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Wisdom of Ben Sira 30:20-22
New Catholic Bible
Wisdom of Ben Sira 30:20-22
New Catholic Bible
20 he gazes and groans,
as a eunuch groans when embracing a maiden.
[So it is with the one who does right under obligation.][a]
Avoid Sorrow and Brooding
21 Do not abandon yourself to sorrow,
or torment yourself by brooding.[b]
22 [c]A joyful heart is a source of life,
and a cheerful disposition lengthens one’s life span.
Footnotes
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 30:20 Added by some early MSS.
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 30:21 This sound advice reminds us of the words of Christ: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own” (Mt 6:34).
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 30:22 These words have been validated by modern psychology and medicine, which have found that, for the most part, cheerfulness and joyfulness lengthen life while grief and resentment, as well as envy and anger, shorten it.
