Wisdom of Sirach 26

1 ΓΥΝΑΙΚΟΣ ἀγαθῆς μακάριος ὁ ἀνήρ, καὶ ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἡμερῶν αὐτοῦ διπλάσιος.

1 Blessed is the man that has a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double.

2 γυνὴ ἀνδρεία εὐφραίνει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ἔτη αὐτοῦ πληρώσει ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

2 A virtuous woman rejoices her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

3 γυνὴ ἀγαθὴ μερὶς ἀγαθή, ἐν μερίδι φοβουμένων Κύριον δοθήσεται.

3 A good wife is a good portion, which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord.

4 πλουσίου δὲ καὶ πτωχοῦ καρδία ἀγαθή, ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ πρόσωπον ἱλαρόν.

4 Whether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart towards the Lord, he shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance.

5 ἀπὸ τριῶν εὐλαβήθη ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τετάρτῳ προσώπῳ ἐδεήθην· διαβολὴν πόλεως, καὶ ἐκκλησίαν ὄχλου, καὶ καταψευσμόν, ὑπὲρ θάνατον πάντα μοχθηρά.

5 There be three things that my heart fears; and for the fourth I was sore afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude, and a false accusation: all these are worse than death.

6 ἄλγος καρδίας καὶ πένθος γυνὴ ἀντίζηλος ἐπὶ γυναικὶ καὶ μάστιξ γλώσσης πᾶσιν ἐπικοινωνοῦσα.

6 But a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman, and a scourge of the tongue which communicates with all.

7 βοοζύγιον σαλευόμενον γυνὴ πονηρά, ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς ὡς ὁ δρασσόμενος σκορπίου.

7 An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that has hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.

8 ὀργὴ μεγάλη γυνὴ μέθυσος καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς οὐ συγκαλύψει.

8 A drunken woman and a gadder abroad causes great anger, and she will not cover her own shame.

9 πορνεία γυναικὸς ἐν μετεωρισμοῖς ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς βλεφάροις αὐτῆς γνωσθήσεται.

9 The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids.

10 ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ ἀδιατρέπτῳ στερέωσον φυλακήν, ἵνα μὴ εὑροῦσα ἄνεσιν ἑαυτῇ χρήσηται.

10 If your daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.

11 ὀπίσω ἀναιδοῦς ὀφθαλμοῦ φύλαξαι, καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς ἐὰν εἰς σὲ πλημμελήσῃ·

11 Watch over an impudent eye: and marvel not if she trespass against you.

12 ὡς διψῶν ὁδοιπόρος τὸ στόμα ἀνοίξει, καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς ὕδατος τοῦ σύνεγγυς πίεται, κατέναντι παντὸς πασσάλου καθήσεται καὶ ἔναντι βέλους ἀνοίξει φαρέτραν.

12 She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller when he has found a fountain, and drink of every water near her: by every hedge will she sit down, and open her quiver against every arrow.

13 χάρις γυναικὸς τέρψει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτοῦ πιανεῖ ἡ ἐπιστήμη αὐτῆς.

13 The grace of a wife delights her husband, and her discretion will fatten his bones.

14 δόσις Κυρίου γυνὴ σιγηρά, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀντάλλαγμα πεπαιδευμένης ψυχῆς.

14 A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed.

15 χάρις ἐπὶ χάριτι γυνὴ αἰσχυντηρά, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι σταθμὸς πᾶς ἄξιος ἐγκρατοῦς ψυχῆς.

15 A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind can’t be valued.

16 ἥλιος ἀνατέλλων ἐν ὑψίστοις Κυρίου καὶ κάλλος ἀγαθῆς γυναικὸς ἐν κόσμῳ οἰκίας αὐτῆς.

16 As the sun when it arises in the high heaven; so is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house.

17 λύχνος ἐκλάμπων ἐπὶ λυχνίας ἁγίας καὶ κάλλος προσώπου ἐπὶ ἡλικίᾳ στασίμῃ.

17 As the clear light is upon the holy candlestick; so is the beauty of the face in ripe age.

18 στύλοι χρύσεοι ἐπὶ βάσεως ἀργυρᾶς καὶ πόδες ὡραῖοι ἐπὶ στέρνοις εὐσταθοῦς. [19 Τέκνον, ἀκμὴν ἡλικίας σου συντήρησον ὑγιῆ, καὶ μὴ δῷς ἀλλοτρίοις τὴν ἰσχύν σου.

18 As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a constant heart.

20 ἀναζητήσας παντὸς πεδίου εὔγειον κλῆρον σπεῖρε τὰ ἴδια σπέρματα πεποιθὼς τῇ εὐγενείᾳ σου·

20 When you have gotten a fruitful possession through all the field, sow it with your own seed, trusting in the goodness of your stock.

21 οὕτως τὰ γενήματά σου περιόντα καὶ παρρησίαν εὐγενείας ἔχοντα μεγαλυνοῦσι.

21 So your race which you leave shall be magnified, having the confidence of their good descent.

22 γυνὴ μισθία ἴση σιάλῳ λογισθήσεται, ὕπανδρος δὲ πύργος θανάτου τοῖς χρωμένοις λογισθήσεται.

22 An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband.

23 γυνὴ ἀσεβὴς ἀνόμῳ μερὶς δοθήσεται, εὐσεβὴς δὲ δίδοται τῷ φοβουμένῳ τὸν Κύριον.

23 A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a godly woman is given to him that fears the Lord.

24 γυνὴ ἀσχήμων ἀτιμίαν κατατρίψει, θυγάτηρ δὲ εὐσχήμων καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐντραπήσεται.

24 A dishonest woman contemns shame: but an honest woman will reverence her husband.

25 γυνὴ ἀδιάτρεπτος ὡς κύων λογισθήσεται, ἡ δὲ ἔχουσα αἰσχύνην τὸν Κύριον φοβηθήσεται.

25 A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord.

26 γυνὴ ἄνδρα ἴδιον τιμῶσα σοφὴ πᾶσι φανήσεται, ἀτιμάζουσα δὲ ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ ἀσεβὴς πᾶσι γνωσθήσεται. γυναικὸς ἀγαθῆς μακάριος ὁ ἀνήρ, ὁ γὰρ ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἐτῶν αὐτοῦ διπλάσιος ἔσται.

26 A woman that honours her husband shall be judged wise of all; but she that dishonours him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all.

27 γυνὴ μεγαλόφωνος καὶ γλωσσώδης ὡς σάλπιγξ πολέμων εἰς τροπὴν θεωρηθήσεται, ἀνθρώπου δὲ παντὸς ψυχὴ ὁμοιότροπος τούτοις, πολέμου ἀκαταστασίαις τὴν ψυχὴν διαιτηθήσεται].

27 A loud crying woman and a scold shall be sought out to drive away the enemies.

28 Ἐπὶ δυσὶ λελύπηται ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τρίτῳ θυμός μοι ἐπῆλθεν· ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς ὑστερῶν δι᾿ ἔνδειαν, καὶ ἄνδρες συνετοὶ ἐὰν σκυβαλισθῶσιν, ἐπανάγων ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαν· ὁ Κύριος ἑτοιμάσει εἰς ρομφαίαν αὐτόν.

28 There be two things that grieve my heart; and the third makes me angry: a man of war that suffers poverty; and men of understanding that are not set by; and one that returns from righteousness to sin; the Lord prepares such an one for the sword.

29 Μόλις ἐξελεῖται ἔμπορος ἀπὸ πλημμελείας, καὶ οὐ δικαιωθήσεται κάπηλος ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας.

29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from sin.