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for your mouth a door and a bolt. But he, since he knows that the matter is very difficult, adds prayers, and calls upon God for this alliance. Rather, he too hints at this same thing, as when he says: Who will set a cunning seal upon my lips? For we must also contribute what is from our side; for this reason he has also placed it in the form of a command, saying: Make a door and a bolt. But we must also call upon the alliance from God, so that our effort may come to fruition. Let us therefore guard our mouth continually, placing our reason as a key upon it, not so that it may be continually closed, but so that it may be opened at the fitting time. For there are times when silence is more beneficial than speaking, just as speaking is more so than silence. For this reason that wisest man said: A time to be silent, and a 55.433 time to speak. For if it had to be always open, there would be no doors; and if it had to be always closed, there would be no need of a guard. For what would one guard that is closed? But for this reason there is a door and a guard, so that we may do each thing at the appropriate time. And another says, Make a balance and a scale for your tongue, demanding greater exactness, so that we not only utter the words that we should, but also weigh them with fitting precision, as one might say, and scrutinize them. For if we do this with gold, a perishable material, much more should we do it with words, so that nothing is lacking or superfluous. Wherefore someone also says: Do not hold back a word in a time of salvation. Did you see the time for its release? But another, speaking of a time for silence, says: If you have a word, answer; but if not, let your hand be on your mouth. And again, He who abounds in words will be hated. And, A man who hides his folly is better than a man who hides his wisdom. Have you heard a word? Let it die within you. Be brave, it will not burst you. And again, A fool is in pangs because of a word, as a woman in labor is because of a child. Then also concerning measure: Speak, young man, if you have need, barely twice; if you are questioned, summarize much in few words. For great supervision of our thoughts is needed, so as to use the power of the tongue with great security. Wherefore he said again: There is a reproof, and it is not seemly; and there is one who is silent and is found to be wise. For indeed one must not only be silent and speak at the right time, but also with much grace. Wherefore Paul also said, Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Consider that this is the member through which we converse with God, through which we offer up praise. This is the member through which we receive the awesome sacrifice. The faithful know what is said. Wherefore it must be clean from all accusation, and reviling, and shameful talk, and slander; and if any licentious thought tries to force its way out, one must stifle it within, and not allow it to be brought forth into words; and if any faint-heartedness makes you despair, dry up this root also, and have the door secure, and the guard exact; and as for wicked counsels, neither allow them to be born, and if born, stifle them within, and dry up the root. 5. Job had such a guard; for this reason he brought forth no discordant word, but for the most part was silent; 55.434 but when he had to speak to his wife, he spoke words full of philosophy. For one must speak only then, when what is said is more useful than silence. For this reason Christ also said: Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof. And Paul: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. But how this door might become secure, and the guard exact, hear another saying: Let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.

