Екклезиастик (Книга Премудрости Иисуса, сына Сирахова), Глава 11, стих 28. Толкования стиха

Прежде смерти нельзя никого считать блаженным; ибо самая добродетельная жизнь может быть помрачена худым поступком, — так как и самое блистательное счастие может превратиться в величайшее несчастие. Человек узнается в своих детях. Если он был мудр и благочестив; то и дети его будут стремиться к мудрости и добродетели. Поведение детей покажет, какия внушал оп им правила, и какой подавал пример: ибо дети обыкновенны бывают подобны своим родителям; яблоко не далеко падает от яблони.

THE DEATH OF THE SAINTS. JOHN OF DAMASCUS: Death, previously abhorred and hated, is now the object of praise and declared blessed. What at one time procured pain and sadness, tears and melancholy, now appears as a source of joy and feasting. All the servants of God enjoy a blessed death because the end of their lives bears the security of being welcomed by God. In fact, they become perfect, and this perfection renders them blessed, giving them the solidity of virtue, as the oracle affirms, “Do not judge a person blessed before his death.” HOMILY ON THE DORMITION 1.12.

GOD DOES NOT CHANGE. JOHN CASSIAN: But that even the powers above are, as we said, subject to change is shown by those who fell from their ranks through the fault of a corrupt will. This is why we should not think that the nature of those who remain in the blessed condition in which they were created is unchangeable, simply because they were not similarly led astray to choose the worse part. For it is one thing to have a nature incapable of change and another thing for a person through the efforts of his virtue, and by guarding what is good through the grace of the unchangeable God, to be kept from change. For everything that is secured or preserved by care can also be lost by carelessness. And so we read, “Call no one happy before his death,” because so long as an individual is still engaged in the struggle, and if I may use the expression, still wrestling—even though he generally conquers and carries off many prizes of victory—yet he can never be free from fear and from the suspicion of an uncertain outcome. And therefore God alone is called unchangeable and good because his goodness is not the result of effort, but he possesses it naturally, and so he cannot be anything but good. No virtue then can be acquired by an individual without the possibility of change. However, in order that when it once exists it may be continually preserved, it must be guarded with the same care and diligence with which it was acquired. CONFERENCES 1.6.16.

 Предостерегая от свойственной молодым людям самоуверенности, опытный наставник удерживает сына от трудов и предприятий превосходящих силы и слишком утомляющих (10—13), а советует во всем возлагать упование на Господа, от котораго зависит все в жизни человека (14—19), так что о счастии или несчастий человека можно сказать только после смерти его (20—28).

Провидением Божиим призванные быть родителями, воспитателями и наставниками Сии слова в рукописи автора вставлены после.  детей да не пренебрегут сих напоминаний; да помышляют о них благовременно и предусмотрительно: и наипаче, чтобы основанием и душою воспитания было благочестие, да пекутся о сем с искренним усердием ради детей, ради себя, ради Отечества, ради потомства. «В чадех своих познан будет муж» (Сир. 11:28)