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Wealth distorts solidarity and public judgment
Sirach 13:15–24 is a wisdom passage that observes how people group together and how wealth can twist friendship, respect and public judgement. It uses sharp comparisons to expose unfair treatment of poor and humble people.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage belongs to the Catholic additional books and comes as wisdom and dialogue, not as a story about one event. In these verses, Sirach moves from general observations about creatures staying with their own kind to direct comments about the rich, the poor, the proud and the humble.
Sirach 13:15–24Main takeaway
Sirach 13:15–24 warns that social status and wealth can distort human relationships and public judgement, while also saying poverty is not evil in itself.
Look closely at the words
01People tend to stay with their own kindThe passage begins with two matching observations: living creatures love or associate with their own kind, and people stick with those like themselves.
Explanation
The passage begins with two matching observations: living creatures love or associate with their own kind, and people stick with those like themselves. This is presented as a pattern Sirach sees in life. It prepares for the harder examples that follow about who is welcomed and who is kept at a distance.
02Strong images show unequal relationshipsSirach then uses animal pictures to describe broken fellowship. A wolf does not truly share life with a lamb, and a hyena does not live in peace with a dog.
Explanation
Sirach then uses animal pictures to describe broken fellowship. A wolf does not truly share life with a lamb, and a hyena does not live in peace with a dog. In the same way, the passage says there is deep tension between the rich and the poor, especially when one side has power over the other.
03Pride despises lowlinessThe next sayings focus on attitude. A proud man sees lowliness as hateful, and the rich man views the poor in the same way.
Explanation
The next sayings focus on attitude. A proud man sees lowliness as hateful, and the rich man views the poor in the same way. Sirach is not praising that response. He is exposing contempt. The contrast between proud and humble helps show that the problem is not only money, but also the heart behind it.
04Public opinion bends toward the richSirach describes how people respond differently when someone falls. The rich receive support, excuses and praise, even when they speak badly.
Explanation
Sirach describes how people respond differently when someone falls. The rich receive support, excuses and praise, even when they speak badly. The humble are pushed away, corrected and ignored, even when they speak wisdom. The passage shows that public judgement is often shaped by status rather than truth.
05The final saying corrects a false conclusionThe passage ends carefully. It does not say riches are automatically evil. It says riches are good if they have no sin.
Explanation
The passage ends carefully. It does not say riches are automatically evil. It says riches are good if they have no sin. It also says poverty is called evil only in the opinion of the ungodly. That means poverty itself is not the moral problem being condemned here.
Questions to explore
01How do the opening comparisons in verses 15–16 prepare for the later comments about rich and poor?
Notice that Sirach begins with a general pattern of like staying with like, then applies that pattern to social divisions and unequal relationships.
02What differences do you see in how the rich and the humble are treated when they fall or speak?
List the actions in the verses: support, justification and praise for the rich, but rebuke, neglect and even overthrow for the humble or poor.
03What does verse 24 add so we do not misunderstand the whole passage?
It makes an important distinction: riches are discussed morally in relation to sin, and poverty is said to be evil only in the opinion of the ungodly.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 13:15–24
15Every living creature loves its own kind, and every man loves his neighbor.
16All flesh associates with their own kind. A man will stick to people like himself.
17What fellowship would the wolf have with the lamb? So is the sinner to the godly.
18What peace is there between a hyena and a dog? What peace is there between a rich man and the poor?
19Wild donkeys are the prey of lions in the wilderness; likewise poor men are feeding grounds for the rich.
20Lowliness is an abomination to a proud man; likewise a poor man is an abomination to the rich.
21When a rich man is shaken, he is supported by his friends, but when the humble is down, he is pushed away even by his friends.
22When a rich man falls, there are many helpers. He speaks things not to be spoken, and men justify him. A humble man falls, and men rebuke him. He utters wisdom, and is not listened to.
23A rich man speaks, and all keep silence. They extol what he says to the clouds. A poor man speaks, and they say, “Who is this?” If he stumbles, they will help to overthrow him.
24Riches are good if they have no sin. Poverty is evil only in the opinion of the ungodly.