,

11,8cd and he will remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. For the most part, the one who is in evil does not "remember" the "eternal lights," but the one who is in virtue knows evil and "remembers" it; thus indeed he "turns away" from it ···ṣḳọ··················· for they are active until the present life, but the evil are handed over even after this to the darkness and to the other unpleasant things, to all punishments. The one who "remembers," therefore, will not be tempted by them. But we take "to remember" in another way; for we often take usage as memory and non-usage as forgetfulness. For when it says concerning the righteous who receive the divine promises that "they will forget their former affliction"-instead of they will not be tempted by it anymore-"nor will it come upon their heart anymore." Why? "For there will be a new heaven and a new earth"; when the world has been transformed and the promises have been given, there will no longer be a memory of what is grievous. And so we are accustomed to say; when a change occurs, we say we receive forgetfulness "of the former things," whether they are good or not good. Indeed it is said: "in a day of good things, there is forgetfulness of evils." For 333 does it not say this, that the one who has experienced "good days" and bright ones has forgotten that he has experienced "evils"? But he no longer so "remembers" them by experience.

11,8e9abcd All that is to come is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in ways blameless and in the sight of your eyes. 11,8e "That which is to come" is not eternal; "temporary" are these "things which are seen," the visible created things; but "things not seen" and "eternal," which the saints are eager to have, saying: "while we look not at the things which are seen; for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." If they are "eternal," they are not future things, even if you should sometime call "virtue" or "knowledge" future; this happens on our part; for if we had not been in evil or in ignorance, we would not have a future illumination or a future goodness. By nature, therefore, divine things are outside of the future, being always present. And I remember that I once used such an example. The repent... ...ṣ it is present; here it is future. And I used such an example, that when it is day, someone in a house, having shut the door, let him block up every opening; the light is not present to him, but it is present. If, therefore, he opens the windows, if he casts off ignorance, he finds the light present; so it is not a future thing. "That which is to come," therefore, is all of this sort: it is "vanity," of the nature of "vanities." For "vanity" is not a reproach, except by comparison with things that have ascended far above. Such things were said at the beginning of the book; but then we used such examples, that a torch and a lamp give light; but compared to the sun and that solar light, this is "vanity," not being blamed but being inferior. Indeed, some wish to think about virtue the same things they also think about evil; for it has been said concerning evil that "it neither was from the beginning, nor will it be forever." For concerning idolatry and 334 "fornication" it has been said, but by synecdoche this is understood concerning all evil. And it is said that "iniquity has lied to itself." But "to lie," as we say the earth has "failed," as to wheat, as to the vine. And some who hold to the co-sowing of the soul say that virtue is of such a kind; it does not subsist without one who is acting. But this is a falsehood, for it exists in God and from there we draw it. Therefore, even if we fall away, the good exists in God. But evil, if no one is acting it, no longer exists; and indeed concerning the arch-evil one himself who is named with the article in respect to all evils; for he is called the "wicked one" and the "enemy" and "death" and the "sinner." Indeed it is said, "break the arm of the sinner and wicked one," "break" his work which is called "arm," then it immediately says: "his sin will be sought, and will not be found because of itself." "through itself it is not found"; for it is not among the things that have subsistence, it is an accident that can be cast off. not

11,8cd καὶ μνησθήσεται τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ σκότους, ὅτι πολλαὶ ἔσονται. ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον ὁ ἐν κακίᾳ ὢν οὐ "μνημονεύει" τῶν "αἰωνίων φωτῶν", ὁ δὲ ἐν ἀρετῇ ὢν οἶδεν καὶ τὴν̣ κακίαν καὶ "μνημονεύει" αὐτῆς· οὕτω γοῦν "ἐκ κλίνει" ἀπ' αὐτῆς ···σ̣κ̣ο̣··················· μέχρ̣ι̣ γ̣ὰρ̣ τ̣οῦ παρόντος ζῆν ἐνεργοῦσιν, ἀλλ' οἱ κακοὶ παραδίδονται καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τῷ σκότῳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀηδέσιν, ταῖς τιμωρίαις πάσαις. ὁ "μνημονεύων" οὖν οὐ πειραθήσεται αὐτῶν. ἑτέρως δὲ τὸ "μνημονεύειν" λαμβάνομεν· λαμβάνο μεν δὲ καὶ τὴν χρῆσιν πολλάκις μνήμην καὶ τὸ μὴ χρᾶσθαι λήθην. ὅταν γὰρ λέγῃ περὶ τῶν δικαίων τῶν τὰς θείας ἐπαγγελίας ἀπολαμβανόντων ὅτι "ἐπιλήσον ται τῆς θλίψεως αὐτῶν τῆς πρώτης"-ἀντὶ τοῦ οὐ πειραθήσονται αὐτῆς ἔτι-"οὐδὲ ἐπέλθῃ αὐτῶν ἔτι ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν". διὰ τί; "ἔσται γὰρ ὁ οὐρανὸς και νὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καινή"· μεταστοιχειωθέντος τοῦ κόσ μου καὶ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν ἀποδοθησομένων, οὐκέτι μνήμη ἔσται θλιβηροῦ. καὶ οὕτως εἰώθαμεν λέγειν· ὅταν μεταβολὴ γένηται, λέγομεν λήθην "τῶν προτέ ρων" λαμβάνειν, κἂν ἀγαθὰ κἂν μὴ ἀγαθὰ ὦσιν. λέ γεται γοῦν· "ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθῇ ἀμνηστία κακῶν". μὴ γὰρ 333 τοῦτο λέγει ὅτι ὁ πειραθεὶς "ἡμερῶν ἀγαθῶν" καὶ φωτεινῶν ἐπελάθετο ὅτι πεπείραται "κακῶν". ἀλλ' οὐκέτι οὕτω "μνημονεύει" αὐτῶν κατὰ πεῖραν.

