Poemen

Abba Poemen

Abba Poemen (c. 340–450) was an Egyptian Christian monk and early Desert Father who is the most quoted Abba (Father) in the Apophthegmata Patrum (Sayings of the Desert Fathers).

Quotes

Ward, Benedicta (1984). The sayings of the Desert Fathers: the alphabetical collection. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications.

Wortley, John (2014). Give Me a Word: The Alphabetical Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Yonkers, New York: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press. ISBN 978-0-88141-497-4. 

Abba Poemen said, "If a man has sinned and denies it, saying: 'I have not sinned,' do not reprimand him; for that will discourage him.
But say to him, 'Do not lose heart, brother, but be on guard in future,' and you will stir his soul to repentance."

• Ward: Abba Poemen said, "If a man has sinned and denies it, saying: 'I have not sinned,' do not reprimand him; for that will discourage him.
  But say to him, 'Do not lose heart, brother, but be on guard in future,' and you will stir his soul to repentance."
  • Wortley: Abba Poemen said: “If a person sin and deny it, saying: ‘I have not sinned,’ do not condemn him, or you will cut off his eagerness.
    But if you say to him: ‘Do not be disheartened, brother, and do not despair of yourself but be on your guard in future,’ you rouse his soul to repentance.”
    • Saying 23

• Ward: "The victory over all the afflictions that befall you, is, to keep silence."
  • Wortley: He also said: “Whatever trouble comes upon you, victory over it is to remain silent.”
    • Saying 37

Even if a man were to make a new heaven and earth, he could not live free of care.

• Ward: "Even if a man were to make a new heaven and earth, he could not live free of care."
  • Wortley: Abba Poemen also said: “If somebody makes a new heaven and a new earth [Revelation 21:1], he cannot be free of concern.”
    • Saying 48

• Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "How should a man behave?"
  The old man said to him, "Look at Daniel: no-one found anything in him to complain about except for his prayers to the Lord his God."
  • Wortley: A brother asked Abba Poemen: “How ought a person to live his life?”
    The elder said to him: “Let us consider Daniel; that no accusation was found against him other than in the way he served the Lord his God” [Daniel 6:5–9].
    • Saying 53

• Ward: Abba Poemen said, "Do not judge yourself, but live with someone who knows how to behave himself properly."
  • Wortley: Abba Poemen said: “Do not measure yourself, but attach yourself to someone who lives a good life.”
    • Saying 73

• Ward: Abba Poemen said that a brother who lived with some other brothers asked Abba Bessarion, "What ought I to do?"
  The old man said to him, "Keep silence and do not always be comparing yourself with others."
  • Wortley: Abba Poemen said that a brother who was living with brothers asked Abba Bessarion: “What am I to do?”
    and the elder said to him: “Keep silent and do not measure yourself.”
    • Saying 79

• Ward: "Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart."
  • Wortley: He also said: “Do not attend with your heart to one in whom your heart does not have confidence.”
    • Saying 80

• Ward: "If you take little account of yourself, you will have peace, wherever you live."
  • Wortley: He also said: “If you hold yourself in low esteem, you will experience repose wherever you are staying.”
    • Saying 81

• Ward: "If you are silent, you will have peace wherever you live."
  • Wortley: He also said: “If you are given to silence you will experience repose in every place, no matter where you reside.”
    • Saying 84

He also said concerning Abba Pior that every day he made a new beginning.

• Ward: He also said concerning Abba Pior that every day he made a new beginning.
  • Wortley: He also said of Abba Pior that every day he started all over again.
    • Saying 85

There are some who receive ten and give one.

• Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "Can a man keep all his thoughts in control, and not surrender one to the enemy?"
  And the old man said to him, "There are some who receive ten and give one."
  • Wortley: A brother asked Abba Poemen: “Can a person maintain all his logismoi and not concede one of them to the enemy?”
    The elder said: “There is such a person who has ten and concedes one.”
    • Saying 88

The first time flee; the second time, flee; and the third, become like a sword.

• Ward: [Abba Poemen] also said, "The first time flee; the second time, flee; and the third, become like a sword."
  • Wortley: He also said: “Run away the first time; run away the second time; the third time, become a sword.”
    • Saying 140 (Ward); 139 (Wortley)

• Ward: Abba Poemen said to Abba Isaac, "Let go of a small part of your righteousness and in a few days you will be at peace."
  • Wortley: Abba Poemen also said to Abba Isaac: “Assuage the weight of your righteousness a little and you shall experience repose during your few [remaining] days.”
    • Saying 141 (Ward); 140 (Wortley)

• Ward: A brother going to market asked Abba Poemen, "How do you advise me to behave?"
  The old man said to him, "Make friends with anyone who tries to bully you and sell your produce in peace."
  • Wortley: A brother on his way to the marketplace asked Abba Poemen: “What do you wish me to do?” The elder said to him: “Become the friend of one who coerces himself, and you will sell your wares in tranquility.”
    • Saying 163 (Ward); 162 (Wortley)

• Ward: Abba Poemen said, "Teach your mouth to say what is in your heart."
  • Wortley: Abba Poemen said: “Teach your mouth to say what is in your heart.”
    • Saying 164 (Ward); 163 (Wortley)

• Ward: Abba Isaac came to see Abba Poemen and found him washing his feet. As he enjoyed freedom of speech with him he said, "How is it that others practice austerity and treat their bodies hardly?"
  Abba Poemen said to him, "We have not been taught to kill our bodies, but to kill our passions."
  • Wortley: Abba Isaac visited Abba Poemen and saw him pouring a little water over his feet. As he was quite familiar with him, he said to him: “How is it that some used severity and treated their bodies harshly?” Abba Poemen said to him: “We were not taught to slay the body but to slay the passions.”
    • Saying 184 (Ward); 183 (Wortley)

• Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "How should I behave in the place where I live?"
  The old man said, "Have the mentality of an exile in the place where you live, do not desire to be listened to and you will have peace."
  • Wortley: A brother asked Abba Poemen: “How ought I to be in the place where I am living?”
    The elder said to him: “Have the mentality of an alien in the place where you are living so you do not seek to advance your own opinion—and you will experience repose.”
    • Saying 191 (Ward); S 4 (Wortley)

If I am in a place where there are enemies, I become a soldier.

• Ward: Abba Poemen said, "If I am in a place where there are enemies, I become a soldier."
  • Wortley: Poemen said: “Let me tell you: in the place where there is war, there I am campaigning.”
    • Saying 202 (Ward); S 15 (Wortley)

See also

• Anthony the Great
• Arsenius the Great