Leisure And Works

Ὅτι ἡ ἀργία ἀρχή κακουργίας τοῖς ἀπαιδεύτοις γίνεται, καὶ αὐτὸς συνομολογεῖς, καὶ ὅτι μὴ ἔχοντες τί πρᾶξαι οἱ Ἐβραῖοι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ εἰς εἰδελατρίαν ἐξέπεσαν, γινώσκεις. Μὴ οὖν βδελύττου τὸ ἔργον τὸ τῶν χειρῶν, ὅτι ὠφέλιμον, καὶ πάνυ νηφάλιον. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΙ' Ἐλλαδιῳ Ἀναγνωστῃ Source: Migne PG 79.195 a-b

That idleness is the beginning of evil works to the uneducated, you will allow, and you know that having no work to do the Hebrews in the desert fell into idol worship. Do not, then, despise manual work, for it is useful and indeed sensible. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 310, To Helladius the Lector