Sirach 25-28
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Those Who Are Worthy of Praise
25 My soul takes pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of the Lord and of men;[a]
agreement between brothers, friendship between neighbors,
and a wife and a husband who live in harmony.
2 My soul hates three kinds of men,
and I am greatly offended at their life:
a beggar who is proud, a rich man who is a liar,
and an adulterous old man who lacks good sense.
3 You have gathered nothing in your youth;
how then can you find anything in your old age?
4 What an attractive thing is judgment in gray-haired men,
and for the aged to possess good counsel!
5 How attractive is wisdom in the aged,
and understanding and counsel in honorable men!
6 Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.
7 With nine thoughts I have gladdened my heart,
and a tenth I shall tell with my tongue:
a man rejoicing in his children;
a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes;
8 happy is he who lives with an intelligent wife,
and he who has not made a slip with his tongue,
and he who has not served a man inferior to himself;
9 happy is he who has gained good sense,
and he who speaks to attentive listeners.
10 How great is he who has gained wisdom!
But there is no one superior to him who fears the Lord.
11 The fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom shall be likened the one who holds it fast?[b]
Some Extreme Forms of Evil
13 Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a wife!
14 Any attack, but not an attack from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
15 There is no venom[c] worse than a snake’s venom,[d]
and no wrath worse than an enemy’s wrath.
The Evil of a Wicked Woman
16 I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon
than dwell with an evil wife.
17 The wickedness of a wife changes her appearance,
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
18 Her husband takes his meals among the neighbors,
and he cannot help sighing[e] bitterly.
19 Any iniquity is insignificant compared to a wife’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
20 A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.
21 Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.[f]
22 There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
23 A dejected mind, a gloomy face,
and a wounded heart are caused by an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
are caused by the wife who does not make her husband happy.
24 From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
25 Allow no outlet to water,
and no boldness of speech in an evil wife.
26 If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.
The Joy of a Good Wife
26 Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of his days will be doubled.
2 A loyal wife rejoices her husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.
3 A good wife is a great blessing;
she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.
4 Whether rich or poor, his heart is glad,
and at all times his face is cheerful.
The Worst of Evils: A Wicked Wife
5 Of three things my heart is afraid,
and of a fourth I am frightened:[g]
The slander of a city, the gathering of a mob,
and false accusation—all these are worse than death.
6 There is grief of heart and sorrow when a wife is envious of a rival,
and a tongue-lashing makes it known to all.
7 An evil wife is an ox yoke which chafes;
taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion.
8 There is great anger when a wife is drunken;
she will not hide her shame.
9 A wife’s harlotry shows in her lustful eyes,
and she is known by her eyelids.
10 Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,
lest, when she finds liberty, she use it to her hurt.
11 Be on guard against her impudent eye,
and do not wonder if she sins against you.
12 As a thirsty wayfarer opens his mouth
and drinks from any water near him,
so will she sit in front of every post
and open her quiver to the arrow.
The Blessing of a Good Wife
13 A wife’s charm delights her husband,
and her skill puts fat on his bones.
14 A silent wife is a gift of the Lord,
and there is nothing so precious as a disciplined soul.
15 A modest wife adds charm to charm,
and no balance can weigh the value of a chaste soul.
16 Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
17 Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,
so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.
18 Like pillars of gold on a base of silver,
so are beautiful feet with a steadfast heart.[h]
Three Depressing Things
28 At two things my heart is grieved,
and because of a third anger comes over me:
a warrior in want through poverty,
and intelligent men who are treated contemptuously;
a man who turns back from righteousness to sin—
the Lord will prepare him for the sword!
The Temptations of Commerce
29 A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,
and a tradesman will not be declared innocent of sin.
27 Many have committed sin for a trifle,[i]
and whoever seeks to get rich will avert his eyes.
2 As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones,
so sin is wedged in between selling and buying.
3 If a man is not steadfast and zealous in the fear of the Lord,
his house will be quickly overthrown.
Tests in Life
4 When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains;
so a man’s filth remains in his thoughts.
5 The kiln tests the potter’s vessels;
so the test of a man is in his reasoning.
6 The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;
so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a man’s mind.
7 Do not praise a man before you hear him reason,
for this is the test of men.
Reward and Retribution
8 If you pursue justice, you will attain it
and wear it as a glorious robe.
9 Birds flock with their kind;
so truth returns to those who practice it.
10 A lion lies in wait for prey;
so does sin for the workers of iniquity.
Varieties of Speech
11 The talk of the godly man is always wise,
but the fool changes like the moon.
12 Among stupid people watch for a chance to leave,
but among thoughtful people stay on.
13 The talk of fools is offensive,
and their laughter is wantonly sinful.
14 The talk of men given to swearing makes one’s hair stand on end,
and their quarrels make a man stop his ears.
15 The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed,
and their abuse is grievous to hear.
Betraying Secrets
16 Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence,
and he will never find a congenial friend.
17 Love your friend and keep faith with him;
but if you betray his secrets, do not run after him.
18 For as a man destroys his enemy,
so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbor.
19 And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand,
so you have let your neighbor go, and will not catch him again.
20 Do not go after him, for he is too far off,
and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.
21 For a wound may be bandaged,
and there is reconciliation after abuse,
but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope.
Hypocrisy and Retribution
22 Whoever winks his eye plans evil deeds,
and no one can keep him from them.
23 In your presence his mouth is all sweetness,
and he admires your words;
but later he will twist his speech
and with your own words he will give offense.
24 I have hated many things, but none to be compared to him;
even the Lord will hate him.
25 Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own head;
and a treacherous blow opens up wounds.
26 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and he who sets a snare will be caught in it.
27 If a man does evil, it will roll back upon him,
and he will not know where it came from.
28 Mockery and abuse issue from the proud man,[j]
but vengeance lies in wait for him like a lion.
29 Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare,
and pain will consume them before their death.
Anger and Vengeance
30 Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
and the sinful man will possess them.
28 He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the Lord,
and he will firmly establish[k] his sins.
2 Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
3 Does a man harbor anger against another,
and yet seek for healing from the Lord?
4 Does he have no mercy toward a man like himself,
and yet pray for his own sins?
5 If he himself, being flesh, maintains wrath,
who will make expiation for his sins?
6 Remember the end of your life, and cease from enmity,
remember destruction and death, and be true to the commandments.
7 Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor;
remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook ignorance.
8 Refrain from strife, and you will lessen sins;
for a man given to anger will kindle strife,
9 and a sinful man will disturb friends
and inject enmity among those who are at peace.
10 In proportion to the fuel for the fire, so will be the burning,
and in proportion to the obstinacy of strife will be the burning;[l]
in proportion to the strength of the man will be his anger,
and in proportion to his wealth he will heighten his wrath.
11 A hasty quarrel kindles fire,
and urgent strife sheds blood.
The Evil Tongue
12 If you blow on a spark, it will glow;
if you spit on it, it will be put out;
and both come out of your mouth.
13 Curse the whisperer and deceiver,
for he has destroyed many who were at peace.
14 Slander[m] has shaken many,
and scattered them from nation to nation,
and destroyed strong cities,
and overturned the houses of great men.
15 Slander[n] has driven away courageous women,
and deprived them of the fruit of their toil.
16 Whoever pays heed to slander[o] will not find rest,
nor will he settle down in peace.
17 The blow of a whip raises a welt,
but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.
18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
but not so many as have fallen because of the tongue.
19 Happy is the man who is protected from it,
who has not been exposed to its anger,
who has not borne its yoke,
and has not been bound with its fetters;
20 for its yoke is a yoke of iron,
and its fetters are fetters of bronze;
21 its death is an evil death,
and Hades is preferable to it.
22 It will not be master over the godly,
and they will not be burned in its flame.
23 Those who forsake the Lord will fall into its power;
it will burn among them and will not be put out.
It will be sent out against them like a lion;
like a leopard it will mangle them.
24 See that you fence in your property with thorns,
lock up your silver and gold,
25 make balances and scales for your words,
and make a door and a bolt for your mouth.
26 Beware lest you err with your tongue,[p]
lest you fall before him who lies in wait.
Footnotes
- Sirach 25:1 Syr Vg: Gk In three things I was beautiful and I stood in beauty before the Lord and men
- Sirach 25:11 Other authorities add 12 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him.
- Sirach 25:15 Cn: Gk head
- Sirach 25:15 Cn: Gk head
- Sirach 25:18 Other authorities read and listening he sighs
- Sirach 25:21 Heb Syr: Some Gk authorities read for her beauty
- Sirach 26:5 The Greek of this line is uncertain
- Sirach 26:18 Other authorities add verses 19–27: 19 My son, keep sound the bloom of your youth, and do not give your strength to strangers. 20 Seek a fertile field within the whole plain, and sow it with your own seed, trusting in your fine stock. 21 So your offspring will survive and, having confidence in their good descent, will grow great. 22 A harlot is regarded as spittle, and a married woman as a tower of death to her lovers. 23 A godless wife is given as a portion to a lawless man, but a pious wife is given to the man who fears the Lord. 24 A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully, but a modest daughter will even be embarrassed before her husband. 25 A headstrong wife is regarded as a dog, but one who has a sense of shame will fear the Lord. 26 A wife honoring her husband will seem wise to all, but is she dishonors him in her pride she will be known to all as ungodly. Happy is the husband of a good wife; for the number of his years will be doubled. 27 A loud-voiced and garrulous wife is regarded as a war trumpet for putting the enemy to flight, and every person like this lives in the anarchy of war.
- Sirach 27:1 One ancient authority reads gain
- Sirach 27:28 Other authorities read proud men
- Sirach 28:1 Other authorities read closely observe
- Sirach 28:10 Other authorities place this line at the end of the verse, or omit it
- Sirach 28:14 Gk a third tongue
- Sirach 28:15 Gk a third tongue
- Sirach 28:16 Gk it
- Sirach 28:26 Gk with it
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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