X.—The Testament of Asher Concerning Two Faces of Vice and Virtue.

1. The record of the testament of Asher, what things he spake to his sons in the hundred and twentieth year of his life. While he was still in health, he said to them: Hearken, ye children of Asher, to your father, and I will declare to you all that is right in the sight of God. Two ways  1  [See the Duæ Viæ, vol. vii., p. 377, this series.] hath God given to the sons of men, and two minds, and two doings, and two places, and two ends. Therefore all things are by twos, one corresponding to the other. There are two ways of good and evil, with which are the two minds in our breasts distinguishing them. Therefore if the soul take pleasure in good, all its actions are in righteousness; and though it sin, it straightway repenteth. For, having his mind set upon righteousness, and casting away maliciousness, he straightway overthroweth the evil, and uprooteth the sin. But if his mind turn aside in evil, all his doings are in maliciousness, and he driveth away the good, and taketh unto him the evil, and is ruled by Beliar; and even though he work what is good, he perverteth it in evil. For whenever he beginneth as though to do good, he bringeth the end of his doing to work evil, seeing that the treasure of the devil is filled with the poison of an evil spirit.

2. There is then, he saith, a soul which speaketh the good for the sake of the evil, and the end of the doing leadeth to mischief.  2  [This section is commended by Dr. Lardner.] 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;  3  Cf. Lev. xi. 5, 7. [Vol. ii. p. 555 note 6.] for they are half clean, but in very deed are unclean. For God in the Heavenly  4  Cf. Levi 5. [P. 13, note 8 supra.] Tablets hath thus declared.

3. Do not ye therefore, my children, wear two faces like unto them, of goodness and of wickedness; but cleave unto goodness only, for in goodness doth God rest, and men desire it. From wickedness flee away, destroying the devil by your good works; for they that are double-faced serve not God, but their own lusts, so that they may please Beliar and men like unto themselves.

4. For good men, even they that are single of face, though they be thought by them that are double-faced to err, are just before God. For many in killing the wicked do two works, an evil by a good; but the whole is good, because he hath uprooted and destroyed that which is evil. One man hateth him that showeth mercy, and doeth wrong to the adulterer and the thief: this, too, is double-faced, but the whole work is good, because he followeth the Lord’s example, in that he receiveth not that which seemeth good with that which is really bad.  5  [Matt. v. 45. This seems contradictory.] Another desireth not to see good days with them that riot, lest he defile his mouth and pollute his soul: this, too, is double-faced, but the whole is good, for such men are like to stags and to hinds, because in a wild condition they seem to be unclean, but they are altogether clean; because they walk in a zeal for God, and abstain from what God also hateth and forbiddeth by His commandments, and they ward off the evil from the good.

5. Ye see therefore, my children, how that there are two in all things, one against the other, and the one is hidden by the other.  6  The Ox. ms. adds, ἐν τῇ εὐφροσύνῃ ἡ μέθη, ἐν τῷ γέλωτι τὸ πένθος, ἐν τῷ γάμῳ ἡ ἀκρασία. [Ecclus. xlii. 24.] Death succeedeth to life, dishonour to glory, night to day, and darkness to light; and all things are under the day, and just things under life: wherefore also everlasting life awaiteth death. Nor may it be said that truth is a lie, nor right wrong; for all truth is under the light, even as all things are under God. All these things I proved in my life, and I wandered not from the truth of the Lord, and I searched out the commandments of the Most High, walking with singleness of face according to all my strength unto that which is good.

6. Take heed therefore ye also, my children, to the commandments of the Lord, following the truth with singleness of face, for they that are double-faced receive twofold punishment. Hate the spirits of error, which strive against men. Keep the law of the Lord, and give not heed unto evil as unto good; but look unto the thing that is good indeed, and keep it in all commandments of the Lord, having your conversation unto Him, and resting in Him: for the ends at which men aim do show their righteousness, and know the angels of the Lord from the angels of Satan. For if the soul depart troubled, it is tormented by the evil spirit which also it served in lusts and evil works; but if quietly and with joy it hath known the angel of peace, it shall comfort him in life.

