A man's neighbour has become his god:
every moment he seeks to please him;
if he does wrong, he feels shame before him,
if he does him an injury, he is afraid;
or if he does him some good,
then he has spoiled that good for his thirst for praise.
Such a man has become an abject slave in all these ways.
The Good One gave us freedom,
but we have reduced this to slavery,
May we exchange, for your lordship,
this overlord we have made for ourselves!
-St Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn VII on Paradise
every moment he seeks to please him;
if he does wrong, he feels shame before him,
if he does him an injury, he is afraid;
or if he does him some good,
then he has spoiled that good for his thirst for praise.
Such a man has become an abject slave in all these ways.
The Good One gave us freedom,
but we have reduced this to slavery,
May we exchange, for your lordship,
this overlord we have made for ourselves!
-St Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn VII on Paradise