Instruction to Monks
Institutio ad monachos
Exhortation to Monks§1
1Fasting cuts off the excess of foods, and self-control with prayer removes the lawlessness of fornication. Stinginess restrains the love of money, which is the mother of idolatry, and hope in God cuts off bodily anxiety. The reading of divine writings and wakefulness with prayer restrain a wandering mind. Long-suffering and psalmody curb the rushing of passion. Endurance and tears suppress acedia, and hatred of pleasures silences worldly sorrow.
Humility acquires hospitality, and turning away from ambition and superiority restrains them; as for pride, that ancient evil, which is detestable before the Lord, against which even God resists (James 4:6), immeasurable humility brings it to rest, saying: 'I am dust and ashes' (Ps 103:14). And again: 'Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it' (Ps 127:1),' and one must guard oneself, being tested. Just as it is impossible for turbid water to be cleansed if it does not remain still, so it is impossible to know a monk's state without stillness. Just as it is impossible for an athlete to be crowned without wrestling, so it is impossible to become a Christian without struggles. Just as a yoke is not equal if one part is heavy, so it is impossible to fulfill God's commandment while grasping at fleshly thinking. Just as it is impossible to learn a craft without having studied diligently, so it is impossible to acquire prayer without having persevered in God in rectitude.
Greek · §1
Institutio sive Paraenesis ad monachos (recensio brevior) ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΝΕΙΛΟΥ ΠΑΡΑΙΝΕΣΙΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΜΟΝΑΧΟΥΣ. 79.1236 Ἀκρασίαν βρωμάτων περικόπτει νηστεία, ἀκολασίαν δὲ πορνείας περιαιρεῖ ἐγκράτεια μετὰ προσευχῆς. Φιλαργυρίαν τὴν τῆς εἰδωλολατρίας μητέρα συστέλλει ἀκτημοσύνη, μέριμναν δὲ σωματικὴν περικόπτει ἐλπὶς ἡ εἰς Θεόν. Πλανώμενον νοῦν συστέλλει ἀνάγνωσις λογίων Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀγρυπνία μετὰ προσευχῆς. Θυμοῦ δὲ καταδρομὴν, καταπραΰνει μακροθυμία, καὶ ψαλμῳδία. Ἀκηδίαν καταστέλλει ὑπομονὴ, καὶ δάκρυα, λύπην δὲ κοσμικὴν κατασιγάζει τὸ πρὸς τὰς ἡδονὰς μῖσος. Φιλοξενίαν κτᾶται ταπεινοφροσύνη, καὶ φιλαρχίας, καὶ ὑπεροχῆς ἀποστροφὴ, ὑπερηφανίαν δὲ, τὸ ἀρχαῖον κακὸν, τὸ βδελυκτὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ᾗ ἀνθίσταται καὶ ὁ Θεὸς, καταπαύει ταπεινοφροσύνη ἀμέτρητος, ἡ λέγουσα· «Ἐγὼ εἰμὶ γῆ καὶ σποδός.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον, εἰς μάτην ἐκοπίασεν ὁ οἰκοδομῶν,» καὶ φυλάττειν πειρώμενος. Ὡς οὐκ ἔστι τεθολωμένον ὕδωρ καθαρεῦσαι μὴ μεῖναν ἀσάλευτον, οὕτως οὐκ ἔστι μοναχοῦ κατάστασιν ἐπιγνῶναι, ἄνευ ἡσυχίας. Ὡς ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν ἀθλητὴν στεφανωθῆναι μὴ παλαίσαντα, οὕτως οὐκ ἔστι γενέσθαι Χριστιανὸν ἄνευ ἀγώνων. Ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν ἴσος ὁ ζυγὸς, βαροῦντος τοῦ ἑνὸς μέρους, οὕτως οὐκ ἔστι κατορθῶσαι ἐντολὴν Θεοῦ, κατακρατοῦντος τοῦ σαρκικοῦ φρονήματος Ὥσπερ οὐκ ἔστι μαθεῖν τέχνην, μὴ σχολάσαντα ἐπιμελῶς, οὕτως οὐκ ἔστι κτήσασθαι προσευχὴν μὴ προσκαρτερήσαντα τῷ Θεῷ ἐν εὐθείᾳ
The Necessity of Virtue and Prayer§2
2To the heart. He who has not acquired pure prayer has no weapon for war. He who is adorned and equipped by the virtues of God will be a dwelling-place for demons.
Just as a king cannot dwell in the house of a poor man, so Christ will not dwell in a soul defiled by sin. Just as a barren place is made fruitful through diligent care, so a soul made wild by sins is made fruitful if it lives by the law of God. Just as a rock in the sea remains firm and unshaken, even when struck by waves, so also the one having perfected the virtues, and having been strengthened by them entirely, will never be shaken by the devil. Just as a physician devises a remedy for the treatment of a disease, so also the knowledge of God, being preserved, teaches the one participating in it so that he might be kept safe and proceed to greater things. Just as a precipice creates its own passage, so also sin having been received works the destruction of what it has acquired. Just as a deer that has fallen into a pit cannot easily escape, so also the one performing desires and turning about in this world will never flee sin; for desires are evil, and pleasures are ill-fated chains. Just as a vine, not producing good fruits, is cut off so that it does not waste the place, so also every one will be uprooted from the Lord.
