The Instructor 3.11.79
Summary: Buyers and sellers should name one honest price without oaths; Christ drove the dishonest from the temple; men and women should come to church modestly, and women should be veiled at prayer.
Greek text · Stählin 1:279–280
Καὶ ὁ πωλῶν τι ἢ ὠνούμενος μή ποτε εἴπῃ δύο τιμάς, ὧν ἂν ἢ ὠνῆται ἢ πιπράσκῃ, ἁπλῆν δὲ εἰπὼν καὶ ἀληθεύειν μελετῶν, ἂν μὴ τυγχάνῃ ταύτης, τυγχάνων τῆς ἀληθείας πλουτεῖ τῇ διαθέσει τῇ ὀρθῇ. ἔπαινος δὲ ὅρκος τε περὶ παντὸς τοῦ πωλουμένου ἀπέστω, ἀπέστω δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ ὅρκος. καὶ ταύτῃ φιλοσοφούντων οἱ ἀγοραῖοι καὶ οἱ κάπηλοι· »οὐ γὰρ λήψῃ τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου ἐπὶ ματαίῳ, οὐ γὰρ μὴ καθαρίσῃ κύριος τὸν λαμβάνοντα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ ματαίῳ.« τοὺς δὲ παρὰ ταῦτα πράττοντας, τοὺς φιλαργύρους, τοὺς ψεύστας, τοὺς ὑποκριτάς, τοὺς καπηλεύοντας τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τῆς πατρῴας ἐξέβαλεν αὐλῆς ὁ κύριος, μὴ βουλόμενος ἀδίκου ἐμπορίας ἢ λόγων ἢ τῶν ἐξ ὕλης κτημάτων οἶκον εἶναι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν ἅγιον. Ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀκτέον τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐστολισμένους κοσμίως, ἀπλάστῳ βαδίσματι, ἐχεμυθίαν ἀσπαζομένους, »ἀγάπην ἀνυπόκριτον« κεκτημένους, ἁγνοὺς τὰ σώματα, ἁγνοὺς τὰς καρδίας, ἐπιτηδείους προσεύξασθαι τῷ θεῷ. πλεῖον τοῦτο ἐχέτω ἡ γυνή· κεκαλύφθω τὰ πάντα, πλὴν εἰ μὴ οἴκοι τύχοι· σεμνὸν γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα καὶ ἀκατάσκοπον· καὶ οὔποτε αὐτὴ σφαλήσεται πρὸ τῶν ὀμμάτων τὴν αἰδῶ καὶ τὴν ἀμπεχόνην θεμένη οὐδὲ ἄλλον εἰς ὄλισθον ἁμαρτίας ἐκκαλέσεται τὸ πρόσωπον ἀπογυμνουμένη. τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ λόγος βούλεται, ἐπεὶ πρέπον αὐτῇ ἐγκεκαλυμμένῃ προσεύχεσθαι.
English · Claude translation
Whoever sells or buys anything should never name two prices for what he buys or sells, but should name one and study to speak the truth; if he does not get that price, by getting the truth he is rich in right disposition. Let praise and oaths be absent concerning everything sold, and let the oath be absent in other matters too. Let the market people and tradesmen practice philosophy in this way: “For you shall not take the name of the Lord in vain; for the Lord will not hold guiltless the one who takes his name in vain.” Those who act contrary to this, the lovers of money, the liars, the hypocrites, those who peddle the truth, the Lord cast out of his Father's court, not wishing the holy house of God to be a house of unjust trade, whether in words or in material goods. Woman and man are to go to church decently dressed, with natural walk, embracing silence, possessing “love unfeigned,” pure in body, pure in heart, fit to pray to God. Let the woman observe this further: let her be entirely covered, unless she happens to be at home; for that style of dress is grave and protects from being stared at. And she will never fall, who puts modesty and her shawl before her eyes, nor will she invite another to fall into sin by uncovering her face. For this is what the Word wishes, since it is fitting for her to pray veiled.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Exod 20:7 and Rom 12:9 (2 Cor 6:6); the allusions are Matt 5:34–37 (oaths), John 2:14–16 (the cleansing of the temple), and 1 Cor 11:5–6 (praying veiled).
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.79 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/79/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.79 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/79/).
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