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happens at that hour, and we abandon the praise of God, we have not committed our souls into His hands. If we omit the morning hymns, sleeping and resting in bed; and during the evening praises we are given over and, as it were, fastened to drunkenness and debauchery, we have not committed our souls into the hands of God. If at the time of the divine reading, and especially on the holy Lord's days, we leave the church, and go about making contracts and trading, and spend our time in the streets and squares, we have not committed our souls into the 55.697 hands of God. If while attending the divine liturgy we abandon both prayer and praise, and speak to one another about worldly affairs and cares, we have not committed our souls into the hands of God. Sinners have laid a snare for me; yet I did not stray from your commandments. Men and demons contrive many and various plots against me; but I have chosen to walk the unerring path of your commandments. For both demons and thoughts in many ways ensnare those who live according to God, and then also wicked men; but they boast of not having strayed from the commandments of God. For Saul, by entrapping David and seeking to kill him, did not make him depart from the commandments of God. And yet David, having found Saul both once and twice, did not render him evil for evil. And long ago Egypt laid a snare for Joseph, but he did not stray, preserving his own chastity. Susanna also suffered this from the elders. I have inherited your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart. 6. The saints and those who live piously exult, and they rejoice in keeping the commandments of God, and having God as their Father they have also become heirs of His testimonies, and they possess these with exultation as a paternal inheritance; for the inheritance from parents is sweet. For this reason, indeed, the prophet also says in prayer, that believing your testimonies to be an eternal and inviolable inheritance, I rejoice and am gladdened at the remembrance of them. I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes forever, for a reward. The council chamber of the soul is like a balance-scale; the mind holds the balance, having been allotted to rule. If, therefore, it is added to pious thoughts, it is necessary for the scales to incline to the better. The prophet says he has done this. And not sometimes "I have inclined," and sometimes not; but "Forever," that is, all the days of my life. For in them I exult, finding the recompense, "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and has not entered into the heart of man." For these things are a reward. For good things are created for the good. I have hated transgressors, but your law I have loved. For having shaken off the thoughts that suggest transgressing, I have preferred your law. For such are the boasts of the saints. For in another psalm he also says: "Did I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and was I not grieved with your enemies?" "I have hated them with a perfect hatred; they have become enemies to me." Just as one who loves the light detests the darkness; so one who loves the law of God hates lawless thoughts and deeds, and turning away from these is love for the promises of the law. He, therefore, who has these things thus, cries out: "You are my helper and my protector; in your words I have hoped." And I have accomplished this not without your help, but having enjoyed your support, and being nourished by hope in you. And I have not hoped in wealth, nor in honor and worldly glory and in the help of men, but in your words.

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ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ γένηται, καὶ καταλίπωμεν τὴν αἴνεσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἀνατεθείκαμεν ἐν ταῖς χερ σὶν αὐτοῦ τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. Ἐὰν τοὺς ἑωθινοὺς ὕμνους ἐκλείπωμεν καθεύδοντες καὶ ἐπὶ κλίνης ἀναπαυόμενοι· καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἑσπερινὰς αἰνέσεις τῇ κραιπάλῃ καὶ τῇ μέθῃ προσκείμεθα καὶ οἱονεὶ προσπηγνύμεθα, οὐ παρα τεθείκαμεν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐὰν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς θείας ἀναγνώσεως, καὶ μάλιστα ἐν ταῖς τῆς ἁγίας κυριακῆς ἡμέραις, ἀφιῶμεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ἐμπεριάγωμεν συμβολοκοποῦντες καὶ ἐμπορευόμενοι, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς καὶ πλατείαις διατρίβωμεν, οὐκ ἀνατεθείκαμεν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς 55.697 χερσὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐὰν παριστάμενοι ἐν τῇ θείᾳ λειτουρ γίᾳ ἀφιῶμεν καὶ τὴν προσευχὴν καὶ τὴν αἴνεσιν, καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμιλῶμεν περὶ κοσμικῶν πραγμάτων καὶ φροντίδων, οὐ παρατεθείκαμεν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἔθεντο ἁμαρτωλοὶ παγίδα μοι· καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου οὐκ ἐπλανήθην. Πολλὰς καὶ παντοδαπὰς καὶ ἄνθρωποι καὶ δαίμονες ἐπιβουλὰς τυ ρεύουσί μοι· ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν ἀπλανῆ τῶν σῶν ἐντολῶν πο ρείαν προειλόμην ὁδεύειν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ δαίμονες καὶ λογισμοὶ πολλαχῶς παγιδεύουσι τοὺς κατὰ Θεὸν ζῶντας, εἶτα καὶ πονηροὶ ἄνθρωποι· ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ ἐγκαυχῶνται μὴ ἀποπλανηθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Αὐτὸν γὰρ τὸν ∆αυῒδ παγιδεύων ὁ Σαοὺλ καὶ ζητῶν αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν, ἐκ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἀπέστησε. Καίτοι γε εὑρὼν ὁ ∆αυῒδ τὸν Σαοὺλ καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς, οὐκ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτῷ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ. Καὶ πάλαι τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἔθετο παγίδα ἡ Αἴγυπτος, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐπλανήθη, φυλάξας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σωφροσύνην. Τοῦτο καὶ ἡ Σωσάννα πέπονθε παρὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων. Ἐκληρονόμησα τὰ μαρτύριά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὅτι ἀγαλλίαμα τῆς καρ δίας μού εἰσιν. ςʹ. Ἀγαλλιῶνται οἱ ἅγιοι καὶ οἱ εὐσεβῶς ζῶντες, καὶ χαίρουσιν ἐπὶ τῇ τηρήσει τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ Πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν ἔχοντες αὐτοὶ καὶ κληρονόμοι τῶν μαρτυρίων αὐτοῦ γεγόνασι, καὶ ὡς πατρῴαν κληρονο μίαν ταῦτα κατέχουσιν ἀγαλλιώμενοι· γλυκεῖα γὰρ ἡ τῶν γονέων κληρονομία. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ὁ προφήτης ἐπευχόμενος λέγει, ὅτι κλῆρον αἰώνιόν τε καὶ ἄσυλον τὰ μαρτύριά σου εἶναι πιστεύων, ἐπὶ τῇ μνήμῃ τούτων ἀγάλλομαι καὶ εὐφραίνομαι. Ἔκλινα τὴν καρδίαν μου τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὰ δικαιώματά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα δι' ἀντάμειψιν. Τρυτάνῃ ἔοικε τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς βουλευ τήριον· κατέχει δὲ τὴν τρυτάνην ὁ νοῦς, ἡγεμονεύειν λαχών. Ἐὰν τοίνυν τοῖς εὐσεβέσι προσθῆται λογισμοῖς, ἀνάγκη κλίνειν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον τὰ ζυγά. Τοῦτο δεδρα κέναι ὁ προφήτης φησί. Καὶ οὐχὶ ποτὲ μὲν Ἔκλινα, ποτὲ δὲ οὔκ· ἀλλ' Εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, τουτέστι, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου. Ἐν αὐτοῖς γὰρ ἀγαλλιῶμαι, εὑρίσκων τὴν ἀντίδοσιν, Ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε, καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσε, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη. Ταῦτα γάρ ἐστιν ἀντάμειψις. Ἀγαθὰ γὰρ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔκτισται. Παρανόμους ἐμίσησα, τὸν δὲ νόμον σου ἠγάπησα. Τοὺς γὰρ παρανομεῖν ὑποτιθεμένους ἀποσεισάμενος λογισμοὺς, τὸν σὸν προτετίμηκα νόμον. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τὰ καυχήματα τῶν ἁγίων. Καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ γὰρ ψαλμῷ λέγει· Οὐχὶ τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε, Κύριε, ἐμίσησα, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου ἐξετηκόμην; Τέλειον μῖσος ἐμίσουν αὐτούς· εἰς ἐχθροὺς ἐγένοντό μοι. Ὥσπερ ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸ φῶς, τὸ σκότος ἀπεχθάνεται· οὕτως ὁ τὸν νόμον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγαπῶν, τοὺς παρανόμους λογισμοὺς καὶ πράξεις μισεῖ, καὶ ἡ τούτων ἀποστροφὴ ἀγάπησίς ἐστι πρὸς τὰς τοῦ νόμου ἐπαγγελίας. Ὁ οὖν ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχων, ἀναβοᾶ· Βοηθός μου καὶ ἀντι λήπτωρ μου εἶ σύ· εἰς τοὺς λόγους σου ἐπήλπισα. Οὐ δίχα δὲ τοῦτο τῆς σῆς βοηθείας κατώρθωσα, ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς ἀπολαύσας ῥοπῆς, καὶ τῇ σῇ ἐλπίδι τρεφόμενος. Καὶ οὐκ ἤλπισα εἰς πλοῦτον, οὐδὲ εἰς τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν κοσμικὴν καὶ εἰς ἀνθρώπων βοήθειαν, ἀλλ' εἰς τοὺς λόγους σου.