What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 25 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Ecclesiasticus 25 names three things pleasing the speaker and approved before God and men: brothers' concord, neighbor love and husband-wife agreement. Three hated sorts grieve his soul: proud poor man, lying rich man and doting foolish elder. He asks how youth-ungathered things can be found in age; judgment suits gray heads, counsel ancients and wisdom and understanding honorable people. Experience crowns elders and God-fear glorifies. The admitted numerical statement says nine things not to be imagined by heart have been magnified and a tenth will be spoken, not nine inwardly pondered. Listed blessings include joy in children and living to see enemies fall, wise wife, no tongue-slip, no unworthy service, true friend and justice to hearing ear. Wisdom and knowledge are great but none exceeds God-fear, set above all and incomparable in its recipient; fear begins love and faith's beginning is fast joined to it. Righteous children and wicked enemies are not specified.

The speaker then makes severe domestic comparisons: heart-sadness is every plague, woman's wickedness all evil; one chooses other plagues, wickedness, affliction or revenge over heart plague, wicked woman, hostile affliction or enemy vengeance. No head exceeds serpent evil or anger a woman's; lion and dragon company is preferable to wicked woman. Wickedness changes and darkens her face like bear and sackcloth among her neighbors; husband groans and hearing sighs little. Other malice is short before woman's malice, with sinners' lot wished upon her. A talkative wife burdens a quiet man like sandy climbing aged feet. These are attributed ancient assertions, not an independent medical or psychological diagnosis of women.

Do not seek a woman for beauty. Anger, impudence and confusion are great; a woman with superiority is contrary to husband. A wicked woman reduces courage, brings heavy face and wounded heart; feeble hands and disjointed knees accompany an unhappiness-causing woman. The text traces sin's beginning and common death to woman, commands no outlet even for water nor wicked woman's roaming liberty, predicts humiliation before enemies if she walks not at one's hand, and says cut her from flesh lest abuse persist. The literal water and separation language remains represented without adding venom, secret husband-distress or a guaranteed health-restoring modern household remedy.