Sirach 30:1-16: a reflection

1He who loves his son will continue to lay stripes upon him, that he may have joy from him in the end. 2He who chastises his son will have profit from him, and will brag about him among his acquaintances. 3He who teaches his son will provoke his enemy to jealousy. Before friends, he will rejoice in him. 4His father dies, and is as though he had not died; for he has left one behind him like himself. 5In his life, he saw his son and rejoiced. When he died, it was without regret. 6He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one to repay kindness to his friends. 7He who makes too much of his son will bind up his wounds. His heart will be troubled at every cry. 8An unbroken horse becomes stubborn. An unrestrained son becomes headstrong. 9Pamper your child, and he will make you afraid. Play with him, and he will grieve you. 10Don’t laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with him, and you gnash your teeth in the end. 11Give him no liberty in his youth, and don’t ignore his follies. 12Bow 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. 13Chastise your son, and give him work, lest his shameless behavior be an offense to you. 14Better is a poor man who is healthy and fit, than a rich man who is afflicted in his body. 15Health and fitness are better than all gold, and a strong body better than wealth without measure. 16There is no wealth better than health of body. There is no gladness above the joy of the heart.

After a series of counsels, this passage turns to something we often undervalue: health, and a glad heart, over wealth. Better is a poor person who is healthy and fit, it says, than a rich one afflicted in body. Health and fitness are better than any gold, and a strong body better than boundless wealth. There is no wealth better than health of body, and no gladness above the joy of the heart. The things money cannot buy, health and a glad heart, are worth more than all riches.

Notice what the passage values above wealth: health of body and gladness of heart. We are prone to prize wealth above all, to spend our lives pursuing it; but this passage reminds us that health, and a joyful heart, are worth more than any riches. What good is wealth to one afflicted in body, or to one whose heart has no gladness? The things money cannot buy are more valuable than the things it can. This is a needed correction to a heart that overvalues wealth.

That correction is worth taking to heart, for we easily overvalue wealth and undervalue the things money cannot buy. We can spend our health chasing riches, or sacrifice the joy of the heart for the sake of gain, as though wealth were the greatest good. But there is no wealth better than health of body, and no gladness above the joy of the heart. Do not so pursue wealth that you sacrifice the greater goods that money cannot buy: your health, and the gladness of your heart. Value rightly the things riches cannot purchase; a glad heart and a sound body are worth more than gold. And the deepest gladness of heart is found not in wealth at all, but in God; seek the joy of the heart that he gives, worth more than all riches, rather than spending yourself on wealth that cannot buy the things that matter most.

Lord, this passage values above wealth the things money cannot buy: better a poor person who is healthy than a rich one afflicted in body; there is no wealth better than health of body, and no gladness above the joy of the heart. Take that correction to my heart, for I easily overvalue wealth and undervalue the things money cannot buy. I can spend my health chasing riches, or sacrifice the joy of the heart for the sake of gain, as though wealth were the greatest good. But there is no wealth better than health of body, and no gladness above the joy of the heart. Keep me from so pursuing wealth that I sacrifice the greater goods that money cannot buy: my health, and the gladness of my heart. Help me value rightly the things riches cannot purchase; a glad heart and a sound body are worth more than gold. And the deepest gladness of heart is found not in wealth at all, but in you; help me seek the joy of the heart that you give, worth more than all riches, rather than spending myself on wealth that cannot buy the things that matter most. Give me the joy of the heart that only you can give, Lord.