Didymus the Blind

In his own words on Proverbs

• Proverbs 1:1-2

  A proverb is a saying such as, "War is pleasant to the inexperienced," or "A drop constantly falling hollows a stone." The name proverb derived from the fact that once roads were marked off with no signs. Now there are signs, which are called miliaria (milestones) by the Romans, while they were just called signs before. Ancient people set them in certain places and then inscribed them with certain information and questions. So they fulfilled two purposes. On the one hand, they indicated to the traveler the length of the journey. On the other, when one read the inscription and kept busy comprehending it, one was relieved of weariness. Therefore a road is called in Greek oimos, from which is derived the word paroimia, which means "proverb."

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 1:1

• Proverbs 1:7

  To know goodness is not sufficient to reach blessedness, if one does not put goodness into practice with works. Piety toward God is actually the beginning of knowledge.

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 1:7

• Proverbs 1:8-9

  God is Father of the righteous. Whoever practices justice was born from God. Our mother is the church, whose bridegroom is our Lord Jesus Christ. Our laws are the apostolic constitutions. Even though the concepts expressed above have a sublime meaning, they also apply to earthly parents when they educate their children in how to live piously before God. Since that teacher, who generates his children through the gospel, is a man, his wife and mother of his children is the church, or rather the ecclesiastical doctrine and way of life. If you, he says, listen to me as the author of the Proverbs—first in my role as the narrator of the father, and then as the narrator of wisdom and virtue (that is, of the mother)—you will be encircled with a crown of grace and your neck will be adorned with a necklace fashioned of intellectual gold and jewels. The material of the crown, with which the head of the interior man is encircled, is the circle of virtues, which are called graces. Accordingly, the golden necklace put around the neck of the soul (that is, around one's obedience) must be understood as a part of the intellectual crown.

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 1:8

• Proverbs 8:22

  Since wisdom is already eternal, it is not subjected to time. The "beginning," then, is yoked together with created things. But having existed before creation as wisdom, the Son of God—even though, he says, "The Lord created me"—this assertion ["The Lord created me"] must be understood as referring not to substance but to his relationship toward creatures. For [wisdom] says that its works were at the beginning of the creative and providential ways of God, that is, a "cause," introducing still another way of speaking. The Son of God was made man when he assumed the form of a servant. He is eternal before the ages, as he is God the Word. It says he was "created" because he was born of Mary and was made flesh. For those desiring to walk like God and with God, consult this teacher, an example of perfect life, who gives his teaching to those who follow him. The fact that the word "to create" does not mean everywhere "to make substance" is confirmed by David, who says, "Create in me a pure heart, O God." He asks for such a creation not as if he does not have a heart; but since he had polluted it, he desires to have it back pure. Also Paul, when he speaks about creating out of the two a single new man, does not mean from [two] human substances but rather the unity that results from concord. And so the interpreters proclaimed, "He created me."

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 8:22

• Proverbs 8:23

  [Solomon] says, "He laid down both the cause and foundation of creation." Also it is written, "He created all things in himself, and he is before all things." And the Lord says as well, "I am the beginning of the creation of God." Indeed, desiring to be the foundation of the church, he submitted to becoming human so that the church might be constituted firmly in him. Desiring to give existence to creation, he adjusted himself to its rule by introducing the relationship we mentioned above, when he was made the beginning and cause of future things. However, it says, even if he was created according to these things, still "God begat me before everything," the very one who is his Son.

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 8:23

• Proverbs 9:5

  The same food is called "meat," "bread," "milk" and "wine." However, fools say that they take it as [simply] bread and mixed wine. But if it were really taken in that manner, how would we interpret the words: "So men ate the bread of angels"? Now "bread," it seems to me, should be understood as the firm commandments of God and "wine" as the knowledge of God through meditation on holy Scripture; similarly also [the knowledge of] his divine body and his precious blood.

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 9:5

• Proverbs 16:16

  As gold is better than silver, so wisdom is superior to prudence. The former pertains to knowledge, the latter to the interpretation of what is hidden. Either you can interpret the nests of wisdom as the churches or as the dwelling places of the holy ones in heaven. But wisdom itself is Christ.

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 16:16

• Proverbs 30:25

  [Solomon] indicates here those people who have no strength but nonetheless store up treasures for eternal life on account of their good works.…

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 30:25

• Proverbs 30:26

  The rock, in fact, is the refuge of badgers in which they live. You too, he says, even though you are weak, run to the rock of true faith, and with it restore life. The one who is supported by deeds enters the kingdom. Therefore, he says, do not despair of the kingdom of heaven because of the weakness of your faith; but believing in the promises, hasten to those works which are commanded.

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 30:25

• Proverbs 30:30

  Christ is the lion: indeed all rational things are cattle in comparison with him. Moses, in fact, said, "I am a child." Because of its natural alacrity, the lion is said to walk unhindered.

  COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 30:25