On Providence (ten orations) 4.1–4.8 (On Providence (ten orations))

Theodoret of Cyrus

On Providence (ten orations) 4.1–4.8

Theodoret of Cyrus · On Providence (ten orations) · probably ca. 435 (before 451) · Cyrrhus · 8 passages

Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 4

4.1PG 83

Ἤκουσα τῆς προφητικῆς φωνῆς ἀδούσης καὶ βοώσης" « Οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ, ποίησιν δὲ χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀναγγέλλει τὸ στερέωμα. » ᾿Αλλὰ φωγῆς μὲν ἐκεῖθεν φερομένης, ἣν ποιεῖ πνεῦμα διὰ τῆς ἀρτηρίας ὠθούμενον ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα, καὶ λόγος γλῶτ- “αν ἐναρμονίως τοῖς ὁδοῦσι προσφέρων, καὶ χείλη »τυσσόμενα, καὶ ἀὴρ πλησσόμενος, καὶ τὴν ἀντιτυπίαν ἐργαζόμενος, οὐδεὶς τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἀχήχοε πώποτε ἀνθρώπων. Φαινόμενος δὲ καὶ τό τε μέγεθος, τό τε κάλλος ὑποδεικνὺς, καὶ τῆς ὀροφῆς τοῖς ἀνθρώποῖς παρέχων τὴν χρείαν, σιγῶν κηρύττει τὸν τὴν, καὶ τὰς ἁπάντων γλώττας εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν καὶ καθάπερ οἰκίαν ὁρῶντες τεχνικῶς μάλα γεΥγε νην, καὶ γωνίαις εὐθείαις συνηρμοσμένην, εὗρός τε καὶ μῆκος ἔχουσαν, καὶ ὕψος, τὴν πρὸς ταῦτα διασῶζον ἀναλογίαν, καὶ φωταγωγοὺς ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ τάξεε γεγενημένας, χα, τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα τὰς τοιαύτας οἰκίας λαμπρύνειν φιλεῖ, εὐθὺς τὸν τεχνίτην θαυμάζομεν, καὶ τὸν οὐ παρόντα ζωγραφοῦμεν τῇ διανοίᾳ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκείνου τέχνην πᾶσαν ἐκείνης τῆς εὐπρεπείας ἀναφέρθμεν τὴν εὐμορφίαν " οὕτως οὐρανὸν ὁρῶντες, καὰ τῶν κατ᾽ οὐρανὸν φωστήρων τὴν χρειώδη χορείαν. οὐ ταῦτα προσκυνοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν τούτων Ποιητὴν ταῖς δυναταῖς ὑμνῳδίαις γεραίρομεν, καὶ ἐκ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως τὸν Γενεσιουργὸν θεωροῦμεν. Λογιζόμεθα γὰρ ὀρθῶς καὶ δικαίως " Εἰ τηλικοῦτον τῶν ποιημάτων τὸ μέγεθος, πηλίκος ὁ Ποιητής; καὶ εἰ τοιαύτη τῶν γενητῶν ἡ ὥρα, οἷον ςοὔ ἀριστοτέχνου καὶ Ποιητοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὸ κάλλος; Οὕτως, «ε Οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ, ποίησιν δὲ χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀναγγέλλει τὸ στερέωμα " » οὕτως, ε Ἡμέρα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐρεύγεται ῥῆμα, καὶ νὺξ νυκτὶ ἀναγγέλλει γνῶσιν" » οὐ φωνὴν ἀφιεῖσαι, οὐδὲ διὰ γλώττης φθεγγόμεναι, ἀλλὰ διηνεκῶς ἀλλήλας διαδεχόμεναι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρεΐαν ὑπ᾽ ἀλλήλων πλεονεχτούμεναι" καὶ τοσοῦτόν πως ἐχδοῶσιν, ὡς ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος τῆς τούκων ἐπαῖειν φωνῇς. ε Οὐκ εἰσὶ γὰρ, φησὶ, λαλιαὶ, οὐδὲ λόγοι, ὧν οὐκὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὖφὥν. ν» ἽΛπαν γὰρ ἔθνος, καὶ ἅπασα γλῶσσα τῶν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς κηρυγμάτων ἀκούει. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ γλῶτται τὸ διάφορον ἔχουσι, μία δὲ φύσις τὴν αὐτὴν παρὰ τούτων δρέκεται χρείαν. Οὕτω πάλιν ὁ ταῦτα εἰρηκὼς, ἐν ἑτέρῳ ψαλμῷ τὸν Δημιουργὸν ἀνυμνῶν, ἔλεγεν. ε« ᾿Εθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσίς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ, ἐκραταιώθη, οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πρὸς αὐτήν. » Εἰς ἐμαυτὸν γὰρ, φησὶ, στραφεὶς, καὶ ἐν ἐμαυτῷ γενόμενος, καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἁπάντων θορύδων λαγεὶς, ἐν θεωρίᾳ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ γενέσθαι φύσεως ἠδουλήθην, καὶ τὴν λογικὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀχριδῶς δύναμιν κατιδεῖν, τὰς ἐπιστήμας, ὧν ἔστι δέκτι

Ēkousa tēs prophētikēs phōnēs adousēs kai boōsēs" « Hoi ouranoi diēgountai doxan Theou, poiēsin de cheirōn autou anangellei to stereōma. » ᾿Alla phōgēs men ekeithen pheromenēs, hēn poiei pneuma dia tēs artērias ōthoumenon epi to stoma, kai logos glōt- “an enarmoniōs tois hodousi prospherōn, kai cheilē »tyssomena, kai aēr plēssomenos, kai tēn antitypian ergazomenos, oudeis tōn kath᾽ hēmas achēchoe pōpote anthrōpōn. Phainomenos de kai to te megethos, to te kallos hypodeiknys, kai tēs orophēs tois anthrōpois parechōn tēn chreian, sigōn kēryttei ton tēn, kai tas hapantōn glōttas eis hymnǭdian kai kathaper oikian horōntes technikōs mala geUge nēn, kai gōniais eutheiais synērmosmenēn, heuros te kai mēkos echousan, kai hypsos, tēn pros tauta diasōzon analogian, kai phōtagōgous en rhythmǭ kai taxee gegenēmenas, cha, ta alla hosa tas toiautas oikias lamprynein philei, euthys ton technitēn thaumazomen, kai ton ou paronta zōgraphoumen tę̄ dianoią, kai eis tēn ekeinou technēn pasan ekeinēs tēs euprepeias anapherthmen tēn eumorphian " houtōs ouranon horōntes, kaa tōn kat᾽ ouranon phōstērōn tēn chreiōdē choreian. ou tauta proskynoumen, alla ton toutōn Poiētēn tais dynatais hymnǭdiais gerairomen, kai ek megethous kai kallonēs ktismatōn analogōs ton Genesiourgon theōroumen. Logizometha gar orthōs kai dikaiōs " Ei tēlikouton tōn poiēmatōn to megethos, pēlikos ho Poiētēs? kai ei toiautē tōn genētōn hē hōra, hoion sou aristotechnou kai Poiētou tōn holōn to kallos? Houtōs, «e Hoi ouranoi diēgountai doxan Theou, poiēsin de cheirōn autou anangellei to stereōma " » houtōs, e Hēmera tę̄ hēmerą ereugetai rhēma, kai nyx nykti anangellei gnōsin" » ou phōnēn aphieisai, oude dia glōttēs phthengomenai, alla diēnekōs allēlas diadechomenai, kai pros tēn tōn anthrōpōn chreïan hyp᾽ allēlōn pleonechtoumenai" kai tosouton pōs echdoōsin, hōs hapantōn anthrōpōn to genos tēs toukōn epaiein phōnę̄s. e Ouk eisi gar, phēsi, laliai, oude logoi, hōn ouki akouontai hai phōnai auphōn. n» HiLpan gar ethnos, kai hapasa glōssa tōn tēs hēmeras kai tēs nyktos kērygmatōn akouei. Hai men gar glōttai to diaphoron echousi, mia de physis tēn autēn para toutōn dreketai chreian. Houtō palin ho tauta eirēkōs, en heterǭ psalmǭ ton Dēmiourgon anymnōn, elegen. e« ᾿Ethaumastōthē hē gnōsis sou ex emou, ekrataiōthē, ou mē dynōmai pros autēn. » Eis emauton gar, phēsi, strapheis, kai en emautǭ genomenos, kai tōn exōthen hapantōn thorydōn lageis, en theōrią tēs emautou genesthai physeōs ēdoulēthēn, kai tēn logikēn tēs psychēs achridōs dynamin katidein, tas epistēmas, hōn esti dekti

I have heard the prophetic voice singing and crying: "The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands." But no one among us has ever heard a voice coming from there, such as breath makes when pushed through the windpipe to the mouth, and reason bringing the tongue harmoniously to the teeth, and lips folding, and air struck and producing resistance. Yet by appearing and showing its greatness and beauty, and giving people the use of a roof, it proclaims in silence the … and the tongues of all to sing praise. And just as when we see a house built very skilfully, joined with right angles, having breadth, length, and height that keep their proportion to one another, and windows made in rhythm and order, and all the other things that usually make such houses splendid, we at once admire the craftsman, paint him in our mind though he is not present, and refer all the beauty of that elegance to his art, so when we see heaven and the useful dance of the lights of heaven, we do not worship them, but honor their Maker with such hymns as we can, and "from the greatness and beauty of created things we contemplate the Creator by analogy." For we reason rightly and justly: if the works are so great, how great is the Maker? And if the things that came to be have such charm, what must be the beauty of the supreme craftsman and Maker of all? So "the heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands"; so "day pours forth speech to day, and night proclaims knowledge to night," not uttering a voice nor speaking with a tongue, but continually succeeding one another, and outdoing one another for the use of human beings; and they cry out so loudly that the whole race of human beings hears their voice. "For there are no speeches," he says, "nor words, whose voices are not heard." For every nation and every tongue hears the proclamations of day and night. Tongues differ, but one nature receives the same benefit from them. So again the one who said this, singing the Creator's praise in another psalm, said: "Your knowledge has become too wonderful for me; it is mighty, I cannot attain to it." For turning to myself, he says, and coming to myself, and getting free of all the noise outside, I wished to contemplate my own nature and to look closely at the rational power of the soul, the kinds of knowledge of which the soul is capable,

Ps 19:1 (18:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 19:2 (18:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 19:3 (18:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 139:6 (138:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Opening his fourth discourse with Psalm 19, Theodoret argues that heaven, day, and night proclaim their Maker without speech, as a well-built house proclaims its builder, and turns with Psalm 139 to the wonder of human nature.

Quotations: Ps 19:1-3 (LXX 18:2-4); Ps 139:6 (LXX 138:6). "From the greatness and beauty of created things …": Wis 13:5.
Words are lost in the OCR after "it proclaims in silence the …" (probably "the Creator, and moves"); marked … and not supplied. Long debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote are removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote; debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote inside the word ἀντιτυπίαν; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; debris inside the word δύναμιν): ἀντιτυδὴ καθ. ἰδἰ4. ϑεαυμίινγ διὰ ταύτης. οἱ ὶβἰΐοδηι, αὐ ἐμ πγοιΐοδπι, πιοάϊ οἰ απ), πιο οδηίοαπι, οἱ δὶ πα σης γεγο 8 ἴῃ οἱ εἶ γβρϑγουββίο δὶ, ποιὸ (ζ λεγ. διὰ. δάάϊυν καὶ γενομένων. Α πίαν → ἀντιτυπίαν; οου 8 Ἐλοίοδ ἔυτ [6οἱ δὶς οἰἶϑι ἐδ) ΘΟ θα. ἱπέθποιηιν, οἱ ι1}168 1108 οἱ δἰπηΐ ὁ] }υ8 ἀνε ἢς 5 οἱ εἰ οἱ αυἃ αυο-. ἰῃ 4110 → ; δύ- ΓῚ.. » κᾷ πὰ θῶ Ὁ ναμῖν → δύναμιν; Πα νἱἴλη} 80 Δ Υ ΟΓ πὶ οἱ ᾿σαπἀογοπὶ ἰγδηβισὶί, (πὶ ἰηλοἱ ἢ ἣμ. αι. ατγὶς. γμθπι. ἢ. → .

Extrabiblical texts: Wis 13:5 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.1 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.2PG 83

χὴ, τὰς τέχνας, ὧν τὸν βίον ἐνέπλησε, δι᾽ ὧν ἥδιον καὶ θυμηρέστερον βιοτεύει, ὧν ὠδίνει λόγων τὸ πλῆθος, ὧν δέχεται τὴν ἀμετρίαν" πῶς ἀπὸτίθεται ταῦτα, καὶ διαχεχριμένως φυλάττει πῶς προφέρει ῥᾳδίως τῶν ἀποκειμένων ὅ βούλεται" πῶς ἰθύνει τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς μὲν, ὄγκων καὶ χρωμάτων ἐγχειρίζει διάκρισιν. γλώττῃ δὲ, χυμοὺς δικάζειν ἐπίστευσε, καὶ διάκονον τῶν οἰκείων ὠδίνων ἐχειροτόνησεν, ὀσμῶν δὲ κριτήριον ἀπέφηνε τὰς ῥῖνας, καὶ λόγοις ἔξωθεν φερομένοις τὰς ἀκοὰς ἀνεπέθ. τασε᾿ τῷ δὲ λοιπῷ σώματι τὴν ἁπτὴν ἐνεχείρισε δύναμιν καὶ παρέχει μὲν τούτοις τὴν αἰσθητικὴν ἐνέργειαν, ἀντιλαμδάνει δὲ παρὰ τούτων καὶ λύπην καὶ εὐφροσύνην" ταῦτα καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτά φησι λογιζόμενος, καὶ ὁρῶν τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων τούτων συνδρομὴν εἰς ἑνὸς ζώου χατασχενὴν, καὶ τοῦ θνητοῦ καὶ ἀθανάτου συμφυῖΐῖαν καὶ συζυγίαν, νικῶμαι τῷ θαύματι, καὶ τῆς θεωρίας οὐκ ἐφιχνούμενος, τὴν ἧτταν ὁμολογῶ, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ σοφίας ἀνακηρύττων τὴν νίκην, καὶ τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀνυμνῶν, βοῶ « Ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσίς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ, ἐκραταιώθη, οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πρὸς αὐτήν. ν Καὶ ταῦτα καὶ ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἁρμόττει τὰ ῥῇματα, τὴν φαινομένην ἐν τοῖς τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου σώματος μορίοις σοφίαν κατιδεῖν ἐθελήσασι μὲν, τῇ δὲ πείρᾳ τὴν ἀσθένειαν διδαχθεῖσιν. Οὐ μικρὰ δὲ ὅμως ἐκ τῆς Β ἀμυδρᾶς χεχερδήχαμεν θεωρίας" ἐθεασάμεθα γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ βραχυτάτῳ μορίῳ τοῦ σώματος τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ διαλάμπουσαν προμήθειαν. Τί γὰρ τριχῶν εὐὖτελέστερον; τί δὲ οὕτως ἐν τοῖς τοῦ σώματος μορίοις αἰσθήσεως ἅμοιρον; ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως καὶ τούτων τὴν χρείαν ἀναγκαίαν ἔδειξεν ὁ λόγος" καὶ μαρτυροῦσιν ὀφρύες καὶ βλεφαρίδες, μαρτυροῦσι δὲ καὶ αἱ τὴν κεφαλὴν κοσμοῦσαί τε ὁμοῦ καὶ χαλύκτουσαι" καὶ γὰρ καὶ τούτων τὴν χρείαν οἱ τούτων ἐψιλωμένοι διδάσκουσι. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἐρυθριῶσιν ὡς κάλλους ἐστερημένοι" ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἕτερα ἅττα ἐπινοοῦσι καλύμματα, τὴν ἐχείνων χρείαν ἀποπληροῦντα. Καὶ ὡς ἔοικε, τούτου χάριν καὶ γυμνωθῆναι τούτων ἑνίας κεφαλὰς ὁ Δημιουργὸς συνεχώρησεν, ἵνα μάθωμεν ὅπως καὶ τούτων προμηθούμενος ὁ Ποιητὴς, οὕτω τὸ ζῶον διέπλασεν. Οὕτω τοὺς εἰς ἄνδρας λουἡλικίαν, τῷ γενείῳ χκαταχοσμεῖ, καὶ μοῖράν τινα τῶν παρειῶν σὺν τῷ ἀνθερεῶνι. Πρότερον μὲν γὰρ ἴουλος ἀνθεῖ, μετὰ ὃὲΣ ταῦτα κόμη μετρία καλύπτει, ἵνα τῇ προσθήκῃ διδάξῃ τῶν ἡλικιῶν τὸ διάφορον, καὶ πείσῃ διὰ τοῦ σχήματος, τῶν παιδικῶν μὲν ἀθυρμάτων ἀπέχεσθαι, τὰ δὲ σπουδαΐα τῶν ἔργῶν προσίςσθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὰ γυναιξὶν αἱ ὠδῖνες εἰς τοιαύτην διδασκαλίαν ἀρχοῦσι, μόνων οὕτω τὰς τῶν ἀνδρῶν παρειὰς ἐστεφάνωσεν. Εἰ δά τις μόνον ἀντιλέγειν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ δεδιδαγμένος, τὰς ἐν ἄλλοις μορίοις τοῦ σώματος τῶν τριχῶν ἐκφύσεις προδάλλοιτο, μανθανέτω καὶ περὶ τούτων μάτην ἀχαριστῶν.

chē, tas technas, hōn ton bion eneplēse, di᾽ hōn hēdion kai thymēresteron bioteuei, hōn ōdinei logōn to plēthos, hōn dechetai tēn ametrian" pōs apotithetai tauta, kai diachechrimenōs phylattei pōs propherei rhądiōs tōn apokeimenōn ho bouletai" pōs ithynei to sōma, kai ophthalmois men, onkōn kai chrōmatōn encheirizei diakrisin. glōttę̄ de, chymous dikazein episteuse, kai diakonon tōn oikeiōn ōdinōn echeirotonēsen, osmōn de kritērion apephēne tas rhinas, kai logois exōthen pheromenois tas akoas anepeth. tase᾿ tǭ de loipǭ sōmati tēn haptēn enecheirise dynamin kai parechei men toutois tēn aisthētikēn energeian, antilamdanei de para toutōn kai lypēn kai euphrosynēn" tauta kai hosa toiauta phēsi logizomenos, kai horōn tēn tōn enantiōn toutōn syndromēn eis henos zōou chataschenēn, kai tou thnētou kai athanatou symphuiïian kai syzygian, nikōmai tǭ thaumati, kai tēs theōrias ouk ephichnoumenos, tēn hēttan homologō, kai tēs tou Dēmiourgou sophias anakēryttōn tēn nikēn, kai ton Poiētēn anymnōn, boō « Ethaumastōthē hē gnōsis sou ex emou, ekrataiōthē, ou mē dynōmai pros autēn. n Kai tauta kai hēmin epi tou parontos harmottei ta rhę̄mata, tēn phainomenēn en tois tou anthrōpeiou sōmatos moriois sophian katidein ethelēsasi men, tę̄ de peirą tēn astheneian didachtheisin. Ou mikra de homōs ek tēs B amydras checherdēchamen theōrias" etheasametha gar kai en tǭ brachytatǭ moriǭ tou sōmatos tēn tou Theou dialampousan promētheian. Ti gar trichōn euytelesteron? ti de houtōs en tois tou sōmatos moriois aisthēseōs hamoiron? ᾿All᾽ homōs kai toutōn tēn chreian anankaian edeixen ho logos" kai martyrousin ophryes kai blepharides, martyrousi de kai hai tēn kephalēn kosmousai te homou kai chalyktousai" kai gar kai toutōn tēn chreian hoi toutōn epsilōmenoi didaskousi. Prōton men gar erythriōsin hōs kallous esterēmenoi" epeita de kai hetera hatta epinoousi kalymmata, tēn echeinōn chreian apoplērounta. Kai hōs eoike, toutou charin kai gymnōthēnai toutōn henias kephalas ho Dēmiourgos synechōrēsen, hina mathōmen hopōs kai toutōn promēthoumenos ho Poiētēs, houtō to zōon dieplasen. Houtō tous eis andras louēlikian, tǭ geneiǭ chkatachosmei, kai moiran tina tōn pareiōn syn tǭ anthereōni. Proteron men gar ioulos anthei, meta hoeS tauta komē metria kalyptei, hina tę̄ prosthēkę̄ didaxę̄ tōn hēlikiōn to diaphoron, kai peisę̄ dia tou schēmatos, tōn paidikōn men athyrmatōn apechesthai, ta de spoudaïa tōn ergōn prosissthai. Epeidē da gynaixin hai ōdines eis toiautēn didaskalian archousi, monōn houtō tas tōn andrōn pareias estephanōsen. Ei da tis monon antilegein tę̄ alētheią dedidagmenos, tas en allois moriois tou sōmatos tōn trichōn ekphyseis prodalloito, manthanetō kai peri toutōn matēn acharistōn.

the arts with which it has filled life, by which it lives more pleasantly and agreeably, the multitude of words it brings forth, the vast amount it takes in; how it stores these and keeps them distinct; how it easily brings out whatever it wishes of what is stored; how it directs the body, and has entrusted the eyes with distinguishing sizes and colors, given the tongue the judging of flavors and appointed it the servant of its own labor pains, made the nostrils the judge of smells, and opened the ears to words coming from outside; and to the rest of the body it has entrusted the power of touch, and gives these their activity of sensing and receives from them in return both pain and gladness. "Reckoning these things and the like," he says, "and seeing the concourse of these opposites in the making of one living creature, and the joining and yoking together of the mortal and the immortal, I am overcome by wonder; unable to reach the contemplation of it, I confess defeat, and proclaiming the victory of the Creator's wisdom and praising the Maker, I cry: 'Your knowledge has become too wonderful for me; it is mighty, I cannot attain to it.'" These words suit us too at present, who wished to look at the wisdom that appears in the parts of the human body, but have been taught our weakness by experience. Yet we have gained not a little from our dim contemplation; for we have seen God's forethought shining out even in the smallest part of the body. What is cheaper than hairs? What among the parts of the body has so little share in sensation? Yet the argument has shown that even their use is necessary; the eyebrows and eyelashes bear witness, and so do the hairs that both adorn and cover the head; for those stripped of them teach their use. First they blush as deprived of beauty; then they devise other coverings to fill their place. And it seems that the Creator allowed some heads to be bared of them for this very reason, so that we might learn that the Maker formed the creature with forethought even for these. So too he adorns those who reach manhood with the beard, and a part of the cheeks with the chin. First the down blooms, then a moderate growth covers it, so that by the addition he may teach the difference of ages and persuade by the appearance to keep away from childish toys and to take up serious work. And since for women the pains of childbirth suffice for such teaching, he crowned only the cheeks of men in this way. If anyone, taught only to contradict the truth, should bring forward the growth of hair in other parts of the body, let him learn that about these too he is ungrateful in vain.

Ps 139:6 (138:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Overwhelmed, with the psalmist, by the soul's powers and the union of mortal and immortal in man, Theodoret shows providence even in the hair of the head, eyebrows, and beard.

Ps 139:6 (LXX 138:6) again, put in the psalmist's mouth as Theodoret paraphrases his thought. "Those who reach manhood" renders a damaged phrase (printed τοὺς εἰς ἄνδρας λουἡλικίαν).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; stray mark): ἀποκειμένων [ ὅ → ἀποκειμένων ὅ; Α Δεθὶιγὶο ρτγοίδγδε : αἱ → .

