1 [Qui diligit filium suum assiduat illi flagella, ut lætetur in novissimo suo, et non palpet proximorum ostia. 2 Qui docet filium suum laudabitur in illo, et in medio domesticorum in illo gloriabitur. 3 Qui docet filium suum in zelum mittit inimicum, et in medio amicorum gloriabitur in illo. 4 Mortuus est pater ejus, et quasi non est mortuus: similem enim reliquit sibi post se. 5 In vita sua vidit, et lætatus est in illo: in obitu suo non est contristatus, nec confusus est coram inimicis: 6 reliquit enim defensorem domus contra inimicos, et amicis reddentem gratiam. 7 Pro animabus filiorum colligabit vulnera sua, et super omnem vocem turbabuntur viscera ejus. 8 Equus indomitus evadit durus, et filius remissus evadet præceps. 9 Lacta filium, et paventem te faciet: lude cum eo, et contristabit te. 10 Non corrideas illi, ne doleas, et in novissimo obstupescent dentes tui. 11 Non des illi potestatem in juventute, et ne despicias cogitatus illius. 12 Curva cervicem ejus in juventute, et tunde latera ejus dum infans est, ne forte induret, et non credat tibi, et erit tibi dolor animæ. 13 Doce filium tuum, et operare in illo, ne in turpitudinem illius offendas.] 14 [Melior est pauper sanus, et fortis viribus, quam dives imbecillis et flagellatus malitia. 15 Salus animæ in sanctitate justitiæ melior est omni auro et argento: et corpus validum quam census immensus. 16 Non est census super censum salutis corporis, et non est oblectamentum super cordis gaudium. 17 Melior est mors quam vita amara, et requies æterna quam languor perseverans. 18 Bona abscondita in ore clauso, quasi appositiones epularum circumpositæ sepulchro. 19 Quid proderit libatio idolo? nec enim manducabit, nec odorabit. 20 Sic qui effugatur a Domino, portans mercedes iniquitatis: 21 videns oculis et ingemiscens, sicut spado complectens virginem, et suspirans. 22 Tristitiam non des animæ tuæ, et non affligas temetipsum in consilio tuo. 23 Jucunditas cordis, hæc est vita hominis, et thesaurus sine defectione sanctitatis: et exsultatio viri est longævitas. 24 Miserere animæ tuæ placens Deo, et contine: congrega cor tuum in sanctitate ejus, et tristitiam longe repelle a te. 25 Multos enim occidit tristitia, et non est utilitas in illa. 26 Zelus et iracundia minuunt dies, et ante tempus senectam adducet cogitatus. 27 Splendidum cor et bonum in epulis est: epulæ enim illius diligenter fiunt.]
Sirach 30 Clementine Vulgate
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)