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the rain brought down from tears flourishes; this cleanses the soul, waters the mind, makes the growth of teaching advance quickly; for this reason it is also necessary to cut a deep furrow; for the prophet also exhorted this, saying thus: Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns. Just as, then, the one who drives in the plough breaks up the earth from below, preparing a safe protection for the seeds, so that they might not, having been cast, lie above on the surface, but be sent down into the very loins of the earth, and lay down their roots in safety; so it is necessary for us to do, and using tribulation as a plough, to break up the depth of the heart. For another prophet also advises this, saying, Rend your hearts, and not your garments. Let us rend our hearts, therefore, so that if any evil weed and deceitful thought is in us, we may pull it up by the roots, and provide clean fields for the seeds of piety. For if we do not break new ground now, if we do not sow now, if we do not weep now, when there is tribulation and fasting, when else will we come to compunction? when there is relaxation and luxury? But this is impossible; for relaxation and luxury are accustomed to lead to indifference, just as tribulation leads back to diligence, and turns the mind, wandering outside and gaping at many things, back to itself. Therefore, let us not be grieved over this despondency, but let us also give thanks to God; for great is the profit from tribulation. For the farmer, when he has sown the seeds gathered with much labor, prays for winter to come; and the unskilled person, observing all that happens, will be amazed, and perhaps say to himself: What is this man doing? He scatters what was gathered, and not only scatters it, but also mixes it with the earth with great precision, so that he cannot even gather it again easily; and he not only mixes it with the earth, but also prays for a violent rain to come, so that all that was cast down may rot, and become mud. And 49.61 he is disturbed seeing thunderclaps breaking forth, and lightning flashes coming down; but the farmer is not so, but rejoices and exults seeing the winter; for he does not look at the present things, but awaits the future ones; he does not look at the thunder, but considers the sheaves; not the rotting seeds, but the flourishing ears of grain; not the burdensome rain, but the most pleasant dust of the threshing floor. So let us not look at the present tribulation, nor the pain, but the benefit that comes from it, the fruit that is born from it; let us await the sheaves of the threshing floor; for if we are sober, we will be able to gather much fruit from this season, and to fill the storehouses of our mind; if we are sober, not only will we suffer nothing terrible from this tribulation, but we will also reap countless good things; but if we are indifferent, even relaxation will destroy us; for both things harm the one who is not attentive, but both benefit the one who lives with precision. And just as gold, even if it comes into contact with water, displays its own beauty, and even if it falls into a crucible, it becomes brighter again; but mud and grass, even if they happen to be mixed with water, the one dissolves, and the other rots; and if they fall into fire, the one is parched, and the other is burned up; so it is with the righteous man and the sinner; for the one, even if he enjoys relaxation, remains brilliant, just like gold being washed by water; and if he falls into temptation, he becomes brighter, just like gold being tested by fire; but the sinner, even if he finds relaxation, dissolves and rots, just like grass and mud in contact with water; and if he endures temptation, he is burned up and destroyed, just like grass and mud by fire. Therefore, let us not be distressed at the present troubles; for if you have sins, they are easily made to disappear and are burned up by tribulation; but if you have virtue, you are made bright and radiant by it; for if you are continually vigilant and sober, you will be superior to all harm. For not the of the

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κομᾷν ὁ ἐκ τῶν δακρύων καταφερόμενος ὑετός· οὗτος ἀποσμήχει ψυχὴν, ἄρδει διάνοιαν, προκόψαι ταχέως ποιεῖ τῆς διδασκαλίας τὴν βλάστησιν· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αὔλακα βαθεῖαν ἀνατεμεῖν ἀναγκαῖον· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ὁ προφήτης παρῄνεσεν, οὕτως εἰπών· Νεώσατε ἑαυτοῖς νεώματα, καὶ μὴ σπείρετε ἐπ' ἀκάνθαις. Καθάπερ οὖν ὁ τὸ ἄροτρον ἐμβαλὼν, κάτωθεν τὴν γῆν ἀναῤῥήγνυσιν, ἀσφαλῆ τοῖς σπέρμασι προπαρασκευάζων τὴν φυλακὴν, ὥστε μὴ κατενεχθέντα ἄνω κεῖσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς ἐπιφανείας, ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὰς τῆς γῆς παραπεμφθῆναι τὰς λαγόνας, καὶ ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ καταθέσθαι τὰς ῥίζας· οὕτω καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀναγκαῖον ποιεῖν, καὶ καθάπερ ἀρότρῳ τῇ θλίψει καταχρησαμένους ἀναῤῥῆξαι τῆς καρδίας τὸ βάθος. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἕτερος προφήτης παραινεῖ λέγων, ∆ιαῤῥήξατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, καὶ μὴ τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν. ∆ιαῤῥήξωμεν τοίνυν τὰς καρδίας, ἵνα εἴ τις πονηρὰ βοτάνη καὶ λογισμὸς δολερός ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν, πρόῤῥιζον αὐτὸν ἀνασπάσωμεν, καὶ καθαρὰς τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας σπέρμασι παράσχωμεν τὰς ἀρούρας Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ νῦν νεώσωμεν, ἐὰν μὴ νῦν σπείρωμεν, ἐὰν μὴ νῦν δακρύσωμεν, ὅτε θλῖψις καὶ νηστεία, πότε ἄλλοτε ἥξομεν εἰς κατάνυξιν; ὅταν ἄνεσις ᾖ καὶ τρυφή; Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἀδύνατον· ἡ γὰρ ἄνεσις καὶ ἡ τρυφὴ εἰς ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐνάγειν εἴωθεν, ὥσπερ ἡ θλῖψις πρὸς σπουδὴν ἐπανάγει, καὶ πεπλανημένην ἔξω καὶ περὶ πολλὰ τὴν διάνοιαν κεχηνυῖαν πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἐπιστρέφει. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀλγῶμεν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀθυμίας ταύτης, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐχαριστῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ· πολὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως τὸ κέρδος. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ γεωργὸς ἐπειδὰν σπείρῃ τὰ μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ πόνου συλλεγέντα σπέρματα, χειμῶνα γενέσθαι εὔχεται· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἰδιώτης θεωρῶν τὰ γινόμενα ἅπαντα θαυμάσεται, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἴσως ἐρεῖ· Τί ποτε ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ποιεῖ; τὰ συλλεγέντα σκορπίζει καὶ οὐχὶ σκορπίζει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀναμίγνυσι μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀκριβείας τῇ γῇ, ὥστε αὐτὰ μηδὲ συλλέξαι δυνηθῆναι ῥᾳδίως· καὶ οὐκ ἀναμίγνυσι μόνον τῇ γῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὔχεται γενέσθαι σφοδρὸν τὸν ὑετὸν, ὥστε κατασαπῆναι τὰ καταβληθέντα ἅπαντα, καὶ γενέσθαι πηλόν. Καὶ 49.61 θορυβεῖται βλέπων βροντὰς καταῤῥηγνυμένας, καὶ ἀστραπὰς καταφερομένας· ὁ δὲ γηπόνος οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ χαίρει καὶ ἀγάλλεται χειμῶνα ὁρῶν· οὐ γὰρ τὰ παρόντα βλέπει, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέλλοντα ἀναμένει· οὐ πρὸς τὰς βροντὰς ὁρᾷ, ἀλλὰ τὰ δράγματα ἀναλογίζεται· οὐ τὰ σηπόμενα σπέρματα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς κομῶντας στάχυας· οὐ τὸν φορτικὸν ὑετὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἥδιστον τῆς ἅλω κονιορτόν. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς μὴ τὴν θλῖψιν ὁρῶμεν τὴν παροῦσαν, μηδὲ τὴν ὀδύνην, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐξ αὐτῆς γινομένην ὠφέλειαν, τὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς τικτόμενον καρπόν· ἀναμείνωμεν τῆς ἅλω τὰ δράγματα· καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν νήφωμεν, πολὺν ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τούτου δυνησόμεθα συναγαγεῖν τὸν καρπὸν, καὶ πληρῶσαι τὰ ταμιεῖα τῆς διανοίας τῆς ἡμετέρας· ἂν νήφωμεν, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν πεισόμεθα ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως ταύτης δεινὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μυρία καρπωσόμεθα ἀγαθά· ἂν δὲ ῥᾳθυμῶμεν, καὶ ἡ ἄνεσις ἡμᾶς ἀπολεῖ· τὸν μὲν γὰρ μὴ προσέχοντα ἑκάτερα βλάπτει, τὸν δὲ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ζῶντα ἀμφότερα ὠφελεῖ. Καὶ καθάπερ τὸ χρυσίον, κἂν ὕδασιν ὁμιλήσῃ, τὴν οἰκείαν εὐπρέπειαν ἐπιδείκνυται, κἂν εἰς χωνευτήριον ἐμπέσῃ, φαιδρότερον γίνεται πάλιν· ὁ δὲ πηλὸς καὶ ὁ χόρτος, κἂν ὕδασιν ἀναμιχθεὶς τύχῃ, ὁ μὲν διαλύεται, ὁ δὲ σήπεται· κἂν εἰς πῦρ ἐμπέσῃ, ὁ μὲν φρύγεται, ὁ δὲ κατακαίεται· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ὁ δίκαιος, καὶ ὁ ἁμαρτωλός· ὁ μὲν γὰρ, κἂν ἀνέσεως ἀπολαύῃ, μένει λαμπρὸς, καθάπερ τὸ χρυσίον περικλυζόμενον ὕδατι· κἂν εἰς πειρασμὸν ἐμπέσῃ, φαιδρότερος γίνεται, καθάπερ τὸ χρυσίον βασανιζόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός· ὁ δὲ ἁμαρτωλὸς, κἂν ἀνέσεως τύχῃ, διαλύεται καὶ κατασήπεται, καθάπερ ὁ χόρτος καὶ ὁ πηλὸς ὁμιλῶν ὕδατι· κἂν πειρασμὸν ὑπομείνῃ, κατακαίεται καὶ ἀπόλλυται, καθάπερ ὁ χόρτος καὶ πηλὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀλύωμεν ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσι δεινοῖς· ἐὰν γὰρ ἁμαρτίας ἔχῃς, ἀφανίζονται καὶ κατακαίονται ῥᾳδίω; ὑπὸ τῆς θλίψεως· ἐὰν δὲ ἀρετὴν ἔχῃς, λαμπρύνῃ καὶ φαιδρύνῃ ὑπ' αὐτῆς· ἐὰν γὰρ ἀγρυπνῇς διηνεκῶς καὶ νήφῃς, ἀνώτερος ἔσῃ βλάβης ἁπάσης. Οὐ γὰρ ἡ τῶν