6. What can be more deplorable, what is more miserable than such a life? I promised to show that Noah's condition was no better than that of those who constantly carry burdens and never have rest; but my word did much more, revealing to us that Noah's condition was not only no better, but much more difficult than theirs. It seems to many that Abraham lived complacently all the time, which is why they are accustomed to comparing with him those who are prosperous and happy in all respects. Let us consider what happened to him. In my opinion, he is much more than Noah and Abel... but I would rather say nothing until the very consideration of events has given us a solution. What happened to him in Persia, and whether anything sorrowful happened to him before the seventy years of his life, no one can know for sure. And Blessed Moses did not write us a history of this time, but, omitting all these years of his life, he began to narrate from the following years. And that Abraham probably suffered in the same way as Noah, when he alone wanted to live godly among so many wicked and foreigners, is not so unknown as the rest, and even the most foolish people can easily understand it. However, let us leave this for the moment; Let us begin with the migration of Abraham, considering first of all how far the land of the Chaldeans was from Palestine, what was the condition of the roads, what were the mutual relations of people, what was the social structure. From the fact that the righteous man easily obeyed, one should not now consider the matter itself easy, and from the fact that Moses spoke about the event concisely and briefly, it is not necessary to think that the deed itself is as brief as the words; it is easy to say and describe it; But it is not so easy to do, on the contrary, it is very difficult. The length of the journey, and how great the distance between these countries is, might therefore be said with certainty by those who would have come to us from there, if there were any. But we did not see any of them, and when we met one of those who were in a neighboring country and asked how much time he was to spend on the road, we heard that - thirty-five days; however, he said, he had not seen Babylon, but had heard from those who had been there that there was another way of equal length. Such was the distance then, and such is it now; but the condition of the roads then was not the same as it is now. Nowadays there are often inns, cities, and villages on the road, and the traveler may meet many travelers, and this is no less important for safety than the inn, the city, and the village. Moreover, the governors of the city, having chosen from the country men who differed from others in bodily strength, and who were able to act with javelin and sling in the same way as archers with arrows and spearmen with spears, and having placed over them commanders, relieved them of all other work, and entrusted them only with the protection of the roads. And then they devised another, more reliable, measure of security: having built dwellings by the roadside at a distance of a thousand paces from each other, they placed in them night watchmen, whose vigilance and supervision serve as a great obstacle to the attacks of evildoers. And in the time of Abraham there was none of this: no frequent villages, no cities, no inns; it was not soon that you could see an inn or a companion, or anything like that; not to mention the unevenness of the roads and the inconstancy of the winds, although even these inconveniences, even without them, can cause quite a lot of trouble to travelers. This can be witnessed by those who, having carts and draft animals, do not dare to go on them along the ordinary road, if they do not pave it with stones beforehand and, having blocked the potholes from the streams, do not level the road in this way. At that time, the road was more deserted than uninhabited places, more impassable than mountains, more dangerous than ditches and rocks. But I have not yet spoken of the most important inconvenience, which was the mutual relations of men, which caused them much more difficult difficulties than the road itself, since all were divided according to nations, or even according to cities. It was not then as it is now, when one power extends over the greater part of the universe, and all are subject to one man and governed by the same laws; but as one body cut into many parts, so was the human race divided at that time: the righteous had to exchange one enemy for another, and as soon as he fled from one, he always fell on another; because in one place there was a plurality of beginnings, in another – a lack of authority. What is more difficult than such a life? Moreover, Abraham feared and trembled not only for himself, but also for his father, and for his wife, and for his nephew. He also had no small concern for his servants, even when they were at home, and even more so when they often had to be in a foreign land. And if he had known exactly where his pilgrimage would end, his cares would not have been so unbearable; but now, having heard simply and vaguely about the earth, not about this or that, but what I will show you (Gen. 2:11). XII, 1), he mentally went around all countries and experienced great confusion in his soul, because he could not stop thinking anywhere, but had to doubt and worry about many things. He could have thought that he would go to the very ends of the universe and to the ocean, so that, although he did not go through the whole earth, he endured the anxiety of such a journey. In his heart he was ready not only to go as far as Palestine, but to follow everywhere, even if he were commanded to traverse the whole universe, or even to go to islands outside it. If, however, the vagueness of the command made one expect both of the opposite, then this too was difficult. Whoever has to endure something difficult is much easier to know clearly what he will be subjected to and what he must prepare for, than to rush his thoughts everywhere and wait for what is favorable, then unfavorable, and not to hope for anything, but equally not to trust both.

7. This happened to Abraham before his arrival in the promised land; but when he reached Palestine and hoped at last to calm down, then he found an even greater storm in the very harbor. And it is not easy, on the contrary, it is very difficult when someone, thinking that his sorrow is over, and that he is already free from it, therefore, putting aside all care and care, suddenly has to begin again to struggle with troubles. He who expects disasters can more easily endure their coming; but whoever has calmed down and renounced his cares, if something similar to the former happens to him again, is indignant and more easily succumbs to grief for two reasons: because of the suddenness of the calamity, and because he has laid aside all care and precaution. So, what storm came upon Abraham? At that time there was such a great famine in Palestine that Abraham immediately rose from there and went to Egypt. Having come there in the hope of finding deliverance from the calamity, he was again beset by a misfortune more grievous than famine, exposed to extreme danger. He then fell into such fear that he even decided to do what was most intolerable to all men; This is a mockery of their wives. He then went to such an extreme that he even resorted to hypocrisy, and what could be more difficult than this? What do you think was in his soul when he was forced to advise his wife as follows: "I know that you are a good wife." For when the Egyptians see thee, they shall say that this is his wife; and they will kill me, and they will provide for you. For I am his sister, that it may be good for thee for thy sake, and my soul may live for thy sake (Gen. 2:10). XII, 12, 13)? These words were spoken by one who had left for God his fatherland, and home, and friends, and relatives, and everything else in the house, and who had endured such sorrow and so much labor during the long time of his journey. However, he did not then say anything like this: "God has forsaken me, turned away, and deprived me of his providence"; no, he endured everything courageously and with faith; and whoever should be most angry when his wife was subjected to reproach in the greatest extremity, tried in every way that the reproach should not be made manifest. And with what this is combined with despondency and grief, it is impossible to express in words, but those who have had wives and have fallen into trouble with jealousy know this. Solomon also testifies to this passion when he says thus: "For her husband's wrath is full of jealousy; He will not spare in the day of judgment; He will not betray at the price of enmity, but will be resolved by many gifts (Prov. VI, 34); and again: strong as death, love, cruel, like hell, jealousy (Song of Songs. VIII, 6). And if the jealous one is thus inflamed, is not he more unfortunate than anyone who has fallen into such misfortune that he is even compelled to flatter the offender and to take every effort to ensure that the adulterer, whom he should take revenge, conveniently takes advantage of his wife? When these disasters were over, other difficulties arose again: the famine was followed by war. I do not speak now of the quarrel of the shepherds and the separation from his nephew, although even this, if compared with other circumstances, could cause (Abraham) great despondency. When Lot, who had been saved by him, and had received so much good, was therefore obliged to yield to him in all things, and to punish his shepherds, when this man, taking advantage of the choice given to him, took for himself the most fruitful countries, and left him more desolate places, who could easily bear it? I am not speaking of loss, but of the fact that he who has shown respect is himself disrespected, and receives the worst part, which seems to be heavier than any loss. However, I omit all this now, because we are talking about the Patriarch, and not about any of the ordinary people.

8. Thus the famine was followed by war with the Persians, and Abraham was compelled to march against them, not at the very beginning, when both sides were still strong, but when the allies were all put to flight, the victory was with the enemy, and no one could resist them, for some were utterly defeated, others fled, and some were enslaved by them. However, nothing kept Abraham at home, but, oppressed by great grief over what had happened, he went to share the misfortune with the vanquished, exposing himself to an obvious death; for it was possible to go out to battle with such a large army, having a little over three hundred household members, only by calculating and deciding on capture, torture and innumerable deaths. So he went ready to test the ferocity of the barbarians; but when he was saved by God's love for mankind and returned with booty and a relative, he again had to weep over his own grief – I mean childlessness and the fact that he did not have an heir. If you only now hear him complaining before God and saying, "What have you given me?" But I am departed childless (Gen. XV, 2), then do not think that he has now only felt this grief; no, this care and anxiety entered the house of the righteous man together with his young wife, or even before the wife herself. Usually, all of us, as soon as we begin to consult and talk about marriage, are disturbed by all the concerns associated with it, of which the most important is about children, and fear (childlessness) from that very day disturbs our souls. If it happens that one year, or two, or even three years (without children) pass after marriage, then despondency increases, and hopes for joy weaken; but when more time has passed, then hope completely leaves us, and despondency takes possession of the soul, darkening all the pleasures of life and not allowing us to enjoy anything. Thus, if none of such numerous disasters had befallen Abraham, but everything had been according to his wishes, only the despondency of childlessness, which accompanied all the events of his life, would have been able to darken and destroy all complacency. God's promise followed already in his extreme old age, when nature no longer gave hope (for childbearing); and all that preceded so long he spent in sorrow and sorrow; and the more he saw his wealth increase, the more he grieved, having no heir. What do you think he endured when he heard, "Thy seed shall be in a land that is not his own"; and they shall enslave me, and make me angry for four hundred years (Gen. XV, 13)? And the wife, who now advises Abraham to take her maidservant, and when he has taken her, reproaches and complains, calling upon God, and compels him to cast out the same maidservant who shared his bed and was preparing to bear him a son, whom would she not plunge into utter despondency? To those who think this is of little importance, let him remember that whole houses were upset because of this, and marvel at the righteous man. Although he bravely endured everything through the fear of God, he was a man and suffered and grieved because of all this. Then the maidservant returns to the master's house and bears him a natural son, and Abraham becomes a father after such a long time; This event gave him some pleasure, but still greater despondency. The natural son reminded him of the lawful and aroused the strongest desire of such a son. He thought that the words: "This (householder) shall not be thy heir, but he who shall come out of thee" (Gen. 2:10). XV, 4), were spoken of Ishmael, because nothing had yet been said of Sarah. When at last he received the clearest promise concerning Isaac, and the time of his birth was appointed, before he had time to enjoy this hope, the misfortunes of the Sodomites brought upon him a great cloud of sorrow. And that these calamities did not stir up the righteous man a little, this is evident to everyone from his very words and from the prayer which he lifted up to God for the Sodomites; And when he saw how that terrible rain poured down and everything suddenly turned to dust and ashes, he was already beside himself. If we see houses burning from afar, we are anxious and discouraged by sorrow and fear; what did he not tolerate, seeing how entire cities and villages, together with their inhabitants, were burned by an unusual, but strange and terrible fire? Were not these sufferings of the righteous like the waves on the sea, continually following one another? As there, when one wave has not yet disappeared, others rise, so it was in the whole life of this righteous man. Scarcely had the calamities of Sodom been accomplished than the king of Gerar tried to inflict on Sarah the same disgrace as Pharaoh; and again the wife was forced to resort to lamentable hypocrisy, and dishonor would indeed have been inflicted on her, if God had not again prevented her. And as soon as the son of the slave woman, and the wife, and the whole house began to rejoice at the birth of a legitimate son, a certain righteous man, in the midst of such joy, had to grieve and lament, being forced to expel the concubine together with her son; for although Ishmael was both a natural son and a servant, yet his illegitimacy did not in the least diminish Abraham's natural affection for him, and the low birth of his mother did not weaken the inevitable feeling in his father's heart. This can be learned from the Bible itself. A firm and courageous husband, who decided to sacrifice his only begotten (son) with his own hands, grieved when his wife demanded that he be banished (Hagar); and he would not have yielded or obeyed Sarah, though she had had more courage and spoken to him (more insistently) if the fear of God had not impelled him to do so. Therefore, when you hear that Abraham, by God's command, sent a maidservant with her son, do not think that his sorrow ceased (it was impossible); but marvel at the great humility by which he, though tormented by compassion, did not resist God, but sent the child and his mother away, not even knowing whither they would go; He endured and endured with sorrow, because he was not above nature.

9. Abraham suffered the same because of his legitimate son. Let no one say that he did not grieve and did not suffer like a father, and let no one deprive him of the highest praise, wishing to show his wisdom beyond measure. We are embarrassed and grieved, and often weep, when we see that people are being led to death in the square, who have been convicted of shameful deeds and have led such a life for a long time, and moreover, strangers and never seen by us; How could he not feel human sorrow who was commanded to sacrifice this son, still young, with his own hands, and to offer a burnt offering for his son, who was still young, and offered as a burnt offering? What can be more ridiculous than those who object to this? If he were a stone, or iron, or adamant, then could he not be crushed and moved by the beauty of his son (who was in the prime of his years), the reasonableness of his speech, and the piety of his soul? He asked his father, "Behold, fire and wood, where is the sheep?" and he heard that God would see a sheep for a burnt offering (Gen. 2:10). XXII, 7), but asked no more; he saw that his father bound him and did not resist; he was laid on the wood, and did not jump off; saw the knife being brought to him, and was not dismayed! What can be more pious than this soul? Who else would dare to say that Abraham did not suffer from all this in the least? If he were to sacrifice the enemy and the enemy, if he were a beast, and then could he do it without sorrow? No, no; do not ascribe such cruelty to the righteous man: he lamented and lamented. God, he said, will see a sheep for a burnt offering, child. Do you see what pity there is in these words? However, he restrained and suppressed sorrow, and did everything with such readiness as people would do if they met with nothing that would restrain them. And so, having sacrificed his son (for he sacrificed him in his intention), he returns him to his mother healthy and unharmed; and she, having accepted her son and not having had time to rejoice in him enough, leaves her life. And this grieved Abraham not a little. Although she lived with him for a long time, this did not help him to endure his misfortune more easily, on the contrary, it caused him all the more despondency; for we are especially attached to those who have lived with us for a long time, and have given us many proofs of their friendship and virtue. And that this is really so, the patriarch himself proved by his lamentation and weeping for Sarah. And what shall we say of his cares concerning his son, his wife, and his (half) brothers, and all the rest? Anyone who wishes to delve into the details of this will see that the life of the righteous man was much more miserable and filled with greater cares than is now depicted. The Scriptures have spoken only of the most important things, and all the rest that usually happens every day in a house where there are many servants, and husband, and wife, and children, and the care of many matters, are left to our consideration. Thus, you will say; but in each of these sorrows, the greatest joy brought Abraham that he endured all this for God. The same can be a consolation to you; the temptation has come upon you, not by any other allowance, but by God's. If the evil demons, without His permission, did not once dare to attack swine, how much more did they dare to attack your drogocent soul (Matthew, VIII, 30 ff.). Therefore, just as Abraham was greatly rewarded by enduring all things with courage and gratitude, so will he bring the reward to you; if only you do not lose heart and do not murmur, but thank the humane God for everything. In the same way, Blessed Job endured all that he endured, by God's permission; but it was not only that he endured that brought him crowns, but also that he bravely withstood all calamities; and we are all amazed at him, not because the devil has deprived him of everything, but because Job did not sin in all these things below his mouth (Job. I, 22).

10. Remembering Job, I wanted to set forth in my discourse both his long-term sorrows and the exceedience of his sufferings; but, in order not to make the speech too long, I pass on to Isaac. And you, if you want to know exactly what happened to Job, take his book in your hands and delve into the abyss of his misfortunes: and in them you will find great consolation in your own. Although this righteous man is much better than us, he fought with much greater strength; for the evil one rose up against him with special power. However, podvigs are determined not by the measure of temptations, but by the significance of deeds. Thus, although your present podvig is less, it cannot in the least diminish your crowns. In the same way, the one who brought two talents brought no less than the one who presented five talents. Why? For although the profit was not the same, yet the diligence was the same, wherefore both received the same honor, when they heard, "Enter into the joy of thy Lord" (Matt. XXV, 21). What about Isaac? He was not sent on a long journey, like his father, nor was he compelled to leave his land like that; However, he also endured the most important of evils – the fear of childlessness. When he put an end to this evil by prayer, another fear came upon him, greater than the first; for it does not matter whether one fears for childlessness, or for the very root of childbirth; His wife was so tormented by childbirth that for her life was more bitter than any death. About this, listen to how she herself says: "If I want to be so, why should I live" (Gen. 2:10). XXV, 22)? Isaac also experienced hunger; and although he did not go to Egypt, he also experienced what his father almost suffered there, being in danger for his wife. Moreover, his father was respected by all the neighbors, but he was persecuted as an enemy and an enemy, and did not allow him to enjoy the fruits of his own labors; having greatly constrained him, they themselves made use of his labors. When he made friends for himself and saw his children at full age, when he hoped to find great consolation in them and to have good helpers in old age, then it was he who fell into extreme despondency. First, the eldest son took a foreign wife, contrary to his father's wishes, and brought discord and quarrel into the house, and thereby greatly saddened him. The filial wives caused Isaac and Rebekah many troubles, which the Scriptures did not enumerate, but pointed them out in one word, saying that they were resisting Rebekah (Gen. 2:10). XXVI, 35), leaving it to those who have homes and children who are already married to understand what has been said. Such people know better than anyone how much evil happens when mother-in-law and daughter-in-law quarrel with each other, and especially when both live in the same house. It was a constant evil. In addition, blindness of the eyes has occurred: and how great this misfortune is, only those who suffer from it themselves know. Then there followed a misunderstanding in the blessing of his son, by which Isaac was so struck in his soul that he cried out more sorrowfully than the victim of the substitution himself, and justified himself before him and said that he had not done this injustice voluntarily, but having been deceived. And their subsequent events resembled a theatrical tragedy and represented a drama from the life of the young men of Thebes.1 And here the elder brother, in spite of his father's old age and blindness, expelled the younger from the house, and if he did not commit murder, as (the son of Oedipus), then the wisdom of his mother prevented it. Esau also threatened Jacob with murder and expected only the death of his father; but the mother, having learned of this and told the father, saved the younger one from the hands of the elder, and (the parents) had to force to flee the one who was obedient and respectful to them, and the evil one and the one who made life intolerable for them (this is said by Rebekah herself) were constantly kept with them. And so, when he departed, who had always dwelt at home (it is said of Jacob who lived in the house, Gen. 1:11). XXV, 27), and for the most part was with her mother, how long must Rebekah grieve and weep, always remembering her son and looking at her husband, who was no better than a dead man, both in old age and in sickness? With what sorrow was the elder depressed, who had to mourn his wife's misfortunes, together with his own? When Rebekah approached death, she did not see her son standing by her and weeping, closing his eyes and squeezing his mouth, dressing her and taking care of everything else – which seems to her parents more sorrowful than death itself – what did she not say, what did she not say that she was able to soften even a stone? And Isaac, seeing her dying in such a state, how could he feel in his soul both then and after her death?

