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and there, you are not able "to sow in tears," that "in joy you might reap," you are not able "to sow unto righteousness." "Watch" therefore the "wind." It is possible, it is possible also for "to watch" to be taken as "to observe." And the word is taken in this sense, sometimes for guarding, and sometimes for observing. When it says that "the sinner will observe the righteous" and "seeks to kill," he watches as if an archer were to watch which limb of the one drawn up against him is exposed, that he might send the arrow there. But when it says, but when it says that "you will watch over us," instead of "you will guard us." So also the serpent ···ou watches the heel of the man, if it is outside the sandal. ο῾̣ ? "having shod his feet with the preparation of the gospel" is not struck on the heel by the serpent. Thus, indeed, in the manner of a blessing it is said to someone: "Iron and bronze your sandal." But you know that "iron and bronze" is not a blessing when taken for sandals; for it strikes the foot; for the sandal draws the one "shod" into its own shape and a wound occurs around the foot. He who has received "authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and on all the power of the enemy" therefore shows what is invulnerable. The invincible and the invulnerable are often signified through these materials.

11,4b and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. When "he looks at the

clouds," he sees an impending shower, "he does not reap." We force the meaning of the saying: if ?·····η̣ς of the impending "rain," the "rain" coming down harms the things being reaped by wetting them and they easily come to decay. This, then, is what it commands: in the suitable "time" and proper to each "thing" you too should act. And through these two words it transfers them to all things. For example 324, let the one being introduced to piety, from having obtained divine knowledge, "sow" when it is "time," receiving lessons which it was fitting for one being introduced to receive. And let him not immediately "reap," but when he sees an impending "rain" able to water, then let him "reap." For in such matters both are taken together. The diligent man begins and has an end always in progressing. The preceding progresses receive an end, but the succeeding ones beginnings. Something like this, then, the savior also says in the gospel concerning the spirit of those "reaping" and "sowing": "that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." But it is not beneficial to "sow" and "reap" the perceptible thing at the same time. But the things of virtue, even when "being reaped," grow, and having grown, they come to "be reaped." For I said that from some it is left behind, but to others it comes upon. Indeed it has been said, "when a man has finished, then he begins"; in which way he both "begins" and "finishes" "at the same time." And the "beginning" signifies the "sowing," while the "end" signifies the "reaping." "The sower and the reaper rejoice together." And it is possible to take it thus: when his seed "is brought to fruition," he does not have the "reaper." The "reaper," when he does not have "to sow," does not have what he might "reap." "Together," therefore, they can exist "by the blessing" and "grace of God."

11,5a in which things he does not know, what is the way of the spirit. This he says, that

"in which things he does not know the way of the spirit" these commandments are useful. But I said that the diligent man, and indeed the perfect diligent man, and one always passing from progress to progress, does both; for that one knows the "way of the spirit." Thus, then, "is he who knows the way of the spirit"; "let him watch," if there is "wind," let him not "sow," and when "rain" is impending, let him not "reap." 11,5bc as bones in the womb of her who is with child, so you will not know the works of God. It signifies the incomprehensibility of these "works" or their being hard to comprehend. Those who have dealt with the nature of animals have spoken of a certain way and sequence of change for each part; but concerning "bone" they had nothing to say.

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κἀκεῖσε, οὐ δύνῃ "σπεῖραι ἐν δάκρυσιν", ἵν' "ἐν ἀ γαλλιάσει θερίσῃς", οὐ δύνῃ "σπεῖραι εἰς δικαιοσύνην". "τήρει" οὖν τὸν "ἄνεμον". δυνατὸν δέ δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ "τηρεῖν" ἀντὶ τοῦ παρατηρεῖν λαμ βάνεσθαι. λαμβάνεται δὲ ἡ λέξις καὶ ἐπὶ τούτου, ὁτὲ μὲν ἐπὶ φυλακῆς, ὁτὲ δὲ ἐπὶ παρατηρήσεως. ὅταν λέγῃ ὅτι "παρατηρήσεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τὸν δίκαιον" καὶ "ζητεῖ τοῦ θανατῶσαι", ἐπιτηρεῖ δὲ ὡς εἰ τοξότης τηροίη, ποῖον μέλος γυμνόν ἐστιν τοῦ ἀντιπαρατεταγμένου, ἵν' ἐκεῖ πέμψῃ τὸ βέλος. ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ ὅτι "διατηρήσεις ἡμᾶς", ἀντὶ τοῦ "διαφυλάξῃς ἡμᾶς". οὕτω καὶ ὁ ὄφις ···ου τὴν πτέρναν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπιτη ρε̣ῖ, εἰ ἔξω ἐστὶν τοῦ ὑποδήματος. ο῾̣ ? "υ῾̣π̣οδεδεμέ νος τοὺς πόδας ἐν ἑτοιμασίᾳ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου" οὐ πλήττε ται τὴν πτέρναν ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄφεως. οὕτω γοῦν ἐν εὐλογίας τρόπῳ λέγεται πρός τινα· "σίδηρος καὶ χαλκὸς τὸ ὑπό δημά σου". οἶδας δὲ ὅτι "σίδηρος καὶ χαλκὸς" οὐκ ἔστιν εὐλογία εἰς ὑποδήματα παραλαμβανόμενον· πλήττει γὰρ τὸν πόδα· ἕλκει γὰρ εἰς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σχῆμα τὸ ὑπόδημα τὸν "ὑποδεδεμένον" καὶ τραῦμα γίνεται περὶ τὸν πόδα. τὸ ἄτρωτον οὖν δείκνυσιν ὁ λαβὼν "ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ". τὸ ἀκαταμάχητον καὶ τὸ ἄτρωτον διὰ τούτων τῶν ὑλῶν πολλάκι̣ς σημαίνεται.

11,4b καὶ βλέπων ε᾿̣ν ταῖς νεφέλαις οὐ θερίσῃ. ὅταν "βλέπει ἐν ταῖς

νε̣φέλαις", ὁρᾷ ὄμβρον ἐπι κείμενον, "οὐ θερίζει". βιαζόμεθα τὰ τοῦ ῥητοῦ· ἐὰν̣ ?·····η̣ς ἐπικειμέ νου "ὑετοῦ", κατενεχ̣θεὶς ὁ "ὑετὸς" βλάπτει τὰ θεριζό μενα ὑγραίνων καὶ εὐκόλως εἰς σῆψιν ἔρχονται. τοῦτο οὖν ἐστιν, ὃ προστάττει· ἐν καταλλήλῳ "και ρῷ" ἕκαστον "πρᾶγμα" καὶ ἰδίῳ καὶ σὺ ποίει. διὰ δὲ τῶν δύο λέξεων τούτων με̣τ̣αφ̣έρει αὐτὰ εἰς πάντα. οἷον 324 ὁ ει᾿̣σ̣αγόμενος εἰς θεοσέβειαν, ἀπὸ γνώσεως θείας τύχῃ "σπειρέτω", ὅτε "καιρός" ἐστιν, δεχόμενος μαθήματα, ἃ προσῆκεν τῷ εἰσαγομένῳ δέξασθαι. καὶ μὴ παραυτὰ "θε ριζέτω", ἀλλ' ὅταν ἴδῃ ἐπικείμενον "ὑετὸν" δυνάμενον ποτίσαι, τότε "θεριζέτω". ἅμα γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀμ φότερα λαμβάνεται. ὁ σπουδαῖος ἄρχεται καὶ τέλος ἔχει ἀεὶ ἐν τῷ προ κόπτειν. αἱ προλαβοῦσαι προκοπαὶ τέλος λαμβάνουσιν, ἀρχὰς̣ δὲ αἱ διαδεχόμεναι. τοιοῦτό ιουν τι οὖν καὶ ἐν εὐαγγελίῳ ὁ ςωτὴρ περὶ πνεύματος "θεριζόντων" καὶ "σπειρόντων" λέγει· "ἵνα ὁ σπείρων ἅμα χαίρῃ καὶ ὁ θερίζων". οὐκ ἔστιν δὲ τοῦτο ἐπωφελὲς ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ καιρῷ τὸ αἰσθητὸν "σπείρειν" καὶ "θερίζειν". τὰ δὲ τῆς ἀ ρετῆς καὶ "θεριζόμενα" φύεται καὶ φυόμενα εἰς τὸ "θε ρίζεσθαι" ἔρχεται. εἶπον γὰρ ὅτι τῶν μὲν ἀπολείπεται, τοῖς δὲ ἐπέρχεται. εἴρηται γοῦν "ὅταν συντελέσῃ ἄν θρωπος, τότε ἄρχεται"· ᾗ δὲ "ἄρχεται" καὶ "συντε λεῖ" "ἅμα". σημαίνει δὲ τὴν "σπορὰν" ἡ "ἀρχή", τὸ δὲ "τέλος" ὁ "θερισμός". "ἅμα χαίρει σπείρων καὶ θερί ζων". δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ οὕτως λαβεῖν· ὅτε τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ "τελεσφορεῖται", οὐκ ἔχει τὸν "θερίζοντα". ὁ "θερί ζων", ὅτε οὐκ ἔχει "σπεῖραι", οὐκ ἔχει, ὃ "θερίσῃ". "ἅμα" οὖν δύναται α̣υ᾿̣τ̣ὰ ὑπαρχθῆναι "εὐλογίᾳ" καὶ "χάριτι θεοῦ".

11,5a ἐν οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν γιγνώσκων, τίς ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ πνεύματος. τοῦτο λέγει ὅτι

"ἐν οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν γιγνώςκων τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ πνεύματος" αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὗται χρησιμεύουσιν. εἶπον δὲ ὅτι ὁ σπουδαῖος καὶ τέλειός γε σπουδαῖος καὶ ἀεὶ ἐκ προκοπῶν εἰς προκοπὰς διαβαίνων ἀμφότερα ποι εῖ· οἶδεν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τὴν "ὁδὸν τοῦ πνεύματος". οὕτως οὖν "ἐστιν ὁ γιγνώσκων τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ πνεύ ματος"· "τηρείτω", εἰ "ἄνεμός" ἐστιν, μὴ "σπειρέτω", καὶ π̣ότε ἐπίκειται "ὑετός", καὶ μὴ "θεριζέτω". 11,5bc ὡς ὀστᾶ ἐν γαστρὶ τῆς κυοφο ρούσης, οὕτως οὐ γνώσῃ τὰ ποιήματα τοῦ θεοῦ. το`̣ ἀκατάλημπτον τῶν "ποιημάτων" τούτων ἢ τὸ δυσκατά λημπτον σημαίνει. οἱ περὶ φύσεως ζῴων πραγματευσάμε νοι ἑκάστου μορίου εἴρηκαν ὁδόν τινα καὶ ἀκολουθίαν μεταβολῆς· περὶ "ὀστέου" οὐκ ἔσχον εἰπεῖν.