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)
Sirach 30:21–24
Semantically similar passages
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)
Ecclesiastes 11:9–10
9 Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. 10 So banish sorrow from your heart,…
Proverbs 15:12–14
12 A mocker does not love to be reproved, nor will he consult the wise. 13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance, but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit. 14 A discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
Proverbs 17:21–23
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. 23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
Ecclesiastes 7:2–4
2 It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house…
Proverbs 14:29–31
29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly. 30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones. 31 Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
Sirach 2:1–3
1 My son, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation. (WEB) 2 Set your heart aright, constantly endure, and don’t make haste in time of calamity. (WEB) 3 Cling to him, and don’t depart, that you may be increased at your latter end. (WEB)
Psalms 37:7–9
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm. 9 For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope…
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