प्रवक्ता ग्रन्थ 26

1Happy is the husband of a good wife: for the number of his years is double.

2A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband: and shall fulfill the years of his life in peace.

3A good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds.

4Rich or poor, if his heart is good, his countenance shall be cheerful at all times.

5Of three things my heart hath been afraid, and at the fourth my face hath trembled:

6The accusation of a city, and the gathering together of the people:

7And a false calumny, all are more grievous than death.

8A jealous woman is the grief and mourning of the heart.

9With a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

10As a yoke of oxen that is moved to and fro, so also is a wicked woman: he that hath hold of her, is as he that taketh hold of a scorpion.

11A drunken woman is a great wrath: and her reproach and shame shall not be hid.

12The fornication of a woman shall be known by the haughtiness of her eyes, and by her eyelids.

13On a daughter that turneth not away herself, set a strict watch: lest finding an opportunity she abuse herself.

14Take heed of the impudence of her eyes, and wonder not if she slight thee.

15She will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller to the fountain, and will drink of every water near her, and will sit down by every hedge, and open her quiver against every arrow, until she fail.

16The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband, and shall fat his bones.

17Her discipline is the gift of God.

18Such is a wise and silent woman, and there is nothing so much worth as a well instructed soul.

19A holy and shamefaced woman is grace upon grace.

20And no price is worthy of a continent soul.

21As the sun when it riseth to the world in the high places of God, so is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament of her house.

22As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of the face in a ripe age.

23As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet upon the soles of a steady woman.

24As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God In the heart of a holy woman.

25At two things my heart is grieved, and the third bringeth anger upon me:

26A man of was fainting through poverty: and a man of sense despised:

27And he that passeth over from justice to sin, God hath prepared such an one for the sword.

28Two sorts of callings have appeared to me hard and dangerous: a merchant is hardly free from negligence: and a huckster shall not be justified from the sins of the lips.

1[Mulieris bonæ beatus vir: numerus enim annorum illius duplex.

2Mulier fortis oblectat virum suum, et annos vitæ illius in pace implebit.

3Pars bona mulier bona, in parte timentium Deum dabitur viro pro factis bonis:

4divitis autem et pauperis cor bonum, in omni tempore vultus illorum hilaris.

5A tribus timuit cor meum, et in quarto facies mea metuit:

6delaturam civitatis, et collectionem populi:

7calumniam mendacem super mortem omnia gravia:

8dolor cordis et luctus, mulier zelotypa.

9In muliere zelotypa flagellum linguæ, omnibus communicans.

10Sicut boum jugum quod movetur, ita et mulier nequam: qui tenet illam quasi qui apprehendit scorpionem.

11Mulier ebriosa ira magna, et contumelia: et turpitudo illius non tegetur.

12Fornicatio mulieris in extollentia oculorum, et in palpebris illius agnoscetur.

13In filia non avertente se, firma custodiam, ne inventa occasione utatur se.

14Ab omni irreverentia oculorum ejus cave, et ne mireris si te neglexerit.

15Sicut viator sitiens ad fontem os aperiet, et ab omni aqua proxima bibet, et contra omnem palum sedebit, et contra omnem sagittam aperiet pharetram donec deficiat.

16Gratia mulieris sedulæ delectabit virum suum, et ossa illius impinguabit.

17Disciplina illius datum Dei est.

18Mulier sensata et tacita, non est immutatio eruditæ animæ.

19Gratia super gratiam mulier sancta et pudorata.

20Omnis autem ponderatio non est digna continentis animæ.

21Sicut sol oriens mundo in altissimis Dei, sic mulieris bonæ species in ornamentum domus ejus.

22Lucerna splendens super candelabrum sanctum, et species faciei super ætatem stabilem.

23Columnæ aureæ super bases argenteas, et pedes firmi super plantas stabilis mulieris.

24Fundamenta æterna supra petram solidam, et mandata Dei in corde mulieris sanctæ.]

25[In duobus contristatum est cor meum, et in tertio iracundia mihi advenit:

26vir bellator deficiens per inopiam; et vir sensatus contemptus;

27et qui transgreditur a justitia ad peccatum: Deus paravit eum ad rhomphæam.]

28[Duæ species difficiles et periculosæ mihi apparuerunt: difficile exuitur negotians a negligentia, et non justificabitur caupo a peccatis labiorum.]

1Blessed is the husband of a good wife. For the number of his years is doubled.

2A good wife delights her husband, and she will fill up the years of his life with peace.

3A good wife is a good portion. She will be given the portion of those who fear God, like a man who has done good deeds.

4But, rich or poor, with a good heart, his countenance will be cheerful at all times.

5Of three things, my heart has been afraid, and at a fourth, my face has shown dread:

6an accusation made by a city, and the gathering of a mob,

7and a deceitful false accusation. All these are more grievous than death.

8A jealous wife is a grief and a mourning to the heart.

9In a jealous wife, there is a scourge of the tongue, which communicates with everyone.

10Like a yoke of oxen being provoked, so also is a wicked wife. He who has hold of her is like one who has taken hold of a scorpion.

11An inebriated wife is a great wrath. And her disgrace and indecency will not be covered.

12The fornication of a wife will become known by the haughtiness of her eyes and by her eyelids.

13So that her daughter will not also turn away, keep a strict watch; otherwise, having found an opportunity, she may enjoy herself.

14Be wary of the irreverence of her eyes, and you should not wonder if she might disregard you.

15Like a thirsty traveler, she will open her mouth to the fountain, and she will drink from every water nearby, and she will sit down beside every fencepost, and she will open her quiver to every arrow, until she becomes weary.

16The grace of an attentive wife will delight her husband, and will fatten his bones.

17Her discipline is a gift from God.

18Such is an understanding and quiet wife. For there is no substitution for a well-instructed soul.

19A holy and contrite wife is grace upon grace.

20And no amount of money is equal to the value of a soul with self-restraint.

21Like the sun rising over the world in the high places of God, so the beauty of a good wife is the adornment of her house.

22Like a lamp shining atop a holy lampstand, so is the beauty of a face in the mature stage of life.

23Like golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet of a mature wife upon the soles of her feet.

24Like everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so are the commandments of God in the heart of a holy wife.

25By two things, my heart is greatly saddened, and at a third, anger overwhelms me:

26a man of war failing because of dire need, and an understanding man treated with contempt,

27and anyone who crosses over from justice to sin. God has prepared such a one for the spear.

28Two kinds of things have seemed difficult and dangerous to me: a merchant will not be easily freed from his negligence, and a shopkeeper will not be justified by the sins of his lips.