CHAPTER1
Asher,thetenthsonofJacobandZilpahAn explanationofdualpersonality.ThefirstJekyll andHydestory.ForastatementoftheLawof CompensationthatEmersonwouldhave enjoyed,seeVerse27
1ThecopyoftheTestamentToAsher,what thingshespaketohissonsinthehundredand twenty-fifthyearofhislife
2Forwhilehewasstillinhealth,hesaidto them:Hearken,yechildrenofAsher,toyour father,andIwilldeclaretoyouallthatis uprightinthesightoftheLord
3TwowayshathGodgiventothesonsofmen, andtwoinclinations,andtwokindsofaction, andtwomodesofaction,andtwoissues.
4Thereforeallthingsarebytwos,oneover againsttheother.
5Fortherearetwowaysofgoodandevil,and withthesearethetwoinclinationsinour breastsdiscriminatingthem
6Thereforeifthesoultakepleasureinthegood inclination,allitsactionsareinrighteousness; andifitsinitstraightwayrepenteth.
7For,havingitsthoughtssetupon righteousness,andcastingawaywickedness,it straightwayoverthroweththeevil,and uprooteththesin.
8Butifitinclinetotheevilinclination,allits actionsareinwickedness,anditdrivethaway thegood,andcleavethtotheevil,andisruled byBeliar;eventhoughitworkwhatisgood,he pervertethittoevil
9Forwheneveritbeginnethtodogood,he forceththeissueoftheactionintoevilforhim, seeingthatthetreasureoftheinclinationis filledwithanevilspirit.
10Apersonthenmaywithwordshelpthegood forthesakeoftheevil,yettheissueofthe actionleadethtomischief.
11Thereisamanwhoshowethnocompassion uponhimwhoservethhisturninevil;andthis thingbathtwoaspects,butthewholeisevil.
12Andthereisamanthatlovethhimthat workethevil,becausehewouldpreferevento dieinevilforhissake;andconcerningthisitis clearthatitbathtwoaspects,butthewholeis anevilwork.
13Thoughindeedhehavelove,yetishe wickedwhoconcealethwhatisevilforthesake ofthegoodname,buttheendoftheaction tendethuntoevil.
14Anotherstealeth,doethunjustly,plundereth, defraudeth,andwithalpitieththepoor:thistoo bathatwofoldaspect,butthewholeisevil 15Hewhodefraudethhisneighbourprovoketh God,andswearethfalselyagainsttheMost High,andyetpitieththepoor:theLordwho commandedthelawhesettethatnoughtand provoketh,andyetherefresheththepoor.
16Hedefileththesoul,andmakethgaythe body;hekillethmany,andpitiethafew:this, too,bathatwofoldaspect,butthewholeisevil 17Anothercommittethadulteryandfornication, andabstainethfrommeats,andwhenhefasteth hedoethevil,andbythepowerofhiswealth overwhelmethmany;andnotwithstandinghis excessivewickednesshedoeththe commandments:this,too,hathatwofoldaspect, butthewholeisevil.
18Suchmenarehares;clean,--likethosethat dividethehoof,butinverydeedareunclean 19ForGodinthetablesofthecommandments haththusdeclared.
20Butdonotye,mychildren,weartwofaces likeuntothem,ofgoodnessandofwickedness; butcleaveuntogoodnessonly,forGodhathhis habitationtherein,andmendesireit.
21Butfromwickednessfleeaway,destroying theevilinclinationbyyourgoodworks;for theythataredouble-facedservenotGod,but theirownlusts,sothattheymaypleaseBeliar andmenlikeuntothemselves
22Forgoodmen,eventheythatareofsingle face,thoughtheybethoughtbythemthatare double-facedtosin,arejustbeforeGod.
23Formanyinkillingthewickeddotwoworks, ofgoodandevil;butthewholeisgood, becausehehathuprootedanddestroyedthat whichisevil.
