Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Section Six (1843-1844) | Proverbs of the Prophet Joseph Smith--1843

11st. Never exact of a friend in adversity what you would require in prosperity. 2nd.

2If a man prove himself to be honest in his deal, and an enemy come upon him wickedly, through fraud or false pretences and because he is stronger than he, maketh him his prisoner and spoil him with his goods, never say unto that man in the day of his adversity, pay me what thou owest, for if thou doest it, thou addest a deeper wound, and condemnation shall come upon thee and thy riches shall be justified in the days of thine adversity if they mock at thee. 3rd.

3Never afflict thy soul for what an enemy hath put it out of thy power to do, if thy desires are ever so just. 4th. Let thy hand never fail to hand out that that thou owest while it is yet within thy grasp to do so, but when thy stock fails, say to thy heart, be strong, and to thine anxieties cease, for man, what is he; he is but dung upon the earth and although he demand of thee the cattle of a thousand hills, he cannot possess himself of his own life.

4God made him and thee and gave all things in common. 5th. There is one thing under the sun which I have learned and that is that the righteousness of man is sin because it exacteth over much; nevertheless, the righteousness of God is just, because it exacteth nothing at all, but sendeth the rain on the just and the unjust, seed time and harvest, for all of which man is ungrateful. (1843.) MSS. Historian's Office.