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But the workers of evil will be in the darkness of punishments, and a fearful chasm in the middle separating both, as you yourself taught, who prepared these things. 120 For to the man falling in the middle, this will be more fearful than any torment and punishment, as he unfortunately tumbles and is carried down into an abyss of punishments, into a chaos of perdition, which is difficult for those in torments to step upon, 125 so that they might cross over to the land of the just, who would rather be terribly reduced to ashes in fire than to cast themselves into the dreadful chaos. Therefore, those who wish to be there after their fate happen to be worthy of many tears and laments, 130 because like irrational beasts they are altogether without feeling and they wish ill upon themselves and deceive themselves. You are the kingdom of heaven, you, Christ, are the land of the meek, you are the paradise of green pasture, you are the divine bridal chamber, you are the ineffable inner chamber, you are the table of all, 135 you are the bread of life, you are the newest drink, you are also the mixing bowl of water, you are also the water of life, you are also an unquenchable lamp for each of the saints, you are also a tunic and a crown and the one who distributes crowns, you are also joy and repose, you are both delight and glory, 140 you are also exultation, you are also gladness, and your grace, my God, will shine like the sun, (42) of the All-Holy Spirit in all the saints, and you will shine, the unapproachable sun, in their midst and all will be illumined in proportion 145 to their faith, their practice, hope and love, of purification and illumination from your Spirit, O God, only long-suffering one and judge of all, for whom different mansions and places will be accounted, the measures of brightness, the measures of love, 150 and of your contemplation, how great again will be its majesty's glory, delight and fame into divisions of wondrous houses and mansions. This means different tents, this means many houses, this means most brilliant robes of many dignities 155 and all-various crowns, stones and pearls and unfading flowers having a strange appearance; this also means couches and beds and tables and thrones and everything which exists for the sweetest delight, was and is and will be to see you alone. 160 Therefore, those, as has been said, not seeing your light, not being seen by you, but separated from the sight of you, the all-good, are deprived of good things. Where might they find repose, where a painless place? In what will they dwell, not having become upright? 165 For the upright will dwell with your face.
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ἐν σκότει δ᾿ ἔσονται ποινῶν οἱ τῶν φαύλων ἐργάται, μέσον δέ χάσμα φοβερόν ἑκατέρους διεῖργον, ὡς αὐτός σύ ἐδίδαξας, ὁ ἑτοιμάσας ταῦτα. 120 Τῷ γάρ μέσον ἐμπίπτοντι ἀνθρώπῳ ὑπέρ πᾶσαν βάσανον ἔσται φοβεράν τοῦτο καί τιμωρίαν, εἰς ἄββυσον κολάσεων , εἰς χάος ἀπωλείας ἐγκυβιστῶντι δυστυχῶς καί καταφερομένῳ, οὗ ἐπιβῆναι δυσχερές τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν βασάνοις, 125 ἵνα διαπεράσωσιν ἐν τῇ γῇ τῶν δικαίων, οἵ προαιροῦνται ἐν πυρί δεινῶς ἀποτεφροῦσθαι ἤ γάρ εἰς χάος τό φρικτόν ἑαυτούς ἐπιρρῖψαι. Οἱ οὖν ἐκεῖ εὐχόμενοι γενέσθαι μετά πότμον πολλῶν δακρύων ἄξιοι τυγχάνουσι καί θρήνων, 130 ὅτι ὡς κτήνη ἄλογα ὅλως ἀναισθητοῦσι καί ἑαυτῶν κατεύχονται καί ἑαυτούς πλανῶσιν. Σύ βασιλεία οὐρανῶν, σύ γῆ, Χριστέ, πραέων, σύ χλόης ὁ παράδεισος, σύ ὁ νυμφών ὁ θεῖος, σύ ὁ παστός ὁ ἄρρητος, σύ ἡ τράπεζα πάντων, 135 σύ εἶς ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς, σύ καινότατον πόμα, σύ καί ὁ κρατήρ τοῦ ὕδατος, σύ καί ζωῆς τό ὕδωρ, σύ καί λαμπάς καθ᾿ ἕκαστον ἄσβεστος τοῖς ἁγίοις, σύ καί χιτών καί στέφανος καί διαιρῶν στεφάνους, σύ καί χαρά καί ἄνεσις, σύ τρυφή τε καί δόξα, 140 σύ καί ἡ ἀγαλλίασις, σύ καί ἡ εὐφροσύνη, καί λάμψει ὥσπερ ἥλιος ἡ χάρις σου, Θεέ μου, (42) τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις, καί λάμψεις ὁ ἀπρόσιτος ἥλιος τούτων μέσον καί πάντες ἐλλαμφθήσονται κατά ἀναλογίαν 145 τῆς πίστεως, τῆς πράξεως, ἐλπίδος καί ἀγάπης, καθάρσεως καί φωτισμοῦ τοῦ ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματός σου, Θεέ, μόνε μακρόθυμε καί κριτά τῶν ἁπάντων, οἷς μοναί λογισθήσονται διάφοροι καί τόποι, τά μέτρα τῆς λαμπρότητος, τά μέτρα τῆς ἀγάπης, 150 τῆς θεωρίας τε τῆς σῆς, τό πόσον ἔσται πάλιν μεγαλειότητος αὐτῆς δόξα, τρυφή καί κλέος εἰς διαιρέσεις οἰκιῶν καί μονῶν παραδόξων. Τοῦτο σκηναί διάφοροι, τοῦτο πολλαί οἰκίαι, τοῦτο στολαί λαμπρόταται πολλῶν ἀξιωμάτων 155 καί στέφανοι παμποίκιλοι, λίθοι καί μαργαρῖται καί ἄνθη τά ἀμάραντα ξένην ἔχοντα θέαν˙ τοῦτο καί κλίναι καί στρωμναί καί τράπεζαι καί θρόνοι καί ἅπαν, ὅπερ εἰς τρυφήν ἡδύτατον ὑπάρχει, ἦν καί ἐστί καί ἔσεται τό βλέπειν σε καί μόνον. 160 Οἱ οὖν, καθάπερ εἴρηται, μή βλέποντες τό φῶς σου, μή παρά σοῦ βλεπόμενοι, ἀλλά κεχωρισμένοι τῆς παναγάθου θέας σου, τῶν ἀγαθῶν στεροῦνται. Ποῦ ἄν εὕρωσιν ἄνεσιν, ποῦ ἀνώδυνον τόπον; Ἐν τίνι κατοικήσουσιν εὐθεῖς μή γεγονότες; 165 Σύν τῷ προσώπῳ σου καί γάρ εὐθεῖς κατοικιοῦσι˙