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the serious man is said to laugh at him who proves worthy those who make vain attempts. But the phrase "you shall not be afraid of wild beasts" and what follows, spoken fluently, might thus obtain greater clarity from the things by which the saints were tempted. Perhaps he himself also learned that similar things to these have happened. For the lions sent against Daniel caused no fear to him who had his hopes in God. But they were also at peace with 143 him, having harmed him in no way at all. The lover of beauty will select similar things from the scriptures, such as the prophet who had died, whom the lion not only did not devour but also guarded, not even touching the donkey, and the things concerning Elisha, who like a king led the beasts in order against the insolent, being himself in no way harmed by them. But with you, he says, those that are such by nature are at peace. But it is possible to take men or demons instead of beasts, according to what is said: "Do not deliver to the beasts a soul that confesses to you." For it is clear that he does not say this about visible things, but it is possible to understand wild beasts of the soul. But also "the devil prowls around like a lion, seeking whom he may devour." And again: "The Lord has broken the molars of the lions." From which beasts the righteous man is delivered, carrying out none of their desires. But this is the greatness of the courage of the saints, that it is a difficult thing to overcome those who fight with injustices. For the Savior "has given authority to tread upon serpents 144 and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." And that Eliphaz also knows of opposing energies we have already set forth before this, when he said: "or if you will see any of the holy angels." "Then you will know that your house shall be at peace, and the habitation of your tent shall not err. And you will know that your seed shall be many, and your children shall be like all the grass of the field." ... the story ... the truth being reported in the manner of a history ... we ..., whether the things reported as if historically are possible for us to have, or are disadvantageous or advantageous. And so now, when Job no longer had a house—for he himself says in the following parts: "But I have perished and become homeless"—he says to him as he was cast upon a dunghill: "Then you will know that your house shall be at peace." For again, knowing that the things around him had vanished, with only his wife remaining, and that he no longer had children, he says: "And you will know that your seed shall be many, and your children shall be like all the grass of the field." For he who was so harmed and unable to beget 145 was not disposed to have children; for this man felt the pus and worms. And what "habitation of a tent" did he say would not err, for one who had no tent at all but was cast out? Whence, since the history is very strained concerning perceptible departures, the thought must be worked out intellectually, especially since in the preceding parts we stated that they were not unheard of, even in allegorical teaching; for they do not seem worthless; for on account of ignorance Job is commanded to offer a sacrifice to God for their 6-10 sins ... 8-12 and indeed friends of ... 8-12 of such a great ... 8-12 and virtue ... 8-12 in the following ... 8-12 to know that ... one cause of the afflictions exists they were mistaken. It is said, therefore, that: with the "wild beasts," as has been rendered, "being at peace with you," the "house" of your mind also "shall be at peace" and "the habitation of your tent," which is your improvement in progress, "will not err." And in addition to these things, "you will know" that your good "seed" among your thoughts multiplies, being brought to completion into 146 the birth of children and becoming so. like "all the grass of the field" on account of both the spark of virtue and its growing to a very great extent. And in reality, we have in the divine writings also the state, the way of life, the virtue, being called the house of the saints, as has been written about the Hebrew midwives that: "since the midwives feared God, they made houses for themselves," which indicates the virtue constructed by them from the fear of God. For they did not happen to be homeless before

