Stromata Editions · The Shepherd of Hermas
Similitude VI
Sim. 6.1.1–6.5.7
Complete audiobook →Chapter 1
Greek source
Καθήμενος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου καὶ δοξάζων τὸν κύριον περὶ πάντων ὧν ἑωράκειν καὶ συνζητῶν περὶ τῶν ἐντολῶν, ὅτι καλαὶ καὶ δυναταὶ καὶ ἱλαραὶ καὶ ἔνδοξοι καὶ δυνάμεναι σῶσαι ψυχὴν ἀνθρώπου, ἔλεγον ἐν ἐμαυτῷ ταῦτα· Μακάριος ἔσομαι, ἐὰν ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς ταύταις πορευθῶ, καὶ ὃς ἐὰν πορεύσηται ἐν αὐταῖς μακάριος ἔσται.
Translation
I was sitting in my house, glorifying the Lord for everything I had seen and reflecting on the commandments. They were good, powerful, cheerful, and glorious, and able to save a person's soul. I said to myself, “I will be blessed if I live by these commandments, and everyone who lives by them will be blessed.”
Greek source
ἕως ταῦτα ἐν ἐμαυτῷ λαλῶ, βλέπω αὐτὸν ἐξαίφνης παρακαθήμενόν μοι καὶ λέγοντα ταῦτα· Τί διψυχεῖς περὶ τῶν ἐντολῶν ὧν σοι ἐντέταλμαι; καλαί εἰσιν· ὅλως μηδὲν διψυχήσῃς, ἀλλ’ ἔνδυσαι τὴν πίστιν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἐν αὐταῖς πορεύσῃ· ἐγὼ γάρ σε δυναμώσω ἐν αὐταῖς.
Translation
While I was saying this to myself, I suddenly saw him sitting beside me. He said, “Why do you waver over the commandments I have given you? They are good. Do not waver at all, but put on faith in the Lord, and you will live by them. For I will strengthen you in them.
Greek source
αὗται αἱ ἐντολαὶ σύμφοροί εἰσιν τοῖς μέλλουσι μετανοεῖν· ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ πορευθῶσιν ἐν αὐταῖς, εἰς μάτην ἐστὶν ἡ μετάνοια αὐτῶν.
Translation
“These commandments benefit those who are going to repent. Unless they live by them, their repentance is in vain.
Greek source
οἱ οὖν μετανοοῦντες ἀποβάλετε τὰς πονηρίας τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου τὰς ἐκτριβούσας ὑμᾶς· ἐνδυσάμενοι δὲ πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν δικαιοσύνης δυνήσεσθε τηρῆσαι τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας καὶ μηκέτι προστίθετε ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν. μηδὲν οὖν προστιθέντες πολὺ κόψετε τῶν προτέρων ὑμῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. πορεύεσθε οὖν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς μου, καὶ ζήσεσθε τῷ θεῷ.
Translation
“So you who repent, cast away the wicked things of this age that wear you down. Put on every virtue of righteousness, and you will be able to observe these commandments. Do not add any more to your sins. By adding nothing more, you will cut away much of your earlier sins. So live by my commandments, and you will live for God.
Greek source
ταῦτα παρ’ ἐμοῦ λελάληται ὑμῖν. μετὰ τὸ ταῦτα λαλῆσαι αὐτὸν μετ’ ἐμοῦ, λέγει μοι· Ἄγωμεν εἰς ἀγρόν, καὶ δείξω σοι τοὺς ποιμένας τῶν προβάτων. Ἄγωμεν, φημί, κύριε. ἤλθομεν εἴς τι πεδίον, καὶ δεικνύει μοι ποιμένα νεανίσκον ἐνδεδυμένον σύνθεσιν ἱματίων τῷ χρώματι κροκώδη.
Translation
“These things I have spoken to you.” After saying this to me, he said, “Let us go into the field, and I will show you the shepherds of the sheep.” “Let us go, sir,” I said. We came to a plain, and he showed me a young shepherd dressed in a set of saffron-coloured clothes.
Greek source
ἔβοσκε δὲ πρόβατα πολλὰ λίαν, καὶ τὰ πρόβατα ταῦτα ὡσεὶ τρυφῶντα ἦν καὶ λίαν σπαταλῶντα καὶ ἱλαρὰ ἦν σκιρτῶντα ὧδε καὶ ἐκεῖ, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ ποιμὴν ἱλαρὸς ἦν ἐπὶ τῷ ποιμνίῳ αὐτοῦ· καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ἰδέα τοῦ ποιμένος λίαν ἱλαρὰ ἦν καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρόβασι περιέτρεχεν.