11,8e9abcd πᾶν τὸ ἐρχόμενον ματαιό της. εὐφραίνου, νεανία, ἐν νεότητί σου, καὶ ἀγαθυνάτω σε ἡ καρδία σου ἐν ἡμέραις νεότητός σου, καὶ περιπάτει ἐν ὁδοῖς ἄμωμος καὶ ἐν ὁράσει ὀφθαλμῶν σου. ̣11,8e "τὸ ἐρχόμενον" οὐκ ἔστιν αἰώνιον· "πρόσκαιρά" εἰσιν πρὸς ταῦτα "τὰ βλεπόμενα", τὰ ὁ ρατὰ δημιουργήματα· "οὐ βλεπόμενα" δὲ καὶ "αἰώνια", ἃ σπουδάζουσιν ἔχειν οἱ ἅγιοι λέγοντες· "σκοπούν των ἡμῶν οὐ τὰ βλεπόμενα· τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσ καιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια". εἰ "αἰώνιά" εἰ σιν, οὐκ εἰσὶν μέλλοντα, κἄν π̣οτε μέλλουσαν εἴ πῃς "ἀρετὴν" ἢ "γνῶσιν"· παρ' ἡμᾶς τοῦτο γίνεται· εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐγεγόνειμεν ἐν κακίᾳ ἢ ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ, οὐκ εἴ χαμεν μέλλοντα φωτισμὸν ἢ μέλλουσαν ἀγαθωσύνην. τῇ φύσει οὖν τὰ θεῖα ἔξω εἰσὶν τοῦ μέλλειν ἀ εὶ π̣α̣ρ̣ο´̣ντα. καὶ μέμνημαι ὅτι κέχρημαι τοιούτῳ παρα δείγματί ποτε. ὁ μεταν̣··················· ··ς̣ πάρεστιν δέ· ὧδε μέλλει. καὶ ἐχρησάμην τοιούτῳ παραδείγματι ὅτι ἡμέρας οὔσης ἐν οἴκῳ τι̣ς̣ θύραν κατα κλείσας φραξάτω πᾶσαν ὀπήν, οὐ πάρεστιν αὐτῷ τὸ φῶς, πάρεστιν δέ. ἐὰν οὖν ἀνοίξῃ τὰς θυρίδας, ἐὰν τὴν ἄ γνοιαν ἀποβάλῃ, εὑρίσκει παρὸν τὸ φῶς· ὥστε οὐ μέλλον ἐστίν. "τὸ ἐρχόμενον" οὖν πᾶν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν" "μάται όν" ἐστιν, τῆς τῶν "ματαίων" φύσεως. "μάταιον" γὰρ οὐ λοιδορούμενον, εἰ μὴ ἐκ συνκρίσεως τῶν ὑπεραναβεβη κότων. τοιαῦτα μὲν ἐλέχθη ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ βιβλίου· τότε δὲ παραδείγμασιν τοιούτοις ἐχρώμεθα ὅτι δᾷδα καὶ λαμπὰς φωτίζει· ὡς πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον δὲ καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖ νο τὸ ἡλιακὸν "ματαία" ἐστὶν αὕτη, οὐ ψεγομένη ἀλλ' ὑποδεεστέρα. ἀμέλει γοῦν τινες θέλουσιν περὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς φρο νεῖν, ἃ καὶ περὶ τῆς κακίας διανοοῦνται· εἴρηται γὰρ περὶ τῆς κακίας ὅτι "οὐδὲ ἦν ἐξ ἀρχῆς, οὐδὲ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔσται". περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς εἰδωλολατρίας καὶ 334 "πορνείας" εἴρηται, συνεκδοχικῶς δὲ περὶ πάσης κα κίας τοῦτο ἐκλαμβάνεται. καὶ λέγεται ὅτι "ἡ ἀδικία ἐ ψεύσατο ἑαυτήν". τὸ "ψεύσασθαι" δέ, ὡς λέγομεν γῆν "ἐψεῦσθαι", ὡς σῖτον, ὡς ἄμπελον. καὶ λέγουσίν τι νες οἱ περὶ τὴν συνσπορὰν τῆς ψυχῆς ἔχοντες ὅτι ἡ ἀ ρετὴ τοιαύτη ἐστίν· οὐχ ὑφέστηκεν ἄνευ τοῦ ἐνερ γοῦντος. ψεῦδος δέ ἐστιν τοῦτο" ἐν τῷ θεῷ γὰρ ἔ στιν κἀκεῖθεν αὐτὴν ἀρυόμεθα. κἂν ἡμεῖς οὖν ἀποστῶ μεν, ἔστιν ἐν θεῷ τὸ ἀγαθόν. τὸ δὲ κακόν, ἐὰν μὴ ἐνεργῇ τις, οὐκέτι ἔστιν· καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ γοῦν τοῦ ἀρχεκάκου τοῦ μετὰ ἄρθρου ὀνο μαζομένου πάντα τὰ κακά· λέγεται γὰρ καὶ ὁ "πονη ρὸς" καὶ ὁ "ἐχθρὸς" καὶ ὁ "θάνατος" καὶ ὁ "ἁμαρτω λός". λέγεται γοῦν "σύντριψον τὸν βραχίονα τοῦ ἁ μαρτωλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ", "σύντριψον" αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον "βραχίονα" ὀνομαζόμενον εἶτα εὐθέως λέγει· "ζητη θήσεται ἡ ἁμαρτία αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὑρεθῇ δι' αὑτήν". "δι' ἑαυτὴν οὐκ εὑρίσκεται"· οὐκ ἔστιν γὰρ τῶν ὑφ εστηκότων, συμβεβηκός ἐστιν δυνάμενον ἀποβληθῆναι. οὐκ