Commodian — Instructiones 59
You have heard the voice, you who want to remain Christian — how blessed Paul ordered to ask. And heaven-speaking Isaiah, teacher and author (for he detests those who follow the world’s love) says the daughters of Zion were lifted and fell. It is not right in God that a faithful Christian woman be cultivated in worldly fashion. Do you seek by gentile custom to go before God’s holy things? These heralds of God condemn, crying in the law, that women who adorn themselves so are unjust. You dye hair, smear eyes with black, bind crescent curls step by step on the brow, treat the cheek with a certain laid-on red, and earrings hang with heaviest weight; you bury the natural neck with gems and gold; you bind palms worthy of God with an evil omen. Why mention clothes or the Devil’s whole pomp? You spit out the law; you prefer to please the world; you dance in houses; for psalms you sing love-songs. Though you be chaste, following the left does not cleanse you: therefore Christ equals such as you with the nations. A holy woman of God shows riches in the heart. Serve Christ with a hymn-made chorus and pleasing service; offer zealous fragrance to Christ with favor.
Latin
59 ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRSTUXYZ. Audiuisti uocem, quae uis Christiana manere, Beatus Paulus qualiter rogare praecepit. Caeliloquax autem Esaias doctor et auctor (Detestatur enim caritatem mundi sequentes) Exaltatae, inquit, ceciderunt filiae Sion. Fas in Deo non est Christianam coli fidelem. Gentili more quaeris praecedere Dei sancta? Has Dei praecones damnant in lege clamantes Iniustas esse feminas, quae se taliter ornant. Kapillos inficitis, oculos nigrore linitis, Lunatis comulas gradulatim fronte deuinctas, Mala<m> medicatis quodam superducto rubore, Nec non et inaures grauissimo pondere pendent, Obruitis collum naturale gemmis et auro, Palmas Deo dignas praesagio malo ligatis. Quid memorem uestes aut tota<m> Zabuli pompa<m>? Respuitis legem, mauultis mundo placere, Saltatis in domibus, pro psalmis cantatis amores. Tu licet sis casta, non te purgat sinistra sequendo: Uos ideo tales Christus cum gentibus aequat. Xancta Dei mulier diuitias corde demonstrat. Ymnificato choro placitoque Christo seruire Zelantes fauore Christo offerte odorem.