Letter 944

To Oribasius. Even though we have been honored with the self-determination of free choice, nevertheless apart from the alliance from above we are able to accomplish none of our deeds of valor on the road of the present life. For Scripture says, "I know that a man's way is not his own, nor will a man walk and direct his own course." [Jeremiah 10:23] Let us not, therefore, reckon the trophies of our struggles to ourselves alone. Ours it is only to choose the better and to be zealous for it, but God's it is to bring our good desire into deed.

Εἰ καὶ αὐτεξουσίῳ τῆς προαιρέσεως τετιμήμεθα, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐκτὸς τῆς ἄνωθεν συμμαχίας οὐδὲν τῶν ἀνδραγαθημάτων ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ παρόντος βίου ἐπιτελέσαι δυνάμεθα. « Οἶδα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ πορεύσεται ἀνὴρ κατ-ορθῶσαι πορείαν αὐτοῦ. » Μὴ τοίνυν ἑαυτοῖς μόνοις λογισώμεθα τῶν ἀγώνων τὰ τρόπαια. Ἡμέτερον μέν ἐστι τὸ προελέσθαι μόνον τὸ κρεῖττον καὶ σπουδάσαι, Θεοῦ δὲ τὸ εἰς ἔργον ἀγαγεῖν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἔφεσιν.