The Laughable Stories Collected by Mar Gregory John

192 MISCELLANEOUS MORAL EXHORTATIONS.
OF THE AVARICIOUS MAN.
85 The man who is sluggish and altogether lazy in [doing]
good
Leaveth behind not any to pollute the wall.
That the miser may heap up money he will even wear
sandals of iron,
For never by any means whatsoever doth he improve
in virtue.
He is a fountain from which man draweth not water.
90 And even though such a fountain were the spring of
Siloam it would be meet for it to be shut up.
When such a fountain is choked man complaineth not,
And when its waters are cut off every man rejoiceth,
and leaveth it, and is at peace.
ANOTHER.
The perverse prince of a people should firs of all
correct himself,
95 And then his people; otherwise his labour will be in vain.
For the crooked shadow cannot be straight
Except the wood from which it cometh be also straight.
ON THE DEATH OF A BELOVED ONE.
O our brother, at thy death I am stricken with amaze-
ment, I am afflicted and am utterly undone,
100 And what I shall say of both matters I know not.
For either in thy death have I eaten of the second
death.
Or death in thy death hath swallowed me up like a dragon.
O our little brother, among the brethren thou wert
splendid and glorious,