Tatian: Diatessaron — Arabic Witness

Section XLIII.

[1] ^{Edition note 1}Simon Cephas said unto him, Our Lord, is it to us that thou hast spoken this [2] parable, or also to every man? ^{Edition note 2}Jesus said unto him, Who, thinkest thou, is the servant, the master of the house,^{Edition note 3} trusted with control,^{Edition note 4} whom his lord set over his [3] household, to give them their food in its season? ^{Edition note 5}Blessed is that servant, whom his [4] lord shall come and find having done so. ^{Edition note 6}Verily I say unto you, He will set him [5] over all that he hath. ^{Edition note 7}But if that evil servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his [6] coming; ^{Edition note 8}and shall begin to beat his servants and the maidservants of his lord, and [7] shall begin to eat and to drink with the drunken; ^{Edition note 9}the lord of that servant shall come [8] in the day that he thinketh not, and in the hour that he knoweth not, ^{Edition note 10}and shall [Arabic, p. 163] judge him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites, ^{Edition note 11}and with those that are not faithful: ^{Edition note 12}there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[9] ^{Edition note 13}Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like unto ten virgins, those that took their [10] lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom and the bride. ^{Edition note 14}Five of them were [11] wise, and five foolish. ^{Edition note 15}And those foolish ones took their lamps, and took not with [12, 13] them oil: ^{Edition note 16}but those wise ones took oil in vessels along with their lamps. ^{Edition note 17}When then [14] the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. ^{Edition note 18}But in the middle of the night there occurred a cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh!

Go forth therefore to [15, 16] meet him. ^{Edition note 19}Then all those virgins arose, and made ready their lamps. ^{Edition note 20}The foolish [17] said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. ^{Edition note 21}But those wise answered and said, Perhaps^{Edition note 22} there will not be enough for us and you: but go ye to [18] the sellers, and buy for yourselves. ^{Edition note 23}And when they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and those that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and [19] the door was shut. ^{Edition note 24}And at last those other virgins also came and said, Our Lord, [20] our Lord, open unto us. ^{Edition note 25}He answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, [21] I know you not. ^{Edition note 26}Watch then, for ye know not that day nor that hour.

[22] ^{Edition note 27}It is as a man, who went on a journey, and called his servants, and delivered unto [23] them his possessions. ^{Edition note 28}And unto one he gave five talents,^{Edition note 29} and another two, and another [24] one; every one according to his strength; and went on his journey forthwith. ^{Edition note 30}He [Arabic, p. 164] then that received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained [26] other five. ^{Edition note 31}And so also he of the two gained other two. ^{Edition note 32}But he that received [27] the one went and digged in the earth, and hid the money of his lord. ^{Edition note 33}And after a long time the lord of those servants came, and took from them the account. [28] ^{Edition note 34}And he that received five talents came near and brought other five, and said, My lord, thou gavest me five talents: lo, I have gained other five in addition to them. [29] ^{Edition note 35}His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: over a little hast [30] thou been faithful, over much will I set thee: enter into the joy of thy lord. ^{Edition note 36}And he that had the two came near and said, My lord, thou gavest me two talents: lo, [31] other two have I gained in addition to them. ^{Edition note 37}His lord said unto him, Good,^{Edition note 38} thou faithful servant: over a little hast thou been faithful, over much will I set thee: enter [32] into the joy of thy lord. ^{Edition note 39}And he also that received the one talent came forward and said, My lord, I knew thee that thou art a severe man, who reapest where thou [33] sowest not, and gatherest where thou didst not scatter: ^{Edition note 40}and so I was afraid, and [34] went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast what is thine. ^{Edition note 41}His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest me [35] that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; ^{Edition note 42}it was incumbent on thee to put my money to the bank,^{Edition note 43} and then I should come and seek it with its [36] gains. ^{Edition note 44}Take now from him the talent, and give it to him that hath ten talents. [37] ^{Edition note 45}Whosoever hath shall be given, and he shall have more: but he that hath not, even [38] [Arabic, p. 165] what he hath shall be taken from him. ^{Edition note 46}And the unprofitable servant, put him forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[39, 40] ^{Edition note 47}Your loins shall be girded, and your lamps lit; ^{Edition note 48}and ye shall be like the people that are looking for their lord, when he shall return from the feast; so that, when [41] he cometh and knocketh, they may at once open unto him. ^{Edition note 49}Blessed are those servants, whom their lord shall come and find attentive: verily I say unto you, that he will gird his waist, and make them sit down, and pass through^{Edition note 50} them and serve [42] them. ^{Edition note 51}And if he come in the second watch, or the third, and find thus, blessed are those servants.

[43] ^{Edition note 52}But when the Son of man cometh in his glory, and all his pure angels with him, [44] then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: ^{Edition note 53}and he will gather before him all the nations, and separate them the one from the other, like the shepherd who separateth [45] the sheep from the goats; ^{Edition note 54}and will set^{Edition note 55} the sheep on his right, and the goats on his [46] left. ^{Edition note 56}Then shall the King say to those that are at his right, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations^{Edition note 57} of the world: [47] ^{Edition note 58}I hungered, and ye gave me to eat; and I thirsted, and ye gave me to drink; and I [48] was a stranger, and ye took me in; ^{Edition note 59}and I was naked, and ye clothed me; and I [49] was sick, and ye visited me; and I was in prison, and ye cared for me. ^{Edition note 60}Then shall those righteous say unto him, Our Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee?

[50] or thirsty, and gave thee to drink? ^{Edition note 61}And when saw we thee a stranger, and took [51] thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? ^{Edition note 62}And when saw we thee sick, or imprisoned, and [52] cared for thee? ^{Edition note 63}The King shall answer and say^{Edition note 64} unto them, Verily I say unto you, What [53] [Arabic, p. 166] ye did to one of these my brethren, the little ones, ye did unto me. ^{Edition note 65}Then shall he say unto those that are on his left also, Depart from me, ye cursed, [54] into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his hosts: ^{Edition note 66}I hungered, and ye fed me [55] not; and I thirsted, and ye did not give me to drink; ^{Edition note 67}and I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; and I was naked, and ye clothed me not; and I was sick, and imprisoned, [56] and ye visited me not. ^{Edition note 68}Then shall those also answer and say, Our Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or naked, or a stranger, or sick, or imprisoned, [57] and did not minister unto thee? ^{Edition note 69}Then shall he answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, When ye did it not unto one of these little ones, ye did it not [58] unto me also. ^{Edition note 70}And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.