barlaam and ioasaph-第43部分

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XXXVIII。

Now　two　full　years　spent　Ioasaph　wandering　about　the　ocean　of　that　desert；　without　finding　Barlaam；　for　here　also　God　was　proving　the　steadfastness　of　his　purpose；　and　the　nobility　of　his　soul。　　He　lived　thus　in　the　open　air；　scorched　with　heat　or　frozen　with　cold；　and；　as　one　in　search　of　precious　treasure；　continually　looking　everywhere　for　his　treasured　friend；　the　aged　Barlaam。　　Frequent　were　the　temptations　and　assaults　of　the　evil　spirits　that　he　encountered；　and　many　the　hardships　that　he　endured　through　the　lack　of　herbs　that　he　needed　for　meat；　because　the　desert；　being　dry；　yielded　even　these　in　but　scant　supply。　　But；　being　kindled　by　love　of　her　Master；　this　adamantine　and　indomitable　soul　bore　these　annoyances　more　easily　than　other　men　bear　their　pleasures。　　Wherefore　he　failed　not　of　the　succour　that　is　from　above；　but；　many　as　were　the　sorrows　and　toils　Chat　he　endured；　comfort　came　to　him　from　Christ；　and；　asleep　or　awake；　refreshed　his　soul。　　By　the　space　of　those　two　years　Ioasaph　went　about　continually；　seeking　him　for　whom　he　yearned；　and　rivers　of　waters　ran　from　his　eyes；　as　he　implored　God；　crying　aloud　and　saying；　〃Show　me；　O　Lord；　show　me　the　man　that　was　the　means　of　my　knowledge　of　thee；　and　the　cause　of　my　many　blessings。　　Because　of　the　multitude　of　mine　offences；　deprive　me　not　of　this　good　thing；　but　grant　me　to　see　him；　and　fight　with　him　the　ascetic　fight。〃

By　the　grace　of　God；　he　found　a　cave；　by　following　footsteps　that　led　thither。　　There　he　met　a　monk　pursuing　a　hermit　life。　　Him　he　embraced　and　saluted　tenderly。　　He　asked　where　to　find　Barlaam's　dwelling；　and　told　him　his　own　tale；　laying　all　bare。　　Of　him　then　he　learned　the　abode　of　the　man　whom　he　sought；　and　thither　went　foot…hot；　as　when　a　cunning　hunter　happeneth　on　the　tracks　of　his　game。　　And　when　he　had　met　with　certain　signs；　pointed　out　to　him　by　this　other　old　hermit；　he　went　on　rejoicing；　strong　in　hope；　like　a　child　hoping　after　long　absence　to　see　his　father。　For　when　divine　love　hath　broken　into　a　soul；　it　proveth　hotter　and　stronger　than　the　natural。

So　he　stood　before　the　door　of　the　cave；　and　knocked；　saying　〃Benedic；　father；　benedic！〃　　When　Barlaam　heard　his　voice；　he　came　forth　from　the　cave；　and　by　the　spirit　knew　him；　who　by　outward　appearance　could　not　easily　be　known；　because　of　the　marvellous　change　and　alteration　that　had　changed　and　altered　his　face　from　its　former　bloom　of　youth；　for　Ioasaph　was　black　with　the　sun's　heat；　and　overgrown　with　hair；　and　his　cheeks　were　fallen　in；　and　his　eyes　deep　sunken；　and　his　eyelids　seared　with　floods　of　tears；　and　much　distress　of　hunger。　　And　Ioasaph　recognised　his　spiritual　father；　for　his　features　were；　for　the　more　part；　the　same。　　So　the　old　man　stood；　and；　facing　the　East；　offered　up　to　God　a　prayer　of　thanksgiving；　and；　after　the　prayer；　when　they　had　said　the　Amen；　they　embraced　and　kissed　each　other　affectionately；　taking　their　full　fill　of　long　deferred　desire。

But；　when　they　had　done　with　embracing　and　greeting；　they　sat　them　down　and　conversed。　　Barlaam　began；　saying；　〃Welcome　art　thou；　son　well　beloved　son　of　God；　and　inheritor　of　the　heavenly　kingdom　through　Jesus　Christ　our　Lord；　whom　thou　lovest；　whom　thou　rightly　desirest　above　the　things　that　are　temporal　and　corruptible！　　Like　a　prudent　and　wise　merchant；　thou　hast　sold　all；　and　bought　the　pearl　that　is　beyond　price；　and　hast　found　the　treasure　that　cannot　be　stolen；　hidden　in　the　field　of　the　commandments　of　the　Lord；　thou　hast　parted　with　all；　and　spared　naught　of　the　things　that　so　soon　pass　away；　that　thou　mightest　purchase　that　field　for　thyself。　　The　Lord　give　thee　the　eternal　for　the　temporal；　the　things　that　are　incorruptible　and　wax　not　old　for　the　corruptible！

〃But　tell　me；　dearly　beloved；　how　thou　camest　hither？　　How　did　thy　matters　speed　after　my　departure？　　And　hath　thy　father　learned　to　know　God；　or　is　he　still　carried　away　with　his　former　foolishness；　still　under　the　bondage　of　devilish　deceits？　〃

Thus　questioned　Barlaam；　and　Ioasaph　answered；　telling　him　piece　by　piece　all　that　had　befallen　him　since　he　went　away；　and　in　how　many　ways　the　Lord　had　prospered　him；　until　they　were　come　together　again。

The　old　man　listened　with　pleasure　and　amazement；　and　with　hot　tears　said；　〃Glory　to　thee；　our　God；　that　ever　standest　by　and　succourest　them　that　love　thee！　　Glory　to　thee；　O　Christ；　King　of　all　and　God　all…good；　that　it　was　thy　pleasure　that　the　seed；　which　I　sowed　in　the　heart　of　Ioasaph；　thy　servant；　should　thus　bring　forth　fruit　an　hundredfold　worthy　of　the　husbandman　and　Master　of　our　souls！　　Glory　to　thee；　good　Paraclete；　the　all…holy　Spirit；　because　thou　didst　vouchsafe　unto　this　man　to　partake　of　that　grace　which　thou　gavest　thine　holy　Apostles；　and　by　his　hand　hast　delivered　multitudes　of　people　from　superstitious　error；　and　enlightened　them　with　the　true　knowledge　of　God！〃

Thus　was　God　blessed　by　both；　and　thus　were　they　conversing　and　rejoicing　in　the　grace　of　God　until　evenfall。　　Then　stood　they　up　for　to　pray　and　to　perform　the　sacred　services。　　Then　also　remembered　they　that　it　was　meal…time；　and　Barlaam　spread　his　lavish　table；　laden　with　spiritual　dainties；　but　with　little　to　attract　the　palate　of　sense。　　These　were　uncooked　worts；　and　a　few　dates；　planted　and　tended　by　Barlaam's　own　hands；　such　as　are　found　in　the　same　desert；　and　wild　herbs。　　So　they　gave　thanks　and　partook　of　the　victuals　set　before　them；　and　drank　water　from　the　neighbour　springing　well；　and　again　gave　thanks　to　God；　who　openeth　his　hand　and　filleth　all　things　living。　　Then　they　arose　again；　and；　when　they　had　ended　their　Night　Hours；　after　prayer；　they　joined　in　spiritual　converse　again；　discoursing　wholesome　words；　and　full　of　heavenly　wisdom；　all　the　night　long　until　day…　break　bade　them　once　more　remember　the　hour　of　prayer。

So　Ioasaph　abode　with　Barlaam　for　some　many　years；　pursuing　this　marvellous　and　more　than　human　life；　dwelling　with　him　as　with　a　father　and　tutor；　in　all　obedience　and　lowliness；　exercising　himself　in　every　kind　of　virtue；　and　learning　well　from　practice　how　to　wrestle　with　the　invisible　spirits　of　evil。　　From　that　time　forward　he　mortified　all　his　sinful　passions；　and　made　the　will　of　the　flesh　as　subject　to　the　spirit　as　slave　is　to　his　master。　　He　was　altogether　forgetful　of　comforts　or　repose；　and　tyrannized　over　sleep　as　over　a　wicked　servant。　　And；　in　brief；　such　was　his　practice　of　the　religious　life；　that　Barlaam；　who　had　spent　many　years　therein；　marvelled　at　him；　and　failed　to　equal　the　earnestness　of　his　life。　　For　he　took　only　so　much　of　that　coarse　and　cheerless　food　as　would　keep　him　alive；　else　had　he　died　afore　his　time；　and　forfeited　the　reward　of　his　well…　doing。　　He　subdued　himself　to　watchings；　as　though　he　were　without　flesh　and　body。　　In　prayer　and　mental　exercise　his　work　was　unceasing；　and　all　the　time　of　his　life　was　spent　in　spiritual　and　heavenly　contemplation；　so　that　not　an　hour；　nor　even　a　single　moment　was　wasted；　from　the　day　that　he　came　to　dwell　in　the　desert。　　For　this　is　the　end　of　monastic　life；　never　to　be　found　idle　in　spiritual　employment：　and　well　herein　did　this　noble　and　active　runner　of　the　heavenly　race　order　his　way。　And　he　kept　his　ardour　unquenched　from　beginning　to　end；　ever　ascending　in　his　heart；　and　going　from　strength　to　strength；　and　continually　adding　desire　to　desire；　and　zeal　to　zeal；　until　he　arrived　at　the　bliss　that　he　had　hoped　and　longed　for。


