Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach, one of the books of the Apocrypha, consists of a collection of moral sentences after the manner of the Proverbs of Solomon (Sirach 1-9, 24 comp. with Proverbs 1-9). The work is arranged upon no systematic plan, but abounds in directions relating to religion and human conduct. Wisdom is represented here, as in Proverbs, as the source of human happiness, and the same views of human life, founded on the belief of a recompense, pervade the instructions of this book also, wherein, however, a more matured reflection is perceptible. It is in fact the composition of a philosopher who had deeply studied the fortunes and manners of mankind, and did not hesitate to avail himself of the philosophy of older moralists. It abounds in grace, wisdom, and spirit, although sometimes more particular in inculcating principles of politeness than those of virtue. It is not infrequently marked by considerable beauty and elegance of expression, occasionally rising to the sublimest heights of human eloquence. It has been observed of it by Addison (see Horne's Introd., vol. iv.) that 'it would be regarded by our modern wits as one of the most shining tracts of morality that are extant, if it appeared under the name of a Confucius or of any celebrated Grecian philosopher.'
The author calls himself Jesus, son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, but we know nothing further of him.
The original of the book was Hebrew. Its age is not easily determined; but according to the most probable hypothesis the author lived B.C. 180, and the translator, who was his grandson, B.C. 130.
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John Kitto was an English biblical scholar of Cornish descent.Born in Plymouth, John Kitto was a sickly child, son of a Cornish stonemason. The drunkenness of his father and the poverty of his family meant that much of his childhood was spent in the workhouse. He had no more than three years of erratic and interrupted education. At the age of twelve John Kitto fell on his head from a rooftop, and became totally and permanently deaf. As a young man he suffered further tragedies, disappointments and much loneliness. His height was 4 ft 8 in, and his accident left him with an impaired sense of balance. He found consolation in browsing at bookstalls and reading any books that came his way.
From these hardships he was rescued by friends who became aware of his mental abilities and encouraged him to write topical articles for local newspapers, arranging eventually for him to work as an assistant in a local library. Here he continued to educate himself.
One of his benefactors was the Exeter dentist Anthony Norris Groves, who in 1824 offered him employment as a dental assistant. Living with the Groves family, Kitto was profoundly influenced by the practical Christian faith of his employer. In 1829 he accompanied Groves on his pioneering mission to Baghdad and served as tutor to Groves's two sons. In 1833 Kitto returned to England via Constantinople, accompanied by another member of the Groves mission, Francis William Newman. Shortly afterwards he married, and in due course had several children.
A London publisher asked Kitto to write up his travel journals for a series of articles in the Penny Magazine, a publication read at that time by a million people in Britain, reprinted in America and translated into French, German and Dutch. Other writing projects followed as readers enquired about his experiences in the East amidst people living in circumstances closely resembling those of Bible times.
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