506

by division, or by some of the more sorrowful things brought by God. Therefore if we do not do all the commandments, we are not set aright. Wherefore it has been wonderfully said: For this reason we were set aright toward all your commandments, we have hated every unjust way. For no longer being distracted by the desire to do injustice, he refrains from injustice, but he refrains having hated injustice, he who has been set aright toward all the commandments of God. Your testimonies are wonderful, therefore my soul has searched them out. The declaration of your words will give light, and will give understanding to the simple. I opened my mouth and drew in the spirit, because I longed for your commandments. The first knowledge and the teaching delivered in the beginning of your words gives light and gives understanding to the simple. But your testimonies are wonderful, and full of astonishment. Rightly having opened wide the vessel of my own soul, and as it were having opened my mouth, I received the divine Spirit from you, believing the promise which says: Open your mouth and I will fill it. And I did this, drawing to myself the spirit from you, that I might know your wonderful testimonies, and acquire the light of your words, having received the comprehension of these things through your spirit. I opened my mouth and drew in the spirit, because I longed for your commandments; the very subject of the commandments drawing in and attracting the spirit. He speaks concerning the mouth of the hidden man; and the mouth of the soul can be its declarative power, which when thinking utters the word in the thought. It makes no difference to say to receive the word and to draw in the spirit; for the spirit is the same as the divine word. Wherefore also the Savior, concerning the word and sayings he spoke, has said: The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. Look upon me and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love your name. Of those who are shown mercy by 23.1388 God, some obtain this through repentance, just now departing from sins and confessing; but others receive an experience of God's mercy, in order that while progressing they may hasten to the very end of virtue. Therefore this one prays to be shown mercy not according to the judgment of the repentant, but of those who love the name of the Lord; for the person speaking is one of those who have greatly progressed in virtue and knowledge of the truth; wherefore also he speaks boldly to be seen by God. Look, he says, upon me and of necessity my being shown mercy will follow. Direct my steps according to your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me. According to the word of God he directs * my steps, as I pass from evil and ignorance to virtue and knowledge of the truth. For the director and guide of such steps is the right word. Redeem me from the false accusation of men, and I will keep your commandments. As a reward for the mercy of being redeemed from the false accusation of men, he promises to give the keeping of the Lord's commandments; or not even a reward, but thanksgiving for my being redeemed from the false accusation of men. And Joseph and Susanna have perceptibly obtained their request. But "men" might be said figuratively of the devil and the evil powers with him, from whose false accusation God alone can redeem. Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. Longing to see the second illumination of the Savior, he asks about it, saying to the Father, Make your face, Lord, shine; which if one has seen, he has seen the Father also. For he says about himself: He who has seen me has seen the Father. My eyes have shed streams of waters, because they did not keep your law. You are righteous, Lord, and your judgments are upright. You have commanded your testimonies in righteousness, and truth exceedingly. Your zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten your words. Your word is exceedingly refined, and your servant has loved it. I am younger and despised, I have not forgotten your statutes. The

