The Two is not One, choose One from the Two — Separate the light from the darkness - For the latter ends of men do show their righteousness or unrighteousness, when they meet the angels of the Lord and of Satan.

THE TESTAMENT OF ASHER - 1
[Asher 1:1-48]

Asher, the son of Jacob and Zilpah, preaches against having double faces, double standards or hypocrisy.

*1* THE copy of the Testament To Asher, including things he spoke to his sons in the one hundred and twenty-fifth year of his life.

*2* For while he was still in health, he said to them: "Listen, you 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 has God given to the sons of men, and two inclinations, and two kinds of action, and two modes of action, and two motives.

*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 takes pleasure in the good inclination, all its actions are in righteousness; and if that soul sins it immediately repents.

*7* For, having its thoughts set upon righteousness, and casting away wickedness, it immediately overthrows the evil, and uproots the sin.

*8* But if the soul inclines to the evil inclination, all its actions are in wickedness, and it drives away the good, and cleaves to the evil, and is ruled by Beliar; and even if that soul works what is good, he perverts it to evil.

*9* For whenever it begins to do good, he forces the motive 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 use words to help the good but for the motive of the evil, yet the end of the action leads to mischief.

*11* There is a case where a man shows no mercy on a wicked man who's caught up in suffering for his own evil; and this thing has two aspects, but the whole of it is evil.

*12* And there is also a case where a man loves him that works evil, because he would prefer even to die in evil for his sake; and concerning this it is clear that it has two aspects, but the whole thing is an evil work.

*13* Though indeed that man has love, yet he is wicked for hiding what is evil for the sake of the good name, but the end of the action tends to evil.

*14* Another steals, cheats, does unjustly, plunders, defrauds, and uses the proceeds to pity and feed the poor: this too has a twofold aspect, but the whole of it is evil.

*15* He who defrauds his neighbour provokes God, and swears falsely against the Most High, and yet he pities the poor: The Lord commanded that law he breaks and provokes, and yet he refreshes the poor.

*16* He defiles the soul, and makes gay the body; he kills many, and pities a few: this, too, has a twofold aspect, but the whole of it is evil.

*17* Another case is a man who commits adultery and fornication, and abstains from meats, and when he fasts he does evil, and by the power of his wealth overwhelms many: And notwithstanding his excessive wickedness he still observes the commandments: this, too, has a twofold aspect, but the whole of it is evil,

*18* Such men are like the animal called Hares, which is clean, like those that divide the hoof, but in very deed are unclean.

*19* For God in the tables of the commandments has thus declared.

*20* But my children, do not wear two faces like to them having both that of goodness and of wickedness; but rather cleave to goodness only, for God has His habitation therein, and men desire it.

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

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

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

*24* One man hates a merciful but an unjust man, and hates the man who commits adultery and yet does fastings: this, too, has a twofold aspect, but the whole work is good, because he follows the Lord's example, in that he does not accept the one who seems good as being genuinely good.

*25* Another man does not desire to see good day with them that not, lest he defiles his body and pollutes his soul; this, too, is double-faced, but the whole of it 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 hates and forbids by His commandments, warding off the evil from the good.

*27* You 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 succeeds 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 awaits 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 to that which is good.

*31* Take heed, therefore you 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 you therefore, my children, keep the law of the Lord, and give not heed to evil as to good; but look to 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 that soul served in lusts and evil works.

*36* But if he is peaceful with joy he meets the angel of peace, and the angel leads him into eternal life.

*37* My children, do not become as Sodom, which sinned against the angels of the Lord, and perished for ever.

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

*39* And you 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 you also, my children, tell these things to your children, that they do not disobey Him.

*43* For I have known that you 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 you be scattered as Gad and Dan my brethren, and you shall not know 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 to 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.

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