24Onemanhateththemercifulandunjustman, andthemanwhocommittethadulteryand fasteth:this,too,hathatwofoldaspect,butthe wholeworkisgood,becausehefolloweththe Lord'sexample,inthatheacceptethnotthe seeminggoodasthegenuinegood
25Anotherdesirethnottoseegooddaywith themthatnot,lestbedefilehisbodyandpollute
hissoul;this,too,isdouble-faced,butthe wholeisgood.
26Forsuchmenareliketostagsandtohinds, becauseinthemannerofwildanimalsthey seemtobeunclean,buttheyarealtogether clean;becausetheywalkinzealfortheLord andabstainfromwhatGodalsohatethand forbiddethbyHiscommandments,wardingoff theevilfromthegood.
27Yesee,mychildren,howthattherearetwo inallthings,oneagainsttheother,andtheone ishiddenbytheother:inwealthishidden covetousness,inconvivialitydrunkenness,in laughtergrief,inwedlockprofligacy.
28Deathsucceedethtolife,dishonourtoglory, nighttoday,anddarknesstolight;andall thingsareundertheday,justthingsunderlife, unjustthingsunderdeath;whereforealso eternallifeawaitethdeath
29Normayitbesaidthattruthisalie,nor rightwrong;foralltruthisunderthelight,even asallthingsareunderGod.
30Allthesethings,therefore,Iprovedinmy life,andIwanderednotfromthetruthofthe Lord,andIsearchedoutthecommandmentsof theMostHigh,walkingaccordingtoallmy strengthwithsinglenessoffaceuntothatwhich isgood
31Takeheed,therefore,yealso,mychildren, tothecommandmentsoftheLord,following thetruthwithsinglenessofface
32Fortheythataredouble-facedareguiltyofa twofoldsin;fortheybothdotheevilthingand theyhavepleasureinthemthatdoit,following theexampleofthespiritsofdeceit,andstriving againstmankind
33Doye,therefore,mychildren,keepthelaw oftheLord,andgivenotheeduntoevilasunto good;butlookuntothethingthatisreallygood, andkeepitinallcommandmentsoftheLord, havingyourconversationtherein,andresting therein.
34Forthelatterendsofmendoshowtheir righteousnessorunrighteousness,whenthey meettheangelsoftheLordandofSatan.
35forwhenthesouldepartstroubled,itis tormentedbytheevilspiritwhichalsoitserved inlustsandevilworks
36Butifheispeacefulwithjoyhemeeteththe angelofpeace,andheleadethhimintoeternal life.
37Becomenot,mychildren,asSodom,which sinnedagainsttheangelsoftheLord,and perishedforever
38ForIknowthatyeshallsin,andbedelivered intothehandsofyourenemies;andyourland shallbemadedesolate,andyourholyplaces destroyed,andyeshallbescattereduntothe fourcornersoftheearth.
39Andyeshallbesetatnoughtinthe dispersionvanishingawayaswater.
40UntiltheMostHighshallvisittheearth, comingHimselfasman,withmeneatingand drinking,andbreakingtheheadofthedragonin thewater.
41HeshallsaveIsraelandalltheGentiles,God speakinginthepersonofman.
42Thereforedoyealso,mychildren,tellthese thingstoyourchildren,thattheydisobeyHim not
43ForIhaveknownthatyeshallassuredlybe disobedient,andassuredlyactungodly,not givingheedtothelawofGod,buttothe commandmentsofmen,beingcorrupted throughwickedness
44AndthereforeshallyebescatteredasGad andDanmybrethren,andyeshallknownot yourlands,tribe,andtongue.
45ButtheLordwillgatheryoutogetherinfaith throughHistendermercy,andforthesakeof Abraham,Isaac,andJacob.
46Andwhenhehadsaidthesethingsunto them,hecommandedthem,saying:Burymein Hebron.
47Andhefellasleepanddiedatagoodoldage. 48Andhissonsdidashehadcommandedthem, andtheycarriedhimuptoHebron,andburied himwithhisfathers.