§1## Das Fragment aus der Oktateuchkatene. Ὠριγένους εἰς το αὐτὸ ἐκ τῶν εἰς τοὺς Θρήνους.
## The Fragment from the Octateuch Catena Origen, on the same passage, from his Commentary on Lamentations.
Τίς γὰρ τὸ >δίκαιον οὐ δικαίως;
For who does what is right, not rightly?
διαλαβόντες δὲ ἐκεῖνο, εὐχερῶς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦτο μετελευσόμεθα, ὅτι ἔστι δικαίως τὸ ἄδικον διώκειν.
But if we distinguish that, we shall easily pass to this, namely, that it is possible to pursue what is unjust rightly.
ἐξήγησις μὲν τοῦ δικαίως τὸ δίκαιον διώκειν αὔτη, ἐπὰν καὶ τὸ πραττόμενον καθῆκον ᾖ, καὶ ὑγιεῖ διαθέσει ἐνεργῆται·
The explanation of "pursuing what is right rightly" is this: when the deed performed is also a duty, and is enacted with a healthy disposition.
ὡς εἴ τις σωφροσύνην δι’ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ δέ αὐτὴν κατορθώσαι, Ἰωσὴφ ἀναγέγραπται πεποιηκέναι.
Just as if someone should practice self-control for no other reason than for its own sake, as Joseph is recorded to have done.
τοῦ δὲ ἀδίκως τὸ δίκαιον διώκειν ἡ σαφήνειά ἐστι τοιαύτη, ἐπὰν τὸ καθῆκον μέν τις ἐπιτελῇ, προθέσει δὲ μοχθηρᾷ, ὡς εἴ τις δόξαν τὴν παρ’ ἀνθρώποις θηρώμενος κοινωνήσαι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων πένησιν, ὅπερ ἀπαγορεύων ὁ σωτήρ φησιν· »ἐὰν ποιῇς ἐλεημοσύνην, μὴ σαλπίσῃς ἔμπροσθέν σου, ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ ποιοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ ἐν ταῖς ῥύμαις, ὅπως δοξασθῶσιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων«. τὸ δὲ δικαίως τὸ ἄδικον ποιεῖν νοηθείη ἄν, ὅταν προθέσει τὰ κρείττονα ποιεῖν τις προελόμενος παρ ἄγνοιαν τοῦ καλοῦ πράττῃ τὰ χείρονα·
But the clarification of "pursuing what is right not rightly" is as follows: when someone performs a duty, but with a wicked purpose. Just as if someone, hunting for the glory that comes from men, should share his possessions with the poor, which the Savior forbids, saying: "When you do alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men." But "doing what is unjust rightly" would be understood when someone, having purposed to do what is better, does what is worse through ignorance of the good.
ὁποῖός ποτε γέγονε Παῦλος προδιδοὺς τὰς ἐκκλησίας κατὰ ζῆλον θεοσεβείας.
Such a person Paul once was, when he persecuted the churches according to his zeal for godliness.
ἀδίκως δὲ τὸ ἄδικον, ὅταν καὶ τὸ πραττόμενον ἄδικον ᾖ καὶ ἡ προαίρεσις κακοποιητίκη.
And "doing what is unjust not rightly" is when both the deed performed is unjust and the choice is malevolent.