| 1 My spirit is pleased with three things; these are approved in the sight of God and men: |
| 2 the harmony of brothers, and the love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well together. |
| 3 My soul hates three kinds of things; and I am greatly distressed over their souls: |
| 4 an arrogant pauper, a wealthy liar, a foolish and senseless elder. |
| 5 The things that you have not obtained in your youth, how will you find them in your old age? |
| 6 How beautiful it is for a grey head to have judgment, and for elders to know counsel! |
| 7 How beautiful it is for those who are aged to have wisdom, and for those who are honored to have understanding and counsel! |
| 8 Great experience is the crown of the aged, and the fear of God is their glory. |
| 9 I have magnified nine things, overlooked by the heart; and a tenth, I will declare to men with my tongue: |
| 10 a man who finds joy in his children, and one who lives to see the undoing of his enemies. |
| 11 Blessed is he who lives with a wise wife, and he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served those unworthy of himself. |
| 12 Blessed is he who finds a true friend, and he who describes justice to an attentive ear. |
| 13 How great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge! But there is no one above him who fears the Lord. |
| 14 The fear of God has set itself above all things. |
| 15 Blessed is the man to whom it has been given to have the fear of God. He who holds to it, to whom can he be compared? |
| 16 The fear of God is the beginning of his love; and the beginning of faith has been joined closely to the same. |
| 17 The sadness of the heart is every wound. And the wickedness of a wife is every malice. |
| 18 And a man will choose any wound, but the wound of the heart, |
| 19 and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a wife, |
| 20 and any obstacle, but the obstacle of those who hate him, |
| 21 and any vindication, but the vindication of his enemies. |
| 22 There is no head worse than the head of a serpent, |
| 23 and there is no anger above the anger of a wife. It would be more agreeable to abide with a lion or a dragon, than to live with a wicked wife. |
| 24 A wicked wife changes her face. And she darkens her countenance like a bear. And she displays it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbors, |
| 25 her husband groans, and hearing of this, he sighs a little. |
| 26 All malice is brief compared to the malice of a wife. Let the fate of sinners fall upon her! |
| 27 As climbing over sand is to the feet of the aged, so is a talkative wife to a quiet man. |
| 28 You should not favor a woman’s beauty, and you should not desire a wife for her beauty. |
| 29 The anger and disrespect and shame from a wife can be great. |
| 30 The wife, if she has primacy, is set against her husband. |
| 31 A wicked wife debases the heart, and saddens the face, and wounds the heart. |
| 32 A wife who does not make her husband happy enfeebles the hands and weakens the knees. |
| 33 The beginning of sin came from a woman; and through her, we all die. |
| 34 You should not provide an exit to your water, not even a little; nor should you give permission for a wicked wife to exceed the limit. |
| 35 If she will not walk at your hand, she will confound you in the sight of your enemies. |
| 36 Tear her away from your body, lest she abuse you continually. |