Sirach 25

1There are three things beautiful to see, And they are beautiful before the Lord and men: The harmony of brothers, friendship between neighbors, And a wife and husband well-adjusted together.

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2My soul hates three kinds of men, And I am very offended with their lifestyle: A beggar who is arrogant, a rich man who is a liar, And an old man who is an adulterer and lacks understanding.

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3If you have gathered nothing in your youth, How can you find anything in your old age?

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4Judgment is like beauty in gray hair, And in elders, it is to know counsel.

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5Wisdom is like the beauty of old men, And in those who are glorious, it is understanding and counsel.

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6The crown of old men is great experience, For their boast is the fear of the Lord.

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7In my heart I have blessed nine suppositions, And I will mention a tenth: A father who delights in his children; A man who lives to see the downfall of his enemies;

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8A husband who is blessed to live with an understanding wife; A man who does not slip with his tongue; A man who has not served a man less worthy than himself;

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9A man who is blessed to find discernment; A man who is blessed to speak to ears that listen;

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10And a man who has found wisdom—how blessed he is! But there is no one greater than a man who fears the Lord.

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11The fear of the Lord is more important than anything. To what will it be compared?

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12Any wound, but not a wound of the heart! Any evil, but not an evil wife!

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13Any misery, but not the misery of those who hate me! Any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!

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14There is no head worse than the head of a snake, And there is no anger worse than the anger of an enemy.

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15I would rather live with a lion or a snake than with an evil wife.

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16The evil of a wife changes her appearance And darkens her face like that of a bear.

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17Her husband will go to his neighbors for meals, And he sighs bitterly and involuntarily.

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18Any evil is small compared to the evil of a wife. May the portion of a sinner fall upon her!

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19A sandy hill of ascent for the feet of an old man—Such is an overly talkative wife to a quiet husband.

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20Do not fall for the beauty of a woman, And do not long for her beauty.

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21There is wrath, insolence, and great shame When a wife supports her husband.

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22A downcast heart, a sad face, and a wounded heart Are caused by an evil wife. Drooping hands and weakened knees Are caused by a wife who does not make her husband happy.

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23Sin had its beginning from a wife, And because of her we all die.

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24Do not give water an outlet, Nor boldness to an evil wife.

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25If she does not follow your good leadership, Cut her off from yourself.

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