Sirach 25

Wycliffe Bible

25 In three things it is pleased to my spirit, which be approved before God and men; (the) according [or the accord] of brethren, and (the) love of neighbours, [and] a man and woman well consenting to themselves.

² My soul hated three species, (or kinds), and I am grieved greatly to (or by) the soul of them; a poor man proud, and a rich man (that is a) liar, and an eld man (that is) a fool and unwitty (or unwise). [Three species hated my soul, and I am grieved greatly to (or by) the soul of them; a poor man proud, and a rich man a liar, and an old man a fool and doted.]

³ How shalt thou find in thine eld (age) those things, which thou gathered not in thy youth? [What things in thy youth thou hast not gathered, how shalt thou find (them) in thine eld (age).]

⁴ Doom of discretion is full fair in hoariness, either (an) eld man, and to priests to know counsel. [How fair the doom in hoariness, and to priests to know counsel.]

⁵ Wisdom is full fair to eld men, and glorious understanding, and counsel. [How fair to old men wisdom, and glorious understanding, and counsel.]

⁶ The crown of eld men is in much cunning (or knowing); and the glory of them is the dread of God. [The crown of old men much wisdom; and the glory of them dread of God.]

⁷ I magnified nine things unsuspect(ed) of the heart; and I shall say the tenth thing by tongue to men. A man which living is merry in sons, and seeing the destroying of his enemies. [Nine unover-trowable things of the heart I magnified; and the tenth I shall tell in tongue to men. A man that is joyed in sons living, and seeing the turning upside-down of his enemies.]

⁸ He is blessed that dwelleth with a witty (or with a wise) woman, and he that fell not by his tongue, and he that served not to men unworthy to himself. [Blessful or Blissful that dwelleth with a woman well feeling, or well perceiving, and that in his tongue is not slidden, and that served not to the unworthy (to) himself.]

⁹ He is blessed that findeth a very (or a true) friend, and he that telleth out rightfulness to an ear hearing. [Blessful or Blissful that findeth a very friend, and that telleth out rightwiseness to the hearing ear.]

¹⁰ He is full great that findeth wisdom and cunning (or knowing); but he is not above him that dreadeth God^[a]. [How great that findeth wisdom and cunning; but not over the (one) dreading God.]

¹¹ The dread of God hath set itself above all things. Blessed is the man to whom it is given to have the dread of God; to whom shall he be likened, that holdeth that dread? [The dread of God over all things himself set above. Blessful the man to whom it is given to have the dread of God; who holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened?]

¹² The dread of God is the beginning of his love; forsooth the beginning of faith is to be fast-joined thereto. [The dread of God the beginning of his love; the beginning forsooth of faith is to be joined to him.]

¹³ The sorrow of (the) heart is each wound; and the wickedness of a woman is all malice^[b]. A leech (or A physician) shall see each wound, and (or but) not the wound of (the) heart; and all wickedness, and (or but) not the wickedness of a woman; [All vengeance is the dreary sloth of heart; and each malice the wickedness of a woman. And each wound, and not wound she shall see of heart; and all shrewdness (or depravity), and not shrewdness of a woman;]

¹⁴ and each covering, that is, (the) colouring of malice, and not the covering of haters; and each vengeance, and not the vengeance of enemies. [and all hid thing, and not (the) hid thing of hating men; and all vengeance, and not (the) vengeance of enemies.]

¹⁵ None head is worse than the head of an adder dwelling in (a) shadow; and none ire is above the ire of a woman. [There is not an head wickeder over the head of a shadow adder; and there is not wrath over the wrath of a woman.]

¹⁶ It shall please more to dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to dwell with a wicked woman.

¹⁷ The wickedness of a woman changeth her face; and she blinded her cheer (or her face) as a bear doeth, and she shall show as a sack(cloth) in the midst of (her) neighbours.

¹⁸ Her husband wailed; and his wicked wife heard, and sighed a little. [The husband of her greatly wailed; and hearing (her), sighed a little.]

¹⁹ All malice is short on (or is little compared to) the malice of a woman; the part of sinners, that is, the pain of hell, fall on her. [Short all malice over the malice of a woman; the lot of sins fall upon her.]

²⁰ As a going-up (or an ascent) full of gravel in (or to) the feet of an eld man, so is a woman (that is) a great jangler to a peaceable man. [As a gravelly going up in (or to) the feet of an old man, so a tonguey woman to a quiet man.]

²¹ Behold thou not the fairness of a woman, and covet thou not a woman for (her) fairness.

²² The ire and unreverence of a woman to her husband is a great shame (or reproof). If a woman hath the first dignity, either chief governail, she is contrary to her husband. [The wrath of a woman and the mis-reverence, great shame. A woman if she have mastery, she is contrary to her husband.]

²³ A low heart, and (a) sorrowful face, and (a) wound of death, is (from) a wicked woman. Feeble hands and knees unbound, (resulteth from) a woman that blesseth not her husband. [A low heart, and a dreary face, and a wound of death, a shrewd (or depraved) woman. Feeble hands and unloos(en)ed knees, a woman that maketh not blissful or blessful her husband.]

²⁴ The beginning of sin was made of (or by) a woman; and all we die by her. [Of a woman is made the beginning of sin; and by her all we die.]

²⁵ Give thou not issue to thy water, yea, not a little issue; neither to a wicked woman freedom of going forth. [Give thou not to thy water issue, not a little; nor to a shrewd (or a depraved) woman forgiveness, or leave, or freedom, of going out.]

²⁶ If she goeth not at thine hand, she shall shame thee in the sight of (thine) enemies. Cut her away from thy fleshes, lest (for)ever(more) she mis-use thee. [If she go not to thine hand, she shall confound thee in the sight of enemies. From thy flesh cut her away, lest evermore she mis-use thee.]