over you the same power that you hold over us, he might permit you—though with reluctance and much gnashing of teeth—to live without manual labor. But you excite envy in the laborers; and in displaying the idleness of your life, you weaken the hands that are devoted to labor. Instead of helping them, the sight of your idleness discourages their work, and even tempts them to commit crimes.
What a pity there is not such a man in authority over you! For we hear the cry, "God is in heaven, and the Czar afar off."
40. We may see, by what has been said and by what follows, that the man who eats the bread he has earned by his own labor is happy in this world and blessed in the world to come.
But the contrary happens to him who consumes the results of another's labor. No other virtue can save him, because he has disobeyed the principal commandment, and obedience to others cannot supply a remedy.
41. All the products of the earth are bought and sold at their price, which is neither more nor less than is suitable, and each merit has its own recompense. But when our labor, that is, our bread, is taken from us for nothing, we are neither paid nor recompensed. Why is not our labor paid, you ask, reader? Must I, then, repeat the same thing ten times over?
42. Tell me, I pray you, conscientiously, will you labor for your bread as much as thirty days in the year? Does that seem impossible to you?
