top 1 Clement ch 23

Chapter 23

The appeal from the Father

1 Ὁ οἰκτίρμων κατὰ πάντα καὶ εὐεργετικὸς πατὴρ ἔχει σπλάγχνα ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν, ἠπίως τε καὶ προσηνῶς τὰς χάριτας αὐτοῦ ἀποδιδοῖ τοῖς προσερχομένοις αὐτῷ ἁπλῇ διανοίᾳ. The Father, who is merciful in all things and ready to do good, has compassion on those who fear Him. And He gently and lovingly grants His favors on those who approach Him with a singleness of mind.
2 διὸ μὴ διψυχῶμεν, μηδὲ ἰνδαλλέσθω ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν ἐπί ταῖς ὑπερβαλλούσαις καὶ ἐνδόξοις δωρεαῖς αὐτοῦ. Therefore, let's not be double-minded, nor let our souls indulge in idle speculations about His superb and glorious gifts.
3 πόρρω γενέσθω ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν ἡ γραφὴ αὕτη, ὅπου λέγει· Ταλαίπωροί εἰσιν οἱ δίψυχοι, οἱ διστάζοντες τῇ ψυχῇ, οἱ λέγοντες· Ταῦτα ἠκούσαμεν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, καὶ ἰδού, γεγηράκαμεν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἡμῖν τούτων συμβέβηκεν. Let this scripture be far from us which says, "Wretched are the double-minded who doubt in their souls and say, 'We also heard these things in the days of our fathers. Now we have grown old, and none of these things has happened to us.'
4 ὦ ἀνόητοι, συμβάλετε ἑαυτοὺς ξύλῳ· λάβετε ἄμπελον· πρῶτον μὲν φυλλοροεῖ, εἶτα βλαστὸς γίνεται, εἶτα φύλλον, εἶτα ἄνθος, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὄμφαξ, εἶτα σταφυλὴ παρεστηκυῖα. ὁρᾶτε, ὅτι ἐν καιρῷ ὀλίγῳ εἰς πέπειρον καταντᾷ ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ ξύλου. You fools! Compare yourself with a tree. Consider a vine. First it sheds it leaves, then a shoot comes, then the leaf, then the flower. After that there is the unripe grape and then the ripe grape" (unknown source). Notice that there is a very short time for the fruit of the tree to reach maturity.
5 ἐπ᾿ ἀληθείας ταχὺ καὶ ἐξαίφνης τελειωθήσεται τὸ βούλημα αὐτοῦ, συνεπιμαρτυρούσης καὶ τῆς γραφῆς, ὅτι ταχὺ ἥξει καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ, καὶ ἐξαίφνης ἥξει ὁ κύριος εἰς τὸν ναὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ ἅγιος, ὃν ὑμεῖς προσδοκᾶτε. By truth, His purpose will be fulfilled quickly and suddenly. The scripture corroborates it saying, "He will come quickly and won't delay. The Lord will suddenly come into His temple, even the Holy One whom you expect" (Isa. 13:22; Mal. 3:1).