Uczony w Piśmie – ideał człowieka poszukującego mądrości (Syr 38,24; 39,1-11)

Sir 38:24 – 39:11 presents the scribe as a model of a person striving to acquire wisdom. The present article focuses on the second part of the pericope (39:1-11), which refers directly to the figure of the scribe. The fragment can be divided into five sections. In the first one (39:1-3) the sage describes the scribe’s intellectual pursuits and the texts he peruses. The second section (39:4) concentrates in turn on the scribe’s social commitments, while the third one (39:5) – on his attitude towards God. The fourth part (39:6-8) depicts the gift that the scribe may receive from God and the consequences it will have for his life. The final section (39:9-11) is devoted to the scribe’s fame, which he may achieve due to the acquisition of wisdom. Sirach emphasizes in his text the necessity to thoroughly study the Law and other biblical traditions (cf. 39:1). He also recommends learning from other nations to acquire wisdom (cf. 39:2-3; travel may serve such a purpose – cf. 39:4cd). However, the acquisition of wisdom does not stem only from a person’s intellectual efforts, but is primarily a gift from God (cf. 39:6ab). The sage stresses the role that prayer plays in one’s acquisition of wisdom. In the final part of his reflections the sage pays particular attention to the results the acquisition of wisdom brings (39:6cd-11), primarily the scribe’s everlasting fame that will transcend Israel’s borders.