[71] See Skinner in the Jewish Quarterly Review, Jan., 1905, p. 258.
[72] A proverb which does not come from the Bible, though many people have supposed it does.
[73] See further pp. 191f.
[74] i.e., such proverbs as “A burnt child dreads the fire,” or “He that is down need fear no fall.”
[75] Gordon, Poets of the Old Testament, p. 296.
[76] Gordon’s translation, op. cit., p. 296.
[77] Gordon, op. cit., p. 298. Observe the touch of national sentiment which is characteristic of Ben Sirach. His view is that God intended good to every nation (not an easy doctrine to reach in face of the enormities of which some of the heathen nations surrounding Israel were capable), but, although God had offered wisdom to all, only Israel had responded to the offer and so received the divine gift.
[78] Gordon’s translation, op. cit., p. 304.
[79] At Olympia in the year 212 B.C. Aristonicus was the protegé of King Ptolemy, and champion of the Egyptian gymnasia.
[80] The Hebrew text seems to have read, “Headache, shame and disgrace are the effect of wine drunk in provocation and wrath.”