Tearful sowing and joyful harvest: Ps 125. 5-6 in the interpretation of St. Augustine

St. Augustine of Hippo quoted the final two verses of Psalm 125 many times and discussed them several times in his treatises and sermons. The article contains an analysis of those texts from Augustine in which verses are not only quoted, but also directly or indirectly explained. The Exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians only outlines the possibility of a spiritual understanding of the tearful sowing and joyful harvest from Ps. 125. The most complete and detailed interpretation of Ps. 126:5–6 is in Sermon 31, which is specifically devoted to these verses. However, this sermon is more thematic than strictly exegetical. The dominant line in this sermon is an explanation of the different reasons for the “tears” shed by people during earthly life (tears of martyrs, tears from earthly troubles and losses, tears of a righteous man in separation from God). The most profound explanation of Ps. 125:5-6 is contained in the interpretation of Ps. 125 (§11-13). Here Augustine shows all the variety of good gifts that stand for him behind the image of “sowing” (alms, help in deed, help in word, the desire to help as such). Only the theme of forgiveness of offenses as alms is not developed in this sermon. But here the essence of good giving is revealed - love, and its purpose is the union of believers in Christ. At the end of the article there is a translation of sermon 31 into Russian. Tearful sowing and joyful harvest: Ps.125:5–6 in the interpretation of St. Augustine In the 20th century In Augustinian philology, detailed research into how Augustine quoted certain biblical verses and how their understanding changed or varied became especially successful. These studies (especially widely represented in the scientific heritage of A.–M. Labonnardiere) helped to understand and rethink a lot both in the chronology of Augustine’s works and in his literary technique and thought. Quotations from the Book of Psalms, due to their large number in the Hippo Teacher, have not yet become the subject of comprehensive consideration. The following short study of the two verses of Ps. 125 is an attempt to show how Augustine interpreted the last two verses of this psalm, to present the main directions of its interpretation. The fifth and sixth verses of Psalm 125 are the gnomic conclusion of the song in which the biblical author expressed hope for the restoration of long-suffering Israel: 5 Those who sow in tears will reap with joy. 6 He who bears seeds weeping will return with joy, bearing his sheaves. These two verses are the most frequently quoted part of Psalm 125. In Christian literature up to and including Cyprian of Carthage, only these verses are quoted. Before Augustine, they were quoted and commented on (sometimes very extensively and peculiarly) by Clement of Alexandria (Stromata II. 13. 59. 3), Tertullian (Adversus Marcionem IV. 14. 12; IV. 15. 13), Origen (Commentarius in Euangelium Iohannis 13. 288–289, 292–292), Cyprian Carthaginian (Ad Fortunatum 12; Ad Quirinium 3. 16), Gregory the Wonderworker (Panegyricus 17. 201–202), Lucifer of Calaritan (Moriundum esse pro Dei filio 15), Ambrose of Milan (De Ioseph patriarcha 2. 7; Expositio Euangelii secundum Lucam 8. 53), Jerome of Stridon (Commentarius in Matthaeum 1, in v. 9. 37). The frequent quotation of these verses is obviously explained precisely by the gnomic content of the statement: its meaning is so general that quoting would be appropriate both in a discussion about the hardships of earthly life and in a reminder of future reward. Augustine quotes Ps. 125:5 and/or 6 multiple times in his various works. We will examine in detail only three contexts that are most important for understanding the meanings that Augustine sees in the image of tearful sowing and joyful harvest. If not the first, then one of the first cases of quoting the end of Ps. 125 from Augustine we encountered in the 61st chapter of the exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians (Expositio Epistulae ad Galatas 1). The chapter is an interpretation of Gal.6:7–9, i.e., verses that in Augustine (and in other authors, for example Origen) sometimes accompanied the quotation of Ps.125:5–6, since here there is also an image of sowing and harvest, and in correlation with the thought of future reward for good deeds in this life: “Do not be mistaken: God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For whoever reaps in the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but whoever reaps in the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. But let us not fail in doing good, for in due time we will reap tirelessly...” 