Greek · §2
καρδίᾳ. Ὁ μὴ κεκτημένος προσευχὴν καθαρὰν, οὐκ ἔχει ὅπλον εἰς πόλεμον. Ὁ κεκοσμημένος, καὶ σεσαρωμένος ἀπὸ ἀρετῶν Θεοῦ, κατοικητήριον ἔσται δαιμόνων. 79.1237 Ὡς οὐκ ἔστι κατοικῆσαι βασιλέα ἐν οἴκῳ πένητος, οὕτως οὐ κατοικήσει Χριστὸς ἐν ψυχῇ ῥερυπωμένῃ ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας. Ὥσπερ ἀνήμερος τόπος ἡμεροῦται δι' ἐπιμελοῦς φιλεργίας, οὕτως ψυχὴ ἀγριωθεῖσα ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἠμεροῦται, εἰ νόμῳ Θεοῦ πολιτεύσεται. Ὥσπερ πέτρα οὖσα ἐν θαλάσσῃ ἑδραία μένει, καὶ ἀσάλευτος κατακρουομένη ὑπὸ κυμάτων, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τὰς ἀρετὰς κατορθώσας, καὶ ταύταις ὅλως ἀνακραθεὶς, οὐ μὴ σαλευθῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου. Ὥσπερ ἰατρὸς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ πάθους θεραπείαν ἐπινοεῖ τὸ φάρμακον, οὕτως καὶ ἡ γνῶσις τοῦ Θεοῦ συντηρουμένη διδάσκει τὸν μετέχοντα αὐτῆς, ὅπως ἂν διαφυλαχθῇ, καὶ ἐπὶ μείζονα προέλθοι. Ὥσπερ χαράδρα ἑαυτῆς ἐμποιεῖται τὴν διόδον οὕτω καὶ ἁμαρτία παραδεχθεῖσα κατεργάζεται τοῦ κεκτημένου αὐτῆς τὴν ἀπώλειαν. Ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν εἰς λίνα ἐμπεσόντα ἔλαφον εὐχερῶς ἐκφυγεῖν, οὕτως οὐ μὴ φύγῃ ἁμαρτίαν ὁ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἐκτελῶν, καὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ ἀναστρεφόμενος· ἐπιθυμίαι γὰρ πονηραὶ, καὶ ἡδοναὶ, σειραὶ δύσλυτοι. Ὥσπερ ἄμπελος, μὴ ποιοῦσα καρποὺς καλοὺς, ἐκκόπτεται ἵνα μὴ τὸν τόπον καταργῇ, οὕτως καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐκριζωθήσεται πᾶς
The Fruits of the Spirit and the Trinity§3
3He who does not produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Just as it is impossible for a man not to be harmed when struck by an arrow, so it is impossible for a monk to receive an evil thought without being wounded.
Just as one who has departed from the straight way wanders in a foreign land, not knowing where he goes, so also a man wanders who does not believe in the consubstantial Trinity. Just as one thing is divided into many through division yet remains one in nature, so also the Holy Trinity, even if it is divided in names and in hypostases, is one in nature.
You will not grasp the nature of God, not even flying with wings, for God is incomprehensible, and therefore He is the Creator of us. Just as a vessel being manufactured is ignorant of the origin and the nature of the maker, so also man will not be able to find the nature or the origin of God.
Do not scrutinize the Trinity, but only believe and worship; for he who scrutinizes does not believe. Acquire wisdom and not silver; make a shining garment of Christ our Lord, above every fine linen garment, for it will not benefit what exists on the day of death.
Just as fire consumes dry wood, so every sinner will be consumed by the eternal fire, and he will not be able to reach an end; for he will be tortured immortally.
