德训篇 25

1With three things my spirit is pleased, which are approved before God and men:

2The concord of brethren, and the love of neighbours, and mall and wife that agree well together.

3Three sorts my soul hateth, and I am greatly grieved at their life:

4A poor man that is proud: a rich man that is a liar: an old man that is a fool, and doting.

5The things that thou hast not gathered in thy youth, how shalt thou find them in thy old age?

6O how comely is judgment for a grey head, and for ancients to know counsel!

7O how comely is wisdom for the aged, and understanding and counsel to men of honour!

8Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.

9Nine things that are not to be imagined by the heart have I magnified, and the tenth I will utter to men with my tongue.

10A man that hath joy of his children: and he that liveth and seeth the fall of his enemies.

11Blessed is he. that dwelleth with a wise woman, and that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served such as are unworthy of him.

12Blessed is he that findeth a true friend, and that declareth justice to an ear that heareth.

13How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge! but there is none above him that feareth the Lord.

14The fear of God hath set itself above all things:

15Blessed is the man, to whom it is given to have the fear of God: he that holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened?

16The fear of God is the beginning of his love: and the beginning of faith is to be fast joined unto it.

17The sadness of the heart is every plague: and the wickedness of a woman is all evil.

18And a man will choose any plague, but the plague of the heart:

19And ally wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

20And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate him:

21And ally revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

22There is no head worse than the head of a serpent:

23And there is no anger above the anger of a woman. It will be more agreeable to abide with a lion and a dragon, than to dwell with a wicked woman.

24The wickedness of a woman changeth her face: and she darkeneth her countenance as a bear: and sheweth it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbours,

25Her husband groaned, and hearing he sighed a little.

26All malice is shore to the malice of a woman, let the lot of sinners fall upon her.

27As the climbing of a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of tongue to a quiet man.

28Look not upon a woman’s beauty, and desire not a woman for beauty.

29A woman’s anger, and impudence, and confusion is great.

30A woman, if she have superiority, is contrary to her husband.

31A wicked woman abateth the courage, and maketh a heavy countenance, and a wounded heart.

32Feeble hands, and disjointed knees, a woman that doth not make her husband happy.

33From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her we all die.

34Give no issue to thy water, no, not a little: nor to a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.

35If she walk not at thy hand, she will confound thee in the sight of thy enemies.

36Cut her off from thy flesh, lest she always abuse thee.

1[In tribus placitum est spiritui meo, quæ sunt probata coram Deo et hominibus:

2concordia fratrum, et amor proximorum, et vir et mulier bene sibi consentientes.

3Tres species odivit anima mea, et aggravor valde animæ illorum:

4pauperem superbum, divitem mendacem, senem fatuum et insensatum.]

5[Quæ in juventute tua non congregasti, quomodo in senectute tua invenies?

6Quam speciosum canitiei judicium, et presbyteris cognoscere consilium !

7Quam speciosa veteranis sapientia, et gloriosus intellectus et consilium !

8Corona senum multa peritia, et gloria illorum timor Dei.]

9[Novem insuspicabilia cordis magnificavi: et decimum dicam in lingua hominibus:

10homo qui jucundatur in filiis, vivens et videns subversionem inimicorum suorum.

11Beatus qui habitat cum muliere sensata, et qui lingua sua non est lapsus, et qui non servivit indignis se.

12Beatus qui invenit amicum verum, et qui enarrat justitiam auri audienti.

13Quam magnus qui invenit sapientiam et scientiam ! sed non est super timentem Dominum.

14Timor Dei super omnia se superposuit.

15Beatus homo cui donatum est habere timorem Dei: qui tenet illum, cui assimilabitur?

16Timor Dei initium dilectionis ejus: fidei autem initium agglutinandum est ei.]

17[Omnis plaga tristitia cordis est, et omnis malitia nequitia mulieris.

