Ethiopic Didascalia

Ethiopic Didascalia — Platt English translation page 28

understood what David saith. Give not up unto the fierce beasts the soul that confesseth unto thee. For thus hath the Lord said, That which falleth, shall it not arise ? and that which hath erred, shall it not be brought back ? Wherefore have the people rebelled with an evil rebellion, and confirmed their purpose, and refused to leave it ? Hearken now, and hear, say they not thus ? Is there not a man that repenteth of his evil, and saith. What have I done ? Turn, O ye children that are gone afar off, and I will heal your wound. Receive them that repent, O Bishop ! and be not of a double heart, neither harden thy heart as those that have no pity. For he that doeth thus feareth not the Lord ; but let him rather consider to direct the concerns of the people, as it is fitting. Let us keep ourselves therefore ; and have thou no communion with sinners and wicked men, who do thus. The righteousness of the righteous shall be for himself; and he that doeth sin after this manner without law, his transgression shall come upon his own head. For He saith by the Prophet Ezekiel, If a land sin against me and err and transgress, and I lift up my hand against it and cut off the strength of its bread, and send against it famine, and destroy from it man and beast, though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in the midst of it, they (only) shall be saved in their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And if I send evil beasts against and upon that land and punish it, and destroy it, and there be left none that 28