Moralia in Job 1020

14. Fame is not to be angled for from good works. After having premised the sun, he fittingly added the moon moving on brightly, because, namely, after a good work there follows praiseworthy fame, by which a renowned name is possessed in this night of the present life. But if it is true, as some think, that the moon receives its illumination from the ray of the sun by a hidden orbit, so that it can display light in its nocturnal courses, this supposition too is not out of keeping with the order of this signification. For fame receives its powers from a good work, and sprinkles the grace of favour as it were the brightness of light. There is also another thing in the moon which fits by likeness with fame that scatters good things.

For its light shows the way, even in the time of darkness, to those walking on a journey, because, while the light of praise flashes forth from another's life, it illumines others to the exercise of good work; and when his renown is known to be bright, to this one, as though journeying on the road, the light of example is afforded. But sometimes the work that is taken from another's reputation is formed in the mind with a less pure desire. For weak minds, when they hear good things about others, sometimes kindle themselves to right action not from love of virtue, but from delight in praise. And it is indeed clear that, just as it is the nature of the sun to kindle and dry whatever it touches, so it is proper to the fire of the moon that whatever it touches it indeed burns, but by burning renders damp.

To a good life, therefore, the affection for right work inflames some for the love of God, but the love of praise inflames others. But when we are kindled by the affection for right work, we are as it were dried by the fire of the sun from the moisture of vices. Whereas him whom the love of praise provokes to a good work, the coveted fame, like the moon, touches, because, namely, it both kindles his mind and dissolves it. It kindles it, that is, to the exercise of the work, but dissolves it to the coveting of favour. Yet very often others' examples usefully persuade us to perform good works. And when with a humble mind we receive the good things of another's reputation, we either bring forth our own good things to something better, or change our evil ones into good.

And when the splendour of fame from our neighbour's life shines upon us, our mind, as we said before, which directs itself to obtaining the way of virtue, places its steps as it were in the light of the moon. But just as we profit from another's reputation, so very often, if we falsely aim at our own praises, we are emptied of virtue, because when the soul is delighted in what it considers is held about itself outwardly, it forgets that toward which it was inwardly panting. 15. Understanding, good works, and praises (which rarely happens) did Job's humility no harm. Because, then, the understanding of knowledge did not corrupt the holy man, he disdained to rejoice over his many riches. And because the greatness of his work did not puff him up, he did not behold the shining sun.

But because neither did the fame of praise exalt him, he by no means gave heed to the moon moving on brightly. For there are some who rush into elation for this reason, that by subtle understanding they recognize even good things which they do not do. These indeed rejoice over many riches, when by understanding they discover any highest things, and in elation they are corrupted by their very discoveries. But there are others whom understanding indeed does not elevate, but their displayed activity exalts. These, while they regard their own actions, in their own mind put the rest behind them by disdaining them. These indeed, even if they do not rejoice in many riches, yet see the shining sun, because from the mere greatness of good work they swell up as if despising others.

And there are some whom neither their own activity exalts; but when they begin to be praised by men for this same good activity, being conquered by the very favours of men, they behold themselves as it were as certain great ones in their own thought, and they are loosed from the guarding of the heart. These indeed, even if they were unwilling to see the shining sun, yet regard the moon moving on brightly, because amid the darkness of this life, while they fix their mind on the brightness of their own reputation, they lose the grace of humility as it were from the nocturnal light; and gazing on the moon, they do not see themselves, who begin to be ignorant of themselves while they fix the eyes of the mind on transitory favour. 16. Various advances and degrees toward virtue. What is to be feared in each one.

Now the advancement of men is such as we behold the increases of shrubs to be. For the strength of the future tree is first in the seed, then in the sprouting, and at last it is brought forth into branches. So indeed does the virtue of each labourer grow up. For it is sown in understanding, springs up in operation, and at last grows strong even to the breadth of great advancement. But when it exalts anyone by his own understanding, the tree which could have sprung up rots in the seed.

But when, after good operation, it is corrupted by the plague of elation, it is as it were dried up when already sprung up. And when neither understanding nor operation corrupts it, but, as its greatness grows, while the favour of those praising follows, and overturns from its state the mind of one working well, then the tree has endured the winds of tongues, and the tempest of fame has torn up by the roots all that had grown robust in it. For the higher the tree rises to the upper regions, the more vehemently it feels the force of the winds, because the more each one is raised up in good works, the more he is wearied by the ampler blast from the mouth of those praising. If, therefore, the tree is still in the seed, it is to be feared lest it rot by the very knowledge of science.

If it has now come forth to a sapling, care must be taken lest the hand of elation touch it, and dry it up from the greenness of its action. But if by its vigorous strength it now raises itself to the heights, it is greatly to be dreaded lest the heavier wind of praise brought near tear it up by the roots. 17. Against the danger from fame and human praises, God permits detractions to be set in opposition.

But amid these things it is to be known that, lest we be uprooted by immoderate praises, very often, by the wondrous governance of our Ruler, we are permitted to be torn also by detractions, so that when the voice of him who praises lifts us up, the tongue of him who detracts may humble us; because a tree too, when it is often so struck by the impulse of one wind that it seems it can now almost be uprooted, is set upright by the blast of another coming from the opposite side, and what on this side suffered a bending, from the other returns to its state. Whence that tree also, deeply rooted, had stood as it were fixed amid opposing winds, which said: Through glory and dishonour, through infamy and good report (2 Cor. VI, 8).

For often the praise of one who acts well, insolently brought to the ears, while it makes a din outwardly with words, inwardly begets in the mind a certain silent tempest of elation; and it comes to pass that this, that the soul rejoices over human favours, it does not easily show outwardly, and yet it feels the force of corruption not slightly within. And there are some whom praise so puffs up that it drags them even to words of elation. But some, as we have said before, blush to make manifest this very thing, that they are elated, and are exalted at hearing their own eulogies; yet they do not go so far as words of elation, and do not show that they rejoice in such things.

Whence blessed Job, because he knew that he had been arrogant in no way at all, not only in words, but not even in silent thought, after he had said: If I have beheld the sun when it shone, and the moon moving on brightly, immediately added: