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For if you are taught to speak nothing superfluous, but continually fortify both your mind and your mouth with the narration of the divine Scriptures, the guard will be more secure than adamant. For many are the ways of destruction through the mouth, for instance when one speaks shamefully, when one jests, when one is vainglorious, when one boasts, like the Pharisee, who, since he did not have a door upon his mouth, all that was within was poured out in a few words; wherefore also like a house without a door, not being able to hold the treasure laid up within, he suddenly became poor. Consider with me another likewise perishing through boasting. For he said, it says, "Above the stars of heaven I will set my throne." But the Jews, because they rejoiced in their neighbor's evils, now hear, "Because you said, 'Aha!' Israel has become like the other nations"; and now they are reproached for despairing and saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and in them he has delighted. And we call strangers blessed, and they who commit iniquities are built up. Are not these things written in a book?" Others on account of murmuring, as Paul says, "Neither let us murmur, as some of them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer." And when did they murmur? When they said, "You have brought us out to kill us in the desert because there were no graves in Egypt." Others on account of play, as he says, "They ate and drank, and rose up to play." Others on account of reviling. "Everyone who says to his brother, 'Fool,' shall be in danger of the judgment." And many others besides these have perished for other reasons, not guarding their own mouths. But if you wish to hear of some perishing also from untimely silence, I will show you. For if you do not warn, he says, the people, that man will die in his sin, but his blood I will require at your hand. Another, from speaking to some without discernment, and pouring out what was entrusted. For "Do not give," he says, "what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine." Another, from laughing; wherefore he says, "Woe to you who laugh, for you shall weep." Have you seen how a mouth destroys? See also how a mouth saves from the 55.435 opposites. Have you seen the Pharisee being destroyed by it? See the publican being saved by it. Have you seen the boasting barbarian paying the penalty? See the righteous man being moderate and saying, "I am earth and ashes." Have you seen the one who rejoices at evil being accused and punished? See the one who sympathizes being saved. For "Set," he says, "the mark upon the foreheads of those who sigh and cry." Wherefore Paul also said, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." Even if you can do nothing else, he says, you will contribute this, no small thing, to the one who grieves: to grieve with him. Have you seen the one who laughs given over to lamentation? See the one who mourns enjoying comfort. For "Blessed," he says, "are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Have you seen those who despair being punished? See those who give thanks being saved. "Blessed are you, Lord, and praised is your name, for you are just in all that you have done to us." And a little after, "All that you have brought upon us, you have done in true judgment." Those ones said, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord;" these the opposite, "Your eye is too pure to look on evil." Those ones called strangers blessed, because they who commit iniquities are built up; this one, those helped by God. "Blessed," he says, "is the people whose God is the Lord." And again, "Do not be envious of evildoers, nor envy those who do iniquity." Have you seen the saints both exhorting others, and themselves remaining steadfast in temptations? Hear then Jacob saying, "If the Lord gives me bread to eat, and a garment to put on." And of Abraham, "I will not take from you from a thread even to a sandal strap." And when his wife was about to be corrupted, and the famine was pressing, he uttered no harsh word. And when the boy said, "Father, behold the wood and

