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are pure. 83 And these things are part of the preceding confession; for as darkness from a cloud you brought upon us the circumstances of terrible things, and being far from you, you pursued us, you destroyed us dead in sin through punishment. and since our sins separated us from you like a partitioning cloud, our prayer did not reach you; for we did not have “the wings of a dove” to fly over and say: “in God I will leap over a wall.” For it was not easy to pass by sin, being both solid and dark and devoid of the Holy Spirit. 84 Symmachus: terror. with a whole mouth they swallowed us, and we were carried down into a depth of evils, filled with fear and confusion; “for he falls into the pit which he dug,” the sinner paying the penalty for his sins. And since “pride goes before destruction” according to Solomon, that is, arrogance, we were both lifted up and crushed. whence David sings: “Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the sinner move me.” 85 And having suffered such things, he grieves for those who did them, thus “love does not take into account a wrong.” 86 Instead of my eye was worn out, and will not be silent that there be no sobriety, Symmachus said: my eye persisted, and did not cease that there be no relief. The Seventy indicate that although the eyes had grown weak from the multitude of tears, they nevertheless did not cease, not being able to become sober from weeping, but Symmachus that I persisted in weeping and did not cease; for earnest prayer and an increase of tears draws God to mercy. 87 For tears cut me down, he says, just as a precise vintner cuts a vine; but according to Symmachus, that tears drowned me, with the metaphor of those drowning in water. But waiting, I will wait for the Lord, until he turns his face from us. For God to look down signifies that he deems us worthy of his visitation. And he explains by applying “from all” to “upon all,” that is, upon their own misfortunes; for the female gender is more pitiful than the male. 88 Or he says what he has suffered; for he was thrown into a pit and as far as it concerned them he died, but being saved against hope he cried out with David: “My soul has been delivered as a sparrow from the snare of the fowlers”; for it was not possible “to fall to the ground without the Father who is in heaven” according to the voice of the Savior. Therefore, he speaks either on his own behalf or appropriating the sufferings of the people. But the “for nothing” would reasonably be said about him; for what wrong did he do them, or rather did he not benefit them? 89 God judged, killing the false prophet and delivering up the king, and in the time of Christ, delivering up the nation to capture. And the “I before their eyes,” means that I was burdensome to them and visible. 90 He also said before: “Consume them, and your word will be to me for gladness and joy of my heart.” These things happened after the plot against the Savior, when they were scattered everywhere; for upon them came “all the righteous blood that was shed.” Therefore, “to consume” signifies that their worship came to an end, and that they were no longer called the nation of God. 91 The “a defense of the heart, toil to them,” that you will give them toil to make them feel how much you were defending them, so that they might seek you again. But if not, you will pursue them in your wrath. 92 Beginning now this present fourth alphabetic acrostic, he took up again the Lament especially concerning the illustrious, saying that their splendor was dimmed and had vanished like poured out water. 93 And holy ones as chosen on account of the fathers or on account of the holy ones taken with Joachim, whom he compared to good figs. And after a little; And of the roads from the holy land “leading to destruction” and to the spiritual Babylonian, “that they may be taught not to blaspheme.” You might also apply the Lament to those who change from piety, if they were prominent and leaders of error for others, “having forsaken the spring of living water, and become broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” whence they are reasonably poured out around error, groaning unseasonably. 94 The

