II. Consider secondly, that even though no harm were to come to thee by the acquisition of those posts which thou spendest thy life in striving after, there would still be harm in seeking after them. And the reason is, that this seeking after them turns away thy thoughts from that which is really important, that is, the business of thy eternal salvation; and how many doubts are there about that business ! Thou art ignorant what things most tend to ensure it, " what is profitable" for thee; and consequently, thy one only study should be concerning a matter so important. This is the point on which all thy anxiety, all thy thoughts, all thy words, all thy desires ought to be centred, while, on the contrary, by seeking after things in the world which are difficult of attainment, such as lofty position, thou necessarily must neglect what is important for what is unimportant. Is it not better to devote to the good of thy soul the pains and anxiety which thou didst so eagerly devote to things of this world? "What needeth a man to seek those things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life, in all the days of his pilgrimage ? " A traveller does not waste his time on the road in useless employments; he concerns himself only with his object, which is to get safe to his country. This is what he thinks of, speaks of, inquires after; he does not trouble himself at all about other things. On the journey he is contented with an ordinary lodging, ordinary clothing, ordinary food, with attendance even less than ordinary; and why? because there is no time to lose, he is a traveller. And thou, too, art a traveller on earth, thou knowest this, and thy country is Heaven. Spend thy time then in learning what it is important to learn, what is the surest way of reaching it. As to the rest: " What needeth a man to seek those things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life ?" If he did know " what is profitable," that is, what is profitable for the attainment of everlasting salvation, then, indeed, there would be less harm in employing his time in other things; but as he does not know it, he should take pains to learn it. This only is important: " But one thing is necessary."1
And this is why the Wise Man does not say, " What advantage is it for a man to seek those things that are above him," but "what needeth a man to seek" them? Because he takes for granted that a man has no business on earth but that which is necessary, namely, to work out his everlasting salvation.
III. Consider thirdly, that besides all this, there is the additional consideration that the time is short, for it is not a question of ages, but merely of days, which make up the sum of thy life. How, then, canst thou waste it in seeking after anything but that which ought to be sought for ? In a besieged city men buy water, because it is scarce, at a high price: so too is it with corn in a time of famine, hay in a time of drought, iron in time of scarcity; and all goods, in the same way, however common, rise to a high price if they are scarce. How is it, then, that time alone does not rise in value with thee, when it is, in itself, so precious?...
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