Sirach 30

¹He who loves his son will continue to lay stripes upon him,

that he may have joy from him in the end.

²He who chastises his son will have profit from him,

and will brag about him among his acquaintances.

³He who teaches his son will provoke his enemy to jealousy.

Before friends, he will rejoice in him.

⁴His father dies, and is as though he had not died;

for he has left one behind him like himself.

⁵In his life, he saw his son and rejoiced.

When he died, it was without regret.

⁶He left behind him an avenger against his enemies,

and one to repay kindness to his friends.

⁷He who makes too much of his son will bind up his wounds.

His heart will be troubled at every cry.

⁸An unbroken horse becomes stubborn.

An unrestrained son becomes headstrong.

⁹Pamper your child, and he will make you afraid.

Play with him, and he will grieve you.

¹⁰Don’t laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with him,

and you gnash your teeth in the end.

¹¹Give him no liberty in his youth,

and don’t ignore his follies.

¹²Bow down his neck in his youth,

and beat him on the sides while he is a child,

lest he become stubborn, and be disobedient to you,

and there be sorrow to your soul.1

¹³Chastise your son, and give him work,

lest his shameless behavior be an offense to you.

¹⁴Better is a poor man who is healthy and fit,

than a rich man who is afflicted in his body.

¹⁵Health and fitness are better than all gold,

and a strong body better than wealth without measure.

¹⁶There is no wealth better than health of body.

There is no gladness above the joy of the heart.

¹⁷Death is better than a bitter life,

and eternal rest than a continual sickness.

¹⁸Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed

are like food offerings laid upon a grave.

¹⁹What does an offering profit an idol?

For it can’t eat or smell.

So is he who is punished by the Lord,

²⁰seeing with his eyes and groaning,

like a eunuch embracing a virgin and groaning.

²¹Don’t give your soul to sorrow.

Don’t afflict yourself deliberately.

²²Gladness of heart is the life of a man.

Cheerfulness of a man lengthens his days.

²³Love your own soul, and comfort your heart.

Remove sorrow far from you,

for sorrow has destroyed many,

and there is no profit in it.1

²⁴Envy and wrath shorten life.

Anxiety brings old age before its time.1

²⁵Those who are cheerful and merry

will benefit from their food.1