Sirach 26

Wycliffe(i) 1 The hosebonde of a good womman is blessid; for whi the noumbre of her yeeris is double. 2 A strong womman delitith hir hosebonde; and shal fille in pees the yeeris of his lijf. 3 A good womman is a good part; in the good part of hem that dreden God, sche schal be youun to a man for goode dedis. 4 Forsothe the herte of a riche man and of a pore man is good; in al tyme her cheer is glad. 5 Myn herte dredde of thre thingis, and my face dredde in the fourthe thing. 6 Bitraiyng of a citee, and the gadering togidere of puple, 7 and fals chaleng; alle thingis greuouse on deth. 8 The sorewe of herte, and morenyng is a ielouse womman. 9 In a gelouse womman is betyng of tunge, and sche comyneth with alle men. 10 As a yok of oxis which is mouyd, so and a wickid womman; he that holdith hir, is as he that takith a scorpioun. 11 A drunkelew womman is greet ire, and dispisyng; and hir filthe schal not be hilid. 12 The fornycacioun of a womman is in the reisyng of yyen; and schal be knowun in the iye liddis of hir. 13 Make thou sad kepyng in a douytir not turnynge a wei hir silf; lest sche mysvse hir silf, if sche fyndith occasioun. 14 Be thou war of al vnreuerence of hir iyen; and wondre thou not, if sche dispisith thee. 15 As a weiegoere thirstynge schal opene the mouth at a welle, and schal drynke of ech watir next; and the forseid douytir schal sitte ayens ech pale, and schal opene the arowe caas ayens ech arowe, til sche faile. 16 The grace of a bisi womman schal delite hir hosebonde; and schal make fat hise boonus. 17 The kunnyng of hir is the yifte of God. 18 A wijs womman and stille is not chaungyng of a lernyd soule. 19 Grace on grace is an hooli womman, and schamfast. 20 Forsothe al weiyng is not worth a contynent soule. 21 As the sunne risynge in the world in the hiyeste thingis of God, so the fairnesse of a good womman is in to the ournement of hir hous. 22 A lanterne schynynge on an hooli candilstike, and the fairnesse of a face on stidfast age. 23 Goldun pileris on siluerne foundementis, and stidfast feet on the soolis of a stidfast womman. 24 Euerlastynge foundementis on a sad stoon, and the heestis of God in the herte of an hooli womman.