Sirach 6:17-32: a reflection

17He who fears the Lord directs his friendship properly; for as he is, so is his neighbor also. 18My son, gather instruction from your youth up. Even when you have gray hair you will find wisdom. 19Come to her as one who plows and sows and wait for her good fruit; for your toil will be little in her cultivation, and you will soon eat of her fruit. 20How exceedingly harsh she is to the unlearned! He who is without understanding will not remain in her. 21She will rest upon him as a mighty stone of trial. He won’t hesitate to cast her from him. 22For wisdom is according to her name. She isn’t manifest to many. 23Give ear, my son, and accept my judgment. Don’t refuse my counsel. 24Bring your feet into her fetters, and your neck into her chain. 25Put your shoulder under her and bear her. Don’t be grieved with her bonds. 26Come to her with all your soul. Keep her ways with your whole power. 27Search and seek, and she will be made known to you. When you get hold of her, don’t let her go. 28For at the last you will find her rest; and she will be turned for you into gladness. 29Her fetters will be to you for a covering of strength, and her chains for a robe of glory. 30For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are a purple cord. 31You shall put her on as a robe of glory, and shall put her on as a crown of rejoicing. 32My son, if you are willing, you will be instructed. If you will yield your soul, you will be prudent.

This passage speaks of the pursuit of wisdom, and it is honest about the cost. At first, it says, wisdom's discipline can feel like bonds and fetters: bring your feet into her fetters, and your neck into her chain; put your shoulder under her and bear her; do not be grieved with her bonds. The discipline of seeking wisdom is hard at first, a yoke to be borne. But the passage promises that this changes: at the last you will find her rest, and she will be turned for you into gladness; her fetters will become a covering of strength, her chains a robe of glory. What begins as hard discipline becomes, in the end, gladness and honor.

Notice the movement the passage describes: from hard discipline to gladness and glory. Seeking wisdom is demanding at first; it feels like bonds, like a yoke, like a heavy load to bear. Many, finding it hard, cast it off. But those who bear the discipline, who put their shoulder under it and do not give up, find that the fetters become a robe of glory, the hard discipline turning at last into gladness and honor. The reward comes to those who endure the initial hardness of the discipline rather than casting it off.

That is worth taking to heart, for the discipline of seeking wisdom, and of growth in general, is often hard at first, and we can give up before the reward comes. Whether pursuing wisdom, or any worthy growth, the early discipline can feel like bonds, demanding and unrewarding; and we can cast it off before it bears fruit. But the passage promises that those who bear the discipline find it turned, at last, into gladness and glory. Do not cast off the discipline of seeking wisdom because it is hard at first; bear it, put your shoulder under it, and do not give up, for what feels like bonds now becomes a robe of glory in the end. Endure the initial hardness of the discipline that leads to wisdom, trusting that it turns, for those who persevere, from bonds into gladness, from a heavy yoke into a crown, as the passage promises to those who seek wisdom with their whole soul and do not let her go.

Lord, this passage speaks of the pursuit of wisdom, and it is honest about the cost. At first, it says, wisdom's discipline can feel like bonds and fetters: bring your feet into her fetters, and your neck into her chain; do not be grieved with her bonds. The discipline of seeking wisdom is hard at first, a yoke to be borne. But it promises that this changes: at the last you will find her rest, and she will be turned into gladness; her fetters will become a covering of strength, her chains a robe of glory. What begins as hard discipline becomes, in the end, gladness and honor. Show me the movement the passage describes: from hard discipline to gladness and glory. Seeking wisdom is demanding at first; it feels like bonds, like a heavy load. Many, finding it hard, cast it off. But those who bear the discipline and do not give up find that the fetters become a robe of glory. The reward comes to those who endure the initial hardness rather than casting it off. Take that to my heart, for the discipline of seeking wisdom, and of growth in general, is often hard at first, and I can give up before the reward comes. The early discipline can feel like bonds, demanding and unrewarding; and I can cast it off before it bears fruit. Keep me from casting off the discipline of seeking wisdom because it is hard at first; help me bear it, put my shoulder under it, and not give up, for what feels like bonds now becomes a robe of glory in the end. Help me endure the discipline that leads to wisdom, Lord, trusting that it turns, for those who persevere, from bonds into gladness.