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to those being tempted, as the wise Ecclesiastes also said somewhere, "For a dream comes with a multitude of temptations." It is likely, also, that the devil, showing certain fearful phantoms, terrified him, and disturbed him during sleep. But this blessed one, not yet being fully informed that he was demanded by the devil, thinks that God brings these things, even the torments, upon him. But this also, then, was of the devil's working; for God brought nothing upon him, but all things were from the devil's hand.

CHAP. 8

“Will the Lord act unjustly in judging? or will He who made all things pervert what is just?” From Chrysostom, Polychronius, and Olympiodorus. Do you not see, he says, how much justice is in creation, how much good order? Is it possible for God to pronounce a sentence against someone without judgment? He who made all things in an orderly and harmonious way, and who in the beginning brought forth with love for mankind, has He on you alone disturbed the equality of justice, and afflicted you contrary to what is just? Gently, therefore, he strikes the saint, as one suffering according to justice, and on account of sins, this man also being of the same opinion as the one before, that afflictions are by all means sent on account of sins. But it was necessary to consider, that such things happen not only to the wicked, but also to the virtuous, for they are indifferent, and that the just man is more admirable, enduring tribulations and pains. But since he is not able to convict him of having sinned, he turns to his sons, and says: “For inquire of the former generation, and search out the generation of our fathers; for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, for our life on earth is a shadow.” And what he says is this: Since we are short-lived, let us ask the old, and they themselves will report that just as it is impossible for grass to grow without moisture, so it is impossible to remain in happiness without righteousness; and that it is not possible for the prosperity 64.604 of the unjust to be established; and that punishments come on account of sins.

CHAP. 9

“But Job answered and said, Of a truth I know that it is so.” Of how much philosophy are these words! I know, he says, that the impious perish, but the just do not. You see how he in no way condemns God of injustice. “Who does great and unsearchable things, glorious and wonderful things, of which there is no number.” These things which I have spoken of, he says, are they not great, not unsearchable, although they are visible? How much more so the invisible things? But see, he nowhere speaks of His essence, but of His works. And why, he says, do I speak of each of them individually? For the works of God are great, and incomprehensible, and innumerable. “But He has multiplied my wounds without a cause.” This is also what God said to the devil about him, "But you said to destroy his substance without a cause;" why then do you marvel, if what God said, this man also says, that it is "without a cause;" not that he sinned, but that there will be no benefit from his punishment, and from being chastised. “For if I wash myself with snow, and purify myself with clean hands, you have plunged me sufficiently into filth, and my own clothing has abhorred me. From Chrysostom and Olympiodorus. It was a custom for the ancients to cleanse defilements with baths; and this also was an ancient custom, where they wished to show that they had not partaken in this sin, they would wash their hands, "I am innocent of this matter;" as Pilate also did in the case of the Savior; and David sang, "I will wash my hands in innocence." This therefore he says, that "However clean I may be, the

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πειραζομένοις, ὥς που καὶ ὁ σοφὸς ἔφησεν Ἐκκλησιαστὴς, Ὅτι παραγίνεται ἐνύπνιον ἐν πλήθει πειρασμῶν. Εἰκὸς δὲ, καὶ τὸν διάβολον φαντάσματά τινα φοβερὰ δεικνύντα, ἐκδειματοῦν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκταράττειν καθ' ὕπνους. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος οὗτος οὔπω πληροφορηθεὶς ὡς ἐξῃτήθη ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, οἴεται τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ταῦτα, καὶ τὰς βασάνους ἐπιφέρειν αὐτῷ. Ἦν δὲ ἄρα καὶ τοῦτο τῆς διαβόλου ἐνεργείας· οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπήγαγεν, ἀλλὰ πάντα τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου χειρὸς ἦν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ηʹ

