pened to meet each other on the way. Then the first monk who had done good to the other monk began to say unto him, “I possessed a certain treasure, and thou wishest to rob me [of it]”; and the other monk said unto him, “Where is it written that the strait and narrow door is sufficient for thyself alone? Let us, even us, go in with thee.” Then straightway, whilst they were holding converse, the angel of the Lord appeared, and said unto them, “Your contending hath ascended unto the Lord even as a sweet smell.”
439. On one occasion, a certain excellent man, who feared God in his life and works, and who was living in the world, went to Abbâ Poemen, and some of the brethren, who were also with the old man, were asking him questions [wishing] to hear a word from him. Then Abbâ Poemen said to the man who was in the world, “Speak a word to the brethren”; but he entreated him, saying, “Forgive me, father, but I came to learn.” And the old man pressed him [to speak], and, as the force of his urging increased, he said, “I am a man living in the world, and I sell vegetables, and because I do not know how to speak from a book, listen ye to a parable. There was a certain man who had three friends, and he said to the first, ‘since I desire to see the Emperor come with me’; and the friend said unto him, ‘I will come with thee half the way.’ And the man said to the second friend, ‘Come, go with me to the Emperor’s presence’; and the friend said unto him, ‘I will come with thee as far as his palace, but I cannot go with thee inside’; and the man said the same unto his third friend, who answered and said, ‘I will come with thee, and I will go inside the palace with thee, and I will even stand up before the Emperor and speak on thy behalf.’ ” Then the brethren questioned him, wishing to learn from him the strength of the riddle (or dark saying), and he answered and said unto them, “The first friend is abstinence, which leadeth as far as one half of the way; and the second friend is purity and holiness, which lead to heaven; and the third friend is loving-kindness, which stablisheth a man before God, and speaketh on his behalf with great boldness.”
440. A brother went to visit a certain monk, and when he went forth from him, he said unto him, “Forgive me, father, for having made thee to desist from thy rule”; and the monk said unto him, “My rule is to refresh thee, and to send thee away in peace.”
441. On one occasion a command was given to the brethren who were in Scete, and it was said unto them, “Fast ye this week, and celebrate the Passover.” And it happened that some brethren came from Egypt to Abbâ Moses, and whilst
