which belong to the other eight hours which are in the day, for it is right for the monk who hath made himself to be remote from the world to be occupied with prayers to God unceasingly, and he should pray either in his heart, or in a carefully defined service, or in that service which he performeth with his will and with understanding. For the Calumniator addeth greatly to any small failing which he may find in a monk, and by being with him continually he enlargeth greatly the breach which he hath made, and by his habit of persistency he acquireth his natural power, and more particularly is this so in the case of those who are careless and lazy.”
119. Abbâ Epiphanius also said, “Whatsoever food thou wishest to eat with gratification, that give not to thy body, especially when thou art in good health, and that which thou lustest after, eat not; and when thou feedest upon the things which are sent unto thee by God, give thanks unto Him at all seasons, and receive His gracious gift, the delights and the pleasures which we have received through the name of monk, [although] we do not do the works of monks. And [if] it be that thou art a monk, wilt thou then not make thyself strong, lest peradventure thou art arrayed in apparel which is strange to thee? Tell me, O brother, dost thou possess the seal of the service, that is to say, humility? For the holy man who seeth another man sin weepeth bitterly, saying, ‘It is this man who sinneth now, but some time subsequently it may be myself.’ However much then a man may sin before thee, condemn him not, but esteem thyself a sinner far greater than he is, even though he may be a child of this world, and besides there is the fact that he may have sinned greatly against God.”
120. And he said also, “Know thyself, and thou shalt never fall. Give thy soul work, that is to say, constant prayer, and love of God, before another can give it evil [and filthy] thoughts; and pray ye that the spirit of error may be remote from you.”
121. And he also said, “Whatsoever ye do successfully, and what ye boast of, destroy, for it is not right for a monk to boast of his fair deeds, and if he boasteth he will fall.”
122. [And he also said], “When thou prayest speak unto God in a quiet voice and say, ‘How can I possess Thee, O Lord? Thou knowest full well that I am a beast, and that I know nothing. Thou hast brought me to the prime of this life, deliver me then for Thy mercy’s sake; I am Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaiden, O Lord, by Thy will, vivify Thou me.’ The old man is falsehood, and the new man is truth; the truth is the root of good works, and falsehood is death. If the liar, and the thief, and the calumniator
