Divine Wrath vs. Human Mirth

Truly he finds 'good' for himself, 'entering into the joy of the Lord' (Matt 8:12). But if he is foolish, there too he 'endures weeping' (Matt 8:12). 'For there is the weeping and the gnashing of teeth' (Matt 8:12). And it is possible even to call the living 'the one living according to God'. Such were those around Abraham, concerning whom it has been said: 'God is not of the dead, but of the living' (Matt 22:32). The one truly living, the one having the blessed life, finds good for his own soul.

For the ascent: 'he knew this is the end of every man' (Eccl 3:2). The foolish man is called a man according to a different meaning, as it has been said: 'but you indeed as men are dying' (Eph 4:5), and: 'for where there is strife and jealousy among you, are you not men?' (Jas 3:14). The one having cast off this life, by which he is a real man, mourns blessedly. But the living one, by desiring such an ascent and life, preserves the sweetness for himself; he does not seek the salvation after these things, that which is made straight through much toil. 'For through many tribulations it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of the heavens' (Acts 14:22), and: 'being afflicted in all things' (2 Cor 4:8), these have no sweetness. The one having mourned, therefore, 'knew the end of every man' (Eccl 3:2). Thus indeed he mourns as it is described of him, of the living, of the one being published.

The living one will not, therefore, simply give the good, but toward 'his own heart' being fond of love. A good passion is over laughter, because in the wickedness of man he will be angry. And from what is at hand it is possible to see this: if anyone has obedient ones, such as children or slaves, when he thus becomes angry and is passionate toward them so as to prevent their wickedness, this 'passion' is 'good', not passion absolutely, but the father toward a child, the guardian toward those being cared for. 'Because in the wickedness of man he will be angry' (referring to the one seeking laughter, who becomes a fool there where the jesters are); but the one having 'passion' against those doing such things and will be angry for himself, whenever a calculation or a matter such as this comes to him, as we said recently, that he is angry for his own sake.

The text begins mid-sentence...setting aside the heart because of the wickedness of man. Or, is it for the purpose of leading one upward? Having read the divine writings and having known how God is indignant against sinners and that he 'stirs up wrath' (Ps 7:11), which the holy man was entreating, saying: 'Do not rebuke me in your wrath, nor discipline me in your anger' (Ps 6:6)—this wrath is not better than living with virtue; rather, if one is worthy to be punished, it is preferable for him to be rebuked through wrath or to be disciplined by that punishment. For he who is able to punish rages before the actual punishing.

Do we not hear in the Scripture that a threat lies in store against sinners? If the thing announced is wrath, what then is a threat? And in the threat is the wrath, not in the fulfillment of the threat. Or, in the punishment, is the wrath not greater? But he does not speak of this as a good thing, if anyone is tested by it, but rather that if wrath is released, sins increase, so that punishment may follow. Therefore, the 'good' is 'wrath over laughter.' That is, to find pleasure in evils. 'Because in the wickedness of man he shall be made good.' Laughter is made good in the wickedness of man; and the maker of laughter brings wickedness to himself and to others.

Thus, he who hunts for pleasures is made good in the wickedness of man, he who prefers softness to a rigorous life. The face of this laughter seems to be cheerful in wickedness. But if we speak regarding the one being raged against, that the thing appearing in the threat is not a wickedness opposed to virtue, but a wickedness that punishes those who err, concerning which it is also written in the prophet Amos: 'If there is wickedness in the city, which the Lord did not make?' (Am 3:6). There is no evil occurring in a city by nature without God. The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is in a house of mirth (Eccl 7:4). Behold, he has shown how the face of 'wrath' is preferable to that of 'laughter' among the things being taken; for indeed, the heart of the wise is more toward a house...