The Aramaic proverbs are the far older part of the book. Five of them can be traced to Talmudic-Midrashic literature. The Hebrew commentary, illustrating the proverbs with fables, is much younger. in the reading of Ginzberg:
"Honor the physician before thou hast need of him",
"If a son do not conduct himself like a son, let him float on the water."
"Gnaw the bone that falls to thy lot whether it be good or bad."
"Gold must be hammered, and the child must be beaten."
"Be good and refuse not thy portion of good."
"Woe to the wicked man and woe to his companions."
"Cast thy bread upon the waters and upon the land, for thou shalt find it after many days"
"Hast thou seen a black ass? it was neither black nor white."
"Bestow no good upon that which is evil, and no evil will befall thee."
"Restrain not thy hand from doing good."
"The bride enters the bridal chamber and, nevertheless, knows not what will befall her."
"A nod to the wise is sufficient; the fool requires a blow."
"He who honors them that despise him is like an ass."
"Thou mayest have sixty counselors, but do not give up thy own opinion"
"He that was first satisfied and then hungry will offer thee his hand; but not he that was first hungry and then satisfied."
The second Alphabet
The 22 Hebrew proverbs are quite different in character from the Aramaic ones, and much more recent. Half of the proverbs are borrowed from the Talmud, and are only a pretext for the presentation of a number of legends surrounding Ben Sira. Ben Sira is presented as the son of Jeremiah. Ben Sira's fame reached Nebuchadnezzar II, who called him to his court. Nebuchadnezzar sets forth various ordeals for Ben Sira, who responds with 22 stories. Some of the fables of the collection are indebted to Christian legend, and to the Indian Panchatantra.
The text is best known because of its reference to Lilith, and it is the fifth of Ben Sira's responses to King Nebuchadnezzar. It is reproduced here in its entirety: Jewish scholars have written arguments urging for Lilith's depiction in The Alphabet of Ben Sira to be reevaluated, based on the fact that this text was originally written primarily as a work of satire. Although the negativity surrounding Lilith's character as a demoness was taken with a varying degree of superstition within Judaism, it should not go unrecognized that much of the work was probably intended satirically. Some scholars have written arguments recognizing the satire as a way to clearly understand the social anxieties that lie at the center of the Alphabet, particularly as embodied by Lilith: Some other scholars argue that the satirical tone of the composition makes it even more difficult to assess the value of Lilith. The ruthlessly parodic tone of the Alphabet suggests that the blade of criticism is actually directed against Adam, who turns out to be weak and ineffective in his relations with his wife. Apparently, the first man is not the only male figure who is mocked: Even the Holy One cannot subjugate Lilith and needs to ask his messengers, who only manage to go as far as negotiating the conditions of the agreement. Lilith is approached in her own dwelling by the divine emissaries, themselves a miserable reflection of the four majestic angels of the Enochian tradition. Thus, even if the Alphabet should not be treated as a manifesto of female empowerment, Lilith is presented therein as the strongest and most influential character from among her literary companions.
Editions
Salonica, 1514, two known surviving copies
Constantinople, 1519, one known complete copy in the British Library, a defective one at the Bodleian, and another defective one in Basel.
Venice, 1544, reprinted by Steinschneider, 1854; most later editions are based on this one.
