Sentences to Monks
Sententiae ad monachos
Sentences on Virtue and Judgment§1
1passionless
The Lord will be vindicated, but in the houses of the arrogant, curses will be multiplied. He who violates His law dishonors God, but he who keeps it glorifies Him who made it. If you zeal for Christ, you will become blessed; but if you die His death, your soul will die, and evil will not separate from its flesh, but your departure will be like the departure of a star, and your resurrection will shine like the sun. Woe to the lawless in the day of death, and the unrighteous will perish in an evil time. Just as a raven is driven away from its carrion, so an impure soul is driven from its own body. Angels guide the souls of the righteous, but demons will seize the souls of the wicked. Wherever evil enters, there also ignorance enters, but the hearts of the holy will be filled with knowledge. A merciful monk will be wealthy, but nourishing the poor he will inherit treasures. Poverty with knowledge is better than wealth with ignorance. A crown of the head is the world, but the knowledge of God is the crown of the heart. To acquire knowledge and not silver, and wisdom more than wealth, is much. The righteous will inherit the Lord (Ps 102:24), and the holy will be fed by Him. He who pities the poor quells anger, and he who nourishes them will be filled with good things. Wisdom will rest in a gentle heart, and a practical soul will be a throne of apatheia. Builders of evil things will receive an evil reward, but to builders of good things an excellent reward will be given. He who sets a trap will be caught in it, and he who hides it will be taken by it (Prov 1:11-19). A worldly man is better than an angry and irascible monk. Passion scatters knowledge, but patience gathers it. Just as a strong south wind is in the seas, so is passion in the heart of a man. He who prays continually escapes temptations, but for the one who is negligent, thoughts disturb the heart. Let not wine gladden you, and let not meat delight you, so that you do not consume the flesh of your body, and shameful thoughts will not cease from you. Do not say:
Greek · §1
Sententiae ad monachos Πρὸς τοὺς ἐν κοινοβίοις ἢ συνοδίαις μοναχούς. 1 Κληρονόμοι θεοῦ ἀκούσατε λόγων θεοῦ, συγκληρονόμοι δὲ Χριστοῦ δέξασθε ῥήσεις Χριστοῦ, ἵνα δῶτε αὐτὰς καρδίαις τέκνων ὑμῶν, λόγους δὲ σοφῶν διδάξητε αὐτούς. 2 Πατὴρ ἀγαθὸς παιδεύει υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, πατὴρ δὲ πονηρὸς ἀπολέσει αὐτούς. 3 Πίστις ἀρχὴ ἀγάπης, τέλος δὲ ἀγάπης γνῶσις θεοῦ. 4 Φόβος κυρίου διατηρήσει ψυχήν, ἐγκράτεια δὲ ἀγαθὴ ἐνισχύσει αὐτήν. 5 Ὑπομονὴ ἀνδρὸς τίκτει ἐλπίδα, ἐλπὶς δὲ ἀγαθὴ δοξάσει αὐτόν. 6 Ὁ δουλαγωγῶν σάρκας αὐτοῦ ἀπαθὴς ἔσται, ὁ δὲ ἐκτρέφων αὐτὰς ὀδυνηθήσεται ἐπ' αὐταῖς. 7 Πνεῦμα πορνείας ἐν σώμασιν ἀκρατῶν, πνεῦμα δὲ σωφροσύνης ἐν ψυχαῖς ἐγκρατῶν. 8 Ἀναχώρησις ἐν ἀγάπῃ καθαίρει καρδίαν, ἀναχώρησις δὲ μετὰ μίσους ἐκταράσσει αὐτήν. 9 Κρείσσων χιλιοστὸς ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἢ μόνος μετὰ μίσους ἐν ἀδύτοις σπηλαίοις. 10 Ὁ ἐναποδεσμεύων μνησικακίαν ἐν ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ κρύπτοντι πῦρ ἐν ἀχύροις. 11 Μὴ δῷς βρώματα πολλὰ τῷ σώματί σου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς καθ' ὕπνους φαντασίας κακάς. ὃν τρόπον γὰρ φλὸξ καταναλίσκει δρυμόν, οὕτω φαντασίας αἰσχρὰς σβέννυσι πεῖνα. 12 Ἀνὴρ θυμώδης πτοηθήσεται, ὁ δὲ πραῢς ἄφοβος ἔσται. 3 Ἄνεμος σφοδρὸς ἀποδιώκει νέφη, μνησικακία δὲ τὸν νοῦν ἀπὸ γνώσεως. 14 Ὁ προσευχόμενος ὑπὲρ ἐχθρῶν ἀμνησίκακος ἔσται, φειδόμενος δὲ γλώσσης οὐ λυπήσει τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ. 15 Ἐὰν παροξύνῃ σε ὁ ἀδελφός σου, εἰσάγαγε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν μὴ ὀκνήσῃς εἰσελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ φάγε τὸν ψωμόν σου μετ' αὐτοῦ. τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ῥύσῃ σὴν ψυχὴν καὶ οὐκ ἔσται σοι πρόσκομμα ἐν καιρῷ προσευχῆς. 16 Ὥσπερ ἡ ἀγάπη χαίρει πενίᾳ, οὕτω τὸ μῖσος τέρπεται πλούτῳ. 17 Οὐκ ἐπιτεύξεται πλούσιος γνώσεως καὶ κάμηλος οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς ὀπὴν ῥαφίδος, ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων ἀδυνατήσει παρὰ κυρίῳ 18 Ὁ φιλῶν ἀργύριον οὐκ ὄψεται γνῶσιν, καὶ ὁ συνάγων αὐτὸ σκοτισθήσεται. 19 Ἐν σκηναῖς ταπεινῶν αὐλισθήσεται κύριος, ἐν οἴκοις δὲ ὑπερηφάνων πληθυνθήσονται ἀραί. 20 Ἀτιμάζει θεὸν ὁ παραβαίνων νόμον αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων αὐτὸν δοξάζει τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτόν. 21 Ἐὰν ζηλώσῃς Χριστόν, γενήσῃ μακαριστός, τὸν δὲ θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἀποθανεῖται ἡ ψυχή σου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐπισπάσηται ἀπὸ σαρκὸς αὐτῆς κακίαν, ἀλλ' ἔσται ἡ ἔξοδός σου ὡς ἔξοδος ἀστέρος, καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασίς σου ὥσπερ ὁ ἥλιος ἐκλάμψει. 22 Οὐαὶ ἀνόμῳ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θανάτου, καὶ ἄδικος ὀλεῖται ἐν καιρῷ πονηρῷ. ὃν τρόπον γὰρ ἀφίπταται κόραξ ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ νοσσιᾶς, οὕτως ἀκάθαρτος ψυχὴ ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος. 23 Ψυχὰς δικαίων ὁδηγοῦσιν ἄγγελοι, ψυχὰς δὲ πονηρῶν παραλήψονται δαίμονες. 1 24 Οὗ ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃ κακία, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀγνωσία, καρδίαι δὲ ὁσίων πληρωθήσονται γνώσεως. 25 Ἀνελεήμων μοναχὸς ἐνδεὴς ἔσται, διατρέφων δὲ πτωχοὺς κληρονομήσει θησαυρούς. 26 Κρείσσων πενία μετὰ γνώσεως ἢ πλοῦτος μετὰ ἀγνωσίας. 27 Κόσμος κεφαλῆς στέφανος, κόσμος δὲ καρδίας γνῶσις θεοῦ. 28 Κτῆσαι γνῶσιν καὶ μὴ ἀργύριον καὶ σοφίαν ὑπὲρ πλοῦτον πολύν. 29 ∆ίκαιοι κληρονομήσουσι κύριον, ὅσιοι δὲ τραφήσονται ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. 30 Ὁ ἐλεῶν πένητας διαφθείρει θυμόν, καὶ ὁ διατρέφων αὐτοὺς πλησθήσεται ἀγαθῶν. 31 Ἐν καρδίᾳ πραείᾳ ἀναπαύσεται σοφία, θρόνος δὲ ἀπαθείας ψυχὴ πρακτική. 32 Τέκτονες πονηρῶν λήψονται μισθὸν κακόν, τέκτοσι δὲ ἀγαθῶν δοθήσεται μισθὸς ἀγαθός. 33 Ὁ τιθεὶς παγίδα συλληφθήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ὁ κρύπτων αὐτὴν ἁλώσεται ὑπ' αὐτῆς. 34 Κρείσσων κοσμικὸς πραῢς μοναχοῦ θυμώδους καὶ ὀργίλου. 35 Γνῶσιν διασκορπίζει θυμός, μακροθυμία δὲ συνάγει αὐτήν. 36 Ὥσπερ νότος ἰσχυρὸς ἐν πελάγει οὕτως θυμὸς ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνδρός. 37 Ὁ προσευχόμενος συνεχῶς ἐκφεύγει πειρασμούς, ἀμελοῦντος δὲ καρδίαν ἐκταράσσουσι λογισμοί. 38 Μὴ εὐφραινέτω σε οἶνος καὶ μὴ τερπέτω σε κρέας, ἵνα μὴ διαθρέψῃς σάρκας σώματός σου, καὶ λογισμοὶ αἰσχροὶ οὐκ ἐκλείψουσιν ἀπό σου. 39 Μὴ εἴπῃς·
Spiritual Discipline and the Order of Virtues§2
2Today is a feast and I drink wine, and tomorrow is Pentecost and I will eat meat, because there is no feast among monks, nor is there to fill a man's belly.
Passover is the Lord's passing over from evil, but Pentecost is the resurrection of the soul. The feast of God is the forgiveness of evils, but he who holds a grudge will receive grief. The Lord's Pentecost is the resurrection of love, but he who hates his brother will fall as a shameful corpse. The feast of God is true knowledge, but he who attends to false knowledge will end shamefully.
Fasting with a pure heart is better than a feast in the impurity of the soul. He who casts out evil thoughts from his heart is like one who fixes his infants to the rock.
