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 God, saying, “O Lord, give me patience to endure the strife.”

216. There was a certain man who had within himself love and affection for the brotherhood, and who never had in his mind any evil thought whatsoever; and a certain brother stole some things and brought [them] and deposited them with him, and the man did not consider or perceive by what means the brother had obtained them. Now some days later the matter was discovered, and it was pointed out to the owner of the things that they had been deposited with the old man, who made excuses to them, saying, “Forgive ye me, for I repent.” And after a few days the brother who had stolen the things came to him, and he began to demand [them from] the old man, and said unto him, “Thou thyself didst take the things”; and the old man made excuses to him, saying, “Forgive me”; and the old man brought out all the work of his hands, and gave it to him, and the brother took it and departed. Now the disposition of the old man was such that, if one of the brethren committed a fault, and denied it, he would make excuses for him, saying, “It was I who did this thing”; thus meek and humble was the holy man, and he never wronged any man even by the least word.

217. A certain brother lived by himself, and he was disturbed in his mind, and went and revealed the matter to Abbâ Theodore of Parmê. And the old man said unto him, “Go and humble thy mind, and submit thyself to live with the brethren”; and he went and did as the old man had told him, and took up his abode with other men. And he went back to the the old man, and said unto him, “Father, I am not content to dwell with other men”; then the old man said unto him, “If thou art not content to live either by thyself or with others, why didst thou come out to be a monk? Is it not necessary for thee to endure trials? Tell me, how long hast thou lived this life?” And the brother said unto him, “Eight years.” The old man said unto him, “Verily I have led the life I lead now for seventy years, and not one pleasure hath come in my way [the whole time], and yet thou wishest to find pleasure (or rest) in eight years!”

218. A certain brother, who had vanquished Satan in everything, subsequently had his eyes blinded by Satan so that he could not see, yet this blessed man did not pray for himself, and that he might be able to see, but he only prayed that he might be able to endure patiently his trial; and through his constancy his eyes were opened.

219. A monk was smitten by a man on the leg and was severely injured, but the holy man was neither angry nor wroth