The Catholic Doors Ministry
presents

An outline of the
Book of Sirach

 1:1-1:30    Praise of Wisdom

 2:1-2:18    Duties toward God

 3:1-3:16    Duties toward Parents
 3:17-3:29   Humility
 3:30-3:31   Alms for the Poor

 4:1-4:10    Duties toward the Poor and the Oppressed
 4:11-4:31   The Rewards of Wisdom

 5:1-6:4     Precepts for Everyday Living

 6:5-6:17    Friendship, False and True
 6:18-6:37   Blessings of Wisdom

 7:1-7:17    Miscellaneous Advice
 7:18-7:36   Relations with Others

 8:1-8:19    Prudence and Common Sense

 9:1-9:9     Advice Concerning Women
 9:10-9:16   Choice of Friends
 9:17-10:5   Concerning Rulers

10:6-10:18   The Sin of Pride
10:19-10:25  Persons Deserving Honour
10:26-10:31  Concerning Humility

11:1-11:6    The Deceptiveness of Appearances
11:7-11:28   Deliberation and Caution
11:29-12:18  Care in Choosing Friends

13:1-14:2    Caution Regarding Associates

14:3-14:19   Responsible Use of Wealth
14:20-15:10  The Happiness of Seeking Wisdom

15:11-15:20  Freedom of Choice

16:1-16:23   God's Punishment of Sinners
16:24-17:24  God's Wisdom Seen in Creation

17:25-17:32  A Call to Repentance

18:1-18:14   The Majesty of God
18:15-18:18  The Right Spirit in Giving Alms
18:19-18:29  The Need of Reflection and Self-Control
18:30-19:3   Self-Control

19:4-19:17   Against Loose Talk
19:20-19:30  True and False Wisdom

20:1-20:8    Silence and Speech
20:9-20:17   Paradoxes
20:18-20:23  Inappropriate Speech
20:24-20:26  Lying
20:27-20:31  Proverbial Sayings

21:1-21:10   Various Sins
21:11-21:28  Wisdom and Foolishness

22:1-22:6    The Idler
22:9-22:18   Wisdom and Folly
22:19-22:26  The Preservation of Friendship
22:27-23:6   A Prayer for Help against Sinning

23:7-23:11   Discipline of the Tongue
23:12-23:15  Foul Language
23:16-23:27  Concerning Sexual Sins

24:1-24:22   The Praise of Wisdom
24:23-24:34  Wisdom and the Law

25:1-25:11   Those Who Are Worthy of Praise
25:13-25:26  Some Extreme Forms of Evil

26:1-26:4    The Joy of a Good Wife
26:5-26:12   The Worst of Evils: A Wicked Wife
26:13-26:27  The Blessing of a Good Wife
26:28        Three Depressing Things
26:29-27:3   The Temptation of Commerce

27:4-27:7    Tests in Life
27:8-27:10   Reward and Retribution
27:11-27:15  Varieties of Speech
27:16-27:21  Betraying Secrets
27:22-27:29  Hypocrisy and Retribution
27:30-28:11  Anger and Vengeance

28:12-28:26  The Evil Tongue

29:1-29:13   On Lending and Borrowing
29:14-29:20  On Guaranteeing Debts
29:21-29:28  Home and Hospitality

30:1-30:17   Concerning Children
30:18-30:25  Concerning Foods

31:1-31:11   Right Attitude towards Riches
31:12-31:24  Table Etiquette
31:25-31:31  Temperance in Drinking Wine

32:1-32:13   Etiquette at a Banquet
32:14-33:6   The Providence of God

33:7-33:19   Differences in Nature and in Humankind
33:20-33:24  The Advantage of Independence
33:25-33:33  The Treatment of Slaves

34:1-34:8    Dreams Mean Nothing
34:9-34:13   Experience as a Teacher
34:14-34:20  Fear the Lord
34:21-34:31  Offering Sacrifices

35:1-35:13   The Law and Sacrifices
35:14-35:26  Divine Justice

36:1-36:22   A Prayer for God's People
36:23-36:31  Concerning Discrimination

37:1-37:6    False Friends
37:7-37:15   Caution in Taking Advice
37:16-37:26  True and False Wisdom
37:27-37:31  Concerning Moderation

38:1-38:15   Concerning Physicians and Health
38:16-38:23  On Mourning for the Dead
38:24-38:34  Trades and Crafts

39:1-39:11   The Activity of the Scribe
39:12-39:35  A Hymn of Praise to God

40:1-40:11   Human Wretchedness
40:12-40:17  Injustice Will Not Prosper
40:18-40:27  The Joys of Life
40:28-40:30  The Disgrace of Begging

41:1-41:4    Concerning Death
41:5-42:8    The Fate of the Wicked

42:9-42:25   The Works of God in Nature

43:1-43:8    The Splendor of the Sun
43:9-43:33   The Glory of the Stars and the Rainbow

44:1-44:15   Hymn in Honour of Our Ancestors
44:16        Enoch
44:17-44:18  Noah
44:19-44:21  Abraham
44:22-44:23  Isaac and Jacob

45:1-45:5    Moses
45:6-45:22   Aaron
45:23-45:26  Phinehas

46:1-46:10   Joshua and Caleb
46:11-46:20  The Judges

47:1-        Nathan
47:2-47:11   David
47:12-47:22  Solomon
47:23-47:25  Rehoboam and Jeroboam

48:1-48:11   Elijah
48:12-48:16  Elisha
48:17-48:22  Hezekiah
48:23-48:25  Isaiah

49:1-49:13   Josiah and Other Worthies
49:14-49:16  Retrospect

50:1-50:21   Simon Son of Onias
50:22-50:24  A Benediction
50:25-50:29  Epilogue

51:1-51:12   Prayer of Jesus Son of Sirach
51:13-51:30  Autobiographical Poem on Wisdom