Sirach 25
25
Sirach 25
Those Who Are Worthy of Praise
1 #
Lev 19.18; Ps 133.1; Sir 26.1–3; Rom 12.10 I take pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of God and of mortals:#25.1 Syr Lat: Gk In three things I was beautiful, and I stood in beauty before the Lord and mortals
agreement among brothers and sisters, friendship among neighbors,
and a wife and a husband who live in harmony.
2 #
Prov 17.7; Sir 20.24; 23.16 I hate three kinds of people,
and I loathe their manner of life:
a pauper who boasts, a rich person who lies,
and an old adulterer who lacks sense.
3 #
Prov 6.6–11
If you gathered nothing in your youth,
how can you find anything in your old age?
4 #
Job 32.7
How attractive is sound judgment in gray-haired women
and for aged men to possess good counsel!
5How attractive is wisdom in the aged
and understanding and counsel in the venerable!
6 #
Prov 16.31; Wis 8.8 Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.
7 #
Prov 10.1; 23.24 I can think of nine whom I would call happy,
and a tenth my tongue proclaims:
a man who can rejoice in his children,
who lives to see the downfall of his foes.
8 #
Deut 22.10; Sir 14.1 Happy the man who lives with a sensible wife
and who does not plow with ox and ass together,#25.8 Heb Syr: Gk lacks and the one who does not plow with ox and ass together
who does not slip with the tongue
and who has not become enslaved to an inferior.
9 #
Prov 3.13
Happy is the one who finds good sense
and the one who speaks to attentive listeners.
10 #
Prov 3.13; Sir 10.24 How great is the one who finds wisdom!
But none is superior to the one who fears the Lord.
11 #
Sir 23.27; 40.26 Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom can we compare the one who has it?#25.11 Other ancient authorities add as 25.12: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him.
Some Extreme Forms of Evil
13 #
v 19
; Prov 18.14; Eccl 7.26; Sir 42.13Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a woman!
14Any suffering, but not suffering from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
15There is no venom#25.15 Syr: Gk head worse than a snake’s venom#25.15 Syr: Gk head
and no anger worse than a woman’s#25.15 Other ancient authorities read an enemy’s wrath.
The Evil of a Wicked Woman
16 #
Prov 21.9, 19; 25.24 I would rather live with a lion and a dragon
than live with an evil woman.
17 #
Prov 17.12; Eccl 7.26; Sir 42.13 A woman’s wickedness changes her appearance
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
18Her husband sits#25.18 Heb Syr: Gk loses heart among the neighbors,
and he cannot help sighing#25.18 Other ancient authorities read and listening he sighs bitterly.
19 #
v 13
Any iniquity is small compared to a woman’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
20 #
Prov 21.19; Sir 26.27 A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife to a quiet husband.
21 #
Prov 6.25; Sir 9.8; 42.12 Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.#25.21 Heb Syr: Gk lacks for her possessions
22There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
23 #
Job 4.3, 4; Isa 35.3; Heb 12.12 Dejected mind, gloomy face,
and wounded heart come from an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
come from the wife who does not make her husband happy.
24 #
Gen 3.6; Rom 5.12; 1 Tim 2.14 From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
25 #
Prov 17.14
Allow no outlet to water
and no boldness of speech to an evil wife.
26 #
Deut 24.1; Mt 19.7 If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.
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Sirach 25: NRSVUE
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Sirach 25
25
Sirach 25
Those Who Are Worthy of Praise
1 #
Lev 19.18; Ps 133.1; Sir 26.1–3; Rom 12.10 I take pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of God and of mortals:#25.1 Syr Lat: Gk In three things I was beautiful, and I stood in beauty before the Lord and mortals
agreement among brothers and sisters, friendship among neighbors,
and a wife and a husband who live in harmony.
2 #
Prov 17.7; Sir 20.24; 23.16 I hate three kinds of people,
and I loathe their manner of life:
a pauper who boasts, a rich person who lies,
and an old adulterer who lacks sense.
3 #
Prov 6.6–11
If you gathered nothing in your youth,
how can you find anything in your old age?
4 #
Job 32.7
How attractive is sound judgment in gray-haired women
and for aged men to possess good counsel!
5How attractive is wisdom in the aged
and understanding and counsel in the venerable!
6 #
Prov 16.31; Wis 8.8 Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.
7 #
Prov 10.1; 23.24 I can think of nine whom I would call happy,
and a tenth my tongue proclaims:
a man who can rejoice in his children,
who lives to see the downfall of his foes.
8 #
Deut 22.10; Sir 14.1 Happy the man who lives with a sensible wife
and who does not plow with ox and ass together,#25.8 Heb Syr: Gk lacks and the one who does not plow with ox and ass together
who does not slip with the tongue
and who has not become enslaved to an inferior.
9 #
Prov 3.13
Happy is the one who finds good sense
and the one who speaks to attentive listeners.
10 #
Prov 3.13; Sir 10.24 How great is the one who finds wisdom!
But none is superior to the one who fears the Lord.
11 #
Sir 23.27; 40.26 Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom can we compare the one who has it?#25.11 Other ancient authorities add as 25.12: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him.
Some Extreme Forms of Evil
13 #
v 19
; Prov 18.14; Eccl 7.26; Sir 42.13Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a woman!
14Any suffering, but not suffering from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
15There is no venom#25.15 Syr: Gk head worse than a snake’s venom#25.15 Syr: Gk head
and no anger worse than a woman’s#25.15 Other ancient authorities read an enemy’s wrath.
The Evil of a Wicked Woman
16 #
Prov 21.9, 19; 25.24 I would rather live with a lion and a dragon
than live with an evil woman.
17 #
Prov 17.12; Eccl 7.26; Sir 42.13 A woman’s wickedness changes her appearance
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
18Her husband sits#25.18 Heb Syr: Gk loses heart among the neighbors,
and he cannot help sighing#25.18 Other ancient authorities read and listening he sighs bitterly.
19 #
v 13
Any iniquity is small compared to a woman’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
20 #
Prov 21.19; Sir 26.27 A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife to a quiet husband.
21 #
Prov 6.25; Sir 9.8; 42.12 Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.#25.21 Heb Syr: Gk lacks for her possessions
22There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
23 #
Job 4.3, 4; Isa 35.3; Heb 12.12 Dejected mind, gloomy face,
and wounded heart come from an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
come from the wife who does not make her husband happy.
24 #
Gen 3.6; Rom 5.12; 1 Tim 2.14 From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
25 #
Prov 17.14
Allow no outlet to water
and no boldness of speech to an evil wife.
26 #
Deut 24.1; Mt 19.7 If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.
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:
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.