[Concerning the Subjection of a Wife to Her Husband, and that She Must Be Loving and Modest.]

VIII. Let the wife be obedient to her own proper husband, because “the husband is the head of the wife.”  32  1 Cor. xi. 3. 1 Cor. xi. 3. But Christ is the head of that husband who walks in the way of righteousness; and “the head of Christ is God,” even His Father. Therefore, O wife, next after the Almighty, our God and Father, the Lord of the present world and of the world to come, the Maker of everything that breathes, and of every power; and after His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom  33  “To whom be glory,” V. mss. “To whom be glory,” V. mss. glory be to God, do thou fear thy husband, and reverence him, pleasing him alone, rendering thyself acceptable to him in the several affairs of life, that so on thy account thy husband may be called blessed, according to the Wisdom of Solomon, which thus speaks: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more precious than costly stones. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that she shall have no need of spoil: for she does good to her husband all the days of her life. She buyeth wool and flax, and worketh profitable things with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships, she bringeth her food from far. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and food to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She tasteth that it is good to labour; her lamp goeth not out all the whole night. She stretcheth out her arms for useful work, and layeth her hands to the spindle. She openeth her hands to the needy; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the poor. Her husband takes no care of the affairs of his house; for all that are with her are clothed with double garments. She maketh coats for her husband, clothings of silk and purple. Her husband is eminent in the gates, when he sitteth with the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it to the Phœnicians, and girdles to the Canaanites. She is clothed with glory and beauty, and she rejoices in the last days. She openeth her mouth with wisdom and discretion, and puts her words in order. The ways of her household are strict; she eateth not the bread of idleness. She will open her mouth with wisdom and caution, and upon her tongue are the laws of mercy. Her children arise up and praise her for her riches, and her husband joins in her praises. Many daughters have obtained wealth and done worthily, but thou surpassest and excellest them all. May lying flatteries and the vain beauty of a wife be far from thee. For a religious wife is blessed. Let her praise the fear of the Lord:  34  [The incorrect rendering of the LXX. is here cited, as given in the text.—R.] [The incorrect rendering of the LXX. is here cited, as given in the text.—R.] give her of the fruits of her lips, and let her husband be praised in the gates.”  35  Prov. xxxi. 10, etc. Prov. xxxi. 10, etc. And again: “A virtuous wife is a crown to her husband.”  36  Prov. xii. 4 Prov. xii. 4 And again: “Many wives have built an house.”  37  [A.V., “Every wise woman buildeth her house.”—R.] Prov. xiv. 1. [A.V., “Every wise woman buildeth her house.”—R.] Prov. xiv. 1. You have learned what great commendations a prudent and loving wife receives from the Lord God. If thou desirest to be one of the faithful, and to please the Lord, O wife, do not superadd ornaments to thy beauty, in order to please other men; neither affect to wear fine broidering, garments, or shoes, to entice those who are allured by such things. For although thou dost not these wicked things with design of sinning thyself, but only for the sake of ornament and beauty, yet wilt thou not so escape future punishment, as having compelled another to look so hard at thee as to lust after thee, and as not having taken care both to avoid sin thyself, and the affording scandal to others. But if thou yield thyself up, and commit the crime, thou art both guilty of thy own sin, and the cause of the ruin of the other’s soul also. Besides, when thou hast committed lewdness with one man, and beginnest to despair, thou wilt again turn away from thy duty, and follow others, and grow past feeling; as says the divine word: “When a wicked man comes into the depth of evil, he becomes a scorner, and then disgrace and reproach come upon him.”  38  Prov. xviii. 3. Prov. xviii. 3. For such a woman afterward being wounded, ensnares without restraint the souls of the foolish. Let us learn, therefore, how the divine word triumphs over such women, saying: “I hated a woman who is a snare and net to the heart of men worse than death; her hands are fetters.”  39  Eccles. vii. 26. Eccles. vii. 26. And in another passage: “As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is beauty in a wicked woman.”  40  Prov. xi. 22. Prov. xi. 22. And again: “As a worm in wood, so does a wicked woman destroy her husband.”  41  Prov. xii. 4 in LXX. Prov. xii. 4 in LXX. And again: “It is better to dwell in the corner of the house-top, than with a contentious and an angry woman.”  42  Prov. xxi. 9, 19 Prov. xxi. 9, 19 You, therefore, who are Christian women, do not imitate such as these. But thou who designest to be faithful to thine own husband, take care to please him alone. And when thou art in the streets, cover thy head; for by such a covering thou wilt avoid being viewed of idle persons. Do not paint thy face, which is God’s workmanship; for there is no part of thee which wants ornament, inasmuch as all things which God has made are very good. But the lascivious additional adorning of what is already good is an affront to the bounty of the Creator. Look downward when thou walkest abroad, veiling thyself as becomes women.

[8] Ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ὑποτασσέσθω τῷ ἑαυτῆς ἀνδρί, ὅτι κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς ὁ ἀνὴρ ὑπάρχει, τοῦ δὲ ἀνδρὸς τοῦ πορευρομένου ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης κεφαλή ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός, τοῦ δὲ Χριστοῦ κεφαλὴ ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ αὐτοῦ. Μετὰ οὖν τὸν παντοκράτορα Θεὸν ἡμῶν καὶ Πατέρα, τοῦ τε ἐνεστῶτος καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος Κύριον, πάσης τε πνοῆς καὶ δυνάμεως δημιουργόν, καὶ τὸν ἠγαπημένον αὐτοῦ Υἱὸν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, δι' οὗ ἡ δόξα τῷ Θεῷ, φοβήθητί σου τὸν ἄνδρα, ὦ γύναι, καὶ ἐντράπηθι αὐτόν, ἀρέσκουσα μόνῳ αὐτῷ, ὑπάρχουσα αὐτῷ εὐάρεστος ἐν ταῖς διακονίαις αὐτοῦ, ἵνα καὶ ἐπὶ σοὶ μακαρισθῇ ὁ ἀνὴρ διὰ τῆς Σοφίας τῆς λεγούσης διὰ Σολομῶντος τάδε: «Γυναῖκα δὲ ἀνδρείαν τίς εὑρήσει; Τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστιν λίθων πολυτελῶν ἡ τοιαύτη, θαρσεῖ ἐπ' αὐτῇ ἡ καρδία τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς, ἡ τοιαύτη σκύλων οὐκ ἀπορήσει: ἐνεργεῖ γὰρ τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἀγαθὰ κατὰ πάντα τὸν βίον. Μυρευομένη ἔριον καὶ λίνον ἐποίησεν εὔχρηστα ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῆς, ἐγένετο ὡς ναῦς ἐμπορευομένη μακρόθεν συνάγουσα αὐτῷ τὸν βίον. Καὶ ἀνίσταται ἐκ νυκτῶν καὶ ἔδωκεν βρώματα τῷ οἴκῳ καὶ ἔργα ταῖς θεραπαίναις: θεωρήσασα γεώργιον ἐπρίατο, ἀπὸ δὲ καρπῶν τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς ἐφύτευσεν κτῆμα. Ἀναζωσαμένη τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτῆς ἤρεισεν τοὺς ἑαυτῆς βραχίονας, καὶ ἐγεύσατο, ὅτι καλὸν τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι, καὶ οὐκ ἀποσβέννυται αὐτῆς ὁ λύχνος ὅλην τὴν νύκτα: τοὺς πήχεις αὐτῆς ἐκτείνει εἰς τὰ χρήσιμα, τὰς χεῖρας ἐρείδει εἰς ἄτρακτον. Χεῖρας δὲ αὐτῆς διήνοιξεν πένητι, καρπὸν δὲ ἐξέτεινεν πτωχῷ. Οὐ φροντίζει τῶν ἐν οἴκῳ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, πάντες γὰρ οἱ παρ' αὐτῇ εἰσιν ἐνδεδυμένοι δισσὰς στολάς, καὶ χλαίνας ἐποίησεν τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς, ἐκ βύσσου καὶ πορφύρας ἐνδύματα. Περίβλεπτος δὲ γίνεται ἐν πύλαις ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, ἡνίκα ἂν κάθηται ἐν συνεδρίῳ μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν κατ' οἶκον. Σινδόνας ἐποίησεν καὶ ἀπέδοτο τοῖς Φοίνιξιν, περιζώματα δὲ τοῖς Χαναναίοις: ἰσχὺν καὶ εὐπρέπειαν ἐνεδύσατο, καὶ εὐφράνθη ἐν ἡμέραις ἐσχάταις. Τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς διήνοιξεν σοφῶς καὶ προσηκόντως, καὶ τάξιν ἐστείλατο τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτῆς: στεγναὶ διατριβαὶ οἴκων αὐτῆς, σῖτα δὲ ὀκνηρὰ οὐκ ἔφαγεν: τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς διήνοιξεν σοφῶς καὶ ἐννόμως, θεσμοὶ δὲ ἐλεημοσύνης αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τῆς γλώσσης αὐτῆς. Ἀνέστησαν τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς καὶ πλουτήσαντα ᾔνεσαν αὐτήν, καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ἐπῄνεσεν αὐτήν. Πολλαὶ θυγατέρες