A if we are superior to these, we shall be superior to being caught by enmity. If, then, one insults you, bear it nobly; for he has insulted himself, not you. If he strikes you, do not extend your hand in counter-attack; for he is the one who is struck, smiting you with his hand, but himself with his anger, and receiving an evil reputation from everyone. If these things seem difficult to you, reflect: if some madman were to tear your garment, whom would you say is suffering injury, you who endure it, or he who does it? Clearly, it is he. Therefore, where the garment is torn, the one who does it has suffered worse than the one who endures it; but where the heart is torn—for anger does this—will you not hold that he has suffered more terrible things than you, who endure nothing at all? Do not even say this: that it is your garment, but rather that he first tore his own heart. For just as jaundice would not occur if the bile were not ruptured and exceeded its own limits, so an immeasurable anger would not occur if the heart were not ruptured. Just as, therefore, if you see someone possessed by B jaundice, even if he does ten thousand terrible things, you would not wish to draw the disease upon yourself; so too in the case of anger. Do not covet, nor imitate the malice, but pity also that man who does not curb the beast within him, but first harms and corrupts himself. For that such people harm themselves, it is possible for one to hear from many who dissolve such fights, admonishing them with this: Spare yourself; you are wronging yourself. For such is malice: it harms only the one who produces it, turning everything upside down. Do not, therefore, wishing to take vengeance on others, ourselves fall out of the harbor. For if someone about to be shipwrecked and to sink were to insult you sitting on the land, you would not be pained, nor, departing from the land, would you share in the shipwreck with him. Reflect, therefore, on this: that the one insulting you and acting recklessly, as if sinking by some vertigo or storm, becomes engulfed, having fallen into the shipwreck of anger; but you who bear it nobly, feast in the harbor and by the shore. But if you are carried along to the same zeal as him, you have shipwrecked not him, but yourself. C Arise, O Lord, in your anger, be exalted in the boundaries of your enemies. He said this thus, showing that it is possible to arise, and not in anger; as when he says, "Arise, O Lord, save me, my God" (Ps. 3. 7). But hearing "Arise," do not suspect anything physical. For, just as "sitting" in relation to God is not spoken physically, so neither is this. "For you," he says, "sit forever." What, then, is the meaning of what is hinted at through the session? The stability, the fixedness, the certainty of his nature, the permanence, which he also revealed through the contrast. For having said, "You sit forever," he added, "But you shall perish forever." As, therefore, the sitting is not physical, so neither is the arising; but in the former case, it means stability, while here, it means the power of punishing and consuming. But there is a place where "sitting" signifies also judicial authority; as when he says: "You have sat upon the throne, you who judge righteousness" (Ps. 9. 4); and Daniel: "Thrones were set, and the judgment sat" (Dan. 7. 9). It also indicates royal authority; as when it says: "Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the rod of uprightness is the rod of your kingdom" (Ps. 44. 7). Whence also, "Sit at my right hand," indicates equality of honor. What then is, "In your anger"? This also must be understood in a way worthy of God. For the anger of God is not a passion, but punishment and chastisement. D Be exalted in the boundaries of your enemies. Another says, "In wrath against your enemies." Another, "In indignation of those who afflict me." Another, "In unavoidable bondage." The Hebrew, for "In the boundaries," says *Bebaroth*. See again how here he does not take vengeance for himself, but speaks these things for the sake of God's glory. For he did not say simply, "Punish my enemies," or "your enemies"; but, "Be exalted." And how is the exalted one exalted, he who is always the Most High? For his height of nature neither diminishes, nor receives anything; for he is perfect and needs nothing, and is always existing in the same way. How, then, and in what manner is he exalted? He is exalted in the intellects of many. For instance, he was long-suffering many times; but the enemies did not consider it to be of long-suffering, but of lowering and weakness. So he is also lowered, but not in the reality, but in the intellect of those men. 7. For just as the sun appears dim to those weak in eyesight, so too God is considered weak and lowly in their minds. But just as the sun is so thought of, yet is not dim, but the defect is of their weakness; so too God, even if he is suspected of this, is not weak, but the failure is of their foolishness. What then does the righteous man say? Be exalted even among our enemies, come forth and show your strength, so that those who think you to be lowly from the things they suffer may see your glory. You see his purpose, not seeking his own, but that of God. And the "In the boundaries"—some say, "In the heads," others, "Let no one of the enemies escape." Great is the virtue of the righteous man when he has the same enemies as God and the same friends; just as it is great malice when someone has the friends of God as enemies, and his enemies as friends. Just as, therefore, God is said to have enemies, not hating or turning away from them, but loathing their evil deeds; so too the righteous man has enemies, not taking vengeance on them, but turning away from the wickedness. And Arise, O Lord my God, in the ordinance which you have commanded. Another says, "In judgment." And a congregation of peoples shall surround you. Another says, "Let them surround you." And for this, return on high, O Lord. Another says, "And above it return on high." Another, "And upon it return on high." The Hebrew, for "Above it," says *Ouela*. What is, "In the ordinance which you have commanded"? That you might help those who are wronged, and not, he says, overlook those being plotted against. What you have legislated for us, this also do you yourself perform for us through your deeds. Some also [original-script column: see facsimile]