The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English, with introductions and critical and explanatory notes to the several books, edited in conjunction with many scholars by R. H. Charles, volume I: Apocrypha. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913.

ἘΝ aad b35 mm on Ar (of. I) kK. ore | καθοτι BA et quoniam 3, povl? } >BASHL τ ἘΠ b53 MF ArM (of. F) Ev.| (wéde v. 2) +regem Assyriorum af ὃ dr M +regem y Ps.-Aug. F nyop.... xpnow | nunv αὐτου ayopaotys BAS md mat Π2 bs by mn 31. Ar M Ta προς τ. xpnow | quaecumque volebat in usu suo 3" ΤῊ. k. emop.... exe.| > Ar M κ᾿ ἐπορ.] ἐπορ. Β iens & Μηδιαν] τδειαν Bab 2... τ. BA pr. regionem 30 pr. DN ymady 55a F k. nyop. aut. εκειθ.] > BASLE ews αὖτ. azobay.] > BASF παρεθ.] pr. SIO NAN Ar Ταβηλῳ δὲ] -anrto NC®BA Gabelo 3" Sxa3 Ar Sear M Sway F βαλλαντια] > BA SaBy Ar ΜῈ τ. ad.| fratri meo a8M fratrié > y 7@2° | > BAM filioaByF et ὃ Ta8pe| -pa BA Gabahel a8 Gabeli y Gabin ὃ “3p Ar +3) Ar >M ὈΝ) 122 Ε ™ χωρᾳ] Payots BAL μων» “2 Μηδιας] τ-δειας Bab regionis Medorum af civitate M Ύ in terra Μ. ὃ +yan spa Ar wean na) M 15. Evepnaccap | -neccap αὶ -peocapos A on dtxaSa 3 ArM +7)nN7 ΝΟ ArM sbon Ih K.2°] > BASH Sewvaynperp | Aynped Β Aynpeca Bbvid φρο S aynnip Ar M «.3°] -ENMMTIN IID NOY P>TI Ar odo... ἀπεστ.) NNO Soo xm ay ἸΡΟΒῚ Ar p>phipr YOO) AYP) yA WM F τῆς M.] αὐτοῦ BA terrae Medorum 3» ἀπεστησαν] ἡκαταστατ. B xareot. A emasco }$ constantes eranta8 incon.er.y recesseranté (- (οί Ar) 1 Ws nyonbdan aD 1D

poterat...postea% pr. nan F mopev.| aw) F εἰς τ, M.] illuc post pot. 3» τὸ: εν 27: Κὶ = ΒΑὥΞΨ GP Stee Ἐν] (3 πὸ} M Ἐνιμεσσαρου] -cap BA zm dtxadSa ᾧ F amp 4r εποιησα] -oLlouv

(ουν sup ras 4 litt Δ.) BA τ. ad. μου τ. εκ τ. γεν. μου] τ. ad. μου BAS omnibus de natione mea % send Ar (f- (plen.) Μὴ ‘ns ὑπὸ Ε τὸ Gite occ yore. | > M mew. | + pron) Ar τῆ: ἐματ.] 2γτὸ A τ μοῦ A >M x.2"| ἘΔ ston 53 an Ar τ. ek τ. εθν. p.| > Ar εθν.] γεν. BAS τεθν.] οὔτ ante εκ τ. εθ. M (f- F) K.3°] > ArM epptp. | pepe. Β εριμ. A οπισὼ τ. TELX. Νιν.]} NWT NAN. Ar one |

ἐπι A wind M Nw. | pr. es A εθαπ.} pr. ἼΩΝ TY ὙΠ) νοὶ nop xb M 18. mulia verba apud M

addita e Script. et alits locts. simil. F εἰ τ. amext.| > Ar Σενναχηρειμι" } AynpeA Β Sa peatco S +0 Ba- σιλεὺς δὲ ὁ (υἱα) BASH an 4r-M ἘΌΝ ΝΣ M απηλθ.}] ηλθ. BAS φευγων] PDX ΓῚΠ23 Ar M ἜΝ TD M ενημι.. - εβλασφ.] > BAS bopy ans ΝΡ ΝΘ ΝΟΣ avy by ma arpa “20 ΟἿΝ “ap ΠῚ An wa an panda mim pm Ar (+4 szml. M) cv mu. . . . κρισ.] propter defensionem % εξ avr.| de illo 3» o Bac.| Dominus & εθαψ. . . . Iop.| mby weap ID Iw Non ID Ar ebay. | cbavrous κλεπτων BASZM Ge τὸ We a bo i εθαπτ.] > BAS κι 25) ego © pr. wdda op, Ar en. | involvebam 3", ἘΠ Ho 0 Cue avr. | -10n ὑπο τ. Bac. τα cop. κ. οὐχ evpebn BAS 73) AMID yan NIN NIT

14. ἠγόραζον (without the πάντα... χρῆσιν of v.13) may refer to journeys to Media for the purchase of s/aves, the sense in which ἀγοράζειν is used in the will of Attalus 111, Dittenberger, Orient. Graeci Inscript. Select. No. 338,

15. ᾿Αχηρείλ (Vat.) is the result of haplography eBaci\eycen[cen]ayupeim. The phonetic interchange of 8 and p is frequent ; consequently Marshall’s hypothesis, that 3 was misread ) in a supposed Aramaic original, 15 needless : see Introd., p. 182. ἠκαταστάτησαν (Ν᾽ αἴ.) exemplifies the tendency of new verbs to take an external augment.

16. In Avy Levi reads NYDN but NDWN is correct as Ὁ appears elsewhere, e.g. vii. 16; xvi. 5, 9, 13; YOYT has dropped out after it, and a similar omission occurs in v. 18, where M shows that the common parent of Avy and M originally followed the tradition of RS fairly closely.

17. ἵπ ῥεριμ. (Vat.) initial p is reduplicated contrary to the Attic rule. 18. Hs involvebam is due to the influence of xii. 13, or the presence of περιστέλλειν in his MS. of RS, not to independent translation of N32) misread Ny, a corruption ingeniously but quite unnecessarily invented by Marshall.

Pie BOOK OF LTOBIT 1. 19-2. 1

το And a certain one of those of Nineveh went and informed the king concerning me, that it was I who buried them, and that I was hid. And when I perceived that the king knew concerning me and 20 that I was sought for to be put to death, I was afraid and ran away. And all that I possessed was seized, and there was nothing left unto me which was not taken to the royai treasury save my wife 21 Anna and my son Tobias. And there passed not forty days before two of his sons slew him. And they fled into the mountains of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned after him. And he appointed over all the accounts of his kingdom Ahikar, my brother Anael’s son, and he had authority 22 over all his affairs. Then Ahikar made reques™for me, and I came down to Nineveh. For Ahikar was chief cupbearer, and keeper of the signet, and steward, and overseer of the accounts in the days of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and Esarhaddon appointed him a second time. And he was my brother’s son and of my kindred.

ii. The starting-point of the present story, ii. 1-14.

4x1 And when Esarhaddon was king I came home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, and my son Tobias. And at our feast of the Pentecost, which is the holy Feast of the Weeks, there

mam navy dy ΟΡ Ar 32°] rex & αὐτὰ] > HF PID PIO Jay M1 Ar 19. «. επορευθη] bes δὲ BAS yy Ar emop. . . . ἐμοῦ] renuntiatum est illi % εἰς Tis] WIN Ar ms| > BA εκ τῆς N.] εν N. ΒΒ Νινευιτων AS ᾿ υπεδειξεν} -fe B mMyNpP box Ar +multa verba M eyo| > BA barre | eOanrov A kK. exp. | >aByd Luc. ArF kK. OTE emreyva | extyvous δὲ BAS One 6 τὴν αποθ.]

quaerebat me occidere 3) 21» yow 73 mMd>upad Nobo wpa Ar (fA Ε) eyo... ors] > BAS τοῦ] > BA εφοβηθὴην x. arredpaca | φοβηθεις avexopnoa BA 9 ego autem fugi # pry op Ar wo ΠΣ M

(of. F) 20. mma nv S5eend ΝΞΟ wpE Ar (ΟΣ +multa verba Μὴ stmil. F nprayn| δι- BA direpta est L ova umnpxev μοι] τ. ὑπαρχοντα pou BAS substantia mea 3» 0 OUK... βασιλικ.] > BASH Τωβια] -Ber ΒΒ -βιου A 21. ov διηλθ. nu. -+ ews οὐ] contigit dum laterem post diesa8 — contigit (+ ut y) post dies y Zuc. latui diebus 8 ἫΝ poy? " " ΠΡΟ Too Ny Ar F plen. ef aliter M τεσσερακοντα] ν΄ xcamg πεντηκ. BAS quadraginta quinque αβγὃ dr >M “wy πυϑῇ F amexr. | +sa0n2 Ar ou δυο vt. pr. WW sbow1N ArMF εφυγον Neal -yev δ᾿ τὸ ορη] montem 3» yand ArMF Apapar |

-ad BH yap Ar Σαχερδονος] -dav A 90 pO pas noo S Archedonossar aByé Luc. jn DN Ar MF wos | pr.o BA μετ᾽ αυτον] av’ αὐτοῦ BAH Ar MF » 9 eraé. | + jIN7DN ΝΞΟ Ar Axetxapor | -€vayapov 88 -tayapov BA Gann? $ Achicarum α β γὸ apps Ar M jan F Avan) | Syon Ar Sean MF τ. του αδελ. μ. υἱον] vt. (pr. τ. A) τ. ad. μι BAM ons F εκλογιστιαν] τειαν ΒΒ curam αβγὸ mba 55 4γ ΜΝ (FF)

autos εἰχ. τ. εξουσ.] » BAS aliter F T. dior. | ΣΝ ΝΟ Ν Ar M 22. © vide apud Reusch Tore | κ. BAS Ar n&wo. | pr. xatind aw oy pay nop APPS ΝΣ (of. M) Ayevxaposl° 2°| Axtaxapos BA Janu’ S AchirarusaByd “ΠΝ F ἐμοῦ] --erat enim consobrinus meus aB 3D Ar κατηλθ.] ηλθ.

BAS mxansi Ar (of. M) F την] > BA Αχειχξ. . . deur. | >aBArM yap | δὲ BAS apxtowoxoos | ow. B SF οινοδοχος A διοικητης] ὉΠ by F ἐπι Sev. βασιλεως (N* -εα δὰ ὁ ἃ) pad > BASF Sayep- δονος] Pr.oNC® BA -dovocos A 90, 0eu030 S Acedonassard > F ex Sevtepas| pr. vos BA bw e~ οὖ» S iterumé6 >F nv | πῶ ΞΕ δε] enim 3 Ar εξαδ.] mona 4rM »Ὲ Κ, εκ τ, συγ. μ.} >BASHFE

11. τ. 1°] ore de (8. > A)BAS >UM em3.Bac.] >BAS ἘΝ wanna dr yon an TENSE karn\6.] » 3 Ar ME εἰς τι... μουϑ5} post Nu. 122% > Ar κ. απεδ.}] TTS Ar Mn Ε΄ ἡ γυν.

19. ἀπέδρασα, a form occurring elsewhere in LXX only in δ Judith xi. 3. :

20. βασιλικόν, cf. Dan. ii. 5 (LXX ἀναλημφθήσεται ὑμῶν τὰ ὑπάρχοντα εἰς τὸ Bac.), 1 Esdras i. 7.

21. RY has ‘graecized’ the name of Esarhaddon; for δὲ by its ἐπὶ Sapyeddvos Bac. ii. 1, shows that R* had Σαχερδών (cf. Cod. Al. SayepSav). For Ahikar cf. note to xi. 18. ;

22. a second time (cf. Mark xiv. 72): so Ball, Rendel Harris, the fem. being employed on the analogy of mv. RY, however, preferred ‘son by a second wife’, unless it is right to accent and punctuate ὁ Sayepdovds vids, ἐκ deur. = Sacherdonus’ son appointed him a second time. Dr. Charles conjectures that vids is a dittograph of the last three letters of Σαχερ.

Il. 1. In N the gen. was written for τῇ ἑορτῇ under the influence of the following genitive unless τῇ ἡμέρᾳ is to be understood. evr. (sc. ἡμέρα cf. 2 Macc. xii. 32; 1 Cor. xvi. 8; Jos. Avs. 11]. 10. 6; cf. Philo, De Septenar. 21) = Ov Own 3n, a somewhat new and unusual name for the ‘ feast of weeks’ at the time when our author wrote ; hence he defined it as ἣ . . . ἐβδ. which is an integral part of RS (not lacking in δὲ as Hatch and Red. Concord, p. 361, sub. ἑβδομάς, incorrectly state), and RY undoubtedly witnesses to subsequent misunderstanding of his purpose.

With vv. 2-4, 5 (first letter) and 8 cf. Ox. Japyr. No. 1076. Presenting the recension of R°, it shows the usual deference of that recension for the ancient tradition of RS against the less antique RY in several respects, 6.8. Ὁ. 2 βάδιζε (-Cov RY) πτωχ. (against ἐνδ, of RY though the latter’s order is followed) ; v. 3 x. ἐπορ. T., ἀναστρέψ,. (= ἐπιστρέψ. ΚΘ) against ἐλθών of RY, ἰδού" (> RY), ἔθνους (γεν. RY); in Ψ. 4 ἦρα (ἀναιροῦμαι R*) against ἀνειλόμην (R”), ἐκ τ. πλατ. (>RY), ἐν τῶν against τι of RY, μέχρι and infin. against ἕως οὗ and indic. in RY, retention of the clause ‘in order to bury him’; see above for Ox.’s coincidence with RY, and Introd., p. 176, for the emendation in v. ὃ,

2 was a good dinner prepared me; and I laid me down to dine. And the table was set for me, and abundant victuals were set for me, and I said unto Tobias my son, Go, my boy, and what poor man soever thou shalt find of our brethren of the Ninevite captives, who is mindful <of God> with his whole heart, bring him and he shall eat together with me; and lo, I tarry for thee, my boy, until

3thou come. And Tobias went to seek some poor man of our brethren and returned and said, Father. And I said to him, Here am I, my child. And he answered and said, Father, behold, one of our nation hath been murdered and cast out in the marketplace, and he hath but now been

4 strangled. And I sprang up and left my dinner before I had tasted it, and took him up from the

5 street and put him in one of the chambers until the sun was set, to bury him. Therefore I returned

6 and washed myself, and ate food with mourning, and remembered the word of the prophet which Amos spake against Bethel, saying,

Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, And all your ways into lamentation. 7,8 AndI wept. And when the sun was set, I went and digged a grave and buried him. And my

pe AJ Δ. ἢ yo. μι BA ue. μου] +/2) WYN soon πν ἘΜ κι» BAD τ᾿ πευτ.] > Ar F wan wa M τ. eoptns | -ptn (pr. τ. A) BA npov| > BAS dr 7... εβδ.} ΠῚ Ar MF εβδομ.] pr. ἐπτα BAS a septem annis af ex (a y de Aug.) septimanis y Luc. Aug. septimanarum ὃ (vzde Reusch) eyev. | ΤΠ MF μοι ap. kan. | ap. kad, μοι BA x.5°] S18} τῷ. Ὁ ἀνεπεσα] ἀνεπαυσαμὴν A αριστησαι] φαγειν (a sup ras A*) BAS 2, ἃ [πλείονα usque ad [emor.] ow v. 5 ο΄ Ox «1°. ο΄. τραπεζα > BAS Ar ME παρ. μοι 39] εθεασαμην BASaBy Luc. > dAr MF οψαρια mevova | ova πολλα BAS >sb5ArMF πλειονα]} [zo Jka Ox 7. T.| > BAS Ox maud.l°| > BA Ox & Ar M βαδιζε] -cov BA ov| pr. ayaye BA Ox SL αν] eav BA Ox evpns| υρῃς Ox πτωχ. τ. ad. ημ.] τ. ad. np. evden BS (σ΄. Ar Μὴ +. ad. nu. AF ek τ. a0. ημ. πτωχων OX ἐκ N. . . « μέχρι tov non exst. Ox ex N. αἰχμ.) > BA Ar MF os μεμν.] > AF

+7. κυριυ BAS Deum aByCypr. Luc. dom. suum ὃ ἈΠΟΝῚ wont Ar > M ev od. καρδ. αὖτ. > BAS 4ArM ayaye... «nou κι] > (v. supra) BA (ff. Ox) & x. pay.| ut manducet 30 κοιν. μετ᾽ ie panem nobiscum et prandium hoc y pariter nobiscum prandium hoc a8 spy dr MF ie N*] wou NCA BAS >ArM “nn by F poo peve | peo BA 27. ὯΝ DIAwIT b>) M mad.2°, . . ελθειν] > BASF one > ArMF σε ελθ.] [παραγενεΐσθαι σε Ox 3. emopev. - - - Κα] > BAS Sy Ar ἀγα τι o - 1] - Οἱ πτωχ.} +captivum 3» τ. αδελ.] > M ἐπιστρεψας} ἐλθων BAS αναστρεψας Ox > Ar

+wp) 12M Ney. . . . εθνους ημων] ΠΕΦΝῚ Ar Aey. . . - αποκριθ) > BA Ox 3M eyer | dixit mihi % αὐτῳ] > 3» αποκρ. eurev| ait L marep| μοι Ox 3; wov2?| > BASM εκ] τῶν aro Ox <Ovous | γεν. BAS ex fratribus nostris a8 8 (y Luc. =) M Sxnw van F mep. usque ad yevo. p. avt. (v. 4) non exst, Ox med. kK. Epp. εν τ. ay. κ᾿ auT. ν. ἐστρ.] εστραγγαλωμενος (-λημενος BabA > Μὴ epp. ev τ᾿ ay. BAS aByd +9maxd ym ΝΠΝΞ xo Sup ἽΠ ΝΣ Ar ΠῚΦΞ 05) F 4. 1°] kayo BAS ynv 10 Ar MF avannd.| post pe BA > ArF sw aynenbna M αφηκα τ. apo. +x] > BAS None jd op ja Ar mp. ἡ yevo. με] ante ἀαναπηδ. BA (cf. F) box xdi dr > M 1 >A αὐτοῦ > BA avatpoupat| ανειλομὴν ΒᾺ npa Ox fr. boy ArM εκ τ. mar. | >BAS +nxnp7 Ar x.3°] > BA Ox S2X εν τ. " τι οἰκημα BA εν τ᾿ οἰκηματων Ox ᾿ς S indomum apud me (AF) ΝΠΔ ἽΠ3 4γ ΔῚΣ Μ εθηκα > BA Ox Sk μεχρι τ. τ. ἡλιον δυειν] ews ov εδυ οηλ. ΒΑ μεχρι Svew τ. ἡλιον Ox k. Galo aut. | > BASF

x. θαπτω avr. Ox ut illum sepelirem 3» 5. επιστρ. ovy | x. ἐπιστρ. BASHZM κ. (reliqua non exst.) Ox +amab 4rM >F ἐλουσ.] > ArM ἘΠΕ aprov| +pou BASH pera πενθ.] ev humm BAS prowbowa Ar pro nyouraM -ἘΠΠΟΝῚ F 6. εμνησ. ... λεγων] NI2 OPN Ar τ. ρηματος τ. προφητου] τ. προφητειας (-ιας A) BASF sermonum prophetae 3, 12977 M Gee 5 0 6 eyor | καθως εἰπε BAS δὴν

naan F οσα] quod 3: A.] post προφ. ΒΑ SL emt Βαιθηλ} in Bethleem % στραφησ.} 357) ArM >F υμ. at eopr.| αἱ copr. vp. BA omnes dies festi vestri 3 > F κ. nao... θρην.] > Ar F ἊΜ odo] εὐῴροσυναι BAS cantica aB Luc. (viae y semitae δ) Opnvos | -ov BA 7. «xd. | +xi1n> ΝΑῚ m53 Ar M κε Ὅτε 0 6 Ὁ ΠΛ sigh! 1D opvé.| > Ar M 8. semil F οἱ] pr. omnes 3» mAno.| M29? Ar snnayni np) Mo p.] > ΒΑ karey.|] emey. ΒᾺ deridebant me © = cum ov φοβ. ... ἰδου of. Ox ov

2. RS had τοῦ 6. which af y have preserved; δὲ omitted (or they have fallen out after αὐτοῦ) and RY varied to κυρίου.

3. On the surface the ἀναστρέψας of Ox. and the ἀποκριθείς of δὲ might seem to suggest independent translation of a Heb. or an Aramaic word. This, however, apart from the general difficulties (see Introd., p. 182) of the independent translation hypothesis, is precluded by the fact that ἀναστρέψ. of Ox. corresponds to ἐλθών of RY (= ἐπιστρεψ. not ἀποκριθ. of RS), λέγει . . . ἀποκριθ. being omitted in conformity with RY and only x. ἐπορ. T. retained in R“s usual compromising tendency in the first clause of the verse.

4. κι θάψω (-ro Ox. = R°) > RY, an instance of the resolution of an infin. into a finite verb in Hebraistic style and of its rejection or modification in a subsequent recension.

6. ἈΞ (cf. γδ in addition to N’s ai ὁδοί read by Swete but διοδοί by Reusch) had ‘ways’ (used metaphorically like Mm and well paraphrased by RY). The emendation ὠδαΐ which was made as long ago as a8 (and accepted even by Reusch) is preferred by the partisans of RY (e.g. Néldeke, Lohr) as giving colour to the fiction that R® is merely a secondary revision undertaken in the interests of Biblical style and Semitic idiom.

ir 4

neighbours mocked, saying, Is he no longer afraid ?—for already I had been sought after to be put to death for this matter—And yet he fled away <and lost all his possessions> and lo, again, he burieth the dead! And the same night I washed myself and came into my courtyard and lay down to sleep by the wall of the courtyard, and my face was uncovered because of the heat. And I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall above me; and their dung settled warm into mine eyes and brought up white films; and I used to go to the physicians to be healed; and the more they anointed me with their medicaments, the more mine eyes were blinded by the films, until they were totally blinded. And I was impotent in mine eyes four years. And all my brethren did grieve for me, and Ahikar nourished me two years until he went to Elymais.

And at that time my wife Anna used to work for hire in the tasks of women, and would send the tasks back to their owners: and they would pay her the wages. And on the seventh of Dystrus, she cut off the web, and sent it home to the owners and they gave her all her wages, and gave her in addition to the wages a kid of the goats. And when she came into my house, the kid began to cry, and I called her and said, Whence is this kid? is it stolen? Render it to its owners; for we have no right to eat anything that is stolen. And she said unto me, It hath indeed been given me

φυβ. ovxere| ovxere φοβ. BA εκινδυνευσεν Ox quomodo non ἅς. 3" φοβ.] +hic homo 3: +Awp2 jp Ar M non yap ἐπεζητηθην] -In NUDE > BA Ox S ArM os, ΤΟΥ τς aed. | > ArM tou! | >BA Ox gov. | ἀποθανειν Ox περι τ. πραγ. Tour, | Oz: απεδ.] αποδ. Α Ἐκ. ἀπωλεσεν Tavta τα ὑπάρχοντα αὐτου Ox +et perdidit substantiam suam a8 kx. παλιν tov] κι ov BA Ox iterum 3» mar, 8.| > Ar M θαπτ.] sepelire coepit 3» vekp.| +-ego autem intentus in mandatis Dei non timebam quid loqueretur homo Spec. 30 9. aur. τ. νυκτὶ ehovo.| ev aut. τ. νυκτὶ ἀνελυσα (ανελυσ. sup ras B®») θαψας BAS iterum lavi ea hora postquam sepelivia8 illum sepeliviy sepelivié nom ΠΝ 3p “nx M edove.| ΝΙΝ }1D Sap xb Ar πρὸ ΤῸΝ M ἘΠ ον τὸς αυλ. μ.] > BASAr len. et aliter M ava. | domum 3» εκοιμ.] + μεμιαμμενυος BAS τ. τοιχ. της avn. | parietem 3» xdomia DD ΠῚ" by Ar “pn ὄν M avAns| + μου BA avakekah upper. | ακαλυπτ. BA δια τ. καυμα] > BAS ArM Io. στρουθια] ag Π᾿ ἐπάνω μ.]} »ΒΑ εἰσιν] eor. ΒΑ residebant ©] (f. Ar) κι 25] +7, οφθαλμων μ. avewyor. BAS (ff ΕἾ εκαθ.) > & εκαθ. τι aod. avr.| αφωδευσαν τ. στρουθια BAF εκαθ.} insiderunt y residerunt 6 > BA θερμ.Ἴ ante as BA > ArM c.3°] > A exnyay. | ἐγενηθη B Ar M (cf. F) Neve. | ets τ. οφθαλμους (-οις Bet) u BS ArM (of. SF) emopevopny | -θην BA +caecus#% 27. cotidieS pr. “DY DY δ Ar pr. p31 Μ τοὺς] > BA θεραπευθ. . . . etn τεσσερα] κ᾿ οὐκ ὠφελησαν pe BAS (ἡ F) ἢ wan tion NON ὌΠΙΝ ΜΟῚ ὝΠΝΟΝ 4, oD ΝΟῚ MN ΠΝΒῚΡ M Κὶ mavr. . . περι ἐμ.) > BASF οἱ adeAp.] + et amici mei % Ay M περι ep. | ΝΣ" NITY by M K.8° Ayetayapos] Ἀχίαχαρος Se BA Sanu? S Achicarus autem 3» apps 4dr M 40°27 MAN ANF ery δυο] > BAS ArM προ τ. avrov βαδισαι] ews ov επορευθην BASF priusquam iret > Ar M τ. Ἐλυμ.] τ. Ἑλλυμ. ΒΑ Limaidam i > Ar M x»ndsa F ΠῚ x. | >i evr. χρον. exety. | > BAS pup word Ar mn F A, ἢ γυνὴ μ.] wm BA npevero] Nas S deserviebat a8 mercede serviebat y operabatur ὃ epyos t.| > BAS ΝΙΝ Ar γυναικιοις] -ecors Bo las Ka S mulierum ay _ muliebribus ( mulieribus) 6+lanam faciens et telam ex mercedibus suis pascebat me af l. f. et conducens telas texendas et ex &. 8 9 xnvryn nvend dr ownd MF 12. aneot.... mavrax.] > Ar (of F) ovansd my nme M mittebant et adducebant (duc. y) illam ad texendum et dabant ei mercedem suam a8 y quae accipiebat et texebat et cum detexuisset (detexisset?) remittebat domino rerum et ille mercedem dabat ei 6 αὑτῶν

Ε kuptois2° | > BAS εἕξετεμε τ. ἰστον] consummavit texturam 3, εδωκ. avt.] ameSox. aut. kK. αὑτοι BAS παντα] »ΒΑΦ k.6° εδωκαν αυτῃ] προσδοντες κι BA et insuper dederunt ei αβγδ 27. or 10 M ef’ ἐστιᾳ] > BAS pro detexto a8 telaticum y -+ad manducandum a86 73x 3 Ar MF εξ avyov | > BASArM WEE aa Ο ΝΣ κραζ.} ΝΞ P'yr NT pow ΠῚ ΠῚ Ar (+F of. M) Ke ore | ore δε BA εἰσηλθ.] ηλθ. BA $nxvan) F ο εριφ.] > BASE kpatew | κραυαζ. A εκαλ. αὖτ. κ. ειπα] εἰπα {-πον A) αὐτὴ BASMF_ vocavi ad me uxorem et dixi 111 3. mm ὈΝΦῚ Ar rovro] > BAS + qui balat © pnmore... κλεψιμ.} 3999 779 xby Jw ρῦπ M μηποτε] μὴ BA κυριοις] mand Ar αὐτου) > BA εξουσ. ἔχομεν ἡμεις] θεμιτὸν ἐστιν BASH οὐδεν] > BASF khewru.2°| supra mercedem & 14. kK. dey. μ. autn | nde ειπεν BAS et respondit mihi et dixit # (of. Ar) F Sova... pia bq | JAY WI O72 NN) jd md

10. Miiller finds in θερμόν of R8, which he regards as the original Greek, an improbable epithet for ἀφόδευμα and Conjectures that ‘)N (= dirt) has been mistranslated. dvewydrwy RY perf. act. in /ate passive sense. Dillon’s conjecture (Contemp. Rez’. 1898, p. 367) that Ἔλλυμ. (Cod. Vat., but elsewhere Ἔλυμ.) is a misunderstood transliteration

of a Hebrew word = " hiding-place’ derived from ody is favoured by Dr. Harris, Story of Ahikar, p. 111, n. 1, but see

12. ἐφ᾽ ἑστίᾳ (Swete). Reusch conjectures ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐσθίειν (cf. δ) or ἐπὶ τῷ μισθῷ (telaticum y mercedem pro tela Ξε ἵστιον ὃ v.11). af presuppose the existence of both these conjectures. Dr. Charles suggests that of an original ectiatopial (for a meaz) the last five letters were lost before ἔριφον and the remaining six became ectial. For ἱστός see

14. The presence of ποῦ εἰσίν in RS shows that δικαιοσύναι here keeps its old sense. At times however (as here in RY) it appears in RS, e.g. xii. 9, beside ἐλεημ. as an early gloss or doub.et translation and should be omitted.

over and above the wages. And I did not believe her, and I bade her render it to the owners ; and — I was abashed at her because of this. Then she answered and said unto me, And where are thine alms-deeds? Where is thy righteous course of life? Behold, this thy case is known.

iii. Tobit’s Prefatory Prayer, iii. 1-6.

Lord, thou art righteous, and all thy works are righteous, and all thy ways are mercy and truth: thou 3 judgest the world. And now, O Lord, remember thou me, and look upon me; and take not vengeance 4 on me for my sins, both for mine ignorances and my fathers’. They sinned against thee and disobeyed thy commandments, and thou gavest us for spoil and captivity, and death, and for a proverb and 5 a by-word and a reproach among all the nations among whom thou didst disperse us. And now thy many judgments are true in exacting from me the penalty of my sins, because we did not keep 6 thy commandments and walked not truly before thee. And now deal with me according to thy pleasure, and command my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be released from off the earth

2 And I was much grieved in my soul and groaned and wept. And I began to pray with groanings: O ;

and become earth: for it is more profitable for me to die than to live, because I have heard false

reproaches, and there is much sorrow in me. Lord, command that I be released from this distress, let me go to the everlasting place, and turn not thy face, O Lord, away from me. For it is more profitable for me to die, than to see much distress in my life, and not to hear reproaches.

B. SARAW’S PREVIOUS HISTORY, vv. 7-15. 7 On this day it happened unto Sarah the daughter of Raguel who was in Ecbatana of Media,

mndsap Nay Ag »Ὲ doce: | δωρον BAS pr. 13 13597 13 xb M avy | xndid Ar >F k. ἐλεγ. . . ἀποδουν.} sed magis dicebam illi Furtivis est redde illum %# > Ar “ἢ my ΡΩΝ M αποδουναι] -διδοναι ΒΑ +avro ΒΑ mpoonpvd.| -ηρυθ. BA whos S contendebam et erubescebam % Ay Nyn Ar am pampne um M >F χάριν τουτ.] > BASF Nx by Ar M era|y δὲ BAS ΠΊΠΤΩΝ ADM Noy Ar >F λεγειειπεν κ΄ ΒΑ λωϑ S >F >BAe κι που. . . δικ. σου] ubi sunt iustitiae tuae a8 Cypr. Aug. (δ᾽) ubi sunt eleemosynae tuae 6 ubi sunt el. tuae quas faciebas y —aliter F που eowv2| x, BA ibe (Ν 5) ταῦτ. μετα σ. γνωστ. εστ.] ιδου (δ ὁ 8) yr. παντα μ. co. BAS ecce quae pateris omnibus nota sunt & (σ΄. ἘΣ xdiod sans ἼΡῚ Ar Μ 2». nny nya 7b yy xbw M ΠῚ: «1° | + you 73 Ar (of. F) περιλ. yev. | λυπηθεις BA ΕΘΗ 90 S$ contristatus 3, 97 ἢ F τ ψυχ ] > BAS ArM ‘oy F κ᾿ orev. ekd.| εκλ. BAS Ar F ingemui lacrymans % »3yv by onbmay Ar np&. προσευχεσθαι] προσευξαμην BA SM fr. introivi (intravi γ δ) in atrium meum (aulam meam δ) etaByd >F per. orev. | per odvvns BAS -+animae meae Ar Ὁ yn M wp) 702 F De bux. | pr. λεγων BAS (of. Ara M F) Kupte | N29 ΝΠῸΝ Ar ἊΜ + TOawd Aw MF παν. τ. εργ.] ἘΣ ΠῚ δικαια] > BASF magna 3. (of. Ar Νὴ eX. k. ad.] misericordiae et verit. plenae 3» -ovrn | -ναι BAS συ] σοι A pr. κ΄ κρισιν αληθινην x. δικαιαν BASF pr. et iudicium verum af y (6 ) τον] pr.es BASH pr. wa ὑπ F aova | sys 53 Αγ pasa Mo +onyenn oer py ane M 3. sumil. sed plen. MF K1°, . +. ἐπιβὰ. Καὶ > Ar kK. νυν σ. Κυρ.] > BAS επιβλ.] ten ene BAS respice in me 3» x.3° | > BAL με] >B exdixna. | εκδικ. Ρ Safin) 1a ταις ap. | de pecc. & kK. ἐν τ. ayy. p. | > Ar Ὁ M εν] > BAS 47 de & ἡμαρτ.] pr.a. Bo pro οδ ὅαβ pr.si quidy quia d s3an ‘NnAIN) NIN) Ar (cf OF) evar. eor. BAX Ar F 4. simil. sed plen. (verba e Script.) M x, map.| map. yao BA SL παρήκουσα N* τσαν N°2°BASaBy_ contempsimus ὃ (cf Ar) eel] SBE apray.| Siapray. B post axp. Ar > M ary. | >M Gav. | > ArMF ews? | BA k. Nad. x. | > BAS Ar ovedur por | -wou BAS ante mapa BAr >F εν} »ΒΑ εθν.] +y ann F ne. διεσκορπισας] εσκορπισμεθα BAS son ambiny Ar 5. samil. M plen. F νυν] +Domine % ΝΠῸΝ Ar σου at xp.| a xp. o BA pr. Jon Ar ὑπαρχ.] eow BA αληθ.}] - αἰ 0800 cou NS® +i S pr. εἰ 3 ποιησ. . . ενωπ. o.| INDINI WY Swan xb Ar ποι. εξ εμ.] εξ eu. ποι. BA quae de me exigas 3» μου] -Ἐκ. τ. πατερων (πρων κὲ ὃ ἃ) pou NC® BA SaBy (> δὴ x. οὐκ] ov yap BAS non & αληθινως | ev -θειᾳ BA 9 6. aliter et plen. F kK. VU... ἐμου] ἽΤΟΠΞ O43 Ὧν TAY NID Ar σου] pr. ἐνωπιον ἃ ἘΠ M κι 3] > BAS ἐπιταξ. «.. yn] (NT JD WHI Syapy Ar (f- MF) εξ ἐμ) » ΒΑ ΘΞ: am... . ys} > BAS ArM Ἢ 555 ἼΨΥ ma ΠΝ by pny F kK. γενωμαι yn | >i διο] διοτι BA ἀπουθαν.] Jion F μαλλον] >B x4] >B ore overd. usqUue adv. fin.| ny sop yous ΝΟῚ poss ΝΠ ΠΟῚ ΝΠΞῚ mona 4r ny naan youn ΜΟῚ M λυπ.] +eorw BA per ep. | een. BAS Kvp.1° | >BAS «πολυθω] -Onvar pe BA aro?” | > BA ravr. | >BAS amon. με] nd) BAS et da mihi refrigerium 3», tom. τ. aov.| a. tor. BA K5°] > BAS Kup.2°| > BASL 102°. . . ονειδ.} > BAS Bderew | vivere et pati 3» 4. brev. F ny. ταὺυτ.] aut. nu. BASL συνεβ.}

III. 7. Israél Lévi (Revue des Etudes juives, vol. xliv, April-June, 1902, pp. 289 ff.) points out the disproportion

8 that she also heard reproaches by one of her father’s maidservants ; because that she had been given to seven husbands, and Asmodaeus the evil demon had slain them, before they had been with her as it is appointed for women. And the maidservant said unto her, It is thou that slayest thy husbands ; behold thou hast already been given to seven husbands, and thou hast not been named of one of 9 them. Wherefore dost thou scourge us on account of thy husbands because they have died? Go thy -o ways with them and let us see neither son nor daughter of chine for ever. In that day she was grieved in her soul and wept ; and she went up into her father’s upper room, and desired to hang herself; and again she considered and said, Vay, lest they reproach my father ; and shall say unto him, Thou hadst one beloved daughter, and she hath hanged herself because of her calamities! and I shall bring down my father's old age with sorrow to Hades. It is fitter for me not to hang myself, but to ‘I supplicate the Lord that I may die and no longer hear reproaches during my life. At the self-same time she stretched forth her hands towards the window and prayed, and said, Blessed art thou, 200 merciful God, and blessed is thy name for ever: and let all thy works bless thee for ever. And 3 now unto thee my face and mine eyes I lift up: command that I be released from the earth, and 4 that I no more hear reproaches. Thou knowest, Master, that Iam pure from all uncleanness with 5 man, and that I never polluted my name, nor the name of my father either, in the land of my

(of. M) pr. yaxi F aur.| raur BA ipsa 3» ακουσ. ονειδισμ.] τ-δισθηναι BA S ΝΣ NWO N nyow Ar m2 oydoy ams pean Moqyan F (sed v. Fv. 8) uno... εαὐτης] > Ar aN mymaen M amnay F amy ΝΌΝ ΠῚ 75 sap ven Ὅν xd nb ono M ὑπὸ] avo At pas τ.) > BAS ro] > B εαυτ.] avr. BA 8. plen. F exded. | bed. BA exra| + NYION 55 ΓΝ WIN mby by by Ar (f. M) Agpodeos | -davs Β -δαιος A wwoolyarnco/ S osmws ArF “pws M δαιμ. τ. πον. | πον. & ΒΑ “YT sabp ArM ἀπέκτεννεν] -κτεινεν BA mw... avt.| ea hora qua ad illam introiebant ad concumbendum af qua hora introibant ad illam yM = antequam fierent cum illa in coniugio ὃ ka. . . . ταις] ὡς εν BAS sicut solitum est mulier a8 sicut traduntur mulieres ὃ > y ΠΡῚΝ 52 ms2 4r ywn b> Jama M >F euney | ταν BS ἢ mad, | >BAS -+sua it Σὺ εἰ η] Ov συνιεὶς BAS MN and M αποκτεννουσα] -πνιγουσα BASF suffocasafy suffocasti ὃ τ. avop. o. | σ. τ. avdp. BA ιδου ηδὴ]} ηδὴ ΒΑ Ἢ Son Ar >M anexded, eta avdp.| extra ecxes BAS > M K.3°,. . ὠνομασθὴς NB8*P] «3°... ὠνασθης BAS et nullo eorum fruita es aBy frunitaesd3 ΜῈ qyany abo mast by Sey xb pane om Ar Q. Te nas... ανδρ. σ.] TIT yan 7340 by ὩΓῸΝ pom M (of. F) περι τ. avdp. o. | > BA fr. aut 3 ote aneO. - -- autor | pnnn (cf. F) ΤῊΣ pmaxd am ΣΟῚ M on] ἐἰ BASF qui L aneOavov | -vav ΒᾺ -ve Ba? ὙΠ F x. | > BAS Sorper | wy M υιὸν N*] pr.cov BAS Ἔσου N8¢* pr. ex te anfe videamus & μηδε] » BAS IO. εν τ. ἡμερ. Exel. | ταῦτα ακουσασα BAS (cf Ar (ff. M) F) eadem hora ap in illa hora Ύ in illa die ὃ eur. | 7n ΜΙ ev τ᾿ ox. ] σφοδρα BA 5 Ar M nid sy F x. ἐκλαυσ.] > BAS nd sym F x.?° avaBac. me's 76eX. | wore BAS work MOONS doy. | iA) bya ay snd ΡΝ M nOeX. ..« κακῳν] mult. aliter ef plen. M. hab. supplicationem mand. edoy. κ. dey. | enev BAS cogitavit £ Μη . - - κακων] Mia μεν εἰμι τ. πατρι μου eav ποιήσω τοῦτο ονειδὸος αὐτῳ εσται (εστιν A) ΒᾺ 5. supplicationem et dissim. verba habet M ΠΟ ON ma 4347 F aura | »3 απὸ τ. kak, | > καταξω] post αὐτου BAS xnnwdy Ar τ. TaTpos p. | αὐτου BAS + 9s F ums | οδυν. ΒᾺ +animi 3» adov N©2® BA | adous N* xpno. .. . Con p.|] > BAS MF -+neque ego neque pater meusaBy -+patermeusd χρησ. μοι] pr. md 15 Ar ἀλλα] ay pia Ar Kup. | ands Ar oT as aro. | > Ar ie, 55 NL εν QUT. τ. Karp. | ck BAS WF διαπ. τ. χειρ.} ΣΒΑΘ ban msdn τ. θυριδα] ty -δι BAS xmby pap Ar εδεηθῃ | ante προς BAS yby2 Ar +n pt) Ar θεε eX. | Kupte ο θεος μου BAS Domine Deus misericordiarum %@ ΝΣ) ΠῚ NIDM ons Ὁ Ar wads ma F cout] +7. ἀγιον x. ἐντιμον BASH ΝΟΌΣ 593 wenant ἼΦῚΡ Ar sam ain Syn ww F n.3°| > BASH Ar εὐλογησατωσαν | -γησαισαν BA σου] 1 Ar εἰς T. at. | maby vadydy dys Ar post Sawn F +73 ὃς pDnawp 51 F 12. >M νυν] Ἔκυριε BA 4γ +ypnby mn F ἐπι σε] εἰς σε post μου BAS προσ.] > F τ. προσωπ. p. τ. oO. p.| ~~ BA povl?| +levo aBAr +verto y ἀνεβλεψα]) δεδωκα BAS dirigo aBy respiciunt ὃ won Ar alter F 13. plen. et aliter MF eurrov | Lixo? S$ απολυθηναι] τλυσαι BA uteraly S ΠΝ 47° oo7axn) F απο τ. ys | θυ Ar abdiyn {9 F ακουειν | -σαι BA ονειδισμους | -pov BAS 14. plen. F δεσποτα] Kup. BA Ar > F axabapouas | ἀμαρτ. BA avdpos | pr. και B (sed non Bb A) 9 15. ουχι] οὐκ BA μου τ. ov.| τ. ov. μου BA corpus

ahi rm meet

between the cause—servamd’s gibes—and the result—desire for death ; the strangeness of 9" in the mouth of servants (but rightly used by parents, x. 11, RS, 12, RY), Sarah’s anxiety for her father’s sake; the figurative use elsewhere in Tobit of μαστιγόω (e.g. xi. 15, xiii. 2, 5,9). He ingeniously conjectures that her mother (A'S) not a maid (71S) taunted her, that πατρὸς αὐτῆς was a gloss inserted afterwards, and ἡμᾶς (v. 9) =the parents. Even if Levi were right, RS (a single maid) would be nearer to the intention of the author than RY’.

“Ὃν. Sere

THE BOOKIOF HORI τ 5

captivity. Iam the only daughter of my father, and he hath no other child to be his heir, nor has

he kinsman near him, nor has he relation, that I should keep myself for a wife unto him. Seven

husbands of mine are dead already ; and why should it be mine to live on? And if it pleaseth thee ©

not to slay me—O Lord, now hear my reproach.

C. THE UNION OF SARAH’S AND ToBIT’s DESTINIES, vv. 16, 17. At the self-same time the prayer of both was heard before the glory of God. And Raphael

was sent to heal them both: 7 the case of Tobit to remove the white films from his eyes, that he

might see the light of God with his eyes ; and iz the case of Sarah the daughter of Raguel, to give her for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit, and to unbind Asmodaeus the evil demon from her ; because it belonged to Tobias that he should inherit her rather than all those which wished to take her, At that time did Tobit return from the courtyard into his house, and Sarah the daughter of Raguel herself also came down from the upper chamber.

THE JOURNEY OF TOBIAS, iv-xiii. A. ITS CAUSE AND THE PREPARATIONS, iv. I-v. 17%.

i. The Cause, vv. I, 2.

In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media, and he said in his heart, Behold, I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobias and shew unto him concerning this money before I die ?

eyy. ovre ovyy.| vel proximus aut propinquus 3» oure | ovd. BA συγγ. aut. ὑπαρχει] -xov avr. υἱος (ι sup ras A®) BAS ap ArM ynnd fe) le auras? urapxet | post adedos Ψ, altter F συντηρ. en. | custodiat me 3 Ar Μ πη Ν F ἐμαυτὴν τὰ δ ῬΑ] αὐτὴν N* > M αὐτῳ γυναικα ] avr. yu. Sup ras δῖ αὐτῷ γυναι sup ras A® (seg ras 2 litt.) > Μ adliter F yu. | > Ar ndy | "πὶ Ar M exta| pr. viri 3»

(plen. F) x.4°] > BA εστιν ert | > BAS adhuc % pon nD INE SS 1 ὧν} “Π Ar nvnd M + pdyya WE 1a σοι Sox. | —~ BA Kup.| > BA Ar ante ἀποκτ. © νυν] ἐπιταξον BAH > LAr εἰσακουσ. ovetd. p. | επιβλεψαι (pr. impera et 5) ew ἐμε (ε. ε. > y Ar) k. ἐλεησαι με K. μηκετι ἀκουσαι με ονειδ. BA Sa B yi8ArM fplen. F 16. Ἐν avr. τ. καιρ.] x BAS win ΝΟΣ 4r ayy ΠΝ F εισηκουσθη | -σεν κι A exauditae sunt 3; nby Ar F n|>B ms A προσευχὴ δὶ Ba] -χης B* A preces & τ. δοξ. τ. θεου ] τ. ὃ. τ᾿ μεγάλου Ραφαηλ BA [59 Jodty ὦ pr. summi® ΝΞ ΝΠΟΝῚ soapy oma 4γ7. 1337 NDD (NBD yond) AYA δ) 29 + verba pauca M εἰ ΠῚ Μ ΩΣ IN F τῇ. ameor. | τοὺ Ar Masi (pr. verba pauc.) F P.| ante x. BA (v. 16) 27. soxdp 4r M + meena by mn awn M ToBerOl? aod. τ. Δ. ἀπὸ τ. οφθ. αὐτου] του T. λεπισαι (λιπεισαι A* vas λι Αἴ @Saxa\ 93) κι το A. BAS id est T. curare ἃ maculis oculorum α βὶ sanare a mac. oc. y desquama maris (= desquamare) 5 3p ssp inxend M (cf. F) wa... θεου] > BAS Ar MF εἰ reddere ei (ei > y) aspectum luminis a By lumen coeli ὃ Sappa N* | -pavN1 BASH Ty N* | την xcaBASHL Pay. | pr. του αὶ 8 BA aurny | > BAL Τωβειθ] 27. tov A Avot | dno. BAS colligare aBy alligare ὃ meaynd Ar M_oanpnandy ayy Fo Ασμοδεον] -δαυν Β τδαιον ΑΞ» «οἰγαλολιοαν, ᾧ (cf. 38) ΝΌΟΝ Ar F sows M dam. τ. mov.| 7. ὃ. ΒᾺ WT soon 4r M > F doors. . . αὐτὴν} > Ar M ndysan paw "Ὁ 3 F ar avr. | > BAS emu. κλ. autny?? | destinata erat haereditas eius # mapa .. αὐτην8} > BAS ev εκ. τ. καιρ. | mnoiby mv “Ὁ Ὁ 451.47 M (Gal) exew@ | avr. BA S exeotp. T. απὸ τ. avdys | emorpepas T. εἰσηλθεν BAS an Ar M δ8)3))} F x, aut.]| > BAS “post kareBn Κ ur. | + autns BAS +axbyd mewe 33 Ar (of MF)

IV. 1. του] pr. περι BAS apyuptou] inter p2° ef parva ras in BME o| ov BA Ταβαηλῳ] -ηλ BAL Nuliag § ὍΝ) Ar denM Sway ΕΒ εν Ραγοις] alco S we pa dr wen nena M oF Μηδιας]} -eras Bab 2. 7. xapd. avt.| εαυτῳ Bara A od ἹἸΠΝῚ2 F wou | > BAS ουχι] οὐχ BA pr. won S > ArM ΣΝ aod F ae) SN x.2°| wa αὐτῳ BAS υποδειξω] 33188) F αὐτῷ . . +

12. ἀναβλ. causative as in Is. xl. 26 (= NW9).

17. λῦσαι (R*) and δῆσαι (RY) were both technical terms in contemporary magic, Deissm, Z.A.Z. 306-10. It is noteworthy that in Dan. iv. 12 these two words both correspond to the Aramaic 4; cf. 1 Enoch viii. 3.

fics: 3: F’s immediately may be due to his intimate acquaintance with some recension based on an Aramaic text in which 9992 had been corrupted into ΠῚ ἼΠ3, but this particle is very characteristic of F’s style (e.g. iv. 3 e¢ assim)

and but little weight therefore can be attached to its appearance here.

see es ΟΝ

ii, The ‘Teaching’ of Tobit, vv. 3-21.

38 And he called Tobias his son and he came unto him and he said unto him, Bury me well, and

honour thy mother ; and forsake her not all the days of her life, and do that which is pleasing before 4 her, and grieve not her spirit in any matter. Remember her, child, that she hath experienced many 5 dangers for thee in her womb ; and when she is dead, bury her by me in one grave. My child, be

mindful of the Lord all thy days, and let not thy will be set to sin and to transgress his commandments: do acts of righteousness all the days of thy life, and Walk not in the ways of unrighteousness. | 6 <For if thou doest the truth, success shall be in thy works, and so zt shall be unto all that do ἡ righteousness. Give alms of thy substance: turn not away thy face from any poor man, and the ᾿ 8 face of God shall not be turned away from thee, Ass thy substance is, give alms of it according to thine abundance: if thou have much, according to the abundance thereof, give alms ; if thou have 9 little bestow it, and be not afraid to give alms according to that little: for thou layest up a good | 10 treasure for thyself against the day of necessity : because alms delivereth from death, and suffereth

Touro» | >BAS +quam commendavi % N5D25 ΝΡῸΝ mS Ar (of. M F) ay. K.1°] 1) F exadecer | καλεσας BAS T. r. viov avr. | avrov BAS | filium suum LE κ᾿ AO. mp. aur. | > BALLS ArMF kK. | > BAS arg] > BAS +Fili: et (et > y) ille respondit: Quid est pater et Thobis dixit (et dixi y) a8 ayy. | pr. Πιαιδιον eav ἀποθανω BAaBy8SArMF kaos | > SANS diligenter % 3p F Tima | μὴ ὑπεριδης ΒΑ ὦ (cf. F) x. μὴ εγκ.] τιμα BAS αὐτης] cov ΒΑ SF kK. πὸὶ - . . mpayp.] > S ever. avt.| avty BA illi. . . in conspectu eius # λυπησ.] AWDN Ar AION M τ. mvev. avt.| αὐτὴν ΒᾺ NAD WD by dar mp ΝΜ +7" nN TDN ba M >F ev π. πραγ.) > BA Ar MF 4. αὐτης1" 55] > BAaBy ὃ Spec. wd. πολ.} + BA quanta pericula # > Ar may ana M pr. poy ΠΠῚ2) ΠΊΠ ΟΠ naan F ewpax.| cop. Β passa sit 3 ΠΡῚΝ dr my nay M ev τ. κοιλ. aut.] > Ar pr. nya MF x. | > BAS ev en ταφ.] pr. 1333 M 5. paene simil. M kia > ΒᾺ π. τ. ἡμερ.] cum praeced. coniung. At cov | > BA του Kup. | +7. θεου μων BAS Ar Deum 3 ἽΝ ΔΙ ὙΠῸΝ mn F ΠΟΤΕ ἢ αδικιας | plen. Ε «2° | >B ἀμαρτειν x. | >B -ravew x, Babmg A δικαιοσυνας | την ΒΑ αβ ὃ Cypr. Lue. pr. κα AS »γ ποιει] -wAS >y ταις οδ.] in viam αβγὃ (in vias Spec. 24) son 22) ay Ar 6. > M οι ποιουντες] ποιουντὸς cov ΠΑ αβ γὸ Luc. Cypr. =) adn evar | -av Be NA pr. τὴν BA ex (in B) veritate a B y Luc. Cypr. veritatem ὃ ευοδωθησ.] εὐοδιαι ἐσονται BAS erit respectus aBy Cypr. -tio Luc. bene tibi erit ὃ msn Ε εν τ. εργοις αὐτων] εν τι ε« σὺ BAaByS -+omnibus (- in (ex Cypr.) substantia e versu seq. 8 Cypr.) δ᾽ operibus tuis Zwc. operum tuorum Cyr. bo baa Ar Soyn ἸΝῚ pods ΠΝ F kK. π. τ. ποιουσιν [7 usque ad τοῦ B:—] 7. simil. Μ σοι] cov Ak. μὴ Φθ.... ἐλεημοσυνην] > 71 τοῦ SaByd Spec. 24 ArM col >A κι: Δ ουμη..- θεου] MnIDY ADD ND ΝΠῸΝ Ar OR JOD Ddy NO F — προσ- oor | Op TY MF πτωχ.] of Seay δ} ΜΙ +7¥IN) F του θεου | >S§ 8. stmt. M AYA zy ΝΠΡῚΝ Day TAMy JD pan on Way xnpty tayod Joa ΝΟΣ nwt 4, υὑπαρχ.] Jha Kf yg? yl S + fili LH εξ αὐτων edenp. | + av πολυ σοι ὑπαρχὴ kata To TOV εξ avTwY ποιησον ελεημοσυνὴν 540 aBy (> ὃ ef reliqua verba huius versus > 8) Cypr. Aug. (cf. F ?) κατα To ολιγ.] + communica et a 8B y Cypr. Spec. 24 Aug. ποιειν} cum (quia B) facies (facis γ Cypr.) aBy Cypr. (of. Spec. 24) φοβου mote | ov ποι sup ras Bab 9. simul. et plen. M NON DVI APN AY PN|II NNPIY ὙΠ ON) PDD) APN Ar yap| > aByd Cypr. Caes. Io. ἐλεημυσυνη] την (v ras A’) A* non Ar ΠΡῚΣ M καὶ οὐκ. τς axoros | mm ‘ya poynnan b>)

5. Cf. Test. Job xlv, ‘ Behold I die; only forget not the Lord.’

6%-19, full of reminiscences of Ahikar (see Introd. pp. 191 f.), certainly stood in R*. Apart from the fact that their presence in &% cannot be attributed to later insertion from RY or R°,a comparison of τ΄. 5 with τ΄. 19° shows that some ethical instruction of the type found in %# and RY intervened in ᾿Ξ between these two verses. The omission therefore is simply confined to δὲ and is explicable on the supposition either of the loss of a page ina MS. or that the eye and mind ofa scribe passed from the objective fact expressed in ποιοῦσιν dix. v. 6 to the cause and subjective motive for such action stated in δώσει... Bovd, dyad. The gap has been filled in above from RY except in a few cases (v. 27:77) in which that recension has evidently and seriously departed from the more ancient R®.

7. The words and when ... grudging seem to be an interpolation in RY from v.16. The combination of 71, 106, a8, Spec. 24, 3, Ar, M is emphatically against their originality in R°.

8. The parallelism demands the text of RS preserved in %& and the Patristic quots. :—os σοὶ ὑπ. παιδίον οὕτως ποίει ἐὰν πλῆθός σοι ὑπάρχῃ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος ποίησον ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐλεημ." ἐὰν ὀλίγ. σοι ὑπάρχῃ, κατὰ TO ὀλίγ. μεταδός (Communico = μετα- δίδωμι in Wisd. vii. 13, cf. Test. Issachar vii. 5 ; Test. of Zeb. vi. 4. 7).

9. Possibly γάρ should be omitted and the verse construed closely (cf. 2. Cyfr. Caes.) with the preceding :—py φοβοῦ" ὅτι ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν σε ἐλεημ. θέμα ἀγαθ. Ono. A7’s PND should be read ecther PNDW ὑποθήκη (Neaub.) or PNDN ἀποθήκη (Nold.).

Io. Cf. ΤΥ xi. 4 (generalized in Sir. xxix. 12) with its counterpart in Syriac Ahikar (R. Harris, Story of Ahikar, pp. xlvii f.).

THE: BOOK-OF TOBID fms,

not to come into darkness. Alms is a good offering in the sight of the Most High for all that give it. Beware, my child, of all whoredom, and take first a wife of the seed of thy fathers, take not a strange wife, which is not of thy father’s tribe ; for we are the sons of the prophets. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, our fathers of old time, remember, my child, that they all took wives of their kinsmen, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land. And now, | my child, love thy brethren, and scorn not in thy heart thy brethren and the sons and the daughters of thy people so as not to take one of them ; for in scornfulness is destruction and much trouble, ὦ and in idleness is decay and great want, for idleness is the mother of famine. Let not the wages of any man, which shall work for thee, tarry with thee, but render it unto him out of hand : and if thou serve God, recompense shall be made unto thee. Take heed to thyself, my child, in all thy works, and be discreet in all thy behaviour. And what thou thyself hatest, do to no man. Drink not wine unto drunkenness, and let not drunkenness go with thee on thy way. Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked : of all thine abundance give alms; and let not thine eye be grudging when thou givest alms. Pour out thy bread and thy wine on the tomb of the

4 nso obs Ὁ Mom Sv am ΠΟΥΟῚ menya nam F εασει] -εἰς A 11. Corrupt. et e Script. multa addita Ar (+07 M) pen wy OPO Μ᾿ eryd sym qa ΦΥῚΡΠ ad omden nam ΠΟῚΣ anor apts F yap] > A dopor| Jassao 9 πασι Β] -ow A 12. mpogex.| - NON Nyy San Ar 55p ΠΝ M γυν. πρῶτον λαβε] accipe primum uxorem 6 ux. primo acc. y ux. proximam acc. a8 ux. acc. Cypr. myn) NnNnN 35 ap) Ar (of M) "3 many cnmawnd AWN ΠΡῚ F μη] 27. κα ADE ἐσμεν] - qui. in veritate prophetaverunt priores a8 et secundum veritatem ambulamus 6 > F Noe | + prophetavit prior a8 +propheta fuit prior y quia prophetavit primus 6 > M 27. ἸΝ)ῚΡ 3) Sion Ar (cf. F) ABp.| pr. ca Ar F ισ.] pr. καὶ AD Ιακ.] pr. καὶ AH Αγ ΜῈ αὑτοι] ovr. ALD τῶν αδελῴ.} genere patrum af semine fratrtum y sem. patrum ὃ omnavnd M evdoynO.| ηυλογισθ. Α pr. 133 55 innnnd yaw ΝΟ M σπερμ. αὖτ. ] semen filiorum % wy dr > M κληρονομ.} ΠΝ Ar > M 13-16. sémiliter (9) sed ord. confus. ArM νυν] tuaBy (nunc 4) Arm propter quod et tu Spec. 13 ef 34 Tous αδελῴ. σου] 793 qd Ε ἀπὸ τ. αδελῴ. x. τ. vey x. θυγατ. ] filiabus filiorum ἃ β.γὺ ΠΠ1Π5. et filiabus ὃ 9. Ar filiabus filiarum Spec. 13 ef 34 «Oy 13) Pos F του λα. σου] > Ar haBew ceavtr@ εξ αὐτων yu. | ut non accipias unam ex illis aB y accipe unam ex illis ὃ (cf. Spec. 13 ef 34) > Ar ev τ. umepnp. . . . Tod. | ΓΝ Ν᾽ NII Ar y905 95 3) js aw F SQ ΤΠ ὁ ὁ ὁ μεγαλη | > dAr ™ axpeor. | Jlanoe JS wan F n yap... λιμου] >aBy iugalitas est mater inopiae 6 Juxuria mater est famis Amdér. multo plura sed confusa et corrupta exhibel Spec. > Ar ἀπωλια Β] -ea Bab A 14. ‘Jn nonnullis diversus fuisse videtur textus Sin. ab’ Vat. (vide aB y8 Ambr Spec.) apud Reusch sim. M a\\a ... παραυτικα] > Ar yoy DINDN AWN orn jo M {2:3 Εὴ εαν

- σοι] oun 35 ade» snd: ΜῈ aliter F ear?” | prox. A πρόσεχε. . . σου} > M ἐν Tao, avaotp. σ.] in omnibus sermonibus tuis a8 (> y) in univers. serm. tuis Spec. gt in omn. cogitationibus tuis δ᾽ 533 F 15. και ὁ μισ. μηδενι ποι.] ὁ μισεις ἀλλῳ ov ποιησεις Clem. Strom. o μισ. ado μη ποι. Chrys. ὁ σὺ μισ. αλλῳ μὴ ποι. Did. de Trin. εἰ quod oderis alio (alii y) ne feceris aBy cf. Const. Apost. 3. 15. 7. 2 Aug. Serm. Bened, Reg. Ether. c. Elep. Fastid. de v. Chr. Greg. Mor. Paulin. Ep. Valer. Cemel. hom. (apud Reusch) ayn NX? N27 NID (fos! 2.13) 4,7, oanNS myyn ΝῸ qward ‘wn wer (post τ. 13) M on NOY DPN δ ΕΟ οἶνον. . . odp a.] > Ar ὮΝ 53 95 ΠΩΝῚ ΝΟῚ paswy qoxy ΠΝ ym Mes μεθ.] in ebrietate 3. μεθὴ | owos 44. 106 nequitia (pr. ullaaB)aBy Wow F τη οὗ. ] omni vita y (8 λαός fantum habet: ab ebrietate abstine) omni via a β 16. διδου] διαδιδ. A πεινωντι) -wor 58, 74, 76, 249 a BO (-ντε y Spec. 24) Ambr. de Tob. τοις γυμν. ] τοις sup ras B® nudos lege a8 nudum veste y da nudis ὃ lege nudis Spec. 24 παν... eden. | > ArM περισσευσῃ] -eun Α (PY $33 ID Poo opéan. | ἽΝ Ap ΝΟΥ ArM yaad yt xb F σ] >A 17. «xxeov| funde a8 frange (+funde) y Aug. Serm. distribue ὃ effunde Azct. imperf. in Mth. hom. 26 ws Ar ἼΞΦ M constitue B πὸν F τ. apr.| pr. vinum tuum et

11. δῶρον = offering (cf. 5), Lev. i. 2, Mark vii. 11. F’s paraphrase is good.

13. Restore R* from 35 :- τοῦ μὴ λαβεῖν μίαν ἐξ αὐτῶν. On dypedrns (RY) see Th. Gram, p. 82.

16. Restore in R® τοὺς γυμνούς and 27. περίβαλε (Is. lviii. 7) on basis of H.

17. The impossibility of //eva//y ‘pouring out bread’ (RY) and the alleged paganism of the funeral rite here inculcated have led to numerous emendations and suggestions as to how a hypothetical Hebrew or Aramaic original could have been misread. Graetz (cf. δ) suggested ΡΠ Apa sand πον: Hilgenfeld conjectured ΡΣ Π “Ὁ misread as ‘Sn nap) ; Hitzig 72N misread jon. others YD misread DY. The difficulty, even if RY were the true text, is not sufficiently great to warrant these hypotheses. But the zeugma in RS (recovered from % 47M) is quite defensible and its claim to be the original text is now beyond controversy through the discovery of the Syriac and Arabic texts of Ahikar (see Introd. p. 192, footnote 2, and Cambr. Ahikar, pp. xlvii f.). It is, however, quite conceivable that ¥)’s comstitwe may be a mistranslation of an Aramaic imper. 7D. For the custom of offering such sacrifices see Introd. p. 198.

18 just, and give not to sinners. Ask counsel of every man that is wise, and despise not any counsel το that is profitable. And bless the Lord thy God at all times, and ask of him that thy ways may be made straight, and that all thy paths and counsels may prosper: for every nation hath not >good counsel; <but> the Lord will give to them <all good things> ; and whom he will the Lord humbleth unto the nethermost Hades. And now, child, remember these commandments, and let them 20 not be blotted out of thy heart. And now, child, I shew thee that I left ten talents of silver fn 21 trust with Gabael the brother of Gabri at Rages of Media. And fear not, my child, because we have become poor: thou hast much wealth, if thou fear God and avoid every kind of sin and do the things which are good in the sight of the Lord thy God.

11. The Preparations, v. 1-17.

1 Then answered Tobias and said unto Tobit his father, All things, whatsoever thou hast com- 2manded me, I will do, father. But how shall I be able to fetch it from him, seeing he knoweth

me not nor do I know him? What token shall I give him that he may recognize me and trust me 3 and give me the money? And the roads to Media I know not to journey there. Then answered Tobit and said unto Tobias his son, His note of hand he gave me and a note of hand I gave him and I parted it in two and we took to each of us ὦ fart, and I put it with the money, and now lo, it is twenty years since I left this money intrust. And now, child, seek thee a trusty man which shall

super sepulcra aByS cum iustis ὃ dex. | +pdys F καὶ μὴ... ἀμαρτ.) > ArM nmywpy ΠΡ jnn bs yb F dos] +illud#® 18. pry bsa wav ΝΞΟ youn Ar (σε plen. M) — &qyrno.| man Sy F καταφρονησῃς | μεταῴφρον. A emt . . . χρησ.] quoniam omne consilium utile est Ὁ 19%. plen. ef multa e Script. omos ... evodaboow] ἽΠΊ ΠΝ WI NIM Ar (cf Μὴ —-Buore’... ἀγαθὰ] ΝΠῸΝ ὕΠῸΝ ap Td weed md os Ar (125) Wan ὋΣ Nos ayy ow oon T2 ΝΜ παν εθν.] caeterae nationes a8y omnes gentesd βουλην] +bonam (-um δ) α β.γ ὃ αλλ᾽ αὐτὸς... αγαθα] >aBy Dominus dat nobis omnibus ὃ 19> usque ad 13: 6° 8:— δώσει Κυριος] adda αὐτὸς ὁ Kup. διδωσιν BAS (Ar M v. supra) βουλ. ay.] παντα τ. ayaba BA 3 (υ. Ar M supra) ov av|ocav Boy eav ἃ quemergoaBy quemcunque ὃ Kup.] > BAS ipseaB Deus y (Dom. ὃ) > 47M trarewvor} pr. allevat et quem voluerit ipse aBy pr. exaltat et queme. vult ὃ pr. Say oo rast Ar (Cf MF) εως gd. κατ. καθως Bovdovra (-eraa AS) BAS usque ad inferos y (deorsum a β sub terram d)aByS >ArM και wy... cov] >S ἽΝ nod) xd) spar mip MN ID a Ar (cf M) τ. ἐντολας ταυτ.] τ. τλων μου BAL + W533 $335 sees DIM M 20. mato. | > BAS urobekvue | επιδεικ. B ort | Ta BAS > ArM apyup. | pr.tov BA pr. poy Ar (of. M) raped. | pr.a BAS ArM Ῥαβαηλῳ] Tau. A Gabelo ἢ δας 9 ΝΣ dr) ΝΣ M Ssay F Γαβρει] -peea ΒΒ -1a ἃ Gabahel a8 Gabrin δ Gabeli y >S8Ar carp nn M Sena F Apyos| Payos BAD labs S ὉΔῚ ΡΞ Ar yeaa noosa M

+n OY mys xooms 47M >F 21. καὶ py... entax.| > dr M ca] > 9 matd.| -διον absciss. est in A ayad.1° | > BA decor } kv. A φυγῃς] αποστ. BA recesseris 3» O17 wn Ar Tone. ΒΡ ὃ. σου] Moy Jan nyoya 7, »Μ τ. αγαθ.] τ. ἀρεστὸν BAS bene 3 WN Ε ὥΟΣΟ ὦ ἘΝ Ὁ σου] > dw K. τ. θεου σου] avrov BASF ΠΕΣ sonn xh F

Woe τῷ tore | κ ΒΑ ΜῈ mI) SS 7 ARE τὶ ΠΟΤῚ aur. | αὐτῷ BAS smand ArM >F ποι. πατ.] mat. ποι. ante παντα BAS ΣΌΝ Ar 2. mas δε] adam. BAS Ar Quomodo autem % pr. Ὁ iM Ν Any) ayy M αὐτο] τὸ ἀργυριον BAS Ar ΜῈ hance pecuniam aBy_ pec. ὃ παρ᾽ avt.| > BA byaa ΤῸ 47 M

wen jo F autos... eyo| > BAS τὸ on... . exe] > BASF opr. vel & éo| ΙΝ M kK. ἐπιγνῷ pe | > ArM κ. πιστευ. μ.] >M το] hanc © T. εἰς M. | regionis illius # τι πορ.] > wars (ante εἰς M.) Ar pny bw M exe | > 2ZArM Je τότε =) os eurev | S10 TOTE . . . TOUTO eyo | κ. εδωκ. αὐτῷ τὸ χειρογρ. BAS τ᾿ ww αὐτ.] NID PH ΟἽ 512 7 41 TKN WNM Ὁ ΕΟ χειρογρ. edwxa αὐτῳ

. wera τ. apyvp.| et meum similiter accepit et divisit in duas partes unum accepi ego et alium posui cum ipsa pecuniaa®By et cyrographum meum accepit in quo posui pecuniam apud illum et alterum habeo 6 3m MY

mp3 (ΒΞ) > Μὴ ΠΣ ΊΡΒῚ xaos ΤΙ ΦῚ ANS (MPD Sap Μὴ md mam ΡΝ Ὁ dy Mo ΠῚ ΥἹ and Ny WD Apan Ἵ inn ans ΠῚ ΠΝ ἽΠ teen Fok. νυν. ο΄. τοῦτο eyo] ‘YY PT NOY TY ΝῚΠΠ NDY [Ὁ] 4dr oon πὸ ΜῈ >F νυν παιδ.] εἰπεν BAS 2 “ΠῚ F morov| > BASF πορευσ. μ. σου] συμπ. σοι

19. Trans. presupposes Reusch’s restoration of RS. κατωτάτω (R*), Th. Gram, p. 183.

V. 3. RY, in abridging, has altered the story considerably, and Av and M substitute dag for bond, possibly through a confused recollection of a debased form of the Heb. original, e.g. Perles proposed either O10 (= @ writing Isa. vil. 1, and a bag, 2 Ki. v. 23), or the Talmudic NPD".

go with thee, and we will give him wages, until thou return: and fetch thou this money from him. 4 And Tobias went out to seek a man who would go with him into Media and knew the way well ; (5) and he went out and found Raphael, the angel, standing before him. And he knew not that he was 5 an angel of God, and said unto him, Whence art thou, young man? And he said unto him, Of the children of Israel thy brethren; and I am come hither to work. And he said unto him, Knowest 6 thou the way to go to Media? And he said unto him, Yea, I have often been there, and I know it well and I know all the ways ; many times did I go unto Media and lodged with Gabael our kinsman, who dwelleth in Rages of Media; and it is two regular days’ journey from Ecbatana to Rages ; for it lieth in the hill country, but Ecbatana in the middle of the plain. And he said unto him, Wait for me, young man, until I go in and shew my father; for I need that thou go with me and I will 9 give thee thy hire. And he said unto him, Behold, I will wait, only tarry not. And Tobias went in and shewed Tobit his father and said unto him, Behold, I have found a man of our brethren the children of Israel. And he said unto him, Call me the man, that I may know what is his family

and of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee, child. 10(9) And Tobias went forth, and called him and said unto him, Young man, my father calleth thee. And he came in to him, and Tobit saluted him first. And he said unto him, Much cheer to thee! And Tobit answered and said unto him, What cheer have I any more, who am a man impotent in

ΒΑ eat tecum & δωσομεν] -σω ΒΑ ews oT. ελθ, κ. λαβε] eas ζω kx. XA. BAS Ar M (MON ΠΩΣ Μὴ et dum adhuc vivo recipe aBy vade fili dum vivo accipe ὃ DYSDS 173 προ ΠΣ ΝΣ wn ds F map avr. | πορευθεις BA S δ᾽ (ante ews) AYM >F rouro] > BAHSArMF +7 Ὁ" πον 7M 4. εξηλθ. 6. | x. επορευθη BA εἰ exiit £ +p F Τωβιος] > BAS os Top... . εξηλθ.] > BAS oy ΠΝ mop. μετ. avt.| eum duceret & Μηδ.] pr. regionem L > F os] pr. et 3 οδ.] +regionis illus # > F x. e&p\0.| > LF κι eupev,. . ἐστιν] “O ἸΠῚΝ ANT pws ΝῊ DIN ΠΥ 2 ΠΡ) “4 ἼΝΘΟῚ ἘΞ Pl pr τὸν Alea ΠῚ 243, 248 τ. ayyedov| os ἣν los BAS +’ M ἐστηκ.] > BAS απεν. αυτ.} > BAL S Ar eyvo | ηδει BA +75 M OTL ἐστιν] > ΒΑ ὃ + (nNay) M 5. Kk. εἰπ. avr. | mow Ar ἢ bs qudon sox M Tlofev . . . εἰπεν avT.3° | > BASF relig. v. 5 οἱ 68 aliter F νεαν. | > Ar K. εἰπ. aut@?” | mons Ar Tes MID jy M τ. αδελφ.] pr. 1M Ar [9338 bene 1p] Μ κ. εληλ.] veni L > Ar M ὧδε epyar. | > ArM ec, aut.3°| + Thobias 1 Ar M ἐπιστ. τ. οὗ. mop. | εἰ Suvapa op. pera cov BAS nosti viam quae ducit % ny nad$ yonn 5s M ets Μηδ.] ev Payos τ. Μηδ. BAS in regionem Mediam H +x. et ἐμπειρος εἰ τ. τόπων BAS 0. αὐτῳ] Ἔο ayy. BA 3 ArM INGE Gc 0 exet | πορευσομαι μετὰ σ. BAS multa ego (cogy) noviaBy multa sunt quae scio 6 > Ar eum. κ΄ ἐπιστ. Tas 0d. πασ.] της 0d. eur. BA teneo vias omn.aBy vias omnes novi ὃ MNS Nyt Ar M (+ b> M) πλεονακ. ... Μηδ.) > BAS Ar M__ aliquoties ivi in illam reg. # ηυλιζ.] ηυλισθὴην post ἡμων BA NPaLIN NINA IDI Ar M Γαβ. τῷ αδ.] Γαβαὴλ τον ad. BAS Sway F τ. OLKOUYTL . . - πεδιῳ] > BASF ev Εκβ. τ. Μ.] in Rages civitate Medorum αβγ δὃ DNINI Ar ὙΠ ΠΡ wna M k. amexet... τ. πεδίῳ] et est iter bidui ex Bathanis usque Rages civitatem Phagur quae posita est in monte et est Bathanu in medio campo af et est b. iter a Batanis usq. ad R., quae pos. est in m. et haec in m.c. y et continet Ecbathnis dierum duo stadiorum R. pos. est in montem Ecbathana In'm. c. ὃ Nw DININ NWI WwW Nn wna ay Ar σύ. M (v. Med.) εἰς Tappas . . . ExBatava | > Ν᾿ vid (hab. δὶ mg) ; ΠΕ κι] > Ar avr. | +ToBias BAL S Ar M μενον με] uropewov pe BA sustine # 977 M veav.| > BALS nay Ar Jpn yyy Μ pyy onan F pexp. or. εἰσελθ.] x. BAS Ar υποδειξω] epw BAS hoc ipsum... nunciem®% +7277 ns M pov] > Badr xpecav . . . μισθ. +te Z 27. 5 170 ap) M snmxn Ly F Sov | > Ar μον. pn xp. | mnt ἫΝ Ar povor | xc. BAM = 1p pr. YS DwNnY TY M Ὁ. TaBeas ... K.2°] > BAS Ar avT@ | τῳ πατρι BAS ArF ov | > ArM I ανθρ.] » ΒΑγῷ ἜΖΟΜ cans ana Ε evpor | τα BAS > Ύ τ. ad. ne. | > BASF ex (de 6) frat. nostr. aBé > y τ. Ul. Top. | os συνπορεύυσεται (-pr. Bb A) μοι ΒΑαβὲὃ (> 7) SArM ΠΡῸΣ N17 opal Ε κι} οδέ ΒΑ >F αὐτ.)] >BALS +4708. d4rM yaxnF cater, | φώνησον BA rogai 27. ot Ar μοι] προς pe BA > ArF τ. ανθρ.] atov BA 5 Ar M F oras| wa BAS 249) wa Top. μ. σου] του πορευθηναι μι. σ. BAS ArMF cui tu committaris & nats. | > BALS ArF

εξηλθ. Τωβ. κι) > BASE kK. em... . σε] > BAS Ar MF Neav.] +intra & πατηρ] +meus Ὁ ] 10. προς avr.| 195 ΝΒ Ar M exatp. . . . mpot.| nomacavto adAnious BASF > ArM k. eum. aut. Χαιρ.

εν ywooko| > BASF εἰπ.} pr. ille 3 aur.| > L Ar Xap... . yevorro] gaudium tibi semper sit (frater a8) a8y pax superted +onbysn wy M mT. . . xatpew| ut quid mihi gaudium aBy quis dixit

6. The tradition of R® seems to have been handed down in slight confusion, but the mistakes are easily rectified. In δὲ Ῥάγοις should be read with 1 for ExBardvos. Reusch emends καὶ Ῥάγαι for εἰς Tdppas but εἰς “Payas is simpler, and it is possibly an explanatory gloss. In ὃ Ecbatana has been dittographed, s¢adiorum written for statutorum ; in a8 quae before osita is possibly a remnant of Rages quae.

THE BOOK OR TOBIT 5; to-15

the eyes, and I behold not the light of heaven, but lie in darkness like the dead which no more see the light ; while I live Iam among the dead ; the voice of men I hear, and themselves I behold not. And he said unto him, Be of good cheer! it is nigh with God to heal thee; be of good cheer! And Tobit said unto him, My son Tobias wisheth to go unto Media; canst thou go with him and direct him? And I will give thee thy hire, brother. And he said unto him, I shall be able to go with him, and I know all the ways, and often have I gone to Media and passed through all its plains

τ 9) and mountains, and all its ways I know. And he said unto him, Brother, of what family art thou, 32) 1) and out of what tribe? Shew me, brother. And he said, What need hast thou of a tribe? And he 13 2) Said unto him, I would know truly of what 2716. thou art, brother, and what thy name. And he said 14| 3) unto him, Iam Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, of thy kinsmen. And he said unto him,Welcome

and safety, brother ; and be not bitter towards me, brother, because I wished to know the truth and thy family. And thou chancest to be a kinsman, and thou art of a noble and good lineage: I knew Ananias and Nathan, the two sons of Semelias the great, and they used to go with me to Jerusalem and worship with me there and they went not astray. Thy brethren are good men; thou art of

15 4)a good stock, and I bid thee welcome. And he said unto him, I give thee a drachma a day as

mihi pax ὃ N47 b> % YUS md by oby ms 47 M (> GIS 6 oO 6 οφθαλ, | > Ar PG ooo oup. | >M κειμαι] ay aw M ou νεκρ. οἱ pink. Oe, τ. φ.] > LArM (ov eyo ev vexp. | mortuus inter vivos aBy > ὃ ArM φωνην..... βλεπ.]} »Μ ἀνθρωπων] no Ar auTous ΝῊ] autos N©*® ipsos H wa Ar avt@ 3° | +Raph. ang. & ΘΒ Ar wt M — Θαρσ.1] > 8dr Μ᾽ eqs... cao. σε] DIN TY mNDND ΓΝ bed MN ΝΠ Ἴ2 Ar (TEN) 13. TON DI YY ANN py 5. INST ΝῚΠ ΤΥ Mey JMS yy DM bapo.2”] >aByArM ε. Μηδ.] in regionem Mediam 3» kK. ayay. avt.] > Ar M x. doc.| dabo & jn Ar sox ΝΠ Ὁ dr Sow > M emot.| > Ar M «| quoniam & Μηδ.] pr. regionem & k. πολλακ. .

dun. mavra | > ArM παντα, mac. | > Ar τ. ορη] NyoINN Ar odin 55 M πασ. τ. οδους] »Μ

11. εἰπ.} + Tobis 3 dr M αὐτῳ] > 1 Ar M Aédek.| > Ar M ποι. πατριας ek .ex π. φ.;] εκ π. Φ. κι EK π. πατριδος συ ee BASF 73 1% ANT NAT) OW) NN ΝῸΣΦ PIND Av AT ND) ΠΝ ΣΦ APN) ANN DPD ΠῚ Ὁ ΝΜ αδελ.] > BAL 5 Ar F 12. am.| +avr» BAS + Thobis% ‘4 Ar ‘Son M Te xp. εχ. φυλ.;] φυλὴν x. πατριαν συ ζητεις ἡ μισθιον cs συμπορευσεται peta tou (τ sup ras Bab) wov σ. BA 6 Salv. Ep. 9 5 (of. F) 772 py FT Nn ΝΣ wedar St ἼΣΨΞ awa sew md on Ar qasra pa py Tow ow 7b wm wpan ny ex. φυλ.} scire genus meum vel tribum meam mercenarium desideras genus et tribum meam cur quaeris (desid. aut tribum et patriam meam y) sed si valde exigis αβγ κ᾿ etm. aur. Boul, . . . σου] > aBy (Aad. δ) Salv. Lp. 9 avr. | +Tos. BAS M yor. | emyv. BA pr. Ἵ ον Don NP Ar τα κατ᾽ an. | > BAS MF twos εἰ] τυ yevor cov BASF ἘΝΗ Ar > M aden, | post Bovdropat BA τι] > BASF Yond) M Be > BAF + Ans ΠΠΞΦῸ M ie > a8 a Cilaol| Σ αβγ κ.] os δὲ Bo de 64, 71, 74, γαλου] pr. de domo Sellemmiae ὃ fr. modes aman 4r pr. ΓΟ mao M pr. moty [3 F τ. adedp. σ.] ἘΣ ΒΕ 14. avr. | + Thobis x Ὁ ArM κ. cat. | > BAS muxpay, | opyto. BASArF irascaris 3» aden. | > BALSF τ. adn. εβουλ. γνωναι κ. τ. πατριαν] e(ntnoa τ. φυλ. σ. κι τ. πατριαν σ. (σ. > BabA 23, 55, 58, 64, 71, 74, 76, 106, 108) ἐπιγν. BAS vere (-um y) scire de genere tuo aBy οῖτθ veritatem generis tui ὃ snmavmnm mas 737 nyt wpa M τ. αληθ.}] > ArF x. a. τυγχ.] NT) dr M ony? any F wv | pov BAS ex fratr. meis @ > Ar M κ᾿ εκ γεν. καλ. k. ay. | ek T. KaN. kK. a. Y. BAS NID Ny) Ar ει συ] »ΒΑ3 5 εγινωσκον] ἐπεγιν. yap eyo Β εγιγν. γι «ἃ Nosti aBy ὕπο vero foderas ὃ nyt) ans M Ναθαν] Iaé. BA Athanian y Nathanian 6(Nathana8) WX 3S onvF dvo] > BAyF wous| > 7 Σεμελιου] Σεμεου Β -ewov A Semeiae af Sellemmiel ὃ (Ss y) οι 9 mabws Ar node M mb In τ. peyan. | novi magni virl ὃ (magni viriaB) >y kK. a. συνεπ. p. | ws ἐπορευομεθα κοινως BAS pr. et dixit ille angelus y kK. προσεκυν. | -κυνεν BAS pr. Synu NPOIND NIM TW Ar M >F μετ᾽ ep. exer] avaepovtes τ. πρωτότοκα κ. τ. δεκατας τ. γενηματων BA SF ἐπλαν.} +ev ty πλανῃ BS τ. πλανῃ 64, 248, 249 την πλανὴν A 23, 58, 71, 74, 76, 236 ΕἸΜῚ ΝΌΟΝ Ar ΕἾ ἼΦΝΘ pant Ἴ) ΟΝ InN Moons ayo ΜΟΥ ὅλ ΛΔ ΣῚΡ NP WO AWS bana F ot ad, cov | τ. αδελφων nu. BAS Πὶ omn. fratr. nostriaB Ὁ» γὸ ons MF avOpeor. salvus eas et salvus venias a8 salvus sis y cum pace venias ὃ 15° post 15> M κι eum. aut.| αλλ (λα A) εἰπὸν po. ΒΑ AyTn ON F Eyo .. . μισθ.] τινα σοι ἐσομαι μισθ. διδοναι BA διδωμι} dabo 3» τ. ἥμεραν Spax.] dp. της ἡμέρας (ἴι της parvam ras prae sefert Β) BA Jaoass Jjoy S didragmam diurnam 3» sor b> spyany dr ay Soa mM ΡΟ ypa ow 52a F τ. δεοντα] Im ArM >F ὁμοιως ὡς K.

15. The periphrastic future ἔσομαι διδόναι is characteristic of RY’s strong vernacular style. ars)

16 (15) wages, and those things that be necessary for thee, as unto my son ; and go thou with my son, and I will add something to thy wages. And he said unto him, I will go with him, and fear thou not;

17 (16) We shall go safe and return safe unto thee, because the way is secure. And he said unto him, Blessing befall thee, brother! And he called his son, and said unto him, Child, prepare what is needful for the journey and go forth with thy kinsman. And God which is in heaven preserve you there and restore you to me in safety and his angel accompany you with deliverance, child.

B. THE DEPARTURE, v. 17°=Vi.. 1.

And he went forth to go upon his journey ; and he kissed his father and mother, and Tobit

18 (17) said unto him, Farewell. And his mother wept, and said unto Tobit, Why is it that thou hast sent 19 (18) away my child? Is he not the staff of our hand, and doth he not go in and out before us? Let 20 (19) not money be added to money: but let it be a ransom for our child. A\s the Lord hath given 21 (20) us to live, so doth it suffice us. And he said unto her, Trouble not ; our child shall go in peace, and in peace come unto us and thine eyes shall see / in the day when he shall come unto thee in peace.

22 (21) Trouble not : fear not for them, sister; for a good angel shall go with him, and his journey shall be

6 1 (22) prospered, and he shall return in peace. And she was silent from her weeping.

BAS >F «x mop.... pov] >BASAr +5xn noya wan own M ton swe oy F 16. K.1°] + Ty ndwa no’pn paw ony M (cf F) ἐπιπροσθ.} ere προσθ. BA adiiciam & τ. μισθῳ] emt τ. μισθον BAS ad mere. tuam 3) + av ὑγιαίνοντες (re sup. ras. A%*) ἐπιστρεψητε BA -ΕἸἸΝῚ F Keim. . . . ἀσφαλ.] > BAS ΒΟῸΣ am ΤῚΣ oy Jax sot Sinn xd “ΒῚ τὸν Ar ( ΜῈ aepe po a Pes Faure] aur.1°| > BAH ArF Evdoya σοι yer. | εὐυδοκησαν (pr. κ᾿ A) ovres BAS bene iter age frater et contingat tibi 2B bene iter agere contingat tibi y > 6ArMF bene ambulatis Dd κ᾿ exa.| > BAS +’D ArM το Ube avr.| > BAS pr. Thobiam 1 Ar F aut | προς Τωβιαν BA Nad.| > BAL S 47M ετοιμ. τα] Ετοιμος ywou BAS praepara te 3".4, πρ. τ. οδ.] +. εὐοδωθειητε BA > LS Ar snbxb F 4°] -Ἐητοιμασεν o υι. avr. ta προς τ. obov BA et praeparavit (-erunt ea quae in itinere haberent δ) se ad viam Thobias (ost σωτηριαςὴ aByd(f. ΕἾ εξελθε] Πορευου pr. x. em. αὐτῷ ὁ mar. αὐτου BA ya7d ΝΥ ΝΞ) ΕΠ αδελφου σου] ἀνθρωπ. BAS autem q. in caelo est @ snes ΝΠῸΝ dr sw bx Moon wa poem pen dN ἡ F Siac. up. εκ.] εὐοδωσει τ. οδον πυμων BASF perducat vos ibi cum pace 53. ArM κ. amok. UL. πρ. ἐμ. vy. | > BAS «xo ayy. ++ μετα cor. | Pans mds papy mand πῦρ ArMF συνοὃ.] συνπορευθητω (συμ- B bA) BA comitetur# μ. car. | > BAS παιδ.] > BALS Ar M εξηλθεν πορ. τ. odov αὐτου] -θαν (-ov A 44, 58, 64, 71) αμῴοτεροι ἀπελθειν BASF exiit ut ireta®y egressi sunt ut proficiscerentur ὃ 4r M«.9°] -Ἐ κυωὼν τ. παιδαριου per αὐτων BASE edud. τ. πατ. aut. κ. τ. μητ.] >BASF «. em. avr. 5] > BASF +pat. suus # m> ynon1 Ar M Hop. | >BASF +fliZF υγ.]» BASF +veniasi 18. κι εκλ.] kA. de BA + Avva B mad ἸῸΝ Sam M To. | patri eius 35 nbya Ss MF on απεστειλ.] εξαπ. BASF novus ΝΠ ΠῚ xb 47 M μου] ἡμῶν BALS > Ar MF ovxt autos] ἡ ουὐχιη BA aS S DMN Ar ραβδὲ. τ. χειρ. mov] IO ΝῚΠ ΝΠ AA Ar (20) NIT DIpr 13. Mx. avros

. exmropeverat | ev τ. εἰστ-τεσθαι αὐτὸν κ. εκ---εσθαι BAS ενωπ. np. | >F 19. Nunquam esset pecunia illa sed purgamento sit (filio meo y) aBy Joos uXsy Jed9 lags Gado! ἢν Jase I Joomas loos $ 10, 20. ambs sopme napa ba Ar abs yen’ 5 NIN nba M— plen. et aliter F 2c. > M ws N*| +yap Ne? BAS ix. nu.| +-umapyee ΒᾺ 35. sufficiebat nobis 1 21. αὐτῃ +T. BAL S Ar M exe | +adAgdn BAS im τς OG vytau.2° | >BAS +421 ef 22% Ar plen. et aliter F προς np. | > BAZAR ovorr. | + avrov BAL 9 Ar ev τ, nu. ἢ αὐ AO.] > BASF ann Ar >M mp. σε vy. μὴ Aoy. «x: ] > BA LSMF ndwa Ar μὴ φοβ.] > BASF π. avroy | >BASSF deilloaByAr M aber. | supr. λευσεται] συνπορευσεται B συμπ. Bb συνπορευεται A 23, 249 SU evod.| bene disponet 3Ὁ

WAG ἃ. eoty. | ἐπαύσατο BAS cessavit 3, won Ar F ΘΠ M κλαιουσα] ssandp ArF my m2 M

16°. Cf. guoniam in via recta est, Jub. xxvii. 17.

18. ἔκλαυσεν. Cf. flevit, Jub. xxvil. 13.

19. φθάσαι. lit. come, φθάνω having almost entirely lost its anticipatory force in the LXX (Th. Gram, p. 289); Miller can only understand the phrase as a translation from a Semitic original.

A ransom for: this translation can be justified by a comparison with Ignatius, Zp. to Ephes. viii. 1, while xviii. 1 of the same epistle suggests the alternative ‘ offscouring for our child’.

21 f. RS more closely than RY resembles the words ‘et dixit Isaac ad Rebeccam, Soror, noli flere Iacob filium meum, quoniam in pace ibit et in pace rediet . . . dirigentur omnes viae eius . . . quousque revertatur ad nos in pace et videbimus eum cum pace. Noli ergo timere de illo, soror mea’ in Jub. xxvii. 14-17.

Hie BOOK OF: TOBIT 6. 2-8

C. THE EVENTS OF THE JOURNEY, vi. 2-ix. 6.

i. Tobias’ Adventure with the Fish, vi. 2-9.

_1) And the young man went forth, and the angel with him, and the dog went forth with him and journeyed with them; and they journeyed both of them together. And once night came upon (2) them, and they lodged by the river Tigris, and the young man went down to wash his feet in the river ᾿ Tigris. And a great fish leaped up out of the water, ἀπ would have swallowed the foot of the young ~|(3)man. And he cried out. And the angel said unto the young man, Grasp and take hold of the fish. (4) And the young man caught hold of the fish, and hauled it up on to the land. And the angel said unto him, Open the fish, and take out its gall and the heart and liver and put them by thee, and cast | (5) away the inwards ; for its gall and heart and liver are for an useful medicament. And the young man opened the fish and collected the gall and the heart and the liver, and he roasted part of the | (6) fish and did eat, and left part thereof salted. And they journeyed both of them together until they

: drew nigh to Media. And then the young man asked the angel and said unto him, Brother Azarias, (7) what is the medicament in the heart and the liver of the fish and in the gall? And he said unto him, As regards the heart and the liver of the fish, make thou a smoke before a man or a woman who hath

2. κ᾿ €£.... αυτων] > BASF apy (pr. qndon M) ΝΒ (412975 M) who dre Ar M rad] + illorum 3 εξ. μετ᾽ αὐτου κι] > 3» ἐπορ. μετ᾽ avtwy | secutus est eos 3» κ᾿ erop. app. | οἱ de mopevopevor τ. οδον BA SF >ArM δ νὴ ἽΝ (cum hac sententia) F κ᾿ et. aut. νυξ μια] ηλθον ἐσπερας BA ὅ Ar M et com-

prehendit illos proxima nox 1 x. ηυλισθ. ἐπ. του Tryp. mor. | em. Tov Τιγριν ποταμὸν (προ τὸ ya ΕἾ «. ηυλιζοντο ee BAS Ar MF 3. κι κατεβὴ τ. παιδιον] τ. de παιδαριον κατ. BAS et. descendit Thobias # M ‘9 ΠῚ Ar 0993) 430 sb E περινιψ,.] περικλυσ. BA YAN spd F τ᾿ ποδ.] > BAS ε. τ. Τιγριν ποτ. | > BAS ἰη flumine # snd (ante mepur.) Ar MF ἀναπηδησας | -επηδησεν (seg. ras. 2 circ. litt. in B) BA pa) 4, MF 427. way ArM peyas | > BAS ArM εκ τ. vd. | απὸ τ. ποταμου κι BA 5 Ar F εβουλ. . . . παιδ.] circumplexus est pedes eius pene puerum devoraverat (-ravit y)a8y ut puerum devoraret 6 Bovrero| τηθη ΒᾺ > ArM καταπειν] -πιειν Bab A τ. mod. του παιδ.] τ. παιδαριον BA SF ΝΟ ΝΌΠΟ ArM k. exp. N*| κι amo τ. φοβου exp. δὰ > BAS — et exclamavit puera3y5 + Domine, piscis invadit me (ff B) ὃ +N50 Ar sty wn bx ayo ΠῊΝ om γ»Ὺ ἼΝΡΟΠ an ΕΠ 4. κ' ον ον am] ΣῈ ; kK. o| od BAS ἘΠ Ar τ. παιδ. eur. | εἰπ. αὐτῷ BAS ArM kK. ἐγκρατ. yer. | > BAS MPpIwn 05) ArM

ἔπ wows F τ. παιδ. του ιχθ.] toy ιχθ. τ. mad. BAS +79 F avnveyk. | ανεβαλ. BAS eduxitz > M aur... . yy] > M an yD F 5. oayy.| ΕἼ Ar +’p. F Avacy.] Ανατεμε ΒᾺ ΨΩ N30) yr ArM εξελε] AaBov BAS tolle # oo oo Ma Gee nm. | capo. ... nm. ... xo. BASF mad Ary nn ms) abn M αὐτου] > BAF κ᾿ ἀποθες αὐτὰ μετὰ σαυτου] Ges ασφαλως BASF >Ar K. τ. €YK. es.| > BASArMF 2061 utilia 3» €. Papp. χρησ. . . . avt.] > BAS Ar F necessaria haec ad medicamenta utilia 3» mspod on ony 5 M 6. post v. 9 Ar avacx. τ. mad... . nmap. | ἐποιησεν τ. παιδ. ὡς εἰπ. αὐτῶ O ayy. BASF ΝΟ) xn770) xv apn 5 j2 Ty Ar “yin j2 wy M κ᾿ ὠπτ. Tou ty, x. | mT de ἰχθυν ontnoavtes BA Set partem piscis assaverunt et a8 εἰ partem pis. adsumptos y piscem vero assavit ὃ assavit carnes eius ἘΞ ΡΠ 397 nN F epayev| -ov BA S$ tulerunt in viaa@@ sustulerunt in victu y manducaverunt 6 secum tulerunt D κ᾿ αφηκεν εξ avt. ἡλισμ.)] > BAS caetera autem (> y) salierunt af

reliquum autem eius in via reliquit 6 caetera salierunt quae sufficerunt eis quosque etc. B pay sani

anwa 4r manana M > F erop.| ὠδευον BAS 519 Ἣν iwi Ar pr. OM F ἀμφ.) > © Ar MF cov.] > BAX S Ar M eas... nyyo.] > Ar M εἰς Μ.7 ev ExSaravos BAS in regionem Mediorum %

> Ar pinaprw F 7. A versu 7 in codictbus 44,106, 107 tncipit graec. lextus R° > Ar tore | >BALS npr. τ. maid. τὸν ayy. kK. etm. αὐτῳ] em. τ. ward. (0 M) τῳ ayy. BAS M τι τ᾿ app. ev] τι ἐστιν BASF quod remedium est 3 Avyn ANDI aD M τὶ KapO... . . T. 9%. TOU tyO. - - » Ts χολ.} τὸ nap K. ἢ καρδ. k. ἡ χολ. του ιχθ. BASF hoc fel cor et iecur piscis % mom sn adn M vv. 8, 9 pr. v. 6 Ar > ArM τ. ιχθ.] αὐτου 1x8. δ΄ > BALS dr M καπν.} -σαι κὰ δ᾽ ravta δε -σαι (τ. εδει -σαι A) post πονηρ.

VI. 2. Even Ay and M employ the Greek word 7777s to denote the river known in O.T. as psn and in most

North Semitic lands as ΓΟΡῚ (so Syriac) or nbs (Jewish Aramaic and Mandaic).

3. Ar would directly support the originality of R° if his ‘ate the bread of the young man’ was written with a know~- ledge or indistinct recollection—Bickell believed 47 was a direct translation—of a Hebrew text in which ondd any had been changed into ond bax after the loss of 519. Néld.’s objections (p. 59) to the use of N38 would apply only to classical Hebrew (but even so, see Job xxxix. 9, Is. 1. 9). ἔκραξεν (Th. Gram., p. 234) of R® is supported by F (which attributes the cry to Raphael) as well as 47 M. a

8. ἀπάντημα = yb only in 3 (1) Kings v. 4 (18), Ow PN YI YID jN1, and in Eccles. ix. 11, and appears in Sym. Ec. il. 14, and Hos. xiii.14. It is not a medical term. RV has evidently rewritten this verse with due regard to the technicalities

THE, BOOK? OF TOBE 673 16

an attack of a demon or an evil spirit; and every attack will flee from him, and they shall nevermore 9 (8) find an abode with him. And as for the gall—anoint a man’s eyes, upon which white films have _ come up, <or> blow into them on the white films, and they become well.

ii. Tobias at Raguel’s Home and his Marriage with Sarah, vi. 10-viil. 20. Raphael's plans for Tobias’ marriage, vi. 10-18.

το (9) 11 (10) And when he had entered into Media and was already drawing nigh to Ecbatana, Raphael saith unto the young man, Brother Tobias. And he said unto him, Here am I. And he said unto him,

In the house of Raguel we must lodge this night, the man being thy kinsman ; and he hath a daughter

12 (11) Whose name is Sarah. And he hath no son nor daughter but Sarah alone, and thou art nearer kin to her than any man to inherit her, and what things are her father’s it is right for thee to inherit ;

(12) and the maid is wise and steadfast and exceeding honourable, and her father is an honourable man. 13 And he said, It is right for thee to take her ; and hear me, brother, and I will speak this night unto her father concerning the maid, that we may take her to be thy bride. And when we return from Rages we will celebrate her marriage. And I know that Raguel can in no wise keep her back

from thee or marry her to another —to incur liability to death according to the decree of the book

of Moses—and because he knoweth that the inheritance appertaineth to thee to take his daughter before any man. And now, hear me, brother, and let us speak concerning the maid this night and

we will betroth her to thee ; and, when we return from Rages, we will take her and let us lead her

BAS fumigatur@ mn ΝΡ xd dr asm repad Syy M ἡ γυν.] > Ar M n| et & | > BAS aravr. | > BAS ArM (ff. orpnd iB) δαι. ἡ πν. πον.] εαν τινα oxAn ὅττιον ἡ πν-τὰ T—pov BA (of. 2) ΠΡ ΠΗ͂ pow ΠῚ Ὁ M gevé. . . atova | OU μηκετι (ουκετι ov μὴ ΑἹ οχληθῃ BA S$ ταῦτα θυμιασεις ἐμπροσθεν αὐτου κ. φευξεται am’ αὐτου 44, τοῦ MID ΠΡ) dr M μειν. μετ᾽ avr.| apparebit 3» (cf 6, 18) 9: κ' η] » δὲ BA evxp.| eyyp. B®*b 44, 106 facit ad unguendos % 3" rend Ar mend Syn M nen on F ανθρ. οφθ. ov Δ. av. ἐπ. aur.| -ov os exer λ. (λ-μα A) ev ros οφθ. BAS οφθαλμους ev ois αν λευκωμα (-ατα 106) 44, 106 ΝΠ pA. MST pry Ar M 5 Oba sya 5 sya F Gils & 6 ὁ deux. | > BASArM ἡ εμφ. ets avrovs 44,106 pr. vel & κι vy.| x. taOnoeraa BAS ΔΙ -ovow 44,106 Ar F αἰ ad sanitatem perveniat a8 y τον αβγ Ar Μηδ.] pr. regionem 30 x. ndn| > LAr M nyyi¢.| προσηγγισαν BA SaByF παραγινονται 44, 106,107 \nx) Ar M εἰς Ἐκβατανων] t. Ῥαγῃ BA εἰς ExBatava 44, τού, 107 civitati Bathanis α 5 οἷν. Exbathanis y πε ξ S monaaxs M Ἰ τὴ Ε ΤΙ. Neyer] eer. BAF x. eer. 44, 106, 107 3» S Ar M aBSArMF αὐτῳ Idouv eyo | quid est y Ep τοις ΒΝ παρα Ῥαγουηλῳ (-ηλ A) post αυλισθησ. BA 9 τ. νυκ. taut. | Σημερον (post adeApe) BA 44, 106, 107 > Ar MF δειημ.) > BAS Ar M ante onpepov 44, 106, 107 myn on F avon. | πσομεθα ( post onpepov) BAS MF ὙΠ Ar ο ἀανθρωπ.] avros BAS Ar MF συγγεν. ἢ ovopa| -ατι BA 12. καὶ Se ΒΑ ΞΕ, vu... . pov.| λαλησω περι αὐτῆς του δοθηναι (NIN Ar M) σοι αὐτὴν εἰς γυναικα BA 4γΜ (CLF) » 9 ΠΡ στὸ BAS συ] σοι α 9 ΕΥΥ- --- Stk. κληρ.] επιβαλλει ἡ κληρονομία αὑτῆς κ. σὺ μονος εἰ εκ Tov yevous αὐτῆς BA Sto δικαίωμα αὑτῆς εστι κληρονομῆσαι πάτερα αὐτῆς κ. σοι δικαιωμα λαβειν αὐτὴν σοι εγγιζει παρα παντας 44, τού, 107 > Ar M κληρον. αὐτὴν... κορασιον) ut possideas (+ eam et a) haereditatem illius et omnem substantiam patris eius; accipe illam uxorem; etenim (est autem γ) puella haecaBy(ci F) > ArM τι Kop. | αὐτὴ 44, τού, 107 Ar M pov. k. avdp. k. Kad. dav | ka. k. φρον. eat BAS ανδρεια x. φρονιμὴ (+e. kad. 106, 107) 44, 1¢6, 107 sapiens, fortis et bona valde et constabilita 3» smand ΠῚ ΤΡ xm (fost νυμφην v. 13) Ar Soy naw Moan ΠΝῚ an ans) F kK. ὁ 7. aut. kad.| > BASF καλ.] ayara αὑτὴν 44, τού, 107 ΝΜ diligit illam % New nent) xnap NNN ym Naw Ad ONT NIM azle κ. possedit (-sidet y) illi tradet (dabit ei y); tibi ergo destinata est haereditas patris eius et te oportet accipere Sl F λαλησω] loquere αβγ 1279 F τ. mat.| +avrn; BASF > 44, τού, 107 aByM τ Ar of the magico-medical profession (cf. Nestle, Sef/wag. iii, p. 27), an interesting parallel to St. Luke’s treatment of St. Mark (cf. Hobart, 716 Medical Language of St. Luke). Moreover, ὀχλεῖν (RY) and its compounds are characteristically medical and Lucan (see Luke vi. 18; Acts v. 16, xv. 19). For a less speedy ophthalmic cure in papyri see

13. RS had Rages in 13%, as in 13, not Raguel, and ὀφειλήσειν not -σιν (Ν) or -ce (RY), leaving it indeterminate whether the subject is Raguel (a8) or the suitors (y) ; see Introd., p. 196.

iE BOOK OF, TOBIM ΟΣ τὰ τὴ

back with us to thy home. Then Tobias answered and said unto Raphael, Brother Azarias, I have heard that already the maid hath been given to seven men, and they have died in their bridal-chambers ; even in the night when they went in unto her they died. And I have heard them say that a demon slayeth them. And now for my part I fear—for her he harmeth not, but the man who would come in unto her, him he slayeth, avd I am my father’s only child—lest I should die and bring my father’s and my mother’s life to the grave with sorrow because of me: and they have no other son to bury them. And he saith unto him, Dost thou not remember the commands of thy father, that he commanded thee to take a wife of thy father's house? And now hear me,

brother ; and make thou no reckoning of this demon, but take her. For I know that this night she

ov μη] ov 44, τού, 107 δυνηθῃ P. kwd. . . . eyy-| δῳ αὐτην BAS δύναται ἀντειπεῖν σοι ore σὺ apyets αὑτῆς παρα παν. τ. €Ovn οτι γινωσκεις εαν (OTL -κει OTL 106) δωσῃ αὐτὴν 44, 106, 107 negabit illam tibi novit enim quia (certus sum autem quoniam y) si dederit illam af y 35 any im Jo 212) Ar nn jn xy TS ΓΝ ΠΡ M yas

4) many bw F erep.| pr. ανδρι BA 44, 106, 107 aBy Jato? πο SMF > Ar οφειλησιν] -λεσει Β τλησει 44, 107 -τλεὶ σοι τού perietaB perienty ole of ὦ >ArMF κι τ. Kp. τ. βιβλ. Μω.] κ. τ΄ νομὸν Μωυση ἡ (ante cher.) BASM > Ar pr, ΤΟΝ Τὴ (P) M x. δια τ. γινωσκειν) > BA 44, 106, 107 $ ArMF ote σοι κληρονομία καθ, AaB. τὴν θυγ. αὐτ. Tapa παντα ανθρ.] ore τὴν κληρ. σοι κ. Δ. ἡ π. ανθρ. BAS > 44, τού, 107 dr Μ ἰδὶ maxime (m. t. y) aptam esse haereditatem (+ accepta filia γ) illius a B y (ater F) την θυγ. Nica] αὐτὴν θυγ. N* κι νυν. «. OlKOV σου] > BASF Ryne Ale Payor | > 44, 106, 107 Ar M 107 3 Ar MF 600. NC®] «dA. N* kK. απ. εν τ. νυμῴφωσι αυτ.}] κι mavras εν τ. τωνι ἀαπολωλοτας BA > 9 ArMF τ. VUKTG . . . ἀποκτ. avr. | > BA τ. vuxta omote| νυκτὸς 44,106, 107 nocte ea hora quu ,o § nd sy Ar M pws moda F εἰσεπ. προς aut.| 30% JlasaSe o-arn S >F x. απεθν.] > 44, 106, aBy dau. | wT ΝΟ wiowet 4γΜϑ > SF amoxrevyet | τείνει 44,106,107 >SF 15. φοβου- par... πατρι μου] eyo μονος εἰμι τ. πατρι x. pos. BASF φοβ. ἐγω απὸ του πνευμ. τ. ἀκαθαρτου (hoc daemonium α β y) ore φιλει αὐτὴν x. ταυτὴν (αυτ. 106) οὐκ αδικ. ad. os eav (αν 106) θελ. ey. ἀποκτενεῖ αὐτὸν (+ Unicus sum patri meo af y) 44, 106, 107 aBy NT Ὁ Smt sow dr INO UN ΝῸ Μ arobava| pr. εἰσελθων BAS pr. ποτε (re 44) ουν x. eyo 44, 106, 107 pr. forteaBy sa dupr Ar “pve om 5 Μ κ. καταξω] pr. καθως Kk. οἱ προτ. ore (Store A) δαιμ. φιλεῖ αὐτὴν ο οὐκ αδικει ovdeva πλὴν των προσαγ. αὐτὴν K. νυν eyw φοβουμαι BDA S (of. F) τι ζωην] 107 erepos | +7 Ovyarnp 44,106,107 Ar Μ wa θαψῃ αυτ.] os-ecavr. BAS pr. orav αποθανωσι 44, 106, 107 Ar M qui sepeliat illos et possideat haereditatem illorum af qui sit eis haeres y 16. x. λεγ.] εἰπεν de BAS ‘= Ar ov μ.} memor esto“ M 27. nw ἽΞ)) ἡ nN SM τ. εντ.] τ᾿ λογων BAS (cf. F) pr. mac. 44, 106, 107 AaB. yr. | ὑπερ Tov λαβειν σε γυναικα BAS vmep του λογου tovrov το AaBet σε γυναι sup. ras. εἰ mg. A®? genere patris tui Auct. de voc. gent. “ΝῚ ΝΙΝ Ar (σ. Μ F) akovoov .. . γυνὴ] μὴ φοβηθης ote eyw oa ort δοθησεται σοι kK. μὴ λογον EXE περι τοῦ εν aUTN πνευμ. 44, 106, 107 ΝΠ (+°3 Μὴ avy jd basn xy 1D Sap yn Pw wo5 ayaont Ar Mk. μὴ Noy. . . . yw. eyo| Store σοι εσται εἰς yur, κ΄ Tov Saip. pydeva Roy. exe BAS kK, λαβε] postula illam aBy (cf. Auct. de Voc. Gent.) γυνὴ] αὐτὴ (> A) εἰς -atka BS 17: Κ᾿ orar | κ. eav BAS οταν δε AaBys αὐτην 44, 106, 107 εἰς τ. νυμ.] tov ν. sup. ras. B® pr, πρὸς αὐτὴν 44,.106, 107 ἘΠ M AaBe.. . . θυμιαμ.] λημψῃ τεῴραν θυμ. κ. επιθησεις απο της καρδ. kK. του ηπ. του ιχθ. BAS επιθησ. την

καρδ. του ιχθ. κι τ. nm. ἐπι τ. θερμην τ. θυμ. 44, 106, 107 NIT xv ap Ar M ἘΠῚ T. T. T. dup. | super carbones

16. 3.) 5 postula may possibly have arisen through the translator’s (or a reviser’s) knowledge of a Heb. MS. in which ὃ had been dittographed (nd Sew for nb NW) just as Ar (which M follows) in v. 17, though actually translated

from the Greek, might have been influenced by a Hebrew text in which mad nnn had been corrupted into nenad ’n, but drect translation from such a text is precluded by the phrasing of viii. 2 in 47 as well as by the fact that he chiefly used RS (N6ld. of. céz., p. 50, n. 1). More probably A's ‘under her garments’ is an independent version of a baser process of exorcism (cf. a similar story in Zhe Arabian Nights). ¥’s affinities with dry and M, especially in vill. 2, are noteworthy.

THE BOOK OF TOBIT δ ᾿

shall be given to thee to wife. And when thou comest into the bride-chamber, take of the liver of

18 (17) the fish with the heart and place them upon the ashes of the incense and the smell shall go forth, and the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never appear any more to her. And when thou art about to be with her, rise up both of you first and pray and supplicate the Lord of heaven that mercy and deliverance may be extended to you. And fear not, for she was set apart for thee before the world was; and thou shalt save her, and she shall go with thee. And I suppose that thou shalt have children of her and they shall be as brothers unto thee. Take no reckoning. And when Tobias heard the words of Raphael, and that she was his sister of the seed of his father’s house, he loved her exceedingly, and his heart clave unto her.

Arrival and welcome at Raguel's, vii. 1-9*.

71 Rs And when he came into Ecbatana, he saith |. And they came to Ecbatana, and arrived at Ry | unto him, Brother Azarias, lead me straight to | the house of Raguel. But Sarah met them; and Raguel our brother. And he led him to the | she saluted them, and they her; and she brought house of Raguel, and they found him sitting by | them into the house. the door of the court; and they saluted him first, and he said unto them, Much cheer to you, brethren, and ye are well come in safety. And he brought them into his house.

2,3 And he said unto Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobias my kinsman! And Edna asked them and said unto them, Whence are ye, brethren? And they said unto her, We are of the 4sons of Naphtali, which are captives in Nineveh. And she said unto them, Know ye Tobit our

af Auct.de Voc. Gent. super carbonesi gnis ardentis y WN πον Ar κι ἢ οσμη πορευ.] k. καπνισεις BAS > 44,

OUKeTL . . - αὐτὴν 1° οὐκ επανελευσεται ( post exave ras. αἰ. Bia? b) BAS ArMF τ. παν. avova | (εις A) τὶ al. του a. BA kK. oray | or. δὲ BA pedAns . . . μετ᾽ aut. | προσπορευὴη (-σῃ A) avr BAS and dyad ‘ANN TW) ArM πὸν πὴ aysnwo1 F e£eyepOnre | ey. BA ποιεις αὑτὴν eyepOnvar 44, 106, 107 ἜΝΘ 9 Ar M mpar. | > BAS ArMF app. κ. προσ. κ. δεηθ. τ. Kup. τ. ουρ.] a. k. βοησατε mpos τ. ἐλεημονα θ. BA (οὐ Ar MF) προσ. εκατεροι κ. δεηθ. τ. κυρ. 44, 106, 107 ambo et deprecamini dominum caeli 3) pr. 13 ὙΠ Ν ) F αμφ.] >

ArM ow. ελ. γεν. κ΄ oor. ef? υμ.] «. σώσει up. (ημ. Δ) κι ἐλεησει BAS x. δοθησεται αὑτῃ ἰασις x. ἐλεον 44, 106, 107 (cf Ar M) αἱ detur vobis misericordia et sanitas κ᾿ μὴ φοβ. . .. σωσεις κι] > 44,106,107 27. 2 ""᾿ Syon 133) ArM x.8°] > BAL ζῶο S σ. γαρ] ote σοι BA εστ. μεμ.] αὐτὴ ἡτοιμασμενὴ nv BA S (XL cf. 6, 12)

προ tov N'| πρὸ ov N* amo του BA 44, τού, 107 9 yy son Ar (ff. Μὴ) mwyta Ὁ) πῶ F σωσεις]

ἜΝ 9. Ar M >sF μετ. σ. Trop. | mop. pet. o. BA εἰσελευσῃ προς αὐτην (pr. F) 44, 106, 107 > Ar M υπολαμβ. οτι] > 44, 106, 107 Ar MF εσονται cowl? | σ΄ ἐσται BA γεννησεις 44, τού, 107 > Ar παιδια] texvov 44, 100, 107 > Ar M kK. egovrar2®, . . λ. exe | > BAArM οτι σοι εστι τ. δικαίωμα aBew ὡς ΒΑ τ΄ Aoy. P.| ταῦτα BAS Ar F +angeli® x. om... πατ. avtr.] >BASArF κι] ante εκ τ. omepp. Ξ" Away nyar. | εφιλ. BAS >HBF mada ‘ys “ΠῚ nby Ar αυτην] m ras. αἰ. B > k. ἢ Kapo.

aut. εκολλ. εἰς aut.| κι ἡ Ψυχ. aut. εκολλ. αὐτῃ (κεκολλητο A) σφοδρα BAS (cf Ε) haesit cordi eius 3 > dr +Nsry op F

VIL. τ. κ᾿ ore... P.2°] Donan ‘yy maaibyy Ar Mo pyar 3 F οτε] > BA econ bev] ηλθ. B P.| > κκ. evp. aur. καθ. mapa τ. θυρ. τ. avd. | 3. δε ὑπηντησεν αὐτῳ (-οις AF) BASF ev. avr. καθ. 7. τ. αὐλειαν θυραν 44,106,107 εἴ inven. ill. sed. in atrio (> y) circa ostium domus suae (d.s. > y)aBy yn WD AYN) ἸΠΞΦΝῚ mma 4rM εχαιρετισαν] τεν BA ησπασατο 44, 106, 107. Dr. φως S avror | -rous A 44,106,107 > ie mpwror | κι autos αὐτοὺς Bx. -τοι ττὴν A ad ooo eeu Od Lisolo δ.» 44,106,107 Ar niby ond aun M sm ΠΕ Keyeli ore οἷς vytawy. | >BAS «ene εἰρην. aded. εἰσελθ. εἰς τ. οἱκ. τ. αδελ. VOY 44, 106, 107 ndwa bay © ’S amid 4,7, ΠΡ) Π net qroon 1S sox F avros| > & kad. dO. vy.| intrate salvi et sani % nyayev auToUS εἰς τ. OLKOV avr. | e.ony. ε. τ. -tav BA S eyevero ore εἰσηλθοσαν 44, τού, 107 smad sbyy Ar 35 15352) 7S TwBea| -εἰτ Β 44, 106, 107 τῳ -7 A aded.| ave BAS consobriniaB -no γ E6.] Pay. BA S ΕΝ 107 ex f. N. sumus ex captivis ΝΞ. ‘am ΝΟΣ 937 NOW [Ὁ Ar Μ “53 Wwe ἜΣ) md F ημ.} > BA εν] εκ B pr. των A “- κὐ tite Ss Ale γινώσκετε) -erar A np. | μου 100 & kK.

kinsman? And they said unto her, We know him. And she said unto them, Is he in good health? 6 And they said unto her, He is in good health and alive. And Tobias said, He is my father. And 7 Raguel sprang up, and kissed him, and wept ; and he spake and said unto him, Blessing be unto thee

lad, who art the son of a noble and good father. Oh, dire calamity, that a man, righteous and

almsdoing, should have become blind! And he fell on the neck of Tobias his kinsman and wept, g and Edna his wife bewept him, and Sarah their daughter also wept. And he killed a ram of the flock and received them gladly.

The negotiations and the marriage, vv. 9-14.

And when they had bathed, and washed their hands and laid them down to dine, Tobias said unto 9) Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak unto Raguel that he give me Sarah my sister. And Raguel heard jo) the word and said unto the young man, Eat and drink, and make merry this night: for there is no man unto whom it appertaineth to take Sarah my daughter except thee, brother ; and likewise, further, I have not power to give her to another man than thee, because thou art my nearest kin. Yea, 11 verily, I will shew thee the truth, lad. 1 have given her to seven men of our brethren and all died

7 emav avty| > Β ot δὲ ema ASM xk. εἰπὸν aut. 44 7. εκ τ. ot. N. κι εἰπε vat κ. amekpwavto 44, 106, 107 SAr ΤΩΙ o δε BAX aut» | > BALMF vy. Κ- ¢] x. ( κι vy. BA ody MF (ii τὶ δ cor. "ἢ Ke ἐκλαυσεν] κι -e BA >S lacrymans % 133) Ar (cf. M) edad. x. | evdoy. (nu- A) avr. κι BASF > 44, Ἧ: 106, 107 aBy 39x Ar M avr | > 44, τού, 107 aBy Ar MF εὐλογία σοι γενοιτο] >BAS evo.

map. | avépor. BA > 44,106,107 S Οὐ ταὶ 6.0 0 eden. | TAY AIA ΠΝ by ΝΠ sey NS’ STO SVD jeu “01 “at dr > M @ ran. | >BASF μεγαλ. 44, 106, 107 O infelicitas 3» κακων] κ᾿ ἀκουσας BA S (cf. F) ετυφλ.] T. ἀπώλεσεν τ. οφθαλμ. εαυτ. (ε. > A) BAS (fF) επηρ. 44, 106, 107 avnp dex. | > BASF x. BAS περιελαβ. αὐτὸν (T. τ. viov τ. aded. avr. 106 L) x. 44,106,107 LAr > MF Σᾷἅακλαυσ.] fem τ. τραχ. avr. 107 3 Ar M F+bya F umedeEaTo aur. προθ.] παρεθηκαν (pao 3S) ova πλειονα BAS yy nnd PN ArM KeLOTE sai. δειπν.] »ΒΑῷ bax x ἽΝ nw bow Ar (ff. M) plen. Ε kK. ore | k. 44, 107 κ. evry. | λαλῃσον ὑπερ wy ελεγες εν τ. πορεια (-ια A) Kk. τελεσθητω (-στητω A) τ. πραγμα BA 3 (σ΄. F) had. (+6) 106) προς P. περι τῆς θυγ. aut. x. δωσει μοι avr. εἰς yur. 44, τού, 107 Ay M IO. nk. P.| μετεδωκεν BAS (cf Ar F) > 44,106, Bb A) BAS Ar illi x, (pay. πος ταυτ.] >Ar M K.3°] > B τ. VUKTa@ ταυτ.] > BA 3 Ε τ. νυκτι TAUT. 44, 106, 107 ov yap... ῳ] σοι yap BAS επισταμαι γ. ort αλλῳ ov 106, 107 κ.΄ ελαλ. ταῦτα AC προς Ρ. 41 > Ar ΜΕ καθηκει... πλην σου] καθ. παιδιον μ. λαβ. BA S καθ. λαβ. τ. θ. μ. εἰ μὴ σοι τοῦ, 107 > 44 ArMF ArM πϑινὰπ pawn 2a maw ἽΡ 5 Κ᾽ εγγισ. μου] +et tibi Sarra a8 y k. pada τ. ad. σοι υποδ, mats. | πλὴν pr.ndy 106,107 Ar 427. 35 5 y3 M αυτην] τ. παιδιον μ. (παιδαριον A* παιδειον (¢ sup. ras.) A®*) BASF C4] enta BA τού, 107 τ. aden. ny. | > BA 106, 107 3ArM mavtes . .. πρὸς αὐτ.] ὁπότε εαν (av A) ewer. mp. avr. ἀπεθνησκον (-κοσαν BA) ὑπὸ (+ τὴν A) νυκτα BAS απεθ. 106, 107 amd yy xb sy im nnd ArM (7. F) μο bss abs vooo $ 7275 am M Ay Pra 209 ἽΡ33) F x. e.| luxe ὦ ov py... πιω] ov γευομαι (-σομαι A) οὐδὲν wde BA ov μὴ d. ουδ᾽ ov μὴ π. 106, 107 Sox xb Ar F cas αν] €. ov 100, 107 ews διαστ.

ee ee

en Se

VII. 11. The precise and legalistic emendation of RY seems to mean ‘until ye make covenant with me and have your covenant ratified by me’, Th. Gram, p. 254, n.1, θνησκοσαν (ΒΑ), Th. Gram., p.214. With this verse commences the second & recension, with affinities to RS and ΚΞ instead of RY.

THE BOOK. OF TOBRIT Gams,

in the night when they came in unto her. And now, child, eat and drink, and the Lord will deal mercifully with you. And Tobias said, I will taste nothing here nor will I drink until thou settle (12) mine affairs. And Raguel said to him, I do so ; she is given to thee according to the decree of the - book of Moses, and from heaven it hath been decreed that she is given to thee ; take thy sister.

From henceforth thou art her brother, and she is thy sister ; she hath been given to thee, from to-day — even for ever. And the Lord of heaven give success to you, child, this night, even to do mercy and ἡ 12 (13) peace towards you. And Raguel called his daughter Sarah, and she came to him and he took her by the hand, and gave her to him, and said, Take her according to the law and according to the decree which is written in the book of Moses to give her unto thee to wife. Have her and 13 (14) lead her away to thy father in peace ; and the God of heaven prosper you with peace. And he called her mother, and told her to bring a book, and he wrote an instrument of co-habitation, even 14 (15) that he gave her to him to wife according to the decree of the law of Moses. Then they began to

eat and to drink. Sarah's recovery and the consummation of the marriage, Vii. 15—-viii. 9°. 15 (16) And Raguel called Edna, his wife, and said unto her, Sister, prepare the other chamber, and

16 (17) bring her in thither. And she went and spread the bed in the chamber as he bade her and 17 (18) brought her thither; and she wept for her and wiped away her tears, and said unto her, Be

προς ewe] στησητε x. σταθητε πρὸς pe BA usar Jewly S mecum rem confirmes 3» (cf 18} Ὁ ΠΡ 4M τὸ εἰπε] απεκριθη 44 αὐτῳ] > BA 44, 106, 107 ArM ott Ποιω.. - σοι] κομιζου αὐτὴν απὸ τ. νυν. ΒΑ (ΟΣ Ar M) τι δυναμαι ποιῆσαι K. αὐτὴ εστι δεδομ. ὑπὸ τ. vopov κατα αγχιστειαν Wov αὐτὴ σοι δεδοται 106,107 ιδου διδωμι ταυτ. γυναικα 44 lors cor yd fares go oo? ad? μὲ wamso fuso S$ facio: tibi S. destinata est ef. y ne dubites fili facio quod vis et his dictis adiecit dicens Thobi tibi ef. a8 nvxd> aban poab anya Fk. τ: κρισιν τ.

νυν] > BA ArM συ] + δὲ Β (Aane sent. ante 117) jyd) hab. Ar M) αδελφη] > BA σου] +eorw BA kK. 0

κυρ. τ. ουρ.] o de ἐλεημ. 6. BA τ. ουρ. κυρ. 44 Lssls S nowt wns » ArM swby E ευοδ.] >F BA > ArM raped. | >F aur@ | ΝΣ (pr. τῳ ΑἹ γυναικα BA ArM >F κὶ εἰπε eee εἰρην.] ὍΣ 2} M Κομισαι] ov BA ἽΡ ΠΡΟ nxt 32 ANT Ε κ᾿ xara... . βιβλῳ] > BA "ΩῚ ΝΠΣῊΝ nabdna Ar Sse aia ma F Oovvac.. . γυναικα] > BA Ar F exe | κομιζου αὐτὴν BA > Ar F amayaye | aTraye BA 7) F υγιαινων. .. εἰρηνην} k. εὐλογησεν (ηυλ. A) avtovs BA pr. fli > ArF 13. > δ M73 yay 31393 ὙῚ ANIM. ἼΘΙ wn) 33ND) ODA AMIN wap) oY Nap m1 Ε (οὐ Ar M 277α) exan. | sox) M τ. μητερα aurns | E. (Geass 2) τ. γυναικα αὐτου BA ArM matrem et puellam 5. ext. | > BA ArM eveyxew | λαβων BA -γκαι 1ο7 k. ἤνεγκε 44 βιβλιον] chartam aBy δὲ} Ar ws M k.3° . συνοικ) > M κι > ΒΑ ut aBy Ar συνγραφην] συγγ. B®> 44, 106, 107 conscriptionem aBy snaind Ar βιβλιου συνοικησεως] > ΒΑ συνοικιουσαν 44, 106, 107 coniugiiaBy mniad Ar κι ὡς Od.

. von.) YTD ANY wn SnanNd 1nd) 19 ΠΣ Ar YA AS ON ABN ΠΝ yoy ana M (f. F supra) x. ὡς διδωσιν] x. exppaycavto BA as διδοται κ. edwkay (εδοσαν 44) 44, 106, 107 quemadmodum tradidit aB y

αὐτὴν. . . κρισιν του] > BA α. a. y. Ke τ, συγκρισιν 106 M. vopov | > BA βιβλιου ΜῈ k. ἡνεγκαν ἢ μὴτ. GUT. κ. S ex illa hora aBy HYB oo ὁ πειν] εφαγον κ. ἐπιον 44,106,107 347M + ino M npEavro | -aro Bab

BA +. ταμίειον 44,106, 107 NIDWD ΓΔ pam Ar nA M ὉΠ Ὑππ F ewrayaye | eaye B avrny | puelam ZF > Ar ons M exec] > BA 44 wohsaS 5 Ar 16. Badioaga . . . auty | ἐποιῆσεν ws ez. BAS en. ovres E. 106, 107 Ar abiit in cubiculum (secretum y) et stravit sicut ef. aBy >44MF nyayev| εἰσ- B 44, τού, 107 SU εἰσηγαγον A > Ar M αὐτην] filiam suam #F > Ar M exer| εἰς τ. κοιτωνα 44, τού, 107 + badwos ES SS ule ex\av. | pr. περιελαβεν avr. (35) ἢ μητ. aut. kK. (- 8) 44, τού, 107

S$ (f ArM) maid mys abnnm F περι αὐτ.] > BA 44, 106, 107 Ar οδο, SS S ADy M non3 nwa: F κ᾿ ἀπεμ. τ. 8.] > 44, 106,107 $ArM_ anyos win pa wrpn bap F x. απεμαξ.] x. απεδεξ. BA

τ᾿ δακρυα] +s θυγ. αὐτης BA αυτῃ] > 44, 106, 107 Ar 17: Gap. | > ArM opr. verba e Script. F

οὐδ Cf. the Isis Inscription from Ios. ἐγὼ συνγραφὰς γαμικὰ-] εὗρα (i. 33 in reproduction in Deissm. Z.A.Z.,

16. Some of the changes made by the later redactors and versions are pleasing, e.g. RY’s alterations (incorporated as usual in F) to make the daughter weep and the mother catch her tears, and F’s ‘the Holy One, Blessed be He, received her tears’, but R° lacks the poetic imagination.

EBOOK OE TOBIT 7. 178. 6

of good comfort, daughter: the Lord of heaven give thee joy for thy sorrow: be of good rcomfort, daughter. And she went forth. And when they had finished eating and drinking,

they desired to sleep, and they led the young man away and brought him into the chamber. | 2 And Tobias remembered the words of Raphael, and took the liver of the fish and the heart - 3 out of the bag which he had, and put them on the ashes of the incense. And the smell of the fish baffled the demon, and he ran away into the upper parts of Egypt; and Raphael went and 4fettered him there and bound him straightway. And they went forth and shut the door of the chamber. And Tobias rose up from the bed, and said unto her, Sister, arise ; let us pray and make 5 supplication to our Lord that he may work mercy and deliverance for us. And she arose, and they _ began to pray and make supplication that deliverance might be wrought for them, and he began to say, Blessed art thou, God of our fathers, and blessed is thy name for ever and ever; let the | 6 heavens bless thee, and all thy creation to all the ages. Thou madest Adam, and madest Eve his

χαραν] χαριν BA Ar M annwy pew F ms] > 44 σου] -Ἐταυτ. BA (ch ΕἾ +7. ἐμπροσθεν 44, τού, 107

WAQUE τ κα: οτε] ote δὲ BA κ. εγενετὸ οταν (-e 44) 44, 106,107 13 mm ArM συνετ.) > S WOY F τὸ hay. κι π. 8*| rou φ. δα ἃ δειπνουντες ΒᾺ ευφρανθηναι (+x. 106) 44,106,107 ampoamms S coenam 30

Tap. | mons /vy Ὁ wond vy Ar (cf. M) aur. | iB 24, τοῦ, 107 5 Ὁ es | προς ΒΑΕ ταμειον] αὐτὴν ἐπι τ. Tepp. του θυμι.] τ. τεῴρ. των θυμι. post a8. BA > 44; 106, τοῦ woads eran? Jacsy lrrarcy SX fsacs $ super carbones vivos (ignis y) @By (cf F) anny ὃν Ar M (of. F) 3. κι ἡ οσμὴ τ. txOvos εκωλ.]

κ᾿ (> A) ἐκαπνισεν ore δε ὠσφρανθη τ. δαιμ. τ. oopns BA > 44, 106, 107 Sap wine my mods minn wp) am 4r M “ἢ ὮΝ maaway man 53 on oxy nN TI ΠΝ PeyM O92 F ἐκωλ.] ομαθὺ S prohibuit aBy «. απε- Spaz. | εφυγ. ΒᾺ κ.εξεβαλε 44,106,107 pr. [2019 Nyy] M τ. δαιμ.] > (v. supra) BAX Ar MF τ. ακαθαρτον πνευμα (+x. ἀαπεστὴ 106) 44, 106, 107 ante x.2° H avo εἰς τα μερη] εἰς (pr. ews A) ta avoratra BA εἰς τὰ avo μερὴ 44,106,107 LNs JLoshil $ in superiores partes aBy ΠΡῚΝ 52 Ar (cf MF) Bad... . παραχ.] > F Bad. ] > BA 44,106,107 S$ Ar abiit...et# ἘΠ oayyedos post avr. ΒᾺ +ang. ΞΜ συνεποδ.] εδησ. BA 44, 106, Tap. | ws δὲ συνεκλεισθησαν ἀμῴοτεροι BA X30 Δ) OWINA Ov Ny TN) F εξηλθ.}] NYY M+ NITDN jd ArM τ. Tap. | pyan bya ArM Ke nyepé. | aveot. BA απ. τ. chur. | Ss 12 eur. autn Aden. αναστηθι] k. em. ava. ad. κι BA κ. T. εἰπ. προς Σ. a3. ἀναστα κ. 44, 106, 107 pos whe Joho μβο τοῦ 2 ἄϊσῖξ ὃ: surge soror 3» Ar M προσευξωμ.] & sup. ras. B®) -ομ. 106 kK. den. | > BA ArM τ. KUPLOU ἡμ. OT@S ποι. eb. ἡμ. Edeos x. gor. | wa (pr. Deum W) nu. denon ο. κυρ. (» 3) BAL (fF) τ. προσωπου κυρ. ovws 7. εᾧ. ny. ed. kK. σωτ. εν T. vuKTL ταῦτ. 44, 106, 107 bo LANS δὰ SWyo ee pow μωο εὖ S ’x pap mmo WON ΝΟ wpa (oon Μὴ Ar (cf Μὴ δ. aveor. . . . oor. κιὶ > BA 44, 106, τοῦ 3 Ar M bana Tm Hy 3D F aveoty | surrexerunt 3» den 8. | + Dom. 3 np&ato rey. | ηρξ. T. Xey. ΒΑ eer. T. 44,106,107 lise shad βὑβος aslo 9. dixerunt % oN) ‘x opp “Ὁ ‘yy Ar (ff Μὴ Fan ’» nnn F εὐλογ. . . . atwvas2°| alter M εἰ} κυριος 44,106, τοῦ +haxo SU Ar F τ. mar. np. | Swe Ar (ff ΕἸ govl?| +7, ayov x. ενδοξ. BA (cf. F) παν. τ. aovas τ. yev.| τ. αἰωνας BA pasas SAr τ. yeveas τ. αἰωνων 44, 106, 107 in omnia saec. saeculorum aBy Aug. evdoy. .. . kr. cou] > S aliter F π. ἡ κτισις] π. Jlmte Jeay S Ἐν F ἐποι.] εδωκας BA 44, τού, 107 aBy Ar MF βοηθ. στηρ. Ev. τ. y. aut.| B. Ev. στ. τ. y. avr. ΒΑ β. Ev. τ. y. 44, τού, 107 Ar Ms abwiedc0 JMO 95. adiutorium Evam aBy Aug. Spec. 56 Mv mn F κι εξ... Bonbov2”| > M augor.| τουτ. BAX Ar > y Aug. aliter F eyev.| multiplicasti aB >yAug. aliter F πὸ ΟΠ τὸ ανθρ.] τ. ανθρ. σπ. BA τ. yevos τ. ανθρ. 44,106,107 > y Aug. ‘33 ΡΞ

VIII. 3. In RS εἰς τὰ ἄνω μ. (cf. aB γ) was written, which was retained in R° and paraphrased in RY. In δὲ (which Swete, Exfos. Tim., vol. xi, p. 39, appears totreat as the sole authority in this verse for R*!) the ἄνω has been accidentally inserted before εἰς τά. The reference to Egypt is pertinent historically (see Introd. p. 186) and mythologically (Jeremias, 4.7.Z.4.0., pp. 180, 432), and Kohut’s emendation [1728 for OS!) is pointless, but see J. H. Moulton, Hibbert Lectures, excursus to lecture ii. ’s reversus est may possibly have crept into the text from the mg. where it had been placed by a reader who had before him an Aramaic text in which 11M had taken the place of Ἵ2Π.

wife for a helper avd a stay for him: of them both came the seed of men : and thou didst say, It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helper like unto him. And now I take not this my sister for lust, but in truth: command that I and she may find mercy and grow old together. And they said together, Amen. And they slept the night.

The parents joy and the ensuing feast, vv. 9"-21.

And Raguel arose and called his servants with him and they went and digged a grave, for he said, Lest he perish, and we become a derision and a reproach. And when they had finished digging the grave Raguel came into the house, and called his wife, and said, Send one of the maidservants and let her go in and see if he be alive: and if he is dead that we may bury him, that no man know it. And they sent the maidservant and lighted the lamp and opened the door, and she — went in and found them sleeping and slumbering together. And the maidservant came forth, and

τ. avOp. | pr? S$ Ar ποιησωμ.] ἘΣῪ, SArF 7. νυν] +Kupe BAS Κύριε ov γινωσκ. οτι 44, 106, 107 aBy Aug. (in 4 loc.) Ar M ουχι] οὐ BA δια πορνιαν] ὃ. -ειαν BA 44, 106, 107 luxuriae causa 3» τ. αδελ. μ. ταυτ.] uxorem sororem meam aB αλλ᾽ er αληθ.] ἀλλα ε. «. A adda κατα (τα 44) δικαιωμα (-ara 44) τ. νομου σου (σ > 106 3) 44, 106, 107 9 sed ipsa veritate 3. NNN nada Ar Syne awn ΠῚΞ 330 awa M nont ὙΠ ppd F EMU ts) fe κοιν.] plen. F emit. ἐλεησ. με K. αὐτην] ε- eA. p. ΒᾺ επι τῷ ελεηθηναι npas κυριε (-Ἐ ἐμε τε κι αὐτὴν τού, 107) 44, 106,107 εἰν Ped lao e? pam S αἱ (> y) miserearis nostri Domine aBy Aug. yon Ney) am νὸν Din Ar (cf. M) kK. συνκαταγηρασαι κοινως] K. αὐτὴ (ταυτ. A) συνκαταγηρασαι (συγ. B®? συνκαταγηρασομε (aynpa sup. ras. ΔΆ) A) ΒΑ κ. συγκαταργησαι (= συ xatapaca?) τῷ ακαθαρτ. δαιμ. x. dos nuw κυριε Teva κ᾿ εὐλογιαν 106, 107 εἰ (ut y) consenescamus pariter sani cum pace aBy NIN ἽΝ soanned) 47 M +(-+4 NIN ΡΟ) M) JNssas9 hus εὔϑοο βοδα $a 8 Ar M 8. εἰπαν ped? εαὐτων] -ev per αὐτου BA -av κοινως 44, 106, 107 Ja hoo Lirfo § (of F) dixerunt# nam ‘y none) dr M 9. εκοιμ.} + ἀμφοτεροι BA (cf. F) nannd Sy ArM et receperunt se aBy 1: νυκτα] ev τὴ ν. ἐκειν. 44, τού, 107 SF post ταφον aBy avaot. P. εκαλ. TOUS OLKET. μ. εαυ. x. | avaot. P. BAF ειπ. (pr. op) + ποῦ M) P. τοις ork. aut. 44, 106, 107 2M saytayd TN) 9 DP xb madsen mim Ar ᾧχοντο x. wpugav ταῷ.] επορευθὴ x. -ev τ. BA (of. F) ορυξατε τ. νυκτι Ξ 14. τοῦ; Τοῦ nad aN) Ar Mn more | μὴ K. ouTos (aur. A) BA waeav 44,106,107 ON Ar αποθανῃ] ἢ τεθνηκως ( + why Ar) θαψω (9397393 Ar) αὑτὸν νυκτος κ. μηδεις γνῳ (cf. τ. 12) 44, τοῦ, 107 S Ar simil. (pr. NP Sy) F Κ. γεν. Καταγ. K. ονειδ.] »ΒΑ wa μὴ γενωμαι (a3 Nya Ar) εἰς ονειδισμον κ. καταγελωτα 44, τού, 107 Ar (of F) Joos Wo Jecoms «> 5 et omnibus fiam derisio et opprob. % II. ore . . . otxov] > Ar M ore . . . ταφον] > BAF eyevero (> 44) orav εξηλθοσαν οἱ οἰκετ. (+ orleans Pee ear? S) 44, τού, 107 5 ote | » γ. aur. BAF + <avry τού, 107 5 Ar M Anoat.| Ἢ δὴ 44, τού, 107 kK. εἰσελθ.] > BASF εἰς τ. κοιτῶνα κ, 44, τού, 107 HArM ἘΠῚ ΝΟΥ Ar ἰδέτω] ederaoay (ud. Bb) BA (| -Ἐὲν εἰρηνῃ 44, τού, 107 >F ΓΟ ον ἃ ὁ γνῳ] εἰ δὲ μὴ (an mortuus est 30) wa θαψ. avr. (+5730 ἫΝ O10 Μὴ «. μηδ. yo (-oTw παιδισκη ΒΑ ΒΟ απεστ. Εδνα τ. παιδ. x. 106, 107 SAr Μ απηλθ. ἡ mad. k. 44 +d ArM ~ misit unam ex ancillis et aBy ηνοιξαν] avogaca BA avewke 44,106, 107 SaBy > Ar MF 6up.| + Tov κοιτ. 106, 107 3 > ArMFE econ. x. | > BAArMF o λυχνος ev τὴ xXELpL αὑτῆς K. 44, 106, 107 S κι eup. aurous καθευδ, κ. ὑπν. κοιν.} κι eup. τ. δυω καθευδ, BAS x, ἰδου αὐτοι καθευδ. κοιν. 44, 106, 107 εἰ invenit illos pariter dorm. % 107$ArM_ η παιδ.] > BA 44, 106, 107 SLArMF υπεδ. avr.] ody m9 93 pad nays Ar ond wow F υπεδειξ.] απηγγειλ. BA 44, τοῦ, 107 avrots | Εδ. τ. avdpc avtns 106, 107 S > 44 + (ond ΝΠ) M

er In the original story (R*), along with his servants (who are omitted in RY, accidentally or for brevity’s sake, as ὃ uller admits), Raguel digs the grave and returns from doing so before he addresses his wife (v. 11). R‘, however, enies Raguel’s presence at the digging and his share in the manual labour, as it is inconceivable ‘that a rich man

en himself do such work’ (Néld., of. ci¢., p. 48, who with singular inaccuracy attributes this alteration and motive

12. εἰδέτωσαν. B* A, misplaced augment, Th. Gramz., p. 209. 13. The three chief recensions, particularly ἈΞ, have not retained their individuality in this verse, but both the later ones seem as usual to have been based on RS either in the form it assumes in δὲ οὐ in that of 3...

che ΒΘ OF FOBIT 8: 15-21

15 told them that he was alive and that there was naught amiss. And he blessed the God of heaven and said, τό Blessed art thou, O God, with all pure blessing; let them bless thee for ever. And _ blessed art thou, because thou hast made me glad: and it hath not befallen as I supposed, but thou hast 17 dealt with us according to thy great mercy. And blessed art thou, because thou hast had mercy on two that are the only begotten children of their parents: shew them mercy and deliverance, O Lord ; and fulfil thou their life with gladness and mercy. 19 Then he bade his servants fill the grave before the morning came. And he bade his wife / make many loaves. And he went to the herd, and fetched two oxen and four rams, and bade 20 prepare them; and they began to make ready. And he called Tobias and said unto him, For fourteen days thou shalt not stir hence, but shalt stay here eating and drinking at my house, and ‘2rshalt gladden my daughter's sore afflicted soul. And all that is mine take thereof the half, and go in safety to thy father ; and the other half, when I and my wife die, is yours. Be of good cheer, child! I am thy father, and Edna is thy mother; and thine now are we and thy sister's; from henceforth we are for ever. Be of good cheer, child!

on... εστ.] 0. BA Ar > 44, 106, 107 S illum vivere et nihi! mali passum % yn on M (cf F) iiss REE 3, 5 evra | Ssoyn 308) Ar εὐυλογησαν] τεν (ηυ- A) BaP -y) ΒᾺ ΒΒ. Ἐὶ τον] pr.» MF τ. oup. | SBA 44, 106, 107 5 F ban M κ, eur. | Neyo BAH > Ar +/°9M bce | avo Geos BA κυριε ο Geos ev m. evr. καθαρᾳ] ε. 7. εὐ. Β ε. π- ev. καθ. κ΄ αγια Bab™I AaB ε. π. ev. aye κ᾿ καθαρε K. ἀμιαντε 106, 107 ἀαγιε καθαρε x. ἀμιαντε 44 omni benedictione sancte et munde y NIT) ΝΡ ἼΠΞ 3) Ar > ΞΜ aliter F εὐλογει- τωσαν σε] τησατ. 106, ΤΟ > 44 ΕῚ 27. κ'. εὐλογ. σε οι αγίοι σου kK. TAG. αι κτισ. σου παντ. (pr. κ. Α) οἱ ayy. σου κ. Ob exdext. σου (κ. ove. 0. > Ar) BA (ch Ar F) +4 omnes sancti tui y οἵ benedicant tibi omnes electi tui et omnis creatura tua benedicat tibiaB > M εἰς παντας τ. αιων.] εἰς τ. at. Β Ar παντες οἱ αἰωνες σου (eS 44) 0 τυπτων κ. ἰώμενος εὐλογ. σε παντ. οἱ ayy. σου εὐλογ. σε (ε. σ. 44 K.) παντ. οἱ ἐκλεκτ. σου 44, 106, 107 > ΞΜ in omnia saecula saeculorum a8 in saeculum s—li y 16. eek» oo Kilo Qumr oo Moly 5 (ἡ Μὴ aliter Μ simil. F +po BAW ημιν 44,106,107 > Ar ὑπενοουν] τουμεν 44, 106, 107 Ar adda... ἡμων] JNO MIND + Kupte 44, τού, 107 aumbs Ar eden. | ΠῚΠ xban myy M δυο} pan Ar mx ow Μ᾿ povoy.| +k. τ. yoveis αὐτων 106, 107 S > Ar M mous. . . . ἐλεου] adyd payna AIM STN) ΝΟΣ nnd an Ar = aliter M edeos κι] > 9 x. got. x.]| > BA συντελ.} lozao Ko call how 5 per’ ev. kK. edeov.| ev υγειᾳ (-ιειᾳ Ba Ὁ -ia A) pera ev. x. ἐλεους ΒΑ μετα ελεους κ. evp. 44, τού, 107 L » 5 18. rore eum. τοις ork. αὐτου] (pr. 11 F) εκελευσεν de τ. ox. BAF x. ἤλθοσαν οι οικ. k. εἰπ. αὐτοῖς 44, 106, 107 SAr ἘΠ Μ xooa| adn adj 5 wha) F tag. | + quam fecerunt 3 + 5p F προ τ. opOpov yev. | > BAF π. τ᾿ npep. (heron 3S) y 44, 106, 107 wo73 93 wn xb sy Ar (+ 8M) 19. k. ἐποιησεν avTots γαμον ἡμέραν δεκα τεσσ. ΒΑ ae γυν.] συντελ.] εταξ. (- ον wtad S) ετοιμαζ. 44,106,107 SHAr AY ΠΟΥ ΝΣ saya wpa Ar k. np&. παρασκ. | yawo F auto | -ros ἃ +P. πριν συντελεσθηναι τ. nuepas τ. γαμου evopKas BA > 44,106,107 3» asad 3 ArM δέκα τεσ. nuepov| εαν μη πληρωθωσιν ar ὃ. τεσ. ἡμ. τ. γαμου Post αὐτὸν BA (cf. F) ews ἡμέρων δεκατεσ. 44, 106, 107 pos? oKov o. 44, 106, 107 ree Jeon yoke? frown post μη κιν. 5 ov μὴ κιν. ἐντευθ.} μὴ εξελθειν αὐτον BA ov μη εξελθης εκ τ. οἰκου σ. 44, τού, 107 Ar M wash WS Ὁ JON ΝΟΥ ΠῚ rahe ee xatod.| > ΒΑΕ add... ἐμοι] > 44, τού, 107 5 Ay M x. euppaves| wa τῇς 44, τοῦ, 107 3 τ. ψυχ.] > Ar M κατωδυνωμενην | -08. 44 -τωδυνομ. 106 multis adflictam doloribus 3» 21. vga por... τὸ ἡμισυ x. | tote λαβοντα τ. ημ. τ. υὑπαρχοντων αὐτοῦ ΒΑ τ: np. τῶν ὑπαρχ. μοι λαβε παραχρημα 44, τού, τοῦ SAr (cf ΕἾ pr. pn nxbp vans) F uraye vyaw. | πορευεσθαι pera vyeras (-ιας ΒΑ τιειας Bab) BA um. εν εἰρηνῃ 44, 106,107 >SAr vade salvus et sanus cum pace #® ANNA abn M 3b) F Tp. τ. mar. | >SAr σου] > BASAr τ. addAo ny. | τ. λοιπα

| of liturgical and theological additions in RY and R“

15. RS wrote εὐλόγησεν. . . k. εἶπεν which should be read in δ. See Introd., p. 174, footnote 2, for the importance

THE BOOKVOF ΘΒ τὸ

1. Raphael’s journey to Gabael, ix. 1-6.

91,2 Then Tobias called Raphael, and said unto him, Brother Azarias, take along with thee four

servants, and two camels, and go to Rages and get thee to Gabael, and give him the bond ; receive the

4 money and bring him with thee to the wedding feast. For thou knowest that my father will count

3 the days, and if I tarry one day, I shall sorely grieve him ; and thou seest what Raguel hath sworn, —

5 and I cannot break his oath. And Raphael went on his way with the four servants and the two — camels to Rages of Media and they lodged with Gabael, and Raphael gave him his bond ; and (he) made known to him concerning Tobias, Tobit’s son, that he had taken a wife and that he invited him to the wedding-feast. And he arose and counted out to him the bags with their seals and placed 6 them together < on the camels >. And they rose up early in the morning together and came to the wedding-feast. And they came into the house of Raguel, and found Tobias lying at meat. And he sprang up and greeted him. And he wept and blessed him and said unto him, Honest and

es A ΞΕ OE

καμ. δυο] δυο cau. BA 44, 106, 107 εἰς Payas | ev Payots τ. Μηδειας (-cas A) BA > Sin civitatem Ar onnnox M κομισαι] + μοι BA λαβε 44, τού, 107 jn’ Ar MF pr. κ᾿ δ' (» ΝὮ S 44, 106, τοῦ Ar MF παραλαβε avr. | aut. aye μοι (μ. > A) BA ayaye αυτον {(-το 44) 44, 106, τοῦ fon Ar MF μετα σ.]

>BAXArM τους γαμ.] τον y. BA 4. pr. V. 3 IBAVAz one eorat| « BA Ar yap | > 44 αριθμων o 107 χρονισω] νον SF soy nay 47M ἡμερ. μιαν] μεγα (γ Sup. Tas. A®) BA μιαν nuep. 44, 106, 107 una plus die >F λυπησω avr. | οδυνηθησεται ΒᾺ gS ΕΞ μοο SF _ contristabo animam eius & (σ΄. Ar M) Aav| > 44, τού, τοῦ SH Ar 3. κι θεωρ. τι] διοτι BA κ. 44, τού, 107 wx 9. Sed vides quomodo 3» dwn by53 wond bid sao xbaoet drM > F ὠμοσεν P.| ομωμοχεν (-κεν BAb) p. BA 44, 106,107 +n εξελθειν pe (+9 DAIS Ty MM. Ὁ Ar MF) BA Ar MF +pewar pe (μοι 44) δεκατεσσαρες (Jaca S) ἡμερας (δ. η. 44) mapaBnva| abernoa 44, 107 spernere L 5 επορευθὴη] op M al +ang. 3» κι OL τ᾿ . «= OlK, K. δῷ ὧν

veo? S ἴῃ οἷν. M.% Δ ΦΝ Ἢ yaypd Ae © S32: ηυλισθησαν] τθη BAL pr. ndOov προς T. x, 44, 106, 107 SF > Jeo yee cor coho S 77. (5.37 + 7M >F ast. yanov] >BA4g +/OM SF «. ἀναστας] os be BA κ. aveotn T. 44, 106,107 3 bya pow 32 4r > MF παρηριθμ.] προηνεγκεν BAF εξηνεγκε 44, 106, 107

107 5. ὙΞΠΙ5 >ArM (5 Sy ἸΩΠῚΠΣ Ε συνεθηκαν aura | εἐδωκεν avro BA ηριθμησε τ. ἀργυριον κ. ἐπεθηκεν

ἐπὶ τὰς καμ. 44,106,107 $ +supra camelos αβ y dor by saps ἱνῸ Αγ ΝΜ Sway ney joan “Ἴ mpd) F 6. ὠρθρισαν] ὠρθρευσαν Β > 44 Ar M vigilaverunt % κοιν. κὶ >44ArMF εἰσηλθον 1°] ηλθοσαν B*b 44, 106,

107 aBy ηλθον BA δ ΠΝ M εἰς τ᾿ yapov| > 44 τος.» “Ὁ k. εἰσηλθ.... εκλαυσ. x. | Say ΚΕ ανακειμ.] > ΒΑ et invenit Gabelus Th. discumb. (accumb. y) aBy κ. aver.] > BA 44, 106, 107 4r M κ-

+Gabelus a8 -NNNYIN Msp Ar M κ. εὐλογ.] > 44, 106, 107 Sy avroy | Τωβειας τ. yuvatka αὐτου dicens 3» αὐτῳ] > 44, 106, 107 © Ay M Kale . . . ehenpor.| εὐλογητ. o κυρ. os εδωκε σοι εἰρην. (+ bone et

optime vir a 8) ore vos εἰ (evd.... εἰ > y) avdpos Kad. x. (κ. κι > 44 S) ayad. k. ἐλεημοσυνας ποιουντὸς 44, 106, 107 (+ et benedictus tu filia8)SaBy 2p Ὅ ON PID ‘PAY TAY Ow aw Ἴ3) TI Now ΝΠῸΝ Ar Swe ads» 193 AVNA DY AnHwA ὙΠ AWS M Own... yur. o.| evdoynpevos εἰ kK. voy. (ev. > 44) ὁ maT. σου κ. EVAoY. (Ev.

5. συνέθηκαν αὐτά is possible alone, but probably ἐπὶ τ. καμήλους should be restored from aBy Av and M. On the

other hand aB y Ar M inadvertently wrote x. εἰσῆλθον only once in the next verse and then omitted εἰς τὰ Ῥ- ΕΞ clings

at any rate to the mention of Raguel though its compromise has suffered in 44 and is lostin S$. RY so radically abridged

the verse that the second half was unintelligible to the copyists, but restore κ. evA. “P. τὸν T. x. τὴν yuv. αὐτοῦ in RY.

THE BOOK Or LOBIT 9. 6—10:

} good /ad, son of a man honest and good, just and merciful! The Lord give thee the blessing ᾿ of heaven, and unto thy wife and thy father and thy wife’s mother! Blessed be God that I have seen Tobias my cousin like him.

D. THE HOME-COMING, x. I-xi. 17. i. Tobias’ sorrowing parents, x. 1-7".

1@: Now day by day Tobit kept counting how many days he would spend in going and how many lz return in. And when the days were expired, and his son was not come, he said, Is he perchance 3 detained there? or is Gabael perchance dead, and there is no man to give him the money? And [1 he began to grieve. And Anna his wife saith, My child hath perished, and is no longer among the

5 living ; and she began to weep and bewail her son, and said, Woe is me, wy child, that I let thee "6 go, the light of mine eyes. And Tobit kept saying unto her, Hold thy peace, trouble not, sister, he is in good health ; doubtless some distracting business hath befallen them there ; and the man who went 7 with him is trusty and one of our brethren; grieve not for him, sister, soon he will be here. And

Ar ν᾽ ΠΣ DPD) Ost OA 73219 — im ΠΣ Nin) M δωῃ σοι Kup. evdoy. oup. | det tibi benedictionem ort et... . ὁμοῖον avt@| quoniam video Thobi consobrini mei similem a8 οἱ benedicat Deus Thobi consobrinum meum y

X. 1. drev. M exaot. . . . emotp.| x. T. 0 mat. aut. ἐλογίσατο (-Cero A) εκαστ. ἡμερ. BA (GA 1B) τς ΝΞΌΣ Sand Soa dy Ar ev ποσ.""] » ἐπιστ.] +filius eius © οτε συνετελ.] ὡς ἐπληρωθ. BA 2). 5 Ar Rac bo Oo παρην] οὐκ ἤρχετο (-οντο A BS) BA κ. ελυπηθη Τωβιας (T. > 44) 106, 107 (+F) ods Kujo > 44, 106, 107 2 κατεσχεθη] κατῃσχυνται BA 9339 wnbos Ar PON wap F exer] BA 153 Κα aur, διδ.] Sid. avr. BA διδ. τ΄ υἱῳ pou 44, τού, 107 S mS yan Ar (f. F) 3. κι np& λυπ.] Kk. ελυπειτολιαν BA ἘΠ Οὐκ. . .°. al (+ Ar) διοτι κεχρονικεν BA Ar κ. οὐκετι (y 44, τού, τοῦ S quare tardat (-tur y)aBy >F mp& . . . vt. αὐτ.] ηρξ. Opnvew avrov BA εθρηνει περι aut. 44, 106, 107 S x. εἰπ.] εθρηνει λεγουσα 44 ΕΞ 107 5 + bid mnpaw and Ar ΗΝ 6. drev. MF T. ελεγεν aut? | T. λέγει αὐτῇ BA παρεκαλει αὐτὴν T. κ. εἰπ. (x. ε. 44 Neyov) 44, 106, 107 x Oly... - vy. | θαρσει αδελ. παρεσταῖι O υἱος nu. υγιαινων 44, τού, ΤΟΥ δ aded.] > BA Ar κ᾿ pada... ndn παρεστ.] > BA κ᾿ pata] > 44,106 1078 sed forsitan%& ona Ar περισπασμ.] μϑθον. S$ mora & yun Ar avr. ey. exer} detinet illos £ avrow...0 av6p. | τις αὐτων (-τῳ 44 5) > 106 Ar pn dur... mapeor. | μὴ Ons exe τὴν καρδ. σ. Kaxov 106, 107 S > 44 περι aur. aden. | os Ar > 44,106,107 S Sey. am’ ep. κι] σιγ. BA Ar F tace molestus es mihi a8 molestus es mihi esse noli y ex). περιεβλ. τ. 0d.| emopeveto καθ᾽ ἡμερ. εἰς τ. 0d. BA F εκπηδ. ἐπὶ τ. οδου mepteB\. 44, 106, 107 Kado lian

Loo Jemr0 Judas Loo Wyo S$ seme ΠΟ ἼΒΟ npr mm dr oti by wym Moy... - ἡμέραν] εξω ma on ADI ANN soda) xpd. Ar m3 N32). ON mid ov $59 M kK. οὐκ επειθ. ουδ.] aptov οὐκ ησθιεν

X. 2. κατήσχυνται (RY, an unlucky substitute for κατεσχέθη of RS, which is supported by Av and F) must be translated ‘are they disappointed?’ (cf. v3). R° omitted the clause because of this difficult expression, and most moderns who uphold RY are here compelled to emend on the basis of R8. On -eryeOn v. Th. Gram., p. 238.

4-6. On the relation of these verses to Jub. ch. xxvii. τ΄. R. Harris, 4./.7%. pp. 349 ff.

5. οὐ μέλει μόι (RY) is corrupt. It might be emended ὦ (cf. A7) or ws or σὺ (Fri.) μέλει μοι or σὺ μέλει σοι (Tisch.).

6. περισπασμός (RS) = ‘ distracting business, distraction’ (e.g. Polyb. iii. 87, 9; iv. 32, 5), represents }*J¥ (occupation, fask) six times in Eccles. The words ὁ divOp.... μὴ λυποῦ (RS) give the key to the difficult ‘ perfectus vir (et) verax... noli fiere’ in Jub. ch. xxvii.

7. τλιμπ. -λιπ. (RY), Th. Gram., p. 227. In Ar 4D 37~N (cf. viii. 20, ix. 3) may be original, but prob. it is a transformation by a late scribe of the numerical 41".

THE BOOK OF TOBIM Wi Ρ

she said unto him, Hold thy peace at me and deceive me not ; my child hath perished. And hasten- — ing forth early she spent every day watching the road, by which her son had gone, and would hearken — to no one; and when the sun went down she would enter in, and mourn and weep the whole night, and have no sleep.

ii, Tobias sets out for home, vv. 7’-13.

And when the fourteen days of the wedding feast were expired which Raguel had sworn to ~ celebrate for his daughter, Tobias entered in to him and said, Send me away, for I know that my _ father and my mother believe not that they will see me again; and now I pray thee, father, that

8 thou send me away that I may go to my father ; already I have told thee how I left him. And Raguel said unto Tobias, Abide, lad, abide with me, while I send messengers to Tobit thy father, and they 9 shall tell him concerning thee. And he said unto him, Nay, I pray thee that thou send me away to 10 my father. And Raguel arose, and handed over to Tobias Sarah his wife, and half of all his goods, . men-servants and maid-servants, oxen and sheep, asses and camels, clothing and money and chattels; 11 and he sent them away in peace, and he embraced him and said to him, Farewell, child, depart in peace; may the Lord of heaven prosper you, and Sarah thy wife, and may I see children of you before I die. And he said unto Sarah his daughter, Go unto thy father-in-law, because henceforth

(-te B b) BAaByF > 44,106, 107 3 Ar Ὦ ὍΤΕ εὐ το' ὑπνον] τ. δὲ νυκτας (od A) ov διελιμπανεν (Bb (vid) A -ur. B*) θρηνουσα T. τ. vt. aut. BA (cf. F) ews ov dv o ηλ. x. εἰσηλθ. εἰς τ. otk. avr. (lohan S) κι οὐκ eyevoaro ovdevos kK. οὐκ δυνατὸ uTvwcat (κ. ο. ἡ. v. > 44) 44, τού, 107 9 nad πὸ why ΡΣ ΝΙΝ indo ὉΠ nave xy > 44 ArMF ας} καθως τού, 107 ποιησ. τ. θυγ. avt.| ποι. αὐτὸν εκ BA > 44, τού, 107 93 Ar MF copa προς τ. mar. μου 44,106(+F)107 >S 27. 308 F ov mot. . . . με ετι] ovkere ελπιζουσιν οψεσθαι pe BA Ar αγωνιωσιν (-covow 106) ει €TL (ere = 44) οψονται τ. προσωπ. μου 44, 106, 107 φρέϑοοῦ Eoin Ι᾿Ν.39 JNoss u2/ goku ax Vp S$ "Δ DAWN ON) DOT AN DAWN M DD Ww Any ἽΝ 5 Ε er] > & a aur.| 5)n saoymnd ΝΟΣ ΝΟῚ Ar 8. x. εἰπ.] em. de BA P. τ. T.| avrw o πενθ. (- αὐτου A) ΒΑ P. 44, meiM 3 ay F kK. eyo ἀποστελλω] Kayo εξαπ--λω (τλλω B*) B* vid NaBy εγω εξ-λω (-λλ 106) 44, τού, 107 ayy.| > BA Ar MF T.| > BAS# ArMF t7.0.| >ArM 4+ mond) F υποδειξ.) δηλωσ. ΠΑ υποδ--ωσιν 44, 106, 107 aur | spand ArM περι σου] ta κατα ce BA JNanmas Loon hisay S σὺ λεγει BA εἰπ. T. 44, 106,107 MF ἘΤ. ὁ. ille dixit® ‘py mS anx Ar Μηδαμως] > (ouye Bab) B Ar xox ἽΝ ἀξιω σε] > BAMF peto ἢ wn an Ar oros| > BA 44, 106, 107 $ Ar MF εξαπο- wa μὴ λυπήσω 44,106,107 Jemh Wy S + n-byy F το. «.1°] > BA et continuo 3» ἀναστας] +6e κ᾿ τὸ ἡμισὺυ (SA* 4) τὰ (a sup. ras.) np. ΒᾺ x, edwk. αὐτῳ 44, 106, 107 παντων] > BAX Ar ME παντα τοῦ | avre| > ΒΑ +70 np. 106,107 -Ἐπαντῶν τα ημισὴ αὐτου 44 mad. kK. παιδ.] σωματα BA Ar B. κ. mp. | κ. κτηνὴ Ϊ post ox. Ar par.) > BA 44,106,107 SF plen. Mx. apy.] apy. BA et pecuniam κ. ox.] > BA plen. M(f. | F) Tr. εξαπ.] pr. εὐλογησας αὐτους BA + ὩΡΦΠΔῚ mbwa Ayah auTOUs . . . ἡσπασατο autoy | > BA avr.k. | ἡσπάσαντο αὐτὸν 44,106, 107 & illum salv. san. et vale illi fecit 33. 2292) 47 MF κ᾿ eur. aut@| λεγων BA ἘΠῚ: P. 44, 106, 107 2 αἵ dixit 1 MF nnd wen) dr vy... . umaye| > BA Ar MF Badiere τεκνα vysawovres oup. | thse S$ >4r ἸΣΓῚΣΝΝ Sea F evodoaat | -σει B 44,106,107 -λογησει A xnoy yw Ar ἽΝ!

Jo. τὰ ἥμισυ (}), Th. Gramz., p. 180. σώματα (RY) = slaves in classical Greek, e. g. Dem. (480. 10), Plut., but always | with αἰχμάλωτα, οἰκετικά or some similar epithet, in the Ptolemaic papyri (cf. espec. Demophon’s letter to Ptolemaeus ζ. 245 B.C. in The HHibeh Papyri, No. 54), in the LXX (e.g. Gen. xxxiv. 29, Bel and Drag. 32; 2 Mac. viii. 11), in | Polybius and later writers, and in the N.T. See Deissm., BS. p. 160, LAS. parsn. ἢ Ἶ

Ge BOOK ION TOBIN 10! τ 11. 3

they are thy parents as they who begat thee; farewell, daughter. May I hear a good report of | thee so long as I live. And he embraced them and let them go. And Edna saith unto Tobias, ' Child and brother beloved, may the Lord restore thee, and may I see children of thee while I live - and of Sarah my daughter before I die. Before the Lord I commit my daughter unto thee in trust ; ᾿ vex her not all the days of thy life. Child, farewell; henceforth I am thy mother and Sarah thy sister. May we all be prospered in the same all the days in our life. And she kissed them both (τ1} and sent them away in peace. And Tobias departed from Raguel in peace and rejoicing and __| blessing the Lord of heaven and earth, the King of all, because he had prospered his journey. And Raguel said unto him, Mayst thou be prospered to honour them all the days of their life.

ili. Tobias’ reunion with his parents and the return of Tobit’s sight, xi. 1-17.

112 And when they drew nigh to Caeserin which is over against Nineveh, Raphael said, Thou 3 knowest how we did leave thy father: let us run forward before thy wife, and prepare the house

+ apprehendit illum et (+salutans a) osculatus est (+ et y) Sarram (+ filiam suam a) et aBy pwn pad san προς] τιμα ΒΑ 106,107 SaBy Ar MF -ἼΝΟΜ tov πενθ, °! Tous 7. σου (ov sup. ras. (seg. ras. I Lit.) Al) BA +k. my 7. σ. τού, 107 SaBy Ar MF ore avo... yovets o.| aut. vuv yor. σ. εἰσιν BA aBy ore aut. o. γον. avo τ. ν. εἰσι 106, 107 S > M απ. τ. ν.] MN Ar ws οἱ γενν. σε] > BA AY ME καθὼς ημεθα np. 106, 107 S pr. (post ws) pater tuus et mater tuus 3» Bad. ... θυγ.] > BAF β. υγιαινουσα 106, 107 Ar M ak, σ. ay. akoyy ε. ζω] ak. σ. ακ. καλ. BA > 106,107 5 +et gaudium® yma’ ** pow M Ἀν) ΠΞῬΠῚ EF ε. ζω] (+ Μὴ xnan sim Ar M oF k. απασπ. ἀαπελ. avr. | k. εφιλησεν αὐτὴν BA F et osculatus est ei. πρὸς T. ΑΒ etx. E. mp. T. 44, 106,107 3 "Ὁ Sx aon ΝΜ WETS oo αποθ.] αδελ. ἀγαπητε (NN NN I Ar 3 M) αποκαταστησει (-αι A) σε (salvum te perducat (ducet te y) a8 y Ar M) o κυρ. τ. ουρ. x. δωῃ μοι ιδειν σου (σ. >aByAr) radia (+ powp Ar +" ὩΞῸ Dab M) ek Σ. τ. θυγ. μου (+antequam moriar aBy Μὴ BA aBy ΕΙΣ M simi. F > 44,106,107 3 ενωπ. τ. kup. | Ip Ar ante εκ 3. M evor. | pr. wa εὐφρανθω BA a B y του] » 44 kup. | +coeli aBy παρατιθ.] 27. κι ιδου BASF παραδιδ. 44, 106, 107 SF ΝΠῚ Ar Mtrado (-am y) aBy τῆι θυγ.] pr. Sarram 3 Ar M ev| emt 44, 100, 107 ὦ παραθηκῃ] παρακαταθ. (κατα sup. ras. A1) ΒΆᾺ παρτην (-Ἐουτως 106) 44, 106, 107 >S tanquam bonum depositum 35 (- F) Jura dr MF ἘΞ 44, 106, 107 S diligat (dirig. y) te deus et illam ut sitis in loco sanctitatis omn. dieb. vit. vest. (diebus vestris 7) aBy appor. | >ArM 3 Π "Ὁ" δ PInis ny ΜΟΠῸΝ Ar K. απεστ. vy. | κ᾿ εξηλθοσαν 44, 106, 107 § vy. | > ArM 13. kK. απηλθ. 5 6 6 βασι τς παντ.] μετα τάυτα επορευετο κ. T. evAoyav tov 6. BA κ. εἐπορ. ano P.| > Ar vy. κι] > aBy Ar κυρ.] deum aBy Ar τ. Bao.... ort] 4 mando nde Ar ott aut.| x. κατευλογει P. x. Ἐ. τ. γυναικα avr. (+et dixit iniunctum est mihi a Domino (2) 1} nabs Ar) honorari (-are y) vos omnibus die. vit. vestr. (meae y) aBy Ar) BAaBy Ar κ΄. προσηυξατο λεγων yevorro μοι τιμαν τον πενθ. μου womep τους εμαῦτ. γον. π. τ. nuep. τ. ᾧ. aut. 106,107 S > 44 MF

XI. 1. plen. M os nyyecar | €TOPEVETO (+0 Ar 1257 F) μεχρις ov ἐγγίσαι αὐτὸν (-tous Bb2c? F) es BA Ar F exopevOnaav τ. odov avtwy x. ηλθον 44, 106, 107 5 Noy aby M Kacepew] > BA Καισαρειαν 44, 106, 107 eemas (v./, ζῶν) S Charam af Caracha y Charan p OPS ArM SF ἡ ἐστιν] > BAF κατεναντι) > BAF amev. 44, 106, 107 in medio itinere contra Ἐ N.] pr. τῆς 44,107 +undecimo die D

BAF γινωσκ.] αδελφε BA Ar + Thobias frater 1 M πως] > 9 αφηκαμεν] τκες Β -κας (ς absciss.)

A 44,107 ArMF -καιοό >S_ reliqueris 3, τ. πατερα] gools (22. μος, vel odsdeS) ot oEd S σου] ἼΩΝ ns) M 35 mpodp. | +ovw 106,107 “Ny poo laos pe S$ τ. γυναικὸς o.| pr. ἐμπροσθεν BA mapeorat (-εστι 106) κατα cxony (hwat> hxada>d 5) om nu. 44, 106,107 S dum prosequitur nos (+ puella a)

XI. 1. RY followed by certain Vss. omits purposely to avoid the difficulty as to the precise name of the locality. R* on the contrary, though possibly not absolutely original (Reusch conjectures Χαλάχ, cf. y and Gen. x. 11), was the most ancient tradition and is presupposed by the majority of the variants.

THE BOOK OF TOBIMI aaa

4 while they are coming. And they went both together; and he said unto him, Take in thy hands the — 5 gall. And the dog went with them, behind him and her son. And Anna sat watching the road by — 6 which her son would come. And she espied him coming, and said unto his father, Behold, thy son | 7 cometh, and the man that went with him. And Raphael said unto Tobias before he drew nigh to his 8 father, I know that his eyes will be opened ; stuff the gall of the fish into his eyes and the medicament will draw up and scale off the white films from his eyes, and thy father will see again and behold ~ 9 the light. And she ran, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said unto him, I have seen thee, my 10 child; hereafter I can die. And she wept. And Tobit rose and stumbled with his feet and went forth 11 toward the door of the porch. And Tobias went towards him with the gall of the fish in his hand; aBy + Pa ΝΟΣ Dy (27. DTayA-ay M) Ar M 4. k1°,.. αὐτῶν > BAF κοινως | kK, 0 KU@Y προετρεχεν ἜδεΒΑ » 47 μέτα χειρας] mapa χειρα BA > 44,106,107 tecum ΞΜ » 47 χολην] ++ τ᾿ ἰχθύος (4973 35 by “apn ns ’o npd 30 F) x. εἐπορευθησαν ([ and] M) BAFM +7. wyO. εν τ. χειρι σου 44, τού, 107 S de felle illo, et habe H > Ar x. συνηλ.} > 44, τού, 107347 Μ et abiit H avros| > BA 44, 106, 107 S ὁ kuptos| οκυων BAaByF > 44, τού, 107 SArM εκ τ. OTLG@ αὐτοῦ K, τ. υἱοῦ αὐτης] 106,107 8 = Avva] MON INDwWNy Ar YON TIM M εκαθητο] +inviaet* +N nvaww.s Ar +770 by M περιβλεπ.] >F την οδον] 27. εἰς ΒΆΝ τ᾿ οδον] adventum % > 4,Χ.ὁΟῸ ΝΕ ΝΜ ΤΣ υἱου] mada BA ArM filii £ 6. > 44, τού, 107 S ερχομενον] VIM pinay Μ AWWA WD Ε κ. em... per αὐτου] > Ar k. eur. | yn F x2, | > BA τ. πατρι αὐτου] ΠΝ ΜΕ pr. δ M wou | + YIN FE σου] pou BM >F EYYos so Te mar. | > BAM λαβε τ. χολὴν τ. ἰχθ. εν TH XELPL σ. K. EOTAL EV τ. EYY. τ. πατρι σ. προσελευσεται σοι (πρ. σ. > 44 god soaks ease §) 44,106,107 S$ antequam adpropinquemus patri tuo % ‘ipa yaw ons ΓΣΣ pnw) F Emot.| +eyo Β +eyoT. A > 44, τού, 107 8 ort] dis scr. ἃ -Ἐανοιξει Β avoryer A κι τού, τοῦ > 44 enimqua# .»~3 οἱ οφθ.] tous οφθ. BA F we S ay M αὐτου] o πατὴρ σοῦ, BAMF “5 ἀνεῳχθησονται] > BAM -oypevor 44, τού, 107 S Jpany F 8. of SIT NN 20 NDVI Ww (Post v. 10) Ar SD Py Inna) NN AD Da) M ἐνπλασον] συ εγχρισον BF συ ουν evy. A 23; ἀποστυψει τ. φαρμακον] δηχθεις διατριψει BA oS ad eas S insidet medicamentum % > F απολεπισει] ἀποβαλειται B βαλει 23, 58,71 prods 2539 βοο S decoriabis% 2 NIN 1 F aro τ. of 6, avr. |

> BAF avaBiewe...k.| > BASF τ. pos] oe BA + go>! cE Seip 9. sim. M οδ, stm, Ar K.1°] mn F avebp. | προσδραμουσα ΒᾺ Αννα ειστῆκει ἐπιβλεπουσα emt τ. οδον κ. εἰδε τ. κυνα προτρεχοντα (περιτρ. 44

ἀνεστρεψεν A. εἰς ἀπαντησιν Tov vt. autns (τ. v. a. 44 avtov) κ. περιέλαβεν αὐτὸν {τ πὶ SS 44) 44, 106, 107 ἡ K.2° | Αννα BA mater sua aBF ἐπέπεσεν] ἐπεσ. A 44 ἐπι} εἰς 44 T. υιου αυτης] αὐτου 44, τού, 107 458

+ 3m F avr] ιδου 44,106,107 > SF Ἐἰδὸν κτλ.] on0S mame ae Dbwa Jans ΝΠῸΝ ya JANIS (NN) TY NID NP NIN) sand nS ὃν πὸ NAS) NAD NNT KX Ty δ5 md ym) Ar ὙΝΝῚ INN DYDA ANN (mis F) Jub ns MF Exdov | wov A vides & παιδιον] texv. 44, τοῦ, 107 fili# anor. νυν] whol s amodo 3» αποθ.] tyke Jor SAwo S x.4°]| > 44, 106, 107 ἢ ἐκλαυσεν) -σαν ΒᾺ + dupdrepor BA > 44, 106, 107 SArF +Thobias etiam lacrymatus est a8 et Th. lacr. est y +7) NW by M το. o£ md Spnd soba ΝΟ sant ἡ ΠΡ an ὝΣΝῚ oa pow to amy Svat ‘a bist Ar aveorn ToBes ... auhys| τ. e&npxero πρὸς τ. θυραν x. προσεκοπτεν BA ΟΜ (+1985 Nb) 1D) M_ ηλθε προς τ. (+eoa5/ &) κ᾿ συτος

ειστηκει ἐπι (προ 44) τ. θυρας k. ore ἤκουσε τ. φωνης τ. υἱου aut. ηλθεν (Joo hs, S$) ἀπαντησαι avr x. αὐτὸς προσεκοπτε

(NSas0 Nolllo og coasshy bss goto 9) 44, 106, 107 $ spand 32 Ἴλ)5 ΩΝ Maw F k. εβαδ. T. πρὸς avr.| o de wos (2 Μὴ προσεδραμεν avtw x. επελαβ. (x. er. > M) +. marpos avr. BAM κ. προσεδραμ. T. τ. πατρι aur. κ΄ ype T. φιλησαι avr. (τ. υἱον avt. 106) x. aporep. οἱ ofO. aut. nrewypevor 44, 106, 107 oe> μοὶ dodo voasal? Joo base NaS υοαθὺ Loo (ence po 290 corasil proto ewfo S var td ὃν Say Ὁ 7}

op) F tg Op NOUN (2 TWD wy ἢ" ΝΠῸΝ ὌΝ) 4, ηχολη.... αὐτου x.2°| >BA 44, 106, 107 ενεφυσησεν] προσεπασεν (a Sup. Tas. A®) 7. χολην BAF ἐπασε 44, τού, 107 Jhisso 5,0 S insufflavit # nv) M es | ex B

MF εκκαμμυσε (pase =) tous οφθ. αὐτου 44,106, 107 2 κ. εἰπεν] λεγων ΒΑ +iili 3 >M Θαρσει, πατερ] τι TOUTO εποιησας τέκνον k. εἰπε Τωβιας (+ ξὥκοοο ey eas)/ S) φάρμακον ἰάσεως ἐστιν πατερ (>S +ear ΞΕ

9. ΓΕ Gen. xlvi. 20 f. for thought and language. & with true Oriental instinct adds the detail of Anna’s veiling nerself.

tie BOOK ΘΝ LOBI MW) r1—-17

‘11| 2) and he blew into his eyes, and took hold of him and said, Courage, father! And Zodias threw the 11 3) medicament upon him, and gave it him; and he peeled off <the white films> with both his hands |14 from the corners of his eyes. And he fell upon his neck, and wept, and said unto him, I see thee, child, the light of mine eyes. And he said, Blessed is God, and blessed is his great name, and blessed 15 are all his holy angels. May his great name [ ] be blessed [1 to all ages; for he did chastise me, and behold, I see my son Tobias. And Tobias went in rejoicing and blessing God in his whole body, and Tobias shewed his father that his journey had prospered and that he had brought the money, and how he had taken Sarah the daughter of Raguel to wife; and, Behold, she is at hand and [τό is nigh the gate of Nineveh. And 7odz¢ went out to the gate of Nineveh to meet his daughter-in- : law, rejoicing and blessing God. And when the men of Nineveh saw him go and pass on with all _ |17his strength and not led by the hand by anyone, they marvelled. And Tobit gave thanks before

2) 44, 106, 107 2 >M κι ἐπεβ. . . . ἐπεδωκ.] ws δὲ συνεδηχθησαν διετριψε (-Wev A) τοὺς of. avr. BA >44, 106, τοῦ soaasll ormrauto S et iniecit (introivit y) medicamentum in oculis eius et morsum illi praebebat (et momordit eum y)aBy >F 12, 19. :: 7 ἀπελεπισεν. .. οφθ. αὐτου] ελεπισθὴ απο τ. κανθ. τ. of. αὐτου τ. λευκωμ. ΒΑ απελ. τ. app. τ. λευκ. 44, 106, 107 oo Jaan oF ANS ον. peony} om edo Jsosau $ +albugines (-emy)a8y ΝΒ ΠΟΥ yoyo pdm yay yey amy ΜῈ oyay ns onay oddann wtanz a) Tpax. avr. | ηυλογησε tov θ. κ. avaBdeWe ets τ. Lov avTov (Jasco S$) κι εφιλησεν avr. (οι: δας. 3S) 44, 106, 107 ὦ TMwP bs 5) 3] F αὐτου 3"] σου ΒΑ γένοιτο τ. ονομα] > BA 44, 106, 107 Ar (alter M) F τ. peya αὐτου] > BA 44, τού, 107 F illius sanctum aBy Spec. εᾧ np. k. evdoy. παντ. οἱ ayy.| > BA 44, 106, 107 αβ Ar F benedictum εἰ bened. Spec. aliter ΜΙ εἰς παντ. τ. αιωνας] >BA 44, 106, 107 Ar F 158. plen. et aliter ArM @uliod Ὁ pov | > 44, 106, 107 avros | > BAy Spec. 28 ἐμαστιγωσεν] -σας ΒΑ +in redargutione mea Spec. 28 με] pr. κι ἐλεησας BA + ipse misertus est mei aBy Spec. 28 -ἘΝΒΥ dr M (7 Ε) κι Wov...pov| > Av Μ et reddidit lumen oculis meis ut viderem filium meum Spec. «.1°] »ΒΑΨ 15. brev. Ar >M Τωβειας 15} o wos avr. ΒᾺ Τωβιτ x. Αννα ἡ γυνὴ αὖτ, εἰς τ. οἰκον 44, 106, 107 αβ Ge δ) ΣῈ χαιρων] kK, αὑτοι ἐχαιρον 44, 106, 107 gaudentes αβ(γ τ ) >F evdoy....«.4°] > BAF evoyor | -ouv 44, 106, 107 benedicentes 3» GPS cotuh σωματι] περι παντὼν τ. γεγενημενων AUTOLS 44, 106, 107 toto ore suo pro omnibus quae 510] evenerant 3» ἐπεδειξεν] απηγγειλεν ΒΑ υπεδειξε 44, 106, 107 33 Span F ToBeas2?| > BA orl? ... Νινευὴ} τὰ peyadera ta γενομενα αὐτῳ [NIT II wapn awyy ΕἸ ἐν ty Mndeca BA 107 συννεγγυς] eyyus 44, 106, 107 Νινευὴ] εἰσερχομενὴ 44: 100, 107 τό. x. | 27. κι exapn Τωβιτ x. Αννα 44, τού, 107 aB(>y) pr. ΝΙΝ 195) Ar εξηλθεν) τοσαν 44,106, 107 αβ >y +ToBeas BF Τωβειτ Bab Τωβιτ Avid αἀπαντησιν τ. νυμφης]) cuvavt. ty τφῃ BA >y ἜΝΠῸΝ bya Ar αὐτοῦ] -rev 44, 106, 107 ἰδόντες | εθαυμαζον οἱ ἐεθεωρουντες BA (cf MF) εἰδὸν 44, 106, 107 aBy > Ar οἱεν Νινευη] > BA 44,106, 107 qui erant in porta Ninive aBy Kok ae che eGavpacar | ote εβλεψεν BA (ci MF) οἱ yetroves αὐτων x, παν. οἱ συναν- τωντες K. εθαυμαζον ort διεβαινε Ὑ, ταχυ TAO. τ. ισχυι AUT. κ. ουδεις οδηγει avuTov 44, τού, 107 venientem et ambulantem cum omni virtute sua nemine dante ei manum et mirabantur aBy > Ar 17.17% drev. Ar >M T.| > 44, 106, 107 εξωμ.] εξομ. A evdoyer T. 44,106,107 ΞΟ Ε εναντίον αὐτων] ἐνώπιον αὐτου (-των A) BA pr. μεγαλῃ ty φωνῃ 44,106,107 > F αὐτων] -του Β τον Θεὸν 44, 106, 107 oda F evar. avr. | coram omnibus 3» pr. et benedicebat magna voce Deum et ambulabat cum gaudio % avrov | -rovs B 0 Geos | > 44, 106, 107 NWT TIT ΦΥῚΡΠ (eZ saepe) F oTt... K.2°| > BAF nyyev| pr. os BAL pr. ore 44, 106, 107 ANIM 353 ArF >M Zappa | adducens Sarram 3 τῇ yuv. T. τ. viov αὐτου] τὴ νυμφη αυτ. ΒΑ 44, 106, 107 F uxorem suam & x, evdoy.] κατευλογ. ΒΑ evdoy. 44, 106, 107 αὐτην] +Thobis κ. εἰπ. αὐτὴ] λεγων BA LH pw) Ar Ε Ἐισελθ.15. .. θυγ.39] WON JON I IY. POP PII ΝῚΠ ΝΏΤΩΝ yo TD ΝΠῸΝ yn Ar ὄγευ. ef aliter M

εὐλογημενος 1} > BAM ἽΠ᾽3 72m) F omar, σου] +x. pytnp cov N°* BA 44, τού, τοῦ! >M k. eur,

12, 13. τὰ λευκώματα isto be restored after χερσὶν αὐτοῦ (from ay). WD alone states that Tobit held his father guasz dimidiam fere horam and that the peelings were guasi membrana ovi. i 14. The second reference to the angels (which occasioned the insertion of ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς x.) in δὲ is a mere repetition from the preceding clause, being unknown to a By as well as to RY R° 47 MF.

I

THE BOOK OF TOBIT 1 τ, ιρς

them, because God had shewed mercy on him, and because he had opened his eyes. And Tobit came near to Sarah the wife of Tobias his son, and he blessed her, and said unto her, Welcome, daughter ; and blessed is thy God which hath brought thee unto us, daughter, and blessed is thy father and blessed is Tobias my son and blessed art thou, daughter ; welcome, daughter, to thy home, with blessing and joy, welcome, daughter. On this day there was joy to all the Jews which were at Nineveh. And Ahikar and Nadab his cousin [ ] came rejoicing unto Tobit.

E. THE SELF-REVELATION AND ASCENSION OF RAPHAEL, xii. 1-22. i. The Offer of Wages, vv. I-5.

And when the wedding feast was ended Tobit called his son Tobias, and said unto him, Child, see that thou give the wages to the man which went with thee, so that thou give him more for his wages. And he said unto him, Father, How much shall I give him as his wages? It is no harm to me to give him the half of the possessions which he has brought with me. He hath led me in safety, and he cured my wife, and brought the money with me, and cured thee; how much shall I give him further as wages? And Tobit said unto him, It is due unto him, child, to take the half of all which thou hadst when thou camest. And he called him and said, Take the half of all that thou hadst when thou camest for thy wages, and go in peace.

107 tnd F Iovdaors | ev Νινευη αδελῴοις αὐτὸ BA > F rows... Νινευὴ) > BA τ. κατοικουσιν 44, 106, 107 F ish, Ss Ali Ayetkap n*] Axetaxapos NC® Αχιαχαρος BA Αχιίαχαρ 44 ει. S$ Achicarus a8 Achiacar y Achior D >MF NaBad| Nagas BA NaBas 44, 106, 107 eas 3S Nabal af in

navis y NabathhD >MF or εξαδελῴοι Ν ἢ] o -pos ΝῸΡ ΒΑ οἥμως» S avunculus αβ consobrini ¥ >yMF avrov] ymax Tobiae Ph > MF χαιροντες προς T.] (+aPy) «. x67 0 yapos Τωβεια per’ εὐφροσυνης enta ἡμερας BA aBy (cf. F) π. 7. x. 44, 106,107 +et data sunt yn» Μ illi munera multa {- ΠΥΡῚ Μὴ aBy M xatporres | > ( postea reshtul) ὃς ὁ b gaudens y

XII. ahter Ar I. ore (NI (vid) > ore δὴ ἐπετ. ὁ ya. | > BAMF Gen Ὁ ἃ αὐτῳ] en. T. T. τι uo

αποδωμεν 44,106,107 SH [ΓΜ aowm F πορευθ. μετ. σ.] συνελθοντι σοι BA = qui tecum fuit 3: προσ- θειναι] pr. κι BAS κ. (> 3 Μὴ -θωμεν 44, 106, τοῦ 1 M >F αὐτῳ] ΞΞ Vil, τοῦ, ΤΟ 18° GS τὸ μισθ.] δει βλαπτ.] βω ὡς | S$ nonenim satisest® > M 35 yy F didous| Sovs BA yap (> 44) cay δὼ αγιοχεν] -noxe ΒΡ -Ἐσοι ΒΑ ἐτήρησεν 44, τού, τοῦ 5. duxit et reduxit # ΔἼΠΠ Syn F υγιαινοντα] τιὴ waa ΤῸ M κι σ᾿ bep.| > 5 σε] -Ἐομοιως BA py ΠΕ M ποσὸν. - μισθον] > BAF ου βλαπτο-

πρεσβυτης BA Δικαιουται] Δικαίον δουναι 44, τού, 107 yy Prym yor pan jo F παιδιον. . . rev] ηλθες] ηλθεν (-θες 44) εχ. μετα σου 44,106,107 tecum attulit 3» 5. exaa. | t+mn0 M Prewd F avrov | Te ἢ WYN 77. AN Eh aby M ὈΝΒῚ sydd F eur. | τἙαυτῳ BAS i (M)F +f) N3] ‘ms ΠΣ M oa “ty F mavrov| horum % ps7 MF exov ηλθες] evnvoxate ΒΒ evnvoxas A cxo 44 ὡϑῶσς Moduly 5 ow [|jnsanw M > F εἰς τ᾿ μισθὸν o.| > BAS haec erit mercestua%® [ΣΦ ΝῚΠ 3] M yoww Ἴϑωβ F

18. R® (except y) and ἈΞ reproduce fairly faithfully the original form of the name Ahikar, which RY has by no BUSBEE entirely lost. ἘΠ has Achior, an instance of D’s affinities with some Syriac version ῥωμωῤ -- gnaas/): Nasbas in RY (with which R° is a compromise) may be meant for the younger brother of Nadan, but /Vadad is the original, the second and third conss. having suffered metathesis in δὲ, characteristic transcriptional changes inaBS (eas into 22>), vocalic confusion in DB, and more serious textual corruption in y. Cf. the variations in the Ahikar story and Ed. Meyer, Dert apyrusfund von Elephantine, 1912, p. 106, footnete 2. af (cf. ἘΠ) contain the original statement of R*, from which δὲ only departed by mistaking the sing. for the plur. Granted this slight change, RS is quite in conformity with the Ahikar story. ᾿

iP BOOK. OL VOBIT 12° 6-11

ii, Raphael’s Wisdom and Self-revelation, vv. 6-15. Flis maxims of life, vv. 6-10.

6 Then he called them both privily, and said unto them, Bless God, and give him thanks in the sight of all that live, for the good things which he hath done unto you, to bless and praise his name. 7 The words of God show forth to all men with honour and be not slack to give him thanks. It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to confess and reveal the works of God. And confess ye 8 them with honour. Do the good, and evil shall not find you. Better is prayer with truth, and alms with righteousness than riches with unrighteousness; it is better to give alms than to lay up gold: 9 almsgiving doth deliver from death, and it purges away all sin. They that do alms shall be fed το with life ; they that commit sin and unrighteousness are enemies to their own life.

fis revelation of his own being and office, vv. 11-15.

tr 1 will show you all the truth and will keep close nothing from you. Already I have shown you

and have said, It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but the works of God to reveal gloriously. καλεσας BA pr. Raph. & “Ἴ ONY M ὍΝ Fz. δυο] pr. P. ὁμοῦ 44,106,107 «οἱ S "Ὁ ὈΝῚ ‘vy by M nab ὅπ F kpunt.| > 44,106,107 M plen. F κ᾿ εἰπ. . . . εξομ. αὖτ.) alter M Rial) SBA avrots | yoo NS $ tov 6.| post evhoy. BA avrg | -Tov 44, τού, 107 εξομ.}] -Ἐ μεγαλωσυνὴν διδοτε αὐτῳ κ. εξομ. auto B μεγαλυνατε 44, τού, 107 + et ipsius maiestati date honorem et confitemini illi a8 y τ. Cour. | τοὺ. > F ayaba| -θον ΒᾺ -6ov yap 106, 10] > 44 egy Stoo Ν᾿ 5 ymsba F ποῦ λογ.] Ἔτ. epyov BA pr. k. 44 et sermones de operibus af του θ.] αὐτου 44 a3 umobetk, | -κνυοντες simi. F μυστηριον] τίια 44, τού, 107 pr. quoniam af βασιλεως] Jhaadsoy 5 Κρυπτ enone εντιμ.] δῷ —6e evrip.| avak. evdoEos BA ἀναγγελλειν evTysws 44, 106, 107 revelare et confitere honorificum est a8 εἰ mult. patr. ro ay....vpas| > A 44, 106, 107 aB To ay. ποιειτε] ay. -yoate B JNag easmdto τὸ cvp. υμ.] Job WI? yaas woke S 8. similiter Μ SLasloo Jhaassjo JlaX a0 boos Jha) Joolo INs5 JXsarc0 Jlaowes ada. ed ΕΝ eo? Ss 2 αληθειας | νήστει. (-τιας A) BA 44, 106, 107 αβ Spec. 24 Cypr. Aug. Ps.-Aug. F ἐλεημοσυνὴ] -ys ΒᾺ > F μετα 2°] κι BA Cypr. Aug. Ps.-Aug. (aps Spec. 24 δ) Ss 1D δικαιοσ.] + ἀγαθον το ολιγον peta δικαιοσυνης BA paddoyl?, .. αδικιας | super utrumque autem melius est modicum cum iustitia quam plurimum cum iniquitate a β et in his omnibus etiam modicum cum iust. melius est quam plur. cum iniq. Spec. 24 > F μαλλον (d7s)| > BA καθαριζει 44, 106, 107 aB >SM Tac, αμαρτιαν] απὸ π. ἀμαρτιας 44,106,107 > SM peccataaB py I eAenp.2° | Ἔκ. δικαιοσυνας BA + et miserationem et iustitiama8 >M χορτασθ. | πλησθ. BA aB εμπλ. 44, 106, Toy yas 8 ΠΕΡῚ ΠΕ >M τὸς >SM szmil. F οι] δὲ BA ποιουντες ap. κ. αδικ.] ἀμαρτανοντες BA ψυχης] (ons ΒΑ 44, τού, 107 11. mao... . υποδειξω x.| >BA MF κα vy avayyeho upw πασ. τ. αληθ. 44,

καλὸν κρυψαι) κρ. kad. BA x. ta] τα δὲ ΒΑ autem αβ Aug. > Cyr. E ανακαλυπτειν) + et confiteri (ἘΤ᾿ 5) κι η νυμφη σου Σ. BA 44,106, τοῦ SMF tuaB Cypr. Aug. Spec. eyo... ὑυμων] εισηκουσθὴ (pr. κι 44) ἡ φωνὴ (sahasy S) ἀαμφοτερων 44, τού, 107 S danyot ny ‘non F τ. δοξ. Kup.| τ. aywov BA tov 6. 44, 106,107 S inclar. Deietlegia8 7)227 NDI M = Aa’pA y05 F κι ore eanr.| κ. εἰσηκουσθὴη (arable S) cou τ. epya x. ἐλεημοσυναι (pr. αἱ 44) σου (σ > 44) as εποιησας ἐπι 44, 106, 107 S ὡσαυτως] + συμπαρημὴν

(cur. Α μην sup. ras. A®*) σοι BAM (ci Ε) > 44, 106,107 5 similiter αβ Aug. simpliciter Cypr.

6. Cod. Vat.’s iow is the only infin. in -ow in LXX ; among the papyri the earliest example of it belongs to the τῶν ἔργων after λόγους probably once stood in R® (as © suggests), but was either a gloss or a doublet translation, which is rightly omitted in N and Ἐπ but retained in RY, exactly as in v. 9 RY has retained the doublet δικαιοσύνην and inserted the copula before it. Miiller’s supposition that τ᾿ ἔργων here points back to pds ὌΝ (1718) 1737 misread as “δ “Ὁ (DN) 1737 is untenable since the verse is already more than sufficiently well supplied with verbs.

THE BOOK OF TOBLIi2ai2—an

And now, when -thou didst pray and Sarah, I did bring the memorial of your prayer before the glory of the Lord: and when thou didst bury the dead, likewise. And when thou didst not delay to rise up, and leave thy dinner, but didst go and cover the dead, then I was sent unto thee to try thee ; and at the same time God did send me also to heal Sarah thy daughter-in-law. Iam Raphael, one of the seven angels, which stand and enter before the glory of the Lord.

iii. Raphael’s Commission and Ascension, vv. 16-22.

And they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces; and they were afraid. And he said _ unto them, Be not afraid, peace be unto you; bless God to all eternity. I when I was with you, was not with you of any favour of mine, but by the will of God; him bless ye day by day, him praise.

And ye behold me that I have eaten nothing, All these days did I appear unto you; and IR but a vision hath appeared to you. And now | did neither eat nor drink, but it was a vision ye bless the Lord on the earth and give God thanks: | yourselves saw. And now give God thanks Behold I ascend to him that sent me: writedown | because I ascend to him that sent me: and write all these things which have béen happened to you. | in a book all the things which have been done. And he ascended. And they rose up and could |! And they rose up and saw him no more. And

13. plen. M kK. ore | et quia aBy Cypr. Aug. οὐκ oxy. | > 44, τοῦ, 107 ME Wilasro 2 αναστηναι] -στας > 44, τοῦ, τοῦ ῷ >MF EP ao α 5} Mel, WOO, πῇ ἐ5 καταλιπειν] -λειπιν A σου] post apior. BA k. | oros BA ὠχου x. | ἀπελθὼν BA περιεστειλες] -στειλῃς BA -τεστειλας 44, 106, 107 KSaa S

sepelisti “LMF + nbv5ay F TOTE .. . TEL. σε] οὐκ εἐλαθες με (s με SUp. Yas. A®) αγαθοποιων (αγαθον ποιὼν A) αλλα συν σοι ἡμὴν ΒΑ x. nOev ἐπι σε πειρασμὸς 44, 106, 107 (αβγ Cypr. Aug.=N) +etS.nurum tuam (ex v. 14) α β plen. M 14. »ῚὰΒ simil. M κι] >S iterum Cypr. Aug. αμα] νυν BAF 0 @. 44, τού, 107 3

M εἰς} +ex BA exta] > 44, 106, 107 M ayyed.| pr. aywov BA aBy Cypr. Ps-Aug. (> in altero loc. κασιν προσαναφερουσιν τ. προσευχας τ. αγιὼων BA τ. παρεστώτων 44, 106, 107 ἐὸ κι εἰσπορ.] > 44, 106, 107 SM

16. εταραχθ.] assihhlo aru» So δυο] ἀμῴοτεροι 44, 106, τοῦ O370 53 nx oynws a M (ff) F επεσαν] ἐφοβηθ.] > 443M ΤΠ eur. | +R. 2M etpnvn | 27. οτι ἃ ante p. φοβ. M upw| -Ἐ ἐσται BA 44, > BA 44, 106, 107 SX Oehyoer | ohaab> 3 θεου] +vpov B Ἔν. ηλθον A -Ἔ ἐγω ηλθὸον 44, τοῦ, τοῦ Ἔρφςο com τὸ autoy ... ὑμνειτε] > 44, 106, 107 S aut. evn. | οθεν evA. aut. BA 33. κατα... npep-| εἰς τ. atova BA pr.etaBy αὐτῷ υμν.] > BA Ig. et videbatis me af videbatis enim me quia manducabam sed visu vestro videbatis y videbatis me manducare sed visu vestro videbatis Aug. 13122 vidistis me &c. Aug. 27,211. MF kK. θεωρειτε με] Tac. τ. ἡμερᾶς ὠὡπτανομὴν ὑμιν ΒΑ > 44, τού, 107

ho? Ιναο μὲ δον ὼς voheoo oh? τ ορασις] -σιν ΒᾺ τ-σεις 44, 106, 107 ypu | -i BA > 454) 106, 107 εθεωρειτο] -pere BA 44, 106, 107 20. DAD pd nbys TD DIDI AS odwnay F evdoy.... Kup. k.] > BAM αναστητε ex τ. ys 44, 106, 107 S_ et nunc benedicite in terray εἴ nunc surgite a terra a8 παντα] pr. tavta 444 τοῦ, 107 NS) ww! S TauT, τ. συμβαντα vp.| τ. συντελεσθεντα BA » 44, 106, 107 S x. aveBn| εἰς βιβλιον BAYG4, 106, 107 S (4 mult. verb.) M +k. τὸν 0. evdoyerre eyo yap avaBawe προς τ. aroaret-

16-22. The linguistic affinities with the records of the Transfiguration, Resurre¢tion, and Ascension of Christ are remarkable. With the whole of v. 16 cf. Matt. xvii. 6, Luke xxiv. 5. With μὴ φῤβεῖσθε in 17 cf. Matt. xxviii. 5, Io. εἰρήνη ὑμῖν cf. Luke χχῖν. 36 (>D + ἐγώ εἰμι, μὴ φοβεῖσθε G old Lat.), John xx. 10, 2th 26. (With v. 18 cf. John i. 13.) With ἐθεωρεῖτε (19) cf. Luke xxiv. 37, 39; οὐκ ἔφαγον contrast Luke xxiv. 43; with ὠπτανόμην (in LXX 3 (1) Kings viii. 8 and in papytl, €.g. ὀπτάεται in Paris No. 49. 33. ¢. 160 B.C., and ὀπτανομένων Tebtunts No; 245. 117 B.C.) cf. Acts i. 3 and the ‘Great magical papyrus’ of c. 300 A.D. (No. 574 of the Supplément grec in the Bibliothéque Nationale at Paris, reproduced in part by Deissm. in Z.4.£., pp. 250-60), in the Jewish text of which occur the words ὀρκίζω σε τὸν ὀπτανθέντα τῷ ᾽Οσραηλ. In v. 20 with ἀναβαίνω πρός cf. John χχ. 17; πρὸς τὸν ἀποστ. pe cf. John xvi. 5, xx. 21. With γράψατε and εἰς βιβλίον (RY) cf. John xx. 30, xxi. 25, Rev. i. 113 ἀνέβη (RS) cf. Ephes. iv. 9. With v. 21 cf. Acts xxi. 9, 10.7 With ηὐλόγουν in τ. 22 (R®) cf. Luke xxiv. 53; ὥφθη αὐτοῖς ἄγγελος cf. 1 Tim. iii. 16 apon ἀγγέλοις.

22no longer see him. And they blessed and praised | they confessed the great and .wonderful works God and they gave him thanks for these his | of God, and how the angel of the Lord had great works, how the angel of God had appeared | appeared unto them.

unto them.

iv. Tobit’s Prayer of Joy, xiii. 1-18. The Exile’s prayer of exhortation and consolation, vv. 1-6.

And he said Blessed is God that liveth for ever, and his kingdom,

For he chastiseth, and showeth mercy. He leadeth down to Hades below the earth, And he bringeth up from the great destruction ; And there is nothing that shall escape his hand.

Give thanks unto him before the Gentiles, ye children of Israel, For he hath scattered you among them, And there he hath shown you his greatness ; And extol ye him before all the living.

Because he is our Lord, and he our God, and he our Father, Yea, he is God to all the ages: He will chastise you for your iniquities, And will show mercy unto you all.

When ye turn unto him out of all the nations Whithersoever ye shall be scattered,

ΠΟ » M οὐκετι ἡδυν. ιδειν} οὐκ εἰδον BA 44 ουκ εἰδοσαν 106, 10] com .-ὦ5 S$ mswd ἢ» xo M αὐτον] + οὐκετι 106, 107. + vooks/ Ilo 9 22. nudoy. ... αὐτου] ante mnby M ὄγευ. F nudoy. .. - omnibus 3 @S... Geou | α εποιησεν autos 44, 106, IO7 >M ws | pr. k. A ayyeXos | 27. ὁ Α θεου] Kup. BA

NII. > Ar τ. καὶ] pr. x. Τ᾿ ἐγραψεν προσευχην (την mp. (JMwaaal S$) ταῦτ. 44, 106, 107 S) εἰς ἀγαλλίασιν BA 44, τού, 107 $M_ >5annd dynnm aban jpn “or Ε Tunc locutus est T. et scripsit orationem in laetitiam (-ia a) aBy em.| +hioo SM Evdoy. o 6.| Benedictus es (3. passzm im vv. 1-18) deus#S ο ζων] quia magnus es et vivis H yay) yops yd (a solum) ΤῊ» wann Span M els T. aova| εἰς τ. -vas BA 44,

ymabn 722 F 2. pr. UND) AID Nin F ἐλεᾳ] -εεἰ Bab yar) MF ano non M ews mn εἰς adnv BA κατωτ. τ. γῆ] > BA 44 SMF κατω τού, 107 3» [«. aur. ἀναγ. usgue ad cap. fin. aliter M

ped SSS ip By. εξομολογεισθε] εξωμολογεισθαι A οι] > 44 lop.| θεου 44, τού, 107 ενωπ. τ. 106,107 $ exer] > 44,106,107 3 umederkev . . . Covtos| pady ohzso9ho ohas? Kudo 9 υπεδειξεν vpw] υποδειξατε BA 44, 106, 107 αβ μεγαλωσ.} misericordiam 3» κι.» BA 44 καθοτι] διοτι 44, 106,

et deus # 5. paor.| pr. x. BA flagellavit 3 F μαστιγ. . . . ὕμων «| cose Spo ey coo 5

παλιν BA 44,106,107 5 >F ελεησ.] + payed) oven ΠΥΊΠΝΣ Fo x. συνάξει nuas BA 44, 106, 107 SaB ὁπου αν] ov eav BA ov 44, 106, το7 ubicumque 9 διασκορπισθητε] σκορπ. ΒΒ eaxopmadnre A διεσκορπισθῆμεν 44, τού, τοῦ S dispersi fueritis 3» 6. alter F οταν] εαν BA 44, τού, 107 k1°, . . ὑμῶν δ > &

XIII. 3. ὅτι may be an error for οὗ or, as it is common to all recensions, a mistranslation of WN (Miiller, of. czz.,

6-108, N's lacuna is due to that very common cause of such omissions, homoeoteleuton, and is not a proof of more than average frailty on the part of its scribe. After he had transcribed τ. Bao. τ. αἰὼν, of 6 ‘, his eye returning to the MS. he was copying, lighted on τ. Bao. τ. αἰων. in v. 10" and he proceeded to transcribe 10°.

With your whole heart and with your whole soul, to do truth before him, Then he will turn unto you, and will no longer hide his face from you.

And now see what he hath wrought with you, And give him thanks with your whole mouth, And bless the Lord of righteousness,

And exalt the everlasting King.

<I, in the land of my captivity, give him thanks, Wick And show his strength and majesty unto nations of sinners.) Turn, ye sinners, and do righteousness before him. Who can tell if he will accept you and have mercy on you?

The New Ferusalem, vv. 7-18*.

I exalt my God, and my soul [ ] shall rejoice in the King of heaven ;

Of his greatness let all men tell, And let them give him thanks in Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, thou holy city! he will chastise thee for the works of thy hands, And will again have mercy on the sons of the righteous. Give thanks to the Lord with goodness, and bless the everlasting King, > That thy tabernacle may be builded in thee again with joy, And that he may make glad in thee all that are captives, And love in thee all that are miserable and all the generations of eternity. κι νυν. . . δικαιοσυνὴς x. > 44 νυν] > BA 106, 107 ἐποιησεν] ποιήσει BA 106, 107 μεθ᾽] pe Sup. ras. Bab στοματι)] σώματι Β yanas S$ corde 3» εὐλογησατε] -γειτε A 106, 107 υὑμων 5°| - ut faciatis coram illo veritatem & κυριον] Jost S wy F τὸ δικαιοσυν.] >F in iustitia © τ. αἰωνων | ἽΝ ndyyd ΤῚΝ mon ws F εγὼ---τοῦ > [ wsqute ad τοῦ B:—| eyo... «μαρτωλων] ἘΞ 9 “ΞΟΝῚ vn 55 syd ἸΠΓ 32) In ymxbaa F μου] > 44, τού, 107 εξομολογουμαι] τ-γησομαι 44, 106, 107 ισχυν

+ipsius % εθνη ἀμαρτωλων B.| -ver τλῳ 248, 240 coram [ἴῃ Cyfr.] natione peccatrice a (ὑν2γ. αμαρτωλοι - Sn fie] BIN SSI ae wy F θελησει] > F μας] nuas 106,107 > aB (vos Spec. 5) x. ποιησει] ut faciat 3» υμιν] εἰς ὑμας ἃ ημιν 106, 107 =+NON) TON IN** * DIM bx 00 F 7. τον] pr. «yo 44, 106,107 F pr. Joy SQoxo 9 τ. Ocov p.| > aB vyo| SIPS F ego (wzde sub τ. ovp.) aB τ. βασιλει] τ. βασιλεα A 44,106, 107 «ον!» S τ. oup. (v. ὑψω)] > S caeli laetationem (-orum -titiam Fac. Herm. Def.) dicimus a8 x.2°| --anima mea (cerum) a8 k.2° aya\Nacerat| ἀγαλλιάσομαι 44, τοῦ > S$ web ram an ΕΞ +omnibus diebus vitae meae a8 τ. pey. αὐτ.] > S wwopoa maxani ny F maiestatem eius pos/ laudate (v. 8) a8 8. Neyer. παντες ] Benedicite domino omnes electi, et omnes laudate a8 Neyer.| > SF παντες] postlepoo. 44 > S +D yn F κ᾿ εξομ.] o90/ e? oh? Ξ +ynwbps Wee confitemini # ev Ἱεροσολ.] seg. ras. 2 vel 3 itl. in A Ἔπαντες 44 agite dies laetitiae ante «.3° L 9- Iepoo.] > SF [ayov usgue ad cap. fin. > 5] ayiov| aya A αγιασματος 44, 106, 107 μαστιγωσει] flagellavit Β μαστιγ.. «. δικ.] Dd225 p22 aw MA ANI JOANnNS MPM eM DYYY Ny 723 Miny ἽΡ δο sin Ε emt τ. epy.| in operibus & εργα] nay F voy | οἰκετων 44, 106, 107 manuum α β k. πάλιν .... δικαιων] > af 10. > 44 plen. et altter F kup. ἀγαθως | ayado Α in bono & [κα΄ usqgue ad libre caput κα :—| “| wa BA 106, 107 © ἢ σκηνὴ aut. oxod.| cf TINT Ww wd 12 nJ >A oxnyn | σπουδὴ τοῦ σου] αὐτου BA τού, 107 οἰκοδομηθησεται) -θῃ BA 106, 107 σοι 15] pr. ev A 44, 106, 107 ©

7, 8. A line seems to be lacking and λεγέτ. is awkward without an object. Metre, parallelism, and grammar are alike improved if καί in v. 7 is omitted, ψυχή taken as subject of ἀγαλλ., and τ. pey. as object of Neyer. on the analogy of ἼΩΝ and 435 with direct accus., Ps. cxlv. 6, 11, Sir. xxxiii. 10, John viii. 27.

9. works of thy hands, i.e. idols (with reference to Is. xxxi. 7), restored by Reusch from af in place of the colourless sozs (derived from 9») of RY and R°. ,

10. Phe connexion of ΤῸ" with the earlier portion of the poem being lost after the omission of 6-10, the scribe of δὲ substituted καί for ἵνα, which must therefore be restored. The Semitic construction of the infin. (εὐφράναι) carrying on the finite verb was first altered in R°.

ie BOOT Or TOBIPA3! 114

A bright light shall shine unto all the ends of the earth ; Many nations <shall> come from afar, And the inhabitants of the utmost ends of the earth unto thy holy name ;

With their gifts also in their hands unto the King of heaven, Generations of generations shall utter rejoicing in thee, And thy name that is elect unto the generations of eternity.

Cursed shall be all they that shall speak a hard word ; Cursed shall be all they that demolish thee, And throw down thy walls;

And all they that overthrow thy towers, And set on fire thy habitations ; But blessed shall be all they that fear thee for ever.

Then go and be exceeding glad for the sons of the righteous: For they all shall be gathered together, And bless the everlasting Lord.

Blessed shad/ they de that love thee ; And blessed sial/ they be That shall rejoice for thy peace:

And blessed shall de all the men That shall sorrow for thee For all thy chastisements :

Because they shall rejoice in thee And shall see all thy joy for ever.

πη] > BA 44, 106, 107 F φως Naum. λαμψει} luce splendida fulgebunt a8 luce clara fulgebis Brev. Moz. Vig. Epiph. wpa soya boxe F x. κατοικ.] nfee BA 44, 106, 107 venient tibi habitare (-tatores Brev. Prosp.) αβ Brev. Ps.-Prosp. mavr. . . . yys| > BA 44, τοῦ; 107 παντ. τ. exy.| a novissimis partibus a8 tT. ayt. σου] κυρ. του 6. BA 44, 106, 107 Brev. Ps.-Prosp. dei mei aB (cf. wwan sbi indy mn Prosp.) et terrae 3} γεένεαι yev.| -ea γεν A > EF > (sed Ὁ. εἰς ras y.) © δωσουσιν] pr. αἰνεσουσιν σοι κ- A post in laet. offerentes αβ pes/ terrae offerent Prosp. -runt Brev. (2) IDWS NAD Nay 1251 F) ev σοι ἀγαλλίαμα] σοι ay. B 44,106,107 τλιασιν Α in laetitia pos/ terrae aR cum laet. post off. Prosp. KS ov. . . . aovos| > BA 44, 106, 107 F ov. τῆς ekX.] Nomen magnum (fr. domini Prev.) erit a8 εἰς τας γεν. τ. atwvos| in saecula saeculorum a8 Prosp. in omnibus -lis Brev. 12. επικατ.] cf. Wi ans DY Ε παντεςὶ + qui spernunt (+in rev.) te et omnes 4. blasphemant te: maledicti erunt omn. q. odiunt (-erunt Brev.) te et aB Brev. ερυυσιν. . . οικήσεις σου] pucouvres σε BA 44, 106, 107 emkart.2° egovr. παντ.] ante 4. odiunt aB Brev. κατασπωντ.] pr. omn. 4. Brev. ἐμπυριζ.} pr. omn. 4. Κὶ aB Brev. οἱ pop. σε] οἱ ayaravres BA 44, τοῦ, 107 qui aedificant te αβ Brev. 13. tore] > BA 44, 106, 107 πορευθητι]} χαρητι B* A 44, 106, 107 a8 Brev. χαρηθι Bab + aden E Tpos Tous ve. | ἐπι τοις UL. BA 44, 106, το] in filiis αβ Brev. το vt. τὸ Ox.| JIIPA DAWA PII PP by Ε mavtes| > ΒΑ 44, τού, 107 F ἐπισυναχθ.} συναχθ. BA 44, τού, τοῦ 17). DY F κυριον] mn) ow F τ. awvos| δικαίων BA 44, εὐλογημενοι εσονται πᾶαντες 44, 106, LOZ et qui x Xap. επι τ. εἰρ. σου] Ol ἀγάπωντες σε εἰς τ. αἰωνὰα 44, τού, 107 λυπηθησ.] ελυπηθησαν BA 44, 106, 107 contristabuntur & πασαις] > B (exc. BA*b) 44, 106, 107 εν] ἐπι BA

11. The fine metaphor of R* in 114 finds support in a8 Brev. Moz. Vig. Epiph. The prosaic RY omitted it along with the universalistic x. κάτοικοι. . . γῆς which has been handed down by the scribe of δὲ in a corrupt form. Reusch emends κάτοικοι ἀπὸ πάντ. and inserts ἥξει after μακρόθεν from 35. ᾿ ;

13. χάρητι ΒΊΑ, cf. Sir. iv. 25 ἐντράπητι B*AC for -n BY. The emendation yap. for wopev. (R*°) was so obvious that it was adopted not only in RY and R¢ but in #.

THE BOOK OF TOBIT 19. πἸιϑ ii a

My soul doth bless the Lord the great King ; . For Jerusalem shall be builded again as his house unto all the ages.

Happy shall I be if the remnant of my seed come to see thy glory And give thanks unto the King of heaven.

And the gates of Jerusalem shall be builded with sapphire and emerald, And all thy walls with precious stone.

The towers of Jerusalem shall be builded with gold, And their battlements with pure gold.

The streets of Jerusalem shall be paved With carbuncle and stones of Ophir.

And the gates of Jerusalem shall utter hymns of gladness And all her houses shall say, Halleluiah.

Final benediction, v. 18°.

Blessed is the God of Israel. And the blessed shall bless the name That is holy for ever and ever.

CONCLUSION OF THE HISTORY, xiv. 1-15.

i. Tobit’s Age, xiv. 1, 2.

And the words of Tobit’s thanksgiving were ended, and he died in peace being an hundred and twelve years old, and was buried magnificently in Nineveh. And he was threescore and two years old avhen he became maimed in his eyes; and after he recovered his sight he lived in prosperity and gave alms, and he still continued to bless God, and to give thanks for the greatness of God.

Bk. εὐφρανθησονται A 44, τού, τοῦ F 15. εὐλογει] -yerro A 44, 106, 107 benedic HF kuptov | 6. BA 44, 106, τοῦ 16. Ἱερουσ.1"} > BA 44, 106, 107 liberavit Hierus. et 3» οἰκοδομηθησεται] ι Sup. Fas.

τῃ mwoke| iterum 3» τῷ Bac.| nomini regis © K.2°] > σαπφειρ.] σαππειρ. B σαπῴφιρ A οικοδομηθ.1"] BA 44, τού, 107 ATP aN) JD F avép. . . . Sovpep | carbunculo lapide sternentur % ψηφολογηθ.] post

Boup. ΒΑ -λογησ. post Sov. 44, 106, 107 Σουφ.] pr. εκ BA 44, τού, τοῦ DIN F 18: αἱ Oups tere αγαλλ.] > BA 44, 106, τοῦ F Iepovo.] illius 3} F x.2° ef epovow2°| λεγοντες (γον sup. ras. A®) post awec.

τ. ga BA Dominus qui exaltat te et benedictus in omnia saec. (-nibus -lis Brev.) saeculorum a8 Brev. MM WY) Dewy? aman pp on wy F κ᾿ evdoy..-.«. ett] > BA 44, 106, τοῦ F quoniam in te benedicet (-cent? -etur Brey.) nomen (omne Zrev.) sanctum (suum af) in aeternum af Lrev.

XIV. > ArM I. ouveteA.... εξομολογησεως] ἐπαυσατε εξομολογουμενος BA πω ον σοῦ 2 m2|n ΝΘ Ty F συνετ.] pr. ut κι απεθ.....ἐν Ν)] > BAF or. laaNas Joo ol 9 dwdexa | οὐ} 2 evdof.| +JNa3 9 2. ξβ' erov ην] ἣν et. πεντήκοντα ὀκτω BSUWE ν er. ογδοηκοντα oxrw Α ἐγεν. . . . οφθ.] ἀπωλεσεν τ. οψεις BAF τ. ἀναβλ.. . . ἀγαθ.] etn oxrw ἀνεβλεψεν BAF μ» cia saa0 waa ΟἾΔΑ col be coos τ ϑλὶο Janae Jod? oS cove widh? Jlassams S et quinquaginta quattuor annis postquam lucem recepit vixit in omnibus H ελ. εποιησ.] ἐποιει «A. BAF ett] >BAS προσεθ.} ὁ scr. x. προς A* (ras. 1° A1) proposuit % S& evdoy.| φοβεισθαι BAF colare 3» => Ὁ tov 6.| pr. κυριον BA sim WW ΦῚΡΠ by wow F εξομολογεισθαι] -wpodoyero {-εισθαι A) avr» BA 44,106 SF τὴν pey. τ. 0.] μεγαλως (cum Se v. 3) BA μεγαλως 44, τοῦ Jos? pee 2

16. As i testifies πάλιν stood in R®. δὲ has τῇ πόλει, τῇ being an incorrect repetition of the last three letters of the previous word, and πόλει a later scribal blunder for πάλιν under the influence of the τῇ. For the complete disappearance of the aspirate in σαππ. (Vat). see Th. Gram., p. 121. For thought and language cf. Is. liv. 11, 12, Rev. xxi. oe

four.

supports RS, the difference resulting from the Syriac copyist’s omission of fe, as in viii. 20 he omitted

THEVBOOK OF TOBIT 14. 3-5

ii. Tobit’s last words and hopes for the Messianic Age, vv. 3-11".

The future of Ferusalem, Israel, and the heathen, vv. 3-7.

3 And when he was dying he called Tobias his son, and charged him, saying, Child take thy 4 children ; and go into Media, for I believe the word of God upon Nineveh, which Nahum spake, that all those things will be, and will befall Assyria and Nineveh. And all the things which the prophets of Israel spake, whom God sent, shall befall ; and nothing shall be minished of all the words; and all things shall come to pass in their seasons. And in Media shall be deliverance more than among the Assyrians and in Babylon; wherefore I know and believe that all the things which God hath spoken will be accomplished and will be, and there will not fall to the ground a word of the prophecies. And as for our brethren which dwell in the land of Israel, against all of them will God devise evils, and they will be carried captive from the goodly land, and all the land of Israel will be desolate, and Samaria and 5 Jerusalem will be desolate, and the house of God will be in grief and be burned up for a time; and God will again have mercy en them, and God will bring them back into the land of Israel, and they will again build the house, but not like the first, until the time when the time of the seasons be fulfilled ; and afterward they will return, all of them, from their captivity, and build up Jerusalem with honour, and the house of God shall be builded in her, even as the prophets of Israel spake con-

+ny ΡΈΕΙ F magnitudinem eius 3» Bis Os ore | δὲ (pr. μεγαλως ὁ UV. 2) ΒΑ as δε 44, 106 απεθν.] ἐγήρασεν κ. ΒΑ +Thobis £ Dal > BA αὐτου] +k. τ. νιους (εξ vious 71151 polius εξυιους A) αὐτου BA et septem filios eius H ΓὮ "3 πὺν F €veT. QUT. λεγων] emev aur. BA 5. precep. illis dicens 3» ΠἊαιδιον.... παιδια] τεκν. λαβε τ. υἱοὺς BA pr. whiaso νων βοῶ >F array. | dilige 3» cov | + ov γεγήρακα κ. προς τ. amorpexew εκ (απο A) τ. ζην ee BA (cf. F) 4. plen. εἰ aliter F kx. arorp.| απελθε BA recurre & Μηδειαν] -cav B* A pr. τὴ ΒΑ Ἔτεκνον BA regionem Medorum & πιστ. ἐγὼ T. Pp. Te 6. | πέπεισμαι BA fussy Goradso wl qi. o207 S ἐπι N.| περι N. post. mpop. BA ;» post dar. & a] οσα BA quod 3» Ναουμ] Ιωνας o mpopnr. BA »’ μν 1399 amas S Ὅτε TavTa ... aravr.2° | Sf) TavTa €oTal.. . καιροις αὐτῶν | καταστραφησεται Βὶ κατασκαφ. A κι οσα.. .. ἀπαντ.} > S x. οσα] quae 3» κ᾿ ov μηθ.. .. ρηματ.] μι ! (ooo JR.x0 9 μηθεν S* μὴ ovdeyv NOX kK, Tavra... καιρ. αὐτῇ > S κ. εν 19} ev de BA Μηδειᾳ] -a A -Ἐπαλιν 44, 106 σωτηρια] εἰρηνη BA Jizan S NTEp... λογων] ews καιρου BA ev Ago. | 27. eo whoo Janaisy S 60... λογων] S> Ὁ ο 6. dominus & διαπεσ.] excedet & oyor | +dei 3 κι οι] κ΄ ore οἱ BA οι κατοικ. | > BA εν τ. γῃ]} SS Iop. παντ. λογισθ. τῆ > BA op. | psasola τ πάντων) omnes 3", yoado 9 λογισθ.]} dispergentur 9. axparor.| σκορπ. BAS pr. ex illis & εκ τ. γὴς τ. ay. | amo τ. ay. y. BA Ἂς οὐ Mas i hss? osas 5S ad terram optimam % kK. ἐστι Tao... . ἐρημος 35] Ινβϑὼω jag has? ads Joolo 9 εσται Tac... . Dap. k. | > BAL Sapien ερημ.3"} >t ev λυπῃ] εν aut. BA Ja. .20 slo 2 quae in illa est © kK. καυθησ.] κατακαησ. BAH » 9 μεχρι xpov. | 27. κι ἐρημος avr.2° | loia S κι ἐπιστ. aut.| > 3» εἰς τ᾿ γην] > S in terra © τ. 1σρ.1] > BA παλιν} > BAS κι οὐχ... πρωτ.] οὐχ οἷος o mporepos BA > S ews... kaipov| ews (ws A) πληρωθωσιν καιροι τ. αἰωνος BA > 8 quoad usque repleatur tempus maledictionum & kK. μετα TauTa. . . οικοδ.8"] eh! EADS Aad oodoo

Ιναῶαςρ ooo Mule ES peta ταυτα] ΞΞ 9 τ΄. WY) TAN aby msdn 3 Ε της αἰχμαλ. aut. mavres | των axpan. BA παντες] post x. & τ. ὅθ. εν avt.| > «ὦ του é. | » οικοδομηθ.] Ἔενδοξως (ενδοξω ΒΡ pr. εἰς mac. τ. yelveas τ. αἰῶνος οἰκοδομὴ (seg. ras.) Bh™ 5) BS -Ἐ εις [πασ. τ. γεν. τ. αἰων. [οἰκοδομῃ ἐνδοξω A (cf. ΕἾ +et in

omnia saecula saeculorum aedificabitur ΨΚ, ean. | aaah? S ot mpop.| pr. omnes 3» τι lop.2°| > BA

3. The κ. ὅτε of RS was changed in RY into as δέ, his favourite construction, e.g. vi. 10 (where R§ also has καὶ dre) ; vill. 4 (RS simply καί) ; xi. 12 (where the whole verse is edited by RY). ΒΞ has preserved this ὡς δέ of RS, but it has fallen out of BA by haplography. μεγάλως therefore in RY originally belonged to v. 2 and appears to have been a conjectural abridgement (earlier than R°) of μεγαλωσύνην (RS) necessitated by a scribe’s insertion of αὐτῷ before it and the consequent omission of τ. 6. after it. :

4. Before the discovery of 8 Grotius had correctly conjectured that Jonah had been inserted in place of Nahum under the influence of Jonah iii. 4. κατακαήσ. (RY) Th. Gravz., p. 237. Dr. Charles conjectures that λογισθ. (R§) is a translation of ΣΦ ΠΝ, which was a dittography of ἡ", and regards πάντων as a solecism for πάντες. Marshall suggests that σκορπ. (RY) pwaan, λογισθ. (RS) pyran’, but this does not account for the difficult πάντων. Further σκορπ. in RY (followed by S$) is a variation of αἰχμαλ. (to suit the circumstances of the Diaspora of that time), not of πάντων λογισθ. which was omitted on account of its difficulty and which is paraphrased in 30 just as ea z///s is inserted in the next clause with a definite motive. πάντων λογισθ. is an intentional corruption of ἐπὶ πάντας λογίζεται ὁ θεὸς κακά. oiadeh.... Ἰσρ. was thus a casus pendens, and ἐπὶ πάντας (cf. the resumptive πάντες in 50) was only corrupted into πάντων after λογίζεται ὁ θεός had been changed on dogmatic grounds into λογισθήσονται and κακά omitted. Cf. Mic. Ul. 3 ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ λογίζομαι ἐπὶ τὴν φυλὴν ταύτην κακά, Ps. xxxiv. (xxxv.) 4, xl. (xli.) 7.

5. πρῶτον (R*) and πρότερος (RY) v. Th. Gram, p. 183. For easy Ilgen would read cos.

6 cerning her. And all the nations which are in the whole earth, all shall turn and fear God truly, and —

z all shall leave their idols, who err after their false error. And they shall bless the everlasting God in righteousness. ΑἹ] the children of Israel that are delivered in those days, remembering God in truth, shall be gathered together and come to Jerusalem and shall dwell for ever in the land of Abraham with security, and it shall be given over to them; and they that love God in truth shall rejoice, and _. they that do sin and unrighteousness shall cease from all the earth. Al

Special ingunctions to his descendants, vv. 9-11".

9 And now, children, I charge you, serve God in truth and do what is pleasing in his sight ; and upon your children it shall be enjoined to do [ 1 alms, and that they be mindful of God and bless 8 his name at every season in truth and with all their strength. And now, child, depart thou from το Nineveh, and abide not here. In what day soever thou buriest thy mother with me, in the selfsame day abide not in the borders thereof; for I see that there is much unrighteousness therein, and much guile is wrought therein, and they are not ashamed. See, child, what things Nadab did | unto Ahikar that brought him up! Was he not brought down alive into the earth? and God ye recompensed the shame upon his face, and Ahikar came forth into the light, and Nadab went Na into the eternal darkness, because he had sought to slay Ahikar. Because I did alms, he came ~ forth from the snare of death which Nadab had set for him,and Nadab fell into the snare of death, 4 {

pr. wp hax omnes ozcoly ee / τ᾿ 6. simil. Ἐ τα εν... παντε] >BAS terrae αβ ἘΠῚ eto. | ON ϊ ρον Jos? τ Σ ὦ kK. φοβηθ.] φοβεισθαι BA αβ says F Tov 6. | pr. κυριν BA os 5S nt F αληθ.} post emorpep. BA Jhanas S >F k. αφησ. . .. πλαν. αὐτ.] κατορυξουσιν (27. κ. A) τ. εἰδωλα aut. BA > 9 τ. πλανωντ. . .. aur. | quae seducunt illos falso errore aB oss = plen. F evdoy.| +marvra tr. εθνηὴ BA 27. omnes af τον 6. ... εν δικ.] κυριον (pr. tov A) BA dominum in aeternum et in iustitia α β mavTes . . « MEP. exew. | k. ὁ Aaos αὐτοῦ BA 27. et αβ οι coon. | qui liberabuntur a8 PUN... αληθ.]} εξομολογησεται to 6. BA pony. | memores erunt a8 ἐπισυναχθ. ... παραδοθ. avt.| x. ὑψώσει κυριος τ. λαὸν αὐτοῦ BA ἐπισυναχθ. | pr. et aB τ. αιωνα] pr. in αβ ἐν τ᾿ yn... παραδοθ. avr.| in die illa cum diligentia et omnis iustitia in illis erit a β οἱ ay. | pr. martes BA τον 6. | pr. Κυριον BA er αληθ.] ev αληθ. x. δικαιοσυνη BA κι Ol TOLOUYT. . . . Te yns | ποιουντες ελεος τοις αδελ. ἡμων BA πασ. τ. yns | terris omnibus a8 9, 8. szmil. F 9. κ'. νυν] 5 mao. ... αληθ.1"]} » 9 παιδια] τεκν. BA eyo uu... δικαι. x. ἐλεημ.} ov de τηρησον τ. νομὸν κ. τ. προσταγματα κ. yevou (yw. A) φιλελημων κ. δικαιος Post mpod. Ιωνας BA τῷ θ. domino 3» ενυποταγ.] 0-22 5 αβ Spec. Cypr. Κι Wa... ισχ. αὐτων] wa σοι καλως yy (η BPA) BA του θ.] τ So Gi ev αληθ. x. | «5! Sas S$ +in toto corde © suo et 3» 8. κι vv ov rad.| > ΒΑ nunc vero fili £ εξελθε ek N. k. μὴ peer. wie | ἀπελθε απο N. ott παΐτως (παντως A) εσται a chad. 0 προφ. Ιωνας ante συ δὲ τηρ. ΒᾺ Jatas CO ys was το S> 18 εν ἢ αν ἡμ. θαψης} x. θαψον pe καλως x. BA gollo ws λέξον hse aie εξελθε 7.8 S pr. sed 3» aut. τῇ ἡμ. . - . opLols

avr. | pykere αὐλισθητε εἰς (εν A) N. BA » ῷ opm yap... αισχυν.] > BA o> ey Wig nme SS} & εν aur.2°| >i We... Ναδαβ ἐποι.] τεκνον we τι ἐποι. Αδαμ (Αμαν A) BA eas nid od? SS} S ecce filius Nabad quid fecit a8 Axetkapa | Axtayapo BA 3a,a8S. 8 Achicaro a8 τ. exOpey. aur. | τ. Ope. aut. BA Jasob HaDd99 fans? Ss ovxt Cov... γὴν 5] ὡς εκ τ. φωτος ἡγαγεν avrov εἰς τ. σκοτος BA Joo My Sgro oe? Jal) S$ quem vivum deduxit in terram deorsum a8 avedox. . . . προσωπ. avt.| x. oa ἀπεδωκεν avto BA >3 τ. ατιμι.] malitiam illius a8 e&nO. . . . Axtxapos | Αχιαχαρον (-os A) μεν ἐσωσεν (-67 A) BA > (vide infra) 3 xk. NadaB... αιωνος | exewo δὲ τ. ανταποδομα ἀπεδοθὴ κ. αὐτὸς κατεβὴ εἰς τ. (r. > A) σκοτος BA =NSo eas joaae 5 ore εζητ. ἀποκτ. Axetkapov| > BAS e(nt.| + Nabad af ev τ. Tomo... . απωλ. aur. | > ap εν τ. ποιήσαι pe eAenp. | Μανασσης εἐποιησεν ἐλεημ. BA > 9 εξηλθ..... Ναδαβ] k. ἐσωθὴ εκ Tay. τ. θαν. ἧς ἐπηξεν αὐτώ BA ὥδν oS I fan eo aa JgauS ja,00 9 mak. | may. δὰ ἃ (473) kK. Nada

6. τοὺς πλ. κτλ. in loose apposition to εἴδωλα, the gender of the original Hebrew or Aramaic probably being left unchanged, cf. Ezek. xlviii. 11.

9, ὃ. R by no means placed v. 8 entire before τ. 9, as Swete’s verse-numbering (which is retained for convenience’ sake) suggests.

_ Io. ᾿Αδάμ in Vat. has arisen from Ναδάμ ( Nadab) by the attachment of its initial ν to the end of ἐποίησε while Cod. Al.’s ‘Apay is an attempt to identify Ahikar’s nephew with the villain of the book of Esther. Μανασσῆς in RY is the result of textual confusion in that recension, possibly for Nao@as (xi. 18 R.V.), possibly through a misreading of an anticipatory and partial excised pe ἐλεημ. before ἐποι. In S$ the order is disturbed and the text possibly corrupt. oaks after om599 may be a gloss from ii. 10 (Iigen) or a corruption of b> aXS (Frit.). aa is not Ahab (Fuller) but a corruption of Se and ¢a.0% is a variation of -Qau/.

THESBOOK OF TOBIT 14. 11-15

arand it destroyed him. And now, children, consider what alms-giving doeth, and what unrighteous- _ ness doeth, that it slayeth. And behold my soul fainteth.

iii. Tobias’ piety towards his parents and his long life, vv. 11'-14.

1112 And they laid him upon his bed and he died; and he was buried magnificently. And when / his mother died, Tobias buried her with his father, and he and his wife departed to Media and 12 dwelt in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law. And he sustained their old age in honour and buried them in Ecbatana of Media, and he inherited the house of Raguel and of Tobit his father. 114 And he died, being an hundred and seventeen years old, full of renown.

iv. The Dawn of the Messianic Age, v. 15.

15 And before he died he saw and heard of the destruction of Nineveh, and saw her captivity | led into Media which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Media took captive. And he blessed God for all he did unto the children of Nineveh and Assyria; and before his death he rejoiced over Nineveh, and blessed the Lord God for ever and ever. Amen.

ἐπεσ. .. . απωλ. avrov | Αδαμ (Αμαν A) δὲ ἐνέπεσεν εἰς τ. παγιδα κ΄ αἀπωλετο BA fsa ad SX coo 3 II-15. SS Ith 11 = Calls) Κι νυν... αποκτ.] eo eoadss. Moral po» 20 5 ποι. eX. | ἐλτι πο BAS ἀπιὸν, τς amokr.| δικαιοσυνὴ (pr. τ. 1. A) puerae BA x, Wou... 7. κλινην) Kk. ταῦτα αὐτου λέγοντος εξελιπεν (-λειπ. A) αὐτοῦ ἡ Ψυχὴ ἐπι τ. κλινης BA ομοςὰ5 ον. NOs S κ᾿ απεθ.] ἣν δὲ er@y εκατὸν πεντήκοντα OKT ΒΑ ομοῖνδωςθο S eran | εθαψεν avrov BA 12. ore ameO. .. . ἀπηλθ. αὐτὸς] abiit 1. postquam sepelivit parentes suos α β ἡ pyr. avr. | Ἄννα BAS T.| post ἀπηλθ. de BA τ. matp. avt.| pr. δος 3 x. απηλθ.] απ. de BA autos

. 5 yur. αὐτου] μετὰ τῆς γυν. aut. κ. τ. υἱων aut. (aur. > A) BA ῳοῶλπο οἰκου 5530 ante κ᾿ ἀπηλθ. 33. γυν. aur. | +et filii a 8 We SS ic Ἐκβ.] Εκβατανα BA εν Ἐκβ.] μλ55 2 peta P. του πενθ. avr. | προς P, Tov π. aur. BA 13. eynpoBoc. avt.| eynpavev BA avtovs| τοὺς πενθ. αὐτου BA S evyt.| Jos Jensb> S ev Ex. τ. M. | ἐνδοξως BA «55 S otk. P. | ουσι. αὐτων ΒᾺ ῳὡοῦδῶ, Kar S i] > 14. ar, | +hoa E deka] > BS εἴκοσι ἃ nonaginta novem ¥ ἐνδοξως] ev Ἐκβατανοις t.M. BA > S _ 15. εἰδ ΚΣ ΒᾺ elo τ nv... M7). | >3 ηχμαλωτισεν] -τευσεν A Aytayapos o βασ. τ. M. | Ναβουχοδονοσορ κ. Ασυηρος (Aco. δὲ ὁ ἃ Ασουηρ. A) δὲ ἃ BA κ᾿ eudoy.... Αθ.)] > ΒΑ Ze: A@.| > 3 Αθουρειας N* — Aavepos NC* ap €xapn | pr.« AaB Joos hn S πριν] προ BA ἈΠ EUNG "ἢ: aavor | >BAS αμην] »αβ

11. In RY ‘if the text be right, there should be a strong stop after δικαιοσύνη᾽, Dr. Harris, Story of Ahikar, Ρ. 1, n. τ.

13. For ἐγηροβ. cf. Eur. Wed. 1033, Alc. 663, and in the passive Ar. Ach. 678. RY is impossible since Tobit could himself scarcely have grown so old before he buried his parents! He has been influenced by a desire to emphasize the fulfilment of the prayer in vill. 7. Cf. Nestle, Sez. ili, p. 24. ι

15. ᾿Ασύηρος seems originally to have stood in RS, for which the scribe of δὲ wrote ᾿Αχιάχαρος, influenced by the frequent recurrence of the latter. Dr. Harris (of. ct. p. xxxii) however supposes that Ναβουχ. has been omitted and that in Cod. Vat. ᾿Ασύηρος is a corruption of Αθύρ or ᾿Αθυρείας and ἣν ἠχμαλ. a gloss or displacement (4./.7., p. 354). Nestle, Septuag. iii, p. 24, argues that just as a corrector attached ’Acvepos to ᾿Αθουρείας in δὲ, if Tisch. is right and it should not refer to ᾿Αχιάχαρος, so in RY καὶ ᾿Ασ[σ]ύηρος, for which two MSS. have ᾿Ασ[σ]ύριος whilst another omits the two words, may be a confusion with καὶ ᾿Αθυρείας, i.e. καὶ ᾿Ασσυρίας, which found a place in the text after Ναβουχ. instead of after Νινευή. The assumption of confusion with Cyaxares or Xerxes (Lohr) is improbable.

THE BOOK OF ἘΠ ΠΟ]

§ 1. SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE BOOK.

THE Book of Fudith falls naturally into two parts: (1) The Introduction (caps. 1—7). War was proclaimed by Nebuchadnezzar against Media, and a summons was sent to Persia, Syria, and Egypt to join in the expedition. The remoter parts of the Empire, however, treated the order with contempt (i. 11), whereupon Nebuchadnezzar determined, after conquering Media (i. 13, 15), to take vengeance on Syria and Egypt. This task was entrusted to Holofernes, the commander-in-chief (ii. 4), with 120,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry (mounted archers, ii. 15). He marched three days’ journey from Nineveh and encamped ‘at the left hand of upper Cilicia ’, thence devastated ‘the hill country’, crossed the (upper) Euphrates as far as the coast, then turned south, ‘ compassing’ the Midianites, to the plain of Damascus (ii. 27)... After receiving the submission of Tyre and Sidon, Azotus and_ Ascalon, he went south to Esdraelon (iii. 9). The Jews, who were lately returned from the exile (iv. 3), resolved to resist, and Joakim the High Priest at Jerusalem sent instructions to Bethulia, which was

near Esdraelon, to stop thé passes leading to the capital (iv. 7). All Israel then fasted and prayed | —*~ - “© ἂν. 9). Holofernes, hearing of the intended opposition, called a council of officers, when Achior the

Ammonité gave a long account of Israelitish history (v. 5), pointing out that they could only be_ conquered if they had offended against their God (v. 20) and advising Holofernes to leave them alone.

The advice was rejected, and Achior was handed over to the people of Bethulia (vi. 10), who received

him in a friendly manner (vi. 20). Holofernes then moved his camp towards Bethulia, his army

being now 170,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry, besides accessories (vii. 2). It was decided to get

possession of the water-supply at the foot of the mountain (vii. 7, 12) on which Bethulia stood, and

thus to force the city to surrender, instead of risking a pitched battle. After thirty-four days, the

stores of water within the city being exhausted (vii. 21), the people compelled Ozias and the leading

men to agree to surrender in five days if no help came in the meantime (vii. 30).

(2) The story of Judith (caps. 8-16). This decision came to the ears of Judith (viii. 1, 9), the widow of Manasses, who lived in austere retirement (viii. 5,6). She sent for the chief men (viii. 10), expostulated with them on their want of trust in God, and promised that she would herself effect their deliverance within the five days (viii. 33). They agreed to her project, without hearing the

details, and departed (viii. 36). Judith then prepared for her plan by prayer (ix. 2). She put on her _

adornments, which had been laid aside since her husband’s death (x. 3), took with her a single maidservant with a bag of ‘clean’ food (x. 5), and went towards the Assyrian camp (x. 11). In an audience with Holofernes she informed him that what Achior had said was true (xi. 10), but that now the people had sinned by using first-fruits and tithes (xi. 13), and therefore God would deliver them up to their enemies (xi. 15). She would herself advise him when this was to take place (xi. 17). Holofernes, attracted by her appearance, invited her to his table (xii. 1), but she refused. She was allowed to go out of the camp every day to pray and bathe (xii. 6, 7). On the fourth day she consented to go to Holofernes’ feast (xii. 10, 14), but partook only of her own provisions (xii. 19). The critical moment arrived when the guests departed (xiii. 1) leaving Judith alone with Holofernes.

His excitement had caused him to drink immoderately, and he now lay on his couch helpless (xiii. 2).

Judith, calling on God for strength (xiii. 4), took his sword and with two blows cut off his head (xiii. δ), which she put in the bag (xiii. 10) carried by the servant who was waiting outside. The two went out of the camp as if to pray, as usual, and escaped to Bethulia (xiii. 10). They were received

with enthusiasm by the citizens (xiii. 17), and Achior became a convert to Judaism (xiv. 10). A

sortie was made (xiv. 11), and the Assyrians, thus surprised, tried to rouse their general (xiv. 13), but found him dead (xiv. 15). They fled in a panic (xv. 2), pursued northward past Damascus (xv. 5), while their deserted camp was sacked (xv. 6,7). The High Priest Joakim came in person from Jerusalem to bless Judith (xv. 8).

Chapter 16 contains a hymn of praise by Judith. The book ends by relating that Judith

dedicated to God her share of the plunder (xvi. 19), that she remained a widow till her death at the age of 105 years (xvi. 23), and that the land was at peace all her lifetime and for long after.

The book is thus almost equally divided between the introduction and the story proper. The

former is no doubt somewhat out of proportion, and the author dwells at rather unnecessary length on the military details. In spite, however, of these defects of composition, the literary excellence of the work is universally recognized even through the uncomely disguise of the Greek translation. It was originally written in Hebrew (now lost) for Jewish readers, with the object of encouraging and edifying the people in a time of trial or persecution. In order to carry conviction the more, it aims ἡ ~at the appearance of being historical, in its use of well-known names and of precise details, ‘but this historical character is only apparent. The author is concerned with theology rather than with history, of which perhaps he had a not very exact knowledge, although he adopted this form as the most suitable for his purpose. He seems to have had in mind the time of Artaxerxes Ochus, with whose campaign in Syria many of the incidents agree, but it would be unsafe to assume that he is consciously depicting an episode in that campaign. The name and date of the author are alike unknown. He must have written at a time of oppression, such as the Jewish race often suffered, and various indications point to the second century B.C. as the most probable date. It is, however, possible that the author adopted an existing story or popular tradition, purposely confusing his historical allusions in order to disguise it.

We 2 DIRE OR DHE BOOK] =

The title of the book in Greek is simply ᾿Ιουδείθ (or ἸΙουδήθ, or ᾿Ιουδίθ). In Hebrew it would have been ny ndy9, like ἼΠΟΝ nbz and pave ΠΟ, or NNT AYN, derived from the name of the principal character. The name, of course, simply means ‘ Jewess’, and hence Grotius, explaining the story allegorically, makes it represent the Jewish people. But apart from the fact that this method of interpretation is forced and unconvincing, there is no need to suppose that the name suggested this meaning. It is used personally in Gen, xxvi. 34 as belonging to the Hittite. awife of Esau, where at any rate it cannot mean ‘.Jewess’. 5

og SS

The Hebrew original (see § 5) being lost, the earliest form in which we have the fools is that of the Greek translation, the sate primary version existing. Of this theye are three recensions: (1) the usual and no doubt the most original form, represented by ὑμ ἀτός, δ, A and B (Swete’s text) ; (2) that contained in codd. το, 108; (3) that of cod. 58, with which the Old Latin version (VL) and the Syriac (Syr) agree in a remarkable manner. All three recensions, however, represent the same version and go back to the same original. Their differences are due to corrections made not on a fresh comparison with the Hebrew, but subjectively by editors*of the version, and though considerable, they concern the form rather than the matter. Such ‘corrections’ are most evident in the second and third classes of MSS., and vary even within the same class.

In the notes here added to the English (R.V.) variants are only mentioned where they materially affect the sense.

The Greek version, at least as contained in s A B, is as a rule easily intelligible and probably a correct rendering of the original, but it is very hebraistic. From it were made the Syriac and the Old Latin, both of them fairly close and agreeing in general with cod. 58, as will be seen from the notes. VL is rough, often merely latinized hebraistic Greek, and sometimes misunderstands the Greek which it translates. The MSS., of which Sabatier used five for his text, have been much corrected, perhaps from different Greek MSS.,so that they vary considerably in minor details, though all derived from one text.

The Syriac version was first printed in Walton’s Polyglot. It was derived from two late MSS.,

now in the Bodleian Library, of which one, dated 1614, belonged to Pococke (MS. Poc. 391), and the other was copied for Ussher in 1627 (MS. Bodl. or. 141). With these a Cambridge MS. was collated and the variants are given (by Thorndyke) in vol. vi of the Polyglot. The version has been edited by Lagarde, in his Libri. V.T. apocryphi Syriace (Lipsiae, 1861), from a tenth-century MS. in the British Museum (from the Nitrian collection) with a full apparatus criticus. The Museum possesses two other MSS.., of the twelfth and seventeenth century respectively.

A third version, the Vulgate, is of less value for textual purposes. Jerome’s own account of it, in his preface, is not altogether clear. He says that he found great variations in the MSS. (‘ multorum -codicum varietatem vitiosissimam amputavi’) and implies that he endeavoured to produce a consistent text by embodying in his work only what he found in the ‘ Chaldee’. The questions which naturally present themselves are, What were these divergent MSS. and what was the ‘Chaldee’ text? The MSS. cannot have been Greek, because the Vulgate differs from that version in important particulars:

DAN R 2

THE BOOK OF JOPITH

6. 5. xiv. 5-7 comes at the end of xiii; i. 12’-16 and iv. 3 are omitted ; iv. 13-15 is altered ; additions are made after xiv. 12 and elsewhere; names and numbers often differ. In fact, if compared with

the Greek, the Vulgate presents the appearance of a paraphrastic recension. On the other hand, —

apart from these material differences, it often follows VL closely even in diction (cf. cap. 16), and the resemblance throughout is sufficient to show that Jerome used MSS. of the VL, which he merely adapted and corrected, as he considered, by the help of his ‘Chaldee’ text. It is evident from his own remarks (‘huic unam lucubratiunculam dedi, magis sensum e sensu, quam ex verbo verbum transferens’) that he spent very little time or trouble on it, and for this reason its style is less like Jerome’s than the rest of the Vulgate.

As to the ‘ Chaldee’ text, we have no other evidence. It will be remembered that he speaks in the same way of a Chaldee text of Tobit, and that an Aramaic recension of that book was actually found and published by Neubauer (Oxford, 1878). No such text of Judith is now known, but as Jerome’s statement is explicit with regard to both books, we have to inquire what the text was.” Probably the answer is to be found in a sentence in the preface to Judith, ‘Chaldaeo tamen sermone conscriptus inter historias computatur. If Azstorias represents nrwyn, he means that the story of Judith was regarded as a myyn, such as we find embodied in midrashim, or even composed separately for use on special occasions. Later forms of the story, in Hebrew (see § 8), were composed and so used, and in Neubauer’s midrashic MS. the story of Tobit is called as a matter of course ma» Ayn. We may therefore conclude that Jerome, finding no Hebrew text of the book, used an Aramaic πον (Ais/oria) containing a free treatment, not a translation, of the story, derived probably from the Greek. He evidently attached more importance to it than to VL, since he included in his own work only what he found in the Chaldee, but in language he was naturally influenced by VL where the two coincide. Thus the Vulgate of Judith is a hurried version of an Aramaic midrash containing a free presentation of the story, rather than a translation of any given text. It omits about one-fifth of the book.

7 ᾧ 5. DATE OF THE ORIGINAL, AND OF THE VERSIONS.

(a) The existing versions thus all go back, through the existing Greek, to the same original, their differences being due to alterations within the versions. It is now generally agreed (against earlier scholars such as Fabricius, Jahn, and Eichhorn) that this original was Semitic, and Hebrew rather than Aramaic. Indeed there can be no possibility of doubt if we consider the style of the Greek and the nature of some of the mistakes in it. The language is not merely that popular Greek which we now know from papyri of the early centuries A.D. to have been identical with the κοινὴ διάλεκτος of the New Testament, even when independent of any Semitic idiom. The translation is so literal that it can be put back into Hebrew with ease, and in some cases becomes fully intelligible only when so re-translated. Moreover, the unusual lack of particles shows that the writer was under the influence of a foreign idiom, while the constant recurrence of phrases uncommon in late Greek but frequent in Hebrew shows incontestably the language of the original. Such are e.g. ἀπὸ προσώπου 291, εἰς πρόσωπον 35, the frequent use of σφόδρα IND, ἐν a, and many more: see is indicated by the confusion in the geographical names, due to uncertainty in the mind of the translator as well as to mistakes of copyists, so far as it is not intentional on the part of the author (see ᾧ 6). So also in other names, 6. 5. Achior no doubt = "Any, chosen as meaning ‘friend of the Jews’, with the common confusion of Ἵ and Ἴ.

Against this comparative certainty we have the express statement of Origen (ad Afric. 13), οὐδὲ τῇ ᾿Ιουδὴθ (χρῶνται) οὐδὲ yap ἔχουσιν αὐτὰ καὶ ἐν ἀποκρύφοις ἑβραιστί, ὡς ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν μαθόντες ἐγνώκαμεν, as well as the fact that Jerome did not use a Hebrew text, which he certainly would have done if he had found one. It is possible that in the statement which Origen received from his Jewish informants, stress should be laid on χρῶνται rather than ἔχουσιν, and that it had fallen out of use and was not even included among the apocryphal books at the beginning of the third century. This must have been only temporary, since in 398 Jerome says ‘Apud Hebraeos liber Judith inter apocrypha legitur ’. Jerome's preface is all rather obscure, and it may be that he really means here to indicate a Hebrew text which he knew to exist but did not possess. In the very next sentence he speaks of the Chaldee which ‘inter historias computatur ’, a degree lower than apocrypha, and seems to draw a distinction between them. No trace of the Hebrew original now survives.

The story is represented as taking place just after the return from the exile (iv. 3). The author does not, however, represent himself (as e.g. Daniel) as contemporary with the events recorded. In fact, he must have written much later. The return is far enough away to have become a sort of golden age, a time of simple happiness granted by God in consequence of the piety of the people. In this, as in its details, the description is wholly at variance with history (see § 6), either because the

κι Ι

- author did not know the facts, or because he was intentionally disguising them. He cannot have written as late as the first century A.D., for the book is quoted by Clement of Rome (1 Cor. 55). Moreover, there is no allusion to the final destruction of the temple, nor even to the Roman occupation of Palestine. Jewish tradition connects the story with the time of the Maccabees, making Judith the daughter of Johanan or Mattathia (Zunz, Gottesd. Vortrdge, 2nd ed., p. 131), and this date agrees on the whole best with the author's point of view (see ᾧ 9). We must, however, be careful to distinguish between the date of composition and the real or supposed date of the events related (see ὁ 6). The author evidently puts back into his-post-exilic story the state of things under which he himself lived. There was no king, but the whole people is united under the High Priest (Joakim) governing with the γερουσία or Sanhedrim. The object of the book, too, is clearly to encourage the nation to resist the enemies of their religion-ame-coumtry even under the most desperate circumstances, and presupposes a time of great political or religious emergency. These several points, as well as the definitely Pharisaic theology, most naturally indicate an author living towards the middle of the second century B.C. Such is the view of Schtirer, Hilgenfeld, and Noldeke. (Cf. also Chajes in Festschrift .. . Harkavy, p. 105 Heb., who finds a number of parallels with the books of the Maccabees.) Ball proposes a date about 79-70 B.C., and argues with great ingenuity that Judith is modelled on Salome, successively wife of Aristobulus and Jannai, but this seems less probable than the earlier date.

The fact that the book is not mentioned by Josephus or Philo or in the New Testament proves nothing. Josephus does not refer to Job, besides other books, and Philo does not notice any of the Apocrypha.

(ὁ) The versions can only be approximately dated. The earliest reference to the book, and no doubt to the Greek version of it, is by Clement of Rome (1 Cor. 55. 4 and 5) about go A.D. He alludes to the story as if it were well known to his Greek readers, very much in the same way as he goes on to speak of Esther. Allowing some time for the original book to become established before it was translated, and some time for the translation to become known, we should probably date the Greek not later than the beginning of the first century A. Ὁ.

The VL was made from the Greek, and as in Jerome’s time (see ᾧ 4) it was already very corrupt, it must have been a long time in existence. The Syriac, which agrees closely with it, was possibly made about the same time from the same Greek text, for the use of oriental Christians. Fritzsche surmises vaguely that both were made between the first and third centuries A.D., and we have no means of dating them more precisely.

$6. INTEGRITY OF THE TEXT; ITs HISTORICAL FRAMEWORK.

It has been suggested that the story is founded on a popular tradition, true or imaginary. Reuss thought that the Song in cap. 16 was an early composition, like the song of Deborah, and that the story was built upon it. It is certainly remarkable that in xvi. 10 Persians and Medes, not Assyrians, are mentioned. There can be no doubt that Judith belongs to the family of Jael, Esther, and Joan of Arc. Such a theme appeals strongly to popular imagination, and even if based on fact, easily tends to be overlaid with fiction. Whatever may be the truth, the work, as we have it, is a consistent whole, and, with the possible exception of the song, shows no signs of being by more than one hand.

What then is the period which the author is proposing to describe, and how far is it in agreement with history? The question has been very variously answered. Attempts have been made to identify the Nebuchadnezzar of the story with Assurbanipal, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes Ochus, Antiochus Epiphanes: Arphaxad with Deioces or Phraortes. Without discussing these theories in detail, it may be said at once that none of them is consistent without a good deal of forcing. The historical Nebuchadnezzar did not reign at Nineveh (i. 1): he died in 562, and the return from the exile was not till about 536. He did not make war on Media (i. 7) nor capture Ecbatana. Nor do the annals of Assurbanipal, though they are very full, record anything of the kind, while Media had ceased to be a power before the time of the other kings whom it has been proposed to identify with Nebuchadnezzar. ‘ At the time of the Return, the Babylonian émpire had passed to the Persians. They were not likely to send a punitive expedition against the Jews, who were not then in a position to offer any resistance. Moreover, Arphaxad is not the name of any Median king mentioned by Herodotus, and the fortifications of Ecbatana were not built by him but by Deioces (Hdt. i. 98): (H)olofernes (= Orofernes) and Bagoas, if they are historical names, are Persian, and belong to the time of Artaxerxes Ochus (see below). Again, there was no king in Israel, but the people was ruled by the High Priest Joakim (iv. 6, 8, 14, xv. 8) and a Sanhedrim (iv. ὃ, xv. 8). It has been suggested that this points to the reign of Manasseh when he was a prisoner in Babylon, or to the minority of Josiah. Either explanation is improbable. If a High Priest was acting for the king, so

THE BOOK OF J UR

unusual a situation would have to be explained, whereas it is taken for granted, and also it is inconsistent with the references to the exile (iv. 3, v. 18). The suggestion that Joakim (Eliachim in the Vulgate) is the same as the Eliakim of 2 Kings xviii. 18, and that he may have survived as High Priest under Manassch, is not supported by the list of High Priests. In fact the author clearly intends to put his story at the time of the Return, but makes no attempt to fill in the picture consistently. If it is to be made consistent, this can only be done by explaining the names as pseudonyms disguising really historical persons. This is the view taken by Ball, and it must be admitted that he finds some remarkable coincidences, on the assumption that Nebuchadnezzar is Antiochus Epiphanes, the Assyrians are Syrians, Nineveh is Antioch, and Arphaxad is Arsaces-of Persia(= Media), against whom Antiochus made an expedition. But if the book is historical fiction, as it seems to be, we need not expect to explain all its statements. The writer selected such incidents as suited his purpose, without troubling about historical accuracy. The framework of the story was most probably suggested (so Schiirer and others) by the campaign of Artaxerxes Ochus against Phoenicia and Egypt (about 350 B.C.). One of his generals was Holofernes, brother of the king of Cappadocia (Diod. Sic. xxxi. 1g), who was sent against Egypt, though it is expressly stated that he died in his own country, and a certain Bagoas was his most trusted servant (Diod. Sic. xvi. 47). Sidon surrendered to the Persians (cf. Judith ii. 28 seq.), and the army then marched south towards Egypt, passing, no doubt, through Esdraelon (iii.9). If any incident occurred in the campaign similar to that related here, we have no other record of it. The details are not meant to be historical. Nebuchadnezzar is introduced as the typical arch-enemy of Judaea: the time of the Return is chosen as being far away and little known, and the author is guilty of a further anachronism by describing his characters under the conditions of his own day. In the song (xvi. 10), if that is by the author of the rest, the mention of Persians seems to show that he was really thinking of the campaign of Artaxerxes Ochus. He also affects archaic names and allusions: hence with Nebuchadnezzar’s army he includes princes of Moab and captains of Ammon (v. 2), the traditional enemies of Israel, who were in place, e.g. in 2 Kings xxiv. 2, but can surely not have been important in 150 or even 350 B.C. Similarly Midian (ii. 26) and Esau (vii. 8) are archaistic for Arabs and Idumaeans.

Such being the method of the book, we need not expect to identify all the geographical any more than the personal names. Bethulia, the scene of the story, is very like Shechem, and, if the author was thinking of Shechem, that may account for his using the name Βετυλούα = πιο ma, since the Samaritans call Mt. Gerizim 5x ma. It also fits the story, as a place of first-rate strategic importance, far better than Safed or Bait Ilfa, which have also been proposed. With regard to the other place-names, there is evidently a good deal of corruption either in the original or in the versions, or both. Many of them are too much distorted to be recognizable, but they may conceal actual sites, known or unknown. They can hardly be purely imaginary. Torrey (FAOS, 1899, pp: 160 sqq.and Florilegium ... de Vogiié, p. 599) shows that, taking Bethulia to be Shechem, the other places agree, so far as they can be identified. See further on iv. 6.

§ 7. THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK.y

As to the anonymous author there is no tradition. From his writing in Hebrew and from his detailed references to the geography of the Holy Land, it may be inferred that he was a Palestinian Jew. From his theological views (§ 9) it seems that he belonged to the Pharisaic party. He was a man of some literary skill. The story is well told, and apart from a certain tendency to exaggerate the magnitude of the military operations, the style is restrained and straightforward, without unnecessary elaboration. He was also well acquainted with the literature of his people, for, while his descriptions have vigour and originality, the book is full of reminiscences of the Old Testament, c.g. with the story of Achior in caps. 5, 6, cf. that of Micaiah in 1 Kings 22; with viii. 3 cf. 2 Kings — iv. 18 seq. ; vill. 16 is a quotation from Num. xxiii. 1g; ix. 7, xvi. 3 from Exod. xv. 3; xiii. 18 from Gen. xiv. 19, 20. The fact that the quotations agree with the LXX rather than with the Hebrew text may be merely due to the translator. The author apparently knew some of the latest of the O. T. books (Esther and Daniel), and in v. 6-8 draws upon some midrashic source for the story of Abraham. i

§ 8. LaTER USE OF THE BOOK. 1

(2) Although the Book of Judith was not received by the Jews, the story was well known to them, © at least in the middle ages. It is mentioned in the liturgy for Hanukka (the feast of the Dedication — of the temple. instituted by Judas Maccabaeus on Chisleu 25), and appears in various Hebrew forms among the minor midrashim (see Zunz, Gottesd. Vortrage, ed. 2, p. 131). A short recension of it is edited by Jellinek in his Bet ha-Midrasch, i, p- 130, a longer text, ibid. p- 132, and another, zézd. ii, p. 12. Three more forms of the story are found in MSS. of the Bodleian Library. See also

Gaster in PSA, xvi, p. 156. A text translated from the Vulgate, and agreeing with that of two Bodleian MSS. (Heb. d. 11 f. 259 and MS. Opp. 712 f. 164), was published at Venice about 1651, under the title of nom σῦν. None of these is in any sense a translation of the Greek, still less the original form of the book. They are free sketches of a well-known story, set down ‘from memory, like other nywyn, in more or less detail according to the taste of the writer. They are usually short, and of no great antiquity. In the MSS. they are generally headed ‘for Hanukka’. Hebrew translations of the Greek were published by Meir b. Ascher at Berlin in 1766, by Benseb at Vienna in 1819, and by Frankel at Leipzig in 1830 (with other apocrypha). A Judaeo-German translation by S. Landau appeared at Frankfurt a. M. in 1715. A Persian version exists in a Bodleian MS. (Hyde 19). It is anonymous, but is made from the Vulgate, and the MS. was probably written about 1600.

(ὁ) In the Church it was well ote from the Greek (and Latin) translations, and was often quoted, not as canonical but as edifying, e.g. by Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, Ambrose, Augustine (see Pate Einleitung, § 9), thus gradually acquiring a quasicanonical recognition. On the use of the book in mediaeval times, see Pentin, Fwdzth, London, 1908.

After the Council of Trent, the Protestants, though rela it from the canon, maintained the early view that it was good for edifying. and used it largel y in preaching. It was never admitted to the English Church lectionary.

§ 9. THEOLOGY OF THE BOOK.

The theology of the book is strongly Pharisaic. The story is clearly intended for edification, to encourage the people in some time of trial, and to point out the true way to deliverance by showing that Israel’s troubles are due to sin (v. 17, 18, xi. 10), that salvation comes through trust in God and obedience to Him, and that God uses the weak things to confound the strong (ix. to and frequently). But obedience to God, which is righteousness, consists in the strict observance of the Law. Judith is strong because of her consciousness of keeping the Law (xvi. 16). She observes not only the pentateuchal feasts of the Sabbath and New Moon, but also the eves of them (viii. 6), as required by the later teaching. She not only abstained from forbidden food, but she fasted continually, and underwent further mortification (viii. 5,6) although she was rich. She is thus a perfect type of Pharisaic righteousness. She even dilates on these doctrines to Holofernes (cap. 11), laying stress on the sureness of punishment which would follow on such sins as the eating of forbidden things and the using of tithes and first-fruits by the citizens of Bethulia in their extremity. For even in the most desperate case God will find a means of deliverance for His faithful people and will punish the oppressor. This punishment is inflicted not only in the present life. There will be a day of judg¥ment (apparently after death) when the wicked will be condemned to torment by fire and worms for ever (xvi. 17).

The objection which has been made to Judith’s deceit (xi. 5) and approval of violence scarcely deserves notice. It could only be made in complete ignorance of the spirit of the time, and shows an utter inability to appreciate the position of a people struggling against overwhelming odds for their religion and their very existence.

THE BOOK (OR) UD iit

1: Inthe twelfth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned over the Assyrians in Nineveh, > the great city; in the days of Arphaxad, who reigned over the Medes in Ecbatana, and built at Ecbatana and round about it walls of hewn stones three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made

3 the height of the wall seventy cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits ; and set the towers thereof — at the gates thereof, a hundred cubits /zg/, and the breadth thereof in the foundation threescore

4 cubits; and made the gates thereof, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and the breadth of them forty cubits, for the going forth of his mighty hosts, and the setting in array of

= his footmen: even in those days king Nebuchadnezzar made war with king Arphaxad in the great

6 plain: this plain is in the borders of Ragau. And there came to meet him all that dwelt in the hill country, and all that dwelt by Euphrates, and Tigris, and Hydaspes, and in the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymeans ; and many nations of the sons of Chelod assembled themselves to the battle.

, And Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians sent unto all that dwelt in Persia, and to all that dwelt westward, to those that dwelt in Cilicia and Damascus and Libanus and Antilibanus, and to all that

g dwelt over against the sea coast, and to those among the nations that were of Carmel and Gilead,

9 and to the higher Galilee and the great plain of Esdraelon, and to all that were in Samaria and the cities thereof, and beyond Jordan unto Jerusalem, and Betane, and Chellus, and Kadesh, and the

το river of Egypt, and Tahpanhes, and Rameses, and all the Jand of Goshen, until thou comest above Tanis and Memphis, and to all that dwelt in Egypt, until thou comest to the borders of Ethiopia.

11 And all they that dwelt in all the land made light of the commandment of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians, and went not with him to the war; for they were not afraid of him, but he was before them as one man; and they turned away his messengers frorn their presence without effect, and with disgrace.

12 And Nebuchadnezzar was exceeding wroth with all this land, and he sware by his throne and kingdom, that he would surely be avenged upon all the coasts of Cilicia and Damascus and Syria, that .he would slay with his sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all Judza, and all that were in Egypt, until thou comest to the borders of the two

13 seas. And he set the battle in array with his host against king Arphaxad in the seventeenth year ; and he prevailed in his battle, and turned to flight all the host of Arphaxad, and all his horse, and

14 all his chariots; and he became master of his cities, and he came even unto Ecbatana, and took the

15 towers, and spoiled the streets thereof, and turned the beauty thereof into shame. And he took Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau, and smote him through with his darts. and destroyed him

I. 1. On the history see Introduction, ὃ 6. Nebuchadnezzar reigned from 604 to 562 B.C.at Babylon. Nineveh and the Assyrian empire were destroyed about 607. Arphaxad is not known as a king of Media. It was Deioces (according to Herodotus i. 98) who fortified Ecbatana, about 700 B.C., and Cyrus who destroyed it in 550.

5. The apodosis begins here, with καὶ ‘then’. Ragau = Ragae, the plain which begins about 100 miles north-east of Ecbatana.

6. Hydaspes. There is no river of this name in the region. Perhaps the Choaspes is meant. Syr. has Ulai.

and in the plain of Arioch the king, καὶ πεδίῳ ᾿Αριὼχ ὁ βασιλεύς (N* -ews). The nominative cannot be translated as in R.V. The sentence may originally have run ‘they that inhabited the hills . . . and in the plain, and

Arioch . . . and. . . Chelod assembled . . .. The plain is the plain of Elam. The name Arioch is borrowed from Gen. xiv. I, in accordance with the author’s love of archaism. of the sons of Chelod . . . to the battle, εἰς παρ iratw υἱῶν X. properly ‘many nations assembled to the army

(‘ battle ’, “camp », as below, xvi. 12) of the sons of Ch.’ The name (otherwise unknown) may be a corruption of * Chaldaeans’. se those among the nations (D3), probably the non-Jewish inhabitants are meant. The Jews are mentioned ater. 9. beyond Jordan, i.e. from the Babylonian point of view, though this should have come earlier in the verse. Ball thinks that Betane is Beth-anoth (Jos. xv. 59), that Chellus is Allus in Idumaea, and that Kadesh is Kedesh in jueeh osu xv. 23) or Kadesh-Barnea. The river of Egypt is the Wadi-al-Arish, the boundary of Palestine and Egypt. _ ii. as one man, ὡς ἀνὴρ εἷς, ΕΑ and Fritzsche. The ordinary reading is ὡς ἀνὴρ ἴσος. If this, is the original (and εἷς a correction of δὲ A) it may represent ΠῚ UND, a misreading of NY ‘a man of naught’. 12. the two seas, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, or possibly two parts of the Mediterranean. 14. beauty... into shame, a play on words in the Hebrew ΒΞ °5). 15. destroyed him, i.e. him and his kingdom.

| 16 utterly, unto this day. And he returned with them to Nineveh, he and all his company of sundry nations, an exceeding great multitude of men of war, and there he took his ease and banqueted, he and his host, a hundred and twenty days. {21 And in the eighteenth year, the two and twentieth day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians, that he should be avenged on all the land, even as 2he spake. And he called together all his servants, and all his great men, and communicated with 3 them his secret counsel, and concluded the afflicting of all the land out of his own mouth. And 4 they decreed to destroy all flesh which followed not the word of his mouth. And it came to pass, i when he had ended his counsel, Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his host, which was next after himself, and said unto him, 5 Thus saith the great king, the lord of all the earth, Behold, thou shalt go forth from my presence, and take with thee men that trust in their strength, unto a hundred and twenty thousand footmen ; 6 and the number of horses with their riders twelve thousand: and thou shalt go forth against all the 7 west country, because they disobeyed the commandment of my mouth. And thou shalt declare unto them, that they prepare earth and water ; because I will go forth in my wrath against them, and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of my host, and I will give them for a spoil 8 unto them: and their slain shall fill their valleys and brooks, and the river shall be filled with their , τὸ dead, till it overflow: and I will lead them captives to the utmost parts of all the earth. But thou shalt go forth, and take beforehand for me all their coasts; and if they shall yield themselves unto 11 thee, then shalt thou reserve them for me till the day of their reproof. But as for them that are disobedient, thine eye shall not spare; but thou shalt give them up to be slain and to be spoiled in r2allthy land. For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, I have spoken, and I will do this with 13 my hand. And thou, moreover, shalt not transgress aught of the commandments of thy lord, but thou shalt surely accomplish them, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt not defer to do them. 14 And Holofernes went forth from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors and the 15 Captains and officers of the host of Asshur; and he numbered chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, unto a hundred and twenty thousand, and twelve thousand archers on horse- , 17 back; and he ranged them, as a great multitude is ordered for the war. And he took camels and * asses and mules for their baggage, an exceeding great multitude; and sheep and oxen and goats 18 without number for their provision; and great store of victual for every man, and exceeding much το gold and silver out of the king’s house. And he went forth, he and all his host, on their journey, to go before king Nebuchadnezzar, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots 20 and horsemen and chosen footmen. And a great company of sundry nations went forth with them like locusts, and like the sand of the earth: for they could not be numbered by reason of their multitude. 2x And they departed out of Nineveh three days’ journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and encamped from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the upper Cilicia. And he

16. B has ‘and he returned with them (i.e. the spoils, &c.), he and his host, for 120 days’. company is σύμμικτος, used here as a noun, ‘a mixed multitude’; cf. ἐπίμικτος ii. 20 and Exod. xii. 38. Herodotus (vil. 55) uses σύμμικτος (adj.) of the army of Xerxes.

Il. 1. the twenty-second day of the first month evidently ended the 120 days’ rest, so that the return to ‘ Nineveh’ took place just before the end of the ninth month of the seventeenth-year of Neb. The precise date is meant to give the appearance of real history.

2, communicated, ἔθετο, lit. placed. The Greek of this verse is strange.

concluded, συνετέλεσει. Fritzsche suggests that this translates nba a misreading of ΤΌΣ «revealed (his purpose to destroy)’. If so, ‘ended’ in verse 4 is also for ‘revealed’. Cf. the decree in Esth. 11]. 13.

3. all flesh, a common Hebraism, 1/2 b>. 4. (H)olofernes (always with the smooth breathing in Greek) is usually taken to be for Orophernes, a Persian name borne by the kings of Cappadocia. It is quite out of place in the time of Neb. A 6. ἊΝ west country is Egypt and Syria, which were the objects of the campaign of Artaxerxes Ochus; cf. 7. earth and water asa sign of submission. The formula is Persian, not Assyrian or Babylonian (Ball, referring I will go, i.e.my power will go. 8. river ... overflow. Rather ‘even a strong, rushing river shall be choked up and filled...

ἐπικλύζων translates Ov’ bm in Isa. Ixvi. 12. _ To. Rather ‘and they shall yield . . . and thou shalt reserve .. .. Resistance is not regarded as conceivable. reproof. ἐλεγμοῦ is ANN, implying conviction with consequent punishment. 20, company, ἐπίμικτος, cf. σύμμικτος ini. 16. Note the exaggeration. .. 21. Bectileth, Bacrethaié. None of the proposed identifications is-at all convincing. Apparently it was near N. Cilicia, about 300 miles from Nineveh—an impossible journey to perform in three days.

᾽ ποταμὸς

THE BOOK! OF JUDITE 2.) 22—aa10

took all his host, his footmen and horsemen and chariots, and went away from thence into the hill

23 country, and destroyed Put and Lud, and spoiled all the children of Rasses, and the children of

24 Ishmael, which were over against the wilderness to the south of the land of the Chellians. And he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and brake down all the high cities that were

25 upon the river Arbonai, until thou comest to the sea. And he took possession of the borders of Cilicia, and slew all that resisted him, and came unto the borders of Japheth, which were toward the

26 south, over against Arabia. And he compassed about all the children of Midian, and set on fire —

27 their tents,and spoiled their sheepcotes. And he went down into the plain of Damascus in the days of wheat harvest, and set on fire all their fields, and utterly destroyed their flocks and herds, and spoiled their cities, and laid their plains waste, and smote all their young men with the edge of the sword.

28 And the fear and the dread of him fell upon them that dwelt on the sea coast, upon them that were in Sidon and Tyre,and them that dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and all that dwelt in Jemnaan; and they that dwelt in Azotus and Ascalon feared him exceedingly.

1,2 And they sent unto him messengers with words of peace, saying, Behold, we the servants of 3 Nebuchadnezzar the great king lie before thee: use us as it is pleasing in thy sight. Behold, our dwellings, and all our country, and all our fields of wheat, and our flocks and herds, and all the 4 sheepcotes of our tents, lie before thy face: use them as it may please thee. Behold, even our cities and they that dwell in them are thy servants: come and deal with them as it is good in thine eyes. 5 And the men came to Holofernes, and declared unto him according to these words. 6 And he came down toward the sea coast, he and his host, and set garrisons in the high cities, and 7 took out of them chosen men for allies. And they received him, they and all the country round 8 about them, with garlands and dances and timbrels. And he cast down all their borders, and cut down their groves: and it had been given unto him to destroy all the gods of the land, that all the nations should worship Nebuchadnezzar only, and that all their tongues and their tribes should call upon him as god. And he came towards Esdraelon nigh unto Doteea, which is over against the 10 great ridge of Judea. And he encamped between Geba and Scythopolis, and he was there a whole month, that he might gather together all the baggage of his host.

encamped = }YD) (for which LXX three times has στρατοπεδεύειν, as here), ‘they went a day’s journey to their next camp at B. the left hand in Hebr. is the rorth, cf. Gen. xiv. 15.

23. Put (Pontus?) and Lud (Lydia?) are often found together in O.T. Probably Put (Phut) does not always

represent the same country, but in any case neither name can be identified with any region bordering on Cilicia. Rasses is also unknown. Vuilg. has Tharsis (= Tarsus in Cilicia), VL Thiras et Rasis, Syr Tiras and Ra‘amses. Chellians, 8 A, are unknown. B 58 Syr 19 108 read Chaldeans, which cannot be right.

24. As it stands, this verse can only mean that he left Cilicia, re-crossed the Euphrates, and then returned to Cilicia —a most unlikely proceeding. Or the verse is out of place, since he must have crossed the Euphrates to get to Cilicia. Evidently the writer had very vague ideas as to the relative positions of Mesopotamia, Cilicia, and the (Mediterranean) sea. ν

Arbonai is unknown. δὲ Χεβρών, B ᾿Αβρωνώ, Syr Jabbok, VL Beccon, Vulg. Mambre.

25. He now turned south, towards Damascus, and, roughly speaking, in the direction of Arabia, but the meaning of the ‘borders of Japheth’ is obscure.

26. Midian, again an archaism for Arabs in general.

27. wheat harvest would be about the beginning of June. As the expedition started in the first month, the author has allowed far too little time (Ball), since there is no suggestion that this was the harvest of the next (nineteenth) year.

28. Sur looks like a dittography of Τύρῳ (WS); 19 108 have Σούδ (WS) a misreading of the Hebrew; δὲ has Τούρ; B has ᾿Ασσούρ, which is clearly out of place. Fritzsche proposes to read Dor, a port near Carmel.

Ocina, unknown. NS has ᾿Αμμάν (=Hamath?). Ball suggests Accho-Ptolemais, a haven north of Dor ; Judges i. 31.

_ Jemnaan = Jamnia, Jabne, a well-known city on the south coast of Syria. The author evidently means to give a list of important towns going from north to south. His geography is more intelligible when he is dealing with Palestine, which he knew.

ΠῚ. 1. they, i.e. the inhabitants of the non-Jewish towns just mentioned. 8. borders, τὰ ὅρια, is Strange. Fritzsche and Ball think it is a mistranslation of N20, ‘the high places.’ aie is represented as doing what a Jewish conqueror or reformer would have done, cf. 2 Kings xxiii. 14 (of osiah). as god, hardly an allusion to the title of Θεός assumed by Antiochus, &c. It is more probably imitated from the story in Dan. iii. 9. Dotea, a Greek form of Dothan ( Dothayim). The plain of Jezreel was a suitable place for assembling a large army. fe The vidge, πρίων, lit. ‘saw’ sierra, must be the high ground on which Jerusalem stands. over against, ἀπέναντι, 15 a Vague expression, which may only mean that you can see the ridge from Dothan. Fritzsche (following Reland) suggests that WWD, ‘plain,’ has been misread as WWD, ‘ saw.’ Io. Geba, about six miles due south of Dothan (Ball). Scythopolis (= Bethshan) is the only purely Greek name occurring in the book. Elsewhere the translator uses Hebrew or Graecized Hebrew forms.

iE BOOK @F UDIT Hes: 1-14

And the children of Israel that dwelt in Juda heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and after what manner he had 2 spoiled all their temples, and destroyed them utterly. And they were exceedingly afraid before 3 him, and were troubled for Jerusalem, and for the temple of the Lord their God: because they were newly come up from the captivity, and all the people of Judaa were lately gathered together; and the vessels, and the altar, and the house, were sanctified after the profanation. 4 And they sent into every coast of Samaria, and to Konz, and to Bethhoron, and Belmaim, and 5 Jericho, and to Choba, and A®sora, and to the valley of Salem; and they possessed themselves beforehand of all the tops of the high mountains, and fortified the villages that were in them, and | 6 laid up victual for the provision of war: for their fields were newly reaped. And Joakim the high priest, which was in those days at Jerusalem, wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia, and Betomesthaim, 7 which is over against Esdraelon toward the plain that is nigh unto Dothaim, charging them to seize upon the ascents of the hill country ; because by them was the entrance into Judza, and it was easy to stop them from approaching. inasmuch as the approach was narrow, w7th space for two men at § the most. And the children of Israel did as Joakim the high priest had commanded them, and the senate of all the people of Israel, which dwelt at Jerusalem. And every man of Israel cried to God with great earnestness, and with great earnestness did they -|10 humble their souls. They, and their wives, and their babes, and their cattle, and every sojourner τι and hireling and servant bought with their money, put sackcloth upon their loins. And every man and woman of Israel, and the little children, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the temple, and cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the Lord; and they put 12 sackcloth about the altar: and they cried to the God of Israel earnestly with one consent, that he would not give their babes for a prey, and their wives for a spoil, and the cities of their inheritance | 13 to destruction, and the sanctuary to profanation and reproach, for the nations to rejoice at. And the Lord heard their voice, and looked upon their affliction: and the people continued fasting many » 14 days in all Judaa and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty. And Joakim the high priest, and all the priests that stood before the Lord, and they that ministered unto the Lord, had their loins girt about with sackcloth, and offered the continual burnt offering, and the vows and the

1V. 2. exceedingly, σφύδρα σφόδρα = IND IND, a favourite expression with the author. 3. The sanctification after profanation might refer to what is narrated in 1 Macc. iv. 36, but for the definite statement that the people had just returned from the captivity. In v. 18, too, the temple had been actually destroyed. If the description here is suggested by the action of Judas Maccabaeus, the author purposely puts it back to the earlier period (soon after 516 B.C.). 4. Samaria in 516 was bitterly hostile to Judaea, and would not have been consulted. The political situation represented is imaginary.

Kone. A reads κωμας, ‘villages’, and so VL.

Belmaim (δὲ Abelmain) is unknown. Syr Abelmeholah.

Choba and sora are also unknown, and the valley of Salem. 5. newly reaped, cf. ii. 27. It was still the month of June. 6. The name of the high priest Joakim is no doubt derived from Neh. xii. 26. VL in this chapter and Vulg. throughout read Eliachim, Elbeing substituted for Jeho-.

Bethulia, Ba:rovAota. A Βετυλούα. NS here Βαιτουλίας. The question of the historical value of the book turns largely on this name. As the town is the scene of the main action of the story, many details of its situation are incidentally mentioned. It can hardly be doubted that the author had in his mind some well-known and important site, although he may not have described it accurately in all points. No place of the name is known, however, and we can only suppose that a fictitious name has been adopted for some actual town. Βαιτ(ο)υλούα is now generally explained

as Mx ma ὉΝ ma Bethel = House of God, a name which might suitably be applied to any town which is to be represented as true to its faith in God, cf. e.g. viii, 20. It cannot, of course, be the historical Bethel, which was never of sufficient importance. The whole fate of the nation depended upon Bethulia, cf. vill. 21, 24. What place then

is hidden under this assumed name? It would be natural to think of Jerusalem (YS NI ndyna), but this is out of the question, since in this verse Joakim wrote from Jerusalem to Bethulia. On the whole, Torrey’s view (see Introd. § 6) is most probable, that the author is describing Shechem, even if every detail is not exact. Supposing the story to be a romance, such exactitude is unnecessary. The importance of the position of Shechem is just what is wanted, while the antipathy to everything Samaritan affords a sufficient reason for not using the name, cf.on v.16. Fora description Betomesthaim is unknown. Apparently near Bethulia and Dothan. Torrey suggests thatit isa pseudonym for Samaria, and that it is a corruption of DY ΠΣ, House of outlook, as V2 from Wt’, to watch. 8. senate, γερουσία -- JID. Its constitution (seventy members and the president, N*’2) no doubt was modelled on the seventy elders of Exod. xxiv. 1, &c., but as an official body it probably is not older than the time of the Maccabees. It certainly did not exist in 516 B.C.

dwelt, ἐκάθηντο, rather ‘sat’ as a court or deliberative assembly. 13. Jerusalem, ἅς. δὲ reads ‘and those in Jerusalem fell down before . . .’ 14. continual burnt offering, the 12N, Num. xxviii. 3.

vows and free gifts, M272) 0°773, as in Num. xxix. 39 and often.

I

THE BOOKTOF JUD HU) τ ΘΟ)

free gifts of the people; and they had ashes on their mitres: and they cried unto the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the house of Israel for good.

And it was told Holofernes, the chief captain of the host of Asshur, that the children of Israel had prepared for war, and had shut up the passages of the hill country, and had fortified all the tops of the high hills, and had laid impediments in the plains: and he was exceeding wroth, and he called all the princes of Moab, and the captains of Ammon, and all the governors of the sea coast, and he said unto them, Tell me now, ye sons of Canaan, who is this people, that dwelleth in the hill country, and what are the cities that they inhabit, and what is the multitude of their host, and wherein is their power and their strength, and what king is set over them, to be the leader of their army; and why have they turned their backs, that they should not come and meet me, more than all that dwell in the west.

And Achior, the leader of all the children of Ammon, said unto him,

Let my lord now hear a word from the mouth of thy servant, and I will tell thee the truth concerning this people, which dwelleth in this hill country, nigh unto the place where thou dwellest: and there shall no lie come out of the mouth of thy servant. This people are descended of the Chaldeans: and they sojourned heretofore in Mesopotamia, because they were not minded to follow the gods of their fathers, which were in the land of the Chaldeans. And they departed from the way of their parents, and worshipped the God of heaven, the God whom they knew: and they cast them out from the face of their gods, and they fled into Mesopotamia, and sojourned there many days. And their God commanded them to depart from the place where they sojourned, and to go into the land of Canaan: and they dwelt there, and were increased with gold and silver, and with

10 exceeding much cattle. And they went down into Egypt, for a famine covered all the land of

Canaan; and there they sojourned, until they were grown up; and they became there a great multitude, so that one could not number their nation. And the king of Egypt rose up against them, and dealt subtilly with them, and brought them low, making them to labour in brick, and made them slaves. And they cried unto their God, and he smote all the land of Egypt with incurable

13 plagues: and the Egyptians cast them out of their sight. And God dried up the Red sea before

them, and brought them into the way of Sinai, and Kadesh-Barnea, and they cast out all that dwelt in the wilderness. And they dwelt in the land of the Amorites, and they destroyed by their strength

τό all them of Heshbon, and passing over Jordan they possessed all the hill country. And they cast

out before them the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Shechemite, and all the Girgashites, and they dwelt in that country many days. And whilst they sinned not before their ,

15. mitres, Exod. xxvill. 40 (A.V. bonnets).

V. 2. Moabites and Ammonites were employed against Judaea by the historical Nebuchadnezzar, see 2 Kings xxiv. 2.

and all the governors of the sea coast, omitted by 8. The word for ‘ governors’ is σατράπας, a Persian, not Babylonian, term.

3. A rhetorical question expressing scorn, cf. vi. 2.

Canaan is merely used archaistically for Syria, not (as Ball says) in its correct sense of Phoenicia and the coast. The name is rarely found in the later O.T, literature, and then only in reference to the early history of Israel (e.g. Neh. ix. 24). Holofernes, whether he was a Babylonian or a Persian, would not have used it. :

5. Achior probably = Ahihud, by confusion of 1 and 7 as in LXX of Num. xxxiv. 27.

this people . . . thou dwellest. τοῦ λαοῦ... πλησίον σοῦ οἰκοῦντος probably go together, ‘the people dwelling near thee.’ The sentence is very awkward, and one of the two clauses would be better omitted. R.V.seems to me impossible.

6-8. This is rather the later midrashic development of the story of Abraham (refusing to worship the gods of Terah, incurring the wrath of Nimrod, and banished) than that contained in Gen. xi. 31-xii. 5, which is followed, e.g. in

6. descended of the Chaldeans, i.e. Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees.

7. in Mesopotamia, i.e. at Haran.

which were, ἐγένοντο, would naturally refer to ‘fathers’. 58 VL Syr add ἔνδοξοι, ‘which were worshipped,’ making it refer to the gods.

8. God of heaven, cf. Dan. ii. 28, iv. 37, &c., and Sachau, Avamdische Papyrus aus... Elephantine,i.2, &c. The expression was common in Persian times.

knew, ἐπέγνωσαν, perhaps ‘whom they had come to know’ or recognized as the only true God in consequence of a revelation, cf. Acts vii. 2.

g. See Gen. xii. 1.

10. grown up, μέχρις οὗ διετράφησαν. A.V. ‘while they were nourished’, which is correct. R.V. seems to mean “until they increased in number’, but that is said in the next clause. Possibly the Hebrew was YN ἫΝ ‘as long as they lived (or were fed)’. Cf. Gen. ]. 20.

11. B reads ‘they dealt subtilly with them in (or with) labour (clay δὲ, cf. Exod. i. 14) and brick, and they humbled them and made... .’ ;

12. The speech of Achior is part of the scheme of the book, to encourage the people in time of trouble by showing how God has given deliverance formerly when His people were worthy of it. Achior is represented as tending to a belief in the God of Israel, so that his sudden conversion later on is the less surprising. ;

out of their sight, ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν is merely the Hebrew omabi, ‘from them.’

16. Shechem is not named in the list in Joshua xii. It is introduced here out of hostility to the Samaritans.

THE BOOK OF JUDITH "b.)18—6.: 7

18 God, they prospered, because God that hateth iniquity was with them. But when they departed from the way which he appointed them, they were destroyed in many battles very sore, and were led captives into a land that was not theirs, and the temple of their God was cast to the ground, and το their cities were taken by their adversaries. And now they are returned to their God, and are come | up from the dispersion where they were dispersed, and have possessed Jerusalem, where their 20 sanctuary is, and are seated in the hill country : for it was desolate. And now, my lord and master, | if there is any error in this people, and they sin against their God, we will consider what this thing far is wherein they stumble, and we will go up and overcome them. But if there is no lawlessness in | their nation, let my lord now pass by, lest their Lord defend them, and their God be for them, and we shall be a reproach before all the earth.

22 And it came to pass, when Achior had finished speaking these words, all the people that compassed the tent and stood round about it murmured ; and the great men of Holofernes, and all 23 that dwelt by the sea side, and in Moab, spake that he should kill him. For, sazd they, we will not be afraid of the children of Israel: for, lo, it isa people that hath no power nor might to make the 24 battle strong. Wherefore now we will go up, and they shall be a prey to be devoured of all thine army, lord Holofernes.

And when the tumult of the men that were about the council was ceased, Holofernes the chief captain of the host of Asshur said unto Achior and to all the children of Moab before all the people of the aliens,

2 And who art thou, Achior, and the hirelings of Ephraim, that thou hast prophesied among us as to-day, and hast said, that we should not make war with the race of Israel, because their God 3 will defend them? And who is God but Nebuchadnezzar? He shall send forth his might, and sha!l destroy them from the face of the earth, and their God shall not deliver them: but we his 4 servants shall smite them as one man; and they shall not sustain the might of our horses. For with them we shall burn them up, and their mountains shall be drunken with their blood, and their plains shall be filled with their dead bodies, and their footsteps shall not stand before us, but they shall surely perish, saith king Nebuchadnezzar, lord of all the earth: for he said, The words that I have 5 spoken shall not be in vain. But thou, Achior, hireling of Ammon, which hast spoken these words in the day of thine iniquity, shalt see my face no more from this day, until I shall be avenged of the 6 race of those that came out of Egypt. And then shall the sword of mine army, and the multitude of them that serve me, pass through thy sides, and thou shalt fall among their slain, when I shall ἡ return. And my servants shall bring thee back into the hill country, and shall set thee in one of

18. led captives, by (the historical) Nebuchadnezzar in 588. Achior is telling this toa representative of Nebuchadnezzar seventy years later! temple . . . cast to the ground. It was not merely desecrated as e.g. by Antiochus.

19. are come up aby), i.e. about 516. the dispersion. διασπορά is the common word in Hellenistic times for the Jews scattered in various lands, not exiles in one place, as here.

20. Rather, ‘if there is any fault due to ignorance (792’) . . . and we see that this offence (σκάνδαλον) is in them, then (kai) we willgoup.. .’

21. lawlessness, ἀνομία, a breach of the Law, = ἀγνέημα in verse 20.

lest . . . for them, rather ‘lest their Lord and their God defend (be a shield over) them’; ὑπερασπίσῃ . . . ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν = DMDY 33°. and we shall be. ἐσύμεθα is not dependent (incorrectly) on μή wore, but means ‘ for then (καί) we shall be . . . VI. 1. about the council, i.e. were round about forming the council. and to all the children of Moab is omitted by B, and transferred to the next verse by homoioteleuton, where it is evidently out of place. For ‘ Moab’ 19 108, read ‘Ammon’, more appropriately, as Achior was an Ammonite. aliens, ἀλλόφυλοι in LXX means Philistines, but here only ‘non-Jews’.

2. hirelings, meaning that they were mercenaries in the ‘ Assyrian’ army (Ephraim being then incorrectly used for ‘Syrian ’), or perhaps that they were bought over by Ephraim, i.e. Israel.

For Ephraim 19 108 read Ammon, and similarly 58 VL Syr. as to-day. καθὼς σήμερον is no doubt D192 ‘to-day’, ‘ now’.

4. burn them up, κατακαύσομεν (Δ), an unsuitable word. The variants κατακλύσομεν and καταπατήσομεν (OY3) are evident corrections.

for he said .. . , better ‘for he hath spoken (it). The words of his sayings (δὲ 19 108 “of his mouth”) shall not be in vain’; cf. verse 9.

6. the multitude of them that serve. λαὸς τῶν θεραπόντων passing through his sides is a strange expression. Fritzsche emends χαλκός, comparing VL and Syr. But it may mean ‘cut him in two and march between the parts’ ; or, more probably, it is a mistranslation of ‘73y Symyx oS IN (for τοῦ λαοῦ), ‘the sword of my army and of my servants.’ So above, i. 6 βασιλείς.

I shall return, B ‘they’. : . ae

7. bring thee back, ἀποκαταστήσουσί σε used loosely for ‘take thee away’ (so Fritzsche), cf Hos. xi, 12, LXX (not bring back).

THE BOOK OF JUDITH'S. 87

8, 9 the cities of the ascents: and thou shalt not perish, till thou be destroyed with them. And if thou — hopest in thy heart that they shall not be taken, let not thy countenance fall. I have spoken it,and — none of my words shall fall to the ground. : ; =

το And Holofernes commanded his servants, that waited in his tent, to take Achior, and bring him τι back to Bethulia, and deliver him into the hands of the children of Israel. And his servants took him, and brought him out of the camp into the plain, and they removed from the midst of the plain 12 country into the hill country, and came unto the fountains that were under Bethulia. And when the men of the city saw them on the top of the hill, they took up their weapons, and went out of the city against them to the top of the hill: and every man that used a sling kept them from coming up, and 13 cast stones against them. And they gat them privily under the hill, and bound Achior, and cast him 14 down, and left him at the foot of the hill, and went away unto their lord. — But the children of Israel descended from their city, and came upon him, and loosed him, and led him away into Bethulia, and 15 presented him to the rulers of their city ; which were in those days Ozias the son of Micah, of the 16 tribe of Simeon, and Chabris the son of Gothoniel, and Charmis the son of Melchiel. And they called together all the elders of the city ; and all their young men ran together, and their women, to the assembly ; and they set Achior in the midst of all their people. And Ozias asked him of that ῃ 17 which had happened : and he answered and declared unto them the words of the council of Holofernes, and all the words that he had spoken in the midst of the princes of the children of Asshur, and all 18 the great words that Holofernes had spoken against the house of Israel. And the people fell down 19 and worshipped God, and cried, saying, O Lord God of heaven, behold their arrogance, and pity the 20 low estate of our race, and look upon the face of those that are sanctified unto thee this day. And 21 they comforted Achior, and praised him exceedingly. And Ozias took him out of the assembly into his house, and made a feast to the elders; and they called on the God of Israel for help all that night.

7 τ “But the next day Holofernes gave command to all his army, and to all his peopie which were

come to be his allies, that they should remove their camp toward Bethulia, and take aforehand the

ascents of the hill country, and make war against the children of Israel. And every mighty man of them removed that day, and the host of their men of war was a hundred and seventy thousand footmen, and twelve thousand horsemen, beside the baggage, and the men that were afoot among

3 them, an exceeding great multitude. And they encamped in the valley near unto Bethulia, by the

fountain, and they spread themselves in breadth over Dothaim even to Belmaim, and in length from Bethulia unto Cyamon, which is over against Esdraelon.

4+ But the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, were troubled exceedingly, and

said every one to his neighbour, Now shall these men lick up the face of all the earth; and neither

the high mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills, shall be able to bear their weight. And every man took up his weapons of war, and when they had kindled fires upon their towers, they remained and watched all that night.

But on the second day Holofernes led out all his horse in the sight of the children of Israel which ~ were in Bethulia, and viewed the ascents to their city, and searched out the fountains of the waters,

a1 Οἱ

ascents, i.e, the hill-country of the enemy. 8. with them, i.e. the cities. 9. Meaning ‘if you really believe what you have just said, you need not look dismayed as you do’. 10. bring him back, see verse 7. Bethulia, Βετυλουά B, Βαιτουλουά 8. Note thatit was on a hill, and there were springs just below it (v. 11 and vii. 12).

12. on the top of the hill, though read by the chief MSS., is due to homoioteleuton from the line below. It is omitted by 58 VL Syr.

13. cast . . . and left, better ‘left him lying’. 15. The forms of the names vary very much in the MSS. Micah, Χειμά A: of the tribe of Simeon, as Judith was, ix. 2. Charmis, Χαλμείς A. Melchiel, Σελλήμ &*. 19. those that are sanctified . . . i.e. ‘thy holy nation’, Twp, which Syr seems to have taken as 77%, ‘ thy sanctuary.’ a ἣ

20. VL adds, ‘saying, As it shall please God (to do) concerning us, (so) shall it be also with thee.’ 21. feast, πότον = NNW,

VII. 2. the host . . . properly ‘ their host of warriors ’. baggage and, B has ‘ baggage of’. 3. The fountain was below the city, cf. vi. 11. Belmaim, δὲ Abelmaim, cf. iv. 4. Cyamon, Syr Kadmin, VL Chelmona, is unknown. 5. when . . . towers, omitted by δὲ " and added by the corrector.

RHE BOOK TOF JUDITH ἡ 7-28

and seized upon them, and set garrisons of men of war over them, and himself departed to his eople. 18 a aa there came unto him all the rulers of the children of Esau, and all the leaders of the people of Moab, and the captains of the sea coast, and said, Let our lord now hear a word, that there be not ‘ro an overthrow in thy host. For this people of the children of Israel do not trust in their spears, but | in the height of the mountains wherein they dwell, for it is not easy to come up to the tops of their ἔτι mountains. And now, my lord, fight not against them as men fight who join battle, and there shall 12 not so much as one man of thy people perish. Remain in thy camp,and keep safe every man of thy host, and let thy servants get possession of the fountain of water, which issueth forth of the foot of 13 the mountain: because all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence ; and thirst shall kill | them, and they shall give up their city: and we and our people will go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and will encamp upon them, to watch that not one man go out of the city. }14 And they shall be consumed with famine, they and their wives and their children, and before the }15 sword come against them they shall be laid low in the streets where they dwell. And thou shalt render them an evil reward ; because they rebelled, and met not thy face in peace. [τό And their words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and in the sight of all his servants; and 17 he appointed to do as they had spoken. And the army of the children of Ammon removed, and with them five thousand cf the children of Asshur, and they encamped in the valley, and seized upon the 18 waters and the fountains of the waters of the children of Israel. And the children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and encamped in the hill country over against Dothaim: and they sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east, over against Ekrebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; and the rest of the army of the Assyrians encamped in the plain, and covered all the face of the land; and their tents and baggage were pitched upon it in a great crowd, and they were an exceeding great multitude. τὸ And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord their God, for their spirit fainted ; for all their enemies had compassed them round about, and there was no way to escape out from among them. 20 And all the army of Asshur remained about them, their footmen and their chariots and their horse- 21 men, four and thirty days; and all their vessels of water failed all the inhabitants of Bethulia. And the cisterns were emptied, and they had not water to drink their fill for one day: for they gave them 22 drink by measure. And their young children were out of heart, and the women and the young men fainted for thirst, and they fell down in the streets of the city, and in the passages of the gates, and 23 there was no longer any strength inthem. And all the people were gathered together against Ozias, and against the rulers of the city, the young men and the women and the children, and they cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders, 24 God be judge between you and us: because ye have done us great wrong, in that ye have not 25 spoken words of peace with the children of Asshur. And now we have no helper: but God hath sold us into their hands, that we should be laid low before them with thirst and great destruction. 26 And now call them unto you, and deliver up the whole city for a prey to the people of Holofernes, 27 and to all his host. For it is better for us to be made a spoil unto them: for we shall be servants, _ and our souls shall live, and we shall not see the death of our babes before our eyes, and our wives 28 and our children fainting in death. We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and the Lord of our fathers, which punisheth us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as we have said this day.

