26

But how shall I grasp, that which exists within me and is outside the world, for it is not seen at all? He who has ears to hear, let him hear, truly understanding the words of an unlettered man.

∆'.

A teaching for monks who have recently renounced the world and those in the world; and concerning what sort of faith one ought to have toward one’s own father. (51)

Forsake the entire world and those in the world; only take on blessed mourning. Mourn only the evil things done by you, because these have deprived you of the Creator of all things, of Christ and of the saints. Take thought for nothing else besides this, but also hold your body as a stranger and look down as one condemned and walking the road to death, groan always from the depth of your heart And wash your face with tears alone. And your feet, which ran to evil things, do not wish to wash with water at all, yes indeed, and keep your hands folded; do not stretch these out shamelessly toward God, which you often opened to sin. Restrain your rash tongue with all your might, for it is also prone to sin, since through it alone even many of the great have been turned from the straight path and have lost the kingdom of heaven. (52) But first block your ears from it, to hear none of the shameful and vain things, and then perhaps you will gain mastery over it as well. Hear only the counsels of your father, make humble replies to him and speak your thoughts to him as to God down to the first assault and hide nothing. and do nothing without his consent, neither sleep nor eat or drink. And when you have kept these things for a time,

26

Πῶς δέ κρατήσω, ὅ ἐντός μου ὑπάρχει καί ἔξω κόσμου, οὐ γάρ βλέπεται ὅλως; Ὅ ἔων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω νοῶν ἀληθῶς ῥήματα ἀγραμμάτου.

∆'.

∆ιδασκαλία εἰς μοναχούς ἄρτι ἀποταξαμένους κόσμῳ καί τοῖς ἐν κόσμῳ˙ καί περί τοῦ, ὁποίαν τις ὀφείλει πίστιν ἔχειν πρός τόν ἴδιον πατέρα. (51)

Ἄφες κόσμον ἅπαντα καί τούς ἐν κόσμῳ˙ μόνον προσλαβοῦ τό μακάριον πένθος. Θρήνησον μόνα τά κακῶς σοι πραχθέντα, ὅτι ταῦτά σε τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἀπεστέρησαν, Χριστοῦ καί τῶν ἁγίων. Μηδενός ἄλλου φροντίσῃς ἐκτός τούτου, ἀλλά καί τό σῶμά σου ὡς ξένον ἔχε καί κάτω βλέπε ὡς κατακεκριμένος καί τήν ἐπί θάνατον ὁδόν βαδίζων στέναζε ἀεί ἐκ βάθους τῆς καρδίας Καί τό πρόσωπον μόνοις δάκρυσι πλῦνε. Τούς δέ πόδας σου, τούς εἰς κακά δραμόντας μή θελήσῃς ὕδατι νίψαι μηδόλως, ναί δή, καί τάς χεῖράς σου συνεσταλμένας ἔχε˙ ταύτας ἀναιδῶς πρός Θεόν μή ἐκτείνῃς, ἅς πολλάκις ἥπλωσας εἰς ἁμαρτίαν. Κράτει προπετοῦς, ὅση δύναμις, γλώσσης εὐχερής καί γάρ αὕτη πρός ἁμαρτίαν , ἐπεί δι᾿ αὐτῆς μόνης καί τῶν μεγάλων πολλοί ἀπεσφάλησαν ὁδοῦ εὐθείας καί ἀπώλεσαν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν. (52) Ταύτης δέ πρῶτον φράξον τάς ἀκοάς σου, ἀκούειν μηδέν τῶν αἰσχρῶν καί ματαίων, καί τότε ἴσως κυριεύσεις καί ταύτης. Ἄκουε μόνας πατρός σου νουθεσίας, ποιοῦ ταπεινάς πρός αὐτόν ἀποκρίσεις καί ὡς τῷ Θεῷ λέγε τούς λογισμούς σου μέχρι προσβολῆς καί μηδέν ἀποκρύψῃς. μηδέ τι πράξῃς ἄνευ γνώμης τῆς τούτου, μηδέ κοιμηθῇς μήτε φάγῃς ἤ πίῃς. Καί ὅτε ταῦτα φυλάξῃς ἐπί χρόνοις,