衣索比亞馬加比二書 第 21 章

Where now are those who gathered to themselves another's goods by injustice—goods which were not their own, the work of their hands?

But because they take another's goods without buying them, and gather them together while they do not know the day of their death—which shall come upon them—and they leave their riches to another.

And their children also shall not rejoice in the riches of their fathers, for they are houses of the wicked; whether others plunder them, whether by theft or by oppression—those who are wicked like them, like their fathers—or whether by robbery.

And the wealth of their fathers shall profit them nothing, for they gathered it through injustice; and like the dissolving of the cloud, and like the smoke which the wind carries away, and like the fruit of grass which is winnowed, and like a candle which is consumed before the face of the fire—even so shall the honor of the wicked perish.

Even as David said: I have seen the wicked great and exalted like the cedar of Lebanon; and when I returned, I sought him and could not find him, and I found not his place.

And such shall be the destruction of the wicked in a moment, that those who oppress their neighbor may not boast, while they suppose that they shall not die, because they gathered to themselves another's goods by injustice.

O foolish ones, remember that you shall pass away, and your riches shall pass away with you; and even if your gold and your silver be abundant, it shall come to nothing.

And though you multiply children, it shall become many graves; and though you multiply houses, it shall become a ruin.

And though you multiply cattle, it shall become plunder for your enemies, because you did not do the will of the Lord your God; and all that you set your hand to shall not be found, for it was not blessed.

Whether of the house or of the field; whether in the herds and the flocks, or in the threshing of grain, or in the floor of grain, or in the treading of the wine.

And even in the fruit of your body you shall not rejoice, but sorrow shall come to you from all your enemies; for the Lord did not cause you to prosper, together with all the people of your house, because you did not keep the commandments of the Lord.

But as for those who kept His law and His commandment and His ordinance, He shall not withhold them from His blessing, but shall give them all that they ask of Him, and shall bless for them the fruit of their land and the fruit of their body.

And He shall set them above all the nations round about them, that they may rule and not be ruled over; and He shall give them every blessing in their fields and their fruit.

And all that they set their hand to He shall bless for them—the fruit of their labor and the increase of their cattle—and He shall make them glad with the fruit of their body.

And He shall not diminish their cattle for them, and shall deliver them from all their tribulation and sickness and weakness and calamity, both from that which they know and that which they do not know.

And He shall stand for them in judgment and deliver them from tribulation and from evil report and from all that opposes them. For from the first, in the work of the tent, if there be a Levite who keeps watch and guards the work of the tent and walks in the will of the Lord according to the first law, they shall give him a tithe of all that is according to the law, and every firstborn of man and even of beast.

And a city of refuge in all their cities, even as Moses commanded Joshua the son of Nun, that the slayer might be saved—whether he slew unwittingly or whether knowingly.

Until they bring his case before those who judge and those who acquit.

And He said to them: Consider carefully, as I tell you. If there had been previous enmity with him, and he says, 'It was unwittingly that there fell from my hand iron or stone or wood, and he upon whom it fell died'—then, having ascertained it, deliver him, for he acted unwittingly, and let him be saved.

But if he acted knowingly, he shall be requited according to his transgression, and there is none to plead for him; but if he acted unwittingly and slew him, having ascertained it, release him, that he die not, for he acted unwittingly.

And thus Moses ordained for the children of Israel, that they should not transgress the commandment of the Lord, but that they should withdraw themselves from all evil; thus he ordained for them.

And he commanded them to walk in all His judgment and His righteousness; that they should keep far from carrion and what is torn and what is dead, and from all that is not fitting for the children of men to do—those who walk in the commandment of the Lord and who withdraw themselves from all evil, even as he ordained for them.

And he commanded them not to transgress His commandment which He ordained for them, after the pattern of the heavenly things, which is the tent, that they might save their souls and find their dwelling place with their fathers who did good.

For those who believed in the word of the Lord and walked in His commandment, these shall be called the offspring of the righteous; for they are of Adam and Seth, who did the will of the Lord; He shall not despise them.

For we are the seed of Adam, and in His image He fashioned us, and in His likeness He created us, that we might do good and all that pleases the Lord.

And if we do good, we shall inherit the land of life, together with those who did good; for He does not separate or distinguish among those who love Him.

And He loves them exceedingly, and hears the prayer of those who call upon Him in purity, and accepts the repentance of those who repent steadfastly; and He gives strength and firmness to those who keep His law and His ordinance and His commandment.

And those who did His will, whether the first or the last, shall rejoice with Him in His kingdom which is everlasting; to Him they offer up praise, from now and unto ages of ages. Amen.