Letter 821

To the same person. What Sirach says concerning a daughter, namely, "Keep her under the strictest guard, and never let your face be cheerful toward her, lest she bring shame upon your house" [Sirach 7:24] -- understand that this also holds true, and stands as a rule, in the case of every young person enrolled in your community.

Ὅπερ ὁ Σιρὰχ περὶ θυγατρὸς φησιν, ὅτι Πάσῃ φυλακῇ τήρει αὐτήν, καὶ μηδέποτε ἱλαρώσης τὸ πρόσωπον σοῦ πρὸς αὐτήν, ἵνα μὴ αἰσχύνην ποιήσῃ τὸν οἶκόν σου, τοῦτο ὑπολάμβανε γινόμενα καὶ κα- νόνα ὑπάρχειν ἐπὶ παντὸς νεωτέρου συντεταγμένου τῇ συνοδίᾳ ὑμῶν.