Sefarim
Ben Sira24
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 24
Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.
In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.
I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.
I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.
I alone compassed the circuit of shamayim, and walked in the bottom of the deep.
In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.
With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?
So the Creator of all things gave me a mitsvah, and he that made me caused my mishkan to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Ya'aqov, and thine inheritance in Yisra'el.
He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.
In the holy mishkan I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.
Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Yerushalayim was my power.
And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the master’s inheritance.
I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.
I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Yericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water.
I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the mishkan.
As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.
As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.
Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.
For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.
They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.
He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.
All these things are the book of the b'rit of the most high Elohim, even the torah which Mosheh commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Ya'aqov.
Faint not to be strong in the master; that he may confirm you, cleave unto him: for the master Almighty is Elohim alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour.
He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.
He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Yarden in the time of the harvest.
He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.
The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.
For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.
I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.
I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.
I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.
I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.
Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.
Sefarim
Ben Sira25
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 25
In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful both before Elohim and men: the unity of brethren, the love of neighbours, a man and a wife that agree together.
Three sorts of men my nephesh hateth, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a liar, and an old adulterer that doateth.
If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, how canst thou find any thing in thine age?
O how comely a thing is judgment for gray hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!
O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.
Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of Elohim is their glory.
There be nine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that hath joy of his children; and he that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:
Well is him that dwelleth with a wife of understanding, and that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served a man more unworthy than himself:
Well is him that hath found prudence, and he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear:
O how great is he that findeth wisdom! yet is there none above him that feareth the master.
But the love of the master passeth all things for illumination: he that holdeth it, whereto shall he be likened?
The fear of the master is the beginning of his love: and faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him.
Give me any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:
And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.
There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.
I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.
The wickedness of a woman changeth her face, and darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth.
Her husband shall sit among his neighbours; and when he heareth it shall sigh bitterly.
All wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman: let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.
As the climbing up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.
Stumble not at the beauty of a woman, and desire her not for pleasure.
A woman, if she maintain her husband, is full of anger, impudence, and much reproach.
A wicked woman abateth the courage, maketh an heavy countenance and a wounded heart: a woman that will not comfort her husband in distress maketh weak hands and feeble knees.
Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.
Give the water no passage; neither a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.
If she go not as thou wouldest have her, cut her off from thy flesh, and give her a bill of divorce, and let her go.
Sefarim
Ben Sira26
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 26
Blessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double.
A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.
A good wife is a good portion, which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the master.
Whether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart toward the master, he shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance.
There 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.
But 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.
An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.
A drunken woman and a gadder abroad causeth great anger, and she will not cover her own shame.
The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids.
If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.
Watch over an impudent eye: and marvel not if she trespass against thee.
She 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.
The grace of a wife delighteth her husband, and her discretion will fatten his bones.
A silent and loving woman is a gift of the master; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed.
A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind cannot be valued.
As the sun when it ariseth in the high shamayim; so is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house.
As the clear light is upon the holy candlestick; so is the beauty of the face in ripe age.
As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a constant heart.
My son, keep the flower of thine age sound; and give not thy strength to strangers.
When thou hast gotten a fruitful possession through all the field, sow it with thine own seed, trusting in the goodness of thy stock.
So thy race which thou leavest shall be magnified, having the confidence of their good descent.
An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband.
A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a godly woman is given to him that feareth the master.
A dishonest woman contemneth shame: but an honest woman will reverence her husband.
A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the master.
A woman that honoureth her husband shall be judged wise of all; but she that dishonoureth him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all.
A loud crying woman and a scold shall be sought out to drive away the enemies.
There 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 master prepareth such an one for the sword.
A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from sin.