7. to his people, 1. 6. went back to the main body of his army. 8. Esau, archaistic. 10. wherein they dwell, ἐν ois αὐτοὶ ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν αὐτοῖς, a Hebraism. 11. as... battle. παράταξις is battle-array ; ‘as a war is conducted in the field.’ 13. to watch . . ., properly ‘as an outpost, so that no one shall. . .’ 17. Ammon, 19 108 VL Syr Moab. The same variant in vi. 1. waters (i.e. reservoirs) and springs. 18. Ekrebel in A: the rest have Egrebel: probably Akraba, about ten miles south-east of Nablus or Shechem Ball and Torrey. Chusi in A: the rest and VL, Chus: mod. Quzeh, five or six miles south of Nablus (Torrey). Mochmur, omitted by A: mod. Makhueh, south of Nablus (Torrey). in a great crowd, perhaps ‘among a great throng of camp-followers ’ (Ball). 20. four and thirty days. 19 108 have fourteen days and a month; VL Syr four days and two months; Vulg. twenty days. The long siege by this large army is meant to emphasize the importance of Bethulia. vessels, ἀγγεῖα, in which water was stored in private houses. 28. witness, cf. Deut. iv. 26. Lord of our fathers is only used to vary the phrase, which is a translation of }).0)1N ὙΠΟΝῚ yams, that he do not . . . ought to mean ‘we urge you (to take steps) that he do not...’ ‘If the text is correct, the subject of ποιήσῃ must be either God or Holofernes. The former is better, since they recommend surrendering to

29 And there was great weeping of all with one consent in the midst of the assembly ; and they cried 30 unto the Lord God with a loud voice. And Ozias said to them, Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet endure five days, in the which space the Lord our God shall turn his mercy toward us ; for 31 he will not forsake us utterly. But if these days pass, and there come no help unto us, I will do 32 according to your words. And he dispersed the people, every man to his own camp ; and they went | away unto the walls and towers of their city ; and he sent the women and children into their houses: and they were brought very low in the city. 81 And in those days Judith heard thereof, the daughter of Merari, the son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Oziel, the son of Elkiah, the son of Ananias, the son of Gideon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Ahitub, the son of Elihu, the son of Eliab, the son of Nathanael, the son of Salamiel, the son of Salasadai, the son of Israel. And her husband was Manasses, of her tribe and of her family, and he died in the days of barley harvest. For he stood over them that bound sheaves in the field, and the heat came upon his head, and he fell on his bed, and died in his city Bethulia: and they buried 4 him with his fathers in the field which is between Dothaim and Balamon. And Judith was a widow 5 in her house three years and four months. And she made her a tent upon the roof of her house, 6 and put on sackcloth upon her loins; and the garments of her widowhood were upon her. And she fasted all the days of her widowhood,:save the eves of the sabbaths, and the sabbaths, and the eves 7 of the new moons, and the new moons, and the feasts and joyful days of the house of Israel. And she was of a goodly countenance, and exceeding beautiful to behold: and her husband Manasses — had left her gold, and silver, and menservants, and maidservants, and cattle, and lands; and she 8 remained upon them. And there was none that gave her an evil word; for she feared God — exceedingly. g And she heard the evil words of the people against the governor, because they fainted for lack of water ; and Judith heard all the words that Ozias spake unto them, how he sware to them that he ro would deliver the city unto the Assyrians after five days. And she sent her maid, that was over all 11 things that she had, to call Ozias and Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city. And they came unto her, and she said unto them, Hear me now, O ye rulers of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your word that ye have spoken before the people this day is not right, and ye have set the oath which ye have pronounced between God and you, and have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these days the

Holofernes and in verse 31 Ozias promises todoso. ‘That he do not...’ then means ‘that he let us not die of thirst’. But δὲ omits μή, and VL reads w¢ faciatzs (Vulg. ‘ut tradatis civitatem,’ &c.), which suggests a reading ἵνα ποιήσητε, ‘that ye do as we say,’ i.e. surrender, cf. verse 31.

32. every man. The Greek requires ἕκαστον, as in 58 VL Syr.

camp. παρεμβολήν 15 rather ‘station’ or ‘ post’ of duty in guarding the wails, as shown by the next clause ; cf. vii. 7 (garrisons).

he sent, ‘they sent,’ ἀπέστειλαν, is the common reading.

VIII. 1. heard. 58 VL Syr have ‘was living in the city ’.

If the genealogy is fictitious, it is strangely elaborate. The names are corrupt, and we have no means of checking

Ox, which is not a Hebrew name, may be for Uz (19 Oz) or Uzzi (VL Ozi). son of Ananias . . . Ahitub, omitted by B. Raphaim (cf. Gen. xiv. 5) cannot be right. Ball suggests Raphaiah or Raphael. For Ahitub (δὲ 19 108 VL Syr) A has Akitho. After Elihu & B add υἱοῦ Χελκ(ε)ίου. Eliab, δ ENAB, VL Enar. Salamiel, δὲ Samamiel. ἢ Salasadai, δὲ Sarisadai (IW ?), B Sarasadai. 4. 1.6. she had been a widow three years and four months up to the date of the siege. 6. save the eves of the sabbaths, VL ‘ praeter cenam puram’. The observance of eves as well as the festivals was in accordance with the later Talmudic rule. joyful days, χαρμοσυνῶν, We should expect a word answering to O7pw, the general term for festivals, since ἑορταί are DIN, the three great feasts. 58 adds καὶ μνημοσυνῶν, VL ‘et memoriae’, and so Syr. ᾿

7. 58 VL Syr have *. . . countenance and wise in heart and good in understanding (cf. xi. 23), and she was (exceedingly) rich, for her husband . . .’ ἣ

After Manasses VL adds his genealogy, copied from verse 1. remained, omdy nav”, she made her home on the property. Cf. Sayce and Cowley, Avamazc Papyri C 5, 6 ἽΠΠΟΝ DY 12 3N,.. TI NPN. 8. gave her an evil word, i.e. slandered her. 9. how he sware. 58 Syr ‘how he hearkened (i.e. gave way) and sware’. So VL.

10. maid, ἅβραν, said to be a foreign word: possibly from the root 13M, and so ‘companion’: but she was a slave (xvi. 23). Ozias is omitted by 8 A B. ‘

PEE DOO OF |W DIT rH v8s12—33

2 Lord turn to help you. And now who are ye that have tempted God this day, and stand instead of 3 God among the children of men? And now try the Lord Almighty, and ye shall never know 4anything. For ye shall not find the depth of the heart of man, and ye shall not perceive the things that he thinketh: and how shall ye search out God, which Rae made all these things, and know is mind, and comprehend his purpose? Nay, my brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger. = For if he be not minded to help us within these five days, he hath power to defend us in such rime 6 as he will, or to destroy us before the face of our enemies. But do not ye pledge the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as man, that he should be threatened ; neither as the son of man, 7 that he should be turned by intreaty. Wherefore let us wait for the salvation that cometh from | 8 him, and call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice, if it please him. For there arose none in our age, neither is there any of us to-day, tribe, or kindred, or family, or city, which worship gods g made with hands, as it was in the former days; for the which cause our fathers were given to the ὁ sword, and for a spoil, and fell with a great fall before our enemies. But we know none other god τ beside him, wherefore we hope that he will not despise us, nor any of our race. For if we be taken so, all Judzea shall sit upon the ground, and our sanctuary shall be spoiled ; and of our blood shall 12 he require the profanation thereof. And the slaughter of our brethren, and the captivity of the land, and the desolation of our inheritance, shall he turn upon our heads among the Gentiles, wheresoever we shall be in bondage; and we shall be an offence and a reproach before them that take us for ,3 ἃ possession. For our bondage shall not be ordered to favour: but the Lord our God shall turn it 24to dishonour. And now, brethren, let us shew an example to our brethren, because their soul »5 hangeth upon us, and the sanctuary and the house and the altar rest upon us. Besides all this let 26 us give thanks to the Lord our God, which trieth us, even as he did our fathers also. Remember all the things which he did to Abraham, and all the things in which he tried Isaac, and all the things which happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, when he kept the sheep of Laban his mother’s 27 brother. For he hath not tried us in the fire,as he did them, to search out their hearts, neither hath he taken vengeance on us; but the Lord doth scourge them that come near unto him, to admonish 28 And Ozias said to her, All that thou hast spoken hast thou spoken with a good heart, and there 29 is none that shall gainsay thy words. For this is not the first day wherein thy wisdom is manifested ; but from the beginning of thy days all the people have known thine understanding, because the 30 disposition of thy heart is good. But the people were exceeding thirsty, and compelled us to do as 31 we spake to them, and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we will not break. And now pray thou for us, because thou art a godly woman, and the Lord shall send us rain to fill our cisterns, and 32 we shall faint no more. And Judith said unto them, Hear me, and I will do a thing, which shall go 33 down to all generations among the children of our race. Ye shall stand at the gate this night, and I will go forth with my maid: and, within the days after which ye said that ye would deliver the

12. instead of God. ὑπὲρ rod θεοῦ. Ball renders ‘above God’, but the meaning is probably as in R.V. VL has pro Deo, ‘as God’, and similarly Syr.

13. 58 VL Syr have καὶ νοῦν κυρίου... καὶ οὐθεὶς γνώσεται. Probably ἐξετάζετε is indicative ‘ye are trying’ (or tempting). Cf. Job xi. 7, and 1 Cor. ii. 11, 16, which is not a quotation.

14. 58 VL Syr have ‘the depth . . . shall not be found’, and διαλογισμούς for λόγους.

Syr has ‘and to destroy our enemies before us’. 16. Cf. Num. xxiii. 19 (LXX), where διαρτηθῆναι (to be undecided) is used, as here by 19 23 44 55 al. R.V. ‘turned

τ by intreaty’ is διαιτηθῆναι, the common reading. 18. age. ἐν ταῖς γενεαῖς ἡμῶν = 1) 7) 2, i.e. within living memory, which might be true of the time after the exile. { 18-20. This is the chief lesson of the book. : 20. we know. .. ἡμεῖς. .. οὐκ ἐπεγνῶμεν, ‘we (emphatic) have never recognized any...’ 58 VL insert (οὐδ᾽) ἀποστήσει τὸ σωτήριον ἔλεος αὐτοῦ, ‘nec auferet salvationem e¢ misericordiam suam a nobiseta.. .’ 21. all Judea shail sit . . . καθήσεται. 19 23 44 64 al. κλιθήσεται, others κληθήσεται. 58 VL Syr ληφθήσεται.

Fritzsche conjectures καυθήσεται and Thilo παυθήσεται. But probably ‘sit’ is right, and some word for ‘solitary’ has

of our blood is the reading of the MSS., but the expression is unusual, and seems to be due to a mistranslation. Fritzsche reads στύματος (without MS. authority) which is no better. The meaning is ‘he will punish us for its profanation ’. 22. turn upon our heads, i.e. punish us for it, cf. Judges ix. 57 (Ball). 23. to favour, as in the case of Jehoiachin, 2 Kings xxv. 27 ff. (Ball). 24. Test upon us. Note the importance of Bethulia. It was the key of the whole situation. 27. scourge, cf. Heb. xii. 6. This verse is quoted by Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 11. 447. 31. 58 VL Syr have ‘for us and God shall speedily hear us, because’.

godly, εὐσεβής ; 58 Syr θεοσεβής (as in xi. 17), VL sacra.

32. 58 VL Syr ‘a thing of wisdom’. 33. 58 VL Syr add ‘as I trust’ at the end.

34 city to our enemies, the Lord shall visit Israel by my hand. But ye shall not inquire of mine act: 35 for I will not declare it unto you, till the things be finished that I do. And Ozias and the rulers —

said unto her, Go in peace, and the Lord God be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies. 36 And they returned from the tent, and went to their stations.

9: But Judith fell upon her face, and put ashes upon her head, and uncovered the sackcloth wherewith she was clothed; and the incense of that evening was now being offered at Jerusalem in the house of God, and Judith cried unto the Lord with a loud voice, and said,

2 O Lord God of my father Simeon, into whose hand thou gavest a sword to take vengeance of the strangers, who loosened the girdle of a virgin to defile her, and uncovered the thigh to her shame, 3 and profaned the womb to her reproach; for thou saidst, It shall not be so; and they did so: wherefore thou gavest their rulers to be slain, and their bed, which was ashamed for her that was deceived, to be dyed in blood, and smotest the servants with their lords, and the lords upon their 4 thrones; and gavest their wives for a prey, and their daughters to be captives, and all their spoils | to be divided among thy dear children ; which were moved with zeal for thee, and abhorred the pollution of their blood, and called upon thee for aid: O God, O my God, hear me also thatama 5 widow. For thou wroughtest the things that were before those things, and those things, and such as ensued after; and thou didst devise the things which are now, and the things which are to come: 6 and the things which thou didst devise came to pass; yea, the things which thou didst determine stood before thee, and said, Lo, we are here: for all thy ways are prepared, and thy judgement is 7 with foreknowledge. For, behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and rider; they have gloried in the strength of their footmen; they have trusted in shield and spear and bow and sling ; and they know not that thou art the Lord that breaketh the | 8 battles: the Lord is thy name. Dash thou down their strength in thy power, and bring down their force in thy wrath: for they have purposed to profane thy sanctuary, and to defile the tabernacle g Where thy glorious name resteth, and to cast down with the sword the horn of thine altar. Look upon their pride, and send thy wrath upon their heads: give into my hand, which am a widow, the 1o might that I have conceived. Smite by the deceit of my lips the servant with the prince, and the 11 prince with his servant: break down their stateliness by the hand of a woman. For thy power standeth not in multitude, nor thy might in strong men: but thou art a God of the afflicted, thou

36. 58 VL ‘returned and went down from the tent’, which was on the roof of her house (viii. 5).

IX. I. uncovered, i.e. rent the mantle which she wore over it, so 55 VL Syr, or took off her mantle. 2. Referring to Gen. xxxiv. 25. girdle, μίτραν, is Grotius’s emendation for μήτραν (as all MSS.). But ‘to loose the girdle’ is not a Hebrew expression in this sense, and μέτρα is used elsewhere in this book for head-dress, not girdle. λύειν μήτραν, if it is for ON MMA, is quite unsuitable here. The verse is evidently corrupt, as the second μήτραν shows (which 248 has changed to

παρθενίαν). We should expect in Hebrew ADIN MAY AP, Can Nyy have been misread NY and translated pirpa? The result would be sufficiently unintelligible to lead to corrections in the Greek. It shall not be so, as LXX in Gen. xxxiv. 7.

3. bed ... blood. The text is difficult, and must be corrupt. B has ἣ ἠδέσατο τὴν ἀπάτην αὐτῶν ἀπατηθεῖσαν, apparently meaning ‘ which was ashamed of their deceit (wherewith they had deceived)’. A and δὲ omit ἀπάτην, and so R.V. Fritzsche omits ἀπατηθεῖσαν. 58 has ἐδέξατο τὴν ἀγαπηθεῖσαν (and similarly VL Syr) which must bea | conjectural emendation. For ἠδέσατο Fritzsche conjectures ἡδύνατο, Ball ἡδήσατο, 248 has ἠρδεύσατο, others ἠδεύσατο, ὦ ἃς. None of these is an improvement on the ordinary reading, and some are impossible. The parallelism requires the whole relative clause to be omitted. Read ‘thou gavest their rulers to slaughter and their bed to blood’.

with. ἐπί by, and so the second ἐπί perhaps ‘ with their thrones’, cf. verse 10.

5. those things, and. ἐκεῖνα καί is very clumsy. δὲ omits καί. A omits rd. Syr has ‘the middle things’. We should expect the Hebrew to be NYIINNY NDP MWY, for which there may have been a variant ‘MNT abs ‘ony giving rise to the existing Greek. The present things are mentioned in the next sentence.

devise (1) is διενοήθης, ‘intend’. devise (2) is ἐνενοήθης, NWN, ‘thou hadst in mind’. Cf. Sir. xxix. 30 and Midrash Ber. 20, § 3, where creation is said to originate T2wnND3.

6. judgement. A has ‘judgements’. 58 VL Syr ai κτίσεις.

7. breaketh . . . name, from Exod. xv. 3 LXX.

8. in thy power, rather ‘ by’, ἐν = 2 as frequently.

58 VL Syr have ‘dash down their strength, oh Eternal (aioe), break their multitude by thy power, smite

(πάταξον for κάταξον) their force . . .᾿ δὲ has σύνραξον, which may be the original reading for σὺ ῥάξον. tabernacle ... Cf. Deut. xii. 11 and frequently.

9. the might . . . i.e. strength to do what I have conceived. lo. deceit. Vulg. read ἀγάπης for ἀπάτης, as in ix. 3. ‘Lips of deceit’ is a Hebraism PY “NEY, cf. Ps. cxx. 2. With this clause cf. ix. 3. | stateliness, ἀνάστεμα, a form also found in xii. 8 in some MSS. A has dviotnpa, by the hand ofa woman. She was thinking of Jael, cf. Judges ix. 54. 11. might. 58 VL Syr have δόσις ‘ gift’, δὲ δεξιά,

cE BOOK OF JUDITH 95 a1—10: τ art a helper of the oppressed, an upholder of the weak, a protector of the forlorn, a saviour of them 2that are without hope. Yea, yea, God of my father, and God of the inheritance of Israel, Lord of the heavens and of the earth, Creator of the waters, King of every creature, hear thou my prayer: -3and make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have purposed hard things against thy covenant, and thy hallowed house, and the top of Sion, and the house of the possession of thy «4 children. And make every nation and tribe of thine to know that thou art God, the God of all power and might, and that there is none other that protecteth the race of Israel but thou. x1 And it came to pass, when she had ceased to cry unto the God of Israel, and had made an end of 2 all these words, that she rose up where she had fallen down, and called her maid, and went down 3 into the house, in the which she was wont to abide on the sabbath days and on her feast days, and pulled off the sackcloth which she had put on, and put off the garments of her widowhood, and washed her body all over with water, and anointed herself with rich ointment, and braided the hair of her head, and put a tire upon it, and put on her garments of gladness, wherewith she was wont 4 to be clad in the days of the life of Manasses her husband. And she took sandals for her feet, and put her chains about her, and her bracelets, and her rings, and her earrings, and all her ornaments, 5 and decked herself bravely, to beguile the eyes of all men that should see her. And she gave her maid a leathern bottle of wine, and a cruse of oil, and filled a bag with parched corn and lumps of figs and fine bread; and she packed all her vessels together, and laid them upon her. 6 And they went forth to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found standing thereby Ozias, and 7 the elders of the city, Chabris and Charmis. But when they saw her, that her countenance was altered, and her apparel was changed, they wondered at her beauty very exceedingly, and said unto ' Sher, The God of our fathers give thee favour, and accomplish thy purposes to the glory of the g children of Israel, and to the exaltation of Jerusalem. And she worshipped God, and said unto them, Command that they open unto me the gate of the city, and I will go forth to accomplish the το things whereof ye spake with me. And they commanded the young men to open unto her, as she had spoken: and they did so.

And Judith went out, she, and her handmaid with her; and the men of the city looked after her, until she was gone down the mountain, until she had passed the valley, and they could see her no -1/12more. And they went straight onward in the valley: and the watch of the Assyrians met her; and

they took her,and asked her, Of what people art thou? and whence comest thou? and whither goest

thou? And she said, 1 am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I flee away from their presence ; because 13 they are about to be given you to be consumed: and I am coming into the presence of Holofernes the chief captain of your host, to declare words of truth ; and I will shew before him a way..whereby he shall go, and win all the hill country, and there shall not be lacking of his men one person, nor

oppressed, ἐλαττόνων, is right (not as R.V. margin) = those who are inferior to others, i.e. overcome by them. 58 VL Syr have ‘saviour of the forlorn’, omitting σκεπαστὴς ἀπηλπισμένων.

12. of every creature, πάσης κτίσεώς cov = TNX $3 «all (thy) creation’, a common expression in late Hebrew. 13. against thy covenant. Ball cft. Dan. xi. 28, and suggests that this is an indication of Maccabean times, but the indication is too slight to be pressed. top, i.e. mount, unusual with Sion. 14. every nation... of thine, δὲ B ἐπὶ πᾶν τὸ ἔθνος σου, A ἐπὶ παντὸς ἔθνους cov. 58 ‘every nation of every tribe to know thee’. VL also omits σου. The meaning is (as Syr) ‘ make thy whole nation (Israel) and every (foreign) tribe to know ’, not as R.V.

X. Ball rightly points out that x. 1-x1. 5 is modelled on the Greek Esther v. I-15. 2. maid, ἅβραν, as in viii. 10 and in the parallel passage in Esther.

house. She lived usually in a tent on the roof, but went down into the house for festivals.

3. braided, διέταξε, properly ‘arranged’. Syr ‘anointed’. VL (cod. Corb.) and Vulg. discrzminavit, ‘she parted it? δὲ διέξανε. 19 108 διεξήνατο = VL Pectinavit, ‘she combed it out.’

tire is μίτρα, cf. above on ix. 2.

4. sandals would not have been worn during her mourning.

chains, χλίδωνας, following sandals, are probably ‘anklets’, as VL.

decked herself. Vulg. adds that her beauty was miraculously increased because of her virtuous object.

to beguile, cis ἀπάτησιν. AB ἀπάντησιν, to meet.

5. lumps of figs, παλάθης. δὲ om. Syr has plural.

After bread 19 108 add ‘cheese’, and so 58 VL Syr.

It is in accordance with Judith’s pious observance of the Law that she should make these careful preparations to ensure having clean (osher) food while away from home. The vessels were for such cooking as might be necessary. Gentile vessels would be or might be unclean.

8. give thee favour, δῴη σε «is χάριν. A Hebrew expression = make thee to be favoured. 58 VL Syr have δῴη σοι χαριν.

ts tpechulia was on a mountain and was approached by a valley. The outposts (προφυλακή) of the enemy were at the other end of the valley.

12. Hebrews. Correctly used to distinguish them from foreigners, to whom she was speaking.

13. lacking, διαφωνήσει, a late Greek use of the word. In 1 Sam. xxx. 19 it renders 1792. The end of the verse would be strange, even in Hebrew. It means ‘no one shall be taken prisoner or killed’.

THE BOOK OF JUDITH 10. 14—I11. τὸ

14 one life. Now when the men heard her words, and considered her countenance, the beauty thereof q r= was exceeding marvellous in their eyes, and they said unto her, Thou hast saved thy life, in that thou hast hasted to come down to the presence of our lord: and now come to his tent, and some of 16 us shall conduct thee, until they shall deliver thee into his hands. But when thou standest before him, be not afraid in thine heart, but declare unto him according to thy words ; and he shall entreat 17 thee well. And they chose out of them a hundred men, and appointed them to accompany her and her maid ; and they brought them to the tent of Holofernes. 1 And there was a concourse throughout all the camp, for her coming was noised among the tents; and they came and compassed her about, as she stood without the tent of Holofernes, until they told 19 him of her. And they marvelled at her beauty, and marvelled at the children of Israel because of her, and each one said to his neighbour, Who shall despise this people, that have among them such women? for it is not good that one man of them be left, seeing that, if they are let go, they shall be 20 able to deceive the whole earth. And they that lay near Holofernes, and all his servants, went forth 21 and brought her into the tent. And Holofernes was resting upon his bed under the canopy, which 22 was woven with purple and gold and emeralds and precious stones. And they told him of her; and 23 he came forth into the space before his tent, with silver lamps going before him. But when Judith was come before him and his servants, they all marvelled at the beauty of her countenance; and she fell down upon her face, and did reverence unto him: and his servants raised her up. 11 τ And Holofernes said unto her, Woman, be of good comfort, fear not in thy heart: for I never hurt any that hath chosen to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of all the earth. And now, if thy people that dwelleth in the hill country had not set light by me, I would not have lifted up my spear against them: but they have done these things to themselves. And now tell me wherefore thou didst flee from them, and camest unto us: for thou art come to save thyself; be of good comfort, 4 thou shalt live this night, and hereafter: for there is none that shall wrong thee, but all shall entreat 5 thee well, as is done unto the servants of king Nebuchadnezzar my lord. And Judith said unto him, Receive the words of thy servant, and let thy handmaid speak in thy presence, and I will declare no lie unto my lord this night. And if thou shalt follow the words of thy handmaid, God shall bring 7 the thing to pass perfectly with thee ; and my lord shall not fail of his purposes. As Nebuchadnezzar king of all the earth liveth, and as his power liveth, who hath sent thee for the preservation of every living thing, not only do men serve him by thee, but also the beasts of the field and the cattle and the birds of the heaven shall live through thy strength, in the time of Nebuchadnezzar and of all his 8 house. For we have heard of thy wisdom and the subtil devices of thy soul, and it hath been reported in all the earth, that thou only art brave in all the kingdom, and mighty in knowledge, and wonderful in feats of war. And now as concerning the matter, which Achior did speak in thy council, we have heard his words: for the men of Bethulia saved him, and he declared unto them |

το all that he had spoken before thee. Wherefore, O lord and master, neglect not his word; but lay it up in thy heart, for it is true: for our race shall not be punished, neither shall the sword prevail

14. The two halves of the verse are connected by καί, Perhaps the Hebrew original should be translated ‘and noted

her countenance, that (ov for) it was very wonderful in beauty to look at (amy), then they said...’

16. when, properly ‘if’, i.e. if you are fortunate enough to be admitted.

17. appointed them to accompany, παρέζευξαν, lit. ‘they yoked (them) alongside’. Pers: ῬΈΠΕΙ ‘until they had told him’, i.e. she stood outside while some one went in and told him. The whole account IS very Vivid.

19. because of her, ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς, properly ‘(judging) from her’. 58 VL Syr ‘they wondered at her beauty and received her words because they were very good, and marvelled . . .’

deceive, κατασοφίσασθαι, i.e. beguile with the beauty of their women.

20. that lay near. 58 παρεδρεύοντες, ‘that were in attendance,’ and so VL Syr.

21. under (prop. ‘in’) the canopy, which probably means the mosquito net.

22. 58 VL Syr ‘very many silver lamps going before him, and they brought her in to him’.

23. was come. 58 VL Syr ‘stood’ more probably represents the Hebrew.

XI. 4. The construction is awkward. Lit. ‘there is none who shall harm thee but shall entreat. . .’ i.e. we (or all) will entreat. 19 44 al. VL Syr ποιήσω.

6. Ball suggests that the phrase ‘God shall bring the thing to pass’ is intentionally ambiguous, but the concluding words are against this. On the morality of Judith’s device see Introduction.

7. Not very clear. At the end B has ζήσονται Naf. καὶ πάντα τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, which will not translate. The other MSS. have ἐπὶ N. καὶ πάντα ..., of which the meaning is not evident. R.V. follows Fritzsche’s emendation παντός, &c., which may be the sense but has no MS. authority. VL has ‘per virtutem tuam sciet N. et omnis domus eius’. Syr “shall know (acknowledge) N. through thy strength’. Cf. Jer. xxvii. 6.

8. brave, ἀγαθός, rather ‘a good general’. He was ἀρχιστράτηγος, ii. 4. feats, στρατεύμασι, perhaps ‘campaigns’. 9 aS... matter, λόγος is a nominativus pendens. 58 VL Syr ‘and now, my lord, the word which A. spake’ (ὃν ἐλάλησε λόγον A.). At the end 19 108 add ‘and all thy words’. 58 omits ‘before thee’, and ‘lord and master’ in verse 10.

GEE SBOOK- OF JUDITH Li ti—I12. 5

-ragainst them, except they sin against their God. And now, that my lord be not defeated and frustrate of his purpose, and that death may fall upon them, their sin hath overtaken them, where- τ with they shall provoke their God to anger, whensoever they shall do wickedness. Since their victuals failed them, and all their water was scant, they took counsel to lay hands upon their cattle, and determined to consume all those things, which God charged them by his laws that they should 13 not eat: and they are resolved to spend the firstfruits of the corn, and the tenths of the wine and the oil, which they had sanctified, and reserved for the priests that stand before the face of our God

15 thing, to bring them a licence from the senate. And it shall be, when one shall bring them word, τό and they shall do it, they shall be given thee to be destroyed the same day. Wherefore I thy servant, knowing all this, fled away from their presence ; and God sent me to work things with thee, 17 Whereat all the earth shall be astonished, even as many as shall hear it. For thy servant is religious, and serveth the God of heaven day and night: and now, my lord, I will abide with thee, and thy servant will go forth by night into the valley, and I will pray unto God, and he shall tell me when 18 they have committed their sins: and I will come and shew it also unto thee; and thou shalt go forth 19 with all thy host, and there shall be none of them that shall resist thee. And I will lead thee through the midst of Judzea, until thou comest over against Jerusalem ; and I will set thy seat in the midst thereof; and thou shalt drive them as sheep that have no shepherd, and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth before thee: for these things were told me according to my foreknowledge, and were declared unto me, and I was sent to tell thee. j20 And her words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and of all his servants; and they [21 marvelled at her wisdom, and said, There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the 22 other, for beauty of face, and wisdom of words. And Holofernes said unto her, God did well to send thee before the people, that might should be in our hands, and destruction among them that 25 lightly regarded my lord. And now thou art beautiful in thy countenance, and witty in thy words: for if thou shalt do as thou hast spoken, thy God shall be my God, and thou shalt dwell in the house | of king Nebuchadnezzar, and shalt be renowned through the whole earth. Ji z And he commanded to bring her in where his silver vessels were set, and bade that they should 2 prepare for her of his own meats, and that she should drink of his own wine. And Judith said, I will not eat thereof, lest there be an occasion of stumbling: but provision shall be made for me of 3 the things that are come with me. And Holofernes said unto her, But if the things that be with thee should fail, whence shall we be able to give thee the like? for there is none of thy race with us. 4 And Judith said unto him, As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy servant shall not spend those things that 5 be with me, until the Lord work by my hand the things that he hath determined. And the servants

11. Translate ...‘ purpose, death shall fall upon them, and (= for) their sin, wherewith they will provoke their God, has (already) got a hold on them, whensoever they may (actually) commit folly’ (58 VL Syr ‘commit it’). There are many small variants, but this (Swete’s text) seems to give a suitable sense. They were already in the power of their sin by intending to commit it (see verse 12), although she does not know when the actual commission will occur.

13. which... it is not fitting for any of the people (but only for the priests) .. . to touch (much less to eat). The author feels so strongly on the point that he makes his heroine select this as her proof of wickedness even when speaking to an unbeliever.

14. have done, ἐποίησαν, i.e. did it on some former occasion.

to bring is Fritzsche’s μετακομίσοντας. The ordinary reading μετοικίσαντας gives no sense. Note their dependence on the Sanhedrin.

Ite religious, θεοσεβής, rather ‘ god-fearing ’ (cf. Gen. xlii. 18), as the reason for her receiving a divine communication.

18. ee there is none of them that shall .

19. adog... Cf. Exod. xi. 7. Here literally * growl with his tongue’. according to my foreknowledge, κατὰ πρόγνωσίν (ian om. 19 108), probably means ‘by way of revelation’ (Ball).

20. 58 VL Syr ‘at her beauty and wisdom’.

21. for beauty of face. ἐν (καλῷ προσώπῳ) is again the Heb. “3.

22. that might should be . . ., τοῦ γενηθῆναι . . ., rather ‘send thee to be made a strength to us and a destruction

to them’ (’2) 5nd wea nin).

23. beautiful, ἀστεία, ‘ pretty.’ é

witty, i.e. wise, ἀγαθή, ‘acceptable.’ The text may be right considering what follows, but it is tempting to

suggest that after ‘beautiful of countenance’ (ANT ND’) the ‘Hebrew had INN Nl) ‘and goodly in form’ (cf. Esther ii. 7) which was misread ΠΝ 31D) ‘and thou speakest well’. 19 108 have ‘if thy God do as thou sayest’, which would then be original and have been altered to agree with ἀγαθὴ ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου. It is her beauty which should entitle her (as Esther) to dwell in the house of the king, not her intellectual qualities or her services to Assyria.

XII. 1. prepare, καταστρῶσαι, should no doubt mean ‘spread a couch’, &c., but here it must be ‘set on the table Then πίνειν is simply epexegetical (minw) ‘set before her of his own viands and of his wine to drink’.

2. As before, stress is laid on the duty of using only clean food.

4. B omits ‘the Lord’ wrongly.

in Jerusalem ; the which things it is not fitting for any of the people so much as to touch with their ἢ t4 hands. And they have sent some to Jerusalem, because they also that dwell there have done this ἡ

of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept till midnight, and she rose up toward the © 6 morning watch, and sent to Holofernes, saying, Let my lord now command that they suffer thy 7 servant to go forth unto prayer. And Holofernes commanded his guards that they should not stay — her: and she abode in the camp three days, and went out every night into the valley of Bethulia, — 8 and washed herself at the fountain of water in the camp. And when she came up, she besought 9 the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the raising up of the children of his people. And she ~ ~ came in clean, and remained in the tent, until she took her meat toward evening. ro And it came to pass on the fourth day, Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and τι called none of the officers to the banquet. And he said to Bagoas the eunuch, who had charge over all that he had, Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come unto 12 us, and eat and drink with us. For, lo, it is a shame for our person, if we shall let such a woman 13 go, not having had her company ; for if we draw her not unto us, she shall laugh us to scorn. And Bagoas went from the presence of Holofernes, and came in to her, and said, Let not this fair damsel fear to come to my lord, and to be honoured in his presence, and to drink wine and be merry with us, and to be made this day as one of the daughters of the children of Asshur, which wait in the δ΄ 14 house of Nebuchadnezzar. And Judith said unto him, And who am I, that I should gainsay my lord? for whatsoever shall be pleasing in his eyes I will do speedily, and this shall be my joy unto 15 the day of my death. And she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman’s attire; and her servant went and laid fleeces on the ground for her over against Holofernes, which 16 she had received of Bagoas for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them. And Judith came in and sat down, and Holofernes’ heart was ravished with her, and his soul was moved, and he desired exceedingly her company: and he was watching for a time to deceive her, from the day 17, 18 that he had seen her. And Holofernes said unto her, Drink now, and be merry with us. And Judith said, I will drink now, my lord, because my life is magnified in me this day more than all the 19 days since I was born. And she took and ate and drank before him what her servant had prepared. 20 And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank exceeding much wine, more than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born. ; 13: But when the evening was come, his servants made haste to depart, and Bagoas shut the tent δ without, and dismissed them that waited from the presence of his lord ; and they went away to their 2 beds: for they were all weary, because the feast had been long. But Judith was left alone in the 3 tent, and Holofernes lying along upon his bed: for he was overflown with wine. And Judith had said to her servant that she should stand without her bedchamber, and wait for her coming forth, as she did daily: for she said she would go forth to her prayer; and she spake to Bagoas according to 4 the same words. And all went away from her presence, and none was left in the bedchamber, neither small nor great. And Judith, standing by his bed, said in her heart, O Lord God of all power, look

7. Properly ‘she used to go out (of her tent, cf. verse 9) by night . . . and bathe in the camp at the spring’. This is awkward, but Movers’ suggestion (quoted by Ball) that the Hebrew was 772719, which was misread 77122, is impossible. 58 VL Syr omit ‘in the camp’. It may be due to dittography from the line above. If it stands, it must mean that she was not allowed outside the limits of the camp, but went out of her tent and did her (merely ceremonial)

washing (Π5530) at the spring, which was within the camp (cf. vii. 3).

8. came up, i.e. from the water, πον, as e.g. in Mishna Yoma vii. 3. direct, κατευθῦναι, to make it straight by removing the difficulties, cf. J77 WN, Ps. v. 9. 10. feast, πότον NNW. called .. . banquet, εἰς τὴν χρῆσιν (ad. κλῆσιν) οὐδένα τῶν πρὸς ταῖς χρείαις is difficult. χρῆσιν may be ‘the enjoyment of it’. κλῆσιν (which is well supported), ‘invited to the invitation,’ is no better. τῶν πρὸς ταῖς χρείαις are the officers on duty. He only invited his personal friends. 11. Bagoas, a Persian name, "3, Ezra ii. 2, spelt ‘73 in the Elephantine papyri of 407 B.C. It is derived from O. Pers. Baga god, as if Theodorus, &c. He was in charge of Judith. 15. Sit, κατακλινομένην, prop. ‘recline’ (and so ἀνέπεσεν in ver. 16), according to the later practice. The earlier custom was to sit, cf. 1 Sam. xx. 24 with Amos vi. 4 (Ball). 16. was watching, ἐτήρει, a proper use of the imperfect: ‘he had been waiting for an opportunity to seduce her.’ 19. Again it is carefully noted that she ate only clean food. 20. delight, ηὐφράνθη ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς, ‘was merry because of her.’

_ XIII. τ. dismissed, ἀπέκλεισεν, prop. ‘shut out’ those who had been in attendance on his lord, 13}78 yd pny, lit. ἐν προσώπῳ τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ, which has been corrupted in the Greek to ἐκ προσώπου. 2. lying along, προπεπτωκώς, fallen forward. overfiown, lit. the wine was poured all over him. 3. had said, i.e. before starting out. Spake, i.e. had spoken. 4. And ( ‘so’) all went: resuming what was said in verse I. from her presence. The common reading is ἐκ προσώπου, as if ἐκποδών, ‘out of the way.’ A adds αὐτῆς, others αὐτοῦ, ἅς. The Hebrew would naturally be iad referring back to verse 1. bed. 58 ME Syr κεφαλήν.

THE BOOK OF JUDITH 138. s—14. 2

5 in this hour upon the works of my hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem. For now is the time to | help thine inheritance, and to do the thing that I have purposed to the destruction of the enemies [6 which are risen up against us. And she came to the rail of the bed, which was at Holofernes’ head, }7 and took down his scimitar from thence; and she drew near unto the bed, and took hold of the hair }8 of his head, and said, Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day. And she smote twice upon Το his neck with all her might, and took away his head from him, and tumbled his body down from the | bed, and took down the canopy from the pillars; and after a little while she went forth, and gave το Holofernes’ head to her maid; and she put it in her bag of victuals: and they twain went forth together unto prayer, according to their custom: and they passed through the camp, and compassed that valley, and went up to the mountain of Bethulia, and came to the gates thereof. τ And Judith said afar off to the watchmen at the gates, Open, open now the gate: God is with us, | even our God, to shew his power yet in Israel, and his might against the enemy, as he hath done |r2 even this day. And it came to pass, when the men of her city heard her voice, they made haste to 13 go down to the gate of their city, and they called together the elders of the city. And they ran all | together, both small and great, for it was strange unto them that she was come: and they opened Ἰτ4 the gate, and received them, making a fire to give light, and compassed them round about. And she said to them with a loud voice, Praise God, praise him: praise God, who hath not taken away _}15 his mercy from the house of Israel, but hath destroyed our enemies by my hand this night. And she took forth the head out of the bag, and shewed it, and said unto them, Behold, the head of Holofernes, the chief captain of the host of Asshur, and behold, the canopy, wherein he did lie in his 16 drunkenness; and the Lord smote him by the hand of a woman. And as the Lord liveth, who "preserved me in my way that I went, my countenance deceived him to his destruction, and he did 17 not commit sin with me, to defile and shame me. And all the people were exceedingly amazed, and bowed themselves, and worshipped God, and said with one accord, Blessed art thou, O our God, 18 which hast this day brought to nought the enemies of thy people. And Ozias said unto her, Blessed art thou, daughter, in the sight of the Most High God, above all the women upon the earth ; and blessed is the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who directed thee to the smiting τῷ of the head of the prince of our enemies. For thy hope shall not depart from the heart of men that | 20 remember the strength of God for ever. And God turn these things to thee for a perpetual praise, to visit thee with good things, because thou didst not spare thy life by reason of the affliction of our race, but didst avenge our fall, walking a straight way before our God. And all the people said, So be it, so be it. kx And Judith said unto them, Hear me now, my brethren, and take this head, and hang it upon the 2 battlement of your wall. And it shall be, so soon as the morning shall appear, and the sun shall come forth upon the earth, ye shall take up every one his weapons of war, and go forth every valiant man of you out of the city, and ye shall set a captain over them, as though ye would go down to the

5. now is the time, sc. which thou didst appoint. destruction, θραῦμα (B), τραῦμα (58), θραῦσμα (A), Opatow (19, 44). The last would best express the Hebrew yop Tar, 6. rail, κανών, a bar at the head of the bed. scimitar, ἀκινάκης, a Persian sword. 9. took down (or off) the canopy, cf. x. 21. She took it away as a trophy, verse 15. ν 10. unto prayer, omitted by Β. ‘As if to prayer,’ 58 VL Syr. It would be past midnight, ‘toward the morning watch’ (xii. 5). This time they went out of the camp. Compassed, ἐκύκλωσαν, perhaps means ‘took a circuitous route along the side of the valley, so as not to be seen. Went up . . ., rather ‘ went up the mountain to B.’ (which was on the top). For τὸ ὄρος &* has πρός. 11. now, δή (one of the few particles used in the book) = NJ. 12. her city. δὲ 44 106 58 VL Syr omit αὐτῆς, rightly. 13. Strange, παράδοξον, i.e. unexpected. 14. destroyed, ἔθραυσε, ‘broke,’ the same stem as in verse 5. 16. deceived, ἠπάτησεν, ‘ beguiled.’ Wiablessed,.: « ads oss ANS W3, the usual formula in later Hebrew. 18. A reminiscence of Gen. xiv. 19, 20, LXX. : directed thee to the smiting of the head... is a strange expression. 58 alters it to ‘ directed thee to the head’. The Hebrew must have been 12.2.8 WS" mab, ‘directed or inspired thee to smite the head (i.e. chief) of our enemies.’ The incident of the head has caused ΟΝ to be translated twice. ; 19. thy hope. 58 VL Syr have ‘the praise of thee’. Hope, &c., may mean ‘thy trust in God shall always be remembered when men recall (07. talk of) the mighty works of God’. 20. avenge, ἐπεξῆλθες, ‘you went to meet (and avert) our fall.’

XIV. 1. The account of Achior (vv. 5-10) precedes this in the Vulgate, certainly a better arrangement. 2. a captain over them, apparently over those who go out, but the change of person is strange.

DHE BOOK OF JUDITH Woe

3 plain toward the watch of the children of Asshur ; and ye shall not go down. And these shall take up their panoplies, and shall go into their camp, and rouse up the captains of the host of Asshur,and they shall run together to the tent of Holofernes, and they shall not find him: and fear shall fall upon —

4 them, and they shall flee before your face. And ye, and all that inhabit every coast of Israel, shall

5 pursue them, and overthrow them as they go. But before ye do these things, call me Achior the Ammonite, that he may see and know him that despised the house of Israel, and that sent him to us, as it were to death.

6 And they called Achior out of the house of Ozias; but when he came, and saw the head of Holofernes in a man’s hand in the assembly of the people, he fell upon his face, and his spirit failed.

7 But when they had recovered him, he fell at Judith’s feet, and did reverence unto her, and said, Blessed art thou in every tent of Judah, and in every nation, which hearing thy name shall be

8 troubled. And now tell me all the things that thou hast done in these days. And Judith declared — unto him in the midst of the people all the things that she had done, from the day that she went forth

9 until the time that she spake unto them. But when she left off speaking, the people shouted with

10a loud voice, and made a joyful noise in their city. But when Achior saw all the things that the God of Israel had done, he believed in God exceedingly, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined unto the house of Israel, unto this day.

1r But as soon as the morning arose, they hanged the head of Holofernes upon the wall, and every 12man took up his weapons, and they went forth by bands unto the ascents of the mountain. But when the children of Asshur saw them, they sent hither and thither to their leaders; but they went

13 to their captains and tribunes, and to every one of their rulers. And they came to Holofernes’ tent, and said to him that was over all that he had, Waken now our lord: for the slaves have been bold 14 to come down against us to battle, that they may be utterly destroyed. And Bagoas went in, and 15 knocked at the outer door of the tent ; for he supposed that he was sleeping with Judith. But when none hearkened to him, he opened it, and went into the bedchamber, and found him cast upon the 16 threshold dead, and his head had been taken from him. And he cried with a loud voice, with 17 weeping and groaning and a mighty cry, and rent his garments. And he entered into the tent where | 18 Judith lodged: and he found her not, and he leaped out to the people, and cried aloud, The slaves have dealt treacherously: one woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame upon the house of king — 19 Nebuchadnezzar; for, behold, Holofernes /e¢z upon the ground, and his head is not on him. But when the rulers of the host of Asshur heard the words, they rent their coats, and their soul was troubled exceedingly, and there was a cry and an exceeding great noise in the midst of the camp. 15; And when they that were in the tents heard, they were amazed at the thing that was come to

2 pass. And trembling and fear fell upon them, and no man durst abide any more in the sight of his neighbour, but rushing out with one accord, they fled into every way of the plain and of the hill

3 country. And they that had encamped in the hill country round about Bethulia fled away. And

4 then the children of Israel, every one that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them. And

3. these, i.e. the Assyrian outposts. panoplies, πανοπλίας. ‘Arms’ would be less pedantic. Outposts when not expecting an attack would lay down some of their equipment. They would take this up again and so become πανόπλοι before going into camp. 4. as they go. Rather ‘leave them lying in the paths by which they flee’. 5. Looks as if it had been put in to introduce an episode which had somehow got misplaced ; see on verse I. 7. Tecovered, ἀνέλαβον αὐτόν (δὲ B) ‘had lifted him up’. ἀνέλαβεν αὑτόν (A, ἅς.) ‘he had recovered himself’. tent. A reminiscence of Judges vi. 24? troubled, i.e. alarmed at such things being possible. 9. made a joyful noise, ἔδωκαν (58, &c., -κεν 8A B) φωνὴν εὐφροσύνης (A 58 VL, -voy δὲ B) = ANDY bp ΓΝ) (Ball). 10. God of Israel. 58 VL Syr ‘ God had done for Israel’, exceedingly, σφόδρα. The author’s favourite word is not very suitable here. It must mean ‘with all his heart’. unto this day is really meaningless. The Vulgate applies it to his descendants. Achior became a proselyte at once. The author overlooks the law of Deut. xxiii. 3. 12. leaders, i.e. subordinate officers, and they (the subordinates) went to their superiors, who eventually came to Holofernes’ tent. tribunes, χιλιάρχους, ‘captains of thousands’. Rulers, πάντα ἄρχοντα, should be ‘ commanders’. 13. to him. 58 VL Syr ‘to Bagoas’. the slaves, O02), for which Movers suggests (‘plausibly,’ Ball) DY73~A, ‘the Hebrews’ (cf. VL), but this is unnecessary, cf. verse 18. Ball seems to prefer D'33)7, ‘the mice,’ as Vulg. 14. door is necessary after ‘knock’, but αὐλαίαν is prop. ‘ curtain’ (cf. verse 15). 19 108 ἐκρότησε τῇ χειρὶ ἐν τῇ αὐλαίᾳ, and similarly Vulg. ‘stetit ante cortinam et plausum fecit manibus suis’. 15. opened, διαστείλας, ‘drew aside the curtain.’ threshold, ἐπὶ τῆς yehwvidos, more probably the step at the side of the bed (Ball). 18. dealt treacherously, ἠθέτησαν, alluding primarily to Judith’s promises. The verb ought to have an object.

XV. 3. These were the Edomites and Ammonites, cf. vii. 18 (Ball).

Ozias sent to Betomasthaim, and Bebai, and Chobai, and Chola, and to every coast of Israel, such as should tell concerning the things that had been accomplished, and that all should rush forth upon 5 their enemies to destroy them. But when the children of Israel heard, they all fell upon them with one accord, and smote them unto Chobai: yea, and in like manner also they of Jerusalem and of all the hill country came (for men had told them what things were come to pass in the camp of their enemies), and they that were in Gilead and in Galilee fell upon their flank with a great slaughter, 6 until they were past Damascus and the borders thereof. But the residue, that dwelt at Bethulia, fell 7 upon the camp of Asshur, and spoiled them, and were enriched exceedingly. But the children of Israel returned from the slaughter, and gat possession of that which remained ; and the villages and the cities, that were in the hill country and in the plain country, took many spoils: for there was an exceeding great store. § And Joakim the high priest, and the senate of the children of Israel that dwelt in Jerusalem, came to behold the good things which the Lord had shewed to Israel, and to see Judith, and to salute her. 9 But when they came unto her, they all blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art the great rejoicing of our race: zo thou hast done all these things by thy hand: thou hast done with Israel the things that are good, and God is pleased therewith: blessed be thou with the Almighty Lord for evermore. And all the 11 people said, So be it. And the people spoiled the camp for the space of thirty days: and they gave unto Judith Holofernes’ tent, and all his silver cups, and his beds, and his vessels, and all his furniture: and she took them, and placed them on her mule, and made ready her wagons, and heaped them thereon. 12 And all the women of Israel ran together to see her; and they blessed her, and made a dance among them for her; and she took branches in her hand, and gave to the women that were with 113 her. And they made themselves garlands of olive, she and they that were with her, and she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women: and all the men of Israel followed in their Ὁ 1 armour with garlands, and with songs in their mouths. And Judith began to sing this thanksgiving 2 in all Israel, and all the people sang with loud voices this song of praise. And Judith said, Begin unto my God with timbrels, Sing unto my Lord with cymbals: Tune unto him psalm and praise: Exalt him, and call upon his name. 3 For the Lord is the God that breaketh the battles: For in his armies in the midst of the people He delivered me out of the hand of them that persecuted me. 4 Asshur came out of the mountains from the north, He came with ten thousands of his host, The multitude whereof stopped the torrents, And their horsemen covered the hills.

4. Betomesthaim, see iv.6. Bebai only in A. For Chobai N* has Choba, cf. iv. 4. For Chola A has Kola, 8* Abelmaim, δὲ 6:8 Keila. The sites are unknown. 5. past Damascus. This was the way they had come, cf. ii. 27. 6. dwelt, κατοικοῦντες = ὮΝ)", ‘ remained (behind).’ 7. Cities, ai πόλεις, N A; ἐπαύλεις, ‘ farmsteads,’ B. 9. they came. 58 VL Syr 19 108 ‘when she went out to meet them’, a correction in the interest of the high priest’s dignity. Tejoicing, καύχημα, ‘the boast.’ 12. for her, i.e. ‘in her honour’. branches, θύρσους, a strange word to choose. It properly means the wands of the Bacchants. In the LXX only here and in 2 Macc. x. 7. (Bab Lit. ‘they crowned themselves with olive’, a Greek, not a Jewish, custom, indicating a late date for the book all).

XVI. 1. sang with loud voices, ὑπερεφώνει, so N AB. The common reading is ὑπεφώνει, ‘(J. began and) they were singing in answer.’ 2. Begin, ἐξάρχετε = 139 in Ps. cxlvii. 7. 4 and praise, καὶ αἶνον. A has καινόν, ‘new’ (cf. xvi. 13), as in Ps. xxxiil. 3, &c. 3. breaketh the battles, cf. Exod. xv. 3 LXX, as above, ix, 7. The rest of the verse is corrupt. in his armies, εἰς τὰς παρεμβολὰς αὐτοῦ is properly ‘into his camps’. For

ἐξείλατο, N has ἐξελείσεσθαι, &c. ; for ἐκ χειρός N* has ἕως χειρός. Perhaps the Hebrew was OY NI ἸΠῚ)Π3 Os, “God,

when he encamped among . . .,’ which was misread as ymon-by, εἰς παρεμβολὰς αὐτοῦ, 4. from the north. They came by way of Damascus. stopped, i.e. blocked up.

He said that he would burn up my borders,

And kill my young men with the sword,

And throw my sucking children to the ground,

And give mine infants for a prey,

And make my virgins a spoil.

The Almighty Lord brought them to nought by the hand of a woman. For their mighty one did not fall by young men, Neither did sons of the Titans smite him,

Nor did high giants set upon him:

But Judith the daughter of Merari made him weak with the beauty of her countenance. For she put off the apparel of her widowhood

For the exaltation of those that were distressed in Israel, She anointed her face with ointment,

And bound her hair in a tire,

And took a linen garment to deceive him.

Her sandal ravished his eye,

And her beauty took his soul prisoner:

The scimitar passed through his neck.

The Persians quaked at her daring,

And the Medes were daunted at her boldness.

Then my lowly ones shouted aloud,

And my weak ones were terrified and crouched for fear: They lifted up their voice, and they were turned to flight. The sons of damsels pierced them through,

And wounded them as runagates’ children ;

They perished by the battle of my Lord.

I will sing unto my God a new song:

O Lord, thou art great and glorious,

Marvellous in strength, invincible.

Let all thy creation serve thee:

For thou spakest, and they were made,

Thou didst send forth thy spirit, and it builded them, And there is none that shall resist thy voice.

6. brought them to nought, ἠθέτησεν as in xiv. 18, but here with a personal object. 58 19.108 add κατήσχυνεν auTOvus :-- ‘The Lord Almighty set them at nought, By the hand of a woman he brought them to shame.’

7. their mighty one, 013) = their champion, as 1 Sam. xvii. 51 (Ball). The next two lines look like alternative renderings of the same Hebrew. Sons of the Titans may be D'N51 3, Cf. 2 Sam. v. 18, LXX. high giants, perhaps PJy 33. " g. For sandals as an adornment, cf. Cant. vii. 1. Chajes suggests that πον) (her sandal) is a mistake for 723 (her eauty). 10. quaked, ἔφριξαν, shuddered at it. ᾿ daunted, ἐρράχθησαν δὲ B, ἐταράχθησαν δὰ ὁ: A. Neither word could be construed with an accusative. VL and Vulg. omit the verb, thus making ‘boldness’ depend on ἔφριξαν. The mention of Persians here suggests that the author was really thinking of the time of Artaxerxes Ochus, and forgot for the moment that his invading army was Assyrian. Medes are naturally parallel to Persians, although, according to i. 13-16, Media had been devastated in the previous year. 11. my lowly ones must be Israelites. So also ‘my weak ones’ (VL ‘aegrotantes in siti’), but ἐφοβήθησαν, ‘ were Pred: 15: euler as a parallel to ἠλάλαξαν, ‘shouted in triumph.’ Several cursives and VL Syr have ἐβόησαν, cried aloud.’ crouched. Apparently the subject changes to the enemy and the next three verbs form a climax, ‘ they crouched, wey ee out, they fled,’ as often in Hebrew poetry. 19 108 read ἠττήθησαν for ἐπτοἠή(θη)σαν, and add οἱ ἐχθροί μου at the end. __12, sons of damsels, i.e. of young wives, whose sons would be mere children. But κοράσιον in LXX often means maidservant’, 50 that it may be contemptuous, ‘ the very slave-boys.’ ᾿ runagates children, properly ‘sons of runaway slaves’. 19 108 VL Syr have παῖδας αὐτομολοῦντας, ‘ runaway slaves.

een : Ε by means of the army . . . παράταξις (cf. i. 6) prop. ‘an army in fighting order’.

invincible, ἀνυπέρβλητος, prop. unsurpassed. Perhaps a loose rendering of xdp nwy. 14. send forth, ἀπέστειλας. ὃὲ ἐπέστρεψας.

it builded is harsh. N has ‘they were builded’. Probably the Hebrew was 1N132) (were created), not 134) (were built). Cf. Ps. xxxiii. 6-9, civ. 30 (Ball).

15 For the mountains shall be moved from their foundations with the waters, And the rocks shall melt as wax at thy presence: : But thou art yet merciful to them that fear thee. 16 For all sacrifice is little for a sweet savour, ; And all the fat is very little for a whole burnt offering to thee: But he that feareth the Lord is great continually. 17 Woe to the nations that rise up against my race: The Lord Almighty will take vengeance of them in the day of judgement, To put fire and worms in their flesh ; we And they shall weep and feel their pain for ever. } 18 . Now when they came to Jerusalem, they worshipped God ; and when the people were purified, 19 they offered their whole burnt offerings, and their freewill offerings, and their gifts. And Judith dedicated all the stuff of Holofernes, which the people had given her, and gave the canopy, which 20 She had taken for herself out of his bedchamber, for a gift unto the Lord. And the people continued sfeasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for the space of three months, and Judith remained with -orthem. But after these days every one departed to his own inheritance, and Judith went away to 22 Bethulia,and remained in her own possession, and was honourable in her time in alk the land. And _many desired her, and no man knew her all the days of her life, from the day that Manasses her 23 husband died and was gathered to his people. And she increased in greatness exceedingly ; and she waxed old in her husband’s house, unto a hundred and five years, and let her maid go free: 24 and she died in Bethulia; and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasses. And the house of Israel mourned for her seven days: and she distributed her goods before she died to all them that were nearest of kin to Manasses her husband, and to them that were nearest of her own DH 25 kindred. And there was none that made the children of Israel any more afraid in the days of Judith, nor a long time after her death.

15. For the mountains ... waters. ὄρη yap ἐκ θεμελίων σὺν ὕδασιν σαλευθήσεται is obscure. Perhaps it means ‘the mountains (or cliffs) shall be swayed down to their foundations, together with (i.e. just as much as) the waters which roll up against them’.

melt as wax, cf. Ps. xcvii. 5.

16. i.e. Any sacrifice is unworthy of God’s acceptance as a sweet savour, but, while sacrifices are obligatory, it is the spirit which underlies them, namely the fear of the Lord, which is really important. Cf. Ps. li. 16-19.

17. Cf. the end of Deborah’s song, Judges v. 31.

It is evident that the writer looks forward to a judgement after death, ἢ ὙΠ O1, a later and more definite doctrine than the 717" DY of Mal. iv.5. The belief is indicated in Ecclus. vii. 17 (Ball), and developed in the Book of Enoch, thus corroborating the date assigned to the composition of Judith.

fire and worms are no doubt suggested by Isa. lxvi. 24, but applied to hellas in the N.T.

weep and feel, lit. weep at (or ‘ with’) feeling, i.e. without losing consciousness of their pain.

18. Note again the insistence on purification (after contact with the dead) and sacrifice.

19. stuff, σκεύη = b>, his silver plate. gift, ἀνάθημα (or ἀνάθεμα) -- ὩΠ (Ball) asa thing devoted. F 20, three months. Another instance of the author’s love of exaggeration. Three days would be more likely. 21. inheritance. 58 VL Syr ‘tents’. to Bethulia. δὲ ‘to her house at B’. ay : ᾿

23. increased in greatness, ἢν προβαίνουσα μεγάλη, is not clear. Prob. VL (and Vulg.) is right, ‘she increased in reputation.’

24. She bequeathed her property according to the Law in Num. xxvil. 11. : :

25. Cf. again Judges v. 31. If Judith was twenty-five or thirty years old at the time of her exploit the land must have had peace for at least eighty years. Such a period can only have occurred ‘ under the Persian kings, and according to Jewish ideas under the Hasmoneans’ (Ball). : ἊΨ ER

The Vulgate adds that a festival was instituted to commemorate the deed of Judith, probably in imitation of Esther ix. 27, 28. No such festival is known, it is not mentioned in any other version, and cannot have been recorded in the original book. The statement may be founded on the fact that the story was read at the feast of Hanukka, see Introd. § 8 a.

THE BOOK OF τ ἴσια

§ 1. SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE BOOK.

BEN-S1RA’S Book of Wisdom belongs, together with the Book of Job, a number of the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Wisdom of Solomon (so-called), to the Hokmah or Wisdom Literature of the Hebrews. This literature represents the development of the crude philosophy of more ancient times, a philosophy which sought by means of proverbs and fables to express the results of reflections concerning the general questions of life. Such proverbs and fables were not necessarily of a religious character; see, 6. g., Judg. ix. 8-15 (Jotham’s parable), 2 Sam. v. ὃ, xx. 18; but they - tended to become so more and more (cp. Jer. xxxi. 29, Ezek. xviii. 2); this is well exemplified by such parables as those contained in 2 Sam. xii. 1-4 (Nathan’s parable of the ewe lamb), and Isa. v. τ- 4 (the parable of the vineyard) ; and ultimately all wise sayings, upon whatsoever subjects they were uttered, came to have a religious content inasmuch as it was taught that all wisdom emanated from God. Ben-Sira, therefore, as a constructor of wise sayings, belonged to the class of Sages or Hakamim (‘wise men’) who already in the days of Jeremiah occupied a recognized position alongside of the priests and the prophets: ‘ For the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise (Zakam), nor the word from the prophet’ (Jer. xviii. 18). So that in presenting his book to his people he is making a justifiable claim when he says:

7, indeed, came last of all, As one. that gleaneth after the grape-gatherers : : 7 advanced by the blessing of God, And filled my winepress as a grape-gatherer. The claim is modestly urged ; but Ben-Sira, while whole-heartedly admitting his indebtedness to earlier sages, clearly reckons himself as one of the ‘ grape-gatherers’, i.e. as one of the Hakamzm. like the authors of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, though the last in the succession. A notable feature in our book is that it offers many examples of expanded proverbs; a little essay, as it were, is constructed on the basis of a proverb. A good example of this is xxxviil. 24— ΧΧΧΙΧ, I1 ; here the proverb, or text of the essay, is:

The wisdom of the scribe tncreaseth wisdom, And he that hath little business can become wtse.

Then Ben-Sira proceeds to expatiate upon these words by giving a number of illustrations showing that those who are occupied with ordinary trades and professions cannot possibly find the requisite leisure which must be possessed by those who would acquire wisdom (xxxviii. 25-35); and the essay concludes with an eloquent description of the ideal seeker after wisdom, thus presenting the positive side of his thesis.

Although Ben-Sira exhibits no great signs of originality there is plenty of individuality in his book ; this is shown chiefly (in addition to what has just been said about the expansion of the proverb into the essay) by the use he makes of the Old Testament Scriptures. He does not merely quote from the Old Testament, but he utilizes the words and teaching of the inspired writers as the authority for what he has to say, and then proceeds to set forth his own ideas upon a given subject. An instructive example of this may be adduced. Ben-Sira’s teaching on death and the hereafter is identical with that of the Old Testament, but in xli. 1-4 he offers some thoughts upon the subject of death which are evidently quite his own. He shows that two views concerning death exist among

οὖ The two editors who are responsible for Sirach as a whole, apart from the Prologue and ch. xlix (the notes on which were written in consultation), shared the rest of the book between them as follows:

_. Mr. Box is primarily responsible for §§ 3, 6, 7, and 10 of the Introduction, and for the commentary on chs. ix. I- xill. 23, xxx-xl, xlii-xlv: Dr. Oesterley is primarily responsible for §§ 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9 of the Introduction, and for the commentary on chs. i-viii, xiii. 24—xxix, xli, xlvi-xlviii, 1, li. ;

men; to those who are living at, ease and prosperity the thought of déath is bitter, but it is welcome to such as are in sickness and adversity, who are broken and have lost hope. Then he goes on to utter a word of comfort to those to whom the thought of death is painful, by saying that it is the destiny of all men, and that it is the decree of the Most High ; he concludes by reminding them also that :

In Sheol there are no reproaches concerning life.

For the rest, the book contains a large collection of moral maxims and sage counsels regarding almost every conceivable emergency in life; if the majority of these appear to be merely moral, it has to be remembered, as already pointed out, that to Ben-Sira the apparently most secular forms of wisdom partake of something religious fundamentally, because all wisdom is in its multifarious and varied expressions so many offshoots of the one primeval Wisdom which emanates from God. These maxims and counsels are applicable to people in every condition of life ; a large proportion of them deals with the ordinary, every-day relationships between man and man, whether in regard to the rich or the poor, the oppressed, the mourners, &c., &c.; rules of courtesy, behaviour at table, politeness, respect for one’s betters, and many other similar topics, abound. Ben-Sira’s intimate knowledge of human nature meets one at every turn, and is certainly one of the most instructive features of the book. It was clearly Ben-Sira’s object, in writing his book, to present to the Jewish public of his day an authoritative work of reference to which recourse could be had for guidance and ~ instruction in every circumstance of life. In doing so, however, Ben-Sira makes it his great aim to set forth the superiority of Judaism over Hellenism. For some time previously the Hellenistic spirit had been affecting the Jews both in Palestine and in the Dispersion, and though there was immense good in the wider mental horizon fostered by this spirit, yet there can be no doubt that Hellenism had assumed a debased form in Palestine! and a true Jew, such as Ben-Sira was, rightly felt bound to oppose its extension in the best way he could, namely, by offering something better in its place. Nevertheless, Ben-Sira was himself not unaffected by the Hellenic genius, probably unconsciously ; and his admiration for Judaism of the orthodox, traditional type is unable to conceal altogether the newer tendencies of thought brought into existence through that Greek culture by which he, too, had become possessed. ‘The results of the past and the beginnings of a future development were still in juxtaposition—not amalgamated, but as yet not separated, nor were their further sequences in view. Alike the close of the old and the beginnings of the new are side by side in Ecclesiasticus. The former reaches back to the early times of Israel’s glory; the latter points forward to that direction which was to find its home and centre, not in Palestine, but in Alexandria.’* The traces of the influence of Greek modes of theught to be found in our book are not seen in definite form, but, as one would expect where the influence was at work unconsciously, they are to be discerned rather in the general outlook and conception; what is perhaps the most striking exampie of this is the way in which virtue and knowledge are identified ; this is a distinct Hellenic trait, and is treated in the book as axiomatic. In the past, human and divine wisdom had been regarded as opposed, whereas, owing to Greek influence, both in our book and in the Wisdom Literature generally, it is taught that wisdom is the one thing of all others which is indispensable to him who would lead a godly life. | The evil of wickedness is represented as lying in the fact that wickedness is foolishness, and therefore essentially opposed to wisdom. On the other hand, the Jews were faithful to the Law, the ordinances of which were binding because it was the revealed will of God ; and, therefore, in order to reconcile this old teaching with the new teaching that, wisdom was the chief requirement of the man of religion, wisdom became identified with the Law: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’; by the ‘fear of the Lord’ is meant, of course, obedience to His commands, i.e. the observance of the Law, These words express what is, in truth, the foundation-stone of the Wisdom Literature, and this identification between wisdom and the Law formed the reconciling link between Judaism and Hellenism in this domain. Nowhere is this identification more clearly brought out than in the Book of Wisdom and in Sirach. This fully explains why Ben-Sira, following herein, without doubt, many sages before him, divides mankind into two categories, the wise and the foolish, which correspond respectively to the righteous and the wicked.

But while there is no sort of doubt that traces of Hellenic influence are to be discerned in the book, there is a danger which must be guarded against of seeing them where they do not exist.

τ “We have reason to believe that it was just in Syria that Hellenism took a baser form. The ascetic element which saved its liberty from rankness tended here more than anywhere else to be forgotten. The games, the shows, the abandonment of a life which ran riot ina gratification of the senses, grosser or more refined, these made up too much of the Hellenism which changed the face of Syria in the last centuries before Christ’ (Bevan, Jerwsalem under the High-priests, p. 41).

Edersheim in the SHeaher’s Commentary.

Ben-Sira has here and there thoughts which at first sight look like traces of Hellenic influence, but are not so in reality; they are independent parallels, but have not otherwise anything to do with Greek culture. For example, the following might well appear at first sight to be an echo of Epicurean philosophy :

Give not thy soul to sorrow, And let not thyself become unsteadied with care. Heart-joy is life for a man, And human gladness prolongeth days. Entice thyself and soothe thine heart, And banish vexation from thee: For sorrow hath slain many, And there is no profit in vexation, Envy and anger shorten days, And anxiety maketh old untimely. The sleep of a cheerful heart ts like daintes, And his food is agreeable unto him (XxX. 21-25).

But quite similar thoughts are found in a fragment of the Gilgamesh epic found on a tablet written in the script of the Hammurabi dynasty (2000 B.C.), and published by Meissner in the Mzttheclungen der Vorderasiatischen Gesellschaft, 1902, Heft i. On p. 8, col. iii, line 3, we read :

... Thou, O Gilgamesh, fill indeed thy belly ; Day and night be thou joyful,

Daily ordain gladness,

Day and night rage and make merry ;

Let thy garments be bright,

Thy head purify, wash with water,

Desire thy children which thy hand possesses. . οἷ

There are other passages which might likewise seem to manifest the influence of Greek philosophy ; in some of these it may well be that this is actually the case ;* but it is well to be on one’s guard, lest what appears to be a Hellenistic note is in reality nothing more than a parallel. While the Judaic elements in the book preponderate to an overwhelming degree, tinges of Hellenic influence are to be discovered here and there.

ὃ 2. THE TITLE OF THE BOOK.

As the fragments of the Hebrew text of our book which are extant only begin with the concluding words of chap. iii. 6,> we do not know how the title ran, but the third line of the subscription reads: ‘The Wisdom of Simeon, the son of Jeshua, the son of Eleazar, the son of Sira’; and the last line of the subscription in most of the Syriac manuscripts has : ‘ The writing or the Wisdom of Bar Sira is ended.’ Jerome, however, says in his Praef. in Libr. Sal.,‘ Fertur et mardperos [651 filit Sirach liber, et alius \evderlypapos qui Sapientia Salomonis inscribitur ; quorum priorem Hebraicum reperi, nec Ecclesiasticum, ut apud Latinos sed Parabolas praenotatum’ ; this title = 1200 4 i.e. the Hebrew title for the Book of Proverbs, but that this was a title, in the ordinary sense, of our book is very improbable ; it is more likely to have been a general title, descriptive of the contents, which was applied to the three books Ecclesiasticus, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles, for Jerome (in the context of the passage quoted above) says that these two latter were joined to Ecclesiasticus. In the Syriac Version the title is ‘Wisdom of Bar Sira’, while in most manuscripts of the Septuagint it runs: Σοφία ᾿Ιησοῦ υἱοῦ Σειράχ, or abbreviated in Cod. B, Σοφία Σειράχ.5 The probability is that the original title of the book was xo-j2 pw" noon (‘The Wisdom of Jesus Ben-Sira’).° The title ‘ Ecclesiasticus’ of the English Versions comes from the Vulgate, though it is one which has been in use in the Western Church ever since the time of Cyprian (d. A.D. 258). It meant the ‘ Church Book’ par

| Quoted by Barton, Ecclesiastes (Intern. Crit. Com.), p. 39. e.g. when Ben-Sira controverts the fatalistic philosophy of the Stoics. : According to Smend, a clause= ii. 18d is placedafter vi. 17. In later Jewish literature quotations from Sirach are sometimes prefaced with the words, ‘the Parabolist said’ (ror bz 1); see Cowley-Neubauer, p. xxiv. ἢ. v. liv, and xx. ἢ. x. 5 In Cod. 248 ᾿Εκκλησιαστικύς is placed before the ordinary title. Ὁ In some Latin manuscripts the title is ‘ Liber Iesu filii Sirach’.

excellence among the ‘ Libri Ecclesiastici’, Among the early Greek Fathers the book is referred to as Πανάρετος Σοφία; see, e.g., Eusebius (Chronzcon, ed. Scheone, ii. 122); and Jerome (Comm. in Dan. ix) speaks of it as ἡ Πανάρετος ; Clement of Alexandria calls it Παιδαγωγός (Paed. ii. το. 99, &c.), and sometimes quotes from it with the words ἡ σοφία A€yet.! In the Talmud it is called ‘The Book of Ben-Sira’ (Hagigah 13 a, Niddah τό ὁ, Berakhoth 11 6) ;* and Sa‘adya speaks of it as ἼΘ᾽" 7D, ‘The Book of Instruction, while other Rabbis call it so-j}2 sow, ‘The Instruction of Ben-Sira.’ Schechter (JOR, xi. 460 f., 1900) quotes the words of a Rabbi Joseph that the ‘ Proverbs of Ben-

Sira’ (s9707j2 Sw) must be read because they contain useful matter.

§ 3. THE ORIGINAL HEBREW TEXT.

Apart from a few scattered citations in the Talmudic and post-Talmudic Jewish literature the Book of Ben-Sira was, until recent years, known only in the two principal ancient translations of it, viz. the Greek and Syriac versions, and the secondary versions based thereon. The disappearance of the Hebrew MSS. of the book may be explained as due, ultimately, to its exclusion from the Canon, for which early rabbinical evidence exists.’ In spite of such exclusion, however, the book long retained its popularity in Jewish circles,‘ and in Jerome's time apparently MSS. of the Hebrew text were still accessible in Palestine. In his preface to the Books of Solomon, Jerome expressly mentions one of these which he had in his possession: ‘Quorum priorem—sc. Iesu filii Sirach librum —Hebraicum reperi.’ In the succeeding centuries, down to the eleventh, the book was still freely quoted in a Hebrew (and also an Aramaic) form. One of the most interesting references to the existence of copies of the Hebrew text is made by Sa‘adya, Gaon of Bagdad (A.D. 920). who states that vowel-points and accents—usually reserved only for canonical writings—were to be found in copies of Ben-Sira.? Sa‘adya also cites some seven (or eight) genuine sayings of Ben-Sira in classical Hebrew. Of the existence of the book in Spain, Provence, or among the Rabbis of France, the Rhineland, and Germany, there is no direct trace. The Hebrew text was apparently unknown (or at least inaccessible) to Rashi, the Tosafists, and even to Maimonides,® and seems to have completely vanished from knowledge in the eleventh century. The recovery of large portions of it has been one of the most striking discoveries of recent years.

(a) The recovery of portions of the lost Hebrew original.

It was in 1896 that the first portion of the lost Hebrew text came to light—a single leaf containing the text of ch. xxxix. 15-xl. 7, among some manuscript fragments brought from the East by Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Gibson, together with the famous palimpsest of the Syriac Gospels. This leaf was examined by Dr. Schechter, then Reader in Talmudic in the University of Cambridge, who recognized its contents and published it, with an English translation, introduction and notes, in 7%e Expositor for July, 1896. Almost simultaneously Professor Sayce presented to the Bodleian a box of Hebrew and Arabic fragments, among which Messrs. Cowley and Neubauer ‘recognized another portion of the same text of Sirach, consisting of nine leaves, and forming the continuation of Mrs. Lewis’s leaf from chapter xl. 9 to xlix. τ΄. Both fragments proved to be furnished with marginal notes ‘ giving the variants of another copy of Sirach, or more probably of two other copies... . In the Bodleian fragment there are also at least two Persian glosses (ff. 1 and 5”), which point to its having been written in Bagdad or Persia, possibly transcribed from Sa‘adya’s copy «ὃ

These fragments had come from the Genizah at Cairo. In consequence Schechter at once proceeded thither, and, having obtained the necessary authority, made an examination of the manuscript material there deposited, with the result that a considerable amount of the collection was brought to Cambridge. In this collection other fragments of Sirach were discovered by Schechter, all from the same MS. (denoted B by Schechter), covering parts of chapters xxx—xxxviii, as well as the final portion, covering chapters I1-li. Two additional fragments of the same MS., containing XXX1. 12-31 and xxxvi. 24—-xxxvii. 26, were secured for the British Museum, and edited by the Rev. G. Margoliouth (JQR, xii. 1-33). Meanwhile Schechter had discovered in the Genizah collection at Cambridge fragments of a second MS. of the Hebrew text (= MS. A), containing

1 Cp. Hart, Ecclesiasticus in Greek, p. 333. 2 JE, xi. 388 a.

Cp. Tosefta, Vadayim ii. 13 (ed. Zuckermandel 683), which runs: ‘The gilyOnim and the books of the heretics (inim) do not defile the hands [1. 6. are not canonical]; the books of Ben-Sira and all books written after the prophetic period do not defile the hands’: cp. also T. J. Sah. 28 a.

For its influence on early Jewish and Christian literature cp. § 7 below. ἢ

δ Sefer ha-galuy, p. 162 (cp. Cowley-Neub. O. H. p. x f.). ° Cowley-Neub. of. c7¢., ibid.

τ Thid., p. xii. 8. Tbid., p. xiii, where see a full description of the MS. and its peculiarities.

Sia Cla

ch. iii. 6-xvi. 6, with a hiatus from vii. 29 to xi. 34, which was afterwards made good by some —

leaves that came into the possession of Mr. Elkan Adler. When the remaining contents of the Genizah were sold Israel Lévi discovered a fragment of a fresh MS. ( MS. D) in a single leaf covering ch. xxxvi. 24-xxxviii. 1 (thus providing a second text against that of MS. B for this portion of the book). Finally, Schechter, Gaster, and Lévi found in material derived from the same Genizah fragments of an anthology of the Book of Ben-Sira ( MS. C) embracing the following : iv. 23 4, may be classified as follows :— :

(2) Manuscript A, containing ch. iii. 6—xvi. 26 ; this consists of six leaves, and may be of the eleventh century. There are 28-29 lines-to the page; in some places vowels are added, and, in one or two cases, accents. The size of the page is 11 x 11 cm. δ Ἶ

(6) MANUSCRIPT B, containing xxx. 11-xxxiii. 3, XXxv. II-XXXvill. 27, ΧΧΧΙΧ. 15-li. 30 ; this consists of τὸ leaves, and may be of the twelfth century. ‘The MS. is written on oriental paper, and is arranged in lines, 18 to the page, and the lines are divided into hemistichs.’1 There are many marginal notes, containing, apparently, variant readings from two other codices, one of which is closely related to MS. D. ‘Asa rule, the body of the text corresponds to the Greek version, and the glosses in the margin to the Syriac ; but occasionally the reverse is the case.’* The size of the

(c) MANUSCRIPT C (= Lévi’s D), containing an anthology from chapters iv—vii, xviii-xx, xxv, XXvi, Xxxvii (as specified above). This MS. consists of four leaves, and, according to Gaster, is older than the other MSS. It contains 12 lines to the page, the size of which is 14:6x10cm. ‘The text is often preferable to that of A, and offers variants agreeing with the Greek version, while the readings of A correspond to the Syriac.’ ὅ

(4) MANuscRIPT D (= Lévi's C), containing xxxvi. 29-xxxviii.1. This MS. consists of a single leaf; there are 20 lines to the page, which measures 16 x 12 cm. Words, and in some cases entire verses, are provided with vowels and accents.

It will thus be seen that the MSS. so far recovered yield a Hebrew text for something like two-thirds of the entire book. In some cases two MSS., and for four verses three, are available for the restoration of the text.

The following list shows the extent of the Hebrew MS. authority for different parts of the text:

(a) The portions of the text for which one manuscript authority only is available are: From MS. A, iii. 6-

(ὁ) The portions of the text for which two MSS. are available are: iv. 23 4, 30-31; v. 4-7, 9-13; Vi. 19,

(4) The portions of the text for which no Hebr. MS. is yet available are: i. 1-iii, 5; xvi. 27-Xviii. 3; Nix.

(b) Lhe value and authenticity of the recovered fragments.

The questions touched upon in this section have given rise to much controversy which it will be impossible to review here in detail. All that will be attempted will be to indicate the main lines and directions of the best eritical opinion.

The problems raised by the Hebrew fragments are of an exceedingly complex character. The first point to determine, in a general way, is the relation of the MSS. to each other. The manuscript material that has been recovered, fortunately, is sufficiently extensive—overlapping as it does for certain parts of the text of the book—to make it possible to establish certain relations.

(i) The relation of the Hebrew MSS. to each other.

The most important point of relation between the MSS. is the frequent agreement of the marginal variants of B with D against the text of B in the section where comparison is possible,

156: ΤΕΣ the two MSS. overlap (xxxvi. 29-xxxviii. 1), A good example of this is to be seen in XXXVII. 10:

Here B™"sand D have son ney 53 ven naving wn (D dys) Syne 53 90d

The beginning of every action is speech, And before every work ἐς the thought. For this B '®** has

navn sw Sya 55 yx

Another good example is afforded by xxxvii. 25, where B™*- and D read jv against Syssv py of B**t. According to Peters!, about 75 per cent. of the variants conform to this rule; ia the other cases where D has a variant not attested in B™"s: some are explicable as scribal errors in D, or as corruptions produced under the influence of. the text of B. In several cases B™"2* and D agree in purely orthographic variants, and even in reproducing identical scribal errors. The important conclusion deducible from these phenomena is that the marginal variants of B are not the emendations of the scribe, but represent readings derived from another MS. which has close affinities with D. Probably the marginal variants of the rest of B are derived from an identical or related source. Regarding the relation of C to B and D the material for comparison is too slight to enable

any certain conclusions to be drawn. In one striking case, however, C = B ***t in reading 5yy against

B™™"sand D which read ὅν). Hence Peters concludes that C is to be ranked with the B type of text (against D+ B™*"*:), The other important area of contact is iv. 23-vii. 25, where C and A partly overlap and comparison is possible. Here the divergence is occasionally considerable, as in iv. 30, 31 (see next subsection). But this must not be unduly exaggerated. The similarity of whole verses is so marked as to make it clear that we are confronted with different recensions of the same archetypal text, and not with independent types of text.”

(ii) Zhe general character of the Hebrew fragments and their relation to the Versions.

The relation of the Hebrew fragments to the Versions presents many difficult textual problems which cannot be said yet to have been fully solved. In the case of MSS. A and B, which may conveniently be considered first, the Hebrew sometimes agrees with the Greek version against the Syriac, sometimes differs from both, and occasionally explains one or the other, or both. The cases in which the Hebrew seems to follow the Syriac and to be dependent on it are, perhaps, the most crucial. In this connexion the doublets, which are particularly numerous in B, are most important. These have been indicated in the critical notes of the commentary. The following example will illustrate many others. In xxxi. 13 ® has:

AY PY AY 5 (marg. YI) Wt (1)

be sey py »Ὲ (2)

rena xd wen »Ὲ (3)

(marg.? yn) youn Aydt DDD (5)

by pon wd pyn yr (6)

(1) Remember that an evil eye ts an evil thing ;

(2) The man of evil eye God hateth,

(3) And He hath created nothing more evil than him.

(4) Lor this—by reason of everything the eye quivereth,

(5) And from the face it maketh tears.

(6) God hath created nothing more evil than the eye,

(7) Therefore by reason of everything tts freshness ts abated.

1 Der jiingst wiederaufgefundene hebriische Text des Buches Ecclesiasticus (1902), p. 23%. Ὁ oe ;

Schechter (/QA, xii. 458) pertinently remarks: ‘ Had we here to deal with different translations, it is impossible that they should agree as closely as they [MSS.C and A] do. Those who are inclined to doubt this obvious fact should take the trouble to compare these same fourteen verses [covering iv. 23-v. 13 + xxxvi. 24] in the three Hebrew versions we possess of Ben-Sira, viz. by Ben Zeeb, Frankel, and Joshua Duklo, and he will see at once the difference between independent translations and families of MSS. differing but descendant from the same common origin. In the first case he will, before a closer reading, hardly be aware that they represent the same work, whilst in the latter it will take him some time before he detects their differences.’ :

5 The most elaborate and detailed reconstruction of the text, taking the fullest account of all relevant data, is that of Smend (as cited in § 10).

lowing commentary): (5) is a doublet of (4) and (7). It is noticeable that ® does not, as it stands,

yield an exactly corresponding text either to & or 8, while it provides one doublet (5) and (7) which —

corresponds to neither. The simplest explanation is that # embodies variants from different recensions of the original text that lie behind & and 3.1 Not improbably ® itself has been glossed and emended by scribes. The variant in (7) above (‘its freshness is abated |) may, perhaps, be explained in this way (from Deut. xxxiv. 7). As another example of a gloss in ® to which nothing corresponds in G or $ xxxi. 2 may be cited. Here ® adds the following two lines:

ADIN Won pox yr wad INS TWD AnD

Reproach putteth to flight the faithful friend, But he that hideth a secret loveth (a friend) as his own soul.

As this couplet does not harmonize with the context it is probably a gloss (? from the margin of a MS.). In general 3" has many scribal errors and corruptions in its text, which is also marked by the occasional presence of strong Syriasms? and late Rabbinical expressions.®

In the case of # the number of marginal variants is comparatively small. There are a certain number of doublets which exhibit features on the whole similar to those of 3η" illustrated above. But 3ηλ diverges more from the text of & than is the case with ®"—it very rarely sides with & against 3. It has certain orthographical peculiarities of its own, and is marked by a number of errors due to the carelessness of the copyist.t In the case of 32", which covers xxxvi. 29-xxxviii. 1, and provides (with #") a duplicate text for this section of the book, we have, on the whole, a text superior to that of #”, though there are numerous cases of corruption. In two instances it yields a text which agrees with % against the common text of @, viz. in xxxvii. 26°, where it reads 1133 ( δόξαν 248 and #) against πίστιν of the ordinary text of &; and in xxxvii. 28 ὁ where, against 39" which (τ, ui vente snan jr 55 vias $25 xy which = © (e¢ non omni animae omne genus placet). In this MS. late Hebrew expressions are of frequent occurrence. In the three fragments of selections which make up 38“ a type of text is preserved which is, on the whole, remarkably free from the corruptions and blemishes which disfigure the other MSS. It agrees sometimes with &, sometimes with 5, and occasionally with neither (e.g. v. 11). In those parts of the book where it coincides with ®* it often agrees with the text of & against S.

The relation of the Hebrew fragments to the citations of Sirach that occur in the Talmudic and Rabbinic literature ° is not easy to determine owing to the uncertain state of the Talmudic and Rabbinic texts, and also to the loose way in which such citations are often made. It would appear that in some cases the two Talmuds had different texts of Ben-Sira before them. Thus iii. 21 is

cited in one form in T.J. Hag. 77 ¢ (agreeing with #* in first and last word), and in another (doublet) _

form in T.B. Hag. 15 ἃ (also in Midr. rabba Gen. viii). In the latter the first couplet agrees with $ and & (and partly with %#*); the second diverges considerably from all the other forms of the text (though agreeing in one word with ®*, and in another with T.J. Hag.). The most natural inference to draw from these phenomena is that two divergent types of text of Sirach were current in the fifth century A.D. The citations from Sirach in Sa‘adya (Sefer ha-galuy) are of a different character. They agree much more closely with the text of ®, give the impression of being more exact citations, and are apparently derived from substantially the same text as that represented in the Hebrew fragments.

__ It is important to note, in this connexion, that collections of detached sayings derived from Sirach were apparently in existence in the Talmudic period. The only long continuous quotation from Ben-Sira given in the Talmud (T.B. Sanhedrin 100 ὁ) is apparently made from such a /florzlegium. It consists of the following passages in the following order: xxvi. I-43; ix. 8, 9; xi. 29-34, and vi. 10. Another such collection is represented in the fragments denoted ®°. Such collections

: See further the discussion in the next subsection.

e.g. D9 xlii. 5, which apparently inf. Pael (Syr. méemahayu) ; TAADA xlii. 12, ‘converse’Syr, ’estawwed ὁμιλεῖν : ND xiii. 12 perhaps ‘among’ (Syr. 4é¢h). ;

; 4 Of differences of diction the following is the most notable: 18. writes }1.D"] where 328 has 1D. See further

ὃ This verse is wanting in 79",

° For a collection of the citations conveniently grouped "ow. <IX—XX For c at grouped together see Cowley-Neub., pp. xix-xxx ; also Schechter in JOR, iii. 682-706 (with full critical notes), = Ὁ Ἴ Ὁ} : ᾿

ΡΥ Υ (eats

᾿ seem to have superseded the original Hebrew text of the entire book after it fell under the ban and

was reckoned among ‘the books of the heretics’. The ‘good things’ profitable for reading were

᾿ excerpted ; the rest consigned to neglect.' It is worth noting that some of the sayings of Ben-Sira are cited in an Aramaic form, which implies that an Aramaic translation of parts of the book was

at some time or other made. This factor must be allowed for as a possible source of corruption in

' the diction of the fragments.

(iii) Zhe authenticity of the Hebrew fragments,

The authenticity of the Hebrew fragments was early called in question by Professor D. S. Mar-

_ goliouth,’ who, noting the decadent nature of the diction, coloured as it is by the frequent presence : of Syriasms and Arabisms, as well as of neo-Hebraisms, and struck by the presence of Persian

glosses in }*, propounded the theory that 30 is itself a retranslation of a Persian version, which was

| based partly on the Greek and partly on the Syriac versions of the book. The hypothesis is that

a Syriac version, which had been revised by the Greek, was used as the basis of a Persian rendering, and that this Persian translation was rendered by an unintelligent Persian Jew, who knew neither

- Syriac nor Greek, into Hebrew. ‘The theory is incompatible with the known facts ; the agreements

(often literal) and the disagreements of the Hebrew with the primary versions make it practically inconceivable that it could have arisen in the way described.’* The obscurities in the Hebrew text alleged to be due to a misunderstanding of Persian expressions are all susceptible of a different— and more probable—explanation.t Consequently the hypothesis of a Persian basis for the text of 38

' may be ruled out. But in a modified form the hypothesis of retranslation may be made much

more defensible, viz. on the basis of the Syriac—and Greek—versions. It is not, indeed, alleged that the whole of the recovered Hebrew text can be explained in this way, but the dependence of

_ parts of the text on & or 3 is seriously maintained by some scholars. It will, therefore, be necessary ᾿ to subject some of the crucial cases adduced to examination. Nestle° brings forward a number of

cases from #° in which he concludes that the Hebrew text of these passages ‘ cannot be explained in any other way than by the supposition that’ it rests ‘on a corrupt and glossed text, sometimes of

' G, sometimes of S$’. He, however, does not allege of #° as a whole that it is a s¢mple retranslation ᾿ of G ‘for even in #° there are passages which are at variance with &.’ The passages in question

are iv. 30, 31, v.94, 13 ὦ, vii. 25, xxv. 17. The first and last of these may be taken as crucial

᾿ examples.

μὴ ἴσθι ws λέων ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ (Vv. 1. τὴ οἰκίᾳ) σου καὶ φαντασιοκοπῶν ἐν τοῖς οἰκέταις σου. x noli esse sicut leo in domo tua ; evertens domesticos tuos et opprimens subiectos tibi. Be not a dog (23) in thy house, And rebuking and fearful in thy works,

ἼΠΘΝΟΩΣ Ν ΠῚ 1) H" sma. masa can ΟΝ

:Jnmaya mnandy

says Nestle, ‘that A (i*) agrees with $ and C (15) with @?’ The mistake in S$ (353) may be due to a misreading of "355 ( was) ‘like a lion’. He, however, admits that the couplets as they stand cannot be explained entirely as retranslations. In particular, ‘how would a late Jewish translator hit upon tnan» to render so obscure a word as φαντασιοκοπῶν Ῥ᾿ But if the two couplets are not retranslations the obvious inference is that they represent two recensions of the original Hebrew text, one of which lies behind $ and the other behind & In #* 3055 is a corruption of 253 "293 (1253), which may be explained as a variant on the true reading (preserved in #°) A N32: IMD) may be a gloss: ἼΧΝΟΣ has come in by mistake from the previous verse ; the correct reading is preserved

Cf. Schechter in /QA, xii. 461.

The Origin of the ‘ Original’ Hebrew of Ecclesiasticits (1899).

For a detailed criticism of these alleged cases see Taylor-Schechter, WAS. Art. ‘Sirach’ in Hastings’s DB, iv. 547 f.

a τον μὰ

in 325 ynmay3 (cf. ὅτ and $); sn is probably original, and inane) in #° a corruption of Jnana

variant on ΝΠ. Thus the original Hebrew of the couplet may be restored :

maa ama van bs syonaya nn

Be not like a lion in thy family, And timid among thy slaves.

[Smend, however, keeps ΟῚ in line 2: then render And shy and timid among thy slaves. |

In the text so read xvn» affords an excellent word-play (suggested by Amos iii. 8) on ΠΡῚΝ in line 1 —quite in the style of Ben-Sira." Again, in xxv. 17:

The wickedness of a woman... darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth (A.V. marg. ‘or like ἃ

bear’): R.V. as a bear doth. readings) ¢anguam ursus et quast saccum.

8 ... maketh pale the face of her husband, and Muaketh it black like the colour of a sack. wy WS ANID Wo AWK I

:ay79 YB PN

From these data Nestle concludes that ‘all rules of textual criticism .. . must be naught, or C (®°) is here the retranslation of a corrupt Greek text. The assumption is that ἄρκος is an inner (Greek) corruption of σάκκον, and that #° here has followed a Greek text which had the corruption. But it should be noted that ®° for the rest of the verse diverges strongly from &, and agrees with $ against & (1) in adding vx, and (2) in making the following word (135) refer to the husband (zs face). We are, therefore, driven to suppose that # has here followed & zz one word only, viz. in reading ‘bear’ for ‘sack’; in the rest of the verse it is independent of G, and approximates to (though it does not coincide with) $. The phenomena point in the same direction as in the other case examined, viz. to the existence of divergent recensions of the text of 32, one of which has been followed by & and another by 3, #° partly agreeing with both. At least two alternatives are possible to Nestle’s hypothesis, either of which is to be preferred to his solution; either (1) σάκκον is an inner (Greek) corruption of ἄρκος which has affected 5, or (2) the readings py and 3)1 existed in different recensions of ®. In either case 319 is probably the true reading of the original Hebrew, which may be restored from #° thus:

ANID Ww) AWS pI

The wickedness of a woman maketh black her look, And darkeneth her countenance like a bear's.

The meaning of the couplet appears to be that wickedness makes a woman sinister of aspect and fierce ; the alternative reading ‘like sackcloth’ would introduce the idea of sadness and mourning, which does not harmonize so well with the context. As the previous couplet” suggests the comparison of the wicked woman to a lion or dragon, the further comparison of her aspect to a bear’s is in keeping. What is referred to, apparently, is the hardening effect of a course of wickedness, which makes a woman brazen. The context, therefore, does not really favour the idea that a woman's wickedness makes her sad of countenance (‘darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth’). Schechter® aptly cites in illustration a passage from the MWzdrash (Gen. rabba, § 87. 4) where Potiphar’s wife is compared to a bear (‘I will incite against thee the bear’). The bear is proverbially associated with fierceness in the O. T. ; cp. Prov. xvii. 12, 2 Sam. xvii. 8, Hos. xiii. 8. The hypothesis of partial retranslation of $ in ® has been urged by Prof. I. Lévi with much force. It may be stated in his own words:* ‘ Certain details indicate that both A (322) and B (425) are derived from a copy characterized by interpolations due to a retranslation from Syriac into Hebrew. Ina number of passages the same verse is given in two distinct renderings, one of which usually corre- 1 So Taylor in JOR, xv. 611. > 7 would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than keep house with a wicked woman.

᾿ sponds to the Syriac, even when this text represents merely a faulty or biased translation of the original. ' These verses, moreover, in their conformity to the Syriac, become at times so meaningless that they | can be explained only as incorrect translations from that language. Such suspicious passages are | characterized by a comparatively modern style and language, by a commonplace phraseology, and by a

| break in the parallelism which is affected by Ecclesiasticus. It may, therefore, be safely concluded that

these doublets are merely additions made to render the Syriac version more intelligible. The same | statement holds true of certain textual emendations made by the glossarist. In this, however, there is nothing strange, since it is a well-known fact that the Jews of certain sections were familiar with Syriac, as is shown by the quotations made by Nahmanides from the Wisdom of Solomon, from Judith, and from Bel and the Dragon, and also by the introduction of the Peshitta of Proverbs into the Targum of the Hagiographa.’ The alleged cases in the doublets of 38 in which retranslation from S$ is assumed by Lévi have been subjected to close examination by A. Fuchs,! who has shown good grounds for rejecting the hypothesis, The alternative view that these doublets represent variant readings derived from different recensions of # is strongly upheld by Fuchs, and may be said to hold the field. With regard to the final acrostic hymn (li. 13-30), of which the version in #” is, - according to Lévi,a retranslation from 5,2 Levi’s hypothesis is again rejected by Fuchs, and also - by Dr. C. Taylor, who, after a careful discussion,’ concludes as follows: ‘ Further study of 35 has now brought out much positive evidence for its independence of 5, and seemingly none to the contrary.’ A word must be said in conclusion regarding the canticle which follows li. 12, and does not appear in any of the Versions. Is this a genuine part of the original Hebrew text of Ben-Sira? In favour of its authenticity may be urged the presence of the sentence :

Give thanks unto Him that chooseth the sons of Zadok to be priests,

which apparently contains an allusion to the pre-Maccabean high-priests who were descended from Zadok. The absence, too, of any reference to specifically Pharisaic ideas, such as the doctrine of the resurrection of the body, may also be cited in favour of its genuineness. Its omission in the Greek translation of Ben-Sira’s grandson may be explained by the reference to the ‘sons of Zadok’ —which might have proved a source of offence at a time when the high-priesthood was no longer held by descendants of that line. On the other hand, the sentiment expressed in the line:

Give thanks unto Him that maketh the horn of the House of David to bud

is directly opposed to that expressed in ch. xxxvi, and in the entire ‘ Hymn of the Fathers’ (ch. xliv— - xlviii). Perhaps the solution reached by Fuchs? is least open to objection. Fuchs concludes that the Psalm, which is not a genuine part of the original Book of Ben-Sira, is old and originally existed in an independent form ; it was inserted in the Hebrew text of Ben-Sira before the year 153 B.C. by a reader who thought the context, which already contained psalm-pieces, a suitable one. It may have emanated from the circles of the Haszdim (‘the Assideans’), who had already taken a stand against Hellenism before the Maccabean revolt.

Enough has been said to show that the text of 39, though it is disfigured by scribal errors and corruptions, and—in some places—by the presence of glosses, is yet essentially independent of & and δ; the hypothesis of retranslation breaks down, at best a plausible case for the influence of such a factor can only be made out for an insignificant number of verses, where, however, an alternative— and, on the whole, more probable—explanation is possible.

On the other hand, it is all-important to remember that # constantly explains the variations in the Versions. This is one of the surest indications of its essential genuineness. One or two examples will illustrate many others. In vi. 30 ® reads: aby ant Ὃν and & has κόσμος γὰρ χρύσεός ἐστιν ἐπ’ αὐτῆς. Here the first word in ® can be corrected by & to "Ἵν (‘ornament’), thus yielding the line:

An ornament of gold is her yoke. At the same time the third word in ® explains G’s ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς, which is obviously due to my being misread mY,

The following is an example of a different kind. In xiii. 1 ὦ ® has:

5 snd) yd Sx am And he that associateth with a scorner will learn his way. has καὶ 6 κοινωνῶν ὑπερηφάνῳ ὁμοιωθήσεται

aire. S&S He that associateth with a godless man is clothed with his way. Here § reads 1955 wads for ®s ἸΣῪΤ ποῦ; G& has apparently corrected the expression (cf. %) ;

1 Texthritische Untersuchungen zum hebraischen Ekklesiastikus (Freiburg i. B., 1907).

2 The hymn, which follows the Syriac version closely throughout, is evidently a retranslation from the latter’ (JE, xi. 393). For Lévi’s detailed arguments see his Z’ £cclésias/égue, ii, pp. xxi-xxvii.

spd) and εἶπον may have arisen by confusion; or smb) may be a correction of an original vas. In any case # independently throws light on the text ; even its corruptions are illuminating. Another indication of originality in ® is the frequent word-plays. A good example of such is viii. 18: 7 wyn oy ates. Here a and 17 provide an excellent instance, and will serve to illustrate numerous others.

If any further confirmation be needed as to the value and genuineness of the Hebrew fragments as a whole it may be furnished from the words of Prof. Lévi, who, as has been pointed out above, feels constrained to adopt the hypothesis of retranslation in the case of a restricted number of verses _ (mostly doublets). Yet, despite these assumed ‘corrections and interpolations’, he declares that ‘the originality of the text in these fragments of Ben-Sira cannot be denied. Besides the fact that many scholars deny the existence of any interpolations, there are portions in which it is easy to recognize the author’s hand, for he has a characteristic technique, style, vocabulary, and syntax which are © evident in all the Versions. It may safely be said that in the main the work of Ben-Sira has been preserved just as it left his hands, while the chief variant marginal readings recorded in the fragments ξ. and confirmed by the translations may be regarded as evidences of the existence of two separate editions written by Ben-Sira himself. It is self-evident, moreover, that Ecclesiasticus has undergone some alterations at the hands of scribes, and it would have been strange indeed if this book alone — should have wholly escaped the common lot of such writings. No more conclusive proof could be — found, were any necessary, of the fidelity of the Hebrew version than its frequent agreement, in citations from the Bible, with the text on which the Septuagint is based rather than with the — Massorah, as in the case of 1 Sam. xii. 3 as compared with Sirach xlvi. 19, or Isa. xxxviii. 17 with —

The indications that point to the existence of a secondary Greek version of Sirach are discussed and set forth in the next section (ᾧ 4). It is there shown that this secondary and amplified recension—undertaken clearly in order to make the teaching of the book more acceptable to later orthodox (Pharisaic) circles—is not fully represented in any group of Greek MSS.; it has affected most extensively the 248 group, and is largely in evidence in the Old Latin and also in the Syriac versions.” Originally, however, it seems probable that it existed in a complete and independent form, of which the readings mentioned above are traces. In other words, the secondary Greek recension has affected in varying degrees certain groups of the Greek MSS. of the book, and also the Versions. The question arises: was this secondary Greek version due to a purely Greek revision of the book, or does it depend upon a revised Hebrew text—in other words, upon a secondary Hebrew recension ἢ The phenomena of the text point unmistakably to the latter alternative ; the secondary Greek text depends essentially upon, and is a translation of, a younger Hebrew recension of the book.

Traces of this younger recension remain in the MSS. of 32, though there are only traces ; it has in fact affected these MSS. only partially, and its influence can also be seen in the Rabbinic citations. The following from among the examples cited by Smend® will illustrate what has just been said. In xvi. 3 ς the ordinary Greek text (B, &c.), which represents the origina’ Ben-Sira, has:

κρείσσων yap εἷς ἢ χίλιοι. For this ®* has an expanded text, viz. : FOND YT ΠῸΡ ἼΠΝ mw 5 (so 9 exactly).

Chrysostom, in citing the verse, has the doublet :

καὶ κρείσσων εἷς ποιῷν τὸ θέλημα κυρίου ἣ μύριοι παράνομοι. δοιὰ has the doublet :

κρείσσων yap εἷς δίκαιος ποιῶν θέλημα κυρίου ἢ μύριοι παράνομοι. κρείσσων γὰρ εἷς δίκαιος ἢ χίλιοι (70 + ἁμαρτωλοί).

x Melior est enim unus timens deum quam mille filii impii.

What Ben-Sira wrote was: FROND IAN sD 5

The addition yn τῶν belongs to the secondary Hebrew recension which underlies the revised Greek

3 The Syriac version, though made directly from the Hebrew, has apparently been influenced often by Greek MSS.,

which contained secondary readings; see ὃ 5 below and cp. S d <Xxl

text. Another example shows the same verse as it appeared in the original Hebrew text and in the secondary recension. Ch. v. ΤΙ is preserved in two forms in ®* and ®°. In ®* it runs:

ΠΝ ΠΟ sayy mn 203ND awn A AND)

Be swift to give ear, And with patience of spirit return answer. In ® it runs: AO AYNOWA D2 An

273133 AYN AY JANA CS ee (ἃ has: γίνου ταχὺς ἐν ἀκροάσει σου (248 + ἀγαθῇ)) ΔΕ

καὶ ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ φθέγγου ἀπόκρισιν (248 &c. + ὀρθήν).

Here clearly the Greek MSS. 248 &c. have corrected the older text of & according to the later Hebrew recension represented in ®°; the ordinary text of & and 3 = ®* (except that & appears to

have read myy2v'a for jn, the latter being a variant of the former perhaps).

In some cases the doublets in 39, to which reference has been made in the former part of this section, are to be explained in this way, one couplet reproducing the older Hebrew text, another the younger. It might be argued that these additions in the text of & are merely glosses and independent amplifications made in the Greek MSS. which have affected the Hebrew fragments. But Smend, after a very close and exhaustive investigation, has made it probable (a) that the additions as a whole—though a certain small amount of inner Greek amplification, perhaps under Christian influence, must be allowed for—possess a number of striking and peculiar features which point to a common origin and their being part of a comprehensive and deliberate revision ; in other words, they belong to a special recension: and (4) that this recension depends upon a Hebrew basis: many of the expressions and phrases used are fundamentally Hebrew, and are clearly translations of Hebrew originals. The difficulties of the hypothesis which would account for the presence of such elements in the Hebrew MSS. as due to retranslation have already been discussed.

(4) Zhe reconstruction of the original Hebrew text.

It has already been shown that the Hebrew fragments contain the genuine original text, though with many corruptions and with a certain amount of text-mixture due to the existence of different recensions. The first task of criticism, therefore, is to free the text, as it has been handed down in the MSS., from corruptions, glosses, and scribal errors. For this purpose the Hebrew text itself offers, in the first place, the most valuable aid. Ben-Sira’s language constantly echoes that of the Old Testament, and it is remarkable how clearly and frequently these reminiscences display themselves in the text of 3.2 Then, again, the form of the text in couplets of short lines of a certain approximately equal length and defined rhythm is of material assistance. It is often possible to reduce the lines to the normal length and rhythm by the removal of a superfluous word or words. The use of the ancient Versions—especially of & and S—is often of great value for reconstructing the original Hebrew, though it must not be forgotten that these Versions are themselves beset with many drawbacks. Both have suffered much from textual deterioration; both are often free and not literal renderings ; even the original form of &, as it was made by the author's grandson, does not, it would seem, depend upon the Hebrew text of Ben-Sira’s autograph, but upon a later transcript. Yet, when all possible reservations have been made, the ancient Versions constantly afford aid of inestimable value for the work of reconstruction. Finally, the data derived from ® is often of the greatest possible value for criticizing those parts of the book for which no portions of the Hebrew text have been recovered. These points receive ample illustration in the text and textual notes which are printed in the following commentary. We are unable to subscribe to the verdict of Prof. Toy when he says:* ‘In general the text of Ben-Sira remains nearly as it was before the discovery of the fragments. On the contrary, a careful study of 32, and the use of it for the purpose of constructing

_ ἦ Cp. xxxiv. 20 a ὦ, xxxv. 22 in ®; xi. 15, 16, which appears in #*, apparently belongs also to the secondary recen-

Such expressions as ἐντολαὶ αἰώνιοι (i. 5), γνῶσις ἐντολῶν (xix. 19), μακρότης ἡμερῶν are of this kind: δένδρον ἀθανασίας (xix. 19) O" YY: in some cases the renderings amount to mistranslations, e.g. φωτισμὸς ὑγιείας (xvii. 26) ᾿ BYNT NN: see further Smend, p. cxv f. 5 See e. g. the elaborate list of parallel passages given in Taylor-Schechter, ZS, pp. 13-32.

4 critical text of the book, has confirmed to us the verdict of the distinguished scholars who first made it available for the scientific world. How far-reaching and transforming its effect on the old currently-received Greek Sirach really has been will be apparent to any careful reader who will take the trouble to compare the critical version of the text, as it appears in the following commentary, with that printed in the Authorized and Revised English versions.’

§ 4. THE GREEK VERSION AND THE SECONDARY GREEK TEXT.

Among the versions of Sirach this is the most important as being the earliest. As the Prologue tells us, the Greek translation was made from the original Hebrew by the author's grandson; there was, therefore, not a long period of time between the original writing and its Greek translation. The Greek form of the book was that in which it was first officially received by the Church. Another fact which enhances the importance of this version is that in a number of instances the text represents a purer form of the original Hebrew than that contained in the manuscripts of the Hebrew text recently discovered. This fact makes the use of the Greek version extremely valuable, and indeed indispensable, for the reconstruction of the Hebrew text.

The text of this version, as the critical notes in the commentary will amply show, has come down to us ina bad condition; not infrequently it defies emendation. But in connexion with this two points must be taken into account when using the Greek text for the purpose of reconstructing the Hebrew. In the first place, there is in many cases of an apparently bad condition of the text the possibility that it was always so; that is to say, that it may be due to the initial inability of Ben-Sira’s grandson to give a proper translation, so that what appears now as a bad text was so from the beginning. ‘Ye are entreated, therefore, says the translator in his Prologue, ‘to make your perusal with favour and attention, and to be indulgent if in any parts of what we have laboured to interpret we may seem to fail in some of the phrases. For things originally spoken in Hebrew have not the same force in them when they are translated into another tongue.’ And, secondly, Ben-Sira’s grandson clearly does not consider it the duty of a translator to give anything in the shape of a literal translation of his original; he seeks, rightly, to present as far as possible a well-constructed Greek interpretation rather than a slavish reproduction of what he translates ; and when, as in the present case, it is poetry which is in question, the translator’s freedom is of course increased. These two points must, therefore, not be lost sight of. But when all allowance is made for this, the fact still remains that the Greek text is in a far from satisfactory state; it has suffered greatly from corruptions made in transmission, it has often been inflated by the addition of glosses, inserted sometimes for explanatory, at other times for doctrinal purposes, and further, marginal notes, not originally intended to be additions, have been later on incorporated into the text. Before proceeding, mention may here be made of the great displacement in the Greek text ; we quote from Dr. Swete:* ‘A remarkable divergence in the arrangement of the Septuagint and Old Latin versions of Ecclesiasticus xxx-xxxvi calls for notice. In these chapters the Greek order fails to yield a natural sequence, whereas the Latin arrangement, which is also that of the Syriac and Armenian versions, makes excellent sense. Two sections, Xxx. 25-xXxXxiii. 13. @ (ὡς καλαμώμενος.. .. φυλὰς ᾿Ιακώβ) and xxxiii. 13 b- XXXVi. 16 @ (λαμπρὰ Kapdla ... ἔσχατος ἠγρύπνησα), have exchanged places in the Latin, and the change is justified by the result. On examination it appears that these sections are nearly equal, containing in B 154 and 159 στίχοι respectively, whilst 8 exhibits 160 in each.’ There can be little doubt that in the evemplar from which, so far as is certainly known, all our Greek MSS. of this book ‘are ultimately derived the pairs of leaves on which these sections were severally written had been transposed, whereas the Latin translator, working from a MS. ‘in which the transposition had not taken place, has preserved the true order. ὃ

When the various MSS. of the Greek version are examined it is seen that they exhibit great divergences,* and these divergences are further increased when the other versions and the patristic quotations are taken into consideration. For English readers the most instructive way of being brought face to face with these variations found in the Greek MSS. is to compare the Revised and Authorized versions together, for in the margin of the Revised version the following note occurs again and again: ‘Verse... is omitted by the best authorities’; by these ‘best authorities’ are meant the great Greek uncials of the fourth century A.D. (Bs A). In the Authorized version, on the other hand, all the verses or parts of verses omitted by the Revised version find a place, the

It should be noted that the displacement in chapter xxxi. 25 f., which has affected all extant Greek MSS., does not appear in #), which has the true order. See further on this point next section. * The Old Testament in Greek, vol. ii. p. vi. ; The solution is due to O. F. Fritzsche, Kurzgefasstes exegetisches Handbuch zu den Apokryphen, ν, pp. 169, 170. For examples recourse must be had to the apparatus criticus in the commentary.

reason for this being that the Greek text of which the Authorized version is a translation is that represented by a number of cursives belonging to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, a text which is also to a large extent represented in the Old Latin version, and in the quotations from Sirach in the writings of some of the Church Fathers. These great divergences, then, in the Greek MSS., all of which, as we have just seen, go back to one copy in which the great displacement was already present, occasion a difficult problem. Two points, however, emerge clearly; in the face of the striking and numerous divergences and additions it is evident that all the MSS. cannot ultimately all go back to one original form of text; and, again, since all the extant Greek MSS. are descended from one copy in which the displacement was already found, the divergences and additions must have been in existence at a very early period. The matter can be put in another way ; Cod. B, for example, represents one type of Greek text, Codd. 248, 253 represent another type, that, namely, which contains the additions: both have the great displacement, and therefore both, presumably, must ultimately go back to one and the same copy, although in the actual dates of these two manuscripts there is a difference of, roughly speaking, a thousand years. But how can it be possible that these two manuscripts should go back to one original copy when one of them has sO many variations and additions as compared with the other? Here let us note another factor which is of real assistance in helping to arrive at a solution of the problem—the Old Latin version, which is a translation of the Greek, has the additions, but has 707 got the displacement. Now the Old Latin version represents a condition of affairs which is older than either the great uncial codices or the cursives as we now have them; this, therefore, proves that the type of text represented by Codd. 248, 253 was extant in some MSS, before the existence of the archetypal MS. which contained the displacement.

It seems clear that there existed at a very early period, probably as early as the last century B.C., two types of the Greek text, a przmary text, which lies at the back of αὐ the Greek MSS., and which represents the original translation of Ben-Sira’s grandson, and a secondary text. The former of these, the przmary text, is represented by the great uncials Bs A and the group of cursives 68, 155, 157, 296, 307, 308, as well as in the Aldine and Sixtine editions. The secondary text is represented in varying degrees by the group of cursives 55, 70, 106, 248, 253, 254, and in the MS. used by the seventh-century corrector of Cod. Siniaticus, x°* ; of these the foremost representative is 248; this type of text is also reflected in the Old Latin and the Syriac versions, as well as in the Syro-Hexaplar (in this latter many of the passages belonging to the secondary text are marked with the asterisk), and in the Complutensian text ; it also has the support of Clement of Alexandria and Chrysostom in their quotations from our book. This secondary Greek text was, like the primary one, translated from the Hebrew.’ In the Talmud, and in some other Jewish writings, there are Rabbinical Hebrew quotations from Sirach which vary from the text of the great uncials (the primary text), but which are represented in the secondary Greek text. Again, in some cases the secondary Hebrew text, remnants of which are preserved in the recently-found Hebrew -MSS., is represented in the ‘248 group’, but not in the uncials and their followers. And there is this further fact that many of the additions found in the ‘ 248 group’ can, on account of their form, only be explained on the supposition of their having been translated direct from a Hebrew original. These points go to show that the additions which belong to the secondary Greek text are not interpolations, but are based in the main upon a secondary Hebrew original.

To come back again, then, to the question with which we started ; how are the two (apparently contradictory) following facts to be explained? There are great divergences in our Greek MSS., and yet all go back to one archetype, because all have the same great displacement. The most probable hypothesis would seem to be that the archetype responsible for the displacement was a Greek MS. which contained the primary text represented by the uncials. From this MS. the uncials were directly derived, but at the same time other Greek MSS. were in existence which contained the secondary text and were without the displacement.2 As copies were multiplied of the former group the distorted order was adhered to, while in some cases the variant text of the MSS. representing the secondary recension was adopted and embodied ; hence two varieties of text, both of which contain the displacement, come into existence. The purest extant form of the text of the secondary recension is represented apparently by the Old Latin version ; the text of Cod. 248 only partially embodies the variants and additions of the Greek MSS. behind the Old Latin.

But although there are some half-dozen Greek MSS., in addition to the Syriac and Old Latin versions and the Syro-Hexaplar, in which the secondary Greek text is represented, it is certain that no one of these actually contains that text as such; all that can be said is that these authorities

? On the primary and secondary Hebrew texts see the preceding section, § 3 (esp. (c)). Ὁ * It should be noted that # agrees with 11, &c., in having the true order; it has not the displacement.

have to a greater or less extent been influenced by it. Thus, apart from a great many minor additions, the ‘248 group’ of MSS. (including 8** and the Syro-Hexaplar), taken altogether, have about a hundred and fifty s¢échoi which are not found in the MSS. representing the primary Greek text ; 1 of these additions thirty-two are found in the Syriac version, which has, besides these, thirtyseven more of its own; the Old Latin version has a much larger number of its own, together with thirty-three of those found in the ‘248 group’. The other group of cursive MSS., mentioned above, which with the uncials represent the primary Greek text, were originally based on the secondary text, for they still contain traces of this latter, and must therefore be regarded as the descendants of manuscripts representing the secondary text which were corrected on the basis of the uncials.

Although the fragments of the secondary Greek text now extant are considerable, they are but fragments, and, as the sequel will show, it is reasonable to assume that at one time the divergences between the two types of text must have been considerably greater. The question, therefore, naturally arises why it was that a secondary type of text (in the first instance, as we have seen, existing in Hebrew) should ever have come into existence ? The additions found in the ‘ 248 group’ and other authorities are so considerable that they cannot be accounted for by the assumption that they are merely arbitrary expansions of the text or explanatory glosses; they must have some more specific purpose. We believe that Mr. Hart is right in saying that these additions are ‘Fragments of the Wisdom of a Scribe of the Pharisees, and contain tentative Greek renderings of many of the technical terms and watchwords of the sect. As Jesus ben Sira dealt with the earlier Scriptures, so some unknown disciple dealt with his master’s composition. He received the deposit and added to it ;’ the additions are ‘ traditional accretions, which—so far as external evidence testifies—descended from an immemorial antiquity’, though ‘they do not necessarily proceed from the hand of one individual’. In fact, the secondary Greek text represents a Pharisaic recension of the original work of Ben-Sira. But before we deal more fully with the subject of this Pharisaic recension, it is important as well as instructive to indicate the standpoint represented by Ben-Sira himself in his work ; this will help to explain and justify the existence of the later recension.

Dr. Taylor, in his edition of Pzrge Aboth (1897), p. 115, says in reference to the books of the Sadducees: ‘We have no authentic remains of Sadducee literature, but it has been suggested with a certain plausibility that the book Ecclesiasticus approximates to the standpoint of the primitive Caduqin as regards its theology, its sacerdotalism, and its want of sympathy with the modern Soferim.’ The name of Ezra is significantly omitted from its catalogue of worthies. ‘It remains singular’, remarks Kuenen, ‘that the man whom a later generation compared, nay, made almost equal, to Moses, is passed over in silence. . .. Is it not really most natural that a Jesus ben Sirach did not feel sympathy enough for the first of the Scribes to give him a place of honour in the series of Israel’s great men?’ The modern Scrze was to Ben-Sirach an unworthy descendant of the primitive lV/zse, in accordance with Eli‘ezer ha-Gadol’s lament over the degeneracy of a later age:

243 NYNADD yard NOI Ww wopen ma aanw ows

‘Ex quo Templum devastatum est,* coepere Sapientes similes esse Scrzbis; Scribae aedituis; Aeditui, vulgo hominum ; Vulgus vero hominum in peius indies ruit, nec quis rogans, aut quaerens, superest. Cui ergo innitendum? Patri nostro coelesti?’ Dr. Taylor points out, further, the important fact that in the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 100 6) the Books of the Sadducees and the Book of Ben- Stra are placed side by side on the ‘ Index expurgatorius’ :

apd TDN I ND {2 HDI AWS FD 34 DP My aD’ Non

What Dr. Taylor says receives confirmation from the Hebrew text of the Canticle following 1. 12, which was discovered subsequently to the publication of his book: ‘Give thanks unto Him that chooseth the sons of Zadok to be priests; for His mercy endureth for ever.’® It is also in accordance with the Sadducean theology contained in the book. There is no mention of the existence of angels, and only the scantiest reference to demons (and even this is not certain), the central idea being that of a personified Wisdom.® Then, again, special prominence is given to the Law; here we may be permitted to quote again from Dr. Taylor's book, especially as in connexion with what he says a further Sadducean tenet, the denial of a resurrection, is included (in Sirach belief in a hereafter is restricted to the Sheol-conception): ‘The Sadducees said, μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν (Matt. xxii. 23), and our Lord answers by an indirect argument from the Pentateuch, instead of bringing

3 Cod. 248 alone has a hundred and twenty-three. 2 See Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sirach, pp. xciv.

> Of. cit., p. 274. Ἄν * Mishnah, «ϑοζαλ ix. 5 (Surenhusius, vol. iii, p. 308).

These words do not occur in either the Greek or the Syriac versions. 5 See further § 9, ili.

proofs of a more obvious and direct kind from other parts of Holy Scripture. Hence it has been inferred that they accepted the Pentateuch only, and rejected the Nebiim and Kethubim. On the other side, it is asserted that this inference is wholly inaccurate ; that they accepted the three divisions of the Old Testament, and rejected only the extra-scriptural ‘ Tradition’ and scribe-law. The truth, perhaps, lies 272 medio. The Jews in general esteemed, and still esteem, the Pentateuch more highly than the Prophets and the Hagiographa:

preys oo ὉΞΟῚ ae mio part [jaa] poapo yay adap as pansy ow wap “ors ὮΝ Job) 24> opim my» ΟΡ omap ayvend

‘And therefore I say that the Prophets and Hagiographa are called words of Qadébalah, because they were received by διαδοχή, and they came from the days of Moses; and by no means are they equal to the Five Books, which are all precepts and ordinances, &c.’ If the Sadducees were of the number of those who insisted most strongly upon the superior authority of the Pentateuch, it might in certain cases be nearer to the truth to say that they rejected the Prophets and Hagiographa than to say that they accepted them. If a prophet were quoted in opposition to Moses they would have questioned the authority of the prophet.’ The antagonism between the Sadducees and the Pharisees on this point is clearly indicated by Josephus (Azz. xiii. 10. 6), where he says: ‘ The Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many observances by succession [cp. Dr. Taylor's quotation above] from their fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses; and it is for this reason that the Sadducees reject them, and say, that we are to esteem as obligatory (only) those observances that are in the written word, but are not to observe those things that are derived from the traditions of our forefathers. The prominence given to the Law in Sirach may, therefore, well indicate the Sadducean attitude. Again, the very meagre reference to the Messianic hope, which is also characteristic of our book, likewise points to its emanating from a Sadducean mzlzeu, for the Sadducees did not share the Messianic hopes of the Pharisees; the latter, following the teaching of the Prophets, looked to God to guide the destinies of the nation, while the Sadducees disbelieved in such divine guidance; they ‘take away fate, affirming that there is no such thing, and that the events of human affairs are not at its disposal, but they hold that all our actions are in our own power’ (Josephus, Azz. xiii. 5. 9; cp. Bell. ud. ii. 8. 14). Further, Ben-Sira shows himself to be a Sadducee by his comparatively favourable attitude towards the heathen world; it is true that one of the main objects of his book is to show the superiority of Jewish wisdom over that of the Greeks, but he does not show that contempt for non-Jews which was so characteristic of the Pharisees. f What has been said is sufficient to show that our book, in its original form, represented the Sadducean standpoint; and this fact offers a prima facie presumption that with the growth of Pharisaic influence a book which enjoyed so much popularity as Sirach should have been later on moulded, as far as possible, into a form more in accordance with the ideas of the dominant party, and that therefore the additions which constitute the main feature of the secondary Greek text should reflect specifically Pharisaic teaching. As an active movement Pharisaism emerges from the Maccabean conflict with surrounding heathenism and only becomes quiescent after the annihilation of the Jewish national life in the reign of Hadrian (from about 150 B.C.-A.D. 130). The work which the teachers of the Law had begun—viz. the application of the Torah to the practical affairs of everyday life—was continued and made effective by the Pharisees. Elbogen, in his Relzgzozs Views of the Pharisees, p. 2, says: ‘The Pharisees are usually described as the party of narrow legalistic tendencies, and it is forgotten how strenuously they laboured, against the Hellenizing movement, for the maintenance of MWonotheism; it is forgotten that they built up religzous individualism and purely spiritual worship; that it was through them more especially that delief i a future life was deepened ; and that they carried on a powerful mission propaganda. They are represented as merely the guardians of the Pentateuch, and the fact is overlooked that they no less esteemed the Prophets and the Hagiographa, and were not less careful to make it their duty, in the weekly expositions of the Scriptures, to preach to the people the truths and hopes of religion out of these books.’ Fully in accordance with these religious views of the Pharisees are the three great watchwords in reference to practical religion to be found in Pharisaic literature, viz. ΠΡ ΝῚ nmban) awn, ie. repentance, prayer, and almsgiving (lit. ‘ righteousness’) ; these three are mentioned together as the three things which ‘avert the evil doom’.* In illustration of these Pharisaic religious views we

1 [Read }'§) for Ὁ 1Π2: Then we get the right sense: ‘though they came not’ instead of ‘ and they came.’— Gen. Editor.]

8 With what is said here regarding the Pharisees cp. Box’s ‘Survey of Recent Literature on the Pharisees and Sadducees’, in the Review of Theology and Philosophy, vol. iv, No. 3, pp. 133 ff.

will take a few examples from the additions found in the secondary Greek text in order to show the high probability of their having been put in by a Pharisaic scribe or scribes for the purpose of bringing the book more into harmony with the views of what had become the dominant religious party in Palestine. i ὶ

We have seen that in contra-distinction to Sadducean teaching the Pharisees believed strongly in the divine governance of the world and in a close relationship between God’s children and their heavenly Father ; in illustration of this we may turn first to xvi. 10, where the Hebrew text has:

Thus (did it happen) to the six hundred thousand footmen, ; Who were destroyed in the arrogancy of their heart.

Chastising, showing mercy, smiting, beating, The Lord guarded them in mercy and in discipline.

This addition is quite inappropriate where it stands, and has evidently got out of place, but it must evidently have been inserted for the purpose of emphasizing God’s activity among His people. A similar emphasis is found in the addition to xvii. 17, where 70 248 insert:

Whom (i.e. Israel) He brought up as His firstborn with severity, Vet loving them, imparting to them the light of love, and He forsook them not.

Further, in order to assert more strongly the divine guidance in the world, which, as we have seen from the words of Josephus above, the Sadducees denied, the Pharisaic scribe inserts in the middle of xvi. 19 (as preserved in 248), The whole world was made, and existeth, by His will; the fine passage in which Ben-Sira describes the transcendent might of Jahveh scarcely seems to require this insertion, but, as a matter of fact, it does afford a better answer to the words of the supposed sceptic which Ben-Sira uses ; the point cannot be grasped unless the passage is quoted ; in xvi. 17 it is said:

Say not: “7 am hidden from God, And in the height who will remember me ? 7 shall not be noticed among so illustrious a people ; And what is my soul among the mass of the spirits of all the children of men?’

These are the words which a sceptic is supposed to utter, and Ben-Sira answers the objector thus, Behold the heavens and the heavens of the heavens, And the deep, and the earth ; When He treadeth upon them they stand firm, And when He visiteth them they tremble ; Vea, the bottoms of the mountains, and the foundations of the world, When He looketh upon them they tremble greatly.

Ben-Sira’s reply is a fine one ; it is probably true to say that he was a better Scribe than Sadducee in spite of the main tendency of his book (see the exegetical notes in the commentary for the Biblical references echoed in the lines above), but his answer was not sufficiently to the point for the practical Pharisee, whose added words offer in reality a more direct and pointed argument against the erroneous view expressed. Again, for practical purposes, as Hart well points out, ‘ it Was necessary to guard against the tendency towards the Sadducean position, and to assert against them the fact that God governed the world’ ; and so the Pharisaic glossator adds after xviii. 29 (248) :

Better is trust (lit. ‘ boldness’) in a single Master (i.e. God), Than with a dead heart to cling to dead things (i.e. idols).

With a similar object the following addition is made after xviii. 2 (70 248): Ben-Sira says, The Lord alone shall be justified; then comes the addition:

And there is none other beside Him, Who guideth the world in the hollow of His hand, And all things are obedient unto His will ; For He is king of all things, and they are in His power;

He separateth among them the holy things from the common. 1 κρείσσων παρρησία ἐν δεσπότῃ μόνῳ

ἢ νεκρὰ καρδία νεκρῶν aes (xvill. 29 Cod. 248).

And with the same purpose these striking words are added after xx. 91 (248):

Letter is persistent endurance (ὑπομονή) in seeking the Lord Than a driver (tpoxndarns, ‘ charioteer’) of his own life without a master.

Hart (of. cit., p. 280) has some interesting remarks on these passages. ‘The description of the typical Sadducee’, he says, ‘as clinging with dead heart to dead things goes little beyond the account of Josephus. It is true he never identifies the sect formally with the Epicureans, but he describes them both in similar terms, and indicates his conviction that their denial of Providence leads to virtual atheism. A God who has no oversight of the universe is equivalent to a dead idol. Epicureans and Sadducees might acknowledge the distant existence of the gods of their respective nations,! but this formal acknowledgement could not save them from the lash of the orthodox. The Rabbis employ the word Epicurus to denote the fool who said in his heart, There is no God. And such were dead even in their lifetime, as the righteous live on even in death.? The picture of the charioteer, who drives his life, which is his chariot, at random, directed by no master, corresponds closely enough with one of the metaphors employed by Josephus: “ The Epicureans ”, he says, “expel Providence from life, and do not admit that God oversees events, nor yet that the universe is guided by the blessed and incorruptible Essence for the permanence of the whole; they say that the world is borne along lacking a charioteer and uncared for.” ὃ

The divine unity, together with the belief in God as the unique Saviour, is brought out by the addition in 70 248 (with slight variations) to xxiv. 23:

Faint not, but be strong in the Lord, And cleave unto Him that He may strengthen you.

Cleave unto Him; the Lord, the Almighty, ts the one and only God ; And beside Him there ts no Saviour.

This passage offers one of the most striking instances of the Pharisaic doctrine of God, both as regards the Divine personality as well as the relationship between Him and His true worshippers. This double aspect of Pharisaic doctrine, which has not always been adequately recognized, has been insisted upon with some emphasis by a recent writer. ‘It is well’, he says, ‘to lay stress upon . the Pharisaic belief in the nearness of God and the directness of access to Him; also to make clear the fact that emphatic resistance was offered by the Pharisees to any idea of a plurality of Divine persons. ... Of course it was never denied that God was the Almighty, the Lord of all worlds, supreme over everything. Indeed, that was affirmed over and over again, and is one of the axioms of Pharisaic belief. But, whatever other Jews may have done under the influence of Hellenism, the Pharisees never doubted for a moment that God Himself, the one supreme God, was actually near to every one of His people; “near in every kind of nearness,” as it was said (Jer. Berak. 13 a). +

The cleaving unto the Lord so strongly emphasized in the last-quoted addition leads us on to illustrate the Pharisaic characteristic of pietism; personal religion, that religious individualism which did so much to foster spiritual worship, is brought out in a number of the additions found in the secondary Greek text. Not that Ben-Sira was himself wanting in deep piety, but as compared with the Pharisaic ideal it is not surprising to find that the book was considered in some respects wanting, and that it seemed to the more ardent religious temperament of the Pharisees as not sufficiently expressive of the close relationship between God and His pious ones. For example, Ben-Sira says in i. 12:

The fear of the Lord delighteth the heart, And giveth gladness, and joy, and length of days ;

but the Pharisee deepens the sentiment by adding (70 253):

The fear of the Lord is a gift from the Lord, For it setteth |men]| upon paths of love.

In the same way, a few verses further on (16 f.), Ben-Sira’s words:

To fear the Lord is the fullness of wisdom, And she satiateth men with her fruits ; oa Gpeexvile 17- } ; ᾿ 2 Jer. Berakh. ii. 3 (4 Ὁ): ‘For the living know that they shall die; these are the righteous, who even in their death are called living. But the dead know not anything; these are the wicked, who though living are called dead, for it is said, For I have no pleasure in the death of nn.’ : ; 4 3 Antig. x. 11. 7. The word which Josephus uses for ‘ charioteer’ is, however, not the same one which occurs, in our book. * Herford, Phavisaism, p. 259f., and see also the pages that follow.

are supplemented by the similar thought (70 248): And both ave gifts of God unto peace.

Few better examples could be given illustrative of the trust which a pious Pharisee had in the mercy of God than the words added to xvii. 20. Ben-Sira says:

Their iniquities are not hid from Him, And all their sins are {inscribed before the Lord.

To this the Pharisaic glossator adds (70 248):

But the Lord, being merciful, knowing also (that they are made in) His own image, Spared them, and forsook them not, nor cast them off.

The closeness of God to those who love Him—a characteristic Pharisaic doctrine, as we have seen— receives illustration from the following addition in 70 248 to xvii. 26a:

For He Himself will lead (thee) out of darkness unto the light of salvation.

The religious individualism of the Pharisee is brought out again in the addition of these words to And Him that desireth to serve Thee Do Thou ever hold up.

This is added in spite of the fact that the passage xxiii. 1-6 is one of the most striking ones expressive of personal religion in the whole book. One more example of this characteristic ¢raz¢ of the best Pharisaic spirit may be given; Ben-Sira says in xxv. 11:

The fear of the Lord surpasseth all things, He that holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened ?

The addition in 70, 248 breathes a deeper personal religion :

The beginning of the fear of the Lord is to love Him; And the beginning of faith is to cleave unto Him.

Among the characteristic watchwords of the Pharisees few, if any, occupied a more prominent position than ‘repentance’ (nmawn); ‘in their efforts to confirm the faith of their own people and to effect the conversion of those without, the Pharisees, like the Prophets and the Rabbis, were concerned to insist upon the paramount importanee of repentance. For the latter it was the condition of reception, and for the former it was the means of restoration. It was the function of the Pharisee to convict all men everywhere of their need of repentance.! A good illustration of this occurs in the Pharisaic addition to xx. 2; Ben-Sira (according to the Syriac version, which has preserved the best text here,—the Hebrew is wanting) says :

Fle that reproveth a sinner getteth no thanks ; But let him that maketh confession be spared humiliation.

To this is added in 70 248 (the Old Latin version also has the words, but in a wrong place) :

flow good it is when he who ἐς reproved manifesteth repentance, For thus wilt thou escape wilful sin.2

The phrase φανερῶσαι μετάνοιαν certainly connotes more fullness of meaning than the one Ben-Sira —

uses in this connexion, δεῖξον ἐπιστροφήν (xviii. 21); the former, as Hart well puts it, ‘includes all forms of outward manifestation of the inner change of mind.’ Again, in xvii. 22, Ben-Sira says:

The righteousness of men ts to Him as a signet, And the mercy of man He preserveth as the apple of an eye ;

but according to the Pharisaic glossator the real preciousness of man in God’s sight lies in the fact that repentance, divinely accorded, is manifested ; therefore he adds:

Granting repentance to His sons and daughters (70 248).

1 Hart, of. czt., p. 305. For instructive quotations from Rabbinical literature on the Pharisaic doctrine of repentance, see Herford, of. cit., pp. 211-15.

An almost identical addition occurs in 70 248 after xx. 8.

πα esacmaure ei

There are at least two of the additions in the secondary Greek text which contain a reference to the future life, a doctrine the development of which the Pharisees did much to foster. In xvi. 22, where Ben-Sira puts the following words into the mouth of a supposed sceptic :

My righteous dealing, who declareth it? And what hope (is there), for the decree is distant ?

The Pharisaic glossator adds what is evidently intended to be a reference to future judgement in

saying : 5 And the trying of all things is not until the end (70 106 248).1

But more pointed is the longer addition found in 70 248 after xix. 17:

The fear of the Lord ts the beginning of acceptance (by Hint), And wisdom will gain love from Him. The knowledge of the Lord ts life-giving instruction ; And they who do the things that are pleasing unto Him shall pluck the fruit of the tree of 7mmor tality.

There are also, as Hart points out (of. cz¢., p. 312), one or two references among the additions to the Future Life under the term ‘ Holy Age’, but as the references occur only in the Old Latin version ‘they are perhaps to be relegated to a lower place in the succession of scribes who followed Ben-Sira . . . but their contexts contain nothing that is demonstrably Christian *. Thus in xviii. 27 the Old Latin has this addition :

Go to the lot of the Holy Age With the living and them that offer thanksgiving to God.

And in xxiv. 32: 7 will leave it to them that seek wisdom, And I will not leave their progeny until the Holy Age.

‘ Speaking generally, there does not appear to be any definite demarcation of the future from the present in these fragments. The mercy which rewards the faithful here differs in degree perhaps, but not in kind, from that which awaits them hereafter.’

_ We have dealt only with some examples of the additions found in Greek MSS. which represent toa greater or lesser degree the secondary Greek text; the character of this text could be still further illustrated by taking the Old Latin version into consideration, for this version has retained a number of the additions belonging to the secondary Greek text which have disappeared from all extant Greek MSS.;? but enough has been said to show that this text, translated originally from the Hebrew, has with every justification been called the Pharisaic recension of Sirach. For illustrations from the Old Latin version reference may be made to Hart’s book, pp. 289 ff., 313, in connexion with which should be read Herford’s Pharisaism, pp. 267-281.

Turning now once more to the original translation of Ben-Sira’s grandson, there are some Special points to be noticed. His knowledge of the Septuagint is very considerable; as Smend has pointed out, he frequently utilized this for the purposes of a lexicon. But his use of the Septuagint varies with the different divisions of the Old Testament ; thus, he appears to be most familiar with the Greek text of the Pentateuch, of which he makes a far greater use than of the two other divisions; for example, the words in xx. 29 δῶρα ἀποτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς σοφῶν are a verbal quotation from the Septuagint of Deut. xvi. 19 ; the same is the case in xxiv. 23, which contains an exact quotation from Septuagint of Deut. xxxiii. 4; cp. also xxiv. 15 with the Septuagint of Exod. xxx. 23 f., 34; xlix. 1 with the Septuagint of Exod. xxxv. 28, &c. His use of the Greek version of the prophetical books is considerably less, though in a variety of instances he shows his knowledge of this (e.g. with xlviii. to cp. Mal. iii. 24, and xlix. 7 with Jer. i. 10). But he does not seem to have had any acquaintance with a Greek translation of the Hagiographa.

It is very probable that in his desire to attain a more than ordinary knowledge of Greek Ben- Sira’s grandson was to some extent versed in the general literature of the Greeks; he uses over two hundred words which do not occur elsewhere in the Septuagint ;* he is fond of using compound

1 These words are also Becseuyed | in the Old Latin version. 2 See further § 5, ii. 8 Smend, Die Wershett des Jesus Sirach, p. \xiv.

verbs instead of the simple forms, and he shows his liking for variety by rendering the same Hebrew word by different Greek ones. Not infrequently he expands his translation of the Hebrew by adding an explanatory word or two (see e.g. the Hebrew and Greek of viii, 12, x1. 19, xli. 9); he also often renders concrete words and expressions by abstract ones. The difference between the Greek of the Prologue and that of the book itself is so marked that Smend is justified in believing that Ben-Sira’s grandson was helped in composing the former."

§ 5. OTHER ANCIENT VERSIONS.

i. The Syriac Version.

It is impossible to fix the date of the Syriac version of our book with any certainty; the earliest known MS. (Cod. Mus. Brit. 12142) belongs to the sixth century, but this MS. contains already a very large number of scribal errors, which points to a Jong previous history; it seems, however, to be the parent of all other extant Syriac MSS. of Sirach, for its corruptions occur in all of them. Wright, in speaking of the Syriac translations of the Old Testament Apocrypha, the dates of which are quite unknown, says that ‘it seems tolerably certain that alterations were made from time to time with a view to harmonizing the Syriac text with that of the Septuagint’,?2 a process which Burkitt thinks ‘may have begun as early as the episcopate of Palut (about A.D. 200)’, which would imply the existence of a Syriac version some time previous to this date.

Although some scholars long ago sought to show that the Syriac version of Sirach was a translation from the Hebrew, their contention was combated by Syriac scholars, who maintained that it was translated from the Greek.* The discovery of the Hebrew text has, however, definitely settled the matter; if there was reason to believe, as was certainly the case, that the Syriac text itself presented indications of its having been translated from Hebrew and not from Greek, there is absolutely no doubt about this now that we can compare the Syriac with the Hebrew. Nevertheless, the Syriac translation was not made from the origzzal form of the Hebrew, though from a form which seems to have been in many respects nearer to the original form than that represented in the recently found Hebrew MSS. This fact makes the Syriac version valuable for correcting, where necessary, the Hebrew text in the form in which we now have it; and for those large portions of the book of which the Hebrew text has not been found the Syriac is, of course, indispensable. Another fact which makes the Syriac version valuable is that it contains a number of verses and parts of verses which are only found elsewhere either in the Hebrew alone, or in isolated Greek MSS., in some few cases also in the Old Latin version. ‘In some instances the Syriac has retained the correct text where both the Hebrew and the Greek agree in having gone astray. But in a considerable number of passages the Syriac is not a translation of the Hebrew, but of the Greek ;° it is possible that the reason of this was that in such cases the Greek version represented what the original Syriac translator believed to be the reflection of a more original form of the Hebrew than that which he had before him; or else, and this is more probable, it may be that the Syriac, as we now have it, has been corrected on the basis of the Greek; this would have been a very natural proceeding (even if a comparatively speaking pure Hebrew text had been available) at a time when the Greek Bible was regarded in the Christian Church as more authoritative than the Hebrew. That the Syriac translator of Sirach was a Christian seems more than probable. The Greek MS. or MSS. which the Syriac translator made use of contained elements representing the secondary Greek text, and it was a text which had undergone deterioration in other respects.’ °® In any case, the Syriac version is one which has a distinct value; nevertheless it must be used with caution, for, in spite of what has been said about its usefulness and importance, it has some grave blemishes which must be taken into consideration when utilizing it. Smend says it is the worst piece of translation in the whole Syriac Bible, though in many cases it is uncertain in what proportion its mistakes are due to the translator himself, or to the Hebrew text which he had before him, or to some deteriorated Greek text which he utilized, or to textual corruptions which crept in during the process of transmission. But, however this may be, the fact remains that the work of translation has been done carelessly and without much trouble having been expended upon it; paraphrases abound; sometimes they are of a purely arbitrary character, at other times they

ey examples illustrating what has been said about the Greek translation, see Smend, of. cit, pp. Lxii-Ixvii.

Syriac Literature, p. 4, quoted by Burkitt in ZB, iv. 5026, 5 Smend, of. czt., p. CXxxvi. ° Oesterley, Ecclestasticus, in the Cambridge Bible, p. ci.

apparently represent what the translator believed to be the general meaning of the original, which he did not understand in all its details; in yet other cases these paraphrases were evidently due to the desire to give a Christian sense to a passage. But perhaps the most serious blemish in this version is the large number of omissions ; Smend says that these amount to 370 sticho?, or one-ninth of the whole book. In many cases it is evident that the Syriac translator had what seemed to him good reasons for omitting certain passages; thus, as a Christian he felt justified in omitting such words as these : Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead as from one that is not, (But) he that liveth and is in health praiseth the Lord (xvii. 28).

It was probably owing to an anti-Jewish tendency that he omitted xxxvii. 25:

The life of a man (numbers) days but few, But the life of Jeshurun days innumerable.

A similar reason would account for the omission of xxxviii. 11, xlv. 8-14, parts of 1. 18-21, and the litany after li. 12, though this last is also omitted in the Greek version. Quite comprehensible are the omissions of xxxiii. 26 (& xxx. 35) and xxxvi. 21, 23 (& 26, 28); but why such passages, e.g., aS xli. 14—xlii. 2, and most of xliii. 11-33 should have been passed over it is impossible to say, excepting on the supposition that they are difficult ones to translate, and the Syriac translator did not feel inclined to undertake the task.

It will thus be seen that while the Syriac version has a distinct value of its own and can certainly not be neglected, it must nevertheless be used with great caution ; indeed, the student will be wise never to utilize it without at the same time referring tothe Greek. It should be added that in this version the right order of the chapters is preserved.

ii. The Old Latin Version.

This is the oldest 1 and most important of the daughter-versions of the Greek, Like the Syriac version, while in some respects it is valuable for correcting the Greek, in other respects it presents grave drawbacks. As we shall see later on (§ 8), Jerome left the Latin text of Sirach as he found it—a matter for congratulation, since as the version now stands it contains many really ancient elements which would probably have been lost altogether if Jerome had undertaken a translation of his own. That it contains, as we have already seen (p. 281), the chapters in the right order is also a fact of importance. But the text of the Old Latin version has come down to us in a deplorable condition, added to which it has the further disadvantage of having been made from a Greek text which was in a worse condition than that represented by any extant Greek MS. Moreover, the Old Latin text is full of scribal errors, and many arbitrary alterations have been introduced ; quotations from this version in the writings of the Latin Fathers are of little use for emending its text. Emendation is made the more difficult in that the original translation was apparently subjected to constant correction on the basis of different Greek texts; one example out of a great many may be given: in niii. 8 the Greek text runs:

πρύσεχε μὴ ἀποπλανηθῇς (V 106 248 253 Syro-Hex add τῇ διανοίᾳ σου), καὶ μὴ ταπεινωθῆς ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ (248, &c. add καρδίας) σου.

For this the Latin has:

Attende ne seductus Ln stultitiam humilterts. Noli esse humilis in sapientia tua, Ne humiliatus tn stultitiam seducaris (= vv. 10, 11 in Latin).

In cases like this the question arises as to whether the additions have been inserted from other Latin texts, or whether they are doublets due to the incorporation of marginal notes into the text ; in other words, do they represent different Greek texts from which Latin translations were made, or are they merely Latin variations of one and the same Greek text? It is by no means always possible to decide which, a fact which materially increases one’s difficulties when utilizing the Latin version.

1 Of its date nothing further can be said, but the earliest known citations are found in Cyprian.

The question as to whether the Old Latin version was made from a MS. representing the primary or secondary Greek text is one of extreme complexity; at first sight one would feel impelled to postulate the secondary Greek text as the basis of the Latin version, but the fact that _ many of the additions belonging to the secondary Greek text are preserved in the Syro-Hexaplar but not in the Old Latin goes to show that the latter cannot have been made derectly from the secondary Greek text. And yet, as Smend has shown, the copy from which the Old Latin was made was more influenced by the secondary Greek text than any other known Greek MS., though that copy did not in itself represent the secondary Greck text; for, as Smend says, ‘trotz aller sekundaren Elemente, die die Vorlage enthielt, und trotz aller Bearbeitung, von der der urspriingliche Text des Lateiners betroffen sein mag,— durch Massenbeobachtung ldsst sich nachweisen, dass die Vorlage des Lateiners im Wesentlichen der griechische Vulgartext war, den der Lateiner nicht nur in alten guten Lesarten, die freilich auch aus Gr. II’ (i.e. the secondary Greek text) ‘stammen kénnten, sondern auch in héchst sekundarer Entartung vor sich hatte’ (of. cét., p. cxxiv). The proof of this is minutely worked out by him. The conclusion which Smend draws from this complicated state of affairs is that the foundation of the text from which the Old Latin Version was made was the primary Greek one, but that in that text was incorporated a later recension of the secondary Greek text, the offspring, perhaps, of a Hebrew original." And it must be confessed that only on this hypothesis can all the phenomena of the Old Latin version be explained.

iti. Zhe Syro-Hexaplar. ;

This is the Syriac version made by Paul of Tella from the Greek (ας. A.D. 616). ‘If we retain the designation Syro-Hexaplar,’ says Nestle, ‘we must bear in mind that Sirach had no place in Origen’s Hexapla; but in one particular respect this Syriac version reminds us of the Hexapla; one of the critical marks of Origen, the asteriscus, appears also in Sirach, at least in its first part up to chap. xiii? Hart, on the other hand, remarks: ‘Origen valued the Book of Jesus Ben-Sira, and its text required a settlement. It seems reasonable to accept the evidence—direct and indirect—as it stands, and to conclude that he attempted to purge the current Greek version of its accretions, and that his disciples removed them bodily, and sometimes parts of the true text with them’ (op. cit., p. 359). It is true wé are nowhere told that Origen incorporated the books of the - Apocrypha in his Hexapla, but the way in which he quotes from them, speaking of them as ‘ Holy Scripture’ (see below, ᾧ 8), would naturally lead to the supposition that he did so incorporate them. There is also the fact that in the Syro-Hexaplar the Book of Baruch undergoes much the same treatment with regard to the Hexaplaric signs as the canonical books. As Smend says : ‘The excellence of Syro-Hexaplaric Sirach text would not be unworthy of Origen.’ In general the text of this version follows very closely a MS. with which Cod. 253 was intimately related, but the translator also utilized the Peshitta when for one reason or another he found it convenient to do so. The translation is in parts very free. There are a number of marginal notes which were presumably taken from the Greek MS. which the translator had before him; these not infrequently present the better reading.

iv. The Sahidic Version. :

The MS. containing this version, which is based on a Greek text closely related to the Greek uncials, has suffered a good deal of mutilation ; the Prologue is almost entirely wanting through this cause ; in addition to this a good many s¢zchoz are omitted. Other Coptic versions of more or less value are the Bohairic and Akmimic; only fragmentary remnants of these are extant. For Ὁ the published texts of them see Smend, Opacilan PC xo fe

v. The Ethiopic Version.

This version is rendered from the Greek, of which it is often a literal translation, but in his desire to make the meaning of the original before him clear the translator often interprets, i.e. he gives a paraphrastic rendering. Smend (of. cét., p. cxxxii) gives as an example of this xxiv. 21, where for the Greek:

οἱ ἐσθίοντές με ἔτι πεινάσουσιν, Kal οἱ πίνοντές με ἔτι διψήσουσιν,

Cp. the words of Herkenne (De Veteris Latinae Ecclesiasticé capitibus i-xliit [1899]): ‘ Nititur Vetus Latina textu vulgari Graeco ad textum Hebraicum alius recensionis Graece castigato’; quoted by Nestle in Hastings’s DB,

In Hastings’s DB, lv. 544. There are altogether forty-five asterisks, about twenty of which are placed against words and sentences belonging to the secondary Greek text.

the Ethiopic has:

They that cat me, eat me and are not satisfied, And they that drink me, drink me and are not satisfied.

The value of this version is not infrequently marred by the fact that its renderings only partially represent the Greek, the reason being presumably that the Ethiopic translator did not really understand what was before him and made a guess at the meaning. Smend quotes Dillmann (who has edited this version, V.7. Aethtopicz, tom. v, Berol. 1894) to the effect that the Ethiopic has been subjected to revision in later times on the basis of the Greek text; he does not believe it possible to restore the Ethiopic text to its original form from the MSS. which are now extant. Upon the whole the Ethiopic follows the text of Cod. B; the MS. from which the version was made, however, represented in some cases a purer, in others a more corrupt, form of text than that of Cod. Β. Here and there the Ethiopic is of value for correcting the Greek.

vi. The Armenian Version.

This version exists in two forms, one translated from the Old Latin, and the other from the Greek ; the former is but of small value for text-critical purposes. The latter is of more use, but a good deal of the text is wanting, viz. xxxvi. I—xxxvili. 14, xliii-li, besides a number of isolated passages. On the other hand, it has some additions which are singular to it; see Herkenne, Armenischer Sirach, Ὁ. 30 ff.

vii. Zhe Slavonic Version.

One point of importance regarding this version is that it sometimes agrees with the Old Latin against all extant Greek authorities; moreover, in agreement with the Old Latin and against all known Greek MSS. (with the exception of Cod, 248) it has xxx. 25—xxwiii. 13 a in the right place. According to Margoliouth it ‘follows a text similar to that of the Complutensian edition, but with only a portion of the additions’! It has been revised from the Syro-Hexaplar.

viii. The Arabic Version.

This is a translation of the Peshitta (Syriac Vulgate). ‘The translator’, says Smend, ‘ was not concerned to offer a careful translation of his copy; he desired rather to present an elegantlywritten Arabic book.’ His translation is, therefore, throughout a free one, and he inserts additions of his own. The text, or that of the MS. from which it was made, has been influenced by the Greek. But the manifold /acwae of the Syriac version recur in the Arabic. The version is of but small value.

§$ 6. AUTHORSHIP AND DATE. . ἢ

i. The name and personality of the author. In the MSS. of the Greek Bible the author of our book is called “Ἰησοῦς Σειράχ, or more briefly Nepax?; among the later Jews ΝΛ 13, and so in the MSS. of the Syriac Bible xp 713 (or in a less authentic form Nw D8 72, i.e. Sov of the Captive).

The full name of the author is given in the body of the book, in 1. 27, which in ® appears as Simeon the son of Jeshua (Jesus) the son of Eleazar the son of Sira (in Hebrew ἜΡΟΝ 13. eh 15. py ΝΟ 13). For this & has: Ἰησοῦς υἱὸς Σειρὰχ ᾿Ελεαζάρου ὁ Ἰεροσολυμείτης (but 548 Complut. Sixtine » Ἐλεαζάρου). In S$ this passage is omitted altogether; the Syro-Hexaplar has: Jesus the son of Strach of Eliezer. The usual designation of the author in the Syriac MSS. of the Bible is: Jesus the son of Simeon.

Now as the author’s grandson states explicitly in the Greek Prologue to his version of the book that his grandfather’s name was Jesus (Ἰησοῦς), it is likely that the name Szmeov is an intrusion in the text of #; this is made exceedingly probable when it is seen that the clause |. 27, as it appears in ®, is overloaded; by the removal of ja pyow symmetry is restored, and the line may be read with Smend :

ἘΝ pa ΡΟΝ 12. yer

Of Jesus ben Eleazar ben Sira.

1 Quoted by Nestle in Hastings’s DB, iv. 544.

2 Setpax (Sirach) is the Greek form of Sira (N71D), the final y being added in the Greek form of the word to indicate that it is indeclinable; 50 ᾿Ακελδαμάχ Acts i. 19, in some MSS., for ᾿Ακελδαμά : cp. Dalman, Grammatik αἰ. jidischpalistinischen Aramdisch?, pp. 137, 202.

This form of the name reappears twice in the Hebrew subscription of the book, which follows li. 30.

“ Nestle (HDB, iv. 541 δ) remarks that the name Simeon ‘is firmly attached to the author of this book in the Syriac Church’,

Thus the name of the author was /esas, and his grandfather's name Szva; the use of a grandfather's —

(or earlier ancestor’s) name as a patronymic (with Aen prefixed) was not uncommon, especially when a father’s name was not sufficiently distinctive. The intruding $z7eox may have been derived from 1. 1 (the name of the High-Priest), and in this way may have come erroneously to be attached to the name of the author of the book." i !

