Three Ways

Utinam dirigantur viae meae... Tres sunt viae: Via Dei, via hominis, via diaboli. Via Dei est veritas, via hominis est necessitas, via diaboli iniquitas. Via Dei et diaboli numquam flecti possunt, ut ad aliud tendant, quia nec via Dei mala, nec via diaboli bona aliquando esse potest. Via hominis mutabilis est, et ad diversa inflectitur; hoc est, vel ad viam Dei vel ad viam diaboli. Si enim necessitas intorquetur ad cupiditatem, et cupiditas ad iniquitatem, via hominis flectitur, ad viam diaboli. Si autem diriguntur ad mensuram, et mensura ad justitiam, via hominis directa est ad viam Dei. Propterea ait: Utinam dirigantur viae meae. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber II, Caput LXIX Source: Migne PL 177.628b-c

O that my ways were directed...1 There are three ways: The way of God, the way of man, the way of the devil. The way of God is truth, the way of man is need, the way of the devil wickedness. The ways of God and the devil cannot be bent, so that they tend to something else, because it is not possible that the way of God is evil at any time, nor may the way of the devil be good. The way of man is changeable, and it is bent to different things, that is, either to the way of God or to way of the devil. If need bends it to excessive desire, and that to wickedness, the way of man is bent to the way of the devil. But if it is directed by moderation, and moderation to righteousness, the way of man is directed to the way of God. Therefore it is said, 'O that my ways were directed...' Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 2, Chapter 69 1 Ps 118.5