Letter 991

To Eusebius the Scholasticus. [scholasticus = an advocate or trained lawyer] Great is the grace of your letter, gushing up as if from the heart and watering those who read it. For just as the earth, if it does not receive the downpours of the rains, would not be able to bring forth its fruits, so too the soul, if it is not nourished by the word of the God-inspired Scripture, would not display the fruit-bearing of virtue. For this very reason, be eager to strengthen your understanding by the study of the divine oracles, so that, being rich in spirit and made radiant in your manner of life, you may enjoy the portion of good things.

Πολλὴ ἡ τῶν γραμμάτων σου χάρις, ὡς ἐκ καρδίας ἀναβλύζουσα, καὶ τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας ἀρδεύουσα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ γῆ, εἰ μὴ τὰς τῶν ὑετῶν καταφορὰς δέξοιτο, οὐκ ἂν τοὺς καρποὺς προφέρειν δύναιτο· οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχή, εἰ μὴ τῷ τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς λόγῳ τρέφοιτο, οὐκ ἂν τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς καρποφορίαν ἐπιδείξαιτο. Ὧν δὴ χάριν, σπούδαζε τῇ μελέτῃ τῶν θείων λογίων τὴν διάνοιαν ῥωννύναι, ἵνα καὶ τῷ πνεύματι πλουτῶσα, καὶ τῷ βίῳ λαμπρυνομένη, τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν μερίδος ἀπολαύῃς.