The Book Of Jacob (Chap. 5)

Jacob 5:1
1 Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read the words
of the prophet Zenos, which he spake unto the house of Israel,
saying:

Jacob 5:2
2 Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a
prophet of the Lord.

Jacob 5:3
3 For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of
Israel, like unto a tame olive-tree, which a man took and
nourished in his vineyard; and it grew, and waxed old, and began
to decay.

Jacob 5:4
4 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went
forth, and he saw that his olive-tree began to decay; and he
said: I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that
perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it
perish not.

Jacob 5:5
5 And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it,
and nourished it according to his word.

Jacob 5:6
6 And it came to pass that after many days it began to put forth
somewhat a little, young and tender branches; but behold, the
main top thereof began to perish.

Jacob 5:7
7 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it,
and he said unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should lose
this tree; wherefore, go and pluck the branches from a wild
olive-tree, and bring them hither unto me; and we will pluck off
those main branches which are beginning to wither away, and we
will cast them into the fire that they may be burned.

Jacob 5:8
And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take away many
of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them
whithersoever I will; and it mattereth not that if it so be that
the root of this tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit
thereof unto myself; wherefore, I will take these young and
tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will.

Jacob 5:9
Take thou the branches of the wild olive-tree, and graft them
in, in the stead thereof; and these which I have plucked off I
will cast into the fire and burn them, that they may not cumber
the ground of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:10
And it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the
vineyard did according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard,
and grafted in the branches of the wild olive-tree.

Jacob 5:11
And the Lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged
about, and pruned, and nourished, saying unto his servant: It
grieveth me that I should lose this tree; wherefore, that perhaps
I might preserve the roots thereof that they perish not, that I
might preserve them unto myself, I have done this thing.

Jacob 5:12
Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree, and nourish it,
according to my words.

Jacob 5:13
And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard,
whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee; and I do it
that I may preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree;
and also, that I may lay up fruit thereof against the season,
unto myself; for it grieveth me that I should lose this tree and
the fruit thereof.

Jacob 5:14
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his
way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the
nethermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in
another, according to his will and pleasure.

Jacob 5:15
And it came to pass that a long time passed away, and the
Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down
into the vineyard, that we may labor in the vineyard.

Jacob 5:16
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard, and also
the servant, went down into the vineyard to labor. And it came
to pass that the servant said unto his master: Behold, look here;
behold the tree.

Jacob 5:17
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard looked and
beheld the tree in the which the wild olive branches had been
grafted; and it had sprung forth and begun to bear fruit. And he
beheld that it was good; and the fruit thereof was like unto the
natural fruit.

Jacob 5:18
And he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the
wild tree have taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof,
that the root thereof hath brought forth much strength; and
because of the much strength of the root thereof the wild
branches have brought forth tame fruit. Now, if we had not
grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have perished.
And now, behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree
thereof hath brought forth; and the fruit thereof I shall lay up
against the season, unto mine own self.

Jacob 5:19
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the
vineyard, and behold if the natural branches of the tree have not
brought forth much fruit also, that I may lay up of the fruit
thereof against the season, unto mine own self.

Jacob 5:20
And it came to pass that they went forth whither the master
had hid the natural branches of the tree, and he said unto the
servant: Behold these; and he beheld the first that it had
brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also that it was good.
And he said unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof, and lay
it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own
self; for behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it,
and it hath brought forth much fruit.

Jacob 5:21
And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master:
How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the
tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy
vineyard.

Jacob 5:22
And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I
knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto
thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that
it hath brought forth much fruit.

Jacob 5:23
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of
the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was
poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished
it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit;
therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I
may preserve it unto mine own self.

Jacob 5:24
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again
unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also,
which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and
it hath brought forth fruit.

Jacob 5:25
And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the
last. Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and
I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree
hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree
hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree
like unto the others.

Jacob 5:26
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth
good fruit, and cast them into the fire.

