Беседа 9. О доверии к Богу, рождающемся от знания истины и от истинной веры. И о благой ревности души. И о том, что, если естественным образом направляет душа ревность свою, не остается в человеке никакого телесного побуждения. 450

1. He who fears sin does not fear Satan. And all who thirst for gifts are not afraid of temptations. 451 And the one who firmly believes 452 that the finger 453 controls His entire creation is not disturbed by anything. 2. For knowledge of the truth fills the heart with peace and strengthens a person in joy and confidence. His advice is many and delightful: they are true and enlighten the eyes. 454 3. It 455 advises man, saying: “Do not worry, for creation is not left to its own devices 456 and it does not move according to its own will; He has a Guide, Who neither slumbers nor sleeps; 457 and He does not forget about any creature.” 458 4. Vain thoughts 459 and ignorance make a person like an animal, depriving him of faith, 460 disturbing his mind and filling it with the ghosts of scattered thoughts. For lack of faith deprives a person 461 of true knowledge of God 462 and of the trust in Him that he should have at every moment. 5. In times of these temptations, when a person is so darkened, he must fall on his face in prayer and not rise until strength and light come to him from heaven, which will support his heart in undoubted faith. In Him who gave life movement and soul breath, the power is not so small that a person cannot feel it and enjoy it. Let us worship Him Who, through changes in His actions, awakens us to the knowledge of Him, so that we may become wise regarding Him both in prosperous circumstances and in trials. 463 6. When the hidden and all-powerful finger arouses in a person that holy impulse to faith, which suddenly shines from within him at a time when a person is in danger, it immediately seems to him, so to speak, as if a thousand armed men are surrounding him and protecting him; for immediately a multitude of 464 testimonies are aroused within him, which are wondrous and good thoughts: they testify to the help of God to man, how close and how attached he is to Him night and day, so that there is no longer any need for him to fear either man, or demons, or wild beasts, or reptiles. For when we cling to God with strong love, 465 they all serve for our benefit and do not harm us in any way; on the contrary, they are in complete peace in our presence, as servants of the will of God. 7. Again, when as a result of some negligence a person becomes darkened and this holy light dries up in him, all these things immediately run away and hide from him. And such a person again becomes insane and devoid of reason in his thoughts. And what was said is fulfilled on it: The light of my eyes - even that I do not have; 466 and: They threw my life into a pit and threw stones at me. 467 8. And perhaps that holy overshadowing 468 provides this in a providential way, so that a person does not become exalted in his consciousness 469 and so that he understands that this peace and tranquility does not belong to him. Although at times it leaves him, so that he becomes weak and infirm, it then again supports and strengthens him. It is not that it actually moves away from him at such times when this change occurs to him; rather, without moving away from it at all, it seems to hold itself back, not allowing these holy movements of help and consolation to awaken. And immediately the soul weakens and suffers. But then it again reveals itself to the soul in a hidden way, and it gains strength, rejoices and strengthens. 9 . Through such changes 470 the blessed soul, guided by divine providence, is taught. 10. These changes occur in a person so that he constantly remains in humility. 11. In this way, at all times and at all stages of ascetic life, help and weakness are alternately present in a person. It happens that storms arise within him against chastity; It happens that states of joy and despondency alternate. At times a person experiences luminous and joyful states, but suddenly clouds and darkness appear again. Sometimes something is revealed to him in mysterious and divine insights into the truth. The same changes are experienced by a person who is in the service of God. Sometimes he feels help from a divine power that suddenly appears in the mind; sometimes he experiences the opposite sensation, the purpose of which is for a person to realize the weakness of his nature, and how weak, feeble, unreasonable and infantile it is, and at the same time, how lightning fast it rises in its knowledge and sensation to glorious and wonderful heights. 471 12. Such are the works of God, and such are the benefits used by His will in relation to humanity. But it may happen that when we cling to any sin in our consciousness or in our deeds, He will give instructions regarding us to one of His tormentors, who were mentioned above: 472 those who, while we were moving along the right path, our will was completely directed towards virtue, served us for our benefit - and they will severely punish us, so that in one way or another we do not alienate ourselves from God. 13. Now, however, with the help of grace, 473 let us finish this and draw closer to the richness of His nature, to the ocean of His creativity and to the waves and splendor of His being. Lit. "impulses concerning the nature of the body." Wed. Rev. Isaac the Syrian. Ascetic Words, p. 388 (Word 78): “God does not give a great gift without great temptation.” Lit. “Whoever is confident and believes.” Var. “power”, “will”, “Providence” (Sir. remza). Lit. “He does not forget anything that is in him.” Or “empty (vain) thoughts” (Sir. huabe sriqe). Lit. "emptying him of faith." Lit. “empties a person of.” Or “knowledge of the truth about God.” Lit. “in the gums and in the neck.” Var. "appropriate love." Sire. maggnanuta (overshadowing, intercession, descent). Var. "such unevenness." We have translated this paragraph freely. Here is a variant of a more literal translation: “In this way, the alternation of help with weakness occurs in a person at every moment and at all stages of ascetic life: be it in storms raised against chastity, or in changes of joy and despondency. For at times there are luminous and joyful movements, but suddenly a cloud and darkness appear again. In the same way with things that are revealed in any mysterious and divine insights into the truth. The same changes are experienced by the man who serves, with a sense of help from the divine power that suddenly cleaves to the mind, or with the opposite, when the purpose is to make him realize the weakness of the nature, and what his nature is, and how weak, feeble, foolish and infantile it is - and then, in the twinkling of an eye, to what heights he rises in his knowledge and in the glorious and wonderful things that he senses in to yourself! The term “torturers” (Sir. qestonare, a translation from the Greek. kouaistionarioi, borrowed, in turn, from Latin) indicates people, demons, wild animals and reptiles, which were discussed in paragraph 6 of this Conversation. Lit. “with the help which is from grace.” You might be interested in: