The Beginning of Wisdom Is the Fear of the Lord
A Poem by Hieromonk Daniel the Danielite of Katounakia
(1846–1929)
A Poem by Hieromonk Daniel the Danielite of Katounakia
(1846–1929)
Whoever acquires the fear of God within himself,
Such a one will become capable of conquering all things.
For the fear of God grants sobriety;
It grants courage, understanding, and a moderate mind.
It grants courage and great-heartedness,
And, on the contrary, before no one does he feel cowardice.
For he hopes in God, and calls upon Him,
And from every danger he is always delivered.
In afflictions and temptations he rejoices with great joy;
He never grows indignant, nor does he ever become troubled.
For he knows the blessings that endurance
Will bring forth through the temptations he patiently bears.
They are heavenly blessings, blessed life,
And joy filled with all gladness, which is eternal.
All temporal goods he does not admire at all;
He regards them all as a dream, ashes, and smoke.
The beauty and pleasures of the flesh, as executioners of the soul,
He turns away from as enemies, terrible destroyers of the soul.
And the shameful thoughts which the shameful invisible enemy implants,
He immediately casts away,
So that they may not linger in the mind,
And then gain mastery over both the mind and the heart.
He keeps his understanding ever watchful,
Always driving away contrary assaults.
He keeps an ever-watchful guard over it,
And ceaselessly wages war against the invisible enemy.
For if it first overcomes the understanding,
Then easily it will also take the mind captive.
It will gain mastery over the heart and the soul;
And then — O thrice-wretched one! — it will sacrifice and destroy them.
But the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom,
Drives away the dreadful plots of every enemy.
And against visible and invisible enemies he rushes forth courageously,
And they flee swiftly, as though from fire.
Therefore, the fear of God is the guardian of virginity,
The cause of a sober life, the giver of purity.
It is a cleansing sponge for the soul and the heart,
The catalyst for a dignified and divine way of life.
Likewise, it is the source of holiness and of all righteousness,
And the support of the virtues and of every goodness.
He who has the fear of God is secure,
And shall surely receive eternal life.
For it is a bridle against every evil deed,
A teacher of virtue and of every good endeavor.
Let us all, O brothers, embrace the fear of God,
That we may all be found worthy of a peaceful end.
He who fears God is always ready,
And in the hour of his death he shall not be afraid at all.
Rather, he will await it as a great festival,
When he departs from here into eternal life.
There: everlasting life, ineffable gladness,
Unspeakable exultation, divine rejoicing.
Thrice-blessed, most blessed is he who attains it;
Wretched, thrice-wretched is he who fails to attain it.
For the one has gained the blessed life,
While the other, the unending punishment of torments.
The one shall be among the choirs of Angels and Saints,
The other with his companions, the savage demons.
Let him who believes in Christ consider these things well,
For all that He taught us is true in every respect.
The divine teaching of Christ is no myth,
But words of life, a heavenly trumpet.
Only the foolish and blind, utterly darkened,
Deny the existence of God, being fixed upon matter.
Having become like the beasts, though he was in honor, he did not understand;
And, having been likened to irrational creatures, he abandoned the things that are higher.
But O Intelligible Sun, who enlightens all things,
Cease not to strengthen us all in Your fear.
Such a one will become capable of conquering all things.
For the fear of God grants sobriety;
It grants courage, understanding, and a moderate mind.
It grants courage and great-heartedness,
And, on the contrary, before no one does he feel cowardice.
For he hopes in God, and calls upon Him,
And from every danger he is always delivered.
In afflictions and temptations he rejoices with great joy;
He never grows indignant, nor does he ever become troubled.
For he knows the blessings that endurance
Will bring forth through the temptations he patiently bears.
They are heavenly blessings, blessed life,
And joy filled with all gladness, which is eternal.
All temporal goods he does not admire at all;
He regards them all as a dream, ashes, and smoke.
The beauty and pleasures of the flesh, as executioners of the soul,
He turns away from as enemies, terrible destroyers of the soul.
And the shameful thoughts which the shameful invisible enemy implants,
He immediately casts away,
So that they may not linger in the mind,
And then gain mastery over both the mind and the heart.
He keeps his understanding ever watchful,
Always driving away contrary assaults.
