Liber Aleph

THE BOOK OF WISDOM OR FOLLY 133 Eg De Veritate quem Feminæ non dicere licet (Of Truth, which it is not Lawful tell to a Woman) Y Son, I charge thee, however thou beest provoked thereunto, tell not the Truth to any Woman. For this is that which is written, Cast not thy Pearls before Swine, lest they turn again and rend thee. Behold, in the Nature of Woman is no Truth, nor Apprehension of Truth, nor Possibility of Truth, only, if thou entrust this Jewel unto them, they forthwith use it to thy Loss and Destruction. But they are ware of thine own Love of Truth, and thy Respect thereunto, so therefore they tempt thee, flattering with their Lips, that thou betray thyself to them. And they feign falsely, with every Wile, and cast about for thy Soul, until either in Love or in Wrath or in some other folly thereof, thou speak Truth, profaning thy Sanctuary. So was it ever, and herein I call to my Witness Samson of Timmath, that was lost by this Error. Now for any Woman, any Lie sufficeth; and think not in thine Extremity that Truth is Mighty, and shall prevail, as it does with any Man, for with a Woman her whole Craft and Device is to persuade thee of this, so that thou utter the Secret of thy Soul, and become her Prey. But so long as thou feed her with her own Food of Falsity, thou art secure. m