To be surety for a friend is to take charge of the soul of another on the surety of one’s own behavior. Your hand is bound to a stranger, and your mind is bound with the care of a responsibility which you previously did not hold. But you are snared with the words of your mouth and caught with your own speeches, because, while you are compelled to speak good things to those who are committed to you, you must yourself observe the things that you say. You are therefore snared with the words of your mouth, being constrained by the requirement of reason not to let your life be relaxed to what agrees not with your teaching. Thus before the strict Judge you are compelled to accomplish as much in deed as it is plain you have required of others by your words.

Whoever is put over others for an example of life is admonished not only to keep watch himself, but also to arouse his friend. For it is not enough for him to keep watch by living well, if he do not also remove from the indolence of sin the person he is set over. For it is well said, Give not sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber. To give sleep to the eyes is to cease from earnestness and thus to neglect altogether the care of our charges. The eyelids slumber when our thoughts, weighed down by sloth, connive at what they know should be reproved. To be fast asleep is neither to know nor to correct the deeds of those committed to us. To slumber, rather than to sleep, is to know what things are to be blamed and still through laziness of mind not to amend them by appropriate rebukes. Yet the eye through slumbering passes into the deepest sleep; since for the most part, when one who is over others does not cut off the evil that he recognizes, he eventually, as his negligence deserves, will not even recognize what is done wrong by his charges. Therefore, those who are over others must be warned to watch earnestly within and round about and to strive to become living creatures of heaven.

The ant is a tiny creature, yet it ventures to achieve things beyond its strength. It is not driven to labor as a slave is. Rather, without compulsion and with freedom of foresight, it lays up provision for a future day. Scripture admonishes us to imitate the industry of the ant: Go to the ant, you sluggard, and consider her ways and be wiser than she. [The ant] has no land under cultivation. Yet, without a taskmaster to urge it on as it looks after its stock of food, what a harvest has it in store for itself—a harvest gathered from the results of your labors! While you may frequently be in need, it wants for nothing. There are no granaries closed to the ant, no guards impassable, no stores of grain untouchable! The guard sees and dares not prohibit the theft. The owner gazes on his loss and exacts no punishment! Over the plain moves the dark column. The paths are aglow with the concourse of voyagers and particles of grain which cannot be seized by their narrow jaws are being heaved along by their shoulders! The owner of the crop beholds all this and blushes to refuse such trifles to cooperative industry such as this!

Why should we dwell upon the amount of evil there is in idleness, when the apostle clearly prescribes that he who does not work should not eat.^[1] As daily sustenance is necessary for everyone, so labor in proportion to one’s strength is also essential. . . . The Lord couples sloth with wickedness, saying, Wicked and slothful servant.^[2] Wise Solomon, also, praises the laborer not only in the words already quoted, but also, in rebuking the sluggard, associating him by contrast with the tiniest of insects: Go to the ant, O sluggard. We have reason to fear, therefore, lest, perchance, on the day of judgment this fault may also be alleged against us, since he who has endowed us with the ability to work demands that our labor be proportioned to our capacity.

[The sluggard] has not imitated the ant. He has not gathered to himself grains while it was summer. What do I mean by while it was summer? While he had quietude of life, while he had this world’s prosperity, when he had leisure; when he was being called happy by all, while it was summer. He should have imitated the ant, he should have heard the Word of God, he should have gathered together grains, and he should have stored them within. But there came the trial of tribulation, there came upon him a winter of numbness, a tempest of fear, the cold of sorrow, whether it were loss, or any danger to his safety, or any bereavement of his family; or any dishonor and humiliation. In winter; the ant falls back upon that which in summer it has gathered together; and within its secret store, where no one can see, it is replenished by its summer toils. When for itself it was gathering together these stores in summer, every one saw it: when on these it feeds in winter, no one sees. What does this mean?

See the ant of God. He rises day by day, he hastens to the church of God, he prays, he hears a reading, he chants a hymn, he digests that which he has heard, he thinks to himself about all this, and inside he is storing up grains gathered from the threshing floor. You who hear those very things which even now are being spoken, do just this. Go forth to the church, go back from church, hear a sermon, hear a reading, choose a book, open and read it. All these things are seen when they are done. That ant is treading his path, carrying and storing up in the sight of those who see him. But in due time there comes the winter. For whom does it not come? There happens to be loss, or bereavement. Others perchance, who know not what the ant has stored up inside to eat, pity the ant as being miserable.

[Let us ponder] Solomon’s sending us to learn wisdom from the ants, urging the sluggard to profit by their example. I began to weary of my capacity and to yearn for the cells of the monastery and to desire the comfort of the solicitude of those ants in whose community all worked together and where, since nothing belonged to anyone, all possessed all things in common.

Construct also hives for bees, for to these the proverbs of Solomon send you, and you may learn from the tiny creatures how to order a monastery and to discipline a kingdom.

Scripture says, Go to the ant, you sluggard, and become wiser than he. The ant at the time of harvest lays up an ample and varied store of food against the threat of winter. Or go to the bee and learn her diligence. For she feeds over the whole meadow to produce a single honeycomb.

There is the busy ant to rouse the indolent and sluggish; for when a man spends an idle youth, then he is instructed by the irrational creatures, being chided by the sacred Scripture, which says, Go to the ant, O sluggard, and considering her ways, emulate her and become wiser than she. For when you observe [the ant] treasuring up food for itself in good season, imitate it, and treasure up for yourself the fruits of good works for the world to come. And again, Go to the bee and learn how industrious she is; how, hovering above flowers of all kinds, it gathers the honey for your use, that you also, by ranging over the sacred Scriptures, may lay hold of salvation for yourself.

Are you unwilling to learn from the Scriptures which teach that it is good to labor, and that he who will not work ought neither to eat?^[1] Learn this lesson from the irrational creatures! . . . You should receive from this creature [the ant] the best exhortation to industrious living. Marvel at your Lord, not only because he has made heaven and the sun, but also because he has made the ant. For although this creature is small, it affords much proof of the greatness of God’s wisdom. Consider then how prudent the ant is, and consider how God has implanted in so small a body such an unceasing desire for work!

But while you learn industry from this creature, you should take from the bee at the same time a lesson of neatness, industry and social concord! For it is not more for itself, than for us, that the bee labors and toils every day, which is indeed a thing especially proper for a Christian: not to seek his own things but the things of others. As then the bee traverses all the meadows that it may prepare a banquet for others, so also, O man, you should do likewise.

Go to the bee. Run to the church and learn the works of light which are done in it, and how the church in holiness accomplishes what it does. See how sensible and chaste it represents itself before kings and private citizens alike. Both the rich and the poor respect its prescription for their own salvation—although it is certainly weak and despised in this world. But when the church puts its faith in Christ it is exalted. In Christ, in fact, there is a rich and luxurious banquet for the time which he has appointed. The church does not look so much at what is present but rather envisions plans for the future. It prepares supplies in the summer and stores a great crop at harvest. Notice, I say, how the bee is solicitous about the future. You also should enjoy security in this life, but be careful lest, with the coming of winter, your house may be found empty and deprived of food. Notice how the bee treats everyone equally: not only is it useful to kings but to private citizens as well. Its medicine cures both alike; it serves nature but does not look for reward. You also should imitate it by valuing not so much the person but the nature of the works done. And does the bee have any beauty in its body? Not at all! For this reason, in order that lazy people might not find excuses in their weakness, Solomon chose the weakest among animals so that he might take away from them any excuses. The bee is pleasing to everybody, even to those who have no means or properties. Every day in the fields and in the cities we hear everyone speak countless praise of this insect.

The bee alone, however, is collected and honored, as divine wisdom says: It is in honor and in love among all. . . . Furthermore, the bee is loved by merit, for his labors are given for the delight of kings and [all] humans.

Come, therefore, and let us also, wandering, as it were, around some intellectual meadow, gather the dew let fall by the Holy Spirit upon the divine message of the gospel, that so being enriched in mind we may bring forth the spiritual honey, even the word profitable and useful to all who thirst after the communication of the divine doctrines, whether they be noble and illustrious, or obscure and private persons in a humble rank of life. For it is written, Good words are as honeycomb; and their sweetness is healing to the soul.^[1]

By ant Solomon seems to indicate the practical way, while the bee designates contemplation of creation and of the Creator. Both the pure and the impure, the wise and the foolish apply [this saying] for the benefit of their souls. It seems to me that the wax corresponds to the realities of creation, while the honey symbolizes the contemplation thereof. And while wax perishes, as it is written, Heaven and earth will pass away,^[1] the honey does not perish. By the same token, the words of Christ our Savior do not pass away, about which Solomon says, Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, their sweetness is health to the soul.^[2] Also, David says, How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!^[3]

And poverty will come upon you like an evil traveler, and want like a good runner. Nothing is worse than poverty. It comes immediately to the idle and even overtakes strong runners in its speed. Poverty is just like need: poverty is lack of knowledge; need is lack of virtue. Can you see the absolute excellence of work? Will you not be taught by instinct? Learn then from an attempt at doing something. Or, do you want to appear even more irrational? Then run away from poverty. Is work at first difficult? Then look to its results. Is idleness sweet? Then consider what comes out of it in the end. So let us not look at the beginning of things, but let us also see where they end up. The one who goes out of his house does not want to stop along the way, but already at the beginning of his journey is thinking about the end. Because he starts out this way, his beginning will bring him to the end. But you do quite the opposite.

