Exegesis of Proverbs on Virtue and Vice
And you also do the same to them. An ear hears and an eye sees: It is not the eye seeing badly that is the work of the Lord, but the seeing; and it is not the ear hearing badly that is the work of the Lord, but the hearing. And the same must be said concerning the other members of the body. Use this saying against those who accuse us of this body and who insult the Creator.
Open your eyes and be filled with bread: Through virtues we open the eyes of the soul, and through the wisdom of intelligible things we are filled with bread. And how can a mortal understand (LXX: know) his own ways: A mortal cannot understand the ways of the Lord if he has not yet died together with Christ.
A wise man is a swift snare to ungodly men: Repentance toward good things does not happen to the righteous but to the unrighteous; yet the unrighteous did not expect anything from God without consideration; for after praying, repentance occurs. And a deceitful yoke is not good before Him: The mind, which is naturally disposed to judge things rightly, is called a deceitful yoke when it swerves by the inclination of the will.
A wise man is a winnower of an ungodly king: Separating the chaff from the sieve. And he sets a wheel upon them: Make them as a wheel. The light of the Lord is the breath of men: If the light of the Lord is the knowledge of the Lord, and the light of the Lord is the breath of men, then the knowledge of the Lord is the breath of men. He named the devil, who seems to be in ignorance, a lamp, emptying the mind of good things and transforming himself into an angel of light.
To do justice and to speak truth is more pleasing to the Lord than the blood of sacrifices: This saying casts out the sacrifice through irrational animals; for a sacrifice to God is a crushed spirit. But His works are pure and right: If the works of God are pure and right, and one of His works is the mind, then the mind was created pure and right by the Lord.
It is better to dwell in a corner of the open air than in dusty places with iniquity (LXX: injustice) and in a common house: He set the open-air corner against the dusty and common house; but if the dusty and common house is evil, the open-air corner is virtue; therefore, an open-air corner is a practice of contemplation, touching and being illuminated by the sun of righteousness.
Paul has spoken well of the high priest of the Jews as a wall having been plastered, to be struck by God; and the Savior in the gospels has spoken of the Pharisees as tombs having been plastered. Also well did he speak of the stone at the corner, where the stone lies which was rejected by the builders and having become a head of the corner; and he has spoken commonly of that which is not of the one God.
A secret gift subverts passions: a gift is secret, so that what the right hand does the left hand may not know. A man wandering from the way of righteousness will rest in a gathering of giants: the gathering of giants is malice and ignorance.
It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a woman angry and contentious: and David says, 'In a desert land and uncultivated and waterless, so I appeared to you in holiness' (Psalm 107:4-5). A desert land is therefore the virtue which does not have the old men dwelling in it, those decaying according to the desires of deception; therefore the devil does not even find rest in it, if he passes through waterless places seeking rest and does not find it; for he himself is king of all those in the waters. And again regarding wisdom, he says the habits of its houses are sighs. If this is so, is not also the woman who is contentious and talkative and angry malice, which makes the one living with her contentious and talkative and angry.
A desirable treasure will rest upon the mouth of a wise man: The wisdom of the Lord will rest in the heart of a wise man (Proverbs 15:13, 15:33); but foolish men destroy it. A wise man ascended fortified cities: Wisdom is a fortified city, in which the wise dwell, pulling down reasonings and every exaltation being lifted up against the knowledge of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). He who guards his mouth and his tongue preserves his soul from tribulation: Mouth and tongue, soul and mind; for they say soul, meaning spirit and desire, which some call a passive part of the soul.
An impious man all the day desires evil desires: For angels, never to desire evil desires; for men, sometimes to desire and sometimes not to desire evil desires; but for demons, always to desire evil desires. For 'all the day' signifies through life. Such is also 'be in the fear of the Lord all the day' (Proverbs 23:17), instead of 'through life.' A horse is prepared for a day of war (Proverbs 21:31): A horse...
