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2. Let the restless and the unjust depart and flee from Thee. Thou
both seest them and distinguishest the shadows. And lo! all things
with them are far, yet are they themselves foul. And how have they
injured Thee? Or in what have they disgraced Thy government, which
is just and perfect from heaven even to the lowest parts of the earth.
For whither fled they when they fled from Thy presence? Or where
dost Thou not find them? But they fled that they might not see Thee
seeing them, and blinded might stumble against Thee; since Thou
forsakest nothing that Thou hast made that the unjust might
stumble. against Thee, and justly be hurt, withdrawing themselves
from Thy gentleness, and stumbling against Thine uprightness, and
falling upon their own roughness. Forsooth, they know not that Thou
art everywhere whom no place encompasseth, and that Thou alone art
near even to those that re. move far from Thee? Let them, then, be
con verted and seek Thee; because not as they have forsaken their
Creator hast Thou forsaken Thy creature. Let them be converted and
seek Thee; and behold, Thou art there in their hearts, in the
hearts of those who confess to Thee, and east themselves upon Thee,
and weep on Thy bosom after their obdurate ways, even Thou gently
wiping away their tears. And they weep the more, and rejoice in
weeping, since Thou, O Lord, not man, flesh and blood, but
Thou, Lord, who didst make, remakest and comfortest them. And
where was I when I was seeking Thee? And Thou weft before me, but
I had gone away even from myself; nor did I find myself, much less
Thee!
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