Sirach 9 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)

Advice concerning Women

9 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom,
or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.
2 Do not give yourself to a woman
and let her trample down your strength.
3 Do not go near a loose woman,
or you will fall into her snares.
4 Do not dally with a singing-girl,
or you will be caught by her tricks.
5 Do not look intently at a virgin,
or you may stumble and incur penalties for her.
6 Do not give yourself to prostitutes,
or you may lose your inheritance.
7 Do not look around in the streets of a city,
or wander about in its deserted sections.
8 Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman,
and do not gaze at beauty belonging to another;
many have been seduced by a woman’s beauty,
and by it passion is kindled like a fire.
9 Never dine with another man’s wife,
or revel with her at wine;
or your heart may turn aside to her,
and in blood[a] you may be plunged into destruction.

Choice of Friends

10 Do not abandon old friends,
for new ones cannot equal them.
A new friend is like new wine;
when it has aged, you can drink it with pleasure.

11 Do not envy the success of sinners,
for you do not know what their end will be like.
12 Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly;
remember that they will not be held guiltless all their lives.

13 Keep far from those who have power to kill,
and you will not be haunted by the fear of death.
But if you approach them, take no false step,
or they may rob you of your life.
Know that you are stepping among snares,
and that you are walking on the city battlements.

14 As much as you can, aim to know your neighbours,
and consult with the wise.
15 Let your conversation be with intelligent people,
and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High.
16 Let the righteous be your dinner companions,
and let your glory be in the fear of the Lord.

Concerning Rulers

17 A work is praised for the skill of the artisan;
so a people’s leader is proved wise by his words.
18 The loud of mouth are feared in their city,
and the one who is reckless in speech is hated.

Footnotes

  1. Sirach 9:9 Heb: Gk by your spirit

You Might Also Like:

Sirach 9 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

9 Love thou not jealously the woman of thy bosom; lest she show on thee the malice of evil doctrine. [Be thou not jealous to the woman of thy bosom; lest she show upon thee the malice of shrewd (or depraved) doctrine.] 2 Give thou not to a woman the power of (or over) thy soul; lest she enter in thy...
Read More

Sirach 9 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Advice Concerning Women9 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, and do not teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.2 Do not give yourself to a woman so that she gains mastery over your strength.3 Do not go to meet a loose woman, lest you fall into her snares.4 Do not associate with a woman s...
Read More

Sirach 9 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Advice Concerning Women9 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, and do not teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.2 Do not give yourself to a woman so that she gains mastery over your strength.3 Do not go to meet a loose woman, lest you fall into her snares.4 Do not associate with a woman s...
Read More

Sirach 9 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Advice concerning Women9 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.2 Do not give yourself to a woman and let her trample down your strength.3 Do not go near a loose woman, or you will fall into her snares.4 Do not dally with a singing girl, or...
Read More

Sirach 9 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Advice concerning Women9 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.2 Do not give yourself to a woman and let her trample down your strength.3 Do not go near a loose woman, or you will fall into her snares.4 Do not dally with a singing-girl, or...
Read More

Sirach 9 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Advice concerning Women9 Do not be jealous of the wife whom you embrace, or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.(A)2 Do not give yourself to a woman and let her trample down your strength.(B)3 Do not go near a loose woman,[a] or you may fall into her snares.(C)4 Do not dally with a fe...
Read More

Sirach 9 - Good News Translation (GNT)

Advice about Women9 (A)Don't be jealous of the wife you love. You will only be teaching her how to do you harm. 2 Do not surrender your dignity to any woman. 3 Keep away from other men's wives[a] or they will trap you. 4 Don't keep company with female musicians; they will trick you. 5 Don't look too...
Read More

Sirach 9 - Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

9 Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, lest she shew in thy regard the malice of a wicked lesson. 2 Give not the power of thy soul to a woman, lest she enter upon thy strength, and thou be confounded. 3 Look not upon a woman that hath a mind for many: lest thou fall into her snares. 4 Use not ...
Read More

Sirach 9 - Common English Bible (CEB)

Women and friends9 Don’t be jealousof your dearly loved wife or teach her a bad lesson that hurts you too.2 Don’t give yourself to a woman so that she crushes your strength.3 Don’t meet up with a female escort, since you might fall into her traps.4 Don’t hang aroundwith a female musician, since you ...
Read More