Writings

In desiring, thence you perish, while you are burning with envy of your neighbour. You extinguish yourself, when you inflame yourself within. You are jealous, O envious man, of another who is struggling with evil, and desirest that you may become equally the possessor of so much wealth. The law does not thus behold him when you seek to fall upon him. Depending on all things, you live in the lust of gain; and although you are guilty to yourself, you condemn yourself by your own judgment.

The greedy survey of the eyes is never satisfied. Now, therefore, if you may return and consider, lust is vain...whence God cries out, You fool, this night you are summoned. Death rushes after you. Whose, then, shall be those talents? By hiding the unrighteous gains in the concealed treasury, when the Lord shall supply to every one his daily life. Let another accumulate; you seek to live well. And when your heart is conscious of God, you shall be victor over all things; yet I do not say that you should boast yourself in public, when you are watching for your day by living without fraud. The bird perishes in the midst of food, or carelessly sticks fast in the bird-lime. Think that in your simplicity you have much to beware of. Let others trangress these bounds. You always look forward.