Chapter 24
Why are we unhappy? – Parable: The Unkept Field – Awaken
your self by your self – The burden of unceasing want – There is no fire which
burns like passion – A weigher of weighty matters – The good man: what he is
like – Putting away your anger – “Live you happily then” – On personal
discipline – A sin greater than sin – On fears and superstitions
1 These are the words
which Yeshua spoke upon the way, while yet he rested by the waters of the sea;
and there spoke unto him a disciple, saying:
2 “Tell us, Lord, by
what means we shall remove from us the things which wound and make heavy the
heart of man; for in this life are we ever weighed down with many sorrows.
3 Behold, O Lord, how
the children of men are made to suffer, being oppressed by a multitude of
care.”
4 And the Master
taught them, saying: “If you would that you should not dwell in the house of
sorrow, then give heed and be wise.
5 For there was a
certain man which had a field which brought forth neither profit nor beauty,
for he tilled and dressed it not, neither would he plant any good thing
therein.
6 And there sprung up
all manner of noxious weeds, and there came and dwelt in the wild grasses of
the field, all manner of serpents and scorpions.
7 Thus it was that
unto whatsoever person who should happen upon the field, even they would find
to the eye no pleasant thing to see or to taste;
8 But unto them would
come forth all manner of deadly things which would imperil the soul of man.
9 In like manner
shall you become even as this field, if you take no care to till and dress the
soul wherein you should plant all manner of goodly things, both to see and to
taste.
10 Beware, therefore,
of weeds which creep in unawares, for even as weeds will make of no value the
field without;
11 Even so shall hate
and envy, fear and folly make of no worth the soul within, being filled with
impurities of every kind.
12 For you are all
become as a withered leaf which even the wind would carry unto death.
13 Behold, then how
you shake and tremble all about because of some adversity, for you have made
for the soul no refuge within, neither have you taken to yourself any
provision.
14 For you delight
always in the things of this world, ever moving between that which is good and
that which is less.
15 If then you would
set free the soul from sorrow and secure for yourself the happiness of life,
then awaken yourself by your Self, examine yourself by your Self.
16 Thus guarded by
your self and ever attentive, you will dwell in the house of happiness.
17 For the self is
lord of the self always, and the self is the refuge of the self; therefore,
tame yourself even as the charioteer would tame for the race a fine horse.
18 For consider by
what strange powers you are driven about; for men which are driven by a
multitude of wanting are become as the hunted hare.
19 Being chased about
on every side, they suffer continually without relief, going always from one
want to another, seeking therein some refuge.
20 Who then bears the
greater burden, he which is slave only to some other, or he that is rich and
filled with wanting?
21 For the slave,
when he dies, is set at liberty again. But he which is ever grasping for things
of which he has no need, wherein shall he be free?
22 Seeing that in
death he is fettered still, being filled again and again with wanting.
23 Whosoever shall
lay aside the burden of wanting, from him shall sorrow fall quickly away; and
the end of all his days shall be as peace and happiness.
24 For the undoing of
all want conquers a multitude of sorrow; for want is the child of envy, filling
the soul with all manner of corruption and impurity.
25 Whosoever,
therefore, would secure happiness by inflicting suffering upon some other, unto
them shall no happiness be given, but misery upon misery only.
26 For such as these
are wrapped round about with bitter gall, being bound securely by all manner of
hate and envy, ever fearful and filled with folly.
27 For greediness is
the worst of diseases; and unrestraint leads to the greatest of sorrows; for
out of desire and want are come all manner of grief and fear.
28 Therefore, if you
would be happy still, beware of envy, beware of want; for if you envy not,
wherein shall you grieve; if you want not, of what shall you be afraid?
29 For he in whom
envy is destroyed, being plucked out by the very root, he it is who, day by
day, increaseth happiness.
30 For there is no
fire which burns like passion, no capturer of the self like hatred, no snare to
the soul like delusion, and no torrent like unceasing want, carrying away upon
the flood all tranquility.
31 Be you, therefore,
as a refiner of fine silver, removing by the fire all impurities within, one by
one, here a little there a little, and from time to time purifying always the
soul within.
32 Be you also like
unto a weigher of weighty matters, both prudent and wise; who, holding as it
were the scales of good and evil, takes only what is good.
33 For whosoever
kills another, who speaks falsehood continually, who takes from another what is
not his own, who gives himself wantonly to passion, even this one is destroyed
already, having dug himself up by the roots altogether.
34 But where unto
shall we find the goodly man, who, having subdued the self within, is made all
happy without?
35 In him has virtue
and joy embraced together, being established forever in the bosom of the Father
which comes from above;
36 For all his ways
are founded in goodness, tending always the affairs of his own soul; this then
is the one whom God holds dear.
37 For in him is the
mystery revealed, who, being rooted in the richness of his own soul, is free of
envy and want, fear and hate;
38 This is he who,
ascending the stream and the flood, returneth unto God to dwell above the
earth.
39 And when he is returned,
behold, how the Heavens shout together and leap for joy at his coming; for that
which was lost is found again, and that which was gone far away is returned.
40 Therefore, if you
would be happy, seek not the company of fools; neither go you into the way of
those which are ever grasping, but who are never able to lay hold.
41 Let each man put
away his anger, let him renounce a multitude of wanting. For they which are
free of envy and strife shall become happy altogether.
42 Give heed,
therefore, and be you wise; that you may know of a surety that all anger is
overcome by gentleness only, that all evil is overcome by goodness, that
miserliness is overcome by liberality, and that falsehood is overcome by the
truth.
43 For one should
speak rightly always and not yield to anger, even if you be asked for a little.
By these means shall you enter into happiness, being made one with God who is
your Father.
44 Live you happily
then, hating no one; that you may dwell free of hate even among those which hate.
45 Live you happily
then, being free of such diseases as afflict others; for health is the greatest
of gifts, contentment is the greatest wealth, and trust in God the surest
deliverance.
46 Live you happily
then, being free from care in the midst of those which are overburdened with
care already; be you free of want among those which are filled with much
wanting.
47 Live you happily
then, even though you possess but little. Dwell richly always, feeding upon
such happiness as God shall give; for, behold, he cares for you.
48 Give not yourself
to reviling, neither injure others beside; but be you disciplined in all things
pertaining to both body and spirit;
49 Eating moderately
and not given to drunkenness; dwelling oft in some solitary place that you may
offer unto God the prayers and meditations of the heart;
50 Turning always the
mind unto some higher thought that you may become as noble and purified within;
being ever awakened by the light which comes from above.
51 For there are many
which slumber in the light, and when they are awakened, behold, it is all dark
within, and fear creepeth in all about.
52 For I tell you
truly that there is a sin greater than sin, a darkness greater than darkness,
and an impurity greater than impurity.
53 Know, therefore,
that ignorance is greater than all these things, making dull and dim witted the
soul within.
54 Unto such as these
arise all manner of vain thoughts and superstitions, filling the hearts of men
with despair and fear continually.
55 For such men, ever
fleeing and seeking refuge will run in haste to mountain and forest, to sacred
groves and to temple shrines;
56 Yet when they are
arrived, behold, fear greeteth them at the very door, and darkness descends all
about to make sleep again.
57 Beware of others
who would but distract, but turn your soul unto prayer and meditation, for
therein alone shall God reveal the hidden portion which makes rich the happy
life.
58 And seek not the
welfare of the body only, for it is the soul within that leads to happiness.”
59 These then are the
words which Yeshua taught by the sea. And rising from his place he journeyed
unto Sidon.
~ Source: Song of God / The Book of Yeshua / Chapter 24 ~
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