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Ben Sira 30
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ben Sira 30
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 30
The Training of Children[a]
1 Whoever loves a son will chastise him often,
that he may be his joy when he grows up.(A)
2 Whoever disciplines a son will benefit from him,
and boast of him among acquaintances.
3 Whoever educates a son will make his enemy jealous,
and rejoice in him among his friends.
4 At the father’s death, he will seem not dead,
for he leaves after him one like himself,
5 Whom he looked upon through life with joy,
and in death, without regret.
6 Against his enemies he has left an avenger,
and one to repay his friends with kindness.
7 Whoever spoils a son will have wounds to bandage,
and will suffer heartache at every cry.
8 An untamed horse turns out stubborn;
and a son left to himself grows up unruly.
9 Pamper a child and he will be a terror for you,
indulge him, and he will bring you grief.
10 Do not laugh with him lest you share sorrow with him,
and in the end you will gnash your teeth.
11 Do not give him his own way in his youth,
and do not ignore his follies.
12 Bow down his head in his youth,
beat his sides while he is still young,
Lest he become stubborn and disobey you,
and leave you disconsolate.(B)
13 Discipline your son and make heavy his yoke,
lest you be offended by his shamelessness.
Health and Cheerfulness[b]
14 Better the poor in vigorous health
than the rich with bodily ills.
15 I would rather have bodily health than any gold,
and contentment of spirit than pearls.
16 No riches are greater than a healthy body;
and no happiness than a joyful heart.
17 Better is death than a wretched life,(C)
everlasting sleep than constant illness.
18 Good things set before one who cannot eat
are like food offerings placed before a tomb.[c](D)
19 What good is an offering to an idol
that can neither eat nor smell?
So it is with the one being punished by the Lord,
20 who groans at what his eyes behold.
21 Do not give in to sadness,
or torment yourself deliberately.(E)
22 Gladness of heart is the very life of a person,
and cheerfulness prolongs his days.
23 Distract yourself and renew your courage,
drive resentment far away from you;
For grief has killed many,(F)
and nothing is to be gained from resentment.
24 Envy and anger shorten one’s days,
and anxiety brings on premature old age.
25 Those who are cheerful and merry at table
benefit from their food.[d](G)
Footnotes
- 30:1–13 Sound discipline (which would include physical beating) and careful education of children correct self-indulgence and stubbornness, prevent remorse and humiliation, and bring to parents lasting joy and delight, prestige among friends, jealousy of enemies, perpetuation and vindication of themselves through their offspring (vv. 1–6). Lack of discipline and overindulgence of children bring sorrow and disappointment, terror and grief (vv. 7–13).
- 30:14–25 Health of mind and body and joy of heart Ben Sira judges to be more precious than wealth (vv. 14–16), whereas bitterness, constant illness, and affliction are more difficult to bear than death (vv. 17–20). Sadness, resentment, anxiety, envy, and anger shorten days; they should be dispelled by cheerfulness and gladness of heart, which help to prolong one’s days (vv. 21–25).
- 30:18 The saying ridicules the practice of putting food and drink on the tombs of the dead.
- 30:25(27) Because of the dislocation of the Greek text, the numbering of this verse follows Ziegler’s edition. There are no verses 25–26.
Sirach 30
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Sirach 30
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
30 He who loves his son will whip him often,
in order that he may rejoice at the way he turns out.
2 He who disciplines his son will profit by him,
and will boast of him among acquaintances.
3 He who teaches his son will make his enemies envious,
and will glory in him in the presence of friends.
4 The[a] father may die, and yet he is not dead,
for he has left behind him one like himself;
5 while alive he saw and rejoiced,
and when he died he was not grieved;
6 he has left behind him an avenger against his enemies,
and one to repay the kindness of his friends.
7 He who spoils his son will bind up his wounds,
and his feelings will be troubled at every cry.
8 A horse that is untamed turns out to be stubborn,
and a son unrestrained turns out to be wilful.
9 Pamper a child, and he will frighten you;
play with him, and he will give you grief.
10 Do not laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with him,
and in the end you will gnash your teeth.
11 Give him no authority in his youth,
and do not ignore his errors.
12 Bow down his neck in his youth,[b]
and beat his sides while he is young,
lest he become stubborn and disobey you,
and you have sorrow of soul from him.[c]
13 Discipline your son and take pains with him,
that you may not be offended by his shamelessness.
14 Better off is a poor man who is well and strong in constitution
than a rich man who is severely afflicted in body.
15 Health and soundness are better than all gold,
and a robust body than countless riches.
16 There is no wealth better than health of body,
and there is no gladness above joy of heart.
17 Death is better than a miserable life,
and eternal rest[d] than chronic sickness.
18 Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed
are like offerings of food placed upon a grave.
19 Of what use to an idol is an offering of fruit?
For it can neither eat nor smell.
So is he who is afflicted by the Lord;
20 he sees with his eyes and groans,
like a eunuch who embraces a maiden and groans.
21 Do not give yourself over to sorrow,
and do not afflict yourself deliberately.
22 Gladness of heart is the life of man,
and the rejoicing of a man is length of days.
23 Delight your soul and comfort your heart,
and remove sorrow far from you,
for sorrow has destroyed many,
and there is no profit in it.
24 Jealousy and anger shorten life,
and anxiety brings on old age too soon.
25 A man of cheerful and good heart
will give heed to the food he eats.
Footnotes
- Sirach 30:4 Gk His
- Sirach 30:12 Other authorities omit this line and the preceding line
- Sirach 30:12 Other authorities omit this line
- Sirach 30:17 Some authorities omit eternal rest
Sirach 30
Good News Translation
Sirach 30
Good News Translation
Bringing up Children
30 A father who loves his son will whip him often, so that he can be proud of him later. 2 If a son is disciplined, he will be of some use, and his father can boast of him to his friends. 3 Anyone who gives good guidance to his son cannot only take pride in him among his friends, but he can make his enemies jealous. 4-5 While the father is alive, the sight of his son makes him happy, and when he dies, he has no regrets. He is not really dead, because his son is like him. 6 He has left someone to take vengeance on his enemies and to return the favors he owes his friends.
7 But anyone who spoils his son will have to bandage his wounds.[a] His heart will stop every time he hears a shout. 8 An untamed horse is going to be stubborn, and an undisciplined son is no different. 9 If you pamper your child and play with him, he will be a disappointment and a source of grief. 10 Laugh with him now, and one day you will have to cry over him, grinding your teeth in regret. 11 Don't give him freedom while he is young, and don't overlook what he does wrong. 12 Whip him while he is still a child, and make him respect your authority. If you don't, he will be stubborn and disobedient and cause you nothing but sorrow. 13 So discipline your son and give him work to do, or else he will be an embarrassment to you.
Health
14 It is better to be poor, but strong and healthy, than to be rich, but in poor health. 15 A sound, healthy body and a cheerful attitude[b] are more valuable than gold and jewels. 16 Nothing can make you richer or give you greater happiness than those two things. 17 It would be better to be dead, asleep forever, than to live in the misery of chronic illness. 18 The finest food means nothing if you are too sick to eat it; it might as well be offered to an idol.[c] 19 But there is no point in offering food to an idol; it can't eat it or smell it. It is just the same with someone whom the Lord has afflicted. 20 He looks at his food and sighs, like a castrated man hugging a young woman.
Cheerfulness and Sadness
21 (A)Don't deliberately torture yourself by giving in to depression. 22 Happiness makes for a long life and makes it worth living. 23 Enjoy yourself and be happy; don't worry all the time. Worry never did anybody any good, and it has destroyed many people. 24 It will make you old before your time. Jealousy and anger will shorten your life. 25 A cheerful person with a good attitude will have a good appetite and enjoy his food.
Footnotes
- Sirach 30:7 will have...wounds; or is going to be hurt.
- Sirach 30:15 Hebrew a cheerful attitude; Greek a strong body.
- Sirach 30:18 Hebrew offered to an idol; Greek placed on a grave.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
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Good News Translation (GNT) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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