Roads of doctrines mourn when the contemplative power is captive
And 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.
Greek
Klagel. Jerem. 1, 4. Πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν· τῆς σκοπευτικῆς καὶ θεωρητικῆς δυνάμεως Σιὼν καλουμένης πολλαὶ ὁδοί εἰσι τῶν ποικίλων δογμάτων, μυστικῶν τε καὶ φυσικῶν καὶ ἠθικῶν, τάχα δὲ καὶ λογικῶν, αἱ φέρουσαι ἐπὶ τὴν κατανόησιν καὶ θέαν τῶν προκειμένων. ἐπὰν οὖν τις τὸ τούτων ἀσκητικὸν ἀπολέσας συγχυθῇ, πᾶσαι αὗται αἱ ὁδοὶ πενθοῦσιν οὐκ ὁδευόμεναι, πανηγύρεως μὲν ὑπαρχούσης ταῖς προειρημέναις ὁδοῖς, ὅτε ὁδευονται ἐξεταζόμεναι καί, ἵν᾿ οὕτως εἴπω, διαβαινόμεναι· πενθοῦσι δὲ ὅτε ἐρημοῦνται, οὐκ ἐρευνώμεναι οὐδὲ διεξοδευόμεναι διὰ τὸ ἀποπεπτωκέναι τοὺς ὁδεύοντας καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθέντας ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν περιεσπάσθαι περὶ τὰ χείρονα.
About this text
Origen, Fragments on Lamentations. Original English Translation from the Greek (Klostermann).
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.