Jesus ben Sirach

Jesus ben Sirach was a Hebrew writer from Palestine who lived around 180–175 BCE. He is known for writing Ecclesiasticus, also called the Wisdom of Ben Sira. This work is a significant example of the wisdom genre in religious literature popular during the early Hellenistic period of Judaism.123

Ecclesiasticus contains practical and moral advice, often organized by subject matter, such as hypocrisy, generosity, and respect for parents. Wisdom is personified as Lady Wisdom, who discusses her relationship with God and is identified with the Mosaic Law. The book was originally written in Hebrew and later translated into Greek by Ben Sira's grandson in Alexandria. While accepted in the Roman Catholic canon, it is considered apocryphal by Jews and Protestants.12