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of Jews and of the other heretics, that by associating with them we may not receive snares for our own souls, so that by not participating in their feasts, which are celebrated in honor of demons, we may share with them also in their impiety. Their festivals are also to be avoided, and the games celebrated in them; for a believer ought not to be present at a festival except to purchase a slave and save a soul, and to buy some other things suitable for his sustenance. Abstain therefore from all pomp of idols, pageantry, festivals, banquets, gladiatorial contests, and every demonic spectacle. And you younger men of the Church, be diligent to minister without idleness in all needs, attend to your works with all gravity, so that at all times you may have enough for yourselves and for those who are in want, so as not to be a burden to the Church of God. For even we, while attending to the word of the Gospel, do not neglect our manual labor; for some of us are fishermen, some are tentmakers, some are farmers, so that we may never be idle. For Solomon says somewhere: "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways and be wiser than she. For though she has no farm, nor anyone to compel her, nor is under a master, she prepares her food in the summer, and lays up a great store in the harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how she is a worker, and how reverently she plies her trade; whose labors kings and commoners use for their health, she is desired and held in honor, though she is weak in strength, having honored wisdom, she is advanced. And further: "How long, O sluggard, will you lie down? When will you arise from your sleep? You sleep a little, you sit a little, you slumber a little, you fold your hands a little on your breast; then poverty comes upon you like an evil traveler, and want like a swift runner. But if you are not idle, your harvest will come like a spring, and want will desert you like an evil man." And again: "He who works his own land will be filled with bread." And in another place he says: "The idle man has folded his hands and eaten his own flesh." And further: "The sluggard, having hidden his hand, will not be able to bring it to his mouth." And again: "Through idleness of hands the roofing will be brought low." Work therefore continually; for the blame of the idle is incurable. But if

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Ἰουδαίων καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν αἱρετικῶν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ συσχολάζειν αὐτοῖς παγίδας λάβωμεν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ψυχαῖς, ὅπως μὴ συναναστρεφόμενοι ταῖς ἑορταῖς αὐτῶν, αἵτινες ἐπὶ τιμῇ τῶν δαιμόνων ἐπιτελοῦνται, κοινωνήσωμεν αὐτοῖς καὶ τῆς ἀσεβείας. Φευκτέαι δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ πανηγύρεις καὶ τὰ ἐν ταύταις ἐπιτελούμενα παίγνια· πιστὸν γὰρ ἐν πανηγύρει οὐ χρὴ παραβάλλειν πλεῖον τοῦ σωμάτιον πρίασθαι καὶ ψυχὴν περιποιήσασθαι καὶ ἕτερά τινα ὠνήσασθαι τῶν πρὸς σύστασιν ἁρμοζόντων. Ἀπέχεσθε οὖν πάσης τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων πομπῆς, φαντασίας, πανηγύρεως, συμποσίων, μονομαχίας, καὶ πάσης θέας δαιμονικῆς. Oἱ δὲ νεώτεροι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἐν πάσαις ταῖς χρείαις ἀόκνως λειτουργεῖν σπουδάζετε, μετὰ πάσης σεμνό τητος τοῖς ἔργοις ὑμῶν σχολάζετε, ὅπως ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ ὑμῶν ἦτε ἐπαρκοῦντες καὶ ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς πενομένοις, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρεῖν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίαν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς, σχολάζοντες τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ Eὐαγγελίου, ὅμως καὶ τῶν ἐπεργίων οὐκ ἀμελοῦμεν· οἱ μὲν γάρ εἰσιν ἐξ ἡμῶν ἁλιεῖς, οἱ δὲ σκηνοποιοί, οἱ δὲ γῆς ἐργάται, πρὸς τὸ μηδέποτε ἡμᾶς ἀργοὺς εἶναι. Λέγει δέ που καὶ ὁ Σολομών· «Ἴσθι πρὸς τὸν μύρμηκα, ὦ ὀκνηρέ, καὶ ζήλωσον ἰδὼν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ γίνου ἐκείνου σοφώτερος· ἐκείνῳ γὰρ γεωργίου μὴ ὑπάρχοντος, μηδὲ τὸν ἀναγκάζοντα ἔχων μηδὲ ὑπὸ δεσπότην ὢν, ἑτοιμάζεται θέρους τὴν τροφὴν πολλήν τε ἐν τῷ ἀμητῷ ποιεῖται τὴν παράθεσιν. Ἢ πορεύθητι πρὸς τὴν μέλισσαν καὶ μάθε, ὡς ἐργάτης ἐστὶν τήν τε ἐργασίαν ὡς σεμνὴν ἐμπορεύεται· ἧς τοὺς πόνους βασιλεῖς καὶ ἰδιῶται πρὸς ὑγείαν προσφέρονται, ποθεινὴ δέ ἐστι καὶ ἐπίδοξος, καίπερ οὖσα τῇ ·ώμῃ ἀσθενής, τὴν σοφίαν τιμήσασα προήχθη. Καὶ ἑξῆς· «Ἕως πότε, ὦ ὀκνηρέ, κατάκεισαι, πότε δὲ ἐξ ὕπνου ἐγερθήσῃ; Ὀλίγον μὲν ὑπνοῖς, ὀλίγον δὲ κάθησαι, μικρὸν δὲ νυστάζεις, ὀλίγον δὲ ἐναγκαλίζῃ χερσὶ στῆθος· εἶτα παραγίνεταί σοι ὥσπερ κακὸς ὁδοιπόρος ἡ πενία, καὶ ἡ ἔνδεια ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς δρομεύς. Ἐὰν δὲ ἄοκνος ᾖς, ἥξει ὥσπερ πηγὴ ὁ ἀμητός σου, καὶ ἡ ἔνδεια ὥσπερ κακὸς ἀνὴρ ἀπαυτομολήσει.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Ὁ ἐργαζόμενος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γῆν πλησθήσεται ἄρτων.» Καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις φησίν· «Ὁ ἀργὸς περιέλαβεν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔφαγεν τὰς σάρκας αὐτοῦ.» Καὶ ἑξῆς· «Κρύψας ὁ ὀκνηρὸς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ οὐ δυνήσηται ἀπενεγκεῖν εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ.» Καὶ πάλιν· «∆ιὰ ἀργίαν χειρῶν ταπεινωθήσεται ἡ δόκωσις.» Ἐργάζεσθε οὖν ἐνδελεχῶς· ἀθεράπευτος γάρ ἐστιν ἀργοῦ μῶμος. Eἰ δέ