barlaam and ioasaph-第35章

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　and　trouble　I　often　expose　myself　in　mine　expeditions　against　my　foes；　or　when　I　am　engaged　in　divers　other　business　for　the　public　good；　not　sparing　myself　even　hunger　and　thirst；　if　need　be；　the　march　on　foot；　or　the　couch　on　the　ground？　　As　for　riches　and　money；　such　is　my　contempt　and　scorn　thereof；　that　I　have　at　times　ungrudgingly　lavished　all　the　stores　of　my　palace；　to　build　mighty　temples　for　the　gods；　and　to　adorn　them　with　all　manner　of　splendour；　or　else　to　distribute　liberal　largess　to　my　soldiers。　　Possessing　then；　as　I　also　do；　this　contempt　of　pleasure　and　this　courage　in　danger；　what　zeal　would　I　not　have　devoted　to　contemning　all　else；　and　winning　my　salvation；　had　I　only　found　that　the　religion　of　the　Galileans　were　better　than　mine　own？　　But；　if　thou　condemnest　me　for　ignorance　and　inexperience　of　the　good；　consider　how　many　sleepless　nights　I　have　spent；　with　some　problem　before　me；　oft…　times　no　very　important　one；　giving　myself　no　rest　until　I　had　found　the　clear　and　most　apt　solution。

Seeing　then　that　I　reckon　that　not　even　the　least　of　these　temporal　concerns　is　unworthy　of　thought　until　all　be　fitly　completed　for　the　advantage　of　all　and　seeing　that　all　（I　ween）　bear　me　witness　that　no　man　under　the　sun　can　search　out　secrets　with　more　diligence　than　I；　how　then　could　I　have　considered　divine　things；　that　call　for　worship　and　serious　consideration；　unworthy　of　thought；　and　not　rather　have　devoted　all　my　zeal　and　might；　all　my　mind　and　soul　to　the　investigation　thereof；　to　find　out　the　right　and　the　true？　　Aye；　and　I　have　laboriously　sought　thereafter。　　Many　nights　and　days　have　I　spent　thus：　many　wise　and　learned　men　have　I　called　to　my　council；　and　with　many　of　them　that　are　called　Christians　have　I　conversed。　　By　untiring　enquiry　and　ardent　search　I　have　discovered　the　pathway　of　truth；　witnessed　by　wise　men　honoured　for　their　intelligence　and　wit；　　that　there　is　none　other　faith　than　ours。　　This　is　the　path　that　we　tread　to…day；　worshipping　the　most　puissant　gods；　and　holding　fast　to　that　sweet　and　delightsome　life；　given　by　them　to　all　men；　fulfilled　with　all　manner　of　pleasure　and　gladness　of　heart；　which　the　leaders　and　priests　of　the　Galileans　have　in　their　folly　rejected；　so　that；　in　hope　of　some　other　uncertain　life；　they　have　readily　cast　away　this　sweet　light；　and　all　those　pleasures　which　the　gods　have　bestowed　on　us　for　enjoyment；　and　all　the　while　know　not　what　they　say；　nor　whereof　they　confidently　affirm。

〃But　thou；　dearest　son；　obey　thy　father；　who；　by　diligent　and　honest　search；　hath　found　the　real　good。　　Lo；　I　have　shown　thee　that；　neither　willingly；　I　no；　nor　by　way　of　ignorance；　have　I　failed　of　the　good；　but　rather　that　I　have　found　and　laid　hold　thereon。　　And　I　earnestly　desire　that　thou　too　shouldest　not　wander　as　a　fool；　but　shouldest　follow　me。　　Have　respect　then　unto　thy　father。　　Dost　thou　not　know　how　lovely　a　thing　it　is　to　obey　one's　father；　and　please　him　in　all　ways？　　Contrariwise；　how　deadly　and　cursed　a　thing　it　is　to　provoke　a　father　and　despise　his　commands？　　As　many　as　have　done　so；　have　come　to　a　miserable　end。　　But　be　not　thou；　my　son；　one　of　their　number。　　Rather　do　that　which　is　well　pleasing　to　thy　sire；　and　so　mayest　thou　obtain　all　happiness　and　inherit　my　blessing　and　my　kingdom！〃

The　high…minded　and　noble　youth　listened　to　his　father's　windy　discourse　and　foolish　opposition；　and　recognized　therein　the　devices　of　the　crooked　serpent；　and　how　standing　at　his　right　hand　he　had　prepared　a　snare　for　his　feet；　and　was　scheming　how　to　overthrow　his　righteous　soul；　and　hinder　him　of　the　prize　laid　up　in　store。　　Therefore　the　prince　set　before　his　eyes　the　commandment　of　the　Lord；　which　saith；　〃I　came　not　to　send　peace；　but　strife　and　a　sword。　　For　I　am　come　to　set　a　man　at　variance　against　his　father；　and　a　daughter　against　her　mother；　and　so　forth；　and　〃He　that　loveth　father　or　mother　more　than　me　is　not　worthy　of　me〃；　and　〃Whosoever　shall　deny　me　before　men；　him　will　I　also　deny　before　my　Father　which　is　in　heaven。〃　　When　he　had　considered　these　things；　and　fettered　his　soul　with　divine　fear；　and　strengthened　it　with　longing　desire　and　love；　right　opportunely　he　remembered　the　saying　of　Solomon；　〃There　is　a　time　to　love；　and　a　time　to　hate；　a　time　of　war；　and　a　time　of　peace。〃　First　of　all　he　prayed　in　silence；　and　said；　〃Have　mercy　of　me；　Lord　God；　have　mercy　of　me；　for　my　soul　trusteth　in　thee；　and　under　the　shadow　of　thy　wings　I　shall　hope　till　wickedness　overpass。　　I　shall　cry　to　the　highest　God；　to　God　that　did　well　to　me；〃　and　the　rest　of　the　psalm。

Then　said　Ioasaph　to　the　king；　〃To　honour　one's　father；　and　to　obey　his　commands；　and　to　serve　him　with　good　will　and　affection　is　taught　us　by　the　Lord　of　us　all；　who　hath　implanted　in　our　hearts　this　natural　affection。　　But；　when　loving　devotion　to　our　parents　bringeth　our　soul　into　peril；　and　separateth　her　from　her　Maker；　then　we　are　commanded；　at　all　costs；　to　cut　it　out；　and；　on　no　account；　to　yield　to　them　that　would　depart　us　from　God；　but　to　hate　and　avoid　them；　even　if　it　be　our　father　that　issueth　the　abominable　command；　or　our　mother；　or　our　king；　or　the　master　of　our　very　life。　　Wherefore　it　is　impossible　for　me；　out　of　devotion　to　my　father；　to　forfeit　God。　　So；　prithee；　trouble　not　thyself；　nor　me：　but　be　persuaded；　and　let　us　both　serve　the　true　and　living　God；　for　the　objects　of　thy　present　worship　are　idols；　the　works　of　men's　hands；　devoid　of　breath；　and　deaf；　and　give　nought　but　destruction　and　eternal　punishment　to　their　worshippers。

〃But　if　this　be　not　thy　pleasure；　deal　with　me　even　as　thou　wilt：　for　I　am　a　servant　of　Christ；　and　neither　flatteries　nor　torments　shall　separate　me　from　his　love；　as　I　told　thee　yesterday；　swearing　it　by　my　Master's　name；　and　confirming　the　word　with　surest　oath。　　But；　whereas　thou　saidest　that　thou　didst　neither　wilfully　do　wrong；　nor　didst　fail　of　the　mark　through　ignorance；　but　after　much　laborious　enquiry　hadst　ascertained　that　it　was　truly　a　good　thing　to　worship　idols　and　to　be　riveted　to　the　pleasures　of　the　passions　　that　thou　art　wilfully　a　wrong　doer；　I　may　not　say。　　But　this　I　know　full　well；　and　would　have　thee　know；　O　my　father；　that　thou　art　surrounded　with　a　dense　mist　of　ignorance；　and；　walking　in　darkness　that　may　be　felt；　seest　not　even　one　small　glimmer　of　light。　　Wherefore　thou　hast　lost　the　right　pathway；　and　wanderest　over　terrible　cliffs　and　chasms。　Holding　darkness　for　light；　and　clinging　to　death　as　it　were　life；　thou　deemest　that　thou　art　well　advised；　and　hast　reflected　to　good　effect：　but　it　is　not　so；　not　so。　　The　objects　of　thy　veneration　are　not　gods　but　statues　of　devils；　charged　with　all　their　filthy　power；　nor　is　the　life；　which　thou　pronouncest　sweet　and　pleasant；　and　thinkest　to　be　full　of　delight　and　gladness　of　heart；　such　in　kind：　but　the　same　is　abominable；　according　to　the　word　of　truth；　and　to　be　abhorred。　　For　for　a　time　it　sweeteneth　and　tickleth　the　gullet；　but　afterwards　it　maketh　the　risings　more　bitter　than　gall　（as　said　my　teacher）；　and　is　sharper　than　any　two…edged　sword。

〃How　shall　I　describe　to　thee　the　evils　of　this　life？　　I　will　tell　them；　and　they　shall　be　more　in　number　than　the　sand。　　For　such　life　is　the　fishhook　of　the　devil；　baited　with　beastly　pleasure；　whereby　he　deceiveth　and　draggeth　his　prey　into　the　depth　of　hell。　　Whereas　the　good　things；　promised　by　my　Master；　　which　thou　callest　‘the　hope　of　some　other　uncertain　life；'　are　true　and　unchangeable；　they　know　no　end；　and　are　not　subject　to　decay。　　There　is　no　language　that　can　declare　the　greatness　of　yonder　glory　and　delight；　of　the　joy　unspeakable；　and　the　everlasting　gladness。　　As　thou　thyself　seest；　we　all　die；　and　there　is　no　man　that　shall　live　and　not　see　death。　　But　one　day　we　shall　all　rise　again；　when　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　shall　come；　the　Son　of　God；　in　unspeakable　glory　and　dread　power；　the　only　King　of　kings；　and　Lord　of　lords；　to　whom　every　knee　shall　bow；　of　things　in　heaven；　and　things　in　earth；　and　things　under　the　earth。　　Such　terror　shall　he　then　inspire　that　the　very　powers　of　heaven　shall　be　shaken：　and　before　him　there　shall　stand　in　fear　thousand　thousands；　and　ten　thousand　times　ten　thousand　of　Angels　and　Archan