Page:ParadiseOfTheHolyFathersV2.djvu/99



375. On one occasion Abraham said unto Abbâ Sisoes, “Abbâ, thou hast grown old, let us draw nigh unto the habitations of the children of men for a little”; and Abbâ Sisoes said unto him, “Let us go where there is no woman”; then his disciple said unto him, “And what place is there without a woman except the desert?” The old man said unto him, “Then let us go to the desert.”

376. On one occasion certain brethren came to Abbâ Pambô, and one of them asked him, saying, “Father, I fast two days at a time, and then I eat two bread-cakes; shall I gain life, O father, or am I making a mistake?” And another asked him and said, “I perform work with my hands [each] day to the value of two kîrâts (i.e., carats), and I keep a few oboli by me for my food, and the remainder I spend upon the relief of the poor; shall I be redeemed, O father, or am I making a mistake?” And the other brethren asked of him many things, but he answered them never a word. Now after four days they were wishing to depart, and the clergy entreated them, saying, “O brethren, trouble not ye yourselves, for God will give you a reward. The custom of the old man is not to speak immediately, for he doth not speak until God giveth him permission to do so.” Then the brethren went to the old man and said unto him, “Father, pray for us”; and he said unto them, “Do ye wish to depart?” And they said unto him, “Yes.” Then he took their actions into his consideration, and he put himself in the position of one who was writing on the ground, and said, “Pambô, one fasteth two days at a time, and then eateth two bread-cakes; shall he become a monk by such things as these? No! Pambô, [another] worketh for two carats a day, and giveth to those who are in need, shall he become a monk by such things as these? No!” And he said, “[Thy] actions are good, and if thou preservest thy conscience with thy [good actions] thou shalt live”; and being consoled by these words, the brethren departed rejoicing.

377. Certain of the old men used to say, “If temptation cometh upon thee in the place where thou dwellest, forsake not the place in the time of temptation, lest peradventure thou findest wherever thou goest that from which thou fleest; but endure until the period of temptation be overpast, and thy departure can be [effected] without offence and without affliction, for thou wilt have departed in a time of peace. Now if thou departest during a period of temptation, many will be afflicted because of thee, and will say that thou didst depart because of the temptation, and this will be unto them a source of grief.”

378. On one occasion when Abbâ Sisoes was sitting down