CHAPTER1
Benjamin,thetwelfthsonofJacobandRachel, thebabyofthefamily,turnsphilosopherand philanthropist.
1ThecopyofthewordsofBenjamin,whichhe commandedhissonstoobserve,afterhehad livedahundredandtwenty-fiveyears.
2Andhekissedthem,andsaid:AsIsaacwas borntoAbrahaminhisoldage,soalsowasIto Jacob.
3AndsinceRachelmymotherdiedingiving mebirth,Ihadnomilk;thereforeIwassuckled byBilhahherhandmaid
4ForRachelremainedbarrenfortwelveyears aftershehadborneJoseph;andsheprayedthe Lordwithfastingtwelvedays,andshe conceivedandbareMe
5FormyfatherlovedRacheldearly,and prayedthathemightseetwosonsbornfrom her.
6ThereforewasIcalledBenjamin,thatis,a sonofdays
7AndwhenIwentintoEgypt,toJoseph,and mybrotherrecognizedme,hesaiduntome: Whatdidtheytellmyfatherwhentheysoldme?
8AndIsaiduntohim,Theydabbledthycoat withbloodandsentit,andsaid:Knowwhether thisbethyson'scoat.
9Andhesaiduntome:Evenso,brother,when theyhadstrippedmeofmycoattheygaveme totheIshmaelites,andtheygavemealoin cloth,andscourgedme,andbademerun.
10Andasforoneofthemthathadbeatenme witharod,alionmethimandslewhim
11Andsohisassociateswereaffrighted.
12Doyealso,therefore,mychildren,lovethe LordGodofheavenandearth,andkeepHis commandments,followingtheexampleofthe goodandholymanJoseph.
13Andletyourmindbeuntogood,evenasye knowme;forhethatbathhismindrightseeth allthingsrightly
14FearyetheLord,andloveyourneighbour; andeventhoughthespiritsofBeliarclaimyou toafflictyouwitheveryevil,yetshalltheynot havedominionoveryou,evenastheyhadnot overJosephmybrother.,
15Howmanymenwishedtoslayhim,and Godshieldedhim!
16ForhethatfearethGodandlovethhis neighbourcannotbesmittenbythespiritof Beliar,beingshieldedbythefearofGod
17Norcanheberuledoverbythedeviceof menorbeasts,forheishelpedbytheLord throughthelovewhichhehathtowardshis neighbour
18ForJosephalsobesoughtourfatherthathe wouldprayforhisbrethren,thattheLord wouldnotimputetothemassinwhateverevil theyhaddoneuntohim
19AndthusJacobcriedout:Mygoodchild, thouhastprevailedoverthebowelsofthy fatherJacob.
20Andheembracedhim,andkissedhimfor twohours,saying:
21Intheeshallbefulfilledtheprophecyof heavenconcerningtheLambofGod,and Saviouroftheworld,andthatablamelessone shallbedeliveredupforlawlessmen,anda sinlessoneshalldieforungodlymeninthe bloodofthecovenant,forthesalvationofthe GentilesandofIsrael,andshalldestroyBeliar andhisservants
22Seeye,therefore,mychildren,theendofthe goodman?
23Befollowersofhiscompassion,therefore, withagoodmind,thatyealsomaywear crownsofglory.
24Forthegoodmanhathnotadarkeye;forhe showethmercytoallmen,eventhoughtheybe sinners.
25Andthoughtheydevisewithevilintent. concerninghim,bydoinggoodheovercometh evil,beingshieldedbyGod;andheloveththe righteousashisownsoul
26Ifanyoneisglorified,heenviethhimnot;if anyoneisenriched,heisnotjealous;ifanyone isvaliant,hepraisethhim;thevirtuousmanhe laudeth;onthepoormanhehathmercy;onthe weakhehathcompassion;untoGodhesingeth praises.