He keeps an ever-watchful guard over it,
And ceaselessly wages war against the invisible enemy.
For if it first overcomes the understanding,
Then easily it will also take the mind captive.
It will gain mastery over the heart and the soul;
And then — O thrice-wretched one! — it will sacrifice and destroy them.
But the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom,
Drives away the dreadful plots of every enemy.
And against visible and invisible enemies he rushes forth courageously,
And they flee swiftly, as though from fire.
Therefore, the fear of God is the guardian of virginity,
The cause of a sober life, the giver of purity.
It is a cleansing sponge for the soul and the heart,
The catalyst for a dignified and divine way of life.
Likewise, it is the source of holiness and of all righteousness,
And the support of the virtues and of every goodness.
He who has the fear of God is secure,
And shall surely receive eternal life.
For it is a bridle against every evil deed,
A teacher of virtue and of every good endeavor.
Let us all, O brothers, embrace the fear of God,
That we may all be found worthy of a peaceful end.
He who fears God is always ready,
And in the hour of his death he shall not be afraid at all.
Rather, he will await it as a great festival,
When he departs from here into eternal life.
There: everlasting life, ineffable gladness,
Unspeakable exultation, divine rejoicing.
Thrice-blessed, most blessed is he who attains it;
Wretched, thrice-wretched is he who fails to attain it.
For the one has gained the blessed life,
While the other, the unending punishment of torments.
The one shall be among the choirs of Angels and Saints,
The other with his companions, the savage demons.
Let him who believes in Christ consider these things well,
For all that He taught us is true in every respect.
The divine teaching of Christ is no myth,
But words of life, a heavenly trumpet.
Only the foolish and blind, utterly darkened,
Deny the existence of God, being fixed upon matter.
Having become like the beasts, though he was in honor, he did not understand;
And, having been likened to irrational creatures, he abandoned the things that are higher.
But O Intelligible Sun, who enlightens all things,
Cease not to strengthen us all in Your fear.
+ + +
Ἀρχὴ Σοφίας Φόβος Κυρίου
Ποίημα Ἱερομονάχου Δανιὴλ Δανιηλίδου Κατουνακιώτου
(1846-1929)
Ἀρχὴ Σοφίας Φόβος Κυρίου
Ποίημα Ἱερομονάχου Δανιὴλ Δανιηλίδου Κατουνακιώτου
(1846-1929)
Ὅστις τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ, σαυτὸν θὰ ἀποκτήσῃ,
οὗτος θὰ γίνῃ ἱκανός, τὸ πᾶν νὰ κατακτήσῃ.
Γιατὶ ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ, χαρίζει σωφροσύνην·
χαρίζ᾿ ἀνδρείαν σύνεσιν, καὶ μετριοφροσύνην.
Χαρίζει θάῤῥος καὶ πολλὴν τὴν γενναιοκαρδίαν,
ἀπ᾿ ἐναντίου δ᾿ οὐδενός, αἰσθάνεται δειλίαν.
Διότι ἐλπίζ᾿ εἰς τὸν Θεόν, κι᾿ αὐτὸν ἐπικαλεῖται,
κι᾿ ἀπὸ κινδύνου δὲ παντός, πάντοτε ἐκλυτροῦται.
Στὰς θλίψεις κ᾿ εἰς τοὺς πειρασμούς, χαίρει χαρὰν μεγάλην·
ποτέ του δὲν ἀγανακτεῖ, καμία δὲν ἔχει ζάλην.
Γιατὶ γνωρίζ᾿ τ᾿ ἀγαθά, ὅπου θὰ προξενήσῃ,
ἡ ῾πομονὴ στοὺς πειρασμούς, ὅπου θὰ καρτερήσῃ.
Εἶν᾿ ἀγαθὰ οὐράνια, ζωὴ δὲ μακαρία,
καὶ πανευφρόσυνος χαρά, ἡ οὖσα αἰωνία.
Πάντα τὰ πρόσκαιρ᾿ ἀγαθά, οὐδόλως τὰ θαυμάζει,
ὡς ὄναρ, τέφραν καὶ καπνόν, τὰ ἅπαντα λογιάζει.
