Letter 558

To Ablabius the Notary. He who sings into the ear of a deaf man sings in vain; and he who discourses with you out of Scripture, filled as you are with folly, and to one asleep though the body is awake, wastes his words.

Ὁ ᾄδων πρὸς τὸ ὠτίον τοῦ κωφοῦ, εἰς μάτην ᾄδει, καὶ ὁ διαλεγόμενός σοι ἐκ τῆς Γραφῆς πεπλῃ- ρωμένῃ ἀνοίας, καὶ ὑπνοῦντι, ἐγρηγορότος τοῦ σώματος, τοὺς λόγους ἀπίλλουσιν.