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Just as a worm born in a tree first of all eats the tree itself, so envy first of all crushes the very soul that gave birth to it within itself. And to the one whom he envies, he does not what he would like, but completely opposite. In matters of envy, look not at the beginning, but at the end, and take into account how the very malice of those who envy only brings greater glory to those who are subject to their envy, because those suffering from envy bend God to their aid and enjoy assistance from above, and the envier, being deprived of the grace of God, easily falls into the hands of everyone. Enslaved before any external enemies by his own passion, he, as it were, crushes himself and, as if devoured by invisible teeth and thus exhausted within himself, so to speak, plunges into the abyss. Knowing this, we will, I convince you, run away from this destructive passion and use all our might to purge it from our souls. This is the most destructive of all passions and harms our very salvation; this is the invention of the devil himself. That is why the Wise One says: “Through the envy of the devil, death entered the world” (Wis. 2:24). What does it mean: “through the envy of the devil, death entered the world”? This means: when that evil beast saw the primordial man immortal, out of his malice he drew him into breaking the commandment and thus made man subject to the punishment of death. So, envy produced deception, seduction - crime, crime - death. Therefore it is said: Through the envy of the devil, death entered the world. Do you see how evil this passion is? She subjected the one exalted by immortality to death. But while the enemy of our salvation, prompted by his own envy, was the reason that the first man, created immortal, was condemned by death, the compassionate and humane Lord, by his own death, again granted us immortality, so that we gained even more than we lost. The devil deprived us of paradise, and the Lord raised us to heaven; He was the reason for our condemnation to death, and This One gave us immortality; he deprived us of heavenly bliss, and this one prepared for us the Kingdom of Heaven. Do you see the wisdom of your Lord, how he turned the very weapons that the envy of the devil directed against your salvation against his own head? Moreover, the Lord not only honored us with greater blessings [than in paradise], but also delivered the devil himself into our power, saying: “Behold, I give you power to tread on snakes and scorpions” (Luke 10:19). So, reflecting on all this, let us purge envy from our souls and strive to gain God’s favor. It is our invincible weapon; it is our greatest power; with his help, Ishmael, although he was still young and in the desert and in extremely difficult circumstances, became exalted and had a large nation as a descendant - because “God was with the boy,” says Scripture (Gen. 21:20) (1). Oh, envy, the sister of hypocrisy, the culprit of deceit, the sower of murder, the serpent's seed, the destructive flower. What's worse than envy? Nothing. And what gave birth to death itself? Nothing else but envy, as Scripture testifies, saying that “God did not create death and does not rejoice in the destruction of the living... but through the envy of the devil death entered the world” (Wis. 1:13, 2:24). It seems to me, beloved, that envy is the invention of the serpent and that it is impossible to have envy from anywhere else, unless the serpent gives birth to it by secretly crawling into someone and spewing poison from its heart into the heart of the one who receives it. Thus, the envious person stands alongside the serpent and has the same power. Have you seen the envious one? Did you see the snake? He tells you his own as a friend, and receives yours from you as your enemy. The serpent comes to Eve like a friend, charming her with sweet words, but ensnaring her with bitter thoughts; carrying honey on his lips, and hiding a sword in his heart; hiding your head in one direction and wagging your tail in the other. Cain comes to Abel as a friend; speaks peacefully but thinks hostilely; his lips breathed deceit, and envy hid in his heart. An envious person comes to you; he says something nice to you, addressing you with flattering words and an insinuating laugh, he makes your face brighten; he opens your heart to empty its innermost recesses. In conversation, he will find out your secrets and spread them everywhere. If you deceive him, he cannot stand it: he stops laughing, the smile disappears from his face, he stands with the air of a stern accuser and does not move until he notices your embarrassment, and then he begins to laugh. If at a feast something is said against you, he listens eagerly. Fine. If something is said in your favor, he, by inserting various words, poisons the attention of the listeners, so that what is said about you does not benefit you even in your absence. What's worse than an envious person? Nothing. Which beast should he be classified as? If you compare him with a lion or a leopard, you will find more evil in the envious person, because every animal loves his own kind, but the envious person hates his brother and kills him. The ravens fed Elijah on the mountain, and the brothers devoured Joseph and sold him out of envy. The serpent, out of envy, deceived Eve, and Cain, out of envy, killed Abel. The whale in the depths of the sea gave shelter to Jonah, and Saul, out of envy, pursued David. The lions were ashamed of Daniel, and the Jews crucified Christ out of envy. Poisonous snakes are tamed by affection, and envious people, receiving benefits, are even more inflamed. … Pray, too, you, pursued by envy, so that you do not suffer something worse from envious people and do not fall into the same illness yourself, because “if anyone thinks he stands, be careful lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Pray also, you who envy, that, having spewed out the snake’s venom, you may be worthy of heavenly bread as a testimony of a clear conscience (3). Such is envy! There is no evil worse than her. The fornicator, for example, at least receives some pleasure, and in a short time commits his sin; but the envious one torments and torments himself before the one he envies, and never abandons his sin, but always remains in it. The pig loves to wallow in the mud, demons love to harm us; So the envious person rejoices at the misfortune of his neighbor. When something unpleasant happens to a neighbor, then he is calm and cheerful, considering other people’s misfortunes to be his happiness, and the well-being of others to be his misfortune, and he seeks not what might be pleasant for him, but what might sadden his neighbor. Aren't such people worthy of being stoned and tortured like mad dogs, like evil demons, like the furies themselves? Just as beetles feed on dung, so they, being in some way the common enemies and adversaries of nature, find food for themselves in the misfortunes of others. Others feel sorry for a dumb animal when it is killed, but you rage, tremble and turn pale, seeing a person prosperous. Could there be anything worse than such rabies? That is why fornicators and publicans could enter the Kingdom of God, and the envious people who were inside it were expelled, according to the words of the Savior: “and the sons of the kingdom will be cast out” (Matthew 8:12). The first, freed from their vices, received what they never expected; the latter lost even the benefits they had. Yes, and quite rightly so. Envy turns a person into a devil and makes him a fierce demon. From her the first murder occurred, from her nature was despised, from her the earth was desecrated, from her the living Dathan, Korah and Aviron were subsequently swallowed up by the opening of the earth, and all that people perished. But maybe someone will say: it’s easy to condemn envy, but we need to take care of how to get rid of this disease. How can we free ourselves from this vice? When we think that both the fornicator and the envious person are not allowed to enter the Church, and, moreover, much more the latter than the former. But now envy is not considered a vice, which is why they do not bother to get rid of it; but if it turns out that she is evil, then we will easily leave her. So, weep and groan, weep and pray to God; learn to treat it as a grave sin and repent of it. If you do this, you will soon be cured of this illness. But who doesn’t know, you’ll say that envy is a vice? True, everyone knows this, but not everyone puts this passion along with fornication and adultery. Has anyone ever condemned himself for indulging in cruel envy? Has anyone ever begged God to have mercy on him for this illness? Nobody ever. On the contrary, someone possessed of the most vile passion of all, if he fasted and gave a small coin to a beggar, then he thinks that he did nothing bad, even if he was envious a thousand times over. Why did Cain become such a criminal, why Esau, why the children of Laban, why the sons of Jacob, why Korah, Dathan and Abiron with their accomplices, why Miriam, why Aaron, why the devil himself? At the same time, imagine that you are not harming the person you envy, but you are striking yourself with a sword. Indeed, what harm did Cain cause to Abel? Against his will, he hastened his entry into the Kingdom, and subjected himself to countless disasters. How did Esau harm Jacob? Didn’t he get rich and enjoy countless blessings, and this one, after his malicious intent, was forced to leave his parents’ house and wander in a foreign country? What harm did the sons of Jacob do to Joseph, even though they almost shed blood? Did they not suffer famine and were not in extreme distress, while he became king of all Egypt? The more you envy, the greater benefits you deliver to the one you envy. God watches over everything, and when he sees someone who is not offending being offended, he elevates and glorifies him even more, and punishes you. If He does not leave without punishment those who rejoice in the misfortune of their enemies, as it is somehow said: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls... the Lord will see, and it will be displeasing in His sight” (Prov. 24:17, 18), then even more so He will not leave without punishment those who are envious of those who have not caused them any harm. So, let us cut off from ourselves the many-headed beast: there are many types of envy. If the one who loves the one who loves him has no advantage over the publican, then where will the one who hates someone who has not offended him in any way stand? How can he escape Gehenna, having become worse than the pagans? I am deeply saddened by the fact that we, who are obliged to imitate the Angels and even the Lord of Angels, are jealous of the devil. There is a lot of envy in the church, and more in us than in those governed by us, which is why we ourselves need admonishment. Why, tell me, do you envy your neighbor? Is it because they respect him and speak well of him? But don't you realize how much harm honors to the careless bring? They drive such people to vanity, to pride, to arrogance, to arrogance, they make them the most careless, and in addition to these evils they quickly wither and, what’s worse, the evil that comes from them remains forever, and pleasure, as soon as it appears, flies away. So, is this what makes you jealous, tell me?... Is this worthy of envy? On the contrary, is it not worthy of sobs and tears? This is obvious to everyone. Envying one who has such glory, you act like one who, seeing him bound, punished with scourges and dragged by countless beasts, envies his wounds and ulcers (6). There is nothing worse than envy. In order to destroy another, [an envious person] destroys himself. The envious eye is consumed by sadness. The envious person lives in continuous death, considers everyone his enemies, even those who have not offended him in any way. He grieves that honor is given to God; rejoices in what the devil rejoices in. Has anyone gained respect from people? This is not an honor: do not envy. Is anyone honored by God? Be jealous of him and be like him. But you don't want to? Why else are you ruining yourself? Why are you throwing away what you have? Can't you match him and do something good? Why else are you doing bad things? If you cannot share his labors with him, you must at least rejoice with him in order to benefit from this rejoicing. After all, one intention is often enough to receive great good. Now, Ezekiel says that the Moabites were punished because they rejoiced at the Israelites (see Ezek. 35:12); and there were also those who were saved because they sighed over the misfortunes of others. If there is some consolation for those who sigh over the misfortunes of others, then there is much more [comfort] for those who rejoice in the honors of others. God blamed the Moabites for rejoicing in [the misfortunes of] the Israelites. And although He Himself punished them, He does not want us to rejoice in the punishment of others, even when He Himself punishes, because He Himself is reluctant to punish. If one should sympathize with those who are being punished, then even more so one should not envy those who are given honor. It was through this that Korah and Dathan perished; those whom they envied, they made more glorious, but they brought punishment upon themselves. Envy is a poisonous beast, an unclean beast, an evil of will that does not deserve forgiveness, a vice for which there is no justification, the cause and mother of all evils (8). Envy is a terrible evil and full of hypocrisy. She filled the universe with countless disasters. Because of this disease, the courts are filled with defendants. From her is the passion for fame and acquisition; from her lust for power and pride. Hence there are criminal robbers on the roads and robbers on the seas. Hence the murders in the universe; hence the division of our family. Whatever evil you see, know that it comes from envy. She also invaded churches. It has long been the cause of many evils. She gave birth to the love of money. This disease has distorted everything and corrupted the truth. “Gifts,” it is said, “blind the eyes of the wise and, like a bridle on the lips, turn away reproof” (Sir. 20:29). She even makes slaves of the free. We talk about her every day, but there is no benefit. We are worse than animals, we rob orphans, rob widows, we offend the poor, we add grief to grief (8). Many are exposed to danger along with those in danger, but when others succeed in business, they are tormented. Such is the power of envy. Although work and sweat are needed there, and here there is only a good desire and disposition, many, having endured something more difficult, did not do something easier, but languish and destroy themselves when they see that others are succeeding and that a service has been provided to the whole church, either in word or in some other way. What could be worse than such a person? He no longer opposes his brother, but the will of God. Having thought about this, destroy your illness and, at least, save yourself from many evils, if you do not want to save your neighbor. Why are you fighting with your thoughts? Why do you fill your soul with confusion, raise a storm, overthrow everything? Being in such a state, how can you ask for absolution? If God does not forgive the sins of those who do not forgive the sins committed against them, then what forgiveness will He give to those who think evil against people who have not offended them in the least? This is proof of extreme malice; such, together with the devil, are at enmity with the church, and perhaps they are much worse than the devil himself. After all, you can beware of the devil, and such people, wearing the guise of friendship, secretly kindle the fire, throwing themselves into the furnace first and suffering from a disease that not only cannot cause regret, but also excites strong laughter. Tell me: why do you turn pale, tremble and become extremely timid? What misfortune happened? Is it not that your brother is rich, famous and respected? This means that you should decorate yourself with a wreath, rejoice and glorify God that your member has become noble and glorious, and you grieve that God is being glorified. Do you see where the hostility is heading? You will say: it is not God who is glorified, but the brother who is glorified. But through him glory ascends to God, and therefore your enmity. But that’s not what saddens me, you say, but I would like God to be glorified through me. So rejoice in your brother’s successes, and behold, God is glorified through you, and everyone will say: blessed is God who has such slaves, free from all envy, mutually rejoicing in each other’s happiness. And what can I say about my brother? If he was your foe and enemy, and God became glorified through him, then he himself must become your friend. And you make a friend an enemy when he receives honors and glorifies God. If someone were to heal your suffering body, even if he were