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and the evil, it is fitting that he himself reaps it first; and just as spring water, both the salty and the drinkable, both fills the vessels of those who bring them, and does not diminish the spring that brings it forth; so indeed both vice and virtue, from wherever it may go forth, it both gladdens and destroys that one. And these things are here. But the things there, what word shall describe them, whether the good things, or the evil? There is none. For the good things indeed transcend all understanding, not only speech; but the opposite things are indeed spoken of by the names familiar to us; for fire, it says, is there and darkness and bonds and the undying worm; but it represents not only these things which are spoken of, but other things more grievous. And that you may learn, consider this first immediately. For tell me, if it is fire, how is it also darkness? Do you see that that fire is more grievous than this? for it does not have light. If it is fire, how does it always burn? Do you see that it happens to be more grievous than this? for it is not extinguished; for this reason it is called unquenchable. Let us consider then how great an evil it is to be burned continually, and to be in darkness, and to wail ten thousand times, and to gnash the teeth, and not even to be heard. For if someone of those nobly brought up, being cast into a prison here, says that the stench alone, and lying in darkness, and being bound with murderers, is more grievous than any death; consider what it is, when we are burned with the murderers of the world, neither seeing nor being seen, but in so great a multitude thinking we are alone. For the darkness and the lack of light does not permit us to recognize even those near us; but each one will be so disposed as if he alone were suffering this. But if darkness by itself afflicts and troubles our souls; what then will it be, when with the darkness there are also so many pains and burnings? Therefore I ask you to continually turn these things over in your minds, and to bear the grief from these words, so that we may not endure the punishment through the realities. For certainly all these things will be, and no one will rescue those who have done things worthy of the punishments there, not a father, not a mother, not a brother, even if he has great boldness, even if he has great power with God. For a brother does not redeem, it says; shall a man redeem? For He is the one who repays each according to his works, and from these it is possible both to be saved and to be punished. 63.19 Make for yourselves friends from the mammon of unrighteousness. Therefore let us obey, for it is a command of the Lord, and let us scatter the excess of our wealth to those in need; let us practice almsgiving, while we are able; for this is to make friends from mammon; let us empty out our money to the poor, that we may empty out that fire, that we may extinguish it, that we may have boldness there. For there it is not these who receive us, but our own work. For that it is not simply having them as friends that can save us, it is possible to learn this from the addition. For why did he not say, Make for yourselves friends, that they may receive you into their eternal dwellings, but also added the manner? for by saying, From the mammon of unrighteousness, he showed that it is proper to make them friends from one's money, indicating that friendship will not simply help us, unless we have good works, unless we empty out justly the wealth unjustly gathered. But this discourse of ours on 63.20 almsgiving will apply not only to the rich, but also to the poor. And if anyone is fed by begging, this discourse is also for him; for there is not, there is not anyone so poor, however poor he may be, as not to have two mites. It is possible indeed, by giving little from a little, to surpass those who possess much and give more; just like that widow. For the magnitude of the almsgiving is judged not by the measure of what is given, but by the ability and the intention of those who give. So that everywhere we need intention, everywhere love for God. If we do all things with this, even if having little we give little, God will not turn away his face, but will receive it as something great and wonderful. For he pays attention to the intention, not to the things given;

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καὶ τὸ κακὸν, εἰκότως πρῶτος αὐτὸς ἀπολαύει· καὶ καθάπερ ὕδωρ πηγαῖον τό τε ἁλμυρὸν, τό τε πότιμον, καὶ τὰ τῶν προσαγόντων ἀγγεῖα πληροῖ, καὶ τὴν πηγὴν οὐκ ἐλαττοῖ τὴν ἐκφέρουσαν· οὕτω δὴ καὶ κακία καὶ ἀρετὴ, ὅθεν ἂν ἐξίῃ, ἐκεῖνον καὶ εὐφραίνει καὶ ἀπόλλυσι. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐνταῦθα. Τὰ δὲ ἐκεῖ τίς διηγήσεται λόγος, ἢ τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ἢ τὰ κακά; Οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδείς. Τὰ χρηστὰ μὲν γὰρ καὶ πάντα νοῦν ὑπερβαίνει, οὐχὶ λόγον μόνον· τὰ ἐναντία δὲ εἴρηται μὲν τοῖς ὀνόμασι τοῖς συντρόφοις ἡμῖν· πῦρ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐστὶν ἐκεῖ καὶ σκότος καὶ δεσμὰ καὶ σκώληξ ἀτελεύτητος· οὐ ταῦτα δὲ μόνον παρίστησιν, ἅπερ εἴρηται, ἀλλ' ἕτερα χαλεπώτερα. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς, εὐθέως τοῦτο σκόπησον πρῶτον. Εἰπὲ γὰρ, εἰ πῦρ ἐστι, πῶς καὶ σκότος ἐστίν; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι χαλεπώτερον τούτου τὸ πῦρ ἐκεῖνο; οὐ γὰρ ἔχει φῶς. Εἰ πῦρ ἐστι, πῶς ἀεὶ κατακαίει; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι χαλεπώτερον τούτου τυγχάνει; οὐ γὰρ σβέννυται· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἄσβεστον λέγεται. Ἐννοήσωμεν τοίνυν ὅσον ἐστὶ κακὸν κατακαίεσθαι διαπαντὸς, καὶ ἐν σκότῳ εἶναι, καὶ μυρία οἰμώζειν, καὶ βρύχειν τοὺς ὀδόντας, καὶ μηδὲ ἀκούεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ εἰς δεσμωτήριόν τις ἐμβληθεὶς ἐνταῦθα τῶν εὐγενῶς τεθραμμένων, τὴν δυσωδίαν μόνον, καὶ τὸ ἐν σκότῳ κεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸ μετὰ ἀνδροφόνων δεδέσθαι, παντὸς θανάτου χαλεπώτερον εἶναί φησιν· ἐννόησον τί ἐστιν, ὅταν μετὰ τῶν τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀνδροφόνων κατακαιώμεθα, μήτε ὁρῶντες μήτε ὁρώμενοι, ἀλλ' ἐν πλήθει τοσούτῳ νομίζοντες εἶναι μόνοι. Τὸ γὰρ σκότος καὶ τὸ ἀλαμπὲς οὐκ ἀφίησιν οὐδὲ τοὺς πλησίον ἡμᾶς διαγινώσκειν· ἀλλ' ὡς μόνος τοῦτο πάσχων ἕκαστος, οὕτω διακείσεται. Εἰ δὲ σκότος θλίβει καθ' ἑαυτὸ τὰς ἡμετέρας ψυχὰς καὶ θορυβεῖ· τί ἔσται ἄρα, ὅταν μετὰ τοῦ σκότους καὶ ὀδύναι τοσαῦται ὦσι καὶ ἐμπρησμοί; ∆ιὸ δέομαι ταῦτα διαπαντὸς στρέφειν παρ' ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ῥημάτων λύπης ἀνέχεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ τὴν διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ὑπομείνωμεν τιμωρίαν. Πάντως γὰρ ταῦτα πάντα ἔσται, καὶ τοὺς ἄξια πράξαντας τῶν ἐκεῖ κολαστηρίων οὐδεὶς ἐξαιρήσεται, οὐ πατὴρ, οὐ μήτηρ, οὐκ ἀδελφὸς, κἂν πολλὴν παῤῥησίαν ἔχῃ, κἂν μεγάλα ἰσχύῃ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Ἀδελφὸς γὰρ οὐ λυτροῦται, φησί· λυτρώσεται ἄνθρωπος; Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἀποδιδοὺς ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων καὶ σωθῆναι ἔνι καὶ κολασθῆναι. 63.19 Ποιήσατε ὑμῖν φίλους ἐκ τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τῆς ἀδικίας. Οὐκοῦν ὑπακούσωμεν, ∆εσποτικὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἐντολὴ, καὶ τὰ περιττὰ τοῦ πλούτου εἰς τοὺς δεομένους σκορπίσωμεν· ἐργασώμεθα ἐλεημοσύνην, ἕως ἐσμὲν κύριοι· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, φίλους ποιεῖν ἐκ τοῦ μαμωνᾶ· κενώσωμεν τὰ χρήματα εἰς τοὺς πένητας, ἵνα κενώσωμεν ἐκεῖνο τὸ πῦρ, ἵνα σβέσωμεν αὐτὸ, ἵνα ἔχωμεν παῤῥησίαν ἐκεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ οὐχ οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ δεχόμενοι ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἔργον τὸ ἡμέτερον. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐχ ἁπλῶς τὸ φίλους ἡμῖν τούτους εἶναι σῶσαι δύναται, ἔνι τοῦτο μαθεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς προσθήκης. ∆ιὰ τί γὰρ οὐκ εἶπε, Ποιήσατε ὑμῖν φίλους, ἵνα δέξωνται ὑμᾶς εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους αὐτῶν σκηνὰς, ἀλλὰ προσέθηκε καὶ τὸν τρόπον; εἰπὼν γὰρ, Ἐκ τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τῆς ἀδικίας, ἔδειξεν ὅτι ἀπὸ τῶν χρημάτων προσήκει ποιῆσαι τούτους φίλους, δηλῶν ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς προστήσεται ἡμῶν φιλία, ἐὰν μὴ ἔργα ἔχωμεν ἀγαθὰ, ἐὰν μὴ τὸν ἀδίκως συλλεγέντα πλοῦτον δικαίως κενώσωμεν. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ λόγος ἡμῖν ὁ τῆς 63.20 ἐλεημοσύνης οὐ πρὸς τοὺς πλουσίους μόνον ἁρμόσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πένητας. Κἂν ᾖ τις ἐκ τοῦ προσαιτεῖν τρεφόμενος, καὶ πρὸς αὐτόν ἐστιν ὁ λόγος οὗτος· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτως οὐδεὶς πένης, κἂν σφόδρα πένης ᾖ, ὡς δύο λεπτῶν μὴ εὐπορεῖν. Ἔνεστι γοῦν καὶ ἐξ ὀλίγων ὀλίγα δόντα, τοὺς πολλὰ κεκτημένους ὑπερβαλέσθαι πλείονα διδόντας· καθάπερ κἀκείνη ἡ χήρα. Οὐ γὰρ τῷ μέτρῳ τῶν διδομένων, ἀλλὰ τῇ δυνάμει καὶ τῇ προαιρέσει τῶν διδόντων κρίνεται τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης τὸ μέγεθος. Ὥστε πανταχοῦ προαιρέσεως ἡμῖν δεῖ, πανταχοῦ τῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀγάπης. Ἐὰν μετὰ ταύτης ἅπαντα πράττωμεν, κἂν μικρὰ ἔχοντες μικρὰ δῶμεν, οὐκ ἀποστρέψει ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πρόσωπον αὑτοῦ, ἀλλὰ δέξεται ὡς μεγάλα καὶ θαυμαστά. Τῇ γὰρ προαιρέσει, οὐ τοῖς διδομένοις προσέχει·