He covets greedily all the day long: but the righteous gives and spares not.
Read Chapter 21
Evagrius Ponticus
AD 399
It belongs to angels never to have evil desires; it is human sometimes to have evil desires and other times not to have them; it belongs to demons always to have evil desires. The expression “all the day” signifies the entire life. So also, “continue in the fear of the Lord all the day” applies to the whole life. .
When the soul does not direct its efforts to higher things, neglecting itself, it stoops to concern itself with low desires, and when it does not restrain itself by aiming vigorously at higher things, it is wounded by the hunger of a base cupidity. Consequently, as it neglects the constraints of discipline, it is the more distracted in its craving for pleasure. Therefore, it is written by the same Solomon, “The slothful man is given utterly to desires.” .
