The distinction between temporal and spiritual longevity
Her life. Even this... lacuna...and drinking. From which he labored, etc., is. Regarding the ascent: 'Behold, I saw what is good, and it is beautiful'.' This good is useful and at the same time praiseworthy; for it was calling itself both good and beautiful. It is indeed praiseworthy to be called beautiful, but the useful and choice thing is good. If anyone eats the bread of life from the fruit of the 'tree of life' (Gen 2:9) and the flesh of Jesus, he shows good and beautiful to his soul, but I say to the one receiving it, it is good. And the striving to have good is itself good. For not everyone who is benefited is praised by men. Indeed, many of the flesh-lovers neither praise nor accept being medically cut or burned. It is good, but it does not become beautiful to the one receiving benefit from these things. For not everything good is beautiful or excellent. It is said, 'to the...' lacuna...they say it is beautiful, but it is not indeed good. For it is not possible to improve it.
Regarding the ascent: 'In his labor, by which he labors under the sun' (Eccl 1:3). He labors, toiling and wearying himself for the sake of the acquisition of virtue and divine knowledge. And because of sinning, some wise men are sometimes lost... lacuna...simply and nothing... lacuna...him. If, therefore, he eats and drinks such a thing, he labors. And according to the same ascent, it happens through the deficiency of food and drink—if, indeed, his soul thus eats and thirsts for goodness. For those who handle virtue well and wish to be called wise, they eat and drink not for the sake of the beautiful, but because they wish to be considered such; they read and attend to the readings, but they do not show good to their souls. For they do not handle it because it is good, but because it brings them praise; it is not good if they do not possess virtue as it ought to be possessed. They eat and drink to be distracted. They consume a number of the days of his life, which God gave to him, because it is part of Him. This he says regarding the explicit text: 'The time of men's life has been measured out by providence' (Job 14:5); and some live many years...
Regarding 'the few': for it is blessed the one who has possessed wealth—to those I speak—to enjoy it in the greatest number of years in which he lives in this life; that is, it is chance for him to be able to 'eat and drink' Ps 104:5, to enjoy the 'number of the days of his life'. It was not for himself long-lasting or short-lasting, but it is judged by God how many years are allotted to each. This therefore is 'part of it', to enjoy the pleasant things through life, for which one toils and labors.
According to history, this is so. According to anagogical sense, this says, that if someone labors for the acquisition of truly good things and possesses them remaining through all the life of himself, it will be for his good. For he will be transferred from virtue to another place, to another region. When in the Scripture there is laid down a life praised or reproached with long duration, we do not take these things according to this immediate time measured by the sun, but rather 'the righteous', he says, 'will make much in wealth many years'. And again: 'the years of the ungodly will be shortened'. This does not appear according to history.
Thus indeed we take them: if 'the righteous' are rich, 'making much in wealth many years', this wealth of theirs is light. And the light measures out to them 'years'—years not these measured from the sensible sun, but by the 'sun of righteousness'. Thus indeed he says regarding 'the one honoring the father and the mother' Ex 20:12 to fare well, because he is 'long-lived' or many-dayed. And this is not found undivided according to history. Many indeed, honoring parents, departed life prematurely.
The 'righteous' who happen according to the Gospel to be 'making much in wealth many years', while the years of the ungodly, even if they have a long-duration life here, 'are shortened'. I say: someone has wealth in false meanings; light will not remain to him after these things; therefore the years of the one thus illuminated were shortened; for until the present life he enjoys the seeming illumination; but the 'righteous' have the illumination even after these things. For 'the righteous will shine like the sun' Matt 13:43. He calls the 'sun' the 'sun of righteousness'. And indeed every man, to whom God gave wealth and existing and...
