Letter 217

To Augustinus the Tribune. Knowing well that God is the giver of every good thing, you continually repeat to those you meet the saying of Jacob the patriarch, that "God has had mercy on me, and I have all things" [Genesis 33:11]. For it is not from works of righteousness, but from the mercy of God and from his great goodness, that you have acquired the things you possess; and out of these many who are in need are benefited. And I commend you, as one who both does good, and reasons rightly, and speaks with humility.

Εὖ ἐπιστάμενος Θεὸν εἶναι τὸν δοτῆρα παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ, συνεχῶς λέγεις πρὸς τοὺς συντυγχάνοντας τῷ Ἰακὼβ τοῦ πατριάρχου λόγιον, ὅτι Ἠλέησέ με ὁ Θεός, καὶ ἔστι μοι πάντα· οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοσύ- νης, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ἐλέου Θεοῦ, καὶ πολλῆς ἀγαθότητος ἐκτήσω, ἅπερ ἔχεις· ἐξ αὐτῶν δὲ πολλοὶ εὐεργετοῦν- ται δεόμενοι. Καὶ ἀποδέχομαί σε εὖ τε ποιοῦντα, καὶ εὐλογιζόμενον, καὶ ταπεινολογοῦντα.