The Wife, Good and Bad
Sirach 26
The chapter praises the blessing of a virtuous, discreet, and loving wife, whose grace gladdens her husband and brings peace to his house. By contrast it warns at length against a jealous, drunken, shameless, or immodest wife, and closes with a brief word on the temptations facing merchants and traders.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
1
BrentonBlessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double.
GreekΓυναικὸς ἀγαθῆς μακάριος ὁ ἀνὴρ, καὶ ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἡμερῶν αὐτοῦ διπλάσιος.
2
BrentonA virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.
GreekΓυνὴ ἀνδρεία εὐφραίνει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ἔτη αὐτοῦ πληρώσει ἐν εἰρήνῃ.
3
BrentonA good wife is a good portion, which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord.
GreekΓυνὴ ἀγαθὴ μερὶς ἀγαθὴ, ἐν μερίδι φοβουμένων Κύριον δοθήσεται.
4
BrentonWhether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart toward the Lord, he shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance.
GreekΠλουσίου δὲ καὶ πτωχοῦ καρδία ἀγαθὴ, ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ πρόσωπον ἱλαρόν.
5
BrentonThere be three things that mine heart feareth; 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.
GreekἈπὸ τριῶν εὐλαβήθη ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τετάρτῳ προσώπῳ ἐδεήθην· διαβολὴν πόλεως, καὶ ἐκκλησίαν ὄχλου, καὶ καταψευσμὸν ὑπὲρ θάνατον, πάντα μοχθηρά.
6
BrentonBut a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman, and a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.
GreekἌλγος καρδίας καὶ πένθος γυνὴ ἀντίζηλος ἐπὶ γυναικὶ, καὶ μάστιξ γλώσσης πᾶσιν ἐπικοινωνοῦσα.
7
BrentonAn evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.
GreekΒοοζύγιον σαλευόμενον γυνὴ πονηρὰ, ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς ὡς ὁ δρασσόμενος σκορπίου.
8
BrentonA drunken woman and a gadder abroad causeth great anger, and she will not cover her own shame.
GreekὈργὴ μεγάλη γυνὴ μέθυσος, καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς οὐ συγκαλύψει.
9
BrentonThe whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids.
GreekΠορνεία γυναικὸς ἐν μετεωρισμοῖς ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ ἐν τοῖς βλεφάροις αὐτῆς γνωσθήσεται.
10
BrentonIf thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.
GreekἘπὶ θυγατρὶ ἀδιατρέπτῳ στερέωσον φυλακὴν, ἵνα μὴ εὑροῦσα ἄνεσιν ἑαυτῇ χρήσηται.
11
BrentonWatch over an impudent eye: and marvel not if she trespass against thee.
GreekὈπίσω ἀναιδοῦς ὀφθαλμοῦ φύλαξαι, καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς ἐὰν εἰς σὲ πλημμελήσῃ·
12
BrentonShe will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain, and drink of every water near her: by every hedge will she sit down, and open her quiver against every arrow.
GreekὩς διψῶν ὁδοιπόρος τὸ στόμα ἀνοίγει, καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς ὕδατος τοῦ σύνεγγυς πίεται, κατέναντι παντὸς πασσάλου καθήσεται, καὶ ἔναντι βέλους ἀνοίξει φαρέτραν.
13
BrentonThe grace of a wife delighteth her husband, and her discretion will fatten his bones.
GreekΧάρις γυναικὸς τέρψει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτοῦ πιανεῖ ἡ ἐπιστήμη αὐτῆς.
14
BrentonA silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed.
GreekΔόσις Κυρίου γυνὴ σιγηρὰ, καὶ οὐκ ἐστιν ἀντάλλαγμα πεπαιδευμένης ψυχῆς.
15
BrentonA shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind cannot be valued.
GreekΧάρις ἐπὶ χάριτι γυνὴ αἰσχυντηρὰ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι σταθμὸς πᾶς ἄξιος ἐγκρατοῦς ψυχῆς.
16
BrentonAs the sun when it ariseth in the high heaven; so is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house.
GreekἭλιος ἀνατέλλων ἐν ὑψίστοις Κυρίου, καὶ κάλλος ἀγαθῆς γυναικὸς ἐν κόσμῳ οἰκίας αὐτοῦ.
17
BrentonAs the clear light is upon the holy candlestick: so is the beauty of the face in ripe age.
GreekΛύχνος ἐκλάμπων ἐπὶ λυχνίας ἁγίας, καὶ κάλλος προσώπου ἐπὶ ἡλικίᾳ στασίμῃ.
18
BrentonAs the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a constant heart.
GreekΣτύλοι χρύσεοι ἐπὶ βάσεως ἀργυρᾶς, καὶ πόδες ὡραῖοι ἐπὶ στέρνοις εὐσταθοῦς.
28
BrentonThere be two things that grieve my heart; and the third maketh me angry: a man of war that suffereth poverty; and men of understanding that are not set by: and one that returneth from righteousness to sin; the Lord prepareth such an one for the sword.
GreekΕπὶ δυσὶ λελύπηται ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τρίτῳ θυμός μοι ἐπῆλθεν· ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς ὑστερῶν διʼ ἔνδειαν, καὶ ἄνδρες συνετοὶ ἐὰν σκυβαλισθῶσιν· ἐπανάγων ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαν, ὁ Κύριος ἑτοιμάσει εἰς ῥομφαίαν αὐτόν.
29
BrentonA merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from sin.
GreekΜόλις ἐξελεῖται ἔμπορος ἀπὸ πλημμελείας, καὶ οὐ δικαιωθήσεται κάπηλος ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας.