О правой жизни

(In ninety chapters. According to the Slavic translation, part II. Word 27) 1. Do you want a right life? Practice humility, because without it a right life is impossible. 2. The traveler, having initially lost his way, wanders along the wrong side; so he who strays from the path of the humble will not set up his tabernacle in the villages of the righteous. 3. Do all your deeds in humility, in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, and through this your fruit will ascend to heaven. But pride is like a very tall rotten tree, all its branches are broken, and if anyone climbs on it, it will immediately fall from above. 4. The beginning of apostasy in a person is his removal from humility; those abandoned by God, like Saul, are oppressed by the evil spirit (1 Sam. 16:14). 5. Consider the bonds of sin and irrevocable immersion in the waves of sin until death as heavy pressure. 6. If you look carefully, you will find that the enemy’s nets are anointed with honey and sweets, and anyone who wants to taste the honey will be caught in the net. 7. Do not lust after such honey and you will not be caught in the net; the sweetness of its lovers subsequently fills its lovers with bile and bitterness. 8. Love humility and you will never fall into the devil’s snare, because, soaring on swift wings, you will always be much higher than the enemy’s snares. 9. If you see an arrogant man of attractive appearance, in beautiful clothes, surrounded by a crowd of slaves, do not envy and do not be embarrassed, but restrain yourself in thought and after a while you will see him fade away, because only those who lived according to God’s will flourished and shone. 10. Those who have become diligent and pleasing to the Lord do not pay attention to the attractive things in life, knowing well that all this, like a flower on the grass, will soon fade. And we, the careless ones, as soon as we see fullness in the body, a blush on the face, consider such a person blessed, although he lives in extreme wickedness. We have thrown the toiling life far away from ourselves, not knowing what dignity there is in the life of ascetics, because we hate chastity and abhor what is sacred. 11. Let us not, brothers, pay attention to children’s toys, but let us choose a perfect life forever, so that we will not be deprived of the joy of ascetics and so that we will not be given over to eternal torment. 12. Blessed is he, fattened with good hopes and illuminated with good thoughts, his glory is great and endless. 13. Let us strive for silence, so that, seeing our sins, we constantly humble ourselves and not cultivate in ourselves thoughts of conceit or deceit, like poisonous animals. 14. Let us love silence so that we may have a pure heart and so that the church entrusted to us may be kept undefiled from sinful corruption. 15. Prayer with sighs and tears is beautiful, especially if we shed the tears silently. Crying out loud is a sign of pleasing people, and whoever prays with knowledge and faith sees the Lord before him, since “in Him we live and move and are” (Acts 17:28). 16. If your heart has hardened, weep before the Lord, so that He may shower upon you the illumination of knowledge, and do not mock those who cry out to heaven with the fervor of their hearts. 17. He who mocks the workers gives himself as a slave to the evil one, fulfilling his vile desires. Such a person will not find the joy prepared for the servants of the Lord. 18. And you, ascetic, always carry out your deeds with knowledge, so that we do not give “guilt” to those who seek “guilt” (2 Cor. 11:12). 19. Woe to the unmerciful! Woe to the deceiver! Woe to the sensualist! They will be met with bitter hell. Out of gluttony, they give themselves up as slaves and, in order to gain leadership and rank in this vain life, they humiliate God. But suddenly death came, dried up the larynx, with which they often took expensive dishes, and took away the leadership, because of which they humiliated the One who created them. And finally, the bodies of the unfortunate, like uncleanness, are thrown to the ground, but their souls are taken to their place. 20. Seeing the pleasures of life, beware lest you be carried away. For in them is hidden a mortal snare. So the fisherman does not cast an empty fishing rod. 21. The enemy, like bait on the oud, uses wishes so that he, the unclean one, can bring every soul into dependence on himself. 22. The soul, which is the first to be caught in the will of the enemy, becomes a net for other souls, delighting those who have not yet experienced the bitterness of the serpent. Thus, a caught hazel grouse becomes bait for those who have not yet fallen into the net. For the catcher, having planted it, catches with it those who fly free. 23. Practice virtue without becoming despondent from work, because without work virtue is not known. 