Chapter 5

1But do thou put thy trust in God and order the people as is fitting. And let not the son magnify himself against his father, nor the servant against his lord, nor the disciple against his master, nor the official against the king, nor the layman against the bishop. For the teacher ought to have no fellowship with the disobedient and? the wicked, for the sinner desireth not the word of admonition. Ezekiel the prophet saith, ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, they shall no more speak this proverb in Israel. [For the soul of every man is mine; as the soul of the father so the souls of his children * are mine. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. But the man that doeth righteousness and uprightness, and hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the thoughts of the house of Israel, and hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, nor come near to a woman in her uncleanness, nor done his neighbour violence, and hath returned the pledge of his debt, and hath not extorted, nor oppressed, and hath given of his food to the poor, and t hath clothed t ¢ the naked with his garment; and hath not lent his money on interest, nor taken (aught) unjustly; and hath turned his hand from sin, and hath done judgment ® and righteousness between a man and his neighbour, and hath walked in my commandment, and hath kept my law, and done righteousness, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God. And if he beget a son (who is) a sinner and a murderer, and doeth wickedness and walketh not in the way of his righteous father, but hath eaten on the mountains, and hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, and oppressed the poor and needy, and hath plundered’ and wrought injustice, and hath not returned the pledge of his debt, and hath turned his eyes towards idols, and committed wickedness, and hath lent ® on interest, and robbed (his neighbours) and taken that which was stolen, such a one shall in no wise live, in all this sin of his* which he hath committed, he shall surely die, and his blood shall “A slight change gives this * P adds: his money, reading, which agrees with the * P all his sin. words below. return on himself.’° And if he beget a son, and he see all the sin of his father that hc committeth, and fear, and do not likewise,'? and have not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted his eyes towards the thoughts of the house of Israel, nor defiled his neighbour’s wife, nor oppressed any man, but have returned the pledge of his debt,'? and have not robbed (his neighbours) nor plundered, but have given of his food to the hungry, and clothed the naked with his garment, and have turned his hand from wrong, and have not taken interest or bribes '* wrongfully, but have done righteousness, and walked in my commandment, he shall not die in his father’s sin, but '* shall surely live for ever.!® But his father, if he oppress, and plunder, and commit injustice,'** and defraud, and do what should not be done in the midst of my people, shall die in his iniquity. And ye say, Why is the son requited for his father’s sin? Because!’ the son is righteous and hath given alms, and kept !* my law and done (it),'® he shall surely live. And the soul that sinneth, it shall die. But the son shall not be requited for the sin of his father; the righteousness of the righteous (shall be) upon him, and the sin of the sinner on him. If the sinner turn from 7° his sin which he hath done, and keep all my law and my commandment, and do righteousness, and (give) alms, he shall surely live, and shall not die; and all his sin which he hath done I will not remember unto him, but in his righteousness which he hath done he shall live. Do I at all desire that the sinner should die, saith the Lord, (and not) rather that he should turn from his evil?! way and live? And if the righteous man turn from his righteousness, and commit injustice and ® sin, in all his iniquity which he hath done, the sinner shall as die: all his rightcousness which he hath done I will not remember unto him, and in his sin which he hath sinned, in it he shall dic. But ye say, It is not right.24. When the righteous man turncth from his righteousness and committeth sin, he shall dic in his iniquity which she hath done. And if the sinner turn from his sin which he hath donc, and do righteousness and uprightness, such a one hath kept his soul; and hath seen, and turned 2 from all his sin which he hath donc; he shall surely live, and shall not die. And the house of Israel saith, The way of the Lord is not right. Is not my way right, O house 76 of Isracl? Is it not your way (which) is not right??? And for this will I judge all of you according to your way, O house of Israel, saith the Lord God. Turn, and repent of your evil,?® and let not the punishment of your sin come upon you. Put away from you all your evil and 29 your iniquity and your sin which ye have sinned against me ;*) and make you a new heart and a new spirit; and why will ye die in your sins, O house of Isracl? For I desire not that ye should in any wise dic, saith the Lord God, but that ye should repent and live.” *?