Sirach 25

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN 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 With three things I am delighted, for they are pleasing to the LORD and to men: Harmony among brethren, friendship among neighbors, and the mutual love of husband and wife.
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 kinds of men I hate; their manner of life I loathe indeed: A proud pauper, a rich dissembler, and an old man lecherous in his dotage.
3 If you have gathered nothing in your youth, how can you discover anything in your old age?	3 What you have not saved in your youth, how will you acquire in your old age?
4 How fine a thing: sound judgement with grey hairs, and for greybeards to know how to advise!	4 How becoming to the gray-haired is judgment, and a knowledge of counsel to those on in years!
5 How fine a thing: wisdom in the aged, and considered advice coming from people of distinction!	5 How becoming to the aged is wisdom, understanding and prudence to the venerable!
6 The crown of the aged is ripe experience, their glory, the fear of the Lord.	6 The crown of old men is wide experience; their glory, the fear of the LORD.
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 are nine who come to my mind as blessed, a tenth whom my tongue proclaims: The man who finds joy in his children, and he who lives to see his enemies' downfall.
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 Happy is he who dwells with a sensible wife, and he who plows not like a donkey yoked with an ox. Happy is he who sins not with his tongue, and he who serves not his inferior.
9 happy is he who has acquired good sense and can find attentive ears for what he has to say;	9 Happy is he who finds a friend and he who speaks to attentive ears.
10 how great is he who has acquired wisdom; but unsurpassed is one who fears the Lord.	10 He who finds wisdom is great indeed, but not greater than he who fears the LORD.
11 The fear of the Lord surpasses everything; what can compare with someone who has mastered that?	11 Fear of the LORD surpasses all else. its possessor is beyond compare.
12	12 Worst of all wounds is that of the heart, worst of all evils is that of a woman.
13 Any wound rather than a wound of the heart! Any spite rather than the spite of woman!	13 Worst of all sufferings is that from one's foes, worst of all vengeance is that of one's enemies:
14 Any evil rather than an evil caused by an enemy! Any vengeance rather than the vengeance of a foe!	14 No poison worse than that of a serpent, no venom greater than that of a woman.
15 There is no poison worse than the poison of a snake, there is no fury worse than the fury of an enemy.	15 With a dragon or a lion I would rather dwell than live with an evil woman.
16 I would sooner keep house with a lion or a dragon than keep house with a spiteful wife.	16 Wickedness changes a woman's looks, and makes her sullen as a female bear.
17 A woman's spite changes her appearance and makes her face as grim as a bear's.	17 When her husband sits among his neighbors, a bitter sigh escapes him unawares.
18 When her husband goes out to dinner with his neighbours, he cannot help heaving bitter sighs.	18 There is scarce any evil like that in a woman; may she fall to the lot of the sinner!
19 No spite can approach the spite of a woman, may a sinner's lot be hers!	19 Like a sandy hill to aged feet is a railing wife to a quiet man.
20 Like the climbing of a sandhill for elderly feet, such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.	20 Stumble not through woman's beauty, nor be greedy for her wealth;
21 Do not be taken in by a woman's beauty, never lose your head over a woman.	21 The man is a slave, in disgrace and shame, when a wife supports her husband.
22 Bad temper, insolence and shame hold sway where the wife supports the husband.	22 Depressed mind, saddened face, broken heart--this from an evil wife. Feeble hands and quaking knees-- from a wife who brings no happiness to her husband.
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 In woman was sin's beginning, and because of her we all die.
24 Sin began with a woman, and thanks to her we must al die.	24 Allow water no outlet, and be not indulgent to an erring wife.
25 Do not let water find a leak, nor a spiteful woman give free rein to her tongue.	25 If she walks not by your side, cut her away from you.
26 If she wil not do as you tel her, get rid of her.