Sirach 26
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1BLessed is the man that hathe a verteous wife: for the nomber of his yeres shalbe double. 2An honest woman reioyceth her housband, and she shal fill the yeres of his life with peace. 3A verteous woman is a good portion which shalbe giuen for a gift vnto suche as feare the Lord. 4Whether a man be riche or poore, he hathe a good heart toward the Lord, & they shal at all times haue a chereful countenance. 5¶There be thre things that mine heart feareth, & my face is afraied of the fourth: treason in a citie: the assemblie of the people, and false accusation: all these are heauier then death. 6¶But the sorow and grief of the heart is a woman that is ielous ouer another: and she that communeth with all, is a scourge of the tongue. 7An euil wife is as a yoke of oxen that drawe diuerse waies: he that hathe her, is as thogh he helde a scorpion. 8A drunken woman and suche as can not be tamed, is a great plague: for she can not couer her owne shame. 9The whordome of a woman may be knowen in the pride of her eyes, and eyeliddes. 10¶If thy daughter be not shamefast, holde her straitly, lest she abuse her self thorowe ouer muche libertie. 11Take hede of her that hathe an vnshamefast eye: & marueile not if she trespace against thee. 12As one that goeth by the way, and is thirstie, so shal she open her mouth, and drinke of euerie next water: by euerie hedge shal she sitte downe, & open her quiuer against euerie arowe. 13The grace of a wife reioyceth her housband, and fedeth his bones with her vnderstanding. 14A peaceable woman and of a good heart is a gift of the Lord, and there is nothing so muche worthe as a woman wel instructed. 15A shamefast & faithful woman is a double grace, and there is no weight to be compared vnto her continent minde. 16As the sunne when it ariseth in the high places of the Lord, so is the beautie of a good wife the ornament of her house. 17As the clere light is vpon the holie candlesticke, so is the beautie of the face in a ripe age. 18As the golden pillers are vpon the sockettes of siluer: so are faire fete with a constant minde. 19[Perpetual are the fundacions that be laide vpon a strong rocke: so are the commandements of God in the heart of an holie woman.] 20My sonne, kepe the strength of thine age stable, and giue not thy strength to strangers. 21When thou hast gotten a fruteful possession through all the fields, sowe it with thine owne sede, trusting in thy nobilitie. 22So thy stocke that shal liue after thee, shal growe, trusting in the great liberalitie of their nobilitie. 23An harlot is compared to a sowe: but the wife that is maried, is counted as a towre against death to her housband. 24A wicked woman is giuen as a rewarde to a wicked man: but a godlie woman is giuen to him that feareth the Lord. 25A shameles woman contemneth shame: but a shame fast woman wil reuerence her housband. 26A shameles woman is compared to a dogge: but she that is shamefast, reuerenceth the Lord. 27A woman that honoreth her housband, shalbe iudged wise of all: but she that despiseth him, shalbe blased for her pride. 28A lowde crying woman and a babler let her be soght out to driue away the enemies: the minde of euerie man that liueth with suche, shalbe conuersant among the troubles of warre. 29There be two things that grieue mine heart, and the thirde maketh me angrie: a man of warre that suffreth pouertie: and men of vnderstanding that are not set by: & when one departeth from righteousnes vnto sinne: the Lord appointeth suche to the sworde. 30[There be two things, which me thinke to be hard and perilous.] A marchant can not lightly kepe him from wrong, and a vitailer is not without sinne.
Chapters in Sirach