CHAPTER 26
1 The husband of a good woman is blessed; for why the number of their years is double. [Blessed is the man of a good woman; the number forsooth of the years of him double.]
2 A strong woman, that is, against sins, delighteth her husband; and he shall [ful] fill in peace the years of his life.
3 A good woman is a good partner; in the good part of them that dread God, she shall be given to a man for [his] good deeds.
4 Forsooth if the heart of a rich man and of a poor man is good; in all time their cheer is glad.
5 Mine heart dreaded of three things, and my face dreaded [or was afeared] in the fourth thing. Betraying of a city, and the gathering together of people, that is, in conspiring of the people against the prince, and false challenge; all these things be more grievous on or than death.
6 The sorrow of heart, and mourning, is a jealous woman. In a jealous woman is beating of tongue, and she communeth with all men [or In a jealous woman scourge of tongue, to all communing].
7 As a yoke of oxes [or oxen] which is moved, so and a wicked woman; he that holdeth her, is as he that taketh [or caught] a scorpion.
8 A drunken woman is great ire [or wrath], and despising [or strife]; and her filth[hood] shall not be covered.
9 The fornication of a woman is in the raising of her eyes; and [she] shall be known in the eyelids of her.
10 Make thou firm the keeping in a daughter not turning away herself; lest she mis-use herself, if she findeth occasion.
11 Be thou ware of all unreverence of her eyes; and wonder thou not, if she despiseth thee.
12 As a way-goer thirsting shall open the mouth at a well, and shall drink of each water next; and the foresaid daughter shall sit against each pale, and shall open the arrow case against each arrow [or against all arrows shall open the quiver], till she fail.
13 The grace of a busy woman shall delight her husband [or her man]; and shall make fat his bones.
14 The knowing of her is the gift of God. A wise woman and a still is not [the] exchanging of a learned [or the taught] soul.
15 Grace [up] on grace is an holy woman, and shamefast. Forsooth all weighing is not worth a continent soul.
16 As the sun rising in the world in the highest things of God, so the fairness of a good woman is into the ornament, or the adornment [or adorning] of her house.
17 A lantern shining [up] on an holy candlestick, and the fairness of a face on steadfast [or stable] age, that is, as such a lantern lighteneth the church, and such a face maketh fair ripe age, so a good woman maketh fair her house.
18 Golden pillars on silvern founda-ments, and steadfast feet on the soles of a steadfast [or stable] woman. Ever-lasting foundaments on a firm stone, and the behests [or commandments] of God in the heart of an holy woman.
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28 In two things mine heart was made sorry [or sorrowful], and in the third thing wrathfulness came to me. A man warrior failing by neediness, and a wise man despised. And God hath made him ready to the sword, that passeth over from rightfulness [or over-goeth from rightwiseness] to sin.
29 Two species appeared hard and perilous to me; a merchant is de-livered of hard from his negligence, and a taverner shall not be justified of [or from] sins of lips.