From the data supplied by the book itself it may be inferred that Ben-Sira was a professed student and teacher of ‘wisdom’. Asa ‘scribe’ (he is described in the Prologue as ἀναγινώσκων = 1510) —for by this time ‘ scribe’ and ‘wise’ had become amalgamated—he imparted instruction to young members of the Jerusalem aristocracy, who assembled in his ‘ house of instruction’ (wa m3 li. 23); and there, doubtless, he lectured on matters of jurisprudence, as well as ethics, in the manner congenial to the Teachers of the Law (cp. xxiii. 11, 23). Ben-Sira, however, belonged to the earlier Sdoferim in whom the spirit pervading the Wisdom-Literature was still strong. Though possessed with a deep sense of Israel’s unique position among the nations, the class of teachers to which Ben-Sira belonged was animated by a broad and tolerant spirit that could take a genial view of life as a whole. This spirit pervades the book. It is marked by sound piety mixed with a thorough knowledge of human nature, and a sympathetic and cultivated appreciation of the amenities of the social side of life. Both the follies and the heroism of the fanatic are carefully avoided by Ben-Sira. When he sings the praise of the ideal scribe (xxxix. 1-11) we doubtless have in the description a piece of self-revelation of the author: Ξ

Not so he that applieth himself to the fear of God,

And to set his mind upon the Law of the Most High ; Who searcheth out the wisdom of all the ancients,

And ts occupied with the prophets of old ; Who heedeth the discourses of men of renown,

And entereth into the deep things of parables ; Searcheth out the hidden meaning of proverbs,

And ts conversant with the dark sayings of parables.

Court life and foreign travel are part of his experience :

Who serveth among great men, 2 And appeareth before princes ; Who travelleth through the lands of the peoples,

Testeth good and evil among men.

It has been suggested that our author may have ‘travelled as a young man, and at one time have been in the service of one of the Greek kings (successors of Alexander the Great), perhaps Ptolemy IV (220-204 B.C.). During these experiences, it would seem, he encountered much personal danger : ;

In my journeying 7 have seen much, And many things have befallen me: Often was 7 in danger even unto death, But was preserved . . - (Xxxiv. 11-12),

The opening verses of chap. li refer, in a tone of unusually deep feeling, to deliverance from a grievous danger which seriously threatened the author’s life. This may have been, as has been suggested, some peril of a political kind, possibly connected with his life at court or with his responsible public life. He alludes in this passage more than once to ‘cunning lips’ and ‘framers of lies’, the result of whose machinations was that his

Soul drew nigh unto death ...... And I turned about on every side, yet there was none to help me.

The author's relation to contemporary Jewish life, as revealed in his book, could not be better summed up than in the words of Edersheim. ‘The book of Ben-Sira *, he says, ‘represents an orthodox, but moderate and cold, Judaism—before there were either Pharisees or Sadducees; before these two directions assumed separate form under the combined influence of political circumstances and theological controversies. In short, it contains, as yet undistinguished and mostly in

1 Schechter, however, thinks that the au called after the High-Priest Simeon whose a very early period’ (HB, p. 65).

thor’s name may have been Sieon (or Simon): ‘Probably he was so younger contemporary he was—a custom usual enough among the Jews at

germ, all the elements developed in the later history of Jewish religious thinking. But beyond all this the book throws welcome light on the period in which it was written. If we would know what a cultured, liberal, and yet genuine Jew had thought and felt in view of the great questions of the day; if we would gain insight into the state of public opinion, morals, society, and even of manners at that period—we find the materials for it in the book Ecclesiasticus.’ 1 5

li. The date of composition of the Book. The two crucial factors for determining the date of the book’s composition are (a) the identity of the High-Priest Simon, who is the subject of the eulogium in ch. 1; and (4) what is meant by ‘the thirty-eighth year’ in the Prologue of the Greek translation ἢ

(a) Simon I or Simon 77 5 With whom is the Simon son of Jochanan (so ®: but (ἃ Onias), mentioned in |. 1 f., to be identified? From the glowing description which is given by Ben-Sira of this High-Priest it has been surmised, with considerable plausibility, that our author wrote of one whom he had actually seen officiating in the sanctuary. The Simon referred to has been identified with ‘Simon the Just’ (pyyn pyney), who, again, is identified by some scholars with Simon I, son of Onias I, and grandson of Jaddua (he flourished 310-291 or 300-270 B.C.), according to others with Simon IT (219-199 B.C.) son-of Onias II. As far as Ben-Sira’s description is concerned it would fit either of these identifications. The question of date must be determined on other grounds.

Josephus (Azz. xii. 2. 5) relates of Simon 1 that, on account of his piety, he was surnamed ‘the Just’. Reference to Simon II is made in Avs. xii. 4. το. Herzfeld identifies the ‘Simon the Just’ (pytyn ΠΝ) of Pirge Aboth iit..1 with Simon II, and fixes the date of his high-priesthood as 226-198 Β.0. (Zunz 221-201 B.C.); see Dr. C. Taylor’s note on Adofh ii. 1. Derenbourg also (L’ssaz sur histoire et la géographie de la Palestine, Ῥ- 46f.) argues strongly in favour of the identification of Simon the Just, whose memory is preserved in Rabbinic ‘tradition, with Simon 11. It is this Simon, according to-Derenbourg, who is the subject of Sirach 1. Josephus’ application of the epithet (the Just’) to Simon I is a mistake.

(ὁ) Lhe date in the Prologue. An explicit indication of date is given in the Greek Prologue written by the translator as a preface to his Greek translation of the book. In this the translator says he came to Egypt ‘in the thirty-eighth year ἐπὶ rod Evepyérov Βασιλέως. This, it is true, has been taken by some scholars to mean in the thirty-eighth year of the translator’s age ‘under king Euergetes’. If this were right it would be impossible to say what date is meant, as we have no other means for determining when the translator was born, or which king Euergetes is referred to. As there is no particular reason why the translator should have stated his age in this context, it is natural to interpret ‘the thirty-eighth under king Euergetes’ as referring to the thirty-eighth regnal year of the king so named. This limits the reference to the two Ptolemies, among the Egyptian kings, who were called Euergetes: of these Euergetes I reigned only twenty-five years (247-222 B.C.), and is thus excluded ; Euergetes II, surnamed Physcon, reigned in all fifty-four years, partly as joint king (170-145) and partly as sole king (145-116). Reckoning from this king’s accession his thirty-eighth regnal year would be 132 B.c. It may be concluded, therefore, that the translator reached Egypt in this year, and completed his translation of the book some few years later (between 132 and 116; see the note on line 15 of the Prologue in the following commentary).

The translator calls the author of the original book his πάππος, a term which may be interpreted in its usual sense of ‘ grandfather’.2 The composition of the original book of Ben-Sira may, therefore, be assigned to the first quarter of the second century B.C. (200-175 B.C.). The author would thus have been a younger contemporary of the High-Priest Simon II, and could have witnessed a service on the Day of Atonement in the temple in which Simon took part. The tone of the references to Simon in ch. 1 suggests that when Ben-Sira wrote Simon had been dead for some time. This rather suggests a date about 180-175 B.C. for the actual composition of the book. As there is no allusion in the book to the events that led up to the Maccabean conflict the date cannot well be placed later than 175 B.C.

aortic

a game

i ee οὐ τ μὰς

ee per ον. ὕὅὕΣὕὦ.“πὦ.-οὗδοον

The internal evidence of the book itself favours the suggested date—especially the traces of Greek influence onthe thought; notably the personification of Wisdom (cp. esp. ch. xxiv), and the acquaintance shown with Greek customs, such as the use of music at feasts (xxxv. 3-6).

Recently, however, a much earlier reckoning for the date in the Prologue has been proposed on new grounds and maintained by Mr. J. H. A. Hart.* Hart thinks it incredible that a Jew from the outside world should have visited and stayed for any length of time to work in Egypt in the reign of Euergetes II, who was notoriously hostile to Jews, and, in fact, to all foreigners. He

Τ In Wace’s Apocrypha ii. 2 (Introduction to Ecclesiasticus). ; * “It sometimes means “ancestor”; but in such cases the connexion usually indicates the wider sense’ (Seligmann,

8 Ecclestasticus in Greek, pp. 249 ff.

accordingly proposes to interpret the date in the Prologue as follows: the preposition ént—though he allows that it is sometimes used in Greek translations of Hebrew date-specifications in a pleonastic sense = of, and that this usage can be paralleled from the papyti and inscriptions (e.g. the Rosetta stone)—is not, as it is used in the Prologue, without definite significance, and merely a meaningless part of an established formula. While admitting that the words might conceivably mean the thirty-eighth year of Euergetes II, yet the number ‘may equally well belong to some familiar and therefore unspecified era’, and that this is the common Egyptian era which begins with the accession of each king and ends with his death. Ptolemy Philadelphus (284-247 B.C.) was succeeded by Euergetes I in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of the former, i.e. Euergetes I ascended the throne in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Philadelphus (247 B.c.). The formula in the Prologue therefore means that the grandson of Ben-Sira came to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of the era of Ptolemy Philadelphus, but after Euergetes I had come to the throne. Thus, according to Hart, the younger Ben-Sira came to Egypt in the year 247 B.C., and stayed there during the whole reign of Euergetes, till his death in 222 B.c.1 These results would necessitate placing the composition of the original book of Ben-Sira at least a century before the commonly

Hart’s arguments are unconvincing. In particular he seems to exaggerate the hostility of Ptolemy Physcon to the Jews in Alexandria. The Jews were persecuted for a time by this king, not on account of their religion, but for political reasons. ‘With the establishment of order, peace was doubtless restored to the jews also.’? Willrich, indeed, has given good reasons ® for believing that this Ptolemy was far from being hostile to the Jews in general. It has been shown that he possessed many Jewish officials, and that the Jews prospered and increased in Egypt under his rule exceedingly. The proposed explanation of the date is also anything but convincing. If the translator wished to say that he arrived in Egypt in the year which concluded the reign of Philadelphus and was marked by the accession of Euergetes(I) he might have written ‘in the thirty-eighth year of Philadelphus ἐπὶ τοῦ Evepyérov βασιλέως. But it is difficult to imagine him writing at least twenty-five years after the era of Philadelphus had come to an end: ‘in the thirty-eighth year ἐπὶ τοῦ Evepyérov βασιλέως. On Hart’s own showing a new era had intervened (that of Euergetes I); why then should not the first year of this era have been specified distinctly, if it was meant? Further, Hart’s criticism of the very strong examples adduced by Deissmann® of the independent use of ἐπί in such date-specifications cannot be said to impair their cogency. The internal evidence of the book, as well as the character of the diction of the original Hebrew, also points to a later date than

§ 7. THE INFLUENCE OF SIRACH ON LATER LITERATURE.

The influence of our book on the later literature of the Christian Church may be measured, in a general way, by the history of its relation to the Canon, which is summarized in the next section.® Restrictions of space will only allow of citations here to illustrate the influence of the book on (a) the New Testament, and (6) later Jewish literature.

(a) The relation of Sirach to the New Testament. When it is remembered that the New Testament writers, as a rule, use the Greek Bible in their citations of Scripture it is somewhat surprising to find so few direct quotations from the books which find no recognition in the Palestinian Canon. Not even all the books included in the latter are cited—no quotation occurring from Canticles, Qoheleth, Esther, or Ezra-Nehemiah. On the other hand, a rich use is made of the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Psalms, while the historical books are referred to more rarely. Still some quotations from deutero-canonical and extra-canonical books do occur, such as the citation from the Book of Enoch in the Epistle of Jude. In view of the important place occupied by Sirach in the Wisdom-Literature, and the popularity enjoyed by this literature, especially among the Jews of the Greek Dispersion, it would be surprising not to find any traces of its influence on those books of the New Testament which markedly reflect the Alexandrine spirit. If there are no actual citations of Sirach in the Epistle to the Hebrews, there are at least some possible indications of acquaintance with it (in its Greek form). Thus in Heb. xii. 12 a citation is made of Isa. XXXV. 3 (τὰς παρειμένας χεῖρας καὶ τὰ παραλελυμένα γόνατα) in a form which exactly agrees with that of Sirach xxv. 23, against the LXX (which has χεῖρες ἀνειμέναι). Such examples are not, it must be confessed, decisive. On the other hand, in the Epistle of St. James indications of direct acquaintance with our book are abundant and clear. The more important may be given here.

ovyxpovioas, ‘I stayed in Egypt as long as king Euergetes reigned.’ But see our note on this word in the Prologue, line 15. * This is involved in συνχρονίσας, according to Hart’s explanation, ° Bible Studies (E.T.), pp. 339 ἢ. And also by the number of secondary versions based on the Greek text (see § 5 above).

minimal eee δὰ

Ep. of St. James.

i. v: But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbracdeth not (καὶ μὴ ὀνειδίζοντος).

1. 6, 8: But let him ask tn fatth, nothing doubling ; Sor he that doubteth ts like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed ... a doubleminded man (ἀνὴρ δίψυχος), wnstable in all his ways (ἀκατάστατος ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ).

i. 2-4: Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall anto manifold temptations, &c. (cf. v. 12).

i. 13-15: Let no man say when he τς tempted, 7 am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempteth no man, &c.

i. 19: Let every man be swift to hear (ταχὺς eis τὸ ἀκοῦσαι), slow fo speak.

i. 23: Mor of any one τς a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he ts like unto a man beholding his natural face mn a mirror (ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ). :

v. 5: Ve have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure (ἐσπαταλήσατε).

ν. 14: Ls any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church ; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Strach (&).

xvii. 18: A fool will upbrard (ὀνειδιεῖ) ungractously, &e, xx. 15: He [the fool | will give little and upbraid (ὀνειδιεῖ) much. xii. 22: After thou hast given upbraid not (μετὰ τὸ δοῦναι μὴ ὀνείδιζε).

i. 28: Desobey not the Lord ; and come not unto Him with a double heart (ἐν καρδίᾳ δισσῇ). ii. 12 f.: Woe unto Searful hearts, and to faint hands, and to the sinner that goeth two ways ; woe unto the faint heart, for tt believeth not, &C.; Cp. Vv. 9 (6 δίγλωσσος), vii. το (Be not farnthearted in thy prayer).

il, τα: JLy son, if thou comest to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation, &c. (cp. i. 23).

xv. 11-20: Say not thou, 7) τς through the Lord that L fell away. ... Say not thou, It ἐς He that caused me to err, For He hath no need of a sinful man, &c.

v.11: Be swift to hear (γίνου ταχὺς ἐν ἀκροάσει σου):

xii. 11: And thou shalt be unto him as one that hath wiped a mirror (ὡς ἐκμεμαχὼς ἔσοπτρον).

XXvil. 13: Zhe discourse of fools ts an offence, and thetr laughter ts in the wantonness of sin (ἐν σπατάλῃ ἁμαρτίας).

XXXvull. 9-15: Jy son, 171 thy sickness be not negligent, but pray unto the Lord and He shall heal thee, &c.

There are also many resemblances in thought and theme throughout the two books: cf. e.g. the

treatment of humility (Jas. i. 9, Sirach iii. 18), pride (Jas. iv. 6, Sirach x. 7), of poor and rich (Jas. ii. 1-6, Sirach x. 19-24; cp. xiii. 9), of stumbling (Jas. iii. 2, Sirach xix. 16), and of true wisdom (Jas. iii. 13-17, Sirach xix. 18-22); and other parallels are to be noticed in the use of figure, such as that of the crown of life (Jas. i. 12, cp. Sirach xv. 6), and of rust (Jas. v. 2, 3, cp.

If these examples are not sufficient to establish a relation of direct dependence, they are sufficient to justify the inference—which is confirmed by the general character of the Epistle and its relation to other books of the Wisdom-Literature—that the author of St. James was well acquainted with, and was influenced by, Sirach.

It is difficult to believe that a book that enjoyed in the early centuries of the Christian era such popularity both among the Jews of Palestine and the Dispersion could have been entirely unknown to the writers of the other New Testament books. And, in fact, possible signs of acquaintance with it are not wanting. In this connexion the following parallels have been noted :?

Matt. vi. 14 ἐὰν yap ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παρα- πτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος. Matt. vi. το f. μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσι καὶ κλέπτουσι" θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ κτλ. Matt. xvi. 27 καὶ τότε ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ. Luke i. τ ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα κτλ.

(of Elijah).

Strach xxviii. 2 ἄφες ἀδίκημα τῷ πλησίον σου, καὶ τότε δεηθέντος σου ai ἁμαρτίαι σου λυθησόνται.

Strach ΧΧΙΧ. 12 σύνκλεισον ἐλεημοσύνην ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις σου, καὶ αὕτη ἐξελεῖταί σε ἐκ πάσης κακώσεως.

Strach Xxxii. 24 ἕως ἀνταποδῷ ἀνθρώπῳ κατὰ τὰς πράξεις αὐτοῦ κτλ. Strach ΧΙΝ]. 10 ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίαν πατρὸς πρὸς υἱὸν

κτλ. (of Elijah).

These parallels are, it must be confessed, not very convincing. On the other hand, the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke xii. 15 f.) may have been suggested by more than one passage in Ben-Sira. The theme of the parable finds an exact parallel in Sirach xxxi. 3 ἐκοπίασε πλούσιος ἐν συναγωγγ χρημάτων, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναπαύσει ἐμπίπλαται τῶν τρυφημάτων αὐτοῦ. St. Luke has parallels to some of the phrases used here (συνάξω, ἀναπαύου). There is also the remarkable parallel to the same passage, presenting similar features, in Sirach xi. 18-19:

1 See, further, Mayor, 22. of Sz. James*, pp. exvi-cxviii; Zahn, Lzn/ectung, i. 87. 2 Cp. Nestle in HDB, iv. 5500.

ΞΟ ΘΗ

There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, And this is the portion of his reward: When he saith, I have found rest, And now will I eat of my goods ; Vet he knoweth not what time shall pass, And he shall leave them to others, and die (R.V.). It will be convenient in concluding this paragraph to note a passage from the Didache, which looks like a real quotation either from Ben-Sira or a common source. Sirach iv. 31 runs: Let not thy hand be stretched out to take, And closed in the midst of giving (so i).

This is apparently quoted in the Didache iv. 5:

Be not one that stretches out his hands to receive, But draws them in when he should give.

It is difficult to believe that our book did not exercise a considerable influence on the formation of the Didache asa whole. There are many parallels both in thought and sentiment. i-

(6) Sirach and later Jewish Literature. Τὰ this connexion it will be convenient to note some of the more striking parallels between our book and (i) Ahiqar,, (ii) Tobit, (iii) other non- Rabbinical Jewish literature, and then (iv) to estimate and illustrate its influence on the Rabbinical literature. :

It is difficult to determine priority of date in the case of Ben-Sira’s relation to Ahiqar απ Tobit. The parallels may merely imply the presence of common matter from older sources. A strong case, however, can be made out for the priority of Ahiqar. Thus the famous dictum, which ~ is repeated over and over again in different forms in later literature, and appears in Tobit as Ε:

Alms delivereth from death, : And suffereth not to come into darkness (iv. 10, cp. ΧΙ]. 9), :

already implies the legend of Ahiqar, and is only explicable by 11. In Sirach we meet with the same maxim, but in a form modified from that of Tobit: ; Store up almsgiving in thy treasuries, Ἷ And it shall deliver thee from all evil ; Ἵ

Better than a mighty shield and a heavy spear

Shall (this) fight for thee against an enemy.” i. Parallels with Ahigar. Of matter common to Sirach and Ahiqar the following are striking

examples:

Sirach iv. 26: Stand not against the stream. Ahigar ii. 65: Stand not against a river in its flood. Again,

Sirach xxii. 14,15: What is heavier than lead? And what ts its name but ‘ Fool’ ? Sand and salt and a weight of tron (Are) easter to bear than a senseless man.

A close parallel occurs in Prov. xxvii. 3 ; but Ahiqar (Syriac version) ii. 45 contains one even nearer

My son, 7 have carried salt and removed lead: and I have not seen anything heavier than that a man should pay back a debt that he did not borrow.

My son, I have carried iron and removed stones,and they were not heavier on me than a man who settles in the house of his father-in-law.

- τοι Parallels with Tobit. The following may be cited to illustrate the parallels that occur in obit : Sirach iv. 4: Despise not the supplication of the poor, And turn not away from the afflicted soul.

Tobit iv. 7: Turn not away thy face from any poor man, And the face of God shall not be turned away from thee. * See the discussion in Zhe Story of Ahikar, ed. by Rendel Harris, p. xlviii. f. 2) x1xs) 025) 03h Cpa Wille 32; ΣΧ]: 2e

Cited by Rendel Harris, of. cét., p. liv: see also Nau, Histoire et sagesse d’ Ahikar, pp. 60-63.

Sirach xxxviii. 16: My son, let tears fall over the dead;

In accordance with what ts due to him bury his body.

Compare with this the passages in Tobit which commend the pious duty of burying the dead; esp.

And when thou didst not delay to rise up... that thou mightest go and cover the dead, thy — good deed was not hid from me, &c.

iii. Parallels with other non-Rabbinical Jewish Literature. Sirach has apparently influenced two other important books, viz. 2 Enoch (the Slavonic Enoch) and the Psalter of Solomon.

In 2 Enoch passages of Sirach are sometimes cited verbally ; thus xlvii. 5 (Who has numbered the dust of the earth, and the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, &c.) is cited from Sirach i. 2; in 2 Enoch li. 1-3 parallels occur with Sirach vii. 32, xiv. 13, Xxix. 20, xxix. Io, and ii. 4.

The following further parallels are noted by Charles (Secrefs of Enoch, p. 96): 2 Enoch xxx. 15 Sirach Sirach xxxix. 14; 2 Enoch lii. 8 Sirach xxxi. 26; 2 Enoch lii. 12 Sirach xxviii. 9; 2 Enoch lxi. 2 Sirach xxxix. 25; 2 Enoch Ixi. 4 Sirach xxxi. 21-24, 28; 2 Enoch Ixv. 2 Sirach xvii. 3,5; 2 Enoch

In the case of the Psalms of Solomon there are many parallels, but dependence cannot be shown conclusively to exist. ‘The language and thought of Sirach often illustrate’ these Psalms; ‘actual correspondences of expression are found, but the agreement is generally to be explained by some passage of Scripture from which both writers have borrowed’ (Ryle and James).

The following passages are cited by Ryle and James in their ed. of the Psalms of Solomon (p. Isxiii f.): Sirach ix. 8; Ps. 5. xvii. 6, cp. Sirach xlv. 18.

iv. The influence of Ben-Stra on Rabbinical Literature. That Ben-Sira’s book has exercised a considerable influence on Rabbinic literature hardly needs any further demonstration. Allusion has been already made more than once, in the course of this Introduction, to the large number of quotations from the book that occur in the Talmuds, the Midrashim, and the works of some great Jewish scholars and poets like Sa‘adya and Ibn Gebirol.!' Even after the work had been banned by distinguished Rabbinical authority, and so became suspect to the orthodox, collections of extracts from it were still circulated and read (in the original Hebrew) among the Jews.” Apparently, also, it was at some time or other translated, either in whole or in part, into Aramaic for Jewish use. It was only in the Middle Ages that the original work entirely vanished from knowledge in Jewry. The extent of its influence in the earlier period can be measured by recalling one or two important facts. It apparently exercised a formative influence on such important Jewish works as the tractates Pirge Aboth and Derek eres (rabba and, perhaps, zzta). Not only is Ben-Sira actually cited in Pirge Aboth iv. 7 (= Sirach vii. 17; see note), but a whole series of parallels can be traced throughout the tractate,° which shows that the book was, in the earlier period, closely studied and much esteemed in Rabbinical circles. For parallels in the tractate Derek ‘eres rabba reference must be made to the notes in the commentary. A good illustration is to be seen in the section concerning behaviour at banquets (xxxi. 12-24 and notes). This tractate is mainly concerned with rules about behaviour in social intercourse. Ben-Sira’s book also influenced the liturgy. At any rate, in the prayer contained in xxxvi. I-17 there are some remarkable parallels to parts of the Shémdonéh “‘Esreh (‘ Eighteen Blessings’), which occupies so important a position in all the synagogue services.* Of course, it is possible that an earlier form of this liturgical prayer was already in existence in the time of Ben-Sira, and that he is quoting from or alluding to it. This is, on the whole, the most probable explanation. Ben-Sira’s prayer has a liturgical ring about it which suggests that it is not his own individual composition. The following citations will illustrate the parallelism referred to:

1 Ben-Sira’s vogue among the Rabbis of the period before the Middle Ages is well brought out (in detailed references) by Zunz, Die gottesdienstlichen Vortrige der Juden, pp. 100-105.

De is an example of one such florilegium.

3. Cp. e.g. the notes in the commentary on the following passages, where the parallels are cited: vii. 36, x1. 9, 28, * Cp. also xxxii. I-10, 5 The full form for week-days can be seen in Singer’s Azthorized Daily Prayer Book, pp. 44-54-

Sirach xxxvi. 4: As Thou hast sanctified Thyself (nvap2) before them So glorify Thyself in them before us. Compare paragraph 3 of the Shémdnch ‘Esrch (‘the sanctification of the Name’):

Thou art holy and Thy name is holy .. . Blessed art Thou the holy God. The key-note here is ‘holy’ (sanctification). Again, Sirach xxxvi. 11 ὦ runs:

Gather all the tribes of Jacob, That they may receive their inheritance as in the days of old.

The tenth paragraph of the Shémdnch ‘Esréh is: Sound the great horn for our freedom .. . and collect us from the four corners of the earth.

Possible parallels or allusions exist in this section to all except the sixth, eighth, and ninth paragraphs of the prayer, which it must be remembered in its present form contains nineteen sections. There is, however, at least one important part of the Jewish liturgy which is unquestionably dependent on Sirach. This is the rapturous description of the beautiful appearance of the High-Priest as he officiated in the temple on the Day of Atonement, which is still recited in the services of the day. It is largely based upon, and imitated from, the description of the High-Priest Simon the Just, given in Sirach 1. It begins:

In truth, how glorious was the High-Priest as he came forth from the Holy of Holies in ~ perfect peace.

δ 8. CANONICITY OF THE BOOK AND ITS USE IN THE EARLY CHURCH.

As is well known, Sirach owed its place and use in the Christian Church to the fact that it was included in the Alexandrine Canon ; before coming to speak, therefore, of the early patristic evidence concerning our book, it will be well to draw attention to the ecclesiastical lists of the biblical books. ‘Our earliest Christian list’, says Prof. Swete (Zntroduction to the Old Testament im ς΄ Greek, 1900, p. 221), ‘was obtained from Palestine? and probably represents the contents of the Palestinian Greek Bible. It is an attempt to answer the question, What is the true number and order of the books of the Old Testament? Both the titles and the grouping are obviously Greek, but the books are exclusively those of the Hebrew Canon.’ Sirach, therefore, together with the rest of the books of the Apocrypha, is excluded. Origen, in his Commentary on Ps. i, gives the second list that we know of, which belongs to a time not later than A.D, 231; he reckons as belonging to the Canon the twenty-two books of the Hebrew Old Testament.® But, strange to say, Origen includes in his list the First Book of Esdras (he treats 1, 2 Esdras as one book) and the Epistle of Jeremiah, neither of which had ever been regarded as canonical by the Jews. Origen’s list is adopted by Athanasius, Cyril, and Epiphanius,‘ as well as in the Laodicean Canon, in each case with the addition of Baruch. Furthermore, as Dr. Swete goes on to say (0p. c7¢., p. 222), ‘ Amphilochius mentions two books of Esdras, and it is at least possible that the Esdras of Gregory of Nazianzus is intended to include both books, and that the Epistle, or Baruch and the Epistle, are to be understood as forming part of Jeremiah in the lists both of Gregory and Amphilochius.’ The point of importance which these facts reveal is that ‘an expansion of the Hebrew Canon, which involved no addition to the number of the books, was predominant in the East during the fourth century’. Dr. Swete gives two other lists: one mentioned by Lagarde (Sepinagintastudien, ii. 60 ff.), Σύνοψις ἐν ἐπιτόμῳ, in which the Wisdom of Jesus (the son) of Sirach is mentioned among the canonical Scriptures (so, too, Tobit and Judith) ; and the other is anonymous; in it Sirach is, together with Tobit and the Wisdom of Solomon, placed under Apocrypha, though Judith is reckoned among the canonical books.

This composition is the work of the Jewish mediaeval poet Meshullam bar-Kalonymus. It forms part of the Musaf, ox Additional’ Prayer for the Day of ‘Atonement, and can be seen in any of the Collections of Jewish Festival Prayers (in Routledge’s edition, vol. ii of Day of Atonement Festival Prayers, p. 166f.). See also Zhe Religion and Worship of the Synagogue (Oesterley and Box), ed. 2, p. 428. ΝΕ Melito (¢. A.D. 180) af. Eusebius, A. Ζ. ἵν. 26 ἐπειδὴ μαθεῖν τὴν τῶν παλαιῶν βιβλίων ἐβουλήθης ἀκρίβειαν, πόσα τὸν εἰ sea ὁποία τὴν τάξιν elev... ἀνελθὼν eis τὴν ἀνατολὴν καὶ ἕως τοῦ τόπου γενόμενος ἔνθα ἐκηρύχθη καὶ ἐπράχθη .. + 5 Eusebius, Η. E. vi. 25 εἰσὶ δὲ αἱ εἴκοσι δύο βίβλοι καθ᾽ “Ἑβραίους aide . 4 On the evidence of these Fathers see further below.

The following evidence of a more official kind may be added. It is conceivable that there is in the M/uratorian Fragment’ (which, as Westcott says, ‘expresses with fair distinctness the first known judgement of the Catholic Church on the sum of the Christian Scriptures’) a reference to the Wisdom of Sirach in the words: ‘Et Sapientia ab amicis Salomonis in honorem ipsius scripta ;’ 2 it has to be remembered in this connexion that, as we shall see presently, the book of the Wisdom of Sirach, together with other books of the Apocrypha, seems from the beginning to have enjoyed greater esteem in the Western than in the Eastern Church. Next, the eighty-fifth of the Apostolical -Canons gives a list® of the books of the Hebrew Canon, and adds the three first books of the Maccabees and the Wisdom of Sirach; these last four are not, however, included in the Canon, though the Wisdom of Sirach is specially recommended for the instruction of the young. Again, in the Apostolical Constitutions, vi. 14, 15 (= Didascalia), quotations from Sirach are given with the same formula as those from the books of the Hebrew Canon,* but in the list given in ii. 57 of the same work there is no mention of any of the books of the Apocrypha.® On the other hand, at the Council of Hippo (A.D. 393) Sirach was specially mentioned as being one of the canonical books, while at the Council of Carthage (A.D. 397) the ‘five books of Solomon’, i.e: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, Wisdom, and Sirach, are reckoned among the canonical Scriptures.° This was also confirmed by the Council of Carthage in A.D. 419.

Coming now to speak in some detail of what the Church Fathers" say as to the canonicity or otherwise of the book, we turn first to the Eastern Church.

In the Didache iv. 6 (c. 120) Sirach iv. 31 is quoted thus: Μὴ γίνου πρὸς μὲν τὸ λαβεῖν ἐκτείνων τὰς χεῖρας, πρὸς δὲ τὸ δοῦναι συσπῶν, Which is sufficiently near the wording of Sirach iv. 31 to show that it is intended to be a quotation, viz. Μὴ ἔστω ἡ yelp σου ἐκτεταμένη εἰς τὸ λαβεῖν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποδιδόναι συνεσταλμένη. The same text is quoted in the Epistle of Barnabas, xix. 9 (c. 120). Eusebius, as we have already seen, quotes Melito of Sardis (d.c. 180), however, to the effect that the books of the Hebrew Bible are the only canonical ones; he excludes, therefore, Sirach.® The evidence of Clement of Alexandria (d. 220) is conflicting ; in his Paedagogus he quotes very often from Sirach, and speaks of it as 7) γραφή and θεία γραφή (e.g. I, chap. xxxiv. 4, xlviii. 4, lix. 4; III, chap. xviii, xxiii. 4, Ixxxiii. 3), from which it would evidently appear that he regarded it as canonical Scripture; but, according to Eusebius, Clement reckoned Sirach among the ‘ Antilegomena’, for in speaking of Clement's works he mentions the S7zromateis, or ‘Medleys’, and says: ‘He quotes in them passages from the disputed Scriptures, the so-called Wisdom of Solomon, for example, and (that) of Jesus the son of Sirach, and the Epistle to the Hebrews, and those of Barnabas, Clement, and Jude.’® Origen, too, gives conflicting evidence ; we

' Published by Muratori in 1740 from a manuscript in the Ambrosian Library at Milan, though belonging originally to the great Irish monastery of Bobbio. ‘It was found in a volume of Latin fragments and translations which dates apparently from the eighth century. But the fragment itself was evidently copied from a manuscript of much higher antiquity ; for it was mutilated both at the beginning and end before it was transcribed. The writer claims to be a contemporary of Pius, who was bishop of Rome in the middle of the second century; so that its date may be fixed with tolerable certainty between A.D. 160 and 170’ (Westcott, The Bible in the Church (2nd ed.), p. 112).

2 See further on this G. Kuhn, Das muratorische Fragment, pp. 94, 112.

8 Westcott says in reference to this: ‘The list of the books of the Bible in the eighty-fifth of the Afostolical Canons was introduced into, its present place at a much later date. Yet the list itself is remarkable, and probably Alexandrine in origin.... This canon, together with the canon of Carthage, was ratified at the Quinisextine Council [of Constantinople, a.D. 553], and had a powerful influence on many of the Eastern Churches’ (of. c/¢., p. 176).

Cp. Herbst, Aist-krit. Einleitung in die heiligen Schriften, ii. pp. vf.

5 Μέσος δ᾽ ὁ ἀναγνώστης ἐφ᾽ ὑψηλοῦ τινος ἑστὼς ἀναγινωσκέτω τὰ Μωσέως καὶ ᾿Ιησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ, τὰ τῶν Κριτῶν καὶ τῶν Βασιλειῶν, τὰ τῶν Παραλειπομένων καὶ τὰ τῆς ᾿Επανόδου" πρὸς τούτοις τὰ τοῦ Ἰὼβ καὶ τοῦ Σολομῶνος καὶ τὰ τῶν ἑκκαίδεκα προφητῶν. “Ava δύο δὲ γινομένων ἀναγνωσμάτων ἕτερός τις τοὺς τοῦ Δαυὶδ ψαλλέτω ὕμνους καὶ ὁ λαὸς τὰ ἀκροστίχια ὑποψαλλέτω.

5 The thirty-ninth canon reads as follows: ‘Item placuit ut praeter Scripturas canonicas nihil in ecclesia legatur sub nomine divinarum Scripturarum ; sunt autem Canonicae Scripturae hae’: then follow the books of the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, four books of Kings, two of Chronicles, Job, the Psalter, after which it continues : ‘Salomonis libri quinque, libri duodecim prophetarum, Jesaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, Daniel, Tobias, Judith, Esther, Esdrae libri duo, Machabaeorum libri duo’: and then the books of the New Testament are enumerated. After this the following words occur: ‘Let this be made known also to our brother and fellow-priest Boniface, or to other bishops of those parts, for the purpose of confirming that canon, because we have received from our fathers that those books must be read in the Church’ (quoted by Westcott, Cazo, pp. 439 f., 541 f.). As Westcott says further: ‘ Between the years A.D. 390 and 419 no less than six councils were held in Africa, and four of these at Carthage. For a time, under the inspiration of Aurelius and Augustine, the Church of Tertullian and Cyprian was filled with a new life before its fatal desolation.’

_ 7 Among the writings of the Apostolic Fathers there is only one citation from Sirach, viz. iv. 31, which is quoted

® Eusebius, 27... ἵν. 26. In Strom. 11. chap. xiv. 5 (ed. Stahlin), however, Sirach vi. 33 is referred to as Solomon's. And such a passage as the following suggests that Clement regarded Sirach as canonical Scripture: .S¢vovz. V. chap. il. I “Makdptos ὁ λέγων εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων" " (Sirach xxv. 9) πίστις δὲ ὦτα ψυχῆς, καὶ ταύτην αἰνίσσεται τὴν πίστιν ὁ Κύριος λέγων “6 ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω" (Matt. xi. 15).

have seen above that in the list of canonical Scriptures which he gives he only regards the twentytwo books of the Hebrew Canon as the genuine Scriptures of the Old Testament, but elsewhere he speaks of Sirach, the Book of Wisdom, and other books of the Apocrypha as ‘authoritative — Scripture’, or as ‘ the Divine Word’, or as ‘ Holy Scripture’ (see e.g. Περὶ ᾿Αρχῶν, ii. 95, ed. Migne ; Contra Cels. vi. 7, vii. 12); in these works he quotes Sirach vi. 4 and xxi. 18 as ‘ Holy Scripture’. As Westcott says, in speaking of Origen: ‘ In his other writings he uses apocryphal books as divine and authoritative, yet not without noticing the difference of opinion on the subject. But even in his case the familiar use of the Greek Bible practically overpowered his knowledge of the original Hebrew Canon, and in his famous “ Letter to Africanus” he expressly defends the reception among Christians of the additions found in the Alexandrine Septuagint.’! Not that Origen was ignorant of the Hebrew Bible, for Eusebius (7. £. vi. 16) tells us that ‘so accurate an examination was Origen undertaking with the Holy Scriptures that he even learned the Hebrew language, and acquired as his private possession original copies of the Scriptures in Hebrew characters, which were current among the Jews themselves’.* The evidence of Eusebius (d. 340) has been admirably summarized by Westcott as follows: ‘Eusebius has left no express judgement on the contents of the Old Testament. In three places he quotes from Josephus, Melito, and Origen, lists of the books (slightly differing) according to the Hebrew Canon. These he calls in the first place “the canonical Scriptures of the Old Testament (lit. ‘Scriptures in the Testament’), undisputed among the Hebrews”; and, again, “the acknowledged Scriptures of the Old Testament ” ; and, lastly, “the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament.” In his Chronicle he distinctly separates the Book of Maccabees from the “Divine Scriptures”, and elsewhere mentions Sirach and Wisdom as “controverted”” books. On the other hand, like the older Fathers, he quotes in the same manner as the contents of the Hebrew Canon passages from Baruch and Wisdom. On the whole, it may be concluded that he regarded the Apocrypha of the Old Testament in the same light as the books of the New Testament, which were “ controverted and yet familiarly used by many”. The books of the Hebrew Canon alone were, in his technical language, “ acknowledged.” One general characteristic of his judgement must not be neglected. It is based expressly on the collective testimony of antiquity expressed in the works of the chief ecclesiastical writers. There was no combined decision of any number of churches to which he could appeal... . According to Eusebius the only method by which the contents of the Bible could be determined was that of a simple historical inquiry into the belief and practice of earlier generations, and this did not appear to him to lead to a certain conclusion in every case.’* The evidence of Athanasius (d. 373) is likewise very important, both on account of his high ecclesiastical position as metropolitan of Egypt, as well as on account of his dominating personality. In the thirty-ninth of his Festal Letters * he writes as follows: ‘ As I am about to speak (of the divine Scriptures), I shall use for the support of my boldness the model of the Evangelist Luke, and say as he does, Horasmuch as some have taken in hand to set Jorth in order for themselves the so-called Apocrypha, and to mix these with the inspired Scripture which we most surely believe, even as they delivered it to our fathers which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, having been urged by true brethren, and having learned the truth from the first, to publish the books which are admitted in the Canon, and have been delivered to us, and are believed to be divine, that if any one has been deceived he may condemn those who led him astray, and he that has remained pure from error may rejoice in being again reminded (of the truth). All the books therefore of the Old Testament are in number twenty-two.’ He then enumerates the books of the Hebrew Canon ; these are followed by a list of the New Testament books, after which he continues: ‘But for the sake of greater accuracy I add this also, writing of necessity, that there are also other books excluded from among these (ἕτερα βιβλία τούτων ἔξωθεν), not canonical, which have been framed by the Fathers to be read

' The Bible in the Church, p.136; and cp. Eusebius’s words (27. £. vi. 31) : ‘At this time Africanus also, the compiler of the CesZi [1. 6. “ Mystic Girdles’’] as they are called, came into note. A letter of his, written to Origen, is extant, in which he intimates doubts about the Story of Susannah, in Daniel, as being ungenuine and fictitious, to which Origen wrote a very full answer.’ It is true that Sirach is not mentioned by Origen in his letter to Africanus, but since he defends Susannah, much more would he have defended Sirach if the authority of this book had been specifically called in question ; moreover, the objection urged by Africanus against the reception of Susannah, viz. that it did not exist in Hebrew, did not apply to Sirach, the Prologue of which was sufficient to prove its Hebrew origin even if Africanus did not know of any existing Hebrew copies.

_ ἢ Cp. also the words of Jerome (De wiris illustr. liv), who tells us that Origen had so much holy zeal for the Scriptures ‘ut etiam hebraeam linguam contra aetatis gentisque suae naturam edisceret’ (quoted by Hart, of. cét.,

° The Bible in the Church, pp. 153 ff.

Migne, Patr. Gr. xxvi, col. 1347. These Paschal, or Festal Letters, were pastorals issued by the bishops of Alexandria ; they were originally written for the purpose of announcing the date of Easter, but gradually assumed the character of an annual metropolitan pronouncement in which topics of prominent interest were dealt with.

OE Si <item

Deets. Bnd. EE. τι,

by those who are just approaching [entry into the Church], and who desire to be instructed in the word of godliness: the Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Sirach, and Esther, and Judith, and Tobias, and the so-called Teaching of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. And, nevertheless, beloved, neither among those books which are canonical, nor among those that are read [i.e. those just enumerated], is there anywhere mention made of the apocryphal (books).’ It is worth noticing here that Athanasius uses the word ‘apocryphal’ in an entirely different sense from that in which the word is now used in reference to the books of our Apocrypha; indeed, he goes on to say in this passage that such apocryphal books are ‘a device of heretics’, words which in view of the passage before us he could not possibly have ever applied to the books of what we now understand by the Apocrypha. One example, at least, exists of Athanasius quoting from Sirach, and speaking of it as ‘Holy Scripture’ (Contra Arianos, xii), but it is evident that, upon the whole, Athanasius did not regard Ecclesiasticus as belonging to the canonical Scriptures, for among these he included only the books of the Hebrew Canon. Amphilochius (c. 380) enumerates the books of the Old Testament, but includes only the books of the Hebrew Canon, and makes no mention of the books of the Apocrypha.? Cyril of Jerusalem (ἃ. 386) in his Catechetical Lectures (iv. 35) quotes the books of the Hebrew Canon (among which he, too, includes Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremiah as belonging to the Book of Jeremiah) as the canonical Scriptures of the Old Testament, after which he says: Ta δὲ λοιπὰ πάντα ἔξω κείσθω ἐν δευτέρῳ. He, however, quotes Sirach in his Cazechetical Lectures, vi. 3. Gregory of Nazianzus (d. 389) divides the books of the Hebrew Canon, which alone he acknowledges as canonical Scripture, into three groups—historical,’ poetical, and prophetical; in the second, besides Job and ‘ David’, he includes three of ‘Solomon’, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, and Proverbs; no mention at all is made of any books outside the Hebrew Canon, there is only a reference to ‘strange books’, against which the reader is warned. In the Preface to the Synopsis Sacr. Script. (pseudo-Chrysostom) ὅ there is a threefold division of Scripture: τὸ ἱστορικόν, τὸ συμβουλευτικόν, and τὸ προφητικόν, in the second of which are included Proverbs, the Wisdom of Sirach, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles. Chrysostom himself quotes passages from Baruch, Sirach, and Wisdom as ‘divine Scripture’. We come next to the evidence of Epiphanius (d. 404); in three places ὃ he enumerates the canonical books, holding these to be only those of the Hebrew Canon; but he is not altogether consistent, for in one place he includes the ‘ letters of Jeremiah and Baruch’ in Jeremiah, while in another he remarks that ‘the letters of Baruch’ are not found in the Hebrew Bible. ‘ He is equally inconsistent or uncertain’, says Westcott, ‘ with regard to Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus. These’, he says, ‘occupy a doubtful place. They are useful, and still they are not reckoned among the acknowledged books, nor were they ever placed in the Ark of the Covenant,’? i.e. regarded as Scripture by the Jews. Yet again, after enumerating summarily all the books of the Old and New Testaments, he adds, ‘ and the books of Wisdom, that of Solomon, and of the son of Sirach, and generally all divine writings.’ It is evident that he wishes to combine the practice of the early Fathers with their direct teaching. He will sacrifice nothing which had even the appearance of authority, and this characteristic of the man gives weight to his repeated statement that the books of the Old Testament ‘ were twenty-seven, counted as twenty-two’. The Hebrew Canon was that which he, like all the other Greek Fathers, wished to mark as definitely authoritative, though he admitted to a second place the books which had been sanctioned in some measure by Christian usage. In the list given by Leontius (De Secézs, ii) and in the S“chometria of Nicephorus no mention is made of Sirach, though in the latter Baruch is mentioned among the canonical books.® Finally, John of Damascus (d. 750) in his De fide orthod. iv. 17 speaks of Wisdom and Sirach, after enumerating the books of the Hebrew Canon, in the following way: ‘H δὲ Πανάρετος, τουτέστιν ἡ Σοφία τοῦ Σολομῶντος καὶ ἣ Σοφία τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ, ἣν ὁ πατὴρ μὲν τοῦ Σιρὰχ ἐξέθετο Ἑβραϊστὶ “Ἑλληνιστὶ δὲ ἡρμήνευσεν 6 τούτου μὲν ἔγγονος ᾿Ιησοῦς τοῦ δὲ Σιρὰχ υἱός" ἐνάρετοι μὲν καὶ καλαὶ ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀριθμοῦνται οὐδὲ ἔκειντο ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ. In his De /mag.i he speaks of Baruch as ‘ divine Scripture’.

At the same time it is worth noting that Athanasius clearly did not feel himself bound by the Hebrew Canon, for he includes Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah among the canonical Scriptures, and excludes Esther from the Canon. 2 Migne, Patr. Gr. xxxvii, p. 1593.

3. Ruth is treated as a separate book, and Esther is omitted altogether ; Nehemiah is not mentioned, but included under Esdras among the historical books.

δ Migne, Patr. Gr. lvi. 513 ff. Westcott regards this as ‘certainly a Syrian catalogue of Chrysostom’s time’ (7/e Bible in the Church, p. 174).

7 i.e. the ‘ark’ in the Synagogue; the rolls of the canonical Scriptures read in the Synagogue service were kept there ; κιβωτός -- NIN (‘chest’).

δ The Bible in the Church, pp. 172f. ® Cp. Swete, of. czz., p. 207. 10 Cp. Westcott, Zhe Canon of the New Testament (5th ed.), p. 546.

We turn next to the Western Church. The earliest evidence is that of Irenaeus (d. 202); although he nowhere quotes from Sirach,! he has in his Adv. Haeres. iv. 26, Wo Age quotations from Baruch, which he cites as ‘ Jeremiah the prophet’, and from the Additions to Daniel, which — he cites as ‘ Daniel the prophet’, and also from Wisdom pe presumably, therefore, he would have regarded the books of the Apocrypha as canonical. Tertullian (d. 220), in quoting from our book (e.g. Contra Gnostic. viii, De Exhort. Castit. ii, De Hab. Mul. iii), uses the same formula as that with which he introduces the quotations from the books of the Hebrew Canon, Viz. secut scriptum est. Cyprian (d. 258), in his Testémonia (e.g. iil. 95, 96) 3 and in his letters (e.g. Ep. lix. 20),° has many quotations from Sirach, and, like Tertullian, introduces them with the formula szcut scriptum est, or with the even more definite words Scriptura divina dicit. Methodius* (c. 311), who was bishop of Lycia, and afterwards of Tyre, quotes without reserve from Sirach, Wisdom, and Baruch, treating them all as ‘Scripture’. Hilary of Poitiers (d. 368) has a list of the books of the Old Testament in his Prol. ix Libr. Psalm.° in which only the Epistle of Jeremiah among the books of the Apocrypha is included, but at the end of this list he adds the words: ‘ Quibusdam autem visum est additis Tobia et Judith xxiv libros secundum numerum Graecorum literarum connumerare’; nevertheless, he cites Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom as ‘ prophets’, an expression which seems to imply his belief in their canonicity. Philastrius of Brescia (d. 397) gives an account of the Scriptures in his De FHlaeres. \x, \xi, in which he says that only the canonical books, meaning thereby the books of the Hebrew Canon, should be read in church; in the same work (Ixxxviii) he says that the ‘ book of the Wisdom of Sirach’ is used by a heretical sect, but he quotes Wisdom as the work of a ‘prophet’. Rufinus (c. 410), in his Comm. in Symbol. Apostol., δὲ 36-38, gives a list of the Old Testament Scriptures comprised in the Hebrew Canon as those which ‘ the Fathers included in the Canon’ (ὃ 37); he then continues, in the next section: ‘ Nevertheless, it should be known that there are also other books which by men of old were called not “canonical” but “ecclesiastical ”, namely, Wisdom, which is called Solomon’s, and the other Wisdom, that of the son of Sirach’; he also includes other books in this category.° The important evidence of Jerome (d. 420) requires a little more detailed consideration. He was the first to make any thoroughgoing and successful attempt to differentiate between the canonical books of the Hebrew Bible and the books of the Apocrypha in the Christian Church ; his intercourse with Rabbis and his knowledge of the Bible in Hebrew were the means of equipping him in a special way for his biblical studies. Jerome was, moreover, the first to use the term ‘ Apocrypha’, in its present technical sense, in reference to the uncanonical books. In the Prologus Galeatus (the ‘Helmed Prologue’, with which he prefaces his translation of the books of Samuel and Kings), after enumerating the books of the Hebrew Canon, he says that every other book (referring, of course, to the Alexandrine Canon) is to be reckoned among the Apocrypha (‘ quidquid extra hos est, inter Apocrypha esse ponendum ’) ; and he goes on: ‘Therefore Wisdom, commonly entitled (The Wisdom) of Solomon, and the book of Jesus the son of Sirach, and Judith, and Tobit, and the Shepherd are not in the Canon.’ To the same effect are his words in the preface to his Commentary on the Salomonic books: ‘ Porro in eo libro qui a plerisque Sapzenta Salomonis inscribitur, et in Ecclesiastico, quam esse [651 filii Sirach nullus ignorat, calamo temperavi, tantummodo canonicas Scripturas vobis emendare desiderans et studium meum certis magis quam dubiis commendare’; and, again, in the same preface he says : ‘ Sicut ergo Judith et Tobi et Macchabaeorum libros quidem legit Ecclesia, sed inter canonicas Scripturas non recipit, sic et haec duo volumina (i. e..Sirach and Wisdom) legat ad aedificationem plebis, non ad auctoritatem ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandam.’ But in spite of what Jerome says here, he not infrequently quotes from the books of the Apocrypha with the same introductory formula which he uses when quoting from the books of the Hebrew Canon ; thus in his Commentary on Isaiah (ii. 3) he prefaces quotations from Sirach and Wisdom with ‘ sicut scriptum est ’.”

Our next authority is Augustine (d. 430), whose authority over the Western Church was almost as great as that of Jerome. The following, from his De Doctr. Christiana, ii. 8, will show that he regarded the books of the Apocrypha generally as more authoritative than Jerome did. After enumerating the Old Testament books in the order—Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-4 Kings,

ἢ This silence does not of itself necessarily mean that Irenaeus did not regard Sirach as Scripture; it is worth noting that some books of the Hebrew Canon are never quoted or even alluded to in the New Testament, viz. Esther, Canticles, Ecclesiastes.

He also mentions this book ina work of his which is now lost; see Eusebius, 27. £. v. 26. 8 Hartel’s edition.

Not to be confounded with the Methodius who, in conjunction with his brother Cyril, translated the Greek Bible into Slavonic in the ninth century, and preached the faith to the Slavs.

7. It is worth noting that the books of Tobit and Judith were translated by Jerome from the Aramaic and incorporated inthe Vulgate, but Wisdom, Sirach, the two books of the Maccabees, and Baruch as found in the Vulgate are not the work of Jerome, but are all ante-Hieronymian (cp. Swete, of. ciz., p. 103).

1,2 Chronicles, he goes on: ‘ Haec est historia quae sibimet annexa tempora continet atque ordinem rerum: sunt aliae tanquam ex diverso ordine quae neque huic ordini neque inter se connectuntur,

sicut est Job et Tobias et Esther et Judith et Machabaeorum libri duo et Esdrae duo, qui magis sub- } sequi videntur ordinatam illam historiam usque ad Regnorum vel Paralipomenon terminatam :

deinde Prophetae in quibus David unus liber Psalmorum, et Salomonis tres, Proverbiorum, Cantica Canticorum, et Ecclesiastes. Nam illi duo libri unus qui Sapientia et alius qui Ecclesiasticus inscribitur de quadam similitudine Salomonis esse dicuntur, nam Iesus Sirach eos conscripsisse

᾿ constantissime perhibetur qui tamen quoniam in auctoritatem recipi meruerunt inter propheticos

numerandi sunt. Though he thus speaks with some reserve respecting Wisdom and Sirach he regards them as canonical, for at the end of his enumeration of the books of the Old and New Testaments he says: *In his omnibus libris timentes Deum et pietate mansueti quaerunt voluntatem Dei. In the Speculum Augustine deals in the same way with Sirach as with the canonical books. John Cassian (c. 450) cites Sirachii. 1 as Scripture in his De st. Caen. iv. 38.2. Innocent II, in a list of the Scriptural books in his Lp. ad Exsuperium,® reckons five books of Solomon (1.6. he includes Sirach and Wisdom); the pseudo-Gelasian list* includes Sirach and Wisdom, as well as Tobit, Judith, and 1, 2 Maccabees, among the canonical books. And, lastly, Cassiodorus (d. 570), in his enumeration of the books of the Bible (De zns¢. Div. litt. 14) also includes Sirach and Wisdom among the books of Solomon, and therefore regards them as canonical; so also Tobit, Judith, 1, 2 Esdras, 1, 2 Maccabees.

It is unnecessary to give further evidence, for from this time onwards all the books of the Apocrypha are usually found in the Old Testament undistinguished from the other books. So that the evidence of the early Church, taken as a whole, is in the direction of looking favourably upon Sirach as being, at the very least, a book which was both edifying and instructive; nevertheless, it is regarded as less authoritative than the books of the Hebrew Canon.

4 δ 9. THE THEOLOGY OF THE BOOK.

i. The Doctrine of God. Ben-Sira’s conception and teaching of the Almighty is very full; not only his orthodox belief, but still more his religious mind which so often expresses itself in his book, impelled him in the most natural way to refer very frequently to the Divine Personality, His attributes, and His relationship to men. First and foremost comes, of course, his teaching concerning the Unity of God, e.g. xiii. 21:

From everlasting He ts the same ; and again in xxxvi. 5 (ἃ xxxiii. 5):

That they may know, as we also know, That there is none other God but Thee.

In the long section xliii. 1-26 Ben-Sira describes the divine activity in Nature, and he concludes (v. 27) with the words: The conclusion of the matter is: He is all.®

The Greek (τὸ πᾶν ἐστιν αὐτός) might be thought to point to a pantheistic tendency, but the context makes it clear that all that Ben-Sira wishes to show is that God is to be discovered in all His works ; the very definite personality which he always imputes to God amply proves that he was entirely free from all pantheistic tendencies. This teaching of God as the All-God leads on naturally to that of God as the Creator of all; here Ben-Sira gets his main inspiration from the Psalms, see the fine passage xlii. 15—xliii. 33, and cp. also xxxix. 16 and xlii.21. In this last passage it is said that all created things are the products of the divine wisdom; this is further emphasized by the description of the a/l-knowledge of God in xlii. 18-25, see especially vv. 18, 19:

For Jahveh possesseth all knowledge,’ And seeth what cometh unto eternity."

Fle declareth what is past and what ts future, And revealeth the profoundest secrets.

The eternity of God also frequently finds expression, e.g. xviii. 1 ff. :

He that liveth for ever created all things together .. .

Chap. xxiii (ed. Weihrich). In the psewdo-Speculum almost every chapter of Sirach is quoted from. } ? Ed. Petschenig. 5 Swete, of. czt., p. 211. * Ibid. 5 Tbid. * Cp. also xxxvi. 1: ‘Save us, Ὁ God of all.’ 7 These two lines are wanting in the Hebrew.

... That all the ends of the earth may know That Thou art the eternal God.

Belonging to this cycle of conceptions is also the /Yoliness of God ; this is taught, e.g. in xxiii. 9:

Accustom not thy mouth to an oath, Nor make a habit of the naming of the Holy One.

See further iv. 14, xliii. 10, xlvii. 8, xlviii. 20.

Another side to Ben-Sira’s doctrine of God is that in which he deals with the relationship of God towards Israel on the one hand, and towards the Gentiles on the other. The more usual Jewish view that God is the God of Israel only is taught, e.g. in xvii. 17:

For every nation He appointed a ruler, But Israel is the Lord's portion ;

and the fact that the Wisdom of God belongs to Israel in a pre-eminent degree shows them to be — in a special sense His people ; see the whole passage xxiv. 8 ff., especially v. 12:

And I [i.e. Wisdom] took root among an honoured people, In the portion of the Lord (and) of His inheritance.

Moreover, the whole section on the praise of Israel’s heroes of old (xliv—xlix) reveals the belief that Israel is a particularly favoured nation in the sight of God. On the other hand, Ben-Sira is not wholly particularistic ; he realizes that God is the God of all the world, and therefore he sometimes strikes a universalistic note, e.g. in xviii. 13, 14:

The mercy of man ts (exercised upon) his own kin, But the mercy of God ts (extended) to all flesh, Reproving, and chastening, and teaching, And bringing them back as a shepherd his flock. He hath mercy on them that accept (His) chastening, And that diligently seek after His judgements.”

The attributes of mercy and forgiveness here portrayed find very frequent utterance, and of course the same is true of the converse; God’s wrath strikes the wicked whether they be Jews or Gentiles. The doctrine of the divine Fatherhood also finds expression in our book. As Toy says, referring to the older view: ‘ The old Israelitish idea of the divine love was, so far as we can gather from the literature, a purely national one. Jahveh was the father (Hos. xi. 1) or the husband (Jer. ii. 1, iti. 4; Isa. Ixii. 5) of Israel. In the later psalms more individual relation is expressed ; Jahveh is said to pity them that fear Him asa father pities his children (Ps. ciii.13). Gradually the paternal relation as expressing most completely the combination of guidance and tenderness came to be employed as the representative of God’s relation to man’;* and he quotes several passages from the Apocrypha, among them xxiii. 1 of our book:

O Lord, Father, and God of my life,'

which certainly witnesses to a real belief in the Fatherhood of God in regard to the individual.

ii. The Law. ‘About half the passages in which the Law is mentioned in this book are wanting in the Hebrew; in those which are extant in Hebrew the usual word rendered νόμος in Greek is nnn, but in ix. 15 the Hebrew is certainly corrupt,! in xliv. 20 the word is myn (“ commandment ”), and in xlv. 17 it is paw (“judgement”). With three exceptions (ii. 16, xv. 1, xlix. 4) νόμος is used without the article. In the Prologue it is used with the article three times, but in each case it is in reference to the threefold division of the Canon (6 νόμος, καὶ at προφητεῖαι, καὶ λοιπὰ τῶν βιβλίων). On the other hand, the concluding words in the Prologue are: ... ἐν νόμῳ βιωτεύειν. In xxxvi. (EV xxxiii.) 3 the article is almost necessary grammatically.’ Ben-Sira gives great prominence to the Law both in its ethical and ritual aspects, differing in this markedly from Proverbs, to which he is in other respects so much indebted ; and the stress which he lays on the importance of the Law, and legal observances generally, marks his book out as perhaps the most striking link we have between the older and the newer Judaism, that is to say, the Judaism of post-

Ἐ eee in Hebrew. * The whole passage is wanting in Hebrew. 8 Judaism and Christianity, p. 83. But we should probably read » ΠῚ. δ Oesterley, Ecc/estasticus (Cambridge Bible), p. liii.

ὃ τ, ὅν “οὐ δ, a ee eee

exilic times and Rabbinical Judaism. But he uses the word ‘Law’ in a wide sense; and herein, too, we are able to recognize the way in which the teaching of this book leads over in so many respects to the later Rabbinism, for what Schechter says regarding the meaning of the term ‘Law’ in Rabbinic literature applies also to its meaning in Sirach: ‘The term Law or Womos is not a correct rendering of the Hebrew word “ Torah”. The legalistic element, which might rightly be called the Law, represents only one side of the Torah. To the Jew the word Torah means a teaching or instruction of any kind. It may be either a general principle or a specific injunction, whether it be found in the Pentateuch or in the other parts of the Scriptures, or even outside the Canon. The juxtaposition in which Torah and Mitzvoth, “ teaching” and ‘‘commandments ”, are to be found in the Rabbinic literature implies already that the former means something more than merely the Law. . . . To use the modern phraseology, to the Rabbinic Jew Torah was both an institution and a faith.! Torah is, therefore, to be understood in both an extended and in a restricted sense according to the general purport of the passage in which the term occurs.

We may note, then, first of all the general emphasis which Ben-Sira lays on the observance of the Law as being the prime duty of the people to whom Jahveh has given the Law; he says, for example, in ix. 15:

With the intelligent let thy communing be, And all thy converse in the Law of the Most High.

He teaches that there can be no honour for those who do not observe the Law: A despicable race is that which transgresseth the commandment (x. 19).

The duty of seeking the Law, of believing it, and of meditating upon its precepts is insisted on in fle that seeketh out the Law shall gain her, But the hypocrite shall be snared thereby... . In all thy works guard thyself, For he that so doeth keepeth the commandment. He that observeth the Law guardeth himself, And he that trusteth in Jahveh shall not be brought to shame ;

and see also xxxix. 1 ff. Ben-Sira urges men not to be ashamed of the Law (xlii. 2), and recalls how the nation’s great heroes in the past observed it and were enlightened by it, and taught it to others (see xliv. 20, xlv. 5, 17, xlvi. 14). The observance of the commandments of the Law is the

_ one thing to be thought of at the approach of death (xxviii. 6).

Since the Law was given by God it is, like Him, eternal, and this brings us to what is perhaps the most interesting part of Ben-Sira’s doctrine concerning the Law, namely, his identification of it with Wisdom ; for this implies the pre-existence of the Law, as well as its divine character (see further the section on Wisdom). This conception of the Law, which, as far as is known, is found here for the first time in Jewish literature, became later on, with one exception (viz. the doctrine of the unity of God), the most important dogma of Rabbinical Judaism.? But the way in which the identification of Wisdom with the Law is taken for granted in Sirach makes it clear that Ben-Sira was not expressing a new truth, but one which had already received general acceptance. He says, for example, in xv. 1:

For he that feareth the Lord doeth this [i.e. seeks Wisdom, which is the subject of the preceding verses], And he that taketh hold of the Law findeth her [1. 6. Wisdom]. Again, the Law and Wisdom are used synonymously in xxxiv. (& xxxi.) 8:

Without deceit shall the Law be fulfilled, And Wisdom ts perfect in a mouth that ts faithful.

So also in xxi. 11:

Fe that keepeth the Law controlleth his natural tendency,° And the fear of the Lord ἐς the consummation of Wisdont.

1 Some Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, p. 117 f. * See the authors’ book Zhe Religion and Worship of the Synagogue (2nd ed.), pp. 161-177. * See the note on this in the commentary.

This identification is further implied by ‘the fear of the Lord’ being both the true observance of the Law as well as the ‘beginning’ of Wisdom ; both thoughts occur a number of times in the book. But the most direct assertion of the identity of the two is found in xxiv. 23, where it is said:

All these things [i.e. things concerning Wisdom which are mentioned in the preceding verses] are — the book of the covenant of God Most High, The Law which Moses commanded (as) an heritage for the assemblies of Jacob.

The same is taught in xix. 20:

All wisdom is the fear of the Lord, And all wisdom is the fulfilling of the Law.

Ben-Sira taught, as we have seen, that the Law was eternal, a doctrine which is further illustrated by the way in which he identifies the Law with Wisdom, which is also eternal (see next section); the special point of interest in this connexion is that the doctrine of the existence of the Law before the Creation—a thoroughly Rabbinical doctrine—is seen to have been taught long before Christian times. As an example of the Rabbinical teaching reference may be made to the Midrash Bereshith Rabéba viii, where it is said that the Torah is two thousand years older than the Creation; and in the first chapter (in the comment on Gen. i. 1) of the same Midrash it is said: ‘Six things preceded the creation of the world; among them were such as were themselves truly created, and such as were decided upon before the Creation; the Torah and the throne of glory were truly created.’

Another important point concerning the Law is Ben-Sira’s teaching on the spirit in which legal ordinances should be observed. ‘It might seem doubtful’, says Toy, ‘ whether the introduction of the finished Law was an unmixed good from the ethical point of view. The code was largely ritualistic; it fixed men’s minds on ceremonial details which it in some cases put into the same category and on the same level with moral duties. Would there not hence result a dimming of the moral sense and a confusion of moral distinctions? The ethical attitude of aman who could regard a failure in the routine of sacrifice as not less blameworthy than an act of theft cannot be called a lofty one. If such had been the general effect of the ritual law we should have to pronounce it an evil. But in point of fact the result was different. What may be called the natural debasing tendency of a ritual was counteracted by other influences, by the ethical elements of the Law itself, and by the general moral progress of the community. The great legal schools which grew up in the second century, if we may judge by the sayings of the teachers which have come down to us, did not fail to discriminate between the outward and the inward, the ceremonial and the moral ; and the ‘ conception of sin corresponded to the idea of the ethical standard.’!_ Now the teaching of Ben-Sira on the spirit in which the sacrifices prescribed in the Law are to be observed is a striking illustration of what is here so truly said: in xxxiv. 18, 19 (ἃ xxxi. 21-23) he urges:

The sacrifice of the unrighteous man is a mocking offering, And unacceptable are the oblations of the godless.

The Most High hath no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly, Neither doth He forgive sins for a multitude of sacrifices.

And again, a few verses later on, he says :

He who washeth after (contact with) a dead body and toucheth it again, What hath he gained by his bathing ?

Soa man fasting for his sins And again doing the same—

Who will listen to his prayer ? : And what hath he gained by his humiliation ?

Such words offer an elo the Law.

iii, Zhe Teaching on Wisdom. The divine character of Wisdom is graphically brought out in xxiv. 3-5:

7 came forth from the mouth of the Most Fligh (cp. i. 1), And as a mist 7 covered the earth Ὁ

quent proof of Ben-Sira’s spiritual conception concerning the observance of

Judaism and Christianity, p. 186.

In the high places did I fix my abode, And my throne was in the pillar of cloud. Alone [ compassed the circuit of heaven, And in the depth of the abyss 7 walked.

That Wisdom took her part in the creation of the world comes out clearly in the two following passages : Before them all |i.e. the heavens and the earth] was Wisdom created (i. 4) ;

from the words which follow a little later on Ben-Sira evidently conceived of Wisdom having been created in preparation for the work of Creation which was to come, for he continues in verse Ὁ:

He Himself created her, and saw, and numbered her ; And poured her out upon all His works . . (ὦ

The existence of Wisdom before the creation of the world is again, and more definitely, stated in

Fe created me from the beginning, before the world,

This vivid personification of Wisdom is based on Proverbs, where the same thought finds expression The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 7 was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,

Or ever the earth was. (See the whole passage, Prov..viii. 22-31.)

The intimate relationship between Wisdom and the Almighty naturally involves the eternity of

Wisdom, a truth set forth in the opening words of our book:

All Wisdom cometh from the Lora, And ts with Him for ever.

The same is implied in xxiv. οὐ: The memorial of me shall never cease.”

the personification of Wisdom is illustrated in another way when it is said that she takes up her abode among men, and invites them to come and dwell with her:

With faithful men is she, and she hath been established from eternity, And with their seed shall she continue (i. 15).

Come unto me, ye that desire me, And be ye filled with my produce ;

For my memorial ts sweeter than honey, And the possession of me than the honey-comb (xxiv. 19, 20).

It is characteristic of Ben-Sira’s attitude in desiring to show the superiority of the wisdom of Israel over that of the Greeks that he should represent Wisdom as having sought a resting-place among the nations of the world, but that Israel alone was worthy of her, and that among them, therefore, God bids her abide ;* he says in xxiv. 7, 8 f., 12:

With all these [i.e. every people and nation] / sought a resting-place, And (said): In whose inheritance shall I lodge? Then the Creator of all things gave me commandment, And He that created me fixed my dwelling-place (for me) ; And He said: Let thy dwelling-place be in Jacob, And in Israel take up thine inheritance... . And 7 took root among an honoured people, In the portion of the Lord (and) of His inheritance.

1p. Ps. civ. 24: O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all. Prov. iii. 19: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth ;

By understanding He established the heavens. 2. So the Syriac; the Greek and Latin read, ‘ Unto eternity I shall not fail.’ * So the Syriac ; the Greek text is probably corrupt. ᾿ ‘ Cp. with this the somewhat similar case of the Law, which, according to the later teaching of the Rabbis, was originally intended by God to be a revelation of Himself and of His will to all nations, but that Israel was the only nation that accepted it (see Oesterley and Box, of. ci¢., p. 164).

The thought of Wisdom dwelling among men is already taught in Proverbs (e.g. viii. 31, 34 ff), but Ben-Sira elaborates it, and in such a passage as that just quoted treats it with great poetical beauty.

Further, it is characteristic, not only of the Wisdom of Ben-Sira, but also of the Wisdom- Literature generally, that the term Wisdom is never used in the sense of pure knowledge ; in its essence it connoted originally the faculty of distinguishing between what is good and what is bad, or, perhaps more accurately (in so far as earlier times are concerned), between what is advantageous -and what is harmful. But in any case, regarding the nature of Wisdom, it is true to say that in the Jewish conception it had primarily a religious content from the beginning; that is to say, that it was in its origin essentially a divine attribute, the possession of which made man in some measure like God. In comparatively early times it must have come to this, that to be able to differentiate between good and evil, i.e. the exercise of the moral consciousness, enabled ‘man to stand in a closer relationship to God than the mere external observance, however assiduously carried out, of a ceremonial law; this, at any rate, would have been the essence of the teaching of the prophets. It is in following such teaching that Ben-Sira inculcates the truth that the way to lead a wise life is to live according to the divine commandments; in contemplating the wisdom of God, as set forth in the commandments of God, and acting accordingly, man makes his human wisdom approximate to the divine, and worldly, practical wisdom, in its many and various forms, is thus of the same kind, only less in degree, as divine wisdom. It is thus easy to see, one may remark in passing, that the identification between the Law and Wisdom, referred to in the previous section, was inevitable. ‘Human wisdom comes from the communion between the mind of man and the mind of God. The unity of the divine and the human attributes (implicitly contained in the book) appears to involve the conception that the divine wisdom fills and controls all things, including man’s mind, and thus manifests itself in human thought ;’? this is true, but it needs to be emphasized that Ben-Sira’s strong insistence on human free-will makes it a matter of man’s choice whether his mind is filled with divine wisdom or something else.

Wisdom is, therefore, in the first place, of a religious nature. How essential an element this was in Ben-Sira’s conception of Wisdom will have been seen by what was said above as to the origin of Wisdom, namely, that it was an emanation from the Deity. This truth is further emphasized by the @ctam, common to all the books of the Wisdom-Literature in one form or another, that :

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (i. 14).

Though Ben-Sira takes this thought over from earlier sages, he nevertheless makes it thoroughly his own, and elaborates it in such sayings as:

The crown of Wisdom ts the fear of the Lord (i. 18) ; To fear the Lord is the root of Wisdom (i. 20).

But besides this specifically religious content, Wisdom has, according to Ben-Sira, another element in its nature. While the knowledge of God may be said to describe its most exalted characteristic, it has also a less exalted, but extremely useful, further characteristic in that it connotes knowledge of the world ; not that this would imply a non-religious element in Wisdom, for the man with knowledge of the world has acquired this lower form of Wisdom, too, by his observance of the divine commandments; so that it need cause no surprise to find that it is this latter element in the nature of Wisdom to which Ben-Sira devotes most attention in his book. Nor is this an unnatural thing when it is remembered that the writer, having none but the vaguest ideas about a life hereafter, is mainly concerned with the affairs of this life. So he says of Wisdom that:

They that love her love life (iv. 12); and again: The wisdom of the poor man lifteth up his head, And causeth him to sit among princes (xi. 1).

The large number of precepts which Ben-Sira offers as to general conduct of life are the utterances of a sage whose whole life has been spent in the acquisition of Wisdom ; they form part, at least, of the result of his labours in her service; and the contribution which he has to offer his fellowcreatures is to teach them what in very large measure is worldly wisdom. These moral precepts differ widely, of course, from divine wisdom, but, as we have seen, both emanate from the same ἢ source, and both are ultimately to be traced back to the Giver of all good things.

So lasting is the power of Wisdom among those who truly possess her, that the possession is regarded as hereditary :

Tf he trust me, he shall possess me, And his posterity shall hold me fast (iv. 16, see also i. 15).

Yet even he who possesses Wisdom may lose his treasure by sinning, so it is said:

Tf he turn away (from me), [ will forsake him, And will deliver him over to the spoilers (iv. 19).

The only truly blessed are they who persistently follow after Wisdom (xiv. 20-27) ; yet for this leisure is required ; the ordinary occupations and callings of men are all good and necessary, but none are to be compared to that in which a man devotes himself wholly to the seeking out of the Wisdom of the ancients, which is none other than the fear of God and the Law of the Most High (see the whole of xxxviii. 24—xxxix. IT).

iv. The Doctrine of Sin. The great problem of the existence of sin had, of course, exercised the minds of men for ages before the time of Ben-Sira. How was one to reconcile the facts of daily experience with the belief in an all-righteous, all-powerful God, who governed the world? ‘The ancient mythical religion had certainly connected physical evil with Adam’s sin; but when, after the Exile, the individual, as contrasted with the nation, became more prominently an object of consideration, difficulties doubtless began to appear to which the answer of the old theology was felt to be incomplete.’! A suggested explanation of the difficulty is expressed in Ps. xxxvii, where it is said that the destruction of the wicked comes suddenly, while he is in the midst of his prosperity (vv. 35, 36); and again, in the same psalm the Psalmist seeks to explain the difficulty by contrasting the ‘latter end’ of the righteous and the wicked respectively :

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: For the latter end of that man is peace. As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together ; The latter end of the wicked shall be cut off (vv. 37, 38).

In neither case was there any real solution of the problem. Later thinkers were impelled to offer another explanation ; so, for example, the writer who explained that everything had been made for its own purpose: The Lord hath made everything for its own end: Vea, even the wicked for the day of evil (Prov. xvi. 4).

Ben-Sira was on safer ground when, in re-echoing earlier teaching, he said: He that seeketh God will receive discipline (xxxii.[xxxv.]14),

i.e. any misfortune which befalls the righteous is looked upon as a discipline, and is, therefore, in reality for his benefit. None of these attempted solutions could, however, have been regarded as satisfactory, for they did not account for the divine acquiescence in the prosperity of the wicked, however much they might satisfy men as to the necessity of adversity for the righteous. In one passage Ben-Sira does strike out a somewhat original line of thought in seeking a solution of the mystery, though within the limits of the present life; a wicked man may, he says in effect, enjoy prosperity all his life, but so terrible may God cause his last hours to be that all his former enjoyment of life becomes wholly obliterated, and thus the apparent contradiction between the facts of life and the divine justice is harmonized ; his words are :

For it is easy in Jahveh’s sight At the end to requite a man according to his deeds. An evil time causeth forgetfulness of delights, And the last end of a man will tell of him. Pronounce no man happy before his death ; For by his latter end a man shall be known (xi. 26-28).

This attempted solution, if it does nothing else, witnesses at any rate to the very earnest desire to try and explain a grave difficulty ; and if, as a matter of fact, no advance is made in our book towards a satisfactory solution of what must have constituted a cruel mystery to the God-fearing of

1 Tennant, in the Journal of Theological Studies, ii, p. 209.

It is owing to this practical nature of Wisdom that Ben-Sira insists on its being not only possessed, but also exhibited among men, so he says:

Hidden wisdom and concealed treasure, What profit is there in either ? Better is the man that hideth his folly Than aman that hideth his wisdom (xx. 30, 31).

To those who are desirous of acquiring Wisdom, Ben-Sira gives a piece of advice which well illustrates what has already been said above as to the religious element in every form of Wisdom:

Tf thou desire Wisdom, keep the commandments, And the Lord will give her freely unto thee (i. 26).

That Wisdom is the gift of God is again declared to be the case in i. το: Without measure doth He grant her to them that love Him.

Wisdom is thus the free gift of God; but this does not mean to say that man has not his part to play in order to enjoy this free gift; he has a discipline to go through which is irksome, and which will test the sincerity of the seeker:

But I will walk with him in disguise, And at first I will try him with temptations. Fear and dread will 7 bring upon him, And I will torment him with chastisements (iv. 17).

Wisdom will also make great demands upon those that would be her servants ; it is a hard course of instruction through which they must go:

... Bring thy feet into her fetters, And thy neck into her chain ; Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, And chafe not under her bonds (vi. 24, 25).

But if Wisdom can only be acquired by earnest and sustained effort, if to possess her requires concentrated zeal and self-denial, the reward of those who persist is great in proportion, In a beautiful passage Ben-Sira describes this great reward :

For at length thou wilt find her rest, And she shall be turned for thee into gladness. And her fetters shall become a stay of strength for thee, And her bonds for robes of glory. An ornament of gold is her yoke, And her fetters a cord of blue. Thou shalt array thee with her (as with) robes of glory, And crown thee with her (as with) a crown of beauty (vi. 28-31).

Clearly such a reward cannot be for the many; only the best types of men are able to obtain her ; so Ben-Sira says: For Wisdom is according to her name, And to most men she ἐς not manifest (vi. 22).

Indeed, Ben-Sira holds that humanity is divided into two categories, the wise and the foolish, or

the good and the evil—to him the two terms are respectively synonymous ; Wisdom’s attitude to each is thus expressed :

As a prison-house is Wisdom to a fool, And the knowledge of the wise as coals of fire.

As chains on (their) feet is instruction to the foolish, And as manacles on their right hand.

As a golden ornament ts instruction to the wise, And as a bracelet upon their right arm (xxi. 18-21).

those days, it cannot cause surprise; with their lack of knowledge concerning the general laws upon which society is based and by which it exists, with their absolute ignorance concerning the laws of nature, with their very hazy conceptions concerning a fuller spiritual life hereafterJit was wholly impossible for the ancient Hebrew thinkers to frame any really satisfactory working theory whereby_ | to harmonize the seeming contradiction between belief in the existence of an almighty, just God -and the facts of human experience. “Nevertheless, Ben-Sira had very definite ideas upon the existence of sin and its universal prevalence among men; he had also clearly thought and taught much about the nature and essence of sin, and the special importance of his book in connexion with this subject is that it is the only non-apocalyptic writing which unquestionably reflects light upon the Palestinian thought of its time concerning the introduction of sin and death into the world. ‘It is a unique link’, says Dr. Tennant, ‘ between the Old Testament and the ancient Rabbinism. It is also important as a guide to the views of the time from the fact that its author, though perhaps conscious of the inadequacy of his inherited theology to solve all the problems and difficulties which presented themselves to an educated mind, allows himself but little liberty of thought.’ 1

With regard to the origin of sin, Ben-Sira’s treatment is highly instructive, for it reveals the

difficulty in which he found himself involved as soon as he began to grapple with the subject. _ He mentions altogether three theories regarding the origin of sin; one of these he combats as

erroneous. The first is that the existence of sin is due to God; this is the theory which he combats, though he does not seem to realize the difficulty in which he involves himself in doing so. The passage in which this is dealt with is xv. 11-20, where Ben-Sira replies to those who trace back the origin of sin to God ; he says:

Say not: ‘ From God is my transgression, For that which He hateth made He not. Say not: ‘(It is) He that made me to stumble, For there ts no need of evil men. Evil and abomination doth the Lord hate, And He doth not let it come nigh to them that fear Him (xv. 11-13).

He says further in the course of his argument (and here his teaching on human free-will comes strongly to the fore): God created man from the beginning, And placed him in the hand of his Veser. [f thou (so) desirest, thou canst keep the commandment, And (tt 15) wisdom to do His good pleasure. Poured out before thee (are) fire and water, Stretch forth thine hand unto that which thou desirest. Life and death (are) before man, That which he desireth shall be given to him... . He commanded no man to sin, Nor gave strength to men of lies (xv. 14-20).

With regard to the word Veser it may be noted in passing that in its primary meaning it denotes ‘form’ or ‘framing’, hence what is formed or framed in the mind, and it therefore comes to mean ‘imagination’ or ‘purpose’. It is used in a good sense in Isa. xxvi. 3, 1 Chron. xxix. 18 ; on the other hand, in Gen. vi. 5, viii. 21 it is used of the evil imagination. In later times there arose the doctrine of a ‘good’ Yeser as opposed to the ‘evil’ Veser, two opposing tendencies which, it was taught, were constituent elements in man’s spiritual nature. Prof. Schechter says: “The more conspicuous figure of the two Vesers is that of the evil Yeser. Indeed, it is not impossible that the expression good Yeser, as the antithesis of the evil Yeser, is a creation of later date.’ ? It is, therefore, probable that Ben-Sira, when making use of the expression in the passage just quoted, had the evil Veser, or ‘tendency’, in mind ; at any rate, the context shows that even if the word was used in a neutral sense it was at least potentially the evil Veser to which he referred ; but as this tendency or inclination to evil was part of man’s nature it was created by God, so that Ben-Sira shows himself to have been in danger of falling, by implication, into the very error which he combats in the previously quoted passage (xv. 11-13) ; indeed, further on in his book he comes perilously near to a direct assertion that God created evil; see xxxili. (ἃ xXxxvi.) 13-15, XXXvil. 3.

1 Of. cit., p. 207. 2 Some Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, p. 243.

So that, at least by implication, Ben-Sira might well be convicted of imputing the origin of evil to

God, though he refrains from doing so explicitly.t _ i A second theory which Ben-Sira brings forward is expressed in xxv. 24:

From a woman did sin originate [lit. is the beginning of sin], And because of her we all must die.

Dr. Tennant, in writing on this verse, says: ‘It has to be borne in mind that when, in the second clause of the verse, the writer passes to the thought of death, to the relation of Eve’s sin to our universal mortality, a causal connexion is distinctly asserted. The use of ¢ehillah |‘ beginning’] in the former clause does not perhaps in itself preclude the thought of such connexion, in the case of sin, having presented itself to Ben-Sira’s mind, but it certainly does not suggest any such connexion. . . . If Ben-Sira intended to imply that Eve’s transgression was the cause or origin of — human sinfulness he was venturing further than was his wont beyond the letter of the Scriptural narrative which he had in mind, and was already in possession of a much deeper view of the first transgression than is to be met with in Jewish literature until we come to St. Paul’s Epistles, the Slavonic book of Enoch, and 4 (2) Esdras.’ In any case, this second theory of Ben-Sira’s only traces the history of sin from the time that it existed in humanity without following it further back? —

Finally, a third theory, though not expressed in definite form, can with much probability be shown to have been in the mind of Ben-Sira. In xxi. 27, 28 it is said:

When the fool curseth his adversary [\it. Satan], He curseth his own soul;

The whisperer defileth his own soul, And is hated wheresoever he sojourneth.

This is a difficult passage, but it seems clear that by the words ‘The whisperer defileth his own soul’ Ben-Sira meant to express the truth that the evil in man is of his own making; it is also evident that the words are intended to be an illustration of the truth enunciated in the preceding couplet. Whatever is meant by ‘adversary’—whether ‘Satan’ in the sense of the devil, or an adversary in its ordinary meaning—the words which follow (‘ He curseth his own soul’) show that what Ben-Sira intends to teach is that the ‘adversary’ is synonymous with the ungodly man’s own self; or, as Hart explains it, ‘not Satan, but the man himself is responsible for his sin. ° The verse, as Cheyne has pointed out, can be illustrated by Ps. xxxvi. 1 (R.V. marg.): ‘ Transgression saith to the wicked within his heart ...’° To explain the words by saying that when a man curses somebody else who is his enemy he curses himself, i.e. that the curse recoils upon his own head, would not only be contrary to the ideas of the times, but would also be out of harmony with the words which follow. The Syriac translator evidently saw the difficulty of making ‘the adversary ’ refer to somebody other than ‘the fool’, but not perceiving the point of the words he put in a negative, thus giving a different turn to the whole, and rendered : ‘ When the fool curseth him f who sinned zo¢ against him, he curseth his own soul.’ The gist of the passage may then be taken i to be that man is his own ‘Satan’; in other words, that the origin of sin is to be sought in man himself. This may be illustrated by another passage :

What ts brighter than the sun? Vet this faileth; And (how much more) man who (hath) the inclination of flesh and blood !" (xvii. 31).

Dr. Tennant paraphrases the Greek thus: ‘ Even the sun darkens itself—the brightest thing in the world; how much more, then, frail man!’ He says, further, in connexion with this verse, that if

' Some later Rabbis had no hesitation in directly asserting what Ben-Sira here implies; in the Midrash Bereshith Rabba xxvii it is definitely stated that God created the evil Vesey; and in Qiddushin 30 ὁ (T. B.) the following words are put into the mouth of the Almighty: ‘I created the evil Yeser; I created for him [i.e. for man, in order to overcome

the evil Veser| the Law as a means of healing. If ye occupy yourselves with the Law, ye will not fall into the power of it.’

Sat is interesting to note that in a later, but pre-Christian, book the writer believes in the existence of sin before the creation of the human race; in the ‘ Book of the Parables’ (1 Enoch Ixix. 6), in reference to the evil angels, it is

said: eae the third was named Gadreel; he it is who showed the children of men all the blows of death, and he led astray Eve...’

The Hebrew of these verses is not extant.

| The Hebrew is not extant; the first clause of the above represents both the Syriac and the Greek; the second is based upon the Greek and the Syriac; the Greek runs: ‘And an evil man will think on flesh and blood. See the critical and exegetical notes in the commentary on this verse.

Ben-Sira offers any excuse for man’s depravity ‘it is that of his natural and essential frailty, referred to in such passages as xvii. 30-32, but never traced to an external cause’! Difficult as the verse is, it may be concluded that its meaning illustrated Ben-Sira’s teaching in the previously considered _|passage that the origin of sin is to be sought in man.* That this belief was held in certain Jewish circles may be gathered from the following words which occur in 1 Enoch xcviii. 4: ‘I have sworn unto you, ye sinners, as a mountain has not become a slave, And a hill does not become the handmaid of a woman, Even so sin hath not been sent upon the earth, But man of himself hath created it, And under a great curse shall they fall who commit it.’ ὃ

The three passages discussed suggest, therefore, a belief that sin originates within man, and is of his own making, irrespective of any external agency; but there are other passages which point distinctly to a belief that sin zs external to man; see, for example, xxi. 2, xxvii. 10.

So that Ben-Sira’s teaching on the origin of sin may be summed up in the following way: He ‘implies, though he does not definitely assert it, that the creation of sin is due to God; yet in one passage of considerable importance he strongly combats this theory. He teaches, further, that so far as the human race is concerned the origin of sin is to be sought in the fall of Eve; but he does not attempt to trace its history further back; this, however, was from his point of view unnecessary if, in accordance with his third theory, sin originates in each individual; nevertheless, he involves himself in a contradiction here in saying that because of Eve’s sin all men must die. In addition to this, however, there is the further inconsistency regarding his third theory, for while teaching that sin originates within man, he speaks of sin as something external to man. These contradictory thoughts bring into clear relief Ben-Sira’s inability to formulate a consistent and logical doctrine as to the vorigin of sin; and in this he but shows himself to be a forerunner of the Rabbis, from whose writings ‘it can be seen that later thinkers were involved in precisely the same inconsistencies as soon as they attempted to construct a working theory on the subject.

But the theoretical difficulties in which Ben-Sira was involved did not in any way detract from his deep realization of the existence and universal prevalence of sin; he witnesses to this in many passages, as may be seen by a reference to the following passages among many others: iv. 26, vii. 8,

v. Lhe Doctrine of the Future Life. Inthe main Ben-Sira’s belief concerning the Hereafter was that of the normal teaching of the Psalms; such passages, for example, as Ps. vi. 5 (‘For in death there is no remembrance of Thee: In Sheol who shall give Thee thanks ?’), and cxx. 17, 18, evi. 2, cp. Isa. xxxviii. 18, 19, are clearly the pattern on which he bases his teaching in xvii. 27, 28:

For what pleasure hath God in all that perish in Hades, In place of those who live and give Him praise ? Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead as from one that ts not, (But) he that liveth and is in health praiseth the Lord.

Although death, as a rule, marks the end of all things and is usually connected with corruption (x. τι, XVii. 32, xxviii. 6), yet Ben-Sira does not speak of it as necessarily a cause of terror; indeed, | under certain circumstances, it is preferable to life; he says, e.g., in xli. 2:

Flail! Death, how welcome ts thy decree

To the luckless man, and that lacketh strength, That stumbleth and trippeth at everything,

That ts broken, and hath lost hope.

See also xxxii. 11, xxx. 17, xl. 28. On the other hand, death is terrible to him who is in prosperity and in the enjoyment of health (xl. 1). Sometimes death is spoken of as a punishment (vii. 17, xl. 9, 10); but there is nowhere any mention of punishment after death. The only sense in which, according to Ben-Sira, a man can be said to ‘live’ after death was by means of his wisdom which he had acquired in his lifetime:

Flis understanding many do praise, And never shall his name be blotted out: ΠΣ memory shall not cease, And his name shall live from generation to generation (xXxix. 9).

_7 On the question as to whether the evil Vesey is external to man or not there is much division in Rabbinical writings ; see Schechter’s very instructive chapters xiv, xv, xvi in Some Aspects of Rabbinic Theology. Further useful information on the Jewish doctrine of sin will be found in chap. viii (‘ The Doctrine of Divine Retribution in Rabbinical Literature’) of the same writer’s Studies in Judaism (First Series).

Or, again, in the following fine passage (xli. 11-13):

Vanity is man (concerning) his body, But the name of the pious shall not be cut off:

Be in fear for thy name, for that abideth longer for thee Than thousands of precious treasures.

Life's goods last for limited days, But the reward of a name for days without number.

In some few instances there seem to be the beginnings of what might naturally have developed into a somewhat fuller conception of life hereafter, the adumbration of a belief in something more than a mere shadowy existence beyond the grave. The instances are those in which the dead are said to ‘rest’, an idea very different from that of death being corruption and the end of all things, which is the more usual one in our book. The conception of the dead ‘resting’ must involve some sort of a belief beyond that of the bare existence of the spirit in the future state; thus, in XXil τὴ

Ben-Sira says: = Weep gently for the dead, for he hath found rest (cp. also xxix. 17, xxxviii. 23).

It is of particular interest to note, in view of the development of ideas concerning the future life which took place during the second century B.C., that in at least two instances the Greek show an advance upon the corresponding Hebrew conception ; in vii. 17 the Hebrew has:

Humble (thy) pride greatly, For the expectation of mai 1s worms.

For this the Greek has :

Humble thy soul greatly, For the punishment of the ungodly man is fire and the worm."

The other passage is xviii. 11, but for the details of this recourse must be had to the notes in the commentary.

δ το. BIBLIOGRAPHY.

CHIEF EDITIONS OF THE TEXT :-- (a) OF THE HEBREW FRAGMENTS: Schechter, Eccleséasticus xxxix. 1§-xl. 8 in The Expositor, July, 1896; Cowley-Neubauer, The original Hebrew of a portion of Ecclestasticus (xxxix. 15-xlix. 11) together with the early versions, and an English translation and introduction (Oxford, 1897) (cited as ‘Cowley-Neub.’); Halévy edited the | same text in Rev. Sém. v. 148, 193, 383; I. Lévi, L’Eccléstastégue, Part I (containing ΧΧΧΙΧ. 15-xlix. 11) (Paris, 1898); Part II (containing all the rest of the recovered Hebrew text) (Paris, 1901): a very full and valuable text, translation, and commentary ; Schechter (edition of xlix. 12-1. 22) in /QA, x. 197; Schechter and Taylor, The Wisdom of Ben-Sira— (containing text οἱ parts of ili—xvi, Xxx—Xxxxill, xxxv-xxxviil, xlix—li, with commentary, notes, introduction, &c.) (Cambridge, — 1899) (cited as WBS); Halévy edited xlix. 12-1. 22 in the Kev. Sém. vii. 214-220; G. Margoliouth published, with notes, text of xxxi. 12-31 and xxxvi. 22—xxxvii. 26 in ΧΟ Δ᾽, xii. 1-33 ; Schechter published 4 further fragment of Ben-Sira — (containing ἵν. 23-V. 13, xxv. 8-xxvi. 2) in 70 Δ), xii. 456-465; Elkan Adler edited and published Some missing fragments of Ben-Sira (containing vii. 29-xii. 1) in /QR, xii. 466-480; Lévi published Dewx nouveaux manuscrits hébreux de 4 Ecclésiastique (containing a new text of xxxvi. 24-xxxviii, 1, and a series of selections, vi. 18, 19, xxviii. 35, vii. I, 4am 6, 17, 20, 21, 23, 25) in the Revue des Etudes Jutves (RE/), xi. 1-30; finally Gaster edited and published 4 new Facsimiles of the fragments hitherto recovered of the Hebrew text (of Ecclesiasticus) were published by the Oxford ani Cambridge Presses in 1901. Editions of the complete (Hebrew) text (so far as recovered) have been published b Knabenbauer (Paris, 1902), with a valuable commentary, Peters (Freiburg, 1902), Strack (Leipzig, 1903); Lévi, Zhe Hebrew text of the Book of Ecclesiasticus, with brief notes and a selected glossary (Leyden, 1904, in Semmztic Study Series) : Peters, Ecclestasticus Hebraice (pointed Hebrew text and Latin translation on opposite pages; Freiburg, 1905) and Smend, Die Weisheit des Jesus Sivach, containing critically reconstructed Hebrew text, German translation covering — ona book (based on critical text), an elaborate commentary and index (Greek, Syriac, Hebrew): 3 vols., Berlin,

(6) OF THE ANCIENT VERSIONS. Important editions of the Greek text by Fritzsche (Zibrz Apocryphi Veterts — Testamenti Graece, Leipzic, 1871); Holmes and Parsons (Oxford, 1827) ; Swete, Zhe Old Testament in Greek, vol. ie | (Cambridge, 1891) ; of Codex 248 (with a valuable textual commentary and prolegomena) by J. H. A. Hart (Zccleséasticus im Greek, Cambridge, 1909). Of the Syriac text (Peshitta): Lagarde, Lzbri Veteris Testamenti Apocrypht Syriace (Leipzig, 1871) 3 Ceriani, Translatio Syra Pescito Vet, Test. ex codice Ambrosiano (Milan, 1876-1883); of the Syro- — Hexaplar, Ceriani, Codex Syro-Hexaplaris Ambrosianus photolithographice editus (Milan, 1874): of the Old Latin, the various editions of the Vulgate ; text of Codex Amiatinus, by Lagarde, in his WZztte‘lungen I (1884); of the Ethiopic,

See the references to ‘ fire’ and ‘worm’ given in the exegetical notes on this verse.

|Peters (cited above). COMMENTARIES AND CRITICAL DISCUSSIONS :—

)Dillmann, Bzblia Vet. Test. Aethiopice, v (1894): see further the introductions in the commentaries of Smend and

| (a) COMMENTARIES: Fritzsche, Die Weishett Jesus Strach’s erklart und tibersetzt (Leipzig, 1859) ; Edersheim in Wace’s Apocrypha, vol. ii (London, 1888); Ryssel in Kautzsch’s A pokryphen, vol. i (Tiibingen, 1900); Oesterley in

the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (1912); the commentaries of Knabenbauer, Peters, Lévi, and Smend

_|referred to above.

(6) CRITICAL AND GENERAL Discussions: Herkenne, De Veteris Latini Ecclestastici, δια. (Leipzig, 1899) ;

}Peters, Die sahidisch-koptische Uebersetzung des Buches Ecclesiasticus (Freiburg, 1898): A. Fuchs, Texthritische Untersuchungen zum hebraischen Ekklesiastikus (Freiburg, 1907); Perles, Votes critiques surle texte del’ Ecclésiastique

jin REJ, xxxv. 48-64; Schechter and Taylor in WBS; Taylor, The Wisdom of Ben-Sira in JOR, xv. 440-474 and |604-626 (valuable for criticism of text); Gfrérer, PAz/o, ii. 18-52 (Stuttgart, 1831); Cheyne, /od and Solomon, pp. 179-198 |(London, 1887) ; Drummond, PAzlo Judaeus, i, pp. 144-155 (London, 1888); 1). 5. Margoliouth, dz Essay on the Place of Ecclestasticus in Semitic Literature (Oxford, 1890); and (by the same) 7he Language and Metre of Ecclestasticus

| Fragments see Schiirer, G/V’”, iii. 223].

in The Expositor (1890), pp. 295-320, 381-391 [on the literature of the controversy about the genuineness of the Hebrew ; Ὁ iil Passages from Sirach, translated [into German] and explained, are included

}in the volume (of the series Dze Schriften des Alten Testaments) entitled We7shert, by P. Volz (Gottingen, 1911). See also the articles Sivach in HDB (by Nestle), in /Z (by I. Lévi), and the articles Aecles¢asticus and Sirach in EB (by

| Toy), with the literature cited. For a full bibliography see Schirer, G/V’°, iii. pp. 219-228 (brought up to 1909) ; in the | ET of Schiirer, H/P (1891), vol. v, pp. 27-30 (necessarily far from complete).

® The Hebrew text. 3° 12" ῃ- 390 The respective MSS. of the Hebrew text. 12: 19 These symbols are used occasionally to } distinguish doublets in the text. (ἃ The Greek Version. A Codex Alexandrinus. NS Codex Sinaiticus. S* The uncorrected text of Cod. Sinaiticus. X¢-2 The first seventh-century corrector of δὲ, B Cod. Vaticanus. B2-> The second and third zzstaurator of Β.1 B The third zzstaurator of B4 C Cod. Ephraemi Rescriptus. V Cod. Venetus Gr. I. 68 Cod. Venetus Gr. v. 106 Cod. Ferrarensis 187. 155 Cod. Hagensis Meerman II (Bodleian). 157 Cod. Basiliensis B vi. 23. 296 Cod. Vat. Palatino-Heidelbergensis 337. 308 Unknown; quoted by Holmes and Parsons. | £ The Old Latin Version. Cod. Am. Cod. Amiatinus. Cod. Sang. Cod. Sangermanensis. | G®Cod. B. of the Greek Version. S The Syriac Version.

Eth The Ethiopic Version. Ar The Arabic Version.

' Swete, Zhe Old Testament in Greek, i, Ὁ. xix.

Sand $*= doublets in Sare sometimes so indicated.

SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS.

Arm The Armenian Version. Boh The Bohairic Version. Sah The Sahidic Version. Slav The Slavonic Version. Syro-Hex = The Syro-Hexaplar.

A. V. = Authorized Version.

8. H. = Biblical Hebrew.

EB = Encyclopaedia Biblica.

4.17. = English Translation.

£V = English Version.

G/JV = Geschichte des jiidischen Volkes im Zeitalter

Jesu Christi (Schiirer).

HDB = Hastings’s Dictionary of the Bible.

H/P = History of the Jewish People in time of Christ (Schirer) E.T.

I/A = International Journal of Apocrypha.

JE = Jewish Encyclopaedia.

JOR = Jewish Quarterly Review.

RE-J = Revue des Etudes Juives.

NH = Neo-Hebrew.

PBH = Post-Biblical Hebrew.

PEFO = Palestine Exploration Fund, Quarterly Statement.

Δ. V. = Revised Version.

7. B. = Talmud Babli.

7. 7. = Talmud Jerushalmi.

WBS = The Wisdom of Ben-Sira (ed. by Schechter and Taylor).

ZATW = Zeitschrift fiir die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft.

ZDMG = Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenlindischen Gesellschaft.

2 Swete, Zutroduction to the O.T. in Greek, p. 158 (1900).

PROLOGUE

SINCE many things and great have been delivered unto us through the Law and the Prophets and the others who followed after them—for which things’ sake we must give Israel the praise of instruction and wisdom—and as not only must the readers themselves become adept, but also the lovers of learning must be able to profit them which are without both by speaking and writing ; my grandfather Jesus, having given himself much to the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the other books of our fathers, and having acquired considerable familiarity therein, was induced also himself to take a part in writing somewhat pertaining to instruction and wisdom, in order that those who are lovers of learning and instructed in” these things “might make so much the more progress® by a manner of life (lived) 4in accordance with the Law*. Ye are entreated, therefore, to make your perusal with favour and attention, and to be indulgent, if in any parts of what we have laboured to interpret we may seem to fail in some of the phrases, For things

a For the spurious Prologue found in cod. 248, in the Complutensian text and in the ‘Synopsis of Holy Scripture’, falsely attributed to St. Athanasius, see Edersheim (in Wace), p. 25; an English translation of tt 1s grven in the A. V. before that of the genuine Prologue. Wpodoyss BA: xp. σιραχ C: om. [Zhe whole is omitted in «ὃ Eth and in 157 248, which have the spurious Prologue | b Reading ἐνηχοι : Syro-Hex δ 8 A V 254 &c. for ἐνοχο BC c-¢ Reading with B πολλῳ paddov ἐπιπροσθωσιν: δὲ ett (= Syro-Hex) προσθησουσιν d-d Reading

1. the Law... after them. The threefold division of the Hebrew Canon is here explicitly mentioned for the first time; it is noticeable, however, that the third division is referred to in a somewhat vague way (as again below), namely,as ‘those that followed after them’, ‘the other books of our fathers’, and ‘the rest of the books’. It is clear that — a third division was already in existence by the side of the Law and the Prophets; but the indefinite way in which it — is referred to suggests that this third collection had not yet been delimited, and that it may still have been incomplete. — The tripartite division of the Canon is also clearly indicated in Luke xxiv. 44, ‘all things ... which are written in the — Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning Me’; but this isthe only passage in the N. T. which makes explicit mention of it. See further Ryle, Zhe Canon of the O. T., passim; Buhl, Canon and Text of the O. T.; and Box, Short Introduction to the Lit, of the O.T., p. 4. The expression ‘ followed after them’ may imply chronological — succession.

3. instruction and wisdom. Perhaps the order of cod. 253 ‘ wisdom and instruction’ ( 4D) ΠΏΞΠ) may be more original ; the foundation and first principle of true life is the moral culture implied by the term ‘wisdom’ ( the — fear of the Lord), of which instruction, or discipline, is the specific application. Israel is worthy of praise because it has made the Law, which was graciously bestowed upon it by God, a means of imparting wisdom, and a means of — discipline, to itself. a

readers ... lovers of learning. Both terms refer to one and the same class; perhaps, as Smend suggests, primarily teachers of the Law (i.e. Scribes) are meant ; for ‘reader’ scribe (ἀναγνώστης IBID) cf. 1 Esdras (3 Ezra)

4. them which are without. i.e. either those that are ‘in the land of their sojourning’ (see below), or the laity; the latter, perhaps, suits the context better, as the original writer, Ben-Sira, wrote for the Palestinians, not for τς 1 Diaspora (so Smend).

_by speaking and writing. Oral instruction was, of course, one of the most important departments of thea Scribes’ activity ; the reference to writing in this connexion is interesting; doubtless other works besides Sirach were produced by members of the scribal class which were not embodied in the Canon; a specimen of such has recently come to light in the Aramaic version of the ‘ Sayings of Ahikar’ from the papyri of Elephantiné,—a work which reminds one of the W isdom Literature ; the Book of Tobit may also be thought of in this connexion. The literary activity of the earlier scribes, as well as the later, is also implied in a number of references in the Rabbinical literature ; see Strack, Evmlertung” in den Talmud (4th ed.), pp. 12 ff.

8. instructed in these things. For the reading see critical note.

9. a manner of life (lived) in accordance with the Law. This expresses the practical aim which governed all the activities of the teachers of the Law; a good comment on this point may be read in Josephus (Contra Apion. il. § 8): ‘ But, as for our people, if any do but ask one of them concerning our laws, he will tell all more readily than his own name, and this because of our learning them at once, as soon as we could understand anything, and because they ~ were, as it were, graven upon our souls’; cp. also Philo ap. Eusebius, Praep. Evangel. viii. 7 (Migne); the expression - ἔννομος βίωσις may be illustrated by Bios νόμιμος, which occurs in 4 Macc. vil. 15. ἢ

11. to fail in some of the phrases, For things originally spoken... The younger Sirach is acutely con-

SURACH 11,2

joriginally spoken in Hebrew have not the same force in them when they are translated into another tongue: and not only these, but the Law itself, and the Prophecies, and the rest of the ‘| books, have no small difference when they are spoken in their original form. Now®, in the eight and thirtieth year under king Euergetes, having come into Egypt and continued there, ΠῚ found opportunity! for no small instruction. I, therefore, deemed it most necessary myself to | devote some zeal and ‘ love-labour’ to (the task of) interpreting this book ; devoting, indeed, } much sleepless care and skill in the interval in order, having brought’ the book to an end, to ') publish it for them also who in the land of their sojourning desire to be lovers of learning, being already prepared in respect of their moral culture to live "by the Law®. i

(a) 1. 1-10. The Origin of Wisdom (= 4+4 distichs),

| All wisdom cometh from the Lord,

} And is with Him for ever.

_| The sand of the seas, and the drops of rain,

And the days of eternity—who can number (them) ἢ

| wrth B evvopov: but N*V ex vopov: 70 253 εν νομῳ © Son*V: yap BAC f Reading ἀφορμὴν with 2354 and two other cursives: apopoov BX AC & Reading ayayovra with δὰ “ἃ A C (8* ayayovras) and some cursives :

| ayorra B b-h εν νομῳ SB: evvopws A C*V 253 Syro-Hex

| scious of the difficulties which beset the translation of one language into another; he is thinking not so much of the | original sense and meaning as of the wording of the Hebrew text, which he feels that he renders inadequately. The ) reference to the Greek translation of the Bible which follows is interesting; the Siracide wrote at a time when the - work of translating the Scriptures into Greek was still unfinished, and he feels at perfect liberty to criticise it freely. The expression ‘in Hebrew’ (Ἑβραϊστί) occurs here for the first time.

4 12. when they are translated. The Greek word here used (μετάγω) occurs nowhere else in this sense, according to - Smend.

13. not only these. ‘ These’ refers to the present work. For the character of the Greek translation of Ben-Sira see Introd. § 4 (end). :

14. in the eight and thirtieth year. The rest of the Prologue states the translator’s reasons for undertaking his | work. The date refers to the year in which the younger Sirach actually came into Egypt, probably the thirty-eighth ᾿ Tegnal year of Euergetes IJ, viz. 132 B.C. ; for a different view see Introd. § 6, iib. :

and continued there. The Greek word used (cvyypovicas) seems to imply that he continued there till the end of the reign of Euergetes (‘synchronize’), i.e. 117-116 B.C.; the Prologue was, therefore, in all probability written between the years 132-116 B.C. Fora full discussion of the question of date see Introd. § 6, ii Ὁ. ;

16. Ifound opportunity for no small instruction. The alternative reading ἀφόμοιον (see critical note), which has the weight of manuscript evidence in its favour, is difficult to interpret. The word means ‘unlikeness’, ‘difference’, and, if read, the sentence would run: ‘I found no small difference of culture,’ namely, between the Palestinian and Egyptian Jews, with a depreciatory reference to the latter; but the context negatives such a meaning. ‘The Latin understands ἀφόμοιον as equivalent to ἀφομοίωμα, ‘copy’ or ‘book’, cp. A. V. ‘a book of no small learning’, R. V. ‘a copy affording no small instruction’; but it is best to adopt, with Smend, the reading ἀφορμήν, in spite of inferior attestation. This affords an excellent sense which harmonizes admirably with the context ; the younger Sirach found large opportunities in Egypt for instruction in the wisdom of the Scribes. As in later times, the synagogues of the Egyptian Diaspora were the centres where such instruction was given, cp. Philo, Vita Mos. ii. 168: ‘ For what are the Jewish prayerhouses in the cities other than places of instruction, and wisdom, caution, moderation, and righteousness, in piety and holiness, in short, in every virtue which recognizes and accepts both human and divine goodness?’ In another passage Philo (De Seen. ii. 282) says: ‘ The listeners sit in perfect order and absolute stillness, eagerly drinking in most excellent doctrines. For here one of the most experienced puts forth the most perfect and most useful teaching by which human life can be adorned in the most beautiful way.’

17. love-labour. φιλοπονίαν, R. V. ‘ travail’.

18. sleepless care. ἀγρυπνία, cp. xxxi. I (Ct xxxiv. 1), xxxviii. 26 ff.

in the interval. i.e., as suggested above, in the interval between the years 132-116 B.C. _ }

19. for them also ... sojourning. i.e. for those abroad in the Dispersion. The word παροικία is used of a sojourn

in a strange land, as in Acts xiii. 17, 1 Pet. i. 17; so also the verb and adjective, e.g. Luke xxiv, 18, Acts vil. 6, 1 Pet.

ii. 11, &c., and frequently in the Septuagint and in Philo,

I.1—IV.1o. The general theme of this section is Wisdom regarded as the fear of God in its various relations. The subsections are indicated by (a), (6), (c), &c.

I. 1. wisdom. See Introd. § 9, iii. cometh from the Lord. Cp. Jas.i. 5. rae

And is with Him for ever. % ‘et cum illo fuit semper et est ante aevum’, Cp. Job xii. 13, Prov. vill.

2. The sand of the seas. Cp. Gen. xxxii. 12, 1 Sam. xiii. 5, Ps. Ixxvili. 27. the drops of rain. Cp. Job xxxvi. 27 (Sept.). the days of eternity. δον 9" in the O. T.= ‘the days of old’ (cp. e.g. Isa. Ixiii. 9), but according to the later

STIRACH A. 2-10

G& 3 The height of the heaven, and the breadth of the earth, And the deep*,—who can trace (them) out? 4 Before them all was Wisdom created, And prudent insight from everlasting.” 6 The root of Wisdom, to whom hath it been revealed ? © And her subtle thoughts, who hath known them Ὁ 8 ©One there is‘, greatly to be feared’, The Lord§ sitting upon His throne ; 9 He himself created her, and saw, and numbered her, And poured her out upon all His works ; 10 Upon all flesh »in measure ἢ, : But without measure doth He grant her to them that love Him.

a+ ‘and wisdom’ G&, >S2X b 248 Syro-Hex % Sah+v. 5: ‘The source of Wisdom is the word of God in the heights, and her ways are eternal commandments’ ¢¢>Arm 4 Several cursives (not 248) Syro-Hex % Sah add the following doublet (=v. 7): ‘To whom hath the understanding of Wisdom been manifested, and who hath realized the wealth of her experience?’ 9-θ ‘One (there is) who hath dominion over all her treasures § Ar f + who is wise’ (ἃ & (ἃ (exc. B) places this in the following clause h-h 1} 21. ‘according to His gift’ i Two cursives (not 248) Syro-Hex* + ‘The love of the Lord is glorious wisdom ; He imparts it to those

usage the expression means (cp. xxiv. 9) the time eternal to come. In Rabbinical literature Diy (ρον) is generally

used of this world or the next, cp. e.g. Chudlin 440 (T. B.): N37 diy ma nbvy (‘this world and the world to come’); though this is not always so; in Berakhoth ix. 5 (Mishnah), for example, the word is used in reference to the eternal past.

who can number. Cp. τ΄. 9.

3. The height of the heaven. Cp. Ps. ciii. 11. the breadth of the earth. Cp. Ps. xix. 4. the deep. ἄβυσσος = DINN, the subterranean waters ; cp. the phrase, ‘the waters under the earth’ (Deut. v. 8).

‘It must be remembered that to the Hebrews the earth was not a large globe, revolving through space round the sun, but a relatively small flat surface, in shape approximately round, supported partly, as it seemed, by the encircling sea out of which it rose, but resting more particularly upon a huge abyss of waters underneath... . (Driver, Genesis, p. 8). Cf. the Greek ’Qxeavés. who can trace (them) out. Cp. xviii. 8, Rom. xi. 33. 4. Before them all... Wisdom is identified with the Law both by Ben-Sira (see i. 26, xv. I, xxi. 11, XXiv. 23, xxxiv. 8). and by the Rabbis; cp., in view of this, the Midrash Bereshith Rabba, ὃ 8, where among the comments on Gen. i. 26 it is said: ‘According to R. Simeon ben Laqish the Torah was in existence 2000 years before the creation of the world’; the same 15 said in the Midrash Peszg/a 109 a. Cp. Prov. vill. 22-30. prudent insight. σύνεσις φρονήσεως ; in Job xxviii. 20 σύνεσις (= 7)°3) is also used as a synonym for Wisdom. The addition of φρονήσεως here seems unnecessary (but cp. Prov. viii.12); $‘And firm faithfulness from of old’, reading perhaps ΠΡ} δὲ (‘faithfulness’), for which @ apparently read 73)3N (‘ understanding ’). After this v. a number ~ of cursives, including 248, add v. 5, see crit. note; with it cp. Wisd. ix. 17, Bar. ili. 11,12. The verse is a later insertion, added probably to explain how it was that Wisdom existed before all things; Hart (p. 285, note) thinks” it is a Pharisaic doublet to v. 4.

6. root. The source, not the origin, of Wisdom, cp. v. 20 and Job xix. 28. a

her subtle thoughts. The Greek word occurs again in xlii. 18, where the corresponding Hebrew is DYO in reference to hidden thoughts of the heart ; the exact form is not used in the O.T., but Ὁ) ἽΝ occurs in Prov. xiv. 18 of ‘prudent men’. This clause is wanting in Arm. On the doublet to this verse (= v. 7) see critical note.

8. One there is. Cp. xliii, 29; the words ‘To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ (v.14, Prov. ix. 10,

xxvill, 28, Ps, cxi, 10) must be understood in the light of this τ᾿. ἢ wisdom and awe-inspiring might are correlative ideas. (cp. Smend 77 Joc.). ἡ The Lord. See critical note. sitting upon... Cp. Ps. xlvii. 8 (9 in Hebr.), Is. vi. 1.

numbered. Cp. v. 2, Job xxviii 27. # adds ‘ et mensus est’. | poured her out... ἐξέχεεν, cp. Acts ii. 17 ff. (Joel ii. 28 ff.), where the same word is used of the pouring-out of |

the Spirit upon all flesh. In Lerakhoth 58 ὁ (T.B.) occur the words: ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the | Universe, who hast imparted of Thy wisdom to flesh and blood.’ In Wisd. i. 4-7 the Holy Spirit is identified with — Wisdom ; this is also the case in Rabbinical literature, e.g. in the Midrash Bereshith Rabba (ὃ xxxv, to Gen. xxxviil. — 26) itis said that the Holy Spirit was present in the judgement-hall of Solomon when he displayed his wisdom; the — teference given is to 1 Kings iii. 27. : on Upon all flesh... That Gentile rulers were believed to have some share of Wisdom is seen from Prov, viii. in measure. κατὰ τὴν δύσιν αὐτοῦ, cp. xxxii. τὸ ( G& xxxv. 12), ININDD; and with the whéle 7. cp. Prov. iia 13-17, as illustrating the richness and pleasantness of the gift of Wisdom. + to them that love Him. i.e. the Jewish people ; a particularistic note, characteristic of the book generally ; in the later Rabbinical literature this is, of course, still more emphasized; see e. g. Qiddushin 49 ὁ (T. B.), where it is” said: ‘Ten measures of Wisdom came down from heaven, and nine of them fell to the lot of the Holy Land’ (quoted |

(ὁ) 1. 11-20. The Fear of the Lord ἐξ the true Wisdom (= 3+2+2+2+1 distichs).

| The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation,

And ¥ gladness, and a crown of rejoicing*. The fear of,the Lord delighteth the heart, kk And giveth gladness**, and joy, and !length of days}. Whoso feareth the Lord, it shall go well with him at the last And-:in the day of his death he shall ™be blessed™.

| «To fear® the Lord® is the beginning of Wisdom,

And with the faithful ?was she created” in the womb4,

| With faithful men is she, and she hath been established from eternity® ;

tAnd with their seed shall she continue.

| To fear the Lord is the fullness* of Wisdom,

And she satiateth men with ‘her fruits. She filleth all her house with “pleasant things”, And her garners with her produce®*.

to whom He appears, in order that they may behold Him’; 3» adds this after v. 11. k-k C ‘giveth gladness,

| and joy, and length of days’, added from v. 12» kKk-kk > 253 S$ Syro-Hex 1-l ‘eternal life’; /wo cursives

(not 248) Syro-Hex*+ ‘The fear of the Lord is a gift from the Lord, for it sets [men] upon paths of love’ m-m ‘find grace’ B Ἀπὸ ὁ The fear of’ CS God B p> 4-4 of their mother’ S 8-8 So 3; the text of & is probably corrupt; ἸΏ, conjecturally emended, according to Smend, ‘Among faithful men hath she been established (& “nested herself”) from eternity ἡ t-t So probably ® ; the rendering of G, ‘shall she be had in trust,’ zs due 10 a misunderstanding of the force of jaxN, which was most likely the word used in the Hebrew. % adds another verse which is a combination of vv. 11, 12 ἃ ‘beginning’ $ v +‘the multitude of’ $

| w-w wisdom’ %, ‘from generations (of old)’ & x ‘treasures’ #; + ‘And both [i.e. the fear of the Lord and

in JZ, xii. 535 a). For the addition to this v. see critical note. The first clause of this addition (ἀγάπησις κυρίου ἔνδοξος copia) is quoted in the anthology of Antonius and Maximus (see Hart, p. 364). ;

11. The fear of the Lord. As frequently in the O.T., this connotes in the Wisdom of Ben-Sira true piety; the Law has for its object the instilling of fear in the hearts of the Israelites (cp. Deut. iv. 10, ‘Assemble Me the people, and I will make them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live upon the earth’), and therefore the observance of the Law, which is the manifestation of divine Wisdom, is the visible proof that the fear of the Lord is in the heart of a man (cp. Ps. cxi. 10).

is. i.e. brings with it. exultation. καύχημα, cp. x. 22 (Grk.). a crown of rejoicing. Cp. v. 18, vi. 31, xv. 6, Prov. iv. 9. 12. delighteth the heart. Cp. Prov. xxvii. 9 (Sept.). length of days. Cp. Deut. vi. 2; it is characteristic of the book (the same holds good of Prov., see e.g. ill. 2, 16, iv. 10, x. 27, 30) that attention is concentrated on this life; the rendering of 3, ‘ eternal life,’ shows Christian influence. For the addition to this τ΄. see critical note.

13. at the last. ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων ; the reference is to the end of life in this world, cp. S ‘at the last of his days’; in 11].

26, where the same expression occurs, the Hebr. equivalent is NINN ; see also xxxviii. 20, Prov. v.11, Wisd. ili. 17. he shall be blessed. Cp. 1 Chron. xix. 28, ‘And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour’; the reading of B, ‘he shall find grace,’ is due apparently to Christian influence.

the beginning. ἀρχή (= WN) means either the starting-point of a thing, as 6. 5. in xv. 14, or the most important part of something, as e.g. in xxix. 21, xxxix. 26, or the essence of a thing, i.e. its best part, as in xi. 3; in the passage before us the meaning is that the fear of the Lord is the starting-point as well as the essence of true Wisdom.

the faithful. D22NI7 (cp. ΚΝ ΝΣ Ps. ci.6) = ΡΥ Π, ‘the righteous’ (cp. Job xvil. 9).

was she created in the womb. The later Jewish doctrine of the Veser tod (‘the bias towards good’) was based on passages like this, cp. Gen. viii. 21. An interesting passage occurs in Nedavim 32 ὁ (T.B.), where, in discussing the parable in Eccles. ix. 14, 15, it is said that the poor wise man who by his wisdom delivered the city means the Yeser tob, ‘for he delivered the city through his wisdom, namely, repentance and good works’ (see Weber, /iidische Theologie, p. 217); Wisdom is thus identified with the Yeser ob, which is implanted in man when he is created (see the Midrash, Bemidbar Rabba, § 22).

15. See critical note. For this τ. and its addition, as found in #, see Herkenne, pp. 46-49. a.

With faithful men... Smend, on the basis of S$, supposes with much probability that the original Hebrew ran:.

npn ΟῚ» xno was Dy (‘Among men of truth hath she been established for ever,’ i.e. from of old).

shall she continue. So critical note. Cp. iv. 16, xxiv. 7-49. ᾿ Ἂ

16. satiateth. μεθύσκει, lit. ‘intoxicates’, cp. xxxii. 13 (= (ἃ xxxv. 13), Ps. xvi. 11. xxil. 7 (Sept.). her fruits. Cp. Prov. viii. 19, xi. 30. : τὲ

17. She filleth all her house... Cp. Prov. ix.1-6. For the addition to this τ΄. see critical note.

SURACH 1 τθ. 25

18 The crownY of Wisdom is the fear of the Lord, 2 And increaseth peace and *life and health*’.

19 She is a strong staff and a glorious stay”, And “everlasting honour to® them that hold her fast.

20 To fear the Lord is “πε root of Wisdom4, ¥ And her branches are length of days’.

(c) 1. 22-30. Wisdom is shown forth by the exercise of patience, self-control, and humility | 22 *»Unrighteous wrath” cannot be justified, For the wrath? of his anger (will prove) his ruin. 23 He that is patient ‘controlleth himself? until the (proper) time, And afterwards joy springeth up for him. 24 He suppresseth his words until the (proper) time, And (then) shall the lips of many® tell forth his understanding. 25 In the treasures of Wisdom (there are) wise proverbs’ ; But godliness is an abomination to sinners®.

Wisdom | are gifts of God unto peace’ 70 248 ¥ ‘beginning’ S z-2z.So S$; (ἃ iit. ‘ Making peace and health of cure to flourish’; + ‘He increaseth glorying to them that love him’ 248 a-a yea ‘life eternal’ (awvos foracews) »-b So $; BNAC read: ‘ He both saw and numbered her (> 248 253 Syro-Hex Sah); he rained . down skill and knowledge of understanding ’ c-c @& if, ‘exalted the honour of’ d-d<eternal life’ S τς €70 248 253 Syro-Hex* add with slight variations Ὁ. 21: ‘The fear of the Lord driveth away sins ; and he who abideth therein will avert all wrath’; + ‘In the treasures of Wisdom is understanding and reverence of knowledge ; but Wisdom is a curse to sinners’ S$ ἃ & has in place of vv. 22-27 twelve distichs which differ almost entirely from & ; if they were translated from Hebrew, which vs probable, they belong to a later recension of ®) and not to the original form ; they run as follows :-—

Blessed is the man who meditateth therein, Hear me, ye who fear God,

For Wisdom is better to him than all treasures. Hearken unto, and mark, my words! Blessed is the man who draweth nigh thereto, He who will inherit life,

And who occupieth himself with her commandments. As an eternal heritage and a great joy— She prepareth (for) him an eternal crown, Hearken unto all my words and do them,

And eternal righteousness among the holy ones. And thou shalt be inscribed in the book of life. He rejoiceth over her, and she rejoiceth over him, Love the fear of the Lord,

And she rejecteth him not to all eternity. | And stablish thine heart therein, so shalt thou have The angels of God rejoice over him, naught to fear.

And tell forth all the glory of the Lord. Draw nigh unto her, and be not weary, This whole book is full of life, So shalt thou find life for thy spirit;

Blessed is the man who hearkeneth thereunto and | And when thou drawest nigh,

doeth according unto it! | Do it as a hero and as a mighty one.

The text of & in these vv. ts largely corrupt b-b« A wrathful man’ 70 248 253 Syro-Hex ¢ So N*iL; all other Gk. MSS. including 8°-* read ‘sway ’ d-d So V 248 253 ave€era (=H); (ἃ ἀνθεξεται, ‘endures’ ; the sense is much the same tn etther case e ‘of faithful (men)’ BC f plur. in 8 70 248 253 S Syro-Hex;

18. The crown of wisdom. Cp. xxv. 6, Prov. xii. 4, xvi. 31, xvil.6. For the addition to this v. see critical note.

19. See critical note. The rendering of & is a partial repetition of v. 9, and is evidently out of place here.

20. Just as the fear of the Lord is the root, i.e. the very essence of Wisdom, so does it also bring forth the most desirable fruit, viz. prolonged life. Again the thought of reward hereafter for a godly life is quite absent. For the addition to this v. (= v. 21) see critical note.

22. The abruptness with which this and the following vv. are introduced suggests that possibly something has fallen out between this and the preceding section. This appears the more probable on account of the form of S and the state of the text of & (see critical note, and cp. further Herkenne 77 oc.). Further, the later addition of v. 21 points to the desire of a glossator to smooth over the roughness of the passage. i

wrath. Reading ὀργή with N* (= ΤΌ iracundia), cp. xlv. 19, instead of ῥοπή of all other MSS. of &.

23. until the (proper) time. i.e. until the time is past during which the exercise of self-control was called forth.

up neete up. ἀναδώσει, a word used in the Bible elsewhere only in Acts xxiii. 33, of a letter being delivered to a ruler.

24. the lips of many... Cp. xxxix. 9. ih ke 25. godliness. Θεοσέβεια, ‘the fear of God’ = Wisdom. The word does not occur elsewhere in this book. In Job xxviii. 28 °278 NS is translated Θεοσέβεια in the Sept., cp. Prov.i.29. For the identification between the fear of God and Wisdom cp. Pirge Adoth iii. 26: ‘ No wisdom, no fear (of God) ; no fear (of God), no wisdom.’

πὸ 26 If thou desire Wisdom, keep the commandments}, And the Lord will give her freely unto thee. 27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction, And faith and meekness are ‘well-pleasing unto Him?*, 28 My son}, disobey ποῖ ἢ the fear of the Lord”, And approach it not with a double heart. 29 Be not a hypocrite in °the sight of °men, And take good heed to thy lips. 30 Exalt not thyself lest thou fall, And bring disgrace upon thyself?, And the Lord reveal* thy hidden (thoughts), And cast thee down in the midst of the assembly, Because thou camest not? unto the fear of the Lord, And thy heart was full of deceit®.

(4) 11. 1-6. On Faithfulness to God and Resignation to His Will (= 343 distichs).

2 1 *My son, when thou comest *to serve” the Lord, Prepare® thy soul for temptation. 2 °4Set thy heart aright* and endure firmly. And ‘be not fearful’ in time of calamity®, 3 Cleave unto Him§, and let Him? not go}, 3 kThat thou mayst be wise in thy ways*.

im & Ὁ. 25 follows v. 20 & Plur. in 70 253 Syro-Hex ®, otherwise sing. h«justice’ # ἰἰ71.. ‘His good pleasure ’ k + ‘and He filleth His treasures (therewith) ’ & 1So$ τὰ ‘be not unbelieving (in)’ x & n+ ‘when thou art in need’ 70 248 253 Syro-Hex 0-0 So 253 S Syro-Hex £; & ‘in the mouths of’ (reading ‘[Because thou didst draw nigh] unto the Lord with evil intent’ (maligne) &% 8*ouile and deceit’ # 2248 mserls the title : “Concerning endurance’ b-b ἐν the fear of’ 3; ad servitutem dei & ¢* Thou wilt deliver’ 3 d-d« Humble thy heart’ # ee - 5 Hf G Lt. ‘haste not’ &*God’ 3 hh So ὦ; ‘depart not (from Him)’ & ither’ 3; 7 & the reference ts to Wisdom \-k So S$; ‘That thou mayst be increased’ (x* ‘and it shall be increased’) ‘at thy latter end’ @&; ‘That thy life may increase at the last’ 3 26. If thou desire... Cp. Jas. i. 5; also Berakhoth 58 ὁ (T.B.): ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast imparted of Thy Wisdom to flesh and blood.’ The v. before us offers a good example of the combination of grace and free-will. 27. ... is wisdom and instruction. Cp. Prov. xv. 33, which must have been in the mind of Ben-Sira here. faith and meekness. Cop. xlv. 4, where the same words occur together, and the Hebr. is ΠῚ) 73728. On the meaning of ‘faith’ see Lightfoot’s admirable note in his Ga/atians, pp. 154 ff. 28. a double heart. Cp. Ps. xii. 3, 30) ap) and Jas. i. 8, iv. 8, ἀνὴρ δίψυχος ; see also 1 Enoch xci. 4 (ed. Charles): “Draw not nigh to uprightness with a double heart, and associate not with those of a double heart.’ 29. Be not a hypocrite. Cp. xxxii. ((ὰ xxxv.) 15, xxxiii. (Gt xxxvi.) 2. 30. Exalt not thyself... Cp. Evwbin 13.a(T.B.): ‘ He who humbles himself, him will God exalt; he who exalts himself, him will God humble.’ in the midst of the assembly. Cp. iv. 7, vii. 7, xxiii. 24, xli. 18, xlii. 11; Prov. v. 14. full of deceit. Cp. xix. 26. II. 1. 248 has as title to this section Περὶ πομονῆς. My son. In the Wisdom-Literature this is the regular mode of address to pupils; cp. vil.3; Prov. ii. 1, iii. 1, &c., &c. The plural is also used at times; cp. xxxix. 13 ; Prov. iv. I. 2. Set thy heart aright. Cp.xxxvii.15; Ps. Ixxiii. (Sept. Ixxvii.) 8 = Hebr. ab (some MSS. P37) ὅ3π. endure firmly. καρτέρησον, cp. Job ii. 9 μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις, where the Hebr. has ἼΓΊΞΓΞ ΡΠ TTY (‘Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity ἢ); cp. Heb. xi. 27. a be not fearful. μὴ σπεύσῃς; cp. 1 Sam. xxviil. 21 καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι ἔσπευσεν σφόδρα, where the Hebr. has NIM)

- IND Spams (‘and she saw that he was greatly afraid’); cp. Prov. xxviii. 20. The meaning, therefore, is not : ‘ Haste not (i.e. to forsake the Lord) in the time of calamity ’ (Ryssel), but that he is not to be afraid however much outward circumstances may be against him as a result of serving the Lord. Z .. calamity. ἐπαγωγή, lit. ‘that which is brought upon’ a man by God; the word is often used in the book (&), lil. 28, v. 8, x. 13, xxili. 11, &c. This is one form of temptation, or ‘trying’, for which a man must prepare his soul.

3. Cleave unto Him. Cp. Deut. x. 20 πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ, Hebr. pain 13, let Him not go. Cp. Prov. iv.13; Cant. iii. 4. . That thou mayst... It is probable that both & and S have retained parts of the original, which was very likely a quotation from Prov. xix. 20, That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.’

4 Accept! whatsoever is brought upon thee,

™ And be patient in disease and poverty™. 5 For gold is proved in the fire,

And men acceptable [to God] in "the furnace of” affliction®. 6 Put thy trust in God?, and He will help thee,

4And hope in Him, and He will make straight thy ways‘.

(6) 11. 7-11. The Blessedness of those who fear the Lord (= 3+3 distichs).

» "9Ye that fear the Lord, wait for His mercy ; And turn not aside, lest ye fall. 8 Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust in Him, *He will not withhold your reward’. 9 Ye that fear the Lord, hope for * His benefits’, And for eternal gladness and mercy*. 10 Look at the generations of old and see, Who ever trusted in the Lord, and was put to shame? Or who did abide in His fear, and was forsaken ? Or who did call upon Him, and "He did not hear him"? : 11 For compassionate and merciful is the Lord”, *And He forgiveth sins, and saveth in time of affliction*.

(f) 11. 12-14. A threefold woe against the faithless (= 3 distichs)

12 Woe unto fearfulY hearts and unto “faint hands?, And unto the sinner that goeth two ways.

1 4 ‘readily’ 70 248 253 Syro-Hex ™-™So §; (τ ΔΛ ‘And in the changes of thy humiliation be enduring’; ‘Be | enduring in pain and be patient in humiliation’ %™>C © Z7/.* humiliation’; + ‘in sickness and in poverty put thy trust in Him’ δ᾽ 6:8 253 Syro-Hex Pp So $2; ‘Him’ G, ‘the Lord’ 253 a-4.So 253 ὃ Syro-Hex; +‘ Observe the fear of Him, and grow old therein’ % «8. 248 has the order of this and the two following vv. thus: 8,9,7 So S$; ‘And your reward shall not fail’ ἃ 8-8 So $; ‘good things’ G&; ‘Him’ # t + ‘for an eternal gift with joy is His recompense’ N¢-# 253 Syro-Hex ; +‘ Ye that fear the Lord, love Him, and your hearts shall be enlightened’ # απὸ So $; ‘He despiscdhim’ &H% W +4 ‘longsuffering and of great pity’ δὲ 5.8 70 248 253 Syro-Hex 4-*‘ And heareth in time of affliction, and heareth all them that do His will’ $; ‘ And forgiveth in time of affliction the sins of all them that seek Him in truth’ % y ‘double’ Syro-Hex % z-Z ‘ abominable

4. Accept... The reference is to adversity of any kind which Providence sees well to send, cp. Job ii. 10, Jas. 1. 2. be patient... Cp.v.11; Job vi.11; Jas. v.7,8. @ (see critical note) lit. ‘in the changes of thy humiliation’. men acceptable. i.e. because they have been tried and purified, cp. Prov. iii. 10. 6. The v. is an adaptation of Ps. xxxvii. 3, 5, cp. Prov. iii. 5, 6. He will help thee. Cp. Ps. xl. 17, xlvi. 1. hope in Him. Cp. Ps. Ixxi. 5. He will make straight... Cp. Prov. iii. 6. 7. wait for... Cp. Judith viii. 17. And turn not... Cp. iv. 19. ὃ, He will not withhold ... Cp. Lev. xix. 13; Tob. iv. 14. 9. eternal gladness. Cp. Is. xxxv. 10, li. 11, Ixi. 7. : 10. aes the generations of old. Cp. Ps. xxii. 4, 5; it is, of course, to the Scriptures that Ben-Sira is referring ls pupils. . and was put to shame. Cp. Ps. xxxvii. 25. Apparently Ben-Sira recognized that the Book of Job did not record history. 7 oud He did not hearhim. The rendering of $ seems to correspond better with the first part of this clause, see crit. note. 11, compassionate and merciful. Cp. Exod. xxxiv. 6 (Sept.); Ps. ciii, 8, exlv. 8. forgiveth sins. Cp. Ps. ciii. 3, 4. . and saveth... The compassion and mercy of God saves them from the result of sin. 12. fearful hearts. Cp. xxii. 18 ; Deut. xx. 8; 2 Chron. xiii. 7. faint hands. Cp. xxv. 23; Job iv. 3; Is. xxxv. 3: that goeth two ways. Cp. 1 Kings xviii. 21; Prov. xxiii. 6, 18; Jas. i. 8, iv. 8; see note on i. 25.

ΘΕ ΘΗ Ὁ, το, ΠῚ

& 13 *Woe unto the faint heart, for it believeth not?, Therefore shall it not be sheltered. 14 Woe unto you that have lost your endurance}, And what will ye do when the Lord visiteth you ?

(g) 11. 15-18. The Characteristics of those who fear the Lord (= 3 +2 distichs).

15 °They that fear the Lord ¢will not *be disobedient to® His words4, And they that love Him will keep His ways**. 16 They that fear the Lord will seek His good pleasure, And they that love Him will be filled with (His)" Law. 17 They that fear the Lord will make ready their hearts, iAnd will humble* their souls before Him:: 18 1[ Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, And not into the hands of men ;’]! For as is His majesty, so also is His mercy, | 3 » And as is His name, so also are His works*.

(2) 111. 1-16. On Filial Duty and its Reward (= 7 x 2+1 distichs).

3 1 *Hearken, ye children, to the judgement of your father*, L κα And do thereafter, that ye may be saved”.

lips and harmful hands’ 3» a-a ‘Woe unto the heart that believeth not’ S$; +‘in God’ # b 4+who have left the right ways and have turned unto evil ways’ # ce > 253 d-d‘ will seek His good pleasure’ A ; ‘will not be unfaithful to God’ # ee‘hate’S f*commandments’ Nc e-s‘willlearn’ 3 bexpressed msi i+ But he that forsaketh Him destroyeth his own soul’ S$; + ‘They that fear the Lord will keep His commandments, and will be patient until His visitation’ #; + ‘saying’ 253; ‘sanctify’ # 1» Φ ™‘God’ 2453 nn So $ only, >: ©; + ‘He that feareth God will increase possessions, and his seed shall be blessed after him’ S$. That the words in the text are original is probable, for they occur in ®, though they have got misplaced in the extant form of the Hebrew, coming there after vi. 17

a-a So 253 S Syro-Hex 1; ‘ Hear me your father, O my children’ G@; the Aldine text reads κριμα for epov, and 40 adds κρισιν after rexva, 10 this 35 prefixes: <The children of Wisdom are assemblies of the just; their race is obedience and love’ b-b S ‘that ye may live the life which is eternal’

for it believeth not... Cp. Is. vii. 9. 14. endurance. If the equivalent Hebr. was A)PN, as in xvii. 24, xli. 2d, the word should be, rather, ‘ hope’ or ‘expectation’ ; cp. also xvi. 13, 22. visiteth. ἐπισκέπτηται, a play on σκεπασθήσεται in the preceding τ΄. 15. will not be disobedient... Cp. xvi. 21; Ps. cv. 28, cvii. 11. DN“ TON WMNDIND, cp. xxxix. 31 (Hebr.). His ways. Cp. Ps. xviii. 21, xxv. 4.

16. will be filled with (His) Law. Cp. Pzrge Aboth iv. 14: ‘Have little business, and be busied in the Law (Torah), and be lowly in spirit unto every man; and if thou idlest from the Law, thou wilt have idlers many against thee; and if thou labourest in the Law, He [i.e. God] hath much reward to give unto thee. Taylor, in his edition of Pixge Adoth, Ῥ. 69, quotes from Sanhedrin 103 a (T.B.): ‘ Whosoever starves himself for the sake of words of Torah in this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, will satiate him in the world to come.’

18. The first two lines of this v. are probably not part of the original; their contents have no connexion either with what precedes or follows; its omission by S is significant. Cp. 2 Sam. xxiv. 14, of which it is an inexact quotation.

For as is His majesty... These words must be read in connexion with 174. And asis... See critical note.

III. 1. The words prefixed by % (see critical note) are, as can be seen by their Latin form, of Hebrew origin (Breitschneider, Herkenne, Smend), though they probably do not represent part of the original Hebrew book, but belong rather to the secondary recension of this, see Introd. § 3 (c); the words in Hrun: ‘ Filii sapientiae ecclesia lustorum, et natio illorum oboedientia et dilectio.’

Hearken, ye children... 3% have evidently retained the more correct reading here, see critical note. judgement. = ΘΕ (not j"), the right, or that which is due, cp. Deut. xvill. 3, xxi. 17; Jer. xxxui. 7. ; ΓΝ that ye may be saved. ἵνα σωθῆτε, not in the Christian sense (as paraphrased by §, see critical note), but in

reference to prosperity in this world (cp. Deut. v. 16); σώζεσθαι is often used in the Sept. as the equivalent of the Hebr. MM (73), e.g. Gen. xlvii. 25; Ps. xxix. 4; Prov. xv. 28; Ezek. xxxiii. 12 (see Sept. in each case).

a —m7 tn

& 2 For the Lord hath given the father glory as touching the children, And hath established the judgement of the mother as touching the 508“. 3 “He that honoureth his father *maketh atonement for sins®4, 4 And as one that layeth up treasure is he that honoureth his mother. s He that honoureth his father shall have joy of his children’, And what time he prayeth he shall be heard. 6 He that giveth glory to his father shall have length of days, 2 And he that "giveth rest to® his mother! shall receive reward from God®. 253 7 *He that feareth the Lord honoureth his father*, 1And serveth his parents as masters'. ®* 8 My son", in word and in deed honour thy father™, That "every blessing may overtake thee. 9 The blessing of a father establisheth °(his) seed °, But the curse of a mother rooteth up the °° young plant”. το Glorify not thyself in the dishonour of thy father, For that is no glory to thee?. 11 A man’s glory is the glory of his father, PP And he that dishonoureth? his mother ‘multiplieth sin™??. & 12 My son’, thelp thy father in his old age’, ΕΝ And “grieve him* not "all the days of his™ life* ;

¢ ‘her children’ 9 d-d‘ He that loveth God obtaineth (forgiveness) for sins, and will keep himself from them ; in the day of prayer he will be heard’ 3} e-e ‘his sins are forgiven’ 3 ΤῈ repeats v. 4 here 8-8 So 3; ‘He that obeyeth the Lord giveth rest to his mother’ (τ h-h So 9; ‘honoureth’ $ i +‘from anguish’ 0-0 15 //, ‘a root’; ‘habitations’ $; ‘the houses of children’ & 00-00 ‘foundations’ & P+ mpos ατιμιαν (doublet fo ev ατιμια in the first clause, cp. 248) & ip-pp ‘And a mother in dishonour is a reproach to her children’ & 4 Reading mbpD instead of bboy (= ἃ 3) tr ΔΛ ‘(it is) increasing sin’ 5.» (ἃ t-t So &, which, as the context shows, ts preferable here to ® 5. (‘ Be strong in the honour of thy father’) tt-tt Reading \nasyn

2. hath given the father glory... i.e. He has commanded the children to honour their parents, cp. Exod. xx. 12; Deut. ν. 16; Matt. xv. 4; Mark vil.10; Eph. vi. 2. Cp. the explanatory paraphrase of Sah: ‘For the Lord gave the father more honour than the sons’ (Smend).

the judgement of the mother. The mother’s ‘right’, or ‘due’, must be equally respected with that of the father,

.3. maketh atonement for sins. We are met here with the beginnings of the development (especially in one direction) of the Jewish doctrines of atonement and mediation, which assumed great prominence in later times. The honouring of father and mother was the fulfilling of a #z¢/zvah, or ‘commandment’, of the Law, which being a meritorious act, effected atonement. The observance of the Torah, or Law, became, as time went on, to an ever-increasing | extent the main basis of practical religion among the Jews; cp. Pivge Aédoth ii. 8: ‘He who has gotten to himself words of Torah has gotten to himself the life of the world to come’; vi. 1: ‘It clothes him with meekness and fear, and fits him to become righteous, pious, upright, and faithful; and removes him from sin, and brings him towards the side of merit’; vi. 7: ‘Great is Torah, which gives life to those who practise it in this world and in the world to come’; and see the whole of vi (Pereq R. Meir). One of the most striking expressions of this honouring of the father is to be seen in the custom of a son praying publicly in the synagogue on the anniversary (‘ Jahrzeit’) of a father’s death; see further Oesterley and Box, Zhe Religion and Worship of the Synagogue (2nd ed.), pp. 369, 434.

4. as one that layeth up treasure. ὡς ὁ ἀποθησαυρίζων ; this form only occurs in the Bible elsewhere in 1 Tim. vi. 19, where it is used of making provision for the life to come.

5. shall have joy. Cp. Prov. xxiii. 24, 25 (Sept.).

6. he that giveth rest to his mother. Cp.v.1; 28 2) is all that is left of this v. in ®-

7. And serveth... δουλεύσει implies the service of a slave; some Rabbis interpreted the Law to mean that the son was in the position of a slave to his father; cp. Exod. xxi.7; Neh. v.5. It was even taught by some Rabbis that a father had the right to exercise the power of life and death over a son, on the basis of such passages as Gen. xxii; Judg. xi. 39; 2 Kings xxiii. 10.

his parents. ἐν τοῖς γεννήσασιν αὐτοῦ; as Smend points out, the ἐν may represent DE Cp. Hebr. of x. 18, xxiv. 22,

8. in word and in deed... Cp. Matt. xxi. 28-31; Luke xxiv. 9.

9. The blessing of a father. Cp. Deut. xxxiii. 1; Prov. xi.11; Test. Twelve Patr., Issachar v. 6: ‘Our father Jacob blessed ine with blessings of the earth and of first-fruits.’

the curse of a mother. Cp. Jer. vi. 5; Zeph. ii. 4. the young plant. Dj in this particular sense occurs elsewhere only in Job xiv. 9, το. in the dishonour of thy father. i.e. when a son does not honour his father. _

11. And he that dishonoureth... Cp. Prov. xv. 20, xxiii. 22, xxx. fe

12. all the days of his life. See crit. note on next v.

STIRAGH Ὁ 12-20

13 And even if his understanding fail, be considerate with him, And dishonour him not Yall the days of his life’. 14 Benevolence to a father shall not be blotted out, And as a substitute for sins it shall be firmly planted®. 15 In the day of affliction it shall be remembered ‘to thy credit’, It shall obliterate thine iniquities as heat (disperseth) hoar-frost. 16 *As one that acteth presumptuously* is he that despiseth his father, And as one that provoketh his Creator is he that cursethY his mother.

(ἢ) 111. 17-25. On the Need of Humility in all things (= 3+3+1+4+1 distichs), 17 My son, when thou art in prosperity walk humbly, And thou wilt be loved more than him that giveth gifts. 18 Humble thyself #in all greatness’, And thou wilt find mercy in the sight of God* 20 For many are the mercies of God, And to the humble He revealeth His secret.

v-v So 315 S$; ‘(when thou art) in all thy strength’ & w So ®mg. S$; ‘it shall be added to build thee up’ (ἃ s-x Reading War for MDD y Reading >>p% 2-2 Reading ΠΟΥῚΣ S33 (Smend) for doy mba Ὁ aye.a 248 35 Syro-Hex add, with slight variations : ‘Many are exalted and esteemed ; but the mysteries (of God)

13. all the days of his life. The rendering of &, ἐν πάσῃ ἰσχύι σου, suggests in Ὁ yon baa, which is perhaps more satisfactory than the repetition of ‘all the days of his life’, see v. 12.

14. Benevolence to a father. Lit. ‘ righteousness (ΠΡῚΝ) (shown) to a father’; as is clear from the rendering of (τ (ἐλεημοσύνη) ΠΡῚΝ has here the technical sense of ‘almsgiving’, i.e. righteousness far excellence ; it is interesting to note that the word is used in this specific sense as early as the time of Ben-Sira. In Matt. vi. 12 ‘righteousness’ and ‘alms’ are used synonymously. Cp. further Swthah 590 (T. B.): ‘Greater is he that ‘giveth alms (P78 nyy, lit. “that doeth righteousness ”’) than (he who offers) all sacrifices’ (quoted by Weber, /#dische Theologie, p. 285).

shall not be blotted out. # is stronger than (τ (‘shall not be forgotten’). This v. offers another instance of the teaching of the efficacy of works, for the fulfilling of this #¢/zvah is reckoned as merit. The good deed is written down in God’s book and therefore cannot be blotted out.

as a substitute for sins. The son's righteous act in succouring his aged father is written down to his credit, and thus counterbalances his sins; cp. Qiddushin 40 6 (T. B.), where it is said that a man is judged ‘according to that which balances’, i.e. according as to whether the weight of sins or of good deeds weighs heavier ; cp. also Baba bathra 10a (T. B.): ‘Almsgiving is a powerful mediator between the Israelites and their Father in heaven ; it brings the time of redemption nigh.’

shall be firmly planted. i.e. set fast, cf. Eccles. xii. 11. With & (see critical note) cp. Jer. i. 10, ‘ to build and to plant.’

15. In the day of... τ ‘In the day of thy affliction it shall remember thee’, which obscures the sense of the v., viz. that when affliction comes, as the result of sin, it will be mitigated, because his good deeds will be remembered to his benefit; #z¢zvofh are meritorious.

to thy credit. Lit. ‘to thee’. It shall obliterate... ‘It’ refers to the benevolence shown to the father ; & inexactly, ‘ As fair weather (acts) upon ice, so shall thy sins melt away.’

16. As one that acteth presumptuously. (& ‘is as a blasphemer’ suggests ἢ) ( S) in #; the verb #73 (piel) is used of blaspheming God, cp. Num. xv. 30, 2 Kings xix. 6 Is. xxxvii. 6 ; so, too, in Rabbinical literature, e. g. in Shabbath 75 a "ΞΥΣ = ‘one who blasphemes God’ (Levy, Chaldiisches Worterbuch, s. v.).

he that despiseth. 2 (= 3); ὅτ ‘he that forsaketh’, reading INY, cp. τ΄. 12 above (crit. note). And as one that provoketh... (so also 33) has interchanged the verbs: ‘ And he that provoketh his mother is cursed of the Lord’; cp. Lev. xx.9; Deut. xxvii. 16.

17. when thou art in prosperity. Lit. ‘in thy wealth’ (Jnwy3), which G& read as wy ‘thy works’, or ‘business’. ;

walk humbly. # has s>nnn, which (ἃ (‘go on with’) misinterpreted owing to the mistake referred to in the last note.

more than him that giveth gifts. (τ ‘of an acceptable man’ is explanatory but misses the point of the comparison (}2) in (-Ξ- 3); cp. & ‘super hominum gloriam’. The meaning of the v. is that the rich man who is humble in spite of his wealth is loved more than the rich man who is proud, even though he dispenses charity.

18. Humble thyself in... Cp. Matt. xx. 26, 27; Phil. il. 3; 1 Pet. v. 5. (ἃ paraphrases: ‘ The greater thou art, humble thyself the more.’ $ ‘ Make thyself small (= 38 lit.) in (the face of) all that is great in this world’; this agrees with the unamended text of 18, which Smend rightly regards as a later form. The piel of Dy!) (‘make thyself small’, i.e. ‘humble thyself’) occurs elsewhere only in xxxil. (@ xxxv.) ὃ and Eccles, xii. 3.

God. & ‘the Lord’.

20. For many are... ( ‘For great is the potency of the Lord’; it is certainly possible that τ represents here amore original text than W, for it corresponds better with the second clause of the v. whether we follow & or 32 there. 5 He revealeth His secret. Cp. critical note on v. 18. @& ‘he is glorified’. With ® cp. Amos iil. 7; Ps. xxv. 14;

κα Seek not (to understand) what is too wonderful* for thee, And search not out that which is hid from thee. 22 Meditate upon that which thou must grasp, — And be not occupied with that which is hid”. 23 Have naught to do with that which is beyond thee, For more hath been shown to thee than thou canst understand. 24 For many are the conceits of the sons of men, And evil imaginations lead astray. _ ἢ : 25 4Where (there is) no apple of the eye, light is lacking, And where (there is) no knowledge wisdom is wanting 4,

(7) Ill. 26-28. Retribution on the Sinner (= 3 distichs).

26 ®A stubborn heart shall fare ill at its latter end, But he that loveth good things shall be led by them®’. 27 (As for) the stubborn heart, its griefs shall be increased, And the profane’ man heapeth iniquity upon iniquity.

are revealed to the lowly’ (=v. 19), cp. 7. 20 ® b-b Quoted in Hagigah 77 ¢ (11) (T. J.): ‘that which is too difficult for thee why shouldst thou know? That which is deeper than Sheol why shouldst thou search out?’

Cp. also Hagigah 13 (T. B.) © Reading xbpi for msdn (Smend) ‘too hard’ & d-d (χα L omit this v., but it is preserved, with slight variations, ly 70 248 253 % Syro-Hex*; 7m ® zt zs placed after Ὁ. 24 8-e & wth the exception of 8° 248 253 transposes the order of these clauses; 3 L=® f +a stubborn heart shall be grieved at the last’ &® & Reading Shan Sor Shinn h-h Following Smends emendation of the text based

21. that which is hid from thee. & ‘the things which are above thy strength’. This and the following v. are quoted freely in Hagigah 13a (T.B.) thus: ‘For so it is written in the book of Ben-Sira, Inquire not concerning that which is too high for thee, and seek not out that which is hidden from thee; but meditate upon that which thou canst grasp, and be not occupied with that which is hid.’ So, too, in Hagigah 77 ¢ (T. J.) : ‘Rabbi Lezer (said) in the name of Bar-Sira, Why wilt thou know what is too high for thee, and why wilt thou search out what is deeper than Sheol? Meditate upon that which thou canst grasp, and be not occupied with that which is hid.’ In the Midrash Bereshith Rabéa, § viii (on Gen. i. 26), it is said in reference to Job xx. 4, 5 that the Torah alone knows what happened before the creation of the world when man was placed upon the earth, so that it is not for us to inquire about these things; then it continues: ‘ Rabbi Eleazar said in the name of Ben-Sira, Inquire not concerning that which is too great for thee, and search not out that which is beyond thy strength, seek not to understand what is too high for thee, nor (desire) to know what 1s hidden from thee. Meditate upon that which thou canst grasp, and be not occupied with that which is hid.’ For the thought cf. 2 Esdras iv.

