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Second Pseudo-Clement

Pseudo-Clementine writer

Chapter 13

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Clementine writer

Chapter XIII.—The History of Susanna Teaches Circumspection with the Eyes and in Society.

Hast thou not read, and dost thou not know,

‹ Chapter 12 Chapter 14 ›

concerning

those

elders

who

were

in

the

days

of

Susanna

,

who

,

because

they

were

constantly

with

women

,

and

looking

upon

the

beauty

which

was

another’s

,

fell

into

the

depths

of

wantonness

,

and

were

not

able

to

keep

themselves

in

a

chaste

mind

,

but

were

overcome

by

a

depraved

disposition

,

and

came

suddenly

upon

the

blessed

Susanna

to

corrupt

her

.

But

she

did

not

consent

to

their

foul

passion

,

but

cried

unto

God

,

and

God

saved

her

out

of

the

hands

of

the

bad

old

men

.

Does

it

not

,

therefore

,

behove

us

to

tremble

and

be

afraid

,

forasmuch

as

these

old

men

,

judges

and

elders

of

the

people

of

God

,

fell

from

their

dignity

because

of

a

woman

?

For

they

did

not

keep

in

mind

that

which

is

said

:

“

Look

thou

not

on

the

beauty

which

is

another’s

;

”

and

,

“

The

beauty

of

woman

has

destroyed

many

;

”

and

“

With

a

married

woman

do

not

sit

;

”

and

that

,

again

,

in

which

it

says

:

“

Is

there

any

one

that

puts

fire

in

his

bosom

,

and

does

not

burn

his

clothes

;

”

or

,

“

Does

a

man

walk

on

fire

,

and

his

feet

are

not

scorched

?

So

whosoever

goeth

in

to

another

man’s

wife

is

not

pure

from

evil

,

and

whosoever

comes

near

to

her

shall

not

escape

.

”

And

again

it

says

:

“

Thou

shalt

not

long

after

the

beauty

a

woman

,

lest

she

take

thee

captive

with

her

eyelids

;

”

and

,

“

Thou

shalt

not

look

upon

a

maiden

,

lest

thou

perish

through

desire

of

her

;

”

and

,

“

With

a

woman

that

sings

beautifully

thou

shalt

not

constantly

be

;

”

and

,

“

Let

him

that

thinketh

he

standeth

take

heed

lest

he

fall

.

”

Notes

1
Susanna having a husband, Joachim.
2
Lit. “a mind of chasteness.”
3
Lit. “rose.”
4
Ecclus. ix. 8, 9.
5
Ecclus. ix. 12.
6
Prov. vi. 27.
7
Prov. vi. 28, 29.
8
Prov. vi. 25.
9
Ecclus. ix. 5.
10
Ecclus. ix. 4.
11
1 Cor. x. 12.