ПРАЗДНОСТЬ

I am talking about those who fatten their body with luxury, although by nature they are not fat. The sun rose, poured its bright rays everywhere, awakened everyone to their deeds; the farmer goes out, taking a spade, the coppersmith takes a hammer, each artisan takes his own tool, and everyone gets to work; the wife takes yarn or fabric; and he, like a pig, from early morning takes care of satiating his belly, thinking about how to prepare a sumptuous meal. Truly, it is only common for dumb animals to be satisfied early in the morning, which are good for nothing but slaughter. But even among them those who are used to carrying heavy loads and capable of working after the night also get to work. And he, rising from his bed when the sun has already illuminated the entire square and when everyone has already worked hard on their affairs, rises stretching, truly like a fattened pig, having lost the best part of the day in the darkness [of sleep]. Then he sits on the bed for a long time, often unable to control himself from yesterday’s intoxication, and spends most of [the morning] doing so. Then he decorates himself and comes out - an embodied ugliness, having nothing human in himself, but a perfect beast in the form of a man: his eyes are swollen, his lips emit the stench of wine, and the poor soul, as if cast down on a bed of illness from the immoderately taken many dishes, drags the burden of the flesh like an elephant. After that, having reached the place, he sits down and begins to speak and act in such a way that it would be better for him to still sleep than to be awake. If they say something unpleasant to him, then he is more sensitive than any girl; if it is pleasant, then he is more frivolous than any child; Meanwhile, his face is constantly distorted by yawning. He is ready to submit to everyone who wants to do evil, if not to people, then to passions; he is easily overcome by anger, lust, envy, and everything. Everyone flatters him, everyone serves him, relaxing his soul even more; and every day he receives some increase in his illness. If he falls into difficult circumstances, he turns to dust and ashes, and silk clothes do him no good. We did not say this in vain, but with the goal of teaching that no one should live in idleness and inaction. Idleness and luxury are good for nothing, but only serve for vanity and pleasure. How can everyone not despise such a person: family, friends, and relatives. Wouldn’t anyone rightly say that he was a burden of the earth and was born into the world in vain, or, better, not in vain, but to his own head, to his own destruction and to the harm of others? And let's see what is pleasant in [such a life], where they strive for idleness and inactivity? What could be more unpleasant than a person who doesn’t know what to do? What is more shameful than him? What's more pitiful? Isn’t it worse than a thousand bonds to constantly call, sitting in the square and looking at those passing by? The soul by nature has a need for movement and does not tolerate calm. God created her as an active being, and therefore activity is characteristic of her nature, and inaction is contrary to her nature. Let’s not point to the sick, but let’s take the experience itself as proof. There is nothing more shameful than idleness and inaction; That’s why God put us in the need to work. Inaction harms everything and even bodily members. If the eye, or the mouth, or the stomach, or any other member does not do its job, then it falls into extreme illness; but nothing suffers from this as much as the soul. However, just as idleness is evil, so is improper activity. Just as if someone did not eat anything, he would damage his teeth, and if he began to eat something that was not proper, he would set them on edge, so it is exactly the same here: if he does nothing or does what he should not do, he loses his strength. Therefore, let us try to avoid both, idleness, and activities that are worse than idleness. What kind of activity is this? Covetousness, anger, envy and other passions (10). You might be interested in: