Chapter 25

Love among people adorns wisdom; arrogance, falsehood, licentiousness – mock it. The crown of the aged is broad experience, and their praise is the fear of the Lord. No head is more poisonous than a serpent’s head; no rage stronger than the rage of an enemy. One can bear any wound except a heart wound; any malice except a woman’s malice. Sin began from a woman, and through her we all die.

Sirach 25:1. “Three things have I adorned myself with and become beautiful before the Lord and people:” 2. “This – harmony between brothers and love between neighbors, and a wife and husband living in agreement with one another.” 3. “And three kinds of people my soul has hated, and their life is very abominable to me:” 4. “The arrogant poor, the lying rich man, and the old man-adulterer, who lacks understanding.” 5. “What did you not gather in your youth – how then can you acquire it in your old age?” 6. “How befitting gray hair to judge, and for the aged to know how to give counsel!” 7. “How beautiful is the wisdom of the aged and how fitting for respectable people discretion and counsel!” 8. “The crown of the aged is broad experience, and the praise of them is the fear of the Lord.” 9. “Nine thoughts have I praised in my heart, and the tenth I will declare with my tongue:” 10. “This is a man who rejoices over his children and in his lifetime sees the downfall of his enemies.” 11. “Blessed is he who lives with a wise wife, who does not sin with his tongue and does not serve one unworthy of him.” 12. “Blessed is he who has acquired wisdom and conveys it to the ears of those who listen.” 13. “How great is he who has found wisdom! but he is not higher than one who fears the Lord.” 14. “The fear of the Lord surpasses all things, and with whom can the one who possesses it be compared?” 15. “One can bear any wound except a heart wound, and any malice except a woman’s malice,” 16. “any attack except an attack from those who hate, and any revenge except the revenge of enemies;” 17. “There is no head more poisonous than a serpent’s head, and no rage stronger than the rage of an enemy.” 18. “I would rather dwell with a lion and dragon than dwell with an evil woman.” 19. “A woman’s malice changes her appearance and makes her face dark like a bear’s.” 20. “Her husband sits among his friends and, hearing of her, sighs bitterly.” 21. “All malice is small in comparison with a woman’s malice; the lot of a sinner may fall upon her.” “21. The lot of a sinner may fall upon her – that is, the fate of a sinner may befall her.”

Sirach 25:22. “What climbing through deep sand is to the feet of an old man, such is a quarrelsome wife to a peaceful husband.” “22. For a peaceful husband, quieting and persuading his quarrelsome wife is just as difficult as climbing through deep sand for the feet of an old man.”

Sirach 25:23. “Do not stare at a woman’s beauty and do not lust for a wife.” 24. “Great shame and disgrace – when a woman will prevail over her husband.” 25. “A downcast heart and a sad face and a heart wound – an evil woman.” 26. “Drooping hands and slack knees – a woman who does not make her husband happy.” “26. A woman who does not make her husband happy is a spiritual and physical paralysis that causes a man to fall both physically and morally.”

Sirach 25:27. “Sin began from a woman, and through her we all die.” “27. See Gen 3.”

Sirach 25:28. “Do not give water an outlet, nor an evil woman – power;” 29. “if she does not walk under your hand, then cut her off from your flesh.” “29. Cut her off from your flesh – that is, divorce her.”