Ecclesiasticus 26

¹The husband of a good wife is happy: for the number of his years is double.

²A strong woman delighteth her husband, and shall accomplish the years of his life in peace.

³A good woman is a good portion, in the good portion of them that fear God shall she be given to a man for good deeds:

⁴And the heart of rich and poor is good, at all time their countenance is merry.

⁵Of three things my heart hath been afraid, and at the fourth my face hath trembled:

⁶The betraying of a city, and a gathering together of the people:

⁷false calumny, all more grievous than death.

⁸A jealous woman is the sorrow and mourning of the heart.

⁹In a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue, communicating with all.

¹⁰As a yoke of oxen that is moved, so also a wicked woman: he that holdeth her, is as he that taketh hold of a scorpion.

¹¹A woman given to drunkenness is great anger: & her contumely and turpitude shall not be hid.

¹²The fornication of a woman shall be known in the lifting up of her eyes, and in her eye-lids.

¹³On thy daughter that turneth not away herself, set sure watch: lest occasion found she abuse herself.

¹⁴Take heed of the impudency of her eyes, and marvel not if she contemn thee.

¹⁵As a wayfaring man that thirsteth, will she open her mouth to the fountain, and will drink of every water that is next, & will sit against every hedge, and open her quiver against every arrow, until she fail.

¹⁶The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband, and shall fat his bones.

¹⁷Her discipline is the gift of God.

¹⁸A wise and still woman, there is no exchange for a soul instructed.

¹⁹A holy, and shamefast woman, is grace upon grace.

²⁰And all weight is not worthy a continent soul.

²¹As the sun rising to the world in the highest places of God, so is the beauty of a good woman for an ornament of her house.

²²A lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, & the beauty of the face upon stayed age.

²³Pillars of gold upon feet of silver, and stable feet upon the soles of a stayed woman.

²⁴Eternal foundations upon a sound rock, and the commandments of God in the heart of a holy woman.

²⁵At two things my heart is grieved, and at the third anger is come upon me:

²⁶Aman of war decaying by poverty: and a wise man contemned:

²⁷and he that transgresseth from justice to sin, God hath prepared him to the sword.

²⁸Two sorts have appeared unto me hard and dangerous, a merchant is hardly rid of negligence: and a viteler shall not be justified from the sins of the lips.