Unit 6 rem early

And one who stores away the heavenly water—the flowing water that comes from the fountain of life, that is to say, knowledge and wisdom, as Christ himself declares: “Whoever drinks of this water will never thirst again”—and also, “Whoever believes in me, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” This one steals knowledge, not the one who receives what was beforehand prepared, but the one who takes away knowledge from false pretense. For indeed, all who have believed in Christ, receiving teachings from the holy prophets and apostles, are not called thieves of alien doctrines; for one steals another’s teachings in order to fill a hungry mind—but this was done before the appearance of the Savior. Now, however, Paul says: “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him work honestly, so that having acquired knowledge, he may share it with those in need.” For what is not ours and yet is ours, that we should steal it, we who have believed in Christ? For all things are ours, and we are Christ’s, through whom all things were made; and Christ is God’s. Therefore, banish the understanding of evil, do not again yield to wickedness; for everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin, and sin is now called the devil, the one who actively works iniquity. The offspring of evil, etc.—slander defiles the mind that utters it, and the mother of that, namely the soul, is not treated kindly. Vainglory makes the one who possesses it think himself just, without considering evil, though often he only does good things. Arrogance causes the one who possesses it to overlook poor friends.

Parents should, in like manner, dispense harsh foods to their children, so that the righteous and godly may be abhorred by them; they should be placed under restraint, and the parent himself should rise above such indulgence. For anger possesses entirely the one who harbors it, seeking nothing else but to compel evil-doing and punishment, to slander and insult, and never ceasing to act as a false accuser. Whoever conceives and carries out evil in action and thought, who corrupts his own mind or watches over another person with intent to harm, shall be accursed among the peoples of the angels and hateful among those of the nations who have been saved, when all shall become one flock and one shepherd. But those who reprove and correct through open confession of their own deeds, and who reflect upon the counsels of the better mind, shall be revealed as lofty before the Lord, proclaimed upon all things. Upon them shall come, in the present age, the good blessing of their works and the intellectual contemplation of wisdom; but in the age to come, the apportionment from the Lord. The one who walks behind the commands of God is built up in righteousness and holiness; for with wisdom a house is built, the soul and body prepared for the indwelling of God. Yet wisdom will not enter into a soul skilled in evil. For just as thorns destroy or livestock perish when there is no one to cleanse and guard, so too the foolish: wickedness is the goad that drives one toward those who beforehand prepare the way to the kingdom. A bulwark is an impassivity of the rational soul, composed of practical virtues; yet it is torn down and obliterated by the foolish person’s choice. Corruption loves these things: sordid gain, lust, and the harlot woman.

Indeed, these things have neither end nor satiety; there are three things that will be filled, and the fourth—she has not found it sufficient to say it is enough—namely, Sheol and the love of a woman, and the earth that is not satisfied with water; and fire, and water, they did not say, "It is enough." It continually receives the seeds, whatever you may cast down, and it longs for them. Thus, death and fire, upon the things they long for, they destroy. Such a thing is also poverty; these matters are consuming. Such a thing also is sloth and idleness. For perhaps someone wonders, why does Sheol not have satiety, even though it consumes humanity? For this reason, he says, these things also do not have satiety, nor do they stand still anywhere. But observe what has committed fornication with Sheol. These ravens—mystically they feed the righteous, but they punish the wicked, plucking out the eyes of injustice—because they laughed at the Father of all and God, and they dishonored the gracious knowledge that bore them. For the eye of the Father is the law given to us in righteousness by Him. And those who pluck out the eyes of the impious, He called ravens; but those who devour him entirely, He named eagles, because He trusts the former for partial purification, the latter for complete purification. For God wills even the impious to be saved. The rooster, the bird among us, is called "unwearied." And beside the females that associate with it, they are known as such; and the flocks of birds gather around it, perhaps because it circles around all.