Part 5 - The Fool
The Lived Religion - Book 5 - The Fool
Chapter 1
1 The existence of a Supreme Being is not just something to accept, believe in, and ignore!
2 a belief, faith alone, cannot be ends in themselves, for nothing exists without purpose,
3 simple belief is not enough! we must know the purpose or intention of the Being,
4 if we believe this Supreme Being created us, however this was brought about, we must seek to discover the reason behind our creation,
5 if we were created to serve some purpose, to do something we were intended to do, we must do it or earn our Creator's displeasure!
6 does the potter make a pot but not use it for its purpose? or the smith keep unwrought metal?
7 only things which serve the purpose for which they were intended are kept and cherished,
8 each man is a supporting pillar of the House of Elohim, if the pillars be rotten, the roof crashes;
9 Truth is not a quality of Earth, but an infusion from the Greater Region beyond the veil, where it is manifested in purity,
10 here on Earth, things do not disclose their true nature to the eye, for the things we see with the eye are not as they are in Reality and Truth, the eye is often a poor interpreter of Reality!
11 to attain Truth, man must reach out beyond Earth and himself,
12 while he remains bound to Earth, he may perceive the light of Truth only dimly in its reflection from the Source afar,
13 nevertheless, to strive for Truth must be one of the main aims of a man's life,
14 therefore, Earth teaches man the nature of deceit and places it all about him! that he may observe its ways, and learn to distinguish its illusions, selah;
15 life is in the nature of a game, wherein man tries to discover what is Reality, so far with little success,
16 for the road to Truth lies through the thick forests of illusion, and across the wide wastelands of deceit;
17 your responsibilities will beset your life with care, and the road you journey is stony and encompassed with pitfalls and thorns,
18 the cup you drink will seem more often bitter than sweet,
19 earthly success is not the measure of a man's achievement, and an earthly loss may mean a ruach-ual gain,
20 the scales are always just!
21 unlock the secrets of a stone and perchance you will find a star! open the body of water and you may discover a heart of fire!
22 then with regard to Truth and falsehood, do they not appear alike in things beyond our understanding?
23 how then could we decide between them? were it not for our soul hearing the whisper of the Ruach?
Chapter 2
1 For you, the best Scripture is the one which benefits you the most,
2 in one Scroll, Truth may be described in one way, and in another Scroll it may be described differently, but this need not mean that one is right and the other wrong,
3 Truth never goes unveiled, but the wise man seeks her where she is veiled the least!
4 general opinion is the least proof of Truth, for men in general are ignorant,
5 though man may realise their surroundings and circumstances on Earth are more conducive to deception than to Truth, few know that this is so for the benefit of man;
6 the wise man seeks after Truth, for it is the greatest of things a man can understand! Elohim's nature is beyond his comprehension, but Truth is not,be
7 progress through life is Truth's unveiling, selah; but can man ever stand in her august presence?
8 it alone is the path towards the fulfilment of the destiny of man!
9 the weakling and unworthy man says, “What have I to do with Truth? which too often breeds wrath and stirs up trouble?
10 is not the soft word more desirable? and is that not the password to popularity?”
11 weakling and fool! are not the foes made by Truth better than the friends made by falsehood?
12 those who seek Me are men becoming more than men, they are treading the road to elohim-hood!
13 know that those who close their minds to the Truth, are actually closing the doors of their own cage, in which they will live as little more than a beast,
14 therefore walk always towards Truth! and though it will recede as you approach, for it is unattainable on Earth, nevertheless, you are proceeding in the right direction,
15 Truth alone can set men free,
16 for great Truths are the food of the soul, and great souls are the inheritors of Eternity!
17 the day will come when I can speak to man openly about his real nature and destiny,
18 and in that day his ruach will respond and unfold its glory like a flower bud opening to the sun!
19 in that day, he will accept that the change called death is but the port of departure to a greater realm of activity,
20 he will then understand what he really is, and must become, to fulfil his destiny!
Chapter 3
1 Friends, when in old age you say, “Alas that life is short!” then consider the way you abused and wasted it in your youth, is not your reward fitting?
