The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

MISCELLANEOUS MORAL EXHORTATIONS. I 9
1
Which in turning in the hands of children indicateth
the
end;
It leapeth from one to another and passeth on without
stopping.
And it indicateth to us that temporal glory is a dream.
The new moon sheweth the vanishing of the time of 7°
my life,
And I take pride therein, and my mind rejoiceth in the
sight
thereof.
She is born, she waxeth, she waneth, she dieth away,
and finally disappeareth,
And every man occupieth himself with vain things and
feareth
not.
For the lamb is bound beneath the knife whilst its
fellow
leapeth.
And men are greatly moved by things which are to 7S
be greatly desired whilst death spoileth.
ANOTHER.
O young man, thou lover of the world, let not this
[present] enjoyment flatter thee.
For the name of this world is derived from labour',
yea, even from vexation.
OF THE CRAFTY MAN, AND OF THE MOCKER, AND OF THE
BOASTER.
The man who is wicked, and is crafty, and is a boaster, so
Continually pryeth into the lapses of his neighbour.
And rather than gaze upon virtues he closeth the eye.
And, like the fly, never seeketh anything but a sore.
^
The play here is on the words riSQiii- "world", and ri'i'^ns
"labour".