«Μὴ ὁ Κύριος ἀδικήσει κρίνων; ἢ ὁ τὰ πάντα ποιήσας ταράξει τὸ δίκαιον;» Χρυσοστόμου, Πολυχρονίου καὶ Ὀλυμπιοδώρου. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς, φησὶ, πόση δικαιοσύνη ἐν τῇ κτίσει, πόση εὐταξία; Μὴ ἐνδέχεται τὸν Θεὸν ἄκριτον τὴν κατά τινος ἐξενεγκεῖν ψῆφον; Μὴ ὁ τὰ πάντα ποιήσας εὐκόσμως καὶ ἁρμονίως, καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τὴν ἀρχὴν παραγαγὼν, ἐπὶ σοῦ μόνου τὴν τοῦ δικαίου διετάραξεν ἰσότητα, καὶ σὲ παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἐκάκωσεν; Ἠρέμα οὖν πλήττει τὸν ἅγιον, ὡς κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ δι' ἁμαρτίας ὑπομένοντα, τῆς αὐτῆς τῷ φθάσαντι διαλήψεως ὑπάρχων καὶ οὗτος, ὅτι δι' ἁμαρτίας τὰ κακωτικὰ πάντως ἐπιπέμπεται. Ἔδει δὲ λογίζεσθαι, ὅτι τὰ τοιαῦτα οὐ μόνον φαύλοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ σπουδαίοις συμβαίνει, ἀδιάφορα γὰρ, καὶ ὅτι θαυμαστότερός ἐστιν ὁ δίκαιος, ὑπομένων θλίψεις καὶ πόνους. Ἐπεὶ δὲ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτὸν ἐλέγξαι ἡμαρτηκότα, εἰς τοὺς υἱοὺς τρέπεται, καί φησιν· «Ἐπερώτησον γὰρ γενεὰν πρώτην, ἐξιχνίασον δὲ κατὰ γένος πατέρων· χθιζοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν, καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν, σκιὰ γάρ ἐστιν ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὁ βίος.» Ὃ δὲ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Ἐπειδὴ ἡμεῖς ὀλιγοχρόνιοί ἐσμεν, τοὺς γεγηρακότας ἐρωτήσωμεν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀπαγγελοῦσιν, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἀδύνατον ἄνευ νοτίδος χόρτον ἀνελθεῖν, οὕτως ἄνευ δικαιοσύνης διαμεῖναι ἐν εὐδαιμονίᾳ· καὶ ὡς οὐ δυνατὸν εὐθηνίαν 64.604 ἀδίκων κρατύνεσθαι· καὶ ὡς δι' ἁμαρτίας αἱ τιμωρίαι.

ΚΕΦ. Θʹ

«Ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ἰὼβ λέγει, Ἐπ' ἀληθείας οἶδα ὅτιοὕτως ἐστίν.» Πόσης φιλοσοφίας ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα, Οἶδα, φησὶν, ὅτι οἱ ἀσεβεῖς ἀπόλλυνται, οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι οὐχί. Ὁρᾷς πῶς οὐδαμῶς καταγινώσκει τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀδικίαν. «Ὁ ποιῶν μεγάλα καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστα, ἔνδοξά τε καὶ ἐξαίσια, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός.» Ταῦτα ἃ προείρηκα, φησὶν, οὐ μεγάλα, οὐκ ἀνεξιχνίαστα, καίπερ ὁρατὰ ὄντα; πόσῳ γε μᾶλλον τὰ ἀόρατα; Ὅρα δὲ, οὐδαμοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐνεργείας αὐτοῦ λέγει. Καὶ τί, φησὶ, τὸ καθ' ἕκαστον αὐτῶν λέγω; μεγάλα γάρ εἰσι, καὶ ἀκατάληπτα, καὶ ἀναρίθμητα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔργα. «Πολλὰ δέ μου τὰ συντρίμματα πεποίηκε διακενῆς.» Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς τὸν διάβολον ἔλεγε περὶ αὐτοῦ, Σὺ δὲ εἶπας, ἀπολέσαι τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ διακενῆς· τί οὖν θαυμάζεις, εἰ ὅπερ ὁ Θεὸς εἶπε, τοῦτο καὶ οὗτος λέγει, ὅτι διακενῆς, οὐχ ὅτι ἥμαρτεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι οὐδὲν πλέον ἔσται ἀπὸ τῆς τιμωρίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ κολάζεσθαι. «Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀπολούσωμαι χιόνι, καὶ ἀποκαθάρωμαι χερσὶ καθαραῖς, ἱκανῶς ἐν ῥύπῳ με ἔβαψας, ἐβδελύξατο δέ με ἡ στολή μου. Χρυσοστόμου καὶ Ὀλυμπιοδώρου. Ἔθος ἦν τοῖς παλαιοῖς, λουτροῖς ἀποκαθαίρειν τοὺς μολυσμούς· καὶ τοῦτο δὲ παλαιὸν ἔθος ἦν, ἔνθα ἐβούλοντο δεῖξαι, ὡς οὐκ ἐκοινώνησαν τῇδε τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἀπενίπτοντο τὰς χεῖρας, Ἀθῶός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦδε τοῦ πράγματος· ὡς καὶ ὁ Πιλάτος ἐπὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος πεποίηκε· καὶ ὁ ∆αβὶδ ἔψαλλε, Νίψομαι ἐν ἀθώοις τὰς χεῖράς μου. Τοῦτο οὖν λέγει, ὅτι Ὅπως ἂν ὦ καθαρὸς, οἱ