On Proverbs
In Proverbia
Christ as Wisdom and the types of his body§1
1Through the wine and the bread, the members preach the types of the physical things of Christ.
He calls Christ Wisdom, her perceptible icon, proclaiming the visible wisdom and her commerce as a greeting before all things; and he is strong, setting nothing of the kind of evil or cunning against her, for presenting a clear knowledge through her words, she cries out with good report; she is well-known to all, and every precious thing is not worthy of her.
For a general, having once taken a city, lays it down as he wishes, but the driver of passions subjects these things as far as they are in life; for the enemy within is always more difficult than the one without, as he who has been carried away has ceased to care, but he who...
Greek · §1
In Proverbia (fragmenta) 75 ∆ιὰ τοῦ οἴνου καὶ τοῦ ἄρτου τὰ ἀντίτυπα τῶν σωματικῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ κηρύττει μελῶν. 76 Τὸν Χριστὸν λέγει Σοφίαν, τὴν αἰσθητὴν αὐτῆς εἰκόνα, διαγράφων τὴν ὁρατὴν φρόνησιν τήν τε ἐμπορίαν αὐτῆς <πρὸ> πάντων ἀσπαστέαν σημαίνων· καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῇ κακίας εἶδος ἢ πανουργίας ἀντιτασσόμενον ἰσχύει· τοῖς γὰρ ἐρῶσιν αὐτῆς πρόδηλον γνώρισμα παριστῶν, ἐκβοᾷ μετ' εὐφημίας· εὔγνωστός ἐστι πᾶσι, καὶ πᾶν δὲ τίμιον οὐκ ἄξιον αὐτῆς. 77 Ὁ μὲν γὰρ στρατηγὸς πόλιν ἅπαξ ἑλὼν ὡς ἠβουλήθη διέθηκεν, ὁ δέ γε τῶν παθῶν ἡνίοχος ὑποτάττει ταῦτα, ἐφ' ὅσον ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ ζωῇ· ὁ γὰρ ἐμφύλιος πολέμιος πάντως τοῦ ἔξωθέν ἐστι χαλεπώτερος, ὡς ὅ γε πορθήσας ἀπεμερίμνησεν, ὁ δὲ πρὸς
The Struggle Against Anger§2
2Having an unceasing enemy, he struggles. Therefore, it is a great achievement to hold back anger, and a great strategy against the spirit of anger.
It is not only spoken concerning a prostitute, but also concerning an evil desire; for when [...]
Greek · §2
ἄπαυστον ἐχθρὸν ἔχων ἀγωνίζεται. Μέγα τοίνυν κατόρθωμα τὸ κρατεῖν ὀργῆς καὶ μέγα στρατήγημα κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ὀργῆς. 78 Οὐ μόνον περὶ πόρνης εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ πονηρᾶς ἐπιθυμίας· ὅταν γὰρ
The crookedness of the heart§3
3When the mind is incited toward evil action, then the heart meditates on the crooked things which the mouth speaks. For then it will be like a sea in the heart, under the salt of many thoughts.
Greek · §3
ὁ νοῦς πρὸς τὴν κακὴν πρᾶξιν ὁρμήσῃ, τότε ἡ καρδία ὃ λέγει στόμα μελετᾷ σκολιά· τότε γὰρ ἔσται ὡς ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης, ὑπὸ τῆς ἅλμης τῶν πολλῶν λογισμῶν
The Drowning Pilot§4
4He is being overwhelmed and is like a pilot in a great storm, being driven by the waves of evil desire toward wicked practice in his struggle.
Greek · §4
πνιγόμενος καὶ ὡς κυβερνήτης ἐν πολλῷ κλύδονι, ὑπὸ τῶν τῆς κακῆς ἐπιθυμίας κυμάτων ὠθούμενος πρὸς τὴν πονηρὰν πρᾶξιν ἀγωνιᾷ.