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Parable 4
1  Ἄλλη παραβολή

Ἔδειξέ μοι πάλιν δένδρα πολλά, ἃ μὲν βλαστῶντα, ἃ δὲ ξηρά, καὶ λέγει μοι· Βλέπεις, φησί, τὰ δένδρα ταῦτα;

βλέπω, φημί, κύριε, τὰ μὲν βλαστῶντα τὰ δὲ ξηρά. 		He showed me again many trees, some budding [sprouting] and others dry, and he says to me: 'Do you see,' says he, 'these trees?'

'I see [them], Sir,' I say, 'some budding and others dry [withered].'
2 Ταῦτα, φησί, τὰ δένδρα τὰ βλαστῶντα οἱ δίκαιοί εἰσιν οἱ μέλλοντες κατοικεῖν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸν ἐρχόμενον· ὁ γὰρ αἰὼν ὁ ἐρχόμενος θερεία ἐστὶ τοῖς δικαίοις, τοῖς δὲ ἁμαρτωλοῖς χειμών.

ὅταν οὖν ἐπιλάμψῃ τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ κυρίου, τότε φανερωθήσονται οἱ δουλεύοντες τῷ θεῷ, καὶ πάντες φανερωθήσονται. 		'These trees that are budding,' says he, 'are the righteous who are about to dwell in the age to come; for the age to come is summer to the righteous, but winter to the sinners.

Whenever, therefore, the mercy of the Lord shines forth, then those who serve God will be made manifest, and all will be made manifest.
3 ὥσπερ γὰρ τῷ θέρει ἑνὸς ἑκάστου δένδρου οἱ καρποὶ φανεροῦνται καὶ ἐπιγινώσκονται ποταποί εἰσιν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν δικαίων οἱ καρποὶ φανεροὶ ἔσονται καὶ γνωσθήσονται πάντες εὐθαλεῖς ὄντες ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι ἐκείνῳ. For just as in summer the fruits of each single tree are made manifest and recognized for what sort they are, so also the fruits of the righteous will be made manifest and all will be known as thriving [flourishing] in that age.
4 τὰ δὲ ἔθνη καὶ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἃ εἶδες τὰ δένδρα τὰ ξηρά, τοιοῦτοι εὑρεθήσονται ξηροὶ καὶ ἄκαρποι ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ αἰῶνι καὶ ὡς ξύλα κατακαυθήσονται καὶ φανεροὶ ἔσονται, ὅτι ἡ πρᾶξις αὐτῶν πονηρὰ γέγονεν ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῶν.

οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἁμαρτωλοὶ καυθήσονται, ὅτι ἥμαρτον καὶ οὐ μετενόησαν· τὰ δὲ ἔθνη καυθήσονται, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὸν κτίσαντα αὐτούς. 		But the Gentiles and the sinners, whom you saw as the dry trees—such will be found dry and fruitless in that age, and like wood they will be burned up and made manifest that their practice was evil in their life.

For the sinners will be burned because they sinned and did not repent; and the Gentiles will be burned because they did not know the One who created them.
5 σὺ οὖν καρποφόρησον, ἵνα ἐν τῷ θέρει ἐκείνῳ γνωσθῇ σου ὁ καρπός· ἀπέχου δὲ ἀπὸ πολλῶν πράξεων καὶ οὐδὲν διαμαρτήσεις.

οἱ γὰρ τὰ πολλὰ πράσσοντες πολλὰ καὶ ἁμαρτάνουσι, περισπώμενοι περὶ τὰς πράξεις αὐτῶν καὶ μηδὲν δουλεύοντες τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν. 		Bear fruit, therefore, so that in that summer your fruit may be known; and abstain from many business affairs, and you will commit no sin.

For those who engage in many business affairs also sin much, being distracted about their business affairs and in no way serving their own Lord.
6 πῶς οὖν, φησίν, ὁ τοιοῦτος δύναταί τι αἰτήσασθαι παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ λαβεῖν, μὴ δουλεύων τῷ κυρίῳ;

οἱ δουλεύοντες αὐτῷ, ἐκεῖνοι λήψονται τὰ αἰτήματα αὐτῶν.

οἱ δὲ μὴ δουλεύοντες τῷ κυρίῳ, ἐκεῖνοι οὐδὲν λήψονται. 		How then,' says he, 'can such a person ask anything from the Lord and receive it, while not serving the Lord?

As for those who serve Him, they will receive their requests; but those who do not serve the Lord, they will receive nothing.
7 ἐὰν δὲ μίαν τις πρᾶξιν ἐργάσηται, δύναται καὶ τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεῦσαι· οὐ γὰρ διαφθαρήσεται ἡ διάνοια αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου, ἀλλὰ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ ἔχων τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ καθαράν. If, however, a person works a single business affair, he can also serve the Lord; for his mind will not be corrupted away from the Lord, but he will serve Him, having his mind pure.
8 ταῦτα οὖν ἐὰν ποιήσῃς, δύνασαι καρποφορῆσαι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸν ἐρχόμενον· καὶ ὃς ἄν ταῦτα ποιήσῃ, καρποφορήσει. If, therefore, you do these things, you can bear fruit for the age to come; and whoever does these things will bear fruit.'"
Summary
Parable 4 (Similitudo 4) completes the pair begun in Similitudo 3, shifting from the hiddenness of the present winter to the cosmic revelation of the eschatological summer (θέρος).

 The Summer of Revelation (Ὁ Αἰὼν ὁ Ἐρχόμενος): The coming age is defined as summer for the righteous. When divine mercy shines forth (ἐπιλάμψῃ τὸ ἔλεος), the internal vitality of believers breaks out into visible bloom (εὐθαλεῖς), exposing the true spiritual state of all people.

 The Fate of Sinners and Gentiles: In contrast to the flourishing righteous, apostate or unrepentant believers (ἁμαρτωλοί) and pagans (ἔθνη) are revealed as dry, dead wood fit only for burning (ὡς ξύλα κατακαυθήσονται). Sinners perish for refusing repentance (μετάνοια), while Gentiles perish for failing to acknowledge their Creator (ὁ κτίσας αὐτούς).

 The Danger of Over-Involvement in Business (Πολλαὶ Πράξεις): The Shepherd concludes with a practical exhortation against entanglement in multiple commercial or worldly affairs (πολλαὶ πράξεις). Excessive business distracts (περισπάω) the soul, corrupts the mind, paralyzes prayer, and prevents fruit-bearing. Simplifying one's life to focus on essential tasks enables the believer to keep a pure mind (διάνοια καθαρά) dedicated to serving God.
Key Themes & Theological Contributions
 Eschatological Manifestation (Phanerōsis): Righteousness is currently hidden under suffering and worldly anonymity, but the parousia/judgment functions as a cosmic summer where moral character yields unmistakable, eternal fruits.

 Ascetic Simplicity in Urban Life: Rather than mandating total withdrawal from society, Hermas advocates for monopraxia (singleness of purpose/focus) over polypraxia (over-entanglement in worldly affairs), showing how Christians in commercial Rome can maintain a pure mind while engaging in necessary work.

 The Mechanics of Unanswered Prayer: Reaffirms that prayers are rendered ineffective when the heart is divided and preoccupied with secular gain, connecting back to the pneumatology of prayer in Mandatum 9.
Significant Greek Expressions
 ὁ αἰὼν ὁ ἐρχόμενος θερεία ἐστὶ τοῖς δικαίοις: "The age to come is summer to the righteous." Completes the dual metaphor: present world = winter (hiddenness); future world = summer (fruition and glory).

 εὐθαλεῖς ὄντες: "Being thriving / flourishing / luxuriant." Describes the vibrant eternal life granted to those whose roots were nourished in faith during the earthly winter.

 ἀπέχου ... ἀπὸ πολλῶν πράξεων: "Abstain from many business affairs." A key moral command targeting the wealthy and ambitious Roman Christians whose commercial interests choked their spiritual devotion.

 περισπώμενοι περὶ τὰς πράξεις: "Distracted about business affairs." Uses περισπάω (to be dragged away/distracted), directly echoing Luke 10:40 (ἡ δὲ Μάρθα περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν).

 ἡ διάνοια ... καθαρά: "A pure mind / understanding." The goal of ascetic focus: an uncorrupted mental capacity devoted wholeheartedly to divine service without the fracture of double-mindedness (διψυχία).

Hermas: The Shepherd
Book Three
Parables