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And when he reproaches and corrects, then I would say that he loves. For to simply praise everything, both what is good and what is not good, is not the mark of one who loves, but of a deceiver and a dissembler; but to praise when something proper is done, and to reproach when something is done amiss, this is the mark of a friend and a guardian. And so that you may learn that to simply praise everything and to bless in all things is not the mark of a friend, but of one who leads astray; for "My people," he says, "those who bless you, lead you astray and confuse the path of your feet." Therefore, I do not accept an enemy even when he praises, but I welcome a friend even when he reproaches. The former, even if he kisses me, is unpleasant; the latter, even if he wounds me, is desirable; the former's kiss is full of suspicion, the latter's wound holds care. For this reason someone says: "More trustworthy are the wounds of a friend than the voluntary kisses of an enemy." What do you say? Wounds are better than kisses, he says; for I pay attention not to the nature of the things being done, but to the disposition of those doing them. Do you wish to learn how the wounds of a friend are more trustworthy than the voluntary kisses of an enemy? Judas kissed the Lord, but his kiss was full of betrayal, his mouth had poison, his tongue was filled with wickedness. Paul wounded the one who had committed fornication among the Corinthians, but he saved him. And how did he wound him? you say. By delivering him to Satan. For he says, "Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh." Why? "So that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." Have you seen wounds that hold salvation? Have you seen a kiss full of betrayal? Thus, "More trustworthy are the wounds of a friend than the voluntary kisses of an enemy." Let us examine this not only in the case of men, but also in the case of God and of the devil. The one is a friend, the other an enemy; the one a savior and guardian, the other a deceiver and foe. But the one once kissed, while the other wounded. How did the one kiss, and the other wound? The one said, "You will be as gods"; the other said, "You are earth, and to earth you shall return." Who then was more beneficial, that one who said, "You will be as gods," or this one who said, "You are earth, and to earth you shall return"? This one threatened death, that one promised immortality; but the one who promised immortality also cast them out of paradise; while the one who threatened death led them up to heaven. Have you seen how "More trustworthy are the wounds of a friend than the voluntary kisses of an enemy"? For this reason, even before proving it, I am grateful to those who reproach me. For the one sort, whether they reproach justly or unjustly, do this not wishing to disgrace, but to correct; but enemies, even if they reproach justly, rebuke not to correct, but eager to make a public spectacle. These therefore, when praising, seek to make one more earnest, but those, even if they praise, hasten to trip one up. But however the reproof is prompted, it is a great good to be able to bear reproofs and accusations, and not be turned into a wild beast. For "He who hates reproofs is a fool," it says. It did not say, "reproofs of this kind or that," but simply, "reproofs." For if the friend reproached justly, correct the sin; but if he blamed unreasonably, at least praise him for his intention, approve his purpose, acknowledge gratitude for his friendship; for reproaching comes from loving exceedingly. Let us not be annoyed when we are reproved. For this greatly benefits our life, if it were done by all, if we both reproved sinners, and when we sin we bore the reproofs with ease; for what medicines are for wounds, that is what reproofs are for sins; therefore, just as he who pushes away medicines is senseless, so too he who does not accept reproofs is a fool. But many are often turned into wild beasts, thinking and saying to themselves: "Shall I," he says, "wise and intelligent as I am, put up with so-and-so?" not knowing that this very thing is a sign of the utmost foolishness. For it says, "I have seen a man who seems to be wise in his own eyes; a fool has more hope than he." For this reason Paul also says, "Do not become

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καὶ ὅταν ἐγκαλῇ καὶ διορθῶται, τότε φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε φιλεῖν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἁπλῶς πάντα ἐπαινεῖν, καὶ τὰ καλῶς ἔχοντα, καὶ τὰ μὴ καλῶς, οὐκ ἔστι φιλοῦντος, ἀλλ' ἀπατεῶνος καὶ εἴρωνος· τὸ δὲ ἐπαινεῖν μὲν ἄν τι τῶν δεόντων γίνηται, ἐγκαλεῖν δὲ ἄν τι διαμαρτάνηται, τοῦτο φίλου καὶ κηδεμόνος. Καὶ ἵνα μάθητε, ὅτι τὸ ἁπλῶς πάντα ἐπαινεῖν καὶ μακαρίζειν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οὐκ ἔστι φίλου, ἀλλὰ πλανῶντος· Λαός μου γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ μακαρίζοντες ὑμᾶς, πλανῶσιν ὑμᾶς, καὶ τὸν τρίβον τῶν ποδῶν ὑμῶν ἐκταράσσουσι. Τὸν μὲν οὖν ἐχθρὸν οὐδὲ ἐπαινοῦντα δέχομαι, τὸν δὲ φίλον καὶ ἐγκαλοῦντα προσίεμαι. Ἐκεῖνος, κἂν φιλῇ με, ἀηδής ἐστιν· οὗτος, κἂν τραυματίζῃ με, ποθεινός ἐστιν· ἐκείνου τὸ φίλημα ὑποψίας γέμει, τούτου τὸ τραῦμα κηδεμονίαν ἔχει. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησί τις· Ἀξιοπιστότερα τραύματα φίλου, ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ. Τί λέγεις; Τραύματα φιλημάτων βελτίονα, φησίν· οὐ γὰρ τῇ φύσει τῶν 51.132 γινομένων, ἀλλὰ τῇ διαθέσει τῶν ποιούντων προσέχω. Βούλει μαθεῖν, πῶς ἀξιοπιστότερα τραύματα φίλου, ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ; Ἐφίλησε τὸν Κύριον ὁ Ἰούδας, ἀλλὰ προδοσίας αὐτοῦ τὸ φίλημα ἔγεμεν, ἰὸν αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα εἶχε, πονηρίας ἡ γλῶσσα ἐπέπληστο. Τὸν παρὰ Κορινθίοις πεπορνευκότα ἐτραυμάτισεν ὁ Παῦλος, ἀλλ' ἔσωσε. Καὶ πῶς ἐτραυμάτισε; φησί. Τῷ Σατανᾷ παραδούς. Παράδοτε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν τοιοῦτον τῷ Σατανᾷ εἰς ὄλεθρον τῆς σαρκός. ∆ιὰ τί; Ἵνα τὸ πνεῦμα σωθῇ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. Εἶδες τραύματα σωτηρίαν ἔχοντα; εἶδες φίλημα προδοσίας γέμον; Οὕτως Ἀξιοπιστότερα τραύματα φίλου, ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ. Τοῦτο μὴ ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐξετάσωμεν. Ὁ μὲν φίλος, ὁ δὲ ἐχθρός· ὁ μὲν σωτὴρ καὶ κηδεμὼν, ὁ δὲ ἀπατεὼν καὶ πολέμιος. Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἐφίλησέ ποτε, ὁ δὲ ἐτραυμάτισε. Πῶς ὁ μὲν ἐφίλησεν, ὁ δὲ ἐτραυμάτισεν; Ὁ μὲν εἶπεν, Ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοί· ὁ δὲ εἶπε, Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ. Τίς οὖν ὠφέλησε μᾶλλον, ἐκεῖνος ὁ εἰπὼν, ὅτι Ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοὶ, ἢ οὗτος ὁ εἰπὼν, ὅτι Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ; Οὗτος θάνατον ἠπείλησεν, ἐκεῖνος ἀθανασίαν ἐπηγγείλατο· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἀθανασίαν ἐπαγγειλάμενος, καὶ τοῦ παραδείσου ἐξέβαλεν· ὁ δὲ θάνατον ἀπειλήσας, εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνήγαγεν. Εἶδες πῶς Ἀξιοπιστότερα τραύματα φίλου, ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ πρὶν ἀποδεῖξαι, χάριν ἔχω τοῖς ἐγκαλοῦσιν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ, κἂν δικαίως, κἂν ἀδίκως ἐγκαλῶσιν, οὐκ ὀνειδίσαι 51.133 βουλόμενοι, ἀλλὰ διορθῶσαι, τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ ἐχθροὶ, κἂν δικαίως ἐγκαλῶσιν, οὐχὶ διορθῶσαι, ἀλλ' ἐκπομπεῦσαι σπουδάζοντες ἐλέγχουσιν. Οὗτοι τοίνυν ἐπαινοῦντες, σπουδαιότερον ζητοῦσι ποιῆσαι, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ, κἂν ἐπαινῶσιν, ὑποσκελίσαι σπεύδουσι. Πλὴν ὅπως ἂν ὁ ἔλεγχος κινῆται, μέγα ἀγαθὸν τὸ δύνασθαι φέρειν ἐλέγχους καὶ ἐγκλήματα, καὶ μὴ ἐκθηριοῦσθαι. Ὁ γὰρ μισῶν ἐλέγχους, ἄφρων ἐστὶ, φησίν. Οὐκ εἶπε, τοιούσδε ἢ τοιούσδε ἐλέγχους, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς, ἐλέγχους. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ δικαίως ἐνεκάλεσεν ὁ φίλος, διόρθωσαι τὸ ἁμάρτημα· εἰ δὲ ἀλόγως ἐμέμψατο, τέως ἐπαίνεσον αὐτὸν τῆς γνώμης, ἀπόδεξαι τὸν σκοπὸν, χάριν ὁμολόγησον τῆς φιλίας· ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ σφόδρα φιλεῖν τὸ ἐγκαλεῖν γίνεται. Μὴ δυσχεραίνωμεν ἐλεγχόμενοι. Καὶ γὰρ μεγάλα ὀνίνησι τοῦτο τὴν ζωὴν τὴν ἡμετέραν, εἰ γίνοιτο παρὰ πάντων, εἰ καὶ ἐλέγχοιμεν τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας, καὶ ἁμαρτάνοντες φέροιμεν τοὺς ἐλέγχους εὐκόλως· ὅπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν τραυμάτων ἐστὶ τὰ φάρμακα, τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων οἱ ἔλεγχοι· ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ τὰ φάρμακα διακρουόμενος, ἀνόητος, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τοὺς ἐλέγχους μὴ καταδεχόμενος, ἄφρων. Ἀλλ' ἐκθηριοῦνται πολλοὶ πολλάκις, πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐννοοῦντες καὶ λέγοντες· Σοφὸς, φησὶν, ἐγὼ καὶ συνετὸς τοῦ δεῖνος ἀνέξομαι; οὐκ εἰδότες, ὅτι τοῦτο αὐτὸ ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας τεκμήριον. Εἶδον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπον δοκοῦντα σοφὸν εἶναι παρ' ἑαυτῷ, ἐλπίδα δὲ ἔχει μᾶλλον ὁ ἄφρων αὐτοῦ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος λέγει, Μὴ γίνεσθε