(pr.) Τοῦ λόγου, οὗ ἐπωνυμία, Πλάκες πνευματικαί.

An Ascetic Treatise by Abba John, Abbot of the monks of Mount Sinai, sent by him to Abba John, Abbot of Raithu, at whose request it was written.

Λόγος ἀσκητικὸς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἡγουμένου τῶν ἐν τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει μοναχῶν, ὃν καὶ ἐπέστειλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἰωάννῃ τῷ ἡγουμένῳ τῆς Ῥαϊθοῦ, προτραπεὶς παρ’ αὐτοῦ συντάξαι.

Step 1

STEP 1- On Renunciation of the World

(1.) Περὶ ἀποταγῆς βίου.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[1] some are His friends,

[2] others are His true servants,

[3] some [servants] are worthless,

[4] some are completely estranged from God,

[5] and others, though feeble creatures are equally His opponents.

οἱ μέν εἰσιν αὐτοῦ φίλοι,

οἱ δὲ γνήσιοι δοῦλοι,

οἱ δὲ ἀχρεῖοι,

οἱ δὲ πάντη ἀπεξενωμένοι,

οἱ δὲ, εἰ καὶ ἀσθενεῖς, ὅμως ἀντίδικοι.

[1] By friends of God, dear and holy Father,[1] we simple people mean, properly speaking, those intellectual and incorporeal beings which surround God.

[2] By true servants of God we mean all those who tirelessly and unremittingly do and have done His will.

[3] By worthless servants we mean those who think of themselves as having been granted baptism, but have not faithfully kept the vows they made to God.

[4] By those estranged from God and made His enemies , we mean those who are unbelievers or heretics.

[5] Finally, the adversaries of God are those who have not only evaded and rejected the Lord’s commandment themselves, but who also wage bitter war on those who are fulfilling it.

Καὶ φίλους μὲν κυρίως ἡμεῖς οἱ ἰδιῶται, ὦ ἱερὰ κεφαλὴ, περὶ Θεοῦ [Θεὸν] ὑπειλήφαμεν, τὰς περὶ αὐτὸν νοεράς τε καὶ ἀσωμάτους οὐσίας·

γνησίως [γνησίους] δὲ δούλους, πάντας τοὺς τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ἀόκνως, καὶ ἀπαραλείπτως ποιοῦντας, καὶ ποιήσαντας·

ἀχρείους δὲ δούλους, ὅσοι μὲν τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀξιωθῆναι νομίζουσι, τὰς δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν συνθήκας γνησίως οὐκ ἐφυλάξαντο·

ξένους δ’ ἐπὶ [ἀπὸ] Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐχθροὺς νοήσωμεν, ὅσοι ἢ ἄπιστοι, ἢ κακόπιστοι τυγχάνουσι.

Πολέμιοι δ’ εἰσὶν οἱ μὴ μόνον τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου πρόσταγμα διακρουσάμενοι, καὶ ἐξ ἑαυτῶν ἀποῤῥίψαντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς τοῦτο κατεργαζομένους ἰσχυρῶς πολεμοῦντες.

1.2. Each of the classes mentioned above might well have a special treatise devoted to it. But for simple folk like us it would not be profitable at this point to enter into such lengthy investigations. Come then, in unquestioning obedience let us stretch out our unworthy hand to the [2] true servants of God who devoutly compel us and in their faith constrain us by their commands. Let us write this treatise with a pen taken from their knowledge and dipped in the ink of humility which is both subdued yet radiant. Then let us apply it to the smooth white paper of their hearts, or rather rest it on the tablets of the spirit, and let us inscribe the divine words (or rather sow the seeds).[2] And let us begin like this.

Ἐπεὶ οὖν πάντων τῶν προειρημένων ἕκαστος ἴδιόν τινα, καὶ πρέποντα λόγον κέκτηνται, ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς ἀμαθέσιν οὐ λυσιτελὲς ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τὰ τοιάδε διεξέρχεσθαι, φέρε δὴ, φέρε ἡμεῖς νῦν πρὸς τοὺς εὐσεβῶς ἡμᾶς τυραννήσαντας, καὶ πιστῶς βιασαμένους τοῖς αὐτῶν προστάγμασι, Θεοῦ γνησίους δούλους, τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀνάξιον χεῖρα δι’ ὑπακοῆς ἀδιακρίτου ἐκτείναντες, καὶ παρὰ τῆς αὐτῶν γνώσεως τὸν τοῦ λόγου κάλαμον δεξάμενοι, τῇ σκυθρωπῇ καὶ λαμπούσῃ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ βάψαντες, ἐν ταῖς λείαις, καὶ λευκαῖς αὐτῶν καρδίαις, ὥσπερ ἔν τισι χάρταις,  μᾶλλον δὲ πλαξὶ πνευματικαῖς τοῦτον ἀναπαύσαντες, τὰ θεϊκὰ [θεῖα] λόγια, μᾶλλον δὲ σπέρματα διαζωγραφοῦντες λέγωμεν ὧδε.

1.3. God belongs to all free beings. He is the life of all, the salvation of all—faithful and unfaithful, just and unjust, pious and impious, passionate and dispassionate, monks and seculars, wise and simple, healthy and sick, young and old—just as the diffusion of light, the sight of the sun, and the changes of the weather are for all alike; ‘for there is no respect of persons with God’.[3]

Πάντων τῶν προαιρουμένων ὁ Θεὸς πάντων ἡ ζωή· πάντων ἡ σωτηρία πιστῶν, ἀπίστων· δικαίων, ἀδίκων· εὐσεβῶν, ἀσεβῶν· ἀπαθῶν, ἐμπαθῶν· μοναχῶν, κοσμικῶν· σοφῶν, ἰδιωτῶν· ὑγιῶν, ἀσθενῶν· νέων, προβεβηκότων. Ὥσπερ φωτὸς χύσις, καὶ ἡλίου θέα, καὶ ἀέρων ἐναλλαγὴ, καὶ ἀλλοίωσις οὐκ ἔστιν· «Οὐ γὰρ προσωποληψία παρὰ Θεῷ.»

1.4. The irreligious man is a mortal being with a rational nature, who of his own free will turns his back on life and thinks of his own Maker, the ever-existent, as non-existent. The lawless man is one who holds the law of God after his own depraved fashion,[4] and thinks to combine faith in God with heresy that is directly opposed to Him. The Christian is one who imitates Christ in thought, word and deed, as far as is possible for human beings, believing rightly and blamelessly in the Holy Trinity. The lover of God is he who lives in communion with all that is natural and sinless, and as far as he is able neglects nothing good. The continent man is he who in the midst of temptations, snares and turmoil, strives with all his might to imitate the ways of Him who is free from such. The monk is he who within his earthly and soiled body toils towards the rank and state of the incorporeal beings.[5] A monk is he who strictly controls his nature and unceasingly watches over his senses. A monk is he who keeps his body in chastity, his mouth pure and his mind illumined. A monk is a mourning soul that both asleep and awake is unceasingly occupied with the remembrance of death. Withdrawal from the world is voluntary hatred of vaunted material things and denial of nature for the attainment of what is above nature.

Ἀσεβής ἐστιν, φύσις λογικὴ, θνητὴ, ἑκουσίως τὴν ζωὴν ἀποφεύγουσα, καὶ τὸν οἰκεῖον Ποιητὴν, τὸν ἀεὶ ὄντα, οὐκ ὄντα λογιζομένη. Παράνομός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν νόμον τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ μετ’ οἰκείας κακονοίας κατέχων, καὶ μεθ’ αἱρέσεως ἐναντίας πιστεύειν Θεῷ νομίζων. Χριστιανός ἐστιν, μίμημα Χριστοῦ κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἀνθρώπων, λόγοις, καὶ ἔργοις, καὶ ἐννοίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν Τριάδα ὀρθῶς καὶ ἀμέμπτως πιστεύων. Θεοφιλής ἐστιν ὁ πάντων τῶν φυσικῶν καὶ ἀναμαρτήτων ἐν μετουσίᾳ ὑπάρχων· καὶ τῶν κατὰ δύναμιν ἀγαθῶν μὴ ἀμελῶν. Ἐγκρατής ἐστιν ὁ ἐν μέσῳ πειρασμῶν, καὶ παγίδων, καὶ θορύβων ἀπηλλαγμένου τρόπους πάσῃ δυνάμει μιμεῖσθαι φιλονεικῶν. Μοναχός ἐστιν τάξις καὶ κατάστασις ἀσωμάτων ἐν σώματι ὑλικῷ καὶ ῥυπαρῷ ἐπιτελουμένη. Μοναχός ἐστιν ὁ μόνον τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐχόμενος ὅρων καὶ λόγων, ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, καὶ τόπῳ, καὶ πράγματι. Μοναχός ἐστιν· βία φύσεως διηνεκὴς, καὶ φυλακὴ αἰσθήσεων ἀνελλιπής. Μοναχός ἐστιν ἡγνισμένον σῶμα, καὶ κεκαθαρμένον στόμα, καὶ πεφωτισμένος νοῦς. Μοναχός ἐστιν κατώδυνος ψυχὴ ἐν διηνεκεῖ μνήμῃ θανάτου ἀδολεσχοῦσα, καὶ ὑπνώττουσα, καὶ γρηγοροῦσα. Ἀναχώρησις κόσμου ἐστὶν ἑκούσιον μῖσος ἐπαινουμένης ὕλης, καὶ ἄρνησις φύσεως δι’ ἐπιτυχίαν τῶν ὑπὲρ φύσιν.

1.5. All who have willingly left the things of the world, have certainly done so either [1] for the sake of the future Kingdom, or [2] because of the multitude of their sins, or [3] for love of God. If they were not moved by any of these reasons their withdrawal from the world was unreasonable. But God who sets our contests waits to see what the end of our course will be.

Πάντες οἱ τὰ τοῦ βίου προθύμως καταλιπόντες, πάντως ἢ διὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν βασιλείαν· ἢ διὰ πλῆθος ἁμαρτημάτων· ἢ διὰ τὴν εἰς Θεὸν ἀγάπην τοῦτο πεποιήκασιν. Εἰ δ’ οὐδεὶς τῶν προειρημένων σκοπῶν αὐτοῖς προηγήσατο, ἄλογος ἡ τούτων ἀναχώρησις καθέστηκε.

1.6. The man who has withdrawn from the world in order to shake off his own burden of sins, should imitate those who sit outside the city amongst the tombs, and should not discontinue his hot and fiery streams of tears and voiceless heartfelt groanings until he, too, sees that Jesus has come to him and rolled away the stone of hardness[6] from his heart, and loosed Lazarus, that is to say, our mind, from the bands of sin, and ordered His attendant angels: Loose him[7] from passions, and let him go to blessed dispassion.[8] Otherwise he will have gained nothing.

Πλὴν τὸ πέρας τοῦ δρόμου ὁποῖον καθέστηκεν, ὁ καλὸς ἡμῶν ἀγωνοθέτης ἐκδέχεται. Μιμείσθω ὁ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ φορτίον τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων σκορπῖσαι τοῦ κόσμου ἐξεληλυθὼς, τοὺς πρὸ τῶν τάφων καθημένους ἔξω τῆς πόλεως. Καὶ μὴ παύσηται τῶν θερμῶν, καὶ διαπύρων σταγόνων, καὶ ἀφώνων ὀλολυγμῶν τῆς καρδίας, ἕως οὗ ἴδῃ καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐληλυθότα, καὶ τὸν λίθον τῆς πυρώσεως ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἀποκυλίσαντα· καὶ τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν Λάζαρον τῶν σειρῶν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων λύσαντα, καὶ τοῖς ὑπουργοῖς ἀγγέλοις, Λύσατε αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν παθῶν, καὶ ἄφετε ὑπάγειν πρὸς τὴν μακαρίαν ἀπάθειαν, κελεύσαντα. Εἰ δὲ μὴ οὕτως, οὐδὲν ὠφέλημα.

Need for a Spiritual

Director

1.7. Those of us who wish to go out of Egypt and to fly from Pharaoh, certainly need some Moses as a mediator with God and from God, who, standing between action and contemplation, will raise hands of prayer for us to God, so that guided by Him we may cross the sea of sin and rout the Amalek of the passions.[9] That is why those who have surrendered themselves to God, deceive themselves if they suppose that they have no need of a director. Those who came out of Egypt had Moses as their guide, and those who fled from Sodom had an angel.[10] The former are like those who are healed of the passions of the soul by the care of physicians: these are they who come out of Egypt. The latter are like those who long to put off the uncleanness of the wretched body. That is why they need a helper, an angel, so to speak, or at least one equal to an angel. For in proportion to the corruption of our wounds we need a director who is indeed an expert and a physician.

Ὅσοι ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ τοῦ Φαραῶ ἐξελθεῖν, καὶ φυγεῖν βουλόμεθα, πάντως Μωσέως τινὸς καὶ ἡμεῖς  μεσίτου πρὸς Θεὸν, καὶ μετὰ Θεὸν δεόμεθα, ὅπως τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν μέσος πράξεως καὶ θεωρίας ἑστὼς τὰς χεῖρας πρὸς Θεὸν ἐκτείνοι, ἵνα οἱ καθοδηγούμενοι τήν τε θάλασσαν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων περάσωσι, καὶ τὸν Ἀμαλὴκ τῶν παθῶν τροπώσωνται. Ἠπατήθησαν τοίνυν οἱ ἑαυτοὺς ἀποδιδόντες, καὶ μηδενὸς τοῦ προηγουμένου χρῄζειν ὑπονοήσαντες. Οἱ μὲν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐξιόντες, Μωσέα· οἱ δὲ ἐκ Σοδόμων ἐκφυγόντες, ἄγγελον τὸν καθηγοῦντα ἐκέκτηντο. Καὶ οἱ μὲν τοῖς τὰ ψυχικὰ πάθη ἰωμένοις δι’ ἐπιμελείας ἰατρῶν ἐοίκασιν, οἵτινές εἰσιν οἱ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκπορευόμενοι. Οἱ δὲ τὴν τοῦ δυστήνου σώματος ἀκαθαρσίαν ἐπιποθοῦσιν ἐκδύσασθαι. Διὸ καὶ ἀγγέλου, ἢ γοῦν ἰσαγγέλου, ἵνα οὕτως εἴπω, τοῦ συμβοηθοῦντος ἐπιδέονται. Καὶ γὰρ τὴν σηπεδόνα τῶν τραυμάτων, τεχνίτου λίαν, καὶ ἰατροῦ ἐπιδεόμεθα.

1.8. Those who aim at ascending with the body to heaven, need violence indeed and constant suffering[11] especially in the early stages of their renunciation, until our pleasure-loving dispositions and unfeeling hearts attain to love of God and chastity by visible sorrow. A great toil, very great indeed, with much unseen suffering, especially for those who live carelessly, until by simplicity, deep angerlessness and diligence, we make our mind, which is a greedy kitchen dog addicted to barking, a lover of chastity and watchfulness. But let us who are weak and passionate have the courage to offer our infirmity and natural weakness to Christ with unhesitating faith, and confess it to Him; and we shall be certain to obtain His help, even beyond our merit, if only we unceasingly go right down to the depth of humility.

Βίας ἀληθῶς καὶ ἀπαύστων ὀδυνῶν οἱ εἰς οὐρανὸν μετὰ σώματος ἀνελθεῖν ἐπιχειρήσαντες δέονται· καὶ μάλιστα ἐν προοιμίοις αὐτοῖς τῆς ἀποταγῆς· ἄχρις οὗ τὸ φιλήδονον ἡμῶν ἦθος καὶ ἀνάλγητος καρδία, εἰς φιλοθεΐαν, καὶ ἁγνισμὸν διὰ πένθους ἐναργοῦς κατασταθῶσι. Μόχθος γὰρ ὄντως, μόχθος, καὶ πολλὴ καὶ ἀόρατος ἡ πικρία, καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς ἀμελῶς διακειμένοις, ἄχρις οὗ τὸν φιλομάκελλον κύνα νοῦν, καὶ φιλόβρομον, φίλαγνόν τινα καὶ φιλεπίσκοπον, δι’ ἁπλότητος, καὶ ἀοργησίας βαθείας, καὶ ἐπιμελείας ποιήσωμεν. Πλὴν θαρσῶμεν οἱ ἐμπαθεῖς, καὶ ἀδυνάμενοι, πίστει ἀδιστάκτῳ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀσθένειαν, καὶ ψυχικὴν ἀδυναμίαν τῇ χειρὶ ἡμῶν, τῇ δεξιᾷ Χριστῷ προσφέροντες, καὶ ἐξομολογούμενοι· καὶ πάντως τὴν αὐτοῦ βοήθειαν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀξίαν κομιζόμεθα· ἐν βυθῷ μέντοι ταπεινοφροσύνης ἑαυτοὺς διηνεκῶς καταφέροντες.

1.9. All who enter upon the good fight, which is hard and narrow, but also easy, must realize that they must leap into the fire, if they really expect the celestial fire to dwell in them. But, let everyone examine himself, and so let him eat the bread of it with its bitter herbs, and let him drink the cup of it with its tears, lest his service lead to his own judgment. If everyone who has been baptized has not been saved—I shall be silent about what follows.[12]

Γινωσκέτωσαν πάντες οἱ ἐν τῷ καλῷ ἀγῶνι τούτῳ τῷ σκληρῷ, καὶ στενῷ, καὶ ἐλαφρῷ προσερχόμενοι, ὡς εἰς πῦρ προσεληλύθασιν εἰσπηδῆσαι, εἴπερ πῦρ ἄϋλον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἐνοικῆσαι ἐκδέχονται. Δοκιμαζέτω δὲ ἕκαστος ἑαυτὸν, καὶ εἶθ’ οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου αὐτῆς τοῦ μετὰ πικρίδων, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου αὐτῆς τοῦ μετὰ δακρύων ἐσθιέτω, καὶ πινέτω, ἵνα μὴ εἰς κρῖμα ἑαυτῷ στρατεύηται. Εἰ οὐ πᾶς ὁ βαπτιζόμενος σέσωσται, τὸ ἑξῆς σιωπήσομαι, πάντα ἀπαρνήσονται, πάντα καταφρονήσουσι·

Foundational Virtues and

Practices

1.10. Those who enter this contest must renounce all things, despise all things, deride all things, and shake off all things, that they may lay a firm foundation. A good foundation of three layers and three pillars is

πάντα καταγελάσονται· πάντα ἐκτινάξονται οἱ προσερχόμενοι, ἵνα καλὸν θεμέλιον καταβάλωνται. Καλὸς τρίδομος καὶ τρίστυλος θεμέλιος

[1] innocence,

[2] fasting

[3] and temperance.

ἀκακία,

νηστεία,

σωφροσύνη.

1.11. To lag in the fight at the very outset of the struggle and thereby to furnish proof of our coming defeat[13] is a very hateful and dangerous thing. A firm beginning will certainly be useful for us when we later grow slack. A soul that is strong at first but then relaxes is spurred on by the memory of its former zeal. And in this way new wings are often obtained.

Μισητὸν ἀληθῶς καὶ ἐπικίνδυνον τὸ ἐξ εἰσόδου τῆς πάλης χαυνωθῆναι τὸν παλαίοντα, πᾶσι διδόντα τεχμήριον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σφαγῆς. Ἔστω ἡμῖν πάντως ἐκ τῆς στεῤῥᾶς ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐν τῇ μετ’ αὐτὴν χαυνώσει ὠφέλεια. Ψυχὴ γὰρ ἀνδρισαμένη, καὶ ὑποχαλάσασα, ὑπὸ τῆς μνήμης τῆς ἀρχαίας σπουδῆς, ὡς ὑπὸ κέντρου. πλήσσεται. Διὸ  καὶ ἐκ τούτου πολλάκις τινὲς ἑαυτοὺς ἀνεπτέρωσαν.

1.12. When the soul betrays itself and loses the blessed and longed for fervour, let it carefully investigate the reason for losing this. And let it arm itself with all its longing and zeal against whatever has caused this. For the former fervour can return only through the same door through which it was lost.

Ὁπότ’ ἂν ἡ ψυχὴ ἑαυτὴν προδοῦσα τὴν θέρμην ἀπολέσῃ τὴν μακαρίαν καὶ ἐπήρατον, ζητησάτω ἐπιμελῶς ἐκ ποίας αἰτίας αὐτῆς ἐστέρηται, καὶ κατ’ ἐκείνης ὅλον τὸν πόθον, καὶ τὴν σπουδὴν ἀναλαβέτω. Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ δι’ ἑτέρας πύλης αὐτὴν ἐπαναστρέψαι, εἰ μὴ δι’ ἧς καὶ ἐξελήλυθεν.

1.13. The man who renounces the world from fear is like burning incense, that begins with fragrance but ends in smoke. He who leaves the world through hope of reward is like a millstone, that always moves in the same way.[14] But he who withdraws from the world out of love for God has obtained fire at the very outset; and, like fire set to fuel, it soon kindles a larger fire.

Ὁ μὲν ἐκ φόβου τὴν ὑποταγὴν ποιησάμενος, ἴσως τῷ καιομένῳ θυμιάματι προσέοικεν, ἐν ἀρχαῖς μὲν ἐξ εὐωδίας ἀρξάμενον [ἴσως, ἀρξαμένῳ] ὕστερον δὲ εἰς καπνὸν καταλῆξαν [καταλήξαντι]· ὁ δὲ ἐκ μισθοῦ, ὀνικὸς μύλος καθίσταται, διὰ παντὸς ὡσαύτως κινούμενος· ὁ δὲ ἐξ ἀγάπης θείας τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ποιούμενος, εὐθέως πῦρ ἐν προοιμίοις κέκτηται·

1.14. Some build bricks upon stones. Others set pillars on the bare ground. And there are some who go a short distance and, having got their muscles and joints warm, go faster. Whoever can understand, let him understand this allegorical word.

