Amos 1:3

'Happy the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked.' [Psalm 1:1] In Genesis, we read how Adam was cursed: 'Cursed be the ground because of you;' but the first malediction pronounced against man is absolved and replaced with a benediction. The Old Law lays down, as it were, only one condition of blessedness; the Gospel, on the other hand, announces simultaneously eight beatitudes. 'Happy the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked.' Happy the man, not any man, but the man who has reached the perfection of the manhood of Christ: 'Who follows not the counsel of the wicked.' Here, Scripture describes the three usual ways of committing sin: we entertain sinful thoughts; we commit sin in act; or we teach what is sinful. First, we entertain a sinful thought; then, after we have reflected upon it, we convert that thought into action. When we commit sin, moreover, we multiply sin by teaching others to do what we have done. 'Happy the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked' - who thinks no evil; 'nor has stood in the way of sinners' - who does no evil; 'nor sits in the company of the insolent' - who has not taught others to sin. He has not consorted with the scornful, 'nor has stood in the way of sinners.' It is difficult for one not to sin. John the Evangelist says, in fact, that anyone who denies that he has sinned is a liar. [1 John 1:8] If, therefore, we all sin, what do the words mean, 'nor has stood in the way of sinners'? If we all sin, no one is happy, except, of course, the one who has not sinned. But we all sin, every last one of us, and so no one is blessed. Consider, however, just what the Scripture says: 'nor has stood in the way of sinners.' Scripture did not say happy the man who has not sinned, but rather, happy the man who has not persevered in sin. 'Nor has stood in the way of sinners.' Yesterday I committed sin. I am not happy. […]

(Version 3.) Thus says the Lord: Because of three transgressions of Damascus, and because of four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. LXX: And the Lord said: Because of three transgressions of Damascus, and because of four, I will not turn away from them; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. Regarding the tribes, which are called Arsoth in Hebrew (), and have been translated by Theodotion as iron wheels, which we have interpreted as iron sledges, the Seventy have translated as threshing sledges of iron. But there is a type of wagon that is propelled by iron and toothed wheels, which, after the grain has been beaten out, crushes the straw in the threshing floor, and grinds the straw into food for animals due to the scarcity of hay. Furthermore, in the Hebrew language, where it is written Benadad (), and it is one name, the Seventy translated it as the sons of Ader, Res and Daleth by the similarity of false elements. In that place also where we said, concerning the house of pleasure, which is called Mebbeth Eden () in Hebrew, and they all translated it similarly, the Seventy translated it as from the men of Haran, considering Daleth as the middle letter of the name Res, and according to their custom, placing the Greek letter Chi (Χ) before the first Hebrew letter Ain. They also translated Cyrene, which is called Cira in Hebrew (ἑπήκλητον), that is, called or named, because of the similarity of the word, because Chares (Χάρης) can be called a calling, and they understood it as a proper name, an appellative. We have briefly mentioned the reasons for different translations: now let us move on to the meaning of what has been said. […]

You must slay the allurements to vice while they are still only thoughts and dash the little ones of the daughter of Babylon against the stones where the serpent can leave no trail. Be wary and lay claim to the Lord's promise: "Let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." For elsewhere also the Scripture testifies, "I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation."

For three - This certain number is put for an uncertain: three, that is, many. Of Damascus - Here Damascus is put for the whole kingdom of Syria. Threshed - Treated it with the utmost cruelty.

Note, Even royal palaces are no defence against the judgments of God, though ever so richly furnished, though ever so strongly fortified. [2.] That the enemy shall force his way into the city (

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