by its own working might take us for wretched and helpless, but one must only be on guard lest anyone, on account of malice and a wicked life, should slander those who claim to know God. To put it briefly, the grief of the world works death in those who are overcome by it, but grief in accordance with God brings forth the mind of life. Before all things, let us know that both sickness is laid up for our flesh, and loss, and want, and the one who will give grace is near. And for this reason one must meditate beforehand on what will happen, so that when it occurs it may not provide wonder and astonishment to our hearts. For such a person will say to the suffering that has come upon him: I knew that you were about to come upon me, I was not disappointed in my expectation of you, I knew your assault beforehand. And if one is such a person, he will stand and not fall down; but to be troubled at the sudden event, or to cry out, and often also to lament, is the mark of a very wretched disposition. Therefore one must attend to virtue alone, and approach those who discourse about it; but as for those in whom the practice of what is spoken is not present, bidding them farewell on account of their insidious nature, let us seek out those who campaign with us. For to say indeed let us seek those who campaign with us. For he who makes it his business to say that "I am not a ruler and a judge," but does nothing good, this man, as one overcome by many tyrants, is secretly a slave to sin and flees from those who hasten to walk in the way. Blessed, therefore, is the pure in heart; for by him alone is it possible for the divine to be seen. And the faithful one must be far removed from envy and malice; and he must pray daily to be found rich in word and powerful in deed. For we are members of one another. For this reason let us suffer with the one who suffers, and rejoice with the one who is glorified, guarding ourselves against those alien to the law of Christ. Advising you, O brothers, to do these things, I have also urged the rest through you to do the will of God. May the Lord of glory, who is for ever and ever, grant that you all may obtain the honor and rest with the elect. Grace be with you all.

αὐτουργίαν ἀθλίους ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀβοηθήτους ὑπολάβῃ, μόνον δὲ φυλακτέον μή τις ἐπὶ κακίᾳ καὶ πονηρῷ βίῳ διαβάλῃ τοὺς εἰ δέναι θεὸν φάσκοντας. Συνελόντι δ' εἰπεῖν, ἡ μὲν τοῦ κόσμου λύπη θάνα τον ἐργάζεται τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτῆς κρατουμένοις, ἡ δὲ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη τὸν τῆς ζωῆς τίκτει νοῦν. Πρὸ πάντων δὲ γινώσκωμεν ὅτι καὶ νόσος ἀπόκειται τοῖς σαρκίοις ἡμῶν καὶ ζημία καὶ ἔνδεια, καὶ ὁ χαριστήσων ἐγγύς. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χρὴ προμε λετᾶν τὸ ἀποβησόμενον, ἵνα μὴ συμβαῖνον θαῦμα καὶ ἔκπληξιν παρέχῃ ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν. Ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος ἐρεῖ πρὸς τὸ συμβεβηκὸς πάθος· Ἤιδειν ὅτι μέλλεις ἐπιέναι, τῆς προσ δοκίας σου οὐκ ἀπέτυχον, προεγίνωσκόν σου τὴν ἔφοδον. Κἂν τοιοῦτός τις ᾖ, στήσεται καὶ οὐ καταπεσεῖται· τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ αἰφνιδίῳ ταράσσεσθαι ἢ κεκραγέναι, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ὀδύρε σθαι, λίαν ἐστὶν ταλαιπώρου γνώμης. Προσεκτέον οὖν τῇ ἀρετῇ μόνον, καὶ τοῖς τὰ περὶ αὐτῆς διηγουμένοις προσιτέον· οἷς δ' ἂν μὴ παρῇ τῶν λεγομέ νων ἡ πρᾶξις, τούτοις διὰ τὸ ἐνεδρευτικὸν χαίρειν εἰπόντες τοὺς συστρατευομένους ἡμῖν ἐπιζητῶμεν. Ὁ γὰρ λέγειν μὲν τοὺς συστρατευομένους ἡμῖν ἐπιζητῶμεν. Ὁ γὰρ λέγειν μὲν ἐπιτηδεύων ὅτι Oὐκ ἄρχων εἰμὶ καὶ δικαστής, πράττων δ' ἀγαθὸν μηδέν, οὗτος, ὡς ὑπὸ τυράννων πολλῶν κρατούμενος, λανθάνει τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ δουλεύων καὶ ἀποδιδράσκων τοὺς ὁδῷ βαδίζειν σπεύδοντας. Μακάριος οὖν ὁ τῇ καρδίᾳ καθαρός· ὑπὸ τούτου γὰρ ὁρᾶσθαι μόνον τὸ θεῖον δυνατόν. Φθόνου δὲ καὶ βασκανίας μακρὰν κεχωρίσθαι δεῖ τὸν πιστόν· εὔχεσθαι δὲ ὁσημέραι καὶ λόγῳ πλουσίους εὑρίσκεσθαι καὶ πράξει δυ νατούς. Μέλη γὰρ ἀλλήλων ἐσμέν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τῷ μὲν πάσχοντι συμπάσχωμεν, τῷ δὲ δοξαζομένῳ συγχαίρωμεν, φυ λαττόμενοι τοὺς μὴ οἰκείους τῆς Χριστοῦ νομοθεσίας. Ταῦθ' ὑμῖν, ὦ ἀδελφοί, συμβουλεύων πράττειν ἔτι καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς δι' ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ποιεῖν τὰ βουλήματα τοῦ θεοῦ προετρεψά μην. Ὁ δὲ κύριος τῆς δόξης, ὁ ὢν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, δῴη πᾶσιν ὑμῖν τῆς μετὰ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν τιμῆς καὶ ἀναπαύσεως ἐπιτυχεῖν. Ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν.