Sirach

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. 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. ²⁴Envy and wrath shorten life. Anxiety brings old age before its time. ²⁵Those who are cheerful and merry will benefit from their food.