1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 7.9, 8.5, 10.12, 32.4 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
7.9. וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מצותו [מִצְוֺתָיו] לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר׃ 8.5. וְיָדַעְתָּ עִם־לְבָבֶךָ כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יְיַסֵּר אִישׁ אֶת־בְּנוֹ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְיַסְּרֶךָּ׃ 10.12. וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֹׁאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם־לְיִרְאָה אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו וּלְאַהֲבָה אֹתוֹ וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶׁךָ׃ 32.4. כִּי־אֶשָּׂא אֶל־שָׁמַיִם יָדִי וְאָמַרְתִּי חַי אָנֹכִי לְעֹלָם׃ 32.4. הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ כִּי כָל־דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט אֵל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא׃ | 7.9. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God; the faithful God, who keepeth covet and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations;" 8.5. And thou shalt consider in thy heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee." 10.12. And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul;" 32.4. The Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice; A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, Just and right is He. ." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 1.27, 1.31 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
1.27. וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם׃ 1.31. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה־טוֹב מְאֹד וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי׃ | 1.27. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." 1.31. And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Malachi, 3.3 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
3.3. וְיָשַׁב מְצָרֵף וּמְטַהֵר כֶּסֶף וְטִהַר אֶת־בְּנֵי־לֵוִי וְזִקַּק אֹתָם כַּזָּהָב וְכַכָּסֶף וְהָיוּ לַיהוָה מַגִּישֵׁי מִנְחָה בִּצְדָקָה׃ | 3.3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver; and there shall be they that shall offer unto the LORD offerings in righteousness." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 3.11-3.12 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
3.11. מוּסַר יְהוָה בְּנִי אַל־תִּמְאָס וְאַל־תָּקֹץ בְּתוֹכַחְתּוֹ׃ 3.12. כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב יְהוָה יוֹכִיחַ וּכְאָב אֶת־בֵּן יִרְצֶה׃ | 3.11. My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, Neither spurn thou His correction;" 3.12. For whom the LORD loveth He correcteth, Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 17.3, 26.2, 66.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
17.3. בָּחַנְתָּ לִבִּי פָּקַדְתָּ לַּיְלָה צְרַפְתַּנִי בַל־תִּמְצָא זַמֹּתִי בַּל־יַעֲבָר־פִּי׃ 26.2. בְּחָנֵנִי יְהוָה וְנַסֵּנִי צרופה [צָרְפָה] כִלְיוֹתַי וְלִבִּי׃ | 17.3. Thou hast tried my heart, Thou hast visited it in the night; Thou hast tested me, and Thou findest not That I had a thought which should not pass my mouth." 26.2. Examine me, O LORD, and try me; test my reins and my heart." 66.10. For Thou, O God, hast tried us; Thou hast refined us, as silver is refined." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 1.25, 48.10 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
1.25. וְאָשִׁיבָה יָדִי עָלַיִךְ וְאֶצְרֹף כַּבֹּר סִיגָיִךְ וְאָסִירָה כָּל־בְּדִילָיִךְ׃ | 1.25. And I will turn My hand upon thee, And purge away thy dross as with lye, And will take away all thine alloy;" |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 6.22-6.24 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
6.22. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה הִנֵּה עַם בָּא מֵאֶרֶץ צָפוֹן וְגוֹי גָּדוֹל יֵעוֹר מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָרֶץ׃ 6.23. קֶשֶׁת וְכִידוֹן יַחֲזִיקוּ אַכְזָרִי הוּא וְלֹא יְרַחֵמוּ קוֹלָם כַּיָּם יֶהֱמֶה וְעַל־סוּסִים יִרְכָּבוּ עָרוּךְ כְּאִישׁ לַמִּלְחָמָה עָלַיִךְ בַּת־צִיּוֹן׃ 6.24. שָׁמַעְנוּ אֶת־שָׁמְעוֹ רָפוּ יָדֵינוּ צָרָה הֶחֱזִיקַתְנוּ חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה׃ | 6.22. Thus saith the LORD: Behold, a people cometh from the north country, And a great nation shall be roused from the uttermost parts of the earth." 6.23. They lay hold on bow and spear, They are cruel, and have no compassion; Their voice is like the roaring sea, And they ride upon horses; Set in array, as a man for war, Against thee, O daughter of Zion." 6.24. ’We have heard the fame thereof, our hands wax feeble, Anguish hath taken hold of us, And pain, as of a woman in travail.’" |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 22.20-22.21 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
22.21. וְכִנַּסְתִּי אֶתְכֶם וְנָפַחְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם בְּאֵשׁ עֶבְרָתִי וְנִתַּכְתֶּם בְּתוֹכָהּ׃ | 22.20. As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in Mine anger and in My fury, and I will cast you in, and melt you." 22.21. Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you with the fire of My wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof." |
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9. Hebrew Bible, Zechariah, 13.9 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
13.9. וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶת־הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בָּאֵשׁ וּצְרַפְתִּים כִּצְרֹף אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף וּבְחַנְתִּים כִּבְחֹן אֶת־הַזָּהָב הוּא יִקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אֹתוֹ אָמַרְתִּי עַמִּי הוּא וְהוּא יֹאמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי׃ | 13.9. And I will bring the third part through the fire, And will refine them as silver is refined, And will try them as gold is tried; They shall call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say: ‘It is My people’, And they shall say: ‘The LORD is my God.’" |
