the antiquities of the jews-1-第43章

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those　that　are　young；　let　it　suffice　thee　to　have　given　so　many
indications　Of　thy　contempt　of　us；　reform　thyself；　and　act　more
wisely　for　the　time　to　come；　considering　that　God　is　displeased
with　those　that　are　insolent　towards　their　parents；　because　he　is
himself　the　Father　of　the　whole　race　of　mankind；　and　seems　to
bear　part　of　that　dishonor　which　falls　upon　those　that　have　the
same　name；　when　they　do　not　meet　with　dire　returns　from　their
children。　And　on　such　the　law　inflicts　inexorable　punishment；　of
which　punishment　mayst　thou　never　have　the　experience。〃　Now　if
the　insolence　of　young　men　be　thus　cured；　let　them　escape　the
reproach　which　their　former　errors　deserved；　for　by　this　means
the　lawgiver　will　appear　to　be　good；　and　parents　happy；　while
they　never　behold　either　a　son　or　a　daughter　brought　to
punishment。　But　if　it　happen　that　these　words　and　instructions；
conveyed　by　them　in　order　to　reclaim　the　man；　appear　to　be
useless；　then　the　offender　renders　the　laws　implacable　enemies　to
the　insolence　he　has　offered　his　parents；　let　him　therefore　be
brought　forth　（27）　by　these　very　parents　out　of　the　city；　with　a
multitude　following　him；　and　there　let　him　be　stoned；　and　when　he
has　continued　there　for　one　whole　day；　that　all　the　people　may
see　him；　let　him　be　buried　in　the　night。　And　thus　it　is　that　we
bury　all　whom　the　laws　condemn　to　die；　upon　any　account
whatsoever。　Let　our　enemies　that　fall　in　battle　be　also　buried；
nor　let　any　one　dead　body　lie　above　the　ground；　or　suffer　a
punishment　beyond　what　justice　requires。

25。　Let　no　one　lend　to　any　one　of　the　Hebrews　upon　usury；　neither
usury　of　what　is　eaten　or　what　is　drunken；　for　it　is　not　just　to
make　advantage　of　the　misfortunes　of　one　of　thy　own　countrymen；
but　when　thou　hast　been　assistant　to　his　necessities；　think　it
thy　gain　if　thou　obtainest　their　gratitude　to　thee；　and　withal
that　reward　which　will　come　to　thee　from　God；　for　thy　humanity
towards　him。

26。　Those　who　have　borrowed　either　silver　or　any　sort　of　fruits；
whether　dry　or　wet；　（I　mean　this；　when　the　Jewish　affairs　shall；
by　the　blessing　of　God；　be　to　their　own　mind；）　let　the　borrowers
bring　them　again；　and　restore　them　with　pleasure　to　those　who
lent　them；　laying　them　up；　as　it　were；　in　their　own　treasuries；
and　justly　expecting　to　receive　them　thence；　if　they　shall　want
them　again。　But　if　they　be　without　shame；　and　do　not　restore　it；
let　not　the　lender　go　to　the　borrower's　house；　and　take　a　pledge
himself；　before　judgment　be　given　concerning　it；　but　let　him
require　the　pledge；　and　let　the　debtor　bring　it　of　himself；
without　the　least　opposition　to　him　that　comes　upon　him　under　the
protection　of　the　law。　And　if　he　that　gave　the　pledge　be　rich；
let　the　creditor　retain　it　till　what　he　lent　be　paid　him　again；
but　if　he　be　poor；　let　him　that　takes　it　return　it　before　the
going　down　of　the　sun；　especially　if　the　pledge　be　a　garment；
that　the　debtor　may　have　it　for　a　covering　in　his　sleep；　God
himself　naturally　showing　mercy　to　the　poor。　It　is　also　not
lawful　to　take　a　millstone；　nor　any　utensil　thereto　belonging；
for　a　pledge；　that　the　debtor；　may　not　be　deprived　of　instruments
to　get　their　food　withal；　and　lest　they　be　undone　by　their
necessity。

27。　Let　death　be　the　punishment　for　stealing　a　man；　but　he　that
hath　purloined　gold　or　silver；　let　him　pay　double。　If　any　one
kill　a　man　that　is　stealing　something　out　of　his　house；　let　him
be　esteemed　guiltless；　although　the　man　were　only　breaking　in　at
the　wall。　Let　him　that　hath　stolen　cattle　pay　fourfold　what　is
lost；　excepting　the　case　of　an　ox；　for　which　let　the　thief　pay
fivefold。　Let　him　that　is　so　poor　that　he　cannot　pay　what　mulet
is　laid　upon　him；　be　his　servant　to　whom　he　was　adjudged　to　pay
it。

28。　If　any　one　be　sold　to　one　of　his　own　nation；　let　him　serve
him　six　years；　and　on　the　seventh　let　him　go　free。　But　if　he　have
a　son　by　a　woman　servant　in　his　purchaser's　house；　and　if；　on
account　of　his　good…will　to　his　master；　and　his　natural　affection
to　his　wife　and　children；　he　will　be　his　servant　still；　let　him
be　set　free　only　at　the　coming　of　the　year　of　jubilee；　which　is
the　fiftieth　year；　and　let　him　then　take　away　with　him　his
children　and　wife；　and　let　them　be　free　also。

29。　If　any　one　find　gold　or　silver　on　the　road；　let　him　inquire
after　him　that　lost　it；　and　make　proclamation　of　the　place　where
he　found　it；　and　then　restore　it　to　him　again；　as　not　thinking　it
right　to　make　his　own　profit　by　the　loss　of　another。　And　the　same
rule　is　to　be　observed　in　cattle　found　to　have　wandered　away　into
a　lonely　place。　If　the　owner　be　not　presently　discovered；　let　him
that　is　the　finder　keep　it　with　himself；　and　appeal　to　God　that
he　has　not　purloined　what　belongs　to　another。

30。　It　is　not　lawful　to　pass　by　any　beast　that　is　in　distress；
when　in　a　storm　it　is　fallen　down　in　the　mire；　but　to　endeavor　to
preserve　it；　as　having　a　sympathy　with　it　in　its　pain。

31。　It　is　also　a　duty　to　show　the　roads　to　those　who　do　not　know
them；　and　not　to　esteem　it　a　matter　for　sport；　when　we　hinder
others'　advantages；　by　setting　them　in　a　wrong　way。

32。　In　like　manner；　let　no　one　revile　a　person　blind　or　dumb。

33。　If　men　strive　together；　and　there　be　no　instrument　of　iron；
let　him　that　is　smitten　be　avenged　immediately；　by　inflicting　the
same　punishment　on　him　that　smote　him：　but　if　when　he　is　carried
home　he　lie　sick　many　days；　and　then　die；　let　him　that　smote　him
not　escape　punishment；　but　if　he　that　is　smitten　escape　death；
and　yet　be　at　great　expense　for　his　cure；　the　smiter　shall　pay
for　all　that　has　been　expended　during　the　time　of　his　sickness；
and　for　all　that　he　has　paid　the　physician。　He　that　kicks　a　woman
with　child；　so　that　the　woman　miscarry；　（28）　let　him　pay　a　fine
in　money；　as　the　judges　shall　determine；　as　having　diminished　the
multitude　by　the　destruction　of　what　was　in　her　womb；　and　let
money　also　be　given　the　woman's　husband　by　him　that　kicked　her；
but　if　she　die　of　the　stroke；　let　him　also　be　put　to　death；　the
law　judging　it　equitable　that　life　should　go　for　life。

34。　Let　no　one　of　the　Israelites　keep　any　poison　（29）　that　may
cause　death；　or　any　other　harm；　but　if　he　be　caught　with　it；　let
him　be　put　to　death；　and　suffer　the　very　same　mischief　that　he
would　have　brought　upon　them　for　whom　the　poison　was　prepared。

35。　He　that　maimeth　any　one；　let　him　undergo　the　like　himself；
and　be　deprived　of　the　same　member　of　which　he　hath　deprived　the
other；　unless　he　that　is　maimed　will　accept　of　money　instead　of
it　（30）　for　the　law　makes　the　sufferer　the　judge　of　the　value　of
what　he　hath　suffered；　and　permits　him　to　estimate　it；　unless　he
will　be　more　severe。

36。　Let　him　that　is　the　owner　of　an　ox　which　pusheth　with　his
horn；　kill　him：　but　if　he　pushes　and　gores　any　one　in　the
thrashing…floor；　let　him　be　put　to　death　by　stoning；　and　let　him
not　be　thought　fit　for　food：　but　if　his　owner　be　convicted　as
having　known　what　his　nature　was；　and　hath　not　kept　him　up；　let
him　also　be　put　to　death；　as　being　the　occasion　of　the　ox's
having　killed　a　man。　But　if　the　ox　have　killed　a　man…servant；　or
a　maid…servant；　let　him　be　stoned；　and　let　the　owner　of　the　ox
pay　thirty　shekels　（31）　to　the　master　of　him　that　was　slain；　but
if　it　be　an　ox　that　is　thus　smitten　and　killed；　let　both　the
oxen；　that　which　smote　the　other　and　that　which　was　killed；　be
sold；　and　let　the　owners　of　them　divide　their　price　between　them。

37。　Let　those　that　dig　a　well　or　a　pit　be　careful　to　lay　planks
over　them；　and　so　keep　them　shut　up；　not　in　order　to　hinder　any
persons　from　drawing　water；　but　that　there　may　be　no　danger　of
falling　into　them。　But　if　any　one's　beast　fall　into　such　a　well
or　pit　thus　digged；　and　not　shut　up；　and　perish；　let　the　owner
pay　its　price　to　the　owner　of　the　beast。　Let　there　be　a
battlement　round　the　tops　of　your　houses　instead　of　a　wall；　that
may　prevent　any　persons　from　rolling　down　and　perishing。

38。　Let　him　that　has　received　any　thing　in　trust　for　another；
take　care　to　keep　it　as　a　sacred　and　divine　thing；　and　let　no　one
invent　any　contrivance　whereby　to　deprive　him　that　hath　intrusted
it　with　him　of　the　same；　and　this　whether　he　be　a　man　or　a　woman；
no；　not　although　he　or　she　were　to　gain　an　immense　sum　of　gold；
and　this　where　he　cannot　be　convicted　of　it　by　any　body；　for　it
is　fit　that　a　man's　own　conscience；　which　knows　what　he　hath；
should　in　all　cases　oblige　him　to　do　well。　Let　this　conscience　be
his　witness；　and　make　him　always　act　so　as　may　procure　him
commendation　from　others；　but　let　him　chiefly　have　regard　to　God；
from　whom　no　wicked　man　can　lie　concealed：　but　if　he　in　whom　the
trust　was　reposed；　without　any　deceit　of　his　own；　lose　what　he
was　intrusted　withal；　let　him　come　before　the　seven　judges；　and
swear　by　God　that　nothing　hath　been　lost　willingly；　or　with　a
wicked　intention；　and　that　he　hath　not　made　use　of　any　part
thereof；　and　so　let　him　depart　without　blame；　but　if　he　hath　made
use　of　the　least　part　of　what　was　committed　to　him；　and　it　be
lost；　let　him　be　condemned　to　repay　all　that　he　had　received。
After　the　same　manner　as　in　these　trusts　it　is　to　be；　if　any　one
defraud　those　that　undergo　bodily　labor　for　him。　And　let　it　be
always　remembered；　that　we　are　not　to　defraud　a　poor　man　of　his
wages；　as　being　sensible　that　God　has　allotted　these　wages　to　him
instead　of　land　and　other　possessions；　nay；　this　payment　is　not
at　all　to　be　delayed；　but　to　be　made　that　very　day；　since　God　is
not　willing　to　deprive　the　laborer　of　the　immediate　use　of　what
he　hath　labored　for。

39。　You　are　not　to　punish　children　for　the　faults　of　their
parents；　but　on　account　of　their　own　virtue　rather　to　vouchsafe
them　commiseration；　because　they　were　born　of　wicked　parents；
than　hatred；　because　they　were　born　of　bad　ones。　Nor　indeed　ought
we　to　impute　the　sin　of　children　to　their　fathers；　while　young
persons　indulge　themselves　in　many　practices　different　from　what
they　have　been　instructed　in；　and　this　by　their　proud　refusal　of
such　instruction。

40。　Let　those　that　have　made　themselves　eunuchs　be　had　in
detestation；　and　do　you　avoid　any　conversation　with　them　who　have
deprived　themselves　of　their　manhood；　and　of　that　fruit　of
generation　which　God　has　given　to　men　for　the　increase　of　their
kind：　let　such　be　driven　away；　as　if　they　had　killed　their
children；　since　they　beforehand　have　lost　what　should　procure
them；　for　evident　it　is；　that　while　their　soul　is　become
effeminate；　they　have　withal　transfused　that　effeminacy　to　their
body　also。　In　like　manner　do　you　treat　all　that　is　of　a　monstrous
nature　when　it　is　looked　on；　nor　is　it　lawful　to　geld　men　or　any
other　animals。　（32）

41。　Let　this　be　the　constitution　of　your　political　laws　in　time
of　peace；　and　God　will　be　so　merciful　as　to　preserve　this
excellent　settlement　free　from　disturbance：　and　may　that　time
never　come　which　may　innovate　any　thing；　and　change　it　for　the
contrary。　But　since　it　must　needs　happen　that　mankind　fall　into
troubles　and　dangers；　either　undesignedly　or　intentionally；　come
let　us　make　a　few　constitutions　concerning　them；　that　so　being
apprised　beforehand　what　ought　to　be　done；　you　may　have　salutary
counsels　ready　when　you　want　them；　an