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have been made; and the fruits are nourished through the rains, and they become ripe, and are offered to men. This he also said in another psalm: "You will save men and beasts, O Lord." Nevertheless, for the sake of man's need, the beasts also enjoy this providence. ιεʹ. "And wine makes glad the heart of man, to make his face cheerful with oil; and bread strengthens man's heart." But Symmachus has said it more clearly: Causing grass to grow for the cattle, and green plants for the service of men; to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to make glad the heart of man; to make his face shine with oil, and bread to strengthen man's heart. For to this end, he says, the God of all continuously supplies the rains to the earth, so that all kinds of fruits might sprout, and with bread to strengthen and nourish the nature of men; with wine to gladden and make life more cheerful; and with oil not only to nourish from within, but also to brighten the body from without. ιʹ. "The trees of the plain shall be satisfied." But the Hebrew, and the others, have put "of the Lord." Having gone through the fruit-bearing trees, he necessarily mentions also the non-fruit-bearing ones, as they too provide a necessary use for men. For this reason he also called them "of the Lord"; as growing of themselves, and not by handiwork, but having sprouted by the divine word. Wherefore he also added: "The cedars of Lebanon, which you have planted." For no grove-tenders became their planters; but the divine Word made the mountain tops abundant. However, having mentioned Lebanon as being notable, and the cedars in it, he also indicated the other mountains and trees through these. 80.1701 ιζʹ. "There the sparrows will make their nests; the dwelling of the heron leads them." But Aquila thus: There birds will make their nests; for the heron the fir trees are his house. And Symmachus: Where sparrows shall nest, for the kite a fir-tree is its dwelling. For the same trees provide one use for men, and another for the birds; for to men they are suitable for the construction of houses; but for the birds, they receive their dwellings. ιηʹ. "The high mountains for the stags; the rock is a refuge for the hares." Your providence, he says, does not overlook even the small animals, but to the stags you have given the mountain peaks as a dwelling; and to the smaller animals, the crevices of the rocks ιθʹ. "He made the moon for seasons." Having gone through everything on earth, and having shown the creation of invisible natures, and having indicated the making of the heavens, he also makes mention of the luminaries, which came into being on the fourth day. And he says the creation of the moon was for the teaching of the seasons; for its changes cause time to be measured. For it makes the measure of the month, waxing and waning in so many days. "The sun knew its setting." Not being animate, nor using reason; but proceeding according to the divine boundary, thus it makes the day by appearing, and the night by being hidden; and it always has the same course, and keeps its measures. κʹ. "You made darkness, and it was night." The need for this is also necessary; it is constituted by the withdrawal of the light, and it provides rest for men. "In it all the beasts of the forest will roam. [καʹ.] Young lions roaring to seize their prey, and to seek their food from God." For the night procures rest for men, but provides freedom for the beasts, so that being hungry they might fill their bellies. And the phrase, "To seek their food from God," means, To these also divine Providence provides what is needed. For to ask from God belongs to rational beings; but to seek, also to irrational ones; but nevertheless God provides necessary food to these also. κβʹ, κγʹ. "The sun rose, and they were gathered together, and they will lie down in their dens. Man will go forth to his work; and to his labor until evening." When the sun rises, the former retreat to their own lairs; but men, having laid aside the toil of the previous day, eagerly spend the day again at their tasks.

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γεγενημένα· τρέφονται δὲ καὶ οἱ καρποὶ διὰ τῶν ὑετῶν, καὶ ὥριμοι γίνονται, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσφέρονται. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ ἔφη ψαλμῷ· "Ἀνθρώπους καὶ κτήνη σώσεις, Κύριε." Ἀλλ' ὅμως διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀν θρώπων χρείαν καὶ τὰ κτήνη ταύτης ἀπολαύει τῆς προμηθείας. ιεʹ. "Καὶ οἶνος εὐφραίνει καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου, τοῦ ἱλαρῦναι πρόσωπον ἐν ἐλαίῳ· καὶ ἄρτος καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου στηρίζει." Σαφέστερον δὲ ὁ Σύμμαχος εἴρηκεν· Ἐκβλαστῶν χόρτον τοῖς κτήνεσι, καὶ χλόην τῇ δουλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· εἰς τὸ ἐκφῦσαι τροφὴν ἀπὸ γῆς, καὶ οἶνον εὐφραίνειν καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου· στίλβειν πρόσωπον ἐν ἐλαίῳ, καὶ ἄρτον καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου στηρίζειν. Ἐπὶ τοῦτο γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τῇ γῇ τοὺς ὑετοὺς δι ηνεκῶς χορηγεῖ, ὥστε τοὺς παντοδαποὺς βλαστῆσαι καρποὺς, καὶ ἄρτῳ μὲν στηρίξαι καὶ διαθρέψαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν· οἴνῳ δὲ εὐφρᾶναι καὶ θυμηρεστέραν ἐργάσασθαι τὴν ζωήν· ἐλαίῳ δὲ οὐ μόνον ἔνδοθεν διαθρέψαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔξωθεν λαμπρῦναι τὰ σώματα. ιʹ. "Χορτασθήσονται τὰ ξύλα τοῦ πεδίου." Ὁ δὲ Ἑβραῖος, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ, τοῦ Κυρίου τεθείκασι. ∆ιεξελθὼν τὰ κάρπιμα, ἀναγκαίως μνημονεύει καὶ τῶν ἀκάρπων, ὡς ἀναγκαίαν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ αὐτῶν παρεχόντων χρείαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Κυρίου αὐτὰ προσηγόρευσεν· ὡς αὐτοφυᾶ, καὶ οὐ χειρό κμητα, ἀλλὰ τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ βλαστήσαντα. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν· "Αἱ κέδροι τοῦ Λιβάνου, ἃς ἐφύτευσας." Οὔτε γὰρ ἀλσοκόμοι τινὲς τούτων γεγένηντο φυ τουργοί· ἀλλ' ὁ θεῖος Λόγος ἀμφιλαφεῖς τὰς τῶν ὀρῶν κορυφὰς εἰργάσατο. Τοῦ μέντοι Λιβάνου ὡς ἐπισήμου μνημονεύσας, καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ κέδρων, καὶ τἄλλα ὄρη καὶ δένδρα διὰ τούτων ἐδήλωσεν. 80.1701 ιζʹ. "Ἐκεῖ στρουθία ἐννοσσεύσουσι· τοῦ ἐρωδιοῦ ἡ κατοικία ἡγεῖται αὐτῶν." Ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας οὕτως· Ἐκεῖ ὄρνεα νοσσεύσουσιν· ἐρωδιῷ ἐλάται οἶ κος αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, Ὅπου στρουθία ἐννοσσεύσει, τῷ ἴκτινι βόρατον οἴκησις. Τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ δένδρα ἄλλην μὲν ἀνθρώποις χρείαν, ἄλλην δὲ τοῖς ὀρνέοις παρέχει· ἀνθρώποις μὲν γὰρ εἰς κατασκευὴν οἰκιῶν ἐπιτήδεια· τῶν δὲ ὀρνέων αὐτὰ δέχεται τὰς οἰκήσεις. ιηʹ. "Ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλὰ ταῖς ἐλάφοις· πέτρα κατα φυγὴ τοῖς λαγωοῖς." Οὐ παρορᾷ σου, φησὶν, οὐδὲ τὰ σμικρὰ τῶν ζώων ἡ πρόνοια, ἀλλὰ ταῖς μὲν ἐλάφοις ἔδωκας ἐνδιαίτημα τὰς τῶν ὀρῶν κορυφάς· τοῖς δὲ σμικροτέροις τῶν ζώων, τὰς τῶν πετρῶν καταδύσεις ιθʹ. "Ἐποίησε σελήνην εἰς καιρούς." Τὰ κατὰ γῆν ἅπαντα διεξελθὼν, καὶ τῶν ἀοράτων φύσεων τὴν δημιουργίαν δείξας, καὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὑποδείξας τὴν ποίησιν, καὶ τῶν φωστήρων ποιεῖται τὴν μνήμην, οἳ κατὰ τὴν τετάρτην ἡμέραν ἐγένοντο. Καὶ λέγει τὴν τῆς σελήνης δημιουργίαν διὰ τὴν τῶν καιρῶν γεγενῆσθαι διδασκαλίαν· αἱ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἀλλοιώ σεις μετρεῖσθαι τὸν χρόνον παρασκευάζουσι. Τοῦ γὰρ μηνὸς τὸ μέτρον αὐτὴ ποιεῖ, ἐν τοσαύταις ἡμέ ραις αὔξουσά τε καὶ φθίνουσα. "Ὁ ἥλιος ἔγνω τὴν δύσιν αὑτοῦ." Οὐκ ἔμψυχος ὢν, οὐδὲ λόγῳ χρώ μενος· ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ὅρον ὁδεύων, οὕτως ποιεῖ τὴν ἡμέραν φαινόμενος, καὶ τὴν νύκτα κρυ πτόμενος· καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν δρόμον ἔχει ἀεὶ, καὶ τὰ μέτρα φυλάττει. κʹ. "Ἔθου σκότος, καὶ ἐγένετο νύξ." Ἀναγκαία καὶ ταύτης ἡ χρεία· τῇ μὲν τοῦ φωτὸς ὑποχωρήσει συνισταμένη· ἀνάπαυσιν δὲ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παρ εχομένη. "Ἐν αὐτῇ διελεύσονται πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ δρυμοῦ. [καʹ.] Σκύμνοι ὠρυόμενοι τοῦ ἁρπάσαι, καὶ ζητῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ βρῶσιν αὐτοῖς." Ἡ γὰρ νὺξ τοῖς μὲν ἀνθρώποις ἀνάπαυλαν πραγματεύεται, ἄδειαν δὲ τοῖς θηρίοις παρέχει, ὥστε πεινώσας ἐμπλῆσαι γαστέρας. Τὸ δὲ, "Ζητῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ βρῶσιν αὐτοῖς," ἀντὶ τοῦ, Καὶ τούτοις ἡ θεία Πρόνοια παρέχει τὴν χρείαν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ αἰτεῖν, λογικῶν· τὸ δὲ ζητεῖν, καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων· ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τούτοις ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν παρ έχει τροφήν. κβʹ, κγʹ. "Ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ συνήχθησαν, καὶ εἰς τὰς μάνδρας αὑτῶν κοιτασθήσονται. Ἐξ ελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὑτοῦ· καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν αὑτοῦ ἕως ἑσπέρας." Ἡλίου δὲ ἀν ίσχοντος, τὰ μὲν εἰς τὰς οἰκείας καταδύσεις χωρεῖ· οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι τὸν τῆς προτεραίας ἀποθέμενοι πόνον, προθύμως πάλιν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις διημε ρεύουσιν.