Greek
ζωη`̣ν αὐτῆς̣. ε̣ι᾿̣ καὶ ταύτην̣ ····· ············· ····· ······ 161 καὶ πίνοντος. ἐξ ὧν ἐμόχθησεν, κ··ο·η ἐστιν. 161 ἐπερ· τὴν ἀναγωγήν· "ἰδοὺ εἶδον ἐγ̣ω`̣ ἀγαθόν, ἔστιν καλόν". τοῦτ̣ο τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὠφέλιμον ἅμα καὶ ἐπαινετὸν ὄν· ἅμα γὰρ καὶ ἀγαθὸν καὶ καλὸν αὐτὸ ἐ´̣λεγεν. ἔστιν δε`̣ το`̣ μὲν ἐπαινετὸν καλόν, τὸ δὲ ὠφελητι κὸν καὶ αἱρετ̣ὸν ἀγαθόν. ἐα´̣ν τ̣ις φάγῃ τὸν ἄρτον τ̣η῀̣ς̣ ζ̣ωῆς τοῦ καρποῦ τοῦ "ξύλου τῆς̣ ζω̣ῆς" καὶ τὰς σάρκας Ἰησοῦ, δείκνυσιν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἀγαθὸν καὶ καλ̣όν, λ̣ε´̣γ̣ω δὲ μετερχομένῳ ἀγαθόν. αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ σπουδαζό μενον ἐ´̣χ̣ε̣ι̣ν̣ ἀγαθόν ἐστιν. μὴ γὰρ πᾶς ὁ ω᾿̣φ̣ε̣λούμενος ἐπαινεῖται παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. π̣ο̣λλ̣οὶ γοῦν τῶν φιλοσάρ̣κων οὐκ ἐπαινοῦσ̣ιν οὐδὲ ἀποδέχον̣ ται τὸ τέμνεσθαι ἰατρικῶς καὶ καίεσθαι. ἀγαθόν ἐστιν, ου᾿̣ καλόν τῷ ὑφισταμένῳ ὠφελείας ἐκ τούτων φέρειν γίνεται. μὴ γὰρ πα῀̣ν ἀγαθὸν κα λὸν καὶ αἱρετ̣όν ἐστιν. λέγεται ε̣ι᾿̣ς̣ τ̣ὸ δ̣····· ·ν καλὸν λέγουσιν·· ····· ····· ····ι̣·· τ̣ο`̣ ἐπ̣αινεῖσ̣θ̣αι, οὐ μὴν ἀγ̣αθ̣όν ἐστιν. οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε βελτιοῦν. ἐπερ· ἡ ἀναγωγή· "ἐν μόχθῳ αυ᾿̣τοῦ, ᾧ μοχ̣θεῖ υ῾̣π̣ὸ τὸν ἥλιον". μοχθεῖ πονῶν καὶ κάμνων ὑπὲρ κτήσεως ἀρ̣ετῆς κ̣αὶ ε᾿̣π̣ι̣σ̣τη´̣μης θεί ας. καὶ διὰ τὸ ἁμαρτ̣α´̣νειν̣ ἀπολείπεταί τίς̣ ποτε σο̣φ̣ι´̣α̣ς̣ ··τι τῷ ····· ····· ·········· ἁπλῶς καὶ οὐδὲν ···οντος̣ ····· θ··εται αὐτόν. ε᾿̣ὰν οὖν τοιοῦτόν τι ἐσθίῃ καὶ π̣ι´̣νῃ, μοχθεῖ. καὶ κ̣α̣τ̣ὰ τη`̣ν̣ ἀναγωγὴν τὸ αὐτὸ γίνε̣ται δ̣ι̣α`̣ τὸ ἐνδεῆ τροφη῀̣ς̣ ε̣ἰ῀̣ν̣α̣ι̣ καὶ π̣οτοῦ–ε᾿̣ὰν̣ γοῦν οὕτω φά γῃ καὶ διψῇ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἀγαθοσύνην. ὅσοι γὰρ εὖ μεταχειρίζονται ἀρε τὴν καὶ θέλουσ̣ιν δῆθεν εἶναι φρόνιμοι οὐ δι' αὐτ̣ὸ τὸ καλόν, ἀλλ' ἕνεκα τοῦ νομίζεσθαι εἶναί τ̣ι̣, ἐσθίουσιν μὲν καὶ πίνουσιν, ἀναγιγνώσκουσιν καὶ ἐπιστάνουσιν τοῖς ἀναγνώςμασιν, οὐ δεικνύουσιν δὲ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν ἀγαθόν. οὐ γάρ, ὅτι ἀγαθόν ἐστιν, μεταχειρίζονται αὐτό, ἀλλ' ὅτι φέρει αὐτοῖς ἔπαινον· οὐκ ἀγαθόν, ἐὰν μὴ οὕτως ἔχωσιν τὴν ἀρετήν, ὡς δεῖ αὐτὴν ἔχειν. ἐσθίουσιν μὲν καὶ πίνουσιν τοῦ περισπᾶσθαι. ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, ὧν ἔδ̣ωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεός, ὅτι αὐτὸ μερὶς αὐτοῦ. 162 τοῦτο λέγει πρὸς τὸ ῥητόν· ἐκ π̣ρ̣ο̣νοίας ἐπεμετρήθη, ὁ χρόνος τοῖς ἀνθρώ ποις τῆς ζωῆς· καὶ οἱ μὲν̣ πολλὰ ἔτη ζῶσιν, οἱ δὲ ὀλίγα. μακάριον γάρ ἐστιν τὸν ε᾿̣σχηκότα πλοῦτον–πρὸς ἐκείνους λέγω–ἀπολαῦσαι αὐτοῦ ἐν̣ τοῖς πλ̣είστοις ἔτεσιν̣, οἷς ζῇ ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ· τουτέστιν ἡδὺ αὐτῷ ἐστιν τυχόντα ἐξ ὧν δυ´̣ναται "φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν", ἀπολαύειν αὐτοῦ τὸν "ἀριθ μ̣ὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ". οὐχ ἑαυτῷ πολυετὴς ἢ ὀλιγοέτης ἦν, κρί σει θεοῦ ἐπεμετρήθη ἑκάστῳ ἔτη̣ τοσάδε. τοῦτο οὖν "μερὶς αὐτου῀̣" ἐστιν τὸ διὰ βίου ἀπολαύε̣ι̣ν τ̣ῶν ἡδέων, περὶ ὧν πονε̣ῖ καὶ κάμνει. ἐπὶ τῆς ἱστορίας τοῦτο. ἐὰν κατὰ ἀναγωγήν, τοῦτο λέγει, ὅτι ἐὰν πο̣ν̣ήσῃ τις ὑπὲρ κτήσεως τῶν α᾿̣ληθῶς̣ ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἔχῃ αὐτὰ παραμένο̣ντα πάντα τὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἑαυτου῀̣ βί ον, πρὸς καλοῦ αὐτῷ ἔσται. με̣τ̣ατεθήσεται γὰρ ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς ε̣ι᾿̣ς̣ ἕτερον τ̣όπον̣, ε̣ι᾿̣ς̣ ἕτερον χωρίο̣ν. ὅτε̣ ε᾿̣ν̣ τ̣ῇ γραφῇ κεῖται πολυχρονιωτέροις̣ ἐπα̣ι̣νουμένη ἢ ψεγομένη̣ ζ̣ωὴ κεῖται ὀλιγοχρονι̣ω̣τέροις, οὐ κατὰ τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον τὸν πρόχειρον τὸν μετρούμενον ὑπὸ η῾̣λι´̣ου̣ λαμβάνωμεν̣ τ̣α̣ῦτα, ἀλλα`̣ "δίκαιοι", φη̣σίν, "ποιήσουσιν ἐν̣ πλούτῳ ἔτη πολλά". καὶ ἔτ̣ι̣· "ἔτη ἀσεβω῀̣ν ὀλιγωθή σ̣ε̣ται". οὐ φαίνεται τ̣οῦτο κατὰ τη`̣ν̣ ἱστορίαν. οὕτω γοῦν λαμβάνομεν αὐτά· εἰ "δίκαιοι" πλουτοῦσιν "ἐν πλούτῳ ἔτη πολλά", ὁ πλοῦτος αὐτῶν οὗτος φωτισμός ἐστιν. ὁ δὲ φωτισμὸς ἐπ̣ι̣μετρεῖ αὐτοῖς "ἔτη", ἔτη οὐ ταῦτα τὰ ἐξ ἡλίου τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ μετρούμενα̣, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ "ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης". οὕτω γοῦν τὸν "τιμήσαντ̣α τὸν πατέ ρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα" λέγει εὖ ἔχειν ὅτι ὅτι "μακροχρόνιος" ἢ και`̣ π̣ολυ ήμερός ἐστιν. κ̣αὶ οὐκ εὑρίσκεται τοῦτο ἀδιάπτωτον ἐπὶ τῆς ἱστ̣ορίας. πολλοὶ γοῦν τιμ̣ῶντες γονέας ὠκύμοροι ἐξῆλθ̣ο̣ν ἐκ τ̣οῦ βίου. οἱ κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον "δίκαιοι" τυγχάνοντες 6 "ἐν πλούτῳ π̣οι̣ο̣υ῀̣σιν ἔτη πολλά", τῶν 163 δὲ ἀσεβῶν τὰ "ἔτη", κἂν πολυχρόνιον ζωὴν ἐ´̣χωσιν ἐνταῦθα, "ὀλιγοῦται". λέγω· ἔχει τις πλοῦτον ἐν ψε̣υδέσιν νοήμασιν· οὐ παραμενεῖ αὐτῷ φωτί ζο̣ν̣τα̣ μετὰ ταῦτα· ὠλιγώθη ἄρα τὰ ἔτη τοῦ οὕτω φωτιζομένου· μέχρι γὰρ τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς ἀπολαύει τοῦ δοκοῦντος φωτισμοῦ· οἱ δὲ "δίκαιοι" καὶ μετὰ τ̣αῦτα ἔχουσιν τὸν φωτισμόν. "ἐκλάμψουσιν" γὰρ "οἱ δίκαιοι ὡς ὁ ἥλιος". "ἥλιον" τὸν "τῆς δικαιοσύνης" λέγει. καί γε πᾶς ἄνθρωπο̣ς̣, ᾧ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς πλοῦ τον καὶ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