Fragments on Proverbs 249

and the maidservants are the senses. These, then, the soul more precious than costly stones provides to its bodily house. He says that the soul of the earnest has, as the church does, the tree of knowledge and the tree of life: of knowledge as law, and of life as word. For this is she who came forth from the side of Christ and was found to be his bride, the self-controlled and courageous woman, who kept faith with him and awaits him again as bridegroom from heaven. [Prov 31:19] The spindle is a pure mind, weaving virtue upon virtue and doctrine upon doctrine; or else the spoken word, drawing spiritual contemplation from the mind. [Prov 31:21] The mind would not go forth, nor come into the contemplation of incorporeal things, unless it has set in order the things within; for disturbance in its own house usually turns it back to the things from which it went out. But having acquired freedom from passion, it will linger in contemplation and not worry about those at home; for all who belong to her are clothed: the temper with meekness and humility, and desire with self-control and continence. [Prov 31:27] Slothful food, which makes the simpler and more artless sluggish in attaining the kingdom, the well-disposed and God-loving soul does not eat, nor even taste, even if perhaps it should happen to desire it; for he calls the vices slothful food. [Prov 31:30] "Deceitful charms and vain beauty." The most foolish soul not only conceives and imagines what pleases it, but also sets about fulfilling the image in deed. And if the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the soul that has obtained wisdom rightly praises the fear of the Lord, which brought it such knowledge. [Prov 1:13] For they know that he has acquired knowledge about what is to be done, the choice of virtue and the flight from wickedness, and that his possession is those he teaches; so they say: "Having seized him, we shall master these too." Otherwise, the possession of the righteous is wisdom and prudence, understanding and virtue; and the ungodly seize this possession by persuading the righteous man to do something forbidden by God, so that his mind, blinded by sin, may fall away from these holy possessions. [Prov 8:9] To the understanding and righteous man even difficult things become easy; but to one otherwise disposed even easy things that offer some refreshment become difficult. For they have a word of learned speculations, but nothing lofty.