Letter 137

To Eulampius. You are eager to learn what it is that James, the archbishop of Jerusalem [the author of the Epistle of James], says: "Or do you think that the Scripture speaks in vain against envy?" [James 4:5]. That is to say, it is not unseasonably, but very seasonably indeed and with good aim that the divine Scripture speaks against envy; for every holy pronouncement is accustomed to set up its mightiest weapons against every passion, but most of all against destructive envy.

Μαθεῖν γλίχῃ, τί ἐστιν ὃ φησιν Ἰάκωβος ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων· «Ἡ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς λέγει ἡ Γραφὴ πρὸς φθόνον»· τουτέστιν, οὐκ ἀκαί- Ἀ ρως, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν εὐκαίρως τε καὶ εὐστόχως ἡ θεία Γραφὴ κατὰ τοῦ φθόνου λαλεῖ· πᾶσα γὰρ ἁγία προσφώνησις κατά παντὸς μὲν πάθους, μάλιστα δὲ κατὰ φθόνου τοῦ ὀλεθρίου τίθεσθαι εἴωθεν ἰσχυρώτατα ὅπλα.