1 He who loves his son will continue to lay stripes upon him, that he may have joy from him in the end. (WEB) 2 He who chastises his son will have profit from him, and will brag about him among his acquaintances. (WEB) 3 He who teaches his son will provoke his enemy to jealousy. Before friends, he will rejoice in him. (WEB) 4 His father dies, and is as though he had not died; for he has left one behind him like himself. (WEB) 5 In his life, he saw his son and rejoiced. When he died, it was without regret. (WEB) 6 He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one to repay kindness to his friends. (WEB) 7 He who makes too much of his son will bind up his wounds. His heart will be troubled at every cry. (WEB) 8 An unbroken horse becomes stubborn. An unrestrained son becomes headstrong. (WEB) 9 Pamper your child, and he will make you afraid. Play with him, and he will grieve you. (WEB) 10 Don’t laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with him, and you gnash your teeth in the end. (WEB) 11 Give him no liberty in his youth, and don’t ignore his follies. (WEB) 12 Bow 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. (WEB) 13 Chastise your son, and give him work, lest his shameless behavior be an offense to you. (WEB) 14 Better is a poor man who is healthy and fit, than a rich man who is afflicted in his body. (WEB) 15 Health and fitness are better than all gold, and a strong body better than wealth without measure. (WEB) 16 There is no wealth better than health of body. There is no gladness above the joy of the heart. (WEB) 17 Death is better than a bitter life, and eternal rest than a continual sickness. (WEB) 18 Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed are like food offerings laid upon a grave. (WEB) 19 What does an offering profit an idol? For it can’t eat or smell. So is he who is punished by the Lord, (WEB) 20 seeing with his eyes and groaning, like a eunuch embracing a virgin and groaning. (WEB) 21 Don’t give your soul to sorrow. Don’t afflict yourself deliberately. (WEB) 22 Gladness of heart is the life of a man. Cheerfulness of a man lengthens his days. (WEB) 23 Love your own soul, and comfort your heart. Remove sorrow far from you, for sorrow has destroyed many, and there is no profit in it. (WEB) 24 Envy and wrath shorten life. Anxiety brings old age before its time. (WEB) 25 Those who are cheerful and merry will benefit from their food. (WEB)
Sirach 30:1–25
Semantically similar passages
Proverbs 17:20–22
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. 21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy. 22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 29:16–18
16 When the wicked thrive, rebellion increases; but the righteous will see their downfall. 17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will bring delight to your soul. 18 Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the…
Proverbs 17:24–26
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. 25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. 26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
Proverbs 19:17–19
17 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender. 18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be party to his death. 19 A man of great anger must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do so again.
Sirach 38:19–21
19 In calamity, sorrow also remains. A poor man’s life is grievous to the heart. (WEB) 20 Don’t give your heart to sorrow. Put it away, remembering the end. (WEB) 21 Don’t forget it, for there is no returning again. You do him no good, and you would harm yourself. (WEB)
Sirach 16:1–2
1 Don’t desire a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in ungodly sons. (WEB) 2 If they multiply, don’t delight in them unless the fear of the Lord is in them. (WEB)
Proverbs 29:20–22
20 Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 21 A servant pampered from his youth will bring grief in the end. 22 An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
Sirach 3:11–13
11 For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a mother in dishonor is a reproach to her children. (WEB) 12 My son, help your father in his old age, and don’t grieve him as long as he lives. (WEB) 13 If he fails in understanding, have patience with him. Don’t dishon… (WEB)
Search the collection All books and codes Translations and sources