22. that which thou canst grasp. (& ‘the things that have been commanded thee’; the reference is to the commandments of the Law, cp. Pzrge Adoth ii. 18: ‘ Be diligent to learn the Law.’

And be not occupied with. (τ ‘for thou hast no need of’, a bad rendering of # which means lit. ‘and have no business (PY) with’; for the Hebr. word cp. xi. 10, xxxviii. 24. that which is hid. Cp. Deut. xxix. 29. For the #7 NNNNDII cp. xiii. 19, xlviii. 25. 23. Have naught todo with. (τ ‘Be not over busy’ (μὴ περιεγάζου, cp. 2 Thess. iii. 11), cp. xli. 22. that which is beyond thee. (τ, quite mistaking the point of 38, ‘in thy superfluous works.’ For more hath been... Cp. 1 Cor. ii. 9, quoted from Is, Ixiv. 4, Ixv. 16 a.

24. For many are... (τ ‘For the conceit of many hath led them astray’; the reference is no doubt to the philosophic speculations of the Greeks. The Hebr. word for ‘conceit’ ([2iMWY) here is a late one, and occurs elsewhere only in Ps. cxlvi. 4, where it means ‘purposes’. The corresponding Aramaic word, which is frequently used in the Targums, always has a bad sense, e.g. Targ. Is. xli. 29; Jer. xvili. 12, Here the meaning seems to be ‘ speculation’,

in a bad sense; cp. 248 which adds ‘vain’, and possibly represents, as Hart suggests, an original )7 (‘evil’), read PO (‘vain’); cp. 3» of next clause.

_And evil imaginations... @& ‘And evil surmising hath caused their judgement to slip’; # ‘Et in vanitate detinuit sensus illorum’.

t us The words in & refer to the teaching of Greek philosophers which led away from the Law.

Where (there is) no. . 26. A stubborn heart. 7222), lit. ‘a heavy heart’; the same expression occurs in Exod. vii. 14, of Pharaoh.

But he that loveth... (τ ‘And he that loveth danger shall perish therein’. % adds: ‘Cor ingrediens duas vias

non habebit successus, et pravus corde (97 pravicordius) in illis scandalizabitur.’

27. Shall be increased. (τ ‘shall be laden’, a free rendering of 3ῆ.

the profane man. (τ ‘the sinner.’ The meaning of the v. is that just as troubles accumulate for one who is obstinate and will not understand, so do the sins of the ungodly man accumulate.

- i.e, just as a blind man cannot see, so a fool cannot acquire knowledge.

‘ 28 (As for) "the wound of the scorner, there is no healing for it’, For an evil growth* is his plant"™!.

(2) III. 29-31. Reward for the Righteous (= 1 +2 distichs). 29 A wise heart understandeth the proverbs of the wise, And the ear that listeneth to wisdom rejoiceth™. 30 A flaming fire doth water quench, |> So doth almsgiving atone for sin. 31 He that doeth good, it shall meet him on his ways, And when he tottereth he shall find a stay.

(ἢ) IV. 1-10. On right behaviour towards the Poor and the Oppressed (= 2+2+2+4+243 distichs).

4 1*My son, ’defraud not> the poor of his sustenance’,

And grieve not “the eyes of him that is bitter in (his) soul4. 2 °Despise not‘ the needy soul,

And vex not the heart® of the oppressed. 3 Hurt not the feelings: of the afflicted,

And withhold not a gift *from the poor.

on Oc; ® as 1! stands reads: ‘Run not to heal the wound of the scorner, for there is no healing for him’

i + ‘his ways shall be rooted out’ (τ (C 70 248 253) Syro-Hex k Zz. ‘plant’ 14 ‘and he shall not be known’ (ἃ (248) 3» Syro-Hex m + Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis, et in operibus iustitiae successus habebit’ #

a, inserts the title: ‘Concerning almsgiving and the poor’ b-b So & ©; H S ‘mock not’; possibly for sybn should be read yr3n (=), cp. Ezek. xvi. 27 ¢ Lit. ‘life’; ‘alms’ & d-d Reading wb) WN ‘Dy instead of WEI 1D) Ὁ» WEI & In ® the clauses of vv. 2-4 have got misplaced fCp. 3» ne despexeris (Gk py λυπησης) & Reading dyan, the text is mutilated h Zit. ‘bowels’ (Ὁ) i £7, ‘inward parts’ (35) k-k Reading

28. See critical note. (τ ‘ (For) the calamity of the proud there is no healing, for a plant of wickedness hath taken root in him.’

29. A wise heart. Spoken of in reference to God in Job ix. 4 (22? 03M); cp. Prov. x. 8, xvi. 21. @& ‘The heart of the prudent’ (cp. Eccles. viii. 5) is due toa misunderstanding. The expression is used in a different sense in Job xxxvii, 24.

the proverbs of the wise. (ἃ ‘a parable’. ΩΣ is used in the sense of ‘ parable’ in Ezek. xvii. 2, xxi. 5, xxiv. 3.

And the ear that... Cp. Prov. ii. 2, xv. 31, xx. 12. @& ‘And the ear of a listener is the desire of a wise man’; cp. Prov. xxiii. 15.

30. A flaming fire... With the general thought of the τ΄. cp. Prov. xvi.6; Dan. iv. 27; and see notes on v. 14 above.

So doth almsgiving atone... Cp. Baba Bathra τὸ a (T. B.), where a saying is preserved of Rabbi Aqiba to the effect that benevolence (= almsgiving) saves from the torments of hell (quoted by Bacher, dgada der Tannaiten,

of He that doeth good... i.e. he that shows kindness in its manifold expression will be rewarded. (& ‘ He that requiteth good turns is mindful of the things (that come) after’; this paraphrase in so far gives the sense of # that it refers to ‘the things that come after’, i.e. the reward for doing good.

And when he tottereth. Lit. ‘And in the time of his shaking’; τ ‘in the time of his falling’ gives the sense of #.

IV. τ. defraud not. See critical note. With (τ (μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς) cp. Mark x.19; 1 Cor. vi. 8; Jas. v. 4.

his sustenance. Cp. xxix.21; Prov. xxvii. 27; Luke xii. 16.

grieve not. (& μὴ παρελκύσης, lit. ‘defer not’, cp. τ. 3, xxix. 8; the word does not occur in the Bible elsewhere excepting in Ps. cxix. 5 (Symmachus), though ἔλκω, ἑλκύω often occur in the Sept.; cp. John vi. 44, &c. for ἑλκύω, and Acts xxi. 30, Jas. ii. 6 for ἔλκω. For the Hebr. ΦΝΊΠΤΟΝ cp. Ps. Ixxxvili. Io.

the eyes of... & ‘the needy eyes’.

Despise not. (& μὴ λυπήσῃς, cp. Job xxxi. 39. The Hebr. root ΠῚΞ means lit. ‘to puff at’, cf. Ps. x. 5, implying contempt. In later usage it comes to connote the state brought about by being despised ; cp. Shabdath 127 ὁ (T. B.) wad snaa imad eal ‘He went to his house with downcast soul.’

the needy soul. (τ ‘a hungry soul’, which is explanatory.

vex not. (τ ‘provoke not’ (μὴ παροργίσῃς) ; cp. Gen. xxvi. 35 (Sept.). i ‘non exasperes pauperem’.

the heart of the oppressed. @ ‘a man in his distress’.. With # D'y?) (lit. ‘ bowels’) cp. Lam. i. 20, il. 11.

3. Hurt not... @ ‘Toa heart that is provoked add not more trouble’. The root IN2 is used of causing both physical (e.g. Ezek. xxviii. 24) and mental (6. g. Ezek. xiii. 22) pain. the feelings. The two words used here and in v. 2 for the inner emotions (*¥!) only used in the construct. piur. with suffixes, and 2) occur together in Is. xvi. 11.

Fe ὼ

lure

4 Despise not the supplication of the poor’, 4 And turn not away from the afflicted soul”. 5 ™From him that asketh turn not thine eye away™”, And give him none occasion® to curse thee ; 6 When in anguish of soul the broken-hearted? crieth’, He that created him’ heareth his plaint. 7 *Make thyself beloved in the assembly®*, And to the ruler" “of the city’" bow thy head. 8 Incline thine ear to the afflicted’, And return his salutation* in meekness. 9 Deliver the oppressed from his oppressors, yAnd let not thy spirit hate¥ “just judgement”. 10 Be as a father to orphans, And in place of a husband *to widows*;

Then God will call thee ‘son’, And will be gracious to thee, ’and deliver thee from the Pit?.

yaDND for 52DNd 1-1 Reading μ᾿ mibxw man bs (Smend) N-ll > Sah mm > 9 n + ‘because of wrath’ 39 253 Syro-Hex* 0 Lit. ‘place’ P Zi. ‘bitter of spirit’ 4‘curseth’ & S$ tr Reading uu-uu > Of Vv +‘without causing (him) pain’ 70 248 253 33: Syro-Hex w +et redde debitum tuum H, cf. next clause x Lit. ‘peace’ ban () 0) mre oP) by; Gr, which ts more logical, pn ολιγοψυχησης ( ΡΠ by). 2-2 when thou judgest’ @& (cf. Hiniudicando) 4-®‘ unto their mother’ @ —4a-aa ‘ willlove thee’ G@& ‘more

4. Despise not... @ ‘Reject not a supplant in his affliction’, a free rendering. And turn not away ... (ἃ ‘ And turn not away thy face from a poor man,’ cp. Ps. xxii. 25 (Hebr.), Prov. xxviii. 25;

Tob. iv. 7 ; in Pzrge Aboth i. 2 ‘the bestowal of kindnesses ἡ (oDn nid") is called one of the three things on which the world is stayed.

5. From him... Cp. Prov. xxviii. 27; a saying of Rabbi Aqiba, preserved in Baba Bathra τὸ a (T. B.), runs: ‘By charity wealth is to be made a means of salvation; God, the Father of both the rich and the poor, wants the one to help the other, and thus to make the world a household of love’ (quoted in JZ, iii. 668 a); and cp. Zest. Twelve Patr., Issachar iii. 8: ‘For on all the poor and oppressed I bestowed the good things of the earth in the singleness of my heart’ (ed. Charles).

And give him... Cp. Prov. xxviii. 27. That such a curse was believed to entail evil consequences is seen from the words of the next verse, ‘He that created him...’ ‘Talmudic literature betrays a belief amounting to downright superstition, in the mere power of the word (Bevakhoth 19 a, 56a; cp. ZDMG, xlii. 588). Not only is a curse uttered by a scholar unfailing in its effect, even if undeserved (J/akkoth 11a), but one should not regard lightiy even the curse uttered by an ignorant man (Megi//ah 15 a)’ (JE, iv. 390 a).

6. When in anguish... (τ ‘ For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul’, a free rendering.

He that created him. See critical note. In Deut. xxxii. 37 W¥ (‘Rock’) is used as a divine name, and rendered Θεύς in the Sept.; cp. 2 Sam. xxili. 3; Ps. xviii. (xvii.) 3, 32, 47; in many of the Psalms, especially the later ones, 18 is used for ‘God’ as One who is a refuge of His people. The rendering of & here, however (ὁ ποιήσας αὐτόν), makes it probable that it read 981); S has 7°73 (‘his Creator’).

7. Make thyself beloved. i.e. by giving alms to those in need; for the phrase cp. xx. 13.

the ruler of the city. The ‘ruler’ in ® in JO’ =<‘Sultan’. S reads ‘rulers...’; there was no single ruler in

Jerusalem, but a Gerousia, or assembly of great ones, which became known later on as the Sanhedrin. ὃ. Incline thine ear. Cp. Ps. xvii. 6; Jer. xi. 8.

And return... Cp. Gen. xli. 16., G, ‘And answer him with peaceable words,’ is a misunderstanding of the Hebrew form of salutation: ‘Peace’ (D2). 9. Deliver the oppressed... Cp. Ps. Ixxxii. 3, 4. And let not... See critical note. @& ‘And be not faint-hearted in giving judgement’, cp. Jas. ii. 9, and see Then God will call... Cp. Job xxxi. 18. And will be gracious... @ ‘And He shall love thee more than thy mother doth’; Smend explains the words

“more than thy mother doth’ in & as due to a desire to beautify the text on the basis of such passages as Is. xlix. 15,

_ The care of the fatherless and widows was reckoned by the Rabbis among the 0% Dn mba, lit. ‘practice of kindnesses’, which is constantly urged upon men in Rabbinical: writings, e.g. in the T. B. Wedarim 396, 404, Kethuboth 50a, Sanhedrin 19 6; cp. also the following words in the Apocalypse of Peter, ὃ 15: - - - οὗτοι δὲ ἦσαν οἱ πλουτοῦντες καὶ TH πλούτῳ αὐτῶν πεπο:ιθύτες καὶ μὴ ἐλεήσαντες ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμελήσαντες τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ, and

cp. Apocalypse of Paul, ὃ 35.

(a) IV. 11-19. The Reward of those who seek Wisdom (= 1+2+2+14242+41 distichs).

11 Wisdom instructeth her sons, And enlighteneth® all who give heed to her. 12 They that love her love life, And they that seek her ®shall obtain grace from the Lord”. 13 They that take hold of her shall find glory »’from the Lord», And they shall abide in the blessing of the Lord. 14 They that serve her serve the Holy One, ¢And God loveth them that love her®. 15 He that hearkeneth unto me shall judge‘ (in) truth®, And he that giveth ear unto me shall dwell in my innermost chamber'. 16 “If he trust® me’, he shall possess* me}, And his posterity™ "shall hold me? fast”. 17 But I will walk with him in disguise?, And at first 4I* will try him with temptations‘. *Fear and dread will It bring upon him®’, And I will torment him with chastisements,

than thy mother doth’ ἃ; >S 4So 3; ®=G ‘taketh hold of’ b-b Cp. 3}. complectebuntur placorem eius

(complebuntur placore illius) ; ‘shall be filled with joy’ & bb-bb > & c-¢ Reading MANND ὩΠῚΝ ὈΝῚ (&) dau; Smend suggests j3Y’ ‘ shall abide’, which forms a better parallel to the next clause ΘΝ; (ἃ apparently read MWAN ‘peoples’, as τι Num. xxv. 15 f Reading V]N2 1102; cp. 1 Kings xx. 30 8-8 > h Reading with 8 A C ἐμπιστευση i So 96 only; ‘her’ (ἃ 3» k Lit. ‘he shall inherit’, reading with ~» A C κατακληρονομησει 1 Ὸ 3 only; ‘her’ & Syro-Hex m L727. ‘generations’; % ‘on behalf of all the generations of the world’ nn 1 11. ‘ shall be (p/ur.) in possession’; S$ ‘he shall receive’ Ὁ So S only; ‘her’ Gh p L277. ‘in making myself a stranger’, cp. Gr διεστραμμενως ‘ tortuously’; 253 Syro-Hex % ‘with (in) temptation’ 94 >G; eligit eum # Y So S; ® erroncously ‘he’ 3 > t So S only; ‘her’ GL ἃ +ad proba- IV. 11—VI. 17. This division falls into seven subsections. It further develops the general theme of Wisdom, but the subject-matter is somewhat miscellaneous.

11. instructeth. (& ‘exalteth’; cp. Prov. iv. 8, and Pivye Adoth vi. 1, where it is said of the Law: ‘It magnifieth him and exalteth him over all things.’ % ‘vitam inspirat’, Clement of Alex. ἐνεφυσίωσε;; perhaps & had originally ἐνεψύχωσε (Ryssel).

her sons. Cp. Luke vii. 35 and Matt. xi. 19 (R. V. marg.); i.e. those whom Wisdom has begotten spiritually,

enlighteneth. (τ ‘taketh hold of’; # may have originally read TNN (= 5) instead of TYN (Smend); cp.

who give heed to her. Cp. 2 Chron. xxvi.6; Ezra viii. 15; Neh. xiii. 7; Dan. ix. 23; @‘whoseek her’, & adds: ‘Et praeibit in via iustitiae ’.

12. They that love... (ἃ ‘ He that loveth ...’; cp. Prov. viii.17, from which this verse is taken, and see Prov. iii.

they that seek her. Cp. Prov. xi. 27. 32 ΠΦΡΞ, but (ἃ οἱ ὀρθρίζοντες πρὸς αὐτήν suggests MINWID. Cp. xxxii.

shall obtain grace. See critical note. Cp. Prov. xviii. 22, where the Sept. renders ΠΝ (‘grace’) ἱλαρότης (synonym for εὐφροσύνη).

13. They that take hold of her... Cp. Prov. iii. 18.

shall find glory. 30 ‘shall inherit life’, cp. v. 12.

they shall abide... (ἃ ‘And where he (or she) entereth, the Lord will bless’. The Hebr. 73M has the meaning ‘to enter in’, as well as ‘to abide’, in Neo-Hebrew. For the thought of this clause cp. Gen. xxxix. 5 (Peters).

14. serve the Holy One. Lit. ‘the servers of the Holy One’ (w7P ‘N7W); the term M17) ‘NW is used of the Levitical priests, cp. Deut. x. 8, xvii. 12, xxi. 5; Job vi. 10; Jer. xxxiii. 21; see also Joshua i. 9,13, ii.17. For ‘the Holy One’ cp. xxiii. 9, xliii. 10, xlvii. 8, xlviii. 20; Bar. iv. 22, v. 5; in later Jewish literature this term is that most frequently used when speaking of God; it is, as a rule, followed by the words NIM 7)72 (‘ Blessed be He’); cp. Mark xiv. 61, where ὁ εὐλογητός is used as a name of God.

And God loveth... See critical note. 15. unto me. (ἃ ‘unto her’, so also in the next clause, oblique instead of direct narration. shall judge (in) truth. See critical notes. Cp. Is. xlii. 3 (Hebr.). Smend understands NN (‘truth’) in the sense of ‘safety’, and refers to 2 Kings xx. 19, which offers a good parallel to the next clause. shall dwellin my... Cp. Prov. viii. 3ff., ix.1. ὑπ ‘shall dwell securely’, cp. xiv. 24 ff., li. 19; Deut. xxxiii. 14; 16. The omission of this verse in 38 is probably an oversight. See the critical notes. And his posterity... Cp. i. 15. __ Fear and dread... This is an interpolation in ¢&; the oblique narration of (τ is altered above in order to agree with the rest of the verse:

lure

τη ἴῃς

Until his heart is filled"* with me, vAnd I try him with my ordinances*. (Then) will I lead him on again‘’, And will reveal to him my secrets.

19 “If he turn away (from me), I will forsake* him™,

And will deliver him over to the spoilers.

(6) IV. 20-28. Practical Precepts on Right-doing (= 3+2+2+2 distichs).

20 My son, observe ‘times and seasons’, and beware of? evil,

And be not ashamed® concerning thy soul.

21 For there is a shame? that bringeth sin,

And there is a shame (that bringeth) honour and favour.

22 Respect no man to thine own detriment’,

And be not ashamed‘, to thine own stumbling®.

23 Withhold not speech in due season®,

h And hide not‘ thy wisdom”.

24 For Wisdom is known ‘through utterance’,

And understanding by the word of the tongue.

25 Speak not against the truth’,

m And be humble towards God™.

tionem & uu G& ἐνπιστευση, ‘he trust’, 7s perhaps to be preferred ( ἡ δ) for xd») vv > ὦ (zs a gloss on 17d), cp. & donec temtet illum in cogitationibus illius et credat animae illius vy @+‘and she will gladden him’; $2 > with ® w-w ® has a variant to this clause: ‘If he turn away from (following) after me, I will cast him off’ (S) x Reading, following &, wwnwon for ww (Smend) y-y Reading, with Schechter, pon ny (cp. Eccles. iii. 1) for pom ny 2 Liv. ‘be afraid of’ 4+‘to speak the truth’ H; seev.25 ἢ Reading nwa () for news due to the following ΤΙΝΙ c-e Μὴ} ‘ Lift not up thy face (¢echnical term for showing consideration) against thy soul’ ἃ Reading wran bx ( &) for Swon by ‘stumble not’, due 20 the following powand e Lit. plur. ἘΣ ‘a word’ & Reading \nY1 ‘in its time’, for ndyys ‘in eternity’, i.e. “constantly ’ hh >G, ut preserved in 40 248 253 Syro-Hex ©, which add ev καλλονὴ; +in decore eius % iH ‘shut not up’ Kk δι. ‘by word’; Syro-Hex & ‘by the mouth’ 1So& SL; ‘God’ 33: nox, ‘truth’, should probably be read instead of xn ‘ God’, cp. the next clause m-m ‘ And be ashamed of thine

AndItry him... See crit. note; (ἃ has oblique narration as in the rest of the verse. With the whole verse cp. Matt. vii.14; Heb. xii. 11. 18. (Then) willIlead... % ‘Et firmabit illum’; the Hebr. word (WN) has the meaning of ‘strengthen ’ in xxv. 23. And will reveal... Cp. xxxix. 3,7; Job xi.6; Dan. ii. 21,22. 2 adds: ‘Et thesaurizabit super illum scientiam et intellectum iustitiae.’ 19. ...tothe spoilers. (h lit. ‘into the hands of his falls’, cp. Ps. lxiii. 11 (Sept.); % ‘in manus inimici sui’.

20. times and seasons. (τ ‘the opportunity ’, cp. xxvii. 12. And be not ashamed... i.e. Do nothing, by becoming entangled in anything evil, which will cause you to be ashamed of yourself. ‘ Soul’ here = ‘thyself’, according to the frequent use of 232 in the O.T. 21. This verse is added to Prov. xxvi. 11 in the Septuagint. a shame that bringeth sin... Cp. xx. 22f., xli. 16. a shame (that bringeth) honour... Cp. xxix. 14, xli.17 ff; 2 Cor. vii. To. Respect no man... An instance of the wrong kind of shame (cp. v. 9); a man must not be ashamed to offend

gues if a right course of action necessitates it; in such a case it is to his own detriment if he spares the feelings of others.

And be not ashamed... If the precept given in the last clause be neglected, the result will be ‘thine own stumbling’, i.e. it will lead to sin. 23. Withhold not speech... To do so would be another example of false shame.

in due season. (& ἐν καιρῷ σωτηρίας ; Cp. vill. 9... ἐν καιρῷ χρείας δοῦναι ἀπόκρισιν. Perhaps in the verse before us

(in Gt) χρείας should be read instead of σωτηρίας. Smend ingeniously suggests that a copyist misread XPIAC instead of

CPIAG, the usual abbreviation for σωτηρίας. Cp. Eccles. iii. 7, ‘...a time to keep silence, a time to speak’; cp. Prov. χν. 23. And hide not... See critical note. Cp. xx. 31, xli. 15. _ 24. Wisdom is known... For Wisdom from another point of view cp. Pirge Adoth iii. 20: ‘A fence to Wisdom is silence,’ a saying of Rabbi Aqiba. And understanding by... Cp. Proy. xvi. 1». adds: ‘Et firmamentum in operibus iustitiae.’

25. the truth. Cp. Saz/edvin i. 18 a (T. J.), where it is said that ‘Emeth’ (‘Truth’) is the name of God; and cp. John xiv. 6, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ And be humble... See critical note.

26 Be not ashamed to confess" (thy) sins,

And stand not against the stream. 27 Prostrate not thy soul in the sight of a fool,

=2 And accept not the person of one that is mighty""®. 28 Strive for the right? until death,

And the Lord will fight for thee?.

29 Be not boastful’ with thy tongue’, (Nor) slack and negligent in thy work.

8° 30 Be not like a lion’ in thy home,

And "tyrannous and terrible® towards thy servants’.

31 Let not thy hand be stretched out™ to take*,

yAnd closed? #at the time of giving back*’. 5 x Trust not in thy wealth”,

And say not, ‘I have power®.’

own ignorance’ (τ; ‘And keep thyself from thine own foolishness’ S$" Zz. ‘to turn from’ — "0 Reading, on the basis of &, Sey 5 wn by © ® inserts viii. 14 here, but in a different form from Gx, see note below ταχυς ( & Syro-Hex) ‘hasty’; BC τραχυς ‘rough’ ~— 8‘ hearing’ §*; ‘words’ δ ιἃ S$ t SoS ( & 17); ‘dog’ (S8) uw SoW*(S, cf. 3» evertens domesticos tuos et opprimens subiectos tibi) ; Gt φαντασιοκοπων, ‘suspicious’; 32“ ‘reckless’ (tnantd, for which Smend would read nam ‘terrifying’; the hithpael form is not found in Biblical Hebrew). Vv So O°, reading ἼΩΝ ( G&L); H* ‘in thy work’ (S) So Wo (G); HA open” ( 9) x SoM’ (GS); WE 11. ‘to lift up’ y-y So HS 2 So HA Aap; WS mp, ‘ gathered up’ ( 2) a-a ‘in the midst of giving’ (= 5); # ad dandum b Zit. ‘strength’ Ces ζωὴν 70 248

26. to confess (thy) sins. The root 2” is that from which the later Jewish word for ‘repentance’ comes, viz. Teshubah. In the O.T. this word does not occur, no noun being used for ‘repentance’; the idea is expressed by the verb 2, ‘to turn,’ i.e. from a wrong course. Ben-Sira’s teaching on repentance is the same as that of the O. T.; the first step is confession of sins (cp. Lev. v. 5, Num. v. 7) and self-abasement in the sight of God (cp. 1 Kings xxi. 29). The later Rabbinical doctrine teaches that the act of repentance (the technical term is NWN Avy ‘to do repentance’) is Jer se meritorious ; cp. the Midrash Bereshith Rabba xxii, and on the whole subject see Weber, /iiaische Theologie, pp. 261 ff., and Schechter, Some Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, pp. 313-343-

In Rabbinical writings the confession of sins (the technical term is ‘ Widdui’) is often insisted upon; 6. 5. Rabbi Aqiba in Chagigah 15 a (T. B.), says: ‘As vessels of gold or of glass, when broken, can be restored by undergoing the process of melting, so does the disciple of the Torah, after having sinned, find the way of recovering his state of purity by repentance.’ In Sanhedrin 14 a (T. B.) it is said that he who assumes a high public office after the confession of his sins in the past is ‘made a new creature, free from sin like a child’ (_/£, ii. 2802).

And stand not... Fritzsche takes these words in the sense of ‘Swim not against the current of a river’, i.e. Do not attempt the impossible; but the meaning seems to be that one might as well try and stop the current of a river as seek to hide sins, i.e. from God.

27. Prostrate not thysoul... @& ‘Lay not thyself down (lit. ‘‘spread not thyself out”) fora fool to tread upon’; i.e. do not place yourself at the disposal of afool. The Hebr. word translated ‘ prostrate’, like the Greek equivalent, is used of spreading out sackcloth (see Is. lviii. 5, Hebr. and Sept.); so, too, in the Targums, e.g. in the Jerusalem Targum to Deut. xxxiv. 6 of spreading a bed. According to Smend, the word is also used of a slave who throws himself down before his master in order that the latter may step upon his slave in getting into the saddle.

. accept not... Cp. Jas. ii. 1. The ignoring of either of the prohibitions contained in these two clauses brings shame.

28. Strive. The Hebr. M¥y'n should perhaps be read D¥Y'T (Smend), or OSYNA (Schechter) ; the latter means lit. ‘Show proof of’ = ‘strive for’.

will fight. A different word in ® from the foregoing.

29. boastful. See critical note. Cp. Jas. i. 19.

(Nor) slack... Cp. Prov. xviil. 9.

30. thy home. Cp. xi. 34 for this use of NI.

And tyrannous... See critical note.

31. Let not thy hand... Cp. Acts xx.35. This v. is apparently cited in Dédache iv. 5; cf. Introd. ὃ 7 (a).

V.1. Trust notin. Lit. ‘Lean not upon.’ @ ‘Set not thy heart upon,’ the Greek word means lit. ‘to be intent

wealth. ΟΠ is used primarily of physical strength, but also frequently of wealth, Is. vili. 4, x. 14, xxx. 6, &c.

I have power. Lit. ‘There is to the “god” (by) of my hand’. For the phrase cp. Gen. xxx. 29; Deut. xxviii. 325 Prov. iii.27; Neh.v. 5; Mic. ii. 1; by must be taken here in the sense of ‘might’ or ‘power’. (τ αὐτάρκη μοί ἐστιν,

‘T have sufficient,’ does not quite give the meaning of , which refers to the sense of power which the possession of wealth inspires, not to the boast of possessing much,

SIRACH δ᾽ 2-9

3) 2>Trust not in thy wealth, °To walk after the desire of thy soul*”. [Go not after (the desire) of thine heart and of thine eyes, To walk in the desires of thy soul4.] 3 Say not, ‘ Who shall have power over me?’® For Jahveh is an avenger ‘of the persecuted’.

(4) V.4-8. The Wickedness of tempting God (= 2+1+2+1 distichs).

#4 Wo 4 Say not, ‘I have sinned, Sbut what ‘happened unto me?’ For Jahveh is longsuffering”. 5 Count not upon forgiveness, That thou shouldst add sin to sin. 6 * And say not, ‘ His mercies are great}, mHe will forgive the multitude of mine iniquities ’™* ; For mercy and wrath are with Him, And His indignation abideth upon the ungodly. 7 Delay not to turn unto Him, And put (it) not off from day to day ; For suddenly doth His wrath come forth*, And in the time® of vengeance thou shalt perish. ἘΝ 8 Trust not in unrighteous gains, For they shall profit (thee) nothing in the day of wrath.

(6) V.g—VI. 1. On the Need of Straightforwardness in Speech (= 2+1+1+1+2+2 distichs).

2B 9 Winnow not with every wind, P And walk not in every path?4.

(Syro-Hex); + Nihil enim proderit in tempore vindictae et obductionis, % cp. v. 7 b-b >& ceo>S d Reading Wwe for Ayn (‘evil’) e Several Grk. cursives Syro-Hex + ‘ Because of my works’ ff Several Grk. cursives read cov τὴν vBpw (Syro-Hex 3) &-s ®* ‘What will He do unto me ?—Nothing !’ hou will blot out all mine iniquities’ 394} n 4 And if thou rememberest not thou shalt be destroyed δὲ 9:8 248 0% ‘day’ pp So WS, the text of A cs corrupt: ‘Turn the way of the stream’, cp. iv. 26 qa - Thus

2. Trust not... This and the next clause are doublets based on vv. 1 a,2 0; they are rightly omitted in &. To walk in the desires... Cp. Job xxxi. 7. 3. Who shall have... Cp. Ps. xii. 4.

of the persecuted. (ἃ ‘of thee’. Cp. Eccles. iii. 15, where almost the identical Hebrew of clause (4) occurs. 4. Ihave sinned... Cp. Eccles. viii. 1; Ps. liii.12. This verse is quoted in Chagigah 16a (T. B.).

For Jahveh is longsuffering. With this rejoinder contrast the teaching of later sages, who, in accordance with a more developed belief concerning the hereafter, taught that retribution awaited the ungodly in the next world; cp. e.g. I Enoch li. 2.

5. Count not. Lit. ‘ trust not’, (τ ‘be not without fear’. This verse and v. 6 are quoted by Nissim ben Jacob (first half of eleventh century) in his Sepher Ma‘asiyoth; also by Sa‘adya (d. 942) (Smend).

forgiveness. Cp. Ps. cxxx. 4. (ἃ ‘atonement’.

That thou shouldst ... i.e. Do not think that because sins are forgiven you can therefore continue to commit sins. See further the note on xvi. 14.

6. H* & place the first two clauses of this verse before v. 5, the former repeats them here.

He will forgive. (ἃ ἐξιλάσεται, ‘ He will be pacified.’

For mercy... ‘This clause occurs again in xvi. 11; cp. the teaching of the books of Hosea and Amos in which the divine characteristics of mercy and wrath are respectively taught, with special emphasis.

7. This verse is quoted in Shabdath 153 a (T. B.).

Delay not... For the thought cp. Ps. cxix. 60, but the Hebr. word is different.

And put (it) not off. i.e. the turning = repentance ; see note on iv. 26.

from day today. For the phrase cp. 1 Chron. xvi. 23; Ps. xcvi. 2; Esther iii. 7 (Hebr.).

suddenly doth... Cp. Lev.x.2; Num. xvi. 35; Is. li. 5 ; Mark xiii. 36.

in the time of vengeance... Cp. xviii. 24; for ‘the day of vengeance’ cp. Is. xxiv. 8, Ixi. 2, Ixiii. 4; Prov. vi. 34. ὃ, Trust not. (ἃ μὴ ἔπεχε.

unrighteous gains. Cp. Prov. x. 2; Ezek.vii.19; Matt. xiii. 22; Mark iv. 19; Luke xvi. 11.

For they shall profit... Cp. Prov. xi. 14.

in the day of wrath. G‘...of calamity’; cp. ii.2 and 1 Enoch Isiii. 10, ‘Our souls are satisfied with the

mammon of unrighteousness, but this does not prevent us from descending into the flame of the pain of Sheol.’

9. The addition of &, ἄς. (see critical note), is from vi. 1c.

7 wo

ΘΙ ΘΗ τὸ Ὁ. 2

10 Be steadfast concerning "that which thou knowest',

And let thy speech® be one.

11 Be swift* to hear®’,

I

“But with patience make reply”. If it lie in thy power answer thy neighbour; And if not, —* thy hand upon thy mouth !¥ Glory and dishonour come through speaking’, And the tongue of a man *is his fall*. Be not called ‘ Double-tongued ’, And slander not with thy tongue ; For shame hath been created for the thief, >And sore reproach for” the double-tongued*. Deal not corruptly either in a small or a great matter ; And be not an enemy in place of a friend, 4(For then) wouldst thou get an evil name, and reproach, and shame?; So it is with an evil man who is double-tongued.

(f) VI. 2-4. A Warning against lustful passions (= 3 distichs).

®Be not a slave to thy passions®, Lest they* consume £thy strength "like a bull® ;

(doth) the double-tongued sinner’ @& Syro-Hex ; +Sic enim peccator probatur in duplici lingua 3» rr “thy word’ 7° 8‘words’ ®° = t ‘firm’ BS, cp. v. τὸ α38“ Le. ‘with a good hearing’ (see no/es below); +go0d x ° mserts ‘place’; & ‘let... be...’ y + Ne capiaris in verbo indisciplinato et confundaris ¥, cp. v. 14 zone that babbleth’ #H° 2-8‘ bringeth him into security,’ ev¢dendly a corruption BM; + ‘evil’ ® b-b Reading, with Smend: by ayn mam © +susurratori autem odium et inimicitia et contumelia & d-d Reading, with

Smend: wry wp) m|An yn ow e-e /7¢, ‘Fall not into the hand of thy soul’; ‘Deliver not thyself... . 3 Ἔν’ & Reading yan for nayn (Smend) bhSo Sk; >B

Io. steadfast. Cp. Ps. cxii. 8; Is. xxvi. 3. let thy speech... i.e. be consistent in what you say. 11. Be swift to hear. Smend thinks that 385 (lit. ‘Be steadfast with a good hearing’) means ‘ Be attentive during a good lecture’, or the like. #4, however, contains the right text ; cp. Jas. i. 19. with patience. Cp. Eccles. vii. 8, 1 Pet. iii. 15. Perhaps ΠῚ ΤῚΝ has here the sense of ‘deliberation’. make reply. With the Hebr. phrase DAND AWN cp. Ezra v. 11; Dan. iil. 16. 12. If it lie in thy power. Lit. ‘if there is with thee’; (τ adds σύνεσις for clearness’ sake; cp. Job xxxvill. 32. thy hand... Cp. Job xxi. 5, xxix. 2; Prov. xxx. 32. 13. Glory anddishonour. Cp. Prov. xviii. 21. come through. Lit. ‘(are) in the hand of’; cp. Prov. xviii. 21, ‘...in the hand (or, power) of the tongue.’ speaking. The Hebr. word (ND3, 703) means properly ‘to speak rashly’, or ‘unadvisedly’, in the O. T.; cp. Lev. v. 4; Ps. cvi. 33; Prov. xii. 18. The root is a rare one, it occurs again in ix. 17; in Neo-Hebrew the noun means simply ‘utterance’ in a neutral sense (Smend), as in ix. 18. ͵ And the tongue... Cp. Matt. xii. 37, Jas. iii. 2 ff, and Adodah Zara 116 (Τ. Β.): ‘... their tongue causeth them to stumble’ ( Peters, quoting Bacher). 14. In 38 the first two clauses of the verse come also after iv. 29. ᾿ at Double-tongued. Lit. ‘master of two (tongues)’; & ‘a whisperer’; cp. iv. 28, xxviii. 13 ; Prov. xvi. 28; 2 Cor. xii. 20; oe quotes Baba meztia 48a (T. B.): ‘... who doth not speak one thing with his mouth and another with his eart.’ slander not. Cp. Ps. xv. 3; & ‘lie not in wait’, cp. Prov. xii. 13; # ‘ (ne) capiaris et confundaris’, cp. v. 12. hath been created. Cp. Prov. xii. 13, xviii. 7. & ‘there is’. the thief. The reference is to him who, through slander, has stolen the good name of another. the double-tongued. See above. 15. Deal not corruptly. & ‘ Be not ignorant (concerning)’; a misunderstanding of 30. Ἶ VI. 1. (For then) wouldst thou... & ‘For an evil name inheriteth shame and reproach’, ἃ free rendering. get. Wit. “inherit”:

2. Be not... (ἃ ‘Exalt not thyself in the counsel of thy soul’, which is difficult to account for excepting on the supposition that the point of # was misunderstood. For the phrase 1° bas (‘to fall into the hand of’) cp. Judges xv. 18; 2Sam.xxiv.14. In xxxvii.7 & also renders 1° as βουλή (‘counsel’), The reference, as the context shows, is to impure passions. 5 :

Lest they consume... (ἃ gives no sense: ‘ That thy soul be not torn in pieces like a bull >; ® as it stands is corrupt (see critical note). The original meaning was probably that lustful passions, if not resisted, consume a man's

®* 3 Thy leaves will they? eat up, and thy fruits will they? destroy, 4 And they® will leave thee as ἃ dried-up tree. For® fierce passion destroyeth its possessor,

And* &maketh him’ the scorn” of his enemy.

(g) VI. 5-17. Concerning true and false Friendship (=2+3+2+2+3+41 distichs).

5 * Gentle speech* multiplieth friends’, And “kindly words™ "those that give greeting”.

6 Let those °that are at peace with thee® be many, But thy confidant” one in a thousand.

7 If thou makest a friend “test him4, And be not in haste to trust him. ἢ

8 For there is a friend (who is so) according to occasion, And continueth not in the day oft affliction ;

9 *And there is a friend that turneth to an enemy*, "And he revealeth strife to thy reproach".

το And there is a friend who is a table-friend, But he Yis not to be found” in the day of affliction’.

11 *When thou art in prosperity he will be like thee*,

«τ y And will lord it over thy servants’.

4 Srag. in Q © >G but + yap 253 f Reading bya Sor mya if + “quickly ’ 70 8-8 Reading wn foroxen bLit.‘joy’ %kG& dit «A sweet throat’ 1 + ‘et mitigat inimicos’ (cp. Prov. χν. 1) 3 ™™m Lit. ‘lips of grace’; ‘the lips of the righteous’ $; lingua eucharis 30 nn Reading nw ‘sya; ‘peaceful greeting’ $; in bono homine abundat & °° ‘that greet thee’ S$ Ρ Zz/. ‘the master of thy secret’; consiliarius sit tibi#® 4-9 Zz#. ‘acquire him by testing’ ? G+ ‘thy’ ss >N* S (homototeleuton), hab ἃ: t+ BS “enmity’; AC &.=%® Et est amicus qui odium et rixam et convicia denudabit % —_Y-v ‘will not continue’ Gy, cp.v.8b,12b ‘thy affliction’ @& ΧΟΧ Amicus si permanserit fixus, erit tibi quasi coaequalis # y-y ‘And

strength; impure desire is aptly compared to a bull, because of the havoc it causes. The repetition of ψυχή is a mistake for ἰσχύς (=5yn). With the whole verse cp. Job xxxi. 9-12.

3. The metaphor is now changed, and the man who does not control his passions is compared to a sapless tree. {τ makes the man himself the subject, in # the lustful passion is the subject. Cp. Job xxxi, 12.

leaves... fruits. Figurative for youth and offspring ; cp. Ps. cxvil. 3, cxxxil. 113 Is. xii. 18.

a dried-up tree. Figurative for a man without posterity, a bitter thought to the Jew; cp. 1 Kings xvi. 3, xxl. 21; see also Ps. cxxviii. 3, 6 for a man’s delight in his children. For the picture of a tree used figuratively fora man see

4. fierce passion. i.e. uncontrolled desire (cp. Is. ἵν]. 11); @&, ‘a wicked soul,’ apparently read NY for AY, and translated 5) literally.

its possessor. 30 lit. ‘its master’; & τὸν κτησάμενον αὐτήν ; cp. Is. xxvi. 13; Prov. xvi. 22 (Sept.).

the scorn. ἐπίχαρμα of & well brings out the idea of malignant delight.

enemy. (x S$ ‘enemies’, probably correct.

5. Gentle speech. Cp. Cant. ii. 14; Prov. xvi. 21.

kindly words. (τ ‘a fair-speaking tongue’, cp. Prov. xi. 16 (Sept.), xv. 1. (ἃ unnecessarily repeats the verb.

those that give greeting. # lit. ‘those that ask peace’; @& ‘... courtesies’.

6. This verse is quoted in the T. B. Jebamoth 636, Sanhedrin 1006.

those that are... Cp. for the phrase Ps. xli. 10; Prov. xvi. 7; Rom. xii. 18.

thy confidant. i.e. thy most intimate friend ; Gt ‘thy counsellor’, is too general, cp. Is. xl. 13; with ® cp. viii. 17.

7. Ifthou makest. The Hebr. word (73P) means ‘to acquire’, and occurs often in Proverbs for acquiring wisdom.

test him. Lit. ‘by testing’ (]1D33), cp. iv. 17.

be not in haste. Cp. xix, 4.

8. according to occasion. i.e. only in so far as it suits his own purpose. Cp. Pivge Adoth v. 22: ‘ All friendship (T7208) which depends on something, when the thing ceases, the friendship ceases; and such as does not depend on anything never ceases.’

9. revealeth... Cf. Prov. xxv. 9, 10, which offers an explanation of this clause.

10. there is a friend... i.e. his friendship only lasts as long as he receives hospitality. The Hebrew word chabéy means primarily, as here and in the O.T. generally, a companion, but later on it came to mean a companion in studying the Law, and thus came to be synonymous with ‘scholar’. The word had, however, besides this the technical meaning of a member of a society or order (e.g. one who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees), whose aim was to observe in all strictness the laws of ‘clean’ and ‘ unclean’; in contrast to the chaéér was one who was not particular in the observance of these, viz. a ‘aw-ha’ares (= ‘one of the land’), i.e. one who knew not the Law, cp. John vii. 49.

11. When thou artin... Cp. xii. 8,9; Prov. xi. 10, xix.6. In Shadbath 32a (T.B.) it is said: ‘At the door of the rich all are friends ; at the door of the poor there are none.’

he will be like thee. i.e. he will agree with you in everything.

12 2° Tf evil overtake thee” he will turn against thee’,

>And will hide himself from thee°®.

13 Separate thyself from thine enemies,

And be on thy guard against thy friends.

14 A faithful friend is a strong defence’,

And ‘he that findeth him® findeth a treasure.

i5 A faithful friend is beyond price,

And his worth cannot be weighed.

16 A faithful friend is a ‘bundle of life’,

He that feareth God ‘ obtaineth him‘.

17 £He that feareth the Lord directeth his friendship aright®,

For as he is, so is his friend.

(a) VI. 18-22. Wisdom is a joy to those who seek her, but harsh to the foolish (= 3 +3 distichs).

& 18 ‘My son, receive* instruction from thy youth up’,

1And even unto hoar hairs! ™shalt thou find wisdom™.

Ἢ ἢ“ 19 Draw nigh unto her as one that plougheth and soweth",

And wait for the abundance of her fruits.

when thou art in adversity he will depart from thee’ 35. 9 z-z ‘Tf thou fall’ 9 a-a Si humiliaverit se contrate% Ρ S$ mserts: ‘He will depart’ ὃ +unanimem habebis amicitiam bonam i, rendered necessary by

the misunderstanding of & in the first clause d Reading bay (iit. <tent’) for 378 (= &) e-e Reading \N¥)

(&) forssm ΓΙ Reading ww for DY EE SH h $+<And as his name so are his works’ 32 (ii. 18d 32) Sie) i inserts the title ; ‘De Doctrina Sapientiae ’ Kk Reading ἐπιδεξαι (= S$ 3) for επιλεξαι

And will lord it... The reading of @& is, as the context shows (see v. 12), right. #) reads 7 NIN TnHy I), which should, on the basis of &, be emended to 173N’ 7'73y3), as the antithesis does not come until the next verse. The meaning is that this false friend seeks in all things to identify his actions with those of him whom he calls his friend.

12. If evil overtake thee... Cp. Job xix. 19 (Hebr.); (ἃ ‘If thou be brought low’, cp. xxii. 26.

And will hide himself... See the contrast to this in xxii. 23 ff.

14. defence. (ἃ σκέπη; cp. Exod. xxvi. 7 (Theod.), xxxv. 11 (Aq. Theod. Symm.) ; Job viii. 22 (Aq.), xxi. 28 (Theod.) ; where 5m is thus rendered. .

atreasure. The word fi, lit. ‘wealth’, belongs especially to the Wisdom literature, cp. Prov. 1. 13, vi. 31, vill. 18,

15. A faithful friend... Lit. ‘For a faithful friend there is no price’; & has for ‘ price’ ἀντάλλαγμα, lit. ‘exchange’, cp. xxvi. 14, and for the Hebr. 111 vii. 18.

And his worth... Lit. ‘And there is no weight for his goodness’, (τ... τῆς καλλονῆς αὐτοῦ, Cp. Xxxiv. 23. Schechter (Studies in Judaism, second series, p. 93) quotes Pirge Aboth i. 6 (T.J.): ‘Let a man buy himself a friend who will eat and drink with him, who will study with him the written and the oral Law, and to whom he will entrust all his secrets...’

16. a‘ bundle of life’, DM WY; the meaning is that a man’s life is as safe in the hands of a faithful friend as his soul is in the bundle, or bag, of life. This latter expression occurs for the first time in 1 Sam. xxv. 29, where Abigail says to David: ‘And though man be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall He sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.’ Mr. S. A. Cook, in the /QA, xiv, pp. 413 ff., refers to this in the words: ‘Although Semitic examples of the belief of the external soul in its crude form appear to be exceedingly rare, the conception that a man’s life can be wrapped up in some external object on the safety of which his immunity depends, is one that readily lends itself to development and refinement. Thus David's soul is bound up with (i.e. in the care and custody of) Jahweh (1 Sam. xxv. 29), and, according to 2 Sam. xxi. 17;-the life of the nation is wrapped up in David, since the extinction of the “lamp of Israel” seems to entail that of the people.’ The phrase is still used in the liturgies of the Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews.

Schechter quotes the well-known Jewish saying from 7aanith i. 23a (T. J.): ‘Friendship or Death’ (of. c7¢., p. 93). He that feareth... i.e. a faithful friend is to be regarded as a gift from the Almighty. 17. He that feareth... The accidental omission of this clause in 38 is due to the fact that the opening words

were the same as those of the preceding clause les Nv). directeth... aright. εὐθυνεῖ, ‘maketh straight,’ cp. Isa. xl. 3; John 1. 23 ; Jas. ill. 4. For as he is... i.e. both are alike to him, his friend is as dear to him as he himself; cp. Matt. xix. 19: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’ VI. 18—VIII. 7. The contents are again miscellaneous ; Wisdom is still the main theme. The division falls into fourteen subsections, 18. hoar hairs. Cp. xxv. 4. shalt thou find. The Hebr.3wn means rather ‘shalt thou attain’, cp. xxv. 3. 19. the abundance of her fruits. ‘her good fruits’; with the clause cp. Jas. v. 7, 8.

1. Feb pp we

For in cultivating her thou [needest to] toil? but for a little, For to-morrow shalt thou eat her fruits.

20 How? harsh is she‘ to the fool’,

And he that is lacking in understanding cannot abide in her.

21 Upon him ‘she is like a burdensome stone’*,

And he is not slow to cast her off.

22 tRor Wisdom” is according to her name’,

And to most men she is not manifest.

(Ὁ) VI. 23-31. They who seek Wisdom shall receive a crown of joy (= 3+3+3 distichs).

23 ἡ Hearken, my son, and receive my judgement,

And refuse not my counsel ;

24 And bring thy feet into her fetters,

And thy neck into her chain”.

25 Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her,

And chafe not *under her bonds*.

26 YDraw nigh unto her with all thy heart”,

And keep her ways with thy whole power’.

27 Inquire and search, seek and find®,

And take hold of her, and let her not go;

© Reading Soyn( 3 &) for Nayn Ρ Lnserting a ( 9 &); ‘exceeding harsh’ G& 4‘ Wisdom "SL" plur. G&S 3 ‘like a mighty stone of trial’ (κα, reading ADD for NW; quasi lapidis virtus probatio# ὅτ ‘ Her name is like her teaching’ $ ἃ Reading, with Smend, m29N7 for ADVAN, and ST for ST w-w >, substituting instead

Xxvii. 5, 6, dul {γι the marg. ἘΠῚ Reading, with Smend, mnybana (= Gk) for mnbdyanna ‘at her counsels’ y-¥ >® zSo 3; & ‘soul’ ἃ ‘thou shalt find’ $ Ὁ 4‘and joy’ ὥ e-e «And thou shalt rejoice in her (a/. thy) end’ $ ‘her net’ (9 plur.) © in protectionem fortitudinis et bases virtutis# ff> ‘ff Reading

in cultivating her. Lit. ‘in her cultivation’. Wisdom is compared to land which, though productive, requires labour to be expended upon it before its fruits can be enjoyed.

but for a little. Cp.xl.6. The reference, as the context shows, is not to the smallness of the labour, but to the short time during which one need labour, so soon does Wisdom reward those who seek her.

to-morrow. Reading ann ; Peters may, however, be right in reading sid ‘quickly’ (= @&), but cp. Exod. viii. 20. harsh. i.e. rough (U& τραχεῖα ; only B, wrongly, ταχεῖα). Wisdom is compared to a path, cp. iv. 17; Prov. 11. 9; and see the next clause, ‘... cannot abide in her.’

᾿ς the fool. byw is generally used of one who is morally bad, as well as deficient in understanding, cp. Prov. 1. 7, in understanding. Lit. ‘heart’; for the heart as the seat of the understanding cp. Prov. vi. 32, vii. 7, x. 13, ὅζε. cannot abide. Cp. xlix. 9 (Hebr.).

21. Wisdom is now compared to a great weight which to the fool is so burdensome that he flings it from him, thus

forfeiting all the benefits which a little perseverance would have obtained. a burdensome stone. Cp. Zech. xii. 3. 22. For Wisdom... Lit. ‘For Wisdom—as her name so is she’, i.e. her name expresses her essence. manifest. Lit. ‘ plain’, as in Prov. viii. 9.

23, judgement. γνώμην, i.e. estimate, or opinion, viz. of Wisdom; used only here in Sirach. With the whole verse

25. Bow down... (& ‘ Put thy shoulder under her’; Wisdom is compared to a yoke; with this metaphor cp. Pirge Aboth iii. 8: ‘Whoso receives upon him the yoke of Torah (Law), they remove from him the yoke of royalty and the yoke of worldly care (8 777); and whoso breaks from him the yoke of Torah, they lay upon him the yoke of royalty and the yoke of worldly care’; Matt. xi. 29, 30: ‘Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me... for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.’

_ chafe not... Lit. ‘loathe not’. Cp. Zrubin 54a (T.B.): ‘If thou bring thy neck under the yoke of Torah she will watch over thee’; for the identification between Wisdom and the Law see Introd. § 9 (iii).

_ under her bonds. # ‘at her counsels’, cp. Prov. i. 5; but the context justifies the reading based on & (see critical note). Cp. the Midrash Dedarim Radbba tox. 1: ‘It is as if a lord said to his servants, “ Here is a golden chain (if thou doest my will), but if not, here are iron fetters”’; the reference is to the obeying of God’s will as revealed in the Law.

26. The omission of this τ΄. in # is probably accidental; there is no reason to doubt its genuineness ; indeed the words of the next v., ‘Inquire and search,’ seem to demand a reference to the walking in her paths, 1. 6. the ways that lead to Wisdom. ἃ ὶ

with all thy heart. ..with thy whole power. Cp. Deut. vi. 5.

27. Inquire and search... (ἃ ‘Search (110. trace out) and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee’, a free

rendering ; cp. Deut. xiii. 15 (Sept.). let her not go. Cp. Prov. iv. 13.

Ἐ25 28 For at length thou wilt find her rest”, ¢And she shall be turned for thee into gladness’.

29 And her fetters* shall become?® a stay of strength for thee®, fAnd her bonds“ for £robes of glory®.

30 An ornament of gold is her yoke, And her fetters a cord of blue’.

31 Thou shalt array thee with her (as with) robes of glory, And crown thee with her (as with) a crown of beauty.

32 My son, if thou desirest it thou shalt be made wise,

And if thou set thy heart (thereon), thou shalt learn prudence. 33 If thou desire to hear, "thou shalt receive",

iAnd ift thou incline* thine ear, thou shalt be wise. 341Stand thou in the assembly™ of the elders,

And whoso is wise, cleave unto him}. ἘΠ 35 Desire to hear every discourse™, And let not a wise proverb” escape thee. 36 “Look for him who? is wise®, and seek him out earnestly,

And let thy foot wear out this threshold". 37 Meditate in the fear of the Most High’,

sAnd think upon His commandments’ continually ;

Then will He instruct ‘thine heart’, And He "will make thee wise" (in that) which thou desirest.

out in Ἰἢ k ® imperative, but probably the mistake arose through the falling out of the preceding letters

8-3 Reading Mn WIND (= 3 (1); she fext cs corrupt ὑπὸ ‘thy ways’ % u-u ‘ will teach thee’ S

28. her rest. i.e. the rest which Wisdom finally gives to those who seek her.

persevere Wisdom reveals herself as she really is. gladness. δ, lit. ‘luxury’, cp. Prov. xix. 10. 29. astay of strength. TP 71)3)2, cp. Ps. Ixxxix.15 JND2 “32 (Smend).

represents the original reading. robes of glory. Cp. 1. 11, where has ‘robes of glory’; & is to be preferred here (see critical note).

30. her yoke. may, which & read mov (‘upon her’); cp. v. 25.

as the Sept. of Num. xv. 38. 31. a crown of beauty. Cp. Prov. iv. 9, xvi. 31; & ‘a crown of rejoicing’, cp. i. 11, xv. 6. 32. if thou set thy heart (thereon). & ‘if-thou yield thy soul’. thou shalt learn prudence. Lit. ‘thou shalt be shrewd’.

34. Stand thou... Cp. viii. 9. in the assembly... Cp. xxxii. (& xxxv.) 3. cleave unto. Cp. xiii. 16 ὁ.

Ps. cxix. 97 it has the sense of the ‘study’ of the Law. In Neo-Hebrew it means an edifying discourse. escape. Lit. ‘go forth’, cp. Gen. xliv. 4; Jer. x. 20 (Hebr.). : 36. Look for him who is wise. ( ‘If thou seest a man of understanding *, a free rendering. seek him out earnestly. Cp. Job vii. 21. @ ‘Get thee betimes unto him’, cp. iv. 12. let thy foot... Cp. Prov. vili. 34 and Pzrge Aboth 1. 44. wear. For the Hebr. word pnw cp. Job xiv. 19.

wy nN occurs, and perhaps that is what should be read here; the verb ‘ meditate’ suggests this. will He instruct. (& ‘establish’, reading }5” for 7.3".

mmvdan (see v. 25). 8-8 ‘robes of gold’ 9; ‘a robe of life’ ®# = bh So &; she verb has fallen out in ® ; ‘thou shalt learn’ $3; + ‘understanding’ 70 248 253 Syro-Hex; +doctrinam & i So Ge 3; the words have fallen

m So $; ‘multitude’ & mm && zzserts ‘godly’; +dei 3» 0G plur.; ‘the sayings of the wise’ 3 0-0 ‘See who is wise ᾿ 3 P Reading ἡ for 7D 4-4 ‘ the steps of his doors’ & ™*God’ 3

she shall be turned... To follow after Wisdom seems hard and grievous at first, cp. v7’. 24, 25, but to those who

bonds. Cp. v.25"; G® οἱ κλάδοι (‘ branches)’ is a corruption; AC read οἱ κλοιοί (‘bonds’), which probably

a cord of blue. nban bsnp, the same as in Num. xv. 38, lit. ‘twisted threads of blue’. (τ has the same rendering

33. If thou desire. N1)N ON, written defectively as in Prov. i. 10; but possibly it is a scribal error for

35. discourse. Cp. viii. 8, xi.8. Mw in the O.T. means a ‘complaint’, also ‘musing’ or a ‘meditation’; in

37. the fear of the Most High. 4& ‘the ordinances of the Lord’. As Smend points out, Ben-Sira has δ ΠΝ) or bby NN, but never elsewhere dy NN, this being the only place where it occurs ; on the other hand, in XXXVili. 34

And He will make thee wise... & renders freely: ‘And thy desire of wisdom shall be given unto thee.’

SUWACGE τίς, πε

(d) VII. 1-2. An Exhortation to keep from Sin (= 2 distichs).

#4 Ὡς 7 1 Do no evil’, and evil will not overtake thee ; 2 Avoid iniquity, and it will turn from thee. 19, 3 »*Sow not in the furrows of unrighteousness°, Lest thou reap it sevenfold.

(ce) VIL. 4-7. An Exhortation to follow after Humility (= 2+3 distichs).

ΔΉ. =. 4 Seek not dominion® from οὐ", Nor‘ a seat of honour from® the king. in’ 5 Justify not thyself in the sight of God», ‘Nor display thy wisdom? before the king. ὯΔ 6 Seek not to be a judge, ‘Lest thou be not able! ™to put down presumption”, 2’ (And) lest thou be in fear in the presence of a mighty” man, And thou put a stumbling-block° in (the way of) thy uprightness. 7 Sin not? against the assembly in the gate4, ‘That it cast thee not down’ ‘among the multitude’.

(f) VII. 8-10. A warning against a false doctrine of Atonement (= 3 distichs).

8 *Do not wickedly continue in sin", For in respect of Yone (sin)” thou art not without guilt.

ἃ +<to thyself” 4 D Ge znserts ‘ My son” (τεκνον) c-e Reading (after & 9) my wwrain yan bx, the text of 18 ts corrupt d* pre-eminence’ (ἃ e ‘from the Lord’ @&; ‘from man’ 3» f So Gr ; ® reads j2) & ‘like’ HS h Reading bs (8) for bo ‘the Lord’; +quoniam agnitor cordis ipse est & i noli velle videri sapiens 3" K Reading DEW (&) for byean; > wo 1-1 So (ἃ ; ‘If thou art not able’ HSL mm ‘to take away iniquities’’ & (= $ 3) n‘rich’ $ ° Lit. <a bribe’; ‘a blemish’ «Ὁ p-p Lt. ‘ Make not thyself evil’ 4 Reading yw for Sy spy (‘the gates of God ἢ r-r « And cast not thyself down’ & 5:8 ‘in its judgements’ 3 tt $ Zt. ‘repeat not to sin sins’ u Reading ANN (Peters) for on vev. {the former (sins)’ 3 W ‘my gifts’ 70 253 Syro-Hex &% σοὶ Βα not grieved’ $ Y + ‘and tarry not to fulfil the commandment’ 9 2>S3GL ἃ Ψ has the title‘ De mendacio vitando ad amicum’ b “noli amare’ ( for

VII. 1. Smend gives references to the Midrashic literature in which this verse is quoted several times, viz. Wajjigra Rabba xxi. 190¢, Bemidbar Rabba xviii. 272d, Qoholeth Rabba v. 976.

2. Avoid. Lit. ‘be far from’.

3. Sow not... For the metaphor cp. Job iv. 8; Prov. xxii.8; Gal. vi. 8. sevenfold. Cp. xxxv. 11 (& xxxii. 13). 4. Seek not... The reason for the prohibition is not because these things are in themselves wrong, but because

power becomes, for most men, a temptation to wrongdoing. dominion. For the Greek ἡγεμονία cp. x. 1a, 5. Justify not thyself... Cp. Job ix. 20; Ps. xiii. 2; Eccles. vii. 16 ; Matt. xix. 20; Luke xviii. 11. Nor display thy wisdom. Lit. ‘be not wise’; €& μὴ σοφίζου, ‘ play not the wise man’, cp. & (see critical note). The form j2)2NN does not occur elsewhere in this sense ; Smend suggests D3nnn. 6. Lest thou be not able. See critical note ; lit. ‘lest thou have not might’. to put down. Lit. ‘to make to cease’; ὑπ ‘to take away’.

_ lest thou be in fear... (& ‘Lest haply thou fear the person of a mighty man,’ lit. ‘lest thou act cautiously’ (μή ποτε εὐλαβηθῇς), used in a bad sense here, viz. not doing his duty for fear of offending the ‘ mighty man’; cp. Lev.

uprightness. Cp. xlix. 3.

7. Sin not against... This would be done either by acting unjustly in deference to the ‘ mighty man’, or else by

taking a bribe; cp. 2 Sam. xix. 8; Amos v. 15.

in the gate. Ww is rendered πόλις in the Sept. of Gen. xix. 1; Deut. xii. 12; Is. xlv. 1 and elsewhere; see also xxxi. (Uk xxxiv.) 24. That it cast thee not down... i.e. that the multitude cast thee not down. The words are probably to be taken In a figurative sense, cp. Prov. v. 14.

; 8. Do not wickedly ἐὰν Lit. ‘ Conspire not to repeat sin’; (τ ‘Bind not up sin twice’ (μὴ καταδεσμεύσῃς dis ἁμαρτίαν), cp. συνδεῖν in 1 Sam. xvili. 1, and συνδεσμός in 2 Kings xi. 14 (Hart). For in respect of... i.e. each individual sin deserves, and receives, punishment.

g Say not, ‘He will look upon the multitude of my gifts,

And when I offer (them) to the Most High God He will accept (them).’

το *Be not impatient* in thy prayer,

And in righteousness be not behindhand’.

(g) VII. 11-17. Various precepts for conduct of life (= 3 - 2 - 2 distichs).

11 Despise no man (who is) in bitterness of spirit,

Remember that? there is one who exalteth and humbleth.

12 *Devise not” evil® against a brother,

4Nor do the like? against a friend “ΟΥ̓ a neighbour withal®.

13 Take no delight in lies of any! sort,

For the outcome thereof will not be pleasant.

14 Prate not® in the assembly of elders*,

And repeat: not (thy) words in (thy) prayer.

Παρ *Hate not! laborious work,

™Nor husbandry, for it was ordained of God™*.

16"®Number not thyself °among sinful men°",

Remember that wrath? will not tarry.

£ $ ‘Hide not thy soul’, reading perhaps -ndn for on (Smend) 4 So (τ; WBlt.‘princes’(S8) i ‘alter’ S$ kk >S 1 Reading yypn for ysn (Smend) m-m The text is in part corrupt nn ‘Love not thyself more than the men of thy people’ $ 0-0 Reading }\y ΩΣ for oy ΠῺΣ ν Reading ἸῺΝ ( & 8) for pray

9. This verse has fallen out in 4]; in its place v.15 stands here. places v.10 before v. 9. Say not, ‘He will look upon’... Cp. xxxiv. 19; Prov. xxi. 27; on the false conception of atonement and satisfaction here combated cp. Is. i. 11-15. to. Be not impatient... As Smend points out, W¥PNN is an abbreviated form of ΠῚ ANP; for this phrase see Job xxi. 4; Prov. xiv. 29. (ἃ μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς, cp. iv. 9, Jas. i. 6, and the Midrash Dedbarim Rabba iil. 24: ‘ Pray and pray, again and again ; a time will come when thou wilt be answered’; see also Matt. xxi. 21, 22; Mark xi. 24. And in righteousness... i.e. almsgiving, cp. xxix. 8; (ἃ ‘ Neglect not to give alms’, cp. iil. 30. For almsgiving as the highest form of righteousness, as it is according to Rabbinical teaching, cp. Matt. vi. 1 ff. 11. Despise no man. (ἃ ‘ Laugh not a man to scorn’, free rendering. in bitterness of spirit. The more usual expression in the O.T. is ‘in bitterness of soul’ (= &), cp. Job iii. 20, vii. 11; Prov. xxxi. 6. The reference is to one suffering destitution who would be an object of scorn because his evil plight would be regarded as a visible sign of divine wrath for sin committed, cp. Is. lili. 34. ἢ there is one who... Cp. for this thought 1 Sam. ii. 7; Luke i. 52, 53. a : 12. Devise not. Lit. ‘ plough not’, so &; cp. Prov.iii.29. WM means both ‘ to plough’ and ‘to devise’, cp. Prov. iii. 39, and for the metaphorical sense, as here, cp. Hos. x. 13 (Hebr.). a friend or a neighbour. J (‘friend’) is more intimate than 13N (‘companion’); on the latter see also note on vi. Io. 13. Take no delight... Lit. ‘Delight not to lie any lie’. the outcome. 7M means usually ‘hope’ or ‘expectation’, but it occurs in the sense of ‘result’ or ‘ outcome’ several times in this book, cp. v7.17, xx. 2-6; Jobxi.20. (& misunderstands the clause in rendering: ‘ For the custom (lit. ‘continuance ’) thereof is not for good.’ 14. Prate not. (& μὴ ἀδολέσχει (lit. ‘babble not ’), seems to bring out the meaning, cp. xxxil. (τ xxxv.) 9; Eccles. v. 2. The Hebr. word means simply ‘ to converse’, cp. xlii. 12. repeat not... Cp. Eccles. v. 1, and Matt. vi. 7, ‘And in praying use not vain repetitions.’ . 15. Hate not... Lit. ‘ Hate not a warfare of work’, cp. Job vii. 1 (R. V. marg.); the verse shows that already in the time of Ben-Sira manual labour, the honourableness of which is often emphasized in Rabbinical writings, was held in high esteem; cp. Matt. xiii. 55, Mark vi. 3, and Pirge Adoth ii. 2: ‘Excellent is Torah study together with worldly business . . . all Torah without work (i.e. manual labour) must fail at length, and occasion iniquity’; this is a saying of Rabbi Gamaliel, a grandson of the great Gamaliel; he lived at the end of the first century A.D. Cp. also Qiddushin 99a (T.B.): ‘Whosoever doth not teach his son work, teacheth him to rob.’ husbandry. ΓΖ} in this sense occurs in Exod. i. 14; 1 Chron. xxvii. 26; the verb is used in Deut. xxi. 4; Ezek. ordained. Lit. ‘apportioned ’, cp. xv. 9 ὁ (Hebr.). 16,17. The order of these verses varies in the Greek MSS.

16. Number not thyself. 72wnn by, the pronominal suffix used reflexively is not found in the canonical books of the O. T. (Smend), cp. v. 7, where another example occurs in JY'YN by (‘make not thyself evil’; in Pivge Aboth

ii. 17 this is expressed JOSY 553 pwn wn by). An analogous usage is found in Arabic, according to Smend. among sinful men. ¢& ‘among the multitude of sinners’, cp. xvi. 6, xxi. 9. - wrath. The Hebr. word fy does not occur elsewhere ; possibly it is a corruption of 173y, cp. Prov. xxii. ὃ ὁ.

In 10 there is a word-play in this clause : 13YN xd yay 5].

ΔΈ" 17 Humble (thy) pride" greatly, For the expectation" of man is decay*. tHasten not to say, ‘ Violence’ ; Commit (thyself) unto God, and delight (in) His way*.|

(hk) VII. 18-21. A man’s duties to a friend, a wife, and a servant (= 2 +2 distichs).

#* τ Change not a friend for money, Nor a natural" brother for gold of Ophir. 19 Reject not’ a wise™ wife ; And a well-favoured (wife) is above pearls. AW 20 *Maltreat not Ya servant that serveth truly’, Nor a hireling* who giveth his life (for thee). 21 A wise slave love* as thyself, And withhold not from him (his) freedom.

(1) VII. 22-25. A man’s duties to his cattle and to his children (= 2+2 distichs).

%#®* 22 Hast thou cattle”, look (to them)° thyself", And if they are® profitable, keep them‘. 38. ® 23 €Hast thou sons, correct them, » And give them wives? in their youth?.

the text ts corrupt u Reading thn for nbn Vv ‘Forgo not’ (μη αστοχει) (ἃ ; ‘Exchange not’ 9 (cp. τ. 26) ; ‘Depart not from’ & w>$; +‘and good’ &; & adds quam sortitus es in timore dei (cp. xxvi. 3) x# has the title ‘De bono servo’ y-y ‘a trusty servant’ #° z Reading Ww for “ΣΦ (‘the hirer } aZ has 3In (cp. Deut. xxxiii. 3, @ mew Neo-Hebr. word); πὰ Wo b Zit. ‘a beast’ © Or ‘to it’ d Lz. ‘with thine eyes’ (9 Or ‘it is’ 8 (Ofe Site? 5.3 has the title ‘De filiis’ h-h« And bow down

τ ἩϊταθῖΘ. -- Gp igloo decay. (i ‘fire and the worm’, cp. Job xxv. 6, Mark ix. 48. A development of thought regarding the Hereafter had taken place in the intervening period between the time when Ben-Sira wrote his book and the grandson translated it, hence the addition in & ; cp. with the latter 1 Enoch xlvi. 3 (The Book of Parables, ¢. 94-64 B.C.): ‘... Darkness will be their dwelling, and worms their bed...’; and 1 Enoch xcviii. 3 (¢c. 134-95 B.C.): ‘... and in shame and in slaughter and in great destitution will their spirits be cast into the furnace of fire.’ In Pirge Aboth iv. 7 this verse is quoted thus: ‘ Rabbi Levitas of jabneh said, Be exceedingly lowly of spirit, for the hope of man is the worm.’ Hasten not... These two additional clauses are certainly not original. Commit (thyself) unto... Cp. Ps. xxii. 9, xxxvii. 5 (Hebr.) ; Prov. xvi. 3. 18. for money. & advapdpov (‘a thing indifferent ’),a mistake for διαφύρου (‘ profit’). a natural brother. The reading mn NN is that suggested by Néldeke (ZA ΖΗ, xx. 85). The word occurs in the Targ. of Pseudo-Jonathan and in the ‘ Fragment’ Targ. to Gen. xlix. 5 in the sense of ‘twin’, and seems preferable

to the ties as it stands "on MN; but Schechter thinks that the latter is correct, and compares it with the Rabbinical term 2) OWN, ‘which means the trespass-offering of one who is in dowé¢ whether he has committed an act that has to

be atoned for by a sin-offering ; bn AN would then mean a doubtful, questionable friend, an indifferent friend.’ The meaning of the verse would then be that a friend is so valuable a possession that even the semblance of one should not be exchanged for gold. gold of Ophir. Cp. 1 Kings ix. 28 ; Job xxii. 24, xxviii, 16. 19. a well-favoured (wife). For the expression [7 210 (‘well-fayoured’), cp. Nahumiii. 4 (Smend) ; & ‘her grace’. pearls. The exact signification of D'25 is uncertain, whether ‘pearls’, ‘corals’, or ‘rubies’, cp. Job xxviii. 18 ; Prov. xxxi. 10, and R. V. marg. ᾿ 20. who giveth... i.e. who devotes his whole life to thy service, cp. ix. 246; 11. 203 Deut. xxiv. 14. 21. And withhold not... In reference to the law according to which servants were to be granted their freedom after six years of service, cp. Exod. xxi. 2 ; Deut. xv. 12-15; Lev. xxv. 39-43; Jer. xxxiv. 8-18. 22. cattle. Lit. ‘a beast’; Smend suggests that a riding-horse is meant, cp. Neh. ii. 12, 1 i eet a b ἘΠ: 4, which seems probable. Cp. Prov. xxvii. 23 ff., of flocks and herds generally. fi ea profitable. Lit. ‘ reliable’. keep. Lit. ‘let it stand firm’, i.e. do not part with them. ane give them wives ... Schechter (Studies, 2nd series, p. 96) refers to Qiddushin 30 ὁ, where it says that the chief duties of a father towards his son consist in ‘instructing him in the Torah, bringing him into wedlock, and

SURACEH! “2437

1:24 Hast thou daughters*, keep! their bodies,

And show them not a pleasant countenance.

) 25 Marry thy daughter, and sorrow will depart [from thy house],

But bestow her upon a man of understanding”.

(7) VII. 26-28. A man’s duty to his wife and to his parents (= 14+ 2 distichs).

26 Hast thou a wife, “abhor her ποῖ,

But trust not thyself to one that hateth (thee).

| 27 Honour thy father with thy whole heart,

And forget not thy mother who bare thee in pangs‘.

| 28 44Remember that "of them thou wast born’,

And how canst thou recompense them for what they have done for thee”?

(k) VII. 29-31. A man’s duties to God and to His ministers (= 2+ distichs).

29 *Fear Godt with all thy heart,

And reverence His priests.

| 3° With all thy strength’ love’ Him that made thee,

And forsake not His ministers.

91 *Glorify God* and honour the priest,

And give (them) their portion as it is commanded (thee) ; ~The food” of the trespass-offering, and the heave-offering of the hand**, The sacrifices of righteousness, and the offerings 7of holy things.

their neck from their youth’ & ( 3) i >39° by mistake k sons’ 39° 1< give heed to’ & ἴῃ. + καὶ μισουμενὼ (Nea μισουση σε) μὴ εμπιστευσὴης σεαυτὸν Gr, cp. v. 26b n + ‘after thy mind’ (ἃ 0-0 ‘cast her not out’ (ἃ; ‘forsake her not’ S$ pmpP>R aa >S wh has she title ‘De parentibus’ rr “if they had not been thou hadst not been’ $(%) 58ξῈ has the title ‘De timore dei et honore sacerdotum’ __t ‘the Lord’ & " soul’ (τ Vv ‘heart’ “ὁ w ‘honour’ $ x-x Fear the Lord’ (ἃ xx-xx renders this clause tn vartous ways Υ (π' am apxns (B®> NA azapxny) 2-t > Ge

teaching him a handicraft’. The point of the admonition is that fathers should, by marrying their sons while young, save them from temptation. ᾿ With the rendering of & (see critical note) cp. the interpolated passage xxx. 12 a. 24. And show them not... Lit. ‘And cause not thy face to shine unto them’; see XXvi. 10-12, xlil. 10, ΤΙΣ 25. Marry thy daughter... Lit. ‘Let thy daughter go out, and sorrow will go out’. Marriages were arranged by the fathers ; daughters had no say in the choice of their husbands.

But bestow her upon... The Hebr. word 73? in this sense occurs elsewhere in the Bible only in Gen. xxx. 20. In the Midrash Pesig¢a 49a, it is said that a man should give up all he has (i.e. for the purpose of offering an adequate marriage-settlement) in order to marry his daughter to a learned man; and it goes on to say that if the daughter of a learned man marries one of the ‘am-/a’ares (‘the people of the land’, who were unlearned), the marriage would be a failure.

26. abhor her not. The reference is to Lev. xxi. 7, 14.

But trust not... See critical note on the preceding verse. ; 27. The omission of this verse and the next in #9 is probably due to the fact that vv. 27 and 29 both began with

the same words 55 38 (‘ with all thy heart’). ; pha. Honour. Lit. ‘give glory to’; cp. Exod. xx. 12, Deut. v. 16, where the Sept. uses τιμάω, instead of δοξάζω, as here.

28. how canst thou recompense. Cp. the saying of Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi (middle of second century A.D.) : ‘ Be careful of the honour due to your mother; let the lamp be lit in its place, the table be set in its place, the couch be spread in its place’ (T. B. Kethuboth 103 a, quoted in 72), ix. 99 2).

for what they have done for thee. (ἃ καθὼς αὐτοὶ σοί.

29. reverence. Lit. ‘regard as holy’; Gk θαύμαζε, cp. xxxvill. 3. res A M

The food of the... Cp. Num. xv. 20 ἢ, Lev. v.6; & ‘the first-fruits and the trespass-offering ᾿. the heave-offering of the hand. Cp. Exod. xxix. 27; Lev. vii. 32; Deut. xviii. 3; G& lit. ‘the gift of the shoulders’. sacrifices of righteousness. Cp. Deut. xxxiii.19; the M3!) (‘meal-offering’) is most likely meant, it is called “a thing most holy’ in Lev. ii. 3, 10. τ SUN the offerings of holy things. Cp. Num. xviii. 5-11; τ ‘the first-fruits of holy things’.

SIRACH τ Ὁ

(2) VIL. 32-36. A man’s duties to the poor, to his departed friends, to mourners, and to the sick

w* _42 “Also to the poor stretch out thy hand’,

That the blessing may be perfected. age

33 A gift is acceptable” in the sight of every man living, © And also from the dead withhold not kindness‘. 4

34 Withdraw not thyself from them that weep*, ῃ And mourn with them that mourn.

35 Forget not ‘to visit the sick’, For thou wilt be loved for that.

36 In all thy doings* remember thy last end, Then wilt thou never do corruptly.

(m) VIII. 1-3. A caution against quarrelling with the powerful, the rich, and the boastful

8 1 *Contend not with a mighty man, ᾿.

Lest thou fall into his hands?. g

2 Strive not against ‘the man that is rich‘, Ἷ Lest he weigh thy price?, °and thou be destroyed®.

For gold‘ hath made many reckless,

And wealth hath led astray the hearts of princes.

3 Quarrel not with a loud-mouthed man, And put not wood on fire.

_a-a The text is somewhat mutilated Ὁ Reading jn (iit. ‘a grace’) for jn; ‘Grace isa gift...’ $ cH, has the title ‘De defunctis’ d 71. ‘mercy’ ® + in conrogatione (2 reference to the funeral feast) &

ff Reading axy2 7pr for ἈΠΙΝ 25 (‘thy heart from a friend ἢ δ ‘words’ (ἃ a has the title De non litigando’ b + the double¢: ‘That thou needest not to turn against his heart,

contend not with a man that is mightier than thou’ ® c-e ‘the possessor of gold’ 9 4 Reading sbpun ᾿ (Smend) for Ἴ2 ee >SGHL f+4‘and silver’ 3» ®- an untutored man’ (ἃ h-h Reading

32. Also to the poor... The reference is to sharing with the poor, &c., the tithe of every third year, cp. Deut. 35: And also from the dead... The reference is to offerings for (or to?) the dead; cp. Deut. xxvi.14; Hos. ix. 4;

Jer.xvi.7; Tob.iv.17. (τ seeks to tone down the point of # by rendering: ‘And for a dead man keep not back grace’; cp. xxx. 18 (Greek).

35. to visit the sick. This has always been regarded as a paramount duty among the Jews; the technical name for the visitation of the sick used in Rabbinical literature is Biggur Cholim. Schechter (of. czt., p. 99 f.) says: ‘It is clear from certain injunctions in the Talmud in connexion with this duty, that it included, in case of need, also nursing, and sweeping the room (Peas iii. 9, Talm. J.). His friends also prayed for the patient, and it was part of their duty to remind him to make a will and to confess his sins, “for all those who were about to die had to confess their sins.” They had also the belief that a confession, which concluded with a prayer for the forgiveness of sins, might bring about his recovery’; cp. Jas. v. 13-16. In the modern Jewish Liturgy there is a special Office for the visitation of the sick; see the Jewish Authorized Daily Prayer Book (ed. Singer), pp. 314-317.

36. remember thy last end, Then... Cp. Pirge Adoth iii.1: ‘Consider three things, and thou wilt not come into the hands of transgression: know whence thou art come, and whither thou art going, and before whom thou wilt have to plead thy cause, and make thy reckoning.’

do corruptly. For the verb NNW cp. xxx. ii; Dan. ii. 9.

VIII. 1. Lest. Onthe Hebr. nnd here, see Smend 27 Joc.

2. Strive not. Lit. ‘ devise not’, cp. Prov. xiv. 22. a

Lest he weigh thy price. i.e. lest he offer a larger bribe than thou art able to pay. (ἃ ‘Lest haply he overweigh thee’.

reckless. Lit. ‘boastful’, i.e. the possession of much wealth has made men reckless in giving bribes. Ὁ (τ renders, ‘And gold hath destroyed many.’

And wealth... (ἃ ‘ And turned aside the hearts of kings’. 3. aloud-mouthed man. Lit. ‘a man of tongue’, cp. ix. 18, xxv. 20; Jas. iii. 8. And put not... Cp. xxviii. 8-12; Prov. xv. 1, xxvi. 20, 21; Jas. ill. 5,6; in the Psalms of Solomon xii. 2 the

tongue of a malicious man is compared to ‘fire in a threshing-floor that burns up the straw’. @ has ‘and heap not’ (μὴ ἐπιστοιβάσῃς) ; for the word cp. Lev. i. 12 (Sept.).

(x) VIII. 4-7. A warning against associating with a foolish man; the need of having respect for the penitent, the aged, and the departed (= 1 +3 distichs).

‘ 4 Associate not with a #foolish man, Lest he despise *(thy) sound (words). 5 Reproach not a man who repenteth, Remember that we are all guilty’. 6 Dishonour not* a man that is old, For !we shall be numbered among the aged!. 4 Rejoice not over one that is dead, Remember that we shall all be gathered™ (to our fathers).

(a) VIII. 8-9. Ax exhortation to learn from the wise and the aged (= 2+ 2 distichs).

8 Neglect not the discourse of the wise, And busy thyself with proverbs ; For therefrom™ wilt thou learn instruction®, That thou mayst stand? in the presence of princes%. 9 Reject not the tradition’ of the aged, Which they heard® from their fathers ; For therefrom wilt thou receive' instruction", That thou mayst (be able to) return answer in time of need.

Ὁ Π3) for D293 (‘princes’) i ‘sinners’ S$; ‘worthy of punishment’ & k «Laugh not at’ $ Cl Reading Dp 02; Smend emends the text DdpPNd i212 (‘from among ourselves some will grow old Ἢ; ‘remember that... 3 m‘die’@% 2‘Fromthem’@ ‘wisdom’ Ρ +‘at ease’ G&Y;+‘ readily’ 248 Syro- Hex ; +sine querella % 4 ‘creat men’ Gk t Reading nyyow1; ‘the discourse’ & 8 ‘learned’ Ge ὁ ‘learn’ (ἃ ἃ ‘understanding’ &

4. (thy) sound (words). The emendation of the text (see critical note) is that suggested by Matthes and Dyserink (ZA ΤῊΝ, iii. 163); cp. xi. 21; Prov. iv. 25, xxiv. 26. The rendering of & πρόγονοι is probably based on the corrupt Hebr. text.

5. a man who repenteth. Lit. ‘a man who turns from transgression’. Cp. Baba mezia iv. τὸ (T. J.): ‘When aman repenteth say not to him, “ Remember thy former sins.”’

6. Dishonour not... Cp. Pirge Aboth iv. 28: ‘He who learneth from the aged, to whom is he like? ΤῸ one who eateth ripened grapes, and drinketh old wine.’

7. Rejoice not... Lit. ‘boast not’, i.e. because thou art still living, while another is dead.

we shall all be gathered... Cp. Gen. xxv. 8; Judges 11, 10; 2 Kings xxii. 20; Job xxvii. 19.

VIII. 8—X. 29. This division contains thirteen subsections ; the contents are miscellaneous, consisting mainly of rules about conduct towards many classes of persons.

8. the discourse. For ΠΙ cp. vi. 35. busy thyself. This form of the Hebr. word does not occur elsewhere, and its meaning here is uncertain ; Hart suggests w7, following $, which in Hebr. means ‘to seek out’, and has become the technical term for studying the Scriptures, ἄς. ; cp. Beth ha-Midrash, ‘the house of study,’ in li. 23.

That thou mayst stand... Cp. xxxviii. 3, xlvii. 1; (τ ‘minister’, cp. Prov. xxii. 29.

9. Reject not. onnn 5x, cp. vii. 19; τ μὴ ἀστόχει (‘miss not’), as in vii. 19.

Which they heard from... The reference is to the Oral Tradition, technically known as 5 oyay main (lit. ‘ The Law which is according to the mouth’) in Rabbinical literature, cp. Ps. xliv. i. The following passage, from the preface to the Vad ha-chazagah (‘the Strong Hand’) of Maimonides, shows the traditional belief of the Jews regarding this subject: ‘All the commandments which were given to Moses on Sinai were given with their interpretation ; for it is said, And I will give thee the tables of stone, and the Torah (“‘ Law’), and the Mitzvah (‘‘ Commandment”), Exod.. xxiv. 12; Zora: that is, the Written Law; 772 σναλ : that is, its interpretation. He commanded us to observe the Zorah in accordance with (AD by, lit. ‘‘according to the mouth of”) the A7/z¢zvah. And this Mitzvah is called the Oral Law. Moses, our teacher, wrote down the whole Law with his own hand before he died ...; the Mitzvah, that is, the interpretation of the Law, he did not write down; but he commanded it (73 AS) to the elders and to Joshua and to the rest of Israel ; for it is written, “ All the words which I have commanded you, these shall ye observe and do” (Deut. xii. 28). And therefore this is called “ Oral Tradition’? (ΠῚ Π np byawy),? Cp. Pirge Aboth i. 1: ‘Moses received the Torah from Sinai, and he delivered it to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders (Joshua xxiv. 31; Judges ii. 7), and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets delivered it to the men of the Great Synagogue.’

(ὁ) VIII. 10-11. The danger of consorting with sinners (= 2 distichs).

#* 10¥Kindle not’ the coals* of the wicked’, Lest thou be burned with the flame of his fire. ᾿ 11 ¥Be not enraged because of the scorner, | That he should use* thy mouth* as an ambush,

12 Lend not to a man that is mightier than thou, And if thou lend, (thou art) as one that loseth. 7 13 Be not surety for one who is more excellent® than thou”, And if thou become surety (thou art)‘ as one that payeth.

(4) VIII. 14-19. Warnings against having dealings with various types of evil men

14 Go not to law with a judge, For he will judge according to his good pleasure. 15 Go not *in the way® with a cruel‘ man, Lest thou be overwhelmed with misfortune: For he will go straight before his face, And through his foolishness thou wilt perish. 16 Do not obstinately gainsay a wrathful‘ man, And ride not* with him through the desert’. For blood is as nothing in his eyes, And where there is no helper, he will destroy thee.

yv-v ‘Be not a companion of him who is wholly bad’ $ W Reading nsn 5x ( &) for ndyn_ 5x (‘rush not’) x Reading nbn for noma «YL has the title ‘De vitandis malis’ Ζ Zzt.‘set’ ἃ Reading ppd ( &) for spd b-b ‘above thy power’ @& ‘stronger’ $ 4 ‘take thought’ G@; ‘thou art become’ $ ee SoS; >® f ‘rash’? ὅτ; ‘hard’ 9 (dt. ‘ heavy’) 8 ποιήσει Gt, a mistake for mopevera b-h μη ποιησης paxny Ck, reading nyo wyn ON for myprynds i¢an unrighteous’ $ k “strive not’ $ 1 Reading 129103 (= (ἃ 8) for 7773

το. Kindle not. See critical note; cp. 15. ix. 17 (18 in E.V.). the flame... Cp.xlv.19. With the clause cp. the Mishna, Ado¢h ii. 10: ‘Warm thyself at the fire of the wise ; but beware of their coal qndnaa “yn ΠῚ ΠῚ), that thou burn not thyself (7)3n νου). - 11. Be not enraged. Mt in Aramaic and Syriac means ‘to set in movement’, ‘to become excited’ (Smend) — and this seems to be the meaning here (cp. Gt μὴ eéavaortys). In Hebr. the cognate word MM means ‘to move

away’; it only occurs twice in the O.T. (Exod. xxviii. 28, xxix. 21), each time in the Niph‘al voice; but in later Hebrew it is common, occurring frequently in the Targums. scorner. Cp. Ps.i. 1; (ἃ ‘an injurious man’, or ‘one who is insolent’, cp. 1 Tim. i. 13. That he should... (ἃ ‘Lest he lie in wait as an ambush for thy mouth’. The meaning of the verse is that a man should not lose his temper before a scorner (i.e. one who scoffs at religion), because by doing so he gives his case away ; the scorner gains the advantage through the intemperate speech of the other. 12. Lend not... Cp. Prov. xxii. 7. more excellent. i.e. of higher social standing, cp. Esther vi. 6 ; see also Gen. xlix. 3 (Hebr.). 14. This verse occurs in a somewhat different form after iv. 27: ‘ Sit not with an unjust judge in order that thou judge not with him according to his good pleasure’ (= $ here).

For he will judge... (ἃ ‘For according to his honour will they give judgement for him’. 15. acruelman. Cp. Job xli. 2 (Hebr.).

Lest thou be overwhelmed... Lit. ‘Lest thou bear thyself down with thy evil’. (ἃ ἵνα μὴ καταβαρύνηται κατὰ

σοῦ (‘ Lest he be aggrieved against thee’), which Smend, on the basis of 38, emends thus: ἵνα μὴ βαρύνῃ τὰ κακά σου (‘Lest thy evils bear thee down’).

For he will go... 1.6. he will follow his bent blindly, irrespective of consequences. thou wilt perish. Lit. ‘thou wilt be swept away’.

Ἔ 16. Do not obstinately gainsay. Lit. ‘ Harden not thy forehead’, cp. Prov. vii. 13, xvi. 29, xxii. 24; Is. xlviii. 4;

a wrathful man. Lit. ‘a master of wrath’ (FN bya), nothing. Lit. ‘a lightly-esteemed thing’ (bp), cp. Deut. xxv. 3; Prov. xi. 9; Is. 111. 5, xvi. 14.

17 Take no counsel with a fool,

For he will not be able ™to keep thy secret”, 18™Do no secret thing before a stranger”,

For thou knowest not what he will ultimately°® do (therewith). 19 Reveal not ?thy heart” to every man,

And “drive not away® from thee prosperity.

(e) IX. 1-9. Of conduct towards women (= 2+2+2+4+3+42 distichs).

J τ *Be not jealous of the wife of thy bosom”, °Lest she learn® 4malice4 against thee. 2 °Give ποῖ" thyself unto a woman, *So as to let her trample down thy manhood’. 3 Meet not’ "8 strange woman?, Lest thou fall into her nets‘. 4 jWith a female singer) ‘have no converse‘, Lest thou be taken in her snares. 5 On a maiden fix not thy gaze, 1Lest thou be entrapped in penalties with her’.

m-M ‘to conceal the matter’ (ἃ mu »» Ὁ ο» (ἃ P-P ‘what is in thy heart’ $ α-α Reading msn by, for which Smend suggests ny dx (‘that he drive not away ’)

ai gnserts the title ‘De mulieribus’ b-b SoG: >S c-e So 35 ΡΠ {D: (ἃ μηδὲ διδαξης : WH ne ostendat (ΞΞ μη δειξῃ) Ad So 39 AYA; (ἵ παιδείαν πονηραν (so 85) =? ΠΡ ΠΡ (Ὁ conflation ; but Peters reads 50) e-e So

G&S: ® wopn dx (dittography) ; read jnn by £-£.So % pnw dy naand (‘To cause her to tread upon thy high places δ cp. Hab. iii. 19); ἐπιβηναι αὑτὴν emt τὴν ἰσχυν σου Gr; “ΤῸ give her power over all that thou hast’ $ ὅτε by ΡΠ by ΕΞ) h-b at nw 8; [μη ὑπαντα] γυναικι εταιριζομενῃ (τ 110 - ἼΣΟΠ ip JynoNn by my py :mmypda (read mmipbn for the last word or mmdpna) z.e. ‘Consort not with a courtesan lest thou be caught in her flatteries or in her snares’ (Abpr in NH ‘snare ’, ‘stumbling-block’: 2.7. >ivon). The line ts a doublet and variant on 4a 1} ἸῺ nym oy (pont N32) καὶ Read non dx (from variant in preceding line) $ and (Ὁ) G& (un ενδελεχιζε): so Smend: ® text Won ὃν ‘do not sleep’ 1-1 So ® (variant) 1. 6. reading mmbpna sadn 1D (see note +i above): “Lest haply thou be caught by her attempts’ & ® (vardanf): 10 text DNA WW 15 ‘Lest they (m.) burn thee with their mouths’ (sz /) 7s hardly possible. 9. «Lest she destroy thee with her utterances’ (Smend keeps the reading mmpba of ® variant ? ‘with her punishments’: cp. xmpd ‘punishment’, ‘ disorder’, ‘defect’) 11 ® G (Ht. ‘in her fines’: ΟΝ) = ‘fine ’, ‘indemnity’): ‘Lest thou be

mulcted in her dowry doubly’ S, zz/ertreting after Deut. xxii. 29

17. Take no counsel. Cp. ix. 14 (Hebr.). 18. secret thing ...stranger. 14 ,.. Ἵν, evidently intended for a word-play; 1 (‘secret thing’) does not occur elsewhere in the Bible, but it is used in the Targums. what he will...do. Lit. ‘ what he will bring forth’, i.e. what mischief he will do with the secret that has been

confided to him. For the more general use of ab cp. Prov. xxvii. 1.

19. every man. Lit. ‘ all flesh’.

drive not away. i.e. If a man publishes his private concerns to all the world he will suffer for it.

1X. 1. Be not jealous... The Rabbis, as Edersheim points out, often warn against groundless jealousy. Ben-Sira here gives a good reason for avoiding it—it may promote the realization of the thing feared. For the subject cp. Num. v. 14. For the expression ‘ wife of thy bosom’ cp. Deut. xiii. 6.

2. Give not thyself unto a woman. On the other hand, a man ought not to go to the other extreme, and be over-trustful.

So as to let her trample down thy manhood. Lit. ‘to cause her to tread upon thy high places’; cp. for the expression Hab. iii. 19. (ἃ ‘that she should set her foot upon thy strength’. The term ‘high places’ in such connexions appears to have lost its original significance, and to have acquired the meaning ‘strength’ or the like: 50 S renders the word in xlvi. 9; and the LXX (ισχυς) and Ongelos render similarly in Deut. xxxii. 13. The man who is ruled over by his wife is held up to pity and scorn as no man in several passages in the Talmud (see Edersheim on the verse).

3. Meet not a strange woman. # has ‘draw not nigh’. ‘Strange woman’, as in Proverbs (cp. ii. 16, vii. 5) = courtesan. For the doublet in 38 at the end of this verse see critical note. 5. fixnot thy gaze. Cp. Matt. v. 28. F

Lest thou be entrapped in penalties with her. Or ‘lest thou be caught in her punishments’. The verb might also be rendered ‘lest thou come to fall’ (in the penalties inflicted on her account). Perhaps ‘penalties on her account’ would be a better rendering. Such cases involved a fine of 50 shekels, and an indissoluble marriage according to Deut. xxii. 28-29.

w* 6 Give not thyself unto the harlot, mT est thou lose™ “thine inheritance”. σι ($3) 7°?Look not round about thee? 4in the streets of a city", τ And wander not about in the broad places thereof". 8. 8 st Hide thine eye from a lovely woman, "And gaze not" upon beauty which is not thine; _ ‘By the comeliness’ of a woman many “have been ruined”, * And this way* ¥ passion’ flameth “like fire. 9 **With a married woman® sit not at table?, ¢And [mingle not] wine in her company° ; Lest thou incline “thine heart? towards her, *And in thy blood® *[descendest]* to the Pit.

m-m $0 G& wa μὴ απολεσῃς: so S TANN 15 (cp. Prov. xxix. 3); # ion 15 (‘Lest thine inheritance remove : cf. Num. xxxvi. 7). Peters keeps 30M and explains it as an Aramaism fr. 1D) ‘to take away ’—‘ Lest she take away’, &c. u-n So # G&; S ‘the inheritance of money’ °® here ts very corrupt P-P So Ge μὴ περιβλεπου (?) pain dx (so Pelers, Smend): ® Saonnd & (ΟΣ) 9-4 So & Sy wi (so Smend : Peters ΓΊΝΩ): BH PRY AN W. (corrupt) TT Gk καὶ ev ras epnuas (N* pupas: Eth ‘streets’) αὑτῆς μη mare = mnIINI ΘΟ) ὈΝῚ (read MMM for last word, with Smend). & ‘And thou shalt be inscribed in the book of sins’ (? reading ΠῚ ΠΣ now): ® Ana ans nowy (corrupt) [33 may be rendered: ‘to be treated with contumely in the sight of thine eyes and to be amazed behind her house’ | 8 vv. 8-9 (partly) are cited in Sanhedrin (T.B.) 100 ὁ, Febamoth 63 6 as follows :

in nexn pry odyn ( 8a) :anayna tabdn wp ( 4b or 3b) (v.1. nbya Syx) πον wn dx (= 9a) rn b> Dyn 1: Hide thine eyes from a lovely woman, Lest thou be caught in her snares; Turn not aside to her, To mingle wine and strong drink with her:

For through the comeliness of a beautiful woman many have been ruined,

And “all her slain are a mighty host’ (Prov. vii. 26) [3 has a double recension of ver. 9, one before and one after ver. 8] ὑπὸ py poyn & (υφθαλμον) : Talmud v-v Reading win (for Tyr of 38) (ἃ ev καλλει: so 3» (70 248 Syro-Hex ev yap x. S and Talim.) wow So 38 wnnwn: Ge ἐπλανηθησαν : S ‘have perished’ x-x So ® jd) Ge καὶ εκ τουτου : >S y-y text ‘her lovers’ M3AN: read AIAN ‘love’ G: ‘her love’ ὥ 2-2 So G& 9 (reading WS2): 33 wi ‘in the fire’ a-a 10 ΠΣ py (16. nbya): %* ‘With the mistress of a house’ ( npy3) S* & pera ὑπανδρου γυναικος b-b fit, ‘stretch not out thine elbow’ (reading 7byx un 5x S$} ‘prop not thine elbow Ἢ: so the doublet in 248 και μη κατακλιθῃς ex ἀαγκαλων per avtns (so Clem. Alex. with em ayxwva for ex aykadov) : Θ᾽ (paraphrasing) ‘multiply not

talking ᾿ς (ἃ μὴ καθου το συνολον : 18 εχ “ ἀο not taste’ Dyon by csc Reading 7” Dy Joon by = δὲ (which has ‘old wine’): cp. the Talm. citation: G& ‘And revel not (καὶ μὴ συμβολοκοπησῃς) with her at the wine’: S? ‘ Nor

shalt thou protract conversations with her’ (wth the variant Jwion for 7DION): 18 text maw wy 290 by [ΞΞΞ by “ν᾿ my sipn, ze. ‘And imbibe not strong drink in her company’: /hzs may underlie G&) ἀ-ἃ So 35 (ab) 5: also Clem. Alex. ἡ καρδια and &: ( ἡ ψυχὴ σου e-e 39. OID Gk καὶ τῳ πνευματι (Gul Clem. Alex. aati: so S

6. Lest thou lose thine inheritance. Cp. Prov. xxix. 3 (‘he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his _ substance’): cp. also Prov. v. 10, vi. 26.

Gee ποι round about thee in the streets... A warning against giving opportunities to the courtesan: cp. FTov. vil. .

uv. 8-9 cited in the Talmud. See critical note.

8. ... many have been ruined. Cp. Prov. vi. 26.

this way passion (/i/. love) flameth like fire. Cp. Job xxxi. 12 (sinful passion compared to fire).

9. With a married woman sit not at table. Lit. ‘ stretch not out thine elbow’ (corrected Hebr. text : see critical note). 30 has ‘do not eat’ (contrast 94, which refers to drinking in her company—eating and drinking form, perhaps, — a designed contrast). The verse is a general warning against undue familiarity. The married woman is the subject of the verse; but the reference is not intended to exclude her husband. Married women were often present with — their husbands at banquets given to guests—such occasions are dangerous, says Ben-Sira. Cp. Pirge Aboth i. 3 (a saying of Jose b. Jochanan): ‘ Prolong not converse with a woman’ (and Taylor’s note): cp. also John iv. 27, and, ἢ in our book, vii. 28.

And [mingle not] wine in her company. Or ‘and imbibe not strong drink in her company’ (see critical note). | Lest thou incline thine heart towards her. Or ‘lest thine heart incline towards her’. Cp. Prov. vii. 25.

SIRACH 9. τοῖς

(f) IX. 10-16. Precepts regarding friends and others (= 2+2+3 +43 distichs). το Forsake not ‘an‘ old friend, For the new 8[is not his equivalent 78. New wine is a new friend; »But when old—then thou mayst drink it!

τι Envy not ‘the ungodly mani, For thou knowest not what Jhis destiny shall be’.

12 *Take no pleasure* !in the arrogant man that prospereth', Remember that ™he shall not escape unpunished™ "till death”.

13 Keep far from the man that hath power to kill, °And so thou needest have no terror® Pof death’s terrors”. 4But when‘ thou comest nigh (him) ‘commit no fault’, Lest he take away *thy life’. Know that thou marchest amid snares, And walkest tupon nets‘.

14 As far as thou canst "associate with" thy neighbour, And converse with the wise.

15 *Y With” *the intelligent* let Ythy communing’ be, And all thy converse “in the Law of the Most High’.

(4+ ‘guilty ’): S° “condemned to death’: so L) σου Cf Reading NON: so (?) Ge ολισθησῃς and 3: Ὦ text non (repeated by mistake from previous clause) ΠΕΡ So 38 (ἃ : ‘thy’ 3 ἔτ (ἃ οὐκ ἐστιν εφισος αὐτω 15 ANT ND (so read with Peters, §c.): &% ‘doth not attain unto him’: ®,,.. Ἴἢ (parily illegible) h-h 35 sy9nwn ans yw “it. ‘But when old—afterwards thou mayst drink it’: (NWN 33nwM ‘mater lectionis’): Ge ἐὰν παλαιωθῃ per

εὐφροσυνης (? reading MIN for ANN: so Levt) πίεσαι αὐτὸν (35 evades the difficulty of ®) i ® yw wna (ἃ δοξαν 106 τι ἐστιν: 55 254 τι τεξεται) ἡ καταστροφὴ αὐτου: 96 ‘what his end shall be’ K-k So G& (un evdoxnons) =

ayin 5x (so read with Peters): ® illegible for this word (Levi reads s3pn 3; Smend an3n) 1-1 dyn 2 (6. ny adj. cp. Ps. cxxiv. 5): G& ev evdoxras (B Sah ευδοκιᾳ for evodia) ἀσεβων 32 m-m # 7p) xb & ov μη δικαιωθωσιν nn ( ews adov ND ἽΝ (correct ἸΏ ny 10 Ἵν with & and 83) τ ῷ o-o So 38: ‘And thou shalt have no suspicion’ (kav ov py [ΞΞ by] υὑποπτευσῃςῚ Ok P-P So ® (cp. Job xv. 21): φοβον θανατου Ek a-a So ® DN1 S: εαν & rr owen xd: G& μὴ (ὃΞΞ by) πλημμελησῃς: +7NDwI S ‘make not thy breath guilty’ (2) from line 13 ἃ which 3 omits) ss now? 38: τὴν Cony cov & ὑπὸ 3 nwa Sy: G& ‘upon the battlements of a city’ (em ἐπαλξεων πολεως) ? VY NWN by (Hart, comparing Jer. xxvii. (1.) 15 Hebr. and LXX): & may, however, depend upon a variant nywWsy (understood as ‘strong places’ instead of ‘ nets’): Pefers proposes NWS (‘pinnacles’: cp. Zech. iv. 7) 8 39 may zw Syr. sense (cp. Eccles. i. 13, iii. ro ‘be occupied’, ‘busied with’) : Hlart renders (Hebr. sense) ‘answer kindly’: (ἃ oroyaoa (= ‘have regard for’, ‘seek after’: cp. 2 Mace. xiv. 8)

Yuer. 15 follows 16 in & w-w So HS: -Ἑ και (Κα x-8 9 $93) G ovrerwy: ‘him that feareth God’ $ y-¥ ® FIV Ek o διαλογισμὸς σου (# “M‘ reckoning’ zw B.H.: here ‘interchange of thought’, ‘communing’: cp. Xxvii. 5-6) 2-2 So (ἃ (and 55. corrected text): ἸΏ ἘΓ)} (read * ΤΠ)

And in thy blood [descendest] to the Pit. For the expression ‘in thy blood’ (lit. ‘with blood’) cp. 1 Kings ii. 9 (‘bring his grey hairs down to the grave with blood’). The reference is to the vengeance of the husband, who slays the adulterer. Cp. Prov. vii. 26, 27 (esp. 27 a, ‘her house is the way to Sheol’). ‘The Pit’ = Sheol, as often elsewhere.

(f) IX. 10-16. The subject-matter is rather varied, ranging from friends (v. 10) to warnings as to the attitude to be adopted towards prosperous godlessness (vv. 11-12), and the tyrant (v.13), and precepts regarding the value of good companionship (vv. 14-16).

Io. Forsake not an old friend. The Alphabet of Ben-Sira has a similar admonition: ‘ An old friend repudiate not.’

11. Envy not. In the sense of desiring to be like him: cp. xlv. 18; Prov. ili. 31, xxiv. I,

his destiny. Lit. ‘his day’, i.e. the day of his death (& ‘his overthrow’). i 12. Take no pleasure in the arrogant... till death. According to Ben-Sira’s view the overthrow of the godless man who prospers for a time is certain: cp. xvi. 6-12 (also 13), xxi. 10, xl. 15 ff.

13. Keep far from the man that hath power to kill. Avoid contact with tyrants: cp. Prov. xvi. 14, xx. 2.

have no terror of death’s terrors. For the terror of death cp. Job iii. 25, xv. 21, &c. (phrase). ...thou marchest amid snares, and walkest upon nets. Cp. Job xviii. 8, 9 (‘...he walketh upon the toils’, &c.). For @& see critical note.

vv. 14-16: an admonition to associate only with wise and pious men.

14. associate with thy neighbour. The meaning is not quite certain (see critical note). Smend renders: “advise (erate) thy neighbour’: teach and instruct others, but be careful, above all, to learn thyself of the wise.

converse with the wise. On the other hand, the wise have as little as possible to do with the ungodly ;

®* 16 Let men of rectitude be *the companions of thy board*; ¢ And in the fear of God be thy boast. 3

(g) IX.17—X. 5. The value of God-fearing wisdom as exemplified in rulers (= 2+3+42 distichs).

17 By the cunning-handed °a shapely work is devised", 4Eyen so4 one who ruleth over his people (must be) ®wise in discernment *. 18 A man (full) of tongue is dangerous ‘in the city’, ®And he that is hasty in speech? is detested. 10 τ *iA wise governor? Jinstructeth) his people ; And the rule of one that is discerning ‘is well-ordered*. 2 As is the governor ! of a people, so are his officers ; And as is the head of a city, ™so™ are its inhabitants. 3%A reckless king™ ruineth °his people®, But a city becometh populous through ?the prudence of its princes?. 4 4The rule over the world is in the hands of God, And at the right time He setteth over it one that is worthy’. 5 “In the hand of God is *the rule of every man”, And He investeth *the commander® with his dignity.

(Δ) X.6-18. Pride in rulers ruins whole nations (= 2+4+2+1+4+1 distichs).

6 tRequite not [evil to] thy neighbour‘ for any wrong, «And walk not in the way of pride”.

a-a 38 yond ya (ἃ οἱ συνδειπνοι σου (so S ‘eaters at thy table’) b-b ® om wana: Gk εν χειρι σεχνιτων: S ‘By the wisdom of the judge’ ( } nana) CC epyor ἐπαινεσθησεται (? ΠΝ Nav»): ‘the city is established’ S$ (? yn avy): 32 wy ἼΦΠ' ? ‘uprightness is preserved’ so Peters. Perhaps “> wm should be read (ay might easily be corrupted to WY as in $: and rv’ ἐς an easy correction of N3w in G&: WY ‘something shaped or formed’). Smend keeps ® which he renders: ‘a work of art’ (wh, cp. W" 1 Kings vi. 35) ‘is mastered’ d-d 72. ‘and’ ( &) e-e Cp, S ‘wise and prudent’ (?703 Don: so read here with Peters) copos ev λογῳ αὐτου &. 30 fex/ NOI DIN (wrongly attaching ΠΝ tov. 18) ‘wise of (?) speech’ (AMA from NDA NOI ; cp. Veo- Hebr. w ‘vain speech’). G?® ff Reading wyr for Wi=S: cp. G& ὅ-ὸ 1 ἹΠῚΒ Sy nvm (part. NWD,

op. Syr. mop by 29 ‘to speak hastily, unadvisedly ᾽) @& καὶ o προπετὴς ev λογῷ αὐτοῦ hD pr. tit. ‘de ΤΠ) (ἃ reraypery: S ‘settleth his city’ L1G tov Aaov αὐτου (buf NC-2 248 &c. Syro-Hex H> αὐτου 3η 5)

unrighteous king’ 9 0-0 Sod: oy: BH Wy pe 9 AMY S: (ἃ δυναστων ( On) a Vu. 4 and 5 27. in τον SoGS( Ww or Ws) Bes 7TH 53 nbn: § ‘power of all’ (omztting 733): ‘ prosperitas (read “ potestas””) hominis’ 1 ®: Peters nnbyn: evoda (? for e£ovora) avdpos ἃ 5-330 Ppt) (ἃ ypappareos (traditional rendering of ppd: the Targums render same word by ‘scribe’ [δ 55] 7 Gen. xlix. 10) tt by yd yn oven : & ‘Be not wroth with thy neighbour’ (μη μηνιασῃς [ al. μηνισῃς | ἢ VON by) τῳ πλησιον: S ‘ Offend not thy friend’ [>S & yn ‘evil’ of Q: probably added to produce word-play with yd] uu So H= 2: &

16. Let men of rectitude be the companions of thy board. Cf. vi. 19.

17. By the cunning-handed ... wise in discernment. In spite of the uncertainty of the text (see critical notes) the general sense is clear; just as the skill of the trained adept produces a perfect piece of work, so insight (or ? wise speech) enables the wise man (or ruler) to govern his people successfully.

X. 1. A wise governor...well-ordered. Cp. Prov. xx. 8. The word rendered ‘ governor’ =lit. ‘judge’, ‘ magis-

trate’; here it is applied to rulers (cp. vii. 6, # and @&): cp. also verses 2 and 24 of this chapter, and xli. 18. Instructeth’ has the idea of moral discipline.

.. 32: As is the governor... his officers. Cp. Prov. xxix. 12. The Hebrew word rendered ‘ officers’ = lit. interpreters ’, i.e. those who represent the ruler and interpret his will to the people. 3. A reckless king. Lit. ‘a king broken loose’ (viz. from all restraints) : cp. Exod. xxxii. 23 (‘the people . - - broken loose’). 4. The rule...of God. -. Setteth over it one that is worthy. Cp. Dan. ii. 21. ‘One that is worthy,’ i.e. a worthy ruler: such good heathen kings as Cyrus are in the writer’s mind, probably. 5. In the hand of God is the rule of every man. Or (pointing 133) of every man of power: i.e. the power of rulers

comes from God. Cp. Wisd. vi. 1 ff. (ἃ has ‘ success’ (so Peters reads): the success which enables a man to secure power and rule well comes from God.

6. Requite not... Or # may be rendered: ‘in the case of every wrong requite not,’ &c. Lévi renders:

7 ‘Pride is hateful to the Lord and to men, ’ And before both oppression is an offence™. 8 Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation *On account of the violence of pride*. 9 How should he that is dust and ashes vaunt himself’, “He whose entrails rot (even) during his life? ? » 10°A suspicion (?) of disease defieth (?) the physician*— >To-day a king», and to-morrow Che shall fall°! τι When a man dieth he inheriteth 4Worm and maggot, lice and creeping things". 12 The beginning of pride is °when a man becometh shameless’®, And this heart’ departeth from his Maker.

(freely) και pn πρασσε μηδεν ev epyors vBpews | $ adds the doublet, perhaps translated from a Hebr.variant of the verse, ‘from all sins and lying depart, and walk not in a lofty spirit’ (reading “nvn_for ΝΠ) | VY Pr. ‘for’ S 9 w-wpAwn) py by GP καὶ εξ ἀμφοτερων πλημμελησει αδικα (dul for last two words δι 70 248 πλημμελεια adixcas): et exsecrabilis omnis iniquitas gentium 30 ? pny Sy S35 ΠΝ: S ® with +) (Puy Syy) x-x So 15 oon 53 MINI: δια αδικιας καὶ υβρεις καὶ χρηματα (ἴ S ‘Because of sins and pride and Mammon’: +diversos dolos L ΞΞ και διαφορα (cp. vii. 18, xlii. 5 N19) y +‘there is not a.more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale’ 7ο 248 & (so A.V. φιλαργυρου μεν yap ovdev avopwrepov ovTos yap και τὴν €auTOU ψυχην εἐκπρακτον ποίει: x nihil est iniquius quam amare pecuniam hic enim animam suam venalem habet—a catechetical addition ; see Hart) zt Reading (with one correction of 38) 1 DM Ὁ Π2 AWN: (τ ‘ Because in life I (or they) have cast away his bowels’, ore ev Con eppupa (so B: dut 248 ἅς. eppupar) τα ενδοσθια αὐτου: proiecit ©: Syro-Hex εξουδενωσε (Pa correction): ® text has DW which yields no satisfactory sense: emend to DY from DO ‘to rot’. & (correct text: see Lévi, Peters) ‘whose sides and bowels worms creep through during his life ’ aa Text very dificult. ἸῊ xD ay Adm pow & ‘A long disease the physician mocketh’ (μακρον appwornpa σκωπτει (C σκοπτει, Sah σκοπει, 248 &c. κοπτει, 254 ἄς. ἐκκοπτει) ἰατρὸς (δ᾽ δᾶ ιατρον) 3» has a doublet: omnis potentatus brevis vita ( Δ}. 27.}). Languor prolixior ( μακραν) gravat medicum. Brevem ( μικρον) languorem praecidit medicus [/ere ‘gravat medicum’ 35 Nay WAY: and “ praecidit” κοπτει or ἐκκοπτει, suggesting a vartant ἌΝ ΤΙ ‘cuts short’ ]. pow ἦι xviii. 32 ‘much’ (‘much luxury’ ΔΨ pow): but in Job iv. 12, xxvi. 14 2/“a little’ (‘the whisper of’): 90 7 Meo-Hebr. (suspicion of a thing, ‘particle’): the meaning of WAS» ts also uncertain (? gleam, provoke, grieve, defy): # méght mean: ‘a long disease provokes (grieves, defies) the physician’: ov ‘there is a suspicion of disease—the physician is alarmed ’—or as rendered above in text b-b So 30 (ἃ (-Ἐ καὶ) : ¥ ‘walking’ (qnv for ἼΡ : ‘ walking to-day and dead to-morrow’) eH bya: τελευτησει S d-d So ® wr) DD aydiny ΠῚ : Gk epmera και θηρια και σκωληκας (σκωληκας nydyn mon: ἐρπετα Φ 1: & may not be in original order): S ‘and his worm before him creepeth’ ( wn 17293 ony) [Jn Neo- Hebr. 22 pl. 0°33 ‘vermin’ or ‘lice Ἴ e-e 358 νὴ} DIN (ἃ ἀνθρωπου αφισταμενου απὸ Κυριου (free rendering : YY¥2 = Hof. part of ny) ff Reading 125 with & and $: Ὦ 2 [3 renders the whole verse: ‘The

‘Quelle que soit la faute ne punis pas ton prochain.’ The sentiment (cp. Lev. xix. 277 seems hardly in place here, the sudden introduction of ‘neighbour’ having no apparent justification from the context. For this line the doublet

in 3(see critical note) gives: ‘from all sins and lying keep far away’ (= ?PN7 WN) ΝῺ bn), which yields a satisfactory sense and harmonizes with the context. It may well represent a variant (and superior) Hebrew reading. The connexion would then be: from all sins and lying keep away, but especially avoid the sin of pride.

7. And before both. Lit. ‘and from both of them’, i.e. in the opinion of both God and men: (3 = 1905). ‘Oppression’ is not only an offence against men (in their social life), but also an offence against God.

8. Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation. i.e. nations decline and fall (for reasons adduced in 86).

On account of the violence ‘of pride. The versions (see critical note) add a further reason—greed of money. Of this, however, there is no trace in 38, and it may be due to later revision. God will not allow pride in nations to go unpunished ; much less in the case of individual men (cp. xvi. 11). There is probably an allusion to the transfer of the sovereignty of Syria from the Ptolemies to the Seleucidae, which was consummated by the victories of Antiochus III (a comparatively recent event when Ben-Sira presumably wrote). Ben-Sira, however, makes the principle one of universal application, and, perhaps, hints that the sovereignty of the Seleucidae is not likely to be more permanent than that of other oppressive world-powers.

9-11 have probably some contemporary historical incident in view: Smend suggests that it was the death of one of the Ptolemies; perhaps Ptolemy IV (died 204 B.c.). According to Dio Cassius, this monarch died of a painful disease (νόσῳ χαλεπῇ μεταλλάττει τὸν βίον).

g....he that is dust and ashes. Cp. Gen. xviii. 27 (cp. 4150 xvii. 32 and x1. 3 of our book). ;

lo. a suspicion of disease... The logical gaps in the verse seem to be due to rapid description (adopted for graphic effect)—a sudden and (seemingly) trifling ailment defies the physician : the next day all is over.

_ It. When a man dieth... worm... Cp. Is. xiv. 11. Cp. also vil. 17 of our book.

ate The beginning. According to Smend the word so rendered denotes (like NWN) the essence or chief part of a thing.

13 £For sin is the rallying-place of insolence®, h And its source overfloweth with depravity>. For this cause ‘hath God stricken such an one marvellously’, And smitten him to the uttermost. 14 JThe throne of the proud! God overthroweth, k And setteth* the humble in their place}. 16 ™The roots of the proud™ God "sweepeth away", °And extirpateth them to the foundations of the earth°. 17 ?He teareth them out of the earth? 4and rooteth them up", And extinguisheth their memory "from among men’. 18 Insolence *was not the heritage of man‘, ΝΟΥ savage wrath* (apportioned) to the earth-born.

19 An honourable race is what? The race of men! *An honourable race is that which feareth God.

beginning of the sins of men is their pride, and their deeds (\nwyn) make foolish their heart ’ | s-8 So ®: ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας ( for It Mp: S ‘the source of sin is pride’ αρχη apaprias ὑπερηφανια the reading of 248 Syro-Hex and Chrysostom b-h §o 35. Ayr ya APD: καὶ ὁ κρατων αὐτῆς εξομβρησει βδελυγμα Ge: ‘and fornication is the source of both’ $ (mt offen in Biblical Hebrew of sins of unchastity): & apparenily read

mp) for mp1 (so Levz) Hi Reading yi onds ΜΒ πὶ with Smend (so Peters substantially): παρεδοξασεν (w»ban) Κύριος ras enaywyas (n) &: ‘God separated (? nba) their conflicts’ $: % has y33 obs 125 xd (‘God filled his heart with a stroke’: 325 xbp corrupt) 71 So 3. : θρονους apyovrav & ΚαῈ 30 IW 7.6. aw) 1G adds two lines (v. 15): pitas εθνων εξετιλεν ο Κυριος και εφυτευσεν ταπεινοὺς αντ αὐτῶν

:pnnAn ayy yor (15 b)

(15 a) ‘The roots of the proud God plucketh up, (15 b) And planteth the humble in their place’: so &.

Here 15a ts a doublet of τό ἃ; and 15b a doublet of τ (with slight variants). Smend and Lévi (but not Peters) regard the verse, however, as original, and as omitted in 3 accidentally (by homoroteleuton) man ἘΝ} napy ‘ The traces of the nations’ (read ὮΝ “Ipy with Peters): S D1 Napy ‘ The traces of the proud’ (so Smend): G& xopas εθνων 38 (cp. xvi. 3 NApy roros) n-n NYDY ‘stoppeth up’: Fraenkel proposed NDND (Is. xiv. 23) or DSDND or DDND (zndicated also in MS. of ®): (ἃ κατεστρεψεν: S Py (S suggests Py DNA py DTN, fi 15a above) °° ®ypyp yas ἽΝ ava ‘And their root (? root-offshoots) He cutteth down to the earth’: but (ἃ και amwXecev avtas ews θεμελίων γῆς YAS ypap Ty Ὁ (cp. Amos ix. 3), which ws preferable (the first word of 2nd distich should be a verb on analogy of previous verses: hence DWI ἐς preferable). % ‘And destroyed from tke earth their memory’ (cf. 17 b) p-p Reading (ANd) OND (cp. xlviii. 15: so Lév7, Smend): 39 (yx) ond) ‘and He scoureth them from’, &c. (cp. Ezek. xxvi. 4): e&npavev εξ αὐτῶν (A νοι and some cursives e&npev avtous) (τ 4-4 DWN 3Ὲ ; καὶ ἀπωλεσεν avrovs (ἃ ; ‘He destroyeth them and uprooteth them and sweepeth them away’ ὦ m So S (ΞΞ- ΔΝ or Winn) 32 paNd G& (dut repetition of this word cannot be

right) SSG οὐκ εκτισται avOpwros wind pons xd (so read) 3: BY MV xb (‘doth not befit’) STAN ny) 38: οὐδὲ opyn θυμου & u-u Lines Ὁ and c omitted in ® by homoroteleuton. Gk omeppa εντιμον ποῖον ;

13. For sin is the rallying-place (m\p1) of insolence, And its source (77)p2) overfloweth with depravity. * Insolence’, i.e. aggressive wrongdoing — sinning with a high hand, contemptuous ‘both of God and men—finds its source or reservoir in sin, which also pours forth every form of depravity. The words rendered ‘ rallying-place’ and ‘source’ occur together (as synonyms) in xliii. 20= ‘pond’: but text doubtful ; see critical note there. such an one [lit. ‘him’]...him. i.e. the proud and arrogant sinner. 14. The throne of the proud... Cp. 1 Sam. ii. 7f.; Luke i. 52. 15. For this verse see critical note.

_16. The roots of the proud God sweepeth away (v./. ‘rooteth out’). Cp. Ps. xliv. 2 (3): ‘With Thy hand thou didst root up nations and plant them in’ (corrected text). In 164 (‘extirpateth them,’ &c.) there may be an allusion to Sodom. Cp. Ezek. xvi. 49.

17. extinguisheth their memory. The worst punishment of all: cp. xxviii. 23; Deut. xxxii. 26. 18. was not the heritage. Or ‘ was not ordained’. ᾿ the earth-born. Lit. ‘born of a woman’, i.e. mortal: cp. Job xiv. 1. 19. An honourable race is what?... Mankind may attain to honour or dishonour, in accordance with their relation to God.

A despicable race is what? The race of men™! vA despicable race is that which transgresseth the commandment’. 20 Among brethren their head is honoured, And he that feareth God “among his own people’. 22 beSojourner and stranger, alien and poor man°— Their glory is the fear of God. 23 A poor man that hath understanding is not to be despised, Nor is any man of violence* to be honoured. 24 °Prince®, ruler and governor are honoured, ‘But none is greater than he that feareth (οα΄. 25 ®Nobles will serve a servant that hath understandings, + And a wise man will not complain®.

(7) X. 26-29. The wrong and the right kind of self-esteem (= 2 - 2 distichs).

26 ‘Play not the wise man‘ when thou doest thy business, jAnd glorify not thyselfi in the time of thy need.

27 Better is he that worketh and hath wealth in abundance}, Than he that glorifieth himself 1and lacketh sustenance!.

(dt Syro-Hex Eth > ποιὸν 5) ot φοβουμενοι (254 ο poBoupevos) Tov κυριον : maby Na asa) vai (so S+‘the honourable race is that which observeth the commandment’): for c @& has oneppa ατιμὸν ποιον; σπερμὰα ἀνθρωπου wand yr eA mbps yr (so 8) vv 50 38. ΞΞ ὁ: & σπερμα ατιμον ποιον 3 (but Syro-Hex Eth > ποιὸν ἢ οἱ παραβαινοντες evrodas ἃ-ἃ (τ ἐν οφθαλμοις avrov YI (so Peters) : $ 900 (so Lé2), 2.6. ( is more honourable) than he’: Smend emends ΩΝ b Some cursives Complut.+(v. 21) προσληψεως (248 προ ληξεως) apyn φοβος κυριου exBorns δὲ ἀρχὴ (exBody δὲ apyns 248) και (» 248) σκληρισμος και ὑυπερηφανια---α summary im gnomic form of verses 7-25 (Hart) ὁτὸ So 38: Gk πλουσιος και evdu€os kat πτωχος WI) FID) WY (for An 73 w91°133): “Sojourner who is poor and troubled’ ἀπά defective ὉΓ2Π] WN 92 (Smend): Adler DW] WS b5 “every one that is exalted’ (so Lév7, with some reserve): (τ avdpa apaprwdov: 35. ‘ the godless rich’ (reading Wy Sor x) cp. 39 (virum peccatorem divitem) 5:38 defect. Ge μεγισταν καὶ = 33 (50 read with Smend and Strack):

Adler, Peters) "WW SG f1So 38 (ἃ (+ αὐτων): S ‘And there is none who is greater than he that honoureth ( 7329) the God-fearer’ (+7139 ?@ variant from line above) ὅτ So Ge οἰκετῃ cop ελευθεροι λειτουργησουσιν ὙἼΖ᾽ ON ysin say (so Smend, Peters) = $: ® [tay omn Seno Jay b-h καὶ ἀνὴρ

ἐπιστήμων ov γογγύσει ἸΣ ΝΠ" xd pon word (so read with Peters); $ ‘And a wise man when he is corrected will not complain’ G+ πεπαιδευμενος (so 70 248 Syro-Hex: cp. 3). [38 has for both distichs : on Sen say :yoxm xd [pan tan i.e. ‘A slave that hath understanding is exalted ; And a slave that is wise will not murmur’ | HSo% oonnn x & μὴ σοφιζου: © noli te extollere μη δοξαζου (b): S ‘ Be not slack’ (3 ΠΠΠ ἢ for Dnnn) [3 transposes verbs in a and Ὁ] Ji So ἢ (ἃ S: Het noli cunctari (verb transposed from (a)) Καὶ 38 PT AN S: (ἃ ἐργαζομενος και περισσευων ev πασιν (so N* V 70 248 Syro-Hex # Sah) = 9S (with $3 for 1): B εν πασιν ἡ περιπατῶν 15 not original 1Ὶ Reading jd ADM (so Lev, Smend, §c.): (ἃ καὶ ἀπορων ἀρτων

20. Among brethren their head is honoured, And he that feareth God... A comparison is implied. Just as among a people (brethren) the leader is honoured, so the God-fearer is honourable among men. ‘ Brother’ often = fellow-member of the same community or nation (cp. vii. 12). The alternative rendering (see critical note) is ‘but he who feareth-God is more honourable than he’.

22. Sojourner and stranger, alien and poor man... The reference is, perhaps, to poor Jews living in heathen lands (so Smend). (ἃ (‘The rich man, the honourable and the poor’) makes the statement more general. All classes alike, whatever their condition, find their highest glory in the fear of God. : i‘ F

23. A poor man that hath understanding. i.e. a poor man who is pious, since piety (fear of God) is the only true source of wisdom according to Ben-Sira. Poverty and piety are often synonymous in the Psalms.

any man of violence. Even though he be rich. S$ (‘the godless rich’) expresses this distinctly.

25. Nobles will serve a servant that hath understanding. Cp. Prov. xvii. 2 f. Character overcomes all the artificial barriers of social conventions.

26. Play not the wise man. i.e. do not make a show of superior wisdom—do thy work quictly and honourably ; do not pose as being superior to thy work (for then the work will suffer). Such superior wisdom is an excuse for idleness.

And glorify not thyself... Viz-as to what thou mightst have done. The fact remains that all that thou couldst have done has not availed to keep off want. eee:

27. Better is he that worketh... The man who goes quietly about his work, and ‘does’ it, is infinitely Superior to one who merely talks and boasts ; cp. Prov. xii. 9.

And lacketh sustenance. i.e. through his own idleness.

ΘΙ ΘΗ 595 las

ΠΕΒΈΨΕΓ ΝΗ εν.

®* 28 My son, glorify thy soul in humility, : m And give it discretion™ "such as befitteth it®. "

29 °?Who will justify him that condemneth himself? ? 73

And who will honour him that dishonoureth “himself? £3

(a) X. 30—XI.1. Wisdom rather than mere wealth brings honour (= 3 distichs).

30 There is a poor man that is honoured on account of his wisdom, * And there ist he that is honoured on account of his wealth. 31 He that is honoured (in his poverty)—how much more in his wealth’! And he that is despicable in his wealth—how much more ‘(in his poverty)"! 11] τ The wisdom of the poor man lifteth up "his head”, And causeth him to sit among princes.

(6) ΧΙ. 2-13. Warnings against hasty judgements (= 2+2+2+3+2+14+43 distichs).

2 Praise no man for his beauty”, And abhor no man “for his appearance”.

3 *Of no account* among flying things is the bee, But her fruit is Ysupreme among products’.

( 2 pnd apm) Prov. xii. g): dud 3 ΣΝ m-m (ἴ καὶ dos αὐτῃ τιμὴν ὮΝ mb im) (8 Dyn: (ἃ τιμὴν chosen

Sor its sound-resemblance ? see Smend): B....0 95 in (Ryssed 3 ap) 12") n-n 30 ΠΣ NBD (a late cdiom : cp. XXXViil, 17) ο δ pr. ‘My son’ P-P ® has VIPS) 1D WI wad: EG τὸν ayapravorra εἰς τὴν Ψυχην avrov τις δικαιωσει ; 9-9 WI: G την Conv αὐτου (? mistake for τὴν uxnv avrov) rr wy: G και πλουσιος (2 for καὶ ἐστιν os): & suggests WW Ww (also read Wy Ww: so Hart) 8-8 (ἃ ὁ δὲ δοξαζομενος (but N* Syro-Hex >6e: so & in Cod. Am.) (AC 248 ἄς. 0 δεδοξασμενος) ev πτωχειᾳ και ev πλουτῳ ποσαχως; ἴῆ NIN ywya 735) (= ‘one honoured—in his wealth how much more!’ dz/--3m>72 after 7323: so Smend, Peters ὑπὸ 4 4md32 (so Smend, Peters): & ev πτωχειᾳ [318 adds an explanatory doublet:

sny saan nvya ἸΠῚ ΡΣ sana any adp2 ἸΠῚΡῚΣ vipa adpan |

uu So HS: Ce κεφαλὴν (+avrou NAC &c. Syro-Hex % 39) v-v So @ &: S ‘that is beautiful in his appearance’ ww So G 17903 (38 “3 yi3) ‘hateful in appearance’ [cf. xiii. 22]: but omit aI with & Levi, Peters, ἄς.) xx 35 bbe S: & puxpa (3+ yap pr.) y-¥H MIN Wi: G& ‘the chief of sweetmeats’

; ge ΒΙΌΣΙΙΥ thy soul (i.e. thyself) in humility. In humility, not in pride and self-assertion, shall true honour be found. give it discretion ... i.e. cultivate sound sober sense in thyself, such as is worthy of thee. The implication

seems to be that a proper self-respect is desirable.

29. Who will justify ... Want of proper self-esteem, undue self-depreciation, are here condemned.

X. 30—XIV. 19. A series of warnings in connexion with various contingencies of life. This division contains eleven subsections.

30. that is honoured. Even while he is still poor. The lives of many of the Rabbis would illustrate the truth of this remark.

31. He that is honoured (in his poverty)... i.e. wealth enhances the honour of the wise, and poverty the degradation of the foolish. _ XI. 1. The wisdom of the poor man... princes. In both Talmuds and in the Midrashim clause ὁ of this verse is quoted in combination with Prov. iv. 8 as from Ben-Sira: ‘In the book of Ben-Sira it is written: ‘“ Exalt her and she shall lift thee up (Prov. iv. 8) and set thee among princes.”’ (So 7. 7. Berakhoth vii. 2; cp. T. Δ. Berakhoth

2. Praiseno man... A warning against being misled by external appearance ; cp. 1 Sam. xvi. 7. 3. Ofno account... The bee is an excellent example to point the moral.

‘ 42Mock not the dress of the wretched’, “And scoff ποι" Pat those whose day is bitter”: For wondrous are °the works of Jahveh*, And His operation is hid ?from man‘, 5 Many °downtrodden® have sat ‘upon a throne’, s And those who were never thought of? have worn "a crown". 6 Many exalted have suffered ‘great’ abasement, And also honourable Jbeen delivered up’.

7 Before thou hast examined ‘blame ποῖ; Investigate first, and afterwards !rebuke'.

8 ™ Answer not a word before thou hear, And in the midst of a discourse" speak not.

9 °Ina matter where thou art not affected°, Penter not into strife?, 4And with the quarrels of the arrogant meddle not’.

το My son, ‘why multiply thy business (unduly)? ? sBut if thou so doest thou shalt not go unpunished *.

(apyn yAvkuoparev): 3 as) before ΤΠ 17:2 So 3ὴ (TAN AYYD meght ‘at him that is clothed with destruction’) (ἃ ‘Glory not in the putting on of raiment’ (ev περιβολῃ ἱματιων μὴ Kavynon Sbann bx 23 noya): $ a-a Sy ® Ddpn bxy: ὁ ‘ And exalt not thyself’ (éaking bp in NH sense 5Soynpn dy) b-b So 18 oy 02: & ev nuepa δοξης [S$ ‘And do not despise the man whose throat is bitter’] c-¢ So HG: S ‘the secrets of Ged’ ££ So ® S (seat of kingship): G& ἐπὶ ἐδαφους (Pcorruption or correction of ent duppov 3, in throno). 8- So 5 - “ny 35 by ὧν ba) (& has singular ‘And one who was never thought of’, &c.): Q corrupt: ἘῺΝ wy ad by dan: correct to ὃν Ὀ3) as above: so Lévi: Peters τὸν bay: Smend ody, h-bh So ® G: S ‘ clothing of honour’ Hi ® ἽΝ (ἃ: S ‘together’ (M+7M awn) a variant: IM 8) 1.110 WIN: (ἃ παρεδοθησαν εἰς χειρας eraipov : S ‘were brought low from their honour’ k-k 39 abon bx ‘distort not’ (sc. 2 the judgement): & μεμψῃ: % ‘associate not thyself’ (qninwn Nd) 1Ὶ So & 35 (ANN 477. of ἢ) ‘rebuke’ ἐπι NH: if, only here: if yin could be read the sense would be ‘be angry’; cp. Prov. xix. 3): 3 make ‘ marriage’ τι 15 pr. ‘ My son’ n-n 35 AMY (cp. vi. 35): Gt Aoyor nw: so 9 0-0 AIyy jpN2 ‘ When thou hast no concern (care)’: (ἃ περι mpayparos ov οὐκ ἐστιν σοι χρεια (but NAC 248 &C. > xpeta): Syro-Hex περι mpayparos ov ἐστιν σοι aurws (cp. 3» de ea re quae te non molestat) ? GIL ( 38): S (corrected text) ΠΝ NI p-e Reading annn bx (for ® anxn bx) & (cf. viii. 2): so 9 a-a. So ® omrpn Sx DT AID: GE καὶ ev κρίσει apaproov μὴ συνεδρευε 10 (εν κρισει 373 rightly) : S ‘And in the midst of sinners multiply not thine exactions ’ mr Tpey Asan and (pwy poy): G py περι πολλα ἐστωσαν αι πράξεις σου: S 38 (cnlerpreting Twy as from pyy) <8 Reading npn xd naan ox) ‘ But if thou multipliest it thou shalt not go unpunished’ G&: ® xd mand yyy

4. Mock not the dress of the wretched. Or ‘at him that is clothed with destruction’ (less probable). For ‘dress

of the wretched’ cp. Is. Ixi. 3 (read ‘garment of mourning’); and for ‘those whose day is bitter’ cp. Amos viii. 1o (‘a bitter day’). As Edersheim remarks, great importance was attached by the Rabbis to dress. A saying attributed to Ben-Sira (in Derek eves zuta, towards end) runs: ‘The adornment (splendour) of God is man ; the adornment of man is his dress.’ It does not, of course, follow from this that a man would be estimated entirely by his dress, though Ben-Sira here enters a warning against conduct which may indicate the presence of such a tendency in certain quarters. _ For wondrous are the works of Jahveh... God can (and often does) upset man’s estimates by reversing in wonderful ways the conditions that determine a man’s place in society. ‘God may send sudden reversal in punishment of our pride, or else the prosperity of which we boasted may be only apparent and temporary: wv. 5 and 6 carry out this idea’ (Edersheim).

5. downtrodden. Lit. ‘crushed’ = humble, lowly: cp. Is. lvii. 15. (ἃ reverses the sense of 5@ (‘ Many rulers have sat down upon the ground’). For the sentiment cp. Ps. cxiil. 7.

vu. 7-9. A warning against hasty action in regard to things heard.

7. blame not. The Hebrew word (see crit. note) perhaps = ‘pervert not’ (sc. the judgement): i.e. be not prejudiced. (ἃ renders ‘ blame not’ (so Lévi).

8. Answer not...speak not. For the sentiment of the verse cp. Prov. xvill. 13; it is also expressed in Pzrge Aboth v.10: ‘Seven things are in a clod, and seven in a wise man. (The wise man)... doth not interrupt the words of his companion, and is not hasty to reply...’ Cf. also Baba Bathra 98> (cited by Edersheim): ‘interrupt not in the middle of a discourse’ (in a quotation from ‘ the book of Ben-Sira’).

9. And with the quarrels of the arrogant meddle not. By the ‘arrogant’ are meant high-handed (presumptuous) sinners: the wise man will not trouble himself about the quarrels of such among themselves; he will confine himself to matters that concern the pious.

vu. 10-13. Warnings against hastiness in action. ᾿ 1ο. My son, why (i.e. do not) multiply ... In 10 ὁ an alternative rendering to ‘thou shalt not go unpunished’

39} tIf thou runnest thou shalt not attaint, "And if thou seekest thou shalt not find". i 11 There is one that toileth and laboureth Yand runneth’, .: w And is so much the more™ behind. 12 * There is (another) that is weak and wandering in misery*, YLacking in strength and abounding in frailty ; z And the eye of Jahveh watcheth him for good’, “And He shaketh him up out of the stinking dust*. 13 He lifteth up his head and exalteth him?, So that many may marvel at him®.

14 Good and evil, life and death, 4Poverty and wealth come from Jahveh*. 15 ®[ Wisdom and insight “πα discernment ‘of the Law’ Come from Jahveh: ‘Lovet and upright ways Come from Jahveh. 16 Folly and darkness have been formed for sinners; 8 And as for evil-doers—evil abideth with thems°.]

mp2 ‘ But he that hasteneth to multiply shall not go unpunished’ S (Lev? renders mp3 ‘ succeed Ξξξ N53? 27 Aram.) tt Reading yan xd yan OX &: 3) has yin wd prin xd ox 1a 9 wu So ® S: (ἃ ‘And thou shalt not escape by fleeing’ (και ov μη expuyns διαδρας = ? odin xd ponn an) (Peters). [Thus according to ἃ the two lines would run:

yan xd γ᾽ ox | :pben xd xn ont]

v-V So 38 : (ἃ καὶ σπευδων Wow 8 15 93) G& καὶ τόσῳ μαλλον x-x 35 ban TaN) WEA (® MS. places bn al beginning of next stichos): WO WH iv. 29: (ἃ (freely) ἐστιν νωθρὸς και προσδεομενος αντιληψεῶς (νωθρος wry iv. 29: προσ. αντι. Pa doublet of voTepoy wyxve MD DN of next line): S ‘There is that toileth and | laboureth ( v. 11 a) and is lacking in body ’ ( ἢ & adove) ΣΟΥ ® defective: ....8 10 22 ἼΡΠ (read wis am nn: Peters mds Jor last wrdG: $ in reading δ spn and for rest of line& | 2-t So (τ (Ν 248 &c. have sing. o opOarpos... LSB: v./. οφθαλμοι): S ‘The word of the Lord shall be good upon him’ 4". So 30: G weakens ‘stinking dust’ 20 εκ ταπεινώσεως αὐτου: 85 fo ‘from dust and ashes’ bb So 38: 248 ἄς. Syro-Hex amo συντριβης : other Codd. >: 5. Ξε Ὦ © 248 Syro-Hex + θεωρησαντες dd So 35 @&: % ‘Rich and poor are equal before God ’ ©-e yy. 15-16 are omitted in NAB, but are attested in 248 ἄς. 3» Syr Ar as well as ἸΏ : they are regarded as original by Peters, but are rejected by Smend (who also thinks they do not form part of & in τὶς original form). Schlatter regards them (together with v. 17) as a glossator’s addition to the text of & (so Ryssel). ee-ee So Gr καὶ γνωσις νομου AMIN PIM (so Peters): YIII Pan: SGB ff So G& 9 (wan) 773M (so read): BRON —-&-E & “ And evil shall wax old with them that glory therein ’ (τοις δὲ

ἴδε thou shalt not succeed’ (see crit. note).. Lévi compares the French proverb : ‘ Qui trop embrasse mal étreint” Cp. also Pirge Aboth iv. 14: ‘ Have little business (PDY as here) and be busied in Torah.’ The idea expressed in our verse is that over-eagerness in business matters defeats its own ends. If thou runnest (for text cp. crit. note) : developing the thought of 10 a, ὁ. 11. There is one that toileth... Cp. Qoh. ix. 11; Prov. xi. 24, xxi. 5 (toileth . . . runneth to amass riches). ' 12. And He shaketh him up out of... Cp. 1 Sam. ii. 8; Ps. cxiii. 7-8. 13. So that many may marvel athim. Cp. Is. lii. 14. 14. Good and evil. i.e. good fortune and misfortune: cp. xxxiv. 24-5 (and notes) ; also Is. xlvii.7. God creates welfare and caiamity.) Come from Jahveh. “ὁ comments: ‘are equal before God.’ On wv. 15-16, which are considered secondary by Smend, see crit. note. They may be an addition due to later revision of the book (part of the secondary Hebrew recension: cf. Introd. § 3 e). _ 15. Wisdom, insight ere daalwe Note that ‘wisdom’ and ‘insight’ are equated with knowledge of the Law. This is characteristically scribal: the point of view is that of the doctors of the Law (cp. 1 Chron. xxv. ὃ [‘teacher’ and scholar’] and xxvii. 32 [‘a counsellor,a man of understanding, and a scribe']). The source of the passage is Love and upright ways. The fruit of a real knowledge of and devotion to the Law. 16. Folly and darkness... The sinner, by his presumption in persisting in his evil ways, brings upon himself

17 >The gift of Jahveh abideth for the righteous*, And His good pleasure is ever successful. » 18 There is that waxeth rich ‘from self-denial‘, JAnd this is his allotted reward): 19 What time he saith: ‘I have found rest, And now !J will enjoy my goods’!— He knoweth not ™what lot shall befall™ ; He shall leave (them) to others and die.

20 "My son®, °be steadfast® in thy task ?and think thereon?, And ‘grow old4 in thy work. 21 ‘Marvel not at the doers of iniquity*— 8Trust® in Jahveh and wait for * His light' ; For it is "easy" in Jahveh’s sight Suddenly—in a moment—*to make a poor man rich’.

γαυριωσιν ἐπι κακιᾳ ovyynpa Kaka): ἢ has Ddy Ay A oy (Smend thinks a verb has fallen out of B συγγηρᾳ : Pmwn foll. ayn: Peters restores DOY AYA AYA Ὁ 3 ΠῚ (ἃ and §S). bh G&: ® only partly legible 9 9 Ρὴηνς. [ino (restore with Smend Wy pay ” yn) : δ (ἃ (with the reading evhaBeow S°® for evo eBeow) 47 ΤΉΝ ΠΣ ‘from humbling himself’ (ἃ (free rendering) ‘by his wariness and pinching’ (amo προσοχῆς καὶ σφιγγιας αὐτου) : 86 “ from his poverty’ 7:1 8ὸ (ἃ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ μερις tov μισθου αὐτου DY pbn mn (so read with Lévt): Bway am ,,.. ‘maketh his reward liable’ (‘ mortgageth it’): ὀπή the expression zs a strange one: S ‘There is whose wealth does not follow him’ *%#%S@#r. ‘And’ 1-1 & φαγομαι ex τῶν ἀγαθων pov ® Ὁ: Ν (302) ὅτ ® here defective: Smend abn Dy) πῶ ‘ what sort of day’ (ov ‘what day’ ‘ how much day’) ‘shall pass?’ k τις καιρος παρελεύσεται : Strack abn [mam] πὸ : Lev pbn mm nn: Peters ypn ΠΝ ΠΣ ‘ what his (time)- limit shall be’: οὐ ῷ ‘what his end shall be’ n1 So HS: G> 0-0 S$ στηθι ny (so read with Levi, Peters): ® illegible P-P Ge και ομιλει εν aury AIAN 2) (so Adler, Lev): Smend yrna ἸΔῚ und lass sie dir gefallen: Peers bana 12}: 9. ‘and thereon prop thyself’ 4- G& παλαιωθητι 38 [jwpnn $s ΤῸ Reading pe Sypa nnn bx G&S (G& vocalized ‘DYB): Lévi yy yaa: Smend yr 2772: B defective 8&8 SoG moreve (τῳ κυριῳ) [nd] ponn: S&S ‘wait for’ (13D) ?anw ‘look diligently (for) ’ tt SoS: G& τῳ πόνῳ σου (? 4b for yd) u-u ® m3) ‘a straightforward thing’, i.e. ‘something plain and easily compassed’: (ἃ κουῴφον S vv So & S = b5 swynd (® MS. defective)

an inevitable doom—he is plunged into folly and darkness which have been created for him by God (predestinated for him).

evil abideth with them. Or ‘waxeth old with them’ (@): i.e. it becomes inveterate.

17. The gift of Jahveh abideth. .. i.e. the good fortune that God bestows upon the righteous lasts—it is not transient like that of the wicked.

His good pleasure. Jahveh’s goodwill always makes itself felt, and is seen in tangible evidences of it. [Schlatter regards v.17 as part of the gloss, which includes vv. 15-17 according to him.] According to Smend the divine gift to the pious consists in the triumphant vindication which they enjoy at the latter part of their lives.

vv. 18-22. The subject of these verses is the old one of the prosperity of the wicked and the reward of the righteous (cp. e.g. Ps. Ixxiii). Here vv. 18-19 are concerned with the rich fool, to which vv. 20-21 form an antithesis, having for their subject the poor righteous man: v. 22 sums up in favour of the righteous. Riches carefully amassed elude their possessor when he proposes to enjoy them; while piety leads toa good end of life.

18. from self-denial. Lit. ‘from afflicting himself’: (τ interprets well ‘by his wariness and pinching’.

his allotted reward. The same person is, of course, referred to as in clause a (for reading see critical note).

19. What time he saith... Cp. the parable of the rich fool (Luke xii. 16): also Ps, xlix. 10 (11) for the last line. The sentiment is common also in the Rabbinic literature: cp. e.g. Qoheleth rabba (on i. 4): ‘In this world one man builds a house and another inhabits it; one plants a garden and another eats the fruit thereof’ (cited by Edersheim). al

20. My son. The form of address marked by the expression ‘my son’ introduces a new division, or a new paragraph. } ν ἘΔ

be steadfast in thy task. i.e. in thy allotted task (pina: cp. for this use of PM, Exod. v. 14), which in the case of the righteous is the fulfilling and carrying out of God’s commands. (τ renders: ‘ Be steadfast in thy covenant with God.’)

in thy work: of leading a God-fearing life.

21. Marvel not. 1.6. at the success of his works so as to envy: cp. Prov. iii. 31 (‘Envy thou not the man of violence ’). Ἢ ἢ

Trust in Jahveh and wait for His light. Cp. Is. lix. 9 (‘we wait for the light’); Jer. xiii. 16; Job ili. 9, &c. ‘Light’ is a common metaphor for divine deliverance (so here).

to make a poor man rich. As Edersheim remarks: ‘the moral of this verse can scarcely be considered > elevated’

i“ 22 The blessing of God is * the portion* of the righteous, y And at the right time¥ “his hope shall flourish’.

Soh ee

23 Say not: *‘ What is (yet) my desire*? » And what henceforth is left unto me? ?’ 24 Say not: °‘I have enough’, 4And what mischief can befall me*?’ 25 °A day’s happiness maketh misfortune to be forgotten’, .fAnd a day’s misfortune maketh happiness to be forgotten’. & 268For it is easy in Jahveh’s sight At the end to requite a man according to his deeds®. Ὦ 27 "An evil time causeth forgetfulness of delights, : iAnd the last end of a man will tell of him’. 28 ijPronounce no man happy before his death; k For by his latter end* a man shall be known).

W vv, 22-26 omitted in 3 xx 5: Ger μισθῳ ( pia 2. ὁ. Nessentiae ; so Smend reads) ΣῪ ® nya: Gk και ev wpa ταχινῃ (Sah > ταχινῃ): 3 B 2-2 32 NIDN npn: Gk ἀναθαλλει ευλογιαν αὐτου (? ευλογιαν corrupt Jor evodia = & processus iliius fructificet) a-a Ok τις ἐστιν μου xpea: 18 ’YAN Mwy D..... Read with Peters

YYDN ΠῸ = Ge: 30 seems to embody an explanatory addition (tt makes the line too long : Smend’s restoration ts hardly

Flebrew’ b-b 15 ὦ ay Any mn (correct Any fo ΤΙΝ with Ge): Ce καὶ τινα απὸ του νυν εσται μου τα ἀγαθα = 7719)

2% ap” ΠΡ (Lev?) ὁ-ὸ (ἃ avrapky μοι εστιν = \Iv YT (so read with Peters) d-d 35 defect. ὧν FG G8 ©

Peters restores missing words D8 71: Smend Bis WN: GE καὶ te ἀπὸ του νυν κακωθησομαι ; (απο του vey? from 23d)

e-e So BH: Gey ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθων ἀαμνησια κακων Pf So 39: G καὶ ev ἡμερᾳ κακων ov μνησθησεται ayabov | 38 - NNN)

poy mann DIN = 27 Ὁ im & (see note below): v. 27 in the form preserved in & seems to have been introduced as

a doublet in ® and to have displaced v. 26; when this occurred tts first stichos was omitted owing to tts similarity

with 25b. See further Peters ad loc.| s-s So Gk (ometted in ®): Peters restores: Muay PPS M52) 1D |

:yqata o> awad nana :

Peters plausibly explains the omission of vv, 22-26 in & as due to the similarity of 21 Ὁ, c and 26 (homozoteleuton).

bh So 39: Ge κακωσις wpas ( AYA Ny) επιλησμονὴν ποιει tpupys: S ‘The evil of a day causeth forgetfulness

of good’ (assimilated 10. 25 b) Hi So ® yby py DIN HD): (ἃ ( freely) καὶ ev συντελείᾳ avOpwrov ἀποκαλυψις epywv

αὐτου: $ exactly = psy WAN DIN MINN (doublet tn ἸΏ added at end of Ὁ. 25): here mn zs a corruption of

mnn, and this and DMN) are variants on 4\D) and 7) Fi So (ἃ 1η5: H1 8. The doublet (181) and

the ortginal text (*) appear in ® side by side, thus:

WANN ON DIN ἽΡΠΠ DWI) f DIN AWN’ InanNa 5 } cee vay to» ἸΠΛΊΠΝΣ 5} B= & Saadya (as cited in Cowley, iv, p. xxi) quotes ®? with slight variants (omitting 133 at end of line 1, and reading 723n for 123° in Line 2) ἘΠῚ 39 yaa 3D which Ge, misunderstanding, renders καὶ ev texvots αὐτου: for NNN

. The blessing of God... flourish. Cp. Prov. x. 22.

vv. 23-28 : God’s retribution smooths away all inequalities at the last. i Εἰς What is (yet) my desire? i.e. what is there left for me to desire? (= 23 ὁ). 25. A day’s happiness...a day’s misfortune... Developing the idea of 244. ‘ Past sufferings will be forgotten

by the righteous when prosperity cometh, and the opposite will be the case with the wicked’ (Edersheim). For a day's happiness’ cp. xiv. 14 (‘a good day’). For the general sentiment cp. xviii. 24 f.

