Don’t be jealous of the wife you love. You will only be teaching her how to do you harm. Do not surrender your dignity to any woman. Keep away from other men’s wives or they will trap you. Don’t keep company with female musicians; they will trick you. Don’t look too intently at a virgin, or you may find yourself forced to pay a bride price. Don’t give yourself to prostitutes, or you may lose everything you own. So don’t go looking about in the streets or wandering around in the run-down parts of town. When you see a good-looking woman, look the other way; don’t let your mind dwell on the beauty of any woman who is not your wife. Many men have been led astray by a woman’s beauty. It kindles passion as if it were fire. Don’t sit down to eat with another man’s wife or join her for a drink. You may give in to the temptation of her charms and be destroyed by your passion.
Sirach 9:1-9