2 Ps.121:5 is quoted only at the end of the chapter (61.10), but the connection between the interpretation of both texts is quite obvious. Firstly, the interpreter gives instructions on how sowing should be understood (we take sowing in the positive sense - seminatio in spiritu, because it is in the positive sense that the psalm mentions sowing): “Sowing in the spirit means serving by faith with love the truth and not submitting to sinful lusts” 3. Secondly, the meaning of the harvest is also revealed: “The harvest of eternal life, when the last enemy, death, will be destroyed and the mortal will be swallowed up by life and this corruptible will be clothed with incorruptibility” 4. Further, it is said here that this sowing occurs at the “third stage” of the life of humanity, that is, under grace: “At this third stage, where we are under grace, we sow in tears, when desires arise from the animal body with which we do not agree, in order to reap in joy” 5 . From this we can conclude that the main difficulty that gives rise to tears is the hardship of fighting passions. To confirm this and in connection with the quotation of 1 Cor. 15:44 (seminatur corpus animale, surget corpus spirituale) Augustine quotes Ps. 125:5. Finally, this text contains a reminder that the joy of reward refers mainly to the future age and therefore constitutes a consolation only for those who are strong in faith and hope. From this follows the possibility of a negative comparison with sowing and reaping in the proper sense, which reward the sower already on earth: “But sowing well, that is, doing good, is easier than maintaining constancy in this. The work of sowing is usually rewarded with fruit, and our harvest is promised to us only at the end, and therefore constancy is necessary” 6 . In addition, at the very beginning of § 61, in connection with the words of Gal. 6:9 (Deus non subsannatur - “God is not mocked”), Augustine establishes a connection between the difficulty of actions and the environment in which these actions are carried out, despite the fact that the results of these actions are not yet visible. This “environment” is often made up of unbelieving scoffers: “He knows among what words of lost people those who give themselves up to faith in the unseen must labor, for they see the sowing of their works, but do not see the harvest. And the harvest they are promised is not the same as that which is rewarded here, for the righteous lives by faith.” 7 Here this motive has not yet been developed, but in the future it will play a significant role. If the “Explanation of the Epistle to the Galatians” only outlines the possibility of understanding the tearful sowing and joyful harvest from Ps. 125, then Sermon 31:8 unfolds before the listener a fairly full range of explanations, but mainly not of how sowing is carried out, but of what causes the tears of those who sow. Let us consider in order all the topics and motives that Augustine touches on throughout the sermon. Sermon 31 comments on each element of verse 6. What does “those who walked walked” mean? These words mean the path from birth to death (euntes in mortem nascendo – s. 31.1; ex quo nascimur, imus. quis enim stat? quis non ex qui uiam intrauit, cogitur ambulare? infans natus est, crescendo ambulat. mors finis est – s. 31.4). What does “those who come will come” mean? These words mean the transition from death to new life (uenientes ad mortem resurgendo – s. 31.1; in fine iam ueniendum est – s. 31.4). What does sowing, seeds mean? These are “good deeds,” the essence of which, however, is not explained in this sermon (seminantes bona opera; semina ergo sunt nostra, quidquid boni fecerimus – s. 31.1; operibus bonis seminemus – s. 31.2). The only example that illustrates the concept of “good works” in Sermon 31 is the sacrifice of martyrs (nulli enim tantum impenderunt, quam illi, qui seipsos impenderunt – s. 31.2). What does harvest mean? Eternal posthumous reward (metentes mercedem aeternam; manipuli nostri, quod in fine recipiemus – s. 31.1). What is the reason for tears? Why do sowers weep if they sow good deeds? After all, “God loves a joyful giver” (2 Cor 8:7 – s. 31.1). It turns out that everyone has reasons to cry. 1. The easiest way to apply this text to martyrs is because of the suffering they endured: quomodo maxime ad beatos martyres uerba ista pertineant (s. 31.1); et quidem de martyribus dici potest quia cum lacrymis seminauerunt. fortiter enim certauerunt, et in magnis tentationibus fuerunt (s. 31.3). To console them, Christ also shed tears: “To console their tears, Christ transferred them into himself and revealed their image in himself 10 and said: My soul is sad even to death (Matthew 26:38).” However, this consolation is intended not only for the martyrs, but also for those weaker members of the Church (infirmioribus) who cannot endure righteous labors with the same cheerfulness as, for example, the Apostle Paul (s. 31.3). However, the reasons for these tears have not yet been clarified, and Augustine explains them only in § 4, not without some noticeable effort. 