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

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 him; and inasmuch as we take vices from him, we take as from one poor in virtues; but inasmuch as we give our virtues to him to our own detriment, we give as to one rich in vice; lest perhaps, he says, as one giving few things to a ruler; from whom he slanders, gaining more, he is also harmed more in the soul. He who pays attention to the all-wise words of God, and does what is commanded by him, this one has set his heart, and has known that they are good; this one hears the words of God, who does what is commanded by them; For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law will be justified. And if you set your heart to know and to do, he will make known to you his way that said: I am the way and the truth. He who has broadened his heart through purity will understand the words of God, both the practical, and the philosophical, and the theological; for every treatise according to Scripture is divided in three ways, into the ethical and the physical and the theological; and to the first belongs Proverbs; to the second, Ecclesiastes; and to the third, the Song of Songs; 17.221 which things, having been understood through purity, are inscribed in the heart, for you to answer, so as to be ready for a defense to everyone who asks of you an account concerning the hope that is in you; whether for the sake of learning, or for the sake of opposing; and you also question those who are able to be questioned; do not, however, compel the one who is poor in knowledge; wherefore he adds: And do not dishonor the weak in the gates. Let those who accept wicked thoughts, and in this honor the evil one, strive with all their power to return the worse things through good thoughts; for if they are not strong enough to do this, they will take the covering from under the sides of the soul, that is, virtue. He who moves the boundaries of piety, proves it to be superstition or impiety; and he who moves the boundaries of courage, makes it rashness or cowardice; and likewise it must be understood also for the other virtues, and for the dogmas, and for faith itself; but this must be observed especially for the holy Trinity; for he who does not theologize the Holy Spirit dissolves baptism; and he who names certain others as gods introduces a populace of gods; or also the patristic ordinances concerning each matter, and which ought to remain for this reason, one must not move. Here he calls the devil a ruler; and his tables are false testimonies, railings, slanders, evil counsels, shameful desires, and every satanic practice whatsoever; and these things being set before you by the evil one, understand them intellectually, and lay your mind upon them, which is the hand; knowing that you must prepare such things as ought also to stand beside you on the day of the Lord, when he repays each one according to his works; but if you are more insatiable, and you long for the high and the more and the greater things, which are divine and of God, do not desire the foods of the evil one; for these pertain to a temporary life, which is false; but the divine Scripture must be understood intellectually and spiritually; for the sensible knowledge according to history is not true. If you should wish to draw the divine meaning to the literal text according only to the external sight, being unstable it departs to its own house, which is its appropriate contemplation; having wings prepared for it by its presiding Holy Spirit, which are the spiritual gifts; therefore it departs high above, so to speak, the aether itself; therefore not to go beyond 17.224 the literal text, but to have an insatiable desire for it, is of a false life. If the envious one eats the bread of impiety, and is intoxicated with lawless wine, one must not dine with him; therefore one must not be impious and lawless; for these vices ruin spiritual knowledge. Say nothing prudent, he says, that is, deep and mystical; for you must not cast the pearls before swine. Do not remove the eternal boundaries of piety;

συκοφαντεῖ ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, λαμβάνων παρ' ἡμῶν τὰς ἀρετὰς, ἃς μὴ δέδωκεν ἡμῖν, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς συκοφαντοῦμεν αὐτὸν λαμβά νοντες παρ' αὐτοῦ τὰς κακίας ἃς μὴ δεδώκαμεν αὐτῷ· καὶ καθὸ μὲν λαμβάνομεν παρ' αὐτοῦ τὰς κακίας, ὡς παρὰ πένητος ἐν ἀρεταῖς λαμβάνομεν· καθὸ δὲ τὰς ἀρετὰς ἡμῶν διδόαμεν αὐτῷ ἐπ' ἐλαττώσει ἡμῶν, ὡς πλουσίῳ ἐν κακίᾳ διδόαμεν· μήποτε δὲ, φησὶν, ὡς ὀλίγα διδοὺς ἄρχοντι· παρ' ᾧ συκοφαντεῖ τὰ πλείω κερδαίνων, πλέον καὶ βλάπτεται τὴν ψυχήν. Ὁ τοῖς πανσόφοις λόγοις προσέχων τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ποιῶν τὰ προστασσόμενα ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, οὗτος ἐπέστησε τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ ἔγνω ὅτι καλοί εἰσιν· οὗτος ἀκούει τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγων, ὁ ποιῶν τὰ προστασσόμενα ὑπ' αὐτῶν· Οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ τοῦ νόμου δίκαιοι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλ' οἱ ποιηταὶ τοῦ νόμου δικαιωθήσον ται. Ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιστήσῃς σὴν καρδίαν τοῦ γνῶναι καὶ ποιῆσαι, γνωρίσει σοι τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰποῦσαν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια. Ὁ πλατύνας διὰ τῆς καθαρότητος τὴν καρδίαν αὑ τοῦ, νοήσει τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγους, τούς τε πρακτι κοὺς, καὶ τοὺς σοφιστικοὺς, καὶ τοὺς θεολογικούς· πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ κατὰ τὴν Γραφὴν πραγματεία, τέμνεται τριχῶς, εἰς ἠθικὴν καὶ φυσικὴν καὶ θεολογικήν· καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ, αἱ Προοιμίαι· τῇ δὲ δευ τέρᾳ, ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής· τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ, Ἄσμα ᾀσμάτων· 17.221 ἅπερ νοηθέντα διὰ καθαρότητος ἐναπογράφεται τῇ καρδίᾳ, τοῦ ἀποκρίνασθαί σε, ὡς ἕτοιμον εἶναι πρὸς ἀπολογίαν παντὶ τῷ ἐπερωτῶντί σε λόγον περὶ τῆς ἐν σοὶ ἐλπίδος· εἴτε διὰ τὸ μαθεῖν, εἴτε διὰ τὸ ἀντιτιθεῖναι· ἀντερώτα δὲ καὶ σὺ τοὺς δυναμένους ἐρωτᾶσθαι· μὴ μέντοι βιάζου τὸν ἐν γνώσει πε νόμενον· διὸ ἐπάγει· Καὶ μὴ ἀτιμάσῃς ἀσθενῆ ἐν πύλαις. Οἱ τοὺς φαύλους ἀναδεχόμενοι λογισμοὺς, καὶ ἐν τού τῳ τιμῶντες τὸν πονηρὸν, σπουδαζέτωσαν ὅση δύναμις διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν λογισμῶν ἀποδιδόναι τοὺς χείρονας· ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἰσχύσωσι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, λήψονται τὸ στρῶ μα τὸ ὑπὸ τὰς πλευρὰς τῆς ψυχῆς, τουτέστι τὴν ἀρετήν. Ὁ μετατιθεὶς τὰ ὅρια τῆς θεοσεβείας, δεισιδαιμο νίαν ἢ ἀσέβειαν αὐτὴν ἀποδείκνυσι· καὶ ὁ μετατιθεὶς τὰ ὅρια τῆς ἀνδρείας, θρασύτητα ἢ δειλίαν αὐτὴν ἀπεργάζεται· ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρετῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν δογμάτων, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῆς τῆς πίστεως νοητέον· μάλιστα δὲ τοῦτο τηρητέον ἐπὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος· ὁ γὰρ μὴ θεολογῶν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, δια λύει τὸ βάπτισμα· ὁ δὲ καὶ ἄλλους τινὰς ὀνομάζων θεοὺς, δῆμον εἰσάγει θεῶν· ἢ καὶ τὰς περὶ πράγμα τος ἑκάστου πατρικὰς διατάξεις, καὶ τούτου χάριν μένειν ὀφειλούσας, μὴ μετακινεῖν δεῖ. ∆υνάστην ἐνταῦθα τὸν διάβολόν φησιν· τράπεζαι δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰσι ψευδομαρτυρίαι, λοιδορίαι, καταλαλιαὶ, συμβουλίαι κακαὶ, ἐπιθυμίαι αἰσχραὶ, καὶ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν σατανικὸν ἐπιτήδευμα· ταῦτα δὲ παρατιθέμενά σοι ὑπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ, νοητῶς νόει, καὶ ἐπίβαλε τὴν διά νοιάν σου, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ χείρ· εἰδὼς ὅτι τοιαῦτά σε δεῖ παρασκευάσαι, οἷα καὶ συμπαρεστάναι σοι ὀφείλουσιν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Κυρίου, ὅτε ἀπονέμει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ· εἰ δὲ ἀπληστότερος εἶ, καὶ ὀρέγῃ τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ πλειόνων καὶ μειζόνων, ἅτινά εἰσι θεῖα καὶ Θεοῦ, μὴ ἐπιθύμει τῶν τοῦ πονηροῦ ἐδεσμάτων· ταῦτα γὰρ ἔχεται ζωῆς προσκαίρου, ὅ ἐστι ψευδοῦς· δεῖ δὲ τὴν θείαν Γραφὴν νοητῶς νοεῖσθαι καὶ πνευματικῶς· ἡ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν αἰσθητὴ γνῶσις, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής. Ἐὰν ἑλκῦσαι τὸν θεῖον νοῦν πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν κατὰ τὴν ἔξω μόνον ὅρασιν ἐθελήσῃς, ἀσύστατος ὢν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον ἀποφοίτα, ὅς ἐστι τὸ κατάλληλον αὐτοῦ θεώρημα· πτέρυγας ἔχων τὰς ὑπὸ τοῦ προεστηκότος αὐτοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος κατασκευασθείσας αὐτῷ, αἵπερ εἰσὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ χαρίσματα· ἄπεισιν οὖν ὑψηλὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν ὡς εἰπεῖν τὸν αἰθέρα· τὸ οὖν μὴ ὑπεράνω 17.224 χωρεῖν τοῦ ῥητοῦ, ἀλλ' ἀπλήστως ἔχειν πρὸς αὐτὰ, ζωῆς ἐστι ψευδοῦς. Εἰ ὁ βάσκανος σῖτα ἀσεβείας ἐσθίει, καὶ οἴνῳ πα ρανόμῳ μεθύσκεται, οὐ δεῖ δὲ συνδειπνεῖν τούτῳ· οὐ χρὴ ἄρα εἶναι ἀσεβῆ καὶ παράνομον· αὗται γὰρ αἱ κακίαι λυμαίνονται γνῶσιν πνευματικήν. Μηδὲν λέγε συνετὸν, φησὶ, τουτέστι βαθὺ καὶ μυστι κόν· οὐ δεῖ γάρ σε βαλεῖν τοὺς μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων. Ὅρια αἰώνια θεοσεβείας μὴ μέταιρε·