32

it signifies punishment. This is shown in 111 in Wisdom. ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ but also the prophet says: "The ruler asks, and the judge has spoken words of peace; it is the desire of his soul. And I will take out their good things as a moth eating away, and walking upon a rule on the day of watching," which signifies the sudden and unexpected nature of the punishments and their determined character. For a rule signifies this. For if he does not "bring on wrath every day," but "repays each according to his works," he does this by a rule, while mixing in goodness. "Because they were not able to help themselves, they perished. For he breathed on them and they were dried up; they perished because they had no wisdom." Still holding to the same principle, according to which he thinks that circumstances happen because of sins, he says these things too. For since through virtue they were not able, having repented of their evils, to help themselves, the afflictions followed them. And this also 112 suggests to understand: because of weakness, being unable to push away the terror of the things that came upon them, they were perishing, showing the insignificance of human power. At any rate, what is added also appears to signify this: "For he breathed on them and they were dried up." For it shows that there was no need of an overwhelming attack against them, but only of a breath, which was sufficient for their destruction, which he called perishing. Being of the same preceding mind, he adds: "they perished because they had no wisdom," being ignorant that many wise men have fallen into excessive troubles. 112 "But call, if anyone will answer you, or if you will see any of the holy angels." He brings, as it seems, an exhortation to the holy man looking toward repentance, so that from this, having come to supplication, he might obtain one who helps and listens. He also presents this: "if you will see any of the holy angels," knowing himself that there are angels who are not holy. For if he did not know this, the addition would be superfluous; as if distinguishing a holy one from one not so, he says this. But there are those who say that he says these things ironically. Again 113 he holds to the erroneous principle, saying that 10-15 because of sins 15-20 that you may know 15-20 "For wrath slays the foolish man, and envy puts the simple to death." ... 15-20 ...thus 15-20 ...you. if... 15-20 ...you foolish... 15-20 falling... 15-20 to call... 15-20 help... 15-20 and this... 15-20 ...when... 15-20 some and... 15-20 of... instead of... 10- 15 ...they are... such... 10-15 of those who are displeased with the providence of God: why do I fall into so many troubles 8-12 and the honor 6-10 according to what is said: "Do not be jealous of evildoers, nor envy those who work iniquity." ...and envy 5-10 of... like... him... 5-10 a second rendering 2-6 ...to the first 5-10 and if ironically... 5-10 the: "But call, if anyone will answer you," will seem to have said appropriately that not... answer... 4-6 114 15-20 ...as has been said. "I have seen the foolish taking root, but immediately their habitation was devoured." 14-18 ...by the 14-18 roots... able 14-18 ...much-branched 14-18 to every... 14-18 many-rooted... 14-18 to hold... and 10-14 he says human things 12-16 happening for immediately their habitation was devoured 12-16 for the most part 14-18 ...as the... 12-16 ... 12-16 ...and the rich man often changes to poverty 8-12 ...but while remaining 8-10 ...but at least... 6-8 according to life this having come 6-8 ...of the arrogance 4-6 For the divine letter presents such a thought in the Psalms, spoken from a holy one: "I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifting himself up like the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed by, and lo, he was not, and I sought him, and his place was not found." 5-8 for evil is not even subsisting... unless in the 115 choice of the one who acts. If, at any rate, that one, choosing, should cease, evil no longer has substance... is its existence by choice. "Break the arm of the sinner and the evil one,"

