Fragments on Lamentations
Fragmenta in Lamentationes
Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–c. 254) was a Christian teacher in Alexandria and head of the catechetical school. This English is his fragments on Lamentations.
Jeremiah’s alphabetic laments in four cycles§1
1Jeremiah, the people having been taken captive and being in Babylon, laments the city and the country and the people for what has befallen them; and he laments marking off certain sections and divisions that begin next from the letters among the Hebrews. And after finishing the lament upon each letter and, upon all, the one that begins from Thau—which is the last letter of the Hebrews—he returns to Aleph and again laments; and he does this four times, going through the twenty-two letters.
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Captivity of the contemplative soul; Christ frees captives§2
2If we see the soul becoming subject to the devil or also to his angels, and simply to the hostile powers—the soul that by nature is contemplative and able to see the things that are and to attend—we will somehow understand the captivity and the one who took captive. But fleeing for refuge to Christ, who according to the prophet Isaiah proclaimed “release to captives,” (Isaiah 61:1) we will be freed from the captivity, even if the one who took captive reaches as far as binding. For Jesus came “to lead out those bound from bonds and those sitting in darkness from a house of prison.” (Isaiah 42:7) (Luke 4:18)
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Twenty-two books; fourfold alphabet; Symmachus and the Seventy§3
3For this reason the Hebrews say the books of the old scripture are equal in number to the letters, so as to be every introduction toward knowledge of God, just as the letters are toward every wisdom for those learning. And for this reason it is quadrupled, perhaps because the elements of bodies also stand as four. And after a little: And the edition of Aquila and Theodotion is not extant in the Lamentations, but only of Symmachus and the Seventy. And again: And someone might inquire how, the title of the book being plural—“Lamentations”—he speaks this lament in the singular in the prologue. But there are several partial ones, divided by the letters, yet all are brought up into one, being brought up toward one subject, Israel.
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Blessed weeping from love§4
4The weeping that is from love is called blessed. For it belongs to the holy one “to weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15)
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The Lord wept over Jerusalem§5
5Drawing near to Jerusalem the Lord “wept and said: if you too had known the things unto your peace.” (Luke 19:41–42) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I wanted to gather your children, as a hen gathers her own brood under the wings, and you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37) (Luke 13:34)
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Jeremiah’s mystical weeping and mourning§6
6If then “blessed are those who weep, for they will laugh,” (Luke 6:21) Jeremiah had to weep this mystical weeping and, according to “blessed are those who mourn,” (Matthew 5:4) mourn those worthy of being mourned.
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People and nations: literal and anagogical§7
7And the multitude of the people, as far as the wording, seems to indicate the dwelling Israelites, and the multitude of the nations, as we said before, the proselytes. But unto anagogy—since the contemplative things are more kindred to the soul and less circumstantial than the practical—the wealth of contemplations; and the multitude of the nations the large number of good deeds. And after a little: She who was multiplied with people sits alone; by casting off the bridegroom Word the bride becomes as a widow who once was filled with the aforementioned nations (Lamentations 1:1).
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Jerusalem widowed of the Word; the perfect soul§8
8As far as the wording it fits for Jerusalem to be understood as said with amazement because of the change unto the gloomier—sitting isolated who once was full of people—so that the isolation may be her desolation, having had as husband the living Word as protector when she followed him present and helping, but widowed and left behind by him because of the things she had sinned. And after other things: These things then toward the literal; toward the sense, Jerusalem flourishing and full of people and nations and ruling countries is the divine soul. And it is not amazing if not only a house nor a farmstead nor the village greater than this being named, nor an ordinary city, but one differing from all cities and honored beside God, is called Jerusalem—the perfect soul—greatness of notable size being thrown around her as around the greatest city by wisdom and every virtue multiplying buildings. And after a little: And just as it is possible to see Jerusalem flourishing, multiplying with people and nations and ruling in countries, so—if virtue is liable to fall—sometimes seeing her isolated and widowed and enslaved, so as even to pay tributes to the enemy who has mastered her, according to the soul of the one who has fallen from the truth (Lamentations 1:1).
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Tribute to Nebuchadnezzar and his satraps§9
9And what need is there also to speak concerning this—that having begun to rule countries she is enslaved to such a degree among the enemies that she always also pays tribute, doing whatever those masters command? And they command nothing useful. And perhaps for each of the things in which she stumbles here she pays some tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, who is interpreted “Settling-in and recognition of constraint” (Lamentations 1:1); and not only to Nebuchadnezzar, but also to his satraps.
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She wept in the night; no comforter from those who loved her§10
10Upon the first lament, the one that began from Aleph, we were able to save the wording. But upon this one what would someone say—a city being said to have wept in the night, so that the tears are upon her cheeks—unless perhaps someone will say that those named a city, who also pay tribute, have wept, having been reminded from what sort of peace and freedom into how great a slavery and humiliation they have come? How then shall we also narrate “in the night,” (Lamentations 1:2) or that in the time of the common rest of all human beings the city, being reminded, while resting wept, and wept with the tears flowing fountain-like upon their cheeks? And the wailing was most stretched out for them and the tears flowed on, there not being even one comforting them from so many who loved them, and everyone who loved setting aside the friendship toward her and having changed into enmity. Who then, as toward the wording, are those who formerly loved her, from whom there was not one who would comfort her? Perhaps the remaining cities of Judea—loving the metropolis for this reason—in a time of distress did not encourage her.
And after a little: These things then toward the literal. If the Word, as in the things before, should be said to weep—having fallen from her own country and coming to be in Confusion—and to have a condition opposite to laughing the laugh from joy and cheerfulness, which our Lord promises will belong to those who have wept the blessed weeping, saying: “Blessed are those who weep now, for they will laugh.” (Luke 6:21) And in Job also he says, “He will fill the mouth of the true ones with laughter.” (Job 8:21) And perhaps for this reason also one of the patriarchs is called Laughter. The one groaning, then—as also the apostle has made clear saying, “For indeed we who are in the tent groan, being burdened” (2 Corinthians 5:4)—weeps a weeping most nourishing and benefiting the soul, toward the cheerfulness in promise (2 Corinthians 5:4).
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Loving vs liking; better ones fail only to comfort§11
11And we suppose that loving is more divine and, so to speak, spiritual, while liking is bodily and more human. And perhaps—since no base person loves—one must observe that concerning the better ones it says: “there is none comforting her from all who love her,” (Lamentations 1:2) but concerning the lesser: “all who like her have set her aside; they have become enemies to her.” For the more deficient both set her aside and became enemies to her; but the better ones only did not comfort.
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Judah exchanged her place through humiliation and slavery to passions§12
12Toward the wording the sense would be such: Judea exchanged her own place, these things having become causes for her—her humiliation (in which she was humbled when she sinned and left behind the stature and the raised-up condition she formerly had while remaining in piety), and further also her much slavery, to which she had been enslaved when subjected to the passions. And having been relocated she settled among nations, where she has not been able to find rest, all the enemies pursuing her and overtaking and mastering her, she having come to be among the nations that were afflicting her (Lamentations 1:3).
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Zion’s roads mourn; gates gone; priests and virgins led away§13
13The sense toward the wording is this. The law saying, “Three times in the year every male of yours shall appear before the Lord your God,” (Exodus 23:17) those from the people were eager, after the temple was built in Zion from Solomon’s time, to accomplish what was commanded. And the cities of Judea being round about Jerusalem, from everywhere there were roads leading upon Zion. These roads, then, the prophet says mourn because of the captivity—looking gloomy and being in complete desolation—and in those times when there was much gladness and cheerfulness in them, when the Jews from everywhere were hastening unto a feast upon the mountain of Zion. And many being the gates built in Zion from all the quarters, the word says all have been made to vanish, and the priests unable to accomplish the other days—either because they have been taken captive or because there is no one approaching them and requiring the priestly liturgies. But also the virgins of Zion, it says, are being led away—clearly by the conquering enemies (Exodus 23:17) (Deuteronomy 16:16).
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Roads of doctrines mourn when the contemplative power is captive§14
14And toward the sense: Zion being called the looking-out and contemplative power, there are many roads of the varied doctrines—mystical and physical and ethical, and perhaps also logical—that lead upon the understanding and vision of the things set forth. Whenever, then, someone, having lost the practiced habit of these, is thrown into confusion, all these roads mourn, not being traveled—there being a festival for the aforementioned roads when they are traveled, examined and, so to speak, crossed through; but they mourn when they are desolated, not being researched nor journeyed through because those traveling have fallen away and, having been taken captive by the passions, have been distracted about the worse things (Lamentations 1:4).
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Zion lives in bitterness, not as a form of anger§15
15Zion, having nothing sweet at all, lives through bitterness by herself; for one must not take “being embittered” (Lamentations 1:4) now of some form of anger.
