2

Think Humbly of Yourself

All naturally desire knowledge, but what good is knowledge without the fear of God?

Surely humble peasants who serve God are better than proud philosophers who strive to understand the ways of the universe and neglect their owns souls. If you know yourself well you will become lowly in your own sight and not delight in the praises of others. If I understand all things in the world and had not love, what help would that be to me in the sight of God who will judge the things that I do ?

Stay away from any unreasonable desire for knowledge, for in it there is great distraction and deception. Scholarly people like to appear scholarly to others, and to be thought of as being wise.  There are many things that you can know that are of little profit to your soul, and you are very unwise if you concentrate on anything other than those things that benefit your salvation. Many words do not satisfy the soul, but a good life comforts the mind, and a pure conscience inspires confidence in God.

The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely you will be judged, unless your life is also holy. Do not praise yourself, therefore, because of any knowledge and talent you may have, but rather let the knowledge and talent make you humble and careful. If you think you have great understanding and knowlegde,    understand also that there are many things that you know nothing about. Do not appear to be very wise, but rather admit your own ignorance. Why perfer yourself before others, since there are many who are more knowledgeable and skillful in the Scriptures than you are. If you want to know or learn anything profitably, then dsire to be unknown and to be little esteemed by others.

The highest and most profitable  learning is true knowledge and understanding of ourselves. Its great wisdom and perfection to esteem ourselves as nothing, and  to always think well and highly of others. If you see another person sin openly, or commit  a serious crime, you should not think as yourself as better, for you do not know how long you will be able to remain in good circumstancs. We are all frail, but you should think of no one as being frailer than yourself.