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.2 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.3PG 83

Αὐτοφυὲς γὰρ' ἣ φύσις περυτέθειχε κάλυμμα, οἷς τὰ χειροποίητα περιτιθέναι σπουδάζομεν. Διὰ τοῦτο, οἷς μὲν τὸ λογικὸν οὐδέπω διακρίνειν ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν ἐπίσταται, οὐ περιτέθειχεν ἡ φύσις τὸ ἐκ τριχῶν περιδόλαιον" τοὺς δὲ ἤδη τῆς γνώσεως ἀρξαμένους, καὶ τῶν μελῶν ἑκάστου τὴν χρείαν δεδιδαγ-μένους, εὖ μάλα καὶ λίαν καλῶς τούτῳ τῷ διαζώματι κατεκόσμῃσεν, ὥσπερ ἐρυθριῶντας ἐφ᾽ οἷς οὐκ ἔδει χαλύπτουσα" ταύτην γὰρ οὐκ εἶχεν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τὴν αἰσχύνην ὁ γενάρχης ᾿Αδάμ. ε« Ἦσαν γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ δύο γυμνοὶ, ὃ τε ᾿Αδὰμ. καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἠσχύνοντο. » Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ νόμου παράόασιν, εἷς αἴσθησιν ἐλθόντες τῶν ἑπταισμένων, καὶ τῆς θείας φωνῆς ἀκούσαντες, ἔῤῥαψαν φύλλα συκῆς, καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαντοῖς περιζώματα. "Αθρει τοιγαροῦν, ὦ πιχρὲ τῆς δημιουργίας ὁμοῦ καὶ τῆς προνοίας χατήγορε, καὶ ἐν τούτοις τοῖς μέλεσι τὴν τοῦ Ποιητοῦ κηδεμονίαν. Περὶ ὧν σὺ μὲν καὶ ἀκούων ἐρυθριᾷς, ὁ δὲ Δημιουργὸς καὶ διαπλάττων ἀγάλλε ται" ε« Εἶδε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησε, καὶ ἰδοὺ χαλὰ λίαν “» καὶ, « Ποιήσωμεν αὖτῷ βοηθὸν κατ᾽ αὐτόν. » ΚῪὰὶ πρώτη εὐλογία θεοῦ" « Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν, καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς. » Ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰ δοκοῦντα μέλη τοῦ σώματος, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Παῦλον, ἀτιμότερα ὑπάρχειν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἐξελθεῖν ἐδιάσθτ, βλέπε πάλιν τὴν ἄῤῥητον τοῦ Ποιητοῦ φιλανθρυνπίαν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ στόμα, καὶ λόγῳ διακονεῖν, καὶ τροφὴν ὑποδέχεσθαι, καὶ παραπέμπεῖν τῇ γαστρὶ πεπιστευμένον, πλησίον ἔθηκε τῶν ὁμμάτων᾽ τὸν δὲ τῶν ἐχχρίσεων πόρον, ἀποχναίειν τὰς ὄψεις δυνάμενον, καὶ τροφῆς ἀποτρέπειν, καὶ βδελυγμίας ἀναπιμπλᾶναι, οὐ μόνον πόῤῥω που τούτων πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντελῶς ἀφανῇ τούτοις κατέστησεν, εἰς τοὐπίσω τὸ ἀπευθυσμένον ἔντερον ἀποχλίνας, μεταξὺ δὲ τῶν γλουτῶν τὸν πόρον ἀνοίξας, καὶ τῇ τούτων προδολῇ πάλιν αὐτοφυὲς αὑτῷ μηχανησάμενος κάλυμμα. Αἰσχύντητι τοιγαροῦν τῆς θείας φιλανθρωπίας τὴν ἁμετρίαν" φρίξον αὑτῆς ᾿ τὴν ἄῤόητον χηδεμονέαν, ὁρῶν αὑτὴν δημιουργοῦ σαν, ἃ σὺ λέγειν αἰσχύνῃ, ὁρῶν αὐτὴν προμηθουμένὴν, ὧν καὶ τὴν μνήμην ἐρυθριᾷς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ θνητόν ἐστι τὸ ὁρώμενον τοῦ ζώου, καὶ τροφῆς ἅτε δὴ θνητὸν ἐνδεὲς, ἀναγκαίως αὐτῷ καὶ στόμα ἐνέφυδε, καὶ πόρους ἐχχρίσεων, καὶ κύκλους ἐντέρων πυλυελίχτους ἐδημιούργησε, τὸ ἱλυῶδες, τῆς τρος τς ὑποδεχομένων, καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς προϊεμένων, ὅπως μὴ συνεχώς ἡμῖν ἡ χρεία τῶν σιτίων παρενοχλῇ, τῆς κενώσεως ἀεὶ τὴν πλήρωσιν ἀπαιτούσης.

Autophyes gar' hē physis perytetheiche kalymma, hois ta cheiropoiēta peritithenai spoudazomen. Dia touto, hois men to logikon oudepō diakrinein aretēn kai kakian epistatai, ou peritetheichen hē physis to ek trichōn peridolaion" tous de ēdē tēs gnōseōs arxamenous, kai tōn melōn hekastou tēn chreian dedidag-menous, eu mala kai lian kalōs toutǭ tǭ diazōmati katekosmę̄sen, hōsper erythriōntas eph᾽ hois ouk edei chalyptousa" tautēn gar ouk eichen en tǭ paradeisǭ tēn aischynēn ho genarchēs ᾿Adam. e« Ēsan gar, phēsin, hoi dyo gymnoi, ho te ᾿Adam. kai hē gynē autou, kai ouk ēschynonto. » Meta de tēn tou nomou paraoasin, heis aisthēsin elthontes tōn heptaismenōn, kai tēs theias phōnēs akousantes, errhapsan phylla sykēs, kai epoiēsan heantois perizōmata. "Athrei toigaroun, ō pichre tēs dēmiourgias homou kai tēs pronoias chatēgore, kai en toutois tois melesi tēn tou Poiētou kēdemonian. Peri hōn sy men kai akouōn erythriąs, ho de Dēmiourgos kai diaplattōn agalle tai" e« Eide gar, phēsin, ho Theos panta hosa epoiēse, kai idou chala lian “» kai, « Poiēsōmen autǭ boēthon kat᾽ auton. » KYai prōtē eulogia theou" « Auxanesthe kai plēthynesthe, kai plērōsate tēn gēn, kai katakyrieusate autēs. » Epeidē d᾽ ho logos eis ta dokounta melē tou sōmatos, kata ton theion Paulon, atimotera hyparchein, ouk oid᾽ hopōs exelthein ediastht, blepe palin tēn arrhēton tou Poiētou philanthrynpian. To men gar stoma, kai logǭ diakonein, kai trophēn hypodechesthai, kai parapempein tę̄ gastri pepisteumenon, plēsion ethēke tōn hommatōn᾽ ton de tōn echchriseōn poron, apochnaiein tas opseis dynamenon, kai trophēs apotrepein, kai bdelygmias anapimplanai, ou monon porrhō pou toutōn pepoiēken, alla kai pantelōs aphanę̄ toutois katestēsen, eis toupisō to apeuthysmenon enteron apochlinas, metaxy de tōn gloutōn ton poron anoixas, kai tę̄ toutōn prodolę̄ palin autophyes hautǭ mēchanēsamenos kalymma. Aischyntēti toigaroun tēs theias philanthrōpias tēn hametrian" phrixon hautēs ᾿ tēn aroēton chēdemonean, horōn hautēn dēmiourgou san, ha sy legein aischynę̄, horōn autēn promēthoumenēn, hōn kai tēn mnēmēn erythriąs. Epeidē gar thnēton esti to horōmenon tou zōou, kai trophēs hate dē thnēton endees, anankaiōs autǭ kai stoma enephyde, kai porous echchriseōn, kai kyklous enterōn pylyelichtous edēmiourgēse, to hilyōdes, tēs tros ts hypodechomenōn, kai ouk euthys proïemenōn, hopōs mē synechōs hēmin hē chreia tōn sitiōn parenochlę̄, tēs kenōseōs aei tēn plērōsin apaitousēs.

For nature has put a covering grown of itself on the parts on which we take pains to put coverings made by hands. For this reason, on those whose reason does not yet know how to distinguish virtue and vice nature has not put the garment of hair; but those who have already begun to know, and have been taught the use of each member, it has adorned very well and very fittingly with this girdle, covering, as it were, those who blush at what they ought not. For Adam, the first father of the race, did not have this shame in paradise. "For they were," it says, "both naked, Adam and his wife, and they were not ashamed." But after the transgression of the law, coming to perceive their faults and hearing the divine voice, "they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles." Observe, then, you bitter accuser of both creation and providence, the Maker's care in these members too. About them you blush even to hear, but the Creator rejoiced even as he formed them; for "God saw," it says, "all that he had made, and behold, it was very good," and, "Let us make him a helper corresponding to him." And God's first blessing was: "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and have dominion over it." And since the argument has somehow been compelled to go into those members of the body that seem, as the divine Paul says, to be less honorable, see again the ineffable love of the Maker for humankind. The mouth, entrusted with serving speech and receiving food and sending it on to the belly, he put near the eyes; but the passage of excretions, which can offend the sight, turn one away from food, and fill one with loathing, he not only made far from them but set wholly out of their sight, turning the straight gut backward, opening the passage between the buttocks, and contriving for it again, by their projection, a covering grown of itself. Be ashamed, then, at the boundlessness of God's love for humankind; shudder at its ineffable care, seeing it fashion what you are ashamed to name, seeing it take forethought for things whose very mention makes you blush. For since the visible part of the living creature is mortal, and, being mortal, needs food, he necessarily gave it a mouth, made passages for excretion, and fashioned the much-coiled loops of the intestines, which receive the muddy part of the food and do not release it at once, so that the need for food may not trouble us continually, as emptying always demands filling.

Gen 2:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:28 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:23 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Hair as a natural covering appears with the age of moral knowledge, as Adam and Eve covered themselves after the fall; God, who called his work very good, placed even the organs of excretion with care for human modesty.

Quotations: Gen 2:25; Gen 3:7; Gen 1:31; Gen 2:18; Gen 1:28. "Less honorable" members: 1 Cor 12:23.
Words are lost in the OCR in "seeing it fashion" (printed δημιουργοῦ σαν) and in "the food" (printed τῆς τρος τς); translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word φησὶν; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek): φηοἱ εἱ " νἱ 6 3, τᾶ 618 θὲ 84ἷπ ἰῃ- 1 ΄αυοαυθ βυ ο θδοῦγΑ σοπίοιρ Διί 006 δὰ 08 Γο Ἦϊ, γ᾽ ἀθη ἰἃ- Βίον δἷς 0 }}}258 οἱ μ θη 0 οὐ γᾶ ᾿ιδ 4 ἰἃ-- 6 η ἀοοοδῖ, οἱ ἰρϑᾶ νυ] οἱ το οἀ Α σὶν, → φησὶν, ; γο αγὸ ἰπμας γεγο, εἴα ἴῃ εἰ οὶ οἱ ἴα τη 10 οἱ ὀχβυ δί. ε ᾿ἧ. »--- δ- Εἰ οἱ 8588δε, : Ιάοτγο, οἱ εἰδὶ (δι ἀπ πὶ → .

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.3 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.4PG 83

Καὶ τί δεῖ πάντα καταλέγειν τὰ τῆς φύσεως θαύματα; Καιρὸς γὰρ ἤδη λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν, ὧν τὴν μνήμην τῇ προτεραίᾳ παραλιπόντες, σήμερον τούτων ἑρμηνεῦσαι τὴν χρείαν. Βλέπε τοίνυν αὐτὰς, οὔτε πέρα τῆς χρείας ἐκτεταμένας, ἵνα μὴ φορτίον περιττὸν τῷ λοιπῷ γένωνται σώματι, οὔτε αὖ πάλιν ἐνδεέστερον ἣ ἔδει τὸ μῇχοὸς ἐχούσας, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔργοις ὧν χάριν ἐγένοντο τὸ μέτρον. Τούτου χάριν αὐτὰς καὶ τριχὴ διεῖλεν ὁ Πλάστης, καὶ τὴν μὲν πρώτην ἁρμονίαν τοῖς ὥμοις ἐντέθειχεν, ἀγχῶνι δὲ βραχίονα καὶ πῆχυν συνήρμοσε, τῷ δὲ καρπῷ τὴν ἐτέρᾶν τοῦ πήχεως συναρθρώσας ἀρχὴν, καὶ τούτῳ τὸ μεταχάρπιον ἐπιθεὶς, τοὺς πέντε τούτῳ δακτύλους ἐνέφυσε. Καὶ ἕχαστον δὲ τούτων ἐκ τριῶν σχυταλίδων συνέθηκε " καὶ τῶν μὲν τὰς ἀρχὰς χοιλάνας, τῶν δὲ σφαιροειδεῖς τεκτηνάμενος, καὶ τῷ κοίλῳ τὸ σφαικαὶ μυσὶ τὴν ἐκούσιον κίνησιν ἐγχειρίσας, μαλαχῷ ἣμφίεσε δέρματι, ἵνα συναγομένοις ἐμποδὼν ἡ σχληρό-" τῆς μὴ γίγνηται. Καὶ τὰ ἄκρα δὲ τῶν δακτύλων ἔνδοθεν χαῦνα δημιουργήσας, ἕξωθεν τῆς ἀσφαλείας ἐπέθηκε, περιφερεὶς ἔξωθεν τὰς προδολὰς ἔχοντας " καὶ λεπτοὺς μὲν πεποίηκεν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν μαλακὴν τῶν ἄκρων βαρῶσι σάρκα, περιττὸν φορτίον γινόμενοι’ πλατεῖς δὲ, ὅπω:; ἐν ταῖς ἑπιπόνοις ἐργασίαις ἀντέχωσίν, ἔξωθεν τὸ χαῦνον τῆς ἕξω κειμένης σαρκὸς ὑπερείδοντες " περιφερεῖς δὲ τούτων τὰς προθολὰς ἐτεκτήνατο, τὸ δυσπαθὲς αὐτοῖς διὰ τοῦδε τοῦ σχήματος μηχανώμενος. Εὔθραυστοι γὰρ τῶν τριγώνων καὶ τετραγώνων σχημάτων ἐν τοῖς λεπτοῖς σώμασιν αἱ γωνίαι. Δέουσι μὲν γὰρ, καὶ ἄρχτοις, καὶ παρδάλεσι, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις θηρίοις, ὀξεῖς καὶ παχεῖς καὶ μακροὺς καὶ μάλα ἰσχυροὺς ἐνέφυσεν ὁ Ποιητὴς ὄνυχας, καὶ φυσικὴν αὐτοῖς περιτέθειχε πανοπλίαν, ἐπειδὴ τῆς τεχνικῇς αὐτοὺς μεταλαχεῖν βοηθείας ἡ ἀλογία κωλύει. Τὸν δὲ ἄνθρωπὸν λογικὸν δημιουργήσας, καὶ νοῦν αὐτῷ μυ- αὶ ρίων ἐπιστημῶν καὶ τεχνων εὑρετὴν ἐμφύσας, γυμνὸν τῆς φυσικῆς πανοπλίας ἐδημιούργησε" καὶ οὔτε ὄνυχα; αὐτῷ θηριώδεις ἔδωκεν, οὔτε ὁπλαῖς ἣ χηλαῖς τοὺς τούτου πόδας ἐχάλνψε" πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἑπέδη χλιμάχων; πῶς δὲ ἂν ἐπὶ τοίχων ἔστη λεπτῶν, λίθους ἢ πλίνθους ὑφαίνων, καὶ οἰκίαν κατασκευάζων; πῶς δ᾽ ἂν ἐπ᾽ ἄκρων ἔστη δωμάτων ὁπλαῖς ἣ χηλαῖς κεχρημένος; Νῦν δὲ τὸ μαλακὸν καὶ πρόμηχες τῶν ποδῶν, καὶ τῶν δακτύλων τὸ εὐχαμπὲς, ῥᾳδίαν αὐτῷ τὴν κίνησιν, καὶ ἀσφαλῇ τὴν στάσιν ποιεῖ, Καὶ γυμνοῖς μὲν τοῖς ποσὶ κεχρημένος, εὐπετῶς μάλα καὶ ἐπὶ ξύλων βαδίζει, καὶ λεπτῶν κλιμάχων κατατολμᾷ, καὶ μυρία ἅττα δρᾷ μετὰ πολλῆς εὐκολίας. Τὴν δὲ τῶν ὁπλῶν ἣ τῶν χηλῶν χρείαν ἐπείσακτον ἔχει.

Kai ti dei panta katalegein ta tēs physeōs thaumata? Kairos gar ēdē loipon epi tas cheiras elthein, hōn tēn mnēmēn tę̄ proteraią paralipontes, sēmeron toutōn hermēneusai tēn chreian. Blepe toinyn autas, oute pera tēs chreias ektetamenas, hina mē phortion peritton tǭ loipǭ genōntai sōmati, oute au palin endeesteron hē edei to mę̄choos echousas, alla tois ergois hōn charin egenonto to metron. Toutou charin autas kai trichē dieilen ho Plastēs, kai tēn men prōtēn harmonian tois hōmois entetheichen, anchōni de brachiona kai pēchyn synērmose, tǭ de karpǭ tēn eteran tou pēcheōs synarthrōsas archēn, kai toutǭ to metacharpion epitheis, tous pente toutǭ daktylous enephyse. Kai hechaston de toutōn ek triōn schytalidōn synethēke " kai tōn men tas archas choilanas, tōn de sphairoeideis tektēnamenos, kai tǭ koilǭ to sphaikai mysi tēn ekousion kinēsin encheirisas, malachǭ hēmphiese dermati, hina synagomenois empodōn hē schlēro-" tēs mē gignētai. Kai ta akra de tōn daktylōn endothen chauna dēmiourgēsas, hexōthen tēs asphaleias epethēke, periphereis exōthen tas prodolas echontas " kai leptous men pepoiēken, hina mē tēn malakēn tōn akrōn barōsi sarka, peritton phortion ginomenoi’ plateis de, hopō:? en tais hepiponois ergasiais antechōsin, exōthen to chaunon tēs hexō keimenēs sarkos hypereidontes " periphereis de toutōn tas protholas etektēnato, to dyspathes autois dia toude tou schēmatos mēchanōmenos. Euthraustoi gar tōn trigōnōn kai tetragōnōn schēmatōn en tois leptois sōmasin hai gōniai. Deousi men gar, kai archtois, kai pardalesi, kai tois allois thēriois, oxeis kai pacheis kai makrous kai mala ischyrous enephysen ho Poiētēs onychas, kai physikēn autois peritetheiche panoplian, epeidē tēs technikę̄s autous metalachein boētheias hē alogia kōlyei. Ton de anthrōpon logikon dēmiourgēsas, kai noun autǭ my- ai riōn epistēmōn kai technōn heuretēn emphysas, gymnon tēs physikēs panoplias edēmiourgēse" kai oute onycha? autǭ thēriōdeis edōken, oute hoplais hē chēlais tous toutou podas echalnpse" pōs gar an hepedē chlimachōn? pōs de an epi toichōn estē leptōn, lithous ē plinthous hyphainōn, kai oikian kataskeuazōn? pōs d᾽ an ep᾽ akrōn estē dōmatōn hoplais hē chēlais kechrēmenos? Nyn de to malakon kai promēches tōn podōn, kai tōn daktylōn to euchampes, rhądian autǭ tēn kinēsin, kai asphalę̄ tēn stasin poiei, Kai gymnois men tois posi kechrēmenos, eupetōs mala kai epi xylōn badizei, kai leptōn klimachōn katatolmą, kai myria hatta drą meta pollēs eukolias. Tēn de tōn hoplōn hē tōn chēlōn chreian epeisakton echei.

And why need I list all the wonders of nature? For it is now time to come at last to the hands, which we passed over yesterday, and to explain their use today. See them, then, neither stretched out beyond what is needed, so as to become a superfluous burden to the rest of the body, nor again shorter than they should be, but with a measure suited to the works for which they were made. For this reason the Fashioner divided them in three: he set the first joint in the shoulders, fitted the upper arm to the forearm at the elbow, jointed the other end of the forearm to the wrist, set the palm upon it, and made the five fingers grow from it. Each of these he put together of three small rods; he hollowed the ends of some and made those of others round, and … the round to the hollow …, and entrusting voluntary movement to the muscles, he clothed them in soft skin, so that hardness might not hinder them when they close. He made the tips of the fingers soft inside, and set … on the outside for safety, with rounded projections on the outside; he made them thin, so that they might not weigh down the soft flesh of the tips by becoming a superfluous burden; broad, so that they might hold firm in laborious work by supporting from outside the softness of the flesh lying beneath; and he made their projections rounded, contriving by this shape that they should not be easily damaged. For the corners of triangular and square shapes break easily in thin bodies. To lions, bears, leopards, and the other wild beasts the Maker gave sharp, thick, long, and very strong claws, and put natural armor on them, since their lack of reason prevents them from sharing in the help of art. But having made man rational and implanted in him a mind that discovers countless sciences and arts, he made him bare of natural armor; he gave him neither beastly claws nor covered his feet with hooves or cloven hooves. For how could he have climbed ladders? How could he have stood on thin walls, laying courses of stones or bricks and building a house? How could he have stood on the tops of roofs if he had hooves or cloven hooves? As it is, the softness and length of his feet and the flexibility of his toes make his movement easy and his standing secure. Using his bare feet, he walks very easily even on beams, ventures onto thin ladders, and does countless other things with great ease. And the use of hooves or cloven hooves he has as something added from outside.

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret describes the proportions and joints of the arm, hand, and fingers, the protecting nails, and why man, unlike the beasts, was given no natural claws or hooves.

Words are lost in the OCR in the account of the finger joints ("and … the round to the hollow …") and in "set … on the outside for safety", where the nails are meant (they are the subject of the following clauses); marked … and not supplied.
"Yesterday": see 3.6, where the hands were deferred to the next discourse.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (column letter inside a hyphenated word; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; debris inside the word ἐκτεταμένας; leaked footnote (Scripture references) inside the word αὐτὰς): οὶ οὔ "68 πηϑηῖο οἱ ρυάογοηι Οὐ ἀπά ἶϊ. Ουπὶ ἐπ πὶ δὰἢ → ; ἐχτετατο θὰ πὶ οογα μένας → ἐκτεταμένας; αὐὖ- 4“ ὅρη. πι,25. 15 ὅσ. πὶ. ἢ. ἄρῃ. πι, 18. χη, 48. τὰς → αὐτὰς; πρώ- Α τὴν → πρώτην.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.4 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-4

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.5PG 83

γὰρ τῶν ὑπηκόων θρεμμάτων δέρμα λαδὼν, βυρσοδεψικῇ καὶ σχυτοτομιχῇ τέχνῃ χρησάμενος συνεργῷ, μιμεῖται τῶν ποδῶν καὶ θέσιν καὶ ὄγκον, μῆκός τε καὶ εὖρος, καὶ οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἀμφιέννυσιν, ὡς ἂν καὶ τῶν ἀντιτύπων σωμάτων ἐν τῷ βαδίζειν τὴν ἀκμήν. Τούτου χάριν ὁ Ποιητὴς μόνῳ τῷδε τῷ ζώῳ πὰ τῶν χειρῶν ἐχαρίσατο μόρια, οἷον ὄργανά τινα λογικῷ πρέποντα. Διὰ τούτων γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ γῆν ἀροῦσι, καὶ αὔλακας τέμνουσι, καὶ σπέρμαουσι, καὶ δρέπανα θήγοντες, νῦν τὰς ἀμπέλους πρὸς ὠδῖνας ἐπειγομένας ὁρῶντες τέμνουσι, καὶ τῶν δρέπονται τῶν πόνων τὰ ἐπίχειρα χερσὶ χρώμενοι, ἀμαλλοδετῇρες δεσμοῦσι, καὶ εἰς τὰς ἅλως τὰ φορτία κομίζουσι, καὶ τῶν ἀχύρων τοὺς πυροὺς ἀποχρίνουσι, Καὶ τὸ μὲν, ταῖς ἀχυρμιαῖς νοι συνεργοῖς. Καὶ ἄμπελον τρυγῶσι, καὶ ἐλαίαν συλλέγουσι, καὶ οἶνον ἀποθλίθουσι, καὶ λαχάνων γένη παντοδαπὰ γεωργοῦσι, καὶ ὁπωρῶν εἴδη μυρία ταῖς ρουσι τοῖς ἀπολαύειν ἐθέλουσι. Διὰ χειρῶν ὁ ἀνθρώπειὸς νοῦς οὐ μόνον τὴν ἥπειρον εὐὑανθέσι καλλωκπίζει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν πολλαῖς ὁδοῖς κατεκόσμησε, καὶ τὴν πᾶσιν ἄδατον τοῖς φύσιν λαχοῦσι πεζὴν, πολλοὺς ἔχειν ὁδίτας ἐμηχανήσατο" τῇ γὰρ θεοσδότῳ σοφίᾳ τὴν ναυπηγικχὴν εὑράμενος τέχνην, παρὰ τῆς χαλχευτιχῆς, ἣν πρὸ ταύτης ἐμηνον, καὶ ὅσα τεκτονικῆς ὄργαγα, καὶ παρὰ τῆς πρεσθυτέρας αὐτῆς ἀδελφῆς τῆς γεωργίας τῶν ξύλων τὰ ἄκαρπα τοῖς ὀργάνοις ἐκείνοις τεμὼν, καὶ τὴν μὲν τρόπιν οἷόν τινα θεμέλιον ὑποθεὶς, εἶτα ἐπὶ ταύτης καθάπερ τινὰς τοίχους τὰς σανίδας καὶ τοῖς γόμφοις ἄριστα συναρμόσας, τῇ δὲ τῆς πίσσης ἀλοιφῇ χαταχρίσας, καὶ τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ τοῖς ὕδασι τὴν εἰσροὴν ἀποτειχίσας, ὄχημα θαλάςτιον τὸ σκάφος ἀπέφηνε. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔδει καὶ ἵππων καὶ ἡμιόνων τῷδε τῷ ζεύγει, φέρειν δὲ τούτους οὐκ ἴσχυεν ἡ ῥοώδης οὐσία, μηχανᾶται καὶ τοῦτο σοφῶς, ταῖς χερσοσὶ πάλιν χρησάμενος ὑπουργοῖς, ὁ τοῦ πλοίον χυδερνήτης ᾿ ἀντὶ ῥυμοῦ γὰρ τὸν ἱστὸν ἀνορθώσας, καὶ τὰ ἱστία ζυγοῦ δίκην αὐτῷ συνάψας, ταῖς τῶν ἀνέμων αὔραις προσδαλλούσαις, ἀντὶ ἵπκων" καὶ ἡμιόνων κέχρηται, καὶ ταύτας ὥσπερ τινὰς πώλους ὑπάγει ταῖς ζεύγλαις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔδει καὶ ἡνίας ἔχειν τὸ σκάφος, τὰ πηδάλια ταύτας μιμεῖται, καὶ τῶν οἱάκων ἐπειλημμένος ὁ κχυδερνήτης, οἷά τις ἡνίοχος, καθάπερ ἵτυν ἅρματος τὴν πρύμναν ἔχων, μεταφέρει ῥᾳδίως τῇδε κἀκεῖσε τὸ σκάφος " καὶ οὐ. μόνον φιλίου πνεύματος ῥέοντος οἶδεν ἐπιστημόνως ἰθύνειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀνέμων ἀτάκτους προσθολὰς διαλύειν, καὶ οἷόν τινας πώλους ἀδαμά- Ὁ στους καὶ δυσηνίους ἀνέχειν τῷ χαλινῷ, καὶ ταῦτα ὁ ἀνθρώπειος νοῦς μηχανᾶται, χερσὶ διακόνοις χρώμενος. Διὰ τούτων καὶ ναύτης ἐρέττει, καὶ χνῦερφόρτον, καὶ πᾶς ἁλιευτὴς ἀγρεύει, καὶ τὴν μὴ φαι, πλοκῇ. ᾿Αλλὰ δεῦρο, χαταχθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάττης εἰς τὴν ἤπειρον. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ γὰρ ὁ χρόνος εἰς ἀχριδή τέχνης ἑκάστῃς διήγησιν, Βλέπε τοίνυν τὰς τέχνας ἁπάσας παρ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἐρανιζομένας τὸ χρήσιμον οἰκοδομικὴν μὲν, παρὰ Α τῆς χαλχευτιχῆς τὰ ὄργανα" χαλκευτικὴν δὲ, παρὰ τῆς οἰχοδομικῇς τὴν οἰκίαν" «ἀμφοτέρας δὲ, παρὰ «ἧς γεωργικῆς τὴν τροφήν. Καὶ τὴν γεωργιχὴν αὖ, παρὰ τούτων τὴν τε τῶν οἰκιῶν κατασκευὴν, καὶ τὰ συνεργεῖν εἰς γεωργίαν δυνάμενα. Μᾶλλον δὲ σκόπησον ἐξ ἀρχῆς πῶς ὑπέδειξεν ὁ Ποιητὴς τῷδε τῷ ζώῳ τὰς ἀναγκαίας χρείας. Πόθεν γὰρ ἔγνω μεταλκερον; Τίς δὲ αὐτῷ τὰς ἀργυρίτιδας ὑπέδειξε φλέας; Τίς δὲ τὴν χρυσῖτιν γῆν ὀρύττειν ἐδίδαξε, καὶ τὰ μικρὰ ψήγματα τοῦ χρυσίου συλλέγειν ὑπἔδειξε; Πόθεν ἔμαθε φύσιν ὑέλου; Τίς αὐτὸν τῆς ψάμμου τὴν διαφορὰν ἐπαίδευσε; Τίς αὑτὸν ἐδίδαξε τὴν τοιάνδε ψάμμον τῷ πυρὶ παραδίδοσθαι, καὶ ὅπως, καὶ ἐπὶ πόδον; καὶ τὴν συνεχῆ μὲν χωοἰζειν, τὴν χωριστὴν δὲ εἰς συνεχὲς ἀχώριστον μεταθάλλειν; Πῶς ἔγνω διαπλάττειν ἐκ ταύτης,

gar tōn hypēkoōn thremmatōn derma ladōn, byrsodepsikę̄ kai schytotomichę̄ technę̄ chrēsamenos synergǭ, mimeitai tōn podōn kai thesin kai onkon, mēkos te kai euros, kai houtōs autous amphiennysin, hōs an kai tōn antitypōn sōmatōn en tǭ badizein tēn akmēn. Toutou charin ho Poiētēs monǭ tǭde tǭ zōǭ pa tōn cheirōn echarisato moria, hoion organa tina logikǭ preponta. Dia toutōn gar hoi anthrōpoi kai gēn arousi, kai aulakas temnousi, kai spermaousi, kai drepana thēgontes, nyn tas ampelous pros ōdinas epeigomenas horōntes temnousi, kai tōn drepontai tōn ponōn ta epicheira chersi chrōmenoi, amallodetę̄res desmousi, kai eis tas halōs ta phortia komizousi, kai tōn achyrōn tous pyrous apochrinousi, Kai to men, tais achyrmiais noi synergois. Kai ampelon trygōsi, kai elaian syllegousi, kai oinon apothlithousi, kai lachanōn genē pantodapa geōrgousi, kai hopōrōn eidē myria tais rousi tois apolauein ethelousi. Dia cheirōn ho anthrōpeios nous ou monon tēn hēpeiron euyanthesi kallōkpizei, alla kai tēn thalassan pollais hodois katekosmēse, kai tēn pasin adaton tois physin lachousi pezēn, pollous echein hoditas emēchanēsato" tę̄ gar theosdotǭ sophią tēn naupēgikchēn heuramenos technēn, para tēs chalcheutichēs, hēn pro tautēs emēnon, kai hosa tektonikēs orgaga, kai para tēs presthyteras autēs adelphēs tēs geōrgias tōn xylōn ta akarpa tois organois ekeinois temōn, kai tēn men tropin hoion tina themelion hypotheis, eita epi tautēs kathaper tinas toichous tas sanidas kai tois gomphois arista synarmosas, tę̄ de tēs pissēs aloiphę̄ chatachrisas, kai toutǭ tǭ tropǭ tois hydasi tēn eisroēn apoteichisas, ochēma thalastion to skaphos apephēne. Epeidē de edei kai hippōn kai hēmionōn tǭde tǭ zeugei, pherein de toutous ouk ischyen hē rhoōdēs ousia, mēchanatai kai touto sophōs, tais chersosi palin chrēsamenos hypourgois, ho tou ploion chydernētēs ᾿ anti rhymou gar ton histon anorthōsas, kai ta histia zygou dikēn autǭ synapsas, tais tōn anemōn aurais prosdallousais, anti hipkōn" kai hēmionōn kechrētai, kai tautas hōsper tinas pōlous hypagei tais zeuglais. Epeidē de edei kai hēnias echein to skaphos, ta pēdalia tautas mimeitai, kai tōn hoiakōn epeilēmmenos ho kchydernētēs, hoia tis hēniochos, kathaper hityn harmatos tēn prymnan echōn, metapherei rhądiōs tę̄de kakeise to skaphos " kai ou. monon philiou pneumatos rheontos oiden epistēmonōs ithynein, alla kai tas tōn anemōn ataktous prostholas dialyein, kai hoion tinas pōlous adama- Ho stous kai dysēnious anechein tǭ chalinǭ, kai tauta ho anthrōpeios nous mēchanatai, chersi diakonois chrōmenos. Dia toutōn kai nautēs erettei, kai chnyerphorton, kai pas halieutēs agreuei, kai tēn mē phai, plokę̄. ᾿Alla deuro, chatachthōmen apo tēs thalattēs eis tēn ēpeiron. Ouk arkei gar ho chronos eis achridē technēs hekastę̄s diēgēsin, Blepe toinyn tas technas hapasas par᾽ allēlōn eranizomenas to chrēsimon oikodomikēn men, para A tēs chalcheutichēs ta organa" chalkeutikēn de, para tēs oichodomikę̄s tēn oikian" «amphoteras de, para «hēs geōrgikēs tēn trophēn. Kai tēn geōrgichēn au, para toutōn tēn te tōn oikiōn kataskeuēn, kai ta synergein eis geōrgian dynamena. Mallon de skopēson ex archēs pōs hypedeixen ho Poiētēs tǭde tǭ zōǭ tas anankaias chreias. Pothen gar egnō metalkeron? Tis de autǭ tas argyritidas hypedeixe phleas? Tis de tēn chrysitin gēn oryttein edidaxe, kai ta mikra psēgmata tou chrysiou syllegein hypedeixe? Pothen emathe physin hyelou? Tis auton tēs psammou tēn diaphoran epaideuse? Tis hauton edidaxe tēn toiande psammon tǭ pyri paradidosthai, kai hopōs, kai epi podon? kai tēn synechē men chōoizein, tēn chōristēn de eis syneches achōriston metathallein? Pōs egnō diaplattein ek tautēs,

