→６２の1より続き
11)そこでエルサレム全体が大いに不安を感じ、また支配者たちはこの山の隠遁者のことを聞いて、
12)来るべき王について知りたいと使者を送って、彼と語ろうとしたが見つからなかった。
13)数日の後ヨハネは再び市場に現われたから、全都を挙げてその言うところを聞こうとした。彼は言った。
14)「心配するな、国の支妃者たちよ、来るべき王は反抗者ではない。彼は地上の王座を占めようとする者ではない。
15)王は平和の君、正義と愛の王として来る。その王国は魂のなかである。
16)人々はその眼でこれを見ない。心の清き者のみがこれに入ることができる。
17)準備せよ、ああイスラエルよ、汝の王を迎える準備せよ。」
18)再び隠遁者は姿をかくした。民衆はその後について行こうとしたが、彼は身のまわりにべールをかけたから、誰も見ることが出来なかった。
19)ユダヤの祭日が近づいた。エルサレムはパレスチナの各万面から来たユダヤ人や改宗者で一杯であった。そしてヨハネは宮の前に立って言った。
20)「準備せよ、ああイスラエルよ、汝の王を迎える準備せよ。
21)見よ、汝は罪の生活をしていた。貧しい者が街頭で呼んでも、汝はこれを顧みない。
22)汝の隣人は誰か。汝は友と敵とを一緒にしてあざけっている。
23)汝は声と口で神を拝し、心は遠く離れて、黄金のことを考えている。
24)汝の祭司は身で背負いきれぬ大きな重荷人に負わせ、自分は貧乏人が苦労して儲けた金で気楽に暮らしている。
25)汝の律法家、博士、律法学者はこの世の厄介者である。国の体に出来た腫物（はれもの）同様だ。
26)彼らは働きもせず紡（つむ）ぎもしない。しかも、汝の商売の利益を使い尽くす。
27)汝の支配者は姦夫、ゆすり、強盗であって、何人の権利も認めない。
28)強盗は神聖なるべき室内でせっせと働いている。汝は神聖な宮を盗賊に売った。その巣窟（そうくつ）は祈祷に定められた神聖な場所である。
29)聞け聞け、エルルサレムの人々よ、改心せよ。悪事から離れよ。然らざれば、異教徒が遠くから来て、まだ残っている汝の名誉、声望を悉く一瞬にして消してしまうだろう。
30)準備せよ、エルサレムよ、汝の王を迎える準備せよ。」
31)それだけ言って彼は内庭を去ったが、誰もその行方を知らなかった。
32)祭司、博士、律法学者は一同憤慨して、ヨハネなきものにしようとしたが、見つからなかった。
33)一般民衆は彼を弁護し、この隠遁者の言うことは本当だと言った。
34)そこで祭司、博士、律法学者たちは恐れて、それ以上何も言わずに身を隠した。
【原文：The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus by Levi H. Dowling 】
SECTION XIII
MEM
The Ministry of John the Harbinger
CHAPTER 61
John, the harbinger, returns to
Hebron. Lives as a hermit in the wilds.
Visits Jerusalem and speaks to the people.
IT
came to pass when John, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, had
finished all his studies in the Egyptian schools, that he returned to
Hebron, where he abode for certain days.
2) And then he sought
the wilderness and made his home in David's cave where, many years
before, he was instructed by the Egyptian sage.
3) Some people called him Hermit of Engedi; and others said, He is the Wild Man of the Hills.
4) He clothed himself with skins of beasts; his food was carobs, honey, nuts and fruits.
5) When John was thirty years of age he went into Jerusalem, and in the market place he sat in silence seven days.
6)
The common people and the priests, the scribes and Pharisees came out
in multitudes to see the silent hermit of the hills; but none were bold
enough to ask him who he was.
7) But when his silent fast was done he stood forth in the midst of all and said:
8) Behold the king has come; the prophets told of him; the wise men long have looked for him.
9) Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
10) And that was all he said, and then he disappeared, and no one knew where he had gone.
11) And there was great unrest through all Jerusalem. The rulers heard the story of the hermit of the hills.
12) And they sent couriers forth to talk with him that they might know about the coming king; but they could find him not.
13) And after certain days he came again into the market place, and all the city came to hear him speak; he said:
14) Be not disturbed, you rulers of the state; the coming king is no antagonist; he seeks no place on any earthly throne.
15) He comes the Prince of Peace, the king of righteousness and love; his kingdom is within the soul.
16) The eyes of men shall see it not and none can enter but the pure in heart.
17) Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
18)
Again the hermit disappeared; the people strove to follow him, but he
had drawn a veil about his form and men could see him not.
19)
A Jewish feast day came; Jerusalem was filled with Jews and proselytes
from every part of Palestine, and John stood in the temple court and
said,
20) Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
21) Lo, you have lived in sin; the poor cry in your streets, and you regard them not.
22) Your neighbors, who are they? You have defrauded friend and foe alike.
23) You worship God with voice and lip; your hearts are far away, and set on gold.
24)
Your priests have bound upon the people burdens far to great to bear;
they live in ease upon the hard earned wages of the poor.
25) Your lawyers, doctors, scribes are useless cumberers of the ground; they are but tumors on the body of the state;
26) They toil not neither do they spin, yet they consume the profits of your marts of trade.
27) Your rulers are adulterers, extortioners and thieves, regarding not the rights of any man;
28)
And robbers ply their calling in the sacred halls; the holy temple you
have sold to thieves; their dens are in the sacred places set apart for
prayer.
29) Hear! hear! you people of Jerusalem! Reform; turn
from your evil ways or God will turn from you and heathen from afar
will come, and what is left of all your honor and your fame will pass
in one short hour.
30) Prepare, Jerusalem, prepare to meet your king.
31) He said no more; he left the court and no one saw him go.
32) The priests, the doctors and the scribes were all in rage. They sought for John intent to do him harm. They found him not.
33) The common people stood in his defense; they said, The hermit speaks the truth.
34) And then the priests, the doctors and the scribes were sore afraid; they said no more; they hid themselves away.
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