Letter 841
Isidore of Pelusium→Unknown|isidore pelusium
From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: An unnamed person
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Isidore writes on matters of wealth.
Wealth is a tool, not a treasure. Use it for others and it becomes eternal; hoard it for yourself and it perishes with you.
Συγγνώμης χαὶ τιμωρίας μείζονα πολλάχις τολ- μῶσιν ἄνθρωποι χρημάτων ἕνεχεν χαὶ ἀρχῆς, καὶ τοῦ μηδενὶ τούτων παραχωρῆσαι. Κτήσασθαι μὲν γὰρ αὑτὰ βουλόμενοι, διὰ μυρίων χαχῶν χτῶνται,, χαὶ φοδούμενοι ἀποδαλεῖν, πολλῷ ἀργαλεωτέροις () ἐγχειροῦσι. Νομίζοντες γὰρ τὸ ἀποδαλεῖν τοῦ μηδὲ χτήσασθαι δεινότερον εἶναι, χαλεπώτερα μηχανῶν- ται" χρὴ οὖν ἐν προοιμίοις περιγίνεσθαι τῶν πα- θῶν (), ἵνα μὴ τελευτῶντες ἀνήχεστα νοσοῦντες φωραθῶμεν.
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From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: An unnamed person
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Isidore writes on matters of wealth.
Wealth is a tool, not a treasure. Use it for others and it becomes eternal; hoard it for yourself and it perishes with you.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.