77. Abbâ Poemen used to say, “An evil will is a wall of brass between a man and God; but if a man would set it aside he must also say, ‘By [the help of] my God I will leap over a wall’ (Psalm xviii, 29)—God Whose way is without blemish—but if that which is seemly lendeth help to the thought, a man is not easily turned aside.”
78. They used to say that on one occasion, when Abbâ Alônîs was singing the service, and the old men were sitting [close by], these old men watched him [performing the] service, and that they praised him; but when he heard them he answered them never a word. Then a certain man spake unto him aside and privately, saying, “Why dost thou not make answer to the old men who have praised thee?” Abbâ Alônîs said unto them, “Because if I made answer to them I should be as one who had accepted the praise.”
79. An old man used to say, “If a word of the Book goeth up in the heart of a brother when he is sitting in his cell, and if he pursue that word before it hath arrived at its maturity, not being driven by God, the devils will demonstrate the word before it [become complete] according to their desire.”
80. Abbâ Sarânîs used to say, “I have worked during the whole period of my life in reaping, and in twisting ropes, and in sewing mats, and notwithstanding these things, if the hand of the Lord had not fed me I should not have had enough to eat.”
81. An old man used to say, “Spread abroad the Name of Jesus in humility, and with a meek heart; shew thy feebleness before Him, and He will become strength unto thee.”
82. Abbâ Macarius said unto Abbâ Zechariah, “Tell me, what is the work of monks?” He said unto him, “Dost thou ask me, father?” The old man said unto him, “I beseech thee, my son, Zechariah, for there is something which is right I should ask thee.” And Abbâ Zechariah said unto him, “Father, I give it as my opinion that the work of monks consisteth in a man restraining himself in everything.”
83. An old man also said, “He who constraineth himself in everything, for God’s sake, is a confessor.” And again he said, “He who constraineth himself for the sake of the Son of God will not be forgotten by the Son of God.” And he also said, “Him who hath made himself a fool for the sake of God, God will make him to be wise.”
84. An old man used to say, “If when thou art sitting down, or standing up, or when thou art doing anything else, God be set before thine eyes continually, no [act] of the Enemy can terrify thee; if this thought abide with a man, the power of God will abide with him also.”
85. An old man also said, “The man who hath his death before his eyes continually will overcome littleness of soul.”
86. Abbâ Poemen used to say, “Hunger and slumber have not allowed me to notice these small matters.”
87. Abbâ Theodore said, “Many men in this age are desirous of life before God giveth [it] to them.”
88. He used to say also, “Be a free man, so that thou mayest not be crafty in thy words.”
89. Abbâ Poemen used to say, “Keep thyself aloof from every man who is contentious in speech.”
90. An old man said, “In all [thy] trials blame no man except thyself, and say, These have happened me for my sins.”
91. An old man said, “In the sluggard and the useless man God hath no pleasure.”
92. A brother asked Abbâ Timothy, saying, “I wish to guard my soul from things that will hurt it”; and the old man said unto him, “How can we guard our soul when the door[s] of our tongue and belly are open?”
93. They used to say that a certain man asked Abbâ Sisoes about Abbâ Pambô, saying, “Tell us about his life and conduct”; the old man made answer to him, saying, “Abbâ Pambô is great in his works.”
94. Abbâ Joseph related that Abbâ Poemen said, “The meaning of the words which are written in the Gospel, ‘Whosoever hath a garment, let him sell it, and buy a sword’ (St. Luke xxii, 36), is, ‘Let him that hath a life of ease relinquish it, and lay hold upon [a life of] toil.’”
95. They used to say that [on one occasion] when certain of the old men were sitting with Abbâ Poemen and were discussing some of the fathers, and were [asking each other] if they remembered Abbâ Sisoes, Abbâ Poemen said, “Quit talking about Abbâ Sisoes, for he hath surpassed the measure (or limit) of all histories.”
96. On one occasion a father came to Abbâ Theodore of Perâmê, and said unto him, “Behold, O father, such and such a brother hath gone back to the world”; and the old man said, “Dost thou wonder thereat? Marvel not at this, but thou mayest marvel when thou hearest that a man hath been able to flee completely from the world.”
97. An old man related of Moses that when he slew the Egyptian he looked on this side and on that, and saw no man, and explained the meaning of the passage as being that Moses did not see his thoughts. And when he saw himself, and that he was doing no evil thing, and that that which he was about to do was for God’s sake, he then slew the Egyptian.
98. An old man also said concerning the verse of the Psalms wherein it is written, “I will place his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers” (Psalm lxxxix, 25), that it was spoken concerning our Redeemer, Whose left hand is on the sea, that is to say the world, and Whose right hand is in the rivers, that is to say, the Apostles, who water the whole world with faith.
