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

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 flows from the spring of life, that is, knowledge and wisdom, as Christ himself says: He who drinks of this water will never thirst for eternity; and, He who believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from his belly. -This one steals knowledge, not the one taking from what has preceded, but the one who pilfers from falsely called knowledge. For all who have believed in Christ, receiving theorems from the holy prophets and apostles, are not called thieves of others' theorems; for one steals others' theorems, in order to fill a hungry mind; but this indeed happened before the advent of the Savior; but now Paul says: Let him who steals, steal no longer, but rather let him work righteousness, so that having acquired knowledge, he may also impart it to the one who has need; for what is there that is not and is ours, that we who have believed in Christ should steal? for all things are ours; and we are Christ's, through whom all things were made; and Christ is God's; -A mind having fled wickedness, do not again surrender to wickedness; since everyone who commits sin, is a slave of sin; and sin is now named the devil who works sin; -Evil offspring, etc. Blasphemy curses the mind that utters it; but does not bless its mother, that is, the soul. -Vainglory subjects and mocks the one who has it, to consider himself righteous, not thinking of evil things; but often to do only good things. -Pride makes the one who possesses it to overlook poor friends, and likewise parents to reject wretched foods, to loathe the just and pious, to trip up those under his hand, and to rise above them himself. - Anger, everyone who has it, forces him to do nothing other than to do evil and to punish, and does not cease to speak against, to insult, and to slander. He who oversees the mind that thinks evil in practice and theory, and brings it to completion, whether his own or another man's, will be accursed among the peoples of the angels, and hateful among those saved from the nations, when all shall become one flock 17.232 and one shepherd; but those who reprove and confess by declaration their own deeds, and the thoughts of a better mind, will appear exalted by the Lord, being proclaimed over all; and upon them shall come, in the present age the good blessing of the actions of works, and the intellectual contemplation of wisdom; and in the age to come, the distribution from the Lord. He who walks after the commandments of God, is built up into righteousness and sanctification; for a house is built with wisdom, the one in soul and body for a dwelling of God; but into a crafty soul wisdom will not enter. For whether thorns, or beasts, destroy it, unless there is one who cleanses around and guards it; likewise also a fool; wickedness is what pricks him towards the things that procure the kingdom. A hedge is the dispassion of a rational soul, composed of the practical virtues; but it is dug down and destroyed by the choice of the fool. Corruption loves these things, Hades, lust, and a whorish woman; for these have neither limit nor satiety; but there are three things which will also be filled; and the fourth, was not content to say, 'it is enough'; Hades and the love of a woman, and earth not filled with water; and water, and fire, did not say 'it is sufficient'; it always receives the seeds, whatever you may cast down, it desires; thus also death and fire, destroy those things which it desires; such a thing also is poverty; these things are consuming; such a thing also is hesitation and idleness; For since someone perhaps wonders why Hades has no satiety, although it consumes man, for this reason, he says, these things also have no satiety, nor do they ever stop; But see how he compared fornication to Hades. These ravens, feed the just mystically, but punish the unjust, gouging out the eyes of injustice; because they laughed at the Father and God of all, and dishonored the ancient knowledge that bore them; but the eye of the Father

γηγενῆ ἔθνη, καὶ πυκνώσας αὐτὰ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἐν τῇ εἰς αὐτὸν πίστει, Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τὸ ἐπουράνιον ὕδωρ ἐναποθέμενος· τὸ ῥέον ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τῆς ζωῆς, του τέστι τὴν γνῶσιν καὶ τὴν σοφίαν, καθὼς αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστός φησιν· Ὁ πίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος τούτου, οὐ μὴ διψήσῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ, Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, ποταμοὶ ῥεύσουσιν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ὕδατος ζῶντος. -Οὗτος κλέπτει γνῶσιν, οὐχ ὁ τοῦ προλαβόντος λαμβάνων, ἀλλ' ὁ ἐκ τῆς ψευδωνύμου ὑφαιρούμενος γνώσεως. Καὶ γὰρ πάντες οἱ πεπιστευ κότες Χριστῷ, ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν καὶ ἀπο στόλων λαμβάνοντες θεωρήματα, οὐ λέγονται κλέ πται ἀλλοτρίων θεωρημάτων· κλέπτει γάρ τις ἀλλό τρια θεωρήματα, ἵνα νοῦν ἐμπλήσῃ πεινῶντα· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐγένετο· νυνὶ δὲ Παῦλός φησιν· Ὁ κλέπτων, μηκέτι κλεπτέτω, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐργαζέσθω δικαιοσύνην, ἵνα γνῶσιν κτησάμενος, μεταδῷ καὶ τῷ χρείαν ἔχοντι· τί γὰρ ὃ μή ἐστι καὶ ἔστιν ἡμέτερον, ἵνα κλέψωμεν οἱ πεπιστευ κότες Χριστῷ; πάντα γὰρ ἡμῶν ἐστιν· ἡμεῖς δὲ Χρι στοῦ, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο· Χριστὸς δὲ, Θεοῦ· -Φυ γόντα νοῦν τὴν κακίαν, μὴ πάλιν παραδῷς τῇ κακίᾳ· εἴπερ πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, δοῦλός ἐστι τῆς ἁμαρτίας· ἁμαρτία δὲ νῦν ὀνομάζεται ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν διάβολος· -Ἔκγονον κακὸν, κ. τ. λ. Ἡ βλασφημία τὸν αὐτὴν ἐκφέροντα νοῦν καταρᾶται· τὴν δὲ τούτου μητέρα, ἤγουν τὴν ψυχὴν, οὐκ εὐλο γεῖ. -Ἡ κενοδοξία τὸν αὐτὴν ἔχοντα ὑποβάλλει καὶ χλευάζει, δίκαιον ἑαυτὸν λογίζεσθαι, μὴ ἐννοῶν τὰ κακά· ἀλλὰ πολλάκις μόνον καλὰ ποιεῖν. -Ἡ ὑπερ ηφανία τὸν κεκτημένον αὐτὴν ποιεῖ παρορᾷν φίλους πτωχοὺς, γονεῖς ὡσαύτως βρώματα οἰκτρὰ ἀποσεί εσθαι, τοὺς δικαίους καὶ εὐσεβεῖς βδελύττεσθαι, τοὺς ὑπὸ χεῖρα ὑποσκελίσαι, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπεραναβῆναι. - Ὁ θυμὸς πάντα τὸν ἔχοντα αὐτὸν, οὐδὲν ἄλλο, ἢ ὅτι κακοποιεῖν καὶ ποιναλίζειν βιάζεται, καταλαλεῖν τε καὶ ὑβρίζειν, καὶ συκοφαντεῖν οὐ παύεται. Ὁ τὸν πράξει καὶ θεωρίᾳ κακῶς ἐννοοῦντα, καὶ τελεσιουργοῦντα νοῦν ἑαυτοῦ, ἢ ἄλλον τινὰ τῶν ἀν θρώπων ἐφορώμενος, ἐπικατάρατος ἔσται παρὰ τοῖς τῶν ἀγγέλων λαοῖς, καὶ παρὰ τοῖς τῶν ἐξ ἐθνῶν σε σωσμένοις μισητὸς, ὅταν πάντες μία ποίμνη γενή 17.232 σεται καὶ εἷς ποιμήν· οἱ δὲ ἐλέγχοντες καὶ φρα τριοῦντες δι' ἐξαγορεύσεως τὰς ἑαυτῶν πράξεις, καὶ τὰς τοῦ βελτίονος νοῦ ἐνθυμήσεις, φανοῦνται ὑψηλοὶ παρὰ Κυρίου, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἀνακηρυττόμενοι· ἐπ' αὐτοὺς δὲ ἥξει, ἐν μὲν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι ἡ ἀγαθὴ εὐλογία τῶν πράξεων τῶν ἔργων, καὶ ἡ νοητὴ τῆς σοφίας θεωρία· ἐν δὲ τῷ μέλλοντι, ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου διανομή. Ὁ πορευόμενος ὄπισθεν τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ προσταγ μάτων, ἀνοικοδομεῖται εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἁγιασμόν· μετὰ γὰρ σοφίας οἰκοδομεῖται οἶκος, ὁ ἐν ψυχῇ καὶ σώματι εἰς κατοίκησιν Θεοῦ· εἰς δὲ κακότεχνον ψυ χὴν οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται σοφία. Εἴ τε γὰρ ἄκανθαι, εἴτε κτήνη, ἀπόλλυσιν αὐτὸ, ἐὰν μὴ εἴη ὁ περικαθαίρων καὶ φυλάττων· ὡσαύτως καὶ ἄφρων· ἡ κακία ἐστὶν ὁ νύσσων αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ τὴν βασιλείαν προξενοῦντα. Φραγμός ἐστιν ἀπάθεια ψυχῆς λογικῆς, ἐκ τῶν πρακτικῶν ἀρετῶν συνεστῶσα· κατασκάπτεται δὲ καὶ ἀφανίζεται τῇ τοῦ ἄφρονος προαιρέσει. Ἡ φθορὰ ταῦτα ἀγαπᾷ τὰ πράγματα, ᾅδην, ἔρωτα, καὶ γυναῖκα πορνικήν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ταῦτα πέρας οὐδὲ κόρον ἔχει· τρία δέ ἐστιν ἃ καὶ πλησθήσεται· καὶ ἡ τετάρτη, οὐκ ἠρκέσθη εἰπεῖν ἱκανόν· ᾅδης καὶ ἔρως γυναικὸς, καὶ γῆ οὐκ ἐμπιμπλαμένη ὕδατος· καὶ ὕδωρ, καὶ πῦρ, οὐκ εἶπον ἀρκεῖ· ἀεὶ τὰ σπέρματα δέχεται, οἷα ἐὰν καταβάλῃς, ἐφίεται· οὕτω καὶ ὁ θά νατος καὶ τὸ πῦρ, ἐφ' οἷσπερ ἐφίεται, διαφθείρει· τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ἡ πενία· ἀναλωτικὰ ταῦτα τὰ πρά γματα· τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ὁ ὄκνος καὶ ἡ ἀργία· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ θαυμάζει ἴσως τις, διὰ τί κόρον οὐκ ἔχει ὁ ᾅδης, καίτοι δαπανῶν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, διὰ τοῦτο, φησὶν, οὐδὲ ταῦτα κόρον ἔχει, οὐδὲ ἵστανταί που· ὅρα δὲ τίνα παρέβαλε τὴν πορνείαν τῷ ᾅδῃ. Οὗτοι οἱ κόρακες, τοὺς μὲν δικαίους τρέφουσι μυ στικῶς, τοὺς δὲ ἀδίκους κολάζουσι, τοὺς τῆς ἀδικίας ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐξορύττοντες· διότι τοῦ πάντων Πατρὸς καὶ Θεοῦ κατεγέλασαν, καὶ τὴν γεννῶσαν αὐτοὺς ἀρ χαίαν γνῶσιν ἠτίμασαν· ὀφθαλμὸς δὲ τοῦ Πατρός