294

And wherever one might look among men, one will see many precipices. And what need is there to say the rest? Often a wicked servant has overturned and confused everything, and nothing is so precarious as to take pride in human things. But not so is he who fears God, but freed from the waves, he sits in calm and in a harbor, reaping true blessedness. For this reason, indeed, the prophet, passing by all those things, blesses this one alone. For that blessedness, if all things do not run together, could never stand; or rather, even when they do run together, it is then shaken by those very things that produce it. For wealth has destroyed, and a beautiful wife has often ruined, and a race of servants has betrayed, and children have become patricides; and as I have just said, it has many precarious things from every side. But in this case, even if all contrary things flow together, not only do they not harm this blessedness at all, but they even make it stronger and more courageous. For whether it be poverty, or dishonor, or maiming of the body, or wickedness of a wife, or wicked children, or whatever you might say, it does not trip up this blessedness, nor shake it. For it does not have its origin from those things, so that it might be shaken by those things that are swept away, but it has its root from above; for which reason it remains unconquered. And if you wish, let us handle this with the facts themselves. Was not Joseph a slave? a foreigner? a man without a city? a servant of barbarians, first of Saracens, and later of the more savage Egyptians? Was he not considered an adulterer? was he not accused? was he not slandered? did he not dwell in a prison? was he not bound with a chain? And what of these things harmed him? But indeed, on account of these things he was most blessed. For this is the wonderful thing, as I have just said, that not only is this blessedness not harmed by these things, but it also becomes brighter and more radiant. For if he had suffered none of these things, he would not have been so blessed. 2. Do you wish that I also speak of those who persisted more vehemently in evil, then suddenly changed, and put off all that wickedness? What has become more wretched than the thief? But suddenly he appeared more blessed than all. And yet he had committed countless murders; for he was condemned to a cross, and was being led to death, and all were accusing him, and all his time was spent, and his life was consumed in wickedness; but since in a short time he feared God as he ought to fear, he became blessed. So also the prostitute, although she sold her beauty, and was set forth for insult to all, and for this reason was more wretched than all, became blessed, having feared God as she ought. For there is no evil that the fear of God does not extinguish; but just as fire, whatever sort of twisted or rust-covered iron it takes, it makes it bright 55.367 and shining, cleansing it, and completely straightens its crookedness; so also the fear of God will accomplish all things even in a short time, and does not permit those who are dyed by it to be tripped up by any human things. Was not Timothy weak? Was he not continually in sickness and hardship? What then has become more blessed than he? What about Job? Tell me; was he not in poverty? was he not childless? was he not in a most grievous bodily plague? was he not in reproaches? was he not in insults? was he not in revilings? was he not in famine? was he not in all human evils? But nevertheless, he too became more blessed than all. For not only did none of these things trip him up, but they even made him stronger. And a wife, along with all those things, pressed upon him, reproaching him, and yet through all he shone. Therefore, considering all these things, the Prophet said: Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, he says, that walk in his ways. For lest you think that fear is sufficient for you,

