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2.45 (ρμε΄) In the stadium of practical virtue, many run, but one receives the prize: the one who desires to come to its end through contemplation.

2.46 (ρμστ΄) The practical man drinks the potion of compunction in prayer; but the contemplative man is intoxicated by the finest cup. The one philosophizing on things according to nature; the other, even ignorant of himself while praying.

1436 2.47 (ρμζ΄) The practical man is not permitted to persevere in spiritual contemplation for long. For he is found as one entertained by a stranger, and quickly departing from his house.

2.48 (ρμη΄) The practical men of God's commandments enter through the gates while praying; but the contemplative men, as in the courtyards of the virtues, in hymns; the former giving thanks that they have been loosed from their bonds; the latter, that they have also taken captive those who war against them.

2.49 (ρμθ΄) One must find the measure of contemplation according to the strength of one's practice, so that, not like a ship carrying sails that are not suitable, it might either endure danger in the violence of winds because of their immoderation, or suffer loss of winds because of their smallness in relation to the vessel.

2.50 (ρν΄) Understand the pious thoughts to be the rowers of the rational ship; (15∆_370> and the oars to be the vital powers of the soul: anger and desire, will and choice. Of these, the practical man is always in need; but not always the contemplative man. For at the time of prayer, having bid farewell to all these, he seats himself at the helm of discernment, and stays awake throughout the entire night of contemplation, offering praises to the one who holds all things together. And taking up some loving melody, he would sing to his own soul, watching the upheavals of the other sea, and like the surging of waves, marveling at the divine words and judgments.

2.51 (ρνα΄) The one who is in a middle state regarding practice and contemplation, neither makes his voyage entirely with oars like sailors, nor entirely with the intelligible sails; but through both he accomplishes the need for a good voyage; gladly bearing the labors of practice because of the moderation of his contemplation; and the principles of imperfect contemplation, because he is helped by practice.

2.52 (ρνβ΄) The contemplative man, having nature running with his disposition, like a kind of current, makes his voyage without toil; but the practical man, finding his state opposed to his choice, endures a great storm of thoughts, so as almost to come to despair because of the weight.

2.53 (ρνγ΄) Neither is land that has not been well cultivated accustomed to provide an abundant and clean return to the sower, nor will the one engaged in practice, if he does not pursue it diligently and without ostentation, see the fruit of prayer that is both abundant and clean.

1437 2.54 (ρνδ΄) In the case of material things, the intellect has reason as a co-worker; (15∆_372> but in the case of immaterial things, if it does not dismiss it, it will have it as a worm that buffets it.

2.55 (ρνε΄) The practical man has a veil over his heart in prayer, the knowledge of sensible things, which cannot be lifted because of his state; but only the contemplative man, because he is detached, is able to see in part the glory of God with unveiled face.

2.56 (ρνστ΄) Prayer with spiritual contemplation is the land of promise, in which the knowledge of the principles of God's providence and judgment flows like honey and milk; but prayer with some natural contemplation is Egypt, in which the memory of grosser desires arises in those who pray. But simple prayer is the manna in the desert, which because of

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2.45 (ρμε΄) Ἐν τῷ κατά τήν πρακτικήν ἀρετήν σταδίῳ, πολλοί μεν τρέχουσιν· εἷς δέ λαμβάνει τό βραβεῖον, ὁ πρός τό πέρας αὐτῆς ἐλθεῖν τῇ θεωρίᾳ ἐπιθυμῶν.

2.46 (ρμστ΄) Κατανύξεως μέν πόμα πίνει ὁ πρακτικός ἐν εὐχῇ· ποτηρίῳ δέ κρατίστῳ μεθύσκεται, ὁ θεωρητικός. Ὁ μέν ἐν τοῖς κατά φύσιν φιλοσοφῶν· ὁ δέ, καί ἑαυτόν ἀγνοῶν ἐν τῷ εὔχεσθαι.

1436 2.47 (ρμζ΄) Οὐ συγχωρεῖται ὁ πρακτικός εἰς πνευματικήν ἐπί πολύ θεωρίαν ἐγκαρτερεῖν. Εὑρίσκεται γάρ ὡς ἐπιξενωθείς τινι, καί τῆς ἐκείνου ταχέως οἰκίας ὑπεξερχόμενος.

2.48 (ρμη΄) Ἐν πύλαις μέν εἰσέρχονται οἱ πρακτικοί τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῷ εὔχεσθαι· ὡς ἐν αὐλαῖς δέ ἀρετῶν ἐν ὕμνοις θεωρητικοί· οἱ μέν εὐχαριστοῦντες, ὅτι ἐλύληθαν τῶν δεσμῶν· οἱ δέ, ὅτι καί αἰχμαλώτους εἰλήφασι τούς πολεμοῦντας αὐτούς.

2.49 (ρμθ΄) Χρή κατά τό τῆς πρακτικῆς κράτος, καί τό τῆς θεωρίας εὑρίσκεσθαι, ἵνα μή καθ᾿ ὁμοιότητα πλοίου τοῦ μή κατάλληλα τά ἱστία ἐπιφερομένου, ἤ κίνδυνον ὑπομείνῃ ἐν ἀνέμων σφοδρότησιν διά τήν ἀμετρίαν αὐτῶν, ἤ ζημίαν πνευμάτων διά τήν πρός τό σκάφος σμικρότητα.

2.50 (ρν΄) Ἐρέτας μέν τοῦ λογικοῦ πλοίου, νόει τούς εὐσεβεῖς λογισμούς· (15∆_370> κώπας δέ, τάς ζωτικάς δυνάμεις τῆς ψυχῆς, θυμόν καί ἐπιθυμίαν, βούλησιν καί προαίρεσιν. Τούτων ὁ μέν πρακτικός, ἐν χρείᾳ ἐστί πάντοτε· οὐ πάντοτε δέ ὁ θεωρητικός. Ἐν γάρ τῷ καιρῷ τῆς εὐχῆς χαίρειν οὗτος πᾶσιν εἰπών, αὐτός ἑαυτόν ἐπί τῶν τῆς διαγνώσεως οἰάκων καθίζων, διά πάσης ἐγρήγορε τῆς κατά θεωρίαν νυκτός, αἰνέσεις προσάγων τῷ συνοχεῖ τοῦ παντός. Καί πού τι καί μέλος ἐρωτικόν ἀναλαβόμενος, τῇ ἑαυτοῦ προσεπᾴδει ψυχῇ, τούς τῆς ἄλλης θαλάσσης ἀποσκοπῶν μετεωρισμούς, καί ὡς ῥοθίζας κινήσεις, τά θεῖα καταπληττόμενος ρήματά τε καί δικαιώματα.

2.51 (ρνα΄) Ὁ μέσως ἔχων περί πρᾶξιν καί θεωρίαν, οὔτε πάντη ταῖς κώπαις κατά τούς ναυτικούς ποιεῖται τόν πλοῦν, οὔθ᾿ ὅλως, τοῖς νοητοῖς ἱστέοις· ἀλλά δι᾿ ἀμφοτέρων τήν χρείαν τῆς εὐπλοΐας ἐργάζεται· ἡδέως φέρων καί τούς πόνους τῆς πράξεως, διά τό μέτριον τῆς θεωρίας· καί τούς λόγους τῆς ἀτελοῦς θεωρίας, διά τό βοηθεῖσθαι ὑπό τῆς πράξεως.

2.52 (ρνβ΄) Ὁ μέν θεωρητικός, τῇ γνώμῃ τήν φύσιν ἔχων συντρέχουσαν, ὡς οἷόν τι ῥεῦμα, ἀπόνως ποιεῖται τό πλώϊμον· ὁ δέ πρακτικός, ἐναντιουμένην εὑρίσκων τῇ προαιρέσει τήν σχέσιν, πολύν λογισμῶν ὑφίσταται κλύδωνα, ὡς εἰς ἀπευδοκίας μικροῦ δεῖν διά τό βάρος ἐλθεῖν.

2.53 (ρνγ΄) Οὔτε χώρα μή καλῶς κατεργασθεῖσα, πολύχουν καί καθαρόν ἀντιπαρέχειν τῶ σπείροντι εἴωθεν, οὔτε ὁ τήν πρακτικήν μετερχόμενος, εἰ μή ἐπιμελῶς ταύτην καί φανητίας ἄνευ μετέρχεται, τόν ἐξ εὐχῆς ὄψεται καρπόν πολύν τε καί καθαρόν.

1437 2.54 (ρνδ΄) Ἐπί μέν τῶν ἐνύλων, ὁ νοῦς συνεργόν ἔχει τόν λογισμόν· (15∆_372> ἐπί δέ τῶν ἀΰλων, εἰ μή αὐτόν παραιτήσηται, ὡς σκώλωπα ἕξει κολαφίζοντα.

2.55 (ρνε΄) Κάλυμμα μέν ἔχει ὁ πρακτικός ἐπί τήν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν εὐχῇ, τήν γνῶσιν τῶν αἰσθητῶν, ἀνακαλυφθῆναι διά τήν σχέσιν μή δυνάμενον· μόνος δέ ὁ θεωρητικός διά τό ἄσχετον, ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ ὁρᾷν ἀπό μέρους δύναται τήν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

2.56 (ρνστ΄) Ἡ μετά πνευματικῆς θεωρίας εὐχή, ἡ γῆ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐστίν, καθ᾿ ἥν ῥέει ὡς μέλι καί γάλα ἡ γνῶσις τῶν περί προνοίας καί κρίσεως λόγων Θεοῦ· ἡ δέ μετά τινος φυσικῆς, ἡ Αἴγυπτος, ἐν ᾗ τῶν παχυτέρων ἐπιθυμιῶν μνήμη τοῖς εὐχομένοις ἐγγίνεται. Ἡ δέ γε ἁπλῆ, τό μάνα ἐστί τό ἐν τῆ ἐρήμῳ, τό διά τό