and poor; and a pack of 800 dogs guarded them. I had 9000 camels;
3000 to traffic with the cities of the earth, which I laded with good
things, and sent them out among the towns and villages, and had their
loads distributed to the poor. I had also 130,000 asses; 500 of them
were set apart that their foals might be sold, and the price given to
the poor.

Also the four gates of my house were always left open to this end,
that if any poor man came to beg, and saw me sitting at one of the
gates, he might not turn back abashed, but might go round to another
of the gates, and enter in and receive what he needed.

Within the house also I had always thirty tables ready prepared for
the entertainment of strangers, and other twelve tables appointed for
the widows. None left my house with his purse empty, and whenever any
came to ask help, he was constrained first of all to sit down and
dine. I had fifty bakehouses, and of these, twelve served the tables
of the poor.

And so it was that many strangers came to my house, and some of them
desired to follow my way of life and minister to the poor, but they
were in need of money to furnish them therefor. And to such men I
freely lent the money, taking no security of them, but only a written
acknowledgment. And sometimes they prospered in their merchandise and
gained money to give to the poor; but sometimes they failed and came
back to me, saying, "Have patience with us." And thereupon I would
destroy the bill of their debt before them, and forgive them that
which they owed me.

Sometimes also there would come to me a man of a kindly heart who