| 1 | God created man from the earth, and he made him according to his own image. |
| 2 | And he returned him again to it, and he clothed him with virtue according to himself. |
| 3 | He gave him the number and time of his days, and he gave him authority over all the things that are upon the earth. |
| 4 | He placed the fear of him over all flesh, and he had dominion over wild beasts and flying things. |
| 5 | He created from him a helper, similar to himself. He gave them counsel, and language, and sight, and hearing, and a heart, in order to think. And he filled them with the discipline of understanding. |
| 6 | He created within them the knowledge of the spirit. He filled their heart with understanding, and he showed them both good and evil. |
| 7 | He set his eye upon their hearts, to reveal to them the greatness of his works, |
| 8 | so that they might highly praise the name of sanctification, and give glory to his wonders, so that they might declare the greatness of his works. |
| 9 | In addition, he gave them discipline and the law of life, as their inheritance. |
| 10 | He established an eternal covenant with them, and he revealed to them his justice and judgments. |
| 11 | And their eye saw the greatness of his honor, and their ears heard the honor of his voice, and he said to them: "Beware of all iniquity." |
| 12 | And he commanded each one concerning his neighbor. |
| 13 | Their ways are always in his sight; they are not hidden from his eyes. |
| 14 | Over each and every people, he has appointed a ruler. |
| 15 | And Israel was made to be the manifest portion of God. |
| 16 | And in the sight of God, all their works are like the sun. And his eyes, without ceasing, inspect their ways. |
| 17 | The covenants are not hidden by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God. |
| 18 | The almsgiving of a man is like a seal upon him, which will guard the grace of a man like the pupil of an eye. |
| 19 | And afterward, it will rise up and repay them their reward, each one upon his head, and it will return to the hidden places of the earth. |
| 20 | Now, to the repentant, he has given the way of justice, and he has strengthened those lacking in patience, and he has fastened them to a destiny of truth. |
| 21 | Convert to the Lord, and relinquish your sins. |
| 22 | Make supplication before the face of the Lord, and diminish your offenses. |
| 23 | Return to the Lord, and turn away from your injustice, and have immense hatred for abomination. |
| 24 | And acknowledge the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the circumstances set before you and in prayer to the most high God. |
| 25 | Go to the side of the holy generation, to those who live in order to give praise to God. |
| 26 | You should not linger in the error of the impious; confess before death. Confession perishes from the dead as if it were nothing. |
| 27 | Confess while living; you should give thanks while you are still alive and healthy. And you should praise God and glory in his compassion. |
| 28 | How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness, for those who convert to him! |
| 29 | For not all things can be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and because they are pleased by the emptiness of malice. |
| 30 | What is brighter than the sun? Yet this will fail. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood has invented? And this will be reproved. |
| 31 | He beholds the power of the heights of heaven. And all men are earth and ashes. |
