1 ϩⲛⲧⲁⲣⲭⲏ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲉⲩⲁⲅⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ϣⲁⲟⲩϩⲗⲗⲟ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉⲁⲡⲁ ⲁϫⲓⲟⲩϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ · ϫⲉⲉⲓⲛⲁⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲛⲁϣ ⲛϩⲉ ⲻ
In the beginning, Abba Evagrius/Euprepius went to an old man and said to him, 'Speak to me, how shall I be saved?'
2 ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉⲉϣϫⲉ ⲕⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲙⲡⲣⲕⲁⲧⲁⲫⲣⲟⲛⲉⲓ ⲻ
He said to him, 'If you wish to be saved, do not be disdainful.
3 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲕϣⲁⲛⲃⲱⲕ ϣⲁⲟⲩⲁ · ⲙⲡⲣϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲙⲡⲁⲧⲉ ϥϫⲛⲟⲩⲕ ·
And if you should visit someone, at first do not speak, until he questions you.'
4 ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲃⲥ ϩⲓϫⲙ ⲡϣⲁϫⲉ ⲁϥⲡⲁϩⲧϥ ⲛⲁϥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉⲕⲱ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ·
And he [Evagrius/Euprepius] was pricked by this word, and he bowed before him [the old man], saying, 'Forgive me!
5 ⲛⲁⲙⲉ ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲉϣ ⲟⲩⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲛϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ·
Truly, I have read a multitude of books,
6 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲟⲩⲛ ⲧⲙⲛⲧⲥⲁⲃⲉ ⲉⲛⲉϩ .
but I have never learned wisdom.'
7 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϯϩⲏⲩ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲻ
And he benefited and he went away.