CHAPTER1
Issachar,thefifthsonofJacoband Leah.Thesinlesschildofhirefor mandrakesHeappealsforsimplicity
1ThecopyofthewordsofIssachar.
2Forhecalledhissonsandsaidto them:Hearken,mychildren,to Issacharyourfather;giveeartothe wordsofhimwhoisbelovedofthe Lord.
3IwasbornthefifthsontoJacob,by wayofhireforthemandrakes.
4ForReubenmybrotherbroughtin mandrakesfromthefield,andRachel methimandtookthem.
5AndReubenwept,andathisvoice Leahmymothercameforth.
6Nowthesemandrakesweresweetsmellingappleswhichwereproduced inthelandofHaranbelowaravineof water.
7AndRachelsaid:Iwillnotgive themtothee,buttheyshallbetome insteadofchildren.
8FortheLordhathdespisedme,andI havenotbornechildrentoJacob.
9Nowthereweretwoapples;and LeahsaidtoRachel:Letitsufficethee thatthouhasttakenmyhusband:wilt thoutakethesealso?
10AndRachelsaidtoher:Thoushalt haveJacobthisnightforthe mandrakesofthyson,
11AndLeahsaidtoher:Jacobismine, forIamthewifeofhisyouth.
12ButRachelsaid:Boastnot,and vauntnotthyself;forheespousedme beforethee,andformysakeheserved ourfatherfourteenyears.
13Andhadnotcraftincreasedonthe earthandthewickednessofmen prospered,thouwouldstnotnowsee thefaceofJacob.
14Forthouartnothiswife,butin craftwerttakentohiminmystead. 15Andmyfatherdeceivedme,and removedmeonthatnight,anddidnot sufferJacobtoseeme;forhadIbeen there,thishadnothappenedtohim.
16Nevertheless,forthemandrakesI amhiringJacobtotheeforonenight.
17AndJacobknewLeah,andshe conceivedandbareme,andon accountofthehireIwascalled Issachar.
18ThenappearedtoJacobanangelof theLord,saying:Twochildrenshall Rachelbear,inasmuchasshehath refusedcompanywithherhusband, andhathchosencontinency.
19AndhadnotLeahmymotherpaid thetwoapplesforthesakeofhis company,shewouldhaveborneeight sons;forthisreasonshebaresix,and Rachelbarethetwo:foronaccountof themandrakestheLordvisitedher.
20ForHeknewthatforthesakeof childrenshewishedtocompanywith Jacob,andnotforlustofpleasure.
21Foronthemorrowalsosheagain gaveupJacob.
22Becauseofthemandrakes, therefore,theLordhearkenedto Rachel.
23Forthoughshedesiredthem,she catthemnot,butofferedtheminthe houseoftheLord,presentingthemto thepriestoftheMostHighwhowasat thattime.
24When,therefore,Igrewup,my children,Iwalkedinuprightnessof heart,andIbecameahusbandmanfor myfatherandmybrethren,andI broughtinfruitsfromthefield accordingtotheirseason.
25Andmyfatherblessedme,forhe sawthatIwalkedinrectitudebefore him.
26AndIwasnotabusybodyinmy doings,norenviousandmalicious againstmyneighbour.
27Ineverslanderedanyone,nordidI censurethelifeofanyman,walkingas Ididinsinglenessofeye.
28Therefore,whenIwasthirty-five yearsold,Itooktomyselfawife,for mylabourworeawaymystrength,and Ineverthoughtuponpleasurewith women;butowingtomytoil,sleep overcameme.
29Andmyfatheralwaysrejoicedin myrectitude,becauseIoffered throughthepriesttotheLordallfirstfruits;thentomyfatheralso.
30AndtheLordincreasedten thousandfoldHisbenefitsinmyhands; andalsoJacob,myfather,knewthat Godaidedmysingleness.
31ForonallthepoorandoppressedI bestowedthegoodthingsoftheearth inthesinglenessofmyheart.
