1 Clement 38.2
Summary: Strong and weak, rich and poor, wise and humble should serve one another without boasting.
Greek text · Lake, LCL 24:72–74
ὁ ἰσχυρὸς τημελείτω τὸν ἀσθενῆ, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενὴς ἐντρεπέσθω τὸν ἰσχυρόν· ὁ πλούσιος ἐπιχορηγείτω τῷ πτωχῷ, ὁ δὲ πτωχὸς εὐχαριστείτω τῷ θεῷ, ὅτι ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ, διʼ οὗ ἀναπληρωθῇ αὐτοῦ τὸ ὑστέρημα· ὁ σοφὸς ἐνδεικνύσθω τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐν λόγοις, ἀλλʼ ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς· ὁ ταπεινοφρονῶν μὴ ἑαυτῷ μαρτυρείτω, ἀλλʼ ἐάτω ὑφʼ ἑτέρου ἑαυτὸν μαρτυρεῖσθαι· ὁ ἁγνὸς ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ μὴ ἀλαζονευέσθω, γινώσκων ὅτι ἕτερός ἐστιν ὁ ἐπιχορηγῶν αὐτῷ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν.
English · Claude translation
Let the strong care for the weak, and let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich man supply the poor, and let the poor man thank God that he gave him someone through whom his need may be met. Let the wise show his wisdom not in words but in good works. Let the humble not testify to himself but let another testify to him. Let the one who is pure in the flesh not boast, knowing that it is another who grants him his self-control.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- “Pure in the flesh” (ὁ ἁγνὸς ἐν τῇ σαρκί): probably celibate (see the glossary on ἁγνεία).
Cite this passage
1 Clem. 38.2 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/1-clement/38/2/).
Plain text
1 Clem. 38.2 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/1-clement/38/2/).
Download citation:BibTeX ·RIS (Zotero, EndNote)