24. During your labors, raise your soul’s eye to grief and, contemplating this joy, you will not renounce your labors. 25. Dedicate yourself tirelessly to work in order to avoid the weariness of vain labors, because the labors of the righteous produce the fruit of life, but the labors of sinners are filled with destruction. 26. For God, endure the sorrows of this life; It is not in vain that you will be led (guided) by the hope of the saints, but the yoke of the enemy brings with it sorrow, from which death will be born. 27. Those who labor for a vain life try to confuse those who labor with knowledge, so as not to have reproof near them. But their attack on the ascetics of piety shows (reveals among the ascetics) people worthy of the crown. 28. Practice humility so as not to lose the fruit of good deeds. And if you reject it, then you yourself will be counted among the laborers in vain. 29. Do you want to become a soul leader? Bring yourself to safety from everywhere as a prudent person, so as not to get bogged down in lustful thoughts and not to be wrecked in the harbour. 30. If you want the pier to be safe, fence it with solid strongholds that will not suddenly shake from the storm of passions, otherwise the pier will turn into a place of ruin. 31. Do not tie anchor to anchor while there is something light left in you, so that passions cannot carry you away. Whoever wants to pull out someone who has fallen into a hole must take up the task with a courageous spirit, so that the anchor lowered to the fallen person does not drag him into the same abyss. For passionate words, as soon as they find a place for themselves, draw the soul down like hooks. 32. Always avoid harmful gatherings, and your soul will enjoy silence. 33. A monk who does not correct all his affairs with spiritual prudence is a laughing stock. Reason demands that we all be pure and wise. 34. If you are not yet strongly inflamed by the Holy Spirit, then do not want to listen to other people’s thoughts, for you will find in them double abuse against yourself. Firstly, because the soul is corrupted by the memory of what it has heard, and, secondly, because you will meet the resistance of the one who has trusted, if the courageous soul does not overthrow the passions with crusader force. Such a person, when through negligence he again falls into the same passions, as if he were an enemy, looks to the one he has chosen as a mentor, and the latter, if he is prudent, will let the one who has trusted notice that everything has been forgotten by him. 35. If someone has a dove in his house, and it finds an open window and flies out of the house, then he does not drive it back with a stick or stone, but by pouring seeds; They want to lure him with such a prudent means. Much more prudence and experience is needed by those who intend to cleanse the filth of their thoughts! 36. If you use reading, then do not look only for the striking and ornate, and do not stop your attention there, otherwise the demon of self-indulgence will strike your heart. But just as a wise bee collects honey from flowers, so you, through reading, acquire medicine for the soul. 37. Just as a vain man, being meager in property, even if he takes upon himself the name of a king, will still not be a king, so is not yet an ascetic monk who eats secretly, but at a fraternal meal hypocritically pretends to be fasting and abstinent. He prepares cobwebs and does not follow the right path of saints, but the path of people-pleasers. 38. If you have renounced the world, then take care of your business in order to obtain for you the pearl you are looking for. For others, having renounced the world, withdrew from worldly life: some left military service, others squandered their wealth, but in the end, led by their own will, they fell. This is how disastrous it is to be governed by your own will, and not live according to the will of God. They pretended that they were moving away from everything worldly through the main gate, but again they returned to everyday life through a secret door. 39. The sons of Israel, after emerging from the “furnace of iron” (Deut. 4:20), upon crossing the Red Sea, enjoyed great gifts, but since they were led by their own will, they suffered a shipwreck on dry land, and of the great multitude listed, only two were saved, who did not grieve the words of the Lord and holyly kept the will of the Most High. 40. Those who renounce the world have nothing in common with the world. Even if they are placed in charge, they do not behave like leaders, and even if they are deposed, they do not change in their thoughts. Those who are distracted from pious thoughts are inclined to the pleasures of the world and no longer strive for the sake of virtue, but, throwing off the yoke of it, zealously build up what they themselves had beautifully destroyed before. Thus, the most honest virgin, who does not leave the tower, if she corrupts her feelings, having lost shame, without blushing, embarks on unauthorized deeds, neither fearing God nor disgracing people. But he will not escape God’s hands for this. For “everyone’s work will be revealed: the day will reveal it; It is revealed before with fire" (1 Cor. 3:13). 41. Blessed is he who preaches virtue by deeds. But if you say what is characteristic of virtue, but do the opposite of it, then this will not save you. The one who, while discussing chastity, acts badly, will also not receive a victorious reward. 42. Do not be embarrassed when you see that sensualists fearlessly do what pleases them. Their color is full of stench, but the color of lovers of virtues is illuminated with light and full of fragrance. Therefore, adhere to virtue, so that those devoted to effeminate and dissolute amusements will marvel at you. For even if (they) do not want to do this explicitly, then in themselves they will please the ascetics of virtue. 43. When you see people who are distinguished by their diligence towards impure love, do not be amazed at them, and do not be deceived by the good-colored skin, which will soon turn into dust, but, sighing within yourself, sing, saying: Remember, Lord, “as the dust of us.” Man, like the grass of his days, like the flower of the field, will bloom like the spirit that has passed through him, and he will not be, and no one will know his place. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him” (Ps. 103:14-17). And in this case, by the grace of God, you will not be a captive of the evil one. 44. Pray earnestly to the Lord to grant you the spirit of perfect chastity. So that in your night dreams you may escape the wiles of the evil one, as someone runs when he sees an animal chasing him, or as someone pursued by a man with a burning flame moves from house to house so that the fire does not burn him. 45. Just as it is impossible to buy literacy or art with money without working, so it is impossible to become a monk without diligence and diligent patience. 46. ​​The head is preferable to you over all the members of your body. And if a stone, or a stick, or a sword is brought at you, then you substitute other members of your body, just to deflect the blow from your head, knowing that without a head it is impossible to live. So let faith in the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity be most preferable to you, because without this faith it is impossible for anyone to live a true life. 47. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and you will conveniently escape the evil wiles. The Lord will not leave those who work for Him without care. 48. The Egyptian woman wanted to seduce the God-loving Joseph and forcibly attracted him to the fulfillment of a depraved intention, but the young man watered his soul with the remembrance of the Almighty, so that it would not be inflamed by lawless fire, and protected his feelings so as not to give room to alien thoughts and not to become a captive of a shameless woman, for he always looked at her as a mortal snare. And, having endured temptation, he was crowned and became the king of Egypt. 49. The wicked in Babylon thought to rebel against the righteous soul in order to denigrate her in a vile way, but, having the Most High God as an assistant, she easily overthrew them. Having drawn up a meeting, as they believed, against the blessed one, these superstitious ones did not know that here they themselves would hear a death sentence, because the vigilant Eye would not allow itself to be mocked. 50. Let us go, brothers, along the narrow and sorrowful path, so that, having become worthy, we may have God as our Guardian. 51. Pearls are always preserved in the innermost treasuries, and the worthless is thrown out like pus even on the street. 52. If someone, slandering you, tells you that you have done something bad, then blame yourself more than the other. For if you are ashamed of your deeds, so that you cannot hear even one story about them from another, then do not force him to remain silent with angry threats, but correct yourself so as not to do bad things. For the stench makes it clear to you that you yourself are plotting evil against your soul. 53. Cleanse yourself by repentance from unlawful deeds, and the reproach of the slanderer will not frighten you. 54. Resist sin, worker of life, and do not be afraid of the temptation you encounter, because the test will not harm the courageous ascetic. 55. With the help of Divine fire we must resist fire. A brick, until it is fired, is not hard and brittle, and when it is in the fire and is fired, it becomes a barrier to fire and water. Just as water is held in an earthen vessel, so a furnace holds a blazing flame; the stove itself is made of brick. 56. Be in temptations and sorrows and resist the voluptuousness that inflames you, so that you, like an unbaked brick, are not washed away by raindrops, so that you do not find yourself lacking the firmness that you think you have. 57. Recognize as good not what you think has been done well, but what is attested to by pious men. 58. Listen to the voice of the Lord, so that the Lord will help you and lay His hands on those who insult you, humble your enemies, and so that you do not hear: “And I have let them go according to the intentions of their hearts; they will go in the intentions of their own” (Ps. 80:13). 59. Make an effort not to be servile to your own will, but be obedient to those who fear the Lord and, by the grace of God, you will crush the head of the serpent. But as long as you easily indulge in your will, know this, you are far from perfect. And to the extent that you fall short of perfection, to the same extent you have a need for admonition and teaching. 60. Endure sorrow for the Lord so that joy may overwhelm you. Endure the labor to receive abundant reward. The stonecutter who cuts stones and the blacksmith who forges iron will receive a reward for this. 61. He who flees from battle will not take possession of the spoils of war, and he who flees admonition will not share his lot with the wise. 62. Ascend to a height and you will see that everything on earth is low and insignificant, and if you come down from a height, you will be amazed at a small whitewashed house. 63. Be established in knowledge (knowledge of virtue), worker of piety, and it will carry you instead of a chariot and protect you from many stumblings, for it will not allow your lover to say or do anything to the harm of those listening. 64. There is a fragrance of knowledge in a person if, in any case, he blames himself and, blaming himself, does not condemn another who has fallen into the same error. 65. Of two guilty slaves who are imprisoned for the same offense, of course, the one who reproaches his comrade is not conscious. 66. Do not laugh or condemn someone who has fallen into temptation, but pray more often so that you yourself do not fall into temptation. For anyone whose heart is darkened by a storm of thoughts and overcome by passions is not ashamed of man and does not fear God. If he is a ruler, then he does evil without fear. If he is weak and poor, then, having indulged in the rudeness of his character, he also acts badly without shame. 67. Do not be a careless sensualist, but listen to what the sacred singer cries for: “Let God rise again, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear, as wax melts before the fire, so let sinners perish from the presence of God, and let the righteous rejoice” (Ps. 67:1-4). 68. A cell has been given to you, monk; pray more often with a humble heart, like the three youths in the fiery furnace, and do not make yourself a den of thieves, indulging in illicit deeds, so as not to be ashamed on the Day of Judgment, when human secrets will be revealed. 69. Whoever is careless during the harvest will not have an abundant home. And whoever is now careless will remain without the consolation of the righteous during the time of retribution. 70. A time is coming for us, brothers, filled with fear and trembling, in which it will be revealed what we have done both in secret and in darkness. And woe to the soul that does not have the Lord as a helper! 71. Let us, Christ-loving brothers, think about the death of each of us, how we behave in this vain life. For he is vanity who spends time with those who live in vanity. But blessed are those who in this life made good purchases. 72. A rich man, sailing in a favorable wind, reclining on a carpet, looks down on everyone, expecting pleasure. In front of him are cooks preparing food, followed by a detachment of warriors. But suddenly a storm came, agitated the sea, crushed the ship, and he was thrown alone by the waves onto uninhabited islands filled with wild animals; cries and complains, but no one hears him; hits himself in the face, rushes about and waits for himself to die every hour. This recent proud man is melting from hunger and fear, he is languishing with thirst, and there is no one to console him. The same thing happens to us, the careless ones, on earth. When we indulge in amusements in a busy life, death suddenly comes, kidnaps the careless person and plunges him into those terrible places where all sinners who have always rejected their Master will suffer. 73. While we are safe, let us think about the fear in which it will be, thrown out by the waves onto an uninhabited land, having no consolation from anyone at all; Let us also consider what fear the sinner will be in when thrown into a place of torment. 