There lived three hardworking monks. One of them chose a job for himself - to reconcile people quarreling among themselves. Another was to visit the sick. The third withdrew silently into the desert.
The first, trying to reconcile the quarreling people, could not help everyone and, coming with sorrow to the one visiting the sick, found him also weakened and not trying to fulfill his vow. Having agreed, they both went to the hermit, told him their sadness and asked him to tell them what good he had done in the desert.
After a short silence, the hermit poured water into the cup and said:
- Look at the water.
And the water was cloudy, so nothing could be seen in it. After a while he says again:
- Look, now the water has settled.
As soon as they looked into the water, they saw their faces as if in a mirror. Then he said to them:
“This is what happens to a person who lives among people: out of embarrassment, he does not see his sins; and when he is silent, and especially in the desert, then his shortcomings are visible.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru