[Ishoʿyahb epistle #10]
But you, oh faithful sages, who, on account of your much zeal for honesty, have written to us from afar, and have sent our beloved and honored brother among us to exhort us, or to solicit us about what you desire; so that through us the power of carrying on the sanctuary and the offerings of the Lord may be strengthened by the chaste, holy, and strong in all interests Mar Qardawaya, where were you a little while ago, when we crossed your country from the nearest border to the last, we tarried in the middle of it for about fifty days, and we returned, and we crossed it again from the farthest border to the nearest frontier? Did you not go out to meet us like any other man? Did you not now write to me as to any other man, and did you send even among us our honored brother? Where are the reproaches, by which you have reproached in me by words and deeds, because we have not hastened to do that which you then demanded be done by us? How, when shall we escape the criticisms of any kind? But if men had a praiseworthy work from those who praise the divine law, we might perhaps comprehend it and avoid the danger of daily rebuke; but, since the world has lost the enchantment of the love of virtue, now placed in danger and undergoing many hardships by anyone, now is the time for us to earnestly hope for death as a good helper.
For I grieved, was amazed, I became destitute of good spirit, and my pain was renewed when I had read the things you wrote, and had heard the things you sent, and had seen the strength of your wisdom in the works of the fear of God; Silence from worldly conversations seemed to me better than anything else; but I have learned the danger of this opinion, and have been able to speak a little about the bearer of your letter and the promoter of your mission, so that I may pay the honor of your friendship for your reply. I imagine that I can bring you a demonstration of my sadness as a weak argument. From the honorable man whom you sent to us, having heard the things that are necessary now, and leave me in the bitterness of mind, according to the prophet's lamentation.
Behold, God and Qardawaia are among you. Whom it pleases you to take, take. For neither will the one and the other be taken by you; even if you press them a lot. But if you take them separately, they are easy by a great judgment to be taken(?), as you yourself know. If perhaps you may be devoid of wisdom, behold, I have said to the bearer of your letter that few words are to be referred to you; Having provided little material for our commemoration, I am writing this to you alone:
Your bishop is an honorable and chaste old man, by whom as mediator the monastery of our father Abraham advanced to great wealth and riches for about fifty years. We compelled him, on account of his infirmity and old age, and especially of the honor of him precious to us, and not because of the episcopate, which urged him thence to his paternal seat, do so; nor, when we saw that the treasure of the Lord's offerings had been delivered to him by a disgraceful and dangerous man, we rescued from him the power of carrying on the treasure of the offerings; nor do we in any way bear him in any tolerable circumstance, nor even now, although we are convinced that we all will suffer the loss of our father Abraham's house, so long as he is so disposed towards the chaste and holy man Mar Qardawaia! For if Qardawaia does not stay outside the monastery, nor even if he is outside the country and province, we can prevent a great loss, which is immediately realized by him in the house of our father Abraham. But if you think that in that monastery, which dwelt in name and adorned with power and direction, the monastery of our father Abraham would be without harm to this side, you are greatly mistaken. But it was better, as we have thought, to be plundered without our assent and with the house of our father Abraham, that is, without knowing the name and authority of that direction, and not living in a monastery. But now, since your great wisdom and understanding may wish to explain it differently, since you who are better approvers of Christianity and the works of the world than I, we put the money of the mouth of the Lord {Matt. 25:27} on the table of your hearing, and hand it over to our Lord. wants to demand, or further in the heat of the fire? We say this now as much as the letter can contain.
But if, on account of his infirmity and old age, the bishop wishes to appoint in his place a director of this monastery, let him appoint a man like himself, that is, chaste and holy, to whom he should give the care of his monastery, as is the case everywhere in all the great monasteries. But if you think that such a man is not to be found in the order of monks, because of the great works and riches of the criminals - and, yes, it is not fitting to find a monk fond of riches - let the bishop select from among your faithful [laymen] a superior to you all, to be the monastery's procurator: concerned about the monastery's worldly goods, and to deliver taxes and tribute to the shulîtanê d'alma equally; let the bishop sit in tranquility and rest, as he desires, while the monastery will be ministered to the monastery in the manner and uprightness of the monasteries. The bishop will treat these things in such a way that he possesses the wealth which he possesses for God and for the monastery; But if he possesses in the possession of Qardawaya and his posterity, and is willing to appoint him as his heir, as he has already established in the will which he did, then you also raise up your minds, open the eyes of your hearts, and listen to what we say to you. We say, however, with alacrity and peace, without covering and without anger, these things:
May the blessed bishop calmly take all the wealth and riches that he decides to hand over to Qardawaya as an inheritance, but give them to a monastery not named, so that the heirs may take possession outside the monastery as they please. And we have nothing to discuss with them regarding possession, and especially now, since we know that it has been pleasing and pleasing to you, that the property of the monastery, which was given by God to all men, to the holy monastery of our father Abraham, may be considered. But we beseech you only that we may leave the monastery of our father Abraham immune from the direction and sanctity of Qardawaia, without those riches which are so valued before your eyes. Let the monastery of our father be the inheritance of despised men like me; let the Lord possess his monastery and Qardawaia his wealth; but the bishop is to be honored by the monastery as by the sanctuary of the Lord and by Qardawai as the heir of his wealth.
But if not even this please you, but let that please you so much as it has already pleased you, that the monastery of Qardawaia should be the inheritance of our father, the blessed Apostle Paul will call out to you by us: There is no custom of this sort among us, nor in the church of God. Wherefore affairs require powerful prayer, to raise up the dead, cast out demons, and to give men a new heart and a new spirit, so that they may know the will of the Lord.
I have written these things to you, so that I may excuse our father patriarch, who himself anathematized Qardawaia, leading him according to the will of the will of God, and expelled him from the direction of our father's monastery. Since he is not present near you to excuse himself among those who blame or harass him, it is fitting that I, who am here near me, should speak in his place. I have written of my own accord, and I have sent the writings. Furthermore, you will soon receive a expedited response of your mail to him. Maybe he will respond to you according to your desires and you will be free of angst. But don't you labor in vain to write to me on these matters, because I am confident that in God He will not forsake me, that hatred should ever please me; but that he may guard my freedom in a pure conscience all the days of my life in this world. May his grace also guide you in the way pleasing to his will throughout the day of your life, amen!
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