Testament of Isaac

Testament of Isaac, Gaselee1927 Bohairic translation, printedpage 64

64 THE TESTAMENT OF ISAAC said unto them: My sons and my beloved brethren, it is God that hath healed me. When he saw that I had approached unto the gate (1TVA7J) of death, He caused this to happen to me as a consolation in my old age. But (Se:) the priest of God said unto him: Show me the way unto a word of consolation. He said unto him : Keep thy body (CTwµa) holy, because it is the temple of God, and the spirit (1rvwµa) of God dwelleth in it. (f. 170a) Keep also thy little flesh (arLp~) pure and holy. Keep thyself, mingle not with men, so that no word of wrath may come out of thy mouth. Keep thyself from slander (Karn.:\a.:\ia}. Keep thyself from vain-glory. Keep thyself, speak not alone with a woman. Keep thyself, speak no idle (ci.pyos) word from thy mouth. Keep thy hands, so that they be not stretched out to that which is not thine. Offer not up a sacrifice (0vCTm) when there is a blemish in thee. Wash in water at the hour when thou desirest to come nigh the altar (0vaiaCTTTJpwv). Mingle not the thoughts of the world {KoCTµ,os} with the thoughts of God in the hour when thou shalt stand before Him. Strive to be at peace (-e:lp17V'f)) with all men in the hour when thou shalt offer up sacrifice (0vaia) to God. If thou shalt come to approach unto the altar (0vcnaCTTI]ptov), thou shalt repeat to thyself an hundred times a prayer unto God, (f. 170b) making this confession (J[oµoAoyrJCTts), speaking after this fashion : God, the incomprehensible, the inscrutable, the invincible, the hallowed treasure, purify me in love (ci.ya1r17). for I am flesh (aapfl and