Longer Rules (Asceticon, Regulae fusius tractatae) 35–42
Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 35
35PG 31:1003
Εἰ χρὴ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ κώμῃ πλείονας ἀδελφότητας συγκροτεῖσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὸ ὑπόδειγμα τῶν μελῶν ἐπὶ πολλὰ ἀγομένων χρησίμως ἡμῖν διαρθροῖ τὸ προκείμενον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔδειξεν ὁ λόγος, ὅτι τῷ μέλλοντι σώματι καλῶς καὶ κατὰ λόγον πρὸς πᾶσαν ἐνέργειαν συνηρμόσθαι χρεία ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ γλώσσης, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ὅσα ἀναγκαῖα καὶ κυριώτατα, χαλεπὸν δὲ καὶ δυσεύρετον ψυχή δυναμένη εἶναι ὀφθαλμὸς πλειόνων. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ προορατικὸν, καὶ ἐν λόγῳ τὸ αὔταρκες ἔχοντα, καὶ νηφαλέον, καὶ εὔσπλαγχνον, καὶ ἐν τελείᾳ καρδίᾳ ἐκζητοῦντα τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν προεστῶτα τῆς ἀδελφότητος ἐπιζητεῖ ἡ ἀκρίβεια, πῶς δυνατὸν ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ κώμῃ τοιούτων πλειόνων ἐπιτυχεῖν; Εἰ δὲ καὶ συμβαίη ποτὲ εὑρεθῆναι δύο ἢ τρεῖς, ὅπερ οὐκ εὔκολον οὐδὲ ἔγνωμέν ποτε· πολλῷ βέλτιον κοινωνεῖν ἀλλήλοις τοῦ φροντίσματος τούτους καὶ ἐπικουφίζειν τὸν πόνον· ὡς ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἄλλου ἀποδημίᾳ, ἢ ἀσχολίᾳ, ἢ ἐν ἄλλαις τισὶ περιστάσεσι, καθὼς χωρίζεσθαι συμβαίνει τῆς ἀδελφότητος τὸν ἕνα τὸν προεστῶτα, εἶναι τὸν ἕτερον εἰς παραμυθίαν τῆς ἀπολείψεως· ἢ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, ἀπιέναι εἰς ἄλλην ἀδελφότητα δεομένην τοῦ ὁδηγήσοντος. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν ἔξωθεν πραγμάτων πεῖρα εἰς τὸν προκείμενον σκοπὸν ὠφελεῖν ἡμᾶς δύναται. Ὡς οὖν καὶ οἱ τῶν κοινῶν τεχνῶν ἔμπειροι ζηλοτύπως ἔχουσι πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιτέχνους, αὐτοῦ τοῦ πράγματος, κατὰ τὸ λανθάνον, τὰς φιλονεικίας ἐμποιεῖν πεφυκότος· οὕτω καὶ επι της τοιαύτης ζωῆς, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, συμβαίνει ε σθαι. ᾿Αρχόμενοι γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ διαμιλλᾶσθαι εἰς τὸ καλὸν καὶ σπουδάζειν ἀλλήλους ὑπερβαλέσθαι ἢ ἐν ταῖς ξενοδοχίαις, ἢ ἐν τῇ αὐξήσει τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τῶν συνασκουμένων, ἢ ἐν ἄλλοις τισὶ τοιούτοις ἔργοις, προϊόντες εἰς ἐριθείας ἐκπίπτουσιν. Εἶτα τοῖς μὲν ἐπιδημοῦσι τῶν ἀδελφῶν πολλὴν ἀμφιβολίαν συμβαίνειν γίνεσθαι καὶ δυσκολίαν ἀντὶ ἀναπαύσεως, μεριζομένοις τὸν λογισμὸν, πρὸς τίνας χρὴ καταχθῆναι· ἡ τε γὰρ προτίμησις λυπηρά, καὶ τὸ ἀμφοτέρους πληροφορῆσαι ἀδύνατον, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ἐπειγόμενοι τυγχάνωσι· τοῖς δὲ ἐξ ἀρχῆς προσιοῦσιν εἰς τὸ συζῇν πολλὴν ἀδημονίαν παρέξουσι, τίνας δεῖ προεστῶτας τῆς ἑαυτῶν ζωῆς ἑλέσθαι, καὶ η πάντως ἐκ τοῦ τινας αἱρεῖσθαι, τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀπο Εὐθὺς οὖν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης εἰς ἔπαρσιν συμβαίνει βλάπτεσθαι, οὐχὶ τυποῦντας ἑαυτοὺς εἰς μάθησιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐθιζομένους κριτὰς καὶ δοκιμαστὰς τῆς ἀδελφότητος γίνεσθαι. Οπότε τοίνυν ἀγαθὸν μὲν οὐδὲν ὁμολογούμενόν ἐστιν ἐν τῇ διαιρέσει τῶν οἰκήσεων, τὰ δὲ ὑπεναντία τοσαῦτα, τὸ χωρίζεσθαι ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων παντελῶς ἀσύμφορον. Εἰ δὲ προειλῆφθαί τινα συμβαίη, ἐπείγεσθαι χρὴ πρὸς τὴν διόρθωσιν, καὶ μάλιστα μετὰ τὴν πεῖραν τῶν βλαβερῶν. Τὸ δὲ ἐπιμένειν τῇ κρίσει φιλονεικία σαφής. Εἰ δὲ τις δοκεῖ φιλόνεικος εἶναι, φησὶν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, ἡμεῖς τοιαύτην συνήθειαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, οὐδὲ αἱ Ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν φήσουσιν εἰς τὴν συνάφειαν κωλύεσθαι; Πότερον χρειῶν; Ἀλλὰ πολλῷ εὐπορώτεραί εἰσιν ἐν τῇ κοινωνίᾳ, ἑνὸς λύχνου, καὶ μιᾶς ἐστίας, καὶ πάντων τῶν τοιούτων τοῖς πᾶσιν ἐπαρκέσαι δυναμένων. Χρὴ γὰρ, εἴπερ τι ἕτερον, καὶ τὴν ἐν τούτοις εὐχέρειαν μεταδιώκειν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου, ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλαττον τὰς κτήσεις τῶν ἀναγκαίων συστέλλοντας. Ἔπειτα καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν τὰς χρείας ἐπεισαγόντων τῇ ἀδελφότητι, ἐν μὲν τῇ διαιρέσει πλειόνων χρεία, ἐν δὲ τῇ συνοικήσει τῶν ἡμίσεων. Ὅπως δὲ δύσκολόν ἐστιν εὑρεθῆναι ἄνδρα μὴ καταισχύνοντα τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ ἀξίαν τοῦ ἐπαγγέλματος τὴν τῶν ἔξωθεν συντυχίαν ἐν ταῖς αποδημίαις ποιούμενον, γνώριμον ὑμῖν πρὸ τῶν ἐμῶν λόγων. Εἶτα οἱ ἐπιμένοντες τῇ διαστάσει πῶς δύνανται τοὺς ἐν τῷ κοινῷ βίῳ οἰκοδομεῖν, ἢ πρὸς εἰρήνην συνελαύνοντες, εἴ ποτε δέοι, ἢ πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας ἐντολὰς παρακαλοῦντες, ὑπονοίας πονηρὰς ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ἡνῶσθαι καθ' ἑαυτῶν παρεχόμενοι; Καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἀκούομεν τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου γράφοντος Φιλιππησίοις, ὅτι Πληρώσατέ μου τὴν χαρὰν, ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ φρονῆτε, τὴν αὐτὴν ἀγάπην ἔχοντες, σύμψυχοι, τὸ ἓν φρονοῦντες, μηδὲν κατ' ἐριθείαν ἢ κενοδοξίαν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν· μὴ τὰ ἑαυτῶν σκοποῦντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἑτέρων ἕκαστοι. Τίς οὖν μείζων ἀπόδειξις ταπεινοφροσύνης τοῦ ἀλλήλοις ὑποταγῆναι τοὺς προεστῶτας τῆς ἀδελφότητος; Εἴτε γὰρ ἴσοι εἰσὶν ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς χαρίσμασι, κάλλιόν ἐστιν ἡ συνάθλησις. "Ωσπερ οὖν ὑπέδειξεν ἡμῖν αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος, ἀνὰ δύο δύο ἀποστείλας· καὶ ὁ ἕτερος αὐτῶν αἰρήσεται πάντως μετὰ χαρᾶς ὑποτετάχθαι τῷ ἑτέρῳ, μεμνημένος τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος, ὅτι ῾Ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται. Εἰ δὲ τὸν μὲν ἐλαττοῦσθαι, τὸν δὲ ὑπερτίνας. Α έχειν συμβαίνει, ὠφελιμώτερόν ἐστι προσληφθῆναι Ει Β δηλον ὅτι οὐδεμία διάστασις ἦν ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν, οὔτε ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰσχυροτέρου τὸν ἀσθενέστερον. Πῶς δὲ καὶ οὐχὶ φανερὰ παρακοή ἐστι τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ παραγγέλματος, τοῦ λέγοντος· Μὴ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστοι γίζομαι γὰρ μὴ εἶναι δυνατὸν ἐν τῇ διαιρέσει τοῦτο κατορθωθῆναι, ἑκάστου τάγματος τὴν μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν συνόντων μέριμναν ἰδιοποιουμένου, τῆς δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἄλλων φροντίδος ἠλλοτριωμένου, ὅπερ, ὡς εἶπον, σαφῶς ἐναντιοῦται τῷ ἀποστολικῷ παραγγέλματι. Καὶ τῶν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἁγίων πολλάκις μαρτυρουμένων, περὶ ὧν γέγραπται, ποτὲ μὲν ὅτι, Τοῦ πλήθους τῶν πιστευσάντων ἦν καρδία καὶ ψυχὴ μία· ποτὲ δὲ ὅτι, Πάντες οἱ πιστεύσαντες ἦσαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ, καὶ εἶχον ἅπαντα κοινά· πρόἐν ἐξουσίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ διῆγεν ἕκαστος, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν οἱ πάντες ᾠκονομοῦντο φροντίδα· καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ὅλοις πεντακισχιλίοις τὸν ἀριθμὸν, ἐφ᾽ ὧν ἴσως οὐκ ὀλίγα ἦν τὰ κατὰ τὸν ἀνθρώπινον λογισμὸν ἐμποδίζειν δοκοῦντα τῇ συναφείᾳ. Ὅπου δὲ τοσοῦτον ἐλαττοῦνται οἱ καθ' ἑκάστην κώμην εύρισκόμενοι, τίς ἐπιτρέπει λόγος διεστάναι αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων; Εἴθε δὲ ἦν δυνατὸν μὴ μόνον τοὺς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ κώμῃ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συνηγμένους οὕτως εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλείους ἀδελφότητας, ἐν διαφόροις καθεστώσας τό ποις, ὑπὸ μιᾷ φροντίδι τῶν δυναμένων ἀπροσκλίτως καὶ σοφῶς οἰκονομεῖν τὰ πάντων ἐν τῇ ἑνό τητι τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης οἰκοδομεῖσθαι.
Ei chrē en tę̄ autę̄ kōmę̄ pleionas adelphotētas synkroteisthai. APOKRISIS. To hypodeigma tōn melōn epi polla agomenōn chrēsimōs hēmin diarthroi to prokeimenon. Epei oun edeixen ho logos, hoti tǭ mellonti sōmati kalōs kai kata logon pros pasan energeian synērmosthai chreia ophthalmōn, kai glōssēs, kai tōn loipōn, hosa anankaia kai kyriōtata, chalepon de kai dyseureton psychē dynamenē einai ophthalmos pleionōn. Ei gar kai prooratikon, kai en logǭ to autarkes echonta, kai nēphaleon, kai eusplanchnon, kai en teleią kardią ekzētounta ta dikaiōmata tou Theou, ton proestōta tēs adelphotētos epizētei hē akribeia, pōs dynaton en tę̄ autę̄ kōmę̄ toioutōn pleionōn epitychein? Ei de kai symbaiē pote heurethēnai dyo ē treis, hoper ouk eukolon oude egnōmen pote; pollǭ beltion koinōnein allēlois tou phrontismatos toutous kai epikouphizein ton ponon; hōs en tę̄ tou allou apodēmią, ē ascholią, ē en allais tisi peristasesi, kathōs chōrizesthai symbainei tēs adelphotētos ton hena ton proestōta, einai ton heteron eis paramythian tēs apoleipseōs; ē ei mē touto, apienai eis allēn adelphotēta deomenēn tou hodēgēsontos. Polla de kai hē tōn exōthen pragmatōn peira eis ton prokeimenon skopon ōphelein hēmas dynatai. Hōs oun kai hoi tōn koinōn technōn empeiroi zēlotypōs echousi pros tous antitechnous, autou tou pragmatos, kata to lanthanon, tas philoneikias empoiein pephykotos; houtō kai epi tēs toiautēs zōēs, hōs ta polla, symbainei e sthai. ᾿Archomenoi gar apo tou diamillasthai eis to kalon kai spoudazein allēlous hyperbalesthai ē en tais xenodochiais, ē en tę̄ auxēsei tou arithmou tōn synaskoumenōn, ē en allois tisi toioutois ergois, proïontes eis eritheias ekpiptousin. Eita tois men epidēmousi tōn adelphōn pollēn amphibolian symbainein ginesthai kai dyskolian anti anapauseōs, merizomenois ton logismon, pros tinas chrē katachthēnai; hē te gar protimēsis lypēra, kai to amphoterous plērophorēsai adynaton, kai malista hotan epeigomenoi tynchanōsi; tois de ex archēs prosiousin eis to syzę̄n pollēn adēmonian parexousi, tinas dei proestōtas tēs heautōn zōēs helesthai, kai ē pantōs ek tou tinas haireisthai, tous loipous apo Euthys oun autous apo tēs prōtēs eis eparsin symbainei blaptesthai, ouchi typountas heautous eis mathēsin, all᾽ ethizomenous kritas kai dokimastas tēs adelphotētos ginesthai. Opote toinyn agathon men ouden homologoumenon estin en tę̄ diairesei tōn oikēseōn, ta de hypenantia tosauta, to chōrizesthai ap᾿ allēlōn pantelōs asymphoron. Ei de proeilēphthai tina symbaiē, epeigesthai chrē pros tēn diorthōsin, kai malista meta tēn peiran tōn blaberōn. To de epimenein tę̄ krisei philoneikia saphēs. Ei de tis dokei philoneikos einai, phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, hēmeis toiautēn synētheian ouk echomen, oude hai Ekklēsiai tou Theou. Tinos gar heneken phēsousin eis tēn synapheian kōlyesthai? Poteron chreiōn? Alla pollǭ euporōterai eisin en tę̄ koinōnią, henos lychnou, kai mias estias, kai pantōn tōn toioutōn tois pasin eparkesai dynamenōn. Chrē gar, eiper ti heteron, kai tēn en toutois euchereian metadiōkein ek pantos tropou, epi to elatton tas ktēseis tōn anankaiōn systellontas. Epeita kai tōn exōthen tas chreias epeisagontōn tę̄ adelphotēti, en men tę̄ diairesei pleionōn chreia, en de tę̄ synoikēsei tōn hēmiseōn. Hopōs de dyskolon estin heurethēnai andra mē kataischynonta to onoma tou Christou, all᾿ axian tou epangelmatos tēn tōn exōthen syntychian en tais apodēmiais poioumenon, gnōrimon hymin pro tōn emōn logōn. Eita hoi epimenontes tę̄ diastasei pōs dynantai tous en tǭ koinǭ biǭ oikodomein, ē pros eirēnēn synelaunontes, ei pote deoi, ē pros tas allas entolas parakalountes, hyponoias ponēras ek tou mē hēnōsthai kath' heautōn parechomenoi? Kai pros toutois akouomen tou ᾿Apostolou graphontos Philippēsiois, hoti Plērōsate mou tēn charan, hina to auto phronēte, tēn autēn agapēn echontes, sympsychoi, to hen phronountes, mēden kat' eritheian ē kenodoxian, alla tę̄ tapeinophrosynę̄ allēlous hēgoumenoi hyperechontas heautōn; mē ta heautōn skopountes, alla kai ta heterōn hekastoi. Tis oun meizōn apodeixis tapeinophrosynēs tou allēlois hypotagēnai tous proestōtas tēs adelphotētos? Eite gar isoi eisin en tois pneumatikois charismasi, kallion estin hē synathlēsis. "Ōsper oun hypedeixen hēmin autos ho Kyrios, ana dyo dyo aposteilas; kai ho heteros autōn airēsetai pantōs meta charas hypotetachthai tǭ heterǭ, memnēmenos tou Kyriou legontos, hoti ῾Ho tapeinōn heauton hypsōthēsetai. Ei de ton men elattousthai, ton de hypertinas. A echein symbainei, ōphelimōteron esti proslēphthēnai Ei B dēlon hoti oudemia diastasis ēn en tois pasin, oute hypo tou ischyroterou ton asthenesteron. Pōs de kai ouchi phanera parakoē esti tou apostolikou parangelmatos, tou legontos; Mē ta heautōn hekastoi gizomai gar mē einai dynaton en tę̄ diairesei touto katorthōthēnai, hekastou tagmatos tēn men hyper tōn synontōn merimnan idiopoioumenou, tēs de hyper tōn allōn phrontidos ēllotriōmenou, hoper, hōs eipon, saphōs enantioutai tǭ apostolikǭ parangelmati. Kai tōn en tais Praxesin hagiōn pollakis martyroumenōn, peri hōn gegraptai, pote men hoti, Tou plēthous tōn pisteusantōn ēn kardia kai psychē mia; pote de hoti, Pantes hoi pisteusantes ēsan epi to auto, kai eichon hapanta koina; proen exousią heautou diēgen hekastos, alla hypo mian kai tēn autēn hoi pantes ǭkonomounto phrontida; kai tauta en holois pentakischiliois ton arithmon, eph᾽ hōn isōs ouk oliga ēn ta kata ton anthrōpinon logismon empodizein dokounta tę̄ synapheią. Hopou de tosouton elattountai hoi kath' hekastēn kōmēn euriskomenoi, tis epitrepei logos diestanai autous ap᾿ allēlōn? Eithe de ēn dynaton mē monon tous en tę̄ autę̄ kōmę̄ epi to auto synēgmenous houtōs einai, alla kai pleious adelphotētas, en diaphorois kathestōsas to pois, hypo mią phrontidi tōn dynamenōn aprosklitōs kai sophōs oikonomein ta pantōn en tę̄ heno tēti tou pneumatos kai tǭ syndesmǭ tēs eirēnēs oikodomeisthai.
Whether several brotherhoods should be formed in the same village.
Answer. The example of the members, which we apply to many things, usefully sets out the matter before us. The argument has shown that a body that is to be fitted together well and rationally for every activity needs eyes and a tongue and the other parts that are necessary and most important; but a soul able to be the eye of many is hard and difficult to find. For if exactness requires the superior of the brotherhood to be far-seeing, sufficient in speech, sober, compassionate, and seeking God's ordinances with a perfect heart, how is it possible to find several such men in the same village? And if it should ever happen that two or three were found, which is not easy and which we have never known, it is far better for them to share this charge with one another and lighten the labour; so that when one is away, or occupied, or in other circumstances, as it happens that the one superior is separated from the brotherhood, the other may be there to make up for his absence; or if not, he may go to another brotherhood that needs someone to guide it.
Experience of outside affairs can also help us much toward the goal before us. Just as those skilled in the common crafts are jealous of their rivals, the thing itself naturally producing contentions unnoticed, so too in such a life it mostly happens. Beginning with emulation in what is good and with eagerness to outdo one another, either in hospitality, or in increasing the number of those training together, or in some other such works, as they go on they fall into rivalry. Then the brothers who come to visit find much uncertainty and difficulty instead of rest, divided in mind as to whom they should lodge with; for preference gives pain, and to satisfy both is impossible, especially when they happen to be in haste. And to those who come at first to share the life they will cause great distress as to whom they should choose as superiors of their life; and by choosing some they altogether [reject] the rest. So they are harmed from the very beginning toward pride, not forming themselves for learning, but growing used to being judges and examiners of the brotherhood. Since, then, there is no acknowledged good in dividing the dwellings, and so many things against it, separating from one another is wholly unprofitable. If it should happen that this has been done already, they must hasten to correct it, especially after experience of the harm. To persist in the decision is plain contentiousness. “If anyone is inclined to be contentious,” says the Apostle, “we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.”
For what reason will they say they are hindered from joining together? Because of their needs? But they are much better supplied in common, since one lamp, one hearth, and all such things can suffice for all. If anything, we should pursue ease in these matters too in every way, reducing our possession of necessities to the least. Then, since outside people bring needs upon the brotherhood, when divided they need more, and when living together, half. And how hard it is to find a man who does not shame the name of Christ, but conducts his dealings with outsiders on journeys worthily of his profession, you know before I say it. Then how can those who persist in division build up those in common life, either urging them to peace if ever there is need, or exhorting them to the other commandments, when by not being united they give rise to evil suspicions against themselves? Besides this, we hear the Apostle writing to the Philippians: “Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind; doing nothing from rivalry or vainglory, but in humility counting others better than yourselves; each looking not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” What greater proof of humility, then, than that the superiors of the brotherhood should be subject to one another? If they are equal in spiritual gifts, it is better that they contend together, as the Lord himself showed us by sending them out two by two; and one of them will surely choose with joy to be subject to the other, remembering the Lord who said, “He who humbles himself will be exalted.” But if it happens that one is lesser and the other greater, it is more profitable for the weaker to be taken in by the stronger. And how is it not plain disobedience of the apostolic command which says, “each looking not to his own”? For I reckon that this cannot be achieved when they are divided, since each group makes its own the care for those with it and is estranged from concern for the others, which, as I said, plainly opposes the apostolic command.
And the saints in the Acts are often commended, of whom it is written at one time, “The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul,” and at another, “All who believed were together and had all things in common”; plainly there was no division among them all, nor did each live under his own authority, but all were directed under one and the same care; and that when they numbered five thousand in all, among whom there were perhaps not a few things that, by human reckoning, seemed to hinder union. But where those found in each village are so few, what reason allows them to stand apart from one another? Would that it were possible not only for those in the same village to be gathered together in this way, but also for several brotherhoods established in different places to be built up under the one care of those who can administer the affairs of all impartially and wisely, in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Cor 12:12–21 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 119:2 (118:2 LXX) (allusion, low confidence) · 1 Cor 11:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:2–4 (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 6:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 14:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 4:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 2:44 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 4:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 4:3 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil argues against forming several brotherhoods in one village, since good superiors are rare, rival communities breed contention and burden visitors, and the apostolic pattern is one heart and one common life under one care.
- Several lines are displaced or lost in the scan text in the paragraph on equal and unequal superiors and in the paragraph on the Acts; they are translated in the order the sense requires. The bracketed word near the end of the second paragraph is supplied by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter A left in the text; Migne's margin letter B left in the text; OCR letter confusion (τ for π); stray mark in the OCR; word split and misread in the OCR): δυνατὸν Β ἐν → δυνατὸν ἐν; τὰς Α. ἄλλας → τὰς ἄλλας; Καὶ τερὸς τούτοις → Καὶ πρὸς τούτοις; ὑψωθήσε· των → ὑψωθήσεται; διεστάναι᾿ → διεστάναι.
Topics: Church office, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 35 (PG 31:1003; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/35). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/35
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 36
36PG 31:1007
Περὶ τῶν ἀναχωρούντων ἀπὸ ἀδελφότητος. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοὺς γε μὴν ἅπαξ καθομολογησαμένους ἀλλήλοις τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ζωὴν ἀδιαφόρως ἀναχωρεῖν οὐχ οἷόν τε· διότι τὸ μὴ ἐπιμένειν τοῖς δεδογμένοις δύο αἰτίας ἔχει, ἢ τὴν ἐκ τῆς συνοικήσεως βλάβην, ἢ τὸ ἄστατον τῆς γνώμης τοῦ μεταβαλλομένου. Ὁ μὲν οὖν διὰ τὸ βλάπτεσθαι ἀποσπώμενος ἀδελφῶν μὴ κρυπτέτω καθ' ἑαυτὸν τὴν αἰτίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλεγχέτω τὴν βλάβην, κατὰ τὸν τρόπον τὸν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου παραδοθέντα, εἰπόντος· Ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σου, ὕπαγε, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου, καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς. Καὶ ἐὰν μὲν διορθωθῇ τὸ ἐπιἘὰν τοῦτο ποιῶσι ἀμφότεροι, ἀμφότεροι μιν παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ τοῦ στεφάνου τῆς δόξης· τοῖς δὲ πᾶσι τύποι γενήσονται καὶ κανὼν ἀγάπης καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης· Εἰ δὲ τὸν, μένοντας αὐτοὺς τῷ κακῷ καὶ μὴ καταδεχομένους τὴν διόρθωσιν ἴδῃ, τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα κρίνειν ἱκανοῖς ἐπιδείξει· καὶ μετὰ τὴν τῶν πλειόνων μαρτυρίαν τότε χωριζέσθω. Χωρισθήσεται δὲ οὐκέτι ἀδελφῶν, ἀλλὰ ἀλλοτρίων, τοῦ Κυρίου τὸν ἐπιμένοντα τῷ κακῷ ἐθνικῷ καὶ τελώνῃ συγκρίνοντος. Έστω γάρ σοι, φησὶν, ὁ τοιοῦτος ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης. Εἰ δὲ διὰ ἰδίαν κουφότητα ἀποπηδᾷ τῆς συναφείας τῶν ἀδελφῶν, τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἀσθενὲς θεραπευσάτω, ἢ μὴ καταδεξάμενος, ἀπρόσδεκτος ἔστω ταῖς ἀδελφότησιν. Ἐὰν δὲ διὰ ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἄλλος ἀλλαχοῦ ἕλκηται, οὐ χωρίζονται οἱ τοιοῦτοι, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκονομίαν πληροῦσιν. ῎Αλλην δὲ αἰτίαν χωρισμοῦ ἀδελφῶν ὁ λόγος οὐ καταδέχεται· πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι τὸ συναγαγὸν ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀτιμάζεται· ἔπειτα δὲ, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἡ συνείδησις ἑκάστου πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον καθαρεύειν δυνήσεται, ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ὑποψίας ἀλλήλοις ἔσονται. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐναντιοῦται σαφῶς τῷ προστάγματι τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Ἐὰν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ ἐκεῖ μνησθῇς, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ· ἄφες ἐκεῖ τὸ δῶρόν σου ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, καὶ ὕπαγε· πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, καὶ τότε ἐλθὼν πρόσφερε τὸ δῶρόν σου.
Peri tōn anachōrountōn apo adelphotētos. APOKRISIS. Tous ge mēn hapax kathomologēsamenous allēlois tēn epi to auto zōēn adiaphorōs anachōrein ouch hoion te; dioti to mē epimenein tois dedogmenois dyo aitias echei, ē tēn ek tēs synoikēseōs blabēn, ē to astaton tēs gnōmēs tou metaballomenou. Ho men oun dia to blaptesthai apospōmenos adelphōn mē kryptetō kath' heauton tēn aitian, all᾽ elenchetō tēn blabēn, kata ton tropon ton para tou Kyriou paradothenta, eipontos; Ean hamartę̄ ho adelphos sou, hypage, elenxon auton metaxy sou kai autou monou, kai ta exēs. Kai ean men diorthōthę̄ to epiEan touto poiōsi amphoteroi, amphoteroi min para tǭ Kyriǭ tou stephanou tēs doxēs; tois de pasi typoi genēsontai kai kanōn agapēs kai tapeinophrosynēs; Ei de ton, menontas autous tǭ kakǭ kai mē katadechomenous tēn diorthōsin idę̄, tois ta toiauta krinein hikanois epideixei; kai meta tēn tōn pleionōn martyrian tote chōrizesthō. Chōristhēsetai de ouketi adelphōn, alla allotriōn, tou Kyriou ton epimenonta tǭ kakǭ ethnikǭ kai telōnę̄ synkrinontos. Estō gar soi, phēsin, ho toioutos hōsper ho ethnikos kai ho telōnēs. Ei de dia idian kouphotēta apopēdą tēs synapheias tōn adelphōn, to heautou asthenes therapeusatō, ē mē katadexamenos, aprosdektos estō tais adelphotēsin. Ean de dia entolēn tou Kyriou allos allachou helkētai, ou chōrizontai hoi toioutoi, all᾽ oikonomian plērousin. ᾿Allēn de aitian chōrismou adelphōn ho logos ou katadechetai; prōton men, hoti to synagagon onoma tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou atimazetai; epeita de, hoti oude hē syneidēsis hekastou pros ton heteron kathareuein dynēsetai, alla di᾽ hypopsias allēlois esontai. Touto de enantioutai saphōs tǭ prostagmati tou Kyriou eipontos; Ean prospherę̄s to dōron sou epi to thysiastērion, kai ekei mnēsthę̄s, hoti ho adelphos sou echei ti kata sou; aphes ekei to dōron sou emprosthen tou thysiastēriou, kai hypage; prōton diallagēthi tǭ adelphǭ sou, kai tote elthōn prosphere to dōron sou.
On those who withdraw from a brotherhood.
Answer. Those who have once professed to one another the life in common cannot withdraw at will; for failure to abide by what has been decided has two causes: either harm from living together, or the instability of mind of the one who changes. The one who tears himself away from the brothers because he is being harmed should not hide the cause within himself, but should expose the harm in the way handed down by the Lord, who said: “If your brother sins, go and rebuke him between you and him alone,” and so on. And if the fault is corrected, … If both do this, both will share with the Lord the crown of glory, and they will become models for all and a rule of love and humility. But if he sees them remaining in the evil and not accepting correction, he will show it to those competent to judge such matters; and after the witness of the many, let him then separate. He will separate no longer from brothers but from strangers, since the Lord likens the one who persists in evil to a Gentile and a tax collector: “Let such a one be to you,” he says, “as a Gentile and a tax collector.” But if he springs away from the fellowship of the brothers through his own fickleness, let him heal his weakness, or, if he will not accept that, let him be unacceptable to the brotherhoods. If, however, by the Lord's commandment one is drawn to one place and another to another, such men are not separating but fulfilling a charge. The word admits no other cause of separation of brothers: first, because the name of our Lord Jesus Christ which gathered them is dishonoured; then because the conscience of each will not be able to be clear toward the other, but they will be suspicious of one another. And this plainly opposes the command of the Lord, who said: “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 18:15–17 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:23–24 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 5:4 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that a brother may leave the community only if, having rebuked a fault as Christ commanded and appealed to competent judges, he finds the others persisting in evil, or if sent elsewhere by the Lord's commandment; leaving through fickleness bars him from the brotherhoods.
- The scan text is damaged after “if the fault is corrected”: the end of that sentence is lost, and in its place stands an incomplete sentence (“If both do this …”; “will share” is supplied by sense) which may be a variant reading from the edition's footnotes that has entered the scan text.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letter read for Greek; word split in the OCR): ἀδελ φῶν → ἀδελφῶν; Κuρίου → Κυρίου.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 36 (PG 31:1007; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/36). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/36
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-fusius-36) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 37
37PG 31:1009
Εἰ δεῖ προφάσει τῶν προσευχῶν καὶ τῆς ψαλμῳδίας ἀμελεῖν τῶν ἔργων, καὶ ποῖοι καιροὶ τῆς προσευχῆς ἐπιτήδειοι, καὶ πρῶτον, εἰ χρὴ ἐργάζεσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος, ῎Αξιος, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἕκαστος, οὐδὲ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλ' ῾Ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ ἐστι· καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου προστάσσοντος κοπιᾷν καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσί τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἵνα ἔχωμεν μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρείαν ἔχοντι, τὸ μὲν, ὅτι χρὴ ἐργάζεσθαι σπουδαίως, δῆλόν ἐστιν αὐτόθεν. Οὐ γαρ πρόφασιν ἀργίας, οὐδὲ ἀποφυγὴν πόνου τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας σκοπὸν ἡγεῖσθαι χρὴ, ἀλλὰ ὑπόθεσιν ἀθλήσεως, καὶ πόνων περισσοτέρων, καὶ ὑπομονῆς τῆς ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμῖν ἐξῇ λέγειν· Ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις περισσοτέρως, ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει· οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸν ὑπωπιασμὸν τοῦ σώματος χρησίμου οὔσης ἡμῖν πλησίον ἀγάπην, ἵνα καὶ τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσι τῶν ἀδελφῶν δι᾽ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν αὐτάρκειαν παρέχῃ, κατὰ τὸν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου δεδομένον τύπον, εἰπόντος· Πάντα ὑπέδειξα ὑμῖν, ὅτι οὕτω κοπιῶντας δεῖ ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν ἀσθενούντων· καὶ πάλιν· Ἵνα ἔχητε μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρείαν ἔχοντι· ὅπως καταξιωθῶμεν ἀκοῦσαι· Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου. Ἐπείνασα γὰρ, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν· ἐδίψησα, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι πίνειν Καὶ ὅσον μὲν κακόν ἐστι τὸ τῆς ἀργίας, τί χρή λέγειν, τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου φανερῶς παραγγέλλοντος, τὸν μὴ ἐργαζόμενον μηδὲ ἐσθίειν; Ὡς οὖν ἀναγκαῖον ἑκάστῳ ἡ καθημερινὴ τροφή, οὕτως ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τὸ κατὰ δύναμιν ἔργον. Οὐ γὰρ μάτην ὁ Σολομὼν ἐν ἐπαίνῳ ἔγραψε τὸ· Σῖτα δὲ ὀκνηρὰ οὐκ ἔφαγε. Καὶ πάλιν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, ὅτι Οὔτε δωρεὰν ἄρτον ἐφάγομεν παρά τινος, ἀλλ᾿ ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι· καίτοι ἔχων ἐξουσίαν, τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον καταγγέλλων, ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ζῇν. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δὲ τὴν ὀκνηρίαν τῇ πονηρίᾳ συνῆψεν, εἰπών· Πονηρέ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ. Αλλὰ καὶ ὁ σοφὸς Σολομὼν οὐ μόνον ἐπαινεῖ τὸν ἐργαζόμενον διὰ τῶν μνημονευθέντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐλέγχει τὸν ὀκνηρόν συγκρίσει τῶν μικροτάτων ζώων, λέγων· Ἴθι πρὸς τὸν μύρμηκα, ὦ ὀκνηρέ. Ὥστε φοβεῖσθαι χρή, μήποτε ἡμῖν τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως προενεχθῇ, τοῦ δεδωκότος ἡμῖν τὴν πρὸς τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι δύναμιν, ἀναλογοῦσαν τῇ δυνάμει τὴν ἐργασίαν ἐπιζητοῦντος. Διότι ᾯ παρέθεντο, φησὶ, πολύ, περισσότερον ἀπαιτήσουσιν αὐτόν. Ἐπεὶ δέ τινες προφάσει τῶν εὐχῶν καὶ τῆς ψαλμωδίας παραιτοῦνται τὰ ἔργα, εἰδέναι δεῖ, ὅτι ἐπὶ μὲν ἄλλων τινῶν ἑκάστου καιρός ἐστιν ἴδιος, κατὰ τὸν Ἐκκλησιαστὴν εἰπόντα· Καιρός τῷ παντὶ πράγματι· προσευχῆς δὲ καὶ ψαλμῳδίας, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἑτέρων πλειόνων, πᾶς καιρὸς ἐπιτήδειος, ὥστε μεταξὺ τὰς χεῖρας κινοῦντα πρὸς τὰ ἔργα, ποτὲ μὲν καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ, ὅταν τοῦτο ᾗ δυνατὸν, μᾶλλον δὲ χρήσιμον πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς πίστεως· εἰ δὲ μή γε, τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐν ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς τὸν Θεὸν ἀνυμνεῖν. καθὼς γέγραπται, καὶ τὴν προσευχὴν μεταξὺ τοῦ ἔργου πληροῦν· εὐχαριστοῦντες μὲν τῷ δεδωκότι καὶ δύναμιν χειρῶν πρὸς ἔργα, καὶ σοφίαν διανοίας πρὸς ἀνάληψιν τῆς ἐπιστήμης, καὶ τὴν ὕλην χαρισαμένῳ, τὴν τε ἐν τοῖς ἐργαλείοις, καὶ τὴν ὑποκειμένην ταῖς τέχναις, ἄσπερ ἂν τύχωμεν ἐργαζόμενοι· προσευχόμενοι δὲ κατευθυνθῆναι τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν ἡμῶν πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν εὐ· αρεστήσεως. Οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἀμετεώρεστον τῇ ψυχῇ κατορθοῦμεν, ὅταν ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστῃ ἐνεργείᾳ τήν τε εὐοδίαν τῆς ἐργασίας παρὰ Θεοῦ αἰτῶμεν, καὶ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν τῷ δεδωκότι τὸ ἐνεργεῖν ἀποπληρῶμεν, καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν εὐαρεστήσεως φυλάσσωμεν, καθὰ προείρηται. Ἐπεὶ, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, πῶς δύναται συμβαίνειν ἀλλήλοις τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου εἰρημένα, τό τε ᾿Αδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε, καὶ τὸ, Νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν ἐργαζόμενοι; Οὐ μὴν ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὐχαρι στία καὶ νόμῳ προστέτακται, καὶ ἀναγκαία ἡμῶν τῇ ζωῇ δέδεικται κατά τε φύσιν καὶ λόγον, παρορᾶσθαι δεῖ τοὺς διατετυπωμένους καιροὺς τῶν προσευχῶν ἐν ταῖς ἀδελφότησιν, οὓς ἀναγκαίως ἐξελεξάμεθα, ἑκάστου ἰδίαν τινὰ ὑπόμνησιν τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγαθῶν ἔχοντος· τὸν μὲν ὄρθρον, ὥστε τὰ πρῶτα κινήματα τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ τοῦ νοῦ, ἀναθήματα εἶναι Θεοῦ, καὶ μηδὲν ἕτερον ἀναλαμβάνειν εἰς φροντίδα, πρὶν ἢ τῇ παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐννοίᾳ ἐνευφρανθῆναι, καθὼς γέγραπται· Ἐμνήσθην τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ηὐφράνθην· μηδὲ σῶμα κινῆσαι πρὸς ἐργασίαν, πρὶν ποιῆσαι τὸ εἰρημένον, ὅτι Πρὸς σὲ προσεύξομαι, Κύριε· καὶ τὸ πρωὶ εἰσακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου· τὸ πρωὶ παραστήσομαί σοι, καὶ ἐπόψομαι· πάλιν δὲ κατὰ τὴν τρίτην ὥραν εἰς τὴν προσευχὴν ἀνίστασθαι, καὶ ἐπισυνάγειν τὴν ἀδελφότητα, κἂν τύχωσιν ἄλλοι πρὸς ἄλλα ἔργα μεμερισμένοι· καὶ ὑπομνησθέντας τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος δωρεᾶς, τῆς κατὰ τὴν τρίτην ὥραν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις δεδομένης, προσκυνῆσαι πάντας ὁμοθυμαδὸν, εἰς τὸ ἀξίους γενέσθαι καὶ αὐτοὺς τῆς ὑποδοχῆς τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ, καὶ αἰτοῦντας τὴν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὁδηγίαν καὶ διδασκαλίαν πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα· Καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοὶ, ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγ καίνισον ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις μου· μὴ ἀπορρίψης με ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἅγιον μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ· ἀπόδος μοι τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν τοῦ σωτηρίου σου, καὶ πνεύματι ἡγεμονικῷ στήριξόν με· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· Τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁδηγήσει με ἐν γῇ εὐθείᾳ· καὶ οὕτω πάλιν τῶν ἔργων ἔχεσθαι. Κἂν ποῤῥωτέρω δέ που διὰ τὴν τῶν ἔργων ἢ τῶν τόπων φύσιν διάγοντες ἀπολειφθῶσι, πληροῦν ἀναγκαίως ὀφείλουσιν ἐκεῖ ἕκαστα τὰ κοινῇ δόξαν τα, μηδὲν διακρινόμενοι· ὅτι Ὅπου ἂν ὦσι δύο ἢ τρεῖς συνηγμένοι, φησὶν ὁ Κύριος, εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα, ἐκεῖ εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν. Ἐν δὲ τῇ ἔκτῃ ὥρᾳ κατὰ μίμησιν τῶν ἁγίων ἀναγκαίαν εἶναι τὴν προσευχὴν ἐκρίναμεν, τῶν λεγόντων· Ἑσπέρας καὶ πρωὶ καὶ μεσημβρίας διηγήσομαι καὶ ἀπαγγελῶ, καὶ εἰσακούσεται τῆς φωνῆς μου· καὶ ὥστε ῥυσθῆναι ἀπὸ συμπτώματος καὶ δαιμονίου μεσημβρινοῦ, ἅμα καὶ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ τοῦ ἐνενηκοστοῦ λεγομένου. Ἡ δὲ ἐννάτη παρ' αὐτῶν ἡμῖν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἀναγκαία εἰς προσευχὴν παραδέδο ται ἱστορούσαις, ὅτι Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης ἀνἐβαινον εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν Ἐπὶ τὴν ὥραν τῆς προσευχῆς τὴν ἐννάτην. Συμπληρωθείσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας, ἡ εὐχαριστία περὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ δεδομένων ἡμῖν ἢ κατωρθωμένων ἡμῖν, καὶ τῶν παρεθέντων ἡ ἐξα αγόρευσις, εἴτε ἑκούσιον, εἴτε ἀκούσιον, εἴτε που καὶ λανθάνον πλημμέλημα γέγονεν, ἢ ἐν ῥήμασιν, ἢ ἐν ἔργοις, ἢ κατ᾿ αὐτὴν τὴν καρδίαν, περὶ πάντων ἐξιλεουμένων ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς προσευχῆς τὸν Θεόν. Μέγα γὰρ ὄφελος· ἡ ἐπίσκεψις τῶν παρελθόντων πρὸς τὸ μὴ τοῖς ὁμοίοις αὖθις περιπεσεῖν. Διό φησιν· Ἃ λέγετε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, ἐπὶ ταῖς κοίταις ὑμῶν κατανύγητε. Καὶ πάλιν, τῆς νυκτὸς ἀρχομένης, ἡ αἴτησις τοῦ ἀπρόσκοπον ἡμῖν καὶ φαντασιῶν ἐλευθέραν ὑπάρξαι τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν· λεγομένου καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀναγκαίως τοῦ ἐνενηκοστοῦ ψαλμοῦ. Τὸ δὲ μεσονύκτιον Παῦλος καὶ Σίλας ἡμῖν ἀναγκαῖον εἰς προσευχὴν παραδεδώκασιν, ὡς ἡ τῶν Πράξεων ἱστορία παρίστησι, λέγουσα· Κατὰ δὲ τὸ μεσονύκτιον Παῦλος καὶ Σίλας ὕμνουν τὸν Θεόν· καὶ ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς λέγων· Μεσονύκτιον ἐξεγειρόμην τοῦ ἐξομολογεῖσθαί σοι ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου. Καὶ πάλιν χρὴ προφθάσαντας τὸν ὄρθρον εἰς τὴν προσευχὴν διανίστασθαι, ὡς μὴ ἐν ὕπνῳ καὶ κοίτῃ ὑπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας καταληφθῆναι, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα· Προέφθασαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου πρὸς ὄρθρον τοῦ μελετᾷν τὰ λόγιά σου. Ὧν οὐδένα χρὴ καιρὸν τοῖς ἐπιτετηρημένως εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ προαιρουμένοις ζῇν παρορᾶσθαι. Χρη-. σιμεύειν δὲ λογίζομαι τὴν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς και ψαλμῳδίαις κατὰ τὰς ἐπικεκριμένας ὥρας διαφοράν τε καὶ ποικιλίαν, καὶ κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνο, ὅτι ἐν μὲν τῇ ὁμαλότητι πολλάκις που καὶ ἀκηδιᾷ ἡ ψυχή, καὶ ἀπομετεωρίζεται· ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐναλλαγῇ καὶ τῷ ποικίλῳ τῆς ψαλμῳδίας καὶ τοῦ περὶ ἑκάστης ὥρας λόγου νεαροποιεῖται αὐτῆς ἡ ἐπιθυμία καὶ ἀνακαινίζεται τὸ νηφάλιον.
Ei dei prophasei tōn proseuchōn kai tēs psalmǭdias amelein tōn ergōn, kai poioi kairoi tēs proseuchēs epitēdeioi, kai prōton, ei chrē ergazesthai. APOKRISIS. Tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou legontos, ᾿Axios, ouch haplōs hekastos, oude hōs etychen, all' ῾Ho ergatēs tēs trophēs autou esti; kai tou ᾿Apostolou prostassontos kopiąn kai ergazesthai tais idiais chersi to agathon, hina echōmen metadidonai tǭ chreian echonti, to men, hoti chrē ergazesthai spoudaiōs, dēlon estin autothen. Ou gar prophasin argias, oude apophygēn ponou ton tēs eusebeias skopon hēgeisthai chrē, alla hypothesin athlēseōs, kai ponōn perissoterōn, kai hypomonēs tēs en thlipsesin, hina kai hēmin exę̄ legein; En kopǭ kai mochthǭ, en agrypniais perissoterōs, en limǭ kai dipsei; ou monon dia ton hypōpiasmon tou sōmatos chrēsimou ousēs hēmin plēsion agapēn, hina kai tois asthenousi tōn adelphōn di᾽ hēmōn ho Theos tēn autarkeian parechę̄, kata ton en tais Praxesin hypo tou Apostolou dedomenon typon, eipontos; Panta hypedeixa hymin, hoti houtō kopiōntas dei antilambanesthai tōn asthenountōn; kai palin; Hina echēte metadidonai tǭ chreian echonti; hopōs kataxiōthōmen akousai; Deute, hoi eulogēmenoi tou Patros mou, klēronomēsate tēn hētoimasmenēn hymin basileian apo katabolēs kosmou. Epeinasa gar, kai edōkate moi phagein; edipsēsa, kai edōkate moi pinein Kai hoson men kakon esti to tēs argias, ti chrē legein, tou ᾿Apostolou phanerōs parangellontos, ton mē ergazomenon mēde esthiein? Hōs oun anankaion hekastǭ hē kathēmerinē trophē, houtōs anankaion kai to kata dynamin ergon. Ou gar matēn ho Solomōn en epainǭ egrapse to; Sita de oknēra ouk ephage. Kai palin peri heautou ho ᾿Apostolos, hoti Oute dōrean arton ephagomen para tinos, all᾿ en kopǭ kai mochthǭ, nyktos kai hēmeras ergazomenoi; kaitoi echōn exousian, to Euangelion katangellōn, ek tou Euangeliou zę̄n. Kai ho Kyrios de tēn oknērian tę̄ ponērią synēpsen, eipōn; Ponēre doule kai oknēre. Alla kai ho sophos Solomōn ou monon epainei ton ergazomenon dia tōn mnēmoneuthentōn, alla kai elenchei ton oknēron synkrisei tōn mikrotatōn zōōn, legōn; Ithi pros ton myrmēka, ō oknēre. Hōste phobeisthai chrē, mēpote hēmin touto kai en hēmerą kriseōs proenechthę̄, tou dedōkotos hēmin tēn pros to ergazesthai dynamin, analogousan tę̄ dynamei tēn ergasian epizētountos. Dioti Hǭ parethento, phēsi, poly, perissoteron apaitēsousin auton. Epei de tines prophasei tōn euchōn kai tēs psalmōdias paraitountai ta erga, eidenai dei, hoti epi men allōn tinōn hekastou kairos estin idios, kata ton Ekklēsiastēn eiponta; Kairos tǭ panti pragmati; proseuchēs de kai psalmǭdias, hōsper oun kai heterōn pleionōn, pas kairos epitēdeios, hōste metaxy tas cheiras kinounta pros ta erga, pote men kai tę̄ glōssę̄, hotan touto hę̄ dynaton, mallon de chrēsimon pros oikodomēn tēs pisteōs; ei de mē ge, tę̄ kardią en psalmois kai hymnois kai ǭdais pneumatikais ton Theon anymnein. kathōs gegraptai, kai tēn proseuchēn metaxy tou ergou plēroun; eucharistountes men tǭ dedōkoti kai dynamin cheirōn pros erga, kai sophian dianoias pros analēpsin tēs epistēmēs, kai tēn hylēn charisamenǭ, tēn te en tois ergaleiois, kai tēn hypokeimenēn tais technais, asper an tychōmen ergazomenoi; proseuchomenoi de kateuthynthēnai ta erga tōn cheirōn hēmōn pros ton skopon tēs pros Theon eu; arestēseōs. Houtō kai to ameteōreston tę̄ psychę̄ katorthoumen, hotan eph᾽ hekastę̄ energeią tēn te euodian tēs ergasias para Theou aitōmen, kai tēn eucharistian tǭ dedōkoti to energein apoplērōmen, kai ton skopon tēs pros auton euarestēseōs phylassōmen, katha proeirētai. Epei, ei mē tauta touton echei ton tropon, pōs dynatai symbainein allēlois ta hypo tou ᾿Apostolou eirēmena, to te ᾿Adialeiptōs proseuchesthe, kai to, Nykta kai hēmeran ergazomenoi? Ou mēn epeidē hē en panti kairǭ euchari stia kai nomǭ prostetaktai, kai anankaia hēmōn tę̄ zōę̄ dedeiktai kata te physin kai logon, parorasthai dei tous diatetypōmenous kairous tōn proseuchōn en tais adelphotēsin, hous anankaiōs exelexametha, hekastou idian tina hypomnēsin tōn para tou Theou agathōn echontos; ton men orthron, hōste ta prōta kinēmata tēs psychēs, kai tou nou, anathēmata einai Theou, kai mēden heteron analambanein eis phrontida, prin ē tę̄ para Theou ennoią eneuphranthēnai, kathōs gegraptai; Emnēsthēn tou Theou, kai ēuphranthēn; mēde sōma kinēsai pros ergasian, prin poiēsai to eirēmenon, hoti Pros se proseuxomai, Kyrie; kai to prōi eisakousę̄ tēs phōnēs mou; to prōi parastēsomai soi, kai epopsomai; palin de kata tēn tritēn hōran eis tēn proseuchēn anistasthai, kai episynagein tēn adelphotēta, kan tychōsin alloi pros alla erga memerismenoi; kai hypomnēsthentas tēs tou Pneumatos dōreas, tēs kata tēn tritēn hōran tois apostolois dedomenēs, proskynēsai pantas homothymadon, eis to axious genesthai kai autous tēs hypodochēs tou hagiasmou, kai aitountas tēn par᾿ autou hodēgian kai didaskalian pros to sympheron, kata ton eiponta; Kardian katharan ktison en emoi, ho Theos, kai pneuma euthes eg kainison en tois enkatois mou; mē aporripsēs me apo tou prosōpou sou, kai to Pneuma sou to hagion mē antanelę̄s ap' emou; apodos moi tēn agalliasin tou sōtēriou sou, kai pneumati hēgemonikǭ stērixon me; kai allachou; To Pneuma sou to agathon hodēgēsei me en gę̄ eutheią; kai houtō palin tōn ergōn echesthai. Kan porrhōterō de pou dia tēn tōn ergōn ē tōn topōn physin diagontes apoleiphthōsi, plēroun anankaiōs opheilousin ekei hekasta ta koinę̄ doxan ta, mēden diakrinomenoi; hoti Hopou an ōsi dyo ē treis synēgmenoi, phēsin ho Kyrios, eis to emon onoma, ekei eimi en mesǭ autōn. En de tę̄ ektę̄ hōrą kata mimēsin tōn hagiōn anankaian einai tēn proseuchēn ekrinamen, tōn legontōn; Hesperas kai prōi kai mesēmbrias diēgēsomai kai apangelō, kai eisakousetai tēs phōnēs mou; kai hōste rhysthēnai apo symptōmatos kai daimoniou mesēmbrinou, hama kai tou psalmou tou enenēkostou legomenou. Hē de ennatē par' autōn hēmin tōn apostolōn en tais Praxesin anankaia eis proseuchēn paradedo tai historousais, hoti Petros kai Iōannēs anebainon eis to hieron Epi tēn hōran tēs proseuchēs tēn ennatēn. Symplērōtheisēs de tēs hēmeras, hē eucharistia peri tōn en autę̄ dedomenōn hēmin ē katōrthōmenōn hēmin, kai tōn parethentōn hē exa agoreusis, eite hekousion, eite akousion, eite pou kai lanthanon plēmmelēma gegonen, ē en rhēmasin, ē en ergois, ē kat᾿ autēn tēn kardian, peri pantōn exileoumenōn hēmōn dia tēs proseuchēs ton Theon. Mega gar ophelos; hē episkepsis tōn parelthontōn pros to mē tois homoiois authis peripesein. Dio phēsin; Ha legete en tais kardiais hymōn, epi tais koitais hymōn katanygēte. Kai palin, tēs nyktos archomenēs, hē aitēsis tou aproskopon hēmin kai phantasiōn eleutheran hyparxai tēn anapausin; legomenou kai en tautę̄ tę̄ hōrą anankaiōs tou enenēkostou psalmou. To de mesonyktion Paulos kai Silas hēmin anankaion eis proseuchēn paradedōkasin, hōs hē tōn Praxeōn historia paristēsi, legousa; Kata de to mesonyktion Paulos kai Silas hymnoun ton Theon; kai ho Psalmǭdos legōn; Mesonyktion exegeiromēn tou exomologeisthai soi epi ta krimata tēs dikaiosynēs sou. Kai palin chrē prophthasantas ton orthron eis tēn proseuchēn dianistasthai, hōs mē en hypnǭ kai koitę̄ hypo tēs hēmeras katalēphthēnai, kata ton eiponta; Proephthasan hoi ophthalmoi mou pros orthron tou meletąn ta logia sou. Hōn oudena chrē kairon tois epitetērēmenōs eis doxan Theou kai tou Christou autou proairoumenois zę̄n parorasthai. Chrē-. simeuein de logizomai tēn en tais proseuchais kai psalmǭdiais kata tas epikekrimenas hōras diaphoran te kai poikilian, kai kat᾿ ekeino, hoti en men tę̄ homalotēti pollakis pou kai akēdią hē psychē, kai apometeōrizetai; en de tę̄ enallagę̄ kai tǭ poikilǭ tēs psalmǭdias kai tou peri hekastēs hōras logou nearopoieitai autēs hē epithymia kai anakainizetai to nēphalion.
Whether one should neglect work on the pretext of prayers and psalmody; and what times are suitable for prayer; and first, whether one must work.
Answer. Since our Lord Jesus Christ says, “Worthy,” not simply everyone, nor anyone at random, but “the worker is worthy of his food”; and the Apostle commands us to labour and work with our own hands what is good, so that we may have something to share with anyone in need; that one must work diligently is clear from this alone. For we must not consider the aim of godliness a pretext for idleness or an escape from labour, but an occasion of contest, of more abundant labours, and of endurance in afflictions, so that we too may say: “In toil and hardship, in watchings more abundantly, in hunger and thirst.” [Such hardship] is useful to us not only for the pommelling of the body, [but also for] love of neighbour, so that through us God may provide sufficiency for the weak among the brothers too, after the pattern given by the Apostle in the Acts, who said, “In all things I have shown you that by labouring like this we must help the weak”; and again, “so that you may have something to share with anyone in need”; that we may be counted worthy to hear: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” And how great an evil idleness is, what need is there to say, since the Apostle plainly commands that one who does not work should not eat either? As daily food is necessary for each, so also is work according to one's strength. Not in vain did Solomon write in praise: “She did not eat the bread of idleness.” And again the Apostle says of himself: “Nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying, but with toil and hardship we worked night and day”; though, as one preaching the Gospel, he had the right to live by the Gospel. And the Lord joined sloth to wickedness, saying: “You wicked and slothful servant.” The wise Solomon too not only praises the worker in the words already mentioned, but also rebukes the sluggard by comparison with the smallest of creatures, saying: “Go to the ant, O sluggard.” So we must fear lest this be brought against us on the day of judgment, when he who gave us the strength to work requires work in proportion to the strength. “For to whom they have entrusted much,” he says, “of him they will demand the more.”
But since some excuse themselves from work on the pretext of prayers and psalmody, we must know that for some other things each has its own proper time, according to the Preacher, who said, “There is a time for every matter”; but for prayer and psalmody, as for many other things, every time is suitable, so that, while moving our hands at our tasks, we may praise God, sometimes with the tongue too, when this is possible, or rather useful for building up faith; and if not, with the heart, “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” as it is written; and fulfil prayer in the midst of work, giving thanks to him who gave both strength of hands for work and wisdom of mind for acquiring skill, and who granted the material, both that in the tools and that which the crafts work on, whatever we happen to be working at; and praying that the works of our hands may be directed to the goal of pleasing God. So we also achieve freedom from distraction for the soul, when at each action we ask from God the success of the work, render thanks to him who gave us the power to act, and keep the goal of pleasing him, as has been said. For if things are not so, how can the Apostle's sayings agree with one another, “Pray without ceasing” and “working night and day”?
Yet because thanksgiving at every time has been commanded by law and shown to be necessary to our life both by nature and by reason, we must not therefore neglect the times of prayer appointed in the brotherhoods, which we have necessarily chosen, each holding its own reminder of the good things from God. Early morning, so that the first movements of the soul and mind may be offerings to God, and that we may take up nothing else into our care before we have rejoiced in the thought of God, as it is written, “I remembered God and was glad”; nor move the body to work before we have done what was said, “To you will I pray, O Lord; in the morning you will hear my voice; in the morning I will stand before you and watch.” Again, at the third hour, we must rise to prayer and gather the brotherhood, even if they happen to be divided among different tasks; and remembering the gift of the Spirit given to the apostles at the third hour, all should worship with one accord, that they too may become worthy to receive his sanctification, and ask his guidance and teaching toward what is profitable, according to him who said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a guiding spirit”; and elsewhere, “Your good Spirit will lead me in a level land”; and so return again to their work. And if some are left behind farther off because of the nature of their work or of the places, they must necessarily fulfil there everything that has been decided in common, without hesitation, for “where two or three are gathered,” says the Lord, “in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” At the sixth hour we have judged prayer necessary in imitation of the saints who say, “Evening and morning and at noon I will tell and declare, and he will hear my voice”; and so as to be delivered from mishap and the noonday demon, the ninetieth psalm is also said. The ninth hour has been handed down to us as necessary for prayer by the apostles themselves in the Acts, which relate that “Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth.” When the day is completed, there is thanksgiving for what has been given us or done rightly by us during it, and confession of what has been left undone, whether a fault has been committed willingly or unwillingly, or even unnoticed, in words or deeds or in the heart itself, as we propitiate God through prayer for them all. For the review of what is past is a great help toward not falling into the same things again. Therefore he says, “What you say in your hearts, be pierced with sorrow for it on your beds.” And again, at the beginning of the night, there is the request that our rest may be without offence and free from fantasies; at this hour too the ninetieth psalm is necessarily said. Paul and Silas have handed down midnight to us as necessary for prayer, as the history of the Acts shows, saying, “About midnight Paul and Silas were singing hymns to God”; and the psalmist, saying, “At midnight I rose to give thanks to you for your righteous judgments.” And again we must rise to prayer before the dawn, so as not to be overtaken by the day in sleep and in bed, according to him who said, “My eyes anticipated the dawn, that I might meditate on your words.” None of these times should be neglected by those who have chosen to live watchfully for the glory of God and of his Christ. I reckon that the difference and variety of the prayers and psalmody at the appointed hours is useful also for this reason, that in sameness the soul often grows weary and distracted, but by change and variety in the psalmody and in what is said at each hour its desire is made fresh and its sobriety renewed.
Matt 10:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:28 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:27 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 20:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:34–35 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 31:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 6:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:48 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 3:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 90:17 (89:17 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Thess 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 77:3 (76:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 5:2–3 (5:3-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 2:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 51:10–12 (50:12-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 143:10 (142:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 55:17 (54:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 91:6 (90:6 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 3:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 4:4 (4:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 16:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:62 (118:62 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:148 (118:148 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that the brothers must work diligently with their hands, praying and giving thanks while they work, and must also keep the appointed hours of common prayer: dawn, the third, sixth, and ninth hours, evening, nightfall, midnight, and before daybreak.
- The scan text displaces or garbles several lines in this rule (the quotation of Matt 25:34–35, the quotation of Ps 143:10, the clause about the noonday demon, and the last sentence); they are restored by logged corrections. After “the pommelling of the body” words are lost; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. “The ninetieth psalm” is Ps 91 (LXX 90), which speaks of the noonday demon (Ps 91:6 LXX). “Uphold me with a guiding spirit” follows the LXX of Ps 51:12.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter A left in the text; Migne's margin letter B and a misread relative pronoun; Migne's margin letter B left in the text; OCR letter confusion; OCR slips in the word and the relative pronoun; displaced line of the quotation (Ps 143:10) restored to its place; displaced line removed (restored above) and Migne's margin letter A; displaced line removed from the quotation (Ps 119:148); restored at the end of the rule; displaced line restored to its place at the end of the rule; interleaved lines of the quotation (Matt 25:34–35) restored to their order; misplaced accent in the OCR; stray letter in the OCR; word split by Migne's margin letter B; word split in the OCR; words run together in the OCR): ἀδελ φῶν δι᾽ ἡμῶν → ἀδελφῶν δι᾽ ἡμῶν; τῷ Α χρείαν → τῷ χρείαν; Δεῦτε, λῆς κόσμου. Ἐπείνασα γὰρ, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβοφαγεῖν· ἐδίψησα, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι πίνειν → Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου. Ἐπείνασα γὰρ, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν· ἐδίψησα, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι πίνειν; Σἶτα → Σῖτα; καταγΒ γέλλων → καταγγέλλων; Διόσι *Ο παρέθεντο → Διότι ᾯ παρέθεντο; τῶν Ο χειρῶν → τῶν χειρῶν; εἶναι Β Θεοῦ → εἶναι Θεοῦ; Τὸ θείᾳ· → Τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁδηγήσει με ἐν γῇ εὐθείᾳ·; ῥυσθῆΠνεῦμά σου τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁδηγήσει με ἐν γῇ εὐΑ ναι ἀπὸ συμπτώματος καὶ δαιμονίου μεσημβρινοῦ → ῥυσθῆναι ἀπὸ συμπτώματος καὶ δαιμονίου μεσημβρινοῦ; λεγομένουἩ → λεγομένου. Ἡ; ἱστοοούσαις → ἱστορούσαις; Διό φησιν Β Α λέγετε → Διό φησιν· Ἃ λέγετε; πρὸς ποικίλῳ τῆς ψαλμῳδίας καὶ τοῦ περὶ ἑκάστης ὥρας καινίζεται τὸ νηφάλιον. ὄρθρον τοῦ μελετᾷν τὰ λόγιά σου. → πρὸς ὄρθρον τοῦ μελετᾷν τὰ λόγιά σου.; τῷ λόγου νεαροποιεῖται αὐτῆς ἡ ἐπιθυμία καὶ ἀνας → τῷ ποικίλῳ τῆς ψαλμῳδίας καὶ τοῦ περὶ ἑκάστης ὥρας λόγου νεαροποιεῖται αὐτῆς ἡ ἐπιθυμία καὶ ἀνακαινίζεται τὸ νηφάλιον..
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 37 (PG 31:1009; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/37). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/37
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 38
38PG 31:1015
Δείξαντος ἱκανῶς τοῦ λόγου καὶ τὴν προσευχὴν ἀπαράλειπτον, καὶ τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι ἀναγκαῖον, ἀκόλουθον διδαχθῆναι ἡμᾶς ποῖαι τέχναι τῷ ἐπαγγέλματι ἡμῶν ἁρμόζουσιν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἰδικῶς μὲν ἀφορίσαι τέχνας τινὰς οὐκ εὔκολον, διὰ τὸ ἄλλας παρ᾿ ἄλλοις ἐπιζητεῖσθαι κατὰ τὴν ἰδιότητα τῶν τόπων καὶ τὴν ἐπιτηδειότητα τῶν ἐν ἑκάστῃ χώρᾳ πραγματειῶν· κοινῷ δὲ λόγῳ τὴν ἐκλογὴν τούτων ὑποτυπώσασθαι δυνατὸν, ὅσαι τὸ εἰρηνικὸν καὶ τὸ ἀθόρυβον τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν συντηροῦσι, μήτε πολλῆς πραγματείας εἰς τὸν πορισμὸν τῆς οἰκείας ὕλης δεόμεναι, μήτε πολλοῦ τοῦ ἀγῶνος πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀπεργασθέντων διάπρασιν, μήτε ὅσαι συντυχίας ἡμῖν ἀνδρῶν ἢ γυναικῶν ἀπρεπεῖς ἢ βλαβερὰς προξενοῦσιν· ἀλλ᾽ ἐν παντὶ σκοπὸν οἰκεῖον ἡμῖν προκεῖσθαι νομίζειν χρὴ τὴν λιτότητα, καὶ τὴν εὐτέλειαν, φεύγοντας τὸ ὑπηρετεῖν ἐπιθυμίαις ἀνθρώπων ἀνοήτοις καὶ βλαβεραῖς, διὰ τοῦ τὰ ἐπιζητούμενα παρ' αὐτῶν ἐξεργάζεσθαι. ᾿Αλλ' ἐν μὲν τῇ ὑφαντικῇ, τὸ ἐμπολιτευόμενον τῇ συνηθείᾳ τοῦ βίου, οὐ τὸ πρὸς ἄγραν καὶ παγίδα τῶν νέων ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκολάστων ἐπινοούμενον, παραδεκτέον ἡμῖν. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ σκυτοτομικῆς τοῖς τὰ ἀναγκαῖα τῆς χρείας ἐπιζητοῦσι διὰ τῆς τέχνης ὑπηρετήσωμεν. Οἰκοδομικὴ δὲ, καὶ τεκτονικὴ, καὶ χαλκευτική, καὶ γεωργία, αὐταὶ μὲν καθ' ἑαυτὰς ἀναγκαῖαι τῷ βίῳ, καὶ πολὺ τὸ χρήσιμον παρεχόμεναι, καὶ τῷ οἰκείῳ λόγῳ οὐκ ἀπόβλητοι ἡμῖν· πλὴν ὅταν ποτὲ ἢ θορύβους ἡμῖν ἐμποιῶσιν, ἢ τὸ ἡνωμένον τῆς ζωῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν διασπῶσι, τότε αὐτὰς ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐκκλίνωμεν· προτιμῶντες τὰς τέχνας τὰς διατηρούσας ἡμῖν τὴν ἀπερίσπαστον ζωὴν καὶ εὐπάρεδρον τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ μήτε καιροῦ ψαλμῳδίας, μήτε προσευχῆς, μήτε τῆς λοιπῆς εὐταξίας ἀφελκούσας τοὺς τῇ ἀσκήσει τῆς εὐσεβείας προσκαρτεροῦντας. Ἐπεὶ, ὅταν γε μηδὲν ὑπάρχῃ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν προηγουμένην ζωὴν καταβλάπτεσθαι, πολλῶν εἰσι προτιμότεραι, καὶ μάλιστα ἡ γεωργία, αὐτόθεν ἔχουσα τῶν ἀναγκαίων τὸν πορισμὸν, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ πολὺ πλάνης, καὶ ἄνω καὶ κάτω διαδρομῆς ῥυομένη τοὺς γεωργοῦντας, μόνον εἰ, καθ᾽ ἂν εἴπομεν τρόπον, μήτε ἀπὸ γειτόνων μήτε ἀπὸ συνοίκων θορύβους ἡμῖν ἐπάγει καὶ ταραχάς.
Deixantos hikanōs tou logou kai tēn proseuchēn aparaleipton, kai to ergazesthai anankaion, akolouthon didachthēnai hēmas poiai technai tǭ epangelmati hēmōn harmozousin. APOKRISIS. Idikōs men aphorisai technas tinas ouk eukolon, dia to allas par᾿ allois epizēteisthai kata tēn idiotēta tōn topōn kai tēn epitēdeiotēta tōn en hekastę̄ chōrą pragmateiōn; koinǭ de logǭ tēn eklogēn toutōn hypotypōsasthai dynaton, hosai to eirēnikon kai to athorybon tēs zōēs hēmōn syntērousi, mēte pollēs pragmateias eis ton porismon tēs oikeias hylēs deomenai, mēte pollou tou agōnos pros tēn tōn apergasthentōn diaprasin, mēte hosai syntychias hēmin andrōn ē gynaikōn aprepeis ē blaberas proxenousin; all᾽ en panti skopon oikeion hēmin prokeisthai nomizein chrē tēn litotēta, kai tēn euteleian, pheugontas to hypēretein epithymiais anthrōpōn anoētois kai blaberais, dia tou ta epizētoumena par' autōn exergazesthai. ᾿All' en men tę̄ hyphantikę̄, to empoliteuomenon tę̄ synētheią tou biou, ou to pros agran kai pagida tōn neōn hypo tōn akolastōn epinooumenon, paradekteon hēmin. Homoiōs de kai epi skytotomikēs tois ta anankaia tēs chreias epizētousi dia tēs technēs hypēretēsōmen. Oikodomikē de, kai tektonikē, kai chalkeutikē, kai geōrgia, autai men kath' heautas anankaiai tǭ biǭ, kai poly to chrēsimon parechomenai, kai tǭ oikeiǭ logǭ ouk apoblētoi hēmin; plēn hotan pote ē thorybous hēmin empoiōsin, ē to hēnōmenon tēs zōēs tōn adelphōn diaspōsi, tote autas ex anankēs ekklinōmen; protimōntes tas technas tas diatērousas hēmin tēn aperispaston zōēn kai euparedron tǭ Kyriǭ, kai mēte kairou psalmǭdias, mēte proseuchēs, mēte tēs loipēs eutaxias aphelkousas tous tę̄ askēsei tēs eusebeias proskarterountas. Epei, hotan ge mēden hyparchę̄ par᾿ autōn eis tēn proēgoumenēn zōēn katablaptesthai, pollōn eisi protimoterai, kai malista hē geōrgia, autothen echousa tōn anankaiōn ton porismon, kai tēs epi poly planēs, kai anō kai katō diadromēs rhyomenē tous geōrgountas, monon ei, kath᾽ an eipomen tropon, mēte apo geitonōn mēte apo synoikōn thorybous hēmin epagei kai tarachas.
Question. Since the argument has sufficiently shown both that prayer must not be omitted and that work is necessary, it follows that we be taught which crafts suit our profession.
Answer. It is not easy to define particular crafts, because different ones are sought in different places, according to the character of the places and the suitability of the trades in each region. But in general terms one can outline the choice of them: those that preserve the peace and quiet of our life, needing neither much business to procure their materials nor much struggle to sell what has been made, nor such as bring about unfitting or harmful meetings with men or women. In everything we must consider plainness and cheapness the goal proper to us, avoiding serving the foolish and harmful desires of men by making what they seek. In weaving, we should accept what belongs to the ordinary usage of life, not what the licentious devise for the snaring and trapping of the young. Likewise in shoemaking, let us serve by our craft those who seek what is necessary for use. Building, carpentry, smithing, and farming are in themselves necessary to life, of great use, and by their own nature not to be rejected by us; except that whenever they cause us disturbance or tear apart the united life of the brothers, then we must of necessity avoid them, preferring the crafts that keep our life undistracted and devoted to the Lord, and that do not draw those who persevere in the discipline of godliness away from the time of psalmody or prayer or the rest of the good order. When nothing is likely to be harmed by them in the principal life, they are to be preferred to many others, and especially farming, which supplies necessities from the place itself and saves those who farm from much wandering and running up and down, provided only that, as we said, it does not bring us disturbances and troubles from neighbours or those living near us.
1 Cor 7:35 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that the brothers should practise crafts that keep their life quiet and simple, serve real needs rather than luxury or vice, and do not draw them from prayer, preferring farming where it brings no disturbance.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter B left in the text; digit 6 read for β and word split; stray letter in the OCR; word split in the OCR): προσευ χὴν → προσευχὴν; ἀναγ καῖον → ἀναγκαῖον; τέ χναι → τέχναι; ἡμῖν. Β Ὁμοίως → ἡμῖν. Ὁμοίως; θορύ 6ους → θορύβους; ιπλάνης → πλάνης.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 38 (PG 31:1015; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/38). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/38
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 39
39PG 31:1017
Πῶς χρὴ ποιεῖσθαι τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἐργασίας τὴν διάπρασιν, καὶ πῶς ἀποδημεῖν ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Χρὴ δὲ σπουδάζειν καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῶν ἐργασιῶν μὴ μακράν που διατίθεσθαι, μήτε δημοσιεύειν ἑαυτοὺς τῆς πράσεως ἕνεκεν. Εὐπρεπεστέρα γὰρ ἡ ἐφ᾽ ἑνὸς τόπου διαγωγή, καὶ ὠφελιμωτέρα πρός τε τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἀλλήλων καὶ ἀκριβῆ συντήρησιν τοῦ καθ' ἡμέραν βίου, ὥστε αἱρεῖσθαι μᾶλλον καὶ ὑφαιρεῖν τι τῆς ἀξίας, ἢ ὑπὲρ ὀλίγου κέρδους ὑπερορίους ἀποδημεῖν. Ἐὰν δὲ τοῦτο ἀδύνατον ἡ πεῖρα δείξῃ, ἐκλέγεσθαι καὶ τόπους καὶ πόλεις ἀνδρῶν εὐλαβῶν, ὡς μὴ ἄκαρπον ἡμῖν τὴν ἀποδημίαν γίνεσθαι, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀποδεδειγμέναις πανηγύρεσι πλείονας ὁμοῦ συνδραμεῖν τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἕκαστον τὰ ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας ἐργασίας ἐπιφερόμενον. Καὶ κοινὴν μὲν τὴν ἀποδημίαν στέλλεσθαι, ὡς καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν μετὰ ψαλμῶν καὶ προσευχῶν καὶ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις οἰκοδομῆς ἐκτελεῖν· καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον δὲ γενομένους, τὰς αὐτὰς αἱρεῖσθαι καταγωγὰς τῆς τε ἀλλήλων φυλακῆς ἕνεκεν, καὶ τοῦ μηδένα καιρὸν προσευχῆς, μήτε ἡμερινὸν μήτε νυκτερινὸν, ἡμᾶς διαφεύγειν, καὶ τὰς τῶν δυσσυναλλάκτων καὶ πλεονεκτικῶν συντυχίας ἀβλαβέστερον διαβῆναι μετὰ πλειόνων ὄντα ἢ καθ' ἑαυτόν. Παραιτοῦνται γὰρ πολλοὺς ἔχειν τὰς ἀδικίας μάρτυρας καὶ οἱ βιαιότατοι.
Pōs chrē poieisthai tōn ek tēs ergasias tēn diaprasin, kai pōs apodēmein APOKRISIS. Chrē de spoudazein kai ta ek tōn ergasiōn mē makran pou diatithesthai, mēte dēmosieuein heautous tēs praseōs heneken. Euprepestera gar hē eph᾽ henos topou diagōgē, kai ōphelimōtera pros te tēn oikodomēn allēlōn kai akribē syntērēsin tou kath' hēmeran biou, hōste haireisthai mallon kai hyphairein ti tēs axias, ē hyper oligou kerdous hyperorious apodēmein. Ean de touto adynaton hē peira deixę̄, eklegesthai kai topous kai poleis andrōn eulabōn, hōs mē akarpon hēmin tēn apodēmian ginesthai, kai en tais apodedeigmenais panēgyresi pleionas homou syndramein tōn adelphōn, hekaston ta ek tēs oikeias ergasias epipheromenon. Kai koinēn men tēn apodēmian stellesthai, hōs kai tēn hodon meta psalmōn kai proseuchōn kai tēs en allēlois oikodomēs ektelein; kai epi ton topon de genomenous, tas autas haireisthai katagōgas tēs te allēlōn phylakēs heneken, kai tou mēdena kairon proseuchēs, mēte hēmerinon mēte nykterinon, hēmas diapheugein, kai tas tōn dyssynallaktōn kai pleonektikōn syntychias ablabesteron diabēnai meta pleionōn onta ē kath' heauton. Paraitountai gar pollous echein tas adikias martyras kai hoi biaiotatoi.
How one should sell the products of one's work, and how one should travel.
Answer. We should take care not to dispose of the products of our work far away, nor to expose ourselves in public for the sake of selling. Staying in one place is more seemly and more useful both for building one another up and for the exact keeping of the daily life; so that we should rather choose even to lower the price somewhat than for a little gain to travel abroad. But if experience shows this to be impossible, we should choose places and cities of devout men, so that our journey may not be fruitless for us; and at the appointed festivals several of the brothers should go together, each bringing the products of his own work. The journey should be made in company, so as to complete the road with psalms and prayers and the building up of one another; and when they arrive at the place they should choose the same lodgings, both to keep watch over one another and so that no time of prayer, by day or by night, may escape us, and so that one may pass through dealings with hard-bargaining and grasping people with less harm, being with several rather than by himself. For even the most violent shrink from having many witnesses of their wrongs.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that the brothers should sell their work nearby, even at a lower price, rather than travel; when travel is unavoidable they should go together to towns of devout people, keep the hours of prayer, and lodge together.
- Debris of the Migne edition's footnotes (variant readings to Rule 38) has been removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter B left in the text; debris of Migne's footnotes (variant readings) splitting the word; word split in the OCR): διά πρασιν → διάπρασιν; ὑπερδειότητα τῶν, χώρα πραγμάτων. ορίους ἀποδημεῖν. Ἐὰν δὲ ὑτοῦτο → ὑπερορίους ἀποδημεῖν. Ἐὰν δὲ τοῦτο; γίνε σθαι → γίνεσθαι; πλεον εκτικῶν → πλεονεκτικῶν; γὰρ Β πολλοὺς → γὰρ πολλοὺς.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 39 (PG 31:1017; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/39). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/39
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 40
40PG 31:1019
Περὶ τῶν ἐν συνόδοις πραγματειῶν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐδὲ τὰς ἐν τοῖς μαρτυρίοις γινομένας ἀγορασίας οἰκείας ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος δείκνυσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἄλλου τινὸς ἕνεκεν ἐν τοῖς μαρτυρίοις ἢ ἐν τοῖς περὶ αὐτὰ τόποις φαίνεσθαι ἐπιβάλλει Χριστιανοῖς, ἢ προσευχῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ τοῦ εἰς ὑπόμνησιν ἐλθόντας τῆς τῶν ἁγίων ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας μέχρι θανάτου ἐνστάσεως πρὸς τὸν ζῆλον τὸν ὅμοιον προτραπῆναι· μεμνημένους τῆς φοβερωτάτης ὀργῆς τοῦ Κυρίου, ὅτι, καίπερ πάντοτε καὶ πανταχοῦ πραῦς ὢν, καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καθὼς γέγραπται, μόνοις τοῖς περὶ τὸ ἱερὸν πωλοῦσι καὶ ἀγοράζουσι τὴν μάστιγα ἐπανετείνατο, ὡς τῆς ἐμπορίας τὸν οἶκον τῆς προσευχῆς μεταποιούσης εἰς σπήλαιον λῃστῶν. Οὐ μὴν, ἐπειδὴ ἕτεροι προλαβόντες παρέφθειραν τὴν κεκρατηκυῖαν ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων συνήθειαν, καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων, καὶ μετὰ πλειόνων προσκυνεῖν καὶ προσκλαίειν τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐξιλάσκεσθαι μὲν αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, εὐχαριστεῖν δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν, οἰκοδομεῖν δὲ διὰ τοῦ λόγου τῆς παρακλήσεως, ὅπερ ἔτι καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας μνήμης τηρούμενον ἔγνωμεν, ἀντὶ τούτων ἀγορὰν, καὶ πανήγυριν, καὶ κοινὸν ἐμπόριον τὸν τε καιρὸν καὶ τὸν τόπον ποιοῦνται, ἤδη καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀκολουθεῖν αὐτοῖς προσῆκε, καὶ βεβαιοῦν τὰ ἄτοπα τῇ κοινωνίᾳ τοῦ πράγματος· ἀλλὰ μιμεῖχὴν ἔχει, ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει, γλῶσσαν ἔχει, έρμηνείαν ἔχει· πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω.
Peri tōn en synodois pragmateiōn. APOKRISIS. All᾿ oude tas en tois martyriois ginomenas agorasias oikeias hēmin ho logos deiknysin. Ou gar allou tinos heneken en tois martyriois ē en tois peri auta topois phainesthai epiballei Christianois, ē proseuchēs heneken kai tou eis hypomnēsin elthontas tēs tōn hagiōn hyper eusebeias mechri thanatou enstaseōs pros ton zēlon ton homoion protrapēnai; memnēmenous tēs phoberōtatēs orgēs tou Kyriou, hoti, kaiper pantote kai pantachou praus ōn, kai tapeinos tę̄ kardią, kathōs gegraptai, monois tois peri to hieron pōlousi kai agorazousi tēn mastiga epaneteinato, hōs tēs emporias ton oikon tēs proseuchēs metapoiousēs eis spēlaion lę̄stōn. Ou mēn, epeidē heteroi prolabontes parephtheiran tēn kekratēkuian epi tōn hagiōn synētheian, kai anti tou proseuchesthai hyper allēlōn, kai meta pleionōn proskynein kai prosklaiein tǭ Theǭ, kai exilaskesthai men auton hyper tōn hamartiōn, eucharistein de hyper tōn euergesiōn, oikodomein de dia tou logou tēs paraklēseōs, hoper eti kai epi tēs hēmeteras mnēmēs tēroumenon egnōmen, anti toutōn agoran, kai panēgyrin, kai koinon emporion ton te kairon kai ton topon poiountai, ēdē kai hēmas akolouthein autois prosēke, kai bebaioun ta atopa tę̄ koinōnią tou pragmatos; alla mimeichēn echei, apokalypsin echei, glōssan echei, ermēneian echei; panta pros oikodomēn ginesthō.
On trading at gatherings.
Answer. Nor does the word show that the markets held at the martyrs' shrines are fitting for us. For it does not befit Christians to appear at the martyrs' shrines or in the places around them for any other reason than for prayer, and, coming to remember the saints' steadfastness for godliness even to death, to be stirred to the same zeal; remembering the most fearful wrath of the Lord, who, though always and everywhere meek and lowly in heart, as it is written, raised the whip against those alone who sold and bought in the temple, since trade was turning the house of prayer into a den of robbers. Nor, because others before us have corrupted the custom that prevailed among the saints, and instead of praying for one another, worshipping and weeping before God together with many, propitiating him for sins and giving thanks for benefits, and building up by the word of exhortation (which we know was still kept even within our memory), make the time and the place instead a market, a fair, and a common trading place, does it now follow that we should follow them and confirm what is wrong by taking part in it. But imitate … [each one] has [a lesson], has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation; let all things be done for building up.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 11:29 (allusion, high confidence) · John 2:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 21:12–13 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 14:26 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil forbids the brothers to trade at the fairs held at martyrs' shrines, which should be places of prayer and of imitation of the martyrs, as Christ drove the traders from the temple.
- The end of the rule is lost in the scan text: after “But imitate” the text resumes in the middle of a quotation of 1 Cor 14:26 (only the ending of the word “lesson” survives).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split in the OCR): ἀγο ρασίας → ἀγορασίας; ἄλ λου → ἄλλου.
Topics: Martyrdom, Prayer, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 40 (PG 31:1019; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/40). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/40
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 41
41PG 31:1021
Περὶ αὐθεντίας καὶ ὑπακοῆς. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐν αὐταῖς μέντοι ταῖς συγκεχωρημέναις τέχναις οὐχ ἕκαστος ἣν ἔχει, ἢ βούλεται μαθεῖν, ἐπιτρέπεσθαι ὀφείλει, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἣν ἂν δοκιμασθῇ ἐπιτήδειος εἶναι. Ὁ γὰρ ἀρνησάμενος ἑαυτὸν, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἑαυτοῦ θελήματα ἀποθέμενος, οὐχὶ ὁ βούλεται ποιεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ διδάσκεται. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐκλέγεσθαι τὸ συμφέρον συγχωρεῖ ὁ λόγος τῷ ἅπαξ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οἰκονομίαν ἐπιτρέψαντι ἑτέροις, οἳ πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν καταμάθωσιν ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου ἐπιτήδειον, εἰς ἐκεῖνο αὐτὸν τάξουσιν· ἐπεὶ ὅ γε κατ᾿ ἰδίαν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐκλεγόμενος ἔργον κατηγορίαν ἑαυτοῦ ἐκφέρει, πρῶτον μὲν αὐταρεσκείας, ἔπειτα, ὅτι ἡ διὰ δόξαν κοσμικὴν, ἢ διὰ κέρδους ἐλπίδα, ἢ διά τι τοιοὔτον προσπέπονθε τῷ ἐπιτηδεύματι, ἢ δι᾿ ὄκνον καὶ ῥαθυμίαν προτιμᾷ τὸ κουφότερον. Τὸ δὲ ἐν τούτοις εἶναι ἀπόδειξίς ἐστι τοῦ μήπω ἀπηλλάχθαι τῆς τῶν παθῶν κακίας. Οὔτε δὲ ἠρνήσατο ἑαυτὸν ὁ ἰδίας ὁρμὰς ἐκτελεῖν θέλων, οὔτε ἀπετάξατο τοῖς τοῦ κόσμου πράγμασιν, εἴπερ ἔτι πρὸς κέρδος καὶ πρὸς δόξαν ἐπτόηται. Οὐδὲ μὴν ἐνέκρωσεν αὐτοῦ τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὁ τὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις κόπον μὴ ὑπομένων· ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐθαδείας δεῖγμα καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐκφέρει, ἀκριβεστέραν οἰόμενος εἶναι τὴν ἰδίαν ἑαυτοῦ κρίσιν τῆς τῶν πλειόνων δοκιμασίας. Εἴτε οὖν ἔχει τις τέχνην μὴ κατεγνωσμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ, ἀποπηδᾷν αὐτῆς οὐκ ὀφείλει· ἀστάτου γὰρ γνώμης, καὶ προαιρέσεως ἀβεβαίου, ἐξουθενεῖν τὰ παρόντα· εἴτε μὴ ἔχει, μὴ ἑαυτῷ λαμβανέτω· ἀλλὰ τὸ παρὰ τῶν μειζόνων δοκιμασθὲν ὑποδεχέσθω, ἵνα ἐν παντὶ τὸ εὐπειθὲς διασώζῃ. Ὡς δὲ τὸ ἑαυτῷ ἐπιτρέπειν ἀπρεπὲς ἀπεδείχθη, οὕτω καὶ τὸ παρ' ἑτέρων ἐγκριθὲν μὴ καταδέχεσθαι, κατεγνωσμένον ἐστίν. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἐὰν ἔχῃ τις τέχνην, μὴ ἀρέσκῃ δὲ αὐτῆς ἡ χρῆσις τῇ ἀδελφότητι, ἑτοίμως αὐτὴν ἀποῤῥιπτέτω, δεικνὺς, ὅτι πρὸς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐμπαθῶς διάκειται. Διότι τὸ μὲν ποιεῖν τὰ θελήματα τῶν διανοιῶν τοῦ μὴ ἔχοντός ἐστιν ἐλπίδα, κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου· τὸ δὲ ἐν παντὶ εὐπειθὲς ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιον, τοῦ αὐτοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου ἐπαινοῦντός τινας, ὅτι ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἔπειτα καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ. Ἕκαστον μέντοι χρη τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐργασία προσέχειν, καὶ ταύτης ἐπιθυμητικῶς φροντίζειν, καὶ ὡς Θεοῦ ἐφορῶντος, ἐν σπουδῇ ἀόκνῳ καὶ ἐπιμελείᾳ προσεχεστέρᾳ ἀμέμπτως ταύτην ἀποπληροῦν, ἵνα ἔχῃ παῤῥησίαν λέγειν ἀεὶ τὸ· Ἰδοὺ ὡς οφθαλμοὶ δούλων εἰς χεῖρας τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν, οὕτως οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν· καὶ μὴ ἄλλοτε εἰς ἄλλο ἀποπηδᾷν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν πολλὰ ὁμοῦ κατορθοῦν ἐπιτηδεύματα δύναται· καὶ τὸ μίαν φιλοπόνως ἐκτελεῖν τοῦ πολλῶν ἀτελῶς ἐφάπτεσθαι χρησιμώτερον. Ὁ γὰρ εἰς πλείονα μερισμὸς, καὶ ἡ ἄλλοτε ἐπ᾿ ἄλλο μετάβασις πρὸς τὸ μηδὲν τελειοῦν τῶν ἔργων, ἔτι καὶ ἤθους ἐλαφρίαν ἢ προὑπάρχουσαν ἐλέγχει, ἢ καὶ μὴ οὖσαν ἐμποιεῖ. Ἐὰν δέ ποτε χρεία καταλάβῃ, ἐπιβοηθεῖν καὶ ἄλλαις τέχναις τὸν ἐπιτηδείως ἔχοντα ἀκόλουθον. Καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ· ἀλλ᾽ εἴ ποτε προσκληθείη, οὐ προηγουμένως ἡμῶν ποιούντων τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ κατὰ περίστασιν· ὡς καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μελῶν τοῦ σώματος, ὅταν, ὀκλάσαντος τοῦ ποδὸς, ἐπιστηριζώμεθα τῇ χειρί. Καὶ πάλιν, ὥσπερ τὸ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιπηδᾷν ἀσύμφορον, οὕτω τὸ προσταχθὲν μὴ καταδέχεσθαι κατηγορίας ἄξιον, ἵνα μήτε πάθος αὐθαδείας τρέφηται, μήτε ὁ τῆς ὑπακοῆς καὶ εὐπειθείας ὅρος διαλύηται. Καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐργαλείων δὲ φροντὶς διαφέρει μὲν προηγουμένως τῷ ἑκάστης ἐργασίας τεχνί τῃ ἐὰν δὲ ἄρα ποτὲ παροφθῆναι συμβαίη τι, ὡς κοινὸν πάντων κτῆμα, οὕτω τῆς προσηκούσης προνοίας ἀξιούσθω ὑπὸ τῶν πρώτως θεασαμένων. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ χρῆσις αὐτῶν ἰδιάζουσα, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῶν χρήσιμον κοινόν. Τὸ γὰρ ὡς οὐδὲν προσηκόντων τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἄλλης τέχνης καταφρονεῖν ἀλλοτριώσεως ἀπόδειξιν ἔχει. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τοὺς μεταχειριζομένους τὰς τέχνας δεσποτείαν ἐκδικεῖν τῶν ἐργαλείων προσήκει, ὡς ἢ τῷ προεστῶτι τῆς ἀδελφότητος μὴ συγχωρεῖν αὐτοῖς κεχρῆσθαι πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν θέλῃ, ἢ ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιτρέπειν πωλεῖν αὐτὰ ἢ διαμείβειν, ἢ κατὰ ἄλλον τινὰ τρόπον προΐεσθαι· ἢ καὶ προσκτᾶσθαι τοῖς οὖσιν ἔτερα· ὁ γὰρ ἅπαξ κρίνας μηδὲ τῶν χειρῶν εἶναι τῶν ἑαυτοῦ κύριος, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέρῳ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτῶν οἰκονομεῖν ἐπιτρέψας, πῶς ἂν ὁ τοιοῦ τος ἀκόλουθα πράσσοι, τοῖς ἐργαλείοις τῆς τέχνης ἐναυθεντῶν, καὶ δεσποτείας ἀξιώματι ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν κεχρημένος;
Peri authentias kai hypakoēs. APOKRISIS. En autais mentoi tais synkechōrēmenais technais ouch hekastos hēn echei, ē bouletai mathein, epitrepesthai opheilei, all᾽ eis hēn an dokimasthę̄ epitēdeios einai. Ho gar arnēsamenos heauton, kai panta ta heautou thelēmata apothemenos, ouchi ho bouletai poiei, all᾽ ho didasketai. Ou mēn oude aph' heautou eklegesthai to sympheron synchōrei ho logos tǭ hapax tēn heautou oikonomian epitrepsanti heterois, hoi pros hoper an katamathōsin en onomati Kyriou epitēdeion, eis ekeino auton taxousin; epei ho ge kat᾿ idian epithymian eklegomenos ergon katēgorian heautou ekpherei, prōton men autareskeias, epeita, hoti hē dia doxan kosmikēn, ē dia kerdous elpida, ē dia ti toiouton prospeponthe tǭ epitēdeumati, ē di᾿ oknon kai rhathymian protimą to kouphoteron. To de en toutois einai apodeixis esti tou mēpō apēllachthai tēs tōn pathōn kakias. Oute de ērnēsato heauton ho idias hormas ektelein thelōn, oute apetaxato tois tou kosmou pragmasin, eiper eti pros kerdos kai pros doxan eptoētai. Oude mēn enekrōsen autou ta melē ta epi tēs gēs ho ton en tois ergois kopon mē hypomenōn; alla kai authadeias deigma kath' heautou ekpherei, akribesteran oiomenos einai tēn idian heautou krisin tēs tōn pleionōn dokimasias. Eite oun echei tis technēn mē kategnōsmenēn hypo tou koinou, apopēdąn autēs ouk opheilei; astatou gar gnōmēs, kai proaireseōs abebaiou, exouthenein ta paronta; eite mē echei, mē heautǭ lambanetō; alla to para tōn meizonōn dokimasthen hypodechesthō, hina en panti to eupeithes diasōzę̄. Hōs de to heautǭ epitrepein aprepes apedeichthē, houtō kai to par' heterōn enkrithen mē katadechesthai, kategnōsmenon estin. ᾿Alla kai ean echę̄ tis technēn, mē areskę̄ de autēs hē chrēsis tę̄ adelphotēti, hetoimōs autēn aporrhiptetō, deiknys, hoti pros ouden tōn en tǭ kosmǭ empathōs diakeitai. Dioti to men poiein ta thelēmata tōn dianoiōn tou mē echontos estin elpida, kata ton logon tou ᾿Apostolou; to de en panti eupeithes apodochēs axion, tou autou ᾿Apostolou epainountos tinas, hoti heautous edōkan prōton tǭ Kyriǭ, epeita kai hēmin dia thelēmatos Theou. Hekaston mentoi chrē tę̄ idią ergasia prosechein, kai tautēs epithymētikōs phrontizein, kai hōs Theou ephorōntos, en spoudę̄ aoknǭ kai epimeleią prosechesterą amemptōs tautēn apoplēroun, hina echę̄ parrhēsian legein aei to; Idou hōs ophthalmoi doulōn eis cheiras tōn kyriōn autōn, houtōs hoi ophthalmoi hēmōn pros Kyrion ton Theon hēmōn; kai mē allote eis allo apopēdąn. Oude gar hē physis hēmōn polla homou katorthoun epitēdeumata dynatai; kai to mian philoponōs ektelein tou pollōn atelōs ephaptesthai chrēsimōteron. Ho gar eis pleiona merismos, kai hē allote ep᾿ allo metabasis pros to mēden teleioun tōn ergōn, eti kai ēthous elaphrian ē prouparchousan elenchei, ē kai mē ousan empoiei. Ean de pote chreia katalabę̄, epiboēthein kai allais technais ton epitēdeiōs echonta akolouthon. Kai oude touto aph' heautou; all᾽ ei pote prosklētheiē, ou proēgoumenōs hēmōn poiountōn touto, alla kata peristasin; hōs kai epi tōn melōn tou sōmatos, hotan, oklasantos tou podos, epistērizōmetha tę̄ cheiri. Kai palin, hōsper to aph' heautou epipēdąn asymphoron, houtō to prostachthen mē katadechesthai katēgorias axion, hina mēte pathos authadeias trephētai, mēte ho tēs hypakoēs kai eupeitheias horos dialyētai. Kai hē tōn ergaleiōn de phrontis diapherei men proēgoumenōs tǭ hekastēs ergasias techni tę̄ ean de ara pote parophthēnai symbaiē ti, hōs koinon pantōn ktēma, houtō tēs prosēkousēs pronoias axiousthō hypo tōn prōtōs theasamenōn. Ei gar kai hē chrēsis autōn idiazousa, alla to ex autōn chrēsimon koinon. To gar hōs ouden prosēkontōn tōn ek tēs allēs technēs kataphronein allotriōseōs apodeixin echei. Ou mēn oude tous metacheirizomenous tas technas despoteian ekdikein tōn ergaleiōn prosēkei, hōs ē tǭ proestōti tēs adelphotētos mē synchōrein autois kechrēsthai pros hoper an thelę̄, ē heautois epitrepein pōlein auta ē diameibein, ē kata allon tina tropon proïesthai; ē kai prosktasthai tois ousin etera; ho gar hapax krinas mēde tōn cheirōn einai tōn heautou kyrios, all᾽ heterǭ tēn energeian autōn oikonomein epitrepsas, pōs an ho toiou tos akoloutha prassoi, tois ergaleiois tēs technēs enauthentōn, kai despoteias axiōmati ep᾿ autōn kechrēmenos?
On authority and obedience.
Answer. Even within the permitted crafts, each one should not be allowed the craft he has or wishes to learn, but the one for which he is judged suitable. For the one who has denied himself and put away all his own wishes does not do what he wishes but what he is taught. Nor does the word allow one who has once entrusted the management of himself to others to choose what is profitable on his own; they will appoint him to whatever they learn, in the name of the Lord, to be suitable. For the one who chooses a work by his own desire brings a charge against himself: first of self-satisfaction; then, that he has become attached to the occupation for worldly glory, or hope of gain, or some such reason; or that through sluggishness and sloth he prefers the lighter task. Being in these is proof that he has not yet been freed from the evil of the passions. The one who wishes to carry out his own impulses has not denied himself, nor has he renounced the affairs of the world, if he is still excited by gain and glory. Nor has the one who does not endure the toil of work put to death his members that are on earth; rather he brings against himself proof of self-will too, thinking his own judgment more exact than the examination of the many.
If, then, someone has a craft not condemned by the community, he ought not to spring away from it; for to despise what one has belongs to an unstable mind and an uncertain will. If he has none, let him not take one for himself, but accept what is approved by those over him, so as to keep obedience in everything. As it has been shown unfitting to entrust oneself to oneself, so also not to accept what others have approved is to be condemned. And if someone has a craft, but its practice does not please the brotherhood, let him readily throw it aside, showing that he is passionately attached to nothing in the world. For to do the wishes of the mind belongs to one who has no hope, according to the word of the Apostle; but obedience in everything is worthy of acceptance, since the same Apostle praises some because they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by the will of God.
Each one, however, should attend to his own work, care for it eagerly, and, as though God were watching, carry it out blamelessly with unflagging zeal and closer diligence, so that he may have boldness always to say, “Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters, so our eyes look to the Lord our God”; and he should not leap from one thing to another. For our nature cannot achieve many pursuits at once, and to carry out one diligently is more useful than to touch many incompletely. For dividing oneself among many things and passing from one to another, besides achieving none of the works, also exposes a lightness of character that was already there, or produces it where it was not. If ever need arises, it is fitting for one who is suited to help in other crafts too; and not even this on his own initiative, but only if he is called on, since we do this not as a principal task but as the circumstances require; as with the members of the body, when the foot gives way, we support ourselves on the hand. And again, just as springing to a task on one's own initiative is unprofitable, so not accepting what one is commanded deserves blame, so that neither the passion of self-will may be nourished nor the limit of obedience and compliance be dissolved.
The care of the tools belongs principally to the craftsman of each work; but if ever something should happen to be overlooked, let it receive fitting attention from those who first see it, as the common property of all. For even if their use is particular, the benefit from them is common. To despise the things of another craft as no concern of one's own is proof of estrangement. Nor is it fitting for those who handle the crafts to claim ownership of the tools, so as either not to allow the superior of the brotherhood to use them for whatever he wishes, or to permit themselves to sell or exchange them or part with them in any other way, or to acquire others in addition to those they have. For how would one who has once decided not to be master even of his own hands, but has entrusted the management of their working to another, act consistently if he lords it over the tools of his craft and uses the dignity of ownership over them?
Luke 9:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 2:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 2:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 8:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:23 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 123:2 (122:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:21 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that each brother should practise the craft assigned by his superiors, not one of his own choosing, give up even a craft the community disapproves, work diligently at one task, help in others only when called, and claim no ownership of his tools.
- A line displaced in the scan text (“[it is fitting for one] who is suited to help in other crafts too; and not even [this]”) is restored to its place by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letter read for κ; Migne's margin letter B and a displaced line (restored below); Migne's margin letter B left in the text; OCR letter confusion (μ for ρ); OCR letter confusion (χ for κ); OCR slip and word split; displaced line restored to its place; stray Latin letters and a misread breathing): πρὸς Β ὅπερ → πρὸς ὅπερ; ὄχνον → ὄκνον; ἑxφέρει → ἐκφέρει; xιν Έκαστον → Ἕκαστον; ἵνα Β τέχναις τὸν ἐπιτηδείως ἔχοντα ἀκόλουθον. Καὶ οὐδὲ → ἵνα; ἄλλαις τοῦτο ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ → ἄλλαις τέχναις τὸν ἐπιτηδείως ἔχοντα ἀκόλουθον. Καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ; χειμί → χειρί; ἐνέο γειαν → ἐνέργειαν.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 41 (PG 31:1021; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/41). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/41
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-fusius-41) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 42
42PG 31:1023
Ποίῳ σκοπῷ καὶ ποίᾳ διαθέσει ἐργάζεσθαι δεῖ ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐκεῖνο μέντοι εἰδέναι χρὴ, ὅτι ὁ ἐργαζόμενος, οὐχ ἵνα ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ χρείαις ὑπηρετῇ διὰ τῶν ἔργων, ἐργάζεσθαι ὀφείλει, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου πληρώσῃ, τοῦ εἰπόντος· Ἐπείνασα, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τὸ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ μεριμνᾶν παντάπασίν ἐστιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου κεκωλυμένον, εἰπόντος· Μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τὶ ἐνδύσησθε καὶ ἐπενεγκόντος· Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητεῖ. Σκοπὸς οὖν ἑκάστῳ προκεῖσθαι ὀφείλει ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ ἡ ὑπηρεσία τῶν δεομένων, οὐχὶ ἡ ἰδία αὐτοῦ χρεία. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τῆς φιλαυτίας τὸ ἔγκλημα φεύξεται, καὶ τῆς φιλαδελφίας τὴν εὐλογίαν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου λήψεται, λέγοντος· Ἐφ' ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. Καὶ μηδεὶς τοῦ Ἀποστόλου ἐναντιοῦσθαι ἡμῶν τῷ λόγῳ νομιζέτω, εἰπόντος· Ἵνα ἐργαζόμενοι τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἄρτον ἐσθίωσι. Τοῦτο γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς ἀτάκτους καὶ ἀργοὺς εἴρηται· ὡς αἱρετώτερον τῆς ἐν ἀργίᾳ ζωῆς τὸ ἑαυτῷ γοῦν ὑπηρετεῖν ἕκαστον, καὶ μὴ ἄλλοις ἐπιβαρῆ γίνεσθαι· ᾿Ακούομεν γὰρ, φησὶ, τινὰς ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντας ἐν ὑμῖν, μηδὲν ἐργαζομένους, ἀλλὰ περιεργαζομένους· τοῖς οὖν τοιούτοις, φησὶ, παραγγέλλομεν, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν, ἵνα μετὰ ἡσυχίας ἐργαζόμενοι τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἄρτον ἐσθίωσι. Καὶ τὸ, Νύκτα δὲ καὶ ημέραν ἐργαζόμενοι πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα, εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν φέρει νοῦν· τοῦ Ἀποστόλου διὰ φιλαδελφίαν εἰς ἐκκοπὴν τῶν ἀτάκτων ἑαυτὸν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τὸ διατεταγμένον αὐτῷ πόνοις ὑποβάλλοντος. Τοῦ δὲ πρὸς τὴν τελείωσιν σπεύδοντός ἐστι νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργάζεσθαι, ἵνα ἔχῃ μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρείαν ἔχοντι. Ἐπεὶ ὅ γε ἑαυτῷ, ἢ καὶ τῷ τὴν φροντίδα τῶν χρειῶν ἀναδεδεγμένῳ ἐλπίζων, καὶ ἢ τὴν οἰκείαν ἢ τὴν τοῦ συνόντος ἐργασίαν ἱκανὴν ἀφορμὴν πρὸς τὸ ζῇν τιθέμενος, καθόσον ἐπ᾿ ἄνθρωπον τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔθετο, κίνδυνον ἔχει ὑποπεσεῖν τῇ κατάρᾳ τῇ λεγούσῃ· Ἐπικατάρατος ἄνθρωπος ὃς τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχει ἐπ᾿ ἄνθρωπον, καὶ στηρίξει σάρκα βραχίονος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ Κυρίου ἀποσταίη ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ· τοῦ λόγου διὰ μὲν τοῦ, Ὃς τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχει ἐπ᾿ ἄνθρωπον, τῷ ἑτέρῳ ἐπελπίζειν· διὰ δὲ τοῦ, Καὶ στηρίξει σάρκα βραχίονος αὐτοῦ, τὸ ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ πεποιθέναι ἀπαγορεύοντος· ἑκάτερον δὲ αὐτῶν ἀποστασίαν ἀπὸ Κυρίου ὀνομάζοντος, καὶ τὸ τέλος άμφοτέρων ἐπάγοντος, Ὅτι ἔσται ὡς ἡ ἀγριομυρίκη ἡ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· καὶ οὐκ ὄψεται ὅταν ἔλθῃ τὰ ἀγαθά· δεικνύντος τοῦ λόγου, ὅτι τὸ ἑαυτῷ ἡ ἄλλῳ τινὶ ἐπελπίζειν ἀποστῆναί ἐστιν ἀπὸ Κυρίου.
Poiǭ skopǭ kai poią diathesei ergazesthai dei APOKRISIS. Ekeino mentoi eidenai chrē, hoti ho ergazomenos, ouch hina tais heautou chreiais hypēretę̄ dia tōn ergōn, ergazesthai opheilei, all᾽ hina tēn entolēn tou Kyriou plērōsę̄, tou eipontos; Epeinasa, kai edōkate moi phagein, kai ta hexēs. To gar hyper heautou merimnan pantapasin estin hypo tou Kyriou kekōlymenon, eipontos; Mē merimnate tę̄ psychę̄ hymōn ti phagēte, mēde tǭ sōmati hymōn ti endysēsthe kai epenenkontos; Tauta gar panta ta ethnē epizētei. Skopos oun hekastǭ prokeisthai opheilei en tǭ ergǭ hē hypēresia tōn deomenōn, ouchi hē idia autou chreia. Houtō gar kai tēs philautias to enklēma pheuxetai, kai tēs philadelphias tēn eulogian para tou Kyriou lēpsetai, legontos; Eph' hoson epoiēsate heni toutōn tōn adelphōn mou tōn elachistōn emoi epoiēsate. Kai mēdeis tou Apostolou enantiousthai hēmōn tǭ logǭ nomizetō, eipontos; Hina ergazomenoi ton heautōn arton esthiōsi. Touto gar pros tous ataktous kai argous eirētai; hōs hairetōteron tēs en argią zōēs to heautǭ goun hypēretein hekaston, kai mē allois epibarē ginesthai; ᾿Akouomen gar, phēsi, tinas ataktōs peripatountas en hymin, mēden ergazomenous, alla periergazomenous; tois oun toioutois, phēsi, parangellomen, kai parakaloumen, hina meta hēsychias ergazomenoi ton heautōn arton esthiōsi. Kai to, Nykta de kai ēmeran ergazomenoi pros to mē epibarēsai tina, eis ton auton pherei noun; tou Apostolou dia philadelphian eis ekkopēn tōn ataktōn heauton tois hyper to diatetagmenon autǭ ponois hypoballontos. Tou de pros tēn teleiōsin speudontos esti nyktos kai hēmeras ergazesthai, hina echę̄ metadidonai tǭ chreian echonti. Epei ho ge heautǭ, ē kai tǭ tēn phrontida tōn chreiōn anadedegmenǭ elpizōn, kai ē tēn oikeian ē tēn tou synontos ergasian hikanēn aphormēn pros to zę̄n tithemenos, kathoson ep᾿ anthrōpon tēn elpida etheto, kindynon echei hypopesein tę̄ katarą tę̄ legousę̄; Epikataratos anthrōpos hos tēn elpida echei ep᾿ anthrōpon, kai stērixei sarka brachionos autou, kai apo Kyriou apostaiē hē psychē autou; tou logou dia men tou, Hos tēn elpida echei ep᾿ anthrōpon, tǭ heterǭ epelpizein; dia de tou, Kai stērixei sarka brachionos autou, to eph᾽ heautǭ pepoithenai apagoreuontos; hekateron de autōn apostasian apo Kyriou onomazontos, kai to telos amphoterōn epagontos, Hoti estai hōs hē agriomyrikē hē en tę̄ erēmǭ; kai ouk opsetai hotan elthę̄ ta agatha; deiknyntos tou logou, hoti to heautǭ hē allǭ tini epelpizein apostēnai estin apo Kyriou.
With what aim and what disposition one should work.
Answer. We must know this: that the one who works ought to work not in order to serve his own needs by his work, but to fulfil the commandment of the Lord, who said, “I was hungry and you gave me food,” and so on. For anxiety for oneself has been altogether forbidden by the Lord, who said, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on,” and added, “For the Gentiles seek all these things.” So the goal set before each in his work should be the service of those in need, not his own need. For so he will escape the charge of self-love and receive from the Lord the blessing for brotherly love, who says, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” And let no one think that the Apostle contradicts what we say when he says, “that by working they may eat their own bread.” For this was said to the disorderly and idle: that it is preferable to an idle life for each at least to serve himself and not be a burden to others. “For we hear,” he says, “that some among you walk in idleness, not doing any work, but being busybodies. Such persons,” he says, “we command and urge to work quietly and to eat their own bread.” And the saying, “working night and day, that we might not be a burden to any,” bears the same meaning, since the Apostle, out of brotherly love, submitted himself to labours beyond what was required of him in order to cut off the disorderly. But it belongs to one who is hastening to perfection to work night and day so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
For the one who puts his hope in himself, or in the one who has undertaken the care of his needs, and who reckons his own work or that of his companion a sufficient means of living, in so far as he has set his hope on a man, is in danger of falling under the curse which says, “Cursed is the man who has his hope in man, and will make flesh his arm, and whose soul turns away from the Lord.” By “who has his hope in man” the word forbids hoping in another; by “will make flesh his arm,” trusting in oneself; and it calls each of them apostasy from the Lord and adds the end of both: “For he will be like the wild tamarisk in the desert, and will not see when good comes”; the word showing that to hope in oneself or in anyone else is to turn away from the Lord.
Matt 25:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:40 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:11–12 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 4:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 17:5–6 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil teaches that the brothers should work not for their own needs but to fulfil Christ's command to serve those in need, explaining Paul's “eat their own bread” as addressed to idlers, and warning that hope placed in oneself or another rather than God is apostasy.
- Debris of the Migne edition's footnotes has been removed from the heading, and a displaced line of the quotation of Jer 17:6 restored, by logged corrections. “The wild tamarisk in the desert”: Jer 17:6 LXX.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (debris of Migne's footnotes (variant readings to Rule 41) leaked into the heading; displaced line of the quotation (Jer 17:6) restored to its place; displaced line removed (restored above); misread breathing and accent in the OCR; word split by a stray mark in the OCR): δεῖ λέγοντος, ὅτι. ἐπαινοῦντός τινας, ὅτι. ΑΠΟ → δεῖ ΑΠΟ; ἕνα τὴν ἐντολὴν → ἵνα τὴν ἐντολὴν; έναν· τιοῦσθαι → ἐναντιοῦσθαι; ἀγριομυτὰ ἀγαθά· → ἀγριομυρίκη ἡ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· καὶ οὐκ ὄψεται ὅταν ἔλθῃ τὰ ἀγαθά·; Κυρίου. Aρίκη ἡ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· καὶ οὐκ ὄψεται ὅταν ἔλθῃ → Κυρίου..
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 42 (PG 31:1023; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/42). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/42
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-fusius-42) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).