Κάλλος καὶ ἡδονὰς σαρκός, ὡς τῆς ψυχῆς δημίους,
τὰ ἀποστρέφετ᾿ ὡς ἐχθρούς, δεινοὺς ψυχολεθρίους.
Τοὺς λογισμοὺς δὲ τοὺς αἰσχρούς, οὕσπερ καθυποβάλλει,
ὁ νοητὸς αἰσχρὸς ἐχθρός, εὐθὺς τοὺς ἀποβάλλει.
Διὰ νὰ μὴ χρονίσωσι, οὐτ᾿ ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ,
καὶ εἶτα κυριεύσωσι, καὶ νοῦν καὶ τὴν καρδίαν.
Τὴν δὲ διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἔχει γρηγοροῦσαν,
τὰς δ᾿ ἐναντίας προσβολάς, ἀεὶ ἀποσοβοῦσαν.
Ἔχει σκοπὸν ἀκοίμητον, αὐτὴν ἐπαγρυπνοῦσαν,
καὶ τὸν ἀόρατον ἐχθρόν, ἀπαύστως πολεμοῦσαν.
Διότ᾿ ἄν τὴν διάνοιαν, ἐν πρώτοις ἐκνικήσῃ,
εὐκόλως τότε καὶ τὸν νοῦν, θὰ τὸν αἰχμαλωτίσῃ.
Καρδίαν δὲ καὶ τὴν ψυχήν, θὰ κατακυριεύσῃ,
τότες ὦ! τρισαλλοίμονον, θὰ θύσῃ θ᾿ ἀπολέσῃ…
Ὁ φόβος ὅμως τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅστις ἀρχὴ σοφίας,
ἀποσοβεῖ παντὸς ἐχθροῦ, δεινὰς μηχανουργίας…
Κ᾿ εἰς ὁρατοὺς καὶ ἀφανεῖς, ἐχθροὺς ὁρμᾷ γενναίως,
οἵτινες ὡς ἀπὸ πυρός, διώκονται δρομαίως…
Λοιπὸν ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ, φύλαξ τῆς παρθενίας,
αἴτιος βίου σώφρονος, πάροχος τῆς ἁγνείας.
Σπόγγος ἐστὶ καθαρτικός, ψυχῆς καὶ τῆς καρδίας,
παραίτιος σεμνοπρεποῦς, καὶ θείας πολιτείας.
Ὡσαύτως ἁγιότητος, καὶ πάσης δικαιοσύνης,
καὶ στηριγμὸς τῶν ἀρετῶν, καὶ πάσης ἀγαθωσύνης.
Ὁ ἔχων φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἶν᾿ ἐξησφαλισμένος,
καὶ τὴν αἰώνιον ζωήν, νὰ λάβῃ ὡρισμένως…
Διότι χαλινὸς ἐστί, πάσης κακοπραγίας,
διδάσκαλος δὲ ἀρετῆς, καὶ πάσης εὐπραγίας.
Φόβον Θεοῦ, ὦ ἀδελφοί, πάντες ἐγκολπωθῶμεν,
ὅπως τέλους εἰρηνικοῦ, πάντες ἀξιωθῶμεν.
Πάντοτε εἶναι ἕτοιμος, ὅστις Θεὸν φοβῆται·
κ᾿ ἐν ὥρᾳ τοῦ θανάτου του, οὐδόλως θὰ πτοῆται.
Μάλιστα ὡς πανήγυριν, αὐτὴν θὰ περιμένῃ,
ὅτ᾿ εις ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ἐντεῦθεν μεταβαίνει.
Ἐκεῖ ζωὴ ἀΐδιος, ἄῤῥητος εὐφρροσύνη,
ἄφατος ἀγαλλίασις, ἔνθεος χαρμοσύνη.
Μακάριος τρισμάκαριος, ὅστις τὴν ἐπιτύχῃ,
ἄθλιος καὶ τρισάθλιος, ὅστις τὴν ἀποτύχῃ…
Γιατὶ ὁ μὲν ἐκέρδισε, ζωὴν τὴν μακαρίαν·
ὁ δέ, τὴν ἀτελεύτητον, βασάνων τιμωρίαν.
