The Necessity of Feeling Toil
my words are worthless
Regarding my own experience, and Paul says 'even unto the third heaven' (2 Cor 12:2), 'whether caught up in the body I do not know or out of the body I do not know' (2 Cor 12:2). For when men do not grant a leisure that is brief regarding external things, then indeed their reward is not moderately sprinkled.
Therefore, by declining this, he in a way instructs also his friends to keep their mindset on things above and to care little for external things while idling in contemplation. Consequently, the power guarding the saints also gives them a little perception of toils, so that in this way the granting of the crown may be reasonable.
'For does a wild donkey cry out for nothing, but seeking grain? Or does an ox cry out on the threshing floor having the foods? Will bread be eaten without salt? Or is there taste in empty words? For my soul cannot cease. For I see my food as the scent of a lion' (Job 6:5-6).' Regarding the seizure made upon him by this, as if presenting questions regarding the words spoken by Job, he himself says as if bringing forward inquiries so that from which he may answer and no longer be blamed for the one crying out because of external things, even though Job said nothing of avoidance.
He asks: 'What then? Does a wild donkey cry out for nothing, but seeking grain?' (Job 6:5), which is: does a wild donkey not leave a cry in vain, lacking food? But neither does the ox cry out on the threshing floor where the foods are lying. So, do not blame me, if I cry out according to your assumption because of the painful things of a nature being weak, so that he might lead him toward sympathy so that he is not blamed for the one grieving if he cries out; for it is not necessary for the saint to be unfeeling, even if he bears the afflictions patiently. For this is virtue, when someone, receiving the perception of external things, surpasses the painful things through God.
And the following: 'Will bread be eaten without salt' (Job 6:6), having been inserted by the blessed one, and for this reason, if it were to produce ambiguity, it might according to our ability be such a thing: the benefit of the soul and...
Greek
ὑγροτέραν εἶναι. "ἀλλ' ὡς ἔοικεν τὰ ῥήματά μού ἐστιν φαῦλα. βέλη γὰρ κυρίου ἐν 44 τῶι σώματί μού ἐστιν, ὧν ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν ἐκπίνει μου τὸ αἷμα. ὅταν ἄρξωμαι λαλεῖν, κεντοῦσί με." ἐπεὶ ὁ Ἐλιφὰζ π̣ι̣στοὺς λόγους τοὺς πρώτους, τοῦ Ἰὼβ δόξαντος αὐτῷ τῷ Ἐλιφὰζ ··· ἐξ ἀποδυσπετήσεως εἰρῆσθαι τὰ πάντα, εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Ἰὼβ διακείμενος, ὅτι ἁμαρτιῶν ἕνεκεν πέπονθεν, φησίν· ὡς ἔοικεν, τὰ ῥήματά μου εὐτελῆ ἐστιν οὐδὲν πιστευόμενα. ἐπάγει δὲ ἀκολούθως, διὸ αὐτῷ ἀπιστεῖ, λέγων· "βέλη γὰρ κυρίου ἐν τῶι σώματί μου ἐστιν", ἵνα ᾖ ὃ δηλοῖ τοιοῦτον· διὰ τοῦτο τὰ ῥήματά μου φαῦλά ἐστιν, ὅτι βέλη κυρίου ἐπὶ τῷ σώματί μου ὑπάρχει. εἰώθασιν γὰρ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπερορᾶν τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἐν περιστάσεσιν καὶ πενίᾳ πιεσθέντων λεγόμενα ῥήματα, κἂν συνετὰ ᾖν. τοῦτο αὐτὸ δηλοῦται ἐν τῷ λογίῳ τῷ φάσκοντι· "πτωχὸς ἐλάλησεν καὶ εἶπαν· τίς οὗτος;". ὅτι δὲ βέλη τὰ περιστατικῶς ἐκ προνοίας πεμπόμενα λέγεται, 162 ἔστιν ἐκ πλειόνων μαρτυρεῖσθαι· ἐν ∆ευτερονομίῳ Μωσῆς ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ᾠδῇ λέγει ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ· "μεθύσω τὰ βέλη μου ἀφ' αἵματος καὶ ἡ μάχαιρά μου καταφάγεται αἷμα τραυματιῶν", βέλη καὶ μάχαιρα τὰς κολάσεις λέγων. καὶ πάλιν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ βίβλωι λέγει· "καὶ τὰ βέλη μου συντελέσει αὐτούς", τοῦ συντελέσει δηλοῦντος· πληρώσει τὰ τῆς κολάσεως. καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ἐπὶ συμφέροντι γίνεται. θυμὸν δὲ βελῶν ἐνταῦθα οὐ τῶν ἀψύχων, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπίπονον καὶ σφοδράν τε καὶ πικρὰν ἐπιφορὰν τῶν ἀνιαρῶν φησιν, ἣν ἐκπίνειν τὸ αἷμα λέγει δηλῶν, ὡς τὴν ζωτικὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν προσαφαιρεῖται τὰ τῆς κολάσεως. τὸ δ'· "ὅταν ἄρξωμαι λαλεῖν, κεντοῦσί με" ὡς ἐν ἀπο···ς εἴη ἂν ὑποβάλλον διάνοιαν τοιαύτην· ὅτε ὁ νοῦς πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὅλων τέταται θεὸν καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου θεωρίαν, τρόπον τινὰ λήθη τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων γίνεται. ἀπὸ τῆς τοιαύτης καταστάσεως καὶ ὁ μακάριος ∆αυὶδ ἔψαλλεν ὅτι· "ἐπελαθόμην τοῦ φαγεῖν τὸν ἄρτον μου", καὶ Παῦλος "ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ" φησιν "ἁρπαγῆναι εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος 163 οὐκ οἶδα". ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὡς ἄνθρωποι περὶ τὰ ἐπίπονα σχολὴν οὐ βραχείαν παρασχῶσιν, τότε δὴ αὐτῶν οὐ μετρίως καθάπτεται. τοῦτ' οὖν αὐτὸς παραιτούμενος τρόπον τινὰ παιδεύει καὶ τοὺς φίλους ἄνω ἔχειν τὸ φρόνημα καὶ μικρὰ φροντίζειν τῶν ἐπιπόνων τῇ θεωρίᾳ σχολάζοντας. ἀκολούθως δὲ καὶ ἡ φρουροῦσα τοὺς ἁγίους δύναμις ὀλίγον ἐνδίδωσιν αὐτοῖς αἴσθησιν γενέσθαι πόνων, ἵνα οὕτως εὔλογος ἡ δόσις τοῦ στεφάνου γένηται. "τί γάρ; μὴ διὰ κενῆς κεκράξεται ὄνος ἄγριος ἀλλ' ἢ τὰ σῖτα ζητῶν; εἰ δὲ καὶ ῥήξει φωνὴν βοῦς ἐπὶ πάτνης ἔχων τὰ βρώματα; εἰ βρωθήσεται ἄρτος ἄνευ ἁλός; εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστιν γεῦσις ἐν ῥήμασι κενοῖς; οὐ δύναται γὰρ παύσασθαί μου ἡ ψυχή. βρόμον γὰρ ὁρῶ τὰ σῖτά μου ὥσπερ ὀσμὴν λέοντος." πρὸς τὴν παρ' ἐκείνου γεγενημένην αὐτῷ οἷον ἐπίπληξιν ἐπὶ τῶν λόγων τῶν εἰρημένων ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰὼβ αὐτὸς λέγει ὡς ἐρώτησιν προσάγων, ἵνα ἐξ ὧν ἀποκρίνεται μηκέτι μέμφηται τὸν διὰ τὰ ἐπίπονα βοῶντα καίτοι τοῦ Ἰὼβ οὐδὲν ἀποδυσπετήσεως 164 εἰπόντος. ἐρωτᾷ· "τί οὖν; μηδὲ διὰ κενῆς κεκράξεται ὄνος ἄγριος ἀλλ' ἢ τὰ σῖτα ζητῶν;", ὅ ἐστιν· μὴ ματαίως φωνὴν ἀφίησιν ἐνδεόμενος τροφῆς ὄνος ἄγριος; ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁ βοῦς κράζει ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης τῶν βρωμάτων κειμένων. ὥστε μηδ' ἐμὲ αἰτιῶ, εἰ κράζω κατὰ τὴν σὴν ὑπόλημψιν διὰ τὰ ἀνιαρὰ φύσεως ἀσθενοῦς ὑπαρχούσης, ἵνα ᾖ ἄγων αὐτὸν εἰς συμπάθειαν πρὸς τὸ μὴ μέμφεσθαι τὸν ὀδυνώμενον εἰ κράζει· οὐ γὰρ ἀναίσθητον εἶναι δεῖ τὸν ἅγιον, κἂν καρτερῶς φέρῃ τὰ θλίβοντα· αὕτη γὰρ ἀρετή ἐστιν, ὅταν αἴσθησιν τῶν ἐπιπόνων δεχόμενός τις ὑπερφρονῇ τῶν ἀλγηδόνων διὰ θεόν. τὸ δ' ἑξῆς· "εἰ βρωθήσεται ἄρτος ἄνευ ἁλός" παρεμβεβλημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ μακαρίου καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀσαφίαν ἐργασάμενον εἴη ἂν κατ' ἡμετέραν δύναμιν τοιοῦτο· οὐ δύναται ὠφελία ψυχῆς καὶ
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.