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Wisdom of Ben Sira 9:1-2
New Catholic Bible
Wisdom of Ben Sira 9:1-2
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 9
Advice Concerning Women[a]
1 Do not be jealous of your beloved wife,
or you may thereby encourage her to cause you harm.[b]
2 Let no woman gain power over you
and thereby trample underfoot your strength.
Footnotes
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 9:1 The tradition of the sages of the East seems unanimous in placing naive souls on guard against feminine charms. Strongly marked by the society and mentality of that time, these counsels have not lost all value today; indeed, human relations are not simply a futile game, and sexuality should not be treated as something banal. Moreover, the fidelity of those who love one another cannot be achieved without some vigilance to guard one’s eyes and heart from easy and dangerous desires.
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 9:1 A husband’s jealousy may poison the marital relationship and lead the wife to do the very thing he was worried about in the first place.
