On Talkativeness and Silence:
He who rememberers his departure cuts back on chatter. And one formed in spiritual mourning destroys chatter as with fire.
+++
The lover of stillness closes firmly his mouth, but the one who enjoys going out is driven from his cell by the passions.
+++
He who knows the scent of the fire from on high flees from the gathering of humanity as the bee from smoke. For as the smoke oppresses the one, so human gatherings oppose the other.
+++
Few indeed can hold water without a dike; Fewer can take control of the mouth. This is the eleventh step. Whoever has conquered it has cut off a multitude of evils in a single stroke.
St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
+++
The lover of stillness closes firmly his mouth, but the one who enjoys going out is driven from his cell by the passions.
+++
He who knows the scent of the fire from on high flees from the gathering of humanity as the bee from smoke. For as the smoke oppresses the one, so human gatherings oppose the other.
+++
Few indeed can hold water without a dike; Fewer can take control of the mouth. This is the eleventh step. Whoever has conquered it has cut off a multitude of evils in a single stroke.
St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Comments