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549. And his word at all times was this, “Arsenius, because thou didst go forth”; and he used to repeat this saying, “That I have spoken I have many times repented; that I held my peace I have never repented.”

550. On one occasion the governor of the country seized one of the inhabitants of his village, and the people entreated the old man to go and bring out him that had been seized; and the old man said unto them, “Leave me for three days, and afterwards I will go.” Then Abbâ Poemen prayed to the Lord, and said, “Lord, if thou dost not grant me this act of grace the people will not allow me to live in this place”; and the old man went to entreat the governor, and the governor said unto him, “Yea, father, thou makest entreaty for a thief.” And the old man rejoiced that he did not receive from Him this act of grace.

551. On one occasion certain old men went to visit Abbâ Anthony, and Abbâ Joseph was with them, and the old man wishing to try them spake a word from the Book, and began to question the youngest of them, saying, “What is the meaning of this word?” And each of them said, “I have never yet understood it,” and last of all Abbâ Anthony said unto Abbâ Joseph, “And what dost thou say that this word meaneth?” Abbâ Joseph saith, “I do not know.” And Abbâ Anthony said unto him, “In truth, Abbâ Joseph, thou hast found the way to say, ‘I do not know.’ ”

552. Abbâ Muthues said, “In proportion as a man draweth nigh unto God, it is meet that he should regard himself as a sinner, for the Prophet Isaiah (chap. 6:5), who saw the Lord, calleth himself wretched and unclean.”

553. The old man used to say, “Who sold Joseph?” They said unto him, “His brethren,” and the old man said unto them, “No, it was humility that sold him. For he never said, ‘I am your brother,’ and he never answered them, but held his peace. He sold himself by his humility, and this humility made him governor over the land of Egypt.”

554. A brother came to Abbâ Muthues, and said unto him, “How is it that those who are in Scete do more than that which is written in the Book, for they love their enemies more than themselves?” Muthues said unto them, “I do not yet love even the man who loveth me more than I love myself.”

555. There was a certain old man in Egypt before those who belonged to the company of Abbâ Poemen came there, and he possessed knowledge and great honour; and when those of the following of Abbâ Poemen went up from Scete, every man left [that old man] and came to Abbâ Poemen and those who were