Expositio in Proverbia

 the things that have fallen, that is, from the pretext of Uriah. How then does Solomon say before: “He who rejoices 17.165 at another's destruction wi

 would have difficulty, just as the desire for money a pure mind draws near to wisdom since it knows well but the impure will be far from it. Adam i

 but here, that he names the mind a good gift, on account of the one who unjustly receives gifts in his bosom, and is not prospered for those unjust g

 of virtue And this persuades me, in a small way, that the rich man being judged in Hades for his wickedness was not completely given over to every ev

 to you, You shall not be angry. It must be noted here that he calls the natural harmonious movement of the ant, wisdom for indeed one wiser than a wi

 for he was the lamp that was burning and shining a light, the New Testament For I, he says, am the light of the world a refutation of evil things,

 of the kemphos fish in the sea, flying in schools here and there which the sailors, having baited a many-hooked line, catch and not only does it not

 come to the introductions but when they become wise, and are strengthened, reprove them. And Christ, when his disciples were still young, did not rep

 of the evil one. But the impious who sin will not only fall from the kingdom, but they will inhabit the fire and not the earth. Instead of, he is full

 be not silent to me, says David, and I will be like those who go down into the pit. A lawless man will be passed over in silence by God, that is, he w

 sinning. Here he calls the senses ways but he who guards them, keeps his own soul from death unto life for life is the Holy Trinity that gives life

 afflicted, distressed? And how will the unbeliever not have an obol, when many unbelievers are clothed with much wealth, I mean kings and rulers of th

 the love of God for humanity which also brings us to God the Father himself, as sons weaned, and desiring spiritual solid food so that just as his S

 your eyes, say: for many, even without having begun virtue, not only advise others to act rightly, but also compel and exhort them. Here he says man

 body is profitable to the foolish man for he will trample it underfoot, being a pleasure-loving pig and by sensible luxury his flesh will be moved t

 that is, to imitate the virtues of the righteous and prophets who shone in the six ages before the coming of Christ, who also feed the widow and orpha

 of the Lord, is the knowledge of the Lord, and the light of the Lord is the breath of men, therefore the knowledge of the Lord is the breath of men b

 He calls the mind a horse, which is warred against by the devil, and which wars in return For you will mount, he says, upon your horses and your rid

 he slanders us to God, taking from us the virtues which he has not given us, so also we slander him taking from him the vices which we have not given

 But do not enter into the land of those who have orphaned themselves from God, who possess wickedness as the property of demons, on account of which t

 but vice diminishes virtue, and virtue obviously corrupts vice and this will happen in the age to come, until vice ceases for shall be defiled, in

 earth-born nations, and having strengthened them with virtues in faith in him, Christ the God, and having stored up the heavenly water that which flo

 is, the law given to us by him in righteousness and those who gouge out the eyes of the impious, he called ravens but those who devour him whole, he

 of lands, he keeps his own justly. Cast a precious sardius into a golden earring, and the wisdom of the Lord into a dispassionate and obedient mind to

 defines servants or those under his hand for the rod is a symbol of punishment. From his own feet, etc. Here he calls servants 'feet' and from them

 to the devil who made it, to yield as to a brother, so as to be destroyed with him. -Better is he who is joined to me through true knowledge, than he

 lawless, are the doctrines of demons, which the instructed son does not obey and by son he means the mind but he who restrains his mind from being c

 of blood are the demons, who killed those living in Christ by the shedding of blood but the upright will seek out his soul these are they who wish t

 a soul of abundance for its bodily house. He says that the soul of the diligent man has the Church as a tree of knowledge and a tree of life of knowl

