A perfect wife – who can find her?
  She is far beyond the price of pearls.
Her husband’s heart has confidence in her,
  from her he will derive no little profit.
Advantage and not hurt she brings him
  all the days of her life.
She is always busy with wool and with flax,
  she does her work with eager hands.
She sets her hands to the distaff,
  her fingers grasp the spindle.
She holds out her hand to the poor,
  she opens her arms to the needy.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty;
  the woman who is wise is the one to praise.
Give her a share in what her hands have worked for,
  and let her works tell her praises at the city gates.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
  and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat.
  You will be happy and prosper.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
  in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive,
  around your table.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
  the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
  all the days of your life!

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

You will not be expecting us to write anything to you, brothers, about ‘times and seasons’, since you know very well that the Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. It is when people are saying, ‘How quiet and peaceful it is’ that the worst suddenly happens, as suddenly as labour pains come on a pregnant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it.

But it is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober.

Alleluia, alleluia!
Even if you have to die, says the Lord,
keep faithful, and I will give you
the crown of life.
Alleluia!