Happy the man that has a faithful wife; his span of days is doubled.

Mulieris bonæ beatus vir: numerus enim annorum illius duplex.

Happy is the husband of a good wife: for the number of his years is double.

A wife industrious is the joy of her husband, and crowns all his years with peace.

Mulier fortis oblectat virum suum, et annos vitæ illius in pace implebit.

A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

He best thrives that best wives; where men fear God, this is the reward of their service,

Pars bona mulier bona, in parte timentium Deum dabitur viro pro factis bonis:

A good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds.

good cheer given to rich and poor alike; day in, day out, never a mournful look.

divitis autem et pauperis cor bonum, in omni tempore vultus illorum hilaris.

Rich or poor, if his heart is good, his countenance shall be cheerful at all times.

Three things daunt me somewhat, a fourth I dare not face.

A tribus timuit cor meum, et in quarto facies mea metuit:

Of three things my heart hath been afraid, and at the fourth my face hath trembled:

Gossip of the streets, the judgement of the rabble,

delaturam civitatis, et collectionem populi:

The accusation of a city, and the gathering together of the people:

and the false charge preferred, all these make death itself seem a light thing.

calumniam mendacem super mortem omnia gravia:

And a false calumny, all are more grievous than death.

But there is no affliction wrings the heart like a woman’s jealousy;

dolor cordis et luctus, mulier zelotypa.

A jealous woman is the grief and mourning of the heart.

once a woman grows jealous, her tongue is a scourge to all alike.

In muliere zelotypa flagellum linguæ, omnibus communicans.

With a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

Easier to guide an unsteady team of oxen than an ill woman; easier to hold a snake than to manage her.

Sicut boum jugum quod movetur, ita et mulier nequam: qui tenet illam quasi qui apprehendit scorpionem.

As a yoke of oxen that is moved to and fro, so also is a wicked woman: he that hath hold of her, is as he that taketh hold of a scorpion.

Woman that is a sot, vexation shall bring thee, and great dishonour; there is no hiding her shame.

Mulier ebriosa ira magna, et contumelia: et turpitudo illius non tegetur.

A drunken woman is a great wrath: and her reproach and shame shall not be hid.

Haughty gaze and lowered eye-lid, there goes a wanton.

Fornicatio mulieris in extollentia oculorum, et in palpebris illius agnoscetur.

The fornication of a woman shall be known by the haughtiness of her eyes, and by her eyelids.

Headstrong daughter must be held with a tight rein, or she will find opportunity to bestow her favours;

In filia non avertente se, firma custodiam, ne inventa occasione utatur se.

On a daughter that turneth not away herself, set a strict watch: lest finding an opportunity she abuse herself.

beware of that shameless eye, nor think it strange if she defies thee.

Ab omni irreverentia oculorum ejus cave, et ne mireris si te neglexerit.

Take heed of the impudence of her eyes, and wonder not if she slight thee.

Reckless thou wilt find her as thirsty traveller that puts his mouth to the spring and drinks what water he can get; no stake but she will make fast by it, no arrow comes amiss to her archery, till of dalliance she has had enough.

Sicut viator sitiens ad fontem os aperiet, et ab omni aqua proxima bibet, et contra omnem palum sedebit, et contra omnem sagittam aperiet pharetram donec deficiat.

She will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller to the fountain, and will drink of every water near her, and will sit down by every hedge, and open her quiver against every arrow, until she fail.

Great content an industrious wife brings to her husband; health to every bone of his body

Gratia mulieris sedulæ delectabit virum suum, et ossa illius impinguabit.

The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband, and shall fat his bones.

is that good sense of hers. No better gift of God to man

Disciplina illius datum Dei est.

Her discipline is the gift of God.

than a prudent woman that can hold her tongue; a soul well disciplined is beyond all price.

Mulier sensata et tacita, non est immutatio eruditæ animæ.

Such is a wise and silent woman, and there is nothing so much worth as a well instructed soul.

Grace so gracious is none as woman’s faithfulness and woman’s modesty;

Gratia super gratiam mulier sancta et pudorata.

A holy and shamefaced woman is grace upon grace.

woman’s continence there is no valuing.

Omnis autem ponderatio non est digna continentis animæ.

And no price is worthy of a continent soul.

Sun dawning in heaven cannot match the lustre a good wife sheds on her home,

Sicut sol oriens mundo in altissimis Dei, sic mulieris bonæ species in ornamentum domus ejus.

As the sun when it riseth to the world in the high places of God, so is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament of her house.

and that beauty lasts into ripe age, like the glow of lights on the holy lamp-stand.

Lucerna splendens super candelabrum sanctum, et species faciei super ætatem stabilem.

As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of the face in a ripe age,

Firm as golden pillar in silver socket rest the feet of steadfast woman on the ground she treads;

Columnæ aureæ super bases argenteas, et pedes firmi super plantas stabilis mulieris.

As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet upon the soles of a steady woman.

and firm as foundations built for all time on solid rock is holy woman’s loyalty to God’s commandments.

Fundamenta æterna supra petram solidam, et mandata Dei in corde mulieris sanctæ.

As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God in the heart of a holy woman.

Two sad sights my heart knows, and one more that fills it with indignation;

In duobus contristatum est cor meum, et in tertio iracundia mihi advenit:

At two things my heart is grieved, and the third bringeth anger upon me.

warrior left to starve, and wise counsellor unregarded,

vir bellator deficiens per inopiam; et vir sensatus contemptus;

A man of war fainting through poverty: and a man of sense despised:

and a man that leaves right living for ill-doing, ripe for God’s vengeance.

et qui transgreditur a justitia ad peccatum: Deus paravit eum ad rhomphæam.

And he that passeth over from justice to sin, God hath prepared such an one for the sword.

Two dangers I see that are hard to overcome. How shall a merchant be cured of careless dealing, or a huckster for his lying talk find pardon?

Duæ species difficiles et periculosæ mihi apparuerunt: difficile exuitur negotians a negligentia, et non justificabitur caupo a peccatis labiorum.

Two sorts of callings have appeared to me hard and dangerous: a merchant is hardly free from negligence: and a huckster shall not be justified from the sins of the lips.