Книга 7 [глава 6, стихи 1–28]

The entire sixth chapter (St. Gregory) reveals partly allegorically and partly morally, excluding the last three verses. 1. Job was tested with whips and reproaches. If anywhere it is said that they praise dispassion, then it should be assessed not by human, but by divine judgment - Some are more worried about whips than reproaches; some are punished with more reproach than whips. And indeed, torment from words is often more violent than any severe punishment and prompts us to defend ourselves, plunging us into dispassion. Therefore, so that blessed Job could not be deprived of any temptation, he is not only scourged from above, but he is struck with even heavier blows - conversations of friends, so that the soul of the holy man, struck from all sides, falls into anger and irritation, and no matter how purely he lives, he is defiled through the stubbornness of a proud saying. But the one hurt by the blows regained mercy; concerned with the words answered correctly; and the stricken man became famous for considering the health of the flesh the least important. The narrator also indicates that the sage (Job) was silent at first. But mingled with his words is something which, in the judgment of man, seems to exceed the limit of patience, which we correctly recognize if we evaluate the sentence of the Supreme Judge in relation to them. After all, He had previously spoken to the devil about blessed Job: “Have you not noticed My servant Job, for there is no one like him on earth, a gentle and righteous man who honors God and shuns evil?” ( Job 1:8 ) After the temptation, God rebuked his friends, saying: “You have not spoken as truly about Me as My servant Job. ( Job 42:7 ). Consequently, although something strange sometimes sounds in the speeches of blessed Job, God evaluates the weight of these words, taking into account the beginning and end of his story. The eternal judge could not praise the one who fell, and could not set up the one who fell as an example. So, if we, caught in the storm of ambiguity, contemplate the beginning and end of this story, then the ship of the heart is fastened with the ropes of its reflection both from the bow and from the stern, so that it is not drawn towards the rocks of error. 2. Christ is the scales on which both what we deserve and what he suffered for us are weighed. He made the severity of our punishment known to us - Who else is meant by the name of scales if not the Mediator between God and people? Who came to weigh our lives and brought justice and mercy with him; but, bowing the cup of mercy, he alleviated our guilt with mercy. And in the hand of the Father, becoming a weight of amazing weight, on one side of the scale he takes upon himself our defeats, and on the other side of the scale he alleviates our sins. But by His death He made clear the defeat of the heavy weight (of sins) and by His mercy He showed through remission that sin is light. And the beginning of His mercy was that He made our guilt known to us. After all, man, created for the contemplation of the Creator, but, after being deprived of goods, was rejected from inner joys, having fallen into the calamity of corruption, bearing the blindness of exile, he bore the punishment of his guilt and did not realize it, so that he considered exile to be his fatherland and, thus, under the weight of corruption rejoiced as if he were in saving freedom. But He Whom the inner man abandoned, taking on flesh, appeared externally as God, and when he appeared externally, he called the exiled man to the internal, so that he would now see his vices, so that he would sigh for the punishment of his blindness. Therefore the defeat of man weighed heavily in the scales, since the evil that had been done became known only in the presence of the Redeemer. After all, not knowing the light, he endured the darkness of the curse with a certain pleasure. But after he saw what he loved, he realized that he was sick, and what he endured became difficult, and he felt the sweetness of what he had lost. So, the holy man, freed from the barriers of silence by the words of his conversing friend, and, once again filled with the abundance of the prophetic spirit, proclaims his own, proclaims to the human race in the voice: “Oh, if my sins, by which I deserved anger, were truly weighed, and together with them the defeat that I suffer was put on the scales, it would turn out to be heavier than the sand of the sea.” As if he were openly saying: “The evil of our curse seems light, because it has not yet been weighed by the justice of the Redeemer. But if only He would come and weigh the misfortune of such exile with the weight of His mercy, and show what we have gained as a result of exile.” For if I knew what we have lost, I would consider what we are suffering difficult. But it’s good that the calamity of our exile is compared to the sand of the sea. And, indeed, just as the sand of the sea is shaken from the outside by the movement of the waves, so a sinning person, when he experiences the excitement of temptations, radiates from himself to the outside. The weight of the sand of the sea is great, but it is said that the misfortune of a person is heavier than the sand of the sea, since it is clear that the punishment is severe, and only through the Merciful Judge is the guilt alleviated. And therefore, everyone who knows the grace of the Redeemer, everyone who loves returning to their homeland and who, having perfected themselves, groans under the burden of wandering, after remembering the scales, rightly adds: Verse 2. Therefore my words are filled with sorrow 99 . 3. He who considers himself an exile grieves incessantly - He who loves exile instead of his homeland does not know suffering among suffering. However, the words of the righteous man are filled with sorrow, because, enduring the present, he sighs and talks about something else; he sees everything that he has done while sinning, and in order to return to a state of bliss, he anxiously weighs the sentence passed on him. Therefore it is added: Verse 4. For the arrows of the Lord are in me. 4. Arrows denote prophecies or punishments - The name of arrows sometimes denotes prophecies, sometimes a sentence of condemnation. After all, prophetic sayings are expressed through arrows, since by striking vices they pierce the hearts of those who live wickedly. It is said about these arrows of the coming Redeemer: “Thy arrows are Sharp, O Most Mighty One, the nations will fall in heart before Thee” 100 (Ps. 44:6). What Isaiah says: “I will send of those who are saved to the Gentiles in the sea, to Africa and Lydia, to those who hold the arrow, to Italy, to Greece” 101 (Is. 66:19). On the other hand, arrows represent blows of punishment, just as King Joash is told through Elisha, “Throw the arrow.” And when he threw the prophet continues, “You will pierce Syria until you destroy it” 102 (2 Kings 13:17). So, the holy man, since he knew the bitterness of his exile and because he groans under the blows of the Lord’s punishment, says, “Therefore my words are filled with sorrow, for the arrows of the Lord are in me.” It is as if he were openly saying: “I do not rejoice at the curse of exile, but I mourn, subject to condemnation, because I know the power of punishment.” However, many are tortured, but not reformed. Therefore it is added accordingly: In the same place “The indignation of which my spirit has drunk” 103. 5. The righteous are corrected by the punishments they endure - For what is the spirit of man if not the spirit of pride? 104 But the arrows of the Lord drink up the spirit of man, when the thought of heavenly punishments keeps the damaged mind from pride. The arrows of the Lord drink up the spirit of man, because what is directed outward is drawn inward. The spirit of David was drunk when he said, “When my spirit fainted within me, You knew my path” (Ps. 142:4) 105. And again, “I have refused to comfort my soul, I remember God, and I delight, I struggle, and little by little my spirit fails” 106 (Ps. 76:4). So, the indignation of the arrows drank the spirit of the righteous, because he who is removed from the highest condemnations, who is found in sins, when the arrows strike, they change, so that the pierced mind leaves its coarseness, and the blood of confession runs from the saving wound. For then they weigh where they came from and where they fell, they weigh from what bliss to what torment they fell with their corruption, and not only groan in these (circumstances) that will support them, but in addition they fear that (punishment) with which the accusing Judge threatens those who commit misdeeds from the fire of Gehenna. 6. We ourselves feel God’s punishment, overwhelmed by the fear of future (torment) - The mind of the righteous not only evaluates what it is undergoing (now), but also trembles at what lies ahead in the future, it sees what it endures in this life and is afraid so as not to suffer torment after it. He cries because in exile he fell away from the pleasures of paradise through this blindness, he is afraid that when he leaves exile, eternal death will not follow. As a result, he is already undergoing a sentence of punishment; but still fears the threats of the future Judge because of guilt. Therefore, the Psalmist says, “Your anger has swept through me, and Your fears have shaken me” (Ps. 87:17) 107. And in fact, after the wrath of the inner judge has passed, fears are also shocking, since in part we already (here) suffer because of condemnation and in part we are still afraid because of eternal vengeance. Consequently, the holy man, appreciating the evil that he suffered, says: “For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the indignation of which my spirit has drunk.” But, fearing torment in eternity, he adds, “The terrors of the Lord have taken up arms against me.” As if he openly said: “Of course, I suffer, being wounded by the present (situation), but this suffering is more severe, since I, being in punishment, am still afraid of eternal torment.” But since he desires the arrival of the scales (the Redeemer), the evil into which the human race has fallen hangs out, although it is in the pagan race, yet filled with the burden of the prophetic spirit, thus indicating with what fervor both the pagans and the Jews awaited the approach of the Redeemer, speaking in the following words: Verse 5. Will the wild ass bray when he has grass? Or will a bull moo when a filled manger stands before (him)? 108 7. The languor of the pagans and Jews in anticipation of the Redeemer - For who really is signified by a wild donkey, if not a pagan people? Which, just as nature gave birth outside the stable of teaching, so he remained in the open field of his passions. Who is represented by the bull, if not the Jewish people, who, subject to the yoke of the highest dominion, calling proselytes to hope (salvation), through the hearts that he conquered, he dragged the ploughshare of the Law. But in the testified life of blessed Job, we know and are sure that many of the pagans were awaiting the coming of the Redeemer. And through Simeon, who came in spirit to the church to the born Lord, we learned with what desire the holy men from the people of Israel longed to see the mystery of His incarnation. Therefore, the same Redeemer says to the disciples, “Many, I tell you, the righteous and the prophets desired to see what you see, but did not see” 109 (Luke 10:24). As a result, grass for the wild donkey and hay for the ox are the very embodiment of the Mediator, through whom the pagan and the Jew together are satisfied. For since through the prophet it is said “All flesh is hay” (Is. 40:6), then the Creator of all things desired to become hay, taking flesh from our essence, so that our flesh would not remain hay forever 110. Consequently, the wild ass found grass when the pagan people received the grace of the Divine Incarnation. Then the ox manger was not empty when the law gave His flesh to the Jewish waiting people, which it prophesied about to the long-waiting people. Therefore, the born Lord is placed in a manger in order to clearly indicate that those holy animals who have been starving for a long time under the law are satisfied with the embodiment of this hay. For the man who was born filled the manger, who gave himself as food to the minds of mortals (people), saying, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him” (John 6:57). But since for a long time both the chosen ones from among the best pagans and the saints from the Jewish people grieved from the long expectation of their redemption, blessed Job, who well reveals the secrets of prophecy, explains the cause of grief from the origin of both, saying: “Shall the wild ass bray when he has rights? Or will a bull moo when a filled manger stands in front of (him)?” As if they were openly saying: “The pagan groans because he has not yet received his Redeemer through grace, and therefore the Judea groans because, having the law, but not seeing the Creator of the law, standing before the manger, he is starving.” The law is such because before the coming of the Mediator, without a doubt, it was perceived not spiritually, but carnally, therefore it is added: Verse 6. Can something tasteless be eaten unless it is salted? 111 8. The law, taken carnally, is tasteless; Christ makes it salty - In the law, the salt of the letter is the power of secret understanding. Therefore, anyone who listens to carnal regulations and does not want to understand the law spiritually, what else is eating but tasteless food? But this salt for food was imparted by the Truth when He (Christ) taught that the taste of secret understanding is hidden in the law, saying: “For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me, because he wrote about Me” (John 5:46). And again: “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among yourselves” (Mark 9:50). But since, before the coming of the Mediator, Judea maintained the law carnally, the stiff-necked paganism did not want to obey its commanding orders. Consequently, it (paganism) did not want to eat tasteless food, because before it acquired the ability to maintain the sharpness of the Spirit, it rejected the power of the letter. And indeed, which of the pagans will bear the fact that he (the Law) commands the flesh of sons, instead of obedience to religion, to be circumcised and to remove transgressions in words through death? Therefore it is good to add: Right there. And can anyone taste that which, after eating, brings death? 