Translation
He was tending a great many sheep. These sheep seemed to be living in luxury and great indulgence. They were cheerful, leaping here and there. The shepherd himself was cheerful about his flock. His very appearance was cheerful, and he ran about among the sheep.
Chapter 2
Greek source
Λέγει μοι· Βλέπεις, φησίν, τὸν ποιμένα τοῦτον; Βλέπω, φημί, κύριε. Οὗτος, φησίν, ἐστὶν ἄγγελος τρυφῆς καὶ ἀπάτης. οὗτος οὖν ἐκτρίβει τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν δούλων τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν κενῶν καὶ καταστρέφει αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀπατῶν αὐτοὺς ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις ταῖς πονηραῖς, ἐν αἷς ἀπόλλυνται.
Translation
“Do you see this shepherd?” he asked me. “I do, sir,” I said. “This,” he said, “is the angel of indulgence and deception. He wears down the souls of God's empty servants and turns them away from the truth, deceiving them with wicked desires in which they perish.
Greek source
ἐπιλανθάνονται γὰρ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος καὶ πορεύονται ταῖς ἀπάταις καὶ τρυφαῖς ταῖς ματαίαις καὶ ἀπόλλυνται ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τούτου, τινὰ μὲν εἰς θάνατον, τινὰ δὲ εἰς καταφθοράν.
Translation
“They forget the commandments of the living God and follow deceptions and empty indulgences. This angel brings them to ruin, some to death and some to corruption.”
Greek source
λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, οὐ γινώσκω ἐγώ, τί εἰς θάνατον καὶ τί εἰς καταφθοράν ἐστιν. Ἄκουε, φησίν· ὅσα εἶδες πρόβατα λίαν ἱλαρὰ καὶ σκιρτῶντα, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀφεσταμένοι ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς τέλος καὶ παραδεδωκότες ἑαυτοὺς ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου· ἐν τούτοις οὖν μετάνοια ζωῆς οὐκ ἔστιν, ὅτι προσέθηκαν κατὰ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου βλασφημίαν· τῶν τοιούτων οὖν ὁ θάνατος.
Translation
I said to him, “Sir, I do not understand what ‘to death’ and ‘to corruption’ mean.” “Listen,” he said. “The sheep you saw that were very cheerful and leaping about are those who have abandoned God completely and given themselves over to the desires of this age. For them there is no repentance that brings life, because they have added blasphemy against the Lord's name. Death belongs to people like these.
Greek source
ἃ δὲ εἶδες μὴ σκιρτῶντα ἀλλὰ ἐν ἑνὶ τόπῳ βοσκόμενα, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ παραδεδωκότες μὲν ἑαυτοὺς ταῖς τρυφαῖς καὶ ἀπάταις, εἰς δὲ τὸν κύριον οὐκ ἐβλασφήμησαν. οὗτοι οὖν κατεφθαρμένοι εἰσὶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας· ἐν τούτοις οὖν ἐλπίς ἐστιν μετανοίας, ἐν ᾗ δύνανται ζῆσαι. ἡ καταφθορὰ οὖν ἐλπίδα ἔχει ἀνανεώσεώς τινα, ὁ δὲ θάνατος ἀπώλειαν ἔχει αἰώνιον.
Translation
“The sheep you saw that were not leaping about but grazing in one place are those who have given themselves over to indulgences and deceptions, but have not blasphemed against the Lord. They have been corrupted away from the truth. For them there is hope of repentance, through which they can live. Corruption holds some hope of renewal, but death brings eternal destruction.”
Greek source
πάλιν προέβημεν μικρόν, καὶ δεικνύει μοι ποιμένα μέγαν ὡσεὶ ἄγριον τῇ ἰδέᾳ, περικείμενον δέρμα αἴγειον λευκόν, καὶ πήραν τινὰ εἶχεν ἐπὶ τὸν ὦμον καὶ ῥάβδον σκληρὰν λίαν καὶ ὄζους ἔχουσαν καὶ μάστιγα μεγάλην· καὶ τὸ βλέμμα εἶχεν περίπικρον, ὥστε φοβηθῆναι αὐτόν· τοιοῦτον εἶχε τὸ βλέμμα.
Translation
Again we went a little farther. He showed me a large shepherd with a savage appearance, wrapped in a white goatskin. He had a bag on his shoulder, a very hard staff with knots in it, and a large whip. His look was terribly harsh, enough to make you afraid of him. That was the kind of look he had.
Greek source
οὗτος ὁ ποιμὴν παρελάμβανε τὰ πρόβατα ἀπὸ τοῦ ποιμένος τοῦ νεανίσκου, ἐκεῖνα τὰ σπαταλῶντα καὶ τρυφῶντα, μὴ σκιρτῶντα δέ, καὶ ἐνέβαλλεν αὐτὰ εἴς τινα τόπον κρημνώδη καὶ ἀκανθώδη καὶ τριβολώδη, ὥστε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀκανθῶν καὶ τριβόλων μὴ δύνασθαι ἐκπλέξαι τὰ πρόβατα, ἀλλὰ ἐμπλέκεσθαι αὐτὰ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους.
Translation
This shepherd took over from the young shepherd those sheep that were indulging themselves and living in luxury, but were not leaping about. He drove them into a steep place full of thorns and thistles. The sheep could not free themselves from the thorns and thistles, but became entangled in them.
Greek source
αὐτοῦ οὖν ἐμπεπλεγμένα ἐβόσκοντο τὰς ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους καὶ λίαν ἐταλαιπώρουν δερόμενα ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὧδε καὶ ἐκεῖ περιήλαυνεν αὐτὰ καὶ ὅλως ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐδίδει, καὶ ὅλως οὐκ εὐσταθοῦσαν τὰ πρόβατα ἐκεῖνα.
Translation
Entangled there, they grazed on the thorns and thistles and suffered terribly as he beat them. He drove them here and there and gave them no rest at all. Those sheep never settled down.
Chapter 3
Greek source
Βλέπων οὖν αὐτὰ οὕτω μαστιγούμενα καὶ ταλαιπωροῦντα ἐλυπούμην ἐπ’
Translation
Seeing them whipped and suffering like this, I grieved for
Greek source
αὐτοῖς, ὅτι οὕτως ἐβασανίζοντο καὶ ἀνοχὴν ὅλως οὐκ εἶχον. λέγω τῷ ποιμένι τῷ μετ’ ἐμοῦ λαλοῦντι· Κύριε, φημί, τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ οὕτως ἄσπλαγχνος καὶ πικρὸς καὶ ὅλως μηδὲν σπλαγχνιζόμενος ἐπὶ τὰ πρόβατα ταῦτα; Οὗτος, φησίν, ἐστὶν ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς τιμωρίας· ἐκ δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν δικαίων ἐστίν, κείμενος δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς τιμωρίας.
Translation
them, because they were being tormented in this way with no respite at all. I said to the shepherd who was speaking with me, “Sir, who is this shepherd, so merciless and harsh, with no compassion at all for these sheep?” “This,” he said, “is the angel of punishment. He is one of the righteous angels and has been appointed over punishment.
Greek source
παραλαμβάνει οὖν τοὺς ἀποπλανωμένους ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πορευθέντας ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου καὶ τιμωρεῖ αὐτούς, καθώς τις ἄξιός ἐστιν, δειναῖς τιμωρίαις καὶ ποικίλαις.
Translation
“He takes over those who stray from God and follow the desires of this age, and punishes them with terrible punishments of various kinds, as each deserves.”
Greek source
Ἤθελον, φημί, κύριε, γνῶναι τὰς ποικίλας τιμωρίας ταύτας, ποταπαί εἰσιν. Ἄκουε, φησίν, τὰς ποικίλας βασάνους καὶ τιμωρίας. βιωτικαί εἰσι βάσανοι· τιμωροῦνται γὰρ οἱ μὲν ζημίαις, οἱ δὲ ὑστερήσεσιν, οἱ δὲ ἀσθενείαις ποικίλαις, οἱ δὲ πάσῃ ἀκαταστασίᾳ, οἱ δὲ ὑβριζόμενοι ὑπὸ ἀναξίων καὶ ἑτέραις πολλαῖς πράξεσιν πάσχοντες.
Translation
“Sir,” I said, “I would like to know what these various punishments are like.” “Listen,” he said, “to the various torments and punishments. They are torments of everyday life. Some are punished by losses, others by deprivation, others by various illnesses, others by every kind of upheaval, and others by being insulted by unworthy people and suffering through many other circumstances.
Greek source
πολλοὶ γὰρ ἀκαταστατοῦντες ταῖς βουλαῖς αὐτῶν ἐπιβάλλονται πολλά, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ὅλως προχωρεῖ. καὶ λέγουσιν ἑαυτοὺς μὴ εὐοδοῦσθαι ἐν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἀναβαίνει ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ὅτι ἔπραξαν πονηρὰ ἔργα, ἀλλὰ αἰτιῶνται τὸν κύριον.
Translation
“Many, unsettled in their plans, attempt a multitude of things, and nothing goes forward for them at all. They say they have no success in their undertakings. It does not occur to them that they have done wicked deeds. Instead, they blame the Lord.
Greek source
ὅταν οὖν θλιβῶσι πάσῃ θλίψει, τότε ἐμοὶ παραδίδονται εἰς ἀγαθὴν παιδείαν καὶ ἰσχυροποιοῦνται ἐν τῇ πίστει τοῦ κυρίου καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῶν δουλεύουσιν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ· ὅταν οὖν μετανοήσωσιν, τότε ἀναβαίνει ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα τὰ πονηρὰ ἃ ἔπραξαν, καὶ τότε δοξάζουσι τὸν θεόν, ὅτι δίκαιος κριτής ἐστι καὶ δικαίως ἔπαθεν πάντα ἕκαστος κατὰ τὰς πράξεις αὐτοῦ· τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ δουλεύσουσιν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν καὶ εὐοδοῦνται ἐν πάσῃ πράξει αὐτῶν, λαμβάνοντες πάντα παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου ὅσα αἰτοῦνται· καὶ τότε δοξάζουσιν τὸν κύριον, ὅτι ἐμοὶ παρεδόθησαν, καὶ οὐκέτι οὐδὲν πάσχουσι τῶν πονηρῶν.
Translation
“When they have been afflicted with every kind of distress, they are handed over to me for good discipline. They are strengthened in faith in the Lord and serve him with a pure heart for the remaining days of their lives. When they repent, they remember the wicked deeds they have done. Then they glorify God because he is a righteous judge and each has justly suffered everything in keeping with their own deeds. For the rest of their lives they will serve the Lord with a pure heart. They succeed in every undertaking and receive from the Lord everything they ask for. Then they glorify the Lord because they were handed over to me, and they no longer suffer any of these evils.”
Chapter 4
Greek source
Λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, ἔτι μοι τοῦτο δήλωσον. Τί, φησίν, ἐπιζητεῖς; Εἰ ἄρα, φημί, κύριε, τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον βασανίζονται οἱ τρυφῶντες καὶ ἀπατώμενοι ὅσον τρυφῶσι καὶ ἀπατῶνται; λέγει μοι· Τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον βασανίζονται.
Translation
I said to him, “Sir, explain this further to me.” “What are you asking about?” he said. “Sir,” I said, “do those who indulge themselves and are deceived suffer torment for the same length of time as they indulge themselves and are deceived?” He said to me, “They suffer torment for the same length of time.”
Greek source
Ἐλάχιστον, φημί, κύριε, βασανίζονται· ἔδει γὰρ τοὺς οὕτως τρυφῶντας καὶ ἐπιλανθανομένους τοῦ θεοῦ ἑπταπλασίως βασανίζεσθαι.
Translation
“They suffer very little torment, sir,” I said. “Those who indulge themselves like this and forget God ought to suffer seven times as much.”
Greek source
λέγει μοι· Ἄφρων εἶ καὶ οὐ νοεῖς τῆς βασάνου τὴν δύναμιν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐνόουν, φημί, κύριε, οὐκ ἄν σε ἐπηρώτων ἵνα μοι δηλώσῃς. Ἄκουε, φησίν, ἀμφοτέρων τὴν δύναμιν.
Translation
He said to me, “You are foolish and do not understand the force of torment.” “If I understood, sir,” I said, “I would not ask you to explain it to me.” “Listen,” he said, “to the force of both.
Greek source
τῆς τρυφῆς καὶ ἀπάτης ὁ χρόνος ὥρα ἐστὶν μία· τῆς δὲ βασάνου ἡ ὥρα τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν δύναμιν ἔχει. ἐὰν οὖν μίαν ἡμέραν τις τρυφήσῃ καὶ ἀπατηθῇ, μίαν δὲ ἡμέραν βασανισθῇ, ὅλον ἐνιαυτὸν ἰσχύει ἡ ἡμέρα τῆς βασάνου. ὅσας οὖν ἡμέρας τρυφήσῃ τις, τοσούτους ἐνιαυτοὺς βασανίζεται. βλέπεις οὖν, φησίν, ὅτι τῆς τρυφῆς καὶ ἀπάτης ὁ χρόνος ἐλάχιστός ἐστιν, τῆς δὲ τιμωρίας καὶ βασάνου πολύς.
