10 But trade with your own riches
which you possess, by which ye may
attain unto everlasting joy.
11 And do not commit adultery,
nor touch any other man's wife,
nor desire her; but covet that
which is thy own business, and
thou shalt be saved.
SIMILITUDE II.
As the vine is supported by the elm,
so is the rich man helped by the prayers of the poor.
AS I was walking into the field,
and considered the elm and
the vine, and thought with myself
of their fruits, an angel appeared
unto me, and said unto me; What
is it that thou thinkest upon thus
long within thyself?
2 And I said unto him, Sir, I
think of this vine and this elm
because their fruits are fair.
And he said unto me; These two
trees are set for a pattern to
the servants of God.
3 And I said unto him, Sir, I
would know in what the pattern
of these trees which thou mentionest,
does consist. Hearken, saith he;
seest thou this vine and this
elm? Sir, said I, I see them.
4 This vine, saith he, is fruitful,
but the elm is a tree without fruit.
Nevertheless this vine unless it
were set by this elm, and supported
by it, would not bear much
fruit; but lying along upon the
ground, would bear but ill fruit,
because it did not hang upon the
elm; whereas, being supported
upon the elm, it bears fruit both
for itself and for that.
5 See, therefore, how the elm
gives no less, but rather more
fruit, than the vine. How, Sir,
said I, does it bear more fruit
than the vine? Because, said he,
the vine being supported upon
the elm gives both much and good
fruit; whereas, if it lay along
upon the ground, it would bear
but little, and that very ill too.