112 9. The law, carnally understood, was previously deadly - For indeed, the law, carnally understood, introduced death, because guilt surrounded those who erred on all sides; it introduced death, because through a prescription it made guilt known and did not destroy it (guilt) through grace, according to the testimony of Paul, who says: “For the law made nothing perfect” (Heb. 7:19). And again: “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and righteous, and good.” And a little later: “But sin, which turns out to be sin, because through good it causes me death” (Rom. 7:12,13). Paganism turned to Christ, constrained from its lusts through the words of the Law. He learned to glorify Him, Whom he loved dearly, and found spiritually among the carnal prescriptions. Therefore, by the voice of the Church through the spirit of the prophet it is added: Verse 7. What my soul previously did not want to touch, before need, now constitutes my food 113. 10. Job's words are filled with spiritual meaning. It is predicted that the (pagan) peoples will seek the food of the Law and will not be considered unworthy of communication with the people of the Jews - Anyone who suspects that the words of blessed Job relate only to the above narrative falls into a deep error. After all, a holy man, strengthened by so many praises of his Creator, what great, or rather, true, proclaimed if he said that it is impossible to eat tasteless food? Or who offered him deadly food to eat, so he adds: “Or can anyone taste that which, after eating, brings death?” If we perceive these words as the speeches of his friends, then we will be kept from such an understanding by the previous phrase in which Job says: “What my soul previously did not want to touch, until need, now constitutes my food.” Let it not be that the holy man, being in prosperity, would ever despise the words of his friends, for he, as we later learn from his own testimony, was meek even with his servants. Thus, there are definitely some secrets in his words, which, as we learn from the end of the entire story, the inner Judge also praises. After all, even with such praise they would not have reached the limits of the world if they were not filled with mysterious meaning. 11. So, blessed Job, since he is a member of the holy Church, also speaks on Her behalf with the words: “That which my soul previously did not want to touch, out of need, now constitutes my food,” since, undoubtedly, converted paganism thirsts, excited by the heat of its love, for the food of the ancient Scripture (Old Testament), which for a long time it arrogantly despised. Which, however, is consistent with the voice of the Jewish people, if examined more carefully. After all, he himself had a taste of food from the teaching of the Law and the knowledge of the One God and despised all other peoples, like wild animals 114. But since, having learned the precepts of the Law, he rejected accepting the communication of the pagans with himself, what did he do but neglect to accept tasteless (unsalted) food? After all, the divine dictum, threatening death, forbade the people of Israel to enter into agreements with foreigners and to defile life according to holy religious institutions (Ex. 23:32). That’s why he adds below: “Or can anyone taste that which, after eating, brings death?” But since this same Judea, from among the elect, was converted to faith in the Redeemer, she took care that the light she knew would be preached by the apostles from her descendants and to the infidels. However, the pride of the Jews rejected obedience to this sermon. Therefore, she inclined the words of her exhortation to the gathering of pagan peoples, as the apostles themselves say: “You should have been the first to preach the word of God, but since you reject it and make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the pagans” (Acts 13:46). That is why it is added to this place very correctly: “That which my soul previously did not want to touch, before need, now constitutes my food.” After all, Judea, having despised the way of life of the pagans, for a long time did not seem to desire those with whom it had rejected communion, but, coming to the grace of the Redeemer, taken away from the unfaithful Israelites, spreading by the holy apostles to the acceptance of the pagan peoples, (Judea from among the elect) seemed to take with thirst for food what she had previously rejected with contempt. After all, she suffered oppression from her preaching, because she saw that what was said in it was despised by the Jews. But out of necessity she eats food that has long been despised, since, rejected out of hardness of heart by the Jews, she wants to accept what she has long despised. So, since we have already explained all this figuratively, it remains to examine from a moral point of view. 12. The holy man, wishing for the coming of the Savior, calling Him “scales”, when he reveals himself in speech, teaches us to know how to live, when he talks about his own deeds, points to some of ours, when, as we understand, he hints at himself, he strengthens us, fearful and weak, in hope. Because we already live by faith in the Mediator, but still we endure cruel blows of inner anger for the sake of cleansing ourselves from passions. That’s why he adds “scales” after the wish for the arrival. Verse 4. For the arrows of the Lord are within me, the indignation of which my spirit has drunk 115 . Verse 5. Will the wild ass bray when he has grass? Or will a bull moo when a filled manger stands before (him)? 116 14. The wild ass signifies the faithful common people, and the bull the rank of priests. The reason for the lowing for both here is the lack of contemplation of God - Who else is designated under the name of donkeys, if not those who are not bound by any bonds of service? Or who is expressed under the designation of a bull, if not those who are crushed by the yoke of priestly service and who are accepted to the ministry of preaching in the holy Church? And the “grass” of the donkey and the “mash” of the bull are the internal reinforcement of the faithful people. After all, some, like bulls, are tied in the Church by the bridle of accepted service, others, like a wild donkey, do not know the stall of the hierarchy, and live in the open field of their will. But when someone from worldly life is inflamed with a desire for inner contemplation, when he desires food for inner reinforcement, seeing himself emaciated in the darkness of such wandering, he corrects himself by crying as best he can, braying like a donkey who cannot find grass. Likewise, another endures the hardships of the accepted sacred rite, tirelessly remains in the work of preaching and already desires reinforcement by the contemplation of the eternal, but since he does not yet contemplate the image of his Redeemer, like a bull tied to an empty manger, he moos. After all, we too, being far from inner knowledge, do not see the freshness of the eternal inheritance, we starve, like wild animals, from the lack of desired grass. About which, of course, grass is what the Redeemer said: “Whoever enters by Me will be saved, and will come out, and will come in, and will find pasture” (John 10:9). But for the most part, the hardest thing for those who love (heavenly) is that the lifestyle of bad people contradicts their holy aspirations. And when the soul ascends to the desire of the heavenly, the good beginning is interrupted by the interfering words and customs of bad people, so that it, having already made many efforts and rushed to the contemplation of the heavenly, equips itself on earth for battles and victory over the madness of evil inclinations. That is why it is added: Verse 6. Can something tasteless be eaten unless it is salted? And can anyone taste that which, after eating, brings death? 15. How painful are the words and customs of carnal people for the elect - Namely, the words and customs of carnal people, like food, penetrate our souls to be absorbed by the pleasure of gluttony. But every elect does not eat what is tasteless (not salted), since he rejects it from the mouth of his heart, condemning the words and deeds of the unrighteous. Paul forbade the use of spiritual food that is not salted when he told his disciples, “Let your word always be with grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6). Likewise, the words of the psalmist felt unsalted food in the mouths of the hearts of the wicked when he said: “My enemies have told me lies, but not according to Your law, O Lord” (Ps. 119:84) 117. But often the words of carnal people, although they are disgusting to our ears, still give rise to a struggle with temptation in the heart, and although the mind rejects all this and the tongue denies it, it is still difficult to overcome within what is outwardly justly condemned. Therefore, it is necessary that even the ear does not reach what the waking soul rejects from the very arrival of the thought. So, holy men, when overwhelmed by the desire for eternity, ascend to such a height of life that they consider it hard and painful work for themselves just to hear about worldly things. After all, they already consider everything unusual and unbearable that does not tell them what they love. 16. It is not common for everyone to be ready to endure bodily suffering for the sake of God - However, often the soul, in its aspiration, already admires the things above, already completely moves away from the insane speech of carnal people, but is still not ready, out of love for the truth, to endure the suffering of real life. It already thirsts for the highest, already despises everything crazy on earth, but is still not disposed to be patient in enduring sorrows. That is why it is added: “Or who can taste that which after eating brings death?” 17. With the help of patience with the infirmities of our neighbors, we are strengthened to accept suffering - Of course, it is cruel to desire what brings suffering, to strive for what drives out life. But, as a rule, the soul of the righteous strives for such the highest degree of virtue that it sits within itself in the strength of the inner mind and, with the patience of the outer, corrects the folly of some people. After all, we are obliged to endure the weaknesses of those whom we are trying to strengthen, since no one can raise up someone who is lying down, except one who, out of compassion, softens his severity. But when we sympathize with the weakness of others, the more we are strengthened in relation to our own, so that the soul, out of love for the future, prepares for present sorrows and expects bodily suffering, which it previously feared. She confines herself to an increased lust for the heavenly, and when she ponders what the sweetness of the eternal fatherland is, for her sake she passionately loves the bitterness of real life. Therefore, after the contempt of tasteless (not salty) food and after the impossible taste of death, it is rightly added: Verse 7. What my soul previously did not want to touch, before need, now constitutes my food 118. 18. For the love of the heavenly fatherland, we love the punishments of exile - After all, the soul of a righteous man, improving, what it previously despised, considering only its own and in this being less compassionate to others, could not strengthen itself against sorrows, but when it turns to the patience of other people’s infirmities, it is strengthened in overcoming sorrows, because it subsequently desires the sufferings of real life out of love for the truth as much as it previously avoided infirmities. After all, she is elevated in her flexibility, strengthened by friendliness, strengthened by compassion. And when she reveals herself in love for her neighbor, from this preparation she acquires what she lavishes with such jealousy on the originator of love. After all, mercy, which humbles us with the power of compassion, lifts us higher, to the pinnacle of contemplation, and, increased by great losses, longs even through the suffering of the body to reach spiritual life. So, what Job did not want to touch before, now, out of need, he eats, barely getting what he wanted, and those punishments that he previously feared, he now loves out of love for his heavenly fatherland. After all, if the soul rushes to God with a strong desire, then everything that is bitter for it in this life is considered sweet, everything that leads to sadness is considered rest, and desires to give itself up to death in order to gain life more fully, desires to be completely oppressed on earth, in order to rise more surely to heaven. But I would have imagined all this about the soul of every righteous person and about the soul of Job himself, if he himself had not continued: Verse 8–10. Oh, when my wish would come true and God would fulfill my aspiration! Oh that God would deign to crush me, would stretch out His hand and strike me down! This would still be a joy to me, and I would strengthen myself in my merciless illness, for I did not reject the sayings of the Holy One. Therefore, this contrition is likened to the contrition of a potter’s vessels, since Paul also said: “We have our treasure in scanty vessels” 119 (2 Cor. 4:7). He, expressing His contrition and guidance, said: “Even if our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16). So, the holy man, who wants to get closer to God even in punishments, says, in a spirit of humility: Verse 9. Oh, that God would be pleased to crush me. 20. God mercifully crushes the one who exalts himself in virtues - After all, as a rule, God begins to arouse in us contrition for vices. But when the soul exalts itself from the very beginning and when it exalts itself, as if on the basis of virtues, it opens access to the enemy raging against it, which, penetrating into the depths of the heart, destroys everything that it finds associated with the desire for a good undertaking. And just as hard as he shows himself severely in this destruction, because even if he attacks a modest person, he causes pain and suffering. Therefore, according to the testimony of the Gospel, the voice of Truth, the unclean spirit, having gone alone, returns to the abandoned house of conscience with seven other spirits (Matthew 12:45). Therefore, the holy man prays in a fitting manner, so that after the beginning of the divine reproof, the ancient enemy will