7. Become not, my children, as Sodom, which knew not the angels of the Lord, and perished for ever. For I know that ye will sin, and ye shall be delivered into the hands of your enemies, and your land shall be made desolate, and ye shall be scattered unto the four corners of the earth. And ye shall be set at nought in the Dispersion as useless water, until the Most High shall visit the earth; and He shall come as man, with men eating and drinking, and in peace breaking the head of the dragon through water. He shall save Israel and all nations, God speaking in the person of man. Therefore tell ye these things to your children, that they disobey Him not. For I have read in the Heavenly Tablets that in very deed ye will disobey Him, and act ungodly against Him, not giving heed to the law of God, but to the commandments of men. Therefore shall ye be scattered as Gad and as Dan my brethren, who shall know not their own lands, tribe, and tongue. But the Lord will gather you together in faith through the hope of His tender mercy, for the sake of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.  7  [The Hebrew triad, father, son, and proceeding.]

8. And when he had said these things unto them, he charged them, saying: Bury me in Hebron. And he fell into a peaceful sleep, and died; and after this his sons did as he had charged them, and they carried him up and buried him with his fathers.

 ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ ΑΣΗΡ Ι ΠΕΡΙ ΔΥΟ ΠΡΟΣΩΠΩΝ ΚΑΚΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΕΤΗΣ 

[1] Ἀντίγραφον διαθήκης Ἀσήρ, ἃ ἐλάλησε τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ ἑκατοστῷ εἰκοστῷ ἔτει ζωῆς αὐτοῦ. Ἔτι ὑγιαίνων εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς: Ἀκούσατε, τέκνα Ἀσήρ, τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ πᾶν τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑποδείξω ὑμῖν. Δύο ὁδοὺς ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ δύο διαβούλια, καὶ δύο πράξεις, καὶ δύο τόπους, καὶ δύο τέλη. Διὰ τοῦτο πάντα δύο εἰσίν, ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνός. Ὁδοὶ δύο, καλοῦ καὶ κακοῦ: ἐν οἷς εἰσι τὰ δύο διαβούλια ἐν στέρνοις ἡμῶν διακρίνοντα αὐτάς. Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ ψυχὴ θέλῃ ἐν καλῷ, πᾶσα πρᾶξις αὐτῆς ἐστιν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, κἂν ἁμάρτῃ εὐθὺς μετανοεῖ. Δίκαια γὰρ λογιζόμενος, καὶ ἀπορρίπτων τὴν πονηρίαν, ἀνατρέπει εὐθὺς τὸ κακόν, καὶ ἐκριζοῖ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Ἐὰν δὲ ἐν πονηρῷ κλίνει τὸ διαβούλιον πᾶσα πρᾶξις αὐτῆς ἐστιν ἐν πονηρίᾳ, καὶ ἀπωθούμενος τὸ ἀγαθὸν προσλαμβάνει τὸ κακὸν καὶ κυριευθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Βελίαρ, κἂν ἀγαθὸν πράξει, ἐν πονηρίᾳ αὐτὸ μεταστρέφει. Ὅταν γὰρ ἐνάρξηται ὡς ἀγαθὸν ποιῶν, τὸ τέλος τῆς πράξεως αὐτοῦ εἰς κακὸν ποιεῖν ἀνελαύνει: ἐπειδὴ ὁ θησαυρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἰοῦ πονηροῦ πνεύματος πεπλήρωται.

[2] Ἔστιν οὖν ψυχὴ λέγουσα, φησί, τὸ καλὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ κακοῦ, καὶ τὸ τέλος τοῦ πράγματος εἰς κακίαν ἄγει. Ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι οὐκ οἰκτείρει λειτουργοῦντα αὐτῷ ἐν κακῷ: καίγε τοῦτο διπρόσωπον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὅλον πονηρόν ἐστι. Καὶ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος ἀγαπῶν τὸν πονηρευόμενον, ὡσαύτως ἐστὶν ἐν πονηρίᾳ, ὅτι καὶ ἀποθανεῖν αἱρεῖται ἐν κακῷ δι' αὐτόν. Καὶ περὶ τούτου φανερὸν ὅτι διπρόσωπόν ἐστι: τὸ δὲ πᾶν κακὴ πρᾶξις. Καίγε ἀγάπη οὖσα, πονηρία ἐστί, συγκρύπτουσα τὸ κακόν: ὥσπερ ἐστὶ τῷ ὀνόματι ὡς καλῷ, τὸ δὲ τέλος τῆς πράξεως ἔρχεται εἰς κακόν. Ἄλλος κλέπτει, ἀδικεῖ, ἁρπάζει, πλεονεκτεῖ, καὶ ἐλεεῖ τοὺς πτωχούς: διπρόσωπον μὲν καὶ τοῦτο, ὅλον δὲ πονηρόν ἐστι. Πλεονεκτῶν τὸν πλησίον παροργίζει τὸν Θεόν, καὶ τὸν ὕψιστον ἐπιορκεῖ, καὶ τὸν πτωχὸν ἐλεᾷ: τὸν ἐντολέα τοῦ νόμου Κύριον ἀθετῇ καὶ παροξύνει, καὶ τὸν πένητα ἀναπαύει: τὴν ψυχὴν σπιλοῖ, καὶ τὸ σῶμα λαμπρύνει: πολλοὺς ἀναιρεῖ καὶ ὀλίγους ἐλεεῖ: καὶ τοῦτο μὲν διπρόσωπόν ἐστιν. Ἄλλος μοιχεύει καὶ πορνεύει, καὶ ἀπέχεται αἰδεσμάτων, καὶ νηστεύων κακοποιεῖ, καὶ τῇ δυναστείᾳ καὶ τῷ πλούτῳ πολλοὺς παρασύρει, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ὑπερόγκου κακίας ποιεῖ ἐντολάς. Καὶ τοῦτο διπρόσωπόν ἐστιν, ὅλον δὲ κακόν ἐστιν. Οἱ τοιοῦτοι ὡς ὕες εἰσί, δασύποδες, ὅτι ἐξ ἡμισείας εἰσὶ καθαροί, τὸ δὲ ἀληθὲς ἀκάθαρτοί εἰσι. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ταῖς πλαξὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν οὕτως εἶπεν.