11. Such was the one who seemed to us happier than many. And the life of Jacob need not be examined in detail: it is sufficiently depicted by the words of James himself. Conversing with Pharaoh, he said, "Small and evil were the days of my life; in the days of the years of my father's life (Gen. XLVII, 9), i.e. I have led a very short and very miserable life. Even without these words, his misfortunes are so well known that hardly any of the common people does not know them. His grandfather, although he made a long journey, but by the command of God, which gave him the greatest consolation; and Jacob (left his homeland), fleeing from his brother, who plotted against him and plotted murder. Abraham never lacked the necessities of life; and Jacob considered it good and happy to have only clothes and bread. When he was saved (from his brother), freed from the misfortunes of the journey and came to his relatives, he was forced to work, although he was brought up in the midst of complete abundance. You know that slavery is bitter everywhere; but when someone is forced to be a slave to his equals, and moreover has never experienced anything like this, and has spent all the previous years of his life in freedom and contentment, then this misfortune becomes intolerable. However, Jacob endured everything courageously. Listen to how he himself tells of the calamities of his pastoral life: "I have recompensed," he says, "from me the Tatbins of the day and the Tatbins of the night; And sleep departed from my eyes: behold, I am twenty years old (Gen. XXXI, 39, 40). This was endured by one who did not lead a wandering life, always remaining at home, and after such labors and deprivations, after such a long time, he was subjected to a still more deplorable deception at marriage. Even if he had not worked for seven years, if he had not endured what he had complained to his father-in-law, even if he had not loved his daughter, the very fact that he had been promised a better one, and instead of her given a worse one, how much sorrow, how much anxiety, how much grief caused this blessed one? Someone else in his place would not have endured this insult so easily, but would have destroyed the whole house of his father-in-law, would have stabbed himself with him, or would have destroyed him in some other way; but James, being forgiving and long-suffering, did not do this, and did not even plan to proceed to it; but, having received orders to work for another seven years, he willingly obeyed: so meek and modest was he. If you say that his love for the maiden contributed to the meekness of his disposition, then you will again agree with me that his sorrow is excessive. Imagine what sorrow he endured when he was deprived of such a beloved maiden, and, hoping to receive her, he was forced to wait for another seven years, in the midst of cold and heat, and vigils, and incessant privations! Having finally received it and leading a miserable and difficult life with his father-in-law, he was subjected to envy, and for the second time suffered deception in receiving the reward, of which he himself rebuked (his father-in-law), saying: "And thou hast transgressed my reward with ten lambs" (Gen. 2:11). XXXI, 41). Together with his father-in-law, the brothers of his wives also rebelled against him, even more than the father-in-law himself. But the most painful thing was that his beloved wife, for whom he had decided to work twice for seven years, gave herself up to extreme despondency, seeing that her sister was giving birth to her, and she herself had not even hope of this, and from this despondency she fell into such a frenzy that she reproached and reproached her husband, and called death upon herself, if she did not give birth: Give me children, she said, "If not, I will die" (Gen. 2:11). XXX, 1). What could rejoice him, when his beloved (wife) was so grieved, and her brothers plotted against him and tried in every way to reduce him to extreme poverty? If it is also a great sorrow when the dowry of wives is taken away without labor, then can he who is in danger of losing what he has acquired by his own labor bear such a loss meekly? Therefore, James, seeing that he was suspected and spied on, secretly left like a fugitive. What could be more deplorable than this? Thus, departing with fear and danger from both his parents' and someone else's home, in both cases he inevitably fell into the same abyss. Running away from his brother, he came to his father-in-law; and having again been persecuted by his father-in-law, he was forced to get together with his brother; And the prophetic saying which Amos said about the day of the Lord was fulfilled over him: "As if a man flees from the face of the lion, and the nan she-bear attacks, and jumps into (his) house, and leans her hands against the wall, and the serpent beheads him" (Amos. V, 19). And what shall we say of the fear to which he was subjected when he was overtaken by Laban, and of the sorrows of the journey, when so many flocks and children followed him? When he was about to see his brother's face, did he not feel what the poets say do when they look at the imaginary head of the Gorgon? Was he not completely in such a state, as if he were approaching death? Hear his words, and know what a flame was in his soul: "Redeem me," he says, "from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest when he come, he kill me, and my mother and her children." And thou didst say, "I will do good to thee" (Gen. 2:10). XXXII, 11). What joy would this fear not have banished, even if James had spent all his former time in good humor? Meanwhile, his whole life, from the very day on which he was preparing to receive the blessing, died of fear in advance, was woven with misfortunes and dangers. Then he was seized with such fear that even after meeting his brother, who treated him kindly and humanely, he had no courage and did not cease to be anxious. When Esau urged him to go with him, hesitated, as if wishing to be freed from some beast, and asked his brother to depart from him: "My lord is the tidings," he said, "that my children are young, but the sheep and the beef are burdened and with me: if I marry one day, he will destroy all the cattle." Let my lord go before his servant; and I will be strengthened on the path by the acceleration of my procession, which is before me; and as the children are able to go, until I come to my lord in Siir (Gen. 2:10). XXXIII, 13, 14). Having calmed down a little from these dangers, he was again subjected to another fear, much greater. When his daughter was kidnapped, he first grieved over the insult to this daughter; and when the king's son relieved this grief by promising to marry Dinah, and Jacob approved of this intention, then Levi and his accomplices broke the covenant, and having destroyed all the men in the city, caused his father to be so terrified that he even migrated from there, because everyone had armed themselves against him. And Jacob said, says the Scriptures, to Simeon and Levi, "I am hateful that I have created me, for I shall be evil to all who dwell on the earth, in Canaanites and Perizzites: but I am small in number: and they that are gathered against me shall cut me off, and I and my house shall be destroyed" (Gen. 2:11). XXXIV, 30). And indeed, the neighbors would decisively destroy them all, if God's love for mankind had not curbed their fury and put an end to these disasters. The Scriptures say that the fear of God was upon (all) the cities that were round about them, and did not persecute the children of Israel (Gen. 2:10). XXXV, 5). What then after the cessation of these calamities? Did Jacob calm down? No, then the greatest of misfortunes befell him – the death of his beloved wife, premature and at the same time violent. Give birth, says the Scriptures, Rachel, and be troubled in birth. And when she gave birth to a cruel child, the woman said to her: "Be of good cheer, for this is your son." And when my soul left me, for I died, I called his name the son of my sickness (Gen. 2:10). XXXV, 16-18). And while this sorrow was still in force, Reuben increased the sorrow by disgracing his father's bed; This was so difficult for the father that even in death, when parents are especially lenient towards children, he cursed his son, who, moreover, was the firstborn among all the others, which is of no small importance for parental love. The power of sorrow overcame all these impulses, and Jacob, calling him to him, said: Reuben my firstborn, thou art my strength and the beginning of my children, cruel to endure, and cruel is the stubborn. Thou hast vexed like water, and thou shalt not boil; Thou hast ascended on thy father's bed; then didst thou defile the bed where thou didst ascend (Gen. XLIX, 3, 4). When the son of his beloved wife came of age, and Jacob hoped to have in him consolation in his sorrow for her, then in this very son various sorrows were prepared for him. The brothers, having moistened Joseph's clothes with blood, and showed them to their father, caused him much sorrow. He wept not only over the death of his son, but also over how it had happened; And there were many reasons that troubled his soul: he was the son of his beloved wife, the best of all the rest, especially loved by him, who was in the prime of his life, sent by himself, who died not in the house, nor on his bed, nor in the presence of his father, without saying or hearing anything, not by common death, but in life torn to pieces by fierce beasts, so that his father could not even gather up his remains and bury them, and he suffered this not in his youth, when he could have endured it, but in his very old age. It was a most pitiful sight – to see gray hair sprinkled with ashes, an old man's breast, naked after tearing clothes, and inconsolable weeping: Jacob, says the Scriptures, tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and wept for his son many days. And all his sons and daughters gathered together, and came to comfort him; and not wishing to be comforted, saying, "For I will come down to my son, lamenting in hell" (Gen. XXXVII, 34, 35). And as if his soul had never been free from sorrow, when this wound began to heal, he was first greatly grieved by the famine that overtook the whole earth; and