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"But the joy of the ungodly is an extraordinary fall, and the delight of the lawless is destruction." But if their joy is an extraordinary fall, and their delight is destruction, where shall we place destruction, tell me, where pain and despondency? "Let the lesser destroy his sons, and let his hands kindle pains." And from this, indeed, it is clear that the plague is sent by God, because the worse overpower the greater, and the outcast overcome those who have strength. Instead, however, of, Kindle pains, Aquila said, *they shall return*; but Symmachus, *they shall bring upon*.

CHAPTER 21

"Why do the ungodly live, and have grown old, and in wealth?" David also sings something of this sort: *Behold, these are the sinners, and, prospering forever, they have obtained wealth*. And now Job says, not only for this reason must one marvel, that in return for their wickedness they receive such rewards, but that their very prosperity makes them worse.

CHAPTER 22

"Or will he, taking account of your word, reprove you, and will he enter into judgment with you?" He is so philanthropic that even when judging us He permits us to speak to Him, as though being judged with us, concerning what we wish. For He says in Isaiah: *Come, and let us reason together*; And the phrase, *let us reason together*, 64.624 is of this sort: If you have anything to convict Me of, as not having done what is fitting, speak; And I, whatever I have to say, will persuade you, condemning you, that you are worthy of being condemned.

CHAPTER 23

"Who then might know, that I might find him, and I might come to his end? [But Symmachus, *Unto his throne*.] And I would state my own case; [Instead of which Symmachus again, *I will set forth my judgment before him*.] And to fill my mouth with arguments, and I might know the remedies which he will tell me. [But Symmachus, *Words*.] And I would perceive what he would report to me, and with much strength he will come upon me. [Symmachus, *He contends with me*.] Then he will not use a threat against me. [Symmachus, *Only let him not attack me*.] For truth and reproof are from him; and may he bring my case to a conclusion." What is gathered from the statement is this: Who might grant me God to hear me, and to answer me? For he would have justified me. And the particulars: Would that it were possible, he says, to find God; would that it were possible to come even to the divine throne, and to stand before and meet with Him, and to plead my case, and to receive the decision from there; would that, having come before that divine tribunal, I had lamented all the things concerning me which I have suffered, and that I might also speak of my life; so that speaking before Him both what I have done and what I have suffered, I might learn by experience what judgment He pronounces, and what remedy He speaks for these things in my difficulty; and whether He pursues me strongly, punishing me more vehemently, or He desists from the threat. For even if He uses much strength and a threat against me, nevertheless I know that truth is from Him, and without respect of persons He brings forth His arguments, that is, His judgments; and I am persuaded that, if I had met with Him, I would have received the victorious vote against you; for, *to the end*, he says instead of, *perfected*; for among the Hebrews the end and victory are signified by one word; wherefore in some of the psalms, instead of, *To the end*, To the

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«Εὐφροσύνη δὲ ἀσεβῶν πτῶμα ἐξαίσιον, χαρμονὴ δὲ παρανόμων ἀπώλεια.» Εἰ δὲ εὐφροσύνη αὐτῶν πτῶμα ἐξαίσιον, καὶ ἡ χαρμονὴ αὐτῶν ἀπώλεια, ποῦ τὴν ἀπώλειαν θήσομεν, εἰπέ μοι, ποῦ τὴν ὀδύνην καὶ τὴν ἀθυμίαν; «Τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ ὀλέσαισαν ἥττονες, αἱ δὲ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ πυρσεύσαισαν ὀδύνας.» Καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου μέντοι δῆλον, ὅτι θεήλατός ἐστιν ἡ πληγὴ, ὅτι οἱ χείρους κατακρατοῦσι τῶν μειζόνων, καὶ περιγίνονται τῶν ἐχόντων ἰσχὺν οἱ ἀπεῤῥιμμένοι. Ἀντί γε μὴν τοῦ, Πυρσεύσαισαν ὀδύνας, ὁ μὲν Ἀκύλας, ἐπιστρέψουσιν, εἶπεν· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, ἐποίσουσιν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΑʹ

«∆ιατί ἀσεβεῖς ζῶσι, πεπαλαίωνται δὲ, καὶ ἐν πλούτῳ;» Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ∆αβὶδ ψάλλει· Ἰδοὺ οὗ τοιοὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ καὶ εὐθηνοῦντες εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατέσχον πλούτου. Καὶ νῦν ὁ Ἰὼβ, Οὐ τούτῳ μόνῳ, φησὶ, θαυμάσαι χρὴ, ὅτι ἀντὶ πονηρίας τοιαύτας λαμβάνουσι τὰς ἀμοιβὰς, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ εὐπραγία χείρονας αὐτοὺς ποιεῖ.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΒʹ

«Ἢ λόγον σου ποιούμενος ἐλέγξεις, καὶ συνεισελεύσεταί σοι εἰς κρίσιν;» Οὕτως ἐστὶ φιλάνθρωπος, ὥστε καὶ κρίνων ἡμᾶς ἐπιτρέπει λέγειν πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὡς μεθ' ἡμῶν κρινόμενον, περὶ ὧν βουλόμεθα. Φησὶ γοῦν ἐν Ἡσαΐᾳ· ∆εῦτε, καὶ διελεγχθῶμεν· Τὸ δὲ, διελεγχθῶμεν, 64.624 τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Εἴ τί με ἔχεις ἐξελέγξαι, ὡς μὴ τὰ δέοντα πεποιηκότα, λέγε· Κἀγὼ ὅ τί ποτε ἔχω ἐρῶν, πείσω σε καταδικάζων σε ἄξιον εἶναι τοῦ καταδικασθῆναι.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΓʹ «Τίς δ' ἄρα γνοίη, ὅτι εὕροιμι αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔλθοιμι εἰς τέλος; [Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, Ἕως

τῆς ἕδρας αὐτοῦ.] Εἴποιμι δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ κρῖμα· [Ἀνθ' οὗ πάλιν ὁ Σύμμαχος, Προσθήσω ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ κρίσιν.] Τὸ δὲ στόμα μου ἐμπλῆσαι ἐλέγχων, γνοίην δὲ ἰάματα ἅ μοι ἐρεῖ. [Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, Ῥήματα.] Αἰσθοίμην δὲ τίνα μοι ἀπαγγελεῖ, καὶ ἐν πολλῇ ἰσχύϊ ἐπελεύσεταί μοι. [Ὁ Σύμμαχος, ∆ιαδικάζεταί μοι.] Εἶτα ἐν ἀπειλῇ μοι οὐ χρήσεται. [Ὁ Σύμμαχος, Μόνον αὐτὸς μὴ ἐπιτιθέσθω μοι.] Ἀλήθεια γὰρ καὶ ἔλεγχος παρ' αὐτοῦ· ἐξαγάγοι δὲ εἰς τέλος τὸ κρῖμά μου.» Τὸ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ λόγου συναγόμενον τοῦτό ἐστι· Τίς ἄρα μοι δῴη τὸν Θεὸν ἀκούοντά μου, καὶ ἀποκρινόμενόν μοι; ἐδικαίωσε γὰρ ἄν με. Τὰ δὲ κατὰ μέρος· Εἴθε ἦν, φησὶν, εὑρεῖν τὸν Θεόν· εἴθε ἦν ἄχρι τοῦ θείου θρόνου ἐλθεῖν, καὶ παραστῆναι, καὶ ἐντυχεῖν αὐτῷ, καὶ δικάσασθαι, καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπόφασιν δέξασθαι· εἴθε παρὰ τὸ θεῖον ἐκεῖνο βῆμα γεγονὼς, ἀπωλοφυράμην πάντα τὰ κατ' ἐμὲ ἃ πέπονθα, εἴποιμι δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐμοὶ βεβιωμένα· ἵνα ἐπ' αὐτοῦ λέγων, ἅ τε ἔπραξα, καὶ ἃ πέπονθα, τῇ πείρᾳ μάθω ποίαν ἐκφέρει τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ τί πρὸς ταῦτα λέγει ἴαμα τῆς ἐμῆς ἀπορίας· καὶ πότερον ἰσχυρῶς ἐπεξέρχεταί με σφοδρότερον τιμωρούμενος, ἢ ἀνίησι τῆς ἀπειλῆς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλῇ ἰσχύϊ χρήσεταί μοι, καὶ ἀπειλῇ, ἀλλ' ὅμως οἶδα ὅτι ἀλήθεια παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐστι, καὶ ἀπροσωπολήπτως τοὺς ἐλέγχους, τουτέστι, τὰς κρίσεις ἐξάγει· καὶ πέπεισμαι, εἴγε τούτῳ ἐνέτυχον, ὡς τὴν νικῶσαν ἂν καθ' ὑμῶν ἔλαβον ψῆφον· τὸ γὰρ, Εἰς τέλος, ἀντὶ τοῦ, τετελειωμένην, λέγει· παρ' Ἑβραίοις γὰρ τὸ τέλος, καὶ ἡ νίκη, διὰ μιᾶς σημαίνεται λέξεως· διὸ ἔν τισι τῶν ψαλμῶν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Εἰς τέλος, Τῷ