Ecclesiasticus 25

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 In tribus placitum est spiritui meo, quæ sunt probata coram Deo et hominibus :	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.
2 concordia fratrum, et amor proximorum, et vir et mulier bene sibi consentientes.	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.
3 Tres species odivit anima mea, et aggravor valde animæ illorum :	3 If you have gathered nothing in your youth, how can you discover anything in your old age?
4 pauperem superbum, divitem mendacem, senem fatuum et insensatum.	4 How fine a thing: sound judgement with grey hairs, and for greybeards to know how to advise!
5 Quæ in juventute tua non congregasti, quomodo in senectute tua invenies ?	5 How fine a thing: wisdom in the aged, and considered advice coming from people of distinction!
6 Quam speciosum canitiei judicium, et presbyteris cognoscere consilium !	6 The crown of the aged is ripe experience, their glory, the fear of the Lord.
7 Quam speciosa veteranis sapientia, et gloriosus intellectus et consilium !	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;
8 Corona senum multa peritia, et gloria illorum timor Dei.	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;
9 Novem insuspicabilia cordis magnificavi : et decimum dicam in lingua hominibus :	9 happy is he who has acquired good sense and can find attentive ears for what he has to say;
10 homo qui jucundatur in filiis, vivens et videns subversionem inimicorum suorum.	10 how great is he who has acquired wisdom; but unsurpassed is one who fears the Lord.
11 Beatus qui habitat cum muliere sensata, et qui lingua sua non est lapsus, et qui non servivit indignis se.	11 The fear of the Lord surpasses everything; what can compare with someone who has mastered that?
12 Beatus qui invenit amicum verum, et qui enarrat justitiam auri audienti.	12
13 Quam magnus qui invenit sapientiam et scientiam ! sed non est super timentem Dominum.	13 Any wound rather than a wound of the heart! Any spite rather than the spite of woman!
14 Timor Dei super omnia se superposuit.	14 Any evil rather than an evil caused by an enemy! Any vengeance rather than the vengeance of a foe!
15 Beatus homo cui donatum est habere timorem Dei : qui tenet illum, cui assimilabitur ?	15 There is no poison worse than the poison of a snake, there is no fury worse than the fury of an enemy.
16 Timor Dei initium dilectionis ejus : fidei autem initium agglutinandum est ei.	16 I would sooner keep house with a lion or a dragon than keep house with a spiteful wife.
17 Omnis plaga tristitia cordis est, et omnis malitia nequitia mulieris.	17 A woman's spite changes her appearance and makes her face as grim as a bear's.
18 Et omnem plagam, et non plagam videbit cordis :	18 When her husband goes out to dinner with his neighbours, he cannot help heaving bitter sighs.
19 et omnem nequitiam, et non nequitiam mulieris :	19 No spite can approach the spite of a woman, may a sinner's lot be hers!
20 et omnem obductum, et non obductum odientium :	20 Like the climbing of a sandhill for elderly feet, such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.
21 et omnem vindictam, et non vindictam inimicorum.	21 Do not be taken in by a woman's beauty, never lose your head over a woman.
22 Non est caput nequius super caput colubri,	22 Bad temper, insolence and shame hold sway where the wife supports the husband.
23 et non est ira super iram mulieris. Commorari leoni et draconi placebit, quam habitare cum muliere nequam.	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.
24 Nequitia mulieris immutat faciem ejus : et obcæcat vultum suum tamquam ursus, et quasi saccum ostendit. In medio proximorum ejus	24 Sin began with a woman, and thanks to her we must al die.
25 ingemuit vir ejus, et audiens suspiravit modicum.	25 Do not let water find a leak, nor a spiteful woman give free rein to her tongue.
26 Brevis omnis malitia super malitiam mulieris : sors peccatorum cadat super illam.	26 If she wil not do as you tel her, get rid of her.
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.