134

they were humble-minded.” Do not be a grumbler, remembering the punishment that those who grumbled against Moses underwent. Do not be arrogant nor evil-minded nor hard-hearted nor wrathful nor fainthearted; for all these things lead to blasphemy. But be meek like Moses and David, since: “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Be long-suffering; for such a person is great in wisdom, since: “The fainthearted man is exceedingly foolish.” Be merciful; “for blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Be guileless, quiet, good, trembling at the words of God. You shall not exalt yourself like the Pharisee, because: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,” and “what is exalted among men is an abomination before God.” You shall not give your soul boldness, because: “A bold man will fall into evil.” You shall not walk with the foolish, but with the wise and the just. Receive kindly the sufferings that befall you and your circumstances without grief, knowing that a reward will be given to you from God as to Job and to Lazarus. You shall glorify him who speaks the word of God to you, and you shall remember him day and night, and you shall honor him not as the cause of your birth, but as the one who has become for you an agent of well-being; for where the teaching concerning God is, there God is present. You shall seek out daily the face of the saints, that you may find rest in their words. You shall not make divisions against the saints, remembering the followers of Korah. You shall make peace for those who are fighting, as Moses did, reconciling them to friendship. You shall judge justly; “for the judgment is the Lord’s.” You shall not show partiality in convicting for a transgression, as Elijah and Micaiah did to Ahab, and Ebed-melech the Ethiopian to Zedekiah, and Nathan to David, and John to Herod. Do not be double-minded in your prayer, as to whether it will be or not; for the Lord says to me, Peter, upon the sea: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Do not be one who stretches out his hand to receive, but who draws it back from giving. If you have anything by your hands, give so that you may work for the redemption of your sins; “for by alms and faith sins are purged away.” You shall not hesitate to give to the poor, nor shall you grumble when you give; for you shall know who is the rewarder of the recompense; “For he who has mercy,” it says, “on the poor lends to the Lord, and according to his gift, so shall it be repaid to him.” You will not turn away

134

ἐταπεινοφρόνουν.» Μὴ γίνου γόγγυσος, μνησθεὶς τῆς τιμωρίας ἧς ὑπέ στησαν οἱ καταγογγύσαντες Μωϋσέως. Μὴ ἔσο αὐθάδης μηδὲ πονηρόφρων μηδὲ σκληροκάρδιος μηδὲ θυμώδης μηδὲ μικρόψυχος· πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα ὁδηγεῖ πρὸς βλασφημίαν. Ἴσθι δὲ πρᾶος ὡς Μωϋσῆς καὶ ∆αυίδ, ἐπεὶ· «Oἱ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσιν τὴν γῆν». Γίνου μακρόθυμος· ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος πολὺς ἐν φρονή σει, ἐπείπερ· «Ὁ ὀλιγόψυχος ἰσχυρὸς ἄφρων». Γίνου ἐλεήμων· «Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθή σονται.» Ἔσο ἄκακος, ἥσυχος, ἀγαθός, τρέμων τοὺς λόγους τοῦ Θεοῦ. Oὐχ ὑψώσεις σεαυτὸν ὡς ὁ Φαρισαῖος, ὅτι· «Πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται», καὶ «Τὸ ὑψηλὸν ἐν ἀνθρώποις βδέλυγμα παρὰ Θεῷ.» Oὐ δώσεις τῇ ψυχῇ σου θράσος, ὅτι· «Ἀνὴρ θρασὺς ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά.» Oὐ συμπορεύσῃ μετὰ ἀφρόνων, ἀλλὰ μετὰ σοφῶν καὶ δικαίων. Τὰ συμβαίνοντά σοι πάθη εὐμενῶς δέχου καὶ τὰς περιστάσεις ἀλύπως, εἰδὼς ὅτι μισθός σοι παρὰ Θεοῦ δοθήσεται ὡς τῷ Ἰὼβ καὶ τῷ Λαζάρῳ. Τὸν λαλοῦντά σοι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ δοξάσεις, μνησθήσῃ δὲ αὐτοῦ ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, τιμήσεις δὲ αὐτὸν οὐχ ὡς γενέσεως αἴτιον, ἀλλ' ὡς τοῦ εὖ εἶναί σοι πρόξενον γενόμενον· ὅπου γὰρ ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ διδασκαλία, ἐκεῖ Θεὸς πάρεστιν. Ἐκζητήσεις καθ' ἡμέραν τὸ πρόσωπον τῶν ἁγίων, ἵν' ἐπαναπαύῃ τοῖς λόγοις αὐτῶν. Oὐ ποιήσεις σχίσματα πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους, μνησθεὶς τῶν Κορειτῶν. Eἰρηνεύσεις μαχομένους ὡς Μωϋσῆς, συναλλάσσων εἰς φιλίαν. Κρινεῖς δικαίως· «Τοῦ γὰρ Κυρίου ἡ κρίσις.» Oὐ λήψῃ πρόσωπον ἐλέγξαι ἐπὶ παραπτώματι, ὡς Ἠλίας καὶ Μιχαίας τὸν Ἀχαὰβ καὶ Ἀβδεμέλεχ ὁ Aἰθίοψ τὸν Σεδεκίαν καὶ Νάθαν τὸν ∆αυὶδ καὶ Ἰωάννης τὸν Ἡρώδην. Μὴ γίνου δίψυχος ἐν προσευχῇ σου, εἰ ἔσται ἢ οὔ· λέγει γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἐμοὶ Πέτρῳ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης· «Ὀλι γόψυχε, εἰς τί ἐδίστασας;» Μὴ γίνου πρὸς μὲν τὸ λαβεῖν ἐκτείνων τὴν χεῖρα, πρὸς δὲ τὸ δοῦναι συστέλλων. Ἐὰν ἔχῃς διὰ τῶν χειρῶν σου, δὸς ἵνα ἐργάσῃ εἰς λύτρωσιν ἁμαρτιῶν σου· «Ἐλεημοσύναις γὰρ καὶ πίστεσιν ἀποκαθαίρονται ἁμαρ τίαι.» Oὐ διστάσεις δοῦναι πτωχῷ, οὐδὲ διδοὺς γογγύ σεις· γνώσῃ γὰρ τίς ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ μισθοῦ ἀνταποδότης· «Ὁ ἐλεῶν γάρ, φησίν, πτωχὸν Κυρίῳ δανείζει, κατὰ δὲ τὸ δόμα αὐτοῦ, οὕτως ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ.» Oὐκ ἀποστρα