32

κόλασιν δηλοῖ. τοῦτο ἐν 111 τῇ Σοφίαι δηλοῦται. ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ προφήτης φησίν· "ὁ ἄρχων αἰτεῖ καὶ ὁ κριτὴς εἰρηνικοὺς λόγους ἐλάλησεν· καταθύμιον ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. καὶ ἐξελοῦμαι τὰ ἀγαθὰ αὐτῶν ὡς σὴς ἐκτρώγων καὶ βαδίζων ἐπὶ κάνονος ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σκοπιᾶς", ὅπερ δηλοῖ τὸ ἀθρόον καὶ αἰφνίδιον τῶν κολάσεων καὶ τὸ κεκρι μένον. τοῦτο γ̣ὰρ κανὼν δηλοῖ. εἰ γὰρ μὴ "ὀργὴν ἐπάγει καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν", ἀλλ' "ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ", κανόνι τοῦτο ποιεῖ μετὰ τοῦ κεραννύναι τὴν ἀγαθότητα. "παρὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς βοηθῆσαι ἀπώλοντο. ἐνεφύσησεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐξηράνθησαν, ἀπώλοντο παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σοφίαν." ἔτι τῆς αὐτῆς ἀρχῆς ἐχόμενος, καθ' ἣν οἴεται δι' ἁμαρτίας τὰ περιστατικὰ συμβαίνειν, καὶ ταῦτά φησιν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι' ἀρετῆς οὐκ ἐδυνήθησαν μεταγνόντες τῶν κακῶν βοηθῆσαι ἑαυτοῖς, ἠκολούθησεν αὐτοῖς τὰ θλιβηρά. καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὑπο 112 βάλλει νοει῀̣ν· δι' ἀσθένειαν τὴν τῶν ἐπελθόντων δεινότητα ἀπώσασθαι μὴ δυνηθέντες ἀπώλλυντο, τὸ εὐτελὲς τῆς ἀνθρώπου δυνάμεως ἐπιδεικνύντες. τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ τὸ ἐπιφερόμενον φαίνεται σημαῖνον· "ἐνεφύσησεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐξηράνθησαν." δηλοῖ γάρ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐδέησεν ὑπερβαλλούσης ἐπιφορᾶς κατ' αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἐμφυσήσαντος μόνον, ὅπερ ἤρκεσεν ἐπὶ ἀναίρεσιν αὐτῶν, ἣν ἀπώλειαν εἶπεν. τῆς αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς φθασάσης διανοίας ὑπάρχων ἐπάγει τό· "ἀπώλοντο διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σοφίαν", ἀγνοῶν, ὅτι πολλοὶ σοφοὶ ἀνιαροῖς ὑπερβάλλουσι περιέπεσαν. 112 "ἐπικάλεσαι δέ, εἴ τίς σοι ὑπακούσεται, ἢ εἴ τινα ἁγίων ἀγγέλων ὄψῃ." προτροπὴν ὡς ἔοικε προσάγει τῷ ἁγίῳ πρὸς μετάνοιαν ὁρῶσαν, ἵν' ἐκ τούτου ἐπὶ παράκλησιν ἐλθὼν τύχῃ τοῦ ἐπικουροῦντος καὶ ἐπακούσαντος. παρίστησιν δὲ καὶ τό· "εἴ τινα ἁγίων ἀγγέλων ὄφει" ἐπιστάμενον αὐτόν, ὅτι εἰσὶν οὐχ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι. εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ἐγίγνωσκεν, περιττὴ ἡ προσθήκη· ὥσπερ διαστέλλων ἅγιον ἀπὸ μὴ τοιούτου τοῦτό φησιν. εἰσὶν δὲ οἱ λέγοντες, ὅτι ταῦτα εἰρωνευόμενος λέγει. τῆς ἀρχῆς 113 πάλιν τῆς ἐσφαλμένης ἔχεται λέγων, ὅτι 10-15 δι' ἁμαρτίας 15-20 ἵνα γνω 15-20 "καὶ γὰρ ἄφρονα ἀναιρεῖ ὀργή, πεπλανημένον δὲ θανατοῖ ζῆλος." πρ 15-20 σιν οὕτως 15-20 λεσαι. εἰ χ 15-20 σαι σοι ἀφρ 15-20 πεσοντ̣ 15-20 καλεῖν τ̣ 15-20 βοήθειαν 15-20 καὶ αυτη 15-20 ται ὅταν 15-20 τινες καὶ · 15-20 λου ἀντὶ του῀̣ κ̣ 10- 15 τοῦνται τοιαυτ 10-15 τῶν δυσαρεστούντων τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ προνοίᾳ· διὰ τί ἐγώ γε̣ τοσούτοις ἀνιαροῖς περιπίπτω 8-12 τε καὶ τὴν τιμὴν 6-10 κατὰ τὸ λεγόμενον· "μὴ παραζήλου ἐν πονηρευομένοις μηδὲ ζήλου τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν." ·α̣ι ζῆλος 5-10 του ὅμοιος̣ αὐτοῦ ο̣· 5-10 δευτέραν δὲ ἀπόδοσιν 2-6 τα πρὸς τὴν πρώτην 5-10 κἂν κατ' εἰρωνείαν · 5-10 τό· "ἐπικάλεσαι δέ, εἴ τίς σοι ὑπακούσεται", δόξει οἰκείως ει᾿̣ρηκέναι ὅτι οὐχ̣ υ῾̣πακου···· 4-6 114 15-20 λος ὡς εἴρηται. "ἐγὼ δὲ ἑώρακα ἄφρονας ῥίζαν βάλλοντας, ἀλλ' εὐθέως̣ ἐβρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ δίαιτα." 14-18 νους ὑπὸ τῶν 14-18 ῥίζας δυνα14-18 τ̣ο πολυσχι14-18 παντὶ ἀνε 14-18 πολύρριζος ει 14-18 νέχειν καὶ 10-14 ἀνθρώπινα λέγει 12-16 συμβαῖνον εὐθέως γὰρ ἐβρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ δίαιτα 12-16 · ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ 14-18 ·τα ὡς τὸν ὑ12-16 ·νε̣υ̣όμενον με12-16 ι̣ν καὶ τὸν πλούσιον πολλάκις εἰς πενίαν μεταβάλλεσθαι 8-12 ·τι δὲ περιόντος 8-10 αινει ἀλλὰ γοῦν του 6-8 κατὰ ζῆν τοῦτο ἐλθόν6-8 ·τα τῆς ἀλαζονείας 4-6 τοιαύτην τὸ θεῖον γράμμα γὰρ τὴν νόησιν παρίστησιν ἐν ψαλμοῖς ἀπὸ ἁγ̣ίου λεγόμενον· "εἶδον ἀσεβῆν ὑπερυψούμενον καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου· καὶ παρῆλθον καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ἐζήτησα αὐτὸν καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθην ὁ τόπος αὐτοῦ." 5-8 γὰρ τὸ κακὸν οὐδ' ὑφιστάμενον ···πειτ··μ̣αι̣ εἰ μὴ ἐν τῆι 115 προαιρέσει τοῦ ἐνεργ̣οῦντ̣ος. ἂν γοῦν ἐκεῖνος προαιρούμενο̣ς παύσηται, οὐκέτι τὸ κακὸν σύστασιν ἔχει ··δη δι····· ···ς̣ ἐστιν ἡ προαιρετικὴ αὐτοῦ ὕπα̣ρ̣ξις. "σύντριψο̣ν̣ τ̣ὸν βραχίονα του῀̣ ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ πο̣ν̣η̣ροῦ,