then, when the sons, returning from Egypt, brought relief from this calamity, they at the same time brought another sorrow, and the joy of deliverance from hunger was darkened by separation from their son Simeon. Not only that, but they also demanded of him Benjamin, in whom alone he had consolation, both for his dead wife and for his son devoured by wild beasts. And not only this disposed him to keep Benjamin with him, but also his age and upbringing. "He will not go," said James, "my son with you; for his brother died, and he alone remained; and evil shall befall him on the way, and if ye go, and bring my old age with sorrow to hell (Gen. 2:11). XLII, 38). For all these reasons, at first he refused, and said that he would not give Benjamin; but when a great famine came and a great extreme was felt, then he, although he complained very much, saying: "Why have you done me evil, having told my husband that he is your brother" (Gen. 2:10). XLIII, 6); – although he suffered in the most grievous way, pronouncing the sorrowful words: "Joseph is to be carried, Simeon is to be carried, and will you understand Benjamin?" All this was against me (Gen. 2:10). XLII, 36); – although he wept over the fact that after Joseph and Simeon they wanted to take Benjamin away from him, and declared that he would rather endure everything than let this son go, yet at last he was defeated, and gave him up with his own hands, saying: "Understand your brother also: and when you arise, go to your husband." And may my God give you grace before your husband, and let your brother and Benjamin go: but as a childless man, a childless man (Gen. 2:10). XLIII, 13,14). Jacob was so beset by his many calamities, that though his intestines were tormented, and the number of his children diminished little by little, yet he endured all, because of the excessiveness of the (new) still greater calamities; for he was seized with even greater sorrow for Simeon and Benjamin than his sorrow for Joseph. Thus, a misfortune that has no hope of remedy, although it causes us great sorrows, is soon forgotten, plunging the soul into hopelessness; and when it still hangs over us, then it does not allow the soul to rest with the uncertainty of the future, constantly increasing and renewing in us the anguish. Everyone can learn this well from the blessed David, who wept for his son while he was still alive, and when he died, David ceased to grieve; and when the servants were perplexed and asked him the reason, he expressed the same thought as now (2 Sam. XII, 15 ff.). So naturally Jacob was more apprehensive and fearful for Simeon and Benjamin. Then the longed-for meeting and seeing Joseph brought him joy. But what good is that? As for members that are greatly burned by fire, no matter how much you cool them, nothing is of any avail; so the soul of Jacob, oppressed by sorrows and greatly scorched by the flame of sorrow, could not be revived, especially in such a summer, when the senses are no longer cheerful. And this was said by Berzellius, apologizing to David: "How many days have I lived in my life, that I may go up with the king to Jerusalem?" I am a son of eighty years of age today: do I understand food in the midst of good and in the midst of evil? Or will thy servant still understand, if I am drinking, or will I hear the voice of those who still sing and sing? And yet thy servant shall be a burden to my lord the king (2 Sam. XIX, 34, 35)? However, why explain this by the examples of others, when one can hear the same thing from the sufferer himself? After meeting with his son, Jacob, in answer to Pharaoh's question about his life, said, "The days of the years of my life have been small and evil, and my father has not reached the days of the years of life" (Gen. 2:10). XLVII, 9). So vivid was the memory of the past always in his soul!

12. And this famous and glorious son of his, Joseph, whom did he not surpass in his misfortunes? Only one brother plotted against his father, but very many against him; the latter was brought up in the midst of great contentment and tranquillity during the entire first age, while this one was forced to bear the burdens of travel in a foreign land and even in adolescence. Jacob had a mother who protected him from malice, and Joseph in his youth, when he was especially in need of his mother, was deprived of her help. Moreover, Esau grieved Jacob only with a threat, but Joseph's brothers carried out their plan, and before this plan they constantly hated him and slandered him; And what can be more painful than to have your loved ones as enemies? And when they slandered him, they also slandered him, and when they saw that his father loved him more than all his sons, they hated him, and could not speak to him peacefully (Gen. 2:10). XXXVII, 2, 4). In comparison with this, I would not call his being under the power of merchants or under the power of a eunuch so great a calamity, because these treated him much more humanely than his brothers. Even after this, however, the storm of misfortune did not become quieter, but there was a still greater agitation, which almost drowned him. Perhaps someone will think that I am now talking about the evil intent of the mistress; but before this storm I will speak of another, more cruel one. Of course, it is difficult, indeed it is difficult to be slandered in such a crime, to be condemned and to live so long in prison – a young man who is free, noble, and has not experienced such a calamity; but much more difficult than all this, I think, was the storm for him, which depended on his youthful age. If he had rejected the love of his mistress, not in the least disturbed by lust, I would not have exalted him and marveled at him, following the teaching of Christ; Christ says that it is not eunuchs by nature, but those who have made themselves eunuchs, who are worthy of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. XIX, 12); and if this had not been the case, what victory would Joseph have won? Against whom, fighting, would he receive a crown? Whom, having overcome, would he be proclaimed victorious, if no one fought against him and did not strive to overthrow him? We do not extol the chastity of those who do not copulate with the dumb, because there is no tendency in nature to such a mixture. Thus, if Blessed Joseph had not been moved by this flame, why would we have extolled his chastity? But if a shameless woman carried a young man away when the flame rose much more strongly than at other ages (he was then in his twentieth year), and when the force of this flame was irresistible, even though nothing increased it, and if the woman gave to this flame by her charms and ornaments as much power as it had by its very nature, who could depict a storm? the confusion and anguish of the young man's soul, when within he was agitated by nature and age, and from outside he was tempted by the artifices of the Egyptian woman, and moreover, not for one or two days, but for a long time? I think that at that time he was not only afraid for himself, but also grieved for this woman who was striving for such an abyss; this is evident to us from the fact that he answered her with great meekness. He could, if he had wished, speak to her both more insulting and more bold, because she, out of love, would easily endure everything; but he did not say or think anything of the sort; but, having expressed pious thoughts and only what he hoped to bring her to reason, he added nothing more. Behold, said he, my lord hath not tidings to me for my sake, in his house, and all that is in his hand. And there is nothing higher than me in this house, nothing is taken from me except you, since you are his wife; and how shall I do this evil word, and sin against God (Gen. 2:10). XXXIX, 8, 9)? And with such modesty, after such an experience of chastity, he was slandered, and God allowed it! He was bound and at the same time did not accuse the woman of malicious intent and unjust slander; even greater rewards and more splendid crowns awaited him, so even after the liberation of the royal slaves, he still remained in prison. Do not speak to me of the love of humanity of the prison guard; but consider the words of Joseph himself, and you will see the sorrow of his soul. Having interpreted the dream, he said to the cupbearer: "But remember me with you, when it is good for you; and show mercy to me; And let Pharaoh remember me, and bring me out of this stronghold: for by theft I was stolen from the land of the Jews, and here they did nothing evil, but cast me into the house of this pit (Gen. 2:10). XL, 14,15). If he easily endured the very confinement, then cohabitation with such people – gravediggers, thieves, parricides, adulterers, murderers (for in general this dwelling was filled with such and similar people) – was the most painful for him. And it was not only this that saddened and grieved him, but also the fact that he saw many languishing there innocently and in vain. Meanwhile, the slave, of which you also now complain, was freed from his bonds, and the free man continued to languish. If anyone speaks of the subsequent greatness of Joseph, he will remind me again of the many cares, sleepless nights, and innumerable occupations, which in general are not very pleasant for those who love a quiet and peaceful life. Moreover, although something pleasant happened to the above-mentioned saints, neither the kingdom of heaven nor the promise of future blessings had yet been revealed to them. And now, when there are so many blessings to come, and it is clear to all, who, tell me, will advise if he does not enjoy anything pleasant in the present life, and even consider anything of this world pleasant at all, knowing about future blessings? What would be inferior to such a soul, which, hoping to transmigrate to heaven after a short time, would seek the comforts and well-being of this world, no different from the shadow? Vanity of vanities, says Solomon, and all vanity (Eccl. I, 2). But if he who has experienced the pleasures of life more than all men has pronounced such a sentence on them, how much more should we, who have nothing in common with the earth, who are inscribed in the heavenly city, and who have been commanded to turn there with all our minds, feel and think so much.

THIRD WORD

The above can extinguish the flame of despondency and dispose to complacency; but that the consolation might be more complete, I have resolved to add this word to thee, and have put to thee beforehand the following question: Tell me, if any man had called thee to the kingdom of the earth, and yet thou wouldst have to lodge in an inn before thou didst enter the city, and put on thyself a crown, in which there was filth, and smoke, and noise from travellers, and danger from robbers; and the crowding, the great disorder, would you pay attention to these troubles, and not neglect all of them as insignificant? Is it not strange, then, that he who hopes to possess the earth should not be troubled by any difficulties encountered, but should be animated by the hopes of kingship, but that he who is called to heaven should be discouraged and troubled by every trouble that befalls us in this inn? The state of life here does not differ in the least from that of an inn or a stay in an inn: this is what the saints wished to express, calling themselves strangers and strangers, and with such words teaching us to neglect both the pleasures and the troubles of the present life, and, having renounced the earth, to cling to heaven with all our souls. Let us turn to the saints themselves, and from Joseph let us pass on to Moses. This meek of all who were on earth was born at a time when his countrymen were in distress; being alienated from those who bore him, and not knowing his parents, he is brought up by foreigners throughout his first age: what could be more painful for this for a young and intelligent Jew, even though he were considered the son of a king? But at that time it was painful for him not only this, but also the fact that he saw all his countrymen in extreme misfortune. Could he, not wanting to live or be inscribed in the book of God, without their salvation (Exod. XXXII, 38), to enjoy the blessings of the king's court, seeing them all in the midst of such a storm? If we, who were born so long after these events and have no such reason to sympathize with the Jews, are seized with pity at the thought of the slaughter of their children at that time, then what did not this blessed one, attached with great love to all the people, who saw with his own eyes his misfortunes, and those who caused these disasters, forced to call his parents? I think that he grieved for these poor children then more than the parents themselves, as is evident from what he did afterwards. Thus, being unable either to persuade or compel his pretended father to revoke the brutal and murderous command, he himself finally decided to share the misfortunes with them. However, I am not so much surprised at this, as I am amazed at the flame of sorrow which Moses carried within himself in the previous time, and which I conclude from the murder he committed. Whoever was brought to murder by sorrow revealed the power of the former through the latter. Of course, he would not have taken such cruel revenge on the Egyptians, if he had not lamented the misfortunes of their children more than the parents themselves. What, then, after he had avenged and relieved his soul somewhat from such sorrow, did he have time to fully enjoy the joy given him by this vengeance? Scarcely had the second day come, when another sorrow befell this blessed one, heavier than the first, and such fear seized him, which compelled him to depart from Egypt altogether. It is difficult to hear bad things from anyone; But when one of the benefactors speaks evil, he will reproach him for the good deeds done to him, and reproach me thus: "Do you want to kill me in the same way as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" (Exod. II, 14), then, then the offense is unbearable and can even make the offended person lose his patience; such a thing she produces irritation along with sorrow! But Moses added to this a third thing – the fear of the king, which so took possession of the soul of the righteous man that it even expelled him from all the country there. Thus becomes a fugitive – the king's son! If anyone considers it a blessing for him to be educated at the royal court, let him now remember the contentment of the court, and see that it too has become the cause of many sorrows and inconveniences for the righteous man, for it is not all the same whether he is brought up in a simple house, and has experienced many cares, many wanderings, and difficulties, whether he is brought up in a simple house, and has experienced many cares, many wanderings, and difficulties. or to be subjected to such sufferings by one who has never experienced it for a short time, but has always lived in contentment: the latter, of course, with a more severe feeling than the former, will flee if he happens to go to such an extremity; which is what happened to Moses then. Having become a fugitive, he comes to a man who was an idol and a foreigner; And to enjoy the hospitality of a man who has devoted himself to the service of demons for so long is not an unimportant cause for sorrow. Here Moses, having taken charge of the man's flock, spent forty years in this occupation. If this does not seem in the least difficult to anyone, then let us remember those who leave their homeland and hide not out of fear and fear, but leave home voluntarily for a short time, how they languish, how sad, what a blessing they consider their return to their homeland! And when fear and misery are added to this, and the most burdens and sorrows seem lighter than the longed-for return to his homeland, then imagine the picture of Moses' misfortunes! Don't just listen to what is said that Moses was a flock (Exod. III, 1), but remember the words of James, with which he complained to his father-in-law: "I have recompensed thee from me myself the tatbina of the day and the tatbina of the night; And sleep departed from my eyes (Gen. 2:10). XXXI, 39). All this, of course, was also the case with Moses, and for a still greater number of years and to a greater degree, since the country (Midian) was more desolate than the country (Mesopotamia). If Moses did not complain about this, then the blessed one would not have said such words, if he had not been driven to a great extreme and forced to do so by the ingratitude of his father-in-law. Thus, a foreign land in itself can oppress a person, even if he left his homeland only out of necessity. For as a bird, says the all-wise, when it flies away from its nest, so a man is enslaved when he departs from his place (Prov. XXVII, 8). Moreover, Moses could not then be sure even of his own safety; but just as a servant who has fled from a cruel master is constantly afraid and fears that he will not be caught, so the blessed Moses lived in constant fear. This is evident from the fact that even when God commands him to return to Egypt after so long a time, he refuses to delay, although he has heard that he who sought his life has died (Exod. IV, 19).

2. But when he obeyed and went into Egypt, being compelled to leave his wife and children, then there again began reproaches, and insults, and threats from the then king of Egypt, and complaints and curses from those who received benefits. He said, "Do Moses and Aaron corrupt people because of their works?" Go to your own business. And the Israelites say, "Let God see and judge you, for our spirit is on fire before Pharaoh, and before his servant, put the sword in his hand, kill us" (Exod. V, 4, 21). This is deplorable and burdensome; But the most difficult thing was that he, who had come and promised the Jews many blessings, freedom, deliverance from the calamities that weighed upon them, seemed to them a deceiver, because the burden of slavery that oppressed them not only did not ease, but increased even more, and the one who gave hope of being the deliverer of the whole people and promised this, apparently turned out to be the author of torments and beatings, the malefactor and destroyer. Who would not fall into despondency when, having promised to put an end to such great calamities, after the promise he himself saw the addition of other, even more grievous calamities? Moses was discouraged, as it is natural for one to be discouraged when he hears and sees such things; However, he did not fall under the weight of this tribulation, but remained unyielding, although events not only did not correspond to, but even contradicted his promises. Turning to God and speaking about this, he wept much and said: "Lord, why hast Thou embittered Thy people? And hast thou sent me? And he went unto Pharaoh, speaking in Thy name, and he made these people angry, and didst not deliver Thy people (Exod. V, 22,23). Shedding tears and hearing again from God the same command as before, he again announces this to the Israelites, but they do not heed him, because their souls were oppressed with sorrow and despondency. And not listening, says the Scriptures, to Moses from faint-heartedness and cruel deeds (VI, 9). And this grieved him not a little. When miracles followed, and Pharaoh laughed at him many times, he bravely endured these mockery as well. When at last he came out of Egypt and together with the Jews began to hope for deliverance, he had not yet had time to fully rest, when he was seized by his former or even much greater fear. In less than three days the Israelites saw the barbarians armed before them, and they experienced the same thing as some fugitive slaves feel when they suddenly find themselves in a foreign land before the eyes of their masters, or what they themselves would have experienced if they had happened to see themselves in a pleasant dream in freedom, and when they awoke to find themselves again in Egypt and in the same calamities. However, I do not know what can be called their dream, whether three days of freedom, or the terrible and terrible sight that now presented itself to them: such a haze of despondency covered the eyes of all of them. And Moses was seized with even greater darkness: he feared not only the Egyptians, like the rest of the Israelites, but also the latter along with the former. Both now looked upon him as a deceiver and a deceiver, some with mockery and readiness to attack, and others with anger and sorrow. However, why judge the despondency of this man by conjectures, when his sorrow can be fully understood from the words of those who came down from above? When he was silent and did not even dare to open his mouth, God said to him, "Why cry out to me" (Exod. XIV, 15)? – with this one word explaining to us the confusion of his soul.

3. When this fear had passed, then even greater troubles arose again. Those who were led by Moses and received through him many blessings throughout the whole journey behaved worse towards him than the Egyptians and Pharaoh. In the first place, they acted with great boldness, demanding of him the flesh of Egypt: they did not thank him for the present, but wanted the former; This was the hardest of all. Would he have suffered more trouble if he had been entrusted with the command of the possessed and the insane? However, the blessed one bore all this courageously, and if he had not had love for them, then this grief would have been bearable, and he would have had to lament only about his own situation; but since he loved them more than his parents, in his very solicitude for them he had another cause for sorrow – for their corruption and wickedness. He was not so upset by the fact that he was insulted as by the fact that they were insulters. It is also criminal that they were ungrateful before sending down the miraculous food; but even in the midst of miracles they showed their impiety, lawlessness and greed in gathering food, and having gone a little further, they again murmured, again expressed dissatisfaction with the blessings of God; and on each such occasion the blessed one was crushed and grieved more than the sinners themselves. Thus, when they made the calf, they themselves played and rejoiced, but Moses lamented and grieved, invoked a terrible curse on himself, and yet nothing could make him suppress his compassion for them. And so, seeing that those so beloved by him constantly behaved worse and worse, in what sorrows did he become, in what tears did he shed? If another, having one son, could not live to know that his son had given himself over to vice, even though he himself was the most wicked of all, then Moses, who counted so many thousands of people as his children, or rather loved them more than children, for no father would have willed to perish with his son like him, without having committed any sin himself, who had so many children, moreover, he hated evil and loved good, how much do you think he suffered, seeing that all of them, as if agreeing, rushed into the abyss of vice? If the haze of such sorrow had not darkened him and shaken him to the very depths of his soul, he would certainly not have thrown the tablets out of his hands and broken them, although he soon corrected this misfortune. But tell me, what did he do for this? The very method of healing, although it helped the cause, was filled with many tears; and there was not a man of stone who did not suffer in the least at the sight of his brothers and relatives beating one another, and subjected to this deplorable slaughter up to three thousand people (Exod. XXXII, 28). And we, when we catch our children doing some evil deed, of course, punish and flog them, but we do this not without pity, but on the contrary, we grieve no less than those who suffer punishment themselves.

4. During the time of the great tribulation of Moses and the militia (of the Jews), a new sorrow befell them. God threatened that He Himself would no longer lead them, but would leave them and hand over their leadership to an angel; this was the most unbearable thing for Moses. Listen to what he says to God: "If you yourself do not go with me, do not bring me away from here" (Exod. XXXIII, 15). Do you see how fear was replaced by fear, and sorrow by sorrow? But the calamity did not stop there: when Moses bowed down to God, and the Lover of Mankind was propitiated and bestowed grace, the Jews again plunged Moses into new sorrows, angering the merciful God and subjecting themselves to extreme misfortunes. After a much lamentable massacre, they again angered God so much that they called upon themselves a fire that would have destroyed almost all of them, if God had not shown great love for mankind. And Moses had to experience a double sorrow – both from the fact that the Israelites were perishing, and from the fact that the survivors did not reform and did not receive any benefit from the death of their brothers. The slaughter was not yet over, and the survivors had already remembered the onions, and, not content with what they had, said, "Who will feed the meat?" I remember the fish, which is poisonous in Egypt, and cucumbers and melons, onions, and scarlet onions and garlic. But now our soul is withered, and there is no manna before our eyes (Num. XI, 6). Then Moses, no longer able to endure their ingratitude, and exhausted by sorrow, renounced his superiority and wished for death instead of such a bitter life. Listen to his own words: And Moses, says the Scriptures, spake unto the Lord, Hast thou made thy servant angry? And why have I not found grace before Thee, if Thou hast placed the aspiration of these people upon me? Have all these people eaten in the womb? Or am I born? For thou hast said unto me, Take them into thy bosom, as the milkmaid beareth the milk, into the earth, whereby thou hast sworn by their father. From whence shall I give meat to all these people? For they weep against me, saying, Give us meat, that we may eat. I cannot lead these people alone, for this word is hard for me. And if Thou dost not do this to me, then kill me by killing, if I have found grace before Thee (Num. XI, 11). This was said by him who once said: "And now, if you forgive them their sin, forgive them; And if not, blot me out of Thy book, in which Thou hast inscribed (Exod. XXXII, 32). His sorrow had changed him so much! The same often happens to parents when they are upset by the actions of their children. However, Moses, even after these words, did not cease to have compassion on the Israelites, as is evident from what he did afterwards. When, after their attempt to kill the spies and stone him, he