2. The reason for tears for everyone in general is the well-known thinness of human life, that thinness that makes even a baby cry when it comes out of its mother’s womb (this image, borrowed directly or indirectly from Lucretius’s poem “On the Nature of Things” (5. 222–227), is used by Augustine as a symbol of the severity of human life and in his interpretation of Ps. 125): “How can one not cry on this evil path, since even a baby begins with this... coming from darkness to light, he knows how to cry, but does not know how to laugh” (s. 31.4). This malice of life, as becomes clear from what follows, consists of many troubles and misfortunes and the inconstancy of happiness. Thus, the cause of tears may simply be an awareness of the unhappiness of the human condition, an awareness of the fallen state in temporary life. But Augustine will still dwell on the misfortunes of unrighteous, unconscious people. The happiness and misfortunes of people depend on their attachment to temporary things, in principle unworthy, in any case not related to eternity: “After all, our life here is such that if you rejoice in it, then be careful that it does not deceive you. When you cry, ask to get out. And the test comes, and the test passes.” Augustine lists the most common causes of such tears: loss of property, loss of freedom (in prison), loss of loved ones. Here a transition has already been made from the theme of tears accompanying spiritual sowing to tears from pain in general, tears that are common to the righteous and the unrighteous. Therefore, the question is quite appropriate: what is different about the tears of the righteous? Because he is aware of the general misfortune of people, which consists in unconscious dependence on temporary things: “Why does the righteous cry? First of all, about all these people: the righteous justly mourns those who cry fruitlessly. He cries for those who weep, he weeps for those who laugh, because those who cry about vain things cry in vain, and those who laugh about vain things laugh at their own grief. The righteous man cries from both, which means he cries more.” So, the tears of the righteous man who sows in this world are, firstly, tears caused by the disasters common to all mankind; secondly, awareness of the fallen state; thirdly, tears of pity for people who are deprived of this awareness. 3. In §5 and 6, the reasons for the tears of the righteous are clarified and expressed in such formulations that will subsequently be reproduced in other places where verse 5 or 6 of Psalm 125 will be quoted. The righteous person does not cry when he does good deeds, but when he “commits them to God in prayer.” Why? Because his prayers are “the prayers of wanderers, the prayers of those who labor on the way, sighing for their eternal homeland.” This means that these are tears of longing for the homeland - eternal Jerusalem, tears of crying from being on a journey. Further, in § 5, Augustine will once again note the significance of tears as a sign of the sanctum desiderium. And finally, the last reason for these tears, inseparable from other oppressions in earthly life and from the desire to return to his heavenly homeland, is insults from those who do not share this desire and even mock his hope. Augustine often describes this state by quoting Ps. 41:4, which reflects the sadness of a person struggling with the ridicule of others because he has a thirst for God that is absurd in their opinion. The verse Ps. 41:4 is used here by Augustine, as in many other places, to “describe the thirst for God, which cannot be completely quenched here, and also the felt impossibility of the Christian to show other people the God whom he loved”: “Live righteously, walk in the way of the Lord, and see what you have to hear: “Where is your God?” If you hear this, you will be happy; if you say this, you are unhappy. After all, when we defend the Christian faith, and in response we are asked: “Well, the name of Christ is preached everywhere; why does evil multiply?" - then don’t