Provérbios 11
Desert Fathers
Provérbios 11:14
Cassian said, 'Moses the Hermit told us, "It is good not to hide our thoughts; we ought to disclose them to discreet and devout elders; but not to those who are old merely in years, for many have found final despair instead of comfort by confessing to those whom they saw to be old, but who were in fact inexperienced." ' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks
Provérbios 11:14
A brother asked Poemen, 'I am suffering damage to my soul by being with my abba. What do you advise me to do? Should I continue to stay with him?' Poemen knew that his soul was being harmed by his abba, and he was surprised that he even asked whether he ought to stay with him. He said to him, 'If you want to stay with him, do so.' The brother went away and stayed with his abba. But he came a second time to Poemen, and said, 'My soul is very heavy.' But Poemen did not say to him, 'Leave your abba.' He came a third time, and said, 'Indeed, I can no longer stay with him.' Then Poemen said, 'Now you are saved, go, and stay with him no longer.' He went on, 'If you see your soul being harmed by something there is no need to ask what to do. What we should ask about rather is our secret thoughts, to get them tested by others. But there is no need to ask about obvious sins; they must be cut off at once.' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks