Sirach 25 Clementine Vulgate
1 [In tribus placitum est spiritui meo, quæ sunt probata coram Deo et hominibus:
1 I enjoy three things, and they are beautiful before the Lord and men: the agreement of kindred, the friendship of neighbors, and a woman and her husband who walk together in agreement.
2 concordia fratrum, et amor proximorum, et vir et mulier bene sibi consentientes.
2 But my soul hates three sorts of people, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man who is arrogant, a rich man who is a liar, and an old fool who is an adulterer.
3 Tres species odivit anima mea, et aggravor valde animæ illorum:
3 If you gathered nothing in your youth, how could you find anything in your old age?
4 pauperem superbum, divitem mendacem, senem fatuum et insensatum.]
4 How beautiful a thing is judgment in the gray-haired, and for elders to know good counsel!
5 [Quæ in juventute tua non congregasti, quomodo in senectute tua invenies?
5 How beautiful is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men who are in honor!
6 Quam speciosum canitiei judicium, et presbyteris cognoscere consilium !
6 Much experience is the crown of the aged. Their glory is the fear of the Lord.
7 Quam speciosa veteranis sapientia, et gloriosus intellectus et consilium !
7 There are nine things that I have thought of, and in my heart counted happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: a man who has joy with his children, and a man who lives and sees the fall of his enemies.
8 Corona senum multa peritia, et gloria illorum timor Dei.]
8 Happy is he who dwells with a wife of understanding, he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served a man who is unworthy of him.
9 [Novem insuspicabilia cordis magnificavi: et decimum dicam in lingua hominibus:
9 Happy is he who has found prudence, and he who speaks in the ears of those who listen.
10 homo qui jucundatur in filiis, vivens et videns subversionem inimicorum suorum.
10 How great is he who has found wisdom! Yet there is none greater than one who fears the Lord.
11 Beatus qui habitat cum muliere sensata, et qui lingua sua non est lapsus, et qui non servivit indignis se.
11 The fear of the Lord surpasses all things. To whom shall he who holds it be likened?
12 Beatus qui invenit amicum verum, et qui enarrat justitiam auri audienti.
12 Not in this translation
13 Quam magnus qui invenit sapientiam et scientiam ! sed non est super timentem Dominum.
13 Any wound but a wound of the heart! Any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman!
14 Timor Dei super omnia se superposuit.
14 Any calamity but a calamity from those who hate me! Any vengeance but the vengeance of enemies!
15 Beatus homo cui donatum est habere timorem Dei: qui tenet illum, cui assimilabitur?
15 There is no venom worse than a snake’s venom. There is no wrath worse than an enemy’s wrath.
16 Timor Dei initium dilectionis ejus: fidei autem initium agglutinandum est ei.]
16 I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than keep house with a wicked woman.
17 [Omnis plaga tristitia cordis est, et omnis malitia nequitia mulieris.
17 The wickedness of a woman changes her appearance, and darkens her countenance like that of a bear.
18 Et omnem plagam, et non plagam videbit cordis:
18 Her husband will sit among his neighbors, and when he hears it, he sighs bitterly.
19 et omnem nequitiam, et non nequitiam mulieris:
19 All malice is small compared to the malice of a woman. Let the portion of a sinner fall on her.
20 et omnem obductum, et non obductum odientium:
20 As walking up a sandy hill is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.
21 et omnem vindictam, et non vindictam inimicorum.
21 Don’t be ensnared by a woman’s beauty. Don’t desire a woman for her beauty.
22 Non est caput nequius super caput colubri,
22 There is anger, impudence, and great reproach if a woman supports her husband.
23 et non est ira super iram mulieris. Commorari leoni et draconi placebit, quam habitare cum muliere nequam.
23 A wicked woman is abasement of heart, sadness of countenance, and a wounded heart. A woman who won’t make her husband happy is like hands that hang down, and weak knees.
24 Nequitia mulieris immutat faciem ejus: et obcæcat vultum suum tamquam ursus, et quasi saccum ostendit. In medio proximorum ejus
24 The beginning of sin came from a woman. Because of her, we all die.
25 ingemuit vir ejus, et audiens suspiravit modicum.
25 Don’t give water an outlet, and don’t give a wicked woman freedom of speech.
26 Brevis omnis malitia super malitiam mulieris: sors peccatorum cadat super illam.
26 If she doesn’t go as you direct, cut her away from your flesh.
27 Sicut ascensus arenosus in pedibus veterani, sic mulier linguata homini quieto.
27 Not in this translation
28 Ne respicias in mulieris speciem, et non concupiscas mulierem in specie.
28 Not in this translation
29 Mulieris ira, et irreverentia, et confusio magna.
29 Not in this translation
30 Mulier si primatum habeat, contraria est viro suo.
30 Not in this translation
31 Cor humile, et facies tristis, et plaga cordis, mulier nequam.
31 Not in this translation
32 Manus debiles et genua dissoluta, mulier quæ non beatificat virum suum.
32 Not in this translation
33 A muliere initium factum est peccati, et per illam omnes morimur.
33 Not in this translation
34 Non des aquæ tuæ exitum, nec modicum: nec mulieri nequam veniam prodeundi.
34 Not in this translation
35 Si non ambulaverit ad manum tuam, confundet te in conspectu inimicorum.
35 Not in this translation
36 A carnibus tuis abscinde illam, ne semper te abutatur.]
36 Not in this translation
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For either we shall have spoken in the ears of them that will hear, and our words will bear some fruit, namely an advantage to you (since the Sower soweth the Word upon every kind of mind; and the good and fertile bears fruit), or else you will depart despising this discourse of ours as you have despised others, and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)