Chapter X.
Moreover, flies falling into myrrh, and suffocated
therein, make both the appearance of that pleasant ointment and the
anointing therewith an unseemly thing;105
| 105 The text
gives χρίσιν, for which Cod.
Medic. reads, χρῆσιν, use. |
and to be mindful of
wisdom and of
folly
together is in no way proper. The
wise man, indeed, is his own
leader to right actions; but the
fool inclines to erring courses, and
will never make his
folly available as a
guide to what is
noble.
Yea, his thoughts also are
vain and full of
folly. But if ever a
hostile spirit fall upon thee, my
friend, withstand it
courageously,
knowing that
God is able to propitiate
106
even a mighty multitude of offences.
These also are the
deeds of the
prince and
father of all
wickedness: that the
fool is set on high, while the man richly
gifted with
wisdom is humbled; and that the
slaves of
sin are seen
riding on horseback, while men
dedicated to
God walk on
foot in
dishonour, the
wicked exulting the while. But if any one devises
another’s hurt, he forgets that he is preparing a
snare for
himself first and alone. And he who wrecks another’s
safety, shall fall by the
bite of a
serpent. But he who removeth
stones, indeed shall undergo no
light labour;
107
| 107 Reading
ἀλλὰ μήν for ἀλλὰ μή. |
and he who cleaveth
wood shall bear
danger
with him in his own
weapon. And if it chance that the
axe spring
out of the handle,
108
| 108
στελεου, for which
others read στελέχους. |
he who engages
in such
work shall be put to
trouble, gathering for no good
109
| 109 οὐκ ἑπ᾽
ἀγαθῷ
συγκομίζων. |
and having to put to more of his iniquitous
and shortlived
strength.
110
| 110 ἑπαύξων
αὐτὸς τὴν
ἑαυτοῦ
ἄδικον καὶ
ὠκύμορον
δύναμιν. |
The
bite of a
serpent, again, is stealthy; and the charmers will not
soothe the
pain, for they are
vain. But the good man doeth good
works for himself and for his neighbours alike; while the
fool shall
sink into
destruction through his
folly. And when he has once
opened his mouth, he begins foolishly and soon comes to an end,
exhibiting his senselessness in all. Moreover, it is
impossible
for man to know anything, or to
learn from man either what has been
from the beginning, or what shall be in the future. For who shall
be the declarer thereof? Besides, the man who knows not to go to
the good city, sustains
evil in the
eyes and in the whole
countenance. And I prophesy woes to that city the king of which
is a
youth, and its
rulers gluttons. But I call the good
land
blessed, the king of which is the son of the free: there those
who are entrusted with the
power of ruling shall
reap what is good in
due
season. But the sluggard and the idler become scoffers, and
make the
house decay; and misusing all things for the purposes of their
own
gluttony, like the ready
slaves of
money,
111
for a
small price they are content to do all
that is base and abject. It is also right to obey kings and
rulers or potentates, and not to be
bitter against them, nor to utter
any
offensive word against them. For there is ever the risk that
what has been spoken in secret may somehow become public. For
swift and winged messengers convey all things to Him who alone is King
both rich and mighty, discharging therein a service which is at once
spiritual and reasonable.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
