Ben Sira 1:9-11
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
9 It is he who created her,
saw her and measured her,(A)
Poured her forth upon all his works,
10 upon every living thing according to his bounty,
lavished her upon those who love him.
Fear of the Lord Is Wisdom[a]
11 The fear of the Lord[b] is glory and exultation,
gladness and a festive crown.
Footnotes
- 1:11–30 This is one of several poems of 22 bicola, or poetic lines, corresponding to the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Ben Sira uses the expression “fear of the Lord” twelve times and the noun “wisdom” seven times to emphasize the connection between the two ideas. He describes the blessings that come to those who fear the Lord, i.e., those who practice true religion by loving and serving God and keeping the Law (2:7–10, 15–17; 4:11–16; see Dt 6:1–5, 24). Such blessings recur throughout the book.
- 1:11 Fear of the Lord: Ben Sira identifies wisdom with the fear of the Lord (vv. 26–27).
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