99. A brother asked one of the old men, saying, “What shall I do? For I am troubled about the works of my hands: I love making mats, but I am unable to make [them] here.” The old man said unto him, “Abbâ Sisoes used to say, ‘It is not the work which is easy for us that we ought to do, but that which befitteth the place, and a brother should labour according to what it will cost to keep him.’”
100. Abbâ Joseph used to say, “When we were sitting with Abbâ Poemen he made mention of Abbâ Agathon, and we said to him, ‘He was a young man, why dost thou call him Abbâ?’ Abbâ Poemen said unto him, ‘His mouth made him to be called Abbâ.’”
101. One of the old men used to say, “Wheresoever the bee goeth it maketh honey; and thus also it is with the monk, for wheresoever he goeth he doeth the work of God.”
102. An old man used to say, “Satan is a twister of cords, and as long as thou givest him threads he will plait them”; now he spake this concerning the thoughts.
103. Abbâ Sisoes shewed us the cave of Abbâ Anthony, and said, “Thus in the cave of a lion a fox dwelleth.”
104. They used to say of those who were in Scete that no pride was found among them, because they surpassed each other in spiritual excellences. They fasted so much that one would only eat [once] every two days, and another [once] every four days, and another [once] every seven days; another would eat no bread, and another would drink no water, and to speak briefly, they were adorned with every spiritual excellence.
105. They used to relate that a certain old man entreated God and made supplication unto Him that the devils might appear to him, and it was revealed to him that “It is not necessary for thee to see them”; but the old man made entreaty, saying, “Lord, Thou art able to hide me in Thy grace.” Then God opened his eyes, and he saw them like bees surrounding a man, and they were gnashing their teeth upon him, and the angels of God were rebuking them and driving them away from men.
106. A man asked a certain old man from Thebes, and said unto him, “Tell me how I may be redeemed”; and the old man said unto him, “Three things [thou must do]. Sit in thy cell and keep silence, and consider attentively thy sins, and keep thyself wholly from judging any man, and accept no gift from any man, and let thine hands be sufficient to find thee thy food. And if thou art unable to give alms of thy work at least supply all thy needs by thine own hands.”
107. They used to say that one day when Abbâ Sisoes was sitting down he cried out with a loud voice, and said, “O my feebleness”; his disciple said unto him, “What aileth thee, O father?” And the old man said unto him, “I wish to speak to a certain man, and I am unable [to do so].”
108. They used to say that when the barbarians came the brethren took to flight, and that Abbâ Daniel, who was in Scete, said, “Unless God taketh care for me, why should I live?” And he passed through all the barbarians, and they saw him not. Then afterwards he said in himself, “Behold God hath cared for me, and I am not dead, I also will do as a man doeth, and I will flee as the [other] fathers have fled.”
109. When Abbâ Sisoes was about to die, and the fathers were sitting about him, they saw that his face was shining like the sun; and he said unto them straightway, “Behold, Abbâ Anthony hath come”; and after a little while he said also, “Behold, the company of the prophets hath come”; his face shone again, and he said, “Behold the company of apostles hath come”; and again his face shone with twofold brightness, and he became suddenly like unto one who was speaking with some one. Then the old men who was sitting [there] entreated him, and said, “Show us with whom thou art talking, father”; and straightway he said unto them, “Behold, the angels came to take me away, and I besought them to leave me so that I might tarry here a little longer, and repent.” And the old men said unto him, “Thou hast no need to repent, father”; the old man said unto them, “I do not know in my soul if I have rightly begun to repent”; and they all learned that the old man was perfect. Then again suddenly his face beamed like the sun, and all who sat there were afraid, and he said unto them straightway, “Look ye, look ye. Behold our Lord hath come, and He saith, ‘Bring ye unto Me the chosen vessel which is in the desert’”; and straightway he delivered up his spirit, and he became [like] lightning, and the whole place was filled with a sweet odour.
110. Abbâ Paphnutius, the disciple of Abbâ Macarius, used to say, “I entreated him, saying, ‘Father, tell me a word’”; and he said unto me, “Do no harm to any man, and condemn no man; observe these [words], and thou shalt be redeemed.”
111. A brother asked a certain old man, saying, “In what form doth the fear of God dwell in the soul?” The old man said unto him, “If a man possess humility, and practise abstinence, and judge no man, in this manner doth the fear of God dwell in the soul.”
112. Abbâ Hilarion of Syria came to the mountain to Abbâ Anthony, and Abbâ Anthony said unto him, “Hast thou come, O star of light, who shinest with the morning?” And Abbâ Hilarion said unto him, “Peace be to thee, O pillar of light, who sustainest creation!”