506

διχοτομίᾳ, ἤ τινι τῶν σκυθρωποτέρων προσαγομένων ὑπὸ Θεοῦ. Ἐὰν τοίνυν μὴ ποιήσωμεν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς, οὐ κατορθούμεθα Ὅθεν θαυμασίως εἴρηται· ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πρὸς πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς σου κατωρθούμεθα, πᾶσαν ὁδὸν ἄδικον ἐμισήσαμεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔτι περισπώμενος ὑπὸ τῆς εἰς τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἐπιθυμίας, ἀπέχεται τῆς ἀδικίας, ἀλλ' ἀπέχεται μισήσας τὴν ἀδικίαν ὁ κατορθωθεὶς πρὸς πάσας τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολάς. Θαυμαστὰ τὰ μαρτύριά σου, διὰ τοῦτο ἐξερεύνησεν αὐτὰ ἡ ψυχή μου. Ἡ δήλωσις τῶν λόγων σου φωτιεῖ, καὶ συνετιεῖ νηπίους. Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦμα, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐπεπόθουν. Ἡ πρώτη γνῶσις καὶ ἡ ἐν ἀρχῇ παραδιδομένη διδασκαλία τῶν λόγων σου φωτιεῖ καὶ συνετιεῖ νηπίους. Τὰ δὲ μαρτύριά σου θαυμαστὰ, καὶ ἐκπλήξεως πλήρη. Εἰκότως τὸ δοχεῖον τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ ψυχῆς ἀναπετάσας, καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ στόμα ἀνοίξας, τὸ παρὰ σοῦ θεῖον Πνεῦμα ὑπεδεχόμην πιστεύσας ἐπαγγελίᾳ λεγούσῃ· Ἄνοιξον τὸ στόμα σου καὶ πληρώσω αὐτό. Καὶ τοῦτ' ἔπραττον ἐφελκόμενος εἰς ἑαυτὸν τὸ παρὰ σοῦ πνεῦμα, ἵνα καὶ τὰ μαρτύριά σου τὰ θαυμαστὰ γνῶ, καὶ τῶν λόγων σου τὸν φωτισμὸν κτήσωμαι, διὰ τοῦ σοῦ πνεύματος τὴν τούτων εἰληφὼς κατάληψιν. Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦμα, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐπεπόθουν· αὐτῆς τῆς ὑποθέσεως τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐπισπωμένης καὶ ἐφελκομένης τὸ πνεῦμα. Περὶ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ κρυπτοῦ ἀνθρώπου φησί· καὶ δύναται εἶναι ψυχῆς στόμα ἡ διαβοητικὴ αὐτῆς δύναμις, ἣ διανοουμένη προφέρει τὸν ἐν διανοίᾳ λόγον. Οὐδὲν διαφέρει λαβεῖν λόγον καὶ ἑλκῦσαι πνεῦμα εἰπεῖν· ταυτὸν γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ, περὶ οὗ ἔλεγε λόγου καὶ ῥημάτων εἴρηκε· Τὰ ῥήματα ἃ λελάληκα ὑμῖν, πνεῦμά ἐστι καὶ ζωή ἐστι. Ἐπίβλεψον ἐπ' ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλέησόν με, κατὰ τὸ κρῖμα τῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸ ὄνομά σου. Τῶν ὑπὸ 23.1388 Θεοῦ ἐλεουμένων, οἱ μὲν τυγχάνουσι τούτου διὰ μετανοίας, ἄρτι ἁμαρτιῶν ἀναχωροῦντες καὶ ἐξομολογούμενοι· οἱ δὲ πεῖραν ἐλέου Θεοῦ λαμβάνουσιν, ἐπὶ τῷ προκόπτοντας σπεῦσαι ἐπὶ τὸ τέλος αὐτὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς. Εὔχεται οὖν οὗτος ἐλεηθῆναι οὐ κατὰ τὸ κρῖμα τῶν μετανοούντων, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀγαπώντων ὄνομα Κυρίου· τῶν γὰρ κατ' ἀρετὴν καὶ γνῶσιν τῆς ἀληθείας πολὺ προκοψάντων τὸ λέγον πρόσωπον· διὸ καὶ παῤῥησιάζεται ὀφθῆναι τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐπίβλεψον, γάρ φησιν, ἐπ' ἐμὲ καὶ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἕψεται τὸ ἐλεηθῆναί με. Τὰ διαβήματά μου κατεύθυνον κατὰ τὸ λόγιόν σου, καὶ μὴ κατακυριευσάτω μου πᾶσα ἀνομία. Κατὰ τὸ λόγιον τοῦ Θεοῦ κατευθύνει * τὰ διαβήματά μου, ἐκ κακίας καὶ ἀγνοίας εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ γνῶσιν τῆς ἀληθείας διαβαίνοντος. Εὐθυντὴρ γὰρ καὶ ἡγεμὼν τῶν τοιούτων διαβημάτων ὁ ὀρθὸς λόγος. Λύτρωσαί με ἀπὸ συκοφαντίας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ φυλάξω τὰς ἐντολάς σου. Μισθὸν τοῦ ἐλέου λελυτρῶσθαι ἀπὸ συκοφαντίας ἀνθρώπων ὑπισχνεῖται δώσειν τὴν τῶν ἐντολῶν Κυρίου φυλακήν· ἢ οὐδὲ μισθὸν, ἀλλ' εὐχαριστίαν εἰς τὸ λυτρωθῆναί με ἀπὸ συκοφαντίας ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ τετυχήκασιν αἰσθητῶς τῆς αἰτήσεως Ἰωσὴφ καὶ Σουσάννα. Ῥηθεῖεν δὲ ἄνθρωποι τροπικῶς ὁ διάβολος καὶ αἱ κατ' αὐτὸν πονηραὶ δυνάμεις, ἀφ' ὧν τῆς συκοφαντίας μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ λυτροῦσθαι. Τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπίφανον ἐπὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου, καὶ δίδαξόν με τὰ δικαιώματά σου. Τὴν δευτέραν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπίλαμψιν ἰδεῖν ποθῶν ἀξιοῖ περὶ αὐτῆς, τῷ Πατρὶ φάσκων, Τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, Κύριε, ἐπίφανον· ὅπερ ἰδών τις ἑώρακε καὶ τὸν Πατέρα. Αὐτὸς γὰρ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει· Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ, ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα. ∆ιεξόδους ὑδάτων κατέδυσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐφύλαξαν τὸν νόμον σου. ∆ίκαιος εἶ, Κύριε, καὶ εὐθεῖς αἱ κρίσεις σου. Ἐνετείλω δικαιοσύνην τὰ μαρτύριά σου, καὶ ἀλήθειαν σφόδρα. Ἐξέτηξέ με ὁ ζῆλός σου, ὅτι ἐπελάθοντο τῶν λόγων σου οἱ ἐχθροί μου. Πεπυρωμένον τὸ λόγιόν σου σφόδρα, καὶ ὁ δοῦλός σου ἠγάπησεν αὐτό. Νεώτερος ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ ἐξουδενωμένος, τὰ δικαιώματά σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην. Ἡ