Alphabet of Ben Sira

Jewish work

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July 23, 2026

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The "Alphabet of Ben Sira" is a medieval Jewish work, likely from the 11th century, that presents proverbs attributed to the sage Ben Sira. This work is extant in two versions, with one version illustrating the proverbs through tales. The author is depicted as a child prodigy, performing feats of wisdom similar to those found in the Infancy Gospels concerning Jesus. The text is primarily a collection of proverbs, drawing from the apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus. The name "Ben Sira" itself refers to Sirach, the author of Ecclesiasticus.12

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Judaism
Major medieval Hebrew collections
…of this type is The Alphabet of Ben Sira, extant in two recensions, probably of the 11th century. This is basically a collection of proverbs attributed to the famous sage of the apocryphal book Ecclesiasticus (Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach). In one of the recensions the proverbs are…
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…of this type is The Alphabet of Ben Sira, extant in two recensions, probably of the 11th century. This is basically a collection of proverbs attributed to the famous sage of the apocryphal book Ecclesiasticus (Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach). In one of the recensions the proverbs are…
Read More