Chapter XXXIX.—There is No Reason for Self-Conceit.

Foolish and inconsiderate213    I omits καὶ ἀσύνετοι (and without understanding). men, who have neither wisdom214    Literally, “and silly and uninstructed.” nor instruction, mock and deride us, being eager to exalt themselves in their own conceits.  For what can a mortal man do, or what strength is there in one made out of the dust?  For it is written, “There was no shape before mine eyes, only I heard a sound,215    Literally, “a breath.” and a voice [saying], What then?  Shall a man be pure before the Lord?  Or shall such an one be [counted] blameless in his deeds, seeing He does not confide in His servants, and has charged216    Or, “has perceived.” even His angels with perversity?  The heaven is not clean in His sight:  how much less they that dwell in houses of clay, of which also we ourselves were made!  He smote them as a moth; and from morning even until evening they endure not.  Because they could furnish no assistance to themselves, they perished.  He breathed upon them, and they died, because they had no wisdom.  But call now, if any one will answer thee, or if thou wilt look to any of the holy angels; for wrath destroys the foolish man, and envy killeth him that is in error.  I have seen the foolish taking root, but their habitation was presently consumed.  Let their sons be far from safety; let them be despised217    Some render, “they perished at the gates.” before the gates of those less than themselves, and there shall be none to deliver.  For what was prepared for them, the righteous shall eat; and they shall not be delivered from evil.”218    Job iv. 16–18, 19–21, v. 1–5, xv. 15.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΛΘ’. Ἄφρονες καὶ ἀσύνετοι καὶ μωροὶ καὶ ἀπαίδευτοι χλευάζουσιν ἡμᾶς καὶ μυκτηρίζουσιν, ἑαυτοὺς βουλόμενοι ἐπαίρεσθαι ταῖς διανοίαις αὐτῶν. Τί γὰρ δύναται θνητός; ἢ τίς ἰσχὺς γηγενοῦς; Γέγραπται γάρ· «Oὐκ ἦν μορφὴ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου, ἀλλ' ἢ αὔραν καὶ φωνὴν ἤκουον· Τί γάρ; μὴ καθαρὸς ἔσται βροτὸς ἔναντι κυρίου, ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἄμεμπτος ἀνήρ, εἰ κατὰ παίδων αὐτοῦ οὐ πιστεύει, κατὰ δὲ ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ σκολιόν τι ἐπενόησεν; Oὐρανὸς δὲ οὐ καθαρὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ· ἔα δέ, οἱ κατοικοῦντες οἰκίας πηλίνας, ἐξ ὧν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πηλοῦ ἐσμέν. Ἔπαισεν αὐτοὺς σητὸς τρόπον, καὶ ἀπὸ πρωΐθεν ἕως ἑσπέρας οὐκ ἔτι εἰσίν· παρὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς βοηθῆσαι ἀπώλοντο. Ἐνεφύσησεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐτελεύτησαν παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σοφίαν. Ἐπικάλεσαι δέ, εἴ τίς σοι ὑπακούσεται, ἢ εἴ τινα ἁγίων ἀγγέλων ὄψῃ· καὶ γὰρ ἄφρονα ἀναιρεῖ ὀργή, πεπλανημένον δὲ θανατοῖ ζῆλος. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἑώρακα ἄφρονας ῥίζας βάλλοντας, ἀλλ' εὐθέως ἐβρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ δίαιτα. Πόρρω γένοιντο οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ σωτηρίας· κολαβρισθείησαν ἐπὶ θύραις ἡσσόνων, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἐξαιρούμενος. Ἃ γὰρ ἐκείνοις ἡτοίμασται, δίκαιοι ἔδονται· αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐκ κακῶν οὐκ ἐξαίρετοι ἔσονται.»