The Instructor 2.12.129
Summary: The Christian woman's jewelry should be generosity, good works, modesty, self-control, and wisdom; the ears should not be pierced for earrings but opened to true teaching.
Greek text · Stählin 1:233–235
αὕτη γοῦν τοι ἕξις ἐστὶν ἀρκουμένη οἷς δεῖ καὶ διʼ αὑτῆς ποριστικὴ τῶν πρὸς τὸν μακάριον συντελούντων βίον. ἔστω οὖν ἐπὶ μὲν καρποῖς τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν κόσμος ἅγιος, εὐμετάδοτος κοινωνία καὶ ἔργα οἰκουρίας. »ὁ γὰρ διδοὺς πτωχῷ δανείζει θεῷ«, καὶ »χεῖρες ἀνδρείων πλουτίζουσιν.« ἀνδρείους τοὺς καταφρονοῦντας χρημάτων καὶ περὶ τὰς μεταδόσεις εὐκόλους εἴρηκεν. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ποδῶν ἡ ἄοκνος πρὸς εὐποιίαν ἑτοιμότης ἐπιφαινέσθω καὶ ἡ πρὸς δικαιοσύνην ὁδοιπορία. καθετῆρες δὲ καὶ περιδέραια αἰδὼς καὶ σωφροσύνη εἰσίν. τοιούτους ὅρμους χρυσοχοεῖ ὁ θεός. »μακάριος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς εὗρεν σοφίαν, καὶ θνητός, ὃς εἶδεν φρόνησιν«, διὰ Σολομῶντος τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει, »κρεῖσσον γὰρ αὐτὴν ἐμπορευθῆναι ἢ χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου θησαυρούς, τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστι λίθων πολυτελῶν.« αὕτη γὰρ ἡ ἀληθινὴ εὐκοσμία. τὰ δὲ ὦτα αὐταῖς παρὰ φύσιν μὴ τιτράσθω εἰς ἀπάρτησιν ἐλλοβίων καὶ πλάστρων· οὔτε γὰρ θέμις βιάζεσθαι τὴν φύσιν, παρʼ ὃ βεβούληται, οὔτε μὴν ἄλλος ἀμείνων ἂν εἴη τῶν ὤτων κόσμος εἰς τοὺς κατὰ φύσιν τῆς ἀκοῆς καταβαίνων πόρους κατηχήσεως ἀληθοῦς. ὀφθαλμοὶ δὲ ὑπαληλιμμένοι λόγῳ καὶ ὧτα εἰς αἴσθησιν διατετρημένα θείων ἀκουστὴν καὶ ἁγίων ἐπόπτην παρασκευάζουσιν δεικνύντος ὡς ἀληθῶς τοῦ λόγου τὸ κάλλος τὸ ἀληθινόν, »ὃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν οὐδὲ οὖς ἤκουσε« πρότερον.
English · Claude translation
Self-sufficiency is a disposition content with what is needed and able by itself to provide what contributes to the blessed life. Let there be on the wrists of your hands a holy adornment: generous sharing and the works of managing the household. For “whoever gives to the poor lends to God,” and “the hands of the brave make rich.” He called brave those who despise money and are ready to share. On the feet let there appear unwearying readiness to do good and the journey toward righteousness. Pendants and necklaces are modesty and self-control; such chains God forges of gold. “Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who has seen understanding,” the Spirit says through Solomon, “for it is better to trade for her than for treasures of gold and silver, and she is more precious than costly stones.” This is the true good adornment. Let their ears not be pierced, against nature, to hang earrings and ear-ornaments; for it is not right to force nature against what it has willed, nor could there be a better ornament for the ears than true instruction entering the natural passages of hearing. Eyes anointed by the Word and ears pierced for perception make one a hearer of divine things and a beholder of holy things, the Word showing truly the true beauty, “which eye has not seen nor ear heard” before.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Prov 19:17, Prov 10:4 (LXX), Prov 3:13–15, and 1 Cor 2:9. “Eyes anointed” recalls Rev 3:18.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (accent: grave on the relative ὃ; accent: grave on the relative ὃς; accent: grave on ἂν; stray raised point in the digital text): χειρῶν ὑμῶν κόσμος· ἅγιος → χειρῶν ὑμῶν κόσμος ἅγιος; ὅς εὗρεν σοφίαν → ὃς εὗρεν σοφίαν; παρʼ ὅ βεβούληται → παρʼ ὃ βεβούληται; ἀμείνων ἄν εἴη → ἀμείνων ἂν εἴη; »ὅ ὀφθαλμὸς → »ὃ ὀφθαλμὸς.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.12.129 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/12/129/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.12.129 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/12/129/).
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