Екклезиастик (Книга Премудрости Иисуса, сына Сирахова), Глава 13, стих 32. Толкования стиха

Как необходима осторожность в обращении с людьми, премудрый указывает в том, что приглашенный в дом неизвестный человек может внести смуты (29—32),—что даже за благотворения злой человек может нанести неприятности (12, 1—7), что многие мнимые друзья в несчастиях оказываются врагами (8—18), что обращение с гордыми и знатными людьми может кончиться разорением или презрением со стороны не равнаго по богатству и положению человека (13, 1—18),—и как

животное дружится с подобным себе, так и человек должен искать себе равных (19—24). Особенно эта разница открывается при сравнении богача и бедняка: тому поддержка и почет, этому презрение (25—32). 

APPLICATION TO THE SOUL AND THE CHURCH. ORIGEN: He also says, “And your face is beautiful.” If it refers to that face of which Paul says, “We shall all then with unveiled face,” and again, “But then face to face,” then you will understand whether it is this or the face of the soul that is praised by the Word of God and is said to be beautiful. It is, without a doubt, the face that every day renews itself in the image of the one who created it, the one who in itself finds no spot or wrinkle but is holy and immaculate, which Christ has presented to himself as the church, that is, the souls who have come to perfection who altogether form the body of the church. Such a body will appear beautiful if the souls who compose it remain in every grace of perfection. In fact, just as an angry soul distorts the face of the body and disturbs it but when it is found in a state of tranquility and peace renders a countenance that is peaceful and mild, so also the face of the church in relation to the attitudes and the feelings of believers is defined as graceful or ugly, according to what we read written: “A cheerful countenance is the token of a heart that is in prosperity,” and again, “The face of the light hearted is filled with laughter, but it is morose if the heart is found in sadness.” Therefore the heart is happy when it has the Spirit of God in itself, whose firstfruit is love and whose second is joy. Thus I believe that some sages of this world have formed the opinion that only the sage is beautiful, while all the fools are only ugly. COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS 2.13-14.