Letter 227

To Eusebius the Deacon. God works many things secretly for what is profitable to us, even if the things that befall us seem grievous. But we, as faithful and genuine household servants, do not meddlesomely inquire into the reason of these mishaps. For of one thing only must we be persuaded: that it is brought upon us profitably and beneficially by the Provider [God, as caretaker of providence] of our souls; and we must no longer seek out the manner of it, nor, in our ignorance, fret and lose heart. For neither is it of any use to know it: in part because we are mortal, and in part because we are easily lifted up to conceit and presumption.

Πολλὰ ὁ Θεὸς λεληθότως ἐργάζεται πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον ἡμῖν, κἂν σκυθρωπὰ δοκῇ τὰ συμπίπτοντα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν λόγον τῶν συμπτωμάτων οὐ πολυπραγμονοῦμεν ὡς πιστοὶ καὶ γνήσιοι οἰκέται. Ἐν γὰρ μόνον χρὴ πεπεῖσθαι, ὅτι συμφερόντως, καὶ ὠφελίμως ἡμῖν ἐπιφέρεται παρὰ τοῦ προνοητοῦ τῶν ἡμετέρων ψυχῶν, τὸν δὲ τρόπον μηκέτι ζητεῖν, μήτε ἀγνοοῦντας ἀσχάλλειν, καὶ ἀθυμεῖν· οὐδὲ γὰρ λυσιτελεῖ τὸ ἐπίστασθαι, τὸ μὲν διὰ τὸ θνητοὺς εἶναι, τὸ δὲ διὰ τὸ εὐκόλως πρὸς τῦφον ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἀπόνοιαν αἴρεσθαι.