Who Is the Rich Man That Is Saved? 20.1
Summary: The rich young man, not understanding that one can have wealth and not be possessed by it, went away, making the difficult impossible for himself.
Greek text · Stählin 3:172
Ταῦτα μὴ συνιεὶς κατὰ τρόπον ὁ πολυχρήματος καὶ ἔννομος ἄνθρωπος μηδὲ ὅπως ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ πτωχὸς δύναται εἶναι καὶ πλούσιος καὶ ἔχειν τε χρήματα καὶ μὴ ἔχειν καὶ χρῆσθαι τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ μὴ χρῆσθαι, ἀπῆλθε στυγνὸς καὶ κατηφής, λιπὼν τὴν τάξιν τῆς ζωῆς. ἧς ἐπιθυμεῖν μόνον. ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ καὶ τυχεῖν ἠδύνατο, τὸ δύσκολον ποιήσας ἀδύνατον αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ.
English · Claude translation
Not understanding this properly, the man who was very rich and observant of the law, nor how the same person can be both poor and rich, and have money and not have it, and use the world and not use it, went away gloomy and downcast, leaving the rank of life, which he could only desire but not obtain, having made the difficult impossible for himself.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- “Use the world and not use it” recalls 1 Cor 7:31.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Quis div. 20.1 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-quis-dives/20/1/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Quis div. 20.1 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-quis-dives/20/1/).
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