Chapter 2

1Bur if thou art rich, and hast no need of the art and labour of thy hand, wherewith to earn thy bread and livelihood, be not slothful, nor sit idle, but go to the faithful, and sit with them, (even) with them that are united with thee in faith; and speak with another of the word of life, and read what is in the Book of Kings ? and the Prophets, and sing a psalm of praise, and hearken to the word of the Gospel, which is the fulfilment of the whole law.* And keep far from all service of the gods of the Gentiles; and take no heed of any * words of vanity which profit not, and seek no other law, nor false prophets who change and corrupt the faith. What then art thou unable (to find) in the law of God, that thou shouldest seek after the learning of the Gentiles? But if thou desirest to know* the power of the interpretation of the Scriptures, seck out the Book of Kings: and if thou wishest to find out the power of the wise and their teaching, thou hast the prophets, Job and Solomon. These are they that are full of wisdom, and thou shalt find knowledge in them. These, more than all teachers, shall make understanding to increase, for their word is the voice of the Lord God, who alone is all-wise. And if thou desirest a song, thou hast the Psalms of David. And if thou desirest to seek® to understand the creation of the world and the generation of the first fathers, thou hast the Law.’ And if thou desirest to know wisdom and doctrine, thou hast the book of the law, which is full of the glory of the Lord God. Keep far, then, from ® works of evil, and from the doctrine of Satan, and the word of vanity, which is not in the law; but read what is in Deuteronomy,?® that thou mayest understand and know the glory of God, who hath saved thee from many snares of Satan. For the Saviour came not to destroy the Law and the prophets, but to fulfil them, and to loose the bonds which are in Deuteronomy, and to bring men to a spiritual teaching. Wherefore He callcth us, saying, ‘‘Come unto me all ye that are troubled and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” !° And thou, when thou hast read the Law and the prophets and (the Books of) the Kings and the Gospel, shalt understand how many were the righteous men who have reigned |! and pleased God in their lives, and for this have found life eternal; and also thou shalt know how many evil kings have transgressed '? through lack of understanding. These have perished and been destroyed by the stroke of the judgment of God,’* and have lost eternal life. And knowing this, thou shalt be strong in the right faith, and shalt find grace and favour with our Lord '* Jesus Christ, for thou art one of His members. Moreover, when thou desirest to bathe, enter not into the bath where the women bathe, lest they see the beauty of thy youth, and the charm of thy flesh, and stumble because of thee, or thou thyself sin and fall by reason of them. {i., 7-] O my children, let us hear and understand the word of the Holy One, which saith, “Keep ye my commandment; say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and make knowledge thy friend,*® that she may keep thee fram the strange and evil woman, even if she bring unto thee words of allurement. For from the window of her house she looketh down on the streets, and if she see one of the foolish children, a youth that lacketh knowledge, who walketh in the corners of the ways of her -house, and talketh in the darkness of evening,’® when the quiet and darkness of night come on, then the woman lighteth upon him having the adornments of adultery, which excite '’ the hearts of the youths. She is flighty and wanton, and in her house her feet rest not; and for a short while she wandereth abroad, and for a while in the streets, and in every corner she lieth in wait. And she laid hold on him and kissed him, and with a face without shame said unto him, I have a peace-offering; to-day I pay my vow; therefore I came }® to meet thee; desiring thy countenance I have found thee. I have spread my bed with fine linen, carpets from Egypt I have strewn; I have sprinkled my bed with saffron, and my house with cinnamon. Come, let us enjoy ourselves with kisses until the morning, and let us revel in love. For my husband is not in my ’* house; he has gone on a far journey, taking a bag of gold in his hand; after many days would he return to his house. And she led him astray with many words, and drew him on with the P of the night at evening. is y pace forth. s. snare of her lips, and he followed her in the wicked ?° blindness of his heart.” 2! And furthermore it is said, “Look not on an evil woman, for honey floweth from the lips of an adulterous woman, which for a time is swect to thy throat, and afterwards thou shalt find it more bitter than gall, and sharper by far than a twoedged sword.” 22. And again it is said, ‘Keep thy way from her, and draw not nigh to the door of her house, lest thou give thy life to others, and thy livelihood to them that are without mercy; lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labour pass to the house of another; and thou shalt repent afterwards when thy flesh thy body are ** weakened, and thou shalt say, How have I hated instruction, and mine ears are turned from reproof, and I have not hearkened to the voice of them that gave me commandments,”* who admonished me and taught me, nor caused mine ear to attend: I have been well nigh in all evil.” ?* And now also I say unto you, Choose out ?* all the good things which are written in the Holy Scriptures, that we may not neglect these witnesses,?”? and turn aside unto a multitude of words, but may be strong in a8 faith, and in doing good. And let us keep far from all evil-doing, and be pure from all evil 2® uncleanness before God, that we may find life eternal.