Church camps under one command; he-goat leading the flock to height (Prov 30)
…and not scattering, but putting on the full armor of God so as to stand against the devil’s schemes, camping in good order from one command. She is without a king under Pharaoh, but not under God, and the labors of the Egyptians are handed over to her. Perhaps because we were not under a king before Christ’s kingship, the locust is called kingless. They have no leader as bees do; each one leads. These are those lightened by choice from earthly things, walking an ordered life. Or locusts are also those who want to fly by intellect yet cannot, and so climb only a little from the earth. But if they share in the practical life, they will be led into one practical rank.
“And a he-goat leading a flock of goats.” Third is the he-goat—according to the Seventy alone—leading a goat flock, increasing and multiplying it and guiding it to pastures on the heights. No herd of animals climbs the high places like this. Such is the one who leads Christ’s people in the goat flock, raising them toward height. Otherwise the he-goat types Christ, offered for sin. To this one who is on high the whole multitude of the godly follows.
Greek
συνάγεσθαι καὶ μὴ σκορπίζειν, ἀλλ' ἐνδύεσθαι τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα ἀντιστῇ πρὸς τὰς μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβόλου, ἀφ' ἑνὸς κελεύσματος εὐτάκτως στρατοπεδεύουσα· ἔστι δὲ ἀβασίλευτος ὑπὸ τοῦ Φαραὼ, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων οἱ πόνοι παραδίδονται ταύτῃ. Ἴσως δὲ διὰ μὴ βασιλεύεσθαι ἡμᾶς πρὸ τῆς Χριστοῦ βασιλείας, ἀβασίλευτον ἡ ἀκρίς. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχουσιν ἡγούμενον, καθάπερ αἱ μέλισσαι, ἀλλ' ἑκάστη ἡγεῖται. Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ προαιρέσει κουφιζόμενοι τῶν γηΐνων, τεταγμένην ὁδεύοντες ζωήν. Ἢ καὶ ἀκρίδες, ὅσοι, τῇ νοήσει βουλόμενοι πέτεσθαι, ἀδυνατοῦντες ὀλίγον τῆς γῆς ἀνατρέχουσιν. Εἰ δὲ πρακτικὸν μεταλάβοιεν, εἰς ἓν τάγμα πρακτικὸν ἐναχθήσονται. Καὶ τράγος ἡγούμενος αἰπολίου. Τρίτος ὁ τράγος κατὰ μόνους τοὺς Οʹ ἡγούμενος αἰπολίου, αὔξων τε καὶ πληθύνων αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς ἐν ὑψηλοῖς νομὰς ὁδηγῶν. Οὐδεμία γὰρ ἀγέλη ζώων οὕτως ἐπιβαίνει τῶν ὑψηλῶν. Τοιοῦτος ὁ ἡγούμενος Χριστοῦ τοὺς ἐν τῷ αἰπολίῳ πρὸς ὕψος ἀνάγων. Ἄλλως ὁ τράγος τυποῖ τὸν Χριστὸν, ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας προσφερόμενος. Τούτῳ ἐν ὕψει ὄντι ἕπεται πᾶσα τῶν θεοσεβῶν ἡ πληθύς.
About this text
Origen of Alexandria, Fragmenta ex commentariis in Proverbia (Greek).
Original English Translation of Origen’s Fragmenta ex commentariis in Proverbia — new OET from PG 13 Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 13 (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.