ἐκτήσαντο πλοῦτον, πολλαὶ ἐποίησαν δύναμιν: σὺ δὲ καθυπέρκησαι καὶ ὑπερῆρας πάσας. Ψευδεῖς ἀρέσκειαι καὶ μάταιον κάλλος γυναικὸς μὴ ἔστω ἐν σοί: γυνὴ γὰρ εὐσεβὴς εὐλογεῖται, φόβον δὲ Κυρίου αὐτὴ αἰνείτω. Δότε αὐτῇ ἀπὸ καρπῶν χειλέων αὐτῆς, καὶ αἰνείσθω ἐν πύλαις ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς.» Καὶ πάλιν: «Γυνὴ ἀνδρεία στέφανος τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς.» Καὶ πάλιν: «Πολλαὶ γυναῖκες ᾠκοδόμησαν οἶκον.» Μεμαθήκατε, ὁποῖα ἐγκώμια γυνὴ σώφρων καὶ φίλανδρος λαμβάνει ἀπὸ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰ πιστὴ καὶ ἀρεστὴ Κυρίῳ βούλει εἶναι, ὦ γύναι, μὴ καλλωπίζου ἐπὶ τῷ ἀρέσκειν σε ἀλλοτρίοις ἀνδράσιν, μηδὲ τὰ τῆς ἑταιριζομένης ἐμπλέγματα ἢ ἐνδύματα ἢ ὑποδέσεις μιμοῦ φορεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ ὑπάγεσθαι σε τοὺς εἰς τὰ τοιαῦτα παγιδευομένους. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ σὺ οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ταῦτα ποιεῖς τὰ μύση, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ μόνον καλλωπίζεσθαι, οὐδ' οὕτως ἐκφεύξῃ τὴν δίκην εἰς τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα, ἀναγκάσασα ἐπενεχθῆναί σοί τινα εἰς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαί σου, καὶ μὴ ἑαυτὴν φυλάξασα ἐπὶ τὸ μήτε σὲ ὑποπεσεῖν ἁμαρτίᾳ μήτε μὴν ἑτέρους σκανδάλῳ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἁμαρτήσεις ἐνδοῦσα ἑαυτήν, καὶ σὺ ἐπλημμέλησας κἀκείνου ἔνοχος τῆς ψυχῆς ἐγένου. Εἶτα ἁμαρτήσασα ἐφ' ἑνί, ὥσπερ ἀπογνοῦσα εἰσάπαξ, ἐφ' ἑτέρους ἐκτραπήσῃ πάλιν ἀπηλγηκυῖα, καθά φησιν ὁ θεῖος λόγος: «Ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἀσεβὴς εἰς βάθος κακῶν, καταφρονεῖ: ἐπέρχεται δὲ αὐτῷ ἀτιμία καὶ ὄνειδος.» Ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη λοιπὸν ἀφειδῶς τετρωμένη παγιδεύει ψυχὰς ἀφρόνων. Μάθωμεν οὖν καὶ τὰς τοιαύτας πῶς θριαμβεύει ὁ θεῖος λόγος φάσκων: «Ἐμίσησα ὑπὲρ τὸν θάνατον σὺν τὴν γυναῖκα, ἥτις ἐστὶ θήρευμα καὶ σαγήνη καρδίας, δεσμοὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτῆς.» Καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις: «Ὥσπερ ἐνώτιον χρυσοῦν ἐν ῥινὶ ὑός, οὕτως γυναικὶ κακόφρονι κάλλος.» Καὶ πάλιν: «Ὥσπερ ἐν ξύλῳ σκώληξ, οὕτως ἀπόλλυσιν ἄνδρα γυνὴ κακοποιός.» Καὶ πάλιν: «Κρεῖσσον ἐστὶν οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας ὑπαίθρου, ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς γλωσσώδους καὶ μαχίμης.» Μὴ οὖν μιμεῖσθε τὰς τοιαύτας γυναῖκας ὑμεῖς αἱ χριστιαναὶ ὑπάρχουσαι. Πιστὴ δὲ θέλουσα εἶναι, τῷ σῷ ἀνδρὶ πρόσεχε ἐπὶ τὸ ἀρέσκειν αὐτῷ μόνῳ, ἐν δὲ ταῖς πλατείαις σκέπουσα τὴν κεφαλήν σου: διὰ γὰρ τῆς ἐπικαλύψεως ἀποκλείσεις τὴν θέαν τοῖς περιεργοτέροις. Μὴ καταζωγράφει σου τὸ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ σοὶ πεποιημένον πρόσωπον: οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐν σοί, ὃ κοσμήσεως δέεται, ἐπείπερ: «Πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς, καλὰ λίαν»: ἀσελγὴς δὲ ἐν καλῷ ἐπικόσμησις τεχνίτου χάριν ἐνυβρίζει. Κάτω βλέπουσα τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν σου ποιοῦ περικαλύπτουσα ἑαυτήν, καθὼς πρέπει γυναιξίν.