Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 26

1Blessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double.

γυναικὸς ἀγαθῆς μακάριος ὁ ἀνήρ καὶ ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἡμερῶν αὐτοῦ διπλάσιος (6037)

2A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

γυνὴ ἀνδρεία εὐφραίνει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ ἔτη αὐτοῦ πληρώσει ἐν εἰρήνῃ (6483)

3A good wife is a good portion, which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord.

γυνὴ ἀγαθὴ μερὶς ἀγαθή ἐν μερίδι φοβουμένων κύριον δοθήσεται (4328)

4Whether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart toward the Lord, he shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance.

πλουσίου δὲ καὶ πτωχοῦ καρδία ἀγαθή ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ πρόσωπον ἱλαρόν (6846)

5There be three things that mine heart feareth; and for the fourth I was sore afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude, and a false accusation: all these are worse than death.

ἀπὸ τριῶν εὐλαβήθη ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τετάρτῳ προσώπῳ ἐδεήθην διαβολὴν πόλεως καὶ ἐκκλησίαν ὄχλου καὶ καταψευσμόν ὑπὲρ θάνατον πάντα μοχθηρά (14828)

6But a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman, and a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

ἄλγος καρδίας καὶ πένθος γυνὴ ἀντίζηλος ἐπὶ γυναικὶ καὶ μάστιξ γλώσσης πᾶσιν ἐπικοινωνοῦσα (7001)

7An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.

βοοζύγιον σαλευόμενον γυνὴ πονηρά ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς ὡς ὁ δρασσόμενος σκορπίου (7583)

8A drunken woman and a gadder abroad causeth great anger, and she will not cover her own shame.

ὀργὴ μεγάλη γυνὴ μέθυσος καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς οὐ συγκαλύψει (6459)

9The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids.

πορνεία γυναικὸς ἐν μετεωρισμοῖς ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς βλεφάροις αὐτῆς γνωσθήσεται (8484)

10If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.

ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ ἀδιατρέπτῳ στερέωσον φυλακήν ἵνα μὴ εὑροῦσα ἄνεσιν ἑαυτῇ χρήσηται (8800)

11Watch over an impudent eye: and marvel not if she trespass against thee.

ὀπίσω ἀναιδοῦς ὀφθαλμοῦ φύλαξαι καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς ἐὰν εἰς σὲ πλημμελήσῃ (5881)

12She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain, and drink of every water near her: by every hedge will she sit down, and open her quiver against every arrow.

ὡς διψῶν ὁδοιπόρος τὸ στόμα ἀνοίξει καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς ὕδατος τοῦ σύνεγγυς πίεται κατέναντι παντὸς πασσάλου καθήσεται καὶ ἔναντι βέλους ἀνοίξει φαρέτραν (14111)

13The grace of a wife delighteth her husband, and her discretion will fatten his bones.

χάρις γυναικὸς τέρψει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτοῦ πιανεῖ ἡ ἐπιστήμη αὐτῆς (8068)

14A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed.

δόσις κυρίου γυνὴ σιγηρά καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀντάλλαγμα πεπαιδευμένης ψυχῆς (6606)

15A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind cannot be valued.

χάρις ἐπὶ χάριτι γυνὴ αἰσχυντηρά καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν σταθμὸς πᾶς ἄξιος ἐγκρατοῦς ψυχῆς (9693)

16As the sun when it ariseth in the high heaven; so is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house.

ἥλιος ἀνατέλλων ἐν ὑψίστοις κυρίου καὶ κάλλος ἀγαθῆς γυναικὸς ἐν κόσμῳ οἰκίας αὐτῆς (8293)

17As the clear light is upon the holy candlestick; so is the beauty of the face in ripe age.

λύχνος ἐκλάμπων ἐπὶ λυχνίας ἁγίας καὶ κάλλος προσώπου ἐπὶ ἡλικίᾳ στασίμῃ (7092)

18As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a constant heart.

στῦλοι χρύσεοι ἐπὶ βάσεως ἀργυρᾶς καὶ πόδες ὡραῖοι ἐπὶ στέρνοις εὐσταθοῦς (8499)

19My son, keep the flower of thine age sound; and give not thy strength to strangers.

20When thou hast gotten a fruitful possession through all the field, sow it with thine own seed, trusting in the goodness of thy stock.

21So thy race which thou leavest shall be magnified, having the confidence of their good descent.

22An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband.

23A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a godly woman is given to him that feareth the Lord.

24A dishonest woman contemneth shame: but an honest woman will reverence her husband.

25A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord.

26A woman that honoureth her husband shall be judged wise of all; but she that dishonoureth him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all.

27A loud crying woman and a scold shall be sought out to drive away the enemies.

28There be two things that grieve my heart; and the third maketh me angry: a man of war that suffereth poverty; and men of understanding that are not set by; and one that returneth from righteousness to sin; the Lord prepareth such an one for the sword.

ἐπὶ δυσὶ λελύπηται ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τρίτῳ θυμός μοι ἐπῆλθεν ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς ὑστερῶν δι' ἔνδειαν καὶ ἄνδρες συνετοὶ ἐὰν σκυβαλισθῶσιν ἐπανάγων ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαν ὁ κύριος ἑτοιμάσει εἰς ῥομφαίαν αὐτόν (18530)

29A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from sin.

μόλις ἐξελεῖται ἔμπορος ἀπὸ πλημμελείας καὶ οὐ δικαιωθήσεται κάπηλος ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας (5033)