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turning them away, sufficient to discipline them, and to guide them to the divine way. For what a bridle and a horse-trainer are to a young colt, this the divine word becomes to the young. 80.1825 10. "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments." Many indeed seek God, but not with their whole heart; for they divide it, not only among the cares of worldly affairs, but also among unseemly desires, and envies, and deceits, and plots against their neighbors. But the lover of divine things dedicates his whole mind to God, and depends on His providence. 11. "Thy words have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." He who possesses gold, or silver, or precious stones, does not display these things outside; but hides them away inside in storerooms and chambers, so as to escape the hands of burglars. Thus he who has the wealth of virtue hides it in his soul, so that the robbers of souls might not plunder it for the sake of vainglory. But the word teaches another thing also; for it charges us not to offer the divine oracles to all: "For give not," it says, "that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine." 12. "Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes." Instead of, you are gentle and love mankind, and worthy to be praised by all. For which reason, I beseech you that I may learn from you the things that are able to justify. 13. "With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth." For whatever I might learn from your goodness, these things I will teach to those who are ignorant. 14. "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches." The way of virtue is laborious, but greatly desired by the perfect. For this reason also the Lord Christ said: "Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." This the prophetic word also said, that the possession of your testimonies is more pleasing to me than all riches. The phrase, "as much as in all riches," is not added simply, but it signifies every kind of wealth; for there are many forms of wealth. For one who has gold is called rich, another silver, another much land, some planted, some sown; and another, cattle. But the Prophet, having comprehended all these things, and having compared them with the divine testimonies, said that the divine testimonies were as worthy of love to him as all forms of wealth are to the lovers of wealth. 15. "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways." For this reason, he says, I will make the constant study of your words my boast, and I will make my journey in your ways. 10. "I will meditate in thy statutes: I will not 80.1828 forget thy words." I will keep the memory of your oracles unforgettable for myself. 17. "Deal bountifully with thy servant." It is not for everyone to use this utterance; for no one carrying a wicked conscience rouses the judge to recompense; but he who uses pure reasonings uses this utterance with boldness. "Quicken me, and I shall keep thy words." For enjoying your help, I will escape the death of sin, and I will harvest the life from your words. 18. "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Not all who read the divine oracles understand their wonders, but those who enjoy the splendor from above. Which indeed the blessed Paul also said: "But when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit." He, therefore, being illuminated by the divine light, rightly cried out: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." But it is fitting for us to beseech the Lord, that He, having removed the veil from the eyes of our mind, may reveal the power of the divine oracles. 19. "I am a sojourner in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me." We do not dwell on the earth, but we sojourn; for having lived a short time, we pass on to another life. But not all are willing to know this, but those who upon present things

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ἀποτρέποντα, ῥυθμίζειν ἱκανὰ, καὶ πρὸς τὴν θείαν ὁδὸν ποδηγεῖν. Ὅπερ γάρ ἐστιν νέῳ πώλῳ χαλινὸς, καὶ πωλοδάμνης, τοῦτο τοῖς νέοις ὁ θεῖος γίνεται λόγος. 80.1825 ιʹ. "Ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου ἐζήτησά σε, μὴ ἀπ ώσῃ με ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου." Ζητοῦσι μὲν πολ λοὶ τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ· μερίζουσι γὰρ ταύτην, οὐ μόνον εἰς φροντίδας πραγμάτων βιωτι κῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς ἐπιθυμίας ἀτόπους, καὶ φθόνους, καὶ δόλους, καὶ τὰς τῶν πλησίων ἐπιβουλάς. Ὁ δὲ τῶν θείων ἐραστὴς πᾶσαν ἀφιεροῖ τῷ Θεῷ τὴν διά νοιαν, καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἀπαιωρεῖ προνοίας. ιαʹ. "Ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι." Ὁ χρυσὸν κεκτημένος, ἢ ἄργυρον, ἢ λίθους τιμίους, οὐκ ἔξω ταῦτα προτίθη σιν· ἀλλ' ἔνδον ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις καὶ τοῖς θαλάμοις ἐναποκρύπτει, ὥστε διαφυγεῖν τῶν τοιχωρύχων τὰς χεῖρας. Οὕτως ὁ τὸν πλοῦτον ἔχων τῆς ἀρετῆς κρύπτει τοῦτον ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ· ὡς ἂν μὴ διὰ δόξης καινῆς τοῦτον οἱ τῶν ψυχῶν συλήσαιεν λωποδύται. ∆ιδάσκει δὲ καὶ ἕτερον ὁ λόγος· οὐ γὰρ ἅπασι τὰ θεῖα λόγια προσφέρειν παρεγγυᾷ· "Μὴ δῶτε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσὶ, μηδὲ ῥίψητε τοὺς μαργαρί τας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν χοίρων." ιβʹ. "Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε· δίδαξόν με τὰ δικαιώ ματά σου." Ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἥμερος εἶ καὶ φιλάνθρωπος, καὶ ἄξιος παρὰ πάντων ὑμνεῖσθαι. Οὗ δὴ χάριν ἀντιβολῶ σε μαθεῖν παρὰ σοῦ τὰ δικαιῶσαι δυνά μενα. ιγʹ. "Ἐν τοῖς χείλεσί μου ἐξήγγειλα πάντα τὰ κρίματα τοῦ στόματός σου." Ἃ γὰρ ἂν παρὰ τῆς σῆς ἀγαθότητος μάθοιμι, ταῦτα διδάξω τοὺς ἀγνο οῦντας. ιδʹ. "Ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τῶν μαρτυρίων σου ἐτέρφθην, ὡς ἐπὶ παντὶ πλούτῳ." Ἐπίπονος μὲν ἡ τῆς ἀρε τῆς ὁδὸς, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τελείοις τριπόθητος. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ∆εσπότης ἔφη Χριστός· "Λάβετε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ' ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ὁ ζυγός μου χρηστὸς, καὶ τὸ φορτίον μου ἐλαφρόν ἐστι." Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ προφη τικὸς ἔφη λόγος, ὅτι πλούτου παντὸς θυμηρεστέρα μοι τῶν σῶν μαρτυρίων ἡ κτῆσις. Τὸ δὲ, "Ἐπὶ παντὶ πλούτῳ," οὐχ ἁπλῶς πρόσκειται, ἀλλὰ τὸν παντοδαπὸν πλοῦτον παραδηλοῖ· πολλὰ γὰρ τοῦ πλούτου τὰ εἴδη. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ χρυσὸν ἔχων ὀνομάζε ται πλούσιος, ὁ δὲ ἄργυρον, ὁ δὲ γῆν πλείστην, τὴν μὲν πεφυτευμένην, τὴν δὲ καὶ σπειρομένην· ὁ δὲ βοσκήματα. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα περιλαβὼν ὁ Προ φήτης, καὶ τοῖς θείοις μαρτυρίοις παραβαλὼν, ἔφη σεν ἀξιέραστα εἶναι αὐτῷ τὰ θεῖα μαρτύρια, ὡς τοῖς φιλοπλούτοις ἅπαντα τοῦ πλούτου τὰ εἴδη. ιεʹ. "Ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς σου ἀδολεσχήσω, καὶ κατανοήσω τὰς ὁδούς σου." Τούτου χάριν, φησὶν, ἐνδελεχῶς τῶν σῶν λόγων τὴν μελέτην αὐχήσω, καὶ ταῖς σαῖς ὁδοῖς τὴν πορείαν ποιήσομαι. ιʹ. "Ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασί σου μελετήσω, οὐκ 80.1828 ἐπιλήσομαι τῶν λόγων σου." Ἄληστον τῶν σῶν λο γίων ἐμαυτῷ φυλάξω τὴν μνήμην. ιζʹ. "Ἀνταπόδος τῷ δούλῳ σου." Οὐ παντός ἐστι ταύτῃ χρήσασθαι τῇ φωνῇ· οὐδεὶς γὰρ πονηρὸν συνειδὸς περιφέρων εἰς ἀνταπόδοσιν τὸν κριτὴν διεγείρει· ὁ δὲ καθαροῖς χρώμενος λογισμοῖς, σὺν παῤῥησίᾳ ταύτῃ κέχρηται τῇ φωνῇ. "Ζῆσόν με, καὶ φυλάξω τοὺς λόγους σου." Τῆς σῆς γὰρ ἀπο λαύων ἐπικουρίας, διαφεύξομαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν θάνατον, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου τρυγήσω ζωήν. ιηʹ. "Ἀποκάλυψον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, καὶ κατανοήσω τὰ θαυμάσια ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σου." Οὐχ ἅπαντες οἱ τοῖς θείοις ἐντυγχάνοντες λογίοις τὰ τούτων κατανοοῦσι θαυμάσια, ἀλλ' οἱ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἀπολαύοντες αἴγλης. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Παῦλος· "Ὅτ' ἂν δὲ ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς Κύριον, περιαιρεῖται τὸ κάλυμμα· ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν." Αὐτὸς μέν τοι τῷ φωτὶ τῷ θείῳ καταυγαζόμενος εἰ κότως ἐβόα· "Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἅπαντες ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου κατοπτριζόμενοι τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν, καθάπερ ἀπὸ Κυρίου πνεύματος." Ἡμᾶς δὲ προσ ήκει τὸν ∆εσπότην ἀντιβολεῖν, ἵνα τὸ κάλυμμα τῶν τῆς διανοίας ἡμῶν περιελὼν ὀφθαλμῶν, ἀποδείξῃ τῶν θείων λογίων τὴν δύναμιν. ιθʹ. "Πάροικος ἐγώ εἰμι ἐν τῇ γῇ· μὴ ἀποκρύψῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τὰς ἐντολάς σου." Τὴν γῆν οὐ κατοικοῦ μεν, ἀλλὰ παροικοῦμεν· βραχὺν γὰρ διαβιώσαντες χρόνον, εἰς ἕτερον μεταβαίνομεν βίον. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ πάντες ἐθέλουσιν εἰδέναι, ἀλλ' οἱ ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν