Chapter 41

41. O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that lives at rest in his possessions, unto the man that has prosperity in all things, and to him that is yet able to receive meat! O death, acceptable is your sentence unto the needy, and unto him whose strength fails, that is now in the last age, and is vexed with all things, and to him that despairs, and has lost patience. Fear not the sentence of death, remember them that have been before you, and that come after, for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh, and why are you against the pleasure of the most High? There is no inquisition in the grave, whether thou be alive ten, or an hundred, or a thousand years, for all these things shall be far from the godly, and they shall not wallow in sins. The children of sinners are abominable children, and they that frequent the houses of the ungodly, for the inheritance of sinners' children shall perish, and their posterity shall have perpetual reproach. The children will complain of an ungodly father, because they shall be reviled for his sake, for woe be unto you, wicked men, which have forsaken the law of the most high God, for if you increase, it shall be to your destruction, and if you be born, you shall be born to a curse, and if you die, a curse shall be your portion. All that are of the earth shall turn to the earth again, so the ungodly shall go from a curse to destruction, and the mourning of men is about their bodies, but an ill name of sinners shall be blotted out. Have regard to your name, for that shall continue with you above a thousand treasures of gold, for a good life has but few days, but a good name endures forever. My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is not seen, what profit is in them both? A man that hides his foolishness is better than a man that hides his wisdom. Therefore all shame is not good; neither is all shame worthy of estimation, for be ashamed of fornication before father and mother, and of a lie before a prince and a mighty man, of an offence before a judge and ruler, of iniquity before a congregation and people, of unrighteous dealing before a partner and friend, and of theft in regard of the place where you live, and in regard of the truth of God and the covenant, and to lean your elbow upon the meat, and of scoffing before all men. Be not ashamed to confess your sins, and force not the course of the river, for be ashamed to speak of them that have been before you, and to deny a thing which is given to you, and to look upon a harlot, and to turn away your face from a kinsman, and to take away a portion of the inheritance of your brother, and to defraud a man of his wages, and to gaze upon another man's wife, and to deal with his maid, and come not near her bed, and to give your friends a reproof, and to upbraid after giving.