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The Testament of Asher Concerning Two Faces of Vice and Virtue

Unknown

Section 2

About this work

Author: Unknown

2. There is then, he saith,

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a

soul

which

speaketh

the

good

for

the

sake

of

the

evil

,

and

the

end

of

the

doing

leadeth

to

mischief

.

There

is

a

man

who

showeth

no

compassion

upon

him

who

serveth

his

turn

in

evil

;

and

this

thing

hath

two

aspects

,

but

the

whole

is

evil

.

And

there

is

a

man

that

loveth

him

that

worketh

evil

;

he

likewise

dwelleth

in

evil

,

because

he

chooseth

even

to

die

in

an

evil

cause

for

his

sake

:

and

concerning

this

it

is

clear

that

it

hath

two

aspects

,

but

the

whole

is

an

evil

work

.

And

though

there

is

love

,

it

is

but

wickedness

concealing

the

evil

,

even

as

it

beareth

a

name

that

seemeth

good

,

but

the

end

of

the

doing

tendeth

unto

evil

.

Another

stealeth

,

worketh

unjustly

,

plundereth

,

defraudeth

,

and

withal

pitieth

the

poor

:

this

,

too

,

hath

a

twofold

aspect

,

but

the

whole

is

evil

.

Defrauding

his

neighbour

he

provoketh

God

,

and

sweareth

falsely

against

the

Most

High

,

and

yet

pitieth

the

poor

:

the

Lord

who

commandeth

the

law

he

setteth

at

nought

and

provoketh

,

and

refresheth

the

poor

;

he

defileth

the

soul

,

and

maketh

gay

the

body

;

he

killeth

many

,

and

he

pitieth

a

few

:

and

this

,

too

,

hath

a

twofold

aspect

.

Another

committeth

adultery

and

fornication

,

and

abstaineth

from

meats

;

yet

in

his

fasting

he

worketh

evil

,

and

by

his

power

and

his

wealth

perverteth

many

,

and

out

of

his

excessive

wickedness

worketh

the

commandments

:

this

,

too

,

hath

a

twofold

aspect

,

but

the

whole

is

evil

.

Such

men

are

as

swine

or

hares

;

for

they

are

half

clean

,

but

in

very

deed

are

unclean

.

For

God

in

the

Heavenly

Tablets

hath

thus

declared

.

Notes

2
[This section is commended by Dr. Lardner.]
3
Cf. Lev. xi. 5, 7. [Vol. ii. p. 555 note 6.]
4
Cf. Levi 5. [P. 13, note 8 supra.]