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2.98 (ρƒη΄) It is his to say: My heart was hot within me, and in my meditation a fire will be kindled, 1448 of the one who does not grow weary of following after God through prayer, nor desires to see men for a day.

2.99 (ρƒθ΄) Let the active soul also say, after the putting away of evils, according to the one in the Song [of Songs], concerning the evil demons and thoughts forcing themselves on her again, to look upon vanity and false madnesses: I have put off my tunic, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I soil them.

3.100 (σ΄) O God-loving soul, that dares to say to God, Tell me, O good shepherd, where you pasture your sheep, where you make your lambs lie down at midday; so that following these, I may not become as one veiled among the flocks of your companions.

3.1 (σα΄) The active soul, seeking to grasp the word of prayer, (15∆_388> and not being able, she also cries out such things, according to the one in the Song [of Songs]: Upon my bed by night I sought him whom I loved; I sought him, and I did not find him; I called him, and he did not answer me. I will arise then through more laborious prayer, and going about in the city, in the streets and in the squares, I will seek him whom I loved. Perhaps he will be found by me, who is in all this, and outside of all. I will be satisfied when his glory appears to me.

3.2 (σβ΄) When the soul begins to be wholly of tears from the joy concerning prayer, then, speaking boldly, she cries out as to her own bridegroom: Let my beloved come down to his garden, and let him eat of my choice fruits, the consolation produced by labor.

3.3 (σγ΄) When the active soul begins to marvel at the Creator from the greatness and beauty of his creatures, and to delight in the pleasure from them, she too cries out these things in amazement: How beautiful you have become, O bridegroom, paradise of your Father. 1449 A flower of the field, and his cedars, as the cedars of Lebanon. Under his shadow I desired, and I sat down, and his fruit was seen to be sweet in my throat.

3.4 (σδ΄) If one who receives a king into his chamber, is found to be so distinguished and glorious, and of all other. . . [perhaps: full of] joy, what would a soul experience, which, on being purified, has received the King of kings according to his unfailing promise? And what will she permit, on the one hand casting out what does not seem for his repose; on the other hand bringing in what is for his pleasure?

3.5 (σε΄) He who expects to be called by the king tomorrow, what else will be his care, than the study of words that are going to be for his (15∆_390> pleasure? Every soul observing this, will not be seen unprepared for the judgment from there.

3.6 (σστ΄) Blessed is the soul, who, because she expects her Lord to come today, considers the labor of the whole day as nothing at all; nor that of the night, because he is about to appear to her immediately in the morning.

3.7 (σζ΄) God sees all; but those see God, who contemplate nothing while praying. And all who see God, are also heard by him. But blessed is he who believes that he is seen by God; for his foot will not be shaken for the sake of pleasing him.

3.8 (ση΄) The good things of the kingdom that is within us, the world-loving eye has not seen; and the fame-loving ear has not heard, and it has not entered into the heart empty of the Holy Spirit; they are the pledges of the good things that are to be given to the just in the future kingdom of Christ; and he who does not delight in these, which are the fruits of the Spirit, cannot come to be in the enjoyment of those things.

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2.98 (ρƒη΄) Ἐκείνου ἐστίν τό λέγειν· Ἐθερμάνθη ἡ καρδία μου ἐντός μου, καί ἐν τῇ μελέτη μου ἐκκαυθήσεται πῦρ, 1448 τοῦ μή κοπιῶντος ὀπίσω Θεοῦ κατακολουθεῖν δι᾿ εὐχῆς, μηδέ ἡμέραν ἀνθρώπους ἐπιθυμοῦντος θεάσασθαι.

2.99 (ρƒθ΄) Λεγέτω καί ψυχή πρακτική μετά τήν ἀπόθεσιν τῶν κακῶν, κατά τήν ἐν τῷ ᾌσματι ἐπί τῶν ἐκβιαζομένων αὖθις αὐτήν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων καί λογισμῶν, ἐπιβλέπειν εἰς ματαιότητα καί μανίας ψευδεῖς· Ἐξεδυσάμην τόν χιτῶνά μου, πῶς ἐνδύσομαι αὐτόν; ἐνιψάμην τούς πόδας μου, πῶς μολυνῶ αὐτούς.

3.100 (σ΄) Ὤ ψυχῆς θεοφιλοῦς, τῆς λέγειν τολμώσης πρός Θεόν, Ἀπάγγειλόν μοι, ὁ ποιμήν ὁ καλός, ποῦ ποιμαίνεις τά πρόβατά σου, ποῦ κοιτάζεις ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ τούς ἄρνας σου· ἵνα τούτοις ἀκολουθοῦσα, μή γένωμαι ὡς πεπλανημένη ἐν ἀγέλαις ἑταίρων.

3.1 (σα΄) Ζητοῦσα τόν τῆς εὐχῆς ἡ πρακτική κρατῆσαι λόγον, (15∆_388> καί μή δυναμένη, τοιαῦτα, κατά τήν ἐν ᾌσμασι, καί αὐτῇ βοᾷ· Ἐπί κοίτην μου ἐν νυξίν ἐζήτησα ὅν ἠγάπησα· ἐζήτησα, καί οὐχ εὗρον αὐτόν· ἐκάλεσα αὐτόν, καί οὐχ ὑπήκουσέ μου. Ἀναστήσομαι δή δι᾿ εὐχῆς ἐπιπονωτέρας, καί κυκλώσασα ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις καί ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, ζητήσω ὅν ἠγάπησα. Ἴσως εὑρεθήσεταί μοι, ὁ ἐν παντί τῷδε ὤν, καί τοῦ παντός ἔξω. Χορτασθήσομαι ἐν τῷ ὀφθῆναί μοι τήν δόξαν αὐτοῦ.

3.2 (σβ΄) Ὅταν ὅλη δακρύων ἐκ τῆς περί τήν εὐχήν χαρᾶς ἄρξηται γίνεσθαι ἡ ψυχή, τότε καί αὐτήν παῤῥησιαζομένη, ὡς πρός τόν ἑαυτῆς νυμφίον βοᾷ· Καταβήτω ἀδελφίδός μου εἰς κῆπον αὐτοῦ, καί φαγέτω τῶν ἐμῶν ὡς ἀκροδρύων τήν πονηθεῖσαν παράκλησιν.

3.3 (σγ΄) Ὅταν ἡ πρακτική ψυχή ἐκ μεγέθους καί καλλονῆς κτισμάτων θαυμάζειν ἄρξηται τόν ∆ημιουργόν, καί τῆς ἐκ τούτων κατατρυφᾷν ἡδονῆς, ταῦτα καί αὐτή ἐκπληττομένη βοᾷ· Τί ὡραιώθης, νυμφίε, παράδεισε Πατρός σου. 1449 Ἄνθος τοῦ πεδίου, καί κέδροι αὐτοῦ, ὡς κέδροι τοῦ Λιβάνου. Ὑπό τήν σκιάν αὐτοῦ ἐπεθύμησα, καί ἐκάθισα, καί ὁ καρπός ὤφθη γλυκύς ἐν τῷ λάρυγγί μου.

3.4 (σδ΄) Εἰ ὁ βασιλέα ὑποδεχόμενος εἰς τό δωμάτιον αὐτοῦ, οὕτω περιφανής εὑρίσκεται καί περίδοξος, καί πάσης ἄλλης. . . [ἴσ. ἔμπλεως] χαρᾶς, τί πάθοι ψυχή, ἡ τόν Βασιλέα τῶν βασιλέων ἐν τῷ καθαρθῆναι ὑποδεξαμένη κατά τήν ἀψευδῆ ἐκείνου ὑπόσχεσιν; Καί τί ἐάσει, ἔξω μέν βάλλουσα τό μή εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν ἐκείνῳ δοκοῦν· ἔνδοθεν δέ εἰσάγουσα τό εἰς ἐκείνου ἀρέσκειαν;

3.5 (σε΄) Ὁ κληθῆναι προσδοκῶν παρά βασιλέως τῇ αὔριον, τίνος ἐν φροντίδι ἄλλου ἔσεται, ἤ λόγων μελέτης τῶν εἰς ἐκείνου (15∆_390> εἶναι μελλόντων ἀρέσκειαν; Τοῦτο τηροῦσα πᾶσα ψυχή, οὐκ ὀφθήσεται ἀπαρασκεύαστος πρός τό ἐκεῖθεν κριτήριον.

3.6 (σστ΄) Μακαρία ψυχή, ἡ διά τό σήμερον προσδοκᾷν ἥξειν τόν Κύριον ἑαυτῆς, μηδέν ἡγουμένη ὅλως τόν πόνον τῆς ἡμέρας πάσης· μηδέν τόν τῆς νυκτός, διά τό εὐθέως ἐπί τό πρωΐ τοῦτον μέλλειν αὐτῇ ἐμφανίζεσθαι.

3.7 (σζ΄) Πάντας μέν ὁρᾷ ὁ Θεός· ὁρῶσι δέ τόν Θεόν, οἱ θεωροῦντες μηδέν ἐν τῷ εὔχεσθαι. Καί ὅσοι μέν ὁρῶσι τόν Θεόν, καί εἰσακούονται παρ᾿ αὐτόν. Μακάριος δέ, ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι βλέπεται ὑπό τοῦ Θεοῦ· οὐ σαλευθήσεται γάρ ὁ πούς αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρεσκείας ἐκείνου χάριν.

3.8 (ση΄) Τῆς ἐντός ἡμῶν οὔσης βασιλείας τά ἀγαθά, ὁ φιλόκοσμος ὀφθαλμός οὐκ εἶδε· καί ἀκοή φιλότιμος οὐκ ἤκουσε, καί ἐπί καρδίαν κενήν Πνεύματος ἁγίου οὐκ ἀνέβη· ἀῤῤαβῶνές εἰσι τῶν μελλόντων δίδοσθαι τοῖς δικαίοις ἀγαθῶν ἐν τῇ μελλούσῃ βασιλείᾳ Χριστοῦ· καί ὁ μή ἐν τούτοις τρυφῶν, οἵτινές εἰσιν οἱ καρποί Πνεύματος, ἐν ἀπολαύσει ἐκείνων γενέσθαι οὐ δύναται.