Didascalia Apostolorum 3

1[i. 8] And let a woman also be subject to her husband; because the head of the woman is the man, and the head of a man [Eph 5.23; 1Cor 11.3] that walks in the way of justice is Christ. After the Lord Almighty, our God and the Father of the worlds, of the present and of that which is to come, and the Lord of every breath and of all powers, and His living and Holy Spirit -- to whom is glory and honour for evermore, Amen -- woman, fear [] thy husband and reverence him, and please him alone, and be ready to minister to him; and let thy hands be (put forth) to the wool, and thy mind be upon the spindle, as He saith in Wisdom:? 10A valiant woman who shall find? For she is more worth than goodly stones of great price; 11and the heart of her husband relieth upon her, and provision is not wanting to her, 12 For she is a helper to her husband in all things, and causeth that nothing be wanting to him in his living. 13She made wool and linen with her ready hands. 14She is become a good provider, as a merchant ship, and hath gathered all her riches from afar. 15She rose up in the night and gave victuals to her household, and work to her handmaids. 16She looked upon a .field, and bought it; and of the fruits of her hands she planted a possession.? 17She girded her loins with strength, and made firm her arms, 18and tasted that it is good to work:? and her lamp was not put out all the night long. 19Her arms she stretched forth with diligence, and her hands to the spindle.? 20Her hands she extended to the poor, and of her fruits she gave to the needy. 21And her husband hath no anxiety for the house; for all his household have been clothed with a double raiment. 22She made for her husband garments of fine linen and scarlet:? 23her husband is notable in the gates, when he sitteth in the seat of the elders. 24She made in her house linen cloths and girdles , and sold to the Canaanites. 25Strength and comeliness are her raiment:? and she shall rejoice (p. 8) in the last day.? 26She opened her mouth with wisdom and with prudence, and her tongue speaketh orderly. 27The ways of her house are strict:? and bread she hath not eaten slothfully.? She opened her mouth in wisdom, rightly:? 28and the law of mercy is upon her tongue. Her sons rose up and were enriched, and praised he:? and she shall rejoice in them in her last days. Her husband also [] congratulated her:? 29and her many daughters have gotten riches. And many great things she did, and she was exalted above all the women:? 30for a woman that feareth God shall be blessed, and the fear of the Lord shall glorify her. 31Give unto her of her fruits, which are worthy of her lips, and let her be praised in the gates:? and in every place let her husband be praised [Prov 31.10-31]. And again: A valiant woman is the crown of her husband [Prov 12.4]. You have heard, then, how great praise a chaste woman and one that loves her husband receives of the Lord God, one that is found faithful and is minded to please God. Thou therefore, O woman, shalt not adorn thyself that thou mayest please other men; and thou shalt not be plaited with the tresses of harlotry, nor put on the dress of harlotry, nor be shod with shoes so that thou resemble them that are such; lest thou bring upon thee those who are ensnared by these things. And if thou sin not thyself in this work of uncleanness, yet in this thou wilt have sinned, that thou hast [] constrained and caused that (man) to desire thee. But if thou also sin, thou hast destroyed thy life from God, and art become guilty also of the soul of that (man). And moreover, when thou hast sinned with one, thou wilt grow reckless and go also to others; as in Wisdom He said: When the wicked is come to the depth of evil, he contemneth and groweth reckless:? and there cometh upon him dishonour and reproach [Prov 18.3]. For one who is such that she is wholly stricken in her soul and taken with desire, leads captive the souls of them that lack understanding. But let us learn concerning these also, how the holy word in Wisdom exposes them; for it saith thus: As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, so is beauty to a woman that doeth evil [Prov 11.22]. And again: As a worm in wood, so doth an evil woman destroy a man [Prov 12.4]. And again: 13A woman void of understanding and boastful cometh to want bread, and knoweth no shame. 14For she sitteth in the street, by the door of her house, upon a high chair, 15and calleth to them that pass by the way, and to them that walk in her paths, and saith:? 16Whoso among you is a simpleton, let him draw nigh to me; and to him that wanteth understanding I will say:? 17Touch lovingly the hidden bread, and stolen waters that are sweet. 18And he knoweth not that valiant men perish with her, and come even to the depth of Sheol. But flee thou, and tarry not in that place; and lift not up thine eyes to look upon her [Prov 9.13-18]. And again: It is better to sit ?upon a corner of the roof than to dwell with a prating and quarrelsome woman within the house [Prov 21.9,19]. [] Thou therefore that art a Christian, (p. 9) do not imitate such women; but if thou wouldst be a faithful woman, please thy husband only. And when thou walkest in the street, cover thy head with thy robe, that by reason of thy veil thy great beauty may be hidden. And adorn not thy natural face; but walk with downcast looks, being veiled. [i. 9] And take heed that thou bathe not in a bath with men. For when there is a women's bath in the city or in the village, a believing woman may not bathe in a bath with men. For if thou coverest thy face from strange men with a veil of modesty, how then canst thou go in with strange men to a bath? But if there is no women's bath, and thou art constrained to bathe in a bath of men and women, -- which indeed is unfitting -- bathe with modesty and shame, and with bashfulness and moderation: and not at all times, nor every day, and not at midday; but let there be an appointed season for thee to bathe at, (to wit) at the tenth hour. For it behoves thee, as a believing woman, by every means to fly from the vain and curious gaze of the many which is met with in a bath. [i. 10] And thy strife with all, and especially with thy husband, check and restrain as a believing woman; lest thy husband, if he be a heathen, be offended by reason of thee and blaspheme against God, and thou receive a Woe from God:? for, Woe to them, by reason of whom the name of God is blasphemed [] among the gentiles [Isa 52.5; Rom 2.24]; or (lest) again, if thy husband be a believer, he be constrained, as one who knows the Scriptures, and say to thee the word from Wisdom: It is better to sit upon a corner of the roof than to dwell with a prating and quarrelsome woman within the house [Prov 21.9-10]. For it behoves women by a veil of modesty and humility to shew (their) fear of God, for the conversion and the increase of faith of them that are without, (both) of men and women. Now if we have admonished and instructed you in brief, our sisters and our daughters and our members, do you as wise women seek and choose out for yourselves those things that are good and honourable and without reproach in worldly conversation; and learn and know those things whereby you may arrive at the kingdom of our Lord, and may find rest, pleasing Him with good works.