not secretly take possession of him and destroy his virtues, saying: “Oh, that God would deign to crush me,” as if he were openly saying: “What He began to do in punishing me, let him not cease, lest he hand me over to be trampled upon by the enemy.” That is why it is successfully added: Right there. He stretched out His hand and struck me down. 21. How we should be afraid that He will not hold back His hand to defeat our vices - After all, often being proud because of the confidence in long-term prosperity, we are inspired in a certain state of exaltation. When the Creator sees that we are exalted, but does not express His love for us with blows, He, as if bound, holds His hand to defeat our vices. Wasn’t it love that restrained His hand when He said to the sinning people, “Thus?” swore not to be angry with you” (Is. 54:9) and “My indignation will depart from you” (Ezek. 16:42)? Thus, “if he stretched out his hand” means “let him show love.” And it is true that “and he struck me down” is added. After all, when we are struck, serene and pompous from the excess of virtues, either by a sudden pain from a scourge, or by the temptation of weakness, immediately from the top of its state the exaltation of our soul collapses, so that it would not dare to do anything on its own, but, defeated by the blow of its weakness, would seek the hand of the Easer. That is why, when holy men suspect such a disposition of spirit in themselves, they only begin to fear even more favorable circumstances, thirst for temptations, strive to be defeated, until fear and sorrow instruct the careless soul so that its own carelessness does not strike it in the worst way, while it is still on a journey and the enemy attacks from ambush. That is why the psalmist said, “Test me, O Lord, and try me” (Ps. 25:2). And he also says, “I am ready for wounds” 120 (Ps. 37:18). After all, since the saints believe that the ulcer of damage to their soul does not exist without suppuration, they willingly surrender themselves to be cut into the hands of the Physician, so that when the wound is open, the poison of sin will come out of it, for it is hidden under healthy skin 121. That’s why he adds to this: Verse 10. This would still be a joy to me, and I would be strengthened in my merciless illness. 22. The saints fear success and desire scourging - The chosen ones are those who, having learned that they have committed something unlawful, having examined themselves, discover it; since they have not suffered anything unpleasant for lawlessness, they languish from the power of immeasurable fear, rush about with languor, excited by ominous suspicions, make efforts so that the mercy of God does not leave them forever; who in real life do not at all preserve retribution for the evil they have committed. They wish to be subjected to the blows of the Father's scourging and consider the pain of wounds to be a medicine of salvation. So, it is rightly said: “This would still be my joy,” as if it were openly said: “Therefore He spares some in order to subject them to eternal torment, so He strikes me, so that, without sparing, He may have mercy in eternity. In my despondency, I console myself with the fact that, knowing the festering nature of human depravity, I firmly surrender to the hope of salvation with the help of wounds.” And therefore, not to the arrogant, but to the humble in soul, he declared this, adding, as we have already said above, and openly saying: Verse 10. For I have not rejected the sayings of the Holy One. 23. God often speaks in silence through His deeds - Often for us, the words of God are not the sound of what was said, but the result of His actions. Here we are told that God silently cares for us. Therefore, blessed Job would have resisted the words of God if he had grumbled at His blows. But what he thought about the One who inflicts wounds on him is shown by suffering (as we said above) blows and calling Him Holy. Then follows: Verse 11. What strength have I that I may hope? And what is my end, to sing through my life? 24. What is the strength of the righteous and what is the wicked - You should know what the strength (strength) of the righteous is and what is the evil. Namely, the strength (strength) of the righteous consists in conquering the flesh, resisting their lusts, quenching the pleasures of this life, loving the bitterness of this world as eternal rewards, despising the delights of prosperity, and overcoming the fear of the enemy in the heart. The strength of the unrighteous is to incessantly love what is transitory, to mindlessly persist against the punishments of the Creator, not to rest in the love of temporary things or in misfortune, to strive for vain glory even at the risk of life, to seek an increase in depravity, to fight the life of the righteous not only with words and rights, but even with the sword, relying only on oneself, to do injustice every day without any decrease in desire. Therefore, this is what the psalmist says to the elect: “Take courage, and let your heart be strengthened, all you who trust in the Lord” (Ps. 30:25). Therefore, through the prophet it is said to the unrighteous: “Woe to those who are brave to drink wine and are strong to prepare strong drink” (Is. 5:22). That is why Solomon says that all saints with unflagging desire reflect on eternal peace (Song. 3:7). Therefore, the psalmist, denouncing the wicked during their suffering and depicting the voice of the Redeemer, said, “For behold, the mighty are in wait for my soul, gathering against me” (Ps. 58:4). And how Isaiah united both forces, saying: “Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength” (Is. 40:31). For he did not say “they will receive” at all, but “they will be renewed,” and thereby clearly noticed that one is assumed, and the other begins: 26. In relation to the punishments of God, some are silent stones, others are mad sounding brass, but Job is strong not by madness but by the fact that he is saved ( salutis status ) - What else is signified here by stones and brass if not the hearts of insensitive people, who often, even if they are struck by heavenly punishments, are still not softened by a single instructive blow? Therefore, on the contrary, God promises the elect through the prophet, saying, “I will take from you the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezek. 11:19). Paul also says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, then I am a sounding gossamer or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). We know, however, that stones do not produce a clear sound when struck, but copper, on the contrary, produces a melodious sound when struck. Since life, like stones, is devoid of sound, its noise has no meaning. And there are some people who, like stones, are so opposed to the rules of piety that, when they are struck by the blow of Divine wrath, they make no sound of pious profession at all. And some, no different from copper, receiving blows from the Divine scourge, emit the sound of pious repentance. But since the voice of piety does not come from their hearts, they, having returned to a prosperous state, do not understand what they promised. So, the first ones, who are hit like stones, do not even have a voice; the latter, completely imitating copper, receive blows and do not understand what they are saying. Those reject even words to honor the Beater, but these, promising what they do not fulfill, cry out lifelessly. So, let the holy man say, avoiding the stubbornness of the wicked during the time of punishment, “Are the hardness of stones my hardness? And is my flesh copper? And he seems to openly confess, saying: “I avoid being like the wicked under the blow of instruction, since I am not as insensitive as a stone, so that under the sting of a blow I am numb for the service of confession, and, again, I do not respond like brass, not paying attention to the meaning of what is said.” But since in punishment the wicked show weak strength, and the elect strong weakness, blessed Job asserts that he is strong not in madness, but in that he is saved (or is in well-being, statu salutis). So, he will show where he received this strength, so as not to rush with all his strength towards death if he attributes the existing strength to himself. After all, acquired virtue often strikes even worse than if it had not existed, for while it encourages the soul to trust itself, it pierces it with the sword of exaltation, and when it supposedly revives and strengthens it, it kills it with arrogance and precisely drags to death the one whom it rejects with the help of self-confidence from trusting inner fear. But since blessed Job is strong in virtue, and not self-confident, and, so to speak, has strength in weakness, he correctly adds: Verse 13. Is there help in me, and is there any support for me? 27. Since he ascribes strength not to himself but to God - Now it is already obvious to the hope of Whose punishment the soul resorts when it denies that there is help in itself. But since he declares himself weak, he adds to the merit for his great strength the way he is abandoned even by his neighbors: “And my neighbors have departed from me.” But, outwardly despised, inwardly he sits on the throne of judge. For when he asserts that he is abandoned, he immediately proceeds to the sentence, saying: Verse 14. The one who suffers should have pity on his friend, unless he has left the fear of the Almighty. 28. How do love for God and love for neighbor relate? Who is here designated by the name of a friend, if not one of our neighbors, who unites with us all the more surely the more sincerely he subsequently gives us help in achieving the Eternal Fatherland, having now received a benefit from us? And since the two commandments are the most important, namely, love for God and love for neighbor, love for neighbor is born from love for God, and the latter is nourished by the former. After all, whoever neglects the love of God, of course, cannot love his neighbor, and then we advance more in love for God if, in the bosom of this love, we do not first feed on the milk of mercy for our neighbor. Since love for God gives rise to love for one’s neighbor, the Lord, about to say from the Law: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor” (Deut. 6:5, 10:12), first said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God” (Matt. 22:37,39) in order, of course, to first plant in the soil of our hearts the root of love for Himself, until love for one’s brother later grows as fruit. And again John testifies that He unites love for God and neighbor, saying, “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20). However, this love for God is born through fear, but, as it increases, it turns into a feeling of love. 29. Love for one's neighbor is recognized in one's misfortunes, and what is the injustice of one who despises a friend in adversity. Indeed, often Almighty God, in order to show how far someone is from love for Him and one's neighbor, or how much he has succeeded in it, distributing everything in an amazing way, strikes some with blows, strengthens others with successes. And when He leaves someone for a while, He reveals what evil is hidden in their souls. After all, most often those who persecute us in misfortune are those who, when we were happy, honored us beyond measure. After all, when someone who is in prosperity is honored, it is very unclear whether the person himself or his happiness is honored. And the loss of happiness calls into question the power of love. That is why someone wise says, “In happiness a friend is not known, and in misfortune an enemy is not hidden” (Sir.13:8). Of course, luck does not reveal a friend, and misfortune does not hide an enemy, since often the first is hidden in respect for our happiness, and the second is revealed through insolence in misfortune. So, let the righteous man who has come under blows say, “Whoever abandons mercy to his friend loses the fear of the Lord,” since it is clear that the one who despised his neighbor because of misfortune obviously did not love him in prosperity either. And when Almighty God then strikes some, in order to, having struck them, bring them to reason, and to give those who were not struck the opportunity for good deeds, and everyone who despises the struck one rejects the opportunity to show virtue. And he rebels against the Creator so much more dishonestly, to the extent that he does not recognize Him as either Merciful in his own well-being, or Righteous in punishing another person. But it should also be noted that blessed Job speaks in such a way that through him himself the life of the entire chosen people is signified. And since he is a member of this people, when he tells what he himself suffers, he also declares what he suffers, saying: Verse 15. But my brothers are faithless, like a stream, like clear streams 122. 