marriage for the purpose of giving men pos
terity. a barren woman should, however, be re
tained if her heart is virtuous and her conduct
correct and free from jealousy, in which case a
child of the same blood must be adopted; nei
ther is there any just cause for a man to divorce
a barren wife if he has children by a concubine;
( 3) lewdness is a reason for divorce; ( 4) Jeal
ousy is a reason for divorce; ( 5) leprosy, or any
household; ( 7) a woman shall be divorced who
is addicted to stealing.
it is the chief duty of a girl living in the pa
rental house to practice filial piety toward her
father and mother. but after marriage, her chief
duty is to honor her fatherinlaw and mother
inlaw—to honor them beyond her own father
and mother—to love and reverence them with
all ardor, and to tend them with every practice of
filial piety. While you honor
your own parents, think not
lightly of your fatherinlaw!
let her never even
dream of jealousy. if her hus
band is dissolute, she must
expostulate with him, but
never either nurse or vent
her anger. if her jealousy is
extreme, it will render her
countenance frightful and
her accents repulsive and
can only result in completely
alienating her husband from
her and making her intoler
able in his eyes. should her
husband act ill and unrea
sonably, she must compose
her countenance and soften
her voice to remonstrate with
him—and if he is angry and
does not listen to the remon
strance, she must wait over a
season and then expostulate
with him again when his
heart is softened. never set
yourself up against your hus
band with harsh features and
a boisterous voice!
Gay-pride parade, Paris, 2011. Photograph by Bruno Barbey.
like foul disease, is a reason for divorce; ( 6) a
woman shall be divorced who, by talking over
much and prattling disrespectfully, disturbs the
harmony of kinsmen and brings trouble on her
