Sophia Scriptura

Shorter Rules (Asceticon, Regulae brevius tractatae) 302–313

Basil of Caesarea · Shorter Rules (Asceticon, Regulae brevius tractatae) · ca. 366-376 · Caesarea · 12 passages

Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Chapter 302

302PG 31:1295

Εἰ χρὴ ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας διδόναι τοῖς ἐνδεέσι τῶν ἔξωθεν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος, Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ· καὶ, ὅτι Οὐκ ἔστι καλὸν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων, καὶ βαλεῖν τοῖς κυναρίοις· τὰ διατεταγμένα τοῖς ἀνακειμένοις Θεῷ οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον εἰς ἀδιαφόρους παραναλίσκειν. Εἰ δὲ δυνατὸν γενέσθαι τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπαινουμένης ἐν πίστει γυναικὸς, ὅτι Ναὶ, Κύριε· καὶ γὰρ τὰ κυνάρια ἐσθίει ἀπὸ τῶν ψιχίων τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν· ἐν τῇ τοῦ οἰκονόμου ἀνακείσθω δοκιμασίᾳ μετὰ κοινῆς τῶν μετ᾿ αὐτὸν προεχόντων γνώμης· ἵνα ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύματος ὁ ἥλιος, καθὼς γέγραπται, ἀνατείλῃ ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθούς.

Ei chrē apo tēs oikonomias didonai tois endeesi tōn exōthen. APOKRISIS. Tou Kyriou eipontos, Ouk apestalēn ei mē eis ta probata ta apolōlota oikou Israēl; kai, hoti Ouk esti kalon labein ton arton tōn teknōn, kai balein tois kynariois; ta diatetagmena tois anakeimenois Theǭ ouk anankaion eis adiaphorous paranaliskein. Ei de dynaton genesthai to eirēmenon hypo tēs epainoumenēs en pistei gynaikos, hoti Nai, Kyrie; kai gar ta kynaria esthiei apo tōn psichiōn tōn piptontōn apo tēs trapezēs tōn kyriōn autōn; en tę̄ tou oikonomou anakeisthō dokimasią meta koinēs tōn met᾿ auton proechontōn gnōmēs; hina ek tou perisseumatos ho hēlios, kathōs gegraptai, anateilę̄ epi ponērous kai agathous.

Question. Whether one should give from the stewardship to those in need from outside.

Answer. Since the Lord said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and, “It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs,” it is not necessary to spend on just anyone what has been assigned to those dedicated to God. But whether what was said by the woman praised for her faith can be done, “Yes, Lord; for even the dogs eat from the crumbs that fall from their masters' table,” let it be left to the judgment of the steward, with the common opinion of those who rank next after him; so that from what is left over the sun may rise, as it is written, on the evil and the good.

Matt 15:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 15:26–27 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:45 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: What is set aside for the brothers should not be spent on outsiders without need, but the steward, with the senior brothers, may give from the surplus, as God makes his sun rise on evil and good.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (split word): ψι· χίων → ψιχίων.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 302 (PG 31:1295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/302). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/302

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 303

303PG 31:1295

Εἰ χρὴ τοῖς παρὰ πάντων λεγομένοις ὑπακούειν ἐν ἀδελφότητι ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὸ ἐρώτημα τοῦτο πολλὴν δυσχέρειαν ἔχει τῆς ἀποκρίσεως. Πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι ἀταξίας ἔμφασιν φανερῶς δίδωσιν ἐν τῷ παρὰ πάντων λέγεσθαί τι, τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· Προφῆται δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν, καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν· καὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς μερισμοῖς τῶν χαρισμάτων, ἴδιον ἑκάστου τῶν λαλούντων τὸ τάγμα τάξαντος, ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν· Ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἐμέρισε μέτρον πίστεως· καὶ ἐν τῷ ὑποδείγματι τῶν μελῶν τοῦ σώματος σαφῶς μὲν παριστῶντος ἐν μέρει εἶναι τὸ μέρος τοῦ λαλοῦντος, ἀκριβέστερον δὲ διευκρινοῦντος ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν· Εἴτε ὁ διδάσκων ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, εἴτε ὁ παρακαλῶν ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει, καὶ τὰ λοιπά· ὡς δῆλον ἐκ τούτων εἶναι μὴ πάντα πᾶσιν ἐπιτετράφθαι, ἕκαστον δὲ ἰδίᾳ κλήσει μένειν, καὶ κατορθοῦν ἐπιμελέστερον τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου πιστευθέν. Δεῖ τοίνυν τὸν μὲν προεστῶτα τοῦ κοινοῦ, καὶ διατασσόμενον τοῖς πᾶσι, μετὰ πολλῆς δοκιμασίας ἐγχειρισθῆναι τὴν φροντίδα ταύτην, καὶ ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ πρέπον ἐπαγρυπνεῖν τῇ μερίμνῃ, ὅπως εὐαρέστως τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐστοχασμένως τῆς ἑκάστου ἐπιτηδειότητός τε καὶ δυνάμεως πρὸς τὸ κοινῇ συμφέρον διατάσσηται, καὶ ἐπιτάσσῃ· τοὺς δὲ ὑπηκόους, τῆς εὐταξίας φυλαττομένης, καὶ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τὸ ἴδιον μέτρον γνωριζούσης, μεμνῆσθαι τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος· Τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούει· κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτὰ, καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσί μοι· κἀγὼ ζωὴν αἰώνιον δίδωμι αὐτοῖς· καὶ προειπόντος, Ἀλλοτρίῳ δὲ οὐ μὴ ἀκολουθήσουσιν, ἀλλὰ φεύξονται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐκ οἶδασι τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τὴν φωνήν· καὶ τοῦ Αποστόλου λέγοντος, ὅτι Εἴ τις ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ, καὶ μὴ προσέρχεται ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις τοῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τῇ κατ' εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλία, τετύφωται, μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος· μετὰ δὲ τὰ ἐπισυμβαίνοντα ἐπαγαγόντος· ᾿Αφίστασο ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων· καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ· Προφητείας μὴ ἐξουθενεῖτε· πάντα δοκιμάζετε· τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε· ἀπὸ παντὸς εἴδους πονηροῦ ἀπέχεσθε. "Ωστε εἰ μέν τί ἐστι κατ᾿ ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου λεγόμενον, ἢ πρὸς τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου κατευθυνόμενον, κἂν θανάτου ἀπειλὴν ἔχῃ, ὑπακούειν χρή· εἰ δὲ τι παρ' ἐντολήν ἐστιν, ἢ τὴν ἐντολὴν παραβλάπτει, κἂν ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἡ τις τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπιτάσσῃ, κἂν ζωῆς ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχῃ, κἂν θανάτου ἀπειλὴν, οὐδαμῶς ἀνέχεσθαι χρὴ, τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου εἰπόντος· Κἂν ἡμεῖς αὐτοὶ, ἢ ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εὐαγγελίζηται ὑμῖν παρ' ὃ εὐηγγελισάμεθα ὑμῖν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω.

Ei chrē tois para pantōn legomenois hypakouein en adelphotēti APOKRISIS. To erōtēma touto pollēn dyschereian echei tēs apokriseōs. Prōton men, hoti ataxias emphasin phanerōs didōsin en tǭ para pantōn legesthai ti, tou Apostolou legontos; Prophētai de dyo ē treis laleitōsan, kai hoi alloi diakrinetōsan; kai tou autou en tois merismois tōn charismatōn, idion hekastou tōn lalountōn to tagma taxantos, en tǭ eipein; Hekastǭ hōs ho Theos emerise metron pisteōs; kai en tǭ hypodeigmati tōn melōn tou sōmatos saphōs men paristōntos en merei einai to meros tou lalountos, akribesteron de dieukrinountos en tǭ eipein; Eite ho didaskōn en tę̄ didaskalią, eite ho parakalōn en tę̄ paraklēsei, kai ta loipa; hōs dēlon ek toutōn einai mē panta pasin epitetraphthai, hekaston de idią klēsei menein, kai katorthoun epimelesteron to hypo tou Kyriou pisteuthen. Dei toinyn ton men proestōta tou koinou, kai diatassomenon tois pasi, meta pollēs dokimasias encheiristhēnai tēn phrontida tautēn, kai hekastǭ kata to prepon epagrypnein tę̄ merimnę̄, hopōs euarestōs tǭ Theǭ, kai estochasmenōs tēs hekastou epitēdeiotētos te kai dynameōs pros to koinę̄ sympheron diatassētai, kai epitassę̄; tous de hypēkoous, tēs eutaxias phylattomenēs, kai tēs hypakoēs to idion metron gnōrizousēs, memnēsthai tou Kyriou legontos; Ta probata ta ema tēs phōnēs mou akouei; kagō ginōskō auta, kai akolouthousi moi; kagō zōēn aiōnion didōmi autois; kai proeipontos, Allotriǭ de ou mē akolouthēsousin, alla pheuxontai ap' autou, hoti ouk oidasi tōn allotriōn tēn phōnēn; kai tou Apostolou legontos, hoti Ei tis heterodidaskalei, kai mē proserchetai hygiainousi logois tois tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, kai tę̄ kat' eusebeian didaskalia, tetyphōtai, mēden epistamenos; meta de ta episymbainonta epagagontos; ᾿Aphistaso apo tōn toioutōn; kai palin allachou; Prophēteias mē exoutheneite; panta dokimazete; to kalon katechete; apo pantos eidous ponērou apechesthe. "Ōste ei men ti esti kat᾿ entolēn tou Kyriou legomenon, ē pros tēn entolēn tou Kyriou kateuthynomenon, kan thanatou apeilēn echę̄, hypakouein chrē; ei de ti par' entolēn estin, ē tēn entolēn parablaptei, kan angelos ex ouranou, hē tis tōn apostolōn epitassę̄, kan zōēs epangelian echę̄, kan thanatou apeilēn, oudamōs anechesthai chrē, tou ᾿Apostolou eipontos; Kan hēmeis autoi, ē angelos ex ouranou euangelizētai hymin par' ho euēngelisametha hymin, anathema estō.

