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.
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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.