Letter 1575
Isidore of Pelusium→Unknown|isidore pelusium
From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: An unnamed person; then to Dioscoros and Timothy
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Two letters — the first on hypocrisy in the praise of virtue; the second (to Dioscoros and Timothy) an invitation to change.
No one would be found worthy of the heavenly festival unless he were truly adorned with the marks of virtue. Many, as you rightly observe, honor virtue in their words but in their deeds commit acts worthy not of praise but of punishment. These men clearly carry one thing on their tongue and another in their heart. Do not envy them — weep for them. They have chosen the worst of all positions: they know enough to praise what is good, and yet do not do it. A man who does not know what virtue is can at least be pitied for his ignorance. But these men have no such excuse.
To Dioscoros and Timothy: You are invited to change. The invitation stands open. Those who accept it find that even past wretchedness can become useful — as a reminder of where they came from and a goad toward where they are going.
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From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: An unnamed person; then to Dioscoros and Timothy
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Two letters — the first on hypocrisy in the praise of virtue; the second (to Dioscoros and Timothy) an invitation to change.
No one would be found worthy of the heavenly festival unless he were truly adorned with the marks of virtue. Many, as you rightly observe, honor virtue in their words but in their deeds commit acts worthy not of praise but of punishment. These men clearly carry one thing on their tongue and another in their heart. Do not envy them — weep for them. They have chosen the worst of all positions: they know enough to praise what is good, and yet do not do it. A man who does not know what virtue is can at least be pitied for his ignorance. But these men have no such excuse.
To Dioscoros and Timothy: You are invited to change. The invitation stands open. Those who accept it find that even past wretchedness can become useful — as a reminder of where they came from and a goad toward where they are going.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.