21 Let your soul love intelligent slaves; do not withhold from them their freedom. 22 Do you have cattle? Look after them; if they are profitable to you, keep them. 23 Do you have children? Discipline them, and make them obedient from their youth. 24 Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity, and do not show yourself too indulgent with them. 25 Give a daughter in marriage, and you complete a great task; but give her to a sensible man.

With all His power, therefore, the Instructor of humanity, the Divine Word, using all the resources of wisdom, devotes Himself to the saving of the children, admonishing, upbraiding, blaming, chiding, reproving, threatening, healing, promising, favouring; and as it were, by many reins, curbing the irrational impulses of humanity. To speak briefly, therefore, the Lord acts towards us as we do towards our children. Do you have children? Correct them, is the exhortation of the book of Wisdom, and bend them from their youth. Do you have daughters? Attend to their body, and let not your face brighten towards them, — although we love our children exceedingly, both sons and daughters, above anything else whatever. For those who speak with a man merely to please him, have little love for him, seeing they do not pain him; while those that speak for his good, though they inflict pain for the time, do him good for ever after. It is not immediate pleasure, but future enjoyment, that the Lord has in view.