Chapter 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 fulfil 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.