On Remembering
LXV. On Remembering
1. O God, Who art so well remembered!
Do not remember us for our sins,
but rather for our compassion.
2. It is an immensely good thing to remember God’s
justice and forgiveness,
for <thus> does one avoid committing evil.
3. To remember that God is powerful
and <to remember> willingly to do good
is remembrance that makes one joyful.
4. Whoever remembers God for the reason that He bestows <things> upon one
rather than because He is good,
does not remember God in accordance with reason.
5. Whoever remembers God on account of His goodness
rather than of his <own> happiness (i.e. beatitude)
is loved and remembered by God.
6. He can remember greatness of goodness
who remembers therein the bonified
and bonifying, which <latter> is bestowed by both.
7. He enjoys the greatest remembrance
who remembers the greatest operation,
the greatest will and the greatest understanding.
8. Whoever fails to remember deifying within deity
and <likewise> fails to remember hominifying within God,
cannot greatly enhance his memory in God’s regard.
9. He who fails to remember his sins,
while repenting, shall not be remembered
at the point of his death, when he shall be judged.
10. Remembrance that stems from love is much worthier
than remembrance that stems from fear,
because the one is a servant, the other, a lord.