26. itis easy... It is easy for God, because the retribution that comes at the last is final and complete. _ 27. the last end of a man will tell of him, The last circumstances of a man’s life will reveal whether he has lived his life on the whole well or badly. This appears to be one of the main convictions of Ben-Sira.

28. Pronounce no man happy before his death. Cp. Pirge Aboth ii. 5 (ed. Taylor) : ‘ Trust not in thyself until the day of thy death ’ (a saying of Hillel). _. by his latter end a man shall be known. & has ‘in his children (by his posterity) a man shall be known’. Phe idea introduced by &’s interpretation is not present in the original form of the verse. It is, however, one of the developments natural to speculation on the subject. It implies that the misdeeds of a man will involve his children in punishment, and that, if he dies unpunished, retribution will yet assert itself in their punishment. It was a common notion among the Jews that the sins of parents resulted in physical or moral defects in children (cp. John ix. 2). It is noticeable that the idea of a future life is entirely absent from the passage.

(2) XI. 29-34. Beware of intercourse with strangers and bad characters (= 3 +142 distichs). ἢ 291Not every one is to be brought into ™the house™— »And how many are the wounds of a slanderer®!

30 °As a decoy partridge in a cage®, so is the heart of the insolent (sinner), And as a spy that seeth ?the nakedness?!.

=‘ posterity,’ cp. Ps. cviii. (cix.) 13 ; xxxvii. (xxxvili.) 37; Jer. xxxviii. (xxxi.) 17. Il pv, 29-30. These verses

have a number of additional lines appended to them in ®, where they appear tn the following form : ma 5x wand vay 53 xb 29a Sayq syyp ἸΔῚ ΠΙΟῚ 290 [At odo ona [5 Ξε ia mea as ads. nnx mya 30a 25nd Iw ΞΝῚΞ 30b asd mrad ana Sayin aw = 308

genuine text of &. These lines are also attested in 8. Besides 3 also represents 30 c-f. (30 a, bin S$ 30a, Ὁ in Ge: & thus preserves the two genuine clauses consecutively). In English 30a-h may be thus rendered : ‘As an imprisoned bird in a cage (so) is a proud man’s heart’ ( 30 a). ‘As a wolf that lieth in wait to tear’ ( 30b). ‘ How many are the iniquities of the pillager!’ ( 30c). ‘Like a dog that entereth every house ( 30 d) and stealeth (so) is every pillager’ ( 30 e). ‘He cometh and maketh strife in all... ... ca ("3 Offi) ‘The slanderer lieth in wait like a bear at the house of the scoffers ( 30 9) and like a spy that seeth the nakedness’ (= 30h).

A citation of the passage also occurs in T. δι Feb. 63 Ὁ, Sanh. 100b.

(ν.1. Dan) San syys yn pan = 29 b.

The origin of the additional clauses in ἸΏ may be explained as follows : [29 c,d ts a citation from Jer. v. 27 ;| 30b and 30 f a doublet of 31 b; and 30 g an expansion of 30 ἢ (ΞΞ 30bmG&) mm SoW: (ἃ ὦ τ ‘thy’ »™ So®: bay >y]yp 43971 (cn VBE EL. Ὀ51" ‘ trafficker’: 37 ‘slanderer NE (ἃ πολλὰ yap ra evedpa του δολιου (248 δια- βολουὴ 55. : hence Peters reads Soy) ΖΝ 2 ΠῚ 0-0 35 2032 pnw Hyd: (ἃ περδιξ θηρευτὴς (dul 70 θηρευθεις 3) ev καρταλλῳ 3533 nny sp (so 8): Peters so reads. p-P H Ay ‘nakedness’ (cp. Gen. xlil. 9, 12):

τ Not ee one is to be brought into the house. The citation in the Talmud (see critical note) runs: * Keep away many from the midst of thy house, and bring not every man into thy house.’ To be ‘ brought into the house’= to be placed on terms of intimate friendship; to be made a ‘ house-friend’. at ee: τὰ

30. Asa decoy partridge in a cage. Lit. ‘as a partridge imprisoned in a cage’ (see critical note for text). The simile is drawn from the custom of employing a bird in a cage, provided with food, as a decoy, the cage being so arranged that other birds can enter, but, having once entered, cannot get out again: cf. Jer. v.27: ‘ As a decoy (cage) is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit.’ This verse from Jeremiah has been inserted in the text of ® (at end of v. 29) to illustrate our passage here, which, indeed, is based upon it. The point of the comparison is the apparent harmlessness of the lure which is so dangerous. ᾿ ᾿ ἃ

the insolent (sinner). Lit. ‘the proud man’: ‘proud’ often wicked, just as ‘meek’ often pious in Om The heart of a sinner is as dangerous to know as a decoy bird is to other birds that come to it. _ as a spy that seeth the nakedness. The phrase is to be explained by the full phrase ‘spies to see the

STRA GH tai an= lets

®* 31 The backbiter turneth® good into evil,

And in thy loveliest qualities he putteth *a stain".

32 *From a spark cometh much coal’, tAnda villain lieth in wait for blood’.

33 Shrink from an evil man, for he begetteth evil— : Why "shouldst thou incur" a lasting blemish ?

34 ’Let a stranger dwell with thee and he will estrange thy way of life, And alienate thee from thine own house’.

(e) XII. 1-7. Against indiscriminate benevolence (= 3+3+1 distichs).

12 τ “If thou do an act of kindness, know to whom thou doest it™, xThat thou mayst have hope of thy kindness*. 2 Do acts of kindness to the righteous and find recompense ; If not from him, ¥from Jahveh’. 3 “No (return of) kindness (cometh) to him that giveth satisfaction to the ungodly”, @Nor hath he done any act of benevolence*.

tk interpreting) πτωσιν 8: Talmud citation confirms & 4-4 ® 1) JDM’ WH convertit insidiator: (ἃ pera- στρεφων evedpevet (S > f393) rr So G& μωμον ὃ “DI (Lévz) or nm: 18 Wp: S ‘stumbling-block’ ( ? wp) s3 So 18 nbmi aay ys (emend fo HAIN): E& aro σπινθηρος πυρος (248 puxpas) πληθυνθησεται avOpaxia: 95. ‘From a little tow (‘tow’? nnyo) a fire is kindled’ t-t So 39 G: ὦ (freely) ‘So the man that is a sinner sheddeth blood like water ’ “πα So ®: xwn [nnd] Cc — nb” or > ym v-v ® has two forms of this v.: the first, which follows v. 33, runs:

soa abn yend pain xb ἃ e. ‘Cling not to a godless man lest he overturn thy way and turn thee from thy covenants’ (so 3): a@ second form follows xii. 1, and runs: Ines JAD PIN War war pw ?.e. ‘from a corrupt (?) neighbour (be) thy way warned, for he will estrange thee to them that are dear to thee’. Prob. the Hebrew original of & underlies this: G& has ενοικισοὸν ἀλλότριον, και διαστρεψει σε εν ταραχαις Kat ἀπαλλο- τριωσει σε τῶν ἰδιων σου. Correct ἸΗ" (with Smend): This text prob. underlies & (see Smend). N31 has been corrupted into PII τη Br: pwns in 16" has prod. come in from τ. 31 W-W Qk ἐὰν ev ποιῃς γνωθι τινι movers DON 905 yt Dyn ON (so read with Peters, Smend, §c.): Ὦ Don vob yan 31 oN ‘If thou doest evil to the good, to whom wilt thou do good?’ ὦ ‘If thou doest good to the evil (= yn 2on ON) thou doest nothing’ (S supports G, and the evidence shows that in

® yon 21 ON zs corrupi for yI WON ON) x-x So 38 : Ck καὶ ἐσται χαρις τοις ayabous σου which = (?) ΠῚ ὙΠ sna, ‘And thou shalt have kindness for thy kindness’ (so 5 inserting ‘not’): Smend so reads (ΠῚ for pn in ®) y-y So ®: (ἃ παρα ὑψιστου: 45 ‘from his Lord’ zt Reading YW md NID PS (B® has m0 which

Schechter takes as an infin. of a verb. ΤΣ ‘to bestow’ [cp. nN]; then render ‘No good cometh of bestowing upon him that is wicked)’: % ‘There is no good to him that honoureth ( 271295, cf. Prov. iii. 9) the wicked’:

nakedness of the land’ (cp. Gen. xlii. 9, 12). A base and unscrupulous person, if admitted to intimacy, will use his opportunities of intimate knowledge merely for malicious purposes. 31. The backbiter. This word (Heb. j17)) otherwise occurs only in Proverbs (xvi. 28, xviii. 8, xxvi. 20, 22). 32. From a spark cometh much coal. The general sense is: Do not play with fire. lieth in wait for blood. Cp. Prov. i. 11. 33. Shrink. (ἃ ‘take heed of’.

an evil man .. . begetteth evil. Cp. Is. lix. 4. XII. 1. If thou do an act of kindness... Lit. ‘if thou do good’. This forms a sort of text for what follows. 1. hope. sc. of a return for thy benevolence. 2. Do acts of kindness to the righteous... This forms the complement of τ΄. 1. 3. No (return of) kindness (cometh) to him... benevolence. i.e. acts of benevolence to the unworthy and

5 (2) Weapons of bread give him not”,

¢Lest he attack thee with them®*.

|; (4) *Twofold evil? shalt thou obtain®

For all the good thou shalt have brought him’. For God also hateth them that are evil, £And to the ungodly He repayeth vengeance’.

17(4) Give to the good "and withhold® from the evil ;

‘Refresh? Jthe humble), and ‘give not* '!to the arrogant.

(f) XII. 8—XIIIl. τ. Against trust in false friends (= 2+3+3+3+2+2+41 distichs)

g A friend ™is not known™ in prosperity

And an enemy is not hidden in adversity. "In a man’s prosperity even an enemy is friendly”, But in his adversity even a friend °holdeth aloof?.

} to Never trust Pan enemy?,

%For even as brass his wickedness rusteth®.

Ge οὐκ ἐστιν ayaba τῳ ενδελεχιζοντι εἰς Kaka ( yw? ma : S may yw my ; so Bacher, JQR, xii. 278) a-a So 35 nwy xb APIS Dn (τ (faking ® as a rel. clause, ‘ And also to him who hath done no benevolence’): ® ‘And he that doeth alms loseth it not’ ++ (vv. 4-7): shese verses are out of order in CG B® and 3 (they are numbered according to &’s reckoning): v.4 v. 7 (a doublet) and should be eliminated: 5 a should follow 7 : thus the true order ἐς most nearly preserved in Ux, and ts 5 b-e, 6, 7 ( 4), 5a: Band 55 (bul 5e ἐς omitted in %) the order of the clauses is: 5. d,e, 5b, ο, 6,7, 5a (Goth Band S rightly omit 4). Lalso places 5a after 7 (showing that this was ortginal order of &). b-b So 5 nn Sx ond 55: & ‘ Keep back his bread and give it not to him’ (εμποδισον τοὺς aprous αὐτου [N* > αὐτου: 248 Sah cov] καὶ μὴ dos αὐτῳ (Ee fook > as bo, ‘ withhold’): $ ‘ The instruments of thy warfare ( ? ἽΠΠΟΙ. 555) thou shalt not give him’ [ond %> is rendered by Schechter “weapons of war’; cp. Judges v. 8] ¢¢ So ® pow Sap pa and (nnd jp: cp. viii. 1, xi. το, xi. 33, xii, 12, XXX. 12: G wapn): G wa μὴ εν αὑτοις σε δυναστευσῃ (enexactly): S ‘Lest with them he war with thee’ d-d Q& διπλασία yap κακα AY ὯΝ) 15, ‘a double portion of evil’: so S (G&+ yap) 910 S + ‘in the time of (thy) need’ (J>y¥ nya) : omet with & Hf So 35 (ἃ (as av ποιησῃς αὐτῳ pow youn): 2 >. 8τ- So®G: © ‘And upon the ungodly He bringeth His retribution’ b-h ® yo: Ge καὶ μὴ αντιλαβῃ (freely) 1- ®H pr, 1.6. VPN, Hef. of WP, ‘to be cool’: G& ev ποίησον S J 70 & ταπεινῳ k-k So G&: S ‘ withhold’ 655): ae 2] wb ἃ ασεβει m-m So 18 ya xo: 3: (ἃ γνωσθησεται (δ: Syro-Hex : επιγνωσθησεται 253 30) 322: the ordinary reading of & ts ἐκδικηθησεται ἢ DPINY (or Ἴ5)) nn So 38; G& ‘Ina man’s prosperity his enemies are grieved’ (ev Aum) 3 (+ yap) 0H INI: Ce διαχωρισθησεται 55. (% agnitus est διαγνωρισθησεται) PP SoB®S: G+ σου a-a So 38 whom in ΤΟΣ 5: 9 (‘ For even as brass is he that polluteth his comrade’) wth sy'9 for yin & ‘For like as the brass rusteth so is his wickedness’ (soura: ovrws ἡ πονηρια αὐτου : but S

godless are not requited, and are not to be regarded as real benevolence. Cp. Midrash Qoh. rabba v. (Tanch. npn ὃ 1), where a proverb is attributed to Ben-Sira: ‘Do not good to the evil and evil shall not befall thee’ (Qoh. rabba adds : ‘and if thou doest good to the evil thou hast done evil’). These citations illustrate the idea which is worked out in our passage, viz. that doing good to the evil will produce positively evil results to the doer (cp. vv. 5 d,e below). @& has entirely misunderstood the verse.

5. Twofold evil. The Hebrew expression here (D'2¥ 15) =lit.‘a double portion (of evil’): it recurs xviii. 32 (), xlviii. 12 (38) ; cp. in Biblical Hebrew 2 Kings ii. 9 ; Zech. xii. 8. : ΐ

6. For God also hateth them that are evil. Justifying the advice given in the previous verse. With the whole contrast Rom. xii. 19-21.

7 (4). Give to the good and withhold from the evil. Cp. 7. 2. Baba Bathra 96: ‘when given to undeserving persons it [alms] is not a meritorious act receiving reward.’

8. A friend is not known in prosperity... This opening verse provides the text for what follows. A true friend is difficult to determine. Two Hebrew words are used for ‘friend’ in what follows, viz. ITN, lit. ‘one who loves’, i.e. the true friend, and Ὁ) = a friendly acquaintance. :

g. In a man’s prosperity ... Cp. Prov. xix. 4: ‘Wealth addeth many friendly acquaintances, but in the case of a poor man his friend separateth himself’ ; also v. 7. ᾿ J ϊ

1ο. For even as brass his wickedness rusteth. Just as the metal is ever liable to rust, so the wickedness of the enemy is ever active and assuming new forms. For the figure cp. xxix. 10 and Jas. v. 3.

#4 11 Yea’, when he is obsequious™ ‘and walketh humbly‘,

tTake caret "to have a fear of him":

Be to him Yas one that brighteneth a mirror’ * And so (thou shalt) know how to be rid of rust*. -

12 Let him not stand beside thee

Lest he thrust thee aside and stand in thy place:

Set him not at thy right hand Lest he seek thy seat—

y And too late thou shalt comprehend’ my words, 2 And sigh o’er my plea”!

13 Who? pitieth* >the charmer that is stung”, Or any one that cometh nigh “ἃ ravening beast®? 14 4So is he that associateth with an impious man®, ¢And polluteth himself with his iniquities°’. 15 £4So long as thou standest he doth not reveal himself, But if ‘thou fall‘ Jhe no longer restraineth himself/*. > ovrws and 38 : ovrws due 10 a reviser). ry 75 pow oN ( YdwY, ‘is obedient, compliant’): G& ( freely) εαν ταπεινωθῃ 5-8 35 ΠΠὴ2 san: Gi και πορευηται συνκεκυφως (and go crouching 7 R.V.) ᾧ (which adds soa: so Peters) t+? 35 {0 (ἃ ἐπιστησον τὴν Ψψυχην σου u-u SoH: S— (ἃ και φυλαξαι απ αὐτου V-V (ἃ ‘as one that hath wiped a mirror’ (ws expepayws εσοπτρον), cp. Syro-Hex ‘as a wiped off mirror: pommting 10 a reading ‘xs: 18 15 nbdswo, ‘as one that revealeth a secret S$ (nds here may ‘brighten’: Smend compares Arab. δὰ ‘to polish bright’, of @ sword, silver, §c.) w® + Jnnvind ayo xy, ‘and he shall not find opportunity to harm thee’ (or ?‘to rust thee ’—Aram. sense): so 85 but (τ > (prob. a gloss) x-x 35 ‘ And know thou the end of jealousy’ (ANIP MANN yn) S: but (τ (και γνωσῃ ore ove [buf Syro-Hex prob. righily > οὐκ] ets τέλος κατιωσεν) suggests axdn Jor ASIP: so read with Smend y-3 35 ywn sinnd) : Gr καὶ ex ecxaT@ επιγνωσῃ 2: 106 ευρησεις (cp. ΧΧΧΙ. [xxxiv. | 12) z-2 15 moNnn snmandy, it. ‘And sigh at my sighing’: (ἃ καὶ ἐπὶ των ρημάτων pov κατανυγησῃ (‘and be pricked with my sayings’, R.V.)’, $ ‘And wonder at my sayings’ (? reading TtOnn): ‘at my sayings’ (Cx 9) suggested by ‘my words’ of preceding line. a-a Reading in with & 2: 18 nv b-b So 35 (ἃ επαοιδὸν οφιοδηκτον (Gx 45) τὸ 39 jw nn (so xxxix. 30) “7. ‘beast of tooth’: G θηριοις d-d 35 ἡ (1. was) nw Sy san jD: G οὕτως τὸν προσπορευόμενον avdpt αμαρτωλῳ (% gut comelatur) e-e ® ynnya ddan: Ck και συνῴφυρομενον ev ταις ἀμαρτιαις αὐτου : 2 > f+ ws ia ayan sy ay" x5, ‘he will not cease until a fire be kindled in him’ xxiii. 16 f( (τ 23 b) ov μη παυσησαὶ ews av εκκαυσῃ mup (so 86 here): the insertion of this clause m ® and S τς due to false reading 1} ΤΩΝ in 14a: in 8 τ has taken the place of 14b 8-8 ® has 4 stichot: yay xd soy ny ay (c) 3b abdamy xd Joy sa? we (a) r5abony xd (1. pron) ova px (4) :Toosmd bier xd Sian on (Ὁ) (a) ‘ When he cometh with thee, he doth not betray (7. reveal) himself, (b) And if thou fall he doth not fall to help thee ; (c) So long as thou standest he doth not show himself (as he is), (d) But if thou stumble he doth not restrain himself.’ S$ (nearly) (a) and (b); (ἃ (nearly) (c) and (d): prod. (a) and (Ὁ) are doublets (with an explanatory tendency’) of (c) and (a)—95 bam» (a) doublet of yey (c) and dian of wyaa (uwan) in (4), while qbrynd (2 7. day) dyB» (Ὁ) as a doublet of Saban» (4). Smend thinks $ at the end of (b) attests the reading babanr xd (S reads nova ΤῸΝ NYDN ) and concludes that the translator of ® had the 4 stichot before him which he reduced to 2, partly conforming fo ἃ. (ἃ ( (c) (d) of 38) represents the original text. h-h 35. yrpy ub ἼΩΝ ny ay: (ἃ wpay pera cov dtapever ( PTY 11, Yea, when he is obsequious (07 compliant)... Cp. Prov. xxvi. 24 f. (“he that hateth dissembleth with his lips’, &c.). When a friend is especially compliant and humble be on your guard ! Be to him as one that brighteneth (/:¢. polisheth) a mirror... rid of rust. The danger of rust can be avoided in the case of the metal mirror by regular polishing ; so one can avoid the dangers arising from an enemy’s malice by constant watchfulness (being on one’s guard against, and not confiding in such). For the text see

critical note. For the figure of the mirror cp. Jas. i. 23.

13-18 (and xiii. 1) depict the consequences that follow neglect of the warning given in the previous part of the section.

14. So is he that associateth with an impious man. i.e. a man who runs risks by associating on terms of

friendship with sinners (impious) is equally undeserving of pity when dire consequences ensue, as the cases referred to in the previous verse.

polluteth himself... The sinner is unclean and defiles all who come near him (Smend). 15. So long as thou standest...restraineth himself. i.e. so long as one sustains one’s position the false friend

τό * With his lips 'an adversary speaketh sweetly!™,

But in his heart he deviseth "deep pitfalls”.

°Yea°, though an enemy ” weep with his eyes?,

4When® he findeth opportunity he will not be satiated with blood. 17 If misfortune have befallen thee "he is at hand’ ;

As though ready to help he seizeth the heel’. 18 He shaketh tthe headt "and waveth the hand’,

vyAnd with much whispering‘ *changeth® his countenance. ἢ 1 Whoso toucheth pitch, *it cleaveth to his hand*, And he that associateth with a scorner ¥will learn his way’.

XIII. 2-13. Against dangerous and unequal association (a) with the rich, (b) with rulers

27What is too heavy for thee *do not lift®, >And with one that is richer than thyself? associate ποῖ“.

ἼΩΝ Joy ny): here Joy might be a mutilated Jy which would be a variant on Wy: then the orignal form would have been, perhaps, [3 nb] ὙΠ ny ‘what time thou standest,’ &c. Smend reads yay xd Joyn ny oy: pray nd zs omitted by Ge, but its originality is guaranteed by the doublet τ." x. Hi Reading own (ἃ (1 2.22) iw gabon wh: Ge ov μὴ καρτερησῃ K Qe pr. καὶ (but 254 ἄς. Syro-Hex 3» > with ® 3). 1] Reading ἫΝ pn (ἃ (so Peters): S ‘an enemy giveth a sign’ (1199): 32 AMMEN (ὁ due 10 assimilation with xxvii. 23 Ὁ. m Bvb+ καὶ πολλα ψιθυρισει Kat epet σοι Kaa λεγων n-n 39 ΠΡῚΝ nw (cp. Ps. cxl. 11): (ἃ (freely) “to overthrow thee intoa pit’ (αναστρεψαι σε ets BoOpor) : ) ‘deep devices’ -o% ov 3: & > p-P 38 yyy yp y3 (if. not attested in any other passage) & (‘cause tears to issue from their eyes’): (τ daxpucer 9-4 Ge pr. και (254 SC. > και) ΤΥ 30 ov “yoo: S ‘thou wilt find him there’; (ἃ evpnoets αὐτὸν exer mpotepov σου (or πρότερον σου exet) (Smend suggests that πρότερον σοὺ may have arisen from an uncorrected mistake in writing πτέρναν σου of next line) ε-8 JPY YEN? TOD ND ‘Asa man that would help he seeketh reward’ (or ‘seeketh to supplant’): read with Smend wan’ for ΦΈΓΝ : (ἃ ὑποσχασει πτερναν σου t-t G+ αὐτου ἀπὸ 35) 9) p91: tr (tnexactly) και ἐπικροτήσει ταις χερσιν (Syro-Hex Ξ3, τῇ χειρι) αὐτου v-V® has vindn 2150) (read with Smend winds 3171) $ ‘and whispering much’: (ἃ καὶ πολλα διαψιθυρισει Wow 35 Now Aw" (cp. xiii. 25) x-x 35 YW) pan (read 13, cp. 3): G μολυνθησεται (‘shall be defiled’ R.V.), 2a correction for κολληθησεται (248, @ Syro- Hex + ev avr) ΥῸΣ So ® y97 AWS: S ‘is clothed with his way’ 1975 wady, cp. & induet superbiam (Smend reads "1 wd): G ομοιωθησεσαι αὐτῳ (Ss 1 mm; so Peters reads) 2% pr. tit. (before v. 1) de societate divitum superborum a-a G& μὴ ἀρῃς NWN AD (AD sometimes by, Just as mb jp 2 later Hebrew: cp. Cant. viii. 4; Qoh. v. 5, vil. 16: another case of HD = bx occurs in ch. xxxii. (xxxv.) 4) b-b So WS: G xa ἰσχυροτερῳ σου kat πλουσιωτερῳ (double rendering) c-e 35. Aannn AD

does not reveal his true character ; but he comes out in his true colours when misfortune befalls. @ gives a different turn to the sentence, but expresses a similar general meaning (cp. R. V.).

16. With his lips . . . speaketh sweetly . . . deep pitfalls. i.e. when misfortune comes he professes to be sympathetic, but secretly plots further ruin for the victim: cp. Prov. xxvi. 24 f. (‘he that hateth dissembleth with his lips’). The Hebrew word rendered ‘pitfalls’ (ΠῚ 22) occurs only again in Ps. cxl. 11. The meaning ‘pitfall’ or ‘pit’ (Jerome, on the Psalm, renders foveas) is guaranteed by our passage.

Yea, though an enemy weep with his eyes... blood. Illustrate from Jer. xli. 6. The expression ‘he will not be satiated with blood’ is usually understood literally to mean that such an enemy will not be satisfied until the blood of the victim of misfortune has been actually shed. But Edersheim prefers to interpret the expression metaphorically (in conjunction with the following verse), as meaning that the false friend will not be satisfied with the mere coming of misfortune (= the shedding of blood), but will himself actively take part in making the ruin even more complete.

17. he seizeth the heel. i.e. to trip thee up. He actively assists in making the overthrow complete. For text

18. He shaketh the head . . . changeth his countenance. His enmity now becomes open and undisguised.

He shaketh the head. A gesture of contempt; cp. xiii. 7; Job xvi. 4: ‘with much whispering’, i.e. secretly preparing all manner of evil devices. ᾿

changeth his countenance. i.e. becomes openly hostile ; cp. xiii. 25 ; Qoh. 1. 8.

2 What is too heavy for thee...richer than thyself associate not. i.e. such a proceeding is too difficult to carry out successfully.

What association can “jar and kettle? have in common a4\WWhen“4, if the one smite, the other is smashed “Ὁ The rich man ‘if he perpetrateth a wrong‘ 8plumeth himself®, While if a wrong is perpetrated upon a poor man "he must implore favour®. iIf thou art useful to him! he maketh a slave of thee, iBut if thou be brought low! ‘he is sparing of thee*. kk Tf thou possessest anything ** 'he will live with thee’, And will impoverish thee without a pang. ™Hath he need of thee™? ™then he will deceive thee”, ° And will smile upon thee® and raise thy hopes. » He will speak thee fair?, 4And shame thee with his hospitality 4. *So long as it profiteth he will cajole thee, Twice (or) thrice he will . . . thee’;

d-dy D Sx 3) ἼΒ (τ xurpa πρὸς λεβητα (S ‘the vessel of clay to the cauldron of brass ’) dd-dd So 19 wx Ψ quando: & > (S ‘which [knocks it and breaks it’ |) e#® (9) +55 by ΩΝ canna ww ‘or why should the rich associate with the poor’: G > (rightly as a gloss) ff Reading yy 10 correspond with ΤῊΝ in next clause (or MY): so (ἃ (ηδικησεν) and ξὁ β-Ὁ mon’ WMeo-Hebr. nimi, ‘to make oneself handsome, be vain (plume oneself)’: (τ προσενεβριμησατο (? man): S ‘is unconcerned’ (Ν)2Π)|2) bhy ΤΠ: Ge καὶ προσδεηθησεται : S (misunderstanding W®) ‘he prays’ iW 3S avian ox S: & cay χρησιμευσῃς (>) 34. So ® (pron ony): Ge καὶ cay vorenpons (? ΝΠ ON: cp. Num. ix. 7): S ‘if thou art poor’

(ἃ and 3 may be free renderings of ®) καὶ 1) by Sony ( ‘he pitieth thee’): G karatenper σε S (2 interpreting ®) kk-kk 9 bei ox: Ck eav exys 75 eh ow ( 8): so read (with Peters, Smend) 1 So & συμβιώσεται σοι DY TN (so read with Peters): Y 35 ἽΝ wT Do” 6c (accrdentally misplaced: so Peters) m-m 30 ἼΩΝ b (Δ 778) PAS: Ge χρείαν ἐσχηκε cov: S ‘while he does his will with thee’ nn 30 3 yon ?‘he will flatter thee’ (reading YON from YYW: cp. Aram. sense of verb) or ‘toy with thee’: Gk καὶ ἀποπλανήσει σε p ΝῊ ΠῚ: so read with Peters: ‘he will seem to do thy will’ 0-0 32) 75 (1, ἽΠ}))) pmb, cp. Job xxix. 24 (bs pnw) p-p Reading JOY YIIT Do” ( 5a BW): Ce Aadyoe σοι xara: Ge + καὶ ἐρεῖ τις ἡ χρεια σου, which Peters regards as an explanatory doublet (but Smend keeps). & ‘and will call thee a fortunate man’ (? paraphrase of ‘will speak thee fair’): 4 > a-a So Ge and $= ypboxna Jw (so read with Peters, Smend): ® > qa Sam Syy ἼΩΝ sy sqymy woe oye

(9 prob. = ® substantially.) Gk ews ov αποκενωσῃ σε bis ἡ τρις, καὶ em ἐσχατῳ καταμωκήσεται σοι. Peters thinks the Hebrew text underlying (πὰ to have been: wow pioya wii awe oy 27a Sma nna

But this can hardly be right (ΓΛ ΤΙΝ fol. by j23\ next line). W® is essentially right: but the meaning of 78 15 uncertain. Smend suggests that it may =a corresponding verb in Arab., which means ‘to deceive’ ss # 133)

What association ... smashed ? i.e. the weaker is bound to go to the wall: when a collision takes place the earthen pot (12, cp. Num. xi. 8) is bound to be smashed by the brass cauldron (1D, cp. Ezek. xxiv. 3, 6). ‘The one Ἐπ᾿ οἵ πσοτϑο, the cauldron or kettle, ‘the other’ the earthen pot. The latter was also used for boiling purposes ;

_3. The rich man... perpetrateth a wrong... ‘The folly of the whole thing, viewed from the standpoint of the rich, could scarcely be more graphically set forth than in this and the following verses’ (Edersheim).

4. he maketh a slave of thee. The same expression (2 Ἵ3}) occurs in Jer. xxiii. 13, xxvi. 14, xxx. 8: lit. = he uses thee as an instrument for work. For the Hebrew word here for ‘to be useful’ (12) cp. Eccles. v. 10 (‘skill, success’). The original meaning is to be fit, suitable.

he is sparing of thee. The Hebrew word here used = usually ‘to pity’ (‘he pitieth thee’). But here the meaning seems to be to neglect, leave alone: cp. Horace, Odes, i. 34. 1 ‘parcus deorum cultor et infrequens’ (& gives the meaning correctly—‘ he will forsake thee’). Cp. Pirge Aboth il. 3.

5. without a pang. lit. ‘and it will not pain him’.

7. wag his head at thee. In mockery and scorn; cp. xii. 18.

SLRACH 13:

And then’ he will see thee tand pass thee by‘, And wag his head at thee. 3 Take care "that thou be not overbearing”, vAnd that thou be not crushed by senseless folly ¥.

9 Doth a noble “draw near“? *keep at a distance*— yAnd so much the more¥ “will he cause thee to approach’. το *Do not thyself draw near*, lest thou be put at a distance ; And keep not (too) far away, lest *[thou be forgotten].

11 °Venture ποῖ “to be free? with him,

And mistrust his much conversation. *For ‘by his conversation at large’ he is testing thee’,

» And when he smileth at thee he is probing thee®®. τ ruthless one maketh peace, While plotting against the life of many’.

(cp. Prov. viii. 10, Esther iv. 16): G pera ταῦτα t-t ® 72 ayn (cp. Prov. xiv. 16) Ge karadeuper σε (δὲ Karvwper oe § ‘be hid from thee’) u-u® ἽΝ ann 5x (‘be not arrogant, overbearing, violent, overmuch’) : G& μη αποπλανηθῃς (248 &c. Syro-Hex +7 διανοιᾳ σου, 7. e. ‘be not deceived in thy mind, act foolishly *—an interpretation of 38}: % ‘be not given into his hands’ ? 2 ann by. γτν W yo ON AN bx) ‘and be not like to them that lack intelligence’ (Schech/er): Gk καὶ pn ταπεινωθῃς ev εὐφροσυνῃ σου (248 &c. + καρδιας after εὐφροσυνῃ : but Sah & ev τῇ αφροσυνῃ = the original reading of &): the Hebr. text underlying G& τς prob. :

yu ona Aan ox

1.6. ‘and be not crushed by senseless folly’ (so read with Peters: Peters also reads in line 1: 4253 ΠῚ 5x: cp. Gi τῃ διανοίᾳ σου) w-w So ® IAP, ὦ ὁ. DP ( particip.): Ce προσκαλεσαμενοῦυ σε sip: SB 3-379 pina aN: (ἃ υποχωρων ywou, so $+ ‘from him’ ΣΤΥ ® 15. 9) (cp. xi. 11) Ge καὶ room μαλλον : S ‘and at every time’ (jar 555) 2-2 So Q Ww S: (ἃ προσκαλεσεται σε [ Peters adopts (απ in both clauses : ‘doth a noble invite thee “᾿ς will he invite thee’] aa So® anpnn Sx 5: ἃ (/reely) ‘do not press (upon him),’ ἐμπιπτε b-b So G: wow, ‘be hated (detested)? $: emend fo NWN AIAN: cp. xiii. 9, τὸ 35, and Isa. xliv. 21 WIN (but lext doublful) e-¢ 35 ΠΟΣῚ by & μὴ emexe (emexew ΞΞΊΠΩΞΙ, ν. 8.) ΧΠ| ΤΙ, XV; 4) ἀ-ὁ 3 wand, wes vend, ‘to be free’ (Qal does not otherwise occur): (ἃ ἰσηγορεισθαι, ‘ to speak as an equal (with him)’: 3 ‘to speak’ (from context the word means ‘to speak freely’). Bevan (so Strack), however, suggests the pointing WBN. e-e These

two lines are cited by Saadya (cp. Cowley-Neub., p. xxii) as follows :

ΣΤ ῬΠῚ > prvi

‘ For with much talk will he try thee, And will laugh at thee and probe thee.’

ΤῊ 3 ΛΠ ΓΊ ΠΡ : G ex wodAns Aadzas (read NY for NW, so Sa‘ad.) ὅτ Reading 0» ( for ἸΏ ἸΔῈ) 1 (the Ὶ of n'y) G πειρασει σε (cp. Sa'ad. M8 ND): so Smend: 85. ® (‘for in the multitude of his speech there are trials ’) b-h So ® = Ge καὶ ws προσγελων εξετασε σε (248 ὅς. Syro-Hex τὰ κρυπτα cov instead of σε: fp) FD:

Suing ym) ΥἽἼΣΝ

avi swap oan war by Sony why G ανελεημων ο μὴ συντήρων λογους και ov μὴ φεισηται περι κακώσεως Και δεσμων (‘ unmerciful is he that keepeth not words ἢ and he will not spare injury and bonds’): $ ‘and he that is without pity exacts recompense (= pide for bv) and pitieth not the souls of many’. Zhus (τ omzts Stony xb and S ἼΦΡ Wp. Smend attaches bm ΝΟΥ Zo first Line

vv. 9-13 contain a warning against incautious intercourse with highly-placed members of the governing class (princes, governors, and their entourage). In Pzrge Adoth ii. 3, a passage occurs which expresses similar sentiments (attributed to Rabban Gamaliel, son of Judah ha-Nasi): ‘Be cautious with (those in) authority, for they let not a man approach them but for their own purposes ; and they appear like friends when it is to their advantage, and stand not by a man in the hour of his need.’ ; :

10. Do not thyself draw near... be forgotten. Avoid both extremes—pressing forward or holding back unduly.

12, A ruthless (or cruel) one maketh peace, While plotting against the life of many. A rien Raa

%* 13 Take heed jand be wary), k And go not about with men of violence*'.

(1) XIII. 15-20. Like consorteth with like: what common bond can there be between rich and poor ζ

15 ™All flesh™ loveth "its kind®,

° And every man his like®. 16 P All flesh consorteth according to its kind?,

And with his kind man “associateth*. 17 What association™ can wolf have with lamb ?

Even so is the ungodly that consorteth with the righteous*. 18 ‘What peace*t can the hyena have with the dog ἢ

“Or what" peace rich with poor ἢ 19 YFood* for the lion are the wild asses of the desert :

Even so the pasture of the rich are the poor.

and renders: ‘the tyrant employeth (iibt) cruelty and doth not pity, against the life of many he plotteth ’ (buf this 1s highly doublful): Peters reads Yep Yep bom xD) Peale) In’ ΣῈ, ze. ‘the cruel one taunteth, and is without pity in his plotting’. A defler results oblained of οὐδ zs read (wrth 3) in line 1, and Stony by (2 an explanatory gloss on 97198) zs omitted ; then read: WP Wp DI wEI by ody jn) yan, ze. as rendered in text above ( for whe jn) cp. Lev. xxvi. 6, 1 Chron. xxii. 9) JH war AT: Ck καὶ πρόσεχε σφοδρως (248 4+ axovey % auditui tuo): 46. ΞΞ 35 kK-k So 39: Ge ore μετα της mrwoews σου περιπατεις span pwn Dy 33, ‘for thou goest with thine own fall’ (S ‘for with the ravishers thou walkest’). So Pefers reads 1 248 253 3 Amb + verses 13. c and 14 (‘when thou hearest these things awake in thy sleep. 14 Love the Lord all thy life, and call upon Him for thy salvation’): for éext see Hart and Schlatter, p. τοδί. The verses are a late gloss m-m 7 Gi καὶ ras avOpwros τὸν πλησιον αὐτου. An echo of this line appears in a Talmud cttation (T. B. Baba gama 95b). Thirdly, in the Hagiographa; as tt ts written: ‘Every bird dwelleth according to its kind, and (so doth) man according to his like’ (> mod pax jn). Wore Talmud has 078 13 for ® DIN b-P Reading Sys ad sea 55 Gi masa σαρξ κατα yevos (Syro-Hex 254+ avrys: so & ad similem sibi) συνάγεται (307 cuvanrerar 3. coniungitur): 38 yx ava 53 po ($ = 39 with j2 for jy) 4τ-ἃ 39 sain’: @ sociabitur: (ἃ προσκολληθησεται ΤΟ θ᾽ 910) AND: (ἃ τι κοινωνὴησει 8-3 19 has two forms of this line, οἵα. : (1) pryd pes 9 (2) ὌΝ vias Se Ων κι

Gi ovrws ἁμαρτωλὸς προς εὐσεβὴ Ἰὴ (1): Sand so the rich to the poor man’ Ξξ 3ῃἢ (2): read with Smend Sysco pyayd porn 15 (Ja 15 a (1) ὁ Neo-Hebr.) Ὁ Reading mrbw wh mo Ge: 32 (corrupt) “et wen (cp. WN wy, 2 Sam. xiv. 19, Mic. vi. 10, Prov. xviii. 24) πὰ (τ καὶ τις ? IN (so Pelers reads): ἸΏ pw “whence δ᾽ vv SoM S: (ἃ κυνηγια (a free rendering: but Peters reads WS = κυνηγια, Gen. xxv. 27)

is drawn between the real character and the methods of the unscrupulous ruler. While pretending to make (or give) peace (i.e. to be full of active goodwill) he is secretly plotting murder. For the text see critical note. For a similar contrast cp. Ps. cxx. 7 (‘I am for peace; but when I speak they are for war’). @ runs: ‘ Merciless is he that keepeth not words (i.e. betrays confidences in free and incautious conversation), nor will he spare (sc. to inflict) injury or bonds’.

13. Take heed. . . men of violence. For the second clause && (cp. $) has ‘ For thou goest about with thy fall’ (so Peters prefers to read): the expression is a figurative one (to have ruin as a companion in thy walk); cp. Job xxxi. 5; Prov. xiii. 20 (cp. also ix. 13 of our book).

_ vv. 15-16. A reference is made to this passage in the Talmud (see critical notes for the citation). Our passage is ey as from the Hagzographa in conjunction with passages from the Law and the Prophets (see Edersheim, zn loc.).

15. All flesh. (ἃ ‘Every living creature’. ‘Flesh’ has here a general sense, including the forms of animal life generally. Cp. Lev. xvii. 14 (‘the life of all flesh . . . the blood thereof’, &c.).

kind ... like. Cp. xxvii. 9. The law of ‘like consorteth with like’ is ‘a universal law in the physical and moral

world, as well as of society’. ‘Similis simili gaudet ; aequalis aequalem delectat’ (Edersheim).

17. What association... wolf...lamb? Cp. Is. xi.6; Matt. x. 16.

18. rich with poor. Throughout these terms connote ungodly and pious respectively. Cp. Ep. James ii. 6 (‘ But ye have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you?’ &c.).

19. the wild asses of the desert (or steppe). Cp. Job xxiv. 5, where the poor (as here) are compared to the wild asses in the desert. For the lion as a figurative expression for the rich cp. Ps. xxxiv. 10, xxxv. 17, lvili. 7; Zech. xi. 3.

_20”An abomination *to pride* is humility ;

Even so an abomination to the rich are the poor.

(ἡ) XILI. 21-23. The world’s treatment of rich and poor—a contrast (= 1+2+42 distichs).

21 A rich man when he is shaken¥ “is supported by a friend’,

“But the poor man® ’when he is shaken? is thrust away °by a friend®.

_ 22 A rich man ‘speaketh4, and his helpers are many ;

And though his words be unseemly, they are pronounced lovely®. A poor man 'speaketh‘, and they jeer at him’; »Yea, though he speak with wisdom}, ‘there is no place for him‘.

23 When the rich man !speakethJ, all *keep silence‘,

And they extol his intelligence! to the clouds. When the poor man speaketh: ‘Who is this?’ say they ; And if ™he stumble™ "they will assist his overthrow®.

(7) XIII. 24—XIV. 2. A Collection of Miscellaneous Proverbs (= τ +242 distichs).

24 Wealth is good if it be without sin,

And evil is poverty *which is due to presumption?.

25 The heart” of a man changeth his countenance,

Whether for good or for evil®

Wy, 20 omitted by 9 x-x So 35 NI: (ἃ urepn pave ΣΥῸΣ So Ge σαλευομενος = 12,2) (so read): Mow: 9 Sfallsm

2:2 (ἃ στηριζεται ( ἢ 19D or JOD: so read) ὑπο φιλων ; Hy JODI: SF ‘is cast into evil’ (yn) 8-ἃ 15 δ): G ramewos δὲ (N* 248 πτωχος de: “(τ prefers the synonym [ταπεινὸς] which more easily admits of a spiritual interpretation’ (£Hart)) b-b ® ow: (ἃ πεσων S (contrast renderings 21 a) τὸ & ὑπὸ φιλων = yd

(cp. v. 21a), so read: $ ‘from evil into evil’ ἴὴΏ ν bx prow M4 Hamm S$: G o (tn clauses a and c the two terms must correspond—etther ‘speaketh’ or ‘falleth’ must be read in both: Ge expresses in both “ falleth’; % in both ‘speaketh’ ; ® i a ‘speaketh’, zw c ‘ falleth’) e-e So 15 PDIND PANID PAIN (Ὁ 5, part. Hof. of aya.common in Neo-Hebr. ‘to be dark, ugly, repulsive, unseemly’ (cp. xl. 2): pDIND, part. Hof. of nD Mit. ‘they are made beautiful’: nove the pl. endings in). Schechter suggests reading }*2\M) ‘they (his words) are veneered over’, as dase with precious metal, ‘and his hateful words are glozed over’ (/Zar/). (τ ἐλαλησεν ἀπορρητα και εδικαιωσαν αὐτὸν ἢ PDN) Paya III (so Peters reads) ff SoS: How ἃ 8-8 Reading (with Peters): ysw ya yay (ΛΔ “and they raise [cries] of’ ys, yx): S ‘they say to him’ yu: G& (freely) καὶ emertpnoav aro: # NW) Ὁ) ys bh ® yoy TI): Ge εφθεγξατο συνεσιν ii oypn PN1: (ἃ καὶ οὐκ εδοθὴ αὐτῷ rorros 1} So 1η ( part.): & ἐλαλησεν k-k So ® wn3D9 (cp. Deut. xxvii. 9) G: S ‘hearkened’ 1-1 τ sow ne: & (freely) cov λογον αὐτου: % ‘his favourers’ m-m 10 ὈΡΓ & n-n 7 W|I OF Ὁ = (ἃ

a-a Tit, ‘according to the mouth of presumption’ (It 15 by); NA 55 157 248 253 307 εν στοματι aceBous (= 9S Syro-Hex 1); BC 7ο 254 ἐν στόμασιν ευσεβους b3 ‘sins’ © 248 253 Syro-Hex + ‘And a happy (ὦ. flourishing) heart maketh a face cheerful with delight’; gloss on the following clause.

20. an abomination to the rich are the poor. Cp. Proy. xxix. 27 ὁ (‘he that is upright... is an abomination to the wicked ’).

21. when he is shaken. i.e. come into a dangerous and unfortunate situation ; cp. Ps. xiii. 4 (5): ‘mine adversaries rejoice because I am moved’ (‘shaken’), xvi. 8, x. 6 ‘I shall not be moved’ (Hebr. DIBN 72 = LAX οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ, as here). Edersheim thinks the meaning need not be restricted to the decay of external fortunes, but may include a wider connotation. :

22. A poor man speaketh...no place for him. Cp. Qoh. ix. 16: ‘The poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.’ For the expression ‘there is no place for him’ cp. iv. 5; Pirge Aédoth iv. 6 (ed. Taylor), “there is not a thing that has not its place’ (a saying of Ben Azzai, second century A.D.) ; cp. also Rom. xil. 19. Here the expression may mean: they refuse to hear him.

23. all keep silence. From respect; cp. Job xxix. 9.

extol ... tothe clouds. Cp. for the expression Job xx. 6.

24. Wealth... After having pointed out the consideration shown to the rich for the sake of their wealth, Ben-Sira goes on to say that riches Zer se are not bad, but, on the contrary, good when they do not bring sin in their train. —

And evil is poverty... See critical note. Poverty is an evil when it is the result of wickedness; this is a poverty to be ashamed of. ἢ 5 ᾿

25. The heart of aman... i.e. the inward state of a man, not his outward circumstances, determines his happiness

or otherwise, and this is reflected in the expression of his face ; cp. Prov. xv. 11; Eccles. viii. 1; Luke ix. 47. _ Whether for good... Inthe Midrash Bereshith Raléa to Gen. xxxi. 2 this verse is quoted verbatim, excepting that the DN)... ON of 18 is, in accordance with the later Hebrew usage, expressed by }93)... } 3.

®* 26 The outcome? of a happy heart is a cheerful countenance, But solitude and meditation occasion toilsome thoughts. 14 : Blessed is the man whose mouth doth not grieve him, ®And (who) doth not mourn for the sorrow of his heart®. 2 Blessed is the man whose soul doth not reproach‘ him, And whose hope hath not ceased.

3 To him that is small of heart wealth is unfitting®, And wherefore! shouid the evil-eyed have gold * ?

4 He that withholdeth from himself gathereth for another, And a stranger shall satiate himself with his goods.

5 He that harmeth his own soul, to whom will he do good ? For! ™he hath no delight™ in his own goods.

α Zz. ‘result’ e-e Reading 125 97 Sy maw x); the text of ® as tt stands cannot be right, it reads: AIAN xd) ΕΔ ps yy, ‘And his heart doth not desire judgement against him’: & ‘And (who) is not pricked at the heart (και ov κατενυγη) with sorrow for sin’; excepting for apaprias ( py) G& ® as amended above ; ap. may be an explanatory addition. “6. reads: YD I SAN xj, ‘And judgement is not hid from his eyes’; »y% suggests a corruption of ὮΝ (= &), but ‘heart’ ἐς reguired fo correspond with ‘mouth’ in the first clause. Smend suggests the reading \ny 7 Sy ΤῸΝ wd), ‘And (who) doth not sigh for sorrow of his sin.’ Another possible form might be

jaba 7 bya NDI, ‘And (who) doth not cause sorrow to enter into his heart’ (cp. Sanh. 100 b, 5952 xt Syn xd ‘Let not sorrow enter into thine heart,’ quoted by Levy, i. 164) ; dby ἐς only used in the Po'el in the O. T., see Job xvi. 15 f Reading \napn (for npn), cp. Prov. xxv. ro: cp. 35 qui non habuit animi sui tristitiam & V 248 253 Syro-Hex + ‘in the Lord’ h Zrt. ‘not comely’, as & 1S repeat ‘not comely’; & zs more probably correct here, wa τι ( 7195) ΚΨ ®: & ‘money’: S ‘mammon’ 177. ‘and’ m-m Reading ΓΤ (= S ΝΡ. and &) for ΠΥ ‘he shall not meet with’ (z.e. ‘will not retain possession of’)

26. a happy heart. To be understood in accordance with v. 25. (ἃ ‘a heart that is in prosperity’; cp. xii. 8. But solitude... Mv’) δ᾽ (lit. ‘withdrawing and musing’) occur in the reverse order in 1 Kings xviii. 27, where Elijah says of Baal: ‘...for he is a god; either he is musing, or he is gone aside.’ The clause seems a little inappropriate (possibly it expresses the thought of Eccles. xii. 12 : ‘Much study is a weariness to the flesh’), and Smend suggests

as an emendation : ‘ Weary eyes (reading DY DWN for bpp nawnd) area sign of worry’; cp. xii. 9ff., xxv. 236. At any rate the words as they stand must be taken ina general sense, and not in reference to Ben-Sira’s own studies. & has: ‘And the finding out of parables is a weariness of thinking,’ which, is not far from 38 ; the meaning of the words which is intended is to offer a contrast to what is said in the previous clause.

XIV.1. whose mouth... Cp. xxv. 86; 1 Kingsi.6; Ps. xvii. 3, xxxix. 2, cxli. 3; Jas. iii. 2. (ἃ ‘that hath not slipped with his mouth’ is explanatory.

And (who) doth not... See critical notes.

2. whose soul doth not... Cp. 1 John ii. 19-22.

3. small of heart. i.e. one who is grudging; cp. £‘viro cupido et tenaci’. (ἃ μικρολόγος, one who cavils about trifles.

unfitting. Cp.xv.9; 3» ‘sine ratione’. And wherefore... See critical notes.

_ the evil-eyed. i.e. envious, as G&; cp. xviii. 8, xxvili. 11e; Prov. xxiii. 6, xxviii. 22: it is equivalent to ΠΡ (‘jealousy’) in its bad sense. In Pirge Adoth v. 29 the ‘evil eye’ is contrasted with the ‘ good eye’ (cp. xiv. 10 below) ; in the same tractate (ii. 15) an ‘evil eye’ is reckoned among those things which ‘put a man out of the world’. The expression here is used with reference to the envy which the miser feels at seeing riches in the possession of others.

Ga ἜΡΙΝ (ἃ χρήματα is ἃ free rendering ; cp. Job xxvii. 13, where the Sept. has the same word for the Hebr. 9D silver’).

4. He that withholdeth .. ._ The reference is to the miser who denies himself many things in order to increase his hoard ; he is in reality only laying it up for others.

astranger... Cp. Eccles. vi. 2; ὑπ ‘others’.

Satiate himself. The Hebr. root yy2 means lit. to be full to bursting; the verb does not occur in the O. T., but in Exod. ix. 9 a derivative is used for ‘blisters’ or ‘ boils’.

5. He that harmeth... The reference is only to the miser; the ‘harm’ refers to the miser’s denying himself every enjoyment.

6 None is worse than him that is evil to his own soul,

And the recompense of his evil is "in himself™.

7° And even if he doeth good, Phe doeth it in forgetfulness?,

And at the last “he showeth forth® his wickedness°.

8 Evil is he that envieth® with his eye,

Turning away his face and despising ment’,

9 In the eye of the covetous" (too) small is his portion,

But he that taketh his neighbour’s portion ‘destroyeth his own portion’.

to ¥ The eye of the envious™ hasteth* after bread,

And naught is on his table.

¥[A good eye causeth bread to increase,

And ‘A dry fountain sendeth forth water’ upon (his) table.]¥

a 11*My son, *if thou possessest aught, do well to thyself,

»And prosper to the best of thy power?.

12 ὁ Remember that death tarrieth not,

Nor hath the decree of Sheol been told thee°.

τ Before thou diest do good to him that loveth (thee),

And 485 thou hast prospered‘, give to him.

nn 777, ‘with him’ 0-0 > PP 248 ‘he doeth it not willingly’: & ignoranter et non volens facit 4-4 3 ‘he will look upon’ elt) 870 248 + ‘to look’ t Zit. ‘souls’: & ‘his soul’ uSo (πα: ® ‘of him that stumbleth’ zs a corruption: $ ‘of a fool’ 2s an allempt to improve upon ® (bvAD B, nda 5) *-¥ S ‘loseth his own soul’, so V 248 Syro-Hex: & ‘drieth up his soul’: % donec consumat arefaciens animam suam: Smend τς perhaps right in emending ® in accordance with these, reading YD WI" instead of pon ἼΣΝΟ ww Lit. ‘The eye of (him that hath) an evil eye’ (py yr py): G οφθαλμος πονηρος AY py, which perhaps represents the original Χ (ἃ ‘(is) envious’ ( ® znexacily) TYG >: buts = 35 2 inserts the title ‘Concerning well-doing, for death tarrieth not’ a-a The Babylonian Talmud has preserved the right reading here: ἴῃ 3 ‘ Serve thy soul, and if thou hast [i.e. possessest aught], do well to thyself’ &-b Zz. ‘ And according to the God [z.e. power] of thy hand, make thyself fat’: ‘he rendering of Gk, και mpooopas Κυριῳ ἀξιως πρόσαγε, betrays

wenorance of the Hebrew tdiom here c-e In the Babylonian Talmud, Erubin 54a, this verse ts quoted thus : ‘For in Sheol there is no delight, and death hath no tarrying; and if thou say, I will give rest to my sons, the decree of (¢/. in) Sheol who will declare (it) unto thee ?’ d-d 7, ‘according to the finding of thy hand’,

6. None is worse... Cp. Prov. xi. 17. that isevilto... G ‘that is grudging to himself’; cp. Deut. xxviii. 54, 56 Sept. (Smend). isin himself. @& ‘is this’, i.e. being evil to his own soul, which does not fully bring out the force of ἘΠῚ 7. The omission of this and the next verse in is perhaps only accidental ; % has v. 7, though probably it is freely rendered (‘And if by chance he doeth good, it is by mistake, and at the last he will see his wickedness’). The omission in # can be accounted for by the similar beginning of vv. 6 (Y7) and 8 (API); the beginning of v. 5 (!7) and the end of v. 6 (NYT) may also have tended to confuse things. in forgetfulness. i.e. not of set purpose. F And at the last... In spite of the apparent good done in forgetfulness, his true nature is sure to be revealed ultimately and seen of all the world. 8. that envieth with his eye. Cp. v. 6, where & uses the same word (ὁ βασκαίνων). nS te ᾿ despising men. ὑπερορῶν ψυχάς. Smend would read ὑπερορῶν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ, as the verse is evidently intended to describe the harm done to the envious man himself; cp. the second clause in vv. 6, 7, 9, 10. 9. In the eye οἵ... @& ‘A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion’. pert > destroyeth his own portion. See critical note. With & cp. Num. xi. 6, ‘... but now our soul is dried up,’ i.e. there is no more enjoyment of good things; and Ps. xxii. 15 (16 in Hebr.). Io. The eye of the envious. See critical note. } ‘ hasteth. The Hebr. root DY (cp. xxxi. [xxxiv.] 16) means to pounce greedily upon something, cp. 1 Sam. xiv. 32 (Q°ri), xv. 19, xxv. 14 (probably corrupt) ; these are the only occurrences of the verb in the O.T.; the coll. noun OY “birds of prey’ occurs more often, Jer. xii. 9, &c. The picture is that of a bird of prey darting upon its spoil. And naught ison... @& καὶ ἐλλιπὴς ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης αὐτοῦ. Although the miser is ever grasping, he has naught to show for it. a : A good eye. For the expression cp. xxxv. 8 (=xxxi. 10); Prov. xxii.9; Pirge Aboth v. 29. [ Ε A dry fountain... This seems to be a quotation. The bracketed clauses are secondary according to Smend. do well to thyself. Cp. Ps. xlix. 18. 12. the decree. )N, i.e. that which has been determined, cp. xi. 2. 13. as thou hast prospered... Cp. Lev. v.11.

ἀνὰ οὐ ee rei ν

ἮΝ 14." Βείτγαίῃ not from the joy of the present®, : i ‘And let not the portion of a good desire pass thee by’. ΒΕ ig 15 Wilt thou not leave thy wealth to another,

And thy labour to them that cast the lot ? : 3 16 Give and take; yea, indulge thy soul, ;

Crubin 54a “For in Sheol there is no delight®. 17 All flesh withereth® like a garment, a * And the eternal decree is: ‘Thou shalt surely die!

18 As the leaf that groweth on a luxuriant tree, One fadeth, and another sprouteth ; iSo (are) the generations of flesh and blood, One dieth, and another flourisheth?' ; 1g All his works will surely decay, And the labour of his hands followeth after him.

(a) XIV. 20-27. The Blessedness of him who seeks Wisdom (= 4+ 4 distichs).

20 Blessed (is) the man that meditateth* on’ Wisdom”, And that giveth heed™ to understanding, 21 That directeth™ his heart upon her ways, And giveth heed unto her paths°® ; reading nywns for ΤΠ e-e Δι ‘Withdraw not (thyself) from the good things of a day’ Ht 35, which is corrupt, reads: ‘And upon the portion of a brother trespass not’: mN (‘brother’) zs @ corruption of TS (‘desire’); 390 (‘good’) should, according to G, be added ; for 3y in the sense as used in (πὰ cp. Jer. xiii. 24, Isa. xxix. 5. S >: @S + ‘And an evil desire, desire not’, a@ gloss, which, however, shows that & has preserved the correct rendering &-8 ® ‘ For in Sheol there is no seeking of delight ( @); but all (that is) fitting to do, do in the sight of God’ ; the addition τς due to the desire to tone down the flippant sentiment of the verse. & > the second clause, but has the addition bh Zit. ‘wears out’ ti Tn the Talmud, Erubin 54 a, these clauses are quoted thus: ‘the sons of men are like the herbs of the field, some flourish (7. ‘ sparkle’), others fade’ Jj Lit. ‘ripeneth’. A¢ the end of the v. 253 Syro-Hex +‘ (It is) by the decree of the Lord’ Κ NCa 70 248 253 μελετησει ( ), so S Syro-Hex: Gk (τελευτησει) ἦς corrupt Wat) Sin 1 # + Et in sensu suo cogitabit circumspectionem dei m Μὰ). ‘that hath respect’ n [7?. ‘setteth ἡ ° Reading ΤΊΣ) (= 8)

15. Wilt thou not leave... Cp. Ps. xlix. 6-11, 17. Therefore why not enjoy it while you have it? to them that cast the lot. ‘In Palestine brothers divided their patrimony by lot as late as, and probably much Jater than, the second century’ (Baba Bathra τοῦ ὁ (T. B.); see JZ, viii. 188 a). 16. indulge thy soul. Cp. Prov. xxix. 21. Thou shalt surely die. & ‘Thou shalt die the death’; cp. Gen. ii. 17 (Sept.), iii. 19. The Hebr. root Μὴ} occurs mainly in the poetical books of the O. T. i) 18. As the leaf... The two first clauses of this verse are quoted in Erubin 54 a (see crit. notes above); cp. Is. : a luxuriant tree. @ ‘a thick tree’, cp. Deut. xii. 2, &c. | One fadeth... & ‘Some it sheddeth, and some it maketh to grow’. ! So (are) the... This and the next clause were inadvertently omitted in the text of #1; they are added inthe =| margin. flesh and blood. O71) WW2 (Ξ-Ξ- σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα, also in the order αἷμα καὶ σάρξ; cp. xvii. 31; Matt. xvi.17; 1 Cor. | xv. 50; Gal. 1. 16) does not occur in the O.T., but is frequent in Rabbinical writings ; ‘the writers use this form of speech | infinite times, and by it oppose mex to Goa’ (Lightfoot, Horae Hebr. et Talm. [Gandell’s ed.], ii. 234). | flourisheth. Lit. ‘ripens’, used of the ‘ripening grape’ in Is. xviii. 6; cp.1 Kingsxi.20. Q ‘is born’. In ® there { is added ΠΥ ΠΣ 13 (‘so is [their] latter end’); see Cowley in /QR, xii. 110. 19. Allhis works... (& ‘ Every work rotteth and fadeth away’. 85, in order to tone down this rather pessimistic note, substitutes : ‘ All his works shall be proved before Him’ (i.e. God). _ will surely decay. Cp. Is. xl. 20, where this word (3) is used of a tree rotting, and Prov. x. 7, where it is used in reference to ‘the name of the wicked’. And the labour... Just as man perishes and is forgotten, so it is with his works (cp. Job xxi. 13; John xii. 19) ; contrast with this thought Rev. xiv. 13. @& ‘And the worker thereof shall depart with it’. XIV. 20—XVI. 23. The general theme of this division is Divine retribution. It contains six subsections. ene giveth heed... Cp. Ps. cxix. 117; G& ‘And that shall discourse by his understanding’; some cursives add ‘holy things’.

ioe)

22 Going forth after her like a spy, He looketh stealthily upon” her enterings-in“.

23 [Blessed is he] that peereth into her window, And hearkeneth at her doors ;

24 Who encampeth round about her house, And fixeth his pegs into her wall ;

| 25*Who pitcheth® his tent *close beside her’, And dwelleth in a goodly dwelling ;

26 And buildeth" his nest’ in her foliage, And lodgeth among her branches ;

27 Seeking refuge from the heat in her shade, He dwelleth within her habitations.

(ὁ) XV. 1-10. How Wisdom ts to be attained (= 2+2+2+2+42 distichs).

1 For he that feareth the Lord doeth this, And he that taketh hold of the Law findeth her.

2 And she will meet him as a mother, And as a youthful wife will she receive him ;

3 And she will feed him with the bread of understanding, And will give him the waters of knowledge? to drink.

P Reading by jor $3, which the sense demands 9 Cp. B εἰσοδοις : Gk otherwise οδοις TS > 8 Lit, *stretcheth out’ ὑπὸ δὴ. ‘upon her hand’ u Zit. ‘setteth’ Vv (τ ‘children’, mesreading 33p (΄ his nest’) as 93 ‘his children’

IGS > » Reading ANIN instead of ANYIN

21. That directeth... Cp. xxi. 174, xvi, 20; Is. xlvii. 7. ὁπ ‘ He that considereth her ways in his heart te And giveth heed unto... (ἃ ‘And he shall take knowledge of her hidden things’; cp. iv. 18, vi. 22, xxxix. 3,7. Pirge Aboth vi. 1: *... and they reveal to him the secrets of the Torah.’ 22. Going forth. .. He looketh stealthily. (ἃ renders both verbs in the imperative. likea spy. Cf.2Sam.x. 3. (ἃ ‘as one that tracketh’ (as ἰχνευτής), using the metaphor of a hunter. He looketh stealthily. Cp. Prov. viii. 34. @ ‘lieth in wait’, continuing the metaphor of a hunter. 23. into her window. Cp. xxi. 23; Song of Songs ii. 9. at her doors. Cp. li. 19; Prov. viii. 34. his pegs. The same Hebr. word as in Judges vy. 26. 25. And dwelleth... Cp. Prov. i. 33. 26. his nest. See critical note. in her foliage. Cp. Ps. civ. 12. @ ‘under her shelter’. lodgeth among. & ‘shall rest under’. " ᾿ Γ 27. Seeking refuge... & ‘ By her he shall be covered from heat (cp. Eccles. vii. 12), and shall lodge in her glory XV. 1. For. Wrongly omitted by &, since this and the following verses are connected with what has preceded; the way in which men should seek Wisdom is now followed by a description of the reception accorded to those who find her. doeth this. Referring to what has preceded. J LiF. he that taketh hold οἵ... 171M W5n; cp. Jer. ii. 8, where four offices are enumerated, among which this is one, , |* Viz. priests, lawyers, rulers, prophets; the second of these (‘handlers of the Law’) came to be technically known as the : Scribes (= ‘Sopherim’, cp. xxviii. 24-xxxix. 11); in the N. T. γραμματεῖς, and, more rarely, νομικοί (Matt. xxil. 35 ; Luke vii. 30, x. 25, xi. 45 ff., xiv. 3) or νομοδιδάσκαλοι (Luke v. 17; Acts v. 34; 1 Tim. i. 7); they were those who » occupied themselves with the study and teaching of the sacred Scriptures, and, above all, withthe Law. ὃ the Law. The most important point about Ben-Sira’s teaching regarding the Law is that he identifies it with Wisdom ; but the way in which this identification is taken for granted shows that Ben-Sira is not expressing a new truth, but one which in his time had already become generally accepted ; cp. the following passages: 1. 26, xix. 20, xxi. IT, findeth her. i.e. Wisdom; 72277) is more strictly ‘shall attain her’ or ‘overtake’, as in Judges xx. 43. 2. ...asamother. The same comparison is used in reference to Jahveh in Is, xlix. 14, 15. ‘ 7 τ a youthful wife. See the same expression in Prov. ν. 18, ‘a young wife’; (τ γυνὴ παρθενείας, cp, Prov. Vil. 4, 55 Jer. iii. 4; Joel i. 8 (see Sept. in each case) ; cp. also Wisd. vii. 8. will she receive him. With ® cp. 1 Chron. xii. 18. 3. bread of understanding. Cp. Prov. ix. 5. Ae . ᾿ Ε ΙΝ ΤΣ ΕΙΣ waters of knowledge. ( ὕδωρ σοφίας. In the later Jewish literature the ‘water ’ and bread ' of the ome often referred to; e.g. in Shabéath 120 a (T. B.) the words of Is. iii. 1, ‘the whole stay of bread,’ are explained as referring to the Torah; in the Midrash Bereshith Rabba, § \xx (to Gen. xxviii. 20), it is said that the proselyte may find in Israel ‘the bread of the Torah’. In the Midrash S/ir Rabéa i. 4 it is said: ‘As water refreshes the body, so does the Torah refresh the soul.’

4 And he that stayeth upon her will not fall, Nor shall he that trusteth in her be ashamed ; 5 And she will exalt him above his neighbour, 3 And will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly. ᾿᾽ 6 Joy and gladness shall he find, ; And she will make him inherit an everlasting name. F 7 °Ungodly men* shall not obtain her, ἢ And the arrogant shall not look upon her. 8 Far from the mockers is she, And liars do not think of her. 9 Praise’ is not seemly in the mouth of the wicked, For it hath not been apportioned *to him® by God. ro In the mouth of the wise praise is uttered, And the who is mighty‘ with her shall teach her.

ἈΝ STO ἐὸν»...

11 Say not: ‘ From God is my transgression,’ For that which He hateth made He not. 12 Say not: ‘(It is) He that made me to stumble,’ For there is no need of evil men®. 13 Evil and abomination doth the Lord hate, And £*He doth not let it come nigh to them®8 that fear Him.

e-e Zit. ‘men of falsehood’ d$ ‘wisdom’ ee & > exc. 70 106 248 ff Zit. “he who ruleth’ 5-α Zit. ‘men of violence’, cp. % ‘homines impii’ ge-ee Jf, ‘he doth not cause it to encounter them’

4. he that stayeth upon her. On the other hand, in Ps. xviii. 18 Jahveh is man’s stay. 5. she will exalt him. Cp. δΖγφε Adoth vi. τ, where it is said: ‘And it [the Torah] magnifies him and exalts him over all things’; cp. also Sirach iv. 11. will open his mouth. In order that he may teach. in the midst of the assembly. Cp. xxi. 17; Prov. xxiv. 7. The reference is probably to those gathered together for instruction in the temple, for, as Friedlander has shown (Synagoge und Kirche in thren Anfangen), the synagogue did not exist in Palestine until the latter half of the second century B.C. 6. {τ ‘Joy and a crown of gladness and an everlasting name shall he inherit’; for ‘crown’ cp. i. 9, vi. 31. an everlasting name. Cp. Is. ἵν]. 3, where, however, this is given by God. 7. Ungodly men. & ‘Foolish men’. 38 NW ND, cp. Job xi. 11; Ps. xxvi. 4; £ homines stulti. the arrogant. (τ ‘liars’. 38 j)7? WN, cp. Jer. xliii. 2. 8. the mockers. ‘pride’; cp. Eth ‘the proud’. The ‘mockers’ are the cynical free-thinkers to whom wisdom, as contained in the Law, is foolishness ; cp. xiv. 6. do not think of her. Cp. xxiv. 20. g. This and the next verse belong to what has preceded, but form, at the same time, an introduction to what follows. seemly. NN), cp. Ps. xxxili. 1, cxlvii. 1 (Smend). apportioned. & ‘sent’. Cp. # Quoniam a deo profecta est sapientia. 10. In the mouth of... (τ ‘For praise shall be spoken in wisdom’. Cp, ii. 29; Prov. xi. 9. ; And he who is mighty... (ἃ καὶ ὁ κύριος εὐοδώσει αὐτόν, but, as the rendering of % shows (‘Et dominator dabit | eam illi’), this is a corruption of καὶ ὁ κυριεύων δώσει αὐτῷ, Which is much nearer to #; αὐτῷ must originally have been | αὐτήν. Cp. Matt. vii. 29.

(ὦ XV. 11-20. Cp. with this passage James i. 13 f. | 11. From God is my transgression. (τ ‘ Through the Lord I fell away’. ; that which He hateth made He not. & ‘ For thou shalt not do the things that He hateth’, a misunderstanding : of the point in #. The reference is probably to the Yeser ha-ra‘ (the ‘ Evil Tendency’) which, according to the text, Ι was evidently believed by some to have been created by God, a belief which is reflected in later Rabbinical writings, e.g. Qiddushin 306(T.B.): 51 (God) created an evil tendency ( Yeser ha-ra‘) ; 1 created for him (i.e. for man, in order to counteract this) the Law as a means of healing’; and in Bereshith Radda, § xxvii (to Gen. vi. 6), Rabbi Ibo explains the text to mean: ‘It repenteth Me for having created in him (i.e. in man) the evil tendency ; if I had not created it in him, he would not have rebelled against Me.’ In earlier days, too, it was believed that God was the cause of sin ; 12. Say not. ὍΝ j5, i.e. ‘By no means say ...’; cp. Is. xxxvi. 18 (Smend). stumble. τ ‘err’. evilmen. (τ ‘a sinful man’. With the whole verse cp. Job xxii. 2 ff. 13. Evil and abomination. ‘every abomination’. He doth not let it come nigh. (τ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαπητόν should be emended to. . . ἀπαντητόν (Knabenbauer). 14. God. (ἃ ‘ He himself’. created man... Since man was created by God he cannot have been bad from the beginning ; the teaching here implied seems to be that man became bad because he followed his evil inclination ; contrast, however, xxxiii. (G& xxxvi.)

14 God created man from the beginning,

» And placed? him in the hand of his Veser.

15 If thou (so) desirest, thou canst keep the commandment,

JAnd (it is) wisdom* to do His good pleasure’.

16 Poured out before thee (are) fire and water,

Stretch forth thine hand unto that which thou desirest.

17 Life and death! (are) before man,

That which he desireth shall be given to him.

18 Sufficient is the wisdom of the Lord,

(He is) mighty in power, and seeth all things.

19 And the eyes of God behold his works,

And He knoweth every deed of man.

20 He commanded no man to sin,

Nor gave strength to men of lies™.

(4) XVI. 1-5. The Curse of sinful Children (= 2+ 2+14+41 distichs).

᾿ 18Desire not the sight” of unprofitable sons,

And delight not in corrupt children ;

2 Yea, and if they “are fruitful®, exult not because of them

If they have no fear of the Lord.

3 Trust not thou in their life,

4Nor rely on their *end®?;

δ ® cnserts the following gloss: ‘ And delivered him into the hand of him that spoileth him’; added for doctrinal purposes i Lit. ‘ gave’ Ji $ >: HS + ‘and if thou trust in him, of a truth (1. even) thou shalt live’ k Zit, ‘understanding ’ 1%, +‘good and evil’ τῇ 10 +/he gloss: ‘And He hath no mercy on him that committeth falsehood (/¢. doeth vanity), nor on him that revealeth secrets. S$ +‘And He said not to the sons of flesh that they should sin, and He hath no mercy on them that commit falsehood.’

ἃ Ψ has the title ‘Concerning ungodly children’ b Zit. ‘beauty’: G&S ‘ multitude’ ee (ἃ 9 ‘multiply ’ dd $ ‘ And trust not that there will be a good end for them’ e-e GBC ‘place’; NA V 55 155 248 253 254 Syro-Hex Sah ‘multitude’; # + she gloss: ‘For there will not be for them a good end’; δὲ δ"

+ orevakis yap πενθεῖ awpw και εξεῴνης αὐτων συντελειαν γνωσεται

14,15. Yesev is here used in a neutral sense (almost equivalent to Free-will) in which lay the power of doing right or wrong ; the origin of evil is, therefore, in this passage, traced to man; cp. xxv. 24; Wisd. xii. 11; 4 Esdras iv. 29-31. A later scribe, realizing the difficulty which could be urged, that as the Creator of all things God must have created the Yeser with its tendency to evil as well as to good, added the gloss that God delivered man from his spoiler (i.e. Satan ; see critical note); cp. iv. 19. This later scribe, in his turn, however, did not realize that the difficulty still remained.

Yeser. Cp. xxvii. 6, xxxvii. 3 : Gr διαβούλιον.

15. If thou (so) desirest. In this and the two next verses the normal Jewish doctrine of Free-will is well illustrated ; it is characteristic of this that divine grace occupies a relatively subordinate position.

the commandment. ΠῚ, i.e. any precept of the Law; the keeping (Nt’Y) of such is reckoned as of merit. Cp.

And (it is) wisdom ... (ἃ ‘And faithfulness (it is) to do (His) good pleasure, cp. Frov. xii. 22; for ΠῚ Π (‘understanding’) it is perhaps better to read ΠΟΥ͂Ν (‘faithfulness’), following @& (and sce the addition of #, with which cp. Hab. ii. 4 ; see critical note); cp. % ‘Et in perpetuum fidem placitam facere ’.

16. Poured out before thee. (ἃ ‘ He hath set before thee’. ;

fire and water. Corresponding to ‘life and death’ in v. 17 ; opposing elements ; cp. Light and darkness =

Good and evil. For the synonym ‘ Fire’ for ‘Good’, applied to God, cp. Deut. iv. 24. : 17. Life and death. With the addition of & (see critical note) cp. Deut. xxx. 15,19 ; see also Jer. xxi. 8. 18. Sufficient is... i.e. God knows what each man chooses, cp. xlii. 17. (τ ‘Great is...’

(He is) mighty in power. i.e. It lies within His power to punish those who choose the evil, and to reward those who choose the good.

and seeth all things. Cp. Ps. xxxill. 13-15. ; ΟΣ i

19. And the eyes of God... (ἃ ‘And His eyes are upon them that fear Him’, cp. Ps. xxxiil. 18, xxxiv. 16.

And He knoweth every deed... Cp. Pirge Aboth iv. 31: ‘ He is the framer, and He the creator, and He the discoverer ...’; cp. Ps. xxxili. 15.

20. tosin. & ‘to be ungodly’ (ἀσεβεῖν).

nor gave strength... (ἃ ‘And He gave no man licence to sin’. For the addition in ® see critical note. XVI. 1. Desirenot... Cp. xlii. 12.

sight. && ‘multitude’, anticipating v. 2. unprofitable sons. Lit. ‘ vain youths’. Cp. Philemon ΤΙ. . 2. Ifthey have... @ ‘Except the fear of the Lord be with them’. f 3. Trust not thou... For the reason that it may suddenly come to an end cp. Job xxiv. 24. ; on their end. For the Hebr. word PY in the unusual sense of ‘end’ cp. Ps. cxix. 33, 112. Possibly the word is to be understood in the sense of ‘ gain’, as in Ps. xix. 11 (12 in Hebr.) ; Prov. xxil. 4.

For better is one! than a thousand§, ‘ And to die childless than "(to have)" a presumptuous posterity. 4 From one that" feareth the Lord a city is peopled, But through a race of treacherous men it is desolated’. 5 Many things like these mine eye hath seen, And mightier things than these mine ear hath heard.

(ce) XVI. 6-14. God's righteous wrath against the Wicked (=1+2+24+14+2+ 2{ + 2] distichs).

6 In the assembly of the wicked a fire is kindled, And in an apostate nation doth wrath burn. » He forgave not the princes* of old, 1Who revolted ™! in their might. 8 He spared not "the place where Lot sojourned”, Who were arrogant in their pride ; 9 Nor did He spare the nation accursed°, Dispossessed because of their sin?. το Thus (did it happen) to the six hundred thousand footmen, Who were destroyed in the arrogancy of their heart‘. 11 Yea, and if there be one who is stiff-necked, A marvel it would be were he not punished. For mercy and wrath are with Him, He forgiveth and pardoneth, but ‘upon the wicked He causeth His wrath to rest’. 12 As great as His mercy (is), so is His chastisement®: (Each) man doth He judge according to his works.

f 248 + ‘righteous’; N¢* + ‘doing the will of the Lord’. (= #38): # + timens deum SNCA Ὁ ‘transgressors’: 70 + ‘sinners’: 3» + filii impii hh® + ‘one that hath many unprofitable children and than’ hh # + ‘is childless (but)’ i248 + ‘quickly’ k (κα ‘giants’ 1-1 κα ‘who filled the world’ πὶ # + ‘of yore’ nn $ ‘the inhabitants of the city of Lot’ one + ‘the nation of Canaan’ pea +All these things did He do to the hard-hearted nations, nor was He appeased by the multitude of His holy ones’ 455 70 248 + ‘Chastising, showing mercy, smiting, healing,

the Lord guarded them in mercy and in discipline’ tr $ ‘punisheth sins” ® G& + ‘great’

4. that feareth the Lord. (ἃ ‘that hath understanding’; S$ ‘that feareth God’. To have understanding and to fear the Lord are synonymous terms in the Wisdom-Literature, cp. i. 14; Prov. i. 7, ix. 10; Ps. cxi. 10. But through... Cp. Gen. xix. 24, 25. τ΄ But a race of wicked men shall be made desolate ’, misunderstanding the point of 38. 4 5. mightier things than... These are enumerated in the verses that follow. 6. a fire is kindled. Cp. Num. xvi. 35 for the thought, but probably the reference is not specifically to this as in the enumeration of events in the succeeding verses the chronological ordcr is followed. an apostate nation. The same phrase in Is. x. 6. 7. He forgave not. (& ‘ He was not pacified towards ’. the princes of old. S ‘the ancient kings’; & follows the Sept. of Gen. vi. 4, ‘the giants’ of old time; cp. Who revolted... 3 Qui destructi sunt confidentes suae virtuti. 8. He spared not... Cp. Gen. xix. 14. the place . . . sojourned. ord 9 as in Job xviii. 19, 97332; not as & 3S. Who were arrogant... Cp. Ezek. xvi. 49; 3 Macc. ii. 5 (Smend). & ‘Whom He abhorred for their pride’. 9. spare. (ἃ SU ‘pity’. the nation accursed. i.e. Canaan, as N¢.4 explains correctly in an addition. @ ‘the people of perdition’. 1o. to the six hundred thousand ... Cp. xlvi. 8, and see Num. ix. 21 ; it is improbable, as the context shows, that the reference is to Exod. xii. 37, as Ryssel thinks. destroyed. Lit. ‘taken away’; τ" gathered together ’.

in the arrogancy of... For the Hebrew cp. Deut. i. 43; S$ ‘because of their murmuring’ (cp. Num. xiv.

11. stiffmecked. Cp. Exod. xxxii. 9, xxxili. 3, 5, and for @& Neh. vii. 51. A marvel. DM; the noun (Aramaic) occurs, outside our book, only in Dan. iii. 32, 33, vi. 28.

For mercy and wrath ... The same clause as v. 6c (1Η &).

He forgiveth ... (ἃ for the whole clause, ‘He is mighty to forgive (δυνάστης ἐξιλασμῶν, cp. Ps. Ixxxvi. 5, cxxx. 4), and poureth out wrath,’

but upon the wicked... The same clause as τ΄. 6 ( (18 &).

13 The sinner shall not escape with his spoil, And He will not suffer the desiret of the righteous to fail for ever. 14 Every one that doeth righteousness shall receive his reward, And every man shall find" (his reward) before Him, according to his works. 15 [71 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh who knew Him not, Whose works were manifest under the heavens; 16 His mercies are seen by all His creation, And His light and His darkness“ hath He apportioned unto the children of men.]

(f) XVI. 17-23. Man's insignificance in the sight of God (= 2+3+3+1 distichs).

17 Say not: ‘I am hidden from God, And in the height who will remember me ? I shall not be noticed* among so illustrious a people, And what is my soul among the mass of the spirits Yof all the children of men’ ?’ 18 Behold the heavens and the heavens of the heavens, And the deep, and the earth? ; το °When He treadeth upon them they stand firm, And when He visiteth them they tremble*. >Yea, the bottoms of the mountains, and the foundations of the world, When He? looketh upon them they tremble greatly.

(ἃ 3 ‘patience’ u Reading (after & 33) Ny for NS YY G& > (exc. 106 248): SAr = B®: the two cursives

vary only shghtly from ® W Reading (after the curstves 106 248 and 55) \awn tnstead of nw (‘ His blessing’) x B C ‘remembered ’ δ. & > 240 248106 © + ‘and all that in them is’ a-a B ‘when He visiteth them they are shaken’ Ὁ 248 znserts: ‘The whole world was made, and existeth, by His will’

12. according to his works. Cp. xv. 19, and Pzrge Aédoth ili. 24: ‘ The world is judged by grace ; and everything is according to work.’

13. the desire. Cp. Prov. x. 24, xi. 23 ; Ps. cxii. 10; Smend, on the basis of xliv. 10 (Hebr.), emends to ‘hope (mpn for nin).

for ever. Omitted in &.

14. Every one that ... to his works. (τ ‘He will make room for every work of mercy; each man shall find according to his works’. Concerning the efficacy of works, see 11]. 14, 31, xi. 27, xvii. 22, xxix. 9, xxxi. 9, Io, &c.; the Hebr. phrase ΠΡῚΝ ΠΟ is the technical one for fulfilling the commandments of the Law (J/7¢zvoth) ; Ben-Sira frequently lays stress on the need of this, though occasionally he finds it necessary to utter a note of warning, e.g. in v. 5, 6, where he combats the belief that any number of sins can be committed provided that a sufficient number of good works are done to atone for them (cp. xxxiv. 26 [xxxi. 31]). The danger of works assuming a mechanical character became a more urgent one as time went on, see e.g. Matt. vii. 15, 273; it is seen clearly also in the later Rabbinical literature (for many examples see Weber, /édische Theologze, pp. 279 ff.), though passages in which the efficacy of works is balanced by teaching on the need of grace are not wanting.

before Him. i.e. in His (God’s) sight.

15,16. These verses are probably not original, but they must have got into the text at an early period, as they are found in the Syriac and Arabic versions, as well as in two Greek cursives. They belong to the secondary recension of 38.

15. The Lord hardened ... Cp. Exod. ix. 12 ff.

under the heavens. Cp. Exod. v. 2, xvii. 14; Deut. xxv. 19, xxix. 19 ; Job xli. 3.

16. the children of men. (ἃ τῷ ἀδαμάντι, a corruption for τῷ a6 ip (DIN?).

17. lam hidden from God. Cp. Ps. exxxix. 7-12.

noticed. Lit. ‘known ’, i.e. recognized.

among the mass... (ἃ ‘ina boundless creation’; Sa‘adya, who quotes this verse (Smend), omits ‘ of all the children of men’, which overloads the clause, and is evidently not original.

18, 19. The whole-hearted acknowledgement of the divine glory and power contained in these verses cannot be intended to be spoken by the sceptic, in whose mouth they would sound strange ; it is clear, on the other hand, that vv. 20-22 belong to the same speaker as v.17. It would seem that vv. 18,19 have got out of place; they would come more appropriately after v. 23, where, after having rebuked the sceptic’s way of thinking, Ben-Sira utters his own oc of faith.

. the heavens of the heavens. Cp. Deut.x.14; 1 Kings viil. 27; 3 Mace. il. 15.

Ἢ deep, and theearth. These, with the heavens, went to make up the universe, according to the ancient Hebrew conception. The ‘deep’ = Zehom (cp. Gen. vi. 11), i.e. the subterranean abyss of waters.

19. treadeth. Lit. ‘cometh down’, cp. Ps. xviii. 8, civ. 32.

And when He visiteth. IPD often has the sense of ‘punish’; cp. Is. x. 12; Jer. ix. 24 (Hebr.); with the whole verse cp. Zest. 72 Patriarchs, Levi iii. g: ‘When, therefore, the Lord looketh upon all creation, the heavens and the earth and the abysses are shaken.’

the bottoms of the mountains. Cp. Jonah ii. 6 (Hebr. 7); & ‘the mountains’.

When He looketh... Cp. Ps. civ. 32; Nahum i. 5.

20 ‘In truth, unto me He will not have respect ; And as for my ways, who will mark them ?°° 21 If I sin, no eye beholdeth it, Or if I deal untruly in all secrecy, who will know it ? 22 4My righteous dealing, who declareth it ? And what hope (is there) ? for the decree is distant *?#*’ 23 They that lack understanding think these things, And the man of folly thinketh this.

(a) XVI. 24-30. Wisdom as seen in Creation (= 2+2+2+2 distichs).

24 Hearken ye unto me, and receive my wisdom,

And set your heart upon my words. 25 I will pour out my spirit’ by weight,

And £by measure will I declare my knowledge. 26 When God created His works from the beginning,

After making them® He assigned them (their) portions’. 27 He set in order His* works for ever,

1And their authority unto their generations’.

They hunger not, neither ™are they weak”, And they cease not from their works".

ce αὶ 6:8 + And according as a man asketh, his eye shall see (his reward’): cp. v. 14 Ὁ. d-d$ > * Reading pn for pre (Smend) ®©70 τοῦ 248% +‘ And the trying of all things is not until the end’ £S ‘words’ 5- § ‘in wisdom’ h-h ® ‘Concerning their life’: /Azs ἐς all that ts left of ® in the clause ; 11 1s wanting from beginnings from generation to generation’ m-m So 8: G& ‘do they labour’: 70 106 248 +‘in His works’: § ‘do they labour,’ + ‘nor are they weary’ n $ ‘strength’

20. In truth. In this and the two next verses the sceptic’s train of thought is continued from v. 17; he says, in effect, that neither evil actions nor righteous dealing matter since God is indifferent to both. @ misunderstands the point of the words, and renders: ‘And no heart shall think upon these things, and who shall conceive his ways Be

21. IfIsin... It is difficult to make much out of (τ : ‘And a tempest which no man seeth [N° adds: * shall come upon him’, to make sense], and the more part of his works are among hidden things’; with the second clause cp. xliii. 32. Smend ingeniously emends the first clause thus: κἂν κακοποιῇ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ὄψεται ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς αὐτοῦ, but the unanimity of the Greek MSS. in reading καταιγίς points to an original misreading of 3. With the whole verse cp. xxiii. 18-20.

22. who declareth it ? Since God Himself, according to the sceptic, does not see it (cp. vv. 20, 21), who is there to eines a man deals righteously? The sceptic is represented as not believing in the ministry of angels (cp. Job

And what hope (is there)? (τ ‘Or who shall endure them?’ ὑπομενεῖ is probably a corruption of ὑπομονή (=MpPN

for the decree is distant. i.e. the decreed reward for well-doing, or punishment for evil-doing, is, in any case, so far off that one need not be concerned with either.

23. And the man of folly... τ paraphrastically: ‘And an unwise and erring man thinketh follies.’ Cp. Ps. xiv. 1

XVI. 24—XVIII. 29. Divine retribution further exemplified. This division contains seven subsections. 24, 25. These verses form an introduction to this section, which deals with the wonders of Creation, in which the divine Wisdom is revealed. 24. receive my wisdom. Cp. viii. 9. Soy means ‘insight’, or ‘good sense’; cp. Prov. iii. 4, xiii. 15,&c. (ἃ “learn knowledge’. ; set your heart. With G& πρόσεχε τῇ καρδίᾳ σου cp. Deut. xxxii. 46 (Sept.). 25. I will pour out. The Hebr. root yl) is a late one, and occurs only elsewhere in the poetical books, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes ; cp. x. 13, 1. 27. by weight. Cp. xxi. 5, xxviii. 25. by measure. (τ ἐν ἀκριβείᾳ. will I declare my knowledge. Cp. Job x. 17, xxxii. 6. 26. When God created. (ἃ ἐν κρίσει (a scribal error for κτίσει) Κυρίου. Cp. 1 Enoch ii. 1-3. ὩΣ He set in order... Cp. Ps. civ. 24, 31. , their authority. τὰς ἀρχὰς αὐτῶν. Cp. Gen. i. 16, 18; Ps. οἰ]. 22; i.e. the sphere of their activity. Ryssel refers to Philo (De Monarch. 1. § 1,11. § 5 ff.), where the sun and the stars are designated ἄρχοντες. unto their generations. Cp. Ps. cxxxy. (cxxxvi.) 8 f. (Sept.). They hunger not... Cp. xliii. 10.

οἾΝ οἵ one thrusteth aside his neighbour®, They never disobey His word.

And after this the Lord looked upon the earth, And Pfilled it with His good things?.

With every living thing He filled‘ the earth ; ‘And into it is their return’.

God®* created man? out of dust°, And turned him back thereunto. He granted them “a [fixed] number of days’, And gave them authority over all® things fon the earth‘. ΕΗ: clothed them with strength #like unto Himself#¢, And made them according to His own? image. He put the fear of them? upon all flesh, And * caused them to have power* over beasts and birds!. ™With insight and understanding He filled their heart™, And taught™™ them good and evil. »He created for them” tongue, and eyes, and ears, And He gave® them a heart to understand,

0-0 S ‘they hate not one another’ P-P S ‘blessed it with all its fruits’ 4S0 3; (τ ‘covered’ τὸ S$ ‘And gathered within it all His works’

a So Si: (ἃ ‘The Lord’ b S$ Adam ¢ So S$: © + ‘and made him after His image’ d-d So Si: (ἃ ‘days by number’: (ἃ % + ‘and a set time’ e So 70 $ tf Zit. ‘thereon’ s-€ & omits this clause here, but places itt before v. 2: %* By His wisdom He clothed them with strength and covered them with fear’ ee-88 Reading καθ᾽ εαυτὸν for καθ᾽ εαὐυτους hSonA iSo S$: GH ‘him’ k-k Cp. Bb: S>: 70 248 + ‘in His likeness’ (7. e. like Him) 170 248 +: ‘ They (ze. men) received the use of five powers (7. ὁ. the five senses) of the Lord; but as a sixth He also accorded them the gift of understanding (νους), and as a seventh the Word (Aoyos), the interpreter of His (7. e. God’s) powers’ (= v. 5) * The order of the clauses here follows 3: G lacks logical sequence ; the order in & differs from both m-m $9 $: & ‘He filled them with skilfulness of insight’: % + ‘He created for them the understanding of the spirit, and filled their heart with reason’ mm So $: (ἃ ‘showed them’ on So 3: Gr διαβουλιον, the result of reading V8 instead of ΣΝ, the omission

of ond (‘for them’) followed from this °$ Lit. ‘granted as their portion’

28. Not one thrusteth aside... i.e. the heavenly bodies have been ‘set in order’, they follow their course without interfering with one another; cp. Ps. civ. 19. They never disobey... Cp. Ps. cxlviii. 5, 6. 30. With every living thing. GG ψυχὴν (ΝΣ ψυχὴ) παντὸς ζῴου ; cp. Gen. 1. 21 ΠῚ ΠΠ wero, πᾶσαν Ψυχὴν ζῴων .. And into it... Cp. Gen. iii. 19; Ps. civ. 29; Eccles. xii. 7. XVII. 1. After speaking of the Creation generally, Ben-Sira now deals more specifically with man and God’s gifts to him. God created... Cp. Gen. ii. 7. And turned him back... Cp. Gen. 111. 19; Ps. cxlvi. 4. 2. He granted them... Cp. Ps. xc. Io. And gave them authority. Cp. Gen. 1. 28; Ps. vill. 6-8. 3. like unto Himself...according to His own image. Cp. Gen. 1. 26, 27. 5. See critical note', In reference to this insertion Grotius (quoted by Smend) says: ‘ Videtur ad marginem annotatum fuisse ab aliquo Stoicorum librorum lectore. Nam Stoici ad quinque sensus notissimos tres annumerabant

alios, quorum hic omissum est τὸ σπερματικόν. The verse is, on the face of it, not original. 6 ff. See critical notes. 74a. With insight... Cp. Ps. viii. 5. 76. ...good and evil. See, however, Gen. ii. 17, iii. 22. 6a. He created. See critical note. 6 ὁ. heart. As usually in the O. T., the seat of understanding.

85 ®To show them the majesty of His works, 8c 4And that they might glory in His wondrous acts® ; *9 That they might evermore declare’ His glorious works’, ro And praise* His holy name. 7 τι He set beforet them the covenant* ; The law of life "He gave them for a heritage”. “4 12 He made an everlasting covenant with them, = And showed™ them His judgements. ἢ 13 Their eyes beheld *His* glorious majesty, ᾿: yAnd their ear heard His” glorious voice’ ; : 14 And He said unto them, *Beware of all unrighteousness* ; And He gave them commandment, to each man concerning his neighbour.

νον. ἀν... Ss.

15 Their ways Pare ever® before Him, They are not hid from His eyes°.

17 ("For every nation He appointed a ruler, But Israel is the Lord’s portion®]. ἢ

νῷ» 8: GL: ‘He set His eye (254 Syro-Hex ™s ‘fear’) upon their hearts’ a-a So, with some variation, N70 248 (as Ὁ. 9) DL * vv. g-10 are misplaced in & rr ὁ ‘the fear of Him in the world’ | 8 70 248 ‘the elect shall praise ὴ t προεθηκεν ( 55) instead of προσεθηκεν (‘He added’) tt So S: G& ‘knowledge’ u-u 3 ‘He taught them’: 248 +‘to perceive that they are mortal’ uu $ ‘made known unto” x-x So SL: > yyi> z ΟΝ ΟΝ 70 253 254 Syro-Hex Ar: BA &c. ‘their’ a-a ‘take heed and be not faithless’ b-b S ‘are manifest’ © +o 248+‘From their youth up every man (70 their way) was towards evil, neither were they able to make their hearts (to be) of flesh instead of stone” ( z. 16), cp. Ezek. ΧΙ 19 d4o 248 insert here: ‘At the separation of the peoples of the whole earth,’ cp. Gen. vi. 5, Vii. 21, Deut. xxxii. 8 € 70 248+‘ Whom (zc. Israel, the Lord’s portion) He brought up as His firstborn (cp. Exod. iv. 22) with severity, yet loving them, imparting to them the light of love, and He forsook them

8 ὁ. the majesty. Cp. xviii. 4.

8c. See critical note.

9, 10. The order as given above is that of 3. 11. He set before them. Cp. Deut. iv. 44.

the covenant. (ἃ read 13'3 for ΠΥ.

The law of life. i.e. the law which gives life, the Law of Moses; cp. xlv. 5 (ὉΠ 71N), Baruch iv. 1, and the Midrash Sifre 84a: ‘As water giveth life to the world, so do the words of Torah give life to the world’; and Pz7ye Aboth ii. 8: ‘He who hath gotten to himself words of Torah hath gotten to himself the life of the world to come.’ Ben-Sira is, of course, only referring to this life.

12. made. Lit. ‘set up’ (ἔστησεν) ; cp. xliv. 18a; Ezek. xvi. 60.

an everlasting covenant. Cp. Baruch iv. 1.

14. Beware of... A summary of all the prohibitory commandments of the Law, referring especially to that against worshipping other gods.

He gave them commandment... This and the preceding clause sum up the ‘great commandments’ of the Law, love to God and one’s neighbour; cp. Matt. xxii. 36-40.

They are not hid... Cp. Ps. xc. 80. See critical note.

17. See critical note for addition in 248. This verse (17) can hardly be original here. If genuine it has been mis- ~ | placed (it breaks the close logical connexion between vv. 15 and 19, which form 2 distichs). ἢ

For every nation... portion. This verse is of importance as illustrating the Jewish doctrine of God both in His relationship to Israel and to the Gentiles. By their acceptance of the Law the Israelites became God's ‘ peculiar people’ (1730 DY; cp. Deut. xiv. 2, xxvi. 18; Ps. cxxxv. 4), and were therefore His particular care (cp. the Sept. of Deut. xxii. 8, 9, ‘But the Lord’s portion was His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance was Israel’). On the other hand, since He was the God of all the world, His interest in other nations could not be denied (cp. the Midrash Sz/ve 40: ‘God doth not provide for Israel alone, but for all men’); thus the belief arose that, while God reserved the Iszaelites for His special care, He deputed angels to look after, and champion, the cause of other races. It is said, e. g. in the Ι Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan to Gen. xi. 7, 8, that every nation has its own guardian angel who pleads the cause of the Ϊ nation under his protection before God. It is interesting to observe that in later times even the divine guardianship over { Israel was deputed to the archangel Michael; in Hagigah 120 (T. B.) he has the title of ‘Advocate of the Jews’; and in the Ya/kut Shimeoni, Bereshith 132, Michael is described as the prince over all the angels, because he is the ἢ

guardian angel of the Israelite nation; he acts as Israel’s representative and patron in the presence of God, and he intercedes there on behalf of his people.

τ 0 All their works ‘are [clear]* as the sun before Him,

% And His eyes are continually upon their ways’. Ὁ Their iniquities are not hid from Him, | And all "their sins™ are [inscribed]: before the Lord*. 2 The righteousness! of men™ "is to Him as a signet®, And the mercy°® of man He preserveth? as the apple of an eye’. 3 Afterwards *He will rise up* and recompense them, And will visit® their deedst upon their own head". 4 Nevertheless to them that repent doth He grant a return’, And *comforteth them that lose hope’*.

(4) XVII. 25-32. An exhortation to turn to God and forsake sin (= 2+2+2+42 distichs).

5%Turn unto the Lord, #and forsake sins ;

Supplicate before (His) face, and (so) lessen offence.

6 Turn unto the Most High, and turn away from iniquity’, And vehemently hate the abominable thing’.

> |7 #For what pleasure hath God in all that perish* in Hades’, In place of those who live and give Him praise ?

not’ (= v. 18) ff So Ψ (ht. ‘ manifest’): 3 ‘stand’: & > 8- $ ‘ And all their thoughts are manifest | before Him’ hh $ ‘the sins of men’ i So 3 only k 70 248 +‘ But the Lord, being merciful, knowing

also (that they are made in) His own image, spared them, and forsook them not nor cast them off’ (= v. 21). ΠῚ 1 71}. ‘alms’ m3 ‘of all men’ nn % ‘is sealed and deposited with Him’ ο Lit, ‘grace’

| 2S ‘is preserved’ 4 70 248 + ‘granting (11. allotting) repentance to his sons and daughters’ ΤΟ S ‘shall | He reveal Himself’ 5.111. ‘render’ ὕ Lv. ‘retribution’: S‘debts’ %% + ‘and He will consign (11. turn) them to the lower parts of the earth’ v & ‘a way of righteousness’: S$ ‘repentance’ W-w % ‘will destroy all who cause hurt to the righteous’ x Zit. ‘endurance’: & + ‘and hath apportioned to them the lot of ᾿ earuth ” Υ 39 has the title ‘Concerning conversion’: 248 ‘ Therefore turn’ 2-ὲ % ‘and ye shall turn from destruction ; turn from sin and cause not anger (unto the Lord)’ —_2 70 248 +‘For He Himself will lead (thee) out of darkness unto the light of salvation’ (/:/. ‘ health’) a-a & ‘who will praise the Most High in Hades’: 3. has instead of v. 27: ‘and recognize the justice and judgements of God, and stand in the lot of the favour and prayer of the Most High ; walk in the places of the holy world with the living and with those who give thanks unto God. Abide not in the folly of the wicked; confess (God) before death’ » $ ‘the world’: 70 248 + ‘in heart’

19. All their works... Cp. xvi. 22; Eccles. viii. 9. And His eyes... Cp. xxiii. 19; Ps. xciv. 11.

20. Their iniquities... Cp. Ps. xxxiii. 5, Ixix. 5. And all their sins... Cp. Jer. li. 5.

22. righteousness. ἐλεημοσύνη (Ξε ΠΡῚΝ) ; almsgiving was reckoned as the greatest of the Δ DW (‘good works’), and therefore righteousness par excellence. S$ has NNN, i.e. a state of justification in the sight of God brought about by the accomplishment of good works.

a signet. i.e. something which is especially precious; cp. xlix. 11; Job xiv. 17.

mercy. For χάρις (= 10M) used in reference to a human virtue see xl. 17, and cp. xiv. 1, where 38 reads 10M ‘WN, lit. ‘men of mercy’, for the Greek ἄνδρας ἐνδόξους.

He preserveth. i.e. He keeps in memory; cp. Acts x. 10: ‘Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.’

the apple of aneye. Cp. Deut. xxxii. 10; Ps. xvii. 8; Prov. vii. 2; Zech. ii. 12.

23. Afterwards... The reference here is to those mentioned in v. 20; the words of v. 22 are parenthetic,

He will rise up. i.e, to judgement.

and will visit. For by ‘IPD in this sense cp. Amos iii. 2, 14; Hos. i. 4, il. 15, ἅς.

upon their own head. Cp. joel iil. (Hebr. iv.) 4, 7. ; 24. to them that repent... Cp. Shadbath 32 a (T. B.): ‘Repentance and works of charity are man’s Intercessors before the House of God’; and Yoma 86a: ‘Great is the power of repentance ; for it reaches up to the throne of God; it brings healing...’

areturn. i.e. to divine favour.

that lose hope. Cp. Hebr. of Ezek. xxxvii. 11.

Supplicate before (His) face. i.e. before the place in the temple where God’s presence was telieved to be, in the Holy of Holies. Offence. πρόσκομμα, cp. Rom. ix. 32, 333 1 Cor. viii. 9.

26. ...the abominable thing. Cp. xv. 13. : :

27. The thought is that God’s delight is in those who live and can therefore praise Him, not in those who go down to Hades and are cut off from communion with Him; the teaching here coincides with the normal teaching of the O.T. (some passages in the Psalms show, however, a great development), that God's interest in man is restricted to this world; cp. the next verse. 4

-.. who live and give Him praise. Cp. Ps. cxvi. 2, cxx. 17,18; Is. xxxvili. 18, 19.

Priaes

28 Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead as from one that is not, (But) he that liveth and is in health praiseth the Lord*,, 29 How great is the mercy of the Lord‘, And ® His‘ forgiveness unto® them that turn unto Him®. 3° For it is not like this in man, Nor is (God’s) thought like the thoughts of the children of men*. 31 What is brighter than the sun? Yet this faileth ; And (how much more) ‘man, who? (hath) the inclination* of flesh and blood! He looketh upon '!the hosts of heaven’, ™ And on men™ who are dust and ashes.

(ce) XVIIL. 1-14. The works of the Almighty are past finding out; the insignificance of man, and He that liveth for ever created* all things together». The Lord alone °shall be justified *. de Who is sufficient® to declare His works, And who can trace out! His mighty deeds ?

ΟΞ + ‘and thou shalt glory in His mercy ’ 4248 + ‘our God’ e-e S ‘He forgiveth ’ ! Expressed in & only £248 +‘holily’ h-h @& % ‘For all things cannot be in men, for a son of man is not immortal’: % + ‘and they take pride in the vanity of iniquity’ imi Reading ἀνὴρ os instead of πονηρος k So S: G& ‘thinketh’, reading ὍΝ as a verb, cp. xvii. 6, where the verb is understood as a noun: δὲ 6:8 καὶ τι πονηρότερον ενθυμειται ( IL): 70 253 καὶ ἀνὴρ os ἐνθυμηθησεται ( Syro-Hex) 11 So $ m-m So $

8 % ‘tried ’, or ‘ proved’ b 254 ‘by word (and) in order’ ὁτὸ 79 248 ‘is just’; adding : ‘and there is none other beside Him’: 3» + ‘and He abideth as king, invincible for ever’ d 70 248 insert here: ‘who guideth the world in the hollow of His hand, and all things are obedient unto His will; for He is King of all things, and they are in His power; He separateth among them the holy things from the common’ (= z. 3) e-e So SL: & ‘to none’ (248 ‘to whom’) ‘hath He given power’ £3 ‘number’

28. The omission of this verse in 3 is probably owing to the sentiments expressed, which would naturally be — distasteful to a Christian translator.

Thanksgiving perisheth... Cp. Ps. vi. 5, xxviii. 1, xxx. 9, Ixxxvili. 4, 5, cxv. 17.

forgiveness. ἐξιλασμός, lit. ‘appeasement’; see further, note on xviii. 20.

30. The rendering of S of this verse is to be preferred to that of &, according to which the meaning is that because

man is imperfect and mortal, therefore he is entitled to appeal to God’s mercy ; % accords better with the context.

itis not like thisin man. Cp. xviii. 13.

Nor is (God’s) thought... Cp. Isa. lv. 8, 9.

the children of men. (& vids ἀνθρώπου, i.e. a human being; cp. Judith viii. 12, the only other place in the | Apocrypha where the expression occurs. (Cf. however 4 Ezra viii. 44, emended text.)

31. What is brighter... i.e. If the sun with all its brightness ceases at times to give light, is it to be wondered at that man, the victim of the manifold temptations which flesh is heir to, should sometimes fail? Logic of a somewhat similar incongruous character is found in Job xxv. 5,6: ‘ Behold, even the moon hath no brightness, and the stars are not | pure in His sight: how much less man, that is a worm! and the son of man, which isa worm!’ But similes of the — kind, especially in Oriental writers, must not, of course, be unduly pressed.

the man who (hath)... See critical notes.

% paraphrases the verse thus: ‘When the sun, having run its course through the bright day, has sunk, it becomes |

dark ; so also man, who, being flesh and blood, does not control his inclination’ (73%).

32. the hosts of heaven. Cp. xxiv. 2, xlii. 17; Deut. ix. 19, xvii. 3; Isa. xxiv. 21; @& ‘the power of the height of | heaven’, δύναμιν ὕψους οὐρανοῦ ; in the Sept. δύναμις is the rendering of bm even when it means ‘a host’. Here the | reference is to the sun, moon, and stars, regarded as eternal ; God looks upon these as well as upon man who passes away. |

_ on men. G, misunderstanding the point of the verse, viz. that God looks upon things eternal and also upon | things transient, made an independent clause of the second half of the verse, and added ‘all’ to ‘men’.

XVIII. 1. created. ἔκτισεν, for which Ryssel would read κρίνει (‘judgeth’), cp. $, and the reading of the cursives | (see critical note) in τ. 2; cp. the scribal error ἐν κρίσει for ἐν κτίσει in xvi. 26.

together. κοινῇ (=11N" as in 1. 17), referring to Creation in its entirety.

2. shall be justified. δικαιωθήσεται, lit. ‘shall be declared just’. For the additions to this verse see critical notes,

4. Who is sufficient ... Cp.i.6. The similarity of language with that of the Psalms (Sept.) in this and the following verses is noteworthy.

to declare His works. ἐξαγγεῖλαι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ; cp. Ps. cvi. 22 ἐξαγγειλάτωσαν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. who can trace out. ἐξιχνιάσει ; cp. Wisd. vi. 23. His mighty deeds. Cp. Ps. Ixx. 7 (Sept.).

5 ®Who can declare the might of His majesty, And *2who can recount££ His mercies! ? 6 No man can take (from them) nor add (to them),

7 When a man hath finished, then doth he but begin, And when he ceaseth, he is in perplexity. 8 What is man, ™and what profit is there of him™ ? What is the good of him, and what is the evil ? g The number of man’s days Is great (if it reach) an hundred years*. to °As a drop of water® from the sea, or as? a grain of sand, 44So0 are '(man’s) few" years in the eternal days*4. 11 Therefore is the Lord longsuffering towards them, And poureth out His mercy upon them. 12 tHe seeth" and knoweth* that their end’ is evil, Therefore doth He multiply His forgiveness”. 13 The mercy of man is (exercised upon) his own kin*, But the mercy of God? is (extended) to all flesh’, Reproving, and chastening, and teaching*, And bringing them back as a shepherd his flock. 14 »He hath mercy on them that accept (His) chastening >, And that ‘diligently seek after® His judgements.

15 °° My son, “bring no® blemish on thy good deeds4, Bison), Oring : ys fNor in (giving) any gift? (cause) grief through words! ; giving ys g 8 :

Bs > es-eé (τ Ut. ‘who shall add to make a description of’

Nor can any one trace out the marvellous acts of the Lord®.

(f) XVIII. 15-18. The right spirit in giving (= 2+. distichs).

ΒΟ ‘the Lord's’ μεγαλειατε- nyd33, ‘mighty works’ ™-m So 96. ‘what is his loss and what is his gain?’ (dif. incalculable) is the sleep of such (which is common) to all’ 0-0 ὁ ‘as when one fills a botile’

ἢ 0 248 +‘and eternal

εὐϑοά, τα

Se Rig A ae i

(even) as one day in the world of the righteous’ Το 248 ‘a thousand’ 8 & ‘in the day of eternity’ (248 253 Syro-Hex ‘days of’) ὑπὸ $‘for He knew’: δὲ ὅδ places an asterisk before this v. ἃ 30. + ‘the pride of their heart, that it is evil’ VY So 3: (ἃ καταστροφὴ w $ +‘among them, and showed them the way of righteousness ’ (viam aequitatis) x So $: G&L ‘neighbour’ Σ So SL: (τ ‘the Lord’ 2% ‘his works’ aS+4‘them’ »-b& ‘Blessed are they that wait for His mercy’: % ‘He hath mercy on them that receive the teaching of mercy’ c-e S ‘accept’ ec Ἐν has the title ἐγκρατεια ψυχης d-d $ ‘hinder not him that doeth a good deed to his neighbour’ eG lt. ‘give not’ if @& “7. ‘nor in every gift grief of words’; cp. % et in omni dato non des tristitiam verbi mali: S ‘and on him that gives look not askance’ £ 248 ‘request’

5. Who can declare. τίς ἐξαριθμήσεται ; cf. Ps. Ixxxix. 12 (Sept.) 731. who can recount. Cp. Isa. xlix. 16 (Sept.). His mercies. Cp. Ps. xvi. 7 (Sept.). 6. Noman... Lit. ‘It is not (possible) to...’; so, too, in the next clause. Cp. xlil. 21. the marvellous acts... Cp. Ps. Ixxvi. 12, Ixxvii. 12, Ixxxvii. 11 (all in the Sept.). 7. he is in perplexity. i.e. because he realizes the impossibility of his task. 8. What is man. Cp. Ps. vill. 4 (Sept.), what profit is there of him? i.e. that he should think it possible to trace out the wonderful works of God. What is the good... i.e. neither are worth consideration in view of his insignificance in the sight of God. 9. The number... Cp. Ps. xc. 10. The addition to this verse (see critical note) probably represents something which the original contained ; cp. with it Eccles. ix. 5, 6. 10. As a drop of water... Cp. Isa. xl. 15. So are... i.e. man’s few years of life are like a day compared with eternity. 11. Therefore. Because his time is short and fleeting. 12. end. Lit. ‘overthrow’. doth He multiply. Cp. Ps. xxxv. 8 (Sept.). 13. his own kin. See critical note. Cp. Peshitta of Lev. xviii. 6 ( Wl NV’, lit. ‘flesh of his flesh’, i. 6. ‘near of kin’), quoted by Ryssel; cp. also Lev. xxv. 49. asashepherd. Cp. Isa. xl. 11. chastening. i.e. ‘instruction’ which is given by means of chastening; cp. Vi. 32, 33. 15. Nor in (giving)... i.e. do not humiliate the receiver of charity.

16 Just as" the rain‘ maketh the burning heat to cease ; kSo a word changeth! (the character of) a gift®.

17 ™For there is a good word which is better than a gift™, And both belong to a saintly® man.

18 A fool upbraideth ungraciously °, And the gift of an envious? man consumeth® the eyes.

(g) XVIII. 19-29. The need of foresight and preparation in view of many tings which happen to men; this 15 true Wisdom (= 3+2+3+1+2 distichs).

19 Before thou fight, seek thee a helper’; * Before thou art ill, seek thee a physician*. 20 tBefore judgement "examine thyself™*, And in the ‘hour of visitation’ thou shalt find forgiveness”. 21 Before thou fall*, Yhumble thyself’, And #in the time of? (committing) sins, *show forth repentance*. 22 Delay not” °to pay thy vow in due time’, 4 And wait not till death to be justified”.

h-h So S$: & ‘doth not’ i SoS: & lit. ‘dew’ kk So $ 1 Zit. ‘turneth’: GH ‘is greater than’ m-m So $: GL ‘Lo, is not a word above a good gift ?’ n So S: Gi ‘gracious’ © S$ ‘before he doeth a gracious act’ Ρ (ἃ properly ‘evil-eyed’: S ‘evil’ 4Zz%. ‘melteth’; 2% ‘maketh to wasteaway’ tT So %; (πὰ ‘before speaking learn’: 3» ‘before judgement prepare justice for thyself, cp. 20a 83 So S$: & iit. ‘before sickness heal’: % ‘and before thou speak learn, and before sickness apply to a physician’ {τὸ $ ‘and before sorrow come upon thee, pray’ u-u 248 “prepare thyself by well-doing’ v-v & ‘sight of God’ wS + ‘and it shall help thee’ x SoS: GH ‘art sick’ y-y S ‘pray and beseech’: 70 248 + ‘with self-control’ 2- $ ‘before’ a-a % ‘give alms’ b & “it. ‘be not hindered’ c-c S ‘to cause thy sins to pass away’: % ‘to pray unceasingly’ 3% imserts here two clauses: ‘be not careless until thou art in trouble, put not off the time of turning from thy sins’ d-d $ ‘remember that death delayeth not’: # 4‘ for

16. Just as the rain... Cp. xlili. 23. 17. For there is a good word ... Cowley and Neubauer quote Baba Bathra οὐ (T. B.): ‘He who giveth a farthing is blessed sixfold, but he who addeth words elevenfold’; the ‘word’ refers to the encouragement and words of cheer addressed to the recipient. And both belong... Words as well as acts mark the truly charitable man. { 18. A fool... He isa ‘fool’ because the efficacy of the gift in the sight of God is done away with by the churlish remark which accompanies it. } consumeth... The reference is to the humiliation suffered by him who receives when the gift is accompanied I by cruel words ; for the expression in Gr. cp. Lev. xxvi. 16. i 19. 95 is to be preferred in this verse; cp. & (see critical note). seek thee a physician. Cp. xxxvili, 12-15. 20. Before judgement. i.e. the judgement of God; the reference is to the ‘hour of visitation’ in the next clause ; see note on vil. 35. . thou shalt find forgiveness, ἐξιλασμόν (‘ propitiation’). According to Jewish teaching suffering and sickness, 85. | well as death itself, are in themselves means of atonement, and therefore of reconciliation with God, though the need of | repentance as well is often insisted upon in Rabbinical writings. In the Midrash Sz/re 73 6 (belonging to the second ὦ century A.D.) it is said that a man should rejoice more in chastisement than in prosperity, because if he enjoyed good | fortune all his life his sins would not be forgiven him. In the same Midrash (33 a) a saying is quoted to the effect that | ‘All who die are reconciled through death’. Very pointed are the words in the Midrash Bereshtth Rabba 5 a: ‘Suffering is more apt than sacrifice to win God’s favour and to atone for man. Teaching of this kind is only adumbrated by Ben-Sira, but it was greatly developed and elaborated by later teachers. 21. humble thyself. Cp. xxxiv. 26 (Gt xxxi. 31). show forth repentance. Repentance is also, according to Jewish teaching, a mediating agency ; cp. Yoma 866 (T. B.), where it is said that repentance ‘brings redemption, and is the cause of God’s regarding sins as though they had been unconsciously committed, and even of His regarding them as good works and (therefore) meritorious. It prolongs the days and years of men.’ Cp. also Shaébath 32 a (T. B.): ‘Repentance and works of charity are man’s intercessors before the House of God’; and Sanhedrin 43 ὁ (T. B.): ‘He who sincerely repents is doing as much as he who builds temple and altar, and brings. all sacrifices.’ 22. Delay not to pay... See critical note ; perhaps the rendering of S is to be preferred, for it seems to accord better with the words of the second clause; vowing is dealt with in the next verse. Smend adds the distich from $ to the text between verses 21 and 22. (See crit. note °°.)

wait not till death to... As in the later Rabbinical literature (cf. on v. 20), Death is regarded as a means of atonement.

23 °Before thou vowest, prepare thy vows®, And be not as one ‘that tempteth God'®. x 24 Think of the wrath in the £latter day§, And (when), in the time of vengeance, He turneth away His face. 25 Remember "the time of famine® in the time? of fullness, And poverty and want in the days of wealth. 26 From morning until evening the time changeth, And all things* haste on! before the Lord. 27™A wise man is discreet” in all things”, And in days of sinning Pkeepeth himself from offence”. 28 1Every wise man teacheth? wisdom’, *And they who know her must give thanks*4. 29 They that are wise in words" also show that they are wise, ‘In that they pour forth apt proverbs’.

(a) XVIII. 30—XIX. 3. An Exhortation to Self-control in all things (= 2+ 342 distichs).

3° “My son*, follow not the lusts of thy soul’, And refrain thyself *from its desire’. ΞΘ. 31 @If thou fulfil the desire of thy soul, F Thou wilt be like him that fulfilleth his enemy’s wish*. 3? >Delight not thyself in overmuch luxury, °For double is the poverty thereof®. 33 Be not a squanderer and a drunkard, Else there will be nothing in thy purse’,

the reward of God abideth to eternity’ e-e So 35, of which this verse vs extant ee (ἃ σεαυτον, a correction of την ψυχην σου ( animam tuam), which zs a mistake for τὴν εὐχὴν σου ( § plur.) ff So according to Smend’s emendation ( Si); the text is corrupt ἔτ 711. “ days of the end’ (x ‘ day’) b-h ®@ ‘poverty’ Ὁ $ ‘these things’ PP S ‘feareth no evil’: 70 248 + ‘and the fool observeth not (248 > ‘not’) the opportunity’ a-a.So S$: (τ ‘every man of understanding knoweth, ἄς. γα HL ‘knoweth’ 8 70 248 + ‘and instruction’ tt@ 3 ‘and to him that findeth her he will give thanks’ u% ‘in teaching’ YVR are paraphrastic: 40 248 + ‘unto life:’ 248 adds further ‘Better is trust (111 boldness) in a single master (7. ὁ. God), than with a dead heart to cling to a dead one (2. 6. an idol)’ WNrABC (> C8) 70 248 254 307 have the title ‘ Self-control of the soul’ x SoS ySo3 z-z So S: (ἃ ‘from thine appetites’: % ‘from thy will’ aa So S: G& ‘If thou grant to thy soul the delight of (her) desire thou wilt make thee a rejoicing to thine enemies’ (248 +‘who bear thee malice’) b> ® zs extant from here to xix. 3 c¢ &® ‘neither be tied to the expense thereof’: B μὴ προσδεθης should be read with S* AC pn προσδεηθὴς (‘that thou be not in need besides’): $ ‘that thou become not twice as poor’ ἀγο 248 3 add, with slight

23. This verse is quoted in Zanchuma nde 13 α (Smend). prepare. i.e. think over, so as not to vow rashly. And be not as one that... In making a rash vow a man tempts God; for rash vows are not likely to be kept, and divine punishment will ensue on their being broken. Cp. Deut. vi. 16. 24. in the latter day. i.e. the day of death; cp. i. 13, xi. 26-8. E ᾿ He turneth away His face. Lit. ‘In the turning away’, i.e. when God turns away His face, or ‘ hideth His face’; cp. Deut. xxxi. 17, 18, xxxii. 20; Ps. x. 10, xxx. 7, meaning that He repudiates the sinner. ᾿ : 25. Remember... Because evil days may come quite unexpectedly ; cp. next verse; the reference is quite general. 26. From morning... i.e. within the space of a single day all may be changed; cp. Job iv. 19-21. before the Lord. i.e. it is the will of God. 27. is discreet. εὐλαβηθήσεται, cf. Prov. xxviii. 14 (Sept.). I ᾿ _ in days of sinning. i.e. when a man has succumbed to temptation and committed sin. 29. They that are wise... i.e. their utterances proclaim their wisdom. ᾿ In that they... Perhaps in reference to the writer himself, who has just been pouring forth apt proverbs.

XVIII. 30—XX. 26. Warnings against various faults. This division contains nine subsections.

30. The title in G@ runs : ᾿Εγκράτεια ψυχῆς. In one or other of the Gr. MSS. titles are found before xix. 29, xx. 27, XXIV. I, Xxx. I, 16, xliv. 1, li. 1; probably none of these belonged to the original.

the lusts of thy soul. Cp. 2 Tim. ii. 22 ; Jas. i. 14.

32. For double is... i.e. poverty in purse and poverty in health. _ ᾿ : :

33. Be not... G paraphrases: ‘ Be not made a beggar by banqueting upon borrowing’; this, when taken, as it must be, with the following clause, makes it tautologous. :

SIRACEH. 19h τοῖς

w°19 x He that doeth this will not become rich, And “he that despiseth small things! *will become wholly poor”. Wine and women make the heart lustful,

& ‘And he that cleaveth to harlots 8 will perish". ; 3 »Moulderi and worms will take possession of him*”, ΕΝ 1And a brazen soul will destroy its owner’.

(6) XIX. 4-12. A warning against too much talking (= 2+3+43 distichs).

Gi 4™He that is hasty in reposing confidence "is unwise”, ° And he that erreth sinneth against his own soul®. : 5 He that hath pleasure in wickedness? ‘shall be brought to destruction", 6 *And he that hateth® gossip is without malice’. » Never repeat a word",— *Then no one will reproach thee‘Y— 8 τ Speak not of it to’Y friend or foe— Unless it be a sin to thee “reveal it not”— 9 * Lest he who hear thee hate thee, And regard thee as an evil-doer*. & το Hast thou heard something¥? let it die with thee? ; “Be of good courage, it will not burst thee*. 1 A fool travaileth in pain »because of» a word, As a woman in labour "because of” a child.

variations, ‘For thou wilt become a snare unto thine own life and much talked about’ dd-dd % ‘he that loveth the flesh ’ e-e Zit, ‘will become altogether naked’: $ ‘will inherit poverty’: /he rendering of ὅπ (κατα puxpov πεσειται) 7s due 10 a doublet ἘΠ» 8τα SoS: τ ‘will become reckless’ (B A ‘more reckless’): X ‘will become bad (nequam)’ bhys > i So Bxe® AC (ann): Bb followed by R.V. antes (δ ἢ onmes) Καὶ @& (ef, ‘will inherit him’ 1-1 So #S: 70 248 ‘and he shall be destroyed as (//. in) a terrible (1. greater) example’ τὰ ® ἧς wanting from here to XX. 4 u-n So 55, Δ. ‘wanting in understanding’: Gr ΜᾺ ‘empty of heart’ o-o ὁ. ‘He who accuseth his own soul, who will hold him guiltless δ᾽ Ρ So x* V 253 3» Syro-Hex: BA Ὁ νοι 70 ‘in his heart’; 248 % ‘in evil living’ {τὰ SoS: & ‘he shall be condemned’; 70 248+ ‘he that averteth his eye from pleasures crowneth his life’ © 70 248 znsert ‘and he that controlleth his tongue liveth without strife’ 8 3 ‘repeateth’ t S ‘understanding’ (=A ‘heart’): 39 ‘life’. Zn & the text of this verse has got out of order u ® ‘an evil and cruel (//. hard) word’: διὸ 253 + ‘in (‘thy’ 253) prayer’ ‘-vY.So S$: (ἃ ‘and thou wilt derive no disadvantage’ vv-vv % ‘deceive not’ w-w S ‘(then) pray for them, but accuse no one’ x-x So %, which on the whole ἐς preferable to & ‘For if he hear thee he will guard himself from thee, and will hate thee (7.2. show himself thine enemy) at the (fitting) time’ Σ Ltt, ‘a word’: & + ‘against thy neighbour’ z $ ‘in thy heart’ a-a % ‘it is not an arrow (cp. Ὁ. 12 a) that it should pierce through thee and come bursting forth’ b-b Zz. ‘in face of’

XIX. 1. He that doeth this. @ ‘A workman that is a drunkard’; cp. Proy. xxi. 17, xxiii. 21. he that despiseth... It is not easy to see the connexion between the two clauses of this verse; this want of connexion probably accounts for the reading of S (see critical note), which is apparently an attempt to make sense. Possibly these words are to be explained in the light of Eccles. x. 1: ‘ Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking savour,’ i.e. looking upon any sins as venial must have evil results.

2. Wine and women... Cp. Hos. iv. 11; Prov. xxxi. 3-7. make the heart... ‘make men of understanding to fall away’ is a toning down of the directness of 38.

a brazen soul. MY WD). Cp. vi. 4, xix. 3, and a similar phrase W527" in Isa. lvi. 11. @ ‘And a reckless soul shall be taken away’ is a free paraphrase ; for τολμηρός cp. vill. 15. 4. He that is...confidence. ὁ ταχὺ ἐνπιστεύων 3 Cp. vi.7 μὴ ταχὺ ἐμπιστεύσῃς, Where the Hebr. has nord anon ds. unwise. κοῦφος is not found elsewhere in the O.T. in this sense. against his own soul. Cp. Proy. xx. 2 (Sept.). 5. He that hath pleasure in wickedness. The reading of δὲ" πονηρά is evidently the more correct one (see critical —

note). The addition in 70 248 may well contain an echo of the original.

7. Never repeat. Cp. xlii. 1. Then no one... Cp. Prov. xxv. Io.

8. Speak not of it. Cp.1 Pet. ix.15. Possibly $ represents a more original text, ‘ Deceive not friend or foe.’ Unless it be a sin to thee. i.e. unless by keeping silence thou become a partaker in another’s guilt.

9. Lest he who... Cp. Prov. xxv. 10. With (ἃ (see critical note) cp. xxii. 26. 3

1o. it will not burst thee. Cp. Job xxxii. 18, 19 (Hebr. and Sept.).

11. because of a word. ἀπὸ προσώπου λόγου = 127 30D.

2 Like® an arrow that sticketh in the fleshy thigh, So is a word in the 4inward parts? of a fool.

[3 Reprove a friend®, ‘that he do no evil‘, And if he have done anything, that he do it not again®. 14 Reprove a friend® ‘lest he speak’ [evil], And if he have said (it), that he do it not again. τῷ Reprove a friend*, for often there is slander’, : And ™believe not™ every word. τό Many a man” there is that slippeth®, ?though unintentionally”, And who hath not sinned® with his tongue! _ \t7"Reprove thy® friend* ‘before thou threaten him‘, « And give place to the law” of the Most High",

(α) XIX. 20-30. The Difference between Wisdom and Craftiness (= 2+3+3+2 distichs).

20 * All wisdom is ¥the fear of¥ the Lord, And all wisdom is the fulfilling of the Law’. 22 *But the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom +, » And the counsel of sinners is not understanding”. 23 There is a prudence”, ‘and the same is abomination °, And there is a fool 4who is without? sins°®. 24 Better is one that hath small understanding, and feareth, Than one that hath much prudence and transgresseth the Law.

¢ So 3 d-d So S$: & ‘belly’; & ‘heart’ 9. $ ‘thy friend’ ff So S: Q& ‘it may be he did it not’ 8-8@ ‘and shall not have perceived it, and he say, I did it not’ by C 253 3 Syro-Hex ‘thy neighbour’ ri So S: (τ ‘it may be he said (it) not’ KS ‘thy friend’ 1248 S ‘mere (Δ΄. vain) slander’ m-m248 S$ ‘let not thine heart believe’ n-n [77, ‘one’ o% ‘sinneth’: yo 248 + ‘in word’: &% + ‘with his tongue’ p-p L727, ‘not from the soul’ 470 248 % ‘slipped’ rr $ ‘rebuke the evil man’ (reading ¥1 imstead of Y1 = & ‘neighbour’) SN 70 248 L > tt S$ ‘for he hath oppressed many’ u% ‘and believe not every word of his’ vi ‘fear’ W70 248 + ‘being

without wrath. These also insert here: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance (by Him), and wisdom will gain love from Him, ‘The knowledge of the commandments of the Lord is life-giving instruction (27. instruction of life); and they who do the things that are pleasing unto Him shall pluck the fruit of the tree of immortality’ ( vv. 18, 19) x 3 mserts ‘ The words of prophecy and’: & znserfs ‘ Because’ y (Ὁ 248 ‘from’ z-2 (τ fit. ‘and in all wisdom is the doing of the Law’: 3% ‘and the fear of God, that is wisdom’; 7o 248 + ‘and the knowledge of His omnipotence’, fo which τς added‘ A servant that saith unto his lord, I will not do according to thy will, though he do so afterwards, angereth him that feedeth him’

ΓΞ τ. 21) a-a 3 ‘ There is no wise man who is evil ’ b-b Son*ACSHL: Buea ‘and it is not (found) where the counsel of sinners (is deemed) prudence’ bb Reading πανουργια (70 253) instead of πονηρια (see exegetical notes) c-e 3 ‘that createth sins’ d-d ΠΛ who is wanting in’ 9 SoS: GL ‘ wisdom’

12. inward parts of. “5 7)NI (Edersheim).

13. Reprove... Here inthe sense of ‘exhort’; if the reading of ὅτ be accepted then it has the force of ‘examine’. In these verses the various meanings of ἐλέγχειν are well illustrated.

14. Reprove. i.e. expostulate with, or the like.

15. Reprove. i.e. find out the truth concerning him.

17. Reprove. i.e. call to account.

give place to the law. i.e. Lev. xix. 17.

20. the fulfilling of the Law. Cp. Jas. i. 25.

22. the knowledge of wickedness... Cp. Wisd. i. 4, 5. ; ᾿ iw

23. There isa prudence. Although πανουργία (‘ subtlety’, or ‘ prudence’) is rarely used in a good sense, it is best to adopt this here. ‘Subtlety,’ as a form of wisdom, may be good; but in the sense of craft or sharp dealing it is bad. It is in this latter sense that it is spoken of as ‘an abomination’. ἢ

And there is a fool... The meaning of the verse may be expressed thus: On the one hand, there is ἃ good type

of wisdom which can be made bad ; on the other, there is a bad type of man which may be good—i. 6. prudence, good in itself, may take the form of craft, and thus become bad; while, to be a fool, bad in itself, may take the form of guilelessness, and thus become good. 24. What has just been said is illustrated by this verse. a

that hath small understanding. ἡττώμενος ἐν συνέσει, Cp. iil. 13, Xill. 8, Xxv. 2.

Gi 25 There is fa subtle (form of) craftiness which is unrighteous’,

z And there is the man who dealeth tortuously to gain" a judgement’.

26 There is one that walketh* !bent and mournfully™’, But inwardly he is full of deceit*.

27 There is™ one with downcast look, °pretending to be deaf®, But ?when unobserved?, “he will get the better of thee‘;

28 And there is one who, if for want of power he be hindered from sinning, Will do harm when he findeth opportunity.

29 A man is known by his appearance, ᾿ And the wise man recognizeth’ him by his look*,

30 A man’s attire tproclaimeth his occupation‘, And his gait’ showeth what he is.

- κα aT Pew arene oy erase Wie:

(e) XX. 1-8. There is a time for silence and a time for speech (= 3+ 2+ 2 distichs).

20 1 There is a reproof that is uncalled for*, Then he that is silent is wise. ΕΞ > ’He that reproveth a sinner getteth no thanks”, But let him that maketh confession “be spared humiliation *. 3η" 4°As is an eunuch that sojourneth with a νίγρίη “ἢ, So is he that would do right with violence®. η- 5 'One‘ keepeth silence, and is accounted® wise, f And another‘ is despised for his much talking.

f-f $ ‘a crafty man who rejoiceth in deceiving’ &-€ (ἃ ΜᾺ ‘and there is one that...’: Ὁ. ‘and there is one that acteth perversely’ bh G ΔΆ ‘to bring to light’ i248 + ‘and there is a wise man who justifieth the judgement’ k Reading with two curstves, πορευόμενος (= Syro-Hex), zustead of movnpevopevos 1- $ ‘humbly and broken in spirit’ m (τ 21}. ‘ with black ἡ n 248 ‘ burning deceit’ mS$oS%:G> 9% ‘planning

evil’ rp 71}. ‘where he is not known’ a-a L77. ‘he will be beforehand with thee’: 70 248 + ‘to harm (thee) ’ 44 So S: (ἃ & ‘And’ t So S: (ἃ ‘shall be known’ 8 Omitting with % ano απαντησεως t-t So $ (‘occupation,’ 77. ‘deeds’): & “1. ‘and laughter of the teeth’ VS ‘appearance’: & /77. ‘ the

footsteps of a man’: N¢-8 ‘the step of the foot’

a Zit, ‘not comely’ b-b So S$: GH ‘how good it is to reprove rather than to be wroth’: 70 248 + ‘in secret’ e-e Jit, ‘be kept back from hurt’. Zhe interpolation (= v. 3), which 70 248 place after v. 8, & after v. 4, but which logically belongs here, runs: ‘How good it is when he who is reproved manifesteth repentance, for thus wilt thou escape wilful sin’ 4 ἧς extant from here tov. 7 incl. dd % + ‘And the Lord will seek it at his hand’ 9 30 wrongly transposes the clauses of this verse: the whole verse has got misplaced ; BS, several cursives, Syro-Hex place the second clause afler xxx. 20 ff Zit. “there is (one) that’: so frequently

25. dealeth tortuously.} What the Greek is intended to express here is uncertain; διαστρέφων χάριν is lit. ‘that distorts grace’ (R.V. ‘that perverteth favour’); but it is best to take χάριν (=the Hebr. ind, ‘for the sake of’) with τοῦ expava, and to regard διαστρέφων as the rendering of Snany (‘that dealeth tortuously’); cp. the Septuagint of

Ps. xviii. 28, 2 Sam. xxil. 27; διατέψεις = Snann (cp. also Deut. xxxii. 5); the clause then forms a good parallel to the other half of the verse. 26. See critical note, and cp. xii. 11. that walketh bent and mournfully. Cf. Ps. xlii. 10; Mal. iii. 14. full of deceit. πλήρης δόλου : cp. Acts xili. 10 πλήρης παντὸς δόλου. 27. one with downcast look. συνκύφων πρόσωπον : cp. Job ix. 27 συνκύψας τῷ προσώπῳ. 28. S is probably right, as against ὅτ, in not joining this verse on to the preceding. 30. And his gait... In the Babylonian Talmud directions are given as to how the inner worth of a man may be gauged by his outward appearance and behaviour, Berakhoth 436, Erubin 65 ὁ (Ryssel).

(e) XX. 1-8. With this subsection cp. xix. 4-17.

thee He that reproveth... In this clause the rendering of S is to be preferred as fitting in better with the context than &.

thanks. Cp. xii. 3, where the Hebr. 7310 has the sense of ‘ thanks’.

But let him... Cp. viii. 5.

4. The point of the comparison is that in neither case is the design accomplished. right. Lit. ‘judgement’. (ἃ for the second clause, ‘So is he that executeth judgements with violence,’ taking

b}vD in a legal sense. For the phrase DD) NYY, i.e. ‘to do justice,’ ‘maintain the cause’ of some one, see 1 Kings

5. One keepeth silence... Cp. Prov. xvii. 28, Pirge Aboth i. 18: ‘Simon [the son of Gamaliel I] said, “All my days I have grown up amongst the wise, and have not found aught good for a man but silence; not learning, but doing, is the groundwork; and whoso multiplies words occasions sin.”’

6 One keepeth silence, having naught to say ;

And another keepeth silence, for he seeth (it is) a time (for silence). 7 The wise man is silent until the (proper) time,

But *the arrogant and the scorner* ‘take no note! of the time.

8 *He that is abundant in word is abhorred*,

And he that taketh to himself authority! is hated™.

(f) XX. 9-17. Things are not always what they seem (= 2+ 3+3+2 distichs).

9 *°Sometimes it is advantageous® for a man? to be in adversity,

4And sometimes prosperity resulteth in harm 4.

10'Sometimes a gift there is that profiteth thee nothing,

And sometimes a gift bringeth double recompense.

11 Sometimes cometh loss* through honour,

‘And sometimes honour cometh through loss**.

12 ¥44Some buy™ much for little",

And some pay sevenfold.

13 Y The wise man with few words *Y maketh himself beloved’,

But the pleasantries of fools are wasted”.

14 The gift of a fool profiteth thee nothing*,

¥For he looketh for recompense? sevenfold®’ ;

15 He giveth little, and upbraideth much,

And openeth his mouth Plike a crier® ; To-day he lendeth, to-morrow he will demand it back : Hateful is such an one °to God and men‘*.

ε (ἃ Ὁ ‘found’ hh % ‘the fool’: the text ἐς corrupt, for o>) read yd: Wn (Smend): & ‘the braggart and the fool’: $ ‘the arrogant and the unrighteous’: ἢν ‘the haughty and the shameless’ ii So HSL: & ‘ oversteppeth ἡ *W 7s wanting from here to Ὁ. 12 incl. kW ‘injureth his soul’ 1H + ‘unjustly "ἢ m ‘his life will be hated’: 70 248 + ‘ How good it is when he who is reproved manifesteth repentance, for thus wilt thou escape voluntary sin’: see Ὁ. 2 adove (note) n-n & ‘there is that which is to a man’s hurt’ 0-0 (ἃ /zt. ‘there is prosperity’ Pvo 248 & + ‘that is a sinner’ 4-4 (ἃ Zt.‘ And there is a gain that turneth to loss’ rr [n place of these two verses & has: ‘For as thou throwest a stone at a bird, thus causing it to fly, so dost thou destroy the friendship of thy true friend, and findest it no more’ (= xxii. 204xxvii. 25, Fart) 8 & Zt. ‘humiliation’ t-t G& Zt, ‘And there is (the man) that hath lifted up his head from a low estate’ u-u S ‘One lendeth much like (ze. as though it were) little’ uu-un & /7/.‘ There is (the man) that buyeth’ Vv This verse ts extant in ®, but 1s placed after xxxvii. 26: 3 omits it vy-vv So Gk, znadvertently omitted in 7B W Reading \22w»: 163. poureth forth wisdom’, an obviously corrupt text: & lit. ‘are poured out’: ® ws wanting from here to xxi. 21 incl. * 70 248 + ‘(who) receivest (it); so is it with the niggard who only giveth under compulsion’ ΣτΣ (ἃ Wt. ‘ For his eyes are many instead of one’: 248 adds ‘ with a view to receive’ : δῸ ῷ ἃ δῸ ὁ b-b $ ‘and speaketh evil and lieth’ οτὸ So 2483: GL>

6. having naught to say. {τ ‘for he hath no answer’; the discussions of the wise often took the form of question and answer; cp. Prov. xv. 234, xvi. 1 ὁ. °

take no note. ¢k ‘oversteppeth’, but in xviii. 27 ® is followed by 70 248 (see critical note there).

8. he that taketh... i.e. He who arrogates to himself the sole right to speak. For the addition to this verse in some Gr. MSS. and & see critical note.

9. prosperity. Lit. ‘ gain’, εὕρεμα, cp. xxix. 6 ὁ. lo, a gift. 1. 6. which is given to another. 11. honour. Lit. ‘glory’. With the verse cp. 1 Sam. ii. 4. } y 12. The original text probably presented a contrast, as indicated in the text ; according to (τ the meaning would be that a man thinks he has made a good bargain, but finds that he is ultimately a good deal worse off: ‘There is that buyeth much for little, and payeth for it sevenfold,’ i.e. apparent good fortune is in reality a loss. 13. This verse forms the antithesis to τ΄. 8. pleasantries. χάριτες, Jit. ‘kindnesses’, cp, xxix. 15. wasted. i.e. thrown away; for the Hebr. cp. Lam. iv. 1. ; ES 14. profiteth thee nothing. Because what is expected in return is much more than what has been received. The ‘fool’ is here, according to Ben-Sira, a rogue as well as a simpleton. ee : 15. He giveth little... In Bevakhoth iv. 2 (T. J.) reference is made to those ‘ who give little, and reprove much (quoted by Smend). f upbraideth much. Cp. xviii. 18; the upbraiding refers to the reproaches made because he does not receive back as much as he expected. And openeth... i.e. he complains to all the world. Hateful...toGodandmen. Cp. x. 7.

The fool saith : ‘I have no friend, And my good deeds receive no thanks ; They that eat my bread are evil-tongued"’ How oft—and how many there are—they laugh him to scorn®.

(g) XX. 18-20. Concerning unseasonable speech (= 3 distichs).

fs A slip on the pavement is better than a (slip) of the tongue§ ; So doth the fall of the wicked come swiftly‘.

4 As the fat tail of a sheep, eaten without salt, So is a word spoken out of season?.

A parable from the mouth of a fool is worthless’, For he uttereth it out of season.

(hk) XX. 21-23. Some are unintentionally without sin, while others sin intentionally (= 3 distichs).

One, through want, is hindered from sinning, k And when he resteth he will not be troubled ;

Another destroyeth his life through sense of shame, And perisheth! through ™his want of frankness™.

And another, for shame’s sake, maketh promises to a friend, "Thus making for himself" an enemy ° without reason®.

(ἢ XX. 24-26. The Liar shall be destroyed (= 3 distichs).

A lie is a foul blot in a man, It is continually [found] in the mouth of the ignorant.

25 " Preferable is a thief to one who continually lieth”,

“But both shall inherit destruction’.

ἃ & Zit. ‘evil with their tongue’; 3 ‘like a rock of stone’ © 70 248 + ‘For he hath not honestly received [that which he possesseth]; likewise that which he hath not is unimportant (αδιαφορον) to him’: sa 5, excepting that instead of ‘received’ zt reads ‘ distributed’ f-f $ ‘As waters poured out ona rocky stone, so is the tongue of the wicked among the righteous’ ὅτε Τῇ ‘The slip of a false tongue is as one falling upon the pavement’ bh So $: GH ‘A man without grace is (as) a table out of season (# tabula vana)’: Ge %+ ‘It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant ’ (= v. 24 b) i & ΛΔ ‘ will be rejected ’ k-k § ‘and who that is righteous taketh his ease in (his) wealth?’ 180 $3: G&D ‘destroyeth it’ mm So $: G& ‘by a foolish countenance’ nn ¢& //. ‘and hath obtained’ 0-0 δωρεαν p-P 85. ‘he loveth stealing as well as lying’ a-4 35. ‘and his

16. Ihave no friend. His good deeds have been unable to make friends for him, because his constant seeking for recompense has deprived them of all virtue.

receive no thanks. i.e. not sufficient thanks according to his estimate. They that eat my bread. i.e. that live on his charity. evil-tongued. φαῦλοι γλώσσῃ : i.e. they do not thank and praise him sufficiently. 17. How oft... The essence of folly is not to see how others scorn it. 18. Aslip... Smend quotes Zeno: κρεῖττον εἶναι τῷ ποδὶ ὀλισθαίνειν ἣ TH γλώσσᾳ. So doth... The point of the comparison is that each is sudden.

ee fat tail. Cp. Exod. xxix. 22. ‘@ cuts the obscure allusion, compresses, and adds 244 to make the couplet” art).

zo. A parable... Cp. Prov. xxvi. 7. 21. want. i.e. poverty. hindered from sinning. Cp. xix. 28. And when he resteth... i.e. he will not be conscience-stricken when, after the day’s activities are over, he

thinks over what he has done. Οὐ κατανυγήσεται, lit. ‘he will not be pricked (at heart) ’. 22. Another destroyeth... Cp. iv. 20-21.

want of frankness. Lit. ‘the covering of his face’.

23. an enemy without reason. Because, being weak, he promises what he cannot fulfil, and thus makes enemies unnecessarily,

of the ignorant. ἀπαιδεύτων, i.e. those uninstructed in wisdom. 25. athief. Cp. v.14, where a thief and ‘one that hath a double tongue’ are mentioned together. .. Shall inherit destruction. Cp. Ps.v.6; Prov. xv. 5, 9.

26 The end’ of a liar is dishonour®,

And his shame is evert with him.

(a) XX. 27-31. The Reward of the wise and prudent; but wisdom must be apparent (3 +2 distichs).

7 "’ The wise man advanceth himself by means of his words’,

And a prudent man ruleth™ the great.

28 *He that tilleth his’ land raiseth high his heap’,

And he that pleaseth the great atoneth for wrong*.

2g Presents and gifts blind the eyes “of the wise,

And as a muzzle on the mouth turn away reproofs.

30 Hidden wisdom and concealed treasure,

What profit is there in either®?

31 Better is the man that hideth his folly

Than a man that hideth his wisdom?’

4My son, hast thou sinned, (then) add not thereto ; And pray concerning thy former (sins)*".

2°Flee from sin “as from the face of a serpent? ;

For if thou come nigh it, it will bite thee? ; Like’ the teeth of a lion fare the teeth thereof, It slayeth® the souls of men.

3 Like a two-edged sword is ‘all iniquity’,

From the stroke thereof is no healing.

ways will bring him to destruction’ t So 3: G& ‘disposition’ s$ ‘for a curse’ t 3 ‘ destroyed’ UG © cnsert the title: Parabolic sayings: Δ. ‘ words (39 ‘ word’) of parables’ v-v $ ‘he that is full of wise parables showeth himself humble (/7. small)’ w So 3: GW ‘pleaseth ” x S> y So 248 & only: others>‘his’ 2% +‘and he that doeth justice exalteth himself’ 2-@ & ‘iudicum’: 3 > b-b These verses

recur in xli. 14, 15, which see e Lit. ‘in both’ 4248 + ‘Better is persistent endurance (/7/. patience) in seeking the Lord than a driver (/#. charioteer) of his own life without a master ’

wa Z> b® + ‘that they may be forgiven thee’ © S rnserts ‘my son’ d-dZ> 9 δηξεται; but 70 248 &c. δηξεται = & f So 3 only &-¢ $ ‘is falsehood’ h Zz, ‘slaying’ ii 3 ‘an harlot’

26. Theend... The rendering of 5 ‘is manifestly right, since NON even in the sense of “fate” does not suit here’ (Smend).

XX. 27—XXIII. 27. Further Warnings and Contrasts. This division has eleven subsections. 27. by means of his words. ἐν ( =] of the instrument or means) λόγοις.

...Tuleth the great. Smend thinks that the reference is to Jewish sages at the court of a Gentile king, and that perhaps Ben-Sira had here some particular historical personage in mind, who through his influence was able to be of help to his co-religionists ; see τ΄. 28 ὁ. :

28. He that tilleth. Cp. Prov. xii. 11. Just as proper attention to the land brings its reward, so does due attention paid to the great result in real advantage.

his heap. i.e. of corn.

atoneth for wrong. It is very possible that the reference here is to the wrongdoing of some Jew, which was overlooked through the kind offices of some influential Jewish person, perhaps Ben-Sira himself.

the eyes of the wise. Cp. Deut. xvi. 19 (Sept.). amuzzle. Lit.‘a gag’.

1. And pray. i.e. for forgiveness.

Zz. Pleeifrom... Cp. Prov. xili. 21. ; it will bite thee. Cp. Prov. xxiii. 32, where strong drink is compared to a serpent that bites. the teeth of alion. Cp. xxvii. 10; Joel i. 6. It slayeth... Cp. 1 Pet. v. 8 baie

3. a two-edged sword. Cp. Ps. cxlix.6; Prov. v. 4; and the Sept. of Judges ili. 16. no healing. Cp. ili, 28a.

SIRACH ὅλης 4-11

«Tyranny and violence* make** habitations! desolate, And" the house™ “of the arrogant” is rooted οὐ".

5 The supplication of the poor man cometh? unto His ears,

4And his vindication? cometh quickly.

6 He that hateth reproof *[walketh] in the path of a sinner’,

But he that feareth God* will turn [to Him] whole-heartedly”. YThe wise discerneth him that is before him, And spieth out the sinner at once’.

8 He that buildeth his house with other men’s money

Is as one gathering stones for his “sepulchral mound”. (Like) tow wrapped together is the assembly of the ungodly, And their end is the flame of fire*.

10 The way of sinners is Ymade smooth without’ stones’,

And at the end thereof is “the pit of Hades”. (c) XXI. 11-17. The contrast between the godly man who is wise and the godless man who ts a fool

He that keepeth the Law controlleth *his natural tendency’, >And the fear of the Lord is the consummation of Wisdom ”°.

k-k $ ‘from morning till evening’ ΚΕΦ ‘she maketh’ 150%: @ ‘riches’ S03: GH ‘so’ m $ ‘many palaces’: % ‘ the wealth’ m1 $ > © Reading, instead of ἐρημωθησεται, with 1, εκριζωθησεται: & ‘she rooteth

out’ P So & only: & ‘is from the mouth’ 4-4 $ ‘and it ascendeth unto the presence of the eternal Judge’ r Lit. ‘judgement’ s- § ‘is an unrighteous man’: H ‘ (it is) the mark of a sinner’ tSoA SL: x BC ‘the Lord’ u Liz. ‘in heart’: S$ ‘from his heart’ v-v & ‘He that is mighty in tongue is known afar off, and the man of understanding knoweth when he slippeth’ w-w Read with 248 εἰς χωμα ( 45) for as χείμωνα (Cr): 248 + ‘for his tomb’ x 248 + ‘unto destruction’ y-y $ ‘is a stumbling-block to” them’ Z εκ λιθων JIND 22-22 Sa deep pit’: H inferi et tenebrae et poenae

a-a Sy $ (=3), misunderstood by &): N* > (hab κα 5.) bb S ‘and he that feareth the Lord lacketh naught”

4. Tyranny. καταπληγμός is dr. λεγ. ; it might have also the meaning of ‘intimidation’. habitations. This rendering (of 95) is preferable to that of & because one expects a parallel to ‘house’ in the next clause ; see further critical note. is rooted out. Cp. Prov. xv. 25.

And his vindication... See the rendering of S for this clause in the critical notes; perhaps it is to be preferred to &.

6. in the path. ἐλν ἴχνει, lit. ‘in the track’ (cp. # ‘ vestigium est’); cp. Prov. xvi. 17.

7. The context makes it probable that the rendering of S is nearer the original than that of &&.

8. He that buildeth his house. A figurative expression for making a fortune; cp. Ps. xlix. 16.

sepulchral mound. See critical note.

9. tow. στιππύον -- N7Y3; cp. Isa. i. 31 and Judges xvi. 9, the only occurrences of the word in the O.T. the assembly of the ungodly. For the phrase συναγωγὴ ἀνόμων cp. vil. 16, xvi. 6. the flame of fire. i.e. Gehenna; for the expression φλύξ πυρός cp. viii. 10. Io. without stones. Cp. Isa. Ixii. 10.

the end thereof... Cp. Prov, xiv. 12 ὁ, xvi. 25 ὁ. ‘In Ecclesiasticus the problem of retribution takes a peculiar form. On the one hand it is uncompromisingly tory, and refuses to admit the possibility of the new views as to the future life. All retribution, without exception, is confined to this life (cp. 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 its recompense either in his own person in this life, or, failing this, in the persons of his surviving children, since Sheol knows no retribution. Thus, on the one hand, he teaches the doctrine of individual retribution (see ii. 10, 11, ix. 12, xl. 26, 27 ὁ, xii. 3). But this theory of individual retribution was inadequate, for obviously all men did not meet with their deserts. Hence a man’s sins are visited through the evil remembrance of his name and in the misfortunes of his children after him. Thus our author declares that a man’s character shall be manifest in the fortunes of his children (see xi. 28, xxiii, 24-6, xl. 15, xli. 6). On the other hand, the children of the righteous are blest (xliv. 11-13). Since there is thus no retribution beyond the grave, there is no organic relation between this life and the life in Sheol (in xxi. 10 thoughts of the penal character of Sheol do seem to be present, though not in harmony with the doctrinal system of the author). Sheol is out of the sphere of moral government; for there no account is taken of man’s past life on earth (xl. 4) ; there is there no recognition of God (xvii. 28); in that region there is no delight of life (xiv. 16); its inhabitants are bereft of light (xxii. 11); they are plunged in an eternal sleep (xliv. 19)’ (Charles, Eschatology ..., pp. 162 ff.).

11. controlleth his natural tendency. (τ ‘becometh master of the intent thereof’, as though the reference were to the Law (see critical note); cp. Qiddushin 30 ὁ (T.B.): ‘1 created the evil tendency (ὉΠ ἽΝ) [and] I created the Torah for healing. If ye occupy yourselves with [the study of] the Torah, ye will not fall into the power of it (i.e. of the evil tendency)’; and cp. also Pirge Aloth iv. 2: ‘Who is mighty? He that subdueth his nature (173°).’

& }24He that is not wise® will not be instructed, And® there is a wisdom‘ which maketh bitterness to abound?. 3 The knowledge of a wise man aboundeth like a 8spring of water§, And his counsel "is like® ‘the water? of life. 4 The heart ‘ofa fool is like a broken vessel, 'He holdeth no knowledge!. 5 If a man of understanding hear a wise word, He commendeth it, and addeth thereto ; m]f a foolish man hear it, he mocketh at it”, And casteth it behind his back. 6 The discourse of a fool” is like a burden® on a journey, But grace? is found ‘on the lips of the wise“. | 7 The utterance’ of the prudent is sought for in the assembly, And his words are pondered in the heart.

|8 As a prison-house’ is Wisdom to a fool,

And the knowledge of the wiset as "coals of fire".

9 As’ chains on (their) feet is instruction to the foolish, And as manacles on their right hand.

ΤΠ As a golden ornament is instruction to the wise, And as a bracelet upon their right arm.

}:0 The fool lifteth up his voice with laughter,

But the wise* man smileth” in silence’.

-a The foot of a fool hasteth into a house,

[ὁ But it is *good manners® ?to stand outside”.

12. a wisdom. πανουργία, Cp. xix. 23.

a ‘welling spring’ because of his devotion to the study of the Law.

the Torah give life to the world.’ 14. like a broken vessel. Cp. Jer. il. 13. 15. casteth it behind... Cp. Ezek. xxiii. 35.

17. ... are pondered in the heart. Cp. xiv. 21.

to the fool to correspond with ‘ prison-house’ in the first clause. 19. Contrast vi. 24 ff. 21. That this verse should come before v. 20 is manifest, cf. vv. 22, 23. 20. the wise man. πανοῦργος.

Talmud, Midda 16 ὁ, Pesachim 112 a (Cowley and Neubauer, p. xxiv). 23. good manners. For the Hebr. phrase cp. Prov. xx. 3.

(4) XXI. 18-28. Further contrast between the godly man and the fool (= 2+1+1+3+2+42 distichs).

© 248 ‘the acceptation of Wisdom’: 3» + ‘and understanding’ dd 3 > e# + ‘in (that which is) good’: G Wit. “ crafty’ eex AC ‘ But’ f Zit, ‘ craftiness ’ ὅτε So S$: GU ‘flood’, reading ya instead of yr30 h-h ® ‘abideth’ ii So S$: G& ‘a fountain’: 248 ‘a pure fountain (as)’ k So SL: G ‘the inward parts’ 11 $ ‘he learneth no knowledge all the days of his life’: 70 248 + ‘in his life’ m-m (πα ‘The wanton

δὲ ¢@ ‘parable’ 44 ‘in all the speech of the righteous ’ r Zit, ‘mouth’ 8.So 3: G&L ‘a house that is destroyed’ t So x* only: G@S¥U ‘ unwise’ u-u So S$: & ΔΛ ‘unexamined words’ VSoS:&> "ὁ “ἃ net” x So SL: (ἃ ‘clever’ (πανουργος) ySo 3: GL + ‘scarcely’ z% ‘in peace’

ἅτ ® weyd Ἴ29 (= 3) ‘the glory of a man’ (Smend conjectures ΘΝ for N32) b-b So G&S: 32 corrupt wy ΓΛ ‘in the house of his people’ (Symend conjectures syoyd 7132) τὸ O35 yor’ (‘shall humble many’), for which

“ον Which maketh... Craftiness is a kind of wisdom which is often a cause of sorrow and bitterness to others.

13. aboundeth like a spring of water. & read dy, the technical Hebrew word for the Flood, instead of 111 (‘a spring’). Cp. Pizge Adoth vi. 1, where it is said that the man who is busied with the Law is like ‘a spring that ceaseth not, and as a river that continueth to flow on’. knii. 10 οὗ the same tractate, Rabbi Eleazar ben Arak is called

... like the water of life. Cp. the Midrash Szfve 84 a: ‘ As water giveth life to the world, so do the waters of

16. grace. For the word used in this connexion cp. vi. 5, xx. 19, Xxxvil. 21; Ps.xlv.3; Prov. xxii.11; Eccles. x. 12.

18. coals of fire. i.e. toa fool. Sis preferable here, because the context demands something that is disagreeable

22, 23. In # these verses have got misplaced ; both verses are preserved in a quotation in WYTPA IIIT NPA 14 ἃ (‘The Lecture of our holy Rabbi,’ i.e. Judah. ha-Nasi), an ethical treatise; wv. 32 is also quoted in the Babylonian

24’ Tis unseemly® for one to listen at the door, And the wise man would be grieved ‘at the shameful act’. 25 The lips of babblers® [only] repeat" ‘what others say’, _ iBut the words of the wise are weighed in the balance’. 26 The heart of fools is in their mouth, But the mouth of the wise is ‘in their heart. 27 When the fool! curseth his adversary”, He curseth his own soul. 28 The whisperer defileth his own soul, And is hated wheresoever he sojourneth”.

(ὁ) XXII. 1-2. The Despicableness of Sloth (= ἃ distichs).

22, τ The slothful man is like* a filthy stone”,

ὁ Every one fleeth from the stench thereof*. 2 “A slothful man is like* the filth of a dunghill?, He who °taketh it up® shaketh out his hand.

(f) XXII. 3-6. The shame and grief of evil children (= 3 +1 distichs).

3 [There is] shame to a father in **the begetting of** an uninstructed (son), And a daughter is born to his loss. 4 ‘A prudent daughter ‘is a treasure‘ to her husband, But#é she that bringeth shame is a grief to him that begat her‘. 5 She that is bold® bringeth shame on father and husbandi, And she is despised of both. 6 As* music in (time of) mourning, (so) is unseasonable talk’, But™ stripes and correction are at all times wisdom”.

read DD... ( &) ὁ Zit. ‘ want of instruction’ ff Zi, ‘with the disgrace (of it)’ & So 248: & ‘strangers’: S ‘ungodly’: % ‘ unwise’ h Zit. ‘declare’: sox V 248 3% Syro-Hex: BAC ‘are grieved’ ii 777. ‘the things that are not theirs’: so 248 only: (τ ‘at these things’: % ‘in his own body’, z.e. ‘his inner thoughts’: H ‘foolish things’ Ji S$ ‘The wise man speaketh by measure’ (’/. ‘by weight’) Kk So 248 SU: G ‘their heart’ 1803: GU ‘ungodly’ m & Jit. ‘Satan’ (see note below): & ‘the Devil’: 3 ‘him who sinned not against him’ un So CV 248 253 254 ( Syro-Hex); & ev παροικησει. «ὁ reads for this verse: ‘ The soul of the wise is grieved at the fool, for he knoweth not what to say to him’

a Lit. ‘is (to be) compared to’ by ea S ‘a stone cast out’ ($ Zi. ‘thrown out into the street’) ὁ-ὁ & ‘and every one hisseth at the shame thereof’: @& + ‘every one keeps clear of him’ d-d $ * when a man goeth out into the street and disgraceth himself’ eS ‘seeth it’: 30 ‘toucheth it’ eeeeS> thS > frie ‘shall inherit’: % ‘is an inheritance’: (τ mdsread NW (‘she shall inherit’) zws/ead of NWN (‘ treasure,’ iz. ‘inheritance’) Qt avdpa aurns 88 Let. ‘and’ bS ‘foolish’ i ‘her mother’: & znserts ‘she will not be menaced by the ungodly ’ (z.e. ‘they will be in sympathy with her ’) K So 3 only 1 Zit. ‘discourse’ m B ‘and’ 0 Sox* SL: (ἃ ‘of wisdom’: 70 248 + ‘Children who live comfortably in good circumstances

24. the wise man. φρόνιμος means here ‘discreet ’.

25. are weighed in the balance. Cp. xvi. 25, xxviii. 25.

26. Fools talk without thinking, the wise think before they speak.

27. his adversary. && evidently read j0WM, the original meaning of which was simply ‘adversary’ (cp. Num. ΧΧΙΪ. 22, 32; 1 Kings v.18, xi. 22) ; the meaning is either, that in cursing Satan the curse recoils on the man’s own head, or else that a man’s real spiritual adversary is his own evil nature; cp. the next verse.

1. a filthy stone. Cp. the Midrash Wayyigra Radda, § xvii, chap. xiv. 34, where the passage Job xxxi. 34 is commented upon. Cp. Job ii. 8.

2. Aslothful man... Ben-Sira’s disgust for slothful people is coarsely expressed. ΕΠ: δ. 3. in the begetting of. Cf. Prov. xvii. 21. a daughter . .. According to Jewish ideas it was a misfortune to beget daughters ; cp. JZenachoth 43 ὁ (T. B.),

where it is taught that a man ought to bless God every day for not having made him a woman ora slave. In the daily service for Morning Prayer in the Jewish Liturgy occurs the following Benediction: ‘ Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast not made me a woman.’

4. atreasure to... See critical note. Cp. xxvi. 1-4.

she that bringeth shame. i.e. to her husband; this is also a grief (εἰς λύπην) to her father, because her shame is

a reflection on him, implying, as it does, that he did not bring her up properly.

5. She that is bold. ἡ θρασεῖα ; cp. Sept. of Prov. ix. 13, γυνὴ ἄφρων καὶ θρασεῖα.

6. talk. διήγησις (Syr. NY’) means the discourse of the sages; this is ‘unseasonable’ at times when ‘stripes and

7 He who teacheth a fool is (as) one that glueth together a potsherd®, (Or) as? one that awakeneth a sleeper out of a deep sleep. 8 ‘He that discourseth to a fool is as one discoursing to him that slumbereth 4, And at the end he saith, ‘ What is it ?’ τι Mourn for the dead, "for his® light hath failed” ; And mournt for a fool, for understanding hath failed (him). "Weep gently’ for the dead", for he hath found rest ; ’ But* the life of a fool is ’worse thanY death”. .12 The mourning for the dead (lasts) seven days, | But *the mourning for a fool? all the days of his life. | 13 Talk not much with a foolish man, And consort not with a pig?: Beware of him, lest thou have trouble, And thou becomest defiled »when he shaketh himself” ; Turn from him, and thou wilt find rest, And (so) shalt thou not be wearied with his folly®. 14 What is heavier than lead@? And what is its name but ‘ Fool’? ) 15 Sand and salt and a weight of iron (Are) easier® to bear than fa senseless man’. "τό As* timber girt and fixed into the wall *Ts not loosened by an earthquake*,

conceal the humble origin of their own parents; (but) children who grow up in arrogance and wantonness besmirch the noble descent of their kin (= wv. 9, 10) ©V Syro-Hex p/ur.: & +(‘and as one) who telleth a tale (11. word) to him that heareth not’ pSo Sit a-a % ‘he that teacheth a fool is like one that eateth bread when he is not hungry’ aa + ‘wisdom’ tr % Ui. ‘for he is kept from the light’ 8 Expressed in & ἰῷ» u-u $ ‘it is not (fitting) to weep for the dead’: Sah ‘it is good to weep for the dead’ Υ 711 ‘more sweetly’: 3. modicum w-w $ ‘For an evil life is worse than death’ x So B only y-¥ 248 > zz So S: GH ‘for a fool and an ungodly man’ a So 3, which adds ‘in the way’: 70 248 + ‘for being without sense he will altogether despise thee’ b-b, So S$: (ἃ ‘in his onslaught’, 7 shaking’ : % ‘in his sin’ ¢ S$ ‘much talk’ d-d % ‘for he is much heavier than lead’ e So 2483: G& ‘easy’: S ‘pleasanter’ 1-fS ‘to dwell with a fool’ £S0 708 h Zit, building’: S + ‘of the corners of a house ἡ kKkS>

correction’ are really what is required. Ben-Sira is laying stress on the need of firmness towards children ; the lack of this in their earlier years results in the shame and grief which, later on, are brought upon a father (vv. 4, 5); cp. the gloss on v. 6 (see critical note). stripes and correction. Cp. Prov. xxii. 15, xxix. 15. 7. He who teacheth... Cp. Prov. i. 7, xxvii. 22. A potsherd glued together is useless for all practical purposes, one that is awaked out of a deep sleep is unfit for doing anything ; nothing can be done with either—nor yet with a fool. 8. He that discourseth ... A fool cannot understand sensible talk, although he hears, any more than one who is asleep and cannot hear. For vv. 9, 10, see critical note. his light hath failed. Cp. Prov. xx. 20 ὦ, 27. On Jewish tombstones the following ancient formula is often inscribed: ‘ May his light continue to shine.’ 12. ... (lasts)seven days. This is still observed by modern orthodox Jews ; the period is technically called ‘ Shiba’’ (pronounced ‘ Shiva‘’), ‘seven’; cp. Gen. 1. 10; Judith xvi. 24; and see below xxxviil. 17. 13. Talk not much, μὴ πληθύνῃς λόγον = AMW ΠῚ ἽἼΠ bx, a phrase which occurs in Pirge Adoth i. 5. consort not. Lit. ‘ go not to’. with a pig. This rendering of S$ is evidently correct, as is shown by the context (see clause ¢); & is a toning down. The swine is referred to as the emblem of filthiness in the T. B. Berakhoth 43 6(/E, xi. 6094). The fool, like the man of sloth, is regarded as unclean ; for the uncleanness of swine cp. Lev. xi. 7. And thou becomest defiled... The outpouring of a fool’s nonsense is compared to the filth carried about by a pig which it shakes from itself after having wallowed in the mire. wearied. The verb ἀκηδιάζω occurs very rarely in the Sept.: Ps. Ix. 3, ci. 1, cxlii. 4; Dan. vii. 15. folly. ἀπόνοια means also ‘ madness’, which is perhaps preferable here, as a strong word is required. 14. What is heavier... Cp. xxi. 16. what is its name. i.e. the name of that which is heavier than lead. 15. Sand. Cp. Prov. xxvii. 3. See further Introd. § 7 (4). 16. The contrast offered by the wise man.

So a heart established on well-advised counsel 1 Will not be afraid! in time™ [of danger]. 17 ™ A heart fixed on thoughtful understanding Is as an ornament graven" upon? a polished wall™™. 18 PSmall stones? lying upon a high place Will not remain against the wind, 4So will the fearsome heart (bent) on foolish imagination Be unable to withstand any terror).

(Δ) XXII. 19-26. How Friendship is dissolved ; the duty of a friend (=2+3+2[+1]+2 distichs).

19 A wound ‘in the eye maketh tears to flow, And a (heart)-wound' ‘severeth friendship *. 20 He that throweth a stone at birds scareth them away, And he that reproacheth" a friend dissolveth friendship. 21 Even if thou draw the sword against a friend, Despair not, for there is Ya way out”; 22 And” if thou open thy* mouth against a friend, Fear not, for there is a (way of) reconciliation ; y But reproach and arrogance, and betrayal of a secret, and a deceitful blow,— In (face of) these every friend will depart’. 23 Support? thy neighbour in his poverty, That in his prosperity* thou mayst rejoice” ; Remain true® to him in the time of his? affliction, That thou mayst be heir with him in his inheritance®. 24 [° Before the fire is the smoke of the furnace’, So revilings before bloodshed]. 25 Be not ashamed of a friend who becometh poor®, h And ‘hide not thyself: from his face? ; 26 * For **if evil happen unto him! through thee!§, Whosoever heareth it will beware of thee™.

n Reading yupparos (Smend) for ψαμμωτος ° So 248 3 P-» Reading with AC 70 248 mg. 254 χαλικες (2): BN χαρακες, ‘pales’ a-a4$ *So is the heart of a fool broken in his innermost being, and he cannot stand up against grief’ τ Reading vooos ( %) for νυσσων (= it) s-s So $ (Jit. ‘changeth friendship’): & ‘showeth feeling’ th enserts the title: ‘Concerning friendship’ u % ‘robbeth’: and adds ‘change not towards thy friend, but if thou change think not that thou wilt retain his love’ Vev 72.

‘a returning’ (= MIN), ze. ‘a way of repentance’ W So V 253 Syro-Hex.£: &> x So 3 y-y 3 ‘He who reveals a secret is worthy of contempt (ΛΔ is a son of contempt), and a deceitful blow puts friendship far away z SoS: GU ‘ acquire trust in’ a Lit. ‘good things ’ b So NA 25 248 253 254 Syro-Hex & (ευφρανθης) : BC V 70 opov πλησθης : % ‘thou mayst share’ ¢ Zit. ‘steadfast’ d So & only © 248 + ‘For not always is the (outward) appearance to be despised, nor is the rich man void of understanding to De respected ‘ ee-ee This verse seems to have got out of place, as it breaks the sequence of thought ἐκ a and smoke (kamvos), which ὦ rightly omits -g Gr & ‘I will not be ashamed to shelter a friend’

L> ΤΊ & @ “1 will not hide myself’ k-k “If thy companion reveal to thee a secret, repeat it not’

17. an ornament graven. See critical note.

18. Small stones... The reference, as Ryssel points out, is to the small stones which were placed on the top of the walls surrounding gardens and vineyards ; these were put there in order that, when jackals or foxes leaped on to the wall to enter the vineyard, the noise occasioned by the rattling of the displaced stones might warn the watcher. As these small stones were always lying in an exposed position they were easily blown down by a high wind.

19. A wound. See critical note.

maketh tears to flow. Cp. Prov. xxx. 32, 33.

eis chee eee. oe ge. ἘΣΎ a The meaning of the verse is that every straightforward quarrel, ο ᾿ apa of adjustment, but when such things as those mentioned i i s friendship, then the breach is irremediable. Ἢ ον a 22. if thou open The reference is to outspok i i i en... en, straightforward i Pena iin p 5 g differences between friends. betrayal of a secret. Lit. ‘revealing ...’; cp. Prov. xi. 13, xx. 19, xxv. 9. 23. thou mayst rejoice. See critical note. 24. So revilings... Cp. xxvii. 15.

26. The rendering i is Vv i i i i g of & in this verse is clearly not in order, but its general sense agrees better with the context than

}6 May “the lust of the fleshY *and chambering* ¥ not overtake me”

(2) XXII. 27—XXIII. 6. The Need of Self-control (= 2%+4+1+42 distichs).

7™°QO that one would set a watch over my mouth®,

And a seal of shrewdness upon my lips, That I fall not? by means οἵ them’, And that my tongue destroy me ποῖ"!

#\2 2O that one would set scourges over my mind),

}3 That mine ignorances be not‘ multiplied,

And that my sins abound nots", And ‘cause me to fall‘ in the sight of* mine! adversaries, So that mine enemy rejoice over me™.

| ἡ Ο Lord, Father, and God” of my°® life,

Abandon me not Pto their counsel?4. Give me ποῖ" δὰ proud look’, t And turn away concupiscence" from me’.

2 And give me* not over to a shameless soul’.

(ut. ‘give it not out’) kk @& ‘and’ 1G iL ‘me’ 1 G& ‘him’ mM (τ ‘him’: S + and will account thee a mischief-maker ’ (7. ‘one that doeth harm’) n 254 inserts here: ‘O that one would set scourges over my thought’ ( xxiii. 2 @) 0-0 G τις δωσει ( JN 1D) μοι (> NASH) ἐπὶ στόμα pou φυλακην PP 248 + ‘suddenly’

49 & ‘ from ’ τι ΟΝ (= SW): & ‘it’: Sah ‘through my mouth’ 8 The negative vs preserved in 248 253

( $ Syro-Hex) ἃ For the reasons of the above order in the clauses of vv. 1-5 see note below b Lit. ‘thought’ c-e So S: & ‘a discipline of wisdom ’ d-d So & (ignorationibus eorum): Ge ἐπὶ ros ayvonpace μου δ e-e αὶ σὰ fas the clause under the asterisk: 248 ‘Overlook not the insults (υβρεις) of sinners, according to (Wt. ‘in’) (Thy) promise’: $3 >, dut has instead: ‘that they in their assembly inherit not, nor take delight (jyann3) in destroying (band) ’ ; Sah > fhe clause allogether: & et non appareant delicta eorum ti > the negative 8-8 $ lit. ‘be not strong’ (})3wy2) h 70 248 + ‘to (my) destruction’ i1$ ‘reveal me’

i (onbaa), a scribal error which should, according to Smend, be corrected to ‘1021 (= sndvp»), “cause me to fall’:

GH “1 fall’ k Lit. ‘before’ 1SoH%: ἃ ὦ» m 40 248 + ‘from whom the hope of Thy mercy is far-distant ’ n ‘Master’ © 70 248 ‘all my’ ret > α (ἃ + ‘and suffer me not to fall by them’ (S ‘on their account): 70 + ‘as a (standing) example’ (ev παραδειγματισμῳ): 30 + in illa exprobatione T & μη dos po 5.871... ‘a lifting up of eyes’: #‘... of mine eyes’: % ‘an exalted eye’; 248 +‘and an overbearing

| (dt. gigantic) soul’ t248 cuserts here: ‘ Keep ever from Thy servant vain hopes’ uS ‘a lustful (Stn) | heart’: 2 ‘every desire’ ν 248 + ‘and him that desireth to serve Thee do Thou ever hold up’: S + ‘and

suffer naught that is good to escape me’ w-w So S$: GU ‘the appetite (desire) of the (39 ‘my’) belly’ xs > ΣΤΥ S ‘not make me lustful’ z-z % * And let not a shameless soul have dominion over me’

is the case with $; if the pronouns in (τ are corrected on the basis of S good sense can be made out of the verse. The first word of the verse should be ‘ For’ instead of ‘And’; this is demanded by the context. that my tongue... Cp. Prov. xvili. 21, xxi. 23. XXIII. 1-5. A reference to the text of will show that it is out of order as it stands: v. 1 breaks the sequence between xxii. 27 and xxiii. 2; the first clause of τ. 1 = v. 4a; v.14 is omitted by S, and inserted in v. 4; something

has evidently fallen out in vv. 4-5. That there is something radically wrong with the text of these verses as they

stand is evident from the variations in the Gr. MS. and the Versions (see critical notes). Smend (following 5

) partly) keeps 1 a and 1c and 4a of G, adding 1 ὁ to 4a.

2. O that one would set. Lit. ‘who will set ...’, cp. xxil. 27. a rod of correction. Cp. Prov. xxil. 15 ὁ. their errors... their sins: i.e. those of his heart and mind. 3. So that mine enemy... Cp. Ps. xiii. 4. 1. ... their counsel. 1. 6. the counsel of his own heart and mind. ἘΣ : : _ 44. a proud look. Perhaps this should be interpreted in the sense in which the expression is used in Gen. xxxix. 7, in view of what follows (Ryssel). ji 6. the lust of the flesh. See critical note.

(2) XXII. 7-15. The need of keeping the tongue under control (=2+3+3+2+3 +2 distichs).

G ; Hear, O children, (concerning) the discipline of the mouth® : He that keepeth (discipline)4 *shall not be taken [captive]° g But! the sinner is ensnared® through? his lips, $ i And the fool stumbleth through his mouth’. 9 Accustom not* thy mouth to an oath, \Nor make a habit of the naming of the Holy One™. G το ον asa servant who is constantly being questioned” °Tacketh not® the marks of a blow, So also he that ?sweareth and is continually naming ‘the name of the Lord?” Is not free*® from sins. τι A man of many oaths ‘is filled with iniquity*, And the scourget departeth not from his house ; If he offend" his sin will be upon him*, w And if he disregard* it he sinneth doubly~ ; y And if he sweareth “without need’, he shall not be justified Ὁ, 4For his house shall be filled with calamities?*. 12 ©There is a manner of speech “that is to be compared4 with death¢ : Let it not be found in the heritage of Jacob. °He that keepeth‘ his soul from this shall live®, s And not wallow in sins®. & 14Rememberi thy father and thy mother k When! thou sittest in council in the midst of the mighty*, Lest, perchance, ™thou stumble™ before them, [In that] "thou showest thyself [to be] a fool” in thy manner [of speech], ° And dost wish thou hadst not been born®, And cursest the day of thy birth. 13 Accustom not thy mouth to impure manner [of speech], For Pthat is a sinful thing?.

bB zo 248 254 insert the title: ‘ Discipline of the mouth’ ὁ. 248 + ‘that is truthful’ d Not expressed

e-e % ‘shall not suffer shame’ SoS: & > (Ne ‘ either’) £ Lit. overtaken’, reading καταληφθησεται i-i @ ‘the reviler and the arrogant shall stumble through them’: 3» superbus et maledicus scandalizabitur in illis” fy

k-k $ ‘and thou wilt not (have to) sit before the judges’ 1% ‘instruct not’: & + ‘for there is great calamity therein’ mye2 A ‘the Most High’: % ‘God’ n-n % ‘for (as) every man that sweareth continually’ o-o $ ‘is not free from ’ ΡῸΡ $ ‘lieth and sweareth’ a-a So only A διοιδ 55 157 254 r SoS: GL ‘isnot | cleansed 5:8 $ ‘acquireth sins’ tS ‘strife’ ἃ % ‘swear by mistake’ (ἡ. 6. ‘ falsely’): % frustraverit | Y 55 254 + ‘he will hide it under his tongue’ w-w $ ‘and if in truth he will not swear (at all)’ x Lit} ‘overlook’: & dissimulaverit y-y S ‘ For whosoever sweareth continually, it is detestable, and he shall not be | justified ” zz 1. “in vain’ Ea) Ss b 248 3» ‘retribution ’ e-c S * And if there is another thing that is like it’ ἀ-ἃ Reading with 70 253 (= Syro-Hex) αντιπαραβεβλημενη : Ge αντιπεριβεβλ.: % contraria | e-e & 3. ‘ For from the godly (# ‘the merciful’) all these things shall be put away’ f Z7#, ‘shutteth up’ s-f G& Ὁ ‘And they will not wallow (//. roll) in sins’ h Vo. 13 and 15 belong together. iS + ‘that thou hast’ k-k $ ‘and from terror thou hast been preserved’ 1805: GH ‘for’ m-m So S: (ἃ ‘ that thou be not forgetful’: # ‘lest He (z.e. God) forget thee’ nn $ ‘thou be despised ’ o-o S ‘and sayest, O that I had not been created’ p-p 7,27. ‘ therein is the word of sin’

(7) XXIII. 7-15. With the whole of this subsection cp. Jas. iii. 1-12. 7. shall not be taken [captive]. i.e. by his mouth; he will not fall under the dominion of his tongue. 10. a servant. οἰκέτης, ‘a household servant’; the context suggests that δοῦλος (=73}),*a slave’, would have been a more appropriate word here. : ᾿ being questioned. ἐξετάζω means ‘to examine closely’, but the word is frequently used in the special sense of examining by torture (cp. Acts xxii. 24); ἐξεταζόμενος is, therefore, used quite appropriately here; so that Smend’s suggestion that ἐξουσιαζόμενος (it. ‘one having authority over’, i.e. here in the sense of ‘one rebelling’) should be read instead does not commend itself. the marks of a blow. Cp. xxviii. 17; μώλωψ' means the result of a blow, i.e. a bruise, as well as the blow itself. the name of the Lord. Cp. Lev. xxiv. 16 (Sept.). 11, A man of many oaths. Cp. xxvii. 14. The last two clauses seem to be merely a variation of the first two. 12: There is a manner of speech... Cp. Lev. xix. 12, xxii. 2, 3, 32, and especially xxiv. 16. the heritage of Jacob. In the O.T. this expression is used in reference to the Promised Land, cp. Isa. Iviii. 14; here it refers rather to the Jews in contradistinction to the Gentiles. 14. As the text shows, this verse must come before v. 13, which has got out of place. Remember thy father... i.e. so as not to bring disgrace on their name. ... thou hadst not been born... Cp. Job iii. 3; Jer. xx. 14.

a π- τες -

Ur ᾿

[δ A man that doth accustom himself to “disgraceful talk4

rWill not learn" wisdom Sall his days*.

(k) XXIII. 16-27. Tke Waickedness of Impurity (= 4+3+4+14+3+3+42 distichs).

-6 Two types (of men) ‘multiply sins‘,

And the third increaseth® wrath’ ; wv A hot desire*, burning like fire,

Which is not quenched till Yit be consumed’ ; A fornicator with the body of his flesh,

(For) he ceaseth not till the fire consumeth him ;

7 [And] the man to whom all bread? is sweet,

(For) he will not leave off till he die.

8 A man* that ’goeth astray” ‘from his own θεά",

And saith in his heart: ‘ Who seeth me? 4The walls of my house hide me,

And the shadow of my roof covereth me, And no one seeth me—

What hindereth me from sinning ?’ ¢ ®He remembereth not the Most High®;

The eyes of men are his (only) fear‘, —And he perceiveth not that the eyes of the Lord

Are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, Beholding all the ways of men,

And looking into secret places? ;

.o For® all things are known unto Him before they are created,

‘So also [doth He see them] after they are perfected',—

{'2®Such a man shall be punished! in the streets of the city,

And shall be taken where he suspecteth it not*™.

a-a Lit. ‘words of reproach’: 3 ‘worthless words’ rr SoS: & Ut. ‘will not be instructed’ s-8 Q& ‘in all...’: 3 ‘all the days of his life’: S + ‘and the man that is impure in the shame of his flesh accepteth no instruction ἡ t-t S ‘doth my soul hate’ u Zit. ‘will bring’: % ‘causeth to arise’ vi + ‘and perdition’ aw > x Lit. “ soul’ y-y Ne “it consume something’ (= i) z % ‘flesh’ aA + ‘(that is) a fornicator’ b-b S$ ‘committeth adultery ἡ τὸ S$ ‘on the covering of his bed’ d-d So ᾧ (pr. ‘behold’): (ἃ iverts and abbreviates 18 c d, and misunderstands 18 f ee 3S >: & (misunderstanding) ov μὴ μνησθησεται 0 ὑψιστος tf) > s- % ‘and perceiveth the nature (11. the form) of their works (done) in darkness’ h Expressed in SU ii 3 ‘and judgeth them at the end of the world’ K-k 3 fransposes the clauses 1S ‘detected’ m+ <and shall be a disgrace in the sight of (Zs to) all, because he knew not the fear of God’

15. disgraceful talk. Cp. Joshua v. 9 (Sept.). ~~ 29; cp. also the whole of chap. v of Pirge Adoth. increaseth wrath. Lit. ‘bringeth’, i.e. the wrath of God; for the Gr. word (ἐπάγω) cp. il. 4, xlvil. 20. he ceaseth not. & ‘ He will in no wise cease till he have made a fire to blaze’. 17. ... to whom all bread is sweet. Cp. Prov. ix. 13-18, especially v. 17. 20. For all things are known... Cp. Pirge Aboth iii. 24: ‘Everything is foreseen; and free-will is given’; and see Taylor’s comments on this in his edition. 21. shall be punished... Cp. Lev. xx. 10; Deut. xxii. 22; the full rigour of the Law was evidently mitigated in later times, since there is no mention of punishment by death here. ‘Under the Talmudic law the severity of the Mosaic code was in many instances modified, and the laws relating to adultery came under the influence of a milder theory of the relation of crime and punishment.... Upon this mild view followed the entire abolition of the death penalty, in the year Α. Ὁ. 40, before the destruction of the Second Temple (Savhedrin 41 a), when the Jewish courts, probably under pressure of the Roman authorities, relinquished their right to inflict capital punishment. Thereafter the adulterer was scourged; and the husband of the adulteress was not allowed to condone her crime (.So¢a/ vi. 1), but was compelled to divorce her, and she lost all her property rights under her marriage contract ...’ (//, 1. 217 @). shall be taken ... i.e. to the public place of scourging. The transposition of these two clauses in 5 is correct.

22 So also a wife that leaveth™ her husband, And bringeth in an heir by a stranger. ᾿ 23 For, firstly, she is disobedient® to the Law of the Most High; And secondly, she trespasseth? against her own husband® ; And thirdly, she committeth adultery through (her) fornication, And bringeth children in by a stranger. 24 She shall be led into the assembly, = ae And upon her children ‘there will be visitation’. 25 Her children shall not spread out their roots, And her branches shall bear no fruit. 26 She will leave her memory for a curse, And her reproach will not be blotted out. 27 *And they that are left behind shall know That there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord ᾿ς And nothing sweeter than to observe The commandments of the Lord*®.

QA x Wisdom praiseth herself”,

And is honoured among “her people

2 She openeth her mouth in the assembly ‘of the Most High, And is honoured in the presence of His hosts®.

3 ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, And as a mist I covered the earth.

n % ‘sinneth against ” ο will be remembered’ as

‘ And all the dwellers on earth will know,

S ‘she lieth against’ pps > aS + ‘of her youth’ rz $ ‘her.sins 3, which on account of tts better rhythmical measure ts perhaps to be preferred, reads :

PRM OLSEN ISR ΤΡ ae Oe a TY aT Tot

And all the rest in the world will perceive,

That nothing is better than the fear of God, Or sweeter than to keep His commandments.’ great glory, and length of days it is for thee to be accepted of Him’ (= Ὁ. 28)

23. the Law of the Most High. See Exod. xx.14; Deut.v. 18. bringeth children in by... For the result of this entailed upon such offspring see Deut. xxiii. 2. 24. She shall be led... 1. 6. for punishment. upon her children... Their illegitimacy descended upon their children (Qzddushin 78 ὁ). ! 25....Shall not spread out... They were not regarded as belonging to the congregation of Israel (cp. Qiddushin 78 6); for the belief that the children of adulterers do not come to maturity see Wisd. iii. 16-19, iv. 3-5. 26. ... will not be blotted out. Cp. Ps. cix. 14. 27....Shallknow... Cp. xlvi. 10. For the addition to this verse see critical note. XXIV. I—XXVII. 3. (In praise of Wisdom, with practical applications.) The division falls into twelve subsections. XXIV. 1-34. A fine hymn in praise of Wisdom follows. The author, in declaring that Wisdom is honoured in heaven, as well as on earth, thereby shows that she is entitled to speak in her own name. The hymn falls into six

strophes, each containing six distichs.

1. Wisdom praiseth herself. Lit. ‘...praiseth her soul’; she is entitled to do so on account of her inherent excellence ; every utterance of hers is 2250 facto the praise of herself because it witnesses to her transcendent perfection. _ among her people. The rendering of S, ‘the people of God,’ suggests that Israel is meant (cp. v. 8); Smend thinks that the heavenly companions of Wisdom are meant, and the rendering of & (in deo honorabitur) points to the scene being in heaven ; but as the heavenly hosts are referred to in the next verse, it is probable that the Israelites are meant here, the intention of the writer being to indicate that Wisdom is honoured both on earth and in heaven.

2. in the assembly of the Most High. Cp. Ps. Ixxxii. 1 Dyna (S reads ‘of God’); here it is clear that the

heavenly hosts are referred to.

... Hishosts... δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ ; cp. Isa. xxxiv. 4, where ΘΠ NI¥ is rendered ai δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν in the Sept. ; cp. Ps. xxxiii (Sept. xxxii) 6; Dan. viii. το. 3. Icame forth... Wisdom now speaks in her own name; for the personification of Wisdom cp. Prov. viii. 4 ff, and with the whole of this section cp. Prov. viii. 22-ix. 12, with which it has many points of similarity. as a mist I covered the earth. Cp. Gen. i. 2, ‘The Spirit of God brooded upon the face of the waters,’ and Gen. ii, 6, ‘ There went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.’ In connexion with these

Ὁ + et in deo honorabitur c-e $ ‘the people of God’

@ 4 In the high places did I fix my abode,

And my throne was °*in the pillar of cloud’. fAlone I compassed the Circuit of heaven‘, And £in the depth of the abyss® I walked.

| 6 Over the waves of the sea, and over all the earth?,

And over every people and nation I held sway’.

7 With all these I sought a resting-place,

And (said): In whose inheritance shall I lodge?

8 Then the Creator of all things gave me commandment,

And He that created me fixed my dwelling-place (for me) ; And He said: Let thy dwelling-place be in Jacob, And in Israel* !'take up thine inheritance!.

' 9 He created me from the beginning, before the world ;

™The memorial of me shall never cease™. ἐπ

Gro In the holy tabernacle I ministered before Him,

Moreover™™ in Zion was I established.

ee-ee S ‘upon the pillars of the clouds’ ff $ «Together with Him did I dwell in heaven’ 8-8 % iv. ‘in the roots of Tehom’ ΒΥ, + steti 1.So NC-® ἡγησαμην (= SL): G& ἐκτησαμην (‘I got possession ’) Kk 248 ‘Jerusalem ’ 1-1 $ ‘establish thyself’ m-m ¢& ‘And unto eternity I shall not fail’ ™™ SoS: (ἃ καὶ ovrws

the following should be considered: v. 5 ὁ, ‘in the depth of the abyss I walked,’ and Prov. vili. 27, ‘When He prepared the heavens I was there, when He set a circle upon the face of the deep...’ Wisdom is here evidently thought of as the Spirit of God ; in later Jewish literature Wisdom is identified with the ‘ Ruah ha-qodesh’ (‘the Holy Spirit’). Here we have, therefore, the germ of the later teaching ; but a great advance was made as early as the last quarter of the second century B.C., for in the Book of Wisdom the identification of Wisdom with the Holy Spirit is implicitly taught ; see Wisd. i. 4~7, and especially xi.17: ‘And Thy counsel who hath known, except Thou give wisdom, and send Thy Holy Spirit from above?’ In the Midrash Beveshith Rabbah \xxxv it is said that Solomon’s wisdom was the Holy Spirit guiding him.

4. In the high places. Here again may be discerned the germ of the teaching of later Judaism, according to which there were a variety of ‘ Mehizoth’, or dwelling-places on high; according to Hagigah 12 ὁ there were seven heavens above (cp. 2 Cor, xii. 2), in the uppermost of which, called ‘Araboth’, God Himself dwells ; in front of it a ‘ Pargéd’ (‘curtain’) of clouds is placed ; this is the ‘ Holy of Holies’ of heaven (see further Weber, γα. Theologie®, pp. 162 ff.).

the pillar of cloud. See Exod. xiv. 19, &c. (the ‘Shekinah’ of later Jewish teaching). According to Philo (Quis Rer. Div. Heres. ὃ 42=§ 231 ff. in Cohn and Wendland’s ed.) the ‘pillar of cloud’ was Wisdom; cp. v- 10, “In the holy tabernacle I ministered before Him,’ and Exod. xxx. 9, 10, ‘...the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the Tent.’ In Sofah*33 α it is said that the Holy Spirit and the ‘Shekinah’ dwelt in the Holy of Holies. In Wisd. x. 17 it is said of Wisdom that she ‘became unto them a covering in the day-time, and a flame of stars through the night’ (cp. Ps. Ixxviii. 14) ; cp. the words of Philo in reference to the pillar of cloud (De Vita Mos. lib. 1, § 29): τάχα μέντοι καὶ τῶν ὑπάρχων τις ἦν τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως, ἀφανὴς ἄγγελος, ἐγκατειλημμένος TH νεφέλῃ προηγήτωρ, ὃν ov θέμις σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρᾶσθαι.

5. the circuit of heaven. γῦρον οὐρανοῦ ; the same expression occurs in the Sept. of Job xxii. 14 (= 2) 2)Π) ; cp.

in the depth of the abyss. Cp. i. 3, and Job xxxvi. 30 ὉΠ WA (= S ΝΠ NPY, see critical note), Amos ix. 3 D7 yprpa (‘in the bottom of the sea’). Cp. the Babylonian belief of Ea, ‘the lord of wisdom,’ whose wisdom came forth from Apsu, ‘ the deep,’ which is called also ‘ the house of Wisdom’.

6. [held sway. See critical note. ;

7. With all these... i.e. with every people and nation. ‘On the thought here expressed the Rabbis based, later on, the legend (referring to Deut. xxxiii. 2 and Job iii.3)?that the Law was offered to all nations, but was refused by them, before it was accepted by the Israelites at Mount Sinai (Adodah Zarah 2 ὁ towards the end)’ (Ryssel 271 loc.). So the Midrash Peszgta 186 a says that originally the Law was offered to all, but that Israel alone of the nations accepted it,

resting-place. ἀνάπαυσιν ; so too in the Sept. of Is. xi. 10, ‘.. .and His resting-place (= N13?) shall be glorious.’ .. ShallI lodge? αὐλίζομαι is the Sept. for }2Y in Job xi. 14, xv. 28, xxxviii, 19 (cp. 3 Esdras ix. 2); as Smend points out, the expressions 77129 and {3¥ are used in this sense of God also. ᾿ . :

8. the Creator of all things. Cp. li. (12%) ‘He that formed all things’, as in Jer.x. 16, li. 19 ; cp. 1 Enoch Ixxxiv. 3,

fixed my dwelling-place (for me). κατέπαυσεν τὴν σκηνήν μου, lit. ‘made my tent to rest’; W isdom, after having vainly sought a resting-place among a people who would welcome her, has finally to leave the decision with God.

Let thy dwelling-place be in Jacob... κατασκήνωσον, cp. John i. 14. Contrast with what is said in this verse 1 Enoch xhii. 1, 2: ‘Wisdom found no place where she might dwell; then a dwelling-place was assigned her in the heavens. Wisdom came to make her dwelling among the children of men, and found no dwelling-place ; then Wisdom returned to her place, and took her seat among the angels’; cp. Ixxxiv. 3, xciv.5. Wisdom is here identified with the Law, the perfect expression of divine Wisdom.

9. He created me... With this thought cp. John xvii. 5. . ye Ξ

The memorial of me... This rendering of 95 is preferable to that of (τ, since it is the Law (see the verses which follow) with which Wisdom is identified ; this is thought of here ; cp. Exod. xiii. 9, 16; Deut. vi. 8, 9, xi. 15.

10. In the holy tabernacle... The worship of the Tabernacle was the carrying out of the Law, so that, as personified, Wisdom could be said to minister before God. in Zion... i.e. when the Temple took the place of the Tabernacle.

τι In the Holy” City likewise° ? He caused me to rest”, And in Jerusalem was my authority. 12 And I took root’ among an honoured' people, In the portion of the Lord (and) of His inheritance’. 13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, And like an olive-tree* on the mountains of Zion”. 14 I was exalted like a palm-tree on the sea-shore’, And as rose-plants in Jericho ; And as a fair™ olive-tree in the plain* ; Yea, I was exalted as a plane-tree Yby the waters’. 15 As cinnamon and aspalathus “have I given a scent of” perfumes, And as choice myrrh I spread abroad a pleasant odour ; As* galbanum, and onyx, and stacte ; (I was) as the smoke of incense in the Tabernacle”. 16 I as a terebinth”” “stretched forth my branches‘*, And my branches were branches of glory‘ and grace.

magnified ’ τ x¢-2 ‘approved ἢ *«$ +‘Israel’: &% +‘and among the multitude of the saints was my abode’ — t So 3 (cp. ® in 1. το). u So & (cp. Deut. iv. 48, Sept.), see exegetical note VNC-2 253 % Syro-Hex ‘in Engadi’: 248 εν γαδδι: © ‘in Cades’ WS> Χο 248 ‘the beautiful plain’ y-y So 70 157 perfumes as (that of) good oil’ bb % ‘oleander’ e-c $ ‘fixed my roots’ «0 ‘perfume’

11. the Holy City... ἡγιασμένῃ (cp. xxxvi. 18) instead of ἠγαπημένη is perhaps to be preferred, as the phrase ‘the Holy City’ (YIP VY) is supported by O. T. usage (Isa. xlviii. 2, lii.1 ; Neh. xi. 1,18; Dan. ix. 24), whereas ‘the Beloved — City’ is not found (but cp. Ps. cxxxvii. 2).

He caused me to rest. Cp. Ps. cxxxii. 8, 14. in Jerusalem was... It is possible that the thought of Wisdom having had her abode above (see v. 4) and coming to dwell in Jerusalem contributed to the later idea of Jerusalem having its counterpart above; cp. Zest. 7welve Patr, N.T. Gal. iv. 26; Heb. xii. 22; Rev. iii. 12, xxi. 10; the same idea occurs often in Rabbinical literature; the earthly Jerusalem (ADD by ow») is paralleled by the Jerusalem that is above (aby ὃν ody) ; cp. e.g. Pesahim 50a and the Midrash Peszg¢a 143 a. 12....0f His inheritance. Cp. xvii. 17, and Sept. of Deut. xxxii. 9; Zech. ii. 16. an olive-tree. κυπάρισσος is the rendering of {DW yy (‘Oleaster’) in 1. τὸ (= S ΝΠ nado), ‘ Zion. ‘Apparently “Acpyoy is a correction in the Greek (‘‘innergriechische Korrektur”), which put the more usual © name for the rarer one’ (Smend) ; cp. Hebr. of Deut. iv. 48. S ‘Senir,’ cp. Deut. iii. 9. ‘

14. on the sea-shore. See critical note. It is possible that the right reading is ‘in Engadi’, for, as Ryssel points out, palm-trees do not grow to any great height on the seashore, whereas Engadi was famed for them (see Buhl, Geographie des alten Paldstina, pp. 58, 165).

rose-plants in Jericho. Cp. xxxix. 13, 1. 8; i.e. ‘the Rhododaphne’ (=‘ Oleander’), which grows on the banks of the Jordan (cp. the rendering of S ‘field of roses’): see Buhl, of. ciz., p. 59.

a fair olive-tree. Still to be seen growing in great luxuriance in the plains round the site of Jericho.

a plane-tree. Hebr. /7Y as in Gen. xxx. 37; Ezek. xxxi. 8, the only occurrences in the O.T.; see further J. Low, Aramaische Pflanzennamen, p. 107. ;

aspalathus = (Gendsta acanthoclada (cp. Low, of. cit., p. 340); according to Pliny (7st. Waz. xii. 24) the root

was used for making ointment.

stacte. ἢ) Exod. xxx. 34, an odoriferous gum; the Hebr. name was given, apparently, because this gum was gathered by drops. See further Nowack, Hedy. Archdol. ii. 64, 248. as the smoke of incens2... i.e. something holy, pleasant, and acceptable; its special sanctity is seen by the punishment meted out to those who offer it without being entitled to do so, cp. Num. xvi. 6 ff., 17 ff.; 2 Chron. XXV1. {ΟΡ ἈΠΕ ΜΕ use it for profane purposes, cp. Lev. x. 1 ff.; for its pleasantness, &c., cp. Ps. xlv. 8; Prov. vil. 17, XXVil. 93 16. terebinth ... It is still seen to be characteristic for its far-spreading branches (cp. Nowack, of. cz¢. i. 63).

-|7 1 asa vine put forth grace®, And my flowers are the fruit of glory and wealth’. 9 Come unto me, ye® that desire me, And be ye filled with my produce? ; [Ὁ For my memorial‘ is sweeter than honey, And the possession of me than the honey-comb. τ They that eat shall still hunger ‘for me, | And they that drink me shall still thirst for me*; 2 He that obeyeth me will !not be ashamed’, | And “they that serve me will not commit βίη ταν 3 All these things are the book of the covenant of God Most High, | The Law which Moses commanded (as) an heritage for the assemblies of Jacob®, 5 Which filleth (men) with wisdom, like Pison, And like Tigris in the days of °new (fruits)? ; )}6 Which overfloweth like Euphrates, with understanding, And as Jordan in the days of harvest? ; }72%° Which poureth forth‘, as the Nile, instruction4, And‘ as Gihon in the days of vintage. 8 The first man knew her not perfectly, | So also the last will not trace her out ; |9 *For her understanding is more full than the sea, And her counsel is greater than the deep*. o And as for me, I (was) as a 'stream from the‘ river, And I came forth as a conduit into a garden ; [11 said: ‘I will water my garden, I will abundantly water my garden beds’ ;

© 248 ‘perfume’: & in suavitate odoris f40 248 © (with slight variations) + ‘I am the mother of beauteous love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope; I, the ever-existing one, am given to all my children, to those who are called by Him’ (v. 18). ENS ‘all ye’ b$ ‘good fruits’ i$ ‘instruction’: H ‘spirit’ Kk So S$: GL> 1 $ ‘not fail’ m-m $ ‘none of his works will be destroyed’ n70 248 (with slight variations) + ‘Faint not, (but) be strong in the Lord, and cleave unto Him in order that He may strengthen you. Cleave unto Him; the Lord, the Almighty, is the one and only God, and beside Him there is no Saviour’ ( v. 24) 0-0 $ ‘its fruits’ P 3 ‘Nisan’ 4-4 (ἃ (ws φως) misread WN ( ‘the Nile’) as ἫΝ (‘light’), and wrote expawov (‘maketh to shine forth’) 7: order 10 make sense ga-a1 3 qui mittit ΤῸ 248 254 Syro-Hex 13 s-3 The rendering of G& ts due to a misunderstanding of the Hebrew way of expressing the comparahive ttS>

17. the fruit... Cp. Prov. iil. 16, vill. 18,19. See critical note. 19. Come unto me. Cp. Prov. ix. 4. ; 20. sweeter than honey ...honey-comb. Cp. Ps. xix. 10 in reference to the Law; cp. Prov. xvi. 24. 21. With the thought of the verse contrast John vi. 58, iv. 14. : ᾿ 22. will not commit sin. Cp. Pirge Aéoth. ii. 2: ‘Excellent is Torah-study together with worldly business, for the practice of them puts iniquity out of remembrance.’ With the whole verse cp. Zes¢. Zwelve Paty, Levi xii. 7, 8. With this verse Wisdom concludes her speech. . 23. All these things... The identification of the Law with Wisdom in this and the following verses comes out very clearly. 4 Ἢ The Law which... assemblies. From Deut. xxxiii. 4, where the Hebr. reads N27) (but Sept. συναγωγαῖς) ; Ben-Sira (so also the Sept. in Deut. xxxiii. 4) was thinking of the synagogues of the Dispersion. new (fruits). Cp. 1.8; Num. xxviii. 26 (Sept.). 26. in the days of harvest. Cp. Joshua iil. 15. ν 27. See critical note. f And as Gihon. The addition of ‘and’ is well attested (see critical note); its omission (so &) would imply the identification of Gihon with the Nile, as in the Sept. of Jer. ii. 18 (Smend). _ in the days of vintage. i.e. September to October, when the river is in full flood. 28. The first man... i.e. the first man who sought to fathom her (Fritzsche). 30. And as for me. i.e. the writer, who speaks now of himself; he continues the metaphor of the river (as in vv. 25-27), and compares himself to a small irrigation canal leading out from the great river of Wisdom. 31. I will water my garden. i.e. he intended to use his waters of Wisdom for himself alone at first ; but later on his stream ‘became a river...’, i.e. others were to benefit by it. Cp. Is. lviii, 11, ‘thou shalt be like a watered garden’; John vii. 38.

& And lo, my stream became a river,

And my river "became a" sea. ;

32 Yet again will I bring instruction to light as the morning, And will make these things shine forth afar off.

33 Yet*again will I pour forth doctrine as prophecy, And leave it for eternal generations.

34 ‘Look ye (and see), that I have not laboured for myself only, But for all those that diligently seek her *.

(6) XXV. 1-2. Three things which are beautiful, and three which are hateful (= 2. - distichs).

= 95 1*Three things hath my soul desired*, And they are” lovely in the sight of God and men: & The concord of brethren, and the friendship of neighbours, And a *husband and wife” suited to each other. 2 Three types (of men) doth my soul hate, And I am greatly offended at their life: : i The poor man that is haughty, and the rich man that is deceitful®, And an old man that is an adulterer “lacking understanding **.

3 (If) in thy youth thou hast not gathered‘, How wilt thou find in thine old age? & 4 How beautiful °to grey hairs® is judgement, And for elders to know counsel! 5 How beautiful is the wisdom of princes’, And thought and counsel in those (who are) honoured ! 6 The crown® of the aged is their much experience, And their glorying is the fear of the Lord.

(2) XXV. 7-11. Ten types of men who are blessed (= 1+5+1 distichs).

7 "Nine (types of men) have I conceived of"; (these) I accounted blessed ; And a tenth will I speak of with my tongue : A man that hath joy of his children», Who liveth to see his enemy’s fall.

u-u 3 ‘reached to the’ va &) Ss wd ‘truth’

aa & ‘In three things I was beautiful’: ὡραισθὴν vs perhaps a textual corruption of ἡρασθην (Hart): & S bb G& ἀνέστην (‘I stood’) zs probably a corruption of a ἐστιν ( 253 L) bb-bb So $%: G& ‘a wife and a husband ’ οὐχ “ἃ liar’ ce-ee 7h > 43 + ‘wisdom’ dd #9 2s wanting from here to v. 8 e-e $ ‘among old men’ ! SoS: G& ‘old men’ (cp. 3» veteranis) £% ‘honour’ h-h 777. ‘nine conceptions’ (evvea ὑπονοηματαὴ, 70 which xc-® + the correction ανυπονοητα (= 85 3}) hh $ ‘posterity’

32. With this and the following verses cp. 4 Macc. i. 15-19. afar off. i.e. to those of the Dispersion.

33. --. doctrine as prophecy. As Smend points out, these words show that there was no rigid idea as yet concerning a fixed canon of Scripture.

34. This verse occurs in almost identical form again as xxxiii. 17 (= @& xxx. 26). 1. concord of brethren. Cp. Ps. cxxxiii. 1. a husband and wife. Cp. xl. 23 ὁ. suited to each other. ἑαυτοῖς συνπεριφερόμενοι ; cp. Sept. of Prov. v. 19 συνπεριφερόμενος πολλοστὸς ἔσῃ. 2. Three types. τρία εἴδη ; cp. xxiii. 16 δύο εἴδη (lit. ‘ species’). at their life. i.e. that they are alive. The two last clauses of the verse are quoted in Pesahzm 113 (T. B.). lacking understanding. The Talmud quotation has instead of this: ‘And a president who behaves himself proudly towards the congregation’ (Cowley and Neubauer, p. xxiv); the same words occur also in Hagigah 56 | (maya dy myannn Ὁ) ΒΕ). 3. (If) in thy youth... Quoted in Adoch de R. Nathan, c. 24, thus: ‘If in thy youth thou hast had no delight in them, how wilt thou attain to them in thine old age?’ (Cowley and Neubauer, p. xxiv); cp. vi. 18.

8 iBlessed is the husband of an understanding wife, That doth not plough with ox and ass". iBlessed is he that hath not slipped with his tongue), And he that hath not served one inferior (to himself) ἡ 9 ἘΞ Blessed is the man* that hath found a true friend**, And that discourseth unto 'ears that hear!. | ro How great is he that findeth wisdom, | But he is not above him that feareth the Lord. αι The fear of the Lord surpasseth all things : "He that holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened! ?

(e) XXV. 13-15. Some of the worst forms of evil (= 2+1 distichs).

| 13 Any wound, only not a heart-wound !

Any wickedness, only not the wickedness of a woman!

G) 14 +Any calamity, only not the calamity (brought about) by those who hate ! | Any vengeance, only not the vengeance of enemies!

| 15 There is no poison ™above the poison™ of a serpent,

And there is no wrath above the wrath of a woman™™".

{ 16 I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, | Than "keep house with" a wicked woman. Ef} 17 The wickedness of a woman ™ maketh black" her look®, And darkeneth her countenance like that of a bear°’. 18 In the midst of his friends her husband sitteth, And involuntarily” he sigheth bitterly4.

1118 ἧς much mutilated in this verse, and the order of the clauses ts wrong, viz. c dab imi & > 1:1 Most of this clause ts mutilated in B ἡ} Ge ‘that is unworthy of him’ *® vs wanting from here to v. 13 k-k So πῶ: GL> kk So ©: S‘afriend’: & ‘prudence’ 1-1 3 & ‘the ear of one that heareth’ N-ll $ « Hold it fast, my son, and let it not go; there is nothing to be likened unto it’: 70 248 & (wth slight variations) + ‘The beginning of the fear of the Lord is to love Him, and the beginning of faith is to cleave unto Him’ (v. 12) + ® ws wanting from here tov. t7 m-m & ‘head’, mzsunderslanding of UX, which means ‘poison’ as well as ‘head’ mm So 3: Ψ' (ἃ ‘enemy’ on So By*: ANe-® ‘dwell with’ ( 3) nn-nn § ‘maketh pale’ (cp. Jer. xxx. 6) 9 ® (/ater hand) + ‘(of her) husband’ ( 5) 00. So NA all the cursives: B ‘like sackcloth’: NA cursives : 3 ‘like the colour of a sack’: & combines both renderings: ‘like a bear and like sackcloth’ P Reading WO DYDD for WYO: (ἃ ἀκουσας 7s a corruption of ἀκουσιως (248 8) aN Sg Ἣν

a modicum: 248 + ‘through her’ “ 8. Blessed is the husband... (ἃ ‘Blessed is the man that dwelleth with...’; for ὁ συνοικῶν HS have bya ὺ i (‘husband’); 38 is mutilated. ; ᾿ ; ; That doth not plough... This clause is undoubtedly genuine and occurs both in ® and S$ (out of place in 4 the former); it has dropped out of & by mistake; without it there are only nine, instead of ten (see v. 7) types of

men enumerated. Cp. Deut. xxii. 10; 2 Cor. vi. 14; the words are of course metaphorical. that hath not slipped... Cp. xiv. 1; Jas. ill. 2.

g. atrue friend. The second clause shows that & (‘ prudence’) is wrong here.

το: that feareth... Cp. i. 16. re

11. He that holdeth... Cp. vi. 27. For the gloss added after this verse (= τ΄. 12) see critical note.

13. This verse is quoted in Shadd. 11 a (Τ. Β.); see Cowley and Neubauer, p. xxiv ; cp. Schechter, FOR, iii. 697 f.

14. Any calamity... Those that hate obviously desire misfortune to befall the object of their hatred, and what vengeance is there but the vengeance of an enemy? Smend rightly points out that (D)NIY ( μισούντων) and (O°) ( ἐχθρῶν) were mistakes for 782 Y (vil. 26) and ΠΣ (xxxvii. 11). The passage refers to the evils of polygamy, which, according to xxvi. 6, xxxvii. 11, was still in vogue in Ben-Sira’s day.

15. poison. For WN (see critical note) cp. Deut. xxxii. 33; Job xx. 16: in the former passage the Sept. renders the word by θυμός (‘wrath’); see next clause. S makes the same mistake.

16. I would rather... Cp. Prov. xxi. 19, xxv. 24; εὐδοκήσω. i

17. maketh black. (& ‘altereth’; the verb occurs elsewhere only in Job xxx. 30 in the O.T.; for the noun see Lam. ἵν. ὃ ; Eccles. xi. ro, and for the adjective Lev. xiii. 31, 37; Cant. i.5, v.11; Zech. vi. 2,6. j

like that of a bear. In the Midrash Bereshith Rabba to xxxix. 7 God is made to speak of Potiphar’s wife as

a ‘she-bear’. For the variant readings here see the discussion in the Introd. § 3 (2). 18. In the midst... @& ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἀναπεσεῖται ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς.

involuntarily. ὅ86ε critical note. With the expression DYD X73 (Neo-Hebr.)cp.NDYb xba in Gittin 14.a(Schechter).

®° 19 (There is but) little malice like the malice of a woman, May the lot of the wicked fall upon her ! 20 *As™ a sandy ascent to the feet of the aged, So is a woman of tongue to a quiet man”. 21 Fall ποῖ" because of the beauty of woman, ss And tbe not ensnaredt for the sake of what she possesseth* ; 22 For “hard slavery“ and a disgrace it is, (If) a wife support her husband. & 23"A humbled heart and a sad countenance, uu And a heartwound, is an evil wife". ΕΝ Hands that hang down, and palsied knees, (Thus shal] it be with) a wife that maketh not happy her husband. ΚΣ ΞΕ ἘΣ a 24 From a wersen did sin originate, And because of her ‘we all must die’. @ 25 %YGive not water an outlet, Nor to a wicked woman power~. 26 If she go not **as thou wouldst have her**, Cut her off from thy flesh*’’.

rr So according to Smend’s emendation (based on (τ) of the text, which ts mutilated τ Qk (exc. 70 248) >: ΞΡ -Ξ- ἢ 8% ‘Be not enticed’ ss-s8 So also S: for (ἃ see note below t-t Reading with Smend

szbn bx: 30 ‘look not upon’ ttt Reading nwp may (= 8) for... Myr which & read as ΠΣ (‘wrath’): aAwpP zs wanting in the MS. of B, where a small hiatus occurs u-u 35 > uu % zserfs ‘darkness ” v-v Zit. ‘we die altogether’ (ἼΠῸ) w-vv Wanting in ® xs A and cursives mappnovay: B εξουσιαν : 248 παρρησιαν εξοδου (cp. & veniam prodeundi): $ 4+ ‘For as the bursting forth of water goes on and increases, so does an evil woman continue to sin (more and more)’ xx-xx [7/, ‘according to thy hand’: & + ‘she will shame thee in the presence of thine enemies’ y 248 + ‘Give, and send her away’: S + ‘Give to her, and send her from thine house’: Ὁ + Ne semper te abutatur

19. (There is but) little... (ἃ renders freely : ‘All malice is but little to the malice of a woman’; S renders according to the sense of xlii. 14. May the lot... i.e. may it be the lot of the wicked, not of the righteous, to have such. 20. asandy ascent... i.e. one that is wearisome, and where it is difficult to get a foothold. a woman of tongue. i.e. one that is abusive. The point of the comparison is that just as it is impossible for an aged man to ascend a slope where he can get no firm foothold, so it is impossible for a quiet man to get on with a woman who has an abusive tongue. 21. Fall not. For the expression by bp of falling into a snare cp. Isa. xxiv. 18 ; Amos iii. 5 ; cp. also Prov. xxii. 14. G incorrectly, ‘throw not thyself upon.’ And be not ensnared... @® ‘And desire not a woman’: something has clearly dropped out ; ἐν κάλλει is added by δὲ A and a number of cursives 3. Syro-Hex ; 70 248 add εἰς τρυφήν. 22. For hard slavery... See critical note; U ‘There is anger, and impudence, and great reproach ’. 23. The omission of the two first clauses of this verse (found in (τ S$) by # suggests that they are not original; the sense of them is contained in the two last clauses. A humbled heart... S ‘And the heart that is with her she covereth over’, meaning probably that she suppresses all womanly feelings. Hands that hang down. O°) }})57, lit. ‘hanging down of hands’, signifying helpless terror; the same expression occurs in Jer. xlvii. 3. ;

palsied knees. Lit. ‘a tottering of knees’; the word idea only occurs elsewhere in the O. T. in Prov. xvi. 18,

where it means ‘a calamity’. Cp. Ps. εἶχ. 24: DVS 125 "52 (‘my knees totter from fasting’).

(Thus shall it be with). These words are unexpressed, but implied; fearfulness and calamity are to be the lot of the woman who does not make her husband happy.

did sin originate. (ἃ ‘(was) the beginning of sin’.

And because of her... Cp. the Targum (Pseudo-Jonathan) to Gen. iii. 6, where it is said at the moment of Eve’s succumbing to temptation Sammael, the Angel of Death (identified with Satan), appeared to her. In Zhe Life of Adam and Eve, § 3, occurs the following: ‘And Eve said to Adam, “ My lord, if thou wilt, kill me; perchance the Lord God will then lead thee back into Paradise ; for it was only through my fault that the anger of the Lord God was kindled against thee. The later Jewish theology, however, generally points to Adam as the real cause for the entering of sin and death into the world (cp. 1 Cor. xv. 22), and that not so much on account of the ‘Fall *,as that he refused to show repentance for what he had done; see, e.g., the Midrash Bemidbar Radia, chap. xiii: ‘When Adam transgressed the command of the Holy One, and ate of the tree, the Holy One demanded of him penitence, thereby revealing to him the means of freedom [i.e. from the result of his sin], but Adam would not show penitence.’ :

25. Nor to Fa aie woman... See critical note. power. ἐξουσίαν, i.e. liberty to do what she likes; cp. 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35. 26. Cut her off from... i.e. Give her a bill of divorcement (the later Gét), cp. Deut. xxiv. 1 ff. ; Matt. v. 31;

hitherto they had been ‘one flesh’, cp. Gen. ii. 24; Eph. v. 31.

(g) XXVI. 1-4. The happiness of the man who has a good wife (= 2 - 2 distichs).

ig 1 A good wife,—blessed is her husband,

The number of his days is doubled.

2 A worthy wife cherisheth her husband,

2 And he fulfilleth the years of his life? in peace?’*.

4.63 3 A good wife °(is) a good gift®:

2 a eR

She shall be given to him that feareth God, °°for his portion®°. 4Whether rich or poor, his heart is cheerful, And his face is merry at all times.

(kh) XXVI. 5-12. The fearfulness of having a wicked wife (= 3 - 3 Ὁ 2 -Ὁ 2 distichs).

5 Of three things is my heart afraid,

And concerning a fourth I am in great fear®: Slander in the city, and a concourse of the rabble, f And a false accusation,—worse than death are they all.

6 Grief of heart and sorrow is a wife jealous of (another) wife’,

The scourge of the tongue £all together # [are they].

7 Like» ia hard yoke? 155 a wicked woman :

He that taketh hold of her is as one that graspeth a scorpion.

8 Great wrath (doth) a drunken woman (cause) ** ;

She doth not cover her own shame.

9 The whoredom of a woman is in the lifting up of her eyes,

And she will be known by her eyelids.

| 10 Upon a 'headstrong daughter! keep strict watch,

Lest, finding liberty, she use it for herself™.

CON) Be b So 248 53: ἃ » bb 3 ‘joy’ Cac τὸ δ ce-ee So Gk: Feb. Sanh. ‘into his bosom’ ἃ ® ὃς wanting from here to XXVii. 5 ὃ προσωπῳ εφοβηθην, 50 ANC 55 106 155 248 253 (= SH): Bap. εδεηθην (‘1 made supplication’) : δ εδοθην ΕΓ» τε So $: G& ‘communicating to all’ h SoD: Gas> i, So S$; G& ‘a yoke of oxen shaken to and fro’ kH& ‘so also is’ kk 248 S$ + ‘who strays about’ 113 > ‘daughter’; ‘a wanton wife’ m-m 7% Ne inventa occasione utatur se

I. This verse is quoted twice in the Babylonian Talmud, Vedamorth 636, Sanhedrin 1006; the only difference being that both these tractates read ‘beautiful’ for ‘good’. With this and the next verse cp. Prov. xii. 4 @, xxxi. 10-12. 2. worthy. 2M; for this sense cp. Gen. xlvii. 6; Exod. xviii. 21,25; Ruth iii. 11, and the references above to Prov. cherisheth. Lit. ‘maketh fat’, cp. v.13; @ ‘maketh glad’. ᾿ fulfilleth .... Cp. Is. Ixv. 20: YON δ ΡΟΣ τ 5 TWN ΠΡ}... ΠΥ ΝΣ, 3. a good gift. @& ‘a good portion’; cp. Prov. xviii. 22. 0 a for his portion. Smend suggests that the rendering found in the Bab. Talmud Pp‘ (‘into the bosom of’) is

a mistake for 22 (‘for [his] portion’), and refers to Num. xxvi. 53 for the use of 4. 4. Whether rich or poor... Lit. ‘Of a rich man and of a poor man the heart is cheerful’ (ἀγαθὴ), 1. 6. if he has a good wife. 5. lam in great fear. See critical note. Slander in the city... Cp. Acts xix. 23 ff., xxiv. 12. 6. a wife jealous... The result of polygamy.

all together [are they]. i.e. All the four things enumerated, slander, the concourse of the rabble, a false accusation,

and a wife’s jealousy, are results of the scourge of an evil tongue, :

7. ahard yoke. This rendering of $ simplifies matters; but the rendering of G, βοοζύγιον σαλευόμενον, suggests a misunderstanding of the original, which possibly had 2 ND1D3 (‘like the bars of a yoke’), cp. Lev. xxvi.13; Nahum i.13; M010 (‘a pole’, or ‘bar’) was understood as though part of the verb DY (‘to shake’). In this case the point of the comparison would be that just as the bars of the yoke were constantly rubbing and chafing the neck of the Ox, so a wicked woman was, by her behaviour, a constant source of irritation to her husband.

He that taketh hold... The thought seems to be that if a man attempts to assert his authority over a woman of this kind he will suffer grievously for doing so ; deadly retaliation will be the result, i.e. some bitter slander or false accusation (see v. 5 a, and cp. Ezek. ii. 6). The simile of the scorpion is the more apt inasmuch as its sting was believed to be deadly (cp. Deut. vill. 15).

8. She doth not... i.e. Drunkenness leads her to adultery. ‘

9. ... by her eyelids. Cp. Prov. vi. 25; see also 2 Kings ix. 30; Jer. iv. 30; Ezek. xxiii. go; for the Oriental customs and methods of painting the eyelids and eyebrows, &c., see ZD1/G, 1851, pp. 236 ff. το. Upon a headstrong... This clause occurs also in xlil. 11 a.

Lest, finding... Cp. xxii. 16, 17.

& 11 Look well after a shameless eye, = And marvel not if it trespass against thee”. 12 As a thirsty traveller that openeth his mouth, And drinketh of any water that is near, So she sitteth down at every post, And openeth her quiver to every arrow.

(ἡ XXVI. 13-18. The joy of the man who has a good wife (= 3+3 distichs).

13 °The grace of a wife delighteth her husband,

And her understanding fatteneth his bones?. 14 A silent woman (is) a gift from the Lord,

And "a well-instructed soul? “is above worth". 15 Grace upon grace is a shamefast" woman,

And there is no price worthy of *a continent soul®. 16 As‘ the sun arising in the highest places of the Lord,

Sot is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of his“ [her husband’s] house. 17 As the lamp shining on the holy candlestick,

So is the beauty "of a face" Yon a stately figure’. 18 As the golden pillars upon the silver base,

So are beautiful feet “upon firm heels™.

(7) XXVI. 19-27. A later appendix to the preceding (= 3+4+1+1+1 distichs).

70248 19 My son, *keep thyself healthy in the flower of thine age*, And give not thy strength unto strangers. 20 Having found a portion of good soil out of all the land, Sow it with thine own seed, trusting in thine own good birth. 21 Thus will thine offspring flourish, And, having confidence in their noble descent, will become great. 22 A hired woman is as spittle**, But a married woman is reckoned as a tower of death ¥to them that use her’. 23 A godless woman shall be given to the man who regardeth not the Law as his portion ; But a devout (woman) is given to him that fearethY’ the Lord. 24 A shameless woman despiseth shamefastness ; But a shamefast daughter will show modesty even before her husband.

nn $ ‘And tarry not lest she deceive thee’ -05> p-P & it. a lacking of throat’, z.e. ‘ self-control in speech’ a-a (77, ‘there is no exchange for’ Τ 248 + ‘and faithful’ s-s $ 7}. ‘a lacking of mouth’ tSoSt: & > tt So B*: B® δὶ A avrns ἀπὸ 3 ‘of a good woman’ v-v $ ‘in keeping her house’ wow Reading em πτέρναις εὐσταθεσι (cp. 8 248): BA ent orepvos εὐσταθους : & super plantas stabiles mulieris: 3 ‘in the ordering of her house’ x-x $ ‘take heed to thyself in the time of thy youth’ xx $ ‘naught’ y-y 3 ‘to them that cleave unto her’ YY 70 ‘loveth’

11. Look well... The reference is still to ‘a headstrong daughter’; in the second clause $ (see critical note) is perhaps to be preferred ; there must be no hesitation in dealing with such a daughter.

13. ...fatteneth his bones. 1.6. is the means of giving him physical health and strength ; cp. Prov. xv. 30.

16. the highest places... Cp. xliii.9. 18. As the golden pillars... i.e. the pillars of the Temple which were covered with gold; cp. 1 Macc. 1. 22, 23.

upon firm heels. See critical note. (7) XXVI. 19-27. These verses occur only in 70, 248 among the Greek MSS. ; they are, however, preserved in the Syriac and Arabic versions, and some of the clauses are quoted by Clement of Alexandria and in the ‘Commonplace Books’ of the monks Antonius and Maximus (see Hart, pp. 321-370). In the main they are derived from the secondary recension of the Hebrew (see Introduction, § 3(c)); this is proved by the fact that in $ there are various errors of translation which can only be explained on the basis of a Hebrew original (see Ryssel 77 Zoc.). 19. This verse is quoted in Antonius and Maximus (Hart, p. 367). give not thy strength... Cp. Prov. v. 9, 10, xxxi. 3.

20. a portion of good soil. i.e. a good wife. 21. For the general sense of the verse cp. Prov. v. 15-19.

. This verse is quoted by Clement of Alexandria (Hart, p. 330).

as spittle. ἴση σιάλῳ ; cp. Sept. of Isa. x]. 15 ὡς σίελος = P12 (Smend). -..asa tower of death. See 2 Macc. xiii. 5 ff. (Nestle, quoted by Ryssel). 24. This verse is quoted by Antonius and Maximus (Hart, p. 367).

2425 7A headstrong woman? will be regarded as a dog ; But she that hath shame feareth the Lord. 426 The woman that honoureth her own husband appeareth® wise unto all, But she that dishonoureth (her husband) “is known to** all as one that is godless in (her) pride. Happy is the husband of a good wife, For the number of his years is doubled”. 27 A loud-voiced and tongueful woman is reckoned as *a trumpet”? that putteth enemies to flight ; ¢ And the soul of every suchlike man will pass his life in the turmoils of war®.

(k) XXVI.28. Three things that cause sorrow (= 3 distichs).

(τ [28 For two things my heart is grieved,

And for a third cometh wrath upon me:

(And) one that turneth from righteousness to sin ;— May the Lord prepare “him for the sword®.

(ἢ XXVI. 29—XXVII. 4. The temptations of trade (= 3+1 distichs).

>| 29 °Hardly* shall the merchant keep himself from wrongdoing®, And a huckster will not be acquitted of sin. t Many have sinned for the sake of gain*$ ; And he that seeketh to multiply (gain)* turneth away his eye. 2iA nail sticketh fast between ‘the joinings of* stones’, ™And "sin will thrust itself int between buyer and seller. 3°My son’, if Pthou hold not? diligently to the fear of the Lord, 4Thy* house will soon be overthrown4.

(a) XXVII. 4-7. The appraising of a man’s value (= 3+1 distichs).

4°When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remaineth ; So (it is with) the filth of man in his reasoning’.

zz 5. “Α woman that hath no shame’ ἃ 55. ‘is reckoned’ aa-aa 709 ‘is accounted by’ Ὁ + ‘The

strife of a woman is even in her gentleness, and as a burning fever so shall she appear’ bb-bb 248 >

cto > ee-ce $ ‘man of wealth’ d-d So 248 253 (= 2): G& ‘the sword for him’: & 7s a paraphrase

eX mserts the clause: Duae species difficiles et periculosae mihi apparuerunt ΓΦ ‘with great difficulty’

£% 4+ ‘But in many things he stumbleth’ £& Reading, with x*, διαφόρου (BA N° abiadopov). Cp. vii. 18

h $ ‘sins’ id mnserts ‘AS’ KkS> 1S ‘one stone and another’ m 30. raserts ‘So’ un Reading ¥ συνθλιβησεται for συντριβησεται (L angustiabitur) : §S ‘sins are fixed’ 0-0 So ὁ rp So ©; S ‘if thou ' transgress but a little’ 4-4 $ ‘For long time wilt thou be in want’ t So L 8-3 254 “ὁ >

25. asadog. Used typically of some one without shame (cp. Deut. xxiii. 18).

26. Happy is the husband... These two clauses are almost identical with v. 1.

27. This verse is quoted by Antonius and Maximus (Hart, p. 368).

28. Aman of war. Perhaps Smend is right in preferring here the rendering of 5, ‘a man of wealth’; in the two other types of men referred to in this verse contrasts are presented—a wise man suffering contempt, « righteous man committing sin—so that logically one would expect a similar contrast in this case as well—a rich man suffering poverty ;

the Hebrew may have had Sn ws (‘a man of wealth,’ lit. ‘strength’), which was misunderstood by & ; cp. Ruth 11. 1. one that turneth from... Cp. Ezek. xvili. 24; Matt. xi. 45,35 2 Pet. ii: 2.

29. Hardly shall the merchant... Cf. Pirge Aboth ii. 6: ‘... Nor is every one that hath much traffic wise.’ In Erubin 55 6, where Deut. xxx. 13 is commented upon, it is said that the Torah ‘is not found either among hucksters or among merchants’, the reason being that their constant travelling from place to place prevents study. Schechter (Studies in Judaism, Second Series, p. 72) refers to O¢ddushin 82 a, where it is said that the hawker and the shopkeeper are engaged in trades of bad odour, and the latter are said to practise ‘the handicraft of robbery’.

XXVII. 1. turneth away his eye. i.e. will acquiesce in what is wrong; cp. Prov. xxviii. 27.

2. nail. Lit. ‘tent-peg’, cp. xiv, 24.

3. Myson... (ἃ ‘Unless (a man) hold on diligently . .. his house will soon ...’; cf. Prov. xiv. 11.

XXVII. 4—XXIX. 28. This division continues the general theme of the preceding. It gives further illustrations of applied wisdom. Such topics as malice, anger, revenge, strife, calumny, and their baneful effects are dealt with ; and lastly mercy in its several aspects. The whole falls into twelve subsections.

4. a sieve. i.e. the ‘ Kirbal-el-Kamachi’, still used in Palestine. The corn which has been threshed for the first time is placed in it and sifted; the refuse, i.e. the dung of the oxen which has been trodden into the straw, remains behind,

®* 5'The furnace proveth" the potter's vessels, v And the trying’ of a man (is done) by examining him. 6 Upon the cultivation of the tree dependeth the fruit ; So (dependeth) man’s’ thought upon his nature’. & 7Praise no man *before taking stock (of him)*, For this (is) the (way to make) trial of men.

(6) XXVIL. 8-10. Reward and retribution (= 3 distichs).

8 If thou follow after righteousness’, thou wilt attain’, 16a Qamma And put it on as a robe of glory. ὦ 9 Every bird* dwelleth? with its kind, & And truth returneth® to them who practise her. | το The lion lieth in wait for prey ; So do sins# for those who *work iniquity “.

11 The discourse of the wise‘ man continueth’ "in wisdom®, But the fool changeth as the moon.

r2 In the midst of fools ‘watch closely the time’, But *among the wise abide continually*.

13 The discourse of fools! is an annoyance®, And their laughter is "sinful wantonness”.

14 °The oath of the godless® maketh the hair stand upright ; Their strife maketh one stop his ears.

15 The strife of the proud is shedding of blood, And their reviling is grievous? hearing.

tt oy, 5, 6 come after vi. 22 in BA: the text isin part corrupt ἃ Reading ἍΠΕΡ for syid(Smend) ττν Reading npn for 1103) (Simend) vv Reading DIN W-W Wanting in 3: ® ts wanting from here to Xxxii x-x Reading προ διαλογισμου (cp. τ. 5 ὁ) for προ λογισμου y % ‘truth’ 2.248 + αὐτο ( SX) a S$ ‘the birds of the heaven’ Ὁ Ge καταλύσει (al. καταλύει): 3. conveniunt ὁ 95. ‘ walketh’ 4 95. ‘unrighteousness ’ eed “commit sins’ ΤῸ A( 5): G ‘godly’: &% sanctus in sapientia £SoL: & > h-h So 248 3: % ‘as the sun’ 14 $ ‘bide thy time’: 30 serva verbum tempori k-k $ ‘among the wise speak continually ’ 1g sauce : ; πὶ %¥@ ‘hateful’ n-n $ ‘impertinence’ 0-0 So % (reading NnINND for SNM ὁ gift’) PNC-2 evi

while the grain passes through the sieve (cp. Zeitsch. du deutschen Palastina Vereins, xci.2). The point of the comparison is that, in the case of the type of man under consideration, the bad qualities remain in him, Just as the refuse remains behind in the sieve ; while the good that is in him passes away. 5. With this verse cp. Zest. Twelve Patr., Naph. ii. 4: ‘As the potter knoweth the use of each vessel, what it is meet for, so also doth the Lord know the body, how far it will persist in goodness, and when it beginneth in evil.’ by examining him. G ‘in his reasoning’. 7 6. For this verse (τ reads: ‘The fruit of the tree declareth the husbandry thereof; so is the utterance of the thought of the heart of a man’; i.e. just as the yield of a tree depends upon the way in which it has been tended, so the utterances of a man depend upon the state of his heart, i.e. the way in which he has tended himself, in a spiritual sense. 7. before taking stock (of him). Lit. ‘before his discourse’, i.e. before discoursing with him. 8. If thou follow after righteousness. Cp. Zeph. ii. 3. a tobe of glory. ποδήρη (= YD) δύξης ; cp. Isa. li. 10; Job xxix. 14 (APT Sey) ; cp. the high-priestly robe mentioned in xlv. ὃ ; Wisd. xviii. 24. In the Zest. Twelve Patr., Levi viii. 2, it is said: ‘Arise, put on the robe of the priesthood, and the crown of righteousness, and the breastplate of understanding, and the garment of truth... «ἢ

9. Every bird... Cp. xiii. 15; G& ‘ Birds will resort unto their like’. 1o. Thelion... Cp. xxi. 2.

11. ...continueth in wisdom. Cp. v. το.

12. watch closely the time. συντήρησον καιρόν ; cp. iv. 20, where the same phrase occurs. The meaning of the verse is that one must grudge the time wasted with fools, whereas among the wise one may well spend all one’s time. 13. annoyance. προσόχθισμα is the Sept. rendering of YY (‘abomination’) in 2 Kings xxiii. 13, 24; Ezek.v. 11, vii. 20. -.. Sinful wantonness. Cp. Prov. x. 23, xiv. 9. maketh the hair... Cp. Job iv. 15. _ maketh one stop... Lit. (15) a stopping’ (évppayyds), N* στεναγμός (‘groaning’). The strife of the godless man of oaths occasions language such as makes a man shut his ears. 15. is shedding of blood. i.e. their strife is as bad as shedding of blood in its results.

(ὦ) XXVII. 16-21. The evil consequences of betraying secrets (= 2+3+1 distichs).”

16 He who revealeth secrets“ loseth' credit, And he findeth no friend to his mind". 17 Prove® a friend, and tkeep faith with him’, But if thou reveal his secrets, follow not after him ; 18 For as a man that hath destroyed his inheritance’, So hast thou destroyed the friendship of thy” neighbour. [τὸ And as a bird which thou hast loosed out of thy hand, So hast thou let thy* neighbour go, and thou wilt not catch him again. 20 Pursue him not, **for he is gone far away**, And hath escaped’ like a gazelle out of a snare’. 21 For a wound may be bound up, and for slander? there is reconciliation, ( But he that revealeth secrets ”*hath no hope”.

(e) XXVIIL. 22-24. The hatefulness of insincerity (= 3+ τ distichs).

22 *He that winketh with his eye planneth evil things,

And he that knoweth him keepeth far from him. Ἢ 23 Before thy face he speaketh sweetly,

And will admire thy words ;

But afterward he will alter his speech,

And with thy words will make a stumbling-block. 24 Many things I hate, but nothing like him,

And the Lord will hate him (too), ?and curse him”.

(f) XXVIII. 25-29. Nemesis (= 342 distichs).

[25 He that casteth a stone >on high” °casteth it on his own head®, 4And a deceitful blow apportions wounds to the deceiver“.

αΞ ‘of a friend’ ν᾿ So: G&S ‘destroyeth’ rr L7t. ‘soul’ (= 3) 8. So S (GY ‘ love’) {τ S ‘put thy trust in him’ Vv So $3: G ‘enemy’: < friend’ W So 2483: & >: WH Syro-Hex ‘his’ x So 3» Syro-Hex: & 3 > 2278 £3 SS y # + quoniam vulnerata est anima eius yy $3 +‘and like a sparrow out of the snare, cf. Prov. vi. 5 % % ‘a quarrel’ 22-22 248 ‘hath destroyed faith’ aim place of vv. 22, 23 has: ‘He who hath a proud eye it shall be his ruin’ b-b §0 3: & > bb-bb 3 > ce S ‘it will return upon him’: % ‘it will fall upon his head’ 4- & ‘And a deceitful blow will open wounds’: 3 ‘He will be delivered over to destruction’

16. He who revealeth secrets... Cp. xxii. 22; Prov. xx. 19, xxv. 9. 17. keep faith with him. Cp. xxix. 3. follow not after him. It is useless to do so because his friendship is lost. 18. inheritance. Smend’s suggestion (following Béttcher) that κλῆρον should be read instead of ἐχθρόν, which is also the reading of S, is worth adopting, though & makes good sense as it stands. 19. Friendship which has been forfeited by the betrayal of secrets is lost irretrievably. 21. hath no hope. i.e. of reconciliation, cp. xxii. 22. 22. He that winketh with his eye. διανεύων ὀφθαλμῷ ; cp. Sept. of Prov. vi. 13 ἐννεύει ὀφθαλμῷ, x. 10 6 ἐννεύων ὀφθαλμοῖς (PY YAP). A sign of insincerity. And he that knoweth him... This rendering agrees better with the context, and is preferable to &: ‘And no man will remove him from it,’ i.e. it is impossible to dissuade him from planning evil things. keepeth far from him. Lit. ‘ will depart from him’. 23. he speaketh sweetly. Lit. ‘ he will sweeten his (B ‘ thy’) mouth’; cp. xii. 16@; Prov. xvi. 219 he will alter his speech. Lit. ‘he will twist his mouth’, διαστρέψει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ; cp. Proy, xii, 1 DYNDY wpy. And with thy words... Perhaps Wp jn’ 77373), cp. xi. 31; i.e. he will conspire against thee by wresting thy words and putting a wrong meaning upon them, and thus cause thee to give offence to others. ; 24. but nothing like him. Seecritical note. (ἃ lit. ‘and I likened (them) not unto him’,i.e. he hated many things, but his hatred for them was not to be compared with his hatred for the insincere man who wrested his words. will hate him. Cp. Prov. vi. 16, viii. 13. The addition ‘and curse him’ (from 3) seems to be demanded, as otherwise the clause would be rather too short. 25. casteth it on his... 1.6. he will wound himself. a deceitful blow... So #. The meaning of & is obscure, but % gives good sense.

G 26 He that diggeth a pit °shall fall into it® ; ;

And he that setteth a snare shall be taken therein.

27 He that doeth evil things, they shall roll upon him, And he will not know whence “they came® to him.

28 "Mockery and reproach (are the lot) of the proud, _ And vengeance, like a lion, lieth in wait for them'>.

29 ¥ They that rejoice at the fall of the godly shall be taken in a snare, And anguish shall consume them ere they die*.

(g) XXVIL. 30—XXVIII. 7. Concerning forgiveness ; vengeance belongs to God alone

30 Wrath! and anger, these also are abominations, m™ And a sinful man clingeth to them™. 28 «He that taketh vengeance? shall find vengeance from the Lord, °° And his sins ἢ (God) will surely keep? (in memory) °°.

2 PP Forgive thy neighbour the injury (done to thee)??, 4 And then, when thou prayest, thy sins will be forgiven’.

3 Man cherisheth anger against another ; And doth he seek healing from God®?

4*On a man like himself he hath no mercy ; And doth he make supplication for his own sins*?

5 He, being flesh", Ynourisheth wrath’ ; Who will Ymake atonement™ for his sins ?

6 Remember thy *last end*, and cease from enmity’ ; (Remember) “corruption and death’, and “abide in the commandments?.

7 Remember the commandments, and be not wroth with thy neighbour ; And (remember) the covenant of the Most High, and ? overlook ignorance.

e-e & ‘shall fill it with his own body ’ ἘΦ ‘shall fall’ s-¢ ‘evil hath come’ hhg> iSo V 248: & ‘him’ k-k $ ‘Snares and nets are for those who make (12, know) them; these shall cling to them till the day of their death’: £ > 13 ‘envy’ m-m $ “ And a deceitful man destroyeth his own way’ un inserts the title: De remissione peccatorum 0-0 S$ ‘And’ 00-00 % ‘ And all his sins are reserved for him’ p-P Reading with 248 διατηρων διατηρησει (= L): (ἃ διαστηριων διαστηρισει pp-pp ὁ ‘ Put away what is in thy heart, and thereupon pray’ a-a $ ‘And all thy sins will be forgiven thee’ t $ ‘ And why’ 8So 3%: & ‘the Lord’ ttS> uS‘a man’ v-v $ ‘will not forgive’ w-w % ‘forgive’. x3 ‘death’ y 70 248 + ‘and be not wrathful with thy neighbour’ zz & ‘Hades and corruption’ a-a S ‘keep thyself from sinning’ b-b $ ‘give him what he needeth’ cH + ‘of thy neighbour ’

26. He that diggeth... Cp. Prov. xxvi. 27 a; Eccles. x. 8; Ps. vii. [7 he that setteth... Cp. Ps. ix. 15, 16. 27. they shall roll upon him. See Prov. xxvi. 27, and cp. Sirach xxxvii. 3. 30. these also... 1.6. in addition to the abominations above referred to. XXVIII. 1. He that taketh vengeance. Cp. Deut. xxxii. 35; Rom. xii. 19. willsurely keep. & διαστηριῶν διαστηρίσει, lit. ‘will surely make firm’, For the reading διατηρῶν διατηρήσει of 248 “he will surely mark,’ cp. Sept. of Ps. cxxix. (cxxx.) 3 (παρατηρήσῃ) ; Job xiv. 16, 17. 2. Forgive thy neighbour. With this and the next two verses cp. the following passage from the 7:52. Twelve Patr., Gad vi. 3-7: ‘ Love ye one another from the heart; and if a man sin against thee, speak peaceably to him, and in thy soul hold not guile ; and if he repent and confess, forgive him. But if he deny it, do not get into a passion with him,

lest catching the poison from thee, he take to swearing, and so thou sin doubly.... But if he be shameless, and persist —

in his wrongdoing, even so forgive him from the heart, and leave to God the avenging.’ In Rosh Ha-shanah 17 a occur the words: ‘God forgives him who forgives his neighbour’ (cp. Matt. vi. 14, 15, xvili. 35). In view of these passages, it is not necessary to regard the verse under consideration as a Christian interpolation (Edersheim).

3. With this verse cp. the Midrash Sifre 93 ὁ: ‘He only who is merciful with mankind may expect mercy from —

Heaven’ (quoted by Schechter, Stadies 22 Judaism, Second Series, p. 94). healing. 1. 6. forgiveness, cp. next verse; for this sense of ἴασις cp. Sept. of Is. xix. 22, &c.

4. Cp. Megillah 28a: ‘So long as we are merciful, God is merciful to us; but if we are not merciful to others, God —

is not merciful to us.’ A, L? 5. being flesh. Cp. xvii. 31; the ‘flesh’ is regarded in itself as evil; cp. Rom. vii. 25; 1 Cor. xv. 50; Gal. v. 19. 7. be not wroth with... Cp. x.6,and Shadéath 20 a, where it is said that the most important law is: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself’; cp. Matt. xix. 19.

overlook ignorance, rapide ἄγνοιαν = minsnw> Nw xxx. 11 (Smend). Ignore sins committed against you uncon-

sciously.

ST ΘΟ ΌΡΠῸ

(2) XXVIII. 8-12. Warnings against quarrelling (= 2+ 2+ 2 distichs). 3 Keep far from strife, and ‘sins will keep far from thee: ®For a passionate man kindleth strife? ; ly And a sinful man fstirreth up strife among friends‘, And casteth enmity® in the midst of the peaceful. 9 According to its fuel, so will the fire burn ; 4 And according to the vehemence of the strife, so doth it increase™’ ; And according to the ¢might# of a man, so is his wrath ; And according to (his) wealth, so doth he increase* his anger. kk Strife begun in haste kindleth fire**, t And a hasty quarrel 'leadeth to bloodshed'. If thou blow a spark it burneth, ™and if thou spit upon it it is quenched” ; And both ®come out of thy mouth”.

(ἢἣ XXVIII. 13-26. The mischief that is wrought by a wicked tongue 3°Curse the whisperer and double-tongued®, PFor it hath destroyed many that were at peace?.

jt The third tongue “hath taken many captive4, | And hath dispersed them tamong many nations’ ; Even strong cities hath it destroyed’,

And laid wastet the dwellings of the great. }) The third tongue hath cast out "brave women?, | And deprived them of their labours’. }? He that hearkeneth thereto shall not find rest, Neither shall be dwell in quietness”. ’ The stroke of a whip maketh a mark, | But the stroke of the tongue breaketh bones.

a4 So $: GH ‘thou shalt diminish sins’ eos > Mf Cp. 3: & lit. ‘troubleth friends’ &So SD: — & ‘calumny’ bhP> In B shis clause has got out of place, coming at the end of the verse i So 7o 248 αὐυξηθησεται (= 8) for εκκαυθησεται iit ἕν “honour of the hands’ k Zit. ‘exalt’ kk-kk $ ‘Gum and pitch kindle a fire’ 1 Zit. ‘ sheddeth blood’ m-m 248 > n-n $ ‘are from thee’ 0-0 % ‘ May the third tongue be cursed’ p-P S ‘ For it hath cast away many slain’ a-a§o$: GH ‘hath shaken many’

rr [77,.‘from nation to nation’ s Z7/.‘pulleddown’ +t 211. ‘overturned’ U"S‘many’ YS ‘wealth’ WWS>

8. Keep far. Cp.ix.13. It is quite possible that, as Smend suggests, the clauses of vv. 8, 9 have got displaced, and that their order should be 8 a, 9a, ὃ ὁ, οὖ. With v.8 cp. vili. 1, Prov. xxvi. 21, xxix. 22.

το. According to its fuel... Lit. ‘As is the fuel of a fire, so will it burn’; cp. Prov. xxvi. 20; Jas. iil. 5. The more inflammable the matter which is put on the fire the more fiercely it burns, and in the same way, the more contentious the cause of the strife, the more bitter will it be.

vehemence. orepéwots = NOSY, cp. xi. 9 (Smend); cp. also Isa. xl. 29, xlvii. 9. The varying degrees of the vehemence of a quarrel are conditioned by the causes which give rise to it.

might. Not material strength here, but social rank.

according to (his) wealth... The richer a man and the more exalted his position the more will he resent any one crossing him.

11. Strife begun in haste. These words, in view of the next clause, evidently do not represent the original; 3 (see critical note) very likely echoes the Hebrew, if it does not give the exact translation. Both in & and 35, as they stand, the parallelism between the two clauses is incomplete.

12. If thou blow... Quoted in the Midrash Wayyigra Radéa, ch. xxxiii, thus: ‘ There was a glowing coal (nna)

| before him; he blew upon it, and it blazed up; he spat upon it, and it was extinguished’ Though Ben-Sira is not ; mentioned as the author of these words in the Midrash, they are evidently a quotation from his book. It may be

gathered that in the Hebrew ‘ glowing coal’ was read instead of ‘ spark’.

And both... The words are illustrated by Prov. xv. 1: ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath, but a grievous word stirreth up anger.’ The words which will kindle strife, as well as those which will avoid it, come from the same | mouth; whether it is to be war or peace depends upon yourself.

13. the whisperer and... Cp.v. 9,14; and with the whole section cp. Jas. iil. I-12. 14. The third tongue. A literal translation of the Hebrew, which is represented in Rabbinical literature by ΤΉΝ send, a technical expression for the tongue of the slanderer; cp. e.g. Avakin 156: ‘The third tongue kills | three,’ viz. the slanderer, the slandered, and he who believes the slander ; on the last of these see v. 16.

15. hath cast out brave women. ¢&Badev ...; cp. vii. 26, where ἐκβάλλειν is used of divorcing a wife. For the expression ‘brave women’, i.e. noble women, cp. xxvi. 2.

16. He that hearkeneth thereto. This refers to the third person whom the third tongue ‘kills’; see the quotation in note on v.14. The husband is primarily thought of.

17. ...breaketh bones. Cp. Prov. xxv. 15.

Rep w

29 1+*He that lendeth to (his) neighbour »showeth kindness’,

18 ν᾿ Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, ἐν But not (so many) as they that have fallen through the tongue”. 19 Happy the man that is sheltered* therefrom, And that **hath not passed through** the wrath thereof; That hath not drawn the yoke thereof, And that hath not been bound with its bands. 20 For its yoke is a yoke of iron, And its bands are bands of brass. 21 The death thereof is an evil death, Υ And the rest of Hades is better than hers’. 22 (But) it hath no power over the godly, They will not be burned in her flame ; 23 They that® forsake the Lord shall fall into it’, And she will burn among them, and not be quenched ; As a lion shall she be sent upon them, And as a leopard shall she destroy them”. (a) °For as thou enclosest thy vineyard with thorns‘,

25(6) So make ‘doors and bolts“ for thy mouth. 24(6) °Thou makest a bolt‘ for® thy silver and gold, 25(2) Make a balance and weight for thy words.

26 Take heed that thou slip not thereby’, Lest thou fall before "him that ensnareth®.

(j) XXIX. 1-13. On lending and borrowing (= 3+3+3+1+3+3 distichs).

And Che that taketh him by the hand* keepeth the commandments. 2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need,

And pay thou thy neighbour again at the appointed time. 3 Confirm thy word, and keep faith with him ;

And (so) shalt thou always have what thou needest.

ww-ww % «Many are they that are killed with the sword, but they are not (as many) as they that are killed by the }

tongue.’ x S ‘preserved ’ xx-xx $ ‘hath not mingled with’ y-y (ἃ ‘And more profitable is Hades

than her’ z-z % * All who forsake the fear of God the fire shall burn ’ aS ‘All who’ b$% ‘tear them —

in pieces’ ce & * See that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns’ ἀ-ἃ (τ ‘a door and a bar’ e-e (τ ‘bind up’ f Lit, ‘seal? £3 >: Ὁ ‘in thy tongue’ h-h % ‘thine enemy’ ἃ 307 inserts the title: ‘Concerning loans’ (= %) Ἐπ᾿ 9 “ obtaineth good interest’ “τὸ So S: G& ‘he that

19. ...that is sheltered therefrom. Cp. the Sept. of Ps. xxxi. 20: ‘Thou shalt shelter them in a pavilion from

the contradiction of tongues.’

hath not drawn the yoke. Cp. Deut. xxi. 3.

bands. Of the yoke, i.e. the tongue here. a yoke ofiron. Cp. Jer. xxviii. 14. . The death thereof... i.e. the death caused by the third tongue (see note on v. 14). . They will not be burned. Cp. Jas. iii. 5-8. . into it. i.e. the flame of the wicked tongue. destroy. λυμαίνομαι ; lit. ‘to mutilate’.

NNN ND

wWNRO

24-25. The clauses of these verses have got out of order, as their contents show: the proper order should be as >

given in the text. 70 248 1 read 25 ὁ twice over, once after 25 a and again after 24a; S places 25 ὦ after 24 a. 246. Thou makest a bolt. For the rendering of & (see critical note) cp. Deut. xiv. 25; 2 Kings v. 23. 25a. Makea balance. Cp. xvi. 25, xxi. 25. 26. that thou slip not. For ὀλισθάνω cp. 111. 24, xiv. 1, xxi. 7, xxv. 8. 1. Showeth kindness. Cp. xlvi. 7 (JDM AY); also Exod. xxii. 25; Lev. xxv. 36; 2 Sam. ix. 3. that taketh him by the hand. ὁ ἐπισχύων τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ; cp. Ley. xxv. 35 (113 pnd). keepeth the commandments. Cp. xxxvii. 12 7189 7’, and the Rabbinical phrase Niyd τῶν,

2. Lend... Cp. Prov. xix.16,17. In accordance with both Biblical and Rabbinical teaching there is no mention |

pS ee

νει τὰ * pe ed = OS ee ὐζοσς Ὅσο ἰς ee te a τορος eT ak ee es ree

here of interest ; in Lev. xxv. 36 it is said: ‘Take thou no usury of him, or increase’; cp. Baba Bathra goa: ‘A usurer ! |

is comparable to a murderer, for the crimes of both are equally irremediable’ (quoted by Abrahams, Jew7sh Life in the Middle Ages, p. 237). E

pay thou thy neighbour... Cp. iv. 31; Ps. xxxvii.21. See also Pivge Adoth ii. 13: ‘Go and see which is the

evil way a man should shun.... Rabbi Simeon said, “ He that borroweth, and payeth not again.”’’ 7

3. keep faith. Cp. xxvii. 17.

| Many have reckoned a loan as a windfall4, And have brought trouble® on them that helped them. |; Until he receive it, he kisseth thy hand, And speaketh humbly about his neighbour’s money ; But when payment is due, he prolongeth the time, f And after much time he repayeth’. i If he is able [to repay], he [i-e. the lender] will hardly" receive the half, And counteth it as a windfall; If not [able to repay], he hath deprived him [i.e. the lender] of his money, And he hath made him an enemy unnecessarily®. He repayeth him with cursings and railings, And instead of honour *he repayeth him®* with insult®. Many, therefore’, have turned away [from lending] because of wickedness, | (For) they feared ‘to be defrauded for naught*. ‘kk But with the man of low estate be longsuffering, 1And let him not™ wait for alms’. »™Ffelp the poor man for the commandment’s sake, 2 And grieve not for the loss®. »Lose money for the sake of a brother or a friend, And °let it not rust® under a stone Por a wall”. “Lay up for thyself a treasure of righteousness and love’, And it shall profit thee more than ‘all that thou hast*. | fsStore up almsgiving tin thy treasuries*’, And it shall deliver thee from all evil; ᾿ Better than a mighty shield and a heavy spear Shall (this) fight for thee against “an enemy*.

strengtheneth him with his hand’ d L7z, ‘ find’ e So B: & ‘grief’ (= & Syro-Hex) (f & ‘He returneth words of heaviness, and complaineth of the (shortness) of the time’ Τῷ» ἔϑο Anca (ΞΞ.9 3): | 8*B ‘not without cause’ ge-s8 S > h Zit. ‘dishonour’” iB >: N? V 253 307 ᾧ 3» Syro-Hex have a negative (ov for ovv) k-k $ ‘an empty quarrel’ Kk 307 inserts the title wept edenpoovrns 11g > + ™ B omits the negative mm 30, znserts the rifle: De dato in proximo n-n @& * And according to his need-send him not away empty’ (V 248 > ‘empty’) o-o S$ ‘put it not’: 248 3» ‘hide it not’: V ‘let it not be saved’ (σωθητω for ιωθητω) p-P So : (ἃ ‘for perishing’ 4-4 @& ‘Lay up thy treasure according to the command- 'ments of the Most High’ tr G& ‘cold’ τ ® inserts the title: De misericordia s-s 3 ‘ Bind up alms and put them in thy store-chamber’ t-t © ‘in the heart of the poor’ uu $ ‘many’

4....asa windfall. i.e. they did not repay the loan. 5. he kisseth thy hand. i.e. in insincere servility.

speaketh humbly. Lit. ‘ humbleth his voice’, i.e. he speaks as one awestruck and humbled by his neighbour’s wealth, thus implying that it would be but a trifling matter for one of such wealth to make a loan.

prolongeth the time. 1. 6. delays repayment.

And after much time... See critical note. The rendering of S is to be preferred to that of & because ‘he returneth words of heaviness’ forestalls what is said in 6 e/; it is probable that the words καὶ τὸν καιρὸν αἰτιάσεται are merely a bad translation of 732 Ny) (Smend), ‘after much time.’ The two last clauses of τ΄. 5 (as in the text above) are elaborated in v.6: with the words, ‘ But when payment is due, he prolongeth the time,’ must be read v. 6 a-d, and with the words, ‘And after much time he repayeth, must be read 6e¢f The rendering of 5 in the clause under consideration must be understood ironically ; the borrower repays indeed, but with ‘ cursings and railings’; that literal repayment is not meant is clear from 6 ἀπὸ.

7.... because of wickedness. i.e. many have refused to lend money because experience has taught them that they may not be able to get their money back owing to the unscrupulousness of the borrower.

to be defrauded for naught. The rendering of $ (see critical note) is perhaps to be preferred.

8. But... Nevertheless; the man is justified who will not part with his money for the reason just mentioned, nevertheless there are other reasons which should induce him to part with it.

9. for the commandment’s sake. See Deut. xv. 7, 8, cp. xxxii. 7. In Baba Bathra ga it is said that ‘ almsgiving is equal in value to all other commandments’ (quoted in /Z, i. 435 ὁ). ᾿

And grieve not... The rendering of $ accords better with the context, and is preferable to &.

Io. Lose money... Cp. xxxvii. 6. let it not rust. Cp. Matt. vi. 19; Jas. v. 3.

under a stone... For treasures hidden away cp. Isa. xlv. 3. ; y ; 11. Lay up for thyself... The rendering of $ strikes one as more original than &, which reads as though it were explanatory. 12. Storeup... The renderings of & S have the same meaning.

it shall deliver thee... Cp. vii. 32, xii. 2; Tobit ii. 14, iv. 9-11- 13. Shall (this) fight for thee... Cp. iil. 30.

(k) XXIX. 14-20. Concerning suretyship (= 3+ 2+2 distichs).

€ 14 A good man becometh surety for his neighbour, P But he that hath lost the sense of shame Yrunneth away from his surety”. 15 “Forget not the good offices of thy surety, For he hath given his life for thee. 16 ΧΑ sinner disregardeth” the goodness of his surety, 17 #And the ungrateful* man faileth him that delivered him’. 18 Suretyship hath undone many *that were prospering, bb And tossed them about as a wave of the sea”? ; Men of wealth hath it driven from their homes, And they had to wander among strange nations. 19 The sinner falleth in (his) suretyship‘*, And *he that followeth after sins4 falleth into judgements. 20 Help® thy neighbour according to thy power, δ And take heed to thyself, that thou fall not.

(2) XXIX. 21-28. The advantages of contentment and independence (= 1+ 3+3+1 distichs).

21 The chief thing for life* is water and bread, And a garment, and a house to cover nakedness’. 22 Better the life of the poor under a shelter of logs, Than sumptuous fare ‘in the house of strangers'. 23 With little or with much, be contented ; xC4248% *So wilt thou not (have to) hear the reproach of thy wandering!*™. & 24 An evil life (it is) to go from house to house, And where thou art” a stranger thou" (must) not open (thy)™ mouth. Ξ 25 °A stranger thou art [in that case], and drinkest contempt° ; G And besides this thou wilt (have to) hear bitter things: 26 ‘Come hither, sojourner, furnish (my) table, And if thou hast aught, feed me (therewith) ’ ; 27 (Or): ‘Get thee gone, sojourner?, from the face ‘of honour4, My brother is come as my guest, '(I have) need of my house™!’

er Se? SPS Se YO rey

vv SoS: & ‘will fail him’ Wow > > > inserts here ‘The sinner and the dishonourable man (immundus) fleeth from his surety’: 248 adds this (omitting ‘and the dishonourable man’) αἴ the end of the verse y Lit. ‘will overthrow ’ z-2 % ‘He who forsaketh his Creator forsaketh him that delivereth him ’ ἃ 248 ‘unprofitable — in mind’ bbZ > bb-bb 3 «And they went unto a strange people’ C70 248 SL + ‘transgressing the commandments of the Lord’ d-d So S$: (τ ‘he that undertaketh contracts for work’ eS ‘Go surety for’ ΤΊ inserts the title: De frugalitate honesta et hospitalitate & A® most cursives 8 & Syro-Hex +* of }

Pees eee eS Pe PE ee

% ‘And what he doeth in his house none seeth ’ 1,80 & peregrinationis: read παροικιας for οἰκιας τὰ 253) Syro-Hex +‘For there is one who humbleth and exalteth’ 0B SH 3rd pers. 0-0 @& ‘thou shalt entertain,

man’ h/JZit.‘shame’ i Z7f,* among strangers’: $ ‘in exile’: 30 in peregre sine domicilio *k&> and give to drink, without thanks’ Ps > a-a % amicorum meorum r1S> ;

14. becometh surety. Cp. viii. 13. Contrast with this Prov. vi. 1 ff., xvii. 18, &c. a 15. the good offices. Or ‘kindnesses’ (χάριτας).

For he hath given. Cp. Prov. xx. 16, xxii. 27.

16. A sinner disregardeth... Lit. ‘A sinner overturneth the good things of (his) surety’, i.e. disregards his obligations in spite of the kindness shown (cp. v. 15); it is also possible to take the words to mean that the sinner, by — disregarding his obligations, involves his surety in ruin; but this is rather the meaning of v. 17. ἡ

18. Men, ruined by unscrupulous persons, have had to leave their homes and seek a living in foreign lands. Ν᾿

19. The preceding verse has described how good men have been ruined because they have become surety out τ

kindness ; this verse refers to evil men who have been ruined because they became surety for evil purposes, e.g. for the

sake of usurlous practices. ᾿ | 20. Help others as far as you can, but be careful not to ruin yourself; cp. vili. 13. 21. The chief thing for life. Cp. xxxix. 26. ι 253... Ὁ the ἘΕΒΞΟΒΌΝ of... i.e. the reproaches which the wanderer has to listen to when dependent on others.

Although both & and S omit this clause, it is most probably genuine ; cp. next two verses. P| 25. Astranger... The rendering of S is, on the face of it, more genuine than that of &.

drinkest contempt. Cp. Prov. xxvi. 6.

27. from the face of honour. A literal translation of 7) ‘JE (Deut. xxviii. 20); cp. $ NPN DIP {PD (Ryssel), |

These things are grievous to a man of understanding: **Upbraiding concerning sojourning’, and the reproach of a money-lender™'*.

He that loveth his son ἢ will continue” (to lay) ‘strokes upon him®, That he may rejoice over him at the last.

He that disciplineth his son ‘shall have satisfaction of him, And among °his acquaintance® glory in him.

3 He that teacheth his son maketh his enemy jealous,

And in the presence of friends exulteth in him.

| " When his father dieth ‘he dieth not altogether’,

For he hath left one behind him like himself. In his life he saw’ and rejoiced}, And in death he hath not been grieved.

δὶ Against enemies he hath left behind Jan avengerj,

And to friends one that requiteth favour‘.

7*He that pampereth his son* 'shall bind up his wounds},

And his heart ™trembleth™ at every cry.

|3 An unbroken horse "becometh stubborn’,

And a son °left at large® becometh headstrong”.

tm-rr 3 ‘Upbraiding and usury, and the loan of a money-lender’ 8 Reading παροικίας for οἰκιας (Smend) *% + ‘Give very freely to the poor, and feed him from that which thou hast at hand; if he be naked clothe him; thus wilt thou be lending unto God, and He will repay thee sevenfold’

2B ἄς. pr. tit. περι τεκνων (307 Aoyos €TEpOs TOU αὐτου περι τεκνων): but Syro-Hex. 253 &c. omz/: & de disciplina

~ filiorum b-b & ἐνδελεχησει : S ‘will renew’ ὁτὸ & μαστιγας avr: 95 ‘his strokes’ d-d Ge ovnoerar (δ: αινεθησεται WH: noOnoera τοῦ, evppavOncera 248 3S): 38:0 (13) we ee E γνωριμων : S ‘his neighbours’ Cf & (ετελευτησεν αὐτου ὁ πατηρὴ καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἀπεθανεν: S ‘and is almost ( is not quite) dead’ (ΠῚ noo ni : xoqan Ὁ wellnigh ’, ‘almost’, as 7m 4 Ezra vii. 48: Zaz. ‘pene’, Greek ὡς ovr) €S + ‘him’ h 248 + ex are & 1S s/ransposes clauses (a) and (b) ( perhaps rightly) J3 (ἃ ἐκδικον : % defensorem domus EEG (N*BA Sah Eth L) περι ψυχων wor: read with 248 περιψυχὼν υἱον (N®A &c. also read vw0v) 9 (AN3 ΡΞ: cp. P35!) Prov. xxix. 21 = ‘one pampering’) 1-| G& xaradeopevoet τραυματα αὐτου : 85. ‘his wounds

shall be increased’ (& 9 "Β΄" : $ Π2 " | Hart}) m-M (ἃ ταραχθήσεται: 85. ‘shall be empty’ n-n && aro- βαινει σκληρος ( ἢ AV) 0-0 Er ἀνειμενος (? ndvin) P-P εκβαινει mpoadns (3 for whole verse: ‘like a young

» meaning that the sojourner has now no more to expect any honour being shown to him, because a guest has arrived ;

the wanderer must only expect attention when there is no one else there to claim it. brother. Used in the wide sense. ΤῊΝ 28. The addition to this verse in 3 (see critical note) Smend regards as ἃ translation from an original Hebrew text, though of a secondary character (see Introd. § 3 (c)).

XXX. I— XXXII. 13 (= G. XXXV. 13). With ch. xxx a new division of the book begins, the change being marked not only by the difference of theme, but also by a difference in the method of treatment. A number of subjects now come in for brief and practical treatment. The division contains eight subsections, the subjects of which range over the upbringing of children, health, and conduct at meals and banquets.

1. He that loveth his son .. . strokes. Cp. Prov. xiii. 24 (‘He that spareth his rod hateth his son’, &c.),

at the last. i.e. in the latter part of his (the parent’s) life. :

2. He that disciplineth his son... satisfaction of him. Cp. Prov. xxix. 17 (‘ Correct thy son... and he shall give delight unto thy soul’). The Greek word here rendered ‘have satisfaction of’ (ὀνίνασ θαι) occurs only again in the Greek Bible in Philemon 20, where it is used with the same meaning as here. It was regularly employed in Greek of joy in children. ; Deen. ;

4. When his father dieth he dieth not altogether ...like himself. i.e. the father lives on in his son. ‘ This and the following verse cast light on one of the great consolations and hopes which the writer entertained in regard to death : (viz.) continuance in one’s children’ (Edersheim). The son being regarded in this light, it was all-important that he should be pious. - :

6. Against enemies... Cp. Ps. cxxvii. 5 (a man who has a number of stalwart sons to support him will not be exposed to the danger of an unjust conviction at the place of trial (the gate)).

7. shall bind up his wounds. 1.6. the wounds of his son, incurred in reckless play or adventure, when allowed to go on unchecked. S% (so Edersheim) understood the ‘ wounds’ to be those of the indulgent father.

ateverycry. Either of the son, or that caused by him (so Edersheim).

8. a son left at large. Cp. Prov. xxix. 15 (‘a child left to himself’).

10 "Laugh not with him", ’lest he vex thee’, 11 “Let him not have freedom” in his youth,

12 7*Bow down his neck! in his youth*,

13 Discipline thy son ®and make his yoke heavy “,

14 Better is one that is poor, band is healthy in his body”,

9 °Cocker® thy son ‘and he will terrify thee"; *Play with him® tand he will grieve thee’.

vy And make thee gnash thy θείῃ ἡ at the last.

x And overlook not* Yhis mischievous acts’.

And smite his loins sore while he is little*— Lest” he become stubborn? “and rebel against thee®,

4And thou experience anguish of soul on his account*.

Lest ‘in his folly 8/he stumble!®.

(6) XXX. 14-20. The blessing of good health (= 3+1+3 distichs).

Than a rich man who is plagued in his flesh.

horse that has not been broken, so is a rebellious son that listens not to his father’ 9-9 Ge τιθηνησον (? jOX ‘nurture tenderly’: cf. Lam. iv. 5): $ ‘chasten’ [read ‘ thy son’ with 3: (ἃ has τεκνον only | Tr So) Cia S ‘lest thou be mocked’ ss §o @&: S ‘and if thou laugh with him’ (%? pnw {πὸ Or καὶ λυπησει σε ἢ FSP") u-u So G&: % ‘do not go with him according to his pleasure’ ἢ wy T7YIN by (Smend), 1.4. “be not complacent with him’ (cp. Job xxxiv. 9, Ps. 1. 18): ¢hrs may be right v-v So 3 ? Dd" JD: Ck wa py συνοδυνηθῃς (248 &c. Syro-Hex 3Ὁ οδυνηθῃς) W-wY @& has και... γομφιασεις τοὺς odovras σου (‘and thou shalt gnash,’ &c.): but 70 has γομφιασει ‘he shall cause (thee) to gnash’ ( 8): so read w-w 99 (AZS. B begins here) wdwnn bx, Δ, “Jet him not have rule’ or ‘independence’ & py des avrw εξουσιαν: 3 = B x-x 3) nvm ὈΝῚ (‘and forgive not ἢ: («- (248) kat μὴ παριδῃς y-y 35 yminnys: G& (248) Tas ayvo.as αὐτου x cogitatus — evvotas) 2-2 15 has the first two stichot of v. 12 in a double form, as follows : ] pian *n dy np (a) sTy2 wae Yond ps7 (b) NAIA wN FD (c) ΣΡ aywnw> wand ypar (d)

Here (a) and (Ὁ) form a doublet of (c) and (4); (a) 7s obviously corrupt, and yrelds no tolerable sense: Schechter emends to YPan *n ἫΝ ipnd: then render (a) and (Ὁ) : ‘beat his shoulder while it is yet tender, crush his loins vs

while he is yet a youth’ (Zev? emends "n yabdya ena, ze. ‘beat his shoulder in his youth’). or wx in (c) read \NYS with & and & (cp. li. 26) απὸ Reading (affer Ge 248) WNNIYII NI 83 [τού 10 homoioteleuton all MSS.

of & except 428 and three other cursives omit 11 ὦ and 12 a: in 248 the two lines run: (11 6) kat μη παριδῃς τας ayvoras αὐτου (12 4) καμψον tov τραχηλον αὐτου ev νεότητι} bb Reading AW’ = G& (σκληρυνθεις), so S: Q ΠΡῸΣ (scrzbal error)

mg. wep ee So BIIAIWNCEarabyoy σι Ἃ-ἃ vO mB wo Thy (‘and there will be born from him _| an expiry of soul’): (ἃ καὶ ἐσται σοι (+ εξ αὐτου 106) οδυνη ψυχης : 50 248 70 τοῦ and UL, but uncials omit (9 reading oF WEI NID for 5) ΠΕ} : so Hart) e-e So ® ry Taam: G καὶ epyaca ev αὐτῳ (? Py Dayan): S ‘be hard towards him’ £1 Sy H: δὶ ἐν τῇ ἀσχημοσυνῃ σοὺ (bul 248 H &c.avror) ὠ ὀ ΕἼ GE προσκοψῃ PPR (s0 read | with Peters): % Ja yony (® mg. dyn’ “lift himself up against thee’) b-h 15. yosya "ΠῚ (ΟΠ. offen ‘healthy’ in PBH): & vyms ( MM) και ἐσχυὼν ty εξει ( explanatory paraphrase for yyy): ‘that is healthy and firm in his body’ & 1 Reading W) DMO (ἃ vyea και εὐεξια (WY ‘soundness, ‘strength’: Aram. 77, ‘to be sound,’ firm’); so Peters: Q WW nN (2c. WW INV, so 38 mg.) ‘bodily health’ ($ 38) i Sow |

ἜΠΟΣ Comer. Nurture tenderly (‘tend as a nurse’, Edersheim; Heb. f®N); cp. Lam. iv. 5 (‘they that were nurtured . in scarlet’), ae: Laugh not with him. Or ‘be not complacent with him’ (see critical note). Fritzsche quotes from Solon: liberis ne arrideas, ut in posterum non fleas’ (cited by Edersheim). 12. Bow down his neck. Cop. li. 26 (‘and bring your necks under her yoke’). has ‘ Bow down his head’, i.e. humble him; cp. iv. 7; Isa. lviii. 5. smite his loins sore. Cp. Ezek. xxix. 7. anguish of soul. Cp. Job xi. 20 (‘giving up of the ghost’). 13. Discipline thy son. Cp. vii. 23. make his yoke heavy. Cp. 1 Kings xii. 10 (phrase).

(5 ‘Health and soundness shave I desiredi more than fine gold, ¥ And a cheerful spirit* !more than pearls!

(6 There is no wealth ™above the wealth™ "of a sound body", And no ™good™ above °a good disposition®.

7 Better death “than a wretched life®, And eternal rest "than continual pain’.

18 Good things ‘poured οὐδ" before a mouth that is closed

‘Are as an offeringt "that is placed before an idol®.

τὸ Y How can (such) “profit® *the images* of the heathen

Which are unable either to eat or smell¥ ?

NN 3: (ἃ βελτίων Καὶ So ® Aw ΠῚ S: G& καὶ copa ευρωστον (? capa, a corruption of mvevpa: so Lévr) 1 ® op S ( pearls’): (τ (freely) ἢ o\Bos ἀμετρητος m-m SoH: & (βελτιων) and 85 (G like ’) omdt (Peters omits second Wy): but & (census super censum) and the parallelism with next line. support ® n-n ® pyy 7w (z. e. ‘soundness of body’) & nn-nn AIO: (ἃ εὐφροσυνὴ S 0-0 329 395 ND ‘oodness of heart’ : Gk χαραν καρδιας P-P ® has this verse in a double form :

Dyn orm mod ww (c)) _ xiv ym mind aw (a)

stew aan Sweet τοὶ (a) ) (Mg. dyn ovnn) joa ὩΝΘ ody ΠΠῸ (Ὁ)

{τ κρεισσων θανατὸς ὑπερ ζωὴν πικραν (Ν 6.8 70 + και ἀναπαυσις αἰωνιος : so ᾿', et requies eterna) ἢ appeotnpa εμμονον =

aay “aD ® (d) and S$: Peters poss "39 38 (Ὁ) ss So HG: S‘shut up’ (bona abscondita) tt ® pn Gk θεματα (B Syro-Hex Gena) βρωματων : cp. 3 ‘as foods’ u-u ® byby ΣΡ ΓΝ: (ἃ παρακειμενα ἐπι tapo (9 &), reading bi (sdbiz) ‘the stone which closes a grave’ V-v # has a lacuna tn its text

corresponding 10 vv. 19 a-d and 20 ἃ, which vs supplied by the margin: ἸΏ text has 20 Ὁ immediately after 18 Ὁ: ona ‘ibid [dyp ΠΙῸ το (a) | [pap xdy pba xb ἼΩΝ το (b) :MINND) ΠῚ) Pan OID AWNI 20(b) τι B "εχ. ® adds the following Ιου. 20: DAVID DINI Aeny ja] 20 c [yD wpad Ὁ

[1 hese lines 20 οτθ are unoriginal. |

(τ τι συμῴερει καρπωσις εἰδωλῳ ; το (a) οὐτε yap εδεται, OUTE μὴ οσφρανθῃ ΞΞ (19b) ovTws ὁ εκδιωκομενος ὑπὸ κυριῳ. βλεπὼων δὲ οφθαλμοις καὶ στεναζων 20 (a)

ὠσπερ evvovxos περιλαμβανων παρθενον και στεναζων = 20(b)

(+ ovras 0 ποιων ev Bia κριματαὴ 20 ὁ (so 254 70 V &c., bul not uncials xx. 4 &)

16. There is no wealth... disposition. This verse is cited in Solomon ibn Gebirol’s ‘Choice of pearls (see Cowley-Neubauer, p. xxx) as follows: ‘There is no greater riches than health, no greater pleasure than a cheerful heart

(a 353 ΠΥΡῚ) ΝΟῚ myenas away ps). aes 17. Better death than a wretched life. Cf. Tobit iii, 13, 15 (‘why should I live?’); the sentiment often comes to expression in classical literature (cp. e.g. Eur. Hec. 377). : ; And eternal rest. Omitted by & (principal MSS.—see critical note), perhaps for dogmatic reasons (Edersheim). The omission may be due to later revision; note that 3} (‘ requies eterna’) attests the words, which probably belong to the original form of &. ᾿ x : 18. Good things... before a mouth that is closed... i.e. riches which cannot be enjoyed (owing to ill health) are as futileas food offered to an idol that can neither taste nor smell. ᾿ ὦ ; an offering ... placed before an idol. The heathen custom of offering food to idols is referred to (cp. e.g. the story embodied in Bel and the Dragon). @& (‘as messes of meat laid upon a grave’) makes the reference to the well-known heathen custom of providing food at the graves for the dead: cp. Tobit iv. 17 (and the notes there). 19. unable either to eat or smell. The phrase is borrowed from Deut. iv. 28 (cp. Ps. cxv. 4 f.).

20 °He seeth it® with his eyes °and sigheth*,

21 Give not thy soul *to sorrow”, 22 Heart-joy is life for a man,

23 Entice thyself® "and soothe thine heart,

So is he who possesseth wealth, “And hath no enjoyment? Pof it?’:

As %a eunuch? that embraceth a maiden®*’.

f And let not thyself become unsteadied with care’. And human gladness * prolongeth days". And ‘banish? jvexation) from thee :

For sorrow hath slain* many, And there is no !profit! ™in vexation™.

original. @ in tts third line of τ. 19 apparently preserves an unoriginal equivalent of το (c) (d); Peters regards the three original lines in ® as added to amplify the text from other parts of the book: τ. 20 (0) xx. 4b; v.20 (d) the care of the Harem) ‘eunuch’: so $ renders 20 ἃ NID ; but 1] ἐς unnecessary 10 regard WS) as a translation of 3; see Peters ad loc. against Levi | w-w Reading Sy yy G&S (so Peters); others ΔΘ; Smend 3} (‘what do men sacrifice, &c.’) x-x Smend 5:5: Peters sab (cp. Ps. xxxix. 7, Ixxiil, 20) 3: G& καρπωσις ¥S + ‘and drink not’ 2- So WS: Uk ovras o exdiwxopevos (read with Syro-Hex εκδικουμενος) ὑπὸ Kuptov ὃ OPIN "DJ το Ἢ (19) + 20e a-a H mn (Wf. of nn a PBH word) b-b 30 not quite certain: either — wo ( 3) or yA, ‘of his substance’ (¢he latter probably = W's reading: so Schechter, Strack, Smend) —

ee Reading MINN... ES d-d 39 OND, a mestake for D'ND ©® + mand (τ: probably an addition from the previous clause (so Peters) ee-ee 35 pid (2. iD: the same graphical mistake in Xxx. 23, XXXViil. 18) Pf (ἃ καὶ pn θλιψης σεαυτὸν ev βουλῃ σου Wsya Svan bey (so read with Peters) : ἢ text “n ora) nya (ὁ corrup! for Pry, but cp. Ps. xxxi. 11): ἢ mg. ἼΠΥΨ τε ES: B mg? Jnyy wan by fff Ge μακροημερευσις : WD) PANT (so read): 312 “εχ ox “Π (a seribal error): 85. ‘his life’ for “his days’ ( wn: so Schechter reads) ὅτε So ® ἼΣ5) nDS: G& ayaa (Jus N*eC V 253 254 &c. Syro-Hex anara 38) bh ® way S: Ce καὶ παρακαλεῖ [3%B, an Aramaism ? ‘refresh’ (‘mitigate’, ‘soothe’), ‘cause relaxation’ ] Hi ῬΠῚΠ ΞΞ & Hakpav ἀπόστησον 33 ppyp ( Grinye we ΚΝ (in, ANP) Kk Ge amexrewev (ul SAC ἀπωλεσεν : 248 combines the two verbs) 1-130 vbyn, ce. ndyin (or npyh) (gp. PBH noyin ‘profit’, ‘use’) G ὠφελια m-n So: G ev avry [5 for the whole line, ‘And anxiety destroyed them’]

non ® pin ny nba (ἃ πρὸ Katpou ynpas ayet (ynpas ayer the causative of ynpackew | Hart) : & ‘bring grey hairs’ — 0-0 ® yw, 2. ὁ. MY ( pl. constr.) ; ch. Prov. vi. 10: Ge apparently omits. 95. transposes (see next nole) p-P® τὸ

_ 21. Give not thy soul to sorrow. Cf. xxxviii. 20a G. The sentiment expressed in this verse and also in v. 23 is also re-echoed in the Talmud. Thus in Τὶ B. Yebamoth 63 ὁ the following is cited as from the Book of Ben-Sira: ‘Be not troubled for the trouble of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what the day may bring forth (= Prov. xxvii. 1). Perhaps on the morrow he will be no more, and be found grieving over a world that is not his’ (so Sazh. 100 6). Edersheim also cites: ‘Suffice sorrow for its hour’ (T. B. Berakh. ο 2), and ‘the sorrow of the hour (i.e. immediate sorrow) is sorrow’ (T. J. Abodah zarah 396).

And let not thyself become unsteadied with care. ¥ text, ‘and stumble not because of thine iniquity’; cp. Ps, xxxi. 10 (‘my life is consumed in sorrow... my strength stumbleth because of mine iniquity’). The rendering given above (‘and let not thyself become unsteadied’) = ‘stumble not’.

22. prolongeth days. Lit. ‘his days’ (or ‘his life’); see critical note. 1 has ‘prolongeth his anger’ (maketh him slow to anger) ; cp. Prov. xix. 11 (‘the discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger’). The mistake of the copyist may be due to his reminiscence of this passage (so Schechter).

23. soothe thine heart. The Hebr. word here rendered ‘soothe’ (3"5) ‘is sometimes used in Rab. literature in the sense of calming and rejoicing’ (Schechter).

᾿ banish vexation ... For sorrow hath slain many. The Talmud cites a form of this passage as from Ben-Sira in T. B. Savh. 1006 (in Aramaic): ‘let not sorrow enter thy heart, for sorrow hath killed strong men’

(97 Sep pra pas ἼΣΟΣ x Syn yd), a this point the dislocation of chapters, which has produced a different order in all extant Greek MSS., begins (Cod. 248 is not an exception). Chapters xxx. 25—xxxiii. 16 have been placed after xxxiii. 16—xxxvi. 11, thus

24 Envy and anger shorten days,

And anxiety "maketh old untimely”.

25 °The sleep° Pof a cheerful heart is like dainties?”,

41And his food is agreeable unto him‘.

(4) XXXI. (XXXIV.) 1-4. The anxieties of poverty and riches (= 2+2 distichs).

1* Watchful care over wealth" *wasteth the flesh’, ‘And anxiety about it* "dissipateth slumber®. 2 ἡ Anxiety about sustenance’ “breaketh off (?)* slumber *Even as severe sickness dissipateth sleep*. 3 The rich man ¥labourethY το gather? riches, And when he resteth, it is to *partake of delights*. 4The poor man °toileth® “for the needs of his house4, And if he rest *he becometh needy* ».

Doyo nnn 22: (ἃ λαμπρα καρδια και ἀγαθὴ exe εδεσμασιν ( ?W: 2? Aaurpa... xa ayabyn, a double rendering of 310): 3 ‘a good heart many (? mW s/ransposed—so Hart) are its meats’ (buf Smend suggests that both G& and S may have read DMYOYD 37 30 35), Levi thinks Mw in ἸῺ rs a title (= ‘of sleep’), and so ἐς omitted by G& and $ 4-ἃ ® γῶν ΠΟ axn: “and his food (8 ‘all that he eats’) goes up upon him’ ($ ‘ upon his body’), ὦ ὁ. ‘ agrees

with him’ (ἃ mzsunderstands ® and renders freely: τῶν βρωματων avrns επιμελησεται. γα So & WY ΡΨ: ® mg. sv uu ® vex? 113 pyran (ἃ αφιστᾳ ὑπνον VV 39 ND MINT; (ἃ μέριμνα aypurmas (αγρυπνιας

JSrom previous line): 3 B® wow ® YIN: (ἃ amarynoe (bul read with 35 [avertit | ἀποστήσει ἢ YH): SB (39 7 Aram. to break, divide, exchange) sx Reading mw yan (® mg.) apn Adm (38 mg. wan for yan); 38 Aas ΠῚ) al end ; but read nw G&: (ἃ και appoornpa βαρυ εἐκνηψει (? YAN so 38 mg.) ὑπνὸν : but S supports yan. [1ἢ adds two lines, which are not ortginal, to this verse: they are omitted by & and 3 and do not harmonize with the context. AHI WIN ONT YI :viDID INN Wo Wnon

‘Reproach putteth to flight the faithful friend, But he that hideth a secret loveth (a friend) as his own soul.’

Cp. xxii. 22, xxvii. 17, xli. 22] y-y Reading Soy with ἸΏ mg. = G&S: ἢ ext ‘ony (‘the labours of a rich man are to,’ &c.) zz Reading yapd with & >: Ὦ προ (from next line) a-a H yn bad: (ἃ ἐμπιμπλασαι τῶν τρυφηματων αὐτου (35 ‘to partake of banquets ἠὴ) b-b ® gzves a double recension of this verse: ana mond Ὃν doy (c) ima sond yy (a) 15 Ama xd ΠῚ ow (4) :pay am my oy (Ὁ)

According to Smend (c) and (a) give the original text of ® c-c ® (a) yr’: ® (c) ὉῸΝ (so Smend) ὅτ 10) (8)

wma spond: ® (c) map “Ἰοπῦ ? ὅτ ev edarowse βιον (IND mond ? ‘for lack of means for himself’ = 3)

producing the order in @& xxx. 24; xxxill. 16—Xxxvi. 11; Xxx. 25—Xxxlll. 15; XXXVI. 12 ef seq. elt is evident that this must have proceeded from a misplacement of the sheets in the archetype of our Greek MSS.’ (Edersheim). Note that # and S have the right order; so ¥.] P

25. The sleep of a cheerful heart is like dainties. Cp. Prov. xv. 15 ‘he that is of a cheerful heart hath

a continual feast’. ἘΣ ΑΝ 5

And his food is agreeable unto him. The Hebr. phrase here used (see critical note) = lit. ‘and his food goes up upon him’ ($ ‘upon his body’). It may be illustrated from the Adoth de Rabbi Nathan (ed. Schechter), ch. xxvi: ‘food which does not go up upon (i.e. which does not agree with) one’s body’ (Ἰ5}} Sy ody orev? ardor).

τ. anxiety about it dissipateth slumber. Cp. (for the phraseology) xlii. 9. ; ee ;

2. breaketh off(?) slumber. The Hebr. word rendered ‘ breaketh off’ occurs also in Rabbinic literature in the sense of ‘to destroy’, ‘cause to disappear’. For the additional clauses in # which are attached to v. 2 see critical note. They deal with the law of loving one’s neighbour (cf. Lev. xix. 12, 34). ‘ :

3. The rich man... delights. This verse may underlie Luke xii. 18-19 (so Peters). For the phrase ‘to partake of delights’ cp. xli. 4d (38). ΕΑΝ ὦ ὃ : a 4. The poor man toileth... Cf. with the sentiment here expressed the Rabbinic citation attributed to Ben-Sira

(ec) XXXI. (XXXIV.) 5-11. The perils of mammon-worship (= 3+24+241 distichs).

5 He that ‘loveth gold “shall not go unpunished§, And he that ‘pursueth’ Phire* *erreth thereby’. 6 Many there are that have J bound themselves to gold! k And have put their trust in corals*. 7 It is a stumbling-block! ™ for the foolish™, » And whoso is simple is snared thereby". 8 Happy is °the rich man® that is found blameless, And that hath not ?gone astray following? mammon! 9 Who is he? that we may felicitate him— For he hath done wondrously among his people. το Who “hath been tested® by it 'and remained unharmed’, *So that it hath redounded to his glory ν᾽

ff Reading 37s in (a) and YN) in (Ὁ) with G& 3: 18 inverts the order &-s 38 7p nb G ov δικαιωθησεται bh 19. > nD: (ἃ διαφθοραν (corrupt for διάφορον ): S ‘mammon’ 1πὶ 35 mw 12 & avros πλησθησεται (+ avrns 296 308 ): 21. am αὑτης πλανθησεται Ὦ and Ὁ (AW: bul & may mv: so Peters) i Ὦ 2ΠῚ ‘San ‘bound of (given in pledge to) gold’: Gr εδοθησαν εἰς πτωμα χαριν χρυσιου: bul 248 εδεθησαν xapw χρυσιου ®: S ‘rich’ (® mzgh/ mean ‘have been destroyed of gold’) K-k ® oy 35 by (2. pmpyan) moan: $ ‘and have trusted ( D'n0)3)) in their riches’: Ge καὶ ἐγενηθὴ ἡ ἀπωλεια αὐτῶν Kata πρόσωπον αὐτῶν by nba ὃ DMD (or ὃ ΤῊ AM: Pelers reads }y7INM\—‘and destruction was before their face’): H + (so S) 2 Lines:

ayan dyand wwsn ΝΟῚ ΠΣ} ova yernd on

‘And they found not how to deliver themselves from evil, And also to save themselves in the time of wrath.

(& ‘in the time of their end’.) But (ἃ rightly omits (the lines are a gloss; cp. Prov. Xi. 4) 1 So (ἃ ξυλον προσκομματος bon Vy (Ὁ 5 for yy (displacement): % also inserts "3) m-m Syxb Gk τοῖς ἐνθυσιαζουσιν αὐτῳ (‘unto them that sacrifice unto it’ R.V.): du¢ x* and three cursives give the right reading ἐνθουσιαζουσιν (? confusing mx with byw: so Hart). See also & nn So ® Gr: S ‘every one that erreth therein stumbleth’ 0-0 Of πλουσιος S WY: so read Sor ® WN (Smend keeps Ὁ) b-p 38 ANN nda: urs (cnexacily) emropevOn οπισω 4-4 (ἃ εδοκιμασθη pray (Pefers 12 Pra): 3ἢ ΠΧ 12 Prww ΠῚ ew Ὁ: WB mg. payn (ΠῚ Nw from previous line): ‘who is he that we should cleave unto him?’ ( 3) /exv/) or ‘who is he that cleaveth unto it?’ (p13 7 PBH to examine, explore) rr Reading ody = GF καὶ ετελειωθη: ἢ oidy nm s3 35 > mm

which is given in the notes on χ]. 22. The alternative reading ‘for the lack of his means’ (for ΓΞ in this sense cp. Prov. v. 10; Job vi. 22) may possibly be right against ‘ for the lack of his house’. Cp. xi. 11.

5. He that loveth gold shall not go unpunished. Cp. Prov. xxviii. 20 (‘ he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished’); also Qoh. v. 10 (Hebr. 9) (‘he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver’, &c.). For the same theme (the dangers of love of money) cp. also 1 Tim. vi. 9.

that pursueth hire. Or rather ‘ gain, profit’ ; cp. xlii. 9, vii. 18. erreth thereby. Or ‘is led astray thereby’ (i.e. ‘falleth into sin on account of it’).

6. And have put their trust in corals. Or pearls: for & see critical note. For the two lines (a gloss) that are appended to this verse in 38 and S (see critical note) cp. Prov. xi. 4 (‘Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death’).

7. It isa stumbling-block... Cp. xiii. 236.

simple. Cp. Job v. 2 (same word). is snared. Cp. Eccles. ix. 12. δ. the rich man that is found blameless. Cp. for the phraseology xliv. 16, 17 (38). following mammon. The occurrence of the word ‘mammon’ (j11212) here is noticeable (=in Biblical Hebrew ἢ55 or 122). Outside Ben-Sira its earliest attestation is in the N. T. (Matt. vi. 24; Luke χνὶ. 9, 11, 13). The spelling ‘mamon’ (so in Greek) seems to be probably correct; but both spelling and etymology are uncertain (see art. ‘Mammon’,

9. Who is he? ... Apparently a pious rich man was as rare in Ben-Sira’s time as an honest publican later in the provinces of the Roman Empire.

10. Who hath been tested by it (sc. by wealth) and remained unharmed? Cp. Matt. xix. 23; Luke xi. 24. 3ἢ (text) ‘Who hath clung to it...’

Who could ‘fall away', and did not fall away ; «And (could) inflict* harm, ‘and did not’?

11 “Therefore shall his good fortune *be steadfast*,

And the congregation shall declare Yhis praise’.

(f) XXXI. (XXXIV.) 12-24. Sustruction concerning bread and wine together ‘12 ’If thou sittest “at a great man’s table‘, 4Ἐς not greedy upon it®; ®Say not: There is abundance upon it'— 13 ®Remember that an evil eye is an evil thing’,

ΤΟΝ ΒΟ (Ὦ mg. maxand: so Peters reads): (ἃ και ἐστω es καυχησιν (bul διὰ 70 Syro-Hex εσται aro ®) [8 adds Sour lines which are not attested by 3 or (ἃ: naxand 97> max | ὙΠ oby mana 3 naxand 75 (τι. ΠΝ) sia wn ade. 93 Ὃ ‘For when the peace of his life multiplieth, I will be to thee a glory—who hath blessed it and made his life perfect? he (γι. 1) will be a glory unto thee.’ Zhese lines form doublets fo 10 ab] tt Ὦ mob (ἃ παρα- βῆναι u-u 3) ΠΡ Ἢ yandy (so Cowley: Schechter yr) (ἃ και εἐποιησεν κακα : % ‘to evil entreat his comrade’ (]yw) τ SoG Syrn gd: Bnav xy ww WH 5 dy: »ΈῈ ὦ (248, 70 H+ δια rovro) χτὰ Reading pin’ wih (ἃ S: ® pin Y-Y Ge ras ἐλεημοσυνας αὐτου ἹΠΡῚΝ : WB yndam SQA ὙΠ 7} ond DW (cp. s¢milar headings in xii. 16 and xliv. 1: all doubiless secondary): (ἃ 3 > (but 254 has litle περι βρωμάτων: cp. & de continentia) b ® pr. 22 ‘my son’: so 3 (dul>&) e-e Ur ‘at a great table’ (so (1) = ® bya yndw dy (may be rendered ether way) d-d 39) (M #73) 7373 voy nnan ds Hi. ‘open not thy throat (mg. the throat) upon

1} (τ ὃ 9 (ἃ 27. και (50 3) rt by pPipad (11. ‘there is sufficient upon it ἢ (ἃ πολλα γε Ta ἐπ autns: Ξ ‘I have not enough’ ὅτε SoM =G:> 3: 35 here adds four lines, which are not attested by &, but are parlly represented in 8: by Ne py pr (1)

(M yn) py yin nat ὍΘ En ΠῚ 5 (3) :(M? yn) yotn ΠΡΟ Opn) (4) ‘The man of evil eye God hateth, And He hath created nothing more evil than him. For this—by reason of everything the eye quivereth,

And from the face it maketh tears.’ S has -—

( 1) ‘The evil of the eye God hateth, ( 2) And He hath created nothing more evil than it. (= 3) Therefore the eye quivereth by reason of everything.’

Flere tt ts clear that (2) a a doublet of 13. Ὁ, while (1) τς prod. a gloss on the same stichus (13 Ὁ); (3) and (4) are Who could fall away ... i.e. Who ever had the power and opportunity of falling away and inflicting

mischief, and failed to do so? Such cases (see next verse) are so rare as to be marvellous. For ‘inflict harm’ (ym?)

11. his good fortune (# 12))). For this meaning cp. Prov. xi. 10; or it may mean ‘his goods’ (riches); cp.

And the congregation shall declare his praise. Cp. xliv. 15 (same expression). @ ‘his alms’ (= Np 7¥: so Peters reads) is probably an interpretation, but suggests the right meaning. A rich man who was pious would show his piety by generous almsgiving: cp. the Rabbinic dictum ‘the salt of mammon is almsgiving’.

(f) XXXI. 12-24 (= (ἃ XXXIV. 12-24). With the subject of this subsection cp. Prov. xxiii. I-3.

12. at a great man’s table. So # preferably to & (‘at a great table’, i.e. one well provided): cp. δ Ζγφε Adoth vi. 5: ‘lust not for the table of kings.’ For the Rabbinic rules regarding table-manners cp. Derek eres rabbu vi-viii ; also Derek eres zuta and Kallah.

Be not greedy upon it. Cp. Derek eres zuta i: ‘ Be careful with your teeth (i.e. at your meals) that you do not eat too much.’ The Hebrew phrase lit. = ‘Open not thy throat upon it’ (this possibly may mean, ‘ Make no remark’: so Edersheim, cp. next note).

Say not: There is abundance upon it. The Syr. 227 7s not enough for me ‘is’, says Edersheim, ‘characteristic. The praising of the food in Oriental countries is done by the host; the mere act of admiration by any one else would be regarded as dangerous.’

13. Remember that an evileye... ‘Whena person expresses what is considered improper or curious admiration

»God hath created nothing more evil than the eye ; iTherefore over everything must it weep’. 15 )« Be considerate* to 'thy companion as thyself’, And be mindful of all ™thou detestest™. 14 Stretch not out the hand "wherever he may look”, ° And collide not with him® Pin the dish? !, 16 “Eat like a man ‘what is put before thee’, ‘And be not ravenous’, lest thou become disliked 4. 17 ‘Leave off firstt "for manners’ sake’, vAnd devour not voraciously* “lest thou become offensive™.

variants of 13 ὁ [18 embodies a number of variants, §c. from different codices|. In (3) ΠῚ 5 has displaced }3 by and 937 has been (erroneously) inserted ; while yyn has arisen, prob., from ἽΝ ΩΤ a corruption of yin (Perles) h-h ® ὃν pon x ( variant (2) N73 nd): (ἃ τι εκτισται; Ii Reading youn yy $5 an j>D by & δια TovTo ἀπὸ παντὸς προσωπου Saxpue (so Smend: yon pyar Jrom variant (4)): ® here for last two words yields a further variant, viz. nnd Ὁ), ‘its freshness is abated’ ( from Deut. xxxiv. 7) i vv. 14, 15 fo be transposed (with Smend): in the usual order ‘may look’ has no proper antecedent Kk Reading myn (cp. xxxviii. 1 note) with Smend: ἸῺ nyt (only again in this form Prov. xxiv. 14) ‘know’: (ἃ voe: 3 ® (‘know that thy neighbour is like thyself’) Hl So® ὥ: & (freely) Ta Tov πλησιον εκ σεαυτου m-m 15 nw: & [em παντι] πράγματι ? ΠΟ (I mg. NNIW AWN zs lo δὲ preferred) nn 10 by 2.3) DYpD (ΟΝ repeated accidentally : omit) Gr ov eav emPBdeWn (N* 155 Syro-Hex emreyys 3) 0-0 ® mg. YOY INN ὈΝῚ (an — ἽΠΠ) “it. and join ποῦ thyself with him’: ( καὶ μὴ συνθλιβου avtm (70 avr αὐτου: Origen per (avrov)): 3 ‘do not force thy hand’ Ρ-Ρ 35 ΝῈΩΣ ‘in the basket’: @& ‘in the dish’ (τρυβλιῳ) (so 3) give NID an extended meaning (so Peters)

9-4 [n 18 τ΄. 16 exists in a double form, as follows :

s5yin Β pyn Ser) maa WS wND IDA (1) (2)

of anything, he is generally reproved by the individual whom he has thus alarmed’... and especially when one is invited to partake of a meal ‘ he must reply if he do not accept the invitation ‘“‘ Heneean” (i.e. ‘‘ may it be productive of enjoyment”), or use some similar expression ; else it will be feared that an evil eye has been cast upon the food’ (Lane, Modern Egyptians, i. 183 (315), as cited by Edersheim), The thought of our passage, however, seems rather to be that the guest at the great man’s table should not be envious and greedy in the presence of the abundance he sees upon it; such envy and greed is equivalent to ‘the evil eye’: cp. xiv. 10a, ‘The eye of him that has an evil eye darts greedily (® Dyn, cp. 1 Sam. xiv. 32) upon bread.’ In the same passage Ben-Sira also says that the ‘evil-eyed’ man is not only greedy, but grudging (xiv.106). For the Biblical senses of ‘the evil eye’ see 2}, s.v. ‘ Eye’ (ii, col. 1453), and for the later senses /Z, 5. ν. ‘Evil’ Eye, v. 280f. [For the variant additional clauses in ¥ see critical note.] God hath created nothing more evil than the eye; Therefore over everything must it weep. The eye is a main cause of sin; cp. Num. xv. 38f. (esp. 39: ‘that ye go not about after . . . your own eyes’); Job xxxi. I (1 made a covenant with mine eyes’, &c.); it is therefore punished by God in that when misfortune comes it must weep (so Smend). Ἷ 15, 14. For the transposition of these verses see critical note. 15. Be considerate. i.e. treat in a friendly way; cp. xxxviii. 1 note (same Hebrew verb). @ here has ‘know’ (voet): see critical note [{ἀ for whole line has: ‘ Know the affairs of thy neighbour by thine own’ (R.V. ‘ Consider thy neighboutr’s [liking] by thine own’). See next note.] to thy companion as thyself. ‘Thy companion’ here =, of course, thy companion at table, thy fellow-guest. To see in this dictum an anticipation of the positive form of the Golden Rule of the Gospel, as Friedlander claims (Ze Jewish Sources of the Sermon on the Mount, p. 232 1.), is not justified by the context. And be mindful of all thou detestest. Here, again, the reference is to the behaviour of the guest at table. In Tobit iv. 15, which is cited by Fritzsche and Ryssel in this connexion, the reference is more general and less restricted (‘And what thou thyself hatest do to no man’). ᾿ ΤΆ: wherever he may look. i, e. wherever thy fellow-guest may look. Possibly, however, the reference is to the host.

τὸ: like a man. i.e. as a grown-up man and not as a child, i.e. as becomes a man. Smend compares

16, 17. be not ravenous ... devour not voraciously. Cf. xxxvii. 29: ‘Indulge not excess in any enjoyment, nor immoderation in any dainties.’ Prescriptions against gluttony are common in the Rabbinic literature.

Matt. vii. 12: ‘All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.’

[18 And, moreover, when thou art seated *in a large company * Stretch not the hand out ¥before a neighbour’.

19 Surely a little is sufficient for 7a man of understanding’,

And he need not *choke* upon his bed.

| (c) *Pain and sleeplessness, and distress?,

:.(α) *Healthy sleep® ‘hath a purged belly‘,

(2) And when he riseth in the morning £his wits are with him’.

apd owe a7 wea dioen (4) [ This line added in smaller writing in MS. axon 15. 773 AN ny] (5) Ura aye ως ἀνθρωπος τα παρακειμενα σοι Pa 6 kat μὴ διαμασω μη μισηθῃς. ee

(1) ‘ Take thy seat like a man that is chosen, (2) And dart not greedily (i.e. de not voracious) lest thou become abhorred.

(3) Know that thy neighbour is like thyself.

(4) And eat like a man what is placed before thee, (5) And be not gluttonous, lest thou be rejected.’

