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I have not forgotten you. I did not rise at midnight to confess to you upon the judgments of your righteousness. I am a companion of all who fear you, and of those who keep your commandments. The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord; teach me your statutes. If you consider the multitude of those who sin, of the ungodly, of those who speak injustice against the Most High, and you see God's long-suffering over so many sins, how even after all these things he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and 23.1376 sends rain on the just and on the unjust, you will say: The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord; teach me your statutes. You have dealt graciously with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge, for I have believed your commandments. Instead of: "You have dealt graciously," Symmachus gave: "you have done good to your servant." And he who has been instructed in divine things is taught not to be insensible to the beneficence of God that has come upon him; but to know that, when the goodness of God has come upon him, he has been deemed worthy to be called a servant of God, having become so according to his word. Before I was humbled I went astray; therefore I have kept your word. Because of former sins that were committed, he says, I was handed over and humbled, suffering these things by the judgment of God. For which reason, having been given over to discipline, I ask for instruction, so that I might know that the humbling which happened to me came about according to goodness and discipline. You are gracious, O Lord, and in your graciousness teach me your statutes. It is the work of a righteous man, being well-pleased with all that happens and is allotted by Providence, accepting it cheerfully, to say, even in what are thought to be the most bitter things, to God the words: "You are gracious," and: "I will bless the Lord at all times," holding to the same disposition. Instead of, "You are gracious," the other versions have interpreted: "You are good." I know therefore, he says, and I do not doubt concerning your substance, that it is by nature absolute goodness; but I ask for the teaching of your statutes, which I ask you to teach me; for I need teaching, in order to know the words concerning the proud. The injustice of the proud has been multiplied against me; but I will search out your commandments with my whole heart. Inasmuch as one is righteous, adding himself more to God, and the peace of God is multiplied in him, so much more is the injustice of the proud who wish to wrong him, whether of opposing powers, or of men, multiplied against him, as against a greater athlete. And when this happens, he does not yield in quality from searching out the commandments of God with his whole heart, so as to do them. Their heart was curdled like milk; but I meditated on your law. It is good for me that you have humbled me, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver. For before their pride, some were well-disposed and tender of heart, and drinkable, so that it could be compared to the most nutritious milk; but when they all put on pride, and were hardened, they were changed as it were from milk into cheese. And instead of "was curdled," Aquila says: "Their heart was fattened like suet"; and Symmachus: "Their heart was enriched like suet." But even if they were in this state, I did not withdraw from the things set before me, searching out your commandments with my whole heart, hunting from this investigation the knowledge of your pro 23.1377 vidence and of your universal administration, and while their heart was being fattened on the food available to them, I meditated on your law. Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, and I will learn your commandments. For having created heaven and earth and all things in them by word and command, when he came to man he said: "Let us make man in our own image and after our likeness." But to whom else does he say, "Let us make"

