Shepherd of Hermas: Similitudes 7

1_They who repent must bring forth fruits worthy of repentance._ After a few days I saw him in the same plain where I had also seen the shepherds; and he said to me, “What do you wish with me?” I said to him, “Sir, that you would order the shepherd who punishes to depart out of my house, because he afflicts me exceedingly.” “It is necessary,” he replied, “that you be afflicted; for thus,” he continued, “did the glorious angel command concerning you, as he wishes you to be tried.” “What have I done which is so bad, sir,” I replied, “that I should be delivered over to this angel?” “Listen,” he said: “Your sins are many, but not so great as to require that _you_ be delivered over to this angel; but your household has committed great iniquities and sins, and the glorious angel has been incensed at them on account of their deeds; and for this reason he commanded you to be afflicted for a certain time, that they also might repent, and purify themselves from every desire of this world. When, therefore, they repent and are purified, then the angel of punishment will depart.” I said to him, “Sir, if they have done such things as to incense the glorious angel against them, yet what have I done?” He replied, “They cannot be afflicted at all, unless you, the head of the house, be afflicted: for when you are afflicted, of necessity they also suffer affliction; but if you are in comfort, they can feel no affliction.” “Well, sir,” I said, “they have repented with their whole heart.” “I know, too,” he answered, “that they have repented with their whole heart: do you think, however, that the sins of those who repent are remitted? Not altogether, but he who repents must torture his own soul, and be exceedingly humble in all his conduct, and be afflicted with many kinds of affliction; and if he endure the afflictions that come upon him, He who created all things, and endued them with power, will assuredly have compassion, and will heal him; and this will He do when He sees the heart of every penitent pure from every evil thing: and it is profitable for you and for your house to suffer affliction now. But why should I say much to you? You must be afflicted, as that angel of the Lord commanded who delivered you to me. And for this give thanks to the Lord, because He has deemed you worthy of showing you beforehand this affliction, that, knowing it before it comes, you may be able to bear it with courage.” I said to him, “Sir, be thou with me, and I will be able to bear all affliction.” “I will be with you,” he said, “and I will ask the angel of punishment to afflict you more lightly; nevertheless, you will be afflicted for a little time, and again you will be re-established in your house. Only continue humble, and serve the Lord in all purity of heart, you and your children, and your house, and walk in my commands which I enjoin upon you, and your repentance will be deep and pure; and if you observe these things with your household, every affliction will depart from you. And affliction,” he added, “will depart from all who walk in these my commandments.”

[Παραβολὴ ζ΄. Μετὰ ἡμέρας ὀλίγας εἶδον αὐτὸν εἷς τὸ πεδίον τὸ αὐτὸ ὅπου καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας ἑωράκειν, καὶ λέγει μοι" Τί ἐπιζητεῖς ; Πάρειμε, φημί, κύριε, ἵνα τὸν ποιμένα τὸν τιμωρητὴν κελεύσῃς ἐκ τοῦ οἵκον μον ἐξελθεῖν, ὅτι λίαν με θλίβει. Δεῖ σε, φησί, θλιβῆναι" οὕτω γάρ, φησί, προσέταξεν 6 ἔνδοξος ἄγγελος τὰ περὶ σοῦ" θέλει γάρ σε πειρασθῆναι. Τί γάρ, φημέ, κύριε, ἐποίησα οὕτω πονηρόν, ἵνα τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τούτῳ παραδοθῶ; “Axove, φησίν. αἱ μὲν ἁμαρτίαι σου πολλαί, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τοσαῦται ὥστε τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τούτῳ παραδοθῆναι" ἀλλ᾽ ὃ οἷκός σου μεγάλας ἀνομίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας εἰργάσατο, καὶ παρε- πικράνθη ὃ ἔνδοξος ἄγγελος ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκέλευσέ σε χρόνον τινὰ θλιβῆναι, ἵνα κἀκεῖνοι μετα- γνοήσωσι καὶ καθαρίσωσιν ἑαυτοὺς amd πάσης ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτον. ὅταν οὖν μετανοήσωσι καὶ καθαρισθῶσι, τότε ἀποστήσεται ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς τιμωρίας. λέγω αὐτῷ" Κύριε, εἰ ἐκεῖνοι τοιαῦτα εἰργάσαντο ἵνα παραπικρανθῇ ὁ ἔνδοξος ἄγγελος, τί ἐγὼ ἐποίησα ; ἤΛλλλως, φησίν, οὐ δύνανται ἐκεῖνοι θλιβῆναι, ἐὰν μὴ σὺ ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ οἴκου [ὅλου] θλιβῆς᾽ σοῦ γὰρ θλιβομένον ἐξ ἀνάγκης κἀκεῖνοι θλιβή- σονται, εὐσταθοῦντος δὲ σοῦ οὐδεμίαν δύνανται θλῖψιν ἔχειν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἰδού, φημί, κύριε, μετανενοήκασιν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας αὐτῶν. Οἶδα, φησί, κἀγὼ ὅτι μετανενοήκασιν ἐξ 1 πάρειμι) wap’ ἐμοί A. 2 καθαρίσωσι») καθαρήσωσιν A. 3 ὅλου] ὅλης καρδίας αὐτῶν᾽ τῶν οὖν μετανοούντων εὐθὺς δοκεῖς τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀφίεσθαι ; οὐ παντελῶς" ἀλλὰ δεῖ τὸν μετα- νοοῦντα βασανίσαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν καὶ ταπεινοφρονῆσαι ἐν πάσῃ πράξει αὐτοῦ ἰσχυρῶς καὶ θλιβῆναι ἐν πάσαις θλίψεσι ποικίλαις" καὶ ἐὰν ὑπενέγκῃ τὰς θλέψεις τὰς ἐπερ- χομένας αὐτῷ, πάντως σπλαγχνισθήσεται 6 τὰ πάντα κτίσας καὶ ἐνδυναμώσας καὶ ἴασίν τινα δώσει" καὶ τοῦτο ὅταν [ὁ Θεὺς] τοῦ μετανοοῦντος καθαρὰν ἴδῃ τὴν καρδίαν ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος. σοὶ δὲ συμφέρον ἐστὶ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ σου νῦν θλιβῆναι. τί δέ σοι πολλὰ λέγω; θλιβῆναί σε δεῖ, καθὼς προσέταξεν ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐκεῖνος, ὁ παραδιδούς σε enol’ καὶ τοῦτο εὐχαρίστει τῴ Κυρίῳ ὅτι ἄξιόν σε ἡγήσατο τοῦ προδηλῶσαί σοι τὴν θλῖψιν, ἵνα προγνοὺς αὐτὴν ὑπενέγκῃς ἰσχυρῶς. λέγω αὐτῷ' Κύριε, σὺ μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ γίνον, καὶ [εὐκόλως] δυνήσομαι πᾶσαν θλῖψιν ὑπενεγκεῖν. ᾿Εγώ, φησίν, ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ" ἐρωτήσω δὲ καὶ τὸν ἄγγελον τὸν τιμωρητὴν ἵνα σε ἐλαφροτέρως θλίψῃ" ἀλλ᾽ ὀλίγον χρόνον θλιβήσῃ, καὶ πάλιν ἀποκατασταθήσῃ εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σον" μόνον παράμεινον ταπεινοφρονῶν καὶ λειτουργῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου καὶ 6 οἶκός σου, καὶ πορεύου ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς μου αἷς σοι ἐντέλλομαι, καὶ δυνή- σεταί σου ἡ μετάνοια ἰσχυρὰ καὶ καθαρὰ εἶναι" καὶ ἐὰν ταύτας φυλάξης μετὰ τοῦ οἴκου σου, ἀποστήσεται πᾶσα θλῖψις ἀπὸ σοῦ" καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων δέ, φησίν, ἀποστήσεται θλῖψις, ὅσοι ἐὰν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς μου ταύταις πορευθῶσιν.