Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I/Volume III/Doctrinal Treatises of St. Augustin/The Enchiridion/Chapter 2

Chapter 2.—The Fear of God is Man&#8217;s True Wisdom.

The true wisdom of man is piety. You find this in the book of holy Job. For we read there what wisdom itself has said to man: “Behold, the fear of the Lord [pietas], that is wisdom.” If you ask further what is meant in that place by pietas, the Greek calls it more definitely &#952;&#949;&#959;&#963;&#8051;&#946;&#949;&#953;&#945;, that is, the worship of God. The Greeks sometimes call piety &#949;&#8016;&#963;&#8051;&#946;&#949;&#953;&#945;, which signifies right worship, though this, of course, refers specially to the worship of God. But when we are defining in what man&#8217;s true wisdom consists, the most convenient word to use is that which distinctly expresses the fear of God. And can you, who are anxious that I should treat of great matters in few words, wish for a briefer form of expression? Or perhaps you are anxious that this expression should itself be briefly explained, and that I should unfold in a short discourse the proper mode of worshipping God?