Ben Sira: Chapters 8 to 14

Last time, Ben Sira began (and told people "Do not" so much I had to keep a running tally going).  Let's see what happens in this chunk.

CHAPTER 8

Another chapter, another 17 verses beginning: “Do not.”  That ties last chapter, but at least that was 36 verses long.  This is just 19.  Anyhow, that’s 68 “Do nots” and counting.

It’s just general good advice on how to get along with people.  Don’t quarrel, don’t insult, don’t rejoice when someone dies.  Don’t defy the quick-tempered.  If I’m Dale Carnegie, I’m not afraid of this writer driving me out of the market.

CHAPTER 9

10 more verses beginning “Do not.”  That’s 78.  At this rate, the entire book will have 442.  There are so many, it doesn’t even make a good drinking game.

Much of this is about women.  The basic message is keep your pants zipped.  Taken too literally, this really will cut down on any male-female contact.  Not only are you told not to go to prostitutes or look at “a shapely woman” but you’re also told to “not go near a strange woman.”  That all depends on how you define strange woman, now doesn’t it. 

Oh, and you’re also told, “Do not give a woman power over you.”  Yeah, that goes against the entire social order.

The next part gives advice on picking friends.  Keep your friends close, and don’t hang out with hellraisers. 

One thing I will note in general.  All the morality being discussed is public morality.  What makes you a good person is less what you think and believe, and more what you do and how you act.  The morality that counts is your public morality.

CHAPTER 10

Just one “do not” this time.  Aw, I for a bit there I thought we could have an entire chapter with out one.  That gives us 79 in all. 

The highlight of this chapter is a section called “The sin of pride.”  It doesn’t think that people should be too  pride, giving us the memorable line: “Why are dust and ashes so proud?”  Heh – he’s got a good line there.  Oh, and he’s willing to push it even further, too.  Did he say dust and ashes?  Well how about: “When a people die, they inherit corruption and worms, gnats, and maggots.”  Maggot pride! 

The next section (called “Human Glory”) starts off with a nice contrasting pair of points.  First is: “Whose offspring can be honorable? Human offspring.”  And then a little later: “Whose offspring can be disgraceful?  Human offspring.” 

Earlier I was getting on Ben Sira for his style of writing, but he’s got a few nice moments here.

CHAPTER 11

Yeah, I don’t have much to say about this one.  It’s more general advice, just like Wisdom.  And Proverbs.  It’s better than the former and worse than the latter.

“Do not” tally: six.  That gives us 85 and counting.

The best part: “the day of prosperity makes one forget adversity; the day of adversity makes one forget prosperity.”  That’s nicely put.

And there is a bit here that works really well for Christianity: “For it is easy for the Lord on the day of death to repay mortals according to their conduct.”  Yup, that is straight up Christian theology right there.

CHAPTER 12

The opening lines gave me a jolt.  I’m perhaps being unfair, but they strike me as excessively judgmental.  We’re told, “If you do good, know for whom you are doing it., and your kindness will have its effect.  Do good to the righteous and reward will be yours, if not from them, from the Lord.  No good comes to those who give comfort to the wicked, nor is an act of mercy that they do.  Give to the good but refuse the sinner.”

Refuse the sinner?  No good comes to giving comfort to the wicked?  That’s a bit much.  Aren’t we all sinners?

I guess it could just mean don’t enable the wicked.  Don’t help them be bad.  But flatly states don’t help them – man, aren’t we supposed to help each other?  Isn’t this something churches pride themselves on? 

I get the feeling this guy has been burnt before.  He later says, “Never trust your enemies” and in an earlier chapter he gave detailed instructions for dealing with friends.

He has one great part in this chapter: “In prosperity we cannot know our friends; in adversity an enemy will not remain concealed.”  Yeah, I think this guy has been burnt before in his relations with other humans.

“Do not” tally: two.  We’re up to 87 and counting.

CHAPTER 13

Here’s another guess about the life of Ben Sira: at some point, he was really screwed over by a wealthy man.  Much of this chapter is just a tirade about what a bunch of assholes the rich are.  We heard, “the rich do wrong and boast of it, while the poor are wronged and beg forgiveness.  As long as the rich can use you they will enslave you.”  Later on we heard, “They will embarrass you at their dinner parties and finally laugh at you.” 

This goes on for a while.  Hell, with the exception of a few stray verses here and there, it’s the entire chapter.  Yeah, I think this guy is riffing on his life experiences.  So he’s had bad luck in friends and been treated shabbily by those with power.  It’s frankly cartoonish. 

“Do not” tally: two.  89 and counting, but the pace has really slackened off.

CHAPTER 14

The focus shifts a bit, from the wealthy to wealth itself.  Oftentimes, Ben Sira sounds like he’s channeling Ecclesiastes, as he says, “My son, if you have the means, treat yourself, well, and enjoy life as best as you can.  Remember that death does not delay, and you have not been told the grave’s appointed time.  Before you die, be good to your friends; give them a share in what you possess.  Do not deprive yourself of good things now.” 

That said, he sounds like his typical dour self at other moments.  He denounces the misers.  He denounces the greedy.  So far, the main thrust of this become has been denouncing and decrying.  You have a much better idea what he’s against than what he’s for.  His interests are more in the dark side of human nature than anything uplifting.  He is a pessimist on the human condition.

At the end of the chapter, we come into a subject he does warm up to: wisdom itself.  This is interesting.  He doesn’t find much joy in people.  True friends are rare, and you’re more likely to be burnt.  Those with money and power are going to taunt you.  But thank the Lord for sweet, sweet books and laws! 

Many writers of the wisdom books come off like introverts who have trouble dealing with people.  That’s certainly the case here.  The path to salvation is through introversion!  Hey, hey – I’m gonna be saved!  Well, except for that whole not believing in God thing.  That’ll still get in my way.

“Do not” tally: One.  90 and counting.  The glory days of do not-ing seem to be gone.

Click here for the next chunk of Ben Sira.