I WRITE of the reasoning nature [that fights] beneath heaven: first, what it battles against; second; what assists it in the battle; and [finally,]what the fighter keeping valiant watch must confront.  Those who fight are human beings; those assisting them are the angels of God; and those opposing them are the evil demons.

Της λογικικης φυσεως της υπο τον ουρανον το μεν πολεμειται το δε βοηθει τω πολεμουμενω τε και καρτερως επεγειρει κατ αυτου την μαχην και συνισται·  ² και οι πολεμουμενοι μεν εισιν οι ανθρωποι οι δε βοηθοι αυτων οι αγγελοι του θεου και οι εναντιοι αυτων εισιν οι πονηροι δαιμονες

[Failure] results not from the enemy’s formidable strength, nor because the protectors are careless: rather, it is because the fighter is unprepared that the knowledge of God vanishes and fails.

³ και ουκ απο της των εχθρων δυναμεως στερροτητος ουδε απο του των βοηθων οκνηρου αλλ απο της των πολεμουμενων ατονιας αφανιζεται και επιλειπει η θεου γνωσις.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who handed on to us everything [necessary] for salvation, bestowed on us [power] “to trample serpents and scorpions, and all the powers of evil.” (Lk 10:19)   And together with all his teaching he handed on to us what he himself did when tempted by Satan. (Mt 4:1-11; Lk 4:1-13) 

⁴ ο κυριος ημων Ι.Χ. ο παραδους παντα ως εις την σωτηριαν ημων αυτος εδωκεν μιν περιπατειν επι οφεων και σκορπιων και επι πασης δυναμεως του πονηρου· ⁵ και μετα πασης της διδασκαλιας αυτου παρεδωκεν ημιν ο αυτος εποιησεν ^{35αα ͅ} υπο του σατανα παρασθεις,

And so in the moment of battle, when the demons attack and hurl weapons against us, we too [like Christ], must speak out against them from the [text of] sacred Scripture. In this way the[ir] foul [tempting-]thoughts will not persist in us, enslaving the soul through sin arising from action, staining it and casting it into the sin of death: as [scripture] says, “The soul that sins shall die”. (Ez 18:4)

ινα καιρωι πολεμου των δαιμονων ημιν μαχομενων και τα βελη εις ημας βαλλοντων απο των αγιων γραφων αυτοις αντιλεγωμεν του μη εμμενοντας εν ημιν τους μιαρους λογισμους καταδουλωσαι την ψυχην αμαρτιαι εργωι γενομενηι και σπιλωσαι αυτην τε και καταδυσαι εις θανατον αμαρτιας· η γαρ ψυχη φησι η αμαρτανουσα αποθανειται [Εζ. 18,4 ...]

For when sin has not [yet entered] the mind it is still possible to speak out against the evil, vanquishing it easily and rapidly.

[The author of] Ecclesiastes wisely explains this to us, saying: “Contradiction (antirrhesis) of those who do evil does not happen quickly.” (Eccl 8:11)  And Solomon also says in his Proverbs, “Do not answer a fool in his own foolish [way], lest you become like him.  But answer a fool according to your wisdom, so that he will not [imagine] himself to be wise.” (Pr 26:4-5).

Οταν γαρ μη ενηι εν τηι διανοιαι λογισμος ορθος δυνατος αντιλεγειν προς τον πονηρον ευχερως και ταχεως η αμαρτια κατεργαζεται· και τουτο σοφως εδειξεν ημιν ο εκκλησιαστης λεγων· ουκετι γινομων αντιρρησις απο των ποιουντων το πονηρον ταχυ [Εξξλ 8,11] και παλιν Σολ. λεγει εν ταις παροιμιας αυτου· μη αποκρινου αφρονι κατα την αφροςυνην αυτην ινα μη ομοιος γενηι αυτωι, αλλα αποκρινου αυτωι κατα την σοφιαν σου ινα μη φαινηται ͅ^35αβ  σοφος παρ' αυτωι [Προῃ 26,4 φ]. 

Thus one who performs works of foolishness and becomes angry with his brother receives as [his] “answer” the consequence “of his own foolish [way]”; and he comes to resemble the demons whose anger “is like the anger of serpents” (Deut 32:33). But one who is patient and as [scripture] says, whose “speech is far from anger and kept from wrath” (Ps 36:8)  - he it is who can “answer the fool in his own foolish [way]”, thereby counteracting demonic “foolishness” and demonstrating to [the demon] how a countermeasure can be cunningly contrived from the Scriptures.