A monk who is sleepy will fall into evils, but he who is watchful will be like a sparrow. Do not give yourself in watchfulness to empty narratives, and do not cast away spiritual words, for the Lord observes your soul and will by no means acquit you from every evil.
Much sleep thickens the mind, but watchfulness thins it. Much sleep brings temptations, but he who is watchful will flee them. Just as fire melts wax, so good watchfulness melts evil thoughts.
A man sleeping is better than a monk watching over vain thoughts. An angelic dream rejoices the heart, but a demonic dream disturbs it. Repentance and humility straightened the soul, but almsgiving and meekness established it.
Remember through all things your exodus and do not forget the eternal judgment, and there will not be deficiency in your soul. If a spirit of acedia rises upon you, do not leave your house, and do not turn away in time, for again you will benefit. For in whatever way if someone is white silver, so shall your heart be made bright. The spirit of acedia drives away tears, but the spirit of sorrow crushes prayer. Desiring wealth, he will care...
To many things, and enduring them, one suffers bitter griefs.
Let no scorpion linger in your lap, and no evil thought in your heart. Do not spare the killing of the offspring of serpents (Matt 3:7), and do not give birth to the thoughts of their hearts. Just as fire tests silver and gold, so trials test the heart of a monk. Remove from yourself pride, and make vanity a great distance from you. For he who fails in glory will be grieved, but he who succeeds will be proud. Do not give your heart to pride, and do not say before the face of God, 'I am capable,' lest the Lord abandon your soul, and evil demons humble it. For then your enemies will cause you to fly through the air, and terrible nights will receive you.
Knowledge guards the citizenship of the monk, but he who descends from knowledge will fall among robbers. From a spiritual rock a river flows, and a practical soul drinks from it. A pure soul is a vessel of election, but the unclean one will be filled with bitterness. Without milk a child will not be nourished, and without apatheia a heart will not be exalted. Before love comes apatheia, and before knowledge comes love. To knowledge wisdom is added, and from prudence apatheia is brought forth. The fear of the Lord generates prudence (Ps 118:7), and faith in Christ grants the fear of God. A burning arrow sets the soul on fire, but a practical man will extinguish it. Knowledge turns away from a cry and blasphemy, and wisdom flees from deceitful words. Honey is soft and wax is sweet, but the knowledge of God is sweeter than both.
Listen, monk, to the words of your father, and do not make his instructions void. Wherever he may send you, follow him and accompany him according to your understanding. For by this method you will escape evil thoughts, and evil demons will not be strong against you. If silver trusts you, you will not scatter it, and even if it works, you will give it back.
Greek · §2
σήμερον ἑορτὴ καὶ πίομαι οἶνον, καὶ αὔριον πεντηκοστὴ καὶ φάγομαι κρέα, διότι οὐκ ἔστιν ἑορτὴ παρὰ μοναχοῖς οὐδὲ τὸ πλῆσαι ἄνθρωπον κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ. 40 Πάσχα κυρίου διάβασις ἀπὸ κακίας, πεντηκοστὴ δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀνάστασις ψυχῆς. 41 Ἑορτὴ θεοῦ ἀμνηστία κακῶν, τὸν δὲ μνησικακοῦντα λήψονται πένθη. 42 Πεντηκοστὴ κυρίου ἀνάστασις ἀγάπης, ὁ δὲ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ πεσεῖται πτῶμα ἐξαίσιον. 43 Ἑορτὴ θεοῦ γνῶσις ἀληθής, ὁ δὲ προσέχων γνώσει ψευδεῖ τελευτήσει αἰσχρῶς. 44 Κρείσσων νηστεία μετὰ καθαρᾶς καρδίας ὑπὲρ ἑορτὴν ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ ψυχῆς. 45 Ὁ διαφθείρων λογισμοὺς κακοὺς ἀπὸ καρδίας αὐτοῦ ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ ἐδαφίζοντι τὰ νήπια αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν πέτραν. 