“Let books be your dining table, / And you shall be full of delights. / Let them be your mattress,/And you shall sleep restful nights”

“O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faintheartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.“But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to your servant.“Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sin and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed from all ages to all ages. Amen”

“This life was given to you for repentance, do not waste it in vain pursuits.”

“Make peace with yourself, and both heaven and earth will make peace with you.”

“This Lord of natures today was transformed contrary to His nature; it is not too difficult for us to also overthrow our evil will." Hymns of the Nativity, Hymn 1:97, pg. 74 in Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns (New York: Paulist Press, 1989).”

“When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”

“What you seek you shall never find. For when the Gods made man, They kept immortality to themselves.Fill your belly.Day and night make merry.Let Days be full of joy.Love the child who holds your hand.Let your wife delight in your embrace.For these alone are the concerns of man.”