If you do good, know to whom you do it,
and you will be thanked for your good deeds.
Do good to the devout, and you will be repaid—
if not by them, certainly by the Most High.
Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly;
hold back their bread, and do not give it to them,
for by means of it they might subdue you;
then you will receive twice as much evil
for all the good you have done to them.
For the Most High also hates sinners
and will inflict punishment on the ungodly.
Give to one who is good, but do not help the sinner. (Sirach 12:1-2,5-7)

Sirach is a so-called apochryphal book. Most Protestants do not consider it part of the canon -- or core -- of sacred texts.

The Catholic canon was formalized by the 16th Century Council of Trent. St. Jermome's Vulgate was adopted, with some adjustments, as the accepted collection of sacred texts. Sirach is part of the Catholic canon, but St. Jerome had raised serious questions regarding Sirach and six other books.

For English-speaking Protestants the canon was established by the 1611 publication of the King James Bible. In this, Sirach was included as part of a new section between the Old and New Testaments entitled the Apocrypha.

According to the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church the Apocrypha includes,"other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine."

It seems to me that the verses above justify the ambiguous status of Sirach. Jesus encourages us to recognize the difference between human wisdom and the wisdom of God.

(There was no liturgical reading for Sirach assigned for today. This selection falls between those readings assigned for yesterday and tomorrow.)