Greek · §3
ὁ μὴ ποιῶν καρποὺς Πνεύματος ἁγίου. Ὡς ἀμήχανον, μὴ βλαβῆναι ἄνθρωπον κρουσθέντα ὑπὸ βέλους, οὕτως ἀδύνατόν ἐστι, μοναχὸν καταδεξάμενον λογισμὸν πονηρὸν μὴ τρωθῆναι. Ὥσπερ ὁ ἐξελθὼν ὁδοῦ εὐθείας, πλανᾶται ἐν ἀλλοδαπῇ χώρᾳ, μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ πορεύεται, οὕτω καὶ ἄνθρωπος πλανᾶται μὴ πιστεύων εἰς ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα. Ὥσπερ τις εἰς πολλὰ διαιρούμενος ἕν ἐστι τῇ φύσει, οὕτως καὶ ἡ ἁγία Τριὰς, εἰ καὶ τοῖς ὀνόμασι καὶ ταῖς ὑποστάσεσι διῄρηται, τῇ φύσει μία ἐστί. Θεοῦ φύσιν οὐ καταλάβοις, οὐδ' εἰ πτεροῖς πετόμενος, ὁ Θεὸς ἀκατάληπτός ἐστι, διὸ καὶ κτίστης ἡμῶν ἐστιν. Ὥσπερ τὸ κατασκευαζόμενον σκεῦος ἀγνοεῖ τοῦ κατασκευάσαντος τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τὴν φύσιν, οὕτω καὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δυνήσεται 1 ἐξευρεῖν Θεοῦ φύσιν ἢ ἀρχήν. Τριάδα μὴ περιεργάζου, ἀλλὰ μόνον πίστευε, καὶ προσκύνει· ὁ γὰρ περιεργαζόμενος οὐ πιστεύει. Κτήσασθε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ ἀργύριον, ποιήσατε φωτεινὸν ἔνδυμα Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν στολὴν βυσσίνην, ὅτι οὐκ ὠφελήσει ὑπάρχοντα ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θανάτου. Ὥσπερ πῦρ καταναλίσκει δρυμὸν, οὕτω καταναλωθήσεται πᾶς ἁμαρτωλὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ αἰωνίου πυρὸς, καὶ οὐ δύναται τελευτῆσαι· ἀθάνατα γὰρ βασανισθήσεται.
The Necessity of Righteousness and Obedience§4
4It is nothing great if we become righteous; for let us become what we were first created by God to be: very beautiful.
The one living according to nature does not keep the commandments of God. All wisdom fears the Lord, but every education that does not teach the law of the Lord is foolishness and folly. Faith and baptism will not rescue from the eternal fire without works of righteousness. If you have joined yourself to Christ, keep his commandments; and if you believe in the things to come, make yourself worthy of the eternal glory, and fear the flaming sword (Rev 1:16). But if you do not succeed in the commands of God, do not call yourself faithful.
All creation obeys the command of God, but man alone disobeys, through whom all things came to be. We will offer nothing to God if we keep ourselves ignorant, but we will bring life to ourselves, and an ineffable enjoyment of the eternal good things. Do not say, 'I am not able to keep the commandment of God because of a father, or because of a mother, or because of a wife, or because of children, or because of something else,' for they will not rescue you from the impending wrath and the endless worm (Rev 20:10). Let everyone who opposes the command of God and virtues be loathsome and detestable to you; it is good for one such as that not even to eat with them.
Greek · §4
Οὐδὲν μέγα, εἰ γινόμεθα δίκαιοι, ὃ γὰρ ἐκτίσθημεν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πρῶτον, καλοὶ λίαν, τοῦτο γενησόμεθα 79.1240 Ὁ παρὰ φύσιν βιῶν, οὐ τηρεῖ ἐντολὰς Θεοῦ. Πᾶσα σοφία φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον, πᾶσα δὲ παιδεία ἡ μὴ διδάσκουσα νόμον Κυρίου, μωρία ἐστὶ καὶ ἀφροσύνη. Οὐ ῥύσεται πίστις καὶ βάπτισμα τοῦ αἰωνίου πυρὸς, χωρὶς ἔργων δικαιοσύνης. Εἰ γὰρ συνετάξω τῷ Χριστῷ, τήρει τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰ πιστεύεις τὰ μέλλοντα, ἀντιποιοῦ τῆς δόξης τῆς αἰωνίου, καὶ φοβήθητι τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν· εἰ δὲ οὐ κατορθοῖς τὰ προστάγματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, μὴ λέγε πιστὸν σεαυτόν. Πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις τῷ προστάγματι τοῦ Θεοῦ πειθαρχεῖ, ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος μόνος ἀπειθεῖ, δι' ὃν γέγονε τὰ πάντα. Οὐδὲν παρέξομεν Θεῷ εἰ τηρήσομεν ἑαυτοὺς ἁγνοὺς, ἀλλ' ἑαυτοῖς ζωὴν προξενήσομεν, καὶ ἀπόλαυσιν ἀνεκλάλητον τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν. Μὴ εἴπῃς, ὅτι Οὐ δύναμαι τηρῆσαι ἢ διὰ πατέρα, ἢ διὰ μητέρα, ἢ διὰ γυναῖκα, ἢ διὰ τέκνα, ἢ δι' ἕτερόν τινα, τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολὴν, οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοί σε ῥύσονται τῆς ἐπικειμένης ὀργῆς, καὶ τοῦ ἀτελευτήτου σκώληκος. Ἔστω δέ σοι πᾶς ὁ ἐναντιούμενος πρὸς κατόρθωσιν Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀρετῶν, βδελυκτὸς καὶ μισητὸς, τῷ τοιούτῳ μηδὲ συνεσθίειν καλόν. 2