they thereby tell us: Where is your God? Whoever hears these words groans, for whoever speaks them perishes.” These tears, tears of longing for God, are not devoid of sweetness, as M. Dulaet showed in her article on tears in “Confession” 11, because they console a person, they “comforted the groaning, fed the hungry.” Such tears are a guarantee and proof of the presence and action of the Spirit in a person. The verses of Ps.126:5–6, as already mentioned, are quoted by Augustine many times and each time interpreted in one of the meanings proposed in Sermon 31. Here is a list of the most interesting cases of citation: Commentaries on Psalms 6:11; 36(3).11; 83:10; 120:1–2; 127:10; Sermons 11.3; 102.4–5; 313D (= Guelfer. 27), § 3; 335A. (= Frang. 6), § 2–3; 358 (= Morin 5), § 2; Reasoning on the Gospel of John 15:32; About the city of God 21.24. But all these cases are quoting Ps. 125:5-6 only in the course of explaining other passages of Scripture or to confirm this or that thought. Only one other place in the Augustinian corpus gives special attention to these verses: this is a commentary on Ps. 125 itself. If we try to determine the place of that passage of interpretation on Ps. 125, which is devoted to the verses that interest us among other references to the verses of Ps. 125: 5–6, then it will be necessary to note that most of all the importance here is attached to revealing the meaning of “seeds.” In the interpretation of Ps. 125, in connection with seeds, we are talking about only one thing: about good deeds, which consist of alms, but understood as broadly as in any other work of Augustine, and are equal in content to what can be called “works of mercy” (opera misericordiae). The entire text of § 11–13 of the interpretation on Ps. 125 is an exhortation to do good. Augustine himself is aware of this and at the end of this passage even declares that the call to works of mercy was the “program” of the entire interpretation of Psalm 125: “By this psalm we wanted to encourage you to works of mercy.” Despite the fact that at first glance, motifs already known to us are reproduced here, we will try to show that it is this explanation of the meaning of verses 5 and 6 that is the deepest and most subtle. The first thing to note is that, as in Sermon 358A, seeds are interpreted here not simply as “good works” (bona opera), but as “works of mercy” (opera misericordiae). This would mean nothing if the further course of reasoning did not show (both in words and composition) that the essence of seva is not deeds as such, but the merciful disposition that generates them, which tunes the human will to do good. “Sow as much as you can. But, you say, you have few options. However, is there good will? Just as all your opportunities would be nothing if there were no good will, so even if there are no opportunities, do not be sad, since you have a good will” (Commentary on Ps. 125:11). In connection with this theme of “good will,” another one is added here to the set of quotations that usually accompany Ps. 126:5–6: “Peace on earth to men of good will” (Luke 2:14, where in the Latin text - hominibus bonae uoluntatis). “Peace” appears as a signifier of “harvest”: “What are you sowing? Mercy. And what are you reaping? World". A little further, already using the example of a specific good deed (Zacchaeus distributing half of his property), Augustine uses, along with the word “(bona) uoluntas,” the word “caritas” - “love”: “Zacchaeus had a great will, great love,” thereby showing that love is the essence of “good will” that gives rise to acts of mercy. Somewhat later, the same word “love” will be used when mentioning the smallest apparently good deed - offering a cup of cold water, and the purpose of this is to show that this giving is as significant as the generosity of Zacchaeus and as the sacrifice of the widow, who contributed two mites to the treasury: “So, if the one who has it (the cup of water. - S.S. ) is, will give to the one who does not have, then he gave the same amount (if, of course, he gave out of the fullness of love) as the widow gave with two coins, as Zacchaeus gave with half of his property” (Interpretation on Ps. 125:12). This is the only place in Augustine where the “seeds” of Psalm 125 are associated specifically with love, where their essence is revealed as love. Moreover, here this theme is connected with the theme of church unity, the unity that unites believers in the church body: “This is how the body of Christ is held together, this is how the brother-members are united and united by love and the bonds of peace, when each provides what he has to the poor; what he has, the richer he is; by what the other does not have, the other is poor. Take care of each other this way, love each other this way. Think not only about yourself, think about those in need around you” (Commentary on Ps. 125:13). So, this explanation of “sowing” good deeds seems to be the broadest and deepest of all the texts that quote the verses of Ps. 126:5 and 6. It is the broadest because it shows the whole variety of good gifts: giving money, providing material goods, serving with one’s bodily strength, serving with advice. It is the deepest, because it allows us to see behind this diversity the essence of good giving - love, and the goal of good giving - union in Christ. There is only one more motive that Augustine often mentions in connection with thoughts about alms, but which is absent in the interpretation of Ps. 125: this is the motive of forgiveness of sins, which is equal to alms and even surpasses it in spiritual dignity 12. But this type of giving became the subject of a whole series of sermons by Augustine (205–210), which require separate consideration. So, the last two verses of Ps.125 acquired a special meaning in Augustine’s exegesis: from a gnomic statement promising a reward for temporary suffering, they turned into a call to good deeds, understood in the broadest sense of the word, the source of which is love, and the reward for which will be unity with the Good Giver of good. Below we present a translation of sermon 31 specifically dedicated to Ps. 125:5–6, made according to the publication: Sancti Aurelii Augustini Sermones de Vetere Testamento / C. Lambot, ed. Turnhout, 1961 (Corpus christianorum. Series Latina; 41). Saint Aurelius Augustine. Sermon 31 1. The psalm we sing to the Lord seems to suit the holy martyrs; but if we are members of the body of Christ, which we should be, we must understand that it applies to us. Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. Those who walked walked and wept, sowing their seeds; those who come will come with joy, bearing their sheaves. Where do they go and where do they come from? What do they sow in tears? What kind of seeds are these? What kind of sheaves? They go to death, they come from death. They go in birth, they come in resurrection. They sow good deeds and reap eternal reward. Therefore, the seeds we sow are all the good we do, the sheaves we gather are what we receive in the end. And if good seeds are good deeds, then why “with tears”? After all, “God loves a joyful giver” 13. 2. Here, first of all, beloved, see how these words apply most of all to the blessed martyrs. For no one gave more than those who gave themselves, as the Apostle Paul says: And I myself will give myself for your souls 14 . They gave themselves, confessing Christ and fulfilling with his help what is said: You sat down to the great table; know that it is appropriate for you to prepare 15. This is the great meal from which we receive the body of Christ and blood. And the words that you should prepare are explained by the Apostle John: Just as Christ laid down his life for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers 16. That's how much they gave. But did they perish, since they received assurance from the Lord that even their hair was safe? 17 Does a hand perish where a hair on the hand does not perish? Does the head die where the hair on the head does not die? Where the eyelid does not die, does the eye die? And so, having received such great assurance, they gave themselves. Therefore, let us sow with good works while there is time, remembering the words of the apostle: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly 18 . “Unceasingly,” he says, “while there is time, let us do good to everyone, and most of all to those of our own faith 19.” And he also says: Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap 20. He who loses heart in sowing will not rejoice in reaping. 3. {Some weak Christians sow in tears.} Why “in tears” if all our good deeds should be in joy? One can also say about the martyrs that they sowed with tears. They fought bravely and were in great tribulation. To console their tears, Christ even transferred them into himself and revealed their image in himself and said: My soul is sad even to death. However, my brothers, it seems to me that our Head showed compassion for its weaker members, so that the weak members would not somehow despair of themselves and say that it turns out that they do not belong to God, because if they belonged, they would rejoice. Therefore, before Christ said: My soul is sad even to death. Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me 21. Who is speaking? What kind of power, what kind of weakness says this? Listen to what He says: I have authority to lay down my life, and I have authority to take it up again. No one will take it away from me, but I will lay it down and take it up again 22 . This government was sad when it did something it wouldn’t have done if it didn’t want to. For he did this out of his own power, and not out of natural inevitability; because he himself wanted to die, and not because the Jew was able to kill him. So, he revealed in himself the image of the weak members of his body. And perhaps it is about them that it is said: Those who sow in tears will reap in joy, that is, about those who are weaker. After all, the great herald of Christ himself did not sow in tears when he said: I surrender myself as a sacrifice, and the time of my departure is coming. I competed in a good race, completed the race, kept the faith; Now a crown of righteousness awaits me (a crown of sheaves!), which the Lord, the righteous judge, will reward me on that day 23. He seems to say: “He to whom I give myself in sowing will reward me with the harvest.” These, as far as we can understand, brothers, are the words of one who rejoices, and not one who weeps. Was he in tears when he said this? Was he not like the joyful giver that the Lord loves? So, let us apply these words to the weak, so that those who sowed in tears do not despair: although they sowed in tears, pain and groaning will pass; Ultimate sadness passes, endless joy comes. 4. {How everyone sows in tears} However, most beloved, this is how, as I see it, what is said can apply to everyone: Those who sow in tears will reap with joy. Those who walked walked and wept, sowing their seeds; those who come will come with joy, carrying their sheaves. Listen, if with God’s help I can explain how this can apply to everyone: Those who walked walked and wept. As soon as we are born, we begin to walk. For who is worth? Who, as soon as he is born, is not forced to walk? A baby is born, grows and goes, the end of it is death. And at the end it’s time to come, but with fun. How can everyone here not cry in this evil life, when even a baby begins with this? When a child is born, he seems to break out of the tightness of the womb into the vastness of this world, out of the darkness into the light - and, however, coming out of the darkness into the light, he knows how to cry, but does not know how to laugh 24. After all, our life here is like this: if you enjoy it, be careful that it does not deceive you. When you cry, ask to get out. And the test comes, and the test passes. And people laugh, and people cry, and at what makes them laugh, one should cry. But one cries from a loss, another from oppression, because he was put in prison, a third cries because he has lost one of the people dearest to him - one from one, another from another. Why does the righteous man cry? First of all, about all these people: the righteous justly mourns those who cry fruitlessly. He cries for those who weep, he weeps for those who laugh, because those who cry about vain things cry in vain, and those who laugh about vain things laugh at their own grief. The righteous man cries from both, which means he cries more. 5. {Prayers of the righteous with groaning.} But “they will come with joy, bearing their sheaves.” Do you therefore see that a righteous person is joyful when he does a good deed? He really is happy. For “God loves a joyful giver” 25. When does he cry? When you present your good deeds to God in prayer. This psalm was intended to represent the prayers of the saints, the prayers of the wandering, the prayers of those who labor on the way, sighing for their eternal homeland, until those who now found themselves in sorrow were consoled by seeing it. Indeed, my brothers, while we are in the body, we are wandering away from the Lord 26. If a wanderer does not cry, it means that he does not miss his homeland. If you yearn for what you don't have, shed tears. For why can you say to God: “I have laid down my tears before your eyes”? 27 Why do you say, “My tears have become bread for me day and night”? They became bread for me: they comforted the groaning, they fed the hungry. “My tears became bread for me day and night.” Why? “When they say to me daily: Where is your God?” 28 What righteous man has not shed these tears? He who did not shed did not grieve because he was a stranger. How can one dare to come home who has not sighed away from it? Do they not say to us every day, “Where is your God?” 29 Learn, my brothers, learn to be one of the few. Live righteously, walk in the way of the Lord, and see what you have to hear: “Where is your God?” If you hear this, you will be happy; if you say this, you are unhappy. After all, when we defend the Christian faith, and in response we are asked: “Well, the name of Christ is preached everywhere; why does evil multiply?" - then don’t they thereby say to us: “Where is your God?” Whoever hears these words groans, for whoever speaks them perishes. 6. {The tears of the pious are compared with the tears of the wicked.} There are the tears of the pious, there are the tears of the saints: their prayers point to these tears. A man works well and is cheerful. He cries in order to work well, he also cries because he has worked well. By crying, he achieves a good deed; crying, he presents to God the good deed he has done. The tears of the righteous are frequent, but in this life. Will it be the same at home? Why is it not like this at home? Because “those who come will come joyfully, bearing their sheaves.” Bliss comes - and does the tear return? Well, those who cry in vain here, laugh in vain, those, distracted in their lusts, groan when they are deceived, rejoice when they themselves are deceived. And they cry along the way, and they cry, but not in joy. And “those who come will come joyfully, bearing their sheaves.” What do those who sow nothing reap? They will reap, but only what they sow. Just as they sowed thorns, they will reap fire, and they do not go from weeping to laughter, like the saints, who “those who went went and sowed, throwing in their seed, but those who came will come with joy”: no, these will go from weeping to weeping, from weeping with laughter to weeping without laughter. For what will become of them? Where do they go after resurrection? Not otherwise than as the Lord said: “Bind their hands and feet, and cast them out into outer darkness” 30. Well, what happens after? There will be darkness, but there will be no pain? Maybe they will feel it by touch, but it won’t hurt them? They won’t see, but they won’t be tormented? No! Not only will there be darkness there, not only will the sight of what they rejoiced be taken away, but something will be given that will make them groan forever. So let every criminal not consider darkness as a small thing, anyone who, because of his evil deeds and because of adulterous pleasures, not only is not afraid of darkness, but also seeks it, who usually rejoices more if the lamp goes out: there will not be such darkness for you that you will rejoice in it, so that you will have fun in it, so that you will rejoice in carnal pleasures, there will not be such darkness there. Which one? “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” 31. The torturer is there tirelessly, tortured without rest. And the one who tortures does not get tired, and the one who is tortured does not die. So the tears of those who lived their lives in this way will be eternal, the joys of the saints will be eternal, when “those who come will come joyfully, bearing their sheaves.” For when the time of harvest comes, they will say to their Master: “Lord, with your help we have done everything that you commanded; give us what you promised.” Sowing in tears and reaping in joy: Psalm.125:5–6 in the interpretation of saint Augustine S.A. Stepantsov (Moscow State University) Saint Augustine of Hippo often quoted the last verses of the 125th psalm and several times meditated its content in his tractates and sermons. The author of this article examines a selection of these citations, in which the verses are not only quoted but also, both directly and indirectly, commented upon. In his exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians, Augustine merely mentions the fact of the possibility of a spiritual understanding of the passage. The most thorough and most complete exposition of this passage is found in Augustinés 31st Homily. This exposition is actually more thematic than exegetical. The main points of this homily include the idea of ​​an explanation of the various reasons for tears shed by people during their earthly lives (the tears of martyrs, the tears deriving from earthly pains and sorrows, the tears of a just man separated from his God). But the most profound interpretation of these psalm verses is found in Augustines's exposition of Psalm.125 (11–13). Here Augustine enumerates all the good actions which he considers to be symbolized by the idea of ​​sowing (almsgiving, aid rendered through deed, aid rendered through word, the mere desire to render aid). At the same time, Augustine does not develop in this exposition the idea of ​​forgiving interventions as a type of almsgiving. On the other hand he reveals the essence of good works as charity and the Goal of those who practice good works as the union of the faithful soul with Christ. The author includes a Russian translation of the 31st homily at the end of his article. 