarendon, 1977), 10-36, 285-361,
461-64.
See Eva Schulz-Flugel, "Ubersetzungen ins Lateinische," RGG 1:1491-1494, for
an overview of the complex history of the various Latin versions of the Bible. See also
Samuel Berger, Histoire de la Vulgate pendant les premiers sicles du moyen ge (Nancy:
Berger-Levrault, 1893; repr., Hildesheim: Olms, 1976).
3
T H E OLD LATIN VERSION OF SIRACH
201
Institute possesses all the extant Old Latin manuscripts, albeit a very
restrictive number, as well as all the major manuscripts of the Vulgata.
The Institutes exhaustive collection of patristic witnesses serves to help
the editors decide whether or not a particular text transmitted by an
ecclesiastical writer is actually an Old Latin text or not. By examining
all of these witnesses which date up to the year 800, one is able to get an
overview of the transition from the Vetus Latina to the Vulgata and, in
addition, one can appreciate the fact that the Old Latin translations of
the Bible are extremely important documents for the study of the history and development of the Latin language. Furthermore, these Old
Latin translations of biblical texts are essential for understanding the
theology of the Latin Fathers. The language of the biblical texts used by
the Fathers is often distinct from that found in the Vulgata, and it can
sometimes serve as a further hermeneutical key for interpreting a text.
Often it is the choice of words that is decisive in determining whether
or not we have an Old Latin text, and the word itself can be the point
6
of departure for a patristic interpretation. When we ask why such a

text was used as opposed to another, we should perhaps not forget the
Walter Thiele has written extensively about some of the linguistic phenomena that
characterize the various Latin versions of the Bible, especially the language of Cyprian's
biblical text found in the Testimonia. See his Wortschatzuntersuchungen zu den lateinischen Texten der Johannesbriefe (AGLB 2; Freiburg: Verlag Herder, 1958) and Die
lateinischen Texten des 1. Petrusbriefes (AGLB 5; Freiburg: Verlag Herder, 1965). One
often speaks about "European" and "African" elements in Cyprian's Bible. This distinction is rather artificial because these categories do not refer to a specific geographical
area or to a dialect. The term African simply refers to a usage attested in Cyprian, the
third-century bishop of Carthage, and language not found in his work is categorized as
European. Between the 4th and 5th centuries we come upon linguistic elements that differ significantly from Cyprians Bible. The following table highlights some of the more
well-known differences:
European
Greek
African
ayanr]
agape/dilectio
caritas
oa
claritas/maiestas
gloria
Xoyo
verbum
sermo
[ivarrjpiov
mysterium
sacramentum
ovsiisiv
improperare
detrahere
nXavav
decipere
seducere
Linguistic variations andflexibilityare found in all authors. Cyprian sometimes translates yivaKeiv as cognoscere and at other times as intellegere, both of which are also
found in the so-called European texts. In Cyprian we almost never encounter scire and
novisse as translations of yivcooKeiv, as we do in the European texts. Old texts are often
not limited to one translation as seen above: claritas and maiestas; cognoscere and intellegere; agape and dilectio. Likewise, a particular Latin word does not always refer to the
same Greek Vorlage.
202
famous phrase of Augustinein ipsis autem interpretationibus Itala ce

teris praeferaturwhereby he advocates his preference for the so-called
Itala, a Bible text which Augustine highly valued and appreciated from
his time in Italy.
For the book of Sirach, however, the situation is quite different be
cause the text of the Vulgata is essentially an Old Latin text. The Vul
gate of Sirach transmits an old African text, probably the revision of an
earlier basic translation of the book. The result is that the transmission
of the Sirach Vulgata functions as the bearer and guardian of the Old
Latin tradition which sought to translate the Greek as faithfully and
as consistently as possible. Since the 7th and 8th centuries the Vulgata
was the dominant, standard Latin Bible. It is important to repeat and
underscore this fact: we have very few Mss with Vetus Latina texts, but
we do have an invaluable source for the text of the Old Latin translation
of the Bible in the patristic witnesses and in the numerous extant litur
gical formulations. It is the task of the editors of the Vetus Latina to
provide all of this information in a serious and methodologically sound
fashion to biblical scholars, theologians, philologists and historians. It
is not a question of producing an "original" or even an "archetype", but
rather a "critical edition" which demonstrates the diversity of the extant
witnesses of the Vetus Latina as well as the historical and almost "ge
netic" relations among them. Vetus Latina is thus a generic term. The
edition has nothing to do with translations but with texts that reflect
their model.
7
The Sirach Vulgata, at least in chapters 1-30, presents Cyprians Old

Latin text. This Latin text is much longer than the Greek text and in
7
AU do, II, 15. See Adolf Julicher, Walter Matzkow and Kurt Aland, eds., Itala:
dasNeue Testament in altlateinischer Vberlieferung (Berlin: W. de Gruyter, 1963-1976).
Modern scholarship avoids the term Itala and prefers "African" and "European," not
withstanding the above-mentioned potential confusion.
Jerome did not regard the book of Sirach as part of the canon and, as a result, he
did not translate it. When he translated the Old Testament from the Hebrew between
390 and 405/6, he did so in line with his belief in the return ad fontes, that is, to the
hebraica Veritas. Jerome had worked on the Vetus Latina of some books of the Bible
which were contained in the Hexaplaric recension. In his Prologus in libris Salomonis,
HI Sal H (957,23), Jerome made it very clear, however, that he did not want to dismiss
the Septuagintneque enim sic nova condimus ut Vetera destruamus. See Eva SchulzFlugel, "The Latin Old Testament Tradition," in Hebrew Bible. Old Testament The
History of its Interpretation (ed. Magne Saebo; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht,
1996), 642-^62.
It is the nature of liturgy to be conservative. For this reason, the canticles and
antiphons of the various rites often contain important Old Latin readings of the Bible.
8
203
almost every chapter there is a difference in the numbering of the vers

es between the L X X and the Vulgata. A Latin text that is significantly
longer than the Greek versions, and at times quite different from the
Greek Vorlage, cannot be explained except by a thorough examination
of the discrepancies within the Latin text itself. When the Latin Sirach
transmits a reading that is so different from the Septuagint, we some
times find a particular element in a Hebrew fragment that resolves or
explains this difference. But even more importantly, we can often as
sume that there is a Greek Vorlage whereby the many inconsistencies
in the Latin text(s) can be perhaps understood and clarified. It is this
writer s view that the "additions" in Sirach are the result of a double text
in the Greek, and not in the Latin version of Sirach as De Bruyne pro
posed. Sometimes we do find considerable contradictions in the Latin
version that remain unresolved, and at times we encounter Latin for
mulations that are entirely incomprehensible. Augustine's desire for
clarity in the text verborum tenacior cum perspicuitate sententiaeis
often lacking in the Latin Sirach.
10
11
12
13
As this volume of essays demonstrates, there has always been a great

interest in the Hebrew, Greek and Syriac versions of Sirach. The Old
Latin version of the Bible, despite the remarkable contribution of the
Vetus Latina Institute, has unfortunately received less attention from
the scholarly community in recent years. In the following pages I shall
comment upon, that is clarify and explain, the first part of my unpub
lished edition (Sir 25:1-2) presented in the appendix of this paper. In
doing so I shall describe in detail the four different elements that com
prise a page of the Vetus Latina: the schema, the small apparatus, the
critical apparatus, and the apparatus of witnesses.
14
10
See D. De Bruyne, "tude sur le texte latin de l'Ecclsiastique," RBn 40 (1928):

5-48. For a discussion and critique of De Bruynes thesis, see Walter Thiele, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), 2. Lieferung Einleitung, Vetus Latina, die Reste der Altlateinischen Bibel
(Freiburg: Verlag Herder, 1988), 103-12.
cf. Sir 11:32: sicut enim eructuant praecordia fetantium. The variants fetentium,
fatentium, and infantium do not resolve the problem. The text remains incomprehen
sible.
cf. Sir 8:13: arguens eos; Sir 10:15: et subvertet eos infinem; Sir 22:23: sic et qui in
praeceptis dei permanet semper.
AU do 2,22.
The Colloque International, "Identits et altrits: les diffrentes versions du Sir
acide," held from 15-17 October 2009 in Metz, kindly included a discussion of the Latin
Version of Sirach in its programme. W. Thieles monumental critical edition of Sirach
1-24, published at the Vetus Latina Institute as Band 11/2 (fascicules 1-9), remains the
point of departure and model for any further work on the Latin text of Sirach.
11
12
13
14
204
The edition first of all distinguishes the "types" or "forms" of the text
that are presented to the reader in a schema or chart which attempts to
give a concise and clear view of all the extant readings of the Old Latin
Bible. The earlier transmitted Latin texts are modeled on the Greek,
even though the Greek tradition is not uniform but rather divided.
This is made clear only by comparing the Greek variants discussed in
the apparatus criticus or other Greek readings that have been collected
and listed elsewhere. At times everything seems turned upside down
in Sirach because, as indicated above, the Vulgate transmits an old African text. In the schema, the Vulgate is placed at the top of the page
below the Greek text. Should there be an extant Cyprian text for a particular section, this African witness is placed at the top of the schema
directly below the Greek text and above the Vulgate. The text "types"
with a more recent textual history are recognizable revised texts due to
their choice of words and their exclusion of the so-called "additions"
which have no correlation to the available Greek transmission. For example, in the critical edition of Sirach 25:1-2 presented below, there
is no Cyprian text, but the four text "types" included in the schema
below the text of the Septuagint give us a clear view of the various text
forms for this section: V (Vulgata), an essentially Old Latin witness in
the case of the book of Sirach; D (Pseudo-Augustinus, Liber de divinis
scripturis sive Speculum quodfertur S. Augustin), a text dating from the
first part of the fifth century; I (Chromatius, Tractatus in Matthaeum),
a late fourth or early fifth century commentary; and J (Codex 171, Toulouse, Bibliothque Municipale 33), a very literal translation of a Greek
Vorlage, perhaps a revision of an Old Latin translation, which dates
15
16
15
The Gttingen critical edition of a particular book of the LXX is always prefered
by the Vetus Latina editor over that of Rahlfs-Hanhart. See Josef Ziegler, Iesu Filii Sirach, Septuaginta. Vetus Testamentum Graecum Auctoritate Academiae Scientiarum Gottingensis editum (Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1980). In a future paper I shall
discuss the contribution of the Vetus Latina Institute for the preparation of Ziegler s
edition of Sirach. It is clear to all scholars that a knowledge of the LXX is an absolute
necessity for understanding the Vetus Latina and its development. It is equally true that
the Vetus Latina can function as an important interpretive key to a better comprehension of the LXX and its history.
After Ziegler's 1964 printing of his Gttingen edition, an ancillary tool was prepared and published by O. Wahl entitled Der Sirach-Text der Sacra Parallela (Wiirzburg: Echter Verlag, 1974). Should Wahl s Greek readings coincide with a Latin reading,
they are incorporated into the schema and noted in the apparatus criticus.
2
16
205
from the eighth or ninth centuries. It is unfortunate that so little of this

important codex is extant.
The critical edition demonstrates and explains the close relationship
that exists among the material presented in the schema, the critical apparatus and the apparatus of witnesses. The small apparatus that appears just directly below the schema, despite its brevity and compact
nature, is also not without importance. The uniqueness of this apparatus is to inform the reader what manuscripts lack (dsuni) or include
(adsunt) a particular verse or section of the biblical text. At Sirach 25:1
the reader is informed that Ms I1 (Monte Cassino, Badia 21 A A ) does
not contain this verse but that codices 171 (Toulouse, Bibliothque Municipale 33), b (Vatic. Barb. lat. 671), and s (Sankt Gallen, Stiftsbibl. 11)
do include Sirach 25:1, and, when pertinent, the content of each manuscript is supplied. On occasion the editor uses this apparatus to indicate
the illegibility of a manuscript. For example, codex m (Sankt Gallen,
Stiftsbibl. 194) is at times illegible, and the editor is not infrequently
forced to comment, as did Thiele in his notes to Sirach 24:45.46, as follows: nihil nisi vestigia litterarum paucarum recognosco. In addition,
the small apparatus notes the specific orthographical anomalies in the
versein, In, <J>n, qu and que (25,1)and lists the Mss that transmit
them. Sometimes orthographical particularities are noted here simply
so as not to overcharge the critical apparatus with such information.
17
18
19
The initial entry in the apparatus criticus announces the "types" or

"forms." The type D, written in bold, is represented in this verse by PSAU spe; I refers to Chromatius, and J is the type that categorizes codex
171. For every individual reading, verse by verse, the manuscripts and
17
Thiele offers the following description of Codex 171 in his Einleitung 15, to
Sirach: "Der Text von 171 gewinnt seinen eigenen Charakter sowohl durch die fast
konsequent durchgefuhrt Angleichung an den griechischen Text als auch durch die
Wortwahl, die ebenfalls durch die Rucksicht auf das betreffende griechische Wort mitbestimmt ist. Gleichwohl ist der Zusammenhang mit der alten lateinischen Sirachuberlieferung noch so deutlich greifbar, dafi 171 nicht als Zeuge einer unabhngigen neuen
Ubersetzung zu werten ist, sondern eine Revision bezeugt, die allerdings weiter geht,
als es in anderen Texten der Fall ist."
Thiele's Einleitungy 11-84, describes in detail all the extant Mss used for the preparation of the critical edition of Sirach. For a complete list of the manuscripts cited in
the apparatus criticus, see Einleitung, 164.
See Bonifatius Fischer, Genesis. Vetus Latina (ResABib 2; Freiburg, 1951), 27*:
"Der kritische Apparat bercksichtigt . . . Orthographica und Namensformen nicht,
weder im Lateinischen noch im Griechischen." It was only much later that the editors
of the Vetus Latina decided to create this small apparatus so as not to deprive the reader
of these non-essential but sometimes relevant details.
y
18
19
206
ANTHONY J. FORTE
the patristic witnesses are listed so as to give a global view of the various elements which constitute these text "types". The apparatus of witnesses is presented alphabetically and offers the reader precise information about the passages of the ecclesiastical writers that are listed. The
ultimate purpose of this apparatus is to transmit an objective body of
information that might serve as the point of departure for future historical and textual research. The immediate function of the apparatus of
witnesses, however, is to enrich the apparatus criticus with information
that justifies and gives credence to the editor's established schema. This
will be demonstrated below.
When reading the apparatus criticus, one must begin from the Latin
text at the top and proceed to the bottom. The first observation that I
make in my apparatus criticus is that one should consult pages 7 6 - 7 8 of
Ziegler s introduction to his Gttingen edition of the Septuagint in order to understand why Ziegler did not accept Rahlfs' text of Sirach 25:1
which reads as follows: v Tpiaiv ti)pa6r|v icai vaTr|v cbpaia vavTi
Kupiou Kai avOpdmcov. Ziegler s text (and not that of Rahlfs, except for
u)pci0r|v and vaTr|v which are listed as variant readings) has been
adopted in the schema. Ziegler's Greek text is his own emendation appropriated from a Syriac version of Sirach which was rendered into Latin as Tria expetivit anima mea, et haec (sunt) speciosa coram Deo et coram hominibus. Type J indicates that codex 171 followed another Greek
text which was older and resulted in a Latin text marked by greater
literality and a different choice of words. The variant (bpa6r|v is most
likely the origin of delectata <sum>, and the second variant in the
schema, vaTr|v, clearly corresponds to surrexi. In addition, speciosa
instead of probata is a translation of cbpaiaand not cbpaa.
20
21
20
For Sirach 25:1-2, the following witnesses are attested: AN scrip, Anonymus, s.
7: Testimonia divinae scripturae (et patrum); AU s, Augustinus, Sermones; PS-AU s,
Pseudo-Augustinus, Sermones supposititii; spe, Liber de divinis scripturis sive Speculum
quodfertur S. Augustini; CHRO Mt, Chromatius, Tractatus in Matthaeum; and KA,
Kapitula (chapter headings). See Grysons Rpertoire Gnral for information about the
most recent critical editions of all the patristic and ecclesiastical witnesses.
The last word that codex 171 transmits on f. 223 recto, line 11, is seemingly delectata, although the last letter of the word is either u or a, and therefore "delectata" is
thus written in the schema. Since the end of the line of the Ms is no longer legible, it
is very possible that the word sum was in the text. For this reason I have suggested the
reading "delectata <sum>? contra Douais and Wilmart. See C. Douais, Une ancienne
version latine de VEcclsistique (Paris: Picard, 1895) and A. Wilmart, "Nouveaux feuillets toulousains de l'Ecclsiastique," RBn 33 (1921): 110-23.
21
207
The apparatus criticus informs the reader that in tribus placitum est,
the text of the Vulgate (V), is also found in three other witnessesPSAU spe, AN scrip, and KA A b, listed here in the critical apparatus
chronologically, but in the apparatus of witnesses they are arranged alphabetically in order to help the reader locate the texts easily. Below
placitum there are two variant readings presented in the schema, beneplacitum (! , Paris, B.N. lat. 15467) and placuit, attested in PS-AU s 61.
Type I (CHRO) does not follow V but transmits tria sunt quae placita
sunt, a text that is perhaps connected to AU s 359 noted below in the apparatus of witnesses at 25:2commendavit nobis tria quaedam excellentiaas well as to two readings from the chapter headings KA A and one
from KA B. These texts from AU s and the chapter headings are introduced by confer (cf) so as to indicate that we are not absolutely certain
that a Bible text is actually at hand. These texts might simply be echoes
or allusions to Sirach 25,1. Codex 171 (J), on the other hand, transmits
in tribus delectata <sum>, almost certainly a literal translation of v
tpiaiv cbpa0r)v. Ziegler does not read cbpcu9r)v, as indicated above, but
cbpa9r]v is the reading strongly supported by the manuscript tradition,
BSAV OU abc alii and stated in the apparatus criticus. From time to
time, the editor refers to the commentaries of "modern" authors such
as Smend, Thielman, Herkenne, and Wevers that shed light on the
textual problem at hand.
22
23
24
25
26
The comment on placitum simply states that pacitum, found in Z

(Madrid, B.N. lat. 2 (A 2)), is a lapsus. Since the reading pacitum is an
obvious error, it is not listed in the schema, but it is included in the apparatus criticus so as to provide as much information as possible to the
reader. The six crosses ( x ) listed before CHRO (type I) indicate to the
22
See Thiele, Einleitung, 87-92, for a description and explanation of the "Kapitelsreihen" (chapter headings).
Rudolf Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach (Berlin: Reimer, 1906).
Philipp Thielmann, Bericht tiber das gesammelte handschriftliche Material zu
einer kritischen Ausgabe der lateinischen Vbersetzungen biblischer Bcher des alten Testamentes (Munchen: Sitzungsberichte der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
zuMunchen, 1899-1900).
Heinrich Herkenne, De veteris latinae Ecclesiastici capitibus I-XLIII: Una cum
notis ex eiusdem libri translationibus aethiopica, armeniaca, copticis, latina altera, syrohexaplari depromptis (Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichssche Buchhandlung, 1899).
John Wevers' various Gttingen critical editions and his innumerable studies on
various aspects of the LXX are well-known to students of the Septuagint. He and Ziegler were keenly aware of the importance of the Vetus Latina for the LXX. During the
preparation of their editions, they both spent several months at the Vetus Latina Institute in order to consult the Institutes vast collection of patristic and liturgical witnesses.
23
24
25
26
208
reader that Chromatins' text for Sirach 25:1 is shorter and reads only
tria sunt quaeplacita sunt coram deo et hominibus, that is, there are six
wordsspiritui meo et quae sunt probatamissing between sunt and
coram. The apparatus continues by informing the reader that the text
of the Vulgata and that of PS-AU spe, PS-AU s 61, AN scrip and KA
A b read spiritui meo. The reason why the text type D (PS-AU spe)
reads spiritu (and not spiritui) meo in the schema is because spiritu is
the recension (reading of Ms S) according to Weihrichs critical edition.
PS-AU spe 81, however, transmits spiritui, the variant reading found
in Mss MVLCaji of PS-AU spe 7. Thiele commented that Ms S of PSAU spe is "nicht fehlerfrei," and consequently this editor has chosen
to include Thieles observation in the apparatus criticus so as to warn
the reader of certain discrepancies within the manuscript tradition of
PS-AU spe. The apparatus also informs the reader that in addition to
PS-AU spe 7, the reading spiritu seems to be the original reading of 0
(Stuttgart, Landesbibl. HB. 11,16) and that of the second hand of Ms s
(Sankt Gallen, Stiftsbibl. 11). Codex 171 (Toulouse, Bibl. Mun. 33), text
type (J), lacks these two words (spiritui meo) and for this reason two
crosses ( x ) are placed in the schema after "delectata <sum>". It is clear
that the final a of "delecta" and the word sum, written in angle brackets,
are the editors emendations based on (bpa0r)v, the reading in Mss B S
AVOL'abcalii.
27
The next element commented upon in the apparatus criticus is the

omission of et before quae sunt. The entry "x quae sunt" indicates that
the Vulgata, PS-AU spe and PS-AU s 61 do not follow the Greek Kai
rax ativ, but simply transmit quae sunt. Ms Z (Madrid, B.N. Vitr.
1 3 - 1 ) omits et before quae and sunt after quae (x quae x ) . Mss A (Firenze, Bibl. Med.-Laur. Amiatino I), 0 ( L e P u y , Trsor de la Cathdrale),
0 (Paris, B.N. lat 9380), and possibly a * (Fulda, Landesbibl. Aa. 11)
follow Ziegler s reconstruction of the Greek text, Kai ravr ariv. Only
codex 171 (J) transmits a literal rendering of Kai avarr)v, widely attested in B S A V O r abc alii. The apparatus criticus notes this clearly:
"et surrexi 171: Kai aveorr]v B S A V V abc aliu
T
A new section begins with probata, the reading of the Vulgate, as well
as that found in PS-AU spe, PS-AU s 61, and AN scrip. This reading is a
rendering of the Greek cbpaa (neuter plural) and not (bpaia (feminine
singular), which corresponds to speciosa, transmitted by Codex 171,
27
Cf. Einleitung, 131.
209
text type J , and perhaps to the ablative consideratione dignissima at

tested in AU s 359. Manuscript Y * (Citt del Vaticano, Vat. lat. 10511)
reads prolata (which is not without meaning and thus included in the
schema), but probat in Ms 0 * (Stuttgart, Landesbibl. HB. II, 16) is a
pure error and therefore excluded from the schema.
When Codex 171 (J) and the Vulgate transmit the same reading, the
convention is to indicate first codex 171 and then the Vulgate. For this
reason, the initial element of the next section reads "coram 171 V", just
as below"deo 171 V". Both coram and deo are the readings of CHRO,
PS-AU spe, PS-AU s 61 and AN scrip. While coram is the equivalent of
the vavti, indicated in the apparatus criticus as = &, deo corresponds
not to Kupiou but to Qeov, a reading transmitted in Wahls Der SirachText der Sacra Parallela, 112. The small cross ( x ) below coram in the
schema is explained in the apparatus, that is, the reading coram is lack
ing in Ms Z (Madrid, B.N. lat.2 (A2)).
Since et (= L X X Kai) in the schema is clearly the reading of all the
Latin witnesses, there is no need to note it in the apparatus criticus. If
we had a variant reading in one of the Mss or in one of the ecclesiastical
witnesses, it would have been necessary to comment upon it in the ap
paratus. The following word, hominibus, the reading of Codex 171 and
the Vulgata, needs to be included in the apparatus since it is the Latin
rendering of avOpconcov as well as the reading of CHRO, PS-AU spe 7
(() , PS-AU spe 81 ((}), PS-AU s 61 and AN scrip. The reading hominum is not placed in the schema because it is, albeit a genitive plural
corresponding to avOpdmorv, without meaning here and found solely
in II * (Monte Cassino, Badia 553 A). The variant homine, on the other
hand, has a place in the schema because it is the reading of PS-AU spe,
distinct from PS-AU spe ((5).
0
28
The small apparatus of Sirach 25:2 is not unlike that of 25:1. The or
thographical peculiarities are spelled out and the relevant Mss and their
fragmentary readings are indicated. Just as in 25,1, the text "types" of
25,2 are announcedD PS-AU spe, I CHRO, J 171and the apparatus
criticus lists all the readings and their witnesses verse by verse. There is
no need to comment upon every individual element of 25:2, but it would
perhaps be useful to point out certain elements of interest contained in
28
See R. Gryson, Rpertoire Gnral, I, 315, for Fischer's comment on the critical
edition of PS-AU spe: "spe (P) wird im kritischen Apparat der Vetus Latina-Ausgabe
die Rezension der Handschriften MVLC bezeichnet, die eine Oberarbeitung des ursprunglichen Bibeltextes darstellt, der vor allem in S erhalten ist."
210
ANTHONY J. FORTE
the apparatus criticus concerning verse two and presented above at the
beginning of this article. For example, it is very possible that the reading concordia found in KA A b is ablative and not nominative. This suggestion is expressed in the apparatus criticus as "concordia (ablativus) .
KA A b" with the further observation that the reading v pvoia, as
indicated by Ziegler in his edition, is found in the group of manuscripts
493-637. On the other hand, Ms K (Kassel, Murhadsche Bibliothek der
Stadt Kassel und Landesbibliothek 2 Ms. theol. 54) transmits concordiam, an obvious lapsus, which, as noted in the apparatus, might have a
connection with pvoiav of Ms 248, attested by Ziegler and Wahl 112.
Although no variant reading has been included in the schema under
fratrum, the apparatus informs the reader of two erroneous transmissions: fratum 0 ( M o n z a , Bibl. Cap. g-1/1) and fratruum a *(Fulda,
Landesbibl. Aa. 11). There is no need to comment further on the absence of et in Chromatiusx CHRObut amore, a variant reading of
amor, parallel to the ablative concordia and placed in the schema, is
found in KA A b and is perhaps (?) an authentic Bible text. The apparatus expresses this as "amore ? KA A b." It is interesting that Codex 171
alone, which has the tendency to translate the Greek text rather literally,
transmits amicitia and not amor for cpiXta.
Every student of Greek is aware that 7tXr|aiov is often indeclinable.
Therefore, proximorum is as an accurate rendering of TCV 7tXr|atov as
well as Tcbv n\r\oiv, the lectio facilior, transmitted as a variant according to Ziegler in L
c alii and Wahl 112. The witnesses are listed and
the reading Tdrv 7tXr|aiov is given precedence as the preferred Greek
Vorlage (= 0 ) for proximorum.
The apparatus criticus is sufficiently clear on this point, but an element that might need further clarification is the inclusion of "vir ...
muli(er)." All of the witnesses have already been cited and should now
be familiar. The apparatus informs the reader that "vir ... muli(er)" is
the equivalent of the inversion of yuvf] Kal vrjp, expressed as "~ avr|p ...
yuvr|." The Greek witnesses ( 0 - V L 336 443) are listed along with the
7
29
30
- 2 4 8
29
Sir 6:17; 22:25 and 27:20, however, transmit amicitiam as the Vulgates translation
of cpiXiav. The distinction in the apparatus criticus at 25:2 between "< 6 " and "= 6 " , albeit an imperfect one, attempts to point out the discrepancy in the translation of qnXia.
This is true in classical as well as in biblical Greek. For other examples in the book
of Sirach, cf. Sir 5:12: to) nXnaiov; 6:17: nXnaiov; 9:14: TO 7tXnaiov.
30
31
211
32
Sahidish version ((), John Chrysostom, vol. V, line 3 8 5 , and Wahl,

112. It is further noted in the apparatus that this inverted reading, "~
avr|p ... yuvr|," is that of the Peshitta ( @ ) . Only Codex 171 (J) follows
the Greek text in the schema, yuvf| Kai vrjp, and interprets vrjp as
maritus.
The variant viro (written below vir in the schema) is found in the
transmission of the chapter heading KA A b, which is included in the
apparatus of witnesses. It is unclear, however, whether this reading is
a true Bible text or simply an allusion to 25:2. For this reason it is followed by a question mark and presented as follows: "viro ? KA A b." The
real difficulty in this verse is the reading et and its variants (cum and
ac). The preposition cum instead of the copulative etformulated in
the apparatus as "cum (muliere)"is attested in numerous manuscripts
(BKTSQK X A bn , Wien 1190 Paris lat. 11505 and Graz 1 6 7 ) and
the variant ac is transmitted by two witnesses, CHRO and AU s. The
chapter heading KA A b contains cum in the original hand of the Fulda
Ms (a *) while the second hand of the same manuscript (a* ) reads et
A similar discussion of cum and et is later formulated in the apparatus
in the section beginning with "mulier V" as "(cum) muliere," and the
same information concerning KA A b is equally pertinent and thereby
repeated. The additions of bene and bonae written in the schema are
attested in various manuscripts and all the witnesses are listed in the
apparatus criticus. Sometimes these additions are written in the margin
of the manuscript, but more frequently they are to be found within the
body of the text.
p
VP
LH
3 3
34
Likewise, the variants for sibi consentientes are listed in order and
according to the methodology used for the editions of the Vetus Latina.
The schema succinctly summarizes the multiple variant readings and
the apparatus below informs the reader of their provenance. The only
confusion that might arise is between PS-AU spe (= spe 7) which, following auro au|i7Tpi(pp6|ivoi, transmits sibi consentientes while
PS-AU spe 81 ((3) contains the alternate reading consentiens transmitted in Mss MVL.
y
31
See Herbert Thompson, The Coptic (Sahiic) Version of Certain Books of the Old
Testament from a Papyrus in the British Museum (Oxford: H. Frowde, 1908).
The edition of Chrysostom cited by Ziegler is that of J. Froben, Opera D. Ioannis
Chrysostomi I-V (Basel, 1558). See Gryson, Rpertoire Gnral 382.
See RA. de Lagarde, Libri Veteris Testamenti apocryphi syriace (Leipzig/London:
1861; repr., Osnabruck: Otto Zeller, 1972).
cf. Einleitung, 164.
32
33
34
212
These pages have attempted to demonstrate the methodology used

for the production of an editio critica of the Vetus Latina. First of all, the
editor must acknowledge that the material he has at his disposal from
the manuscript tradition is quite incomplete. Some manuscripts transmit variant readings that are unique, and it is the principal function of
the apparatus criticus to present the entirety of our knowledge about
all the extant manuscripts. The reality is, unfortunately, that there is in
some cases a paucity of witnesses. On occasion a very different reading is transmitted. In Sirach 25:2, for example, the words "mul</er> et
maritus" translate yvvr\ Kai avf\p literally, but we see that this formulation is in contradiction to the rest of the extant manuscript tradition.
The fragmentary material transmitted by Codex 171 (J) is a concrete
example of an important witness. Since so little of this Ms is extant, and
even the sections we do have are often illegible, we have to seek to "reconstruct" the text by means of the biblical citations found in patristic
literature and/or in liturgical texts. All of these sources are listed in the
apparatus of witnesses.
Secondly, we have not attempted to "reconstruct" one particular text
but rather list all the "types" (VDI and J), distinguished for the most
part by their vocabulary, in the schema as a clear and precise documentation and overview of the different stages of the development of the
text. The Greek text of the Septuagint functions as the point of departure and model for the creation of each edition of the Vetus Latina. As
every reader of Sirach knows, the Greek text of this book is extremely
complex because of its numerous additions and often significantly different text from that handed down in the Latin versions. It is thanks
to these various Latin transmissions and revisions that the history of
the text of the Septuagint itself becomes at times more comprehensible
and complete. As P.-M. Bogaert noted, "La connaissance de la Septante est indispensable pour comprendre la vetus latina et combler les
failles de notre information son sujet, mais inversement la vetus latina
est un tmoin, qui peut tre dcisif, sur la plus ancienne histoire de la
Septante."
35
35
P.-M. Bogaert, "La Bible latine des origines au moyen ge. Aperu historique, tat
des questions, RTL 19 (1988): 154.
,,
THE OLD LATIN VERSION OF SIRACH
213
APPENDIX
25,1
Ev
fipdoGn
TplGlV
\|A)%T1
UO0)
KAI
O)paiCT0T|V
V
tribus
25,1
placitum
I
J
eonv
aveomv
est
spiritui
meo
beneplacitum
placuit
xama
quae
sunt
+ et
spiritu
tria
sunt
quae placita sunt
in
tribus
delectata <sum>
et
surrexi
25,1 deest IT
adsunt 171 b s II 171 /In tribus delectata et surrexi speciosa coram deo et hominibus/
Il
b 18,26/In tribus placitum est spui meo.
Que sunt probata coram d et hominibus/
Il
s LXXII. <d>e trib; placitis. 24,11/In tribus placitum est spi (s*; sp s ) meo Qu sunt probata coram d5 et
hominibus/
II in] in A *; In A ; </>n MI qu Bsa X A MR N Grazl67 BernA9
II
que Kic A b B.48
F
B2
HL
25,1 D PS-AU spe

I CHRO
J 171
(Ad textum graecum ipaoOri r\ \\fv%t\ \iov Kai xama
eaxiv oopaia vide J. Ziegler editionem et introductionem,
paginas 76-78)
in tribus placitum est V; PS-AU spe; AN scrip; cfKA
Ab
in tribus beneplactitum est Q
in tribus placuit
PS-AU s 61
tria sunt quae placita sunt CHRO; cf
commendavit (scil. lectio) nobis tria quaedam excellentia
AU; c/quae tria sapientiae place(a)nt KA A a; c/quae sint
ei (scil. sapientiae) placita KA A ; cf (de ...) tribus bonis
KA B
in tribus delectata <sum> 171: delectata <sum>
< ? paiaenv B S A V O V a b c alii
cf Smend 224;
Thielmann 265.540.552; Herkenne 195; J. Wevers,

Theologische Rundschau 33 (1968) 45
placitum] pacitum Z : lapsu
x x x x xxCHRO
spiritui meo V; PS-AU spe 81, spe 7 (p); 81 (c/Thiele,
Einleitung 131); PS-AU s 61; AN scrip; cf KA A
b
spiritu meo 0 *(?)s ; PS-AU spe 7 (cf Einleitung
131)
xx 171
x quae sunt V; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN scrip
x quae x Z
et quae sunt AGô**? et surrexi 171:
Kai aveornv B S A V L ' a k alii
25,1 AN scrip 2,9,15 (123,41): 23,33/item: in tribus

placitum est spiritui meo (spiritus mei M), quae sunt
probata coram deo et hominibus/
AU s 359,1 (1590):
vide versum sequentem
PS-AU s 61,1 (1858): 2/in
tribus placuit spiritui meo, quae sunt probata coram deo et
hominibus/ (deest [PET-C] s 53)
spe 7 (347,7): 3,1/in
tribus placitum est spiritu (spiritui MVLCa\i) meo, quae
sunt probata coram deo et nomine (S; hominibus MVLC,
Edit.)/
81 (579,10): in tribus placitum est spritui meo,
quae sunt probata (probati a) coram deo et nomine (S;
hominibus MVLQI
CHRO Mt 59,1 (492,15): Is
26,12/hanc concordiam fratrum (c/25,2) deo (+ cognitam
et p ) placitam etiam per Salomonem sanctus spiritus
declaravit, ita ( p ) dicendo (dicens p ): tria sunt, quae
placita sunt coram deo et hominibus/
KA A a 69 (65
*F ; 78 *F ) (118): 24,1/quae tria sapientiae (sapientia M*)
placeant (placent *F *) et quae displiceant (cf Sir
25,3)/9
A b 80 (78 V ; 86 Milano B. 48 inf.) (119):
24,27/sapientia loquitur in tribus placitum esse spiritui eius
(ei Milano B. 48 inf.)/
A 47 (46 n ) (179):
24,10/sapientia narrt quae sint ei placita/17
B 12
(129): 24,1/sive tribus bonis/3
2
AN scrip 2,9,15 (123,42): /concordia (concorda
M) fratrum et amor proximorum et vir et mulier
consentientis (sic) sibi/
AU s 359,1 (1590): prima lectio
divinorum eloquiorum de libra qui appellator
Ecclesiasticus commendavit nobis tria quaedam excellentia
et consideratione dignissima (cf Sir 25,1): concordiam
fratrum et amorem proximorum et virum ac mulierem sibi

consentientes
359,9 (1596): bona res concordia fratrum;
sed videte ubi: in Christo Christianorum. et amor
proximorum. quid, si adhuc nondum est frater in Christo?
quia homo, proximus est; ames et ipsum, ut lucreris et
ipsum. si ergo concordes cumfratrechristiano, ames autem
proximum, etiam cum quo modo concordia non est, quia
nondum in Christo frater est...paganus est, Iudaeus est; est
tamen proximus, quia homo est; si amas et ipsum,
accessisti et ad aliam dilectionem alio dono, et sic sunt in te
duo, concordia fratrum et amor proximorum. ex his
omnibus concordiam tenentibus cumfratribuset amantibus
proximum constat ecclesia devota Christo et subdita vira,
ut fiat tertium, vir et mulier sibi consentientes
PS-AU s
61,1 (1858): pax concordia est fratrum, sicut scriptum
est/1/concordia fratrum et amor proximorum et vir et
mulier consentientes sibi. concordia ergo fratrum, voluntas
dei est (deest [PET-C] s 53)
spe 7 (347,8): /concordia
fratrum et amor proximorum et vir et mulier sibi
consentientes/Mt 5,9
81 (579,11): /concordia fratrum et
amor proximorum et vir et mulier sibi consentientes
(consentiens MVL)/Col 3,19.18
CHRO Mt 59,1
(492,17): /concordia fratrum, amor proximorum, et vir ac
mulier conveniens sibi
KA A b 80 (78 r ; 86 Milano B.
48 inf.) (119): /concordia fratrum (fratrem I ^ e t amore
(amorum T ) proximorum et viro cum muliere
consentientibus sibi/17
br
BD
br
214
cbpca
vavxi
KDpiov
Qeov
probata
coram
deo
et
hominibus
prolata
homine
hominibus
speciosa
et
amicitia
V
D
KAI vQpomcv
2
uvoia
ev ouovoia
e^rv,
Kai
tyiXia
concordia
fratrum
et
amor
amore
2
deest n
adsunt 171 b s II 171 /Concordia fratrum et amicitia proximorum Et m\i<lier> et maritus sibi consentientes/
Il
b /Concordia
Fratrum et amor proximorum et vir cum muliere bene sibi consentientes/
Il
s /concordia fratrum et amor proximorum Et vir et mulier sibi consentientes/
frtm A*, frm A fratum 8 hamor C
F
probata V; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN scrip: copaia

prolata *P * probat 0 * speciosa 171: porta cf (tria
quaedam ...) consideratione dignissima ? AU
coram 171 V; CHRO; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN
scrip: =
xZ
deo 171 V; CHRO; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN
scrip: QEOV Sacra Parallela (Wahl 112)
hominibus 171 V; CHRO; PS-AU spe 7 (P), 81 (P);
PS-AU s 61; AN scrip: =
hominum I1 * homine
PS-AU spe
2
D PS-AU spe
ICHRO J 1 7 1
D
c/Smend, 1906
concordia 171 V; CHRO; AU; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s
61; AN scrip: =
concordia (ablativus)? KA A b: cf
ev ouovoia 493-637
concordiam K: lapsu; vix conferenda est lectio ouovoiav 248 Sacra Parallela (Wahl
112)
fratum
fratruum or *
et 171 V; AU; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN scrip;
KA A b: = @
x CHRO
amor V; CHRO; AU; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN
scrip: =
amore ? KA A b
amicitia 171: <
11
TV
V
7LAT|0I0V, Kai
RC/NAICOV
proximorum
yvvr)
- AVNP
et
Kai
avnp
YUVN
vir
et
mulier
viro
cum
muliere
eavxoiq
sibi
+bene
+bonae
~ sibi
OÛ7LPI<|>p6uVOL.
consentientes
consentiente
sentientes
bene
~ consentientes
~ consentientibus
sibi
sibi
consentiens
ac
conveniens
sibi
mul</er>
et
maritus
sibi
consentientes
proximorum 171 V; CHRO; AU; PS-AU spe; PS-AU

s 61; AN scrip; KA A b: xwv nXnaiov = ; T)V nXT\oi(ov
L-calii Sacra Parallela (Wahl 112)
vir ... muli(er) V; CHRO; AU; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s
61; AN scrip; c/KA A b: ~ avnp ... ywn O-V L 336 443 d
Cljrysostomus V,385 Sacra Parallela (Wahl 112): =
~ mul<w?r>... maritus 171: =

vir V; CHRO; AU; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN
scrip
viro? KA A b
maritus 171: c/Einleitung 140
et 171 V; AU s 359,9; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61; AN
scrip
cum (muliere) BKTSQic , A bn , Wien 1190
Paris lat. 11505 Graz 167; KA A b
cum (o**; et o* )
mulier o*
ac CHRO; AU s 359,1
mulier V; CHRO; AU; PS-AU spe; PS-AU s 61 ; AN
3
vp
LH
vp
LH
scrip; mul<w?r> 171

(cum) muliere BKTSQic , A b
n Wien 1190 Paris lat. 11505 Graz 167; KA A b
cum
(o**; et
) mulier
+ bene B K T S o ^ K ^ ^ M O ^ b n W , Wien 1190
Milano B. 48 inf.* Graz 167
+ bonae O ~ sibi bene
Q
sibi consentientes 171V (sibi bene consentientes Q );
AU; PS-AU spe: =
sibi consententes L*
sibi consentiente T(e ex ?)A
sibi sentientes S*
sibi contientes O T *
sibi conscietes o**
sibi consentiens II;
PS-AU spe 81 (P)
~ consentientes sibi PS-AU s 61 ; AN
scrip (consentientis)
~ consentientibus sibi KA A
b
~ conveniens sibi CHRO
L
LA VERSION LATINE DE BEN SIRA:

TAT DE LA QUESTION, ESSAI DE CLASSEMENT
THMATIQUE DES ADDITIONS
Thierry Legrand
La traduction latine de Ben Sira apparat comme le parent pauvre des

tmoins textuels de cette vaste instruction sapientielle. Souvent dlaisse par les spcialistes qui lui prfrent l'hbreu, le grec (I et II) ou le
syriaque, la version latine se montre pourtant d'un intrt exceptionnel tant du point de vue de sa forme que de son contenu . Elle a t
jadis tudie et mise en valeur par Ph. Thielmann, H. W. Herkenne, R.
Smend et D. De Bruyne, puis dans les deux dernires dcennies du X X
s. par W. Thiele qui se consacra l'dition critique de la Vetus Latina
de Ben Sira . A. Forte, de lTnstitut de Beuron, prolonge actuellement
cette uvre monumentale par la prparation des derniers fascicules
de YEcclesiasticus . Malgr un travail considrable effectu sur le texte
latin, on relve cependant que les tudes sur la forme et le contenu de la
version latine sont encore assez rares et que les considrations thmatiques sont largement ignores.
1
La version latine ancienne de Ben Sira nous est accessible au travers de la Vulgate, puisque Jrme, semble-t-il, n a ni corrig ni refait
la traduction latine de Ben Sira . Nous disposons ainsi d u n texte latin
5
Abrviations utilises: GrI (= Grec I) ; Gril (= Grec II) ; Lat (= Latin) ; Syr. (=
Syriaque). La numrotation des chapitres et des versets suit l'dition de la Biblia Sacra
iuxta latinam vulgatam versionem pour le latin et l'dition de J. Ziegler pour le texte
grec. La mention Si (Gr) prcise qu'il s'agit de la numrotation du texte grec.
On note, par exemple, que l'tude de la version syriaque de Ben Sira ralise par
M.D. Nelson ne mentionne pratiquement jamais l'intrt du texte latin de Ben Sira,
alors qu'une quarantaine de passages de la version syriaque sont comparables ceux
de la version latine; cf. The Syriac Version of the Wisdom of Ben Sira compared to the
Greek and Hebrew Materials (SBL Dissertation Series 107; Atlanta: Scholars Press,
1988).
Vetus Latina: die Reste der altlateinischen Bibel. 11-2, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) (d.
W. Thiele; Freiburg: Herder, 1987-2005).
Dans ce volume, on consultera l'tude de A. Forte, ( The Old Latin Version of
Sirach : Editio Critica and Textual Problems , p. 199).
Voir la prface de Jrme aux livres de Salomon et les commentaires de R.
Smend, Die Weisheit des Jsus Sirach erklrt (Berlin : Verlag von Georg Reimer, 1906),
CXVIII-CXXIX.
2
THIERRY LEGRAND
2l6
relativement ancien (cit par Cyprien de Carthage) qui peut sans doute
tre dat de la fin du II s. de notre re . C est sur ce texte que notre
tude portera .
e
A . CARACTRISTIQUES DE LA VERSION LATINE DE BEN SIRA

Nous relevons ici brivement quelques lments significatifs qui tmoignent des particularits de la version latine de Ben Sira.
- La plupart des manuscrits latins transmettent un prologue fait sur la
base du texte grec des onciaux. Mais l'existence de plusieurs versions
latines diffrentes de ce prologue rvle que la traduction latine initiale ne comprenait sans doute pas de prologue. Celui-ci aurait t
ajout aprs coup, donc tardivement, et par conformit avec le texte
grec .
- Fait caractristique majeur, la traduction latine ne comporte pas la
transposition des chapitres 33 36 que nous trouvons dans les manuscrits grecs . L'ordre des chapitres latins est ainsi conforme celui
des manuscrits hbreux de Ben Sira. Ceci est de toute vidence un
indice de la valeur et de l'anciennet de la traduction latine. En effet, la transposition des chapitres 3 3 - 3 6 a d survenir assez tt dans
l'histoire de la transmission du texte grec puisque tous les manuscrits grecs, y compris le manuscrit 2 4 8 , s'en font les tmoins. On en
dduit que la traduction latine du texte latin de Ben Sira a t ralise
sur la base d'un texte grec ancien, aujourd'hui perdu, qui transmettait l'ordre original des chapitres .
8
10
11
Cf. M. Gilbert, art. Siracide, DBS XII (1996), 1399; C. Spicq, L'Ecclsiastique, in La Sainte Bible. Texte latin et traduction franaise d'aprs les textes originaux (dir. L. Pirot et A. Clamer; Tome VI ; Paris : Letouzey & An, 1951), 544.
Consulter la Biblia Sacra iuxta latinam vulgatam versionem, XII: Sapientia SalomoniSy Liber Hiesu filii Sirach (Rome, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1964) et l'dition de
la Vetus Latina de l'Institut de Beuron.
D. De Bruyne, Le prologue, le titre et la finale de l'Ecclsiastique , ZAW 47
(1929) : 257-63.
Dans les manuscrits grecs, Si 33,13b-36,16a est plac avant 30,25-33,13a. Cf.
Sapientia lesu Filii Sirach (d. J. Ziegler; Vetus Testamentum Graece vol. XII, 2; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1980), 27; M. Gilbert, Siracide, 1393; A.A. Di
Lella, P. Skehan, The Wisdom of Ben Sira (AB 39; New York: Doubleday, 1987), 56.
Le manuscrit 248 est un tmoin important de la forme longue grecque (Gril).
Cf. J.H.A. Hart, Ecclesiasticus. The Greek Text of Codex 248 (Cambridge: University
Press, 1909).
Selon M. Gilbert, l'inversion des chapitres a donc d se produire entre la fin
7
10
11
LA VERSION L A T I N E DE BEN SIRA
217
- Parmi les traits spcifiques de la version latine de Ben Sira, on note

que la plupart des manuscrits latins ajoutent une finale (chap. 52)
constitue d u n texte apparent 2 Ch 6,13-22 (cf. 1 R 8 , 2 2 - 3 0 ) .
Il s agit de la clbre prire de Salomon, le sage par excellence, au
centre de laquelle se trouve raffirme la ncessit dune descendance
davidique pour le trne d'Isral . Ce texte est accompagn, dans un
certain nombre de manuscrits latins, du titre Oratio Salomonis . Ce
passage additionnel avait peut-tre pour fonction de lgitimer l'attribution ancienne du livre de Ben Sira au personnage de Salomon .
- Dernier point significatif: la version latine offre un texte particulirement tendu, tonnamment riche et charg , souvent trs loign
des versions anciennes, et notamment de la forme brve du texte
grec (GrI) transmise par les grands onciaux . On note, par contre,
de multiples parents entre la version latine de Ben Sira et la forme
longue du texte grec (Gril) . Certains commentateurs, comme D. De
Bruyne , ont considr que la version latine constituait le tmoin le
plus complet de la forme longue grecque de Ben Sira, mais ce point
fait dbat parmi les spcialistes .
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Sur la base de ces constats et remarques, nous avons tent une valuation quantitative et qualitative de la version latine de Ben Sira, en
cherchant notamment classer de manire thmatique les additions
ou modifications qu'elle prsente par rapport au texte GrI.
du II s. de notre re et le dbut du IV s. dans un ms. qui est l'archtype de tous les

mss subsistants; ce ms. archtype donnait la forme brve (GrI) ( Siracide, 1398).
Si 52 prsente une traduction latine diffrente de celle que Ton trouve dans la
Vulgate de 1 R 8,22-30 et 2 Ch 6,13-22.
En Si 24,34, le prolongement de la version latine rappelle cette promesse.
Voir D. De Bruyne, Le Prologue, 262.
On y repre des doublets, des dplacements, des phrases latines difficiles saisir. Citons, ce sujet, D. De Bruyne: Aucun texte de la Bible n'a t plus altr au
cours d'une longue histoire par des rviseurs anonymes, aucun n'est sem de plus
de piges et de traquenards. (tude sur le texte latin de l'Ecclsiastique, RBen 40
[1928] : 47).
Sur ce point, consulter l'dition de J. Ziegler, Sapientia Iesu Filii Sirach, 7-13;
53-57.
L'dition de J. Ziegler intgre 135 stiques considrs comme des ajouts de Gril ;
par ex. Si (Gr) I,7.10cd.l2cd.l8cd.21.
D. De Bruyne, tude sur le texte latin , 43-44.
Cf. C. Kearns, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach , dans
A New Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture (d. R.C. Fuller et al. ; London: Nelson, 1969), 547-49; M. Gilbert, Siracide, 1396-1399.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
218
THIERRY LEGRAND
B. VALUATION QUANTITATIVE ET QUALITATIVE
D u n point de vue mthodologique, nous avons effectu une comparaison de la version latine avec le texte grec de l'dition de J. Ziegler et
les citations de Ben Sira dans le recueil des Sacra parallela , en nous
basant principalement sur le texte latin de la Biblia Sacra iuxta latinam vulgatam versionem . Cette comparaison, difficile et conjecturale, a permis de rassembler l'essentiel des passages latins modifis
de manire significative. Ceux-ci reprsentent environ 450 lieux variants qui vont de la simple modification d'un mot ou d'une expression
l'addition d'un passage substantiel d'un stique ou deux (plus de 200),
en passant par l'insertion d'une affirmation sapientielle inconnue des
manuscrits grecs .
20
21
22
23
1. Le point de vue quantitatif

