Letter 525

To Stephania the Countess. What favor could I render you by way of praises, when Solomon has already praised you? For he says: "Who shall find a valiant woman?" [Proverbs 31:10] For such a woman is rarely found, and she is more precious than precious stones. Through her, her husband becomes admired, and he himself takes no thought for the things in the household, since she attends to everything carefully and continually. For this reason, then, and on account of such things, together with your faith and your dignity, may you be preserved.

Τί δ’ ἄν σοι χαρισλαίμην ἐγκωμίων ἕνεκεν, ἤδη τοῦ Σολομῶντος ἐγκωμιάσαντός σε; Φησὶ γάρ· « Γυναῖκα δὲ ἀνδρείαν τίς εὑρήσει; » Σπανίως γὰρ ἡ τοιαύτη εὑρίσκεται, τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστι λίθων, τιμίων. Περί- βλεπτος δὲ γίνεται δι’ αὐτὴν ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, οὐδὲν δ’ αὐτὸς φροντίζει τῶν ἐν οἴκῳ, πάντων γὰρ αὐτὴ φροντίζουσα προσεχόντως, καὶ συνεχῶς. Διὰ τοῦτον τοῖν, καὶ τῶν τοιούτων σὺν τῇ πίστει σου καὶ τῇ σεμνότητί σου φυλαχθείης.