A brother said to an elder,

“Father, what is calumny?”

The elder said,

“Death.”

The brother was troubled.

“I did not strike anyone.”

The elder said,

“You struck your brother with your tongue.”

Silence fell between them.

The elder continued,

“A man may fast.

He may keep vigil.

He may pray the Psalms all night.

But if he speaks against his brother, he destroys everything.”

The brother asked,

“Even if what he says is true?”

The elder said,

“Truth spoken without love is a knife.”

The brother lowered his head.

“What then is condemnation?”

The elder replied,

“When a man sees the sin of his brother and says in his heart,

‘I know what this man is.’”

The elder struck the ground with his staff.

“Only God knows what a man is.”

Silence.

The brother spoke again,

“Father, sometimes others speak against a brother in my presence. What should I do?”

The elder said,

“Close the door.”

The brother did not understand.

The elder explained,

“Close the door of your ears.”

“If you listen, the fire enters you.”

The brother said,

“And if I agree with them?”

The elder said,

“Then you have lit the fire yourself.”

The brother trembled.

The elder said,

“Many think the sin is speaking.”

“It begins earlier.”

“It begins when the heart enjoys hearing evil.”

The brother whispered,

“Why is this sin so grave?”

The elder said,

“Because the man who condemns his brother leaves the place of the sinner and sits in the place of God.”

The elder looked at him sharply.

“And God does not share His throne.”

A long silence passed.

The brother said,

“What must I do if someone begins to malign another?”

The elder replied,

“Say this:

‘I am worse than he. I cannot judge anyone.’”

“In this way you save your soul.”

The brother said,

“And if I have already spoken evil?”

The elder said,

“Go to your brother.

Bow to the ground.

Say, ‘Forgive me. I have killed you with my tongue.’”

The brother lifted his eyes.

“Is it truly so serious?”

The elder said,

“The serpent expelled Eve from Paradise with a whisper.”

Silence returned.

Then the elder spoke one final word.

“If you wish to know whether the grace of God lives in you, watch your mouth.”

“The mouth that blesses is alive.”

“The mouth that condemns is already dead.”