Sirach 30

1The man who loves his son will chastise him often, So he may rejoice in him in his later years.

ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐνδελεχήσει μάστιγας αὐτῷ ἵνα εὐφρανθῇ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων αὐτοῦ

2He who disciplines his son will profit by him And boast of him among acquaintances.

ὁ παιδεύων τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ὀνήσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον γνωρίμων ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ καυχήσεται

3The man who teaches his son will make his enemy jealous And will rejoice exceedingly over him among friends.

ὁ διδάσκων τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ παραζηλώσει τὸν ἐχθρὸν καὶ ἔναντι φίλων ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἀγαλλιάσεται

4When his father dies, it is as though he is not dead, For he left behind one like himself.

ἐτελεύτησεν αὐτοῦ ὁ πατήρ καὶ ὧς οὐκ ἀπέθανεν ὅμοιον γὰρ αὐτῷ κατέλιπεν μετ᾿ αὐτόν

5While he lived, he saw and rejoiced in him, And when he died, he was not grieved.

ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ εἶδεν καὶ εὐφράνθη καὶ ἐν τῇ τελευτῇ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐλυπήθη

6Before his enemies, he left behind an avenger, And to his friends one who repays favors.

ἐναντίον ἐχθρῶν κατέλιπεν ἔκδικον καὶ τοῖς φίλοις ἀνταποδιδόντα χάριν

7He who spoils his son will bandage his wounds, And at every cry his heart will ache.

περιψύχων υἱὸν καταδεσμεύσει τραύματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ πάσῃ βοῇ ταραχθήσεται σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦ

8A horse not broken turns out to be stubborn, And a son allowed to run wild turns out to be headstrong.

ἵππος ἀδάμαστος ἐκβαίνει σκληρός καὶ υἱὸς ἀνειμένος ἐκβαίνει προαλής

9Pamper a child, and he will frighten you; Play with him, and he will grieve you.

τιθήνησον τέκνον καὶ ἐκθαμβήσει σε σύμπαιξον αὐτῷ καὶ λυπήσει σε

10Do not laugh with him, lest you suffer with him And gnash your teeth over him at last.

μὴ συγγελάσῃς αὐτῷ ἵνα μὴ συνοδυνηθῇς καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων γομφιάσεις τοὺς ὀδόντας σου

11Do not give him authority while he is young.

μὴ δῷς αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν ἐν νεότητι

12Bruise his ribs when he is young, Lest he become stubborn and disobey you.

θλάσον τὰς πλευρὰς αὐτοῦ ὡς ἔστιν νήπιος μήποτε σκληρυνθεὶς ἀπειθήσῃ σοι

13Discipline your son and work with him, So he will not embarrass you with his behavior.

παίδευσον τὸν υἱόν σου καὶ ἔργασαι ἐν αὐτῷ ἵνα μὴ ἐν τῇ ἀσχημοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ προσκόψῃς

14A poor man with good health is better off Than a rich man afflicted in his body.

κρείσσων πτωχὸς ὑγιὴς καὶ ἰσχύων τῇ ἕξει ἢ πλούσιος μεμαστιγωμένος εἰς σῶμα αὐτοῦ

15Health and vigor are better than all gold, And a strong body than immense wealth.

ὑγίεια καὶ εὐεξία βελτίων παντὸς χρυσίου καὶ σῶμα εὔρωστον ἢ ὄλβος ἀμέτρητος

16There are no riches greater than health of body, And there is no gladness above joy of heart.

οὐκ ἔστιν πλοῦτος βελτίων ὑγιείας σώματος καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εὐφροσύνη ὑπὲρ χαρὰν καρδίας

17Death is better than a wretched life, And eternal rest is better than chronic sickness.

κρείσσων θάνατος ὑπὲρ ζωὴν πικρὰν καὶ ἀνάπαυσις αἰῶνος ἢ ἀρρώστημα ἔμμονον

18Good things set out before a closed mouth Are like offerings of food put on a grave.

ἀγαθὰ ἐκκεχυμένα ἐπὶ στόματι κεκλεισμένῳ θέματα βρωμάτων παρακείμενα ἐπὶ τάφῳ

19What use is an offering of fruit to an idol? For it can neither eat nor smell. So is a man afflicted by the Lord:

τί συμφέρει κάρπωσις εἰδώλῳ οὔτε γὰρ ἔδεται οὔτε μὴ ὀσφρανθῇ οὕτως ὁ ἐκδιωκόμενος ὑπὸ κυρίου

20He sees with his eyes and groans, Like a eunuch embracing a virgin.

βλέπων ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ στενάζων ὥσπερ εὐνοῦχος περιλαμβάνων παρθένον καὶ στενάζων

21Do not give yourself over to sorrow, And do not distress yourself deliberately.

μὴ δῷς εἰς λύπην τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ μὴ θλίψῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν βουλῇ σου

22Gladness of the heart is the life of man, And rejoicing by a man lengthens his life.

εὐφροσύνη καρδίας ζωὴ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἀγαλλίαμα ἀνδρὸς μακροημέρευσις

23Love your soul and comfort your heart, And put sorrow far away from you; For sorrow has destroyed many, And there is no profit in it.

ἀπάτα τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ παρακάλει τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ λύπην μακρὰν ἀπόστησον ἀπὸ σοῦ πολλοὺς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν ἡ λύπη καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὠφέλεια ἐν αὐτῇ

24Envy and anger will shorten your days, And worry will bring premature old age.

ζῆλος καὶ θυμὸς ἐλαττοῦσιν ἡμέρας καὶ πρὸ καιροῦ γῆρας ἄγει μέριμνα

25A man with a good and cheerful heart Will pay attention to the food he eats.

λαμπρὰ καρδία καὶ ἀγαθὴ ἐπὶ ἐδέσμασιν τῶν βρωμάτων αὐτῆς ἐπιμελήσεται