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to the sinner. For even if a man has ten thousand wounds, repents and does something good, God so blots them out that not even a scar nor a trace nor a sign of the sins appears. For just as in the body there are wounds and medicines, so also in the soul there are sins and repentance. And pay attention to what I say: a wound and a medicine, sin and repentance; the wound is sin, the medicine is repentance; the wound has corruption, the medicine possesses the cleansing of the corruption. Is there corruption in the medicine? Is there healing in the wound? Do not these have their proper order, and those theirs? Can this be changed for that, or that for this? Not at all. Let us come also to the sins of the soul: sin has shame, repentance possesses confidence. Satan, therefore, knowing that sin has shame, a thing powerful enough to drive away the sinner, and that repentance has confidence, a thing sufficient to draw in the penitent, has inverted the order, and has given shame to repentance, and confidence to sin; and in sin he does not permit him 63.591 to be ashamed; for he knows that if he is ashamed, he flees from sin; but in repentance he makes him be ashamed; for he knows that if he is ashamed, he does not repent. For he who has repented for the terrible things he has done, even if he does not show repentance worthy of his sins, will nevertheless have the reward of this very thing. Therefore, to those not yet seized by passion I advise not to be caught; for it is easier to guard against falling in, than having fallen in to get away; but to those who have been seized and broken, if they are willing to give themselves quickly to repentance, I promise a great hope of salvation. For both good and evil things, when they linger with us for a longer time, become more powerful. And a plant newly planted in the ground is easily pulled up; but when it has been rooted for a long time, it is no longer so. And a newly-built structure is easily overturned by those who attack it; but when it is well-set, it gives much trouble to those who attempt to demolish it. And a wild beast that has made its lair in a place for a long time is driven out with difficulty. And just as a fever, when it first attacks, does not burn the sick with a great thirst; but when it has grown and raised its flame, it then makes them thirst incurably; and if someone should give them plenty to drink, it does not quench, but ignites the furnace; so also it happens with passion, if at its first entrance into our soul we do not prevent it, nor shut the doors, when it has entered then, it works an incurable disease in those who have received it. For just as one who is sluggish and careless in soul, even if he takes a long time for repentance, will accomplish nothing great, nor reconcile God to himself because of his indolence; so also one who is roused, and fervent in zeal, and shows repentance with great earnestness, even in a short moment of time, will be able to wipe away the sins of a long time; and how, listen. Did not Peter deny him a third time? Did he not deny a third time with an oath? Was he not afraid of the words of a lowly servant-girl? What then? Did he need a long time for repentance? Not at all; but in that very night he both slipped and stood up again. For after that grievous fall (for nothing is as evil as denial), repentance brought him back again to his former honor, and entrusted to him the superintendence of the Church throughout the whole world; and, what is greatest of all, it showed us that he had a greater love for the Master than all the apostles. And what of the Ninevites? The prophet came to them, he read out the decree as if a royal letter, containing punishment, and he cried out, saying: Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. They heard these things, and they did not disbelieve, they did not despise, but immediately there was a rush of all to fasting, of men, women, children, and not even the nature of the irrational beasts was exempt from this service; everywhere sackcloth, everywhere ashes, everywhere lamentation and wailing.

