The Nature of Divine Providential Correction
To understand this concerning men, about whom the divine teaching says: 'And he has kept those angels who did not observe their own rank in darkness.' And he says that men dwell in houses of clay instead of the material things, saying more simply that men were composed of the same clay. For not even the soul is of clay; for the body has been said to be clay.
'He struck them in the manner of a threshing floor.' This indicates the punishments sent against them as being insignificant. This is shown in Wisdom 11. But also the prophet says: 'The ruler asks, and the judge spoke peaceful words; it is the incense of his soul. And I will bring out their good things like a grain being threshed and walking according to a rule in a day of scrutiny' (Job 36:1-3), which is indicated by the continuous and sudden nature of the punishments and that which is sifted. For this indicates a rule. For if not 'he brings wrath day by day,' but 'he gives to each according to his works,' he makes this a rule instead of mixing it with goodness.
'Because they were not able to help themselves, they perished. For he breathed into them and they were dried up; they perished because they did not have wisdom.' Holding to the same principle, according to which she thinks that events happen through sin, and she says these things also. Since they were not able to help themselves through virtue after recognizing the evils, the afflictions followed them. And this she places under understanding: being unable to repel the severity of what came upon them through weakness, they perished, demonstrating the insignificance of human power.
This indeed and what follows seems to signify: 'For he breathed into them and they were dried up.' For it indicates that an overwhelming onslaught was not necessary against them, but only the breathing, which sufficed for their destruction, which he called loss. And from the same failing intellect follows: 'They perished because they did not have wisdom,' unaware that many wise men are afflicted...
They cast about. 'And call out, if anyone will obey you, or if you see any of the holy angels.' It seems as if he is providing an exhortation leading the holy one toward repentance, so that having come for the purpose of entreaty, he might happen to find one who assists and listens. And he also presents the phrase, 'or if you see any of the holy angels,' as being aware that they are not holy angels. For if he did not know this, the addition would be superfluous; it is as if he is distinguishing a holy one from a non-such. But those who say he is mocking claim that he says this ironically.
Regarding the beginning, he speaks again of the error, saying that through sin [10-15] so that he may know [15-20], 'for anger refutes the fool, and jealousy strikes the fallen one to death' (Proverbs 24:22). Thus it is to be read. [The text is heavily corrupted/gapped here] such as those who are displeasing to the providence of God. Why then do I myself fall into such calamities [8-12] and lose honor [6-10] according to what is said: 'Do not rejoice when your enemies rejoice, nor let your heart be glad when they stumble' (Proverbs 24:17), or 'jealousy of those who do lawlessness' (Proverbs 27:4). Jealousy is like it. And a second retribution [2-6] is added to the first [5-10], even if in irony. The phrase 'And call out, if anyone will obey you' will seem to have been spoken naturally, as if no one obeyed. The text is gapped as has been said.
'But I have seen fools casting seed, but immediately their harvest was ruined.' The text is gapped the mind under the roots... [the text is heavily corrupted/gapped here]... a many-rooted thing holds... and he speaks of human things happening, for immediately their harvest was ruined. To a great extent... the text is gapped... and the rich to be changed into poverty many times. But it is not to be praised for what is surrounding it, but rather for the... the text is gapped... of this living... the nature of such arrogance, for the divine letter is...
Greek
ἀνθρώπων τοῦτο ἐννοεῖν, περὶ ὧν ἡ θεία διδασκαλία φησίν· "ἀγγέλους δὲ τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαν τας τὴν ἑαυτῶν τάξιν ὑπὸ ζόφον τετήρηκεν." κατοικεῖν δὲ οἰκίας πηλίνας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φησὶν ἀντὶ τοῦ ὑλικάς, ἁπλούστερον καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πηλοῦ συνεστάναι λέγων. οὐ γὰρ καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκ πηλοῦ· τὸ γὰρ σῶμα πήλινον εἴρηται. "ἔπαισεν αὐτοὺς σητὸς τρόπον." τὴν κατ' αὐτῶν ὡς εὐτελῶν ἐπιπεμπομένην 31 κόλασιν δηλοῖ. τοῦτο ἐν 111 τῇ Σοφίαι δηλοῦται. ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ῃαξατ ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ προφήτης φησίν· "ὁ ἄρχων αἰτεῖ καὶ ὁ κριτὴς εἰρηνικοὺς λόγους ἐλάλησεν· καταθύμιον ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. καὶ ἐξελοῦμαι τὰ ἀγαθὰ αὐτῶν ὡς σὴς ἐκτρώγων καὶ βαδίζων ἐπὶ κάνονος ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σκοπιᾶς", ὅπερ δηλοῖ τὸ ἀθρόον καὶ αἰφνίδιον τῶν κολάσεων καὶ τὸ κεκρι μένον. τοῦτο γ̣ὰρ κανὼν δηλοῖ. εἰ γὰρ μὴ "ὀργὴν ἐπάγει καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν", ἀλλ' "ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ", κανόνι τοῦτο ποιεῖ μετὰ τοῦ κεραννύναι τὴν ἀγαθότητα. "παρὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς βοηθῆσαι ἀπώλοντο. ἐνεφύσησεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐξηράνθησαν, ἀπώλοντο παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σοφίαν." ἔτι τῆς αὐτῆς ἀρχῆς ἐχόμενος, καθ' ἣν οἴεται δι' ἁμαρτίας τὰ περιστατικὰ συμβαίνειν, καὶ ταῦτά φησιν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι' ἀρετῆς οὐκ ἐδυνήθησαν μεταγνόντες τῶν κακῶν βοηθῆσαι ἑαυτοῖς, ἠκολούθησεν αὐτοῖς τὰ θλιβηρά. καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὑπο 112 βάλλει νοει῀̣ν· δι' ἀσθένειαν τὴν τῶν ἐπελθόντων δεινότητα ἀπώσασθαι μὴ δυνηθέντες ἀπώλλυντο, τὸ εὐτελὲς τῆς ἀνθρώπου δυνάμεως ἐπιδεικνύντες. τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ τὸ ἐπιφερόμενον φαίνεται σημαῖνον· "ἐνεφύσησεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐξηράνθησαν." δηλοῖ γάρ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐδέησεν ὑπερβαλλούσης ἐπιφορᾶς κατ' αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἐμφυσήσαντος μόνον, ὅπερ ἤρκεσεν ἐπὶ ἀναίρεσιν αὐτῶν, ἣν ἀπώλειαν εἶπεν. τῆς αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς φθασάσης διανοίας ὑπάρχων ἐπάγει τό· "ἀπώλοντο διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σοφίαν", ἀγνοῶν, ὅτι πολλοὶ σοφοὶ ἀνιαροῖς ὑπερβάλλουσι περιέπεσαν. 112 "ἐπικάλεσαι δέ, εἴ τίς σοι ὑπακούσεται, ἢ εἴ τινα ἁγίων ἀγγέλων ὄψῃ." προτροπὴν ὡς ἔοικε προσάγει τῷ ἁγίῳ πρὸς μετάνοιαν ὁρῶσαν, ἵν' ἐκ τούτου ἐπὶ παράκλησιν ἐλθὼν τύχῃ τοῦ ἐπικουροῦντος καὶ ἐπακούσαντος. παρίστησιν δὲ καὶ τό· "εἴ τινα ἁγίων ἀγγέλων ὄφει" ἐπιστάμενον αὐτόν, ὅτι εἰσὶν οὐχ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι. εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ἐγίγνωσκεν, περιττὴ ἡ προσθήκη· ὥσπερ διαστέλλων ἅγιον ἀπὸ μὴ τοιούτου τοῦτό φησιν. εἰσὶν δὲ οἱ λέγοντες, ὅτι ταῦτα εἰρωνευόμενος λέγει. τῆς ἀρχῆς 113 πάλιν τῆς ἐσφαλμένης ἔχεται λέγων, ὅτι 10–15 δι' ἁμαρτίας 15–20 ἵνα γνω 15–20 "καὶ γὰρ ἄφρονα ἀναιρεῖ ὀργή, πεπλανημένον δὲ θανατοῖ ζῆλος." πρ 15–20 σιν οὕτως 15–20 λεσαι. εἰ χ 15–20 σαι σοι ἀφρ 15–20 πεσοντ̣ 15–20 καλεῖν τ̣ 15–20 βοήθειαν 15–20 καὶ αυτη 15–20 ται ὅταν 15–20 τινες καὶ · 15–20 λου ἀντὶ του῀̣ κ̣ 10– 15 τοῦνται τοιαυτ 10–15 τῶν δυσαρεστούντων τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ προνοίᾳ· διὰ τί ἐγώ γε̣ τοσούτοις ἀνιαροῖς περιπίπτω 8–12 τε καὶ τὴν τιμὴν 6–10 κατὰ τὸ λεγόμενον· "μὴ παραζήλου ἐν πονηρευομένοις μηδὲ ζήλου τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν." ·α̣ι ζῆλος 5–10 του ὅμοιος̣ αὐτοῦ ο̣· 5–10 δευτέραν δὲ ἀπόδοσιν 2–6 τα πρὸς τὴν πρώτην 5–10 κἂν κατ' εἰρωνείαν · 5–10 τό· "ἐπικάλεσαι δέ, εἴ τίς σοι ὑπακούσεται", δόξει οἰκείως ει᾿̣ρηκέναι ὅτι οὐχ̣ υ῾̣πακου···· 4–6 114 15–20 λος ὡς εἴρηται. "ἐγὼ δὲ ἑώρακα ἄφρονας ῥίζαν βάλλοντας, ἀλλ' εὐθέως̣ ἐβρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ δίαιτα." 14–18 νους ὑπὸ τῶν 14–18 ῥίζας δυνα14–18 τ̣ο πολυσχι14–18 παντὶ ἀνε 14–18 πολύρριζος ει 14–18 νέχειν καὶ 10–14 ἀνθρώπινα λέγει 12–16 συμβαῖνον εὐθέως γὰρ ἐβρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ δίαιτα 12–16 · ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ 14–18 ·τα ὡς τὸν ὑ12–16 ·νε̣υ̣όμενον με12–16 ι̣ν καὶ τὸν πλούσιον πολλάκις εἰς πενίαν μεταβάλλεσθαι 8–12 ·τι δὲ περιόντος 8–10 αινει ἀλλὰ γοῦν του 6–8 κατὰ ζῆν τοῦτο ἐλθόν6–8 ·τα τῆς ἀλαζονείας 4–6 τοιαύτην τὸ θεῖον γράμμα γὰρ
About this text
Didymus the Blind on Job.
Original English Translation — new OET from PG Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.