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he called a portion of the night; for those entrusted to keep watch over it divided it into four parts; and in the fourth watch the Lord also came to the apostles. 5. "Their things of nought shall be years." For a very long time, he says, you have yoked them to this misery; and at the same time it signifies both the rejection of the Jews after the passion of our Savior, and the deprivation of divine care, not for a short time, but for a very long time to come. "In the morning it may pass away like grass. [2.] In the morning it may blossom, and pass away; in the evening it may fall, be hardened, and wither." For the Jews, having immediately been deemed worthy of divine care, both blossomed and sprouted, and acquired great renown. But not having wished to give ripe fruit to the husbandman, but having hardened their heart, they were completely withered; for they no longer partook of the former watering. And he calls "morning" the beginning of the care for the Jews; and "evening," the cessation of divine providence. And they were stripped of this after the cross, [because they set up the cross against God and Savior; for this he says through the following:] 7. "For we have failed in your wrath, and in your anger we have been troubled." And these things are fitting both for the Jews and for all men. For human nature, paying the penalty for transgression, was subjected to 80.1604 misfortunes, and is overwhelmed by all kinds of tempests, and the Jews, on account of the wickedness of their mind, fell from freedom, [just as also many men through unbelief dug a pit for themselves. "For he dug a pit and hollowed it out, and he shall fall into the pit which he has made."] 8. "You have set our iniquities before you, our age in the light of your countenance." But Symmachus has it thus: You have placed our iniquities before you, our neglects to be seen by your countenance. You gave us over to these punishments, having seen that we neglected your laws, but chose to live with lawlessness. 9. "For all our days have passed away, and in your wrath we have failed." Sin, he says, stirred up wrath against us, and wrath brought on punishment, and punishment brought on pains; for we have passed our short life in pains. 10. "Our years were musing like a spider's web." Human nature, he says, has nothing certain nor stable. It is easily torn apart like a spider's web. "The days of our years are in themselves seventy years. And if in strength, eighty years; and the greater part of them is toil and trouble." These things are like those spoken by the patriarch Jacob: "My days are few and evil, they have not reached the days of my fathers." There are, then, those who live even longer than the aforementioned time, but that happens to few. But he here teaches what is common, and what for the most part prevails. For just as he made no mention of those who meet an untimely end, so too has he omitted the long life of the very old. But nevertheless, he says, even this short time is filled with pain and troubles; [just as also for those enslaved from Jerusalem the period of 70 years which they served their enslavers was grievous and exceedingly painful.] "For meekness came upon us, and we shall be instructed." For behold by how many evils we are overwhelmed on account of your small wrath. For he called the moderate punishment that came upon them "meekness." 11. "Who knows the power of your wrath, and because of the fear of you, your anger?" But 80.1605 Symmachus has it thus: Who knows the strength of your anger, and according to the fear of you, your wrath? If your moderate indignation, he says, brought such instruction upon us, who is able to comprehend the punishment brought on by your wrath? And the word alludes to eternal punishment. 12. "To number out your right hand, so make it known to me, and those fettered in heart in wisdom." I entreat, he says, to enjoy your beneficence, and to number and recount the gifts of your right hand, and to imitate those made wise by your grace, who lead others to the knowledge of you. 13. "Return, O Lord; how long? and be entreated for your

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μόριον ἐκάλεσε τῆς νυκτός· τετραχῆ γὰρ οἱ ταύτην φυλάττειν πε πιστευμένοι διῄρουν· τετάρτῃ δὲ φυλακῇ καὶ ὁ Κύριος πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἀφίκετο. εʹ. "Τὰ ἐξουδενώματα αὐτῶν ἔτη ἔσονται." Ἐπὶ πλεῖστον δὲ αὐτοὺς, φησὶ, ταύτῃ τῇ ταλαιπω ρίᾳ συνέζευξας· σημαίνει δὲ κατὰ ταυτὸν, καὶ τὴν μετὰ τὸ πάθος τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπο βολὴν, καὶ τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας τὴν στέρησιν, οὐκ ἐπ' ὀλίγον χρόνον, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐσομένην. "Τὸ πρωῒ ὡσεὶ χλόη παρέλθοι. [ʹ.] Τὸ πρωῒ ἀν θήσαι, καὶ παρέλθοι· τὸ ἑσπέρας ἀποπέσοι, σκλη ρυνθείη, καὶ ξηρανθείη." Εὐθὺς μὲν γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι τῆς θείας ἐπιμελείας ἀξιωθέντες, καὶ ἤνθησαν καὶ ἐβλάστησαν, καὶ πολλὴν ἐκτήσαντο περιφάνειαν. Ὥριμον δὲ καρπὸν τῷ γεωργῷ δοῦναι μὴ βουλη θέντες, ἀλλὰ τὴν καρδίαν σκληρύναντες, παντελῶς ἐξηράνθησαν· τῆς γὰρ προτέρας ἀρδείας οὐκ ἔτι μετέλαχον. Πρωῒ δὲ καλεῖ, τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς Ἰουδαίων ἐπιμελείας· Ἑσπέραν δὲ, τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας τὴν παῦλαν. Ταύτης δὲ μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐγυμνώ θησαν, [ὅτι τὸν κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἀν έστησαν σταυρόν· τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς·] ζʹ. "Ὅτι ἐξελίπομεν ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ σου, καὶ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ σου ἐταράχθημεν." Καὶ Ἰουδαίοις ταῦτα καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἁρμόδια. Καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις, παρανομίας τίνουσα δίκας, ὑπεβλήθη ταῖς 80.1604 συμφοραῖς, καὶ ταῖς παντοδαπαῖς περικλύζεται τρικυμίαις, καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι διὰ τὴν πονηρίαν τῆς γνώμης τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἐξέπεσον, [ὡς καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ τῆς ἀπιστίας βόθρον ἑαυτοῖς ὤρυξαν. "Λάκκον γὰρ ὤρυξε καὶ ἀνέσκαψεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς βόθρον ὃν εἰργάσατο."] ηʹ. "Ἔθου τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν ἐναντίον σου, ὁ αἰὼν ἡμῶν εἰς φωτισμὸν τοῦ προσώπου σου." Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος οὕτως· Προσέθηκας τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν ἄντικρύς σου, τὰς ἀμελείας ἡμῶν φαί νεσθαι τῷ προσώπῳ σου. Ταύταις ἡμᾶς ταῖς τιμωρίαις ἐξέδωκας, θεασάμενος ἡμᾶς τῶν μὲν σῶν ἀμελήσαντας νόμων, ἀνομίᾳ δὲ προελομένους συζῇν. θʹ. "Ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν ἐξέλιπον, καὶ ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ σου ἐξελίπομεν." Ἡ ἁμαρτία, φησὶν, ὀργὴν ἐκίνησε καθ' ἡμῶν, ἡ δὲ ὀργὴ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐπήγαγεν, ἡ δὲ τιμωρία τὰς ὀδύνας ἐπήνεγκεν· ἐν ὀδύναις γὰρ τὸν ὀλίγον ἡμῶν διετελέσαμεν βίον. ιʹ. "Τὰ ἔτη ἡμῶν ὡσεὶ ἀράχνη ἐμελέτων." Οὐδὲν βέβαιον, φησὶν, οὐδὲ σταθερὸν ἡ ἀνθρωπεία φύσις ἔχει. ∆ίκην ἀράχνης διασπᾶται ῥᾳδίως. "Αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἐτῶν ἡμῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη. Ἐὰν δὲ ἐν δυναστείαις, ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη· καὶ τὸ πλεῖον αὐτῶν κόπος καὶ πόνος." Ἔοικε ταῦτα τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἰακὼβ εἰρημένοις· "Αἱ ἡμέ ραι μου σμικραὶ καὶ πονηραὶ, οὐκ ἔφθασαν εἰς τὰς ἡμέρας τῶν πατέρων μου." Εἰσὶ μὲν οὖν οἳ καὶ πλείονα τοῦ εἰρημένου διαβιοῦσι χρόνον, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο ἐπ' ὀλίγων συμβαίνει. Τὸ δὲ κοινὸν, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον κρατοῦν, ἐνταῦθα διδάσκει. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τῶν πρόωρον δεχομένων τὴν τελευτὴν οὐκ ἐποιήσατο μνήμην, οὕτω καὶ τῶν σφόδρα γηρώντων τὸ μακρό βιον καταλέλοιπεν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως, φησὶ, καὶ ὁ βραχὺς οὗτος χρόνος ὀδύνης καὶ πόνων ἐμπέπλησται· [καθάπερ καὶ τῶν ἀνδραποδισθέντων ἐκ τῆς Ἱε ρουσαλὴμ ὁ τῶν οʹ ἐτῶν χρόνος ὃν ἐδούλευον τοῖς ἀνδραποδίσασιν κατώδυνος καὶ λίαν ὀδυνηρὸς ἐγέ νετο.] "Ὅτι ἐπῆλθε πραότης ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, καὶ παιδευθησόμεθα." Ἰδοὺ γὰρ πόσοις περικλυζόμεθα κακοῖς διὰ τὴν σμικρὰν ὀργήν σου. Πραότητα γὰρ ἐπελθοῦσαν αὐτοῖς τὴν μετρίαν τιμωρίαν ἐκάλεσεν. ιαʹ. "Τίς γινώσκει τὸ κράτος τῆς ὀργῆς σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου σου τὸν θυμόν σου;" Ὁ 80.1605 δὲ Σύμμαχος οὕτως· Τίς οἶδε τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ θυ μοῦ σου, καὶ κατὰ τὸν φόβον σου τὴν ὀργήν σου; Εἰ ἡ μετρία σου, φησὶν, ἀγανάκτησις τοσαύτην ἡμῖν παιδείαν ἐπήγαγε, τίς ἱκανὸς συνιδεῖν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς σου τιμωρίαν προσφερομένην; Αἰνίττεται δὲ ὁ λόγος τὴν αἰώνιον κόλασιν. ιβʹ. "Ἐξαριθμήσασθαι τὴν δεξιάν σου οὕτως γνώρισόν μοι καὶ τοὺς πεπεδημένους τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐν σοφίᾳ." Ἀπολαῦσαι, φησὶ, τῆς σῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιβολῶ, καὶ τῆς σῆς δεξιᾶς ἀριθμεῖν καὶ διηγεῖσθαι τὰ δῶρα, καὶ μιμεῖσθαι τοὺς ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς χάριτος σοφισθέντας, οἳ τοὺς ἄλλους πρὸς τὴν σὴν ποδηγοῦσιν ἐπίγνωσιν. ιγʹ. "Ἐπίστρεψον. Κύριε· ἕως πότε; καὶ παρα κλήθητι ἐπὶ τοὺς