Sirach 25
The passage describes the beauty of harmony among brothers, love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well together, while also expressing disdain for arrogant paupers, wealthy liars, and foolish elders. It highlights the importance of wisdom, understanding, and the fear of God in the aged. The passage also lists various blessings, including finding joy in children, living with a wise wife, and having a true friend. However, it also warns of the dangers of a wicked wife, describing her as a source of malice, anger, and sadness, and advises against favoring a woman's beauty or giving a wicked wife too much freedom.
My spirit is pleased with three things; these are approved in the sight of God and menthe harmony of brothers, and the love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well togetherMy soul hates three kinds of things; and I am greatly distressed over their soulsan arrogant pauper, a wealthy liar, a foolish and senseless elderThe things that you have not obtained in your youth, how will you find them in your old ageHow beautiful it is for a grey head to have judgment, and for elders to know counselHow beautiful it is for those who are aged to have wisdom, and for those who are honored to have understanding and counselGreat experience is the crown of the aged, and the fear of God is their gloryI have magnified nine things, overlooked by the heart; and a tenth, I will declare to men with my tonguea man who finds joy in his children, and one who lives to see the undoing of his enemiesBlessed is he who lives with a wise wife, and he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served those unworthy of himselfBlessed is he who finds a true friend, and he who describes justice to an attentive earHow great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge! But there is no one above him who fears the LordThe fear of God has set itself above all thingsBlessed is the man to whom it has been given to have the fear of God. He who holds to it, to whom can he be comparedThe fear of God is the beginning of his love; and the beginning of faith has been joined closely to the sameThe sadness of the heart is every wound. And the wickedness of a wife is every maliceAnd a man will choose any wound, but the wound of the heartand any wickedness, but the wickedness of a wifeand any obstacle, but the obstacle of those who hate himand any vindication, but the vindication of his enemiesThere is no head worse than the head of a serpentand there is no anger above the anger of a wife. It would be more agreeable to abide with a lion or a dragon, than to live with a wicked wifeA wicked wife changes her face. And she darkens her countenance like a bear. And she displays it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighborsher husband groans, and hearing of this, he sighs a littleAll malice is brief compared to the malice of a wife. Let the fate of sinners fall upon herAs climbing over sand is to the feet of the aged, so is a talkative wife to a quiet manYou should not favor a woman’s beauty, and you should not desire a wife for her beautyThe anger and disrespect and shame from a wife can be greatThe wife, if she has primacy, is set against her husbandA wicked wife debases the heart, and saddens the face, and wounds the heartA wife who does not make her husband happy enfeebles the hands and weakens the kneesThe beginning of sin came from a woman; and through her, we all dieYou should not provide an exit to your water, not even a little; nor should you give permission for a wicked wife to exceed the limitIf she will not walk at your hand, she will confound you in the sight of your enemiesTear her away from your body, lest she abuse you continually
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