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Glite Dictionary
Ben Sira

Ben Sira

9.9
An ancient Jewish book of wise sayings similar to Proverbs
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : Ben Sira
  • Many scholars consider Ben Sira a valuable resource for understanding ancient wisdom literature.

Examples

  • The teachings in Ben Sira are often compared to those in Proverbs.

  • Ancient manuscripts of Ben Sira have been discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

  • Many scholars study Ben Sira to understand Jewish wisdom traditions.

  • The teachings in Ben Sira offer valuable life lessons.

  • Many scholars study Ben Sira for its wisdom.

  • The teachings in Ben Sira offer practical advice on living a moral life.

  • The book Ben Sira provides insights similar to those found in the biblical book of Proverbs.

Synonyms

Sirach
vsBen Sira
  • Literature
1 9.9

An old religious book of wise sayings, also called Ecclesiasticus

is the same book but usually referred to by other titles
Ecclesiasticus
vsBen Sira
  • Literature
9.9

A book of wise sayings in older Bibles, also called Wisdom of Sirach

is the same book but called by other titles
Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach
vsBen Sira
  • Literature
9.9

An old book of wise sayings and moral teachings like Proverbs

is the same book but often named in shorter form

Surface Forms

Ben Sira singular
Ben Siras plural
Ben Siras plural
Ben Sira singular

Morphology

Ben + Sira

Ben Sira is a proper name for a specific apocryphal book, so its meaning (a wisdom book also called Sirach/Ecclesiasticus) cannot be inferred from the surface parts. The constituents 'Ben' and 'Sira' are not transparent lexical items for an average B1 learner (and even if 'Ben' is known as a Hebrew patronymic, that does not indicate a book title), so the phrase is unpredictable and must be learned as a lexicalized name.

Etymology

Ben Sira is named after an early teacher: Ben means 'son' and Sira is the teacher's name, so the title points to 'son of Sira'. It is a short book of wise sayings, like Proverbs, so people read Ben Sira for moral and practical advice and it is also known as 'Sirach' or 'Ecclesiasticus'.