Sirach 25

Apo

1 In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful both before God and men: the unity of brethren, the love of neighbours, a man and a wife that agree together.

2 Three sorts of men my soul hateth, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a liar, and an old adulterer that doateth.

3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, how canst thou find any thing in thine age?

4 O how comely a thing is judgment for gray hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!

5 O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.

6 Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.

7 There be nine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that hath joy of his children; and he that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:

8 Well is him that dwelleth with a wife of understanding, and that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served a man more unworthy than himself:

9 Well is him that hath found prudence, and he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear:

10 O how great is he that findeth wisdom! yet is there none above him that feareth the Lord.

11 But the love of the Lord passeth all things for illumination: he that holdeth it, whereto shall he be likened?

12 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love: and faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him.

13 [Give me] any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

14 And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

15 There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.

16 I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.

17 The wickedness of a woman changeth her face, and darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth.

18 Her husband shall sit among his neighbours; and when he heareth it shall sigh bitterly.

19 All wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman: let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.

20 As the climbing up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.

21 Stumble not at the beauty of a woman, and desire her not for pleasure.

22 A woman, if she maintain her husband, is full of anger, impudence, and much reproach.

23 A wicked woman abateth the courage, maketh an heavy countenance and a wounded heart: a woman that will not comfort her husband in distress maketh weak hands and feeble knees.

24 Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.

25 Give the water no passage; neither a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.

26 If she go not as thou wouldest have her, cut her off from thy flesh, and give her a bill of divorce, and let her go.

Sep

1 ἐν τρισὶν ὡραΐσθην καὶ ἀνέστην ὡραία ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων ὁμόνοια ἀδελφῶν καὶ φιλία τῶν πλησίον καὶ γυνὴ καὶ ἀνὴρ ἑαυτοῖς συμπεριφερόμενοι

2 τρία δὲ εἴδη ἐμίσησεν ἡ ψυχή μου καὶ προσώχθισα σφόδρα τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῶν πτωχὸν ὑπερήφανον καὶ πλούσιον ψεύστην γέροντα μοιχὸν ἐλαττούμενον συνέσει

3 ἐν νεότητι οὐ συναγείοχας καὶ πῶς ἂν εὕροις ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ σου

4 ὡς ὡραῖον πολιαῖς κρίσις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις ἐπιγνῶναι βουλήν

5 ὡς ὡραία γερόντων σοφία καὶ δεδοξασμένοις διανόημα καὶ βουλή

6 στέφανος γερόντων πολυπειρία καὶ τὸ καύχημα αὐτῶν φόβος κυρίου

7 ἐννέα ὑπονοήματα ἐμακάρισα ἐν καρδίᾳ καὶ τὸ δέκατον ἐρῶ ἐπὶ γλώσσης ἄνθρωπος εὐφραινόμενος ἐπὶ τέκνοις ζῶν καὶ βλέπων ἐπὶ πτώσει ἐχθρῶν

8 μακάριος ὁ συνοικῶν γυναικὶ συνετῇ καὶ ὃς ἐν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ὠλίσθησεν καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἐδούλευσεν ἀναξίῳ ἑαυτοῦ

9 μακάριος ὃς εὗρεν φρόνησιν καὶ ὁ διηγούμενος εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων

10 ὡς μέγας ὁ εὑρὼν σοφίαν ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔστιν ὑπὲρ τὸν φοβούμενον τὸν κύριον

11 φόβος κυρίου ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὑπερέβαλεν ὁ κρατῶν αὐτοῦ τίνι ὁμοιωθήσεται

13 πᾶσαν πληγὴν καὶ μὴ πληγὴν καρδίας καὶ πᾶσαν πονηρίαν καὶ μὴ πονηρίαν γυναικός

14 πᾶσαν ἐπαγωγὴν καὶ μὴ ἐπαγωγὴν μισούντων καὶ πᾶσαν ἐκδίκησιν καὶ μὴ ἐκδίκησιν ἐχθρῶν

15 οὐκ ἔστιν κεφαλὴ ὑπὲρ κεφαλὴν ὄφεως καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν θυμὸς ὑπὲρ θυμὸν ἐχθροῦ

16 συνοικῆσαι λέοντι καὶ δράκοντι εὐδοκήσω ἢ συνοικῆσαι μετὰ γυναικὸς πονηρᾶς

17 πονηρία γυναικὸς ἀλλοιοῖ τὴν ὅρασιν αὐτῆς καὶ σκοτοῖ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς ὡς ἄρκος

