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1 Blessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double. 2 A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace. 3 A good wife is a good portion, which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord. 4 Whether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart toward the Lord, he shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance. 5 There be three things that mine heart feareth; and for the fourth I was sore afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude, and a false accusation: all these are worse than death. 6 But a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman, and a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all. 7 An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion. 8 A drunken woman and a gadder abroad causeth great anger, and she will not cover her own shame. 9 The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids. 10 If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty. 11 Watch over an impudent eye: and marvel not if she trespass against thee. 12 She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain, and drink of every water near her: by every hedge will she sit down, and open her quiver against every arrow. 13 The grace of a wife delighteth her husband, and her discretion will fatten his bones. 14 A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed. 15 A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind cannot be valued. 16 As the sun when it ariseth in the high heaven; so is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house. 17 As the clear light is upon the holy candlestick; so is the beauty of the face in ripe age. 18 As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a constant heart. 19 My son, keep the flower of thine age sound; and give not thy strength to strangers. 20 When thou hast gotten a fruitful possession through all the field, sow it with thine own seed, trusting in the goodness of thy stock. 21 So thy race which thou leavest shall be magnified, having the confidence of their good descent. 22 An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband. 23 A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a godly woman is given to him that feareth the Lord. 24 A dishonest woman contemneth shame: but an honest woman will reverence her husband. 25 A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord. 26 A woman that honoureth her husband shall be judged wise of all; but she that dishonoureth him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all. 27 A loud crying woman and a scold shall be sought out to drive away the enemies. 28 There be two things that grieve my heart; and the third maketh me angry: a man of war that suffereth poverty; and men of understanding that are not set by; and one that returneth from righteousness to sin; the Lord prepareth such an one for the sword. 29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from sin.
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[AD 339] Eusebius of Caesarea on Sirach 26:3
“Your wife like a fruitful vine.” This is given to him who, though still imperfect, fears the Lord, but it does not hold for one who loves him with all his soul, all his heart and all his strength. For him, there are “those things that eye has not seen,” etc. To one who fears the Lord is given a consort of whom it is said, “A good wife is good fate” and “A strong woman, who can find her?” She is more precious than the most costly stones. An evil consort is wrath that comes from God.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 5:127
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Sirach 26:28
For who would choose to fatigue himself if was not to gain any good from his labor? So then he also who sows words, and tears, and confession, unless he does this with a good hope, will not be able to desist from sinning, being still held down by the evil of despair. But just as that farmer who despairs of any crop of fruit will not in the future hinder any of those things that damage the seeds, so also he who sows his confession with tears but does not expect any advantage for this will not be able to overthrow those things that spoil repentance. And what does spoil repentance is being again entangled in the same evils. “For there is one,” we read, “who builds, and one who pulls down; what have they gained more than toil? He who is dipped in water because of contact with a dead body and then touches it again, what has he gained by his washing?” Even so if someone fasts because of his sins and goes his way again and does the same things, who will listen to his prayer? And again we read, “If someone goes back from righteousness to sin, the Lord will prepare him for the sword,” and, “As a dog when he has returned to his vomit and become repugnant, so is a fool who by his wickedness has returned to his sin.”

Source: LETTER TO THE FALLEN THEODORE 1:18
[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 26:29
If we do not examine it closely, this passage seems contradictory and problematical. If in fact every merchant or shopkeeper merits condemnation, then no one who practices a trade can escape the same punishment. Is not a transaction the attempt to sell something at a higher price than what it cost? Elsewhere, we read in the Lives of the Fathers that Paphnutius, a very holy man, was compared by a divine revelation with a merchant, and even now we find some in the church who are dedicated to business but are very highly thought of. What is condemned is evil action, not honest activity, as when we read that a rich person will not enter the kingdom of heaven, though Job and the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were very rich. Therefore, only those merchants are considered blameworthy who, corrupted by an immoderate desire for money, never think of the Lord’s justice and fix their prices more to cheat people than to make an honest gain. Such were cast out of the temple by the Lord with the words, “Do not make of my Father’s house a marketplace and a den of thieves.”

Source: ON ECCLESIASTICUS 6:5