Demonstrations 14.2–14.14

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

We make known to you, brothers and friends, and while we tell you we recall among ourselves the things that have happened in our days because of our sins, which have multiplied and prevailed bitterly. The sharpness of our mind has been dulled, and we do not rouse our souls so that God may look on us, as he said through the prophet: "Turn to me, and I will turn to you." Hosea too says: "Take words with you and turn to the Lord." And Isaiah: "Seek the Lord; and when you have found him, call on him; and when he has come near, let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thought." Again it is written: "If you seek the Lord, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you." In David also it is written: "The Lord looked down from heaven to see if there is anyone who understands and seeks God; all have gone astray together and are rejected; there is none who does good, not even one." And Jeremiah says: "I sought among my people a man who would build up the hedge and stand in the breach before the land, so that I would not destroy it; and I did not find one." And again the Lord said to Jeremiah: "Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: How long will you not receive instruction?" He said further through the prophet: "I called you and you did not answer; you will cry in my ears with a loud voice, and I will not hear you." And again it is written: "There is no one who repents of his sin and says, What have I done?"

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

For leaders have arisen among our people who have forsaken the law and gloried in iniquity. They have acquired possessions, and greed has overcome them. They have lent at usury and taken interest; and there is no one who remembers what is written: "You shall not take usury or interest." And: "Whoever wishes to dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord will not give his money at usury." And again he says: whoever has not taken interest or lent at usury, nor committed any of these accursed crimes that Ezekiel lists, in him God will be well pleased. There are people at this time who carry on their affairs by violence; they pervert judgment and show partiality; they acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent; they love the rich and hate the poor; they feed themselves and destroy the flock. The world has blinded them; they seek gifts and throw away fairness; they shrink from correction and love iniquity. They turn away from the humble; they love the proud, the arrogant, and the boastful. In their days the light has been put out, the salt has lost its savour, teaching has been darkened, and the law has failed; the vineyard has been laid waste and thorns have grown. People have slept, and the evil one has sown his tares. The waves have swelled and the storms have grown strong. The charioteers have fallen and the chariots are thrown into confusion. The ship-masters have been overcome by sleep, and their ships have sunk. The law has been bound up and the testimony sealed, and the priest has become like the people. The magistrate demands gold, the judge asks for gifts; the ruler speaks whatever seems good to him. They despise the needy; they destroy the poor of the land. They bite with their teeth and preach peace; and if anyone does not put something in their mouth, they preach war against him. They abhor judgment and pervert all that is right; they build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. Her rulers judge for gifts, her priests teach for hire, her prophets divine for money; and they lean on the Lord, saying: "See, the Lord is in our midst." Therefore, see, night and darkness will be theirs instead of divination. They are full of anger and swollen with wrath. They delight in mocking, take pleasure in sinning; it is sweet to them to deride one another, as to eat honey and greedily lick the honeycomb. Fairness has fallen, correction has been driven away. The most honourable men have become cheap, teachers have come into contempt; they have called the good evil and the evil good; they reckon light as darkness and darkness as light; they call bitter sweet and sweet bitter; they are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight; they acquit the wicked for a bribe and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Visions have failed and prophecy has been destroyed.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

What we have done has happened to us. We have been plundered, harassed, and scattered. Those who were not inclined to give demand that we give them beyond measure. Because we hated one another, those who hate us without cause have multiplied. Because we mocked, we are mocked; because we despised, we are despised; because we lied, we are deceived by lies; because we wished to be lifted up, we have been humbled; because we oppressed, we are oppressed; because we harmed, we are badly treated. In these things, dearest friends, some of us have walked, not judging justly and not seeking fairness; and there is no one who remembers the prophet who says: "Seek judgment, do good to the oppressed."

