E.D. Reymond, «Sirach 40,18-27 as ‘T@o=b-Spruch’», Vol. 82 (2001) 84-92

Although the series of comparisons that make up Sirach 40,18-27 are often characterized as ‘better-than’ proverbs or t@o=b-Sprüche, they do not convey a generic idea of degree, but rather express the superiority of items in the specific context of verbs’ semantic fields. This construction emphasizes the tangible benefit of the ‘superior’ elements, a nuance that the more typical t@o=b-Sprüche would not express. In addition, Ben Sira describes each superior item as unambiguously virtuous, implying a connection between righteous behavior and a joyous, satisfying and successful life.

Mydn ynpl Klyp#hm         hnh hl( Kl-rm) bw+ yk
For it is better that he say to you in front of a noble
‘Come up here’, than ‘get down’ (Prov 25,7);

 Anger is better than laughter (Qoh 7,3)³².

         The syntax of each of these expressions is clear; the min modifies the predicate, t@o=b, in each example. As Ogden has observed, the instances from the Bible where the t@o=b is elided are almost all in the context of other t@o=b-Sprüche³³. See, for example, Qoh 4,2; 7,1; 9,17. In Sirach 40,18-27, however, the adjective does not appear once as a predicate, and it, therefore, seems unlikely that the min here modifies an elided t@o=b. As stated above, I believe it is more plausible that these min prepositions modify the verb of each verse. This is suggested by analogous structures from the Hebrew Bible. A syntax similar to the comparative expression in v. 18, in which the min carries a comparative connotation, modifying a finite, stative verb, is seen many times in the Bible. For instance, observe 1 Kgs 5,11:

He (Solomon) was wiser than (any other) man.

        Other examples are Gen 38,26; 41,40; 48,19; 2 Sam 1,23³⁴. The only difference is that, in the Sirach poem, the min preposition stands in a separate clause from the verb on which it depends. This should be attributed to Ben Sira’s poetic frame which requires the juxtaposition of two clauses of approximately equal length, and not to the elision of an implicit t@o=b. Certainly this is a unique structure, but it is only a poetic innovation on a syntactic structure known from the Bible. The comparison of the first verse might be put into a more prosaic syntax:

rc#w rty yyxm hmy# )cm qtmy

Mywgh-Nm h(#rl y+p#m-t) rmtw
hytwbybs r#) twcr)h-Nm ytwqx-t)w

She (Jerusalem) has wickedly rebelled against my judgments even more than the nations, against my statutes even more than the lands around you’.

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