2 remember that the paths to pleasant old age are chosen in youth: They are the paths of simplicity, moderation, cleanliness, and virtue;
3 is it not economy which makes a servant of Adonai rich? and not abundance?
4 therefore, the Great Adonai in His wisdom has ordained the proper span of man's life,
5 yet, still you think that life is short? so why dissipate it so? why waste the precious days in sluggishness? or acts of folly?
6 the wise man lives fully all his life, and he is always conscious of being alive!
7 the fool is always beginning to live, and the weakling shrinks from life and seeks forgetfulness in comfort,
8 those who half live are already half dead!
9 there are some men who seek the light to a point, but will go so far, and no further,
10 declaring the life they found is not the one they sought, and fall back into the dark, losing what little light they did find,
11 yet if a man seek gold and find silver, does he throw it away? better half a loaf than no loaf at all;
12 if gold were as plentiful as copper, it would be valued less than silver, only the things hard to obtain have value,
13 and what is more difficult to discover than Eternal Truth! which must be sought beyond the boundaries of Earth?
14 only the beginning of the long road towards it is here, and it is this beginning you must seek;
15 every journey has a beginning and an end, and you can make your way only in one direction,
16 if you are dispirited, be comforted by the knowledge that you need only find the beginning of the road, then, having found it, let every step you take be along it,
17 the journey is long and the road rough and stony, but do not turn back before you find the first staging post, you will acquire from the Ruach new strength and encouragement there!
18 if we have difficulties among the worldly men, the difficulties among ourselves are no less! the Truth we have seems not only unpalatable, but also indigestible,
19 men seek tastier food, even though it is less sustaining, and few replace the brothers who depart,
20 would we serve the Great Adonai better if we presented Truth as a draught diluted with water?
21 companions in suffering, raise your heads and cease your lament! misery and sorrow, trial and tribulation are the appointed lot of man,
22 there are no shortage of challenges to the man living in Truth,
23 Great Adonai, let the tests not be beyond our endurance.
Chapter 4
1 Men sit beneath trees and nod their heads solemnly and roll out long books to read things that evaporate in the air,
2 I deride not the books, but one blow of the sword can destroy ten thousand strokes of the pen;
3 those in high places persecute us, not because of the Words of the Scriptures, for that much is common to all, but because we seek to change the established order of things,
4 we seek to change the ever-present state of affairs,
5 because, too, we have an Adonai who is not the holder of property, or an Elohim of the rich and powerful,
6 who benefits from the riches and estates of other elohim? the elohim? or their priests?
7 would they who benefit, therefore welcome the Words of the True Elohim? such is not the nature of men,
8 and we have the nigh impossible task of changing the natures of men!
9 it is true that we may keep the Truth as we find it, if a man seek for unwrought gold and find it, he has not made it, yet it is still his,
10 is it not also written, “Gold is the treasure of a lifetime, but Truth is the treasure of Eternity?”
11 gold can nourish the body, but it may poison the soul,
12 yet the coming of riches is not a misfortune and the inheritance of estates is not a calamity to the wise man, for he will utilise them with temperance and discretion;
13 life is yours! selah; that you requested it not is of small consideration, for the choice was not with you,
14 therefore accept with good grace that which has been allotted to you, deriving from it whatever benefits it may bestow!
15 keep forever the joys of friendships well made, and serve your friends well,
16 never betray friendship or turn it to serve your own ends, lest you become something less than a man;
17 carry high gladness in your heart, and never cease to wonder at the marvels in life!
18 not a day shall pass, but you will see something new to enrich your thoughts,
19 look at life as a man and not as an ox, wonder at the great and awesome manifestations of Adon!
20 such as sunlight and thunder, the dew and the stars, the sandstorm and the murmur of waters,
21 never let your eyes become dulled to the growth of trees, to the rising of the waters, and to the return of the harvests!
22 consider the extent of your own patience and forbearance, has your temper been tested in fires of provocation?
