Letter 131

To Philo the Illustrius [illustris, a high senatorial rank]. Cease, then, from oppressing and from buffeting the lowly, for God is a sufficient examiner of transgressions, and a man haughty toward poverty, and one who fearlessly tramples upon the poor, shall in no way escape the recompense of God. Those who pursue with their whole mind the all-seeing Lord, even if they have come to the uttermost of dangers, shall by all means obtain the help from above; for the Master, having become attentive to them, snatches them out from the very midst of destruction and carries them up to eternal life and to joy.

Πέπαυσο λοιπὸν καταθλίβων, καὶ κατακονδυλίζων τοὺς εὐτελεῖς, ἰκανῶς γὰρ ἐξεταστὴς ὑπάρχει πλημμελημάτων θεός, καὶ οὐδαμῶς τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τοῦ θεοῦ διαφεύξεται ἄνθρωπος ὑπέροπτος πενίας, καὶ πένητος ἀφόδως κατατρέχων. Οἱ ἐξ ὅλης διανοίας τὸν παντέφορον ἐπιδιώμενοι Κύριον, κἂν εἰς τὸ ἔσχατον τῶν κινδύνων ἀφίκοντο, πάντως τεύξονται τῆς ἄνωθεν ἀρωγῆς· ἐπήκοος γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης γενόμενος ἐξ αὐτῆς μέσης ἐξαρπάσας τῆς ἀπωλείας πρὸς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ χαρὰν ἀναφέρει.