"Listen, and I will tell ye how thoroughly it was observed by a heathen,
Damah, the son of Nethina. He was a diamond merchant, and the sages
desired to purchase from him a jewel for the ephod of the high priest.
When they reached his house, they found that the key of the safe in
which the diamond was kept was in the possession of Damah's father, who
was sleeping. The son absolutely refused to wake his father, to obtain
the key, even when the sages in their impatience offered him a much
larger sum for the jewel than he had demanded. And further, when his
father awoke, and he delivered the diamond to the purchasers, and they
offered him the larger sum which they had named, he took from it his
first price, returning the balance to them, with the words, 'I will not
profit by the honor of my father.'"
* * * * *
Man cannot always judge of man, and in the respect paid to parents by
their children, earthly eyes cannot always see the truth. For instance,
a child may feed his parents on dainties, and yet deserve the punishment
of a disrespectful son; while another may send his father to labor, and
yet deserve reward. How may this be?
A certain man placed dainty food before his father, and bade him eat
thereof. When the father had finished his meal, he said:--
"My son, thou hast prepared for me a most delicious meal. Wherefrom
didst thou obtain these delicacies?"