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εἰσὶ καθαραί. 83 Καὶ ταῦτα τῆς φθασάσης ἐξομολογήσεως μέρος· ὡς γὰρ σκότος ἡμῖν ἐκ νεφέλης ἐπήγαγες τὰς τῶν δεινῶν περιστάσεις, καὶ μακρὰν ὄντας ἀπὸ σοῦ κατεδίωξας , ἀπώλεσας νεκρῶν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ διὰ τῆς τιμωρίας. καὶ ἐπείπερ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἡμῶν διίστων ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ σοῦ ὥσπερ διατειχιζούσης νεφέλης , οὐκ ἔφθανεν ἡμῶν ἡ προσευχὴ πρός σε· οὐ γὰρ εἴχομεν «πτέρυγας περιστερᾶς» ὑπερίπτασθαί τε καὶ λέγειν· «ἐν τῷ θεῷ ὑπερβήσομαι τεῖχος». οὐ γὰρ ἦν εὐχερὲς παρελ θεῖν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, στερεάν τε οὖσαν καὶ σκοτεινὴν καὶ πνεύματος ἄμοιρον ἁγίου. 84 Σύμμαχος· πτόησις . ὅλῳ στόματι κατέπιον ἡμᾶς, καὶ εἰς βάθος κακῶν ὑπηνέχθημεν φόβου καὶ ταραχῆς ἐμπλησθέντες· «ἐμ πίπτει γὰρ εἰς ὃν ὤρυξε βόθρον» ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς διδοὺς ὧν ἥμαρτε δίκας. καὶ ἐπεὶ «πρὸ συντριβῆς ἡγεῖται ὕβρις» κατὰ τὸν Σολομῶντα, τουτέστιν ὑπερηφανία, ἐπήρθημέν τε καὶ συνετρίβημεν . ὅθεν ὁ ∆αβὶδ μελῳδεῖ· «μὴ ἐλθέτω μοι ποὺς ὑπερηφανίας , καὶ χεὶρ ἁμαρ τωλοῦ μὴ σαλεύσαι με». 85 Καὶ τοσαῦτα παθὼν τῶν δεδρακότων ὑπεραλγεῖ, οὕτως «ἡ ἀγάπη τὸ κακὸν οὐ λογίζεται». 86 Ἀντὶ τοῦ ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου κατεπονήθη, καὶ οὐ σιγήσε ται τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ἔκνηψιν Σύμμαχος εἶπεν· ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου ἐπέμεινε, καὶ οὐκ ἐπαύσατο τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ἄνεσιν . δηλοῦσι δὲ οἱ μὲν Ἑβδομήκοντα ὅτι καίπερ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐκ πλήθους δακρύων ἠσθενηκότων οὐ διέλειπον ὅμως, ἀνανῆψαι τοῦ κλαυθμοῦ μὴ δυνά μενος, ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος ὅτι ἐπέμεινά τε δακρύων καὶ οὐ διέλειπον· προσευχὴ γὰρ ἐκτενὴς καὶ δακρύων ἐπίτασις τὸν θεὸν ἐφέλκει πρὸς ἔλεον. 87 Κατακόπτει γάρ με τὰ δάκρυα, φησί, καθάπερ ἄμπελον ἀκριβὴς τρυγητής· κατὰ δὲ Σύμμαχον, ὅτι κατεπόντισάν με τὰ δάκρυα, τῇ τῶν ἐν ὕδασι πνιγομένων μεταφορᾷ. ὑπομένων δὲ ὑπομενῶ τὸν κύριον , μέχρι τοῦ ἀποστρέφειν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἀφ' ἡμῶν. τὸ διακύψαι δὲ τὸν θεὸν τὸ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἡμᾶς ἀξιῶσαι δηλοῖ. ἐξη γεῖται δὲ τὸ παρὰ πάσας ἐπὶ πάσας ἐπενεγκών, τουτέστιν ἐπὶ ταῖς αὐ τῶν συμφοραῖς· τὸ γὰρ θῆλυ γένος τοῦ τῶν ἀρρένων ἐλεεινότερον. 88 Ἢ ἃ πέπονθε λέγει· ἐνεβλήθη γὰρ λάκκῳ καὶ ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς ἐκεί νους ἀπέθανεν, σωθεὶς δὲ παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐβόα μετὰ ∆αβίδ· «ἡ ψυχή μου ὡς στρουθίον ἐρρύσθη ἐκ τῆς παγίδος τῶν θηρευόντων»· οὐ γὰρ ἦν «πεσεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς» κατὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος φωνήν. ἢ τοίνυν δι' ἑαυτόν φησιν ἢ καὶ τὰ τοῦ λαοῦ οἰκειούμενος πάθη. ἀλλὰ τὸ δωρεὰν περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰκότως ἂν λέγοιτο· τί γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἠδίκησεν, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ εὐεργέτησεν; 89 Ἐδίκασεν ὁ θεὸς ἀποκτείνας τὸν ψευδοπροφήτην καὶ τὸν βασι λέα παραδούς, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ παραδοὺς τὸ ἔθνος εἰς ἅλωσιν. τὸ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐπ' ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν , ὅτι βαρὺς ἤμην αὐτοῖς καὶ φαινόμενος. 90 Ἔλεγε καὶ πρόσθεν· «συντέλεσον αὐτούς, καὶ ἔσται σου ὁ λόγος ἐμοὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην καὶ χαρὰν καρδίας μου». ταῦτα γέγονε μετὰ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐπιβουλήν, ὅτε πανταχοῦ διεσπάρησαν· ἦλθε γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς «πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυθέν». τὸ τοίνυν συντελέσαι δηλοῖ τὸ τέλος λαβεῖν τὴν κατ' αὐτοὺς λατρείαν, καὶ τὸ μηκέτι χρη ματίζειν ἔθνος θεοῦ. 91 Τὸ ὑπερασπισμὸν καρδίας μόχθον αὐτοῖς , ὅτι δώσεις αὐ τοῖς μόχθον εἰς αἴσθησιν τοῦ πόσος ὑπῆρχες ὑπερασπίζων αὐτῶν, ἵνα σὲ καὶ πάλιν ζητήσωσιν. εἰ δὲ μή, καταδιώξεις αὐτοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ σου . 92 Τῆς νῦν παρούσης τετάρτης στοιχειώσεως ἀρχόμενος τὸν περὶ τῶν ἐπιφανῶν ἐξαιρέτως ἐπανέλαβε Θρῆνον, ἠμαυρῶσθαι λέγων τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἐκκεχυμένου τε δίκην ὕδατος ἠφανίσθαι. 93 Ἅγιοι δὲ ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας ἢ διὰ τοὺς σὺν Ἰωακεὶμ ληφθέντας ἁγίους, οὓς ἀπείκασε σύκοις χρηστοῖς. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· Ἐξόδων δὲ τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁγίας γῆς «ἀπαγουσῶν εἰς ἀπώλειαν» καὶ εἰς τὸν νοητὸν Βαβυλώνιον, «ἵνα παιδευθῶσι μὴ βλασφημεῖν». εἴποις δ' ἂν τὸν Θρῆνον καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐκ θεοσεβείας μεταβαλλόντων, εἴπερ εἶεν ἐπίσημοι καὶ πλάνης ἡγοῖντο τοῖς ἄλλοις, «καταλιπόντες μὲν τὴν πηγὴν τοῦ ζῶντος ὕδατος, γεγονότες δὲ λάκκοι συντετριμ μένοι οἳ οὐ δύνανται στέγειν». ὅθεν εἰκότως ἐκχέονται περὶ τὴν πλάνην ἀωρὶ στένοντες. 94 Οἱ