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rain upon him.” But here he promises the abundance of divine food and divine drink to those who have believed in him, and the ever-flowing supply of the saving springs. 11And I will make every mountain into a road, and every path a pasture for them. Likewise, he signified the ease and the security of the pasture. 12Behold, these shall come from afar, and these from the north and the sea, and others from the land of the Persians. He has indicated the four parts of the inhabited world; for through the Persians, the eastern part, and through the sea, the western, then the northern clearly and enigmatically the southern; for he has called this ‘from afar.’ For the southernmost parts are unknown to us, since we are closer to the |162 b| more northern parts. 13Rejoice, O heavens, and let the earth be glad; let the mountains break forth into gladness, and the hills with righteousness, because the Lord has had mercy on his people, and has comforted the lowly of his people. It is necessary to note that here he mentioned neither Israel nor Jacob but called 'people' those whom he gathered from all places and deemed worthy of salvation. And again he called creation to share in the gladness, since the Lord said that the hosts of angels rejoice over one sinner who repents. 14But Zion said: The Lord has forsaken me, and God has forgotten me. These things, he says, will be in long times, and he who sprang from the Jews according to the flesh will do these things. But those who still have this treasure hidden within themselves think they have been forsaken and deprived of my providence. For Zion calls those who dwell in Zion. Then, parabolically: 15Will a woman forget her child, or not have mercy on the offspring of her womb? He showed through the comparison the tender love which he has. Through the words that follow, however, he teaches the excess: Even if a woman should forget these things, yet I will not forget, says the Lord. For not only do I imitate mothers but I also surpass mothers in compassion. 16Behold, on my hands I have painted your walls, and you are before me continually. The Babylonians, having captured the city, demolished the walls. He foretells their rebuilding and teaches that he himself, like some architect, draws out the construction of the surrounding walls. For instead of ‘I have painted,’ Symmachus has put ‘I have engraved,’ and Theodotion, ‘I have drawn out,’ and Aquila, ‘I have made exact.’ 17 And you shall be quickly built by those by whom you were destroyed. The king of the Babylonians destroyed, but the king of the Persians ordered it to be built. But these also, long ago being subject to the Assyrians, captured the city with them. Whence he said the same ones both destroyed and built. And those who made you desolate will quickly go out from you. Paying the penalty for their sins, they were delivered into the hands of the enemies. And the causes of the sins were the demons whom they served, calling them gods. He foretells, therefore, also the cessation of the worship of idols and the release from error. 18Lift up your eyes round about, and see all your sons; behold, they are gathered together and have come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall put them all on as a garment, and you shall put them on as the ornament of a bride. The Master confirms the prophecy with an oath, persuading the unbelieving that the deed will follow the word. And he foretold the return of the captives, addressing the desolation of the city and teaching that it will again receive its proper adornment; for the inhabitants adorn a city. 19For your desolate and corrupted and ruined places shall now be too narrow because of the inhabitants, and those who devoured you shall be removed far from you. For you shall be far from enemies, and you shall receive a multitude of inhabitants so that what now appears desolate will seem small for its inhabitants. 20For the sons whom you had lost shall say in your ears: The place is too narrow for me; make room for me that I may dwell. Again the prophetic word uses personification for greater clarity of what is said. 21And you will say in your heart: Who has begotten me these? I was childless and a widow, a sojourner and shut up; who then has brought these up for me? I was left alone; and these for me