74. My heart sighs, and my eyes long for tears, but my sin holds my mind captive, so that I do not fall into contrition and begin with bitter tears to beg the Lord not to plunge me into utter darkness. 75. He who delivered His people from the hand of Pharaoh and from the “furnace of iron” (Deut. 4:20) and who saved them by the Red Sea! Deliver us also from our iniquities, so that we may find grace before You when You judge the living and the dead! 76. While we have the strength, let us work for the Lord in the rightness of our hearts, so that in times of trouble we may have Him as our Helper, delivering us from great troubles. 77. He will glorify those who work for Him with a pure heart with incomparable glory, because the glory of the saints has no end. 78. By God's command, the whale swallowed up the prophet Jonah, and, as if in some treasury, the prophet was preserved in the belly of the whale. “The abyss of everyday life” is its “last, ponre chapter” its “into the clefts of the mountains. He fell into the earth, and sealed its faith for eternity." And there he cried out in prayer, saying: “Let my life ascend out of decay, unto Thee, O Lord my God” (Jonah 2:6–7). This prayer penetrated (passed through) the abyss, cut through the air, reached the sky and entered the ears of the Lord. It would be better to say that the Lord Himself, who fills the universe, was not far from His sincere servant. 79. God commanded the whale, and it vomited the prophet. And, as if leaving the ship, the prophet went to preach. 80. Sinners gnash their teeth at the righteous. Temptations pass: the saints are crowned, but the wicked, who plotted evil against the saints of God, are put to shame. 81. Elijah the Tishbite was once persecuted by a wicked wife. But the Lord ordered the bird to feed the prophet, and a terrible famine befell the sinners. 82. The prophet Elijah was caught up on a fiery chariot, and the lawless Jezebel, cast down to the ground from the heights of her house, was devoured in the city streets. 83. The lawless, impatient to hear the word of godliness, threw the prophet Jeremiah into a ditch. Ebedmelech Murin (Ethiopian) heard about their insolence, and since he was white in soul and shone with faith, he exposed the king of lawlessness; Having received permission, he extracted the prophet and received a blessing (Jer. 38:28). 84. The oppressors rose up against those who had always oppressed the prophets of God, and the Jewish people were delivered into the hands of their enemies. But the enemies of the prophet of God saw him and freed him from his shackles, bringing him gifts, because they saw great piety in him. Just as one who walks with a lamp gives light to those who are with him, so does virtue shine, which always carries glory with it. 85. The wicked threw the prophet Daniel into a den of lions for his piety to be devoured. And the wicked did not know that they were doing this to their own shame. But the Lord, by the hand of Habakkuk and through the holy Angel, sent dinner to His faithful servant. The wild animals, seeing the prophet in their midst, bowed down before him with submission, because the power of heaven blocked the mouths of the lions, and they did not touch the righteous man. 86. They pulled the prophet out from among the beasts, and their wickedness was partially exposed when they saw him emerging from the pit, like a bridegroom from a palace, with a shining face and illuminated with glory. 87. Not without reason, the Babylonians again doubted that perhaps the wild animals had become sick and therefore did not eat human flesh. For the chosen one of God spent six days among the seven lions, and there was no harm on him. On the seventh day the king came to mourn the righteous man, but, bending down to the ditch, he saw that he was sitting among the lions, like a shepherd among his sheep. Therefore, not without reason, the infidels doubted his salvation. But when the enemies of the righteous were thrown into the lion’s den, the infidels, seeing that they were torn to pieces and that their bones were crushed, finally came to extreme surprise and loudly exclaimed: “Great art thou, O Lord, God of Daniel” (Dan. 14:41)! 88. Three youths with Azariah, who did not bow to the golden image, tightly bound, were thrown into the kindled flame. But the fire did not dare to singe their hair, but the flame emanating from the oven burned those who were inflamed. 89. Reflecting on this, my sincere ones, may we not prove to be unskillful during temptations, because patience in temptations always exalts those who love God. 90. While we have the strength, let us serve the Lord with fear, with a right heart and with a good will, so that during temptation, having helped our weakness and made us crowned, He will bring us into His Kingdom. Amen. You might be interested in: