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asking him for forgiveness of sins, and to obtain the things that were said. 358 Ps 36,8a Anger is a destructive passion, so as to destroy even the prudent; For anger destroys even the prudent, but it is also an impediment to the activity of virtue; For the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. therefore Cease from anger and forsake wrath, becoming a zealot of meekness and gentleness. And one can cease from the anger of God and forsake his wrath by abstaining from those things which are followed by falling into anger and wrath. 359 Ps 36,10.11 Since the things of wickedness will be abolished after a little time has passed, the sinner will not exist, since the state by which he is such is not found. therefore even if you seek his place you will not find it. But "place" must be understood as in a certain rank, as for example the difference existing between a teacher and a student. there is a teacher's place and a student's place; whenever the student is filled with knowledge, having become like the teacher, he will leave the student's place, so that it no longer exists. Since, therefore, among rational beings a difference has arisen from their own choice, so that some hold the place of the righteous and others of sinners, when wickedness vanishes, the sinner's place will no longer exist. But the meek, having achieved stability, will be shown to be heirs of a land other than that which we tread, so as to delight themselves in it with an abundance of peace that will be, whenever all the enemies against whom we have war are destroyed. 360 Ps 36,14 It is possible to refer these things to the devil, who is called "the sinner" with an article. And the sinners draw a sword and bend their bow, so that with their bows they might shoot the poor and needy, and with the sword they might slay the upright in heart; for they do not wound those who are rich in evils, being their friends, nor do they slay the crooked in heart, having fellowship with them. Their bent bows are evil reasonings, and their sharpened sword is their tongue or their word, which is destructive of differences. Since, therefore, the one who sins dies by his own sin, the sword of these men, which they sharpened against others, will harm them, entering into their own heart. 361 Ps 36,16 In regard to the meaning: it is better for the righteous to have a little knowledge with piety than the wealth of sinners with impiety, which some think they are rich in, pursuing the things of falsely-called knowledge. 362 Ps 36,17a And "arms" now should be said to be not those of the body but those of the soul, which are practical powers. 363 Ps 36,18a The Lord who knows the way of the righteous will also know the ways of the blameless. The term "knowledge" must now be spoken of not in the sense of simple awareness but in that of intimate union; for the Lord knows all the ways of the blameless which they travel, being united with their blamelessness. And it is also written, The Lord knows the days of the blameless. For since the blameless are never in darkness but always in light and day, for this reason the Lord knows such days of theirs, or also all the days of their life as they are always acting blamelessly and faultlessly. 364 Ps 36,19a An evil time is when someone receives painful things on account of sins. In this time, therefore, the blameless will not be ashamed, not having deeds for which one must suffer. 365 Ps 36,20a That the sinners will perish, not by their constitution being completely dissolved, but by no longer being sinners. 366 Ps 36,25ab Even if there is a great shortage of food because of a severe famine, by God's command ravens will bring food as to Elijah, and as to Daniel in the lions' den Habakkuk, being carried through the air, will bring a meal. And this is in regard to the literal sense, but in regard to the meaning: from a young and unstable character, in which, acting like a youth, I was young; having changed, I came to old age, possessing an unspotted life and mature wisdom. nevertheless having advanced thus, I have not seen the righteous forsaken. And the rest is similar to the first. 367 Ps 36,25c.26 forsaken, because he has God as his nourisher and divine breads

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ἁμαρτημάτων συγχώρησιν αὐτὸν ἀπαιτῶν, καὶ τοῦ τυχεῖν τῶν εἰρημένων. 358 Ps 36,8a ̓Ολέθριον πάθος τυγχάνει ἡ ὀργή, ὡς καὶ τοὺς φρονίμους ἀναιρεῖν· ̓Οργὴ γὰρ ἀπόλλυσι καὶ φρονίμους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἐνεργείας τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἐμποδιστική· ̓Οργὴ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς δικαιοσύνην θεοῦ οὐκ ἐργάζεται. διὸ Παῦσαι ἀπὸ ὀργῆς καὶ ἐγκατάλειπε θυμόν, ζηλωτὴς πραΰτητος καὶ ἡμερότητος γινόμενος. δύναται δέ τις παύεσθαι ἀπὸ ὀργῆς τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐγκαταλείπειν τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπεχόμενος ἐκείνων οις ἀκολουθεῖ τὸ ὀργῇ καὶ θυμῷ ὑποπεσεῖν. 359 Ps 36,10.11 ̓Επεὶ καταργηθήσεται τὰ τῆς κακίας ετι ὀλίγου παραδραμόντος χρόνου, οὐχ ὑπάρξεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλός, τῆς εξεως καθ' ην ἐστιν τοιοῦτος οὐχ εὑρισκομένης. διὸ καὶ ζητήσας τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ οὐχ εὑρήσεις. τόπον δὲ ἀκουστέον τὸν ὡς εν τινι τάξει, οιον διαφορᾶς ἐνούσης διδασκάλου καὶ μαθητοῦ. εστιν τόπος διδασκάλου καὶ τόπος μαθητοῦ, οτ' αν ὁ μαθητὴς πληρωθῇ τῆς ἐπιστήμης, ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος γεγενημένος ἀπολείψει τὸν μαθητοῦ τόπον ὡς μηκέτι ειναι τοῦτον. ἐπεὶ ουν καὶ τῶν λογικῶν ἐξ ἰδίας αἱρέσεως γέγονε διαφορὰ ὡς τοὺς μὲν δικαίων τοὺς δὲ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐπέχειν τόπον, ἀφανιζομένης τῆς κακίας οὐκ ετ' εσται τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ τόπος. οἱ δὲ πραεῖς εὐστάθειαν κατορθώσαντες κληρονόμοι γῆς ἑτέρας παρ' ης πατοῦμεν ἀποδειχθήσονται, ὡς καὶ κατατρυφᾶν ἐπ' αὐτῆς πλήθους εἰρήνης ἐσομένου, οτ' αν πάντες οἱ ἐχθροὶ πρὸς ους εχομεν τὸν πόλεμον καταλυθῶσιν. 360 Ps 36,14 ∆υνατὸν ἐπὶ τὸν διάβολον ἀνάγειν ταῦτα μετὰ αρθρου ἁμαρτωλὸν ὀνομαζόμενον. σπῶνται δὲ καὶ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ῥομφαίαν καὶ ἐντείνουσι τόξον, οπως τοῖς μὲν τόξοις βάλωσι τὸν πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα, τῇ δὲ ῥομφαίᾳ σφάξωσι τοὺς εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ· οὐ γὰρ τοὺς ἐν κακοῖς πλουτοῦντας τιτρώσκουσι φίλους αὐτῶν οντας, οὐδὲ τοὺς σκολιοὺς τῇ καρδίᾳ σφάττουσιν ἑταιρίαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς εχοντες. τόξα δὲ αὐτῶν ἐντεταμένα οἱ πονηροί εἰσιν λογισμοί, ῥομφαία δὲ ἠκονημένη ἡ γλῶσσα ητοι ὁ λόγος αὐτῶν ἀναιρετικός ἐστιν διαφορῶν. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ὁ ἁμαρτάνων τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀποθνῄσκει, καὶ τούτων ἡ ῥομφαία ην κατ' αλλων ἠκόνησαν βλάψει αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν. 361 Ps 36,16 Πρὸς διάνοιαν· κρεῖττον τῷ δικαίῳ ὀλίγον γνώσεως εχειν μετ' εὐσεβείας ὑπὲρ πλοῦτον μετὰ δυσσεβείας τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, ον πλουτεῖν οιονταί τινες τὰ τῆς ψευδονύμου γνώσεως μετερχόμενοι. 362 Ps 36,17a Βραχίονας δὲ νῦν οὐ τοὺς τοῦ σώματος ἀλλὰ τοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς οντας πρακτικὰς δυνάμεις ῥητέον. 363 Ps 36,18a ̔Ο γινώσκων κύριος τὴν τῶν δικαίων ὁδὸν καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀμώμων ὁδοὺς εισεται. τὸ τῆς γνώσεως οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς εἰδήσεως ῥητέον τὰ νῦν ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνακράσεως· τὰς γὰρ τῶν ἀμώμων ὁδοὺς ας ὁδεύουσιν πάσας γινώσκει κύριος τῇ ἀμωμότητι αὐτῶν ἀνακρινάμενος. φέρεται δὲ καὶ Γινώσκει κύριος τὰς ἡμέρας τῶν ἀμώμων. ἐπεὶ γὰρ οἱ αμωμοι οὐδέποτε ἐν σκότῳ ἀλλ' ἐν φωτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ εἰσὶν ἀεί, τούτου χάριν γινώσκει κύριος τὰς τοιαύτας αὐτῶν ἡμέρας η καὶ πάσας τὰς τοῦ βίου αὐτῶν ἡμέρας ἀεὶ ἀμέμπτως καὶ ἀμώμως ἐνεργούντων. 364 Ps 36,19a Καιρὸς πονηρός ἐστιν οτε ἐπίπονά τις ἀπολαμβάνει ἁμαρτημάτων ενεκα. ἐν τούτῳ ουν τῷ καιρῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσονται οἱ αμωμοι, οὐκ εχοντες πράξεις ἐφ' αις εστι τὸ παθεῖν. 365 Ps 36,20a Οτι οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, οὐ τῷ ἐξ ολων διαλύεσθαι τὴν σύστασιν αὐτῶν ἀλλὰ τῷ μηκέτι ειναι ἁμαρτωλούς. 366 Ps 36,25ab Καν πολλὴ σπάνις σιτίων διὰ κραταιὰν λιμὸν γένηται, κατ' ἐντολὴν θεοῦ κόρακες οισουσιν ὡς τῷ ̔Ηλίᾳ τροφάς, καὶ ὡς τῷ ∆ανιὴλ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ τῶν λεόντων αριστον ὁ ̓Αμβακοὺμ μετέωρος φερόμενος οισει. καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ ῥητόν, πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν· ἐκ νεαροῦ καὶ ἀβεβαίου ηθους καθ' ο νεωτερίζων νεώτερος ημην μεταβαλὼν εἰς γῆρας ηλθον βίον ἀκηλίδωτον καὶ πολιὰν φρόνησιν κεκτημένος. ομως ουτω προκόψας Οὐκ ειδον δίκαιον ἐγκαταλελειμμένον. τὰ δ' αλλα ὁμοίως τῷ πρώτῳ. 367 Ps 36,25c.26 ἐγκαταλελειμένον τῷ τὸν θεὸν εχειν τρέφοντα καὶ αρτους θείους