A CERTAIN man’s uncle had no children, and the nephew, with an eye to his uncle’s property, volunteered to become his adopted son. When the uncle died all the property passed accordingly to his nephew, who thereupon broke faith as to his part of the contract. He did the same with another uncle, and thus united three properties in his own person, whereby he became the richest man of the neighbourhood. Suddenly he fell ill, and seemed to go out of his mind; for he cried out, “So you wish to live in wealth, do you?” and immediately seizing a sharp knife, he began hacking away at his own body until he had strewed the floor with pieces of flesh. He then exclaimed, “You cut off other people’s posterity and expect to have posterity yourself, do you?” and forthwith he ripped himself open and died. Shortly afterwards his son, too, died, and the property fell into the hands of strangers. Is not this a retribution to be dreaded?
某甲者,伯無嗣。甲利其有,願為之後。伯既死,田產悉為所有,遂背前盟。又有叔,家頗裕,亦無子。甲又父之。死,又背之。於是併三家之產,富甲一鄉。一日,暴病若狂,自言曰:「汝欲享富厚而生耶!」遂以利刃自割肉,片片擲地。又曰:「汝絕人後,尚欲有後耶!」剖腹流腸,遂斃。未幾,子亦死,產業歸人矣。果報如此,可畏也夫!
果報
安丘某生,通卜筮之術。其為人邪蕩不檢,每有鑽穴踰隙之行,則卜之。一日,忽病,藥之,不愈。曰:「吾實有所見。冥中怒我狎褻天數,將重譴矣,藥何能為!」亡何,目暴瞽,兩手無故自折。某甲者,伯無嗣。甲利其有,願為之後。伯既死,田產悉為所有,遂背前盟。又有叔,家頗裕,亦無子。甲又父之。死,又背之。於是併三家之產,富甲一鄉。一日,暴病若狂,自言曰:「汝欲享富厚而生耶!」遂以利刃自割肉,片片擲地。又曰:「汝絕人後,尚欲有後耶!」剖腹流腸,遂斃。未幾,子亦死,產業歸人矣。果報如此,可畏也夫!
Comments