1 ⲟⲩⲥⲟⲛ ⲉϥϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲛⲛⲣⲓ ⲙⲁⲩⲁⲁϥ ⲁϥϣⲧⲟⲣⲧⲣ ·

A brother living in Cellia alone was troubled,

2 ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲇⲉ ϣⲁⲁⲡⲁ ⲑⲉⲟⲇⲟⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲡϩⲉⲣⲙⲏⲥ ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ⲻ

and he went to Abba Theodore of Phermes (and) he told it to him.

3 ⲡⲉϫⲉⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉⲃⲱⲕ ⲛⲅⲑⲃⲃⲓⲉ ⲡⲉⲕϩⲏⲧ ⲛⲅϭⲱ ⲙⲛϩⲉⲛⲕⲟⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲕϩⲩⲡⲟⲧⲁⲥⲥⲉ ⲛⲁⲩ ·ⲻ

And the old man said to him: “Go and humble your heart and stay with others while obeying them.”

4 ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥϭⲱ ⲙⲛϩⲟⲓⲛⲉ ϩⲙⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ

And he went and he stayed with some in the mountain

5 ⲁϥⲕⲧⲟϥ ⲟⲛ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ϣⲁⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ

(and) he returned again (and) came to the old man.

6 ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉⲙⲡⲓⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲉⲓⲟⲩⲏϩ ⲙⲛⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲻ

He said: “I didn't find repose while living with the people”

7 ⲡⲉϫⲉⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲙⲁⲩⲁⲁⲕ · ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲕϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲙⲛⲛⲕⲟⲟⲩⲉ ⲛⲅⲛⲁⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲁⲛ ·ⲻ

And the old man said to him: “If you didn't repose alone, nor again while being with others, you won't find repose.

8 ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲟⲩ ⲁⲕⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲣⲙⲟⲛⲁⲭⲟⲥ ·

Why did you go out to become a monk?

9 ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲕⲛⲁⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ϩⲁⲛⲑⲗⲓⲯⲓⲥ ·

Not in order to stand under afflictions?

10 ⲁϫⲓⲥ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ϫⲉⲉⲓⲥ ⲟⲩⲏⲣ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲛϫⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲕϯ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲥⲭⲏⲙⲁ ϩⲓⲱⲱⲕ .

Tell me how many years is it since you took this habit upon you?”

11 ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉⲉⲓⲥ ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ .

He said: “It's been eight years.”

12 ⲡⲉϫⲉⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉⲛⲁⲙⲉ ⲉⲓⲥ ϣϥⲉ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ϫⲓⲛⲧⲁⲓⲣⲙⲟⲛⲁⲭⲟⲥ

The old man said to him: “Truly it's been sixty years since I became a monk,

13 ⲙⲡⲓϭⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛⲟⲩϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲧ .

I haven't found repose for a single day

14 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲕⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲙⲧⲟⲛ ϩⲛⲧⲉⲓϣⲙⲟⲩⲛⲉ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ .

and you, you want to find repose in this eight years?”