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The interpretation timeline

Sir 30:23

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

Sir 30:23 · Douay-Rheims
“The joyfulness of the heart, is the life of a man, and a never failing treasure of holiness: and the joy of a man is length of life.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
470
A.D.
Salvian the Presbyter Patristic
c. A.D. 400–470
“"Have compassion on your own soul." Great is the mercy of God our Lord, who invites us to be charitable toward ourselves. He says, "Have compassion on your own soul," that is, "you also should have compassion on yourself, you for whom I feel an aching commiseration, for whom I experience an infinite compassion. If you see me so moved over the soul of another, you at least should have mercy on your own soul." O extremely wretched person, God acts toward you in this way, and you do not put faith in him. He beckons you to be charitable toward yourself, and you do not want to be so? He pleads your case with you, and he cannot win the decision from you?”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.