Pit and bird-snare; gratis enmity; type of Christ
Either 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”; for it was not possible “to fall upon the earth without the Father who is in the heavens” 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” would fittingly be said about him; for what injustice did he do them—rather, did he not benefit them?
Greek
Klagel. Jerem. 3, 52. Ἥ ἃ πέπονθε λέγει· ἐνεβλήθη γὰρ λάκκῳ καὶ ὄσον ἡκεν εἰς ἀπέθανεν, σωθεὶς δὲ παρ’ ἐλπίδα ἐλπίδα μετὰ Δαβίδ· «ἡ ψυχή μου ὡς στρουθίον ἐρρύσθη ἐκ τῆς παγίδος τῶν θηρευόντων«· οὐ γὰρ ἠν >πεσεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος φοινήν. ἢ τοίνυν δέ ἑαυτόν φησιν ἢ καὶ τὰ τοῦ λαοῦ οἰκειούμενος πάθη. ἀλλὰ τὸ δωρεὰν περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰκότως ἂν λέγοιτο· τί γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἡδίκησεν, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ εὐεργέτησεν;
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.