01_Biblica_1_F_Gregory_Layout 1 05/11/12 12:13 Pagina 335 335 SLIPS OF THE TONGUE IN THE SPEECH ETHICS OF BEN SIRA ments that the cure for slips of speech is discipline. It is best not to have a different set of speech standards for various contexts. Rather, one should maintain a disciplined, pious standard of speech regard- less of context to minimize the chance that contemptible speech will slip out in a context where the repercussions will be severe. 4. A Slip of the Tongue and Slander by One’s Enemies (Sir 28,24-26) Finally, there is an interesting case in a passage on the need to avoid becoming a victim of slander. In 28,12-26 Ben Sira highlights the destructive power of the tongue and concludes the lesson by cautioning his students: As you hedge round your vineyard with thorns set barred doors over your mouth. As you seal up your silver and gold so balance and weigh your words. Take care not to slip by your tongue and fall victim to your foe waiting in ambush. (28,24-26) 32 The defensiveness of Ben Sira’s stance here is evident. While the first four cola are consonant with Proverbs’ emphasis on restraining one’s speech and are paralleled in 4QSapiential Work A (4Q412 I,5), the final bicolon reveals the added dimension. The Greek of v. 26a ac- tually reads: “take care lest you slip by it” (pro,sece mh,pwj ovli,sqh|j evn auth). The antecedent of the feminine “it” grammatically cannot be v |/ “mouth” or “words”, and so the Latin supplies “tongue” (so also NRSV, Skehan & Di Lella). The Syriac has “fall” instead of “slip” and lacks the phrase “by it” altogether. Nevertheless, the parallel line in v. 26b suggests a word play whereby some kind of verbal “stumble” is in view for the first line (Segal suggests ‫ כשל‬rather than ‫.33 )נפל‬ The idea of v. 26 is that a slip of the tongue can play right into the hands of enemies who are waiting in ambush for any opportu- nity to attack. Given that the context concerns the socially destruc- tive sins of slander and gossip and v. 26b concerns falling victim to enemies, it is possible that such “slips of the tongue” in v. 26a 32 I have used the translation in SKEHAN – DI LELLA, The Wisdom of Ben Sira, 361. There is a consensus among commentators that the Greek order of vv. 24-25 must be rearranged, as it appears here. SEGAL, ‫.371 ,ספר בן־סירא השלם‬ 33