καὶ ἴσως ἐν ὕλῃ βληθὲν, κατὰ πρόσωπον σφοδροτέραν τὴν πυρὰν ἐξάψοιεν. Εἰσί τινες οἱ ἐπάνω λίθων πλίνθους οἰκοδομοῦντες· καὶ εἰσὶν ἕτεροι, οἳ ἐπάνω γῆς στύλους ἑδραίωσαν· καὶ εἰσὶν ἄλλοι μικρὸν πεζεύσαντες, καὶ τῶν νεύρων, καὶ ἁρμῶν θαλφθέντες, ὀξυτέρως ἐβάδισαν, ὁ νοῶν νοείτω λόγον συμβολικόν.

1.15. Let us eagerly run our course as men called by our God and King, lest, since our time is short, we be found in the day of our death without fruit and perish of hunger. Let us please the Lord as soldiers please their king; because we are required to give an exact account of our service after the campaign. Let us fear the Lord not less than we fear beasts. For I have seen men who were going to steal and were not afraid of God, but, hearing the barking of dogs, they at once turned back; and what the fear of God could not achieve was done by the fear of animals. Let us love God at least as much as we respect our friends. For I have often seen people who had offended God and were not in the least perturbed about it. And I have seen how those same people provoked their friends in some trifling matter and then employed every artifice, every device, every sacrifice, every apology, both personally and through friends and relatives, not sparing gifts, in order to regain their former love.

Ὡς ὑπὸ Θεοῦ καὶ βασιλέως κληθέντες προθύμως δράμωμεν, μήπως ὀλιγοχρόνιοι ὄντες ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θανάτου ἄκαρποι εὑρεθῶμεν, καὶ τῷ λιμῷ τελευτήσωμεν. Εὐαρεστήσωμεν Κυρίῳ ὡς στρατιῶται βασιλεῖ. Μετὰ γὰρ στρατείαν τότε τὴν ἀκριβῆ δουλείαν ἀπαιτούμεθα. Φοβηθῶμεν τὸν Κύριον ὡς τὰ θηρία. Εἶδον γὰρ ἄνδρας συλῆσαι πορευθέντας, καὶ Θεὸν μὲν οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν, κυνῶν δὲ φωνὴν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἀκούσαντες εὐθέως ὑπέστρεψαν. Καὶ ὅπερ φόβος Θεοῦ οὐκ ἐποίησε, τοῦτο φόβος θηρίων ἴσχυσεν. Ἀγαπήσωμεν τὸν Κύριον, ὡς τοὺς φίλους σεβόμεθα. Εἶδον γὰρ πολλάκις τινὰς τὸν Θεὸν λυπήσαντας, καὶ οὐδεμίαν μέριμναν περὶ τούτου ἐσχηκότας· καὶ εἶδον τοὺς αὐτοὺς, τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἀγαπητοὺς ἔν τινι ψιλῷ παραπικράσαντας, καὶ πᾶσαν μηχανὴν, πᾶσαν ἐπίνοιαν, πᾶσαν θλίψιν, πᾶσαν ἐξομολόγησιν δι’ ἑαυτῶν, διὰ φίλων, διὰ δώρων ποιήσαντας, ἵνα εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀγάπην ἐπιστρέψωσιν.

1.16. In the very beginning of our renunciation, it is certainly with labour and grief that we practise the virtues. But when we have made progress in them, we no longer feel sorrow, or we feel little sorrow. But as soon as our mortal mind is consumed, and mastered by our alacrity, we practise them with all joy and eagerness, with love and with divine fire.

Ἐν αὐταῖς ταῖς ἀρχαῖς τῆς ἀποταγῆς πάντως μετὰ κόπου, καὶ πικρίας τὰς ἀρετὰς κατεργαζόμεθα· προκόψαντες δὲ λοιπὸν, ἀλύπως ἐν αὐταῖς, καὶ μικρὸν λυπούμενοι διακείμεθα. Ὅταν δὲ τὸ θνητὸν ἡμῶν φρόνημα καταποθῇ καὶ κυριευθῇ ὑπὸ τῆς προθυμίας, τὸ λοιπὸν μετὰ πάσης χαρᾶς, καὶ σπουδῆς, καὶ πόθου, καὶ φλογὸς θείας αὐτὰς κατεργαζόμεθα.

1.17. Those who at once from the very outset follow the virtues and fulfil the commandments with joy and alacrity certainly deserve praise. And in the same way those who spend a long time in asceticism[15] and still find it a weariness to obey the commandments, if they obey them at all, certainly deserve pity.

Καθόσον ἐπαινετοὶ οἱ εὐθέως ἐκ προοιμίων μετὰ πάσης χαρᾶς, καὶ προθυμίας τὰς ἐντολὰς ἐκτελοῦντες· κατὰ τοσοῦτον ἐλεεινοὶ, οἱ ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει χρονίσαντες, καὶ ἔτι μετὰ κόπου αὐτὰς μετερχόμενοι, κἂν μετέρχονται. Μηδὲ τὰς περιστατικὰς ἀποταγὰς βδελυζώμεθα ἢ κατακρίνωμεν.

1.18. Let us not even abhor or condemn the renunciation due merely to circumstances. I have seen men who had fled into exile meet the emperor by accident when he was on tour, and then join his company, enter his palace, and dine with him. I have seen seed casually fall on the earth and bear plenty of thriving fruit. And I have seen the opposite, too. I have also seen a person come to a hospital with some other motive, but the courtesy and kindness of the physician overcame him, and on being treated with an astringent, he got rid of the darkness that lay on his eyes. Thus for some the unintentional was stronger and more sure than what was intentional in others.

Εἶδον γάρ τινας φεύγοντας, καὶ ἀκουσίως τῷ βασιλεῖ προσερχομένους, καὶ ἀπαντῶντας προσερχομένῳ, καὶ τούτῳ λοιπὸν ἀκουσίως ὀψικεύσαντας, καὶ ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ αὐτῷ συνεισελθόντας, καὶ τούτῳ συναριστήσαντας. Εἶδον σπόρον ἐν γῇ ἀκουσίως ἐκπεσόντα, καὶ καρπὸν πολὺν, καὶ εὐθαλῆ πεποιηκότα· ὥσπερ καὶ ἔμπαλιν. Εἶδον ἐν ἰατρείῳ τινὰ κατά τινα ἑτέραν χρείαν παραγενόμενον, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰατροῦ ἀστειότητι κρατηθέντα, καὶ ἀποστυφθέντα, καὶ τὴν ἐπικειμένην τῷ φωτὶ  αὐτοῦ ἀχλὺν ἀποβαλόντα· καὶ γέγονε τὰ ἀκούσια τῶν ἔν τισιν ἑκουσίων βεβαιότερα, καὶ κυριώτερα.

1.19. Let no one, by appealing to the weight and multitude of his sins, say that he is unworthy of the monastic vow, and for love of pleasure disparage himself, excusing himself with excuses in his sins.[16] Where there is much corruption, considerable treatment is needed to draw out all the impurity. The healthy do not go to a hospital.

Μηδεὶς βάρος καὶ πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν προφασιζόμενος ἀνάξιον ἑαυτὸν τοῦ μοναχικοῦ ἐπαγγέλματος ἀποκαλοῖτο· καὶ διὰ ἡδυπάθειαν ἑαυτὸν εὐτελίζειν νομιζέτω, προφασιζόμενος προφάσεις ἐν ἁμαρτίαις Ὅπου γὰρ πολλὴ ἡ σηπεδὼν, ἐκεῖ καὶ μεγάλης ἰατρείας χρεία, ἵνα τὸν ῥύπον ἀπόθηται. Οἱ γὰρ ὑγιαίνοντες ἐν ἰατρείῳ οὐ παραγίνονται.

1.20. If an earthly king were to call us and request us to serve in his presence, we should not delay for other orders, we should not make excuses, but we should leave everything and eagerly go to him. Let us then be on the alert, lest when the King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods calls us to this heavenly office, we cry off out of sloth and cowardice and find ourselves without excuse at the Last Judgment. It is possible to walk, even when tied with the fetters of worldly affairs and iron cares, but only with difficulty. For even those who have iron chains on their feet can often walk; but they are continually stumbling and getting hurt. An unmarried man, who is only tied to the world by business affairs, is like one who has fetters on his hands; and therefore when he wishes to enter the monastic life he has nothing to hinder him. But the married man is like one who is bound hand and foot. (So when he wants to run he cannot.)[17]

Εἰ βασιλέως ἐπιγείου καλέσαντος, καὶ εἰς τὴν κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ δουλείαν στρατεῦσαι θελήσαντος, οὐκ ἀναμένομεν, οὐ προφασιζόμεθα· ἀλλὰ πάντα καταλείψαντες προθύμως αὐτὸν καταφθάνομεν· πρόσχωμεν ἑαυτοῖς, μή πως τοῦ Βασιλέως τῶν βασιλέων, καὶ Κυρίου τῶν κυρίων, καὶ Θεοῦ τῶν θεῶν καλοῦντος ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν οὐράνιον ταύτην τάξιν, ἐξ ὀκνηρίας, καὶ ῥᾳθυμίας παραιτησώμεθα, καὶ ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ βήματι εὑρεθῶμεν ἀναπολόγητοι· δυνατὸν μὲν γὰρ καὶ δεδεμένον τοῖς τοῦ βίου πράγμασι, καὶ σιδηραῖς φροντίσι βαδίζειν, ἀλλὰ δυσχερῶς. Ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ σίδηρα περικείμενοι ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν πολλάκις βαδίζουσιν. Ἀλλὰ συνεχῶς προσκόπτουσι, καὶ τραύματα ἐκ τούτου δέχονται. Ὁ γὰρ ἄγαμος ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ μόνοις τοῖς πράγμασι δεδεμένος, τῷ ἐν χερσὶ τὰ κλοιὰ περικειμένῳ ἔοικε (διὸ καὶ ὅτε βούλεται δραμεῖν πρὸς τὸν μονήρη βίον οὐ κωλύεται)· ὁ δὲ γήμας, τῷ ἐν χερσὶ καὶ ποσὶ τοὺς δεσμοὺς περικειμένῳ

1.21. Some people living carelessly in the world have asked me: ‘We have wives and are beset with social cares, and how can we lead the solitary life?’ I replied to them: ‘Do all the good you can; do not speak evil of anyone; do not steal from anyone; do not lie to anyone; do not be arrogant towards anyone; do not hate any one; be sure you go to church; be compassionate to the needy; do not offend anyone; do not wreck another man’s domestic happiness;[18] and be content with what your own wives can give you. If you behave in this way you will not be far from the Kingdom of Heaven.’

Ἤκουσά τινων ἐν κόσμῳ ἀμελῶς διακειμένων, εἰρηκότων πρός με· Πῶς δυνάμεθα ὁμοζύγῳ συζῶντες, καὶ δημοσίαις φροντίσι περικείμενοι τὸν μοναδικὸν βίον μετελθεῖν; Πρὸς οὓς ἀπεκρίθημεν. Πάντα ὅσα δύνασθε ποιεῖν ἀγαθὰ, ποιήσατε· μηδένα λοιδορήσητε· μηδένα κλέψητε· μηδενὶ ψεύσησθε· μηδενὸς κατεπερθῆτε [κατεπαρθῆτε]· μηδένα μισήσητε· τῶν συνάξεων μὴ χωρίζησθε· τοῖς δεομένοις συμπαθήσατε· μηδένα σκανδαλίσητε· ἀλλοτρίᾳ μερίδι μὴ προσεγγίσητε· καὶ ἀρκεῖσθε τοῖς ὀψωνίοις τῶν γυναικῶν ὑμῶν. Ἐὰν οὕτως ποιήσητε, οὐ μακρὰν  ἔσεσθε τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν.

