Letter 797

To Julian the Reader [anagnostes, the ecclesiastical office of lector]. No lover, however maddened with passion, desires his own beloved as God yearns for a soul that wishes to repent. For he calls back her who has played the harlot, through the prophet Jeremiah, and says to her who has lost all freedom of speech: "Come to me, and quickly turn back to your own Master and Savior. Come, and do not delay after ten thousand evils. Come to me humbled and put to shame, and I will free you from all shame, and I will grant you boldness of speech. For by my tender compassion I turn away no one of those who return to me with weeping."

Οὐχ οὕτως τις ἐραστὴς μανικώτατος τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐρωμένης ἐπιθυμεῖ, ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἐφίεται ψυχῆς τῆς βουλομένης μετανοεῖν· ὃς τὴν ἐπορνεύσασαν πάλιν ἀνακαλεῖται διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἱερεμίου, καί φησι τῇ ἀπαρρησιάστῳ· Δεῦρο πρός με, καὶ ταχέως ἀνάκαμψον πρὸς τὸν σεαυτῆς Δεσπότην καὶ Σωτῆρα. Δεῦρο, καὶ μὴ βραδύνης μετὰ μυρία κακά. Δεῦρο πρός με τεταπεινωμένη καὶ κατησχυμμένη, κἀγὼ σε πάσης ἐλευθερώσω αἰσχύνης, καὶ παρρησίαν δέξομαι παρέξομαι. Οὐδένα γὰρ ἐγὼ ἀποστρέφομαι τῶν μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ πρὸς μὲ ἀναστρεφόντων τῇ ἐμῇ εὐσπλαγχνίᾳ.