Homiletic Fragment I

* * * sorrow cometh,
many and various,
into the joy of men ;
one man another
with envy
and with despiteful words
blameth behind his back,
speaks him fair before his face,
and nevertheless the evil
hath in his heart,
an unclean hoard.
But conscious of the guilt he is.

Because the prophet saith :
“Give not thou me together
with the sinful
into the perdition of punishment,
O Lord of Hosts,
nor desert me in life
with the workers of lies,
those that full smooth
speech have,
and in the chests of their spirit
grim thoughts :
who promise kindly
as their hope goeth not,
their pledge with the lips.”
Evil is in mood
the mind defiled with sins,
mixed up with evil,
filled with treachery,
although it fair words
outwardly show.
Like are they
as the bees bear
both together
an excellent food,
and a poisonous tail
they have behind them,
honey in the mouth,
a pleasant food,
and sometimes wound
sore with (their sting)
when the time cometh.
Such resemble
false men
who with the tongue
promise fidelity
in fair words,
but treacherously think,
when they as soon as possible
narrowly betray ;
have in their promises
the taste of honey,
the smooth speech of peace,
and within their mind,
through the devil's craft,
a secret wound.
Thus now is this earth
mixed up with wickedness ;
it waneth and waxeth ;
the old one waketh,
deceiveth and oppresseth
by day and night,
mercy with crime,
it trusteth on its strength,
it persecuteth the just,
it soweth evil,
mischief in abundance.
No one his neighbour
so loveth in spirit,
save very few,
that he truly
holdeth peace,
spiritual love,
as God commanded him ;
because altogether
hope he chooseth,
a pleasant world,
who is not wise,
prudent and skilled
in the wisdom of the soul.
Let us now turn to the better !
Now we can think,
and hope
that we the light of heaven,
above with the angels
may possess,
for the comfort of our spirits,
when God will
of our earthly life
make an end.