23 remain passive when the waves of passion seethe within you, the wise captain remains in harbour during the violence of the storm;
24 let your heart be hungry for knowledge, and your hand be ever seeking some skill,
25 hate lies, and shun the coward,
26 walk with men, and learn manly ways.
Chapter 5
1 The Kodesh Words of Truth remain with us, but are they lightly regarded by those who should cherish them?
2 few still walk in their light, and in all the land the right way of life is avoided and the path of righteousness is spurned, is it beyond the strength of men today?
3 wisdom is the treasure of all ages, which shall endure incorruptibly forever until time is spent!
4 therefore, let the tumult of life be stilled, and in reverence and silence receive these instructions from ancient times,
5 my brothers, listen to the voice of the Instructing Ruach and incline a willing ear towards the speech of wisdom!
6 thus shall the words which issue from your mouth be established before men, and you will never lack for shalom,
7 let not your mind be diverted, nor your attention be distracted,
8 set them in your heart, inscribe them there as though struck on marble,
9 to cast aside the words of experience which guided the ancients is foolhardy and an invitation to calamity!
10 therefore, immerse yourself in the writings of the past, as in cool waters at the heat of the day, and your ruach will emerge refreshed and strengthened!
11 they will be a steadying oar, enabling the vessel of your heart's desire to alter course without capsizing!
12 you will learn the first step towards being wise is to acknowledge the extent of your ignorance,
13 concern yourself with the vast amount of knowledge that you lack, and place no undue importance on what little knowledge you do possess,
14 as womanly loveliness is best displayed in a modest garment, so is modest behaviour and unpretentious bearing best becoming the wise,
15 remember that all men are born equally into ignorance, yet no man, whatever his estate, lacks the means to acquire wisdom and Truth,
16 for true wisdom comes not from books and instruction, but from observation and enquiry,
17 the learned scribe knows a thousand books, but what knows he about the ways of the grasshopper?
18 the earthly life of a man depends not on his knowledge of books, but on his knowledge of the Earth, but better still to have knowledge of the Ruach!
19 if you would not be deemed foolish in the eyes of others, then cast aside the desire to appear wise to your own edification,
20 if you try to appear wise among the foolish, then you will appear foolish among the wise!
21 if wisdom now be held in low esteem, it is not wisdom's loss, but man's!
22 wisdom cries outside the palace and the hovel, she is heard in the streets, and in the gathering places,
23 her voice says, “O fools and sons of fools! how long will you delight in your foolishness?”
24 but the pleasure of fools is in their foolishness, and the pleasure of the weak is in their own weakness, and therefore, they scorn the voice of wisdom,
25 yet this I say unto you, the mockers of the wise and the scorners of wisdom shall tomorrow be forgotten,
26 and the wisdom they deride shall have its day! when they are dust and their names forgotten,
27 let the fool eat of his tree, it will provide no sustenance in times of evil,
28 when the whirlwind sweeps across the face of the land, bringing destruction in its wake, fools will be swallowed up, and Earth will be as if they had never been.
Chapter 6
1 He who has grown to wisdom never acts but at wisdom's command!
2 to some has been granted the ability to soak up wisdom, as the sand soaks up water,
3 if this be your gift from Elohim, then hug it not to your own breast as would the mean man,
4 share it with those who are less wise for their instruction, and hide it not from the wise, for they will multiply it;
5 the wise man is less presumptuous than the fool,
6 he has many doubts and changes his mind, for as wisdom grows, knowledge alters,
7 the fool fixes his mind in obstinacy, he is stubborn, and doubt does not disturb his placidity, he knows all things, except his own ignorance;
8 the wise man is aware of his imperfections and continually strives for improvement,
9 the fool forever counts his own small talents and is content, he boasts of his achievements in things which are of no account,
10 thistledown floats on water for all to see, but a gemstone sinks below the surface,
11 so does the fool shout his abilities to the wind, while a wise man keeps them hidden within himself;
12 the goose brings forth its egg while at rest, and the tail of the peacock is displayed while it stands still,
13 the deep, still pool holds the biggest fish, and the resting cow gives the most milk,
14 so it is with the shalom-ful man, who within himself produces a fountain of strength at which other men drink, finding refreshment and courage;
15 the heart of a fool flutters at a vain hope, but the wise man puts it behind him,
16 fools snap at one another, but wise men disagree in shalom,
17 the wise man does not need advice, and the fool will not take it,
18 rebuke a fool and he will dislike you, rebuke the wise and they will hold you in regard;
19 the fool does right in his own eyes, he justifies his deeds with a loud mouth,
20 when you have nothing to say, say nothing, never lash the air with your tongue,
21 he who speaks for the sake of hearing his own voice has an audience of one, and that a fool!
22 be not like the wagging-tongued man, an unbridled horse is difficult to control;
23 open not your ears to tales of your neighbour's doings, can you think of no better things?
24 give ear to nothing but that which lies within the orbit of your own interests,
25 repeat not the words of another, unless for a useful purpose!
26 a tongue has been given you and the power of speech, use these, the powers that distinguish you from the beast,
27 to teach your children wisdom, and to discover for yourself the way of Truth.
Chapter 7
1 Let your tongue spread no report except of that which is good, reserving details of wickedness within yourself,
2 let the ears collect all that is spoken, the heart filter the good from the bad, and the mouth pour forth only that which is beneficial;
3 the abode of the wise man is a sanctuary against despair, a fortress against the forces of discontent,
4 his presence is as the gloom-dispelling sunlight, and his lips as the doors of a treasure house, they open, and gems pour forth;
5 whatever your store of wisdom, be prudent, let your heart serve as a counterbalance for your tongue,
6 let your lips speak true, your eye see only that which is right for it to see, and ensure that both your ears hear the same thing,
7 always be ready to heed advice and to accept instruction, bearing in mind that it is more profitable to listen than to speak,
8 while good counsel is always carefully considered by the wise, fools brush it aside,
9 what a fool wants to believe, he will;
10 a wise man knows his limitations and seeks the advice of others, and if the advice is good, what matters who gives it?
11 advice is either good or bad, irrespective of who gives it,
12 accept advice that is helpful, even though it may not be palatable,
13 good counsel can come forth from the mouth of a fool, and bad counsel from the mouth of the wise,
14 even the wisest of men will do foolish things, and everything said and done by a fool is not folly;
15 the man who thinks himself wise believes nothing until it is proven to him, but the wise man considers everything possible until it is disproved;
16 never disdain the opinions of another, or condemn them because they differ from yours, might you not be wrong?
17 seek the company of those who are your superiors in wisdom, skill, and ruach-uality, that they may support you, and you will be raised up to prosper;
18 success is the child of diligence and persistence! it follows the footsteps of the wise, even as failure dogs the foolish,
19 men have the choice of either success or ease, they cannot have both!
20 a man who can be satisfied with little is the possessor of wisdom, he who desires no more than sufficient will always have enough, his cares will be few;
21 the powers of the Ruach enter into a man as a guest, it will not come unbidden or remain unwelcome,
22 wisdom cannot enter a heart whose gates are barred with prejudice, nor penetrate a body filled with evil,
23 wisdom concerns itself only with the things which are knowable, in matters that are to you forever unknowable, forbearance is wise,
24 wisdom is the fruit of past experience preserved for the future! the taste may be unappetising, but it can still nourish a healthy ruach, the fool who fasts from wisdom starves his soul;
25 let your aim be to live as long as you should, and not as long as you can,
26 while to others your life is worth more than death, then your duty is to preserve it, while you serve best by living, live,
27 but when by your death the living may best be served, then shirk not the burden of manhood;
28 to be beaten and still not surrender, that is true victory!
29 that which accords with the Plan of Elohim and benefits man is good, so, that which is against the welfare of man is evil,
30 but who among men is wise enough to discern what is good and what is evil?
31 therefore, inscribe the writings of wisdom on your heart, that you never lack a guide,
32 these are words which you will do well to absorb, as the dry sands soak up water!
33 though a man read only words of wisdom, they are useless unless that man has control over himself,
34 they also have no value to a heart which is unable to feel compassion for others,
35 or to fools, who close their ears to the Truth.