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TITLE 11. -On teachers.

Behold, I and the children whom God has given me. Thus says the Lord, If you bring forth the precious from the vile, you shall be as my mouth: and they themselves shall turn to you, and you shall not turn to them. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his master. 95.1376 Be not carried about with various and strange doctrines. The credibility of the teacher makes the word readily acceptable, and prepares the students to be more attentive. For teaching is nourishment also for the one who nourishes. Then especially the disciples are led up to the zeal for good things, when they have the examples from their teachers. One who teaches learns more, and one speaking often listens together with those who obey him. The rod is a symbol of instruction. For without being shamed, and rebuked about some things, it is impossible to show admonition and correction. The pupil cannot learn in the same way that the teacher is able to teach. Since the one is perfect, but the other is imperfect. Wherefore it is fitting to consider the capacity of the one being taught. Pay attention, O teacher, and examine precisely the hearing of the one learning. For foolish is he who converses with the deaf, and vain he who admonishes a stone. And you will be guilty of sin to yourself, who have not considered how, and when, and at what time it is necessary to utter a word of wisdom. He who has received grace, ought to give it freely to those wishing to learn, as also the Lord said, Freely you have received, freely give. For to him who has received, and does not share, even what he has shall be taken away from him. And not only to the just does he give grace, but also to sinners. Since God is ungrudging and impartial, and makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust; and he does not overlook the sinner, but gives to him also a small grace. Therefore each one ought to teach ungrudgingly.

TITLE 12. -On slander; that one must not accept slander without examination.

You shall not receive a vain report. Him that secretly slanders his neighbor, him I did drive away. He who slanders his neighbor has eaten brotherly flesh, having wounded his reputation, and worked myriad other evils through his word. Not only to those who speak evil, but also to those who listen to others speaking evil, I advise to block their ears, and to imitate the Prophet who says: Him that secretly slanders his neighbor, him I did drive away. Say to your neighbor: If you have someone to praise and commend, I open my ears, that I may receive the perfumes; but if you wish to speak evil, I block the entrance to your words. To meddle in another's life is of the utmost 95.1377 illiberality. But the most ridiculous thing of all, those who have this way of life, and neglect their own affairs, whenever they say something of the secret things, they entreat the hearer and put him on oath to tell no one else, thereby showing that they have done a thing worthy of accusation. For if you entreat him to tell no one else, how much more ought you not to have said these things to him in the first place, nor to slander someone, betraying a word not kept in safety, and only then to take thought for its safekeeping? But slandering is sweet; rather, not speaking evil would be sweet. For he who has spoken evil is henceforth in agony; he suspects and is afraid, he repents and bites his own tongue, fearing and trembling, lest the word be carried out to others, and bring on great danger. Just as speaking well and praising is the beginning of friendship, so also speaking evil and slandering has become the beginning and foundation of enmity, hatred, and myriad evils. Slanderers, and those sent away from divine grace, are those who are sick with the same diabolical evil art as that one,

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ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΑʹ. -Περὶ διδασκάλων.

Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ, καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεός. Τάδε λέγει Κύριος, Ἐὰν ἐξαγάγῃς τίμιον ἐξ ἀναξίου, ὡς στόμα μου ἔσῃ, καὶ ἀναστρέψουσιν αὐτοὶ πρὸς σὲ, καὶ οὐκ ἀποστρέψεις πρὸς αὐτούς. Οὐκ ἔστι μαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὐδὲ δοῦλος ὑπὲρ τὸν κύριον. Ἀρκετὸν τῷ μαθητῇ, ἵνα γένηται ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ δοῦλος ὡς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ. 95.1376 ∆ιδαχαῖς ποικίλαις καὶ ξέναις μὴ παραφέρεσθε. Ἀξιοπιστία τοῦ διδάσκοντος εὐπαράδεκτον μὲν τὸν λόγον καθίστησι, προσεχεστέρους δὲ τοὺς μαθητευομένους παρασκευάζει. Τροφὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δίδαξις καὶ τοῦ τρέφοντος. Τότε μάλιστα οἱ μαθηταὶ εἰς τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνάγονται ζῆλον, ὅταν παρὰ τῶν διδασκάλων ἔχωσι τὰ παραδείγματα. ∆ιδάσκων τις μανθάνει πλέον, καὶ λέγων συνακροᾶται πολλάκις τοῖς ὑπακούουσιν αὐτοῦ. Παιδείας σύμβολον ἡ ῥάβδος. Ἄνευ γὰρ τοῦ δυσωπηθῆναι, καὶ περὶ ἐνίων ἐπιπληχθῆναι, νουθεσίαν ἐνδείξασθαι καὶ σωφρονισμὸν ἀμήχανον. Οὐχ ὡς δύναται διδάσκειν ὁ διδάσκαλος, οὕτω καὶ μανθάνειν ὁ γνώριμος. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὴν τέλειος, ὁ δὲ ἀτελής ἐστιν. Ὅθεν προσήκει στοχάζεσθαι τῆς τοῦ παιδευομένου δυνάμεως. Ἐπίστησον, ὁ διδάσκων, καὶ ἐξέτασον ἀκριβῶς ἀκοὴν τοῦ μανθάνοντος. Εὐήθης γὰρ ὁ κωφῷ διαλεγόμενος, καὶ μάταιος ὁ λίθον νουθετῶν. Καὶ σὺ ἔνοχος ἁμαρτίας σεαυτῷ ἔσῃ, ὁ μὴ ἐπισκεψάμενος, ὅπως, καὶ πηνίκα, καὶ πότε δεῖ λόγον προέσθαι σοφίας. Ὁ λαβὼν χάριν, ὀφείλει ἀφθόνως παραδιδόναι τοῖς θέλουσι μανθάνειν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἶπε, ∆ωρεὰν ἐλάβετε, δωρεὰν δότε. Τῷ γὰρ λαβόντι, καὶ μὴ μεταδιδόντι, καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. Καὶ οὐ μόνον δικαίοις δίδωσι τὴν χάριν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς. Ἐπειδὴ ἄφθονός ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ἀπροσωπόληπτος, καὶ ἀνατέλλει τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους· καὶ οὐ παρορᾷ τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα, ἀλλὰ δίδωσι κἀκείνῳ μικρὰν χάριν. Ἕκαστος οὖν ἀφθόνως ὀφείλει διδάσκειν.

ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΒ. -Περὶ διαβολῆς· ὅτι οὐ χρὴ ἀκρίτως δέχεσθαι διαβολήν.

Οὐ παραδέξῃ ἀκοὴν ματαίαν. Τὸν καταλαλοῦντα λάθρα τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, τοῦτον ἐξεδίωκον. Ὁ διαβάλλων τὸν πλησίον, ἀδελφικὰ κρέα ἔφαγεν, ὑπόληψιν τρώσας, καὶ μυρία ἕτερα ἐργασάμενος διὰ τοῦ λόγου κακά. Οὐ τοῖς κακῶς μόνον ἀγορεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἀκούουσι κακῶς λέγοντας ἑτέρους, παραινῶ τὰς ἀκοὰς ἀποφράττειν, καὶ τὸν Προφήτην μιμήσασθαι τὸν λέγοντα· Τὸν καταλαλοῦντα λάθρα τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, τοῦτον ἐξεδίωκον. Εἰπὲ πρὸς τὸν πλησίον· Εἰ ἔχεις τινὰ ἐπαινέσαι καὶ ἐγκωμιάσαι, ἀνοίγω τὰς ἀκοὰς, ἵνα δέξωμαι τὰ μῦρα· ἂν δὲ κακῶς ἐθέλεις εἰπεῖν, ἀποφράττω τὴν εἴσοδον τοῖς ῥήμασι. Βίον ἀλλότριον περιεργάζεσθαι, ἀνελευθερίας ἐσχά 95.1377 της. Τὸ δὲ πάντων καταγελαστότερον, οἱ τοῦτον ἔχοντες τὸν βίον, καὶ τῶν οἰκείων ἀμελοῦντες, ἐπειδὰν εἴπωσί τι τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων, παρακαλῶσι τὸν ἀκούσαντα καὶ ὁρκοῦσι μηδενὶ λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν ἑτέρῳ, αὐτόθεν δηλοῦντες, ὅτι πρᾶγμα ἄξιον κατηγορίας ἐποίησαν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν ἑτέρῳ παρακαλῇς, πόσῳ μᾶλλόν σε πρότερον τούτῳ ταῦτα εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἐχρῆν, καὶ διαβάλλειν τινὰ, οὐδὲ κατέχοντα ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ τὸν λόγον προδοῦναι, καὶ τότε τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτοῦ φροντίζειν; Ἀλλὰ ἡδὺ τὸ διαβάλλειν, ἡδὺ μὲν ἂν τὸ μὴ λέγειν κακῶς. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ κακῶς εἰπὼν, ἐναγώνιος λοιπόν ἐστιν· ὑποπτεύει καὶ δέδοικε, μετανοεῖ καὶ κατεσθίει τὴν γλῶσσαν ἑαυτοῦ, δεδοικὼς καὶ τρέμων, μήποτε εἰς ἑτέρους ἐξενεχθῇ τὸ ῥῆμα, καὶ μέγαν ἐπαγάγῃ τὸν κίνδυνον. Ὥσπερ τὸ καλῶς λέγειν καὶ ἐγκωμιάζειν ἀρχὴ φιλίας ἐστὶν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ κακῶς λέγειν, καὶ διαβάλλειν ἔχθρας, καὶ ἀπεχθείας, καὶ μυρίων κακῶν ἀρχὴ καὶ ὑπόθεσις γέγονεν. ∆ιάβολοι, καὶ θείας ἀπόπεμπτοι χάριτος, οἱ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐκείνῳ διαβολικὴν νοσοῦντες κακοτεχνίαν,