Sirach 26
Wycliffe Bible
26 The husband of a good woman is blessed; for why the number of her years is double. [Blessed is the man of a good woman; the number forsooth of the years of him double.]
2 A strong woman, that is, against sins, delighteth her husband; and (he) shall [ful]fill in peace the years of his life.
3 A 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.
4 Forsooth (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. [Of rich forsooth and (or) poor the good heart; in all time the cheer of them gladsome.]
5 Mine heart dreaded of three things, and my face dreaded in (or of) the fourth thing [or Of three things dreaded mine heart, and in (or of) the fourth my face was afeared]. 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.
6 The sorrow of heart, and mourning, is a jealous woman. In a jealous woman is (a) beating of (the) tongue, and she communeth with all men. [Sorrow of heart, and wailing, a jealous woman. In a jealous woman scourge of tongue, to all communing.]
7 As a yoke of oxes which is moved, so and a wicked woman; he that holdeth her, is as he that taketh (hold of) a scorpion. [As a yoke of oxen that is moved, so a shrewd (or a depraved) woman; who holdeth her, as (if) he caught a scorpion.]
8 A drunken woman is great ire, and despising; and her filth(hood) shall not be covered. [A drunken woman great wrath and strife; the filthhood of her shall not be covered.]
9 The fornication of a woman is in the raising of (her) eyes; and [she] shall be known in (or by) the eyelids of her.
10 Make thou firm the keeping in (or of) a daughter not turning away herself; lest she mis-use herself, if she findeth (an) occasion. [In a daughter not turning away herself fasten ward; lest, occasion found, she mis-use herself.]
11 Be thou ware of all unreverence of her eyes; and wonder thou not, if she despiseth thee. [From or For all the irreverence of the eyes of her (be)ware; and not wonder thou, if she despise thee.]
12 As 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 and against all arrow(s) shall open the quiver], till she fail.
13 The grace of a busy woman shall delight her husband; and shall make fat his bones. [The grace of a busy woman shall delight her man; and the bones of him she shall fatten.]
14 The cunning (or the knowing) of her is the gift of God. A wise woman and a still (one) is not changing of a learned soul. [The discipline of her is the gift of God. A well-feeling woman and a still is not the changing of the taught soul.]
15 Grace [up]on grace is an holy woman, and shamefast. Forsooth all weighing is not worth a continent soul.
16 As 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, [or the adorning] of her house.
17 A lantern shining on an holy candlestick, and the fairness of a face on (or in) 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. [A shining lantern upon an holy candlestick, and the fairness of the face upon the stable age.]
18 Golden pillars on silvern foundaments, and steadfast feet on the soles of a steadfast [or a stable] woman. Everlasting foundaments on a firm stone, and the behests, (or the commands), [or the commandments] of God in the heart of an holy woman.
19 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
20 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
21 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
22 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
23 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
24 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
25 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
26 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
27 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
28 In two things mine heart was made sorry, 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 from rightfulness to sin. [In two things mine heart is made sorrowful, and in the third wrathing to me came. A man fighter failing by mis-ease, and a man well feeling, or perceiving, despised. And that over-goeth from rightwiseness to sin, God prepared him to (or for) a two-biting sword.]
29 Two species appeared hard and perilous to me; a merchant is delivered of hard from his negligence [or hard is delivered the chafferer from his negligence], and a taverner shall not be justified of [or from] (the) sins of lips.
2001 by Terence P. Noble