Syriac Patrology, Part One, Volume One: The Demonstrations of Aphrahat the Persian Sage

Demonstration I, §1

Demonstratio I, §1

337·Demonstratio I (De Fide), §1·col. 5–6
Syriac Patrology, Part One, Volume One: The Demonstrations of Aphrahat the Persian SageAphrahatAphrahat

Demonstratio I, §1

ܐܶܓܰܪܬܳܟ ܚܰܒܺܝܒܝ ܩܰܒܠܶܬ ܘܒܰܕ ܩܪܺܝܬܳܗ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܚܰܕܺܝܰܬܰܢܝ ܕܰܬܪܰܥܺܝܬܳܟ ܠܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܠܽܘܩܳܝܳܐ ܫܕܰܝܬ. ܗܳܕܶܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܶܫܶܠܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܐܠܳܬܢܝ ܡܰܓܳܢ ܡܶܬܝܰܗܒܳܐ ܘܡܰܓܳܢ ܡܶܬܢܰܣܒܳܐ: ܘܡܰܢ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܠܶܗ ܘܨܳܒܶܐ ܕܢܶܟܠܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܢ ܕܒܳܥܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܗܽܘ ܗܰܘ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܟܳܠܶܐ ܡܶܬܢܣܶܒ ܠܶܗ ܡܶܢܶܗ. ܡܰܢ ܕܫܳܩܶܠ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܰܐܕܪܶܟܰܬ ܙܥܽܘܪܽܘܬܝ ܐܶܟܬܽܘܒ ܠܳܟ: ܘܳܐܦ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܠܳܐ ܒܥܰܝܬ ܡܶܢܝ ܫܳܐܶܠ ܐ݈ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܘܡܰܘܦܺܝܣ ܐ݈ܢܳܐ ܠܳܟ. ܫܡܰܥ ܕܶܝܢ ܚܰܒܺܝܒܝ ܘܰܦܬܰܚ ܠܺܝ ܥܰܝܢܰܝ ܠܶܒܳܟ ܓܰܘܳܝܳܬܳܐ ܘܪܶܓܫܰܝ ܗܰܘܢܳܟ ܪܽܘܚܳܢܶܐ ܠܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܳܐܡܰܪ ܐ݈ܢܳܐ ܠܳܟ܀

Demonstratio I, §1

  1. Accepi, carissime, tuas litteras, et ubi eas legi, magnopere gavisus sum, quod talibus indagationibus animum inieceris. Haec enim quae a me postulasti, gratis data, gratis etiam accipiuntur; et qui habet, si quemcumque rogantem se velit prohibere, auferetur ab ipso quidquid ipse dare recusat. Nam ille qui gratuito sumit, vicissim debet gratuito dare. Tibi ergo, dilectissime, de iis quae me rogasti, prout parvitas mea adsecuta est scribam; simulque alia quae non petisti, Deo invocato, te edocebo. Audi igitur, carissime, et aperi mihi oculos cordis tui interiores, sensusque mentis tuae spiritales ad ea quae tibi dico.

Demonstration I, §1

  1. I have received your letter, dearest friend, and when I read it I greatly rejoiced that you had set your mind upon such inquiries. For these things which you have asked of me are freely given and freely received; and if anyone who has them should wish to withhold them from any who ask, whatever he refuses to give will be taken away from him. For he who receives without cost ought in turn to give without cost [as the Lord said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8)]. Therefore, dearest friend, concerning the things you have asked of me, I will write to you so far as my smallness has attained; and at the same time, calling upon God, I will instruct you concerning other matters which you did not ask. Hear then, beloved, and open to me the inner eyes of your heart and the spiritual senses of your mind to the things which I tell you.

Demonstration I, §1

  1. I have received your letter, dearest friend, and when I read it I greatly rejoiced that you had set your mind upon such inquiries. For these things which you have asked of me are freely given and freely received; and if anyone who has them should wish to withhold them from any who ask, whatever he refuses to give will be taken away from him. For he who receives without cost ought in turn to give without cost [as the Lord said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8)]. Therefore, dearest friend, concerning the things you have asked of me, I will write to you so far as my smallness has attained; and at the same time, calling upon God, I will instruct you concerning other matters which you did not ask. Hear then, beloved, and open to me the inner eyes of your heart and the spiritual senses of your mind to the things which I tell you.