Letter 293

To the same person. You inquire of me what it is that God says through the prophet, namely: "I will uncover your hinder parts upon your face, and then all your shame shall be seen." [an echo of Nahum 3:5 / Jeremiah 13:26] For at that divine and dread tribunal all the evil deeds which you have done here will be set before you, to your face, so that, seeing them and recognizing them, you may be brought down into shame and fear and trembling.

Πυνθάνῃ μου, τί φησιν διὰ προφήτου ὁ Θεός, ὅτι «Ἀποκαλύψω τὰ ὀπίσθιά σου ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν σου, καὶ τότε ὀφθήσεται πᾶσα ἡ ἀτιμία σου.» Ἐν γὰρ τῷ θείῳ ἐκείνῳ καὶ φρικτῷ δικαστηρίῳ πάντα σοι παρα- στήσεται εἰς πρόσωπον τὰ κακὰ, ἅπερ ἐνταῦθα πέπραχας, ἵνα βλέπων, καὶ ἐπιγνοὺς εἰς αἰσχύνην καὶ φόβον καὶ τρόμον κατενεχθῇς.