113. Certain of the fathers used to say, “God bringeth not young men to monasteries, but Satan, so that he may turn back the mighty men.”
114. A brother said unto Abbâ Anthony, “Pray for me, father”; the old man said unto him, “I cannot help thee, and God will not, if thou wilt not abolish thyself and ask Him thyself [to do so].”
115. They used to tell of a certain old man who had passed fifty years [of his life] without eating bread or drinking water; and he used to say, “I have slain fornication, and the love of gold, and the love of glory.” Now Abbâ Abraham heard [of him], and came to him, and said, “Didst thou say these things?” and he said, “Yea.” Abbâ Abraham said unto him, “If thou wert to go into thy cell, and find a woman on thy mat, wouldst thou be able to keep from thinking that she was a woman?” And the old man said unto him, “No, but I should struggle against my thoughts so as not to touch her.” Abbâ Abraham said unto him, “Behold, then, thou hast not slain it (i.e., the lust for fornication), but the passion is still alive, though fettered. Behold, also, if thou wert travelling along a road and thou didst see lying thereon some potsherds and among them a talent of gold, would thy mind be able to look upon the money in the same way as the potsherds?” The old man said unto him, “Nay, but I should contend against my thoughts in such wise as not to take it.” Then Abbâ Abraham said unto him, “Behold, the passion [of love of money] is still alive, though fettered. Behold now, if thou didst hear of two brethren, one of whom was esteeming thee highly and praising thee, and the other was hating thee and reviling thee, if these men came to thee wouldst thou be able to regard each of them with equal friendliness?” And the old man said unto them, “No, but I would strive against my thoughts in such a way that I would treat him that cursed me as well as I did him that loved me.” Then Abbâ Abraham said unto him, “Behold, then, the passions are still alive, but they are fettered in the saints.”
116. There was a certain old man who was a monk, and who dwelt in the desert far away, and he had a kinswoman who with difficulty discovered after very many years where he was living, and then, by the operation of Satan, she rose up and came to the road to the desert, and she found camels which were going to travel on that road, and she entered [the desert] with them. Now she was [driven to do this] by the devil. And as soon as she had come to the cell of the old man, she began to give him proofs about herself, saying, “I am indeed thy kinswoman,” and she remained with him. Now there was another monk who lived in the neighbourhood of men, and he filled a vessel full of water, and set [it] down, and at the season when he ate, being urged by the operation of God, he meditated within himself, and said, “I will arise and will go into the desert, and will learn from that old man what this is.” Now as he was travelling along the way, the night overtook him, and he went into a house of idols which was on the road, and passed the night there, and he heard the devils saying to each other, “This night we have cast down such a monk by fornication.” Now when he heard this he marvelled, and he came to the old man, and found him sad, and he said unto him, “Father, what shall I do? For I filled a vessel with water, but when I came to eat my meal I found that it had been spilled.” And the old man said unto him, “Hast thou come to ask me about a vessel of water which hath been spilled? What am I myself to do? For this night I have fallen into fornication.” The monk said unto him, “I know it also; hold thy peace.” The old man said unto him, “How knowest thou?” And the monk said unto him, “Last night when I was sleeping in a house of idols which is on the road, I heard the devils say [so] to each other, and I was distressed [thereat].” And the old man said unto him, “Henceforth I will go to the world,” but the monk persuaded him, saying, “Nay, father, but stay in thy place, and send the woman away, for this is a temptation of the Enemy”; and the old man hearkened unto him, and sent her away, and he himself continued in his ascetic works, and he mourned, and made supplication unto God with abundant tears, until at length he arrived at his former state of ascetic excellence.
117. A brother asked one of the fathers, saying, “What shall I do, for I am disturbed in mind when I go up to perform the office of the deacon?” And the old man said unto him, “It is not good for thee to be disturbed when thou goest up to minister, but if thou art, and thou art disturbed in thy cell, thou must labour, and give thanks, and receive the hire of which thou art worthy.” Then that brother said unto him, “If I can find a man who will minister for me for a gift, and I cheat him not, may I [let him] do so?” The old man said unto him, “If thou canst find a man who is in the world who can perform thy ministration, and will take his hire, yes, but if he be a monk, no.”
118. A brother said unto Abbâ Poemen, “Can a man rely upon any one work of spiritual excellence [for salvation]?” The old man said unto him, “John the Less said, ‘I should wish that a man should take to himself a little of each kind of spiritual excellence.’”
119. These are the words which Abbâ Moses said to Abbâ Poemen, and the first word which was spoken by the old man was:
120. “It is better for a man to put himself to death rather than his neighbour, and he should not condemn him in anything.”