Ο γαρ ποιων εργον αφροσυνης και οργιζομενος κατα του αδελφου αυτου απεκριθη εργωι τωι αφρονι κατα την αφροσυνην αυτου και ωμοιωθη τοις δαιμοσιν ων δη ο θυμος θυμος ασπιδων [ξφ Δευτ 32,33].  ο δε μακροθυμων και λεγων οτι γεγραπται απο οργης και εγκαταλιπε θυμον [ψ 36,8], ουτος απεκριθη τωι αφρονι κατα της αφροσυνης αυτου και κατηλεγξε του δαιμονος την αφροσυνην και εδειξεν αυτωι οτι εναντιον τι τεχναζει κατα των γραφων. 

For it happens that in the hour of battle the words we seek to speak against our bitter demonic enemies cannot be found quickly, since they are dispersed throughout the Scriptures; and thus it is difficult to take our stand.  For this reason we have carefully selected the [right] words from the Scriptures, so that armed with them we may “vigorously drive away the Philistine” (cf. 1Sam 14:52) while standing fast in battle, like powerful men and warriors of our victorious king, Jesus Christ.

Οτι δε τα ρηματα τα κατα των πολεμιων ημων των πικρων δαιμονων λεγεσθαι επιζητομενα ου δια ταχους ευρισκομεν ωραι της μαχης ως εν ταις γραφαις διεσπαρμενα και καλεπον αυτα καταλαβειν δια τουτο σπουδαιως τα ρηματα εχ των γραφων εξελεξαμεν ινα οπλιζομενοι αυτοις διωκωμεν ͅ^35βα κρατερτως  τους Φιλισταιους εν τωι πολεμωι καθεστωτες  ως ανδρες δυνατοι και στρατιωται του νικηφορου βασιλως ημων Ι.Χ.

But we know this, beloved: that to the degree that we withstand them in battle and answer the demons back, they will be embittered [to that degree] against us. We are instructed in this by Job who said, “No sooner do I start to speak, then they wound me.” (Job 6:4 lxx).  And David, speaks similarly: “When I speak [out] for peace, they make war against me (Ps 119:7).  But it is not right for us to be afraid of them: instead, we must withstand them condfidently in the power of our savior.

και τουτο γιγνωσκωμεν αγαπητοι οτι καθοσον εσταμεν κατ' αυτων εντηι μαχηι και αποκρινομεθα τοις δαιμοσι τοσουτωι αλλον πικραινονται καθ' ημων· τουτο δε παρα Ιωβ μανθανομεν λεγοντος οταν αρχωμαι λεγειν τιτρωςκουσι με και παλιν  παρα Δαυιδ λεγοντος ημιν ειρηνην λεγων και αυτοι επολεμουν με δωρεαν [ψ 119,7]· αλλ' ου προςηκει ημας εντρεπεσθαι αυτους αλλ' ανθιστασθαι αυτοις πεποιθοτως εν δυναει του σωτηρος ημων.

For if we believe in Christ and carefully keep his commands, we will cross the Jordan and take [Jericho,] the “city of palms.” (cf. Jdg. 3:13 lxx)  In this battle we need [the] spiritual weapons, (cf. 2 Cor 10:4) of steadfast faith (Col 1:23) and teaching, which imply: perfect fasting; mighty victories; humility; [calm] stillness; slowness to react or utter imperturbability; and prayer without ceasing. (cf. 1Th 5:17)

εαν γαρ πιστευωμεν εν Χ. και τηρησωμεν εντολας αυτου τον Ιορδανην διαβησομεν και την πολιν των φοινικων ληψομεθα. εν τουτωι δε τωι πολεμωι επιζητειται ημιν οπλον πνευματικον ητοι πιστις εδραια και διδασκλια τουτεστι τελεια νηστεια και κρατερα ͅ^35ββ κατορθωματα και ταπεινοτης και ησυχια [γαληνην] μολις κινουμενη η παντως ακινητος και προσευχη αδιαλειπτος. 

