Joseph Resists Desire

1 And why is it surprising if the desires of the soul for union with beauty are made powerless? 2 It is for this, at any rate, that the self-controlled Joseph is praised, because by his reasoning he mastered sensual pleasure. 3 For although he was young and at the height of sexual desire, he overcame the frenzy of his emotions by reasoning.⁠a 4 And reasoning is seen to master not only the frenzy of sensual pleasure, but every desire. 5 For instance, the law says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” 6 In fact, since the law has told us not to desire, I could much more easily persuade you that reasoning is able to master desires,⁠b just as it masters the emotions that hinder justice. 7 Otherwise, how could someone who is by nature a solitary eater, a glutton, or even a drunkard learn better ways, unless reasoning is clearly master of the emotions?

The Torah Teaches Justice and Restraint

8 So as soon as someone lives by the law, even if he is a lover of money, he forces himself to act against his own nature, lending to the needy without interest and canceling the debt when the seventh year arrives. 9 If someone is stingy, he is ruled by the law through reasoning, so that he does not gather the last of his harvest or glean the last grapes from his vineyard. In other matters too we can see that reasoning is master of the emotions. 10 For the law prevails even over affection for parents, so that virtue is not betrayed for their sake. 11 It prevails over love for one’s wife, so that one rebukes her when she breaks the law. 12 It rules over love for one’s children, so that one punishes them for wrongdoing. 13 It masters the closeness of friends, so that one reproves them for wickedness. 14 Don’t think it strange that reasoning, through the law, can prevail even over hatred. It does not cut down the cultivated trees of an enemy, but protects the property of enemies from those who would destroy it, and helps raise up what has fallen. 15 Reasoning is also seen to master the more violent emotions: love of power, vanity, boastfulness, arrogance, and envy. 16 For the self-controlled mind drives out all these malicious emotions, just as it drives out anger, for it masters even this. 17 Moses, when he was angry with Dathan and Abiram, did nothing against them in anger, but controlled his anger by reasoning.⁠c 18 For the self-controlled mind, as I said, is able to triumph over the emotions, changing some and making others powerless. 19 Why else did our most wise father Jacob blame Simeon and Levi for irrationally slaughtering the whole people of the Shechemites, saying, “Cursed be their anger”?⁠d 20 For if reasoning could not master anger, he would not have spoken this way. 21 For when God formed human beings, he planted in them their emotions and character, 22 and at that time he enthroned the mind, through the senses, as the sacred ruler over all. 23 To the mind he gave the law, and whoever lives by it will rule a kingdom that is self-controlled, just, good, and courageous. 24 How then, someone might ask, if reasoning is master of the emotions, does it not master forgetfulness and ignorance?