The Fall of Pride
Having been filled, if it has become conceited, it will be broken and will cause much sorrow. A flash of lightning foretells the sound of thunder, and pride announces the presence of vainglory.
The soul of a proud man ascends to a great height, and from there it casts him into the abyss. He who has turned himself away from God suffers from pride, and by his own power inscribes his achievements. Just as one who climbs a spider's web and falls through it is driven down, so the one trembling falls by his own power.
Much fruit bends the branches of a tree, and a multitude of virtues humbles the mind of a man. Fruit that has rotted is useless to the farmer, and the virtue of a proud man is of no use to God. A pruning hook carries away a fruitful branch, and the fear of God makes the soul virtuous. Just as the weight of fruit breaks the branch, so pride casts down a virtuous soul.
Do not give your soul to your pride, and you will not see terrible phantasms. For the soul of a proud man is abandoned by God, and becomes a plaything for demons. In the night he fantasizes about a multitude of approaching beasts, and by day he is troubled by thoughts of cowardice; while sleeping he is constantly startled, and while awake he falls under the shadow of an owl. The sound of a leaf startled the proud man, and the sound of water broke his soul. For he who a little ago was opposing himself to God and refusing His help, later is bloodless, under the influence of worthless phantasms.
Pride cast down an archangel from heaven, and made him fall upon the earth like lightning. But humility raises a man to heaven, and prepares him to dance with the angels. Why do you soar, O man, being clay, and rotten in nature, and rising above the clouds? Consider your nature, that you are earth, and ash, and in a little while you will dissolve into dust (Gen 3:19), just now serious, and in a little while...
Greek
πεπληρωμένον· ἐὰν πεπανθῇ, ῥαγήσεται, καὶ ποιήσει ἀηδίαν πολλήν. Ἀστραπῆς ἔκλαμψις, ἦχον προμηνύει βροντῆς, καὶ ὑπερηφανίαν εὐαγγελίζεται παρουσία κενοδοξίας. Εἰς ὕψος μέγα ἀναβαίνει ὑπερηφάνου ψυχὴ, κακεῖθεν αὐτὸν εἰς βυθὸν καταβάλλει. Ὑπερηφανίαν νοσεῖ ὁ ἀποστήσας ἑαυτὸν Θεοῦ, καὶ ἰδίᾳ δυνάμει ἐπιγράφων τὰ κατορθώματα. Ὥσπερ δὲ ὁ ἐπιβὰς ἀράχνῃ διαπεσὼν κατηνέχθη κάτω, οὕτω πίπτει ὁ θαῤῥῶν τῇ ἰδίᾳ δυνάμει. Καρπὸς πολὺς κατακάμπτει κλῶνας δένδρου, καὶ ἀρετῆς πλῆθος ταπεινοῖ φρόνημα ἀνδρός. Καρπὸς σεσηπὼς ἄχρηστος γεωργῷ, καὶ ἀρετὴ ὑπερηφάνου οὐ χρησιμεύει Θεῷ. Χάραξ βαστάζει κλῶνα κατάκαρπον, καὶ φόβος Θεοῦ ἐνάρετον ψυχήν. Ὥσπερ βάρος καρποῦ καταράσσει κλῶνα, οὕτω ὑπερηφανία ἐνάρετον καταβάλλει ψυχήν. Μὴ δῷς ὑπερηφανίᾳ σὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς φαντασίας φρικτάς. Ψυχὴ γὰρ ὑπερηφάνου ἐγκαταλιμπάνεται ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, καὶ γίνεται δαιμόνων ἐπίχαρμα. Νύκτωρ φαντάζεται θηρίων ἐπερχομένων πλῆθος, καὶ μεθ' ἡμέρας ταράσσεται ὑπὸ λογισμῶν δειλίας· καθεύδων ἐξάλλεται συνεχῶς, καὶ ἐγρηγόρως καταπτήσσει σκίαν ὀρνέου. Φωνὴ φύλλου, ἐπτόησεν ὑπερήφανον, καὶ ὕδατος ἦχος κατέκλασεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχήν. Ὁ γὰρ πρὸ μικροῦ ἑαυτὸν ἀντιτάσσων Θεῷ, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου βοήθειαν ἀρνούμενος, ὕστερος ἐκδειματοῦται, ὑπὸ φαντασμάτων εὐτελῶν. 79.1164 ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΗʹ. Ὑπερηφανία ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ κατέβαλεν ἀρχάγγελον, καὶ ὡς ἀστραπὴν ἐποίησε πεσεῖν ἐπὶ γῆς. Ταπεινοφροσύνη δὲ, ἄνθρωπον ἀνάγει εἰς οὐρανὸν, καὶ μετὰ ἀγγέλων χορεύειν παρασκευάζει. Τί μετεωρίζῃ, ἄνθρωπε, πηλὸς ὢν, καὶ σαπρία τῇ φύσει, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὰς νεφέλας ἐπαίρῃ; ἐπισκέψαι σου τὴν φύσιν ὅτι γῆ εἶ, καὶ σποδὸς, καὶ μετ' ὀλίγον εἰς κόνιν ἀναλύῃ, ἄρτι σοβαρὸς, καὶ μετ' ὀλίγον
About this text
The original eight evil thoughts that became the seven deadly sins, and how each one attacks.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.