Quotes from the Desert Fathers

[Shin]

The old man Poemen used to say, "Thou shalt have no dealings whatsoever with a child of the world, and thou shalt hold no converse with women" and he also said, "Thou shalt possess no knowledge of the judge (or governor), lest, when thou hearest his words, thou perform his work."

One of the old men used to say, "I have never taken one step forwards without first of all learning where I was about to set my foot, and I have neither crossed my boundary to walk on a height, nor have I descended into a deep place, and been troubled by so doing; for my only care hath been to beseech God until He brought me forth from the old man."

[Shin]

On one occasion the brethren were gathered together in Scete that they might enquire into the history of Melchisedek, and they forgot to invite Abba Copres to be with them; finally, however, they did call him, and they enquired of him concerning the matter. And he smote three times on his mouth, and said, "Woe be to thee! Woe be to thee, O Copres, for thou hast left undone what God commanded thee to do, and thou art enquired of concerning the things which God hath not demanded of thee" and they all left the place and fled to their cells.

An old man used to say, "Freedom of speech (or boldness) is a wind which parcheth, and it smiteth the fruit at the harvest."