30. For what reason are the wicked called “brothers” and “those passing by” (praetereuntes) by the righteous. They are correctly compared to a stream. From a short and transitory life they pass into eternal torment - The soul of the wicked loves only the present and for the most part is now as alien to punishment as it subsequently remains alienated from the inheritance, and in pride it despises the righteous, whom the Fatherly severity mercifully strikes. But often the wicked adhere to the same faith by which we live, approach the same sacraments of faith, participate in the unity of the same religion, but do not know the depths of compassion and do not know the power of mercy with which we burn in God, as well as towards our neighbor. That is why they are aptly called both brothers and passers-by, for they are born with us from the same mother’s womb, but are not affirmed in a single desire for mercy towards God and neighbor. So they are rightly compared to a stream flowing quickly through hollows. After all, the stream flows from the mountains into the plains and, saturated with winter rains, dries under the summer sun. After all, those who abandon hope for the Heavenly Fatherland, loving the earthly, seem to strive from the mountains to the valleys, but those whom the winter of this life fills are dried up by the summer (heat) of the coming Judge, for when the sun of the highest severity flares up, it will turn the joy of the wicked into drought. So, it is well said, “It flows quickly in the hollows.” Of course, “the stream that flows quickly in the plains” are the souls of the wicked, falling into base desires without any obstacle or difficulty. After all, everyone who ascends is in labor, and everyone who descends is in lust, since the one who ascends with effort strives for the highest, and the weakened one inclines to the lowest. After all, dragging a stone to the top of a mountain is hard work, but lowering it from the peaks to the valley is not difficult at all. Of course, he who reaches the heights with great effort immediately falls down. The field is sown with long labor, fed by the sun and rain for a long time, but is sown with one sudden spark. The buildings rise upward for a short time, but suddenly collapse to the ground. A strong tree grows into the air in small increments, but whatever rises upward over a long period of time collapses all at once. So, since the one who ascends is in labor, and the one who descends in lust, it is truly said here: “But my brothers are unfaithful, like a stream, like clear streams.” Which, however, can be understood in another way. 31. If we understand the “hollows” as underground places of punishment, then, of course, the unrighteous, like a stream, quickly rush to the plains, since in this life, which they crave with all their might, they cannot remain for long. After all, no matter how many days of life they receive, during all of them, they are daily approaching death. They want to increase their life span, but since they cannot withhold (stop) what is permitted, as much as they receive an increase in life, the same amount is taken away from their life span. Therefore, fractions of time come and go. Thus they quickly descend into the valleys, those who have long been attracted by the desires of lust, but are suddenly led to the prisons of hell. After all, even such a period of life, which stretches for any long time, if limited by death, is not long. After their death, these unfortunates understand how brief was what they held back by omission. That is why Solomon said correctly: “If a person lives for many years, then let him have fun throughout all of them and let him remember the dark days, of which there will be many; all that will be is vanity” (Eccl. 11:8). Indeed, an unreasonable soul, when it suddenly discovers that everything it did not pass by is evil, recognizes eternity in its patience, since that which it could neglect was empty. But one should know that many want to act righteously, but there are some things in this life that resist their weak souls, and when they are afraid to suffer misfortunes in the underworld, they end up in the justice of the High Court. Therefore it is correctly added: Verse 16. Who are afraid of frost, and snow falls on them 123. 32. Those who, out of fear of temporary punishment, avoid judgment fall into eternal torment - Frost, indeed, hardens below, and snow falls from above. And often those who fear temporal evils expose themselves to the severity of eternal punishment. The psalmist rightly says about them: “They were afraid of fear where there was none” 124 (Ps. 13:5). After all, one freely desires to defend the truth, but in his very desire he fears, trembling, the indignation of human power, and when he fears man on earth against justice, he endures the heavenly wrath of the Truth Itself. Another, repenting of his sins, already wants to distribute his property to the poor, but he himself is afraid of becoming poor after distributing his property. And when, shaking with fear, he prepares provision for his flesh, he kills his soul with the lack of food of mercy and, when he is afraid to suffer a lack on earth, he deprives himself of the abundance of heavenly reinforcement. So, it is rightly said: “Those who fear the frost, snow will fall on them,” since those who fear persecution from the evil ones suffer what they should fear from Heaven; and when they do not want to despise what they could trample (trample), they bring on Heavenly judgment, which they cannot endure. But by doing this, they achieve worldly glory for a time. But what will they do at the time when they are called, when they leave everything with trepidation that they have accumulated here with great fear? So, it is correctly added: Verse 17. At their appointed time they will perish in disorder. 33. What is their fear when the judgment approaches - Those who are regulated by the care of this life, the loss of it leads to disorder, and then those who have already died inside will die outside. About them it is correctly added: “And that they may be burned, let them be removed from their places.” An unjust person will begin to burn when he moves away from his place, because when the judgment of inner wrath approaches, when he has already begun to burn from the knowledge of punishment, he is separated from what he has long held on to - the pleasures of his flesh. Therefore, this is what the prophet Isaiah says against the wicked: “And one rumor about him will inspire horror” (Is. 28:19), since they do not know about the eternal except for the time when they are already punished for the temporary without (the possibility of) correction. Then the soul burns and is inflamed with the fire of fruitless repentance, fears that it will be given over to punishment, with all its desire it holds on to real life (still present), but moves away from its place, since, leaving the pleasures of the flesh, its stubbornness is softened by punishment. But since we have already heard what the wicked endure during their departure, let us also listen to how they go astray in the paths of their will. Here's what follows: Verse 18. They turn aside the direction of their ways. 34. The intention to do good is useless unless we intend to be constant - Everything that is hidden within ourselves comes out. There are some who decide, as if with all their strength, to resist the vices that lead them astray, but at the moment of attack of temptation the decision is not firm. After all, one, having become proud of a good undertaking, when he thinks about the great rewards of humility, rebels against himself and seems to put off the exaltation of saturated arrogance, promises to show himself humble in all insults, but as soon as he is hurt by injustice in a single word, he immediately returns to ordinary exaltation, and is so drawn to arrogance that he does not remember at all that he wanted the blessing of humility. The other, consumed by greed, is full of passion for increasing his fortune. This one, seeing that everything is quickly passing, strengthens his soul, wandering after desires, decides to desire nothing more, but to possess what is available with the help of the bridle of the great hormil (rudder), but as soon as the desired appears before his eyes, the soul is full of desire, no longer feels itself, is looking for an opportunity to take possession of it and, forgetting about the implanted abstinence, worries itself with the passion of possession and the stings of the imagination. The third is defiled by the dirt of luxury and is enslaved by a long habit, but he sees how much purity there is in modesty, and understands that he is shamefully enslaved to the flesh. He decides to curb the corruption of desires and is preparing to abandon the habit with all his might. But either when some beautiful image appears before his eyes, or when he remembers it, suddenly exposed to temptation, he immediately gives up his previous decision, and whoever rebels against this shield of intention, pierced by the spear of pleasure, falls, and he, so weak, is defeated by luxury, as if he had not armed himself against it at all. The fourth kindles with a flame of anger and rages to the point of insulting his neighbors. But when his soul is not disturbed by any cause of rage, he reflects how great is the virtue of meekness, what is the height of patience, and prepares himself to be patient and resist the desire to offend. But as soon as the slightest opportunity for anger arises, he immediately again becomes inflamed to the marrow of his bones and shouts and insults; he becomes so inflamed that not only does he not remember the promised patience, but his soul itself is not aware of itself and is not even aware of the screams being emitted. And when he is completely satisfied with anger, he calms down, as if after exercise, and then only retreats into silence, when it is not the restraint of his tongue, but the satisfaction of his shamelessness that puts a bridle on him. And later, after angry cries, he finds it difficult to restrain himself, since often horses that have run away and strayed from the road are restrained not by the rider’s hand, but by the fence of the circus field. So, it is well said about the wicked: “They turn away from the direction of their ways,” because with their minds they desire good, but turn to habitual evil. And as if straining beyond their strength, they return to themselves in a circle, desiring good, but never retreating from evil. They want to be humble, but not to be despised, to be pleased with their neighbors, but not to communicate closely with them, to be clean, but without exhausting the body, to be patient, but not to be insulted. Since they desire to acquire virtues, but avoid working to achieve them, it is the same as if they refused to fight on the battlefield and at the same time wanted to celebrate triumph in the cities. 35. Since some vices (passions) are tamed, while others are not paid attention to, they succumb even to curbed vices - Although the fact that their paths are mentioned as crooked can be understood in a different way. After all, some often arm themselves against certain vices with great zeal, but some of the vices do not undertake to tame, and by not rebelling against them, those who have already been curbed again turn against themselves. After all, one has already weaned the flesh from debauchery, but did not restrain his soul from greed and, being bound (held) in the world by the satisfaction of greed and not leaving worldly deeds, as soon as the most insignificant opportunity arises, this person falls into debauchery, which, as it seemed, he had already curbed. Another conquered the heat of greed, but did not at all moderate the power of debauchery. And when he prepares the payment for satisfied debauchery, he also places around the neck of his heart the yoke of greed, which he has long since moderated. The third has already defeated rebellious impatience, but still has not defeated the desire for vain glory. And when because of her he rushes to worldly honors, pierced by the desires of litigation, he, as if captive, returns to impatience, and when vain glory excites his soul to defend itself, he, having again suffered defeat, experiences a passion that had been overcome. The fourth conquered the desire for vain glory, but still did not destroy impatience, and when he makes many threats because of impatience to those who resist him, ashamed of not doing what he says, he again returns under the yoke of vain glory. And being defeated by him, he suffers from what he already joyfully considered completely overcome. So, in this way, with the help of substitute means, vices retain their fugitives and, as if they had already been lost, return them to their possession and transfer them alternately to each other for punishment. So, corrupt people have crooked ways in which they walk. Since, even having defeated one abomination, they make their path easier, another still takes possession of them and plunges them into the one that they have already overcome. 36. A sinner is mistaken as long as one of his offenses is the reason for another and many subsequent ones. It is as if a person becomes an animal as long as he sins against reason on the basis of reason - But sometimes on these crooked paths not a single sin is overcome, and even one finds fulfillment in the other. After all, deception is often added to the cunning of denial, and often the sin of deception is combined with perjury. Often some vice acts under an innocent pretext and is often even exalted because of the crime committed (after all, every sin is very serious). For although exaltation is usually born of virtue, yet sometimes a mad soul takes pride in absolute abomination. But when one sin is added to another, are not the steps of vicious people entangled in crooked paths and tightened fetters? Therefore, Isaiah rightly says in reproof of the corrupt soul under the guise of Judea: “It will be a bed of serpents, and a pasture of ostriches, and centaurs and ghosts will meet it, and one hairy monster will echo another” 125 (Is. 34:13). After all, what else is signified with the help of snakes if not deceit, and with the help of ostriches if not hypocrisy? Of course, just as an ostrich has the appearance of a flying animal, but does not have the custom of flying, so hypocrisy tries to inspire everyone looking at the hypocrite with the appearance of holiness, but he himself does not know how to lead a holy life. Thus, in a corrupt soul the serpent lies and the ostrich grazes, since deceit is skillfully hidden, and the appearance of virtue has preference in the eyes of the spectators. And who is depicted under the name of onocentaur (oslocentaur), if not proud and unreliable people? In Greek, a donkey is called ovoq (onos), and the name donkey means debauchery (luxury), according to the testimony of the prophet, “Like the flesh of donkeys is your flesh” 126 (Ezek. 23:20). And under the name of the bull (“brand”) the neck of arrogance is depicted, as the psalmist says about the arrogant in the voice of the Lord, “Fat bulls surrounded me” 127 (Ps. 21:13). Consequently, onocentaurs are people subject to the vices of debauchery, and who are proud of what they should humble themselves from. Being slaves to the lusts of their flesh and having driven modesty far away, they not only do not grieve over the loss of righteousness, but even experience joy from their wrong doing. Onocentaurs meet with ghosts because evil spirits willingly and voluntarily serve those whom they see rejoicing over something that should be mourned. It also correctly adds “And the furry monsters will call to each other.” After all, who else is depicted under the guise of shaggy monsters, if not those whom the Greeks call Panami, and the Romans - incubi? It is known that their appearance is partly human from the head, but it ends with the extremity of an animal. So, under the name of shaggy monsters, the rudeness of every sinner is depicted, for even if he starts something under a reasonable pretext, he still strives for unreasonable actions every time. And man, as it were, half ends up as an animal, while sin, under the guise of reason, starting something, leads a person to an insane result. After all, often the pleasure of food serves gluttony and encourages the service of natural dissatisfaction, and when it drives the belly to gluttony, it excites other members to debauchery. And the monsters call to each other, since the abominations committed cause others to commit them, and as if by the voice of reflection, a committed sin causes another to be committed. After all, often, as we said, gluttony says: “If you do not restore your body with abundant food, you will not be capable of any useful work.” And as soon as it inflames the soul with carnal lusts, licentiousness immediately offers words of its own suggestion, saying: “If God had not desired the carnal union of people, He would not have created their members themselves so suitable for intercourse.” And when she suggests this, supposedly on the basis of reason, she immediately draws the soul to the unbridledness of lust. And when the soul is often caught, it seeks salvation in deception and denial and does not consider itself guilty if it defends its life with a lie. So, “a shaggy monster echoes another” when, under some form of prudence, a subsequent sin catches a corrupt soul, since the previous sin provides an opportunity for it. And since she is exhausted by cruel and severe sins, the monsters harmoniously dominate over her, as if they had been convened. And it turns out that the paths of its march are always all the more confused when, one after another, sins entangle the wicked soul. 37. Sometimes the habit of sin is preceded by the blindness of the soul and sometimes precedes it - Meanwhile, you should know that sometimes the eye of the mind is weakened first, and then the captive soul wanders after alien and external lusts, so that the blind soul does not understand where it is drawn and willingly succumbs to the temptations of its flesh. And sometimes the lusts of the flesh boil up first and only after a long habit of lawless acts do the eyes of the heart close. After all, often the soul understands what the truth is, but does not rebel with all courage against evil and, although it resists, suffers defeats as long as it understands what it is doing and still succumbs to the pleasures of its flesh. And most often, the eye of prudence (contemplative) is first lost, and then the soul, through the lust of the flesh, submits to worldly concerns, as evidenced by Samson, when he was captured by foreigners and, then losing his eyes, was sent to the mill. Therefore, undoubtedly, evil spirits, after they have destroyed the sharpness of contemplation within with the stings of temptation, plunge a person into an endless circle of worries. On the contrary, the prophet Jeremiah points out that often an outwardly good deed perishes, but still the light of reason is retained in the heart for some time, when, talking about the captivity of Zedekiah, he announces the order of internal captivity, saying: “And the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah” (Jeremiah 39:6). The King of Babylon is an ancient enemy, the culprit of internal confusion, who first kills his sons before the eyes of the most observing person, since he often destroys good deeds so much that the one who is defeated and suffers understands it. After all, the soul usually complains, and yet, overcome by the pleasures of the flesh, it joyfully destroys those born to it, understands what punishments it endures, and yet does not raise the hand of virtue against the king of Babylon. But she is amazed at the commission of evil, although she still sees it, and is finally driven by the habit of sin to the point that she is deprived of the very light of reason. Therefore, the king of Babylon, having first killed his sons, tore out Zedekiah’s eyes, since the evil spirit, having first deprived a person of good deeds, then takes away the light of reason. This is what Zedekiah endures at Riblah. And Rivla translates as “how much of this.” After all, he is deprived of the light of reason who is unjustly oppressed by the multitude of his unrighteousness. But no matter how sin is revealed, no matter what reasons it breaks out, the ways of the wicked are always perverted, since, having given themselves up to evil lusts, they either do not desire good at all, or, desiring it unsteadily, do not at all direct the firm steps of their soul towards it. So, they either do not begin righteous deeds at all, or, having weakened during the journey itself, strive for them very little. Therefore, for the most part, it happens that they, tired, return to their customs and fall from spiritual stress into the lust of the flesh, thinking only about what is transitory, not caring at all about what will remain with them. Therefore it is correctly added: Right there. They go into the desert and get lost. 38. The work of those who thirst for transitory goods is in vain - Of course, those who do not take with them any fruit of their labor enter the desert. One sweats in achieving honors, another burns with the desire to increase property, the third is filled with the desire to earn praise. But since each of them loses all this with death, those who have nothing to take with them when appearing before the Judge waste their labors in vain. Against which the Law rightly rebels in the following words: “Observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days, and eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; and let them not appear before Me empty-handed” (Exodus 23:15). After all, anyone who does not bother to earn payment for life through good deeds will appear empty before the face of the Lord. That is why the psalmist says this about the righteous: “He who bears seeds with weeping will return with joy, bearing his sheaves” (Ps. 125:6). Of course, those who carry the sheaves to the trial of the Judge (to the judgment) are those who in themselves demonstrate righteous deeds by which they deserve (eternal) life. Therefore, the psalmist once again speaks of each chosen one, “He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn with his soul in vain and has not sworn falsely” (Ps. 23:4). The one who, thinking only about the present, does not pay attention to what is coming in the future receives his soul in vain. It is in vain that he receives it who, not caring about (eternal) life, prefers caring for the flesh to it. But the righteous do not receive their soul in vain, since with constant attention they direct everything that they do in the flesh towards its benefit. Because, even if the deed itself quickly passes, the cause of the deed does not disappear, which prepares rewards for such a life after life. But the wicked neglect to take care of this, so that they, apparently wandering in vain, inherit life, flee from it, gain, and destroy. And it is better for us to refrain from imitating the unrighteous if we weigh their posthumous punishments. Therefore it is sensibly added below, even with admonition: Verse 19. Consider the ways of Themai, the roads of Sheba, and meditate a little 128 . 39. Some are caught in the snares of this age under the pretext of honesty. Among them are those who take care of family affairs or those who do not love their relatives in the proper manner - Feman is translated as “south wind”, and Sava is translated as “net”. What else is depicted in the form of a south wind, relaxing the limbs with a hot breeze, if not the precarious calm of life, and what in the form of a network, if not an obligation to do something? After all, those who desire the eternal with a relaxed soul confuse themselves with their incoherent efforts (attractions), so that they cannot take a single free step towards God. And when they become entangled in the fragile workings of their way of life, they seem to leave their feet in the loops of the net. After all, just as we have already spoken a little above about some who are drawn to already defeated vices with the help of other obvious and unconquered vices, some also return to what they hide under the name of honesty or respect for what is praiseworthy. After all, many no longer desire alien things and separate themselves from the troubles of this world, beginning to love tranquility (peace, silence), eager to learn from holy sayings, passionately desire to devote themselves to higher thoughts. However, they do not leave in perfect spiritual freedom care for family affairs, which they often serve in an earthly way, yet they become entangled in the lawless litigations of this world, and when they zealously desire to take care of earthly things, they abandon the peace of heart they seek, and when the transitory nature is covered with constant care, the teaching (word) of Divine wisdom received in the soul is destroyed, since the word of Truth (Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8), the sprouted seed is choked by thorns, when annoying worries about earthly affairs drive the word of God out of memory. Thus, it is as if they walk in a net with unsteady steps, those who have not completely left the world, and they entangle themselves so that they cannot walk. 40. There are also many who not only do not desire what is alien, but even abandon everything they possessed in the world, despise themselves, do not seek the glory of real life, move away from the actions of this world and even trample on almost everything in which happiness smiles on them. But, still bound by the bonds of carnal kinship, while without hesitation they indulge in love for relatives, often, under the influence of related feelings, they return to what they have already conquered with their own contempt. And since they love relatives according to the flesh more than necessary, returning to the outside world, they are separated from the Parent of their heart. Indeed, we often see that some, as far as their own desires are concerned, do not have the lusts of this life and have left the world both in word and in deed. However, due to disorderly love for relatives, they break into palaces, indulge in litigation over earthly things, abandon the freedom of the inner world and restore in themselves worldly aspirations that have long been destroyed. Where else if not in the net do they wander, those whom the already begun love for the perfection of life has freed from the real world, but is bound by a disordered love for earthly kinship. 41. For God's sake, we must despise our relatives and hate forget - After all, those who, having killed desires, follow firm steps towards reward in eternal judgment, because of the love of God, seem to despise themselves, in the same way reject everything that they feel hinders them. Since for the sake of God it is necessary to serve everyone who is possible, it is also necessary for His sake to renounce one’s own attachments, even to loved ones (relatives). That is why, when someone said: “Let me first go and bury my father” (Matthew 8:21), he immediately heard from the lips of the Truth: “Let the dead bury their dead, but you go, proclaim the Kingdom of God” 129 (Matthew 8:22). It should be noted here that when a chosen disciple refrains from burying his father, it still does not follow that everyone for the sake of the Lord, out of carnal excitement (jealousy), should make such a vow at the time of his father’s death, for for the sake of the Lord he must make it in relation to everyone else. Therefore, the Truth again says, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and sons, and brothers, and sisters, and finally, his own soul, he cannot be my disciple” 130 (Luke 14:26). It is obvious that in this verse, when hatred of one’s own soul is added to hatred towards relatives, it is openly shown that we are commanded to also hate ourselves as well as our loved ones, so that, drawing them towards the eternal and despising carnal favor towards them, for it interferes with this, we learn to love them, duly subduing our faculty of discernment 131 . And also, so that we learn to hate them with healthy hatred, since He can so arouse love through hatred that we will be able to love them all the more truly through hatred 132. Therefore, Moses again says (about Levi) “He says about his father and his mother, “I do not know you,” and does not recognize his brothers, and does not know his sons; For they (the Levites) keep Your words and keep Your covenant” 133 (Deut. 33:9). After all, he longs to know God more closely who, out of love for piety, does not want to know those whom he knows in the flesh. And indeed, the knowledge of God decreases with great loss if it is combined with the knowledge of the flesh. Thus, everyone who wishes to be more truly united with the Father of all must distance himself from relatives and friends, since he loves them all the more who despises them with benefit and rejects the perishable connection of carnal ties with them. 42. We must bring as much benefit as possible to all other neighbors, so long as this does not slow down our progress towards God. After all, we must be supportive of them, but not deviate from the path leading to God. We, of course, must serve those with whom we are temporarily closer than others, since fire spreads the flame to things placed nearby, but first (the flame) ignites where it originates. We must recognize the connection of earthly kinship; however, when it hinders the movement of the soul, despise it until the faithful soul, inflamed with the desire for God, begins to despise what is connected with it on earth, and ascends to Heaven with the help of love for the highest, correctly determining the place of all this in relation to itself. Therefore, it is necessary to take care with skillful (subtle, careful) diligence, so that goodwill does not creep up on the flesh and turn away the heart’s aspiration from the right path, so that the love for heavenly things does not interfere, and the soul ascending to Heaven is not thrown down, placing a burden on it. For in this way, everyone should sympathize with the needs of their neighbors, so that with this compassion they do not allow the strength of their zeal to be hindered, so that it is love that fills the inside of the soul, but does not turn away from the spiritual intention. After all, even holy men, of course, love those close to them according to the flesh and give them everything they need, but with the love of the spiritual they conquer self-love itself until they so starve it with the helm (rudder) of prudence that even in the smallest things they do not deviate from the true path. They are rightly pointed out metaphorically by the cows, who, heading towards the high places and carrying the ark of the Lord, walk at the same time with love and with strict understanding, as it is written: “They took the two first-bred cows and yoked them to a chariot, and kept their calves at home, and they set the ark of the Lord in the chariot” (1 Samuel 6:10). And a little lower: “And the cows went straight to the road to Bethshemesh; They walked along the same road, and walked and moaned, but did not turn aside to the right or to the left” (1 Samuel 6:12). For behold, while the calves are shut up at home, the cows, harnessed to the chariot with the ark of the Lord, go forward and roar, mooing from the womb, but still do not deviate from the path. Out of compassion they feel love, but they do not turn their necks back. Thus, this is exactly how those should walk who, having submitted to the yoke of the holy law, carry the ark of the Lord according to their inner understanding, since they do not deviate from the begun path of righteousness by sympathizing with the needs of their loved ones. Bethshemesh is translated “house of the sun.” Thus, going to Beth-shemesh, harnessed to the ark of the Lord, means approaching, through knowledge of the highest, the abode of eternal light. But then we truly rush to Bethshemesh when, walking along the path of righteousness, we do not deviate to the close edges of deviation from the right path, even out of love for relatives. Of course, it is necessary that the soul be merciful towards them, but one should still not give in, so that if the same soul is not touched by love, it would not turn out to be cruel, and if it is inclined by love, it would not become more relaxed. 43. One should be favorable to loved ones, but one should not give in to them - It is advisable to reflect on how blessed Job humbled the neck of his heart under the yoke of the fear of God, with what helm of prudence he carries the ark of Divine knowledge. After all, he groans, having lost his calves, since, having heard about the death of his sons, he fell to the ground, having shaved his head (Job.1:20). However, although weeping, he walks along the right path, since his mouth, even in the midst of groaning, is open to praise God, since he immediately says: “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away, as the Lord pleased, so He did; Blessed be the name of the Lord" 134 (Job 1:21). But reckless souls do not know such a rule of life, and just as they randomly desire the ways of God, they also madly return to earthly ways. 44. Punishments for laxity, seen first in others, usually outrage - So, quite rightly, the holy man, having mentioned the roads to Feman, moves on to the roads to Sheba, since those whom the south wind of unrighteous weakness weakened, he, of course, keeps, entangling in a net. But correctly describing the acts of the wicked, he calls on us to reflect on the fact that we ourselves love to commit bad deeds, but when we see them in others, we condemn them, and what we considered not so reprehensible in ourselves, we find out how vile it is in the actions of other people. Thus, it happens that the soul, turning again to itself, is ashamed to do what it condemned. Just as if an evil face would cause disgust in a mirror, so the soul sees in a life similar to itself that from which it is disgusted. Therefore, Job says, “Meditate on the roads of Teman, the ways to Sheba, and tarry a little.” As if he were openly saying: “Pay attention to the punishment given to another for relaxation, and hope for the eternal, all the more surely, if you see with a faithful eye what you do not like in others.” 45. How useful it is to reflect on the brevity of this life - And it is truly said: “Linger a little.” Indeed, often, while this short life evokes love, as if it would last for a long time, the soul falls away from hope for eternity and, having enjoyed the present, is struck by the darkness of its despair. And when she believes that she still has a long time to live, suddenly parting with life, she encounters the eternal, which can no longer be avoided. That is why it was said by some wise men, “Woe to those who destroy patience” 135 (Eccl. 2:16). Patience, of course, is ruined by those who, believing that they will linger for a long time among the visible, abandon hope for the invisible. And when the soul gets bogged down in the present, life comes to an end, and they suddenly go to unexpected torments, which, as they were deceived in their hopes, either would never touch them, or they barely believed in them at all. That is why the Truth says, “Watch, for you know neither the time nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13). That is why it is also written, “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2). And since the one who sneaks up to steal the soul is almost invisible, he is like a thief at night. Therefore, we should be afraid, as if He could always come, since the coming cannot be known to us in advance. Therefore, holy men, since they constantly think about the brevity of life, live as if they were going to die every day. And they prepare for the eternal as much more seriously as they always believe that after death there will be nothing transitory. That is why the psalmist, intending to quickly leave the path of the sinner, said: “A little while longer, and the sinner will no longer be” (Ps. 36:10). Therefore he says again: “Man his days are like grass” 136 (Ps. 103:15). And that is why Isaiah says: “All flesh is grass, and its glory is like the flower of the grass” (Is. 40:6). For the same reason, James accuses the souls of the presumptuous: “What is your life? Vapor appearing for a while” (James 4:14). So, it is truly said: “Stay awhile,” since what follows is vast and endless, and what ends is very small. It should not seem to us that something that in its movement tends to non-existence seems durable, as long as what moves through changes in time is set in motion by the different moments of time themselves, and what seems to hold them together leads ultimately to destruction. But, truly, blessed Job immediately rises up against his enemies on behalf of all the elect, after he contemptuously pointed out the brevity of this life, adding: Verse 20. They remain ashamed in their hope. 46. The firmness of good men arouses shame in the wicked - When the wicked do evil to the good, if they notice that they have wavered in their inner trust, they rejoice in the results of their lies. After all, they consider it a great profit to spread their error, since they are proud of the fact that they destroy their comrades. But when the hope of the righteous is more deeply established, and is in no way bowed by external evils, the souls of the wicked are seized with shame, for when they cannot shake the souls of the wretched, these cruel people are ashamed because they live in vain. So, let the holy man speak on his own behalf, let him speak according to the firmness of the universal Church, crushed and groaning, which, in the midst of the attacks of the wicked, desires, without any doubt, the joy of heavenly reward and endures even to death, “remaining ashamed in their hope.” As if he were openly saying: “Since the wicked do not diminish the strength of my firmness by cruel persecution, they undoubtedly destroy the work of their cruelty with shame.” Therefore, he considers the benefits of the future reward as having already arrived and turns his thoughts to what accusation awaits the wicked during the judgment, adding below: Right there. And they came straight to me and were ashamed (covered with shame). 137 47. Confusion of the Wicked at the Time of Judgment - On the day of judgment the wicked come, of course, to the Holy Church itself, since then they come to see Her glory, and so that, being handed over to great punishments for their guilt, they see what they have lost. But then the wicked are covered with shame when their conscience accuses them as a witness in the face of the Judge 138. Then the Judge is known outwardly, but the accuser is tormented inwardly. Then all guilt appears before the eyes, and the soul above the flames of Gehenna suffers even more heavily from its own fire. It is truly said about them through the prophet: “Lord! Your hand is lifted high, so that they do not see, but let them see and be ashamed” 139 (Isaiah 26:11). Now the minds of the wicked are clouded by merit, but then the knowledge of guilt will enlighten them, so that now they do not even see (what is coming), and then they will already know about everything after they have lost it. After all, now they are incapable of cognizing the eternal, for they despise the desire for prudent knowledge. But then, cognizing him, without any doubt, they thirst and turn their souls to him, and, at the same time, they cannot in any way follow what they desire. 48. Job's friends are embarrassed by his loyalty to God - Also, these words of Saint Job are especially suitable for his friends, who tried to shake the soul of the holy man with cruel accusations. After all, he said: “They are confused, because I hoped.” It was as if he was openly saying: “As long as they cannot persuade me to despair with insane reproaches, they themselves are embarrassed by the madness of their recklessness. And they came straight to me and were covered with shame.” And it was as if he said: “Those who see the bodily wounds, but did not desire firmness of soul when they dared to accuse me of unrighteousness, still have not known me. But those who throw cruel accusations at me, while they know that my spirit is strong in adversity, seem ashamed when they come to me. After all, they come to me because they know the depths of my heart, and then they are covered with shame, when external warfare does not shake me.” But there are people who do not know the fear of God, and only then are they afraid when they either experience misfortune themselves or see how others experience it; whom success exalts to the point of insolence, and failure embarrasses to the point of weakness. And, of course, blessed Job denounces his friends that they are from among this kind of people, when he immediately adds: Verse 21. So you have come, and you are afraid only when you see my wound 140. 49. One should fear God even in happiness - Here Job seems to openly say: “Even then I feared God, when I did not feel the pain from the blows, although happiness supported me. You, on the contrary, are not afraid because of God’s love, but you fear Him only from the blows.” What follows: Verses 22, 23. Did I say give me and give me some of your property? Or. Free me from the hand of the enemy and snatch me from the hand of the tormentor? 141 50. The Church does not want to listen to those who think wrongly about faith, but teach correctly about morals. Evil spirits are attracted by the weakness of the flesh - These words apply to the face of the Church, since, as we said, Job's friends are heretics, he rightly declares that he does not need their property. Of course, by the property of heretics, carnal wisdom is very appropriately understood, and as long as they are strengthened by it, they seem to show themselves in words to be rich; The Church does not seek it because it surpasses it in spiritual understanding. But often heretics, when they teach incorrectly about faith, say something precise against the ancient enemy, but with carnal effort. After all, sometimes by this action they imagine their members as if they were healthy, but wounded by a snake’s bite to the head, they are bound in faith. But the Holy Church does not want to hear from them reasonable words about carnal exploits, since those who affirm something true in words lead to the deceit of lies. Therefore, it is now truly said: “Did I say give me and give me some of your property? or Free me from the hand of the enemy and snatch me from the hand of the tormentors?” Of course, here he calls the hand of the enemy the power of Satan, and the hand of the tormentors the power of evil spirits. He calls them tormentors because they are attracted by the weakness of the flesh, and the acquired weakness of will does not resist their evil efforts. But here's what's added: Verse 24. Teach me, and I will be silent; and if I suddenly didn’t know something, instruct me 142. 51. How to correctly understand this verse is unclear. Should it be connected with what has already been said: “Did I say give me and give me some of your property? or Free me from the hand of the enemy and snatch me from the hand of the tormentors?” Or, in fact, out of connection with the previous one, this statement is made, which says in the form of a reproach: “Teach me, and I will be silent; and if suddenly you didn’t know something, instruct me.” However, both interpretations are suitable, since they are equally distant from a clear understanding. But since we have spoken about this allegorically and only in passing, it remains to examine the moral meaning of the words of this text. 52. What is the spirit of the poor oppressed and insane for God's sake - Blessed Job suffered the loss of property, betrayed by the abuse of evil spirits, felt the pain of his wounds, but, loving wise madness for God's sake, he trampled on the insane wisdom of the world with the contempt of his soul. Consequently, the contrast between the poor and the rich of this world is spoken of, the oppressed against the powerful, the foolish against the wise. These three (oppositions) are suitable, since neither the beggar seeks property, nor the oppressed - help against the tormentors, nor the madman - the teachings of carnal wisdom. So, he is a holy man who despises himself in his soul, who in poverty is not embarrassed by lack, who suffers nothing in humiliation, and who, being mad of his own free will, does not pay attention to carnal wisdom. That is why a certain poor man in humiliation says: “We are in desperate circumstances, but we do not despair, we are persecuted, but not forsaken, we are cast down, but we do not perish” (2 Cor. 4:8). That is why, the one who achieves the wisdom of holy madness said: “God has chosen the foolishness of the world to shame the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27) And again: “If anyone among you thinks in this age to be wise, let him be a fool so that he can become wise” (1 Cor. 3:18). Therefore, revealing the glory of humiliation and the riches of desired poverty, he says: “So we live as if we were dying, as if we were punished, but not put to death, as if sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as if we were in need, but abounding in many, as if we had nothing, but possessed everything” 143 (2 Cor 6:9-10). 53. The sublimity of the saints oppressed from without. There is also freedom in exposing the rulers (powers). Meanwhile, one should lift up the eyes of the soul and see how God’s chosen ones, oppressed from the outside, sit within themselves in a great stronghold. For everything that comes from the outside is defeated by the inner eye through contempt. After all, those who have despised themselves within, affirm the soul in the heavenly, and consider everything that they endure to be transitory and alien to themselves, and as long as they, so to speak, intend to remain with their soul outside the body, they despise everything that they endure. In their eyes, anything that has a temporary advantage is not high. Indeed, as if perched on the top of a high hill, they reject the plains of real life and, exalted by spiritual nobility, see everything that is exalted in carnal glory, much lower than themselves. Therefore, they do not spare any rulers (authorities) who speak out against the truth, but if they notice someone being magnified, they pacify them with spiritual power. After all, this is why Moses, returning from the desert, approaches the king of Egypt with authority with the words: “Thus says the Lord, God of the Hebrews, how long will you not humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me” (Ex. 10:3). And when Pharaoh told him “Go, serve your God in this land” 144 (Exodus 8:25), he immediately answers with great authority: “This cannot be done, for our sacrifice to God is disgusting to the Egyptians” (Exodus 8:26). That is why Nathan approaches the sinning king and, first announcing to him the crime committed with the help of a parable and accusing him himself in his own judgment, immediately added: “You are the man who did this” 145 (2 Samuel 12:7). Therefore, the man of God, sent to overthrow Samaritan idolatry, when King Jeroboam threw incense onto the altar, without being afraid of the king and not embarrassed by the horror of death, fearlessly used the power of free speech against the altar: “Altar, altar! Thus says the Lord, behold, a son will be born to the house of David, his name will be Josiah, and he will sacrifice the priests of the high places upon you” (1 Kings 13:2). Therefore, proud Ahab, having learned to serve idols, and expecting that Elijah will reprove him, says, “Are you not the man who troubles Israel” 146 (1 Kings 18:17)? Elijah immediately struck down the madness of the proud king by right of free reproach with the words: “It was not I who troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house, forsaking the commandments of the Lord and following Baal.” That is why Elisha, following the true nobility of the teacher, Joram, the son of Ahab, who came to him with King Jehoshaphat, was ashamed of the guilt of infidelity, saying: “What is it to me and to you? Go to the prophets of your father and your mother” (2 Kings 3:13). And again: “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand? If I had not respected Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not have looked at you” (2 Kings 3:14). That is why the same husband stopped Naaman, who came to him with horses and carts, at the threshold of the house and did not go for the many talents and the promise of clothes, but through a messenger he commanded that he wash himself seven times in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:9,10). So Naaman himself left, angry, “I thought that he would come out to me” 147 (2 Kings 5:11). Therefore, Peter, when the priests and elders forbade him, even under threat of scourging, to speak in the name of Jesus, answered immediately with great authority, saying, “Judge, is it right before God to listen to you more than God?” (Acts 4:19). Therefore, Paul, when he saw the high priest rebelling against the truth, and also that his servant was striking him on the mouth, did not utter a curse in indignation, but prophesied, filled with the Holy Spirit, with these words: “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!” (Acts 23:3). That is why Stephen raised the power of his speech against the force of the pursuers, not being afraid of imminent death, saying: “You stiff-necked! people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! you always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). 54. This freedom of holy men comes from zeal for the truth and not from the passion of exaltation - But since holy men ascend to words of such great heights through zeal for the truth, and not from the vice of exaltation, they clearly show this by how strong they are in all other deeds and speeches, and also by their humility; They also show what kind of mercy they glow towards those whom they reprove. Of course, pride breeds anger, and humility breeds love. So, the words that love itself toughens flow directly from the source of humility. And after all, how could Stephen pronounce reproofs with exaltation, when he prayed for those whom he reproached, on bended knees, while they stoned him and grew stronger in evil, with these words: “Lord, do not count this against them as sin” (Acts 7:60). How could Paul, out of pride as the high priest of his people, reproach his people with cruel words, when he humbly gave himself to the service of his disciples, saying: “And we are your servants for Christ” (2 Cor. 4:5). How Peter rebelled against the rulers out of pride, when he seemed to excuse their error out of sympathy, saying: “I know, brethren, that you, like your rulers, did this out of ignorance, but God foreknew by the mouth of all His prophets that Christ should suffer, so he fulfilled” (Acts 3:17,18). And whom he leads to life, saying: “Repent and be converted, and your sins will be washed away” 148 (Acts 3:19). How could Elisha not want to see Naaman out of arrogance when he allowed a woman not only to see him, but also to keep him? About which it is written: “When she came to the mountain to the man of God, she hugged his feet. And Gehazi came up to take her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her, her soul is sorrowful” (2 Kings 4:27). How Elijah spoke harsh words to the arrogant king through pompousness, if he humbly fled before his chariot, as it is written: “He girded his loins and fled before Ahab” (1 Kings 18:46). How then did the man of God despise the presence of Jeroboam with contempt, when he mercifully healed his withered hand? As it is written: “When the king heard the speech of the man of God, which he spoke against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, take it; and his hand became stiff” (1 Kings 13:4). And a little later: “The man of God prayed before the face of the Lord, and the king’s hand returned to him and became as before” 149 (1 Kings 13:6). Since pride cannot give rise to virtues, then, from which humility comes the voice of reproof, it appears through accompanying signs. How could Nathan, in anger, denounce King David, when he cannot be blamed for this, since he bowed to him in the presence of the king, prostrating himself to the ground? As it is written: “And the prophet Nathan came and told the king. And when he came before the king, he prostrated himself to the ground and worshiped him” 150 (1 Kings 1:23). How could Moses, freely opposing the king, despise him when he, in close communication with God, humbly honored his relative Jethro who came to him (Ex. 18:7)? After all, he even showed complete obedience to his advice, and subsequently received great benefit from secret conversations with God, because he distanced himself from listening to people's petitions. 55. Those who expose themselves to others and do not lay a finger on them - From other works of holy men we learn what we should think about others. After all, holy men are free not as a result of pride, nor are they humble as a result of fear. But while righteousness exalts their freedom of speech, the knowledge of their own weakness keeps them humble. Of course, they strike those who are in error, as if accusing them from heaven, but judging themselves very modestly, they consider themselves to be among the outcasts. And just as they pursue evil in others, they strive just as harshly to curb themselves. And on the contrary, the less they spare themselves when they do good, the more vigilantly they condemn the actions of others. What can surprise them in external human power, who despise themselves, despite the height of their inner greatness. So, therefore, they rightly condemn the height of external earthly nobility, since their inner eye is not burdened with the burden of pride. That is why blessed Job, when he rejected the earthly wisdom, power and property of his cruelly speaking friends, said: “Did I say give me and give me some of your property? Or Free me from the hand of the enemy and snatch me from the hand of the tormentors?” And what he felt about himself, he declares a little lower, saying: “You attack the orphan” (Job.6:27). So, it is clearer than clear how weak he considers himself, calling himself an orphan. What follows: Verse 25 Why have you put aside the words of truth, since none of you can prove anything? 56. He who wishes to guide others must be pure - He who cares about correcting others should be pure from passions, so as not to think about earthly things, not to give in to base desires, until he becomes as insightful in what others should avoid as he himself rejects all this both in knowledge and in his life, since it is impossible for the eye, if it is burdened with dirt, to notice a stain on a certain member, and hands carrying dirt cannot wipe off the adhering clay. Therefore, according to a number of ancient narratives, David, waging external wars, was given a sign by a Divine voice saying: “It is not you who will build a church for Me, for you have shed much blood” 151 (2 Samuel 7:16,8; 1 Chronicles 22:8). And the church of God will be built by the one who has time to correct and instruct the souls of his neighbors. For we ourselves are the church of God, finding true life from dwelling in it, according to the testimony of Paul, who says: “The church of God is holy, and this church is you” (1 Cor. 3:17). But a husband on whom there is blood is forbidden to build a church to God, since one who is still devoted to earthly deeds should be ashamed to spiritually instruct the souls of his neighbors. Therefore, it is rightly said: “Why have you withdrawn yourself from speaking the truth, since none of you can prove anything?” As if it was openly said: “With what recklessness do you perceive what you hear, and without knowing the reasons for my wounds, you still make reproachful speeches?” What follows: Verse 26. Do you invent speeches of reproof? You are throwing your words into the wind. 57. Two kinds of speech constitute guilt for people - There are two kinds of speech that are very painful and harmful to the human race, one that praises even the bad, the second that wants to disparage even the righteous. This one rushes down along with the stream, and this one tries to block the very waters and the channel of truth. This one suppresses the fear of God, this one excites pride. This one is trying to gain favor with praise, and this one is inflamed with anger in order to prove himself in an argument. This one readily submits, while this one, on the contrary, becomes furious. So, blessed Job denounced his friends in speeches of the last kind when he said: “You are inventing speeches for reproof.” And it immediately became clear that he was moving on to the impudence of their unfair accusation when he added: “You are throwing your words into the wind.” After all, throwing words into the wind means speaking empty words. Indeed, often, when the tongue does not at all refrain from empty words, it gives free rein to the recklessness of insane accusations. After all, an idle soul with such steps plunges into the pit of sin to its death. After all, while we neglect to beware of idle talk, we come to the point of deeds worthy of punishment, so that first we allow ourselves to discuss the affairs of others, then the tongue insults the lives of those about whom we are talking with humiliation, and finally bursts into open reproaches. Where the sting of anger is sown, abuse is born, the fire of hatred is ignited, and the peace of the heart is completely destroyed. Therefore, it is well said by Solomon, “The beginning of a quarrel is like the breaking of water” (Proverbs 17:14). For the breakthrough of water indicates the looseness of the tongue during the conversation. On the contrary, he adds in a good attitude “The words of men’s lips are deep waters” (Proverbs 18:4). The one who allows the water to break through initiates a quarrel. For whoever does not bridle the tongue destroys harmony. That is why it is written, on the contrary: “Whoever forces a fool to remain silent provokes wrath” 152 (Proverbs 26:10). 58. Multilingualism is evil. What is an empty word - That one who is enslaved by verbosity cannot follow justice, the prophet testifies, saying: “A man of many words will not be established on the earth” 153 (Ps. 139:12). Therefore Solomon says again: “There is no abundance of words without sin” 154 (Proverbs 10:19). And for this reason Isaiah says: “The service of justice is silence” 155 (Is. 32:17), clearly indicating that the justice of the soul is driven out if it is not spared from immoderation in speech. Therefore James says: “If anyone among you thinks that he is godly and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his piety is empty” (James 1:26). That’s why he says again: “Let every man be quick to hear and slow to speak” (James 1:19). And again he adds: “The tongue is an uncontrollable evil, it is filled with deadly poison” 156 (James 3:8). This is why, moreover, the Truth admonishes us, saying, “For every idle word that people speak, they will give an answer on the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Idle is undoubtedly a word that is devoid of either the meaning of just necessity or the intention of pious benefit. Consequently, if there is no meaning in idle speech, one must diligently consider what punishment will follow for this idle talk, in which the sin of arrogant speech is also committed. 