Provérbios 16
John Cassian · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Provérbios 16:4
Only God does what is good, acting from love of goodness for its own sake and not moved by fear or hope of reward. As Solomon says, "The Lord has done all things for his own sake." For the sake of his own goodness he bestows an abundance of goodness upon the worthy and the unworthy, because he can neither be wearied by wrongdoing nor provoked to painful emotion by human wickedness. He always remains what he is, perfect in goodness and unchanging in nature. — CONFERENCE 11:6
Provérbios 16:18
"Injury precedes destruction, and an evil thought precedes ruin." In the same way a house never suddenly collapses except because of some old weakness in the foundation or because of extended disregard by its tenants. Thus the structure of the roof is eventually destroyed by what had begun as a tiny leak but into which, through long neglect, a stormy tempest of rain pours like a river, once a large breach has been made. For "by slothfulness a dwelling will be brought low, and through lazy hands a house will leak." .
Provérbios 16:18
"Loss goes before destruction, and an evil thought before a fall," just as no house ever falls to the ground by a sudden collapse, but only when there is some long-standing flaw in the foundation or when by long-continued neglect of its inhabitants, what was at first only a little drip breaks through and the protecting walls are gradually ruined. In consequence of long-standing neglect the gap becomes larger and the walls break away, and in time the drenching storm and rain pours in like a river. For "by slothfulness a building is brought low, and through lazy hands the house shall leak." — CONFERENCE 6:17