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to understand this from the word of the apostle writing thus: I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal; for if, he says, I speak not with the mind but with the tongue, not interpreting each of the things spoken by the tongue * since the listener perceives only sound without understanding, so that the one speaking seems to him to be a barbarian, having the sensation of a voice and of what is being sounded, he becomes to him a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal, striking and buzzing only in his hearing. Let us therefore glorify God, and in our speech imitate perfect and just men. For concerning each of these it is said, The discourse of a devout man is always wisdom; likewise also, The mouth of the righteous will meditate on wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment, the law of his God is in his heart; that is, with both mind and tongue and mouth he hymns God. And he called the tuneful and musical voice a well-sounding cymbal * clearly signifying the matters. And he calls the same thing a cymbal of shouting, uttered in victory * over enemies who have been captured and placed under foot. 1292 Ps 150,6 When God becomes all in all, the preceding saying will be fulfilled. For helping our weakness, he gives us an understanding of divine breath, just as also concerning the first man it is written, He breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul. For he who said, I am the life, is life and the fount of life, concerning which life it is said to the Father, With you is the fount of life. The breath of this beatifying and sanctifying life, coming into man, will make his soul living, so that the one who has received this would say with thanksgiving, My soul lives for him. Only and every one who has received the word of Jesus and believed in the Father who sent him will enjoy this gift. For the Savior says, He who hears my words and believes in him who sent me has eternal life. This breath along with the spirit God extends to those who have ascended beyond sensible things and tread on them, who are called his people, as the prophet said concerning him, Thus says the Lord God, who made the heaven and established the earth, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk upon it; and it is clear that the earth. And it was also said by a certain ancient, But it is the breath of the Almighty that teaches me.
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τοῦτο νοεῖν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ἀποστόλου λέξεως γράφοντος ουτως· Γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν η κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον· εἰ γάρ φησι μὴ νῷ ἀλλὰ γλώσσῃ λαλήσω μὴ διερμηνεύων εκαστα τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς γλώττης εἰρημένων * ἀντιλήψει τοῦ ἀκροατοῦ μόνης φωνῆς ανευ διανοίας εχοντος, ὡς δοκεῖν αὐτῷ βάρβαρον ειναι τὸν λαλοῦντα, φωνῆς καὶ ἠχουμένου αισθησιν εχοντος, γίνεται αὐτῷ χαλκὸς ἠχῶν η κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον, κρούων καὶ περιβομβοῦν μόνον τὴν ἀκοὴν αὐτοῦ. δοξολογῶμεν τοίνυν θεόν, καὶ τῇ προφορᾷ μιμούμενοι τοὺς τελείους καὶ δικαίους ανδρας. ειρηται γὰρ περὶ ἑκάστου τούτων τὸ ∆ιήγησις εὐσεβοῦς διαπαντὸς σοφία· ὁμοίως καὶ Στόμα δικαίου μελετήσει σοφίαν, καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ λαλήσει κρίσιν, ὁ νόμος τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· τουτέστι καὶ νῷ καὶ γλώσσῃ καὶ στόματι ὑμνεῖ θεόν. Ευηχον δὲ κύμβαλον ειπε τὴν ἐμμελῆ καὶ μεμουσωμένην φωνήν * ἀριδήλως σημαίνουσαν τὰ πράγματα. τὴν δὲ αὐτὴν κύμβαλον ἀλαλαγμοῦ φησι προφερόμενον ἐπινι * κατὰ ἁλόντων καὶ ὑπὸ πόδα γενομένων τῶν ἐχθρῶν. 1292 Ps 150,6 Οτε πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν ὁ θεὸς γένηται, πληρωθήσεται ἡ προκειμένη λέξις. βοηθῶν γὰρ τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ ἡμῶν νόησιν πνοῆς θείας ἡμῖν ἐνδίδωσιν, ὡς καὶ περὶ τοῦ πρώτου ἀνθρώπου ἀναγέγραπται τὸ ̓Ενεφύσησεν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ πνοὴν ζωῆς, καὶ ἐγένετο ανθρωπος εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν. ζωὴ γὰρ καὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς ὁ εἰπὼν ̓Εγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωή, περὶ ης ζωῆς ειρηται τῷ πατρὶ Παρὰ σοὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς. ταύτης τῆς μακαριοποιοῦ καὶ ἁγιαστικῆς ζωῆς πνοὴ εἰς τὸν ανθρωπον ἐρχομένη ζῶσαν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ παρασκευάσει, ωστ' αν εἰπεῖν εὐχαριστικῶς τὸν τούτου τυχόντα ̔Η ψυχή μου αὐτῷ ζῇ. ταύτης τῆς δωρεᾶς μόνος καὶ πᾶς ἀπολαύσει ὁ τὸν ̓Ιησοῦ λόγον δεξάμενος καὶ πιστεύσας τῷ ἀποστείλαντι αὐτὸν πατρί. φησὶ γὰρ ὁ σωτὴρ ̔Ο τῶν λόγων μου ἀκούων καὶ πιστεύων τῷ ἀποστείλαντί με εχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ταύτην τὴν πνοὴν αμα τῷ πνεύματι ὀρέγει θεὸς τοῖς ὑπεραναβεβηκόσι τὰ αἰσθητὰ καὶ πατοῦσιν αὐτὰ καλουμένοις λαῷ αὐτοῦ, ὡς ειπεν ὁ προφήτης περὶ αὐτοῦ Ουτω λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ στερέωσας τὴν γῆν, ὁ διδοὺς πνοὴν τῷ λαῷ τῷ ἐπ' αὐτῆς καὶ πνεῦμα τοῖς πατοῦσιν αὐτήν· φανερὸν δὲ οτι τὴν γῆν. ειρηται δὲ καὶ πρός τινος ἀρχαίου Πνοὴ δὲ παντοκράτορός ἐστιν ἡ διδάσκουσά με.