प्रवक्ता ग्रन्थ 38

1Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most High hath created him.

2For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the king.

3The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be praised.

4The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.

5Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?

6The virtue of these things is come to the knowledge of men, and the meet High hath given knowledge to men, that he may be honoured in his wonders.

7By these he shall cure and shall allay their pains, and of these the apothecary shall make sweet confections, and shall make up ointments of health, and of his works there shall be no end.

8For the peace of God is over all the face of the earth.

9My son, in thy sickness neglect not thyself, but pray to the Lord, and he shall heal thee.

10Turn away from sin and order thy hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all offence.

11Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour, and make a fat offering, and then give place to the physician.

12For the Lord created him: and let him not depart from thee, for his works are necessary.

13For there is a time when thou must fall into their hands:

14And they shall beseech the Lord, that he would prosper what they give for ease and remedy, for their conversation.

15He that sinneth in the sight of his Maker, shall fall into the hands of the physician.

16My son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to lament as if thou hadst suffered some great harm, and according to judgment cover his body, and neglect not his burial.

17And for fear of being ill spoken of weep bitterly for a, day, and then comfort thyself in thy sadness.

18And make mourning for him according to his merit for a day, or two, for fear of detraction.

19For of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength, and the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.

20In withdrawing aside sorrow remaineth: and the substance of the poor is according to his heart.

21Give not up thy heart to sadness, but drive it from thee: and remember the latter end.

22Forget it not: for there is no returning, and thou shalt do him no good, and shalt hurt thyself.

23Remember my judgment: for also shall be so: yesterday for me, and today for thee.

24When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest, and comfort him in the departing of his spirit.

25The wisdom of a scribe cometh by his time of leisure: and he that is less in action, shall receive wisdom.

26With what wisdom shall he be furnished that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth the oxen therewith, and is occupied in their labours, and his whole talk is about the offspring of bulls?

27He shall give his mind to turn up furrows, and his care is to give the kine fodder.

28So every craftsman and workmaster that laboureth night and day, he who maketh graven seals, and by his continual diligence varieth the figure: he shall give his mind to the resemblance of the picture, and by his watching shall finish the work.

29So doth the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the iron work. The vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace.

30The noise of the hammer is always in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the vessel he maketh.

31He setteth his mind to finish his work, and his watching to polish them, to perfection.

32So doth the potter sitting at his work, turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always carefully set to his work, and maketh all his work by number:

33He fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength before his feet:

34He shall give his mind to finish the glazing, and his watching to make clean the furnace.

35All these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his own art.

36Without these a city is not built.

37And they shall not dwell, nor walk about therein, and they shall not go up into the assembly.

38Upon the judges’ seat they shall not sit, and the ordinance of judgment they shall not understand, neither shall they declare discipline and judgment, and they shall not be found where parables are spoken:

39But they shall strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer shall be in the work of their craft, applying their soul, and searching in the law of the most High.

1[Honora medicum propter necessitatem: etenim illum creavit Altissimus.

2A Deo est enim omnis medela, et a rege accipiet donationem.

3Disciplina medici exaltabit caput illius, et in conspectu magnatorum collaudabitur.

4Altissimus creavit de terra medicamenta, et vir prudens non abhorrebit illa.

5Nonne a ligno indulcata est aqua amara?

6Ad agnitionem hominum virtus illorum: et dedit hominibus scientiam Altissimus, honorari in mirabilibus suis.

7In his curans mitigabit dolorem: et unguentarius faciet pigmenta suavitatis, et unctiones conficiet sanitatis: et non consummabuntur opera ejus.

8Pax enim Dei super faciem terræ.

9Fili, in tua infirmitate ne despicias teipsum: sed ora Dominum, et ipse curabit te.

10Averte a delicto, et dirige manus, et ab omni delicto munda cor tuum.

11Da suavitatem et memoriam similaginis, et impingua oblationem, et da locum medico:

12etenim illum Dominus creavit, et non discedat a te, quia opera ejus sunt necessaria.

13Est enim tempus quando in manus illorum incurras:

14ipsi vero Dominum deprecabuntur, ut dirigat requiem eorum, et sanitatem, propter conversationem illorum.

15Qui delinquit in conspectu ejus qui fecit eum, incidet in manus medici.]

16[Fili, in mortuum produc lacrimas, et quasi dira passus incipe plorare: et secundum judicium contege corpus illius, et non despicias sepulturam illius.

17Propter delaturam autem amare fer luctum illius uno die, et consolare propter tristitiam:

18et fac luctum secundum meritum ejus uno die, vel duobus, propter detractionem:

19a tristitia enim festinat mors, et cooperit virtutem, et tristitia cordis flectit cervicem.

20In abductione permanet tristitia, et substantia inopis secundum cor ejus.

21Ne dederis in tristitia cor tuum, sed repelle eam a te, et memento novissimorum.

22Noli oblivisci, neque enim est conversio: et huic nihil proderis, et teipsum pessimabis.

23Memor esto judicii mei: sic enim erit et tuum: mihi heri, et tibi hodie.

24In requie mortui requiescere fac memoriam ejus, et consolare illum in exitu spiritus sui.]

25[Sapientia scribæ in tempore vacuitatis, et qui minoratur actu sapientiam percipiet, qua sapientia replebitur.

26Qui tenet aratrum, et qui gloriatur in jaculo, stimulo boves agitat, et conversatur in operibus eorum, et enarratio ejus in filiis taurorum.

27Cor suum dabit ad versandos sulcos, et vigilia ejus in sagina vaccarum.

28Sic omnis faber et architectus, qui noctem tamquam diem transigit: qui sculpit signacula sculptilia, et assiduitas ejus variat picturam: cor suum dabit in similitudinem picturæ, et vigilia sua perficiet opus.

29Sic faber ferrarius sedens juxta incudem, et considerans opus ferri: vapor ignis uret carnes ejus, et in calore fornacis concertatur.

30Vox mallei innovat aurem ejus, et contra similitudinem vasis oculus ejus.

31Cor suum dabit in consummationem operum, et vigilia sua ornabit in perfectionem.

32Sic figulus sedens ad opus suum, convertens pedibus suis rotam, qui in sollicitudine positus est semper propter opus suum, et in numero est omnis operatio ejus.

33In brachio suo formabit lutum, et ante pedes suos curvabit virtutem suam.

34Cor suum dabit ut consummet linitionem, et vigilia sua mundabit fornacem.

35Omnes hi in manibus suis speraverunt, et unusquisque in arte sua sapiens est.

36Sine his omnibus non ædificatur civitas,

37et non inhabitabunt, nec inambulabunt, et in ecclesiam non transilient.

38Super sellam judicis non sedebunt, et testamentum judicii non intelligent, neque palam facient disciplinam et judicium, et in parabolis non invenientur:

39sed creaturam ævi confirmabunt: et deprecatio illorum in operatione artis, accomodantes animam suam, et conquirentes in lege Altissimi.]

1Honor the physician because of necessity, and because the Most High created him.

2For all healing is from God, and so he will receive gifts from the King.

3The expertise of the physician will lift up his head, and in the sight of great men, he will be praised.

4The Most High has created medicines from the earth, and a prudent man will not abhor them.

5Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?

6The benefits of these things is recognized by men, and the Most High has given this knowledge to men, so that he may be honored in his wonders.

7By these things, he will cure or mitigate their suffering, and the pharmacist will make soothing ointments, and he will form healing medicines, and there will be no end to his works.

8For the peace of God is upon the surface of the earth.

9Son, in your infirmity, you should not neglect yourself, but pray to the Lord, and he will cure you.

10Turn away from sin, and direct your hands, and cleanse your heart from every offense.

11Give a sweet offering, and a memorial of fine flour, and fatten your oblation, but also give a place to the physician.

12For the Lord created him. And so, do not let him depart from you, for his works are necessary.

13For there is a time when you may fall into their hands.

14Truly, they will beseech the Lord, so that he may direct their treatments and cures, for the sake of their way of life.

15He who sins in the sight of the One who made him will fall into the hands of the physician.

16Son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to weep, as if you had suffered dreadfully. And according to judgment, cover his body, and you should not neglect his burial.

17And though you will sink down into bitterness, bear his mourning for one day, and then be consoled in your sadness.

18And carry out his mourning, according to his merit, for one or two days because of this loss.

19Yet sadness hastens death and overwhelms strength, and the sorrow of the heart bows down the neck.

20When one is taken away, sorrow remains. But the resources of a destitute man is found in his heart.

21You should not give your heart over to sadness, but push it away from you. And remember the very end.

22Do not be willing to forget this; for there is no turning back. Otherwise, it will not benefit you, and you will cause great harm to yourself.

23Call to mind my judgment. For so shall it be for you also. Yesterday is mine, and today is yours.

24When the deceased is at rest, let his memory rest also. And console him at the departure of his spirit.

25The wisdom of a scribe is found in his time of leisure. So whoever has less to do will gain wisdom.

26With what wisdom will someone be filled who holds the plow, and who boasts of the cattle prod that drives the oxen forward, and who is occupied in these labors, and whose only conversation is about the offspring of bulls?

27He will give his mind over to the plowing of furrows, and his vigilance to the fattening of the cows.

28Similarly, every craftsman and artisan, who crafts in the night as well as in the day, who sculpts graven seals, and who, by his diligence, varies the image, will give his mind over to the likeness of the image. And he will complete the work by his vigilance.

29The blacksmith, sitting by his anvil and considering a work of iron, is similar. The steam from the fire singes his flesh, and he struggles against the heat of the furnace.

30The voice of the hammer is ever in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the ironwork.

31He gives his heart to the completion of his work, and his vigilance adorns it to perfection.

32The potter, sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet, is similar. He has settled into a continual concern for his work, and there is a rhythm in all that he does.

33He forms the clay with his arm, and he bends his strength over his feet.

34He will give his heart over to the completion of the glazing, and his vigilance to the cleansing of the furnace.

35All these persons trust in their own hands, and each one is wise in his own art.

36Without these persons, a city is not built.

37But they will neither inhabit nor walk around in the city. And they will not go across to the church.

38They will not sit upon the seats of judges, and they will not understand a decree of judgment. And they will not make clear discipline and judgment, and they will not be found to understand parables.

39But they will strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer will be in their artistic works, applying their soul, and searching the law of the Most High.