Chapter Forty-Four

A glorification of the providential care of the Lord for humanity through chosen people in general and, in particular, through Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

Sirach 44:1. Now let us praise famous men and the fathers of our race: Sirach 44:2. The Lord showed much glory through them, and displayed His greatness from ancient times; Sirach 44:3. They were rulers in their kingdoms and men renowned for their might; they gave wise counsel, and proclaimed in prophecies; Sirach 44:4. They were leaders of the people in deliberation and in the teaching of learning. Sirach 44:5. Wise words were in their teaching; they invented musical modes and composed hymns and put them in writing; Sirach 44:6. Men wealthy, endowed with power, they dwelt peacefully in their homes. Sirach 44:7. All of them were honored among their peoples and in their day were glory. Sirach 44:8. There are among them those who left behind them a name for the proclamation of their praise, and there are those whose memory is not preserved, who have passed away as though they did not exist, and became as though never born, and their children after them. Sirach 44:9. But these were men of mercy whose righteous deeds are not forgotten; 9. Men who were shown the mercy of God.

Sirach 44:10. In their seed good inheritance remains; their descendants are in the covenants; 10. Their descendants remain faithful to the covenants of the Lord.

Sirach 44:11. Their seed will be established, and their children for their sake; 11. Numerous, long-lived, firm in faith and good life offspring are the rewards of godly and wise parents.

Sirach 44:12. Their seed will endure forever, and their glory will not be blotted out; Sirach 44:13. Their bodies were buried in peace, and their names live in generations; Sirach 44:14. Nations will recount their wisdom, and the church will proclaim their praise. Sirach 44:15. Enoch pleased the Lord and was taken up to heaven, a sign of repentance for all generations. 15. The display of extraordinary mercy of God toward the righteous Enoch should serve as a constant lesson to stubborn sinners and at the same time an incentive to repentance for a sinful life.

Sirach 44:16. Noah proved to be perfect and righteous; in the time of God’s anger he was a propitiation; 16. At the time when God’s wrath was revealed toward the ante-diluvian sinful world, Noah, who shone with his righteous life, served as a propitiation for the human race on earth, preventing by his godliness the complete destruction of humanity by the waters of the flood.

Sirach 44:17. For this reason he became a remnant on earth when there was the flood; Sirach 44:18. With him was made an everlasting covenant that no flesh would be destroyed again by a flood. Sirach 44:19. Abraham was a great father of a multitude of peoples, and there was none like him in glory; Sirach 44:20. He kept the law of the Most High and was in covenant with Him, Sirach 44:21. And on his own flesh he established the covenant and was found faithful in testing; 21. And on his own flesh he established the sign of the covenant, that is, circumcision (see Gen 17). Circumcision is called the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and his faithful offspring because it was meant to serve, on the one hand, as the visible sign of God’s election and promise; on the other, as an obligatory manifestation in a person of his inner readiness for self-limitation in fulfillment of the demands of the Lord’s commandments. – And was found faithful in testing, see Gen 22.

Sirach 44:22. For this reason the Lord promised him with an oath that in his seed all nations would be blessed; Sirach 44:23. He promised to multiply him like the dust of the earth, and to exalt his seed like the stars, and to give them an inheritance from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. Sirach 44:24. And to Isaac also for the sake of Abraham his father He confirmed the blessing of all men and the covenant; Sirach 44:25. And it rested on the head of Jacob: Sirach 44:26. He blessed him with His blessings, and gave him as inheritance the land, and divided its portions, and distributed them among twelve tribes. Sirach 44:27. And from him came forth a man of mercy, who won love in the sight of all flesh, 27. This is explained by verse 1 of chapter 45.