The Gospel of Ariel: Volume II

XXXVIII

Meanwhile, I spoke to the Pharisees,

Thus saith the our Fathers,

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Every word of God is flawless; he is a shieMeld to those who take refuge in him. He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. My mouth speaks what is true, All the words of my mouth are just; Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching, Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not lie; thou shalt not covet. If sinful men entice you, spilling innocent blood, casting lots, and distributing loot, do not become one of them. put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle . A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.. One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.. The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify. . Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin. When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach. Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die. Accept my words and store up my commands within you, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, who delight in wrongdoing and rejoice in the pervasiveness of evil To fear the LORD is to hate evil; The wicked will not go unpunished. A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes.The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death. All who hate me love death. Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. Righteousness delivers from death. In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality. Blessings crown the head of the righteous. The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot. The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead. Those who are righteous will go free. and so the innocent escape trouble. Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. The way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil. the blameless will receive a good inheritance. The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe..Fear the Lord and shun evil. If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner! f a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace. Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk. The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right. A corrupt witness mocks at justice. Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker. If you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. Penalties are prepared for mockers. The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures. The proud and arrogant person—"Mocker" is his name— behaves with insolent fury,. Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence . Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.; The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. How long will mockers delight in mockery, and fools hate knowledge? The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both. It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice. Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both. give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise ,I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD? The unfaithful have an appetite for violence. The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright. Can you not rest until you do evil? Why do you eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence? The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright. Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead? Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it. Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not come to rest. Know you not that the the way of the righteous is like that of the morning sun, but the way of the wicked is like deep darkness? Can a man not walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? Under three things the earth trembles, The greatest of these is a servant who becomes king, . Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know! But there are those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth .Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge in the grave; let no one hold them back, for the grave is among those things which is never satisfied. A person's own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD. he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.Since you hate knowledge and do not fear God, your wayward ways will kill you. And, since you refuse to listen and repent, I will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock you when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you, then you will call out to me, but I will not answer; you will look for me but will not find me. Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity. Men such as you thirst for your own blood.!