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mercy is joined with truth. Great is the truth, so to speak, it is beyond men. But consider that all rational and supernatural things and those remaining above need the truth. But here we need mercy, so that we may be able to know the truth. And it was said before: "your ways, O Lord, and your paths guide me to your truth". The beginning, therefore, of travelling these blessed ways comes from the mercy of God, but the end from the truth. 10 to those who seek out his covenant and his testimonies. Not to those who simply seek, but intently to those who seek out. Those who search the scriptures, they too seek out the covenant of God. And to search and to seek out are the same thing. "and his testimonies"; his testimonies are the oracles testified to by him. You know that what has been testified to is irrefutable. Therefore the irrefutable character of the divine teachings is often signified by the name of testimonies. Since: what things did he himself testify? -what things he himself confirmed. But it is possible for things that are irrefutable and cannot be overturned to be called testimonies, not because they were testified to by someone, but because their nature is such that they testify 82 to the truth. "and the witness," it says, "in heaven is faithful." Concerning God, if it is said that God is testified to, let us not say this, that the one testifying to him establishes him. John came, "so that he might testify concerning the light"; for John, who testified concerning the light, did not provide faith and establishment to the light. The one who testifies by knowledge shows himself to be knowledgeable, and the one who testifies by virtue is shown to be zealous. Thus, indeed, also those who were well-pleasing in the persecutions and who contended as is right are called martyrs. They showed themselves to be lovers of truth, they showed themselves to be knowers of the truth. They did not confirm the truth, but they confirmed themselves. Therefore the things worthy of the one testifying are often called testimonies. 11 For the sake of your name, O Lord. Not for the sake of our zeal or of our life, but because of your name. Indeed, they say this also in another psalm: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory"; for since we are called yours and you were named our God, act for the sake of your name. 11 and be merciful to my sin; for it is great. We say this about "it is great": if he desires so many things to be made known to him, the ways, to be guided to the truth, how does he have great sin? It was said before: "from my hidden faults cleanse me," that even a small defilement is a great sin to the one who is completely pure. 12 Who is the man that fears the Lord. Henceforth he asks: who then is the man that fears God? To this one "he will legislate in the way which he has chosen," God himself. But the man who fears the Lord is not just any man. Thus we, the many, think, thus we often say that: "I simply want to fear God." But we do not know what we are saying; for "the fear of God surpasses all things," as the scripture itself says. And further: "There is no want to them that fear him." If the one who fears God has no want, he is most complete. The phrase "who is" can be of rarity and a question. 12 he will legislate for him in the way which he has chosen. which God himself chooses. But it can be the one which the man has chosen; for virtue is properly called choice-worthy. Just as what is worthy of being loved is lovable, even if no one loves it, it is lovable, and what is worthy of being hated is hateful, even if no one hates it, so "choice-worthy" is choice-worthy, even if no one chooses it; for it is possible to choose even evil things, but they are not choice-worthy. Rather, the choice concerning these things is erroneous. "he will legislate for him in the way which he has chosen." Either he himself who legislates or he for whom it is legislated. But both are true. 13 His soul shall dwell in good things. This man who fears the Lord has his soul dwelling in good things. 13 And his seed shall inherit the earth. "his seed" not always the physical one -but of many saints

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συνέζευκται τὸ ἔλεος τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. μεγάλη τίς ἐστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐστίν. θεώρει δὲ ὅτι πάντα τὰ λογικὰ καὶ τὰ ὑπερφυῆ καὶ τὰ ἄνω ἀπομείναντα χρῄζει τῆς ἀληθείας. ἐνταῦθα δὲ χρῄζομεν τοῦ ἐλέου, ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν γνῶναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. εἴρηται δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἔνπροσθεν· "τὰς ὁδούς σου, κύριε, καὶ τὰς τρίβους σου ὁδήγησόν με ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου". ἀρχὴ οὖν τοῦ ὁδεύειν ταύτας τὰς μακαρίους ὁδοὺς ἐκ τοῦ ἐλέους τοῦ θεοῦ γίνεται, τέλος δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας. 10 τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ μαρτύρια αὐτοῦ. οὐ τοῖς ἁπλῶς ζητοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ἐπιτεταμένως τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν. οἱ ἐρευνῶντες τὰς γραφάς, κἀκεῖνοι ἐκζητοῦσιν τὴν θεοῦ διαθήκην. ταὐτὸν δὲ τὸ ἐρευνᾶν καὶ τὸ ἐκζητεῖν. "καὶ τὰ μαρτύρια αὐτοῦ"· μαρτύριά εἰσιν αὐτοῦ τὰ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ μεμαρτυρημένα λόγια. οἶδας ὅτι τὸ μαρτυρηθὲν ἀναντίρρητον. τὸ ἀναντίρρητον οὖν τῶν θείων παιδευμάτων τῷ ὀνόματι τῶν μαρτυρίων πολλάκις σημαίνεται. ἐπερ · ἃ αὐτὸς ἐμαρτύρησεν; -ἃ αὐτὸς ἐβεβαίωσεν. δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀνεξέλεγκτα καὶ μὴ ἔχοντα ἀνατροπὴν μαρτύρια λέγεσθαι, οὐχ ὅτι ὑπό τινος ἐμαρτυρήθησαν, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἡ φύσις αὐτῶν τοιαύτη ἐστίν, ὥστε μαρτυρεῖν αὐτὰ 82 τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. "καὶ ὁ μάρτυς", φησίν, "ἐν οὐρανῷ πιστός". περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐὰν λέγηται ὁ θεὸς μαρτυρεῖσθαι, μὴ τοῦτο λέγομεν ὅτι ὁ μαρτυρῶν αὐτῷ συνιστᾷ αὐτόν. Ἰωάννης ἐλήλυθεν, "ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός"· μὴ γὰρ ὁ μαρτυρήσας περὶ τοῦ φωτὸς Ἰωάννης πίστιν καὶ σύνστασιν τῷ φωτὶ παρέσχεν. ὁ μαρτυρῶν ἐπιστήμῃ ἑαυτὸν δείκνυσιν ἐπιστήμονα, καὶ ὁ μαρτυρῶν ἀρετῇ δείκνυται σπουδαῖος ὤν. οὕτω γοῦν καὶ οἱ ἐν τοῖς διωγμοῖς εὐαρεστήσαντες καὶ ἀθλήσαντες ὡς δεῖ μάρτυρες λέγονται. ἑαυτοὺς ἔδειξαν φιλαλήθεις, ἑαυτοὺς ἔδειξαν εἰδότας τὴν ἀλήθειαν. οὐ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐβεβαίωσαν, ἀλλ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐβεβαίωσαν. τὰ ἄξια οὖν τοῦ μαρτυροῦντος λέγεται πολλάκις μαρτύρια. 11 ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου, κύριε. οὐχ ἕνεκα τῆς ἡμετέρας σπουδῆς ἢ τοῦ ἡμετέρου βίου, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ σὸν ὄνομα. τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ ψαλμῷ λέγουσιν· "μὴ ἡμῖν, κύριε, μὴ ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' ἢ τῷ ὀνόματί σου δὸς δόξαν"· ἐπεὶ γὰρ σοῦ χρηματίζομεν καὶ σὺ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὠνομάσθης, ποίησον διὰ τὸ σὸν ὄνομα. 11 καὶ ἱλάσῃ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ μου· πολλὴ γάρ ἐστιν. τὸ "πολλή ἐστιν" οὕτω λέγομεν· εἰ τοσαῦτα ποθεῖ γνωρισθῆναι ἑαυτῷ τὰς ὁδούς, ὁδηγηθῆναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, πῶς πολλὴν ἔχει ἁμαρτίαν; εἴρηται ἔνπροσθεν τοῦ· "ἀπὸ τῶν κρυφίων μου καθάρισόν με", ὅτι καὶ ὁ βραχὺς μολυσμὸς μεγάλη ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν τῷ ὁλοκαθάρμῳ. 12 τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον. λοιπὸν πυνθάνεται· τίς ἐστιν ἄρα ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν θεὸν ἄνθρωπος; τούτῳ "νομοθετήσει ἐν ὁδῷ ᾗ ᾑρεθίσατο" αὐτὸς ὁ θεός. οὐχ ὁ τυχών ἐστιν δὲ ὁ τὸν κύριον φοβούμενος ἄνθρωπος. οὕτως νομίζομεν οἱ πολλοί, οὕτως πολλάκις λέγομεν ὅτι· "ἐγὼ ἁπλῶς θέλω φοβεῖσθαι τὸν θεόν". οὐκ ἰσμὲν δὲ τί λέγομεν· ὁ γὰρ "φόβος τοῦ θεοῦ πάντα ὑπερέβαλεν", ὡς αὐτὴ ἡ γραφὴ λέγει. καὶ ἔτι· "οὐκ ἔστιν ὑστέρημα τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν". εἰ οὐκ ἔχει ὑστέρημα ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν θε όν, πληρέστατός ἐστιν. τὸ "τίς ἐστιν" δύναται τὸ σπάνιον εἶναι καὶ πυσματικόν. 12 νομοθετήσει αὐτῷ ἐν ὁδῷ ᾗ ᾑρεθίσατο. ᾗ αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς αἱρεῖται. δύναται δὲ ᾗ ᾑρεθίσατο ὁ ἄνθρωπος· κυρίως γὰρ ἡ ἀρετὴ αἱρετὴ λέγεται. ὥσπερ φιλητόν ἐστιν τὸ ἄξιον τοῦ φιλεῖσθαι, κἂν μηδεὶς αὐτὸ φιλῇ, φιλητόν ἐστιν καὶ μισητὸν τὸ ἄξιον τοῦ μισεῖσθαι, κἂν μηδεὶς αὐτὸ μισῇ, οὕτως αἱρετή ἐστιν ἡ "αἱρετή", κἂν μηδεὶς αὐτὴν αἱρῆται· αἱρεῖσθαι γὰρ ἔστιν καὶ κακά, ἀλλ' οὐκ αἱρετά. μᾶλλον ἐσφαλμένη ἐστὶν ἡ περὶ ταῦτα αἵρεσις. "νομοθετήσει αὐτῷ ἐν ὁδῷ ᾗ ᾑρετίσατο". ἤτοι αὐτὸς ὁ νομοθετῶν ἢ ὁ νομοθετούμενος. ἀμφότερα δὲ ἀληθῆ ἐστιν. 13 ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγαθοῖς αὐλισθήσεται. οὗτος ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον ἄνθρωπος ἐν ἀγαθοῖς ἔχει τὴν ψυχὴν αὐλιζομένην. 13 καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ κληρονομήσει γῆν. "σπέρμα αὐτοῦ" οὐ πάντως τὸ σωματικόν -πολλῶν δὲ ἁγίων