THE TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

part of the “Forgotten” books of Eden

THE TESTAMENT OF ASHER, THE TENTH SON OF JACOB AND ZILPAH

CHAP. I.

Asher, the tenth son of Jacob and Zilpah. An explanation of dual personality.
The first Jekyll and Hyde story. For a statement of the Law of Compensation that
Emerson would have enjoyed, see Verse 27.

THE copy of the Testament To Asher, what things he spake to his sons in the hundred
and twenty-fifth year of his life.

2 For while he was still in health, he said to them: Hearken, ye children of
Asher, to your father, and I will declare to you all that is upright in the sight
of the Lord.

3 Two ways hath God given to the sons of men, and two inclinations, and two kinds
of action, and two modes of action, and two issues.

4 Therefore all things are by twos, one over against the other.

5 For there are two ways of good and evil, and with these are the two inclinations
in our breasts discriminating them.

6 Therefore if the soul take pleasure in the good inclination, all its actions
are in righteousness; and if it sin it straightway repenteth.

7 For, having its thoughts set upon righteousness, and casting away wickedness,
it straightway overthroweth the evil, and uprooteth the sin.

8 But if it incline to the evil inclination, all its actions are in wickedness,
and it driveth away the good, and cleaveth to the evil, and is ruled by Beliar;
even though it work what is good, he perverteth it to evil.

9 For whenever it beginneth to do good, he forceth the issue of the action into
evil for him, seeing that the treasure of the inclination is filled with an evil
spirit.

10 A person then may with words help the good for the sake of the evil, yet the
issue of the action leadeth to mischief.

11 There is a man who showeth no compassion upon him who serveth his turn in
evil; and this thing bath two aspects, but the whole is evil.

. 12 And there is a man that loveth him that worketh evil, because he would prefer
even to die in evil for his sake; and concerning this it is clear that it bath two
aspects, but the whole is an evil work.

13 Though indeed he have love, yet is he wicked who concealeth what is evil for
the sake of the good name, but the end of the action tendeth unto evil.

14 Another stealeth, doeth unjustly, plundereth, defraudeth, and withal pitieth
the poor: this too bath a twofold aspect, but the whole is evil.

15 He who defraudeth his neighbour provoketh God, and sweareth falsely against
the Most High, and yet pitieth the poor: the Lord who commanded the law he setteth
at nought and provoketh, and yet he refresheth the poor.

16 He defileth the soul, and maketh gay the body; he killeth many, and pitieth
a few: this, too, bath a twofold aspect, but the whole is evil.

17 Another committeth adultery and fornication, and abstaineth from meats, and
when he fasteth he doeth evil, and by the power of his wealth overwhelmeth many;
and notwithstanding his excessive wickedness he doeth the commandments: this, too,
hath a twofold aspect, but the whole is evil.

18 Such men are hares; clean,–like those that divide the hoof, but in very deed
are unclean.

19 For God in the tables of the commandments hath thus declared.

20 But do not ye, my children, wear two faces like unto them, of goodness and
of wickedness; but cleave unto goodness only, for God hath his habitation therein,
and men desire it.

21 But from wickedness flee away, destroying the evil inclination by your good
works; for they that are double-faced serve not God, but their own lusts, so that
they may please Beliar and men like unto themselves.

22 For good men, even they that are of single face, though they be thought by
them that are double-faced to sin, are just before God.

23 For many in killing the wicked do two works, of good and evil; but the whole
is good, because he hath uprooted and destroyed that which is evil.

24 One man hateth the merciful and unjust man, and the man who committeth adultery
and fasteth: this, too, hath a twofold aspect, but the whole work is good, because
he followeth the Lord’s example, in that he accepteth not the seeming good as the
genuine good.

25 Another desireth not to see good day with them that not, lest be defile his
body and pollute his soul; this, too, is double-faced, but the whole is good.

26 For such men are like to stags and to hinds, because in the manner of wild
animals they seem to be unclean, but they are altogether clean; because they walk
in zeal for the Lord and abstain from what God also hateth and forbiddeth by His
commandments, warding off the evil from the good.

27 Ye see, my children, how that there are two in all things, one against the
other, and the one is hidden by the other: in wealth is hidden covetousness, in
conviviality drunkenness, in laughter grief, in wedlock profligacy.

28 Death succeedeth to life, dishonour to glory, night to day, and darkness to
light; and all things are under the day, just things under life, unjust things under
death; wherefore also eternal life awaiteth death.

29 Nor may it be said that truth is a lie, nor right wrong; for all truth is
under the light, even as all things are under God.

30 All these things, therefore, I proved in my life, and I wandered not from
the truth of the Lord, and I searched out the commandments of the Most High, walking
according to all my strength with singleness of face unto that which is good.

31 Take heed, therefore, ye also, my children, to the commandments of the Lord,
following the truth with singleness of face.

32 For they that are double-faced are guilty of a twofold sin; for they both
do the evil thing and they have pleasure in them that do it, following the example
of the spirits of deceit, and striving against mankind.

33 Do ye, therefore, my children, keep the law of the Lord, and give not heed
unto evil as unto good; but look unto the thing that is really good, and keep it
in all commandments of the Lord, having your conversation therein, and resting therein.

34 For the latter ends of men do show their righteousness or unrighteousness,
when they meet the angels of the Lord and of Satan.

35 for when the soul departs troubled, it is tormented by the evil spirit which
also it served in lusts and evil works.

36 But if he is peaceful with joy he meeteth the angel of peace, and he leadeth
him into eternal life.

37 Become not, my children, as Sodom, which sinned against the angels of the
Lord, and perished for ever.

38 For I know that ye shall sin, and be delivered into the hands of your enemies;
and your land shall be made desolate, and your holy places destroyed, and ye shall
be scattered unto the four corners of the earth.

39 And ye shall be set at nought in the dispersion vanishing away as water.

40 Until the Most High shall visit the earth, coming Himself as man, with men
eating and drinking, and breaking the head of the dragon in the water.

41 He shall save Israel and all the Gentiles, God speaking in the person of man.

42 Therefore do ye also, my children, tell these things to your children, that
they disobey Him not.

43 For I have known that ye shall assuredly be disobedient, and assuredly act
ungodly, not giving heed to the law of God, but to the commandments of men, being
corrupted through wickedness.

44 And therefore shall ye be scattered as Gad and Dan my brethren, and ye shall
know not your lands, tribe, and tongue.

45 But the Lord will gather you together in faith through His tender mercy, and
for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

46 And when he had said these things unto them, he commanded them, saying: Bury
me in Hebron.

47 And he fell asleep and died at a good old age.

48 And his sons did as he had commanded them, and they carried him up to Hebron,
and buried him with his fathers.