The Worlds Greatest Books - Volume 13 | Page 8

thy soul for temptation. Set thy heart aright, and constantly
endure. Woe be to fearful hearts; but they that fear the Lord shall be filled with the law.
Whoso honoureth his father maketh an atonement for his sins. He that honoureth his
mother layeth up treasure. Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee: profess not
the knowledge that thou hast not. Defraud not the poor of his living: and be not
fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment. Set not thy heart upon thy goods, for the Lord
will surely revenge thy pride. Winnow not with every wind, and let thy life be sincere.
Do not extol thy own conceit: if thou wouldst get a friend, prove him first. A faithful
friend is a strong defence. Seek not of the Lord preeminence: humble thy soul greatly.
Fear the Lord, and reverence his priests. Stretch thine hand unto the poor, and mourn with
them that mourn. Strive not with a mighty man: kindle not the coals of a sinner. Lend not
unto him that is mightier than thyself: be not surety above thy power. Go not to law with
a judge: consult not with a fool. Judge none blessed before his death. He that toucheth
pitch shall be denied therewith: like will to like. Say not thou: it is through the Lord that I
fell away: He has caused me to err. The Lord made man from the beginning and left him
in the hand of his counsel. He has commanded no man to do wickedly, neither has he
given any man licence to sin. The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom: neither at any
time the counsel of sinners prudence. Whoso discovereth secrets loseth his credit and
shall never find friend to his mind. Health and good estate of body are above all gold.
There is no joy above the joy of the heart. Give not over thy mind to heaviness: the
joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days. Envy and wrath shorten life: carefulness
bringeth age before the time.
[Then follow praises of a good householder, a good physician, a wise interpreter of the
law, and injunctions as to how a man should bear the miseries of life, and face the
approach of death. And the book concludes with praises of the Patriarchs and the
Prophets.]

BARUCH
Baruch, the son of Nerias, wrote a book in Babylon what time the Chaldeans took
Jerusalem and burnt it with fire. Baruch read the words of his book in the hearing of
Jechonias, the son of the King of Juda, and in the ears of all the people. The Jews wept at
the reading of it, by the river Sud, and made a collection of money to send to Jerusalem,
unto the High Priest Joachim, to buy burnt offerings and sin offerings and incense, and to
prepare manna to be offered upon the altar of the Lord. The people at Jerusalem are asked
also to pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor, King of Babylon, and his son Balthasar, and
for those who sent the gifts and the book. The book begins with a prayer and confession
which the Jews at Babylon make, acknowledging that they are yet this day in captivity for
a reproach and a curse, and to be subject to payments according to all the iniquities of
their fathers which departed from the Lord our God. Then beginneth the book:
Hear, Israel, the commandments of life: give ear to understand wisdom. Let them that
dwell about Sion come, and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the
Everlasting hath brought upon them. Be of good cheer, O my children, crying unto the
Lord, and He shall deliver you from the power and hand of the enemies. I sent you out
with mourning and weeping: but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness for
ever. Put off, O Jerusalem, the garment of thy mourning and affliction, and put on the
comeliness of the glory that cometh from God for ever; for behold, thy children gathereth
from the west and from the east and return out of captivity with glory.
[With this book of Baruch there is an Epistle of Jeremy, which he sent unto them that
were to be led captive into Babylon because of their sins. The prophet describes the idols
and the conduct of the priests and those who attend the heathen temples and warns the
captives not to worship the false gods in Babylon.]
SONG OF THE THREE HOLY CHILDREN
[This Song is not in the Hebrew of the Book of Daniel.]
They walked in the midst of the fire praising God and blessing the Lord. Azarias opened
his mouth in the midst of the flame and made confession of