Sirach
Chapter 15
Such is the one who fears the Lord; whoever embraces the law will gain wisdom.
She will come out to meet him like a mother and greet him like a virgin bride;
she will nourish him with the bread of understanding and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
He will rely on her and will not waver; he will lean on her and will not be let down.
Wisdom will make him greater than his friends, and he will be able to speak in the whole assembly.
He will be crowned with happiness and joy. He will inherit an everlasting name.
The fool will never possess her, and sinners will never lay eyes on her.
She is entirely free from pride, and liars will know nothing about her.
Praise doesn’t belong on the lips of sinners because it doesn’t come from the Lord.
Praise should come from the wise man; therefore, the Lord himself inspires it.
Origin of Sin
Do not say: “It was God who made me sin.” God does not cause what he hates.
Do not say: “He made me do wrong,” for he has nothing to do with a sinner.
The Lord hates all evil, and those who fear him hate it as well.
When he created man at the beginning, he gave him the freedom to make his own choices.
If you want, you can follow the commandments, and it is within your power to stay faithful.
He has set fire and water before you; you choose whichever you prefer.
Life and death lie before man: whatever a person chooses will be granted to him.
How magnificent is the wisdom of the Lord! He is powerful and all-seeing.
His eyes are on those who fear him. He knows all of man’s works.
He has not commanded anyone to be godless and has not granted anyone permission to sin.
Commentaries
Wisdom.
This passage has two sections. The first (14:20-27) describes a careful man who seeks wisdom. The image shows a hunter who patiently spies, follows tracks, camps, and sets nets until he reaches his goal. This man is called happy, blessed (14:20); the second (15:1-10) explains the benefits of seeking and gaining wisdom. The first benefit is that one gains knowledge and the ability to follow the Law of the Lord; this is the foundation for understanding the fruits and benefits of wisdom. Using images of nourishment and food, wisdom, personified as a generous woman, offers bread and drink to those who seek her. This behavior of wisdom is only for those who truly search for her.
Origin of Sin.
The theme of personal freedom to choose good or evil, life or death (cf. Dt 30:15-20) is developed here; sin, evil, and all other anti-values in the world are not the work of God, but of human injustice. There is no argument for believing, much less preaching, that evil and sin can also come from God.