… For taking the skin of the animals he rules, and using the arts of tanning and shoemaking as helpers, he imitates the position and bulk, length and breadth of the feet, and so clothes them as to blunt the sharpness of hard bodies in walking. For this reason the Maker gave to this living creature alone the members of the hands, as instruments suited to a rational being. For by them human beings plough the earth, cut furrows, sow seeds, and sharpening sickles, now prune the vines when they see them hastening to bud, and now … they reap the rewards of their labors, using their hands; binders of sheaves bind them and carry the loads to the threshing floors, and separate the wheat from the chaff, … with the chaff-heaps as helpers. They gather the grapes, pick the olives, press the wine, cultivate vegetables of every kind, and … countless kinds of fruit for those who wish to enjoy them. By hands the human mind not only beautifies the mainland with flowering …, but has also adorned the sea with many roads, and has contrived that what is untrodden by all who have received a nature that walks should have many travellers. For having discovered by God-given wisdom the art of shipbuilding, from the smith's art, which … before it, and all the tools of carpentry, and from its elder sister, agriculture, it cut the fruitless kinds of wood with those tools; it laid the keel as a foundation, then on it the planks like walls, fitted them excellently with pegs, smeared them with pitch, and in this way walled out the inflow of the waters, and so made the ship a vehicle of the sea. And since this team needed horses and mules, but the flowing substance could not carry them, the pilot of the ship contrives this too wisely, again using his hands as servants: setting up the mast instead of a pole, and fastening the sails to it like a yoke, he uses the breezes of the winds that strike them instead of horses and mules, and puts them under the yoke like colts. And since the ship also needed reins, the rudders imitate them; and the pilot, holding the tillers like a charioteer, with the stern as the rim of his chariot, easily turns the ship this way and that; and he knows how not only to steer skilfully when a friendly wind blows, but also to break the disorderly onsets of the winds and hold them in with the bridle like untamed and unruly colts; and this the human mind contrives using hands as servants. By them the sailor rows, the … , every fisherman catches his prey, and … But come, let us put in from the sea to the mainland. For time is not enough for an exact account of each art. See, then, all the arts borrowing what is useful from one another: building gets its tools from the smith's art; smithing its house from building; both their food from farming; and farming in turn gets from them the construction of houses and what can help in farming. Or rather, consider from the beginning how the Maker showed this living creature its necessary needs. Whence did he know … metal? Who showed him the veins of silver? Who taught him to dig the gold-bearing earth and showed him how to gather the small grains of gold? Whence did he learn the nature of glass? Who taught him the difference in sands? Who taught him that such sand is to be given to the fire, and how, and for how long, and to separate what is continuous, and change what is separable into an inseparable continuous whole? How did he know how to fashion from it

Notes and citation

Summary: The hands, given to man alone as the instruments of reason, make shoes, farm the land, build and sail ships, and practise all the arts, which depend on one another and which God himself first showed to humankind.

The OCR has lost words in many places in this part, together with long debris from Migne's Latin column: at the very beginning (the sentence that the shoe is a human invention), in the farming account, in the account of shipbuilding ("which … before it"), in the list of trades at sea, and in "whence did he know … metal". These are marked … and not supplied.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris; column letter and debris inside the word βυρσοδεψικῇ; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word λαχοῦσι; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; some Greek words are lost with it; footnote marker): απ οἱ Ὁ] η δῆ: ἴῃ ἴἃἰῃ τῦῖδη συ δ οἱ φυδάγαησα δ πὶ οἱ γι πὶ ΐ. → ; βυροο- Β Εἰ δεψικῇ → βυρσοδεψικῇ; αὔλαχας (ὅ6) → αὔλακας; ἱπιἰη [ἰδ πίον Γἃδὺὶ ἃ → ; πεοἱ οἱ υἱὲ [3]δῖα οἱ ταδηΐροοβ οὐ σαὶ, οἱ ρϑιοϑδαιθ ᾿ ἃ {ἐγ οῦ → ; ὁδοῖς εἱ β᾿ κατεκόσμησε → ὁδοῖς κατεκόσμησε; λαεἶδ, (οι δἰ άδη8, λυ υ τ Ὑδἢ !ου}., πάγη), σοηδίγαχὶ(. λά- 6418 δε Θεϑοῖ, κοῦσι → λαχοῦσι; ΡτΌ66}}88 ἀΐ 550 γ ογθ, οἵ οθ 6 → ; Τορυ5 οηΐπιὶ δά οχδοίδηχ ὑπ 500} 0 5416 ΘΧΡΟΒ ἢ Ο ΘΠ ηθη Βυ Ποῖ. Ε → .

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.5 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-5

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.6PG 83

πυρὶ καὶ πνεύματι συνεργῷ κεχρημένος, των εἴδη μυρία, φιάλας, καὶ κύλικας, καὶ βομδύλους, καὶ ἀμφορίσχους, καὶ ἔπιπλα, καὶ ἕτερα αχεύη πρὸς πᾶσαν χρείαν βρωτῶν καὶ ποτῶν ἐπι: τίδεια; Δῆλον τοιγαροῦν, ὡς τούτων ἁπάντων τὴν γνῶσιν παρὰ τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἐδέξατο, καὶ τῶν ἐπινοιῶν τὰς δυνάμεις, καὶ τῶν τεχνῶν τὰς εὑρέσεις, τῇ φύσει ὁ δημιουργήσας ἐγχατεθάλετο. Διὸ καὶ τῷ μεγάλῳ Ἰὼδ προσδιαλεγόμενος ἔλεγε" ε Τίς ἔδωκε γυναιξὶν ὑφάσματος σοφίαν, καὶ ποιχιλτιχὴν ἐπιστήμην; Θεόσδοτον γὰρ τῷ ὄντι καὶ τοῦτο τῆς τές χνης τὸ χρῶμα. Τῷ χρόνῳ μὲν γὰρ εὐκαταφρόνητον γέγονε, καὶ ἡ γνῶσις τῆς ἐργασίας ἀφήρηται τῶν εὑρηχότων τὴν εὐφημίαν. Εἰ δέ τις ἀχριδῶς ἔκαστον σκοπῆσαι θελήσειε, σφόδρα ἂν καὶ ταύτην τὴν τέχνην θαυμάσειεν. Τὰ γὰρ ἕρια χειρόμενα, καὶ τοῖς ὕδασι καθαιρόμενα, διαξαίνεται μὲν πρῶτον, καὶ εἰς λεπτὰ διαιρεῖται, εἶτα τὸ χάταγμα μήρυμα γίνεται" ἔπειτα, ἢ ταλασιουργία λαδοῦσα, τὸ μὲν ἀκραιφνὲς καὶ οἱονεὶ εὐθείας ἔχον τὰς ἵνας, τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποχρίνει" καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ὃὲ συντιθεῖσα, χρόχην κατασκευάζει τῷ στήμονι. Εἶτα γυναικῶν χεῖρες λαθοῦσαι, τὰ λεπτὰ νέήθουσι νήματα, καὶ ταῦτα πρότερον, οἷόν τινας χορδὰς, κατὰ τάξιν ἐν τοῖς ἱστοῖς εἶτα τοῖς εἰς τοῦτο συντεθημένοις ὀργάνοις οἷον ὠθοῦσαι καὶ πιλοῦσαι τὴν χρόχην, οὕτως ἀποτελοῦσι τὸ ὕφασμα. Τίς ἂν πρὸς ἀξίαν τὴν δοθεῖσαν σοφίαν τῷ ζώῳ θαυμάσειε; Πῶς ἑνὶ χρώματι τῶν ὑποκειμένων, ἐρίων ἣ σηριχῶν νημάτων, παντοδαπῶν ζώων ἐνυφαίνονται τύποι, καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἰἱνδάλματα, τῶν μὲν θηρενόντων, τῶν δὲ προσευχομένων, καὶ δένδρων εἰκόνες, καὶ ἕτερα ἄλλα μυρία. ᾿Αληθῶς αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, τὰ τοσαύτης ἀξιωθέντα σοφίας, τὰ τοσούτοις ἀγαθοῖς ἐντρυφῶντα. Τίς τὸν θαλάττιον ἰχθὺν βαφὴν τοῖς ἐρίοις ἀπέφηνε; τίς πάλιν ταύτης τῆς τέχνης εὑρετὴς ἐγένετο, καὶ εἰς μυρία, χρωμάτων εἴδη μεταμφιέννυσι νῶν ἐρίων τὸ εἶδος; ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἴσως ἀχαριστίαν νοσῶν φήσεις, λεπτότερα νήθειν τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ σκώληκας νήματα. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς θείας ἔργον κηδεμονίας. ἵνα γὰρ μὴ μεγαλοφρονῇς ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν παντοδαπῶν τεχνῶν σοφίᾳ, μηδὲ νεανιξςύῃ τῷ πλήθει τοῦ πλούτου, διὰ σκωλήκων ὁ κηδεμών σε παιδεύει, ὡς οὐ τῆς σῆῇς ἐστι ταῦτα δυνάμεως, ἀλλὰ τῆς θείας φιλανθρωπίας τὰ δῶρα. Οὕτω δέ σε παιδαγωγῶν, παραμυθεῖται πάλιν, ἵνα μὴ ἀλγῇς ὕπ᾽ ἐχείνων νικώμενος, σοὶ προσφέρων ἔἐχεῖνα τὰ νῆμᾶτα, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς ὑποτάττων ζυγοῖς τὸν ἐχείνων ἐργάτην. Σὺ μόνος ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν ζώων πόλεις εἰς κάλλος ᾧχοδόμησας, καὶ πύργοις, καὶ περιδόλοις μήσω κάλλη, καὶ τοῖς λιμέσι θάλατταν τῇ ἡπεί- Ἐπειδὴ δὲ θνητὸν ὁ Ποιητῆς σε κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον πεποιηκὼς, ἤδει σε καὶ ἀῤῥωστίαις περιπεσούμενον (τὸ γὰρ θνητὸν πάθεσι συγχεχλήρωται), ἐδίδαξέ σε καὶ τέχνην ἰατρικὴν, καὶ τήνδε τὴν ἐπιμεμάθηχας τῶν μὴ φαινομένων παθημάτων εἰδέναι διαφορὰν, καὶ τῇ κινήσει τῶν σφυγμῶν, πυρετῶν ἀκμῆς, καὶ παραχμῆς ἐπιγινώσκειν καιρὸν, χοὶ θανάτου προορᾷν γνωρίσματα, καὶ τῆς ἐνοχλούσης ὕλης τὸ. εἶδος γνωρίζειν, καὶ ταύτῃ προσφέρειν τὰ πολεμεῖν πεφυκότα, καὶ τὴν μὲν ὑγρὰν ξηραίνειν, τὴν δὲ θερμὴν χαταψύχειν, ἐχπυροῦν δὲ καὶ ἐχθερἣ τῇ τομῇ τῶν φλεθῶν. Καὶ τίς ἂν ἐφίκοιτο λόγος, ἢ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν παθημάτων, ἢ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἰαμάτων; Πολλὰ μὲν γὰρ τὰ τῇ φύσει τοῦ σώματος Ὁ μακα. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἐφεῦρεν ἡ τέχνη ἑκάστῳ πάθει

pyri kai pneumati synergǭ kechrēmenos, tōn eidē myria, phialas, kai kylikas, kai bomdylous, kai amphorischous, kai epipla, kai hetera acheuē pros pasan chreian brōtōn kai potōn epi: tideia? Dēlon toigaroun, hōs toutōn hapantōn tēn gnōsin para tou pepoiēkotos edexato, kai tōn epinoiōn tas dynameis, kai tōn technōn tas heureseis, tę̄ physei ho dēmiourgēsas enchatethaleto. Dio kai tǭ megalǭ Iōd prosdialegomenos elege" e Tis edōke gynaixin hyphasmatos sophian, kai poichiltichēn epistēmēn? Theosdoton gar tǭ onti kai touto tēs tes chnēs to chrōma. Tǭ chronǭ men gar eukataphronēton gegone, kai hē gnōsis tēs ergasias aphērētai tōn heurēchotōn tēn euphēmian. Ei de tis achridōs ekaston skopēsai thelēseie, sphodra an kai tautēn tēn technēn thaumaseien. Ta gar heria cheiromena, kai tois hydasi kathairomena, diaxainetai men prōton, kai eis lepta diaireitai, eita to chatagma mēryma ginetai" epeita, ē talasiourgia ladousa, to men akraiphnes kai hoionei eutheias echon tas hinas, tōn loipōn apochrinei" kai ta loipa hoe syntitheisa, chrochēn kataskeuazei tǭ stēmoni. Eita gynaikōn cheires lathousai, ta lepta neēthousi nēmata, kai tauta proteron, hoion tinas chordas, kata taxin en tois histois eita tois eis touto syntethēmenois organois hoion ōthousai kai pilousai tēn chrochēn, houtōs apotelousi to hyphasma. Tis an pros axian tēn dotheisan sophian tǭ zōǭ thaumaseie? Pōs heni chrōmati tōn hypokeimenōn, eriōn hē sērichōn nēmatōn, pantodapōn zōōn enyphainontai typoi, kai anthrōpōn hiindalmata, tōn men thērenontōn, tōn de proseuchomenōn, kai dendrōn eikones, kai hetera alla myria. ᾿Alēthōs aineite ton Kyrion, panta ta ethnē, ta tosautēs axiōthenta sophias, ta tosoutois agathois entryphōnta. Tis ton thalattion ichthyn baphēn tois eriois apephēne? tis palin tautēs tēs technēs heuretēs egeneto, kai eis myria, chrōmatōn eidē metamphiennysi nōn eriōn to eidos? ᾿All᾽ isōs acharistian nosōn phēseis, leptotera nēthein tōn anthrōpōn kai skōlēkas nēmata. ᾿Alla kai touto tēs theias ergon kēdemonias. hina gar mē megalophronę̄s epi tę̄ tōn pantodapōn technōn sophią, mēde neanixsyę̄ tǭ plēthei tou ploutou, dia skōlēkōn ho kēdemōn se paideuei, hōs ou tēs sēę̄s esti tauta dynameōs, alla tēs theias philanthrōpias ta dōra. Houtō de se paidagōgōn, paramytheitai palin, hina mē algę̄s hyp᾽ echeinōn nikōmenos, soi prospherōn eecheina ta nēmata, kai tois sois hypotattōn zygois ton echeinōn ergatēn. Sy monos ex hapantōn tōn zōōn poleis eis kallos hǭchodomēsas, kai pyrgois, kai peridolois mēsō kallē, kai tois limesi thalattan tę̄ hēpei- Epeidē de thnēton ho Poiētēs se kata ton paronta bion pepoiēkōs, ēdei se kai arrhōstiais peripesoumenon (to gar thnēton pathesi synchechlērōtai), edidaxe se kai technēn iatrikēn, kai tēnde tēn epimemathēchas tōn mē phainomenōn pathēmatōn eidenai diaphoran, kai tę̄ kinēsei tōn sphygmōn, pyretōn akmēs, kai parachmēs epiginōskein kairon, choi thanatou proorąn gnōrismata, kai tēs enochlousēs hylēs to. eidos gnōrizein, kai tautę̄ prospherein ta polemein pephykota, kai tēn men hygran xērainein, tēn de thermēn chatapsychein, echpyroun de kai echtherē tę̄ tomę̄ tōn phlethōn. Kai tis an ephikoito logos, ē tou plēthous tōn pathēmatōn, ē tou plēthous tōn iamatōn? Polla men gar ta tę̄ physei tou sōmatos Ho maka. Polla gar epheuren hē technē hekastǭ pathei

using fire and breath as helpers, countless kinds of …: bowls, cups, narrow-necked flasks, small jars, utensils, and other vessels suited to every use of food and drink? It is plain, then, that he received the knowledge of all these from the one who made him, and that the Creator laid up in his nature the powers of invention and the discoveries of the arts. That is why, speaking with the great Job, he said: "Who gave women wisdom in weaving and knowledge of embroidery?" For this color of art too is truly God-given. By time it has become despised, and familiarity with the work has robbed its discoverers of their praise. But if anyone will examine each step precisely, he will greatly admire this art too. For the wool, shorn and cleansed with water, is first carded and divided into fine strands; then what is carded becomes a roll; then the spinning art takes it, separates the unmixed part, whose fibers are as it were straight, from the rest, and putting the rest together, prepares the woof for the warp. Then women's hands take it and spin the fine threads, and first set these in order on the looms like strings; then, with the instruments made for the purpose, pushing and pressing the woof together, they finish the cloth. Who could worthily admire the wisdom given to this living creature? How, in a single color of the material, whether wool or silk threads, figures of animals of every kind are woven, images of men, some hunting, some praying, pictures of trees, and countless other things! Truly, "praise the Lord, all nations," you who have been thought worthy of such wisdom and revel in so many good things. Who made the sea fish a dye for wool? Who, again, became the discoverer of this art, which clothes the look of the wool in countless kinds of colors? But perhaps, sick with ingratitude, you will say that even worms spin finer threads than men. But this too is the work of God's care. For so that you may not be proud of the wisdom of all the arts or swagger in the abundance of your wealth, your guardian teaches you through worms that these things are not of your power but gifts of God's love for humankind. And while instructing you in this way, he consoles you again, so that you may not grieve at being outdone by them, by bringing you those threads and putting their worker under your yoke. You alone of all the living creatures have built cities for beauty, adorned them with towers and walls, and with harbors … the sea to the mainland … And since the Maker made you mortal in the present life and knew you would fall into sicknesses (for what is mortal has passions as its lot), he taught you the art of medicine too, and this … you have learned to know the differences of hidden ailments, to recognize by the movement of the pulse the time of the crisis and decline of fevers, to foresee the signs of death, to recognize the kind of troublesome matter and apply to it what is naturally able to fight it: to dry the moist, to cool the hot, and to … by cutting the veins. And what words could reach either the multitude of ailments or the multitude of cures? For many are the … in the nature of the body; and many are the remedies art has found for each ailment, naturally able to

Job 38:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 117:1 (116:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret marvels at God-given arts of glassmaking, weaving, dyeing, building, and medicine, explaining that even the silkworm's finer thread teaches humility while serving human beings.

"Who gave women wisdom in weaving …": Job 38:36 LXX. "Praise the Lord, all nations": Ps 117:1 (LXX 116:1).
"The sea fish" used as a dye: the murex, source of purple.
The OCR has lost words at the beginning (the object of "countless kinds of", glass vessels), in the account of cities and harbors, of medicine, and at the end; marked … and not supplied.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word τοσαύτης; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word ἀληθῶς; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; some Greek words are lost with it): γἷἀοϊηυυμ :οα! Ποἷα, οἱ 118, αυῷ δά ἰϑσγ ουὐίυπι ἴαπᾶ οἱ παῖ ἢ 6 οἱ πὶ οἱ ἀ }- Τὰ πὶ Δἀτηϊ γα Δα νοὶ! αἱ τ 6 115 408 ἴῃ εἰ εἴλους. Α → ; γαρὶἴπγοϑί γα 80] οί Ὁ Εοτί 5515 ἀυ- Δηΐπιο οχίο! ] γ τ 5, πὸ ἀϊν ἢ {ἰὶ οἵ → ; ἡπεί- [οτῖ, οἱ ποσυπὶ 4υοαυο ἀρ ςο5 (8 ἐπι ρονγὶ 5 ]εἷϊ. Τὰ 50105 οη 105 τοὶ γι ]οοἰαχηἰαιὶ οοπίγαγὶα, δι πη] δυίοπι ρ] ατἰ πη οἱ γαγίᾶ → ἡπεί- ; 688 αυα οὶ ἢδί, 410 ποῖ 681, 4ι0ἀ πο [6 Δα Ὦ τά. 8. ᾿]ὰ. → .

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.6 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-6

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.7PG 83

πρλεμεῖν πεφυκότα. Τούτου χάριν ὁ Ποιητὴς, καὶ βοτάνας πολλὰς, οὐκ ἐδωδίμους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀχρήστους εἰς ἐδωδὴν, τῇ γῇ βλαστῆσαι προσέταξεν, ἐπειδήπερ οὐ μόνης τροφῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ θεραπείας ἐνδεεῖς ἐσμεν οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Τούτων τοιγαροῦν τὰς μὲν ἡμεῖς ὀψοποιούμεθα, τὰς δὲ τῶν ἀλόγων ἐσθίει τὰ ποηφάγα, τὰς δὲ ἰατρῶν συλλέγοντες παῖδες, τὰ ἀλεξίκακα κατασκευάζουσι φάρμακα, καὶ τὸ εἰς ἐδωδὴν ὀλέθριον, ἀλεξίχαχον γίνεται φάρμᾶαχον. Μηδὲ ταῦτά σε τοιγαροῦν εἰς κατηγορίαν τῆς Προνοίας κινείτω. Τούτων γὰρ ἕχαστον εἰς εὖφημίαν τῶν εὐγνωμόνων τὴν γλῶτταν καλεῖ. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ ἔοικα τοῖς ἐν πελάγει νηχομένοις, καὶ πᾶντα- Α χόθεν περιχλυζομένοις τοῖς κύμασι, καὶ τὴν ἤπειρον χαταλαθεῖν ἐπιθυμοῦσι, τοῦ πελάγους τῆς τῶν τεγεῖν τῶν ἐπιόντων ἐνθυμημάτων οἷόν τινων κυμάτων τὴν προσδολὴν, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ τέλος δραμεῖν, καὶ ὡς Τὰ; ἄλλας τοίνυν ἀπάσᾶς καταλιπὼν, ἐπὶ τὴν γραμματικὴν βαδιοῦμαι τέχντν τῷ λόγῳ, ἣ τῶν ἄλλων ἐστὶ λογικωτέρα, καὶ ἐμπρέπουσα τῷ ζώῳ τῷ λογικῷ. Αὕτη τοίνυν ἐξεῦρε μὲν στοιχεῖα, καὶ ἀριθμῷ περιώρισε, συνέζευξε δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς ἄλληλα, καὶ συλλαδῶν σνζξυγίας εἰργάσατο εἶτα δύο καὶ ὀνομάτων ἐδίδαξε τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν " συνθεῖσα δὲ ταῦτα καὶ ἐξυφήνασα, μίαν τοῦ λόγου τὴν ἁρμονίαν εἰργάσατο. ᾿Εντεῦθεν βίδλοι μυρίαι λόγων ἀρκαίων ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ μὲν, ἱερῶν καὶ θείων καὶ μυστικῶν, αἱ δὲ, τῆς ἔξωθεν παιδείας ᾿ ἣ ποικιλίᾳ μέτρων, καὶ ὀνομάτων κάλλει, καὶ συνθήκης ἁρμονίᾳ τὸ μυθῶδες συγχαλύπτουσα, τέρπει μὲν τὴν ἀκοὴν, ὅπλον δὲ τοῖς Διὰ ταύτης τῆς ἐπιστήμης ἀπόντες ὁμιλοῦμεν ἀλλήλοις, καὶ οἱ πολλῶν ἡμερῶν ὁδὸν ἀφεστηκότες, καὶ πολλοὺς σταθμοὺς ἐν μέσῳ διατειχίζοντας ἔχοντες, πέμπομεν ἀλλέλοις διὰ χειρῶν τὰ τῆς ἐννοίας κυήματα. Καὶ ἀργεῖ μὲν ἡ γλῶττα, τὸ πρῶτον ὅργᾶνον τοῦ λόγον, ὑπουργεῖ δὲ τῷ λόγῳ ἡ δεξιὰ, καὶ μεταχειριζομένη τὸν κάλαμον, ἐγχαράττει τῷ χάρτῃ τὴν πρὸς τὸν φίλον διάλεξιν " καὶ γίνεται ὄχημα τοῦ λόγου, οὐκέτι γλῶττα καὶ στόμα, ἀλλὰ χεὶρ ἀσχήσασα τῷ χρόνῳ τὴν τέχνην, καὶ τῶν στοιχείων τὴν συνθήκην ἀχριδῶς ἐχμαθοῦσα. Τούτου χάριν ὁ Ποιητὴς τοιαύτας ἡμῖν ἐτεκτήνατο τὰς χεῖρας, εἰς πέντε δακτύλους διεσχισμένας, ἀντέταξε δὲ τοῖς τέπρασι τὸν μέγαν. Οὔτε γὰρ οἷόν τε ἣν ἐν ἴσοις διακειμένοις δακτύλοις, παντοδαπὴν ἐνέργειαν ἔνεργεῖσθαι. Νῦν δὲ τοῦ μεγάλου τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀντικειμένου, καὶ γραφίδα μάλα ῥᾳδίως χατέχομεν, καὶ σχασφύραν, καὶ πυράγραν, καὶ πάντα ὅσα τέχνης ἐστὶν ὄργανα. θεωρήσας τοιγαροῦν διὰ τοῦ λόγου, ὅσης περὶ τὴν δημιουργίαν τῆς προνοίας ἀπήλαυσας, ὁπόσας σοι τέχνας καὶ ἐπιστήμας οὐ μόνον εἰς τὸ ζῆν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ εὖ ζῇν ἐδωρήσατο, πολλῇ φιλοτιμίᾳ περὶ τὴν σὴν χρησάμενος θεραπείαν, ὅσην σοι κεχάρισται φορὰν ἀγαθῶν, ὅπως θυμήρη σοι τὸν βίον ταῖς ἀπὸ τῶν τεχνῶν πραγματεύηται χρείαις, ὅτι σοι οὐ μόνον τὴν χρείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ πέρα τῆς χρείας ἐπιῤῥεῖν πανγλώττης, δίδαξον αὐτὴν εὐφημεῖν, ὑποτάγηθι τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἱκέτευσον αὐτόν. Μάθε βοᾷν μετὰ τοῦ Προφήτου" « Ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσίς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ,

