Letter 421

To the same person. "My wound is firm," says Jeremiah the prophet, weaving his lamentations from our own person [that is, speaking in our voice]: "Why do those who grieve me prevail against me? You have butchered me, and did not spare. For you handed me over to the chief cook [archimageiros, the Septuagint title for the captain of the guard] Nebuzaradan and to those about him." And Habakkuk said to the Lord: "Why do you keep silent while you look on, when the impious man swallows up the righteous, and you bear with it?"

Ἡ πλήγω μου στερεά, φησὶν Ἱερεμίας προφήτης, ἐξ ἡμετέρου προσώπου τοὺς ὀδυρμοὺς ὑφαίνων· Ἵνα τί οἱ λυποῦντές με κατισχύουσί μου; ἐμαγείρευσας, καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσω. Τῷ γὰρ ἀρχιμαγείρῳ Ναδουζαρδὰν με, καὶ τοῖς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν ἐδέδωκας. Καὶ ὁ Ἁμβακοὺμ πρὸς Κύριον ἔλεγεν· Ἵνα τί παρασιωπᾷς βλέπων, ὅτι ὁ ἀσεβὴς κατάπίνει τὸν δίκαιον, καὶ ἀνέχῃ;