Ὁ μὲν θὰ εἶναι στοὺς χορούς, Ἀγγέλων καὶ Ἁγίων,
ὁ δὲ μὲ τῶν συντρόφων του, δαιμόνων τῶν ἀγρίων…
Ταῦτα, ἂς τὰ σκεφθῇ καλῶς, ὅστις Χριστὸν πιστεύει,
διότ᾿ ὅσα μᾶς ἐδίδαξεν, εἰς πάντα ἀληθεύει.
Δὲν εἶναι μῦθος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἡ θεία διδασκαλία,
ἀλλ᾿ εἶναι ῥήματα ζωῆς, σάλπιγξ ἐπουρανία.
Μόνον ὁ ἄφρων καὶ τυφλός, κι᾿ ὅλως ἐσκοτισμένος,
Θεοῦ ἀρνεῖται ὕπαρξιν, τῇ ὕλῃ προσηλωμένος.
Τοῖς κτήνεσι ὁμοιωθείς, ἐν τιμῇ ὤν, οὐ συνῆκε,
κι᾿ ἀλόγοις παρασυμβληθείς, τὰ κρείττονα ἀφῆκε…
Ἀλλ᾿ ὦ Ἥλιε νοητέ, τὰ πάντα ὁ φωτίζων,
μὴ παύσῃ εἰς τὸν φόβον σου, πάντας ἡμᾶς στηρίζων.
οὗτος θὰ γίνῃ ἱκανός, τὸ πᾶν νὰ κατακτήσῃ.
Γιατὶ ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ, χαρίζει σωφροσύνην·
χαρίζ᾿ ἀνδρείαν σύνεσιν, καὶ μετριοφροσύνην.
Χαρίζει θάῤῥος καὶ πολλὴν τὴν γενναιοκαρδίαν,
ἀπ᾿ ἐναντίου δ᾿ οὐδενός, αἰσθάνεται δειλίαν.
Διότι ἐλπίζ᾿ εἰς τὸν Θεόν, κι᾿ αὐτὸν ἐπικαλεῖται,
κι᾿ ἀπὸ κινδύνου δὲ παντός, πάντοτε ἐκλυτροῦται.
Στὰς θλίψεις κ᾿ εἰς τοὺς πειρασμούς, χαίρει χαρὰν μεγάλην·
ποτέ του δὲν ἀγανακτεῖ, καμία δὲν ἔχει ζάλην.
Γιατὶ γνωρίζ᾿ τ᾿ ἀγαθά, ὅπου θὰ προξενήσῃ,
ἡ ῾πομονὴ στοὺς πειρασμούς, ὅπου θὰ καρτερήσῃ.
Εἶν᾿ ἀγαθὰ οὐράνια, ζωὴ δὲ μακαρία,
καὶ πανευφρόσυνος χαρά, ἡ οὖσα αἰωνία.
Πάντα τὰ πρόσκαιρ᾿ ἀγαθά, οὐδόλως τὰ θαυμάζει,
ὡς ὄναρ, τέφραν καὶ καπνόν, τὰ ἅπαντα λογιάζει.
Κάλλος καὶ ἡδονὰς σαρκός, ὡς τῆς ψυχῆς δημίους,
τὰ ἀποστρέφετ᾿ ὡς ἐχθρούς, δεινοὺς ψυχολεθρίους.
Τοὺς λογισμοὺς δὲ τοὺς αἰσχρούς, οὕσπερ καθυποβάλλει,
ὁ νοητὸς αἰσχρὸς ἐχθρός, εὐθὺς τοὺς ἀποβάλλει.
Διὰ νὰ μὴ χρονίσωσι, οὐτ᾿ ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ,
καὶ εἶτα κυριεύσωσι, καὶ νοῦν καὶ τὴν καρδίαν.
Τὴν δὲ διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἔχει γρηγοροῦσαν,
τὰς δ᾿ ἐναντίας προσβολάς, ἀεὶ ἀποσοβοῦσαν.
Ἔχει σκοπὸν ἀκοίμητον, αὐτὴν ἐπαγρυπνοῦσαν,
καὶ τὸν ἀόρατον ἐχθρόν, ἀπαύστως πολεμοῦσαν.
Διότ᾿ ἄν τὴν διάνοιαν, ἐν πρώτοις ἐκνικήσῃ,
εὐκόλως τότε καὶ τὸν νοῦν, θὰ τὸν αἰχμαλωτίσῃ.
Καρδίαν δὲ καὶ τὴν ψυχήν, θὰ κατακυριεύσῃ,
τότες ὦ! τρισαλλοίμονον, θὰ θύσῃ θ᾿ ἀπολέσῃ…
Ὁ φόβος ὅμως τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅστις ἀρχὴ σοφίας,
ἀποσοβεῖ παντὸς ἐχθροῦ, δεινὰς μηχανουργίας…
Κ᾿ εἰς ὁρατοὺς καὶ ἀφανεῖς, ἐχθροὺς ὁρμᾷ γενναίως,
οἵτινες ὡς ἀπὸ πυρός, διώκονται δρομαίως…
Λοιπὸν ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ, φύλαξ τῆς παρθενίας,
αἴτιος βίου σώφρονος, πάροχος τῆς ἁγνείας.
Σπόγγος ἐστὶ καθαρτικός, ψυχῆς καὶ τῆς καρδίας,
παραίτιος σεμνοπρεποῦς, καὶ θείας πολιτείας.
Ὡσαύτως ἁγιότητος, καὶ πάσης δικαιοσύνης,
καὶ στηριγμὸς τῶν ἀρετῶν, καὶ πάσης ἀγαθωσύνης.
Ὁ ἔχων φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἶν᾿ ἐξησφαλισμένος,
καὶ τὴν αἰώνιον ζωήν, νὰ λάβῃ ὡρισμένως…
Διότι χαλινὸς ἐστί, πάσης κακοπραγίας,
διδάσκαλος δὲ ἀρετῆς, καὶ πάσης εὐπραγίας.
Φόβον Θεοῦ, ὦ ἀδελφοί, πάντες ἐγκολπωθῶμεν,
ὅπως τέλους εἰρηνικοῦ, πάντες ἀξιωθῶμεν.
Πάντοτε εἶναι ἕτοιμος, ὅστις Θεὸν φοβῆται·
κ᾿ ἐν ὥρᾳ τοῦ θανάτου του, οὐδόλως θὰ πτοῆται.
Μάλιστα ὡς πανήγυριν, αὐτὴν θὰ περιμένῃ,
ὅτ᾿ εις ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ἐντεῦθεν μεταβαίνει.
Ἐκεῖ ζωὴ ἀΐδιος, ἄῤῥητος εὐφρροσύνη,
ἄφατος ἀγαλλίασις, ἔνθεος χαρμοσύνη.
Μακάριος τρισμάκαριος, ὅστις τὴν ἐπιτύχῃ,
ἄθλιος καὶ τρισάθλιος, ὅστις τὴν ἀποτύχῃ…
Γιατὶ ὁ μὲν ἐκέρδισε, ζωὴν τὴν μακαρίαν·
ὁ δέ, τὴν ἀτελεύτητον, βασάνων τιμωρίαν.
Ὁ μὲν θὰ εἶναι στοὺς χορούς, Ἀγγέλων καὶ Ἁγίων,
ὁ δὲ μὲ τῶν συντρόφων του, δαιμόνων τῶν ἀγρίων…
Ταῦτα, ἂς τὰ σκεφθῇ καλῶς, ὅστις Χριστὸν πιστεύει,
διότ᾿ ὅσα μᾶς ἐδίδαξεν, εἰς πάντα ἀληθεύει.
Δὲν εἶναι μῦθος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἡ θεία διδασκαλία,
ἀλλ᾿ εἶναι ῥήματα ζωῆς, σάλπιγξ ἐπουρανία.
Μόνον ὁ ἄφρων καὶ τυφλός, κι᾿ ὅλως ἐσκοτισμένος,
Θεοῦ ἀρνεῖται ὕπαρξιν, τῇ ὕλῃ προσηλωμένος.
Τοῖς κτήνεσι ὁμοιωθείς, ἐν τιμῇ ὤν, οὐ συνῆκε,
κι᾿ ἀλόγοις παρασυμβληθείς, τὰ κρείττονα ἀφῆκε…
Ἀλλ᾿ ὦ Ἥλιε νοητέ, τὰ πάντα ὁ φωτίζων,
μὴ παύσῃ εἰς τὸν φόβον σου, πάντας ἡμᾶς στηρίζων.
Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
