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17 To the sick-nurse It is a divine thing to bear the burdens of the sick; having obtained this, strive, o my

little child, to run your race fervently, eagerly. From dawn straightway may you see to your bed-ridden ones, before all else ministering with words; then again fittingly you might offer portions of food, as is needed for each, with discernment of reason; for it is a concern, do not pass by your neighbor. Thus serving, your reward is great; unapproachable light, the good inheritance of the heavens.

18 To the sick

Receive well the gift of sickness, my child; for it is a visitation of divine

care. May you bear tolerably the flame of the furnace in the dew of ingratitude. May you become like Job, speaking his words, with which he did not permit himself to sin even in speech. And if again someone should pass you by without looking, be silent, in all things praising with the portion given according to need, so that you may be well-disposed in body towards the heart.

19 To the shoemakers

How excellent is the craft of sandal-makers; for it is that of the apostle Paul, the great one.

Emulating the sweat of his labors, receive warmly the toils of each day as workers of Christ, of this care, having cut the skins and hides, as is necessary, renewing old things, and then new ones too, not with sluggishness for a pretext of excuse casting away, if anything is not worthy of being cast away, or making the cut too short. For doing all things worthily you will complete the race of the martyrs. 20 To the dormitory O You who have given sleep to all as a release from toils, which the bright day has provided, grant also to me, my Christ, Word of God, a light sleep, sweet and swift-running, expelled of evil phantasms, but filled with good dreams. And awaken me at the striking of the wood unwearied, steadfast to sing cheerfully, setting my feet firmly in praise, guarding my mind from the villainies of demons, making my tongue clear to sing vigorously, for the glory and praise of your greatest might, so that having kept the night watch perfectly, and rising at dawn I may see the light of your commandments in the early morning.

21 To the rich and the poor

Know who you are, O man, and what remains for you, where you sojourn and †I might depart†

you may have. May you become wholly intent on things above with your care; for there the light is full, but also judgment without end. Whenever you speak of this world: a breeze, a stream, and a night-dream, gold is heaped up as dust, glory fades, the other things flow away. Full of groans, lamentable are all things here. Be careful, lest time roll you away, which is not to be caught again or trifled with.

22 To laypeople

Disciples of Christ, the good and meek, bearing wrath against one another in

battles, how do you enter his dread house? Of the all-holy gifts how will you partake

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17 Εἰς τὸν νοσοκόμον Τὸ χρῆμα θεῖον, ἀσθενῶν βάρη φέρειν· τούτου λαχὼν πύκτευσον, ὧ μοι

τεκνίον, θερμῶς, προθύμως ἐκτελεῖν σου τὸν δρόμον. Ἕωθεν εὐθὺς τοὺς κλινήρεις σου βλέποις, ἄλλου πρὸ παντὸς φαρμακεύων τοῖς λόγοις· εἶτ' αὖ πρεπόντως προσφέροις σιτῶν δόσεις, ὡς χρὴ δ' ἑκάστῳ, συνδιακρίσει λόγου· μέλος γάρ ἐστι, μὴ παρέρχου τὸν πέλας. Οὕτως ὑπηρετοῦντι μισθός σοι μέγας· φῶς ἀπρόσιτον, οὐρανῶν εὐκληρία.

18 Εἰς τοὺς νοσοῦντας

Τὸ τῆς νόσου μοι δῶρον εὖ, τέκνον, δέχου· ἐπισκοπὴ γάρ ἐστι θείας

φροντίδος. Φέροις ἀνεκτῶς τῆς καμίνου τὴν φλόγα ἐν τῷ δροσισμῷ τῆς ἀπευχαριστίας. Ἰὼβ γένοιο, τοὺς ἐκείνου φῶν λόγους, ἐφ' οἷς ἁμαρτεῖν οὐκ ἀνῆκε κἀν λόγῳ. Κἂν δ' αὖ παρέλθῃ τίς σε μὴ βλέψας, σίγα, ἐν πᾶσιν αἰνῶν τῇ κατὰ χρείαν δόσει, ἵν' εὐπαθήσῃς σώματι πρὸς καρδίαν.

19 Εἰς τοὺς σκοιτεῖσ

Πεδιλοποιῶν ὡς ἄριστος ἡ τέχνη· ἀποστόλου γάρ ἐστι Παύλου τοῦ πάνυ.

Ζηλοῦντες αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἱδρῶτας τῶν κόπων δέξασθε θερμῶς τοὺς πόνους καθ' ἡμέραν ὡς ἐργάται Χριστοῖο, τῆσδε φροντίδος, δέρρεις τε βύρσας, ὡς δέον, τετμηκότες, παλαιὰ καινουργοῦντες, εἶτα καὶ νέα, μὴ νωθρότητι πρὸς παράχρησιν λόγου ῥιπτοῦντες, εἴ τι τῶν ῥιφῆς οὐκ ἀξίων, ἢ τὴν τομὴν φέροντες ἐλλειπῶς ὕπερ. Ἅπαντα γὰρ ποιοῦντες ἀξιοχρέως τῶν μαρτυρούντων ἐξανύσετε δρόμον. 20 Εἰς τὸ κοιμητήριον Ὁ δοὺς τὸν ὕπνον πᾶσιν εἰς λύτρον κόπων, ὧνπερ παρέσχεν ἡ διαυγὴς ἡμέρα, κἀμοὶ παράσχου, Χριστέ μου, Θεοῦ Λόγε, κοῦφον τὸν ὕπνον, ἡδὺ καὶ ταχυδρόμον, φαντασμάτων μὲν τῶν κακῶν ἐξωσμένον, ὀνειράτων δὲ τῶν καλῶν πεπλησμένον. Καί μ' ἐξέγειρον κρουσματοῦντος τοῦ ξύλου ἀνέκλυτον, σταθηρὸν εὐθύμως ἄδειν, ἱστῶν πόδας μου καρτερῶς ἐν αἰνέσει, φρουρῶν νόας μου δαιμόνων πανουργίας, γλῶσσαν τρανῶν μου πρὸς τὸ μέλπειν εὐτόνως, εἰς δόξαν, αἶνον τοῦ μεγίστου σου κράτους, ὅπως τέλειος νυκτερεύσας, ὀρθρίσας τὸ φῶς ἴδω σου τῶν ἐντολῶν πρωΐθεν.

21 Εἰς πλουσίους καὶ πένητας

Ἴσθι τίς ὤν, ἄνθρωπε, καὶ τί σοι μένει, ὅπῃ παροικεῖς καὶ †μετασταίην†

ἔχοις. Ὅλος γίνοιο πρὸς τ'ἄνω τῇ φροντίδι· πλῆρες γ'ἐκεῖ φῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ κρίσις ἄληξ. Τῷ τῇδ' ὅτ' εἴποις· αὖρα, ῥοῦς καὶ νυκτόναρ, χρυσὸς χοοῦται, δόξ' ἀπανθεῖ, τ'ἄλλα ῥεῖ. Πολύστονα, θρηνηρὰ πάντα τἀνθάδε. Ἔχε προσεκτῶς, μή σε κυλίσῃ χρόνος, οὗ μὴ παλινάγραιτον ἢ παικτὸν πέλει.

22 Εἰς κοσμικούσ

Χριστοῦ μαθηταί, τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ πραέος, μῆνιν φέροντες εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ταῖς

μάχαις, πῶς εἰς τὸν αὐτοῦ βαίνετε φρικτὸν δόμον; ∆ώρων πανάγνων πῶς μεθέξετε