Beauty And Wisdom

Ψευδεῖς ἀρέσκειαι καὶ μάταιον κάλλος γυναικός γυνὴ γὰρ συνετὴ εὐλογεῖται φόβον δὲ Κυρίου αὕτη αἰνείτω  Ψευδεῖς ἀρέσκειαι καὶ μάταιον κάλλος. Ἡ ἀφρονεστάτη ψυχὴ οὐ μόνον ἐννοεῖ καὶ φαντάζεται τὸ αὑτῇ ἀρεστὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργῳ ἐγχειρεῖ πληρῶσαι τὴν θεωρίαν· εἰ δὲ ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, δικαίως ἡ τυχοῦσα σοφίας ψυχὴ αῑνεῖ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυρίου, ὅς γέγονεν αὐτῇ τῆς τοιαύτης γνώσεως. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας Source: Migne PG 17.251b-c

Her graces a lie and vain the beauty of a woman; it is the woman of understanding who blesses the fear of the Lord that will achieve praise. 1   Her graces a lie and vain the beauty. Most foolish is she who does not think on and picture her soul, when she is at her ease, for even when she goes to her occupation she adds to it her meditation. If the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, 2 rightly the soul of her who is wise commends the reverence of the Lord, who counsels such wisdom. 2 Origen, On Proverbs, Fragment 1 Prov 31.30 2 Prov 1.7