FOR AVVA PIMEN
1. Once, when he was younger, avva Pimen went to some elder, to ask him about three thoughts. So, after he arrived at the old man, he forgot one of the three, and returned to his cell. And as soon as he put his hand to open the lock, he remembered the word he had forgotten, and he left the lock, and returned to the old man who said to him: you came quickly, brother. And he told him: when I put my hand to grab the lock, I remembered the word which I was looking for, and I did not open, that is why I returned. And the distance of the way was very long. And the old man said to him: Pimen of the angels, meaning shepherd (+), and your name will be said in all the land of Egypt.
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(+) For Pimen means shepherd in the Greek language.
2. Once, Paisie, the brother of avva Pimen, had a friendship with someone from outside his cell. And avva Pimen did not agree. And getting up, he ran to avva Amona. And he said to him: Paisie, my brother, has friendship with someone, and I am not finding rest. Avva Amona said to him: Pimen, are you still alive? Go, sit in your cell, and put in your heart that now there is one year since you are in the tomb!
3. Once, the elders of the place came to the monastery where avva Pimen was. And avva Anuv came in, and said to him: let us call the elders today here. And staying for a long time, he did not give him an answer. And getting sad, he came out. The ones who were sitting next to him said to him: avvo, why did you not give him an answer? Avva Pimen answered to them: I have no business, for I have died, and the dead man does not speak.
4. An old man was in Egypt before the ones with avva Pimen came, and he was well known, and honest. So, after the ones with avva Pimen came up from the Skete, the people left the old man, and they were coming to avva Pimen. And the old man was envying him, and was slandering him. So, avva Pimen heard, and he got sadden. And he said to his brothers: what shall we do to this great old man, for the people made us sad, leaving the old man and coming to us, who we are nothing? So, how can we go and bring peace to the old man? And he said to them: make a few food pieces, and take a vase with wine, and let us go to him, and taste together. Maybe with this we will be able to bring him peace. So, they took the food pieces, and they went. And after they knocked at the door, his apprentice heard and said: who are you? And they said: tell the avva, that it is Pimen, and wants to get blessed by him! And as the apprentice told this, the old man answered: go, I have no time! And them, have beared in the heat, saying: we will not go, unless we will be found worthy to see the old man. And the old man, seeing their humbleness and patience, humbling himself, opened to them. And coming in, they tasted together with him. And while they were eating, he was saying: truly, it is not only the things that I heard about you, but hundred times more I saw in your stead. And he became a friend of theirs, from that day onwards.
5. Once, the ruler of that place, desired to see avva Pimen, and the old man was not accepting. And with reason, like an evil-doer, he caught the son of his sister, and put him in prison, saying: if the old man will come, and will pray for him, I will release him. And his sister came, crying next to the door. And he did not give her answer. She was shaming him saying: man with heart of brass, have mercy on me, for I only have one son! And he, sending, said to her: Pimen did not give birth to a son. And so she went. And hearing, the ruler send him saying: at least if it will order with the word, I will release him. And the old man answered back, saying: search according to the codex, and if he is worthy of death, he should die, and if he is not, do as you desire! And the ruler, upon hearing, released him from prison.
6. Once, a brother from the monastery made a mistake. And in those places there was an ascetic, and for a long time he did not come out. And as the abbot of the monastery came to the old man, he told him about the one who made the mistake. And he said: send him away! And as the brother went out of the the monastery, he entered into a whole in the ground, and he was crying there. And it happened that some brothers were going to avva Pimen, and they heard him crying. And coming in, they found him in great pain. And they ased him, to take him to the old man, and he did not want to, saying: it is here that I want to die! And as they came to avva Pimen, they told him, and he praying them, he sent them saying: tell him that avva Pimen is calling him. And the brother came to him, and seeing him upset, the old man got up and kissed him, and joking with him, asked him to taste. And avva Pimen sent one of his brothers to the ascetic, saying: for many years I wanted to see you, hearing the ones about you, and because of the laziness of both of us, we did not meet one with the other. So, now, as God wanted, and the reason happening, make the effort, and come here, so that we see each other! (For he was not getting out of his cell.) And hearing he was saying: unless God would have told to the old man, he would not have sent to me. And, getting up, he came to him. And nowing one to each other with happiness, they sat down. And avva Pimen said to him: two people were in a place, and both have dead ones. And one left his dead one, and went too cry over the dead one of the other. And hearing, the old man humbled of his word, and he remained him of what he did, and he said: Pimen up, up in the sky, and me down, down on the ground!
7. Once, many elders went to avva Pimen. And there, one of avva Pimen’s had a child, and his cheek, his face, because of the devil’s work, went behind. And the father of the child, seeing the multitude of the elders, taking the child out of the monastery, was sitting crying. And it happened to an old man to come out, and seeing him, he said to him: why do you cry, man? And he said: I am a relative of avva Pimen. But here is what happened to this child, the temptation, and this. And wanting to bring him to the old man, we were afraid that he does not want to see us, and now, if he will find out that we are here, he sends someone and sends us away. But me, seeing your coming, I dared to come. So, as you want avvo, have mercy of me, and take the child inside, and pray for him. And as the old man took him, he came in, and fulfilled the thing with wisdom, for he did not immediately brought him to avva Pimen, but, starting from the lesser of the brothers, he was saying: make a cross on the child! And after me made all to make a cross, in the end they also brought him to avva Pimen, but he did not want to cross him, and the elders were praying saying: father, you do as all did. And sighing, getting up, he prayed saying: God, heal Your work, so that it will not be ruled by the enemy! And crossing him, immediately he was healed, and he gave him healthy to his father.
8. Once, a brother went from avva Pimen’s areas to foreign lands. And he reached an ascetic there (for he was merciful, and many were coming to him). And the brother told him about avva Pimen. And hearing his good deed, he desired to see him. So, as the brother returned to Egypt, after a while the ascetic from the foreign lands came to Egypt, to the brother who had come to him (for he had told him where he was dwelling). And, as that one saw him, he got very happy. And the ascetic said: be kind and take me to avva Pimen! And taking him, he came to avva Pimen, and he told him those about him, saying that he is a great man, and he has log of love and honor in his place, and I told him about you, and desiring to see you, he came. So, he welcomed him with happiness, and kissing each other, they sat down. And the foreign one started to talk from the Scripture, spiritual and heavenly places. And avva Pimen turned his face, and he did not give him an answer. And seeing that he does not speak to him, becoming sad, he came out. And he said to the brother how had brought him: I have done all this travel for nothing, for I have come to the old man, and there, he does not even want to speak to me. And the brother entered to avva Pimen, and said to him: avvo, this great man came for you, having so much praise in his lands. Why did not talk to him? The old man said to him: this one is from the ones up above, and he talks the heavenly ones, while I am from the ones down below, and I talk the earthly ones. If he would have talked to me about addictions of the sould, I would have answered to him, yet if he did for heavely things, I do not know this. So, the brother, coming out, told him: the old man does not quickly talk from the Scripture, but if someone would talk to him about the addictions of the sould, he would answer to him. And he, humbling himself, entered at the old man, and said to him: what will I do, avvo, for the addictions of the soul are rulling over me? And the old man paid attention to him, rejoicing. And he said: now, welcome. Open your mouth for these, and I will fill it with good things. And he, much benefiting, was saying: truly, this is the right way. And thanking God, he returned to his place happily for he had been worthy to meet such a saint.
9. Once, the ruler of the place caught someone from avva Pimen’s village. And they all came, praying to the old man, to go and get him out. And he said: let me three days, and so I will come! So avva Pimen prayed to the lord, saying: Lord, do not give me this gift, for they will not let me dwell in this place! So the old man came, praying to the ruler. And he said to him: are you praying for thieves, avvo? And the old man was happy, that he did not receive grace from him.
10. Some have told that once avva Pimen and his brothers were working on skeins, and they were not advancing, as they had no way to buy flax. And one of them told the issue to a faithful merchant. And avva Pimen did not want to take anything from anyone, so there is no upsetting. The merchant, wanting to make work for the old man, was pretending that he needed the skeins. That is why he brought the camel, and took them. And as the brother came to avva Pimen, and heard what the merchant did, as if he wanted to praise him, said: truly, avvo, even without needing them, he took them, to make work for us. And avva Pimen, upon hearing that he took them without needing them, said to the brother: get up, rent the camel and bring them here, and if you will not bring them, Pimen will not dwell with you here. For I do not make a crooked deed to any man, who has no need, so that he will loose, and to take my benefit. And his brother went, with a lot of hardship, and brought them. And if he would not have brought them, the old man would would have left them. So, after he saw them, he became happy, as if he would have found a big treasure.
11. Once, the priest of the Peluisiu heard about a brother who goes often to the city, and takes baths, and is getting lazy of his salvation. And coming to the church, he took him out of being a monk. And after this, his heart rebuked him, and he repented. And he came to avva Pimen druk of thoughts, also having the brothers’ levitons, and he told the old man the reason. And the old man said to him: do you not have something from the ones of the man of old? Did you undress him? And the priest said: I am in communion with the man of old. And the old man said to him: there, that you are also like the brothers, because although little do you commune with the oldness, you are still ruled by sin. Then, the priest went, and called the brothers, and he repented in front of the eleven, and he dressed them as monks, and released them.
12. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: I commited a great sin, and I want to repent three years. The old man said to him: it is a lot. And the brother said: but, up to one year? And the old man said again: a lot it is. And the ones who were present said: but up to forty days? And again he said: a lot it is. And he added: I say that if the man will repent with his full heart, and he will not keep doing the sin, even in three days God is receiving him.
13. He said again: the sign of the monk shows itself in temptations.
14. He said again: just as the ministrant of the emperor stays next to him always ready, so must also the soul be ready to fight against the demon of fornication.
15. Avva Anuv asked avva Pimen about the un-clean thoughts which the man’s heart gives birth to, and about the vain desires. And avva Pimen said to him: will the axe weaken without the one who cuts with it? (+) But you, do not give them any room, nor sweeten yourself with them, and they will be left without fruit.
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(+) Isaia X, 15.
16. Avva Pimen also said: if Navuzardan, the great cook , would not have come, the church of the Lord would not have burnt (+). Meaning, if the rest of the filling of the stomach would not have come into the soul, the mind would not have fallen into the enemy’s war.
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(+) 4 Kings 24, 28, 29.
17. It is said about avva Pimen that as he was called to eat, without his willing, he was going in tears, so that he is not disobedient to his brother or to sadden him.
18. Avva Pimen also said: do not dwell in the place where you see that some have envy towards you. Because you do not progress.
19. Some told to avva Pimen, about a monk, that he did not drink wine. And he said: the wine is not monk’s.
20. Avva Isaia asked avva Pimen about the filthy thoughts. And avva Pimen said to him: just as a box full of clothes, if someone leaves them, they rot in time, so it is also with the thoughts, if we will not do them with the body, they will decay in time, and will rot away.
21. Avva Iosif asked once also about this word. And avva Pimen told him: just as if someone will put in a vase a snake and a scorpion, and it will cover, without doubt, in time they die, in the same way with the bad thoughts, which are born from the devils, through patience they miss away.
22. A brother came to avva Pimen and said to him: I sow my land and I give alms out of it. The old man said to him: you do well! An d he went away with zeal, and he increased the alms giving. And avva Anuv heard the word, and said to avva Pimen: are you not afraid of God, when you talk like this to the brother? And the old man fell quiet. After two days, avva Pimen saent for the brother, and said to him, while avva Anuv was also hearing: what did you say to me the day before yesterday, for my mind was away? And the brother said to him: I said that I sow my land and out of it I give almos. And avva Pimen said to him: I thought that you were talking about your brother, the layman, but if you are the one who does this thing, it is not a monk’s thing. And upon hearing, he got said, saying: I do not know any other thing, and I cannot not sow my land. So, after he went away, avva Anuv bowed to him, saying: forgive me! And avva Pimen said: I also knew from the beginning that it is not a monk’s thing, but I spoke according to his rationing, I endeavoured towards the increase of love, yet now he went away sad, and he will do the same.
23. If man will make a mistake, and it will deny, saying I did not make the mistake, do not rebuke him. Otherwise, you cut his zeal, yet if you will say to him: do not be upset, brother, but defend yourself from now onwards, you lift his soul to repentance.
24. He also said: good is the temptation, for this makes the man more clarified.
25. He also said: the man who learns, but does not do what he learns is like a well, for it waters and it washes all, yet it cannot clean itself, but it is full of all uncleaniness and all the dirt is in it.
26. As avva Pimen was once going through Egypt, he saw a woman sitting at a tomb, and crying bitterly. And he said: if all the happiness of this world would come, they would not move her soul from crying. So with the monk, he has to always have the cying in himself.
27. He also said: for there is man, who it seems that it is quiet, but his heart is condemning others. One like this always speaks. And there is another who is talking from morning till evening, and he keeps quiet, meaning that he does not speak anything without benefit.
28. A brother came to avva Pimen and said to him: avvo, I have many thoughts, and I am in peril because of them. And the old man took him out, under the sky and said to him: stretch your arm, and hold the winds. And he said to him: I cannot do this. And the old man said to him: if you cannot do this, you cannot stop the thoughts from coming either. But it is a different thing to stand against them.
29. Avva Pimen said: if there are three in a place, and one is quieting himself well, and one is sick and is thanking, the other serves with clean mind, all the three are one work.
30. He also said: it is written: in the way the deer-stag, so does my soul desire You, God (+). Because the deer-stags in the wilderness swallow many creepers, and when then poison burns them, they desire to come to the waters, and after they dring they get refreshed from the poison of the creepers. So the monks too, as they sit in the wilderness, they are burn by the poison of the sly devils, and desire that on Saturday and Sunday to come to the springs of the waters, meaning the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, to cleanse themselves of the bitterness of the evil one.
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(+) Psalm 40, 1.
31. Avva Iosif asked avva Pimen, how should fasting be done. Avva Pimen said to him: I want for the one who eats every day, to eat little, so that he is not filled. Avva Iosif said to him: when you were younger, were you not fasting every two days, avvo? And the old man said: me, truly, and three, and four days, and a week. And all these, the parents have researched, like mighty ones, and they found out that tit is right to eat every day, but little, and they gave us the royal way, for it is easy.
32. The fathers were saying about avva Pimen that when he wanted to go to the church, he was sitting, judging his reckonings for about an hour, and that is how he was coming out.
33. A brother asked avva Pimen saying: I was left with an inheritance, what shall I do? The old man said to him: go, and after three days come and I will tell you! And he came, as he decided for him. And the old man said to him: what can I tell you, brother? If I will tell you: give it to the church, they make large feasts there. If I will tell you: give it to your relatives, you do not get any reward; if I will tell you: give it to the poor, you are left without care. So, whatever you will, do; I have no involvement.
34. Another brother asked him, saying: what does it mean: do not give evil for evil? (+) The old man said to him: this passion has four faces: first from the heart, secondly from the look, thirdly from the tongue, and fourth not to do evil in stead of evil. If you can clean your heart, do not do in the look. And if it will come in the look, guard yourself to not talk, and if you will also talk, it is for nothing to cut that you should not do evil instead of evil.
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(+) 1. Tesal. V, 16; 1 Petru III, 9.
35. Avva Pimen said: to defend and to pay attention to oneself, and the right judgement: these three good deeds are counsels of the soul.
36. He also said: throwing yourself in front of God, and not measuring yourself, and shedding back your will, are the tools of the soul.
37. He also said: all the hardship that will come to you, is conquered through silence.
38. He also said: it is ugly for God, any bodily rest.
39. He also said: the crying is double: it works and it guards.
40. He also said: if a thought will come to you for the necessary necessities of the body and you will put them in order once, and again it will come and you will put them in order, and a third time, do not pay attention to it, for it is useless.
41. He also said that a brother asked avva Alonie, saying: what is slender? And the old man said: for you to be under the non-talking animals, and to know that those are not condemned.
42. He also said: if the man will remember the written word that from your words you will straighten yourself and from your words you will condemn yourself (+) he will chose silence more.
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(+) Mat. XII, 27.
43. He also said: the beginning of evil things is the distraction.
44. He also said: avva Isidor, the priest of the Skete, once told the people, saying: brothers, did we not come to this place for hardship? And now, it has no more hardship. So, me, taking my coat, I am going to where there is hardship, and that is where I find rest.
45. A brother told avva Pimen: if you will see some thing, do you want to tell it? The old man said to him: it is written: anyone who will answer a word before hearing, it is un-wiseness for him, and defame (+). If you will be asked, answer, but if not, be quiet!
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(+) Wisdom of Solomon XVIII, 13.
46. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: can the man hope to only one deed? And the old man said to him: avva Ioan Colov said: I desire to part-take a little bit into all the good deeds.
47. The old man also said that a brother asked avva Pamvo, if it is good to praise the neighbour. And he said to him: it is better to be quiet.
48. Avva Pimen also said: even if man will make new sky and new earth, he cannot be without worry (+).
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(+) In others, it is not supposed to.
49. He also said: man needs the humble thinking and the fear of God always, as the breath that comes out of his nostrils.
50. A brother asked avva Pimen saying: what will I do? The old man said to him: Avraam, when he entered the promised land, has purchased a tomb, and through the tomb has inherited the land. The brother said: what is the tomb? The old man said to him: the place of crying and of wailing.
51. A brother said to avva Pimen: if I will give to my brother a little bit of bread or something else, the devils are spoiling them as if they were done for the men’s pleasure. The old man said to him: although they are done for the men’s pleasure, let us give the brother’s need. And he also told him this sort of example: twoo men were plowmen, and lived in a city. And one of them, sowing, has made a few, unclean, and they other one, out of laziness, did not do anything. So, as famin happened, which of the two may live? The brother answered: the one who did the few and unclean. The old man said to him: so also with us, let us sow few, even unclean, so that we do not starve.
52. Avva Pimen also said that avva Ammona said: the man, in all time wears a hatchet, and cannot find to fall a tree; and there is another, skilled to cut, and with a few hits, he falls the tree. And he was saying that the hatchet is the righteous judgement.
53. A brothers asked avva Pimen: how is the man due to live? The old man said to him: we see Daniil that it was not found against him any accusation, except for the service to his Lord God.
