Texts in Conversation
The Hebrew version of Proverbs 18 says finding a wife a gift of God’s favor. Sirach reflects the Greek Septuagint translation that specifies a good wife, given to the man who fears God.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Proverbs 18:22
Hebrew Bible
20 From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied; with the product of his lips he will be satisfied. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love its use will eat its fruit. 22 The one who has found a wife has found what goodness is and obtained a delightful gift from the Lord. 23 A poor person makes supplications, but a rich man answers harshly. 24 There are companions who harm one another, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Sirach 26:3
Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
1 Happy is the husband of a good wife; the number of his days will be doubled. 2 A loyal wife brings joy to her husband, and he will complete his years in peace. 3 A good wife is a great blessing; she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord. 4 Whether rich or poor, his heart is content, and at all times his face is cheerful. 5 Of three things my heart is frightened, and of a fourth I am in great fear: Slander in the city, the gathering of a mob, and false accusation -- all these are worse than death.
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Notes and References
... V 3 is important for a proper perspective on Ben Sira’s ideas about the good wife: she is "a generous gift [presumably from God] bestowed on him who fears the Lord." Accordingly, the key to finding a good wife and enjoying a happy marriage is fear of the Lord. Compare Proverbs 18:22; 19:14. Wealth, though it helps, is not necessary in marriage (verse 4a); what is essential is a cheerful (literally, good) heart on the inside and "a smile" on the outside (verse 4b), and these come only when the husband, who is himself God-fearing (verse 3b), has "a good wife" (verse 3a). ...
Skehan, Patrick W.; Di Lella, Alexander A.
The Wisdom of Ben Sira: A New Translation with Notes, Introduction and Commentary
(p. 351) Doubleday, 1987
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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