27Andhimthathaththegraceofagoodspirit helovethashisownsoul
28Iftherefore,yealsohaveagoodmind,then willbothwickedmenbeatpeacewithyou,and theprofligatewillreverenceyouandturnunto good;andthecovetouswillnotonlyceasefrom theirinordinatedesire,butevengivetheobjects oftheircovetousnesstothemthatareafflicted.
29Ifyedowell,eventheuncleanspiritswill fleefromyou;andthebeastswilldreadyou.
30Forwherethereisreverenceforgoodworks andlightinthemind,evendarknessfleeth awayfromhim.
31Forifanyonedoesviolencetoaholyman, herepenteth;fortheholymanismercifultohis reviler,andholdethhispeace.
32Andifanyonebetrayetharighteousman, therighteousmanprayeth:thoughforalittlehe behumbled,yetnotlongafterheappearethfar moreglorious,aswasJosephmybrother.
33Theinclinationofthegoodmanisnotinthe powerofthedeceitofthespiritofBeliar,for theangelofpeaceguidethhissoul 34Andhegazethnotpassionatelyupon corruptiblethings,norgatherethtogetherriches throughadesireofpleasure.
35Hedelightethnotinpleasure,hegrievethnot hisneighbour,hesatethnothimselfwith luxuries,heerrethnotintheupliftingofthe eyes,fortheLordishisportion.
36Thegoodinclinationreceivethnotglorynor dishonourfrommen,anditknowethnotany guile,orlie,orfightingorreviling;fortheLord dwellethinhimandlightethuphissoul,andhe rejoicethtowardsallmenalways.
37Thegoodmindhathnottwotongues,of blessingandofcursing,ofcontumelyandof honour,ofsorrowandofjoy,ofquietnessand ofconfusion,ofhypocrisyandoftruth,of povertyandofwealth;butithathone disposition,uncorruptandpure,concerningall men.
38Ithathnodoublesight,nordoublehearing; forineverythingwhichhedoeth,orspeaketh, orseeth,heknoweththattheLordlookethon hissoul.
39Andhecleansethhismindthathemaynot becondemnedbymenaswellasbyGod 40AndinlikemannertheworksofBeliarare twofold,andthereisnosinglenessinthem.
41Therefore,mychildren,Itellyou,fleethe maliceofBeliar;forhegivethaswordtothem thatobeyhim.
42Andtheswordisthemotherofsevenevils.
FirstthemindconceiveththroughBeliar,and firstthereisbloodshed;secondlyruin;thirdly, tribulation;fourthly,exile;fifthly,dearth; sixthly,panic;seventhly,destruction.
43'ThereforewasCainalsodeliveredoverto sevenvengeancesbyGod,forineveryhundred yearstheLordbroughtoneplagueuponhim 44Andwhenhewastwohundredyearsoldhe begantosuffer,andinthenine-hundredthyear hewasdestroyed.
45ForonaccountofAbel,hisbrother,with-all theevilswashejudged,butLamechwith seventytimesseven.
46Becauseforeverthose,whoarelikeCainin envyandhatredofbrethren,shallbepunished withthesamejudgement.
CHAPTER2
Verse3containsastrikingexampleofthe homeliness--yetvividnessofthefiguresof speechoftheseancientpatriarchs
1Anddoye,mychildren,fleeevil-doing,envy, andhatredofbrethren,andcleavetogoodness andlove
2Hethathathapuremindinlove,lookethnot afterawomanwithaviewtofornication;forhe hathnodefilementinhisheart,becausethe SpiritofGodrestethuponhim.
3Forasthesunisnotdefiledbyshiningon dungandmire,butratherdriethupbothand drivethawaytheevilsmell;soalsothepure mind,thoughencompassedbythedefilements ofearth,rathercleanseththemandisnotitself defiled.
4AndIbelievethattherewillbealsoevildoingsamongyou,fromthewordsofEnoch therighteous:thatyeshallcommitfornication withthefornicationofSodom,andshallperish, allsaveafew,andshallrenewwantondeeds withwomen;andthekingdomoftheLordshall notbeamongyou,forstraightwayHeshalltake itaway.
