[B-Greek] SOFIA SIRAX 19:4 - Hearts and Minds

Elizabeth Kline kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Sun Jul 29 14:43:24 EDT 2007



On Jul 29, 2007, at 2:16 AM, kathleen.taylor at dpag.ox.ac.uk wrote:

> Thirdly, is it stretching it too far to read into the use of  
> καρδίᾳ
> [KARDIAi], rather than, say, some form of FRONIS or NOOS, a  
> stronger, more
> emotional or personally-important relationship between the believer  
> and
> the belief-object ('trust' rather than mere 'belief')?

In regard to this it might (??) be worth taking a look at the textual  
notes in the Anchor Bible [AB]. The text of Ben Sira is generally  
difficult (see AB pps 46-62) and the text for 19:1-4 is uncertain.  
According to P.W. Skehan (AB p289) the Peshitta (SYR) lacks 19:3 so  
that 19:2 is joined to 19:4a. This plus a change of wording in 19:4b  
found in two Greek manuscripts [Greek text not cited in AB!!] form  
the basis for Skehan's reconstruction and translation.

19:2 Wine and women make the mind giddy,
and the companion of prostitutes becomes reckless.
19:4 He who lightly trusts [in them] has no sense,
and he who strays [after them] sins against his own life.

Note that there is on textual basis for [in them] and I suspect there  
isn't any for [after them] but I cannot be sure.

Skehan attempts to produce discourse cohesion where none exists.  
There isn't any connection between 19:4 and what follows so based on  
the Peshitta and an alternate reading in two Greek mss. of 19:4b   
which he does not name and cites only in English (bad!) "the one who  
is incontinent" for "he who strays" he arrives at a reconstruction  
which looks to me like it is pertinent to your question "...  
relationship between the believer and the belief-object".

This is drifting away from discussion of the Greek text so I will  
cease and desist.


Elizabeth Kline

[AB] Wisdom of Ben Sira (Anchor Bible)
Alexander A. Di Lella; Editor-Patrick W. Skehan, 1987






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