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19. And to Thee is there nothing at all evil, and not only to
Thee, but to Thy whole creation; because there is nothing without
which can break in, and mar that order which Thou hast appointed it.
But in the parts thereof, some things, because they harmonize not
with others, are considered evil; whereas those very things harmonize
with others, and are good, and in themselves are good. And all these
things which do not harmonize together harmonize with the inferior part
which we call earth, having its own cloudy and windy sky concordant to
it. Far be it from me, then, to say, "These things should not
be." For should I see nothing but these, I should indeed desire
better; but yet, if only for these, ought I to praise Thee; for
that Thou art to be praised is shown from the "earth, dragons, and
all deeps; fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy winds
fulfilling Thy word; mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and
all cedars; beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying
fowl; kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of
the earth; both young men and maidens; old men and children," praise
Thy name. But when, "from the heavens," these praise Thee,
praise Thee, our God, "in the heights," all Thy "angels," all
Thy "hosts," "sun and moon," all ye stars and light, "the
heavens of heavens," and the "waters that be above the heavens,"
praise Thy name. I did not now desire better things, because I was
thinking of all; and with a better judgment I reflected that the
things above were better than those below, but that all were better
than those above alone.
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