The Abridged The Testament of Gad

1:1. This is the story of Gad, sharing his thoughts with his children when he was 125 years old. He told them:

1:2. Listen up, kids - I was Jacob's ninth son, and I was really good at taking care of our sheep.

1:3. I was in charge of protecting our sheep at night. Whenever dangerous animals like lions, wolves, or others attacked, I would chase them down, grab their legs with my hand and swing them far away, which would kill them.

1:4. Once, my younger brother Joseph joined us in the fields for over a month. It was really hot and he got sick.

1:5. So he went back to our dad in Hebron; my dad made sure Joseph rested close to him because they had a special bond.

1:6. While resting at home, Joseph told our father that Zilpah's and Bilhah's sons were secretly killing and eating the best sheep without Reuben’s and Judah’s approval.

1:7. Joseph had seen how I rescued a lamb from a bear; even though I killed the bear, I accidentally killed the lamb as well. This upset me since the little lamb couldn't survive the attack and that we had to eat it because it was already dead.

1:8. I was really upset with Joseph until he was sold.

1:9. I felt so much hatred for him that I didn't want to hear or see him, especially because he confronted us about eating from the flock without Judah.

1:10. Joseph could tell our father anything, and our father would believe him.

1:11. I admit to you, my children, that many times I wanted to kill him because my feelings toward him were so negative.

1:12. I disliked him even more because of his dreams; I wanted to get rid of him completely, just like an ox eats up the field's grass.

1:13. And it was Judah who secretly arranged for Joseph to be sold to the Ishmaelites.

1:14. And so God made sure Joseph got away from us, preventing us from committing a terrible act in Israel.

1:15. Listen to the words of truth and act with honesty and fairness, follow God's laws, and don't let hatred lead you astray, because it brings nothing good to human actions.

1:16. People who hate will dislike whatever someone does, no matter how good or in line with God's laws it is; even if someone respects God and does the right thing, they won't appreciate it.

1:17. Haters criticize the truth, get jealous of those who succeed, encourage nasty rumors, and are proud; because hatred clouds their judgment – that’s how I once felt about my brother Joseph.

1:18. So, be careful about hating – it inspires actions that go against God's laws.

1:19. Hatred refuses to listen to God’s commands about loving others, and thus disobeys God.

1:20. When someone makes a mistake, those who hate rush to tell everyone and insist that the person is judged harshly, punished severely, or even killed.

1:21. If a servant doesn’t meet expectations, haters make trouble between them and their boss; they're always plotting troubles in hope of getting the person killed somehow.

1:22. Hatred fueled by jealousy attacks those who are doing well. As long as it knows about their achievements, it feels miserable.

1:23. Just as love can revive the lifeless and bring back those at the brink of death, hatred aims to take the lives of the healthy, and even minor offenses don't escape its desire to eliminate life.

1:24. The feeling of hatred joins forces with negative influences, quickly leading to destructive actions; while love works patiently with God's guidance towards saving people.

1:25. So, hatred is bad because it always lies, denies what's true, turns small things into big issues, sees brightness as dark, believes sweet is bitter, promotes false accusations, encourages anger, starts conflicts and greedy desires; it fills a person with bad thoughts.

1:26. Because I've seen these things myself, kids, I'm telling you to reject hatred which comes from negative sources and embrace God's love.

1:27. Being fair will drive away hatred and being modest will eliminate jealousy.

1:28. Someone who is fair and humble feels embarrassed to act unfairly—this feeling doesn’t come from others but from their conscience because God knows what they're feeling inside.

1:29. He doesn't speak badly about a good person because respect for God is stronger than any negative feelings.

1:30. Because he's afraid of doing something that might upset God, he won't do anything to harm another person, even in his mind.

1:31. Eventually, I learned these lessons after changing my ways about how I treated Joseph.

1:32. Really changing your ways for a better life gets rid of ignorance, chases away confusion and misunderstanding, gives your eyes clarity, fills your soul with understanding, and sets your mind on the path to a good well-being.

1:33. What it understands isn't taught by other people but comes through making big personal changes.

1:34. God allowed me to become sick with a liver problem; if my father Jacob's prayers hadn't helped me, I might not have survived.

1:35. The way a person does wrong is often how they end up facing the repercussions of their actions.

2:1. Now, my children, I encourage you all to love your siblings and not hold onto hatred. Show your love through your actions, words, and the very feelings in your heart.

2:2. To use my example, when I was with my father, I spoke kindly to Joseph, but once I was alone, intense hostility clouded my thoughts and pushed me towards the idea of killing him.

2:3. You should love one another deeply and truly from within. If someone does you wrong, talk to them calmly without keeping deceptive feelings inside. And if they realize their mistake and admit it, you should forgive them.

2:4. However, if they refuse to acknowledge their fault do not lose your temper because that can cause more trouble, making them defensive and possibly lie even further, which compounds the issue.

2:5. When you're handling legal disputes avoid sharing your secrets with outsiders so they won't grow to dislike you or possibly become an enemy who could harm you out of hatred; often people might approach you with deceitful intentions or plot trouble against you.

2:6. Even if that person denies any wrongdoing but shows embarrassment when corrected, there's no need to keep confronting them.

2:7. A person who denies their faults might rethink their actions and change their ways so they won't harm you again; in fact they may end up respecting you, be afraid of crossing you again, and ultimately live in harmony with you.

2:8. And if someone continues to harm others without feeling sorry, let go of any desire for revenge, simply forgive them completely and leave any consequences to God.

2:9. If someone is more successful than you, don't be upset. Instead, wish them well and hope that their success continues and grows.

2:10. This is the best thing for you to do.

2:11. And if that person gains even more success, try not to feel bad about it. Remember that everyone's life eventually ends. Use this moment to give thanks to God for the good and helpful things given to everyone.

2:12. When you understand God's principles, your mind will stop worrying and you'll feel calm and peaceful.

2:13. If people get rich through bad actions – like what Esau, the brother of my ancestor did – don't be envious of them; put your trust in God's ultimate plan instead.

2:14. Because when people get money in a bad way but change their behavior, God can show them forgiveness. However, those who don’t change will face lasting consequences.

2:15. A person who is not jealous, and is content, who pleases God by being kind and good in everything they do, is happier than anyone else because they don't experience the useless struggles that some people go through.

2:16. So get rid of any feelings of jealousy you may have, and make sure to genuinely care for each other from the heart.

2:17. Make sure to teach your kids to respect the tribes of Judah and Levi, because God will bring help to Israel through them.

2:18. But I'm afraid that in the future, your kids will turn away from following God, leading lives filled with troubles and bad choices.

2:19. After a little break, he spoke again: "My kids, listen to your dad and when I die, bury me with my ancestors."

2:20. Then he rested his legs, settled down comfortably, and passed away peacefully.

2:21. Five years later his body was taken to Hebron and placed with his ancestors in their burial place.