54. Avva Pimen said: the will of the man is a brass wall between God and the rock that beats against. So, if the man will leave it, he also says: I will pass the wall through my God. Yet, if the self-righteousness will get together with the will, the man will suffer
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(+) Psalm. VII, 32.
55. He also said that as once the elders were sitting and eating, avva Alonie was serving, and seeing him, they praised him. And he did not answer anything. So, one told him in secret: why did you not answer the elders when they were praising you? And avva Alonie said to him: if I would have answered, I would have found myself as if I would have received the praise.
56. He also said: the people talk for fulfilment, and work little.
57. Avva Pimen said: just as the smoke sends the bees away, and then the sweetness of their work is taken away, so the bodily rest sends away the fear of God from the soul, and destroys all its good work.
58. A brother came too avva Pimen in the second week of the Great Fast and confessing his thoughts, and gaining rest, said to him: it was just for a little that I did not stumble to come here today. And the old man said to him: for what? The brother said to him: I thought, maybe you will not open to me because of the fast. Avva Pimen said to him: we did not learn to close the wooden door, but rather the tongue’s door.
59. Avva Pimen also said: you have to run from the bodily things, for when the man is close to the bodily struggle, he looks like a man who stays over a whole which is too deep, and in any hour the enemy will want, it will easily throw him down, yet if he will be far from the bodily things, he looks like a man who is far from the whole, and although the enemy will pull him to throw him down, by the time it pulls him and it forces him, God sents him help.
60. He also said: poverty and grief and hardship and fasting: these are the tools of the monk’s life. For it is written: if these three men will be, Noe, Iov and Daniil, I am alive, says the Lord (+). Noe is the face of poverty, Iov of hardship and Daniil of the rightheous reckoning. So, if these three deeds will be in the man, the Lord lives in him.
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(+) Iezechil XIV, 14. 20.
61. Avva Iosif was saying that, as he was sitting with avva Pimen, he referred to Agafton as avva. And I said to him: he is young, why do you call him avva? And avva Pimen said to me: his mouth made him to be called avva.
62. Once a brother came to avva Pimen and said to him: what will I do, father, for I have troubled by fornication. And there, I went to avva Ivistion, and he said to me: you must not let it rest in yourself. Avva Pimen said to him: the deeds of avva Ivistion are up, together with the agels, and he does not know that me and you are in fornication. If the monk will hold on the stomach, the tongue and the seclusion, dare that he will not die.
63. Avva Pimen said: teach your mouth to talk what is of the heart.
64. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: if I will see the mistake of my brother, is it good to cover it? The old man said to him: in any hour that we will cover the mistake of our brother, God will also cover ours; and in any hour we show the one of the brother, God also shows ours.
65. Avva Pimen also said: someone once asked avva Paisie, saying: what will I do to my soul, for it is insensitive and does not fear God? And he said to him: go, stick to the man who fears God, and by getting close, you will also learn yourself to fear God.
66. He also said: if the monk can overcome two things, he can free himself from the world. And a brother said: which are these? And he said: the bodily rest, the the vain glory.
67. Avraam of Agafton asked avva Pimen, saying: how are the devils fighting me? And avva Pimen said to him: you are being fought by the devils? They are not fighting with us, as long as we do our wills. For our wills have made themselves devils, and they are the ones who upset us, so that we fulfil them. And if you want to know who did the devils fought with, then find out that with Moise and the ones like him.
68. Avva Pimen said: this way of living has given God to Izrael, to go away from the ones nature, meaning anger, rush, envy, ugliness and slandering the brother, and the other ones of the old way.
69. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: tell me a word! And he said to him: the beginning of the way which the parents set, is the crying. The brother said again: tell me another word! The old man answered: as much as you can, do the work of the hands, so that out of it to do mercy; for it is written that the mercy and the faith are cleaning the sins (+). The brother said: what is the faith? The old man said: the faith is to live in humble thinking, and to do mercy.
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(+) Wisdom, XV, 29.
70. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: if I will see a brother, about which I heard of some mistake, I do not want to bring him into my cell; yet if I will see one which is good, I am happy with him. The old man said to him: if you do a little bit of good to the good brother, do twice with the one, for this one is unable. For there was someone in a monastery, named Timotei, a hermit, and as the abbot heard news about a brother, for a temptation, he asked Timotei about him. And he advised him to get him out. So, after he got him out, the brother’s temptation was set over Timotei, until he got into danger. And Timotei was crying in front of God, saying: I sinned, forgive me! And voice came to him saying: Timotei, do not rekon that I did this to you something else, only because you have overlooked your brother, in the time of his temptation.
71. Avva Pimen said: this is why we lay in so many temptation, for we do not guard our names and the ordinance. As the Scripture says: don’t we see the Cananite woman who received her name because the Redeemer has rested her? (+1) Again, when Avigheea, when she said to David, that in me is the sin? (+2) And he listened to her, and he loved her. Avigheea takes the face of the soul, and David of the godliness. So, if the soul will blame itself in front of the Lord, the Lord loves him.
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(+1) Mat. XV, 27.3.
(+2) 1 Kings, XXV, 24.
72. Once avva Pimen was going with avva Anuv through the lands of Diolchia. And as they came around the tombs, they see a woman breaking herself terribly, and crying bitterly. And staying, paying attention to her, and stepping a bit further, they met with one, and avva Pimen asked him, saying: what is with this woman, for she cries bitterly? And he said to him: her husband died, and the son, and the brother. And answering, avva Pimen said to avva Anuv: I am telling you, that the man cannot become a monk if it will not kill all the body’s desires, and will not gain the crying. For all his life and his mind is at the crying.
73. Avva Pimen said: do not count yourself, but stick yourself to the one who dwells well.
74. He also said that a brother was going to avva Ioan Colog, he was giving him the brotherly love, which says: love bears for long, it humbles itself (+).
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(+) 1 Corint. XIII, 4.
75. He also said about avva Pamvo, that avva Antonie said about him that out of the fear of God he made the Spirit of God to live in him.
76. One of the fathers told about avva Pimen and about his brothers that they were living in Egypt. And as their mother wanted to see them, she could not. So, she staked them when they were going to the church, and she met them. And they, upon seeing her, turned around and locked the door in front of her. As she was standing near the door, she was shouting, crying with a lot of sadness, and saying: to see you, my beloved sons! And upone hearing her, avva Anuv came to avva Pimen, saying: what will we do to this old one, for she cries at the door? And as they were staying inside, they were hearing her crying with a lot of sadness. And he told her: why do you shout like that, old one? And she, hearing his voice, was shouting cyring much more, and saying: I want to see you, my sons, and what is it if I will see you? Is it not that I am your mother? Is it not that I breastfed you? By now I am old, and hearing your voice, I got disturbed. The old man said to her: do you want to see us here, or in the other world? He answered to her: if you will endeavour to not see us here, you will see us there. So the old woman went away, rejoicing, and saying: if I will truly see you there, I do not want to see you here.
77. A brother asked avva Pimen saying: which are the high ones? The old man said to him: making oneself right.
78. Some heretics once came to avva Pimen and they started to slander the archbishop of Alexandria, that he had the ordination from priests. And the old man, keeping quiet, called his brother and said to him: set up the table, and make them eat, and send them with peace.
79. Avva Pimen said that a brother, living together with other brothers, asked avva Visarion: what will I do? And the old man said to him: keep quiet, and do not count yourself!
80. He also said: do not pay attention to what your heart does not have interest in.
81. He also said: if you will think yourself worthless, you will have peace, wherever you will be.
82. He also said, that avva Sisoe was saying: it is shameful when someone has the sin of fearlessness.
83. He also said: the will, the rest, and the custom, these are the ones which destroy the man.
84. He also said: if you will keep quiet, you will find rest in any place where you will live.
85. He also said about avva Pior, that every day he was setting up a new beginning.
86. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: if the man will fall into a mistake, and he will return, is he forgiven by God? The old man said: but God, Who has ordered to the men to do this, will He not even mover do so? For He has ordered Peter, saying: forgive seventy times seven to your brother (+).
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(+) Matthew XVIII, 22. 2.
87. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: is it right for us to pray? The old man said to him that avva Antonie said: this voice comes from the face of the Lord saying: caress My people, caress! (+)
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(+) Isaia 40, 1.
88. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: can the man hold on to all his thoughts, and not one of them to give to the enemy? And the old man said to him: there is one who takes ten and gives one.
89. The same brother asked avva Sisoe the same word, and he said to him: truly, there is, who does not give anything to the enemy.
90. There was a great hermit in the mountain of Atlivia, and burglers came over him, and the old man shouted. And as his neighours heard, they caught the burglars, and took them to the judge, and put them in prison. And the brothers got sad, saying: they were given for us. And getting up, they went to avva Pimen, and told him the reason. He wrote to the old man, saying: do rekon, where was the first treason made from? And then, see the second one! For, if you had first enstranged yourself from the inside ones, you would not have done the second treason. And as the old hermin saw avva Pimen’s letter (for he was known in all that place, and he was not exiting his cell), getting up, he came to the city, and brought the burglers out of the prison, and released them in front of the people.
91. Avva Pimen said: the grumbling one is not monk, the one paying back is not monk, the angry one is not monk.
92. Some of the elders came to avva Pimen and said to him: if we should see the brothers that they are slumbering in the church, do you want us to nudge them so that they are awake at the wake service? And he said to them: truly, if I will see the brother that he is slumbering, I put his head on my knees, and I rest him.
93. It was said about a brother, that he has been foght towards blasphemay, and he was ashamed to tell. And wherever he was hearing of great elders, he was going to them to tell them, and as he was getting there, he was getting ashamed to tell. So, many times he also went to oavva Pimen, and the old man saw him that he has thoughts, and he was sad that he was not telling the deeds. So, in one day, as he was seeing him off, he said to him: there, you come here for so much time now, having thoughts to tell me, and when you come, you do not want to say, but always you retun troubled. Tell me, then, son, what do you have? And he said to him: the devil is fighting me with the blasphemy to God, and I was ashamed to say. And telling him the thing, immediately he lightened up. So, the old man said to him: do not be troubled, son, for when this thought comes, say: I have no blame, your blasphemy over you, satan! For this thing my soul does not desire. And any thing that the sould does not desire, it is for little time. And the brother went, getting healed.
94. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: I see myself that wherever I go, I find support. The old man said to him: even the ones that hold the sword in their hand have God, who has mercy on them in this time. So, if we will be awake, He does His mercy with us.
95. Avva Pimen said: if the man will accuse himself, then he will bear everywhere.
96. He also said that avva Ammona was saying that there is a man who spent a hundered years in the cell, and did not learn how one should stay in the cell.
97. Avva Pimen said: if man will reach to the apostole’s word which says that all are clean to the clean ones (+), he sees himself lower than all the creation. The brother said: how can I reckon myself lower than the murderers? The old man said: if the man will reach to this word, and if he would see someone commiting murder, he says: that one has only done this sin, while I kill every day.
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(+) Tit 1, 15.
98. The brother asked avva Anuv the same word, as avva Pimen said. And avva Anuv said to him: if man will reach this word, and will see his brother’s shortcomings, he will swallow them on his righteousness. The brother said: and which is his righteousness? The old man answered: that he always defames himself.
99. A brother asked avva Pimen: if I should fall into some temptation, the thought is gnawing me and is condemning me, for what have I fallen? The old man said to him: in any hour that the man will fall into a mistake, and will say I have mistaken, immediately it has stopped.
100. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: why is the devil leaning my soul to be with the one that overcomes me, and makes me defame the one lesser than me? And the old man said to him: this is what the apostole said that in the big house there are not only gold and silver vases, but also ones of wood and clay. So, if someone will cleanse himself of all these, it will be a vase for honour, of good use to the owner, prepared for all the good deeds (+).
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(+) II Tim. II, 20 - 21.
101. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: how come I do not let myself to freely speak with the parents about my thoughts? The old man said to him that avva Ioan Colov said: nothing makes the enemy happier than the ones who do not show their thoughts.
102. A brother said to avva Pimen: my heart is weakened, should it happen to me to suffer a little bit. The old man said to him: are we not in wonder of Iosif who, being almst a child, he beared the temptation till the end, and God has glorified him? Don’t we see Iov, how he did not give in till the end, keeping the patience, and the temptations were not able to move him from the trust in God?
103. Avva Pimen said: the monastery must have three deeds: the humbleness, the obedience and one which should have the move and the energy for the work of the monastery.
104. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: in the time of my grief I asked from one of the saints a thing to use, and he gave it to me as mercy. So, if God will utilize me too, I will also give it as mercy to others, or better to the ones who have given it to me? The old man said to him: truly, it is to God, that to Him be given, for His it is. The brother said to him: but if I will bring it and he will not want to take it, but will say: go, as you want, give it as mercy, what will I do? The old man said to him: now, it is his thing. And if it will be given to you without you asking it, this is yours. And if you will ask for it, either from monk or from layman, and he will not want to take it, this is the meaning, for as he knows, give it as mercy for him.
105. It was said about avva Pimen that he never wanted to give his word over the word of some other elder, but rather he was praising that one in all.
106. Avva Pimen said: many of our fathers have made themselves courageous in ascetic deeds, yet in cleansing the thoughts through prayer, one by one.
107. As Avva Isaac was once sitting at Avva Pimen, a rooster’s voice was heard. And he said to him: are there living beeings here, avvo? And he, answering, told him: Isaac, why do you force me to talk? You and the ones like you hear these ones, yet the one who awakens has no care about these ones.
108. It was said that if some were coming to avva Pimen, he was sending them to avva Anuv first, for he was older in years. And avva Anuv was saying to thiem: go to my brother Pimen, for he has the gift of the word. And if avva Anuv was sitting next to avva Pimen, no way was avva Pimen talking when he was present.
109. There was a layman who was very pious in his life, and he came to avva Pimen. It happened that other brothers were also at the old man, asking to hear some word from him. And the old man said to the faithful layman: tell the brothers some word! And he was praying, saying: forgive me, avvo, for I have come to learn. And, being forced by the old man, he said: I am a layman, and seeing and trading greens, I undo the batches, and make them smaller, I buy with little and sell with much, yet I do not know to speak from the Scripture, but I will say an example. A man said to his friend: as I desire to see the emperor, come with me! The friend said to him: I will come with you to the half of the way. And he said to another friend: you come, and take me to the emperor! He said to him: I will take you to the emperor’s palace. He also said to the third one: come with me to the emperor! And he said to him: I come, and I take you to the palace, and I sit, and I speak, and I introduce you to the emperor. And he asked him: what the is the strength of the example? And answering, he said to them: the first one is necessity, which guides to the way, the second one is cleanliness, which reaches the sky, and the third one is mercy, which takes up to the Emperor God with daring. And so, the brothers, benefiting went away.
110. A brother was dwelling outside of his village and for many years he did not go into the village, and was saying to the brothers: there, how many years I have and I did not go into the village, and you always go! And it was told to avva Pimen about him, and the old man answered: I would have gone in the night, and circle the village, so that my thought could not boast that I do not go.
111. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: tell me some word! And he said to him: when the cauldron is burnt underneath, the fly cannot get close to it, nor can the other crippers, yet when it is cold, that is when it sets on it. So is with the monk: as long as he remains in the spiritual deeds, the enemy cannot upset him.
112. Avva Iosif was telling about avva Pimen, saying: this is the word written in the Gospel: the one who has coat, let him sell it, and buy knife (+). Meaning: the one who has rest should leave it, and keep the narrow path.
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(+) Luca 22, 36.
113. Some of the fathers asked avva Pimen, saying: if we should see a brother mistaking, do you want us to rebuke him? The old man said to them: if I should truly need to go by there, and should I see him mistaking, I go by him, and I do not rebuke him.
114. Avva Pimen said: it is written that what your eyes have seen, this is what you should testify to (+). Yet I say to you that although you will touch with your hands, do not testinfy to, for a brother was mocked in this way. For if seemed to him that he saw a brother of him sinning with a woman, and being battled a lot, he went and kicked them with the foot, thinking that it is them, and said to them: stop! Till when? And, in fact, there were bundless of wheat. This is why I have told you that although you will touch with your hands, do not rebuke.
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(+) Wisdom of Solomon 25, 7.
115. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what will I do, for I am battled towards fornication, and I am abducted to anger? The old man said: for these ones David was saying, that we beat the lion and we choke the bear (+); meaning, we cut the anger, and we diminish the fornication through weariness.
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(+) 1 Kings 17, 33.
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116. He also said: there it no higher love than this one, that someone can find, than to put his soul for his neighbour (+). Should somone hear an evil word, meaning of sadness, being able to also say the same, and he will fight not to say it, or if an unrighteousness will be made to him and he will suffer and will not pay back, one like this puts his soul for his neighbour.
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(+) John 15, 13.
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117. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what is the hypocrite? And the old man said to him: hypocrite is the one who teaches his neighbour something that he has not reached, for it is written: you see the straw in your brother’s eyes, yet there, the plank in your eye (+), and the others.
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(+) Matthew VI, 3, 4.
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118. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what is for one to become uselessly angry on his brother? (+) And he said: no matter what unrighteousness your brother will do to you, and you will become angry on him, you are uselessly angry. Even if he will pluck your right eye, and he will cut your right hand, and you will become angry on him, you are uselessly angry. Yet if he will separate you from God, then you should get mightly angry.
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(+) Matthew V, 22.
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119. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what will I do to my sins? The old man said to him: the one who wants to release himself from the sins, releases himself through crying, and the one who wants to gather good deeds, gathes through crying. For the crying is the way which the Gospel and our fathers gave to us, saying: cry, for there is no other way!
120. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what is the repentance of the sin? And the old man said to him: no not do it from here onwards, for this is why the righteous ones were called blameless, for they left the sins, and made themselves righteous.
121. He also said: the slyness of people is hiden behind them.
122. A brother asked avva Pimen: what will I do to these temptations which disturb me? The old man said to him: let us cry in front of the goodness of God, with all our weariness, until he will do with us His mercy!
123. Again the brother asked him: what will I do to my useless friendships that I have? And he said to him: is there any man that is about to die and pays attention to these friendships. Do not get close, nor touch them, and they will entrange by themselves!
124. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: can man be dead? He answered to him: if he will reach the sin, he makes himself dead, yet if he will reach goodness, he will be alive and does this one.
125. Avva Pimen said: the blessed Antonie said that man’s great trial is to lay his mistake in front of the Lord, and to expect temptation till the last breath.
126. Avva Pimen was asked: to whom it fits the written word “to not worry about tomorrow”? (+) The old man answered him: it was told for the man who is in temptation and is diminishing, to not worry saying how long time do I have in this temptation? But more strongly to judge saying in each day: today!
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(+) Matthew VI, 31.
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127. He also osaid: to teach the neighbour it is for one who is healthy and not addicted, for what use is for someone to build someone else’s house, and to waste his own?
128. He also said: what is the use for someone to go to the craft and not to learn?
129. He also said: all the ones over the measure are of the demons.
130. He also said: when man wants to build a house, gathers up a lot of material in order to be able to do the house, and also gathers many ways. So with us, let us take a little bit from the good deeds.
131. Someone from the parents asked avva Pimen, saying: how did avva Nistero suffer his apprentice? Avva Pimen answered them: if it was me, I would have even put a pillow under his head. Avva Anuv told him: and what would you have said to God? Avva Pimen answered: I would have told Him, for You said: first pull out the plank from your eye, and you will see to pull out the dirt of your brother (+).
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(+) Matthew VII, 5.
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132. Avva Pimen said: hunger and sleeplessness did not let us see the evil ones.
133. He also said: many have made themselves strong, but few un-provoking.
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(+) Hebrews 11, 34.
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134. He also said: with sights, all the good deeds have entered this house, except one good deed, and without this one, man will hardly stand. So they asked him which is it? And he said: that man should blame himself.
135. Many times avva Pimen was saying: we do not need anything except for a watchful mind.
136. Some of the parents asked avva Pimen, saying: who is the one who says: I am part to all who fear You? (+) And the old man said: the Holy Spirit is the one who says.
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(+) Psalm 118, 63.
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137. Avva Pimen sayed that a brother asked avva Simon, saying: if I should get out of my cell and I should find my brother wasting himself, I will also waste myself with him. And if I should find him laughing, I also laugh with him. So, when I enter my cell, I do not have rest. And the old man said to him: do you desire, if you will come out of your cell and you will find the ones who laugh, and you also laught, and the ones who talk, syou also talk, and enter into your cell and find yourself as you were? The brother said: but why? And answereing, the old man said: inside the guard is watching, outside the guard is watching.
138. Avva Dnaiil was saying: we once went to avva Pimen and we tasted together, and after we tasted together he said to us: go and rest a little bit, brothers! So the brothers went to rest a little bit, and I stayed to talk to him separately, and getting up I came to his cell. As he saw me that I am coming to him, he set hiself as if he would be sleeping, for this was the old man’s way, to do all in secret.
139. Avva Pimen said: should you see a few things and you will hear words, do not tell them to your neighbour, for it is war breaking.
140. He also said: run at once at the first, run at the second, make youself sword at the third!
141. Avva Pimen also said towards avva Isaac: ease up a little bit from your right, and you will have rest in your few days.
142. A brother went to avva Pimen and as a few sat together, they praised a brother for he is hater of evilness. Avva Pimen said to the one who talked: and what is hating of evilness? And the brother was amazed, and did not find what to answer, and getting up he asked for forgiveness from the old man, saying: tell me, what is hating of evilness? The old man said: hating of evilness is this: for someone to hate his sins, and to straighten his neighbour.
143. A brother, coming to avva Pimen, said to him: what will I do? The old man answered to him: go, get close to the one who says: what do I desire? And you will have rest.
144. Avva Iosif has told that avva Isaac said: I was once sitting with avva Pimen and I saw him getting astonished. And because I had a lot of daring towards him, I bowed to him, and I prayed, saying: tell me, where were you? And him, being forced to, said: my thought was where the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God stayed and cryed at the Redeemer’s Cross, and I wanted to always cry like that.
145. A brother asked avva Pimen saying, what will I do to this weight, which does not hold me. The old man answered him: the small ships and the big ones have belts so, if their wind will not be useful, the sail-men to put the rope and the belts on their chest, and to pull la little bit the ship, until God will send their wind. And if they will know that the cohort raised up, then they invade and they put hair, so that ti does not get covered, and the hair is to acuse oneself.
146. A brother asked avva Pimen about the upsetting of the thoughts. And the old man said to him: this thing is like a man who has fire on the left and a glass of water on the right; so, should the fire lit up, he will take the water from the glass, and will extinguish it. The fire is the seed of the enemy, and the water means to throw yourself in front of God.
147. A borther asked avva Pimen, saying: is it better to talk or to keep quiet? The old man answered him: the one who talks for God does well, and the one who keeps quiet for God, likewise.
148. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: how can man run from slandering the neighbour? The old man answered to him: we and our brothers are two icons. So, in any time man will pay attention to himself, and will accuse himself, then his brother is found praised in front of him, yet when he seems good to himself, he finds his brother bad in front of him.
149. A brother asked avva Pimen for lazyness. And the old man said to him: lazyness lays over all beginning, and there is no addiction worse than it, yet if man will recognize it that this is it, he will rest.
150. Avva Pimen said: we have seen three bodily deeds at avva Pamvo: not eating till evening in every day, quietness and great work of hands.
151. He also said that avva Teona was saying: although someone may gain the good deed, God does not give the gift only to him, for He know that he was not trustworhty to his effore. But, if it will do towards his friend, then remains with him.
152. A brother talked to avva Pimen, saying: I want to enther into the monastery, and live. The oldl man said to him: if you want to enter into the monastery, and you will not be without the care for all the meeting, and for all things, you cannot do the ones of the monastery, because over a jug you do not have control anymore.
153. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what will I do? And he told him: it is written: I will herald my trespass, and I will take care for my sin (+).
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(+) Psalm 37, 19.
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154. Avva Pimen said: these two thoughts, of fornication and of slendering, it is not proper for man to ever speak them nor to think them in his heart, for if he will want to think them in his heart no matter how little, he does not benefit, yet by becoming wild against them, he will find rest.
155. The brothers of avva Pimen were saying to him: let us go from this place, for the monasteries of thi place are usetting us, and we are loosing our souls! There, even the children crying do not let us quiet down. Avva Pimen said to them: you want to leave here because of the voice of the angels?
156. Avva Bitinie asked avva Pimen, saying: if someone should have sadness over me, and I should ask him for forgiveness, and he will not accept it, what will I do? The old man answered to him: toake with you two other brothers and ask for forgiveness from him, and if he should not accept, take another five, and if he should not accept also from these ones, take a priest, and if he should not accept that way either, without trouble from now onwards pray to God so that He lets him know, and be without a care!
157. Avva Pimen said: to teach the neighbour is similar to rebuking him.
158. He also said: do not fulfill your will, for it is more vigorously needed for you to humble yourself to your brother.
159. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: I found a place which has all the restfulness of the brothers, do you want me to live there? And the old man said to him: where you do not trouble your brother, that is where you should live.
160. Avva Pimen said: these three heads are useful: to be fearful of the Lord, to pray ceasesly and to do good to the neighbour.
161. A brother said to avva Pimen: my body has weaken, and the addictions do not weaken. The old man said to him: the addictions are roses with thorns.
162. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what will I do? And the old man answered to him: when God will rebuke us, why should we be afraid? And the brother said to him: of our sins. So the old man said to him: let us then enter in our cell and remember our sins, and the Lord will help us in all.
163. A brother waking to the market place, asked avva Pimen: what shall I do? The old man answered to him: make youself a friend to the one who forces you to, and you will sell your vases with rest.
164. Avva Pimen was asked about filthiness, and he answered: if we will make our work stronger, and we will get up with carefulness, we will not find in us filthiness.
165. Avva Pimen said: from the third generation of the Skete and from avva Moise, there were no brothers who came for growing.
166. He also said: man, if he guards his ordinance, does not get disturbed.
167. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: who am I supposed to sit in my cell? He answered to him: to sit in the cell, the one being seen, thus is the work of the hands, to eat once a day, to be quiet and to read, and in the hiding toincrease in the cell, it is ths: to bear the blaming of oneself in every place, wherever you will go, to not get lazy in the time of the church services and the hidden ones. And if there will happen in any time to sit without the work of hands, entering at the service, fulfill the codes without disturbance, and at the end of these, gain good comradeship, and get away from the evil one.
168. A brother asked avva Pimen: if a brother took away some money of mine, do you want me to ask him? The old man answered to him: ask him once. The brother said to him: but what will I do if I do not conquer my thought? The old man said to him: let your thought shout, only do not disgust your brother!
169. Some of the parents happened to have come to the house of one who loved Christ, among which was also avva Pimen. And as they were eating, meat was put in front of them, and they all ate, except avva Pimen. And the elders were surprised that he was not eating, as they knew of his right reckoning. And after they got up, they said to him: you ar Pimen and so you did? The old man answered to them: forgive me, fathers, you have eaten and nobody was deluded, yet if I would have eaten, as many brothers come close to me, they were going to get hurt, saying: Pimen ate meat yest we should not, and they were amazed by his right reckoning.
