Sirach 13:16, to what will a man cleave?

• A. Become kind
• B. Become wealthy
• C. Become cruel
• D. Becomes wise

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that people tend to cling to what matches their own character. In this wisdom saying, a person will form close ties with those who share their nature, so their associations reflect who they are.

If someone has a harsh or cruel nature, the verse says, they will cleave to cruelty—surrounding themselves with and leaning into that same rough behavior. It’s about affinity: you become most attached to what mirrors you, not to kindness, wealth, or wisdom as isolated goals.

So the best answer is that a man cleaves to cruelty because the line emphasizes aligning with one’s own character; other traits don’t capture that mirrored, mutual dynamic as directly.