Letter 25

To the same person. We are blessed ten thousand times over whenever we keep safe all those things which we have gathered into our bosom out of watchfulness. But if it should happen that we lose a part, whether small or very large, even the things left behind are sufficient to suffice for the salvation of those who are still infants in mind [cf. 1 Corinthians 3:1, those who are "babes in Christ"]. For consider the fowler: often, having caught turtledoves by his decoy in the field, and rejoicing, having shut them up, then through inattention having lost a third, or two thirds, when the winged creatures slipped out and flew away, yet in those that remained he dissolved his despondency and consoled his own heart, not returning empty-handed to his own house, but bringing back with him a partial abundance, now for the present, and again, for what lies ahead, having been usefully instructed to secure the things he catches.

Μυρισμακάριστοι μὲν ὑπάρχομεν, ὅταν πάντα φυλάξωμεν, ἅπερ ἐκ τῆς ἀγρυπνίας ἐνεκολπισάμεθα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπολέσαι συμβαίνει μέρος ἡμᾶς ὀλίγον ἢ πολλοστόν, ἱκανὰ καὶ τὰ παραλειφθέντα ἐπαρκέσαι πρὸς σωτηρίαν τοῖς νηπίοις τὴν φρένα. Κἂν γὰρ ἰξευτὴς πολλάκις ἐκτύπον τεθηρακὼς τρυγόνας ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, καὶ χαίρων ἐναποκλείσας αὐτάς, εἴτ’ ἐξ ἀπροσεξίας τὸ τρίτον, ἢ τὰ δίμοιρον ἀπολέσας, τῷ ὑπεκδεδυκότα πεφευγέναι τὰ πτηνὰ, ἐν τοῖς ὑπολειφθεῖσι τὴν ἀθυμίαν ἀνέλυσε, καὶ παρεμυθήσατο τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καρδίαν, οὐ κεναῖς χερσὶν ἐπανερχόμενος εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον, ἀλλὰ μερικὴν εὐπορίαν ἐπιφερόμενος, νῦν τέως, καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς ἀσφαλίζεσθαι χρησίμως τὰ θηρώμενα παιδευθείς.