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often approaching vainglory, and casting the mind into causes of meddlesomeness. You have in the Gospel a widow testified to by the Lord Jesus, who by only two mites surpassed the intention and the means of the rich. “For they,” He says, “out of their abundance cast into the treasury, but she all of her substance.” And concerning clothing, do not desire to have extra clothes, providing what is sufficient for the body’s need. Rather, cast your care upon the Lord, and He will provide for you. For, He says, He cares for us. If you need food or clothing, do not be ashamed to receive what is offered to you by others. For this is a form of pride. And if you yourself abound in these things, give to the one who is in need. Thus God wills His children to be provided for. For this reason the Apostle, writing to the Corinthians, said concerning those in need: “Your abundance for their lack, that their abundance also may be for your lack, that there may be equality, as it is written: He who had much, had nothing over; and he who had little, had no lack.” Having, therefore, what is necessary for the present time, do not be anxious for the time to come; for instance, for one day, or a week, or a year, or months. For when the morrow’s time comes, that time itself will supply what is necessary, especially as you are seeking the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness of God. “For seek,” says the Lord, “the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

5. Do not acquire a servant-boy; lest the adversary stir up some scandal for you through him, and disturb your mind to be concerned with the most expensive foods. For you will no longer be able to care for yourself alone; and even if the thought comes for the sake of bodily rest, yet consider what is better; I mean spiritual rest; for spiritual rest is truly better than bodily rest. And if it attacks your mind for the sake of the boy’s benefit, do not be persuaded by it; for this is not our work; it belongs to others, the holy fathers in the coenobium. Care only for your own benefit, and acquire the way of stillness. Do not love to dwell with worldly and distracted men; either dwell alone, or with immaterial and like-minded brethren. 40.1257 For he who dwells with worldly and distracted men, will certainly share also in their distraction, and will be a slave to human commands, and to vain conversations, and to all other dreadful things: anger, grief, madness for material things, fear, scandal. Do not be carried away by parental cares or family affections; but indeed, refuse frequent meetings even with these themselves, lest they rob you of the stillness in your cell, and draw you into their own distractions. “Let,” says the Lord, “the dead bury their own dead; but you, come, follow me.” And if the cell in which you sit is full of distractions, flee, and do not spare it, do not be weakened by love for it; do everything, act in every way, so that you may be able to be still and at leisure, and to be zealous to be in the will of God, and in the struggle with the unseen.

6. If you are not able to be still easily in your own parts, set your purpose on living as a foreigner, and hasten your thought toward this very thing. Become like some excellent merchant, testing all things for stillness, and holding fast through everything what is quiet and useful for it. But I tell you, love living as a foreigner; for it frees you from the distractions of your own country, and makes you enjoy only the benefit of stillness. Flee time spent in the city, and endure that in the desert. “For behold,” says the holy one, “I have fled far away, and I have lodged in the desert.” If it is possible, do not go into a city at all; for nothing

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πρὸς κενοδοξίαν πολλάκις προσερχομένη, καὶ εἰς πολυπραγμοσύνης αἰτίας ἐμβάλλουσα τὸν νοῦν. Ἔχεις ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ μαρτυρουμένην χήραν, διὰ δύο μόνων λεπτῶν τὴν τῶν πλουσίων ὑπερβεβηκυῖαν προαίρεσίν τε καὶ δύναμιν. «Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ,» φησὶν, «ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύματος ἔβαλον ἐν τῷ γαζοφυλακίῳ, αὕτη δὲ ἅπασαν ἑαυτῆς τὴν ὕπαρξιν.» Περὶ δὲ ἱματίων, μὴ ἐπιθυμήσῃς περισσὰ ἔχειν ἱμάτια, τὰ ἀρκοῦντα τῇ ἀνάγκῃ τοῦ σώματος προνοοῦ. Ἐπίῤῥιψον μᾶλλον ἐπὶ Κύριον τὴν μέριμνάν σου, καὶ αὐτός σου προνοήσει. Αὐτῷ γὰρ, φησὶ, μέλει περὶ ἡμῶν. Ἐὰν δέῃ τροφῶν ἢ ἱματίων, μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς τὰ παρ' ἑτέρων σοι προσφερόμενα λαβεῖν. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ὑπερηφανίας εἶδος. Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τούτοις περισσεύῃς, δίδου τῷ ὑστερουμένῳ. Οὕτως ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ παῖδας οἰκονομεῖσθαι βούλεται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος πρὸς Κορινθίους γράφων, περὶ τῶν ὑστερουμένων ἔλεγε· «Τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα, ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἐκείνων περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα, ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης, καθὰ γέγραπται· Ὁ τὸ πολὺ, οὐκ ἐπλεόνασε, καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον, οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν.» Ἔχων τοίνυν τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος καιροῦ τὰ δέοντα, εἰς τὸν μέλλοντα μὴ μεριμνήσῃς καιρόν· οἷον, ἡμέρας μιᾶς, ἢ ἑβδομάδος, ἢ ἐνιαυτοῦ, ἢ μηνῶν. Ἐνεστηκότος γὰρ τοῦ τῆς αὔριον καιροῦ, αὐτὸς ὁ καιρὸς ἐπιχορηγήσει τὰ δέοντα, ζητοῦντός σου μάλιστα τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην τοῦ Θεοῦ. «Ζητειτε» γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ Κύριος, «τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.»