XXXIX。

Thus　did　Barlaam　and　Ioasaph　dwell　together；　rivals　in　the　good　rivalry；　apart　from　all　anxious　care　and　all　the　turmoils　of　life；　possessing　their　minds　undisturbed　and　clear　of　all　confusion。　　After　their　many　labours　after　godliness；　one　day　Barlaam　called　to　him　his　spiritual　son；　whom　he　had　begotten　through　the　Gospel；　and　opened　his　mouth　to　discourse　of　spiritual　things；　saying；　〃Long　ago；　dearly　beloved　Ioasaph；　was　it　destined　that　thou　shouldest　dwell　in　this　wilderness；　and；　in　answer　to　my　prayer　for　thee；　Christ　promised　me　that　I　should　see　it　before　the　ending　of　my　life。　　I　have　seen　my　desire：　I　have　seen　thee　severed　from　the　world　and　the　concerns　of　the　world；　united　to　Christ；　thy　mind　never　wavering；　and　come　to　the　measure　of　the　perfection　of　his　fulness。　　Now　therefore　as　the　time　of　my　departure　is　at　the　door；　and　seeing　that　my　desire；　that　hath　grown　with　my　growth　and　aged　with　my　years；　to　be　for　ever　with　Christ；　is　even　now　being　fulfilled；　thou　must　bury　my　body　in　the　earth　and　restore　dust　to　dust；　but　thyself　abide　for　the　time　to　come　in　this　place；　holding　fast　to　thy　spiritual　life；　and　making　remembrance　of　me；　poor　as　I　am。　　For　I　fear　lest　perchance　the　darksome　army　of　fiends　may　stand　in　the　way　of　my　soul；　by　reason　of　the　multitude　of　mine　ignorances。

〃So　do　thou；　my　son；　think　no　scorn　of　the　laboriousness　of　thy　religious　life；　neither　dread　the　length　of　the　time；　nor　the　tricks　of　devils。　　But；　strong　in　the　grace　of　Christ；　confidently　laugh　at　the　weakness　of　these　thy　foes；　and；　as　for　the　hardness　of　thy　toils；　and　the　long　duration　of　the　time；　be　as　one　that　daily　expecteth　his　departure　hence；　and　as　if　the　same　day　were　the　beginning　and　the　end　of　thy　religious　life。　Thus；　always　forgetting　the　things　which　are　behind；　and　reaching　forth　unto　those　things　which　are　before；　press　toward　the　mark　for　the　prize　of　the　high　calling　of　God　in　Christ　Jesus；　according　to　the　exhortation　of　the　holy　Apostle；　who　saith；　‘Let　us　not　faint；　but　though　our　outward　man　perish；　yet　the　inward　man　is　renewed　day　by　day。　　For　our　light　affliction；　which　is　but　for　a　moment；　worketh　for　us　a　far　more　exceeding　eternal　weight　of　glory；　while　we　look　not　at　the　things　which　are　seen；　but　at　the　things　which　are　not　seen：　for　the　things　which　are　seen　are　temporal；　but　the　things　which　are　not　seen　are　eternal。〃

〃Ponder　thou　over　these　things；　beloved：　quit　thee　like　a　man；　yea；　be　strong；　and；　as　a　good　soldier；　do　thy　diligence　to　please　him　who　hath　called　thee　to　be　a　soldier。　　And；　even　if　the　evil　one　stir　in　thee　thoughts　of　neglecting　duty；　and　thou　art　minded　to　slacken　the　string　of　thy　purpose；　fear　not　his　devices；　but　remember　the　Lord's　command；　which　saith；　‘In　the　world　ye　shall　have