294

Καὶ ὅπουπερ ἂν ἴδῃ τις τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πολλοὺς ὄψεται τοὺς κρημνούς. Καὶ τί δεῖ τἄλλα λέγειν; Πολλάκις οἰκέτης μοχθηρὸς πάντα ἀνέτρεψε καὶ συνέχεε, καὶ οὐδὲν οὕτω σφαλερὸν, ὡς τὸ ἐν ἀνθρώποις κομᾷν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁ τὸν Θεὸν φοβούμενος τοιοῦτος, ἀλλὰ τῶν κυμάτων ἀπηλλαγμένος, ἐν γαλήνῃ κάθηται καὶ λιμένι, τὴν ὄντως δρεπόμενος μακαριότητα. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο πάντα ἐκεῖνα παραδραμὼν ὁ προφήτης τοῦτον μακαρίζει μόνον. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ὁ μακαρισμὸς, ἂν μὴ πάντα συνδράμῃ, οὐκ ἄν ποτε σταίη· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὅταν συνδράμῃ, τότε σαλεύεται παρ' αὐτῶν ἐκείνων τῶν τικτόντων αὐτόν. Καὶ γὰρ πλοῦτος ἀπώλεσε, καὶ γυνὴ πολλάκις εὔμορφος κατέλυσε, καὶ οἰκετῶν γένος προέδωκε, καὶ παῖδες γενόμενοι πατραλοῖαι κατέστησαν· καὶ ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, πολλὰ πανταχόθεν ἔχει τὰ σφαλερά. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ κἂν πάντα συῤῥέῃ τἀναντία, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν παραβλάπτει τὸν μακαρισμὸν τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰσχυρότερον αὐτὸν καθίστησι καὶ ἀνδρειότερον. Κἂν γὰρ πενία, κἂν ἀτιμία, κἂν πήρωσις σώματος ᾖ, κἂν γυναικὸς μοχθηρία, κἂν παῖδες μοχθηροὶ, κἂν ὁτιοῦν εἴπῃς, οὐχ ὑποσκελίζει τοῦτον τὸν μακαρισμὸν, οὐδὲ παρασαλεύει. Οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἐκείνων ἔχει τὴν γένεσιν, ἵνα καὶ ὑπ' ἐκείνων σείηται τῶν παρασυρομένων, ἀλλ' ἄνωθεν τὴν ῥίζαν κέκτηται· διὸ καὶ ἀχείρωτος μένει. Καὶ εἰ βούλεσθε, ἐπ' αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων μεταχειρίσωμεν τοῦτον. Οὐχὶ δοῦλος ἦν Ἰωσήφ; οὐχὶ ξένος; οὐχὶ ἄπολις; οὐχὶ βαρβάρων οἰκέτης, πρότερον μὲν Σαρακηνῶν, ὕστερον δὲ ἀγριωτέρων τῶν Αἰγυπτίων; οὐχὶ μοιχὸς ἐνομίζετο; οὐ κατηγορεῖτο; οὐκ ἐσυκοφαντεῖτο; οὐ δεσμωτήριον ᾤκει; οὐχ ἅλυσιν περιέκειτο; Καὶ τί τούτων αὐτὸν ἔβλαψεν; Ἀλλὰ διὰ ταῦτα μὲν οὖν μάλιστα μακάριος ἦν. Τὸ γὰρ δὴ θαυμαστὸν τοῦτο, ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, ὅτι οὐδὲν οὐ μόνον παραβλάπτεται ὁ μακαρισμὸς ἐντεῦθεν οὗτος, ἀλλὰ καὶ λαμπρότερος καὶ φαιδρότερος γίνεται. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν τούτων ἔπαθεν, οὐκ ἂν οὕτω μακάριος ἦν. βʹ. Βούλει καὶ τοὺς σφοδρότερον ἐν κακίᾳ διατρίψαντας εἴπω, εἶτα ἀθρόον μεταβαλομένους, καὶ πᾶσαν ἐκείνην τὴν κακίαν ἀποδυσαμένους; Τί τοῦ λῃστοῦ γέγονεν ἀθλιώτερον; Ἀλλ' ἀθρόον μακαριώτερος ἐφάνη πάντων. Καίτοι μυρίους εἰργάσατο φόνους· καὶ γὰρ σταυρῷ κατεδικάζετο, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ θάνατον ἤγετο, καὶ πάντες αὐτοῦ κατηγόρουν, καὶ ὁ χρόνος ἅπας ἀνάλωτο, καὶ ὁ βίος δεδαπάνητο ἐν πονηρίᾳ· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ τὸν Θεὸν ὡς χρὴ φοβηθῆναι ἐφοβήθη, μακάριος γέγονε. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ πόρνη, καίπερ τὴν ὥραν ἐμπορευομένη, καὶ πᾶσιν εἰς ὕβριν προκειμένη, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πάντων οὖσα ἀθλιωτέρα, μακαρία κατέστη, τὸν Θεὸν ὡς δεῖ φοβηθεῖσα. Οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι κακὸν, ὃ μὴ σβέννυσιν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος· ἀλλὰ καθάπερ τὸ πῦρ οἷον ἂν λάβῃ σίδηρον διεστραμμένον, ἢ ἰοῦ πολλοῦ γέμοντα, καὶ λαμπρὸν 55.367 ἀποδείκνυσι καὶ φαιδρὸν, ἀποσμήχων, καὶ τελείως τὴν διαστροφὴν ἀνορθοῖ· οὕτω καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος καὶ ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ πάντα ἐργάσεται, καὶ τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ βαφέντας οὐδενὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀφίησιν ὑποσκελίζεσθαι. Οὐκ ἀσθενὴς ἦν ὁ Τιμόθεος; οὐχὶ διηνεκῶς ἐν νόσοις καὶ ταλαιπωρίαις; Τί οὖν ἐκείνου μακαριώτερον γέγονε; τί δαὶ ὁ Ἰώβ; εἰπέ μοι· οὐκ ἐν πενίᾳ κατέστη; οὐκ ἐν ἀπαιδίᾳ; οὐκ ἐν πληγῇ σώματος χαλεπωτάτῃ; οὐκ ἐν ὀνείδεσιν; οὐκ ἐν ὕβρεσιν; οὐκ ἐν λοιδορίαις; οὐκ ἐν λιμῷ; οὐκ ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις κακοῖς; Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἁπάντων καὶ οὗτος μακαριώτερος γέγονεν. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ οὐδὲν τούτων αὐτὸν ὑπεσκέλισεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ στερεώτερον εἰργάσατο. Καὶ γυνὴ δὲ μετὰ πάντων ἐκείνων ἐπέκειτο αὐτῷ ὀνειδίζουσα, καὶ ὅμως διὰ πάντων ἔλαμψε. Ταῦτα οὖν ἅπαντα ἐννοῶν ὁ Προφήτης ἔλεγε· Μακάριοι πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον, φησὶν, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίσῃς ἀρκεῖν σοι τὸν φόβον,