Grief And Sin

Ὁ ἐφ᾽ ἁμαρτίας γινόμενος ὀδυρμὸς, γλυκεῖαν κέκτηται τὴν ἀνίαν, καὶ μελιτῶδες αὐτοῦ τὸ πικρὸν εὑρίσκεται, ἐλπίδι ἀγαθῇ καὶ χρηστῇ φαρματτόμενον, διὰ τοῦτο τρέφει τὴν ψυχὴν, γανοῖ τὸ φρόνημα, λιπαῖνει τὴν καρδίαν, εὐθαλὲς ἐργάζεται τὸ τοῦ σώματος σύγκριμα. Καὶ καλῶς ὁ Δαυῗδ ἐμελῷδει· Ἐγενήθη μοι τὰ δάκρυα ἄρτος ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΣΚ' Ἀριστοτελει Προτευοντι Source: Migne PG 79 164

He who grieves on account of sin  makes sweet his sorrow, and the bitterness of it he discovers is honey, receiving the medicines of good and sweet hope, by which the soul is nourished, the mind made bright, the heart made strong, and the body flourishes. Fairly David sang, 'My tears were my bread day and night.' 1 Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 220, To Aristotles The Primate 1 Ps 41.4