61

From here light the lamp of your soul, before it grows dark, before the gates of work are closed. If you are prudent, here for you I become a pearl and am bought, here for you I am wheat and like a mustard seed, here I become leaven for you and leaven your dough, here for you I am like water, I become also a sweetening fire; here for you I am also a garment and food and all drink, if you wish, I become for you. The Master says these things. If therefore you know me as such from the things here, you will have me there too, ineffably becoming all things for you; but if you depart ignorant of the energies of my grace, you will find me there only as an unsympathetic judge. O my Christ and my God, do not condemn me then, (123) nor subject to judgment the one who has sinned much against you, but receive me as one of your last hired servants and make me worthy from here to serve you, my Savior, and to receive your Divine Spirit, the pledge of the kingdom and from there to enjoy the glory of your bridal chamber, beholding you, my God, unto ages of ages, amen.

XVIII.

Instruction with theology concerning the energies of holy love, that is, of the very light of the Holy Spirit. (124)

Who will be able, Master, to speak about you? Those who are ignorant are mistaken, knowing nothing at all,

61

Ἀπ᾿ ἐντεῦθεν τήν λαμπάδα ἄναψον τήν τῆς ψυχῆς σου, πρίν σκοτάσῃ, πρίν κλεισθῶσιν αἱ τῆς ἐργασίας πύλαι. Εἴπερ φρόνιμος ὑπάρχεις, ὧδέ σοι καί μαργαρίτης γίνομαι καί ἐξωνοῦμαι, ὧδέ σοι καί σῖτος πέλω καί σινάπεως ὡς κόκκος, ὧδε γίνομαί σοι ζύμη καί ζυμῶ τό φύραμά σου, ὧδε σοι ὡς ὕδωρ πέλω, γίνομαι καί πῦρ γλυκάζον˙ ὧδε καί ἱμάτιόν σοι καί τροφή καί πόσις πᾶσα, ἐάν βούλει, γίνομαί σοι. Ὁ ∆εσπότης ταῦτα λέγει. Εἰ οὖν οὕτως ἐκ τῶν ὧδε καί τοιοῦτόν με γνωρίσεις, ἕξεις με κἀκεῖ ἀρρήτως ἅπαντα γινόμενόν σοι˙ εἰ δ᾿ ἀπέλθῃς ἀγνοῶν μου χάριτος τάς ἐνεργείας, μόνον με κριτήν ἐκεῖσε ἀσυμπάθητον εὑρήσεις. Ὦ Χριστέ μου καί Θεέ μου, μή με κατακρίνῃς τότε, (123) μηδέ δίκῃ ὑποβάλῃς τόν πολλά σοι ἐπταικότα, ἀλλά δέξαι με ὡς ἕνα τῶν ἐσχάτων σου μισθίων καί ἀξίωσον ἐντεῦθεν θεραπεῦσαί σε, Σωτῆρ μου, καί λαβεῖν σου Πνεῦμα Θεῖον, ἀραββώνα βασιλείας καί ἐκεῖθεν ἀπολαῦσαι τοῦ νυμφῶνος σου τῆς δόξης, καθορῶντά σε, Θεέ μου, εἰς αἰῶνας αἰωνίους, ἀμήν.

ΙΗ'.

∆ιδασκαλία σύν θεολογίᾳ περί τῶν ἐνεργειῶν τῆς ἁγίας ἀγάπης, ἤγουν αὐτοῦ τοῦ φωτός τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος. (124)

Τίς ἐξισχύσει, ∆έσποτα, περί σοῦ διηγεῖσθαι; Οἱ ἀγνοοῦντες σφάλλονται μηδέν ὅλως εἰδότες,