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

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 flee, seeing the ones that have been caught, but one even runs before another to be caught; so do they resemble those who associate with wickedness, striving to outdo one another through pleasures, they pierce themselves through with a ruinous death. Here he has called virtue "heart," that which comes to the heart or the spiritual one created by God. Here he took wisdom as a genus of instruction and knowledge; for having set forth instruction and knowledge, he adds: For wisdom is better than precious stones, as instruction and knowledge are contained in wisdom, which is given through the Spirit, a word of wisdom; and this very thing is also called the spirit of adoption. It should be noted that by injustice and insolence and arrogance, he means the unjust, insolent, and arrogant man, naming him from his worst disposition. That is, from me is good counsel and security; for where the one is, there is the other; do you see everywhere the incorporeal things preferred to the corporeal and prevailing? Then having said that even reigning itself happens through her, he added also what is much greater; for this is to reign, to be able to use authority justly, which is better; but some say, kings are the saints and magnates; but tyrants are those still warring against the flesh, and tyrannizing over the passions. Here he introduces love (agape) as greater than friendship (philia), when it is not used for the same thing; doubtless when the Savior said to Peter, Do you love (agapas) me? knowing the one with whom he was conversing, he assigns the lesser term to himself, that is, I am fond of (philo) you; but hearing the third time, "Simon son of Jonah, are you fond of (phileis) me?" he was grieved that He used the lesser term to him the third time. That only the wise man is rich and of good repute; for in him is the possession of many things and the offspring of wisdom; which, sowing into the spirit, he reaps life; and she seems to speak of wealth through herself, saying something like this, that you have no need of expense, nor of innovation, for love towards me, but it is enough only to love, and you will be loved in return. But indeed, and what is marvelous, that righteousness is in wealth, with me is this also, and all other good things. 17.185 The wisdom of God, being substance, was begotten before the ages, and before creation was eternal; but when it received a relation to created things, then it became the beginning of the ways of God, of his creative and providential ways; therefore the beginning is paired with the creations of which it became the beginning, that is, the relation to created things; but wisdom is eternal, existing substantially with God before the ages. Impiety is sin against God; but he also acts impiously against his own soul who heaps up for his own soul the punishment prepared for the impious; and it follows that those who hate wisdom love death, if indeed wisdom is life. One must take wisdom here in two ways: I mean that from the Holy Spirit given in words and scripture to the God-minded, through which also the knowledge of God was made known to the world; and likewise also the hypostatic Son and Word of God, the one who brought all things out of non-being into being by his wisdom. Here he calls "sacrifices" all the prophets who, sealed by the exhortation of Christ and being slaughtered, because they mix in the cup of knowledge the knowledge of him, which is as sweet wine, for the prudent; saying, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul;" for he himself slaughtered them, and slaughters them, by exhorting those who believe in him to die for his sake, just as he himself dies for you. If Paul the apostle is a servant of Christ, and Christ is wisdom, then Paul the apostle is a servant of wisdom; likewise also concerning the rest of the apostles and prophets we shall draw the conclusion, showing them to be servants of his wisdom. One must not rebuke the wicked while they are sinning, but remind them about the fear of God, which will turn them away from wickedness; or the wicked who are turning from sin, and wish to come to repentance; but while they are still wicked and blinded, endure them; and do not rebuke them for every single fault, lest into hatred...

