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But the things from the air upon the earth are still, he says, so that both south wind and heat come to be; and perhaps someone will give some sort of reasons for these things. But what shall we say about the heaven that was firmly constructed from the beginning and of old, being strong in nature and, like cataracts over the eyes, thus poured over us and not allowing us to see the things beyond it. But others interpreted it thus: It is he, he says, who of old wrought the firmament strong and solid out of the fluid and poured-out nature of the waters. But such an interpretation is not easily acceptable; for we do not declare that God made the heaven out of waters, but as he himself knew and as he willed. For as this also is unknown, Elihu discourses. 37, 19 Wherefore teach me, what shall we say to him and let us cease from saying many things. What then shall we say about these things? What can we understand? Do we dare to say to God: Why did you make these things so, or why, being in need of nothing, did you fashion this world for yourself? Do we not marvel in silence at his goodness and wisdom? Therefore let us refrain from saying many things, yielding to him a wisdom that is beyond us. 37, Is a book or a scribe present with me, that standing as a man I should be silent? 327 Do I speak these things from a book or is there some contentiousness in me, that I might defeat you? By no means, but I say these things from the knowledge of God and proclaim the power of God, instead of: I did not need to learn these things from another; for they are manifest to all who at least have understanding. Therefore he adds: 37, 21 But the light is not visible to all, it is far-shining in the old things. For just as the light is manifest to all, so also these things are manifest, being the works of God, and it is clear from of old and ancient times that God thus administers these things. 37, 2122 just as that which is from him came forth upon the clouds, from the north, clouds gleaming with gold. Just as, of course, this work is also accomplished by him, and the air from cloudiness and gloominess is cleansed by a wind. But the north wind cleanses it, leading up clouds gleaming with gold and reddish, by God's command. 37, 2223 In these things great is the glory and {the} honor from the Almighty and we do not find another like his strength. From so many things it is possible to reason, that we ought to send up great doxology to God, for the things with which he honored our race and for our governance these things are thus accomplished by him who has incomparable wisdom and power. But other copies contain _and_ _honor_ _of the Almighty_, instead of: great is the glory and honor of the Almighty, which we owe to him. 328 37, 23 He who judges righteous things, do you not think he hears? When Job had said: I will cry out and there is no judgment anywhere, according to the meaning given by us in these passages, Elihu, as if taking hold of the saying, says that: Do not think that the just judge and guardian of our affairs neglects us. For he oversees all things and hears all things and he allots to each according to his worth according to his own just judgment. 37, 24 Therefore men will fear him, even the wise in heart will fear him. For the sake of this conclusion he went through all the aforementioned things in detail, wishing to bring Job to fear. For because of all these things, he says, both the common and herd-like man ought to fear God, and the wise and understanding ought to do this even more. For not even those who are highest in wisdom have comprehended what is perfect, but even if they are deemed worthy of some knowledge from God, they know in part, as the holy apostle taught us. But I say, that even more than them ought those who have been deemed worthy of greater knowledge to fear with a dispassionate fear; for he is great and terrible over all those around him. And around him are those who are deemed worthy of a greater understanding of him. 329 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIXTH Beginning of the passage: And after Elihu ceased from speaking, the Lord said to Job through a whirlwind and clouds: Who is this that hides counsel from me, and keeps words in his heart, and thinks to hide them from me? Preface to the chapter wealth and poverty, health and sickness, honor and dishonor, and

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ἡσυχάζει δέ, φησίν, τὰ ἐκ τοῦ ἀέρος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὡς καὶ νότον καὶ θέρμην ἐγγίνεσθαι· καὶ ἴσως τούτων ἐρεῖ τις τοὺς ὁποιουσδήποτε λόγους. τί δὲ λέγωμεν περὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐκ παλαιοῦ στερεμνίως κατασκευασθέντος, ὄντος δὲ ἰσχυροῦ τὴν φύσιν καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ ἐπιχύματα κατὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, οὕτως ἡμῶν ὑπερκεχυμένου καὶ μὴ συγχωροῦντος ἡμᾶς ὁρᾶν τὰ ὑπὲρ αὐτόν. ἄλλοι δὲ οὕτως ἑρμήνευσαν· αὐτός ἐστιν, φησίν, ὁ ἐκ παλαιοῦ τὸ στερέωμα κατεργασάμενος ἰσχυρὸν καὶ στερεὸν ἐκ τῆς ῥευστῆς καὶ κεχυμένης φύσεως τῶν ὑδάτων. ἀλλ' οὐκ εὐπαράδεκτος ἡ τοιαύτη ἑρμηνεία· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποφαινόμεθα, ὅτι ἐξ ὑδάτων θεὸς τὸν οὐρανόν, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτὸς οἶδε καὶ ὡς ἠθέλησεν. ὡς γὰρ καὶ τούτου ἀγνώστου ὄντος Ἐλιοὺς διαλέγεται. 37, 19 διὰ τί δίδαξόν με, τί ἐροῦμεν αὐτῷ καὶ παυσώμεθα πολλὰ λέγοντες. τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν περὶ τούτων; τί συνιέναι δυνάμεθα; ἆρα τολμῶμεν λέγειν θεῷ· διὰ τί ταῦτα οὕτως ἐποίησας ἢ διὰ τί ἀπροσδεὴς ὢν τόνδε τὸν κόσμον σαυτῷ κατεσκεύασας; οὐ σιωπῇ θαυμάζομεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀγαθότητα καὶ σοφίαν; οὐκοῦν τοῦ πολλὰ λέγειν ἐπισχῶμεν παραχωροῦντες αὐτῷ σοφίας τῆς ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς. 37, μὴ βίβλος ἢ γραμματεύς μοι παρέστηκεν, ἵνα ἄνθρωπον ἑστηκὼς κατασιωπήσω; 327 μὴ ἀπὸ βιβλίου ταῦτα λαλῶ ἢ φιλονεικία μοί τίς ἐστιν, ἵνα σε νικήσω; οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ γνώσεως θεοῦ ταῦτα λέγω καὶ δύναμιν θεοῦ ἐξαγγέλλω, ἀντὶ τοῦ· οὐκ ἐδεήθην παρ' ἑτέρου μαθεῖν ταῦτα· πᾶσι γὰρ πρόδηλα τυγχάνουσι τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσιν. διὸ καὶ ἐπιφέρει· 37, 21 πᾶσι δὲ οὐχ ὁρατὸν τὸ φῶς, τηλαυγές ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς παλαιώμασιν. ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ φῶς πᾶσίν ἐστι πρόδηλον, οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα κατάδηλα τυγχάνουσι θεοῦ ἔργα ὄντα, καὶ δῆλός ἐστιν ἐκ παλαιοῦ καὶ ἀρχαίου ταῦτα οὕτω θεὸς διοικούμενος. 37, 2122 ὥσπερ τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ νεφῶν ἐξῆλθεν, ἀπὸ βορρᾶ νέφη χρυσαυγοῦντα. ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον παρ' αὐτοῦ διαπράττεται, καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ ἐκ συννεφείας καὶ σκυθρωπότητος πνεύματι καθαίρεται. βορρᾶς δὲ αὐτὸν ἀποκαθαίρει χρυσαυγεῖς καὶ ὑπερύθρους νεφέλας ἀνάγων θεοῦ προστάγματι. 37, 2223 ἐπὶ τούτοις μεγάλη ἡ δόξα καὶ {ἡ} τιμὴ παρὰ παντοκράτορος καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκομεν ἄλλον ὅμοιον τῇ ἰσχύι αὐτοῦ. ἐκ τῶν τοσούτων ἔστιν ἀναλογίσασθαι, ὡς μεγάλην ὀφείλομεν ἀναπέμπειν τῷ θεῷ τὴν δοξολογίαν, ἐφ' οἷς ἡμῶν τὸ γένος ἐτίμησε καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν κυβέρνησιν ταῦτα οὕτω διαπράττεται ὁ ἀσύγκριτον ἔχων σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν. ἕτερα δὲ ἀντίγραφα _κ_α_ὶ_ _τ_ι_μ_ὴ_ _π_α_ν_τ_ο_κ_ρ_ά_τ_ο_ρ_ο_ς περιέχουσιν, ἀντὶ τοῦ· μεγάλη ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ τιμὴ τοῦ παντοκράτορος, ἣν αὐτῷ προσοφείλομεν. 328 37, 23 ὁ τὰ δίκαια κρίνων, οὐκ οἴει εἰσακούειν αὐτόν; τοῦ Ἰὼβ εἰρηκότος· κεκράξομαι καὶ οὐδαμοῦ κρίμα κατὰ τὴν ἔννοιαν τὴν ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς τόποις ἀποδοθεῖσαν, ὁ Ἐλιοὺς ὡς τῆς λέξεως ἐπιλαμβανόμενός φησιν ὅτι· μὴ οἴου τὸν δίκαιον κριτὴν καὶ κηδεμόνα τῶν ἡμετέρων παραμελεῖν ἡμῶν. καὶ γὰρ πάντα ἐφορᾷ καὶ πάντων ἀκούει καὶ τὸ κατ' ἀξίαν ἑκάστῳ ἀπονέμει κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν δικαιοκρισίαν. 37, 24 διὸ φοβηθήσονται αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, φοβηθήσονται αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ καρδίᾳ. τούτου τοῦ συμπεράσματος χάριν ἅπασι διεξοδικῶς ἐξῆλθε τοῖς προειρημένοις εἰς φόβον βουλόμενος ἐνάγειν τὸν Ἰώβ. διὰ γὰρ πάντα ταῦτα, φησίν, καὶ ὁ πολὺς καὶ ἀγελαῖος ἄνθρωπος δεδοικέναι τὸν θεὸν ὀφείλει, καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ δὲ καὶ συνετοὶ μᾶλλον τοῦτο ποιεῖν ὀφείλουσιν. καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ οἱ κατὰ σοφίαν ἄκροι κατέλαβον τὸ τέλειον, ἀλλὰ κἄν τινος ἀξιωθῶσι παρὰ θεοῦ γνώσεως, ἐκ μέρους γινώσκουσιν, ὡς ὁ ἱερὸς ἡμᾶς ἀπόστολος ἐδίδαξεν. ἐγὼ δέ φημι, ὅτι καὶ πλεῖον αὐτῶν ὀφείλουσι φοβεῖσθαι τὸν ἀπαθῆ φόβον οἱ πλείονος γνώσεως ἀξιωθέντες· μέγας γὰρ καὶ φοβερός ἐστιν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ. κύκλῳ δὲ αὐτοῦ τυγχάνουσιν οἱ ἐπὶ πλεῖον τῆς αὐτοῦ κατανοήσεως ἀξιούμενοι. 329 ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΕΙΚΟΣΤΟΝ ΕΚΤΟΝ Ἀρχὴ τοῦ ῥητοῦ· μετὰ δὲ τὸ παύσασθαι Ἐλιοὺς τῆς λέξεως εἶπεν ὁ κύριος τῷ Ἰὼβ διὰ λαίλαπος καὶ νεφῶν· τίς οὗτος ὁ κρύπτων με βουλήν, συνέχων δὲ ῥήματα ἐν καρδίᾳ ἐμὲ οἴεται κρύπτειν; Προθεωρία τοῦ κεφαλαίου πλοῦτος καὶ πενία, ὑγεία καὶ νόσος, τιμὴ καὶ ἀτιμία, καὶ