Demonstration 9: On Humility

Demonstration on Humility Good is humility at all times, and from all afflictions it delivers those who approach it, and its fruits are many. Humility gives birth to many good things. Perfection is born from it, and grace dwells in it, and its salvation is as it is written, that God said to him, "I have seen that you are righteous and perfect in this generation." And many are the testimonies of humility. For it is written in Scripture that the humble inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever. Again, the prophet Isaiah said, "I will dwell only with the lowly and the humble, who are silent at my word." Again, he said, "Better is the humble of spirit and the humble of eyes than he who holds a city." Again, he said thus: "The righteousness of the perfect goes before them." And concerning Moses, the faithful man, it is written thus: that he was humble with all the sons of men who were upon the face of the earth. For humility is a testimony of the good things of the fear of God, and many are the gifts that are acquired because of humility by those who love it. Arrogance, when it seeks, is found among the humble, and humility is the dwelling place of purity. Instruction is found for the humble, and knowledge is sought from their lips. Wisdom and understanding are born of humility. Dominion is acquired by the humble. Chastity and patience, when sought, are found among the humble. Humility is fitting for them, and desire is sweet. The word of the humble is pleasant, and his face is cheerful, and he laughs and rejoices. Love is becoming to the humble, that they may know how to conduct themselves by it. The humble fast from all evils, and the expression of their faces is good in their hearts. The humble speaks, and it is fitting for him, and his lips smile, and his voice is not heard. The humble fears transgression, because he is a son of chastity. When the humble hears words of anger, he closes his ears and does not let them enter his heart. The thought of the humble gives birth to all good things.

and his senses are exercised in good things. The humble man drinks in teaching like water, and it enters into him like oil into his limbs. The humble man is humble, and his heart is high in the lofty heights, and the place of his treasure is deep; his thought is lowly, his eyes look down to the earth, and the eyes of his mind are in the lofty heights. The humble man is humble at all times, so that the word of authority may not be with him towards any man. In the law of his Lord the humble man rejoices, and from his hand he takes the medicine he seeks. The humble man rejoices in the good things of his companion, and considers his friend as himself. The humble man draws near to the proud and the haughty, and takes and carries away all his mind. Humility hides rebellious faults, and turns aside wrath and enmity. The humility of Jacob conquered the wrath of Esau his brother and of the four hundred men who were with him. And the humility of Joseph conquered the wrath of his brothers who hated him and sold him. And Moses conquered by his humility, and humbled all the pride of Pharaoh. And the humility of David conquered the pride of Goliath who cursed him in wrath. And the humility of Hezekiah conquered all the cursing of Sennacherib, who cursed and blasphemed. And the humility of Mordecai conquered all the boasting of Haman. And Daniel and his brothers conquered by their humility the wicked men who ate their flesh. The humble ones humble themselves from envy and deceit and malice, and they are joyful in the eyes of pride, and they do not participate in harshness. They distance themselves from lies, and the slanderer is a stranger to them. They put forth and cast out enmity, because they are sons of peace. They put forth and cast out haughtiness from their house, for they are bent over their good name. They do not know stubbornness, for they love simplicity and honesty. They are gentle and meek, and they are patient for the sake of the truth. They are strangers to the whole world, far from them is insolence, and afflictions are pleasant in their eyes.

Their hearts are full of good treasures, and their thoughts are pure from every blemish. The eyes of their minds gaze from the heights, and they look upon the beauty of their Lord. They rejoice in him at all times. Their hearts reject all that is fair, and their lips produce good fruits. They received the good seed of their Lord, and they cast away and scattered the evil thorns from him. Their seed yields fruit a hundredfold, for they watered it from the spring of life. Humility is planted within them, and the fruits of faith and love ripen. They are clothed for Christ like a good garment, and they are preserved from all defilement. The Spirit they received dwells in them, and it is beloved by them, and they do not grieve it. They prepare their temples for the great King, and he enters and dwells in the gentle and the humble. They set their foundation upon the rock of truth, and they are not afraid of waves and winds. They shine like lamps, their wicks are trimmed, and their light shines before them. They prepare the upper room for the feast that is to come, and they spread it for the guests to enter into it. They take money and trade with it, and they increase ten talents of gold, and they bring out and distribute their cloaks. They do not hoard money, but hide it. The body of their vision walks upon the earth, and all their thoughts are set upon their Lord. They walk and travel on the narrow and constricted path, and they enter through the narrow gate of the kingdom. Their nature is constrained to keep the law, which they meditate upon at all times. They wander and turn about in the world like strangers, and they spread that city which is in heaven. Their thought is swift and set on the heights, and they spread to enter the sanctuary there. Their eyes are opened and they look there, and they see the feast that is prepared for themselves. Their messengers go there every day, and they bring and carry news and peace. Their names are written in the book of life.

and they pray and are sustained, so that their names are not blotted out from the book of life. They offer up their offerings: chastity, fasting, and prayer. To him who is authorized to write and to blot out, and on their hearts is written the law of their Lord, because they are inscribed in that book of eternity. Their sins are covered at all times, so that their names are not blotted out from the book of life. They love the afflictions of the righteous, that they might be removed from the distress of eternity. Their tongues teach the hymns of Christ, that they might delight in the place of his sweet and pleasant songs. They are scattered to dwell in that place, and they are anxious that no distress should come upon them. These are the friends of humility, those whose peace is great with every man. They are humble in their ways, they are the sons of the Most High, and the brothers of Christ. He, when he was announced, came for the sake of peace, and because of his humility, Mary received him. For when Gabriel announced the good news to Mary, he said to her thus: "Peace to you, blessed one among women." And Gabriel brought peace and brought the blessed fruit, and he sowed in the womb of Mary the beloved child. And she praised and magnified the Lord, who willed through the humility of his handmaid, and did not will through the proud and the arrogant. And Mary exalted all the humble. And see, my beloved, that peace runs to the humble. And also when he was born, he taught humility. Thus the watchers of heaven were praising and saying: "Peace in heaven and glory on earth, and good hope for the sons of men." And when he taught humility at his coming, he said thus: "When someone strikes you on your cheek, approach him with the other. And when someone insults you to go with him, go with him two others. And when someone wants to take your tunic, give him also your cloak." All these things even the Savior can do for the humble. Pride and arrogance are not fitting for the humble, nor is a crown fitting for the head of the poor.

The humble one who is raised up, his Lord helps him; and the poor one who places a crown on his head, the king kills him. Pride and haughtiness are the crown of the proud king. For this reason, pride is fitting for him alone, because it is his own, and the kingdom is evil. And also for his servant, haughtiness is fitting. And the great and the mighty are for the lords of the flesh, and the signs and tokens of the kingdom are fitting for the king, and not for the lowly. For this reason, my beloved, what God has placed with you and loved with him, do not seek with you, but with him it remains his own. And sin will remain in your nature. To you humility is fitting, and to him haughtiness and pride. And to you, what is yours, he gave to you: humility. And what he did not give to you, do not take. And even when he gives you something good, he gives it to you as a loan. For when someone takes what is not his, he is considered a thief and a liar. And when he remains in his nature, humble, the Most High raises him up. Do not go after pride. For a person cannot serve two masters at the head. Haughtiness does not associate with humility, nor audacity with modesty, nor insolence with gentleness, nor haste with composure. When someone receives haughtiness, the world to come is closed to him. And everyone who loves humility is raised up and exalted in the place of pride. The rich man who wore purple was raised up and exalted and boasted; when he went there, he fell into distress. And Lazarus, who humbled himself, was exalted and sat in the bosom of Abraham. The Pharisees and the tax collectors were praying in the temple. The Pharisee was raised up and justified himself, and went down to his house without being victorious. And the tax collector, who humbled himself, went down to his house justified. Evil was set against good, and darkness against light, and enmity against friendship, and against truth, humility, and against wrath, silence. There is no power in evil.

to stand against the good. And darkness, when it sees the light, flees from it. And bitterness is subdued by sweetness. And enmity is conquered by humility. And error is abolished by truthfulness. And wrath is extinguished by silence. For darkness does not envy the light, nor does enmity err in the righteous, nor does error mock the wrathful, nor does bitterness associate with the limbs. But the evil are mixed with the good, and the wicked envy the righteous, and the proud boast over the humble, and liars mock the truthful, and fools deride the wise. And he who has no truth does not wish the truthful to be found. And he to whom pride is evil, the humble one is like his murderer. And he whose hands are armed with iniquity does not wish for a righteous man. He whose mouth is full of falsehood, truth is a stranger to his members and his friends. There is no remedy for error except silence and humility, and evil reward comes from error. Concerning the serpent that erred against Adam in Paradise: it received three curses placed on its head; it took away its feet and walked on its belly; and it took away its food and gave it dust; and it made it an enemy, and gave it as a treading for man. And Cain, who killed Abel in his error, received curses for seven generations, and became a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth. And Esau, who erred against his brother Jacob and persecuted him, Jacob the humble received his birthright and his blessings, and the proud one became subject to the humble. And those who erred against Joseph the humble, Joseph was raised up, and his brothers fell and bowed down to him. And Pharaoh, who erred against the people of the Hebrews, and commanded concerning their male children to be cast into the river, in that same sea he was drowned, and received the punishment of his sins. And Korah and his companions, who erred against Moses, evil reward came upon them, and the pit opened its mouth and swallowed them, and fire blazed and consumed them.

ed and Miriam who slandered Moses the humble. The Holy One who destroyed Ahab was revealed. And Miriam was afflicted with leprosy for seven days. And Saul who slandered David the humble and his anointed, the Spirit of Holiness passed from him, and a demonic spirit troubled him. And Ahab who slandered Naboth and killed him, in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, also the dogs licked his own blood. And Jezebel who persecuted Elijah, she could not humble him, and the dogs ate her. And Elijah ascended to heaven. And the slanderers who slandered righteous men, their own tongues were consumed by the flame of the fire. And the chaste men were delivered from it. And the Chaldeans who slandered Daniel, they themselves filled the pit they dug for him. And Haman who slandered Mordecai and his people, his command did not succeed, and he and his sons received death by crucifixion. And the foolish people who did not accept the humble king Messiah, their place was uprooted and scattered. And when he took the kingdom and turned, his enemies were destroyed before him. ... All these things I have written to remind you, my beloved, and it did not weary me, that I might set before you the word that places a bad beginning. The wicked receive from the hands of the humble. Therefore, my beloved, I will set before you this word: that every slanderer is clothed with evil, evil dwells in him, and a foul spirit is that which dwelt in Saul dwells in him. And when David was angry with Saul who pursued him, Saul, because of the slander that clothed him, cast reproach upon his good deeds. And when humility is found in him, peace and humility dwell in him, and he becomes a dwelling place for the Messiah. And remember again that I wrote to you above, that good ones are not slandered by evil ones, but evil ones are slandered by good ones. I have never seen a rich man slandered by the poor, nor righteous by the wicked, nor chaste by the unjust, nor sons of peace by turmoil.

And not the true with the false, nor the pure with the corrupt, nor the chaste with the contemptible. Therefore, run after humility, which conquers corruption, and removes wrath, and silence and patience are its companions, so that you may be restrained from great wrath. Love humility and embrace chastity, and patience is the companion of both. The humble have many friends, and the proud have even the wicked as their companions. Restrain anger, and be delivered from the blemishes of wrath. Do not open your mouth to your anger, and do not set your face against it with your inner thoughts. Do not show your tongue, so that it does not produce evil fruits. Let the children of anger not be born in you, so that many thoughts are not corrupted by their offspring. When anger is corrupted in you, it will be a reproach, and do not give birth to it with your tongue, and do not hang it on your lips. Every thought that arises in your heart, bury it within your inner self. The good that your heart conceives, give to your tongue, and teach your mouth fair words. Let the word turn over in your heart for many days, and see if it is fitting to give to your tongue, and if it is not fitting, let it die in your heart, and bury it in your thought. Guard your tongue from false testimony, so that you do not kindle a fire in your whole body. Let the king who dwells in you be raised up beautifully, and do not bring evil troubles upon him. For he alone desires to dwell in a person, and with one whose thoughts are many he does not dwell. Let your tongue love silence, because the name of your Lord is sweet, and let your lips beware of division, for you are constrained in them outside the king. Let no emptiness come out of your mouth, so that the Spirit does not depart from you and does not dwell in you. Love humility, a strong wall, which is like iron. Love chastity, sweet fruits, from which whoever eats, his soul is satisfied and rejoices and is glad. All trees are known by their fruits, and the thought of a person is known by his words.

