Letter 32

To Sophronius, monk. Do not wish your superior to be wise in speech. For those who are wise in speech do not in every case please God; rather, seek this: that to the very end you may submit to the unlettered man—you who in appearance have been made clever with the wisdom of the world—and so bind upon yourself the precious crown of humility and of the most genuine obedience.

Μὴ θέλε τὸν ἡγούμενον σου εἶναι σοφὸν τῷ λόγῳ. οὐ γὰρ πάντως οἱ σοφοὶ τῷ λόγῳ εὐαρεστοῦσι τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνο ζήτησον, ὅπως ἂν μέχρι τέλους ὑποταγῇς τῷ ἰδιώτῃ σὺ ὁ τῷ δοκεῖν σεσοφισμένος τῇ τοῦ κόσμου σοφίᾳ, τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης, καὶ τῆς γνησιωτάτης ὑπ’ ἀγῆς τὸν πολυτίμητον στέφανον ἀνάδησῃ.