[That We Must Avoid the Choice of Younger Widows, Because of Suspicion.]
II. But let not the younger widows be placed in the order of widows, lest, under pretence of inability to contain in the flower of their age, they come to a second marriage, and become subject to imputation. But let them be assisted and supported, that so they may not, under pretence of being deserted, come to a second marriage, and so be ensnared in an unseemly imputation. For you ought to know this, that once marrying according to the law is righteous, as being according to the will of God; but second marriages, after the promise, are wicked, not on account of the marriage itself, but because of the falsehood. Third marriages are indications of incontinency. But such marriages as are beyond the third are manifest fornication, and unquestionable uncleanness. For God in the creation gave one woman to one man; for “they two shall be one flesh.” 7 Gen. ii. 24. But to the younger women let a second marriage be allowed after the death of their first husband, lest they fall into the condemnation of the devil, and many snares, and foolish lusts, which are hurtful to souls, and which bring upon them punishment rather than rest.
[2] Αἱ δὲ νεώτεραι χῆραι εἰς χηρικὸν μὲν μὴ ἐντασσέσθωσαν, μήποτε προφάσει τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι κρατεῖν τῆς ἀκμῆς ἐπὶ δευτερογαμίαν ἐλθοῦσαι ἐν πράγματι γένωνται: ἐπικουρείσθωσαν δὲ καὶ βοηθείσθωσαν, ἵνα μὴ προφάσει τοῦ λείπεσθαι ἐπὶ δευτερογαμίαν ἐλθοῦσαι ἐν πράγματι ἀπρεπεῖ ἐνσχεθῶσιν. Καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ εἰδέναι ὀφείλετε, ὅτι μονογαμία μὲν κατὰ νόμον γινομένη δικαία, ὡς ἂν κατὰ γνώμην Θεοῦ ὑπάρχουσα, διγαμία δὲ μετὰ ἐπαγγελίαν παράνομον, οὐ διὰ τὴν συνάφειαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ψεῦδος, τριγαμία δὲ ἀκρασίας σημεῖον, τὸ ὑπὲρ τὴν τριγαμίαν προφανὴς πορνεία καὶ ἀσέλγεια ἀναμφίβολος. Ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς μίαν γυναῖκα ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ δέδωκεν ἐν τῇ δημιουργίᾳ: «Ἔσονται γὰρ οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν.» Νεωτέραις δὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ πρώτου τελευτὴν συγκεχωρήσθω καὶ ὁ δεύτερος, ἵνα μὴ εἰς κρίμα τοῦ διαβόλου ἐμπέσωσιν καὶ παγίδας πολλὰς καὶ ἐπιθυμίας ἀνοήτους καὶ ἐπιζημίους ψυχαῖς, αἵτινες κόλασιν προξενοῦσιν μᾶλλον, ἢ ἄνεσιν.