על שהרע נוהג לארוב לטוב מ׳That the Worse is wont to Attack the Better 40
א׳
1[146] Let us then, who are convicted by consciousness of our own acts of unrighteousness, beseech God to punish us rather than let us alone. For if He lets us alone, He will make us servants, not as before, of Himself the gracious One, but of the creation that has no pity; but if He punishes us, He will of His gracious goodness gently and kindly correct our faults, by sending forth into our mind His own word, that reproves and chastens, by means of which He will upbraid it, and make it ashamed of its errors, and so will heal it. It is for this reason that the lawgiver says that “whatever one widowed and ejected shall have vowed against her soul” shall stand for her (Numb. 30:10).
ב׳
2[147] For we may justly say that God is husband and father of the universe, supplying, as He does, the germs of life and well-being to all; and that a mind has been cast forth and widowed of God, which has either failed to welcome divinely-bestowed power to bear children, or, after welcoming it, has subsequently chosen to bring about abortion.
ג׳
3[148] Accordingly, whatever she shall have determined, against herself shall she determine, and the things determined shall stand absolutely incurable. For how can it be anything but a deplorable evil that an unstable creature never continuing in one stay should determine and fix by announcing it aught concerning itself, thus arrogating to itself the prerogatives of the Creator? One of these prerogatives is that in virtue of which He decisively and unswervingly determines all things.
ד׳
4[149] So it comes about that the mind shall not only be widowed of knowledge, but shall also be cast out from it. Let me explain. The soul that is widowed but not yet cast out of the good and beautiful, may still by steadfast persistence find a means of reconciliation and agreement with right reason, her lawful husband. But the soul that has once been dismissed from hearth and home as irreconcilable, has been expelled for all eternity, and can never return to her ancient abode.