Ben Sira 9:1-9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
Advice Concerning Women[a]
1 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom,
lest you teach her to do evil against you.[b]
2 Do not give a woman power over you
to trample on your dignity.(A)
3 Do not go near a strange woman,
lest you fall into her snares.
4 Do not dally with a singer,
lest you be captivated by her charms.
5 Do not entertain any thoughts about a virgin,
lest you be enmeshed in damages for her.[c]
6 Do not give yourself to a prostitute
lest you lose your inheritance.(B)
7 Do not look around the streets of the city
or wander through its squares.
8 Avert your eyes from a shapely woman;
do not gaze upon beauty that is not yours;
Through woman’s beauty many have been ruined,
for love of it burns like fire.(C)
9 Never recline at table with a married woman,
or drink intoxicants with her,
Lest your heart be drawn to her
and you go down in blood[d] to the grave.
Footnotes
- 9:1–9 Ben Sira writes about women only from the androcentric viewpoint of his culture. Cf. 25:13–26:27.
- 9:1 Jealousy may lead to suspicion and may prompt a wife to those actions her husband fears.
- 9:5 Cf. Ex 22:15–16; Dt 22:28–29; Jb 31:1. Cf. note on Ex 22:16.
- 9:9 In blood: perhaps refers to blood revenge; cf. Lv 20:10.
Sirach 9:1-9
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Advice concerning Women
9 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom,
or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.
2 Do not give yourself to a woman
and let her trample down your strength.
3 Do not go near a loose woman,
or you will fall into her snares.
4 Do not dally with a singing girl,
or you will be caught by her tricks.
5 Do not look intently at a virgin,
or you may stumble and incur penalties for her.
6 Do not give yourself to prostitutes,
or you may lose your inheritance.
7 Do not look around in the streets of a city,
or wander about in its deserted sections.
8 Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman,
and do not gaze at beauty belonging to another;
many have been seduced by a woman’s beauty,
and by it passion is kindled like a fire.
9 Never dine with another man’s wife,
or revel with her at wine;
or your heart may turn aside to her,
and in blood[a] you may be plunged into destruction.
Footnotes
- Sirach 9:9 Heb: Gk by your spirit
Sirach 9:1-9
Good News Translation
Advice about Women
9 (A)Don't be jealous of the wife you love. You will only be teaching her how to do you harm. 2 Do not surrender your dignity to any woman. 3 Keep away from other men's wives[a] or they will trap you. 4 Don't keep company with female musicians; they will trick you. 5 Don't look too intently at a virgin, or you may find yourself forced to pay a bride price. 6 Don't give yourself to prostitutes, or you may lose everything you own. 7 So don't go looking about in the streets or wandering around in the run-down parts of town. 8 When you see a good-looking woman, look the other way; don't let your mind dwell on the beauty of any woman who is not your wife. Many men have been led astray by a woman's beauty. It kindles passion as if it were fire. 9 Don't sit down to eat with another man's wife or join her for a drink. You may give in to the temptation of her charms and be destroyed by your passion.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Sirach 9:3 Hebrew other men's wives; Greek immoral women.
Sirach 9:1-9
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
9 Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, lest she shew in thy regard the malice of a wicked lesson.
2 Give not the power of thy soul to a woman, lest she enter upon thy strength, and thou be confounded.
3 Look not upon a woman that hath a mind for many: lest thou fall into her snares.
4 Use not much the company of her that is a dancer, and hearken not to her, lest thou perish by the force of her charms.
5 Gaze not upon a maiden, lest her beauty be a stumblingblock to thee.
6 Give not thy soul to harlots in any point: lest thou destroy thyself and thy inheritance.
7 Look not round about thee in the ways of the city, nor wander up and down in the streets thereof.
8 Turn away thy face from a woman dressed up, and gaze not about upon another's beauty.
9 For many have perished by the beauty of a woman, and hereby lust is enkindled as a fire.
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