Mme s'il est difficile, voire risqu, de mesurer une activit recensionnelle, il apparat utile de donner quelques prcisions chiffres.
Le texte latin de Ben Sira compte approximativement 20150 mots , et
nous avons relev environ 2400 mots additionnels ou modifiant sensiblement le texte de base , c'est--dire la version grecque type I. Ceci
reprsente 11 12% de texte supplmentaire par rapport une traduction latine qui aurait suivi de manire stricte et littrale un texte GrI.
24
25
On peut ajouter ce premier rsultat que la majorit des additions

ou divergences par rapport au texte grec se situe dans les chap. 1 37,
avec un nombre important de modifications dans les quatre premiers
chapitres de Ben Sira et l'loge de la sagesse en Si 24. Ce chapitre po20
Cf. J. Ziegler, Sapientia, 123-368. Lbuvrage d'Otto Wahl propose une reconstitution partielle du texte grec de Ben Sira partir des citations grecques trouves
dans les Sacra Parallela (Der Sirach-Text des Sacra Parallela [Forschung zur Bibel 16;
Wrzburg: Echter Verlag, 1974]).
Biblia Sacra iuxta latinam vulgatam versionem, 145-375.
Relev dtaill des textes dans T. Legrand, Le Siracide : Problmes textuels et
thologiques de la recension longue (Thse de doctorat en Histoire des religions,
sous la dir. de M. Philonenko; n1996STR20092; Universit de Strasbourg, 1996),
vol. 1,66-115.
Comme les recherches de R. Smend et D. De Bruyne lavaient rvles jadis,
de nombreuses modifications correspondent aux lments du texte Gril dit par J.
Ziegler.
Ce calcul exclut le prologue et le chapitre additionnel (Si 52).
Pour donner un ordre de grandeur, les chapitres de Ben Sira latin comportent
une moyenne de 400 mots ; le volume de passages modifis correspond donc 5 ou 6
chapitres de Ben Sira.
21
22
23
24
25
LA VERSION L A T I N E DE B E N SIRA
219
tique offre, dans sa version latine, un visage bien diffrent de ce que

nous lisons dans le GrI . Les modifications se font plus rares dans les
chapitres 38 39, et on en compte assez peu dans les chapitres qui prcdent l'loge des Pres. Dans cette dernire section de Ben Sira (44,150,26), les modifications sont le plus souvent de moindre importance .
Il est difficile ici de donner une explication satisfaisante cette quasi-absence de diffrences entre le grec et le latin dans les douze derniers chapitres de Ben Sira : peut-tre faut-il envisager ici le travail d'un
second traducteur latin, fidle au GrI, ayant pris le relais du premier
traducteur? Cette solution a t envisage par Ph. Thielmann qui a
suggr que les 43 premiers chapitres, auxquels il faut ajouter le chap.
51, avaient t traduits par un premier traducteur latin, tandis que
l'loge des Pres (Si 4 4 - 5 0 ) aurait t traduit plus tardivement . Le
premier traducteur aurait adjoint son ouvrage l' Oratio Salomonis
qui forme le chap. 52. Cette hypothse s'appuie galement sur le fait
que les premiers Pres de l'glise ne citent jamais la version latine de
Si 4 4 - 5 0 . L'loge des Pres, ou Laus Patrum dans sa version latine,
n'aurait rejoint la grande section sapientielle de Ben Sira qu' l'poque
de l'insertion de ce livre dans la Vulgate, au V ou au VI s. Quoi qu'il
en soit, c'est dans les 37 premiers chapitres que se situe l'essentiel du
plus de la traduction latine. Ce rsultat est nettement diffrent de
celui que l'on obtient en comparant les additions du Gril et du GrI. De
fait, les lments additionnels du Gril se situent 85% dans les 24 premiers chapitres de Ben Sira , et il apparat assez clairement que nous
ne disposons aujourd'hui que d'une partie de ces additions.
26
27
2 8
29
30
Voyons maintenant quelques aspects textuels, avant de tenter une

approche thmatique du contenu de la version latine.
26
Deux tiers des versets de Si 24 prsentent des modifications importantes par rapport au texte GrI. Cf. Si24,lb.3-4.5-6.11a.llc.l3c.l6c.l9c.21c.2425.28.31.32.33.34.38a.40-41.45.46.47.
Voir cependant Si 46,18 ; 48,2c.l2b.23 ; 49,18b ; 50,31b.
Du point de vue du contenu, la section de l'loge des Pres offre une galerie de
portraits des hros d'Isral. Elle est en ce sens bien diffrente du reste du livre.
Ph. Thielmann, Die europisschen Bestandteile des lateinischen Sirach , dans
Archiv fur lateinische Lexikographie und Grammatik IX, (Leipzig, 1896), 247-84.
Thse reprise dans D. De Bruyne, Le Prologue... , 257-58; M. Gilbert, Siracide,
1399.
Signalons, cependant, une longue addition sur le choix de la femme honorable,
en Si (Gril) 26,19-27. Cette addition se trouve aussi dans la version syriaque.
27
28
29
30
THIERRY LEGRAND
220
2. valuation qualitative
: le point de vue textuel
On observe premirement que les lments additionnels de la version latine ne sont pas placs au hasard du texte. Ils semblent assez bien
intgrs la traduction latine, mme si on peroit quelques surcharges
du texte et des passages difficilement comprhensibles. Ainsi, nous ne
sommes pas devant un simple phnomne d additions ou de complments apports un texte source, mais face une traduction latine qui
a sa propre cohrence . De fait, ces additions ou modifications
quelques exceptions prs ne semblent pas avoir t intgres par un
interpolateur qui aurait cherch inflchir le texte ou le complter,
par exemple en harmonisant une premire traduction latine par rapport un texte de type GrII. Ou alors, il faut envisager un correcteur
latin suffisamment habile pour avoir modifi la traduction latine en
profondeur, en y intgrant des lments provenant d une forme longue
type GrII. Selon toute hypothse, le traducteur de la version latine semble avoir ralis son uvre partir d'un texte GrII diffrent de celui
que nous avons dans le manuscrit 248 ou les manuscrits proches de
celui-ci . On constate, en effet, que les lments de la forme GrII ne
sont pas systmatiquement prsents dans la version latine , mme si
beaucoup d'lments y figurent. D autre part, la version latine transmet un plus grand nombre d'lments additionnels que ceux relevs
dans la forme GrII. Nous disposons ainsi d'un texte latin proche du
GrII (selon l'dition de J. Ziegler), mais plus dvelopp que cette forme.
On note aussi quelques cas o la version latine transmet un contenu
diffrent de celui de la forme GrII . Ceci s'explique probablement par
l'histoire complexe de la transmission des manuscrits grecs et latins.
31
32
33
34
Signalons brivement quelques-unes des caractristiques de la version latine par comparaison avec le texte grec :
- Par l'adjonction d'un ou deux mots (notamment le mot deus) le
traducteur latin semble conduire son lecteur dans une lecture plus
31
Voir par exemple: Si l,8.23b.26-28; 2,22; 3,1.4.34; 4,7.12.18b.21b.28.33;

5,1.3.12; 6,23 ;7,5b.21; 8,13.
On note que la recension orignienne et la recension lucianique attestent
massivement les additions releves ; le ms 248 reste le plus complet.
Quelques lments du GrII ne figurent pas dans la version latine : Si (Gr) 3,25 ;
10,21; 16,9cd.l0cd; 16,15-16; 17,5.1 lc.16-17a.18.26b; 18,9b; 19,18-19.20c-21.25c;
20,32 ; 22,7-8.23ef ; 24,24; 26,19-27.
Voir, par exemple, Si 24,34 qui ne correspond absolument pas au contenu de
l'addition GrII (24,24).
32
33
3 4
221
thologique, religieuse ou morale des formulations proverbiales,

parfois un peu brutes, du texte grec. Ainsi, en Si (Gr) 15,10, C'est
la sagesse qui fait prononcer la louange , le latin prcise qu'il s'agit
de la louange de Dieu . En Si (Gr) 24,1, la sagesse proclame son
propre loge, alors que le latin rappelle son lien Dieu: elle trouvera son honneur en Dieu. Si (Gr) 16,3, un seul (fils) vaut mieux
que mille , prsente une sentence brve l o le latin offre une formulation qui voque les attitudes contraires : Mieux vaut un seul
(fils) qui craint Dieu plutt que mille fils impies . On note galement,
plusieurs reprises, le rappel de la prsence divine ou de son intervention dans un verset qui voquait seulement les thmes sapientiaux
classiques (14,22; 18,22c; 19,21 ; 20,30b; 30,24a; 31,11 ; 33,1b; 34,13b;
38,8). De manire gnrale, la version latine offre un expos sapientiel
moins profane que celui du GrI, son caractre religieux et moral est
manifeste .
35
36
37
L o le texte grec numre une srie de termes ou de qualificatifs,

le latin en contient souvent plusieurs autres : 1,9 ( il l a vue, compt
et mesure ) ; 4,19 (crainte, inquitude et preuve) ; 6,9 (haines,
disputes et reproches ; voir aussi 5,17c) ; 22,30b (maldictions, injures et menaces) ; 26,11b (son affront et son infamie). Voir aussi
33,7 ( un jour sur un jour, une lumire sur une lumire, une anne
sur une anne ). Ce style emphatique ou surcharg rsulte peut-tre,
dans certains cas, d'une difficult de traduction ou de l'intgration
d'une variante textuelle. Mais le style gnral de la version latine nous
invite penser que le traducteur a travaill sur un texte grec plus
riche que celui des grands onciaux. Son apport personnel, difficile
mesurer, est aussi un lment dont il faut tenir compte.
Dans la mme ligne, on peut encore signaler un certain nombre de
gloses sapientielles classiques que l'on rencontre galement dans les
versions anciennes et leurs recensions: l'or et l'argent ; la ruse et
l'artifice ; les sages anciens ; les chefs insolents ; les nations
orgueilleuses ; une rcompense grande ; un jugement inique .
Les termes sont parfois complts par d'autres qui forment des paires :
la sagesse et la science ; les biens et les maux ; les impies et les
pcheurs , la vie et la mort , etc.
35
36
37
Le verset latin offre ici une version plus dveloppe et bien diffrente du GrI.
Les manuscrits grecs prsentent ici de nombreuses variantes.
Autres exemples: Si 7,21 ; 13,18; 14,17; 16,3.15b; 20,4; 22,23; 26,3b.24; 29,26a.
THIERRY LEGRAND
222
- Le latin prsente rgulirement une syntaxe diffrente de celle que

nous lisons dans le GrI : une ngation est omise ou ajoute, un interrogatif est modifi ou supprim, deux stiques sont coordonns l
o ils apparaissent spars en grec, etc . Ces phnomnes sont assez
courants dans les versions anciennes. D'autres lments de la version
latine laissent penser que le traducteur a utilis un original grec de
contenu et de forme diffrents du GrI, mais ces lments peuvent
avoir t insrs par le traducteur lui-mme ou par un copiste postrieur. Signalons par exemple l'insertion de l'expression mon fils
(fili) pour dbuter une nouvelle instruction (4,23 ; 32,24) . Au chap.
24, le traducteur introduit le discours de la Sagesse en le faisant prcder de la forme verbale dicens (24,4b). En Si (Gr) 24,30, alors que
la mention de kag ( Et moi, je suis comme un canal... ) semble faire
rfrence au rdacteur de l'instruction sapientielle qui s'exprime
lui-mme et s'applique les images dveloppes quelques versets plus
haut , la version latine (24,40) comprend qu'il s'agit toujours d'une
dclaration de la sagesse personnifie (Moi, la Sagesse , j'ai fait se
rpandre les fleuves... ). La signification de ce passage (24,40-47) est
ainsi profondment diffrente d'une version une autre. Plus loin, en
Si 25,15, la version latine transmet un macarisme (Heureux celui
qui il est donn d'avoir la crainte de Dieu) qui s'insre la suite de
deux autres et confre au passage une allure structure. En Si 26,28,
une formule proverbiale numrique (Deux choses me paraissent
difficiles et dangereuses) permet une meilleure intgration d'un
distique sur la faute et le pch . Ainsi, le latin offre rgulirement
un texte dont l'nonc ou la construction apparaissent bien diffrents
de celles du GrI.
38
39
40
41
42
43
- On relve galement quelques reformulations de type targumiques :

le sujet des verbes est explicit (Dieu, l'homme sens, le sage, l'impie,
etc.) , un mot ou une expression vient prciser ou complter une sen44
38
Par exemple: Si 14,12a; 24,46b; 25,16; 33,2.

Expression typique du livre des Proverbes, elle est reprise une vingtaine de fois
dans Ben Sira (Gr/Lat).
Le manuscrit grec 248 offre la mme leon que le latin.
Cette formule ( Deux choses... ) est annonce en Si (Gr) 26,28.
Voir aussi Si 34,27: Sont frres, celui qui rpand le sang et celui qui use de
fraude pour la paye du salari .
Cf. R. Le Daut, La Septante, un Targum? , dans tudes sur le judasme hellnistique. Congrs de Strasbourg de l'ACFEB (1983) (d. R. Kuntzmann et J. Schlosser
(Paris: Cerf, 1984), 147-96.
Si 11,11 (l'impie) ; 33,10 (Dieu) ; 39,1 (le sage).
39
40
41
42
43
44
223
45
tence proverbiale : Si (Gr) 4,33, le Seigneur Dieu combattra pour

toi , le latin prcise contre tes ennemis (cf. Si 8,8a). On note l'ajout
d une rfrence biblique la cration de l'homme et de la femme en
Si 17,5. Ailleurs, en Si 27,12a, le latin offre un paralllisme complet l
o le GrI (27,11a) semble incomplet : L'homme saint demeure dans la
sagesse, (stable) comme le soleil alors que le sot est changeant comme
la lune . En Si 33,9b, un distique prcise la porte d'un verset sur la
cration divine des temps et des jours de fte, en mettant l'accent sur
la clbration des ftes aux temps fixs (ad horam) .
- Comme on l'a signal plus haut, le texte de la version latine comporte de nombreux stiques ou distiques qui viennent prciser la porte d une instruction ou lui donner une orientation particulire. Ces
lments peuvent tre placs avant ou aprs une affirmation sapientielle du grec, ou mme l'intrieur d'un distique . On constate ainsi
qu'une majorit de ces additions ou prolongement s'adaptent particulirement bien au contenu du texte de Ben Sira. En gnral, ces
complments reprennent un thme sapientiel ou un mot du verset
qu'ils accompagnent, donnant l'ensemble une cohrence certaine.
En voici quelques exemples: Si 10,21 conclut un nonc sur le chtiment des orgueilleux et des nations par un distique quilibr qui
met en opposition la suppression de la mmoire des orgueilleux et le
maintien de celle des humbles de sens. Si 11,15-16 moralise et complte de manire dualiste l'numration du v. 14 ( Biens et maux, vie
et mort... ). Si 12,4bc associe au terme pcheur le thme de la vengeance divine vis--vis des impies et des pcheurs. Ce prolongement
fait cho un premier dveloppement (12,3cd) sur la haine du pcheur et la misricorde divine pour ceux qui se repentent . Si 14,12c
s'appuie sur la reprise du terme testamentum pour insister sur
46
47
48
49
Si 7,3 ; 33,1c (ne pas semer les maux I tre dlivrer du mal) ; 19,10 (entendre une
affaire concernant son prochain) ; 29,26a (le pcheur qui transgresse le commandement) ; 36,2 ; 39,28b (les nations trangres qui ne cherchent pas Dieu).
Voir aussi Si 30,20b.
Cet indice permet peut-tre d'envisager un milieu producteur juif, particulirement proccup par les questions de calendrier. Comparer avec 1QS I 14-15;
1 Henoch 82,4-5; Jubils 6,22.34.
L'attention des spcialistes s'est gnralement porte sur les additions majeures insres la suite d'un stique, mais les modifications internes sont les plus
nombreuses.
Ce verset reprend le texte grec du v. 6 et l'on peut penser que l'ordre des versets
tait diffrent dans le texte grec suivi par le traducteur latin. Cf. D. De Bruyne, tude
sur le texte latin , 21.
45
46
47
4 8
49
THIERRY LEGRAND
224
l'inluctabilit de la mort. Si 15,7-8 oriente de manire eschatologique le thme de l'attitude des senss et des insenss face la sagesse.
Si 23,27 roriente l'affirmation du texte grec en plaant en exergue
une information sur le Dieu qui voit tout, comme pour insister
sur cette capacit divine voque dans le texte grec au verset suivant.
Si 27,9bc prolonge la sentence sur la recherche de la justice par une
vocation du jour de la reconnaissance (in die agnitionis), favorable ceux qui auront suivi les voies de la justice. Si 28,26 voque le
sort des justes et des injustes face aux flammes de la langue mauvaise.
Si 29,26 met l'accent sur la transgression des commandements divins
dans le contexte d'une instruction sur le cautionnement. En Si 36,2bc
et 36,13bc, l'insertion de la glorification du Dieu unique donne
l'ensemble du passage (36,1-19) une allure de prire structure par
quatre refrains (2bc5.13bc.19cd). Pour l'ensemble de ces passages, on
constate que la version latine offre un contenu sapientiel rorient du
point de vue thologique .
50
Il faudrait bien entendu dtailler davantage et entrer ainsi dans une

analyse textuelle prcise de chaque passage divergent de la version
latine ; on percevrait alors toute la complexit de cette version et la multitude des divergences qui la sparent du GrI et du Gril. Par ailleurs,
la comparaison ne devrait pas simplement s'effectuer verset par verset :
la version latine prsente souvent une cohrence narrative propre pour
une section entire de Ben Sira (cf. Si 15,6-10; 2 4 , 1 - 6 ; 36,1-19).
3. Le contenu et les thmes
Cet autre volet de notre recherche s'intresse principalement au contenu des passages modifis de la version latine. Une telle approche globalisante se heurte immanquablement deux difficults : le volume de
passages analyss et la diversit des types de modifications. De fait,
comment classer le plus de la version latine? Quels critres thmatiques suivre pour rendre justice au texte et ne pas ngliger certains
thmes au profit d'autres? Comment garder la teneur gnrale du
verset tout en relevant les diffrents motifs qui le caractrisent? Ajoutons que certaines additions de la version latine contiennent plusieurs
thmes imbriqus les uns dans les autres, ce qui augmente la difficult
d'un classement thmatique. Voir par exemple Si 11,15-16 qui voque
Voir aussi Si 2,21-22a.
225
l'instruction, la loi, l'amour, le bien et le mal, les tnbres, les pcheurs,

etc.
La mthode que nous avons suivie a t marque par le ttonnement
et la statistique. Nous avons effectu plusieurs essais de classements
partir de la frquence du vocabulaire utilis et des thmes rcurrents dans la version latine, mais l'aspect subjectif de ce travail n'est
pas ngliger. Au final, nous suggrons un classement thmatique provisoire qui rassemble les modifications de la version latine dans trois
domaines : la conception de Dieu, l'exaltation de la sagesse et l'orientation de la conduite humaine. La question de l'orientation eschatologique de la forme longue de Ben Sira (Expanded text) a t aborde de
manire globale par C. Kearns dans sa dissertation doctorale de 1951,
et les conclusions essentielles ont t publies en 1969 dans un article
sur Ben Sira . Nous aborderons peu ce sujet puisqu'il a dj fait l'objet
de plusieurs tudes .
51
52
53
3.1. La conception de Dieu

Les termes et les expressions qui qualifient le Dieu de Ben Sira latin
ne sont pas particulirement diffrents de ceux que nous trouvons par
ailleurs dans le texte grec , mais on relve cependant quelques thmes
marquants et rcurrents, des renforcements ou des insistances sur des
caractristiques particulires, par petites touches successives.
54
55
- Le thme du Dieu crateur, dj trs prsent en Ben Sira n'est pas

particulirement dvelopp dans la version latine (cf. 1,8 ; 17,6), mais
on note, par contre, une insistance sur la grandeur de ses uvres
depuis l'origine (1,15; 11,4; 16,25de; 36,2.13bc; 43,32b.35b) ; des
uvres que le sage devra louer comme il se doit (11,13c ; 15,10 ; 17,26).
On peroit une volont de prciser que le rle crateur de Dieu s'ins56
51
Parmi les instruments utiles, consulter J.-M. Auwers, Concordance du Siracide

(Grec II et Sacra Parallela) (Cahiers de la Revue Biblique 58 ; Paris : Gabalda, 2005).
C. Kearns, The Expanded Text of Ecclesiasticus, its teaching of the Future Life
as a Clue to its Origin (Doctoral dissertation; Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institut,
1951) ; C. Kearns, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, 547-49.
Voir la contribution de Jean-Sbastien Rey dans ce volume (L'esprancepostmortem dans les diffrentes versions du Siracide, p. 257).
Sur renseignement et la thologie de Ben Sira, consulter A. A. Di Lella, P. Skehan, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 75-92 et R. Egger-Wenzel, (d.), Ben Siras God. Proceedings of the International Ben Sira Conference, Durham Ushaw College 2001
(BZAW 321 ; Berlin / New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2002).
Par exemple, Si (Gr) 24,8 et la longue description de Si (Gr) 42,15-43,33.
La version latine rappelle que le soleil est soumis Dieu (33,8b).
52
53
54
55
56
226
THIERRY LEGRAND
crit dans l'histoire humaine depuis le commencement, et qu'il touche

chaque instant de la vie. Ici, ce n'est pas la cration du cosmos qui
est mise en valeur, mais la cration de l'homme, un tre qui doit se
tourner vers Dieu et respecter ses voies . En mme temps, le sage n'a
pas rechercher ce qui est cach, et le fidle est invit garder une
certaine rserve par rapport aux mystres de Dieu, c'est--dire ses
uvres invisibles (3,22c.24b; 11,4) .
- Il s'agit d'un Dieu unique (11,4; 36,2.13c), un Dieu puissant (13,9),
qualifi de roi invincible et ternel (1,8; 18,1b), des thmes que l'on
retrouve et l dans le livre de Ben Sira. Mais l'information essentielle n'est pas l : le Dieu de la version latine est le Deus circumspector
ou conspector (7,12b ; 14,22 ; 23,28d), le dieu qui voit tout ; celui qui
surveille et veille sur l'homme sans relche (15,19b). Il est le Dieu qui
contemple les sicles, Deus conspector saeculorum (36,19; cf. 3,34a).
Ce thme du regard et de l'examen de Dieu est dj prsent en Ben
Sira , mais la version latine semble s'y attarder plus d'une reprise
(14,22c; 15,19b; 23,29b; 34,14b). Il ne s'agit pas ici d'un regard extrieur au monde et dtach, mais au contraire, le regard divin s'tend
des profondeurs de l'abme jusqu'au cur de l'homme (23,28c). La
thmatique sapientielle du cur se trouve de multiples reprises
dans la version latine et notamment pour prciser que le cur de
l'homme est connu de Dieu (7,5b; 16,20; 18,10).
- Ce dieu omnivoyant et omniscient est parfois associ au thme de
la lumire, ce qui n'est pas surprenant dans un ouvrage sapientiel
qui fait la louange de la cration divine : Dieu est lumire, et il claire
le monde, il illumine les curs, etc. (11,22b; 36,1b; 43,10b; 46,18;
50,31b).
- Par ailleurs, si l'il de Dieu voit toute chose, il s'agit d'un il bienveillant pour ceux qui l'aiment (2,13c; 34,15b) et le sage en appelle
57
58
59
60
61
62
57
Nous signalons plus loin l'importance du thme de l'amour de Dieu dans la

version latine (1,14-15; 2,10; 11,15, etc.) ; celui-ci est li au respect de la pratique des
commandements et du comportement juste.
Thme relier celui de la sagesse connue de Dieu seul, mais cache aux tres
humains: Jb 28,12-27; Ba 3,15-38.
La version latine de Si 36 martle l'affirmation de l'existence d'un dieu unique
dont il faut raconter les merveilles et les grandeurs.
Voir Si 23,27ab ( Il ne comprend pas que l'il (de Dieu) voit tout... ), plac en
tte d'un paragraphe sur l'omniscience divine.
Cf. Si (Gr) 15,18-19; 23,18-20 et 39,19.
Voir Es 2,5 ; 60,19-20 ; Ez 1,27 ; Ha 3,4 ; Ps 36,10 ; 43,3 ; 104,2 ; Jb 33,30 ; Dn 2,22 ;
Sg7,26; 18,1.
58
59
6 0
61
62
LA VERSION L A T I N E DE B E N SIRA
227
au regard misricordieux de Dieu (36,1b; cf. 18,13a.l4a). Le thme

connexe de la repentance est aussi rgulirement visit par le traducteur latin (2,22a; 5,17a; 12,3d; 17,20; 19,6; 20,4).
En dfinitive, le Dieu de la version latine est un dieu protecteur (protector, 2,13c), mais pour ceux qui le recherchent ! L'accent porte sur les
bienfaits de Dieu vis--vis des hommes sages ou senss (3,10b; 23,38;
34,14b) qui vivent dans la crainte de Dieu et se tiennent dans une attitude de vigilance face aux dangers du pch (3,4.32 ; 27,3). La grande
mansutude de Dieu suscite l'esprance des justes et des sages, et la
version latine voque plusieurs reprises les thmes de l'valuation
finale et de la rtribution , lorsque les uns pourront jouir des rcompenses divines, de la vie ternelle et du destin de vrit (1,19; 15,8bc;
17,20 ; 18,22c ; 24,24-25.31.45 ; 27,9d), tandis que les autres connatront
la vengeance et les tnbres (5,lc.l0; 6,4b; 11,16; 12,4bc; 21,10b.llb).
63
3.2. La sagesse exalte, trsor de bndiction

On sait quel point la sagesse est un thme central de Ben Sira qui
y consacre de larges passages (cf. Si 1; 4,12-19; 15,1-10; 24). La version latine intgre cette rflexion sur la sagesse et sa pratique, tout en
dveloppant ou renforant, voire en spiritualisant, certains aspects de
la prsentation de la sagesse et de son importance pour l'individu et la
socit. On relve, par exemple, plus d'une quinzaine de rfrences au
terme sapientia, sans compter les nombreux passages qui sous-entendent ce terme. L'loge de la sagesse dans la version latine (Si 24) prsente un texte latin largement modifi dans le sens d'une extension du rle
de la sagesse et de son exaltation (24,3-4). Relevons, parmi d'autres,
quelques lments significatifs :
- la sagesse est prsente comme la premire des cratures divines
(1,1.3) ; elle prcde toute chose et rside auprs de Dieu (24,11c .16c) ;
elle fut cre dans l'esprit saint (1,9) . Cet accent sur l'antriorit de
la sagesse s'inspire sans doute du clbre passage de Pr 8,22 : Le
Seigneur m'a engendre (cre ou acquise), prmices de son activit,
prlude ses uvres anciennes . Mais l'ide est aussi prsente dans
64
65
63
En lien avec ces thmes, voir l'ide du souvenir des justes et de l'oubli des mchants (3,34; 10,21).
La phrase interrogative de la version grecque (Si (Gr) 24,7b) est transform en
une affirmation : et j'habiterai dans l'hritage du Seigneur.
Sur le lien entre esprit de Dieu et sagesse: Is 11,2-6; Jb 32,18; Sg 1,4-7; 7,7.2227; 9,17 et Si (Gr/Lat) 39,6-7.
6 4
65
228
T H I E R R Y LEGRAND
des crits plus tardifs comme le 4 Esdras 8,52, le Livre des Antiquits
bibliques 32,7, 1 Co 2,7 et les Fragments dAristobule (Eus. Praep. Ev.
13,12,11).
- La version latine insiste galement sur les bienfaits que procure la
sagesse: elle inspire la vie (4,12a) et la donne en hritage (4,14a) ;
ceux qui la rvlent dans leurs actes quotidiens auront la vie ternelle (24,31). La sagesse fortifie ou affermit (4,20a) celui qui la frquente; elle le nourrit du pain de vie et d'intelligence (15,3), etc.
Le thme sapientiel du trsor , nonc plusieurs reprises dans Ben
Sira (dans son acception matrielle ou spirituelle) est appliqu la
sagesse dans la version latine. Cette sagesse s'apparente un rservoir
de science et d'instruction destin celui qui la frquente (1,26.31.35 ;
15,5bc.6a.8bc) : elle amasse en lui un trsor de science et d'intelligence de la justice , 4,21b.
- On notera que le thme de la sagesse est aussi rgulirement associ
la lumire (voir notamment le chap. 2 4 ) et l'esprance (24,2425.45) : la sagesse fait vivre dans le temps prsent (la version latine
voque rgulirement le cours de la vie), mais elle accompagne aussi
le fidle jusqu' la fin et mme au-del, lorsque la visite finale de Dieu
se produira (6,23bc; 15,8bc; cf. 24,46c). Comme C. Kearns l'a montr
dans ses recherches, la dimension eschatologique est bien prsente
dans la version latine, mme si elle se trouve plus frquemment associe la notion de justice et de vrit qu'au thme de la sagesse. De
fait, la sagesse est un lment essentiel qui permet de conduire sa vie
sur les voies de la justice et de la vrit (1,33a ; 3,32 ; 4,12c.29c ; 14,22b ;
24,47b).
66
- La mention de toute une srie de dsignations communautaires

(l'assemble des justes, 3,1 ; les bnis, les lus, la sainte assemble, 2 4 , 3 - 4 . 1 3 c ; la semence choisie, les justes et les fidles,
l,16cd) et d'autres indices, comme le fait que c'est la sagesse qui choisit le fidle (4,18b), invitent penser que la version latine s'adresse
une communaut d'lus ou d'hommes de sens (15,7) porte l'exaltation de la connaissance, de l'intelligence et de la discipline; des
notions qui peuvent tre places sous le registre de la sagesse.
66
Cf. Si 24,6.44.45; 27,12. Ce motif est connu du Livre de la Sagesse (6,12;

7,25.26.29-30), du Testament de Lvi (grec) 13,8 et des crits de Qumrn.
229
3.3. ôrientation de la conduite humaine

Dans le ddale des modifications que propose la version latine, le
thme gnral de la conduite humaine joue un rle essentiel. Par petites touches successives, cette version offre une relecture morale et religieuse de nombreux passages de Ben Sira. Relevons ici l'essentiel de
ce qui qualifie le sage selon la version latine.
- Nous avons dj signal l'importance de l'exhortation suivre la
sagesse qui donne la vie, mais la sagesse et l'instruction sont indissociables de l'attitude religieuse fondamentale qu'est la crainte de
Dieu (timor dei ou timor domini) . Ce thme de la crainte de Dieu
est souvent si intimement li celui de la sagesse qu'on ne peut pas
toujours prciser si la version latine renvoie l'un ou l'autre, ou
aux deux conjointement . Le thme de la crainte de Dieu est ainsi
martel plus d'une vingtaine de reprises et il conditionne la russite
humaine du point de vue matriel et spirituel. Dans trois passages
au moins, le thme de la crainte de Dieu semble correspondre un
texte grec qui voque les commandements ou la Loi (Si (Lat) 19,18a;
28,8a; 37,15b ). On songe alors une volont du traducteur d'effacer
ou de minimiser les rfrences la Loi de Mose, mais cette quivalence est bien loin d'tre systmatique, et la version latine n'inflchit
nullement l'importance de la Loi ou des prceptes divins (cf. 11,21b;
15,15; 22,23b; 26,24; 33,3).
67
68
69
- La conduite humaine que semble recommander la version latine est

celle de l'homme sens (voir la frquence des termes sensus et sensatus\ comprendre la fois dans son sens moral d'homme de cur et
de sentiment, et dans son sens intellectuel d'homme qui s'attache la
connaissance, l'intelligence et la sagesse. Cet tre de sens , mais
aussi de reconnaissance s'oppose tout naturellement l'homme
pcheur auquel la version latine consacre de multiples passages .
De fait, le pch, dclin sous la forme de l'orgueil, de l'iniquit, de
70
71
67
Par exemple, Si 1,11-40; 19,18; 25,15. Le lien entre les deux thmes est connu
des crits bibliques: Pr 1,7; 9,10; 15,33; Jb 28,28; Ps 111,10.
ce sujet, consulter Di Lella et Skehan, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 75-76.
La proximit des termes grecsphohos et nomos n'est pas suffisante pour expliquer cette substitution par une erreur de scribe, puisqu'en Si (Gr) 28,7a et 37,12b, le
terme entol est employ.
Nous avons signal plus haut la frquence des exhortations la louange dans la
version latine.
Parmi les plus significatifs, citons 3,32; 6,4b; 10,7b; 10,21a; 11,16; 12,3cd.4bc;
17,26a.29c; 19,6; 27,3; 35,2b.
68
69
70
71
THIERRY LEGRAND
230
72
la mchancet, de la transgression, etc. , est un obstacle majeur

l'acquisition de la sagesse, et pour l'homme qui cherche la connaissance (1,26b; 3,4.32). Dans le mme sens, les exhortations de la version latine voquent quelques reprises, mais de manire assez nette,
le thme des deux voies : (Malheur ceux)... qui ont abandonn
les voies droites, et se sont dtourns dans des voies mauvaises,
2,16bc (cf. 3,28; 15,18a; 11,15-16) . Ce thme est prsent Qumrn
mais aussi chez les Pres apostoliques . On a le sentiment que le texte
de la version latine est une vaste mise en garde pour l'homme qui
cherche la sagesse, contre les dangers constants de la voie mauvaise
et du pch. Plusieurs passages vont dans ce sens et soulignent, par
exemple, le motif de la vigilance du sage : la sagesse est une qute, une
dmarche pour la vie, jusqu' la mort et la fin des temps (6,23 ; 14,22 ;
15,7-8).
73
74
75
- On relve galement que les termes lis la sphre de l'enseignement

et de la connaissance sont trs frquents dans la version latine (doctrina, disciplina, intellego, intellectus, scientia, etc.), mais il est bien
difficile de prciser leur contenu exact. Citons quelques exemples : Il
(Dieu) cra en eux la science de l'esprit, il a rempli leur cur de sens ,
17,6 ; L'intelligence, la science et la doctrine sont dans les paroles
de l'homme sens. , 4,29b ; Qu'il est grand celui qui a trouv la
sagesse et la science 25,13a; (Mon fils)... prte l'oreille et recueille
les paroles d'intelligence, 2,2b. L'homme de la version latine est
celui qui se tient dans la proximit des sages (9,21b) et oriente son
esprit (15,5bc) et son cur vers la connaissance et le discernement;
il est de ce fait oppos Yindisciplinatus (5,14c; 20,9a), celui qui n'a
aucune matrise de ses actes et manque prcisment d'instruction
(10,28; 20,9a; 29,26). Plusieurs rfrences aux prceptes de Dieu ou
commandements divins (praeceptum et mandatum) renvoient le lec-
72
On note la frquence des termes suivants: impius inimicus iniquitas iniquus,

malitia malus/malum peccatorltum, superbus/bia.
Cf. Si (Gr/Lat) 33,14-15. On relve une douzaine d'occurrences du thme de
la voie dans la version latine. Sur le thme des deux voies dans Ben Sira, nous
renvoyons l'tude de P. Winter, Ben Sira and The Teaching of 'Two Ways' , VT 5
(1955): 315-18.
On trouve en Si (Gr) 16,15-16 une addition de teneur dualiste (lumire/tnbres) qui n'a pas t transmise par la version latine; cf. M. Philonenko, Sur une
interpolation essnisante dans le Siracide (16,15-16), Orientalia Suecana XXXIIIXXXV (1984-1986) : 317-21.
Voir, par exemple, 1QS III 20-21; 1 Henoch 91,18; 94,1 ; Didach 1-6; p. de
Barnabe 18-21 ; Hermas Mand. VI 1,2 et Testament d'Aser 1,5.
y
iniustuSy
73
74
75
231
teur aux principes essentiels du judasme; ils constituent sans aucun

doute les fondements de l'instruction laquelle fait rfrence la
version latine : La source de la sagesse est la parole de Dieu dans
les cieux, ses voies sont les commandements ternels, 1,5; ceux
qui craignent le Seigneur gardent ses commandements, ils auront
patience jusqu' sa visite , 2,21 ; vieillis dans la pratique de tes commandements, 11,21b . En 15,15, lorsque le texte grec (15,14) voque
la cration de l'homme ( Lui-mme a cr l'homme au commencement et l'a laiss son propre conseil (diaboulion) ), le latin transmet
un lment supplmentaire ( Il (Dieu) a ajout ses commandements
et ses prceptes ) qui change toute la porte philosophique de l'affirmation du texte grec.
- Toujours propos de l'insistance sur la connaissance, la comprhension et l'instruction, il faut mentionner ici la place importante accorde au thme de la justice et de la vrit dans la version latine. On
trouve ainsi une trentaine de rfrences au mot iustitia ou iustus et
plusieurs rfrences au thme de la vrit (veritas, verus, verax, etc.).
L'homme sens, favorable l'instruction est avant tout celui qui chemine sur les voies de la justice et qui s'attache elle : Le Seigneur est
seulement ceux qui se maintiennent dans la voie de la vrit et de la
justice 34,22 ; Conduisez-nous dans la voie de la justice , dans le
verset final de la prire de dlivrance et de restauration du chap. 36 ;
ou encore celui qui pratique la justice sera lui-mme lev , 20,30b,
aprs une instruction qui concerne celui qui cultive la terre et en rcolte les fruits. On relve ainsi un grand nombre d'affirmations sur
les bienfaits de la justice (27,9cd), les uvres de justice (3,32 ; 4,29c),
le comportement du juste (14,17.22; 18,19a; 25,12b) et de son oppos,
celui qui frquente l'injustice ou l'iniquit. L'insistance sur le thme
de la vrit est moins perceptible (ou moins massif) dans la version
latine, mais par contre, dans quelques passages, les deux thmes
se trouvent lis (4,29c-30a; 5,12; 17,20 ; 18,29b; 34,22). L'association de ces deux thmes est une caractristique importante que l'on
peut rapprocher de plusieurs passages des crits de Qumrn comme
la Rgle de Communaut, Ycrit de Damas ou le Livre d'Hnoch, et
76
77
78
76
Autres rfrences la loi, aux commandements ou prceptes: 11,15a; 22,23b;

24,33a ; 26,24 ; 29,26 ; 33,3 ; 48,2.
Comparer avec 18,11b: (C'est pour cela)... qu'il (Dieu) leur montre la voie de
l'quit (viam aequitatis) .
En 17,20, la mention du destin de vrit est peut-tre rapprocher de 1QM
XIII12 (cf. l'hritage de la vrit en 4Q171 1-10 iv 12).
77
78
232
T H I E R R Y LEGRAND
79
d'autres crits apocryphes . L'homme sens de la version latine s'attache rechercher la sagesse, mais dans le cadre spirituel de la crainte
de Dieu et selon les valeurs de la justice et de la vrit. On notera ici
que la version latine dveloppe assez peu le thme du prochain et de
la justice sociale (l'attention aux pauvres et aux affligs), trs prsents
en Ben Sira. En revanche, quelques passages voquent le danger ou la
vanit des richesses matrielles (6,15b; 9,16a; 10,26b; 21,5c; 31,7b) :
la richesse du sage tient son instruction et sa pratique de la justice.
- Un dernier point remarquable de la version latine est son insistance
sur l'attitude de rserve, d'humilit et de modration laquelle le lecteur de l'instruction sapientielle est invit : le sage est celui qui respecte l'ordre de prsance, il n'intervient pas le premier (31,12b.l6.21c ;
3 2 , 4 - 5 ) , il demeure dans une attitude patiente et silencieuse (21,31bc;
32,9.12), il fait preuve d'humilit (4,7 ; 13,9 ; 19,24a). Par voie de consquence, les thmes connexes de la parole mauvaise et des dangers de
la langue tiennent une place non ngligeable dans la version latine
(5,14.17; 13,16; 19,7; 28,13c.28a.29c.30; 37,21a) : le sage doit garder la
matrise de son verbe; il se tient l'oppos du comportement des pcheurs et des mdisants qui se laissent emporter par leurs conduites
fautives, leur duplicit et leurs paroles non matrises (5,17c; 28,13c;
29,26). On ajoutera galement que l'exhortation la modration, dj
prsente en Ben Sira, semble renforce dans plusieurs passages du
texte latin, notamment autour de la question des banquets (31,25c)
et des dangers de l'ivresse (31,21c.30.32.34-35.37.38; 32,8b). De fait,
la bonne conduite du sage consiste dans la patience, l'attitude silencieuse, et la modration face toutes les situations de la vie quotidienne. Cependant, on ne trouvera pas ici l'expression d'un rejet du
monde : le sage n'est pas encourag vivre en dehors du monde, dans
une attitude de retrait, mais il doit se prserver des excs du monde
et de la vie en socit. On ne confondra pas ici l'homme instruit,
l'homme qui a la connaissance, l'homme de justice, avec un homme
dtach de son environnement et de ses proches. Au contraire, les
exhortations de la version latine concernent l'homme qui vit parmi
80
79
Quelques rfrences parmi d'autres : 1QSIV 24 ; VIII2 ; CD III15 ; 1QH VII14 ;

4Q542 1 i 12; 1 Henoch 10,16; 91,3-4.
Une vingtaine de passages du livre de Ben Sira traitent du thme du prochain,
mais la version latine ne s'y attarde qu'en 4,27 (les dfaillances du prochain) ; 6,1 ;
11,32 (pier la chute de son prochain) ; 19,10 (entendre une parole concernant son
prochain) ; 27,29b (la pierre d'achoppement sur le chemin de son prochain). Pour la
mention du pauvre, voir 4,8 ; 7,23c; 14,13 ; 29,15a.
80
LA VERSION LATINE DE BEN SIRA
233
les autres et cherche le bien, les bonnes actions (14,21 ; 15,1 ; 26,3c)
et l'amour de Dieu. Cet amour pour Dieu (diligo dilectio) est une
rponse logique lamour que Dieu a manifest par sa cration, la
dispensation de sa sagesse et de ses bndictions prsentes et venir (1,14-15; 2,10; 3,1; 11,15b; 13,18; 24,24; 25,16a; 34,15b) : Vous
qui craignez Dieu, aimez-le, et vos curs seront rendus lumineux
(2,10) .
y
81
C. CONCLUSION
En relevant les caractristiques gnrales de la version latine, nous

avons soulign sa richesse et sa complexit, tant du point de sa forme
que de son contenu et de ses orientations thologiques. Tentons un
pas de plus en formulant quelques conclusions provisoires et quelques
questions.
Sur quelle base le traducteur latin a-t-il ralis son uvre? Quel
type de texte grec avait-il sous les yeux? Il est possible de formuler au
moins deux rponses.
1. Le traducteur latin aurait travaill sur la base d u n texte Gril
conforme au manuscrit 248 ou proche de celui-ci, en transmettant
1 essentiel des additions de cette famille de manuscrits. Mais dans
cette hypothse, il est ncessaire de justifier l'existence, dans la
version latine, d'un grand nombre d'autres modifications ou additions, inconnues du manuscrit 248. Il faut alors expliquer l'origine
et la vise de ce travail de glossateur ou de commentateur. Cette
hypothse n'est pas exclure mme si elle reste dmontrer dans
le dtail.
2. Le traducteur latin avait sa disposition un texte Gril beaucoup
plus dvelopp que celui que nous pouvons reconstituer partiellement grce au manuscrit 248, au recueil des Sacra Parallela et
d'autres tmoins textuels. Il s'agirait donc d'une recension Gril
tendue, aujourd'hui perdue, dont la version latine serait le tmoin
le plus complet.
Cette seconde solution nous parat plus probable que la premire, mais
elle reste fragile tant donn l'absence de tmoins textuels de cette
forme particulire, et peut-tre originale, du GrII. Comment expliquer
que seule la version latine ait conserv les traces d'une forme Gril ten-
Sur l'illumination du cur, cf. 1QSII 3 ; IV 2 ; 4Q511 18 ii 8.
THIERRY LEGRAND
234
due ? Par ailleurs, l'implication personnelle du traducteur latin dans la

transmission de ce texte reste difficile prciser: a-t-il t fidle son
modle grec ou a-t-il modifi le texte source en fonction de ses ides ou
des autres recensions de Ben Sira? Nous pouvons seulement constater
que le traducteur respecte l'orientation juive du texte qu'il transmet.
Il lui tait pourtant simple de modifier certains passages fortement
marqus par les ides juives, d'insrer quelques sentences d'orientation
chrtienne ou d'tablir un lien entre la Sagesse personnifie et Jsus
lui-mme .
82
La comparaison de la version latine avec le texte grec de Ben Sira a

permis de mettre en vidence son accentuation du caractre religieux
et moral. De fait, maintes reprises, les prolongements de cette version
prsentent un contenu sapientiel rorient du point de vue spirituel et
thologique. Le lecteur est invit s'attacher la sagesse par la pratique
des commandements et de la justice, la frquentation des hommes de
sens et la recherche de l'instruction. Ce comportement conduit la
reconnaissance du Dieu crateur et misricordieux, et la louange de
ses uvres. Cette voie troite et exigeante est prsente comme le seul
chemin possible vers le salut final, jour de jugement o tout comportement et toute uvre seront valus (14,21 ; 15,8bc ; 27,9c). Ces lments
et d'autres peuvent tre rapprochs de plusieurs crits juifs qui circulaient au tournant de notre re, notamment les crits de Qumrn .
Pourtant, en ce qui concerne la version latine, il est difficile de dpasser
le stade de ces constatations sans prendre le risque de fonder une thorie sur une srie d'hypothses trop fragiles.
83
84
82
Si 24 aurait pu servir de base une relecture chrtienne de l'ensemble de Ben
Sira.
83
La duplicit conduit au pch et la condamnation finale.
84
La Rgle de la Communaut (1QS), les Hymnes (1QH) et 4QInstruction.
HERMENEUTICAL AND THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
THE ADDITIONS TO BEN SIRA

AND T H E BOOK'S MULTIFORM TEXTUAL WITNESS
Jason Gile
Wheaton College
The Wisdom of Ben Sira contains numerous supplemental and interpretive additions present to varying degrees in the extant textual witnesses. The nearly unanimous consensus on the origin of the additions
for more than a century has been that they originated in a revision of
the Hebrew text, and from there were copied into the Greek, Latin, and
Syriac versions in the process of translation and transmission. This
study takes a textual approach to evaluate this theory by considering
the relation of the additions among the recovered Hebrew manuscripts
and ancient versions. Before analyzing the data, a brief description of
the history of scholarship is necessary.
A. HISTORY OF SCHOLARSHIP
Soon after the discovery of the Hebrew manuscripts of Ben Sira many
scholars began to theorize that the additions witnessed in some Greek
manuscripts and to a lesser extent Lat and Syr originated in a secondary
2
form of the Hebrew text (Hebll). According to this view, the expanded
1
I wish to thank Professor Michael V. Fox for supervising the initial research for
this thesis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
H. Herkenne, De Veteris Latinae Ecclesiastici: Capitibus I-XLIII (Leipzig: J. C.
Hinrichs, 1899), 11; idem., Die Textuberlieferung des Bches Sirach (Biblische Studien
6/1-2; Freiburg: Herder, 1901), 137; R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach erklrt
(Berlin: Reimer, 1906), xci-xcii; A. Fuchs, Textkritische Untersuchungen zum hebrischen Ekklesiastikus (Biblische Studien 12/5; Freiburg: Herder, 1907), 21-22, 112-18;
W. O. E. Oesterley, The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1912), xcvi; N. Peters, Das Buch Jesus Sirach oder Ecclesiasticus bersetzt und erklrt (Exegetisches Handbuch zum Alten Testament 25; Munster:
Aschendorff, 1913), lxiii; G. H. Box and W. O. E. Oesterley, "The Book of Sirach," in
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament (ed. R. H. Charles; Oxford: Clarendon, 1913), 278; A. Vaccari, De Libris Didacticis (Institutiones Biblicae 2/3; Rome,
1935), 62. A notable exception is M. S. Segal, who affirmed that some additions were of
2
238
JASON GILE
Hebrew recension, like all Hebrew manuscripts of Ben Sira, virtually

disappeared in the Middle Ages and is no longer extant in its entirety.
This remains the assumption for most contemporary scholars and can
be found in any source that treats the textual history of the book.
If this theory represented an early consensus, there was no agreement on the identity of those who produced the revision. Very early
Adolf Schlatter defended the unity of the additions and attributed them
to an Alexandrian school of the Jewish philosopher Aristobulus of Pa4
neas. J. H. A. Hart, followed by W. O. E. Oesterley, argued that the

5
additions are to be ascribed to a Pharasaic source. Eventually these

theories were abandoned in favor of an Essenian origin.
The first full-scale study of the additions was that of Conleth Kearns in
his 1951 doctoral dissertation, "The Expanded Text of Ecclesiasticus "
Kearns accepted the widespread view that the additions in the versions
ultimately derived from a Hebrew recension and, following Schlatter,
Greek origin ("The Evolution of The Hebrew Text of Ben Sira," JQR 25 [1934]: 106-9).
For a few examples, see P. W. Skehan and A. A. Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira
(AB 39; New York: Doubleday, 1987), 55-60; G. Sauer, Jesus Sirach/Ben Sira: Ubersetzt
und erklrt (Das Alte Testament Deutsch Apokryphen 1; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck &
Ruprecht, 2000), 26, 35; M. Gilbert, "Methodological and Hermeneutical Trends in
Modern Exegesis," in The Wisdom of Ben Sira: Studies on Tradition, Redaction, and
Theology (ed. F. V. Ritrer; B. Ego and T. Nicklas; Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Series 1; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2008), 3-5; W. Th. van Peursen, The Verbal System
in the Hebrew Text of Ben Sira (SSLL 41; Leiden: Brill, 2004), 15. Introductions and
reviews of research describe the same hypothesis, e.g., F. V. Ritrer, "Review of Recent
Research on the Book of Ben Sira (1980-1996)," in The Book of Ben Sira in Modern
Research: Proceedings of the First International Ben Sira Conference (ed. P. C. Beentjes;
BZAW 255; Berlin: de Gruyter, 1997), 26; J. Marbck, "Das Buch Jesus Sirach," in Einleitung in das Alte Testament (ed. E. Zenger, et al.; Studienbcher Thologie 1,1; Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 1995), 285-92; M. A. Knibb, "Language, Translation, Versions, and
Text of the Apocrypha," in The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies (ed. J. W. Rogerson
and J. M. Lieu; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006), 168-70.
A. Schlatter, Das neu gefundene hebrische Stuck des Sirach: Der Glossator des griechischen Sirach und seine Stellungin der Geschichte desjdischen Thologie (Beitrge zur
Frderung christlicher Thologie I, 5-6; Gtersloh: Bertelsmann, 1897), 163-76, 190f.
This view has been taken up by G. L. Prato ("La lumire interprte de la sagesse dans
la tradition textuelle de Ben Sira" in La sagesse de VAncien Testament [ed. M. Gilbert;
Gembloux: Duculot; Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1979], 317-46), and followed in
part by N. Calduch-Benages, "Ben Sira y el Canon de las Escrituras" Gregorianum 78
(1997): 362; Gilbert, "Methodological and Hermeneutical Trends," 13.
J. H. A. Hart, Ecclesiasticus: The Greek Text of Codex 248 (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1909), 272-320; Oesterley, Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, xcviiixcix.
C. Kearns, "The Expanded Text of Ecclesiasticus: Its Teaching on the Future Life
as a Clue to Its Origin" (Ph.D. diss.; Rome: The Pontifical Biblical Commission, 1951).
3
T H E ADDITIONS TO B E N SIRA
239
argued for their theological coherence across the versions. This unity
allowed Kearns to speak of "the expanded text" (author's emphasis),
which is "the original text of Sirach as editorially expanded under the
influence of a definite school of religious thought." Thus, for Kearns,
the additions represent what remains extant of a single, purposeful
revision of the book. Kearns' hypothesis of a coherent Hebrew re
cension underlying all the additions has been influential in Ben Sira
scholarship, due in large part to the approval given by Joseph Ziegler in
the Gttingen Septuagint edition and by Patrick Skehan and Alexander
Di Leila in their Anchor Bible commentary.
In addition, Kearns postulated an Essenian origin for this Hebrew
recension because of thematic parallels drawn between the additions to
Ben Sira and the documented beliefs and practices of the Essenes and
the literature thought to be prized by them. The latter included the
book of Jubilees, Enoch, and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs}
He updated his thesis in light of the Qumran discoveries in his short
commentary on Ben Sira in the New Catholic Commentary on Holy
Scripture. While assuming that the residents of Qumran were an Essene community, Kearns argued that the book of Ben Sira was highly
valued at Qumran. In addition to the Ben Sira fragments found there
(2Q18,1 lQPs ), the ousted Zadokite line of priests, extolled throughout
Ben Sira, particularly in 50:1-24, was prominent in Qumran. Kearns
7
10
11
13
Kearns, "Expanded Text," 57.

Kearns asserts that in the case of GrII, for example, though no single manuscript
witnesses all the additions, the complete recension had existed in specific manuscripts,
and the present additions extant in the manuscripts are only a partial witness to the
"linguistic features and doctrinal system of the Heb II which underlies Gr II" ("Ex
panded Text," 17).
Contra F. Bhmisch, who writes: "Dafi die Erweiterungen in den Textformen des
Sirachbuches nicht auf eine einheitliche Revision im hebrischen Text zuruckzufuhren
sind, ist mittlerweile anerkanntes Ergebnis der Forschungsgeschichte am Sirachbuch"
('"Haec omnia liber vitae': Zur Thologie der erweiterten Textformen des Sirachbu
ches," SNTSU 22 [1997]: 162; emphasis original). In actuality, it has been assumed by
nearly all scholars with the exception of Segal and Prato.
See Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, 55. In fact, the dissemination of Kearns' theory
is due almost exclusively to Skehan and Di Leila's discussion, since few scholars have
seen his unpublished dissertation.
This element of Kearns' work was not explicitly adopted by Skehan and Di Leila,
who refrained from mentioning any connection with the Essenes.
Kearns, "Expanded Text," 264-85.
C. Kearns, "Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach," in A New
Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture (ed. R. C. Fuller, et al.; London: Nelson, 1969),
541-62.
8
10
11
12
13
JASON GILE
240
also noted that the aforementioned pseudepigrapha with parallels to

the additions were found at the site.
More recently, Thierry Legrand has furthered Kearns' hypothesis
with a new investigation into the theology of the additions and their
connection to the Essenes. Legrand, like Kearns, assumed the Essenian hypothesis of the Qumran site, and thus considered the Qumran literature to be Essenian writings. He deemed 1 lQPs , which includes Sir
51:13-30, to be an Essenian apocryphal book of Psalms, and, following
Kearns (1969), thereby tied the Essenes to the redaction history of the
book. Further, in his study of links between the additions to Ben Sira
and Essenian writings, Legrand included Qumran literature such as the
Rule of the Community and the Damascus Document, along with a
larger corpus of literature supposed to be linked with the Essenes: 1
Enoch, the book of Jubilees, 4 Esdras, 2 Baruch, the Testaments of the
Twelve Patriarchs, and the Psalms of Solomon. In these writings Legrand
found thematic similarities with the additions to Ben Sira and thus reaffirmed Kearns' hypothesis.
Franz Bhmisch has taken a different approach, postulating a "pluralistische Kanontheologie" for the various text-forms of Ben Sira, which
seeks to identify each with a particular religious community. Thus
the target group (Zielgruppe) of the grandson's translation comprises
"those living abroad who wish to acquire wisdom and are disposed to
live their lives according to the Law" (Prologue 3 4 - 3 6 ) , of GrII, those in
the Egyptian diaspora who have been educated in popular philosophy,
and of Hebll, a Jewish readership.
Before investigating each textual witness in detail, we must define
the sigla that previous scholarship has used to describe the proposed
textual layers of the book. The original monograph from the hand of
Ben Sira is referred to as Hebl, the original Greek translation of the
grandson as GrI, and the alleged recension of Hebl with additions and
rewritings as Hebll. According to the standard hypothesis, these additions from Hebll made their way into certain Greek manuscripts, des14
15
14
T. Legrand, "Le Siracide: Problmes textuels et thologiques de la recension

longue" (Ph.D. Diss.; Strasbourg: Universit de Strasbourg,1996). Currently my only
access to Legrand's work is his own short summary of the thesis found online: http://
www.premiumorange.com/theologie.protestante/enseignants/legrand/these_resume.
pdf. See also idem., "Siracide" in Introduction Y Ancien Testament (ed. T. Rmer, J.-D.
Macchi and C. Nihan; Monde de la Bible 49; Genve: Labor et Fides, 2004), 667-69.
F. Bhmisch, "Die Textformen des Sirachbuches und ihre Zeilgruppen," Protokelle
zurBibel 6 (1997): 87-122; idem., "Thologie der erweiterten Textformen," 160-80.
15
241
ignated as GrII. Since the original translation of Ben Siras own grand
son was presumably before the Hebrew recension, in theory his Vorlage
contained no additions. Additions are also present in the Latin and
Syriac, but the sigla "LatH" and "Syrll" should be avoided, since these
text traditions do not witness two distinct text-forms. Kearns called the
recension represented by Hebll and subsequently GrII, Lat, and Syr
"the expanded text of Ben Sira," or SirIL
B. THE GREEK ADDITIONS

I will first outline the features of GrII, since it is the best witness to an
expanded recension of Ben Sira and then briefly introduce the Lat addi
tions before considering the evidence for a revision of the Hebrew text
underlying these additions.
The Greek version of Ben Sira is well known for having two variant
text-forms, one corresponding roughly to the original composition of
Ben Sira (GrI) and the other to an expanded form with numerous addi
tions of a bicolon or more (GrII). According to Kearns and Ziegler, GrII
was not a new, independent translation, but rather an expansion of the
grandsons original Greek translation (GrI) based on Hebll. Where
as GrI is represented by the uncials A, B, C, and S, and the cursives
that follow them, the additions are present in select families of cur
sives. According to the consensus theory, which assumes the additions
unique to Latin are witnesses to no longer extant GrII readings, none of
the extant manuscripts fully witnesses the GrII recension. Instead, its
readings (i.e., additions) are only partially attested to varying degrees
in some cursive manuscripts influenced by GrII. Ziegler categorizes
these witnesses to GrII into two manuscript groups: the origenistic or
hexaplaric (the O-group) and the lucianic (the L-group). One witness
in particular, Codex 248, contains a large number of the GrII additions
16
17
18
16
Kearns, "Expanded Text," 17-18; followed verbatim by J. Ziegler, Sapientia Jesu

Filii Sirach (Septuaginta 12/2; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1980), 74.
Kearns, "Expanded Text," 17-18.
For a list of the manuscript families, see Ziegler, Sapientia, 114. See also idem.,
"Hat Lukian den griechischen Sirach rezensiert?" Biblica 40 (1959): 210-29; idem.,
"Die hexaplarische Bearbeitung des griechischen Sirach," Biblische Zeitschrift Neue
Folge 4 (1960): 174-85; idem., "Die Vokabel-Varianten der O-Rezension im griechis
chen Sirach," in Hebrew and Semitic Studies Presented to Godfrey Rolles Driver (ed. D.
W. Thomas; Oxford: Clarendon, 1963), 172-90.
17
18
JASON GILE
242
19
and is thus thought to be the closest witness to the GrII recension.

Some of the additions are also quoted in the Greek patristic writings,
for example, Clement of Alexandria, Chrysostom, Antonius Melissa,
and Maximus Confessor, with Clement (d. 215) in particular suggest
ing an early date for at least some of the GrII readings.
Zieglers critical edition denotes 160 cola as GrII. (Note that Skehan
and Di Leilas count of 300 cola is incorrect. ) These additions, often
of a colon or more, appear in the body of Ziegler s text, but in smaller
print, and some shorter additions found in the GrII manuscripts are
noted in the apparatus. To be precise, not all of the additional read
ings are additions in the sense that someone purposely added them to
the book. Ziegler classified as GrII any extra material that is not found
in the GrI text tradition, but in more than a few instances extra cola
are present for other reasons. For example, some GrII plusses can be
shown to be original to Ben Sira because the absence of the material in
GrI breaks the poetic structure (4:23b). That GrI lacks the material
may be due to a damaged Vorlage or scribal error. In fact, Segal has
convincingly shown that despite being translated approximately fifty
years after the original composition, the Hebrew exemplar to the origi
nal Greek translation was not an exact copy of Ben Siras autograph and
contained a substantial number of scribal errors and sections of dam
aged text. Thus, these "additions" would have been introduced into
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
19
See Hart, Ecclesiasticus: The Greek Text of Codex 248.

L. Hartman, "Sirach in Hebrew and Greek," CBQ 23 (1961): 445; H. P. Ruger, Text
und Textform im hebrischen Sirach: Untersuchungen zur Textgeschichte und Textkritik
der hebrischen Sirachfragmente aus derKairoer Geniza (BZAW112; Berlin: de Gruyter,
1970), 112,115.
J.-M. Auwers counts 135 stichs ("L'apport du texte long du Siracide au lexique du
grec biblique," in Interpreting Translation: Studies on the LXX and Ezekiel in honour of
Johan Lust [ed. E Garcia Martinez and M. Vervenne; Leuven: Peeters, 2005], 33).
All of the numbers of additions for the different versions in Skehan and Di Leilas
commentary are erroneously doubled. They misinterpreted Kearns' designation of stichoi (plural of stichos) as distich and thus sought to convert the number from bicola
to cola. In this case, they understood Kearns' count of 150 stichoi as 150 distichs and
doubled it (Ben Sira, 55).
Cf. M. H. Segal, "The Evolution of the Hebrew Text of Ben Sira," JQR 25 (1934):
100.
Perhaps 1:21 as well (Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, 142-43), though see M. Gil
bert, "L'addition de Siracide 1,21: Une nigme," in Palabra, Prodigio, Poesia: In Memoriam P. Luis Alonso Schkel (ed. V. Collado Bertomeu; Analecta Biblica 151; Rome:
Pontifical Biblical Institute, 2003), 317-25.
Segal, "Evolution of the Hebrew Text," 93-98.
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
243
the Greek tradition later in transmission to correct the Greek toward

the Hebrew text. Skehan and Di Leila have argued that some other lines
considered GrII result from scribal blunders such as displaced lines
(5:9c), doublets of two alternative readings (2:5c; 13:25), or textual cor
ruption (3:19). In these instances, then, it is more accurate to refer to
such lines as "plusses" than "additions," a term that implies a purposeful
supplement to the book.
27
C . THE LATIN ADDITIONS
The Latin translation of Ben Sira is essentially the same in the Vetus La
tina and Vulgate versions, except for the later addition of the grandsons
Prologue and the Praise of the Fathers (chapters 4 4 - 5 0 ) . Latin may be
said to reflect GrII, since it has 43 cola in common with GrII and
many of its 75 unique cola resemble the long form (often a bicolon)
of the GrII additions. But do all these unique additions go back to
GrII readings no longer extant? Some of them undoubtedly do. In a
later section, however, I will argue that not all the Lat additions are best
explained by a GrII Vorlage.
28
29
30
One peculiarity of GrII and Lat is that nearly all the additions occur
within the first 24 chapters of the book. Exceptions include 25:12 and
the extended plus at 26:19-27, though the latter may be original to Ben
Sira. Other plusses occur in later chapters, but most appear not to be
additions for many of the reasons cited above. For example, 30:11b12a,d are likely due to textual corruption, 30:20c to dislocation, and
47:9c to influence from Syr. In the case of 41:9a and 42:15d, their pres
ence in the very early Masada scroll might suggest that they are original
31
32
27
See Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, ad loc.

1:5, 1:7, lOcd; 3:7a; 10:8cd; 12:6c (Lat 12:4c); 13:14; 16:22c (Lat 16:22d); 20:8cd
(Lat 20:4); 23:38; 24:18ab (Lat 24:24ab); 25:12 (Lat 25:16); 26:19-27 (G. Rizzi, "Chris
tian Interpretations in the Syriac Version of Sirach," in The Wisdom of Ben Sira: Studies
on Tradition, Redaction and Theology [ed. A. Passaro and G. Bellia; Berlin: de Gruyter,
2008], 286). The addition of 11:15-16 is present only in late 13 century Latin manu
scripts.
According to the list in Smend, Weisheit des Jesus Sirach, ic-cxiii. Skehan and Di
Leila again erroneously interpreted 75 stichoi as 75 distichs (Ben Sira, 56).
Whether the Greek exemplar for the Old Latin was a GrII manuscript or some of
these additions made their way into the Lat tradition later in transmission is debated.
Peters, Buch Jesus Sirach, 218; Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, 351; though cf. e.g.,
Segal, "Evolution of the Hebrew Text," 108.
See Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, ad loc.
28
th
29
30
31
32
JASON GILE
244
to Ben Sira. Even if some of these extra lines are genuine additions, the
concentration of additions in chapters 1-24 is unique and not easily
explained. Perhaps the most sensible reason relates to the genre of the
first part of the book: the proverbial nature of sentence literature would
easily allow for the incorporation of external aphorisms and maxims.
D. AN UNDERLYING HEBREW VORLAGE?
We may now question whether the additions witnessed in GrII and Lat
derive from a Hebrew Vorlage. It is often alleged that the Hebrew manuscripts witness two different text-forms that correspond roughly to GrI
and GrII. H. P. Ruger understood his "Hebll," witnessed in MS A, to
correspond to some extent to GrII when he wrote that GrII and Syriac
are "the nearest relatives" (die nchste Verwandte) to Hebll. W. Th. van
Peursen interprets him to mean that "Hebl approximates the Vorlage of
GrI, Hebll that of the Syriac text and GrII," and G. L. Prato similarly
writes: "GI et Gil se rapportent probablement HI et HII." Johannes
Marbck as well reflected the same understanding in his short introduction to Ben Sira: "Gr I kommt der in HsB der Geniza und in Masada
bezeugten lteren hebr. Textform bzw. dem Original nahe, whrend Gr
II einer jiingeren hebr. Textform (HsA) nahesteht." In what follows I
will outline the Hebrew additions and investigate whether the extant
Hebrew manuscripts are a witness to Hebll, the alleged Vorlage of GrII.
I will do this by first considering the evidence for Hebrew counterparts
to the GrII additions and thereafter comparing the nature of unique
Hebrew additions to that of GrII additions.
33
34
35
36
37
While it is commonly assumed that the Hebrew manuscripts attest

a significant amount of evidence to suggest a Hebrew basis for the
additions in the versions, in actuality there are only three genuine long
additions common to the Hebrew manuscripts and versions that are
33
34
Ibid., 58.
Ruger, Text und Textform, 112, cf. 104-6.
35
van Peursen, Verbal System, 17.
36
Prato, "lumire interprte," 319.

Marbck, "Buch Jesus Sirach," 286.
37
245
possible candidates for a Hebrew Vorlage: 3:25,11:15-16, and 16:15-16

38
(10 cola). The additions read as follows.
39
Si 3:25
nia / norv JTCPK pan
nDDn norm njn p*ai
Kpa uf| e\(ov 7topr|ai (parr,
yvcoaeco uoiprv |if| 7tayYXXoi).
OCT)
rC'icu i*m*> r r t i s
a r^^\n-> crA fcvAi
Si 11:15-16
Nin *ra nm pnm / taun nm[.]
Kin
onu^ o w n un
msm D W ^ [..]im / nitau;
ony njn trjnoi
aocpia Kal maTrinn Kal yv&ai vuou 7tap Kupiou,
aYaTtnaic; Kal 60I KaXcDv epycov Ttap'aTO eiaiv.
TtXavrj Kal aKTo uapTcoXo auvKtiaTai,
TO yaupicaiv m KaKia auyytlpa KaKia.
cuirjfcvr*' rcîNîA rd&cuujo r ^ ^ a i ^

Si 16:15-16
ijrr * t&
njn nb na nwpn
ram D^nu>n nnn pVuto / ~ vwpnu;
DTK ynb p*?n innun / niai rami tab IKT
Kpio aKXpuve cpapaco |if| eivai autv,
TUD av yvcoaOfj êvepyrniata aTo tfj im'opavv.
Ttan Tfj KTiaei T eXeo aTo cpavepv,
Kai T q>d) aTo Kal T GKTO fipiae x(b Aau.
r 6 i .
38
ujjv ,cy3oS->'k
vOUtkti
Kearns included 15:14b, 15c; and 31:6d, which appear in Heb and Syr, but Di
Leila later showed these to be retroversions (A. A. Di Leila, The Hebrew Text of Sirach:
A Text-Critical and Historical Study [Studies in Classical Literature 1; The Hague: Mouton, 1966], 119,127; Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira 269, 380-81). The shared "plusses"
noted above that are lacking in GrI but should not be considered additions are 4:23b;
30:20c; 41:9a; and42:15d.
All texts are quoted from the following sources unless otherwise noted: P. C.
Beentjes, The Book of Ben Sira in Hebrew: A Text Edition of all Extant Hebrew Manuscripts and a Synopsis of all Parallel Hebrew Ben Sira Texts (Leiden: Brill, 1997); Ziegler,
Sapientia Jesu Filii Sirach; the Syriac text comes from a preliminary version of the Leiden Peshitta project, graciously provided by Wido van Peursen.
y
39
246
JASON GILE
cnvis ^cnl_\ û&\=a JCTHA^XM
In these additions Greek and Syriac agree at key points against Hebrew
MS A. In 11:15-16 GrII and Syr witness "knowledge of the law" ( yvtbai
vpoi), r&vc&u* ^ ^ - T . K ' ) where MS A reads "knowing how to speak"
p m ) , "love" (yTtriai, r c ^ a * ) where MS A has "sin" (KOn), and
a verb meaning "to grow old" where the Hebrew reads "to be formed"
(mTO). In 16:15-16 GrII and Syr read "his light and his darkness" (TO
cptbq avTov Kai TO OKTO, cnô cn^rocu) against MS As "his light and
his praise" (iniUtt m a i ) . In 3:25 GrII and Syr witness a negative imperative where MS A reads "wisdom is lacking" (nQDn nonn). This suggests
two possibilities: (1) Syr and GrII both drew from a Hebrew original,
which has been altered in the Genizah manuscripts, or (2) Syr drew
from GrII, and their presence in the Genizah manuscripts represents
a later retroversion. While the possibility of retroversion is always to
be considered since the Genizah manuscripts were in contact with the
versions for hundreds of years during transmission, Segal is correct
to note that since Syr does not otherwise appear to know or draw from
GrII, these verses likely represent three Hebrew additions that made
their way into the versions.
40
41
Some have used smaller correspondences between GrII and the Hebrew manuscripts to postulate a larger Hebrew basis for GrII. For example, Ziegler cited the difference of a single letter in 15:16 where "man
sieht deutlich, dafi hebr. Hs. B die Vorlage fur GrI und die hebr. Hs. A
die Vorlage fur GrII bildete." There GrI corresponds to the reading of
MS B, which witnesses the imperfect n*?U>n, whereas some GrII manuscripts follow the imperative vbw witnessed by MS A.
42
GrI
GrII
KTVi
EKTEIVOV
[TH]* n*?u>n psnn nuwn MS B

-pT nbv yznn nwan MS A
40
Di Leila has argued for instances of retroversion from the Syriac text, including
5:4; 15:14bc; 15:15b; 31:6cd; 35:13 (Hebrew Text, 106-47), though Ruger contests many
of these (Text und Textform).
Segal, "Evolution of the Hebrew Text," 107-8.
Ziegler, Sapientia, 83. He also noted 15:14 where Gr follows MS B with Nin as the
subject of the verse and Lat follows MSS A and B by reading the more explicit DTfrN
(ibid.). This case, however, does not display an inner-Greek variant but rather a difference between the Gr and Lat traditions.
41
42
m g
247
Rudolf Smend similarly cited 5:11, where GrII adds a word at the end of
each line to approximate the reading of MS C against MS A. However,
even in this instance, like 15:16, the underlying Hebrew manuscripts
display a variation rather than an addition. Smend did cite 16:3c as one
example of additional material in the Hebrew manuscripts also found
in GrII. Assuming that GrI represents the original reading of Ben Sira
(= ^KQ im 110
both MS A and B add [*7N] jun nwip to yield 110 *o
*f?NQ psn nUJIJJ iriN, a reading reflected in Chrysostom and partially in
GrII manuscripts. Though pan nunp here may rightly be called an addi
tion, it does not provide an example of an addition of a line or more like
those typical of GrII. Therefore, while some differences between GrI
and GrII reach back to an underlying Hebrew variation, it should not
be surprising that the two Greek manuscript traditions (GrI and GrII)
would sometimes reflect variants of the other textual traditions of the
book. Thus, these few examples do not provide a basis to extrapolate a
Hebrew Vorlage for other GrII readings.
43
One may also look to the citations of Ben Sira in the rabbinic litera
ture for a witness to Hebrew Vorlagen underlying the GrII (and Latin)
readings. Though some assert that GrII is supported by many of the
Talmudic citations, none of the numerous quotations of Ben Sira in
the rabbinic literature cited by Schechter, Smend, and Segal correspond
to a substantial GrII addition. Wright gives one example, the small
addition of "with a bill of divorce" in 25:26 (not extant in the Hebrew
MSS), attested in Codex 248 and Syriac, and quoted in Sanhdrin
100b. However, on the whole, it may be said that while GrII additions
are found in the writings of the early church fathers in Greek, Hebrew
counterparts are not found in the rabbinic writings.
44
45
46
There are still other possibilities for detecting an underlying Hebrew

Vorlage for the Greek additions. First, Kearns follows Smend in assert
ing that some of the shorter additions in the versions have a "Hebrew
cast." While this is undoubtedly the case, this criterion proves ulti47
43
Smend, Weisheit des Jesus Sirach, xcii-xciii.

Oesterley, Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, xciii-xciv; Kearns, "Ecclesiasticus,"
548; idem., "Expanded Text," 18-19; Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, 57.
See S. Schechter, "The Quotations from Ecclesiasticus in Rabbinic Literature,"
JQR 3 (1891): 682-706; Smend, Weisheit des Jesus Sirach, xlvi-lvi; Segal, "Evolution of
the Hebrew Text," 133-40.
B. G. Wright, "B. Sanhdrin 100b and Rabbinic Knowledge of Ben Sira," in Treas
ures of Wisdom: Studies in Ben Sira and the Book of Wisdom. Festschrift M. Gilbert (ed.
N. Calduch-Benages and J. Vermeylen; Leuven: Peeters, 1999), 48.
44
45
46
47
248
JASON GILE
mately inconclusive, since compositional Greek can have a Semitic cast

as well, as is well known from some New Testament writings. Second, it is possible that the surrounding context of an addition differs
in the Greek and Hebrew witnesses and the addition fits better with
the Hebrew context. However, my investigation into GrII has found no
conclusive examples. Third, Gilbert has argued in one instance that understanding an underlying Hebrew best explains the GrII reading. In
GrII l:10cd he asserts that Greek opaaiv "see" may have mistakenly
understood an underlying form of KT "fear" as a form of n*0 "see."
48
49
Kupiou vSoo aocpia,

o ' civ 7tTvr|Tai, uepiei arr\v ei paaiv ato.
yTTnai
Love of the Lord is glorious wisdom,

And to whom he appears he imparts her so that they may see him.
Pancratius Beentjes, however, disagrees noting that "fear" would be an
unlikely counterpart to yTtriaK; "love" in v. 10c.
Therefore, of the approximately 150 additional lines in GrII (and numerous more in Lat), only 3 distinct additions (10 cola) can be shown
to have an underlying Hebrew Vorlage. This is not to suggest that none
of the unique GrII additions go back to a Hebrew Vorlage. Moreover,
conclusions based on a lack of evidence can never be absolute, especially since the extant Hebrew manuscripts offer only an incomplete
and fragmentary witness to the Hebrew text. We may simply point
out however that the theory of an underlying Hebrew Vorlage for the
additions in the versions is a hypothetical construct that has little support from the extant textual witnesses. Its existence can by no means
be demonstrated from the textual evidence, and, consequently, we can
no longer take for granted that the GrII and Lat additions derive from
a Hebll recension.
50
51
But what of the unique Hebrew additions in the manuscripts? Might

these additions attest to a systematic reworking of the Hebrew text, and
48
C. F. D. Moule, An Idiom Book of New Testament Greek (Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 1963), 171-91.
M. Gilbert, "Voir ou craindre le Seigneur? Sir 1,1 Od" in Biblica et Semitica: Studi
in memoria di Francesco Vattioni (ed. L. Cagni; Dipartimento di Studi Asiatici, Series
Minor 59; Napoli: Istituto Universitario Orientale, 1999), 247-52.
P. C. Beentjes, "Full Wisdom is from the Lord," in The Wisdom ofBen Sira: Studies
on Tradition, Redaction, and Theology (ed. F. V. Ritrer; B. Ego, T. Nicklas; Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Series 1; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2008), 146.
Approximately a third of the book is not extant in the recovered Hebrew manuscripts (Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, 53; Sauer, Jesus Sirach, 23).
49
50
51
249
might they be of the same nature as those of GrII, suggesting a common

origin? Though Fuchs' analysis of the Hebrew manuscripts yielded 90
plusses in total, two-thirds of them are alternate readings or wordings
of the original.
52
Only about 25 are editorial additions of interpretive
or doctrinal significance.
53
Many of these constitute variants or addi
tions of only a few words, which starkly contrast the numerous long
additions of an entire bicolon characteristic of GrII. Besides the three
Hebrew additions noted above, the few longer additions in the Hebrew
manuscripts can in many cases be explained as doublets of alternative
readings. While Ruger may be right to conclude that MS A represents
a more expanded text than the other Hebrew manuscripts, it is empha
sized that this "expanded" text has little in common with GrII and is not
a witness to its alleged Vorlage.
E . THE SYRIAC ADDITIONS
Now we may consider the affinities of Syr to the other versions in re

gard to additions. Kearns had counted 37 cola unique to Syriac itself, 24
of which make up one extended unit after 1:20, and 35 cola shared with
54
GrII. Of the common additions, the three additions cited above (3:25;
11:15-16; 16:15-16) likely derive from Hebrew Vorlagen, and 26:19-27
55
may be original to Ben Sira, leaving 25:12 as the only possible candi
56
date for dependence on GrII. Though one might propose that 25:12
52
Fuchs, Textkritische Untersuchungen, 115.

Note 4:27cd; 4:28cd; 6:17b; 6:22cd; 7:17cd; 11:15-16; ll:29cd; 11:30b; 12:lld;
12:14c; 13:2e; 14:12a; 14:14c; 14:16c; 15:15c; 16:3c; 16:lld; 16:15-16; 30:20c; 30:20d;
31:2cd; 31:6cd; 32:lld; 36:10b; 46:19ef; 51:20b (ibid., 111-15). Kearns cited the follow
ing as examples: 11:15-16; 15:14b; 15:15c; 16:15-16; 31:6d; 51:1 ("Ecclesiasticus," 548).
Kearns, "Ecclesiasticus," 548; cf. idem., "Expanded Text," 15. Legrand similarly
counts 75 lines in total beyond GrI ("Siracide," 668). Skehan and Di Leila again er
roneously doubled Kearns* numbers to yield 70 cola in common in with GrII and 74
unique to itself (Ben Sira, 57). So also W. Th. van Peursen, Language and Interpretation
in the Syriac Text of Ben Sira: A Comparative Linguistic and Literary Study (MPIL 16;
Leiden: Brill, 2007), 77. M. D. Nelson, also apparently drawing from Kearns, doubled
the count, claiming 35 and 37 distichs respectively (The Syriac Version of the Wisdom
of Ben Sira Compared to the Greek and Hebrew Materials [SBLDS 107; Atlanta: Scholars
Press, 1988], 7).
So e.g., Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, 351.
I take 3:19 and 4:23b not to be additions, the former corrupted in the versions
and the latter original to Ben Sira (see Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, ad loc). The Syr
text also lacks approximately 200 lines found in GrI (Legrand, "Siracide," 668), or per
haps more accurately 193 and a half (M. M. Winter, "The Origins of Ben Sira in Syriac
[Part I]," VT27 [1977]: 237).
53
54
55
56
JASON GILE
250
(not extant in the Hebrew MSS) should be grouped with 3:25; 11:1516; and 16:15-16 as having a Hebrew origin, its striking resonances
with many of the GrII additions suggest that Syr 25:12 is a translation
from GrII. And just as Syr does not witness the GrII additions, neither
does it witness any of the Lat additions. We may conclude then that in
terms of additional material Syr displays nearly absolute discontinuity
with GrII and Lat.
Instead the Syriac text is characterized by numerous alterations,
doublets, and variations of its own. While there is much debate on the
identity of the Syr translator(s) and the possibility of a later revision, it
is widely agreed that Syr reflects much translational freedom that al
lowed for interpretation and expansion. Ruger may have been right to
see Syr as a close relative to his "Hebll," even if we have shown this not
to be the case for GrII. Both Syr and the "Hebll" of MS A witness an
"expanded" form of the book, but one which has undergone ubiquitous
free interpretation and reworking, the former mostly by translators and
the latter by copyists. This is quite different from the evidence found in
GrII and Lat, which are instead characterized primarily by additions
of a colon or bicolon rather than alterations. This suggests that neither
the "Hebll" of the medieval manuscripts nor Syr witness the alleged
Vorlage of GrII.
57
58
59
60
F. A COMMON VORLAGE FOR ALL THE LATIN ADDITIONS?
Given the continuity of the GrII and Lat texts noted up to this point,
might we assume that the 75 unique Lat cola derive from a Greek Vor
lage and thus are a witness to non-extant GrII additions? Though Gil57
Cf. GrII l:10cd; 1:12; 1:18; 10:21; 17:18; 19:18-19.

Winter, "Origins (Part I)," 237.
Though Kearns has argued for a theological and thematic continuity between
GrII additions and Syriac readings ("Expanded Text," 61-66), van Peursen has shown
that some of these themes rather stem from the translator's own tendencies {Language
and Interpretation, 34-35).
See (in chronological order) Winter, "Origins (Part I)," 237-53; idem., "The Ori
gins of Ben Sira in Syriac (Part II)," VT27 (1977): 494-507; R. Owens, "The Early Syriac
Text of Ben Sira in the Demonstrations of Aphrahat" JSS 34 (1989): 75; W. Th. van
Peursen, "The Peshitta of Ben Sira: Jewish and/or Christian?" Aramaic Studies 2 (2004):
243-62; M. M. Winter, "Theological Alterations in the Syriac Translation of Ben Sira,"
CBQ (2008): 300-312; Rizzi, "Christian Interpretations," 277-308; R. Owens, "Chris
tian Features in the Peshitta Text of Ben Sira: the Question of Dependency on the Syriac
New Testament," in this volume. For a summary of the Syriac translator's interpretive
tendencies, see van Peursen, Language and Interpretation, 77-96.
58
59
60
251
bert holds that the unique Lat additions derive from the Greek Vorlage
of the original Vetus Latina translation, one significant area of thematic discontinuity may suggest that not all of them have an underlying
GrII Vorlage. Here it is argued that the topic of afterlife, which underwent an evolution in the late Second Temple period, can shed light on
the problem.
Jesus Ben Sira was very traditional in his understanding of Sheol and
the afterlife. The mention of reward or punishment in the afterlife is not
mentioned at all in the Hebrew text of the book. The grandson continues the same view in GrI. GrII mentions or alludes to an afterlife a few
times. The most explicit reference is 19:19, "those who do what is pleasing to him enjoy the fruit of the tree of immortality" (oi KOIOVTE
T pEOT auTtp Gavaaia vpov KapmovTai). Others include 2:9c,
"for his reward is an eternal gift with joy" (TI ai aitovia \ier x<*p
TO vTOJtopa auTo), and 16:22c, "a close examination will come for
all in the end/at death" (Kal Tcxai TtdvTcov v re\evxf\).
61
62
63
The Lat text, on the other hand, appears to be preoccupied with punishment and reward in the afterlife. First, we may note the following
additional lines.
64
61
6:22c (23c)
(23c) quibus autem agnita
est permanet usque ad
conspectum Dei
but with them to whom

[wisdom] is known, she
continues even to the sight
of God.
15:8
but men that speak truth

will be found with her,
and will advance, even until
they come to the sight of
God.
et viri veraces inveniuntur

in ilia
et successum habebunt
usque ad inspectionem Dei
M. Gilbert, "The Vetus Latina of Ecclesiasticus," in Studies in the Book ofBen Sira:
Papers of the Third International Conference on the Deuterocanonical Books, Shimeon
Centre, Papa, Hungary, 18-20 May, 2006 (ed. G. G. Xeravits and J. Zsengellr; JSJSup
127; Leiden, Brill, 2008), 6-9; also idem., "Methodological and Hermeneutical Trends,"
5.
Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira, 86; though see a more nuanced view in E. Puech,
"Ben Sira and Qumran," in The Wisdom of Ben Sira: Studies on Tradition, Redaction,
and Theology (ed. F. V. Ritrer; B. Ego, T. Nicklas; Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Series 1; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2008), 99-102.
J.-S. Rey, "Lesprance post-mortem dans les diffrentes versions du Siracide," in
this volume.
Latin texts cited from Biblia sacra iuxta latinam vulgatam versionem 12: Sapientia Salomonis, Liber Hiesu Filii Sirach (Rome: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanus, 1964). Latin
translations are adapted from Douay-Rheims.
62
63
64
JASON GILE
252
17:23 (19)
[et postea resurget et

retribuet illis retributionem
unicuique in caput illorum]
et convertet in interiores
partes terrae
[And afterward he will rise

up, and will render to them
their reward, to every one
upon their own head,]
and will turn them down
into the bowels of the earth.
18:22
quoniam merces Dei manet

in aeternum
for the reward of God

continues for ever.
24:22 (31)
qui lucidant me vitam

aeternam habebunt
They who explain me will

have life everlasting.
24:32cd
(45)
penetrabo inferiores partes

terrae
et inspiciam omnes
dormientes
et inluminabo sperantes in
Deo
I will penetrate to all the

lower parts of the earth,
and will behold all that
sleep,
and will enlighten all that
hope in the Lord.
27:8 (9)
[si sequaris iustitiam

adprehendes illam
et indues quasi poderem
honoris]
et inhabitabis cum ea
et proteget te in
sempiternum
et in die agnitionis invenies
firmamentum
[If you follow justice, you

will obtain her,
and will put her on as a long
robe of honor,]
and you will dwell with her,
and she shall protect you
forever,
and in the day of
acknowledgment you will
find a strong foundation.
Beyond these, Lat witnesses numerous translational alterations. We

may note the following renderings as examples.
14:19
Gr Give and take, and deceive your soul,

because in Hades there is no seeking of luxury.
luxury
Lat Give and take, and justify your soul.
Before your death do justice, for in hell there is no
finding food.
21:10
Gr The way of sinners is leveled out of stones,
and at its end is the hole of Hades
Lat The congregation of sinners is like tow heaped together,
and the end of them is aflame
flame of fire
24:9 (14) Gr and until the age I will never fail
Lat and until the future age I will not cease to be
44:16
Gr Enoch pleased
pleased God,
God, and
and he
he was
was changed
changed
Lat Enoch pleased God, and he was translated into paradise
253
In another instance the Lat translator simply avoids a Greek passage

that suggests a bleak perspective on life after death. In 17:27-28 Greek
reads:
Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades
instead of the living and those who give thanks?
Since a corpse does not exist, acknowledgement has perished from it;
a living and healthy person will praise the Lord.
For this Latin substitutes:
Give thanks while you are living,
while you are alive and in health you shall give thanks,
and shall praise God and glory in his mercies.
How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to them that turn
to him!
These latter examples of translational adjustments suggest that the Lat
in translator had a special concern to express the post-mortem signifi
cance of ones deeds and therefore suppress the traditional view of Ben
Sira. This interpretive tendency of the Latin translator along with the
lesser emphasis on the afterlife in GrII suggests that some of the Latin
additions on the afterlife of a line or more mentioned above may derive
from the hand of the translator rather than a GrII Vorlage. Had all the
GrII and Lat additions derived from a single source, each would be
equally likely to witness updates on the afterlife. Thus there is a discon
tinuity between the versions in respect to the content of their additions:
Latll speaks of the afterlife numerous times, while GrII only does so in
very few instances, and Hebl and GrI have no references.
65
G. CONCLUSIONS
This study has attempted to show that it is highly improbable that all
the additions to Ben Sira originated in a systematic reworking of the
Hebrew text as was formulated by Conleth Kearns and subsequently
widely adopted in scholarship. Kearns' theory postulated a continuity
among the text-forms of the book derived from their common origin,
but I have argued for the following points of discontinuity. (1) There is
very little evidence for an underlying Hebrew Vorlage for the numer
ous GrII and Lat additionsonly three distinct additions. (2) Most of
65
Kearns apparently did not recognize this discontinuity because he considered the
GrII and Lat additions together as witnesses to a single recension.
JASON GILE
254
the unique Hebrew additions consist of one or a few words in contrast

to the characteristic longer additions of GrII and Lat. (3) The Syr text
as well generally reflects ubiquitous cases of interpretations, variations,
and doublets at the translational level, rather than long additions of the
GrII and Lat variety. (4) In fact, the Syr text witnesses none of the GrII
and Lat additions, proving that Syr is not a witness to a possible Vorlage for Hebll. (5) Though some of Lat s unique additions undoubtedly
derive from a Greek Vorlage no longer extant, many of its additions on
the afterlife are likely from the hand of the translator rather than an underlying Vorlage. Therefore, the discontinuity among the versions suggests that the additions stem from any number of sources rather than a
systematic revision of the Hebrew text.
Though we have not found grounds for a common origin for all the
additions based on the textual evidence, the possibility remains that
some originated from a single group or geographical location, per66
haps the Essenes as Kearns and others maintain. In fact, assuming

the Qumran-Essene hypothesis, the connection between Ben Sira and
67
Qumran has much to lend it, and the phrase
68
nwni
VTIK1 m
m b^b
DTK ^lb pbn ("he divided his light and his darkness to humans") in
16:15-16 in particular has resonances with Qumran literature like
69
70
1QS, in which we find the dualism of light and darkness. These links
66
Cf. Wright, "B. Sanhdrin 100b," 50.

Puech, "Ben Sira and Qumran," 79-112, esp. 110-12. Cf. D. Flusser, '"The Secret
Things Belong to the Lord* (Deut. 29:29): Ben Sira and the Essenes" in Judaism of the
Second Temple Period: Qumran and Apocalypticism (trans. Azzan Yadin; Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Eerdmans, 2007), 293-98.
Emended to reflect the more original reading of GrII and Syr.
See Puech, "Ben Sira and Qumran," 110-11; M. Philonenko, "Sur une interpolation essnisante dans le Siracide (16,15-16)," Orientalia Suecana 33-35 (1984-1986):
317-21. I agree with Puech that the resonances with the addition after Syr 1:20 are
less certain (see T. Legrand, "Siracide [syriaque] l,20c-z: une addition syriaque et ses
rsonances essniennes," in tudes smitiques et samaritaines offertes Jean Margain
[ed. C.-B. Amphoux, A. Frey, and U. Schattner-Rieser; Histoire du Texte Biblique 4;
Lausanne: ditions de Zbre, 1998], 123-34). Gilbert is mistaken to question a Qumran origin for some of the additions on grounds that "Die in Qumran und Masada
gefundenen Texte geben nur ein Sir.-Buch vom Typ Sir Hebr I wieder" ("Jesus Sirach,"
in Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum 17 [ed. A. Dassmann et al.; Stuttgart: Anton
Herseman, 1995], 885), since the Qumran and Masada witnesses are not extant in the
sections where most of the additions appear.
See Philonenko, "interpolation essnisante," 320. Note in particular 1QS III
18-19: ma PVDI biym noan ninn run imipa TVIQ TP on "rbnnn*? ninn 'nv oum
blpn nn*?in -]Wm "npODI noan nnbm ("He gave to him two spirits so that he would
walk with them until the moment of his visitation: these are the [two] spirits of truth
and of injustice. In the fountain of light is the origin of truth and the source of darkness
67
68
69
70
255
may suggest that perhaps the three additions shown above to have a
Hebrew Vorlage originated at Qumran.
Moreover, a couple cases of thematic continuity among the additions
may suggest that some others derive from a single source. These include
the association of fear of the Lord with love of the Lord, as noted by
Gilbert, and Prato's identification of the theme of light in relation to
wisdom. However, the discontinuity among the versions outlined in
this essay precludes the possibility that all the additions derive from the
Essenes or Qumran or any other single source and therefore draws into
question thematic and comparative studies that use continuity among
some of the additions to extrapolate on the origin of all the additions.
Thus, we do not speak of "the expanded text," as Kearns did. Instead, a
"plurality of origin [s]" is posited.
In this we can agree with a few scholars who, even if assuming a larger Hebrew basis for the additions in the versions, nevertheless describe
a diverse process of textual growth. Benjamin Wright, for example,
speaks of an "ongoing process of expansion" among the different versions of Ben Sira rather than a "recension," a term which implies "a certain self-conscious and systematic reworking of a text from a particular
point of view." Instead, he asserts: "one may surmise the existence of
numerous variant 'text types' or editions' of the book, some more variant than others." Similarly Maurice Gilbert has stressed the gradual
71
72
73
74
75
76
is the origin of injustice").

