62. You cannot be the sun, even if it be a star, only rise to the mountain, leaving the earth.

63. Fire is not prepared for us, but for the devil and his aggels: let us not kindle it for ourselves.

64. Avoid contact with women, for not only seeing them and hearing them, but even the supposition of their nearness, is a poisonous arrow. Be sober, that you may avoid the defilement of fornication and uncleanness, for when you approach the fire, you cannot avoid being burned.

65. Pray often, in imitation of David, who praised the Lord seven times a day about the fate of His righteousness (cf. Psalm 118:164). There is nothing more salvific than constant conversation with God in prayer, for who has ever sinned while standing before God? And does not sin come from negligence about prayer? Remember the commandment: pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), not by oral prayer, of course, but ascent in your heart to God, as a censer acceptable to Him.

66. The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night: let us stand on guard over the Lord with a pure soul and sober mind, so that when He comes, He will not find us asleep.

67. Let us hide ourselves within the heart: let there be no rumors and noise, but let the peace of God dwell within us, for the Spirit dwells only in a silent abode.

68. Our names are written in heaven, let us not blot them out with the sharp acid of a lustful life, let not the Lord say to us, "Sons of the begotten and exalted, but they have rejected Me" (Isaiah 1:2) — and let not the reproach of Paul fall on us: "Those who are good, who forbids you?" (cf. Galatians 5:7).

69. For a long time you have been enslaved to the flesh to destruction, but now sober up in mind, enslave the flesh to the spirit, cleave to the Lord, and He will grant you the petition of your heart. Loving peace, sweetness, and gluttony, thou hast been likened to senseless beasts; now strive to return the first goodness, seek the highest, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God (cf. Col. 3:1). Thy true fatherland is the heavenly Jerusalem, and thy fellow-citizens and friends are the firstborn, written in the Book of Life. Look at heaven, earth, and sea, and consider that if the visible is beautiful, then what should the invisible be like, do not stop at the first, but seek the second.

70. From the fulfillment of God's commandments in meekness and patience is born an undistracted and daring prayer, which presents to the Mystic God a mind naked from every substance, dispelling all the charms and temptations[33] of the demons. The flattering enemy, during the lifting up of the heart to God, predatorily creeps up and tries to entertain the pure and undisturbed communion of the soul with God, so that the fire that consumes it does not burn in its teaching, for the warmth of the heart in prayer is a burning flame for the demons.

71. As the sun, striking with its rays a glass vessel filled with water, warms both it and the water, so the invisible sun, Christ the Lord, reflected in the mind prayerfully contemplating Him, warms the entire nature of the soul.

72. Let our loins be girded and our lamps burning, for we do not know at what hour the thief, that is, death, will come. Let us not cease to beseech God with a broken heart, that He may deliver us from all those who persecute us, that they may not rapture our souls like a lion, who do not deliver but save us (cf. Psalm 7:3).

73. If you see a wise man, make your walk to him more often, and let your foot wipe out the threshold of his doors. Learn from him with diligence and enlighten your mind, delving into the power of the teaching offered to you.

74. Be diligent in attentive reading of the Divine Scriptures and do not be lazy to approach them often, whether you understand the power of words or not, for frequent instruction in it will resolve what is incomprehensible at the beginning. Often, what we do not understand today, we will understand tomorrow, by the grace of God, Who invisibly opens our minds to understand the Scriptures.

75. If you wish to adorn yourself with good works, adorn yourself everywhere and always. It is not the place that gives the power of virtue, but the mood of thought and disposition. Nothing can harm the sober and vigilant even in the midst of the city, as in the wilderness.