"The wisdom of the scribe depends on
the opportunity of leisure;
and he who has little business may
become wise.
How can he become wise who handles the plow,
and who glories in the shaft of a goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,
and whose talk is about bulls?
He sets his heart on plowing furrows,
and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.
So too is every craftsman and master workman,
who labors by night as well as by day;
those who cut the signets of seals,
each is diligent in making a great variety;
he sets his heart on painting a life-like image,
and he is careful to finish his work.
So too is the smith sitting by the anvil,
intent upon his handiwork in iron;
the breath of the fire melts his flesh,
and he wastes away in the heat of the furnace;
the inclines his ear to the sound of the hammer,
and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.
He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork,
and he is careful to complete its decoration.
So too is the potter sitting at his work,
and turning the wheel with his feet;
he is always deeply concerned over his
work, and all his output is by number.
He molds the clay with his arm, and
makes it pliable with his feet;
he sets his heart to finish the glazing,
and he is careful to clean the furnace.
All these rely upon their hands,
and each is skillful in his own work.
Without them a city cannot be established,
and men can neither sojourn nor live there.
Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people,
nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly.
They do not sit in the judge’s seat,
nor do they understand the sentence of judgment;
they cannot expound discipline or judgment,
and they are not found using proverbs.
But they keep stable the fabric of the world,
and their prayer is in the practice of their trade.
On the other hand, he who devotes himself to the study of
the law of the Most High will seek out the wisdom of all the
ancients, and will be concerned with prophecies;
he will preserve the discourse of notable men,
and penetrate the subtleties of parables.
He will serve among great men and appear before rulers;
he will travel through the lands of foreign nations,
for he tests the good and the evil among men.
He will set his heart to rise early to seek the Lord who made him,
and will make supplication before the Most High; he will
open his mouth in prayer and make supplication for his sins.
If the great Lord is willing, he will be filled
with the spirit of understanding;
he will pour forth words of wisdom
and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
He will direct his counsel and knowledge aright,
and meditate on his secrets.
He will reveal instruction in his teachings,
and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
Many will praise his understanding,
and it will never be blotted out;
his memory will not disappear,
and his name will live through all generations.
Nations will declare his wisdom,
and the congregation will proclaim his praise;
if he lives long he will leave a name greater than a thousand,
and if he goes to rest, it is enough for him."
(Sirach 38:24-34; 39:1-11, Books of the Apocrypha)
the opportunity of leisure;
and he who has little business may
become wise.
How can he become wise who handles the plow,
and who glories in the shaft of a goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,
and whose talk is about bulls?
He sets his heart on plowing furrows,
and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.
So too is every craftsman and master workman,
who labors by night as well as by day;
those who cut the signets of seals,
each is diligent in making a great variety;
he sets his heart on painting a life-like image,
and he is careful to finish his work.
So too is the smith sitting by the anvil,
intent upon his handiwork in iron;
the breath of the fire melts his flesh,
and he wastes away in the heat of the furnace;
the inclines his ear to the sound of the hammer,
and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.
He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork,
and he is careful to complete its decoration.
So too is the potter sitting at his work,
and turning the wheel with his feet;
he is always deeply concerned over his
work, and all his output is by number.
He molds the clay with his arm, and
makes it pliable with his feet;
he sets his heart to finish the glazing,
and he is careful to clean the furnace.
All these rely upon their hands,
and each is skillful in his own work.
Without them a city cannot be established,
and men can neither sojourn nor live there.
Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people,
nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly.
They do not sit in the judge’s seat,
nor do they understand the sentence of judgment;
they cannot expound discipline or judgment,
and they are not found using proverbs.
But they keep stable the fabric of the world,
and their prayer is in the practice of their trade.
On the other hand, he who devotes himself to the study of
the law of the Most High will seek out the wisdom of all the
ancients, and will be concerned with prophecies;
he will preserve the discourse of notable men,
and penetrate the subtleties of parables.
He will serve among great men and appear before rulers;
he will travel through the lands of foreign nations,
for he tests the good and the evil among men.
He will set his heart to rise early to seek the Lord who made him,
and will make supplication before the Most High; he will
open his mouth in prayer and make supplication for his sins.
If the great Lord is willing, he will be filled
with the spirit of understanding;
he will pour forth words of wisdom
and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
He will direct his counsel and knowledge aright,
and meditate on his secrets.
He will reveal instruction in his teachings,
and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
Many will praise his understanding,
and it will never be blotted out;
his memory will not disappear,
and his name will live through all generations.
Nations will declare his wisdom,
and the congregation will proclaim his praise;
if he lives long he will leave a name greater than a thousand,
and if he goes to rest, it is enough for him."
(Sirach 38:24-34; 39:1-11, Books of the Apocrypha)
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