Spiritual Sentences
Spiritual sentences arranged according to the alphabet. 1 The beginning of salvation is self-knowledge. 2 It is better to throw a stone in vain than a word. 3 Become to all people what you wish all people to be. 4 One practices justice more by deed than by word. 5 A pious man is not one who pities many, but one who does injustice to no one. 6 To live lying upon a mat and to be courageous is better than to be troubled having a golden bed. 7 Pleasant is that friend who nourishes the soul. 8 Revere God indeed by deeds, but honor Him by word, and by thought. 9 Priest-like wisdom, life, and nobility, he produces. 10 It is worst to be a slave to shameful passions. 11 Teach virtue indeed by word, but proclaim it by deed. 12 Do not think that having virtue is good, but rather to be as it is necessary. 13 Honoring law, according to law you shall live. 14 A stranger is he whose things are foreign to the world. 15 He who envies harms himself; for he, speaking evil against another, destroys himself by suffering evil. 16 A rich man, neither flatter nor provoke. 17 Wine indeed strengthens the body, but the word of God the soul. 18 Use food not for the pleasant, but for the useful. 19 Trying to please the crowds, you will be like the crowds. 20 Above all things, use the body as a tool. 21 Industrious...
The text ends abruptly at 'Φιλόπονος' (Industrious/Zealous).
Greek
Spiritales sententiae per alphabeticum dispositae 1Ἀρχὴ σωτηρίας ἡ ἑαυτοῦ κατάγνωσις. 2 Βέλτιον λίθον εἰκῆ βαλεῖν ἢ λόγον. 3 Γίνου τοῖς πᾶσιν ὡς σὺ θέλεις τοὺς πάντας. 4.∆ικαιοσύνην μᾶλλον εργῳ ἢ λόγῳ ασκει. 5 Εὐσεβὴς οὐχ ὁ πολλοὺς ἐλεῶν, ἀλλ' ὁ μηδένα ἀδικῶν. 6 Ζῆν ἄμεινον ἐπὶ στιβάδος κατακείμενον καὶ θαρρεῖν ἢ ταράττεσθαι χρυσῆν εχοντα κλίνην. 7Ἡδὺς ἐκεῖνος φίλων ὁ τὴν ψυχὴν διατρέφων. 8 Θεὸν ἔργοις μὲν σέβου, λόγῳ δὲ ὕμνει, ἐννοίᾳ δὲ τίμα. 9Ἱερέα φρόνησις καὶ βίος καὶ εὐγένεια ποιεῖ. 10 Κάκιστόν ἐστι πάθεσι δουλεύειν αἰσχροῖς. 11 Λόγῳ μὲν τὴν ἀρετὴν δίδασκε, ἔργῳ δὲ αὐτὴν κήρυσσε. 12 Μὴ τὸ ἔχειν ἀρετὴν καλὸν εἶναι νόμιζε, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὡς δεῖ. 13 Νόμον τιμῶν κατὰ νόμον ζήσεις. 14 Ξένος ἐκεῖνος, οὗ ξένα τὰ τοῦ κόσμου. 15Ὁ φθονῶν ἑαυτὸν ζημιοῖ· ὁ γὰρ κατ' ἄλλου κακῶς φθεγγόμενος φθάνει πάσχων ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ κακῶς. 16 Πλούσιον μήτε κολάκευε μήτε παρόξυνε. 17Ῥώννυσι μὲν οινος τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν λόγος θεοῦ. 18 Σιτίοις χρῶ οὐ τοῖς ἡδέσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ὠφελίμοις. 19 Τοῖς οχλοις πειρώμενος ἀρέσκειν τῶν οχλων εσῃ ὅμοιος. 20Ὑπὲρ πάντα καταχρῶ τῷ σώματι. 21 Φιλόπονος
About this text
Short sayings on self-knowledge, truth, and virtue for monks learning to pray.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 40 (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.