From his mouth his taste is known to every person who approaches a wise man, for from his tongue the taste of his thought is known. Because from the abundance of the heart the lips speak. And any person who fears God speaks all good things at all times, and the law of his Lord is upon his tongue and he speaks. And even when he hears words of foolishness, he does not raise himself up to listen to them. And he speaks all good words, and there are no words of stumbling in his mouth, because his thought does not conceive of anything evil. Thus is a man known, one who meditates on the law of his Lord. These are the fruits of a good tree. And a man who is considered evil, from his lips the wise man knows him. For he speaks all words of foolishness and of mockery and of derision and of blasphemy. He who hears him knows him, because he is boastful and boastful, and then he is born. For everything is brought to birth by boastfulness. Remember what the Saviour said, that a good tree gives good fruit, and a bad tree gives bad fruit. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit, and a good tree cannot produce bad fruit. For from its fruit the tree is known. Thus a good man, from the good treasures that are in his heart, brings forth and speaks good things. And a bad man, from the bad treasures that are in his heart, brings forth and speaks bad things. For from the abundance of the heart the lips speak. For if you were in a tree and learned its fruits, from one you can know the whole tree. And if you taste one of its fruits, and its fruits are many and good and sweet, trust that all its fruits are of that tree. You alone will eat or not. Thus it is with a wise man. When he approaches a bad man, first he knows him from his words. But if he sees that his words are corrupt, he does not again wish to listen to them.

If a wise man approaches a wise and upright man, he sits with him and stands, until he tastes his words. And if he sees that they are good and pleasant, and full of knowledge and understanding, then he desires to hear and learn all his words. Also a man who is called humble, when the wise man tastes his words, he discerns him. There is one who appears perfect and silent and humble, but his heart thinks of abominations. What then is the humble fool? Among the humble, the wise are considered good. The bitter colocynth with the sweet apple: its appearance is like an apple, but its taste is bitter gall. Love humility, my beloved, for its scent is sweet and its taste is sweet. The humble man, even in his height, is humble, beloved by the high and the low. Even if humiliation happens to him, he is not disturbed, for he is guided by the nature in which he stands. But the proud man who does not humble himself, when humiliation happens to him, his fall is great. Because in his pride he did not humble himself. The friends of the humble are many, and those who ask after his peace have no end, and his praises are sung by many. And his humility conceals his faults, for in his heart he speaks no evil of anyone. The humble man sits and sees with wisdom, and his mind is simple for the height of heaven. And the word of the humble is heard and listened to, which he weighs and brings forth in measure. The locks of his heart are full of good treasures, and his tongue produces sweet fruits. Humility is the source of peace, and the desires of the upright are governed by it. Love, my soul, humility, and it will shelter you from the waters of the flood. Abraham drew near to it, and he became an heir in the land of the living. And he fell before God, and humbled himself like dust and ashes. Isaac grew up in it in humility, and kings made themselves known to him and loved his covenant. Jacob, a perfect man, dwelt in a tent, and received from his father the blessings of Esau.

And each one of the first fathers was humble, and lowly, and poor in spirit. And the high one raised up the humble, and humbled the high. And he brought down the mighty to lowliness. Job loved humility, and his Lord testified to his perfection. The evil Slanderer was envious of him, and Job shamed the Adversary, the opponent of the righteous. And his Lord raised up Job, so that he might be strong in his perfection, as his mouth testified. My beloved, love this virtue, the nature in which the righteous dwell in the body. This is righteousness, when a man humbles himself. The nature of Adam was earthly, he who was from the earth, and his Lord gave him a commandment to keep. He kept what he was commanded. To the high nature his Lord brought him, and when he desired to take for himself highness, which was not of his nature, his Lord turned him back to his first nature of lowliness. And concerning this the Saviour testified and said: "Everyone who is raised up will be humbled, and everyone who is humbled will be raised up." Adam was raised up and was humbled, and returned to the earth, to his first nature. And he was humbled. The Saviour was high and exalted, and was raised up and elevated to his first nature. And glory was added to him, and everything became subject to him. The Saviour, who was humbled, received glory, and received increase. And Adam, who was raised up, received humiliation, and received curses, an addition to humiliation. Therefore, my beloved, it is fitting and right for a man who loves God, that he love humility, and abide in the nature of humility, whose root is fixed in the earth, and whose fruits are high before the Lord of greatness. Humility, whose fruits are trembling, and poorness of spirit, and lowliness, and pleasant thoughts are found with it. The simple, the humble, and the patient, and the loving, and the perfect, and the righteous, and those zealous for good, and the wise, and the peaceful, and the prudent, and the diligent, and the gentle, and the compassionate, and the modest, and the chaste, and the profound, and the moderate, and the beautiful, and the trembling. Whoever loves this tree, whose fruits these are, blessed is his soul.

...testifies about him. He dwells in the lowly, and lives in him who desires the lowly and the humble. The demonstration on humility is completed.