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 was with him whilst Abbâ Poemen was sitting by, and they fought with each other until the blood ran down from both their heads; and although the old man saw [them] he uttered no word whatsoever. Then Abbâ Job came and found them fighting, and he said to Poemen, “Why hast thou let these brethren fight, and hast said nothing to them whilst they have been fighting?” Abbâ Poemen said unto him, “They are brethren, and will become reconciled again.” Abbâ Job said, “What is this that thou hast said? Thou seest that they continue to fight, and yet thou sayest that they will be reconciled again.” Abbâ Poemen said unto him, “Thou must think in thy heart that I am not here.”

276. Mother Sarah sent a message to Abbâ Paphnutius, saying, “Dost thou think that thou art doing God’s work in allowing thy brother to be reviled?” Abbâ Paphnutius saith, “Paphnutius is here doing the work of God, and I have no concern whatsoever about man.”

277. The old man Poemen used to say, “Thou shalt have no dealings whatsoever with a child of the world, and thou shalt hold no converse with women”; and he also said, “Thou shalt possess no knowledge of the judge (or governor), lest, when thou hearest his words, thou perform his work.”

278. One of the old men used to say, “I have never taken one step forwards without first of all learning where I was about to set my foot, and I have neither crossed my boundary to walk on a height, nor have I descended into a deep place, and been troubled by so doing; for my only care hath been to beseech God until He brought me forth from the old man.”

279. On one occasion the brethren were gathered together in Scete that they might enquire into the history of Melchisedek, and they forgot to invite Abbâ Copres to be with them; finally, however, they did call him, and they enquired of him concerning the matter. And he smote three times on his mouth, and said, “Woe be to thee! Woe be to thee, O Copres, for thou hast left undone what God commanded thee to do, and thou art enquired of concerning the things which God hath not demanded of thee”; and they all left the place and fled to their cells.

280. An old man used to say, “Freedom of speech (or boldness) is a wind which parcheth, and it smiteth the fruit at the harvest.”

281. An old man used to say, “The act of despising oneself is a strong fence for a man.”

282. The old man said, “The withdrawal in secret [from works] maketh dark the understanding, but the persisting