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exaggerating the truth. Whenever the height of the cities built by those who possessed the land before Israel is spoken of, that "we saw walled cities there, whose walls reach to heaven," it was said hyperbolically. And the apostle also knows the principle of hyperbole and the use of the name. "And yet I give to you a more excellent way; if I have all knowledge and understand all mysteries, but do not have love, I am profited nothing." For it is not profitable to have knowledge and to know all mysteries without divine love. "If we have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, even the greatness of faith is nothing." He says that love is greater even than faith; and concede that it [faith] is said to move mountains; he does not lie in this, even if it exaggerates the truth, so as to meet with disbelief. And again he says: "And Asahel was light of foot as a gazelle in the field." He was swift. And according to allegory, the life of men and their conduct is often called a sea. Here waves can signify the things that happen to a man. And he says that ····· of the judgments that happen to him "he goes up to the heavens" and "goes down to the abysses". ··is not ····· ······of ····· ·····. 193 in the following time ····· ····· ···. to a man happen···· ········· what is the advantage for man? ····· ····· therefore generally concerning man he says, not ···· they are not generally··· ····· ·· of the things ·····; of the year and of the year ····· ········· is ···. whenever ····· ····· ···war··· ····· ····· ····· is ···. But here concerning ···generally ····· ·········· might············ ····· ····· the Jews stronger ···· ··· ··········· ····· to the masters the oracles of God and ····· ·········· ····· "his portion". But those from the Greeks who believed were called ····· ······· ··· of words the Jews here being a portion ······· a holy commonwealth and the other things, but inferior ····ing the things that were ····· spoken for which they were called ·· Therefore according to this it is possible to say "what is the advantage," if one is called first and not···· ················· ········· has seized it ········· to be empty at some time ············ advantage···· ······· ····· ··· of life ·········· ····· ··· He speaks concerning the conduct and life here; we have this life being with the flesh and still living in it. It is subject to time, it is subject to a number of days. But to truly live is eternal; and such a life is eternal and endless. Therefore he speaks concerning the material life here. and he made them in shadow; for who will tell a man what will be after him under the sun. The life of men, which they conduct here, is shadowy. You have what is said by the Savior in the Gospel: "Seek," he says, "first the righteousness and the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you." It is impossible for a shadow to exist without a pre-existing body. There must be a body, so that a shadow may thus follow. The life here, therefore, is a shadow 194 of a preceding life, of which the life that happens here is a consequence. For this reason it is said somewhere: "Our days are as a shadow." And Job also said before: "The life of men on earth