My son, try to be always simple and kind and never to have something in your heart and other thing on your lips because this means guile and deceit. Speak the truth and do not lie, because lie is from the devil. Never pay evil with evil, and if someone did you harm forgive him, so that God may forgive you. If you struggle with bad thoughts, pray from all your heart for that brother and all dark thoughts will be cast away. Be careful so that you do not receive in your heart the passion of hate, or the devil will swallow you alive. You should rather confess your thoughts and pray to God to deliver you from that danger. If you see someone making a mistake do not tell him, do not judge him or hate him so that you may not fall in the same sin. It’s better to say to yourself “I am even worse than him, and today it is his turn but tomorrow will be mine.”

Know that devils are afraid of fast, watching, abstinence, humbleness, prayer, tears and other good deeds. If you wish God to bestow upon you tears and humbleness, think about death and your grave and you will earn them. If the devil tricks you and you fall in sin, do not despair but haste towards confession and repentance and God will forgive you and will remain on your side. Watch your tongue and never answer back, never speak about bad things, never judge someone, do not lie, do not curse and do not speak badly about someone. The abstinence of eyes means to watch always with decency other people and not to look at a beautiful face. The abstinence of your mind can be practiced by not obeying your evil thoughts and by casting them away. Slap your face and your chest and cry to Jesus “Oh, Lord, have mercy on me and do not let me perish. Have mercy on me, my Lord for I am helpless. Cast away the shameless devil that is taking away all my confidence. Put your grace above my head in the day of the devilish war. Fight the enemy that is fighting me. The evil thought that is frightening me soothe it with your consolation, Word of God.” The abstinence of your belly means to avoid being full of delicious food or drinks. If you seek salvation, you’d rather seek for prayer, abstinence and love. And thus your soul shall be saved from the enemy’s temptations. Praised be our Lord.

(Translation from St. Nilus the Faster, Din cuvintele duhovnicești ale Sfinților Părinți, Editura Arhiepiscopiei Sucevei și Rădăuților, Suceava, 2003, pp. 305-306)