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Ἐὰν γὰρ παιδευθῇς μηδὲν περιττὸν λαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ διαπαντὸς τῇ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν διηγήσει τειχίζῃς σου καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ τὸ στόμα, ἀδάμαντος ἔσται ἀσφαλεστέρα ἡ φυλακή. Καὶ γὰρ πολλαὶ ὁδοὶ ἀπωλείας διὰ τοῦ στόματος, οἷον ὅταν τις αἰσχρολογῇ, ὅταν εὐτραπελεύηται, ὅταν κενοδοξῇ, ὅταν μεγαλαυχῇ, ὡς ὁ Φαρισαῖος, ὃς ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔσχε θύραν ἐπὶ τοῦ στόματος, πάντα ἐξεχύθη τὰ ἔνδον δι' ὀλίγων ῥημάτων· διὸ καὶ ὥσπερ οἰκία ἀθύρωτος οὐκ ἰσχύσας κατασχεῖν τὸν θησαυρὸν τὸν ἐναποκείμενον, ἀθρόον ἐγένετο πένης. Σκόπει μοι καὶ ἄλλον διὰ μεγαληγορίας ἀπολλύμενον ὁμοίως. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶν, Ἐπάνω τῶν ἄστρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ θήσω τὸν θρόνον μου. Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐφήδεσθαι τοῖς τοῦ πλησίον κακοῖς νῦν μὲν ἀκούουσιν· Ἀνθ' ὧν εἶπας, Εὖγε, γέγονεν ὡς τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη Ἰσραήλ· νῦν δὲ ὀνειδίζονται, διὰ τὸ ἀποδυσπετεῖν, καὶ λέγειν· Πᾶς ποιῶν πονηρὸν, καλὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς αὐτὸς εὐδόκησε. Καὶ ἡμεῖς μακαρίζομεν ἀλλοτρίους, καὶ ἀνοικοδομοῦνται ποιοῦντες ἀνομήματα. Οὐκ ἰδοὺ ταῦτα γέγραπται ἐν βίβλῳ; Ἕτεροι διὰ γογγυσμὸν, καθώς φησιν ὁ Παῦλος· Μηδὲ γογγύζωμεν, καθώς τινες αὐτῶν ἐγόγγυσαν, καὶ ἀπώλοντο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀλεθρευτοῦ. Καὶ πότε ἐγόγγυσαν; Ὅτε ἔλεγον· Ἐξήγαγες ἡμᾶς ἀποκτεῖναι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ παρὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι μνήματα ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ. Ἕτεροι διὰ παιδιὰν καθάπερ φησίν· Ἔφαγον καὶ ἔπιον, καὶ ἀνέστησαν παίζειν. Ἄλλοι διὰ λοιδορίας. Πᾶς ὁ λέγων τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, Μωρὲ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει. Καὶ ἕτεροι τούτων πλείους δι' ἄλλα ἀπώλοντο, μὴ φυλάξαντες τὰ ἑαυτῶν στόματα. Εἰ δὲ βούλει καὶ ἀπὸ σιγῆς ἀκαίρου ἀκοῦσαι ἀπολλυμένους τινὰς, ἐγώ σοι δείξω. Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ διαστείλῃς, φησὶ, τῷ λαῷ, ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἀποθανεῖται τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ αὐτοῦ, τὸ δὲ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου ἐκζητήσω. Ἄλλος, ἐκ τοῦ ἀδιακρίτως τισὶ διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ τὰ ἐμπιστευθέντα ἐκχεῖν. Μὴ δῶτε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσὶ, μήτε ῥίψητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων. Ἄλλος, ἐκ τοῦ γελᾷν· διό φησιν· Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν οἱ γελῶντες, ὅτι κλαύσετε. Εἶδες πῶς ἀπόλλυσι στόμα; Ὅρα καὶ πῶς σώζει στόμα ἀπὸ τῶν 55.435 ἐναντίων. Εἶδες τὸν Φαρισαῖον ἀπολλύμενον δι' αὐτοῦ; Ὅρα τὸν τελώνην σωθέντα δι' αὐτοῦ. Εἶδες τὸν μεγαλήγορον βάρβαρον δίκην δόντα; Ὅρα τὸν δίκαιον μετριάζοντα καὶ λέγοντα, Ἐγώ εἰμι γῆ καὶ σποδός. Εἶδες τὸν ἐφηδόμενον ἐγκαλούμενον καὶ κολαζόμενον; Ὅρα τὸν συναλγοῦντα σωζόμενον. ∆ὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ σημεῖον ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσωπα τῶν στεναζόντων καὶ ὀδυνωμένων. ∆ιὸ καὶ Παῦλος ἔλεγε, Χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων, καὶ κλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων. Εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἕτερον δύνασαι, φησὶν, οὐ μικρὸν τοῦτο εἰσοίσεις τῷ ἀλγοῦντι, τὸ συναλγῆσαι. Εἶδες τὸν γελῶντα θρήνῳ παραδιδόμενον; Ὅρα τὸν πενθοῦντα παρακλήσεως ἀπολαύοντα. Μακάριοι γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Εἶδες τοὺς ἀποδυσπετοῦντας κολαζομένους; Ὅρα τοὺς εὐχαριστοῦντας σωζομένους. Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε, καὶ αἰνετὸν τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὅτι δίκαιος εἶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα, Πάντα ὅσα ἐπήγαγες ἡμῖν, ἐν ἀληθινῇ κρίσει ἐποίησας. Ἐκεῖνοι ἔλεγον, Πᾶς ποιῶν πονηρὸν, καλὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίον· οὗτοι ἀπεναντίας, Καθαρὸς ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου τοῦ μὴ ὁρᾷν πονηρά. Ἐκεῖνοι ἐμακάριζον ἀλλοτρίους, ὅτι ἀνοικοδομοῦνται ποιοῦντες ἀνομήματα· οὗτος τοὺς ὑπὸ Θεοῦ βοηθουμένους. Μακάριος, φησὶν, ὁ λαὸς, οὗ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν, Μὴ παραζήλου ἐν πονηρευομένοις, μηδὲ ζήλου τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν. Εἶδες τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ ἑτέροις παραινοῦντας, καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀπεριτρέπτους ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς μένοντας; Ἄκουσον γοῦν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ λέγοντος· Ἐὰνδῷ μοι Κύριος ἄρτον φαγεῖν, καὶ ἱμάτιον περιβαλέσθαι. Καὶ τοῦ Ἀβραάμ· Οὐ μὴ λάβω ἀπὸ σοῦ ἀπὸ σπαρτίου ἕως σφαιρωτῆρος ὑποδήματος. Καὶ ἡνίκα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ διαφθείρεσθαι ἔμελλε, καὶ ὁ λιμὸς ἐπέκειτο, οὐδὲν ἐφθέγξατο ῥῆμα ἀπηχές. Καὶ ὅτε ὁ παῖς εἶπεν, Πάτερ, ἰδοὺ τὰ ξύλα καὶ