Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 25
25
People Who Deserve Praise
1There are three things in which I take special delight — things that are beautiful to the Lord and human beings alike:#25.1 Some ancient translations There are… alike; Greek I was made beautiful in three ways and I stood before the Lord and human beings in beauty.
brothers who get along with each other,
neighbours who are friends,
and a married couple who are happy together.
2There are three kinds of people I cannot stand, whose behaviour I find highly offensive:
poor people who are arrogant,
rich people who lie,
and foolish old men who commit adultery.
3Unless you learn what you can while you are young, you will never be wise when you reach old age. 4Sound judgement, good advice, and grey hair go together beautifully. 5Wisdom, understanding, and sound counsel are appropriate to the aged and the respected. 6Elderly people wear the crown of long experience, and they can boast of nothing finer than their fear of the Lord.
7I will tell you about ten kinds of people that I feel fortunate to know, especially fortunate in the case of the tenth:
someone who takes pride in his children,
someone who lives to see his enemies fall,
8a man fortunate enough to have an understanding wife,
a married couple who are well-matched,#25.8 Hebrew and one ancient translation a married couple… well-matched; Greek does not have these words.
a person who never speaks sinfully,
a person who doesn't have to work for someone less competent than himself,
9someone fortunate enough to have a real friend,#25.9 Some ancient translations real friend; Greek good sense.
a person that people are happy to listen to,
10and the really great one: someone who is wise.
But the greatest one of all is the person who fears the Lord.
11Such a person has no equal, because the fear of the Lord is the most important thing in the world.#25.11 Some manuscripts add verse 12: Fearing the Lord is the first step towards loving him, and faith is the first step towards loyalty to him.
Women
13No wound is as serious as wounded love. No troubles are as serious as the troubles that women cause. 14No sufferings are worse than the sufferings caused by people who hate you. No revenge is worse than revenge taken by an enemy. 15No poison is deadlier than the poison of a snake, and no anger is deadlier than the anger of a woman.#25.15 Some ancient translations woman; Greek enemy.
16I would rather live in the same house with a lion or a dragon than with a bad wife. 17When a wife is in a bad mood, her expression changes until she looks like an angry bear. 18Her husband has to go and eat with the neighbours, where he can't hold back his bitter sighs.
19Compared with the troubles caused by a woman, any other trouble looks small. May such women suffer the fate of sinners!
20A quiet man living with a nagging wife is like an old man climbing up a sandy hill.
21Never lose your head over a woman's beauty, and don't try to win a woman because she is wealthy.#25.21 Hebrew because she is wealthy, Greek does not have these words. 22When a man is supported by his wife, there is sure to be anger, arrogance, and humiliation. 23A bad wife will make her husband gloomy and depressed, and break his heart. Show me a timid man who can never make up his mind, and I will show you a wife who doesn't make her husband happy. 24Sin began with a woman, and we must all die because of her. 25Don't let a bad wife have her way, any more than you would allow water to leak from your cistern. 26If she won't do as you tell her, divorce her.
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Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 25: GNBDC
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.