prlemein pephykota. Toutou charin ho Poiētēs, kai botanas pollas, ouk edōdimous monon, alla kai achrēstous eis edōdēn, tę̄ gę̄ blastēsai prosetaxen, epeidēper ou monēs trophēs, alla kai therapeias endeeis esmen hoi anthrōpoi. Toutōn toigaroun tas men hēmeis opsopoioumetha, tas de tōn alogōn esthiei ta poēphaga, tas de iatrōn syllegontes paides, ta alexikaka kataskeuazousi pharmaka, kai to eis edōdēn olethrion, alexichachon ginetai pharmaachon. Mēde tauta se toigaroun eis katēgorian tēs Pronoias kineitō. Toutōn gar hechaston eis euphēmian tōn eugnōmonōn tēn glōttan kalei. ᾿Alla gar eoika tois en pelagei nēchomenois, kai panta- A chothen perichlyzomenois tois kymasi, kai tēn ēpeiron chatalathein epithymousi, tou pelagous tēs tōn tegein tōn epiontōn enthymēmatōn hoion tinōn kymatōn tēn prosdolēn, epi de to telos dramein, kai hōs Ta? allas toinyn apasas katalipōn, epi tēn grammatikēn badioumai techntn tǭ logǭ, hē tōn allōn esti logikōtera, kai emprepousa tǭ zōǭ tǭ logikǭ. Hautē toinyn exeure men stoicheia, kai arithmǭ periōrise, synezeuxe de tauta pros allēla, kai sylladōn snzxygias eirgasato eita dyo kai onomatōn edidaxe tēn anagnōsin " syntheisa de tauta kai exyphēnasa, mian tou logou tēn harmonian eirgasato. ᾿Enteuthen bidloi myriai logōn arkaiōn eplēsthēsan hai men, hierōn kai theiōn kai mystikōn, hai de, tēs exōthen paideias ᾿ hē poikilią metrōn, kai onomatōn kallei, kai synthēkēs harmonią to mythōdes synchalyptousa, terpei men tēn akoēn, hoplon de tois Dia tautēs tēs epistēmēs apontes homiloumen allēlois, kai hoi pollōn hēmerōn hodon aphestēkotes, kai pollous stathmous en mesǭ diateichizontas echontes, pempomen allelois dia cheirōn ta tēs ennoias kyēmata. Kai argei men hē glōtta, to prōton horganon tou logon, hypourgei de tǭ logǭ hē dexia, kai metacheirizomenē ton kalamon, encharattei tǭ chartę̄ tēn pros ton philon dialexin " kai ginetai ochēma tou logou, ouketi glōtta kai stoma, alla cheir aschēsasa tǭ chronǭ tēn technēn, kai tōn stoicheiōn tēn synthēkēn achridōs echmathousa. Toutou charin ho Poiētēs toiautas hēmin etektēnato tas cheiras, eis pente daktylous dieschismenas, antetaxe de tois teprasi ton megan. Oute gar hoion te hēn en isois diakeimenois daktylois, pantodapēn energeian energeisthai. Nyn de tou megalou tois allois antikeimenou, kai graphida mala rhądiōs chatechomen, kai schasphyran, kai pyragran, kai panta hosa technēs estin organa. theōrēsas toigaroun dia tou logou, hosēs peri tēn dēmiourgian tēs pronoias apēlausas, hoposas soi technas kai epistēmas ou monon eis to zēn, alla kai eis to eu zę̄n edōrēsato, pollę̄ philotimią peri tēn sēn chrēsamenos therapeian, hosēn soi kecharistai phoran agathōn, hopōs thymērē soi ton bion tais apo tōn technōn pragmateuētai chreiais, hoti soi ou monon tēn chreian, alla kai ta pera tēs chreias epirrhein panglōttēs, didaxon autēn euphēmein, hypotagēthi tǭ Kyriǭ, kai hiketeuson auton. Mathe boąn meta tou Prophētou" « Ethaumastōthē hē gnōsis sou ex emou,

fight it. For this reason the Maker commanded the earth to put forth many herbs, not only edible ones but also those useless for food, since we human beings need not only food but also healing. Of these, then, some we cook, some the grass-eating animals eat, and some the sons of the physicians gather and make into protective medicines, and what is deadly as food becomes a protective medicine. So do not let these things either move you to accuse Providence. For each of them calls the tongue of the grateful to praise. But I am like those swimming in the open sea, washed by waves on every side and longing to reach the mainland, … of the sea … to withstand the onset of the thoughts that come upon me like waves, and to run to the end, and … So, leaving all the other arts aside, I will go in my discourse to the art of letters, which is more rational than the others and befits the rational living creature. It discovered the letters, limited them to a number, joined them to one another and made combinations of syllables; then it taught the reading of words of two …; and putting these together and weaving them, it produced the one harmony of speech. From this, countless books of ancient writings were filled, some sacred, divine, and mystical, others of the learning from outside, which, covering up its fables with variety of meters, beauty of words, and harmony of composition, delights the ear but … a weapon for … Through this knowledge we converse with one another when absent; those who are many days' journey apart, with many staging posts walled in between, send one another by hand the offspring of their thought. The tongue, the first instrument of speech, is idle, and the right hand serves speech, and handling the pen engraves on the paper the conversation with one's friend; and the vehicle of speech is no longer tongue and mouth but a hand trained in the art by time and having precisely learned the combination of the letters. For this reason the Maker fashioned our hands so, divided into five fingers, and set the thumb against the four. For it would not have been possible to perform every kind of activity with fingers set equally. As it is, since the thumb is opposed to the others, we very easily hold a pen, a hammer, tongs, and all the instruments of art. Having contemplated, then, through this discourse, how much providence you have enjoyed in your making; how many arts and sciences he has given you, not only for living but for living well, using great generosity in caring for you; what abundance of good things he has granted you, so as to make your life agreeable by the services of the arts; that he has made not only what is needful but even what is beyond need flow to you, … your tongue, teach it to speak well of him; "submit to the Lord, and entreat him." Learn to cry with the prophet: "Your knowledge has become too wonderful for me;

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 37:7 (36:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 139:6 (138:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Herbs serve for food and medicine; the art of letters, made possible by the hand's opposed thumb, lets the absent converse; so Theodoret calls the denier of providence to submit to God and praise him.

Several lines are lost in the OCR in this part: in the image of the swimmer ("… of the sea … to withstand …", and at the end of that sentence), in the account of reading ("words of two …", probably syllables), in the sentence on pagan literature ("delights the ear but … a weapon for …"), and before "your tongue". All marked … and not supplied.
"Submit to the Lord, and entreat him": Ps 37:7 (LXX 36:7). Ps 139:6 (LXX 138:6), continued in the next part. A leaked footnote with a variant reading ("mouth and tongue" in the Paris edition) is removed at the end.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; footnote marker): ἐσθίει (ὅ1) τὰ → ἐσθίει τὰ; οἱ θὰ πὶ 84- Ἀθη 5, αυῷ οἶγοὰ γί 5 δὲ πὶ → ; κυῆματα (δ5) → κυήματα; κε 661 ἴῃ (α εεῖ, ᾿νο συ ]υπι 681 ΐδη αἀ οἴα- γλ. χΧ. στόμα. εἀϊ!. ΡΑγ8. στόμα καὶ γλῶττα. → .

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.7 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-7

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.8PG 83

ἐκραταιώθη, οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πρὸς αὐτὴν. » Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ᾿Αμήν.

ekrataiōthē, ou mē dynōmai pros autēn. » Autǭ hē doxa nyn kai aei, kai eis tous aiōnas. ᾿Amēn.

it is mighty, I cannot attain to it." To him be glory now and always and to the ages. Amen.

Ps 139:6 (138:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The fourth discourse ends with the psalm verse and a doxology.

Almost all of this part in the OCR is debris from Migne's Latin column and his footnotes, together with a stray line repeated from the first discourse ("to yourselves: who holds together the vaults of heaven? how", 1.3); all of it is removed. Only the end of the quotation of Ps 139:6 and the doxology are Theodoret's text.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column and footnotes at the end of the oration; debris from Migne's Latin column and footnotes, with a stray line repeated from the first discourse; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek): δ Δή]υδ θυ, τορι ἢθὰ5. οἵ ἀρ ἢ 115, πιδηϑι οι 5 εἰ Α ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, τίς ὁ συνέχων τὰς οὐρανίους ἀψίδας " πῶς υἱ ἰη ἰοὶ Δηποόῦυπι Π} 1005 σου οἱ απ, δὲ γο υογυπὶ δἰ άθγυπ), 101 ΔΘ ἢ οἱ 05, δ πὶ οἱ 5181ἢιδος 6611 ἴῃ δἰ πη, η 185 πὶ πο ]αϊάν, χα οὐ ἤοη ἰδὲ οὔυἀογὶῖ, αἱ ν᾿ ϊᾶτ (101 ἀγίϊαπὶ δι σου πάϊογοπι γα άοβοὰ οἱ 65. 488 γλ. χ. στόμα. οἀϊ!. Ραγί5. στόμα καὶ γλῶττα, {ἢ ἐν ---δαχτ. 14. ἑνὶ, ἴσους διακειμένους δαστ 6} 106. Α → ; οἰ 1}}} → ; Ποδῖ. 65, δὲ υιηδηληῃ παίυτγδηι ἰῃ πη θ ἀπ δἰδίυ }ἃτοτγιἰβὶῖ : σα] 486 σα ηὶ ἢ 5 685 πὶ οϑι το αν᾿ απ, οἵ Ὀτογἱίδιὶ κιυάοί, οἱ δυὰ!οτὰπι το η 01:5 δ᾽ συ] Γὰ πὶ ἃγἃγἰηοἱ ἰπ οἱ δ᾽ Ὅς], ΟΧΧΧΥΤΠ, θ. τ νῦν καὶ ἀεί. 65. ἰῃ αὐϊι. ἀνθρωπίνην. → .

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 4.8 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/4-8

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.