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στόματί σου θύραν καὶ μοχλόν. Οὗτος δὲ ἐπειδὴ σφόδρα δύσκολον ὂν οἶδε τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ εὐχὰς προστίθησι, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν εἰς τὴν συμμαχίαν ταύτην καλεῖ. Μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐκεῖνος τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο αἰνίττεται, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ· Τίς δώσει ἐπὶ τῶν χειλέων μου σφραγῖδα πανοῦργον; ∆εῖ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν εἰσφέρειν· διὸ δὴ καὶ ἐν τάξει προστάγματος αὐτὸ τέθεικε λέγων· Ποίησον θύραν καὶ μοχλόν. ∆εῖ δὲ καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ συμμαχίαν καλεῖν, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ἡμετέρα σπουδὴ εἰς ἔργον γένηται. Φυλάττωμεν τοίνυν τὸ στόμα διηνεκῶς, κλεῖν αὐτῷ τὸν λογισμὸν ἐπιτιθέντες, οὐχ ἵνα διηνεκῶς ᾖ κεκλεισμένον, ἀλλ' ἵνα κατὰ καιρὸν ἀνοίγηται τὸν προσήκοντα. Ἔστι γὰρ ὅτε ἡ σιγὴ μᾶλλον ὠφέλησε λαλιᾶς, ὥσπερ καὶ λαλιὰ μᾶλλον σιγῆς. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ σοφώτατος ἐκεῖνος ἔλεγε· Καιρὸς τοῦ σιγῆσαι, καὶ και 55.433 ρὸς τοῦ λαλῆσαι. Εἰ γὰρ διαπαντὸς ἀνεῷχθαι ἔδει, οὐκ ἂν ἐγένοντο θύραι· εἰ δὲ διαπαντὸς κεκλεῖσθαι ἐχρῆν, οὐκ ἔδει φυλακῆς. Τὸ γὰρ κεκλεισμένον τί ἄν τις φυλάξειεν; Ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο θύρα καὶ φυλακὴ, ἵνα καιρῷ ἐπιτηδείῳ ἕκαστα ἐργαζώμεθα. Ἕτερος δέ φησι, Ζυγὸν καὶ σταθμὸν ποίησαι τῇ σαυτοῦ γλώττῃ, πλείονα ἀκρίβειαν ἀπαιτῶν, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐκφέρωμεν ῥήματα ἃ δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης ἀκριβείας σταθμίζοντες, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, καὶ διερευνώμενοι. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ χρυσοῦ τοῦτο ποιοῦμεν, καὶ ὕλης ἀπολλυμένης, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ ῥημάτων ποιεῖν δεῖ, ὥστε μηδὲν ὑστερεῖν, ἢ περιττεύειν. ∆ιὸ καί τίς φησι· Μὴ κωλύσῃς λόγον ἐν καιρῷ σωτηρίας. Εἶδες καιρὸν ἐξόδου; Ἕτερος δὲ καιρὸν σιγῆς λέγων, φησίν· Εἰ ἔστι σοι λόγος, ἀποκρίθητι· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἔστω ἡ χείρ σου ἐπὶ τῷ στόματί σου. Καὶ πάλιν, Ὁ πλεονάζων ἐν λόγῳ, μισηθήσεται. Καὶ, Κρείσσων ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν μωρίαν αὐτοῦ, ἢ ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ. Ἤκουσας λόγον; Ἐναποθανέτω σοι. Θάρσει, οὐ μή σε ῥήξει. Καὶ πάλιν, Ἀπὸ προσώπου λόγου ὠδινήσει μωρὸς, ὡς ἀπὸ προσώπου βρέφους ἡ τίκτουσα. Εἶτα καὶ περὶ μέτρου· Λάλησον, νεανίσκε, εἰ χρεία σοι, μόλις δίς· ἐὰν ἐπερωτηθῇς, κεφαλαίωσον ἐν ὀλίγοις πολλά. Πολλῆς γὰρ χρεία ἐπιστασίας τῶν λογισμῶν, ὥστε τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τῆς γλώττης μετὰ πολλῆς κεχρῆσθαι τῆς ἀσφαλείας. ∆ιὸ καὶ πάλιν ἔλεγεν· Ἔστιν ἔλεγχος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὡραῖος· καὶ ἔστι τις σιγῶν καὶ εὑρισκόμενος σοφός. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνον σιγᾷν δεῖ, καὶ φθέγγεσθαι εὐκαίρως, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς χάριτος. ∆ιὸ καὶ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν, Ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι. Ἐννόησον ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ μέλος, δι' οὗ ὁμιλοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ, δι' οὗ τὴν εὐφημίαν ἀναφέρομεν. Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ μέλος, δι' οὗ τὴν φρικτὴν θυσίαν ὑποδεχόμεθα. Ἴσασιν οἱ πιστοὶ τὸ λεγόμενον. ∆ιὸ καὶ κατηγορίας ἁπάσης αὐτὸ καθαρὸν εἶναι χρὴ, καὶ λοιδορίας, καὶ αἰσχρολογίας, καὶ συκοφαντίας· κἂν ἀσελγής τις λογισμὸς ἐκβιάζηται, ἀποπνίγειν αὐτὸν ἔνδον χρὴ, καὶ μὴ ἐᾷν εἰς ῥήματα ἐκφέρεσθαι· κἂν μικροψυχία τις ἀποδυσπετεῖν σε παρασκευάζῃ, καὶ ταύτην ἀναξηραίνειν τὴν ῥίζαν, καὶ ἀσφαλῆ τὴν θύραν ἔχειν, καὶ ἀκριβῆ τὴν φυλακήν· καὶ τὰ πονηρὰ βουλεύματα μήτε ἐᾷν τίκτεσθαι, καὶ τικτόμενα ἀποπνίγειν ἔνδον, καὶ καταξηραίνειν τὴν ῥίζαν. εʹ. Τοιαύτην εἶχε φυλακὴν ὁ Ἰώβ· διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν ἐξήνεγκε ῥῆμα ἀπηχὲς, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πλέον μὲν ἐσίγα· 55.434 ὅτε δὲ καὶ φθέγξασθαι ἔδει πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα, ἐφθέγξατο τὰ φιλοσοφίας γέμοντα ῥήματα. Τότε γὰρ δεῖ φθέγγεσθαι μόνον, ὅταν τῆς σιγῆς τὰ λεγόμενα χρησιμώτερα ᾖ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγε· Πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργὸν, ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσωσιν ἄνθρωποι, δώσουσιν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ λόγον. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος· Λόγος σαπρὸς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ ἐκπορευέσθω. Πῶς δ' ἂν γένοιτο ἀσφαλὴς αὕτη ἡ θύρα, καὶ ἡ φυλακὴ ἀκριβὴς, ἄκουσον ἑτέρου λέγοντος· Πᾶσα διήγησίς σου ἔστω ἐν νόμῳ Ὑψίστου.