Whether other uspiav ("apportioning") texts in GrII, particularly a cluster of
additions in chapter 17 (l:10cd; 17:5,18,22), also have a Heb Vorlage is uncertain.
M. Gilbert, "Wisdom Literature" in Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period
(ed. M. E. Stone; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984), 299-300; Skehan and Di Leila, Ben Sira,
340. This is most clearly set forth in 25:12, "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of love
for him." Another example rests on Gilberts translation of l:12cd (<p|3o K u p i o u om
i a p K u p i o u , K a l yap in crya7ir|aa) Tpi(3ou K a G i a r n a i v ) as "The fear of the Lord is a
gift from the Lord, for it sets [men] upon paths of love." Against this NETS translates
the second lines as: "for he also establishes paths for love," taking the subject of the verb
as "the Lord" rather than "fear of the Lord." Less clear associations mentioned by Gilbert include 24:18, "I [Wisdom] am the mother of beautiful love, of fear, of knowledge,
and of holy hope," and 19:18, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance, and
wisdom obtains love."
Prato, "lumire interprte," 317-46.
Gilbert, "Methodological and Hermeneutical Trends," 12.
B. G. Wright, "Some Methodological Considerations on the Rabbis' Knowledge
of the Proverbs of Ben Sira" (paper presented at the annual meeting of the SBL, New
Orleans, 1990, online: ftp://ftp.lehigh.edu/pub/listserv/ioudaios-l/Articles/bwsira).
Ibid. Cf. Hartman ("Sirach in Hebrew and Greek," 446 n. 6): "We are ... inclined
to think that the Hebrew text of Sir existed in numerous shapes and forms and that the
71
72
73
74
75
76
256
JASON GILE
77
accretion of the book. He writes: "We must not imagine one official
second edition, revised and expanded, but rather a long process of ex
pansion. Not being acknowledged as a biblical book in Judaism, the text
of the book of Ben Sira could freely incorporate doublets and additions,
which were not necessarily transmitted in all manuscripts and all ver
sions. The expanded text of Ben Sira, therefore, is multiform."
In summary, the dominant view that the additions to Ben Sira found
in the ancient versions are the result of a systematic Hebrew recension
cannot be proven by the textual evidence. While some of the additions
may have originated from particular religious groups or geographical
locations, and some even through an underlying Hebrew Vorlage, it is
difficult to speak of a common origin for all the additions in the ver
sions. Rather than speaking of a single expanded text, we may instead
affirm the multiform state of the textual witnesses to Ben Sira.
78
process of freely editing' this text was carried on almost continuously by practically
every scribe that copied it from about the middle of the 2d century B.C. till well into
the Middle Ages."
M. Gilbert, "The Book of Ben Sira: Implications for Jewish and Christian Tradi
tions" in Jewish Civilization in the Hellenistic-Roman Period (ed. S. Talmon; Philadel
phia: Trinity Press International, 1991), 81-91; cf. idem., "Wisdom Literature," 290-300.
Gilbert, "Book of Ben Sira," 88. Also idem., "Methodological and Hermeneutical
Trends," 11: "Changes and additions ... appear in Hebrew and Greek manuscripts in a
rather chaotic way: one manuscript conveys some modifications and another, others.
This signifies, it seems, that there was no second edition' as we would understand it, but
a slow and progressive evolution of the text of Ben Sira, due to many hands, each scribe
choosing such or such modification."
77
78
L'ESPRANCE POST-MORTEM
DANS LES DIFFRENTES VERSIONS DU SIRACIDE
Jean-Sbastien Rey
Universit Paul Verlaine, Metz
Depuis la dcouverte des fragments hbreux du livre du Siracide dans

la Genizah du Caire la fin du X I X e sicle, puis Qumrn et Massada au milieu du X X e sicle, les chercheurs ont diversement interrog
le texte pour savoir si l'auteur envisageait une esprance dans une exis1
tence post-mortem. Si la plupart rpondent par la ngative , ils estiment

nanmoins, la suite de Conleth Kearns, qu'une telle esprance serait
R.H. Charles en 1899 remarquait dj que Ben Sira is uncompromisingly

conservative and refuses to admit the possibility of the new views as to the future life.
All retribution without exception is confined to this life : "fear not death," exclaims
the Son of Sirach "whether it be ten or a hundred or a thousand years, there are no
chastisements for life in Sheol" (xli. 3,4). On the other hand, this writer supplements
Ezekiel's theory of exact individual retribution with the older view which Ezekiel
attacked, and seeks to cover its obvious defects with the doctrine of the solidarity of
the family. A man's wickedness must receive recompense either in his own person in
this life, or, failing this, in the persons of his surviving children, since Sheol knows
no retribution R.H. Charles, A Critical History of a Future Life in Israel, in Judaism,
and in Christianity or Hebrew, Jewish, and Christian Eschatology from Pre-Prophetic
Times till the Close of the New Testament Canon (London: Adam and Charles Black,
1899 , 1913 ), 167-68. Plus rcemment, on peut consulter par exemple, P.W. Skehan
et A. A. Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira (AB 39; New York: Doubleday, 1987), 86;
M. Gilbert, Immortalit ? Rsurrection ? Faut-il choisir ? Tmoignage du judasme
ancien , in Le judasme Vaube de Vre chrtienne. XVIIIe congrs de VACFEB (Lyon,
septembre 1999) (ds. P. Abadie et J.-P. Lmonon; LD 186; Paris: Cerf, 2001), 275;
M. Gilbert, art. Siracide, DBS XII (1996), 1436; J.J. Collins, Jewish Wisdom in the
Hellenistic Age (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997), 111. Enfin, pour
un avis contraire, on consultera . Puech, Ben Sira 48:11 et la rsurrection, in
Of Scribes and Scrolls. Studies on the Hebrew Bible, Intertestamental Judaism, and
Christian Origins presented to John Strugnell (ds. H.W. Hattridge, J.J. Collins et T.
H. Tobin; Lanham-New York-Londres : University Press of America, 1990), 81-89 ; .
Puech, La croyance des essniens en la vie future: immortalit, rsurrection, vie ternelle? Histoire d'une croyance dans le judasme ancien (EBib 21-22; Paris: Gabalda,
1993) ; galement, bien que moins convaincant, F. Saracino, Rizurrezione in Ben
Sira? , Henoch 4 (1982) : 185-203.
1
258
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
2
perceptible dans la traduction grecque du petit fils de Ben Sira que

lbn date habituellement vers la fin du Ile sicle avant notre re. Dans
la prsente contribution, il m a paru ncessaire de vrifier l'hypothse
de Kearns : observe-t-on une volution dans les conceptions relatives
1 esprance post-mortem entre l'hbreu I et le grec I ? Dans un premier temps, je prsenterai l'tude de Kearns, en formulant quelques
critiques que j espre constructives. Dans un second temps, il m'a paru
utile de confronter le texte hbreu et sa traduction en grec dans les
passages o Ben Sira voque la mort, le Shol ou la rtribution. Enfin,
cet examen permettra dune part de proposer quelques conclusions
relatives l'volution des perspectives eschatologiques entre le texte
hbreu et sa traduction en grec et, d'autre part, de proposer quelques
pistes de rflexion concernant la question de l'esprance post-mortem
dans le texte hbreu de Ben Sira.
A.
L A T H S E DE C O N L E T H K E A R N S
Kearns, dans sa thse de doctorat soutenue en 1951, a montr de faon

convaincante que les additions du grec II, du latin et du syriaque refltaient une eschatologie diffrente de celle atteste dans le texte hbreu
(Hb I). Bien que la prsentation de Kearns pourrait aujourd'hui tre
prcise, sa dmonstration reste valable sur ce point et peut constituer
une sorte d'acquis de la recherche.
En revanche, Kearns me parat moins convaincant lorsqu'il aborde
la question de l'eschatologie dans les strates les plus anciennes du texte :
l'hbreu I, le grec I et l'hbreu II.
Concernant l'eschatologie de l'Hb I, Kearns reprend les conclusions
formules par R. H. Charles en 1899 qu'il cite cet effet: Ben Sira
3
C. Kearns, The Expanded Text of Ecclesiasticus. Its Teaching on the Future Life
as a Clue to its Origin (Thse de doctorat, Institut Biblique Pontifical, 1951) ; Skehan
et Di Leila, The Wisdom, 86 : The possibility of rewards or punishments in some sort
of afterlife receives no mention at all in the original Hebrew text of Ben Sira. But the
Greek translation does make definite allusion to retribution in the hereafter ; Gilbert, Immortalit, 276-77. Collins, Jewish Wisdom, 96.
Pour une synthse de Kearns sur ce sujet, voir Gilbert, Immortalit ? , 276.
titre d'exemple, on peut comparer l'Hb et le Gr I avec le Gr II, le Latin et le syriaque
en Si 12,6 ou en Si 21,10.
Kearns cite Charles, A Critical History dans l'dition de 1913 (167-70) cette dernire ne prsente pas de diffrences majeures par rapport l'dition de 1899 (162-65)
pour ce qui concerne Ben Sira. Dans la premire dition, Charles avait dj pris en
compte les fragments hbreux fraichement publis, nanmoins sa dmonstration se
3
259
suivrait fidlement les vues traditionnelles relatives au Shol, toute

rtribution concernerait seulement la vie prsente, ou, le cas chant,
les descendants du dfunt . Cependant, Charles se fondait essentiellement sur la version grecque du Siracide . Et de fait, les textes convoqus par Kearns pour illustrer son propos sont troublants. La plupart
proviennent non pas du texte hbreu, mais du texte grec. Il cite ainsi
Si 9,11-12, certes attest en hbreu, mais qu'il corrige partir du grec,
sans le mentionner; il mentionne galement Si 1,13, Si 2 3 , 2 4 - 2 7 et
Si 3 0 , 4 - 6 qui ne sont pas prservs dans les fragments de la Genizah;
au final, sur les cinq exemples donns par Kearns, seule la citation de
Si 41,11-13 provient de l'Hb L Or, ce dernier exemple, sur lequel nous
reviendrons, ne prouve pas que l'auteur n'envisageait aucune perspective post-mortem. Au fond, l'argumentation de Kearns ne montre pas
que la version hbraque prsente une vision conservatrice, mais plutt, au contraire, que c'est la version grecque qui offre une telle caractristique ce qui contredit la suite de sa dmonstration.
5
En effet, lors de sa prsentation de l'eschatologie du Gr I, Kearns

cherche montrer que la traduction grecque contraste avec l'Hb I en
prsentant des perspectives d'ouvertures eschatologiques. Il argumente
sa position partir de quatre exemples qui prsentent une variation
entre l'hbreu et le grec: Si 7,17; 30,17; 44,16 et 48,11. Examinons ces
exemples un un.
1. Siracide 7,17
AC
Si 7,17 est probablement l'exemple le plus convaincant de Kearns.

Ben Sira y envisage pour tout homme un avenir funeste: TNQ
non VUX mpn ^ | m*U V)Wn Humilie grandement l'orgueil, car
l'espoir de l'homme (c'est) la vermine . Le traducteur grec rserve ce
sort l'impie seul et ajoute les motifs du chtiment et du feu : TCUTEIVCOaov acppa tf]v \|/uvjjv aou TI KKr|ai<; a(3o<; nvp Kai aKd)Xr|,
7
base essentiellement sur le texte grec du Siracide.

Kearns, The Expanded Text, 67.
Voir ses citations de Si 2,10-11 ; 9,12 ; 11,26-27 ; Charles, A Critical History, 168.
L'hbreu est attest dans H et H . H a b*)Wr\ et ajoute la prposition b devant
HQ1 comme le syriaque. Ce verset est cit dans m. Abot 4,4 comme un apophtegme
de rabbi Levitas de Yabn: HOI WilH ninw nn
TND
La syntaxe est
adapte l'hbreu mishnique et m*U est remplac par nn (cf. Grtyuxi,lat. spiritum
et Syr xsu). Le syriaque s'accorde globalement avec l'hbreu: Acâ vyta v^wrf ^
^
rd.oc73 rffcc*^ rxii=> ôcrAâ rC^\i*a Humilie grandement ton me, car la fin de tous les
hommes c'est la vermine .
5
260
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
Humilie grandement ton me, car le chtiment de l'impie (c'est) le

feu et la vermine. Les variantes concernent essentiellement le second
stique : l'hbreu WX, mpn, l'espoir de l'homme, est rendu en grec
par ichcfjai aefoOc;, le chtiment de l'impie . Cette traduction
doit certainement tre impute au traducteur puisque le syriaque et la
citation dans m. Abot 4,4 confirment globalement l'hbreu . la suite
de G. H. Box et de W. O. E. Oesterley, Kearns interprte cette variante
comme une extrapolation relative au jugement eschatologique . De
fait, les motifs du chtiment, du feu et de la vermine invitent une telle
interprtation bien que cette dernire ne s'impose pas ncessairement
(la connotation eschatologique n'est pas explicite en Is 66,24 alors
qu'elle apparat clairement en Jdt 16,17; voir galement plus tardivement Me 9,47-48).
8
10
11
Cependant, si l'argument est possible, le cas de Si 7,17 est isol dans

le livre du Siracide. D'autres passages montrent clairement que le texte
grec comme le texte hbreu s'accordent sur ce caractre phmre de
tout tre humain, qu'il soit bon ou mauvais. Par exemple, en Si 10,11,
on retrouve le mme motif: l'hbreu, DV& nybmi r u n bnr DTK m o n
Dans la mort, l'homme hritera des vers, des poux, des vermines et des reptiles, est assez fidlement traduit par le petit fils,
v yp Tu> Ttoavev vpamov icXr|povo|irjai pTtet Kai 0r|pia Kai
OKcbXriKac;, Lorsqu'un homme meurt, il hritera des reptiles, des btes
et des vers . Le traducteur n'a pas estim ncessaire de prciser que
ce sort funeste tait rserv l'impie seul (voir galement Si 14,17-18).
U
Les variantes du premier stique sont mineures pour notre propos ; notons que la
LXX et le syriaque attestent ton me la place de l'hbreu orgueil .
Pour tayer son argumentation, Kearns ajoute que les deux termes Khcnai et
a(3r| sont caractristiques du Gr II mais cela n'est pas totalement exact (KiKnai
n'apparat qu'une fois en Gr II, en Si 12,6, contre 11 fois en Gr I et aepr| n'apparat
que deux fois en Gr II, en 26,23a et 26,26b, contre 17 fois en Gr I). Voir J.-M. Auwers,
Concordance du Siracide (Grec II et Sacra Parallela) (Cahiers de la Revue Biblique 58 ;
Paris :Gabalda, 2005).
Le syriaque traduit mpn, l'espoir, par nffcxi*, la fin , comme en Si 7,13.
G.H. Box and W.O.E. Oesterley, Sirach in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English with Introduction and Critical and Explanatory
Notes on the Several Books. Volume I. Apocrypha (d. R.H. Charles; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), 340.
Lire D"JD ou D^D avec M.S. Segal, SepherBen Sira Ha-Shalem (Jrusalem: Bialik, 1953).
9
10
11
12
26l
L'ESPRANCE P O S T - M O R T E M
2. Siracide 30,17
Kearns prend comme second exemple Si 30,17. Ce verset est prserv
sous la forme de quatre stiques dans H . Seuls les stiques c et b sont
prservs par le grec, en ordre invers, tandis que le syriaque en a
prserv les stiques c et d:
B
mn ono *
^pr^jcn r a r ^
<
AcuzX uj*Ao
,,
N I T )
r ^ T n r d u j ^> \i*E*A ,n\
Syr
LXX : Kpeiaacov Bvaro Ttp a)f|v nucpv

[Kal vdTtauai aicovo] f\ ppcbatnua euuovov
HB :
Mieux vaut mourir qu'une vie futile

et le repos ternel qu'une peine opinitre [B qu'une vie mauvaise]
Mieux vaut mourir qu'une vie mauvaise
et descendre au Shol qu'une peine tenace.
mg
Syr :
Mieux vaut mourir qu'une vie mauvaise

et descendre au Shol qu'une peine durable.
LXX : Plutt la mort qu'une vie de misre

(Et le repos ternel) qu'une maladie persistante
Kearns remarque que le Gr I n'a pas prserv la mention du repos
ternel pourtant attest dans le Gr I I et la Vetus Latina. Il en conclut,
en s'appuyant sur A. Edersheim , qu'il s'agit d'une correction dogmatique : le traducteur voudrait signifier par cette suppression que le repos ternel n'tait pas accord universellement tout homme, mais
seulement aux justes . Mais cette conclusion n'est gure convaincante.
En effet, comment expliquer que le Gr II et la Vetus Latina aient rintroduit (ou prserv) le motif du repos ternel pour tout homme
alors que ces versions prsentent une perspective eschatologique dualiste nettement plus marque que le Gr I.
13
14
15
13
En ralit, l'addition Kal vTtauai aicvo ne correspond pas exactement au

Gr II : il n apparat ni dans le ms. 248, qui en est un des meilleurs tmoins, ni dans
la recension orignienne, en outre, il apparat dans les manuscrits minuscules non
rpertoris comme reprsentatifs du Gr II (mss. 336 547 753).
A. Edersheim, Ecclesiasticus, in The Holy Bible: Apocrypha, vol. 2 (d. H.
Wace ; London : John Murray, 1888) (non consult).
II note : The translator was not willing to admit that death necessarily means
rest for all, as the older view maintained. H had previously (7:17) asserted that it
means 'fire and worm' for the ungodly , Kearns, Expanded Text, 70.
14
15
262
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
L'absence du syntagme repos ternel, dans le Gr I, pourrait recevoir plusieurs explications diffrentes :
- si on retient lbption dune correction thologique, l'inverse de
Kearns, cette correction pourrait trs bien tre comprise en sens
inverse comme une volont de dseschatologiser le texte hbreu :
aprs la mort, il n y a de repos ternel pour personne ;
- l'omission pourrait tre purement fortuite: une erreur de scribe;
- ou encore, vu l'tat de ce verset dans la tradition manuscrite, on
pourrait identifier le syntagme repos ternel comme une addition mettre au compte de l'Hb II puisque ce stique n'est attest
ni dans le Gr I, ni dans la version syriaque, mais qu'il n'apparat
que dans l'hbreu, le Gr II et le latin. Auquel cas, le traducteur grec
aurait correctement traduit sa Vorlage sans y ajouter une perspective eschatologique plus dveloppe.
On voit que l'exemple de Kearns ne justifie pas ici, une perspective eschatologique plus claire dans le Gr I que dans l'Hb I.
3. Siracide 44,16
Le troisime exemple donn par Kearns concerne Si 44,16 relatif Henoch.
npbn ^ Dp f?nnm
o^nn MDI i u n
nm nnb njn niN

LXX: Evo>x eunpeatnaev KUpico Kal ueTetGn meryua jieTavoia
ta yVa
A
H :
Henoch fut trouv intgre, et il marcha avec YYY et il fut pris,

signe de connaissance de gnration en gnration.
LXX : Henoch plut au seigneur et fut transfr, exemple de conversion

pour les gnrations.
Kearns remarque que le terme njn connaissance a t traduit par
|iTvoia conversion . Outre le fait que l'authenticit de ce verset
et sa place dans le livre sont fortement remises en cause par les chercheurs , on notera que ce changement de vocabulaire ne renforce pas
16
17
16
V et Arm portent nanmoins iavoia qui s'accorderait avec H . Il ne nous

parat pas exact d'affirmer que le terme [letvoia est un des termes favoris du Gr
II (Kearns, The Expanded Text, 70). Il n'apparat pas dans la concordance du Gr II
publie par J.-M. Auwers.
Le verset manque dans H et dans le syriaque. Voir RC. Beentjes, The 'praise
of the famous' and its prologue. Some observations on Ben Sira 44,1-15 and the ques17
263
la dimension eschatologique du passage. Elle en modifie juste la causalit, l'enlvement d'Hnoch est pour l'hbreu la consquence de sa
connaissance, alors qu'il est la consquence de sa conversion pour le
traducteur grec. On notera, l'appui de l'hbreu, que la connaissance
est un point fondamental pour l'obtention du salut eschatologique
dans un texte comme AQInstruction par exemple (cf. 4Q418 69 ii 10).
4. Siracide 48,11
Enfin, le dernier exemple donn par Kearns est Si 48,11, relatif lie.
Il note que le second stique est trop altr pour tre restaur et ne retient alors que le grec: (laKpioi oi ISvTe a Kai oi v aycmx\oti KKOi|ir||ivoi Kai yp f\\iiq cofj (r|a|ie9a, Heureux ceux qui t'ont vu et
se sont endormis dans l'amour, car nous aussi, nous vivrons certainement . Kearns s'appuie sur une note de Box et Oesterley , pour considrer que le texte grec prsuppose une conception sur la vie future
trop avance pour le temps o Ben Sira rdige son ouvrage. Kearns en
conclut que le texte hbreu devait donc porter une leon diffrente : It
is clear that the last phrase, with its explicit reference to a future life of
hapiness, must go far beyond the meaning of Heb . C'est face un
tel argument a priori, rgulirement invoqu par les chercheurs, que
nous voudrions nous garder. En effet, rien ne permet d'affirmer que
la conception en la vie future atteste dans le grec est impossible au
temps de Ben Sira. Au contraire, un texte comme AQInstruction montre qu'une telle croyance est bien atteste dans le courant sapientiel palestinien au dbut du Ile sicle. Dans la mesure o nous ne disposons
pas de l'hbreu, il n'est pas possible de se prononcer, a priori, sur une
ventuelle interprtation du traducteur grec et donc de conclure une
volution de perspective entre les deux textes. Notons enfin que, si la
restauration propose par . Puech est correcte , et les traces de lettres
18
19
20
tion on Enoch in 44,16, in Happy the one who meditates on wisdom (Sir. 14,20).
Collected essays on the Book of Ben Sira (d. RC. Beentjes; Contributions to Biblical
Exegesis and Theology 43 ; Leuven: Peeters, 2006), 123-33.
Box and Oesterley, Sirach , 501 : Peters suggested reading can scarcely be
right, as it presuposes conceptions concerning the future life which are too advanced
for the time of Ben Sira. By the time the Greek translation was made the beliefs regarding this subject had greatly developed. The rendering of Syriac is due to Christian
influence; N. Peters proposait de reconstruire l'hbreu ainsi: [nn mn "O] "[[nuwi]
rv; N. Peters, Das Buch Jesus Sirach oderEcclesiasticus (EHAT 25 ; Munster: Aschendorff, 1913), 413.
Puech, Ben Sira 48:11 et la rsurrection , 81-90 ; Puech, La croyance des ess18
19
20
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
264
prserves sur le manuscrit semblent l'attester, le traducteur grec serait

parfaitement fidle sa Vorlage et ne prsenterait donc pas une eschatologie diffrente.
5.
Conclusion
Kearns concluait l'analyse de ces quatre exemples par la remarque suivante : The evidence of the above texts of Gr I, though uncertain in
parts, makes it clear nevertheless that when the grandson's translation was made, the text of the original Hebrew, made about 60 years
prevously, had already felt the influence of more advanced ideas on
eschatology which are found so much fully in Gr II an Syr . Or, un
regard nouveau sur les arguments avancs par Kearns, nous conduit
des conclusions diffrentes : l'argumentation visant montrer que le
Gr I prsente des perspectives eschatologiques plus avances que celle
de l'auteur hbreu ne nous parat pas fonde sur des lments solides.
Au final, seul l'exemple de Si 7,17 pourrait tre exploit dans ce sens,
mais ce dernier est un cas trop isol dans le corpus pour supporter une
gnralisation l'ensemble du Gr I.
21
B . LA MORT ET LE SHOL, DE L'HBREU I AU GREC I
Suite ces remarques critiques, il m'a sembl opportun d'largir

l'investigation de Kearns en comparant les tmoins hbreux et grecs
pour l'ensemble des versets susceptibles d'tre interprts dans le
sens d'une esprance post-mortem. partir d'exemples plus larges,
j'examinerai si le traducteur grec prsente, ou pas, une vision eschatologique diffrente de sa Vorlage prsume. Parmi les exemples choisis, j'ai opt pour ne pas retenir les textes o l'hbreu pourrait tre attribu l'Hb II .
22
niens, 74-76. Voir la contribution de P. Beentjes dans ce volume, p. 30. Parmi les six
reconstructions rpertories pas Beentjes, au vu des traces prserves sur le manuscrit, seule la proposition de Puech est matriellement possible (au second stique, deux
traces de pieds de tav et trace de la hampe d'un noun final visibles : jnn fo).
On aurait pu intgrer l'tude : Si 4,10* : Sois comme un pre pour les orphelins, et le remplaant d'un mari pour les veuves, alors Dieu t'appellera fils, et il te fera
grce et il te sauvera de la fosse (nnu?0 "f^Pl *pJT) , la fin du verset tant traduit en
grec par: Alors tu seras comme un fils du trs haut et il t'aimera plus que ta mre
(Kal yanf\ozi ae uXXov f\ (irjTnp aou) . La proposition de l'hbreu il te sauvera de
la fosse n'est pas atteste dans le syriaque qui comporte seulement il aura piti de
21
22
265
Dans un premier temps, je prsenterai quelques exemples o le traducteur grec s'carte de sa source, puis dans un second temps, ceux o
le traducteur s'accorde avec son texte de base.
1. Lorsque le Gr I s'carte de VHb I
1.1. Siracide 7,36

En Si 7,36 , Ben Sira conclut une srie de maximes thiques par une
proposition plus gnrale : nnwn * nb'tybl m r i K TD T^pQ bll En
toutes tes actions souviens-toi de la fin, et jamais tu ne seras dtruit, tandis que le grec traduit: v Ttctai TO Xoyoic; a o u (iipvflaKou r
axatd a o u Kal eiq TV aicova ox papriâeic; En toutes tes uvres
souviens-toi de ta fin et jamais tu ne pcheras .
Le texte hbreu laisse ouvert un certain intervalle d'interprtation
et ce verset peut, mais pas ncessairement, tre interprt dans le sens
d'un salut post-mortem en particulier la fin du Ile s. av. notre re . Le
terme m r i N dsigne ici certainement la mort comme ailleurs dans le
Siracide (Si 3 , 2 6 ; 11,25-27 ; 1 6 , 3 ) . Cependant, sans dtermination,
le terme peut laisser ouvert une perspective plus large : se souvenir de
la fin . Le traducteur grec, en ajoutant le pronom possessif (r eoyar
aou) exclut cette possibilit : ta fin dsigne explicitement et seulement la mort. Le verbe nrw est galement ambivalent, il peut signifier
dtruire avec une perspective eschatologique ou corrompre dans
une perspective morale. La couleur eschatologique du terme apparat
A
23
A3
24
toi ; Si 5,7-8 , l'expression jour de vengeance (Dpi Dm) est traduite en grec par le
syntagme plus neutre temps du chtiment Occupa) KiKtâeioc,) ce qui est confirm
par le syriaque et la correction marginale de H ( D p i nyil) ; Si 39,29-30 aurait galement pu tre exploit: Feu et grle, famine et peste, ceux-l ont aussi t crs
pour le jugement (VSWb confirm par le syriaque, mais LXX traduit par Kucnai,
seul autre exemple en Ez 23,45), btes froces, scorpions et serpents, ainsi que l'pe
de vengeance pour exterminer ( B pour lever) [les impies?]. Toutes ( B aussi) ces
choses furent crs ( B furent choisis) pour leur utilit, elles sont en dpt ( B dans
son dpt) pour le temps o elles seront visites. Les deux dernires propositions
manquent dans le grec et le syriaque.
Voir la traduction propose par M. Dahood : In all your works, remember the
future life, and never shall you descend the Pit . Cette traduction, sans tre ncessairement exclure, rvle le parti prit de son auteur et limite l'ouverture smantique
de la proposition hbraque. Voir M. Dahood, Psalms III. 101-150. A New Translation
with Introduction and Commentary (AB 17A; New York: Doubleday, 1970), xlviii.
Qumrn, de rares exceptions prs o le terme dsigne la descendance
(4Q171 1-10 IV 16.18 citation de Ps 36,37-38; 4Q416 2 iii 16), il est toujours attest
sous la forme own nnna, ypn nnna, ou npn nnn.
A
mg
mg
23
24
mg
mg
266
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
assez clairement dans les textes de Qumrn tant travers 1 usage du

verbe (1QM III 9 ; 4Q434 1 i 12 ; 2 2) que du substantif souvent synonyme de Shol (4Q418 69 ii 6 ; lQH X I 1 9 - 2 0 (= iii 18-19) ; XIII 8 (= v
6 ) ; X V I 2 9 - 3 0 (= viii 2 8 - 2 9 ) ; 1QS IV 11-14; 1QS X I 13; Si 51,2) . La
traduction de nnw par |iapTvu) n'est jamais atteste ailleurs dans
la L X X ou dans Ben Sira . En proposant une telle traduction, le petit
fils de Ben Sira restreint le sens de nnu> a la seule corruption morale et
limine de ce fait toute autre interprtation : souviens toi de ta fin et
jamais tu ne pcheras .
a
25
26
1.2. Si 37,26
Si 3 7 , 2 6
mrite d'attirer l'attention : r a Tmy
bnr Dp Ml
Dbiy Le sage du peuple hritera de gloire et son nom subsiste dans
la vie ternelle . Deux motifs me semblent importants : l'hritage de
gloire et le concept de vie ternelle associ au nom. Sans que cela
soit explicite , l'association de l'hritage et de la gloire peut avoir une
perspective eschatologique. On trouve des parallles frappant en AQInstruction, par exemple: 4Q417 2 i 11 $m PUP HVIQ npl ,Tm [ n i Oin]
bpi TUD bTtf
observe le mystre de l'existence et alors tu saisiras
les origines du salut et tu sauras qui hrite de gloire et d'lvation .
En traduisant par aocp v TCO Xacp avrov K\r|povo|irjai motiv, le
sage, au milieu du peuple, hritera de la confiance , l'auteur carte une
telle interprtation, en outre TUD n'est jamais rendu par nicrnc, dans la
Septante. P. Skehan et A. A. Di Lella rejettent la leon de l'hbreu en
faveur du grec, mais l'argument de cohrence invoqu n'est pas totalement convaincant: that the sense of the original was different can
be gathered from 39,9-11 ; 41,11-13 ; 44,12-15 . La leon a l'appui de
[CD]
27
28
29
Pour une tude du terme nnu> Qumrn, voir R.E. Murphy, SaHat in the
Qumran Littrature, Bib 39 (1958): 61-66. Dans le sens dune corruption morale,
voir 4Q222 1 3 (Jub 25,9-12) : nbwb *3TT wnwx Aî f?nriK -wrm "pun nwya
Car je ferai ta volont, et dans la droiture je marcherai et jamais je ne corromprai
mes voies .
Exception en Dt 32,5. noter que le traducteur syriaque suit ici, l'interprtation de la Septante en rendant nnw par nd^*.
On trouve une formulation parallle en Pr 3,35 sans connotation eschatologique.
Dans les deuxime et troisime propositions, le waw doit avoir un sens conscutif et devrait donc introduire la consquence de l'observation du mystre de l'existence (et alors, cf. JM 116/, voir par exemple Gn 42,18: r m wy HNT faites ceci
et vous vivrez).
Skehan et Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira 435-36. Les rfrences convoques
par Skehan et Di Lella ne s'opposent nullement la leon de l'hbreu.
25
26
27
28
29
267
deux manuscrits hbreux, du syriaque, du latin ainsi que de la tradition

lucianique. Concernant le deuxime motif: le nom qui subsiste dans
la vie ternelle , en traduisant le substantif D"H par une forme verbale
(T vopa auTo (ftoexai d TV ai>va), la version grecque ne rend pas
la richesse de l'expression hbraque. L encore, l'hbreu est attest par
les manuscrits H et H et est confirm par le syriaque. Le syntagme
nbiy "n n'est attest qu'une seule fois dans la bible hbraque, dans un
texte significatif: en Dn 12,2 Beaucoup de ceux qui dorment dans
le sol poussireux se rveilleront, ceux-ci pour la vie ternelle, ceuxl pour l'opprobre, pour l'horreur ternelle. Qumrn, le syntagme
est attest deux fois: en 4Q181 1 ii 3 - 4 , Conformment la misricorde de Dieu, selon sa bont et l'agir merveilleux de sa gloire, il a fait
approcher parmi les enfants de l'univers pour tre compts avec lui
dans l'as[semble des di]eux en vue d'une assemble sainte, en service
(ou en se levant) pour la vie ternelle (nblp nb TQyO2) , et 4Q418
69 ii 12-13, Et [les f]ils des deux dont l'hritage est la vie ternelle
(nblp D"n), pourront-ils vraiment dire... . On ajoutera qu'en Si 37,26
la prsence du verbe TOy propos du nom est selon nous vocatrice.
En effet, le verbe peut voquer la rsurrection comme en Dn 12,13. Son
utilisation en 4Q181 1 ii 4 en association avec le syntagme nbiy "n est
galement frappante.
c
30
31
Certes Ben Sira ne parle pas ici de rsurrection, mais seulement de

la vie ternelle du nom. Nanmoins, les termes sont clairement vocateurs et le concept de vie ternelle est pos. Dans ce contexte, il
me semble que l'on aurait tort de rduire le concept de nom la seule
renomme , rputation , terrestre.
1.3. Siracide 44,14
Un troisime exemple me parat significatif, la fin de l'loge des Pres,
en Si 4 4 , 1 4 , Ben Sira confie propos des hommes pieux: [ m ] J l
n m nn ? *n DQUtt nsotU D^Wl Leur corps a t retir dans la paix et
leur nom vit de gnration en gnration. Le premier stique prsente
quelques ambiguts : quel sens donner *]DN employ ici de manire
absolue ? Faut-il considrer le groupe prpositionnel nibwn. comme un
BM
3 2
30
Concernant le sens de TOPQ dans ce contexte, voir Puech, La croyance des ess-
nienSy 530 n. 32.

31
32
Trad. Puech, La croyance des essniens, 530.

Texte cit d'aprs H , restaur partir de H qui porte: [nDKJ] ftt rY[u]
nni [nn]*? [*]n #[i].
268
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
complment de lieu ou comme un complment de manire ( ils ont t

retirs dans la paix ou ils ont t retirs de faon paisible ) ?
Au Niphal, le verbe *]OK peut signifier tre rassembl, runi ou
tre supprim, retir, disparatre. En contexte funraire, il est souvent utilis pour signifier tre rassembl ses pres ou son peuple
(voir Gn 25,8 ; Jg 2,10), mais dans ce cas, il est alors toujours prcis par
un groupe prpositionnel (-pmiK bx ou VDJ) bx). Dans notre contexte,
son emploi de manire absolue ne peut alors qu'tre compris dans le
sens d' tre enlev , laissant ouvert une large zone d'indtermination qui laisse place une intervention possible de Dieu comme le
note B. Renaud propos d'Is 57,1-2. Cet emploi absolu de *pK dans
le sens d'enlever, de disparatre comme reprsentation mtaphorique de la mort est bien attest en hbreu tardif, tant dans le Siracide
(8,7; 16,10; 40,28) qu' Qumrn o le verbe apparat rgulirement en
contexte eschatologique . Si cette interprtation de *}DX est correcte,
alors le groupe prpositionnel D l ^ n doit avoir une valeur locative:
dans un lieu de paix, comme en Is 57,1-2 propos duquel B. Renaud
remarque: lorsqu'on sait la plnitude de sens que renferme le mot
shlm, on est en droit de conclure une avance importante, dcisive
mme, dans les reprsentations sur la vie dans l'au-del. Sans doute,
ne dcrit-on pas avec prcision en quoi consiste cette paix: un mystre
demeure. Mais une certitude est en voie d'tre acquise
33
34
35
36
33
Le parallle le plus proche dont Ben Sira semble d'ailleurs s'inspirer est certainement Is 57,1-2. On y retrouve l'unique autre attestation du syntagme Ton WlH associ l'emploi absolu du verbe *\OR et au motif de la paix dans un sens locatif ipH^n
i n ; :pHn *\vhi nxnn ^ p - ^ a
r ? ? o g j Torruuq ib'by oto wn< n*n l i a
:rl yb'n Dnfoy&D'by WW Diby) Le juste prit et personne ne prend (la chose)
cur. Les hommes pieux sont enlevs, sans que personne le remarque, car le juste
est enlev cause de la mchancet (ou: devant le malheur). Il entrera dans la paix,
ils reposeront sur leurs couches, ceux qui vont en chemin. Pour une argumentation
plus complte sur *\OH dans le sens d' tre retir, enlev , voir J.-S. Rey, "Leur corps
a t retir dans la paix et leur nom vit de gnration en gnration" (Si 44,14) : paix,
souvenir et vie du nom dans le livre du Siracide, in Bible et Paix. Mlanges offerts
Claude Coulot (ds. E. Bons, D. Gerber et P. Keith; LD 233; Paris: Cerf, 2010), 65-72
et B. Renaud, La mort du juste, entre dans la paix (Is. 57,1-2) , RevScRel 51 (1977) :
3-21.
Renaud, La mort du juste , 16.
Voir Si 8,7 ; Si 16,10* ; Si 4 0 , 2 8 ; CD XIX 35 ; CD X X 1 4 ; lQH XIV 10-11 (= vi
7-8) et Rey, Leur corps a t retir dans la paix, 67-68. Quoi qu'il en soit, le terme
dsigne bien la mort et ne doit pas tre assimil une forme d'enlvement comme
dans le cas d'Hnoch ou d'lie o l'on trouve le verbe npb (Gn 5,24; 2 R 2,2.5.9.10;
Si 44,16; 48,9).
Renaud, La mort du juste , p. 17.
D >
34
35
36
BM
269
Le traducteur grec rend le verset de la faon suivante : Ta ad)|iara

aTCv v eiprjvr] Tdcpr) Kai T vopa auTcv (fj eiq yeveq Leurs corps
ont t inhums dans la paix et leur nom vit pour les gnrations . Le
Niphal de *]DN est traduit par le passif de GnTco ensevelir, qui correspond gnralement l'hbreu "llp, mais jamais *10N . Compris
dans ce sens, le groupe prpositionnel qui fait suite ne peut plus avoir
un sens locatif, mais dcrit la modalit de la mort: une mort paisible,
sereine, comme en Gn 15,15; Jr 34,5; 1 R 2,6.
Ainsi, si le texte hbreu offre, dans son expression, un large intervalle d'interprtation: enlvement du corps dans un lieu de paix associ au motif de la vie du nom, le traducteur grec en rduit le spectre. En
traduisant *pN par 07tTu), seul le sens d'tre enseveli dans la paix,
c'est--dire de faon paisible, est possible. Il est clair que le traducteur,
n'insiste pas ici, sur une esprance post-mortem qui serait rserve aux
hommes pieux en opposition ceux qui n'ont pas laiss de souvenir,
qui se sont arrts lorsqu'ils se sont arrts et qui ont t comme s'ils
n'avaient pas t (v. 9, cf. Si 17,28; Sg 2,4; 1 En 102,11 ; 4Q418 69 ii 5).
37
1.4. Siracide 51,1-12

Lors de la prire finale en Si 51,1-12, dans un langage mtaphorique,
Ben Sira voque trois reprises la mort et le Shol : au v. 2, au v. 6 et au
v. 9. Nous prsentons le texte hbreu et le texte grec en synopse :
H
LXX
T i aK7TaaTf| K a l (3on9 yvou u o t
*WH moo nn) *3 2

nnUJD *nU>2 rOU>n
nbxn *71Ktf> TD
K a l XuTpcoaa) T afx fxou
rnoXeia
]wb r m vwn
2TD ''OU? nttJOl
(...)
K a l K 7Tayto ta(3oXfj yXcbaanc

no xeiXcov pyaofzvcov \|/eo
MWtf nio^ yam 6C-.)

nrnnn bXVb TPm fjyyiaev eco eavtou r] \|/uxn fxoi)
(...)
K a l r| u)q yiov fjv oruveyYu aou Kara)
37
Cette o p t i o n du traducteur n'est peut-tre pas totalement inconcevable; en Si

38,16 , nNW *pDN WWQD, selon sa loi, retire sa propre chair (H * a *\\OX OWQD
mais cette leon ne reoit l'appui ni de G, ni de S), l'impratif Qalde
employ de manire absolue pourrait s'approcher de ce sens. Il est en tout cas traduit en
grec par TteptaTXXo) tre inhum (Kax xf)v Kpiaiv a T o 7TpioTiXov T acua
a T o ) . Le cas est nanmoins isol, voir aussi peut-tre Ez
29,5.
B
Bm
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
270
Tipitt? VlNtt? "HPWDI
Kal v u v j / c o a a no yfj b c e T e i a v {lov

Kai )7tp 9avTOD pvoeioq ]9rjv
2. Car tu as rachet de la mort mon me,
Parce que tu tes fait pour moi protecteur et
Tu as pargn ma chair de la fosse,
secourable,
Et de la main du Shol tu as dlivr mes

pieds
tu as libr mon corps de la destruction,
Tu mas libr du fouet de la calomnie de

la langue
Du pige de la calomnie de la langue
Et de la lvre des fauteurs de mensonge

(...)
et des lvres des fauteurs de mensonge.
6. Et elle s'approcha de la mort, mon me,
(...)
et ma vie, du Shol des profondeurs.
6. Elle approchait jusqu' la mort, mon
(...)
me,
9. Et j'ai lev de terre ma voix,
et ma vie tait proche de l'Hads, en bas.
et des portes du Shol j'ai suppli
(...)
9. Et j'ai lev de terre ma supplication
et de la mort je demandai la dlivrance.
On constate que le texte hbreu et sa version grecque divergent considrablement. Cependant, ces variantes, l encore, ne vont pas dans le
sens dune vise eschatologique plus marque dans la version grecque
que dans le texte hbreu. Par exemple, au v. 2, pour exprimer la dlivrance, Ben Sira voque un rachat de la mort, une dlivrance
de la main du Shol en utilisant des motifs et des expressions tires
de la Bible hbraque (cf. Ps 56,14; 71,23; 116,8; Job 5,20; Os 13,14).
Or, l'ide que l'on puisse tre rachet de la mort et dlivr de la puissance du Shol, n'a pas t reprise par le traducteur grec qui ne tient
pas compte des stiques a et c pourtant bien attests dans le syriaque.
Le traducteur n'a retenu que le stique b : Tu as pargn ma chair de la
fosse qu'il traduit par tu as libr mon corps de la destruction . La
traduction de nnw par nuksiaq est bien atteste en Siracide (cf. Si 9,9 ;
48,6), mais le texte hbreu laisse entrevoir davantage que la protection
de la corruption morale : Dieu peut galement pargner l'homme de la
mort.
Au verset 9, alors que Ben Sira parle d'une supplication aux portes
du Shol: et des portes du Shol, j'ai suppli (cf. Is 38,10; Jon 2,3;
Sg 16,13), le traducteur modifie le texte en demandant d'tre dlivr
de la mort: de la mort, j'ai demand la dlivrance . D'une part, la
38
38
Le stique 9b est largement tronqu dans le syriaque qui ne retient que le motif
de la prire.
271
39
traduction de ViNW par 6vaTo n'est pas habituelle , d'autre part, en

insrant le motif de la dlivrance (puaeco) et en faisant de la mort, non
plus le lieu d'o il supplie, mais le lieu dont il demande la dlivrance,
le traducteur change la perspective : il ne supplie plus depuis le Shol,
mais demande d'tre dlivr de la mort. De fait, l'ide que l'on puisse
supplier dans le Shol (o, ici, au seuil du Shol) ne s'accorde pas avec
certaines vues traditionnelles selon lesquelles il n'y a pas de prire possible dans le Shol (cf. Ps 6,6).
Au final, seul le verset 6 est correctement rendu par le traducteur,
mais ce dernier n'voque ni rachat de la mort, ni sortie du Shol, ni
mme une supplication aux portes du Shol, mais simplement que Ben
Sira s'en approche.
Ce dernier exemple montre de nouveau, que la traduction grecque,
bien que s'cartant du texte hbreu n'offre pas de perspectives postmortem plus novatrices que son substrat hbreu. Au contraire, elle
semble, l encore, mme tre plus conservatrice, en vinant l'ide que
l'on puisse tre rachet de la mort, dlivr du pouvoir du Shol,
o mme que l'on puisse supplier aux portes du Shol . Pourtant,
ces thmes sont bien attests dans la tradition vtrotestamentaire et
ne semblent pas avoir gn les traducteurs grecs ailleurs (voir les traductions grecques de Jon 2,3 ; Job 5,20 ou Os 13,14, par exemple). Ces
mmes images se retrouvent galement dans la littrature postrieure
avec une vise eschatologique plus clairement exprime : voir en particulier lQH X I 1 9 - 2 3 ; X I V 27 ; X V I 28-33.
En conclusion, on peut constater que, l'inverse des exemples proposs par Kearns o le traducteur grec semblait introduire une eschatologie individuelle plus prcise que celle de l'hbreu, on trouve surtout des exemples o, au contraire, le traducteur semble limiter une
telle perspective.
a
2. L o le grec I traduit fidlement Vhbreu I

Nous avons examin un certain nombre d'exemples o le texte grec
s'cartait de sa Vorlage suppose. Nous avons constat que, l o le texte
hbreu tait susceptible de prsenter quelques ambiguts, le traducteur
grec avait tendance supprimer le doute en clairant le texte dans une
perspective plus traditionaliste que novatrice en matire d'eschatologie
individuelle. Dans le mme sens, on peut constater que l o le texte
On trouve nanmoins 2 S 22,6; Is 28,15; Pr 23,14.
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
272
hbreu prsente des vues claires concernant l'inluctabilit de la mort

et du Shol, le traducteur grec suit fidlement sa source sans chercher
corriger ou prsenter des vues diffrentes.
Nous avons dj mentionn l'exemple de Si 7,17 voqu par C.
Kearns ( Humilie grandement l'orgueil, car l'espoir de l'homme (c'est)
la vermine ) qui prsentait une variation sensible entre le grec et l'hbreu. Or en Si 10,11, le mme motif (Dans la mort, l'homme hritera
des vers, des poux, des vermines et des reptiles ) est fidlement rendu
en grec ( Lorsqu'un homme meurt, il hritera des reptiles, des btes et
des vers ), sans que le traducteur n'estime le besoin de prciser que ce
sort funeste est rserv l'impie seul.
Dans deux pricopes, Ben Sira voque la ralit du Shol, en Si 14,1119 et en Si 41,1-14. Il m'a sembl opportun d'examiner comment le
traducteur grec rendait les versets qui touchent directement notre
propos.
2.1. Siracide 14,11-19
En Si 14,11-19, Ben Sira invite son disciple user de ses biens dans
cette vie, car la mort sera inluctable (cf. Qo 5,17-19) :
40
H LXX
iwflj nnip ^b
ON i l TKVOV
~\b TOTI "f^ UP OKI KaScb V XFL $ noiei aeauTv
fUnn "[T btib}
npoocpop Kupicp Uoc; Ttpaayg
JWn bXVl ta *3 TOT 12 HvriaGiiTi
nonDJV niO TFVL OTI GVA-ROC; O XPOVIE
ib 1XT\ Xb blXVb pmi
KalFIIAOFYCNAOV OX UTteeixei AOI
(...)
C)
"Jtt>)J p*jji prn NFC ffi 16
P nTr|AOV xt\\ y\)\f\v AOU
JtUyn UJpl ? ÎNWl
*0
OVK ATIV V OU r|Tfjaai Tpucpr|V
nwyb n&v -IXT bzi
K a i
K a i AA
K A L
0 T l
(...) ()
"QpT 11p"l R^PQ b2 19 ^V PVOV ar|7|IEVOV icXeiTtei
"Pin** *7U?D PT *7Pl
EPYACOJIEVOC; aT ÎET' <XTO TieXEAETAI
>
40
KAI
Pour le rapprochement entre Si 14,11-19 et Qo 5,17-19, voir Podechard, VEcclsiaste (EB ; Paris : Gabalda, 1921), 63-64 ; O. Loretz, Qohelet und der Alte Orient (Freiburg ; Herder, 1964), 119 ; F.J. Backhaus, Qohelet und Sirach , BN 69 (1996) : 45-47 ;
M. Gilbert, Qohelet et Ben Sira, dans Qohelet in the Context of Wisdom (ds. A.
Schoors; BETL 136; Leuven: Peeters, 1998), 161-79.
273
11 Mon fils, si tu as quelques biens, sers ton 11 Fils,

me,
et si tu as quelques biens, fais-toi du bien,
selon ce que tu as, fais-toi du bien,
et autant que tu peux, rassasie-toi,
Et prsente au Seigneur des offrandes dignes
12 Souviens-toi que dans le Shol il n'y a pas 12 Souviens-toi

et que la mort ne tardera pas,
[de plaisir, que la mort ne tardera pas,
et que le dcret du Shol ne t'a pas t rvl. Et le dcret de l'Hades ne t'a pas t rvl.
(...)
(...)
16 Donne et prends et rgale toi,
16 Donne et prends et sduis ton me,
Car il n'y a pas, dans le Shol de recherche
Car il n'y a pas, dans l'Hads, rechercher
du plaisir.
le plaisir.
Et toute chose qui est belle faire,

devant Dieu, fais(-la).
(...)
(...)
19 Toutes ses uvres pourriront
19 Toute uvre pourrissante disparat,
certainement,
Et son auteur, avec elle, s'en ira.
et l'uvre de ses mains sera entrane aprs lui.
Le manuscrit A prsente deux doublets, non repris dans le grec : (1) le

stique l i a (= Syr) est un doublet de 11b (= L X X ) et (2) le stique 12a est
41
un doublet du v. 16. Concernant le v. 12 , l'exception du doublet non

attest dans le grec, le traducteur suit fidlement sa source : l'homme
ignore le jour de son dcs, le terme pin, dcret ( L X X : SiaG^K]) d42
signant ici le temps fix de la mort . De mme, en Si 14,16, l'hbreu,

donne, prends et rgale ton me, car il n'y a pas dans le Shol de re43
cherche du plaisir , est rendu fidlement, mot pour mot par le traducteur grec : donne et prends et sduis ton me, car il n'y a pas dans
44
l'Hads, rechercher le plaisir . Seul le verset 19 prsente une lgre

41
Pour lemploi de la ngation N*?, la place de p**, pour exprimer la non existence
voir W.Th. van Peursen, Ngation in the Hebrew of Ben Sira, in Sirach, Scrolls, and
Sages (eds. T. Muraoka et J.F. Elwolde; STDJ 33; Leiden, Brill, 1999), 226. L'usage est
galement attest Qumran, en hbreu mishnique et en Jb 28,14; Si 14,12 et 39,20.
Gilbert, Qohelet et Ben Sira, 177.
Au v. 16, l'hbreu nxb doit-tre corrig en np ou en npb et pm est en toute vraisemblance une dittographie (R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jsus Sirach erklrt [Berlin :
Georg Reimer, 1906], 135 ; Gilbert, Ben Sira et Qohelet, 173, n. 48). L'hbreu ajoute et
toute chose qui est belle faire, devant Dieu, (fais-l) . la suite de I. Lvi, M. Gilbert
considre les stiques c et d de H absent du grec et du latin comme une rtroversion
du syriaque. C'est possible mais difficilement dmontrable. L'utilisation du relatif
la place de
n'est pas un argument convaincant (ainsi Lvi) (cf. van Peursen,
The Verbal system, 2004, p. 313). L'absence de ce distique dans le grec peut s'expliquer
aisment par homoioarcton (des traces de ce distique sont perceptibles dans la version
latine qui ajoute: ante obitum tuum operare iustitiam Avant ta mort, pratique la
justice ).
aijpn est rgulirement rendu par rpu<pr| en Ben Sira, voir 11,27 ; 18,32 ; 37,29 (B.
42
43
4 4
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274
variante: selon le texte hbreu, toutes uvres quelles quelles soient,

bonnes ou mauvaises, pourriront et les uvres de l'homme le suivent
dans la mort . De son ct, le traducteur grec n'voque plus la disparition de toutes uvres, mais seulement de l'uvre pourrissante (en
lisant l'infinitif l l p l comme un participe, ce qui n'est pas inconcevable
si la source de l'auteur tait en criture defective ). Quant au stique
suivant, le grec voque la mort de l'homme, tandis que l'hbreu insiste
davantage sur la fin des uvres. Quoi qu'il en soit, cette dernire variante n'apporte pas une teneur nouvelle au discours .
titre de comparaison, les traducteurs syriaques et latins n'ont pas
eu la mme sobrit. Concernant le syriaque, au v. 16, le traducteur n'a
retenu que les stiques a et c-d, oblitrant ainsi l'ide qu'il n'y a pas de
plaisir dans le Shol. Enfin, au v. 19, le syriaque propose : , m o ^ A*o
cmvra A\r^ jcno^rt' ans o .,oocc*>:in ô^nô et toutes ses uvres sont montres devant lui (s.e. Dieu) et l'uvre de ses mains le suit. Le traducteur n'voque plus la disparition des uvres du dfunt, mais plutt
l'ide que toutes les actions des hommes sont sous le regard de Dieu (cf.
Si 1 6 , 1 7 - 2 3 ) et qu'elles le suivront dans la mort. L'ide d'une rtribution en fonction des uvres au moment de la mort est alors implicite .
Quant au traducteur latin , il change radicalement la teneur du texte.
Comme le syriaque, il ne retient pas l'ide de l'absence de plaisir dans
le Shol au v. 12, mais surtout, il change la ngation en affirmation:
Memor esto quoniam mors non tardt et testamentum inferorum quia
demonstratum est tibi testamentum enim hujus mundi morte morietur Souviens-toi que la mort est toute proche ainsi que le dcret des
enfers, parce que ce dcret t'a t rvl. En effet, tel est le dcret de
ce monde: il faut mourir. Au v. 19, le traducteur ajoute un distique
opposant l'uvre mauvaise l'uvre bonne, la premire tant voue
45
46
47
48
49
Wright, No Small Difference: Sirach's Relationship to Its Hebrew Parent Text (SBLSCS
26 ; Atlanta : Scholars, 1989), 224 et n. 216)
Cette remarque un peu dsabuse, proche de Qohlt (cf. Qo 9,9-10), ne semble
pas uniforme dans la version hbraque. Ainsi, par exemple, en Si 44,11-13, Ben Sira
remarque que la justice et l'honneur de l'homme pieux ne seront pas retranchs et
que leur hritage tiendra fermement pour leur prosprit.
Le manuscrit de Massada atteste de cette criture defective quasi systmatique
pour l'imparfait, l'impratif et l'infinitif Qal, cf. van Peursen, The Verbal System, 40.
La recension orignienne et la version latine, la place du prsent icXeiTtei portent le
futur KXeiv|/i en accord avec l'hbreu.
Ainsi galement Kearns, The Expanded Text, p. 107.
Cf. Kearns, The Expanded Text, 204.
Cf. Kearns, The Expanded Text, 107.
45
46
47
48
49
275
in fine la destruction, l'autre l'approbation : Omne opus corruptibile

in fine deficiet, et qui illud operatur ibit cum illo. Et omne opus electum
justificabitur, et qui operatur illud honorabitur in illo Toute uvre
corruptible, la fin, cessera, et son artisan partira avec elle, et toute
uvre excellente sera approuve, et son artisan sera honor en elle.
Le cas de Si 14,11-19 montre que le traducteur grec reste fidle
sa source quand bien mme elle pourrait-tre exploite dans le sens
d'une esprance post-mortem comme le feront, plus tard, le syriaque
et le latin.
2.2. Siracide 4 1 , 3 - 4
Le mme phnomne peut tre observ en Si 4 1 , 3 - 4 qui voque, comme dans l'exemple prcdent, l'inluctabilit de la mort et l'absence de
leon de vie dans le Shol. Le texte hbreu est prserv dans H et
B
JJM50.
H
B , M
LXX
Tpin moo insn bx n 3 uf| eXaffo Kpiua Gavtou

nop Donnai D W K - I "O IDT
(ivf)a0r|Ti nporpcov gov Kal
ipn niQQ Tnsh bu 'D axtcov
Top fnn*o \Sip -DT
bm nwn bi pbn nt n 4
[)]vby m i r a DNDH HDI
TOTO T Kpi|ia Ttap Kupiou 7tan
n[ ]bi yp fit 'D aapKi
[]]vby[ ]
Kai TI Ttavaivn v euoKia \|/iaTOD
nwpi HND DÛ; *\bxb n
:D"n [ ^ w n mrDin *
y^fti n** nwp*? D ete SKa tre Katv tre xiXia tn
[
]
OUK ecrrtv v aou Xeyno cofj
,
rK
3 Ne crains pas la mort ton dcret,
3 Ne crains pas la sentence de mort,
Souviens-toi que ceux qui t'ont prcd et
souviens-toi de ceux qui t'ont prcd et de
ceux qui te suivront sont avec toi.
ceux qui te suivront.
4 C'est la fin [H part ] de toute chair,
4 Telle est la sentence du Seigneur l'gard
venant de Dieu,
de toute chair.
Comment rejetterais-tu la loi du Trs-Haut ? Pourquoi rejeter le bon plaisir du Trs-Haut?

