Aligned sentence by sentence
. .
'Prophet and priest alike are polluted' (Jer 23:11). And obedience in a sacred place is superior — as He said: 'For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel — the word of the Lord God — there all the house of Israel will serve Me' (Ezek 20:40).
.
And transgression in a sacred place is a graver sin — as He said: 'Even in My house I found their evil' (Jer 23:11).
.
And self-denial from the young is superior — as He said: 'I raised up some of your sons as prophets and some of your young men as Nazirites' (Amos 2:11).
.
And licentiousness from the old is uglier — as He said: 'Gray hair has been sprinkled upon him and he does not know it' (Hos 7:9).
.
And trustworthiness in the poor is superior — as He said: 'Better a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in his ways, even if he is rich' (Prov 28:6).
.
And betrayal in the wealthy is graver — as He said: 'A traveler came to the rich man' (2 Sam 12:4) and the rest of the story.
.
And helping one's enemy is superior — as He said: 'When a man finds his enemy and sends him on a good way' (1 Sam 24:20).
.
And harming the righteous person is harder — as He said: 'He stretched out his hands against those who were at peace with him; he profaned his covenant' (Ps 55:21).
.
And humility in the great is superior — as He said: 'The man Moses was very humble' (Num 12:3).
.
And arrogance in the lowly is harder — as He said: 'When vileness is exalted among humanity' (Ps 12:9).
.
And wronging the poor is harder — as He said: 'To crush the poor of the land and the needy of humanity' (Amos 8:4).
.
And wronging the scholar from whose knowledge people benefit is more severe — as He said: 'For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are great — you who afflict the righteous' (Amos 5:12).
, , .
And multiplying the wronged is more severe — a thousand people wronged out of a thousand dirhams is harder than one person wronged out of a thousand dirhams — as He said: 'From the multitude of oppressions they cry out' (Job 35:9).
.
And transgression on a solemn day is more severe — as He said: 'Behold, on your fast day you pursue your own desire' (Isa 58:3).
.
And charity from the poor is superior — as He said: 'Better is little with the fear of the Lord' (Prov 15:16). And fasting —
Aligned sentence by sentence
.
— fasting from those in ease is superior — as He said: 'Let the bridegroom leave his chamber and the bride her canopy' (Joel 2:16).
.
And as we said regarding the dedication of first-born animals, early fruits, and morning prayer at sunrise — for these are things precious to us — as He said: 'All the best of your votive gifts which you vow to the Lord' (Deut 12:11).
. . , , , ,
Section 8. Having established this, I should speak about thoughts. I say: for the passing thoughts that arise in a person and he repels them, he receives great reward for that — as He said: 'Let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts' (Isa 55:7).
, , .
But one who follows thoughts until he speaks of what he will do, but then does not do it — he bears the guilt of intention but not the guilt of action, as He said: 'An abomination to the Lord are evil thoughts' (Prov 15:26).
, ,
There is nothing for which a servant is punished on account of intention and belief alone, except unbelief in God — for that is something one can only arrive at through belief alone.
.
Of this He said: 'To snare the house of Israel in their hearts, through which they all estranged themselves from Me by their idols' (Ezek 14:5).
, , , , ,
Among the interpreters are those who interpret transgressive passages in four ways: by reconciling a verse with what is observable, or with reason, or with another text, or with tradition.
, , ,
If he succeeds in this, he receives reward for it — as He said: 'If you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure... then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God' (Prov 2:4–5).
.
But one who does not succeed in this receives neither reward nor punishment for it. And the interpreter regarding commandments —