Letter 984

To the same person. The lack of discrimination regarding foods, together with unrestrained laughter, becomes the source and the vein of no ordinary evils. For unbridled laughter and gluttony give birth to sins past counting; and it befits the priest to flee from every sin.

Οὗ τῶν τυχόντων κακῶν πηγὴ καὶ φλὲψ γίνεται ἡ ἀδιαφορία τῶν ἐδεσμάτων, καὶ ὁ ἀκόλαστος γέλως. Ὁ γὰρ ἀκρατὴς γέλως, καὶ ἡ κοιλιομανία δυσἐαρίθμητα τίκτουσιν ἁμαρτήματα· φεύγειν δὲ πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν προσήκει τὸν ἱερέα.