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he says; even if such great fertility came to him, that even the barren land became fruitful for him, nonetheless he is mortal. And as to the meaning: The impious man, he says, took pleasure in the irregularity of this life which runs by like a winter torrent, not understanding that he is mortal. Wherefore he also adds: 21, 33 And after him every man shall depart, and before him are innumerable ones. Not even this was the impious man able to understand, that innumerable are those who have died before him, and all those after him endure the common death. This blessed man said these things, checking impiety and teaching not to cling to things that pass by as if they were permanent. 21, 34 How then do you comfort me in vain? But you, he says, brought forth your words in vain as if they were comforting, having presented them neither usefully nor seasonably. 21, 34 But for me to be stopped by you is nothing. As it seems, he says, I gain nothing, whether I am silent or I teach you what is useful. Therefore I end the speech. 190 CHAPTER SIXTEEN The beginning of the saying: And Eliphaz the Temanite, taking it up, says: Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge? For what does it matter to the Lord, if you were blameless in your works? Introduction to the chapter The friends mocked Job for his sins, declaring that afflictions necessarily follow those who transgress. But he, opposing them, asked them problematically: If these things happen in every way and altogether as you say, in what way do we see many of the impious prospering until the end and concluding their life with good fortune? To these things Eliphaz is at a loss to respond, but he turns to other insults and more harshly insults the righteous man, placing upon him accusations which would scarcely be committed by the worst of men. And having sufficiently washed him with insults, he turns to exhortation and advises him to turn to repentance, so that, having obtained divine assistance, he might receive back his former happiness and gain the propitious right hand of the all-powerful God. Therefore, these things said to Job are exceedingly inappropriate, but otherwise the words of Eliphaz are useful; for he teaches not only to abstain from evil, but also instructs to do good, as divine justice subjects to punishments not only those who practice evil, but also those who do not perform good actions. For since the words of the friends are useful, even if they were spoken discordantly and inappropriately to the righteous and true man, for this reason also divine grace has beneficially arranged for us that these things be handed down in writing. The words 22, 2 Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge? When Job had said this, Eliphaz also concurs with the statement and says that: I too understand that God is the one who teaches understanding. Therefore, even if righteous men teach us, having received the grace of teaching, again it is Christ who teaches us through them, and the very act of understanding and the opening of our hearts to the reception of divine lessons happens by divine grace? 