CHAPTER 31

Verse 10.^[306] “Courageous” is the best state of the rational soul, according to which she has conquered the opposing enemies.^[80]

Verse 11.^[307] After conquering the hostile power, we “despoil” it, learning of the logoi concerning it,^[81] so that after making clear the worthless things about it, not only those who are more simple might remain unensnared, but also those who have been taken captive might easily escape from it.

Verse 13.^[308] A soul “weaves wool and linen” who meditates the logoi concerning animate and inanimate things, or who examines the logoi concerning praktikē and physikē, or who attracts to itself through praktikē the contemplation concerning corporeal and incorporeal things.^[82]

Verse 15.^[309] So indeed the bridegroom “sun of righteousness” ^[310] will find the soul which arises at night being watchful, and continually in prayer in order that she may not fall into temptation ^[11], saying: “I was alert and became as a sparrow living alone on a rooftop” ^[312].^[83] The food of the soul is careful study of the divine words, and works are the virtues. The handmaidens are the senses. The soul provides her somatic house with these things that are more valuable than very costly stones ^[313].

Verse 16.^[314] He calls the soul of the earnest person the Church which has the tree of knowledge and the tree of life: knowledge as from the law, and life as from reason. For the [Church] is she who came forth from Christ’s rib, and is the bride found for Him, the moderate and courageous woman, who keeps faith with Him, and is expecting Him again as Bridegroom from heaven.

Verse 19.^[315] “Spindle” is a pure mind which sews virtue to virtue and teaching to teaching or the expressed word which draws spiritual contemplation from the mind.^[84]

Verse 21.^[316] The mind which has not set right the things inside itself should not advance to nor engage in contemplation of incorporeal things. For the troubling of one’s own things habitually turns him back to those things from which he had escaped. But he who has acquired impassibility spends time in contemplation and “is not concerned about those in the household,” for all they all have been clothed by her: the irascible part by gentleness and humility of mind, and the concupiscible part by moderation and self-control.^[85]

Verse 27.^[317] The well-minded and God-loving soul does not eat the “grain of laziness,” those things which cause the more simple and more naïve persons in the Kingdom to be sluggish, nor does he even taste them, even if perhaps he might desire them; for “grain of laziness” he indicates to be the vices.^[86]

Verse 30.^[318] “Allurements are false, and beauty is vain” ^[319]. The most foolish soul not only thinks and imagines that it is pleasing, but also attempts to fulfill contemplation with work; but if the “beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord” ^[320], the soul who attains to wisdom justly praises the fear of the Lord, which has secured for it such knowledge.^[87]