Judaism
Psalms 53
Text
For the Leader; upon Mahalath. Maschil of David.
The fool hath said in his heart: 'There is no God'; They have dealt corruptly, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none that doeth good.
God looked forth from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after God.
Every one of them is unclean, they are together become impure; There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
’Shall not the workers of iniquity know it, Who eat up My people as they eat bread, And call not upon God?'
There are they in great fear, where no fear was; For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee; Thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them.
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God turneth the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Text: The Holy Scriptures, Jewish Publication Society (1917), public domain, via Sefaria.
✦ Connected Across Traditions
The Path to Wisdom
Dhammapada 20:282 (trans. Bhikkhu Sujato)
“From meditation springs wisdom, without meditation, wisdom ends.”
Analects 2:11 (trans. James Legge)
“If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others.”
Tao Te Ching 33 (trans. James Legge)
“He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent.”
Quran 39:9
“Are those who know equal with those who know not?”
Good vs Evil / Light vs Darkness
Yasna 30:3
“Now the two primal Spirits, who reveal themselves as Twins, are the Better and the Bad, in thought and word and action.”
John 1:5
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
Dhammapada 2 (trans. Bhikkhu Sujato)
“Intention is the leader of things; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with pure intent you speak or act, happiness follows you like a shadow that never leaves.”
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16 (trans. Edwin Arnold)
“The Doors of Hell Are threefold, whereby men to ruin pass, The door of Lust, the door of Wrath, the door Of Avarice. Let a man shun those three!”