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God will send; for his works are pure and right. If the works of God are pure and right, and the mind is one of his works, then the mind was created right and pure by the Lord. 224 21, 9 Better to dwell in an open-air corner than in whitewashed [places] with unrighteousness and in a common house. To the whitewashed and common house he contrasted the open-air corner. If the whitewashed and common house is wickedness, the open-air corner is virtue. An open-air corner, therefore, is an action touching upon contemplation and illuminated by the sun of righteousness. And Paul also rightly called the high priest of the Jews a whitewashed wall that was to be struck by God. And the Savior in the gospels also called the Pharisees whitewashed tombs. And it is good also to say "in a corner," where the stone lies that was rejected by the builders and became the head of the corner. And he called "common" that which is not of the one God. 225 21, 14 A secret gift turns away anger; but he who is stingy with gifts stirs up strong wrath. A "secret gift" is so that what the right hand does, the left hand does not know. 226 21, 16 A man wandering from the way of righteousness will rest in the congregation of giants. The congregation of giants is wickedness and ignorance. 227 21, 19 Better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious and talkative and angry woman. And David says: "in a desert and pathless and waterless land, so in the holy place have I appeared to you." A desert land, therefore, is virtue, not having the old people dwelling [in it] who are corrupted according to the desires of deceit. Therefore the devil does not find rest in it, since "he passes through waterless places seeking rest and does not find it"; "for he is king of all that are in the waters"; and again of wisdom: "dry," it says, "are the pursuits of her houses." If this is so, then the contentious and talkative and angry woman is wickedness, which makes the one living with her contentious and talkative and angry. 228 21, 20 A desirable treasure will rest on the mouth of a wise man; but foolish men swallow it. The wisdom of the Lord will rest in the heart of a wise man; but foolish men will corrupt it. 229 21, 22 A wise man went up against fortified cities and cast down the fortress in which the ungodly trusted. Wisdom is a fortified city, in which the wise dwell, "casting down reasonings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." 230 21, 23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from trouble. "Mouth and tongue" [means] soul and mind; and "soul" they say [means] anger and desire, which some call the passible part of the soul. 231 21, 26 The ungodly desires evil desires all the day; but the righteous shows mercy and pities unsparingly. Of angels, it is to never desire evil desires; of humans, it is to sometimes desire, and sometimes not desire, evil desires; of demons, it is to always desire evil desires. For "all the day" signifies "throughout life." Such also is "be in the fear of the Lord all the day," instead of "throughout life." 232 21, 31 A horse is prepared for the day of war; but help is from the Lord. He calls the mind a "horse"; "for you will mount," it says, "upon your horses, and your horsemanship is salvation"; and concerning Paul the Lord says, "to bear my name."

233 22, 1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; and good grace above silver and

gold. He called the virtue signified by its own name a "good name"; for that name is good which has a good signified meaning. Thus we will not praise an unjust woman called "Justice," but the one possessing justice, even if she is named "Injustice." 234 22, 2 Rich and poor have met one another; and the Lord made them both. The rich man through alms purifies his anger, acquiring love; but the poor man through poverty

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ἀποστελεῖ ὁ θεός· ἁγνὰ γὰρ καὶ ὀρθὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ Εἰ ἁγνὰ καὶ ὀρθὰ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ, ἓν δὲ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν καὶ ὁ νοῦς, ὀρθὸς ἄρα καὶ ἁγνὸς ἐκτίσθη παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου ὁ νοῦς. 224 21, 9 κρεῖσσον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας ὑπαίθρου ἢ ἐν κεκονιαμένοις μετὰ ἀδικίας καὶ ἐν οἴκῳ κοινῷ Τῷ οἴκῳ τῷ κεκονιαμένῳ καὶ κοινῷ τὴν ὕπαιθρον γωνίαν ἀντέθηκεν. Εἰ δὲ ὁ οἶκος ὁ κεκονιαμένος καὶ κοινὸς ἡ κακία ἐστίν, ἡ ὕπαιθρος γωνία ἡ ἀρετή ἐστιν. Γωνία τοίνυν ὕπαιθρός ἐστιν πρᾶξις θεωρίας ἐφαπτομένη καὶ φωτιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡλίου. Καλῶς δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος τὸν ἀρχιερέα τῶν Ἰουδαίων τοῖχον εἶπεν κεκονιαμένον τυπτηθησόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. Καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ δὲ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις τοὺς φαρισαίους τάφους εἶπεν κεκονιαμένους. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ γωνίας εἰπεῖν ἔνθα ὁ λίθος κεῖται ὁ ἀποδοκιμασθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκοδόμων καὶ γενόμενος κεφαλὴ γωνίας. Κοινὸν δὲ εἶπεν ὁ μὴ τοῦ ἑνός ἐστιν θεοῦ. 225 21, 14 δόσις λάθριος ἀνατρέπει ὀργάς· δώρων δὲ ὁ φειδόμενος θυμὸν ἐγείρει ἰσχυρόν ∆όσις λάθριός ἐστιν, ἵν' ὃ ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιὰ μὴ γινώσκῃ ἡ ἀριστερά. 226 21, 16 ἀνὴρ πλανώμενος ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαιοσύνης ἐν συναγωγῇ γιγάντων ἀναπαύσεται Ἡ συναγωγὴ τῶν γιγάντων ἡ κακία καὶ ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐστίν. 227 21, 19 κεῖσσον οἰκεῖν ἐν γῇ ἐρήμῳ ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς μαχίμου καὶ γλωσσώδους καὶ ὀργίλου Καὶ ὁ ∆αυίδ φησιν· «ἐν γῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἀβάτῳ καὶ ἀνύδρῳ, οὕτως ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὤφθην σοι.» Ἔρημος τοίνυν γῆ ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετὴ ἡ μὴ ἔχουσα τοὺς παλαιοὺς ἀνθρώπους οἰκοῦντας τοὺς φθειρομένους κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης. ∆ιὸ οὐδὲ εὑρίσκει ἐν αὐτῇ ἀνάπαυσιν ὁ διάβολος, εἴγε «διέρχεται δι' ἀνύδρων τόπων ζητῶν ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει»· «αὐτὸς γὰρ βασιλεύς ἐστι πάντων τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι»· καὶ πάλιν τῆς σοφίας· «στεγναί, φησίν, αἱ διατριβαὶ οἴκων αὐτῆς.» Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ μάχιμος καὶ γλωσσώδης καὶ ὀργίλος ἡ κακία ἐστίν, ἥτις τὸν συζῶντα αὐτῇ ποιεῖ μάχιμον καὶ γλωσσώδη καὶ ὀργίλον. 228 21, 20 θησαυρὸς ἐπιθυμητὸς ἀναπαύσεται ἐπὶ στόματος σοφο ἐπὶ στόματος σοφοῦ· ἄφρονες δὲ ἄνδρες καταπίονται αὐτόν Σοφία κυρίου ἀναπαύσεται ἐν καρδίᾳ σοφοῦ· ἄφρονες δὲ ἄνδρες διαφθεροῦσιν αὐτήν. 229 21, 22 πόλεις ὀχυρὰς ἐπέβη σοφὸς καὶ καθεῖλεν τὸ ὀχύρωμα, ἐφ' ᾧ ἐπεποίθεισαν οἱ ἀσεβεῖς Ἡ σοφία ἐστὶν πόλις ὀχυρά, ἐν ᾗ οἱ σοφοὶ κατοικοῦσι «λογισμοὺς καθαιροῦντες καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ θεοῦ». 230 21, 23 ὃς φυλάσσει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν διατηρεῖ ἐκ θλίψεως τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ Στόμα καὶ γλῶσσαν ψυχὴν καὶ νοῦν· ψυχὴν δέ φασιν θυμὸν καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν, ὅπερ τινὲς παθητικὸν μέρος ὀνομάζουσι τῆς ψυχῆς. 231 21, 26 ἀσεβὴς ἐπιθυμεῖ ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐπιθυμίας κακάς· ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐλεᾷ καὶ οἰκτείρει ἀφειδῶς Ἀγγέλων μὲν τὸ μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν ποτε ἐπιθυμίας κακάς· ἀνθρώπων δὲ τό ποτε μὲν ἐπιθυμεῖν, ποτὲ δὲ μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν ἐπιθυμίας κακάς· δαιμόνων δὲ τὸ ἀεὶ ἐπιθυμεῖν ἐπιθυμίας κακάς. Τὸ γὰρ ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν τὸ διὰ βίου δηλοῖ. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν καὶ τὸ «ἐν φόβῳ κυρίου ἴσθι ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν», ἀντὶ τοῦ διὰ βίου. 232 21, 31 ἵππος ἑτοιμάζεται εἰς ἡμέραν πολέμου· παρὰ δὲ κυρίου ἡ βοήθεια Ἵππον λέγει τὸν νοῦν· «ἐπιβήσῃ γάρ, φησίν, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἵππους σου καὶ ἡ ἱππασία σου σωτηρία»· καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Παύλου ὁ κύριος «τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μού» φησιν.

233 22, 1 αἱρετώτερον ὄνομα καλὸν ἢ πλοῦτος πολύς· ὑπὲρ δὲ ἀργύριον καὶ

χρυσίον χάρις ἀγαθή Τὴν σημαινομένην ἀρετὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ οἰκείου ὀνόματος ὄνομα εἶπεν καλόν· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ὄνομα καλόν ἐστιν ὅπερ ἔχει τὸ σημαινόμενον ἀγαθόν. Οὕτως οὐδὲ τὴν ἄδικον γυναῖκα δικαιοσύνην καλουμένην ἐπαινέσομεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἔχουσαν τὴν δικαιοσύνην, κἂν ἀδικία ὀνομάζηται. 234 22, 2 πλούσιος καὶ πτωχὸς συνήντησαν ἀλλήλοις· ἀμφοτέρους δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐποίησεν Ὁ μὲν πλούσιος διὰ τῶν ἐλεημοσυνῶν καθαίρει θυμόν, κτώμενος τὴν ἀγάπην· ὁ δὲ πένης διὰ τῆς πενίας