excellent in these things.39. Do only that which will not hurt you,and think carefully about what you are goingto do before you do it.40. Never fall asleep after going to bed,41. Till you have carefully considered all youractions of the day:42. Where have I gone amiss? What have Idone? What have I omitted that I ought tohave done?43. If in this examination you find that youhave gone amiss, reprimand yourself severelyfor it;44. And if you have done any good, rejoice.45. Practice thoroughly all these things;meditate on them well, for you ought to lovethem with all your heart.46. It is they that will put you on the path ofdivine virtue.47. I swear it by the one who has transmittedinto our souls the Sacred Quaternion, thesource of nature, whose cause is eternal.48. But never begin to set your hand to anywork, till you have first prayed to the gods toaccomplish what you are about to begin.. . . observe justice in youractions and in your words.49. When you have become familiar withthis habit,50. You will know the constitution of theImmortal Gods and of humans.51. Even the extent of the power of gods andhumans, and what contains and binds themtogether.PythagorasRosicrucianDigestNo. 12009Page 2252. You shall likewise know that according toLaw, the nature of this universe flows throughall things alike,53. So that you shall not hope for what youought not to hope; and nothing in this worldshall be hidden from you.54. You will likewise know that humanbeings bring on their own misfortunes,voluntarily and of their own free choice.55. Unhappy that they are! They neither seenor understand that what is best for them iswithin them.56. Few know how to deliver themselves outof their misfortunes.57. Such is the fate that blinds humanity,and takes away their senses.58. Like huge barrels they roll to andfro, always oppressed with innumerableproblems.59. For fatal strife, seemingly innate, pursuesthem everywhere, tossing them up anddown; nor do they perceive this.60. Instead of provoking and stirring upstrife, they ought, by yielding, to avoid it.61. Oh! Jupiter, our Father! If you woulddeliver humans from all the evils that oppressthem,62. Show them the veil of ignorance thatblinds their eyes.63. But take courage: the human race isdivine:64. Sacred nature reveals to them the mosthidden mysteries.65. If she imparts to you her secrets, you willeasily perform all the things for which I haveordained you,66. And by the healing of your soul, you shalldeliver it from all evils, from all afflictions.67. But abstain from meat, which willprevent you from the purifying and thedeliverance of your soul;68. Carefully distinguish between things,and examine all things well.69. Leaving yourself to always be guided anddirected by the understanding that comesfrom above, allowing it to control yourdestiny.70. And when you have eventually divestedyourself of your mortal body, you will arriveat the most pure ther,71. And you shall be a Godimmortal,incorruptibleand Death shall have nomore dominion over you.1Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebookand Library. (Newburyport, MA: Red Wheel Weiser,1987), 163.2Florence M. Firth, The Golden Verses Of Pythagorasand Other Pythagorean Fragments (Krotona,Hollywood: Theosophical Publishing House, 1904).