Question. Whether one should obey what is said by everyone in a brotherhood.

Answer. This question is very difficult to answer. First, because it plainly suggests disorder, in that something is said by everyone, since the Apostle says, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others discern”; and the same Apostle, in the distribution of the gifts, assigned to each of those who speak his own order, saying, “To each as God has apportioned a measure of faith”; and in the example of the members of the body showed clearly that the part of the one who speaks is a part, and distinguished it more exactly, saying, “Whether he who teaches, in teaching; or he who exhorts, in exhortation,” and the rest; so that it is clear from these that not everything has been entrusted to all, but each must remain in his own calling and fulfil more carefully what has been entrusted by the Lord. The superior of the community, then, who arranges for all, must be entrusted with this charge after much testing, and must keep watch with care for each as is fitting, so that he may arrange and command in a way pleasing to God and with an eye to each one's fitness and strength for the common good. And those under him, good order being kept and obedience knowing its own measure, must remember the Lord, who says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eternal life,” and who had said before, “A stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers”; and the Apostle, who says, “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is conceited, understanding nothing,” and who, after what follows, adds, “Withdraw from such people”; and again elsewhere, “Do not despise prophecies; test all things; hold fast what is good; abstain from every form of evil.” So if something is said according to the Lord's commandment, or is directed toward the Lord's commandment, one must obey, even if it carries the threat of death; but if something is contrary to the commandment, or harms the commandment, even if an angel from heaven or one of the apostles commands it, even if it carries a promise of life or a threat of death, one must by no means put up with it, since the Apostle said: “Even if we ourselves, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we preached to you, let him be accursed.”

1 Cor 14:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:12–27 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 12:7–8 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 10:27–28 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:3–5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 5:20–22 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:8 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Not everyone may give orders in a brotherhood: each has his own place, and the tested superior directs all; what agrees with the Lord's commandment must be obeyed even at the risk of death, and what contradicts it refused, whoever commands it.

  • Stray fragments in the scan text (“… one may learn that burning …”, and “νι” at the end) are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (fragment of another line run into the text; stray letters): τῆς τρου ἔστι μαθεῖν, ὅτι διαπύρω. ἀποκρίσεως → τῆς ἀποκρίσεως; ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. νι, → ἀνάθεμα ἔστω..

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 303 (PG 31:1295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/303). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/303

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-303) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 304

304PG 31:1299

Εἰ ὑπὲρ τῶν παραδεδομένων τῇ ἀδελφότητι παρὰ τῶν οἰκείων, θελόντων διδόναι τι, χρὴ δέχεσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ.' Ἡ τούτου φροντὶς καὶ δοκιμασία ἀνῆκε τῷ προεστῶτι. Πλὴν, ὡς κατ᾿ ἐμὴν γνώμην, λογίζομαι ὅτι μᾶλλον ἀπρόσκοπόν ἐστι τοῖς πολλοῖς, καὶ εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς πίστεως ὠφελιμώτερον τὸ ἀπωθεῖσθαι τὰς τοιαύτας χάριτας. Ἐκ γὰρ τῆς ὑποδοχῆς πρῶτον μὲν συμβαίνει καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν κατὰ τοῦ κοινοῦ προενεχθῆναι πολλάκις. Ἔπειτα, ὅτι καὶ ἐπάρσεως παρέχει πρόφασιν τῷ οἰκείῳ τῶν προσενεγκόντων. Πρὸς τούτοις, ὅτι κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου περὶ τῶν εἰς τὸ κοινὸν τὰ ἴδια ἐσθιόντων καὶ πινόντων γίνεται τὸ, Καταισχύνετε τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας, καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα. Τοσούτων δὲ προφάσεων εἰς ἁμαρτίαν ἐπισυμβαινουσῶν, καλόν ἐστι τὸ μὴ δέχεσθαι τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἐπιτρέπειν δὲ τῷ προεστῶτι δοκιμάζειν, καὶ παρὰ τίνων χρὴ ληφθῆναι, καὶ πῶς δεῖ οἰκονομηθῆναι.

Ei hyper tōn paradedomenōn tę̄ adelphotēti para tōn oikeiōn, thelontōn didonai ti, chrē dechesthai. APOKRISIS.' Hē toutou phrontis kai dokimasia anēke tǭ proestōti. Plēn, hōs kat᾿ emēn gnōmēn, logizomai hoti mallon aproskopon esti tois pollois, kai eis oikodomēn tēs pisteōs ōphelimōteron to apōtheisthai tas toiautas charitas. Ek gar tēs hypodochēs prōton men symbainei kai oneidismon kata tou koinou proenechthēnai pollakis. Epeita, hoti kai eparseōs parechei prophasin tǭ oikeiǭ tōn prosenenkontōn. Pros toutois, hoti kata to eirēmenon hypo tou Apostolou peri tōn eis to koinon ta idia esthiontōn kai pinontōn ginetai to, Kataischynete tous mē echontas, kai polla toiauta. Tosoutōn de prophaseōn eis hamartian episymbainousōn, kalon esti to mē dechesthai ta toiauta, epitrepein de tǭ proestōti dokimazein, kai para tinōn chrē lēphthēnai, kai pōs dei oikonomēthēnai.

Question. Whether, when the relatives of those handed over to the brotherhood wish to give something on their behalf, it should be accepted.

Answer. The care and judgment of this belongs to the superior. But, in my own opinion, I reckon that it gives less offence to the many, and is more profitable for the building up of faith, to refuse such favours. For from accepting them it first often happens that reproach is brought against the community. Then, it gives the relative of those who brought them an occasion for elation. Besides this, there happens what the Apostle said of those who eat and drink their own in the common gathering: “You shame those who have nothing”; and many such things. Since so many occasions for sin arise, it is good not to accept such things, but to leave it to the superior to judge both from whom one should receive and how it should be managed.

1 Cor 11:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Gifts from relatives for those in the community are better refused, since they bring reproach, pride, and shame to the poor; the superior must decide.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (column letter; split word): προσενεγκόν των → προσενεγκόντων; ἐσθιόντων Β καὶ → ἐσθιόντων καὶ.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 304 (PG 31:1299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/304). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/304

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-304) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 305

305PG 31:1299

Εἰ δεῖ λαμβάνειν παρὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἢ κατα χάριν φιλίας, ἢ προκατειλημμένης συγγενείας. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦτο τὸ ἐρώτημα τὴν ὁμοίαν δύναμιν ἔχει τῷ ερωτήματι, Εἰ παρὰ τῶν οἰκείων χρή τι λαμβάνειν.

Ei dei lambanein para tōn exōthen ē kata charin philias, ē prokateilēmmenēs syngeneias. APOKRISIS. Touto to erōtēma tēn homoian dynamin echei tǭ erōtēmati, Ei para tōn oikeiōn chrē ti lambanein.

Question. Whether one should receive from those outside, either as a favour of friendship or from a previous kinship.

Answer. This question has the same force as the question, “Whether one should receive anything from relatives.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Gifts from outside friends or former kin are governed by the same answer as gifts from relatives.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR letter): ποοκατειλημμένης → προκατειλημμένης.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 305 (PG 31:1299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/305). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/305

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-305) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 306

306PG 31:1299

Μετὰ ποίου τρόπου τὸ ἀμετεώριστον κατορθοῦται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. και Ἐὰν τὸ τοῦ ἐκλεκτοῦ Δαβὶδ φρόνημά τις ἀναλάβῃ, εἰπόντος, ποτὲ μὲν, Προωρώμην τὸν Κύριον ἐνὠπιόν μου διαπαντὸς, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ· ποτὲ δὲ, ὅτι Οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου διαπαντὸς πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐκσπάσει ἐκ παγίδος τοὺς πόδας μου· ποτὲ δὲ, Ἰδοὺ ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ δούλων εἰς χεῖρας τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν, ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ παιδίσκης εἰς χεῖρας τῆς κυρίας αὐτῆς· οὕτως οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἵνα τῷ ἐλάττονι παραδείγματι σπουδαιότερον τὰ μείζονα κατορθοῦν φροντίσωμεν, ῃ ἕκαστος ἑαυτῷ λογιζέσθω, οἷός ἐστιν ἐνώπιον φανερὰ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους φυλάσσειν σπουδάζομεν, τῶν παρόντων, κἂν ἰσότιμοι τυγχάνωσι· πῶς τὸ ἀκατάγνωστον ἑαυτῷ σπουδάζει κατορθῶσαι, καὶ ἐν στάσει, καὶ ἐν περιπάτῳ, καὶ ἐν κινήματι παντὸς μέλους, καὶ ἐν φθέγματι. Ωσπερ δὲ τὰ ἀνθρώποις οὕτω καὶ πολὺ πλέον, ἐάν τις τὸν Θεὸν πληροφορηθῇ ἔχειν ἐπόπτην, ἐτάζοντα καρδίας καὶ νεφρούς, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ πληροῦντα τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν· Οὗ ἐὰν ὦσι δύο ἢ τρεῖς συνηγμένοι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα, ἐκεῖ εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν· καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα ἐπιστατοῦν, καὶ μερίζον τὰ χαρίσματα, καὶ ἐνεργοῦν· καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους παρατηρητὰς ἑκάστου κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου· Ὁρᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων· λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ διαπαντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς· πολυπλασίονα καὶ σφοδρότερον ἀγῶνα ἔχει, ὅπως εὐάρεστον τὴν θεοσέβειαν κατορθώσῃ, καὶ οὕτω τὸ ἀμετεώριστον σφοδρότερον καὶ ἀκριβέστερον βεβαιοῦται. Ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐὰν σπουδάσῃ πληρῶσαι τὸ, Εὐλογήσω τὸν Κύριον ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ· διαπαντὸς ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ στόματί μου· καὶ τὸ, Μελετήσει ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτοῦ ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς, ἵνα τῇ ὁμαλῇ καὶ διηνεκεῖ μελέτῃ καὶ θεωρίᾳ τῶν θελημάτων καὶ τῶν δοξῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ εὔρῃ ὁ νοῦς καιρὸν μετεωρισμοῦ.

Meta poiou tropou to ameteōriston katorthoutai. APOKRISIS. kai Ean to tou eklektou Dabid phronēma tis analabę̄, eipontos, pote men, Proōrōmēn ton Kyrion enōpion mou diapantos, hoti ek dexiōn mou estin, hina mē saleuthō; pote de, hoti Hoi ophthalmoi mou diapantos pros ton Kyrion, hoti autos ekspasei ek pagidos tous podas mou; pote de, Idou hōs ophthalmoi doulōn eis cheiras tōn kyriōn autōn, hōs ophthalmoi paidiskēs eis cheiras tēs kyrias autēs; houtōs hoi ophthalmoi hēmōn pros Kyrion ton Theon hēmōn. Kai hina tǭ elattoni paradeigmati spoudaioteron ta meizona katorthoun phrontisōmen, ę̄ hekastos heautǭ logizesthō, hoios estin enōpion phanera pros anthrōpous phylassein spoudazomen, tōn parontōn, kan isotimoi tynchanōsi; pōs to akatagnōston heautǭ spoudazei katorthōsai, kai en stasei, kai en peripatǭ, kai en kinēmati pantos melous, kai en phthegmati. Ōsper de ta anthrōpois houtō kai poly pleon, ean tis ton Theon plērophorēthę̄ echein epoptēn, etazonta kardias kai nephrous, kata to gegrammenon, kai ton monogenē Huion tou Theou plērounta tēn epangelian; Hou ean ōsi dyo ē treis synēgmenoi eis to emon onoma, ekei eimi en mesǭ autōn; kai to hagion Pneuma epistatoun, kai merizon ta charismata, kai energoun; kai tous angelous paratērētas hekastou kata to eirēmenon hypo tou Kyriou; Horate mē kataphronēsēte henos tōn mikrōn toutōn; legō gar hymin, hoti hoi angeloi autōn en tǭ ouranǭ diapantos blepousi to prosōpon tou Patros mou tou en ouranois; polyplasiona kai sphodroteron agōna echei, hopōs euareston tēn theosebeian katorthōsę̄, kai houtō to ameteōriston sphodroteron kai akribesteron bebaioutai. Eti de kai ean spoudasę̄ plērōsai to, Eulogēsō ton Kyrion en panti kairǭ; diapantos hē ainesis autou en tǭ stomati mou; kai to, Meletēsei en tǭ nomǭ autou hēmeras kai nyktos, hina tę̄ homalę̄ kai diēnekei meletę̄ kai theōrią tōn thelēmatōn kai tōn doxōn tou Theou mē eurę̄ ho nous kairon meteōrismou.

Question. In what way is freedom from distraction achieved?

Answer. If one takes up the mind of the chosen David, who said at one time, “I set the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved,” at another, “My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the snare,” and at another, “Behold, as the eyes of servants to the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes to the Lord our God.” And so that by the lesser example we may take more earnest care to achieve the greater, let each one consider what he is like in the presence of those around him, even if they happen to be his equals: how he strives to achieve blamelessness in standing, in walking, in the movement of every limb, and in speech. And as we strive to keep what is visible to men, so also, and much more, if someone is fully assured that he has God as overseer, who tries hearts and reins, as it is written, and the only-begotten Son of God fulfilling the promise, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” and the Holy Spirit presiding, distributing the gifts, and working, and the angels watching each one, according to what was said by the Lord, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven,” he has a struggle many times greater and more intense to achieve godliness that is pleasing; and so freedom from distraction is more strongly and exactly established. And further, if he is eager to fulfil the saying, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth,” and the saying, “He will meditate on his law day and night,” so that through steady and continual meditation and contemplation of the will and the glories of God the mind may find no occasion for distraction.

Ps 16:8 (15:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 25:15 (24:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 123:2 (122:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 7:9 (7:10 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 18:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 18:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:1 (33:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 1:2 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Freedom from distraction comes from keeping God always before one's eyes, as David did; if we guard our bearing before other people, much more should we before God, Christ, the Spirit, and the angels, and constant praise and meditation leave the mind no room to wander.

  • The scan text has the clauses of the comparison with conduct before men disordered; translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (split word): πληροφο ρηθῇ → πληροφορηθῇ.

Topics: Prayer, Trinity

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 306 (PG 31:1299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/306). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/306

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 307

307PG 31:1301

Εἰ χρὴ ἐξ ἐφημερίας ἀπάρχεσθαι τῆς ψαλμῳδίας, ἢ τῆς προσευχῆς. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τοῦτο ἐν τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἀξίων φυλαξάτω τὴν εὐταξίαν, ἵνα μήτε εὐτελὲς καὶ ἀδιάφορον τὸ πρᾶγμα νομισθῇ, μήτε μὴν ἡ ὁμαλότης ἐφ᾽ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου προσώπου ὑπερηφανίας τοῦ ἡγουμένου καὶ καταφρονήσεως τῶν λοιπῶν δῷ ὑποψίαν

Ei chrē ex ephēmerias aparchesthai tēs psalmǭdias, ē tēs proseuchēs. APOKRISIS Touto en tǭ plēthei tōn axiōn phylaxatō tēn eutaxian, hina mēte euteles kai adiaphoron to pragma nomisthę̄, mēte mēn hē homalotēs eph᾽ henos kai deuterou prosōpou hyperēphanias tou hēgoumenou kai kataphronēseōs tōn loipōn dǭ hypopsian

Question. Whether one should lead the psalmody or the prayer in turn.

Answer. In a large number of worthy brothers, let this keep good order, so that the thing may not be thought cheap and indifferent, nor yet may keeping it to one or two persons give rise to a suspicion of pride in the one who leads and of contempt for the rest.

Notes and citation

Summary: Leading psalmody or prayer should rotate in an orderly way among the worthy, so that it is neither treated as trivial nor confined to one or two, inviting suspicion of pride.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR lost a letter): ψαλμῳίας → ψαλμῳδίας.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 307 (PG 31:1301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/307). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/307

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 308

308PG 31:1301

Εἰ χρὴ ἐν ἀδελφότητι τὸν διδόντα τι ἀμείβεσθαι· καὶ εἰ κατὰ ἀναλογίαν τοῦ δόματος ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἀντίδοσιν ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦτο ὅλον τὸ ἐρώτημα ἀνθρώπινον. Εἰ δὲ χρὴ εὐγνωμοσύνης διδόναι ἀπόδειξιν, ἐν τῷ οἰκονομοῦντι ἀποκείσθω ἡ δοκιμασία, καὶ τοῦ λαμβάνειν τὰ διδόμενα, καὶ τοῦ ἀμείβεσθαι τὸν διδόντα.

Ei chrē en adelphotēti ton didonta ti ameibesthai; kai ei kata analogian tou domatos poieisthai tēn antidosin APOKRISIS. Touto holon to erōtēma anthrōpinon. Ei de chrē eugnōmosynēs didonai apodeixin, en tǭ oikonomounti apokeisthō hē dokimasia, kai tou lambanein ta didomena, kai tou ameibesthai ton didonta.

Question. Whether in a brotherhood one should repay someone who gives something, and whether the return should be made in proportion to the gift.

Answer. This whole question is a human one. But if it is necessary to give proof of gratitude, let the judgment lie with the steward, both of receiving what is given and of repaying the one who gives.

Notes and citation

Summary: Repaying gifts is a human concern; any show of gratitude is for the steward to judge, both in accepting gifts and in returning them.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR letter): Εἰ πρὴ ἐν → Εἰ χρὴ ἐν.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 308 (PG 31:1301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/308). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/308

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 309

309PG 31:1301

Εἰ τῶν συνήθων καὶ κατὰ φύσιν γινομένων τινὶ, χρὴ τολμᾶν εἰς κοινωνίαν τῶν ἁγίων παρέρχεσθαι ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Κρείττονα τῆς φύσεως καὶ τῆς συνηθείας ἔδειξεν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος εἶναι τὸν ἐν τῷ βαπτισμῷ συνταφέντα Χριστῷ· ποτὲ μὲν εἰπὼν, ἐν τῷ περὶ τοῦ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι βαπτίσματος τόπῳ, μετὰ τὰ προκείμενα· Τοῦτο γινώσκοντες, ὅτι ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος συνεσταυρώθη, ἵνα καταργηθῇ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τοῦ μηκέτι δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· ποτὲ δὲ παραγγείλας, Νεκρώσατε οὖν τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακὴν, καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία, δι' ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας· ποτὲ δὲ ὅρον ἐκθέμενος ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν· Οἱ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν σάρκα ἐσταύρωσαν σὺν τοῖς παθήμασι καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἔγνων, ὅτι ταῦτα κατωρθώθη Χριστοῦ χάριτι καὶ ἐν ἀνδράσι καὶ ἐν γυναιξὶ πίστει τῇ εἰς τὸν Κύριον γνησίᾳ. Τὸ δὲ ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ ὄντα τινὰ ἐγγίζειν τοῖς ἁγίοις καὶ ἐκ τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης φοβερώτερον διδασκόμεθα τὸ κρῖμα Εἰ δὲ πλεῖον τοῦ ἱεροῦ ὧδε, φοβερώτερον δηλονότι παιδεύσει ἡμᾶς ὁ Ἀπόστολος εἰπών· Ὁ ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων ἀναξίως, κρῖμα ἑαυτῷ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει.

Ei tōn synēthōn kai kata physin ginomenōn tini, chrē tolman eis koinōnian tōn hagiōn parerchesthai APOKRISIS. Kreittona tēs physeōs kai tēs synētheias edeixen ho ᾿Apostolos einai ton en tǭ baptismǭ syntaphenta Christǭ; pote men eipōn, en tǭ peri tou en tǭ hydati baptismatos topǭ, meta ta prokeimena; Touto ginōskontes, hoti ho palaios hēmōn anthrōpos synestaurōthē, hina katargēthę̄ to sōma tēs hamartias, tou mēketi douleuein hēmas tę̄ hamartią; pote de parangeilas, Nekrōsate oun ta melē hymōn ta epi tēs gēs, porneian, akatharsian, pathos, epithymian kakēn, kai tēn pleonexian, hētis estin eidōlolatreia, di' ha erchetai hē orgē tou Theou epi tous huious tēs apeitheias; pote de horon ekthemenos en tǭ eipein; Hoi de tou Christou tēn sarka estaurōsan syn tois pathēmasi kai tais epithymiais. Egō de egnōn, hoti tauta katōrthōthē Christou chariti kai en andrasi kai en gynaixi pistei tę̄ eis ton Kyrion gnēsią. To de en akatharsią onta tina engizein tois hagiois kai ek tēs Palaias Diathēkēs phoberōteron didaskometha to krima Ei de pleion tou hierou hōde, phoberōteron dēlonoti paideusei hēmas ho Apostolos eipōn; Ho esthiōn kai pinōn anaxiōs, krima heautǭ esthiei kai pinei.

Question. Whether one to whom something of the ordinary things that happen by nature has occurred should dare to come to the communion of the holy things.

Answer. The Apostle showed that the one buried with Christ in baptism is above nature and custom. At one time he said, in the passage about the baptism in water, after what goes before, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin”; at another he commanded, “Put to death, then, your members that are on the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry, on account of which the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience”; and at another he set out a definition, saying, “And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” And I have known these things to be achieved by the grace of Christ, both in men and in women, through genuine faith in the Lord. That one who is in uncleanness should approach the holy things … we are taught, from the Old Testament as well, the judgment, more fearfully … And if something greater than the temple is here, plainly the Apostle will teach us more fearfully, saying, “Whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

Rom 6:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 6:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Lev 22:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 12:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:29 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The baptized, crucified with Christ, can rise above nature; whoever is unclean must fear to approach the holy things, for unworthy communion brings judgment.

  • The question probably concerns involuntary bodily discharges; Basil does not name them.
  • Several lines near the end are cut short in the scan; obviously truncated words are completed by logged corrections, and words lost from the ends of the lines are marked “…”.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR accent slips; split word; word cut short in the OCR): ἔδει ξεν → ἔδειξεν; Τὸ δὲ ἐ· ἀκαθαρσίᾳ → Τὸ δὲ ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ; ἐκ τῆ Παλαιᾶς → ἐκ τῆς Παλαιᾶς; τὸ κρῖμε → τὸ κρῖμα; δηλονό παιδεύσει → δηλονότι παιδεύσει; Ὁ εσθίω καὶ → Ὁ ἐσθίων καὶ; και πινει → καὶ πίνει.

Topics: Eucharist, Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 309 (PG 31:1301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/309). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/309

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 310

310PG 31:1303

Εἰ χρὴ εἰς κοινὸν οἶκον προσκομιδὴν γίνεσθαι ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὥσπερ οὐδὲν κοινὸν σκεῦος ἐπιτρέπει ὁ Λόγος εἰσφέρεσθαι εἰς τὰ ἅγια, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὰ ἄγια εἰς κοινὸν οἶκον ἐπιτελεῖσθαι, τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης φανερῶς προστάγματι Θεοῦ μηδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐπιτρεπούσης γίνεσθαι· τοῦ δὲ Κυρίου λέγοντος· Πλεῖον τοῦ ἱεροῦ ὧδε· καὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· Μὴ γὰρ οἰκίας οὐκ ἔχετε εἰς τὸ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν; Τί εἶπω ὑμῖν; ἐπαινέσω ὑμᾶς; Ἐν τούτῳ οὐκ ἐπαινῶ· ἐγὼ γὰρ παρέδωκα ὑμῖν ἢ καὶ παρέλαβον, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἐξ ὧν παιδευόμεθα μήτε τὸ κοινὸν δεῖπνον ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν, μήτε τὸ Κυριακὸν δεῖπνον ἐν οἰκίᾳ καθυβρίζειν, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐν ἀνάγκῃ ἐπιλέξηταί τις καθαρώτερον τόπον, ἢ οἶκον ἐν καιρῷ εὐθέτῳ

Ei chrē eis koinon oikon proskomidēn ginesthai APOKRISIS. Hōsper ouden koinon skeuos epitrepei ho Logos eispheresthai eis ta hagia, houtōs oude ta agia eis koinon oikon epiteleisthai, tēs Palaias Diathēkēs phanerōs prostagmati Theou mēden toiouton epitrepousēs ginesthai; tou de Kyriou legontos; Pleion tou hierou hōde; kai tou Apostolou legontos; Mē gar oikias ouk echete eis to esthiein kai pinein? Ti eipō hymin? epainesō hymas? En toutǭ ouk epainō; egō gar paredōka hymin ē kai parelabon, kai ta hexēs. Ex hōn paideuometha mēte to koinon deipnon en ekklēsią esthiein kai pinein, mēte to Kyriakon deipnon en oikią kathybrizein, ektos ei mē en anankę̄ epilexētai tis katharōteron topon, ē oikon en kairǭ euthetǭ

Question. Whether the offering should be made in an ordinary house.

Answer. Just as the word of God does not permit any ordinary vessel to be brought into the holy place, so neither does it permit the holy things to be performed in an ordinary house; for the Old Testament, by God’s command, plainly allows nothing of the kind to be done; and the Lord says, “Something greater than the temple is here”; and the Apostle says, “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you. For I handed down to you what I also received,” and what follows. From these we are taught neither to eat and drink the ordinary supper in a church, nor to insult the Lord’s Supper in a house, unless in necessity someone chooses a cleaner place or house at a fitting time.

Matt 12:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:22 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:20 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Eucharistic offering should not be made in an ordinary house, nor ordinary meals held in church, except where necessity requires a suitable place.

  • “The offering” (προσκομιδή) is the eucharistic offering.
  • Basil’s wording of 1 Cor 11:23 (“I handed down to you what I also received”) reverses Paul’s order.

Topics: Eucharist

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 310 (PG 31:1303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/310). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/310

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-310) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 311

311PG 31:1303

Εἰ χρὴ εἰς ἐπίσκεψιν ἀπέρχεσθαι ἐπιζητούντων τινῶν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὸ μὲν ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ἀρεστὸν Θεῷ· δεῖ δὲ τὸν ἐπισκεπτόμενον συνετὸν εἶναι ἀκροατὴν, καὶ φρόνιμον ἐν ταῖς ἀποκρίσεσι, πληροῦντα τὸ εἰρημένον Ἔστω ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ἐν χάριτι ἄλατι ἠρτυμένος, ἢ διὰ συγγένειαν ἢ διὰ φιλίαν ἐπίσκεψιν ποιεῖσθαι ἀλλότριον τοῦ ἡμετέρου ἐπαγγέλματος.

Ei chrē eis episkepsin aperchesthai epizētountōn tinōn. APOKRISIS. To men episkeptesthai areston Theǭ; dei de ton episkeptomenon syneton einai akroatēn, kai phronimon en tais apokrisesi, plērounta to eirēmenon Estō ho logos hymōn en chariti alati ērtymenos, ē dia syngeneian ē dia philian episkepsin poieisthai allotrion tou hēmeterou epangelmatos.

Question. Whether one should go to make a visit when some ask for it.

Answer. Visiting is pleasing to God; but the one who visits must be an intelligent listener and prudent in his answers, fulfilling the saying, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt.” But to make a visit for the sake of kinship or friendship is foreign to our profession.

Matt 25:36 (allusion, low confidence) · Col 4:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Visiting others pleases God if the visitor listens wisely and speaks graciously, but visits made for kinship or friendship do not suit the ascetic life.

  • “Our profession” is the profession of the ascetic life.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR breathing slip): επιζητούντων → ἐπιζητούντων.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 311 (PG 31:1303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/311). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/311

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-311) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 312

312PG 31:1305

Εἰ χρὴ τοὺς ἐπισκεπτομένους λαϊκοὺς προτρέπεσθαι εἰς εὐχήν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Εἰ φίλοι εἰσὶ Θεοῦ, ἀκόλουθον, τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου γράψαντος αὐτοῖς· Προσεύχεσθε καὶ περὶ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου, μετὰ παῤῥησίας λαλῆσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Ei chrē tous episkeptomenous laïkous protrepesthai eis euchēn. APOKRISIS. Ei philoi eisi Theou, akolouthon, tou ᾿Apostolou grapsantos autois; Proseuchesthe kai peri emou, hina moi dothę̄ logos en anoixei tou stomatos mou, meta parrhēsias lalēsai to mystērion tou Theou.

Question. Whether lay people who visit should be urged to prayer.

Answer. If they are friends of God, it is fitting, since the Apostle wrote to them: “Pray also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth, to speak boldly the mystery of God.”

Eph 6:19 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Lay visitors who are friends of God may fittingly be invited to pray, as Paul asked believers to pray for him.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 312 (PG 31:1305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/312). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/312

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-312) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.

Chapter 313

313PG 31:1305

Εἰ χρὴ ἐργάζεσθαι, ἐπισκεπτομένων τινῶν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οὐδὲν τῶν κατ' ἐντολὴν γινομένων ἐκκόπτεσθαι χρὴ διὰ τοὺς ἐπεισερχομένους ἕνεκεν φιλικοῦ καθήκοντος· εἰ μή τις ἂν ἰδιάζουσα ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλεια τὴν σωματικὴν σπουδὴν κατ᾿ ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου παρευδοκιμῇ, τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν εἰπόντων· Οὐκ ἀρεστὸν, καταλιπόντας ἡμᾶς τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, διακονεῖν τραπέζαις.

Ei chrē ergazesthai, episkeptomenōn tinōn. APOKRISIS Ouden tōn kat' entolēn ginomenōn ekkoptesthai chrē dia tous epeiserchomenous heneken philikou kathēkontos; ei mē tis an idiazousa psychēs epimeleia tēn sōmatikēn spoudēn kat᾿ entolēn tou Kyriou pareudokimę̄, tōn hagiōn apostolōn en tais Praxesin eipontōn; Ouk areston, katalipontas hēmas ton logon tou Theou, diakonein trapezais.

Question. Whether one should work when some people are visiting.

Answer. Nothing done according to the commandment should be cut short because of those who come in for a friendly duty; unless some special care of a soul takes precedence over bodily work according to the Lord's commandment, since the holy apostles said in Acts: “It is not pleasing that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.”

Acts 6:2 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Work done by the commandment should not be interrupted for social visitors, unless care for someone's soul takes precedence, as the apostles put the word before serving tables.

  • In the scan text this section continues with other material printed after the Shorter Rules in the edition: a list of penalties for monks and for nuns (the Epitimia ascribed to Basil), a table of chapters of the Ascetic Constitutions, and a scholion by Theodore the Studite on the authenticity of the ascetic works. These are not part of question 313 and are removed from this passage by a logged correction; they are not translated here.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (later material printed after the Shorter Rules (Epitimia for monks and nuns, chapter list of the Ascetic Constitutions, scholion of Theodore the Studite) removed; not part of question 313): διακονεῖν τραπέζαις. γ' Εἴ τις συγγνῷ τινι ἁμάρτημα, καὶ μὴ διορθώσεται αὐτὸν, ἢ ἐλέγξει ἐν εἰρήνῃ μετὰ ἀγάπης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν λύπῃ, ὡς θριαμβεύων μᾶλλον τὸν ἀδελφὸν, ἢ θεραπεύων τὸν αἴτιον τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ αὐτὸς συναφοριζέσθω τῷ ἐλεγχομένῳ ἐπὶ τῷ ἁμαρτήματι ἑβδομάδας δύο, ἐπειδὴ ὡς ἐχθρὸς, καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἀδελφὸς ἤλεγξεν. δ' Εἴ τις ὑβρίζει ἢ ἀντιλέγει, ἐπιτασσόμενος παρὰ ἀδελφοῦ τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν, καὶ μὴ ὑπακούει μετὰ πάσης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ χαρᾶς, ὡς πληροφο ρῶν αὐτὸν, ὁμοίως ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ε' Εἴ τις ἀργολογοίη ἢ εὐτραπελεύοιτο, μὴ φυλάσσων μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ μακαρίου ᾿Αποστόλου καὶ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. Α ς' Εἴ τις πλὴν τοῦ καὶ καὶ τοῦ οὐ, ἄλλον όμνυει ὄρχον, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ζ' Εἴ τις συγγνῷ τινι ἀδελφῷ πταίσαντι, καὶ μετὰ τὸ παρελθεῖν ὀνειδίζοι, ὡς παραδειγματίζων, καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς ἀσυμπαθὴς καὶ ἐπιχαιρέ κακος ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. η' Εἴ τις συγγνῷ τινι ἁμάρτημα, καὶ ὁρᾷ αὐτὸν ἀδιαφόρως φέροντα, καὶ μὴ μετὰ συντριμμοῦ καρδίας καὶ πολλῶν δακρύων ἐξιλεούμενον τὸν Κύριον, παρακαλείτω καὶ ὑπομιμνησκέτω αὐτὸν μετανοεῖν, καὶ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι ἔργα μετανοίας. Εἰ δὲ τούτων γινομένων ἀμελοίη τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, χωριζέσθω ὁ τοιοῦτος τῆς συνοδίας παντελῶς. Μικρὰ γὰρ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα ἅγιον. θ' Εἴ τις προέρχοιτο παρὰ τὰς ἀναγκαίας χρείας, περιάγων ἀκαίρως, ἀφοριζέσθω ὁ τοιοῦτος, ἵνα ἡσυχάζωσιν ἐν οἴκῳ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ, καθὼς γέγραπται. ι' Εἴ τις ὀργισθῇ εἰκῆ, καὶ μὴ παραχρῆμα παρακαλέσῃ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὃν ἐλύπησεν, ὅπως ἀφῇ αὐτῷ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἣν ἥμαρτεν εἰς αὐτὸν, ἀφοριζέσθω καὶ αὐτὸς ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ια' Εἴ τις ὑβρισθείη παρὰ ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ παρακληθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς συνοδίας, μὴ συγχωρήσῃ τὸ ἁμάρτημα, μνημονεύσας τοῦ λέγοντος· Ἐάν τις πρός τινα ἔχῃ μομφήν· καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐχαρίσατο· καὶ αὐτὸς ὁμοίως ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ιβ' Εἴ τις ἐξέλθοι τοῦ μοναστηρίου, μὴ λαβὼν εὐλογίαν, ἢ ἀπολυθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου μετὰ εὐχῆς, ἔστω ἀκοινώνητος. ιγ' Εἴ τις κέκτηταί τι ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ, ἢ ἔξω τοῦ μοναστηρίου, ἔστω ἀκοινώνητος. ιδ' Εἴ τις συνδυάζει μετά τινος ἐπὶ τὸ ἀναχωρῆσαι τοῦ μοναστηρίου ἐφ' ἑτέρῳ τινὶ κακῷ, ἔστω ἀκοινώνητος. ιε' Εἴ τις τῶν ἀρχικουνιτῶν εὑρίσκει τινὰ ταράσσοντα ἢ διαλεγόμενον ἐν τῷ κουνίῳ, καὶ μὴ ἐκβάλλει αὐτὸν ἔξω τοῦ χοροῦ, αὐτὸς γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. καταφρονήσας μὴ ἀπολογήσηται, καὶ λάβῃ εὐλοις' Εἴ τις γένηται ἀπευλογίας ἕνεκεν παιδείας, καὶ γίαν, ἀφοριζέσθω. ιζ' Εἴ τις παρατιθεῖ τι ἐν ταῖς τραπέζαις ἢ ἑαυ­ τῷ, ἢ ἄλλῳ, μὴ ἐπιτραπεὶς παρὰ τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. τη΄ Εἴ τις ἄνευ μαφορίου ποιεῖ ἔργον ἐν οἰῳδήποτε τόπῳ, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. εθ' Εἴ τις συντυγχάνει τῷ ἐρχομένῳ ξένῳ ἢ ἰδίῳ μὴ ἐπιτραπεὶς παρὰ τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, ἐκτὸς τῶν ἐντετυπωμένων, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. Εἴ τις ἄρῃ ἀπὸ ἀδελφοῦ τι καὶ ἀποκρύψει, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. κα' Εἴ τις, μὴ λαβὼν εὐλογίαν, ἐσθίει ἄνευ παιδείας ὢν, ἀφοριζέσθω. κβ' Εἴ τις οὐχ αἰρῇ εὐλογίαν εἰς τὸν ὄρδινον αὐτοῦ, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας· εἰ δὲ χρείας ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἔφθασεν, ἀπολογησάσθω. κγ' Εἴ τις εὑρεθῇ τὴν νύκτα ἰδιάζων μετά τινος, Β ἢ τὸν τόπον ἀλλάσσων, ὅπου κοιμᾶται, παρὰ γνώμην τῶν ἐντετυπωμένων, ἀφοριζέσθω. κδ' Εἴ τις ἐμβάλλει ἑαυτὸν εἰς ἄλλο ἔργον, μὴ ἐπιτραπεὶς, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. κε΄ Εἴ τις ἀλλάσσῃ τι μετά τινος, ἢ χαρίζεται παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. κς' Εἴ τις ἑσπέρας μετὰ τὸ Πάτερ ἡμῶν εὑρεθῇ ὁμιλῶν, ἀφοριζέσθω. κζ' Εἴ τις τῶν ὑγιαινόντων κοιμᾶται ἔξω τοῦ εὐκτηρίου, ἔστω ἀφωρισμένος. κη΄ Εἴ τις ἐν τραπέζῃ ἐσθίων φλυαρεῖ, ἐγειρέσθω εἰς προσευχήν. κθ' Εἴ τις γένηται ἀπευλογίας, καὶ λυπηθεὶς ἀντιπαιδεύσει τὸν παιδεύσοντα, ἢ ἀντιλέγων μὴ καταδέξηται, ἀφοριζέσθω. Εἰ δὲ λέγοι ἀδίκως παιδεύεσθαι, γνωριζέσθω τὴν αἰτίαν τῷ ἀρχιμανδρίτη, καὶ τὸ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὁριζόμενον καταδεχέσθω λ' Εἴ τις ἔχει πρός τινα λύπην, καὶ καταφρονῶν μὴ διαλλάσσεται πρὸ τῆς ὑπηρεσίας, ἢ λέγει τὴν αἰτίαν τῷ ἀρχιμανδρίτῃ, ἢ τῷ ἀρχικουνίτῃ, ἀφοριζέσθω. λα' Εἴ τις ἐν ἡμέρᾳ προσφορᾶς κωλύει ἑαυτὸν τῆς κοινωνίας παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. λβ' Εἴ τις ἀπὸ Γραφῶν φιλονείκως διαλέγεται, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας· εἰ δὲ παραγγελθεὶς ἐπιμένει, ὡς ἀπειθὴς καὶ ἀνυπότακτος ἀφοριζέσθω. λγ' Εἴ τις πλύνει ἢ ἑτέρου ἢ ἑαυτοῦ ἱμάτιον παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. λδ' Εἴ τις ἀπολιμπάνεται τῶν τραπεζῶν, μὴ εἰρηκὼς τὴν αἰτίαν, μενέτω ἄσιτος. Α λε΄ Εἴ τίς τι ἀπολέσει, καὶ, μὴ εὑρὼν αὐτὸ, μὴ λζ' Εἴ τις ἑσπέρας μὴ φθάσῃ εἰς τὸ Πάτερ ἡμῶν, ἐκτός τινος αἰτίας, στηκέτω εἰς προσευχὴν, ἕως ἂν πάντες κοιμηθῶσιν λη' Εἴ τις, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς κοινωνίας λύπην ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν, μὴ δῷ αὐτῷ εἰρήνην, ἔστω ἀφωρισμένος. λθ' Εἴ τις μεθιστᾷ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀρδίνου τῆς ὑπηρεσίας, ἐκτὸς τῶν ἐγκεχειρισμένων τὴν φροντίδα, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. μ΄ Εἴ τις γνῷ ἀδελφὸν λάθρα ἀναχωρῆσαι θέλοντα τοῦ μοναστηρίου, καὶ μὴ μηνύσῃ τῷ ἀρχιμαν δρίτῃ, ἢ τοῖς προεστῶσιν, ἀφοριζέσθω μα' Εἴ τις ἐγείρεται τῆς τραπέζης παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, στηκέτω εἰς προσευχὴν ἕως τοῦ λυχνικοῦ. μβ' Εἴ τις μετὰ τὴν κοινωνίαν ἐξέρχεται τῆς ὑπ ηρεσίας, ἕως πάντες λάβωσιν εὐλογίας, ἐκτὸς ἀν θρωπίνης ἀνάγκης, καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἐσθιέτω. μγ' Εἴ τις ποιεῖ τινα ἀπευλογίαν γενέσθαι ἀκαίρως, αὐτὸς γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. μδ' Εἴ τις εὑρεθῇ λαλῶν εἰς τὰ κέλλια, ἐκτὸς τῶν ἐνοικούντων αὐτὰ, ἢ τῶν ἡσυχαστῶν, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. με' Εἴ τις εὐτράπελα λαλῶν ἢ ἀργολογῶν, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. μς' Εἴ τις εὑρεθῇ καταλαλῶν τινος, ἢ ἀκούων και ταλαλούντων τινῶν, καὶ μὴ ἐπιτιμῶν αὐτῷ, ἢ μηνύων τῷ ἀρχιμανδρίτῃ, σὺν αὐτῷ ἀφοριζέ σθω. μζ' Εἴ τις εὑρεθῇ εἰς τὸν κῆπον λαλῶν μετά τινος, ἢ δευτερῶν ψαλμοὺς, ἢ κοιμώμενος, ἐκτὸς τῶν ἐργαζομένων, ἢ τῶν ἐντετυπωμένων, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. μη' Εἴ τις ἐξέλθοι εἰς τὸ ὀστιάριον μὴ ἐπιτραπεὶς ἐκ τῶν ἐν τετυπωμένων, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας· εἰ δὲ εἰς τὸ φρούριον ἐξέλθοι, ἀφοριζέσθω. μθ' Εἴ τις διδοῖ ἔξω τι, ἢ λαμβάνει, παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, ἀφοριζέσθω. ν' Εἴ τις συντυχὼν ὁμιλήσει τινὶ τῶν ὑποστρεφόντων ξένων, πλὴν τοῦ δοῦναι τὴν εἰρήνην, ἐκτὸς τῶν ἐντετυπωμένων, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. να' Εἴ τις ὀχλεῖ τῷ ἀρχιμανδρίτῃ προφάσει τῆς ἐφημερίας, πλὴν τοῦ κελλαρίου, ἢ τοῦ ἀρχιεβδο μαρίου, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας· ἵνα ἑκάστης ἐφημε ρίας ὁ ἀρχιεβδομάριος καὶ ὁ φροντιστής περὶ πάσης χρείας φροντίζωσιν ἐπιμελῶς, ἵνα μὴ τῷ κρίματι τῆς ἀμελείας συμπέσωσιν. β' Εἴ τις ἀκαίρως ἔρχεται εἰς τὸ ἑψητήριον ἢ εἰς τὸ κελλάριον ἐκτὸς τῶν ἐντετυπωμένων καὶ τῶν φροντιζόντων τῆς εὐταξίας, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. νγ' Εἴ τις ἐξυπνισθεὶς παρά τινος λυπηθῇ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ὑπηρεσίας ἢ τοῦ ἀναγνώσματος, ἀφοριζέσθω. νδ' Εἴ τις περισσῶς μετὰ τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν τὴν μετὰ Β τὰ ὀρθρινὰ εἰσέρχεται εἰς τὸ νοσοκομεῖον, ἐκτὸς τῶν ἡσυχαστῶν καὶ τὴν φροντίδα ἐγκεχειρισμένων, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. νε' Εἴ τις παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ νοσοκόμου εἰσελθών ἀναπαύει εἰς τὸ νοσοκομεῖον, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας· εἰ δὲ θλίβεται ἢ ἀῤῥωστεῖ, δηλούτω πρῶτον τῷ νοσοκόμῳ. νς' Εἴ τις τῶν κακουμένων ἀλλάσσει τόπον, ὅπου κοιμᾶται, παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ νοσοκόμου, ἀφοριζέσθω. νζ' Εἴ τις τῶν τετυπωμένων ὑπηρετῶν ἐν τῷ νοσοκομείῳ παρατιθεῖ τι ἀδελφῷ παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ νοσοκόμου, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. νη' Εἴ τις τῶν ἀῤῥώστων εὑρεθῇ καταλλάσσων παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ νοσοκόμου, ἤ τινος τῶν ὑπηρετούντων, γενέσθω ἀπευλογίας. νθ' Εἴ τις εὑρεθῇ, ἐκτὸς τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, γράφων τινὶ ἢ δεχόμενος γράμματα, ἔστω ἀφωρισμένος. ξ' Εἴ τις πέμπει τινὶ εὐλογίαν, ἢ δέχεται τι ποτε, παρεκτὸς τοῦ ἀρχιμανδρίτου, γενέσθω ἀπευλο γίας. ΕΠΙΤΙΜΙΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΑΣ ΚΑΝΟΝΙΚΑΣ. α' Ἡ ὀμόσασα τὸν τυχόντα ὅρκον ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδας δύο. β' Ἡ βλασφημήσασά τινα τῶν πρεσβυτίδων τῶν πεπιστευμένων διατυποῦν τὰ ἐν τῷ ἀσκητηρίῳ ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. γ' Ἡ κατὰ ἀπούσης ἀδελφῆς κρυφῆ λέγουσά τι σκοπῷ τοῦ διαβάλλειν αὐτὴν, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ΕΡΙΤΙΜΙΑ δ' Ἡ ὑβρίσασά τινα ὕβριν τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ε' Ἥτις εὑρίσκεται ψιθυρίζουσα ἄλλη ἐκτὸς τῶν πρεσβυτίδων τῶν πεπιστευμένων διακονεῖν, ἀφοοιζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν Α ς' Ἥτις χωρὶς ἀναγκαίας χρείας ἄκαιρον ὁμιλίαν ζ' "Ἤτις εὐτράπελα φθέγγεται, ἢ γέλωτα ἀπρεπῆ, προβαλλομένη ἀργολογεῖ, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. η΄ Ἥτις ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τῆς διακονίας οὖσα, καὶ ἀναγκαίαν χρείαν ἔχουσα, ὁμιλήσει τῇ πλησίον ἢ μετὰ κραυγῆς ἢ θρασυλογίας, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. πταίσματι παρὰ τῶν μετὰ δοκιμασίας οἰκονομεῖν καὶ διατυποῦν πεπιστευμένων, συναφοριζέσθω ἐκείνῃ ἡ ἀντέχεται ἑβδομάδας δύο. θ' Ἥτις ἀντέχεται τῆς ἐπικαταγινωσκομένης ἐπὶ ι Ἥτις τινὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἐπεισερχομενων ομιλήσει, πρὶν ἐπιτραπῇ παρὰ τῆς τὴν φροντίδα ἐμπεπιστευμένης ἐν πάσῃ ἐξουσίᾳ εὐταξίας, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ια' "Ητις ευρίσκοιτο γογγύζουσα ἐν τῇ στενοχωρίᾳ τῶν πρὸς τὴν χρείαν, ἢ ἐν τῷ καμάτῳ τῶν ἔργων, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ιβ' Ἡ ἀντιπίπτουσα τῷ προστάγματι τῶν πεπιστευμένων τὴν φροντίδα ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ιγ' Ἡ καταφρονητικῶς, μετὰ δῆθεν ἡσυχίας μὴ πληροῦσα τὸ ἐπίταγμα ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. Ο ιε΄ ιδ' Ἡ θέλουσα καλλωπίζεσθαι, μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν, ἐπὶ τοῦ προεστῶτος ἐλεγχέσθα Ἡ ἄνευ γνώμης τῶν πεπιστευμένων τὴν φροντίδα εἰς μητέρα ἢ εἰς ἀδελφὴν ἀπελθοῦσα, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ις' Ἡ ἐννεύσασα ὀφθαλμοὺς σχήματι πονηρῷ λυποῦσα τῇ πλησίον, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ιζ' Ἡ μετὰ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν τῶν συνάξεων ὁμιλοῦσά τινι τῶν ἔξω γυναικῶν ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδας δύο. τη' Ἡ ἀπ᾿ ἔργου εἰς ἕτερον ἔργον μεταβαίνουσα χωρὶς ἐπιταγῆς τῶν ἐχόντων τὴν φροντίδα ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ιθ' "Ἤτις τὸ ἐπιτίμιον ἀποβάλλοιεν (sic), ἢ ἀντιλέγει, ἢ γογγύζει, μὴ γνωρίζουσα τὸ ἑαυτῆς ὄφελος ἐν τῆ διορθώσει, ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδας δύο. ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΑ ΔΙΑΤΑΞΕΩΝ. α΄ Περὶ τοῦ δεῖν τὴν εὐχὴν προτιθέναι πάντων. β' Περὶ τῆς τῶν λογισμῶν ἐπιστάσεως, καὶ ὅτι οὐ κακὸν τὸ σῶμα, ὡς τινες ὑπειλήφασιν γ' "Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ τὰς τῶν γυναικῶν συντυχίας ἀφυλάκτως δ' Ὅτι δεῖ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ σώματος μετρεῖν τὴν ἐγ- Α κράτειαν· καὶ ὅτι καλὸν καὶ ἔννομον ἡ τοῦ σώματος ἐργασία. ε' Ὅτι προσήκει τὸν ἀσκητὴν ἔργα ἐπιτηδεύειν τὰ πρέποντα. ς' ὅτι οὐ χρὴ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀφυλάκτως συνδιατρίβειν τὸν ἀσκητήν. ζ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ συχνὰς καὶ ἀβασανίστους ποιεῖσθαι τὰς προόδους. η΄ Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ τοῖς ἀστατοῦσι τῶν ἀσκητῶν μεταδιδόναι θάρσους καὶ παῤῥησίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτους φυλάττεσθαι. θ' Ὅτι κλήρου ἢ προστασίας ἀδελφῶν οὐδαμῶς ἐφίεσθαι προσήκει τὸν ἀσκητήν. ι' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ πρὸς κενοδοξίαν βλέποντα ζηλοῦν τὰ καλά. ια' Περὶ εὐκαιρίας λόγων. ιβ' "Ὅτιοὐ χρὴ πρὸς εὐτραπελίας βλέπειν τὸν ἀσκητήν. ιγ' Περὶ πραότητος, καὶ τίνα τρόπον ἀγάπη συνίσταται. ιδ' Περὶ φρονήσεως. με Περὶ πίστεως καὶ ἐλπίδος.·ς' Περὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης. ιζ' Κατὰ πόσους τρόπους οἱ πονηροὶ λογισμοι συνίστανται. ιη' Πρὸς τοὺς ἐν κοινοβίῳ κανονικούς. ιθ' Ὅτι χρὴ τὸν ἀσκητὴν βεβαίᾳ κρίσει προσιέναι τῇ ἀσκήσει, καὶ περὶ ὑπακοῆς. κ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ τὰς πρὸς τοὺς βιωτικούς συγγενεῖς μεταδιώκειν ὁμιλίας, ἢ τὰ ἐκείνων φροντίζειν. κα' "Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ τῆς πνευματικῆς ἀδελφότητος ἀποκόπτεσθαι. κβ' Περὶ ὑπακοῆς πληρέστερον. κγ' Ὅτι καὶ τὰ εὐτελῆ τῶν ἔργων μετὰ πολλῆς προθυμίας αἱρεῖσθαι προσήκει τὸν ἀσκητήν. κδ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ τιμὰς καὶ πρεσβείας ἐπιζητεῖν τὸν ἀσκητήν. κε' Περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὰ βρώματα ἀτυφίας καὶ ἁπλότητος. κς' ὅτι τὸν πρὸς τὸ τέλειον βλέποντα οὐδὲν ἡ πρόοδος παραβλάψαι δυνήσεται. κζ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ ἀσχολίας ἔχειν τὸν ἀσκητήν. κη' Ὅτι χρὴ τὸν προεστῶτα πατρικῇ εὐνοίᾳ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς ὑπηκόους οἰκονομεῖν. αθ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ ἑταιρίας δύο ἢ τριῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐν συστήματι ἀσκητικῷ γενέσθαι. λ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ ἐνδυμάτων ἐκλογὴν ἐπιζητεῖν τὸν ἀσκητήν. λα' Ὅτι δεῖ τὸν προεστῶτα ἀνάλογα τῆς τοῦ σώματος δυνάμεως ὁρίζειν τὰ ἐπιτεταγμένα· καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀποκρυβόντων τὴν ἑαυτῶν δύναμιν. Αβ' Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς λυπεῖσθαι, τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων φειδοῦς ἀξιουμένων. Αγ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ τοὺς προεστῶτας τοῖς ἀποστατοῦσι τοῦ οἰκείου ἀθροίσματος ἀσκηταῖς παῤῥησίας με·· ταδιδόναι, ἢ τούτους εἰς κοινωνίαν βίου δέχεσθαι. Α λδ' Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ τὸν ἐν συστήματι πολιτευόμενον ἀσκητὴν ἰδίᾳ τι κεκτῆσθαι τῶν ὑλικῶν Θεοδώρου ἡγουμένου τοῦ Στουδίου Σχόλιον εἰς τὰ μερικὰ Ἀσκητικὰ τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου. Ὅτι γνήσιον τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου τὸ παρὸν σύνταγμα, δῆλον μὲν καὶ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τοῦ χαρακτῆρος τῆς ὑψηγορίας, ας, τοῦ τε εἴδους τῆς φράσεως· δῆλον δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ συνεμπίπτειν ταῖς τῶν ἄλλων ἄλλων Ἀσκητικῶν ἐννοίαις τε καὶ λέξεσιν, ὡς μὴ δοκεῖν τι ἄλλο τῷ καὶ τῷ καὶ μικρὸν γοῦν ἐπεσκεμμένως ἀναγινώσκοντι ἢ θάτερον ἐν θατέρῳ διεξέρχεσθαι. Ὅτι δὲ ἐκεῖνα τοῦ Πατρὸς, τίς ἀντερήσει ἢ ὃς τυφλώττοι κατὰ νοῦν ἐνεργούμενος τὴν και κίαν; Οἶμαι γάρ τινας, δριμυττομένους τῷ ἀκριβασμῷ τῆς διδασκαλίας, προσλαβόντας τε ἐπίκουρον τῆς αὐθαδείας τὸ εἰπεῖν τινα τῶν ἱστοριογράφων παρά τισιν ἀμφιβάλλεσθαι, ριψοκινδύνως νόθα αὐτὰ φάναι. Οἱ δ' αὐτοί μοι δοκοῦσι καὶ τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, την ἣν τε Πέτρου δευτέραν, Ἰωάννου τε τὴν Αποκάλυψιν, ἑτέρας τε Καθολικάς, πρὸς συγγράμμασί τισι πατρικοῖς, ἐπειδὴ ὁμοίως ἀμφιβάλλονται, ἀμφιβάλλεσθαι. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ τὸ δεύτερον ἀσεβὲς, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ τὸ πρότερον, ἤδη ἀποδεδειγμένων παρὰ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀμφοτέρων, καὶ οὐδαμῶς τοῦ ἀμφιβόλου χώραν ἔχοντος ἔτι; Εἰ δὲ τὸν Θεολόγον μὴ ὑπομνηματίσαι φήσωσιν, ἢ ἐπιπολαίως ἀνέγνων, ἢ συνιέντες κακουργοῦσι. Νομοθεσίαι γὰρ μοναστῶν, ἡνίκα φησὶν, ἔγγραφοί τε καὶ ἄγραφοι, τί ἄλλο ἢ πάντως γε ταῦτα δηλοποι οποιεῖται; ᾿Απόδειξις δὲ καὶ δὲ καὶ ἐξ ἑτέρας Θεωρίας. Ογαρλέγ ίας. « "Ο γὰρ λέγει Βασίλειος ἐν τοῖς ᾿Ασκητικοῖς, τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα παρὰ τῶν γονέων μεμαθηκέναι, φησὶ Γρηγόριος, τὰ μὲν δὴ πρῶτα παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ σπαργανοῦταί τε καὶ διαπλάττεται. » Εὔροι δ᾽ ἄν τις καὶ τὸν ὅσιον Θεοδόσιον πρός τισιν ἄλλοις κεχρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς, ὡς δηλοῖ ὁ περὶ αὐτοῦ Βίος. Πρὸς τίνα δ᾽ αὖ ἄρα ἔμελλον ἕτερον ἐπερωτᾶν τὰ καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς οἱ πάλαι ἐπηρωτηκότες μονάζοντες; ἢ τίνος ἦν ἄλλου ἐν τηλικαύτῃ ἐξουσία νομοθετεῖν, καὶ ὅλην ὑπόθεσιν σωτηοίας τὴν περὶ αὐτὰ πραγματείαν συστήσας συστήσασθαι, ὡς μηδ' εἶναι ἄλλως σχεδὸν βαδίζειν ἀπταίστως τὴν κα ν κατὰ Θεὸν πορείαν ἢ ἐκ τῆς κατ᾿ αὐτὴν ὑφηγήσεως; Ἢ τοίνυν δῶσιν ἰσόρροπα ἕτερα Άσκητικά, ὡς ἐκείνων ὄντων τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου, καίπερ οὐδ᾽ οὕτως ἄλλος εἴη Βασίλειος, διὰ τὸ ἰσοδύναμον τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ τοῦ φθέγματος, ἢ μὴ, καὶ οὐ βουλόμενοι, πάντως καταδέξονται τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου εἶναι. Ἰστέον δὲ, ὡς τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τὰ καθόλου Ἀσκητικὰ εἴρηται, ταῦτα δὲ τὰ μερικά. Ἔδει γὰρ τὸν λαμπτῆρα τοῦ κόσμου πρὸς ταῖς ἄλλαις αὐτοῦ ἀκτῖσι τῶν διδαγμάτων καταυγάζοντα τὴν ὑφ᾽ ἥλιον πᾶσαν φωτίσαι ἡμᾶς → διακονεῖν τραπέζαις..

Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 313 (PG 31:1305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/313). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/313

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.