VERBA SENIORUM.(The Sayings of the Fathers)
Migne, Patrologia Latina 73, 855-1022.: Except where * indicates new translation, The Sayings of the Fathers, in Western Asceticism, Selected Translations with Introductions and Notes, Owen Chadwick, (Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1958) pp. 37-189. Ch. 18 The Desert Fathers, B. Ward, Penguin, 2003
Missing Books 5&6 from 1022B; check also whether anything substantial from 988A-991C
Table of Contents
1 Progress in Perfection / 1 / 10 Discretion / 672 Quiet / 4 / 11 Sobriety (Nepsis) / 91
3 Compunction / 7 / 12 Unceasing Prayer / 100
4 Self-Control / 12 / 13 Hospitality/Almsgiving / 103
5 Lust / 23 / 14 Obedience / 107
6 Poverty / 40 / 15 Humility / 114
7 Patience/Fortitude / 45 / 16 Patience / 134
8 No Ostentation / 59 / 17 Charity / 140
9 Not Judging / 65 / 18 Precognition or Contemplation / 145
BOOK I
Concerning the Fathers’ [spiritual] Progress / LIBELLUS PRIMUS.
De profectu Patrum. [0855A]
*1.1. Someone inquired of Abba Antony: “What [rules] should I carefully observe so as to please God?” And the old man responded: “Carefully observe what I command you. Wherever you go, keep God always before your eyes; and in that which you do, cling to the witness of Sacred Scripture; and from whatever place you take your rest, do not quickly leave. If you carefully observe these three, you will be saved.” / 5621. Interrogavit quidam abbatem Antonium (Ruffin., l. III, n. 108) , dicens: Quid custodiens placebo Deo? Et respondens senex dixit: Quae mando tibi, custodi. Quocunque vadis, Deum semper habe prae oculis tuis: et in his quae agis, adhibe testificationem sanctarum Scripturarum; et in quocunque loco sederis, non cito movearis. Haec tria custodi, et salvus eris.
*1.2. Abba Pambo inquired of Abba Antony: “What should I do?” The old man responded:”Do not be confident in your righteousness; do not anguish over a deed that is past; and be temperate in regard to your tongue and your belly.” / 2. Interrogavit abbas Pambo abbatem Antonium (Append. Martini, n. 54) , dicens: Quid faciam? Respondit ei senex: Noli esse in tua justitia confidens; neque poenitearis de re transacta, et continens esto linguae tuae et ventris.
*1.3. Saint Gregory said: “God requires these three things of every man who is baptized: namely, true faith kept with the whole soul and strength; temperance of the tongue; and chastity of the body” / 3. Dixit sanctus Gregorius: Quia haec tria exigit [0855B] Deus ab omni homine qui est baptismum consecutus: id est, fidem rectam ex tota anima et virtute, linguae continentiam, et castitatem corporis.
*1.4. Abba Evagrius said: “Some of the fathers said that a dry and not-irregular diet when joined to charity will quickly bring the monk to the haven of impassibility.” / 4. Dixit abbas Evagrius [1] Quia dicebant quidam Patrum quod siccior et non inaequalis[2] victus charitati conjunctus, citius introducat monachum in portum impassibilitatis[3]
*1.5. [Abba Evagrius] also said: “There was a certain monk who was told of his father’s death; but he replied to the one who announced this: ‘Stop blaspheming - my father is immortal.’” / 5. Iterum dixit: Nuntiata[4] est cuidam monacho mors patris sui. Ille autem ait ad eum qui nuntiabat sibi: Desine, inquit, blasphemare; meus enim pater immortalis est.
*1.6. Abba Macarius said to Abba Zachariah: “Tell me, what is the work of a monk?” He said to him: “You ask this of me, father?” And Abba Macarius said to him: “I am certain of you, O son Zachariah; for there is One Who impels me to ask you.” Zachariah said to him: “As far as I know, Father, I consider that anyone who employs subjugation and constraint in whatever concerns him - this one is monk.” / 6. Dixit abbas Macarius abbati Zachariae: Dic mihi, quod est opus monachi? Dixit ei: Me interrogas, Pater? Et dixit ei abbas Macarius: Certus sum de te, fili Zacharia, est enim qui me pulsat ut interrogem [0855C] te. Dixit ei Zacharias: Quantum ad me, Pater, hoc puto quoniam quicunque semetipsum necessitatibus subjecerit atque coegerit, ipse est monachus.
*1.7. They said of Abba Theodore (also called “of Pherme”) that he kept these three verses above many others: namely, to posses nothing, to abstain, and to flee from men. / 7. Dicebant de abbate Theodoro, cui est praenomen de Pherme [5] quia haec tria capitula habuerit supra multos, id est, nihil possidendi, abstinendi, homines fugiendi.
1.8. Abba John the Short said: “I wish to understand man from [the nature of] all the virtues. Therefore arise each morning at dawn, take up the beginning of each virtue and keep God’s commandment: in great patience with fear and long-suffering; in the love of God; | with a firm purpose of soul and body; in deep humility; in patience; in trouble of heart and earnestness of practice; in long prayer, with sorrow of heart; in purity of tongue, and guard of the eyes; in suffering injury without anger; peaceful, and not rendering evil for evil; not looking out for the faults of others, nor puffing up the self; meekly subject to every creature; renouncing material property and the things of the flesh; in crucifixion, struggle, lowliness of spirit, in good will and spiritual abstinence; in fasting, in penitence, in weeping, in the fight against evil; wise and discreet in the judgement; chaste in mind; receiving good with tranquillity; in working with your own hands; in watching in the night; in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, in labours; burying yourself in a tomb as though you were already dead, and every day feeling that death is upon you.” / 8. Dixit abbas Joannes Nanus: Ego volo hominem ex omnibus virtutibus percipere. Itaque per singulos dies surgens mane, de omni virtute sume principium, et mandatum Dei custodi in magna patientia, cum timore et longanimitate, in charitate Dei, cum proposito animae et corporis, et humilitate multa: in patientia, in tribulatione cordis et observationis, in oratione multa et supplicationibus, cum gemitibus; in puritate et [0855D] munditia linguae, et custodia oculorum, injuriam patiens, et non irascens; pacificus, et non reddens malum pro malo; non attendens ad vitia aliorum, neque teipsum exaltans; sed esto subditus et humilior omni creaturae, renuntiando omni materiae corporali, et his quae secundum carnem sunt, in cruciatu, in certamine, in humilitate spiritus, in bona voluntate et abstinentia spirituali; in jejunio, in patientia, in fletu, in certamine pugnae, in discretione judicii, in castitate animi, in perceptione boni cum quiete, et [0856A] opere manuum tuarum; in nocturnis vigiliis, in fame et siti, in frigore et nuditate, in laboribus, includens te sepulcro tanquam jam mortuus, ut videatur tibi esse proxima mors omni die.
*1.9. Abba Joseph of Thebes said: “Three things are honoured in the sight of the Lord. The first is when a man is weak and temptations come upon him, and yet he accepts them with thanksgiving. But the second is when every act a man performs is pure before God and contains nothing human. And indeed the third is when one places himself in subjection to the commands of a spiritual father, and renounces all self-will.” / 9. Dixit abbas Joseph [6] Thebaeus: Quia tres ordines sunt honorabiles in conspectu Domini. Primus est, quando homo infirmatur, et adjiciuntur ei tentationes, et cum gratiarum actione suscipit eas. Secundus autem est, quando aliquis omnia opera sua facit munda coram Deo, nihil habens humanum. Tertius vero, quando aliquis sedet in subjectione et praeceptis Patris spiritualis, et omnibus propriis renuntiat voluntatibus.
*1. 10. Abba Cassian told of one Abba John, who was leader of a community [and] whose way of life was remarkable. As his death approached he was cheerful with his mind intent upon the Lord; and his brothers standing around him asked for a saying which would outline the way to salvation - a legacy which he could leave to them, by which they might ascend to the perfection which is in Christ. Sighing, he said: “I never did my own will, nor did I ever teach anyone to do something which I myself did not do first.” [Cassian, Inst V,28]. / 10. Narravit abbas Cassianus de quodam Joanne abbate, qui erat primus congregationis, quod magnus [0856B] quidem fuerit in vita sua (Cassian., lib. V Instit., cap. 28) . Hic autem cum moriturus esset et discessurus cum hilaritate et proposito mentis ad Dominum, circumsteterunt eum fratres, rogantes verbum aliquod compendiosum et salutare loco haereditatis sibi ab eodem relinqui, per quod possent ascendere ad perfectionem, quae est in Christo. Ille autem ingemiscens, ait: Nunquam feci propriam voluntatem, nec aliquem docui quidquam, quod ego prius ipse non fecerim.
1.11. A brother inquired of an old man, saying: “What thing is so good that I ought to do it and live by it?” | And the old man said: “God alone knows what is good. Yet I have heard that one of the fathers asked the great Abba Nesteros, who was a friend of Abba Antony, and said to him, ‘What good work shall I do?’ And Antony replied, ‘Cannot all works please God equally? [p.39] Scripture says, Abraham was hospitable and God was with him. And Elijah loved quiet, and God was with him. And David was humble and God was with him. So whatever you find your soul wills in following God’s will, do it, and keep your heart.’ “ / 11. Frater interrogavit senem, dicens: Quae res sic bona est, quam faciam, et vivam in ea? Et dixit senex: Deus solus scit, quod bonum est; sed tamen audivi quia interrogavit unus Patrum abbatem Nisteronem magnum, qui erat amicus abbatis Antonii, et [0856C] dixit ei: Quod opus est bonum ut faciam? Et ille respondit ei: Non sunt opera omnia aequalia. Scriptura dicit (Gen. XVIII) : Quia Abraham hospitalis fuit, et Deus erat cum 563 eo. Et Elias diligebat quietem, et Deus erat cum eo. Et David humilis erat, et Deus erat cum ipso. Quod ergo vides secundum Deum velle animam tuam, hoc fac, et custodi cor tuum.
* 1.12. Abba Pastor (or Poeman) said: “To keep watch [over yourself], to reflect upon yourself , and to have discernment - these are the three functions of the soul.” / 12. Dixit abbas Pastor: Quia custodire, et semetipsum considerare, et discretionem habere, haec tria operationes sunt animae.
* 1.13. A brother inquired of him: “What should be the way of life of a human being?” The old man responded: “We have seen Daniel, against whom no charge was made except that he offered service to God.” / 13. Frater quidam interrogavit eum, dicens: Quomodo debet homo conversari? Respondit ei senex: Vidimus Danielem, quia non est inventa accusatio ejus, nisi de servitio quod exhibebat Deo suo.
1.14. The same old man said: “Poverty, tribulation and wise discernment—these are the three parts of the hermit’s life. It is written that there were these three, Noah, Job and Daniel. Noah is the type of those who own nothing, Job of those in tribulation, Daniel of those who judge wisely. If a man has these three qualities, God dwells in him.” / [0856D]14. Dixit iterum: Quia paupertas, tribulatio, et discretio, hae sunt operationes solitariae vitae (App. Mart., num. 8, titulo Moysis) . Scriptum est enim (Ezech. XIV) : Quia si fuerint hi tres viri, Noe, Job, et Daniel: Noe personam habet nihil possidentium, Job autem personam tribulantium, Daniel vero discernentium. Si ergo sunt hae tres actiones in homine, Deus habitat in eo.
1.15. Abba Poemen said: “If a monk will hate two things, he can be free of this world.” And a brother said: “What are they?” And the old man said: “Bodily comfort and vain-glory.” / 15. Dixit abbas Pastor: Quia si duas res oderit monachus, potest liber esse ab hoc mundo. Et dixit [0857A] frater: Quae sunt istae? Et dixit senex: Carnalem repausationem et vanam gloriam
1.16. They used to tell of Abba Pambo that in the hour of his death he said to the holy men standing round: “From the time that I came into this lonely place, and built my cell and lived in it, I do not remember having eaten anything which my hands had not worked for, nor repenting of a word spoken until now. And so I go to the Lord, as one who has not yet made a beginning of serving God.” / 16. Dicebant de abbate Pambo (Ruffin., l. III, n. 160) , quia in ipsa hora qua discedebat ex hac vita, dixit astantibus sibi viris sanctis: Quia ex quo veni in hunc locum solitudinis, et fabricavi mihi cellam, et habitavi, extra laborem manuum mearum non recolo me comedisse panem, neque poenituisse de sermone, quem locutus sum usque in hanc horam. Et sic vado ad Dominum, quomodo qui nec initium fecerim serviendi Deo.
1.17. Said Abba Sisois: “Be despised: put your self-will behind your back: be free of secular worries—and you shall have rest.” / 17. Dixit abbas Sisois: Esto contemptibilis, et voluptates tuas post tergum tuum projice; et esto liber et securus a saecularibus curis, et habebis requiem.
1.18. When Abba Chame was dying, he said to his sons: “Do not live with heretics. Do not take notice of judges. And let not your hands be open to acquire, let them be stretched out to give.” / [0857B]18. Abbas Chame cum esset moriturus, dixit filiis suis: Nolite habitare cum haereticis; neque habeatis notitiam judicum; neque sint manus vestrae apertae ad aliquid congregandum, sed sint magis extensae ad tribuendum.
