Sirach 25

^aIn three things I was beautified,

And stood up ^gbeautiful both before God and men:

^bThe unity of brethren, ^cthe love of neighbours,

A man and a wife ^dthat agree together.

^2aThree sorts of men my soul hateth,

And I am greatly offended at their life:

A poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a ^eliar,

And an old adulterer ^fthat doateth.

³If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth,

How canst thou find any thing in thine age?

⁴O how ^gcomely a thing is judgment for gray hairs,

And for ancient men to know counsel!

⁵O how ^gcomely is the wisdom of old men,

And understanding and counsel to men of honour!

⁶Much experience is ^hthe crown of old men,

And ⁱthe fear of God is their glory.

⁷There be ^anine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy,

And ^mthe tenth I will utter with my tongue:

A man that hath joy of his children;

And ^jhe that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:

⁸Well is him that dwelleth with a wife of understanding,

And that hath not ^kslipped with his tongue,

And that hath not served a man more unworthy than himself:

⁹Well is him that hath found prudence,

And he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear:

^10lO how great is he that findeth wisdom!

Yet is there none above him that feareth the Lord.

^11mBut the love of the Lord passeth all things for ⁿillumination:

He that holdeth it, whereto shall he be likened?

^12oThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love:

And faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him.

¹³Give me any plague, ^pbut the plague of the heart:

And ^qany wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

¹⁴And any ^raffliction, but the ^raffliction from them that hate me:

And any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

¹⁵There is no head above the ^shead of a serpent;

And there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.

^16tI had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon,

Than to keep house with a wicked woman.

¹⁷The ^uwickedness of a woman changeth her face,

And darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth.

¹⁸Her husband shall sit among his neighbours;

And when he heareth it shall sigh bitterly.

^19qAll wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman:

Let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.

²⁰As the climbing up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged,

So is a wife full of words to a quiet man.

^21vStumble not at the beauty of a woman,

And desire her not for pleasure.

²²A woman, if she maintain her husband,

Is full of anger, impudency, and much reproach.

^23tA wicked woman abateth the courage, maketh a heavy countenance and ^pa wounded heart:

A woman that will not comfort her husband in distress maketh ^wweak hands and feeble knees.

^24xOf the woman came the beginning of sin,

And through her we all die.

^25yGive the water no passage;

Neither a wicked woman liberty ^yto gad abroad.

²⁶If she go not as thou wouldest have her,

Cut her off from thy flesh,

And ^zgive her a bill of divorce, and let her go.

XXVI.