1.22. Let us charge into the good fight with joy and love without being afraid of our enemies. Though unseen themselves, they can look at the face of our soul, and if they see it altered by fear, they take up arms against us all the more fiercely. For the cunning creatures have observed that we are scared. So let us take up arms against them courageously. No one will fight with a resolute fighter.

Προσδράμωμεν χαρᾷ καὶ φόβῳ τῷ καλῷ ἀγῶνι, μὴ δειλιῶντες τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν, ἐπειδὴ εἰς πρόσωπον τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν καθορῶσιν, εἰ καὶ οὐχ ὁρῶνται· κἂν ἴδωσιν αὐτὸ ἐκ δειλίας ἀλλοτριωθὲν, τότε καθ’ ἡμῶν πικροτέρως ὁπλίζονται, νοήσαντες οἱ δόλιοι ὅτι ἐφοβήθημεν. Εὐψύχως οὖν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁπλισώμεθα· τῷ γὰρ μαχομένῳ προθύμως οὐδεὶς μάχεται.

1.23. The Lord designedly makes easy the battles of beginners so that they should not immediately return to the world at the outset. And so rejoice in the Lord always, all servants of His, detecting in this the first sign of the Master’s love for us, and a sign that He Himself has called us. But when God sees courageous souls, He has often been known to act in this way: He lets them have conflicts from the very beginning in order to crown them the sooner. But the Lord hides the difficulty[19] of this contest from those in the world. For if they were to know, no one would renounce the world.

Οἰκονομικῶς ὁ Κύριος ἐκ τῶν νεοπαγῶν τοὺς πολέμους ἐκούφισεν, ἵνα μὴ ἐκ προοιμίων εὐθέως εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐπαναλύσωσι. Διὸ χαίρετε ἐν Κυρίῳ πάντοτε, πάντες οἱ δοῦλοι Θεοῦ· τοῦτο πρῶτον σημεῖον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τῆς τοῦ Δεσπότου ἀγάπης πρὸς ἡμᾶς γνωρίσαντες, καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς κέκληκεν. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ποιῶν ὁ Θεὸς πολλάκις γνωρίζεται· ἰδὼν γὰρ ἀνδρείας ψυχὰς εὐθέως ἐκ προοιμίων ἐν αὐταῖς τοὺς πολέμους συνεχώρησε, στεφανῶσαι αὐτὰς συντόμως βουλόμενος. Ἀπέκρυψεν ὁ Κύριος ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν κόσμῳ τὴν τοῦ σταδίου δυσχέρειαν, μᾶλλον δὲ εὐχέρειαν· εἰ γὰρ ταύτην ἔγνωσαν, οὐκ ἂν ἀπετάσσετο πᾶσα σάρξ.

1.24. Offer to Christ the labours of your youth, and in your old age you will rejoice in the wealth of dispassion. What is gathered in youth nourishes and comforts those who are tired out in old age. In our youth let us labour ardently and let us run vigilantly, for the hour of death is unknown. We have very evil and dangerous, cunning, unscrupulous foes, who hold fire in their hands and try to burn the temple of God with the flame that is in it. These foes are strong; they never sleep; they are incorporeal and invisible. Let no one when he is young listen to his enemies, the demons, when they say to him: ‘Do not wear out your flesh lest you make it sick and weak.’ For you will scarcely find anyone, especially in the present generation, who is determined to mortify his flesh, although he might deprive himself of many pleasant dishes. The aim of this demon is to make the very outset of our spiritual life lax and negligent, and then make the end correspond to the beginning.

Δίδου κόπους νεότητός σου προθύμως Χριστῷ, καὶ χαρήσῃ ἐν γήρᾳ ἐπὶ πλούτῳ ἀγαθείας· τὰ ἐν νεότητι συναγόμενα ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ τοὺς ἐξατονήσαντας τρέφουσι, καὶ παραμυθοῦνται. Κάμωμεν νέοι ζεόντως, δράμωμεν νηφόντως· ὁ γὰρ θάνατος ἄδηλος· πονηροὺς ἀληθῶς καὶ χαλεποὺς, δολίους, πανούργους μετὰ χεῖρας πῦρ κατέχοντας, καὶ τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐμπρῆσαι ἐπιθυμοῦντας διὰ τῆς φλογὸς τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ, δυνατοὺς, καὶ ἀΰπνους, ἀΰλους, ἀοράτους ἐχθροὺς ἔχομεν. Μηδεὶς νέος ὑπάρχων τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ δαίμονας παραδέξηται λέγοντας· Μή σου κατατρίψῃς τὴν σάρκα, ἵνα μὴ νόσοις καὶ ἀσθενείαις περιπέσῃς· μόλις γὰρ ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ μάλιστα γενεᾷ εὑρεθήσεται ὁ θανατῶσαι ταύτην προελόμενος· κἂν πολλῶν καὶ ἡδυνόντων βρωμάτων ἑαυτὸν στερήσειεν. Σκοπὸς δὲ τούτῳ τῷ δαίμονι αὐτὴν ἡμῶν τὴν ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ εἴσοδον χαύνην, καὶ ῥᾴθυμον ποιῆσαι· καὶ τὸ τέλος λοιπὸν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἁρμόδιον.

1.25. Those who have really determined to serve Christ, with the help of spiritual fathers and their own self-knowledge will strive before all else to choose a place, and a way of life, and a habitation, and exercises suitable for them. For community life is not for all, on account of greed; and not for all are places of solitude, on account of anger. But each will consider what is most suited to his needs.

Πρὸ πάντων τοῦτο καὶ ζητήσουσι, καὶ ποιήσουσιν οἱ ἐν Χριστῷ γνησίως δουλεῦσαι βουλόμενοι, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς τόπους, καὶ τοὺς τρόπους, καὶ τὰ καθίσματα, καὶ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα διὰ πνευματικῶν Πατέρων, καὶ οἰκείας ἐπιγνώσεως ἁρμόζοντα ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιλέξωνται. Οὐ γὰρ πάντων τὰ κοινόβια, διὰ τὸ λιχνῶδες· οὐδὲ πάντων τὰ ἡσυχαστήρια, διὰ τὸ θυμῶδες· ἕκαστος δὲ ἐπισκέψεται ἐν ποίῳ πεποίωται.

1.26. The whole monastic state consists of three specific kinds of establishment:

Ἐν τρισὶ γενικωτάταις καταστάσεσι καθισμάτων ἅπασα ἡ μοναχικὴ πολιτεία περιέχεται·

[1]  either the retirement and solitude of a spiritual athlete, 

[2] or living in silence with one or two others,

[3] or settling patiently in a community.

ἢ ἐν ἀθλητικῇ ἀναχωρήσει, καὶ μονίᾳ·

ἢ μετὰ ἑνὸς, ἢ πολὺ δύο ἡσυχάζειν·

ἢ ἐν κοινοβίῳ ὑπομονητικῶς καθέζεσθαι.

1.27. So who is a faithful and wise monk? He who has kept his fervour unabated, and to the end of his life has not ceased daily to add fire to fire, fervour to fervour, zeal to zeal, love to love.[24]

Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς, καὶ φρόνιμος μοναχὸς, ὃς τὴν θέρμην τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐφύλαξεν ἄσβεστον· καὶ μέχρι τῆς αὐτοῦ ἐξόδου καθ’ ἡμέραν [προστιθεὶς] πῦρ πυρὶ, καὶ θέρμην θέρμῃ, καὶ σπουδὴν σπουδῇ, καὶ πόθον πόθῳ οὐκ ἐπαύσατο;

This is the first step. Let him who has set foot on it not turn back.

Ὁ ἐπιβεβηκὼς μὴ στραφῇς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω.  

Step 2 On detachment

STEP 2- On Detachment

(2.) ΛΟΓΟΣ Βʹ. Περὶ ἀπροσπαθείας, ἤγουν ἀλυπίας.

2.1. The man who really loves the Lord, who has made a real effort to find the coming Kingdom, who has really begun to be troubled by his sins, who is really mindful of eternal torment and judgment, who really lives in fear of his own departure, will not love, care or worry about money, or possessions, or parents, or worldly glory, or friends, or brothers, or anything at all on earth. But having shaken off all ties with earthly things and having stripped himself of all his cares, and having come to hate even his own flesh, and having stripped himself of everything, he will follow Christ without anxiety or hesitation, always looking heavenward and expecting help from there, according to the word of the holy man: My soul sticks close behind Thee,[25] and according to the ever-memorable author who said: I have not wearied of following Thee, nor have I desired the day (or rest) of man, O Lord.[26]

Ὁ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ τὸν Κύριον ἀγαπήσας· ὁ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ τῆς μελλούσης βασιλείας ἐπιτυχεῖν ἐπιζητήσας· ὁ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ πόνον περὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πταισμάτων ἐσχηκώς· ὁ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ μνήμην κολάσεως κτησάμενος, καὶ κρίσεως αἰωνίου· ὁ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ φόβον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐξόδου ἀναλαβὼν οὐκ ἔτι ἀγαπήσει, οὐκ ἔτι φροντίσει, ἢ μεριμνήσει, οὐ χρημάτων, οὐ κτημάτων, οὐ γονέων, οὐ δόξης τοῦ βίου, οὐ φίλου, οὐκ ἀδελφῶν, οὐδενὸς ἐπιγείου τὸ παράπαν· ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν σχέσιν, πᾶσαν τὴν περὶ τούτου φροντίδα ἐκτιναξάμενος, καὶ μισήσας· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα· πρὸς τούτων γυμνὸς, καὶ ἀμέριμνος, καὶ ἀόκνως Χριστῷ ἀκολουθεῖ, πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀεὶ βλέπων, καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν βοήθειαν ἀναδεχόμενος, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα ἅγιον· Ἐκολλήθη ἡ ψυχή μου ὀπίσω σου, καὶ τὸν ἄλλον τὸν ἀείμνηστον εἰρηκότα· Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἐκοπίασα κατακολουθῶν σοι, καὶ ἡμέραν, ἢ ἀνάπαυσιν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἐπεθύμησα, Κύριε.

2.2. After our call, which comes from God and not man, we have left all that is mentioned above, and it is a great disgrace for us to worry about anything that cannot help us in the hour of our need—that is to say, the hour of our death. For as the Lord said, this means looking back and not being fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.[27] Knowing how fickle we novices are and how easily we turn to the world through visiting, or being with, worldly people, when someone said to Him: ‘Suffer me first to go and bury my father,’ our Lord replied, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead.’[28]

Αἰσχύνη μεγίστη ὑπάρχει τὸ πάντα τὰ προειρημένα καταλιπόντας μετὰ τὴν κλῆσιν ἡμῶν, ἣν ὁ Κύριος κέκληκεν ἡμᾶς, καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπος, τινὸς φροντίζειν μὴ δυναμένου ἡμᾶς εὐεργετῆσαι ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἡμῶν, ἤγουν τῆς ἐξόδου. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ὅπερ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος, στραφῆναι εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ μὴ εὑρεθῆναι εὔθετον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν τὸ εὐόλισθον ἡμῶν τῶν εἰσαγωγικῶν γινώσκων, καὶ ὡς εὐχερῶς ἐν τοῖς κοσμικοῖς συνδιάγοντες, ἢ συντυγχάνοντες, πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸν κόσμον στρεφόμεθα, φησὶ πρὸς τὸν εἰρηκότα αὐτῷ· Ἐπίτρεψόν μοι ἀπελθεῖν θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου. Ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.

2.3. After our renunciation of the world, the demons suggest to us that we should envy those living in the world who are merciful and compassionate, and be sorry for ourselves as deprived of these virtues. The aim of our foes is, by false humility, either to make us return to the world, or, if we remain monks, to plunge us into despair. It is possible to belittle those living in the world out of conceit; and it is also possible to disparage them behind their backs in order to avoid despair and to obtain hope.

Οἱ δαίμονες μετὰ τὴν  ἀποταγὴν, λοιπὸν τοὺς ἐλεήμονας ἡμῖν, καὶ συμπαθεῖς τῶν κοσμικῶν μακαρίζειν ὑποτίθενται, καὶ ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστερήσαντας. Σκοπὸς δὲ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν διὰ νόθου ταπεινώσεως, ἢ πρὸς τὸν κόσμον ἡμᾶς ἐπιστρέψαι, ἢ μένοντας μοναχοὺς πρὸς τὴν ἀπόγνωσιν κατακρημνῖσαι. Ἔστιν εὐτελίζειν τοὺς ἐν κόσμῳ διὰ οἴησιν, καὶ ἔστιν αὐτοὺς ἀπόντας ἐξουθενεῖν, διὰ τὸ φυγεῖν τὴν ἀπόγνωσιν, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα προσκτήσασθαι.

2.4. Let us listen to what the Lord said to the young man who had fulfilled nearly all the commandments: ‘One thing thou lackest; sell what thou hast and give to the poor[29] and become a beggar who receives alms from others.’

Ἀκούσωμεν οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς ἐκεῖνον τὸν νεανίσκον, τὸν πάσας σχεδὸν τὰς ἐντολὰς ἐργασάμενον εἰρηκότα· ὅτι Ἕν σοι λείπει, τὸ πωλῆσαι τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δοῦναι πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἑαυτὸν πτωχὸν καταστῆσαι ἐλεημοσύνην δεχόμενον.

2.5. Having resolved to run our race with ardour and fervour, let us consider carefully how the Lord gave judgment concerning all living in the world, speaking of even those who are alive as ‘dead’, when He said to someone: Leave those in the world who are ‘dead’ to bury the dead in body.[30] His wealth did not in the least prevent the young man from being baptized. And so it is in vain that some say that the Lord commanded him to sell what he had for the sake of baptism. This[31] is more than sufficient to give us the most firm assurance of the surpassing glory of our vow.

Οἱ προθύμως καὶ ζέως διαδραμεῖν βουλόμενοι, νουνεχῶς ἐπισκεψώμεθα πῶς ὁ Κύριος πάντας τοὺς ἐν κόσμῳ διατρίβοντας, καὶ ζῶντας νεκροὺς κατεδίκασεν, εἰπὼν πρός τινα· Ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς κοσμικοὺς, τοὺς τῷ σώματι νεκροὺς θάψαι· οὐδὲν ἐκώλυσε τὸν νεανίσκον ἐκεῖνον ὁ πλοῦτος προσελθεῖν τῷ βαπτίσματι. Ἐματαιώθησαν τοίνυν φάσκοντές τινες, ὅτι τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάριν ὁ Κύριος πωλῆσαι αὐτὸν τὸν πλοῦτον διέταττεν. Ἀρκείτω ἡμῖν εἰς μεγίστην πληροφορίαν τῆς μεγίστης δόξης τοῦ ἡμετέρου ἐπαγγέλματος, ἡ τοιαύτη πληροφορία.

2.6. It is worth investigating why those who live in the world and spend their life in vigils, fasts, labours and hardships, when they withdraw from the world and begin the monastic life, as if at some trial or on the practising ground, no longer continue the discipline of their former spurious and sham asceticism. I have seen how in the world they planted many different plants of the virtues, which were watered by vainglory as by an underground sewage pipe, and were hoed by ostentation, and for manure were heaped with praise. But when transplanted to a desert soil, in accessible to people of the world and so not manured with the foul-smelling water of vanity, they withered at once. For water- loving plants are not such as to produce fruit in hard and arid training fields.

Ζητητέον πῶς οἱ ἐν κόσμῳ διάγοντες, καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις, καὶ νηστείαις, καὶ κόποις, καὶ κακοπαθείαις διατρίβοντες, ἐν μονήρει βίῳ ὥσπερ ἐν δοκιμαστηρίῳ, καὶ σκάμματι ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀναχωροῦντες, τὴν προτέραν ἄσκησιν αὐτῶν τὴν νενοθευμένην, καὶ ἐπίπλαστον οὐκ ἔτι μετέρχονται; Ἑώρακα πλεῖστα, καὶ διάφορα φυτὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν παρ’ αὐτῶν ἐν κόσμῳ καταφυτευόμενα· καὶ ὥσπερ ἐξ ὑπονόμου βορβόρου, ὑπὸ τῆς κενοδοξίας ποτιζόμενα, καὶ ὑπὸ φανητιασμοῦ κελευόμενα, καὶ ὑπὸ ἐπαίνων κοπριζόμενα· καὶ μέντοι μεταφυτευθέντα ἐν γῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ ἀβάτῳ κοσμικῶν, καὶ ἀνύδρῳ κενοδοξιακοῦ, καὶ βρωμώδους ὕδατος, εὐθέως ἐπεξηράνθησαν. Οὐ γὰρ πεφύκασι τὰ ἔνυδρα φυτὰ ἐν σκληροῖς καὶ ἀνύδροις γυμναστηρίοις καρποφορεῖν.

2.7. The man who has come to hate the world has escaped sorrow. But he who has an attachment to anything visible is not yet delivered from grief. For how is it possible not to be sad at the loss of something we love? We need to have great vigilance in all things. But we must give our whole attention to this above everything else. I have seen many people in the world, who by reason of cares, worries, occupations and vigils, avoided the wild desires of their body. But after entering the monastic life, and in complete freedom from anxiety, they polluted themselves in a pitiful way by the disturbing demands of the body.

Εἴ τις κόσμον ἐμίσησεν, οὗτος λύπην διέφυγεν· εἰ δέ τις πρός τι τῶν ὁρωμένων προσπάθειαν κέκτηται, οὐδέπω λύπης λελύτρωται. Πῶς γὰρ ἂν καὶ μὴ λυπηθήσεται ἐπὶ τῇ στερήσει τοῦ ἀγαπωμένου; Ἐν πᾶσι μὲν πολλῆς ἡμῖν χρεία τῆς νήψεως, ἐπιπλεῖον δὲ τούτῳ προσεκτέον νουνεχῶς πρὸ τῶν λοιπῶν. Πολλοὺς τεθεάκαμεν ἐν κόσμῳ, ὑπὸ μεριμνῶν, καὶ φροντίδων, καὶ ἀδολεσχιῶν, καὶ ἀγρυπνιῶν σωματικῶν τὴν τοῦ οἰκείου σώματος μανίαν ἐκφυγόντας· ἐν ἀμεριμνίᾳ δὲ πάσῃ ἐπὶ τὸν μονήρη βίον ἐληλυθότας·

2.8. Let us pay close attention to ourselves so that we are not deceived into thinking that we are following the strait and narrow way when in actual fact we are keeping to the wide and broad way. The following will show you what the narrow way means: mortification of the stomach, all-night standing, water in moderation, short rations of bread, the purifying draught of dishonour, sneers, derision, insults, the cutting out of one’s own will, patience in annoyances, unmurmuring endurance of scorn, disregard of insults, and the habit, when wronged, of bearing it sturdily; when slandered, of not being indignant; when humiliated, not to be angry; when condemned, to be humble. Blessed are they who follow the way we have just described, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.[32]

οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἐλεεινῶς ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ σώματος κινήσεως ἐῤῥυπώθησαν· πρόσχωμεν ἑαυτοῖς μήποτε ἐπὶ τὴν στενὴν καὶ τεθλιμμένην ὁδὸν λέγοντες ὁδεύειν, τὴν πλατεῖαν καὶ εὐρύχωρον κατέχοντες ἐπλανήθημεν. Στενὴν ὁδὸν ἐμφανίσει σοι θλίψις κοιλίας, στάσις παννύχιος, μέτρον ὕδατος, ἄρτου ἔνδεια, ἀτι-  μίας πόμα καθάρσιον· μυκτηρισμοὶ, καταγέλωτες, ἐμπαισμοὶ, ἐκκοπὴ θελημάτων οἰκείων, προσκρούσεων ὑπομονὴ, περιφρονήσεως ἀγογγυσία, ὕβρεων βία, ἀδικούμενον ὑπομένειν ἰσχυρῶς, καταλαλούμενον μὴ ἀγανακτεῖν, ἐξουδενούμενον μὴ ὀργίζεσθαι, κατακρινόμενον ταπεινῶσαι. Μακάριοι οἱ τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν προειρημένων ὁδῶν πορευόμενοι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

2.9. No one will enter the heavenly bridechamber wearing a crown unless he makes the first, second and third renunciation.

Οὐδεὶς ἐν τῷ οὐρανίῳ νυμφῶνι στεφανηφορῶν ἐλεύσεται [A. στεφανηφόρος εἰσελεύσεται], μὴ τὴν πρώτην, καὶ δευτέραν, καὶ τρίτην ἀποταγὴν ἀποταξάμενος·

[1] I mean the renunciation of all business, and people, and parents;

[2] the cutting out of one’s will;

[3] and the third renunciation, of the conceit that dogs obedience.

λέγω δὴ τὴν πάντων πραγμάτων, καὶ ἀνθρώπων, καὶ γονέων,

καὶ τὴν ἐκκοπτὴν τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος·

καὶ τρίτην ἀποταγὴν τῆς κενοδοξίας, τῆς ἐπακολουθούσης τῇ ὑπακοῇ·

2.10. After our renunciation, when the demons inflame our hearts by reminding us of our parents and brethren, then let us arm ourselves against them with prayer, and let us inflame ourselves with the remembrance of the eternal fire, so that by reminding ourselves of this, we may quench the untimely fire of our heart.

