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

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," instead of, "shall be corrupted;" and impurity is corrupted, either by practice, or by harsh punishment. This saying must be used for those who have been deemed worthy of divine knowledge, so that they may not neglect the teaching, since many are led away by vice to death; but those being killed from innocence to death, do not spare to purchase with your own blood; but you will purchase, by giving money or a helpful word, but if you say I do not know this one, it will convict you of lying, and you will be guilty of two things, that is, of lying and of murder; for he who formed the breath, he himself 17.228 knows all things which he renders to each according to quality; good to the good, and evil to the evil; for that it is not according to quantity, is clear; For the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed; but if someone should wish to take it as concerning quantity, let him think the retribution is according to the proportion of each one's power; as also the gifts of the Spirit are given according to the proportion of faith. He who benefits from the divine Scriptures eats honey; but he who brings forth words from the very realities, from which the holy prophets and the apostles have received them, in doing and teaching, eats honeycomb; and to eat the honey is for anyone who wishes; but the honeycomb, is only for the pure; or also the allegory must be called honey; but honeycomb, the literal investigation and history, in order to have the hidden and deeper meaning, for in the honeycomb there is honey; and the throat is the nutritive power of the soul, through which foods are sent to the stomach; if then you accomplish these things, both those according to thought, and those according to history, the wise doctrines themselves will be yours by the perception of wisdom; for if you find the spiritual meaning of the Scripture, your end will be good, as it was said: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints; and you will not lose the hope for the future. Do not prefer the devil to the righteousness of God, which the righteous pasture on; nor be deceived by death-bearing foolish talk to satisfy your heart, which is the belly. -Do not betray God for the sake of pleasure; for this is the pasture of the righteous, and it will by no means abandon you. God indeed turns away his wrath from the one who has fallen, having mercy on him; but he is angry with the one who is exalted over the fall of his enemy; for everyone who rejoices over a perishing soul is like the devil who does not want all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth; for the Lord in the Gospels has also legislated to pray for our enemies, that is, for men. But the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, is not of flesh, instead of not perceptible; but whoever, having stumbled, is handed over to it, his bones will be shattered, being struck by a pestle; and his bones will be destroyed, being burned by fire; or whoever is handed over to it for repentance, will be ground by the word of his wisdom like wheat, so that he may become sweet bread. -The sword of God consumes to complete destruction those men who are corrupted and grown old according to the lusts of deceit. Or those men who have come from vice to the knowledge of God, it consumes, along with their sinews, from their evil deeds; so that having put off 17.229 the old man, they might put on the new man created according to God, who is also inedible to demons, having been cleansed by the Lord, and abstaining from all vice; for it adds, so as to be inedible to the young of eagles; or also that having been burned and reduced to ashes, it then becomes inedible to the eagles; for my words have been fenced about, etc. -Who has gathered the winds in his bosom? Faith has gathered the mind, swifter than the wind, from the east and west and north and sea in the knowledge of God, and has given them spiritual contemplation to store up in the virtues; for the knowledge of God is the bosom of God, in which he embraces and holds all the god-minded, as one holds gold in his bosom. -He who has gathered all things from the east and west and north and sea

δὲ ἀρετὴν ἡ κακία μειοῖ, καὶ τὴν κακίαν δηλονότι ἡ ἀρετὴ διαφθείρει· τοῦτο δὲ γενήσεται ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι, ἕως ἂν ἐκλίπῃ ἡ κακία· τὸ γὰρ ἐμμολυνθήσεται, ἀντὶ τοῦ, διαφθαρήσεται· διαφθείρεται δὲ ἡ ἀκαθαρσία, ἤτοι ὑπὸ πρακτικῆς, ἢ ὑπὸ δριμείας κολάσεως. Χρηστέον τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς καταξιωθέντας θείας γνώσεως, ἵνα μὴ ἀμελῶσι τῆς διδασκαλίας, πολλῶν ἀπαγομένων ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας εἰς θάνατον· τοὺς δὲ κτεινομένους ἐξ ἀκακίας εἰς θάνατον, μὴ φεί σῃ πρίασθαι τῷ ἰδίῳ αἵματι· ἐκπριοῦ δὲ, διδοὺς χρήματα ἢ λόγον ὠφέλιμον, ἐὰν δὲ εἴπῃς οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον, ἐλέγξει σε ψευδόμενον, καὶ ἔσῃ ἔνοχος δυσὶν, ἤγουν ψεύδει καὶ φόνῳ· ὁ γὰρ πλάσας πνοὴν, αὐτὸς 17.228 οἶδε πάντα ὅσα ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ ποιόν· ἀγαθὸν ἀγαθῷ, καὶ πονηρῷ πονηρά· ὅτι γὰρ οὐ κατὰ τὸ ποσὸν, δῆλον· Οὐ γὰρ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ ποσοῦ τις ἐκλαβεῖν ἐθέλοι, κατ' ἀναλογίαν τῆς ἑκάστου δυνάμεως τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν οἰέσθω· ὡς καὶ τὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος χαρίσματα κατ' ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως δίδοται. Ἐσθίει μέλι ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ὠφελούμε νος· ὁ δὲ ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἐκβάλλων τῶν πραγμάτων τοὺς λόγους, ἀφ' ὧν εἰλήφασιν ἅγιοι προφῆται καὶ οἱ ἀπό στολοι, ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν, τρώγει κη ρίον· καὶ τὸ μὲν μέλι φαγεῖν, τοῦ βουλομένου παν τός· τὸ δὲ κηρίον, μόνου τοῦ καθαροῦ· ἢ καὶ μέλι ῥητέον τὴν ἀλληγορίαν· κηρίον δὲ, τὴν ῥητὴν ἐπί σκεψιν καὶ ἱστορίαν, πρὸς τὸ ἔχειν τὸν ἀποκεκρυμ μένον νοῦν καὶ βαθύτερον, ἔνεστι γὰρ τῷ κηρίῳ μέλι· φάρυγγα δὲ τὴν θρεπτικὴν τῆς ψυχῆς δύναμιν, δι' ἧς αἱ τροφαὶ παραπέμπονται εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν· ἐὰν οὖν ταῦτα κατορθώσῃς, τά τε κατὰ διάνοιαν, καὶ τὰ καθ' ἱστορίαν, ἔσονταί σοι αἰσθήσει τῆς σοφίας αὐτὰ τὰ σοφὰ δόγματα· ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς τὸν πνευματικὸν τῆς Γραφῆς νοῦν, ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου, ὡς λεχθῆ ναι· Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ· οὐκ ἀποβαλεῖς δὲ τὴν εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐλπίδα. Μὴ προτιμήσῃς τὸν διάβολον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύ νης, ἣν οἱ δίκαιοι νομεύονται· μηδὲ ἀπατηθῇς μω ρολογίαις θανατηφόροις χορτάσαι σου τὴν καρδίαν σου, ὅ ἐστι κοιλία. -Μὴ ἕνεκεν ἡδονῆς προδῷς τὸν Θεόν· οὗτος γὰρ νομὴ δικαίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐγκατα λείψῃ σε. Ἀποστρέφει μὲν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ πεσόντος, ἐλεήσας αὐτόν· ὀργίζεται δὲ τῷ ἐπαρθέντι ἐπὶ τῷ πτώματι τοῦ ἐχθροῦ αὐτοῦ· πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ἐπιχαί ρων ἐπὶ ἀπολλυμένῃ ψυχῇ, ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ διαβόλῳ τῷ μὴ θέλοντι πάντας ἀνθρώπους σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις νενομοθέτηκεν εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν, ἤγουν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἡ μάχαιρα δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος, ἥ ἐστι ῥῆμα Θεοῦ, οὐ σαρκίνη, ἀντὶ τοῦ οὐκ αἰσθητή· ὃς δ' ἂν παραδοθῇ πταίσας αὐτῷ, συντριβήσεται ὀστᾶ ὑπὸ ὑπέρου τυπτόμενα· καὶ ἀφανισθήσεται ὀστᾶ ὑπὸ πυρὸς καυσούμενα· ἢ ὃς δ' ἂν παραδοθῇ αὐτῷ εἰς μετάνοιαν, συντριβήσεται τῷ λόγῳ τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ ὡς σῖτος, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν ἡδὺν ἄρτον. -Τοὺς φθειρομένους καὶ παλαιωθέντας ἀνθρώπους κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης, ἀναλίσκει ἡ μάχαιρα τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς ἀφανισμὸν παντελῆ. Ἢ τοὺς ἐκ κακίας εἰς θεογνωσίαν ἐλθόντας ἀνθρώπους, σὺν νεύροις ἀναλί σκει ἐκ τῶν πράξεων τῶν πονηρῶν· ἵνα ἀποθέμενοι 17.229 τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐνδύσωνται τὸν νέον τὸν κατὰ Θεὸν κτισθέντα, ὃς καὶ ἄβρωτός ἐστι δαίμοσιν, ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου καθαρισθεὶς, καὶ ἀπεχόμενος πάσης κα κίας· ἐπάγει γὰρ, ὥστε ἄβρωτα εἶναι νεοσσοῖς ἀετῶν· ἢ καὶ ὅτι συγκαέντα καὶ τεφρωθέντα λοιπὸν ἄβρωτα γίνεται τοῖς ἀετοῖς· περιπεφράσθαι γὰρ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους, κ. τ. λ. -Τίς συνήγαγεν ἀνέμους ἐν κόλπῳ; Τὸν ταχύτερον ἀνέμου νοῦν ἡ πίστις συνήγαγεν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ βοῤῥᾶ καὶ θαλάσσης ἐν τῇ γνώσει τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ δέδωκεν αὐτοῖς θεωρίαν πνευ ματικὴν ἐναποθεῖναι ταῖς ἀρεταῖς· ἡ γὰρ γνῶσις ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κόλπος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, ἐν ᾧ ἐγκολπίζεται καὶ περικρατεῖ πάντας τοὺς θεόφρονας, ὥσπερ τις χρυσὸν ἐν κόλπῳ. -Ὁ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ βοῤῥᾶ καὶ θαλάσσης συναγαγὼν πάντα τὰ