1 ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛϭⲓⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲡⲕⲟⲗⲟⲃⲟⲥ · ϫⲉⲉⲓⲧⲛⲧⲱⲛ ⲉⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉϥϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲁⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲛⲟⲩϣⲏⲛ · ⲉϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉϩⲁϩ ⲛⲑⲩⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲛϩⲉⲛϫⲁⲧⲃⲉ ⲉⲩⲛⲏⲩ ϣⲁⲣⲟϥ ·
Aba John Kolobos said: 'I am like a man sitting at the foot of a tree who sees many beasts and reptiles coming towards him.'
2 ϩⲟⲧⲁⲛ ⲉϥϣⲁⲛⲧⲙϭⲙϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ϣⲁϥϭⲉⲡⲏ ⲉⲁⲗⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ϩⲓϫⲙⲡϣⲏⲛ ⲛϥⲛⲟⲩϩⲙ : ·
Since he is not able to stand against them, he hastens to ascend the tree to save himself.
3 ⲧⲁⲓ ⲧⲉ ⲧⲁϩⲉ ϩⲱⲥ ⲉⲓϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲛⲧⲁⲣⲓ · ⲉⲓⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲙⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲧϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲕⲱⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ : ·
This is my way when, sitting in my cell, I see evil thoughts encircling me.
4 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓϣⲁⲛⲧⲙϭⲙϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ϣⲁⲓϭⲉⲡⲏ ⲉⲡⲱⲧ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲙⲡⲉϣⲗⲏⲗ · ⲁⲩⲱ ϣⲁⲓⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲙⲡϫⲁϫⲉ :
And since I am powerless against them, I hasten to run to God through prayer and I am safe from the enemy.