Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) — Chapter 39

The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets. The learned sage draws wisdom from all traditions, ancient and prophetic. Lapide treats this as a portrait of the ideal theologian: learned in the full tradition, versed in Scripture, experienced through travel and observation.

He will pass into strange countries; for he shall try good and evil among men. Travel and direct experience of diverse cultures complement textual learning. Lapide cites Plato, Aristotle, and multiple biblical examples of wise men who enriched themselves through travel.

He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and will pray in the sight of the Most High. Prayer is the second essential instrument of the sage's wisdom. Lapide teaches that all human study must be accompanied and crowned by prayer if it is to produce genuine wisdom rather than mere erudition.

Praise ye the Lord in His works from the beginning: declare with your lips, and with your songs, and with harps. The universal call to praise: all creation speaks God's glory. Lapide's extensive commentary on this doxology treats each element of creation as a word in God's ongoing praise.

All the works of the Lord are good, and He will furnish every work in due season. God's timing is perfect: every divine work appears in precisely its proper moment. Lapide uses this as the foundation for a Christian philosophy of history: even evil appears permitted by God because it serves His providential design.

The beginning of the life of man is water and fire and iron and salt and milk and bread of flour and honey and the cluster of the grape and oil and clothing. The basic necessities of human life—water, fire, iron, salt, milk, bread, honey, wine, oil, clothing—are all good gifts of God, transformable into instruments of blessing or punishment according to man's moral relationship to God.