Hou an ankir schal have hir to hem that comen to hir.
Charity in the Anchorhold
The anchorite is encouraged to view interaction with visitors as an opportunity to practice charity rather than a distraction from spiritual life.
But now you say that you can't keep yourself from hearing vanities, because various worldly people and others often come to speak with you and sometimes tell you idle tales of vanity. As for this, I say that conversation with your fellow Christian is not much against you, but sometimes helps you if you handle it wisely.1 For through it you can test the measure of your love for your fellow Christian—whether it is great or small. You are bound, as every man or woman is, to love your fellow Christian chiefly in your heart, and also in deed by showing them signs of charity as reason asks, according to your strength and according to your knowledge.2
Welcoming the Stranger
The anchorite should receive all visitors with readiness and humility, treating them as if they were angels.
Now since it's the case that you aren't obliged to leave your house looking for chances to help your fellow Christians by works of mercy—because you're enclosed—still you're bound to love them all in your heart, and toward those who come to you, to show them true signs of love.3 And therefore whoever wants to speak with you—whoever he is, or whatever rank he holds—and even if you don't know who he is or why he's come, be quickly ready, with a good will, to find out what he wants. Don't be stand-offish, and don't make him stand waiting long for you; instead, consider how ready and how glad you'd be if an angel of heaven came and spoke with you.4 Be just as ready and willing to speak with your fellow Christian when they come to you.5 For you don't know who he is, or what he wants, or what need he has of you—or you of him—until you've tested him.
Discerning Conversation
One can find God in the neighbor through wise, compassionate listening while maintaining boundaries against idle gossip.
Even if you are at prayer or in devotion and feel reluctant to stop—because it seems to you that you shouldn't leave God for someone's conversation—I don't think that's the case here; for if you are wise, you won't be leaving God, but will find Him, have Him, and see Him in your fellow Christian just as much as in prayer. If you could love your fellow Christian well, it should not hinder you from speaking with them discreetly.6 As I see it, you should practice discretion in this way. Whoever comes to you, ask them humbly what they need; and if they come to share their trouble and be comforted by your words, hear them gladly, and let them say what they will to ease their heart.7 And when he has finished, comfort him kindly and charitably, and then break off soon. And then afterward, if he starts falling into idle tales or vanities, or talk about other people's doings, answer him only a little, and don't feed his talk; and he will soon grow weary and soon take his leave.
Humility and Silence
The anchorite should maintain humility toward clergy and others, avoiding unnecessary teaching while prioritizing silence to protect the interior life.
If it's another man who comes to get to know you — for example, a man of Holy Church — hear him humbly, with reverence for his order; and if his speech comforts you, ask him questions, and don't set yourself up to teach him. It isn't your place to teach a priest, unless it's necessary. If his words don't comfort you, answer briefly, and he'll soon go on his way. If someone else comes to give alms, to hear you speak, or to get to know you, speak to him humbly and kindly all the same. Don't reprove anyone for their faults; it isn't your place—unless you are so familiar with them that you know they won't take offense.8 And to put it briefly: as much as you judge would profit your fellow Christian spiritually, you may say, if you can and if he will take it. And above all things keep silence as much as you can, and in a short time you'll have little throng that will hinder you.9 That is how it seems to me; do better if you can.
Read the original Latin
But now seist thou that thou mai not kepe thee from heerynge of vanytees, for divers worldli men and othere that comen ofte tyme for to speke with thee, and telle thee sumtyme talis of vanité. As unto this y seie thus, that comenynge with thyn evene Cristene is not moche agens thee, but helpith thee sumtyme yif thou worche visili. For thou mai assaie therbi the mesure of thi charité to thyn evene Cristene, whethir hit be moche or litil. Thou art bounden, as eche man or woman is, to love thyn evene Cristene principali in thyn herte, and also in deede for to schewe hym tokenes of charité as resoun asketh, up thi myght and up thi knowing.
