Sirach 25

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 There are three things my soul delights in, and which are delightful to God and to all people: concordbetween brothers, friendship between neighbours, and a wife and husband who live happily together.	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 There are three sorts of people my soul hates, and whose existence I consider an outrage: the poorswol en with pride, the rich who is a liar and an adulterous old man who has no sense.	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 you have gathered nothing in your youth, how can you discover anything in your old age?	3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, how canst thou find any thing in thine age?
4 How fine a thing: sound judgement with grey hairs, and for greybeards to know how to advise!	4 O how comely a thing is judgment for gray hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!
5 How fine a thing: wisdom in the aged, and considered advice coming from people of distinction!	5 O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.
6 The crown of the aged is ripe experience, their glory, the fear of the Lord.	6 Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.
7 There are nine things I can think of which strike me as happy, and a tenth which is now on my tongue:the man who can be proud of his children, he who lives to see the downfal of his enemies;	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 happy is he who keeps house with a sensible wife; he who does not toil with ox and donkey; he whohas never sinned with his tongue; he who does not serve a man less worthy than himself;	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 happy is he who has acquired good sense and can find attentive ears for what he has to say;	9 Well is him that hath found prudence, and he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear:
10 how great is he who has acquired wisdom; but unsurpassed is one who fears the Lord.	10 O how great is he that findeth wisdom! yet is there none above him that feareth the Lord.
11 The fear of the Lord surpasses everything; what can compare with someone who has mastered that?	11 But the love of the Lord passeth all things for illumination: he that holdeth it, whereto shall he be likened?
12	12 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love: and faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him.
13 Any wound rather than a wound of the heart! Any spite rather than the spite of woman!	13 [Give me] any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:
14 Any evil rather than an evil caused by an enemy! Any vengeance rather than the vengeance of a foe!	14 And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.
15 There is no poison worse than the poison of a snake, there is no fury worse than the fury of an enemy.	15 There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.
16 I would sooner keep house with a lion or a dragon than keep house with a spiteful wife.	16 I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.
17 A woman's spite changes her appearance and makes her face as grim as a bear's.	17 The wickedness of a woman changeth her face, and darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth.
18 When her husband goes out to dinner with his neighbours, he cannot help heaving bitter sighs.	18 Her husband shall sit among his neighbours; and when he heareth it shall sigh bitterly.
19 No spite can approach the spite of a woman, may a sinner's lot be hers!	19 All wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman: let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.
20 Like the climbing of a sandhill for elderly feet, such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.	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 Do not be taken in by a woman's beauty, never lose your head over a woman.	21 Stumble not at the beauty of a woman, and desire her not for pleasure.
22 Bad temper, insolence and shame hold sway where the wife supports the husband.	22 A woman, if she maintain her husband, is full of anger, impudence, and much reproach.
23 Low spirits, gloomy face, stricken heart: such is a spiteful wife. Slack hands and sagging knees: suchis the wife who does not make her husband happy.	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 Sin began with a woman, and thanks to her we must al die.	24 Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.
25 Do not let water find a leak, nor a spiteful woman give free rein to her tongue.	25 Give the water no passage; neither a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.
26 If she wil not do as you tel her, get rid of her.	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.