1.19. Said a brother to an old man: “How does the fear of God come into the soul?” And the old man said: “If a man has humility and poverty, and will not judge another, then the fear of God comes into him.” / 19. Frater interrogavit senem: Quomodo venit timor Dei in hominem? Et dixit senex: Si habet homo humilitatem et paupertatem, et non judicet alterum, sic venit in eo timor Domini (Pasch., c. 21, n. 2) .
1.20. An old man said: “Let fear, and humility, and want of food, and lamentation, abide in you.” / 20. Dixit senex: Timor, et humilitas, et egestas victualium, et planctus maneant in te (Pasch., c. 21, n. 3) .
1.21. Some of the old men used to say: “Whatever you hate, do it not to another. If you hate being evil spoken to, do not speak evil to another. If you hate being slandered, do not slander another. If you hate him who tries to make you despised, or wrongs you, or takes away what is yours, or any such thing, do not do any such thing to him. If a man can keep this saying, it is enough for his salvation.” / 21. Dicebant ergo quidam senum: Quidquid odio habes, alii ne facias (Ruffin., l. III, n. 153; Pasch., c. 16, n. 2) . Si odis qui tibi male loquitur, neque tu [0857C] male loquaris de aliquo; si odio habes qui tibi calumniam facit, neque tu facias alicui calumniam; si odio habes qui te in calumniam ducit, aut injuriis appetit, aut aufert quod tuum est, aut aliquid tale facit, tu nihil horum facias cuiquam Qui ergo hoc verbum custodire potest, sufficit ei ad salutem.
1.22. An old man said: “This is the life of a monk: work, obedience, meditation, not to judge others, not to speak evil, not to murmur. For it is written ‘You who love God, hate evil.’ This is the life of the monk: not to go in with the unrighteous, not to see evil, not to be inquisitive, not to be curious, not to hear gossip: not to use the hands for taking, but for giving: not to be proud in heart or wicked in thought: not to fill the belly: in everything to judge wisely.That is where you find a monk.” / 22. Dixit senex: Vita monachi haec est, opera, obedientia, meditatio, et ut non judicet, aut non obloquatur, aut non murmuret. Scriptum est enim: Qui diligitis Dominum, odite malum (Psal. XCVI) . Monachi vita haec est, non ingredi cum injusto, neque videre oculis suis mala, neque curiose agere, neque scrutari, neque audire aliena; neque manibus rapere, sed magis tribuere; neque superbire corde; [0857D] neque cogitatione malignari; neque ventrem implere; sed cum discretione omnia agere. Ecce in his est monachus.
1.23. An old man said: “Ask God to give you heartfelt grief and humility. Look ever on your sins, and judge not another’s. Be subject to all. Be not friends with a woman, or a boy, or a heretic. Be not confident. Control your tongue and belly, and drink no wine. If anyone speaks to you on a matter of controversy, do not argue with him. If he speaks well, say ‘Yes.’ If he speaks ill, say ‘I am ignorant in the matter.’ But argue not with what he has said, and then your mind will be at peace.” / 23. Dixit senex: Roga Deum, ut det luctum in corde tuo et humilitatem; et respice semper in peccatis tuis, et non judices alios; sed esto subjectus omnibus, et ne habeas amicitias cum muliere, neque cum puero, neque cum haereticis. Abscinde a te fiduciam, et retine linguam tuam et ventrem, et abstine a vino. Et si quis loquitur tecum de quacunque causa, noli contendere cum eo. Sed si bene dicit, dic: Etiam. Si autem male, dic ei: Tu scis quod loqueris. Et ne contendas cum eo de his quae locutus est, et tunc erit mens tua pacifica.
Book 2
Of quiet / LIBELLUS SECUNDUS.
De quiete.[0858A]
1. Abba Antony said: “Fish die if they are long out of water. So monks who dally long outside their cell or with men of the world, lose their will to solitude. As a fish can only live in the sea, so we must run back to our cells. Perhaps, if we dallied outside, we might lose our inner guard.” 3 / 1. Dixit abbas Antonius: Sicut pisces, si tardaverint in sicco, moriuntur; ita et monachi tardantes extra cellam, aut cum viris saecularibus immorantes, a quietis proposito revolvuntur (Ruff., l. III, n. 109, nomine Moysis; et in Vita Antonii, cap. 52) . Oportet ergo sicut piscem in mari, ita et nos ad cellam recurrere; ne forte foris tardantes, obliviscamur interioris custodiae.