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In illud: Ne timueritis cum dives factus fuerit homo

ON THE SAYING OF THE PROPHET DAVID, which says, "Fear not when a man becomes rich, or when the glory of his house is increased," and concerning

hospitality.

55.499 1. It is pleasant for the farmer to draw the plough to clear the field, and to cut the furrow, and to pull up the thorns, and thus to cast the seeds, with no thorn to damage the crop; but it is much more pleasant for the speaker, when he casts divine thoughts into a hearing that has no disturbance. For this reason we take up the discourse with pleasure, because we see this field has been cleared. For even if we do not see your mind, yet your opened eyes and attentive hearing give me signs of your inner calm. For I cannot enter into your conscience; but your fixed and uplifted eyes send forth a voice, that there is no disturbance within, but rather you cry out with eagerness: cast the seeds, we will receive whatever you cast, because of the hope of the fruit; for we have cast out every care of this life from our mind. For this reason I always take up deeper thoughts, trusting in the nobility of the field. For Scripture seeks not only a wise teacher, but also an intelligent hearer. For this reason I call you blessed, and I call myself blessed too. For blessed, it says, is he who speaks into the ears of those who hear; and, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Therefore, into you who have come with eagerness, we will cast the thoughts. For all the others are now decaying in marketplaces and worldly cares, but you, becoming higher than the earth, receive intelligible thoughts; and they serve the handmaid, caring for the flesh, but you adorn and preserve the noble and free soul. For where are you spending your time now, O man? In the marketplace. That you might gather what? Muck and mire. Come, receive ointment from me. Why do you gather perishing wealth, the tyrant avarice, perishing powers, an abundance of worldly cares, which is 55.500 here today, and tomorrow is not? why do you pluck the flowers, and leave the fruit? why do you run after the shadow, and not grasp the truth? why do you pursue what perishes, and not seek what abides? Because all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass has withered, and the flower has fallen away; but the word of the Lord remains forever. Have you become rich in possessions? And what is this to the soul? Richer in possessions, and poorer in soul, you are proud in your leaves, and poor in your fruit. What is the profit? tell me. You have received riches, which you are about to leave behind here; you have received power, from which conspiracy is born. Come, enjoy philosophical words; spend away your sins, consume your transgressions, make your conscience pure, make your reasoning sublime; become an angel and a man. Leave behind the nature of the flesh, and take the light wing of life, release yourself from things seen, and hang yourself on things unseen. Ascend into the heavens, dance with the angels, stand before the tribunal that is above, that is high; leave behind the smoke, and the shadow, and the grass, and the spider's web; for I do not know a name worthy to bestow on this worthlessness.

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In illud: Ne timueritis cum dives factus fuerit homo

ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΡΗΤΟΝ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΟΦΗΤΟΥ ∆ΑΥΙ∆ Τὸ λέγον, "Μὴ φοβοῦ ὅταν πλουτήσῃ ἄνθρωπος, ἢ ὅταν πληθυνθῇ ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ," καὶ περὶ

φιλοξενίας.

55.499 αʹ. Ἡδὺ μὲν γηπόνῳ τὸ ἄροτρον ἑλκύσαι εἰς καθαρισμὸν τῆς ἀρούρας, καὶ τὴν αὔλακα ἀνατεμεῖν, καὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας ἀνασπάσαι, καὶ οὕτω τὰ σπέρματα καταβαλεῖν, ἀκάνθης οὐκ οὔσης τῆς λυμαινομένης τὸν σπόρον· πολὺ δὲ ἥδιον τῷ λέγοντι, ὅταν εἰς ἀκοὴν καταβάλλῃ τὰ θεῖα νοήματα θόρυβον οὐκ ἔχουσαν. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο μετὰ ἡδονῆς ἁπτόμεθα τὸν λόγον, ὅτι τὴν ἄρουραν ταύτην ἐκκεκαθαρμένην ὁρῶμεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν ὑμῶν οὐ βλέπομεν, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὄμματα ὑμῶν διηνοιγμένα καὶ προανεστηκυῖα ἡ ἀκοὴ σημεῖά μοι δίδωσι τῆς ἔνδοθεν γαλήνης. Εἰς μὲν γὰρ τὸ συνειδὸς ὑμῶν εἰσελθεῖν οὐ δύναμαι· τὰ δὲ ὄμματα ἑστηκότα καὶ μετέωρα γινόμενα φωνὴν ἀφίησιν, ὅτι θόρυβος οὐδεὶς ἔνδον ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον βοᾶτε μετὰ προθυμίας· κατάβαλλε τὰ σπέρματα, ὑποδεχόμεθα ὅπερ ἂν καταβάλῃς, διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τοῦ καρποῦ· πᾶσαν γὰρ φροντίδα βιωτικὴν ἐξεώσαμεν τῆς διανοίας. ∆ιὰ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ βαθυτέρων ἀεὶ ἅπτομαι νοημάτων, θαῤῥῶν τῇ εὐγενείᾳ τῆς ἀρούρας. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ σοφὸν διδάσκαλον ἡ Γραφὴ ζητεῖ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνετὸν ἀκροατήν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μακαρίζω μὲν ὑμᾶς, μακαρίζω δὲ καὶ ἐμαυτόν. Μακάριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ λέγων εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων· καὶ, Μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην. Οὐκοῦν εἰς ὑμᾶς τοὺς μετὰ προθυμίας παραγενομένους καταβαλοῦμεν τὰ νοήματα. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι πάντες νῦν ἐν ἀγοραῖς καὶ βιωτικαῖς φροντίσι κατασήπονται, ὑμεῖς δὲ τῆς γῆς ὑψηλότεροι γινόμενοι, τὰ νοήματα νοερὰ δέχεσθε· κἀκεῖνοι μὲν τῇ δούλῃ δουλεύουσι, τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπιμελούμενοι, ὑμεῖς δὲ τὴν εὐγενῆ καὶ ἐλευθέραν ψυχὴν καλλωπίζοντες, διατηρεῖτε. Ποῦ γὰρ διατρίβεις, ἄνθρωπε, νῦν; Ἐν ἀγορᾷ. Ἵνα τί συναγάγῃς; Βόρβορον καὶ πηλόν. Ἐλθὲ, λάβε μύρον παρ' ἐμοῦ. Τί συνάγεις χρήματα ἀπολλύμενα, φιλαργυρίαν τὴν τύραννον, ἀρχὰς τὰς ἀπολλυμένας, περιουσίαν τῶν βιωτικῶν φροντίδων, τὴν 55.500 νῦν οὖσαν, καὶ αὔριον οὐκ οὖσαν; τί δρέπῃ τὰ ἄνθη, καὶ ἀφίης τὸν καρπόν; τί τρέχεις ὀπίσω τῆς σκιᾶς, καὶ οὐ καταλαμβάνεις τὴν ἀλήθειαν; τί διώκεις τὰ ἀπολλύμενα, καὶ οὐ ζητεῖς τὰ μένοντα; Ὅτι Πᾶσα σὰρξ χόρτος, καὶ πᾶσα δόξα ἀνθρώπου ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου. Ἐξηράνθη ὁ χόρτος, καὶ τὸ ἄνθος ἐξέπεσε· τὸ δὲ ῥῆμα Κυρίου μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Γέγονας εὔπορος χρήμασι; Καὶ τί τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν ψυχήν; Εὐπορώτερος χρήμασι, καὶ πενέστερος τῇ ψυχῇ, κομᾷς τοῖς φύλλοις, καὶ πένῃ τῷ καρπῷ. Τί ὄφελος; εἰπέ μοι. Ἔλαβες χρήματα, ἃ μέλλεις ἐνταῦθα καταλιμπάνειν· ἔλαβες ἀρχὴν, ἐξ ἧς ἐπιβουλὴ τίκτεται. Ἐλθὲ, ἀπόλαυσον λόγων φιλοσόφων· δαπάνησόν σου τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, ἀνάλωσόν σου τὰ παρανομήματα, καθαρόν σου ποίησον τὸ συνειδὸς, μετάρσιον ποίησον τὸν λογισμόν· γενοῦ ἄγγελος καὶ ἄνθρωπος. Κατάλιπε τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν φύσιν, καὶ λάβε κοῦφον τὸ πτερὸν τῆς ζωῆς, ἀπάλλαξον σαυτὸν τῶν ὁρατῶν, καὶ κρέμασον σεαυτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀοράτοις. Ἀνάβα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, χόρευε μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων, παράστηθι τῷ βήματι τῷ ἄνω, τῷ ὑψηλῷ· κατάλιπε τὸν καπνὸν, καὶ τὴν σκιὰν, καὶ τὸν χόρτον, καὶ τὴν ἀράχνην· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὄνομα οἶδα ἄξιον τῆς εὐτελείας ταύτης ἐπιθεῖναι.