the soul’s purification by fire (Pr 17:3; 27:21), Sirach warns against apostasy (aposteis) in the face of such trial. The young person, therefore, must receive an augmented instruction on the subject of temptation. He must learn in detail, not only of the blessings promised to those who endeavor to please God, but also of the trials that will inevitably accompany that effort. He must be informed, at the very beginning, what to expect in this regard. It is the apparent merit of Sirach that he emphasizes