The Abridged The Testament of Issachar

1:1. Here is the message of Issachar.

1:2. He gathered his children and told them: Listen up, my kids, to me, your dad Issachar; pay attention to the words of someone God loves.

1:3. I was the fifth son born to our father Jacob, given as a reward for some special plants.

1:4. You see, my brother Reuben found these plants in a field and brought them home, but then Rachel took them from him.

1:5. Reuben cried about it, and his cries made our mom Leah go out to see what was wrong.

1:6. The plants were actually sweet-smelling fruits that grew near Haran by a stream.

1:7. Rachel declared: I won’t give the fruits back; I'm keeping them for myself because they're as precious to me as having kids would be.

1:8. God has looked down on me because I have not had children for Jacob.

1:9. Moreover, Leah found two apples; then Leah said to Rachel: Isn't it enough that you have my husband? Do you want to take these apples too?

1:10. Rachel replied: You can spend the night with Jacob if you give me your son's mandrakes.

1:11. Leah responded: Jacob is mine because I was his first wife.

1:12. But Rachel countered: Don't be so proud; Jacob married me first, and he worked for our father for fourteen years just to be with me.

1:13. If people hadn't become so deceitful and bad behavior hadn't flourished, you wouldn't even be seeing Jacob right now.

1:14. You're really not his chosen wife; you were sneakily put with him instead of me.

1:15. My father tricked me and took me away that night, preventing Jacob from seeing me; if I had been there, what happened to him wouldn't have happened.

1:16. Nevertheless, I've agreed to let Jacob spend a night with you in exchange for the mandrakes.

1:17. Jacob slept with Leah, and she got pregnant and had me, and I was named Issachar as a result of this arrangement.

1:18. Then an angel from God came to Jacob and said: Rachel will have two children because she has chosen not to be with her husband, preferring to remain pure.

1:19. If Leah, my mother, hadn’t given two apples to be with Jacob, she would have had eight sons instead of six, while Rachel had two. This was because Leah got the mandrakes that led God to allow her to have children.

1:20. God knew that her desire for children was the reason she wanted to be with Jacob, not for physical enjoyment.

1:21. The following day, she let Jacob go again.

1:22. Because Rachel gave God mandrakes, God listened to her.

1:23. Although she wanted them, Rachel did not eat the mandrakes but instead gave them to the temple, presenting them to the high-ranking priest at that time.

1:24. As I grew older, my children, I lived honestly and worked as a farmer for my father and brothers, bringing in harvests when it was time.

1:25. And my father praised me because he saw that I lived honestly and was true to myself.

1:26. I didn't interfere in others' business nor did I feel any negative feelings like jealousy or ill-will towards others.

1:27. I never spoke falsely about anyone or criticized anyone's life because my intention was always pure and clear.

1:28. So, when I was thirty-five years old, I married. Hard work diminished my strength; I didn't focus on intimate relations because exhaustion from work led me to sleep instead.

1:29. My father was always happy with how I lived because I gave the first of what I harvested to God through the priest, and then to my father as well.

1:30. God greatly multiplied the good things in my life, and my father saw that it was because of my genuine and honest devotion.

1:31. With an open heart, I shared the good things of the earth with those who were poor and suffering.

1:32. Now listen to me, children, and be sincere in your hearts because I've seen that this pleases God.

1:33. A person with a sincere heart isn't greedy for money, doesn't cheat others, isn't tempted by fancy foods or clothes.

1:34. Such a person doesn't worry about how long they live but instead is content with whatever God decides.

1:35. They aren't enticed by lies or distracted by physical beauty which could lead to dirty thoughts.

1:36. God doesn't feel jealousy, doesn't get bothered by mean people, or crave things endlessly.

1:37. God is straightforward and sees everything clearly without being affected by the world's mistakes, making sure not to misinterpret any of God's rules.

1:38. So, my children, follow God's ways, be honest and straightforward, avoid meddling, and show love to God and your neighbors; show kindness to those who are poor and weak.

1:39. Work hard with your hands in farming or other labor, always showing gratitude by making offerings to God.

1:40. If you use the first and best part of what you grow to honor God, you will be blessed just as good people have been since ancient times.

1:41. Remember that you're meant to live off the rich produce from the land that comes from your hard work.

1:42. For father Jacob gave me his blessing of abundant crops as well as these very first harvested goods.

2:1. Be aware, my children, that in future times your descendants will abandon their straightforward ways and instead embrace overwhelming cravings.

2:2. They will turn from innocence and honesty towards harmful intentions, rejecting the instructions God gave and following after falsehood.

2:3. Abandoning farming and a simple life, they will chase their harmful plans and scatter among different nations, becoming subservients to their foes.

2:4. You must pass on these teachings to your children so that if they stray from what is right, they can find their way back to God more easily; for God is kind and will rescue them, even returning them to their home ground.

2:5. Just as you can see for yourselves, I've lived 126 years without knowingly doing anything morally wrong.

2:6. Apart from my spouse, I've been faithful; I have not engaged in sexual activity with anyone else by allowing my gaze to lead me astray.

2:7. I didn't drink wine in excess so as not to lose control of myself;

2:8. I never craved what belonged to someone else, out of greed.

2:9. I never let deceit take root in my heart;

2:10. I never told a lie.

2:11. Whenever someone was upset, I empathized with them.

2:12. I shared my food with those who didn’t have enough to eat.

2:13. I always acted with integrity and honesty.

2:14. I deeply loved God and cared for every person with all my heart.

2:15. You should do these things too, my children, then you'll be free from evil influences, and no harmful actions will have control over you.

2:16. You'll be able to overcome any challenge as long as you have God on your side and treat people with a pure heart.

2:17. Then he instructed his sons to take his body to Hebron and bury him in the cave where his ancestors were laid to rest.

2:18. He laid down, passed away at a ripe old age with his full health intact, without any decline in vigour, into a peaceful slumber that would last forever.