44. Excepting unrighteous people,
Who love their evil ways;
To these thou shalt never offer it
Until the day of thy death.
OF THE DUTIES OF A SOUL'S FRIEND WHO TAKES UNTO HIM PENITENTS HERE.
45. If you be any body's soul's friend,
His soul thou shalt not sell;
Thou shalt not be a blind leading a blind,
Thou shalt not allow him to fall into neglect.
46. Let them give thee their confessions
Candidly and devoutly;
Receive not their alms
If they be not directed by thee.
47. Though you receive their offerings,
They [the offerings] abide not in thy love;
Let them be as if fire upon thy body,
Until you have distributed them in your might.
48. Of fasting and praying
Pay thou their price;
If you do not you shall pay
For the sins of the host.
49. Teach thou the ignorant,
That they bend to thy obedience;
Let them not come into sin
In imitation of thyself.
50. For sake of gifts be not false,
By denial, by penuriousness;
For thy soul to thee is more precious
By far than the gifts.
51. You will give them to the strangers,
Be they powerful, or be they weak;
You will give them to the poor people,
From whom you expect no reward.
52. You will give them to old people,
To widows—'tis no falsehood;
You will not give them to the sinners,
Who have already ample gifts.