| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 1 Praise of wisdom (1:1-30) 1:27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction, and what pleases him is faithfulness and gentleness.(1:27) | Wisdom and instruction | 49 Conclusion (50:27-29) 50:27 Instruction in wisdom and knowledge is what has been written in this book by Jesus son of Sira Eleazar of Jerusalem, who has poured a rain of wisdom from his heart.(50:27) |
| 2 Person who fear the LORD (2:1-18) 2:10 Look at the generations of old and see: (2:10) | Ancestors | 48 Ancestors (44:1-50:26) 44:1 Next let us praise illustrious men, our ancestors in their successive generations.(44:1) |
| 3 Commandments to the child (3:1-4:10) 4:6 for if someone curses you in distress, his Maker will give ear to the imprecation.(4:6) | The Creator | 47 Creation of all things (42:15-43:33) 43:11 See the rainbow and praise its Maker, so superbly beautiful in its splendour.(43:11) |
| 4 Trust in wisdom (4:11-5:15) 4:25 Do not contradict the truth, rather blush for your own ignorance.(4:25) | Shame | 46 Concerning Shame (41:14-42:14) 41:17 Be ashamed, before father and mother, of depraved behaviour, and before prince or potentate of telling lies;(41:17) |
| 5 Friendship (6:1-17) 6:14 A loyal friend is a powerful defence: whoever finds one has indeed found a treasure.(6:14) | Obtaining a treasure | 45 Concerning death (40:18-41:13) 40:18 For a person of private means and one who works hard, life is pleasant, better off than either, one who finds a treasure.(40:18) |
| 6 Blessings of wisdom (6:18-37) 6:19 Like ploughman and sower, cultivate her and wait for her fine harvest, for in tilling her you will toil a little while, but very soon you will be eating her crops.(6:19) | Toil | 44 Hardships of life (40:1-17) 40:1 A hard lot has been created for human beings, a heavy yoke lies on the children of Adam from the day they come out of their mother's womb, till the day they return to the mother of them all.(40:1) |
| 7 Avoid evils (7:1-8:7) 7:9 Do not say, God will be impressed by my numerous offerings; when I sacrifice to God Most High, he is bound to accept.(7:9) | Words that should not say | 43 The works of the LORD (39:12-35) 39:21 You must not say, What is this? Why is that? for everything has been made for a purpose.(39:21) |
| 8 Wise man (8:8-9:18) 8:8 Do not scorn the discourse of the wise, but make yourself familiar with their maxims, since from these you will learn the theory and the art of serving the great.(8:8) | Wise man | 42 Scholar (38:24-39:11) 38:24 Leisure gives the scribe the chance to acquire wisdom; a man with few commitments can grow wise.(38:24) |
| 9 Rulers (10:1-27) 10:14 The Lord has turned mighty princes off their thrones and seated the humble there instead.(10:14) | Authority | 41 Doctor (38:1-23) 38:1 Treat the doctor with the honour that is his due, in consideration of his services; for he too has been created by the Lord.(38:1) |
| 10 Wealth and poverty (10:28-11:28) 10:28 My child, be modest in your self-esteem, and value yourself at your proper worth.(10:28) | Understand oneself | 40 Investigation of oneself (37:13-31) 37:27 During your life, my child, see what suits your constitution, do not give it what you find disagrees with it;(37:27) |
| 11 True friend (11:29-12:18) 12:8 In prosperity you cannot always tell a true friend, but in adversity you cannot mistake an enemy.(12:8) | Friends | 39 Concerning Advice (36:18-37:12) 37:4 One kind of comrade congratulates a friend in prosperity but in time of trouble appears on the other side.(37:4) |
| 12 Rich man and rulers (13:1-26) 13:16 Every creature mixes with its kind, and human beings stick to their own sort.(13:16) | Gathering | 38 A Prayer for God's people (36:1-17) 36:10 Gather together all the tribes of Jacob, restore them their heritage as at the beginning. (36:10) |
| 13 Person who is happy (14:1-27) 14:11 My child, treat yourself as well as you can afford, and bring worthy offerings to the Lord.(14:11) | Just offering | 37 Offerings (34:13-35:26) 34:18 The sacrifice of an offering unjustly acquired is a mockery; the gifts of the impious are unacceptable. (34:18) |
| 14 Seeking wisdom (15:1-20) 15:1 Whoever fears the Lord will act like this, and whoever grasps the Law will obtain wisdom.(15:1) | Torah and wisdom | 36 Dreams and experiences (34:1-12) 34:8 Fulfilling the Law requires no such falsehood, and wisdom is perfected in veracity.(34:8) |
| 15 Punishment of sinners (16:1-25) 16:12 As great as his mercy, so is his severity; he judges each person as his deeds deserve:(16:12) | Judgement of the LORD | 35 Believer and sinner (33:7-33) 33:13 Like clay in the hands of the potter to mould as it pleases him, so are human beings in the hands of their Maker to reward as he judges right.(33:13) |
| 16 The creation (16:26-17:24) 17:11 He set knowledge before them, he endowed them with the law of life.(17:11) | Torah | 34 Torah (32:14-33:6) 32:15 Whoever seeks the Law will be nourished by it, the hypocrite will find it a stumbling-block.(32:15) |
| 17 Judgement of the LORD (17:25-18:14) 17:27 Who is going to praise the Most High in Sheol if we do not glorify him while we are alive?(17:27) | Praise of the LORD | 33 Table etiquette (31:12-32:13) 32:13 And for all this bless your Creator, who intoxicates you with his favours.(32:13) |
| 18 Cautiously (18:15-19:3) 18:25 In a time of plenty remember times of famine, think of poverty and want when you are rich.(18:25) | Rich and poor | 32 Health and wealth (30:14-31:11) 30:14 Better be poor if healthy and fit than rich if tormented in body.(30:14) |
| 19 Against loose talk (19:4-30) 19:11 like a woman labouring with child (19:11) | Sufferings about children | 31 Upbringing of a child (30:1-13) 30:13 Be strict with your son, and persevere with him, or you will rue his insolence. (30:13) |
| 20 Gifts (20:1-32) 20:10 There is the gift that affords you no profit, and the gift that repays you double.(20:10) | Give and take | 30 Aid of neighbors (29:1-28) 29:2 Lend to your neighbour in his time of need, and in your turn repay your neighbour on time.(29:2) |
| 21 Wisdom and foolishness (21:1-22:26) 21:2 Flee from sin as from a snake, if you approach it, it will bite you; its teeth are lion's teeth, they take human life away.(21:2) | Avoiding sins | 29 Backbiting (28:8-26) 28:8 Avoid quarrelling and you will sin less; for the hot-tempered provokes quarrels,(28:8) |
| 22 Prayer for help against sin (22:27-23:6) 23:2 Who will lay whips to my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom to my heart, to be merciless to my errors and not let my sins go unchecked,(23:2) | Salvation from sins | 28 Hypocrisy (27:22-28:7) 28:2 Pardon your neighbour any wrongs done to you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.(28:2) |
| 23 Foul language (23:7-15) 23:7 Children, listen to what I teach, no one who keeps it will be caught out.(23:7) | Woe of mouth | 27 Revelation of a secret (27:4-21) 27:4 In a shaken sieve the rubbish is left behind, so too the defects of a person appear in speech.(27:4) |
| 24 Concerning sexual sins (23:16-28) 23:17 every food is sweet to the promiscuous, and he will not desist until he dies;(23:17) | Infidelity | 26 Good wife and evil wife (25:1-27:3) 25:21 Do not be taken in by a woman's beauty, never lose your head over a woman.(25:21) |