The House of the Virtuous
"It shall be to you like the all-herb of the field." For he was not dividing life as one who is thus devastated and ageless produces offspring; for this one was devouring worms and slugs. And what did he mean by 'the lifestyle of a tent'—is he not complaining about not having a tent at all, but having thrown it away?
Therefore, since the history is being drawn toward sensible things, the mind must be guided wisely, especially since we thought those who went before were not unsuitable for the kind of teaching; for they do not seem trivial. For on account of ignorance, Job is urged to bring a sacrifice to God for their sins (Job 42:8), and indeed even friends (Job 42:8-12) of such greatness (Job 42:8-12) and virtue (Job 42:8-12) follow (Job 42:8-12); to know that one cause of the inductions exists, they were struck.
It is therefore said that: of the 'wild beasts,' as it was given that they 'would be at peace with you,' and the 'house' of your mind 'will be at peace,' and 'the lifestyle of your tent,' which is the improvement in your progress, 'will not complain.' And in addition to these, 'you will know' that in your good thoughts a 'seed' multiplies, resulting in the generation of children and becoming real. Like 'the all-herb of the field,' growing through the spark of virtue and increasing even more.
And indeed, we find 'house' used by the saints in the divine writings to mean a disposition, a way of life, a virtue, just as it is written concerning the midwives of the Hebrews: "because the midwives feared God, they made houses for themselves" (Exodus 1:17), which shows the virtue constructed by them from the fear of God. For they were not without dwellings before this. And what is said in Proverbs: 'The houses of transgressors will require cleansing, but the houses of the righteous are acceptable' (Proverbs 15:25). For this is said not of sensible things but of the dispositions in the mind — the base ones needing cleansing, the virtuous ones proving acceptable; 'acceptable' meaning not 'choiceworthy to someone' but 'worthy of praise.' For the good is choiceworthy even if no one chooses it, and acceptable even if no one accepts it.
It is not something chosen by a person, but something worthy of praise; for the good is something chosen even if no one chooses it. Chooses it, and it is acceptable even if no one accepts it.
And regarding the saying about 'the one fearing the Lord and desiring his commandments exceedingly' (Ps 112:3): 'wealth and glory in his house' is not spoken concerning a sensible house or glory; for many fearing God do not have either human glory or a wealthy house, like Elijah, like Elisha and those similar. Of the 'one being rich in good works' and 'in every word and in all knowledge' (1 Tim 6:18), as Paul writes, he is having wealth and glory in the house of the intellect and being adorned through all virtues in his way of life.
Furthermore, the Gospel clarifies such a house; for it says: 'whoever hears my words and does them is like a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock, and the rain descended, the winds blew, the rivers came, and the house was not shaken' (Matt 7:24-25), which is the state of the virtuous person of having turned the words of the Lord into works, who remains without want, not being harmed by any of the opposing energies. For upon 'the rock' he has 'Christ,' the one of such a kind has established his state and his choice. For to the one confessing him, it was said by him: 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church' (Matt 16:18); but to the one hearing the words as they happen and not connecting deeds to the words, he is 'a foolish man resembling one who built his house upon the sand' (Matt 7:26), which is the state upon the fluid things of life, things not receiving firm foundations.
Therefore, this one being unstable, he has a quick fall after a short trial being sent, whether through teaching from another or through some circumstance being led by an evil spirit. He who has a stable standing of the praiseworthy house will, according to Moses, be heard toward God. 'But you...'
Greek
σου ἔσται ὡς τὸ πανβότανον τοῦ ἀγροῦ." οὐδὲ γὰρ διέκειτο ω῾̣ς̣ τεκνοποιοῖ ὁ οὕτω βεβλαμμένος καὶ ἀγέν145 νητος· οὗτος γ̣ὰρ τοὺς ἰχῶρας καὶ σκώληκας ᾐσθάνετο. ποίαν δὲ "δίαιταν σκηνη῀̣ς" ἔλεγεν̣ μὴ διαμαρτεῖν τοῦ μὴ ἔχοντος ὅλως μηδὲ σκηνὴν ἀλλ' ἀπερριμμένου; ὅθεν γε τῆς ἱστορίας πάνυ γε βιαζομένη̣ς ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἀναχωρήσεων νοερῶς μεθοδευτέον τὴν διάνοιαν, μάλιστα ὅτι ἐν τοῖς προτρέχ̣ουσιν ἐφάσκομεν μὴ ἀνηκούστους εἶναι αὐτοὺς καὶ τῆς κατὰ τρόπον διδασκαλίας· οὐ γὰρ φαῦλοι φαίνονται· ὑπὲρ ἀγνοίας γὰρ προστάττεται Ἰὼβ θεῷ προσαγα̣γεῖν θυσίαν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν 6–10 ἁμαρτήματα · 8–12 τε δὴ καὶ φίλοι τ̣ 8–12 τηλικούτου ου 8–12 καὶ ἀρετῆς δια 8–12 υ τοῖς ἑπομένοι̣ς 8–12 · γιγνώσκειν ὡς ····· ··· μία αἰτία τῶν ἐπαγωγῶν ὑπάρχει ἐσφάλησαν. λέγεται οὖν ὅτι· τῶν "ἀγρίων θηρίων" ὡς ἀποδέδοται "εἰρηνευόντων σοι" κ̣αὶ ὁ "οἶκος" τῆς σῆς διανοίας "εἰρηνεύσει" καὶ "ἡ δίαιτα τῆς σκηνῆς σου", ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ ἐν προκοπῇ σου βελτίωσις, "οὐ διαμαρτήσεται". πρὸς δὲ τούτοις "γνώσῃ", ὅτι ἐν λογισμοῖς ἀγαθόν σου̣ "σπέρμα" πληθύνει ἀποτελούμενον εἰς 146 τέκνων γένεσιν καὶ γινόμενον. ὡς "τὸ πανβότανον τοῦ ἀγροῦ" διά τε τὸ ζώπυρον τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον αὐξ̣άνεσθαι. καὶ τῷ ὀ´̣ντι ἔχομεν ἐν τοῖς θείοις γράμμασιν καὶ πρὸς ἁγίων οἶκον λεγόμενον τὴν ἕξιν, τὴν πολιτείαν, τὴν ἀρετη´̣ν, καθὰ περὶ τῶν μαιῶν τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀναγέγραπται ὅτι· "ἐπεὶ ἐφοβοῦντο αἱ μαῖαι τὸν θεόν, ἐποίησαν αὑταῖς οἰκίας", ὅπερ δηλοῖ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ φό βου τοῦ θεοῦ ἀρετὴν παρ' αὐτῶν κατασκευασμένην. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄοικοι ἐτύγχανον πρὸ 40 τούτου. καὶ τὸ ἐν Παροιμίαις λεγόμενον· "οἰκίαι τῶν παρανόμων ὀφειλήσουσιν καθαρισμόν, οἰκίαι δὲ δικαίων δεκταί." οὐ γὰρ περὶ αἰσθητῶν, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ἐν διανοίᾳ ἕξεων ταῦτα εἴρηται, καθάρσεως δεομένων τῶν φαύλων, τῶν δὲ ἐναρέτων δεκτῶν τυγχανόντων, τοῦ δεκτοῦ δηλοῦντος οὐ τό τινι αἱρετόν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἄξιον ἐπαίνου· τὸ γὰρ ἀγαθὸν αἱρετόν ἐστιν κἂν μηδεὶς αὐτὸ αἱρῆται, καὶ δεκτόν ἐστιν κἂν μηδεὶς αὐτὸ δέχηται. καὶ τὸ περὶ τοῦ "φοβουμένου" δὲ "τὸν κύριον καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς 147 αὐτοῦ σφόδρα θέλοντος" εἰρημένον· "πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ" οὐ περὶ αἰσθητοῦ οἴκου ἢ δόξης λέγεται· πολλῶν γὰρ θεὸν φοβουμένων οὔτε δόξαν ἀνθρωπίνην οὔτε οἶκον πλούσιον ἐχόντων ὡς Ἠλίας, ὡς Ἐλισαῖος καὶ οἱ ὅμοιοι, τοῦ "πλουτοῦντος ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς" καὶ "ἐν παντὶ λόγῳ καὶ πάσῃ γνώσει", ὡς Παῦλος γράφει, πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν ἐν τῶι οἴκῳ τῆς διανοίας ἔχοντος καὶ τῃ῀̣ πολιτείᾳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν κ̣εκοσ̣μημένου. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον σαφηνίζει τὸν τοιοῦτον ο̣ἶκον· λέγει γάρ· "ὃς ἂν ἀκούσῃ τοὺς λόγους μου καὶ ποιήσῃ, ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνδρὶ φρονίμῳ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν, καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχή, ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι, ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοί, καὶ οὐκ ἐσείσθη" η῾̣ οἰκία, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ τοῦ ἐναρέτου̣ ἕξις τοῦ τοὺς λόγους τοῦ κυρίου εἰς ἔργα μεταβαλόντος, ὅστις ἀχείμ̣αντος διαμένει μηδὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀντικειμένων ἐνεργειῶν βλαπτόμενος. ἐπὶ "τὴν πέτραν" γὰρ "τὸν Χριστὸν" τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἕξιν τε καὶ προαίρεσιν ἐθεμελίωσεν. τῷ γὰρ ὁμολογήσαντι αὐτὸν εἴρηται ὑπ' 148 αὐτοῦ· "σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ε᾿̣π̣ι`̣ ταύτῃ τῆι πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν", τοῦ ἀκούοντος τῶν λόγων ὡς ἔτυχεν καὶ μὴ συνάπτοντος πράξεις τοῖς λόγοις "ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ ὁμοιουμένου, ὃς ᾠκοδόμησεν τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον", ὅ ἐστιν τὴν ἕξιν ἐπὶ τὰ ῥευστὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα σπορὰς ἢ ····μ̣ο··νωσιν οὐκ ἐπιδεχόμενα. διόπερ οὗτος ἀβέβαιος ὢν ταχείαν ἔχει τὴν πτῶσιν ὀλίγου σταλέντος πειρασμοῦ, ἤτοι διὰ παρ' ἄλλου διδασκαλίας ἢ διὰ περιστάσεώς τινος ὑπὸ πνεύματος πονηροῦ ἐπαγομένης. ὁ τὸν ἐπαινετὸν οἶκον στάσιν ἑδραίαν ἔχων καθὰ Μωσῆς ἀκούσεται πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. "σὺ δ'
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.