your enemy, would you not consider him among your first friends? Do you consider the one who adorns the Body of Christ, that is, the church, and your friend, an enemy? And how can you prove your enmity towards Christ in any other way? Therefore, even if someone worked miracles, even if he observed virginity and fasting and slept on the ground, even if he became equal to the Angels in virtue, but if he has this deficiency, he will be more wicked than anyone and more lawless than even the adulterer, fornicator, robber and grave digger. And lest anyone accuse me of exaggerating my speech, I will gladly ask you the following: if someone, taking fire and a spade, began to destroy and burn this house [of God] and destroy this altar, would not each of those present begin to throw stones at him as at a wicked and lawless man? So what? And if someone brings a flame more destructive than this fire - I’m talking about envy, which does not ruin stone buildings and destroys not a golden throne, but overthrows and destroys what is much more valuable than walls and throne, the building of teachers, then can he deserve any leniency? Let no one tell me that those who attempt a crime often do not have the strength to carry it out: deeds are judged by their disposition; So, Saul had already killed David, although he did not actually carry it out. Tell me, don’t you understand that, by being at enmity with the shepherd, you are plotting against the sheep of Christ, against those sheep for whom Christ shed His blood and commanded us to do and endure everything? Don’t you remember that your Master sought your glory, and not His own, and you seek not His glory, but your own? Of course, if you were to seek His glory, you would achieve yours, but if you seek yours before His, you will never achieve even this. So, what will be the cure for this? Let us all pray together and raise one voice for them, as for those possessed by a demon. After all, they are in an even more pitiful situation, because their madness is arbitrary, and this illness has a need for prayer, and a lot of prayer. If someone who does not love his brother, even if he squanders his property and shines in martyrdom, will not achieve success in anything, then understand what kind of punishment can he deserve who is at enmity with a person who has not offended him in any way? This one is worse than a pagan. If love for those who love us does not give us any advantage over them (the pagans), then tell me, where will the one who is envious of those who love take his place? Envy is worse than quarreling. A person who is quarreling, as soon as the cause of the quarrel is eliminated, usually stops the hostility; but an envious person can never become a friend. The first fights openly, and the second – secret; he can sometimes present a plausible pretext for a quarrel, but this one cannot point to anything other than his madness and satanic mood. So, what can such a soul be likened to? What echidna? Which adder? Which worm? What poisonous insect? After all, there is nothing more wicked and evil than such a soul. This, it is this (envy) that overthrew the churches, gave birth to heresies, armed the brotherly hand, prompted to stain the right hand in the blood of the righteous, trampled upon the laws of nature, opened the doors of death, brought into execution the ancient curses, made that unfortunate (Cain) forget the pangs of birth, his parents and all others, drove him into such a frenzy and plunged him into such a frenzy that when God called him and said: “He draws you to himself, but you rule over him” (Gen. 4:7), then he was not touched by this either. Even if God forgave him for his guilt and subdued his brother, this wound is so incurable that even if countless medicines were applied, it would still abundantly exude its pus. Why are you grieving, most unfortunate of all? Is it really because honor is given to God? But this is a satanic mood. Or because your brother has surpassed you in fame? But you may be able to get ahead of him again. Thus, if you want to motivate, then do not kill or destroy, but leave to live, so that you have a reason for competition, and motivate the living, then you will have a bright crown; and if you kill, you will pronounce a sentence on yourself that is more shameful than defeat. But envy recognizes none of this. Why do you strive for glory in such a desert? So they [Cain and Abel] then alone inhabited the earth, but this did not deter Cain and he, having torn everything out of his soul, stood next to the devil and took up arms, it was the devil who was then the leader of Cain. Since it was not enough for him that man became mortal, he tried to increase misfortune by the very form of death and inspired Cain to become a fratricide; he, never satisfied with our misfortunes, was in a hurry, impatiently wanting to see the fulfillment of his work. Just as if someone, having his enemy in chains and seeing that the sentence has already been pronounced over him, is in a hurry, before he left the city, to see him killed inside the city and cannot wait for the proper time, so then the devil was in a hurry. Although he heard that man should return to the earth, he very much wanted to see something more - for the son to die before the father, for the brother to kill his brother and for the death to be premature and violent. You see what envy served for, how it fulfilled the insatiable desire of the devil and offered him such food as he only wanted to see. So, let's avoid this disease. After all, for those who have not freed themselves from this disease, it is impossible to completely avoid the fire prepared for the devil (11). You might be interested in: