Theme

Men and women

How the texts speak about men and women.

Judaism · Christianity

Torah

Berean Bible / Bible Hub

Genesis 5:2

Male and female He created them, and He blessed them. And in the day they were created, He called them “man.”

Exodus 18:21

Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Judaism · Christianity

Prophets & Writings

Berean Bible / Bible Hub

Micah 7:6

For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

Psalms 148:12

young men and maidens, old and young together.

Ezekiel 23:2

“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother,

Christianity

New Testament

Berean Bible / Bible Hub

1 Corinthians 7:3–4

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

1 Corinthians 11:8–11

For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels. In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

Ephesians 5:28

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Judaism

Talmud

Koren Publishers / Sefaria

Kiddushin 29a

MISHNA: With regard to all mitzvot of a son with regard to his father, men are obligated to perform them and women are exempt. And with regard to all mitzvot of a father with regard to his son, both men and women are obligated to perform them. The mishna notes an additional difference between the obligations of men and women in the performance of mitzvot: With regard to all positive, time-bound mitzvot, i.e., those which must be performed at specific times, men are obligated to perform them and women are exempt. And with regard to all positive mitzvot that are not time bound, both men and women are obligated to perform them.

Kiddushin 36a

MISHNA: With regard to the placing of hands on the head of an offering, and the waving of certain offerings, and the bringing near of meal-offerings to the corner of the altar, and the removal of a handful from meal-offerings, and the burning of sacrificial parts on the altar, and the pinching of bird-offerings, and the collecting of blood of offerings in a vessel, and the sprinkling of blood, these apply to men and not to women. All these mitzvot apply specifically to men and not to women, except for the meal-offering of a sota, and the meal-offering of a nazirite woman, which these women wave.

Ketubot 75a

The Gemara answers: There is a difference between a man and a woman in this regard, for it is amenable to her to be with any man, flawed though he may be, as taught by Reish Lakish: As Reish Lakish said that women say: It is better to dwell together as two [tan du] than to dwell alone as if a widow. Women will prefer any marriage to remaining single. Similarly, Abaye said that women say: One whose husband is small as an ant, nevertheless places her seat among the noblewomen, as she considers herself important by virtue of the mere fact that she is married.

Islam

Qur'an

Marmaduke Pickthall

Qur'an 4:34

Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great

Qur'an 4:7

Unto the men (of a family) belongeth a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, and unto the women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, whether it be little or much - a legal share

Qur'an 53:21

Are yours the males and His the females

Islam

Sahih al-Bukhari

Muhammad Muhsin Khan

Sahih al-Bukhari 5200

Narrated Ibn ʿUmar: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "All of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards. The ruler is a guardian and the man is a guardian of his family; the lady is a guardian and is responsible for her husband's house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards

Sahih al-Bukhari 981

Narrated Um-ʿAtiya: We were ordered to go out (for ʿId) and also to take along with us the menstruating women, mature girls and virgins staying in seclusion. (Ibn ʿAun said, "Or mature virgins staying in seclusion)." The menstruating women could present themselves at the religious gathering and invocation of Muslims but should keep away from their Musalla

Sahih al-Bukhari 5188

Narrated ʿAbdullah bin ʿUmar: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Everyone of you is a guardian and everyone of you is responsible (for his wards). A ruler is a guardian and is responsible(for his subjects); a man is a guardian of his family and responsible (for them); a wife is a guardian of her husband's house and she is responsible (for it), a slave is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible (for that). Beware! All of you are guardians and are responsible (for your wards)

Hinduism

Bhagavad Gita

Shri Purohit Swami

Bhagavad Gita 18:47

It is better to do one's own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never commits a sin.

Bhagavad Gita 18:44

Agriculture, the protection of cows, and trade are the duties of a trader, in accordance with his nature. The duty of a servant is to serve, which also agrees with his nature.

