XXX.—Rich Men, Be Humble.

Learn, O thou who art about to die, to show thyself good to all.  Why, in the midst of the people, makest thou thyself to be another than thou art?  Thou goest where thou knowest not, and ignorantly thence thou departest.  Thou managest wickedly with thy very body; thou thirstest always after riches.  Thou exaltest thyself too much on high; and thou bearest pride, and dost not willingly look on the poor.  Now ye do not even feed your parents themselves when placed under you.  Ah, wretched men, let ordinary men flee far from you.  He lived, and I have destroyed him; the poor man cries out εὕρηκα.  By and by thou shalt be driven with 209the furies of Charybdis, when thou thyself dost perish.  Thus ye rich men are undisciplined, ye give a law to those, ye yourselves not being prepared.  Strip thyself, O rich man turned away from God, of such evils, if assuredly, perchance, what thou hast seen done may aid thee.  Be ye the attendant of God while ye have time.  Even as the elm loves the vine, so love ye people of no account.  Observe now, O barren one, the law which is terrible to the evil, and equally benignant to the good; be humble in prosperity.  Take away, O rich men, hearts of fraud, and take up hearts of peace.  And look upon your evil-doing.  Do ye do good?  I am here.