10.

11.

Do not inquire too curiously concerning the Creator, or seek by questioning to know the origin of things; but see that God is never far from thy thoughts; forget not what He has done for thee, and let not strange gods, let not thine own sensuous nature hold dominion over thy life.

Let thy dealings be of such sort that a blush needs never visit thy cheek; be sternly dumb to the voice of passion; commit no sin, saying to thyself that thou wilt repent and make atonement 12. at a later time. Let no oath ever pass thy lips; play not the haughty aristocrat in thy heart; follow not the desire of thine eyes, banish carefully all guile from thy soul, all unseemly self13. assertions from thy bearing and thy temper. Speak never mere empty words; enter into strife with no man; place no reliance on men of mocking lips; wrangle not with evil men; cherish not a too fixed good opinion of thyself, but lend thine ear to remonstrance and reproof.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Honor thy parents; make peace whenever thou canst among people, lead them gently into the good path; place thy trust in, give thy company to, those who fear their God.

If the means of thy support in life be measured out scantily to thee, remember that thou must take up thy suffering as a test of thy piety and a preparation for better things.

But if worldly wealth be lent to thee, exalt not thyself above thy poor brother; for both of you came naked into the world, and both of you will surely have to sleep at last together in the dust.

Let the man of humble mind carefully evade all marks of special esteem and recognition from men. If his failings are spoken of, let him give God thanks for putting this humiliation on him for the amendment of his ways if they need it. But if he

is well and surely convinced that they need it not in that wherein they blame, let him after all remember that whatsoever he be, he is but imperfect compared with what is required of him, and forgive the person who is speaking ill of him.

Surrender not thyself a slave to hate, that ruin of all the heart's good resolves, that destroyer of the very savor of food, of our sleep, of all reverence in our souls.

If thou hadst lived in the dread days of martyrdom, and the populace had fallen on thee to force thee to apostatize from thy faith, thou wouldst surely, as did so many, have given thy life in its defence. Well then; fight now the fight laid on thee in the better days, the fight with evil desire; fight and conquer, and seek for allies in this warfare of thy soul, seek them in the fear of God and the study of His law.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

Murmur not because the world goes well with the powerful and wicked. The ways and the methods of God are wonderful and admirable, even though our poor eyes may sometimes not be able to see the good things which we may be sure He always does for us. Remain faithful to the law, deny thyself even many things that are permitted; be so far as thou canst, ever of cheerful and even joyous temper; and forget not that it is to God, the Eternal, God the Only One, to whom thy soul returns in death.

That our soul may become perfected in righteousness, needs must that we bear griefs and agonies; and never should it cross our minds for an instant to shrink from boldly acknowledging that we are Jews.

Mislead no one through thy actions designedly, be he Jew or non-Jew; be not disputatious and quarrelsome with people, whatever be their faith.

If any one offer thee an amulet, alleging it to be useful in helping to favor or wealth, carry it not, but place thy undivided confiidence in God alone.

If, when thy plans fail, thou wouldst seek any other Lord than the Eternal thy God, it would be apostasy.

There are three sorts of people for whom we ought to feel especial pain and sympathy: a reasonable, prudent creature subjected to a crazy fool; a good man who has to take orders from a bad one; and a noble being dependent upon one of vulgar

nature.

Ingratitude is the blackest of faults; it is not to be endured even toward the dumb creatures whom we use.

27. Hear not calumny willingly; seek rather to admonish and encourage him who complains bitterly to thee of the doings of

another.

28. If a rich man and a poor man be sick, and thou seest all the world going to see the rich man, go thou to the poor one, even though he be ignorant and unlettered.

29.

30,

31.

If thou art in debt, pay thy debts before thou givest alms.

Make no sign of visible disgust when thou meetest people afflicted with loathsome disease; for they too are God's creatures, remember, and healthy as well as sick are all alike dependent upon Him.

Let no one be troubled in mind or take up wrong ideas because of the prosperity of wicked people, or of such as hold parents in little honor; their end is bad. The reason why good men have an ill lot in life is, lest men should fancy that the good man can

32. only then be good when the world goes well with him. If a congregation has bad men at its head, that is a punishment 33. for not valuing as they should the good men among them. The children of noble, righteous converts to the faith are to be preferred for the marriage tie, to the children of Jews of low nature or conduct.

34.

Let one who hath never known parents, but only elder brothers, render the respect and honor due to father and mother unto these. 35. It is because man is half angel, half brute, that his inner life witnesses such bitter war between such unlike natures. The brute in him clamors for sensual joy and things in which there is only vanity; but the angel resists and strives to make him know that meat, drink, sleep, are but means whereby the body may be made sufficient for the study of the truths, and the doing of the will of God. Not until the very hour of death can it be certain or known which of the two hath won the victory.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

The highest service that can be rendered God is to love Him, purely because He is our Creator. And he who is but a novice in the fear of God will do well to say audibly each day, as he rises: "This day will I be a faithful servant of the Almighty; be on my guard against wrath, falsehood, hatred, quarrelsomeness; and forgive those who wound me. For whoso forgives is forgiven in his turn; hardheartedness and a temper that will not make up quarrels are a heavy burden of sin, unworthy of an Israelite.

The proud cedar is felled, while the humble shrub is left alone, fire ascends and goes out, water descends and is not lost.

What a man spends on the poor when he is in full health is gold; when sick, silver; what he provides for them in his last will, copper.

Unmeasured drinking of wine brings poverty, shame, quarrels; leads to calumnious talk, unchastity, murder, to the loss of freedom, of honor, of understanding.

Well is it with him who, even out of all men's sight, fulfils the will of God; who without murmuring suffers pain and trouble for his faith; the day will come when he shall be freed from his griefs.

Do not struggle vaingloriously for the small triumph of showing thyself in the right, and a wise man in the wrong; thou art not one whit the wiser therefor.

I lay on my children my injunction or advice that at morning, immediately after rising, they read some passages in the Pentateuch or Psalms, or do some work of mercy. In their intercourse with others, Jews or not-Jews, let them be conscientious and anxious to do right, amiable and accommodating, and never

speak when speech is superflous; so will they be guarded against uttering words of calumny or mockery against others. 43. The thread on which the different good qualities of human beings are strung, as pearls, is the fear of God. When the fastenings of this fear are unloosed, the pearls roll in all directions and are lost one by one. But without taking a high degree in morality we can neither enter into possession of the learning of divine things nor fulfil positive precepts: nay, even a single grave moral fault may be the ruin of all other advantages, as when, for example, one is always seeking to set off his own excellence by bringing into prominence his neighbor's failings. It is just as with wine, the best of which may escape from a vessel through one little hole overlooked.

44.

The heart is like a tablet as yet unwritten; fools scratch it all over and ruin it; only the wise know how to engrave it with suitable matter.

45. Five bad habits are hard to get rid of: chattering, calumny, angry temper, suspicion, associating with bad people. Never be ashamed to learn good, even from men less than thyself.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

Be tender-hearted towards servants. Make not their labour too heavy for them; treat them not as though they were of no account whatever, by word of contempt or blows; even in dispute with a serving man speak affably, and listen to what he has to say. Our ancient teachers relieved the slave from all responsibility to criminal law, and provided anxiously for his needs, even as for their own.

Forget never the merits that thou lackest, but forget always the good that thou hast done; set down thy failings, thy faults, in thy book, but not the benefits thou hast conferred. Forget the wounds inflicted on thee by others, and when thou prayest, forget thou earthly things.

Thou puttest thyself in fine garments to please men; forget not that God looks in thy heart: adorn that well in honour of Him.

Keep thy soul always pure; thou knowest not the moment when it may be required of thee. Many a young, many a strong, man hath gone before thee to his home.

Be not blind, but open eyed to the great wonders of nature, familiar objects of every day though they be to thee. But men are more wont to be astonished at the sun's eclipse than at his daily rising.

THE END.