Lesson 5
Βλέπω τι μας περιμένει, γι' αυτό πονάω...
I see what awaits us and I am troubled...
The years pass, and what difficult years they are! Our troubles are not over. The cauldron is boiling. If one is not strengthened spiritually, how can one face a difficult situation? God has not created human beings who are good for nothing. We must cultivate our philotimo. Indeed, if a great shake-up were to come upon us, God forbid, how many would remain standing?
This is why you should thank God for all things. Tighten your belts a little and become frugal. I see what awaits us and I am troubled. Do not allow yourselves to get slack. Have you any idea what Christians go through in other places? In Russia they are still in labour camps. What hardships they have to endure! There are no books for spiritual edification. And what about poor Albania and the great misfortune there? They don't even have anything to eat. Churches and Monasteries have all been shut down. People even had to change their names so they don't sound Christian. Even in America, the Orthodox Christians are few and scattered in different places.
Enriching my vocabulary by learning unknown words...
Εμπλουτίζω το λεξιλόγιό μου με άγνωστες λέξεις...
Λεξιλόγιο
Scattered = σκορπισμένοι
Cultivate = καλλιεργώ
Strengthen = ενδυναμώνω
Spiritually = πνευματικά
Get slack = χαλαρώνω
Face = αντιμετωπίζω
Frugal = προσεκτικός
Endure = υπομένω
Hardship = δυσκολία
Edification = καθοδήγηση (> edify=καθοδηγώ, διαπαιδαγωγώ)
Repentance = μετάνοια (> repent =μετανοώ)
Confession/confess my sins = εξομολόγηση/εξομολογούμαι τις αμαρτίες μου
Receive Communion = Κοινωνώ
Text in English
The years pass, and what difficult years they are! Our troubles are not over. The cauldron is boiling. If one is not strengthened spiritually, how can one face a difficult situation? God has not created human beings who are good for nothing. We must cultivate our philotimo. Indeed, if a great shake-up were to come upon us, God forbid, how many would remain standing?
This is why you should thank God for all things. Tighten your belts a little and become frugal. I see what awaits us and I am troubled. Do not allow yourselves to get slack. Have you any idea what Christians go through in other places? In Russia they are still in labour camps. What hardships they have to endure! There are no books for spiritual edification. And what about poor Albania and the great misfortune there? They don't even have anything to eat. Churches and Monasteries have all been shut down. People even had to change their names so they don't sound Christian. Even in America, the Orthodox Christians are few and scattered in different places.
Μετάφραση κειμένου
Περνούν τα χρόνια και τι δύσκολα χρόνια! Δεν τελείωσαν τα θέματα. Βράζει το καζάνι. Αν δεν είναι λίγο δυναμωμένος κανείς, πώς θα μπορέσει να αντιμετωπίσει μια δύσκολη κατάσταση; Ο Θεός δεν έκανε ανεπρόκοπους ανθρώπους. Πρέπει να καλλιεργήσουμε το φιλότιμο. Αλήθεια, Θεός φυλάξοι, αν γίνει ένα τράνταγμα, πόσοι θα σταθούν όρθιοι;
Γι' αυτό τώρα να ευχαριστείτε τον Θεό για όλα. Κοιτάξτε να ανδρωθείτε. Σφιχτείτε λιγάκι. Βλέπω τι μας περιμένει, γι' αυτό πονάω. Μην αφήνετε τον εαυτό σας χαλαρό. Ξέρετε τι τραβάνε αλλού οι Χριστιανοί; Στην Ρωσία είναι ακόμα μέσα στα κάτεργα. Τι δυσκολίες! Πού πνευματικά βιβλία! Αφήστε την Αλβανία. Δυστυχία! Δεν έχουν ούτε να φάνε. Ούτε Εκκλησίες άφησαν, ούτε μοναστήρια. Τα ονόματά τους τα άλλαξαν και αυτά, γιατί δεν ήθελαν να ακούγονται χριστιανικά ονόματα. Και στην Αμερική ακόμη, οι Ορθόδοξοι είναι λίγοι, σκορπισμένοι σε διάφορα μέρη και ξέρετε τι τραβάνε;
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