Sirach 16

"Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children." Such bring more blasphemy against God, than if they were not Christians. What need have I of a multitude? It is only more food for the fire. This one might see even in the body, that better is moderate food with health, than a fatted calf with damage. This is more food than the other: this is food, but that is disease. This too one may see in war: that better are ten expert and brave men, than ten thousand of no experience. These latter, besides that they do no work, hinder also those that do work. The same too one may see to be the case in a ship, viz. that better are two experienced mariners, than ever so great a number of unskilful ones: for these will sink the ship.

Is it not true that not only do we fail to take to heart the care of our children but insidiously target and oppose those who would do so and end by being more cruel toward our children than barbarians? The cruelty of barbarians amounts only to reducing their enemies to slavery, the destruction and subjugation of their country and the outrage of bodily torture. You, however, reduce their very souls to slavery, fastening them with fetters like slaves, giving them over as prey to wicked and ferocious demons and to their passions. Indeed, by the fact that you give them no spiritual counsel nor permit others who are disposed to carry out this duty to do so, your conduct is in no way different. And no one should say to me that many who have ignored their children, even more than did Eli, have not suffered anything of the kind. On the contrary, many, in quite a few cases and for similar faults, have had to undergo even worse punishments. Indeed, what was the origin of early death? What caused the damage, the calamities, the misfortunes, the innumerable evils? Is it not perhaps that we neglect the duty of correcting our children when they err? And that this conclusion is not mere conjecture is sufficiently demonstrated by the disgrace of the elderly Eli. And I also refer you to the words that one of our wise men wrote on this theme. Speaking precisely of children, he says, "Do not delight in your children if they are godless. If they do not fear God, do not expect a long life for them."

"O that my head were water, and my eyes a fountain of tears!" It is seasonable for me to utter these words now, yes, much more than for the prophet in his time. For although I am not about to mourn over many cities or whole nations, yet shall I mourn over a soul that is of equal value with many such nations, yes, even more precious. For if one person who does the will of God is better than ten thousand transgressors, then you were formerly better than ten thousand Jews. This is why no one would now blame me if I were to compose more lamentations than those that are contained in the prophet and to utter complaints yet more vehement. For it is not the overthrow of a city that I mourn, or the captivity of wicked people, but the desolation of a sacred soul, the destruction and effacement of a Christ-bearing temple.

Set down the whole number of the human race and from all the nations choose the faithful: without doubt they will be fewer than are the whole. Then next from the number of the faithful choose the better: it is certain that a much smaller number will remain. And again from those very ones whom you have chosen, choose again the more perfect: you will surely find fewer. And the further you proceed in choosing, the more scanty and the fewest you will find, until at last you come to some one man who may confidently say: "I have labored more than all those." These therefore, who in this manner are the many, will receive more land and more of the bodily inheritance; but the few will obtain some scanty thing of land, because they have more in the Lord; but others will receive nothing at all of earthly inheritance, if any are worthy to be priests and ministers of God; for of these the Lord himself will be wholly the inheritance. And who is so blessed as either among the few to receive a scanty portion of land, or among the chosen priests and ministers to deserve to receive by lot of inheritance the Lord alone? Although these too on account of their beasts of burden receive something of land, but of that land which is contiguous to the cities and adjoins the towns. Yet this saying which says that "to the more numerous the inheritance shall be multiplied" can still be understood in another way also. For one just man, according to this — that he is accepted by God — is counted for many. Finally it is also written: "By one wise man a city shall be inhabited, but the tribes of the wicked shall be made desolate." And one just man is reckoned for the whole world, but the wicked, even if they are many, are counted scanty and for nothing before God. There is therefore also a praiseworthy multitude, as we see said also to Abraham, when he led him outside and said to him: "Look to heaven, if you can number the stars; so shall your seed be." In this consider also this: how the just man is within and always stands in the inner parts, because within, in secret, he prays to the Father, and all the glory of the king's daughter, that is, of the royal soul, is within; but nevertheless God leads him outside when the matter requires it and the account of visible things demands it. In this way too, therefore, for those many who are as the stars of heaven in multitude the inheritance can be multiplied, and for those scanty ones — namely those who, even if they are many in number, are yet held scanty by the unworthiness and vileness of their life — a scanty inheritance may be set.

The book of Wisdom plainly says, "For mercy and wrath are with him, for he alone is Lord of both." He is Lord of propitiations and pours forth wrath according to the abundance of his mercy. It is the same with his reproof. For the aim of mercy and of reproof is the salvation of those who are reproved. Now, that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus is good, the Word will again attest: "For he is kind to the unthankful and the evil," and further, when he says, "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful." Still further also he plainly says, "None is good but my Father, who is in heaven." In addition to these, again he says, "My Father makes his sun to shine on all."

"And I will send hunger on them and will cause people and beast to die." How can I proclaim publicly such profound truths? From where will I receive help that I might make you understand how the earth is touched by hunger and fruitfulness, by abundance and poverty? "O the depths of the riches, the wisdom and the knowledge of God!" Hunger perhaps comes because of people and because of the wickedness of souls. Or perhaps it is the fault of the angels to whom the things of the earth were entrusted that the things we see happen take place, if they commit sin. If some are set up as instruments of heavenly providence, but they themselves become interested in the fruits, then the earth's sterility is probably also due to them. "The greater part of his works are hidden." We cannot speak of the greatness of wisdom. "Who has counted the sands of the sea, the raindrops, the days of the ages? The height of the heavens, the wideness of the earth, the depths of the wisdom of God."

There is the story of the man who asked another where he thought God could be found, and the other responded, "Run close behind me!" So he ran behind him, until they came to a wide desert. The guide then showed him the peace of that vast solitude and said, "Here is where God is!" And indeed, is it not right to think that God would be more easily reachable there? Even at the beginning of time, when God made all things with wisdom, adapting them one by one for future needs, he in no way left this part of the world useless and without importance. Indeed, since he created everything not only because he felt generous at that moment but especially because he already knew the future, he provided solitary places. I think he did this for the saints who would frequent them—this is how I see it. God wanted to give the places that are rich in fruit to others and to the saints, instead of those more generous lands, this fruitful one. In this way the deserts would also become fertile, and the valleys would be covered with abundant crops, while he "from on high would water the mountains," thus remedying the unproductiveness of those places, filling a barren place with inhabitants.