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A large and a small weight. [exod. f. 85 v.] A deceitful disposition, having a good word, and an unclean deed. Or the excess and deficiency of every matter. A man's steps are ordered by the Lord. [ibid.] A mortal, that is, a sinner, cannot understand the ways of the Lord; since being mortal, he has not died with and lived with Christ. For to journey to the kingdom of heaven, a man's steps are ordered by the Lord. The light of the Lord, the breath of men, and a lamp which searches the chambers of the belly. [exod. f. 86 r.] This he says, that nothing within him is dark. But also the soul itself, being searched by him, is a light to God, just as if it should appear and light a lamp. The light of the Lord is the cause of life for rational beings; For the life was the light of men. Next, God, having breathed into the face of man, made him a living soul; by which light a suitable lamp searches out the hidden diseases, giving light. The law is also a lamp, 64.725 becoming our tutor to bring us to Christ. Mercy and truth will surround his throne in righteousness. For where there is truth and righteousness, there is nothing unjust. He who has these things, therefore, is guarded by them. The adornment for young men is wisdom, And what then is the glory of nature? And what elder does not have this? Or he says this: Just as gray hair makes this one venerable, so wisdom makes those ones. Bruises and contusions meet with evil men. The evil are struck not only in the face, but also in the heart; for the one can be healed, but the other cannot. For it is in the chambers. Or that the punishments take hold of them to the depth of the soul; for this is the chambers of the belly. But now wicked dispositions are chambers; for the worthless man must be punished on account of his intention.

CHAP. 21. As a rush of water, so is the king's heart in the hand of God. [exod. f. 86 v.] Since he has discussed many things concerning kings, it is shown that he is stronger than them, as it is easy for him to turn it wherever he wishes, just as he leads a rush of water everywhere; and yet no one could turn him aside on account of the greatness of his rule. Or thus: The heart in the hand of God, that is, the one engaged in his affairs, it is not possible to restrain; for inclining to no evil, it is directed wherever God wills, just as a rush of water prospers everywhere. It is better to dwell on a corner of the housetop, than in plastered houses with injustice. [exod. f. 87 r.] A corner of the housetop, a hidden deed, touching upon contemplation, but it is illuminated by the Sun of righteousness. But a plastered house, is wickedness feigning virtue. When an intemperate man is punished, the simple becomes more cunning. When the evil are punished, the ignorant and the foolish are made wise. So also the righteous man washes his hands in the blood of the sinner; purifying his own deeds by that one's punishment. So also the harlots washed in the blood of Ahab. He rests in the assembly of giants. [exod. f. 88 r.] Scripture knows to call giants the wicked, the worthless, the insolent, those who fight against God; he will be numbered with them, he says. Or thus: He who errs concerning the righteousness of God the creator, will rest in the assembly of those who fight against God. And the assembly is wickedness and ignorance; He who guards his mouth, etc. [exod. f. 89 r.] If he who loves his neighbor keeps the law, love does no evil to a neighbor

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Στάθμιον μέγα καὶ μικρόν. [ξοδ. φ. 85 β.] ∆ιάθεσις δολερὰ, λόγον ἔχουσα χρηστὸν, καὶ πρᾶξιν ἀκάθαρτον. Ἢ παντὸς πράγματος ὑπερβολὴ καὶ ἔλλειψις. Παρὰ Κυρίου εὐθύνεται τὰ διαβήματα ἀνδρί. [ιβιδ.] Οὐ δύναται θνητὸς, τουτέστιν ἁμαρτωλὸς, ἐννοῆσαι τὰς ὁδοὺς Κυρίου· ἐπειδὴ θνητὸς ὢν, οὐ συναπέθανε καὶ συνέζησε τῷ Χριστῷ. Πρὸς γὰρ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν τοῦ πορευθῆναι, παρὰ Κυρίου εὐθύνεται τὰ διαβήματα ἀνθρώπου. Φῶς Κυρίου, πνοὴ ἀνθρώπων, καὶ λύχνος ὃς ἐρευνᾷ ταμιεῖα κοιλίας. [ξοδ. φ. 86 α.] Τοῦτο λέγει, ὅτι οὐδὲν αὐτῷ σκοτεινὸν ἔνδον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ψυχὴ, ἡ ἐρευνωμένη αὐτῷ, φῶς ἐστι τῷ Θεῷ, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ αὐτὴ παραφανείη καὶ ἅπτοι λύχνον. Τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου φῶς, ζωῆς αἴτιον τοῖς λογικοῖς· Ἡ ζωὴ γὰρ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἑξῆς ἐμπνεύσας εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ Θεὸς, ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν· ᾧ φωτὶ κατάλληλος λύχνος ἐρευνᾷ τὰς κεκρυμμένας νόσους, φωτίζων. Λύχνος δὲ καὶ ὁ νόμος, 64.725 παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γενόμενος εἰς Χριστόν. Ἐλεημοσύνη καὶ ἀλήθεια περικυκλώσουσιν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ. Ὅπου γὰρ ἀλήθεια καὶ δικαιοσύνη, οὐδὲν ἄδικον. Ὁ ταύτας οὖν ἔχων, φυλάττεται ὑπ' αὐτῶν. Κόσμος νεανίαις, σοφία, Καὶ ποία οὖν δόξα τῆς φύσεως ἔστι; Ποῖος δὲ πρεσβύτερος τοῦτο οὐκ ἔχει; Ἢ τοῦτό φησιν· Ὥσπερ τοῦτον ἡ πολιὰ ποιεῖ αἰδέσιμον, οὕτως ἐκείνους ἡ σοφία. Ὑπώπια καὶ συντρίμματα συναντᾷ κακοῖς. Οὐχὶ τὴν ὄψιν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν καρδίαν πλήττονται οἱ κακοί· αὕτη μὲν γὰρ καὶ θεραπευθῆναι δύναται, ἐκείνη δὲ οὐχί. Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς ταμιείοις ἐστίν. Ἢ ὅτι καθάπτονται αὐτῶν αἱ τιμωρίαι μέχρι βάθους ψυχῆς· τοῦτο γὰρ ταμιεῖα κοιλίας. Ἕξεις δὲ νῦν μοχθηραὶ, ταμιεῖα· καὶ διὰ γνώμην γὰρ κολαστέος ὁ φαῦλος.

