| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ecclesiasticus
25
With three things my spirit is pleased, which are approved
before God and men:
The concord of brethren, and the love of neighbours,
and mall and wife that agree well together.
Three sorts my soul hateth, and I am greatly grieved
at their life:
A poor man that is proud: a rich man that is a liar:
an old man that is a fool, and doting.
The things that thou hast not gathered in thy youth,
how shalt thou find them in thy old age?
O how comely is judgment for a grey head, and for ancients
to know counsel!
O how comely is wisdom for the aged, and understanding
and counsel to men of honour!
Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear
of God is their glory.
Nine things that are not to be imagined by the heart
have I magnified, and the tenth I will utter to men
with my tongue.
A man that hath joy of his children: and he that liveth
and seeth the fall of his enemies.
Blessed is he. that dwelleth with a wise woman, and
that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath
not served such as are unworthy of him.
Blessed is he that findeth a true friend, and that declareth
justice to an ear that heareth.
How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge! but
there is none above him that feareth the Lord.
The fear of God hath set itself above all things:
Blessed is the man, to whom it is given to have the
fear of God: he that holdeth it, to whom shall he be
likened?
The fear of God is the beginning of his love: and the
beginning of faith is to be fast joined unto it.
The sadness of the heart is every plague: and the wickedness
of a woman is all evil.
And a man will choose any plague, but the plague of
the heart:
And ally wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:
And any affliction, but the affliction from them that
hate him:
And ally revenge, but the revenge of enemies.
There is no head worse than the head of a serpent:
And there is no anger above the anger of a woman. It
will be more agreeable to abide with a lion and a dragon,
than to dwell with a wicked woman.
The wickedness of a woman changeth her face: and she
darkeneth her countenance as a bear: and sheweth it
like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbours,
Her husband groaned, and hearing he sighed a little.
All malice is shore to the malice of a woman, let the
lot of sinners fall upon her.
As the climbing of a sandy way is to the feet of the
aged, so is a wife full of tongue to a quiet man.
Look not upon a woman's beauty, and desire not a woman
for beauty.
A woman's anger, and impudence, and confusion is great.
A woman, if she have superiority, is contrary to her
husband.
A wicked woman abateth the courage, and maketh a heavy
countenance, and a wounded heart.
Feeble hands, and disjointed knees, a woman that doth
not make her husband happy.
From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her
we all die.
Give no issue to thy water, no, not a little: nor to
a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.
If she walk not at thy hand, she will confound thee
in the sight of thy enemies.
Cut her off from thy flesh, lest she always abuse thee.
|