Sirach
Chapter 6
Just as the wicked man inherits confusion and shame, so will the sinner who is used to lying.
Passion
Do not surrender to your passions; they will turn against you and, like a bull, tear you apart.
They will devour the foliage and destroy the fruit, leaving you like a dry stump.
An evil passion will ruin the one it controls; it will make him the target of his enemies’ laughter.
Friends
A gentle word gains many friends, and a kind tongue invites gracious replies.
Let your friends be many, but your counselors, one in a thousand!
If you want to make a friend, start by testing him and do not trust him too quickly.
There is a friend who is faithful only when it suits him, but he does not remain loyal in your times of adversity.
There is a friend who turns into an enemy and, to your embarrassment, reveals why you quarreled.
There is a friend who shares your table but turns against you when circumstances are against you.
In times of prosperity, he will be like your shadow and speak openly to your household.
But if you are humiliated, he will betray you and avoid seeing you.
Keep your distance from your enemies and be cautious with your friends.
The faithful friend is a safe refuge; anyone who finds one has found a treasure.
A faithful friend is priceless; cherish him as invaluable.
A faithful friend is a life-saving help, and those who fear the Lord will find one.
Whoever fears the Lord will make true friends, for as a person is, so will his friend be.
Wisdom
My son, dedicate yourself to learning from your youth, and you will grow in wisdom until old age.
Work at it like a worker and a sower: cultivate wisdom and wait for her excellent fruits. In cultivating her, you will face some trouble, but soon you will enjoy her fruits.
Wisdom is very strict with the ignorant. Fools will not persist.
She will be like a heavy burden or a tough test that he will quickly throw away.
For wisdom brings her own honor, and she does not reveal herself to everyone.
Listen, my son, and accept my teaching; do not reject my counsel.
Put her constraints on your feet and her yoke around your neck.
Put your shoulder to the burden and carry her yoke; do not rebel against her chains.
Come to her with all your soul, and observe her ways with all your strength; observe her ways.
Pursue her, search for her; she will reveal herself to you. When you find her, do not let her go.
For, in the end, you will find rest in her, and she will become your joy.
Her constraints will strengthen your steps, and her collar will be like a glorious garment.
Her yoke will become a golden ornament, and her chains like precious bands of hyacinth blue.
You will adorn yourself as with a garment of glory and wear her like a crown of joy.
If you wish, my son, you will learn; if you pay attention, you will become clever.
If you love to listen, you will learn; if you truly pay attention, you will become wise.
Be cautious in the assembly of elders, and if there is a wise man present, attach yourself to him.
Be willing to listen to all discussions on divine matters, and do not let the sayings of the wise escape you.
If you see an intelligent man, follow him from daybreak and let your footsteps lead to his door.
Meditate on the precepts of the Lord and diligently apply yourself to his commandments. He will strengthen your heart, and the wisdom you desire will be granted to you.
Commentaries
On Speaking.
Another lesson of wisdom is exercising discretion in interpersonal relationships. An uncontrolled tongue causes more harm than good because those who are quick to speak are usually slow to think and discern. This passage encourages us to think before we speak and to carefully evaluate each situation.
Passion.
An invitation to practice self-control. To be ruled by passion is to lose the quality and meaning of life; it leads to the deterioration of right relationships with God and others.
Friends.
The author is not interested in theoretical discussions about friendship. Based on his own experience, he offers advice on choosing friends wisely. Not everyone who smiles at us or sits at our table is a true friend. We may have great relationships with many people, but Ben Sirach advises us to trust only one: “let him be your confidant.” The most critical and challenging moments in life, when misfortune and setbacks happen, are the best opportunities to see who a good friend is, genuinely—a faithful friend: the one who does not turn his back on us and who even takes our situation as his own. That is the true friend, and he is compared to a safe refuge, to a treasure that is priceless and cannot be measured by its value.
Wisdom.
This passage can be divided into three sections, all of which share the theme of seeking wisdom. The first section (18-23) shows that developing wisdom from a young age leads to a sensible old age. The second section (24-31) describes wisdom as something to which one willingly submits to become freer each day; it is a gentle yoke and a light burden, similar to how Jesus of Nazareth presents His way of life (cf. Mt 11:30). The third section (32-37) encourages us to seek that wisdom among our elders, for they have already traveled a path filled with experiences and challenges they have overcome. However, we do not learn everything from the elderly; according to Ben Sirach, the wisdom gained from a wise elder must be complemented by study and ongoing reflection on the Law of God.