³You have gathered nothing in your youth;
how then can you find anything in your old age?
⁴What an attractive thing is judgment in gray-haired men,
and for the aged to possess good counsel!
⁵How attractive is wisdom in the aged,
and understanding and counsel in honourable men!
⁶Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.

⁷With nine thoughts I have gladdened my heart,
and a tenth I shall tell with my tongue:
a man rejoicing in his children;
a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes;
⁸happy is he who lives with an intelligent wife,
and he who has not made a slip with his tongue,
and he who has not served a man inferior to himself;
⁹happy is he who has gained good sense,
and he who speaks to attentive listeners.
¹⁰How great is he who has gained wisdom!
But there is no one superior to him who fears the Lord.
¹¹The fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom shall be likened the one who holds it fast?

Women.  Sir.25.13-26.27

¹³Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a wife!
¹⁴Any attack, but not an attack from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
¹⁵There is no venom worse than a snake's venom,
and no wrath worse than an enemy's wrath.

¹⁶I would rather dwell with a lion
and a dragon than dwell with an evil wife.
¹⁷The wickedness of a wife changes her appearance,
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
¹⁸Her husband takes his meals among the neighbours,
and he cannot help sighing bitterly.
¹⁹Any iniquity is insignificant compared to a wife's iniquity;
may a sinner's lot befall her!
²⁰A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged -
such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.
²¹Do not be ensnared by a woman's beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.
²²There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
²³A dejected mind, a gloomy face,
and a wounded heart are caused by an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees are caused by the wife
who does not make her husband happy.
²⁴From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
²⁵Allow no outlet to water,
and no boldness of speech in an evil wife.
²⁶If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.