one hand, and the other he stretched heavenwards and said:  “Rabbis, are ye here too?  Are ye at last afraid of the wrath of heaven which ye see approaching, and so take refuge with him who calls on ye to repent?  Ye learned hypocrites!  Ye stone him who can hurt you with a breath, and praise him who brings with him a human sacrifice.  See that your repentance does not become your judge.  But if it is sincere, then receive the water on your head as a token that you desire to be pure in heart.”

Such were the words he spoke.  The scholars laughed, scornfully; others grumbled at the severity of his remarks, but kneeled down.  He took an earthen vessel, dipped it in the waters of Jordan, and poured it over their heads so that little streams ran down their necks and over their brows.  A man raised his head and asked:  “Will you give us commandments?”

The prophet answered:  “You have two coats and only one body.  Yonder against the oak is a man who has likewise a body but no coat.  I give no commandments; but you know what to do.”

So the man went and gave his second coat to him who had none.

A lean old man, a tax-gatherer from Jerusalem, asked what he should do, since everyone he met in the streets had a coat on his back.

“Do not ask more payment than is legal.  Do not open your hand for silver pieces, nor shut your eyes to stolen goods.”

“And we?” asked a Roman mercenary.  “We are not the owners of our lives; are we, too, to have no commandments?”

“You have the sword.  But the sword is violence, hatred, lust, greed.  Take care!  The sword is your sin and your judgment.”

And then women came to him with a triumphant air, and exclaimed:  “You wise man, you!  We have no rights, so we have no duties?  Is that not so?”

And the prophet said; “You assume rights for yourselves, and duties will be given you.  The woman’s commandment is:  ’Thou shall not commit adultery.’”

“And what do you say to men?” asked one of them.

“Men have many commandments besides that one.  You must not tempt them with snares of the flesh, for they have more important things to do in the world than to make themselves pleasant to women.  You must not allure them with the colour of your cheeks, nor with the tangles of your hair, nor with your swelling breasts.  You shall not attract the eye of man through beautiful garments and sparkling jewels.  You shall not glisten like doves when you are false like snakes.”

The women were angry, and tried to set snares for him.  So they smiled sweetly, and asked:  “Your words of wisdom, oh prophet! only concern the women of the people.  Royally-born women are excepted.”

Then spoke the preacher; “Women born in the purple are of the same stuff as the leprous beggar-woman who lies in the street.  No woman is excepted.  The wives of kings live in the sight of all, and must obey the law twice and thrice as strictly.  Since Herod put away his rightful wife, the Arab king’s daughter, and lives openly in incest with his brother’s wife, the angel of hell will strike at her.”