Sirach 26

¹Blessed is the husband of a good wife. For the number of his years is doubled.

²A good wife delights her husband, and she will fill up the years of his life with peace.

³A good wife is a good portion. She will be given the portion of those who fear God, like a man who has done good deeds.

⁴But, rich or poor, with a good heart, his countenance will be cheerful at all times.

⁵Of three things, my heart has been afraid, and at a fourth, my face has shown dread:

⁶an accusation made by a city, and the gathering of a mob,

⁷and a deceitful false accusation. All these are more grievous than death.

⁸A jealous wife is a grief and a mourning to the heart.

⁹In a jealous wife, there is a scourge of the tongue, which communicates with everyone.

¹⁰Like a yoke of oxen being provoked, so also is a wicked wife. He who has hold of her is like one who has taken hold of a scorpion.

¹¹An inebriated wife is a great wrath. And her disgrace and indecency will not be covered.

¹²The fornication of a wife will become known by the haughtiness of her eyes and by her eyelids.

¹³So that her daughter will not also turn away, keep a strict watch; otherwise, having found an opportunity, she may enjoy herself.

¹⁴Be wary of the irreverence of her eyes, and you should not wonder if she might disregard you.

¹⁵Like a thirsty traveler, she will open her mouth to the fountain, and she will drink from every water nearby, and she will sit down beside every fencepost, and she will open her quiver to every arrow, until she becomes weary.

¹⁶The grace of an attentive wife will delight her husband, and will fatten his bones.

¹⁷Her discipline is a gift from God.

¹⁸Such is an understanding and quiet wife. For there is no substitution for a well-instructed soul.

¹⁹A holy and contrite wife is grace upon grace.

²⁰And no amount of money is equal to the value of a soul with self-restraint.

²¹Like the sun rising over the world in the high places of God, so the beauty of a good wife is the adornment of her house.

²²Like a lamp shining atop a holy lampstand, so is the beauty of a face in the mature stage of life.

²³Like golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet of a mature wife upon the soles of her feet.

²⁴Like everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so are the commandments of God in the heart of a holy wife.

²⁵By two things, my heart is greatly saddened, and at a third, anger overwhelms me:

²⁶a man of war failing because of dire need, and an understanding man treated with contempt,

²⁷and anyone who crosses over from justice to sin. God has prepared such a one for the spear.

²⁸Two kinds of things have seemed difficult and dangerous to me: a merchant will not be easily freed from his negligence, and a shopkeeper will not be justified by the sins of his lips.

Sirach 26

¹Happy is the husband of a good wife: for the number of his years is double.

²A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

³A good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds.

⁴Rich or poor, if his heart is good, his countenance shall be cheerful at all times.

⁵Of three things my heart hath been afraid, and at the fourth my face hath trembled:

⁶The accusation of a city, and the gathering together of the people:

⁷And a false calumny, all are more grievous than death.

⁸A jealous woman is the grief and mourning of the heart.

⁹With a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

¹⁰As a yoke of oxen that is moved to and fro, so also is a wicked woman: he that hath hold of her, is as he that taketh hold of a scorpion.

¹¹A drunken woman is a great wrath: and her reproach and shame shall not be hid.

¹²The fornication of a woman shall be known by the haughtiness of her eyes and by her eyelids.

¹³On a daughter that turneth not away herself, set a strict watch: lest finding an opportunity she abuse herself.

¹⁴Take heed of the impudence of her eyes, and wonder not if she slight thee.

¹⁵She will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller to the fountain, and will drink of every water near her, and will sit down by every hedge, and open her quiver against every arrow, until she fail.

¹⁶The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband, and shall fat his bones.

¹⁷Her discipline is the gift of God.

¹⁸Such is a wise and silent woman, and there is nothing so much worth as a well instructed soul.

¹⁹A holy and shamefaced woman is grace upon grace.

²⁰And no price is worthy of a continent soul.

²¹As the sun when it riseth to the world in the high places of God, so is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament of her house.

²²As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of the face in a ripe age,

²³As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet upon the soles of a steady woman.

²⁴As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God in the heart of a holy woman.

²⁵At two things my heart is grieved, and the third bringeth anger upon me.

²⁶A man of war fainting through poverty, and a man of sense despised:

²⁷And he that passeth over from justice to sin, God hath prepared such an one for the sword.

²⁸Two sorts of callings have appeared to me hard and dangerous: a merchant is hardly free from negligence: and a huckster shall not be justified from the sins of the lips.