him a lot; but everything he has learned only strengthens his conviction that the more one knows, the easier it is to see that the only thing that matters is fear of the Lord. 34:18–35:20. These verses contain Ben Sirach’s teaching about the worship of God. The predominant idea is that the worship that is pleasing to God is not mere liturgical ritual: true adoration must be backed up by righteous living. The passage begins with maxims reminiscent of the prophets’