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10. Anon., 1 Enoch, 5.4, 14.3, 82.2-82.4 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 5.4. But ye -ye have not been steadfast, nor done the commandments of the Lord, But ye have turned away and spoken proud and hard words With your impure mouths against His greatness. Oh, ye hard-hearted, ye shall find no peace. 14.3. converse therewith and understand with the heart. As He has created and given to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath He created me also and given me the power of reprimanding 82.2. I have given Wisdom to thee and to thy children, [And thy children that shall be to thee], That they may give it to their children for generations, This wisdom (namely) that passeth their thought. 82.2. in the fields, and the winepress: these things take place in the days of his dominion. These are the names, and the orders, and the leaders of those heads of thousands: Gida'ljal, Ke'el, and He'el, and the name of the head of a thousand which is added to them, Asfa'el: and the days of his dominion are at an end.Section IV. Chapters LXXXIII-XC. The Dream-Visions. 82.3. And those who understand it shall not sleep, But shall listen with the ear that they may learn this wisdom, And it shall please those that eat thereof better than good food. 82.4. Blessed are all the righteous, blessed are all those who walk In the way of righteousness and sin not as the sinners, in the reckoning of all their days in which the sun traverses the heaven, entering into and departing from the portals for thirty days with the heads of thousands of the order of the stars, together with the four which are intercalated which divide the four portions of the year, which |
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11. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 1.12, 2.1-2.13, 2.16-2.17, 4.11-4.19, 6.1, 6.6-6.9, 6.14, 6.16, 6.18-6.37, 7.18-7.19, 7.24, 7.29-7.31, 9.16, 15.11-15.12, 17.3, 19.17, 20.14, 23.27, 25.11, 27.17, 35.1-35.7, 39.16, 39.33 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 1.12. To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;she is created with the faithful in the womb. 2.1. My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord,prepare yourself for temptation. 2.1. Consider the ancient generations and see:who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame?Or who ever persevered in the fear of the Lord and was forsaken?Or who ever called upon him and was overlooked? 2.2. Set your heart right and be steadfast,and do not be hasty in time of calamity. 2.3. Cleave to him and do not depart,that you may be honored at the end of your life. 2.4. Accept whatever is brought upon you,and in changes that humble you be patient. 2.5. For gold is tested in the fire,and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. 2.6. Trust in him, and he will help you;make your ways straight, and hope in him. 2.7. You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy;and turn not aside, lest you fall. 2.8. You who fear the Lord, trust in him,and your reward will not fail; 2.9. you who fear the Lord, hope for good things,for everlasting joy and mercy. 2.11. For the Lord is compassionate and merciful;he forgives sins and saves in time of affliction. 2.12. Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands,and to the sinner who walks along two ways! 2.16. Those who fear the Lord will seek his approval,and those who love him will be filled with the law. 2.17. Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts,and will humble themselves before him. 4.11. Wisdom exalts her sons and gives help to those who seek her. 4.12. Whoever loves her loves life,and those who seek her early will be filled with joy. 4.13. Whoever holds her fast will obtain glory,and the Lord will bless the place she enters. 4.14. Those who serve her will minister to the Holy One;the Lord loves those who love her. 4.15. He who obeys her will judge the nations,and whoever gives heed to her will dwell secure. 4.16. If he has faith in her he will obtain her;and his descendants will remain in possession of her. 4.17. For at first she will walk with him on tortuous paths,she will bring fear and cowardice upon him,and will torment him by her discipline until she trusts him,and she will test him with her ordices. 4.18. Then she will come straight back to him and gladden him,and will reveal her secrets to him. 4.19. If he goes astray she will forsake him,and hand him over to his ruin. 7.18. Do not exchange a friend for money,or a real brother for the gold of Ophir. 7.19. Do not deprive yourself of a wise and good wife,for her charm is worth more than gold. 7.24. Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity,and do not show yourself too indulgent with them. 7.29. With all your soul fear the Lord,and honor his priests. 7.31. Fear the Lord and honor the priest,and give him his portion, as is commanded you:the first fruits, the guilt offering, the gift of the shoulders,the sacrifice of sanctification,and the first fruits of the holy things. 9.16. Let righteous men be your dinner companions,and let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord. 15.11. Do not say, "Because of the Lord I left the right way";for he will not do what he hates. 15.12. Do not say, "It was he who led me astray";for he had no need of a sinful man. 17.3. He endowed them with strength like his own,and made them in his own image. 19.17. Question your neighbor before you threaten him;and let the law of the Most High take its course. 20.14. A fools gift will profit you nothing,for he has many eyes instead of one. 25.11. The fear of the Lord surpasses everything;to whom shall be likened the one who holds it fast? 27.17. Love your friend and keep faith with him;but if you betray his secrets, do not run after him. 35.1. He who keeps the law makes many offerings;he who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering. 35.1. Give to the Most High as he has given,and as generously as your hand has found. 35.2. He who returns a kindness offers fine flour,and he who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering. 35.2. Mercy is as welcome when he afflicts them as clouds of rain in the time of drought. 35.3. To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord,and to forsake unrighteousness is atonement. 35.4. Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed 35.5. for all these things are to be done because of the commandment. 35.6. The offering of a righteous man anoints the altar,and its pleasing odor rises before the Most High. 35.7. The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable,and the memory of it will not be forgotten. 39.16. All things are the works of the Lord, for they are very good,and whatever he commands will be done in his time. 39.33. The works of the Lord are all good,and he will supply every need in its hour. |
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12. Septuagint, Judith, 8.25-8.26 (2nd cent. BCE - 0th cent. CE)
| 8.25. In spite of everything let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is putting us to the test as he did our forefathers. 8.26. Remember what he did with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia in Syria, while he was keeping the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother. |
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13. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 1.1-1.6, 2.3-2.4, 2.6, 2.10-2.13, 2.15, 2.17, 3.5, 4.11-4.16, 11.9, 15.11-15.12 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 1.1. Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth,think of the Lord with uprightness,and seek him with sincerity of heart; 1.2. because he is found by those who do not put him to the test,and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him. 1.3. For perverse thoughts separate men from God,and when his power is tested, it convicts the foolish; 1.4. because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul,nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin. 1.5. For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit,and will rise and depart from foolish thoughts,and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness. 1.6. For wisdom is a kindly spirit and will not free a blasphemer from the guilt of his words;because God is witness of his inmost feelings,and a true observer of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue. 2.3. When it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes,and the spirit will dissolve like empty air. 2.4. Our name will be forgotten in time and no one will remember our works;our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud,and be scattered like mist that is chased by the rays of the sun and overcome by its heat. 2.6. Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist,and make use of the creation to the full as in youth. 2.10. Let us oppress the righteous poor man;let us not spare the widow nor regard the gray hairs of the aged. 2.11. But let our might be our law of right,for what is weak proves itself to be useless. 2.12. Let us lie in wait for the righteous man,because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions;he reproaches us for sins against the law,and accuses us of sins against our training. 2.13. He professes to have knowledge of God,and calls himself a child of the Lord. 2.15. the very sight of him is a burden to us,because his manner of life is unlike that of others,and his ways are strange. 2.17. Let us see if his words are true,and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; 3.5. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; 4.11. He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile deceive his soul. 4.12. For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good,and roving desire perverts the innocent mind. 4.13. Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years; 4.14. for his soul was pleasing to the Lord,therefore he took him quickly from the midst of wickedness. 4.15. Yet the peoples saw and did not understand,nor take such a thing to heart,that Gods grace and mercy are with his elect,and he watches over his holy ones. 4.16. The righteous man who had died will condemn the ungodly who are living,and youth that is quickly perfected will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous man. 11.9. For when they were tried, though they were being disciplined in mercy,they learned how the ungodly were tormented when judged in wrath. 15.11. because he failed to know the one who formed him and inspired him with an active soul and breathed into him a living spirit. 15.12. But he considered our existence an idle game,and life a festival held for profit,for he says one must get money however one can, even by base means. |
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14. New Testament, James, 2.5, 2.9-2.11 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.5. Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn't God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 2.9. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. 2.10. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he has become guilty of all. 2.11. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," said also, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. |
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