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Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is truth. Tribulations and distresses have found me; your commandments are my meditation. Symmachus presented another thought, saying, Tribulations and evils have seized me; but your commandments delighted me; as every God-fearing person is burdened and distressed by the affairs of life, and is discouraged by the wickedness of men, having as his only consolation, recovery, and delight the meditation on the commandments of God. Your testimonies are righteousness forever; give me understanding, and I shall live. This righteousness, which 23.1389 we practice in the present, is not given to us for a few days, but forever. In all these things the Prophet asks understanding from God, the most necessary of God's gifts, and says: Give me understanding, that I may live; for no foolish or unintelligent person comes to that blessed life, but one must ask for understanding from God, who gives to all who ask him with their whole soul, so that receiving understanding, we might be able to say: Give me understanding, and I shall live. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord; I will seek your statutes. I cried to you; save me, and I will keep your testimonies. I arose before dawn and cried out; I have hoped in your words. My eyes are awake before the morning watch, that I might meditate on your sayings. He who rises before dawn and calls upon God is freed from the plots of the night, and at his morning watch, that is, at the rising of the dawning light, he possesses watchful eyes, and meditates on the sayings of God with confidence. For that soul especially rejoices in the law which is conscious of its own achievement. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to your mercy; according to your judgment give me life. Those who persecute me with iniquity have drawn near; but they are far from your law. You are near, O Lord, and all your ways are truth. From the beginning I have known from your testimonies, that you have founded them forever. See my humiliation, and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. Judge my cause and redeem me; give me life for your word's sake. He asks to be judged against his enemies who fight secretly or openly, and to be redeemed; for God alone is the one who redeems from both, and not only delivers us from death, which the demons threaten and bring about, but also gives life for the same word's sake. Salvation is far from sinners, because they have not sought your statutes. Your compassions are many, O Lord; according to your judgment give me life. A man's mercy is upon his neighbor; but the Lord's mercy is upon all flesh, who also seems to be very just. For by the comparison of men with respect to the precise judgment of God, what is just needs mercy. For everything that seems to have happened according to mercy, happens by the mercy of God. For what has anyone done worthy of eternal blessedness and the kingdom of heaven, without being helped by God? -Many are they who persecute me and afflict me; from your testimonies I have not turned aside. I saw the senseless and was consumed with grief, because they did not keep your sayings. See that I have loved your commandments, O Lord; in your mercy give me life. The beginning of your words is truth; and all the judgments of your righteousness are forever. Princes persecuted me without cause, and my heart was in awe of your words. I will rejoice at your sayings, as one who finds great spoil. I have hated and abhorred iniquity, but 23.1392 your law I have loved. Seven times a day I have praised you for the judgments of your righteousness. You will understand and thus, having established, as one rising from bed before the sun according to him who says: From the night my spirit rises early to you, O God; and, O God, my God, to you I rise early, he sent up the first hymn; then, when day had dawned, at the first hour, as in the morning he offered the second sacrifice to God, and at

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δικαιοσύνη σου δικαιοσύνη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ ὁ νόμος σου ἀλήθεια. Θλίψεις καὶ ἀνάγκαι εὕροσάν με· αἱ ἐντολαί σου μελέτη μου. Ὁ Σύμμαχος ἑτέραν παρέστησε διάνοιαν εἰπὼν, Θλίψεις καὶ ἐγκακήσεις κατέλαβόν με· αἱ δὲ ἐντολαὶ ἔτερπόν με· ὡς παντὸς θεοσεβοῦς βαρουμένου μὲν καὶ δυσχεραίνοντος ἐπὶ τοῖς τοῦ βίου πράγμασιν, ἀποκακοῦντός τε ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων κακίας, μόνην δὲ ἔχοντος παραμυθίαν καὶ ἀνάκτησιν καὶ τέρψιν τὴν μελέτην τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. ∆ικαιοσύνη τὰ μαρτύριά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, συνέτισόν με, καὶ ζήσομαι. Αὕτη ἡ δικαιοσύνη, ἣν 23.1389 ἀσκοῦμεν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος, οὐκ ἀποδίδοται ἡμῖν ἐν ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν αἰτεῖ ὁ Προφήτης ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ σύνεσιν, τὸ ἀναγκαιότατον τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρημάτων, καὶ λέγει· Συνέτισόν με, ἵνα ζήσω· ἐπ' ἐκείνην γὰρ τὴν μακαρίαν ζωὴν ἀνόητος οὐκ ἔρχεται ἢ ἀσύνετος, ἀλλὰ δεῖ αἰτῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ σύνεσιν, τοῦ διδόντος πᾶσι τοῖς ἐξ ὅλης ψυχῆς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτὸν, ἵνα λαβόντες σύνεσιν, δυνηθῶμεν εἰπεῖν· Συνέτισόν με, καὶ ζήσομαι. Ἐκέκραξα ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, ἐπάκουσόν μου, Κύριε, τὰ δικαιώματά σου ἐκζητήσω. Ἐκέκραξά σοι, σῶσόν με, καὶ φυλάξω τὰ μαρτύριά σου. Προέφθασα ἀωρίᾳ καὶ ἐκέκραξα, εἰς τοὺς λόγους σου ἐπήλπισα. Προέφθασαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου πρὸς ὄρθρον, τοῦ μελετᾷν τὰ λόγιά σου. Ὁ ἐν ἀωρίᾳ προλαβὼν καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλούμενος ἐλευθεροῦται τῶν νυκτερινῶν ἐπιβουλῶν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ὄρθρῳ αὐτοῦ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ τοῦ φωτὸς προφθάνοντος δηλαδὴ, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς προαπαντῶντας κέκτηται, καὶ μελετᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ σὺν παῤῥησίᾳ τὰ λόγια. Ἐκείνη γὰρ μάλιστα τῷ νόμῳ χαίρει ψυχὴ, ἥτις αὐτὴ σύνοιδεν ἑαυτῇ τὴν κατόρθωσιν. Τῆς φωνῆς μου ἄκουσον, Κύριε, κατὰ τὸ ἔλεός σου, κατὰ τὸ κρῖμά σου ζῆσόν με. Προσήγγισαν οἱ καταδιώκοντές με ἀνομίᾳ· ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ νόμου σου ἐμακρύνθησαν. Ἐγγὺς εἶ σὺ, Κύριε, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοί σου ἀλήθεια. Καταρχὰς ἔγνων ἐκ τῶν μαρτυρίων σου, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐθεμελίωσας αὐτά. Ἴδε τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου, καὶ ἐξέλου με, ὅτι τοῦ νόμου σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην. Κρῖνον τὴν κρίσιν μου καὶ λύτρωσαί με, διὰ τὸν λόγον σου ζῆσόν με. Κριθῆναι πρὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αἰτεῖ τοὺς ἀφανῶς ἢ ἐμφανῶς πολεμοῦντας, καὶ λυτρωθῆναι· μόνος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐξ ἑκατέρων λυτρούμενος, καὶ οὐ θανάτου μόνον ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλάττων, ὃν ἀπειλοῦσι καὶ ἐνεργοῦσιν οἱ δαίμονες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζωὴν παρέχων διὰ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον. Μακρὰν ἀπὸ ἁμαρτωλῶν σωτηρία, ὅτι τὰ δικαιώματά σου οὐκ ἐξεζήτησαν. Οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου πολλοὶ, Κύριε, κατὰ τὸ κρῖμά σου ζῆσόν με. Ἔλεος ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ· ἔλεος δὲ Κυρίου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, ὃς καὶ πάνυ δικαιότατος εἶναι δοκεῖ. Συγκρίσει γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ὡς πρὸς τὴν ἀκριβῆ κρίσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλέου δεῖται τὸ δίκαιον. Πᾶν γὰρ ὃ δοκεῖ γεγονέναι κατ' ἔλεον, ἐλέῳ Θεοῦ γίνεται. Τί γάρ τις ἄξιον πεποίηκε αἰωνίου μακαριότητος καὶ βασιλείας οὐρανῶν, μὴ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ βοηθούμενος; -Πολλοὶ οἱ ἐκδιώκοντές με καὶ θλίβοντές με, ἐκ τῶν μαρτυρίων σου οὐκ ἐξέκλινα. Εἶδον ἀσυνετοῦντας καὶ ἐξετηκόμην, ὅτι τὰ λόγιά σου οὐκ ἐφυλάξαντο. Ἴδε, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἠγάπησα, Κύριε, ἐν τῷ ἐλέει σου ζῆσόν με. Ἀρχὴ τῶν λόγων σου ἀλήθεια· καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα πάντα τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου. Ἄρχοντες κατεδίωξάν με δωρεὰν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων σου ἐδειλίασεν ἡ καρδία μου. Ἀγαλλιάσομαι ἐγὼ ἐπὶ τὰ λόγιά σου, ὡς ὁ εὑρίσκων σκῦλα πολλά. Ἀδικίας ἐμίσησα καὶ ἐβδελυξάμην, τὸν δὲ 23.1392 νόμον σου ἠγάπησα. Ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ᾔνεσά σε ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου. Νοήσεις καὶ οὕτως ἐπιστήσας ὡς πρὸ ἡλίου διανιστάμενος τῆς κοίτης κατὰ τὸν λέγοντα· Ἐκ νυκτὸς ὀρθρίζει τὸ πνεῦμά μου πρὸς σὲ, ὁ Θεός· καὶ, ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεός μου, πρὸς σὲ ὀρθρίζω, τὸν πρῶτον ἀνέπεμπεν ὕμνον· εἶτ' ἐπιστάσης ἡμέρας, κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ὥραν, ὥσπερ ἕωθεν τὴν θυσίαν προσέφερε τῷ Θεῷ τὸν δεύτερον, καὶ κατὰ