Power of Words and Deeds

The tongue speaks like the hand does good.

The voice of words is heavy in the air, while accomplishments reach heaven and fulfill those above, standing by their side.

Even Paul, who spoke on behalf of Christ, found that time was running out as he narrated the accomplishments of the saints, saying, 'Time will leave me while narrating.'

If time was limited for Paul, who had an inexhaustible treasure of knowledge and spoke with the fullness of the church, what can we, who are poor and needy, do to express ourselves?

We, who are untaught in words, weak in tongue, slow in mind, and uneducated in heart, have not learned external knowledge nor exercised internal knowledge.

There is no external factor that can give us the boldness to speak, nor can our life experiences replace the need for words.

The challenge lies in finding the right words to praise Anthony.

Now, let the music of David's lyre be the crown that honors him.

As it is written, 'Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, in His will he will be very strong. His seed will be powerful on earth' (Psalm 112:1).

For Anthony, his seed refers to the monastic communities that have sprouted everywhere in Egypt and around the world.

These communities consider him a father and a role model, regulating their lives according to his examples and keeping his laws.

Even a single word from those who are educated in the ways of philosophy can establish a sense of citizenship and belonging.

Let the prophet Isaiah speak about Anthony, saying, 'Blessed is he who has seed in Zion and a household in Jerusalem' (Isaiah 32:17).

And as Jeremiah's prophecy says, 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and before you came out of the womb' (Jeremiah 1:5).

Greek

γλῶσ σα λέγει ὥσπερ ἡ χεὶρ εὐεργετεῖ. Ἕτερον φωνὴ ῥημάτων, ἕτερον ὀσμὴ κατορθωμάτων· ἐκείνη περὶ τὸν ἀέρα βρίθει, αὕτη φθάνει τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τοὺς ἄνω πληροφορεῖ, αὕτη τοῖς ἄνω παρίσταται. 4 «Ἐπιλείψει με, φησί, διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος.» Εἰ δὲ Παῦ λον ὁ χρόνος ἐπέλιπε τὰ τῶν ἁγίων κατορθώματα λέγοντα, Παῦ λον ἐν ᾧ Χριστὸς ἐλάλει, ἐν ᾧ τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐφίκετο, θησαυρὸς γνώσεως ἀνελλιπὴς ἐκέκρυπτο– μέταλλον ἦν τῆς ἐπιστήμης, ἄνωθεν τὸν νόμον καὶ τοὺς προφήτας ἠρευνᾶτο, γλῶσ σαν εἶχεν ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ καθάπερ ἐν ἑνὶ θεάτρῳ σαλπίζουσαν–, τί πράξωμεν ἡμεῖς οἱ πτωχοὶ καὶ ἐνδεεῖς; Τί πράξωμεν οἷς ὁ λόγος ἀδίδακτος, οἷς ἀσθενὴς γλῶττα, βραδὺς ὁ νοῦς καὶ ἡ καρδία ἀπαίδευτος, οἳ μήτε τὴν ἔξωθεν γνῶσιν μεμαθήκαμεν, μήτε ἐλαχίστως τὴν ἔνδον γυμναζόμεθα; 5 Οὐκ ἔστι πολιτεία τὴν παρρησίαν ἕλκουσα, οὐδὲ βίος ἀντὶ λόγου φθεγγόμενος. Πόθεν Ἀντωνίῳ τὸν χιτῶνα τῶν ἐπαίνων ὑφάνωμεν; Στεφανούτω νῦν αὐτὸν ἡ τοῦ ∆αυὶδ κιθάρα· περὶ αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου καὶ τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ ἔργων γέ γραπται· «Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον, ἐν ταῖς ἐν τολαῖς αὐτοῦ θελήσει σφόδρα· δυνατὸν ἐν τῇ γῇ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ»· σπέρμα γὰρ ἐκείνου τὰ πανταχοῦ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, μᾶλ λον δὲ τὰ πάσης τῆς γῆς τῶν ἁγίων 1 συστήματα. Ἐκεῖνον πατέρα καὶ γεωργὸν νομίζουσιν, ἐκείνου τοῖς τύποις τοὺς ἑαυτῶν βίους ῥυθμίζουσι καὶ τὸν ἀπόντα διὰ τῆς φυλακῆς τῶν νόμων παρεῖναι νομίζουσι. Λόγος εἷς τῶν ἐκ διαδοχῆς παιδευθέντων σῳζόμενος ἱκανὸς πολιτείαν τὴν ἐκ φιλοσοφίας συστήσασθαι. Λεγέτω περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης· «Μακάριος ὃς ἔχει σπέρμα ἐν Σιὼν καὶ οἰκείους ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ.» 6 Λεγέσθω περὶ Ἀντωνίου καὶ ταῦτα τῆς Ἰερεμίου προφητείας τὰ ῥήματα· «Πρὸ τοῦ με πλάσαι σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ, ἐπίσταμαί σε καὶ πρὸ τοῦ <σε> ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ μήτρας

About this text

Hesychius of Jerusalem, In sanctum Antonium (Greek).

Catalogue & scope

Khazarzar scan

Witnesses

Copy-text PG 93 (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.