Neither matted hair thou wantest nor shaven head, if thou abstain from that which the world contemneth.
XXIX
Abstaining from Fraud
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Whoso wanteth not to be held in contempt, let him guard himself against every thought of fraud.
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It is a sin even to say in one’s heart, I shall cheat my neighbour of his substance.
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The fortune that is built up by fraud may appear to thrive; but it is doomed forever.
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The thirst for plunder leadeth in its season to endless grief.
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Behold the man that coveteth other men’s substance and lieth in wait to catch them napping: he thinketh not of grace and love is far from his heart.
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The man who thirsteth after plunder cannot weigh things aright: nor can he walk in the way of righteousness.
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Behold the man that hath weighed the things of this world and made his heart firm: he committeth not the folly of cheating his neighbour.
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As Righteousness resideth in the heart of him who valueth things aright, even so Deceit hath its seat in the heart of the thief.
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Behold the man who meditateth on nothing but theft and plunder: he will leave the right path and perish.
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He that deceiveth others is not master even of his own body: but the world of the Gods itself is a never-failing inheritance unto the men that are righteous.
XXX
Truthfulness
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What is truthfulness? It is the speaking of that which is free from even the slightest taint of evil.
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Even falsehood is of the nature of truth if it bringeth forth unmixed good.18
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Bear not false witness against thy neighbour: for thy own conscience will burn thee when thou hast lied.
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Behold the man whose heart is free from falsehood: he reigneth in the hearts of all.
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Behold the man whose heart is fixed in truthfulness: he is greater than the austere and greater than he that distributeth alms.
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There is no greater renown for a man than the renown that he is a stranger unto falsehood: such a man obtaineth every blessing without mortifying the body.
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If a map can live without ever uttering a falsehood, all other virtue is superfluous unto him.
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The cleanliness of the body belongeth unto water: but the purity of the heart is proved by truthfulness.
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The worthy regard not all other light as light: it is only the light of truth that they look upon as a veritable illumination.
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Many things have I seen in this world: but of all the things that I have seen, there is nothing that is higher than truth.
XXXI
Abstaining from Anger
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He alone can be said to forbear who hath the power to strike: as to him that hath not the power, what mattereth it whether he forbeareth or forbeareth not?
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It is wrong to get angry even when thou art helpless to strike: and when thou hast the power, there is nothing that is worse than anger.
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Whoever thy offender may be, forget thy anger: for from anger springeth a multitude of ills.
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Anger killeth the smile and it destroyeth cheer: hath man a crueller foe than anger?
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If thou want to look after thyself, keep off from choler: for if thou keep not off, it will come upon thee and destroy thy own self.
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Choler destroyeth every man whom it approacheth: and it burneth also the family of him who nurseth it.
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He who nurseth his rage as if it were a precious thing is like unto the man who dasheth his hand against the ground: the hand of this man escapeth not from injury, and the destruction of the first is as certain.
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Even when thy wrongs burn as the flaming of many fires, it is good if thou canst abstain from anger.
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All the desires of a man will be fulfilled on the instant if from his heart he banish anger.
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Whoso is overwhelmed with anger is like one dead: but whoso hath forsworn wrathfulness is like unto the saints.
XXXII
Non-Injuring
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The pure in heart injure not others even for the sake of the wealth that glorifieth a man: for that is their way.
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Even when another hath injured them in his hate, the pure in heart return not the injury: for that is their way.
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If thou injure another, even though it be only a man who hath injured thee without any provocation, thou simply bringest down upon thyself evils that can never be remedied.
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How shall a man punish them that have injured him? Let him do them a good turn and make them ashamed in their hearts.
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Of what avail is intelligence to a man if he doth not look on others’ pain as his own and abstain from injuring any?
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When a man hath felt a pain for himself, let him take care that he inflicteth it not on others.
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It is a great thing it thou injure not knowingly any man, at any time, and in any degree.
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He who hath felt what pain meaneth to himself, how doth he bring himself to inflict it on others?
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If a man injureth his neighbour in the forenoon, evil will come to him in the afternoon of its own accord.
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All evil recoileth on the head of the wrongdoer: they abstain therefore from wrongdoing who desire to be immune from ills.
XXXIII
Non-Killing
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The greatest of virtues is non-killing: killing bringeth in its train every other sin.
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To divide one’s bread with the needy and to abstain from killing: this is the greatest of all the commandments of all the prophets.
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The greatest virtue of all is non-killing: truthfulness cometh only next.
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What is the good way? It is the path that taketh thought how it may save even the smallest of creatures from being killed.
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Among all that have renounced this life with its fears of ill, the chiefest is he that reverenceth all life for fear of killing any.
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Behold the man who hath taken the vow of non-killing: Death that eateth away all life maketh no inroads into
