Miscellanies 2.13.59
Summary: Repeated requests for pardon for repeated sins are only a show of repentance; Scripture blesses those who fear the Lord; passions are excessive impulses disobedient to reason, and since obedience is in our power, voluntary acts are judged.
Textual problem in this passage: the printed text is uncertain or disputed here. See the notes.
Greek text · Stählin 2:144–145
δόκησις τοίνυν μετανοίας, οὐ μετάνοια, τὸ πολλάκις αἰτεῖσθαι συγγνώμην ἐφʼ οἷς πλημμελοῦμεν πολλάκις· δικαιοσύνη δὲ ἀμώμους ὀρθοτομεῖ ὁδούς, κέκραγεν ἡ γραφή. καὶ πάλιν αὖ· ἡ τοῦ ἀκάκου δικαιοσύνη κατορθώσει τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ. ναὶ μὴν καθὼς οἰκτείρει πατὴρ υἱούς, ᾠκτείρησεν κύριος τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτὸν ὁ Δαβὶδ γράφει· οἱ σπείροντες οὖν ἐν δάκρυσιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θεριοῦσι τῶν ἐν μετανοίᾳ ἐξομολογουμένων· μακάριοι γὰρ πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον. ὁρᾷς τὸν τοῖς ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ ἐμφερῆ μακαρισμόν; μὴ φοβοῦ, φησίν, ὅταν πλουτήσῃ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ὅταν πληθυνθῇ ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ· ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῷ ἀποθνῄσκειν αὐτὸν λήψεται τὰ πάντα, οὐδὲ συγκαταβήσεται αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐλέει σου εἰσελεύσομαι εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, προσκυνήσω πρὸς ναὸν ἅγιόν σου ἐν φόβῳ σου. κύριε, ὁδήγησόν με ἐν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου. Ὁρμὴ μὲν οὖν φορὰ διανοίας ἐπί τι ἢ ἀπό του· πάθος δὲ πλεονάζουσα ὁρμὴ ἢ ὑπερτείνουσα τὰ κατὰ τὸν λόγον μέτρα, ἢ ὁρμὴ ἐκφερομένη καὶ ἀπειθὴς λόγῳ· παρὰ φύσιν οὖν κίνησις ψυχῆς κατὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν λόγον ἀπείθειαν τὰ πάθη (ἡ δʼ ἀπόστασις καὶ ἔκστασις καὶ ἀπείθεια ἐφʼ ἡμῖν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἡ ὑπακοὴ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν· διὸ καὶ τὰ ἑκούσια κρίνεται)· αὐτίκα καθʼ ἓν ἕκαστον τῶν παθῶν εἴ τις ἐπεξίοι, ἀλόγους ὀρέξεις εὕροι ἂν αὐτά.
English · Claude translation
The appearance of repentance, then, not repentance, is to ask often for pardon for the offenses we often commit. “But righteousness cuts straight blameless ways,” Scripture has cried out. And again: “The righteousness of the innocent will set his way straight.” Yes indeed, “As a father pities his sons, the Lord has pitied those who fear him,” David writes. “Those who sow in tears will reap in joy,” those who confess in repentance; “for blessed are all who fear the Lord.” Do you see the blessing like those in the Gospel? “Do not be afraid,” it says, “when a man becomes rich, and when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dies he will take nothing with him, nor will his glory go down with him.” “But I, in your mercy, will enter your house; I will worship toward your holy temple in fear of you. Lord, lead me in your righteousness.” Impulse, then, is a movement of the mind toward or away from something; and passion is an excessive impulse, or one exceeding the measures of reason, or an impulse carried away and disobedient to reason. Passions, then, are a movement of the soul contrary to nature, in disobedience to reason (and departure, frenzy, and disobedience rest with us, as obedience also rests with us; which is why voluntary acts are judged). Indeed, if one should go through each of the passions one by one, he would find them to be irrational desires.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Prov 11:5, Prov 11:5 (a variant), Ps 103:13 (102:13 LXX), Ps 126:5 (125:5 LXX), Ps 128:1 (127:1 LXX), Ps 49:16–17 (48:17–18 LXX), and Ps 5:7–8 (5:8–9 LXX). The definition of passion is Stoic.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misreading in the digital text (λόγῳ); misspelling in the digital text): ᾠκτείρησεν κύροις τοὺς → ᾠκτείρησεν κύριος τοὺς; ἀπειθὴς λόφῳ → ἀπειθὴς λόγῳ.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 2.13.59 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/2/13/59/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 2.13.59 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/2/13/59/).
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