Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "How should I behave in the place where I live?"
The old man said, "Have the mentality of an exile in the place where you live, do not desire to be listened to and you will have peace."

Ward: A brother going to market asked Abba Poemen, "How do you advise me to behave?"
The old man said to him, "Make friends with anyone who tries to bully you and sell your produce in peace."

Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "How should a man behave?"
The old man said to him, "Look at Daniel: no-one found anything in him to complain about except for his prayers to the Lord his God."

Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "Can a man keep all his thoughts in control, and not surrender one to the enemy?"
And the old man said to him, "There are some who receive ten and give one."

Ward: Abba Poemen said, "Do not judge yourself, but live with someone who knows how to behave himself properly."

Ward: Abba Poemen said, "If a man has sinned and denies it, saying: 'I have not sinned,' do not reprimand him; for that will discourage him.
But say to him, 'Do not lose heart, brother, but be on guard in future,' and you will stir his soul to repentance."

A brother visited Abba Moses at Scete asking him for a saying. The elder said to him: “Go and stay in a cell; your cell will teach you everything.”

A brother asked Abba Arsenius if he could hear a saying from him.
The elder said to him: “As much as you are able, strive so that what goes on inside you be godly and you conquer your external passions.”

Ward: Abba Poemen said to Abba Isaac, "Let go of a small part of your righteousness and in a few days you will be at peace."

Ward: Abba Isaac came to see Abba Poemen and found him washing his feet. As he enjoyed freedom of speech with him he said, "How is it that others practice austerity and treat their bodies hardly?"
Abba Poemen said to him, "We have not been taught to kill our bodies, but to kill our passions."

Ward: Abba Poemen said, "Teach your mouth to say what is in your heart."

Ward: Abba Poemen said, "If I am in a place where there are enemies, I become a soldier."

Brethren: I advise you to avoid attacking any of your brothers even if he harms you or surpasses the limits of ingratitude. The strength of any one amongst you is the strength of the other.

Abba Mark said to Abba Arsenius: “Why do you run away from us?”
The elder said to him: “God knows that I love you, but I cannot be with God and with people. The thousands and tens of thousands above have one will, but people have many wills, so I cannot forsake God and come among people.”