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1 Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us. 2 The Lord hath wrought great glory by them through his great power from the beginning. 3 Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms, men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and declaring prophecies: 4 Leaders of the people by their counsels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise and eloquent are their instructions: 5 Such as found out musical tunes, and recited verses in writing: 6 Rich men furnished with ability, living peaceably in their habitations: 7 All these were honoured in their generations, and were the glory of their times. 8 There be of them, that have left a name behind them, that their praises might be reported. 9 And some there be, which have no memorial; who are perished, as though they had never been; and are become as though they had never been born; and their children after them. 10 But these were merciful men, whose righteousness hath not been forgotten. 11 With their seed shall continually remain a good inheritance, and their children are within the covenant. 12 Their seed standeth fast, and their children for their sakes. 13 Their seed shall remain for ever, and their glory shall not be blotted out. 14 Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore. 15 The people will tell of their wisdom, and the congregation will shew forth their praise. 16 Enoch pleased the Lord, and was translated, being an example of repentance to all generations. 17 Noah was found perfect and righteous; in the time of wrath he was taken in exchange [for the world;] therefore was he left as a remnant unto the earth, when the flood came. 18 An everlasting covenant was made with him, that all flesh should perish no more by the flood. 19 Abraham was a great father of many people: in glory was there none like unto him; 20 Who kept the law of the most High, and was in covenant with him: he established the covenant in his flesh; and when he was proved, he was found faithful. 21 Therefore he assured him by an oath, that he would bless the nations in his seed, and that he would multiply him as the dust of the earth, and exalt his seed as the stars, and cause them to inherit from sea to sea, and from the river unto the utmost part of the land. 22 With Isaac did he establish likewise [for Abraham his father's sake] the blessing of all men, and the covenant, And made it rest upon the head of Jacob. He acknowledged him in his blessing, and gave him an heritage, and divided his portions; among the twelve tribes did he part them.
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[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 44:9
The godless and sinners were not worthy of memory, because if the Scripture says something of them, it does so not to praise them but to blame. In the psalm it is written of them, “The fortresses of the enemy have been pulled down forever, the memory of the city you destroyed has disappeared. Their memory has disappeared with a roar.” At the end of the world, in fact, to the devil’s joy, those who it has been determined belong to his city will fall, and their memory will perish with a fantastic din when they go to eternal punishment.

Source: ECCLESIASTICUS 10:1
[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 44:16
It is right that he began to enumerate the holy fathers, not from Adam, who transgressed the divine commandment and was expelled from paradise, but from Enoch, who walked with God and was taken up into paradise. And in this way the splendor of the saints shines, because from the pains of this world they are taken up to the peace of the heavenly kingdom. It is believed that he will return together with Elijah at the end of the world, to counsel men and women so that they would turn from their sins to repentance. In this way, together with his companion, he will pay the debt of death in the persecution of the antichrist.

Source: ON ECCLESIASTICUS 10:3
[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 44:21
The inheritance that he was promised symbolizes two things. The comparison with the sand of the sea indicates the Jews, who are sterile. And the comparison with the stars of heaven designates all the people who believe in Christ, who by the light of the resurrection will shine like the stars of heaven. “Every star in fact differs from another in splendor. So also in the resurrection.” His descendents will inherit “from one sea to the other, from the river to the ends of the earth,” since Christ, born of the descendents of Abraham, rules from one sea to the other and from the river to the ends of the earth, and his church, his very body, fills all the limits of the world. One also notes that Abraham represents in himself three things. In the first place, the Savior, who, leaving his family, came into this world. Second, the Father, when he sacrificed his only Son. Third, by the fact that he had welcomed three men and adored one of them, he symbolized the saints, who joyfully received the coming of Christ in the flesh. This mystery of the incarnation is the work of the entire holy Trinity but was realized only in the Son. “And the Word was made flesh and came to dwell among us.”

Source: ON ECCLESIASTICUS 10:5