Εʹ. Μὴ κτήσῃ παῖδα· μήποτέ σοι ὁ ὑπεναντίος διὰ τούτου κινήσῃ σκάνδαλόν τι, καὶ ἐκθορυβήσῃ σου τὸ φρόνημα τῶν πολυτελεστάτων τροφῶν φροντίζειν. Οὐ γὰρ δυνήσῃ μόνος ἔτι σεαυτοῦ φροντίζειν· κἂν ὡς πρὸς σωματικὴν ἀνάπαυσιν ἐπέλθῃ ὁ λογισμὸς, ἀλλὰ τὸ κρεῖττον ἐννόει· λέγω δὴ τὴν πνευματικὴν ἀνάπαυσιν· κρείττων γάρ ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡ πνευματικὴ ἀνάπαυσις τῆς σωματικῆς. Κἂν ὠφελείας τοῦ παιδὸς χάριν προσβάλλῃ τῇ γνώμῃ, μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτῷ· οὐ γάρ ἐστι τοῦτο ἡμέτερον ἔργον· ἑτέρων ἐστὶ τῶν ἐν κοινοβίῳ ἁγίων πατέρων. Σεαυτοῦ μόνου τῆς ὠφελείας φρόντιζε, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἡσυχίας περιποιοῦ τρόπον. Μὴ ἀγαπήσῃς οἰκῆσαι μετὰ ἀνθρώπων ὑλικῶν καὶ ἐμπεριστάτων· ἢ μόνος οἴκει, ἢ μετὰ ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἀΰλων καὶ ὁμοφρόνων σου. Ὁ 40.1257 γὰρ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων ὑλικῶν καὶ ἐμπεριστάτων οἰκῶν, πάντως κοινωνήσει καὶ αὐτὸς τῇ τούτων περιστάσει, καὶ δουλεύσει ἀνθρωπίναις ἐπιταγαῖς, λαλιαῖς τε ματαίαις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι δεινοῖς, ὀργῇ, λύπῃ, μανίᾳ τῶν ὑλῶν, φόβῳ, τῷ σκανδάλῳ. Γονικαῖς μερίμναις ἢ συγγενικαῖς φιλίαις μὴ συναπαχθῇς· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ πρὸς τούτους αὐτοὺς συνεχεῖς συντυχίας παραιτοῦ, μήποτέ σε ἀποσυλήσωσι τῆς ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ ἡσυχίας, καὶ περὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν περιστάσεις ἀγάγωσιν. «Ἄφες,» φησὶν ὁ Κύριος, «τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς· σὺ δὲ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι.» Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τὸ κελλίον ἐν ᾧ καθέζῃ εὐπερίστατον ᾖ, φεῦγε, καὶ αὐτοῦ μὴ φείσῃ, μὴ ἐκλυθῇς εἰς ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ· πάντα ποίει, πάντα πρᾶττε, πῶς δυνηθῇς ἡσυχάσαι καὶ σχολάσαι, καὶ σπουδάσαι γενέσθαι ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ θελήμασι, καὶ ἐν τῇ πάλῃ τῶν ἀοράτων.

ϛʹ. Εἰ μὴ δύνασαι ῥᾳδίως ἡσυχάσαι ἐν τοῖς σοῖς μέρεσι, δός σου ἐπὶ ξενιτείαν τὴν πρόθεσιν, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτην αὐτὴν κατάσπευδέ σου τὸν λογισμόν. Γενοῦ καθάπερ τις πραγματευτὴς ἄριστος, τὰ πάντα πρὸς ἡσυχίαν δοκιμάζων, καὶ τὰ πρὸς ταύτην ἥσυχα καὶ χρήσιμα διὰ πάντων κατέχων. Πλὴν λέγω σοι, ξενιτείαν ἀγάπα· ἀπαλλάττει γάρ σε τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν χώραν περιστάσεων, καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ὠφελείας μόνον ἀπολαύειν ποιεῖ. Τὰς ἐν πόλει διατριβὰς φεῦγε, καὶ τὰς ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καρτέρησον. «Ἰδοὺ» γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ ἄγιος, «ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων, καὶ ηὐλίσθην ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.» Εἰ δυνατὸν, τὸ καθόλου εἰς πόλιν μὴ ἀπαντήσῃς· οὐδὲν γὰρ