would have difficulty, just as the desire for money; a pure mind draws near to wisdom; since it knows well; but the impure will be far from it. Adam is prevented from partaking of this tree after the transgression; if indeed the tree of life is planted from the fruits of righteousness; and the tree of life is the wisdom of God; and every transgressor is rightly prevented from touching this tree. God founded the earth by wisdom; and by his perception the abysses were broken up, and the clouds dropped down dew; if then he spoke of earth here, holy Paul named it breadth; and what are called the heavens here, he calls height in the epistle to the Ephesians; and what are tropologically called the abysses, he names depth; the bedewed clouds, he calls length; and all these are symbols of rational natures, being divided into worlds and body according to the analogy of their state; this also now befits the Son of God; but also the faithful soul is an earth bearing fruit a hundredfold; and this is wise from fatness, which is wisdom; God founding it upon itself; for he establishes the collection of doctrine itself, and makes a consolidation from wisdom; and as it ever progresses, he makes it a heaven, a most pure creation, a dwelling place of both angels and intellectual beings, having received a perception 17.169 of that which is, and understanding the precision of things, as it were the manifold judgments of God. Against wisdom alone are the demons powerless, not being permitted to cast thoughts into the heart of the one made wise; for the mind, laying claim to the theorems of wisdom, becomes unreceptive of impure thoughts. -A pure mind draws near to wisdom, since it knows well; but the impure will be far from it. A stumbling block for a rational nature is an impure thought, or false knowledge; but he who is surrounded by the counsel of God does not stumble in these things. Neither the assault, he says, of evil thoughts will frighten the one who has become wise, nor will the impious coming from without destroy his power, wishing to lay waste to things that are good by nature; for no one will be able to take the inconsumable; and yet, what is more insolent than the impious? But he says you will also overcome the beast of every kind, being meek and gentle, since the Lord is with you; and from this we learn that mercy removes fearful apparitions, which happen to us at night, or even in contemplation; not only this, but it also removes from those who think thus the evil accusations at the time of departure, and the harmful punishments in the judgment; meekness and freedom from anger and long-suffering and whatever is apt to restrain a troubled temper do the same thing; if indeed fearful phantoms are accustomed to arise from the disturbance of anger. Not only from food should you not refrain from doing good to the needy, but also from knowledge of God and wisdom and commandments; and whatever is dear to God and familiar to him, do not refrain from doing good to him who has need of you. This enmity toward a neighbor works some evil, not only physical, but also of the soul. Ignorance of the Lord is in the houses of the impious, but knowledge of God in the souls of the just; the courts of the just are blessed, when Christ assigns the rewards to each according to their works; but to the impious a curse and not a blessing. The extreme of evil and that which is lifted up to the end is called pride; and the Lord opposes the unjust, as righteousness; liars, as truth; and the proud, as humility; wherefore he is also a friend to those who are of a humble mind; for this is it, He gives grace to the humble; but he opposes the proud. Those who have learned and taught the divine wisdom will inherit heavenly glory; but the impious have exalted dishonor for themselves before angels and men from Christ. By instruction, he means moral virtue; by understanding, divine knowledge; and a son of virtues is one who is formed according to them, 17.172 who acts according to virtue not for the sake of another, but for the sake of virtue. I give you a good gift, the heavenly kingdom, if you do not forsake my law; it should be noted

δύσκολον ἔχοι, κα θάπερ ἡ τῶν χρημάτων ἐπιθυμία· νοῦς καθαρὸς ἐγγί ζει σοφίᾳ· ἐπειδὴ τὸ εὖ γινώσκει· ὁ δὲ ἀκάθαρτος μα κρυνθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτῆς. Τούτου τοῦ ξύλου μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν ὁ Ἀδὰμ μεταλαμβάνειν κωλύεται· εἴπερ ἀπὸ καρπῶν δι καιοσύνης φυτεύεται δένδρον ζωῆς· τὸ δὲ δένδρον ζωῆς, ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφία ἐστί· δικαίως δὲ ἅψασθαι κεκώλυται τούτου τοῦ ξύλου πᾶς παράνομος. Ὁ Θεὸς τῇ μὲν σοφίᾳ καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσε· διὰ δὲ τῆς αἰσθήσεως αὐτοῦ ἐῤῥάγησαν ἄβυσσοι, τὰ δὲ νέφη ἐῤῥύησαν δρόσους· ἢν οὖν ἐνταῦθα γῆν εἶπε, Παῦλος ὁ ἅγιος πλάτος ὠνόμασε· καὶ τοὺς ἐνταῦθα οὐρανοὺς λεγομένους, ὕψος ἐκεῖνος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἐφε σίους καλεῖ· καὶ τὰς λεγομένας τροπικῶς ἀβύσσους, ὀνομάζει βάθος· τὰ δεδροσωμένα νέφη, μῆκος κα λεῖ· ταῦτα δὲ πάντα λογικῶν ἐστι φύσεων σύμβολα, διαιρουμένων κόσμοις καὶ σώματι κατὰ ἀναλογίαν τῆς καταστάσεως· ἁρμόζει τοῦτο καὶ νῦν τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ πιστὴ, γῆ ἐστιν ἑκατονταπλασίον καρποφοροῦσα· αὕτη δὲ ἐκ τῆς πιότητος, ἥτις ἐστὶ σοφία, σοφή· θεμελιοῦντος αὐ τὴν ἐπ' αὐτῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἑδράζει γὰρ αὐτὴν τὴν συναγωγὴν τῆς διδασκαλίας, καὶ πῆξιν ἀπὸ σο φίας ποιούμενος· καὶ ἀεὶ προκοπτούσης, οὐρανὸν ἀπεργάζεται, καθαρώτατον κτίσμα, ἀγγέλων τε καὶ τῶν νοερῶν οὐσιῶν οἰκητήριον, λαβοῦσάν τε αἴσθη 17.169 σιν τοῦ ὄντος, καὶ κατανοοῦσαν τὴν τῶν πραγμά των ἀκρίβειαν, οἱονεὶ τὸ πολύμυθον τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ κριμάτων. Πρὸς μόνην τὴν σοφίαν ἀδυνατοῦσιν οἱ δαίμονες, λογισμοὺς ἐμβάλλειν εἰς τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ σεσοφισμέ νου μὴ συγχωρούμενοι· ὁ γὰρ νοῦς τοῖς τῆς σοφίας ἀντιποιούμενος θεωρήμασιν, ἀνεπίδεκτος γίνεται λογισμῶν ἀκαθάρτων. -Νοῦς καθαρὸς ἐγγίζει σο φίᾳ, ἐπειδὴ τὸ εὖ γινώσκει· ὁ δὲ ἀκάθαρτος μα κρυνθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτῆς. Πρόσκομμα λογικῆς φύσεώς ἐστι λογισμὸς ἀκά θαρτος, ἢ γνῶσις ψευδής· ὁ δὲ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλῇ περιστοιχειούμενος, ἐν τούτοις οὐ προσκόπτει. Οὔτε ἔφοδος, φησὶ, πονηρῶν λογισμῶν φοβήσει τὸν γεγονότα σοφὸν, οὔτε ἀσεβεῖς ἔξωθεν ἐπιόντες τὴν αὐτοῦ καθαιρήσουσι δύναμιν, ἐρημῶσαι θέλον τες τῶν φύσει καλῶν· τὸν γὰρ ἀνάλωτον οὐδεὶς δυ νήσεται λαβεῖν· καίτοι, τί τοῦ ἀσεβοῦς αὐθαδέστε ρον; Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῦ φησι τοῦ παντοδαποῦ θηρίου περιγενήσῃ, πρᾶος ὢν καὶ ἐπιεικὴς, τοῦ Κυρίου ὄντος μετὰ σοῦ· ἐντεῦθεν δὲ μανθάνομεν, ὡς ἡ ἐλεη μοσύνη περιαιρεῖ φοβερὰς φαντασίας, νύκτωρ ἡμῖν συμβαινούσας, ἢ καὶ θεωρητικῶς· οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ μεταστάσει πονηρῶν κατηγοριῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ κρίσει βλαπτικῶν κολάσεων περιαιρεῖ τοὺς οὕτω φρονοῦντας· τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ ποιεῖ καὶ πραότας καὶ ἀοργησία, καὶ μακροθυμία, καὶ ὅσα πέφυκε κα ταστέλλειν τὸν θυμὸν ταρασσόμενον· εἴπερ ἐκ τῆς ταραχῆς τοῦ θυμοῦ τὰ φοβερὰ φάσματα εἴωθε γί νεσθαι. Οὐ μόνον τῶν ἐδωδίμων μὴ ἀπόσχῃ εὖ ποιεῖν ἐν δεῆ, ἀλλὰ καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ καὶ σοφίας καὶ ἐντο λῶν· καὶ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν Θεῷ φίλον καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκειοῦν, μὴ ἀπόσχῃ εὖ ποιεῖν τῷ ἐνδεομένῳ σου. Αὕτη ἡ πρὸς τὸν πλησίον ἔχθρα ἀπεργάζεταί τινα κακὸν, οὐ μόνον σωματικὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχικόν. Ἄγνοια Κυρίου ἐν οἴκοις ἀσεβῶν, γνῶσις δὲ Θεοῦ ἐν ψυχαῖς δικαίων· ἐπαύλεις δικαίων εὐλογοῦνται, ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς ἀπονέμῃ τὰ γέρα ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν· τοῖς ἀσεβέσι δὲ κατάραν καὶ οὐκ εὐλο γίαν. Ἡ ἄκρα κακία καὶ εἰς τέλος ἐπηρμένη, ὑπερ ηφανία καλεῖται· ἀντιτάσσεται δὲ Κύριος τοῖς μὲν ἀδίκοις, ὡς δικαιοσύνη· τοῖς ψεύσταις, ὡς ἀλήθεια· τοῖς δὲ ὑπερηφάνοις, ὡς ταπεινοφροσύνη· διὸ καὶ τοῖς ταπεινὰ φρονοῦσι φίλος ἐστί· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, ∆ίδωσι χάριν ταπεινοῖς· τοῖς δὲ ὑπερηφάνοις ἀν τιτάσσεται. ∆όξαν οὐράνιον κληρονομήσουσιν οἱ τὴν ἔνθεον σοφίαν μαθόντες τε καὶ διδάξαντες· ὕψωσαν δὲ ἑαυ τοῖς ἀτιμίαν οἱ ἀσεβεῖς ἐνώπιον ἀγγέλων καὶ ἀν θρώπων παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Παιδείαν, τὴν ἠθικὴν ἀρετὴν λέγει· ἔννοιαν, τὴν θείαν γνῶσιν· υἱὸς δὲ ἀρετῶν ὁ κατ' αὐτὰς πεποιω 17.172 μένος, ὃς οὐκ ἄλλου χάριν, ἀλλ' ἕνεκα τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰ κατ' αὐτὴν ἐνεργεῖ. ∆ῶρον ἀγαθὸν δωροῦμαι ὑμῖν, τὴν ἐπουράνιον βα σιλείαν, ἐὰν τὸν νόμον μου μὴ ἐγκαταλίπητε· ση μειωτέον