Context No. 4184 of 4322 · Sirach

Sirach 10:17-31: in context

17He took some of them away and destroyed them, and made their memory to cease from the earth. 18Pride has not been created for men, nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women. 19Whose offspring has honor? Human offspring who fear the Lord. Whose offspring has no honor? Human offspring who break the commandments. 20In the midst of kindred he who rules them has honor. Those who fear the Lord have honor in his eyes. 22The rich man, the honorable, and the poor all glory in the fear of the Lord. 23It is not right to dishonor a poor man who has understanding. It is not fitting to glorify a man who is a sinner. 24The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honored. There is not one of them greater than he who fears the Lord. 25Free men will minister to a wise servant. A man who has knowledge will not complain. 26Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work. Don’t boast in the time of your distress. 27Better is he who labors and abounds in all things, than he who boasts and lacks bread. 28My son, glorify your soul in humility, and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worthiness. 29Who will justify him who sins against his own soul? Who will honor him who dishonors his own life? 30A poor man is honored for his knowledge. A rich man is honored for his riches. 31But he who is honored in poverty, how much more in riches? He who is dishonored in riches, how much more in poverty?

Sirach reflects on honor, where it truly comes from, and it is not where the world usually looks. Human honor, he says, belongs to those who fear the Lord; the rich, the honored, and the poor alike find their glory in the fear of the Lord. He insists it is wrong to despise a poor man who is wise, and wrong to honor a sinner just because he is rich.

The prince, the judge, the strong, all are honored, but none of them, Sirach says, is greater than the one who fears the Lord. Here is a reordering of the world's scale of honor. The world honors people for their wealth, their rank, their power. But Sirach points to a truer measure: real honor and dignity come from fearing the Lord, from a right relationship with God, not from riches or status. A poor but godly person has more true honor than a rich but wicked one. We are prone to measure people, and ourselves, by wealth, status, and achievement. But God's measure is different. True honor belongs to those who fear him, whatever their wealth or rank.

Do I measure honor and worth, in myself and others, by wealth, status, and achievement, or by the fear of the Lord, recognizing that real dignity comes from a right relationship with God rather than from riches or rank?

Sources

Sirach 10:22: "The rich man, the honorable, and the poor all glory in the fear of the Lord."
Sirach 10:23: "It is not right to dishonor a poor man who has understanding. It is not fitting to glorify a man who is a sinner."
Sirach 10:24: "The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honored. There is not one of them greater than he who fears the Lord."