Greek
καὶ ὑμεῖς ὁμοίως ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς. Οὖς ἀκούει καὶ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ὁρᾷ: Οὐχ ὁ κακῶς ὁρῶν ὀφθαλμὸς ἔργον ἐστὶν τοῦ κυρίου, ἀλλ' ὁ ὁρῶν· καὶ οὐ τὸ κακῶς ἀκοῦον οὖς ἔργον ἐστὶν τοῦ κυρίου, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀκοῦον. καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ μελῶν τοῦ σώματος ὡσαύτως λεκτέον· χρήσῃ δὲ τῷ ῥητῷ τούτῳ πρὸς τοὺς κατηγοροῦντας ἡμῶν τοῦτο τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὸν δημιουργὸν ἐνυβρίζοντας. ∆ιάνοιξον δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου καὶ ἐμπλήσθητι ἄρτων: ∆ιὰ μὲν τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀνοίγομεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς, διὰ δὲ τῆς σοφίας νοητῶν πληρούμεθα ἄρτων. Θνητὸς δὲ πῶς ἂν ἐννοήσαι (LXX νοήσαι) τὰς ὁδοὺς ἑαυτοῦ: Οὐ δύναται νοῆσαι τὰς ὁδοὺς κυρίου ὁ ἔτι θνητὸς καὶ μὴ συναποθανὼν τῷ Χριστῷ. Παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι: Ἡ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς μετάνοια οὐ δικαίοις συμβαίνει ἀλλὰ ἀδίκοις· ἄδικοι δὲ μηδὲν ἀπερισκέπτως ὑπισχνείσθωσαν τῷ θεῷ· μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εὔξασθαι μετανοεῖν γίνεται. Καὶ ζυγὸς δόλιος οὐ καλὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ: Ζυγὸν δόλιον λέγει τὸν νοῦν πεφυκότα μὲν δικαίως κρίνειν τὰ πράγματα, παρακλίνοντα δὲ τῇ τοῦ ἀντεξουσίου ῥοπῇ. Λικμήτωρ ἀσεβῶν βασιλεὺς σοφός: Χωρίζειν (ζων?) τὰ ἄχυρα ἀπὸ τοῦ σίτου. Καὶ ἐπιβαλεῖ αὐτοῖς τροχόν: Ποίησον αὐτοὺς ὡς τροχόν. 103 Φῶς κυρίου πνοὴ ἀνθρώπων: Εἰ τὸ φῶς τοῦ κυρίου ἡ γνῶσις τοῦ κυρίου ἐστίν, τὸ δὲ φῶς τοῦ κυρίου ἡ πνοὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν, ἡ ἄρα γνῶσις τοῦ κυρίου ἡ πνοὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν. τὸν δὲ ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ διάβολον φαίνειν δοκοῦντα λύχνον ὠνόμασεν, ἐκκενοῦντα τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ μετασχηματιζόμενον εἰς ἄγγελον φωτός. Ποιεῖν δίκαια καὶ ἀληθεύειν ἀρεστὸν παρὰ κυρίου μᾶλλον ἢ θυσιῶν αἷμα: Ἐκβάλλει τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦτο τὴν διὰ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων θυσίαν· θυσία γὰρ τῷ θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον. Ἁγνὰ δὲ καὶ ὀρθὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ: Εἰ ἁγνὰ καὶ ὀρθὰ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ, ἓν δὲ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἐστὶν καὶ ὁ νοῦς, ὀρθὸς ἄρα καὶ ἁγνὸς ἐκτίσθη παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου ὁ νοῦς. Κρεῖσσον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας ὑπαίθρου ἢ ἐν κεκονιαμένοις μετὰ ἀηδείας (LXX ἀδικίας) καὶ ἐν οἴκω κοινῷ: Τῷ οἴκῳ τῷ κεκονιαμένῳ καὶ κοινῷ τὴν ὕπαιθρον γωνίαν ἀντέθηκεν· εἰ δὲ ὁ οἶκος ὁ κεκονιαμένος καὶ κοινὸς ἡ κακία ἐστίν, ἡ ὕπαιθρος γωνία ἡ ἀρετή ἐστιν· γωνία τοίνυν ὕπαιθρός ἐστιν πρᾶξις θεωρίας ἐφαπτομένη καὶ φωτιζομένη ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡλίου. καλῶς δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος τὸν ἀρχιερέα τῶν Ἰουδαίων τοῖχον εἶπεν κεκονιαμένον, τυπτηθησόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ· καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ δὲ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις τοὺς Φαρισαίους τάφους εἶπεν κεκονιαμένους. εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ Ἐπὶ γωνίας εἶπεν, ἔνθα ὁ λίθος κεῖται ὁ ἀποδοκιμασθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκοδόμων καὶ γενόμενος κεφαλὴ γωνίας· κοινὸν δὲ εἶπεν ὃ μὴ τοῦ ἑνός ἐστιν θεοῦ. ∆όσις λάθριος ἀνατρέπει ὀργάς: ∆όσις λάθριός ἐστιν, ἵν' ὃ ποιῇ ἡ δεξιὰ μὴ γινώσκῃ ἡ ἀριστερά. Ἀνὴρ πλανώμενος ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαιοσύνης ἐν συναγωγῇ γιγάντων ἀναπαύσεται: Ἡ συναγωγὴ τῶν γιγάντων ἡ κακία καὶ ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐστίν. Κρεῖσσον οἰκεῖν ἐν γῇ ἐρήμῳ ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς θυμώδους καὶ μαχίμης: Καὶ ὁ ∆αυὶδ φησίν· Ἐν γῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἀβάτῳ καὶ ἀνύδρῳ, οὕτως ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὤφθην σοι. ἔρημος τοίνυν γῆ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀρετὴ ἡ μὴ ἔχουσα τοὺς παλαιοὺς ἀνθρώπους οἰκοῦντας τοὺς φθειρομένους κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης· διὸ οὐδὲ εὑρίσκει ἐν αὐτῇ ἀνάπαυσιν ὁ διάβολος, εἴγε διέρχεται δι' ἀνύδρων τόπων ζητῶν 15 ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει· αὐτὸς γὰρ βασιλεύς ἐστι πάντων τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι. καὶ πάλιν τῆς σοφίας Στεγναί φησιν αἱ διατριβαὶ οἵκων αὐτῆς (27,31). εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ μάχιμος καὶ γλωσσώδης καὶ ὀργίλος ἡ κακία ἐστίν, ἥτις τὸν συζῶντα αὐτῇ ποιεῖ μάχιμον καὶ γλωσσώδη καὶ ὄργιλον. 104 Θησαυρὸς ἐπιθυμητὸς ἀναπαύσεται ἐπὶ στόματος σοφοῦ: Σοφία κυρίου ἀναπαύσεται ἐν καρδίᾳ σοφοῦ· ἄφρονες δὲ ἄνδρες διαφθεροῦσιν αὐτήν. Πόλεις ὀχυρὰς ἐπέβη σοφός: Σοφία ἐστὶν πόλις ὀχυρά, ἐν ᾗ οἱ σοφοὶ κατοικοῦσιν, λογισμοὺς καθαιροῦντες καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ὃς φυλάσσει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν, διατηρεῖ ἐκ θλίψεως τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ: Στόμα καὶ γλῶσσαν, ψυχὴν καὶ νοῦν· ψυχὴν δέ φασιν θυμὸν καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν, ὅπερ τινὲς παθητικὸν μέρος ὀνομάζουσι τῆς ψυχῆς. Ἀσεβὴς ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐπιθυμεῖ ἐπιθυμίας κακάς: Ἀγγέλων μὲν τὸ μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν ποτὲ ἐπιθυμίας κακάς· ἀνθρώπων δὲ τὸ ποτὲ μὲν ἐπιθυμεῖν, ποτὲ δὲ μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν ἐπιθυμίας κακάς· δαιμόνων δὲ τὸ ἀεὶ ἐπιθυμεῖν ἐπιθυμίας κακάς. τὸ γὰρ Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν τὸ διὰ βίου δηλοῖ. τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν καὶ τὸ Ἐν φόβῳ κυρίου ἴσθι ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἀντὶ τοῦ διὰ βίου. Ἵππος ἑτοιμάζεται εἰς ἡμέραν πολέμου: Ἵππον
About this text
Evagrius reads Proverbs line by line as a training manual for monks fighting temptation.
Original English Translation of Evagrius Ponticus’s Expositio in Proverbia Salomonis — new OET from PG 40 Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 40 (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.