All the time this kind of man stirs up troubles in the city. Indeed! The words all the time are quite strong! In fact, even when such a person intends to command something good, his method of command is still full of suspicion. He leads people to fight and troubles secure cities with riots. This kind of a person has no peaceful spirit, nor has he listened to Jesus, who said, How blessed are the peacemakers.^[1]

A proud eye, an unjust tongue, hands that shed just blood. He [Solomon] emphasizes evil actions through members of the body used wickedly. As the eye, the tongue and the hands act in the body, in the same manner reflection, impulse and decision act in the soul. And, he [Solomon] did not enumerate these things to us without reason, but in order that we might learn to be moderate through them. Those who, while drinking the blood of the Lord, yet remain polluted with iniquity are shedding the blood of the just.

A heart that forges evil thoughts. Indeed, since the heart was impure, it also made the limbs impure, so that it shed the poison to its extremities. . . . By brothers he [Solomon] means those who have obtained the grace of adoption and are subjected to Christ our father. When unjust or lustful thoughts come to them, these thoughts try to trouble them. In fact, they inflame them to anger which causes hatred, and to evil desires which bring about immoral actions.

The six capital crimes enumerated here are nevertheless like minor faults when compared with the sowing of discord, since the deed that fractures the unity and fraternity which were achieved by the grace of the Holy Spirit is surely a greater sin. For anyone can raise his eyes boastfully, lie with the tongue, pollute himself with murder, plot to harm his neighbor, subject his members to other offenses, and give false testimony against another. But it must not be thought that what he names with his lying tongue is all the same, for he is able to tell a lie without doing so against a neighbor. For, in his book about lying,^[1] blessed Augustine teaches that there are eight kinds of lies. Each reprobate, I say, can bring evil upon himself or upon others yet without harming the peace of the church. But what Donatus and Arius and their followers do is more serious, who destroy the harmony of fraternal unity by sowing discord.

Solomon also writes that the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light. This sensible light that is in the world, by falling on our bodily eyes, dispels the darkness. So also the law of God, when admitted into the mind and heart of people, illuminates it thoroughly and does not allow it to fall against the stumbling blocks of ignorance or be caught in the thickets of sin.

We read in Proverbs, The eyes of the harlot, the snare of the sinner. Anyone who even looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart.^[1] There are as many snares as there are sins; as many hunters as there are snares.

When different sexes are placed together, they derive pleasure from those instincts with which they were born, and the natural flame is lighted by unnatural contact if it touches something inflammable. Who can ever take fire to his bosom and not be burned? Fire and tow^[1] are as objects naturally opposite, but when brought together, they nourish flames. The sex of a man and of a woman is different, but, if they are brought together, the result will be what is provoked by the law of nature.

We must notice the apostle’s prudence. He did not say, it is good not to have a wife, but it is good not to touch a woman: as though there were danger even in the touch, as though he who touched her would not escape from her who hunts for the precious life and causes the young man’s understanding to fly away. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be scorched? As then he who touches fire is instantly burned, so by the mere touch the peculiar nature of man and woman is perceived, and the difference of sex is understood.

Solomon warns us against familiarity with such people when he says, Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn? Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? And again: The price of a harlot is scarce the half of one loaf: but the woman catches the precious soul of a man. Oh, how great is the wickedness and how deplorable the perversity, when a dissolute man for the sake of momentary lustful pleasure sells to the devil the soul which Christ redeemed with his blood! Truly lamentable and miserable is the condition whereby what brings delight passes away at once, while what causes torture endures without end. The assault of passion disappears in a moment, but the shame of the unfortunate soul abides.

Do not voluntarily make trial of your mind with lewd reflections which tempt you, because in this way wise men have been darkened and made fools. Do not store a flame in your bosom.

Without harsh tribulations of the flesh it is difficult for untrained youth to be held under the yoke of sanctification. The beginning of the intellect’s darkening (once a sign of it is visible in the soul) is to be seen, first of all, in slothfulness with regard to the services^[1] and prayer. For except the soul first fall away from these, she cannot be led in the way of error; but as soon as she is deprived of God’s help, she easily falls into the hands of her adversaries. And again, whenever the soul becomes heedless of virtue’s labours, she is inevitably drawn to what is opposed to them.

The price of a loose woman is scarcely a loaf of bread; but if she is married, she is a trap for your life. Notice how great sin is, that on account of the space of one hour, in which an unhappy soul is joined to a prostitute, he renders himself alien to eternal life and makes himself liable to punishment by eternal fire. Even if that unfortunate delight of pleasure should stretch out over the space of a hundred years, it would not be right, and the unhappy soul would suffer eternal punishments in return for the pleasure of a hundred years.

Can someone put fire in his lap without his clothes getting burned? Or can he walk over coals of fire without his feet getting scorched?

Do not do anything out of the ordinary or adopt a singular way of life as long as you are with many brothers in the monastery. Otherwise when you imagine you are making progress you are in fact retrogressing, and you will be like the man who harvests and then scatters the grain, or the man who plants and then pulls up.

Try to ensure as far as possible that it is not men but God who sees your labors and good works. If they are visible to your fellow men, then the moment they are seen, they are flawed. For there is a path which appears to men to be good, but its tracks are those of death. Your religious life will be unacceptable if you show someone your good deeds.

It is very easy for someone to hide bread in the grass and then eat it, but to hide grass in bread and live off that is something only the discerning is able to do. It is good to hide one’s good deeds: a man whose actions only God sees has reached a high [level].

If slaves are thieves, they are perhaps forced to steal through want. Even though the customary allowances are given, these allowances satisfy custom rather than sufficiency and thus fulfill the law without fulfilling the need. Their indulgence makes their fault less blameworthy, because the guilt of the thief who is unwillingly forced into theft is excusable. Holy Scripture seems to excuse in part the offense of the needy when it says, The fault is not so great when a man has stolen, for he steals to feed his hungry soul.

Not every sin brings the same penalty, but those which are easiest to be amended bring upon us the greatest punishment. Solomon indeed intimated this when he said, It is not wonderful if anyone be taken while stealing, for he steals that he may satisfy his soul that is hungry, but the adulterer by lack of understanding destroys his own soul. But what he means is to this effect. The thief is a grievous offender, but not so grievous a one as the adulterer. For the former, though he has a sorry reason for his conduct, yet at the same time has to plead the necessity arising from indigence. But the latter, when no necessity compels him, by his mere madness rushes into the abyss of iniquity.

These articles of our faith were not composed out of human opinion but are the principal points collected out of the whole of Scripture to complete a single doctrinal formulation of the faith. And in like manner as the mustard seed contains numbers of branches-to-be within its tiny grain, so also this creed embraces in a few phrases all the religious knowledge contained in the Old and New Testaments together. Look now, brethren, and hold the traditions,^[1] which are now being imparted to you, and write them on the table of your hearts.

It is proper that until we reach maturity, virtue of the soul be within us and personal, but when we reach full maturity so that we are capable also of teaching others, let us then no longer enclose virtue within our bosom as a wife but as a sister, let us unite her also with others who wish her. For to those who are perfect the divine Word says, Say that wisdom is your sister.

She endeavors to steal the hearts of young men—a woman restless at home, a wanderer in the public squares, prodigal of kisses, indifferent to shame, gaudy in her dress and countenance. Since she is unable, indeed, to assume a beauty that is true to nature, she affects what is the opposite to truth—an external show of meretricious arts. . . . She attacks the citadels of men’s hearts while uttering such words as these as a war cry: I have vowed victims for peace, this day I have paid my vows. Therefore I am come out to meet you, desirous to see you, and I have found you. I have woven my bed with cords. I have covered it with tapestry from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with saffron and my home with cinnamon. Come and let us wrestle with desire. Here in the words of Solomon we behold the very picture of a wanton [woman]. What other than worldly pleasure is more characteristic of a prostitute who makes her entrance stealthily into the house, first making tentative explorations with her eyes and then entering quickly, while you concentrate the gaze of your soul outward on the public square, that is, on the streets frequented by passersby and not inward on the mysteries of the law? She has contrived to trap us in a room devoted to the associations of common life by such solid chains that a person, although held in bondage, finds herself at ease there. As she reclines there she covers her body with coverlets of fraud and deceit so as to allure the souls of young men, alleging the absence of a husband, that is to say, her disregard for the law. The law does not exist for sinners, for, if it were present, it would not have been ignored. Hence we read: For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey. He took with him a bag of money. What is the meaning of this, if not that the rich believe that there is nothing that money cannot control and that the law is something that can be sold for profit? Pleasure dissipates its fragrance because it has not the fragrance of Christ.^[1] Pleasure looks for treasures, it promises kingdoms, it assures lasting loves, it pledges undreamed of intimacies, instruction without a guardian and conversation without hindrance. Pleasure promises a life bereft of anxiety, a sleep devoid of disturbance and wants that cannot be satiated. We read: Entangling him with many words and alluring him with the snares of her lips, she led him even to her home. He was beguiled and followed her. . . . Everything there was confused and contrary to the order of nature.

In these words, after many days he will return home, Paul (who in the spirit perceived the plan of the divine economy) refers to the last enemy which is to be destroyed, that is, death.^[1] That enemy is the man of wickedness that Solomon will describe as one who took in his hand a bag of money, that is, humanity. When [humanity] sins again and again, it allows itself to disregard the fear of God. It [only] becomes distressed when the human race is brought to the point of trials. Otherwise, if it never envisioned any fear of God at all, it would have perished in an instant.

Uncircumcised in smell and touch are those who are steeped in ointment and various odors, who pursue the embraces of a harlot, sprinkling their bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.