Ὁπόταν οἱ δαίμονες μετὰ τὴν ἀποταγὴν τῇ πρὸς τοὺς γονεῖς ἡμῶν μνήμῃ, καὶ ἀδελφοὺς, καὶ καρδίαν ἡμῶν ἐκθερμαίνουσι, τότε ἡμεῖς τῇ προσευχῇ κατ’ αὐτῶν ὁπλισώμεθα, καὶ τῇ τοῦ αἰωνίου πυρὸς μνήμῃ ἑαυτοὺς πυρώσωμεν, ἵνα τῇ τούτου ὑπομνήσει τὸ ἄκαιρον τῆς καρδίας πῦρ κατασβέσωμεν.

2.11. If anyone thinks he is without attachment to some object, but is grieved at its loss, then he is completely deceiving himself.

Εἴ τις ἀπροσπαθῶς πρὸς οἷον οὖν [οἱονοῦν] πρᾶγμα διακεῖσθαι νομίζει. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ τούτου ἀποστερήσει τὴν καρδίαν λελύπηται, ὁ τοιοῦτος τελείως ἑαυτὸν ἠπάτησεν.

2.12. If young people who are prone to the desires of physical love and to luxurious ways wish to enter the monastic life, let them exercise themselves in all fasting and prayer, and persuade themselves to abstain from all luxury and vice, lest their last state be worse than the first.[34] This harbour provides safety, but also exposes one to danger. Those who sail the spiritual seas know this. But it is a pitiful sight to behold those who have survived perils at sea suffering shipwreck in harbour.

Ὅσοι νέοι περὶ τοὺς τῶν σωμάτων ἔρωτας, καὶ τὴν τροφὴν ἐμμανῶς διάκεινται, καὶ τῇ μοναδικῇ πολιτείᾳ προσελθεῖν βούλονται, πάσῃ νήψει καὶ προσευχῇ ἑαυτοὺς γυμνάσωσι, καὶ πείσωσι πάσης τρυφῆς, καὶ πονηρίας ἀπέχεσθαι· μήπως γένωνται αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων. Ὁ λιμὴν καὶ σωτηρίας, καὶ κινδύνων πρόξενος, καὶ τοῦτο γινώσκουσιν οἱ τὴν νοητὴν θάλασσαν πλέοντες. Ἐλεεινὸν δὲ ἰδέσθαι θέαμα, τοὺς ἐν τῷ πελάγει διασωθέντας, ἐν τῷ λιμένι ναυαγήσαντας. Δευτέρα ἀνάβασις·

2.13. This is the second step. Let those who run the race imitate not Lot’s wife but Lot himself, and flee.

ὁ τρέχων μὴ τὴν σύζυγον, ἀλλὰ τὸν Λὼτ μιμούμενος φεύγῃ.

Step 3On exile [or pilgrimage]

STEP 3- On Exile [or Pilgrimage][35]

(3.) ΛΟΓΟΣ Γʹ.Περὶ ξενιτείας.

3.1. Exile means that we leave forever everything in our own country that prevents us from reaching the goal of the religious life. Exile means modest manners, wisdom which remains unknown, prudence not recognized as such by most, a hidden life, an invisible intention, unseen meditation, desire for humiliation, longing for hardship, constant determination to love God, abundance of charity, renunciation of vainglory, depth of silence.

Ξενιτεία ἐστὶ κατάλειψις ἀνεπίστροφος πάντων τῶν ἐν τῇ πατρίδι, πρὸς τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας σκοπὸν ἡμῖν ἀντιπραττόντων. Ξενιτεία ἐστὶν ἀπαῤῥησίαστον ἦθος, ἄγνωστος σοφία, ἀδημοσίευτος σύνεσις, ἀπόκρυφος βίος, ἀθεώρητος σκοπὸς, ἀφανὴς λογισμὸς, εὐτελείας ὄρεξις, στενοχωρίας ἐπιθυμία, πόθου θείου ὑπόθεσις, ἔρωτος πλῆθος, κενοδοξίας ἄρνησις, σιωπῆς βυθός.

3.2. Those who have come to love the Lord are at first unceasingly and greatly disturbed by this thought, as if burning with divine fire. I speak of separation from their own, undertaken by the lovers of perfection so that they may live a life of hardship and simplicity. But great and praiseworthy as this is, yet it requires great discretion; for not every kind of exile, carried to extremes, is good.

Πέφυκέ πως καὶ οὗτος ὁ λογισμὸς ἐν προοιμίοις τοῖς ἐρασταῖς Κυρίου ἀεννάως, καὶ ἐπιτεταμένως διενοχλεῖν, ὡς ἐν θείῳ πυρί· λέγω δὲ ὁ τῶν ἰδίων [Α. οἰκείων] μακρισμὸς, σκοπῶ εὐτελείας, καὶ θλίψεως, προτρεπόμενος τοὺς ἐραστὰς τοῦ τοιούτου καλοῦ. Πλὴν καθ’ ὅσον μέγας καὶ ἀξιέπαινός ἐστι, κατὰ τοσοῦτον πολλὴν καὶ τὴν διάκρισιν κέκτηται.

3.3. If every prophet goes unhonoured in his own country,[36] as the Lord says, then let us beware lest our exile should be for us an occasion of vainglory. For exile is separation from everything in order to keep the mind inseparable from God. Exile loves and produces continual weeping. An exile is a fugitive from every attachment to his own people and to strangers.

Οὐ γὰρ πᾶσα ξενιτεία ἄκρως γενομένη [γινομένη] καλή· εἰ πᾶς προφήτης ἄτιμος ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ πατρίδι, ὥς φησιν ὁ Κύριος, σκοπήσωμεν μή πως γένηται ἡμῖν ξενιτεία κενοδοξίας ὑπόθεσις. Ξενιτεία γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πάντων χωρισμὸς, διὰ τὸ τὸν λογισμὸν ποιῆσαι Θεοῦ ἀχώριστον. Ξενιτεία ἐστὶν ἀνεμπλήστου πένθους ἐραστὴς, καὶ ἐργάτης. Ξένος ἐστὶν ὁ πάσης ἰδίων καὶ ἀλλοτρίων σχέσεως φυγάς.

3.4. In hastening to solitude and exile, do not wait for world-loving souls, because the thief comes unexpectedly. In trying to save the careless and indolent along with themselves, many perish with them, because in course of time the fire goes out. As soon as the flame is burning within you, run; for you do not know when it will go out and leave you in darkness. Not all of us are required to save others. The divine Apostle says: ‘Each one of us shall give account of himself to God.’[37] And again he says: ‘Thou therefore who teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?’[38] This is like saying: I do not know whether we must all teach others; but teach yourselves at all costs.

Μὴ ἀνάμενε ἐπὶ τὴν μονίαν, ἢ ἐπὶ τὴν ξενιτείαν ἐπειγόμενος τὰς φιλοκόσμους ψυχάς· δι’ ὅτι ὁ κλέπτης ἀνυπονόητος. Πολλοὶ συσσῶσαι πειραθέντες ῥᾳθύμους καὶ ὀκνηροὺς, συναπώλοντο, τοῦ πυρὸς τῷ χρόνῳ ἀποσβεσθέντος. Δεξάμενος φλόγα τρέχε. Οὐ γὰρ γινώσκεις, τὸ, πότε σβέννυται, καὶ ἐν σκοτίᾳ σε καταλήψει. Ἄλλους μὲν σῶσαι οὐ πάντες ἀπαιτούμεθα. Φησὶ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος· Ἆρα οὖν ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ἀδελφοὶ, περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δώσει τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ πάλιν· Ὁ διδάσκων, φησὶν, ἕτερον σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις. Ὥσπερ ἔλεγε· Περὶ ἄλλων μὲν οὐκ οἶδα, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ πάντες πάντως.

3.5. In going into exile, beware of the demon of wandering and of sensual desire; because exile gives him his opportunity.

Ξενιτεύων ἀσφαλίζου τὸν γυρευτὴν, καὶ φιλήδονον δαίμονα. Ἡ γὰρ ξενιτεία ἀφορμὴν αὐτῷ δίδωσι.

3.6. Detachment is excellent; but her mother is exile. Having become an exile for the Lord’s sake, we should have no ties of affection at all lest we seem to be roving in order to gratify our passions.

Καλὴ ἡ ἀπροσπάθεια, ταύτης δὲ ξενιτεία μήτηρ· ὁ ξενιτεύσας διὰ τὸν Κύριον, οὐκ ἔτι σχέσεις ἔσχηκεν, ἵνα μὴ φανῇ διὰ πάθη πλαζόμενος.

3.7. Have you become an exile from the world? Do not touch the world any more; because the passions desire nothing better than to return.

Ὁ κόσμου ξενιτεύων, μηκέτι κόσμου προσψαύσῃς· πεφύκασι γὰρ τὰ πάθη φιλεπίστροφα εἶναι.

3.8. Eve was exiled from Paradise against her will, but the monk is a willing exile from his home. She would have liked the tree of disobedience again; and he would certainly expose himself to frequent danger from relatives according to the flesh.

Ἐξορίζεται ἀκουσίως ἡ Εὖα τοῦ παραδείσου, καὶ μοναχὸς ἑκουσίως τῆς ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδος. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ πάλιν του ξύλου τῆς παρακοῆς ἐπιθυμεῖν ἔμελλεν· ὁ δὲ κίνδυνον ἐκ τῶν κατὰ σάρκα συγγενῶν πάντως ὑφίστατο.

3.9. Run from places of sin as from the plague. For when fruit is not present, we have no frequent desire to eat it.

Ἀπόφευγε ὡς ἀπὸ μάστιγος, τοὺς τῶν πτωμάτων τόπους. Καρποῦ γὰρ μὴ παρόντος οὐ συνεχῶς ὀρεγόμεθα.

3.10. Be on the look out for this trick and wile of the thieves. For they suggest to us that we need not separate ourselves from people in the world and maintain that we shall receive a great reward if we can look upon women and still remain continent. We must not believe these suggestions, but rather the opposite.

Μηδὲ οὗτος ὁ τρόπος, καὶ δόλος τῶν κλεπτῶν λανθανέτω σε· ὑποβάλλουσι γὰρ ἡμῖν τῶν κοσμικῶν μὴ χωρίζεσθαι, πολὺν τὸν μισθὸν ἡμᾶς λέγοντες κομίζεσθαι, εἴπερ ὁρῶντες τὸ θῆλυ ἑαυτῶν κρατήσωμεν, οἷστισιν οὐ πείθεσθαι δεῖ, μᾶλλον δὲ τοὐναντίον ποιεῖν.

3.11. When we have lived a year or two away from our family, and have acquired some piety or contrition or continence, then vain thoughts begin to rise up in us and urge us to go again to our homeland, ‘for the edification of many’, they say, ‘and as an example, and for the profit of those who saw our former lax life’. And if we possess the gift of eloquence and some shreds of knowledge, the thought occurs to us that we could be saviours of souls and teachers in the world—that we may waste in the sea what we have gathered so well in the harbour. Let us try to imitate not Lot’s wife, but Lot himself. For when a soul turns back to what it has left, like salt, it loses its savour and becomes henceforth useless. Run from Egypt without looking back; because the hearts which look back upon it with affection shall not see Jerusalem, the land of tranquility.[39]’ Those who left their own people in childlike simplicity at the beginning, and have since been completely purified may profitably return to their former land, perhaps even with the intention, after saving themselves, of saving others, too. Yet Moses, who was allowed to see God Himself and was sent by God for the salvation of his own people, met many dangers in Egypt, that is to say, dark nights in the world.