1. Dulaey M. 2003. Le “Confessioni” di Agostino (402–2002): Bilancio eprospettive. Roma, 2003, pp. 230–231. 2. Fitzgerald A. 1989. Signum Pietatis. Festgabe fur C. P. Mayer. Würzburg, 1989, pp. 445–459. 3. Rondeau M.–J. Les commentaires patristique du Psautier (IIIe–Ve siècles). Rome, 1985. Next – Exp. Gal., quoted from: Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum; 84. “No lite errare: Deus non subsannatur, quod enim seminauerit homo, hoc et metet. Quia qui seminauerit in carne sua, ex carne metet corruptionem, qui autem seminauerit in spiritu, de spiritu metet uitam aeternam. Bonum autem facientes non infirmemur: proprio enim tempore metemus infatigabiles.” Augustine attributed the last word to the ninth verse, while other interpreters (and the Synodal translation) refer it to the next, 10th verse. Here and below is my translation; quotations from the Bible are given in translation from the Latin text, as it is quoted by Augustine. – S.S. “Seminatio in spiritu est ex fide cum caritate seruire iustitiae et non obaudire desideriis peccati, quamuis de mortali carne existentibus” (Exp. Gal. 61.6). “Messis autem uitae aeternae, cum inimica nouissima destruetur mors et absorbebitur mortale a uita et corruptibile hoc induet incorruptionem” (Ibid. 61.7). “In hoc ergo tertio gradu, quo sub gratia sumus, seminamus in lacrimis, cum existunt desideria de animali corpore, quibus non consentiendo renitimur, ut in gaudio metamus” (Ibid. 61.8). “Bene autem seminare, id est bene operari, facilius est quam in eo perseuerare. Fructus enim solet laborem consolari, messis autem nostra in fine promittitur et ideo perseuerantia opus est" (Ibid. 61. 12). “Nouit, inter quae uerba perditorum hominum laboret, qui constituuntur in fide rerum earum, quas non uident. uident enim seminationem operum suorum, sed messem non uident. Nec talis eis messis promittitur, qualis hic reddi solet, quia iustus ex fide uiuit" (Ibid.). Next s. 31, quoted from C. Lambo in Corpus Christianorum, Series Latina 41. It is the “joyful (hilarem) giver” that is said in the Latin translation used by Augustine, in the Synodal translation, “the cheerful giver.” In Latin "transfigurauit in se". For the meaning of this expression, see: RondeauM.-J. Les commentaires patristique du Psautier (IIIe-Ve siecles). R., 1985. Vol. 2. P. 380–388. Dulaey M. "Scatentes lacrimis Confessionum libros". Les larmes dans les “Confessions” // Le “Confessioni” di Agostino (402–2002): Bilancio e prospettive. R., 2003. P. 230–231. Fitzgerald A. Almsgiving in the Works of Saint Augustine // Signum Pietatis. Festgabe für C. P. Mayer. Würzburg, 1989. S.456. 2 Cor.9:7. In the Synodal translation: “God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor.9:6. In SP: “sparingly.” Wed. Gal.6:10. At the beginning of this verse, Augustine apparently read infatigabiles "tireless" (rendered here by the adverb "tirelessly"), usually referring to the end of verse 9. Compare: a place from Lucretius, where, as it seems, a child is depicted before the rite of susceptio: “Here’s the baby: he’s like a sailor who’s a cruel wave thrown out, and lies on the ground naked, speechless, completely helpless in life, just from the mother's womb in heavy efforts, nature gave birth to it; His mournful cry is heard all around, and it is clear: he will experience many misadventures during his life” (On the nature of things 5 // F. A. Petrovsky, trans. M., 1983. P. 167. Art. 222–227). In his interpretation of Ps. 125, before explaining the same verses 5 and 6, Augustine again resorts to this image: “For a long time we endured toil in slavery, now we will endure even more in doing good. After all, this human life we ​​have entered into is unhappy, full of work and hardships, illnesses, troubles, worries, temptations. Do not be seduced by the joys of human life, rather consider how deplorable it is. A born child might laugh first, but why does he begin life by crying? He doesn’t know how to laugh yet, why can he already cry? Because he is entering such a life. And if he is one of those captives (that is, citizens of heavenly Jerusalem who are in captivity in earthly Babylon - S.S.), then here he cries and groans, but joy will also come. For further it is said: Those who sow in tears...” (Commentary on Ps. 125:10-11).