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σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην. Μεσονύκτιον οὐκ ἐξεγειρόμην τοῦ ἐξομολογεῖσθαί σοι ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου. Μέτοχος ἐγώ εἰμι πάντων τῶν φοβουμένων σε, καὶ τῶν φυλασσόντων τὰς ἐντολάς σου. Τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ, τὰ δικαιώματά σου δίδαξόν με. Ἐὰν κατανοήσῃς τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων, τῶν ἀσεβούντων, τῶν ἀδικίαν εἰς Ὕψος λαλούντων, καὶ ἴδῃς τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν μακροθυμίαν ἐπὶ τὰ τοσαῦτα ἁμαρτήματα, πῶς καὶ μετὰ τοσαῦτα πάντα ἀνατέλλει τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ 23.1376 βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους, ἐρεῖς· Τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ, τὰ δικαιώματά σου δίδαξόν με. Χρηστότητα ἐποίησας μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου, Κύριε, κατὰ τὸν λόγον σου. Χρηστότητα καὶ παιδείαν καὶ γνῶσιν δίδαξόν με, ὅτι ταῖς ἐντολαῖς σου ἐπίστευσα. Ἀντὶ τοῦ· Χρηστότητα ἐποίησας, εὐηργέτησας τὸν δοῦλόν σου, ἐξέδωκεν ὁ Σύμμαχος. ∆ιδάσκεται δὲ ὁ τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένος μὴ ἀναισθήτως ἔχειν τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν γεγενημένος τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐεργεσίας· εἰδέναι δὲ, ὅτι, χρηστότητος Θεοῦ φθανούσης εἰς αὐτὸν, κατηξίωται δοῦλος χρηματίσαι Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ γενόμενος. Πρὸ τοῦ ταπεινωθῆναι ἐγὼ ἐπλημμέλησα, διὰ τοῦτο τὸ λόγιόν σου ἐφύλαξα. ∆ιὰ τὰς προτέρας, φησὶ, πραχθείσας ἁμαρτίας παραδοθεὶς ἐταπεινώθην, κρίσει Θεοῦ ταῦτα παθών. Οὗ δὴ καὶ χάριν παιδείᾳ παραδοθεὶς, δέομαι διδασκαλίας, ὡς ἂν γνῶ ὅτι ἡ ταπείνωσις ἡ γενομένη μοι κατὰ χρηστότητα καὶ παιδείαν ἐγένετο. Χρηστὸς εἶ σὺ, Κύριε, καὶ τῇ χρηστότητί σου δίδαξόν με τὰ δικαιώματά σου. ∆ικαίου ἔργον ἐστὶν, ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς συμβαίνουσιν εὐαρεστούμενον καὶ κατακληρούμενον ἀπὸ τῆς Προνοίας, ἱλαρῶς δεχομένου λέγειν, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς πικροτέροις εἶναι νομιζομένοις, τῷ Θεῷ τό· Χρηστὸς εἶ σὺ, καὶ τό· Εὐλογήσω τὸν Κύριον ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, τῆς αὐτῆς ἐχόμενον προαιρέσεως. Ἀντὶ τοῦ, Χρηστὸς εἶ σὺ, αἱ λοιπαὶ ἐκδόσεις· Ἀγαθὸς εἶ σὺ, ἡρμήνευσαν. Οἶδα μὲν οὖν, φησὶ, καὶ οὐκ ἀμφιβάλλω περὶ τῆς σῆς οὐσίας, ὅτι δὴ αὐτοάγαθον πέφυκεν· ἀλλὰ δέομαι διδασκαλίας τῶν δικαιωμάτων σου, ἣν ἀξιῶ διδάξαι με· διδασκαλίας γάρ μοι δεῖ, εἰς τὸ γνῶναι τοὺς περὶ τῶν ὑπερηφάνων λόγους. Ἐπληθύνθη ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἀδικία ὑπερηφάνων· ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου ἐξερευνήσω τὰς ἐντολάς σου. Ὅσῳ δίκαιός τίς ἐστι, προστιθέμενος ἐπὶ πλεῖον τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ πληθύνεται ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοσούτῳ, ὡς ἐπὶ ἀθλητὴν μείζονα ἐπ' αὐτῷ πληθύνεται, ἢ τῶν ἀδικεῖν αὐτὸν θελόντων ὑπερηφάνων, εἴτε δυνάμεων ἀντικειμένων, εἴτε ἀνθρώπων. Τούτου δὲ γινομένου, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὸ ποιὸν ἐνδίδωσιν τοῦ μὴ ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ ἐξερευνᾷν τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς τὸ καὶ ποιῆσαι αὐτάς. Ἐτυρώθη ὡς γάλα ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν· ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν νόμον σου ἐμελέτησα. Ἀγαθόν μοι, ὅτι ἐταπείνωσάς με, ὅπως ἂν μάθω τὰ δικαιώματά σου. Ἀγαθός μοι ὁ νόμος τοῦ στόματός σου ὑπὲρ χιλιάδας χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου. Πρὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας εὔεκτοί τινες καὶ ἁπαλοὶ ἦσαν τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ πότιμοι ὡς τῷ γάλακτι αὐτὴν παραβάλλεσθαι τροφιμωτάτῳ· ἡνίκα δὲ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν ἐνεδύσαντο πάντες, καὶ σκληρυνθέντες, οἱονεὶ ἀπὸ γάλακτος εἰς τυρὸν μεταβεβλήκασιν. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, ἐτυρώθη, ὁ μὲν Ἀκύλας φησίν· Ἐλιπάνθη ὡς στέαρ ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος· Ἐμυαλώθη ὡς στέαρ ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν. Πλὴν ἀλλ' εἰ κἀκεῖνοι ἐν τούτοις ἦσαν, ἐγὼ τῶν ἐμοὶ προκειμένων οὐκ ἀνεχώρουν, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ ἐξερευνῶν τὰς ἐντολάς σου, ἀπὸ τῆς τούτων ἐρεύνης τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς σῆς προ 23.1377 νοίας καὶ τῆς καθόλου διοικήσεως θηρώμενος, καὶ τῶν μὲν ἡ καρδία ἐλιπαίνετο ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ αὐτοῖς τροφῇ· ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν νόμον σου ἐμελέτησα. Αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐποίησάν με καὶ ἔπλασάν με· συνέτισόν με καὶ μαθήσομαι τὰς ἐντολάς σου. Οὐρανὸν μὲν γὰρ καὶ γῆν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς λόγῳ δημιουργήσας καὶ προστάγματι, ὅτε ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον εἶπεν· Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἰδίαν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν. Τίνι δὲ ἄλλῳ λέγει, Ποιήσωμεν