13. What does "one" (ά ό) mean? This means: without vicious people. I enjoy, he says, this peace before Thee, and I live alone, avoiding depraved people. And very fairly. As bodies often perish from the infection of spoiled air, so the soul often suffers harm from the association of vicious people, and as the healthy eye, looking at the sick, is struck, and the one suffering from scabies communicates his illness to the healthy, so it often happens to the soul from the association of vicious people. That is why Christ commanded not only to avoid such people, but also to reject them: "If," says He, "thy right eye offends thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee" (Matt. 5:29), meaning in this commandment not the eye, for what evil can the eye do when the soul is in a healthy state? but friends who are close to us, who have become as it were our members and harm us, commanding us not to value their friendship, in order to work out our own salvation more safely. That is why the prophet himself further says: "I have not sat with lying men, neither will I go with deceitful ones" (Psalm 25:4). And Jeremiah blesses the one who "sits alone and bears the yoke in his youth" (Lamentations 3:27,28). Likewise, in Proverbs much is said about this, and it is convincingly impressed upon all that it is necessary not only to evade, but also to flee from people who advise evil, and not to deal with them. In fact, if material objects are often damaged in us by touching something evil, how much more so are free beings? The color and health of the body belong to us by nature, but it happens that they also deteriorate from extraneous influences, contrary to them; also appetite by nature, but it is often lost in us from a sickly state; Many other similar cases can be seen. But if the natural functions change, then those who depend on free will are all the more so in proportion as they are capable of any change. Therefore, let us not consider it an unimportant harm to associate with bad people, but above all let us avoid such people, even if they are wives, friends, or whoever they are. It also destroyed great men, such as Solomon and Sampson; it also corrupted the whole people of Judah. Usually, it is not so much wild beasts that cause harm as vicious people; the latter clearly produce their poisonous actions, but these insensibly and silently spread the infection every day, gradually weakening the power of virtue. That is why the shameless look is forbidden by the Lord: "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt. 5:28): so easily and quickly is evil communicated! And when you intend to settle in the city, you try hard to find out everything about the climate there, whether it is harmful, damp, or dry; but when it comes to the soul, you do not in the least try to know those who have to enter into communion with it, but simply and indiscriminately entrust it to everyone. Tell me, what forgiveness can you get by showing her such contempt? Why, do you think, have the men who dwell in the deserts become wondrous and glorious? Is it not because they flee from the noise and marketplaces and have settled far from the smoke that rises in the midst of the cares of life? Imitate them too, trying to find the desert in the midst of the city. And how is this possible? If you flee from wicked people, if you follow the virtuous. In this way you will attain greater security than those who dwell in the deserts, not only by keeping away from harmful people, but also by associating with those who are useful. If you flee from wicked people and follow virtuous ones, you will gain a twofold benefit: you will increase virtuous deeds, and you will shorten vicious deeds. Therefore, in order that this may happen, let us do so, heeding the Psalmist, who says: "For You, O Lord, alone give me to live in safety." Here I will conclude my sermon, believing that a sufficient explanation of these sayings has been offered, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

1 Museum (ουεϊ) a building dedicated to the Muses, or a place designated for scholarly studies, a school.

2 Неизвестный переводчик, упоминаемый у Оригена в Экзаплах.

3 Т.е. когда Авраам жил в Гераре. Соседних с Гераром жителей св. Иоанн Златоуст называет персами.

4 Неизвестный переводчик, упоминаемый у Оригена в Экзаплах

5 Гомер в Одиссее рапс. 14-й, Феокрит в идиллии 4-й, и другие.

6 Платон в Кратиле

3. БЕСЕДА на псалом 5.

В конец, о наследствующем, псалом Давиду [1]

1 О наслeдствующем, псалом давиду,

2. Глаголы моя внуши, Господи, разумeй звание мое.

3 Вонми гласу моления моего, царю мой и Боже мой: яко к тебe помолюся, Господи.

4 Заутра услыши глас мой: заутра предстану ти, и узриши мя:

5 яко Бог не хотяй беззакония ты еси: не приселится к тебe лукавнуяй,