Jacob 5:27
But behold, the servant said unto him: Let us prune it, and
dig about it, and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may
bring forth good fruit unto thee, that thou canst lay it up
against the season.

Jacob 5:28
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the
servant of the Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of
the vineyard.

Jacob 5:29
And it came to pass that a long time had passed away, and the
Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down
into the vineyard, that we may labor again in the vineyard. For
behold, the time draweth near, and the end soon cometh;
wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season, unto mine own
self.

Jacob 5:30
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the
servant went down into the vineyard; and they came to the tree
whose natural branches had been broken off, and the wild branches
had been grafted in; and behold all sorts of fruit did cumber the
tree.

Jacob 5:31
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did taste
of the fruit, every sort according to its number. And the Lord
of the vineyard said: Behold, this long time have we nourished
this tree, and I have laid up unto myself against the season much
fruit.

Jacob 5:32
But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and
there is none of it which is good. And behold, there are all
kinds of bad fruit; and it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding
all our labor; and now it grieveth me that I should lose this
tree.

Jacob 5:33
And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: What
shall we do unto the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit
thereof unto mine own self?

Jacob 5:34
And the servant said unto his master: Behold, because thou
didst graft in the branches of the wild olive-tree they have
nourished the roots, that they are alive and they have not
perished; wherefore thou beholdest that they are yet good.

Jacob 5:35
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof
profit me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.

Jacob 5:36
Nevertheless, I know that the roots are good, and for mine
own purpose I have preserved them; and because of their much
strength they have hitherto brought forth, from the wild
branches, good fruit.

Jacob 5:37
But behold, the wild branches have grown and have overrun the
roots thereof; and because that the wild branches have overcome
the roots thereof it hath brought forth much evil fruit; and
because that it hath brought forth so much evil fruit thou
beholdest that it beginneth to perish; and it will soon become
ripened, that it may be cast into the fire, except we should do
something for it to preserve it.

Jacob 5:38
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the
vineyard, and behold if the natural branches have also brought
forth evil fruit.

Jacob 5:39
And it came to pass that they went down into the nethermost
parts of the vineyard. And it came to pass that they beheld that
the fruit of the natural branches had become corrupt also; yea,
the first and the second and also the last; and they had all
become corrupt.

Jacob 5:40
And the wild fruit of the last had overcome that part of the
tree which brought forth good fruit, even that the branch had
withered away and died.

Jacob 5:41
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and
said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my
vineyard?

Jacob 5:42
Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it
were these, had become corrupted. And now these which have once
brought forth good fruit have also become corrupted; and now all
the trees of my vineyard are good for nothing save it be to be
hewn down and cast into the fire.

Jacob 5:43
And behold this last, whose branch hath withered away, I did
plant in a good spot of ground; yea, even that which was choice
unto me above all other parts of the land of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:44
And thou beheldest that I also cut down that which cumbered
this spot of ground, that I might plant this tree in the stead
thereof.

Jacob 5:45
And thou beheldest that a part thereof brought forth good
fruit, and a part thereof brought forth wild fruit; and because I
plucked not the branches thereof and cast them into the fire,
behold, they have overcome the good branch that it hath withered
away.

Jacob 5:46
And now, behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have
taken of my vineyard, the trees thereof have become corrupted,
that they bring forth no good fruit; and these I had hoped to
preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof against the season, unto
mine own self. But, behold, they have become like unto the wild
olive-tree, and they are of no worth but to be hewn down and cast
into the fire; and it grieveth me that I should lose them.

Jacob 5:47
But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I
slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it, Nay, I have
nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it,
and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost
all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me
that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast
them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that
has corrupted my vineyard?

Jacob 5:48
And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is
it not the loftiness of thy vineyard—have not the branches
thereof overcome the roots which are good? And because the
branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they grew faster
than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto themselves.
Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy
vineyard have become corrupted?

Jacob 5:49
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard
and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the
ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have
done more for my vineyard?