ΚΕΦ. ΚΑʹ. Ὥσπερ ὁρμὴ ὕδατος, οὕτως καρδία βασιλέως ἐν χειρὶ Θεοῦ. [ξοδ. φ. 86 β.] Ἐπεὶ πολλὰ περὶ βασιλέων διελέχθη, δείκνυται τὸν ἐκείνων ἰσχυρότερον, ὡς εὔκολον αὐτῷ περιτρέπειν οὗ ἂν βούληται, ὥσπερ ὁρμὴν ὕδατος περιάγει πανταχοῦ· καίτοι οὐδεὶς ἂν αὐτὸν ἐκκλίνειε διὰ τὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς μέγεθος. Ἢ οὕτως· Τὴν ἐν χειρὶ Θεοῦ καρδίαν, τουτέστι τὴν ἐν τοῖς πράγμασιν αὐτοῦ ἀναστρεφομένην, οὐκ ἔστι δυνατὸν ἐπισχεῖν· εἰς οὐδὲν γὰρ νεύων κακὸν, κατευθύνεται ᾗ ἂν θέλῃ Θεὸς, ὥσπερ ὁρμὴ ὕδατος πανταχοῦ εὐοδοῦται. Κρεῖσσον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας ὑπαίθρου, ἢ ἐν κεκονιαμένοις μετὰ ἀδικίας. [ξοδ. φ. 87 α.] Ὕπαιθρος γωνία, πρᾶξις κρυφία, θεωρίας ἁπτομένη, ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ Ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης φωτίζεται. Οἶκος δὲ κεκονιαμένος, κακία ἀρετὴν ὑποκρινομένη. Ζημιουμένου ἀκολάστου, πανουργότερος γίνεται ὁ ἄκακος. Τιμωρουμένων κακῶν σωφρονίζεται ὁ ἀμαθὴς καὶ νήπιος. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ δίκαιος ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ νίπτεται τὰς χεῖρας· τὰς πράξεις αὑτοῦ τῇ ἐκείνου τιμωρίᾳ καθαίρων. Οὕτως καὶ αἱ πόρναι ἐλούσαντο ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Ἀχαάβ. Ἐν συναγωγῇ γιγάντων ἀναπαύεται. [ξοδ. φ. 88 α.] Γίγαντας οἶδεν ἡ Γραφὴ τοὺς πονηροὺς καλεῖν, τοὺς φαύλους, τοὺς θρασεῖς, τοὺς θεομάχους· μετ' ἐκείνων ἀριθμηθήσεταί, φησιν. Ἢ οὕτως· Ὁ σφαλλόμενος περὶ τὴν τοῦ κτίσαντος Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην, ἐν συναγωγῇ τῶν θεομάχων ἀναπαύσεται. Συναγωγὴ δὲ, ἡ κακία καὶ ἡ ἀγνωσία· Ὃς φυλάσσει τὸ στόμα αὑτοῦ, κ. τ. λ. [ξοδ. φ. 89 α.] Εἰ ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν πλησίον φυλάσσει νόμον, ἡ ἀγάπη τῷ πλησίον οὐδὲν κακὸν