1 ① Happy the husband of a good wife, the number of his days will be doubled. 2A woman of character is her hus band’s joy, he will live in peace all the years of his life.
3A good wife is the best of gifts, reserved for those who fear the Lord; 4rich or poor, he will have a serene heart and a happy face.
5Three things disturb me and a fourth frightens me: neighborhood gossip, a rioting mob, a false accusation, all these are worse than death. 6But the woman jealous of another woman brings heartbreak, her tongue lashes out at everyone.
7A bad wife is like a badly fixed yoke; taking her is like grasping a scorpion.
8A drunken wife causes scandal; her disgrace will not remain hidden.
9A licentious woman is noticed by her secretive looks and recognized by her lively eyes. 10Keep a firm eye on a defiant daughter, so that she may not take advantage of some occasion.
11Guard against the provocative woman and do not be surprised if she wishes to drag you into disgrace.
12She opens her mouth like a thirsty traveler to drink any water coming her way; she sits by any pole and opens her quiver to every arrow.
13A wife’s grace gladdens her husband and her prudence refreshes his body. 14A wife who knows how to be silent is a gift from the Lord; the well-trained wife is invaluable. 15A modest wife is a favor among favors; the chaste wife is priceless.
16Like the sun rising over the mountains of the Lord, such is the enchantment of a good wife in a well-kept house.
17Like the light which shines from the sacred lampstand, such is a beautiful face in a well-shaped body. 18Like pillars of gold on a silver base, such are beautiful legs on sturdy feet.
19* 20* 21* 22* 23* 24* 25* 26* 27* 28There are two things which grieve me and a third which makes me angry: a warrior who suffers want; intelligent men who are treated contemptuously; a man who turns from virtue to sin. The Lord singles this man out to strike him down.
29The merchant can barely avoid greed; the shopkeeper cannot remain sinless.
- Sir 26,1 Ben Sira praises the perfect woman from a moral and physical viewpoint. With regard to this it would be necessary to show how the modern urban society is destructive of all those who are not in an independent situation. It is true for both man and woman, even if the latter does not know the slavery and endemic misery of Ben Sira's time. Today's cities offer an immense field of action for Christian family groups.
