Lake Apostolic Fathers 2 - Bible Translation

THE SHEPHERD, sim. v. iv. 1-5
For I understood that all these things are a parable.
2. He answered and said to me : " You are very im-
portunate with asking. You ought not/' he said, " to
ask at all, for if it be necessary for it to be explained
to you it will be explained." I said to him: "Sir,
whatever you show me and do not explain I shall have
seen in vain, and not understand what it is. So like-
wise it you speak parables to me and do not inter-
pret them to me, I shall have heard something from
you in vain." 3. He answered and said to me again :
" Whoever," said he, " is God's servant, and has his
Lord in his heart, seeks understanding from him and
receives it, and he interprets every parable, and the
sayings of the Lord which were spoken through
parables are made known to him. But as many as
are weak and idle in prayer, those hesitate to ask
from the Lord. 4. But the Lord is very merciful
and gives unceasingly to all who ask from him.
But you, since you have been given power by the
Holy Angel, and received from him such interces-
sion and are not idle, wherefore do you not seek
understanding from the Lord and receive it from
him ? " 5. I said to him : " Sir, when I have you
with me I needs must ask you and enquire of
you, for you show me all things and talk with
me, but if I had seen or heard them without
you, I should have asked the Lord that it might
be explained to me."
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