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CHAPTER 26
1 The husband of a good woman is blessed; for why the number of their years is double [or the number for-sooth 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 part (or 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 (or) of a poor man is good; in all time their cheer (or his face)is glad.
5 Mine heart dreaded of three things, and my face dreaded [or was afeared] in (or of) 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 worse than) death.
6 The sorrow of heart, and mourn-ing, is a jealous woman. In a jealous woman is(a) beating [or scourge] of (the) tongue, and she communeth with all men.
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](hold of) a scorpion.
8 A drunken woman is great ire, and despising [or strife]; and her filth-(hood)[or nakedness] shall not be covered.
9 The fornication of a woman is in the raising of (her) eyes; and [she] shall be known in (or by) the eyelids of her.
10 Make thou firm the keeping in (or of) a daughter not turning away her-self; lest she mis-use herself, if she findeth (an) 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 arrow(s) shall open the quiver], till she fail.
13 The grace of a busy woman shall delight her husband; and shall make fat his bones.
14 The cunning (or the knowing) of her is the gift of God. A wise woman and a still (one) is not (ex)changing of (or with) 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, of her house.
17 A lantern shining on an holy candlestick, and the fairness of a face on (or in)[the] steadfast 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 (or foundations), and steadfast feet on the soles of a steadfast [or a stable] woman. Everlasting founda-ments on a firm stone, and the behests, (or the commands), [or the commandments] of God in the heart of an holy woman.
19 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
20 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
21 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
22 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
23 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
24 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
25 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
26 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
27 (This verse is omitted in the original text.)
28 In two things mine heart was made sorry [or is made 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 (or for) the sword, that passeth over [or over-goeth] from rightfulness [or rightwiseness] to sin.
29 Two species appeared hard and perilous to me; a merchant is deliver-ed of hard from his negligence, and a taverner shall not be justified of [or from](the) sins of lips.

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