Intelligence
Intelligence opens the locks of the concealed mind.
Intelligence is the key of the mind and the soul.
Intelligence is the mother of orphaned knowledge.
And complete intelligence is not bestowed unless through the renunciation of everything that is free, and through the free renunciation of everything.
Thus, if we do not go towards it, it will come towards us, and it will stay with us in the abodes of our inner world.
Malfono Yusuf Begtas
There is no truth that is wrong and crooked as the truth that grows and branches out underneath the shadow of the orchid tree of selfishness.
Because of this, those that diminish in their thoughts and their actions do not grow in their words or their work.
Malfono Yusuf Begtas
Good qualities are love of teaching, faith, thanksgiving, hope, fear of God, poverty, confidence, purity of deliberations and remembrance of death
Bar Hebraeus (1226-1286)
“Our spirits are created to praise the Lord and to be pleased with him. Emptiness is found within every created man’s heart; and that man that is not prepared to be pleased with the Lord will not have this emptiness filled with anything else. And he will not find a pleasant and permanent taste with anything else.”
Saint Augustine (354 – 430)
“We should seize ourselves and bring us into ourselves that we may find the kingdom that is hidden within our heart so that we may see our God.”
Barhebraeus (Bar Ebroyo) (1226 – 1286)
“Turn your home into heaven; you will do this not when you change the walls or rebuild the foundation, but when you invite the Almighty Lord to your repast. God never disregards any kind of supper. Where there is spiritual science, there is humility, sincerity and modesty. Where the husband, and the wife, and the children are in accord and united by the bonds of virtue, there is Christ among them.”
St. John Chrysostom (347-407)
“God’s Mystery
Jesus Christ says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life!”
He, in his own person, is the fullness of all positive energy, knowledge, and wisdom. In a word, he is the secret doorway to all these things.
The goal of the incomplete and weak human being is to understand the experience of his own incompleteness in this mortal life, and to develop spiritual awareness of the secret doorway.
It is not possible for a person to fill the void within them, or for a person to find peace, without receiving their share in that energy, wisdom, and fulness.
Because, “God’s Mystery, that is, all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom, is hidden in Christ.” (Colosians 2:3).
Malfono Yusuf Beğtaş
“Light is comely to the eyes, and truth to the mind. Choose light for your eyes, books for your mind.”
“Everyday that you do not read, you do not benefit from books. Know that you are being vanquished by demons, and are counted among the idle.”
“Man will not look at the appearance of words but at the power of words. A fool does not look at the medicine of a doctor, but at his healing.”
Saint Ephrem (303-373)
“Whoever writes the secrets of the spirit, while not committing to write the spirit for him, is like the brass that rings or the cymbals that sound, if he does not mingle the spirit with the sweetness of his verses. But whoever learns the secrets of the spirit from the spirit, every hearer of his words will gain pleasure, and his word will uproot pain from their heart.”
“There is nothing sufficient enough to remove cheap habits from the soul, and to rebuke the moving memories that raise burning flames within bodies, like the love of learning, and wandering after the deep meanings of the verses of books.”
Barhebraeus, Maphrian of the East (1226-1286)
“Why do you observe the perverse deeds of others, but you neglect that which God commands you?”
“The world is an amazing book, and those that are never separated from their house do not read even a single page from this book.”
Saint Augustine (354-430)
There is nothing in our nature that is defiled. Otherwise, from the beginning, He (God) would not have created it. God does not create anything that is defiled. There is nothing that is defiled except sin alone. It is not a created thing but rather an absence of goodness, that is, disobedience.
Mushe Bar Kipho (813-903)
''Till your spirit filleth the whole world, and the stars are your jewels; till you are as familiar with the ways of God in all Ages as with your walk and table: till you are intimately acquainted with that shady nothing out of which the world was made: till you love men so as to desire their happiness, with a thirst equal to the zeal of your own: till you delight in God for being good to all: you never enjoy the world.”
Thomas Traherne (1636-1674)
Pity is not just a sense that looks on compassionately, but grace that prevents harm and injury to ourselves and others.
Malfono Yusuf Beğtaş
As Christ is resurrected in me, I also am resurrected through you and you in me and others.
Malfono Yusuf Beğtaş
“Light is comely to the eyes, and truth to the mind. Choose light for your eyes, books for your mind.”
“Everyday that you do not read, you do not benefit from books. Know that you are being vanquished by demons, and are counted among the idle.”
“Man will not look at the appearance of words but at the power of words. A fool does not look at the medicine of a doctor, but at his healing.”
Saint Ephrem (303-373)
“Why do you observe the perverse deeds of others, but you neglect that which God commands you?”
“The world is an amazing book, and those that are never separated from their house do not read even a single page from this book.”
Saint Augustine (354-430)
“Whoever writes the secrets of the spirit, while not committing to write the spirit for him, is like the brass that rings or the cymbals that sound, if he does not mingle the spirit with the sweetness of his verses. But whoever learns the secrets of the spirit from the spirit, every hearer of his words will gain pleasure, and his word will uproot pain from their heart.”
“There is nothing sufficient enough to remove cheap habits from the soul, and to rebuke the moving memories that raise burning flames within bodies, like the love of learning, and wandering after the deep meanings of the verses of books.”
Barhebraeus, (1226-1286)
Light befits the eye, righteousness befits the thought. Choose the light for your eye and the book for your thought.
St. Ephrem of Nisibis (303-373)
Joseph, the son of Jacob, is glorified by his patience. You also be patient and be crowned with glory (be glorified). Don’t let the pain of time depress you. For the heavenly life is hidden in it. When the captain navigates in the midst of waves, he looks at the stars. If he blinks his eye, he will lose everything. For you navigate in the horrible sea, let your eye stay focused on the Cross. Do not plunge into the world which is more complicated than the sea.
