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better; but let him who is weaker flee the wicked, so as not to receive harm from them. And thus he will both live the present life in safety, and will obtain the good things to come; which may we all attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. ON THE 141ST PSALM. With my voice I cried unto the Lord, with my voice I made supplication unto the Lord. 1. Do you see how he does this everywhere, and begins from this starting point, and here says a second time, With voice and With voice? He does this not simply, but in order to teach us these two things through the repetition: both the intensity of his eagerness, and the attentiveness of his mind; and in addition to these, that the voice is his own. For not everyone cries out either with a voice, or to God, or with their own. But all these things must come together. He who cries out against enemies does not utter the voice of a man, but of a beast and a serpent. He who is indolent, and does not hear what he says, does not cry out to God, but utters sounds simply and at random. He who does not arouse his mind, even if he cries out loudly, again this one does not cry out. For voice, as I have often said before, does not indicate the tone of the breath, but the attentive mind. But this one is not so; but he brings these three things together, and shows that he both cries out with a voice, and to God, and with his own voice. For this reason he says a second time, With my voice and With my voice. I will pour out my supplication before him, I will declare my affliction before him. Have you seen a soul freed from the things of this life? For he did not flee to men, nor did he ask for alliances from them, but for help not made with hands, and for the impulse from above. Then, wishing to show the attentiveness of his mind, and the fervor that he had stored within, through this word, I will pour out, he says, with great abundance. From this we learn that afflictions also contribute not a little to philosophy; for this is the fruit of affliction; therefore let no one flee from it. For it has these two benefits: one, that it makes us more earnest and attentive; and another, that it becomes for us no small justification for being heard. For this very reason he himself did not say, My righteousness, nor, My good deeds, but, My affliction, as this too was no small advocacy for him. For this reason Isaiah also says, Comfort, O priests, my people; speak to the heart of Jerusalem, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for her sins. And Paul: Deliver such a one to Sa 55.443 tan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved. And writing to the Corinthians, he said: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. And to the rich man Abraham said: You received your good things in your lifetime, and Lazarus his evil things; and now he is comforted, but you are tormented. And David, when Shimei cursed him, said: Let him curse me, for the Lord has bidden him, so that he may see my humiliation. And everywhere in the Scriptures we shall find that those who bear afflictions with gratitude not only are absolved of many sins, but also acquire from them no small confidence before God. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. When the fainthearted among men especially fall away,

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βελτίους· ὁ δὲ ἀτονώτερος ὢν, φευγέτω τοὺς πονηροὺς, ὥστε μὴ τὴν παρ' ἐκείνων δέξασθαι λύμην. Καὶ οὕτω καὶ τὸν παρόντα βιώσεται βίον μετὰ ἀσφαλείας, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτεύξεται ἀγαθῶν· ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΡΜΑʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ. Φωνῇ μου πρὸς Κύριον ἐκέκραξα, φωνῇ μου πρὸς Κύριον ἐδεήθην. αʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς πανταχοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖ, καὶ ἀπὸ ταύτης προοιμιάζεται τῆς ἀρχῆς, καὶ δεύτερον ἐνταῦθα Φωνῇ καὶ Φωνῇ λέγει; Ποιεῖ δὲ τοῦτο οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ὥστε διδάξαι ἡμᾶς δύο ταῦτα διὰ τοῦ διπλασιασμοῦ, τό τε εὔτονον τῆς προθυμίας, τό τε συντεταμένον τῆς διανοίας· καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἔτι τὸ αὐτοῦ εἶναι τὴν φωνήν. Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οὔτε φωνῇ βοῶσιν, οὔτε πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, οὔτε τῇ οἰκείᾳ. ∆εῖ δὲ ἅπαντα ταῦτα συνελθεῖν. Ὁ κατ' ἐχθρῶν βοῶν, οὐκ ἀνθρώπου φωνὴν προΐεται, ἀλλὰ θηρίου καὶ ὄφεως. Ὁ ῥᾳθυμῶν, καὶ μὴ ἀκούων ὧν λέγει, οὐ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν βοᾷ, ἀλλὰ ἁπλῶς καὶ εἰκῆ φθέγγεται. Ὁ μὴ διεγείρων τὴν διάνοιαν, κἂν μεγάλα κράζῃ, πάλιν οὗτος οὐ βοᾷ Φωνὴ γὰρ, ὃ πολλάκις ἔφθην εἰπὼν, οὐ τὸν τόνον δηλοῖ τοῦ πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ τὴν συντεταμένην διάνοιαν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὗτος οὕτως· ἀλλὰ τρία ταῦτα συνάγει, καὶ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι τε φωνῇ βοᾷ, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ φωνῇ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο δεύτερόν φησι, Φωνῇ μου καὶ Φωνῇ μου. Ἐκχεῶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ τὴν δέησίν μου, τὴν θλίψιν μου ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἀπαγγελῶ. Εἶδες ψυχὴν τῶν βιωτικῶν ἀπηλλαγμένην; Οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους κατέφυγεν, οὐδὲ τὰς παρὰ τούτων ἐξῄτησε συμμαχίας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἀχείρωτον βοήθειαν, καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν ῥοπήν. Εἶτα τὸ συντεταμένον τῆς διανοίας, καὶ τὴν θερμότητα, ἣν εἶχεν ἐναποκειμένην, διὰ τῆς λέξεως ταύτης ἐμφῆναι βουλόμενος, Ἐκχεῶ, φησὶ, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς δαψιλείας. Ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν, ὅτι οὐ μικρὸν καὶ αἱ θλίψεις εἰς φιλοσοφίαν συμβάλλονται· τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς θλίψεως ὁ καρπός· μηδεὶς τοίνυν φευγέτω αὐτήν. ∆ύο γὰρ ταῦτα ἔχει τὰ κέρδη· ἓν μὲν, ὅτι τε σπουδαιοτέρους ἐργάζεται καὶ προσεκτικωτέρους· ἕτερον δὲ, καὶ ὅτι οὐ μικρὸν ἡμῖν δικαίωμα εἰς τὸ ἀκουσθῆναι γίνεται. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ εἶπε, Τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου, οὐδὲ, Τὰ κατορθώματά μου, ἀλλὰ, Τὴν θλίψιν μου, ὡς οὐ μικρᾶς καὶ ταύτης οὔσης αὐτῷ συνηγορίας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας, Παρακαλεῖτε, φησὶ, τὸν λαόν μου, ἱερεῖς· λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ὅτι ἐδέξατο ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου διπλᾶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῆς. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος· Παράδοτε τὸν τοιοῦτον τῷ Σα 55.443 τανᾷ εἰς ὄλεθρον τῆς σαρκὸς, ἵνα τὸ πνεῦμα σωθῇ. Καὶ Κορινθίοις ἐπιστέλλων, ἔλεγε· ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἀσθενεῖς, καὶ ἄῤῥωστοι, καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί. Εἰ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς διεκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα. Κρινόμενοι δὲ ὑπὸ Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ σὺν τῷ κόσμῳ κατακριθῶμεν. Καὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἔλεγε· Ἀπέλαβες τὰἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος τὰ κακὰ αὐτοῦ· καὶ νῦν μὲν οὗτος παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι. Καὶ ὁ ∆αυῒδ δὲ ἡνίκα αὐτὸν κατηράσατο ὁ Σεμεεὶ, ἔλεγεν· Ἄφες αὐτὸν καταρᾶσθαί με, ὅτι Κύριος αὐτῷ ἐνετείλατο, ὅπως ἂν ἴδῃ τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου. Καὶ πανταχοῦ τῶν Γραφῶν εὑρήσομεν, ὅτι οἱ τὰς θλίψεις εὐχαρίστως φέροντες, οὐ μόνον πολλὰ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων διαλύονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὐ μικρὰν ἐντεῦθεν κτῶνται πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν τὴν παῤῥησίαν. Ἐν τῷ ἐκλείπειν ἐξ ἐμοῦ τὸ πνεῦμά μου, καὶ σὺ ἔγνως τὰς τρίβους μου. Ὅτε μάλιστα οἱ μικρόψυχοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀναπίπτουσι,