Sirach 25
Common English Bible
Things to be praised
25 My whole being takes pleasure
in three things,
and these are beautiful to the Lord
and to human beings:
harmony among brothers and sisters,
friendship among neighbors,
and a wife and husband
who adapt to each other.
2 My whole being despises
three types of persons,
and I am angered by the way they live:
an arrogant poor person,
a rich liar,
an old adulterer who never learns.
3 If you have gathered nothing
in your youth,
how then will you find anything
in your old age?
4 How beautiful is sound judgment
in gray-haired women
and finding good advice in elderly men!
5 How beautiful is wisdom in the aged
and thought and counsel
in those who are respectable!
6 Experience is the crown of the aged
and respecting the Lord
is their claim to fame.
7 In my heart, I would consider
nine conditions to be happy,
and I’ll name a tenth with my tongue—
people who are made glad
by their children,
and who live to see the downfall
of their enemies.
8 Happy are those
who live with sensible wives,[a]
who don’t slip with their tongue,
and who haven’t been a servant to one inferior to themselves.
9 Happy is the one
who has gained good sense
and who is passing this along
to listening ears.
10 How great is one who finds Wisdom,
but no one does better
than the one who fears the Lord.
11 Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
those who possess it are incomparable.[b]
Evil and good women
13 Any wound, but not a wound to the heart;
and any wickedness,
but not a woman’s wickedness!
14 Any attack,
but not an attack by those who hate;
and any vengeance,
but not the vengeance of enemies.
15 No poison is worse than a snake’s poison,[c]
and no anger is worse
than an enemy’s anger.
16 I would rather live with a lion or a serpent
than live with a wicked woman.
17 A woman’s wickedness
changes her appearance,
and it darkens her face like that of a bear.
18 Her husband sits down among
his neighbors
and unintentionally groans bitterly.
19 Any evil is small
when compared to a woman’s evil;
may she experience a sinner’s fate.
20 A talkative wife for a quiet husband
is like a sand dune
beneath the feet of an elderly person.
21 Don’t fall for a woman’s beauty,
and don’t long for a woman.
22 There will be anger, shamelessness,
and utter disgrace
when a wife provides for her husband.
23 A wicked wife causes a humiliated heart,
a gloomy face,
and a wounded heart.
Drooping hands and weakened knees
come from a woman
who doesn’t make her husband happy.
24 Sin began with a woman,
and because of her all of us die.
25 Don’t allow an outlet for water,
and don’t give a wicked wife
freedom to speak.
26 If she doesn’t do as you say,
divorce her.[d]
Footnotes
- Sirach 25:8 Heb adds and who does not plow with an ox and an ass together. Happy are those who; LXX lacks this phrase and the prior line.
- Sirach 25:11 LXXb adds 25:12 Fear of the Lord is the start of loving him, and faith is the start of clinging to him.
- Sirach 25:15 In both cases, LXX has head.
- Sirach 25:26 LXX separate her from your flesh
Sirach 25
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.
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
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
