"Bless us with peace, ye angels of God, ye high messengers from the
King of Kings, praised be He."
"Let your parting be in peace, ye angels of God, ye high messengers
from the King of Kings, praised be He."
Then fondly taking his mother by his right hand and his wife by his
left, and leading them both lovingly to the center of the room beneath
the radiant glow of the hallowed Sabbath lamp, he sings the last
twenty-one verses of the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs, that
noblest of all noble tributes to the virtuous woman, which reads as
follows: "The heart of the husband of the virtuous woman doth safely
trust in her, so that he shall not want for gain. She will do him good
and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax,
and worketh with diligent hands. She is like the merchant ships; she
bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night,
and giveth meat to her household, and the day's work to her maidens.
She considereth a field and buyeth it. With her fruit of her hands she
planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength and maketh
strong her arms. She sees that her trading yields good profit; her lamp
is kept burning by night. She layeth her hands on the spindle, and her
hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hands to the poor, yea,
she reacheth out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow
for her household, for all her children are clothed with scarlet wool.
She maketh herself robes, her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband
is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen and selleth it, and delivers girdles unto the
merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing, and she smiles at days
to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the
law of kindness. She looketh well to the ordering of her household, and
eateth not the bread of idleness. Her sons rise up and praise her, her
husband also, and he extols her. Many daughters have done virtuously,
but thou excelleth them all. Gracefulness is deceitful, and beauty is
vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give
her the honor that the fruits of her hands deserve; her works are the
praise of all in the gates."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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