Sirach 26 — WBMSE
26Verse 1The husband of a good woman is blessed; for why the number of their years is double [or the number for-sooth of the years of him double].Verse 2A strong woman, that is, against sins, delighteth her husband; and (he) shall [ful] fill in peace the years of his life.Verse 3A good woman is a good part (or partner); in the good part of them that dread God, she shall be given to a man for [his] good deeds.Verse 4Forsooth (if) the heart of a rich man and (or) of a poor man is good; in all time their cheer (or his face)is glad.Verse 5Mine heart dreaded of three things, and my face dreaded [or was afeared] in (or of) the fourth thing. Betraying of a city, and the gathering together of people, that is, in conspiring of the people against the prince, and false challenge; all (these) things (be more) grievous on (or worse than) death.Verse 6The sorrow of heart, and mourn-ing, is a jealous woman. In a jealous woman is(a) beating [or scourge] of (the) tongue, and she communeth with all men.Verse 7As a yoke of oxes [or oxen] which is moved, so and a wicked woman; he that holdeth her, is as he that taketh [or caught](hold of) a scorpion.Verse 8A drunken woman is great ire, and despising [or strife]; and her filth-(hood)[or nakedness] shall not be covered.Verse 9The fornication of a woman is in the raising of (her) eyes; and [she] shall be known in (or by) the eyelids of her.Verse 10Make thou firm the keeping in (or of) a daughter not turning away her-self; lest she mis-use herself, if she findeth (an) occasion.Verse 11Be thou ware of all unreverence of her eyes; and wonder thou not, if she despiseth thee.Verse 12As a way-goer thirsting shall open the mouth at a well, and shall drink of each water next; and the foresaid daughter shall sit against each pale, and shall open the arrow case against each arrow [or against all arrow(s) shall open the quiver], till she fail.Verse 13The grace of a busy woman shall delight her husband; and shall make fat his bones.Verse 14The cunning (or the knowing) of her is the gift of God. A wise woman and a still (one) is not (ex)changing of (or with) a learned [or the taught] soul.Verse 15Grace [up] on grace is an holy woman, and shamefast. Forsooth all weighing is not worth a continent soul.Verse 16As the sun rising in the world in the highest things of God, so the fairness of a good woman is into the ornament, or the adornment, of her house.Verse 17A lantern shining on an holy candlestick, and the fairness of a face on (or in)[the] steadfast age, that is, as such a lantern lighteneth the church, and such a face maketh fair ripe age, so a good woman maketh fair her house.Verse 18Golden pillars on silvern founda-ments (or foundations), and steadfast feet on the soles of a steadfast [or a stable] woman. Everlasting founda-ments on a firm stone, and the behests, (or the commands), [or the commandments] of God in the heart of an holy woman.Verse 19(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 20(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 21(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 22(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 23(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 24(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 25(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 26(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 27(This verse is omitted in the original text.)Verse 28In two things mine heart was made sorry [or is made sorrowful], and in the third thing wrathfulness came to me. A man warrior failing by neediness, and a wise man despised. And God hath made him ready to (or for) the sword, that passeth over [or over-goeth] from rightfulness [or rightwiseness] to sin.Verse 29Two species appeared hard and perilous to me; a merchant is deliver-ed of hard from his negligence, and a taverner shall not be justified of [or from](the) sins of lips.