133. IF you are praying against thoughts (logismoi) and they abate easily, look for the reason for this, in case you fall into an ambush and are deceived into surrendering yourself.

ΡΛΓ´.  Σκόπει κατευχόμενος λογισμῶν, εἰ ῥᾳδίως λωφῃσειεν, ὅθεν τοῦτο γέγονε, μὴ ἔγκρυμμα πάθῃς καὶ πλανηθεὶς ἀποδῷς σεαυτόν.

134. SOMETIMES the demons suggest thoughts (logismoi) to you while at the same time apparently encouraging you to pray against them and to answer them back. Then they withdraw of their own accord, so that you will be tricked into imagining that you have begun to defeat thoughts and to scare demons.

134. Ἔστιν ὅτε ὁι δαίμονες ὑποβαλλουσί σοι λογισμοὺς ἐρεθίζοντές σε δῆθεν προσεύξασθαι κατ' αὐτῶν καὶ ἀντιλέξαι αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἑκουσίως ὑποχωροῦσιν, ίνα ἀπατηθεὶς οἰηθῇς περὶ σεαυτοῦ, ὅτι ἤρξω νικᾶν τοὺς λογισμοὺς καὶ ἐκφοβεῖν τοὺς δαίμονας.

135. WHEN you pray against a passion or a demon that is greatly troubling you, remember the one who said, ‘I will closely pursue my enemies and overtake them and I will not turn back until they surrender; I will crush them and they will not be able to stand, they will fall down beneath my feet’ (Ps. 17:38-9). These things you are to say at the right time in your prayer, arming yourself with humility against your foes

135. Προσευχὴ κατὰ πάθους ἢ δαίμονος παρενοχλοῦντός σοι, μέμνησο τοῦ λέγοντος· Καταδιώξω τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου καὶ καταλήψομαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐκ ἀποστραφήσομαι ἕως ἂν ἐκλείπωσιν, ἐχθλίψω αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐ μὴ δύνωνται στῆναι, πεσοῦνται ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας μου, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ταῦτα δὲ εὐκαίρως εὐχόμενος λέξεις ταπεινοφροσύνῃ σεαυτὸν ὁπλίζων κατὰ τῶν ἀντιπάλων.

136. DO not believe yourself to have acquired a virtue until you have been ready to shed your blood in the fight for it. It is necessary to resist sin aggressively and blamelessly, even to the point of losing your life, according to the divine apostle (Hebr. 12:4).

ΡΛ´.  Μὴ νόμιζε κεκτῆσθαι ἀρετὴν, μὴ πρότερον ἕως αἵματος ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς παραταξάμενος, δεῖ γὰρ μέχρι θανάτου ἀντικαθίσασθαι πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἀγωνιστικῶς, καὶ ἀνεγκλήτως κατὰ τὸν θεῖονἈπόστολον.

137. IF you help one man, you will be harmed by another; this is to make you say or do something inappropriate to your neighbours on the pretext of having been wronged. And you will dissipate in evil what you have accumulated in good. This is the aim of the malicious demons. That is why we have to keep our wits about us and be attentive.

ΡΛΖ´. Ἐὰν ὠφελήσῃς τινὰ, βλαβήσῃ ὑφ' ἑτέρου, ἵνα ὡς ἀδικούμενος εἴκῃς, ἢ δράσῃς τι ἄτοπον εἰς τὸν πλησίον, καὶ σκορπίσῃς κακῶς, ἃ καλῶς συνήγαγες.  Σκοπὸς γὰρ τοῦτο τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων· διὸ προσεκτέον νουνεχῶς.

138. YOU must always expect grievous demonic attacks, and consider how to avoid being enslaved by thee.

ΡΛΗ´. Ὁρμὰς δαιμόνων ἐπαχθεῖς ἀει ἐκδέχου φροντίζων πῶς ἀποστῆναιτῆς δουλείας αὐτῶν.

139. BY night the malicious demons claim the spiritual master for themselves to trouble, and by day they use other people to surround him with difficulties and slanders and dangers.

ΡΛΘ´.  Νύκτωρ μὲν ταράττειν δι' ἑαυτῶν ἐξαιτοῦνται τὸν πνευματικὸν διδάσκαλον οἱ πονηροί δαίμονες. Καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν δι' ἀνθρώπων περιστάσεσι, καὶ συκοφαντίαις, καὶ κινδύνοις τοῦτον περιβάλλουσι.

140. DO not refuse the fullers. Maybe they do thump you and trample you, stretch you out and comb you, but this is how your clothing becomes radiant.

ΡΜ´.  Μὴ παραιτοῦ τοὺς κναφεῖς· εἰ γὰρ καὶ τύπτουσι πατοῦντες, καὶ τείνοντες ξαίνουσι, ἀλλά γε διὰ τούτων λαμπρὰ ἡ  ἐσθή́ς σου γίνεται.

141. IN so far as you have not renounced the passions, so that your nous that is opposed to virtue and truth, you cannot find my fragrant incense in your breast.

ΡΜΑ´. Ἐφ' ὅσον οὐκ ἀπετάξω τοις πάθεσιν, αλλ' ὁ νοῦς σου ἐναντιοῦται τῇ ἀρετῇ, καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, οὐκ εὑρήσεις εὐῶδες θυμίαμα ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ σου.

142. THE one longing to pray has moved from what is here, to have citizenship in heaven always (Phil. 3:20), not merely through simple word[s] but through angelic practice and divine knowledge,

142 Προσεύξασθαι ποθεῖ ὁ μεταστὰς τῶν ἐνθένδε καὶ τὸ πολίτευμα, ἔχων ἐν οὐρανοῖς διὰ παντὸς, οὐ λόγῳ ἁπλῶς ψιλῳ ἀλλὰ πράξει ἀγγελικῇ καὶ γνώσει θειοτέρᾳ.

143. IF it is only when things go badly that you remember the Judge and how fearful and unbribable he is, you have not yet learned what it means to serve the Lord in fear and to exult in him with trembling (Ps. 2:11). You must appreciate that it is all the more necessary to serve him with respect and reverence in times of spiritual rest and prosperity.

ΡΜΓ´.  Εἰ μόνον δυσπραγῶν τοῦ Κριτοῦ, ὡς φοβερὸς, καὶ ἀδέκαστος ὑπάρχει, οὐδέπω μεμάθηκας δουλεύειν Κυρίῳ ἐν φόβῳ, καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθαι αὐτῷ ἐν τρόμῳ.  Ισθι γὰρ, ὅτι κἀν ταῖς πνευματικαῖς ἀνέσεσι, καὶ εὐωχίαις μᾶλλον μετ' εὐλαβείας καὶ αἰδοῦς δεῖ λατρεύειν αὐτῷ.

144. THE sensible an is the one who does not abandon the painful memory of his own sins and the just payment that is exacted for them in the everlasting fire, until he has reached  perfect conversion.

ΡΜΔ´. Ἐπιγνώμων ἀνὴρ, ὁ μὴ πρὸ τῆς τελείας μετανοίας ἀπασχόμενος  τῆς ἐλλύπου μνείας τῶν οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ τῆς ἐν πυρὶ αἰωνίῳ δίκης, τῆς τούτων εἰσπάξεως.

145. ANYONE who is ensnared in sins and fits of temper and yet dares to aspire shamelessly to the knowledge of divine things or to embark on immaterial prayer, ought to take to himself the apostolic rebuke, as it is not without danger for his to pray with his head bare and uncovered.  Such a soul, it says, ought to exercise control over its head because of the angels standing by (1 Cor. 11:10), clothing itself in a fitting sense of shame and humility.

ΡΜΕ´. Ὁ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐνεχόμενος, καἰ παροργισμοῖς, καὶ τολμῶν ἀναιδῶς ἐκτείνεσθαι πρὸς γνῶσιν θειοτέραν πραγμάτων, ἢ καὶ ἀΰλου κατεπεμβαίνων προσευχῆς, οὗτος δεχέσθω τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἐπιτίμιον, ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν ἀκίνδυνον αὐτῳ,͂ τὸ γυμνῃ, καὶ ἀκατακάλυπτῳ κεφαλῇ προσεύχεσθαι. <'Οφείλει γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ τοιαύτη ψυχη  κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν, διὰ τοὺς ἐφεστῶτας ἀγγέλους,> αἰδὼ, καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνην προσήκουσαν περιβαλλομένη.

146. GAZING intently and directly at the sun at high noon, when it is blazing most brilliantly, will not do any good to someone suffering from eye-disease, and in the same way someone suffering from a passioned and impure nous that would gain nothing by imitating the awesome supernatural prayer that operates in Spirit and in Truth.  Rather the reverse: it provokes the divine to be indignant with it.

ΡΜ´.  Ωσπερ ὀφθαλμιῶντα οὐκ ὀνήσει ἡ σταθηρᾷ μεσημβριᾳ, καὶ σφοδροτάτῃ φρυκτωρίᾳ ἀκατακάλυπτος, καὶ ἐπιτεταμένη τοῦ ἡλίου θέα, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὸν ἐμπαθῆ, καὶ ἀκάθαρτον νοῦν, ἡ τῆς ἐν πνεύματι, καὶ ἀληθείᾳ φοβερᾶς, καὶ ὑπερφυοῦς προσευχῆς ἀνατύπωσις παντελῶς ὀνήσειεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τουναντίον πρὸς ἀγανάκτησιν καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐγείρε τὸ Θεῖον.

147. IF God, who needs nothing and accepts no bribes, refused to receive the man who came to the altar with his gift, until he was reconciled with his neighbour who was upset at him (Matt. 5:24), consider what degree of watchfulness and discernment we need if we are to offer an acceptable incense to God at the intellectual altar.

ΡΜΖ´.  Εἰ τὸν μετὰ δώρου προσελθόντα ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον οὐκ ἐδέξατο, ὁ ἀνενεδεὴς, καὶ ἀδέκαστος ἕως τοῦ διαλλαλῆναι τῷ πλησίον λυπουμένῳ πρὸς αὐτὸν, σκόπει πόσης φυλακῆς καὶ διακρίσεως χρεία, ἵνα εὐπρόσδεκτον δῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ θυμίαμα ἐν τῷ νοητῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ.

148. DO not revel in glory or in words, otherwise it is not just on your back, but on your face, that sinners will practise their carpentry (Ps 128:3) You will simply be a figure of fun for them at the time of your prayer, as they drag you off and ensnare you with extraneous thoughts (logismoi)

ΡΜΗ´.  Μὴ ἔσο λογοχαρὴς, μηδὲ δοξοχαρὴς, εἰ δὲ μήγε, οὐκ ἔτι ἐν τῷ νώτῳ σου, αλλ' ἐν τῷ προσώπῳ σου τεκταίνουσιν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ, καὶ ἔσῃ ἐπίχαρμα αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς, ἐξελκόμενος, καὶ δελεαζόμενος ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἐν λογισμοῖς ἀλλοκότοις.

149. ATTENTIVENESS that seeks prayer will find prayer; for prayer follows on from attentiveness, if from anything.  So we should always apply ourselves seriously to it

ΡΜΘ´.  Προσοχὴ προσευχὴν ζητοῦσα, προσευχὴν εὑρήσει· προσευχὴ γὰρ προσοχῇ εἰ καὶ ἄλλο ἕπεται, εφ' ἣν σπουδαστέον.

150. AS sight excels all the other senses, so prayer is more exalted than all the other virtues

ΡΝ´. Ὥσπερ πασῶν τῶν αἰσθήσεων κρείττων ἡ ὅρασις, οὕτω καὶ πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν, προσευχὴ θειοτέρα.

151. IT is not simply quantity that makes prayer praiseworthy, it is rather quality. This can be seen from the two men who went up to the Temple (Luke 18:10-14), and from the saying, ‘When you pray, do not babble on’ (Matt. 6:7) and other such texts.

ΡΝΑ´.  Προσευχῆς ἔπαινος, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἡ ποσότης, ἀλλ' ἡ ποιότης, καὶ τῦτο δηλοῦσιν οἱ ἀναβάντες εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν, καὶ τὸ, <Ὑμεῖς προσευχόμενοι, μὴ βαττολογήσητε·> καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

152. AS long as you are paying attention to the appropriateness  of your bodily stance, as long as your nous that is busying itself with looking after the attractiveness of the tabernacle, you have not yet seen the place of prayer; the blessed way of prayer is still far from you.

ΡΝΒ´.Ἐφ' ὅσον τῇ ἀναλογίᾳ προσέχεις τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ὁ νοῦς σου τὰ τῆς σκηνῆς περιέπει τερπνὰ, οὐδέπω τῆς προσευχῆς ἑώρακας τόπον· ἀλλὰ μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ ἡ μακαρία ταύτης ὁδὸς τυγχάνει.

153. WHEN you find more enjoyment in performing your service of prayer than in anything else, then you have truly found prayer

ΡΝΓ´.  ῞οταν παριστάμενος εἰς προσευχὴν ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἄλλην χαρὰν γένῃ, τότε ἀληθῶς εὕρηκας προσευχήν.