Integrity of Character and the Beauty of the Soul

Rejoicing. The evening is the end of the day and the beginning of the night, just as in the morning the end is of the night and the beginning is of the day. But many times it has been said that the opposites, the good and the evil, are co-existing. It is possible to receive in the evening the end of the shadow, the end of the letter.

But when someone wishes to be among them having received the end of the letter and of the shadow, he weeps rather, no longer seeing the pleasantness of the letter, no longer beholding the flower of the Scripture. But when the life-giving Spirit has risen and the New Covenant has been revealed, it is a beginning of the day bringing rejoicing.

Likewise also the more common things: when the assembly from circumcision received the evening of the powerful Sun of Righteousness—for 'she emptied herself,' 'bearing seven, the sun had not yet departed while the day was still in the midst'—she bore seven; then the Sabbath was reached, so that according to it he might spiritually complete all things and become a mother of good thoughts and works; but she emptied herself: she did not receive the fullness, from which having received, John, who signifies the letter and the old Scripture, says: 'of his fullness we have all received' (John 1:16). Because of this, her soul was discouraged, desiring the sun 'while the day was still in the midst,' while this age is still standing; for he himself is also often called day. 'And into the morning' therefore, 'rejoicing.'

7 'And I said in my prosperity, I shall never be shaken for ever' (Ps 92:12). The expression is ambiguous. It can be read thus: 'And I said in my prosperity, I shall never be shaken for ever.' When I am prospering, I said this: I shall never be shaken for ever. But it can also be thus: 'I said, In my prosperity I shall never be shaken for ever.' Both markings have meaning. When he prospers, sowing into righteousness and having harvested generations of righteousness, it was determined thus, that I shall no longer be shaken for ever; for if 'he who does the will of God remains for ever' (1 John 2:17) and 'his righteousness' is 'immortal,' having brought the generations...

Regarding righteousness and uprightness, I said: for I said so with my disposition, as if toward the statement 'no one says Lord Jesus,' both in disposition and in life. I confessed this, bringing forth generations of uprightness and virtue, that I remain unshaken for ever according to: 'he who believes, and everyone living and believing, shall by no means die for ever' (cf. 1 John 2:17); and: 'the righteousness of the Lord remains for the age of ages' (Ps 37:29). And it is also possible thus: to verse differently, 'I said in my uprightness'; when they were being upright and seemed to be resting, he said 'I shall by no means be shaken for ever.' If indeed help had not come quickly, he would have been cut down, because he had encouraged himself, having great confidence in the fruitfulness. If, therefore, the saying is the face of the Savior, let the former thought be held; but if it is of the others, let this also be accepted.

8 Lord, in your will, grant power to my beauty. That is, he says, either gracefully or thankfully. Let us see what kind of beauty he speaks of. He does not speak of bodily beauty, but of spiritual beauty and of the inner man. This beauty, which is perceptible, which is manifested in the face and in the form, has its constitution from the proportion of the members, if the members of the man were proportional to themselves, and not to be such that some exceed and others fail; for the beauty is distorted. It is necessary to have a fitting eye for the nose and this for the mouth; for if the members were disproportionate, even if it might seem beautiful in itself, it does not make beauty for the face. This indeed he says: those virtues which follow your will, the individual ones, so that my thoughts, having been proportioned, are the actions. And in the song of songs, he who praises the bride: 'All beautiful is my beloved, and there is no flaw in you' (Song 4:7). Because of this, 'all beautiful are you,' because there is no flaw and nothing in you is outside of proportion or shame.

9 To you, Lord, I have cried out, and to my God I will help. It is possible, so that we may explain more popularly: To you, O Lord, as...