59. Without a strict analysis of silence, the whole soul is revealed to the enemy - You should also know that those who spill out in criminal words lose all state of righteousness. After all, the human soul, like water, even if locked from everywhere, gathers at the very top, as it seeks a place from which to pour out, and when it is released, it dies, as it flows down uselessly. After all, as much as she distances herself from the strict court of silence with empty words, she bursts out of herself in as many streams. That is why it is difficult to return inside to self-knowledge, because, having spilled out into verbosity, it loses the power of internal contemplation. So, she is covered with wounds inflicted by the advancing enemy, since she does not surround herself with any protective fortifications. That is why it is written: “Like an undefended city, without a patrol on the walls, so is a man who does not know how to control his spirit in speech” 157 (Prov. 25:28). And since the city of the soul does not have walls of silence, it is open to enemy attacks. And when the soul goes outside of itself through words, it shows itself open to the enemy, and he defeats it without much effort, just as much as it fights against itself with the help of which it is defeated - verbosity. 60. The harm of excessive silence - But meanwhile, it is necessary to know that when we are held back from speaking by excessive fear, we still lock ourselves behind the protection of silence more than necessary. And when we avoid the passions of language without reasoning, we secretly become entangled in even worse ones. After all, we often, immoderately abstaining from conversation, in our hearts undergo a heavy passion for verbosity, so that thoughts flare up in the soul all the more because the stern guard of indiscriminate silence constrains them, and, for the most part, the more (the soul) considers itself safe, the wider they spread, since external observers do not see them. Because of this, the soul often exalts itself in pride and regards those whom it hears speaking as if they were weak. When the bodily lips are closed, the soul does not understand how open it is to passions with this pride. After all, she restrains her tongue, but excites her thoughts, and when, through negligence, she almost does not reflect on herself, then she willingly and secretly condemns everyone in herself in general. But more often than not, when those who are too silent suffer some kind of injustice, they experience extreme pain because they do not express what they are suffering. After all, if they spoke about the grievances inflicted in a calm language, then the pain would be reduced by the compassion of like-minded people. After all, closed wounds bring more suffering, since the pain is resolved by recovery, when the suppuration burning inside comes out. Usually, when those who are too silent see someone's crime, but still suppress their tongue with silence, it is as if they are rejecting the use of medicine, although the wounds are visible. After all, they cause death by refusing to release poison, which they could remove by conversation. Therefore, the prophet does not deny that immoderate silence is charged with guilt: “Woe is me, that I kept silent” 158 (Is. 6:5). 61. Let the tongue be restrained by education, and, if necessary, freed - So what, between all this, should not the tongue be bridled with all care by the measure of the great helm, should it not be tightly bound, so that it does not fall from relaxation into vice, or does not become numb from severity even for a useful task? But this is what someone says: “A wise man will remain silent until his time” (Sir. 20:7), so that, of course, when he considers it convenient, postponing the judgment of silence, he would devote himself to useful work, speaking worthy and decent words 159. That is why Solomon says: “A time to be silent and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7). Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between the changing times, so that either the tongue is not loosened by words when it should be restrained, or it is not sullenly bound when it is possible to speak profitably. The Psalmist, reflecting on this, successfully combined all this in one statement, saying: “Put a guard, O Lord, on my lips and guard the doors of my mouth” (Ps. 141:3). After all, the door opens and closes. Therefore, the one who asked not to put an obstacle for the lips, but a door, openly taught that one should hold the tongue through education, and let it go when necessary, so that the lips, accordingly, would open at the appropriate time and, on the contrary, at the appropriate time they would be closed by silence. Therefore, the friends of blessed Job, or all the heretics who are meant by friends, do not know how to guard their lips, constantly throwing words into the wind, since, without a doubt, words that are not strengthened by the weight of distinction (of times) are carried away by a light breeze. Wed. Synodal translation “Oh that my cries were truly weighed and my suffering was put on the scales along with them! It would surely pull over the sand of the seas!” Wed. Synod: “That’s why my words are furious.” Wed. Synod: “The sharp arrows of Your people will fall before You, they are in the heart of the enemies of the King.” Wed. Synod: “And I will put a sign on them and will send those who were saved from them to the nations to Tarshish to Pul and Lud to those who draw the bow to Tubal and Javan to the distant islands who have not heard of Me and have not seen My glory, and they will proclaim My glory to the nations.” Wed. Synod: “And he said, open the window to the east. And he opened it. And he said. Elisha shoot. And he fired. And he said this arrow of deliverance is from the Lord and an arrow of deliverance against Syria, and you will strike the Syrians in Aphek to the end.” Wed. Synod: “My spirit drinks their poison.” A similar thought is found in St. Augustine: “Human mortal nature is inflated with pride” Blessed. Augustine Bishop Hipponian Confession. P. 404. Wed. Synod: “When my spirit fainted within me, You knew my path. In the path where I walked they secretly laid snares for me” (Ps. 41:3). Wed. Synod: “I remember God and I tremble and my spirit faints.” Wed. Synod: “Thy fury has passed over me; Thy terrors have crushed me.” Wed. Synod: “Does a wild donkey bray on the grass? does a bull moo at his mash?” Wed. Synod: “For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see, and to hear what you hear and did not hear.” The same idea is found in St. Gregory the Dvoeslov in another of his works “For He became flesh to make us spiritual, He graciously bowed down to raise us up” St. Gregory the Dvoeslov Conversations on the Prophet Ezekiel Book. 2 Kazan 1863. From 496. Wed. Synod: “Do they eat tasteless things without salt?” Wed. Synod. “Do people eat tasteless things without salt and is there taste in the white of an egg?” Wed. Synod: “What my soul did not want to touch is my disgusting food” We find a similar thought in another work of St. Gregory: “that proud people with contempt rejected every pagan from the knowledge of the Law.” St. Gregory the Dvoeslov Conversations on the Gospels in 2 books St. Petersburg 1860. From 315. Wed. Synod: “For my spirit drinks the arrows of the Almighty within me, their poison.” Wed. Synod: “How many days are Your servant? When will you bring judgment on my persecutors? The proud have dug a pit for me, contrary to Your law.” (Ps. 119:85,86). Wed. Synod: “What my soul did not want to touch is my disgusting food.” Wed. Synod: “But we carry this treasure in earthen vessels.” Wed. Synod: “I am close to falling and my sorrow is always before me.” We find similar reasoning in another work of St. Gregory: “a cutaneous wound draws out harmful juice from the inside and comes out.” St. Gregory the Dvoeslov Conversations on the Gospels in 2 books St. Petersburg 1860. pp. 314–315. Wed. Synod: “But my brothers are unfaithful, like a stream, like fast-flowing streams.” Wed. Synod: “Which are black with ice and in which snow is hidden.” Wed. Synod: “There they will fear fear, for God is among the righteous generation.” Wed. Synod: “And her palaces will be overgrown with thorny plants, nettles and thistles, and her strongholds will be a dwelling for jackals and a haven for ostriches. And the beasts of the desert will meet with wild cats and goblins will call to each other, there the night ghost will rest and find peace for itself” (Is. 34:13,14). Wed. Synod: “And she became addicted to her lovers, whose flesh is the flesh of a donkey and the lust of a stallion.” Wed. Synod: “Many calves surrounded me; the fat ones of Bashan surrounded me.” Wed. Synod: “The roads of Themai look at them; the roads of Savea look at them.” Wed. Synod: “But Jesus said to him, follow me and let the dead bury their own dead.” Wed. Synod: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and indeed his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” A similar thought is found in Blessed Augustine: “Truth itself commands us to resist carnal habits, teaching us that no one will achieve the kingdom of God unless he hates carnal bonds.” Blessed. Augustine Bishop Ipponisky Creations M. 1997. P. 75. In another work of St. Gregory, we find a similar reasoning: “So we are commanded to hate our neighbors and our soul. Therefore, he who loves must hate his neighbor who hates him as much as himself. For we hate our soul when we do not follow its desires. This is how we must express our hatred of our neighbors so that we can love in them what they are, and hate in them what they are, and hate what they hinder us on the way of God" by St. Gregory, Double Discourses, Conversations on the Gospels in 2 books, St. Petersburg, 1860. pp. 250–251. Wed. Synod: “Whoever speaks of his father and his mother, I do not look at them and does not recognize his brothers and does not know his sons, for they (the Levites) keep Your words and keep Your covenant.” Wed. Synod: “And I said naked, I came out of my mother’s womb naked and I will return. The Lord gave and took away, blessed be the name of the Lord!” Wed. Synod: “Because the wise will not be remembered forever, just like the fool, in the days to come everything will be forgotten, and alas! the wise man dies equally with the fool.” Wed. Synod: “Man’s days are like grass, like the flower of the field, so he blooms.” Wed. Synod: “But they remain ashamed in their hope, they come there and blush with shame.” We find a similar discussion about conscience in St. Ambrose of Milan “What punishment could be more severe than torment of conscience? Can there be a sentence more severe than the sentence of conscience?” Behold Ambrose, Bishop of Milan. On the duties of clergy (De officiis ministrorum). M. 1995 ch. 4 No. 24. P. 311. Wed. Synod: “Lord! Your hand was raised high, but they did not see it; those who hate Your people will see and be ashamed. Your fire will devour Your enemies.” Wed. Synod: “So now you too have seen nothing terrible and are afraid.” Wed. Synod: “Did I say give me or pay for me from your wealth and deliver me from the hand of the enemy and ransom me from the hand of the tormentors?” Wed. Synod: “Teach me and I will shut up, point out what I sinned.” Wed. Synod: “We are unknown, but we are recognized, we are revered as dead, but here we are alive, we are punished, but we do not die, we are saddened, but we always rejoice, we are poor, but we enrich many, we have nothing, but we possess everything.” Wed. Synod: “And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, go sacrifice to your God in this land.” Wed. Synod: “And Nathan said to David: You are that man. Thus says the Lord God of Israel: I have anointed you king over Israel, and I have delivered you from the hand of Saul.” Wed. Synod: “When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Are you the one who troubles Israel?” Wed. Synod: “And Naaman was angry and went and said: Behold, I thought that he would come out and call on the name of the Lord his God and lay his hand on that place and take away the leprosy.” Wed. Synod: “Repent therefore and be converted so that your sins may be blotted out.” Wed. Synod: “And the king said to the man of God, please the face of the Lord your God and pray for me so that my hand may turn towards me. And the man of God appeased the face of the Lord, and the king’s hand turned towards him and became as before.” Wed. Synod: “And they said to the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And he went in to the king and bowed down to the king with his face to the ground.” Wed. Synod. “But the word of the Lord came to me and said: You have shed much blood and fought great wars; you must not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the ground before Me.” (1 Chronicles 22:8). Wed. Synod. “The strong do everything arbitrarily and reward the stupid and reward every passerby” Wed. Synod. “The evil-tongued man will not establish himself on earth; evil will drag the oppressor into destruction.” Wed. Synod: “When you talk too much, sin cannot be avoided, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” Wed. Synod. “And the work of righteousness will be peace and the fruit of justice will be peace and security forever.” Wed. Synod. “But none of the people can tame the tongue; this is an uncontrollable evil; it is filled with deadly poison.” Wed. Synod. “Like a destroyed city without walls, so is a man who does not control his spirit.” Wed. Synod. “And I said woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people also of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King of the Lord of hosts.” St. Gregory, in another of his works, expresses a similar thought: “If people, showered with great gifts of grace, addicted to the pursuits of the contemplative life alone, refuse to act in favor of their neighbors with their preaching, love only the peace of solitude and seek freedom from all public labors, then judging impartially they become as guilty as they could bring benefit if they entered into public service” Reg past L P I with V P with T LXXVII col. 19. Quote. Pevnitsky V. St. Gregory the Dvoeslov - his sermons and homiletical rules. Kyiv 1871. P. 312.