The form of ® as it exists in the MS. ts a mixture of two recensions. Apparently (3).(4) and (5) represent the recension of the text which lay before &. It vs clear that (3) ἐξ a doublet of v. t5 a: wt divides the pairs of doublets original form of ®Q, and corresponding to & ; but Smend adopts (4) and (2) thus:

quad pwy 337 ΝΘ dion = τό ἃ

dyin ip oyn ὈΝῚ 16 Ὁ Tt should be nated that ® mg. gives as a variant to (1) nai wa 5x, from which Fuchs concludes that the original form of τό ἃ in ® was: ἽἼΓΙΣΣ We wx dyDN, i.e. ‘eat as a man what is in front of thee’: δίς, he thinks, will explain N23 AWN WN im (1) and ἼΞΡ owy "ΣῪ in (4): ut the latter τς attested by & rt So & 4n3) wNd perhaps arose from ND) WN2, misread 12} ‘upright’: hence 3DN in ® (1) s-s 32 DYN DN) Lit. ‘and dart not (greedily) upon’; varzant (4) 1) ΠΠΠ ΝΟῚ (mana = ‘greedy’: ἡ Neo-Hebr. word with

Aramaic affinities) tt (partly damaged) pwrxn din ὅτ: $ ‘be watchful’ u-u (damaged) ΣΝ DD (ἃ χαριν radeas UVES G0 bn ὈΝῚ ive. yon (from wn or νυ ‘to swallow greedily’; cp. Obad. 16): Ge καὶ μὴ amAnotevov W-W ® (damaged) ONON 15: & py ποτε προσκοψῃς ἢ Span 1D (Peters) a-x 7572: “in the midst of many’ y-y So ® yn vad: (ἃ mporepos avray pavad (so 8): Schechter, Ryssel propose ΟῚ Ὁ 2-2 2) WIN & ἀνθρωπῳ πεπαιδευμενῳ ( mg. 112) ‘honest, steadfast): S ‘righteous’ ® mg. 8-ἃ 30 pry” ‘burneth’: (ἃ avOpawe ? pnw" (from next line: so read) b-b G movos aypummas και χολερας : 385 PWM Ay. AW TIN DNID: buf (ἃ the first four words of B: prob. prwny 15 an error for pwn pane” a variant of PL in previous line: tt overloads the stichus here τὸ 9 mayen (ΔΙ ovB)) 121:

Gr καὶ στροφος : H ‘et tortura’ (but Cod. Tol.‘ et tortura ventris ’, whech suggests that γαστρὸς has fallen out of &): και στροῴος γαστρος ? ὨΊΣΙΞΙ Dy (so Smend: so read: Smend also reads 192 ΣΝ for AW IWIN im 20 (c), prob. rightly ; cp. Targ. Job vii. 4 “nw ΠΤ) d-d 3 DDD WN DY: Ge pera avdpos ἀπληστου -- 8; bul ἸΏ is implied by iA LAIN in 19 ἃ e-e 35 on ΠῊΦ (Orn ‘health’ as 77 Prov. xiv. 30) & umvos υγειας 38 Soy ΣΡ ὃν (bby im PBH ‘to clarify’ (wine, &c.); here ‘purge’: ? read byby pl. pass.) Gk em evrepo μετριῳ (μετριῳ a toning down) 8- ] NN WEN & [the right order of clauses in Ὁ. 20 15 given in B, as above, vtz. 20 (c) (d) (a) (Ὁ) against (ὰ]. Tov. 20 ® appends some additional clauses, six in number, which are partly destroyed ( gaps in MS.) :

18. Stretch not the hand out before a neighbour. Cp. Derek eves γαῤδα vii: ‘When two are sitting at table, the elder begins to eat first, and the younger after him ; and if the younger begins first he is a glutton.’ Cp. also Lane (op. cit. i. 183): ‘The master of the house first begins to eat; the guests or others immediately follow his example’ (this last passage is cited by Edersheim.)

19-22. Moderation in eating conduces to health.

19. Surely alittle... Cp. Prov. xiii. 25: ‘The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul.’ choke upon his bed. Or ‘groan’, viz. from the effects of indigestion. 20. Pain and sleeplessness... Cf. xxxvil. 29-31.

21 hAnd even if thou hast been constrained with dainties, iArise and vomit‘, and thou shalt have ease. 22 jLListen, my son, and despise me not, k And in the end¥ thou shalt comprehend my words). In all thy doings be !modest', And no ™mishap™ shall touch thee?. 23 "Him that is generous over meat® °the lip® blesseth ; ? The testimony of his generosity? is lasting : 24 Him who is niggardly over meat ‘the city murmureth at’; ‘The testimony of his niggardliness* is lasting.

(g) XXXI. (XXXIV.) 25-31. The use and abuse of wine (= 2+2+2+1+42 distichs).

25 In wine ‘also’ show not thyself valiant, For tnew wine*t “hath been the ruin" of many.

προ kA okmotem.ore tora. coo (3) Ἐν ee ty cus (is) (5)

9. (1) (2) and by tts atd (1) can be restored fo 112) wR DY ON MW: thus (1) and (2) are doublets of 20 (a) and (Ὁ): the variant in (a) may be due to an attempt to refine away the somewhat coarse expression in 20a Δ by Soy. Zn (4) mma NvON) ἦν, apparently, a variant of 35 mm 21 Ὁ (end). [Note that & in 20b dormiet usque in mane 8 and ® (2) agaznst & (ανεστη mpor) | h-h The right order of vv. 21, 22 ts preserved in & and 85. In B® 22d 2 placed before 21, and a doublet 19 ἃ intruded (AYN) 2) WIN ΥἽ xd), thus producing the order 22cd doublet, 21, 228 Ὁ i Bap ΠῚΡ ze. ‘keep on hoping’ (patiently): (ἃ avacra μεσοπορων : but 248, &c.+ ἐμεσον & surge a medio et vome (a conflation): read mp op (or NP): S ‘withdraw thyself from the midst of the company’ 3) ® has these lines in a double form thus :

S nan ὈΝῚ 23 pow (a)

ON DYN nana (Ὁ)

ΥἹΟῚ. ΠΡῚ 3 yw (c)

9927 Nyon ΠΡ ἽΠΝΩῚ Sy (ΔΙ. aydn) xdn den (6)

Here, again, we have double readings: (c) and (4) represent the recension of Q which lay before S$ (reading G& ‘adroit’ (extpexns 38 : cp. Micah vi. 8, where yoyn ‘walk humbly’ zs rendered by LXX croov εἰναι : (τ misunderstood): for ΝῸΝ cp. xiii. 8 [1 T. J. Foma 43 .c yys¥ ts opposed fo Δ ‘ gluttonous’: Lev7'] mm 7 DN (‘mischief’): Ge appoornna: S ‘evil’ on ® ond by yy & λαμπρον ex αρτοις : S* the good eye over’, ἄς. (cp. Prov. xxii. 9) 0-0 ® TAY: Gr χειλη: S> p-p 35 yaw Ny (ἃ (+«a) S ‘and a good witness’ (zncorrectly) 1-4 So & διαγογγυσει πολις ? WY fan (so Peters: but Wy fem.): BM aywa mn) ‘shall be troubled in the gate’ [ perhaps WA {IM should be read ‘he that is niggardly ... shall be murmured at in the gate’] τὸν So ® mg. Ge (-Ἐ και): ® text has nyt for nyIY—a scribal error corrected by B mg. [S>v. 24] YY Reading W\23 with Smend (cp. & 70 ws | Clem. Alex. ws apa} καμινὸος and 3): ἸΩ text W2 = & (ordinary reading)

21. Arise and vomit. This appears to represent the best attested text (see critical note). The custom of using an emetic after immoderate eating was prevalent among the Romans; cp. Cicero, ad «427. xiii. 52.1, of Caesar : “ἐμετικήν agebat ; itaque et edit et bibit ἀδεῶς ᾿ (cited by Edersheim). Here, however, the reference may be simply to natural — action. In S7/ra (ΠῚ ‘NN end) on Lev. xviii. 25 (‘and the land itself vomiteth out its inhabitants’) the explanation is given: ‘as a man vomiteth his food’ (12119 NN NYPOY DIN).

22. be modest (as opposed to gluttonous) (see critical note).

23. Him that is generous... blesseth. Cp. Prov. xxii. g: ‘He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed.’

24. Him who is niggardly over meat... Cp. xiv. Io.

25. In wine also show not thyself valiant. An echo of Isa. v. 22.

new wine hath been the ruin of many. Illustrate from Judith xiii. 2. For the expression cp. xxx. 23 above. Note the change of words for ‘ wine’ in the two clauses.

6 * Like a furnace’ which proveth “the work of the smith, *So is wine in the quarrelling of the scornful*.

7’ Life-giving waterY 7is wine to a man? If he drink it *in moderation ®.

beWhat life® hath a man that lacketh new wine,

4Seeing it was created? °for rejoicing from the beginning®”.

28 Joy of heart ‘and gladness and delight’

Is wine drunk #in season and (for) satisfaction ®.

1:9 " Headache, derision, and dishonour!

Is wine drunk ‘in strife and vexation’.

30 JMuch wine is for the fool a snare/—

It diminisheth strength and supplieth wounds.

51 At a banquet of wine ‘rebuke not?* a friend, 1And ‘grieve him not in his ον":

wow 15 viond πν τ 9 : (ἃ στόμωμα ev βαφῃ (ev Bapy‘ by dipping’ R.V., ? an zncorrecl gloss) ΧΟ So 18: & ovras owos καρδιας ev payn ὑπερηφανων (248 o, ο. ev καρδιᾳ ὑπερηφανων ev μεθῃ): καρδιας an addition: S ‘so is wine the provoker of the ungodly’ [38 has a doublet with inferior readings of v. 26 : od ab say [59 awyn myn ima jay, ie. ‘the discerning man proves work by work (every work); so is strong drink in the contention of the scornful’ | yy Reading on 105 (transposing ON and yn with Smend): G εφισον (ons ON OD: S O Md z% Reading vhond M1: ® καὶ for whole line has ved on pa 195 “Τὸ whom is wine life? to the sick’ (cp. Prov. xxxi. 6) a-a 7). ‘in its (due) proportion oy measure’: soH=& 9 b-b A doublet of v. 2] ς ἃ occurs in ® text at the end of v. 28, which appears to yield a better text ; read ( following this) :

rea pono 535 sim) gan sond ay yn

pbna REE Vals Ease S13! elie ete MTT? e-e So 38! ἅπὰ 2; G εἰς εὐφροσυνὴην ἀνθρωποις (the last word an error for an’ apxns, see Clem. Alex. paed. ii. 23) [3% for whole line ‘for joy was created from the beginning] ΠῚ NT) ΠΥ (2. PAY] ‘delight’ 22 late Hebr.): Ce καὶ εὐφροσυνηὴ ψυχης (cp. IY Ps. ciii. 5 ? ψυχη: so Peters reads here): 3% ‘and good times’ §-8 35 wn (so marg.) Ny ΟΝ ‘saturation, moisture’ Job xxxvil. 11 ; myn Ps. xxxiil. 5): {τ [ev carpe | avurapkns h-h 35 nop) mays YN IND (for mayd ‘wormwood ἡ ἢ. ay with Smend): Ge πικρία wo xns (πικρια aay often in LXX): % ‘pain, poverty, and headache’ a double rend. of we AN3 1 DyD) ΠἽΠΠΣ & ev ἐρεθισμῳ και ἀαντιπτωματι (S > D>) 1) ® S95 sn (1 maqam) ΠὩ 2 UPD ? S: (ἃ πληθυνεῖ μεθηὴ θυμὸν appovos εἰς πρόσκομμα (' Θυμὸον perhaps marginal correction of ἀντιπτωμα (20) ffart) kK-k G@ μη ελεγξης nD1N be: H defective 1 Ge καὶ μὴ εξουθενησῃς avtov ev εὐφροσυνῃ αὐτου =

26. Like a furnace...So is wine... ‘Furnace’ and ‘wine’ are parallel; just as the furnace tests and proves the real character of the metal (gold and silver), so wine brings out the real character of the ‘ scornful’—their inherent pride and viciousness being revealed in the quarrelsomeness that is engendered by free indulgence in drinking wine. According to Aboth de Rabbi Nathan (p. 68, ed. Schechter) wine is one of three things by which a man’s character is tested (business dealings, much wine, and much talk). @ has obscured the sense by the addition of an incorrect gloss (‘by dipping ’—‘ the furnace proveth the temper of steel by dipping,’ R.V.)—a reference to the process of dipping redhot iron in water to give it temper. See Edersheim ad /oc. ἢ

[The word rendered ‘smith’ in 26a = lit. ‘forger’ or ‘hammerer’ (Heb. vinnd) ; cp. Gen. iv. 22.]

27. life-giving water. Lit. ‘water of life’; cp. for the expression Rev. xxi. 6, ἄς. (not in the O. T.).

If he drink it in moderation. Moderation in this connexion is often insisted upon in Rabbinic literature ; cp. e.g. Derek eres rabba vii: ‘Wine drunk in large quantity is bad for the body ; in moderation it is good.’ Edersheim remarks on the verse as a whole: ‘These sentiments were perhaps natural at a period when there were practically no drinks known save wine and water; cp. Virgil, Georg. i. ad init’ [‘In moderation’, lit. ‘in its measure’, or (due)

proportion. } Seeing it was created for rejoicing. Cp. Ps. civ. 15. : 28. Joy of heart... gladness... Is wine drunk inseason... Cp. Τ. Β. Yoma 76 ὁ : ‘If he acts rightly (i.e.

drinks in moderation, Rashi) it (wine) gladdens him; if he does not act rightly (1. 6. drinks to excess) it ruins him’

(Heb. 12wW!D 731 xb ΠΟΘ mat; see Cowley-Neubauer, p. xxv).

30. Much wine . . . diminisheth strength ... According to Adoth de R. Nathan (ed. Schechter, p. 108 ὁ, chap. 37) wine is one of seven things which if used in moderation are wholesome, and if in excess are harmful (wine, work, sleep, wealth, travel, warm water, and the letting of blood). ᾿ ' :

31. At a banquet of wine... This verse forms the transition to the following section which deals with behaviour at banquets generally. Logically, perhaps, it should be reckoned with what follows (xxxii. I-13). rebuke not a friend. Cp. xx. 1.

m<Speak to him’™ no reproachful word, »<And quarrel not with him?® °in the presence of (other) people®.

32 1 “If thou hast been appointed (banquet-)master, do not exalt thyself”? ;

Be “to them® as one of themselves ; Take thought for them,'and afterwards" be seated. 2 Supply *their needs*, and tafterwards* recline ; That thou mayst rejoice "on their account", And ‘receive consideration’ “for politeness”.

3 * Speak, O elder, Yfor it is thy privilege’: “But be discreet in understanding’, and *hinder ποῖ" song*.

Qnnieva 72) Ser: so Smend MM SOGS πο SoS ny myn ὈΝῚ: E καὶ py αὐτὸν θλιψῃς ὃ wIyyn by 0-0 35. mg. DIN 23 ον S: Ge ev ἀπαιτήσει : bul 248 εν απαντησει αὐτου suggests corruption of es anavrnow avOporav 3ἢ mg. P-P linea ultima folii deest (S/rack): Gk nyoupevov σε κατεστησαν ; μὴ επαιρου = (Peters Ww)

waa (Smend) xwonn ὃν qrow S ($+ ‘and at the head of the rich do not sit down’: th’s may be a corrupt variant of, or a gloss on, the first line. It may have stood in the Hebr. MS.) a1 So 19 S: G& ev avros (but (Sah > σου) tt H anni: ἃ S> uu @ δὶ αὐτοὺς ὩΣ: H ONII3 ‘in their honour’: % ‘in their latter end’ (correct fo ΠΤ ΓΙ ‘in their joy’: so Smend) vv 35 Say xen (cp. Prov. ili. 4: 310 baby jn ἘΝῚ “and find favour and good repute’): Smend thinks bak has come in Srom τ. 35 possibly jn or IDM should be read

for aw here. (τ στεφανον ? bb5: S$ ‘honour’ 92: Schechler suggests ay ὙΥ 30 ΒΥ Sy Gr εὐκοσμιας xapw: 85. ‘at table’ (Ὁ mzsreading ADD for 1DY2) s-X τς 3 lacking in 3 y-¥ ® TD ΝῚΠ 1D & πρεπει yap σοι 2% 1 Soy yoym: BH mg. nod yxym Micah vi. 8 (x PBH yoxsn ‘to hide, keep in the background’) : Cr ev ἀκριβει εἐπιστημῃ = 2 da VISTA (248 ev axpiBera της επιστημης), Cp. XVI. 25 a-a (ἃ μὴ

31. Speak to him no reproachful word. Cp. xviil. 18, xx. 15, xxil. 22. in the presence of (other) people. Lit. ‘of men’ (Ὁ Ν 23). The rendering of & here. (“by asking back a debt’ = with a demand for repayment) depends upon a corruption in the Greek ; see critical note.

1-3. The banquet-master should study not his own dignity, but the comfort and convenience of the guests.

1. If thou hast been appointed (banquet-)master. i.e. συμποσίαρχος ΟΥ̓ἀρχιτρίκλινος : cp. John ii. 8. The reference is to the sumptuous banquets which were given by wealthy Jews, and conducted according to the rules of etiquette generally acknowledged by the polite society of the time (Greek or Roman). The ἀρχιτρίκλινος was apparently appointed either by lot or election in such circles. The rules governing his conduct ‘regarding the invitation and seating of the guests, the mixing of the wine and the serving of the dishes’, as also the methods of procedure to be adopted by the cook and the servant of the house (31), ‘were no less strictly observed by the Jews than by the Greeks and Romans’ (Kohler in JZ, ii. 497). A vivid account of the more luxurious banquets of this kind, such as were given by wealthy heathen and even Jews, is set-forth in Philo, De vita contempl., §§ v, vii (cp. /QR, xii. 761-764 ; also Wisd. ii. 7f.). The Rabbis often uttered warnings against the dangers of such banquets, and tried to guard against the worst evils by insisting on discussions of Scripture, sacred songs, and the presence of students of the Law at such gatherings. Ben-Sira’s advice is less tinged with rigorousness, but insists on a standard of good manners, restraint, and consideration for the guests. He obviously has in mind banquets where such standards were not observed.

Be to them... 3S adds a clause here which is probably not genuine ; see critical note.

Take thought for them. ‘This, according to Plutarch (Pod/wx, vi. 11), would refer to the nature and quantity of the wine to be given to each’ (Edersheim).

be seated. Hebr. 210M. This verb (in the Hif.) is used in Mishnaic Hebrew in the sense of ‘ recline at table’ (it.? ‘surround the table’), but does not occur in this sense in Biblical Hebrew. (In Mishnaic Hebrew 1D = ‘banqueting couch). Philo (of. cit. ὃ 6) describes the couches used at a luxurious banquet thus: ‘Couches, both for three to recline upon, and which extend all round, are manufactured of tortoise-shell or ivory, and of the more valuable woods ; and of them most parts are inlaid with precious stones. On them are laid cloths of purple with gold inwoven, as well as others dyed with divers bright colours, in order to attract the eye.’

2. And receive consideration. (τ ‘and receive a crown’, which has been supposed by some (older) commentators to contain a reference to the custom, common at the drinking-parties of Greeks and Romans, and perhaps known to the Hebrews (cf. Wisd. ii. 8; Ps. xxviii. 1-5), of the guests crowning themselves with garlands. Fritzsche sees a reference to a supposed custom of crowning the successful sywzposiarch, which, however, lacks attestation. In any case our text probably did not read ‘crown’ originally (see critical note).

for politeness. Cf. xxxi. 17, ‘for manners’ sake’ (same Hebr. word, D1).

3-6. The elder should not obtrude his ‘wisdom’ in an unseasonable manner; music and song also have their rights at a banquet.

3. Oelder. The Hebr. word = lit. ‘grey-head’; cp. viii. 9, xlii. 8.

be discreet in understanding, Or keep thy wisdom in the background (see critical note for meaning of the Hebr. word). ‘Do not play the sage when others are laughing’ (Edersheim).

4] ἃ place of music pour not forth talk’, © And at an unseasonable time® ‘display not thy wisdom?. 5 ef As a signet-stone of carnelian’ £on a necklace (?) of gold »Ts a concert of song} at a banquet of wine’.

6 iiSettings of fine gold and a seal of carbuncle!

Is the sound of music with the pleasance of wine*!.

7'Speak, O young man, “if thou art compelled™— "Tf thou art asked twice or thrice").

'8°PSum up thy speech?, ‘say much in little4,

‘And be like’ one that knoweth and can keep silence?.

jo Among Selders® tassert not thyself*,

"And ply not ‘eminent persons* overmuch*. © “In front of “hail speedeth the lightning, And in front of *the shamefast* speedeth favour’.

eumodurns = : but 248 Chrysost. xii. 248 (Ben.) > μὴ b-b ® has a doublet here, ny own by yn pps (1)

my Fawn md Ward yoy (2): 2 my Javin Ss svn pips & (omou ἀκροαμα κτὰλ.)}: S 38’ ce 35

F ony (11. xbay) ba) = (τ και ακαιρως 4- 35 pannn ΠΟ e-e The true Hebrew text of this verse, which ts preceded

by a variant (two lines), runs: yn ane Sy wy pavin i ant aa Sy one mr (for mr Exod. xxxv. 22 1. with variant DMN cp. Ge: so Smend) '-f Reading OWS DMINI: E σῴραγις avOpaxos ὅ8-8 30 ΠῚ 3 Sy (meaning

of 3°) uncertain): ® variant ant D3 yas bh % WH BSD (τ συγκριμα μουσικων (1 variant by ον ‘divine song’ S$) i Here again the true Hebrew text ts preceded by a variant (two lines) which corresponds το 9 3) ΓΡῚΞ oni 15 mado: ἃ (freely) ev κατασκευασματι χρυσῳ σῴμαγις σμαραγδου k-k 3 pyr by

vian: Ge ep nde owe [$ renders v. 6‘ As a collar of gold and gems and emeralds, so are pleasant words at

| a banquet of wine’: this corresponds to ἸῺ variant: τ ΠΤ Sy may oat ΝΣ JD 11 WDD) Ἴ5) 13) Ar 23]

ly. ἢ wanting in 85 m-m 39 ANN PAY ON (ἃ εἰ χρεια σου n-n 9 7>xv ox wow owyE pina: Ge pods dis eav ἐπερωτηθῃς ἡ JON? DN ΝΒ pina (so Peters ‘at the most twice if thou art asked’: sh7s may be right: Smend omits PIN2 (cp. ΤΥ) Ps. xc. 10) and keeps worh DY ? ‘twice or thrice’ as above (but the expression ts strange) 0-0 y, 8 wanting in S Ρ-ν Ck κεφαλαιωσον Aoyov VN bb3 (Smend): 9 ον Ὁ 52 ? ‘finish saying ° 4-4 AIAN vyyi ? ‘and make little (Pze/) of much’: & (freely) ev odyos πολλα (or ὃ reading Dyna Schechter) τοῦ ® Snot: & ywoves 8-8 9 7271 line has ‘elders’ and in line 2 ‘eminent persons’ (‘princes’ ow’): S ¢ransposes: so (ἃ (μεγιστανων and yeporres true text: see note following) t-t G μη εξισαζου (‘behave not as their equal’ R.V.): du¢ δὲ & (praesumas) εξουσιαζου : 35. OPN be ὦ u-u So 38: Cr καὶ etepou Neyovtos μὴ πολλα αδολεσχει, but 3) ubi senesorov yepovres (cp. 248 ὁπου Neyorres): WL preserves the true reading VV τὶς 10 wanting in &: Ἰ has it in a double form with one variant, viz. W\1 (‘shamefast’) and 35 (‘contrite ’) wow So H (grandinem): G& [προ] βροντης (a correction: & preserves original reading) x-x Gr [προ] αἰσχυντηρου = ® wi (the variant 7s N34)

song. i.e. singing accompanied by music.

4. In a place of music. i.e. at an entertainment (€ ἀκρόαμα). The entertainment here contemplated was, apparently, in the main musical (vocal and instrumental). It followed at the conclusion of the banquet. Heathen banquets included also at this point performances by jesters, story-tellers, and acrobats.

at an unseasonable time... Cp. for the general sentiment Deves eves γαῤδα vii (end): ‘One shall not rejoice among those who are weeping, &c. This is the rule. One shall not have different manners from those of his friends, and of people in general among whom he is’ (in reference to social gatherings).

5. As a signet-stone of carnelian... Cp. Prov. xxv. 11.

6. Settings. Cp. Exod. xxviii. 17 and 20.

7-13. The young should be modest and not self-assertive; respectful to their elders, and not unduly talkative. ' When the time comes they should return home quietly, and remember the duty of thankfulness to God.

7. Speak, O young man, if thou art compelled... For the general sentiment of the verse cp. Derek eres uta ii | (beginning) : ‘Sit before the elders, and let thine ears be attentive to their words. Be not hasty in answering. . . . Do not speak in the presence of one who is greater than you in wisdom.’

If thou art asked twice or thrice. i.e. only speak after repeated invitations; or the clause may run: ‘(Speak) at the most twice if thou art asked’ (see critical note). @ is rendered by R. V. ‘ Yet scarcely if thou be twice asked’ (= same sense as rendering adopted in text.

9. Among elders (or ‘eminent ones’, see critical note) assert not thyself. Cp. Job xxxii. 6 (xxix. 7 f.).

ply not. viz. with questions. The verb (779) has the meaning of ‘ to weary’, ‘trouble’ in later Hebrew.

10. In front of hail... Hail as well as thunder is inseparable from lightning our text says ; but the lightning is swifter, and is seen first; even so the favour and winsomeness inspired by modesty anticipate the exhibition of the latter (Smend). The verse reads like a proverb. The Hebr. verb rendered ‘hasten’ here (NY): κατασπεύδει, seer

τι ¥*At the time of departure” be not last, Depart home “and linger not*;

12 And (there) whatsoever cometh up in thy mind, speak”, °In the fear of God and not in foolishness’.

13 4And for all these things bless thy Maker, Who satisfieth thee with His bounty.

XXXII. (XXXV.) 14-17. (a) The god-fearing and the sinful man: a contrast (= 2 - 2 distichs).

14 °f He that seeketh’ God will receive discipline, And he that resorteth to Him diligently shall obtain *favours*.

y-¥ ® has: myn pden qnvad awe (2) | ansnn bx spa ny3 (1) saat 725 ὃν aby ὈΝῚ (4) | oat naan by inde nya (3)

) ‘At the appointed time linger not (be not last) ;

) Depart to thy home and accomplish (thy) will.

) At table-time multiply not words ;

4) But if anything comes up in thine heart, speak.

(5) Depart to thy house and accomplish (thy) will,

(6) In the fear of God and not in foolishness’ (ad for 53).

Cx does not recognize (3) and (4), which % of v. 11 essentially: (3) τς a variant of (1), IPD. and jnby being corruptions of the variants OB and mbv (so Smend). Smend adopts (4) as the true text of v. 12a; while Peters follows x and corrects tt by (5) zz Reading VOD) NYA (τ ev wpa εξεγειρου (Jur & surgendi avacracews Clem. Alex. paed. ii. 7. 56): reading of & is secondary. ἾἮΉ vext 1Pb2 Nya ‘at the time appointed’ a-a (Χ και μὴ ρᾳθυμει NINN Sy (Gen. xlii. 1): Ὁ ΠΝ πὶ obey Ὁ from (5); but Smend keeps here b-b So ® (4) above (and Smend): Gk exer παιζε καὶ move τὰ ἐνθυμήματα cov. This partly corresponds to & (5) above ; correcting by & Peters reads 2937 ddr pny ov ce So ® (6) above correcting $5 at end 10 Ib: & xa μὴ apaptys Noy υπερηφανῳ, ? reading NNOAA x5) and Jona 4- 3 nbs bs by Gk και ἐπι τουτοις (ut © et super his omnibus) e-e The genuine text of this verse runs in ® thus: :nxyo YW AANw || ADD Mp Sx was This is preceded by a variant which has 87 for D2 tm line τ, and gives as line 2 ® of v. 15 Ὁ; zt τς followed by another variant which runs: syn>pnN wy ἢ προ np Sx cyan wart ze. ‘He that seeketh things pleasing to God will receive discipline, and He will answer him in his prayer’ [¢hzs = 3 substantially: ‘he who seeketh the service of God receiveth instruction; and when he prayeth before Him He heareth him’]: (τ has: ὁ φοβουμενος κυριον εκδεξεται παιδιαν, καὶ οἱ ορθριζοντες ευρησουσιν εὐυδοκιαν ff G o φοβουμενος (?from v.16): ® yao 5-- Reading nya

means ‘to make brilliant’ in xiii. 5, 13 (where it is similarly rendered by &: see critical notes ad Zoc.) : so here it might be rendered ‘flasheth’—‘ In front of the hail flasheth the lightning, and in front of the shamefast flasheth favour’. [Prof. Schechter suggests ΚΓ}; cp. 1 Kings xx. 19=‘be urgent’; but the word is a doubtful one. A common meaning of ΓΝ is ‘to be victorious’.]

12. In the fear of God and not in foolishness. W text has ‘in the fear of God and without lack of anything’, which may be a reminiscence, as Schechter suggests, of Ps. xxxiv. 9: ‘O fear Jahveh, His holy ones: for there is no lack (DM) to them that fear Him’: but see critical note.

13. And for all these things bless thy Maker. This, according to Schechter (W7sdom of Ben-Sira, p. 32), implies the institution of grace over food (j1!27 N273), which was undoubtedly very old; it was, of course, based on Deut. vili. 10.

Who satisfieth thee. Lit. ‘who saturateth thee’ (71197) ; cp. (τ (μεθύσκοντά σε).

XXXII. 14—XXXIII. 31 (Ξ ἃ XXXV. 14—XXXVI. 16a and XXX. 25-40). Here a new section of the book begins. The main themes that emerge in it are: (1) Wisdom above all else consists in foresight against danger. The imprudence of the ungodly man is the result of pride, and the blindness so engendered ; the pious man, on the other hand, finds the right path by study of the Law and attention to its teaching (xxxil. 14—xxxiii. 6 Gt xxxv. 14—xxxvi. 6): (2) a justification of the apparent arbitrariness of providential choice (xxxiii. 7-15 (τ xxxvi. 7-15); (3) an appeal to the rulers and guides of the people to listen (xxxiii. 16-18 Gt xxxvi. 16 a, xxx. 25-27). All this, as Smend points out, is introductory to the teaching that follows on (a) the importance of maintaining independence (xxxiii. 19-23 Ut xxx. 28-32); and (4) on keeping slaves and subordinates in order (xxxili. 24-31 = @& xxx. 33-40). 1

14. And he that resorteth to Him diligently... Cp. xviii. 14.

15 >He that seeketh out the Law ishall gain her} jBut the hypocrite} shall be snared thereby”.

τό *!They that fear Jahveh discern His judgement!,

™And elicit guidance from the darkness™5.

17 "The man of violence” °wresteth reproofs°,

PAnd forceth the Law to suit his necessity”.

(6) XXXII. (XXXV.) 18-24. Forethought before action (= 2+2+2 distichs).

18 4*A wise mant ‘will not conceal understanding®, tAnd a scornert "will not receive instruction"4. το ‘Without counsel carry out nothing ;

“And after the deed”, *rue it not*.

(cp. first variant in ®) & εὐδοκιαν (3. benedictionem evdoyav): W fext ΤΩΝ ‘an answer’ ἈΠΕ y, 15 wanting in & 1 So ® (map): Ge εμπλησθησεται αὐτοῦ 1:1 3ὴ AbASM (cp. Prov. xxvi. 18: ‘as a madman δὴ Ge καὶ ο vmoKptvopevos k-k 3) has this verse in two forms: the variant runs: MYON || WDWD wD oN yo wes man (σι. nyaam) ὦ II Reading first line as variant above: & ot φοβουμενοι κυριον ευρησουσιν κριμα (39' ὉΞΦῚ pI ND) m-m 351 NYY AwWID mdyann) (7. ΝΜ): (ἃ καὶ δικαιώματα ὡς φως εξαψουσιν (δα free rend, of ®': or possibly reading yyy) Ὠ)5) : S 1] variant (see above), which may be a correction of the original (or paraphrase suggested (Ὁ) by a corrupt reading, Wad for >) nn Reading DON WX & ἀνθρωπος ἀμαρτωλος: 9 ON WN S 0-0 MINDN AY) (ἃ ἐκκλίνει ἐλεγμὸν ( reproof’ szmg.): 3 ‘ concealeth instruction ἡ P-P 3ῇ AWN JW iY ANN: (ἃ καὶ κατα ro θελημα αὐτου ( ? YI ANNI) cvpyoe (248 εξευρισκει: ἡ. ὃ ελκυσει [Smend}) συγκριμα : 86 ‘and according to his will ( &) maketh his way’ (6uf 7. NNN 707 ἹΠῚΝ) 9-4 ® has this verse in three forms ; two tn the text and one in the margin (Y' Ἰη" Ὦ mg.) rr ® (all three forms) DIN WN S: (ἃ avnp Bovdys ( ? AYY WN: so Smend reads) ss Reading bay nos xd (Smend): & ov μὴ παριδῃ διανοημα (Savona bow): %® noon now xd: ® saw πρὶ yd: BH mg. Sow np x5: $ ‘will not leave wisdom when it is hidden’ (combining παριδῃ with Y') t-t Reading yy with 35}: G ἀλλότριος και ὑυπερηφανος (misreading Tt as Mt) by Tt (? and 38 mg.); but the sing. verb that follows (Ap or Ww) suggests that N ws an addition ; the line ought also to begin with 1: so 3 ( yy) πὰ Reading aan np xd (Smend) : ® mg. myo np xd: BH an soe yb: 32} wwd avy xb =S: G ov καταπτηξει φοβον -- ὃ ΠῚ nm vd (ἡ corruption of AN np xd) [Peters reads line 1: Ss snoy xd pon wes ‘a wise man doth not dissemble wit’ : m line 2 he follows 18. ‘and a scorner guardeth not his tongue’|. A/ the end of v. 18 G+ καὶ pera to ποιήσαι μετ αὐτου avev βουλης (but 70 155 >; and νὰ: marks the words with an astertsk); the words have arisen from

a correction of τὸ Ὁ; as they stand they yield no sense (avev Bovdns repetition of 19 a) v @ Eth praem. fili wow if. ‘and after thy deed’: 335 7 wyd “ANNI: Ge καὶ ev τῳ ποιῆσαι σε (248. 155 > ge): it, καὶ pera τὸ ποιῆσαι (/rom end of previous verse) = & et post factum s-s 35 Aypnn bse: Ge μὴ perapedou (wer αὐτου end of v. 18 has

15. He that seeketh out the Law shall gain her. Cp. iv.12. The same Hebr. word (1p"5") occurs in both passages, and & renders in both passages ‘shall be filled’. By ‘seeking’ (W117) the Law is probably meant investigating it (searching out its meaning; cp. the technical use of the verb W717 in this sense in later Hebrew; also 71,2). Cp.

the hypocrite. i.e. the man who is not in earnest about the Law or its fulfilment, and who therefore only pretends to be interested. Only those who love the Law will discover its secrets; cp. John vii. 17.

16. They that fear Jahveh discern His judgement. Cp. Prov. xxviii. 5.

And elicit guidance from the darkness. Knowledge of God’s will, gained by the study of the revelation of it, will prove a beacon illuminating the darkness of life’s journey. Possibly, as has been suggested, Ben-Sira has in mind the great lighthouse of Pharos off Alexandria, which he may have seen. For the idea cp. Prov. vi. 23; Ps. cxix. 105.

17. The man of violence wresteth reproofs. Cp. xxi.6. He will accept no guidance.

And forceth the Law to suit his necessity. So 9. In (τ σύγκριμα = prob. DAW, i.e. ‘justice’. In its original form (τ may have suggested (reading ἑλκύσει for εὑρήσει) : ‘and will drag justice to suit his will.’

18. A wise man will not conceal understanding, And a scorner ... Here ‘conceal’ apparently ‘let be concealed’, let lie dormant; and the verse, as a whole, seems to mean: the wise man will take care to discover what course is demanded by prudence, and then to follow it ; while ‘the scorner’, i.e. the proud, wicked man, obsessed by his own conceit, is not willing to receive advice (‘instruction’). [Illustrate the general idea from Proy. xii. 15 (‘The way of the foolish is right in his own eyes; but he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel’). The verse states a general principle which is illustrated in what follows (forethought and prudence is necessary before an effective course of action can be followed). The alternative for line 2 offered by #1 ( 3) is: ‘And the scorner doth not guard his tongue,’ i.e. is imprudent and reckless in speech; cp. Prov. xxi.23f. For &, the text of which is in much disorder, see

19. Without counsel... Cp. xxxvii. 16 (G).

3} =20¥In a way set with snaresY walk not, And stumble not “at an obstacle twice’. 21 abBe not careless® “ina way...... Ὁ 22 4And in thy paths be wary?*. 23 *'Tn all thy works guard thyself’, *For he that so doeth keepeth the commandment®’. 24 He that observeth the Law guardeth himself",

And he that trusteth in Jahveh ‘shall not be brought to shame’.

833 =| Him that feareth Jahveh no evil befalleth, But Jin temptation) *<he shall again be delivered?*. 21mHe that hateth the law is not wise”, » And is tossed about <like a ship in a storm>"). 3 °A man of discernment ?discerneth the Word?, 4And the Law {15 faithful unto him as the Urim??°.

arisen from petapedov) y-y ® Nwpyw JAI: (ἃ ev odo αντιπτωματος : S ‘in a way of steepness’ 2-2 & 32 DDD: Ck ev λιθωδεσιν: /. ev λιθῳ dis (Hart) S ἅτ has these two lines tn a double form (18, and 18) b-b and? non w ἃ ὦ ὁ-Ὁ 38: Ann 773 ‘in the way of (?) the spoiler’: #’ oywa JaII 9 : (ἃ ἐν od@ ἀπροσκοπῳ ? 4939 7792 (so Peters reads). [In Rabbinic Heb. MEA occurs in the sense ‘round and smooth’: NEN might have some such meaning : ® apparently corrupt | a-d 155 ἼΠῚΠ NNN (so read) 95 : (ἃ και απὸ τῶν τεκνων cov φυλαξαι OWT JN ΠΝ 3) (1Ὲ}) e-e ® has this verse in a double form (3! and 185) ff 35" ἼΦΞΣ Wow ὙΦ ΞΈΡΕΙ (ἸΏ pon for Pwyn): ἦξξ 3: (ἃ ev παντὶ epyo moreve ty Ψυχῃ σου (? morteve for Touro ἐστιν τήρησις εντολων ( ὃ MNID WWW ΠῚ 1D: so Peters reads) bh % wa Wow AMIN A: Ek o morever (cp. τ. 23) νομῳ (248 κυριῳ L) προσεχει evtodas: S ‘he that keepeth his way keepeth the commandment of God? (cp. Prov. xvi. 17) {3 wa NO: G& ἐλαττωθησεται ( 0M: “his may be right): % ‘shall not perish for ever’ }:) ® ba (ἜΣ a late Hebr. formation ; also again in xiiv. 20: ἡ Ὁ) is more common, δ. Κ΄. ἵν. 17, Vi. 7, xiii. 11) Ik Reading mdi DY” (or nda avh 9, Smend): Ck καὶ παλιν εξελειται (1Η defective) lly, 2 wanting in 2 mm 30. ΠῚ ΝΟ» DM Nd (rightly): G ἀνὴρ σοφος ov μισησει νομον nn Reading ΔΉ ΙΓΔῚ [ΠΝ 3 ay jon. (Smend) : (ἃ o δε υποκρινομενος ev avt@ ΓΞ ?ababnnr cp. XXXii. 15) ὡς ev καταιγιδι πλοιον [ν»ϑὉ ΞΞ ΓΟ ‘storm’; a noun not otherwise attested | 0-0 φ, 3 wanting in & P-P 35. 737 Pa: (ἃ ἐνπιστευσει νομῷ (νομος 137 Ps. cxix. 57, 105) 14M. ee ee INIM: G καὶ ο νομὸς αὐτῷ motos ws ἐερωτημα δηλων (only B δικαίων [epornpa an explan. addition|) 7228) DMN > AMM (so Peters, but without 1): Smend b aM) Ἢ ΤΡ navy ‘and the Law is for him an amulet, a band on the hand’ try, 4 wanting in &. From here fo xxxv. 11 there τς a gap in the Hebrew MS. consisting of two leaves ( seventy-two lines). Here again ® apparently must have contained doublets. 8-8 (τ εἐτοιμασον λογον 435 PDN t-t (ἃ καὶ ovrws $39) (cp. Xxxil. 2) U-U OF ακουσθησῃ ἢ ΓΦ ΠῚ (or prow) : (ἃ ? read Nif. V-V (τ συνδησον : © et conservabit ( ? συντηρησον ? 373 (cp. Isa. viii. 16)) W-W Reading καὶ tore with 248 &c. Syro-Hex % (δ 70 &c. καὶ ovras): cp. IMN) ΧΙ. 7, XXXV. I xx 3 ‘like a swift wheel’: @& rpoyos ἀμαξης (3. quasi mota carri): ἢ πον dadao (cp. Isa. xxviii. 28) y-¥ (ἃ σπλαγχνα μωρου 2-2 Reading WN ἸΞῚΝΘ : Ek ὡς akov orpepopevos (αξων jDIN Exod. xiv. 25): 3‘ like

20. And stumble not at an obstacle twice. For the figure of the obstacle (stumbling-block) cp. Isa.viil. 14. The verse appears to mean: do not persist in a course beset with pitfalls ; after stumbling at one obstacle, learn the lesson ; be warned and do not run the risk of stumbling a second time.

21, 22. Be not careless... be wary. Repeating the general sentiment of the preceding verses. Possibly the corrupt word at the end of v. 21 meant ‘smooth’; ‘ Be not careless in a way that is smooth ’—a warning ‘not to trust too much to the apparent ease and simplicity of a course’ (Edersheim).

23. In all thy works guard thyself... keepeth the commandment. ‘In the Rab. literature (T. B. Berakoth 32 6) the exposing of oneself to danger is regarded as a transgression of the Scriptural words (Deut. iv. 9): ti PD WEI 100") > (‘ Only take heed to thyself and keep [guard] thy soul [self)’] (Schechter). ‘

24. He that observeth the Law... Cp. Prov. xvi. 17, xix. 16 (‘ He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul’), xxii. 5. Good fortune and happiness are the reward of loyalty to the Law and its diligent observance. Therefore the observance of the Law appeals to the highest self-interest. This verse forms a natural transition to the paragraph that follows.

1. no evil befalleth. Cp. Job v. 19.

in temptation. Or ‘trial’. he shall again be delivered. viz. from the evil or misfortune that may threaten ; cp. Prov. xii. 21. 2. And is tossed about... And so is likely to founder. For the figure cp. 4 Ezra xii. 42.

(2) XXXIII. (XXXVI) 4-6. Against thoughtlessness, especially in teaching (=3 distichs).

4'Prepare thy speech’, tand sot “let it be heard"; ‘Bind up* instruction, “and then™ reply τ.

5 *Like a cart-wheel* 515 the mind of a fool’,

And his thought “like a rolling wheel-rim’.

6 *Like a saddled horse is the love of a fool®; Under ?whatever rider” he neighs.

(ἡ) XXXIIT. (XXXVI) 7-15. Divine preferences in Nature and Man justified

7 °Why is one day distinguished from another’,

“When all daylight in the year is from the Sun®?

8 “By God’s <great? wisdom® they were distinguished,

"And He differentiated’ seasons and feasts®.

9 Some ἢ He blessed and hallowed",

And others He made ‘ordinary daysi.

a pig [are all his thoughts ] ἢ misreading Wn as ANN a-a So S: OG unmos εἰς οχειαν (Νὰ A.V. &c. οχειον : 307 woxtov : 253 Syro-Hex ἰσοχειος) ὡς dios μωκος (but Ne-2 rightly popos: ch. 3): for poxos V 70 have μοιχος (55 254 Φιλομοιχος) b-D So (τ: $ (enexacily) ‘whoever loves him’ ce So $ (+ of the year’ after ‘day’) vine pm o vw And (Smend): Ge dia te ἥμερα nuepas vmepexer dd So (ἃ: S ‘seeing that all lights serve ’ (misreading wow ‘ from the Sun’ as VIBWID ‘ serve’) ‘the days of the year’ 59:8 So 3 (corrected): (ἃ εν γνωσει Ht Ge καὶ ηλλοιωσεν ( mv) Pos SS Dy) pny h-h So 3 (cp. Gen. ii. 3): & ανυψῶωσεν και ἡγιασεν (253 WW Syro-Hex nudoynoe και ανυψωσεὶ) 71 G& εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερων

(4) XXXIII. 4-6 (= G& XXXVI. 4-6). From the theme of the desirableness of pious study of the Law the writer here passes to the work of the Teacher of the Law. The good teacher will take care that oral instruction is preceded by careful preparation. As in the preceding subsection the point is emphasized by a contrast. ἢ

4. Prepare thy speech... Apparently the writer is thinking of the teacher who is answering questions. ,

Bind up instruction. Cp. Is. viii. 16. ‘The metaphor is from provisions for a journey that are packed up

(Edersheim). The subject to be taught should have been well thought out beforehand—made compact, and preserved for future use.

and then. i.e. and only then.

5. Like a cart-wheel... A contrast. The mind ofa ‘fool’, 1. 6, an uninstructed person (the exact opposite of the type described in v. 4), is ‘like a cart-wheel’, i.e. has no fixed convictions, but changes constantly like a wheel that is ever revolving. ; Γ ;

6. Like a saddled horse is the love of a fool... Not only the mind, but also the affections of a ‘fool’ are equally uncertain. Just as the saddled horse, in the joy of free movement and exercise, cares not who rides him, but neighs to signalize his exhilaration; so the careless ‘fool’ is indifferent as to the object on which (or on whom) he lavishes his transient affections. On the other hand, the pious are particularly careful to cultivate only the society of the pious, and to shun that of evil-doers. @ (cf. R.V. and critical note) has misunderstood the verse.

(e) XXXIII.7-15 (=@ XXXVI.7-15). Godin His unfathomable wisdom has willed that creation should be organized in a series of opposites and contrasts. In themselves all men, so far as their creation 15 concerned, are ona level, just as all the days of the year derive their light equally from a common source, the Sun; but justas God has distinguished some days (the festivals and holy-days) from others, so has He distinguished some men from others—notably (the writer implies) Israel from the heathen nations. The passage, as Smend suggests, was probably directed primarily against the Hellenists, who were striving to break down distinctions between Israel and the outside world, at the time when he vO. For the passage as a whole cp. 4 Ezra v. 23 f., and the following from the Midrash (Zavch. on Numbers NW): ‘Out of certain classes of things God has chosen one. Of days the seventh was chosen and sanctified. Of years, too, the seventh was chosen as the sabbatical year; and out of seven sabbatical years one was selected as the jubilee. Of countries God made choice of Palestine. Of the heavens Araboth (i.e. the highest of the seven heavens) was chosen for God’s throne. Of nations Israel was the choice; and of the tribes of Israel that of Levi.’ See further the Midr. rab, on Cant, ii. 1. The following passage from J¢dr. Tanch. (already referred to above) is cited by Cowley-Neubauer, p. xxvi (Exodus, ἃ 19N, p. 1094; cp.also T.B. Sanhedrin 65 δ): ‘Turnus Rufus asked this question of R. pine enS said to him: Why is one day different from another? He said to him: And why is one man different from another ἢ He said to him: Because the Lord wills ; and the Sabbath also is because the Lord wills. ea

7. Why is one day distinguished from another. viz. in length, according to Ryssel (see 72); but it re natural to suppose that the distinctions of holy and profane are referred to, which are worked out in what follows. Note that the days are regarded as real entities (cf. Job 111). ᾿ ᾿ Nae: nee

8. By God’s great wisdom. The answer to all questions is: God has so willed, and His will is unfathomable : “they were separated by a divine decree’ (Edersheim). Cp. the Midrash extract cited above.

9. He blessed and hallowed. Cf. Gen. ii. 3 (of the Sabbath). Ne rhs ΕΝ ΠΕ

others He made ordinary days. ‘Lit. “He put into the number of days”; i.e. days distinguishec by no ae further than their “number” (in the month or year). In this use of the word signifying “number”, the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages agree’ (Edersheim).

ΘΑ ΘΕ 99. τὸ τὸ

& (9) τὸ iLikewise alsoj all men ‘are made from the clay*,

II

. τῷ

And Adam was created !of earth}. Jn His great wisdom™ God distinguished them, And differentiated "their ways?. Some He blessed and exalted, And others He hallowed °and brought nigh to Himself? ; PSome He cursed “and abased 4, * And overthrew them” *from their place*. t As the clay is in the power of the potter‘, "To fashion it" according to his good pleasure ; YSo is man’ in the power Wof his creator™, *To make him according to His ordinance*. Over against evil (stands) the good, and against death® life ; * Likewise over against the godly’ the sinner’. «Even thus look upon all the works of God*, >Each different”, one the opposite of the other.

(f) XXXIII. 16-18 (XXXVI. τόκα, XXX. 25-27). Ben Sira’s right to give instruction asserted

ΟἹ, indeed®, 4came last of all4, *As one that gleaneth® after the grape-gatherers :

I So Son: G και k-k So S$: G azo εδαφους 11 (ἃ εκ γηςὶ S ‘of dust’ mM OF ev πληθει ἐπιστημης : & renders as in Ὁ. 8 above n-2 (ἴτ τὰς odovs αὐτων : S&S ‘{and He made them | inhabitants of the earth’ (? confusing OMINAN and oNISIN; cp. 1 Kings xviii. 6, LXX [Smend)}) 0-0 (ἴ καὶ προς avtov ἡγγισεν ( IN yoy): S$ ‘and they attained unto Him’ ( yxy oT) Ρ 296 (X 9) praem. καὶ 1-4 Ge καὶ εταπεινωσεν : S ‘and overthrew’ rr (ἃ καὶ aveorpe ev (157 ἀνετρεψεν)ὴ avrovs: S&S ‘and rooted them out’ 8-8 (ἃ amo στασεως avtay (? DAYDD or DIN: so Smend): H a separatione ipsorum (Cora απὸ αποστασεως αὐτωνὴ : S ‘from their habitations’ (Caz Davin) tt (ἃ ws πηλὸς κεραμεως ev xetpe αὐτου (S supports ‘in the hand of the potter’) u-u Reading with 70 πλασαι αὐτο (avrov): cp. & plasmare illud et disponere (+omnes viae eius); a@ doublet: the ordinary reading of (ὰ maca a οὗοι αὐτου is a corruption of the true reading [S combines 13a and Ὁ thus: ‘as the clay, which is fashioned in the hand of the potter’ | vv Reading ovres ἀνθρωπος 248 3» S; other MSS. of & ovres avbpora W-W τοῦ ποιήσαντος avrov 248 (other 77.8.5. ayrovs) X-X Gr ἀποδουναι avrois κατα τὴν κρισιν αὐτου (last three words = wawns): “ὁ ‘to

set him over all his works’ (msreading WWAWND as Ywyna: the whole line in ® prob. ran: \OBwW23 MN ny) Δ ΣῪ $4 ‘is created’ 272: each case (an Unnecessary addition) 2-2 Qk ovrws amevavte evoeBous apaptwdos (2 48 70 Syro-Hex 253 V ovrws ἀπέναντι [ του) ἀμαρτωλου [0 | ευσεβης) : S ‘and over against light was created darkness’ ἅτ So G&: S ‘so hath God manifested all His works’ (9 confusion of nN and TIN: so Smend) b-b & δυο δυο ἡγρυπνησα: 85. ‘came last’ (MINN MANN) Ξε ἢ ND NINN (G ? mesunderstood MA (from ΓΔ); 11 ΤΙΝ as 3 renders: so SLEdersheim) e-e Gi ws καλαμωμενος ? Shy {-f (ἃ εφθασα "ΠΡ (1 went ahead’): S$ ‘I stood’ (‘nnp): H speravi (=? np) or emend fo superavi (Bretschneider) s& So 3: & ληνὸν

10. Likewise also all men are made from the clay. Cp. Jobx. 9. 11. In His great wisdom. i.e. for reasons known only to Himself; they are beyond the human mind to fathom.

their ways. i.e. their destinies (Smend). 12. Some He blessed .. . others He hallowed... Israel and the priesthood (within Israel) are referred to (Smend). For the phraseology cp. Num. xvi. 5f. It was the special privilege of the priests to ‘come near’ (cp.

Some He cursed and abased . .. The heathen nations outside Israel, regarded in the lump, are apparently referred to, especially, however, those (in Canaan) that were overthrown by Israel: cp. Gen. ix. 25-27. ; 13. As the clay is in the power (lit. hand) of the potter... For the figure cp. Jer. xviii. 4, and its application

by St. Paul in Rom. ix. 21. To make him according to His ordinance. For the text see critical note. (‘to render to him according to his judgement ’) misunderstands the original, and introduces an alien thought. 15. Even thus look upon all the works of God. Cp. Qo/el. vii. 13 (‘Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight which He hath made crooked ?’). Each different. Or ‘two and two’ (G&S); cp. xlii. 24. _(f) XXXIII. 16-18 (= (ἃ XXXVI. 16 a, XXX. 25-27). Although he comes last in the succession of teachers Ben- Sira asserts his right to be heard. He is conscious that what he has to say has been gleaned largely from predecessors 5 but his labour has been directed towards one end—to select and gather together what is most important for practical wisdom in the affairs of life. Therefore the leaders of the people ought to pay close attention to his message. For the general idea cp. xxiv. 30 ff. 16. came last of all. sc. of the wise. (τ ἠγρύπνησα might mean ‘I was studious’, i.e. strove by study to acquire wisdom ; Wisd. vi. 16.

‘T advanced ‘ by the blessing of God, And filled Smy winepress® as a grape-gatherer. . 26) "Consider that not for myself alone have I laboured, iBut?! for all that seek Jwisdom!"! . 27) Listen Funto me§, ye leaders ἰοῦ the people!, And ye rulers of the congregation, give ear !

(5) XXXIII. 19-23 (XXX. 28-32). Against surrendering one’s independence to others 19 (xxx. 28) To son or wife, to brother or friend, Give no power over thyself while thou livest ; m™ And give not thy goods "to another? °So as to have to ask for them againo™. 20 (xxx. 29) Whilst thou art yet alive and breath remaineth in thee, PGive not any creature power over thyself”. 21 (Xxx. 3°) For it is better that thy children ask of thee “Than that thou shouldst look to the hand of thy sons‘. 22 (xxx. 31) In all thy works tremain uppermost’, And *let no stain come on thine honour‘. P3 (xxx. 32) When" the days of thy life are ended, "In the day" of death, ἡ distribute thine inheritance’.

(2) XXXITI. 24-31 (XXX. 33-40). On the treatment of subordinates

4 (Xxx. 33) “ Fodder® and stick and burdens’ for an ass, 7Bread and discipline* and work for a servant!

h-h y, 17 wanting in 3 i & adda (+ Kae nea) jC 155 296 σοφιαν: other ASS. παιδειαν Kk SoG S$ (dut 248 > pov) 1G Naov: but 55 254 Aawy $: cp. % et omnes populi mm $ fransposes these clauses so as to make them follow the next verse (20) nn $ ‘to others’ & (Cod. Amuat. aliis); so Syro-Hex

oo S ‘to return and beg from them’: (ἃ wa μὴ μεταμεληθεις den περι αὐτῶν (μεταμεληθεις prob. a false transl. of aw; so Smend) pp So S: G μὴ αλλαξης σεαυτον (= ‘sell not thy self’) πασῃ σαρκι: % non immutabit se

’ omnis caro 4-4 $ (freely) ‘than that thou shouldst beg from them’ rr So $ Sah C (ywov vrepavo) 4 τον an (Deut. xxviii. 13): Β ὑπεράγων 8 So 248 70 Syro-Hex N°* $; others >. tt G& μὴ bos μωμον εν ἡ τῇ δοξῃ σου u+u-U G& ev nuepa... ev καιρῳ: franspose with S$ V-V Gr duados κληρονομίαν ( mbna ron cp. Is. xlix. 8): S$ ‘cause thy sons to inherit thy money’ w Certain MSS. (248 ἄς.) pr. tit. περι δουλων (% de disciplina servorum) Χ (ἃ yopracpara (A 254 Sah χορτασμα 5) NADI y SoG: HonusS t 5. transposes

Here (in the ‘middle of 7. 16) occurs the great transposition in the Greek MSS. and the versions derived from the Greek. See further note on xxx. 24-25. I advanced. viz. in wisdom. The Hebrew word (ΠΡ = ἔφθασα) means ‘I went to meet’, ‘anticipated’. The _ author attributes this advance to the grace of God (‘by the blessing of God’).

as a grape-gatherer. Ben-Sira here explicitly affirms his indebtedness to previous teachers. For the figure cp. Isa. xxiv. 13.

17. Consider... wisdom. = xxiv. 34.

18. Listen unto me, ye leaders of the people... For the address to rulers cp. xlv. 26; others, of course, are included: cp. Matt. xiii. 9, &c. (‘He that hath ears to hear, let him hear’), and the similar passages in Rev. ii. 7, 17,

19. Give no power over thyself. Soas to become dependent on them.

20. Give not any creature power over thyself. Ryssel thinks that ὅτ (see critical note) = Ἢ warboa 52 ΡΟΝ

‘exchange not thyself with any flesh ἢ 1.6. do not allow any other person during thy lifetime to usurp thy pl ACE : following Edersheim he suggests that S$ misinterpreted "2M by the Aram. N71) ‘ lord’.

21. look to the hand of thy sons. Cp. xl. 29 (‘ Aman that looketh to a stranger's table’); Ps. cxxiii. 2 (‘ Behold, as the eyes of servants (look) unto the hand of their master’). Cp. the saying preserved in Aboth de R. Nathan (90 a): “If a man eat of the property of his father or of his mother or of his children, his mind is not established; much more when he eateth of the property of others’ (cited by Edersheim).

22. And let no stain come on thine honour. As would probably be the case in a position of dependence ; for the expression cp. xviii. 15, xliv. 19.

23. In the day of death, distribute thine inheritance. In the so-called Second Alphabet of Ren-Sira the saying occurs in the following form ; ‘ Hide, my son, thy wealth in thy life and conceal it ; and to thy heirs give it not till the day of thy death.’ Note that the dying man is to distribute the patrimony ; written testamentary dispositions were apparently not usual (Smend).

24. Fodder and stick... Cp. Prov. xxvi. 3 (‘A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of

G($) 25 (xxx. 34) *Put thy servant to work*, "and he will seek ΤΕΒΈΩ: ¢Leave his hands idle*’, and he will seek liberty ! 26 (xxx. 35) 4 Yoke and thong bow down the neck, And for an evil servant (there are) *stocks and chastisement.®* 27 (xxx. 36) Put thy servant to work’, Sthat he be not idle§; (xxx.37) For *idleness* teacheth much mischief. 28 (xxx. 38) ‘Appoint him (a task) in thy house? such as befitteth him, And if he obey not J/make his fetters heavy’. 29 *But be not overbearing* against any creature, And do nothing 'that is without right’.

30 (xxx. 39) ™ Hast thou an only servant™, let him be as “thyself"— °For ?thou hast need of him as thy very self?®. 31 ™Hast thou an only servant™, treat him as “thy brother “-- °rBe not jealous against thy very life™?!

a-a G& epyaca ev made FYI Jay: S> (iy homoioteleuton) b-b So 248 καὶ ζητησει avanavow © (3 ‘and give him no rest’): B &c. καὶ evpnoes κτλ. e-e So G&: S ‘if thou raise his head’ (Preading ὉΠ Sor 7) dd §> e-e Ur στρεβλαι kar βασανοι ἡ OVD" NIB: στρεβλωτηριον (Symm.) n>anDd Jer. xx. 2: Baoange 4D" ἵν. 17 (Smend) ff So S$ IAI Jay: (ἃ euPare avrov εἰς epyacrav 8-8 δ (ἃ oxy (a)sdy bch G apya ΠΡῚΝ 11 $ ‘give him power in thine house’ ἢ 7n’32 wTp|aN (Smend): G εἰς epya καταστησον ( - αὐτὸν % Syro-Hex) 1.) (ἃ βαρυνον ras medas αὐτου (>avrov N* A C &c.): 307 Bapuvov ras πεδαις cp. & curva illum compedibus Καὶ Ge καὶ μη περισσευσῃς NIN~DN (Smend), or better, perhaps, a misreading by (πὰ (wn\n) for ann (em Neo-Hebr. ‘be boastful’, ‘ overbearing’, cp. ΠΥ Prov. xxi. 24) 1-| G& avev κρίσεως DEVI NDI: S$ ‘which is not in the Law’ m-m $ ‘Tf one is thy servant’: @& εἰ (read εις) εστιν σοι οικετῆς un && ov (ὀμί 248 © ἡ ψυχη σου) 0-0 In Gt these clauses are transposed; the order adopted above ts supported by 3 — P-P & ws ἡ ψυχὴ σου επιδεησεις αὐτῳ : 96 ‘like thee is thy loss’ ( read wDNN or yon: so Smend) a-a Reading adedpov ( for σεαυτὸν B) with 8 AC ἄς. Syro-Hex 3» tr Ge ore ev αιματι ἐκτήσω ( IPN) wrov: S$ ‘do not fight against the blood of thy soul’ =? qW5] D732 δ ΡΠ by (so read)

fools’). For ‘discipline’ in the second line the Armenian has ‘the lash’, which may be a correct interpretation of ‘discipline’ here; it corresponds to ‘stick’ in line 1. Cp. Prov. xxix. 19. 25. Put thy servant to work. Lit. ‘ work with thy servant’; cp. xiii. 4 (‘make a slave of’).

Leave his hands idle = 1 47, which 3 misread Ἢ ὉΠΠ (so Edersheim).

26. Yoke and thong bow down the neck. The terms are applicable to a beast of burden, which is, no doubt, in the writer’s mind. The word rendered ‘thong’ (iuas) or ‘strap’ refers probably to some sort of rough harness. In Isa. v.18 and Job xxxix. 10 it = nyay ‘cord’—in theylatter passage the cord or band by which an animal is controlled (‘Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow?’). For the phrase ‘ bow down the neck’ ep. vii. 23 (ἃ,

stocks and chastisement. For the ‘stocks’ (M35) cp. Jer. xx. 3, xxix. 26; 2 Chron. xvi. lo. It was an instrument of punishment which compelled a crooked posture, or distorting (15) apparently, and, though not recognized in the Law, is referred to (with the ‘collar’ or manacle [P)°S] and the ‘fetters’ [see v. 28 below]) as a method of disciplining disobedient servants and other refractory persons. All these restrained personal liberty. — By ‘chastisement’ (0"1D’) probably scourging is meant. The right of a master to inflict excessive punishment was, however, limited by the Law, even in the case of non-Israelitish slaves; and the sabbath rest was a humane institution by which they benefited (cf. Exod. xxi. 26 f., xxili. 12; Deut. v.12f.). It must be borne in mind that the case contemplated in our text is that of the ‘evz/ servant’.

27. For idleness teacheth much mischief. Illustrate from 2 Thess. iii, 11.

28. make his fetters heavy. Cp. for the phrase Lam. iii. 7 (‘ He hath made my chain heavy’).

29. be not overbearing. The Hebr. text underlying & is usually supposed to mean ‘be not excessive’ (anin-5y), sc. In punishment; for another view see critical note. In any case the rights even of foreign-born slaves were safeguarded in the Law. ‘Thus if a master struck his slave so as to cause the loss of an eye or tooth, the slave was to be free ; if death resulted on the same day the deed was avenged as a murder, but not if it ensued on a subsequent day (cf. Exod. xxi. 20, 21, 26, 27). A fugitive slave, according to Deut. xxiii. 15, 16, was not to be delivered up to his master by those among whom he had taken refuge.

without right. i.e. contrary to the Law.

30. an only servant. For the reading cp. critical note. This reading explains the apparent contradiction between the advice given in this and the following verse and the section that immediately precedes. For the transposition of clauses ὁ and d see critical note.

31. Be not jealous against thy very life. The original text probably ran 7W5] D723 ΡΠ by, lit. ‘ be not jealous against the blood of thy soul (or thyself)’; ‘blood’ = life according to Gen. ix. 3 f. and other passages. Ὁ renders: ‘and fight not with the blood of thy soul, i. e. with thine own blood—a rendering of the same text, probably. Smend, following Drusius and other scholars, supposes ‘with the blood’ here to represent 273, and explains this expression

from the Aramaic sense of | = ‘worth’ or ‘ price’: then the line may be interpreted : ‘ for in him thou possessest one worth thy very self’: cp. A.V. (v. 30) ‘because thou hast bought him with a price.’

ἘΠ Ry ani

3) (xxx. 40) If thou treat him ill, ‘and he proceed to run away’,

On what way shalt thou find him ?

(a) XXXIV. (XXXI.) 1-8. The vanity of dreams and divinations (=3+1+3+1 distichs).

34 5 1*He who seeketh vanity findeth delusion,

& >And dreams elate fools?. 2 As one catching at a shadow ‘and pursuing the wind’, So is “he that trusteth® °in dreams*. $ 3‘ Alike are mirror and dream‘, 8The likeness of a face opposite a face®. 4 "From the unclean what can be clean”, And from the false what can be true ? 5 Divinations and soothsayings and dreams are vain ; Even ‘as thou hopest (so) seeth thy heart'.

5:8 Gk καὶ ἀπαρας ἀποδρᾳ: S ‘and he goes and gets lost’ (Ἴ2Ν) P\D2) = ὃ NA JOM

aa So 3 (cp. Ὁ. 2a): (ἃ κεναὶ αἱ ελπιδὲς καὶ ψευδεις ασυνετῳ avdpt: W has sing. (vana spes et mendacium) b-b So (τ: 9. ‘and a dream is a vain delight’ ( 5an ayn for (o)ba> wn) ce So Gk (avenov B, aveyous 248 347 Compl.): S‘and as one startling a bird’ d-d So S$: & o ἐπεχων (& qui attendit ad) e-e So G: 3 visa mendacia: S$ ‘to the vision of the night’ If $ ‘thus is the vision’ ( 18 mirror) ‘and dream of the night’: (ἃ rovro Kata Touro (so δ ef al Syro-Hex 35 Syr Sah: éu¢ B κατα τουτουὴ ορασις ενυπνιων (τουτο κατα Touro MD ΠῚ Ζ. 6. ‘like one another [are]’, &c.): 30 (ἃ (hoc secundum hoc, &c.) ss So Gt (κατεναντι προσώπου ομοιωμα προσωπου)ὴ: 3: ante faciem hominis similitudo hominis: S$ ‘opposite a person (ΝΒ}5) the likeness of a face’ h-h So ZL: (ἃ WO) Ὁ NOD (ΠΡ) καθαρισθησεται: but read ab) καθαρευσει cp. αληθευσει next clause: so Ryssel): 3 has ‘and from the head of his people’ wy wd mesread from Mm yw ‘it (the dream) expels innocency’: & pornts fo a Hebr. text (9) AD AD ywrn, ‘out of wickedness what can be pure?’ (@ vardant on text underlying &) | Edersh., Ryssel suggest Pas for A mn Syr. variant| Mi (τ ὡς wdwovons φανταζεται καρδια (= >qad mi nn 13: cp. Isa. xxvi. 17, LXX: read 525 ayy Smin wo:

If thou treat him ill... S renders: ‘because if thou afflict him he will go away and perish (or get lost); and by what way shalt thou find him?’ The runaway slave could not be recovered (see on v. 29 above).

XXXIV. I—XXXVI. 16 (= (ἃ XXXI. I—XXXIII. 13a; XXXVI. 16 4-22). This division falls into six sub- Its themes embrace a disquisition on the vanity of dreams, the practical value of true wisdom, acceptable and unacceptable sacrifice, the efficacy of the prayers of the oppressed, and, in conclusion, a prayer is set forth to God for His people.

XXXIV (XXXI). Three of these subsections are included in chap. xxxiv, viz.: (@) xxxiv. (xxxi.) 1-8; (6) xxxiv. 9-17 ( xxxi. 9-20); (c) xxxiv. 18-26 ( xxxi. 21-31). The theme of (a) is the futility of dreams, divinations, and soothsayings as sources of knowledge; with this the writer contrasts (4) the outcome of his own much-travelled experience, viz. that nothing can exceed in practical value, for the stress of life, the possession of true wisdom and the fear of the Lord; in (c) he turns to another subject, the ineffectiveness of sacrifices unaccompanied by a proper spirit and true repentance (this is continued in xxxv. 1-11 [ & xxxil. 1-13] by a paragraph on acceptable sacrifice).

(2) XXXIV. (ἃ XXXI.) 1-8. In his strong repudiation of belief in dreams Ben-Sira is much in advance of his time. Even the later Rabbis failed to reach so discriminating a standard, belief in the efficacy of dreams being practically universal among them. ‘The Jews of antiquity held almost the same views regarding dreams as did other ancient peoples’ (/Z, iv. 837). False divination is denounced in Jer. xxviii. 8: cp. Qohed. v. 6 (Hebr. v. 7)-

1. He who seeketh vanity findeth delusion. So 3. (ἃ has ‘A man without understanding hath vain and false hopes’. The aphoristic style of S$ here is probably more original. For thought cp. v. 2a. ;

dreams elate fools. For the variant of S$ here (‘A dream isa vain delight’) cp. the dictum of R. Simon Ὁ. Yochai (2nd cent. A.D.): ‘As there is no grain without chaff, so there is no dream without vain things.’ The Greek ἀναπτεροῦν ‘to furnish with wings’: then, metaph. ‘to excite, elate’. It may here represent Y'177 (in Cant. vi. 4 it

2. pursuing the wind. Cp. Hos. xii. 2 (xii. 1 Hebr.). 5S (‘as one startling a bird’) is probably interpolated from XXvil. 18: cp. Prov. ix. 12 LXX.

3. Alike are mirror and dream. Dream and mirror are alike in this, that the image in both is a mere reflection as contrasted with the reality. There may be the further idea that as a mirror merely reflects what is placed opposite it, so a dream merely portrays what is read into it. It may be made to mean anything. % (‘hoc secundum hoc visio somnorum ’) can only = ‘ all dreams are alike’.

4. From the unclean what can be clean. Cp. Job xiv. 4. ee

5. Divinations... The Latin qualifies the terms employed (‘divinations, soothsayings, dreams’): ‘divinatio erroris, auguria mendacia, somnia malefacientium,’ ‘reserving the rights of legitimate divination’ (Hart): cp. v. 6.

as thou hopest... The emended text yields an excellent sense. (ἃ is rendered by R.V.: ‘And the heart fancieth, as a woman’s in travail,’ i.e. is the victim of manifold selfdelusions. The physical phenomenon alluded to is often referred to by ancient writers.

iIf they be not sent from the Most High providentially), Do thou pay them no heed.

kFor many there are that have been led astray by dreams‘, 1 And through placing their hopes thereon have fallen’.

™Without deceit shall the Law be fulfilled”, And wisdom is perfect in a mouth that is faithful”.

(ὁ XXXIV. 9-17 (XXXI. 9-20). The practical value of true Wisdom (=2+2+3+3 distichs).

° An ‘experienced man) knoweth much, And ‘one that is well versed)° ?declareth understanding’, He that is without experience knoweth little, i But “the well-versed? hath much “skill*.

cp. Smend): & ‘he that trusteth in them his heart is there’ (248 has φαντάζεται σου ἡ καρδια: 50 i) 1:) (ἃ eav μὴ παρα Ὑψίστου ἀποσταλῃ εν επισκοπῃ (NAC): Ἔσου (248): ἐπισκοπῃ (> εν) 106 3» nisi ab Altissimo fuerit emissa visitatio: so Arm: cp. S ‘even though it be ordained of God to err in thoughts of the night’ Kk § it. ‘for many there are that have missed their way (NNN yd) in a dream’: (τ (C ἅς.) πολλοὺς (+ yap A 248 ef al. Syro-Hex & 8) ἐπλανησε τα ενυπνια 1 So G& 3. : S$ ‘and have stumbled in their paths’ mm So & 3» (verbum legis): $ ‘where there is no sin God is well pleased’ (Hed. ὃ apy ΝΟΣ misunderstood by $: so Ryssel) nn G& καὶ copia στόματι mote (more 253 296 308: cp. 3 in ore fidelis) τελειωσις nad moon 255 myn (cp. Ryssel): S ‘the wisdom of the ungodly at night is believed’ [ajvba mond yeas moon (so Ryssel) 0-0 G& ἀνὴρ πεπαιδευμενος (z. 1. SA vid. 248 347 &c. Syro-Hex πεπλανημενοςῚ) eyva πολλα, Kat ὁ πολυπειρος : 3» vir in multis expertus ( avnp πολυπειρος) cogitabit multa, et qui multa didicit ( και ὁ πεπαι- δεύμενος) /ransposing the two Gk. words [im xxi. 22 (25) avOpwmos πολύπειρος is rendered ὧν & homo peritus: im XXi. 23 (26) amp πεπαιδευμενος by vir eruditus|: so 85. which renders: ‘a wise man’ (ΝΣ NII ανὴρ πολυπειρος, Cp. XXXVi. 25, Xxi. 22) ‘examines much, and the diligent man’ (Ὁ 7w5 [so read| = Heb. by) This would point to an original Hebrew text :

se eee ν (cp, XXXVi. 25) PN) WN ἀν gene aon

Sean ( ‘used to’, ‘well versed in’, parallel in meaning to pny) prob. gave rise to the variant reading πεπλανη- μένος ‘travelled’ ( 59 regarded as passive part of 227) p-p So G&, 3. (enarrabit intellectum): $ ‘ searcheth out everything’ 9-4 G& o δε πεπλανημενος, so C 248 &c.: πεπαιδευμενος 55 106 157 254 (variant renderings of by as in Ὁ. 9): © in multis factus est (? πληθυνομενος, corruption of πεπλανημενος}): S ‘he who is tried (experienced)? (85) ΤῸ & πανουργιαν Dy: LH malitiam (nequitia) Ayr: S ‘wisdom’ [vz. ga, ro, ΤΙ wn & doublets | ss So (ἃ ©: S ‘when I tried (gathered experience)’ tt S$ NI OMIT DAN: Zhes 25 confirmed by & which has et plurimas verborum consuetudines (consuetudines = συνηθείας, a corruption ὃ of

6. If they (i.e. dreams) be not sent from the Most High providentially (ἐν ἐπισκοπῇ, ‘as a visitation’). The writer here makes an exception of God-given dreams, of which many are referred to inthe O.T. The H, ‘unless a visitation be sent from the Most High’ (which may represent the true text), apparently means: unless the dream be followed by some definite and practical consequences, pay no heed to it—a good working precept which accords well with Ben-Sira’s general view of the matter.

7. through placing their hopes thereon have fallen. For the phrase cp. & xiv. 2.

ὃ. Without deceit shall the Law be fulfilled. i.e. without the aid of such false and delusive medza as dreams and divinations the Law will be realized (i.e. its threats and promises, dependent upon obedience or disobedience to its precepts, shall be realized): so Ryssel. Orthe sentence might mean: those who practise the Law can and should fulfil its precepts without resort to such means (which, indeed, are contrary to it). Edersheim makes ‘ without deceit’ = ‘by telling the truth’—a harsh and strained construction.

wisdom is perfect in a mouth that is faithful. i.e. wisdom is only then perfect when it is allied with truthfulness. (‘A mouth that is faithful and true’: so Ryssel.) ‘Wisdom when combined with sincerity is perfect’ (Edersheim). Clem. Alex. S¢vom. ii. 26. 24, Paed. 441 cites the clause in the form: σοφία στόματι πιστῶν (without τελείωσις, cp. 3). [For the equation of Law and wisdom cp. chap. xxiv, and see Introd. § 9, ii and iii.]

(ὁ) XXXIV. 9-17 (= ἃ XXXI. 9-20). The writer in this subsection proceeds to enlarge on the benefit of true wisdom and sound piety, as shown in his own wide experience of life.

9. An experienced man...one that is well versed. The context shows that the writer is referring to experience gained in the school of life, especially by travel (cp. v. 11). Edersheim thinks skill in practice in the arts or sciences

1o. the well-versed. For the reading (= Hebr. Syy5) see critical notes. S ‘one who is tried’ (in the school of

experience) gives the sense well: cp. also %. [Against the view that YD) and MD) have been confused in original Hebrew here see Ryssel.|

ΘΕ ΘΗ τι 1s

{πιτ(12) *In my journeying* I have seen much, *And many things have befallen ae 12(13) Often was I in danger even unto death, But was preserved "because of these things". 13 (14) ¥The spirit of those that fear the Lord remaineth alive’, (15) For their hope is upon Him that saves them”. 14 (16) xHe that feareth the Lord is afraid of Ynothing’, And doth not lose courage—for He is his hope. 15 (17) Of him that feareth the Lord—happy the soul! (18) On whom doth he trust? And who is his stay? ? 16(19) The eyes of the Lord are upon *them that fear Him®, »Α mighty shield, and strong stay”, “Α cover from scorching Sirocco*, 4a shadow from noontide heat®, °A guard from stumbling®, and a succour from falling, 17(20) Heart-gladdener’ and eye-brightener, ’ Healing, life, and blessing®!

(ἡ) XXXIV. 18-26 (XXXI. 21-31). Unacceptable sacrifice (=2+ 3+ 2+ 3 distichs).

18(21)»The sacrifice of the unrighteous man is a mocking offering ®, (22) And unacceptable are ‘the oblations: of the godless.

συνηλθε: or bn for moe) : (ἃ και πλειονα (248 τα πλασματα---α secondary reading) Tov λογων μου συνεσις μου (106 > pov) ἢ ΠΣ) IID AAW (NYA may be a corruption of ΝᾺ : so Ryssel) wu (τ τουτων xapw S: 3. horum causa et liberatus sum gratia dei; ‘ double rendering of xapw suggested by the familar phrase “ saved by grace”’ (Hart). Edersh. suggests that D7AyA stood in the original Hebr, with the meaning ‘when they passed over (me)’ (07292) and that this was misread by the translators DVIY2 ‘on account of them’ vv So tk Mnn MA AN MI: S ‘the will of those that fear Him the Lord does’ ? AN AT Nw myn (Laersh.): 3. quaeritur ζητηθησεται for ζησεται (the following clause in & ἐς an amplification) w-w So Gr &+ et oculi Dei in diligentes se ( v. τό (19) a): S ‘for great is his hope and He saves’ Χ 3> the verse Y-Y οὐδεν δ ἄς. Syro-Hex. 1 S$: πολλα A: ov py Β ἄς. τ Ok ἀαντιστηριγμα ἸΝ Ps. xvill. 19 «a Gr (307) tous PoBoupevous αὐτὸν (so 1): τοὺς ἀγαπωντας αὐτὸν B &c. 248: S$ ‘all His servants’ [39 really has both readings: cp. v. 13 (15) | b-b 9 ‘protecting (}119) and delivering, and He is a great confidence’ ὁτὸ (ἃ σκεπὴ ἀπὸ καυσωνος : % tegimen ardoris (95 ‘from the enemy ’) ad So % (umbraculum meridiani): G σκεπὴ peonuBpras (9 ‘from the foe’) e-e So (ἃ : & deprecatio (precatio) offensionis: S$ ‘Saviour from affliction’ ft & ανυψὼων ψυχὴν (wE3>) 33D: so 3», (exaltans animam): $ ‘joy of heart’ ab mown: so read here (mae"D) ἔπε So & adding διδους (cp. 3» dans sanitatem, &c.): διδοὺς prod. an addition of & (so Ryssel) [S for the whole verse has: ‘joy of heart and light of eyes and healing of life and blessings—all these doubly upon the righteous shall come ’ (last clause an addition: cp. x). To) | hh (ἃ θυσιαζων εξ adixov, mpoopopa μεμωκημενὴ ? diy nar Dynyn ΤΠ (porn aay M3: G& read AVY Nt): so Ryssel: % ‘the sacrifices of the unrighteous are unrighteous’ (ΠΝ NT NdwI pamby) Aebr. : (or ny) by ΟΣ NAW: for μεμωκημενὴ (from μωκασθαι fo

11. In my journeying I have seen much. An interesting autobiographical touch. Ben-Sira’s travels are again alluded to in li. 13. Unfortunately no details are given. And many things have befallen me. So §S (see critical notes): @ has ‘and more than my words is my understanding’, i.e. my knowledge and insight is greater than might be supposed from my words. 12. because of these things. i.e. because of the good sense, prudence, and -skill referred to in the previous verses (vv. 9 and 10); or read: ‘when they (viz. the experiences mentioned in the previous verses) passed over (me)’; _ 13. The spirit of those that fear the Lord remaineth alive. sc. in danger: ‘spirit’ here principle of life, as in Isa. xxxviii. 16. 14. is afraid of nothing. i.e. nothing daunts him, because he is sustained by a sublime faith in God’s providence. The v. 7. of (A) ‘shall reverence much’ (taking εὐλαβεῖν in a religious sense, of God-fearing). 15. On whom doth he trust? τίνι ἐπέχει , (=MVI" 97 Y), ‘And who is his stay?’ For the rhetorical questions cp. Ps. xxiv (end): ‘Who is the King of glory?’ (to introduce the answer that follows). ; :

16. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him. Ps. xxxill. ky ( Hebr. xxxiii. 18); cf. xxxiv. 15 (16). The clause is identical with xv. 19. f

A mighty shield... ‘A mighty shield (ὑπερασπισμὸς δυναστείας ἢ δ 12) and strong stay’ (στήριγμα ἰσχύος y {ywn) ; for the terms cf. Ps. xviii. (xvii.) 3 and 19 Hebr. and LXX; cp. also Ps. Ixi. (Ix.) 3 f., xci. (xc.) If.

A cover from scorching Sirocco, a shadow from noontide heat. Cp. Is. xxv. 4. ἯΝ 17. Heart-gladdener and eye-brightener. Cf. Ps. xix. (xviii.) 8: ‘The statutes of Jahveh ... rejoice the heart ; the commandment of Jahveh . . . giveth light to the eyes.’ ; ν (c) XXXIV. 18-26 (= [ἃ ΝΧΧΙ, 21-31). This subsection introduces a subject which is continued in the next

&(5)19(23) The Most High hath no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly,

jNeither doth He forgive sins for a multitude of sacrifices’.

20(24) *(As) one that killeth the son before the father’s eyes Is he that offereth a sacrifice from the goods of the poor*.

21(25)'A scanty bread is the life of the poor!: ™He that depriveth him thereof™ is "a man of blood”.

22 (26) °He slayeth his neighbour who taketh away his living®,

(27) PAnda blood-shedder is he that depriveth the hireling of his hire.

23 (28) One building “and another® pulling down— What have they gained but tempty* toil ὃ

24 (29) One *praying® and tanother' cursing— To whose voice shall "the Lord® listen ἢ

25 (3°) He who washeth after (contact with) a dead body Yand toucheth it again’, ~ What hath he gained by his bathing ¥ ?

mock at: cp. Jer. li, (xxvili.) 18 where Dxynyn Avy = epya μεμωκημενα LXX): A 7ο 106 157 Cyril. Alex. vi. 311 and & (maculata) read μεμωμημενη ‘contaminated’ (so Smend): combining this last reading with % we obtain as the possible text in the original Hebrew, nya nox ΤΟΝ ndiy, z.e. ‘A burnt offering from that which is

unjustly gotten (cp. Isa. Ixi. 8 aby 20) is a blemished offering’. Zhzsyzelds an excellent sense, and may be right (cp. Smend) ΓΙ G& (πο ἢ mg., 248) δωρηματα ἀνομων (cp. S ‘their oblations’): 3» subsannationes iniustorum : but δὰ A 296 308 μωμηματα: B μωκηματα avopev (‘the mockeries of the godless’) Ji So (τ: 86 ‘neither for the multitude of their oblations (cf. % nec in multitudine sacrificiorum eorum) doth He forgive them’ Kk Ψ, transposes clauses (a) and (Ὁ). [Gt at beginning has θυων: % Ὁ, Syro-Hex + os ‘as one that killeth’: ὦ also adds ovrws at beginning of clause (b)] Il (τ apros επιδεομενων (on πτωχων: 85 ‘bread of mercy’, &c. (70n ond for >pn ond: point ΡΠ ‘want, poverty’ (Prov. xxviii. 22, Job xxx. 3)) m-m ¢& (Β ἄς): ὁ anoorepwv αὐτὴν: for αὐτὴν NC 248 30 (qui defraudat illum) read αὐτου: 3 ‘he that exacts it from them’ nn So (ἃ %: S ‘sheds innocent blood’ (cp. 22 Ὁ) 0-0 So G@ ? mn» Suwa Nan min: B® qui aufert in — sudore panem (cf. Gen. iii. 19, iv. 2) quasi qui occidit proximum suum: S$ ‘he who kills his neighbour possesses his goods’ (Edersh. suggests WN) as the verb ο αφαιρουμενος : this would account for $: 7 ‘to dispossess’ — as well as ‘possess ’) p-p So G&: LH qui effundit sanguinem et qui fraudem facit mercenario, fratres sunt: | 3S has a much extended text here 9-9 Ge και εἰς : S ‘another’: # et unus rr So S$: >& and hh ss So GH: Ὁ: blessing Ἷ {τ & και εἰς : so L: Syro-Hex και eTepos : SO x ut Gr ὁ δεσποτης : 3» deus, so ῷὥ v-v δὸ (ἃ 39: S$ ‘and returns ( again draws nigh) to him’ (¢.e. the dead) w-w So (τ (36 ‘from his washing): &% quid proficit levatio illius? x-x @ fransposes these two clauses YY (ἃ ev τῳ ταπεινωθηναι αὑτὸν 1} 5. “ἴῃαΐ he fasted’ (correctly interpreting) Ἰ ὃ ἸὦΞ) IN)3Y3 or ἸΠΌΨΠΣ. 21 Throughout this chapter % seems to

chapter, viz. the value of sacrifices. The theme illustrated first is that of unacceptable sacrifice, which is defined as consisting in what is derived from unjust gain and oppression of the poor.

18. The oblations of the godless. The better attested Greek reading = ‘mockeries’, a term applied to the sacrifices of the godless. For the sentiment cp. Prov. xv. 8, xxi. 27.

19. Neither doth He forgive sins for a multitude of sacrifices. Cp. vii.9; Isa. i. 11f.; Ps. 1. 8-15. f

20. (As) one that killeth the son before the father’s eyes. The point of the comparison is that a duty may not | be fulfilled at the expense of committing a great wrong. The poor are dear to the divine heart as a son to a father.

21. A scanty bread is the life of the poor. ‘Life’ here that on which their life depends and is sustained ( 38 MD); cp. iv. 1. The reading of $ (‘bread of mercy’ = charity) yields the sense: ‘ Bread of charity is the livelihood | of the poor,’ i.e. the poor depend upon the doles of the rich for their livelihood: but this is probably not right. Ball | Wer “12 a Joc.) suggests the rendering : ‘The bread of the needy, the living of the poor [he that depriveth him thereof,’ &c.].

22. his living. The Greek word used (συμβίωσις) has here the unusual sense of ‘living’ (vécfws) : ‘living together’ | (of social or marital intercourse) would be more literal. Probably the word was chosen to represent ND as distinct from ON (βίος). For the clause cp. the proverb cited in Midrash Tanhuma 126: ‘Any one who steals the worth of a

farthing from his neighbour is as though he took away his life’ (192 wn’) Soya ΝΘ an moma vw Sain b>). who taketh away his living. The reading of 30, ‘he who takes away sweat bread’ (see critical note), is remark-

able. There is a clear reference to Gen. iii. 19; cp. iv. 2 (Cain) in a context which refers to unacceptable sacrifice. And a blood-shedder is he that depriveth the hireling of his hire. Cp. the proverb cited in T. B. Bada mesia )

112 a: ‘Every one who suppresses the hire of an hireling is as though he took from him his life’ (ΣΦ 12¥ vwiayon 23 |

yon war dor 1N3) : cp. also vii. 20 and Lev. xix. 13; Deut. xxiv. 14f.; Jer. xxii.13; Mal. iii. 5; Tobit iv. 145)

23-24. In the case of the sacrifice contemplated one builds (the poor man by his labour produces) something which | the other pulls down (i.e. consumes by seizing it for an unjust sacrifice): one prays (i.e. the sacrificer) and the other ( the poor man who has been robbed) curses.

25-26. These verses give further illustrations of contradiction (between outward act and inward intention). It is futile

($)26(31) So a man fasting for his sins —- And again doing the same— *Who will listen to his prayer ? And what hath he gained Yby his humiliation®*.

(1)*He that keepeth the law multiplieth offerings? ; (2) >He sacrificeth a peace-offering that heedeth the commandments”. (3) ‘He that practiseth kindness offereth fine flour®, (4) And he that doeth mercy “sacrificeth a thank-offering®. (5) A thing well-pleasing to the Lord it is °to avoid wickedness®, fAnd £a propitiation® to avoid what is wrong’. 4(6) Appear not with empty hands "in the presence of the Lord», 5(7) For all this (shall be done) because it is commandedi. 6(8) The offering of the righteous Jmaketh the altar fat), k And its sweet savour (cometh) before the Most High*. 7(9)!The meal-offering! of a righteous man is acceptable, ™ And its memorial shall not be forgotten™.

have modified and altered the text to a considerable extent for dogmatic reasons. These alterations are in a Christian direction ; direct references to sacrifices have been largely eliminated, and even allusions to words of Jesus introduced | aa So & (reading προυφορας with & A ἄς. Syro-Hex: against ovppopas B): & oblationem (Har? orationem): _§ ‘If thou hast done that which is written in the Law thou hast multiplied service’ b-b So (ἃ : 30 sacrificium salutare est adtendere mandatis (cp. θυσια a corrected reading of A): 3 ‘and he that keepeth the commandment blessed is his spirit” ce So &: H retribuet gratiam qui offert similaginem : 96 ‘he earns good interest that offers an oblation (07 that celebrates the Eucharist) ’ 1d & θυσιαζων awecews (N* θυσια κτλ.) AN AI: FL offert sacrificium: S$ ‘keepeth the Law’ (? reading ΠῚ for mn) ee (ἃ αἀποστηναι aro πονηριας (απο apaptias 55 106 254): S ‘from all that is evil’ ff So (ἃ : S ‘keep back thy strength from all that is hateful’ 8- & εξίλασμος ( AMD, cp. Ὁ. 5): 39 deprecatio pro peccatis hh So GL: ὁ ‘before Him’ i So & (% propter mandatum Dei fiunt): S$ ‘for every one that doeth what is pleasing keepeth the commandment ’ 3 So (ἃ 3": S$ ‘is the prayer of their mouth ’ k-k So Gr 3. : & ‘their deeds penetrate the heavens’ (cf. v. 17) T1G θυσια: so: S ‘the gift’ (Smend ‘ Speiseopfer ’) m-m So (τ: 30. et memoriam eius non obliviscetur

to pass through the ritual act of purification, if the defilement is to be immediately contracted again: so it is equally

futile to ask for the divine forgiveness of sin (by a course of fasting) unless there is a real repentance : cp. for the thought

2 Pet. ii. 20-22; Heb. x. 26. Similar illustrations and language are employed in the Talmudic tractate on Fasting

(Ta‘anith 16 a); cp. also Aboth de R. Nathan (as cited both by Edersheim).

26. humiliation = ‘fasting’: cp. later Hebr. ΠΝ (lit. ‘humiliation’, i.e. fasting).

(4) XXXV. 1-11 (= ἃ XXXII. 1-13). The governing thought of the section is that loyalty to God’s Law, which is

the expression of God’s will, demands the offering of many sacrifices. But these are only acceptable if they are offered

willingly, from a grateful heart, and if they are combined with high ethical standards of conduct.

I. multiplieth offerings. The various kinds of sacrifice are specified in what follows. The elimination of these

references in $—who as a Christian recognizes no sacrifices—spoils the symmetry and appositeness of the original lines. a peace-offering. (ἃ σωτηρίου, = probably περὶ σωτηῤίου (so LXX τ Chron. xvi. 1, 2, &c.): so αἰνέσεως v. 2 (cp.

LXX 2 Chron. xxix. 31): Hebr. ody mat. For the ritual prescriptions cp. Lev. iil., |

2. offereth fine flour. i.e. a meal-offering (472!)) of which fine flour (σεμίδαλις = nob) was the principal constituent :

cf, Lev. ii. The ‘ practice of kindness’ (ODN nidy3) is a regular phrase in late Hebrew for benevolence generally, which included much more than almsgiving.

he that doeth mercy. Hebr. prob. API¥ Ay. 3. to avoid wickedness. ἀποστῆναι ἀπὸ πονηρίας YD AND: cp. Job xxviii. 28. 4. Appear not with empty hands (lit. ‘empty’)... Cp. vii. 29-31. ae the presence of the Lord. i.e. in the temple. For phrase cp. Exod. xxiii. 15, xxxiv. 20; Deut. xvi. 16 and LXX. 5. because it is commanded. One of the main motives for observance of the Law is that such constitutes obedience to the divine will. The prescriptions of the cultus must be obeyed because God has commanded them to be obeyed. It is this only that gives the sacrifices religious value. Though the best sacrifice is a moral life, yet the sacrifices of the Law must be performed because God has enjoined them. This was the position later of the conservative Hellenistic Jews such as. Philo. _6. maketh the altar fat. A sign from which it may be concluded that the sacrifice is accepted (Smend). 5 here simply paraphrases in a Christian sense (see critical notes). 7. The meal-offering. (&k θυσία here ΠΣ (S ‘the gift’): and ‘its memorial’ the 1731N, i.e. that part of the meal-offering which was burnt as a ‘memorial’ (Lev. ii. 2) : so μνημόσυνον in xxxvill. 11, xlv. 16. So also ‘sweet savour’ in v, 6 MN) m9 in reference to the fat pieces (of the burnt offering) which were burnt upon the altar (Lev. i. 6, ill. 5).

& 8 (10) With a good eye "glorify the Lord”, : And °stint not the heave-offering of thy hands°. %" 9 (11) PIn all thy deeds? let thy countenance shine, “And with gladness dedicate thy tithe’. το (12) Give 'to God* as He hath given ‘to thee’, ss With goodness of eye*’, and tas thine hand hath attained’. τι (13) For He is "a God of requital", And ‘sevenfold’ will He recompense thee.

(ce) XXXV. 12-20(XXXV. 14-26). God hears the cry of the oppressed (=2+%+%+2+5+1 distichs).

12 (14) “ Bribe not”, for He will not receive* ; (15) And put not thy trust Yupon a sacrifice of extortionY, For He is a God of justice’, And with Him is no partiality. 13 (16) *He will not show partiality against the poor man, And the supplications of ?the distressed” He heareth, 14 (17) He doth not ignore “πε cry° of the fatherless, 4Nor the widow, when she poureth out (her) plaint?. 15 (18) °Do not the tears‘ run down the cheek, (19) %And sigh against ‘him who causeth them to fall)?

Dominus): $ ‘and the memorial of the righteous shall not be forgotten for ever’ nn So & 30: % ‘give to

~ not (ayan for oynn) in thy gifts’ PP & ev πασῃ doce (inlerpreting): so S 4-4 So ® (wy, mg. Ἵν. 1 and ὙΦ) (ἃ (δεκατην): S$ ‘lend to him who doth not pay thee’ (cp. Luke vi. 34 Pesh.) rr % text : variant (under line) bub: so S: (ἃ γψιστῳ 5- > ss-ss So 10 (PY AOI) G& ev ἀγαθῳ οφθαλμῳ : 50 S

ὑπὸ 39 Ἢ NIWAD (1 PWN) (ἃ καθ evpepa χειρος : 35. ‘with a large hand’ (reading “Δ and interpreting by Aram. SW). | For phrase cp. xiv. 13 ἢ : S+(a gloss: cp. Prov. xix. 17) ‘for he who giveth to the poor lendeth to God; for | who is a recompenser but Him’ ® mg.: :yym ox 13 mbyaa Sya sey vans ima md 1 ® ΠΥΡΊ mde: |

v-Y $ ‘ten thousand times ten thousand’ [96 /ransposes verses 10 and 11 | wow 10 NWN ὃν (ἃ μὴ δωροκοπει | (cp. Deut. x. 17 Aq.): 3 ‘do not tarry’ ( ἢ ~nxn by): noli offere munera prava x @ + illa. sy ® ἢ pwyn nat ὃν : Ge θυσίᾳ αδικῳ 2-2 So ® (righily) paw mb: (ἃ κυριος κριτης ( ἢ DEY pds) : S ‘a doer of © justice ” a-a § ‘the prayer of the poor man cometh up before Him’ (cf. clause b) [248 and &+ xpos] — b-b 10 pry (read Psvd: cp. iv. g): Ge ηδικημενου : S ‘the weary of spirit’ ὁτὸ 35 npys (mg. ΤΡ ‘groan’ | 8): (τ ixererav (cp. ἢ preces) d-d (τ καὶ χηραν εαν exxen λαλιαν = Y (mg. mw pann 5: for wann ext has

mann): 39 for last word has loquelam gemitus ΒΤ ΤΡ ( Ξι ϊς 18: ΤΩΣ Ὁ Τ G& (L) + (cncorrectly) xnpas es ® fo be read WWW oy MMS) or AAW Ge: 39 fext WNW ‘her wanderings’. A verd ts required; ὦ hence point MIS) (subject MYT repeated): Ce takes as subst. = ‘sighing’ (rendering καὶ ἡ καταβοησις: 248

8. With a good eye. i.e. with a thankful and joyful spirit. Cp. xiv. Io. glorify the Lord. i.e. by sacrifices. g. Here the Hebr. MS. B resumes the text. In all thy deeds. Cf. xxxi. 21 (€t xxxiv. 27). thy tithe. Here tithe is expressly mentioned (contrast vii. 31; xlv. 20f.). For the sentiment of the passage cp.

11. God of requital. Cp. xii. 2: for ‘sevenfold’ cp. vii. 3, xx. 12; Ps. Ixxix. 12.

XXXV. 12-20 (= (ἃ XXXV. 14-26). This section is mainly concerned with the prayers of the poor and helpless | oppressed. To such, prayer occupies the place of sacrifice in the case of the rich. The prayers of the distressed, indeed, will be heard by God, while sacrifices which are the outcome of unjust dealing are rejected. At the same time God will punish the oppressor who is the cause of bitter outcry (vv. 12-17). This thought suggests an appeal to God on behalf of His oppressed people. The section ends with the expression of a confident hope that God will yet vindicate His chosen people against their heathen tyrants (vv. 18-20).

12. Bribe not, for He will not receive. i.e. think not to bribe God to overlook sins unrepented by multiplying | sacrifices. God is not like an unjust judge—such sacrifices are unavailing, and are not regarded. Cp. Job vi. 22.

a sacrifice of extortion. i.e. derived from the gains of extortion and unjust dealing. « with Him is no partiality (lit. ‘respect of persons’). Cp. Deut. x. 17; 2 Chron. xix. 7. 14. He doth not ignore... the widow. Cp. Exod. xxii. 21 f.; Deut. xxiv. 17; Ps. Ixviii. 6; Prov. xxxiii. 10. 15. Do not the tears run down the cheek. The question suggests that the subject is no longer the widow |

3 16(20)"A bitterness accepted" is (such): lsighing!', ἜΣ jAnd (such) a cry) *{bendeth! the clouds*. 17 (21) The appeal of the lowly !traverseth the skies',

™ And resteth not till it reach (its goal). It shall not remove till God doth visit™, (222) ™And (till) the righteous Judge executeth judgement . | 18(22 0) Yea, the Lord °will not tarry®,

P And the mighty One will not refrain Himself”, Till He smite “the loins of the merciless, (23) And requite vengeance "to the arrogant!" ; Till He ‘dispossess$ tthe sceptre of pride,

And "the staff of wickedness" utterly cut down; το (24) Till He render to man Vhis due’,

w And recompense people™ according to their devising ;

(25) Till He plead the cause of His people, And rejoice them *with His salvation*.

Syro-Hex Sah & wrongly + avrns) b-h So ® (psa yn): (ἃ θεραπευων ev εὐδοκιᾳ PSII naw (cp. Gepanay ΤΠ Exod. xxxiii. τα, LAX): H qui adorat deum in oblectatione (? pointing to a different text: Hart suggests bs wown: then the doublet at end of previous verse Dominus exauditor non by ἂν youn) : % ‘the bitterness of the soul of the poor’ ?w [waz] MIIIN. Schechter reads ΥΥΝ for psa: so Smend 71 (¢ext) nna to be emended with Lévi to AMIN (the subst. answering to the verb MIS in previous line). For interpretations of 38 text see exegetical notes below 1) ® TMpPysr: Ge καὶ ἡ δεησις αὐτου k So S ‘boweth down the clouds’ ( ?Annw): ® “ext nnwn G& ‘to the clouds hasteneth’ (+eos): so 3. Lmend ® fo ann (4ransp. two letters). Smend proposes mPYN(?) ‘is attached to, attains’. [For first clause Smend adopts Schechter’s emend.: IY Npysi: then read APWn jy »%3y Npyyy] 1 So ® mg. ΠΡΟΤῚ Day &: ἸῺ text oy dn py: (bn shortened 25m and ὮΝ a corruption of ry, Peters): 3 ‘above the clouds ascendeth’ m-m 35 G&: & ‘and before the Lord of majesty it goeth, not passing away until He draw nigh upon it’ nn So 38: (ἃ ἸΏ mg.: 86 ‘and judgement of truth judgeth [7207 καὶ κρινεῖ δικαίως N* A 248 have kpwee δικαιους ‘ He shall judge the righteous (and execute judgement)’ | 0-0 38 τ: ὁ ‘He will despise ’ PP 39 mg.: Et οὐδὲ μη μακροθυμησει em αὐτοις (248 - ο κραταιος : so %): S$ ‘and shall not forsake nor cease’ τῇ 8 G& (οσῴφυν Ὁ Π2) : 39. dorsum ipsorum τοῦ Correcting ® text on (so & 3) to od: cp. x. 14 ss 35 wy (ἃ ἐξαρῃ (cp. xvi. 9). Smend proposes to read VIN or wren (root WW) ‘beat down’: cp. Jer. v. 17, Mal. i. 4 tt - 35: G πληθὸος υβριστων ( ἢ Ot NYaW: cp. Hart ad loc.): S ‘the strength of sinners’ u-u So 35 fext (mg. ‘of the wicked’ &): S$ ‘ the unrighteous rulers’ v-V So 3: G& κατα ras πράξεις αὐτου ww ® pis bon & (cp. £): S ‘to the workers of iniquity’: emend ® 10 Sn (Smend) xs 35. ynyiwea = (ἃ ev τῷ

(G adds χήρας incorrectly), but possibly oppressed Israel (so v. 18 onwards). The tears of Israel are often mentioned in the Psalms (so Smend). Cf. Lam. i. 2 (‘She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks’). If the subject is understood to be the widow clause 4 may be rendered (so Hebr. text): ‘and she sigheth because of her

16. A bitterness accepted is (such) sighing. i.e. the bitterness produced by such oppression is not allowed to pass by unheeded and unredeemed by God. The text of 38 is here uncertain. If the last word of the line is retained (139) and ΠΣ altered to ΚΝ, render: ‘the bitterness of the crushed is accepted ’(an accepted sacrifice): Peters, who keeps # unaltered (pointing 7430), renders: ‘amaritudo gratiae adducit requiem ei’ (see further critical notes).

(such) a cry bendeth the clouds. Cp. Ps. xviii. 10 (‘ He bowed the heavens and came down’). Perhaps the idea is that the cry or supplication of the oppressed pierces the clouds (= God’s dwelling-place) and brings about the divine intervention. For God’s dwelling-place in the skies (clouds) cp. Ps. ἴχνη]. 34, Ixxxix. 6 (7).

17. The appeal of the lowly traverseth the skies, And resteth not till it reach (its goal). Cp. Lam. iii. 44 (‘Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud that our prayer should not pass through’). A similar phrase occurs in the Zohar (according to Cowley-Neubauer) Lev. 1¥: ‘this word ascends and cleaves the firmament.’

(till) the righteous Judge executeth judgement. Cp. Gen. xviii. 25.

18. Yea, the Lord will not tarry... i.e. will not delay His judgement on the oppressors. In this and the following verses the writer has in mind the heathen oppressors of God’s elect people. For the thought cp. Luke xviii. 7 f.: 2 Pet. iii. 9.

Till He smite the loins, Cp. Deut. xxxiil. 11. :

the merciless... the arrogant. Heathen ruling classes. (For phrase ‘ requite vengeance’ cp. Deut. xxxii. 43.) Till He dispossess the sceptre of pride. The expression ‘dispossess’ in such a connexion is unusual, but may be right, yielding a good sense. Smend proposes to read ‘beat down’. For ‘ sceptre of pride. . . staff of, wickedness’ cp. Ps. cxxv. 3; Isa. xiv. 5 ; Ezek. vii. 11; Ps. Ixxv. 11 (‘all the horns of the wicked will I cut (hew) off’),

And rejoice them with His salvation. Cp. Is. xxv. 9; 4 Ezra vil. 28, vill. 39, ΧΙ]. 34.

#"20(26) ¥[ Beauteous is His favour in a time] of stress’.

8 (το) Hasten “the ‘end 4 and fordain the ‘appointed time ’*,

I

“As a rain-cloud? in the season of drought”.

(f) XXXVI. 1-17 (XXXIII. 1-13a, XXXVI. 165-22). A prayer to God for Israel

4 And cast4 Thy fear upon all the nations*. * Shake Thy hand? against &the strange people’, And let them see "Thy power?. As Thou hast sanctified Thyself in us before them, So iglorify Thyself! Jin them! before us ; That they may know, as we also know, That there is none other God but Thee!. Renew “the signs™, and repeat ™the wonders" , Make Hand and “Right Arm” glorious. Waken indignation and pour out wrath, °Subdue® the foe and expel? the enemy.

For who may say to Thee: What doest Thou ?

ἐλεει αὐτου (cp. Is. xlv. 8) y-y There ts a lacuna in the Heb. MS.: & has wpaov edeos ev καιρῳ θλιψεως αὐτου (s 248 Syro-Hex 3 and 3 > avrov, which should probably be transposed to follow edeos): % may be restored Ap [ΠΣ an|s[a ΠΝ]: so Smend. After cheos Ὁ (Sang. Am.) + dei [ence Peters restores ym Jon]: $ ‘and put to shame the enemy’. [δ 248 prefix ὡς (ως ὠραιον MN) MD) | 2-279 on (1. jaya) nya: 90 (τ S 2z-2z So (ἃ 3. : S ‘vengeance i ἃ 307 pr. apxn Aoyou B 5(PID ‘section ὃ b-b So 35. wy vin & ἐλεησον nuas: Cp. XXXV. (ΧΧΧΙΪ.) 25 ὅτ So: Ck δεσποτα (A and L>) o Geos παντων (δεσποτα and o θεὸς variants) : G+ καὶ ἐπιβλεψον ( et respice nos)—a diltograph from ἐπιβαλε τον in foll. line d-d Read nw (Smend) : others ofan]: ® ALS. defect.: $ ‘and let [Thy wrath] come’ [ from Ps. Ixxviii. (Ixxix.) 6] © 248 (so L)+7a py εκζητουντα σε (cp. Ps. xiv. 2): $ ‘that have not known Thee’ (Jer. x. 25): 3» -Ε ut cognoscant, quia non est deus nisi tu et enarrent magnalia tua (cp. vv. 3, 5, 8) ££ Gr emapov την χειρα cov: 3ἢ 37 (mg. +) s-2 So®: (ἃ εθνη αλλοτρια bh (ἃ τὴν δυναστειαν σου 33 NAVI (9771...) iH ἼΞΞΠ : (ἃ μεγαλυνθειης ( 3) ΠΠ) : § ‘sanctify Thyself’ 1.) So ® mg. G& S$: B text 9a (a mistake) Ν᾿ (τ -Ἐσε (‘and let them know Thee’) : > xliii. 25, xlviii. 14) ™™ So (τ S$: ® ‘and make strong arm and right hand’: 70 248+ ores διηγωνται ta θαυμασια σου ( from Ὁ. 10) 0-0 35. yan: Gr εξαρον (but exrpyBew 7m xlvi. 18, xlvii. 7 : so LXX, Neh. ix. 24) rp ® Hany: Gr ἐκτριψον (dur in xlvii. 5 εξαιρειν) 9-4 35 Ὁ & καιρὸν (so often in LXX) Tr So: Gk μνησθητι ( pb Is. xxvi. 16) ὁρκισμου (buf N Syro-Hex & [finis] read ορισμου 38 ἽΨΥ rightly): S ‘let the time come ἡ s So ® S (cp. Job ix. 12): Gk και ἐκδιηγησασθωσαν (248 + σοι) τα μεγαλεια (248 θαυμασια)ὴ σου ἔφ. ο (11) >

20. As a rain-cloud. Reading DN Ayd: Mn = ‘cloud’ or ‘rain’ rather than ‘lightning’ as usually rendered (Job xxviii. 26; Zech. x. 1). So Smend.

(7) XXXVI. 1-17 (= ἃ XXNXIII. 1-13 a, XXXVI. 16-22) forms an independent subsection, which is linked on naturally with what precedes. In the previous subsection the confident hope had been expressed that God would punish the arrogant heathen oppressors of Israel, and grant His people relief. In the present subsection the writer pleads with God, in the form of a prayer, that He will save His own, and strike fear into the nations in order that all may know that He is God alone (vv. 1-5) ; God is urged to assert Himself by gathering in the scattered nation, and | by compassionating Sion (vv. 6-17). There are some striking parallels between this prayer and parts of the synagogue liturgy, especially the Ezghteen Blessings (Shémonch ‘Esréh), some of the key-words of which seem to be echoed here.

cast Thy fear upon all the nations. Cp. 1 Chron. xiv. 17.

. Shake Thy hand. Cp. (phrase) Is. x. 32. against the strange people. i.e. the Greeks.

4. As Thou hast sanctified Thyself... So glorify Thyself. i.e. As Thou hast punished us in the sight of the heathen, so now punish them in the sight of us: cp. Ezek. xxxvili. 23.

5. there is none other God but Thee. Cp. Is. xlv. 14; 1 Kings viii. 43, 60; 1 Chron, xvii. 20, ἅς.

6. Kenew the signs, and repeat the wonders. As in the deliverance from Egypt: renew the wonders of the Exodus.

Make Hand and Right Arm glorious. Cp. Exod. xv. 6; Is. li. 9, lili. 10, Ixil. 8, Ixiii. 12. 7. Waken indignation. Cp. Ps. Ixxviii. 38. pour out wrath. Cp. Ps, Ixxix. 6 (‘ pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not’).

8. Hasten the ‘end’ and ordain the ‘appointed time’. The ‘end’ (Heb. }~)=the end of the period of oppression: the ‘appointed time’ is that of the deliverance (the same terms are used, almost in a technical sense, in Dan. xi. 27, 35.) The Heb. word here rendered ordain (7)p5) means almost ‘ give the command that it may come’. Even though the ‘end’ has been fixed, God can, if He chooses, shorten the period: cp. Mark xiii. 20 (ep. also Is. lx. 22 6). (ἴ mistranslates ‘remember the oath’.

For who may say to Thee... Cp. Job ix. 12; Eccles. viii. 4.

G 9 (11) *Let "him that escapeth" ‘be devoured’ in the “glowing fire”, And may Thy people’s *wrongers* ¥find destruction’ !

Ὦ 10(12) Make an end of ἔπε head of the enemy’s princes”

That saith: There is none beside me !

| (ἃ xxxiii. 13@) Gather all the tribes of Jacob®, 114(165) »That they may receive their inheritance” “as in the days of old’ 12 (17) Compassionate ‘the people® that is called by Thy name, Israel, °whom Thou didst surname Firstborn®. 13 (18) Compassionate Thy holy city, Jerusalem, ‘the place of Thy dwelling’. 14 (19) Fill Sion ¢with Thy majestys, And *Thy Temple" with Thy glory. 15 (20) Give testimony ‘to the first of Thy worksi, And establish ithe vision spoken in Thy name), 16 (21) Give reward to them that wait for Thee, That Thy prophets may be proved trustworthy.

uu & o (N* Sah+py: NC®+ ἀσεβὴς 0) σωζόμενος 7 V-V (ἃ καταβρωθητω Soy (cp. xlv. 10): S ‘destroy the enemy’ Ww bax (for τὸν Sax) w-w Ge ev opyn mupos YN NONI: S ‘in anger and in fire’ τὰ αδικουντες (B 68) ; κατοικουντες (70 A* wid. 306), κατεχοντες (106 corr.): the rest κακουντες ΣΤΥ G εὑροισαν ἀπώλειαν : cp. TIN “TY Num. χχὶν. 20 Ζ:2 35 ANY ΝΒ ΟΝ Ἢ (mg. IN): (τ κεφαλας ἀρχοντων ἐχθρων (Ώ mg. 4): 9. ‘crown of the enemy’ [εχθρὼν v, 7. ἐεθνων (106 157) and εθνων ἐχθρων (155)} ἃ + same clause as in v.5 (Ec 5 b) b-b 39 yonan : Ge καὶ κατακληρονομήησεις avtovs 2? adnan) (248 106 κατεκληρονομησα) οτος 39 DIP 2: (ἃ ΞΡ jd: ὁ. ‘as Thou saidst from the days of old’ d-d So ® &: S and & ‘ Thy people’ [( Ἐκυριε: duis 253 23 LSah>: >WandS also | e-e So ® S ov πρωτογονον wvopacas, 157 248: but C &c. ov πρωτογονῳ (L+ ‘tuo ’) (Nea TPOTOTOKM) wpocwmas Hf ® pnaw poo: G& πολιν (so Ξ3.: buts A Sah τόπον) καταπαυματος σου ὅτε ® 70 ΠΝ (mg. PII) : GF aperadoyias σου (so B*: on aperadoyia, used of ‘ glorifying ἡ God, cp. Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 93f.: if ΠΣ in Ps. xxix. (xxx.) 6 Symm.): 253 307 Syro-Hex ἄρρητα (307 apera) λογια σου (A.V. ‘Fill Sion with Thine unspeakable oracles *): also misread apa ta λογια cov (Bb: R.V. ‘exalt Thine oracles ἢ h-h ® 103. MN so 95: (ἃ τὸν λαον σου (read vaov) ii 39 TwyID visond: G& τοῖς ev ἀρχῃ (% ab initio) κτισμασι cov $ ‘to Thy works as from the first’ 1} ἢ Jows3 127 pin = ἃ προφητειας (Ee jn Dan. xi. 14) τας ἐπ ονοματι μου (248 προφηταςὴ: cp. & & ‘the prophecies of Thy prophets that

9. Let him that escapeth . . . destruction. Num. xxiv. 19, 20 seems to have been in the writer’s mind here.

Io. Make an end of the head of the enemy’s princes. # text has ‘of the princes of Moab’, a correction by the text of Num. xxiv. 17. Here again there is probably a reminiscence of Num. xxiv. 17: ‘princes’ here = ΝΞ (R. V. ‘corners’), which Ben-Sira understands in the sense expressed by the LXX ad Joc. (ἀρχηγούς). The ‘head of the enemy’s princes’ means some one pre-eminent hostile person, probably either Antiochus the Great, or Seleucus IV, or Antiochus IV. [Perhaps Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) is meant, who wrested Syria (including Judaea) from Egyptian rule (198), and made many other conquests. In 190 B.C. he was defeated by the Romans at Magnesia, and compelled to give up the greater part of his conquests (but not Coele-Syria). In v. 9a (‘Let him that escapeth be devoured in the glowing fire’) there may be an allusion to Antiochus’s plight after this disastrous defeat. ] ;

11 (116 = xxxvi. τό ὁ (πῇ. Gather all the tribes of Jacob, That they may receive their inheritance. i.e. that they may once again receive possession of the whole of the Holy Land. The Restoration under Cyrus had been incomplete, the Jews only recovering a small part of their ancient inheritance. The greater part of the nation was still ‘scattered’ in foreign lands, and this state of things was never essentially altered. Technically, therefore, the ‘Exile’ still continued, and continues. : :

12. Compassionate the people that is called by Thy name... Firstborn. Cp. Exod. ἵν. 22. For ‘thatis called by Thy name’ (κεκλημένον ἐπ᾽ ὀνόματί cov) Syr. has ‘ over whom Thy name is called’ = & ‘ super quam (sc. plebem) invocatum est nomen tuum’. Cp. Deut. xxviii. 10. See further xliv. 23 ὁ note.

13. Jerusalem, the place of Thy dwelling. Cp. 1 Kings viii. 39, 43, 49 (also 13); Exod.xv.17. [@& ‘place of thy Test’ on account of the assonance between NAW (3) and Nav.]

14. Fill Sion with Thy majesty. @& (R.V. ‘ Fill Zion ; exalt Thine oracles’; cp.also A. V.) has been misread (see critical notes),

Thy Temple with Thy glory. Cp. Hag. ii. =

15. Give @atimony fortis first or Thy Lees i.e. openly acknowledge the position of Israel as firstborn. According to the Rabbis Israel was one of the six things created (or created in the divine thought) before the creation of the world. This was deduced from Ps. Ixxiv. 2, ‘O remember the congregation which Thou didst create of old, DIP np Jnvy (cited by Schechter ad /oc.). : GY ᾿

And establish the vision spoken in Thy name. Cp. (for phrase) 1 Kings viii, 20; the prophecies of the Prophets are, of course, referred to ; ‘ Vision’ (}ytm) often occurs as a title at the beginning’ of the prophetical books. 16. be proved trustworthy. ‘Verified’; cp. Gen. xlii. 20 (same verb).

12" 17(22) Thou wilt hear* the prayer ἰοῦ Thy servants', τ According to Thy good favour™ towards "Thy people”: That °all the ends of the earth® may know P That Thou art the eternal God?.

(2) XXXVI. 18-20 (23-25). Moral discernment the fruit of experience (= 3 distichs).

18 (23) 4Every meat doth tthe belly” eat, Yet is Sone meat more pleasant than another*. 155 το(24) The palate tasteth ‘the dainties that are bestowed , And the discerning heart “the dainties of falsehood". 20(25)"A deceitful heart® produceth sorrow, But an experienced man ‘wardeth it off’.

#®" 21(26) Α woman will receive any man, *Yet is one woman more pleasant than another*.

C wxerwr σου (‘Thy suppliants ) m-m §o 38: (ἃ κατα την evdoyay Ααρων (but 307 κατα τὴν evdoxiav: the same | mistake xlii. 15): after the misreading εὐλογιαν had arisen the incorrect gloss Aapwv was added: 3 BY n-n yt του υἱου TOU 0-0 So 38: Ge παντες οἱ ἐπι τῆς yns (3: omnes qui habitant terram) Ρ-Ῥ ® [ody] by Ans 3 (Hebr. MS. defect. at end of line) (ἃ (248) ore σὺ κυριος των aver (his the orzginal reading): C ort Κυριος «eo | Geos των αἰωνων (also other variants) 4 ® pr. D ( prs) marking a new section rr one of the marginal | readings of ® as restored by Smend, viz. 13] G&: 32 text N73 (‘throat’): S ‘soul’ 5:8 Reading ® (which θηρας (' dainties of the chase’ ἢ ΠΝ ΟΡ, cp. Gen. xxvii. 4 f.) tt-tt So 38 : (ἃ λογοὺς ψευδεις (adopting 137 Jrom line a ®: so Hart): so&. [The Hebr. readings of the verse are uncertain, there being several variants in © mg. and in MSS. Band C. The more important may be exhibited thus: (C IW) 437 Ὅν (C nyo) yma ὙΠ ® mg. YYW»: G ἀνταποδώσει αὐτῳ : S ‘understands these things’ w This verse ts misplaced in ®, being inserted between vv. 18-19 (23-24): S> x-x (ἃ renders freely (in order to avoid repetition of yun) ἐστι be

+ = A enter ones th <a pawl

17. Thou wilt hear the prayer of Thy servants. Or ‘ Thy servant’ = Israel; cp. Dan. ix. 17; 1 Kings viii. 30. | According to Thy good favour towards Thy people. Cp. Ps. ον]. 4 (€ ‘according to the blessing of Aaron’ ~

[cp. Num. vi. 22 f.] is due to a corruption in the Greek text ; see critical note). } That all the ends of the earth may know (# mg. ‘see’). Cp. Is. lil. 10. .

the eternal God (odry by). Cp. Gen. xxi. 33; Isa.xl.28. Cp. also1 Kings vilil.69. Smend notes the significant omission in this prayer of all reference to the Messiah.

A new division of the book begins with xxxvi. 18 ((ὰ xxxvi. 23) which extends to xxxix. 11. Its contents, which are | somewhat miscellaneous in character, may, perhaps, be grouped under the general title of ‘ Precepts for social life’. It falls naturally into the following sections: xxxvi. 18 ((ἀ xxxvi. 23)—xxxvii. 15 ; xxxvil. 16-31 ; xxxviii. 1-23; and XXXViii. 24—Xxxxix. 11, with an Appendix, xxxix. 12-35.

XXXVI. 18 (ἃ XXXVI. 23)—XXXVII. τς again falls into four subsections, the first of which treats of the moral discernment of a man of experience (xxxvi. 18-20 & 23-25), the second of women (xxxvi. 21-26 (τ 26-31), the third of friendship (xxxvii. 1-6), and the fourth of counsellors true and false (xxxvii. 7-15). i

(a) XXXVI. 18-20 (= (ἃ 23-25). A parallel is drawn here between the senses and the moral faculties; in each — case the educated sense or faculty discriminates.

19. the dainties that are bestowed. Perhaps the dainties set on the table before a distinguished guest are meant, - or the ‘portions’ referred to in Neh. viii. 10, 12 (cf. Esther ix. 19, 22). For the Hebr. words = ‘that are bestowed’ | (ἼΞῚ ‘DyHDd) cp. Gen. xxx. 20 [Hebr. text 137 ‘Dyn? yields no sense. (ἃ ‘dainties of the chase’ may be due to reminiscence of Gen. xxvii. 4—possibly a Hebr. reading derived from the passage]. ;

the dainties of falsehood. The deceptive and alluring appearance that disguises what is false. For the sentiment of the verse cp. Job xii. 11, xxxiv. 3.

20. A deceitful heart. Cp. Jer. xvii. 9 (same phrase). ‘Produceth sorrow,’ i.e. sorrow to itself; perhaps mis-|

directed (tortuous) intelligence is referred to.

an experienced man wardeth it off. The Hebr. lit. rendered=causeth it (sorrow or trouble) to return by means of it (sc. the heart or intelligence), i.e. wards off its attack by foresight and intelligence. The word for ‘experienced’ here is PN, which occurs otherwise only in Neo-Hebrew. j

(ὁ) XXXVI. 21-26 (= (ἃ 26-31) forms a second subsection. Its general theme is women: happy is the man with a tactful wife.

21. A woman will receive... i misplaces the verse, inserting it between verses 18 and 19. S$ omits it.

SS > RR cca ee

Η" 22 (27) The beauty of a woman brighteneth the countenance’, ! And excels every “delight of the eyez. 23 (28) *When she possesseth also *a soothing tongue’, Her husband fs not (like other) sons of men.

85 24 (29) >He that getteth” a wife »»(getteth) the choicest possession”, °A help meet for him’, and @a pillar of support’. 25 (30) Without a hedge the vineyard is laid waste, And without a wife (a man is) “4a wanderer and homeless". 26 (31) Who trusteth °an armed band®

That rusheth! from city to city ? So is the man that hath no £nest,

Who resteth where evening befalls him,

\\7 ἘΠῚ τ Every friend saith: "I am a friend®;

‘But there is a friend who is (only) friend in name’. 2 Is there not Jla sorrow!) ¥that cometh nigh unto death *—

1A deeply loved friend! "who changeth to an enemy™? ͵ 3 Ὁ base nature! why then wast thou created?,

°To fill® ?the world’s face? 4with deceit"!

Ovyatnp θυγατρος κρεισσων Υ 307 -ανδρος : H+ viri sui: S$ ‘her face’ 2:2 39 py ἽΠ sod: (ἃ επιθυμιαν ἀνθρωπου ZY. 23» 90 aa 3 ΠΩ ΝΘ (Ρτον. Xv. 4): G ἐπὶ γλωσσης autns ἐλεος και πραυτῆς (248 + tacts) : 39 lingua curationis et mitigationis misericordia b-b 395 mg. has part. ANP ὅτ: so WP? (λέν): WP (text) mp ‘get’ (¢mperative) S bb-bb 105 pap ΓΝ: Gk evapyerae κτισεως : S ‘at the head of thy possession’ ce 32" AS. reads 7812) Wy: EG βοηθὸν κατ αὑτὸν 19339 Ny (Gen. ii. 18) S (this probably original reading): 3" mg. and Q? 73 Wy (Jer. i. 18) ‘a fortified town’ 2 (So 38: (ἃ στυλὸν avanavocws: S ‘pillar over against thee’ (S$ may have read a faulty text: ὙἹΣ Woy) 73 Uy) dd-dd % 43) yo (Gen. iv. 12, 14): (ἃ στεναζει πλανώμενος (LXX Gen. iv. 12 στενων καὶ τρεμωνῚ i ingemiscit egens e-e ® Nav WII (cp. 1 Chron. vii. 4) ‘in a band of war’ G& εὐζωνῳ λῃστῃ (ευζωνος Δ in Aquila; λῃστης Ἵ ὧι LXX): δ ‘the youth like a gazelle’ (473 2” Syr. sense: and Ν for ΔΆΝ: cp. also Cant. ii. 9) f-f 1 adorn: (ἃ (B) σφαλλομενῳ but εφαλλομενῳ (248 106 155): the rest αφαλλομενῳ QS s-¢ So® G: ὦ ‘wife’ bh & εφιλιασα αὐτῷ Kayo (but all authorities omit avrw except B: it is a dittograph of καγω (Smend)) ri WH? fext aAN Dv 2ΠΝ vw ἽΝ ‘but there is a friend the name of a friend’ (7. 6. ‘only a friend in name’). But the Hebr. ἐς not smooth: (ἃ (ονοματι povov φιλος) suggests INN OWA ‘a friend (only) in name’: S ‘whose name is friend’ (? πὶ wow) 7} 1Ὧ5Ρ ext ys: bul emend to NT tristitia Καὶ So ®: (ἃ [dunn | eve ews θανατου (so δ ἢ B*: @ inest): v./. μενει (ΒΡ xe-@ Syro-Hex mg.): $ 3 1-1 9? was yn: 32" Jw yn: ‘friend like the (thy) soul’: (ἃ eraipos και φιλος m-m (ἃ (A 155 254 296 308) τρεπομενος εἰς εχθρον 3ἢ (others εἰς exOpav = LL): 3 (omitting sv. at end of υ. 2 and confusing 8) of 3 ἃ with V8) renders 2b ‘[a deeply loved friend] shall he be to thee’. (v. 3) ‘Enemy and evil’, &c. nn 350 spay "5 WX’ yr 0 (so Q® substantially) 2. ὁ. ‘ Woe to the evil man that saith: Why was I created ῥ᾽ (cp. Is. xxix. 16): (ἃ @ πονηρὸν ἐνθυμημα ποθεν ενεκυλισθης, 1. e. “Ὁ wicked imagination! whence wast thou fashioned’ (rolled, sc. on the potter's wheel): by this correct Q and read: NN) 15. YD yr Ay NA o-o 18 sdb : (ἃ καλυψαῖι Ρ-ν 18 ban 15: Ge τὴν Enpav a-a ® nvoqn:

22. The beauty of a woman brighteneth the countenance (for ub Hit. cp. Job xxxi. 26). Cp. xxvi. 16 f. 23. a soothing tongue. lit. ‘ healing of tongue’ (Prov. xv. 4; cp. also Prov. xiv. 30 and Eccles. x. 4); & ‘if there is on her tongue mercy and meekness’ (248 adds ‘ and healing’). Her husband ... lit. ‘her husband is not of the sons of men,’ i.e. is unusually fortunate. 24. He that getteth a wife... The other form of the text (see critical note) runs : ‘Get a wife, (as) the choicest possession— A fortified city, and a pillar of support.’ ae form of the distich see Prov. iv.7. [‘Get’ has the idea of acquiring by purchase, as in fact was customary with a wife. a wanderer and homeiess. Cp. Gen. iv. 12, 14 (Cain) ; same phrase. 26. that hath no nest. No wife, no house. For ‘house’ (M1) wife. Cp. MWishnah Yoma i. τ. (c) XXXVII. 1-6. This forms a third subsection. Its theme is true and false friendship (cp. what is said on the Same subject in ch. vi). 1. Every friend saith: Iama friend... Cp. Prov. xx. 6 (‘ Many a man will meet one who is kind to him, but a faithful man who can find ?’) Ϊ there is a friend who is (only) friend in name. This agrees with &; but S interprets otherwise: ‘ whose Name is friend,’ i.e. who deserves the name. 3. O base nature! 1 ν᾽ ‘the evil Veser: cp. Gen. vi. 5. In order to avoid imputing the creation of ‘the evil nature’ to God & rationalizes, translating ‘ wast thou created’ by ἐνεκυλίσθης (see critical note). To fill the world’s face. Same phrase, Is. xiv. 21.

#°) 4 *Base is the friend who hath regard to (one’s) table’, But in the time of stress standeth aloof. 5 ®A good friend contendeth with (one’s) enemy‘, t Andt against "adversaries" holdeth the shiela. 6 ἡ Forget not’ a comrade “in conflict”, » * And forsake him not when thou takest spoil*.

(ὦ XXXVII. 7-15. Of counsellors true and false (= 4+6+2+2 +1 distichs).

7 Every counsellor *pointeth (with) the hand?, But there is he that counselleth a way to suit himself? ; 8 Beware of the counsellor, And inform thyself beforehand what is his interest : ¢For he himself will also® take thought : ee¢ Why should it fall out as he wishes?’ 9 And will say to thee: ?7How good? is thy course ! And (then) stand off to watch “thy misfortune". ἘΠ τὸ Consult not °with 'those opposed to thee!®, And hide thy counsel from him that is envious—

Gk ev δολιοτητι : H malitia et dolositati illius rr §o ® ( S ‘evil is the friend who approacheth the table’): (ἃ misunderstanding yr) mistranslates the whole line eraipos φιλου ev ευὐφροσυνῃ ηδεται s-3 So ®?: (ἃ again mistranslates (but perhaps from a corrupt Hebr. text) erarpos pio συνπονει xapw γαστρος (ἢ reading DY Son) mK apa ya: ze. bom ( πονεῖν 1 Sam. xxiii, 21, LXX) for pnd: and yx for it with apa from next verse)

{τὸ G&>(dut 70 248 have xa: so 3» and ®) u-u ® py (Weo-Hebr. for DYN): C πολεμου (but 248 πολεμιουὴ v-v 35 ΠΟ ἢ ὑπ τε Gr: S praise not’ navin-bs w-w 39. ΣἽἼΡΖ : G& ev ty Ψυχῃ σου x-x So 38 & (but, perhaps, εν χρήμασιν σου bein Sor ρον): $ ‘make him not ruler’ (perhaps an interpretation of waryn-by) 7 ‘in thy house’ (? Jn’23 for 7>5w2). Cp. Gen. xxxix. 6 a-a #9" 4) #2" ‘shaketh the hand’: G εξαιρει βουλην | (cp. ἐπαιρειν 49 XXXili. 3, xvii. 4: and βουλη Ἵν vi. 2): B® mg. and ®P Tn Wis ‘saith behold’: % ‘ behold” [ for ἐξαιρει 23 296 have εξερει & prodit | b-b H? poy Jas Li. ‘a way according to him’ ce 380 Wp) NIN DI 5 ce-ce 39. Sypy why ΠῚ and: Ge μηποτε βαλῃ επι σοι κλῆρον (ὥ ne forte mittat sudem in terram): | (ἃ perhaps read ὉνῈ" poy (cp. Job vi. 27: 1 Sam. xiv. 42): $ ‘lest he cast upon thee evil hurt’ ἀ-ὰ 39 ap © awn ἀ6-ὰ 35 νη 211. ‘thy poverty’ (cf. iv. 29): (ἃ to συμβησομενον cor: S‘thy shame’ 6:9 39" pon % socero tuo (38 " clegible): but yon can hardly be right (4% ‘ thy father-in-law’, Ζ. ὁ. husband’s father, | always in ref. 10 awoman: Smend explained by Arab. εἰς -- dux viae malus, ‘an untrustworthy guide’: dut ¢his | word vs uncertain): Gx του ὑποβλεπομενου σε: emend to \"2P (with Lévi: this seems to be the best suggestion yet made, } and may, perhaps, be accepted provisionally) : cp. ‘thine enemy’. [Zdersh., Margol. suggest ὉΠ as (πα from |

4. standeth aloof. Cf. 2 Sam. xvili. 13 (phrase). [4 @ is pieces by (ἃ ; R.V. renders ‘There is a companion, which rejoiceth in the gladness of a friend’. See | 5. A good friend... again misunderstands the text (see critical note; R.V. renders & ‘There is a companion, } which for the belly’s sake laboureth with his friend’. ἣ against adversaries holdeth the shield. Cp. Ps. xxxv. 2. (4) XXXVII. 7-15. This forms a fourth subsection. It treats of counsellors base and faithful. | 7. Every counsellor pointeth (with) the hand. The Hebr. expression means ‘to shake the hand’, and may be | understood as ‘to beckon with the hand’ as a preliminary to speech (cp. the phrase κατασείειν τῇ χειρί; e.g. Acts xi. | 17, &c.). But this phrase is only used in reference to a public meeting, while here it is private counsel that is spoken | of. It is better, therefore, with Smend, to understand the expression in the sense of Is. xiii. 2, of pointing the way ‘he points out a way or course of action’. The alternative reading of the Hebrew (‘ Every counsellor saith: Behold !’ | cp. the alternative Greek reading and 955) certainly is well supported. It is preferred by Lévi. Smend, however, | regards this as an interpretation. [€ ‘ extolleth counsel’ misrepresents. ] he that counselleth a way to suit himself. Cp. Derek Eves zuta 8: ‘ Beware of him that counselleth according |

to his own way’ (= T. B. Sanh. 76b): 12395 ΒΡ yyvny WAT 7) (cited by Edersheim).

8. what is his interest (lit. ‘ need’) (cf. 35 ). For he himself will also take thought : ‘Why should it fall out as he wishes?’ The thought is set forth.

The metaphor of the lot underlies the expression (cp. also $) why should matters fall out as he wishes cnbas voy)? Ι

Lévi arrives at a similar meaning for the text. He explains by the phrase by baa (‘to fall to’) ‘to go on the side of’, ἡ “espouse the cause of’ (cp. 1 Chron. xii. 20); so here why should it go to his benefit or interest ? i.e. why should the matter result in benefiting him? (ἃ has misread and misunderstood the clause (cp. R.V.).

το. those opposed to thee. See critical note. For words expressing hostility and envy in parallelism cp. Is. xi. 13. |

SURAGH Siri. 12

τ) χα With’ a woman Sabout$ her rival,

, » And from fan enemy!" ‘about war with Πἰπαΐ;

With a merchant about Jbusiness),

And from a buyer about selling ;

kWith an evil-disposed man* !about benevolence',

And a merciless man ™about human happiness” ; *(With) the worthless workman® about his work,

™» And the yearly hireling™* °about the sowing of seed? ; (With) the idle slave about much work—

Put no trust in these ?for any counsel? !

12 “But rather with a man that feareth always‘,

Whom thou knowest to be a keeper of the Law’; *Whose heart is at one with thine own’,

‘Who’, if thou stumblest, “will be grieved for thee".

Aram. Sian ‘to see’. Here used in a hostile sense| fH here inserts a doublet of clauses (e) and (f) 85- ἢ by περι (NC &c. also 9): Β περι: for ans dy $ substitutes ‘lest thou commit adultery with her’ (40 avoid sanctioning concubinage implied by text) hh HP 771: Ge καὶ pera δειλου ( JA: cf. Deut. xx. 8): but context requires ‘enemy’ (so 45): read therefore with Smend > (cp. v. 5) ii} ΠΌΠΟΙ bx: & (so 3) περι πολεμου 3η" (but parallelism with ANAS requires suffix) 15) ® mann: G& περι μεταβολιας (Ss μεταβολης) “concerning exchange ’ Καὶ ΤΏ νὴ Ws py: G pera βασκανου ( py pI ON, cp. xiv. 13). Perhaps py has fallen out in Q: © cum viro livido supports ® in reading ws 1-1 ®® spn dain by (cp. pal Psi cxvin 12): %#®° Jon mbm ὃν (π "1 common in Neo-Hebrew: ? substituted in MS. for the earlier expression): G περι evyaptorias m-m % wa 2) ὃν ‘about the happiness (welfare) of flesh’ n-n %® sow ὈΡῚΞ : ὁπ pera oxynpov : %& cum operario agrario pera epyarov aypou ( for apyou from next clause): % ‘with a cheating servant’, cp. Q? aw Synp (Ὁ misread ape) no-nn 160 mw oy (so 18" mg.: B® ww ow): Qk μετα μισθιου αφεστιου (B): dut for last word Syro-Hex 253 23 εφεστιου: Ν' Ο 155 308 επεστιου: the rest rightly with & emereov ( ‘yearly’: cp. Deut. xv. 18 LXX) 0-0 ®” yop ΝΥ by: & ( freely) περι συντελειας : % consummatione anni Ρ-Ρ Ge περι πασης συμβουλιας 4-4 ON IN|D WN (σεαα DY) ON JN: G& αλλ ἡ pera avdpos ευσεβους ενδελεχιζε, cP. & ‘with men righteous be dwelling’ rr 30 Ge (dul evrodas): & ‘for they fear to sin before God’ s-s 355 52253 y3a5 py awe Lv. ‘with whose heart (it is) as thine own heart’: & 12253 Wer, which may be right tt 125 ox: 3220 ow GS u-u (ἃ συναλγησει σοι = 3 IBY! ζ will be troubled on

11. With ... from. The clauses that follow in 11 are in subordination to ‘consult not (with)’ and ‘hide thy counsel (from) ’ in ro. :

With a woman about her rival. i.e. with a wife about another woman whom one is intending to take as a second wife ; the Hebr. word used here (ΠΝ --- ἀντίζηλος) has this technical meaning ; cp. xxvi. 6 (also xxv. 11). In these passages Ben-Sira apparently has in mind some of the evil results of polygamy, which were in evidence when he wrote. The same word (= ‘rival wife’) is used in 1 Sam. i. 6; cp. also Lev. xviii. 18.

And from anenemy... (& ‘and with a coward about war’.

With a merchant about business. @& has ‘concerning exchange’, i.e. about what to buy (the goods that the merchant has to sell). The cases enumerated are of persons directly interested in the results of the transactions. From such the reader is warned not to seek advice. ᾿

And from a buyer about selling. i.e. about the price he should pay one. Such cautions as these are especially necessary in the East. :

With an evil-disposed man... The list of unsuitable counsellors that follows consists of such as are incapacitated from giving advice on the particular matter by inherent defects of character. “An evil-disposed man, 1.e. an ill-natured, grudging man (Lat. ‘cum viro livido’). For ‘ benevolence’ @& has περὶ εὐχαριστίας --εὐχαριστία apparently = display of kindliness. B ; 4 5

about human happiness. i.e. about the good fortune and happiness of any one. & ‘about kindness’.

And the yearly hireling about the sowing of seed. offers an interesting variety of reading here (see critical note). The reading of the cursives (55 106 248 254 296), viz. ἐπετείου (= 3. ‘annuli’), is correct as against the uncials (BC N*), and is attested by ®. It is not ‘the domestic (ἐφεστίου) servant’, but the ‘ yearly hireling that the verse is concerned with. Such an one remained in his employment not a day longer than he was obliged (cp. Isa. xvi. 14); hence it would be of all things most unprofitable to discuss with one of this class something which would be carried out after the termination of his year’s contract—viz. the sowing of seed in the autumn. ;

(With) the idle slave about much work. i.e. the opinion of a lazy servant must not be asked on the question whether there is much work to be done (Edersheim). Fj ee ‘ amen

12. with a man that feareth always... keeper of the Law. i.e. a man who is God-fearing and pious; Such a counsellor will be guided by right principle. For the phrase ‘that feareth always’ cp. Prov. xxvill. 14; also xvili. 27 of our book. ἢ : ile δι

Whose heart... i.e. a faithful counsellor must be one who can ‘act in a disinterested way, and is not

committed to any course by special interests of his own.

%#*"”’ 13 Do thou also *take knowledge’ of the counsel of (thine own) heart, w~For thou hast no one more true to thee”. 14 The heart of a man *telleth (him) his opportunities * Better than seven watchmen Yon a tower’. 15 But in all this intreat God, That He may direct thy steps in truth,

(a) XXXVII. 16-26. True and false wisdom (= 3+2[+1]+2+3 distichs).

16 *The beginning of every action is speech, And before every work is the thought *.

17 >The roots of the heart’s deliberations

(18) Bring forth four branches?:

18 Good and evil, life and death ;

°But the tongue ruleth over them altogether’. °° το 4There is a wise man who is wise for many4

But for himself 515. a fool®.

account of thee’), which ἐς the mg. reading of Ὦ " (corrupted to ἼΣΝ" in BP: WP text pox py ? (pointing Y*3) condolebit tibi [Peters]: ‘shall be weary for thee’) v-V pan: (ἃ στησον Ξε “57: S renders whole verse: ‘for his faith shall quicken him, and also he is faithful like thee’ τ τον ¥® 4211 WN TD (Δ PX) PON (BPD) 9: (ἃ ov yap εστιν σοι πιστοτερος αὐτῆς x-X HH ynyyy (3) TW (24. of nyw ‘hour, time opportunity’ : form unusual): Gk ἀπαγγελειν ενιοτε εἰωθεν (‘is sometimes wont to bring him tidings’ RAVE) (157470 adnées : 106) αληθινα 3.}: % ‘shall rejoice in (for shall show) his ways’ y-Y 3η" Ap Sy: Ge em μετεώρου καθημενοι emt σκοπης (καθημενοι an addition: ε. μ. and ε. σ. a double rendering of AD¥2 by) : 30 has w dy ‘upon a peak’ [posstbly em μετεωρου jw by and & gives a conflation), & renders ‘more than the riches of the world that profit not’ (‘¢hinking of Matt. iv. 8’ [Hart]) 8: So 350 (ἃ : & ‘before all men and before everything God hath created all’. [or 1985 zm (b) ®® λας WI.] WL ante omnia opera (a/. omnem operam) verbum verax praecedat te et ante omnem actum consilium stabile b-b %® ΟΣ ΠΡΣῚΝ 330 (Ὁ mbyann) mbrann (D apy) ΠΡ» | rr (Ὁ m5’) 75) (mg. +D a anw): Ge yvos αλλοιωσεως ( Ὁ mpyonn) καρδιας τεσσαρα μερὴ ανατελλει [ Hebr. explains (ἃ which yields no suitable sense|: μερη DYDD 3η" (cp. DIw Gen. xlviii. 22) ce So ® &: & ‘he that rules over his tongue shall be preserved from evil’ ἀ-ἃ 39 ὩΞΠ) oad oon wr: Ge ἐστιν amp (Syro-Hex 253 ><arnp) mavovpyos και πολλων παιδευτης (kaa>NAC &c. 1, 3 3η) [G ®: possebly, however, reading D3 Sor Dani, and treating this as Hif.: Lévi considers pani a mistake for nn: Nif. not otherwise attested ) e-e HP Sy (so B® mg.) ἃ ὅ: B® and BE Sena (Peters renders: et animam suam liberat): 3 renders whole verse:

13. take knowledge... Self-reliance is, after all, best; for the maxim regarding the counsel of the heart cp. ὦ the Alphabet of Ben-Sira (1): ‘Take sixty counsellors, but the counsel of thine own heart do not abandon.’

14. The heart of a man telleth (him) his opportunities ... The Hebr. word rendered ‘ opportunities’ = lit. ‘hours’, (MYW): the right opportune time for doing a thing (in this sense in Neo-Hebrew). The ‘seven watchmen on a tower’ of the second half of the verse may be an allusion to astrologers (Heb. is OSS lit. ‘ watchers’). For the number ‘seven’ in such a connexion cp. Prov. xxvi. 16, 25; Jer. xv. 9. The moral of the verse is that man should trust the instincts of his own heart most (so also &).

15. But in all this intreat God. (ἃ has ‘above all these’; counsel, to be fruitful, must be taken in conjunction | with prayer. Prayer is of primary importance. The counsellors may be ranked in an ascending order of importance _ as one’s friends, oneself, God (Edersheim). With the verse cp. Prov. xvi. 9.

XXXVII. 16-31. This section falls into two well-defined subsections, the first of which is concerned with wisdom true and false (vv. 16-26), and the second with wisdom or discretion applied to eating (vv. 27-31).

(a) XXXVII. 16-26 opens with some general remarks on reflection and thought. Thought precedes and determines | action. Wisdom and folly bring in their train good and evil, life and death; but the fate of men is above all con- | trolled by the tongue of the teacher (vv. 16-18). In the verses that follow (19-26) three classes of wise who are not | really such (vv. 19, 20, 22) are contrasted with those who really deserve the name of ‘ wise’ (vv. 23, 24, 26). ‘ Wise’ throughout is a term for the well-instructed scribe or teacher.

17: ΤῊ roots of the heart’s deliberations bring forth four branches. The Hebrew (note the v. 1) may be | rendered :

‘The root of counsels is the heart ; It brings forth four branches.’ This accords well with v. 16. The workings of mind and the moral will issue in action which results in a harvest of — good or evil, life or death. For the figure (root and branches) cp. i. 20. [@r gives no coherent sense. ] 18. Good and evil, life and death. Cp. xxxiii. (xxxvi.) 14; Deut. xxx. 19. ey the tongue ruleth over them altogether. Cp. Prov. xviii. 21 (‘Life and death are in the power of the tongue’).

19. .. . who is wise for many But for himself is a fool. The verse may be explained to mean either (a) there

veel i

|? 20 8And there is a wise man who is loathed for his speechs,

And is cut off "from all enjoyment? ;

21 [For winning grace has not been bestowed upon him from the Lord,

And he depriveth himself of all honour].

100) 22 }And there is Ja wise man who is wisej for himself,

The fruit of whose understanding (is) ‘upon his body*,

23’And there is a wise man !who is wise for his people’,

The fruit of whose understanding is ™lasting™.

25 "The life of a man (numbers) °days but few°,

> But the life of Jeshurun days innumerable?.

‘9 24 ®“Who is wise for himself4 shall have his fill ‘of enjoymentt,

And “all who see him’ count him happy.

26 ‘Who is wise (for his) people* gaineth "honour’,

And his name Yabideth in life eternal’.

(0) XXXVII. 27-31. Wisdom or discretion applied to eating (=2+2+1 distichs).

27 My son, prove thy soul “in thy life,

And see (that) what harmeth it *thou give it not.

“every one that is wise in his own conceit is a fool’. { axpyoros: 3} insuavis #| f Pr. tit. & de sofistica et versuta locutione “8H OND) NDIA DIN wy: E ἐστιν σοφιζομενος ev λογοις (Syro-Hex + και) puonros b-h 35 gyn Saxo da (‘from all agreeable food’): (τ πασης τροφης (Ν᾽ 106 157 248 253 Syro-Hex σοφιας): Sah τρυῴφης NIN rightly (τροφὴ for τρυφὴ xli. 1). Read ayn Sor: Sox a 3} xs an addition (a conflate reading) : ® ‘and he depriveth himself of all honour’ (? 21 b): doth 3 and ® omit two lines: possibly $ omits 20b, 21a and this line 21 Ὁ (so Smend): 38» 21 a and Ὁ: nol improbably there 1s a doublet in & (vv. 20, 21), and S may represent a variant of 20 Ὁ (® ‘is cut off from all enjoyment’ $ (varzan/) ‘is deprived of all honour)’ id transposes Vv. 22, 23 (wrongly : cp. 24, 26) j3 So® DL: (ἃ coos k-k §o 39: % ‘from the sight of his face’: G& em oroparos (read cwpatos) πιστοι (296 > moro an interpolation from 23b) | The verse ἐς wanting in %®: 180 pon spyd && roy eavtov λαον παιδευσει: S ‘who is wise at all times’ DDn δον : cp. τὸ ἃ [& avnp at beginning of line QW» misread wx] m-m Sy @& ( jon): 32. on2 ‘in their own bodies’ : dat by (not 3) would be expected here: cp. 22 Ὁ. Context supports G. % ‘for themselves’ π 35 fransposes vv. 24, 25

(rightly): S>v. 25 0-0 WP py’ apn: WP ἼΒΟ O09: (ἃ ev αριθμῳ ἡμερων. Read with Smend ΒΟ "2. (cp. (b) and xli. 13) P-P δό BP: H® has Syme Dy for AW ( E& τοῦ Ισμαηλ): but PAW original 1-0 B wind non: & avnp copos: HS rr H yoyn ( 3): & evdoyuas 8-8 320 NIT $3: Ge martes οἱ ὁρῶντες (+avrov 10b, so 3» and $ 38) ὑπ ® op Don: Ek ο codos εν τῳ Naw αὐτου u-u HOP “25 : Ge πιστιν (bul

248 δοξαν, so L and 3 ): motw may have been corrupted from τιμὴν (Smend) v-v %? οὖν wna ony: (ἃ ἔχεται (248 εσται) εἰς tov αἰωνα ( δον »nd : perhaps so read here with Smend) ¥-W So BP GS: WP mg. ΕΝ ἼΩΠΣ (‘in wine’) prodadly a scribal mistake for Ἴ"ΠΔ ¥ H+) (‘and give it not’): so ὅτ: du/ HL S>‘ and’

are some who are wise where others’ interests are concerned, but in their own affairs act as fools ; or (ὁ) there are some who pass as wise in the opinion of many, but who in their own estimation are as fools. Perhaps in view of the

use of Ὁ in 22 a the former interpretation (a) is to be preferred. Then 22 is a contrast.

21. winning grace. (ἃ χάρις = here also lovableness. Cp. xx. 19; xxi. 16.

depriveth himself of all honour. Cp. Num. xxiv. 11. ᾿ :

22. The fruit of whose understanding (is) upon his body. i.e. he experiences the results of his prudence in material comforts (‘upon his body’ = almost ‘upon himself’). For the reading of (τ see critical note, and cp.

23. islasting. The result of such public-spirited wisdom is seen not merely in material comforts and success, but in lasting honour (fame among posterity). . . ; Α

25. The life of a man ... life of Jeshurun. The verse gives interesting expression to one ancient view of immortality. A man’s memory might live on in honour in the life of his people. The nation could be regarded as immortal. There is no hint of a survival of the personality of the individual. Cp. 2 Macc. xiv. 15. ἡ Jeshurun’ is a poetic name for Israel under its ideal aspect (= ‘upright one’); cp. Deut. xxxii. 15, xxxill, 5, 26; Isa, xliv. 2.

26. And his name abideth in life eternal. i.e. will live on honoured in the memory of future generations: cp. XxxIx. 9, xli. 13 (‘a good name endureth for ever’), xliv. 13, 14. _ (4) XXXVII. 27-31. The theme of this subsection is prudence and self-restraint, especially as shown in eating. Discretion in this regard will ward off disease and prolong life. It forms a good transition to the following section, which deals with the physician and the healing art. i ; ;

27. My son, prove thy soul in thy life... ‘Experientia docet.’ The wise man will learn from experience what to avoid as specially dangerous to himself. '

ἢ) 28 For not YeverythingY is good for every one—

38 1 !Cultivate) the physician in accordance with the need of him‘,

29 *Indulge not excess* in any” enjoyment, 30 °For in much eating® !nesteth sickness‘,

31 i} By intemperance! many have perished,

“Every soul maketh not its choice of every kind’. °Nor immoderation® in “any® dainties. And he that indulgeth excess® cometh nigh to loathing®.

But he that is on his guard prolongeth life.

(a) XXXVIII. 1-15. The physician has been ordained by God and should be resorted to in

For him also hath God ordained.

Cite this text

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English, volume I: Apocrypha, part 2 of 3. Oxford, 1913. Hermetic Cloud, https://hermeticcloud.com/library/charles-apocrypha-and-pseudepigrapha-1-part-2/. Public-domain text reproduced in full; markup only.

Transcription

Machine-read text of the Internet Archive scan apocryphapseudep01charuoft; the reading is uncorrected apart from the removal of page numbers, running heads, line-end hyphens and the scan's own marks.