in that one; for if (one) has in this life, being punished there he will hear: You have received your good things in your life. Necessarily, however, is added: In a man who commits lawlessness. For of such men, he says, one must refuse imitation; and it is very useful to refrain from emulating them with jealousy. For they prosper, that is, they are supposed to have success in their own affairs, not gaining the thing by decrees from above, but from greed and at times from seizing the things of others. Therefore, the prosperity, he calls progress for the worse. But since many who live in righteous ness, when they see themselves in troubles, but the sinner prospering in all things for a time, becoming angry, they abandon righteousness, and this is of the utmost folly; for this reason the word, teaching to be longsuffering, 17.125 says to await the fruit of the righteousness of God. Verse 8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. The example is beneficial, and most fitting for those subject to God. For it is necessary, he says, to be meek, and very well-composed, and having orderliness in mind, and always loving the success that comes from longsuffering, and to depart from the waves of anger. For some of the passions do not befall many, but even those who happen to have them cast them off as they progress. For this foul passion, anger, consumes even those who seem to be prudent, and disturbs them; not some yes, and some no; but I dare say all men except for the perfect one, if ever a perfect one might be found. Verse 9. But those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the earth. Since we are somehow always accustomed to stand aloof from evil things, being pushed towards the better by the fear of being punished, and by the desire for the gifts from God being driven to live lawfully; for this reason, the psalmist, having shown the destructive end of those who do evil, adds, that those who wait for the Lord, that is, those who through endurance and patience achieve a well-pleasing life, shall inherit the earth, which is not a part of this earth that has come under a curse, which he who works it eats in sorrow all his days; but that earth, prepared for the saints. For their inheritance is the beautiful city of the saints, the holy and heavenly one, of which God is the giver of the inheritance. And just as the Savior is wisdom, Word, peace and righteousness, so also is he patience. For it is written: And now what is my patience? Is it not the Lord? From whom it is possible to draw and receive all things, which Christ is said to be according to the Scriptures. For as by participation in him we become righteous and wise, and are at peace; so also by participation in him we are patient. Be still therefore, being patient and waiting for God, not being troubled by present things. Verse 11. But the meek shall inherit the earth. The followers of Valentinus and certain others, thinking that the Savior said things not spoken in the old Writings, let them be refuted from this, hearing, that "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." For it was said before through David by the same Spirit. But very economically David contrasts the rewards of the saints with the punishments of the lawless. And through these things he sharpens them to a desire for spiritual courage, through which it would be possible to achieve every manner of virtue. For this reason he says: But the meek shall inherit the earth, that is, the one above. For if according to Paul there is in the heavens a Jerusalem and Mount Zion, it follows to understand also an earth, which those who have conquered the destructive passion, anger, will inherit, 17.128 which destroys even the prudent. For they are hindered from acting according to virtue. But meekness and anger are diametrically opposed to each other. For where there is anger, there is by no means meekness; and where there is meekness, there is by no means anger. Verse 12. The sinner will watch the righteous, and will gnash his teeth at him. Verse 13. But the Lord will laugh at him, for he foresees that his day will come. From this we learn that, just as darkness and light are by nature opposite, so is the sinner to the righteous. If then you see the righteous man being hated, do not hesitate to say concerning the one who hates him, that he is a sinner. For those who mind the things

ἐν ἐκείνῳ· εἰ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ ἔχει (τις), ἐκεῖ κολαζόμενος ἀκούσεται· Ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου. Ἀναγκαίως μέντοι προστέθειται τό· Ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ποιοῦντι παρανομίαν. Τῶν τοιούτων γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν μίμησιν παραιτεῖσθαι χρή· καὶ χρήσιμον σφόδρα τοῦ ἀποφοιτᾷν τῷ παραζηλοῦν αὐτούς. Εὐοδοῦνται γὰρ, ἤτοι τὴν ἐν πράγμασι τοῖς ἰδίοις εὐοδίαν ἔχειν ὑπολαμβάνονται, οὐ ψήφοις ταῖς ἄνωθεν τὸ χρῆμα κερδαίνοντες, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ πλεονεκτεῖν καὶ ἁρπάζειν τὰ ἑτέρων ἔσθ' ὅτε. Τὴν οὖν εὐόδωσιν, τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον προκοπὴν λέγει. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλοὶ ἐν δικαιο σύνῃ ζῶντες, ὅταν ἴδωσιν ἑαυτοὺς ἐν πόνοις, τὸν δὲ ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐν πᾶσι πρὸς καιρὸν εὐοδούμενον, ὀργι σθέντες· τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀφίστανται, τοῦτο δὲ ἀνοίας τῆς ἐσχάτης· διὰ τοῦτο μακροθυμεῖν διδάσκων ὁ λό 17.125 γος, καὶ τῆς δικαιοσύνης τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν καρπὸν προσ δέχεσθαί φησι. Στίχ. ηʹ. Παῦσαι ἀπὸ ὀργῆς, καὶ ἐγκατάλιπε θυμόν. Ἐπωφελὲς τὸ παράδειγμα, καὶ τοῖς ὑποτεταγμέ νοις Θεῷ πρεπωδέστατον. Χρὴ γὰρ, φησὶ, πράους εἶναι, καὶ εὖ μάλα καθεστηκότας, καὶ εὐταξίαν ἔχον τας εἰς νοῦν, ἀγαπῶντάς τε διαπαντὸς τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς μακροθυμίας εὐοδίαν, καὶ τῶν ἐξ ὀργῆς κυμάτων ἀποφοιτᾷν. Τῶν γὰρ παθῶν τινὰ μὲν οὐ πίπτει εἰς πολλοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ τυχόντες ἀπέβαλον αὐτὰ προ κόπτοντες. Τὸ γὰρ μιαρὸν τοῦτο πάθος, ἡ ὀργὴ, ἐκ καίει καὶ τοὺς δοκοῦντας εἶναι φρονίμους, καὶ ταράσ σει· οὐ τινὰ μὲν, τινὰ δ' οὔ· ἀλλὰ κινδυνεύω λέγειν πάντας ἀνθρώπους παρὲξ τοῦ τελείου, ἐάν που εὑρεθῇ τις τέλειος. Στίχ. θʹ. Οἱ δὲ ὑπομένοντες τὸν Κύριον κληρονο μήσουσι γῆν. Ἐπειδὴ εἰώθαμέν πως ἀεὶ τῶν πονηρῶν ἀπαν ίστασθαι, τῷ τοῦ κολάζεσθαι δέει συνωθούμενοι πρὸς τὸ ἄμεινον, ἐφέσει δὲ τῶν παρὰ Θεοῦ χαρισμάτων συν ελαύνεσθαι εἰς τὸ διαζῇν εὐνόμως· διὰ τοῦτο, δείξας ὁ ψάλλων ὀλέθριον τῶν πονηρευομένων τὸ τέλος, ἐπ άγει, ὅτι Οἱ τὸν Κύριον ὑπομένοντες, τουτέστιν οἱ διὰ καρτερίας καὶ ὑπομονῆς τὸν εὐδόκιμον κατορθοῦν τες βίον, κληρονομήσουσι γῆν, ἥτις οὐκ ἔστι μέρος ταύτης τῆς γῆς ὑπὸ κατάραν γεγενημένης, ἣν ἐν λύπαις ἐσθίει πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐργαζόμενος αὐτήν· ἀλλὰ γῆν ἐκείνην, τὴν τοῖς ἁγίοις ηὐτρεπι σμένην. Κλῆρος γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἡ τῶν ἁγίων καλλίπολις, ἡ ἱερά τε καὶ ἄνω, ἧς κληροδότης Θεός. Ὥσπερ δέ ἐστιν ὁ Σωτὴρ σοφία, Λόγος, εἰρήνη καὶ δικαιοσύνη, οὕτως καὶ ὑπομονή. Γέγραπται γάρ· Καὶ νῦν τίς ἡ ὑπομονή μου; Οὐχὶ Κύριος; Ἀφ' οὗ ἀρύεσθαί ἐστι καὶ λαμβάνειν πάντα, ἃ λέγεται εἶναι κατὰ τὰς Γρα φὰς ὁ Χριστός. Ὡς γὰρ μετοχῇ αὐτοῦ δίκαιοι γινό μεθα καὶ σοφοὶ, καὶ εἰρηνεύομεν· οὕτως καὶ μετοχῇ αὐτοῦ ὑπομένομεν. Ἡσύχαζε οὖν ὑπομένων καὶ ἐκ δεχόμενος τὸν Θεὸν, μὴ ταραττόμενος τοῖς παροῦσι. Στίχ. ιαʹ. Οἱ δὲ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσι γῆν. Οἱ ἀπὸ Οὐαλεντίνου καί τινων ἑτέρων, οἰόμενοι τὸν Σωτῆρα λέγειν τὰ μὴ εἰρημένα ἐν τοῖς παλαιοῖς Γράμμασιν, ἐντεῦθεν ἐλεγχέσθωσαν, ἀκούοντες, ὅτι Μακάριοι πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν. Εἴρητο μὲν καὶ πρότερον διὰ ∆αβὶδ ὑπὸ τοῦ αὐ τοῦ Πνεύματος. Οἰκονομικώτερον δὲ λίαν ὁ ∆αβὶδ ἀντιπαρεξ άγει ταῖς τῶν παρανόμων κολάσεσι τὰ τῶν ἁγίων γέρα. Ἀκονᾷ δὲ διὰ τούτων αὐτοὺς εἰς ἔφεσιν εὐανδρίας πνευματικῆς, δι' ἧς ἂν γένοιτο κατορθοῦν πάντα τρό πον ἀρετῆς. Ταύτῃ τοί φησιν· Οἱ δὲ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσι γῆν, τὴν ἄνω δηλαδή. Εἰ γάρ ἐστιν ἐν οὐρανοῖς κατὰ Παῦλον Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ Σιὼν ὄρος, ἀκόλουθον καὶ γῆν νοεῖν, ἣν κληρονομήσουσιν 17.128 οἱ νενικηκότες πάθος ὀλέθριον, τὴν ὀργὴν, ἥτις καὶ φρονίμους ἀπόλλυσι. Κατ' ἀρετὴν γὰρ ἐνεργεῖν ἐμπο δίζονται. Κατὰ διάμετρον δέ εἰσιν ἀλλήλοις πραότης καὶ ὀργή. Ὅπου γὰρ ὀργὴ, οὐδαμῶς πραότης· καὶ ὅπου πραότης, οὐδαμῶς ἐκεῖ ὀργή. Στίχ. ιβʹ. Παρατηρήσεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τὸν δίκαιον, καὶ βρύξει ἐπ' αὐτὸν τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ. Στίχ. ιγʹ. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐκγελάσεται αὐτὸν, ὅτι προ βλέπει, ὅτι ἥξει ἡ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ. Ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν, ὅτι, ὥσπερ πέφυκεν ἐναν τίον εἶναι σκότος καὶ φῶς, οὕτω ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τῷ δικαίῳ. Ἐὰν οὖν ἴδῃς τότε μισούμενον τὸν δίκαιον, μὴ ὄκνει λέγειν περὶ τοῦ μισοῦντος αὐτὸν, ὡς ἔστιν ἁμαρτωλός. Οἱ γὰρ φρονοῦντες τὰ