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ἡμαρτηκότι. Κἂν γὰρ μυρία τραύματά τις ἔχων ἄνθρωπος, μετανοήσῃ καὶ ποιήσῃ τι χρηστὸν, οὕτως αὐτὰ ἐξαλείφει ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς μηδὲ οὐλὴν μηδὲ ἴχνος μηδὲ δεῖγμα φαίνεσθαι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. Ὡσπεροῦν ἐν τῷ σώματι τραύματα καὶ φάρμακα, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ μετάνοια. Καὶ πρόσεχε ᾧ λέγω· τραῦμα καὶ φάρμακον, ἁμαρτία καὶ μετάνοια· τὸ τραῦμα μὲν ἡ ἁμαρτία, τὸ φάρμακον ἡ μετάνοια· τὸ τραῦμα μὲν τὴν σηπεδόνα ἔχει, τὸ φάρμακον τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῆς σηπεδόνος κέκτηται. Μὴ ἐν τῷ φαρμάκῳ σηπεδών; μὴ ἐν τῷ τραύματι ἴασις; οὐκ ἔχει ταῦτα τὴν οἰκείαν τάξιν, κἀκεῖνα τὴν οἰκείαν; μὴ δύναται μεταβληθῆναι τοῦτο πρὸς ἐκεῖνο, ἢ ἐκεῖνο πρὸς τοῦτο; Οὐδαμῶς. Ἔλθωμεν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων· ἡ ἁμαρτία τὴν αἰσχύνην ἔχει, ἡ μετάνοια τὴν παῤῥησίαν κέκτηται. Εἰδὼς οὖν ὁ Σατανᾶς, ὅτι ἡ μὲν ἁμαρτία ἔχει τὴν αἰσχύνην, πρᾶγμα ἱκανῶς ἀποκροῦσαι τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα δυνάμενον· ἡ δὲ μετάνοια ἔχει τὴν παῤῥησίαν, πρᾶγμα ἱκανὸν ἐπισπάσασθαι τὸν μετανοοῦντα, ἐνήλλαξε τὴν τάξιν, καὶ ἔδωκε τὴν αἰσχύνην τῇ μετανοίᾳ, καὶ τὴν παῤῥησίαν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· καὶ ἐν μὲν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ οὐκ ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν 63.591 αἰσχύνεσθαι· οἶδε γὰρ, ὅτι ἐὰν αἰσχυνθῇ, φεύγει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν· ἐν δὲ τῇ μετανοίᾳ ποιεῖ αὐτὸν αἰσχύνεσθαι· οἶδε γὰρ ὅτι αἰσχυνόμενος οὐ μετανοεῖ. Ὁ γὰρ μετανοήσας ἐφ' οἷς ἔπραξε δεινοῖς, κἂν μὴ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀξίαν ἐπιδείξηται τὴν μετάνοιαν, καὶ αὐτῆς ταύτης ὅμως ἕξει τὴν ἀντίδοσιν. Τοῖς μὲν οὖν οὐδέπω κατασχεθεῖσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους παραινῶ μὴ ἁλῶναι· εὐκολώτερον γὰρ φυλάξασθαι μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν, ἢ ἐμπεσόντας ἀποστῆναι· τοῖς δὴ κατασχεθεῖσι καὶ κατεῤῥαγμένοις, ἐὰν θέλωσιν ἐπιδοῦναι ἑαυτοὺς ταχέως τῇ μετανοίᾳ, πολλὴν ἐπαγγέλλομαι σωτηρίας ἐλπίδα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὰ καλὰ καὶ τὰ κακὰ, ὅταν ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἡμῖν ἐνδιατρίψῃ, δυνατώτερα γίνεται. Καὶ φυτὸν ἄρτι μὲν φυτευθὲν ἐπὶ γῆς, εὐκόλως ἀνασπᾶται· χρόνῳ δὲ πολλῷ ῥιζωθὲν, οὐκέτι. Καὶ οἰκοδομὴ νεοπαγὴς μὲν οὖσα, περιτρέπεται εὐκόλως ὑπὸ τῶν ἐνοχλούντων· παγεῖσα δὲ καλῶς, πολλὰ παρέχει τοῖς καθαιρεῖν ἐπιχειροῦσι τὰ πράγματα. Καὶ θηρίον τόποις ἐμφιλοχωρῆσαν πολλῷ χρόνῳ, δυσκόλως ἐλαύνεται. Καὶ καθάπερ πυρετὸς παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν προσβαλὼν, οὐ σφόδρα φλέγει τῇ δίψῃ τοὺς κάμνοντας· ἐπιδοὺς δὲ καὶ τὴν φλόγα ἐπάρας, ἀνίατα διψᾷν παρασκευάζει λοιπόν· κἂν παράσχῃ τις αὐτοῖς ἐμφορηθῆναι τοῦ πόματος, οὐ σβέννυσιν, ἀλλ' ἐκκαίει τὴν κάμινον· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ πάθους συμβαίνει, ἂν παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰσελαῦνον εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν ἡμετέραν μὴ κωλύσωμεν, μηδὲ ἀποκλείσωμεν τὰς θύρας, ἐπελθὸν λοιπὸν, ἀνίατον ἐργάζεται τοῖς δεξαμένοις τὸ νόσημα. Ὡσπεροῦν ὁ νωθρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ ὀλίγωρος, κἂν πολὺν λάβῃ πρὸς μετάνοιαν χρόνον, οὐδὲν μέγα ἐργάσεται, οὐδὲ καταλλάξει τὸν Θεὸν ἑαυτῷ διὰ τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ διεγηγερμένος, καὶ τῇ προθυμίᾳ ζέων, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς σπουδῆς τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος, καὶ ἐν βραχείᾳ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ, πολλοῦ χρόνου ἁμαρτήματα ἀφανίσαι δυνήσεται· καὶ ὅπως, ἄκουσον. Οὐχὶ τρίτον ὁ Πέτρος ἠρνήσατο; οὐχὶ μεθ' ὅρκου τρίτον; οὐχὶ θεραπαινίδος εὐτελοῦς ῥήματα δείσας; Τί οὖν; πολλοῦ χρόνου ἐδέησεν αὐτῷ πρὸς μετάνοιαν; Οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλ' αὐτῇ τῇ νυκτὶ καὶ ὠλίσθησε καὶ ἀνέστη. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ χαλεπὸν ἐκεῖνο πτῶμα (ἀρνήσεως γὰρ οὐδὲν ἴσον κακὸν), πάλιν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὴν προτέραν ἐπανήγαγε τιμὴν ἡ μετάνοια, καὶ τὴν ἐπιστασίαν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὴν ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐνεχείρισε· καὶ ὃ πάντων μεῖζον, ἀπέδειξεν ἡμῖν αὐτὸν πλείονα τῶν ἀποστόλων ἁπάντων ἔχοντα τὴν εἰς τὸν ∆εσπότην ἀγάπην. Τί δὲ οἱ Νινευῖται; ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ προφήτης, ἀνέγνω τὴν ἀπόφασιν καθάπερ ἐπιστολὴν βασιλικὴν, κόλασιν ἔχουσαν, καὶ ἐβόα λέγων· Ἔτι τρεῖς ἡμέραι, καὶ Νινευὶ καταστραφήσεται. Ἤκουσαν ταῦτα ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ οὐ διηπίστησαν, οὐ κατεφρόνησαν, ἀλλ' εὐθέως δρόμος ἁπάντων ἐπὶ τὴν νηστείαν, ἀνδρῶν, γυναικῶν, παιδίων, καὶ οὐδὲ ἡ τῶν ἀλόγων φύσις ταύτης ἀτελὴς τῆς λειτουργίας ἦν· πανταχοῦ σάκκος, πανταχοῦ σποδὸς, πανταχοῦ θρῆνος καὶ οἰμωγαί.