CHAPTER 30
1 He that loveth his son, giveth busily beatings to him [or busily giveth to him scourges], that he be glad in his last thing, and that the son touch not the doors of neighbours.
2 He that teacheth his son, shall be praised in him; and shall have glory in him in the midst of menials.
3 He that teacheth his son, sendeth the enemy into envy; and in the midst [or in the middle] of friends he shall have glory in that son[or in him].
4 The father of him is dead, and yet he is as not dead; for he hath left after him a son like him.
5 He saw in his life, and was glad in him; and in his death he was not sorry [or sorrowed not], neither was ashamed before enemies.
6 For he left a defender of the house against enemies; and yielding grace to friends.
7 For defending the souls of his sons, he shall bind together his wounds; and his entrails [or the bowels of him] shall be disturbed or troubled on each voice.
8 An horse untamed, either un-chastised, shall escape hard, and a son unchastised shall escape heady or become headstrong.
9 Flatter thou the son, and he shall make thee dreading; play thou with him, and he shall make thee sorry [or sorrowful].
10 Laugh thou not with him of his follies, lest thou have sorrow to-gether, and at the last thy teeth shall be astonied.
11 Give thou not power to him in youth, and despise thou not his thoughts.
12 Bow thou down his neck in youth, and beat thou his sides, while he is a young child [or an infant]; lest peradventure he wax hard [or in-wardly harden], and believe not to thee, and he shall be sorrow of soul to thee.
13 Teach thy son, and work in him; lest thou offend into the filth[hood] of him.
14 Better is a poor man whole, and strong in mights [or strengths], than a rich man feeble, and beaten [or scourged] with malice.
15 The health of soul is in the holiness of rightfulness [or rightwise-ness], and it is better than any [or all] gold and silver; and a strong body is better than full much chattel [or than money without measure].
16 No chattel is above the chattel of health of body; and no liking is above the joy of heart. [There is not money over the money of the health of body; and there is not liking over the joy of heart.]
17 Better is death than bitter life, and everlasting rest is better than sickness dwelling continually [or enduring].
18 Goods hid in a closed mouth be as settings forth of meats set about a sepulchre.
19 What shall sacrifice profit to an idol? for why it shall not eat, neither shall smell. So he that is driven away from the Lord,
20 and beareth the meeds of wicked-ness [or shrewdness], seeing with eyes, and wailing inwardly, as a gelding embracing a virgin [or a maiden], and sighing.
21 Give thou not sorrow to thy soul, that is, unreasonable sorrow, that annoyeth both body and soul, and torment not thyself in thy counsel, as they do that despair through sorrow, and then slay themselves.
22 Mirth of heart, this is the life of man, and is treasure of holiness without failing; and full out joying of a man is long life [or long living].
23 Have thou mercy on thy soul, and please thou God; and hold together and gather together thine heart in the holiness of him, and put far away sorrow from thee. For why sorrow hath slain many men; and none health is therein [or there is not profit in it].
24 Envy and wrathfulness shall make for less days [or Envy and wrath shall lessen days]; and thoughts shall bring eldness before the time.
25 A shining [or bright] heart is made good in meats; for why meats thereof be made diligently.