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 And the old man marvelled at this scrupulous obedience, and said unto him, “Make haste and perform thy service of praise and prayer, and bring it to an end, and drink some water, for if thou dost not do it quickly thy body will become sick.”

306. Abbâ Poemen used to say often, “We need nothing except a watchful and strenuous heart.”

307. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen, saying, “How is it right for me to live in the place wherein I am?” The old man saith unto him, “Acquire the thought of sojourning in the place where thou livest, and desire not to cast thy word among the multitude, or to be the first to speak, and thou wilt find rest.”

308. Abbâ Agathon said concerning Abbâ Mûaîn that, on one occasion, he made fifty bushels of wheat into bread for the needs of the community, and then laid it out in the sun, but before it became dry and hard he saw something in the place which was not helpful to him, and he said to the brethren who were with him, “Arise, let us go hence”; and they were greatly grieved. And when he saw that they were grieved, he said unto them, “Are ye troubled about the bread? Verily I have seen men take to flight and forsake their cells, although they were well whitewashed and contained cupboards which were filled with books of the Holy Scriptures and service books, and they did not even shut the cupboard doors, but departed leaving them wide open.”

309. Abbâ Copres used to say, “Blessed is the man who beareth temptation with thanksgiving.”

310. Abbâ Poemen used to say, “The mighty ones have been many, and those who never felt envy have been many, and they have neither been jealous in an evil way, nor have they stirred up their own passions.”

311. Abbâ Sisoes used to say, “Seek the Lord, and search [Him] out, but not only in the place where [thou] dwellest.”

312. An old man used to say, “Eat not before thou art hungry; lie not down to sleep before thou art sleepy; and speak not before thou art asked a question.”

313. An old man used to say, “Prepare not a table before the time when thou art alone, and speak not before thou art asked a question, and if thou art asked a question, speak that which is fair and helpful, and not that which is evil and destructive.”

314. Abbâ Euprepius said, “If thou art not certain in thyself that God is faithful and mighty, believe in Him, and associate thyself with those who are His, but if thou art doubtful thou canst not believe. For we all believe and confess that God is mighty, and we are certain that all things