[3] Ὑμεῖς οὖν, τέκνα μου, μὴ γίνεσθε κατ' αὐτοὺς διπρόσωποι, ἀγαθότητος καὶ κακίας: ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀγαθότητι μόνῃ κολλήθητε, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀναπαύεται εἰς αὐτήν, καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποθοῦσιν αὐτήν: τὴν κακίαν ἀποδράσατε, ἀναιροῦντες τὸν διάβολον ἐν ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς ὑμῶν πράξεσιν: ὅτι οἱ διπρόσωποι οὐ Θεῷ ἀλλὰ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν δουλεύουσιν, ἵνα τῷ Βελίαρ ἀρέσωσι καὶ τοῖς ὁμοίοις αὐτῶν ἀνθρώποις.

[4] Οἱ γὰρ ἀγαθοὶ ἄνδρες καὶ μονοπρόσωποι, κἂν νομισθῶσι παρὰ τῶν διπροσώπων ἁμαρτάνειν, δίκαιοί εἰσι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἀναιροῦντες τοὺς πονηρούς, δύο ποιοῦσιν ἔργα, κακὸν διὰ καλοῦ, ὅλον ἐστὶ δὲ καλόν: ὅτι τὸ κακὸν ἐκριζώσας ἀπώλεσεν. Ἔστι τις μισῶν τὸν ἐλεήμονα, καὶ ἀδικῶν τὸν μοιχὸν καὶ λῃστεύοντα: καὶ αὐτό ἐστι διπρόσωπον: ἀλλὰ τὸ πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθόν ἐστιν, ὅτι μιμεῖται Κύριον, μὴ προσδεχόμενος τὸ δοκοῦν καλὸν μετὰ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ κακοῦ. Ἕτερος οὐ θέλει ἡμέραν ἀγαθὴν ἰδεῖν μετὰ ἀσώτων, ἵνα μὴ χράνῃ τὸ στόμα, καὶ μολύνει τὴν ψυχήν: καίγε τοῦτο διπρόσωπον, ὅλον δὲ καλόν ἐστιν, ὅτι οἱ τοιοῦτοι δόρκοις καὶ ἐλάφοις ὅμοιοί εἰσιν: ὅτι ἐν ἤθει ἀγρίῳ δοκοῦσιν ἀκάθαρτοι εἶναι, τὸ δὲ πᾶν καθαροί εἰσιν, ὅτι ἐν ζήλῳ Θεοῦ πορεύονται, ἀπεχόμενοι ὧν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τῶν ἐντολῶν μισῶν ἀπαγορεύει, ἀπεῖργον τὸ κακὸν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ.

