The Integrity of Sight and the Tripartite Soul

A curved road, such as those to whom the word speaks: 'O you who abandon straight paths' (Ps 15:2), whose 'paths are crooked' and 'curved.' And let your heart make you good in the days of your youth.eart make you good,' not the external things. It has often been said to us regarding the difference between happiness and blessedness, that some place happiness in being fulfilled by the three kinds of goods. Wealth does not 'make good,' it does not truly make one good, nor does health of the body, nor having rank and glory. But possessing virtue of the soul 'rejoices' one. This, therefore, is 'let your heart make you good,' not the external things, not the things concerning the body; do not think greatly upon these, and hasten not to pursue these.

And walk in blameless paths. 'straight paths' I have spoken of clearly; for the virtues and the activities according to them and the contemplations of the truth are 'good and straight paths.' Likewise, regarding Elymas the sorcerer who perverted the human, Paul says: 'Do you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?' (Acts 13:10) Not that they 'are being perverted' there, but to what extent he 'perverts' them toward that. Just as if someone presumes upon youth saying that one need not be prudent, and bears insults against prudence, for he does not make it real. Some indeed hold council with injustice; but those who hold council with such things slander justice. Therefore, 'let your heart make you good,' not the accidental things, not the bodily things. Then you will have 'blameless paths' and chance to be blessed; for 'blessed are the blameless in the way' (Ps 119:1) and 'he who walks blamelessly and works righteousness.' And see that 'walking' is not in vain; for it was possible to say both 'stand blameless' and 'sit blameless'; but the walk signifies progress. Therefore, 'walk blameless,' beginning to follow the 'way' with the 'blameless.' Such also is that which is written by Paul: 'we shall walk in newness of life' (Eph 4:24), so that we may progress 'in the newness of life.' Having stripped off the garment of the old life, 'we have put on the new man.' We have a new life, we progress in it, and not turning away from it, we shall not lack.

11,9d And in the vision of your eyes. Take it again in its entirety.

If "your heart is good," you have "eyes" that see well. And in plain words: not seeking foreign beauty, you turn the "eye" away from a prostitute; you do not see a woman for shameful desire, but you have an "unblemished" "vision of the eyes." If you also take the "enlightened eyes of the heart," called the "eyes of the reasoning," the "unblemished" state is much more established.

And know that God will judge you regarding all these things, and remove passion from your heart and drive out evil from your flesh. Do what I command you, knowing "that God will judge you in all these things." "Judgment" measures out punishments for the bad, but promises and good things for the serious. Since you do not destroy in vain, if you "walk" "unblemished in your ways" (Psalm 119:1) and "are rejoiced in the days of your youth" (Psalm 119:9), strive; for "God will bring you to judgment" regarding these. If they were bad things, for which "judgment" was made toward him, punishment was to be expected; but since they are good—for the "ways" and the divine thoughts are fitting—if you walk thus "unblemished," you do not destroy in vain; for "God leads you in these to judgment."

And remove passion from your heart. "Passion" is not a virtue of the "heart," but of the spirited part. Therefore he says: do not use your reasoning and your mind for "passion," but, even if this movement ever stands in the spirited part, restrain it in your "heart." Thus it is removed "from your heart," not by being mixed with it.

The soul is tripartite, as many have said. And the matter is such: we have various senses. Just as it is not possible to see by hearing, nor to touch or smell by intellect, so we appear to have the inner man and the soul itself. We have a spirited power, a reasoning power, and a desiring power. From where do we know this? Observe that the reasoning is distinct from the spirited and the desiring from the irrational animals: irrational animals have a spirited power and "passion," and a desiring power and desire, but they do not have reasoning. Since they do not have reasoning, it is evident they do not have the reasoning part, they do not have mind. And the mind is signified by the name of the "heart."