1 My son, ye have written the discourse on marriage and it is pleasing unto Me; nevertheless, it is not altogether right and needs correction in diction and word usage.

2 This ye must work on until it is more perfect, for that work ye must perform must be correct in every sense that misunderstanding not occur.

3 For My heart doth delight in plainness and clarity that the gospel may go forth as the dew upon the grass.

4 And as thou didst expound the scripture this night, thy understanding was opened and ye did question the actions of certain of those in early times who labored many years to obtain a wife.

5 Behold I say unto you, that when a wife is brought up in the proper order of marriage and is taught the proper order of womanhood and a trade by her father, she is a most precious possession of a man, and is worth much unto him.

6 For then is she not an helpmeet, a comfort, and a blessing throughout his days?

7 For this reason My servants gave many valuable gifts, or if they had no possessions, became servants to the father for many years to pay for their daughters they had brought up according to the holy order and laws of God.

8 And this was not a custom but a law, for if a man purchase a woman for naught he shall treat her as if she were worth naught, and if he pay a high price, he shall treat her as a valuable possession.

9 And this is My law, that if a man raise up a righteous posterity, and he teach his daughters according to the law, and teach them the duties of womanhood and a trade if they so desire it, they shall not let their daughters go for naught.

10 For have not I said that Mine anger was kindled against Israel, for the daughters of Zion walk haughtily before Me and sell themselves for naught.

11 For this is the explanation of this passage, for a daughter's first duty is to her father, and if she adheres faithfully to the law of her father she then shall see to it that she be sold for a high price, that she may first fulfill her obligation to her father to see that his goods are increased.

12 And secondly that she be a valuable possession to her husband that he may hold her in high esteem for her gifts and talents that she shall bring to his household.

13 Nevertheless, the prophecy concerning the daughters of Zion hath been fulfilled, for they all walk haughtily before Me, and few have humbled themselves to where they are of much value unto the children of men, most of them being like unto them a millstone about their necks.

14 And they hold their children up and make, as it were, each of them a chain of mail and a coat of brass across their shoulders, and instead of a joy, a great burden.

15 What then can they be likened unto? Salt that hath lost its savor, good for nothing but to be trodden under foot of men, for such will surely happen.

16 If I give a law ye say, "It is true," yet ye keep it not, for ye say, "In this case it applieth not."

17 If I say, "Partake not of the fares of Babylon", ye say, "We know not what the fares of Babylon are, therefore we cannot keep that which we do not know."

18 Must every circumstance be spelled out? Or must I command in every little thing?

19 Behold, if I spelled out every little thing, ye would yet find occasion to heed it not, for ye heed not My word to keep it, and ye live it not by My Spirit, for if ye had the Spirit ye would yet know these things.
Even so, Amen.