God's New Bible

The Book of Jesus Sirach

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 25 -

Documents of wisdom on several subjects.

1
My spirit is pleased with three things; these are approved in the sight of God and men:
2
the harmony of brothers, and the love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well together.
3
My soul hates three kinds of things; and I am greatly distressed over their souls:
4
an arrogant pauper, a wealthy liar, a foolish and senseless elder.
5
The things that you have not obtained in your youth, how will you find them in your old age?
6
How beautiful it is for a grey head to have judgment, and for elders to know counsel!
7
How beautiful it is for those who are aged to have wisdom, and for those who are honored to have understanding and counsel!
8
Great experience is the crown of the aged, and the fear of God is their glory.
9
I have magnified nine things, overlooked by the heart; and a tenth, I will declare to men with my tongue:
10
a man who finds joy in his children, and one who lives to see the undoing of his enemies.
11
Blessed is he who lives with a wise wife, and he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served those unworthy of himself.
12
Blessed is he who finds a true friend, and he who describes justice to an attentive ear.
13
How great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge! But there is no one above him who fears the Lord.
14
The fear of God has set itself above all things.
15
Blessed is the man to whom it has been given to have the fear of God. He who holds to it, to whom can he be compared?
16
The fear of God is the beginning of his love; and the beginning of faith has been joined closely to the same.
17
The sadness of the heart is every wound. And the wickedness of a wife is every malice.
18
And a man will choose any wound, but the wound of the heart,
19
and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a wife,
20
and any obstacle, but the obstacle of those who hate him,
21
and any vindication, but the vindication of his enemies.
22
There is no head worse than the head of a serpent,(a)
23
and there is no anger above the anger of a wife. It would be more agreeable to abide with a lion or a dragon, than to live with a wicked wife.
24
A wicked wife changes her face. And she darkens her countenance like a bear. And she displays it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbors,
25
her husband groans, and hearing of this, he sighs a little.
26
All malice is brief compared to the malice of a wife. Let the fate of sinners fall upon her!
27
As climbing over sand is to the feet of the aged, so is a talkative wife to a quiet man.
28
You should not favor a woman’s beauty, and you should not desire a wife for her beauty.
29
The anger and disrespect and shame from a wife can be great.
30
The wife, if she has primacy, is set against her husband.
31
A wicked wife debases the heart, and saddens the face, and wounds the heart.
32
A wife who does not make her husband happy enfeebles the hands and weakens the knees.
33
The beginning of sin came from a woman; and through her, we all die.
34
You should not provide an exit to your water, not even a little; nor should you give permission for a wicked wife to exceed the limit.(b)
35
If she will not walk at your hand, she will confound you in the sight of your enemies.
36
Tear her away from your body, lest she abuse you continually.

Footnotes

(a)25:22 The Greek and Latin read ‘head’ and the Hebrew and Neo-Vulgate read ‘poison’.(Conte)
(b)25:34 The word ‘prodeundi’ usually refers to travel beyond a certain point; but here it is used figuratively, to mean exceeding a certain limit.(Conte)

Documents of wisdom on several subjects.

1
I enjoy three things, and they are beautiful before the Lord and men: the agreement of kindred, the friendship of neighbors, and a woman and her husband who walk together in agreement.
2
But my soul hates three sorts of people, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man who is arrogant, a rich man who is a liar, and an old fool who is an adulterer.
3
If you gathered nothing in your youth, how could you find anything in your old age?
4
How beautiful a thing is judgment in the gray-haired, and for elders to know good counsel!
5
How beautiful is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men who are in honor!
6
Much experience is the crown of the aged. Their glory is the fear of the Lord.
7
There are nine things that I have thought of, and in my heart counted happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: a man who has joy with his children, and a man who lives and sees the fall of his enemies.
8
Happy is he who dwells with a wife of understanding, he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served a man who is unworthy of him.
9
Happy is he who has found prudence, and he who speaks in the ears of those who listen.
10
How great is he who has found wisdom! Yet is there none above him who fears the Lord.
11
The fear of the Lord surpasses all things. To whom shall he who holds it be likened?
12
(a)
13
Any wound but a wound of the heart! Any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman!
14
Any calamity but a calamity from those who hate me! Any vengeance but the vengeance of enemies!
15
There is no venom worse than a snake’s venom. There is no wrath worse than an enemy’s wrath.
16
I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than keep house with a wicked woman.
17
The wickedness of a woman changes her appearance, and darkens her countenance like that of a bear.
18
Her husband will sit among his neighbors, and when he hears it, he sighs bitterly.
19
All malice is small compared to the malice of a woman. Let the portion of a sinner fall on her.
20
As walking up a sandy hill is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.
21
Don’t be ensnared by a woman’s beauty. Don’t desire a woman for her beauty.
22
There is anger, impudence, and great reproach if a woman supports her husband.
23
A wicked woman is abasement of heart, sadness of countenance, and a wounded heart. A woman who won’t make her husband happy is like hands that hang down, and weak knees.
24
The beginning of sin came from a woman. Because of her, we all die.
25
Don’t give water an outlet, and don’t give a wicked woman freedom of speech.
26
If she doesn’t go as you direct, cut her away from your flesh.(b)

Footnotes

(a)25:12 Verse 12 is omitted by the best authorities.
(b)25:26 The remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.
⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