I have been justified.” Great is the confidence of the just man, both concerning his former life and concerning the things at the time of the trial, so that he said: I am conscious of nothing in myself. CHAPTER 29. And the nobles ceased speaking. Or according to the edition of the others, “the rulers.” These, 12.1041 yielding the floor to the just man, were silent in his presence. Placing a finger upon their mouth. It might seem, then, to be a sign of silence, to place a finger upon the mouth; but perhaps, since the hand is taken for works, it indicates that their work muzzled their lips, and a kind of bond was laid upon their mouth; for they perceived that they were not worthy to speak in the presence of Job, who had done greater works, while they themselves had accomplished little; for the finger signifies the smallest action and operation. But I had put on righteousness. Job has woven for himself a beautiful tunic, so that he might put on righteousness instead of a tunic. See also his cloak: righteousness is the tunic; judgment is the double-cloak. CHAPTER 32. Fearing to announce to you my own knowledge. He professes, however, to have “knowledge,” or, according to the others, “understanding,” of how people suffer in life; how some unjust men prosper. I saw the unjust and lawless prospering, and my feet were almost shaken, if I look only at this life; but if I consider the future, my feet are standing firm. Therefore I said: Hear me. Other copies after, “For I will speak while you are listening,” also have these verses: “Behold, I have heard your words, I have given ear until I understood you.” But the other interpreters have rendered it thus: “Behold, I waited for your words; I listened as long as you were considering, as long as you were searching out words, and until you reached your limit, I was paying attention.” According to this version, then, and the other copies, it is as if he says, “Just as I listened in silence to all that you said, and waited until the conclusion of your speeches, and until you emptied out all your wisdom, you also listen to my words.” But according to the copies we have, this is the meaning: Hear me, he says; for I will say nothing bombastic, but things which you are able to test. “And I will understand as far as you,” instead of, I will not use empty words, but will speak as you are able to understand. Or he says this, that I will not stop speaking until you also have tested my words, if I too am able to understand “as far as you,” that is, until you also understand, or even that I surpass your understanding. For I am full of words. Well did he say, “I am full;” for he who is not full of words, and comes to speak, will speak empty things as one who is empty, according to what is said: “For the fool will speak foolish things, and his heart will understand vain things.” For the spirit of my belly constrains me. Just as a woman becomes pregnant, and when that which is to be born has been formed within her, she comes to birth-pangs, until she gives birth 12.1044 to that which was conceived; so it is also with the soul that loves learning; for it conceives the word, which being declared, it forms, and shapes it in order; and when after shaping and forming it, it delivers it perfected, then it gives birth; and until it gives birth, it is heavy with labor. I will speak, that I may be refreshed by opening my lips. He who finds an intelligent hearer, and is full of words, is refreshed by speaking, having as it were emptied and cast off the excess. CHAPTER 35. Look up to heaven. One does not look up to heaven by raising his bodily eyes and seeing the sky; for this looking up dogs and donkeys also possess. No one who loves the world looks up to heaven, but he who does not love the world, nor the things in the world. Again, the clouds are not so high above us, as when I see the life of Moses, and his pleasing of God, and my own smallness and humility, so I see the cloud high above me; if I come to Jesus the son of Nave, to the lives of the prophets, if I examine their deeds, then I do what is written, and I understand how high the clouds are above me. If you have sinned, what will you do? Then

δεδικαίωμαι.» Πολλὴ ἡ παῤ ῥησία τοῦ δικαίου καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ προτέρῳ βίῳ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς περιστάσεως, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν· Οὐδὲν ἐμαυτῷ σύνοιδα. ΚΕΦʹ. ΚΘʹ. Ἁδροὶ δὲ ἐπαύσαντο λαλοῦντες. Ἢ κατὰ τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν ἔκδοσιν «οἱ ἄρχοντες.» Οὗτοι παραχω 12.1041 ροῦντες τῷ δικαίῳ τοῦ λόγου, αὐτοὶ αὐτοῦ παρόντος ἐσίγων. ∆άκτυλον ἐπιθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι. ∆όξει μὲν οὖν καὶ σημεῖον εἶναι σιωπῆς τὸ, δάκτυλον ἐπιθεῖναι ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι· τάχα δὲ, ἐπεὶ ἡ χεὶρ ἀντὶ ἔργων λαμβάνεται, δηλοῖ, ὅτι τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν ἐφίμου αὐτοῖς τὰ χείλη, καὶ οἱονεὶ δεσμός τις τῷ στόματι ἐπέκειτο· ᾐσθήθησαν γὰρ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν ἄξιοι τοῦ λαλεῖν, παρόν τος τοῦ Ἰὼβ, μείζονα ἔργα πεποιηκότος, αὐτοὶ ὀλίγα πεπραχότες· ὁ γὰρ δάκτυλος τὴν ἐλαχίστην σημαίνει πρᾶξιν καὶ ἐνέργειαν. ∆ικαιοσύνην δὲ ἐνδεδύκειν. Καλὸν χιτῶνα ὕφα νεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ Ἰὼβ, ἵνα ἐνδύσηται τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἀντὶ χιτῶνος. Ἴδε αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον· δικαιοσύνη ὁ χιτών· κρῖμα ἡ διπλοΐς. ΚΕΦ. ΛΒʹ. Φοβηθεὶς τοῦ ὑμῖν ἀναγγεῖλαι τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ἐπιστήμην. Ἐπαγγέλλεται μέντοι «ἐπιστήμην» ἔχειν, ἢ, κατὰ τοὺς λοιποὺς, «γνῶσιν,» πῶς ἄν θρωποι πάσχουσιν ἐν τῷ βίῳ· πῶς τινες ἄδικοι εὐτυχοῦσιν. Εἶδον ἀδικοῦντας καὶ παρανομοῦν τας, εὐθηνοῦντας, καὶ ἐμοῦ παραμικρὸν ἐσα λεύθησαν οἱ πόδες, ἐὰν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ μόνῳ ἐνίδω· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ μέλλον ἐννοήσω, ἑστῶτές εἰσιν οἱ πόδες μου. ∆ιὸ εἶπα· Ἀκούσατέ μου. Ἕτερα ἀντίγραφα μετὰ τὸ «Ἐρῶ γὰρ ὑμῶν ἀκουόντων,» ἔχει καὶ τού τους στίχους· «Ἰδοὺ ἤκουσα τοὺς λόγους ὑμῶν, ἠνωτισάμην ἄχρι συνέσεως ὑμῶν.» Οἱ δὲ ἕτεροι ἑρ μηνευταὶ οὕτως ἐκδεδώκασιν· «Ἰδοὺ, ἐξεδεξάμην τοὺς λόγους ὑμῶν· ἠκροασάμην ἐφ' ὅσον ἐφρονεῖτε, ἐφ' ὅσον ἐξητάζετε λόγους, καὶ μέχρι τοῦ ἐφικέσθαι ὑμῶν, ἐνενόουν.» Κατὰ μὲν οὖν ταύτην τὴν ἔκδοσιν καὶ τὰ ἕτερα τῶν ἀντιγράφων, Ὥσπερ, φησὶν, ἐγὼ μεθ' ἡσυχίας ἤκουσα πάντων ὧν εἴπατε, καὶ ἀνέμεινα μέχρι συμπεράσματος τῶν ὑμετέρων λόγων· καὶ ἕως ὅτε πᾶσαν ἑαυτῶν τὴν φρόνησιν κενώσητε· καὶ ὑμεῖς τῶν ἐμῶν ἀκούσατε λόγων. Κατὰ δὲ τὰ παρ' ἡμῖν ἀντίγραφα ὁ νοῦς οὗτος· Ἀκούσατέ μου, φησίν· ἐρῶ γὰρ οὐδὲν ὑπέρογκον, ἀλλ' ἃ δύνασθε δοκιμάσαι. «Καὶ μέχρις ὑμῶν συνήσω,» ἀντὶ τοῦ, Οὐ κενοφω νίαις χρήσομαι, ἀλλ' ὡς δύνασθε συνιέναι λαλήσω. Ἢ ἐκεῖνό φησιν, ὅτι, Οὐ πρότερον παύσομαι λαλῶν, πρὶν ἢ καὶ ὑμεῖς τοὺς ἐμοὺς δοκιμάσητε λόγους, εἰ ἄρα κἀγὼ συνιέναι δύναμαι «μέχρις ὑμῶν,» τουτ έστι, μέχρις οὗ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐννοήσητε, ἢ καὶ ὑπερ βάλλω τὴν ὑμετέραν σύνεσιν. Πλήρης γάρ εἰμι ῥημάτων. Καλῶς εἶπε τὸ, «πλή ρης εἰμί·» ὁ γὰρ μὴ πλήρης ὢν ῥημάτων, καὶ ἐρ χόμενος ἐπὶ τὸ λαλεῖν, κενὰ λαλήσει ὡς κενὸς, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· «Ὁ γὰρ μωρὸς μωρὰ λαλήσει, καὶ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ μάταια νοήσει.» Ὀλέκει γάρ με τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς γαστρός. Ὥσπερ τις ἔγκυος γίνεται, καὶ μορφωθέντος τοῦ γεννωμέ νου ἐν αὐτῇ ἐπὶ ὠδῖνας ἔρχεται, μέχρις οὗ ἀπογεν 12.1044 νήσῃ τὸ συλληφθέν· κατὰ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς φιλομα θοῦς ψυχῆς γίνεται· συλλαμβάνει γὰρ τὸν λόγον, ὃν ἀπαγγελλόμενον μορφοῖ, καὶ τυποῖ αὐτὸν τῇ τάξει· ὅταν δὲ μετὰ τὸ τυπῶσαι καὶ μορφῶσαι, τετελειωμέ νον αὐτὸν παραδῷ, τότε τίκτει· καὶ μέχρις ἂν τέκῃ, βαρύνεται ἐν ὠδῖνι. Λαλήσω, ἵνα ἀναπαύσωμαι ἀνοίξας τὰ χείλη. Ὁ τυγχάνων συνετοῦ ἀκροατοῦ, καὶ ὢν πλήρης λό γων, λαλῶν ἀναπαύεται, τὴν περισσότητα οἷον κενώ σας καὶ ἀποβαλών. ΚΕΦ. ΛΕʹ. Ἀνάβλεψον εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Ἀναβλέπει εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν οὐχ ὁ τοὺς σωματικοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπάρας, καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν οὐρανόν· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ἀναβλέπειν ἔχουσι καὶ οἱ κύνες καὶ οἱ ὄνοι. Οὐδεὶς φιλόκοσμος ἀναβλέ πει εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἀλλ' ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. Πάλιν δὲ οὐχ οὕτω τὰ νέφη ὑψηλὰ ἀφ' ἡμῶν ἐστιν, ὡς ἐὰν ἴδω τὸν Μω σέως βίον, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου πρὸς Θεὸν ἀρέσκειαν, καὶ τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ σμικρότητα καὶ ταπεινότητα, οὕτω βλέ πω τὸ νέφος ὑψηλὸν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ· ἐὰν ἔλθω ἐπὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ, ἐπὶ τοὺς βίους τῶν προφητῶν, ἐὰν ἐξ ετάζω αὐτῶν τὰς πράξεις, τότε ποιῶ τὸ γεγραμμέ νον, καὶ καταμανθάνω πόσον ἐστὶ τὰ νέφη ὑψηλὰ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ. Εἰ ἥμαρτες, τί πράξεις; Ἆρα