Jacob 5:50
But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard:
Spare it a little longer.

Jacob 5:51
And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for
it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:52
Wherefore, let us take of the branches of these which I have
planted in the nethermost parts of my vineyard, and let us graft
them into the tree from whence they came; and let us pluck from
the tree those branches whose fruit is most bitter, and graft in
the natural branches of the tree in the stead thereof.

Jacob 5:53
And this will I do that the tree may not perish, that,
perhaps, I may preserve unto myself the roots thereof for mine
own purpose.

Jacob 5:54
And, behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree
which I planted whithersoever I would are yet alive; wherefore,
that I may preserve them also for mine own purpose, I will take
of the branches of this tree, and I will graft them in unto them.
Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree,
that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when
they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth
good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:55
And it came to pass that they took from the natural tree
which had become wild, and grafted in unto the natural trees,
which also had become wild.

Jacob 5:56
And they also took of the natural trees which had become
wild, and grafted into their mother tree.

Jacob 5:57
And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Pluck not
the wild branches from the trees, save it be those which are most
bitter; and in them ye shall graft according to that which I have
said.

Jacob 5:58
And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard, and we
will trim up the branches thereof; and we will pluck from the
trees those branches which are ripened, that must perish, and
cast them into the fire.

Jacob 5:59
And this I do that, perhaps, the roots thereof may take
strength because of their goodness; and because of the change of
the branches, that the good may overcome the evil.

Jacob 5:60
And because that I have preserved the natural branches and
the roots thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural
branches again into their mother tree, and have preserved the
roots of their mother tree, that, perhaps, the trees of my
vineyard may bring forth again good fruit; and that I may have
joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and, perhaps, that I may
rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved the roots and the
branches of the first fruit—

Jacob 5:61
Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor
diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare
the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which
natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other
fruit.

Jacob 5:62
Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last
time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last
time that I shall prune my vineyard.

Jacob 5:63
Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be
first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees,
both old and young, the first and the last; and the last and the
first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.

Jacob 5:64
Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once
more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be
so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural
fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may
grow.

Jacob 5:65
And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches
which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the
good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad
thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong
for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the
trees of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:66
For it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my
vineyard; wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the
good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in
strength, until the good shall overcome the bad, and the bad be
hewn down and cast into the fire, that they cumber not the ground
of my vineyard; and thus will I sweep away the bad out of my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:67
And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again
into the natural tree;

Jacob 5:68
And the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the
natural branches of the tree; and thus will I bring them together
again, that they shall bring forth the natural fruit, and they
shall be one.

Jacob 5:69
And the bad shall be cast away, yea, even out of all the land
of my vineyard; for behold, only this once will I prune my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:70
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his
servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded
him, and brought other servants; and they were few.

Jacob 5:71
And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor
in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last
time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at
hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your
might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up
unto myself against the time which will soon come.

Jacob 5:72
And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with
their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with
them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the
vineyard in all things.

Jacob 5:73
And there began to be the natural fruit again in the
vineyard; and the natural branches began to grow and thrive
exceedingly; and the wild branches began to be plucked off and to
be cast away; and they did keep the root and the top thereof
equal, according to the strength thereof.

Jacob 5:74
And thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the
commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, even until the bad had
been cast away out of the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved
unto himself that the trees had become again the natural fruit;
and they became like unto one body; and the fruits were equal;
and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the
natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the
beginning.

Jacob 5:75
And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw
that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more
corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold,
for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou
beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have
preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was
in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been
diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my
commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit,
that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away,
behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:76
For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my
vineyard unto mine own self against the season, which speedily
cometh; and for the last time have I nourished my vineyard, and
pruned it, and dug about it, and dunged it; wherefore I will lay
up unto mine own self of the fruit, for a long time, according to
that which I have spoken.

Jacob 5:77
And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come
into my vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be
gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad
will I cast away into its own place. And then cometh the season
and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire.