“Better is the wickedness of a man than a woman who does good; and it is a woman who brings shame and disgrace.”
{42:9} Filia patris abscondita est vigilia, et solicitudo eius aufert somnum, ne forte in adolescentia sua adulta efficiatur, et cum viro commorata odibilis fiat:
{42:9} The vigilance of a father for his daughter is hidden, and his concern for her takes away his sleep. For perhaps, in her adolescence, she might be brought into adulthood. Or when she lives with her husband, she might become hateful.
{42:10} nequando polluatur in virginitate sua, et in paternis suis gravida inveniatur: ne forte cum viro commorata transgrediatur, aut certe sterilis efficiatur.
{42:10} In her virginity, she might be defiled, and then she may be found to be pregnant in her father’s house. Or perhaps, when she lives with her husband, she might stray, or at least become barren.
{42:11} Super filiam luxuriosam confirma custodiam: ne quando faciat te in opprobrium venire inimicis, a detractione in civitate, et obiectione plebis, et confundat te in multitudine populi.
{42:11} Keep a close watch over a self-indulgent daughter. Otherwise, at some time, she might bring you into disgrace before your enemies, and into disrepute in the city, and into reproach among the people, and so she may confound you before the multitude of the people.
{42:12} Omni homini noli intendere in specie: et in medio mulierum noli commorari:
{42:12} She should not choose to gaze upon the beauty of every man, and she should not choose to spend her time in the midst of married women.
~ This passage is advice concerning how one’s young unmarried daughter should behave, in order to retain chastity. So, the verb was changed in translation to the third person singular, feminine, from the second person singular imperative. Looking at the attractiveness of every man is harmful to her chastity. So is spending time with married women, who might talk about marital relations, perhaps even in a crass manner.
{42:13} de vestimentis enim procedit tinea, et a muliere iniquitas viri.
{42:13} For a moth goes forth from garments, and iniquity over a man goes forth from a woman.
~ Iniquity pertaining to men, i.e. sins committed because of her attraction to a man, proceeds from a woman. Again, this advice pertains to a young unmarried daughter and is in the context of the previous verse about avoiding sins related to attraction of a young unmarried daughter to men.
{42:14} Melior est enim iniquitas viri, quam mulier benefaciens, et mulier confundens in opprobrium.
{42:14} Yet iniquity over a man is better for her than if a married woman, seeking to benefit her, instead leads her into confusion and disgrace.
~ Yet the iniquity of a man [sins of women pertaining to men] is better than a woman [an older married woman] seeking to benefit [the younger unmarried woman] and yet confusing her to her disgrace.
~ The sense of verse 14 is that even though the problems a daughter might encounter, which are warned against in verse 13, are harmful, there is a worse situation, that of married women influencing your daughter, leading her into confusion and disgrace. This passage is not saying that men’s sins are better than women’s sins. Rather, it is advice as to how to advise and govern a young unmarried daughter. If she hangs around older women, they might think to ‘help’ her by giving her advice about men which is not fitting to someone who is young and unmarried, so instead of benefiting her, they would lead her into confusion and disgrace. In other words, hanging around older married women might corrupt your virgin unmarried daughter, since they might talk about men in a licentious manner.
; and it is a woman who brings shame and disgrace.”