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to perform, but it is necessary to go through them all with the fitting rhythm, so also in the case of virtue of the soul a law is not sufficient for our salvation, but it is necessary to keep them all with exactness. As it seems, righteousness is four-square, equal and like on all sides, in word and deed, in abstinence from evils, in doing good, in gnostic perfection, in no way limping at all, so that it may not appear unjust and unequal. Strength always follows righteousness, just as weakness follows injustice. The exit of vice brings about the entrance of virtue, and likewise the opposite, when good has departed, the evil lying in wait enters. -If someone has embraced all the virtues through diligence and watchfulness, this man is called a king, even if he happens to be a private citizen.
TITLE XV. -Concerning the difference and dissimilar condition of men.
Just as faces are not like faces, so also the hearts of men are not alike. Not all things are expedient for all men, and not every soul is well-pleased in every thing. Do you suppose the same things are fitting for all; neither is there one food equally suitable for all, nor is one way of life fitting for Christians. -Just as for their bodies some do not take the same medicine and food, but others another, whether being in good health, or being sick, so also souls must be treated with different teaching and training. And let the passions be witnesses of the treatment. Some are led by reason, others are regulated by example; some need goads, others a bridle. For some are sluggish and slow to move toward the good, who must be roused by the blow of the word. But others, like noble colts running far from the starting-post, whom the word would make better by choking and checking; praise has helped some, but blame others. Both in due season, or on the contrary, have done harm out of season and without reason. Exhortation sets some aright, but reproof others; and again, some we rebuke in public, but others secretly.
TITLE XVI. -Concerning just, and fair, and good men.
God knew those who are His, and has taken the holy ones to Himself. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in confidence, and God shall overshadow him all the days. The Lord said to Samuel: Arise, anoint David, for he is good. I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the righteous forsaken. The righteous shall inherit the earth. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and He is their defender. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, like the cedar in Lebanon. Light has dawned for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. The generation of the upright shall be blessed. Glory and wealth. Light has risen in darkness for the upright, merciful. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance, from a report. The voice of rejoicing and salvation, in the tents of the righteous. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord will not let the soul of the righteous hunger. A fountain of life is in the hand of the righteous. The wealth of sinners is stored up for the righteous. The paths of the righteous shine like light, they go forth and give light until the day be fully established. A righteous man will fall seven times, and will rise again. In the good things of the righteous cities have been set aright, but they have been overthrown by the mouths of the ungodly. The upright shall be inhabitants of the earth, and the innocent shall be left in it. The dwellings of the righteous are blessed. The lips of righteous men drip with graces. The roots of the righteous shall not be removed. The houses of the righteous are blessed. He who looks with a gentle eye shall be shown mercy. He who walks uprightly fears the Lord. He who behaves blamelessly in righteousness will leave his children blessed. To the man who is good in His sight He has given wisdom, and knowledge, and gladness. The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, and their departure was considered an affliction, and their going from us a destruction; but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, their hope is full of immortality. And being chastised a little 95.1385
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ἐργάσασθαι, ἀλλὰ πάσας ἐπίεναι δεῖ μετὰ ῥυθμοῦ τοῦ προσήκοντος, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν ἀρετῆς οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν νόμος εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ δεῖ πάντας αὐτοὺς μετὰ ἀκριβείας φυλάττειν. Ὡς ἔοικεν, ἡ δικαιοσύνη τετράγωνός ἐστι, πάντοθεν ἴση καὶ ὁμοία, ἐν λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ, ἐν ἀποχῇ κακῶν, ἐν εὐποιΐᾳ, ἐν τελειότητι γνωστικῇ, οὐδαμῆ οὐδαμῶς χωλεύουσα, ἵνα μὴ ἄδικός τε καὶ ἄνισος φανῇ. Τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ ἀεὶ τὸ ἰσχύειν ἀκολουθεῖ, ὥσπερ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ τὸ ἀσθενεῖν ἕπεται. Κακίας ἔξοδος ἀρετῆς εἴσοδον ἐργάζεται, ὡς καὶ τοὐναντίον, ἀποστάντος ἀγαθοῦ, τὸ ἐφεδρεῦον κακὸν ἐπεισέρχεται. -Εἴ τις πάσας τὰς ἀρετὰς διὰ σπουδῆς καὶ νήψεως ἐγκεκόλπισται, οὗτος βασιλεὺς χρηματίζει, κἂν ἰδιώτης τυγχάνοι.
ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΕʹ. -Περὶ διαφορᾶς καὶ ἀνομοίου καταστάσεως τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
Ὥσπερ οὐχ ὅμοια πρόσωπα προσώποις, οὕτως οὐδὲ αἱ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὅμοιαι. Οὐ πάντα πᾶσι συμφέρει, καὶ οὐ πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐν παντὶ εὐδοκεῖ. Οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ πᾶσι ἁρμόζειν οἴεσθε· οὔτε μία πᾶσιν ὁμοίως ἐπιτηδεία ὑπάρχει τροφὴ, οὔτε Χριστιανοῖς εἷς βίος ἁρμόδιος. -Ὥσπερ τοῖς σώμασιν οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν φαρμακείαν καὶ τροφὴν προσφέρονταί τινες, ἄλλοι δὲ ἄλλην, ἢ εὐεκτοῦντες, ἢ κάμνοντες, οὕτω καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς διαφόρῳ λόγῳ καὶ ἀγωγῇ θεραπευτέον. Μάρτυρες δὲ τῆς θεραπείας ὦσι καὶ τὰ πάθη. Τοὺς μὲν ἄγει λόγος, οἱ δὲ ῥυθμίζονται παραδείγματι· οἱ μὲν δέονται κέντρων, οἱ δὲ χαλινοῦ. Οἱ μὲν γάρ εἰσι νωθεῖς καὶ δυσκίνητοι πρὸς τὸ καλὸν, οὓς τῇ πληγῇ τοῦ λόγου διεγερτέον. Οἱ δὲ καθάπερ πῶλοι γενναῖοι πόῤῥω τῆς νύσσης θέοντες, οὓς βελτίους ποιήσειεν ἄγχων καὶ ἀνακόπτων ὁ λόγος· τοὺς μὲν ἔπαινος ὤνησε, τοὺς δὲ ὁ ψόγος. Ἀμφότερα μετὰ τοῦ καιροῦ, ἢ τοὐναντίον ἔβλαψεν ἔξω τοῦ καιροῦ καὶ τοῦ λόγου. Τοὺς μὲν παράκλησις κατορθοῖ, τοὺς δὲ ἐπιτίμησις· καὶ αὖθις τοὺς μὲν ἐκ κοινῷ διελέγχομεν, τοὺς δὲ κρύβδην.
ΤΙΤΛ. Ιϛʹ. -Περὶ δικαίων, καὶ καλῶν, καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν.
Ἔγνω ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους προσελάβετο πρὸς αὐτόν. Ὁ ἠγαπημένος ὑπὸ Κυρίου, κατασκηνώσει πεποιθὼς, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς σκιάζει ἐπ' αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας. Εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Σαμουήλ· Ἀνάστα, χρίσον τὸν ∆αβὶδ, ὅτι ἀγαθός ἐστιν. Νεώτερος ἐγενόμην· καὶ γὰρ ἐγήρασα· καὶ οὐκ εἶδον δίκαιον ἐγκαταλελειμμένον. ∆ίκαιοι κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν. Σωτηρία τῶν δικαίων παρὰ Κυρίου, καὶ ὑπεραπιστὴς αὐτῶν ἐστιν. ∆ίκαιος ὡς φοίνιξ ἀνθήσει, ὡσεὶ κέδρος ἡ ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ. Φῶς ἀνέτειλε τῷ δικαίῳ, καὶ τοῖς εὐθέσι τῇ καρδίᾳ εὐφροσύνη. Γενεὰ εὐθέων εὐλογηθήσεται. ∆όξα καὶ πλοῦτος. Ἐξανέτειλε φῶς ἐν σκότει τοῖς εὐθέσιν, ἐλεήμων. Εἰς μνημόσυνον αἰώνιον ἔσται δίκαιος, ἀπὸ ἀκοῆς. Φωνὴ ἀγαλλιάσεως καὶ σωτηρίας, ἐν σκηναῖς δικαίων. Κύριος ἀγαπᾷ δικαίους. Οὐ λιμοκτονήσει Κύριος ψυχὴν δικαίου. Πηγὴ ζωῆς ἐν χειρὶ δικαίου. Θησαυρίζεται δικαίοις πλοῦτος ἀσεβῶν. Αἱ ὁδοὶ τῶν δικαίων ὁμοίως φωτὶ λάμπουσι προπορεύονται δὲ, καὶ φωτίζουσιν ἕως κατορθώσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα. Ἑπτάκις πεσεῖται ὁ δίκαιος, καὶ ἀναστήσεται. Ἐν ἀγαθοῖς δικαίων κατωρθώθησαν πόλεις, στόμασι δὲ ἀσεβῶν κατεσκάφησαν. Χρηστοὶ ἔσονται οἰκήτορες γῆς, ἄκακοι δὲ ὑπολειφθήσονται ἐν αὐτῇ. Ἐπαύλεις δικαίου εὐλογοῦνται. Χείλη ἀνδρῶν δικαίων ἀποστάζει χάριτας. Αἱ ῥίζαι τῶν δικαίων οὐκ ἐξαρθήσονται. Οἶκοι δικαίων εὐλογοῦνται. Ὁ βλέπων λεῖα, ἐλεηθήσεται. Ὁ πορευόμενος ὀρθῶς, φοβεῖται τὸν Κύριον. Ὃς ἀναστρέφεται ἄμωμος ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, μακαρίους τοὺς παῖδας καταλείψει. Τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ἀγαθῷ πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἔδωκε σοφίαν, καὶ γνῶσιν, καὶ εὐφροσύνην. ∆ικαίων ψυχαὶ ἐν χειρὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἅψηται αὐτῶν βάσανος. Ἔδοξαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀφρόνων τεθνάναι, καὶ ἐλογίσθη κάκωσις ἡ ἔξοδος αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ ἀφ' ἡμῶν πορεία σύντριμμα· οἱ δέ εἰσιν ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ὄψει ἀνθρώπων ἐὰν κολασθῶσιν, ἡ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν ἀθανασίας πλήρης. Καὶ ὀλίγα παι 95.1385