| 1 Beato il marito di una donna buona! A costui sono raddoppiati i giorni. | 1 Blessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double. |
| 2 La donna forte fa gioire il marito e porta a fine i suoi anni in pace. | 2 A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace. |
| 3 La donna buona è una buona sorte e viene data, come porzione, a chi teme il Signore! | 3 A good wife is a good portion, which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord. |
| 4 Costui, ricco o povero, è contento nel cuore ed è sempre ilare nel volto. | 4 Whether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart toward the Lord, he shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance. |
| 5 Da tre cose mi guardo il cuore e per la quarta visibilmente temo: chiacchiere in città, tumulti e calunnie — tutte cose più dolorose della morte; | 5 There be three things that mine heart feareth; and for the fourth I was sore afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude, and a false accusation: all these are worse than death. |
| 6 ma la donna gelosa è ambascia e dolore e flagello di lingua che mette tutti al corrente. i | 6 But a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman, and a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all. |
| 7 La donna cattiva è un giogo agitato di buoi; impadronirsene è acchiappare uno scorpione. | 7 An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion. |
| 8 Indigna fortemente una donna ubriaca; costei non può nascondere la propria laidezza. | 8 A drunken woman and a gadder abroad causeth great anger, and she will not cover her own shame. |
| 9 La disonestà di una donna è negli occhi immodesti: si noterà nelle sue pupille. | 9 The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids. |
| 10 Fa’ buona guardia a una figlia audace, perchè essa, trovata indulgenza, non se ne serva. | 10 If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty. |
| 11 Sorvegliala negli sguardi irriverenti; non meravigliarti qualora ti deluda. | 11 Watch over an impudent eye: and marvel not if she trespass against thee. |
| 12 Come un assetato che marcia e apre la bocca e beve di ogni acqua che trova, essa siede davanti a ogni palo e apre la faretra a ogni freccia. | 12 She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain, and drink of every water near her: by every hedge will she sit down, and open her quiver against every arrow. |
| 13 La grazia della donna fa gioire il marito e l’intelligenza di lei gli consolida le ossa. | 13 The grace of a wife delighteth her husband, and her discretion will fatten his bones. |
| 14 È dono del Signore la donna silenziosa; non c’è paragone per un’anima disciplinata. | 14 A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed. |
| 15 Grazia su grazia è una donna modesta; non c’è cosa che valga un’anima continente. | 15 A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind cannot be valued. |
| 16 Il sole sorge nei cieli del Signore; la bellezza di una donna buona adorna la casa. | 16 As the sun when it ariseth in the high heaven; so is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house. |
| 17 È lucerna che splende sul sacro candelabro, la bellezza del volto è la statura solida. | 17 As the clear light is upon the holy candlestick; so is the beauty of the face in ripe age. |
| 18 Sono colonne d’oro sopra basi d’argento, i bei piedi su solide piante. | 18 As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a constant heart. |
| 19 Due cose tengono triste il mio cuore, la terza mi dà sui nervi: un guerriero che viene meno per l’indigenza; uomini assennati, buttati nella polvere; colui che torna dalla rettitudine al peccato e a cui il Signore prepara la spada. | 19 My son, keep the flower of thine age sound; and give not thy strength to strangers. |
| 20 A stento il mercante può evitare la colpa, chi vende al minuto non può schivare il peccato. | 20 When thou hast gotten a fruitful possession through all the field, sow it with thine own seed, trusting in the goodness of thy stock. |
| 21 So thy race which thou leavest shall be magnified, having the confidence of their good descent. |
| 22 An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband. |
| 23 A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a godly woman is given to him that feareth the Lord. |
| 24 A dishonest woman contemneth shame: but an honest woman will reverence her husband. |
| 25 A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord. |
| 26 A woman that honoureth her husband shall be judged wise of all; but she that dishonoureth him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all. |
| 27 A loud crying woman and a scold shall be sought out to drive away the enemies. |
| 28 There be two things that grieve my heart; and the third maketh me angry: a man of war that suffereth poverty; and men of understanding that are not set by; and one that returneth from righteousness to sin; the Lord prepareth such an one for the sword. |
| 29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from sin. |
