Farmers And Teachers

Ἅπας καὶ φυτουρὸς καὶ γηπόνος ἐλπίδι κρείττονι ἀνέχεται τῶν πόνων, ὑφαιρουμένης τοὺς κόκοῦς τῆς τῶν καρπῶν προσδοκίας, Οὕτως ἡμεῖς κατηχοῦντες κεκμήκαμεν. Δεῖξον αὐτὸς τὴν γεωργίαν βλαστήσασαν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΥΠΗ' Θεωδωρῳ Σκολαστικῳ Source: Migne PG 78.448c-d

All who plant and work the earth have hope that their labour will bring forth what is better, in endurance of toil having the expectation of fruit. So we labour in teaching, appearing as a farmer tending the shoots. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 488, To Theodorus the Scholar