על שהרע נוהג לארוב לטוב ל׳That the Worse is wont to Attack the Better 30
א׳
1[112] The man of parts, therefore, has been clearly shown to be a tiller of the soil, and the worthless man a mere worker on it. And would that the earthly part of him had lent its strength to him as he worked on the soil, instead of actually diminishing the strength he has; for it is said, “it shall not add its strength, to give it thee” (Gen. 4:12).
ב׳
2[113] His plight is that to which a man would come, if he were always eating and drinking, and never being filled, or indulging perpetually in sexual pleasures with his cravings after sexual intercourse continuing in full force. For weakness is brought about by emptiness, and strength by fullness; and insatiability is the hunger that is experienced when an abundant supply of food is combined with dire intemperance: and those are in wretched case whose carcases are full, while their appetites are empty and still athirst.
ג׳
3[114] But of the lovers of knowledge he says in the Great Song that “He caused them to mount over the strength of the earth, and fed them with the products of the fields” (Deut. 32:13), showing that the godless man misses his goal, to the end that he may suffer the greater pain through strength not being added to, but on the contrary taken away by, his activities, while those who follow after virtue, raised high above all that is earthly and mortal, are abundantly able to disregard the power wielded by these things, seeing that they have God to guide their ascent, who extends to them for use and enjoyment and highest benefit the very products of the fields. He likens virtues to fields, and what they yield to products. He chooses the word “products” because he is thinking of production: for out of good sense is produced sensible conduct, out of moderation modest behaviour, out of piety pious demeanour, and from each of the other virtues, the activity that corresponds to it.