The Instructor 3.11.72
Summary: Proverbs warns against the adulteress's stolen waters, which lead to Hades; Isaiah threatens the vain daughters of Zion with humiliation.
Greek text · Stählin 1:275–276
ἐνδεέσι δὲ φρονήσεως παρακελεύεται λέγουσα, ἄρτων κρυφίων ἡδέως ἅψασθε καὶ ὕδατος κλοπῆς γλυκεροῦ«, τὴν ἐπίκλοπον ταύτην Ἀφροδίτην λέγει. ἐντεῦθεν ὠφελημένος ὁ Βοιώτιος Πίνδαρος »γλυκύ τι« φησὶν »κλεπτόμενον μέλημα Κύπριδος«. »ὃ δὲ οὐκ οἶδεν ἄθλιος ὅτι γηγενεῖς παρʼ αὐτῇ ὀλοῦνται, καὶ ἐπὶ πέτευρον Ἅιδου συναντᾷ. ἀλλὰ ἀποπήδησον«, φησίν, »μὴ χρονίσῃς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ« ὁ παιδαγωγός, »μηδὲ ἐπιστήσῃς τὸ σὸν ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτήν. οὕτως γὰρ διαβήσῃ ὕδωρ ἀλλότριον καὶ ὑπερβήσῃ τὸν Ἀχέροντα.« διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει κύριος διὰ Ἡσαΐου· »ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐπορεύθησαν αἱ θυγατέρες Σιὼν ὑψηλῷ τραχήλῳ καὶ ἐν νεύμασιν ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ τῇ πορείᾳ ἅμα σύρουσαι τοὺς χιτῶνας καὶ τοῖς ποσὶ παίζουσαι, καὶ ταπεινώσει ὁ θεὸς τὰς θυγατέρας Σιὼν καὶ ἀνακαλύψει τὸ σχῆμα αὐτῶν«, τὸ ἄσχημον σχῆμα.
English · Claude translation
And to those lacking understanding she urges, saying, “Touch hidden bread with pleasure, and sweet stolen water,” meaning this stolen Aphrodite. Benefiting from this, Pindar of Boeotia says, “Something sweet is the stolen care of Cypris.” “But the wretch does not know that the earthborn perish with her and he meets a springboard of Hades. But leap away,” says the Instructor, “do not linger in the place, nor fix your eye on her. For so you will pass through strange water and cross over Acheron.” That is why the Lord says this through Isaiah: “Because the daughters of Zion walked with outstretched necks and with winking eyes, trailing their tunics as they walked and playing with their feet, God will humble the daughters of Zion and uncover their form,” their unseemly form.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Prov 9:16–18 with the Septuagint additions (9:18a–b; “Acheron” is Clement's addition to “strange water”), Pindar, fragment 217, and Isa 3:16–17 (LXX).
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.72 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/72/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.72 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/72/).
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