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

For our God, in the multitude of his mercies, has at times addressed people with exhortation when they acted wickedly; he has also entered into judgment with them, and although he could do so, he did not use force. For Isaiah the prophet says: "The Lord stands to judge, he stands to judge his people; the Lord will come into judgment with the elders of his people and with its rulers, because they have burned the vineyard and gathered the plunder of the poor; they have overpowered and shamed the weak." And Jeremiah said: "I will enter into judgment with you, says the Lord, as I contended in judgment with your fathers." Micah also says: "The Lord will judge with his people and will rebuke Israel." Again Isaiah said: "Bring your judgments, says the Lord; bring your thoughts, says the King of Jacob." Moses too said to Israel: "Make judges and scribes for yourselves in each of your tribes, to judge the people with judgments of righteousness. You shall not accept gifts nor show partiality; so you shall hear small and great, so that the Lord may bless you." Even in the terrible judgment of Sodom our Lord showed kindness, and he showed his mercy to Abraham when he promised him a judgment not given in anger. Again he defended himself before Ezekiel concerning the very harsh judgment of the destroyer who had gone out to lay waste Jerusalem. When the prophet began to complain, "Why do you make an end of all the remnant of Israel?", he opened the reason to him, showing him the abomination of the twenty men; and the prophet learned for certain that the wicked [were] receiving a just reward. Likewise he persuaded Jonah by the growing of the gourd; for Jonah had been moved to pity because it withered; and he said to him: "You are moved to pity for the gourd plant, which grew in one night and withered in one night; and shall I not spare Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than one hundred and twenty thousand people, besides infants and little ones, who do not know how [to distinguish] between their right hand and their left, and many beasts?" Again, when he wished to uproot his vineyard because it had produced wild grapes instead of grapes, he made the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem sit in judgment, and said: "Judge between me and my vineyard."

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

Consider, dearest friends, the mercy of our kind Creator, who, when in wrath he wishes to destroy the wicked, still rescues and saves the innocent. For he consumed the generation in the days of Noah because it had acted wickedly; but Noah and the sons of his house he protected in his mercy. He overthrew Sodom and the neighbouring cities, but he delivered Lot from the destruction. In Egypt again, when he killed the firstborn of the Egyptians, he kept alive the firstborn of the children of Israel. Finally, in the days of Ezekiel, when he laid waste the city, he put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous and delivered them. So God does not condemn without judgment.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

But today among our people there are found wise judges, endowed with singular knowledge, who judge and condemn people not summoned to judgment. And this seems harsher: that, though adorned with singular knowledge, in their judgment they punish not only such as know how to distinguish between their right hand and their left, but also many boys and infants [hidden] still in their mother's womb and not yet born, and many myriads of the poor, the needy, and [the men] of the holy covenant.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

There was found among you a certain brother of ours, distinguished by a crown, whom his own region did not honour with any respect. So, since he was not received by his own province, he went to other kings far away, asking them for chains and fetters, which he distributed in his own region and city. But we think that instead of the chains that this king crowned with a diadem asked of his friends the kings, it would have been better to ask for gifts, to distribute to his rulers, people, and citizens in place of chains and fetters. Let the wise man hear and understand; for this is why we have written these things, dearest friends … [when a king] … receives the kingdom of his [fathers], and all have become well disposed toward him; then he goes to the treasury, takes many offerings and gifts, and … to all his rulers … releases captives, brings out those shut up, … the wretched … And so they trust that he will be strengthened in his kingdom, and he gains dominion over the whole people …

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

Hear again, dearest friends. If it should happen [that a king] appoints a steward [over his servants], and he … [is angry with them,] seizes them without judgment or hearing, throws them into chains, loads them with blows and insults, and so … [if] they complain and report to their lord: "That prefect of yours, our fellow servant, bound us in chains, guiltless of crime; he did not judge us, nor question us, nor summon the accused": what would you have to say, brothers? Will that overseer be approved with his lord's praise? We know that such a steward, who bound his fellow servants uncondemned and treated them unjustly, will be thrown out of his authority by the king, so that as he did to his companions, so it will be done to him. For thus the King has written to us: "With the judgment you judge, you will be judged." And accusing and warning others he said: "Take heed what you hear: with the judgment you judge, you will be judged."

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

Exaltation and arrogance have thrown down many. Adam was thrust out of paradise by his pride, and dust became the serpent's food. Cain killed his brother through his insolence and was trembling and a wanderer on the earth. Ham, because he lifted himself up and mocked his father, was cursed and became a servant of servants to his brothers. Through his pride Esau lost the rights of the firstborn. Because Pharaoh hardened himself and exalted himself too much, he was drowned in the Red Sea with his army. And the sons of Eli, because they acted proudly against the people, were rejected from the priesthood of the Holy One. Goliath the Philistine, because of his insolence against David, was thrown down and put to shame, and fell in his pride. Abimelech, son of Gideon, boasted against his brothers and killed them; but the curse of Jotham his brother fell on him. Absalom, who had exalted himself and stolen the royal dignity, fell and was struck down before David's servants. Adonijah, son of Haggith, who had claimed the kingdom for himself, could not obtain it, nor did he succeed in his arrogance. Ahithophel, the counsellor of crimes, brought down his own pride. Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Solomon's servant, who stirred up sedition among the people, left a very evil memory in Israel. Ahab son of Omri was thrown down by greed for the inheritance in Jezreel, [and] received his recompense. And the king of Edom, who exalted himself against Ahab, "was not found girding on nor taking off his armour." And Haman, who raged against Mordecai, received his reward on the gallows with his sons. The bones of the Babylonians who accused Daniel were broken by the lions. And Judas, who betrayed the Savior, was drowned in the sea with a millstone hung on his neck. All these were humbled by their pride, as it is written: "A man's pride will humble him, and the humble in spirit will increase his glory."

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

See, my brothers, that in each period and in various ages God has given great victories through wise people, to restore peace and harmony among those at variance; and not through men only, but also through women. The woman of Tekoa, at Joab's urging, reconciled Absalom with David. Through a woman again peace was restored to Israel after Sheba the son of Bichri had rebelled against David. The wise woman spoke from the wall to Joab and said: "Hear, Joab, hear." He answered: "I am listening." And she said again to Joab: "In old times it was said: They used to ask the prophets carefully, and only then lay waste. Must I pay the penalty for Israel, that you seek to kill the child with its mother in Israel?" And Joab answered and said to her: "Far be it from me! I will not overthrow or lay waste, for that is not the matter; but a certain man, Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted his hand against King David; hand him over to us, and we will withdraw." And she said to him: "See, his head will be thrown to you over the wall." And she went and spoke to all the people, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab over the wall. So peace was made in Israel through a woman. Deborah too arose [as] a mother and gave judgment in Israel. And Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, cut off and brought down the glory of Sisera, commander of the army of Jabin, king of Hazor, when she drove the tent peg into his temple. Those Kenites are of the house of Moses' father-in-law; of them also Balaam son of Beor said in prophecy: "Strong is your dwelling, and your nest is set in the rock." Rebecca too, the mother of the righteous, restored peace between Jacob and Esau when she sent him away to Laban. And our Savior, the great King, brought the rebellious world back into favour with his Father; when we were sinners he bore the sin of us all and became the messenger of reconciliation between God and his creation; when we were wicked and rebellious, he asked us to be reconciled to him, as the Apostle says: "He became the ambassador of reconciliation and reconciled us with his Father." It was fitting for us, who had sinned and acted wickedly, to seek and implore that we might return to favour with our Maker; yet he himself asked reconciliation of us. For being the destroyer of evil, he took upon himself the penalty owed.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

Because of the counsel the serpent brought to Eve, Adam went out of paradise. But the serpent was punished with a heavy and harsh penalty. [God] deprived it of food, putting dust under it; it was thrown down to the earth, to go on its belly, and he took from it the feet with which it had committed iniquity and run at Adam. So as long as it lives it will eat dust for ever, because it seduced Eve with food; he set it as an enemy and gave its head to be trampled. Now people like the serpent that seduced Eve have arisen in our midst: seducers, troublers, perverse, insolent, deceitful, and malicious, who build iniquity and tear down righteousness; they sow malice and root up the good; they nourish tares and spoil the wheat; they mock the righteous and bless the wicked; they love the proud and hate the humble; they praise and approve liars, but despise truthful men and accuse them of lying; they vow iniquity and carry out fraud; they conceive and bring forth ruinous words; they twist their tongues and speak vanity; empty of good, swollen with falsehood, they have no fruits that can be eaten; for they are soaked with the serpent's poison.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

For what good is strife? What does envy profit those who practise it? It separated Cain from his beloved Abel. Jealousy devoted Cain to the curse. … It sold Joseph, destroyed Pharaoh, drove out Jacob, consumed Korah and threw down his companions; it killed Zimri, stoned Achan, finished off Eli, overthrew Sisera, destroyed Jabin, drove Saul to frenzy, wiped out Goliath, trampled Amalek, overwhelmed Absalom, stirred up Adonijah, led Jeroboam astray and split the people; it overturned Gibeah and destroyed its inhabitants, threw Sennacherib into confusion and ruined his army; it killed Haman, put the slanderers to shame, and uprooted Israel and scattered it among all the nations. Zeal and quarrelling destroyed all these.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

But let us turn to our Savior, who says to us: "This is my commandment, that you love one another." And the Apostle said: "Owe no one anything, except to love one another." And he exalts love further, saying: "If I do all good and beautiful things, but love is not in me, I am nothing." Love covers crimes, love blots out sins, love withdraws from pride, love is separated from exaltation; love is far from strife; love is higher than jealousy; love rises above dissension; love is a stranger to greed; love is foreign to mockery; love flees evil. For the fruits of love are most sweet, pleasant, honourable, and comely. Love rescued Noah from the flood, delivered Rahab from the sword of Joshua, exalted David and wiped away his sins; it saved Hezekiah from the hands of his enemies, justified Asa, cleansed Josiah; love restrained the fire of the furnace from Hananiah and his companions in the land of Babylon; it brought Daniel out of the pit; it set Esther and Mordecai free from the hands of Haman. Love conquers hatred, blots out sins, removes iniquity, overcomes jealousy, quenches quarrels, dissolves enmities, calms the angry, and breaks the snares of malice. Love has many lovers, and its kindness is most abundant. Love endures mockery; love bears reproach; love restrains itself; love appeases enemies and reconciles those at variance; love accepts injury; love loves silence, loves the humble, loves those who practise piety, loves the wise; it loves fasting, loves prayer, loves alms; it loves the simple, loves the perfect, loves the honest, loves penitents; it loves the sons of peace; it has mercy, cherishes, gathers and collects, kindles and gladdens. Love, if it is harassed with insults, bridles the mind; it bears patiently and endures injury quietly and silently. Love does not love anger, does not rejoice in quarrelling, and takes no pleasure in jealousy. It does not inquire about [future] days, nor turn over in its mind what will be in [coming] years. For love is long-suffering and kind; its nature is careful and generous, its thought lofty, and its feeling at rest. Love does not mock, nor blame or scoff; it is not puffed up, nor proud, nor does it exalt itself or boast. Love considers itself, knows its own condition, is quiet, silent, and temperate; it loves all and is loved by all. Love conceives peace and gives birth to salvation; it brings back happiness and thinks good things. For love is not overcome by evil. Love is light, love is salt, love is the fountain of good things, love is the best seal, a precious pearl and treasure; love is the seal of all things; it meditates on wisdom, and its ways are desirable. Love is a sound mind, the most excellent thought, the contemplation of hope, the most perfect meditation, a faithful conscience. Blessed is he who holds fast to love, through which sweet fruits come forth happily. For love withdraws from strife, which is destructive of peace.

[15] O King of the ages! see, we fall down before you, who show yourself magnanimous toward all your creation. All the works of darkness are clear before you, and you know the thoughts of all people. Many receive food from you with ungrateful hearts and refuse to acknowledge you in your works. You, according to your kindness, show yourself long-suffering toward the children of men; you do not judge us before your judgment, nor rebuke nor condemn us, and your grace is not withdrawn from the wicked. You make your sun rise, send down your rain, and command your wind to blow; you feed, sustain, nourish, and refresh, and the wicked are left in the world beside the good, the tares with the wheat, sinners with the righteous, and the guilty beside the innocent. For the sake of the wheat the tares are kept until the harvest; the wicked are left until the judgment for the sake of the righteous; sinners will remain until the end because of the good, and the unbelieving will not be judged before the judgment because of the godly. For if ten righteous had been found, five cities would have been saved for their sake; and Zoar too was not overthrown because of Lot. Likewise in the days of Jeremiah, if someone had been found to stand in the breach and build up the hedge, Jerusalem might perhaps not have been overthrown; for so Moses stood in the breach of his people, Joshua the son of Nun put up a hedge around them, Hezekiah poured out prayer, Asa brought supplication, Josiah cleansed the land, Daniel brought back the captivity, and Mordecai triumphed openly. Each of all the righteous, while he lived, stood in the breach of his people, poured out supplications, and appeased the mercy of the Most High.