Sirach
Chapter 38
Physician
Give proper respect to the doctor, for you need him, and God himself established him.
Healing, in fact, comes from the Most High; the gift of healing comes from the Sovereign.
The doctor’s skill earns him respect and admiration from the powerful.
The Lord created the medicinal herbs that grow on the earth, and a sensible person will not despise them.
Remember that he used a simple wooden rod to purify water and thereby demonstrate his power to everyone.
He is the one who gives knowledge to humans so that his power is glorified;
the doctor uses it to heal and comfort, while the chemist uses it to create his mixtures.
In this way, the Lord’s work never stops, and well-being prevails on the earth.
My son, when you are sick, do not worry; pray to the Lord to heal you.
Let go of bad habits, keep your hands clean, and cleanse your heart from all sin.
Offer incense and a memorial gift of fine flour and generous offerings within your means.
Then consult the doctor; remember that he was appointed by the Lord, so do not dismiss him—you need him.
Sometimes, good health relies on doctors.
They will also pray to the Most High to grant them success in healing to save lives.
May he who sins before his Maker fall into the hands of the doctor!
Mourning
My son, mourn for the dead, mourn deep-ly to express your sorrow, and bury the deceased with proper ceremonies. Make sure to honor his tomb.
Cry out loudly, mourn intensely, and follow the mourning period according to the worth of the deceased. Keep it to one or two days to avoid criticism, and then find comfort in your grief.
Sorrow can lead to death, and a broken heart loses its strength.
End your mourning after the funeral; a life of continuous sorrow is unbearable.
Do not let grief overpower you; stay strong and remember your own eventual end.
Remember! There is no coming back. You do no good to the dead, only harm to yourself.
Keep in mind my sentence, which will also be yours: mine yesterday, yours today!
When the dead person is at rest, let his memory be one of peace; be comforted on his account once his spirit has departed.
Arts and Crafts
A law student gains wisdom during his free time; when he is free from work, he can become wise.
How can the man who guides a plow become wise, he whose pride lies in snapping a whip and driving a bullock, who works continually and talks of nothing but cattle?
His heart is set on plowing furrows, and all his attention is focused on fattening heifers.
It is the same for all craftsmen and skilled workers who labor day and night, including professional engravers and seal designers. All focus on creating different designs and reproducing the model, working even at night to achieve success.
Similarly, the blacksmith stands by the anvil, focused on forging iron; his face is burned by flames, and he battles the heat of the furnace; the clang of the hammer is deafening; his eyes are fixed on the model to be copied, and he puts in every effort to do his best, often working late into the night to perfect his craft.
It is the same for the potter seated at his work, with his foot turning the wheel, always focused on what he is shaping, every movement intentionally controlled.
His arm kneads the clay, and his feet make it pliable. All his attention is focused on applying the glaze, and at night, he takes care of cleaning the furnace.
All these craftsmen rely on their hands to develop skill in their various crafts.
Without them, a city couldn’t be built; no settlers or travelers would come.
But they are not found in the council of people, nor do their words carry weight in an assembly. They do not sit in the judge’s seat, and they are not familiar with the law.
They are neither cultured nor skilled in judgment, nor are they found among authors of proverbs. They support creation and civilization, and their prayer is expressed through their life’s work.
Commentaries
Physician.
According to Ben Sira’s perspective, physicians, medicines, apothecaries, and the sick are all created by God. In times of illness, one should pray to God and repent, but it is also important to rely on the physician, who should pray for the success of his medicine. The call to repent when sick aligns with the belief that illness is caused by sin, serving as a visible sign of God’s punishment. Although this view is now outdated, its remnants still persist in our communities, and it is essential to eliminate this belief. Only life can come from the God of life; he will never send us illness or pain to harm us.
Mourning.
Even at the critical and final moment of human life—death—the value of a wise person’s life must be recognized. First, death should be seen as an entirely unavoidable reality, and second, when someone around us passes away, the most healthy and just response is to mourn, bury them, and grieve. Still, do so in moderation and gradually let go of their memory (20:21). At the same time, the end also comes to us.
Arts and Crafts.
According to Ben Sirach, wisdom can only be gained by those who are not forced to risk their lives in the daily fight to earn a living. Based on this view, the farmer, the blacksmith, the potter, today’s worker, the recycler, and those who struggle to get by could not become wise. Let us remember that this was the way of thinking at the time of the author, a perspective influenced by the Greeks, who viewed people in these trades as essentially slaves and thus excluded from the world of masters and lords.