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"You have exalted the right hand of his oppressors." You have shown his enemies to be stronger than him. 80.1596 "You have made all his enemies rejoice." You have made him a laughingstock to his foes. μδʹ. "You have turned back the help of his sword, and have not helped him in the war." His weapons have become useless to him, since he has been stripped of your care. μεʹ. "You have made him cease from his cleansing." But Symmachus has it thus, You have made his purity to cease. For being a captive, he cannot be cleansed by sprinklings, and living far from your temple. "You have dashed his throne to the ground." You have utterly destroyed his kingdom. μʹ. "You have shortened the days of his time." Having promised to preserve the kingdom forever, you have limited it to a short time. "You have poured shame upon him." He has become a reproach, and is filled with shame. For Zedekiah, after his eyes were put out, was given over to the mill for all the remaining time. And Jeconiah himself also served as a slave. These things are full of shame and reproach. Thus the prophetic word, having recounted the calamities, exhorts to supplicate and beseech. μζʹ. "How long, Lord? Will you turn away for ever? Shall your wrath burn like fire?" But Symmachus, For how long, Lord, will you hide yourself for ever? Shall your anger burn like fire? How long, he says, Master, will you not be willing to see our pains, nor appear, and put an end to our calamities, but instead, like fire, you kindle your wrath by the memory of our sins? μηʹ. "Remember what my substance is." You are the maker and creator, and you know the measures of my strength. "For have you created all the sons of men in vain?" Not at random, nor in vain did you form men, but goodness led the creation. For you created us for goodness alone. Therefore, do not overlook us who have been allotted so many evils. μθʹ. "What man is he that shall live, and not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of Hades?" The end of every man is death; for to overcome death itself is among the impossible things. Therefore, grant loving-kindness to the living. Then again he recalls the promises. νʹ. "Where are your ancient mercies, Lord, which 80.1597 you swore to David in your truth?" And well does he everywhere offer the testimony of the truth, rousing him who promised to the confirmation of the promises; and he wove the beginning from mercy, and at the end again he recalls mercy; for this they especially needed. ναʹ. "Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, which I have received in my bosom from many nations." But Symmachus has it thus, And I bore in my bosom that of very many nations. Do not overlook me, he says, being reproached, not by one nation, but by myriads. For not only do the Assyrians mock me, and the Babylonians, but also all the neighboring peoples, who have always held enmity toward me. And they do not rejoice only over me, but they also move their tongue against you, and use blasphemous words, considering my servitude to be your weakness. For he made this clear through what follows: νβʹ. "With which your enemies have reproached, Lord; with which they have reproached the exchange of your Christ." But Symmachus and Theodotion have it thus: They have reproached the footsteps of your Christ. And he called the kings of that time the footsteps of Christ, through whom the word concerning the kingdom of Christ traveled. And the Seventy called them an exchange, as having become his forefathers according to the flesh, and as directing the kingdom in a certain darkness. Therefore, on account of your Christ, whose footsteps and exchange these happen to be, put an end to our reproaches, Master. νγʹ. "Blessed be the Lord for ever. Amen, Amen." The hymnody is of good hope. For believing they would receive their requests, they have offered this hymn to God. And Aquila shows this meaning more precisely, having interpreted Amen Amen; for he said Confirmed and con

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"Ὕψωσας τὴν δεξιὰν τῶν θλιβόντων αὐ τόν." Ἰσχυροτέρους αὐτοῦ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀπ 80.1596 έφηνας. "Εὔφρανας πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ." Καταγέλαστον αὐτὸν τοῖς δυσμενέσι πεποίη κας. μδʹ. "Ἀπέστρεψας τὴν βοήθειαν τῆς ῥομφαίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἀντελάβου αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ." Ἄχρηστα αὐτῷ τὰ ὅπλα γεγένηται, τῆς σῆς γυ μνωθέντι κηδεμονίας. μεʹ. "Κατέλυσας ἀπὸ καθαρισμοῦ αὐτοῦ." Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος οὕτως, Ἀπέπαυσας τὴν καθαρότητα αὐτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ δύναται περιῤῥαντηρίοις καθαίρε σθαι αἰχμάλωτος ὢν, καὶ πόῤῥω τοῦ σοῦ διάγων νεώ. "Τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν γῆν κατέῤῥαξας." Πάμ παν αὐτοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν κατέλυσας. μʹ. "Ἐσμίκρυνας τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ χρόνου αὐ τοῦ." Εἰς αἰῶνα φυλάξειν τὴν βασιλείαν ἐπαγγει λάμενος, ὀλίγῳ ταύτην περιώρισας χρόνῳ "Κατ έχεας αὐτῷ αἰσχύνην." Ἐπονείδιστος γεγένη ται, καὶ αἰσχύνης ἐμπίπλαται. Σεδεκίας μὲν γὰρ, ἐκκοπέντων τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, μύλωνι παρεδόθη πάν τα τὸν λειπόμενον χρόνον. Ἰεχωνίας δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐδού λευσεν. Αἰσχύνης δὲ καὶ ὀνειδισμοῦ ταῦτα μεστά. Οὕτω τὰς συμφορὰς ὁ προφητικὸς διηγησάμενος λό γος, ποτνιᾶσθαι καὶ ἱκετεύειν παρεγγυᾷ. μζʹ. "Ἕως πότε, Κύριε, ἀποστρέφῃ εἰς τέλος, ἐκκαυθήσεται ὡς πῦρ ἡ ὀργή σου;" Ὁ δὲ Σύμμα χος, Ἕως τίνος, Κύριε, ἀποκρυβήσῃ εἰς τέ λος, φλεγήσεται ὡς πῦρ ὁ θυμός σου; Μέχρι τί νος, φησὶ, ∆έσποτα, οὐκ ἐθέλεις ἰδεῖν τὰς ἡμετέ ρας ὀδύνας, οὐδὲ ἐπιφαίνῃ, καὶ λύεις τὰς συμφορὰς, ἀλλὰ καθάπερ πῦρ τὴν ὀργὴν τῇ μνήμῃ τῶν ἡμε τέρων ἁμαρτάδων ἐκκαίεις; μηʹ. "Μνήσθητι, τίς μου ἡ ὑπόστασις." Ποιη τὴς εἶ καὶ πλάστης, καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς δυνάμεως τὰ μέ τρα γινώσκεις. "Μὴ γὰρ ματαίως ἔκτισας πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων;" Οὐκ εἰκῆ, οὐδὲ μάτην τοὺς ἀνθρώπους διέπλασας, ἀλλ' ἀγαθότης τῆς δη μιουργίας ἡγήσατο. ∆ι' ἀγαθότητα γὰρ μόνην ἡμᾶς ἐδημιούργησας. Μὴ παρίδῃς τοίνυν τοσούτοις συγ κληρωθέντας κακοῖς. μθʹ. "Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὃς ζήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ὄψεται θάνατον, ῥύσεται τὴν ψυχὴν αὑτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου;" Παντὸς ἀνθρώπου τέλος ἡ τελευτή· περιγε νέσθαι γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θανάτου τῶν ἀδυνάτων· ζῶσι τοίνυν μετάδος φιλανθρωπίας. Εἶτα πάλιν ἀνα μιμνήσκει τῶν ὑποσχέσεων. νʹ. "Ποῦ εἰσι τὰ ἐλέη σου τὰ ἀρχαῖα, Κύριε, ἃ 80.1597 ὤμοσας τῷ ∆αβὶδ ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου;" Καλῶς δὲ πανταχοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας προσφέρει τὴν μαρτυ ρίαν, εἰς τὴν βεβαίωσιν τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν διεγείρων τὸν ὑποσχόμενον· καὶ τὸ προοίμιον δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐλέου ἐξύφηνε, καὶ ἐν τῷ τέλει τοῦ ἐλέου πάλιν ἀναμιμνή σκει· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐδέοντο μάλιστα. ναʹ. "Μνήσθητι, Κύριε, τοῦ ὀνειδισμοῦ τῶν δούλων σου, οὗ ὑπέσχον ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ μου πολλῶν ἐθνῶν." Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος οὕτως, Καὶ ἐβάστασα ἐν τῷ κόλ πῳ μου παμπόλλων ἐθνῶν. Μὴ παρίδῃς με, φη σὶν, ὀνειδιζόμενον, οὐχ ὑφ' ἑνὸς ἔθνους, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ μυ ρίων. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον Ἀσσύριοί μοι ἐπικερτομοῦσι, καὶ Βαβυλώνιοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ πλησιόχωροι πάν τες, οἱ τὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ δυσμένειαν ἐσχηκότες ἀεί. Οὐκ ἐμοὶ δὲ μόνον ἐπιχαίρουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ σοῦ τὴν γλῶτταν κινοῦσι, καὶ βλασφήμοις κέχρηνται λόγοις, ἀσθένειαν σὴν τὴν ἐμὴν δουλείαν νομίζοντες. Τοῦτο γὰρ διὰ τῶν ἐπιφερομένων ἐδήλωσεν· νβʹ. "Οὗ ὠνείδισαν οἱ ἐχθροί σου, Κύριε· οὗ ὠνεί δισαν τὸ ἀντάλλαγμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου." Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος καὶ ὁ Θεοδοτίων οὕτως· Ὠνείδισαν τὰ ἴχνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου· Ἴχνη δὲ Χριστοῦ προσηγό ρευσε τοὺς κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν βασιλέας, δι' ὧν ὥδευσεν ὁ περὶ τῆς Χριστοῦ βασιλείας λό γος. Καὶ οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα δὲ ἀντάλλαγμα αὐ τοὺς προσηγόρευσαν, ὡς κατὰ σάρκα αὐτοῦ γεγε νημένους προγόνους, καὶ ὡς ἐν σκοτίᾳ τινὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἰθύνοντας. ∆ιὰ τὸν Χριστόν σου τοίνυν, οὗ ἴχνη οὗτοι τυγχάνουσι, καὶ ἀντάλλαγμα, παῦσον ἡμῶν, ∆έσποτα, τὰ ὀνείδη. νγʹ. "Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· γένοιτο, γένοιτο." Ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος ἡ ὑμνῳδία. Πιστεύσαν τες γὰρ αἰτήσεις δέξασθαι, τόνδε τὸν ὕμνον προσ ενηνόχασι τῷ Θεῷ. Ταύτην δὲ τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ ὁ Ἀκύλας δείκνυσιν ἀκριβέστερον, τὸ Ἀμὴν Ἀμὴνἑρμηνεύσας· ἔφη γὰρ Πεπιστωμένος καὶ πεπι