escaped from their hands, he again turned to prayer for them and besought God to be merciful to those who wanted to kill him (Num. XIV, 10-20); so his love was stronger even than natural affection! Then, when the spies were dead, and the time of the former weeping had not yet passed, the Israelites again caused him new sorrow, first, because they did not obey his prohibition to fight, and secondly, because they were struck by the Amalekites (v. 41-45); and even before this war, many perished from greed and gluttony (Num. XI, 33). Slew them, says the Scriptures, more than many, and I still have a brush in their mouths (Psalm. XXXVII, 30, 31). After the sight of this great mortality, when the sorrow over it had not yet ceased, Moses was again plunged into another sorrow, and placed in such an extremity, that he prayed that his longed-for and beloved Israelites would end their lives in an unnatural and extraordinary death; then some were burned by a sudden fire, and others were swallowed up by the scattered earth; and not a few, but more than fifteen thousand men suffered in this way. After that, how did the relatives and friends of the dead treat Moses? In what disposition was Moses himself, seeing that because of this misfortune his children became orphans, and his wives became widows, that both his sister and brother died, and the sons of the latter were burned for some iniquity? Each of these events can grieve a soul that has not yet suffered in the least, and even more so a soul that has endured so many disasters. And when the Jews had conquered the Canaanites, and had made a long round, they murmured again, and perished again, not by sickness, as before, nor by fire and the scattered earth, as before, but by the bite of poisonous serpents, which would have destroyed them all, had not Moses again appeared before God and besought Him. When they were delivered from this destruction and escaped the curses of the sorcerer, they again rushed into the most fatal abysses: after the blessings of Balaam, or, rather, God's (for the words of Balaam depended not on his will, but on the power that worked in him), they began to commit adultery with the daughters of foreigners and serve Beelphegor. Moses, seeing such shame and disgrace, again commanded them to kill one another, saying, "Slay your little snake who served Beelphegor" (Num. XXV, 5), just as in the case of a bodily wound that does not heal after repeated dissections and cauterizations, it is ordered to cut and cauterize again what remains. However, when you hear about these difficulties, do not think that they were the only ones; I have omitted not a few of those mentioned (in the Scriptures): wars, the resistance of enemies, long journeys, insult from the sister, her punishment, about which the meek Moses especially lamented; but even if I had carefully collected everything, then what I have described would not have been a thousandth part of what actually happened. If the steward of a few servants in a house meets with many occasions for grief and sorrow, then he who is obliged to govern so many thousands for forty years, and in the wilderness, where there was neither (healthy) air nor water, how many things to do every day, how many cares, how many sorrows, both during the life and after the death of men? He saw all those whom he brought out of Egypt dead, except only two men; but he himself did not vouchsafe to bring their descendants into the promised land, but only saw it from the top of Mount Nebab and studied its nature well, but he was not allowed to enjoy it with the rest of the Israelites, but remained outside it and died, about which he himself lamented before the Israelites in these words: "And the Lord God is angry with me because of your words, and they swear, I shall not pass over this Jordan, and enter not into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. For I will die in this land, and I will not cross this Jordan, but you will pass over and inherit this good land (Deut. IV, 21). And the most difficult thing is that God brought him down to the grave with sorrow, since Moses knew beforehand what calamities would befall the Jews: idolatry, captivity, unspeakable misfortunes, which is why he was crushed in his soul not only about what he himself had seen and what had already happened, but also about what had not yet happened. Thus, having begun to grieve and grieve from an early age, he ended his life with the same despondency.

5. And his successor Joshua ate with him, so to speak, all that was bitter; but if he escaped anything in his youth, he made up for it after the death of Moses. Not only did he tear his clothes and sprinkle ashes on his head during Moses' lifetime, but after his death he was again put in the same extremity, or even in a greater extremity, so that not for a short time, but for a whole day he lay on the ground. Listen to his words and lamentations: And Jesus, says the Scriptures, tore his garments, and fell to the ground on his face before the Lord, even until evening, himself and the elders of Israel; and sprinkled his finger on his heads. And Jesus said, "I pray, O Lord, that thy servant will bring this people across the Jordan, and deliver them up to destruction by the Amorites." Oh, that they dwelt and dwelt at the Jordan. And what about the river? Wherefore turn away Israel thy neck before thy enemies. And when the Canaanites hear, and all those who dwell in the earth, they will go over us, and consume us of the earth (Joshua 2:10). VII, 6). Hearing this, God revealed to him the author of the defeat; and when Jesus knew this, he destroyed them all, not only the sinners, but also his relatives and household, and a great multitude of cattle (Joshua 2:10). VIII, 24-26); and this did not a little disturb his soul. If we cannot look when strangers are called, then what did he not suffer, exposing his countrymen and comrades-in-arms to such calamities? And how did the deception of the Gibeonites, and the suspicion fall upon the tribes that dwelt on the other side of the Jordan? How difficult was it to constantly stay in war and in battles? What soul could remain calm at the same time? If he won victories, the pleasure of receiving trophies was overshadowed by worries about the wars that were still ahead. The division of the plots also gave him much trouble and much trouble; Those who have been entrusted with the division of even a small property among brothers or other heirs after someone know this. I do not consider it necessary to speak of the subsequent misfortunes of the Jewish people; for it is no longer a question of whether anyone has led a life of sorrow, but of which of those who have pleased God (led such a life).

6. Therefore, if you will, let us omit Eli, who offended God by the wickedness of his children, or rather, by his carelessness. He was punished not because he had wicked children, but because he spared them more than was proper and did not punish them for transgressing the laws of God; realizing this, he himself, after a strong threat from God, said: "The Lord Himself, if it is good in His sight, may He do it" (1 Sam. III, 18). Leaving him, then, let us pass on to Samuel, who from childhood was brought up in the temple, was always distinguished by piety before God, and from an early age proved to be so virtuous that, before he had yet matured, he was numbered among the wondrous prophets, and moreover at a time when prophecy was impoverished: "Not a vision, says the Scriptures, is sent, and the word is honorable" (1 Sam. III, 1). This Samuel, born after many tears, was first of all sorrowful and embarrassed, as a grateful and loving disciple, seeing his teacher stricken with a miserable death; and then he had to constantly weep over the misfortunes of the Jews. His sons, impious, wicked, and exceedingly devoted to vice, grieved him both with their lives and with the fact that they could not inherit the honor bestowed upon him (1 Samuel, VIII, 3). This sorrow was followed, or rather did not follow, because it did not cease, but it was joined by the lawless demand of the Israelites, whereupon Samuel was so discouraged that he needed great consolation. Listen to what God says to him: "I have not despised you, but Me" (1 Sam. VIII, 7). However, even after this, Samuel cared for them so much that he said to them: "Let me not sin, if I forsake to pray for you" (1 Sam. XII, 23). Therefore, when he saw them, so beloved by him, in distress, slain in wars, angering God, could he feel any pleasure, could he ever remain without sorrow and tears? And when he made Saul king, sorrows again followed for him uninterruptedly, one after another. Thus, when Saul offered a sacrifice contrary to the will of God, when, having defeated the Amalekites, he spared their king, again contrary to the commandment, Samuel was so stricken in his soul that he did not see this man again, but from that time until the last day he lamented and wept for him, although he was reproached for his excessive sorrow. God said to him, How long wilt thou weep for Saul? And I despised him (1 Sam. XVI, 1). If he wept at these events, what happened to him when Saul slew so many priests in vain and without guilt? "When did he go another time to kill his benefactor, who had done him no harm?" – when did he see Saul naked prophesying and lying on the ground? – when he listened to David's many complaints and complaints about Saul?