*H A prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour.
Ver. 1. Sirach. This prayer may be in imitation of the book of Wisdom. H. — Grotius assigns it to the grandson, without reason; as the author continues to speak of his travels, &c. He seems to have lived under Onias III. and under Seleucus and Antiochus Epiphanes, of Syria, to whom he was probably accused, and hence took occasion to retire into Egypt, where Ptolemy Epiphanes was king. C. — Others think (H.) that he was accused before Ptolemy Lagus, when he took Jerusalem. M. — We know too little of his life to decide any thing. C. See c. l. 1. H. — Saviour. When we are not able to make a return, we must shew greater marks of gratitude, and particularly to God, for the favours which we have not deserved. W.
*H And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper.
Ver. 3. By. To accuse me. Zac. iii. 1. C.
*H Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about:
Ver. 5. Gates. Gr. "many." H. — He exaggerates the danger to which he was exposed, as he was not miraculously delivered from the flames, &c. (C.) though this might be the case. At least he thanks God for preserving him (H.) from the various torments which were then in use.
*H From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the fire I was not burnt.
Ver. 6. In. Gr. "from the midst of a fire which I did not enkindle," or deserve by any crime.
*H From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue:
Ver. 7. Hell. The grave. I was preserved like Jonas. C. — Unjust. Gr. "the accusation was made to the king, by an unjust tongue. My soul approached unto death, and my life," &c. H.
*H I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the beginning of the world.
Ver. 11. World. Shewn to Noe, Joseph, &c. C. — Nations. Gr. "enemies." v. 12.
*H Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away.
Ver. 13. Thou. Gr. "I raised my supplicating voice from the earth, and I," &c. H.
*H I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help.
Ver. 14. The Father. Grotius asserts boldly, that it should be, "my Father," and that some Christian has changed this. But his authority may be rejected, when he brings no proof; and Bossuet has solidly refuted him. The passage clearly proves the belief of the second person, and seems to allude to Ps. cix. 1. Drus. Vat. &c. C.
*H When I was yet young, before I wandered about, I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer.
Ver. 18. When. He now gives some account of himself, and exhorts all to seek for wisdom. H. — He was advanced in years, when he fell into the aforesaid danger, after his travels. C. xxxiv. 9. C. — Wisdom is most easily acquired, while a person is innocent. Eccle. xii. W.
*H I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will seek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.
Ver. 19. After her. Being convinced that prayer is requisite for the preservation and improvement of such a treasure. See 3 K. iii. 8. C. — And. Gr. "from the flower as of a ripening grape. My heart," &c.
*H I found much wisdom in myself, and profited much therein.
Ver. 22. Wisdom. Gr. "instruction for myself." H.
*H My soul hath wrestled for her, and in doing it I have been confirmed.
Ver. 25. Wrestled. Against pleasure, idleness, &c. This shews how arduous a task it is to attain wisdom. C. — Confirmed. Greek, "in earnest."
*H I directed my soul to her, and in knowledge I found her.
Ver. 27. Knowledge. Gr. Alex. "time of harvest." Grabe substitutes, "in purification," (H.) or the practice of virtue. Wisd. i. 4.
*H I possessed my heart with her from the beginning: therefore I shall not be forsaken.
Ver. 28. Heart. Or understanding, as the Heb. place this in the heart. 3 K. iii. 9.
*H My entrails were troubled in seeking her: therefore shall I possess a good possession.
Ver. 29. Her. I did it, with all solicitude. Cant. v. 4. Jer. iv. 19. C.
*H The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward: and with it I will praise him.
Ver. 30. Tongue. Eloquence, (M.) which I will exert in praising him.
*H Draw near to me, ye unlearned, and gather yourselves together into the hours of discipline.
Ver. 31. Gather. Gr. "dwell in the," &c. H. — He addresses those who are walking in the broad road.
*H I have opened my mouth, and have spoken: buy her for yourselves without silver,
Ver. 33. Silver. Only good-will is necessary, which all may have. Is. lv. 1. Rom. x. 6. Wisd. vi. 13.
*H Receive ye discipline as a great sum of money, and possess abundance of gold by her.
Ver. 36. Gold. The wise man has more opportunities of enriching himself than others; but he despises unnecessary wealth. C. — We must labour for wisdom more than for riches, and we shall be rewarded hereafter. W.
*H Work your work before the time, and he will give you your reward in his time.
Ver. 38. The time. It is never too soon to be wise. In doing good let us not fail, (Gal. vi. 9.) in order to obtain that food, which remains for ever. Is. vi. 7. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is all man. Eccle. xii. 13. C. — This is the sum of the sapiential works, and of all the Scriptures: To depart from evil is understanding. Job xxviii. 28. H.