For it astonishes me that anyone could undertake [this] battle within the mind and be crowned with the crown of justice (cf. 2 Tim 4:8) while [at the same time] satiating his soul with bread and water; [for] this is is associated with quick-tempered anger, disdain for and neglect of prayer, and consorting with heretics. For thus Paul says, “All athletes exercise self-control in everything,” (1 Cor 9:24) and they show unceasing humility to all people, always raising their hands without anger or [tempting-]thoughts. (cf. 1 Tim 2:8)

θαυμαζω δε ει τις δυναται πολεμειν τον εν τηι διανοιαι και στεφανουσθαι τωι της δικαιοσυνης στεφανωι εμπιπλων την ψυχην αυτου αρτου και υδατος, την οργην ταχεως εγειρων, καταφρονων τε και αμελων της προσευχης και τοις αιρεσιωταις συναλιζομενος. ιδου γαρ Παυλος λεγει πας ο αγωνιζομενος παντα εγκρατευετα [1Ξορ 9.25] και προς παντας τους ^[p.475] ανθρωπους αποδεικνυσι ταπεινοτητα διαπαντος τας χειρας ανατεινων ανευ οργης και κακων διαλογισμων [ξφ 1Τιμ 2.8]·

AND so it is fitting for us to undertake this warfare armed with spiritual weapons, [ready to] show our opponents that we will carry our warfare against sin even unto [shedding] blood  (cf. Heb 12:4), [thus] destroying the evil [tempting-]thoughts and “every conceit raised against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:5).  And we zealously seek that it not be a solitary [? ascetical] man that stands before the dias of Christ, but rather a solitary [?ascetical] mind [prob. nous].  For a solitary man is one who has turned from sin [committed] in deeds; while a solitary nous is one that has turned away from the sins that arise from the [noetic] concepts dwelling within our nous, [in order] to see the light of the Holy Trinity at the time of prayer.  [Cf. Antirrhet. Bk 5.16; Skemmata. 16 & 20]

δια  τουτο δε πρεπει ημας ταυτην την στρατειαν στρατευοντας την πνευματικην πανοπλιαν ενδυσασθαι και τοις αλλοφυλοις δειξαι οτι εως αιματος κατα της αμαρτιας μαχουμεθα καταλυοντες τους πονηρους λογισμους και παν υψωμα ͅ^36αα κατα της θεου γνωσεως επαιρομενον [2Ξορ 10.5] και σπουδαζοντες ου τον ανδρα μοναζοντα καθισταναι εμποσθεν του βηματος του Χ. αλλα την διανοιαν· ανηρ γαρ μοναζων εστιν ο αποστρεφομενος απο της δι' εργου αμαρτιας, διανοια δε μοναζουσα εστιν η αποστρεφομενη απο αμαρτιας της εκ των νοηματων των εν τηι διανοιαι ημων καθεστωσης και καιρωι προσευχης το της αγιας τριαδος φως βλεπουσα. 

But the fitting season for [this struggle] is in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ: first to fight against demonic [tempting-]thought of gluttony, and then against the other seven demonic [tempting-] thoughts that follow as chapter-titles in the following book [I have written] for monks.

αλλα γαρ καιρος εστιν επι δυναμει του κυριου ημων Ι. Χ.μαχεσθαι πρωτον λογισμοις δαιμονος της γαστριμαργιας  μετα δε τοις των αλλων επτα δαιμονων ους εν ακολουθιαι γεγραφα εν αρχηι ταυτης της του μοναχικου γραφης,

[IN this book] I have struggled to open my mouth in order to speak before God, before his holy angels, and before my own tempted soul. [Herein] I openly reveal all the trials of the ascetic life that the Holy Spirit [first] taught David by means of the Psalms, and then delivered to us through the blessed fathers.

αγωνιζομενον ανοιξαι το στομα μου και λαλησαι προς τον θεουν και προς τους αγιους αυτου αγγελους και προς την ψυχην μου την πειραζομενην· ͅ^36αβ και παντα τον αγωνα της μοναστικης αναστροφης αποδειξω προφανως, ον και το αγιον πνευμα δια ψαλμων εδιδαξεν τον Δαυιδ και οι εν μακαριοις πατερες ημιν παρεδοσαν.

This trial is indicated in the Scriptures by all the [different forms] of hostility arising from the [tempting-]thoughts these eight demons instill into us.. But [in this book] there is recorded and provided a “contradiction” from the Holy Scriptures that neutralizes each of the [tempting-] thoughts.

ουτος δε ο αγων ον ωνομασα εν τηι γραφηι μετα ταυτα πας εσται ημιν δια λογισμων ημιν επαγομενων υπο ενος εκαστου τουτων των οκτω δαιμονων.  γεγραφα δε  και συντεθεικα προς ενα εκαστον των λογισμων αντιρρησιν απο των αγιων γραφων καταργητικην αυτου.