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ἐπ' αὐτὸν ὑετόν.» Ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὴν ἀφθονίαν τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκόσι τῆς θείας τροφῆς καὶ τῆς θείας πόσεως ἐπαγγέλλεται καὶ τῶν σωτηρίων πηγῶν τὴν ἀέναον χορηγίαν. 11Καὶ θήσω πᾶν ὄρος εἰς ὁδὸν καὶ πᾶσαν τρίβον εἰς βόσκημα αὐτοῖς. Κατὰ ταὐτὸν καὶ τὴν εὐκολίαν ἐσήμανε καὶ τὴν ἄδειαν τῆς νομῆς. 12Ἰδοὺ οὗτοι πόρρωθεν ἥξουσι καὶ οὗτοι ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ θαλάσσης, ἄλλοι δὲ ἐκ γῆς Περσῶν. Τὰ τέσσαρα τῆς οἰκουμένης δεδήλωκε τμήματα· διὰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν Περσῶν τὸ ἑῷον, διὰ δὲ τῆς θαλάττης τὸ ἑσπέριον, εἶτα τὸ βόρειον ἐναργῶς καὶ αἰνιγμα τωδῶς τὸ νότιον· τοῦτο γὰρ διὰ τοῦ πόρρωθεν κέκληκεν. Ἄδηλα γὰρ ἡμῖν τὰ νοτιώτερα, ἐπειδὴ μᾶλλον τοῖς |162 b| βορειοτέ ροις πελάζομεν. 13Εὐφραίνεσθε οὐρανοί, καὶ ἀγαλλιάσθω ἡ γῆ, ῥηξάτω τὰ ὄρη εὐφροσύνην καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι ἠλέησε κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ παρεκάλεσεν. Ἐπιστῆσαι δεῖ ὡς ἐνταῦθα οὔτε τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ οὔτε τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἐμνημόνευσεν ἀλλὰ λαὸν ὠνόμασεν οὓς πανταχόθεν συνήγαγε καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἠξίωσεν. Ἐκάλεσε δὲ πάλιν τὴν κτίσιν εἰς κοινωνίαν τῆς εὐφροσύνης, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι χαίρειν ὁ κύριος ἔφη τῶν ἀγγέλων τοὺς δήμους. 14Εἶπε δὲ Σιών· Ἐγκατέλιπέ με κύριος, καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐπελάθετό μου. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν φησι μακροῖς ἔσται χρόνοις, καὶ ποιήσει ταῦτα ὁ ἐξ Ἰουδαίων κατὰ σάρκα βλαστήσας. Οἱ δὲ τοῦτον τὸν θησαυρὸν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἔτι κεκρυμμένον ἔχοντες ἐγκαταλελεῖφθαι νομίζουσι καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς ἐστερῆσθαι προνοίας. Σιὼν γὰρ τοὺς ἐν Σιὼν οἰκοῦντας καλεῖ. Εἶτα παραβολικῶς· 15Μὴ ἐπιλήσεται γυνὴ τοῦ παιδίου αὐτῆς ἢ τοῦ μὴ ἐλεῆσαι τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας αὐτῆς; Ἔδειξε διὰ τῆς συγκρίσεως, ἣν ἔχει φιλοστοργίαν. ∆ιὰ μέντοι τῶν ἐπαγομένων τὴν ὑπερβολὴν διδάσκει· Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπιλάθοιτο ταῦτα γυνή, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ οὐκ ἐπιλήσομαι, λέγει κύριος. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον μιμοῦμαι μητέρας ἀλλὰ καὶ νικῶ μητέρας τῇ εὐσπλαγχνίᾳ. 16Ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τῶν χειρῶν μου ἐζωγράφησά σου τὰ τείχη, καὶ ἐνώπιόν μου εἶ διὰ παντός. Βαβυλώνιοι τὴν πόλιν ἑλόντες τὰ τείχη κατέλυσαν. Τούτων τὴν οἰκοδομίαν προλέγει καὶ διδάσκει ὡς αὐτὸς οἷόν τις ἀρχιτέκτων διαγράφει τὴν τῶν περιβόλων οἰκοδομίαν. Ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ ἐζωγράφησα ὁ μὲν Σύμμαχος «ἐχάραξα» τέθεικεν, ὁ δὲ Θεοδοτίων «διέγραψα», ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας «ἠκρίβωσα». 17 Καὶ ταχὺ οἰκοδομηθήσῃ ὑφ' ὧν καθῃρέθης. Ὁ Βαβυλωνίων κατέλυσε βασιλεύς, ὁ δὲ Περσῶν οἰκοδομηθῆναι προσέταξεν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτοι πάλαι τοῖς Ἀσσυρίοις ὑπακούοντες σὺν αὐτοῖς εἷλον τὴν πόλιν. Ὅθεν τοὺς αὐτοὺς καὶ καταλῦσαι καὶ οἰκοδομῆσαι ἔφη. Καὶ οἱ ἐρημώσαντές σε ταχὺ ἐκ σοῦ ἐξελεύσονται. Ἁμαρτημάτων τίνοντες δίκας ταῖς τῶν πολε μίων χερσὶ παρεδόθησαν. Αἴτιοι δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων οἱ δαίμονες οἷς ἐλάτρευον ἀποκαλοῦντες αὐτοὺς θεούς. Προλέγει τοίνυν καὶ τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων θεραπείας τὴν παῦλαν καὶ τὴν τῆς πλάνης ἀπαλλαγήν. 18Ἇρον κύκλῳ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου καὶ ἴδε πάντας τοὺς υἱούς σου, ἰδοὺ συνήχθησαν καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς σέ. Ζῶ ἐγώ, λέγει κύριος, ὅτι πάντας αὐτοὺς ἐνδύσῃ ὡς στολὴν καὶ περιθήσῃ αὐτοὺς ὡς κόσμον νύμφης. Ὅρκῳ βεβαιοῖ τὴν πρόρρησιν ὁ δεσπότης πείθων τοὺς ἀπειθεῖς ὡς ἀκο λ ουθήσει τῷ λόγῳ τὸ ἔργον. Προεῖπε δὲ τὴν τῶν αἰχμαλώτων ἐπάνοδον πρὸς τὴν τῆς πόλεως δι αλεγόμενος ἐρημίαν καὶ διδάσκων ὅτι πάλιν τὸν οἰκεῖον ἀπολήψεται κόσμον· κοςμοῦσι δὲ πόλιν οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες. 19Ὅτι τὰ ἔρημά σου καὶ τὰ διεφθαρμένα καὶ τὰ πεπτωκότα νῦν στενοχωρήσει ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκούντων, καὶ μακρυνθήσονται ἀπὸ σοῦ οἱ κατα πίνοντές σε. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ πολεμίων πόρ ρω γ ενήσῃ, τῶν δὲ οἰκητόρων ὑποδέξῃ τὸ πλῆθος ὡς τὴν νῦν ἔρημον φαινομένην πρὸς τοὺς ἐ νοικοῦντας ὀφθῆναι σμικράν. 20Ἐροῦσι γὰρ εἰς τὰ ὦτά σου οἱ υἱοί σου οὓς ἀπώλε σας· Στενός μοι ὁ τόπος, ποίησόν μοι τόπον ἵνα κατοικήσω. Προσωποποιίᾳ πάλιν ὁ προφητικὸς κέχρηται λόγος εἰς πλείονα σαφήνειαν τῶν λεγομένων. 21Καὶ ἐρεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· Τίς ἐγέννησέ μοι σὺν τούτοις; Ἐγὼ δὲ ἄτεκνος καὶ χήρα, πάροικος καὶ ἐκκεκλεισμένη· τούτους δὲ τίς ἐξέθρεψέ μοι; Ἐγὼ δὲ κατελείφθην μόνη, οὗτοι δέ μοι