Екклезиастик (Книга Премудрости Иисуса, сына Сирахова), Глава 33, стих 28. Толкования стиха

GOD’S PUNISHMENT KEEPS US FROM SIN. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM: If, following the devil’s promise that after the transgression he would be seen as equal to God, the man actually enjoyed such an honor, then he would have fallen into three extreme evils. First of all, he would have thought that God was jealous, a deceiver and a liar. Second, that the real deceiver and the father of lies and envy was in fact a benefactor and a friend. And third, he would have continued to sin for all eternity. But God kept all this far from the man by casting him out of paradise. In the same way a doctor who ignores a wound produces a worse inflammation. But if he resorts to an incision, he prevents the infection from spreading. Nor did God stop there, but he also added sweat and toil, because it is the nature of human beings to not be made for relaxation. And if, though being inflicted with these punishments, we persist in sin, what would we have not dared to do if God had moved us toward softness and idleness? “Idleness teaches many evils,” it is said. Both what happens every day and the things that happened to those who came before us testify to this. It is written, in fact, that “the people sat down to eat, then rose up to revel.” And, “you became fat, gross and bloated, and the one who was beloved has rejected God.” TO STAGIRIUS WHO WAS TORMENTED BY A DEVIL 1.3.

От различия разумных и глупых людей, премудрость переходит к различению судьбы тех и других, и указанием на то, что Бог в самых сходных днях различил дни праздничные, указывает, что и в равных по происхождению людях Он премудро различает добрых и злых (3—14 — Ал.3-15). Здесь снова выступает Сирах и указывая на себя как на последняго собирателя мудрости, приглашает князей следовать его советам (15 —18—Ал. и Ват. 36, 15; 30, 25—27)} и сохранять самостоятельность во всех делах до конца жизни (19—24= Ал. 30, 28—32); о рабах замечает, что постоянная работа и строгость обращения - хотя и лучшия средства к управлению ими; но и па них нужно смотреть, как па подобных себе людей (25— 33~Ал. и В. 33 — 40).