170. Avva Pimen said: I say that in the place where satan is being thrown, that is where I will be thrown.
171. The same one said to avva Anuv: trun your eyes so that they do not see immoal things; for free will kills the souls.
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(+) Psalm 118, 37.
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172. As avva Pimen was sitting, Paisie and his brother fought until blood came out of their heads, and the old man said nothing to them. So avva Nuv entered and seeing them, said to avva Pimen: what did you let the brothers to fight for, and said noting to them? Avva Pimen answered: they are brothers, and they will make peace again. Avva Anuv said: what is this? You saw that they did so, and say they will make peace again? Avva Pime said to him: set in your heart that I was not here inside.
173. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: some brothers live with me, do you want me to order to them? The old man said: no, but first you do this, and if they want to live, they will see themselves. The brother said to him: father, they also want for me to order them. The old man said to him: no, but make yourself and example for them, and not a law giver (+).
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(+) Timotei IV, 12.
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174. Avva Pimen said: if a brother will come to you and you will see that his coming is useless to you, try with your mind and find out how was your thought which you had before his coming, and then you will know the reason for the uselessness. And if you will do this with humble thinking and comprehending, you will be without blame with your neighbour, bearing his limitations. For if man does his dwelling with piety, he will not err, for God is in front of him and, as I see, from this dwelling man gains the fear of God.
175. He also said: the man who has a child living together and urges himself because of him to any addiction of the man of the old and again he holds him with himself, one like this is like the man who has a land which is gnawed by worms.
176. He also said: evilness does not undermine evilness in any way, but if someone will do any evil thing to you, you do good to him, so that throught the doing of good to undermine evilness.
177. He also said: when David started the fight with the lion, he held it by the throat, and immediately he killed it. So, if we also will hold our throats and stomachs, with God’s help we will win over the unseen lion.
178. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: what will I do, for there is griefing coming to me, and I start up? And the old man answered: the tial makes both the small ones aand the big ones to start up.
179. It was said about avva Pimen that he was sitting in the Skete with two of his brothers, and the smaller one was upsetting them. And he said to the other brother: this small one weakens us, get ups and let us go from here! And coming out, they left him. S, as he saw that they took a break, they saw them being from afar, and he started running behind them, shouting. Avva Pimen said: let us wait for the brother, for he exhausts himself. So, after he came to them, he prostrated in front of them, saying: where do you go, and do you leave me alone? And the old man said said to him: we are leaving because you are upsetting us. He said to them: fine, fine! Wherever you want, let us go together. And the old man, seeing his lack of evilness, said to his brother: let us return, brother, for we do not do this because of his will, but the devil is the one who does! And as they returned, they came to their place.
180. The abbot of a monastery asked avva Pimen, saying: how can I gather the fear of God? Avva Pimen said to him: how can we gain the fear of God, we who inside had bellows of cheese and buckets of salt?
181. A brother asked avva Pimen, saying: avvo, there were two people, one a monk and another a layman. The monk reckoned in the evening that in the morning he should leave the monastic order, and the layman reckoned in the evening that in the morning he should become a monk, but both of them died in that nights. What will it be reckoned to them? And the old man said: the monk died a monk, and the layman a layman, for in what they were found, they went.
182. Avva Ioan, who has been sent in exile by emperor Marcian, was saying: we once went from Siria to avva Pimen, and we wanted to ask him about the hardening of the heart. And the old man did not know the Greek language, nor did we find a translator, and, seeing us upset, he started talking in the Greek language, saying: the nature of the water is soft, and that of the rock is hard, yet the jug hung over the rock, dripping a little bit of water, drills the rock. In the same way, the word of God is soft, and our heart is hard, but when the man hears the word of God many times, his heart is being opened to fear God.
183. Avva Isaac went to avva Pimen and seeing him putting a little bit of water on the feet, as one who had daring towards him, said to him: how did some use the hardness, tormenting their body? The old man said to him: we did not lear to be killers of bodies, but of addictions.
184. He also said: these three wounds I cannot remove: food, clothing, sleep; but we can cut them from the side.
185. A brother said to avva Pime that he eats a lot of greens. The old man said: they are of no use to oyou; but eat your bread and set greens and do not go to the house of your parents for those that are needed.
186. It was said about avva Pime that if the elders were sitting in front of him and were talking about elders and were mentioning avva Sisoe, he was saying: leave the ones about avva Sisoe, for the ones about him do not come to the measure of tale!
FOR AVVA PAMVO
1. There was a man who was named avva Pamvo and it is said about this one that he spent three years praying to God and saying: do not praise me on earth! And God so praised him that no body could look at his face, because of the glory that it had.
2. It was said about avva Pamvo that, as moise took the icon of the glory of Adam, when his faced was glorified, so avva Pamvo’s face was shining like the lightning and he was as an emperor sitting on the trone. Of the same work was also avva Siluan and avva Sisoe.
3. Two brothers once came to avva Pamvo and one of them asked him, saying: avvo, I fast at every two days, and I eat two loaves of bread. Am I saving my sould, or am I losing myself? The other one also said: avvo, I spend out of my treasure two coins very day, and I keep a little bit for food, and the rest I give for mercy. Am I saving myself or am I lost? And they prayed a lot, and he did not give them an answer, and after four days they were going to leave, and the clerics were comforting them, saying: do not get upset, brothers, God will reward you. This is the old man’s custom, he does not speak easily, unless God lets him know. So they went in to the old man and said to him: avvo, pray for us! He said to them: you want to leave? They answered: yes! And weighting their deeds, writing on the ground, he was saying: Pamvo, fasting at every two days, and eating two loaves of bread, is it making a monk with this? No! And Pamvo, work for two coins and give them for mercy, is it makin a monk with this? Not yet! And he said to them: the deeds are good, but if you will guard the conscience towards the neighbour, so you will save yourselves. And gaining trust, they went full of joy.
4. Four ascetics once came to the great Pamvo, wearing skins. And they each heralded the good deed of the other one, that one no being present. One was fasting a log, the second one was not gathering, and the third one has gained a lot of love. It was also said about the fourth one that he was under obedience to an elder for twenty two years. Avva Pamvo answered to them: I am telling you, that the good deed of this one is greater, for each of you, the good deed that he has gained, he has gained with his will; yet this one, cutting away he will, does the will of another. For these sort of men are witnesses, if they will guard themselves like this till death.
5. The one into blessed rememberance, Atanasie, the archbishop of Alexandria, asked avva Pamvo to come down from the desert to Alexandria. So, coming down and seeing there an wanton woman, he was filled with tears. And the ones that were together, asking him why did he shet tears, he said: two reasons started me: one, the loss of that one, and another, that I do not have this way of endeavor to be liked by God, as this one has to be liked by foul people.
6. Avva Pamvo said: with God’s gift, since I left the world, I did not regret of any word that I said.
7. He also said: this is the sort of coat that the monk should wear: to put it ouside of his cell for three days, and for no one to take it.
8. Once it happened for avva Pamvo to walk with the brothers in the parts of Egypt. And seeing some laymen sitting, he was saying to them: getting up, bow down to the monks, to be blessed by them, for often they talk with God and their mouths are holy!
9. Avva Pamvo said: if you your heart is watchful, you may save yourself.
10. The priest of Nitria asked: how must the brothers live? And he said: in great need, and guarding the care for the neighbour.
11. Avva Teodor of Fermei asked avva Pamvo: tell me a word. And with a lot of hardship, he said to him: Teodor, go, have your mercy over all, for mercy has found daring in front of God!
12. It was said about avva Pamvo that his face was never smiling to laugh. So, one day, as the devils wanted to make him laugh, they joined a feather to a piece of wood, and they were carrying it making noise and saying: Alli! Alli! And as he saw them, avva Pamvo laughed: and the devils started to dance saying: Ha! Ha! Pamvo laughed. And he, answering, said to them: I did not laught, but I made fun of your inability, for you carry a feather, although there are so many of you.
13. But this one had it more than many that when he was asked about some word of the Scripture or spiritual, he was not answering immediately, but was saying that he does not know the word; and if he was asked more, he was not answering.
14. Some have told about avva Pamvo that as he wanted to end, to the very hour of death, he said to the holy men who were sitting around him: since I came to this place, and I built my cell and I dwelled in it, aside from my own hands I do not remember that I have eaten bread, nor did I regret the word I said until this hour. And so I go towards God, as if I did not even start to serve Him.
15. Avva Pamvo sent his apprentice to sell his handy work. And doing sixteen days (as he was telling us), he was sleeping in the night in the porch of the church of Saint Apostole Marcu, and seeing the church service, he came back to the old man. He also learned a few troparies. So the old man said to him: son, I see you troubled. Is it that some temptation happened to you in the city? The brother answered: truly, avvo, we spend our days in laziness in this desert, and neither cannons nor troparies do we sing. Going to Alexandria I saw the cohorts of the church how they sing and I got sad that we do not also sing the canons and the troparies. The old man said to him: bitternes onto us, son, that the days have reached us in which the monks will leave the hard food, the one said through the Holy Spirit, and we will follow the singing and the voices, for what humbleness and what tears are born out of the troparies? When someone stays in the church or in the cell and he raises his voice as the unable ones. For if we stay in front of God, we owe it to stay with great humbleness, and not with dispersion, for the monks did not come out into this desert to stay in front of God and to disperse themselves, and to sing songs with verse and to put their voices in a order with craft, to move their hands, to crawl their feet, but we owe fear to God and fright, with tears and with sighs, with pious voice, humble, measured and meek to bring prayer to God. But there, I am telling you son, there will be days coming when the Christians will destroy the books of the Holy Gospel and of the Holy Apostoles and of the Godly prophets, erasing the Holy Scriptures and writing Greek troparies and words. And the mind will overflow to these, and from those it will distance itself. Because of this our fathers have said: the ones who are in this desert, let them not write the lives and the words of the parents on parchment, but on papers, for the people at the end will erase the lives of the parents, and to write according to their will, for great is the grieft that is to come. And the brother said to him: so, will the Christians’ customs and settlements be changed, and there will not be priests in the churches to do these? And the old man said: in such times the love of many will get cold, and there will be a lot of grief. The overrunning of the pagans and the starting of the peoples, the restlessness of the emperors, the gratifying of the priests, the laziness of the monks. There will be abbots not paying attention to the salvation of themselves and of the flock, all zealous and striving at meals and feuding, lazy at prayers and hard working at slanders, ready to condemn the lives the elders, and neither following nor listened to their words, but more strongly shaming them and saying: if we would also have been in their days, we would also have strained ourselves. And the bishops in those days will be shy of the faces of the strong ones, making judgements with gifts, not keeping the part of the poor one at judgements, upsetting the widows and tormenting the destitute. Also, into the people will enter the lack of faith, the fornication, ugliness, dissension, envy, hardenings, thefts, and drunkenness. And the brother said: what will someone do in those times and in those years? And the old man said: son, in those days, the one who saves his soul will be named great in the the Kingdon of Heaven (+).
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(+) From Paladie.
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FOR AVVA PAISIE
1. Paisie, avva Pimen’s brother, found a small jar with money and said to avva Anuv, his brother: you know that avva Pimen’s word is very harsh, come, let us build a monastery somewhere, and to live there without care! Avva Anuv answered to him: but what will we build it with?? And he showed him the money. So, seeing them, avva Anuv got very sad, thinking of the harming of his brother’s soul. But he said to him: good, let us go and build a cell across from the river. So, avva Anuv took the jar, and put it into his hat, and as they were both crossing the river, when they reached the middle, avva Anuv pretended he slipped, and the hat with the honey fell into the river, and avva Anuv got sad for this. Paisie told him: do not get sad, avvo, for as the money went away, let us again go to our brother. And returning, they remained in peace.
FOR AVVA PISTOS
1. Avva Pistos has told, saying: we went, seven hermits, to avva Sisoe, who lived in the Clisma island, praying him to tell us some word, and he said: forgive me, I am a stupid man, but I went to avva Or and to avva Atre. And avva Or’s sickness was for eighteen years. And I prostrated to them, to tell me some word. And avva Or said: what can I do to you? Go, and whatever you see, do it! God is of the one who overflows, meaning, he pushes himself into all. And avva Or and avva Atre were not from one same parish, but it was great peace between them, until they came out of body, for great was avva Atre’s obedience, and great was avva Or’s humble thinking. And I stayed a few days with them, trying them, and I saw a great wonder that avva Atre made. Someone brought them a small fish, and avva Atre wanted to cook it to the old man, and he had the knife, to cut the fish, but avva Or called him, saying: Atre, Atre, and he left the knife in the middle of the fish, and did not split the other part, too. I wondered at his great obedience, for he did not say: wait until I will split the fish! And I said to avva Atre: where did you find this obedience? And he said to me: it is not mine, but the old man’s. Then he took me, saying: come and see his obedience. For he had boiled the small fish, spoiled it and put it in front of the old old man who ate, saying nothing. Then he asked: is it good, avvo? And he answered to him: very good. After that he brought him a little bit, but very good, and he said to him: I spoiled it, avvo! And he answered, saying: yes, you spoined it! And avva Atre said to me: did you see, that the obedience is the old man’s? I came out, then, from them, and whatever I saw, I did it, in order to guard it, according to my power. This is what avva Sisoe said to the brothers, and one of us prayed to him, saying: we pray you, tell us a word to us, too! And he said: the one who holds on to be neglected, fulfills all the Scripture. And another of us, said: what is the enstrangement, father? And he said: keep quiet, and in every place where you go, say: I have nothing to do, and this is the enstrangement.
FOR AVVA PIOR
1. The blessed Pior, working in the summer at someone, was remaining him to pay him. And, as that one did not want to, he returned to the monastery. Again, the time came, harvesting at him, and working hard, having not received anything, he returned to the monastery. As a third year was fulfilled, and as he completed the regular work, the old man went away not taking anything. But God has scolded that one’s house, who, bringing the payment, was looking for the saint at the monastery. And, finding him with difficulty, he fell to his feet, giving him the payment. And he was saying: God has given me. And that one allowed him to give them to the priest, at the church.
2. Avva Pior was eating while walking. And as someone asked him why he eats like this, he answered: I do not want to have the food as a thing, but as under a thing. And to another who also asked him about this, he said: I want for the sould to not feel bodily sweetness no even when I eat.
3. Once an assembly was done in the Skete for a brother who had mistaken. And the fathers were talking, but avva Pior was quiet. Later, getting up, he wen out. And taking a sack, he filled it with sand, and was carrying it on his shoulder. And putting into a bag a little bit of sand, was carrying it on the chest. As he was asked by the fathers what does that mean, he said: this sack, which has a lot of sand, are my mistakes – for they are many – and I have left them behind me, so that I do not feel pain for them, and to cry. And these small ones, are those of my brother, in front of me, and I preoccupy myself with these, judging him. But I am not supposed to do so, but rather to bring mine in front of me, and to take care of them, and to pray to God to forgive them to me. And (+), upon hearing, the parents said: truly, this is the way to salvation.
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(+) In others, getting up.
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FOR AVVA PITIRION
1. Avva Pitirion, the apprentice of avva Antonie, was saying: the one who wants to cast out the devils, let him first enslave his addictions, for whatever addiction one overpowers, he will also cast out this devil. Follow the anger, says the devil; if you will overpower the anger, the devil of that was cast out. The same also for every addiction.
FOR AVVA PISTAMON
1. A brother asked avva Pistamon, saying: what will I do, for I am getting upset when I sell the work of my hands? And answering, the old man said: also avva Sisoe, and the others were selling the work of their hands. This is no harm, but when you sell it, say once the price of the jar. So, if you want to decrease a bit of the price, it is in your power. This way you will find peace. The brother said again: if I am tried by something, do you want me to care about the work of my hands? And answering, the old man said to him: whatever will happen, do not leave the work of your hands. Do as much as you can, but not with disquiet.
FOR AVVA PIONITUL
1. It was said about avva Petru pionitul from the cells, that he was not drinking wine. After he got old, the brothers were making him a little bit of wine mixed with water, and were asking him to receive it. And he was saying:, believe to me, I receive it as a sweet thing, and he bowed, and was drinking the wine mixed with the water.
2. A brother said to avva Petru, the apprentice of avva Lot: when I am in my cell, my soul is in peace. And if some brother will come to me, and will tell me the words of the ones from the outside, my soul will be disturbed. And avva Lot was saying: your key opens my door. The brother said to the old man: what is this word? The old man said: if someone will come to you, you say to him: how are you, brother? Where did you come from? How are the brothers? Did they receive you or not? And then you open the door to the brother and you hear the ones that you doo not want to. And he said to him: it is so. What will the man do, if some brother will come to him? The old man answered: the crying is truly teaching, and where there is no crying, it is not possible to defend oneself. The brother said: when I am in the cell, the crying is with me, but if someone will come to me, of if I will come out of the cell, I do not have it. The old man said: it is not yet obeying you, but it is useful to you. For it is written in the law that when you will get some Jewish slave, he will work for you for six years, and in the seventh year you will release him free. And if you will give him woman, and she will give birth to children in your house, and will not want to leave, because of the woman and the children, you will bring him to the door of your house, and you will make a whole in his ear with the neddle, and he will be your slave for ever (+). The brother said: what is this word? The old man answered: if the man will strive according to his strength for some thing, in every hour it will look for its use, it will find it. The brother said to him: please, tell me this word! The old man said: neither child, meaning the untrue son will remain with someone slaving, but the one who is born a son does not leave his father.
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(+) Exodus, XXI, 2, 5, 6.
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3. The fathers were saying about avva Petru and avva Epimah that they were united in Rait. So, eating in the church, they were forced to come to the elders’ table. And with a lot of hardship, avva Petru went alone. So, as they got up, avva Epimah said to him: how did you dare go to the elders’ table? And he answered: if I would have sat with you, the brothers would have wanted to ask me like an elder, and to first bless, and I would have been as a higher-up for you. And now, getting close to the elders, I was smaller than everyone, and humbler in thought.
4. Avva Petru said: it is not right to highten ourselves when the Lord will do something through us, but more strongly to thank that we were worthy to be called by Him. And this, it it right for us to rekon to all good deed.
