1 ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛϭⲓⲟⲩⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ ·
He said, that is one of our fathers:
2 ϫⲉⲛⲉⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩϩⲗⲗⲟ ϩⲛⲛⲣⲓ ⲛⲣⲉϥϣⲡϩⲓⲥⲉ ·
“There was an old man, a bearer of toil, at Cellia
3 ⲉϥⲫⲟⲣⲉⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲧⲙⲏ ·
who was carrying a reed mat,
4 ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲇⲉ ϣⲁ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲙⲱⲛⲁ
and he went up to Abba Ammona.
5 ⲁϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛϭⲓⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ
He saw him, that is the old man,
6 ⲉϥⲫⲟⲣⲉⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲙⲏ ·
carrying the reed mat.
7 ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ
He said to him:
8 ϫⲉⲛⲧⲁⲓ ⲛⲁϯϩⲏⲩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲁⲛ ⲛⲗⲁⲁⲩ .
“This won't benefit you in anything.”
9 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϫⲛⲟⲩϥ
And he asked him:
10 ϫⲉⲟⲩⲛϣⲟⲙⲛⲧ ⲙⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲛⲱⲭⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁⲓ ·
“There are three thoughts that disturb me.
11 ⲏ ⲧⲁⲥⲟⲣⲙⲉⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲡϫⲁⲓⲉ · ⲏ ⲧⲁⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡϣⲙⲙⲟ · ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲉⲙⲛⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲁⲥⲟⲩⲱⲛⲧ ⲏ ⲧⲁⲟⲧⲡ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲩⲣⲓ ⲧⲁⲧⲙⲁⲡⲁⲛⲧⲁ ⲉⲗⲁⲁⲩ · ⲧⲁⲟⲩⲱⲙ ⲙⲡⲁⲥⲛⲁⲩ .
Either that I should wander in the desert, or that I should go to a strange place where no one will know me or that I should be shut in a cell, not meet anyone and eat in the one of (every) two (days).”
12 ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛϭⲓⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲙⲱⲛⲁ ϫⲉⲙⲛⲗⲁⲁⲩ ϩⲙⲡⲉⲓϣⲟⲙⲛⲧ ⲣⲛⲟⲃⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲕ ·
He said to him, that is Abba Ammona: “None of these three will benefit you.
13 ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ϩⲛⲧⲉⲕⲣⲓ ⲛⲅⲟⲩⲱⲙ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲙⲙⲏⲛⲉ · ⲛⲅⲕⲱ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲙⲡϣⲁϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲧⲉⲗⲱⲛⲏⲥ ϩⲙⲡⲉⲕϩⲏⲧ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲛⲓⲙ ·
But you sit in your cell and eat a little daily and leave yourself the word of the tax-collector in your heart at all times
14 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲕⲛⲁϭⲙϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ .
and you will be able to be saved.””