1A record of what Asher told his sons in the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his life. 2 While he was still in good health, he said to them: Listen, children of Asher, to your father, and I will declare to you all that is upright in the sight of the Lord. 3 God has given two ways to humanity, two inclinations, two kinds of action, two ways of acting, and two outcomes.[1] 4 So all things come in pairs, one set against the other. 5 For there are two ways, of good and of evil, and with them are the two inclinations within us that tell them apart. 6 So if the soul takes pleasure in the good inclination, all its actions are righteous, and if it sins, it repents at once. 7 For with its thoughts set on righteousness and casting away wickedness, it immediately overthrows the evil and uproots the sin. 8 But if it leans toward the evil inclination, all its actions are wicked; it drives away the good, clings to the evil, and is ruled by Beliar. Even when it does something good, Beliar twists it into evil. 9 For whenever it begins to do good, Beliar forces the outcome of the action into evil for him, since the storehouse of his inclination is filled with an evil spirit.
2A person may, with words, support the good for the sake of evil, yet the outcome of the action leads to harm. 2 There is a man who shows no compassion to someone who serves his purpose in evil; this has two aspects, but the whole of it is evil. 3 There is a man who loves someone who does evil, because he would rather even die in evil for his sake; clearly this has two aspects, but the whole of it is an evil work. 4 Though he may have love, the one who conceals what is evil for the sake of a good reputation is wicked, for the end of the action tends toward evil. 5 Another man steals, acts unjustly, plunders, and cheats, and yet pities the poor; this too has a double aspect, but the whole of it is evil. 6 The one who cheats his neighbor provokes God and swears falsely against the Most High, yet pities the poor. He despises and provokes the Lord who gave the law, and yet he relieves the poor. 7 He defiles the soul but indulges the body; he kills many and pities a few; this too has a double aspect, but the whole of it is evil. 8 Another commits adultery and sexual immorality, yet abstains from certain foods; while he fasts he does evil, and by the power of his wealth he overwhelms many. Despite his extreme wickedness, he keeps the commandments; this too has a double aspect, but the whole of it is evil. 9 Such men are like hares: they seem clean, like animals that have a divided hoof, but in reality they are unclean. 10 For God has declared this in the tablets of the commandments.
3But do not be two-faced like them, my children, showing both goodness and wickedness; cling to goodness alone, for God makes his home in it, and people desire it. 2 Flee from wickedness, destroying the evil inclination by your good works; for the two-faced do not serve God but their own lusts, so that they may please Beliar and people like themselves.
4For good men, those who are single-hearted, are righteous before God, even though the two-faced think they sin. 2 Many, in killing the wicked, do two things, good and evil; but the whole of it is good, because he has uprooted and destroyed what is evil. 3 One man hates the person who is merciful but unjust, and the one who commits adultery yet fasts; this too has a double aspect, but the whole work is good, because he follows the Lord's example in not accepting the apparent good as the genuine good. 4 Another has no wish to share a good day with those who carouse, so that he will not defile his body and pollute his soul; this too is two-faced, but the whole of it is good. 5 For such men are like stags and does: in the way of wild animals they seem unclean, but they are completely clean, because they walk in zeal for the Lord and abstain from what God hates and forbids by his commandments, keeping the evil away from the good.
5You see, my children, how there are two things in everything, one against the other, and one hidden by the other: in wealth, greed is hidden; in feasting, drunkenness; in laughter, grief; in marriage, promiscuity. 2 Death follows life, dishonor follows glory, night follows day, and darkness follows light; all things are under the day, just things under life and unjust things under death. And so eternal life awaits after death. 3 It cannot be said that truth is a lie, or that right is wrong, for all truth is under the light, just as all things are under God. 4 I tested all these things in my life, and I did not stray from the truth of the Lord. I searched out the commandments of the Most High, walking with all my strength, with integrity, toward what is good.
6So you also, my children, pay attention to the commandments of the Lord, following the truth with integrity. 2 For the two-faced are guilty of a double sin: they both do the evil thing and take pleasure in those who do it, following the example of the spirits of dishonesty and fighting against mankind. 3 So keep the law of the Lord, my children, and do not treat evil as if it were good; instead look to what is truly good and keep it in all the commandments of the Lord, making it your way of life and finding your rest in it. 4 For the final ends of people reveal their righteousness or unrighteousness, when they meet the angels of the Lord and of Satan. 5 For when the soul departs troubled, it is tormented by the evil spirit that it also served in its lusts and evil deeds. 6 But if a person is peaceful and joyful, he meets the angel of peace, who leads him into eternal life.[2]
7Do not become like Sodom, my children, which sinned against the angels of the Lord and perished forever. 2 For I know that you will sin and be handed over to your enemies; your land will be made desolate and your holy places destroyed, and you will be scattered to the four corners of the earth. 3 You will count for nothing in the dispersion, vanishing away like water. 4 This will last until the Most High visits the earth, coming himself as a man, eating and drinking with people, and crushing the head of the dragon in the water. 5 He will save Israel and all the Gentiles, God speaking in human form. 6 So you also, my children, tell these things to your children, so that they will not disobey him. 7 For I know that you will certainly be disobedient and act ungodly, paying attention not to the law of God but to the commandments of men, being corrupted through wickedness. 8 So you will be scattered like my brothers Gad and Dan, and you will not know your lands, your tribe, or your language. 9 But the Lord will gather you together in faith, through his tender mercy and for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
8When he had said these things to them, he commanded them: Bury me in Hebron. 2 Then he fell asleep and died at a good old age. 3 His sons did as he had commanded them, and they carried him up to Hebron and buried him with his fathers.