Translation
“The time of indulgence and deception is a single hour, but an hour of torment has the force of thirty days. So if someone indulges themselves and is deceived for one day, and suffers torment for one day, that day of torment has the force of an entire year. For as many days as someone indulges themselves, they are tormented for as many years. So you see,” he said, “that the time of indulgence and deception is very short, but the time of punishment and torment is long.”
Chapter 5
Greek source
Ἐπεί, φημί, κύριε, οὐ νενόηκα ὅλως τοὺς χρόνους τῆς ἀπάτης καὶ τρυφῆς καὶ βασάνου, τηλαυγέστερόν μοι δήλωσον.
Translation
“Sir,” I said, “since I have not understood at all the times of deception, indulgence, and torment, explain them more clearly to me.”
Greek source
ἀποκριθείς μοι λέγει· Ἡ ἀφροσύνη σου παράμονός ἐστιν, καὶ οὐ θέλεις σου τὴν καρδίαν καθαρίσαι καὶ δουλεύειν τῷ θεῷ. βλέπε, φησίν, μήποτε ὁ χρόνος πληρωθῇ καὶ σὺ ἄφρων εὑρεθῇς· ἄκουε οὖν, φησίν, καθὼς βούλει, ἵνα νοήσῃς αὐτά.
Translation
He answered, “Your foolishness persists, and you do not want to cleanse your heart and serve God. Take care,” he said, “that the time is not fulfilled and you are found foolish. So listen,” he said, “as you wish, so that you may understand these things.
Greek source
ὁ τρυφῶν καὶ ἀπατώμενος μίαν ἡμέραν καὶ πράσσων ἃ βούλεται πολλὴν ἀφροσύνην ἐνδέδυται καὶ οὐ νοεῖ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἣν ποιεῖ. εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἐπιλανθάνεται τί πρὸ μιᾶς ἔπραξεν· ἡ γὰρ τρυφὴ καὶ ἀπάτη μνήμας οὐκ ἔχει διὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην, ἣν ἐνδέδυται, ἡ δὲ τιμωρία καὶ βάσανος ὅταν κολληθῇ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ μίαν ἡμέραν, μέχρι ἐνιαυτοῦ τιμωρεῖται καὶ βασανίζεται· μνήμας γὰρ μεγάλας ἔχει ἡ τιμωρία καὶ βάσανος.
Translation
“Someone who indulges themselves and is deceived for one day, doing whatever they wish, has put on great foolishness. They do not understand what they are doing. The next day they forget what they did the day before. Indulgence and deception leave no memories, because of the foolishness they have put on. But when punishment and torment cling to a person for one day, that person continues to be punished and tormented for a year. For punishment and torment leave powerful memories.
Greek source
βασανιζόμενος οὖν καὶ τιμωρούμενος ὅλον τὸν ἐνιαυτόν, μνημονεύει τότε τῆς τρυφῆς καὶ ἀπάτης καὶ γινώσκει ὅτι διὰ ταῦτα πάσχει τὰ πονηρά. πᾶς οὖν ἄνθρωπος ὁ τρυφῶν καὶ ἀπατώμενος οὕτως βασανίζεται, ὅτι ἔχοντες ζωὴν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς θάνατον παραδεδώκασι.
Translation
“So, tormented and punished for the entire year, they remember their indulgence and deception and recognize that they suffer these evils because of them. Everyone who indulges themselves and is deceived is tormented in this way, because, although they had life, they handed themselves over to death.”
Greek source
Ποῖαι, φημί, κύριε, τρυφαί εἰσι βλαβεραί; Πᾶσα, φησί, πρᾶξις τρυφή ἐστι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὃ ἐὰν ἡδέως ποιῇ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ ὀξύχολος τῇ ἑαυτοῦ πράξει τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῶν τρυφᾷ· καὶ ὁ μοιχὸς καὶ ὁ μέθυσος καὶ ὁ κατάλαλος καὶ ὁ ψεύστης καὶ ὁ πλεονέκτης καὶ ὁ ἀποστερητὴς καὶ ὁ τούτοις τὰ ὅμοια πάντα ποιῶν τῇ ἰδίᾳ νόσῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιεῖ· τρυφᾷ οὖν ἐν τῇ πράξει αὐτοῦ.
Translation
“Sir,” I asked, “what kinds of indulgence are harmful?” “Every action,” he said, “that a person enjoys doing is an indulgence for them. The quick-tempered person indulges themselves by gratifying themselves through their own actions. The adulterer, the drunkard, the slanderer, the liar, the greedy person, the cheat, and anyone who does things like these gratifies their own sickness. So they indulge themselves in their conduct.
Greek source
αὗται πᾶσαι τρυφαὶ βλαβεραί εἰσιν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ· διὰ ταύτας οὖν τὰς ἀπάτας πάσχουσιν οἱ τιμωρούμενοι καὶ βασανιζόμενοι.
Translation
“All these indulgences are harmful to God's servants. These deceptions are why those who are punished and tormented suffer.
Greek source
εἰσὶν δὲ καὶ τρυφαὶ σώζουσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· πολλοὶ γὰρ ἀγαθὸν ἐργαζόμενοι τρυφῶσιν, τῇ ἑαυτῶν ἡδονῇ φερόμενοι. αὕτη οὖν ἡ τρυφὴ σύμφορός ἐστιν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ζωὴν περιποιεῖται τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τοιούτῳ· αἱ δὲ βλαβεραὶ τρυφαὶ αἱ προειρημέναι βασάνους καὶ τιμωρίας περιποιοῦνται· ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιμείνωσι καὶ μὴ μετανοήσωσιν, θάνατον ἑαυτοῖς περιποιοῦνται.
Translation
“But there are also indulgences that save people. Many take delight in doing good, carried along by their own pleasure. This indulgence benefits God's servants and gains life for such a person. But the harmful indulgences mentioned above bring torments and punishments. If people persist in them and do not repent, they gain death for themselves.”
Reader’s notes
1. 6.2.2–4
“Death” and “corruption” are different outcomes. The latter retains some hope of renewal, while death is described as eternal destruction. The two groups of sheep and the presence or absence of blasphemy are not merged.
2. 6.3.1–2
The source divides ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς. The English sentence continues across the two headings after “grieved for.” The shepherd speaking to Hermas and the angel of punishment remain distinct figures.
3. 6.3.4–6; 7.1–7
The author's explanation connects losses, deprivation, illness, insults, and other distress with punishment and subsequent discipline. It is retained as the ancient speaker's claim, not recast as medical guidance. In Similitude Seven Hermas's own sins and his household's sins are explicitly distinguished. The head of the household's suffering for the household, repentance, endurance, and delayed forgiveness are not rewritten as an account of individual responsibility alone.
4. 6.4.1–4; 6.5.3–4 — open question
The text first gives equal lengths of time and then compares their different force: an hour of torment has the force of thirty days, and a day of torment that of a year. The further account concerns the persistence of memories. These are the source's comparisons, not a consistent modern arithmetic schedule. The translation neither recalculates the ratios nor suppresses the initial reply. The exact relation between duration, remembered experience, and intensity remains an interpretative question.
5. 6.5.5–7
Τρυφή is usually “indulgence” here, but the author also describes a saving form in the pleasure of doing good. That reversal is retained. “Sickness” in 6.5.5 preserves the moral image νόσος; it does not assign a clinical diagnosis to the named wrongdoers.
About this edition
English translation v02. Greek source v01: Molly Whittaker, second revised edition, 1967; Patristic Text Archive (2018), Annette von Stockhausen — conversion to CTS-compliant PTA TEI and markup of places and persons. Technical derivative: Stromata Editions, 2026-09-29. Fixed version ef861ab3.
Dotted underlining marks editorial supplied spans in the selected source and the corresponding translation, including partial spans. The sign alone does not establish the intervention’s nature or necessarily indicate a conjecture. Original square brackets are preserved.
Latin ending: the ancient Vulgata edited by Adolphus Hilgenfeld, Hermae Pastor (Leipzig, 1873), pp. 155–164; project source HER-ENDING-SOURCE-v01. Hilgenfeld took the insertion in Sim. 10.2.4 from the Palatina and added habet himself. The Greek digital source’s license does not automatically cover the Latin edition or the translations.
The translation is a reviewed working version following an AI editorial pass; human philological review is not claimed.
The reproduced Greek source and its technical derivative: CC BY-SA 4.0. Whitespace adapted for reading; words and diacritics preserved. Attribution does not imply endorsement of Stromata by PTA contributors.
Vulgata · Hilgenfeld 1873 · StromataPTA · ef861ab3CC BY-SA 4.0
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