is a shadow." The life on earth, or the material life, the temporary, the one with the flesh, this is a "shadow" of the life above. It is a created thing, easily moved, easily changed. Thus also the apostle, wishing to show the shadowy life, said: "If in this life only we have hoped, we are of all men most miserable." For let there be someone having hope in the shadow of one who appears to be helping, or someone discerning in a mirror the face of a king who is not present, whether the shadow or the appearance will profit him. For can there be provided for him what can be provided for him by a true king who rules according to laws? Our life, therefore, is shadowy. But it is a fine thing, having known this, that this life is shadowy, to pay attention to it as to a thing not permanent, as being sufficed from elsewhere, and one must consider this: that there is another life, which the shadowy one follows, and to live and act according to that one. For thus "one can please God." Through the phrase "who will tell a man" what will befall him while he is still under the sun, from this is abolished all divination, all human foreknowledge. not in vain

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ὑπ̣ε̣ρ̣α̣ι´̣ρ̣ω̣ν̣ τὸ ἀληθές. ὅταν τὸ ὕψος τῶν κατασκευασθέντων πόλεων ὑπ̣ο`̣ τῶν πρὸ τ̣ο̣ῦ Ἰσραὴλ κατεχόντων τὴν γῆν λέγητ̣αι̣, ὁ´̣τ̣ι̣ "εἴδομεν πόλεις ἐκεῖ τειχήρεις, ὧν τὰ τείχη ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ", ὑπερβο̣λ̣ι̣κ̣ω῀̣ς̣ ε᾿̣λ̣έχθη. οἶδεν δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος τὸν λ̣ο´̣γ̣ο̣ν̣ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς καὶ τὴν χρῆσιν τοῦ ὀνο´̣μ̣α̣τ̣ο̣ς̣. "καὶ ἔτι καθ' ὑπερβο̣ λὴν ο῾̣δ̣ὸν̣ ὑμῖν δίδωμι· ἐὰν ἐ´̣χ̣ω πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυ̣στή ρια πάντα, ἀγα´̣π̣ην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι". μὴ γὰρ συμφέρει γνῶσ̣ιν γ̣ινώσ̣κειν κα̣ὶ τὰ μυστήρ̣ι̣α πάντα ἄνευ θείας ἀγάπης. "εἰ πᾶσαν ἔχομεν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε μ̣ε̣θ̣ιστάνε̣ι̣ν̣ ὄρη ἀγάπην οὐκ ἔχοντες, καὶ τὸ μέγεθος πίστεως ου᾿̣δε´̣ν̣ ἐστ̣ι̣ν̣". λέγει ἀγ̣άπην μείζ̣ονα̣ καὶ πίστεως εἶναι· καὶ δ̣ὸς αὐτὴν εἰπεῖν τὰ ὄρη μεθιστάνειν̣· ου᾿̣ ψεύδεται τοῦτο, εἰ καὶ ὑπεραίρει τὸ ἀληθές, ὥστε τυχεῖν ἀπιστίας. καὶ λε´̣γει πάλιν· "καὶ ἦν̣ Ἀσ̣α̣ὴλ κο̣υ῀̣φος τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτου῀̣ ω῾̣σεὶ δορκὰς ἐν ἀγρ̣ῷ". ταχὺς ἠ῀̣ν. καὶ κατὰ ἀλληγ̣ο̣ρι´̣αν̣ πολλάκις ὁ βίος τῶν ἀν̣θρώπων καὶ ἡ πολι τεία̣ αὐτω῀̣ν θάλαττα ὀνομάζεται. δύναται ὧδε κύματα δ̣η̣λ̣οῦν̣ τὰ συμ βα̣ι´̣ν̣ο̣ντα ἀνθρώπῳ. καὶ λέγ̣ει ὅτι ····· τῶν κριμάτων τῶν αυ᾿̣τ̣ῷ συμ βα̣ι̣νόντων "ἕως εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀναβαίνε̣ι" κ̣α̣ὶ "κατ̣αβαίνει ἕως ει᾿̣ς ἀβύσσους". ··οὐκ ἐ´̣σ̣τιν ····· ······ω̣ν ····· ·ν·····ν. 193 τῷ ἑξῆς χρ̣όνῳ ····· ····· ···. ἀνθρώπῳ τυγχαν̣···· ··η̣······· τ̣ι´̣ π̣ε̣ρι̣σσὸν̣ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ; ····· ····· ·οὖν̣ καθόλου π̣ερὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου λε´̣γ̣ει, ο̣υ᾿̣κ̣ ····α̣ι̣ οὐκ̣ εἰσὶν̣ κ̣αθόλου··· ····· ·· τῶν πραγμάτων ····τ̣ο̣· ἔτους κ̣αὶ ἐνιαυτοῦ τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ ·····μους̣ ·μ̣········ ···εται. ὅταν ·····ι̣ς̣ τ̣ο`̣ ··ριω̣··ας̣ ··πολε ····· ····· ····· ·····εται. ὧδε δὲ περὶ ···καθόλου ····· ·········· δυν̣············ ····· ····ε̣···ν οἱ Ἰο̣υ̣δα̣ῖοι ἰσχυρότεροι ····αι ··· ·······π̣ρ̣····· ····· το̣ῖς αὐθένταις τὰ λ̣όγ̣ι̣α τ̣ο̣ῦ θεοῦ καὶ ····· ·α̣ι̣····ω····· ····· "μερὶς αὐτοῦ". ἐκλήθη̣σ̣α̣ν̣ δὲ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἑλ̣λη´̣ν̣ω̣ν̣ π̣ι̣στ̣εύσαντες ····· ·······ε̣ρ̣ωσιν π̣·λ̣··λ̣ο´̣γων οἱ Ἰουδαῖο̣ι̣ ὡ῀̣δε̣ με̣ρὶς ὄντες̣ ····σ̣ε̣··· πολίτ̣ευμα ἅγιον καὶ τὰ ἄλλα, ἀλλ' ἥτ̣τ̣ω ····ε̣υ̣ον̣ τες τὰ πράγμ̣α̣τα̣ τ̣ὰ ····· φωνηθέντα ἐφ' οἷς ἐκλήθ̣η̣σαν ·· κ̣α τὰ τοῦτο οὖν "τί π̣ε̣ρ̣ισσο´̣ν" ε᾿̣σ̣τιν εἰπ̣εῖν, ἐὰν πρῶτόν τις κληθ̣ῇ καὶ μ···· ················· ····ε̣······· α̣ὐτὸ κατ̣είλ̣ηφ̣ε̣ν̣ ···ε̣······μ̣··· κεναι ποτε`̣ ············ ··πλεονε̣κτημα̣χ ······· ····· ·ρ̣··· ζωῆς μ̣······σ̣ε····· ····· ··· περὶ τῆς ἐνταυ῀̣θ̣α διαγ̣ωγῆς καὶ ζωῆς λέγει· τὸ ζῆν τοῦτο ἔχομεν μετὰ σαρκὸς ὄντες καὶ ἐ´̣τ̣ι ἐν̣ τ̣α̣ύτῃ δ̣ιάγοντες. ὑπὸ χρόνον ἐστίν, ὑπὸ ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν ἐστιν. τὸ δὲ ἀληθῶς ζη῀̣ν αἰώνιόν ἐστιν· αἰώνιος δέ ἐστιν καὶ ἀπέραντος ἡ τοιαύτη ζωή. περὶ τ̣ῆς οὖν ἐνταῦθα ζωῆς τῆς ἐνύλου λέγει. καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὰς ἐν σκιᾷ· ὅτι τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ τῷ ἀνθρώ πῳ τί ἔσται ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον. ἡ ζωὴ τῶν̣ ἀνθρώπων, ἣν ἐνταῦθα περιέπουσιν, σκιώδ̣ης ἐστίν. ἔχεις ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ πρ̣ὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος λεγόμενον· "ζητεῖτε̣", φ̣ησίν, "πρῶτον τὴν δικαιοσύνην καὶ τη`̣ν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ πάντ̣α ταῦτα π̣ροςτεθήσε ται ὑμῖν". ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν σκιὰν εἶναι μὴ προϋπάρχοντος̣ σώματος. δεῖ εἶναι σῶμα, ἵν' οὕτως ἐπακολουθήσῃ σκιά. ὁ βίος οὖν ὁ ἐνταῦθα σκιά ἐστιν οὔσης 194 προηγουμ̣ένης ζωῆς, ἧς ἐπακολούθημά ἐστιν ἡ ὧδε γινομε´̣νη. διὰ τ̣α̣υ῀̣τα λέγετ̣α̣ί που· αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν ὡς σκιά". καὶ ἔτι ἔλεγεν ὁ Ἰὼβ πρότερον· "σκιά ἐστιν ὁ β̣ι´̣ο̣ς τ̣ῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς". ὁ ἐπ̣ὶ τῆς γῆς βίος ἢ ἡ ἔν υλος ζωή, ἡ πρόσκ̣αιρος, ἡ μετὰ σαρκός, αὕτη "σκιά" ἐστιν τῆς ἄνω ζωῆς. γε̣νητὸν πρᾶγμά ἐστιν, εὐκι´̣νητον, εὐπαράγωγον. οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος τὴν σκιώδη ζωὴν δεῖcαι θέλων ἔλεγεν· "εἰ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ζωῇ ἠλπικότες ἐσμὲν μ̣όνον, ἐλεεινότεροι πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐσμέν". ἔστω γ̣οῦν τις ἐλπίδα ἔχων ἐπὶ σκιὰν φαινο̣μένου βοηθοῦντος, ἐν ἐσόπ τρῳ τὶς κ̣ατανοῶν τὸ πρόσωπον βασιλέως οὐ πάρο̣ντος, εἰ ὠφελήσει αὐτὸν ἡ σκιὰ ἢ τὸ φαινόμενον. μὴ γὰρ δύναται αὐτῷ ὑπαρχθῆναι, ἃ δύναται ὑπαρχ θῆναι αὐτ̣ῷ παρ̣α`̣ β̣ασιλέως ἀληθοῦς το̣ῦ κα̣τὰ νο´̣μους ἄρχοντος. ὁ βίος οὖν ἡμῶν σκιώδης ἐστίν. ἀγαπητὸν δὲ γ̣νόντα τοῦτο, ὅτι σκιώδης ἐστὶν ὁ βίος οὗτος, αὐτῷ προσσχεῖν ὡς πράγματι μὴ παραμόνῳ, ὡς ἄλλοθεν ἀρκούμενον̣, καὶ το̣υ῀̣τ̣ο̣ δ̣ε̣ι῀̣ σ̣κοπ̣εῖν ὁ´̣τι ἄλλος ἐστὶν βίος, ᾧ ἐπακολουθεῖ ὁ σκιώδης, καὶ κατ' ἐκ̣εῖν̣ον ζῆν καὶ πράττειν. οὕτ̣ω̣ γὰρ "ἀρέσαι τὶς θεῷ δύ νατ̣α̣ι". διὰ τοῦ "τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ ἀνθρώπῳ" τί ἐπακολουθεῖ αὐτῷ ἔτι ὄντι υ῾̣πὸ τὸν ἥλιον, ἀναιρεῖται ἔνθεν πᾶσα μαντική, πᾶσα πρόγνωσις ἀνθρωπίνη. οὐ μάτην