A. It is a duty and a virtue. A man who does not feel grateful for kind acts done for him by others, does not deserve favors of any kind. He ought to be shut out from the society of the good. He is worse than a savage, for a savage never forgets an act of kindness.
Q. What is the effect of true kindness?
A. It softens the heart towards the generous man; and every thing which subdues the pride and other unsocial passions of the heart, fits a man to be a better citizen, a better neighbor, a better husband, and a better friend. A man who is sensible of favors, and ready to acknowledge them, is more inclined to perform kind offices, not only towards his benefactor, but towards all others.
*thankfulness of heart: 現代英語なら、thnkfulness in haert
*deserve favors: doen't deserve kindness
*fits a man to be a better citizen: makes someone a better citizen
A. If we speak at all, we should tell the truth. It is not always necessary to tell what we know. There are many things which concern ourselves and others which we had better not publish to the world.
Q. What rules are there respecting the publishing of truth?
A. 1. When we are called upon to testify in courts, we should speak the whole truth, and that without disguise. To leave out small circumstances, or to give a coloring to others, with a view to favor one side more than the other, is to the highest degree criminal.
2. When we know something of our neighbor which is against his character, we may not publish it, unless to prevent his doing an injury to another person.
3. When we sell any thing to another, we ought not to represent the article to be better than it really is. If there are faults in it which may easily be seen, the law of man does not require us to inform the buyer of these faults, because he may see them himself. But it is not honorable nor generous, nor strictly honest, to conceal even apparent faults. But when faults are out of sight, the seller ought to tell the buyer of them. If he does not, he is a chat and a downright knave.
Q. What are the ill effects of laying and deceiving?
A. The man who lies, deceives or cheats, loses his reputation. No person will believe him, even when he speaks the truth; he is shunned as a pest to society.
Falsehood and cheating destroy all confidence between man and man; they raise jealousies and suspicions among men; they thus weaken the bands of society and destroy happiness. Besides, cheating often strips people of their property, and makes them poor and wretched.
*respecting: prep. 〜について
*disguise: conceal(隠す)
*may not : =must not
*coloring: the act or process of ornamenting(脚色)
*character: reputation(評判)
*article: a thing or person of a particular and distinctive kind or classの意味で、ここでは「商品」のこと
A. It signifies giving to the poor, or it is a favorable opinion of men and their actions.
Q. When and how far is it our duty to give to the poor?
A. When others really want what we can spare without material injury to ourselves, it is our duty to give them something to relieve their wants.
Q. When persons are reduced to want by their own laziness and vices, by drunkenness, gambling, and the like, is it a duty to relieve them?
A. In general, it is not. The man who gives money and provisions to a lazy, vicious man, becomes a partaker of his guilt. Perhaps it may be right, to give such a man a meal of victuals to keep him from starving, and make them comfortable.
Q. Who are the proper objects of charity?
A. Persons who are reduced to want by sickness, unavoidable losses by fire, storms at sea or land, drought or accidents of other kinds. To such persons we are commanded to give; and it is our own interest to be charitable; for we are all liable to misfortunes, and may want charity ourselves.
Q. In what manner should we bestow favors?
A. We should do it with gentleness and affection; putting on no airs of pride and arrogance. We should also take no pains to publish our charities, but rather to conceal theml for if we boast of our generosity, we discover that we give from mean, selfish motives. Christ commands us, in giving alms, not to let our left hand know what our right hand doeth.
Q. How can charity be exercised in our opinions of others?
A. By thinking favorably of them and their actions. Every man has his faults; but charity will not put a harsh construction on another’s conduct. It will not charge his conduct to bad views and motives, unless this appears very clear indeed.
*charity: generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering also : aid given to those in need
「寛容と施し」の意味
*alms: something (such as money or food) given freely to relieve the poor(施し) 現在は使われてない
*reduced to want: 古い言い回しで、fall into a poverty(困窮に陥る)のこと
*victuals: food usable by people(食べ物) 現代では使われません
*bestow: give
*airs: the look, appearance, or bearing of a person especially as expressive of some personal quality or emotion(気取った態度)
*let not your left hand know what your right hand doeth: 聖書からの引用