5NeverthelessthetempleofGodshallbein yourportion,andthelasttempleshallbemore gloriousthanthefirst
6Andthetwelvetribesshallbegathered togetherthere,andalltheGentiles,untilthe MostHighshallsendforthHissalvationinthe visitationofanonly-begottenprophet
7AndHeshallenterintothefirsttemple,and thereshalltheLordbetreatedwithoutrage,and Heshallbeliftedupuponatree.
8Andtheveilofthetempleshallberent,and theSpiritofGodshallpassontotheGentilesas firepouredforth
9AndHeshallascendfromHadesandshall passfromearthintoheaven.
10AndIknowhowlowlyHeshallbeupon earth,andhowgloriousinheaven
11NowwhenJosephwasinEgypt,Ilongedto seehisfigureandtheformofhiscountenance; andthroughtheprayersofJacobmyfatherI sawhim,whileawakeinthedaytime,evenhis entirefigureexactlyashewas.
12Andwhenhehadsaidthesethings,hesaid untothem:Knowye,therefore,mychildren, thatIamdying
13Doye,therefore,trutheachonetohis neighbour,andkeepthelawoftheLordand Hiscommandments.
14ForthesethingsdoIleaveyouinsteadof inheritance.
15Doyealso,therefore,givethemtoyour childrenforaneverlastingpossession;forso didbothAbraham,andIsaac,andJacob
16Forallthesethingstheygaveusforan inheritance,saying:Keepthecommandments ofGod,untiltheLordshallrevealHissalvation toallGentiles.
17AndthenshallyeseeEnoch,Noah,and Shem,andAbraham,andIsaac,andJacob, risingontherighthandingladness, 18Thenshallwealsorise,eachoneoverour tribe,worshippingtheKingofheaven,who appeareduponearthintheformofamanin humility.
19AndasmanyasbelieveonHimontheearth shallrejoicewithHim
20Thenalsoallmenshallrise,someuntoglory andsomeuntoshame.
21AndtheLordshalljudgeIsraelfirst,for theirunrighteousness;forwhenHeappearedas Godinthefleshtodeliverthemtheybelieved Himnot.
22AndthenshallHejudgealltheGentiles,as manyasbelievedHimnotwhenHeappeared uponearth.
23AndHeshallconvictIsraelthroughthe chosenonesoftheGentiles,evenasHe reprovedEsauthroughtheMidianites,who deceivedtheirbrethren,sothattheyfellinto fornication,andidolatry;andtheywere alienatedfromGod,becomingtherefore
childrenintheportionofthemthatfearthe Lord.
24Ifyetherefore,mychildren,walkinholiness accordingtothecommandmentsoftheLord,ye shallagaindwellsecurelywithme,andall IsraelshallbegathereduntotheLord.
25AndIshallnolongerbecalledaravening wolfonaccountofyourravages,butaworker oftheLorddistributingfoodtothemthatwork whatisgood.
26Andthereshallariseinthelatterdaysone belovedoftheLord,ofthetribeofJudahand Levi,adoerofHisgoodpleasureinhismouth, withnewknowledgeenlighteningtheGentiles.
27Untiltheconsummationoftheageshallhe beinthesynagoguesoftheGentiles,and amongtheirrulers,asastrainofmusicinthe mouthofall.
28Andheshallbeinscribedintheholybooks, bothhisworkandhisword,andheshallbea chosenoneofGodforever.
29Andthroughthemheshallgotoandfroas Jacobmyfather,saying:Heshallfillupthat whichlackethofthytribe
30Andwhenhehadsaidthesethingshe stretchedouthisfeet.
31Anddiedinabeautifulandgoodsleep. 32Andhissonsdidashehadenjoinedthem, andtheytookuphisbodyandburieditin Hebronwithhisfathers.
33Andthenumberofthedaysofhislifewasa hundredandtwenty-fiveyears.