Ben Sira 30:14-25
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Health and Cheerfulness[a]
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,(A)
everlasting sleep than constant illness.
18 Good things set before one who cannot eat
are like food offerings placed before a tomb.[b](B)
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.(C)
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,(D)
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.[c](E)
Footnotes
- 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.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.