Bhagavad Gita 4:15

In the light of wisdom, our ancestors who sought deliverance performed their acts. Act thou also as our fathers of old did.

Hinduism

Upanishads

Swami Paramananda

Kena Upanishad 1.1

By whom commanded and directed does the mind go towards its objects? Commanded by whom does the life-force, the first (cause), move? At whose will do men utter speech? What power directs the eye and the ear?

Katha Upanishad 2.1–2

Yama said: The good is one thing and the pleasant another. These two, having different ends, bind a man. It is well with him who chooses the good. He who chooses the pleasant misses the true end. The good and the pleasant approach man; the wise examines both and discriminates between them; the wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the foolish man chooses the pleasant through love of bodily pleasure.

Katha Upanishad 2.20

The Self is subtler than the subtle, greater than the great; It dwells in the heart of each living being. He who is free from desire and free from grief, with mind and senses tranquil, beholds the glory of the Atman.

Buddhism

Dhammapada

Bhikkhu Sujato

Dhammapada 242

Misconduct is a woman’s stain. A giver’s stain is stinginess. Bad qualities are a stain in this world and the next.

Dhammapada 78

Don’t mix with bad friends, nor with the worst of men. Mix with spiritual friends, and with the best of men.

Dhammapada 332

In this world it’s a blessing to serve one’s mother and one’s father. And it’s a blessing also to serve ascetics and brahmins.

Buddhism

Buddhist Discourses

Bhikkhu Sujato

SN 3.16 A Daughter §3

“Well, some women are better than men, O ruler of the people. Wise and virtuous, a devoted wife whose mother-in-law is her queen. And when she has a son, he becomes a hero, O lord of the land. The son of such a blessed lady may even rule the realm.”

AN 1.281-283 §1

281–283 “It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a woman to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity. But it is possible for a man to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity.”

SN 37.3 Particular Suffering §1

“Mendicants, there are these five kinds of suffering that particularly apply to ladies. They’re undergone by ladies and not by men. What five? Firstly, a lady, while still young, goes to live with her husband’s family and is separated from her relatives. This is the first kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady undergoes the menstrual cycle. This is the second kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady undergoes pregnancy. This is the third kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady gives birth. This is the fourth kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady provides services for a man. This is the fifth kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. These are the five kinds of suffering that particularly apply to ladies. They’re undergone by ladies and not by men.”

Sikhism

Guru Granth Sahib

Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

Ang 1243

First Mehl: Women have become advisors, and men have become hunters. Humility, self-control and purity have run away; people eat the uneatable, forbidden food. Modesty has left her home, and honor has gone away with her. O Nanak, there is only One True Lord; do not bother to search for any other as true. ||2||

Ang 412

The men of the world are conquered by woman; they love the ladies. Attached to children and wife, they forget the Naam. They waste this human life in vain, and lose the game in the gamble. Serving the True Guru is the best occupation. ||3||

Ang 1252

The woman is transformed into a man, and the men into women. Says Kabeer, God is the Beloved of the Holy Saints. I am a sacrifice to His image. ||4||2||

Taoism

Tao Te Ching

James Legge

Tao Te Ching 60

Governing a great state is like cooking small fish. Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and the manes of the departed will not manifest their spiritual energy. It is not that those manes have not that spiritual energy, but it will not be employed to hurt men. It is not that it could not hurt men, but neither does the ruling sage hurt them. When these two do not injuriously affect each other, their good influences converge in the virtue (of the Tao).

Tao Te Ching 33

He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich; he who goes on acting with energy has a (firm) will. He who does not fail in the requirements of his position, continues long; he who dies and yet does not perish, has longevity.

Tao Te Ching 66

That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;—it is thus that they are the kings of them all. So it is that the sage (ruler), wishing to be above men, puts himself by his words below them, and, wishing to be before them, places his person behind them. In this way though he has his place above them, men do not feel his weight, nor though he has his place before them, do they feel it an injury to them. Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary of him. Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive with him.