[5] Ὁρᾶτε οὖν, τέκνα, πῶς δύο εἰσὶν ἐν πᾶσιν, ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνός, καὶ ἓν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἑνὸς κέκρυπται. Τὴν ζωὴν ὁ θάνατος διαδέχεται, τὴν δόξαν ἡ ἀτιμία, τὴν ἡμέραν ἡ νύξ, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ σκότος: τὰ δὲ πάντα ὑπὸ ἡμέραν εἰσί, καὶ ὑπὸ ζωὴν τὰ δίκαια: διὸ καὶ τὸν θάνατον ἡ αἰώνιος ζωὴ ἀναμένει: καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ψεῦδος, οὐδὲ τὸ δίκαιον ἄδικον: ὅτι πᾶσα ἀλήθεια ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτός ἐστι: καθὼς τὰ πάντα ὑπὸ τὸν Θεόν. Ταῦτα πάντα ἐδοκίμασα ἐν τῇ ζωῇ μου, καὶ οὐκ ἐπλανήθην ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας Κυρίου, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ ὑψίστου ἐξεζήτησα, κατὰ πᾶσαν ἰσχύν μου πορευόμενος μονοπροσώπως εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν.

[6] Προσέχετε οὖν, τέκνα, καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Κυρίου μονοπροσώπως ἀκολουθοῦντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ὅτι οἱ διπρόσωποι δισσῶς κολάζονται. Τὰ πνεύματα τῆς πλάνης μισήσατε τὰ κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀγωνιζόμενα. Τὸν νόμον Κυρίου φυλάξατε, καὶ μὴ προσέχετε τὸ κακόν, ὡς καλόν: ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ ὄντως καλὸν ἀποβλέπετε, καὶ διατηρεῖτε αὐτὸ ἐν πάσαις ἐντολαῖς Κυρίου, εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναστρεφόμενοι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ καταπαύοντες, ὅτι τὰ τέλη τῶν ἀνθρώπων δείκνυσι τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτῶν, γνωρίζοντες τοὺς ἀγγέλους Κυρίου καὶ τοῦ Σατανᾶ. Ἐὰν γὰρ τεταραγμένη ἡ ψυχὴ ἀπέρχεται, βασανίζεται ὑπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ πνεύματος, οὗ καὶ ἐδούλευσεν ἐν ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ἔργοις πονηροῖς: ἐὰν δὲ ἡσύχως ἐν χαρᾷ, ἐγνώρισε τὸν ἄγγελον τῆς εἰρήνης, παρακαλέσει αὐτὸν ἐν ζωῇ.

[7] Μὴ γίνεσθε, τέκνα, ὡς Σόδομα, ἥτις ἠγνόησε τοὺς ἀγγέλους Κυρίου, καὶ ἀπώλετο ἕως αἰῶνος. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ἁμαρτήσετε, καὶ παραδοθήσεσθε εἰς χεῖρας ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν: καὶ ἡ γῆ ὑμῶν ἐρημωθήσεται, καὶ ὑμεῖς διασκορπισθήσεσθε εἰς τὰς τέσσαρας γωνίας τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἔσεσθε ἐν διασπορᾷ ἐξουθενωμένοι ὡς ὕδωρ ἄχρηστον, ἕως οὗ ὁ ὕψιστος ἐπισκέψηται τὴν γῆν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐλθὼν ὡς ἄνθρωπος, μετὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων, καὶ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ συντρίβων τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ δράκοντος δι' ὕδατος. Οὗτος σώσει τὸν Ἰσραὴλ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, Θεὸς εἰς ἄνδρα ὑποκρινόμενος. Εἴπατε οὖν ταῦτα τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν μὴ ἀπειθεῖν αὐτῷ. Ἀνέγνων γὰρ ἐν ταῖς πλαξὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν, ὅτι ἀπειθοῦντες ἀπειθήσετε αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀσεβοῦντες ἀσεβήσητε εἰς αὐτόν, μὴ προσέχοντες τὸν νόμον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀλλ' ἐντολαῖς ἀνθρώπων. Διὰ τοῦτο διασκορπισθήσεσθε, ὡς Γὰδ καὶ ὡς Δὰν οἱ ἀδελφοί μου: οἳ χώρας αὐτῶν ἀγνοήσουσι καὶ φυλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν αὐτῶν. Ἀλλ' ἐπισυνάξει ὑμᾶς Κύριος ἐν πίστει δι' ἐλπίδα εὐσπλαγχνίας αὐτοῦ, διὰ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ.

[8] Καὶ εἰπὼν αὐτοῖς ταῦτα, ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς λέγων: Θάψατέ με εἰς Χεβρών. Καὶ ἀπέθανεν ὕπνῳ καλῷ κοιμηθείς: καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἀναγαγόντες αὐτὸν ἔθαψαν μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ.