John of Damascus, Sacred parallels

TITLE XVII. -Concerning the wronged; that one must help them.

In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brethren the sons of Israel; and observing their labor, he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew, one of his own brethren of the sons of Israel. And having looked this way and that, he saw no one; and he struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And going out on the second day, he saw two men fighting, and he said to the one doing wrong, "Why do you strike your neighbor?" But he said, "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Or do you wish to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" And Moses was afraid and said, "If this thing has become known in this way?" I saved a poor man from the hand of a powerful one. I broke the jaws of the unjust, and from the midst of their teeth I snatched the prey. Rescue those being led away to death, and redeem those being killed; do not spare them. And if you say, "I do not know this man," know that the Lord knows the hearts of all, who repays each according to his works. 95.1193 Rescue the plundered from the hand of the one wronging him. Take away injustice and hardship; remove oppression from my people, says the Lord. Rescue the one being wronged from the hand of the one wronging him. Everyone who sails is near to shipwreck, and all the more so, the more forcefully he sails; and everyone who is clothed in a body is near to the evils of the body, and all the more so, the more uprightly he walks, and does not see those lying before him. While you sail with a fair wind, give a hand to the shipwrecked; while you are in good health and are rich, help the one who is suffering. Do not wait to learn for yourself how great an evil is inhumanity, and what a good it is for bowels of compassion to be opened to those in need. One must be kind to those who have fallen into trouble, and by mercy acquire mercy. In the misfortunes of others, one must put one's own affairs in good order, and lend mercy to God by showing mercy to those in need, and being men, not to despise men. Do not laugh at your neighbor's fall; but walk safely, with as much strength as you have, and also give a hand to the one lying on the ground.

TITLE XVIII. -Concerning love, and peace, and peacemakers.

Naomi said to Ruth: "Behold, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; you return also." But Ruth said: "Do not urge me to leave you, for wherever you go, I will go; and your people shall be my people, and your God my God." Jonathan made a further oath to David, because his loving soul loved him. I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan. You were very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women. Seek peace, and pursue it. Those who desire peace will rejoice. Friendship will cover all who are not contentious; he who reproves with boldness makes peace. A long-suffering man will quench disputes; but the impious man will stir them up more. Righteous lips cover enmity. Better is a morsel with pleasure in peace, than a house full of many good things and unjust sacrifices with strife. A wise servant soothes a man's anger. 95.1196 Much water cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. Love truth and peace, says the Lord Almighty. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, the hearing of peace, who bring good news! I will raise up for them a plant of peace, and they shall no longer be perishing. In three things I was beautified, and I stood beautiful before the Lord and men: concord among brethren, and friendship of neighbors, and a wife and husband behaving well to each other. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Love your enemies; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you. Truly I say to you, that if two of you

ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΖʹ. -Περὶ ἀδικουμένων· ὅτι χρὴ βοηθεῖν αὐτοῖς.

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις μέγας γενόμενος ὁ Μωϋσῆς, ἐξῆλθε πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ· κατανοήσας δὲ τὸν πόνον αὐτῶν, ὁρᾷ ἄνθρωπον Αἰγύπτιον τύπτοντα τινὰ Ἑβραῖον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφῶν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Περιβλέψας δὲ ὧδε καὶ ὧδε, οὐχ ὁρᾷ οὐδένα· καὶ πατάξας τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἄμμῳ. Ἐξελθὼν δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ, ὁρᾷ δύο ἄνδρας διαπληκτιζομένους, καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀδικοῦντι· ∆ιὰ τί τύπτεις τὸν πλησίον; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε Τίς σε κατέστησε ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς; Ἢ ἀνελεῖν με θέλεις, ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες χθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον; ἐφοβήθη δὲ Μωϋσῆς, καὶ εἶπεν· Εἰ οὕτως ἐμφανὲς γέγονε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο; ∆ιέσωσα πτωχὸν ἐκ χειρὸς δυνάστου. Συνέτριψα μυλὰς ἀδίκων, ἐκ δὲ μέσου τῶν ὀδόντων αὐτῶν ἅρπαγμα ἐξέσπασα. Ῥῦσαι ἀπαγομένους εἰς θάνατον, καὶ ἐκπριοῦ κτεινομένους, μὴ φείσῃ. Ἐὰν δὲ εἴπης, Οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον, γίνωσκε ὅτι Κύριος καρδίας πάντων γινώσκει, ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. 95.1193 Ἐξέλεσθε διηρπαγμένον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος αὐτόν. Ἀδικίαν καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν ἀφέλεσθε· ἐξάρατε καταδυναστείαν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ μου, λέγει Κύριος. Ἐξελοῦ ἀδικούμενον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος αὐτόν. Πᾶς ὁ πλέων ἐγγύς ἐστι τοῦ ναυαγίου, καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳ σφοδρότερον πλέει· καὶ πᾶς ὁ σῶμα περικείμενος, ἐγγύς ἐστι τῶν τοῦ σώματος κακῶν, καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ὀρθῶς βαδίζει, καὶ μὴ βλέπει τοὺς πρὸ αὐτοῦ κειμένους. Ἕως πλεῖς ἐξ οὐρίας, τῷ ναυαγοῦντι δὸς χεῖρα· ἕως εὐεκτεῖς, καὶ πλουτεῖς, τῷ κακοπαθοῦντι βοήθησον. Μὴ ἀναμείνῃς ἐπὶ σεαυτοῦ μαθεῖν, ὅσον κακόν ἐστιν ἀπανθρωπία, καὶ οἷον ἀγαθὸν σπλάγχνα τοῖς χρῄζουσιν ἀνοιγόμενα. Χρηστοὺς εἶναι χρὴ τοῖς προεμπεσοῦσι, καὶ τῷ ἐλέῳ κτᾶσθαι τὸν ἔλεον. Ἐν ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις συμφοραῖς τὰ οἰκεῖα εὖ τίθεσθαι χρὴ, καὶ δανείζειν Θεῷ τὸν ἔλεον ἐλέους χρῄζοντας, καὶ μὴ καταφρονεῖν ἀνθρώπων ἄνθρωποι ὄντες. Μὴ γελάσῃς πτῶμα τοῦ πέλας· διάβαινε δὲ ἀσφαλῶς, ὅση σοι δύναμις, ἀλλὰ καὶ δίδου χεῖρα χαμαὶ κειμένῳ.

ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΗʹ. -Περὶ ἀγάπης, καὶ εἰρήνης, καὶ εἰρηνοποιῶν.

Εἶπε Νοεμεῖν πρὸς Ῥούθ· Ἰδοὺ ἀνέστρεψεν ἡ σύννυμφός σου πρὸς λαὸν αὐτῆς, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῆς, ἐπιστράφηθι καὶ σύ. Εἶπε δὲ Ῥούθ· Μὴ ἀπαντήσῃς μοι τοῦ καταλιπεῖν σε, ὅτι ὅπου ἐὰν πορευθῇς, πορεύσομαι· καὶ ὁ λαός σου, λαός μου, καὶ ὁ Θεός σου, Θεός μου. Προσέθετο Ἰωνάθαν ὀμόσαι τῷ ∆αβὶδ, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχὴ ἀγαπῶντος αὐτόν. Ἀλγῶ ἐπὶ σὲ, ἀδελφέ μου Ἰωνάθαν. Ὡραιώθηςμοι σφόδρα· ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ ἀγάπησίς σου ἐμοὶ ὑπὲρ ἀγάπης γυναικῶν. Ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Οἱ βουλόμενοι εἰρήνην, εὐφρανθήσονται. Πάντας τοὺς μὴ φιλονεικοῦντας καλύψει φιλία· ὁ ἐλέγχων μετὰ παῤῥησίας, εἰρηνοποιεῖ. Μακρόθυμος ἀνὴρ κατασβέσει κρίσεις· ὁ δὲ ἀσεβὴς ἐγερεῖ μᾶλλον. Καλύπτουσιν ἔχθραν χείλη δίκαια. Κρείσσων ψωμὸς μεθ' ἡδονῆς ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἢ οἶκος πλήρης πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἀδίκων θυμάτων μετὰ μάχης. Θυμὸν ἀνδρὸς πραΰνει θεράπων φρόνιμος. 95.1196 Ὕδωρ πολλὸν οὐ δυνήσεται σβέσαι τὴν ἀγάπην, καὶ ποταμοὶ οὐ συγκλύζουσιν αὐτήν. Τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην ἀγαπᾶτε, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ. Ὡς ὡραῖοι ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένων ἀγαθὰ, ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, εὐαγγελιζομένων ἀγαθά! Ἀναστήσω αὐτοῖς φυτὸν εἰρήνης, καὶ οὐκέτι ἔσονται ἀπολλύμενοι. Ἐν τρισὶν ὡραΐσθην, καὶ ἀνέστην ὡραία ἔναντι Κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων· ὁμόνοια ἀδελφῶν, καὶ φιλία τῶν πλησίον, καὶ γυνὴ καὶ ἀνὴρ ἑαυτοῖς συμπεριφερόμενοι. Μακάριοι εἰρηνοποιοὶ, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ κληθήσονται. Ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν· εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς· προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς καὶ διωκόντων. Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἐὰν δύο ὑμῶν