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he has destroyed. You therefore, servant of Christ. and all who wish to be saved, if you fast, purify yourself from all love of money; because he who loves money cannot love God. "For the love of money is the root of all evil."

8 Flee vainglory and arrogance with all your strength. If a thought suggests to you that you have become great and good, having advanced in virtue, do not believe it; for it is the enemy who obstructs and suggests vainglory; therefore do not tolerate the thought that praises you; but if the thought suggests to you, saying, do not wish to labor so arduously, you can be saved, you will not listen to it; for it is the enemy who suggests slackness and negligence, that he may cast you down from your virtuous way of life; for there are many devices that come from the enemy against the servants of God; for he suggests to people to come and speak words of praise so that his heart may be lifted up. But you, do not accept the praise of men; and if someone says to you "you are blessed," say to him, if I depart from this body having finished well, then I will be called blessed; for now I do not believe myself that I am blessed; for we men change just like the wind. And often he suggests to you to despise those who eat; do not believe him; for he is a stranger; for consider yourself the least of all, that you may lead many into the kingdom of heaven, and be exalted before God; but the enemy also suggests great asceticism, in order to make the body weak and useless. Therefore let your fasting have measure; fast the whole year without any compulsion; and at the ninth hour of the day, having spent your time in hymns and prayers, partake of your bread with vegetables prepared with oil; all inanimate things are pure.

9 But you, O virgin, let no one learn of your ascetic practice, not even your own relatives; but if you do anything, do it in secret; and your heavenly Father who sees in secret will reward you; but if you make your life manifest, vainglory is born to you and causes loss; but if you find a like-minded soul laboring for God, as you are, to this one alone reveal it in mystery; there is no vainglory there; for you have spoken that a soul might be saved; you will receive a great reward, if a soul is saved through you. To those who have a desire to hear, speak what is profitable. But if one hears and does not do it, speak nothing. For the Lord says: "Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine;" for God calls those who live a dishonorable life dogs and swine; for the words of God are precious pearls given only to the worthy.

10 O blessed soul, who has heard these words written in this book and does them! I testify to everyone who hears these words and does them, that his name will be written in the book of life, and he will be found in the third order of the angels. If you pray or sing psalms or read, sit by yourself; let no one hear, except you alone. And if you have one or two like-minded virgins; for Christ says: "where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst." Put away the womanly mind and take up courage and manliness. For in the kingdom of heaven there is no male and female, but all women who have been well-pleasing receive the rank of men. Forget the youthful fashions, that you may receive the honor of a good widow. For Saint Paul says: "Honor widows who are truly widows; but she who is truly a widow and left alone has hoped in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. Let a widow be enrolled who is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. But refuse the younger widows; for when

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ἀπώλεσε. σὺ οὖν, δούλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ. καὶ πάντες ὅσοι θέλουσι σωθῆναι, ἐὰν νηστεύσῃς, ἅγνισον σε αυτὴν ἀπὸ πάσης φιλαργυρίας· ὅτι ὁ ἀγαπῶν ἀργύριον οὐ δύ ναται τὸν Θεὸν ἀγαπᾶν. «ῥίζα γὰρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία.»

8 Τὴν κενοδοξίαν καὶ τὴν ἀλαζονείαν ἰσχυρῶς φεῦγε. ἐὰν ὑποβάλῃ σοι λογισμός, ὅτι μεγάλη γέγονας καὶ καλή, προβεβηκυῖα τῇ ἀρετῇ, μὴ πιστεύσῃς αὐτῷ· ὁ ἐχθρὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐμποδίζων καὶ κενοδοξίαν ὑποβάλλων· οὐκ ἀνέξῃ οὖν τοῦ λογισμοῦ ἐπαινοῦντός σε· ἐὰν δὲ ὑποβάλῃ σοι ὁ λογισμὸς λέγων, ὅτι μὴ θέλε κοπιᾶν οὕτως δυσκόλως, δύνασαι σωθῆναι, οὐκ ἀκούσεις αὐτοῦ· ὁ ἐχθρὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ὑποβάλλων χαύνωσιν καὶ ὀλιγωρίαν, ἵνα σε καταβάλῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐναρέτου σου πολιτείας· πολλὰ γάρ ἐστι μηχανήματα ἐκ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ γινόμενα τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ Θοῦ· ὑποβάλλει γὰρ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἔρχεσθαι καὶ ἐπαινεῖν λόγους πρὸς τὸ ὑψωθῆναι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ. σὺ δὲ μὴ καταδέξῃ ἔπαινον ἀνθρώπων· ἐὰν δέ τίς σοι εἴπῃ «μακάριος εἶ», λέγε αὐτῷ, ἐὰν ἐξέλθω ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τούτου καλῶς τελειώσας, τότε μακαρισθήσομαι· ἄρτι γὰρ οὐ πιστεύω ἐμαυτῷ ὅτι μακάριος εἰμί· οἱ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι ὡς ἄνεμος οὕτω μεταβαλλόμεθα. πολλάκις δὲ ὑποβάλλει σοι ἐξουθενεῖν τοὺς ἐσθίον τας· μὴ πιστεύσῃς αὐτῷ· ἀλλότριος γάρ ἐστι· πάντων γὰρ ἐλαχιστότερον σεαυτὸν λογίζου, ἵνα πολλοὺς προάξῃς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ παρὰ Θεῷ ὑψωθήσῃ· ὑποβάλλει δὲ ὁ ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἄσκησιν μεγάλην, ἵνα τὸ σῶμα ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀχρήσιμον ποιήσῃ. σοῦ οὖν ὁ νηστεία μέτρον ἐχέτω· νήστευσον ὅλον τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν χωρὶς πάσης ἀνάγκης· ὥρᾳ δὲ ἐνάτῃ τῆς ἡμέρας, ἐν ὕμνοις καὶ προσευχαῖς διατελέσασα, μεταλάμβανε τὸν ἄρτον σου ἐν λαχάνῳ ἀναπεποιημένῳ ἐλαίῳ· πάντα ἁγνὰ ὅσα ἄψυχα.

9 Σὺ δὲ, ὦ παρθένε, μηδεὶς καταμανθανέτω τὴν ἄσκησίν σου μηδὲ αὐτῶν τῶν ἰδίων σου συγγενῶν· ἀλλ' εἴ τι ποιεῖς, ἐν κρυπτῷ ποίει· καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ οὐράνιος ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, ἀποδώσει σοι· ἐὰν δὲ φανερώσῃς σου τὸν βίον, κενοδοξία σοι τίκτεται καὶ ζημιοῖ· ἐὰν δὲ εὕρῃς ψυχὴν ὁμοσύμφωνον πονοῦσαν τῷ Θεῷ, ὡς καὶ σύ, ταύτῃ μόνῃ ἀποκάλυψον ἐν μυστηρίῳ· ἐκεῖ οὐκ ἔστι κενοδοξία· ἐλάλησας γάρ, ἵνα σωθῇ ψυχή· πολὺν μισθὸν λήψῃ, ἐὰν σωθῇ διὰ σοῦ ψυχή. τοῖς ἔχουσι πόθον ἀκούειν λάλει τὰ συμφέροντα. ἐὰν δὲ ἀκούῃ καὶ μὴ ποιῇ, μηδὲν λάλει. λέγει γὰρ ὁ κύριος· «μὴ δῶτε τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσί, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμ προσθεν τῶν χοίρων·» κύνας γὰρ καὶ χοίρους ἀποκαλεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ἐν ἀτίμῳ βίῳ διάγοντας· μαργαρῖται γὰρ τίμιοί εἰσιν οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγοι τοῖς ἀξίοις μόνοις διδόμενοι.

10 Ὦ μακαρία ψυχή, ἡ ἀκούσασα τούτους τοὺς λόγους τοὺς γεγραμμένους ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ καὶ ποιοῦσα! μαρτύρομαι παντὶ ἀκούοντι τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα καὶ ποιοῦντι, ὅτι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ γραφήσεται ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ τάγματι τῶν ἀγγέλων εὑρεθήσεται. ἐὰν προσεύχῃ ἢ ψάλλῃς ἢ ἀναγινώσκῃς, κατ' ἰδίαν κάθου· μηδεὶς ἀκουέτω, εἰ μὴ σὺ μόνη. καὶ ἐὰν ἔχῃς ὁμοψύχους μίαν ἢ δύο παρθένους· λέγει γὰρ ὁ Χριστός· «ὅπου δύο ἢ τρεῖς εἰσι συνηγμένοι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, ἐκεῖ εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν.» ἀπόθου τὸ γυ ναικεῖον φρόνημα καὶ λάβε θάρσος καὶ ἀνδρείαν. ἐν γὰρ τῇ βα σιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν οὐκ ἔστιν ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαι αἱ εὐαρεστήσασαι γυναῖκες ἀνδρῶν τάξιν λαμβάνουσιν. ἐπιλαθοῦ τὰ νεωτερικὰ σχήματα, ἵνα λάβῃς τιμὴν τῆς καλῆς χήρας. λέγει γὰρ ὁ ἅγιος Παῦλος· «τίμα χήρας, τὰς ὄντως χήρας· ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη ἤλπικεν ἐπὶ Θεὸν καὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας. ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα ζῶσα τέθνηκε. χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα, γεγονυῖα ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή, εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησε. νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραι τοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