FOR AVVA PAFNUTIE
1. Avva Pafnutie said: as I was traveling on a way, it happened to me that I got lost because of the fog, and I found myself close to the village. And I saw some mating without shame. That’s how I stayed, praying for my sins. And there, the angel came, having a sword, and said to me: Pafnutie, all that judge their brothers, they will perish of this sword, because you have not judged, but humbled yourself in front of God, as if you would have done the sin, because of this your name was written in the Book of the alive ones.
2. It is said about avvaPafnutie that he was not hurriedly drank wine. But as he was travelling once, he found himself in a band of thiefs and he found them drinking wine. So, the higher-up of the the thiefs knew him, and knew that he did not drink wine. Seeing him very tired, he filled a glas with wine and, taking the sword in his hand, said to the old man: should you not drink, I will kill you. And the old man, knowing that he will do God’s commandment, and wanting to gain him, he took and he drank. And the higher-up of the thiefs asked for forgiveness from him, saying: forgive me, avvo, for I troubled you! And the old man said: I believe to God that for this glass he will make mercy with you both in this age and in the age to come. And the higher-up of the thiefs said: I believe to God that from now on I will not harm anyone again. And the old man gained the whole band, leaving his will to God.
3. Avva Pimen told that avva Pafnutie was saying: the all the days of the lives of the elders, twice a month I was going to them, having to them a distance of about twelve miles, and I was saying to them all my thoughts, and they were not saying anything else to me, than this: in any place you will go, do not count yourself and you will be resting.
4. There was a brother at the Skete with avva Pafnutie and he was battled towards fornication and was saying: if I will get ten women, I will not fulfill my desire. And the old man was comforting him, saying: no, son, the war is of the devils. And the brother did not listen, but went to Egypt and got himself woman. And after a while, it happened that the old man went up to Egypt, and met him, who was carrying a basket with shells. And the old man did not recognize him, but he said to him: I am so-and-so, your apprentice! And seeing him in that disgrace, the old man cried and said to him: how did you leave that grace and you came to this disgrace? But did you get those ten women? And sighing, he said: truly, I got one and I am tormenting myself how to fill her with bread. The old man said to him: come again with us! And he asked: is there repention, avvo? There is, answered the old man to him. Thus, leaving everything, he went after him, and entering into the Skete, from the trial he became an able monk.
5. A thought came to a brother who was sitting in the Tebaida’s desert, saying: why are sitting fruitlessly? Ge up, go to the monastery, and there you will bear fruit! And getting up, he came to avva Pafnutie and told him the thought. And the old man said to him: go, sit in your cell and do one prayer in the morning, one in the evening and one in the night; and eat when you are hungry, and drink when you are thirsty, and sleep when you are sleepy, and stay on dry land, and do not lean to the thought. He also came to avva Ioan and told him the words of avva Pafnutie. And getting up, he came to avva Arsenie, and told him everything. Then the old man said to him: hold what the parents told you, for I do not have anything more to tell you. And gaining confidence, he went away.
FOR AVVA PAVEL
1. One of the parents was telling about avva Pavel, that he was from the lower parts of Egypt, but was living in tebaida, and that this one was catching with his hands cheasts (venomous serpents), scorpions and serpents, and was breaking them into two. And the brothers bowed to him saying, tell us, what deed did you do that you received this gift? And he said: forgive me, fathers, if someone will gain through cleanliness, all obey him, as to Adam, when he was in heaven, before he disobeyed the commandment.
FOR AVVA PAVEL THE CRAFTMAN
1. Avva Pavel the craftman and Timotei, his brother, were living in the Skete and many times there was persecution happening between them. Avva Pavel said: until when should we live like this? And avva Timotei said to him: please, when I will come over you, bear me, and when you will also come over me, I will also bear you! And doing like this, they rested in the other days of their lives.
2. These same ones avva Pavel and Timotei were craftmen in the Skete, and were upset on the brothers. And Timotei said towards his brother: what do we need this crafmanship for? There, it does not allow us to quiet down throughout the day. And answering, avva Pavel said: it is enough to us the quietness of the night, should our mind be awoken.
FOR AVVA PAVEL THE GREAT
1. Avva Pavel the great, the Galatian, said: a priest who has his needs in his cell, even few of them, and takes care of them, is being mocked by the devils. For I also suffered this.
2. Avva Pavel said: I am deepened into mud up to my neck, and I cry in front of God, saying: have mercy on me.
3. Some of the fathers were saying about avva Pavel that he completed the Great Lent with a little bit of lentils, with a jar of water, and with a basket, weaving it and staying locked up to the feast.
FOR AVVA PAVEL THE SIMPLE
1. The blessed avva Pavel the simple, the apprentice of Saint Antonie, has told the parents a thing like this: once, going to oa monastery for the searching and the benefit of the brothers, according to the word used between them, they entered in the church to complete the holy service, and the blessed Pavel was paying attention to each who were entering in the church, to see with what soul do they enter at the service, for he also had this God given gift, to see how each is in the soul, as we see the cheeks of another. And as all came in with bright face and with happy cheek, and seeing each one’s angel being happy for him, he saw one black and dar in the whole body, and devils holding him from both sides, and pulling to himlsef, and putting a harness in his nouse, and his holy angel walking far after him, gloomy and sad. And Pavel, sheding tears, and hitting his chest with his hand, was sitting in front of the church, crying very much the one who showed himself to him like this. And the ones who saw the wondering thing of the old man, and his quick change which started him to tears and to crying, were asking him, praying, to tell them why he is crying, thinking maybe, out of despair for everything he does this. They were praying him to enter also at the service with them. But Pavel, shaking himself off of them, and dropping this off, was sitting outside, keeping quiet, and lamenting a lot for the one who had shown himself like this to him. After a little bit, as the service had ended, and all came out, again Pavel was paying attention to each, knowing how they entered, and wanting to know how they come out. So he sees that old man who beforehand had all the body black and dark, that he comes out of the church bright in the face, white in the body, and devils much far, going after him, and the angel close to him, following him and rejoicing much about him. And Pavel, jumping with happiness, was shouting, blessing God, and saying: oh, God’s untold love of humans! Oh, His Godly mercies, and His goodness, over the measure! Them, running and climbing on a tall rock, he was saying: come and see the things of God (+1), for they are fearful (+2) and worthy of all the scare! Come and see the One Who wants that all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth! (+3) Come, let us bow and fall to Him (+4) and to say: you alone can raise the sins! So all were running dilligently, wanting to hear what was said. And after all gathered up, avva Pavel told the ones seen by him before the entering into the church, and again after that. And he was praying that man to tell the reason for which God gave him suddently such change. And the man, being given away by Pavel, has told in front of everyone without shyness the ones about him, saying: I am a sinful man, and for long time I was living in fornication till now. And now, entering into the Holy Church of God, I heard the Holy Prophet Isaia being read, or better said, God speaking through him: wash yourselves, and clean yourselves, take the cunning from your hearts in front of My eyes, invite yourselves to do good, and if your sins will be as the cinder, I will whiten them as the snow! And if you want, and you will listen to Me, you will eat the goodness of the earth (+5)! And me, the fornicator, humbling myself in my soul from the word of the prophet, and sighing in my soul, I said to God: You, God, Who came in the world to save the sinners (+6), the One Who now through Your prophet has promised these, fulfill these with the deed also to me the sinner and the worthless, for there, from now on I give You the word, and I swear myself and from my heart I confess to You, that I will not do this sort of eveil anymore, and I give up all the lawlessnesses and I will serve you from now on, with clean knowledge. From today, oh, Lord! And from this hour receive me, the one who repents, and falls in front of You, and I distance myself from now onwards from all sin1 With these promises, I came out from the church, deciding in my soul to not do any more evil in front of the eyes of god. And upon heardin, all were shouting with voice to God: how much have Your things increased, God, all You have done into wisdom! (+7). Knowing then, oh, Christians, from the Godly Scriptures, and from the holy relvelations, how much goodness god has to the one who clearly desire to Him, and through repentance they distance their previous mistakes, and how He gives again the promised good things, not punishing for the previous sins, let us not despair of our inheritance. For, as through Isaia the prophet Hepromised to wash the ones soiled in sins, and to whiten them as the wool and the snow, and to make them worthy of the good things of the Heavenly Jerusalem, so also through the Saint Prophet Iezechil, He entrusts us with promise that He will not loose us. For He says: I am alive, the Lord, that I do not desire the death of the sinner, but to return and to obe alive (+8).
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( +1 ) Psalm. 45, 8.
( +2 ) Psalm. 65, 2.
( +3 ) I Tim. 11, 4.
( +4 ) Psalm. 94, 6.
( +5 ) Isaia 1, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
( +6 ) I Tim. 1, 15.
( +7 ) Psalm. 103, 25.
( +8 ) Iezechil XVIII, 23, 32.
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FOR AVVA PETRU, THE ONE FROM DIA
1. Petru, priest of the ones from Dia, if he was ever praying with some, because for priesthood he was obliged to sit in front with humble thinking, he was setting himself towards the end, confessing himself, as it is written, in the live of avva Antonie. He was doing this without saddening anyone.