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95.1292 Rulers, fear the one who is mightier. The kingdom of earthly affairs smooths out harshness. Every just king has a priestly rank.

TITLE 10. -Concerning a king not greatly admired. A rash king will fall

into evils. A king in want of revenues, a great slanderer. Those who obey a king’s

unjust word, are all lawless under him. Woe to you, O city, whose king is a youth, and whose princes eat in the morning. Misfortune overturns the thrones of rulers. Hear therefore, O kings, and understand; give ear, you that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations, for power is given you from the Lord. For being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of the Most High. Horribly and speedily shall destruction come upon you, for a sharp judgment is for them that are in high places, and a strong inquiry comes upon the mighty; for the mighty shall be mightily tested. Gold has destroyed many, and has perverted the heart of a king. An uninstructed king will destroy his people. No one of the foolish is a king, even if he should take up the rule of all the earth and sea; but only the one who is gracious and beloved of God.

TITLE 11. -Concerning the king; that it is necessary to pray for him. You shall not revile the gods, nor speak evil of the ruler of your people.

Impious is he who says to a king: You transgress the law. Do not curse the king in your conscience, for a bird of the air shall carry your voice. Fear God, my son, and the king, and be not disobedient to either of them. When the magi saw the star, they rejoiced, and brought gifts. I urge you, first of all, to make supplications, prayers, intercessions for all people; for kings, and for all who are in high positions. For this is good in the sight of God our Savior.

TITLE 12. -Concerning counsel; that it is necessary to do all things with counsel and deliberation. Like a city whose walls have been cast down, without walls, so is a man who not with

counsel does all things. 95.1293 They to whom governance does not belong, fall like leaves; but salvation is in much counsel. With governance war is made; but help, with a heart that takes counsel. Do all things with counsel. Drink wine with counsel. Good counsel will guard you, and a holy thought will keep you. Gather together, and take counsel together, you who are saved. Do nothing without counsel, and in doing it, do not repent. A wooden lashing bound into a building will not be loosed in an earthquake; so a heart established on the thoughts of counsel will not be afraid in time of trouble. Prepare your word, and so you shall be heard; bind up instruction, and so you shall answer. Gold and silver will make the feet stand sure, but above both counsel shall be well pleased. Take counsel with the wise. The counsel of the wise is a fountain of life. Considered slowness is better than unthinking haste. It is a blessing to escape from evil counsel. Things not with reason are all shameful, just as things with reason are orderly. Without scientific contemplation, nothing of what is done is good. Do not be ignorant that both for giving an opinion that is not fitting, and for counsel that is not pure, we are shut out from the divine kingdom. Therefore we ought to offer our opinions very thoughtfully to those who ask us.

TITLE 13. -Concerning foods, and the necessities for living.

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95.1292 Οἱ δυνάσται, φοβεῖσθε τὸν δυνατώτερον. Βασιλεία τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς πραγμάτων τὰς τραχύτητας ὁμαλίζει. Πᾶς βασιλεὺς δίκαιος ἱερατικὴν ἔχει τάξιν.

ΤΙΤΛ. Ιʹ. -Περὶ βασιλέως μὴ λίαν θαυμαζομένου. Βασιλεὺς θρασὺς ἐμπεσεῖται

εἰς κακά. Βασιλεὺς ἐνδεὴς προσόδων, μέγας συκοφάντης. Βασιλέως ὑπακούοντες

λόγον ἄδικον, πάντες ὑπ' αὐτὸν παράνομοι. Οὐαί σοι, πόλις ἧς ὁ βασιλεύς σου νεώτερος, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντές σου ἐν πρωῒ ἐσθίουσιν. Κακοπραγία περιστρέφει θρόνους δυναστῶν. Ἀκούσατε οὖν, βασιλεῖς, καὶ σύνετε· ἐνωτίσασθε, οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους, καὶ γεγαυρωμένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν, ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ Κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν. Ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας, οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς, οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Ὑψίστου ἐπορεύθητε. Φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν ὄλεθρος, ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσι γίνεται, καὶ τοῖς κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα· δυνατοὶ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται. Πολλοὺς ἀπώλεσε τὸ χρυσίον, καὶ καρδίαν βασιλέως ἐξέκλινεν. Βασιλεὺς ἀπαίδευτος ἀπολεῖ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ. Τῶν μὲν ἀφρόνων βασιλεὺς οὐδεὶς, κἂν τὸ πάσης γῆς καὶ θαλάττης κράτος ἀνάψηται· μόνος δὲ ὁ ἀστεῖος καὶ θεοφιλής.

ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΑʹ. -Περὶ βασιλέως· ὅτι χρὴ εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. Θεοὺς οὐ κακολογήσεις, καὶ ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς.

Ἀσεβὴς, ὁ λέγων βασιλεῖ· Παρανομεῖς. Ἐν εἰδήσει σου βασιλέα μὴ καταράσῃ, ὅτι πετεινὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀποίσει τὴν φωνήν σου. Φοβοῦ τὸν Θεὸν, υἱὲ, καὶ βασιλέα, καὶ μηδετέρῳ αὐτῶν ἀπειθήσεις. Ἰδόντες ἀστέρα οἱ μάγοι, ἐχάρησαν, καὶ δῶρα προσήγαγον. Παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς, πρῶτον πάντων ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, προσευχὰς, ἐντεύξεις ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων· ὑπὲρ βασιλέων, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ ὄντων. Τοῦτο γὰρ καλὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ.

ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΒʹ. -Περὶ βουλῆς· ὅτι χρὴ μετὰ βουλῆς καὶ σκέψεως πράττειν πάντα. Ὥσπερ πόλις τὰ τείχη καταβεβλημένη, ἀτείχιστος, οὕτως ἀνὴρ ὃς οὐ μετὰ

βουλῆς τὰ πάντα πράττει. 95.1293 Οἷς μὴ ὑπάρχει κυβέρνησις, πίπτουσιν ὥσπερ φύλλα· σωτηρία δὲ ἐν πολλῇ βουλῇ. Μετὰ κυβερνήσεως γίνεται πόλεμος· βοήθεια δὲ, μετὰ καρδίας βουλευομένης. Μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει. Μετὰ βουλῆς οἰνοπότει. Βουλὴ καλὴ φυλάξει σε, ἔννοια δὲ ὁσία τηρήσει σε. Συνάχθητε, καὶ καταβουλεύσασθε ἅμα, οἱ σωζόμενοι. Ἄνευ βουλῆς μηδὲν ποιήσῃς, καὶ ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαί σε μὴ μεταμέλου. Ἱμάντωσις ξυλίνη ἐνδεδεμένη εἰς οἰκοδομὴν, ἐν συσσεισμῷ οὐ διαλυθήσεται· οὕτως καρδία ἐστηριγμένη ἐπὶ διανοήμασι βουλῆς, ἐν καιρῷ οὐ δειλιάσει. Ἑτοίμασον λόγον, καὶ οὕτως ἀκουσθήσῃ· σύνδησον παιδείαν, καὶ οὕτως ἀποκριθήσῃ. Χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον ἐπιστήσουσι πόδας, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀμφότερα βουλὴ εὐδοκιμήσει. Μετὰ σοφοῦ συμβουλεύου. Βουλὴ σοφοῦ πηγὴ ζωῆς. Κρείσσων λελογισμένη βραδύτης, τάχους ἀπερισκέπτου. Μακαριότης ἐστὶ, βουλῆς κακῆς ἐκπεσεῖν. Τὰ μὴ σὺν λόγῳ, πάντα αἰσχρὰ, ὥσπερ τὰ σὺν λόγω κόσμια. Χωρὶς θεωρίας ἐπιστημονικῆς, οὐδὲν τῶν πραττομένων καλόν. Μὴ ἀγνοήσῃς, ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ δοῦναι γνώμην τοῦ μὴ καθήκοντος, καὶ συμβουλίαν οὐκ εὐαγῆ, ἀποκλειόμεθα τῆς θείας βασιλείας. ∆ιόπερ ἐσκεμμένως λίαν τὰς γνώμας τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν ἡμᾶς ὀρέγειν ὀφείλομεν.

ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΓʹ. -Περὶ βρωμάτων, καὶ τῶν πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀναγκαίων.