17. When Moses was angry at Dathan and Abiram, he didn’t act against them in anger. Instead, he controlled his anger with clear thinking.
18. The sensible mind, as I have said, is able to get the upper hand over the emotions, transforming some and defeating others.
19. If this were not the case, why did Jacob our wise ancestor denounce the households of Simeon and Levi for the unreasonable killing of the whole nation of Shechem, saying, "Their anger is cursed"?
20. If clear thinking couldn’t control anger, he wouldn’t have said this.
21. When God formed human beings, God planted emotions and character traits inside them.
22. At that time, God also set the mind on the throne in the middle of the senses, to function as a holy governor over them all.
23. God gave the Law to the mind. Whoever lives in line with the Law will rule over a kingdom that is self-controlled, just, good, and courageous.
24. Someone might say, "Then why doesn’t clear thinking control memory loss and ignorance, if it is in charge of the emotions?" But that argument is completely ridiculous.