[Concerning Covetousness.]

I. Abstain, therefore, from all unlawful desires and injustice. For it is written in the law, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his field, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s;”  3  Ex. xx. 17. for all coveting of these things is from the evil one. For he that covets his neighbour’s wife, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, is already in his mind an adulterer and a thief; and if he does not repent, is condemned by our Lord Jesus Christ: through whom  4  “To whom” in V. mss., and “to God” is omitted. glory be to God for ever, Amen. For He says in the Gospel, recapitulating, and confirming, and fulfilling the ten commandments of the law: “It is written in the law, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that is, I said in the law, by Moses. But now I say unto you myself, Whosoever shall look on his neighbour’s wife to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”  5  Matt. v. 28 Such a one is condemned of adultery, who covets his neighbour’s wife in his mind. But does not he that covets an ox or an ass design to steal them? to apply them to his own use, and to lead them away? Or, again, does not he that covets a field, and continues in such a disposition, wickedly contrive how to remove the landmarks, and to compel the possessor to part with somewhat for nothing? For as the prophet somewhere speaks: “Woe to those who join house to house, and lay field to field, that they may deprive their neighbour of somewhat which was his.”  6  Isa. v. 8 Wherefore he says: “Must you alone inhabit the earth? For these things have been heard in the ears of the Lord of hosts.” And elsewhere: “Cursed be he who removeth his neighbour’s landmarks: and all the people shall say, Amen.”  7  Deut. xxvii. 17. Wherefore Moses says: “Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmarks  8  Deut. xix. 14.  which thy fathers have set .”  9  Omitted in V. mss. Upon this account, therefore, terrors, death, tribunals, and condemnations follow such as these from God. But as to those who are obedient to God, there is one law of God,  simple,  10  Omitted in V. mss. true, living, which is this: “Do not that to another which thou hatest another should do to thee.”  11  Tob. iv. 16. Thou wouldst not that any one should look upon thy wife with an evil design to corrupt her; do not thou, therefore, look upon thy neighbour’s wife with a wicked intention. Thou wouldst not that thy garment should be taken away; do not thou, therefore, take away another’s. Thou wouldst not be beaten, reproached, affronted; do not thou, therefore, serve any other in the like manner.

[2] Ἀλλὰ καταρᾶταί σέ τις; Σὺ εὐλόγησον αὐτόν, ὅτι γέγραπται ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῶν Ἀριθμῶν: «Ὁ εὐλογῶν σε εὐλόγηται, καὶ ὁ καταρώμενός σε κεκατήραται.» Ὁμοίως καὶ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ γέγραπται: «Εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς.» Ἀδικούμενοι μὴ ἀνταδικήσητε, ἀλλ' ὑπομείνατε, ὅτι λέγει ἡ γραφή: «Μὴ εἴπῃς: τίσομαι τὸν ἐχθρόν μου ἅ με ἠδίκησεν, ἀλλ' ὑπόμεινον, ἵνα σοι βοηθήσῃ ὁ Κύριος καὶ ἐκδικίαν ἐπαγάγῃ τῷ ἀδικοῦντί σε.» Καὶ γὰρ πάλιν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ λέγει: «Ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς, καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς καὶ διωκόντων: καὶ ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους.» Προσέχωμεν οὖν, ἀγαπητοί, ταῖς ἐντολαῖς ταύταις, ἵνα τέκνα φωτὸς εὑρεθῶμεν πράσσοντες αὐτάς.