1 He that loveth his son will continue to lay stripes upon him, That he may have joy of him in the end. 2 He that chastiseth his son shall have profit of him, And shall glory of him among his acquaintance. 3 He that teacheth his son shall provoke his enemy to jealousy; And before friends he shall rejoice of him. 4 His father dieth, and is as though he had not died; For he hath left one behind him like himself. 5 In his life, he saw and rejoiced [in him; ] And when he died, he sorrowed not: 6 He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, And one to requite kindness to his friends. 7 He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; And his heart will be troubled at every cry. 8 An unbroken horse becometh stubborn; And a son left at large becometh headstrong. 9 Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: Play with him, and he will grieve thee. 10 Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him; And thou shalt gnash thy teeth in the end. 11 Give him no liberty in his youth, And wink not at his follies. 12 Bow down his neck in his youth, And beat him on the sides while he is a child, Lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee; And there shall be sorrow to thy soul. 13 Chastise thy son, and take pains with him, Lest his shameless behaviour be an offence unto thee. 14 Better is a poor man, being sound and strong of constitution, Than a rich man that is plagued in his body. 15 Health and a good constitution are better than all gold; And a strong body than wealth without measure. 16 There is no riches better than health of body; And there is no gladness above the joy of the heart. 17 Death is better than a bitter life, And eternal rest than a continual sickness. 18 Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed Are [as ] messes of meat laid upon a grave. 19 What doth an offering profit an idol? For neither shall it eat nor smell: So is he that is afflicted of the Lord, 20 Seeing with his eyes and groaning, As an eunuch embracing a virgin and groaning. 21 Give not over thy soul to sorrow; And afflict not thyself in thine own counsel. 22 Gladness of heart is the life of a man; And the joyfulness of a man is length of days. 23 Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart: And remove sorrow far from thee; For sorrow hath destroyed many, And there is no profit therein. 24 Envy and wrath shorten [a man’s ] days; And care bringeth old age before the time. 25 A cheerful and good heart Will have a care of his meat and diet.
Sirach · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Sirach 30 Revised Version with Apocrypha
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
What mean pedagogues, masters, the birch, the strap, the cane, the schooling which Scripture says must be given a child, "beating him on the sides lest he wax stubborn," and it be hardly possible or not possible at all to subdue him?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… spares it not, preserves." To which effect also a certain wise man said, "If thou beat thy son with a rod, he shall not die, but thou shalt deliver his soul from death." And again, "He that refresheth his son, shall bind up his wounds." This takes place in the camp also.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)