Book V - Snyder Bible

132
knowledge become open to him, even until he arrive at the
city of truth, whither he is bound, and which he desires to
reach. But he who is unskillful, and knows not the way of inquiry,
as a traveler in a foreign country, ignorant and wandering,
if he will not employ a native of the country as a guide
undoubtedly when he has strayed from the way of truth, shall
remain outside the gates of life, and so, involved in the darkness
of black night, shall walk through the paths of perdition.
Inasmuch therefore as, if those things which are to be sought
be sought in an orderly manner, they can most easily be found,
but the unskillful man is ignorant of the order of inquiry. It is
right that the ignorant man should yield to the knowing one,
and first learn the order of inquiry, that so at length he may
Chapter XXXV: Learning before Teaching
but of those only who know the art of disputation, which is
absurd; for it cannot be, since He is equally the Elohim of all,
e-
lly
to be receptive of truth. But that none of those who are born
are born with education, but education is subsequent to birth,
no one can doubt. Since, therefore, the birth of men holds equity
in this respect, that all are equally capable of receiving
discipline, the difference is not in nature but in education.
Who does not know that the things which any one learns he
are in common use, one first learns and then teaches, how
much more ought those who profess to be the educators of
spirits, first to learn, and so to teach, that they may not expose
themselves to ridicule, if they promise to afford knowledge to
Simon:
but in the word of knowledge, as soon as any one has heard,