Ὅταν τῶν οἰκείων ἡμῶν ἐπὶ χρόνον, ἢ χρόνους ἀναχωρήσαντες μικράν τινα εὐλάβειαν, ἢ κατάνυξιν, ἢ ἐγκράτειαν ἑαυτοῖς περιποιησώμεθα· τότε λοιπὸν οἱ λογισμοὶ τῆς ματαιότητος ἐπιστάντες πορεύεσθαι ἡμῖν πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκείαν πατρίδα ἐπιτρέπουσιν εἰς οἰκοδομὴν πολλῶν, φησὶν, καὶ τύπον, καὶ ὠφέλειαν τῶν τὰς πράξεις ἡμῶν τὰς ἀθεμίτους σκοπούντων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ λόγου, καὶ φίλης γνώσεως εὐποροῦντες τυγχάνομεν, τότε λοιπὸν ὡς σωτῆρας ψυχῶν, καὶ διδασκάλους ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ κόσμῳ ὑποβάλλουσιν, ἵνα τὰ ἐν τῷ λιμένι συναχθέντα καλῶς, ἐν τῷ πελάγει κακῶς σκορπίσωσι. Μὴ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀλλ’ αὐτὸν τὸν Λὼτ μιμεῖσθαι σπουδάσωμεν· ψυχὴ γὰρ στραφεῖσα ὅθεν ἐξῆλθεν, ὡς τὸ ἅλας μωρανθήσεται, καὶ ἀκίνητος λοιπὸν μένει. Φεῦγε Αἴγυπτον ἀμεταστρεπτί. Αἱ γὰρ στραφεῖσαι καρδίαι ἐκεῖ τὴν γῆν τῆς ἀπαθείας Ἱερουσαλὴμ οὐκ ἐθεάσαντο. Ἔστιν ἐν προοιμίοις διὰ τὸ νηπιῶδες ἀπολιπόντας τὰ οἰκεῖα, καὶ τελείως καθαρθέντας, πρὸς αὐτὰ συμφερόντως ἐπιστραφῆναι, ἴσως σκοπῷ τοῦ μετὰ τὸ σωθῆναι σῶσαί τινας. Καίπερ ἐκ Θεοῦ Μωσῆς ἐκεῖνος ὁ θεόπτης, πρὸς σωτηρίαν τοῦ ὁμοφύλου γένους ἀποσταλεὶς, πολλοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τοὺς κινδύνους, ἤγουν ἐντῷ κόσμῳ τοὺς σκοτασμοὺς ἔσχηκε.

3.12. It is better to grieve our parents than the Lord. For He has created and saved us, but they have often ruined their loved ones and delivered them up to their doom.

Καλὸν λυπῆσαι γονεῖς, καὶ μὴ Κύριον· ὁ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἔπλασε, καὶ ἔσωσεν· οἱ δὲ πολλάκις οὓς ἠγάπησαν, ἀπόλεσαν, καὶ τῇ κολάσει παρέδωκαν·

 3.13. He is an exile who, having knowledge, sits like one of foreign speech amongst people of another tongue.

ξένος ἐκεῖνός ἐστι· ὁ ὡς ἀλλόγλωσσος ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις [ἔθνεσι] ἐν γνώσει καθήμενος.

3.14. It is not from hatred that we separate ourselves from our own people or places (God forbid!), but to avoid the harm which might come to us from them. In this, as in everything else, it is Christ who teaches us what is good for us. For it is clear that He often left His parents according to the flesh. And when He was told, ‘Thy Mother and Thy brethren are seeking for Thee’, our good Lord and Master at once showed us an example of dispassionate[40] hatred when He said, ‘My Mother and My brethren are they who do the will of My Father who is in heaven’.[41]

Οὐ μισοῦντες ἡμεῖς τοὺς οἰκείους ἑαυτῶν, ἢ τοὺς τόπους ἀναχωροῦμεν, μὴ γένοιτο! ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἡμῖν προσγινομένην βλάβην ἐκφεύγοντες. Ὡς ἐν πᾶσι, καὶ ἐν τούτοις γίνεται ἡμῖν Χριστὸς τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς διδάσκαλος. Φαίνεται γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς τοὺς γονεῖς κατὰ σάρκα πολλάκις καταλιπών· καὶ παρά τινων ἀκούων· Ἡ μήτηρ σου, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ζητοῦσί σε· θᾶττον ὁ καλὸς ἡμῶν Κύριος, καὶ διδάσκαλος ἀπαθὲς μῖσος ὑπέδειξεν εἰπών· Μήτηρ μου, καὶ ἀδελφοί μού εἰσιν οἱ ποιοῦντες τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

3.15. Let him be your father who is able and willing to labour with you in bearing the burden of your sins; and your mother—contrition, which can cleanse you from impurity; and your brother—your comrade who toils and fights side by side with you in your striving toward the heights. Acquire an inseparable wife—the remembrance of death. And let your beloved children be the sighs of your heart. Make your body your slave; and your friends, the Holy Powers (Angels) who can help you at the hour of your death, if they become your friends. This is the generation (family) of those who seek the Lord.[42]

Ἔστω σου πατὴρ ὁ πρὸς τὸ φορτίον τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων συγκοπιάσαι δυνάμενος, καὶ βουλόμενος, μήτηρ δὲ, ἡ κατάνυξις, ἡ ἀποπλῦναί σε τοῦ ῥύπου ἰσχύουσα· ἀδελφὸς δὲ, ὁ πρὸς τὸν δρόμον τὸν ἄνω συμπονῶν καὶ συναμιλλώμενος· κτῆσαι σύμβιον ἀναπόσπαστον μνήμην θανάτου· τέκνα δέ σου φιλητὰ ἔστωσαν στεναγμοὶ καρδίας. Δοῦλον κτῆσαι  σὸν σῶμα. Φίλους δὲ τὰς ἁγίας δυνάμεις, αἵτινες ἐν καιρῷ ἐξόδου ὠφελῆσαί σε δύνανται, ἐὰν φίλοι σου γίνωνται· «Αὕτη ἡ γενεὰ ζητούντων τὸν Κύριον,»

3.16. Love of God extinguishes our love for our parents. And so he who says that he has both deceives himself. He should listen to Him who says: No man can serve two masters.[43] I have not come, says the Lord, to bring peace on earth (that is, love of parents among sons and brothers who have resolved to serve Me) but war and a sword[44] in order to separate lovers of God from lovers of the world, the material from the spiritual, the proud from the humble. For strife and separation delight the Lord when they spring from love for Himself.

πόθος Θεοῦ ἀπέσβεσεν πόθον γονέων. Ὁ δὲ λέγων ἀμφότερα ἔχειν, πεπλάνηκεν ἑαυτὸν ἀκούων τοῦ λέγοντος· Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Οὐκ ἦλθον, φησὶν ὁ Κύριος, εἰρήνην βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς (γονέων πρὸς υἱοὺς καὶ ἀδελφοὺς δουλεῦσαί μοι προαιρουμένους), ἀλλὰ μάχην καὶ μάχαιραν, διχάσαι φιλοθέους ἐκ φιλοκόσμων· ὑλικοὺς ἐξ ἀΰλων, φιλοδόξους ἐκ ταπεινοφρόνων. Εὐφραίνεται γὰρ Κύριος ἐπ’ ἀμφιβολίᾳ καὶ χωρισμῷ, διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀγάπην γινομένῳ.

3.17. Look, beware, lest you be exposed to the deluge of sentiment through your attachment to the things of your home, and all that you have be drowned in the waters of earthly affection. Do not be moved by the tears of parents or friends; otherwise you will be weeping eternally. When they surround you like bees, or rather wasps, and shed tears over you, do not for one moment hesitate, but sternly fix the eye of your soul on your past actions and your death, that you may ward off one sorrow by another. Our own, or more correctly, those who are not our own, flatteringly promise to do everything to please us. But their aim is to hinder our splendid course, and afterwards to bend us in this way to their own ends.

Ὅρα ὅρα, μή πως ὑδάτων τὰ πάντα σοι πεπληρωμένα, φανῇ διὰ τὴν προσπάθειαν τῶν οἰκείων σοι ἀγαπητῶν, καὶ τῷ κατακλυσμῷ φιλονεικίας συναπέλθῃς. Μὴ οἰκτειρήσῃς γονέων ἢ φίλων δάκρυα· εἰ δὲ μὴ, αἰωνίως μέλλεις δακρύειν. Ὁπόταν σε περικυκλώσωσιν ὥσπερ μέλισσαι, μᾶλλον δὲ σφῆκες, θρῆνον οἱ ἴδιοι ποιούμενοι ἐπὶ σοὶ, συντόμως πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, καὶ τὰς πράξεις τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμμα ἀμεταστρέπτως ἀτένισον, ἵνα πόνον πόνῳ δυνηθῇς ἀποπέμψασθαι. Ὑπισχνοῦνται δολίως ἡμῖν οἱ ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐχ ἡμῶν, πάντα τὰ φίλα διαπράττεσθαι, σκοπὸς δὲ τούτοις τῷ ἀρίστῳ ἡμῶν ἐμποδίσαι δρόμῳ, εἶτ’ οὕτως λοιπὸν πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον σκοπὸν ἡμᾶς ἐπισπάσασθαι.

3.18. For our solitary life let us choose places where there are fewer opportunities for comfort and ambition, but more for humility. Otherwise, we shall be fleeing in company with our passions.

Ἡ τῶν τόπων ἡμῶν ἀναχώρησις ἔστω, εἰς τὰ ἀπαρακλητικώτερα, καὶ ἀκενοδοξότερα, καὶ ταπεινότερα μέρη· εἰ δὲ μὴ, μετὰ πάθους πετόμεθα.

3.19. Hide your noble birth and do not glory in your distinction, lest you be found to be one thing in word and another in deed.

Ἀπόκρυπτε εὐγένειαν, καὶ εὐδοξίαν μὴ ἀναπόμπευε, μή πως εὑρεθῇς ἕτερος μὲν ἐν τῷ σώματι, ἕτερος δὲ ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι διακείμενος.

3.20. No one has gone into exile so nobly as that great patriarch[45] to whom it was said: ‘Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father’s house.’[46] And then he was ordered to go into a foreign and barbarous land.

Οὐδεὶς τοσοῦτον τῇ ξενιτείᾳ ἐκδέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν, ὡς ὁ μέγας ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἀκηκοώς· Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου, καὶ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου, καὶ ἐξ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου· καίπερ ἐν ἀλλογλώσσῳ καὶ βαρβαρώδει γῇ προσκαλούμενος.

3.21. Sometimes the Lord has brought more glory to the man who has gone into exile after the manner of this great patriarch. But even if glory is God-given, yet it is excellent to divert it from oneself with the shield of humility.

Ἔστιν ὅταν κατὰ τὸν μέγαν τοῦτον τινὰ ξενιτεύσαντα, ἐπὶ πλεῖον ὁ Κύριος ἐδόξασεν.Πλὴν εἰ καὶ δόξα θεόσδοτος καλὸν αὐτὴν διὰ θυρεοῦ ταπεινώσεως ἀποστρέφεσθαι.

3.22. When men or devils praise us for our exile, as for some great success, then let us think of Him who for our sake was exiled from heaven to earth, and we shall find that throughout all eternity it is impossible for us to make return for this.

Ὁπηνίκα οἱ δαίμονες ὡς ἐπὶ μεγάλῳ κατορθώματι τῇ ξενιτείᾳ ἐπαινοῦσιν ἡμᾶς, ἢ καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, τότε ἡμεῖς τοῦ δι’ ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, εἰς τὴν γῆν ξενιτεύσαντος ἀναλαμβάνωμεν ἔννοιαν, καὶ εὑρήσομεν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος ἀναπληροῦν μὴ ἰσχύοντας.

3.23. Attachment either to some particular relative or to strangers is dangerous. Little by little it can entice us back to the world, and completely quench the fire of our contrition. It is impossible to look at the sky with one eye and at the earth with the other, and it is equally impossible for anyone not to expose his soul to danger who has not separated himself completely, both in thought and body, from his own relatives and from others.

Χαλεπὴ ἡ πρός τινα τῶν οἰκείων, ἢ καὶ ξένων προσπάθεια, ἡ δυναμένη κατὰ μικρὸν ἐπὶ τὸν κόσμον ἡμᾶς ἐπισπάσασθαι, καὶ τὸ πῦρ ἡμῶν τῆς κατανύξεως τελείως ἀποψυχρῶσαι. Ὡς ἀμήχανον ἑνὶ μὲν ὀφθαλμῷ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἑνὶ δὲ εἰς τὴν γῆν νεύειν, οὕτως ἀδύνατον τὸν μὴ τελείως πάντων τῶν οἰκείων καὶ ἀνοικείων τῷ λογισμῷ καὶ τῷ σώματι ξενιτεύσαντα μὴ κινδυνεῦσαι κατὰ ψυχήν.

3.24. By much labour and effort a good and firm disposition is developed in us. But what is achieved with great labour can be lost in an instant. ‘For evil company doth corrupt good manners’[47], being at once worldly and disorderly.[48] The man who associates with people of the world or approaches them after his renunciation will certainly either fall into their traps or will defile his heart by thinking about them; or if he is not defiled himself yet by condemning those who are defiled, he too will himself be defiled.

Κόπῳ πολλῷ καὶ μόχθῳ κατορθοῦται ἐν ἡμῖν ἦθος χρηστὸν καὶ εὐκατάστατον, καὶ τῷ πολλῷ μόχθῳ κατορθούμενον δυνατὸν ἐν μιᾷ ῥοπῇ ἀπολέσθαι· «Φθείρουσι γὰρ ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κα-  καὶ,» καὶ κοσμικαὶ, καὶ ἄκοσμοι. Ὁ τοῖς κατὰ τὸν κοσμὸν μετὰ τὴν ἀποταγὴν συναναστρεφόμενος, ἢ πλησίον τυγχάνων πάντως, ἢ ἐν τοῖς αὐτῶν περιπεσεῖται βρόχοις, ἢ τὴν καρδίαν ἐν τῇ περὶ τούτων ἐννοίᾳ μολυνεῖ, ἢ μὴ μολυνόμενος τοὺς μολυνομένους κατακρίνων, καὶ αὐτὸς σὺν αὐτοῖς μολυνθήσεται.

Concerning dreams that beginners have

Περὶ ἐνυπνίων ἀκολουθούντων εἰσαγωγικοῖς.

3.25. It is impossible to hide the fact that our mind, which is the organ of knowledge, is extremely imperfect and full of all kinds of ignorance. The palate distinguishes different foods, the hearing discerns thoughts, the sun reveals the weakness of the eyes, and words betray a soul’s ignorance. But the law of love is an incentive to attempt things that are beyond our capacity. And so I think (but I do not dogmatize) that after a chapter on exile, or rather in this very chapter, something should be inserted about dreams, so that we may not be in the dark concerning this trickery of our wily foes.

Ὅτι μὲν τῆς ἡμετέρας γνώσεως ὁ νοῦς ἀτελὴς ὅλος, καὶ πάσης ἀγνοίας ἀνάπλεως, καὶ κρύπτειν ἀδύνατον. Λάρυγξ μὲν γὰρ βρώματα διακρίνει· ἀκοὴ δὲ νοήματα διαγινώσκει· ἀσθένειαν μὲν γὰρ ὀμμάτων ἐδήλωσεν ἥλιος· ἀγνωσίαν δὲ ψυχῆς ἐδήλωσε ῥήματα. Πλὴν ὁ τῆς ἀγάπης νόμος καὶ πρὸς τὰ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἐκβιαστής. Οὐκ οὖν οἶμαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁρίζομαι· ἀκόλουθον μετὰ τοὺς τῆς ξενιτείας λόγους· μᾶλλον δὲ ἐν αὐτοῖς, μικρὰ περὶ τῶν ὀνείρων ἐντάξαι, ὅσον μηδὲ τούτου τοῦ δόλου τῶν δολίων ἀμυήτους ὑπάρχειν ἡμᾶς.

3.26. A dream is a movement of the mind while the body is at rest. A phantasy is an illusion of the eyes when the intellect is asleep. A phantasy is an ecstasy of the mind when the body is awake. A phantasy is the appearance of something which does not exist in reality.

Ἐνύπνιόν ἐστι νοὸς κίνησις ἐν ἀκινησίᾳ σώματος.Φαντασία ἐστὶν ἀπάτη ὀφθαλμῶν ἐν κοιμωμένῃ διανοίᾳ· φαντασία ἐστὶν ἔκστασις νοὸς ἐγρηγορότος σώματος· φαντασία ἐστὶν ἀνυπόστατος θεωρία.

3.27. The reason why we have decided to speak about dreams here is obvious. When we leave our home and relatives for the Lord’s sake, and sell ourselves into exile for the love of God, then the devils try to disturb us with dreams, representing to us that our relatives are either grieving or dying, or are captive for our sake and destitute. But he who believes in dreams is like a person running after his own shadow and trying to catch it.

Ἡ αἰτία δι’ ἣν μετὰ τὴν προλαβοῦσαν τάξιν περὶ ὀνείρων λέγειν ἠβουλήθημεν, πρόδηλος· ὅταν καταλείψαντες διὰ τὸν Κύριον τοὺς ἑαυτῶν οἴκους, καὶ οἰκείους, ξενιτείᾳ διὰ ἀγάπην Θεοῦ ἑαυτοὺς πωλήσωμεν, τότε λοιπὸν οἱ δαίμονες δι’ ἐνυπνίων θορυβεῖν δοκιμάσουσιν ἡμᾶς, τοὺς οἰκείους ἑαυτῶν ἡμῖν ὑποδεικνύντες· ἢ κοπτομένους, ἢ θνήσκοντας, ἢ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατεχομένους, καὶ σινομένους.

3.28. The demons of vainglory prophesy in dreams. Being unscrupulous, they guess the future and foretell it to us. When these visions come true, we are amazed; and we are indeed elated with the thought that we are already near to the gift of foreknowledge. A demon is often a prophet to those who believe him, but he is always a liar to those who despise him. Being a spirit he sees what is happening in the lower air, and noticing that someone is dying, he foretells it to the more credulous types of people through dreams. But the demons know nothing about the future from foreknowledge. For if they did, then the sorcerers would also have been able to foretell our death.

Ὁ τοίνυν ὀνείροις πιστεύων ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ τὴν σκιὰν ἑαυτοῦ κατατρέχοντι, καὶ ταύτην κατέχειν δοκιμάζοντι. Δαίμονες κενοδοξίας καθ’ ὕπνους προφῆται, τὰ μέλλοντα ὡς πανοῦργοι τεκμαιρόμενοι, καὶ ταῦτα ἡμῖν προευαγγελιζόμενοι· τῶν ὁραμάτων πεπληρωμένων ἡμεῖς ἐθαμβήθημεν, καὶ ὡς πλησίον τοῦ προγνωστικοῦ λοιπὸν ὑπάρχον-  τες χαρίσματος, τὸν λογισμὸν ἀνυψώσωμεν. Ἐν τοῖς πειθομένοις τῷ δαίμονι πολλάκις προφήτης ἐγένετο· ἐν τοῖς δὲ ἐξουθενοῦσιν αὐτὸν, ἀεὶ ἐψεύσατο. Πνεῦμα ὃ τὰ ἐντὸς τοῦ ἀέρος τούτου ἑώρακεν, καὶ νοήσας αὐτὸν θνήσκοντα, δι’ ἐνυπνίου ἐν τοῖς κουφοτέροις προεφήτευσεν· οὐδὲν τῶν μελλόντων ἐκ προγνώσεως οἴδασιν· ἐπεὶ οἱ φαρμακοὶ ἡμῖν καὶ τὸν θάνατον προλέγειν ἐδύναντο.

3.29. Devils often transform themselves into angels of light and take the form of martyrs, and make it appear to us during sleep that we are in communication with them. Then, when we wake up, they plunge us into unholy joy and conceit. But you can detect their deceit by this very fact. For angels reveal torments, judgments and separations; and when we wake up we find that we are trembling and sad. As soon as we begin to believe the devils in dreams, then they make sport of us when we are awake, too. He who believes in dreams is completely inexperienced. But he who distrusts all dreams is a wise man. Only believe dreams that foretell torments and judgment for you. But if despair afflicts you, then such dreams are also from devils.

Εἰς ἄγγελον φωτὸς καὶ μαρτύρων εἶδος πολλάκις μετασχηματίζονται, καὶ ἡμᾶς προσερχομένους αὐτοῖς καθ’ ὕπνους ὑπέδειξαν διυπνισθέντας δὲ χαρᾷ, καὶ οἰήσει κατεβάπτισαν. Τοῦτο δή σοι ἔσται τὸ σημεῖον πλάνης· κολάσεις καὶ κρίσεις, καὶ χωρισμοὺς ὑποδεικνύουσιν ἄγγελοι· διυπνισθέντας ἐντρόμους, καὶ σκυθρωποὺς ἀπεργάζονται. Ὁπόταν ἐν τοῖς ὕπνοις τοῖς δαίμοσι πείθεσθαι ἀρξώμεθα, τότε λοιπὸν καὶ ἐγρηγορότας ἐμπαίζουσιν. Ὁ ἐνυπνίοις πεισθεὶς εἰς ἅπαν ἀδόκιμος. Ὁ δὲ πᾶσιν ἀπιστῶν, φιλόσοφος οὗτος· πᾶσί σοι τοῖς κόλασιν, καὶ κρίσιν εὐαγγελιζομένοις πίστευε μόνοις· εἰ δὲ ἀπόγνωσίς σοι διενοχλεῖ, καὶ ταῦτα ἐκ δαιμόνων.

3.30. This is the third step, which is equal in number to the Trinity. He who has reached it, let him not look to the right hand nor to the left.

Ὁ τρίτος Τριάδος ἰσάριθμος δρόμος· ὁ ἐπιβεβηκὼς μὴ περιβλέψῃ δεξιὰ, ἢ ἀριστερά.