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and the violent deaths brought upon them, they were set against virtue as helping in no way. Therefore, having set forth the words of those who say that the righteous man has perished, he continues, reproaching them that they see their bodily destruction, but are unwilling to consider that the shortening of their time is for their benefit, and that it frees them from toils with good hopes, simply running down the life of the righteous. Then he refutes their 2581 impieties, in the mountains, and at home, raising altars at their own doorposts, and hanging up symbols of augury. For this reason they shall be given over to captivity. For in these terrible things you have fled to everything else rather than to me, sending embassies concerning an alliance to Egypt, and to nations far away. And when they contradicted you, you ran to others. And there was no satiety of toils and hardship. Then having threatened them with calamities, he promises that those devoted to him will find relief. And having reached, he says, my holy mountain, they will counsel that every idol be removed. And that every stumbling block be cleared from the ways of God, so that one may walk unhindered in my ways. 15a. 9Thus says the Lord, the most high dwelling in the high places for eternity, holy among the holy is his name, the Lord most high, resting among the holy, and giving long-suffering to the faint-hearted, and giving life to those broken in heart9, etc. To the rulers of the Jewish nation, whom he called mute and blind dogs and such things, and to the peoples under them, having said the preceding things, now he addresses his word to the devout among them, and those repenting for what they sinned, whom he also calls broken in heart; for there were, although few, among them dedicated to God, both prophets and their disciples, bewailing themselves and the people, being in want, afflicted, and so forth. For God, although he is beyond all things, does not overlook the humble, but also gives grace to them, raising them to a height, he who opposes the proud, according to the saying: "He who humbles himself will be exalted," and being exalted, he receives God dwelling in him. For this reason he also now speaks with them, so that he might exalt them, and might rest upon them having become holy. The height, therefore, in God's case is not local, but relational, through which he is present to the worthy and to himself. Such is also the humble-minded person over his sins. And if, being men, they are afflicted on account of piety, he makes them patient (for being long-suffering, he makes them long-suffering); but also, being the fount of life, he gives eternal life, he who does not despise a contrite and humbled heart. Who also says to them, that I will not take vengeance for all the things sinned as men do; but having disciplined you for a short while, and having overlooked that you were afflicted along with the sins of the people, I will deliver those who are truly impious and have not repented to eternal punishment; but for you I will release my wrath. For as Creator, I care for the 2584 Spirit given to you by me, which, when creating man, I breathed into a living soul, concerning which it was also said: "Let every breath praise the Lord." And Job also says: "The Spirit of the Lord which is in my nostrils, and the breath of the Almighty is that which teaches me." Therefore, in disciplining you, I do this as a Father; "For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines." And having suffered this, you were grieved with a godly grief very keenly, becoming sorrowful over your sins. And seeing your life of repentance, I rightly healed you, having truly comforted you. For the things from me are true. and having given peace, not simply, but so that both those near and those settled very far away might have it. And this is the end for those who have been helped by my discipline. But such as these, indeed, will be tossed by waves. For how is it in their nature to rest and rejoice, those who have been alienated from God? but according to Symmachus: But the impious are like a sea that is cast up. For they will not be able to be quiet, and they will be cast up by its waters, both trampled thing and mire. But Aquila: And its waters cast up trampled thing and mire. So that if he should ever say, as if concerning

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καὶ τοὺς ἐπαγομένους βίᾳ θανάτους, διεβέβληντο πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν ὡς μηδὲν ὠφελοῦσαν. Ὅθεν τὰ παρ' αὐτῶν προτάξας τῶν λεγόντων ἀπολωλέναι τὸν δίκαιον, ἐπάγει μεμφόμενος ὅτι τὰς μὲν σωματικὰς αὐτῶν ἀπωλείας ὁρῶσι, τὸ δὲ πρὸς ὄνησιν αὐτοῖς εἶναι τὸ συσταλῆναι τὸν χρόνον, καὶ πόνων αὐτοὺς ἐπ' ἐλπίσιν ἀγαθαῖς ἀπαλλάττεσθαι σκοπεῖν οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν ἀπλῶς τοῦ δικαίου κατατρέχοντες βίου. Εἶτα διελέγχει τὰς 2581 ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν, τὰς ἐν ὄρεσι, καὶ κατ' οἶκον ἐπὶ τῶν ἰδίων σταθμῶν βωμοὺς ἐγειρόντων, καὶ σύμβολα κρεμαννύντων οἰωνισμῶν. ∆ιόπερ εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν παραδοθήσονται. Ἐν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τοῖς δεινοῖς πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸς ἐμὲ κατεφεύγετε, πρεσβείας περὶ συμμαχίας εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀποστέλλοντες, καὶ πρὸς τὰ πόῤῥωθεν ἔθνη. Καὶ ἀντιλεγόντων ἐφ' ἑτέρους ἐτρέχετε. Καὶ κόπων καὶ ταλαιπωρίας κόρος οὐκ ἦν. Εἶτα τὰς συμφορὰς αὐτοῖς ἀπειλήσας, ἀνέσεως τυχεῖν τοὺς αὐτῷ προσκειμένους ἐπαγγέλλεται. Καὶ καταλαβόντες, φησὶ, τὸ ἅγιόν μου ὄρος συμβουλεύσουσι πᾶν εἴδωλον ἀρθῆναι. Καὶ πᾶν σκῶλον καθαρισθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὁδῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, πρὸς τὸ ἀνεμποδίστως ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς μου πορεύεσθαι. ιεκαʹ. 9Τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ ὕψιστος ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν τὸν αἰῶνα, ἅγιος ἐν ἁγίοις ὄνομα αὐτῷ Κύριος ὕψιστος, ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναπαυόμενος, καὶ ὀλιγοψύχοις διδοὺς μακροθυμίαν, καὶ διδοὺς ζωὴν τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν9, κ.τ.λ. Πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας τοῦ Ἰουδαίων ἔθνους, οὓς κύνας ἐνεοὺς καὶ τυφλοὺς, καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐκάλει, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτοὺς λαοὺς τὰ πρὸ τούτων εἰπὼν, νῦν πρὸς τοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς εὐλαβεῖς, καὶ μετανοοῦντας ἐφ' οἷς ἤμαρτον ποιεῖται τὸν λόγον, οὓς καὶ συντετριμμένους τὴν καρδίαν καλεῖ· ἦσαν γὰρ εἰ καὶ βραχεῖς ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀνακείμενοι τῷ Θεῷ προφῆταί τε, καὶ τούτων μαθηταὶ, ἑαυτούς τε καὶ τὸν λαὸν ἀποκλαίοντες, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, καὶ τὰ ἐφεξῆς. Ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς, εἰ καὶ πάντων ἐστὶν ἐπέκεινα, οὐχ ὑπερορᾷ τοὺς ταπεινοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ δίδωσι χάριν αὐτοῖς, εἰς ὕψος ἐγείρων, ὁ τοῖς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτασσόμενος, κατὰ τό· "Ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν, ὑψωθήσεται," καὶ ὑψωθεὶς ἐνοικοῦντα λαμβάνει Θεόν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νῦν αὐτοῖς διαλέγεται, ὡς ἂν ὑψώσῃ, καὶ ἐν ἁγίοις γεγονόσιν ἐπαναπαύηται. Οὐ τοπικὸν οὖν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ, σχετικὸν δὲ τὸ ὕψος, δι' ἧς τοῖς ἀξίοις καὶ αὐτῷ πάρεστιν. Ὁποῖος καὶ ὁ ταπεινόφρων ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄνθρωποι ὄντες θλίβονται δι' εὐσέβειαν, καρτερικοὺς αὐτοὺς ἀπεργάζεται (μακρόθυμος γὰρ ὢν, μακροθύμους ποιεῖ)· ἀλλὰ καὶ ζωῆς ὑπάρχων πηγὴ, ζωὴν αἰώνιον δίδωσιν, ὁ καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην οὐκ ἐξουδενῶν. Ὃς καί φησι πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ὡς Οὐ πάντων τῶν ὡς ἀνθρώποις ἡμαρτημένων λήψομαι δίκην· βραχέα δὲ παιδεύσας, καὶ συγκακουχεῖσθαι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις παριδὼν τοῦ λαοῦ, τοὺς μὲν, ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀσεβεῖς, μὴ μετανοήσαντας αἰωνίῳ παραδώσω κολάσει· ὑμῖν δὲ τὴν ὀργὴν ὑπεκλύσω. Μέλει γὰρ ὡς ∆ημιουργῷ τοῦ δοθέντος 2584 ὑμῖν Πνεύματος παρ' ἐμοῦ, ὃ καὶ κτίζων ἄνθρωπον, εἰς ψυχὴν ἐνεφύσησα ζῶσαν, περὶ ἧς καὶ εἴρηται· "Πᾶσα πνοὴ αἰνεσάτω τὸν Κύριον." Καὶ Ἰὼβ δέ φησι· "Πνεῦμα Κυρίου τὸ περιόν μοι ἐν ῥισὶ, πνοὴ δὲ παντοκράτορός ἐστιν ἡ διδάσκουσά με." Οὐκοῦν καὶ παιδεύων ὑμᾶς, ὡς Πατὴρ, τοῦτο ποιῶ· "Ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος, παιδεύει." Τοῦτο δὲ παθόντες, εὐαισθήτως ἄγαν τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν λύπην ἐλυπήθητε ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις στυγνάσαντες. Καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς μετανοίας βίον ἰδὼν, εἰκότως ἰασάμην ὑμᾶς ἀληθῶς παρακαλέσας. Ἀληθῆ γὰρ τὰ παρ' ἐμοῦ. καὶ δοὺς εἰρήνην, οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐγγὺς ἔχειν αὐτὴν, καὶ τῶν πόῤῥω λίαν ἀπῳκισμένων. Καὶ τοῦτο πέρας τοῖς ἐκ τῆς ἐμῆς παιδείας ὠφελημένοις. Οἱ δὲ δὴ τοιοῦτοι, κλυδωνισθήσονται. Πῶς γὰρ ἔχει φύσιν, ἀναπαύεσθαι καὶ χαίρειν τοὺς ἀλλοτριωθέντας Θεοῦ; κατὰ δὲ Σύμμαχον· Οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ὡς θάλασσα ἐκβρασσομένη. Ἡσυχάσαι γὰρ οὐ δυνήσονται, καὶ ἐκβρασθήσονται παρὰ τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῆς, καὶ καταπάτημα, καὶ πηλός. Ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας· Καὶ ἐκβράσσει ὕδατα αὐτῆς καταπάτημα καὶ πηλόν. Ὥστε εἰ λέγοι τό ποτε, ὡς περὶ