St. Ephrem of Nisibis (303-373)
Money voids the effective rules. If the shepherds sleep, wolves will make a great feast. If the herders snooze and fall asleep, the sheep will be greatly smitten.
St. Ephrem of Nisibis (303-373)
The one who loves the way of life shall value the love. He shall have a will that can destroy the thought of hatred of human. He shall welcome and treat everyone with respect and heartily, without ostracizing anyone.
Abd Yeshu of Nisibis (1318)
Knowledge honors those whom it disciplines. A man ow wisdom is the man who can internalize love.
Abd Yeshu of Nisibis (1318)
Grudge (bitterness) is like a viper. They both spill out a death. The offspring of both of them kills first the procreator/mother.
Eliya of Anbar (922)
Educate the children with the culture of knowledge and wisdom. Instead of complaining and grumble, add a fear to the love.
Eliya of Anbar (922)
If you are a leader of the people, be an example of chastity, in order not to be a stone of stumbling and hindrance in the way of people.
Eliya of Anbar (922)
If you’re making a sour face, even if you feed your guest with honey, he will assume it as tar and resin because of his bitter conscience.
Eliya of Anbar (922)
There are non-apparent, unseen martyrs. Their pain is equal to the pain of martyrs. For their sufferings are hidden, their honor is written by the honor of martyrs.
St. Ephrem of Nisibis (303-373)
Everyone knows that the attentive nutritional behavior and eating sparingly is healthful for the body. When especially restrained labor is added to this, it will be more beneficial for the health. Which doctor can heal and give health to the body as moving and working does?
St. Philoxsenus of Manbij (440-523)
Who does respect the one who humbles himself? Who does rave over the one who runs after his abasement? Who will make effort for the man who has been abused and scoffed at more than himself in order to protect his reputation?
St. Philoxsenus of Manbij (440-523)
As fetus is embraced with placenta in the womb in order to keep its aliveness after taking the shape of embryo; and as placenta is disjointed and thrown away after birth for it doesn’t belong to fetus itself, so in the same manner, the property just as the placenta, accompanies a man afterwards, after birth. And when he is born to the hereafter by the death in this world, the property will be separated from the man likewise the placenta did.
St. Philoxsenus of Manbij (440-523)
There is no one as poor as a man who is greedy for his fortune. And there is no one as rich as a man who is self-sustained by a little effort.
A wise man
Acquiring the kindness of favors is much more precious than endeavoring for the sake of natural beauty.
A wise man
One of the favors is this: Living as one wishes to live and controlling one’s liberty in order to live a conscious life.
A wise man
Knowledge of the truth fills the heart with peace. It consolidates a man with joy. Its advices are great and interesting. They enlighten the eyes.
St. Isaac of Nineveh
Lack of knowledge and superstitious ideas make a man like an animal. They alienate him from the faith. They upset his mind. And fill it with a dream of inconsistent thoughts.
St. Isaac of Nineveh
A man cannot approach the pure love of others unless he is satisfied with the delicious and intoxicating love of God.
St. Isaac of Nineveh
Humbleness is a power that cannot be acquired by human force and cannot be explained by words.
St. Isaac of Nineveh
There is no other factor that causes the division of the church except being ambitious for the thrown. And there is no other factor that causes the wrath of God except the division of the church.
St. Chrysostomos
Destroyers/backbiters prefer smog instead of sun. They must choose grapes instead looking for unripe grapes benightedly.
Bar Ebroyo (1226-1286)
In case if your friend propagates bad rumors about you because of the compliments you got, do not be upset. Do not confuse your mind like a sedimented wine. Because, while Satan intrigues to fuel him with jealousy, he will also torture you.
Bar Ebroyo (1226-1286)
Shut the mouth of those who talk to you bad things about your friends. If they swear at you a lot, do not get surprised. Only insane people do this, who doesn’t want the mature person to be freed of grudge and hatred.
Bar Ebroyo (1226-1286)
Humbleness is like a rock on the edge of the sea of anger. It turns away all the waves that hit it, without even shaking.
Bar Ebroyo (1226-1286)
An angry man is a conscious insane that blows up and falls down because of the temper that comes along involuntarily.
Bar Ebroyo (1226-1286)
Nothing is as sufficient as pursuing the love of science and the deep meanings of books to move away –from a man- the filthy habits of cheekiness and to restrain memories that fuels bat motives.
Bar Ebroyo (1226-1286)
Flies don’t approach the food while it is being cooked on the fire. Likewise, bad thoughts will not approach the human heart that is being abounded in spirit.
Bar Ebroyo (1226-1286)
As a dog tricks to seize the slice of bread from hands of child, so the bad thought acts in the same manner to isolate the heart from wisdom.
Saint Evagrius
Even though your intent is clean and clear naturally, external stimuli that come from the passes of senses are enough to make it dirty.
St. Isaac of Nineveh
"He who recognizes his impotence reaches the heights of humility."
St. Ishok of Nineneveh (613-700)
"Humility is the abode of justice. It is the source of all good."
Persian Sage Aphrahat (260-345)
"Humility is a godly garment. (...) Humility is a power that cannot be communicated through language or won by human strength."
St. Ishok of Nineneveh (613-700)
"Two CLODS left in the field by a farmer begin an argument over which of them is stronger than the other. The pouring rain dissolves and wipes out both, effectively putting an end to the argument. This is analogous to a person who patronizes his/her equals. Just as said person believes that they've come out on top, they're swept up by death and imprisoned in the grave."
St. Ishok of Antioch (d. 491)