46 Μοναχὸς ὑπνώδης ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά, ὁ δὲ ἀγρυπνῶν ὡς στρουθίον ἔσται. 47 Μὴ δῷς σεαυτὸν ἐν ἀγρυπνίᾳ διηγήμασι κενοῖς καὶ μὴ ἀπώσῃ λόγους πνευματικούς, ὅτι κύριος σκοπεύει σὴν ψυχὴν καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀθωώσῃ σε ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ. 48 Ὕπνος πολὺς παχύνει διάνοιαν, ἀγρυπνία δὲ ἀγαθὴ λεπτύνει αὐτήν. 49 Ὕπνος πολὺς ἐπάγει πειρασμούς, ὁ δὲ ἀγρυπνῶν ἐκφεύξεται αὐτούς. 50 Ὥσπερ πῦρ τήκει κηρόν, οὕτως ἀγρυπνία ἀγαθὴ λογισμοὺς πονηρούς. 51 Κρείσσων ἀνὴρ καθεύδων ἢ μοναχὸς ἀγρυπνῶν περὶ λογισμοὺς ματαίους. 52 Ἐνύπνιον ἀγγελικὸν εὐφραίνει καρδίαν, ἐνύπνιον δὲ δαιμονιῶδες ἐκταράσσει αὐτήν. 53 Μετάνοια καὶ ταπείνωσις ἀνώρθωσαν ψυχήν, ἐλεημοσύνη δὲ καὶ πραΰτης ἐστήριξαν αὐτήν. 54 Μέμνησο διὰ παντὸς σῆς ἐξόδου καὶ μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ κρίσεως αἰωνίας, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται πλημμέλεια ἐν ψυχῇ σου. 55 Ἐὰν πνεῦμα ἀκηδίας ἀναβῇ ἐπί σε, οἶκόν σου μὴ 2 ἀφῇς καὶ μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς ἐν καιρῷ πάλιν ἐπωφελεῖ. ὃν τρόπον γὰρ εἴ τις λευκάνοι ἄργυρον, οὕτως λαμπρυνθήσεται ἡ καρδία σου. 56 Πνεῦμα ἀκηδίας ἀπελαύνει δάκρυα, πνεῦμα δὲ λύπης συντρίβει προσευχήν. 57 Ἐπιθυμῶν χρημάτων μεριμνήσεις πολλά, καὶ ἀντεχόμενος αὐτῶν πενθήσεις πικρῶς. 58 Μὴ χρονιζέτω σκορπίος ἐν κόλπῳ σου καὶ λογισμὸς πονηρὸς ἐν καρδίᾳ σου. 59 Κτείνειν γεννήματα ὀφέων μὴ φείσῃ, 59 καὶ μὴ ὠδίνῃς λογισμοὺς καρδίας αὐτῶν. 60 Ὥσπερ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον δοκιμάζει πῦρ, οὕτως καρδίαν μοναχοῦ πειρασμοί. 61 Περίελε σεαυτοῦ ὑπερηφανίαν καὶ κενοδοξίαν μακρὰν ποίησον ἀπό σου. ὁ γὰρ ἀποτυχὼν δόξης λυπηθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἐπιτυχὼν ὑπερήφανος ἔσται. 62 Μὴ δῷς ὑπερηφανίᾳ σὴν καρδίαν καὶ μὴ εἴπῃς πρὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ· δυνατός εἰμι, ἵνα μὴ κύριος ἐγκαταλίπῃ σὴν ψυχήν, καὶ πονηροὶ δαίμονες ταπεινώσουσιν αὐτήν. τότε γάρ σε δι' ἀέρος πτοήσουσιν οἱ ἐχθροί, νύκτες δὲ φοβεραὶ διαδέξονταί σε. 63 Πολιτείαν μοναχοῦ διαφυλάττει γνῶσις, ὁ δὲ καταβαίνων ἀπὸ γνώσεως περιπεσεῖται λῃσταῖς. 64 Ἐκ πέτρας πνευματικῆς ἀπορρεῖ ποταμός, ψυχὴ δὲ πρακτικὴ πίεται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. 65 Σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ψυχὴ καθαρά, ἡ δὲ ἀκάθαρτος πλησθήσεται πικρίας. 66 Ἄνευ γάλακτος οὐ τραφήσεται παιδίον, καὶ χωρὶς ἀπαθείας οὐχ ὑψωθήσεται καρδία. 67 Πρὸ ἀγάπης ἡγεῖται ἀπάθεια πρὸ δὲ γνώσεως ἀγάπη. 68 Γνώσει προστίθεται σοφία, ἀπάθειαν δὲ τίκτει φρόνησις. 69 Φόβος κυρίου γεννᾷ φρόνησιν, πίστις δὲ Χριστοῦ δωρεῖται φόβον θεοῦ. 70 Βέλος πεπυρωμένον ἀνάπτει ψυχήν, ἀνὴρ δὲ πρακτικὸς κατασβέσει αὐτό. 71 Κραυγὴν καὶ βλασφημίαν ἀποστρέφεται γνῶσις, λόγους δὲ δολίους φεύγει σοφία. 72 Ἡδὺ μέλι καὶ γλυκὺ κηρίον, γνῶσις δὲ θεοῦ γλυκυτέρα ἀμφοτέρων. 73 Ἄκουε, μοναχέ, λόγους πατρός σου καὶ μὴ ἀκύρους ποίει νουθεσίας αὐτοῦ. Ἡνίκα ἂν ἀποστείλῃ σε, ἐπάγου αὐτὸν καὶ κατὰ διάνοιαν συνόδευε αὐτῷ. τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ τρόπῳ διαφεύξῃ λογισμοὺς κακούς, καὶ πονηροὶ δαίμονες οὐκ ἰσχύσουσι κατά σου. ἐὰν πιστεύσῃ σοι ἀργύριον, οὐ διασκορπιεῖς αὐτό, καὶ κἂν ἐπεργάσῃ, ἀποδώσεις
Sentences on Obedience and Discipline§3
3A wicked steward will crush the souls of brothers, and a slanderer will not show them mercy. He who scatters the monastery's existing possessions wrongs God, and he who neglects them will not go unpunished. An unjust steward divides the resources poorly, but the just one will give according to worth. 77 He who slanders his brother will be destroyed, and he who neglects the weak will not see light. 78 A worldly man, better at serving his own weakness, is worse than a recluse who does not pity his neighbor. 79 A foolish monk will neglect the tools of his craft, but the wise one will take care of them.
80 Do not say: 'I will stay today and leave tomorrow,' for you have not reasoned wisely about this. 81 A wandering monk will meditate on false sayings, and he will contradict his own father. 82 He who beautifies his clothes and fills his belly pastures shameful thoughts and does not sit with the temperate. 83 If you enter a village, do not approach women and do not engage in talk with them. For as one casts a hook, so your soul will be drawn. 84 A long-suffering monk will be loved, but he who provokes his brothers will be hated. 85 A gentle monk is loved by the Lord, but he will cast away the bold. 86 A lazy monk will grumble much, and a sleepy one will pretend to have a headache.
87 If your brother is grieved, comfort him, and if he suffers, suffer with him. For by doing this you gladden his heart, and you will store up a great treasure in heaven. 88 A monk who leaves his father's words unguarded will blaspheme him for having fathered many, and will slander the lives of his children, but the Lord will make him nothing. 89 He who seeks praise is separated from brothers, and he blames his own father. 90 Do not give ear to...
Speak according to your father and do not stir up the soul by dishonoring him, so that the Lord may not be angry at your works and erase your name from the book of the living (Ps 69:6).
91 He who obeys his father loves himself, but he who argues against him will fall into evils.
92 Blessed is the monk who guards the commandments of the Lord, and holy is the one who maintains the words of his fathers.
93 A lazy monk will suffer much loss, but if he is courageous and adds to his form.
94 He who guards his tongue straightens his paths (Prov 4:25), and he who keeps his heart will be filled with knowledge.
95 A double-tongued monk disturbs brothers, but the faithful one brings stillness.
96 He who trusts in his own self-control will fall, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.
97 Do not give yourself to the gluttony of the belly, and do not be filled with nocturnal sleep. For by this way you will become pure and the spirit of the Lord will come upon you.
98 While singing, the mind becomes still, and while being long-suffering, it will be unshakeable.
99 From gentleness knowledge is born, and from audacity ignorance.
100 Just as water increases a plant, so the humbling of the mind exalts the heart.
101 While searching for banquets, the lamp will be extinguished, and his soul will see darkness.
102 Bind your bread with a yoke and drink your water in measure, and the spirit of fornication will flee from you.
103 Give wine to those becoming old and offer food to those growing weak, because they have worn out the flesh of their youth.
104 Do not look down upon your brother and do not rejoice in his fall. For the Lord knows your heart and will deliver you in the day of death.
105 A wise monk will be impassive, but the fool will exhaust himself with evils.
106 The Lord blinds an evil eye, but he rescues the simple from darkness.
107 Just as the Morning Star is in heaven and just as the phoenix is in paradise, so in a gentle soul is a pure mind.
Greek · §3
αὐτό. 74 Πονηρὸς οἰκονόμος ἐκθλίψει ψυχὰς ἀδελφῶν, καὶ μνησίκακος οὐκ ἐλεήσει αὐτάς. 75 Ὁ διασκορπίζων τὰ ὑπάρχοντα τῆς μονῆς ἀδικεῖ θεόν, καὶ ὁ ἀμελῶν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀτιμώρητος ἔσται. 76 Ἄδικος οἰκονόμος διαμεριεῖ κακῶς, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος πρὸς ἀξίαν δώσει. 77 Ὁ κακολογῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐξολοθρευθήσεται, ἀμελῶν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντος οὐκ ὄψεται φῶς. 78 Κρείσσων κοσμικὸς ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ δουλεύων ἀδελφῷ ὑπὲρ ἀναχωρητὴν μὴ οἰκτείροντα τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ. 79 Ἄφρων μοναχὸς ἀμελήσει ὀργάνων τέχνης αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ φρόνιμος ἐπιμελήσεται αὐτῶν. 3 80 Μὴ εἴπῃς· σήμερον μενῶ καὶ αὔριον ἐξελεύσομαι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν φρονήσει λελόγισαι περὶ τούτου. 81 Κυκλευτὴς μοναχὸς μελετήσει ῥήσεις ψευδεῖς, τὸν δὲ ἑαυτοῦ παραλογίσεται πατέρα. 82 Ὁ καλλωπίζων τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ πληρῶν γαστέρα αὐτοῦ ποιμαίνει λογισμοὺς αἰσχροὺς καὶ μετὰ σωφρόνων οὐ συνεδριάζει. 83 Ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃς εἰς κώμην, μὴ προσεγγίσῃς γυναιξὶ καὶ μὴ χρονίσῃς ἐν λόγοις πρὸς αὐτάς. ὃν τρόπον γὰρ εἴ τις ἄγκιστρον καταπίοι, οὕτως ἑλκυσθήσεται ἡ ψυχή σου. 84 Μακρόθυμος μοναχὸς ἀγαπηθήσεται, ὁ δὲ παροξύνων τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ μισηθήσεται. 85 Πραῢν μοναχὸν ἀγαπᾷ ὁ κύριος, τὸν δὲ θρασὺν ἀπώσεται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. 86 Ὀκνηρὸς μοναχὸς γογγύσει πολλά, καὶ ὑπνώδης προφασίσεται κεφαλαλγίαν αὐτοῦ. 87 Ἐὰν λυπῆται ὁ ἀδελφός σου, παρακάλεσον αὐτόν, καὶ ἐὰν ἀλγῇ, συνάλγησον αὐτῷ. τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν εὐφραίνεις καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ θησαυρὸν μέγαν σωρεύσεις ἐν οὐρανῷ. 88 Μοναχὸς ἀπολειπόμενος φυλάξαι λόγους πατρὸς βλασφημήσει πολιὰν γεννήσαντος αὐτὸν καὶ κακολογήσει βίους τέκνων αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ κύριος ἐξουδενώσει αὐτόν. 89 Ο πρόφασιν ζητῶν χωρίζεται ἀδελφῶν, τὸν δὲ ἑαυτοῦ αἰτιάσεται πατέρα. 90 Μὴ δῷς ἀκοὴν λόγοις κατὰ πατρός σου καὶ μὴ διεγείρῃς ψυχὴν ἀτιμάζοντος αὐτόν, ἵνα μὴ κύριος ὀργισθῇ ἐπὶ ποιήμασι σου καὶ ἐξαλείψῃ σου τὸ ὄνομα ἐκ βίβλου ζώντων. 91 Ὁ ὑπακούων πατρὶ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγαπᾷ ἑαυτόν, ὁ δὲ ἀντιλέγων αὐτῷ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά. 92 Μακάριος μοναχὸς ὁ φυλάσσων ἐντολὰς κυρίου καὶ ὅσιος ὁ διατηρῶν λόγους πατέρων αὐτοῦ. 93 Ὀκνηρὸς μοναχὸς πολλὰ ζημιωθήσεται, ἐὰν δὲ θαρσύνηται καὶ τὸ σχῆμα αὐτοῦ προσθήσει. 94 Ὁ φυλάσσων γλῶσσαν αὐτοῦ ὀρθοτομεῖ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ τηρῶν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ πλησθήσεται γνώσεως. 95 Μοναχὸς δίγλωσσος ταράσσει ἀδελφούς, ὁ δὲ πιστὸς ἡσυχίαν ἄγει. 96 Ὁ πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ ἐγκρατείᾳ αὑτοῦ πεσεῖται, ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται. 97 Μὴ δῷς σεαυτὸν χορτασίᾳ κοιλίας, καὶ μὴ πλησθῇς ὕπνου νυκτερινοῦ. τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ τρόπῳ γενήσῃ καθαρὸς καὶ πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπελεύσεται ἐπί σε. 98 Ψάλλοντος ἡσυχάζει θυμὸς καὶ μακροθυμοῦντος ἀπτόητος ἔσται. 99 Ἐκ πραΰτητος τίκτεται γνῶσις, ἐκ δὲ θρασύτητος ἀγνωσία. 100 Ὥσπερ ὕδωρ αὔξει φυτόν, οὕτως ταπείνωσις θυμοῦ καρδίαν ὑψοῖ. 101 Ἰχνεύοντος συμπόσια σβεσθήσεται λαμπτήρ, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ὄψεται σκότος. 102 Στῆσον ζυγῷ τὸν ἄρτον σου καὶ πίε μέτρῳ τὸ ὕδωρ σου καὶ πνεῦμα πορνείας φεύξεται ἀπό σου. 103 ∆ὸς γέρουσιν οἶνον καὶ ἀσθενοῦσι πρόσφερε τροφάς, διότι κατέτριψαν σάρκας νεότητος αὐτῶν. 104 Μὴ ὑποσκελίσῃς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου καὶ πτώματι αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπιχαρῇς. ὁ γὰρ κύριος γινώσκει σὴν καρδίαν καὶ παραδώσει σε ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θανάτου. 105 Μοναχὸς φρόνιμος ἀπαθὴς ἔσται, ὁ δὲ ἄφρων ἐξαντλήσει κακά. 4 106 Ὀφθαλμὸν πονηρὸν ἐκτυφλοῖ κύριος, τὸν δὲ ἁπλοῦν ῥύσεται ἀπὸ σκότους. 107 Ὥσπερ ἑωσφόρος ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ὥσπερ φοίνιξ ἐν παραδείσῳ, οὕτως ἐν ψυχῇ πραείᾳ νοῦς καθαρός.
Warning against false doctrines§4
4A wise man searches for the words of God, but the foolish one will be mocked by them. He who hates the knowledge of God and pushes away His contemplation is like a spear piercing his own heart. Knowledge of the Trinity is superior to the knowledge of the incorporeal ones, and the contemplation of it is superior to the words of all the ages.
Many are the elders of practice, but their life is the knowledge of truth. A young man of practice bears much, but who will respect an undaunted elder? I saw an angry elder exalting himself upon his throne, but rather his young man had hope.
He who scandalizes the worldly ones will not be without punishment, and he who provokes them insults his own name. He who disturbs the church of the Lord will be consumed by fire, and he who opposes a priest will be swallowed by the earth. He who loves the bee will eat its wax, and he who gathers it will be filled with spirit.
Honor the Lord and you will know the words of the incorporeal, and serve Him and He will show you the words of the ages. Apart from knowledge, the heart will not be exalted, and a tree will not bloom without drink.
The flesh of Christ is the practical virtues, and he who eats them will become impassive. The blood of Christ is the contemplation of things that have come to pass, and he who drinks it will be made wise by it. The breast of the Lord is the knowledge of God, and he who falls upon it will be a theologian. The Gnostic and the practical met one another, but the Lord stands in the middle of both.
He who has acquired love has acquired a treasure, and has received grace from the Lord. Wisdom recognizes the dogmas of demons, but prudence tracks out their cunning. Do not reject the holy dogmas which your fathers laid down, and do not abandon the faith of your baptism, and do not cast away the spiritual seal, so that the Lord may be born in your soul and cover you in the day of evil. The words of heretics are angels of death, and he who receives them. Text ends abruptly....
He will lose his own soul. Now then, son, listen to me, and do not approach the doors of lawless men, nor walk upon their snares, so that you may not be caught. But turn your soul away from false knowledge. For I have often spoken to them, but I traced out their dark words, and I found a venom of shields among them. There is no prudence and there is no wisdom in their words. All those receiving them will be destroyed, and those loving them will be filled with evils. I saw the father of their dogmas and encountered them in the desert. For enemies of the Lord met me, and demons contended with me in words, and I did not see true light in their utterances.
127 A man lying will fall from God, and deceiving his neighbor will fall into evils. 128 Better is the paradise of God than a garden of vegetables, and the river of the Lord than a great river flooding the earth. 5 129 More trustworthy is heavenly water than the water of Egyptians wise men drawing from the earth. 130 Just as those ascending the wheels go down, so those exalting their words are humbled in them. 131 The wisdom of the Lord lifts up the heart, but his prudence cleanses it.
132 Words of providence are dark, and contemplations of judgment are hard to understand, but a practical man will know them. 133 Purifying himself, he will see noetic natures, and the words of the incorporeal he will know, alone, gentle. 134 The creature saying the Holy Trinity blasphemes God, and he who rejects his Christ will not know him. 135 Contemplations of worlds widen the heart, but words of providence and judgment lift it up. 136 Knowledge of the incorporeal lifts up the mind and presents it to the Holy Trinity. 137 Remember the clear proverbs of what has been given to you in the Lord, and do not forget my humble soul in the time of prayer. 6
Greek · §4
108 Ἀνὴρ σοφὸς ἐρευνήσει λόγους θεοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἄσοφος καταγελάσεται αὐτῶν. 109 Ὁ μισῶν γνῶσιν θεοῦ καὶ ἀπωθούμενος θεωρίαν αὐτοῦ ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ λόγχῃ νύσσοντι τὴν καρδίαν αὑτοῦ. 110 Κρείσσων γνῶσις τριάδος ὑπὲρ γνῶσιν ἀσωμάτων καὶ θεωρία αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ λόγους πάντων τῶν αἰώνων. 111 Πολιὰ γερόντων πραΰτης, ζωὴ δὲ αὐτῶν γνῶσις ἀληθείας. 112 Νέος πραῢς πολλὰ ὑποφέρει, ὀλιγόψυχον δὲ γέροντα τίς ὑποίσεται; εἶδον ὀργίλον γέροντα ἐπαιρόμενον ἐπὶ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, ἐλπίδα δὲ μέντοι μᾶλλον ἔσχεν ὁ νέος αὐτοῦ. 113 Ὁ σκανδαλίζων κοσμικοὺς οὐκ ἀτιμώρητος ἔσται, καὶ ὁ παροξύνων αὐτοὺς ἀτιμάζει τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. 114 Ταράσσοντα ἐκκλησίαν κυρίου ἐξαναλώσει πῦρ, ἀνθιστάμενον δὲ ἱερεῖ καταπίεται γῆ. 115 Ὁ ἀγαπῶν μέλισσαν φάγεται κηρίον αὐτῆς καὶ ὁ συνάγων αὐτὴν πλησθήσεται πνεύματος. 116 Τίμα τὸν κύριον καὶ γνώσῃ λόγους ἀσωμάτων, καὶ δούλευε αὐτῷ καὶ δείξει σοι λόγους αἰώνων. 117 Χωρὶς γνώσεως οὐχ ὑψωθήσεται καρδία, καὶ δένδρον οὐκ ἀνθήσει ἄνευ ποτοῦ. 118 Σάρκες Χριστοῦ πρακτικαὶ ἀρεταί, ὁ δὲ ἐσθίων αὐτὰς γενήσεται ἀπαθής. 119 Αἷμα Χριστοῦ θεωρία τῶν γεγονότων καὶ ὁ πίνων αὐτὸ σοφισθήσεται ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. 120 Στῆθος κυρίου γνῶσις θεοῦ, ὁ δ' ἀναπεσὼν ἐπ' αὐτὸ θεολόγος ἔσται. 121 Γνωστικὸς καὶ πρακτικὸς ὑπήντησαν ἀλλήλοις, μέσος δὲ ἀμφοτέρων εἱστήκει κύριος. 122 Ὃς ἐκτήσατο ἀγάπην, ἐκτήσατο θησαυρόν, ἔλαβε δὲ χάριν παρὰ κυρίου. 123 ∆όγματα δαιμόνων ἐπιγινώσκει σοφία, πανουργίαν δὲ αὐτῶν ἐξιχνιάζει φρόνησις. 124 Μὴ ἀθετήσῃς δόγματα ἅγια, ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ πατέρες σου, πίστιν δὲ βαπτίσματός σου μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς καὶ μὴ ἀπώσῃ σφραγῖδα πνευματικήν, ἵνα γένηται κύριος ἐν σῇ ψυχῇ καὶ σκεπάσῃ σε ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ. 125 Λόγοι αἱρετικῶν ἄγγελοι θανάτου, καὶ ὁ δεχόμενος αὐτοὺς ἀπολεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν. 126 Νῦν οὖν, υἱέ, ἄκουέ μου, καὶ μὴ προσέλθῃς θύραις ἀνδρῶν ἀνόμων μηδὲ περιπατήσῃς ἐπὶ παγίδων αὐτῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀγρευθῇς. ἀπόστησον δὲ σὴν ψυχὴν ἀπὸ γνώσεως ψευδοῦς. καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ πλεονάκις λελάληκα πρὸς αὐτούς, σκοτεινοὺς δὲ λόγους αὐτῶν ἐξιχνίασα, καὶ ἰὸν ἀσπίδων εὕρηκα ἐν αὐτοῖς. οὐκ ἔστι φρόνησις καὶ οὐκ ἔστι σοφία ἐν λόγοις αὐτῶν. πάντες οἱ δεχόμενοι αὐτοὺς ἀπολοῦνται, καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτοὺς πλησθήσονται κακῶν. εἶδον ἐγὼ πατέρας δογμάτων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ συνέβαλον αὐτοῖς. ἐχθροὶ γὰρ κυρίου ἀπήντησάν μοι καὶ δαίμονες ἐν λόγοις ἠγωνίσαντο πρός με καὶ οὐκ εἶδον φῶς ἀληθινὸν ἐν ῥήμασιν αὐτῶν. 127 Ἀνὴρ ψευδόμενος ἐκπεσεῖται θεοῦ, ἀπατῶν δὲ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά. 128 Κρείσσων παράδεισος θεοῦ ὑπὲρ κῆπον λαχανίας καὶ ποταμὸς κυρίου ὑπὲρ ποταμὸν μέγαν ἐπισκοτοῦντα τῇ γῇ. 5 129 Ἀξιοπιστότερον ὕδωρ οὐράνιον ὑπὲρ ὕδωρ Αἰγυπτίων σοφῶν ἀντλούντων ἐκ γῆς. 130 Ὃν τρόπον οἱ τοὺς τροχοὺς ἀναβαίνοντες κάτω εἶσιν, οὕτως οἱ ὑψοῦντες λόγους αὐτῶν τεταπείνωνται ἐν αὐτοῖς. 131 Σοφία κυρίου ὑψοῖ καρδίαν, φρόνησις δὲ αὐτοῦ καθαίρει αὐτήν. 132 Λόγοι προνοίας σκοτεινοὶ καὶ δυσνόητοι κρίσεως θεωρίαι, ἀνὴρ δὲ πρακτικὸς ἐπιγνώσεται αὐτούς. 133 Καθαίρων ἑαυτὸν ὄψεται φύσεις νοεράς, λόγους δὲ ἀσωμάτων ἐπιγνώσεται μοναχὸς πραΰς. 134 Ὁ κτίσμα λέγων τὴν ἁγίαν τριάδα βλασφημεῖ θεὸν καὶ ὁ ἀθετῶν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτοῦ οὐ γνώσεται αὐτόν. 135 Κόσμων θεωρίαι πλατύνουσι καρδίαν, λόγοι δὲ προνοίας καὶ κρίσεως ὑψοῦσιν αὐτήν. 136 Γνῶσις ἀσωμάτων ἐπαίρει τὸν νοῦν καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ τριάδι παρίστησιν αὐτόν. 137 Μέμνησθε τοῦ δεδωκότος ὑμῖν ἐν κυρίῳ σαφεῖς παροιμίας, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλάθησθε τῆς ταπεινῆς μου ψυχῆς ἐν καιρῷ προσευχῆς. 6