The Lamp Of The Impious

Oὐ γὰρ μὴ γένηται ἔκγονα πονηρῶν λαμπτὴρ δὲ ἀσεβῶν σβεσθήσεται Οὐ γεννήσουσι πονηροὶ ἀρετὰς καὶ δόγματα ὀρθὰ, ταῦτα γὰρ ἐστι γεννήματα τῆς ψυχῆς, διὰ τὸ μὴ φοβεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς τὸν Κύριον· οἱ δὲ ὄντες ἐν φοβῳ Κυρίου ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἔξουσιν ἔκγονα, καὶ ἡ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀποστήσεται. Ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς εἰρημένοις. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐχθροὶ, φησὶ, πονηροὶ ὄντες, ἑτέρων ἐπέχαιρον πτώμασιν· ὅ δὲ μέμφῃ σὺ, μὴ ζηλώσῃς. Τὸ γὰρ λαμπρὸν δῆθεν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπατηλὸν, μέχρι τούτου τοῦ βίου, καὶ σβέννυται τελευτῇ· πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἔτι ζώτων διελεγχθέντων ἐσβέσθη. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Παροιμιας Source: Migne PG 39.1640c

There is no inheritance for the wicked, the lamp of the impious shall be extinguished. 1 The wicked do not give birth to virtue and correct teachings, for these things are the offspring of the soul, since they have no reverance for God. Those who remain in the fear of the Lord produce progeny from themselves every day and their hope is not cut off. And these things follow from what is said. For the enemies, being wicked, take joy in the falls of others, but what you revile, take care you do not imitate. For their brightness is an illusion, this life is brief, and in death it is extinguished. And often even with all they had in life. Didymus the Blind, On Proverbs, fragment 1 Prov 24.20