Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Read Chapter 31
Caesarius of Arles
AD 542
The catholic church was not only preached after the coming of our Lord and Savior, beloved brethren, but from the beginning of the world, it was designated by many figures and rather hidden mysteries. Indeed, in holy Abel the catholic church existed, in Noah, in Abraham, in Isaac, in Jacob, and in the other saintly people before the advent of our Lord and Savior. Truly, Solomon says of her, “Who shall find a worthy wife?” What does he mean: “Who shall find”? Here, we should understand the difficulty, not impossibility, of finding her. That valiant woman is the church.
Who. The following verses are in alphabetical order. They contain a grand eulogy of Bethsabee, who repented, or of a perfect matron. (Calmet)
Such are rare, though they may be found. (Worthington)
Valiant; industrious.
Price. Formerly people bought their wives. (Calmet)
Is. Hebrew, "is far above rubies (Protestants; Haydock) or pearls "Lamentations iv. 7.
I have heard sacred Scripture saying, “Who shall find a valiant woman?” and also that she is a gift of God, and that a good marriage is arranged by the Lord. Those outside, too, have the same thought—if indeed the saying is theirs: “There is no greater boon for a man than a good wife, no worse, than the opposite.” It is impossible to mention anyone who was more fortunate than my father in this respect. For I believe that, if anyone, from the ends of the earth and from all human stocks, had endeavored to arrange the best possible marriage, a better or more harmonious union than this could not be found. For the best in men and women was so united that their marriage was more a union of virtue than of bodies. Although they surpassed all others, they themselves were so evenly matched in virtue that they could not surpass each other. On the Death of His Father, Oration
The divinely inspired Solomon in his instructive wisdom, I mean in his Proverbs, praises the woman who keeps her house and loves her husband. And in contrast to the woman who wanders abroad, who is uncontrolled and dishonorable, who hunts precious souls with wanton ways and words, he praises her who is engaged honorably at home, who performs her womanly duties with fearless courage, her hands constantly holding the spindle as she prepares double cloaks for her husband, who buys a field in season, and carefully provides food for her servants, and receives her friends at a bountiful table, and who exhibits all other qualities for which he extols in song the modest and industrious woman. If I were to praise my sister on such counts, it would be like praising a statue for its shadow. On His Sister St. Gorgonia, Oration
A religious wife is blessed. Let her praise the fear of the Lord: give her of the fruits of her lips, and let her husband be praised in the gates. And again, “A virtuous wife is a crown to her husband.” And again, “Many wives have built a house.” You have learned what great commendations a prudent and loving wife receives from the Lord God. .