32Andnow,hearkentome,my children,andwalkinsinglenessof yourheart,forIhaveseeninitallthat iswell-pleasingtotheLord.'
33Thesingle-mindedmancoveteth notgold,heoverreachethnothis neighbour,helongethnotafter manifolddainties,hedelightethnotin variedapparel.
34Hedothnotdesiretolivealong life,butonlywaitethforthewillof God.
35Andthespiritsofdeceithaveno poweragainsthim,forhelookethnot onthebeautyofwomen,lestheshould pollutehismindwithcorruption.
36Thereisnoenvyinhisthoughts,no maliciouspersonmakethhissoulto pineaway,norworrywithinsatiable desireinhismind.
37Forhewalkethinsinglenessofsoul, andbeholdethallthingsinuprightness ofheart,shunningeyesmadeevil throughtheerroroftheworld,lesthe shouldseetheperversionofanyofthe commandmentsoftheLord.
38Keep,therefore,mychildren,the lawofGod,andgetsingleness,and walkinguilelessness,notplayingthe busybodywiththebusinessofyour neighbour,butlovetheLordandyour neighbour,havecompassiononthe poorandweak.
39Bowdownyourbackunto husbandry,andtoilinlaboursinall mannerofhusbandry,offeringgiftsto theLordwiththanksgiving.
40Forwiththefirst-fruitsoftheearth willtheLordblessyou,evenasHe blessedallthesaintsfromAbeleven untilnow.
41Fornootherportionisgiventoyou thanofthefatnessoftheearth,whose fruitsareraisedbytoil.
42ForourfatherJacobblessedme withblessingsoftheearthandoffirstfruits.
43AndLeviandJudahwereglorified bytheLordevenamongthesonsof Jacob;fortheLordgavetheman
inheritance,andtoLeviHegavethe priesthood,andtoJudahthekingdom.
44Anddoyethereforeobeythem,and walkinthesinglenessofyourfather; foruntoGadhathitbeengivento destroythetroopsthatarecoming uponIsrael.
10Aliepassednotthroughmylips.
11IfanymanwereindistressIjoined mysighswithhis,
12AndIsharedmybreadwiththe poor.
13Iwroughtgodliness,allmydaysI kepttruth.
14IlovedtheLord;likewisealso everymanwithallmyheart.
CHAPTER2
1Knowyetherefore,mychildren,that inthelasttimesyoursonswillforsake singleness,andwillcleaveunto insatiabledesire.
2Andleavingguilelessness,willdraw neartomalice;andforsakingthe commandmentsoftheLord,theywill cleaveuntoBeliar.
3Andleavinghusbandry,theywill followaftertheirownwickeddevices, andtheyshallbedispersedamongthe Gentiles,andshallservetheirenemies.
4Anddoyouthereforegivethese commandstoyourchildren,that,if theysin,theymaythemorequickly returntotheLord;ForHeismerciful, andwilldeliverthem,eventobring thembackintotheirland.
5Behold,therefore,asyesee,Iama hundredandtwenty-sixyearsoldand amnotconsciousofcommittingany sin.
6ExceptmywifeIhavenotknown anywoman.Inevercommitted fornicationbytheupliftingofmyeyes.
7Idranknotwine,tobeledastray thereby;
8Icovetednotanydesirablethingthat wasmyneighbour's.
9Guilearosenotinmyheart;
15Sodoyoualsothesethings,my children,andeveryspiritofBeliar shallfleefromyou,andnodeedof wickedmenshallruleoveryou;
16Andeverywildbeastshallye subdue,sinceyouhavewithyouthe Godofheavenandearthandwalk withmeninsinglenessofheart.
17Andhavingsaidthesethings,he commandedhissonsthattheyshould carryhimuptoHebron,andburyhim thereinthecavewithhisfathers.
18Andhestretchedouthisfeetand died,atagoodoldage;withevery limbsound,andwithstrength unabated,heslepttheeternalsleep.