---
title: "Sirach 9 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/sirach/9/
description: "Cautions with regard to women, and dangerous conversations. Sirach 9 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Sirach 9

Sirach 9 is chapter 9 of 51 in the Book of Sirach. Here are all 25 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Cautions with regard to women, and dangerous conversations.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Sirach 9 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. You should not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, lest she reveal, because of you, the malice of a wicked lesson.
2. You should not give authority over your soul to a woman, lest she obtain your strength, and then you would be confounded.
3. You should not look with favor on a woman with many desires, lest perhaps you may fall into her traps.
4. You should not be continually in need of entertainment, nor should you be persuaded by it, lest perhaps you may perish by its effectiveness.
5. You should not stare at a virgin, lest perhaps you may be scandalized by her beauty.
6. You should not give your soul, in any way, to fornicators, lest you destroy yourself and your inheritance.
7. Do not choose to look around in the streets of the city, nor should you wander along its thoroughfares.
8. Avert your face from an ornate woman, for you should not gaze upon strange beauty.
9. Many have perished because of the beauty of a woman; and by this, desire is kindled like a fire.
10. Every woman who is a fornicator will be trampled down, like the filth in the street.
11. Many, by admiring the beauty of the wife of another, have become reprobate. For familiarity with her flares up like a fire.
12. You should not sit down at all with another man’s wife, nor recline with her on a couch.
13. And you should not argue with her over wine, lest perhaps your heart may turn toward her, and by your emotion, you would be toppled into perdition.
14. You should not abandon an old friend. For a new one will not be similar to him.
15. A new friend is like new wine. It will grow old, and then you will enjoy drinking it.
16. You should not envy the glory and wealth of a sinner. For you do not know what may be his undoing in the future.
17. The injury of the unjust should not please you, knowing that, until they are in hell, the impious will not please.
18. Keep yourself far from a man having the power to kill, and then you will not have the fear of death suspended over you.
19. But if you do approach him, do nothing to offend, lest perhaps he may take away your life.
20. Know that this is a communion with death. For you would be entering the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of the grieving.
21. According to your ability, be cautious of your neighbor, and treat him as the wise and prudent would.
22. Let just men be your companions, and let your glory be in the fear of God.
23. And let the thought of God be in your mind, and let all your discourse be on the precepts of the Most High.
24. Works will be praised for the hands of the artists, and a leader of the people will be praised for the wisdom of his words, yet truly, the word of the elders will be praised for its understanding.
25. A man full of words is a dread to his city, but one who speaks rashly will be hated for his word.

## Sirach 9 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Non zeles mulierem sinus tui, ne ostendat super te malitiam doctrinæ nequam.
2. Non des mulieri potestatem animæ tuæ, ne ingrediatur in virtutem tuam, et confundaris.
3. Ne respicias mulierem multivolam, ne forte incidas in laqueos illius.
4. Cum saltatrice ne assiduus sis, nec audias illam, ne forte pereas in efficacia illius.
5. Virginem ne conspicias, ne forte scandalizeris in decore illius.
6. Ne des fornicariis animam tuam in ullo, ne perdas te et hæreditatem tuam.
7. Noli circumspicere in vicis civitatis, nec oberraveris in plateis illius.
8. Averte faciem tuam a muliere compta, et ne circumspicias speciem alienam.
9. Propter speciem mulieris multi perierunt: et ex hoc concupiscentia quasi ignis exardescit.
10. Omnis mulier quæ est fornicaria, quasi stercus in via conculcabitur.
11. Speciem mulieris alienæ multi admirati, reprobi facti sunt: colloquium enim illius quasi ignis exardescit.
12. Cum aliena muliere ne sedeas omnino, nec accumbas cum ea super cubitum:
13. et non alterceris cum illa in vino, ne forte declinet cor tuum in illam, et sanguine tuo labaris in perditionem.
14. Ne derelinquas amicum antiquum: novus enim non erit similis illi.
15. Vinum novum amicus novus: veterascet, et cum suavitate bibes illud.
16. Non zeles gloriam et opes peccatoris: non enim scis quæ futura sit illius subversio.
17. Non placeat tibi injuria injustorum, sciens quoniam usque ad inferos non placebit impius.
18. Longe abesto ab homine potestatem habente occidendi, et non suspicaberis timorem mortis.
19. Et si accesseris ad illum, noli aliquid committere, ne forte auferat vitam tuam.
20. Communionem mortis scito, quoniam in medio laqueorum ingredieris, et super dolentium arma ambulabis.
21. Secundum virtutem tuam cave te a proximo tuo, et cum sapientibus et prudentibus tracta.
22. Viri justi sint tibi convivæ, et in timore Dei sit tibi gloriatio:
23. et in sensu sit tibi cogitatus Dei, et omnis enarratio tua in præceptis Altissimi.
24. In manu artificum opera laudabuntur, et princeps populi in sapientia sermonis sui, in sensu vero seniorum verbum.
25. Terribilis est in civitate sua homo linguosus: et temerarius in verbo suo odibilis erit.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).