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ἀξίου τοὺς ματαίως ἐπιχειροῦντας ἀποδεικνύντος ὁ σπουδαῖος καταγελᾶν λέγεται. τὸ δ' "ἀπὸ θηρίων ἀγρίων οὐ μὴ φοβηθῇς" καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς ἐντρεχῶς εἰρημένον οὕτως ἂν ἐξ ὧν οἱ ἅγιοι ἐπειράθησαν πλείονος σαφηνείας τύχοι. ὧν ὅμοια ἴσως καὶ αὐτὸς ἔμαθεν γεγενημένα. οἱ γὰρ τῷ ∆ανιὴλ ἐπιπεμφθέντες λέοντες οὐδὲν αὐτῷ φόβον παρέσχον πρὸς θεὸν ἔχοντι τὰς ἐλπίδας. ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰρήνευον πρὸς 143 αὐτὸν ὅλως αὐτὸν ἐν μηδενὶ λυ πήσαντες. ὧν ὅμοια ἀναλέξει ὁ φιλόκαλος ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν, ὡς τὸν ἀποθανόντα προφήτην, ὃν οὐ μόνον οὐ κατέφαγεν ὁ λέων ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐφυλάττετο οὐδὲ τοῦ ὄνου προσψαύων, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἐλισαῖον, ὃς καθάπερ βασιλεὺς τὰ ἐν τάξει θῆρας κατὰ τῶν ὑβριστῶν ἤγαγεν αὐτὸς οὐδὲν ὑπ' αὐτῶν βεβλαμμένος. σοὶ δὲ εἰρηνεύουσιν, φησίν, οἱ ὄντες τοιοῦτοι κατὰ φύσιν. δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ ἀνθρώπους ἢ δαίμονας ἀντὶ θηρῶν λαβεῖν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "μὴ παραδῷς θηρίοις ψυχὴν ἐξομολογουμένην σοι." δῆλον γάρ, ὡς περὶ ὁρατῶν οὐ τοῦτο λέγει, α᾿̣λλὰ οἷόν τε νοεῖν ψυχῆς ἄγ̣ρια θηρία. ἀλλὰ καὶ "ὁ διάβολος ὡς λέων περιπατεῖ ζητῶν τίνα καταπίῃ". καὶ πάλιν· "τὰς μύλας τῶν λεόντων συνέθλασεν κύριος." ἀφ' ὧν θηρίων ὁ δίκαιος ῥύεται μηδὲν τῶν βουλη μάτων αὐτῶν διαπραττόμενος. τὸ δὲ μέγεθος τῆς ἀνδρείας τῶν ἁγίω̣ν τοῦτ' ἔστιν, ὅτι χαλεπόν τι̣ τὸ χειροῦν ταῖς ἀδικίαις πολεμοῦντας. ὁ γὰρ σωτὴρ "δέδωκεν ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων 144 καὶ σκορπίων καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ." ὅτι δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἐλιφὰζ οἶδεν ἀντικειμένας ἐνεργείας παρεθέμεθα ἤδη̣ πρὸ τούτο̣υ̣, ὅτε ἔλεγεν· "ἢ εἴ τινα ἁγίων ἀγγ̣έλων ὄψῃ." "εἶτα γνώσῃ ὅτι εἰρηνεύσει σου ὁ οἶκος, ἡ δὲ δίαιτ̣α̣ τῆς σκηνῆς σου ο̣ὐ μὴ ἁμάρτῃ̣. γνώσῃ δὲ ὅτι πολὺ τὸ σπέρμα σου, τα`̣ δὲ τέκνα σου ἔσται ὥσπερ τὸ πανβότανον τοῦ ἀγροῦ." οτο̣ ···ν διηγημ···νενυπο̣ν ····η τὴν ἀλήθειαν δι' ἱστορίας τρόπου ἀπαγγελλόμενον ···οῦμεν, εἰ τὰ οἱον̣εὶ ἱστορικῶς ἀπαγγελλόμενα δυνατά ἐστιν ὑπάρξαι ἡμ̣ῖν ἢ ἀσύμφορα ἢ συμφέροντα. καὶ νῦν οὖν ο̣ἶκον τοῦ Ἰὼβ μηκέτι ἔχοντος -αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς φησιν· "ἀπωλόμην δὲ καὶ ἔξοικος ἐγενόμην"-φησὶν πρὸς αὐτὸν ε᾿̣π̣ὶ κοπρίας ἐρριμμένον· "εἶτα γνώσῃ, ὅτι εἰρηνεύσει σου ὁ οἶκος." πάλιν γὰρ τὰ περὶ αὐτὸν ἀφανισθέντα μόνης τῆς γυναικὸς ὑπολειπομένης τέκνα τε μὴ ἔχοντα αὐτὸν ἔτι ἐπιστάμενός φησιν· "γνώσῃ δὲ ὅτι πολὺ τὸ σπέρμα σου, τὰ δὲ τέκνα σου ἔσται ὡς τὸ πανβότανον τοῦ ἀγροῦ." οὐδὲ γὰρ διέκειτο ω῾̣ς̣ τεκνοποιοῖ ὁ οὕτω βεβλαμμένος καὶ ἀγέν145 νητος· οὗτος γ̣ὰρ τοὺς ἰχῶρας καὶ σκώληκας ᾐσθάνετο. ποίαν δὲ "δίαιταν σκηνη῀̣ς" ἔλεγεν̣ μὴ διαμαρτεῖν τοῦ μὴ ἔχοντος ὅλως μηδὲ σκηνὴν ἀλλ' ἀπερριμμένου; ὅθεν γε τῆς ἱστορίας πάνυ γε βιαζομένη̣ς ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἀναχωρήσεων νοερῶς μεθοδευτέον τὴν διάνοιαν, μάλιστα ὅτι ἐν τοῖς προτρέχ̣ουσιν ἐφάσκομεν μὴ ἀνηκούστους εἶναι αὐτοὺς καὶ τῆς κατὰ τρόπον διδασκαλίας· οὐ γὰρ φαῦλοι φαίνονται· ὑπὲρ ἀγνοίας γὰρ προστάττεται Ἰὼβ θεῷ προσαγα̣γεῖν θυσίαν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν 6-10 ἁμαρτήματα · 8-12 τε δὴ καὶ φίλοι τ̣ 8-12 τηλικούτου ου 8-12 καὶ ἀρετῆς δια 8-12 υ τοῖς ἑπομένοι̣ς 8-12 · γιγνώσκειν ὡς ····· ··· μία αἰτία τῶν ἐπαγωγῶν ὑπάρχει ἐσφάλησαν. λέγεται οὖν ὅτι· τῶν "ἀγρίων θηρίων" ὡς ἀποδέδοται "εἰρηνευόντων σοι" κ̣αὶ ὁ "οἶκος" τῆς σῆς διανοίας "εἰρηνεύσει" καὶ "ἡ δίαιτα τῆς σκηνῆς σου", ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ ἐν προκοπῇ σου βελτίωσις, "οὐ διαμαρτήσεται". πρὸς δὲ τούτοις "γνώσῃ", ὅτι ἐν λογισμοῖς ἀγαθόν σου̣ "σπέρμα" πληθύνει ἀποτελούμενον εἰς 146 τέκνων γένεσιν καὶ γινόμενον. ὡς "τὸ πανβότανον τοῦ ἀγροῦ" διά τε τὸ ζώπυρον τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον αὐξ̣άνεσθαι. καὶ τῷ ὀ´̣ντι ἔχομεν ἐν τοῖς θείοις γράμμασιν καὶ πρὸς ἁγίων οἶκον λεγόμενον τὴν ἕξιν, τὴν πολιτείαν, τὴν ἀρετη´̣ν, καθὰ περὶ τῶν μαιῶν τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀναγέγραπται ὅτι· "ἐπεὶ ἐφοβοῦντο αἱ μαῖαι τὸν θεόν, ἐποίησαν αὑταῖς οἰκίας", ὅπερ δηλοῖ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ φό βου τοῦ θεοῦ ἀρετὴν παρ' αὐτῶν κατασκευασμένην. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄοικοι ἐτύγχανον πρὸ