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Afflictors become head after sins against the prophets§16
16The clarity of the wording is somehow such. Certain ones were afflicting the Judean country—or at least wanted to afflict—before the times of the captivity, but they did not master while God was shielding the Jews, when those were rendering themselves worthy of help. But when they sinned and, in addition to not hearing the prophets, the sons of Israel were even killing them, then they were handed over subject to the afflictors, so that their enemies became head—that is, as Symmachus interpreted, rulers. And others, perhaps besides the afflictors, being enemies either in conception or also in substance, were in prosperity, those abandoned because of the sins having become subject to the afflictors—the Lord having humbled the lawbreakers because of the multitude of the impieties, and having done this to such a degree that not even for their infants was mercy left, but that they went in captivity, driven by every afflictor (Lamentations 1:5).
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Enemies ruled and rejoiced when covenant-breakers were humbled§17
17Both having ruled and having rejoiced because the Lord, on account of the multitude of the impieties, handed over unto humiliation those who had not kept the covenants with him in the holy oracles (Lamentations 1:5).
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Daughter Zion’s beauty gone; rulers like rams without pasture§18
18The things of the wording, as far as power is ours, must be clarified, as we examine who the daughter of Zion is, and in what she has the comeliness, and what the pasture is which the rulers of the daughter of Zion do not have—like rams at a loss for grazing—and how these, deprived of strength, walk before the face of the pursuer. And we hold that the mountain Zion is mother of the synagogue in it, the synagogue being named daughter of Zion; and the comeliness of the daughter of Zion the possession in her robes, which possession, taken by the enemies in the time of the plundering, went out from those of whom it was adornment—that is, was carried out (for more emphatically he named this with “went out” (Lamentations 1:6)); and the leaders of the synagogue, because the enemies were pressing and taking captive, being at a loss for the customary things, have been likened to rams not finding food. Just as rams driven without having been fed walk weakly, yielding to the necessity of those pursuing, so also the rulers, having become captives, being led away into the country of those who took them captive, were walking not in strength before the sight of the pursuer.
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Contemplative soul as daughter of Zion; beauty of true doctrines§19
19And toward the sense, such a soul is daughter of Zion: just as the just woman is daughter of righteousness and the wise woman child of wisdom, so—since Zion is the Lookout—the looking-out and theoretically traversing soul would be called daughter of Zion. And what else would I rightly suppose her comeliness and dignity to be than the wealth of the holy doctrines of the truth contemplated with wisdom? Whenever, then, after acquiring comeliness and dignity, someone neglects both the holding-together of these and the increase of the divine wealth, the things that until then were her adornment flow away and go out. And rulers—those who led the word and guided unto the acquisition of the aforementioned comeliness—like rams that led the flock of sheep and do not find pasture, have themselves also stood in scarcity, having let go the attention of the things able to fatten, so to speak, both them and the sheep. For this reason, having grown weak, having been overtaken by the pursuer—who is our adversary the devil—they walk before him, driven wherever that one wishes to lead. If, however, the aforementioned daughter of Zion takes care of her beauty and her comeliness and foresight that the dignity be guarded, she despises and sneers at the king of the Assyrians, as we have learned from Isaiah saying: “The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and sneered at you.” (Lamentations 1:6) (Isaiah 37:22)
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Jerusalem remembers past humiliation when doctrines fall§20
20For the one remembering while suffering such-and-such things does not remember the present, but the past. And after a little: Having raised such difficulties in the place and seeking a reminder of her past humiliation and of her rejections—because her people have fallen into a hand of an afflictor and the things brought upon her have come about—we consider whether perhaps humiliation in the proper sense is nothing other than sin, just as exaltation is right practice, and rejection comes about from nothing operating except base action; for this is sufficient to thrust away from God and from everything finest according to nature. When, then, Jerusalem was drunk—that is, those dwelling in her—and beside herself from the sin she was being humbled, she was not delighted in the stumbles; but when her repayments have come through her people having fallen into hands of the afflictor, no one helping her, then she was reminded of the things because of which she was suffering, grasping those as causes both of her people’s having fallen and of her having been left helpless.
And after a little: And if such a soul is Jerusalem, it is worthwhile to seek her people, upon whose falling into a hand of an afflictor—because there is no helper—she herself remembers the days of her humiliation, and still also of her own rejections by which she was rejected, and besides also of her desirable things, as many as were from ancient days. And see whether the contemplations in the knowing soul are not the people of Jerusalem, which, because the soul has come to be in inattention and neglect, falls, being thrown down by every afflictor. For the doctrines of those neglecting flow away, being squeezed out by the sins that have gained room in the one neglecting the better things, in no way having the help from the Word (Lamentations 1:7).
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Jerusalem sinned; glory turned to dishonor; the soul in tossing§21
21The sense of the wording is such. Because Jerusalem sinned a sin, she has come to be in tossing and confusion to such a degree that all who formerly glorified her, having changed, have dishonored such a city, having beheld her shame. And she herself, for the things she has suffered because of the sins—having fallen into tossing and into dishonor from those who once glorified her—groaning, has no longer gone forward into the sins, but having lessened them has withdrawn backward.
And after a little: And if such a soul is called Jerusalem—one skilled and sharp-sighted and able to understand the peace of God that surpasses every mind—since it is possible for many causes for this one to sin, it is shown that she has fallen over into tossing, having stood away from the good things and having come to be among the worse. And everyone who has fallen out of virtue and lives with wickedness is soundly said to be in tossing (Lamentations 1:8) (Philippians 4:7).
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Cutting short of sins; turning back upon her own good§22
22It shows the cutting-short of Jerusalem’s sins—she no longer stretching forward unto the former stumbles nor coming to be in the advance of the sins, but turning away backward upon her own good (Lamentations 1:8) (Philippians 3:13).
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Uncleanness as obstacle; wash the soul’s feet with Jesus§23
23According to the bodily narrative what is said about Jerusalem now is such. Uncleanness is an obstacle for Jerusalem; but of what it is an obstacle, the prophet has left for us to understand. Perhaps it shows that the uncleanness is a hinderer of her journey. And also, being such, it shows that Jerusalem did not remember her last things. And the one who has these before the eyes and sees what will meet him because of the sins will not sin. Because of this uncleanness, then, there is an obstacle for her; and because she does not remember her last things, she brought down her wonderful and great things—which she had when she was worthy to be overseen—and led them into lowliness, though formerly they were oversized and greater than every praise. But also after all these things there was none comforting her: “See, O Lord, my humiliation,” (Lamentations 1:9) says the speaker, “since the enemy is magnified over what has happened to my homeland.” (Lamentations 1:9)
And after a little: Yet one must inquire, according to the laws of the ascent-sense, whether it is possible for uncleanness to be in someone who is not its cause. And let us also see the first thoughts of the Lament. Such a soul, having fallen away, is altogether also in uncleanness, which uncleanness hinders walking the holy road. And just as holy Moses and his successor Joshua are commanded by God to loose the sandals when stepping upon a holy place—it not being fitting for the feet to wear dead hide in a holy place—so if someone is going to walk unimpeded, perhaps he ought not only to loose but also to wash off the uncleanness that has come about from the dust around the feet. And we suppose a symbol of this to be that the Savior, having put water into the basin, washed the feet of the disciples, saying to Peter who did not yet understand the mystery and for this reason was hindering: “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me,” (John 13:8) and “What I am doing you do not know now, but you will know after these things.” (John 13:7) Therefore it will be necessary for the uncleanness around the feet of the soul, so to speak, also to need Jesus, so that he may wash it off and we may be able to have a part with him. For if this remains, it is an obstacle to our walking the road according to the sound word—the Savior who said: “I am the way.” (John 14:6)
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The healthy soul looks ahead past present pleasure or pain§24
24And it is clear that the healthy soul—or at least the one wanting to be such—does these things, not looking so much at the present alone as foreseeing what also unto the future will meet from the things being accomplished. And if, something thought useful coming to be for the present, she foresees the bitterness in the future, dismissing what seems to be sweet she does the opposite, for the sake of not later falling into something hard; and if, the present being toilsome, good hopes succeed what appears harsh, she will voluntarily give herself over to the roughness of what would seem terrible to some, for the sake of attaining the sweet things that succeed the harsh ones because of having endured these (Lamentations 1:9).
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No comforter; the indwelling Word humbled; enemy magnified§25
25And all these things, it says, the one more tropically called Jerusalem having suffered, she did not even have abundance of the one comforting; for having turned away from the Word in her and having become wholly of the passion, she has lost the helper—the one who always arms the disposition that attends to him against the pains and against the things thought terrible. And upon these things see my humiliation—me the citizen; as a kinsman of a soul would say: the passion of my fellow-citizen, because of the love of humanity in which I was taught, is my calamity. Understand, then, O Lord, and do not utterly leave the one who has suffered the things said before; do not overlook the enemy against her—I mean wickedness magnified and poured out against her. And more tropically “See, O Lord, my humiliation” (Lamentations 1:9) can be said by the Word existing in the soul, having been dishonored and humbled and, so to speak, having lost its own kingdom.
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Desirable things of the temple; sanctuary means the temple§26
26Desirable things of Jerusalem, then, must be understood as the things in the temple, and the things laid away in the holy of holies for the priestly liturgy, and the things otherwise believed to be divine by being stored in the temple—for example the golden lampstand and the rest. For those from the people, persuaded that these are stored in the temple unto the glory of God, preferred them above all, themselves wanting rather to suffer something hard from the enemies than for any of these to become subject to the enemies. And “sanctuary” (Lamentations 1:10) is a custom for those from the circumcision to call the temple.
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Nations tread the sanctuary; vices enter the soul’s shrine§27
27And something most paradoxical Jerusalem suffered at the time of the captivity. For she beheld nations—which God commanded not to enter into the assembly—treading the sanctuary, where not even for the Israelites is it lawful to enter, only the priests having been counted worthy to be in that place after not ordinary purifications. And the enemies reached even as far as the untrodden places, entering into a place which scarcely, after much sanctification, the high priest entered once a year.
And after a little: And if Jerusalem, just as we set out before, is such a soul, one must understand her goods according to nature—being her adornment, through which she was serving the divine—laid away in her places untrodden by everyone except the high-priest Word, to be called her desirable things. And upon all these the enemy who has conquered in wrestling, having afflicted the one not campaigning well for herself but worthily left behind by the divine help, having stretched himself through his operative power unto the base things, has pulled them out of the ruling part and has left desolate of the good things the soul that stood away from God. And nations in this place must be allegorized as the crowd of vices, having entered into the ruling part created to be receptive of God and a true sanctuary of the one wanting to rest upon a pure mind. Which nations God forbids altogether to enter into the church; for what else would we more properly suppose God forbids to enter into a soul numbered in the church of God than the works and the mindset of the flesh, truly being nations hostile to God? “For the flesh campaigns against the spirit,” (Galatians 5:17) “the mindset of the flesh being enmity unto God” (Romans 8:7); “for it is not subject to the law of God; for it is not even able.” (Romans 8:7) (Galatians 5:17) (Romans 8:7)
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They groaned in famine; traded what the enemy left for food§28
28They were groaning because of famine, and for the sake of a small bit of food that turns back a failing soul they were giving over the most honorable things. And how were they giving the aforementioned desirable things—carried off by the enemies—unto purchase of food? But “the enemy stretched out the hand upon all,” (Lamentations 1:10) and having been filled by taking what he wanted, he left the rest; in exchange for which they bought the food.
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Esau’s trade; soul casts away divine lessons for necessities§29
29A prayer from Jerusalem: “See, O Lord, my dishonor,” (Lamentations 1:11) she who has lost the adornment because of famine. And perhaps the desirable things are different—primarily the ones shown before “upon which the enemy stretched out the hand,” (Lamentations 1:10) and secondarily those of each one from the people; and the common ones he took, but in exchange for the private ones each was buying food. And toward the ascent-sense: just as Esau gave away the birthrights for the sake of red food, of which he has become namesake—Edom, that is Red earth; for he also became earthy, having despised the birthrights and having made the earthly things primary, which Jacob pursued as necessary in a secondary account because of being in a body—so also Jerusalem. But the one gives to worthy Jacob to obtain what desirable things he had, even if he did not choose these first; and the people of Jerusalem also gave for the sake of food, but not of a holy one preparing this, but of Babylonians who were going to insult the desirable things given. For Jacob knows how to adorn the things from Esau, but the Babylonians do not use the things given unto their own good. So also a soul, through lack of the necessary needs, throws away the divine lessons to those who from curiosity want to learn unto slander and mockery.
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Fire of capture; nets of slavery; city in continual grief§30
30He has shown the burning at the capture that touched the strongest buildings, or the capture of the outstanding citizens in her, being as it were fired in soul and in the outward things by the calamities. It also shows the seizure of those below unto slavery as in a catch of nets—of those who did not use freedom well. For these, not stretching forward unto the things ahead of the things behind, were turning away from glory unto dishonor, from freedom unto slavery, and have become, instead of glorious ones, dimmed and unseen from dishonor and insolence; because of which the city has fallen into continual grief (Lamentations 1:13) (Philippians 3:13).
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Yoke of impieties; conscience as choking yoke§31
31Providence, she says, has not slept over my impieties; for God, as if taking them into hands through examination, has woven them into the works that are for repayment. And these have become for me just as a yoke upon a neck and have set slavery; for the slavery I served to Nebuchadnezzar is my impieties, for which reason I have become without tension, having been handed over to those whose mastery I cannot endure.
And after a few: “His yoke is upon my neck.” (Lamentations 1:14) And through the present saying it is shown that one must take more tropically the things said as about our passions concerning God. For how else have the impieties of Jerusalem been woven with the hand of God, except tropically? For no one would say these things also bodily. And how is it not out of place, Jerusalem being a city, for the neck to be taken tropically, but the members spoken of as of God not to be heard in the same manner? And let the present things be said as by a soul that has fallen asleep unto impiety, in having thrown off the saving yoke of the sound word—which the Savior names kind—and having slipped under the yoke of the impieties, through which she grew weak, having been left of the divine oversight and handed over to sin that reigns among the evils, whose wills, because of the unbounded and infinite character of wickedness, she cannot altogether serve and provide satiety. And truly sin humbles and chokes and makes one look downward; and a yoke also is the conscience, always choking and wounding and not allowing one to lift the head and stripping away all boldness of speech. And a paresis, she says, of the strength which I used not well, he has made, and I am loosed as I behold the evils that hold me together (Matthew 11:30) (Romans 6:12–14).
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Lord trampled the winepress; cup of unmixed wrath§32
32He did not take them up out of my midst (for even if I had been deprived of them, it was still possible to use them for other things), but in my midst he condemned them to suffer because of the things in which I was impious, and my chosen ones have suffered the harshest things—the Lord himself having trampled the wine of his wrath in a winepress unto fullness for me and for the virgin of most-kingly Judah. And he would call “strong” (Lamentations 1:15) those powerful in war and shielding the homeland, and “chosen” the well-born or wise. And “he trampled a winepress” clarifies what is said in the Psalms about the punishment of sinners: “a cup is in the hand of the Lord, full of unmixed mixture,” (Psalm 75:8) being tipped from this one being punished upon that one being punished, until “all the sinners of the earth” drink, the lees being left for those still more sinful than these, into whom last “the lees” will be emptied.
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Whatever one farms one also gathers; winepress for healing§33
33And it is not hard to see how the Lord trampled a winepress for a virgin daughter of Judah; for since “whatever each sows, these things he will also reap,” (Galatians 6:7) perhaps also whatever one farms, these things he also gathers. The one who has made better wine, then, will be gladdened from his own products; but the one who farmed a vine of Sodom and a branch of Gomorrah and bore fruit of a grape of gall and a cluster of bitterness and an incurable wrath of asps—all the evils being gathered by the Lord into one winepress, his base works being trampled and squeezed—will drink in sequence from such fruits for the sake of vomiting the gall and the bitterness and the wrath. And he will drink, according to Jeremiah unto vomiting out, and according to Isaiah unto being awakened and putting on the glory that is kindred; for not in vain does the Lord trample a winepress, and especially for a virgin daughter of Judah (Galatians 6:7) (Deuteronomy 32:32–33) (Isaiah 51:17).
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Soul stripped of gifts; mourning promised comfort§34
34The soul, then, having received from the one who created her many strong and chosen gifts, having been deprived of these through wickedness and paying penalties, confesses what she has suffered. And the time called unto being crushed is the time of repayment, when according to Ezekiel all the righteous deeds which the righteous one has done will not be remembered in a day of sin. And mourning the things that have befallen she is benefited—those who mourn and weep having the promise of comfort and of laughter (Lamentations 1:15) (Ezekiel 18:24) (Matthew 5:4) (Luke 6:21).
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No restorer of the soul; enemy fed by our sins§35
35She said the cause of the lamentations to be that there is none turning her soul back—or, according to Symmachus, reclaiming it. And she says the sons also have vanished, the enemy having been empowered through the things in which they were sinning; for when we are pious he does not prevail—for he is weak when we advance, and is put to death when we are perfected, and is crushed under the feet, being made fine as dust before the face of wind, and as mud of streets being made fine. For analogously to the things in which we sin he is fed and gains power; but when we have ceased from stumbling he is as it were destroyed by famine. And from the opposites: when we do well we strengthen the divine powers for ourselves, and when we sin we chase them away. For which reason Symmachus instead of “vanished” (Lamentations 1:16) rendered “deserted.” (Psalm 18:42) And a contemplative soul would say these things—being of the Word of the truth and through slackness having lost this gladdening Word and all the fruits that are named her sons—because wickedness hostile against her has been empowered (Lamentations 1:16).
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Zion the mountain; Jacob surrounded by afflictors§36
36Zion, she says, is the mountain, and Jacob the people, and Jerusalem the mother-city. And God commanded to Jacob commandments through which, being transgressed, he was surrounded by enemies; and according to Symmachus and according to another edition of the Seventy, the Lord commanded those afflicting him to come to be round about him—to the powers arranged unto harming (Lamentations 1:17).
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Jerusalem unclean as in menstruation; Zion’s idle hands§37
37He has shown the uncleanness of Jerusalem through sin as through menstruation. And “in the midst” (Lamentations 1:17) he says either of Zion and of Jacob, or of the whole mountain (for she has been built in a part of it) and of the whole people—Jacob now signifying the twelve scepters. And twofold according to the wording one can take Zion and Jerusalem: either the places or the inhabitants. But if Zion is a place, her hands are the works—for example farming and whatever is handmade—he says spread out and not drawn together nor doing the fitting work with hands, as in an idle and deserted country. And if he means the inhabitants, hands would be farmers and workers, not drawing the hands together unto works because of the things that have surrounded. And if the hands of Zion are tropologized, how much more the members of God according to the scripture. And the mountain itself, so to speak, with the nation groans, having for comfort neither God nor a holy man.
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Mouth of the Lord is the prophets; blood repaid in captivity§38
38Mouth of the Lord must be taken as the prophets, of whom Isaiah being one was saying: “For the mouth of the Lord has spoken these things.” (Isaiah 1:20) And Jerusalem has been reproached by the Savior as “having killed the prophets,” (Isaiah 1:20) inasmuch as she also embittered the mouth of the Lord, having given them over to most bitter pains. And God, who seeks out the blood of the prophets, hands over her young men and virgins to captivities from wars and again. In return, then, for what she has suffered, she confesses, providing herself as an example to the others, toward their not suffering similar things—having learned the righteousness of God (Matthew 23:37) (Luke 11:50).
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Virgins and young men as the holy who share suffering§39
39After the perceptible: understand virgins as those living in incorruption, and young men as those well-approved in virtue. For often even the holy ones suffer with those liable (Lamentations 1:18).
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Lovers become enemies; Oholah and Oholibah§40
40Who the lovers are, Ezekiel has shown, saying to Jerusalem, whom he calls Oholibah: “Thus says the Lord: Behold, I raise up your lovers against you round about, sons of Babylon and all the Chaldeans” (Ezekiel 23:22); for these, formerly being friends, according to divine providence changed unto enmity. Which indeed often comes about upon desire turning toward hate; for he says concerning Samaria: “And Oholah whored from me and set herself upon her lovers the Assyrians” (Ezekiel 23:5); and after a little: “For this reason he handed her over into hands of her lovers, into hands of sons of Assyrians” (Ezekiel 23:9); and he says also concerning Jerusalem: “And her sister Oholibah saw, and she corrupted her setting-upon beyond the whoredom of her sister, and she set herself upon the sons of the Assyrians.” (Ezekiel 23:11-12) (Ezekiel 23:11–12)
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Prophecy foresaw; Lament feels; city personified§41
41In the prophecy, then, he grieves in soul as one about to suffer most terrible things; but in the present Lament, as these things having already befallen, he is weighed down and through sins confesses that the kindness of God has set herself most bitter—so as even for the many-childed to be made childless, and the most terrible thing, by a hostile hand. And there being a personification, one must not seek a city’s womb that has given birth and a heart that has been loosed (Lamentations 1:20).
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Jerusalem’s fall opens salvation to the nations§42
42Jerusalem divides the word toward the enemies, whom she wants to hear, and toward God. But why does she call the enemies unto hearing? And what does she say to God about them—as that they rejoiced? Perhaps, then, since by her and Israel’s stumbling the salvation has come to be for the nations unto making them jealous, and when the fullness of the nations has entered, then all Israel will be saved—toward those from the nations she speaks the first things prophetically, and toward God the second. I have been left to suffer so that you may receive room, and I have become because of you an enemy of God, though according to the election beloved because of the fathers. Therefore, having heard my groaning, understand also the cause of this; for completely unto your salvation I have been left behind, not having the one always comforting me after trial of evils. For now a ruler has failed from Judah, and a leader from the thighs; for he has come for whom the things laid away were, the expectation of the nations—whose blood being avenged, there is no longer anyone comforting Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:21) (Romans 11:11) (Romans 11:25–28) (Genesis 49:10).
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Let their evil come under oversight unto healing§43
43That is: let their wickedness not still more be left free to use, but let it come to be in your oversight—as if someone should pray that wounds come into sight of a physician toward obtaining complete healing; for this is the “all.” (Lamentations 1:22) For most blessed is first not to sin, and second that all our wickedness be overseen by God.
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Gleaning after vintage; enemies cleaned like vines§44
44And “to glean” (Lamentations 1:22) is after vintage to gather the small things of what was left, which the poor do. Just as, then, when you were overseeing carefully, you were cleansing my branches, taking away all the worse things even unto the smallest—of the grape and of the cluster of bitterness—so do this to my enemies; for this profits me, if after they have been completely saved I too according to your judgment, O Lord, will obtain salvation; whom seeing I have both been greatly pained and condemned myself, needing the oversight from you (Deuteronomy 32:32).
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Horns of rulers shattered; fire of passions§45
45Like the word in David: “he will crush all the horns of the sinners.” (Psalm 75:10) And he means now the rulers, in whom is the strength of the nation just as in the horn-bearing among animals, and because they stand out from the body as rulers from the subjects. And Daniel also likened the kingdoms to horns. And horn also shows the arrogance of the leading part, as in: “do not lift your horn unto height.” (Psalm 75:5) Having turned away, then, his saving hand he made them easy to take for the enemies, whom indeed he also called a flame consuming all. And you would also say every outstanding thought a horn, and fire the “passions of dishonor,” (Romans 1:26) to which the one stumbling is handed over, having lost all the surrounding help according to: “the angel of the Lord will encamp round about those who fear him.” (Psalm 34:7)
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God punishes as if an enemy; bow and right hand§46
46For even in the temple the enemies dared the slaughters, God permitting. And well the “as an enemy” (Lamentations 2:4); for God does not punish as being hostile, but wanting to benefit either those suffering or those seeing. And he calls the temple a tent according to the sanctuary from the beginning, and a bow the punishing power as in Habakkuk: “stretching you will stretch your bow upon the scepters, says the Lord” (Habakkuk 3:9)—clearly the opposing rulers and authorities. And the Son, being right hand of God and Father, strongly contended, having also destroyed the idols which they set in the temple of God (for these are desire of eyes), having killed instead of the idols the demons that settled in (Ephesians 6:12) (1 John 2:16).
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Palaces as virtues razed; demolition not of proud heights§47
47“Palaces” (Lamentations 2:5) he says for the houses, which Symmachus rendered “kingdoms.” And he takes up the laments again, as someone greatly pained upon mourning. And again he shows that she has taken on a lowly reckoning and a lowly thought, the things like houses and fortresses having been taken down, as filling the leading part. For virtues are the houses—for by them we are sheltered—and fortifications the irrefutable reasonings. For the demolition now is not of worse heights, “lifting themselves up against the knowledge of God,” (Lamentations 2:5) nor of lowliness according to which one “learns the judgments of God”; for these are of a character for joy, not for grief.
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Tent and vineyard razed; feasts hated; king and priest angered§48
48Tent he calls the temple, and vine and vineyard Israel according to “a vine from Egypt you removed” (Psalm 80:8) in David, and “a vineyard came to be for the beloved” (Isaiah 5:1) in Isaiah. And David adds: “why did you take down its fence?” (Psalm 80:12) and what follows; and Isaiah: “you removed its fence” (Isaiah 5:5) and the things upon this. These things the present Lament also has shown. For God, having drawn together his own guard, handed them over to the enemies, no longer encamping round about him because of not fearing the Lord. And he has also abolished the times according to law unto worship, as in Isaiah he says: “fast and rest and your feasts my soul hates” (Isaiah 1:14)—which he called a forgetting, but not as a human passion. And he provoked king and priest, being indignant if, being a portion of God, they undergo such things from the impious (Lamentations 2:6).
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Liturgical vessels handed over; altar of the soul§49
49He handed over the liturgical vessels, no longer being well-pleased with the sacrifices from the impious according to: “whole burnt offerings of rams and fat of lambs and blood of bulls and goats I do not want.” (Isaiah 1:11) And he also handed over the wall holding together the houses of the city—or the palaces, as Symmachus rendered. And the hostile ones, having taken even the temple, were then celebrating as upon a complete victory, shouting. And altar of a soul is the rational part in us, through which the passions are sacrificed when being put to death (Isaiah 1:11).
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Measuring line stretches the punishment§50
50For he has taken away all her security, having stretched out the measure of the punishment—which indeed Zechariah also has seen (Lamentations 2:8) (Zechariah 2:1–2).
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Wall and rampart mourn; angels grieve a fallen soul§51
51And wall and rampart mourn—things worthy of mourning, becoming causes of weeping also for those who see; for “who will scatter the counsel of the Lord? and who will turn back his high hand?” (Isaiah 14:27) according to blessed Isaiah. And for such a city or soul mourning so as to be a trampling for the enemies, it is likely that angels mourn—those who formerly were guarding her, others upon others, both greater and subordinate. For if they rejoice over those saved, how will they not mourn over those who have fallen (Isaiah 14:27) (Luke 15:10)?
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Gates sunk; king and law lost; soul becomes Babylon§52
52For as if swallowed by earth or sea they have become unseen. And king and rulers and the false prophets have also perished, and her law by necessity of slavery—which indeed by choice even before being captured they had dissolved. And gates of a soul are the senses, which when she sins are both flooded by passions and become earthy. And the powers of the soul that keep these also are loosed, when mind that rules and ruling reasonings have perished in the passions—when both law and order of the soul are destroyed and she becomes Babylon, being full of Confusion, having nothing providential helped by God (Lamentations 2:9).
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Elders silent in fear; virgins look down; virtue turned earthy§53
53He narrates painful sights that have come to be in the place of gladness; for by fear they were not permitting even the elders to lament, and they prepared the first virgins to look unto the earth, lest appearing they draw them by force from the beauty in which they were foremost. And you would also say those long ago elders in virtue—for which they were so called—having become earthy and settled in irrational passions, still do nothing according to reason, and having made earthy the leading spirit in them and having made the sobriety they once had worthy of mourning and having corrupted reasonings which formerly they were keeping incorrupt (Lamentations 2:10).
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Prophet’s glory; infants faint; Paul shares weakness§54
54The prophet calls his own glory both temple of God and piety of homeland. And the famine was working the fainting of the infants. And you would say more loftily that he makes his own the passions of those kindred according to flesh according to “who is weak, and I am not weak?” (2 Corinthians 11:29)—taking up those difficult things according to their soul: a withering of true knowledge and an unstable bearing of the reasoning toward the earthly things and a deprivation of that which lifts the head according to “you, O Lord, are my helper, my glory, and the one lifting my head.” (Lamentations 2:11) (Psalm 3:3)
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Incomparable wound; only God heals the blow he strikes§55
55He has shown the complete wickedness, as having no witness of virtue at all, nor anyone who has stumbled in similar things. For what sin is like that of the one far from God and of the one who after drawing near has thrown off the reins? For “if I had not come,” (John 15:22) he says, “and spoken to them, they would not have sin.” (John 15:22) For which reason also “among those who draw near to me I will be sanctified” (Leviticus 10:3); because the one who does not know the will of the Lord and does not do it will be beaten with few blows; but the one who knows and does not do it will be beaten with many. The passion so great, then, which prophets have not been able to heal, needs God alone. For which reason he has also worn flesh—the prophets confessing weakness in “Lord, who has believed our report?” (Isaiah 53:1) And formerly Jerusalem was also saying: “See if there is a passion according to my passion.” (Lamentations 1:12) The one who struck, then, will heal—“for he himself makes to suffer and again restores.” (Job 5:18) The “who” is taken both of the rare and of the none; for no human being can heal the blow brought on by God.
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Vain prophecy; true oracles join to God§56
56Vain prophecy is that which has no outcome and which vain idols prepare. And from themselves some were prophesying, forsooth, “for a handful of barley and a fragment of bread” (Ezekiel 13:19) according to what is written—who do not know how to reprove sins and to save from the captivity under demons, twisting the souls through smooth speech. And just as of the true ones the oracle and the word which they receive from God is by nature true and joins to God, so that of the demons is both false and distancing from God and thrust out from the inclination from there. And what are the thrustings-out that are not vain, just as has been shown, and the oracles? Clearly those that thrust out error and lead toward God (Lamentations 2:14).
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Devil as lion and serpent; sun of passions§57
57For “our enemy the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may swallow” (1 Peter 5:8) and as a serpent sending the hissings upon us. Yet may it not come about that he say “I have swallowed,” (Psalm 124:2–3) nor that he overtake in us a day which the scorching sun works; for it has been said: “the sun will not scorch you by day” (Psalm 121:6)—for with pleasures and wrath he scorches and provides the error as light and knowledge. Singing psalms, then, we will say: “if the Lord had not been in us, then living they would have swallowed us,” (1 Peter 5:8) and “the lamp of the impious will be quenched.” (Job 18:5)
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Enemies did nothing of themselves; Moses foretold§58
58Nothing, she says, did the enemies do from themselves; for it seemed good to God and has come to be. For which reason Nebuzaradan also was saying: “the Lord your God has spoken these evils unto this place, and the Lord has brought them on, because you sinned against him.” (Jeremiah 40:2-3) Everyone, then, who disbelieves the judgment will hear these words. All the prophets, then, were foretelling these things, and from ancient days Moses in Deuteronomy announced these things beforehand (Jeremiah 40:2–3).
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Wall personified; tears of repentance; cling to Christ§59
59There are times when scripture makes the words full of feeling and gives perception to the unperceiving, introducing hills leaping and mountains skipping, and calling hills and stones to witness; which in these things is impossible, the wall having already been taken down by enemies. Wall here, then, is both king and rulers and as many as by power were walling her round—whom he counts worthy to pour unceasing tears of repentance, which the fallen wall throughout procures for those who see. These things, he says, belong to them—even if again he signifies the grief of the power that long ago was guarding, showing this hyperbolically. “And in affliction,” he says, “they remembered the Lord from their whole heart.” (Lamentations 2:18) Do this, then, he says, weeping night and day and “on your beds be pricked” (Psalm 4:4); and do not consider release from these things to be sobriety; for repentance is unto salvation. And one is sober not by ceasing from good things, but from worse ones. And join the mind continually toward Christ, so that he may guard you as pupil of an eye and may become a wall for you (2 Corinthians 7:10) (Deuteronomy 32:10).
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Night watches; meditate; stay awake for the Lord§60
60The night is attentive, the soul being gathered together in it in the quiet of the senses. Then he commands to meditate in the commandments of God and to say with David: “by night I was meditating with my heart, and my spirit was searching.” (Psalm 77:6) And the night being divided into four watches, say with David: “my eyes anticipated the watches,” (Psalm 119:148) and with Habakkuk: “upon my watch I will stand, and I will look out what the Lord God will speak in me.” (Habakkuk 2:1) For then you will say: “for he will speak peace upon his people.” (Psalm 85:8) Meditate, then, in the night of the present age; for “the wrestling is not for you toward blood and flesh, but toward the rulers, toward the authorities” (Ephesians 6:12); for “you do not know when the lord of the house comes, late or at midnight or at cock-crow or early; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.” (Mark 13:36) And again: “for if you had known in what watch the thief comes, you would have stayed awake and would not have let your house be dug through.” (Matthew 24:43)
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Lift hands by good works; infants faint without the Word§61
61Lift your hands toward him through the working of the good things. The contest is not about chance matters—your infants failing through lack of the divine Word and standing upon the beginning of all the ways out, of the commandments of God, and not able to advance without God’s cooperation and of the bread that strengthens the heart (Lamentations 2:19) (Psalm 104:15).
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Jerusalem prays; Law’s threats proved true; priest slain in sanctuary§62
62The prophet having exhorted, Jerusalem was persuaded and says toward God: “do not turn your face away from me,” (Psalm 27:9) “look upon me and have mercy on me,” (Psalm 25:16) “do not convict me in your wrath, nor discipline me in your anger.” (Psalm 6:1) The blow is greater than human nature. I know I transgressed the law and the penalties from there in which is also “you will eat the offspring of your belly, flesh of your sons and your daughters.” (Leviticus 26:29) I was thinking the words were as far as a threat; Lord, that “your law is truth.” (Psalm 119:142) And I had not heard of a slaughter of priest and prophet in the midst of a sanctuary (Lamentations 2:20).
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Young and virgin slain; exits of earth are life’s affairs§63
63Upon the earth were thrown all who through age were unable toward the toils—a sight exceedingly pitiable—as also a slaughter of young men and of virgins; would that even of these there were slaughters before being led away unto a more bitter life. And exits of earth are the affairs of life, in which they slept, not having stayed awake nor prayed, but having also closed in folly the eyes of the soul. And who are these? If children, not very amazing. But now before these, those seeming to have advanced according to virtue, and everyone incorrupt in soul and powerful in war, has become subject to enemies. You as good put such a life of theirs to rest, and you cut down every constitution of theirs unto evil (Lamentations 2:21) (Matthew 26:41).
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Neighbors’ feast of refuge emptied by wrath§64
64Those dwelling round about me, she says, in Judea were thinking the feast unto me a refuge, hoping salvation from there; of whom none has been left because of your wrath brought upon them. For through the things in which I sinned, the enemies have become many and powerful (Lamentations 2:22).
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New alphabet; prophet shares the city’s discipline§65
65Terrible things have befallen the prophet both before the city was taken and when this had been captured. For which reason, beginning another alphabetic sequence, he bewails himself, seeing poverty and desolation of the city through the Lord’s discipline. And he himself no less has come to be in lack of good things—at once having come to be in circumstance when he was convicting these, so as to say “I continued being mocked the whole day,” (Jeremiah 20:7) and at once also sharing in the calamities of their terrible things and from sympathy. And he also says according to David: “a shadow of death overshadowed me.” (Psalm 44:19) For when he seems for a short while to give relief to the pains, again he runs back making continuous punishment (Lamentations 3:3).
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Whole day means each day; hand swapped from gifts to discipline§66
66The “whole day” (Psalm 56:1) shows according to each day, as in David: “the whole day making war he afflicted me.” (Psalm 56:1) And “he turned his hand” would also signify that formerly supplying the good things to me, now he brings on the disciplines, as if having exchanged the hand.
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Rottenness from sin§67
67It signifies the rottenness that has befallen us from the sin (Lamentations 3:4).
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Persistent calamity ages like old age§68
68For a persistent calamity produces an old man’s weakness (Lamentations 3:4).
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Besieged in darkness; Jeremiah as type of Christ§69
69For he did not let me flee the terrible things, being besieged from everywhere. And perhaps he would also mean the enemy wall thrown around the city. And he has uttered the same voice as David who said: “they seated me in dark places as eternal dead” (Psalm 143:3)—this both through the prisons from the enemies and at once through the calamities from God; for trials are darkness of a soul. And specifically Pashhur also threw Jeremiah into the pit, being dark and without light—such as was also David’s cave in which he was hidden from Saul. And the two Laments could also be taken unto Christ, of whom Jeremiah was a type, having suffered so many things from Jews and at the end having been handed over to a tomb (Psalm 143:3) (Jeremiah 38:6).
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Inescapable evils; iron collar; prayer blocked§70
70He has surrounded me with inescapable evils, having set upon my neck a harsh and embittering people and a burden greater than according to me. And I was not heard to be lightened, though having prayed many times; for circumstances sometimes prevent the holy ones from being heard. And he would also mean a yoke and the iron collars, which instead of wooden ones by God’s command he put around himself; for a writing is also current: “for he made heavy the bronze of my neck.” (Lamentations 3:7–8) For he blocked my prayer also having said to him: “do not pray about them; for I will not hear you.” (Jeremiah 28:13) (Jeremiah 7:16)
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Ways blocked; fire of the Word; prophet not of sinners§71
71For having set out many times he was not allowed to decline the ministry. For he was saying: “I will not name the name of the Lord,” (Jeremiah 20:9) and as by fire he was being driven. And he also blocks the roads of the sinners, not allowing them to sin. But the prophet is not such—he who says: “I did not sit with a council of those playing.” (Jeremiah 15:17)
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Every arrow emptied against desire§72
72Every arrow of his, he says, he emptied against me, wounding my desire and not allowing me to act as I wish (Lamentations 3:12).
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Kidneys as desire; song of mockery; bitter ministry§73
73And kidneys in the scripture are the desirous part, and arrows the darts. And thereafter they were tearing me down as a liar, having made me a song. And formerly he was also saying: “I was sitting alone, because I was filled with bitterness” (Jeremiah 15:17) and what follows; for he was petitioning for them, and they were plotting, and yet it was not possible to decline the ministry. He was being embittered, then, both suffering from them and suffering-with those suffering and being weighed down beyond measure at those being impious (Jeremiah 15:17).
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Cheek struck; ash-bread; Job’s voice of despair§74
74With a pebble, he says, or by number—being struck upon the cheek according to each tooth—or with a hard stone. And according to David he also says: “I was eating ash as my bread,” (Psalm 102:9) showing that he was not even taking bread with pleasure because of affliction. It was not possible, then, for the soul to be in peace—herself being troubled and moreover seeing outward tumults, inward fights. For which reason, having hoped nothing useful, I uttered Job’s voices: “mercy has renounced me, and my hope from the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:16–18) For it was not possible to conquer the surrounding terrors (Job 6:14).
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Good to those who wait; quiet before providence§75
75For being good toward all he requires the endurance from us. For for the soul that will seek him, the seeking is good—she who would endure undisturbed until the mercy should meet, and not removing until the Lord’s salvation should appear, unto hoping unto another. And perhaps “and he will be quiet” (Lamentations 3:25–26) means not being busybody about the judgments of providence. One must, then, even if we are ignorant, not throw off the Lord’s reins.
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Kind yoke; sit alone; mono-way dwellers§76
76Because “his yoke is kind and the burden light.” (Matthew 11:30) Let no one assent with him about something; one must not be led away together, but even if he is isolated toward this, to endure in what has been decided and to be firmly settled. For “the Lord settles mono-way ones in a house,” (Psalm 68:6) says David, and “I am alone until I pass by” (Psalm 68:6)—clearly the trials, having obtained kindness (Psalm 141:10).
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Dust and ash; hope that does not shame§77
77For he will humble himself saying: “I am earth and ash,” (Genesis 18:27) if indeed he truly is a man, and he has been filled with the hope that does not shame—such as also “my soul was stuck to the floor.” (Genesis 18:27) (Romans 5:5) (Psalm 119:25)
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Not cast off forever; stop weeping after worthy repentance§78
78This also fits toward those in the captivity saying the things in the seventy-third Psalm: “why, O God, have you thrust away unto the end? has your wrath been angered upon sheep of your pasture?” (Psalm 74:1) And in concert is “the Lord will not thrust away unto the end, nor will he be wrathful unto the age” (Psalm 74:1); and he will say to the one who has repented toward worth: “let your voice leave off from weeping, and your eyes from tears.” (Jeremiah 31:16)
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Good and evil not both from God’s mouth; seek turning§79
79Through these we learn that the Lord has not said, nor is cause of the prisoners of the earth being humbled by the sin, nor of human judgments bending opposite God—he loves what is just and straight—nor of a human being becoming worthy to condemn; for the opposites cannot, he says, have come out from the Lord’s mouth, the good things and the evil; for neither does a tree make evil fruits, nor an evil tree good fruits. Being treated unjustly by evil ones, then, is beside the divine judgment, yet it still comes about among those overlooked by God, as happened to the Israelites under the enemies, and in God’s turning it is loosed. For which reason those handed over unto punishment must seek this out (Lamentations 3:38) (Matthew 7:18).
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Stop blaming the Creator; judge our own deeds§80
80Vainly, then, murmuring we bring the cause up upon the Creator; which the living human being does not have to do; for such a choice belongs to those dead in sins—unless perhaps it convicts the one living according to sin and blaming God. As having, then, no other cause than ourselves alone, having judged the things come about from ourselves let us turn back (Lamentations 3:39–40).
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Know yourself to turn; confess with unveiled face§81
81For it is not possible to turn toward the Lord for the one who has not known himself; and someone knows himself by bringing the understanding upon the deeds—at once inspecting them and at once also making them noetic. For then “with uncovered face we mirror the glory of the Lord,” and confessing the former things we will say that “we have sinned and stood away from you” (2 Corinthians 3:18) and “that you are just upon all that you have brought upon us.” (Daniel 9:5) (Daniel 9:14)
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Hearts upon hands: examine thoughts as if in hand§82
82The taking up of hearts upon hands seems to show that as if having taken our own thoughts in hand let us examine whether they are pure (Lamentations 3:41).
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Cloud of evils blocks prayer; no dove-wings over the wall§83
83And these things are part of the confession that has already come; for as darkness from a cloud you brought upon us the circumstances of the terrors, and being far from you pursued, you destroyed those dead in the sin through the punishment. And since our sins were standing us apart from you as a walling-off cloud, our prayer was not arriving toward you; for we did not have “wings of a dove” (Psalm 55:6) to fly over saying: “in God I will overleap a wall” (Psalm 18:29); for it was not easy to pass the sin, being both hard and dark and without share of a holy spirit (Psalm 18:29).
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Swallowed by fear; pride before fracture§84
84Symmachus: “panic.” (Psalm 7:15) With a whole mouth they swallowed and we were carried down into a depth of evils, having been filled with fear and confusion; for “into what he dug the sinner falls,” (Psalm 7:15) paying penalties of what he sinned. And since “before fracture insolence leads” (Proverbs 16:18) according to Solomon—that is, arrogance—we were both lifted up and fractured. From which David sings: “let a foot of arrogance not come to me, and a hand of a sinner not shake me.” (Psalm 36:11)
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Love does not reckon the evil§85
85And having suffered so many things he grieves beyond measure for those who have done them—thus “love does not reckon the evil.” (Lamentations 3:48) (1 Corinthians 13:5)
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Eye worn out yet tears continue; persistence draws mercy§86
86Instead of “my eye was worn out, and it will not be silent from there being no sobering,” (Lamentations 3:49) Symmachus said: “my eye persisted, and it did not cease from there being no relief.” And the Seventy show that although the eyes had weakened from a multitude of tears they still were not leaving off—he not being able to sober from the weeping—and Symmachus that I both persisted weeping and was not leaving off; for stretched-out prayer and intensification of tears draws God toward mercy.
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Tears as vintage; wait until God peeks in oversight§87
87For the tears cut me down, he says, just as a precise vintager a vine; and according to Symmachus, that the tears drowned me, by the metaphor of those being choked in waters. And enduring I will endure the Lord, until he turns his face away from us. And God’s peeking-through shows counting us worthy of the oversight. And he interprets the “beyond all” (Lamentations 3:50–51) by bringing it upon all—that is, upon their calamities; for the female gender is more pitiable than that of the males.
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Pit and bird-snare; gratis enmity; type of Christ§88
88Either what he has suffered he says—for he was thrown into a pit and as far as it went unto he died, but having been saved beyond hope with David: “my soul as a sparrow was delivered from the snare of the hunters” (Psalm 124:7); for it was not possible “to fall upon the earth without the Father who is in the heavens” (Matthew 10:29) according to the Savior’s voice. He says it, then, either about himself or also making the people’s passions his own. But the “gratis” (Matthew 10:29) would fittingly be said about him; for what injustice did he do them—rather, did he not benefit them?
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God judged; Christ and the nation’s capture§89
89God judged, having killed the false prophet and having handed over the king, and upon Christ having handed over the nation unto capture. And the “I before their eyes,” (Lamentations 3:58–63) that I was heavy to them even appearing.
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Finish them; worship ended; no longer nation of God§90
90He was also saying before: “finish them, and your word will be for me unto gladness and joy of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16)—these things after the plot against the Savior, when they were scattered everywhere; for “every just blood” (Matthew 23:35) came upon them. The, then, shows the worship according to them taking an end, and no longer being named a nation of God (Matthew 23:35).
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Shielding toil; chase in wrath if they will not seek§91
91The “shielding of heart” (Lamentations 3:65–66) is a toil for them, because you will give them a toil unto perception of how great you were when shielding them, so that they may seek you again. And if not, you will chase them in your wrath.
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Fourth alphabet; lament of the illustrious dimmed§92
92Beginning the fourth alphabetic sequence now present, he has taken up again especially the lament about the illustrious ones, saying the brilliance has been dimmed and has vanished poured out like water (Lamentations 4:1).
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Holy elect; broken cisterns; famous apostates§93
93And holy as elect because of the fathers, or because of the holy ones taken with Jehoiachin, whom he likened to good figs. And after a little: And of the exits leading from the holy land unto Babylon and unto the intelligible Babylonian, “so that they may be disciplined not to blaspheme.” (1 Timothy 1:20) And you would also say the lament upon those changing from piety—if they should be notable and should lead the others unto error—having left the spring of the living water and having become broken cisterns that cannot hold. From which fittingly they are poured out about error, groaning untimely (Jeremiah 24:5) (2 Kings 24:15) (Jeremiah 2:13).
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Gold-sons become clay pots in slavery§94
94Those prideful upon wealth, he says, or even more honorable than gold—how were they so likened to the cheap and shatterable ones, having been led away unto slavery? And he said they were likened to these also when, having gone down into the potter’s house and taking a vessel, he shattered it; and Isaiah also likened them to a city that has fallen, “and its falls will be as shatterings of a vessel.” (Lamentations 4:2) (Jeremiah 18:2–4) (Isaiah 30:14)
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Famine of glorious infants; dragons and Sirens§95
95About famine of the glorious infants he speaks, as Jerusalem not even having been able like the wild animals to hold out a breast to them. And the excess of the passion also works a forgetting of nature. And dragons—or also the Sirens according to Symmachus—you will hear as the evil spirits, those who nursed their own newborns with evil milk. And such are those introduced by the teachings of the impious (Lamentations 4:3).
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Effeminate sons; ostriches; teachers as Sirens§96
96For how are they not daughters—those made effeminate, whom Pharaoh also preserves, killing the males? Who also graze upon the teaching, the desert of God, not able like ostriches to fly away, but always running the earth? For “sparrow” (Lamentations 4:3) Symmachus rendered thus, and their teachers he not unfittingly called Sirens. For according to the outer myth these through pleasure were destroying those who met them, just as dragons by biting inject the poison. He reproaches, then, the supposedly good teachers, that not even like these they were eager about those attending (Exodus 1:16–22).
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Siege thirst; famine of hearing the Word§97
97These things they have suffered both being besieged and being led away. And you would also say that “they endured a famine not of bread, not of water” (Amos 8:11) according to the prophetic word, “but of hearing a word of the Lord.” (Amos 8:11) For which reason he prophesies of them as newborns.
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History of captivity; sense is famine of teaching§98
98Historically he has returned upon the things that happened upon the captivity; but toward the sense he speaks about the famine of the teaching word (Lamentations 4:4).
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Rich more pitiable; empty study; diaspora exits§99
99For the poor who are mistreated are not so pitiable. And Paul also laments these, saying “of whom is the adoption and the glory.” (Romans 9:4) For now meditating empty things they do not delight in Moses and the prophets—“delight in the Lord.” (Psalm 37:4) For there is no one baking the nourishing word for them, nor do they share in the fatted calf though themselves having sacrificed. And he calls exits the dispersions, or also the turnings-aside of the legal writings (Psalm 37:4) (Luke 15:23).
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Cradled on scarlet; now rag-clad in earthy thoughts§100
100Formerly they were being nursed upon scarlet, having heard prophetically beforehand the Savior’s blood about to be poured out, and now being rag-clad from the earthy thoughts (Lamentations 4:5).
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Jerusalem’s lawlessness worse than Sodom’s§101
101Symmachus rendered “as haste” (Lamentations 4:6) suddenly, and “they did not labor” as “which they did not wound.” For what is swifter than a divine word that has said: “behold, your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38) and has handed over by willing alone? And Jerusalem’s lawlessness was magnified beyond that of Sodom. Those had only the natural law; these also a written one and prophets and as many wonders as God was working among them. And those sinned toward angels and toward like human beings; these toward the Savior and redeemer—formerly from Egypt, and now from worship of demons—if they had received the one who came primarily toward them. For “I was not sent,” he says, “except unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)
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Nazirites whiter than snow; sapphire limbs§102
102Symmachus: “her unmarked ones set apart than snow, brighter than milk, redder in habit beyond the admired things, sapphire their limbs.” (Lamentations 4:7) He means those who consecrated themselves to God; for “consecrated ones” (Amos 2:11–12) is what Nazirites shows—thus Symmachus and Theodotion in Amos rendered the consecrated ones, having said Nazirites. Moses also mentions these; and such was also Samson. And among Jews they were also eminent. For which reason he compared their purity to snow, and their brightness to milk; and they were fired, having been tested by the askesis of what they were promising to God; and their elect (which is the “fragment”) have a heavenly way of life; for such is sapphire’s color. And it also has goldish veins, to which indeed Symmachus likens their habit, having the incorrupt and the fiery according to piety.
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Nazirites darkened; dry wood without water§103
103They fell out of the spiritual illumination and were melted by the intelligible famine, so as to resemble dry woods, those not planted beside the exits of the waters—such as now are the priests among them, not having spiritual good-nourishment. And according to the wording also, their faces were being blackened of extreme shame because sinning like the others they were being led away; since even now upon those being shamed custom has used the name (Lamentations 4:8) (Psalm 1:3).
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Better sword-death than famine; Word as sword; Bethlehem bread§104
104For better to die swiftly in war than to be mastered by famine through lack of the field’s products. And you would say a sword and a dagger is also the word of God; for Paul says: “and the sword of the spirit, which is a saying of God,” (Ephesians 6:17) by which, the bride says, “I am wounded with love.” (Song of Songs 2:5) And David also says: “gird your sword upon your thigh, O powerful one, in your beauty and your comeliness.” (Psalm 45:3) Those struck by such a sword fall under Jesus’s feet according to “peoples will fall under you,” (Psalm 45:3) having confessed his kingdom, but not to be taken by a soul-famine. For offspring of a country is the Christ, the one born in Bethlehem, which is signified House of Bread—of whom Jews having become untasting were led away unto a country of demons. And a field blessed by the Lord and very fragrant, of which Jacob was smelling, shows Christ’s church (Genesis 27:27).
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Compassionate women ate children; Roman siege shatter§105
105Lest the women seem to have eaten the children through savagery, he says they are compassionate; and he attaches the passion to the necessity of lack. And “they kindled” (Lamentations 4:10) shows the kindling and roasting, which indeed came about upon the Romans’ siege; for which reason he also calls the complete destruction of the nation a shatter. And in the second alphabetic sequence of the Laments he also remembers the present passion. And this and the other passions Josephus has handed down with precision in the things about the capture (Lamentations 2:20).
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Completed after Christ’s sojourn§106
106For after Christ’s sojourn they were completed (Lamentations 4:11).
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Kings never thought Jerusalem enterable; demons as kings§107
107Perhaps both through the strength of the places and of the wall and the strength of the inhabitants, and especially through God who was always shielding the city. And yet before Nebuchadnezzar the Egyptian, having entered, many times took the treasures from the Lord’s house, but not having sacked the city; for he was not pressing very hard, even if he was an enemy—toward it not being inconsistent for the paradoxical thing to come about even twice and thrice. And he would also mean kings of the earth as the demons who ruled the earthy ones, about whom it has been said: “all the kings of the earth stood by and their rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.” (Acts 4:26) About who these are, “for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8) made clear, and “so that the many-colored wisdom of God may be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies through the church” (1 Corinthians 2:8); for they were thinking Jerusalem not to be handed over unto the end, thinking the promise toward the fathers as far as this nation, knowing nothing about Christ (Ephesians 3:10).
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Just blood is chiefly Christ’s§108
108Just blood chiefly is that of the Savior Christ, which having poured out they completely perished, being moderately chastened upon the prophets’ bloods (Lamentations 4:13).
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Angels as watchers leave the temple; no vision§109
109Symmachus says: “they became unsettled, blind in the exits, they were stained in blood, so as not to be able to touch their garment.” (Lamentations 4:14) Scripture calls the angels watchers, as in Daniel. And these were those through whom perhaps also the law through Moses was given according to “for if the law spoken through angels.” (Hebrews 2:2) These, then, attending upon her and the divine temple, having been shaken transferred. For Josephus in the things about the capture narrates that “by night the priests, having approached into the sanctuary, as was custom for them toward the liturgies, first said they were perceiving a movement, and after these things a crowded voice: let us transfer from here” (Hebrews 2:2)—when also according to Symmachus they became unsettled and wanderers and blind, he says, in the exits. For there was not a vision distinguishing, not a prophet, nor a leader; for they failed when he came for whom it was laid away, who was expectation of nations (Genesis 49:10).
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Flee the unclean; apostles turn to the nations§110
110He commands the apostles to flee from the midst of the Jews who have been polluted upon Christ’s blood, and he also entrusted their calling to the angels. Unless perhaps he orders the apostles to call them unclean unto repentance, which they did saying: “to you it was necessary for the word to be spoken first” (Acts 13:46); and when they were not willing, he commands to flee, for which reason they say as of those not willing: “behold, we turn unto the nations.” (Acts 13:46)
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Burning, captivity, and a lasting exile§111
111And “they were kindled” (Lamentations 4:15) shows the fire of the capture, and “they were shaken” the transfer unto slavery, and “they will not add to sojourn” that they will have a continuous sojourn, no longer needing a second.
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Lord’s face against evil-doers; priests’ face not received§112
112It shows the punishment from Christ; for David says: “the Lord’s face is upon those doing evils.” (Psalm 34:16) And they are not looked upon by him, remaining what they are; for “when the fullness of the nations has entered, all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25) and thereafter as faithful. And if it should be written “their portion,” clearly he says of those going out from the midst. And about the enemies: “they did not receive priests’ face,” (Lamentations 4:16) for they led all away.
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Trust in Egypt/Assyria vain; law saves no one after grace§113
113The word seems to be from the captives, repenting over those on whom they were leaning toward help—Egyptians and Assyrians. And it would also be said consistently by those from the circumcision who believed: we were failing emptily hoping unto the law; for the law saves no one, just as Paul said. Therefore neither will those hanging upon the law be able to help after the grace (Lamentations 4:17) (Galatians 3:11) (Romans 3:20).
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Apostles hunt childish Jews off the broad way§114
114For by the Savior having been appointed “fishers of human beings,” (Matthew 4:19) they were hunting Jews childish in thoughts, not to walk the broad and roomy road of their fathers—whom indeed the Savior also was hinting saying: “let the children come to me.” (Matthew 4:19) (Matthew 7:13) (Matthew 19:14)
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Mountains did not save; apostles’ eagle youth renewed§115
115For Josephus narrates that not even the mountains saved those fleeing. There, then, dragging us they were fastening, or rather toward judgment they were kindled against us. And it would also be understood about the apostles whose “youth was renewed as an eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:5)
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Christ the breath of our face; veil lifted; live in his shadow§116
116Some said that among the exceptional ones he more clearly laments Josiah; for they were hoping through his piety for Jerusalem to be raised in the midst of nations unto glory—for Jerusalem is in the midst of nations. And this one, they say, is a type of Christ, having died through the people’s lawlessnesses. And yet he was not seized in the people’s corruptions, but as the prophet forbade, having met Necho Pharaoh, though he was not willing to fight toward him. According to the divine apostle, then, “a veil lies upon the face of the Jews when Moses is read; but if it turns toward the Lord, the veil is taken around; and the Lord is the spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) And through the prophet he calls the Lord spirit. Those, then, upon whom a veil lies would not say: “spirit of our face is Christ the Lord,” (Lamentations 4:20) but those “mirroring the Lord’s glory with uncovered face,” (2 Corinthians 3:18) before whose mind’s eyes the Lord always is; so that clearly the spirit that worked in the prophets was the Christ, who also having become human says: “I myself who speak am present,” (Isaiah 52:6) himself being spirit and Lord and Christ. This one those who first corrupted in themselves the seeds of piety seized. But we the prophets, not considering another the spirit of our face, after our seizure no longer having a place in them, will live under Christ’s shadow—no longer among Jews, but in all the nations—when “the kingdom of God having been lifted from them” (Matthew 21:43) through the daring against Christ “was given to the nations.” (Matthew 21:43) For behold prophets live, speaking about him and proclaiming, but no longer among those who still even now surround him with their own corruptions, blaspheming him daily. And Aquila said “spirit of our nostrils,” and Symmachus “breath of our nostrils.” For the God-loving continually breathe Christ, having him before the eyes. And one must know that just as Christ being spirit spoke in the prophets, so also the Father; for Paul says in Hebrews: “God having spoken of old in many parts and in many ways in the prophets, upon the last of the days spoke to us in a Son.” (Hebrews 1:2) And thus also the Holy Spirit; for the Savior says: “well did the Holy Spirit say in Isaiah: with hearing you will hear, and you will not understand.” (Acts 28:25-26) And in Corinthians Paul, having said the gifts, among which is prophecy, says: “and all these the one and the same Spirit works, distributing to each as it wills” (1 Corinthians 12:11)—that is, authoritatively, not slavishly. And you would say “spirit of face is Christ,” the one who gifted us the spirit of prophecy; for this is prophets’ face, and spirit the gift, and shadow the law—“for the law having a shadow of the good things about to be.” (Hebrews 10:1) The prophets, then, lived among us and in the law’s shadow. The prophetic gift, then, toward which the outcome of all prophecy looks, is Christ—that is, from Christ. “For Christ is end of law and prophets.” (Romans 10:4) And it would also be said from the apostles’ and believers’ person; “for in him we both live and move and are” (Hebrews 10:1); of whom we said “in his shadow we will live,” that is according to imitation of him. For the divine apostle says: “become imitators of me just as I also of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
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Oracle against Edom; Christ sacks the Earthly§117
117The word is toward those from Edom and Esau the brother of Jacob, foretelling an excess of evils for them (for this is the “you will be drunk and you will pour out” (Lamentations 4:21)), about whom David also says: “remember, O Lord, the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, those saying: empty, empty, until the foundation in it.” (Psalm 137:7) For being brothers and neighbors, they preserved the ancestral hate. And having spoken about Christ unto a season he also remembered this. For Christ was about to sack the one called Earthly, working a heavenly. For virtue and knowledge are threatening toward those who love errors and passions—whose drunkenness is the death of the flesh, and over-outpouring also the putting-to-death of its mindset (Romans 8:6).
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Iniquity completed; church not handed over; end after Christ§118
118You have paid a sufficient penalty, in which Edom will succeed. And the “he will not add to relocate you” (Lamentations 4:22) either speaks toward the recalling—for you will not remain upon the captivity, having filled the complete measure; for God lessens the penalty, he does not add—or if it has been said toward a second capture as not about to come to be, how did the one after that under Romans come to be? Perhaps, then, the word is about the last one that came to be because of Christ, after which another has not come to be. And all Israel will be saved after the fullness of the nations, having left the lawlessness; after which thereafter the completion, and the punishment of the earthly things, the judgment receiving. And the word would also be said toward the church, which is daughter of the synagogue of old (“for the gifts of God are without regret,” and her lawlessness failed through the divine baptism), which he no longer hands over to the enemies who said: “here I will dwell, because I chose her” and “behold I am with you all the days until the completion of the age” (Matthew 28:20)—when he also pilloried the impiety of those who mind the earthly things (Philippians 3:19).
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