04_Reymond_224_246 15/07/14 12:18 Pagina 228 228 ERIC D. REYMOND as stated above, not withhold wisdom 9. But he also suggests that when one’s ideas do not comport with those of the powerful or wealthy, one should not expose one’s views. In 8,1-2 he encourages not “contending” or quarrelling with the rich, in 8,14 not going to court against a judge; in 9,13 one should not anger the person who has the authority to kill. Moreover, an individual should not engage with nobles who are always looking to undermine others (13,9-11). In relation to speech specifically, Bradley C. Gregory observes that although Ben Sira posits a traditional polarity whereby a fool is garrulous and a sage is discreet, Ben Sira does seem to suggest that even the wise will “sin with their tongue” (Sir 19,16) and that, therefore, one should be empathetic toward those who have also said something inappropriate 10. Thus, contrary to Okoye’s depic- tion of the ideal speaker, Ben Sira himself exhibits conflicting ideas. Moreover, he expresses himself through ambiguous language (wordplay), and his proverbs depend, in certain instances, on am- biguity for their effect. From a practical perspective, then, it seems likely to me that Ben Sira did not wish to encourage people to purge their language of all words and sentences that could be interpreted in two or more ways. Rather, it seems, he likely thought that imprecision in com- munication was an inevitable aspect of language and of the people using it, a natural result of people having different perspectives and interests and holding different biases. 9 The phrase “to the death” (Ms A twmh d[) is ambiguous itself. It is often taken to imply that one should argue even if it results in one’s demise, e.g., P.W. SKEHAN – A.A. DI LELLA, The Wisdom of Ben Sira (AB 39; New York 1987) 177, though it could also imply until one’s old age (cf. 2 Sam 6,23; 1 Kgs 11,40; Jer 52,34). In Jon 4,9 the phrase twm-d[ occurs in a statement that can be translated: “It is right (that) it angers me to the point of dying”. The same Hebrew phrase without the definite article occurs with the sense “to death” in Ms D to Sir 37,2; Ms B expresses the same idea with twm la, while Ms C has a different phrasing. On the different Hebrew versions, see S. ELITZUR, “A New Hebrew Fragment of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus)”, Tarbiz 76 (2006-2007) 17-28, here 22, and IDEM, “Two New Leaves of the Hebrew Version of Ben Sira”, DSD 17 (2010) 13-29, here 21-22. The sense “to the point of dying” is expressed in phrases like twml in Isa 53,12. 10 B.C. GREGORY, “Slips of the Tongue in the Speech Ethics of Ben Sira”, Bib 93 (2012) 321-339, here 330-333.