The monk's security and the king's danger, and the final exhortation
Chrysostom is concluding his comparison of the king and the monk, showing that the monk is safe from murder while the king lives in fear, then turning to the future judgment and a final exhortation to imitate the monk rather than admire the rich.
No one would dare to kill the monk, because he would consider it an act of impiety against God to destroy such a man. But many slayers stand over the king, lovers of tyranny. So the king is guarded by soldiers, while the monk walls cities with his prayers, fearing no one. The king, however, always lives with fear and the expectation of slaughter. For the king has dangerous greed, but the monk has secure salvation. Now I think enough has been said about the affairs of this present life. But if we should wish to examine the contest that is to come, we will see the monk shining and admired, snatched up in clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17), like the leader and teacher of this saving way of life and of all virtue. The king, if he appears to have ruled his power justly and with love for humanity—though this is very rare—will receive lesser salvation and honor. For it is not equal, not equal: a good king and a monk living at the height of service to God. But if the king appears wicked and perverse, having filled the earth with many evils, who could describe the disasters that will be seen pressing upon him—burned with fire, scourged, tortured, suffering things that cannot be spoken in words or endured in deed? Considering and learning all these things, we must not admire the rich. For the one who has become master of these things cannot come even a little close to the virtue of the monk. So when you see a rich man adorned with clothing, beautified with gold, carried on chariots, making splendid public appearances, do not call that man blessed. For wealth is temporary, and what seems beautiful in this life is destroyed along with it. But when you see a monk walking alone, humble and gentle and quiet and mild, emulate that man. Show yourself an imitator of his way of life. Pray to become like that righteous man. For it says, “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). These things are truly good and saving and lasting, through the love for humanity and providence of Christ, to whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Greek
Καὶ τὸν μὲν οὐδεὶς ἂν ἀποκτεῖναι τολμήσειεν, εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἀσεβεῖν ἡγούμενος, εἰ τὸν τοιοῦτον ἀνέλοι· τῷ δὲ πολλοὶ σφαγεῖς ἐφεστήκασιν ἐρασταὶ τυραννίδος. Διόπερ ὁ μὲν φρουρεῖται στρατιώταις, ὁ δὲ πόλεις τειχίζει ταῖς εὐχαῖς, οὐδένα δεδοικώς· ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀεὶ φόβῳ συζῇ καὶ προσδοκίᾳ σφαγῆς· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐπικίνδυνον ἔχει πλεονεξίαν, ὁ δὲ ἀσφαλῆ σωτηρίαν. Περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ πραγμάτων ἱκανῶς εἰρῆσθαί μοι δοκεῖ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν μέλλοντα βουληθείημεν ἐξετάζειν, τὸν μὲν ὀψόμεθα λαμπρὸν καὶ περίβλεπτον ἁρπαζόμενον ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἀέρα, κατὰ τὸν ἡγεμόνα καὶ παιδευτὴν τοῦ σωτηρίου τούτου βίου καὶ πάσης ἀρετῆς· ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς, ἐὰν μὲν δικαίως φανείη καὶ φιλανθρώπως διοικήσας τὴν ἀρχὴν πολὺ δὲ τοῦτο σπάνιον, ἐλάττονος ἔσται σωτηρίας τε καὶ τιμῆς· οὐ γὰρ ἴσον, οὐκ ἴσον βασιλεύς τε χρηστὸς καὶ μοναχὸς ἄκρως τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ λατρείᾳ συζῶν. Εἰ δὲ φανείη πονηρὸς καὶ σκαιὸς, πολλῶν κακῶν ἐμπεπληκὼς τὴν γῆν, τίς ἂν εἰπεῖν δυνηθείη τὰς συμφορὰς αἷς ὀφθήσεται συνεχόμενος, πυρὶ καιόμενος, μαστιγούμενος, στρεβλούμενος, τοιαῦτα πάσχων ἅπερ οὔτε λόγῳ ῥητὰ, οὐδὲ ἔργῳ φορητά; Ταῦτα πάντα δεῖ λογιζομένους καὶ μανθάνοντας, μὴ τοὺς πλουτοῦντας θαυμάζειν· ὁ γὰρ τούτων δεσπότης πεφηνὼς, οὐδὲ κατὰ μικρὸν ἐγγὺς ἐλθεῖν δύναται τῆς τοῦ μοναχοῦ ἀρετῆς. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδῃς πλούσιον ἐσθῆτι κεκοσμημένον, χρυσῷ καλλωπιζόμενον, ἐπ' ὀχημάτων φερόμενον, ἐξόδους ἐξιόντα λαμπρὰς, μὴ μακαρίσῃς τὸν ἄνθρωπον· πρόσκαιρος γὰρ ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν εἶναι καλὸν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ συνδιαφθείρεται· μοναχὸν δὲ ἰδὼν βαδίζοντα μόνον, ταπεινὸν καὶ πρᾶον καὶ ἡσύχιον καὶ ἥμερον, ζήλωσον τὸν ἄνδρα, φάνηθι μιμητὴς τῆς ἐκείνου φιλοσοφίας, εὖξαι γενέσθαι τῷ δικαίῳ παραπλήσιος· Αἰτεῖτε γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν. Ταῦτα γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς καλὰ καὶ σωτήρια καὶ μόνιμα, διὰ τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν καὶ πρόνοιαν· ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.