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

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" means God; for he who has served Him in His commandments calms His anger in the judgment upon himself; and likewise also in perceptible things; and just as our Lord is said to become a baffled leopard towards those who transgress, and a rock of offense towards those who disbelieve, so also is He fainthearted towards sinners; but "fainthearted" can also refer to the evil one, and every demon that has fallen from virtue and knowledge. 17.205 He therefore called the upright life the gift of a man, which widens it and presents it as worthy of the fullness of God; which he names the throne of rulers, that is, of the holy powers; for the throne of the mind is an excellent state, keeping the one seated on it difficult to move or immovable. Knowledge puts an end to folly; for this is the inheritance of the rational nature; and among rulers it determines that something should happen, and they do it; for to the one who has divine knowledge, all things bow; or by "contradictions" here he means the thoughts raised against us by demons, which are adversaries to virtue, and which hasten to separate us from God; but the inheritance of knowledge puts an end to these for us, and it determines that the ruling demons withdraw, as one who has been allotted to God, possessing divine knowledge both from Him and from others. Or he means the soul, which is receptive of life and death, from which its free will is shown, to enjoy the fruits of its present and future good or evil deeds. He who has found good wisdom, has found the graces of God; -He who possesses wickedness, is foolish and impious, like its inventor the devil. The wealth of knowledge and wisdom adds many angels to us; but the impure man, whom he calls poor, is separated even from the angel given to him from childhood; for spiritual friendship is virtue and the knowledge of God, through which we are joined in friendship with the holy powers; since repenting men become a cause of joy for the angels; thus also the Savior calls friends those who were once slaves, having deemed them worthy of His greater contemplation; thus also Abraham, having grown rich in knowledge, sets that mystical table for his friends who appeared at midday; but Saul is separated from his existing friend because of his wickedness; for it is written: And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul; and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented Saul; and by "Spirit of the Lord" he means the angel; For, he says, Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flaming fire; and that angels are entrusted with men, the Lord teaches in the Gospels, saying, See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven; and again Jacob: Your angel who delivers me from all evils. As many as, being ignorant of the doctrines concerning judgment and providence, blaspheme the Creator, are false witnesses; and they will not remain unpunished on the day of judgment; and as many as again, being troubled by their own passions, think that virtue is impossible to achieve, these unjustly accuse the one who gave the law. The vulgar do not pay 17.208 respect by honoring the office, but being flatterers they show partiality; but the true man will not flatter evil, but will reprove it. Whoever hates a poor brother, according to, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, will be far from the love of God and the angels; or whoever hates a brother who is poor in virtue, and is far removed from the friendship with the passions of life. -He called a good thought the knowledge of God, and He is accustomed to draw near to those who know Him, who are pure in heart; and he who obeys these for the sake of learning is prudent, and will find it. -He who does much evil through works and words, perfects wickedness, which is all sin; but he who perfects words against men unto destruction, and blasphemies against God, he will not be saved. Neither the luxury according to the soul, nor that according to

ὀφθαλμοί σου, λέγε· πολλοὶ γὰρ καὶ ἀρετῆς μὴ ἀπαρξάμενοι, ἄλλους κατορθῶσαι οὐ μόνον παραινοῦ σιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βιάζονται καὶ παρακελεύουσιν. Ἄνδρα ἐνταῦθα τὸν Θεόν φησι· τὸν γὰρ θυμὸν αὐ τοῦ τὸν ἐν τῇ κρίσει καταπραΰνει ἐφ' ἑαυτὸν, ὁ θερα πεύσας αὐτὸν ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ· ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν· ὥσπερ δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν πάρ δαλις ἀπορουμένη λέγεται γίνεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς πλημ μελοῦντας, καὶ πέτρα σκανδάλου πρὸς τοὺς ἀπι στοῦντας, οὕτω καὶ ὀλιγόψυχος ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτά νουσι· δύναται δὲ ὀλιγόψυχον λέγειν καὶ τὸν πονηρὸν, καὶ πάντα δαίμονα ἀρετῆς ἐκπεπτωκότα καὶ γνώ σεως. 17.205 Τὸν βίον τὸν ὀρθὸν τοίνυν εἶπεν δόμα ἀνθρώπου, ὅστις αὐτὸν πλατύνει καὶ παρέχει τοῦ πληρώματος ἄξιον τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὅπερ καθέδραν δυναστῶν ὀνομάζει, ἤγουν τῶν ἁγίων δυνάμεων· νοῦ γὰρ καθέδρα ἐστὶν ἕξις ἀρίστη, δυσκίνητον ἢ ἀκίνητον διατηροῦσα τὸν καθεζόμενον. Ἄνοιαν παύει γνῶσις· αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ὁ κλῆρος τῆς φύσεως τῆς λογικῆς· καὶ ἐν δυνάσταις ὁρίζει γί νεσθαί τι, καὶ ποιοῦσι· τῷ γὰρ γνῶσιν ἔχοντι θείαν, κλίνονται πάντες· ἢ ἀντιλογίας ἐνταῦθα τοὺς ἐκ τῶν δαιμόνων καθ' ἡμῶν ἐγειρομένους λογισμούς φησι, τοὺς τῇ ἀρετῇ ἀντιπάλους, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ χωρίσαι ἡμᾶς σπεύδοντας· παύει δὲ ταύτας ἀφ' ἡμῶν ὁ τῆς γνώ σεως κλῆρος, καὶ τοὺς δυνάστας δαίμονας ὁρίζει ἀνα χωρεῖν, ὡς κεκληρωμένος τῷ Θεῷ, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τε καὶ ἄλλων ὡς θείαν γνῶσιν ἔχων. Ἢ τὴν ψυχὴν λέγει, ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου δεκτικὴν, ἀφ' ὧν τὸ αὐτεξούσιον δείκνυται τῶν νῦν τε καὶ τῶν μελλόντων τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς ἀπολαῦσαι καλῶν τε ἢ κακῶν. Ὃς εὗρε σοφίαν ἀγαθὴν, εὗρε χάριτας Θεοῦ· -Ὁ κατέχων κακίαν, ἄφρων καὶ ἀσεβὴς, ὡς ἐφευρετὴς αὐτῆς διάβολος. Πλοῦτος γνώσεως καὶ σοφίας προστίθησιν ἡμῖν ἀγ γέλους πολλούς· ὁ δὲ ἀκάθαρτος, ὃν πένητά φησι, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ δοθέντος αὐτῷ ἐκ παιδὸς ἀγγέλου χωρίζεται· ἡ γὰρ πνευματικὴ φιλία, ἀρετή ἐστι καὶ γνῶσις Θεοῦ, δι' ὧν συναπτόμεθα πρὸς φιλίαν ταῖς ἁγίαις δυ νάμεσιν· εἴγε οἱ μετανοοῦντες ἄνθρωποι, χαρᾶς αἴ τιοι γίνονται τοῖς ἀγγέλοις· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ φίλους καλεῖ, τοὺς δούλους ποτὲ, τῆς μείζονος αὐτοῦ θεωρίας καταξιώσας· οὕτω καὶ Ἀβραὰμ πλουτίσας ἐν γνώσει, τὴν μυστικὴν ἐκείνην παρατίθησι τράπεζαν τοῖς κατὰ τὴν μεσημβρίαν φανεῖσι φίλοις αὐτοῦ· Σαοὺλ δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑπάρχοντος φίλου διὰ τὴν κακίαν χωρίζεται· γέγραπται γάρ· Καὶ ἀπέστη πνεῦμα Κυρίου ἀπὸ Σαούλ· καὶ πνεῦμα πονηρὸν παρὰ Κυρίου ἔπνιγε τὸν Σαούλ· καὶ πνεῦμα Κυρίου λέγων τὸν ἄγγελον· Ὁ ποιῶν, γὰρ, φησὶ, τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύ ματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πῦρ φλέγον· ὅτι δὲ ἄγγελοι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐμπεπίστευνται, δι δάσκει ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος, Ὁρᾶτε, λέγων, μὴ καταφρονῆτε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων, ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς· καὶ πάλιν ὁ Ἰα κώβ· Ὁ ἄγγελός σου ὁ ῥυόμενός με ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κακῶν. Ὅσοι τοὺς περὶ κρίσεως καὶ προνοίας ἀγνοοῦντες λόγους, τὸν δημιουργὸν βλασφημοῦσι, μάρτυρές εἰσι ψευδεῖς· οὐκ ἀτιμώρητοι δὲ διαμένουσιν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως· καὶ ὅσοι πάλιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδίων παθῶν ἐν οχλούμενοι νομίζουσιν ἀκατόρθωτον εἶναι τὴν ἀρετὴν, οὗτοι τῷ δεδωκότι τὸν νόμον ἐγκαλοῦσιν ἀδίκως. Οἱ χυδαῖοι οὐ τὸ ἀξίωμα τιμῶντες ἀποδιδόασι τὸν 17.208 φόβον, ἀλλὰ κόλακες ὄντες προσωποληπτοῦσιν· ὁ δὲ ἀληθὴς ἀνὴρ οὐ κολακεύσει τὸ κακὸν, ἀλλ' ἐλέγξει. Πᾶς ὃς μισεῖ τὸν πτωχὸν ἀδελφὸν, κατὰ τὸ, Μακά ριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βα σιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ἀγάπης Θεοῦ καὶ ἀγγέλων μακρὰν ἔσται· ἢ πᾶς ὃς ἀδελφὸν ἀρετῆς πτωχὸν ὄντα μισεῖ, καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὰ πάθη φιλίας μακρύνεται τοῦ βίου. -Ἀγαθὴν ἔννοιαν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ γνῶσιν ὠνόμασε, καὶ τοῖς εἰδόσιν αὐτὴν τοῖς καθαροῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ, εἴωθε τούτοις ἐγγιεῖν· ὁ δὲ πειθόμενος τού τοις εἰς μάθησιν, φρόνιμός ἐστι, καὶ εὑρήσει αὐτήν. -̔Ο πολλὰ κακοποιῶν δι' ἔργων καὶ λόγων, τελε σιουργεῖ κακίαν, ἥ ἐστιν πᾶσα ἁμαρτία· ὃς δὲ τε λεσιουργεῖ κατὰ ἀνθρώπων λόγους εἰς ἀπώλειαν, καὶ βλασφημίας κατὰ Θεὸν, οὐ σωθήσεται οὗτος. Οὔτε ἡ κατὰ ψυχὴν τρυφὴ, οὔτε ἡ κατὰ