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Of one who walks in the way of righteousness, the head is Christ, and the head of Christ is the God over all and his Father. After, therefore, our almighty God and Father, Lord of both the present and the future age, creator of every breath and power, and His beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom be glory to God, fear your husband, O wife, and reverence him, pleasing him alone, being well-pleasing to him in his services, so that your husband may be blessed on your account through Wisdom, who says these things through Solomon: “Who can find a virtuous woman? Such a one is more valuable than precious stones, the heart of her husband trusts in her, such a one will not lack spoils. For she works good for her husband all her life. Seeking wool and flax, she has made what is useful with her hands. She has become like a merchant ship, gathering his livelihood from afar. And she rises from the night and gives food to the household and tasks to the maidservants. Having considered a field, she bought it, and from the fruit of her hands she planted a possession. Having girded her loins, she strengthened her arms, and she tasted that it is good to work, and her lamp is not extinguished the whole night. She stretches out her arms to useful things, she sets her hands to the spindle. And she has opened her hands to the needy, and has stretched out fruit to the poor. Her husband does not worry about those in the house, for all who are with her are clothed with double garments, and she has made cloaks for her husband, garments of fine linen and purple. And her husband becomes notable in the gates, when he sits in council with the local elders. She made fine linen and sold it to the Phoenicians, and belts to the Canaanites. She has put on strength and dignity, and has rejoiced in the last days. She opened her mouth wisely and fittingly, and has appointed order to her tongue. The ways of her household are secure, and she has not eaten the bread of idleness. She opened her mouth wisely and lawfully, and the laws of her mercy are on her tongue. Her children rose up and, having become rich, praised her, and her husband praised her. Many daughters have acquired wealth, many have done mighty things; but you have surpassed and exceeded them all. Let deceitful graces and the vain beauty of a woman not be in you; for a pious woman is ble

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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. Oὐ 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 προσ ηκόντως, 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 εὐλο