Greet it as pure joy, my brothers, when you come across any sort of trial,

but let one who is rich exult in being lowered; for the rich will pass away like the flower of the grass ??11 up comes the sun with the scorching wind and withers the grass, its flower drops off, and the splendour of it is ruined: so shall the rich fade away amid their pursuits.

Let no one who is tried by temptation say, 'My temptation comes from God'; God is incapable of being tempted by evil and he tempts no one.

Suppose there comes into your meeting a man who wears gold rings and handsome clothes, and also a poor man in dirty clothes;

That is not the wisdom which comes down from above, it is an earthly wisdom, sensuous, devilish;

Where do conflicts, where do wrangles come from, in your midst? Is it not from these passions of yours that war among your members?

Come now, you who say, "To-day or to-morrow we are going to such and such a city; we shall spend a year there trading and making money" ??14 you who know nothing about to-morrow! For what is your life? You are but a mist, which appears for a little and then vanishes.

Come now, you rich men, weep and shriek over your impending miseries!