Sir 18,15-19,17 : preghiera, passioni e parola

In this paper we discuss in detail the structure and the content of Sir 18, 15-19, 17 and we show that this passage is not a collection of scattered admonitions, but a well crafted example of Ben Sira's thought. The theme of the word is the centre around which the entire passage is built: the word as a gift, in 18, 15-18; the word towards God, i.e. prayer, in 18, 19-29; the passions, that are similar to an impulsive misuse of the word, in 18, 30-19, 3; discretion and prudence in the use of the word in relation with friends and enemies in 19, 4-17. Also elsewhere, in 6, 2-4; 22, 27; 25, 20, Ben Sira puts forward a very close link between word and passions.