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the three youths in Babylonia, even if they are shut up with lions, even if swallowed by a sea monster, ought both to be called blessed by us, and to live in joy themselves, not grieving over their present circumstances, but rejoicing in the hope of the things laid up for us hereafter. For I think that the good athlete, once he has stripped for the stadium of piety, ought to bear nobly the blows of the opponents in the hope of the glory that comes from the crowns.

For even in the athletic contests those who have been accustomed to the toils in the wrestling schools do not shrink back from the pain of the blow, but advance to close quarters with their opponents out of a desire for the proclamation, disregarding the immediate pains. Thus, even if something of a harsher nature is present for the earnest man, it will not cast a shadow on his rejoicing. Because Tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not put to shame. Therefore also elsewhere we have been commanded by the same one to endure in tribulation, and to rejoice in hope. Hope, then, is what prepares joy to be a housemate for the soul of the earnest man. But the same Apostle also commands that we must weep with those who weep; and writing to the Galatians, he wept for the enemies of the cross of Christ. And what need is there to speak of Jeremiah weeping? and Ezekiel writing laments of rulers by the command of God, and many of the saints wailing? Woe is me, mother, what a one you bore me? and, Woe is me, for the godly man has perished from the earth, and there is none up 31.225 right among men; and, Woe is me, for I have become like one gathering stubble in the harvest.

And in general, search the sayings of the righteous, and if you find anyone somewhere uttering a rather gloomy saying, you will be persuaded that all groan over this world and this wretched life in it. Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged. For he has a desire to depart, and to be with Christ. Therefore, as an obstacle to joy, he is vexed at the extension of this sojourning. And David has left for us even in songs a lament for his friend Jonathan; with whom he also lamented his own enemy. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; and, O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul. For he laments the one, as having died in sin, but Jonathan, as having shared his life to the very end. And what need is there to say the other things? But the Lord also wept over Lazarus, and he wept over Jerusalem. And he calls blessed those who mourn, and again those who weep. And how are these things, they say, consistent with, "Rejoice always"? For neither tear nor joy have their origin from the same principles. For the one, as if from some blow, when the assault of the unwanted strikes and constricts the soul, and the spirit around the heart is oppressed, is naturally brought forth; but joy is a kind of leap of the soul exulting in things that are according to its will. Whence also the symptoms concerning the body have differed. For in those who are grieving, the body's mass is pale and livid and chilled; but in those who are cheerful, the state of the body is ruddy and flushed, with the soul all but leaping, and being pushed outward by pleasure. To these things then we will say, that both the laments and the tears of the saints came about through their love for God. Always, therefore, looking to the beloved, and increasing for themselves the gladness from that source, they managed the affairs concerning their fellow servants; mourning for those who sin, correcting them through tears. And just as those standing on the shores, sympathizing with those being submerged in the sea, do not give up their own safety in their care for those in danger; so also those who are saddened at the sins of their neighbors do not destroy their own gladness. On the contrary, then, they even make it greater, 31.228 being deemed worthy of the joy of the Lord on account of their tears for their brother.

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οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες ἐπὶ τῆς Βαβυ λωνίας, κἂν λέουσιν ὦσι συγκαθειργμένοι, κἂν ὑπὸ κήτους καταποθέντες, ὑφ' ἡμῶν τε χρῆναι μακα ρίζεσθαι, καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐν χαρᾷ διάγειν, οὐχὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀλγυνομένους, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν εἰς ὕστε ρον ἡμῖν ἀποκειμένων εὐφραινομένους. Οἶμαι γὰρ τὸν ἀγωνιστὴν τὸν καλὸν, ἅπαξ ἐπὶ τὸ τῆς εὐσε βείας στάδιον ἀποδύντα, φέρειν χρῆναι γενναίως τὰς πληγὰς τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἐλπίδι τῆς δόξης τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν στεφάνων.

Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσιν οἱ κατὰ τὰς παλαίστρας τοῖς πόνοις προσεθισθέντες οὐ πρὸς τὸ ἀλγεινὸν συστέλλονται τῆς πληγῆς, ἀλλ' ὁμόσε χωροῦσι τοῖς ἀντιπάλοις ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῆς ἀναῤῥή σεως, τῶν παραυτίκα πόνων ὑπερορῶντες. Οὕτω τῷ σπουδαίῳ κἂν παρῇ τι τῶν τραχυτέρων, οὐκ ἐπισκο τήσει τῷ χαίρειν. ∆ιότι Ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται· ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν· ἡ δὲ δο κιμὴ ἐλπίδα· ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἑτέρωθι τῇ θλίψει ὑπομένειν, καὶ τῇ ἐλπίδι χαίρειν παρὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ προσετάχθημεν. Ἐλπὶς οὖν ἐστιν ἡ τὴν χαρὰν σύνοικον τῇ ψυχῇ τοῦ σπουδαίου παρασκευά ζουσα. Ἀλλ' ὁ αὐτὸς Ἀπόστολος καὶ κλαίειν χρῆναι ἡμᾶς προστάσσει μετὰ κλαιόντων· καὶ Γαλάταις γρά φων, ἔκλαιε περὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Χρι στοῦ. Καὶ τί δεῖ λέγειν Ἱερεμίαν κλαίοντα; καὶ Ἰεζεκιὴλ θρήνους ἀρχόντων ἐκ προστάγματος Θεοῦ γράφοντα, καὶ πολλοὺς δὲ τῶν ἁγίων οἰμώζοντας; Οἴμοι, μῆτερ, ὡς τίνα με ἔτεκες; καὶ, Οἴμοι, ὅτι ἀπόλωλεν εὐλαβὴς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὁ κατορ 31.225 θῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις οὐκ ἔστι· καὶ, Οἴμοι, ὅτι ἐγε νόμην ὡς συνάγων καλάμην ἐν ἀμήτῳ.

Καὶ ὅλως ἐρεύνησον τὰς φωνὰς τῶν δικαίων, κἄν πού τινα εὕρῃς σκυθρωποτέραν φωνὴν ἀφιέντα, πεισθήσῃ, ὅτι πάντες τοῦ κόσμου τούτου καὶ τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ ζωῆς τῆς δυστήνου ταύτης καταστενάζουσιν. Οἴμοι, ὅτι ἡ παροικία μου ἐμακρύνθη. Ἐπιθυμίαν γὰρ ἔχει ἀναλῦσαι, καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι. Ὡς οὖν ἐμπό διον τῆς χαρᾶς, τῆς παροικίας ταύτης τὴν παράτα σιν δυσχεραίνει. ∆αβὶδ δὲ καὶ ἐν μέλεσιν ἡμῖν θρῆνον τοῦ φίλου κατέλιπεν Ἰωνάθαν· ᾧ συναπεθρήνησε καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἑαυτοῦ. Ἀλγῶ ἐπὶ σοὶ, ἀδελφέ μου, Ἰωνάθαν· καὶ, Θυγατέρες Ἰσραὴλ, θρηνήσατε ἐπὶ Σαούλ. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ θρηνεῖ, ὡς ἐναπο θανόντα τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, τὸν δὲ Ἰωνάθαν, ὡς μέχρι παν τὸς αὐτῷ κοινωνήσαντα τοῦ βίου. Καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ ἄλλα λέγειν; Ἀλλ' ἐδάκρυσε καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐπὶ Λαζάρῳ, ἐδάκρυσε καὶ ἐπὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ. Καὶ μακαρίζει δὲ τοὺς πενθοῦντας, καὶ πάλιν τοὺς κλαίοντας. Καὶ πῶς σύμφωνα ταῦτα, φασὶ, τῷ, Πάντοτε χαίρετε; Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀρχῶν δάκρυόν τε καὶ χαρὰ τὴν γένεσιν ἔχουσι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ, οἷον ἐκ πληγῆς τινος, τῆς προσβολῆς τοῦ ἀβουλήτου τὴν ψυχὴν τύπτοντος καὶ συστέλλοντος, καταθλιβομένου τοῦ περικαρδίου πνεύματος, ἀποτίκτεσθαι πέφυκεν· ἡ δὲ χαρὰ οἷον σκίρτημά τί ἐστι τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπαγαλ λομένης τοῖς κατὰ γνώμην. Ὅθεν καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸ σῶμα συμπτώματα διενήνοχε. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ λυπουμέ νοις ὕπωχρος καὶ πελιδνὸς καὶ κατεψυγμένος ὁ ὄγκος· τοῖς δὲ φαιδρυνομένοις ἐξανθοῦσα καὶ ὑπέρυθρος ἡ τοῦ σώματος ἕξις, μονονουχὶ πηδώσης τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ προωθουμένης ὑφ' ἡδονῆς εἰς τὸ ἔξω. Πρὸς δὴ ταῦτα ἐροῦμεν, ὅτι καὶ οἱ θρῆνοι καὶ τὰ δάκρυα τῶν ἁγίων διὰ τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπην ἐγίγνοντο. Ἀεὶ οὖν ἐνορῶντες τῷ ἀγαπητῷ, καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἑαυτοῖς εὐφροσύνην συναύξοντες, τὰ περὶ τοὺς ὁμοδούλους ἑαυτῶν ᾠκονόμουν· πενθοῦντες τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας, ἐπανορθούμενοι αὐτοὺς διὰ τῶν δακρύων. Ὥσπερ δὲ οἱ ἐπὶ τῶν αἰγιαλῶν ἑστῶτες, τοῖς ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ βαπτιζομένοις συμπάσχοντες, οὐ προΐενται τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσφάλειαν ἐν τῇ περὶ τῶν κινδυνευόντων φροντίδι· οὕτως οὐδὲ οἱ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι τῶν πέλας ἐπι στυγνάζοντες τὴν οἰκείαν ἀφανίζουσιν εὐφροσύνην. Τὸ ἐναντίον μὲν οὖν, καὶ μείζονα ποιοῦσιν αὐτὴν, ὑπὲρ 31.228 τῶν εἰς τὸν ἀδελφὸν δακρύων τῆς χαρᾶς τοῦ Κυρίου καταξιούμενοι.