Now syn it is so that thou owest not to goo oute of thyn hous for to seche occasioun how thou myght profite thyn evene Cristene bi deedis of merci, for thou art inclose, neverethelees thou art bounden for to love hem alle in thyn herte, and to hem that comen to thee for to schewe hem tokenes of love sothfastli. And therfore whoso wole speke with thee, what that he be, or in what degree that he be, and thou knowe not what he is, ne whi that he cometh, be soone redi with a good wille for to wite what his wille is. Be not daungerous, ne suffre him stonde longe for to abide thee, but loke hou redi and hou glaad thou wolde be yif an angel of hevene wolde come and speke with thee. Soo redi and so buxum be thou in wille for to speke with thyn even Cristene whanne he cometh to thee. For thou wost not what he is, ne what he wolde, ne what nede he hath to thee, ne thou of hym, til thou have assaied hym.
And though thou be in preiere or in devocioun, that thee thenketh looth for to breeke of, for thee thenketh thou schuldest not leve God for mannys speche, me thenketh it is not so in this caas; for yif thou be wise, thou schal not leve God, but thou schal fynde Hym and have Hym and see Him in thyn evene Cristene as wel as in praiere. Yif thou coude wel love thyn evene Cristene, but schulde not hyndre thee for to speke with hem discretli. Discrecioun schalt thou have upoun this manere as me thenketh. Whoso cometh to thee, aske hym mekeli what he wole; and yif he come to telle his disese and to be comfortid of thi speche, heere him glaadli, and suffre him to seie what he wole for ese of his owen herte. And whanne he hath doon, comforte hym goodli and charitabli, and sone breke of. And thanne aftir, yif he wole falle into idel tales or vanytees, or of othere mennys deedis, ansuere hym not but litil, ne feede not his speche; and he schal soone be irke and sone take his leve.
Yif it be anothir man that cometh to knowe thee, as a man of Holi Chirche, heere hym loweli with reverence for his ordre, and yif his speche comforte thee, aske of hym, and make thee not for to teche hym. For it falleth not to thee for to teche a preest, but in nede. Yif his speche comforte thee not, answere but litil, and he wole soone goo his wai. Yif it be anothir man that cometh for to gyve his almasse or ellis for to heere thee speke, or for to be knowen of thee, speke mekeli and goodli to him withal. Repreve no man of his defautis; it falleth not to thee, but yif he be the more hoomli with thee, that thou wite wel that he wole not take it agreef. And schorteli for to seie, as moche as thou conceyvest that schulde profite thyn evene Cristene goostli, mai thou seie yif thou can and he wil take it. And of alle thynges kepe silence as moche as thou mai, and thou schal have litil prees in schort tyme that schal lette thee. Thus thenketh me; doo betere yif thou mai.
Notes
- 1 ↩ME 'visili' rendered as 'wisely' (wisili/wisely); less likely alternatives would be 'warily' or 'carefully,' but the sense is prudent handling of conversation.
- 2 ↩Source pairs 'love' (love) with 'charité' (charity); 'love' is used for the interior duty and 'charity' for outward tokens of the same theological virtue, not almsgiving alone.
- 3 ↩inclose/enclosed: the anchorite's vowed enclosure; she cannot go out seeking corporal works of mercy, but remains bound to love and to welcome those who come.
- 4 ↩daungerous (ME): not modern 'dangerous,' but aloof, hard to approach, reluctant to receive; rendered 'stand-offish.'
- 5 ↩buxum (ME): obedient, compliant, ready to yield—not modern 'buxom'; rendered 'willing.'
- 6 ↩ME 'but schulde not hyndre thee' is slightly elliptical; rendered with impersonal 'it' as the subject of hinder, matching the likely sense that true love of neighbor does not block discreet speech.
- 7 ↩'disese' rendered as 'trouble' (distress/affliction), not medical disease.
- 8 ↩hoomli = on familiar/intimate terms; agreef = amiss / as an offense.
- 9 ↩prees = throng/press of visitors; lette = hinder/obstruct.
Scala Perfectionis (The Scale of Perfection) companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
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