Pour dix, cent ou mille annes,
Pour dix, cent ou mille annes,
Il n'y a pas de leons de vie dans le Shol.
Il n'y a pas de leon de vie dans le Shol.
Le grec prsente bien quelques variantes. En particulier travers

l'utilisation deux reprises du terme Kpi(ia pour traduire l'hbreu pin
50
Pour la critique textuelle du passage, je renvoie aux notes de Y. Yadin, ainsi qu'
l'tude de E.D. Reymond, Innovation in Hebrew Poetry: Parallelism and the Poems of
Sirach (SBLSBL 9 ; Atlanta : Society of Biblical Literature, 2004), 39-42.
276
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B
au v. 3 et yp (ou pbn en H ) . Mais cette traduction, bien que rare n est

pas totalement inconcevable . La traduction de [jl]^y m i n i par v
euSoKig )\|/iarou peut s expliquer comme une correction thologique
relative au statut de la Torah. Son usage dans ce contexte a pu perturber le traducteur . En dpit de ces quelques variantes entre le grec
et l'hbreu, la conception de l'eschatologie des deux auteurs reste bien
similaire: la mort est inluctable, elle est le lot de tous, tout comme le
Shol dans lequel il n'y aura pas de leon de vie. Notons enfin que comme en 14,16, le traducteur syriaque n'a pas traduit ce dernier verset.
En conclusion, nous pouvons constater que le traducteur grec ne
prsente pas une perspective eschatologique radicalement diffrente
de celle de son aeul. L o le traducteur aurait pu corriger le texte
hbreu et prsenter une perspective diffrente pour le juste et l'injuste,
il ne le fait pas. Bien au contraire, certains exemples montrent que, l
o l'hbreu est ambigu et laisse plusieurs interprtations ouvertes, le
traducteur tend donner une leon plus traditionnelle en supprimant
toute ambigit.
51
52
C . CONCLUSION
L'analyse mene par Kearns mettait en vidence une volution de la

croyance en l'au-del entre le texte hbreu de Ben Sira et sa traduction
grecque un demi-sicle plus tard. Selon lui, le texte hbreu prsenterait
une vision conservatrice qui ne comporterait aucune esprance possible concernant la vie future . Inversement, la traduction grecque tmoignerait d'une avance importante dans ce domaine et envisagerait
en particulier la possibilit d'une rtribution post mortem. L'analyse
que nous avons mene nous conduit proposer une conclusion diffrente, en apportant quelques lments nouveaux au dbat:
53
51
Elle est atteste au moins une fois dans la LXX en Lv 26,46 (Dt 6,24 dans certains manuscrits) et trois reprises dans le Siracide (Si 38,22 ; 41,2 ; 41,3). Notons que
dans ces trois cas, pin et K p i u a dsignent la sentence de mort, savoir son inluctabilit (voir en particulier Si 38,22 : H Ipn [p] Nin pn TD souviens-toi de son sort,
car c'est aussi ton sort, traduit en grec par uvrjaGn-n r K p i u a uou TI OUTCD K a l T
av souviens-toi de ma sentence qui sera aussi la tienne ).
R. Smend considre mini comme une erreur, mais probablement qu'il faut
conserver la leon comme lectio difficilior. Selon Sgal, l'hbreu devait porter pjn ou
mjn comme en aramen, de mme Smend.
Kearns, The Expanded Text, 67-68.
B
52
53
277
Tout d'abord, nous avons montr que la dmonstration de C. Kearns

reposait sur des bases fragiles :
1. Concernant sa caractrisation de l'eschatologie de l'hbreu I, son
argumentation ne tient pas rellement compte des donnes du texte
hbreu, mais repose en grande partie sur la version grecque (Gr I).
Cette premire constatation nous a mens examiner de manire
plus prcise l'volution des conceptions eschatologiques d'une version l'autre en ne considrant, de ce fait, que les textes attests dans
les deux traditions textuelles. C'est ainsi qu'un exemple comme Si
48,11 est inoprant pour mettre en valeur une quelconque volution .
2. Dans un premier temps, nous avons examin, nouveau, les textes
invoqus par Kearns et qui tmoigneraient, selon lui, d'une telle
volution. Ces exemples ne nous ont gure convaincus. Seul Si 7,17
pourrait tre exploit dans ce sens. Nanmoins, cet exemple ne justifie pas ncessairement une volution de la croyance et constitue
un cas isol (voir la formulation similaire de Si 10,11).
Face ces constatations, il nous a sembl opportun d'largir l'analyse
d'autres textes que nous avons classs selon deux catgories : la premire concerne les exemples o le texte grec prsente un cart substantiel par rapport au texte hbreu; la seconde concerne les exemples o
grec et hbreu concordent.
Concernant la premire catgorie, nous avons pu constater que, en
dpit d'une divergence substantielle entre l'hbreu et le grec, le traducteur ne v a pas dans le sens d'une esprance post-mortem plus affirme.
Nous remarquons plutt le phnomne inverse: tandis que l'hbreu
offre un texte ambigu qui pourrait tre interprt dans le sens d'une
esprance post-mortem, en particulier la fin du Ile sicle, le traducteur grec a tendance a rduire l'amplitude smantique de sa Vorlage,
donnant gnralement une leon plus traditionnelle : par exemple, en
traduisant le verbe nnu> par papTvco en Si 7,36, ou ]DK par Qm
en Si 44,14, en supprimant certains versets en Si 51,1-12, ou encore en
modifiant le syntagme caractristique vie ternelle en Si 37,26.
54
Concernant la seconde catgorie, dans les quelques exemples o Ben

Sira prsente une vision traditionnelle de la mort et du Shol, le traducteur suit fidlement sa source. Or, nous savons que le petit fils n'hsite
pas prendre quelques liberts par rapport sa Vorlage lorsqu'il le juge
54
Box and Oesterley, Sirach, 501 ; Kearns, The Expanded Text, 71.
278
JEAN-SEBASTIEN REY
utile, pourtant, dans ces exemples cls, il ne le fait pas, contrairement

aux versions syriaques et latines ultrieurement.
En conclusion, 1 analyse nous amne un rsultat inverse de celui
propos par Kearns. Il ne nous apparait pas comme vident que la version grecque prsenterait une volution par rapport au texte hbreu de
Ben Sira en ce qui concerne l'esprance post-mortem. S'il y a une volution noter, elle irait plutt dans le sens d'une d-eschatologisation
du texte hbreu par le traducteur grec.
Il nous reste une dernire question voquer: qu'en est-il de l'esprance post-mortem dans le texte hbreu de Ben Sira? Cette question
a t diversement value par les chercheurs. La plupart, la suite de
Charles et de Kearns, estiment que l'on ne trouve aucune trace d'une
telle esprance dans la partie la plus ancienne du texte hbreu (Hb I ) .
De fait, pour Ben Sira, le corps de l'homme est vou la destruction,
dvor par les vers (Si 7,17 ; 10,11 ; 14,12.17-18 ) et tout dfunt descendra au Shol, lieu de silence et d'oubli, o il n'y a ni peine ni joie
(Si 14,12 ; 4 1 , 3 - 4 ) . Cependant, si de telles affirmations n'expriment
pas une esprance post-mortem, elles ne s'y opposent pas non plus ncessairement. Nous savons par d'autres textes contemporains que la
destruction du corps et la descente de tout homme au Shol n'est pas
incompatible avec l'espoir qu'au jour du jugement, les justes en seront
tirs tandis que les pcheurs retourneront au Shol dfinitivement ou
bien seront anantis (1 Hn 102,4-104 ; 4Q418 69 ii 6 : Vous, vous avez
t forms pour le [sh]ol, et pour la fosse ternelle est votre retour).
55
AC
B M
Ben Sira semble se montrer particulirement pudique sur la question de l'aprs-mort et son discours n'est pas toujours cohrent (comparer par exemple Si 38,23 et Si 44,14). la suite de G.J. Brooke , il
me semble important de prendre en considration le fait que dans la
documentation juive du tournant de notre re, l'expression explicite
et conceptuelle de la croyance en la rsurrection est particulirement
rare. Les auteurs utilisent davantage un langage de type mtaphorique :
56
55
Voir par exemple, Skehan et Di Leila, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 86; Gilbert,
Immortalit ? Rsurrection ? , 275 ; J. Corley, Sirach 44:1-15 as Introduction to the
Praise of the Ancestors , in Studies in the Book of Ben Sira. Papers of the Third International Conference on the Deuterocanonical Books, Shime'on Centre, Papa, Hungary,
18-20 May 2006 (eds. G.G. Xeravits et J. Zsengellr ; JSJS 127 ; Leiden : Brill, 2008), 153.
G.J. Brooke, The Structure of lQH XII5-XIII4 and the Meaning of Rsurrection in From 4QMMT to Resurrection: Mlanges qumraniens en hommage Emile
Puech (ds. F. Garcia Martinez, A. Steudel et E. Tigchelaar; STDJ 61 ; Leiden: Brill,
2006), 15-16.
56
279
on parle aisment de rveil, de fleuraison, d'hritage de gloire, de paix

et de repos ternel. C'est donc certainement vers l'exploitation de ces
mtaphores qu'il faut porter l'attention. Dans cette perspective, il me
semble qu'une thmatique rcurrente de l'ouvrage mriterait d'tre
examine avec attention dans une tude ultrieure : il s'agit des motifs
du souvenir du dfunt et de la vie ternelle du nom voqus plusieurs
reprises dans l'ouvrage (Si 15,6 ; 3 7 , 2 6 ; 4 1 , 1 1 - 1 3 ; 4 4 , 7 - 1 4 ) en
opposition avec la thmatique de l'oubli de l'impie (Si 47,23 ). Dans une
prcdente tude, nous avons montr que pour Ben Sira, et contrairement Qohelet, les hommes ne sont pas gaux face la mort. Le sage
oppose clairement le sort des hommes pieux dont le nom vivra de
gnration en gnration ceux pour lesquels il n'y aura pas de souvenir . Ainsi en opposant la disparition dfinitive dans l'oubli d'une
part et la vie ternelle du nom du sage (Si 37,26) d'autre part, Ben Sira
pose les bases d'une esprance dans l'au-del : tout ne s'arrterait pas
avec la mort : certains auront un souvenir et un nom ternel, tandis que
d'autres seront comme s'ils n'avaient pas t et sombreront dans l'oubli.
Il y a une suite travers un nom et un souvenir ternel... Qu'est-ce que
ce nom et ce souvenir qui perdurent? Ne retrouve-t-on pas une image
similaire travers le motif du livre sur lequel sont inscrits les noms de
ceux qui vivront ternellement ?
A
CD
BM
BM
57
Rey, Leur corps a t retir dans la paix, 59-72.
LA PRIRE DE BEN SIRA

DANS LES MANUSCRITS H B R E U X
ET DANS LES VERSIONS ANCIENNES
Maria Carmela Palmisano
University of Ljubljana
J articulerai mon tude en deux parties. La premire partie, plus large

et dtaille, prsentera quelques exemples significatifs des diffrentes
formes textuelles rencontres dans le texte de Si 36H,1-17 (en relation
avec les versions grecques, syriaques et latines). La deuxime partie
prendra en considration quelques traits significatifs de Si 51H,1-12.
Je chercherai indiquer quelques lignes hermneutiques adoptes par
Ben Sira et les traducteurs anciens qui mergent de l'analyse des textes
considrs et les justifier sur le plan d'un hypothtique contexte de
rfrence.
A. SIR 3 6 H , i - i 7 ET SES VERSIONS ANCIENNES (G, S[P], L) :

TEXTES, AUTEURS ET CONTEXTES
Dans les actes du congrs de Palerme consacr au livre du Siracide,
publis en 2008, Maurice Gilbert, analyse les tendences mthodologiques et hermneutiques dans l'exgse moderne du livre de Ben Sira.
Il y souligne la diversit des textes, des auteurs et par consquent des
contextes dont il faut tenir compte dans l'tude de ce livre deutrocanonique complexe et fascinant . L'tude des prires du livre offre une
cl particulire pour entrer dans ce texte sapientiel multiforme.
1
La prire de Si 36H,1-17 n'est prsente en hbreu que dans le ms B. Il

s'agit d'un chapitre trs controvers dans l'histoire de l'exgse de ces
cinquante dernires annes. Elle a frquemment t considre comme
Voir M. Gilbert, Methodological and hermeneutical trends in modem exegesis

on the Book of Ben Sira, in The Wisdom of Ben Sira Studies on Tradition. Redaction,
and Theology (ds. A. Passaro et G. Bellia; DCL 1 ; Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2008), 1-20.
282
MARIA CARMELA PALMISANO
un ajout comportant vraisemblablement des accents apocalyptiques et

donc non attribuable Ben Sira. Dans mon tude sur Si 36H,1-17, j'ai
essay de montrer l'authenticit du texte sur la base des connexions
significatives avec le contexte littraire prcdent (Si 31-32G; 3 4 - 3 5 H )
et avec la structure plus gnrale de l'uvre qui accorde une place particulire la prire et la rflexion sur celle-ci.
En Si 36H,1-17, le ms. B nous a transmis une prire dont le genre
littraire peut tre dfini comme un cri au secours en vue du salut
d'Isral ; Isral, opprim par un peuple ennemi, demande Dieu
d'intervenir. Les caractristiques du texte hbreu, le lexique et le type
de relation entre l'orant et Dieu tracent la situation typique d'une demande urgente adresse Dieu afin qu'il intervienne en tant que juge
en rtablissant la justice viole.
Ds le dbut, le texte hbreu exprime une demande forte, urgente :
Sauve-nous, Dieu de l'univers .
2
Si36>1
Hbreu: *?Dn T\bx ujnpin

Grec:
'Einaov r||i, a7toTa 0e nvrv
S(P) : ^
<cnW ^ a i a
VL:
Miserere nostri Deus omnium (2) et respice nos et ostende
nobis lucem miserationum tuarum
33(36X1
33(36X1
36(33)>1
En synthtisant les diffrences entre les versions du v. 1, nous pouvons

observer que le cri au secours pour le salut exprim en H apparat
transform en supplication surtout en G . Le S(P), qui suit de plus prs
4
Pour une discussion sur les genres littraires proposs par les auteurs pour
Si 36H,1-17, qui oscillent surtout entre la lamentation et la supplication, cf. M.C.
Palmisano, "Salvaci, Dio dell'universo !" Studio delVeucologia di Sir 36H,1-17 (AnBib
163; Roma: Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2006), 64-68.
Ce titre additionnel est considr comme une adjonction explicative de type
targoumique, cf. A. Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide. Confronto con il testo
ebraico alla luce delVattivit midrascica e del metodo targumico (AnBib 133; Roma:
Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1995), 255.
La diffrence entre les deux formes de demande (cri au secours et supplication)
tient au fait que le suppliant demande frquemment autrui quelque chose qui franchit les limites du droit, ou mme qu'il sait ne pas pouvoir avancer de droit, tandis que
celui qui porte plainte fait valoir son propre droit menac ou pitin. C'est au nom
du droit qu'on demande d'tre cout. Les particularits de la prire tudie peuvent
tre claires travers l'observation de la condition de celui qui porte plainte, exprime par sa faiblesse : ses armes sont le cri de dsespoir, l'invitation persvrante
l'coute et l'aide et la description dtaille de sa propre misre. Il est celui qui porte
dans sa chair et dans sa voix le droit la piti et au secours , cf. P. Bovati, Ristabilire la giustizia. Procedure, vocabolario, orientamenti (AnBib 110; Roma: Pontificio
Istituto Biblico, 1997), 287; sur la diffrence entre supplication et plainte, cf. aussi P.
3
283
LA P R I R E DE BEN SIRA
H, garde les caractristiques de la demande urgente. Le codex 248 (GII)

et la VL prsentent une adjonction, Kal mp\e\|/ov (VL respice nos),
qui indique comment les deux versions, par l'impratif adress Dieu,
tendent se transformer en lamentations (une forme de supplication)
visant conformer la prire aux cantiques de l'poque de la diaspora .
5
1. Le texte hbreu
Le texte hbreu est constitu de quatre couplets de quatre distiques
chacun. Le premier couplet, Si 3 6 H , l - 5 , demande l'intervention de
Dieu, en particulier contre le peuple ennemi (au singulier) au v. 3a.
Le suppliant, aprs le cri au secours initial, formule sa demande (w.
4 - 5 ) sur la base d'une intervention divine prcdente dont il demande
le renversement. Comme Isral a t auparavant puni par Dieu travers un peuple ennemi au milieu duquel Dieu avait montr sa saintet ,
de mme il demande prsent, que Dieu se montre glorieux en humiliant l'oppresseur.
Le deuxime couplet (w. 6-10), travers un rythme serr et un ton
agit, exprim par la brivet et la concision des stiques, adresse Dieu
onze demandes l'impratif pour qu'il intervienne contre l'ennemi;
son intervention est dcrite comme accomplissement des prophties
relatives au jour de Y H W H et aux guerres de Y H W H .
Les w . 11-17 prsentent la deuxime partie de l'invocation. Le
troisime couplet (vv. 11-14) contient de nouvelles demandes Dieu,
sous une forme plus apaise. Le sage met en rapport les demandes du
suppliant avec les promesses faites aux patriarches pour se concentrer
de plus en plus sur le centre de l'invocation : l'intervention salvifique
de Dieu en faveur de Jrusalem et du temple. Dans cette intervention
Dieu est invoqu travers diffrentes images et mtaphores comme
Pre d'Isral. La double anaphore des w . 12-13 relie trs bien l'image
du Pre d'Isral la demande que ce dernier agisse selon sa compassion
6
Bovati, La giustizia dlia fede. A partire da Ab 2,4 , in Palabra, prodigio, poesia (FS.
L. Alonso Schkel; d. V. Collado Bartomeu; AnBib 151; Roma: Pontificio Istituto
Biblico, 2003), 207-32 ; P. Bovati, "Quando le fondamenta sono demolite, che cosa
fa il giusto?" (Sal 11,3) La giustizia in situazione di ingiustizia, in La giustizia in
conflitto. XXXVI Settimana Biblica Nazionale (Roma, 11-15 Settembre 2000) (d. R.
Fabris; RStBib XIV/1 ; Bologna: Edizioni Dehoniane, 2002), 9-38.
Dans ces lamentations, l'invocation Dieu constitue un argument fort afin qu'il
se rende compte de l'tat misrable dans lequel se trouve le suppliant.
Selon le fondement des textes d'Ez 20,36 ; 28,22.25.
Cf. Palmisano, Salvaci, Dio delVuniverso, 193-227.
5
284
M A R I A C A R M E L A PALMISANO
envers son peuple. Au centre de la deuxime partie de l'invocation (w.

11-17) se trouvent mentionns le peuple (v. 12) et le temple de Jrusalem (v. 14).
Le quatrime et dernier couplet (w. 15-17) raccorde les demandes
prcdentes aux prophties de salut et les place dans l'horizon de la
cration et donc du projet originaire de Dieu sur Isral . Le couplet
conclut la prire en demandant que le Seigneur l'exauce en indiquant
la finalit de l'intervention divine dans sa reconnaissance universelle.
8
2. La traduction grecque du petit-fils de Ben Sira

Les particularits de la version grecque peuvent tre synthtises dans
les points suivants :
- G ajoute des titres divins, peut-tre en raison dun usage de la composition en contexte liturgique (arcoTa au premier verset, suivi par
Kupio/e aux w. 5b.17a.22ad).
- G passe du peuple ennemi (v. 3a en H) aux nations trangres (3a en
G) (Tti Ovn XXTpia).
- Au v. 6a, en G on remarque l'usage pluriel des objets, ar)uea et
Oouuora (cf. aussi VL, S[P]), peut-tre pour amplifier l'intervention
divine ou l'assimiler aux passages de l'Ancien Testament tels que
Ex7,3;Dt7,19; 29,2 .
- Par rapport l'horizon temporel de l'intervention divine, G parle de
Kcupv (33G,10a) au lieu de fp, fin, comme conclusion (souhaite)
de la souffrance.
- G tend assimiler l'invocation des lamentations nationales (v. 1 en
GII ; cf. Ps 44 ; 74) et des expressions psalmiques prsentes dans des
psaumes imprcatoires (v. 10b.ll ; cf. Ps 83,10-19).
- G prsente les stiques 10b-ll, absents en H. Nous considrons Si 33G, 11
comme un ajout , l'instar du stique prcdent, 10b ( attribuer probablement GII) . Nombreux sont les arguments des commentateurs
9
10
11
Cet enseignement se fonde sur des commentaires rabbiniques de la cration,

cf. Gense Rabbh 1,4; voir S. Schechter, C. Taylor (ds.), The Wisdom of Ben Sira.
Portions of the Book Ecclesiasticus from Hebrew Manuscripts in the Cairo Genizah
Collection presented to the University of Cambridge by the Editors (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1899), 60.
Les LXX traduisent le syntagme hbreu D^nflferr) nhfcn, prsent dans ces versets,
9
par
T a n u e a K a l x
10
TpaTa.
Cf. R. Smend, Die Weisheit des Jsus Sirach Erklrt (Berlin : Reimer, 1906), 320 ;
de mme pour P.C. Spicq, L'Ecclsiastique, in Les livres Sapientiaux (SB[PC] 6;
Paris : Letouzey et An, 1941), 746, la variante de H/S(P) qui rserve Dieu l'initiative
dans l'exercice de la justice est prfrer.
Cf. N. Peters, Das Buch Jesus Sirach oder Ecclesiasticus. Ubersetzt und Erklrt
(EHAT 25; Munster: Aschendorff, 1913), 295; G. Sauer, Jsus Sirach/Ben Sira. Uber11
285
en faveur de l'hypothse qui voit dans le v. 11 un ajout. Aux arguments

allgus nous en ajoutons deux. Le premier est de nature stylistique.
Chaque distique, sauf Si 36H,4, commence par une demande adresse
Dieu. Seul Si 36H,9 commencerait par une formule nominale, en
dplaant le verbe, cette fois-ci passif, seulement en troisime position ; en outre, le verset coupe le rythme et l'assonance vocalique qui
caractrisent le couplet. Le deuxime argument concerne le contenu.
Le verset introduit un changement de perspective qui n est pas ngliger. Celui qui crit rvle un intrt nouveau. Jusqu'ici, l'ennemi n'a
jamais t sujet des propositions . Le suppliant s est plutt limit
dcrire chaque intervention partir de l'agir de Dieu.
G explicite certaines expressions de H (comme en Si 36G,22c).
G prsente parfois une non comprhension du texte hbreu (cf. Si
36H,llb/36G) qui en certains endroits prsentait des expressions devenues obsoltes O^mn^VKaTaKXnpovuriaov atou).
G montre une attention diffrente la composition littraire par rapport H. En passant de H G nous perdons les anaphores (cf. vv.
12-13.15-16H/17-18.20-21G) les rimes, le rythme, prsents en H (surtout dans le deuxime couplet).
G met en vidence l'effort de transposition du contenu en le rajustant par rapport une ralit probablement change (cf. Si
36G,19ab[36H,14ab]). Dans le premier stique de Si 36G,19ab(36H,14ab)
le traducteur grec rend l'hbreu ynn n** ]VX tihn par TrXfjaov Zicov
peTaXoyia aou en montrant comment l'image vtrotestamentaire
du temple combl de splendeur par la prsence de YHWH est labore selon le genre littraire des artalogies grecques. Comme dans
les anciens temples gyptiens, rsonnent des eulogies au nom de la
divinit, ainsi rsonnent dans le temple de Sion les grandes uvres
de Dieu, mirabilia Dei. Le stique suivant, 19b montre l'interprtation
12
13
14
setzt und erklrt (ATDA 101/1 ; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2000), 248 n.
122; voir aussi V. Hamp, Sirach (EB 12; Wrzburg: Echter, 1951), 94.
Comme on peut remarquer dans la reconstruction de M.Z. Segal, NTO p nO
ubwn (Jerusalem: 1953, 1997), 225: nnu> IKSD^ "JDP T 1 D 1 THW blW
ia.
1 exception de Si36H/33G,5, qui, cependant, exprime la finalit des demandes qui vont suivre, savoir la connaissance et non pas la destruction de 1 ennemi
(comme dans le v. 11 en G).
Les autres variantes sont ppet Xyia (La inenarrabilibus verbis/virtutibus)
dans la version orignienne, 545c, et VL; pai (pour prendre/porter) en S, A et de
nombreux codex minuscules; peta en 307; dpa en 672; pov en 311. Pour l'usage
du terme artalogie dans la dfinition d'une composante des prires de 3 M qui
clbre les actions puissantes de Dieu dans l'histoire d'Isral, cf. A. Passoni Dell'Acqua, Le preghiere del III libro dei Maccabei gnre letterario e tematica, RivBib 43
(1995) : 148-50 ; 159-64 ; 173-75. M. Zappella, L'immagine di Israele in Sir 33(36),119 secondo il ms. ebraico B e la tradizione manoscritta greca. Analisi letteraria e
lessicale , RivBib 42 (1994) : 427-35, a mis en valeur la signification de ce terme dans
le livre de Ben Sira.
12
13
14
286
15
du traducteur grec qui rend le syntagme TV Xav aou, dans le codex

Vaticanus au lieu de ^b^n HN.
Nous pouvons donc conclure que les variations de G font voluer le
contenu de la prire et sa forme littraire; elles mettent en vidence
1 effort d'actualisation du texte dans un nouveau contexte.
3. Le texte syriaque
Nous pouvons noter les variations suivantes :
- Le premier verset (Si 36,1) apparat plus proche de H que de G; dans
sa conclusion cependant le texte syriaque s'loigne de H probablement
parce qu'il na pas compris : *?Dn T 6 N et ajoute tous ( nous tous ).
- Si 33,3a(P) prsente le singulier comme H (le peuple ennemi).
- Au v. 6, S(P) suit G en prsentant le pluriel de l'objet, signes et prodiges .
- Le v. 36H,6b est reconstruit par la comparaison avec S(P). La note
marginale du ms. B rvle l'influence de l'aramen targoumique par
l'usage du verbe tnt (aussi en 33,15[17]).
- En Si 36H,8b, S(P) traduit les deux noms du premier stique de manire
plus conforme H, bien qu'en utilisant des racines verbales lgrement
diffrentes ^ m , produire, pancher, et cd^s>, venir.
- En Si 36,8b, en H et S(P), il est possible de dcouvrir l'influence d'un
emprunt Jb 9,12.
- S(P) prsente la traduction du v. 11G. Initialement, S(P) s'approche de
G, mais ensuite s'en loigne.
- En Si 36H,10b, S(P) modifie lgrement le sens de Si 36H,10b, en mettant dans la bouche de l'ennemi l'expression nul n'est comme moi
(idiome frquent dans les textes bibliques) au lieu de il n'y a personne
en dehors de moi . Ici aussi sa traduction apparat plus libre.
- En Si 36,12(14), la Peshitta a traduit le premier verbe par une racine
diffrente,
rjouir, correspondant HOW. Son usage, selon les
commentateurs, pourrait rappeler Is 9,16ab o le verbe est en parallle
avec Dm . On pourrait penser que S(P) a traduit encore une fois de
16
17
15
J. Ziegler (d.), Sapientia Iesu Filii Sirach (Septuaginta. Vetus Testamentum

Graecum, XII/2; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1962, 1980), 291, accepte la
variante vav.
Cf. H. L. Strack, Die Sprche Jesus\ des Sohnes Sirachs. Der jngst gefundene
hebrische Text mit Anmerkungen und Wrterbuch (SIJB 31; Leipzig: Deichert,
1903), 28. Avec la mme signification de renforcer le verbe ]>DN est prsent aussi
en S i 4 2 , 1 7 c
; 45,2b.
On lit en Isae : C'est pourquoi en ses jeunes gens le Seigneur ne trouvera plus
sa joie (nou^"N*?) (Perci il Signore non avr clemenza dans la traduction de la
CEI, 2008), de ses orphelins et de ses veuves il n'aura plus piti (DJTV xb), car tous
sont impies et malfaisants, toute bouche profre l'insanit. Avec tout cela sa colre ne
s'est pas dtourne, sa main reste leve (traduction de la BJ). Selon F. Perles, Notes
2
16
BBmM
17
287
manire libre ou bien qu elle a voulu exprimer un lien avec Si 35H,26b

o le verbe nou> dcrit l'intervention de Dieu en faveur de son peuple
(cf. Is25,9). On remarquera que S(P), comme G, ne garde pas l'anaphore de Si 36H,12a-13a.
- Au v. 12(14), S(P) contient une rminiscence de Is 65,19 (v>pa*. , i o W : i
- En Si 33,15(17), nous lisons ^ W J , prsent dans des sources rabbiniques et targoumiques, frquemment la place du tetragramme
chez ces derniers.
- Au v. 15(17), S(P) interprte librement le verbe Dpn en le traduisant par
^.fcxrî, qu'ils arrivent, qu'ils parviennent , exprimant avec emphase
l'attente de l'accomplissement. En outre dans le deuxime stique nous
remarquons la marque du style hbraque : v y r c . v^san* r ^ c u m ^ r & a
18
- Au v. 19b nous rencontrons encore une phrase prpositionnelle : Tous

ceux qui sont dans les frontires (aux limites) de la terre.
Les caractristiques gnrales du S(P) peuvent tre synthtises comme
suit:
- Le texte syriaque, tout en suivant en certains endroits H (comme dans
le v. 1), montre qu'il connat et GI et les ajouts de GII (v. 11).
- S(P), de la mme manire que la VL (VL tant antrieure S[P]), prsente des insertions explicatives, comme au v. 15(17)b.
- S(P) prsente des targoumismes (dans la traduction de 36H,6b).
- S(P) contient ses propres ajouts et ses propres interprtations de certains stiques et ceci, soit en raison d'une non comprhension de H (v.
1), soit en raison de sa propre libert d'interprtation 10(12)b.l2(14).
critiques sur le texte de l'Ecclsiastique, REJ 35 (1897): 63-64, la premire racine

nQW, en parallle avec Dm, peut tre comprise selon la signification de la racine arabe
correspondente VJAAH, avoir piti; avec la mme nuance, le verbe now aurait t
employ par Ben Sira en Si 36H,12. Cette opinion, qui explique l'usage du verbe syriaque K'IU, est retenue par I. Lvi, L'Ecclsiastique ou la Sagesse de Jsus, Fils de Sira.
Texte original hbreu (BEHE.R 10/2; Paris: Ernest Leroux, 1898-1901), 171; Strack,
Die Sprche, 28 ; M. Kister, Some Notes on Biblical Expressions and Allusions and
the Lexicography of Ben Sira, in Sirach, Scrolls, and Sages. Proceedings of a Second
International Symposium on the Hebrew of the Dead Sea Scrolls (ds. T. Muraoka et J.
Elwolde; STDJ 33; Leiden: Brill, 1999), 165. Les argumentations de Perles se fondent
sur la reconstruction d'un texte hbreu qui ne concide pas avec celui qui a t retrouv (ceci vaut la fois pour Si 36H,12 et pour Si 51H,3b, selon le texte cit par
l'auteur). Le texte du ms. B de Si 36H,1-17 n'avait pas encore t publi l'poque de la
rdaction de l'article (1897), mais voir aussi Perles, Analekten zur Textkritik des Alten
Testaments. Neue Folge (Leipzig: Verlag von Gustav Engel, 1922), 121.
Cf. W.T. van Peursen, Language and interpretation in the Syriac Text of Ben Sira
A Comparative Linguistic and Literary Study (MPIL 16; Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2007),
113.
Cf. van Peursen, Language and interpretation, 206, n. 68.
18
19
288
4. Le texte latin (VL)

Concernant VL, nous pouvons remarquer les points suivants:
- Dans le premier verset, VL suit G mais ajoute un deuxime stique
que Ton peut rattacher GII. Il s'agit peut-tre dune rminescence
d'autres prires comme le Ps 85,8 .
- En 33(36),2, VL ajoute une proposition relative qui vise nuancer la
demande du v. 2 (quae non exquisierunt te), comme en S(P), ou complter le verset selon des textes tels que Jr 10,25 ; Ps 79,6 .
- La VL ajoute, galement, et cognoscant quia non est Deus nisi tu ut
enarrent magnolia tua; la proposition finale anticipe ce qui est affirm en Si 33G,3.5.7 (cf. codex 248 et quelques tmoins latins) et en
Si 33G,10b.
- Au v. 3a, la VL comme G (Syh) traduit par un pluriel et utilise le nom
gentes (0vn Wrpia/gentes alinas).
- Au v. 4, VL (corne G/Syh) suit, dans la premire partie du stique, Tordre
des mots du rns. Bmg; dans le deuxime stique par contre, les traductions suivent le ms. B l'exclusion du dernier mot qui est reconstruit
selon Bmg, DI .
- Au v. 5b, VL suit G en ajoutant le titre, Domine (cf. 1 Ch 17,20) .
- Au v. 6, comme les autres versions anciennes, VL a le pluriel Innova
signa et inmuta mirabilia.
- Au v. 10b, la VL (avec G) s'loigne compltement de H/S(P) en traduisant le stique par ut enarrent mirabilia tua en raison d'une non-comprhension de H. La conjonction Kai, introduit une proposition subordonne, absente en H, qui confre une nuance finale la demande
d'intervention divine (cf. Si 33G,5a).
- Aux vv. 11-12, VL suit G
- Au v. 13, VL introduit deux stiques entre le premier et le deuxime:
et cognoscant quia non est Deus nisi tu. Ut enarrent magnolia tua (cf.
Si 36,2.10).
- En 36,16b, VL, comme G, prsente le verbe du deuxime stique la
deuxime personne du futur (et hereditabis) et apparat plus proche
de G que de H par la formule sicut ab inizio.
20
21
22
23
24
20
21
Cf. Peters, Das Buck, 294.

Cf. Lvi, L'Ecclsiastique, II, 168; Smend, Die Weisheit, 318; Peters, Das Buck,
294.
22
Cf. Minissale, La versione greca, 157.

Cf. Peters, Das Buck, 294; Lvi, Êcclsiastique, II, 169.
Cf. l'dition de H.B. Swete (d.), The Old Testament in Greek. According to the
Septuagint. IL I Chronicles - Tobit (Cambridge University Press, 1891, 1922), 717.
Selon W.O.E. Oesterley, The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus. In
the Revised Version with Introduction and Notes (CBSC 23 ; Cambridge University
Press, 1912), 230, la formulation du verbe au futur pourrait correspondre l'original
et serait donc prfrer l'impratif grec (l'objet de hriter serait le peuple; le
sujet, par contre, serait Dieu).
23
24
289
- Au v. 14a(17), VL est plus proche de G que de H dans la premire partie

du stique, tandis que dans la seconde elle semble plus proche de S(P).
En 14b, VL suit G (et Israhel quem coaequasti primogenito tuo).
- Au v. 15(18), VL suit G mme si elle garde au dbut du premier stique
le verbe Miserere comme dans le v. 14(17).
- Auv. 16(19), VL suit G.
- Au v. 17(20)b, VL donne une valeur causale la deuxime partie du
stique: quia ab initio creaturae tuae sunt. Dans le stique suivant, VL
comme S(P) ajoute une insertion explicative (quas locuti sunt).
- Au v. 18(21), G/VL utilisent le datif pluriel la place du nomen rectum
(TMp) indiqu par l'hbreu ( uia8v to touvouorv oe/da mercedem sustinentibus te). Au stique 18(21)b, VL a interprt le deuxime
stique comme proposition finale (utprophetae tuifidles inveniantur).
En 18c(22a), VL ne prsente pas le titre divin de G (Kupie).
- Enfin, le stique 19a(22b) prsente un ajout dans VL (et dirige nos in via
iustitiae).
En rsum, les variantes de VL prsentent les caractristiques suivantes :
- En ligne gnrale, VL suit GII, en ajoutant les titres divins prsents
dans cette dernire (Si 33G,5b) bien que dans une moindre mesure
(18d[22a].19d[22e]).
- Elle ajoute des stiques de valeur explicative (v. Iab.2b.l7a[20].19[22]
ab).
- Elle prsente des rptitions (2d.10b.13d).
La comparaison synoptique de la prire montre la tendance de G
gnraliser le contenu de l'invocation, pour en faire un modle applicable en diverses occasions et pour divers suppliants. Certains auteurs
avaient dfini l'invocation de Si 36H,1-17 comme un modle de prire
utilis dans un but pdagogique-didactique . L'tude des traductions
met en lumire, notamment en G, l'effort de transposition du contenu
de l'hbreu en l'adaptant une ralit probablement change.
Le S(P), qui pourtant suit en plusieurs endroits le texte de H, montre
qu'il connat GI et GII. Il semble avoir su combiner les deux formes de
prire de H et G. En effet, l'invocation contient des lments de plainte
et de supplication adresses Dieu, mme si elle prsente quelquesunes des gnralisations rencontres en G. S(P) et VL suivent de plus
prs le texte de G, mais, de manire intressante, n'ajoutent pas de titres
divins suplmentaires comme G. On pourrait mettre l'hypothse que
25
Cf. Zappella, Uimmagine , 416-17.
290
le texte de G ait t utilis dans des contextes liturgiques plus frquemment que S(P) et VL.
5. Le contexte de la prire de Si 36H,l-17/33G,l-13a;
36,16b-22
Si nous nous intressons au contexte littraire de Si 36H,1-17 en considrant Si 31G,21-32G,26 et 3 5 H , l l - 2 6 prsents dans toutes les traditions linguistiques, nous pouvons observer encore des diffrences
significatives.
Quand la comparaison entre le texte hbreu et les versions est possible, c est--dire partir de Si 35H,11 et particulirement en Si 35H,1426, on remarque l'utilisation d'un vocabulaire technique judiciaire
plus prcis et plus riche en H qu'en G. En outre, les liens textuels avec
l'Ancien Testament sont davantage perceptibles en H qu'en G.
En Si 31G,21-23, j'ai montr dans une prcdente tude que le
commencement de la section (31G,21-32G,26) pouvait tre compar
certains rb prophtiques et surtout Yincipit de certaines controverses
entre Dieu et Isral au sujet des sacrifices et des offrandes cultuelles. J'ai
aussi remarqu d'importantes diffrences par rapport ces structures.
Une procdure de plainte des victimes a pris forme. Cette dernire
se termine par la description du jugement divin prsente comme
une cause que Dieu dfend lui-mme (an an*) contre l'ennemi du
peuple, oppresseur cruel (Si 35H,22c), superbe (Si 35H,23a) et mauvais
(Si 35H,23b).
Si nous nous arrtons brivement sur l'analyse lexicale de
Si 35,11-26 en H et dans les versions anciennes nous pouvons noter
que l o H utilise le motif de l'appel au secours (respectivement en
35H,16b .17a.20b.21a: MUnn, npp2, nppS, npW), de manire systmatique G, S(P) et VL emploient des termes plus proches du thme de
la supplication (G: r|ai, iKereiav, T t p o a e u x r j ; S[P] : r r t i c A ^ , c^kcure',
n r i w ; VL:precatiOypreces,precatio,
oratio). 35H,22a: n w y p72 VSW\
est rendu par G par Kai Kpivet ucaioi Kal 7toir|ai Kpiaiv qui
insiste sur la rmunration divine . En 35H,22c, G vite les anthropomorphismes de la colre de Dieu (au lieu de p)NIV tfb niJDl nous
26
27
28
26
Cf. Palmisano, Salvaci, Dio dell'universo, 81.

Cf. Minissale, La versione greca, 199, reconnat, parmi les caractristiques de la
version grecque, l'expression d'un plus grand respect pour la transcendance de Dieu,
raison pour laquelle le traducteur vite des formules telles que Dieu coute la voix
(voir Si 35H,16b et 51,11c o Vlp est traduit par nai).
Minissale, La versione greca, 207.
27
28
291
29
avons o pf| |iaKpo0uprjar|) . Au v. 35H,25b, les versions G, S(P) et

VL rendent la formule l^T
par Kpivr) tf]v Kpiaiv, m&>.*
OMJ
et iudicet indicium (1 expression hbraque dfendre la cause est rendue par mettre le jugement ).
V
6.
Conclusion
La comparaison entre Si 36H,1-17 en hbreu et les versions anciennes

montre qu'il est possible de percevoir les spcificits de chaque tradition textuelle. Les diffrences les plus importantes apparaissent dans
le passage de H G caractris par un changement de genre littraire.
La distinction est dj perceptible dans le contexte littraire de Si
35H,ll-26/32G,14-26 o les traductions prsentent une gnralisation
du contexte du rb et du jugement. En G, le contexte de controverse
pr-judiciaire est transform en jugement. Le cri de dtresse devient
supplication. En outre, la version grecque prsente diffrents ajouts qui
tendent assimiler la composition certains psaumes (lamentations et
psaumes imprcatoires). De son ct, S(P) a tendance suivre le texte
hbreu (voir par exemple le verset 1), mme si elle connat et utilise
les amplifications textuelles prsentes en G. S(P) prsente deux genres
littraires dans la mme composition : d'un ct les traits de la supplication et, d'un autre ct, les traits de l'appel au secours.
3 0
Parmi les versions anciennes, la VL est, celle qui enrichit la supplication par le plus grand nombre de rptitions et de gloses explicatives.
B . L'ACTION DE GRCE DE SI 5 1 , 1 - 1 2
Le texte de Si 51,1-12 a t tudi par diffrents auteurs: Alexander Di
Leila , Gilbert , Jan Liesen , Otto Mulder . l'unanimit, la prire
31
29
32
33
34
En 35H,23b, G passe du concret l'abstrait comme en 35H,15c.

Cf. Bovati, Ristabilire lagiustizia, 287.
A.A. Di Lella, Sirach 51,1-12: Poetic Structure and Analysis of Ben Siras
Psalm , CBQ 48 (1986) : 395-407 ; M. Gilbert, L'action de grce de Ben Sira (Si 51,112), dans Ce Dieu qui vient (FS B. Renaud; d. R. Kuntzmann; LeDiv 159; Paris:
Cerf, 1995), 239-40; Gilbert, Prayer in the Book of Ben Sira. Function and Relevance , dans Prayer from Tobit to Qumran Inaugural. Conference of the ISDCL at
Salzburg, Austria, 5-9 July 2003 (ds. R. Egger-Wenzel et J. Corley; DCL Yearbook
2004; Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2004), 117-35.
Gilbert, L'action de grce , 239-40.
J. Liesen, First-Person Passages in the Book of Ben Sira, PIBA 20 (1997):
24-47.
O. Mulder, Three Psalms or Two Prayers in Sirach 51 ? The End of Ben Sira's
30
31
32
33
34
292
35
est dfinie comme une action de grce individuelle attribue au sage

36
de Jrusalem, selon l'interprtation initiale de M. Gilbert . Ben Sira

37
rendrait grce au Seigneur pour son intervention salvifique au cours

d'une preuve personelle, dcrite comme un danger mortel, probablement la suite d'une calomnie (sur l'importance que ce thme a dans
le livre voir 26G,5). partir d'une analyse du vocabulaire du texte
hbreu de Si 51,1-12 et des versions G, S(P) et VL, je voudrais attirer
l'attention sur quelques interprtations intressantes effectues par les
traducteurs de Ben Sira.
Je considre que le texte du ms. B est certainement plus proche de
l'original crit par Ben Sira que ses traductions anciennes
38
(mme s'il
faut considrer que le texte du manuscrit B, dat habituellement entre

le IXe et le X l e sicle de notre re, prsente de nombreux problmes
textuels).
Les sept premiers versets de la prire dcrivent, en dtails, les conditions de danger extrme dans lequel il s'est trouv ; dramatiquement, ils
reprsentent la situation d'o il a t sauv. Les w . 6 - 7 dcrivent le moment critique de l'exprience de l'orant exprim travers la proximit
de la mort, des portes des enfers. Les w . 8-1 lb prsentent la transition
Book of Wisdom , dans Egger-Wenzel et Corley, Prayer from Tobit to Qumran, 171201. Voir la thse de A.J. Guerra Martinez, El poder de la oracin. Estudio exegticoteolgico de Sir 51,1-12 (Asociacin Biblica Espanola 50 ; Estella : Verbo Divino, 2010).
Sur la particularit et les anomalies de cette prire par rapport au modle de
Taction de grce publique, voir Gilbert, L'action de grce, 239-40.
Gilbert, L'action de grce , 232-42.
Le genre littraire de la composition explique pourquoi, durant la prire, les
discours la deuxime personne alterne avec des discours la troisime personne
du singulier. Selon Gilbert, L'action de grce , 239-40, la prire de Ben Sira prsente l'inversion des deux parties dont l'action de grce est habituellement constitue: 1. confession publique par Torant de l'intervention divine de salut (exprime
la troisime personne du singulier), probablement l'entre du temple, 2. prire
personnelle Dieu (deuxime personne du singulier), cette fois-ci dans le temple.
Remarquons que, mme sans la ncessit d'inverser Tordre des versets, selon l'opinion de E. Lipinski, Psaumes - 1. Formes et genres littraires, DBS IX, 74-75, nous
rencontrons dans TAT des compositions d'action de grce o nous trouvons ds le
dbut de la prire la coexistence des deux types de discours adress Dieu (deuxime
et troisime personne au singulier) comme en Jon 2,3 et il dit "Dans mon angoisse
j'ai invoqu le Seigneur et il m'a exauc; de la profondeur des enfers j'ai cri et tu as
cout ma voix" . Si nous tenons compte du fait que la prire est insre dans une
uvre caractre pdagogique-didactique, il parat comprhensible que la prire
du matre ait comme arrire fond le milieu vital du sage de Jrusalem, son engagement pdagogique auprs des nouvelles gnrations.
II s'agit d'une position partage aussi par Gilbert, L'action de grce, 231-42
et Mulder, Three Psalms , 180.
35
36
37
38
293
entre la situation dangereuse de mort imminente et l'action de grce.

La mmoire des misricordes de Dieu (v. 8) et la demande de salut (w.
9-1 lb) y tiennent une place importante. Cette section comprend galement la promesse de louer le Seigneur (v. llab), selon un motif frquent
dans le psautier. Les w . l l c - 1 2 concluent l'invocation en dcrivant la
prompte coute de Dieu, son intervention salvatrice et l'engagement du
suppliant louer, confesser et bnir le nom de Y H W H .
1. Comparaison entre H et G en Si 51,1-12
39
Nous avons relev les lments suivants :

40
- En H, les titres divins, mon pre (nnN *aN , v. 50,28d), champion

de mon salut
1UJ1 , v. 10b) sont utiliss avec le suffixe de la
premire personne au moment critique de l'invocation, tandis que G
prsente un contenu et une structure grammaticale diffrents (51,10a
41
Kupiov Ttatpa Kupiou uou). H prsente en 51,10ab le double usage du
pronom personnel tu avec une valeur emphatique qui disparat en

G. Enfin, le deuxime stique, 10b, manque dans le grec.
Concernant le vocabulaire de la prire, les termes employs en grec dnotent une prire gnrique (iKeteiav, supplication , au v. 9a, au lieu
de "Vlp, ma voix; erjOrjv, je priai en Si 51,9b au lieu de TipiUJ).
Tandis que le vocabulaire hbreu apporte une connotation d'appel au
secours.
En 51,4ab, en H, le suppliant s'adresse Dieu qui l'a sauv (^nywin),
tandis qu'en G, le suppliant fait mmoire des souffrances qui l'affligeaient (axov) et desquelles Dieu l'a libr.
En 51,6b, la premire personne du singulier en hbreu est remplace
par la troisime en grec.
En 51,8, l'hbreu, sous forme de rcit probablement adress aux disciples (le priant fait mmoire de Dieu la troisime personne), est
rendu en grec sous la forme d'une prire en style directe (deuxime
personne).
En 51,10ab, nous considrons que le verbe DOnNl, j'ai exalt, pourrait tre un erreur d'criture pour *npNl j'ai invoqu, appel au
secours .
42
39
Di Lella, Sirach 51 1-12, 395-407; Gilbert, L'action de grce, 231-42;

Prayer in the Book of Ben Sira , 117-35 ; F.V. Ritrer, Gott, Vater und Herr meines
Lebens. Eine poetish-stilistische Analyse von Sir 22,27-23,6 als Verstndnisgrundlage des Gebetes, dans Egger-Wenzel et Corley, Prayer from Tobit to Qumran,
137-70.
Cf. Ex 15,2.
Cf. Ex 15,2.
II y a beaucoup de textes, o le verbe *np (en G mKaAia) ) exprime la prire
en Ben Sira, en particulier dans l'loge des pres (Si 46,5.16; 47,5 et aussi 48,20 dans
4 0
41
42
294
- En 51,10, en H nous lisons deux fois UV2 tandis que le grec prsente
une variation v r||ipai et v Kcupa>. Ainsi, dans le grec, le temps
auquel se rfre l'invocation prend une nuance positive (v Kaip)
aux v. 10c.l2b) probablement plus conforme au genre psalmique (cf.
Ps 69,14). On trouve un exemple similaire dans la prire de Si 33G,10a).
- Enfin, en 51,11, l'exaucement de la prire est dcrite la forme active
en hbreu
*6p pOU> m) tandis que le grec le rend par un passif
(eianKOan r| nai pou). En outre, la traduction du stique lld (ptWl
ûnn *?N et il tendit l'oreille mes gmissements) fait dfaut dans
la version grecque.
2. Interprtation des diffrences
entre le ms. B et la traduction grecque
Les carts entre G et H montrent que la version G utilise moins de
verbes la deuxime personne pour rapporter l'intervention salvifique
de Dieu (51,lb.2abc.3b). L o l'hbreu utilise cinq verbes diffrents
(nHS, r o w n , r t o n , *jn*S, ^ m w ) le grec n'en utilise qu'un seul (deux
fois XuTpcoaco) qui rgit tous les complments de la premire partie de
l'invocation. Les nuances de chaque verbe disparaissent donc en grec
impliquant une certaine gnralisation. En 51,4b, le grec ne traduit pas
le verbe ^nywin, transformant ainsi la prsentation varie et dtaille
de l'intervention de Dieu du texte hbreu en une description gnrale
d'une libration.
Tandis qu'en H le lien entre la prire et le contexte sapientiel du livre,
qui souligne la relation entre le cri au secours et le salut, apparat plus
clairement, en G, ce contact se fait plus discret.
3. Le texte syriaque de Si 51,1-12 (nous avons seulement P) et la VL
La version syriaque s'accorde tantt avec H, tantt avec G, tantt avec
laVL.
- Elle est la seule parmi les versions anciennes qui ne fait plus mention
de la calomnie (sur l'importance de ce thme dans le livre, voir 26G,5).
- Elle maintient en certains endroits le vocabulaire de la prire de H : le
jour (10c) comme H et non pas les jours comme G.
- V. 1 utilise le titre Seigneur roi plus proche de G que de H Dieu de
mon salut. En lld par contre S(P) maintient la forme active du verbe
et le Seigneur couta ma voix (comme H).
la forme rconstruite par la plus part des auteurs). Pour une position diffrente voir .
Nodet, Le Seigneur, pre de mon seigneur, Si 51,10, RB 116 (2009) : 139.
295
- S(P) utilise dans la premire partie de la prire (w. 1-5) huit verbes qui
dcrivent l'activit salvifique de Dieu en suivant ainsi de plus prs H.
- Au v. 8, S(P) suit H en utilisant le suffixe verbal de la troisime personne et non pas le deuxime comme G .
- Au v. 9, S(P) montre bien le caractre synthtique de cette version
qui prsente en mme temps les mots ma voix (comme en H) et
prire (comme en G ) fcuXô J m .
- Le v. 10 montre travers l'usage des titres divins et du pronom personnel de la deuxime personne une proximit plus claire avec H.
- Dans la deuxime partie de l'invocation (w. 11-12), S(P) suit H (la
traduction syriaque rapporte aussi la traduction du stique lld).
- Enfin, la conclusion de l'invocation en 51,12 montre que S(P) suit H.
Toutes les promesses et les vux du suppliant sont exprims la troisime personne du singulier.
La comparaison montre que la traduction du S(P) a t faite sur H.
Toutefois le traducteur montre qu'il connat aussi des tmoins de G.
Dans ce cas, comme dans celui de la prire de Si 36H,1-17, le S(P) reprsente la version qui a gard les traces de deux genres littraires, cri
au secours et supplication, dans une action de grce.
La VL maintient durant toute la prire l'usage de la deuxime personne du singulier. Elle prsente la problmatique de la calomnie mais
avec des accents mitigs. Au v. 6a, elle mentionne le roi, probablement
en suivant la variante de G atteste dans certains codex minuscules
(comme 795, 545, 613).
C . CONCLUSION
Outre les prires elle-mmes, bien des passages de Ben Sira abordent
le thme de la prire et rapportent des exemples tirs de l'histoire d'Isral. Mentionnons notamment Si 2,10; 46,5.16; 47,5; 48,20. Ben Sira
relit l'histoire des anctres d'Isral (Si 4 4 - 4 9 ) d'une manire trs
intressante. Il rinterprte le pass en montrant la ncessit de puiser
toujours davantage aux profondeurs de l'histoire du peuple pour vivre
et rpondre aux questions de son propre temps.
4 3
43
Sur le thme, cf. A. A. Di Lella, Ben Sira's Praise of the Ancestors of Old (Sir
44-49) The History of Israel as Parenetic Apologetics , dans History and Identity.
How Israel's Later Authors Viewed Its Earlier History. Papers of International Conference of the ISDCLy university residence Josep Manyanet", Barcelona, Spain, 2-5 July
2005 (ds. N. Calduch-Benages et J. Liesen; DCL Yearbook 2006; Berlin/New York:
Walter de Gruyter, 2006), 151-70; R. Petraglio, // libro che contamina le mani. Ben
Sirac rilegge il libro e la storia dTsraele (Palermo : Edizioni Augustinus, 1993).
K
296
Certains passages abordent le motif de Dieu qui coute le cri du suppliant dans les instructions du sage: 3,5 en G; 4H,6-10A; 21,5 en G et
32H,14cdef .
La forme littraire la plus prsente dans les prires et les instructions
sapientielles, notamment en hbreu, est celle du cri au secours en vue
du salut.
Les diffrences textuelles dans les passages examins en hbreu et
dans les versions anciennes mettent en vidence une sorte de prolongement de ces oprations hermneutiques que le sage de Jrusalem a
accomplies sur les textes plus anciens . Elles reprsentent pour le lecteur d'aujourd'hui comme pour les disciples du sage au Ilme sicle av.
J.-C. une invitation entrer dans les plis de l'histoire, des vnements
du peuple d'Isral parmi lequel la Parole de Dieu vit et se renouvelle
sans puiser ses propres possibilits de susciter de nouvelles modalits
de recherche du visage de Dieu et de son intervention pour le salut.
L'tude des textes de prire confirme donc que l'identit et en mme
temps l'altrit des formes textuelles du livre de Ben Sira sont l'expression de la richesse et de la vitalit de ce texte sapientiel. Ces diffrences
sont garder et clairer toujours davantage.
B44
45
44
Pour une prsentation synthtique des textes qui traitent du cri et de la rponse
de Dieu dans les mss. hbreux de Ben Sira et en G, cf. Palmisano, Salvaci, Dio dell universo, 341-49.
Sur la typologie des oprations hermneutiques accomplies par le sage dans les
textes mentionns, cf. par ex. Palmisano, Salvaci, Dio delVuniverso, 345, en particulier 341, n. 2.
45
LA SAGESSE DANS LES BATITUDES DE BEN SIRA:

TUDE DU T E X T E DE SI 51,13-30 ET DE SI 14,20-15,10
Emile Puech
CNRS, Paris
EBAF, Jerusalem
La formule habituelle nttJK / (icucpio qui introduit des macarismes

est bien connue des textes de sagesse, des Proverbes comme des Psaumes. Et elle n est pas absente de Ben Sira o elle apparat une douzaine
de fois: 14,1-2,20; 25,8a.c.9; 26,1; 28,19; 31,17-18; 34,8; 48,11; 50,28.
Mais un passage lui est consacr: 14,20-15,10 qui dcrit le bonheur
de celui qui cherche demeurer auprs de Dame sagesse. Et dans une
confession-exhortation, un sage, l'auteur du pome acrostiche de Si
51,13-30, conseille fortement aux jeunes de suivre son exemple et de se
mettre la recherche de la sagesse qu'il compare aussi une femme dsirable. Comme l'appartenance de ce pome au livre de Ben Sira a t
discute et que la transmission de son texte n'est pas sans quelque difficult, ces lignes se proposent d'tudier d'abord le pome acrostiche,
et ensuite le passage de 14,20 15,10, tous deux ddis la recherche
de la sagesse qui doit combler le cur de l'homme en cette vie en vue
d'un nom ternel et en vue des rcompenses que Dieu accordera en Son
temps (comparer Is 56,5). Ce faisant, est-il possible de se faire une ide
de l'appartenance du pome au livre, et de la valeur du texte hbreu de
11Q5 X X I 1 3 - X X I I 1 ? La mme question est pose pour le texte hbreu
de X&geniza en Si 14,20-15,30 compar aux traductions anciennes.
A. L E POME ACROSTICHE DE BEN SIRA 5 1 , 1 3 - 3 0

a
Depuis Yeditio princeps du rouleau HQPs XXI-XXII contenant une

partie du pome acrostiche la fin du livre de Ben Sira, 51,13-30*, de
J.A. Sanders, The Psalm Scroll of Qumran Cave 11 (HQPsa) (Discoveries in the
Judaean Desert of Jordan IV; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965), 79-85 et planches
XIII-XIV.
298
EMILE PUECH
nombreuses tudes ont t consacres ce passage ddi la recherche de la sagesse par le sage. Certains y ont vu un pome indpendant
import en conclusion du livre du sage, tel un appendice, puisqu'il est
aussi copi dans un rouleau portant des Psaumes et dcrivant les com2
positions de David , et d'autres y ont trouv un langage erotique . Pour

rpondre ces questions, il convient d'abord de donner une lecture
du texte la mieux assure possible et ensuite de la comparer aux plus
anciennes versions connues.
Comme la copie de 11Q5, date de la premire moiti du 1er sicle de
notre re, est la plus ancienne forme du texte en hbreu et qu elle en a
gard la structure alphabtique primitive, elle est de loin la plus proche
de l'original, compare aux copies de l&geniza du Caire, le manuscrit B
4
tant en grande partie, selon des auteurs, une rtroversion du syriaque .

Proche galement de l'original hbreu doit tre la traduction grecque
du petit-fils, vers 131 avant J . - C , mais la traduction syriaque ne peut
remonter au mieux qu' la fin du 2e sicle de notre re, le livre de Ben
5
Sira hbreu n'ayant plus gure cours dans le milieu juif de l'poque ,
mme si Jrme dit l'avoir connu encore au quatrime sicle.
Par exemple Sanders, The Psalm Scroll, 85 et 92, P. Flint, Psalms, Book of : Apocryphal Psalms , dans Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls (ed. L.H. Schiffman and
J.C. VanderKam; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000), 709.
Voir en particulier Sanders, The Psalm Scroll, 81s, M. Delcor, Le texte hbreu
du cantique du Siracide LI, 13 et ss. et les anciennes versions , Textus 6 (1968) : 27-47,
T. Muraoka, Sir. 51,13-30: An Erotic Hymn to Wisdom , JSJ 10 (1979): 166-78.
Voir un tat rcent de la question dans E.D. Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5
(=HQPs ) 21.11-22.1 , RQ 90 (2007) : 207-31, 209, o sont donns les partisans plus
ou moins acquis cette vue ; ajouter J. Marbck, Weisheit im Wandel. Untersuchungen
zur Weisheitstheologie bei Ben Sira. Mit Nachwort und Bibliographie zur Neuauflage
(BZAW 272; Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1999), 121-25: Liebesliede, et
les opposants comme I. Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original of Ben Sira's Concluding
Acrostic on Wisdom , HUCA 42 (1971): 173-84, 184; ajouter A. Minissale, La versionegreca del Siracide. Confronto con il teste ebraico alla luce delVattivit midrascica
e del metodo targumico (AnBib 133; Roma: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1995),
137-49, 138, et M. Gilbert, Venez mon cole (Si 51,13-30) , dans Aufden Spuren
der schriftgelehrten Weisen, Festschrift fur Johannes Marbck anlsslich seiner Emeritierung (her. von I. Fischer, U. Rapp und J. Schiller; BZAW 331 ; Berlin/New York:
Walter de Gruyter, 2003), 283-90, 290, l'auteur lui-mme y trouvant des lments de
poursuite erotique, voir p. 228s.
Voir dernirement Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original , 174, alors que d'autres
sont d'une opinion contraire, voir Marbck, Weisheit im Wandel, 123. Mais il faut
juger indpendamment chaque passage.
Voir G. Bickell, Ein alphabetisches Lied Jsus Sirach, ZKT 6 (1882): 319-33,
et I. Levi, L'ecclsiastique ou la sagesse de Jsus fils de Sira, I (Paris : Leroux, 1898),
XXI-XXVII.
3
LA SAGESSE DANS LES B A T I T U D E S DE BEN SIRA
299
Il faut aussi dire un mot du manuscrit 11Q5. Ce dernier compte gnralement 25 lignes par colonnes sur des feuilles rgles la pointe
sche . Mais certaines colonnes devaient porter 26 lignes, comme l'impose la colonne I X avec les huit versets de la lettre Yod du Ps 119, la
ligne blanche et un verset de la lettre Kaf . Il est donc possible que la
colonne X X I dans la feuille des colonnes X X X X I V puisse, elle aussi,
compter 26 lignes, comme l'exige la reconstruction matrielle du texte,
et la hauteur de la feuille devait mesurer au minimum de 25 26 cm.
Voir le fac-simil de ce pome (et sa restauration) dans la copie de 11Q5
X X I 1 1 X X I I 1 d'aprs la Planche XIII de DJDJIV.
6
Commentaire (voir Vdition, la traduction et la restauration du texte

en Annexe)
La traduction grecque du petit-fils a-t-elle ce point, au dire de certains , mal compris le texte hbreu original qu'elle lui aurait retir toute
sa consistance erotique ? Le texte grec et sa rtroversion devraient permettre de s'en faire une ide, ce qu'un bref commentaire devrait prciser, sans avoir faire appel une rdition puritaine pour les clibataires qumraniens .
8
10
Le pome acrostiche compte vingt-trois versets, d'aprs les vingtdeux lettres de l'alphabet plus un deuxime pe, pour obtenir le mot
*f?K apprendre et enseigner, puisque K et b commencent respectivement les deux moitis de l'alphabet (2 x 11), ainsi dj les Psaumes
alphabtiques 25 et 34 . Les vingt-trois stiques du pome sont groups
11
Sanders, The Psalm Scroll, voir aussi F. Garcia Martinez, E.J.C. Tigchelaar and
A.S. Van der Woude, Qumran Cave 11 - IL 11Q2-18,11Q20-31 (DJD XXIII ; Oxford :
Clarendon Press, 1998), 30.
Contrairement Yeditio princeps, The Psalm Scroll, 30, qui ne numrote pas les
lignes blanches et oublie de signaler la ligne blanche aprs le dernier verset 0 ou v. 72
de ce Psaume, numrotant comme ligne 15 les traces (invisibles sur la photographie)
de lafindu premier verset de la lettre yod.
Voir par exemple Muraoka, An Erotic Hymn, 170: The Greek is totally
innocuous and puritan in spirit, entirely free from any sings of offensive, obscene
language.
D'aprs Sapientia Iesu Filii Sirach (ed. J. Ziegler; Septuaginta XII,2; Gttingen:
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1965), 365-68, moyennant quelques corrections, aux v.
18 et v. 24, avec The Old Testament in Greek According to the Septuagint (H.B. Swete ;
Cambridge: University Press, 1930), 753.
Voir Sanders, The Psalm Scroll, 84, et J.A. Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic ,
dans Hommages Andr Dupont-Sommer (dir. A. Caquot et M. Philonenko ; Paris :
Adrien Maisonneuve, 1971), 429-38,434.
Voir aussi J. Corley, Searching for Structure and Redaction in Ben Sira. An
Investigation of Beginnings and Endings , The Wisdom of Ben Sira. Studies on Tradi7
10
11
EMILE PUECH
300
en trois parties ou strophes respectivement de six, huit et neuf (en fait

huit + un) versets, w . 13-17, 18-22, et 2 3 - 2 9 + 30, chacune finissant
par une louange Dieu dsign par le pronom suffixe de la troisime
personne du masculin singulier, ainsi que le soulignait dj Si 15,9-10
12
propos de la louange divine du sage .

La premire strophe, w . 13-17, passe pour une confession de 1 auteur
qui a cherch la sagesse ds sa jeunesse. Le premier verset sonne un peu
trange dans la phrasologie de 11Q5 X X I 1 1 , comme s'il manquait un
deux mots en 13b, le deuxime hmistiche tant manifestement bien
trop court: voir le suffixe fminin et le waw de rrntPpll. Si, dans cette
main, l'hsitation est permise en TP/lpri, l'infinitif de la traduction
grecque appuie fortement la lecture Tliyn comme prfrable avec
qui est trs rarement suivi du parfait en hbreu biblique (exceptions
13
en Ps 90,2 et Pr 8,25) . Le verbe peut revtir la fois et sans exclusive

les significations de errer, voyager et de se tromper , significations
que rend assez bien en franais la traduction mes errances . Si le waw
tion, Redaction, and Theology (eds. A. Passaro and G. Bellia; Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2008), 21-47, 37s. Pour une tude d ensemble sur les compositions
acrostiches, voir H. Eshel and J. Strugnell, Alphabetical Acrostics in Pre-Tannatic
Hebrew , CBQ 62 (2000) : 441-58. Mais p. 445, les auteurs lisent un extra monostique
n la fin de Sira. Il est aussi intressant de noter que Y Apostrophe Sion qui suit
en 11Q5 XXII 1-15 est une autre composition hymnique alphabtique de 22 stiques
uniquement.
Plusieurs divisions ont t proposes : trois, mais diffremment rparties (w.
13-15,16-21, et 22-30), voir Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 212-13 et 2 2 4 28, S. Manfredi, The True Sage or the Servant of the Lord (Sir 51:13-30 Gr) dans
The Wisdom of Ben Sira (ds. Passaro et Bellia), 174-95,175-82 : deux parties (confession et parnse) mais la premire est subdivise en deux (w. 13-17,18-22, 23-30 =
confession et exhortation), voir C. Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic : Confession and
Exhortation, ZAW 94 (1982) : 400-409, et dj Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic ,
431-32 et 435,437 : vv. 13-21 partie narrative et vv. 2-30 exhortation ou parnse, ou
encore la division adopte ici, voir P. Skehan, The Acrostic Poem in Sirach 51:1330, HTR 64 (1971) : 387-400, suivi par Minissale et Gilbert.
Sanders, Delcor, Skehan, O. Rickenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bei Sira (OBO 1 ;
Freiburg/Gttingen: Universittverlag - Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1973), 197-213,
Deutsch, G. Sauer, Jsus Sirach (Ben Sira) (JSHRZIII ; Gtersloher Verlagshaus, 1981),
Marbck, F. Garcia Martinez and E. Tigchelaar, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition,
Volume II-4Q274-UQ31 (Leiden/Boston/Kln : Brill, 1998), 1174, Gilbert, Reymond
et F. Ueberschaer, Weisheit aus der Begegnung Bildung nach dem Buch Ben Sira
(BZAW 379; Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2007), 324, lisent wyn, mais Rabinowitz, Minissale lisent Tiiyn, et Ben Chayyim, The Book of Ben Sira. Text, Concordance and an Analysis of the Vocabulary. The Historical Dictionary of the Hebrew
Language (ed. Z. Ben Chayyim ; Jerusalem : The Academy of the Hebrew Language
and the Shrine of the Book, 1973), 66, et Muraoka ne se prononcent pas.
12
13
301
d'apodose ne fait pas de difficult, le suffixe fminin semble supposer

auparavant la prsence d u n substantif fminin, comme c'est le cas en
grec: aocpiav (encore en 17b en forme d'inclusion dans la premire
strophe), y ajoutant peut-tre la mention de la prire que le syriaque
et B
15
14
reportent au v. 16, sans correspondant en cet endroit en 11Q5
ni en grec, et rompent ainsi l'ordre alphabtique de la composition.

Le syriaque ne porte pas non plus le mot HQDn au v. 13, tout comme
le ms B lisant: rrnwpm M TOm w n
njtt ^ K , et qui le reporte au
verset suivant (voir aussi v. 25). En outre, le syriaque porte le suffixe

16
indtermin qui peut tre lu au fminin mais aussi au masculin .

Comme le texte de 11Q5 X X I ne semble jamais mentionner la sagesse,
contrairement aux autres versions et B, il paratrait logique que le
texte original l'ait nomme au dbut, l'instar du pome de vingt-deux
stiques en Si 6,18-37 qui la mentionne ds le v. 18b, ou de la pricope
de Si 14,20-15,10 qui la mentionne ds le v. 2 0 ; cela expliquerait alors
17
les suffixes fminins par la suite . La mme question se pose en 4Q525

2+3 ii 1-10 o le mot devait figurer dans le premier macarisme. Pour la
stichomtrie, on serait alors tent de comprendre comme texte original
e. g. : rrnippm noDinn *nrn Tnyn onun npj ^ K , OU encore *rwpm
^n/n^m riDDiri; cela expliquerait-il la mention des seuls suffixes ensuite, la mention de la prire au v. 16 en syriaque et B, et les louanges
14
Pour le texte, voir par exemple F. Vattioni, Ecclesiastico. Testo ebraico con apparato critico e versioni greca, latina e siriaca (Napoli: Istituto Orientale di Napoli,
1968), 279-83, ou N. Calduch-Benages, J. Ferrer, J. Liesen, La Sabiduria del escriba.
Wisdom of the Scribe. Diplomatie Edition of the Syriac Version of the Book of Ben Sira
according to Codex Ambrosianus, with Translations in Spanish and English (Biblioteca
Midrsica 26; Estella: Editorial Verbo Divino, 2003), 268-71.
Pour le manuscrit B, voir Facsimiles of the Fragments Hitherto Recovered of The
Book of Ecclesiasticus in Hebrew, (Oxford/Cambridge: University Press, 1901); Ben
Chayyim, The Book of Ben Sira, 66-67 ; P.C. Beentjes, The Book of Ben Sira in Hebrew.
A Text Edition of all Extant Hebrew Manuscripts and a Synopsis of All Parallel Hebrew
Ben Sira Texts (VTSup 68; Leiden/New York/Kln : Brill, 1997), 93-94 et 177s (mais
dition incomplte et pas toujours fiable).
Ainsi Delcor, Le texte hbreu , 44-45.
Le suffixe fminin est insuffisant pour devoir signifier la sagesse sans autre
prcision, avant de lire l'ensemble du pome, spcialement comme pome isol, malgr Skehan, The Acrostic Poem, 388, 390, P. Skehan and A. Di Leila, The Wisdom
of Ben Sira. A New Translation with Notes (AB 39; New York: Doubleday, 1987), 572,
574, Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5, 212 et 216, ou Gilbert, Venez mon
cole, 284-85, qui ajoute la mention de la prire pour un hmistiche de longueur
acceptable la suite de Minissale, mais cela ne solutionne pas la prsence du suffixe
isol en dbut de composition. Rickenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bei Sira, 197 et 201,
suppose le mot prsent: da hatte ich Gefallen an der Weisheit und suchte sie auf.
15
16
17
EMILE PUECH
302
Dieu en inclusion aux w . 17, 22 et 29, et le grec de 13b ? Quoi qu'il en

soit, le verset 13b en 11Q5 ne peut tre la formulation stichomtrique
originale pour rendre compte des versions le syriaque a deux verbes
m W a o m a h . n N ^ r f o et servir d'introduction au pome.
Au v. 14, la sagesse, sujet fminin, a rpondu en venant au-devant de
celui qui la cherchait, et elle est venue dans sa beaut. On retrouve
la mme image en Sg 8,2 : C'est elle que j'ai chrie et recherche ds
ma jeunesse ; je me suis efforc de l'avoir pour pouse et je suis devenu
l'amant de sa beaut . Le sens de m m a t discut cause de la graphie defective du mot sans waw ni alef, comme en lQIs 52,14 ( n m ) ,
sans doute pour viter, avec le suffixe fminin, la confusion avec m i n i
dans la Loi , (voir la graphie en Sira Masada 43,9 et 18 Tin et Ps 151,5
Tinn), mais le sens ne fait pas difficult . De mme, il n'y a pas lieu
de chercher un aramasme pour expliquer la dsinence adverbiale en
nsiD . Selon des auteurs, il est possible (mais ne ferait-il pas double
emploi avec 13a?) que le texte original lisait T n i i t t l au dbut du v. 14
pour expliquer vavn vao comme corruption de v veT]ti pou dans
la version grecque, tout en gardant la squence alphabtique et mp\
aTfj pouvant peut-tre s'expliquer par une lecture aramenne de
m m aprs elle . En revanche, l'orthographe du verbe HJBnnK est
bien connue Qumrn .
b
18
19
20
Le verset 15a-b comprend deux hmistiches quilibrs, en faisant de

D m y le sujet du verbe au pluriel inow et de to un substantif la
maturation , ou un infinitif sens grondif en mrissant en parlant
du fruit auquel a donn naissance la fleur . La particule DJi a ici le sens
concessif mme si pour exprimer la finalit de la comparaison , la
21
22
18
Rickenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bei Sira, 197 et 201s, suit le syriaque pour v.

14a. Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original, 176 et 182-83, estime que le grec pourrait
avoir compris mm comme mn[y]n in ...prayer rendu en consquence v TtpoaDxfj> mais le suffixe reste encore inexpliqu, et il prfre une lecture mnHl with
(or in) her abundance . Enfin, il n'est nullement prouv que le grec soit meilleur pour
le sens, malgr J. Zsengellr, Does Wisdom Come from the Temple ? Ben Sira's Attitude to the Temple of Jerusalem , dans Studies in the Book of Ben Sira. Papers of the
Third International Conference on Deuterocanonical Books, Shimeon Centre, Papa,
Hungary, 18-20 May, 2006 (eds. G.G. Xeravits and J. Zsengellr; SupJSJ 127; Leiden/
Boston: Brill, 2008), 135-49, p. 142-43.
Malgr Delcor, Le texte hbreu , 32.
Sans en faire un puai comme il a t suggr, voir Ueberschaer, Weisheit aus
der Begegnung, 327 n 99.
Avec Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original , 14 et 176, suivi par Deutsch, Minissale, Gilbert et Reymond.
Avec Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original, 175,177, suivi par Deutsch, Minis19
20
21
22
LA SAGESSE DANS LES BATITUDES DE BEN SIRA
303
fleur est appele donner un fruit qui rjouit encore mieux le cur
de l'homme. L'image de la fleur qui donne du fruit explicite le verset
prcdent : de la sagesse qui, dans sa beaut, vint lui dans sa jeunesse,
le sage en rcolte maintenant la saveur des fruits. Aussi, pour l'auteur,
sa recherche continuera jusqu' sa fin.
Le v. 15c-d tire les consquences de son exprience: parce qu'il a
connu la sagesse ds sa jeunesse, il a march dans la droiture, le droit
chemin, voir Ps 26,12. Le syriaque et B lisent vrit au lieu de rectitude , ils ajoutent Seigneur et explicitent le suffixe, respectivement
cialcu, la science, l'instruction et la sagesse , le verbe grec xveuov
arf\v j'ai suivi sa trace parat avoir t influenc par 15c.
Au v. 16, 11Q5 et le grec ont un mme texte, except que le grec a
ajout un deuxime verbe en 16a Kai edpr]v et j'ai reu , et un pronom pauT) en 16b. En 16a le syriaque et B sont centrs sur la prire
dans la jeunesse. En 16b, le substantif est rendu respectivement par
npb, naieiav, r&s\c^
instruction et njn.
Le v. 17, dernier verset de la premire strophe, a fait difficult. L'diteur a compris le substantif n*?pi comme le participe fminin de b}))
nurse , considrant la sagesse comme une fiance et une mre, en
se rfrant Si 15,2-10, mais l, elle n'est pas prcisment prsente
comme une nourrice. Le grec npoKOTtr] yveT poi v aTfj, littralement ce fut un progrs pour moi grce elle , suppose manifestement
la lecture d'un autre verbe. Des auteurs ont compris le mot comme
avantage, profit partir du verbe by , ou comme croissance .
Le syriaque a traduit i n son joug suivi par B qui lit ^ Tn nby
mais sans le waw en tte du verset la suite du syriaque, waw
23
2A
25
sale et Gilbert. Le grec a lu cette mme squence sans en saisir prcisment le sens.
Mais le syriaque et B ignorent cette mtaphore.
Suivi par Delcor, Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 402, faisant appel 1QH
XV 24 ( = VII 21) mais ce renvoi est inexistant, et XVII 36 ( = IX 36) au sens de
nourrisson, de mme 4Q179 1 ii 4, et non de nourrice, Marbck, Garcia Martinez and Tigchelaar, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, 1175: wet-nurse , Sauer,
Jesus Sirach, 637, F.V Ritrer, Das Verhltnis der HDDn zur min im Buch Ben Sira.
Kriterien zur gegenseitigen Bestimmung, dans Studies in the Book of Ben Sira (eds.
Xeravits and Zsengellr), 97-133,119, Ueberschaer, Weisheit aus der Begegnung, 327,
mais Muraoka ne se prononce pas. Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original, 177-78,
prfre la forme nV^ prtexte, raison, cause, difficile dans cette construction de la
phrase : And for me she has been the reason I give thanks to my teachers .
Ainsi Skehan, Minissale.
Gilbert, Venez mon cole, 284-85 et 290, venant du participe fminin de
nby au sens de croissant, en croissance, et il garde le waw de coordination en 17b
avec B et le syriaque, la suite de Minissale.
23
2 4
25
EMILE PUECH
304
pourtant ncessaire dans cette liste alphabtique. On a du mal suivre

cette dernire interprtation qui corrige le verbe au masculin, (supprime le n- du substantif ) et en reste une graphie defective, alors
qu'on attendrait une forme pleine Vip dans la copie des deux manuscrits, 11Q5 et B . Toutes ces corrections ne donnent pas pour autant
un sens clair du passage, car la sagesse n'est pas en elle-mme un joug
ni un fardeau, puisque son apprentissage, d'aprs le sage, demande un
attachement aimant' la sagesse, ainsi que le prcise Si 6,18-37, voir
Mt 11,30 o mon joug est doux et mon fardeau lger est dit de la Loi,
autrement dit pour le disciple, mme la Loi n'est plus un joug ni un fardeau. On comprend alors pourquoi B et sa source ont ajout un complment honneur la suite de 6,30 Son joug sera un ornement d'or
et ses liens des rubans de pourpre. Comme une lecture du participe
fminin de nby devrait normalement tre, elle aussi, orthographie
nîp dans ce manuscrit, une lecture plus simple ne serait-elle pas de
comprendre le mot de la racine n*?p monter, crotre comme le substantif n-^p hauteur, lvation, exaltation, connu en hbreu biblique
dans des emplois dits potiques' ou adverbiaux (Os 11,7, etc.) et dans
YInstruction Qumrn, en 4Q417 2 i 11 lire tyl T I M bm *D j n i et
sache qui hritera de la gloire et de l'lvation , ici avec le suffixe fminin, ou mieux encore de le comprendre d'aprs l'orthographe aloh)
comme un infinitif absolu substantive un panouissement, une lvation, une russite ? On expliquerait ainsi l'origine de la traduction
grecque progrs, si l'auteur a, grce la sagesse, accs sa hauteur;
cette lvation ou croissance est alors devenue pour lui un panouis6
27
28
26
Voir Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 212,218s.

Ainsi Rickenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bei Sira, M.J. Goff, Discerning Wisdom. The Sapiential Literature of the Dead Sea Scrolls (VTSup 116; Leiden/Boston:
Brill, 2007), 251-53, et 167, sont enclins comprendre joug et lire une dittographie, bien que traduisant par nurse . Le renvoi au v. 26 (Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30
and 11Q5, 219) mot orthographi la forme defective comme reprise de la prcdente (mais B n'a pas une graphie rgulirement pleine, voir xb b) 7\by2 ODnNlSl
IROn est comparer la graphie pleine de la phrase de construction similaire en
4Q438 3 3 : "10101 l ^ l j n *nw*nn n a i a i par exemple, ou au manuscrit A 6,30 nîy qui
use cependant dune graphie moins pleine: *7D, xb, etc. Le v. 17a de 11Q5 ne peut se
traduire elle a t pour moi un joug, moins dune correction du texte et dune
interprtation comme la fait le syriaque.
Au lieu de ôyi T11D gloire ou affliction de l'dition, voir . Puech, Recension de M. Goff, RQ 84 (2004) : 649-50, seule lecture pigraphique recevable et en
plein accord avec le contexte construit en paralllismes synonymiques, lecture accepte par J.-S. Rey, 4QInstruction: sagesse et eschatologie (STDJ 81 ; Leiden/Boston :
Brill, 2008), 134.
27
28
LA SAGESSE DANS L E S B A T I T U D E S DE BEN SIRA
305
29
sment, un progrs auquel, seul, il ne pouvait prtendre . Aussi veutil rendre gloire Celui qui l a instruit HQ*?0*?1, Dieu, dispensateur de
la Sagesse, qu'il a pri (v. 13b restaurer?), voir Is 48,17. Puis la lecture n m s'impose ici au lieu de mn , gnralement retenu, qui ne
s'adapte pas au contexte. Pour le sens, suivre la traduction grecque Sa
gloire prfrable grce. Ainsi finit la premire strophe par une
premire louange divine.
La deuxime strophe continue la confession de l'auteur qui, aprs
avoir trouv la sagesse, a dcid de poursuivre sa recherche. Au v. 18,
on ne doit pas corriger la leon npnwi en npwnKl . Le verbe signifie
user, broyer, triturer, frotter, fouler homophone de rire, jouer ,
mais le premier sens est retenir aprs le verbe marquant la dcision THOT en rfrence 6,36 , et non Pr 8,30 qui ne gouverne pas
un accusatif . La lecture de TiKJp en 11Q5 renforce la lecture du grec
itfyXaa de quelques manuscrits, mais la finale Kai ou pf| aiG\vvQ est
due une mtathse de lecture de la part du traducteur lisant IPUN au
lieu de 11WK . Les deux verbes font sens, mais le syriaque et B appuieraient la lecture 2WX.
30
31
32
33
34
36
Certains auteurs ont pens trouver au v. 19a une autre preuve de l'accent erotique du pome, mais WSi, ici tout comme en 19b, peut n'avoir
29
Le v avxf\ n'est pas alors une paraphrase comme 1 estimait Delcor, Le texte
hbreu, 33-34, mais la traduction du suffixe fminin, tout comme en 17b, dfaut
dune traduction littrale, T> IVTI UOI aocpiav est une bonne exgse de HO^D*?:
c est Dieu qui lui a donn accs la sagesse aprs la prire. Cela pourrait justifier la
prsence de la prire au v. 13b.
Avec Delcor, Skehan, Rabinowitz, Sauer, Minissale, Gilbert, Reymond.
Malgr l'diteur, The Psalm Scroll 80, le passage ne comporte rien d'erotique,
Rickenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bei Sira, 203, Marbck, Weisheit im Wandel, 121 :
meine brennenden Eifer, Deutsch: my praise , Garcia Martinez and Tigchelaar,
The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, 1175: my honour , Goff, Discerning Wisdom,
251s, my ardor . Ben Chayyim, The Book of Ben Sira, 66, ne se prononce pas sur le
choix du suffixe, mais il ne donne pas non plus (p. 242) son analyse du substantif nbty
dans ce passage.
la suite de Skehan, The Acrostic Poem, 394, influenc par B 19a, de mme
Deutsch.
Comme le comprend Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 213 et 220s.
Au sens d' user le seuil, donc de frquenter, avec Rabinowitz, Di Lella,
Minissale et Gilbert.
Avec Sanders, Delcor, Marbck, Sauer, Jsus Sirach, p. 637 note. Reymond,
Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 220, traduit that I would sing, faisant remarquer que
l'autre signification implique la destruction de la sagesse. Mais on peut aussi le comprendre dans le sens de l'assimilation, ce qu'a bien compris le grec rov Ttoifjaai
30
31
32
33
34
35
aTfjv...
36
Rickenbacher et Sauer retiennent le texte de B.
306
EMILE PUECH
37
que le sens rflexif habituel , et non celui de dsir coupl avec Tinn
j'ai enflamm mon dsir pour elle ; il en est de mme encore pour
n u bien au lieu de plaisir au v. 18. Le grec a plutt interprt que
traduit l'hbreu en partie connu par le syriaque.
Il est clair que la lecture * m o en 19b est pour * r m o , soit par l'assimilation du dalet dans le taw, soit par une haplographie aprs le res de
graphie trs semblable. Ce stique reprend le sens du prcdent, sous
une autre forme. La lecture V D m i est assure, mais on a fait remarquer que r V D m au pluriel, au sens de dans ses hauteurs , n'est pas
attest en hbreu . On doit tout de mme noter le pluriel du mot Dôn,
"Dn dans les Cantiques de l'holocauste du sabbat, 4Q403 1 i 30. dfaut, il serait possible de lire n*DVi(D):l en postulant l encore une haplographie de mem aprs le bet de graphisme proche dans cette main,
voir une faute semblable au premier hmistiche de ce mme verset 19b,
mais la signification reste la mme et dans ses hauteurs, ses lvations . Car la sagesse demeure auprs de Dieu, voir 24,4.
38
39
Avec le verset 19c commencent les difficults de lecture de 11Q5

X X I 1 7 sur lesquelles les auteurs divergent, en proposant de lire soit *T
"n]nnJ j'ai ouvert ma/mes main(s) , soit *n]ttn j'ai tendu mes
mains , soit n]nn) m a main a ouvert . Ensuite les auteurs soit ne
lisent rien , soit restaurent mjJBJ ses portes en suivant le ms B .
Cependant, la lecture n'est pas aussi dsespre qu'il peut paratre, les
traces de lettres et l'espace permettent de trouver une solution. Audessous des sin-bet, on peut encore lire alefet les ttes de taw et de he,
suivis de rPD*l JJOll entirement lisible . Ainsi, la lecture nnjJW de B est
40
41
42
43
44
45
37
38
Avec Rabinowitz, Deutsch, Sauer, Reymond.

Sanders, Delcor, Skehan, (Muraoka), Di Lella, Marbck, Minissale, Gilbert et
Goff.
39
Voir Skehan, The Acrostic Poem, 394-95, Minissale, La versione greca del
Siracide, 143, et Gilbert. Il faudrait lire noomi et de 1 exalter.
Sanders, The Psalm Scroll, Delcor.
A. Di Lella, Recension de DJDJIV, CBQ 28 (1966) : 93-94, proposition accepte
par Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original , 180, Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 572
et 575 (contrairement Skehan) et Marbck.
Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 434, Rickenbacher, Skehan, The Acrostic
Poem, 388 et 395, Deutsch, Muraoka, Sauer, Minissale, Gilbert et Reymond.
Sanders, Delcor, Rabinowitz.
Muraoka, An Erotic Hymn , 172 et 176, Skehan (au singulier avec le syriaque),
Deutsch, Minissale, Gilbert, Reymond, Goff, Discerning Wisdom, 254s, et Ueberschaer, Weisheit aus der Begegnung, 328 n. 112, accepte cette lecture.
Ni Sanders, The Psalm Scroll et The Sirach 51 Acrostic , ni Delcor, Le texte
hbreu, 31 et 37, ne lisent la prposition -ni, ce qui interdit de comprendre cause
40
41
42
43
44
45
307
impossible par les traces et trop longue pour l'espace, y compris au singulier avec le syriaque . La lecture qui parat alors s'imposer ne peut
gure tre que nnKfa n]nn) *T m a main a ouver[t] son [ent]re .
Le dernier hmistiche son tour ne contient rien d'erotique , reprenant la phrasologie de Si 42,18 (Masada) : pnn* OTOnpDll au sujet
des secrets desseins de l'Abme et du cur que Dieu pntre . L'entre
que sa main a ouverte, tel Salomon qui, dans sa prire, demandait
Dieu la sagesse (Sg 7,7; 8,20), est l'accs la sagesse sise dans les cieux
auprs de Dieu, qui seule connat les secrets de Dieu et qui les communique aux hommes qui en font la demande (Sg 9,4.9-18).
La fin de la ligne 17 de 11Q5 X X I porte le verset 20a ivbx w a n
avec des restes de 20b au dbut de la ligne 18 que l'diteur ne mentionne mme pas, lire ainsi: nTlN!JQ ]n[nn]o[l, trace de la boucle
de tet et tte de he. Le verset 20a manque dans beaucoup de tmoins
n'ayant conserv que 20b : Kai v KaOapiap eupov ari^v en grec et
JVnK!f D m n o i en B comme en syriaque r ^ o ^ ^ o . Le dbut du verset
trouve un parallle en 4Q184 3 2 lire ainsi: nD*]D vbx nan T Q [ n ,
voir aussi lQH VIII 28 (= X V I 10) "plira *D m n b T n n n
et
moi, j'ai choisi de purifier mes mains selon ta volont. Une lecture
de m n o i l au masculin avec suffixe n'est pas attendue , et la puret
46
47
48
49
50
51
de sa sagacit comme autre possibilit.

Malgr les auteurs. La proposition de Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 572
et 575 : [onn*? *n]ttHfl, en suivant le grec, pour retrouver l'attitude de la prire, est
impossible par les traces et la longueur.
Le mot est bien connu en hbreu, y compris dans le Rouleau de cuivre, 3Q15.
J'ai dj propos cette lecture dans une autre note Ben Sira and Qumran , dans The
Wisdom of Ben Sira (eds. Passaro and Bellia), 79-118,83-84. On peut aussi comparer
les images du Ps 154,8 au sujet de la sagesse : rr nn et rVNUD, voir Sanders, The Psalm
Scroll, 64, qui, au v. 20, affirme que Dieu a tabli sa demeure Sion; en Si 24,8-10, le
Crateur a ordonn la sagesse de dresser sa tente en Jacob et d'officier en Sa prsence
dans la tente sainte, Sion o elle s'est tablie.
Pour comprendre j'ai aperu sa nudit , ainsi Sanders, Delcor, Muraoka, Marbck, Garcia Martinez and Tigchelaar, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, 1175, et
Goff.
Avec Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original , 180. Le ms B lit ainsi ce verset : *T
nn u*3Kl "nn** n*?l nnyw nnn ma main a ouvert ses portes et je l'ai entoure et je
l'ai contemple, (dj le syriaque), lecture retenue par Rickenbacher et Sauer.
Avec J. Strugnell, Notes en marge du volume V des 'Discoveries in the Judaean
Desert of Jordan' , RQ 26 (1970) : 163-276,268. Ainsi on ne peut pas dire que le verbe
T U ne se trouve pas construit avec la prposition bu, malgr Reymond, Sirach
51:13-30 andllQ5, 222.
Comme le comprennent Muraoka, An Erotic Hymn, 172, et Sauer, Jsus
Sirach, 637, pour y lire srement la virginit de la sagesse I found her a virgin , ou
Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 402 et 406, pour un tat de puret lvitique. Rie46
47
48
49
50
51
308
EMILE PUECH
ici vise est celle de l'homme, non celle de la sagesse, car l'homme n'y
accde que les mains pures et le cur pur, comme le rappelle fort propos un passage des Batitudes 4Q525 2+3 1-3 : Heureux celui qui dit
la vrit] avec un cur pur... (reprenant Ps 15,2), Heureux celui qui la
recherche avec des mains pures . Et une lecture ]Vpl2 est certainement
exclue en 11Q5 X X I 18 .
Contrairement ce qui est affirm, il y a des restes du v. 20c-d en
11Q5 X X I 1 8 . Au-dessous des lettres alef-taw, on voit une fine trace du
dpart de la diagonale du alef, puis un dpart du trait oblique coud
de sin, puis au-dessous du premier nun, un dpart de la hampe de lamed, puis au-dessous au yod, un dpart de la diagonale et du jambage
gauche de alef, enfin au-dessous des alef-bet, des traces du alef et du
dpart du trait oblique coud du an. Ces notes palographiques et
les espaces demandent de lire ainsi ce verset: p]V U>N[no noy TPJp db
n(j)l]pN X[)b . La lecture de 20c a dj t bien restaure par Skehan
54
l'aide du grec Kapiav Ktr|adpr|v pet' auTfj n pxfj , sans trop se
fier au texte de B : nn^nno 7\b W J p 2*71, ou au syriaque avec IVJp NI*?!
KlVWn JD "6 . Le mot 1*7 a ici le sens de intelligence, comprhension,
bon sens , comme l'crit Si 37,17 le cur est la racine des penses
et non de cur, affection, inclination . Le dernier hmistiche a t
unanimement restaur p nnjn en suivant B, mais les traces s'y opposent ainsi que l'espace, la lecture p ? est assure. Quant au dernier
mot, on peut ou non insrer le nun avant le suffixe du verbe (voir v.
14b).
52
53
55
56
57
kenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bei Sira, 197 : in ihren Glanze , voir encore Sanders,
The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 434s, sur les trois significations possibles: purification,
puret et brillance.
Malgr Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5, 213s et 222, d'aprs une rtroversion possible du syriaque la suite dune proposition de Skehan, The Acrostic
Poem, 396, comprise comme through my innocence.
J'ai dj propos cette lecture dans Ben Sira and Qumran , 83-84.
Skehan, The Acrostic Poem, 388 et 396, suivant la variante du grec UET'
aTfj, et Di Lella ensuite.
Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide, 139 et 143, a combin un peu du syriaque et de B en lisant: nr6nnD 7; la suite de Sanders, The Psalm Scroll, et de
Rickenbacher. Ueberschaer, Weisheit aus der Begegnung, 328, et Gilbert, Venez
mon cole, 286s, optent pour T)b avec B, mais les objections de Gilbert Minissale
et Skehan ne sont pas ou plus recevables. Il n'y a pas davantage de contexte affectif
dans ce verset pour suivre Deutsch, et traduire : Je me suis pris d'affection pour elle
depuis le dbut. Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5, 213s, restaure U>*OD ^b.
Avec Skehan, Di Lella, et Reymond. Voir Pr 15,32; 17,16; 19,8.
Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 435, Deutsch, Sauer, Minissale et Gilbert.
52
53
54
55
>L
56
57
L A SAGESSE DANS LES B A T I T U D E S DE BEN SIRA
309
Pour la suite on n a plus d'appui palographique pour la restauration, mais seule une disposition graphique peut tre une premire
indication dans la rtroversion du grec qui est ici, de loin, le meilleur
tmoin du passage, comme l a montr la premire moiti du pome.
Le verset 21 devait commencer par *pD la fin de la ligne 18. Le trac
de la marge gauche passe juste gauche du yod, ligne 15 et droite du
premier jambage de he, ligne 17. Puis on suivrait la restauration de Skehan TWTib T\X21 plus proche du grec, peut-tre mme en orthographe
pleine, ou nwplb, et pour le dbut du second hmistiche, restaurer plus
simplement p*7 comme la ligne prcdente .
Le dernier verset de la deuxime strophe, v. 22, est en partie construit
sur Is 50,4 DH1D*? \wb "6 jru mm
comme le souligne Skehan. On
suivra ici encore Skehan, mais en remplaant TIR par le ttragramme
en criture palo-hbraque, comme il en est dans les autres compositions, y compris non massortiques, du rouleau , B crit
mais
inverse les lvres et la langue . La strophe finit elle aussi par la
louange pour tout ce que Dieu a fait pour lui.
58
59
60
La dernire strophe doit commencer au v. 23 avec un verbe samek

comme premire lettre, pour garder Tordre alphabtique avec le syriaque, au lieu de U) de B ou dune inversion avec D^DO en tte, lettre
que n ont gard ni le syriaque ni B. On peut hsiter sur la rtroversion
de TtaieuTOi, qui, en hbreu biblique, traduit une fois 0*611 (Pr 17,21)
et D^DD (Si B 51,23 et syriaque), mais deux fois D^DD (Pr 8,5 et 15,14),
c est une affaire de nuances. Mais on prfrerait encore le rendre par
DÎN que A emploie prcisment en Si 6,20; 8,4; 34,7 et 41,5, et voir
20,19.24 (grec), o l'accent est mis sur le manque ou/et le mpris de la
sagesse et de la discipline, donc des insenss ou des ignorants, comme
l a bien compris le grec en Si 51,23, voir aussi So 2,1 (grec). En revanche,
58
Skehan, The Acrostic Poem , 388 et 396s, qui ne suit pas le syriaque ni B, qui
sont des gloses partir dTs 16,11. Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 213 et 222,
prfre le second verbe. Minissale suivi par Gilbert a prfr lire avec le syriaque et B :
nb Winb nm, mais sans l'ajout comme un four, comme ont fait leurs devanciers
(Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , etc.), mais ils conservent, avec le syriaque et B, le
suffixe au verbe : n WJp, suffixe absent du grec et redondant pour le sens, donc inutile.
Avec Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 432.
Rickenbacher, Sanders The Sirach 51 Acrostic , Minissale et Gilbert suivent
B, mais Gilbert retient le ttragramme en criture aramenne. Reymond, Sirach
51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 213, comprend "DU? U1W*7, et Skehan inverse les substantifs pour
suivre la construction de B.
59
60
EMILE PUECH
3io
61
v OKO) TtcuEiac; rend littralement noiD n"!! , et non *ttmn n m de

B avec un suffixe .
Le v. 24 ne pose pas de grandes difficults de restauration en suivant
le grec, et le syriaque B pour la squence alphabtique TIQ
,
ainsi que le singulier au deuxime hmistiche, mais en en restant une
forme linguistique moins volue que celle de B .
Pour le v. 25, la traduction grecque qui parat strictement fidle
Tordre et au vocabulaire original du texte, doit servir de guide. Ainsi,
avec le grec et le syriaque, le verset devait dbuter par le verbe, et non
par le substantif d une inversion dans B , et le premier hmistiche
devait se terminer avec la prposition et le suffixe, n i avec le syriaque
et B. Mais avec le grec, il n'est pas alors ncessaire de prciser nODn
sagesse la suite du syriaque et de B dans le deuxime hmistiche ,
le suffixe prcdent est largement suffisant, d'autant que ces deux tmoins ne la mentionnaient mme pas en dbut de pome, v. 13b o on
l'attendait, contrairement au grec; c'est la premire et unique mention
en syriaque et la deuxime en B aprs v. 15 o elle n'est pas attendue .
Sans doute l'expression HQDn rup est-elle bien atteste, Pr 4,5.7; 16,16;
17,16; 18,15; 23,23, mais la restauration graphique n'autorise pas l'insertion de ce mot, moins d'une correction supra-linaire.
62
63
64
65
66
61
Avec Skehan, Di Lella, Reymond, et dj Lvi. Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and

11Q5, 223, relve les assonances entre TlD et "1D1D d'une part et, d'autre part, les
allitrations entre lamed-nun-bet dans les deux hmistiches en lisant D ^ U , mais c'est
un argument nettement insuffisant pour le choix du mot. En outre, l'association des
deux verbes se retrouve en Gn 19,2.
Avec Minissale, Gilbert, Goff, Discerning Wisdom, 251, Ritrer, Das Verhltnis, 120, et dj Smend, Segal, Sanders, The Psalm Scroll, 435, et Rickenbacher, voulant y trouver le premier exemple de l'expression. Le syriaque CA\CU n'a pas de suffixe
et peut appuyer 1D1D, voir par exemple Si 6,22 et 35,14. J.-S. Rey, 4QInstruction, 21,
crivant que Ben Sira a ouvert une cole de scribe (Si 51,23) , suppose la lecture
restaure *ttn"TD.
la suite de Minissale, Gilbert et Reymond, mais avec une orthographe pleine.
Il n'est pas ncessaire de corriger pour lire "6DKD avec Skehan, The Acrostic Poem ,
388 et 397-8, suivi par Di Lella, en rfrence Is 55,1-2.
Avec Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , Minissale et Gilbert.
Avec Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 573
et 57, Minissale et Gilbert.
Mais on peut difficilement invoquer avec Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and
11Q5, 223, que le mot n'apparat nulle part dans le pome et qu'il ne devait y tre
prsent qu'implicitement l'aide des pronoms. Le premier verset est certainement
mal conserv dans tous ses tmoins, copies et versions.
62
63
64
65
66
311
67
Le v. 26a-b devait suivre l encore Tordre du grec et du syriaque ,

non celui de B qui lit le substantif au pluriel intensif, comme il arrive
parfois en hbreu biblique . En revanche, le grec naieiav et le syriaque
r ^ W * semblent traduire noiQ, alors que B lit HKWQ en paronomase
avec le verbe KUttTl, de lecture sans doute prfrable dans ce contexte.
Dans cette orthographe pleine, il est probable que rfrlp portait le waw
(comparer 6,25.30).
En grec, le v. 26d fait dfaut, mais le second hmistiche est conserv
en syriaque et B. Le texte de B peut tre ici retenu comme fidle l'original , mais dans la graphie pleine de 11Q5 X X I . L'expression ]n\2
Wl pour s'appliquer est bien connue en hbreu, comme l'a not
Skehan : 1 Ch 22,19 ; Si 7,20 ; 30,21 ; 38,34, et dj v. 20c en syriaque.
Le syriaque semble avoir compris le v. 27 comme un tricolon, alors
que le grec a conserv les deux seuls hmistiches, et que B a un texte
composite : r r n * r c m n i *mDpl T T n ]Vp *0 DDTpl Kn commenant le
v. 28 par D'an . Le grec a le mme texte que le syriaque dans le premier
hmistiche l'exception de <n=> dans cn=
o o ^ u J ^ , sans la
confusion que fit B en rfrence au v. 16. En consquence s'impose une
lecture Ti*?op OJJQ a . En finale, suivre le syriaque et le grec mais sans
l'ajout de vdTtauaiv d'aprs 6,28 dans un autre pome sur la sagesse
et sans l'ajout de pauT). Une restauration matrielle du manuscrit ne
permet pas l encore de lire, moins d'un ajout supra-linaire, le mot
68
69
70
71
72
7 3
74
67
Avec Skehan, Di Lella et Reymond.

Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , Minissale et Gilbert suivent l'ordre de B.
Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 403, traduit par un pluriel your necks .
Avec Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 432 et 436, insistant sur le sens indiscutable du passage, contrairement au v. 17.
Mais il est impossible de savoir si le participe et la particule accusative du syriaque et de B sont prfrables l'imparfait PINS D* propos par Skehan, pour marquer
une consquence.
Dans l'orthographe pleine du manuscrit, la logique demande d'orthographier
la suite de firm, contrairement la graphie defective de Reymond, Sirach
51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 213, de mme ensuite nnK, avec Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic .
Sauer, Jsus Sirach, 638, suit B. Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , reporte HTin
du v. 27 au v. 28a, gardant les premires personnes : m p l l et
Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , et Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 403,
suivent B l'exception de T H D p corrig en T6DP.
Rickenbacher, Minissale et Gilbert gardent ce mot avec 7to\\f|v avanauaiv pour
lire nnUD niin. Dans ce cas on conserve un verset deux hmistiches, mais on n'explique pas l'absence du substantif aprs
en syriaque.
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
EMILE PUECH
312
nnUD. En dfinitive, la reconnaissance d u n tricolon, 27abc, ne parat

pas ncessaire ni prouve en rfrence au v. 13, lui-mme incomplet .
Le v. 28 devait commencer par si n, aussi D'an de B est-il comprendre
comme une corruption de la fin du v. 27 . Alors que la formulation du
grec, tout en gardant des lments importants, semble tre corrompue en contredisant partiellement 25b( et 27b, le syriaque parat avoir
gard la formulation primitive pour lire : DJJDl noiQ
voir >A&\CU
et T t c u s i a v , et i a ^ \ ^ pour OJJDl, voir v. 27b . En 28b, le syriaque et
B ont conserv la bonne squence mais ont gard la premire personne
75
76
78
7 7
dans la logique de 27a. Cependant, la troisime personne parat de

loin bien prfrable avec le grec Kai (TTOXV) xpvoov KtrjaaaOe v aTfj
pour n i Upn i n n , car dans ce pome il s'agit bien, depuis le dbut,
de l'instruction acqurir grce la sagesse , et non directement par
l'intermdiaire du sage qui se limite donner des conseils d'aprs sa
propre exprience . Ces tmoins ont interprt le pome dans un sens
personnalis.
79
80
Le v. 29 est certainement mieux rendu par le grec plus logique que le

syriaque et B ensuite. Ce dernier lit le suffixe de la premire personne
*UJJ , au lieu de la deuxime personne du pluriel du grec et du syriaque : Dltt>i qui est celle des suffixes de cette strophe, voir 24b, 26ab,
27 et 30 pour ne rien dire des verbes de cette exhortation la deuxime
personne du pluriel. Enfin, v Ttp Xei a t o rend bien n o m Ce huitime et dernier verset de la troisime strophe renvoie lui aussi Dieu
dispensateur de la sagesse, comme il en tait la fin des deux strophes
prcdentes, vv. 17 et 22, ce qu'a bien conserv le grec , contrairement
au syriaque et B qui, par la premire personne, renvoient l'enseignement du sage respectivement: , * \ a a . * v = et T i l ^ u r i , ,*v**an*.*v3 et
81
82
75
Ainsi Skehan et Reymond.

Sauer, Jsus Sirach, 638, traduit exactement la lecture de B de bout en bout.
Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 436, le rend par n m n aprs le verbe, en rfrence
auv. 16b.
B lit HID*? peu en situation ici, malgr Rickenbacher, Deutsch, Minissale et Gilbert. Mais le syriaque lit la premire personne pour en rester avec l'nonc du v. 27,
sans correspondant dans le grec.
B lit T n n j t t l retraduisant le syriaque v. 16, voir 27b, malgr Deutsch ; et Sanders,
The Sirach 51 Acrostic , lit m j t t n . Minissale et Gilbert lisent 1 O D 1 .
Avec Skehan, Di Lella et Reymond, bien que ce dernier auteur hsite, Sirach
51:13-30 and 11Q5, 223-24, malgr Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic .
Ainsi que le font la plupart des auteurs.
Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 432, mais prfrerait le suffixe pluriel, 437.
Rickenbacher et Sauer, Jsus Sirach, 638, suivent B tout du long.
Avec Skehan et Di Lella.
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
313
On peut difficilement, sans appui textuel, corriger les suffixes

la troisime personne du fminin pour renvoyer la sagesse .
8 3
TiTUJl .
84
Enfin, le dernier verset conclusif de tout le pome que les restes en 11Q5
X X I I 1 attestent comme original, doit commencer par un pe comme il
est connu ailleurs dans des compositions alphabtiques, Pss 25 et 34,
pour signifier *)bx apprendre/enseigner . On en trouve la confirmation par la traduction grecque pyeaGe t pyov pv, alors que
WV D T W P Q de B serait traduit par TTOIEV d u n e part et que, d'autre
part, le mot ne correspond pas la lettre pe attendue . Ni le grec, ni
le syriaque
n i p n'autorisent de lire un mlange des deux ra85
86
cines DD^pQ ibys d'une part et, d'autre part, l'espace disponible la
dernire ligne de la colonne ne le permet pas . De mme, le grec Ttpo
Kcupo ni le syriaque
c d * n'expliquent la lecture npTlQ de B ,
comprendre plutt comme ( l)njn. Sans doute, le grec ne connat pas
le suffixe contrairement au syriaque, mais le sens parat identique : littralement temps , avant le temps / avant Son temps , il s'agit du
temps que Dieu a fix pour chacun, c'est--dire pendant sa vie car, la
mort de chacun, ce sera trop tard, alors viendra le jugement, voir 46,19
m t P D b]) irm ny. Le manuscrit 11Q5 X X I I 1 donne les deux derniers
mots de l'hmistiche et du pome, et l'espace disponible n'autorise que
la restauration d'un seul autre mot la dernire ligne de la colonne X X I
87
88
83
Ainsi Rickenbacher, Deutsch, Minissale et Gilbert, mais ce dernier met les suffixes la troisime personne en 29a-b et corrige 29a en i n j W l Lui vous sauve ,
sans aucun appui textuel. Cette proposition n est pas retenir, d'autant qu elle introduit un mot trop long pour 1 espace disponible en cette dernire ligne de la colonne
qui est dj la vingt-sixime !
Ainsi que le propose Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 213 et 224.
Avec Skehan, The Acrostic Poem , 399 et le renvoi sa note en CBQ 23 (1961) :
127, pour l'explication du mot.
Malgr Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 432, puisqu'on attend un verset
commenant par pe. Voir note 11.
Comme le proposent Minissale, et Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 437,
mme en lisant p"TX2, 432, qui estime qu'il y a assez d'espace au bas de la colonne
XXI pour le texte de B tel qu'il le prsente, ce qui est clairement exclu, y compris avec
26 lignes. Cette colonne compte en effet 26 lignes, comme la colonne IX, sans doute
parce que le scribe estimait pouvoir crire la fin de son pome acrostiche dans cette
dernire (et supplmentaire) ligne de la colonne et commencer la colonne XXII avec
le Cantique Sion, que de fait il copie la suite aprs un vacat de 4 cm sans aller la
ligne, comme il fait habituellement pour un nouveau texte. Voir aussi Gilbert, Corley,
Searching for structure, 33.
Avec Skehan, Di Lella et Reymond. Minissale et Gilbert proposent ny tX mais
cette lecture est trop longue pour l'espace disponible dans la dernire ligne. Sanders,
The Sirach 51 Acrostic , Rickenbacher, Deutsch et Sauer suivent ici la lecture de B.
84
85
86
87
88
314
EMILE PUECH
26, soit le verbe une forme active j m avec le grec, et B mais sans la
proposition nominale trop longue , soit la forme passive j n n avec le
syriaque lvrm, mais l'actif est prfrable, mettant l encore Dieu au
centre de Faction, comme aux w . 17,22 et 29 (les finales de chacune des
trois strophes), ce qu'vite ici le syriaque .
89
90
Conclusion
Au terme de cette analyse du texte hbreu des restes de treize des vingttrois versets du pome alphabtique de Ben Sira en 11Q5 X X I 1 1 - X X I I
1, compar au texte des autres versions anciennes, le grec, le syriaque et
B, le caractre hypothtique de la restauration des parties manquantes
parat rduit au minimum, du moins autant qu'il est possible dans pareil cas. Il apparat que le grec comme le syriaque ont d interprter
et l, transposer un stique, changer de place un mot, changer un
suffixe, en ajouter ou en retrancher, etc., et qu'en dfinitive le texte hbreu de 11Q5 est de loin le plus proche de l'original, mme si ce dernier
reste inconnu. C'est particulirement le cas pour le premier verset N
(Si 51,13b) o il manque apparemment un ou deux mots dans le deuxime hmistiche, et le verset 1 (Si 51,17a) o le premier mot n'est pas de
signification totalement assure, comme l'a soulign le commentaire,
11Q5 et grec d'une part, et le syriaque et B d'autre part, et peut-tre
encore le v. 2 (Si 51,14a). Mais une meilleure lecture des restes de 11Q5
X X I 17-18 (Si 51,19c-d, et 20a-d = bo-*) a permis de lever les doutes
dans la lecture de l'hbreu qui a tout l'air d'tre celui de l'original.
Pour le reste, les restaurations des versets Q n et une partie de 3 final
(Si 51,21-30) donnent une structure et un sens excellents, expliquant
parfaitement les quelques petites divergences de l'une ou l'autre traduction. Et malgr le caractre hypothtique d'une rtroversion mais
que le report graphique appuie ici fortement , les divergences d'avec
B ne sont pas pour autant dpourvues de fondement srieux pour une
tude du pome dans sa totalit. Ainsi, malgr ses lacunes, 11Q5 X X I
11-XXII 1 passe pour la plus ancienne forme du texte hbreu qu'on
91
B: 03*7 \nu Kim, accept par Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , Rickenbacher
et Sauer. Minissale ne retient pas le complment suffixe redondant et absent du syriaque, de mme Gilbert sa suite. Mais la proposition est encore trop longue pour
l'espace.
Avec Skehan et Di Lella. On ne comprend pas la lecture de Reymond, Sirach
51:13-30 and 11Q5 , 213-14 : jnm, traduit so that he will give !
Voir le fac-simil, mais ma reconstruction ne valide aucunement les propositions de Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 437.
89
90
91
315
92
puisse atteindre, sans tre pour autant le texte original de Fauteur .

Mais il permet d'apprcier au mieux l'volution dans la transmission
du texte d'une poque une autre et d'un milieu culturel un autre,
car le texte a t rinterprt, ne serait-ce que par les changements de
suffixes, pour ne pas dire plus.
Dans sa forme la plus primitive possible dont on puisse maintenant
disposer, une lecture erotique du pome est, me semble-t-il, loin de
s'imposer, ainsi que certains l'ont prtendu , moins de fausses lectures, et de forcer le sens des mots et des images d'une personnification
de la sagesse. Et certains avaient dj, avec raison, contest une telle
lecture . Le pome propose un jeune de rechercher la sagesse et d'en
poursuivre la qute, la suite de l'auteur, avec la mme conviction et
la mme ardeur qu'il mettrait la recherche d'une fiance et l'amour
d'une pouse (comparer Sg 8,2 : C'est elle que j'ai chrie et recherche
ds ma jeunesse; je me suis efforc de l'avoir pour pouse et je suis
devenu l'amant de sa beaut. ), et cela, mme si la rcompense de cette
poursuite peut se faire attendre tard ou la fin de la vie (voir Si 6,28),
Dieu rcompensera en Son Temps. Tel est le message central du pome
travers l'image de la personnification de la sagesse prsente comme
une fiance ou une pouse dont on est pris toute sa vie durant et qui
doit remplir le cur de bonheur. L'auteur ne demande pas au jeune
de venir lui (troisime strophe) comme certains l'ont pens , mais
d'aller elle, la sagesse, ds la jeunesse et tout au long de la vie, il en est
de mme en Si 6,18-19 et 24,19. On ne peut pas dire que la traduction
93
94
95
92
Malgr Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 437 : HQPs contains the authentic
text of the original canticle... , contrairement The Psalm Scroll, 83 : While Q may
possibly not represent the original text of the poem in all details, it is clearly superior
to Syr.-Cairo and lat. .
Voir note 3. Ainsi Sanders, The Psalm Scroll et The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 437s:
rien ne prouve que des Pietits (sic) violated the original text, probably even before it
was appended to Sirach as a rider , Delcor, Le texte hbreu , 39-41, Muraoka, Marbck, Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 406-07, mais plus modre dans l'interprtation des images, Goff, Discerning Wisdom, 251-56 ; Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and
11Q5, 210 et 228s, ne nie pas l'usage de certains mots et phrases en ce sens, w . 18c,
19c, 21a, et plus largement la deuxime strophe. Il n'y est pas question de nourrice,
de matresse, de nudit, de vierge, d'orgasme, etc., voir une liste de mots connotation erotique suppose par les auteurs, dresse par Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and
11Q5, 209-10.
Voir Rabinowitz, Di Lella, recension de DJDJIV, CBQ 28 (1966) : 92-95, Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide, 138, et Gilbert.
Voir entre autres Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 404, 408s, sinon dans le
texte B par exemple.
93
94
95
EMILE PUECH
316
grecque ait dnatur cette qute, en faisant disparatre les expressions

96
exprimant les dsirs amoureux et en les spiritualisant . La mtaphore

de Dame sagesse est toujours au centre du pome, mme si la recherche
de la sagesse y est plus clairement identifie la pratique de la Loi, pratique qui n a rien en soi de passionnel. Toutefois, la Loi est dj prsente
par fines touches et allusions dans le texte hbreu, comme elle 1 est en
6,31 ; 15,1, etc.
L'appartenance de ce pome au livre de Ben Sira a t nie par certains
d'abord parce que la copie a t retrouve en 11Q5 avec des Psaumes et
97
98
des compositions de David , d'autres hsitent , tandis que beaucoup

99
le reconnaissent comme pome autobiographique . Si, l'exemple

de Pr 31,10-31, ce pome acrostiche conclut bien le livre comme un
appendice aprs une premire et courte conclusion en 50,27-29, c'est
avant tout son contenu qui est en parfaite situation et en harmonie avec
le reste du livre, bien intgr dans un grand passage ddi la louange,
100
Si 42,15 51,12 et mme jusqu' 51,30 . Ds le dbut, Ben Sira dclare
96
Voir par exemple Delcor, Le texte hbreu, 39-41. Toutefois, on ne peut pas
dire que le traducteur grec a introduit un lment cultuel qui ne se trouve pas dans le
texte hbreu. Une allusion la prire est prsente dans le texte hbreu, quand Fauteur
purifie ses mains et qu'il cherche la sagesse dans les hauteurs = la prire, vv. 19b-c20a.
Sanders, The Psalm Scroll 85, 92, en est certain, et celui qui l'a inclus dans ce
rouleau, semble l'attribuer David. Mais Sanders, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 437, en
fait un pome indpendant, ni de David ni de Sira. Voir note 2.
Deutsch, The Sirach 51 Acrostic , 401 ; Goff, Discerning Wisdom, 249s, probablement pas de Ben Sira, bien que rcit autobiographique d'un sage o rsonnent
les thmes cls du reste de l'instruction, particulirement en 6,18-37 et 14,20-15,10.
J.J. Collins, Jewish Wisdom in the Hellenistic Age (Edinburg: T&T Clarck, 1997), 53,
crit: it is not certain that it was composed by Ben Sira. Nonetheless, it has several
points of contact with the rest of Sirach's book, for which it is in many ways a fitting
conclusion. ... It must at least be regarded as representative of the kind of wisdom
circles in which Sirach moved . Minissale, La versione greca del Siracide, 137, ne se
prononce pas.
Rabinowitz, The Qumran Original, 173 n. 1, Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben
Sira, 576s, Sauer, Jsus Sirach, 489, Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5, 210, 231,
Muraoka, An Erotic Hymn, 166 et n. 1, Skehan et Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben
Sira, 576s, Marbck, Weisheit im Wandel, 124s, Gilbert, Venez mon cole, 290,
... texte bien dans la manire de Ben Sira... conclut excellemment le livre, et Reymond, Sirach 51:13-30 and 11Q5, 230-31 : Thse parallelistic structures all have
analogs in the poetry of Sirach,... these common traits suggest that Ben Sira was, in
fact, the author of this poem. Pour Corley, Searching for structure , 41s, ce pome
appartient la premire dition du livre: 1,1-23,27 + 51,13-30, voir aussi Manfredi,
The true sage, 173, et Ueberschaer, Weisheit aus der Begegnung, 323-37, en faveur
de l'appartenance au livre.
100 y j dernirement M. Gilbert, Prayer in the Book of Ben Sira: Function and
97
98
99
317
que toute sagesse vient du Seigneur, elle est prs de Lui jamais
(1,1-10), et il conclut: Heureux l'homme qui ressassera ces choses et,
les plaant en son cur, deviendra sage (50,28).
Mais bien d'autres passages du livre donnent un mme enseignement, voir par exemple les vingt-deux stiques (non acrostiches cette
fois) en 6,18-37 sur l'apprentissage de la sagesse (trois fois mon fils,
v. 1 8 , 2 3 , 3 2 ) . Quand Si 51,23 demande au jeune de venir loger dans
la demeure de l'instruction , il ne fait que reprendre la mtaphore de Si
14,24-27. Tout comme l'invitation du sage la louange en 51,17.22.2930 renvoie 15,9-10. Si le pome fait partie du livre de Ben Sira, il n'est
donc pas surprenant que des chos se retrouvent de part et d'autre dans
ces pomes. Or ces derniers versets font partie d'un passage particulier
dcrivant la recherche de la sagesse sous une forme de huit batitudes
suivies des bndictions, o la sagesse est prsente avec les mmes
images que dans le pome acrostiche. Il convient de voir maintenant
d'un peu plus prs le texte de la pricope de Si 14,20-27 et 15,1-10.
101
B. BONHEUR DU SAGE: i 4 , 2 0 - i 5 , i o
102
103
Notes sur le texte (Texte et traduction en Annexe)

Le syriaque m l n n o
devait lire l'hbreu rpnnTtfn au verset 21b,
dans une mme squence que Pr 3,17, tout comme le v. 20 est tout fait
parallle Pr 3,13, alors que le manuscrit A reprend faussement 20b
dans une mtathse (involontaire) de lettres en TTmimi. La Vorlage
du syriaque est prfrable compare au grec dans ses secrets Kal v
1
Relevance , dans Prayerfrom Tobit to Qumran. Inaugural Conference of the ISDCL at

Salzburg, Austria, 5-9 July 2003 (eds. R. Egger-Wenzel and J. Corley; Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Yearbook 2004; Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter,
2004), 117-35,124-26.
Pour le texte hbreu, voir Skehan, The Acrostic Poem, 399-400, texte
conserv dans les manuscrits A, partiellement C et 2Q18 2.
Le passage est conserv en hbreu par les manuscrits A (entirement et en criture continue) et B (15,1-10 partiellement et en stichomtrie), voir Facsimiles of the
fragments et Ben Chayyim, The Book of Ben Sira, 20-21, Beentjes, The Book of Ben
Sira, 43-44, 51 et 141-42.
103 y j g p ech, 4Q525 et les pricopes des batitudes en Ben Sira et Matthieu ,
RB 98 (1991): 80-106, 92.
Pour le syriaque, voir Vattioni, Ecclesiastico, 73-77, ou Calduch-Benages, Ferrer, Liesen, La Sabiduria del escriba, 120-23.
101
102
104
318
EMILE PUECH
t o 7TOKpi>(poi<; aTfj, en conservant le paralllisme synonymique du

verset : voies et sentiers .
Au v. 22a, A lit un infinitif ntwb tout comme le syriaque mais avec
la copule *iasAa, alors que le grec a un impratif EEXE qui supposaient
encore la lecture du participe sans article (voir v. 25a et b et 27a) KIT
en criture defective mais lu Mity lequel, avec une correction supralinaire pour une orthographe pleine, a d tre l'origine de la lecture
du lamed et en consquence de la correction l'infinitif. Le passage
des macarismes 14,20-27 tait compos de sept participes toujours en
tte d'un hmistiche, et de sept imparfaits toujours en fin d'hmistiche
(voir ci-dessous). Puis le grec et le syriaque demanderaient de corriger
l'hbreu npm en npl"D comme un traqueur. En 22b l'hbreu lit ^D,
mot absent du grec et du syriaque qui lit Ix.o, mais l'un et l'autre sont
supprimer pour le dcompte des mots .
Au v. 23a, supprimer l'article du substantif construit avec un suffixe.
Au v. 24 le grec traduit TtaaaXov un piquet le iniV ses cordes
de A en lisant probablement 1TIV son piquet, et le pluriel ensuite,
dans ses murs (avec le syriaque). L'hbreu traduit par le grec est retenir, mme si le sens fondamental reste le mme le piquet retient les
cordes , car le verbe *Pim traduit par 7tr|ei convient un pieu non
une corde ; mais le pluriel du syriaque serait tout aussi prfrable ses
pieux TlDO car l'hbreu ITTV peut tre vocalis au pluriel (nombreux exemples en hbreu qumranien), ce qu'a d oublier le traducteur
grec, car s'il y a plusieurs murs, il y a ncessairement plusieurs piquets).
L'hbreu original devait se lire ainsi: nO)Tp2 l(*)Tn* *ram.
105
106
Les v. 25a, 26a et 27a ne devaient pas commencer par le waw copule,
comme le suppose le grec. Comprendre 25b comme le syriaque et plusieurs recensions grecques v KaraXupaTi, et non et s'installe en bon
voisin , sans appui dans les versions grecques et syriaque . Il s'agit de
la tente de la sagesse auprs de Dieu.
Au v. 26a, la lecture Mp est meilleure que 1^1 suppose par le grec Ta
TKva a t o qui rompt la mtaphore dans ce verset.
107
105 y i p
, 4Q525 et les pricopes des batitudes, 92 et 94. Marbck,
Weisheit im Wandel, 105, propose de le corriger en tyl, mais le compte des mots n y
est pas favorable, et en outre le verbe rgit un accusatif.
Ainsi fait Rickenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bei Sira 75-76, renvoyant
Is 33,20.
Skehan and Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 262-64, traduisent and lives
as her welcome neighbor , mais sans appui dans les versions, sauf peut-tre A, qui
peut tre fautif pour pttJDl, de mme Ueberschaer, Weisheit aus der Begegnung, 270.
0
u e c r i
106
107
319
Au v. 27b, le grec Kai v rfj rj atfj semble avoir lu la racine

I nniDW pour le synonyme TnUDWDll, mais ce dernier, peut-tre
une dformation en ou confusion avec rrnujJDll est appuy par le syriaque c 7 x . \ . = o , et est en situation et en harmonie avec 27a: habitations, refuges .
En 15,1-10, les versets portent le waw copule en hbreu et en syriaque aux w . 2 - 5 suite la conjonction *0 du v. 1 non rendue en grec
et en syriaque, alors que le grec n'atteste la copule qu'aux w . 2 et 5. Le
dernier hmistiche des w . 4 - 1 0 de B lacuneux sont complter d'aprs
A.
Au v. 3a, le syriaque traduit bW par K'fcxsaaj**, et en 3b A a corrig
riNUn en n m n , B porte en marge nnNianDl, mais le syriaque et le grec
appuient la leon r m i n *Q1.
Au v. 5b, ]p T i m : correction marginale de B : i n y n T i m , sans appui
dans le grec ni dans le syriaque.
Au v. 6a, B porte une correction marginale tWIT pour lire la troisime personne du verbe, comme A, et le verbe manque dans la plupart
des manuscrits grecs qui rendent librement l'hmistiche. Le syriaque a
lu ,cr>cu\s**\ elle le comble .
Au v. 8, le grec a traduit par l'abstrait mepr)9avia le concret de
l'hbreu W&n.
Au v. 9, le syriaque remplace r6nn par rtten^s.
Au v. 10b , l'hbreu nnoV* n i
comme le syriaque doit se
rapporter au sage, alors que le grec Kai Kpio evooei arv l'entend de Dieu. Le grec a aussi remplac M n *n par v yctp 0091a pour
une inclusion plus vidente avec 14,20, mais cette traduction est dj
une interprtation.
Ainsi, moyennant ces quelques corrections, l'hbreu des manuscrits
A et B de \geniza avec l'aide des versions anciennes permet de retrouver assez bien l'hbreu original du passage.
108
Structure du passage
Aprs les deux macarismes de construction ngative de 14,1-2 n W K
N*?!
UPN/lPUN Heureux l'homme qui n'a point failli par sa
bouche, et qui n'est pas tourment par le regret de ses fautes. Heureux
l'homme que son me ne condamne pas, et qui ne sombre pas dans le
dsespoir, o la batitude est en lien direct avec l'accomplissement
108
B lit correctement ^52 au lieu de Hl de A, et 1 examen attentif des tracs B

porte bien rrVnn, non n*?nn faussement rapport par les ditions.
EMILE PUECH
320
de la Loi, la premire partie de la pricope des batitudes en 14,20-27

forme un ensemble trs unifi de huit macarismes de types positifs
cette fois, unit fortement structure et introduite par un seul "HWN.
Elle est compose de deux strophes de quatre stiques ou huit hmistiches, w . 2 0 - 2 3 et 24-27, groups deux par deux: 2 0 - 2 1 ; 2 2 - 2 3 ;
2 4 - 2 5 ; 26-27. La premire strophe est centre sur l'attention assidue
porter la sagesse par la mditation et la rflexion, w . 2 0 - 2 1 , puis
par une recherche active et empresse en piant par la fentre et coutant la porte, w . 22-23. La deuxime strophe en dcrit les rsultats
d'abord par la mtaphore du campement autour de la demeure de la sagesse et de la tente plante tout contre, w . 2 4 - 2 5 , et ensuite par celle de
l'arbre de la sagesse dans l'espace duquel le sage peut enfin s'introduire,
y demeurer et s'abriter de tout danger, w . 26-27. La transition entre
les deux strophes est assure par la recherche (regarder la fentre et
couter la porte) de la demeure de la sagesse par celui qui a rflchi
et a dcid d'habiter prs d'elle et puis chez elle. On peut comparer un
macarisme semblable en P r 8 , 3 4 : Heureux l'homme qui m'entend,
qui veille, jour aprs jour, mes portes pour en garder les montants .
La seconde partie, 15,1-10, dtaille les bndictions qu'apporte la
sagesse celui qui s'empresse de la rechercher avec assiduit, ce dont se
privent les insenss : les orgueilleux et les pcheurs.
En publiant les fragments 4Q525 2+3 ii d'une composition de sagesse que Starcky avait dnomme 4QBatitudes il m'est apparu vident que, pour ce genre de composition littraire, les scribes usaient
d'un cadre bien dfini respecter. Ainsi, les huit macarismes de Ben
Sira aux paralllismes synonymiques bien construits, avec le deuxime
hmistiche toujours introduit par la copule, sont groups en deux
y
109
109
Le mot introductif au v. 20 rgit 1 ensemble des sept autres, comme il en est,

mon avis de lQH VI13-16, voir . Puech, Un hymne essnien en partie retrouv et
les batitudes. 1QH V 12-VI 18 (= XIII-XIV 7) et 4QBat, Mmorial Jean Carmignac. tudes qumraniennes, sous la direction de F. Garcia Martinez et . Puech, RQ
XIII (1988) : 59-88. En 4Q525 2+3 ii, seuls les restes des deux dernires strophes dun
groupe de trois ont t conservs. Voir aussi Puech, 4Q525 et les pricopes des batitudes , 90s. Mais H. Stegemann with E. Schuller and C. Newsom, Qumran Cave LUI:
lQHodayot" with Incorparation of IQHodayot and 4QHodayot (DJD XL; Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 2009), 90, ne retient pas la restauration avec, pour seul argument,
que le mot n'apparat pas dans les Hymnes, mais les textes sont si lacuneux ! R. Pistone, Blessing of the Sage, Prophecy of the Scribe : from Ben Sira to Matthew , dans
The Wisdom of Ben Sira (eds. Passaro and Bellia), 309-53, 333-44, hsite y lire huit
macarimes, ce que cependant la structure du texte hbreu originel impose, malgr les
lgres transformations dans la transmission manuscrite du texte.
a
LA SAGESSE DANS LES B A T I T U D E S DE B E N SIRA
321
strophes de quatre, comptant chacune un mme nombre de mots: 23,

ainsi rpartis : la premire de 6+6 (= 4+2 x 2) et 5 (= 3+2) + 6 (= 3+3), et
la deuxime de 6 (= 3+3) + 7 (= 4+3) et 5+5 (= 3+2 x 2), soit des strophes
de 12+11 et 13+10 = 23 mots chacune, et les macarismes de transition,
le quatrime et le cinquime, ayant le mme nombre de mots : 3+3.
Cette rpartition obit aussi une disposition dlibre des emplois de
sept yiqtol toujours en fin d'hmistiches dont le premier et le dernier,
et de sept participes toujours en tte (y compris v. 22a originellement)
dont le dernier stique. Restent un weqatal en 24b et un weyiqtol en
26a. Une rpartition symtrique des mots dans les strophes se retrouve
dans les trois strophes de 4Q525 2 ii 1 - 6
110
et de Mt 5,3-12, ce qui ne
semble pas totalement d au pur hasard. Si 14,20-27 en est le premier

111
exemple, quelque peu prcd par la structure du Ps 1 5 .

Mais dans cet ensemble il y a plus. De mme qu'en 4Q525 2+3 ii
1-6, la squence des batitudes de type court et celle de type long, au
mme nombre de mots dans chacune des trois strophes, tout comme
112
en Mt 5,3-12 avec trois strophes d'gale longueur , est suivie d'un

passage introduit par
de mme Si 15,1-10 continue par un dvelop-
pement introduit lui aussi par *0. Or en 4Q525 2+3 ii 6 - 1 0 , on peut estimer douze les membres de phrases correspondant des hmistiches
110
II est vident que le premier macarisme en 4Q525 2+3 ii 1 ss ne peut constituer

le dbut de cet ensemble, comme je l'ai montr ailleurs, le suffixe fminin renvoie
certainement un substantif prsent au dbut du passage (comparer Si 14,20, et sans
doute aussi 51,13, voir ci-dessus). En effet, la construction demande la prsence, au
bas de la colonne prcdente, d'une premire strophe compose elle aussi de quatre
batitudes de type court, de 31 mots rpartis en 16 et 15 mots, dont 15 dans la partie
positive et 16 dans la partie ngative, en parallle strict avec la deuxime strophe mais
en inclusion avec la troisime strophe de 15 et 16 mots, qui conserve toujours 15 mots
dans la partie positive et 16 dans la partie ngative. Cette analyse est probante malgr les rserves de GofF, Discerning Wisdom, 203-5, qui a assez mal valu mon approche. Je n'ai pas crit que ces batitudes were preceded by at least (mes italiques)
one strophe of beatitudes containing 31 words (p. 205), mais d'une seule strophe de
quatre batitudes, ni que 4Q525 prserves roughly half of an original squence (p.
254), puisque deux des trois strophes sont conserves, soit les deux tiers du passage !
Comme j'ai essay de le montrer ailleurs: . Puech, The Collection of Beatitudes in Hebrew and in Greek (4Q525 1-4 and Mt 5,3-12) , dans Early Christianity
in Context. Monuments and Documents (eds. F. Manns and E. Alliata; Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Collectio Major 38 ; Jerusalem : Franciscan Printing Press, 1993),
353-68, 356-62, et 4Q525 et les pericopes des batitudes, 91-101. Pistone, Blessing of the sage , 330-32, 345, reprend ma proposition mais en lisant la squence
Mt 5,3-4-5..., au lieu de 5,3-5-4-6..., comme il est vident par la structure du passage et une bonne srie de tmoins manuscrits.
II faut lire imapxovTa lafindu v. 12 avec des manuscrits.
111
112
322
EMILE PUECH
113
dans cette partie du texte non intgralement prserv . En Si 15,1-10,

les versets 1 6, ou 12 hmistiches, forment eux aussi une unit structurelle de composition similaire. Les w . 1,4 et 6 ayant pour sujet celui
qui recherche la sagesse, encadrent des versets ayant la sagesse pour
sujet, w . 2 - 3 et 5. Les exgtes discutent de savoir si les w . 9 - 1 0 forment ou pas une unit, voire mme les w . 7 - 1 0 . En effet, les w . 7
et 9 commencent par une ngation et s'intressent aux ennemis de la
sagesse que vient conclure le v. 10 sur le sage. On peut donc estimer
que les w . 1 6 forment l encore une unit aux douze hmistiches,
dans la mme ligne que la squence qui suit les strophes des batitudes
en 4Q525 2+3 ii, o sont aussi numres les heureuses consquences
pour celui qui se met la recherche assidue et l'cole de la sagesse,
en pratiquant la Loi de Dieu. Mme s'il n'y a aucune adquation entre
les notions de sagesse et de Loi , la Loi n'est pas totalement absente
de Si 14,20-15,10, puisque la crainte de Dieu et l'thique y sont soulignes, alors qu'elle est trs prsente dans la pricope de 4Q525 2+3
ii et qu'elle est au centre de Mt 5 (le Sermon sur la montagne), et dj
du Psaume 1, o sont opposs les justes et les mchants, les bnis et les
maudits, car le juste se plat dans la Loi de Dieu.
114
115
Dans cette pricope encore, Ben Sira dpeint Dame sagesse, comme
une jeune pouse dsire et comme une mre attentive, mtaphores en
partie reprises dans le pome acrostiche de Si 51,13-30. Car la sagesse
est dsirable telle une jeune femme et elle est une valeur sre en qui on
peut mettre toute sa confiance, telle une mre (comparer Pr 7,4 : Dis
la sagesse: ma sur). On ne peut alors rien craindre, ni faire de
faux pas, car sa tente est dans la demeure de Dieu. On peut y demeurer
sans crainte et, au milieu des difficults de la vie, on ne peut tre tent
d'abandonner la poursuite de la sagesse, comme le rappelle sa faon
4Q525 2+3 ii. Dans les deux cas, il est demand de toujours penser
elle et de la mditer continuellement m nJtT, car celui qui pratique la
Loi vient la sagesse et l'aime. Heureux l'homme qui la sagesse est
donne en partage (voir 4Q185 1-2 ii 8 oppos Si 15,9, Pr 8,32.34).
Un autre passage rsume bien ce programme dans le livre de Ben
Sira aussi bien que dans le pome final; Si 25,9-11 :
113
Voir . Puech, 525. 4QBatitudes , dans . Puech, Qumran Grotte 4.XVIII :

Textes hbreux (4Q521-4Q528, 4Q576-4Q579) (DJD XXV; Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1998), 115-78,122-28.
Voir Rickenbacher, Weisheitsperikopen bel Sira, 79s, et Marbck, Weisheit im
Wandel, 106s.
Voir ce sujet Ritrer, Das Verhltnis, 105,132s.
114
115

9
323
Heureux celui qui a trouv la prudence,

et celui qui l'expose aux oreilles de ceux qui coutent !
Comme il est grand celui qui a trouv la sagesse,
et personne ne surpasse celui qui craint le Seigneur.
C a r la crainte du Seigneur 1 emporte sur tout;
celui qui la possde qui le comparer ?
10
C. CONCLUSION
Cette note a essay de montrer que l'tude du texte hbreu de deux passages ayant des rapports entre eux, et probablement d u n mme auteur,
peut s avrer trs profitable, et qubn peut utiliser ces textes, quand des
preuves suffisantes permettent d'expliquer l'origine des changements,
mme minimes telle une copule ou autre, dans l'histoire de la transmission. Si 11Q5 X X I 1 1 - X X I I 1 ne peut, tel quel, tre le texte hbreu
original de Si 51,13-30, il en est certainement le plus proche, et plus
primitif que la traduction grecque ou la traduction syriaque en partie
l'origine de la rtroversion de B. Il en a gard la structure stichomtrique constante deux hmistiches (seul 51,13b tant dfectueux sur
ce point). Il en est de mme pour l'hbreu de Si 14,20-15,10, malgr
quelques petits changements tout fait reprables au cours des diverses
copies ; l'hbreu de A et B rend mieux la saveur de l'original que le grec
qui a parfois interprt et introduit des notions absentes du smitique,
plus authentique sur ce point, autant qubn puisse en juger.
On croit entendre la recommandation du traducteur dans le Prologue du livre, lorsqu'il invite le lecteur faire preuve d'indulgence l
o, malgr ses efforts d'interprtation, il n'aurait pas russi rendre
certaines expressions faute d'quivalences entre les deux langues (Prologue 15-25). Mais il a consacr beaucoup d'application, de veilles et
de savoir dans cette uvre de traduction, pour que d'autres puissent
s'instruire et vivre conformment la Loi. La sagesse n'est pas un don
inconditionnel de Dieu, son obtention suppose l'amour de la sagesse et
l'accomplissement de la Loi. Aussi l'auteur peut-il dclarer: Heureux
celui qui mdite sur la sagesse et qui, l'ayant cherche et trouve, l'a
aime toute sa vie.
324
EMILE PUECH
ANNEXES
11Q5 XXI11 XXII1 : restauration du Pome acrostiche
325
dition de 11Q5 XXI11 - XXII1 = Ben Sira 51,13-30 (en stichomtrie)

LXX = Ben Sira 51,13-30
1 1 Q 5 X X I 1 1 - X X I I 1 = Sira 51,13-30
326
EMILE PUECH
Traduction de Ben Sira 51,13-30 en 11Q5XXIU-XXII1

trie et strophes)
11Q5XXI11-XXII1
13
Jetais jeune avant mes errances,
LXX
13
Quant j'tais encore jeune, avant d'avoir err,
14
devant le sanctuaire je l'ai demande, [prire,
15
De safleur,comme d'une grappe rougissante,
j'ai cherch ouvertement la sagesse dans ma
quand je l'ai cherche.

14
Elle est venue moi dans sa beaut,
15
Mme si la fleur disparat la maturation,
et jusqu' la fin je la rechercherai.
et jusqu' la fin je la rechercherai.
les raisins rjouissent le cur.

Mon pied a march dans la droiture,
mon cur s'est rjoui en elle.

Mon pied a march dans le droit chemin,
car depuis ma jeunesse je l'ai connue.

16
J'ai peine tendu l'oreille
17
Et elle fut pour moi un panouissement,
ds ma jeunesse j'ai suivi sa trace.

16
Je n'ai tendu qu'un peu l'oreille et je (l')ai reue,
17
Grce elle j'ai progress ;
et j'ai trouv pour moi-mme une grande ins-
que j'ai trouv une grande instruction.

mon Matre, je rendrai Sa gloire.
18
J'ai dcid de la frquenter,

Je me suis personnellement pris pour elle,
[truction.
Qui m'a donn la sagesse je rendrai gloire.

18
Car j'ai rsolu de la mettre en pratique,
19
Mon me a combattu pour elle,
j'ai t zl pour le bien et je ne changerai pas.

19
(en stichom-
j'ai t zl pour le bien et je ne rougirai pas.
et je n'ai pas dtourn mon regard.
et j'ai mis le plus grand soin observer la Loi ;
Je l'ai moi-mme continuellement dsire,

et dans ses hauteurs je n'ai de cesse.
j'ai tendu mes mains vers le haut,
Ma main a ouvert son [entrje,

et j'ai compris ses secrets.
20
Mes paumes, je (les) ai purifies pour elle,
et j'ai compris ce que j'ignorais d'elle.

20
[et je l'ai trouve dans] la pu [ret] .

[J'ai acquis l'intelligence avec elle ds le d]but,
et dans la puret je l'ai trouve.
Mes entrailles brlaient la rechercher,
22
Yahveh m'a donn, en rcompense, une langue,
c'est pourquoi je ne serai pas abandonn.

21
Mes entrailles se sont mues la rechercher ;
22
Le Seigneur m'a donn en rcompense une
aussi ai-je fait une prcieuse acquisition.
c'est pourquoi j'ai acquis un bien prcieux.
et avec mes lvres je Le louerai.

23
Tournez-vous vers moi, insenss,
avec laquelle je Le louerai.

23
Approchez-vous de moi, ignorants,
24
Pourquoi dites-vous en manquer,
et logez dans la demeure de l'instruction.

24
Jusques quand vous priverez-vous de ces choses,

et aurez-vous vous-mmes tellement soif ?
[ligence,
Avec elle ds le commencement j'ai acquis l'intel-
a[ussi ]je ne[ 1']abandonnerai pas.

21
J'ai dirig mon me vers elle,
[langue
et venez loger dans la maison de l'instruction.

alors que vos mes ont tellement soif ?
25
J'ai ouvert la bouche et dit son sujet :
25
J'ai ouvert la bouche et j'ai parl :
26
mettez votre cou sous le joug,
Acqurez la sagesse sans argent.

2 6
327
Acqurez-la de vous-mmes sans argent,
Pliez votre nuque son joug,

et vous porterez vous-mmes sa charge.
et que votre me reoive l'instruction ;
Elle est proche de celui qui la cherche,
c'est tout prs qu'on peut la trouver.
et celui qui s'y applique la trouve.

27
Voyez de vos yeux que j'ai peu pein,
2 7
Voyez de vos yeux que j'ai peu pein,
28
Prenez part Instruction grand prix d'argent,
29
Que votre me se rjouisse de Sa misricorde,
et que j'ai trouv moi-mme un grand repos.
et j'ai dcouvert beaucoup.

28
coutez l'instruction pour un instant,
2 9
Vous vous rjouirez de Sa misricorde,
et avec elle vous acquerrez beaucoup d'or.
et argent et or vous acquerrez avec elle.
et ne rougissez pas de Le louer.
et vous ne rougirez pas de Le louer.

30
Accomplissez votre uvre en son temps,

et II (vous) donnera] votre rcompense en
30
Accomplissez votre uvre avant le temps,

et II vous donnera votre rcompense en Son
[temps.
Son Temps.
dition de Ben Sira 14,20-15,10

LXX
Manuscrits A & B
328
EMILE PUECH
Traduction de Ben Sira 14,20-15,10

Manuscrits A & B
20
Heureux l'homme (qui) sur la sagesse mdite,
LXX
20
Heureux l'homme qui mdite sur la sagesse,
et (qui) avec intelligence rflchit,
et qui avec son intelligence raisonne,
21
21
qui fait attention ses voies, (lit. dispose son
qui sur ses voies rflchit en son cur,
cur ses voies)

et (qui) ses raisonnements, (/sentiers syr.) comprend, et ses secrets comprend.
22
<qui> se met aprs elle en recherche, (/comme
22
II la poursuit comme un traqueur,
un traqueur syr.)
et (qui) {toutes} ses pistes guette,
et est aux aguets sur ses pistes.
2 3
23
qui regarde par sa fentre,
II regarde par ses fentres,
et (qui) ses portes coute,
et ses portes il coute.
24
24
qui campe autour de sa demeure
et (qui) fixe ses cordes son mur,(/ ses piquets
II campe autour de sa demeure,
et fixe un piquet dans ses murs ;
ses murs, syr.)

25
[et] qui dresse sa tente auprs d'elle
25
il dresse sa tente auprs d'elle,
et qui habite une habitation de bonheur,
et campe dans un camp de bonheur.
26
26
[et] qui dispose son nid dans ses branches
II place ses enfants dans son abri,
et (qui) dans ses rameaux gte,
et sous ses rameaux il gte ;
27
27
[et] qui s'abrite, son ombre, de la chaleur,
il est protg par elle de la chaleur,
et (qui) dans ses refuges habite.
et dans sa gloire il campe.
15,1
15,1
En effet, celui qui craint Yahveh agit ainsi
Celui qui craint le Seigneur fait ainsi,
et celui qui pratique la Loi l'atteindra.
et celui qui dtient la Loi s'en (= la sagesse) empare.
Et elle va sa rencontre comme une mre
Et elle va sa rencontre comme une mre,
et comme une jeune pouse elle l'accueille,
et comme une pouse vierge elle l'accueille ;
(et) elle le nourrit du pain de discernement
elle le nourrit du pain de discernement,
et de l'eau d'intelligence elle l'abreuve,
et de l'eau de la sagesse elle l'abreuve.
(et) il s'appuie sur elle et il ne flchit pas
et elle il se fie et il n'aura pas honte,
II s'appuie sur elle et il ne flchit pas,
et elle il s'attache et il ne sera pas confondu ;
329
et un renom ternel elle lui donnera en hritage.
et un renom ternel il recevra en hritage.
(et) elle l'exalte au-dessus de ses compagnons

et elle l'exalte au-dessus de ses compagnons,
et au milieu de l'assemble elle lui ouvre la bouche. et au milieu de l'assemble elle lui ouvre la bouche.
Joie et couronne d'allgresse il trouvera
Joie et gait il trouvera
Les hommes de rien ne l'atteindront pas
Jamais ne s'en empareront les hommes sans
intelligence,
et les hommes orgueilleux ne la verront pas.
et les hommes pcheurs jamais ne la verront pas.
Elle est loin des railleurs
Elle se tient loin de l'orgueil,
et les hommes de mensonges ne se souviennent
et les hommes menteurs jamais ne se sou
pas d'elle.
viennent d'elle.
La louange ne sied pas dans la bouche des
pcheurs
La louange n'est pas de saison dans la bouche
du pcheur,
parce quelle ne lui est pas donne en partage par Dieu ; parce qu'elle n'est pas envoye par le Seigneur ;
10
par la bouche du sage s'exprime la louange,
et celui qui la matrise la lui enseigne.
10
car c'est en sagesse que s'exprime la louange,
et c'est le Seigneur qui la dirige.
INDEX OF ANCIENT SOURCES
OLD TESTAMENT
Genesis
2:31
3:5
5:24
15:6
15:15
19:2
25:8
29:32
31:12
34:3
42:18
44:10
49:7
49:15
129
167
268
183
269
310
268
167
167
169
266
42
119
50
Exodus
7:3
10:17
12:43-13:5
13:6-16
13:15-16
14:31
15:1
15:7
20:8
23:14
28:9
28:11
31:4-6
35:10
35:31
35:32-33
35:35
36:1
284
65
7
7
7
183
7
191
121
39
135
135
186
135
134,135
134
135
135
Leviticus
18:18
19:18
19:19
20:27
26:46
123
121
69
117
276
Numbers
14:11
20:12
22:21-30
22:30
28:14
35:21
183
183
65
170
52
119
Deuteronomy
1:44
5:1-6:1
5:1-6:3
6:24
7:19
8:5-10
10:12-11:5
11:6-21
15:7-8
21:20
22:10
24:15
29:2
29:29
32:1-6
32:5
32:7-8
32:8-9
32:9
67
7
7
276
284
7
7
7
58
122
69
52
284
254
7
266
7
31
31
Joshua
2:21
22:25
22:27
24:15
42
31
31
114
Judges
2:10
5:14
268
131
Ruth
2:16
44
332
I N D E X OF ANCIENT SOURCES
1 Samuel
2:8
169
2 Samuel
12:11
22:6
24:14
20:35
10
271
137
58
1 Kings
2:6
8:22-30
9:5
17:17-24
22:9
269
217
45
195
169
2 Kings
2:2
2:5
2:9
2:10
13:21
17:14
24:1
268
268
268
268
195
183
45
1 Chronicles
16:8-22
16:8-36
16:13
16:23-33
16:27
16:34
16:35-36
16:37
17:20
21:13
22:19
6
5-6
6
6
6
6
6
44
288
137
311
2 Chronicles
6:13-22
7:18
20:20
26:11
36:6
217
45,46
183
137
45
Job
1:2
4:19
5:20
9:12
9:21
13:28
24:4-5
27:18
65
62
270-271
286
114
62
64
62
28:12-27
28:14
28:28
32:18
33:30
226
273
229
227
226
Psalms
6:6
11:3
15:2
18
26:12
31:23-25
33:1-12
35:17
36:10
36:37-38
39:12
40:14-18
43:3
45:2
56:14
57:8-12
58:7
60:7-14
69:14
71:23
78:22
79:6
83:10-19
85:8
89:7
89:8
89:10-11:12
89:14:7
89:14
89:18
89:44
90:2
96:1-13
96:6
103:5
104:2
105:1-15
105:5
106:1
106:47-48
108:2-6
108:7-14
111:10
115:4-6
115:8-11
271
283
308
6
303
6
6
64
226
265
62
6
226
37
270
6
64
6
294
270
183
288
284
288
7
7
7
7
7
7
191
300
6
6
52
226
6
6
6
6
6
6
229
6
6
116:8
118:12
119:93
132:18
135:8-20
136:10
136:17-22
144:1-10
151:3
151:4
151:5
154:8
Proverbs
1:3
1:6
1:7
1:26
3:13
3:17
3:35
4:4
4:5
4:7
4:13
6:6-8
7:4
7:21
8:5
8:9
8:22
8:25
8:30
8:32
8:34
15:14
15:15
15:32
15:33
16:16
16:24
17:16
17:21
18:15
22:10
23:14
23:23
24:13
25:6
25:27
27:27
29:19
270
67
183
49
6
6
6
6
37
37
302
307
138
138
229
114
317
317
266
183
310
310
42
56
322
47
309
42
227
300
305
322
320,322
309
18
308
229
310
67
308,310
309
310
47
271
310
67
67
67
43
65
29:21
29:27
30:25
30:27
31:10-31
66
64
56
66
316
Qoheleth
1:13
1:16
1:20
5:17-19
8:16
9:9-10
130
130
52
272
130
274
Song of Songs
3:15-38
226
Isaiah
2:5
7:9
7:18-19
9:16
10:3
10:33
11:2-6
11:6
11:6-7
13:10
14:9
14:17
16:11
25:9
28:15
30:21
33:20
36:4
38:10
40:11
45:8
45:9
45:11
45:20
48:17
50:4
50:9
51:8
55:1-2
56:5
57:1-2
60:18
60:19-20
65:19
226
183
67
286
44
191
227
64
63
46
191
191
309
287
271
114
318
181
270
184,185
135
135
135
135
305
309
62
62
310
297
268
135
226
287
334
I N D E X OF A N C I E N T SOURCES
66:23
66:24
52
260
Jeremiah
5:8
5:27
10:25
12:9
17:7
34:5
48:13
59
18
288
64
181
269
181
Ezechiel
1:7
1:27
20:36
23:45
26:12
26:15
29:5
32:4
50
226
283
265
191
45
269
191
Daniel
2:14
2:22
8:16
12:2
12:13
174
226
61
178,267
267
Hosea
5:12
5:14
11:7
62
39
304
13:14
270-271
Joel
1:6
2:2
4:16
58
7
7
Amos
1:2
7:4
7
31
Obadiah
2:4
283
Jonah
2:3
3:5
270-271,292
183
Habakkuk
2:2
2:4
2:6
3:4
13:17
39
183
39
226
130
Zephaniah
1:15
2:1
7
309
Haggai
2:22
191
Malachi
3:23-24
4:5-6
192
192
NEW TESTAMENT
Matthew
5:3-5
5:3-6
5:3-12
5:42
6:2
10:26-39
11:14
11:30
321
321
321
190
111
7
192,193
304
Mark
9:47-48
13:33
260
130
Luke
1:16
1:52
193
191
1:59
2:25
2:26
2:29-30
3:18
6:34-35
12:2-9:53
14:21
14:26-27
21:36
John
3:36
5:21
5:24
6:40
191-192
163
162
163
192,193
186,187
7
111
7
130
183
194
183
183
6:47
10:11
10:14
11:25
20:31
183
184-185
185
183
183
Romans
1:17
8:11
183
194
1 Corinthians
2:7
228
2 Corinthians
1:9
6:5
11:27
181
130
130
335
Ephesians
6:18
130
Philippians
3:4
181
1 Timothy
1:16
5:13
6:7
6:17
183
188-190
181
180,181
Hebrews
13:20
184
1 Peter
5:4
18
OLD TESTAMENT APOCRYPHA
Baruch
3:15-38
226
Judith
16:17
260
2 Maccabees
2:26
105,130
Sirach
Prologue 15-25
1:1
1:1-10
1:3
1:5
1:7
1:8
1:9
1:10
1:11-40
1:12
1:13
1:14-15
1:15
1:17
1:18
1:19
1:20
1:21
1:26
323
227
8,317
227
231
217
225-226
149,151,221,
227
217,248,250,
255
229
178,250,217,
255
259
226,233
225
110,111
217,250
227
249,254
217,242
228,230
1:29
1:31
1:33
1:35
2:2
2:5
2:7
2:9
2:10
2:10-11
2:13
2:13-14
2:16
2:18
2:21
2:21-22
2:22
3:1
3:1-16
3:4
3:5
3:6
3:9
3:10
3:11
3:12
3:12-13
3:13
3:15
3:15-16
3:15-18
3:16
168
228
228
228
230
243
34,35
34, 35, 251
226,233,295
259
226-227
118
230
34,35,137
231
224
227
233
19
227,230
296
27
120
227
245
44
43
44,53
22,115
245
22
15,16,19,33
36
3:17
3:17-18
3:17-24
3:18
3:19
3:20
3:21
3:21-22
3:22
3:24
3:24-28
3:25
3:26
3:27
3:28
3:32
3:34
4:1
4:3
4:8
4:9
4:10
4:11
4:12
4:12-19
4:14
4:19
4:20
4:20-31
4:20-6:4
4:21
4:22
4:22-23
4:23
4:24
4:24-27
4:27
4:28
4:29
4:29-30
4:29-31
4:30
4:30-31
19
19
19,180
15,16
243,249
16
16
17
91,180,181,
196,226
226
24
40, 245, 245,
246,249,250
265
8,12
230
227,228-229,
230, 231
226,227
168
119
232
44,168
264
40,41
228
227
118,228
50,53,221
20, 56, 228
19-20,56
26,56
8,19,20,22,58,
150,152, 228
8, 22,48, 92,
168
19,20
20, 222, 242,
245, 249
58
20
20,58, 92,109,
232,249
20,249
20, 58, 228,
230-231
231
56,58
17, 56, 71,109
19,20,56
4:31
4:33
4:35
4:36
5:1
5:1-6:4
5:2
5:3
5:4
5:5
5:5-7
5:6
5:7
5:7-8
5:8
5:9
5:9-13
5:10
5:11
5:12
5:13
5:13-27:17
5:14
5:17
6:1
6:4
6:5
6:5-6
6:5-17
6:6
6:7
6:7-8:13
6:7-10
6:8
6:8-10
6:9
6:9-10
6:10
6:12
6:12-15
6:13
6:14
6:14-15
6:15
6:16
6:17
6:18
6:18-19
15,19-20,20
223
56
56
21,181,227
56
181
16
15,16,19, 246
22,181
17
34
20
265
181
9, 19,243
8-9,19
9,227
9,10,17,247
9,210,231
9,19
5
20,109,230
221,227
232
44, 56, 227, 229
10-11,19,22,
121
8
11,19
10,12,17,18
10
12,17
8
10-11,18,19,
20
11
10-11,11,19,
221
11,20
10,18,19,22
10-11
8
10
10
11,19
11,16,232
11,16
210,249
12,19,21
8,12,15, 315
6:18-37
6:19
6:20
6:20-21
6:20-22
6:22
6:23
6:23-24
6:24
6:25
6:26
6:27
6:28
6:29-33
6:30
6:31
6:34
6:35
6:36
6:36-37
6:37
7:1
7:1-2
7:1-17
7:1-2:4
7:2
7:3
7:4
7:5
7:6
7:9
7:10
7:12
7:13
7:15
7:16
7:17
7:19
7:20
7:20-21
7:21
7:23
7:23-24
12-13,15,
19-21, 26, 301,
304,316-317
12-13,12,19,
21
309
60
21
20,40,41,42,
51,53,249, 251,
310
228,230
21
42
21,311
21
21
12-13,19,21,
311,315
21
42,47,304,311
316
21
12,21,116
305
21
16
17,19
16
19
19
17
223
15,16,114
16,226
16,22
20
109,186
226
116,260
20,24,133-134
40
17,19, 259-260,
169, 249,264,
272,277
93
311
65
20,221
232
18-19
7:24-25
7:25
7:31
7:36
8:1
8:4
8:7
8:8
8:13
8:14
8:15
8:18
9:3
9:7
9:8
9:9
9:10
9:11-12
9:12
9:14
9:16
9:17
9:21
10:5
10:7
10:8
10:11
10:14
10:15
10:16
10:19-11:6
10:21
10:24
10:25
10:26
10:28
11:2
11:2-6
11:3
11:4
11:7-8
11:11
11:13
11:15
11:15-16
11:16
11:18
60
46-47,50
31
19, 265,277
21,37
121,309
17, 20,268
223
203
20
109
40
47
111
41,109
19,122
118,229
259
259
210
109,232
133
230
138
229
31
178,260,272,
277
191
203
31
26
223, 229, 250,
227
33
20,21
232
230
37,67
66
56,66-67,67
44,225-226
118
105,222
225
226,231,233
223-224,230,
243, 245,246,
249, 250
227,229
19
38
11:21
11:22
11:25-27
11:26-27
11:27
11:28
11:29
11:29-30
11:29-34
11:30
11:32
11:32-12:1
11:34
12:1
12:2
12:3
12:4
12:6
12:8
12:9
12:10
12:10-11
12:10-14
12:11
12:13
12:14
13:2
13:3
13:9
13:9-12:23
13:10
13:11
13:15-16
13:15-17
13:15-24
13:16
13:17
13:17-19
13:18
13:19
13:22
13:23
13:24
13:25
13:26
14:1-2
14:1-2
14:9
14:11-19
14:12
INDEX OF ANCIENT SOURCES

229,231
226
265
259
168,273
42
18,249
62
18
62,249
203,232
24
20
20
37
223,227, 229
223, 227, 229
258,260
168
38
27
27
27
27,29,249
117
20,49
249
120
226
38
43,90
181
63-64
8,14
63
47
63,64
56,63,71
63,64,221,233
64
37
182,191
44
44,243
105
297
319
31,41
272,275
222,223,249,
273
14:13
14:14
14:16
14:17
14:17-18
14:19
14:20
14:20-15:10
14:20-15:30
14:20-15
14:20-27
14:21
14:22
14:24-27
15:1
15:1-10
15:2-10
15:3
15:5
15:6
15:6-10
15:7-8
15:7-8
15:8
15:9
15:9-10
15:10
15:11
15:14
15:15
15:16
15:18
15:19
16:3
16:4
16:10
16:11
16: 15
16:15-16
16:17-23
16:20
232
249
249,276
221,231
260
19
297, 319, 321
316,22-323
297
297,301,317
317,318,320,
321
234
221,226, 228,
230,231
317
316
317, 227, 320,
321-322
303
228
228,230
228
224
224
230
227-228,228,
234
322
300,317
221,225,297
21
231,245,246,
249
182,195,229,
231,245, 246,
249
169,246-247
230
226
181,221,247,
249, 265
21
268
249
221
230,245,
245-246, 249,
249-250,254
274
226
16:22
16:25
16:26
16:11-12
16
17:5
17:6
17:16-17
17:17
17:18
17:18-22
17:20
17:23
17:26
17:27
17:27-28
17:28
17:29
18:1
18:5
18:10
18:11
18:13
18:14
18:15-19:3
18:19
18:22
18:29
18:32
18:32-33
18:33
19:2
19:3
19:6
19:7
19:10
19:13-17
19:15
19:18
19:19
19:21
19:22
20:1-31
20:4
20:5-6
20:9
20:13
20:19
20:22
251
225
27
34
227
223,255
225,230
31
31
31,250
300
227,231
252
225,229
109
253
269
229
226
35
226
35,231
35,184,195,
227
185,227
19
231
221,227
231
273
19
122
19-20
19,19-20
227,229
114
223,232
32
187
229,255
251
221
19
19
20,149, 221,
227
19
132,230
19
110,309
8,22
20:22-23
20:23
20:24
20:30
20:31
21:2
21:5
21:10
21:11
21:12
21:22-23
22:4-5
22:12
22:19-26
22:21
22:21-22
22:22
22:23
22:25
22:27-23:6
22:30
23:9
23:11
23:13
23:15
23:16
23:19
23:24-27
23:27
23:28
23:29
23:38
24:1
24:1-6
24:3-4
24:4
24:6
24:7
24:8
24:8-10
24:11
24:12
24:15
24:18
24:19
24:22
24:24
24:24-25
24:25
24:30
339
19,22
8
309
221,231
19
58
232,296
227,258
227
120
17,20
60
20
32,33
32
19,20,32
32
203, 221, 229,
231
210
293
221
169-170,170
15,17
169,170
170
20
168
259
224,226
226
226
227
221
224
227
222,306
228
227
225
307
227
31
110
255
315
252
220,233
227,228
109
222
340
24:31
24:32
24:33
24:34
24:40
24:40-47
24:44
24:45
24:46
24:47
25:1
25:1-2
25:2
25:7
25:7-8
25:7-11
25:8
25:9
25:9-11
25:10
25:10-11
25:12
25:13
25:13-26
25:14
25:15
25:16
25:17
25:18
25:19
25:20
25:20-21
25:22
25:24
25:25-26
25:26
26:1
26:1-3
26:1-4
26:2
26:3
26:5-12
26:6
26:7
26:9
26:10
227,228
252
231
217,220
222
222
228
205, 227, 228
205, 222, 228
228
205-206,208,
209
203,204,206
207,209-210,
211,212
15,69
16,19
68
19, 20, 56,
68-71,196,297
69,297
322
70
16
231,243,249250, 255
17,19,230
19
70
109,222,229
58,222,233
56
120
17
120
68
22
13,20
13
247
13-14,17-19,
297
8,13,14,19
13,19,69
13
13-18,31,221
13
70, 122
110
119
60
26:11
26:13
26:13-18
26:14
26:15
26:16
26:17
26:19-27
26:23
26:24
26:26
26:28
27:3
27:5-6
27:8
27:9
27:10
27:11
27:12
27:16
27:16-21
27:17
27:20
27:28
27:29
27:30
28:4
28:5
28:7
28:8
28:19
28:23
28:26
28: 35
29:6-7
29:15
29:24-27
29:26
30:4-6
30:8
30:15
30:17
30:20
30:21
30:24
30:25-33:13
30:25-40
30:11-12
221
13,16,19
13, 19
13,16
13,16,19
13
13
219,243,249
260
221, 229, 231
168,260
222
227,229
20-21
252
224,227,231,
234
58
223
223,228
20
32
4
210
58
232
119
34
119
19,121, 229
229
297
58
114,224
8,15
187
232
43
221,223-224,
230-231
259
60
119
30,259,261
20-21,149,223,
243, 245, 249
311
24,221
216
24
243
31:1
31:2
31:4
31:6
31:7
31:8
31:8-11
31:11
31:17-18
31:20
31:21-22
31:21-23
31:21-32:26
31:22
31:25-32:13
31:27-28
32:1-14
32:7-8
32:11
32:14
32:14-33:6
32:18-22
32:24
33:1
33:1-3
33:1-6
33:1-13
33:2
33:3
33:3
33:5
33:5
33:5-6
33:6
33:7
33:7-15
33:8
33:9
33:10
33:13
33:13-36:16
33:14-15
33:15
33:16
33:21
33:25
33:25-30
33:25-33
33:27
33:31
105
20,105,249
21
245-246,249
232
158
153
221
297
105
24
290
290
168
26
24
59
38
185,249
49
26
153
222
221,223
59
59
24
222
59,110,229,
231,286
288
44,60
288,289
59
56, 59-60, 71
221,288
59
225
223
222,288
24
216
230
286
130
41
56,71
65
65
65
24
33:34
33:35
34:7
34:8
34:9-13
34:13
34:14
34:15
34:22
34:27
35:2
35:11
35:11-26
35:12
35:13
35:14
35:14-26
35:16
35:18
35:20
35:21
35:22
35:23
35:25
35:26
36:1
36:1-11
36:1-16
36:1-17
36:1-19
36:2
36:3
36:4
36:6
36:8
36:9
36:10
36:11
36:11-17
36:12
36:12-13
36:13
36:16-22
36:18
36:19
36:22
36:23-31
36:23-37:31
36:24
341
24
24
309
297
99
221
226-227
226,233
231
222
229
290
290
93
246
310
290
290
31
35
181
290
290
34
287
226-227,282,
286
24
24
9,24
224
223-226,288
31
285
286
168,286
285
249,286,288
285
24
287
287
167,224,225,
226
290
24
226,285
61,285
19
15
8,10,11,19,22
342
36:24-37:26
36:27-31
36:28
36:29
36:31
37:1
37:1-2
37:1-6
37:2
37:11
37:12
37:13
37:14
37:15
37:16
37:16-31
37:17
37:18
37:19
37:19-26
37:22
37:24
37:24-25
37:26
37:28
37:29
38:1
38:1-9
38:1-15
38:1-39
38:2
38:4
38:5
38:8
38:10-12
38:12
38:13
38:13-25
38:15
38:16
38:16-23
38:21
38:22
38:24
38:24-31
38:24-34
38:24-39
38:25
5
13,15
34
17
19
10-12, 19
8,11-12
19
12
70,122
229
168
50
229
37
26
308
44
14,19
15,19
14
14,19
24
14,19, 266-267,
277
168
273
129,131
128
127,136
127-128,131
105
129,136
134
221
128
129
131,132,136
128
129,131,137
269
128
181
276
128,138,187188,188-189,
189,196
129
187
127
44, 131,134
38:25-26
38:26
38:26-27
38:27
38:28
38:30
38:31-34
38:33
38:34
39:1
39:1-4
39:1-11
39:2-3
39:3
39:4
39:5
39:7
39:9-11
39:10
39:17
39:19
39:20
39:21
39:23
39:28
39:29-30
39:33
40:9
40:13
40:15
40:16
40:23
40:24
40:28
40:29
41:1-14
41:2
41:3
41:3-4
41:4
41:5
41:9
41:11-13
41:14-16
41:14-42:8
41:16
41:21
42:2
42:5
42:9
42:9-14
131
105,130
128
105,130,135
130,134
105,130,135
127
138
311
222
153
128
138
138
139
129,130,138
138
266
131,138,139
111
226
273
129,131
31
223
265
129
40
51
52, 196
109
69
18
190,196,268
43,51
272
276
276
275
114
309
243,245
25,266
24
26
8,22,113
31
48,50
65
24,105
60
42:12
42:13
42:14
42:15
42:15-25
42:17
42:18
43:1
43:5
43:6
43:8
43:9
43:10
43:19
43:32
43:33
43:35
44:1-15
44:1-23
44:1-45:2
44:1-45:4
44:1-49:6
44:1-50:24
44:1-50:26
44:10
44:11-13
44:12-15
44:14
44:15
44:16
44:19
44:20
44:23
45:2
45:7
45:11
45:14
45:19
45:22
45:24
46:1
46:2
46:5
46:6
46:7
46:13
46:16
46:16-20
46:18
46:19
61
40,56,61-62,
71
40
243,245,316
26
286
167,307
40
169
44
40,52
302
226
49
225
225
225
26
153
149
153
153
17
219
34
274
266
267,277
24
259,262,268
40
90
31, 34, 40
286
109
135
40
40
31
109
40
109
293,295
31
34,40
40
293,295
24
226
249,313
47:5
47:9
47:13
47:14
47:22
47:23
48:1-11
48:2
48:5
48:6
48:7-8
48:9
48:10
48:10-12
48:11
48:14
48:17
48:20
48:22
48:24
49:7
49:15-50:1
49:15-50:26
50:1
50:1-4
50:1-24
50:3
50:8
50:22
50:22-26
50:24
50:25
50:27
50:27-29
50:28
50:31
51:1
51:1-5
51:1-12
51:2
51:3
51:3
51:4
51:6-11
51:8
51:9
51:10
51:11
343
293,295
243
40
109
34
40
29,195
231
195
191,196
24
268
192,196
29,163
29-30, 163,
193-196,259,
263, 277, 297
195
40
40, 293, 295
40
168-169
40
24
109
153
109
239
111
40
34
109,125
34
31
161
316
293,297,317
226
249,294
159
9,159,269,277,
291-294
266,294
34,294
287
294
158-159
34,62
293
293,294
290
344
51:12
51:12-30
51:13
295,316
159
169,314,321,
323
3,9,26,41,
240,297-298,
322-323
314
314,317
41,314
24
249
314
317
309,310,317
168
34
317
316
51:13-30
51:14
51:17
51:19
51:19-20
51:20
51:21-30
51:22
51:23
51:24
51:29
51:29-30
51:30
Tobit
1:1-7:11
7:12-14:15
12:8
Wisdom
1:4-7
2:4
5:23
6:12
7:7
7:22-27
7:25
7:26
7:29-30
8:2
8:20
9:4
9:9-18
9:17
16:13
18:1
19:10
154
186
227
269
191
228
227,307
227
228
226,228
228
302,315
307
307
307
227
270
226
101
154
OLD TESTAMENT PSEUDEPIGRAPHA
Ahiqar
5
9
184
186
65
58
61
61
Jubilees
6:22
223
6:34
10:1014
25:9-12
223
136
266
Liber antiquitatum biblicarum

32:7
228
Life of Adam and Eve
31
117
DEAD SEA SCROLLS
CD (Damascus Document)
III 15
232
XIX 35
268
XX14
268
b
lQIsa (Isaiah )
52,14
302
lQpHab (Pesher Habakkuk)

VII3-5
39
VIII6-10
39
1QS (Community Rule)
114-15
223
III 20-21
230
IV11-14
266
IV 24
XI13
232
266
1QM, 1Q33 (War Scroll)

III 9
266
XIII 12
231
1QH (Hodayot)
VII 14
VIII2
VIII28
XI19-20
XI19-23
XIII8
XIV10-11
XIV 27
232
232
307
266
271
266
268
271
XVI28-33
XVI29-30
271
266
345
4Q416 (Instruction*)
2 iii 16
46,265
4Q417 (Instruction )
2 ill
2Q18 (Ben Sira)

2
317
266,304
11
3Q15 (Copper Scroll)
4Q418 (Instruction )
69 ii 5
69 ii 6
69 ii 10
69 ii 12-13
307
4Q14 (Exod )
4Q37 (Deuteronomy*)
4Q41 (Deuteronomy") 7
4Q171 (Psalm Pesher )
1-10 iv 12
231
1-10 iv 16
265
1-10 iv 18
265
4Q179 (Apocryphal Lamentation A)

1 ii 4
303
4Q181 (Ages of Creation B)
1 ii 3-4
267
Hi 4
267
4Q184 (Wiles of the Wicked Woman)
32
307
4Q185 (Sapiential Work)
1-2 ii 8
322
4Q222 (Jubilees*)
13
269
266
263
267
266
4Q380 (Non-Canonical Psalm A)

1
7
4Q381 (Non-Canonical Psalm B)
15
7
4Q403 (Song of the Sabbath Sacrificed
1 i 30
306
4Q438 (Barki Napshi )

33
304
4Q525 (Beatitudes)
2 +3 ii
2+3 ii 1
2+3 ii 1-3
2+3 ii 1-6
2+3 ii 1-10
2+3 ii 6-10
320, 322
321
308
321
301
321
4Q542 (Testament of Qahat ar)

1 i 12
232
a
11Q5 (Psalms )
XXI
XXI-XXII
XXI11
XXI11-XXII 1
XXI13-XXII1
XXI 17
XXI17-18
XXI 18
XXII1
XXII 1-15
XXII3-4
XXIV13
XXVITI6-7
311
297
300
299,314,323
9,297
41, 306-307
314
308
313
300
46
50
37
RABBINIC LITERATURE
Babylonian Talmud
Git. 6b
Hag. 13a
Nid. 16b
Sanh. 100b
Shab. 11a
Shab. 63a
Yeb. 62b
Yeb. 63b
17, 58
17
17
14,16-18,22,
247,254
17
186
17
14,17
Baraita Kallah
7b
17
Midrash Genesis Rabbah

1:4
284
8
17
22
17
Midrash Exodus Rabbah
2:2
184
346
Midrash Qohelet Rabbah

5
17
Midrash Aseret Hadibrot
Mishnah
Abot 1:7
Abot 1:16
Abot 4:4
Abot 5:10
Hag 1:1
Nissim
Sefer Maaseiot
Palestinian (Jerusalem) Talmud

Hag. 77c
17
Sot. 22a
17
17
Pirka de Rabbenu Haqadosh

14a
17
17
57
17,259-260
17
3
Pesiqta Rabbati
35:3
193
Saadya Gaon
Sefer hagaluy
17
Shulhan Arukh
Hoshen Mishpat
97:23:1
186
17
APOSTOLIC AND CLASSICAL AUTHORS
Apollonius of Perga
Conies
1.2.6
105
Apostolic Constitutions
7:12:1
58
Archimedes
To Eratosthenes on the Method of
Mechanical Theorems
428.18
105
Aristeas
1
7
112
171
286
300
106
106
106
106
106
106
Aristotle
Constitution of Athens
7
138
54
138
55
138
59
138
63
138
67
138
Barnabas
18-21
19:9
230
58
Callimachus
Epigrams
56GP
105
Demosthenes
Against Aphobus
2.1.1
Against Neaeras
1.1
103
103
Didache
1-6
4:5
230
58
Dionysius 22
105
Eusebius
Praeparatio Evangelica
13,12,11
228
Galen
De Compositione medicamentorum
secundum locos libri x
XII894
106
Artemidorus Daldianus
236.2
105
Hermas
Mandate
VI 1:2
230
Augustine
De doctrina Christiana
2:15
202
2:22
203
Herodas
Mimiamb
1.27
1.28
98
116
8.71
105
Jacob of Edessa
Letter to John of Litarba
B.L. Add. 12,172 161
Life of Aesop
P,247
117
Melito of Sardis
Peri Pascha
280
111
Polybius
Histories
11:1a
80
Papyri
P. Insinger
25:2
14:11
P. Cair. Zen.
764.142
3 59341a. 33
P. Col.
4.83:3
P.Oxy.
91223:12
67
65
111
111
104
115
Pausanias Atticist
lambda
4
112
Philo
Pneum.
458.6fl0
105
Phrynichus
Eclogues
383
112
Pindar
Pythian Odes
1.54
120
Ps-Scymnus
10,63,104
105
Rosetta Stone
OGIS 90.11
116
Sentences of Menander
172
67
Sentences of Sextus
9-10
67
347
Theocritus
Idylls
7,51
105
Thucydides
History
1.1.1
1.14.3
1.17.1
1.21.2
1.22.4
2.81.4
104
104
104
102
104
111
Scholia in Homerum
Scholia in Iliadem
2.722
D 2.721
117
117
Vettius Valens
172.22
272.22
105
105
INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS
Abadie, P. 257
Aitken,J.K. 5,118
Aland, K. 200,202
Alexander, L. 98
Alonso Schkel, L. 41,57,60
Amphoux, C.-B. 254
Atallah, M. 156
Attridge, H. W. 30,193
Ausloos, H. 4, 32
Auvray, P. 85,97-98
Auwers, J.-M. 95,225,242,260
Avery-Peck, A. J. 39
Baars,W. 143,157
Bcher, W. 25,42,50
Backhaus, F. J. 272
Barclay, J. M. G. 99
Barnes, W. 180
Barr, M. L. 4, 32
Baumstark, A. 148,152
Beckwith, R. 145
Beentjes, P. C. 3 - 5 , 8 , 1 1 , 1 4 , 2 8 , 2 3 - 2 4 ,
29, 32, 35, 37,49,180, 238, 245,
248,262,264, 301
Bellia, G. 19, 50,243
Ben-Hayyim, Z. 37
Berger, S. 200
Bernard, R. W. 39
Berrin, S. L. 39
Bickell, G. 25,298
Bickerman, E. J. 97
Blomqvist, J. 113
Bogaert, P.-M. 199,212
Bhmisch, F. 239-240
Bons, E. 129,268
Borowski, O. 66,68
Bovati, P. 282-283
Box, G. H. 177,237,260,277
Breuer, Y. 167
Briquel-Chatonnet, F. 145
Brock, S. P. 153,156
Brockelmann, C. 170,188
Brooke, G. J. 278
Browning, R. 112
Brun, J. 188
Buitenwerf, R. 113
Burkitt, F. C. 152
Buschmann, A. 70
Cadbury, H.-J 96
Cagni, L. 248
Calduch-Benages, N. 14,28,34, 37,97,
147, 238, 247, 295, 301
Camp, C. V. 4,8, 32
Campbell, J. G. 97
Caquot, A. 299
Casanowicz, M. 40-41
Ceriani, A. M. 158,180
Charles, R. H. 237,257,259
Clarysse, W. 99
Coakley, J. F. 161
Cohen, H. R. 62
Collado Bertomeu, V 242
Collins, B. J. 55
Collins, J. J. 30,112,193,257-258, 316
Connor, W. R. 102
Cooley, A. E. 125
Corley, J. 4,19, 32, 59,278,299
Cowey, J. M. 99
Cowley, J. 17
Crawford, S. W. 7
Cribiore, R. 124
Crichton, J. 194
Croce, A. della 180
Cross, F. M. 39
Culler, J. 46
Dahood, M. 265
Dassmann, A. 254
Davies, W. D. 98
De Bruyne, D. 203,215-219,223
De Crom, D. 101
Deist, F. E. 66
Delcor, M. 98,298
Delitzsch, F. 45
Dell, K. J. 55
Denniston, J. D. 120
Deppe, K. 151
Deutsch,C. 300,311
I N D E X OF MODERN AUTHORS
Di LeUa, A. A. 5,12,18,21,28-31,40,
56-57, 68, 82,103,127,177,216,
225, 229, 238,242-243, 245-249,
251, 255, 257, 266, 278, 291, 295,
301, 306
Dirksen, P. B. 171
Doering, L. 7
Dorival, G. 98
Douais, C. 206
Doudna, G. L. 39
Draguet, R. 149
Duesberg, H. 57
Duncan, J. A. 7
Eaton, H. 55
Edersheim, A. 261
Egger-Wenzel, R. 3-4,11,17, 35, 37,
62, 70, 95,167, 225, 291,317
Ego, B. 238,248,251
Elizur,S. 4,11,18,32
Emerton, J. A. 8
Epstein, I. 59
Eshel, H. 300
Evans, T. V. 113,125
Eynde, C. van den 148
Fabry, H. J. 95
Fasce, S. 136
Fassberg, S. E. 167
Feliks, Y. 55
Ferrer, J. 28,37,147, 301
Fields, W. 98
Finkelstein, L. 98
Fischer, B. 199,200,298
Fischer, R. H. 146
Fishbane, M. 39
Flint, P. 298
Flusser, D. 254
Forte, A. 215
Forti, T. L. 55,67, 71
Fowler, H. N. 78
Fraenkel, S. 50,103
Fransen, I. 57
Freeman, D. N. 41
Frey, A. 254
FrobenJ. 211
Frowde,H. 211
Fuchs, A. 49,237,249
Fuller, R.C 95,217,239
Gamble, H. Y. 100
Gantillon, U. 188
Garcia Martinez, F. 4,95,242,278,
299,300, 320
349
Gaster,M. 5
Georgakopoulou, A.
123
Gerber, D. 268
Gibson, M. D. 162
Gilbert, M. 216-217,219,238,242,
247-248,251, 255-257, 272-273,
281,291,298,316
Ginkel, J. J. van 161
Ginsberg, H. L. 27-29
Gluck, J. J. 41
Goff, M. J. 304
Gordon, R. P. 15
Greek, I. 120
Greenstein, E. 41
Groningen, B. van 100
Gryson, R. 199,209
Guerra Martinez, A. J. 292
Gwilliam, G. H.
180
Haar Romeny, R. B. ter 146,156,161
Haelewyck, J.-C. 159
Hamp, V. 47,285
Harl, M. 98
Harle,P. 131
Harris, J. R. 162
Hart, J. H. A. 83,98,216,238,242
Hartman, L. 242,255
Hattridge, H. W. 257
Hayward, C. T. R. 108,110
Hempel, J. 95
Herkenne, H. 207,215,237
Hernandez Lara, C. 112
Hespel, R. 149
Hill, A. E. 5
Hinrichs, J. C. 237
Hisda, R. 58
Honigman, S. 94
Horbury, W. 15,99
Horgan, M. 39
Hornblower, S. 104
Horrocks, G. 123
Hugo, P. 29,163,194
Hunt, A. S. 115
Instone-Brewer, D. 39
Jenkins, R. G. 147
Jenner, K. D. 153
Jennings, W. 188
JoostenJ. 129,167,171
Jowett, B. 78
Julicher, A. 202
Kaatz, S. 150
Kaiser, O. 57
350
INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS
Kalimi, I. 45
Kasteren, J. P. van 147
Kaufhold, H. 160
Kearns, C. 95,217,225,238-239,
241-242, 245, 247, 249-250, 253,
258-259, 264, 274, 276-277
Kihn, H. 160
Kiraz, G. A. 180
Kister, M. 287
Knabenbauer, I. 24
Knibb, M. A. 238
Koskenniemi, E. 29
Koster, M. D. 143
Kraft, R. A. 98
Krammer, I. 62
Kuntzmann, R. 222
LabendzJ.R.
14,17
Lagarde, R de. 160,167,180,211
Lampe, G. W. H. 130
Lange, A. 97
Lavenant, R. 156
Law, T. M. 156
Le Boulluec, A. 134-135
Le Daut, R. 222
Le Moigne, P. 145
Lebram, J. C. H. 154
Lee, J. A. L. 113,120
Legrand, T. 218,240,249,254
Lemmelijn, B. 32
Levene, D. S. 17-18
Levi, I. 14, 30, 38,177,273,287,298
Lewenstein, T. 40
Lichtheim, M. 67
Lieberman, S. 25,100
Liesen, J. 28,37,147,291, 301
Lieu, J. M. 238
Lindenberger, J. M. 58
Linder, A. 17
Lindqvist, P. 29
Livingston, E. 179
Loopstra, J. A. 146
Loretz, O. 272
Louw, T. A. W. van der 107
Maas, M. 160
Macchi, J.-D. 240
Macomber, W. F. 152
Maman, A. 167
Manfredi, S. 300
Manley, J. 185
Manns, F 321
Marbck, J. 32-33,238,244,298
Marcus, J. 32
Maresch, K. 99
Margoliouth, D. S. 25
Margulies, H. 68
Martone, C. 25
Matthews, E. G. 160
Matzkow, W. 202
McHardy,W.D.
146,155
Metzger, B. M. 200
Minissale, A. 4,26-27, 50, 56,96,128,
282,298
Molenberg, C. 149
Mopsik, C. 59
Moule, C. F. D. 248
Mulder, O. 109,171,291
Munnich, O. 98
Muraoka, T. 273,287,298
Murphy, R. E. 4,266
Nau, F. 161
Nelson, M. D. 177,215,249
Neubauer, A. 17
Neusner, J. 39
Newsom, C. 320
Nicklas,T. 238,248,251
Nihan, C. 240
Nodet, E. 294
Nldeke, T. 194
Noy, D. 99
Oesterley, W. O. E. 177,237,247,260,
277,288
Orlinsky, H. M. 97
Outhwaite, B. 3
Owens, R. J. 146,168,179,250
Palmisano, M. C. 282-283
Parker, D. C. 153
Passaro, A.
19, 50,243,281, 300
Passoni Dell'Acqua, A. 285
Paul, S. M.
76,98
Payne Smith, R. 151,170,188
Penar, T. 57
Perczel, I. 160
Perdue, L. G. 39,139
Peremans, W. 102
Perkans, M. 7
Perles, F. 286
Peters, M. K. H. 101
Peters, N. 30,40, 57, 76,177,237,263,
284
Petraglio, R. 295
Peursen, W. T. van 4
Peursen, W. T. van 4,25,29,38,46,
143,145-146,167-169,174,
178,182,194, 238,244,249-250,
273-274, 287
Phillips, D. 160
Philonenko, M. 230,254
Piccione, R. M.
7
Pirenne-Delforge, V. 104
Pirot, L. 216
Pistone, R. 320
Piwowar, A. 60
Podechard, E. 272
Pogliani, J. B. 180
Porter, S. E. 120
Prato, G. L. 238,244,255
Puech, E. 3, 30,193, 251,254, 257, 267,
304, 317, 320-322
Quinn, K. 100
Rabinowitz, I. 298
Rahlfs, A. 102
Rajak, T. 102,104
Reed, A. Y. 125
Reif, S. C. 8
Reimer, G. 30,34
Reinink, G. J. 148-149
Ritrer, F. V. 24, 32,39,133,238,248,
251,293, 303
Renaud, B. 268
Rey, J.-S. 3-5,10-12, 32-33,69,251,
268, 279, 304,310
Reymond, E. D. 41,43,132,275,298
Rickenbacher, O. 300
Riede, P. 55
Rimbach, J. A. 55
Rinaldi, G. 57
Rizzi, G. 243,250
Robert, A. 85
Rochette, B. 103
Rogerson, J. W. 238
Rmer, T. 240
Rompay, L. van 148
Rosenthal, E. I. J. 8
Rost, L. 95
Rger, H. P. 49, 57,180,242,244,246,
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Ruiz-Montero, C. 112
Ryan, S. D. 156
Ryssel, V. 177
Saebo, M. 148,202
Salvesen,A. 97,150
Sanders, J. A. 297,299,311
Sanderson, J. E. 7
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Saracino, F. 257
Sauer, G. 57,238,248,284,300
Schattner-Rieser, U. 254
Schechter, S. 17,247,284
Scheiber, A. 68
Schenker, A. 29,163,194
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Schiffman, L. H. 98,298
Schlatter, A. 154,238
Schlosser, J. 222
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Schochet, E. J. 55
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Thiele,W. 201,203,215
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Texts and Versions of The Book of Ben Sir A

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The Texts and Versions of the Book of Ben Sira

Journal for the Study

Benjamin G. Wright, III

Florentino Garcia Martinez

The titles published in this series are listed at brill.nl/jsjs

The Texts and Versions of the Book

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

PRINTED BY A-D DRUK BV - ZEIST, T H E NETHERLANDS

An Alternative Hebrew Form of Ben Sira: the Anthological

Wordplay in the Hebrew to Ben Sira

Animal Imagery in the Hebrew Text of Ben Sirach

GREEK VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA

The Literary Attainment of the Translator of Greek Sirach

Le mtier de scribe un mtier diffrent: quelques rflexions

SYRIAC VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA

Archaic Elements in the Syriac Version of Ben Sira

Christian Features in the Peshitta Text of Ben Sira: the Question

LATIN VERSIONS OF BEN SIRA

La version latine de Ben Sira: tat de la question, essai de

HERMENEUTICAL AND THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

L'esprance post-mortem dans les diffrentes versions du

La prire de Ben Sira dans les manuscrits hbreux et dans

La sagesse dans les batitudes de Ben Sira: tude du texte

Index of Ancient Sources

Index of Modem Authors

HEBREW TEXTS OF BEN SIRA

AN ALTERNATIVE HEBREW FORM OF BEN SIRA:

About two-thirds of the Hebrew text of Ben Sira is now available in at

This study builds on the earlier articles on MS C by Pancratius

Beentjes, Claudia Camp, and Marco Zappella. Valuable discussions of

Until today, four bifolia of MS C have been discovered. It is certain

P. C. Beentjes, "Hermeneutics in the Book of Ben Sira. Some Observations on

AN ALTERNATIVE HEBREW FORM OF BEN SIRA

C has inserted 13 bicola (or distichs) from 36:24-37:26 within extracts

A. ANTHOLOGICAL H E B R E W PSALMS AND TORAH MANUSCRIPTS

The anthological character of MS C makes it different from all the other

composite poem made up of a slightly modified form of Ps 105:1-15,

Table 1: Psalm Texts Used in 1 Chronicles 16

Within the canonical Psalter, Psalm 108 is an anthology of excerpts

Table 2: Earlier Psalms Used in Psalm 108

Moreover, Psalm 70 is a slightly reworded form of Ps 40:14-18. In ad

AN ALTERNATIVE H E B R E W FORM OF BEN SIRA

Qumran non-canonical hymn collections also contain anthological

Non-Canonical Psalm (4Q381 15 4-7)

Lines based on Psalm 89

Table 3: Lines from Psalm 89 echoed in non-canonical Psalm 4Q381 Frag

the excerpted (and sometimes resequenced) Psalms and Torah MSS

B. ANALYSIS OF F I V E SAMPLE PASSAGES FROM MANUSCRIPT C

By my approximate reckoning (which includes double counting), the

AN ALTERNATIVE HEBREW FORM OF BEN SIRA

For comparison, here are the same verses from MS A.

Do not be one who scatters in every direction,

Because the compiler of MS C is interested in social dealings, as ex

is his deliverer." It is unclear if this is a textual corruption or a deliberate

(c) 36:24; 6:5-6; 37:1-2; 6:7-10, 12-15 (on friendship):

AN ALTERNATIVE HEBREW FORM OF BEN SIRA

A faithful friendthere is no price,

As in the case of the first sample passage, the producer of MS C has

In addition, my general claim is that MS C aims to preserve complete

Every friend says, "I am a friend,"

Whereas these verses in MS D make good sense, the absence of 37:1b

(d): 3:27; 6:18-1% 28, 35 (on wisdom):

A stubborn heartits pains will be many,

a) rrm u m a oa o / noi in nw*

c) rrnn n^n o T W K / noi "pn nw

"O / n]oi rn w

e) nia rmttnJNJK O / noi in nuw