18 ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἀναπεσεῖται ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς καὶ ἀκουσίως ἀνεστέναξεν πικρά

19 μικρὰ πᾶσα κακία πρὸς κακίαν γυναικός κλῆρος ἁμαρτωλοῦ ἐπιπέσοι αὐτῇ

20 ἀνάβασις ἀμμώδης ἐν ποσὶν πρεσβυτέρου οὕτως γυνὴ γλωσσώδης ἀνδρὶ ἡσύχῳ

21 μὴ προσπέσῃς ἐπὶ κάλλος γυναικὸς καὶ γυναῖκα μὴ ἐπιποθήσῃς

22 ὀργὴ καὶ ἀναίδεια καὶ αἰσχύνη μεγάλη γυνὴ ἐὰν ἐπιχορηγῇ τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς

23 καρδία ταπεινὴ καὶ πρόσωπον σκυθρωπὸν καὶ πληγὴ καρδίας γυνὴ πονηρά χεῖρες παρειμέναι καὶ γόνατα παραλελυμένα ἥτις οὐ μακαριεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς

24 ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἀρχὴ ἁμαρτίας καὶ δι᾽ αὐτὴν ἀποθνῄσκομεν πάντες

25 μὴ δῷς ὕδατι διέξοδον μηδὲ γυναικὶ πονηρᾷ παρρησίαν

26 εἰ μὴ πορεύεται κατὰ χεῖράς σου ἀπὸ τῶν σαρκῶν σου ἀπότεμε αὐτήν

Vul

1 [In tribus placitum est spiritui meo,
quæ sunt probata coram Deo et hominibus:

2 concordia fratrum,
et amor proximorum,
et vir et mulier bene sibi consentientes.

3 Tres species odivit anima mea,
et aggravor valde animæ illorum:

4 pauperem superbum, divitem mendacem,
senem fatuum et insensatum.]

5 [Quæ in juventute tua non congregasti,
quomodo in senectute tua invenies?

6 Quam speciosum canitiei judicium,
et presbyteris cognoscere consilium!

7 Quam speciosa veteranis sapientia,
et gloriosus intellectus et consilium!

8 Corona senum multa peritia,
et gloria illorum timor Dei.]

9 [Novem insuspicabilia cordis magnificavi:
et decimum dicam in lingua hominibus:

10 homo qui jucundatur in filiis,
vivens et videns subversionem inimicorum suorum.

11 Beatus qui habitat cum muliere sensata,
et qui lingua sua non est lapsus,
et qui non servivit indignis se.

12 Beatus qui invenit amicum verum,
et qui enarrat justitiam auri audienti.

13 Quam magnus qui invenit sapientiam et scientiam!
sed non est super timentem Dominum.

14 Timor Dei super omnia se superposuit.

15 Beatus homo cui donatum est habere timorem Dei:
qui tenet illum, cui assimilabitur?

16 Timor Dei initium dilectionis ejus:
fidei autem initium agglutinandum est ei.]

17 [Omnis plaga tristitia cordis est,
et omnis malitia nequitia mulieris.

18 Et omnem plagam, et non plagam videbit cordis:

19 et omnem nequitiam, et non nequitiam mulieris:

20 et omnem obductum, et non obductum odientium:

21 et omnem vindictam, et non vindictam inimicorum.

22 Non est caput nequius super caput colubri,

23 et non est ira super iram mulieris.
Commorari leoni et draconi placebit,
quam habitare cum muliere nequam.

24 Nequitia mulieris immutat faciem ejus:
et obcæcat vultum suum tamquam ursus,
et quasi saccum ostendit.
In medio proximorum ejus

25 ingemuit vir ejus,
et audiens suspiravit modicum.

26 Brevis omnis malitia super malitiam mulieris:
sors peccatorum cadat super illam.

27 Sicut ascensus arenosus in pedibus veterani,
sic mulier linguata homini quieto.

28 Ne respicias in mulieris speciem,
et non concupiscas mulierem in specie.

29 Mulieris ira, et irreverentia,
et confusio magna.

30 Mulier si primatum habeat,
contraria est viro suo.

31 Cor humile, et facies tristis,
et plaga cordis, mulier nequam.

32 Manus debiles et genua dissoluta,
mulier quæ non beatificat virum suum.

33 A muliere initium factum est peccati,
et per illam omnes morimur.

34 Non des aquæ tuæ exitum, nec modicum:
nec mulieri nequam veniam prodeundi.

35 Si non ambulaverit ad manum tuam,
confundet te in conspectu inimicorum.

36 A carnibus tuis abscinde illam,
ne semper te abutatur.]