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injustice in my reins and heart, to have walked in innocence, to hope in God, to speak boldly and to say: "Examine me and test me." Since, therefore, I am so in my mind, I also have pure actions. The disposition has washed my actions. "I will wash" therefore "my hands in innocence"; for I am not content with disposition alone. 6 and I will go around your altar, O Lord. And the priests, according to the law, having washed themselves, would go around the altar. But such an ordinance teaches that the one being consecrated must be pure also in actions. Indeed, a laver was constructed for washing "the feet and the hands" not from any other material than from mirrors. Moses received much gold and other vessels from the Hebrews to construct many vessels for the temple, a lampstand, a table. And some things were of silver, and others of gold, but the laver he constructed from the mirrors of the women, teaching that one washing his actions and the traveling powers of the soul ought to see himself as in a mirror. And that such conduct is called a mirror, James also writes: he speaks of the one "who becomes a forgetful hearer" and not "a doer of the work": "he observed his face in a mirror and immediately went away and forgot what he was like." He did not find fault with observing the face in a mirror, but 96 with turning away immediately. Just as one looking in a mirror, when he turns away from the mirror, no longer sees himself, so one who pays attention to the law, if he is not a doer of the law, passes away like one who turns from the mirror and receives forgetfulness of what is according to the . "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord." In the laver, therefore, which was made of mirrors, the Apostle also washed his hands and urged others to do this. 7To hear the voice of your praise. You see that after the washing of hands comes also the seeing of wonders and the hearing of the voice of praise; for virtue must not stop at action, but also extend to contemplation and praise, to the point of recognizing the good itself, the truth. 7And to declare all your wonders. The hearing of the voice of praise happens for the purpose of declaring all the wonders of God. He has in his own discourse no other narrative at all than that concerning the wonders of God. Thus, the one saying these things is a priest, not one who serves as priest by succession according to the daily courses of the law, but as Samuel was always in the house. And each of the saints is one who is able to say: "But I am continually with you." And here it is said: "My eyes are ever toward the Lord." The one who continually has his eyes toward God goes around the altar of God. Abiding with him always, he always performs sacred rites. 8O Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house, and the place of the tabernacle of your glory. How do a tabernacle and a house differ? It has often been said that the tabernacle signifies progress; for it is a dwelling of those who are journeying, it is a portable house. But the house is established in one place. It signifies, therefore, perfection. "And the place of the tabernacle of your glory I have loved," when I was making progress. The glory of the tabernacle, that is, of progress, comes about in both practical and intellectual virtue. Magnificent is he who is able to say: "All that we were obligated to do, we have done." This one is magnificent. That which is fitting is properly good, when it results in virtue and piety. Comely is the one who through celibacy achieves "how he may please the Lord." The one who is "holy in body and in spirit" has comeliness. The comeliness, therefore, of your house I have loved, that is, perfection. 9 Do not destroy my soul with the ungodly, nor my life with men of blood. He does not mean this: "Do not condemn me, being righteous, with the ungodly, do not drag me to them." Then you do not punish me with the ungodly, if you prevent me from coming into ungodliness. And I am prevented from coming into ungodliness, if the virtuous achievements I confessed to have remain 97 with me, if I remain in innocence

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ἀδικίαν ἐν νεφροῖς καὶ καρδίᾳ, τὸ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ πεπορεῦσθαι, τὸ ἐλπίζειν ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ, τὸ παρρησιάζεσθαι καὶ λέγειν· "δοκί μασόν με καὶ πείρασόν με". ἐπεὶ τοίνυν οὕτως εἰμὶ κατὰ τὴν γνώμην, καὶ τὰς πράξεις ἔχω καθαράς. ἡ διάθεσις ἀπέπλυνέν μου τὰς πράξεις. "νίψομαι" οὖν "ἐν ἀθῴοις τὰς χεῖράς μου"· οὐ γὰρ ἀρκοῦμαι μόνον τῇ διαθέσει. 6 καὶ κυκλώσω τὸ θυσιατήριόν σου, κύριε. καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς κατὰ τὸν νόμον νιπτόμενοι ἐκύκλουν τὸ θυσιαστήριον. διδάσκει δὲ τὸ τοιοῦτον θέσπισμα, ὅτι δεῖ καθαρὸν εἶναι καὶ πράξεσιν τὸν ἱερώμενον. ἀμέλει γοῦν κατεσκευάσθη λουτὴρ εἰς τὸ νίπτεσθαι "τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὰς χεῖρας" οὐκ ἐξ ἄλλης ὕλης ἢ ἐκ τῶν καθόπτρων. ἔλαβεν ὁ Μωυσῆς πολλὰ χρυσία καὶ ἄλλα σκεύη παρὰ τῶν Ἑβραίων εἰς τὸ κατασκευάσαι πολλὰ τοῦ ναοῦ σκεύη, λυχνίαν, τράπεζαν. καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐξ ἀργύρου, τὰ δὲ ἐκ χρυσοῦ, τὸν λουτῆρα δὲ ἐκ τῶν καθόπτρων τῶν γυναικῶν κατεσκεύασεν διδάςκων, ὅτι πλυνόμενός τις τὰς πράξεις ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τὰς πορευτικὰς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις εἰσοπτρίζεσθαι ἑαυτὸν ὀφείλει. ὅτι δὲ ἡ τοιαύτη ἀγωγὴ ἔσοπτρον λέγεται, καὶ Ἰάκωβος γράφει· τὸν "ἀκροατὴν ἐπιλησμονῆς γενόμενον" καὶ μὴ "ποιητὴν ἔργου" λέγει· "κατενόησεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ καὶ εὐθέως ἀπελήλυθεν καὶ ἐπελάθετο ὁποῖος ἦν". οὐκ ᾐτιάσατο τὸ κατανοῆσαι ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ τὸ πρόσωπον, ἀλλὰ 96 τὸ ἀποστῆναι εὐθέως. ὡς δὲ ὁ ἐσοπτριζόμενος ὅταν ἀποστῇ τοῦ καθόπτρου, οὐκέτι ὁρᾷ ἑαυτόν, οὕτως ὁ τῷ νόμῳ ἐπανέχων ἐὰν μὴ ποιητὴς ᾖ τοῦ νόμου, παρέρχεται κατὰ τὸν ἀφιστάμενον τοῦ ἐσόπτρου καὶ λήθην λαμβάνει τοῦ κατὰ τὴν . "ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν κυρίου καθοπτριζόμεθα". ἐν τῷ λουτῆρι ἄρα τῷ ἐκ καθόπτρων γενομένῳ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐνίπτετο τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους εἰς τοῦτο προετρέπετο. 7τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν αἰνέσεώς σου. ὁρᾷς, ὅτι μετὰ τὴν νίψιν τῶν χειρῶν γίνεται καὶ τὸ ἰδεῖν τὰ θαυμάσια καὶ ἀκοῦσαι τὴν φωνὴν τῆς αἰνέσεως· οὐ γὰρ μέχρι πράξεως στῆναι δεῖ τὴν ἀρετήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι θεωρίας καὶ αἰνέσεως, μέχρι τοῦ ἐπιγνῶναι αὐτὸ τὸ καλόν, τὴν ἀλήθειαν. 7καὶ διηγήσασθαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσιά σου. τὸ ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν αἰνέσεως γίνεται πρὸς τὸ πάντα τὰ θαυμάσια τοῦ θεοῦ διηγήσασθαι. οὐκ ἔχει ὅλως ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ λόγῳ ἄλλην διήγησιν ἢ τὴν περὶ τῶν θαυμασίων τοῦ θεοῦ. οὕτω δὲ ἱερεύς ἐστιν ὁ ταῦτα λέγων οὐχ ὁ ἐκ διαδοχῆς ἱερατεύων κατὰ τὰς ἐφημερίας τοῦ νόμου, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ Σαμουὴλ ἀεὶ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ἦν. καὶ ἕκαστος δὲ τῶν ἁγίων ὁ δυνάμενος εἰπεῖν· "ἐγὼ δὲ διὰ παντὸς μετὰ σοῦ". καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ εἴρηται· "οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου διὰ παντὸς πρὸς τὸν κύριον". ὁ διὰ παντὸς ἔχων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἑαυτοῦ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν κυκλοῖ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ. παραμένων αὐτῷ ἀεὶ ἀεὶ ἱερουργεῖ. 8κύριε, ἠγάπησα εὐπρέπειαν οἴκου σου καὶ τόπον σκηνώματος δόξης σου. σκηνὴ καὶ οἶκος τίνι διαφέρει; πολλάκις εἴρηται ὅτι ἡ μὲν σκηνὴ προκοπὴν δηλοῖ· οἰκία γάρ ἐστιν ὁδευόντων, φορητὸς οἶκός ἐστιν. ὁ δὲ οἶκος ἵδρυται ἐν ἑνὶ τόπῳ. τὴν τελειότητα γοῦν σημαίνει. "καὶ τόπον σκηνώματος δόξης σου ἠγάπησα", ὅτε προέκοπτον. ἡ δόξα τοῦ σκηνώματος, τουτέστιν τῆς προκοπῆς, καὶ ἐν πρακτικῇ καὶ ἐν διανοητικῇ γίνεται ἀρετῇ. μεγαλοπρεπής ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ δυνάμενος εἰπεῖν· "πάντα, ἃ ὠφείλαμεν ποιῆσαι, πεποιήκαμεν". οὗτος μεγαλοπρεπής ἐστιν. κυρίως εὖ ἔχει τὸ πρέπον, ὅταν εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ θεοσέβειαν γένηται. εὐπρεπής ἐστιν ὁ διὰ ἀγαμίας κατορθῶν "πῶς ἀρέσῃ τῷ κυρίῳ". ὁ ὢν "ἅγιος σώματι καὶ πνεύματι" εὐπρέπειαν ἔχει. τὴν εὐπρέπειαν οὖν τοῦ οἴκου σου ἠγάπησα, τὴν τελειότητα. 9 μὴ συναπολέσῃς μετὰ ἀσεβῶν τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρῶν αἱμάτων τὴν ζωήν μου. οὐ τοῦτο λέγει ὅτι· "δίκαιον ὄντα μή με κατακρίνῃς μετὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν, μὴ εἰς ἐκείνους με ἑλκύσῃς". τότε δὲ οὐ συνκολάζεις με μετὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν, ἐὰν κωλύῃς με εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἐλθεῖν. κωλύομαι δὲ εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἐλθεῖν, ἐὰν παραμείνῃ 97 μοι ἃ ὡμολόγησα ἔχειν κατορθώματα, ἐὰν μείνω ἐν ἀκακίᾳ