How to Read the Scriptures (St. Ephraim) text and translation

From  sayings St.  Maximus collected of the saints (91 PGM).

ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΕΦΡΑΙΜ

Of St Ephraim,

Πῶς χρή ἀναγινώσκειν, ἤ ἀναγινώσκοντι προσέχειν.  

How (we) need to read, or pay attention to someone reading.

Ὅταν ταῖς θείαις Βίβλοις προσομιλεῖς, μή ἁπλῶς ἔσο κατεσπουδασμένος ἐπιτρέχων ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς καί διών παρέργως τά γεγραμμένα· 

Whenever you  familiarize yourself with the divine books,  do not simply hastily run  through them curiously  hunting out the things that have been written,

 ἀλλά κἄν δέοι πολλάκις, καί δίς καί τρίς τά αὐτό ἐπελθεῖν εἰς ἀκρίβειαν, μή παραιτήσῃ. 

 Even if it would be necessary many times, even  two or three to go over the same things, don’t stop  intreating.

Πλήν ἀλλά καί μέλλων ἀναγινώσκειν, ἤ ἀναγινώσκοντι προσέχειν ἑτέρῳ, δεήθητι πρότερον τοῦ Θεοῦ, «Κύριε, λέγων Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, διάνοιξον τά ὦτα καί τούς ὀφθαλμούς τῆς καρδίας μου, τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν λόγων σου καί συνεῖναι, καί τό θέλημά σου ποιῆσαι.

But to go further, and when you are about to read, or to  give heed to another reading,  you need first to entreat God, saying  Lord Jesus Christ, open   the ears and eyes of my heart, to hear your words and to understand and to do  your will. 

Πάροικος ἐγώ εἰμι ἐν τῇ γῇ, μή ἀποκρύψῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τάς ἐντολάς σου. Ἀποκάλυψον τούς ὀφθαλμούς μου, καί κατανοήσω τά θαυμάσια ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σου».

I am a stranger in the earth,  hide not thy commandments from  me. Open  thou  mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.