(45) A contemporary of Judah ha-Nasi.

(46) Cf. chapter II, 16.

29. He used to say, "They that are born are doomed to die; and the
dead to be brought to life again; and the living to be judged, to
know, to make known, and to be made conscious that He is God, He the
Maker, He the Creator, He the Discerner (47), He the Judge, He the
Witness (48), He the Accuser; He it is that will in future judge,
blessed be He, with Whom there is no unrighteousness, nor
forgetfulness, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes (49); and
know also that everything is according to the reckoning (50); and let
not thy imagination give thee hope that the grave will be a place of
refuge for thee; for perforce thou wast formed, and perforce thou wast
born, and thou livest perforce, and perforce thou wilt die, and
perforce thou wilt in the future have to give account and reckoning
before the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He."

(47) Cf. Ps. XXXIII, 15: "He fashioneth their hearts
altogether; he hath regard to all their works."

(48) Cf. Mal. III, 5.

(49) Cf. II Chron. XIX, 7: "Take heed and act; for with the
Lord our God there is no injustice, nor respect for persons,
nor taking of bribes." Maimonides interprets this verse of
_Abot_ as meaning that one cannot bribe God with good deeds in
order to have bad deeds forgiven. The one bad deed is not
forgiven even by the doing of one hundred good ones, but