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βούλομαι δ' οὖν συνάδην ἡμᾶς
συμφώνως ἐν τῷ ἐγκωμιάστῃ·
φησὶ γὰρ ὡς καινὴ διαθήκη
οὐ μόνον ἁπλῶς φέρεται γλυκεῖα
τε καὶ ἱστορικῶς αὐτῆς ἄκρος
φιλοπαινάστης τὴν φιλολογίαν
ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τις τῶν ἀνθῶν ὡραίων
βαφῇς. οὐ γὰρ τὰ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ δῶ-
ρα, ἀλλ' ἡ φύσις ἀνακωλύσει
ῥηταῖς ἀρεταῖς καὶ χάριτι σεβαστῇ
τῷ χαρακτῆρι τοῦ γράμμα-
τος καὶ οὐδ' ἐναντιώσεως πρῶτον
τὸ ζῶον πεποιημένος ἵνα
παιδείας τὰ κρῆτα τῶν νόμων
I desire, then, that we should sing together in unison, harmoniously with the speaker of praise original: enkōmiastē; one who delivers an encomium or speech of high praise. For he says that a New Covenant New Covenant|original: kainē diathēkē; while this often refers to the New Testament, the context here suggests a "new arrangement" or spiritual testament is not merely presented as sweet in a simple or historical sense by its greatest lover of learning philology|original: philologia; literally the "love of words" or "reasoned discourse". Rather, it is like the vibrant pigment of beautiful flowers. For it is not the gifts of mere calculation or number, but Nature itself that will restrain us with explicit virtues and a venerable grace, through the very character original: charaktēri; refers to the distinctive mark, style, or "imprint" of the writing of the written letter. Nor was the living being first created out of opposition, but rather so that the most excellent parts original: krēta; literally "sifted" or "chosen" things, often used for the best of a group of the laws of education...
-τηρις καθ' ὃ τὸ ὀνομάζομεν
οὐ δόγμασιν οἰκονομικοῖς ἐνδεί-
κνυσθαι τοῖς τἀναντία λέγουσιν
ἤπου τῇ δίκῃ ἀκριβῶς ποιεῖν
ῥώμην καὶ κρίσιν καὶ προαίρεσιν
ὁμιλοῦσι σύντομον καὶ μαθὼν
ὁ διδαξάμενος ὥσπερ ὁρῶντες
φύσεις νηλείᾳ χαρακτῆρι θήκης
τὴν φύσιν καὶ νόμον ἐναλλάξ
ἀγκάλῃσι εἶναι ἐγνώκει.
Τοῦ συγγράμματος νόμου χαρακτῆ-
ρα νομοθεσίας καὶ χρονογραφι-
κῆς ἀρχὴ τῶν χαρακτήρων τάξις
ἡ ἀγαπὴ καθ' ἣν πάντα ἐποίησε.
...the suffix -tēris suggests the end of a word like "character" or "savior" according to which we name it, not to be demonstrated by mere administrative dogmas original: dogmasin oikonomikois; refers to practical or organizational rules rather than essential truths to those who argue the opposite. Rather, it is perhaps to act precisely with justice, strength, judgment, and moral purpose purpose|original: proairesis; a fundamental term in Greek ethics meaning "deliberate choice" or "will". Those who have been taught converse briefly, as if they were looking upon natures with the unsparing character of a repository original: thēkēs; can mean a case, a chest, or a tomb—here implying a vessel that preserves the "nature" of things. He had known that nature and law are held interchangeably in one's arms. Regarding this composition: the character of the law, of legislation, and of the chronological record—the very beginning of the order of characters is Love original: agapē; the highest form of selfless, divine love, according to which He made all things.