18Et omnem plagam, et non plagam videbit cordis:

19et omnem nequitiam, et non nequitiam mulieris:

20et omnem obductum, et non obductum odientium:

21et omnem vindictam, et non vindictam inimicorum.

22Non est caput nequius super caput colubri,

23et non est ira super iram mulieris. Commorari leoni et draconi placebit, quam habitare cum muliere nequam.

24Nequitia mulieris immutat faciem ejus: et obcæcat vultum suum tamquam ursus, et quasi saccum ostendit. In medio proximorum ejus

25ingemuit vir ejus, et audiens suspiravit modicum.

26Brevis omnis malitia super malitiam mulieris: sors peccatorum cadat super illam.

27Sicut ascensus arenosus in pedibus veterani, sic mulier linguata homini quieto.

28Ne respicias in mulieris speciem, et non concupiscas mulierem in specie.

29Mulieris ira, et irreverentia, et confusio magna.

30Mulier si primatum habeat, contraria est viro suo.

31Cor humile, et facies tristis, et plaga cordis, mulier nequam.

32Manus debiles et genua dissoluta, mulier quæ non beatificat virum suum.

33A muliere initium factum est peccati, et per illam omnes morimur.

34Non des aquæ tuæ exitum, nec modicum: nec mulieri nequam veniam prodeundi.

35Si non ambulaverit ad manum tuam, confundet te in conspectu inimicorum.

36A carnibus tuis abscinde illam, ne semper te abutatur.]

1My spirit is pleased with three things; these are approved in the sight of God and men:

2the harmony of brothers, and the love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well together.

3My soul hates three kinds of things; and I am greatly distressed over their souls:

4an arrogant pauper, a wealthy liar, a foolish and senseless elder.

5The things that you have not obtained in your youth, how will you find them in your old age?

6How beautiful it is for a grey head to have judgment, and for elders to know counsel!

7How beautiful it is for those who are aged to have wisdom, and for those who are honored to have understanding and counsel!

8Great experience is the crown of the aged, and the fear of God is their glory.

9I have magnified nine things, overlooked by the heart; and a tenth, I will declare to men with my tongue:

10a man who finds joy in his children, and one who lives to see the undoing of his enemies.

11Blessed is he who lives with a wise wife, and he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served those unworthy of himself.

12Blessed is he who finds a true friend, and he who describes justice to an attentive ear.

13How great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge! But there is no one above him who fears the Lord.

14The fear of God has set itself above all things.

15Blessed is the man to whom it has been given to have the fear of God. He who holds to it, to whom can he be compared?

16The fear of God is the beginning of his love; and the beginning of faith has been joined closely to the same.

17The sadness of the heart is every wound. And the wickedness of a wife is every malice.

18And a man will choose any wound, but the wound of the heart,

19and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a wife,

20and any obstacle, but the obstacle of those who hate him,

21and any vindication, but the vindication of his enemies.

22There is no head worse than the head of a serpent,

23and there is no anger above the anger of a wife. It would be more agreeable to abide with a lion or a dragon, than to live with a wicked wife.

24A wicked wife changes her face. And she darkens her countenance like a bear. And she displays it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbors,

25her husband groans, and hearing of this, he sighs a little.

26All malice is brief compared to the malice of a wife. Let the fate of sinners fall upon her!

27As climbing over sand is to the feet of the aged, so is a talkative wife to a quiet man.

28You should not favor a woman’s beauty, and you should not desire a wife for her beauty.

29The anger and disrespect and shame from a wife can be great.

30The wife, if she has primacy, is set against her husband.

31A wicked wife debases the heart, and saddens the face, and wounds the heart.

32A wife who does not make her husband happy enfeebles the hands and weakens the knees.

33The beginning of sin came from a woman; and through her, we all die.

34You should not provide an exit to your water, not even a little; nor should you give permission for a wicked wife to exceed the limit.

35If she will not walk at your hand, she will confound you in the sight of your enemies.

36Tear her away from your body, lest she abuse you continually.