22, 34 For what does it matter to the Lord if you were blameless in your works, or what is the profit that you should make your way straightforward? Or, by taking account of you, will he reprove you and come with you into judgment? Since you are proud of yourself as being blameless, let it be granted that you are pure. What then, tell me, did you procure for God by being righteous and by extending your way into good works? What is the benefit to God from this? 192 But do you think that, taking great account of you, he punishes and judges you, as if he were going to be benefited by your righteousness, if indeed you were righteous? But others have read it thus: _F_o_r_ _w_h_a_t_? Then, having punctuated, they continued with what follows: _I_t_ _m_a_t_t_e_r_s_ _t_o_ _t_h_e_ _L_o_r_d_,_ _i_f_ _y_o_u_ _w_e_r_e_ _b_l_a_m_e_l_e_s_s_ _i_n_ _y_o_u_r_ _w_o_r_k_s_. And this is the meaning: I too know, he says, that the reasons according to which one impious man prospers, and another is punished, only the all-wise one himself understands. And I also know this, that it matters to the Lord and he takes care that we be blameless

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φησιν· εἰ καὶ τοσαύτη τις αὐτῷ προσγέγονεν 189 εὐφορία, ὡς καὶ τὴν ἄκαρπον γῆν καρποφόρον αὐτῷ γενέσθαι, ὅμως οὐδὲν ἧττον θνητός ἐστιν. πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν· ἐν ἡδονῇ, φησίν, ἔσχεν ὁ ἀσεβὴς τὴν τοῦ βίου τούτου ἀνωμαλίαν τοῦ χειμάρρου δίκην παρατρέχοντος οὐκ ἐννοήσας, ὅτι θνητός ἐστιν. διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει· 21, 33 καὶ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἀπελεύσεται καὶ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἀναρίθμητοι. οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἠδυνήθη συνιέναι ὁ ἀσεβής, ὡς ἀναρίθμητοι μὲν οἱ πρὸ αὐτοῦ τελευτήσαντες καὶ οἱ μετ' αὐτὸν δὲ πάντες τὸν κοινὸν ὑφίστανται θάνατον. ταῦτα δὲ εἶπεν ὁ μακάριος οὗτος ἀνὴρ ἀνακόπτων μὲν ἀσέβειαν, ἐκδιδάσκων δέ, μὴ τῶν παρατρεχόντων ὡς ἑστώτων ἀντέχεσθαι. 21, 34 πῶς δέ με παρακαλεῖτε κενά; ὑμεῖς δέ, φησίν, ματαίως ὡς παρακλητικοὺς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν προσηγάγετε λόγους οὐ χρησίμως οὐδὲ εὐκαίρως αὐτοὺς προκομίσαντες. 21, 34 τὸ δὲ ἐμὲ καταπαύσασθαι ἀφ' ὑμῶν οὐθέν ἐστιν. ὡς ἔοικε δέ, φησίν, οὐδὲν ὠφελῶ, ἐὰν σιγήσω ἢ διδάξω ὑμᾶς τὰ χρήσιμα. διὸ καταπαύω τὸν λόγον. 190 ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΕΚΚΑΙ∆ΕΚΑΤΟΝ Ἀρχὴ τοῦ ῥητοῦ· ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ἐλιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανίτης λέγει· πότερον οὐχ ὁ κύριός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην; τί γὰρ μέλει τῷ κυρίῳ, ἐὰν σὺ ἦσθα τοῖς ἔργοις σου ἄμεμπτος; Προθεωρία τοῦ κεφαλαίου ἔσκωπτον μὲν οἱ φίλοι τὸν Ἰὼβ ἐφ' ἁμαρτίαις τὰς κακώσεις ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἕπεσθαι τοῖς πλημμελοῦσιν ἀποφαινόμενοι. ὁ δὲ τοῖς παρ' αὐτῶν ἀντικαθιστάμενος προβληματικῶς αὐτοὺς ἠρώτησεν· εἰ ταῦτα οὕτως ὡς ὑμεῖς φατε πάντῃ τε καὶ πάντως γίνεται, τίνι τρόπῳ πολλοὺς ὁρῶμεν τῶν ἀσεβῶν μέχρι τέλους εὐθηνηθέντας καὶ τὸν βίον σὺν εὐημερίᾳ καταλύσαντας; πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Ἐλιφὰζ ἀπορεῖ μὲν ἀνταποκρίνασθαι, εἰς ἑτέρας δὲ τρέπεται ὕβρεις καὶ ἀπηνέστερον ὑβρίζει τὸν δίκαιον ἐγκλήματα περιτιθεὶς αὐτῷ, ἃ τοῖς κακίστοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων μόγις ἐξείργασται. ἱκανῶς δὲ αὐτὸν πλύνας ταῖς ὕβρεσιν εἰς παραίνεσιν τρέπεται καὶ συμβουλεύει πρὸς μετάνοιαν ἐπιστρέφειν, ὡς ἂν τῆς θείας ἐπικουρίας ἐπιτυχὼν τήν τε παλαιὰν εὐδαιμονίαν ἀπολάβοι καὶ ἵλεω τὴν παντοδύναμον τοῦ θεοῦ κτήσαιτο δεξιάν. πρὸς μὲν οὖν τὸν Ἰὼβ ταῦτα λεγόμενα σφόδρα ἀναρμόστως ἔχει, χρήσιμα δὲ ἄλλως εἰσὶ τοῦ Ἐλιφὰζ τὰ ῥήματα· οὐ γὰρ κακίας μόνον 191 ἀποστῆναι διδάσκει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγαθοεργεῖν ἐκπαιδεύει ὡς τῆς θείας δίκης οὐ μόνον τοὺς κακίαν ἐπιτηδεύοντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς μὴ τὰς ἀγαθὰς ἐκτελοῦντας πράξεις ταῖς τιμωρίαις καθυποβαλλούσης. ἐπειδὴ γάρ εἰσι χρήσιμα τὰ τῶν φίλων ῥήματα, κἂν ἐκμελῶς καὶ ἀναρμόστως πρὸς τὸν δίκαιον ἄνδρα καὶ ἀληθινὸν ἐλέγοντο, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡ θεία χάρις γραφῇ ταῦτα παραδοθῆναι συμφερόντως ἡμῖν ᾠκονομήσατο. Αἱ λέξεισ 22, 2 πότερον οὐχ ὁ κύριός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην; τοῦτο τοῦ Ἰὼβ εἰρηκότος συντρέχει τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ὁ Ἐλιφὰζ καί φησιν ὅτι· κἀγὼ συνεπίσταμαι, ὅτι θεός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν. οὐκοῦν, κἂν ἄνδρες δίκαιοι διδάσκωσιν ἡμᾶς διδασκαλικὴν εἰληφότες χάριν, πάλιν ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν ὁ δι' αὐτῶν διδάσκων ἡμᾶς, καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ συνιέναι καὶ διανοιχθῆναι τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν τῶν θείων μαθημάτων παραδοχὴν κατὰ θείαν γίνεται χάριν; 22, 34 τί γὰρ μέλει τῷ κυρίῳ ἐὰν σὺ ἦσθα τοῖς ἔργοις ἄμεμπτος, ἢ ὠφέλεια ὅτι ἁπλώσῃς εἰς τὴν ὁδόν σου; ἢ λόγον σου ποιούμενος ἐλέγξει σε καὶ συνελεύσεταί σοι εἰς κρίσιν; ἐπειδὴ μέγα ἐπὶ σαυτῷ φρονεῖς ὡς ἄμεμπτος, δεδόσθω εἶναί σε καθαρόν. τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, περιεποίησας θεῷ δίκαιος ὢν καὶ εἰς ἀγαθοεργίας ἐξαπλῶν τὴν σὴν ὁδόν; τίς ἐντεῦθεν ὄνησις τῷ θεῷ; 192 νομίζεις δέ, ὅτι πολύν τινά σου ποιούμενος λόγον τιμωρεῖταί σε καὶ κρίνει, ὡς δὴ ἐκ τῆς σῆς δικαιοσύνης μέλλων ὠφελεῖσθαι, εἴπερ ἦς δίκαιος; ἕτεροι δὲ οὕτως ἀνέγνωσαν· _τ_ί_ _γ_ά_ρ_; εἶτα ὑποστίξαντες τὰ ἑξῆς ἐπήγαγον· _μ_έ_λ_ε_ι_ _τ_ῷ_ _κ_υ_ρ_ί_ῳ_,_ _ἐ_ὰ_ν_ _σ_ὺ_ _ἦ_σ_θ_α_ _τ_ο_ῖ_ς_ _ἔ_ρ_γ_ο_ι_ς_ _ἄ_μ_ε_μ_π_τ_ο_ς_. ὁ δὲ νοῦς οὗτος· οἶδα κἀγώ, φησίν, ὅτι τοὺς λόγους καθ' οὓς ὁ μέν τις ἀσεβὴς εὐθηνεῖται, ὁ δὲ κολάζεται, αὐτὸς μόνος ὁ πάνσοφος ἐπίσταται. κἀκεῖνο δὲ οἶδα, ὅτι μέλει τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐν φροντίδι τίθεται τὸ ἀμέμπτους ἡμᾶς