κέμφου ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ κατ' ἀγέλας ἱπτά μενον ὧδε κἀκεῖσε· ὃ οἱ πλωτῆρες πολυάγκυστρον δελεάσαντες σχοῖνον, ἀγρεύουσι· καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐ φεύγει βλέπων τὰ θηρευθέντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλος ἄλλῳ προτρέχει ἀγρευθῆναι· οὕτως ἐοίκασιν οἱ τῇ κακίᾳ προσομιλοῦντες, ἄλλος ἄλλον νικᾷν σπεύδοντες διὰ τῶν ἡδονῶν, ἐπολέθρῳ θανάτῳ ἑαυτοὺς περιπείρουσιν. Καρδίαν ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἀρετὴν εἴρηκε, τὴν ἐπισυμ βαίνουσαν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἢ τὴν ὑπὸ Θεοῦ κτιζομένην τὴν πνευματικήν. Τὴν σοφίαν ἐνταῦθα ὡς γένος ἔλαβε τῆς παιδείας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως· παιδείαν γὰρ καὶ γνῶσιν προτά ξας, ἐπάγει· Κρείσσων γὰρ σοφία λίθων πολυτελῶν, ὡς τῆς παιδείας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως περισχομένης ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ, ἥπερ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται, λόγος σοφίας· τὸ δ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο λέγεται καὶ πνεῦμα υἱο θεσίας. Σημειωτέον ὅτι ἀδικίαν καὶ ὕβριν καὶ ὑπερηφα νίαν, τὸν ἄδικον ὑβριστὴν καὶ ὑπερήφανον λέγει, ἀπὸ τῆς χειρίστης ἕξεως ὀνομάζων αὐτόν. Τουτέστι παρ' ἐμοῦ τὸ εὔβουλον καὶ ἀσφαλές· ὅπου γὰρ τοῦτο, κἀκεῖνο· ὁρᾷς πανταχοῦ προτιθέμενα τὰ ἀσώματα τῶν σωματικῶν καὶ κρατοῦντα; Εἶτα εἰπὼν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ βασιλεύειν δι' αὐτῆς γινόμενον, ἐπήγαγε καὶ ὃ πολλῷ μεῖζόν ἐστι· τοῦτο γὰρ βασιλεύειν, τὸ δύνασθαι δικαίως κεχρῆσθαι τῇ ἀρχῇ, βέλτιον· ἔνιοι δὲ, βασιλεῖς μὲν τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ μεγιστᾶνας· τυ ράννους δὲ, τοὺς ἔτι πολεμοῦντας τὴν σάρκα, καὶ τῶν παθῶν τυραννοῦντας. Μείζω φιλίας εἰσάγει τὴν ἀγάπην ἐνταῦθα, ἡνίκα μὴ κατὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ τάττεται· ἀμέλει τοῦ Σωτῆρος τῷ Πέτρῳ λέγοντος, Ἀγαπᾷς με; τὸν προσδιαλεγόμε νον εἰδὼς, τὸ ἧττον δίδωσιν ἑαυτῷ, τὸ, Ὅτι φιλῶ σε· τὸ δὲ τρίτον ἀκούσας, Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ, φιλεῖς με; ἐλυ πήθη ὅτι τὸ ἧττον τρίτον αὐτῷ προσένειμε. Ὅτι μόνος ὁ σοφὸς πλούσιος καὶ εὐκλεής· ἔστι γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ κτῆσις πολλῶν καὶ γεννήματα σοφίας· ἃ καὶ σπείρων εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα, θερίζει ζωήν· ἔοικε δὲ διὰ τοῦ ἑαυτῆς λέγειν τὸν πλοῦτον, τοιοῦτόν τι λέγειν, ὅτι Οὐ χρεία σοι δαπάνης, οὐδὲ καινοτομίας, εἰς τὸν πρὸς ἐμὲ ἔρωτα, ἀλλ' ἀρκεῖ τὸ φιλῆσαι μό νον, καὶ ἀνταγαπηθήσῃ. Ἀλλὰ μὴν, καὶ ὃ θαυμαστόν ἐστι, τὸ ἐν πλούτῳ εἶναι δικαιοσύνην, παρ' ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἀγαθά. 17.185 Οὐσία οὖσα ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφία, πρὸ αἰώνων γεγένη ται, καὶ πρὸ κτίσεως ἀΐδιος ἦν· ὅτε δὲ σχέσιν πρὸς τὰ γεννητὰ ἐδέξατο, τότε ἀρχὴ τῶν ὁδῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονε τῶν ποιητικῶν καὶ προνοητικῶν· σύζυγος οὖν ἡ ἀρχὴ τοῖς κτίσμασιν ὧν γέγονεν ἀρχὴ, τουτ έστιν ἡ πρὸς τὰ γεννητὰ σχέσις· ἡ δὲ σοφία ἀΐδιος, οὐσιωδῶς πρὸ αἰώνων παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ὑπάρχουσα. Ἀσέβεια μέν ἐστιν ἡ εἰς Θεὸν ἁμαρτία· ἀσεβεῖ δὲ καὶ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὁ σωρεύων κόλασιν τῇ ἑαυ τοῦ ψυχῇ, τὴν τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν ἡτοιμασμένην· ἀκόλου θον δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀγαπᾷν θάνατον τοὺς σοφίαν μισοῦντας, εἴπερ ἡ σοφία ζωή. Τὴν σοφίαν ἐνταῦθα δισσῶς ἐπιλαβεῖν, τὴν ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου φημὶ ἐν λόγοις καὶ γραφῇ δοθεῖσαν τοῖς θεόφροσιν, δι' ἧς καὶ ἡ ἐπίγνωσις τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐγνωρίσθη· ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐνυπόστατον Υἱὸν καὶ Λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντα εἰς τὸ εἶναι παραγαγόντα τὰ σύμπαντα τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ. Θύματα ἐνταῦθά φησι τοὺς ὅσοι προφῆται τῇ παρ αινέσει Χριστοῦ σφραγισθέντες καὶ σφαγιαζόμενοι, διὰ τὸ κιρνᾷν αὐτοὺς τῷ τῆς γνώσεως κρατῆρι τὴν ὡς οἶνον ἡδὺν ἐπίγνωσιν αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἐχέφροσι· λέγων, Μὴ φοβηθῆτε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεινόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς αὐ τοὺς ἐσφαγίασε, καὶ σφαγιάζει, διὰ τὸ παρακελεύειν αὐτὸς τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύοντας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ὡς αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἀποθνήσκει. Εἰ Παῦλος ὁ ἀπόστολος δοῦλος Χριστοῦ, ὁ δὲ Χρι στὸς σοφία ἐστὶ, Παῦλος γὰρ ὁ ἀπόστολος δοῦλος τῆς σοφίας ἐστίν· ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποστό λων καὶ προφητῶν τὸν λόγον συνάξομεν, δούλους τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ ἀποδείξαντες. Οὐ δεῖ ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐλέγχειν τοὺς κακοὺς, ἀλλὰ περὶ θείου φόβου αὐτοὺς ὑπομιμνήσκειν, ὅστις αὐ τοὺς ἀποστήσει τῆς κακίας· ἢ κακοὺς τοὺς ἀπὸ ἁμαρ τίας ἐπιστρέφοντας, καὶ θέλοντας ἐλθεῖν πρὸς μετά νοιαν· ἀκμὴν δὲ κακοὺς ὄντας καὶ τυφλώττοντας ὑπόμενε· καὶ μὴ καθ' ἒν σφάλμα ἔλεγχε, ἵνα μὴ εἰς μῖσος ἐκ