31. We have seen in ancient books what had come of these wronged souls. Some of them were righteous of the nations. These are bastard scholars, and bastard scholars are better than ignorant high priests, and are more valuable in the world, even though THE HIGH PRIEST enters the innermost HOLY OF HOLIES. The old man wept for a moment. The friends were amazed and said nothing.
31. מָה אִתְעֲבִידוּ מֵאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין. חֲמֵינָן בְּסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי, דְּמִנַּיְיהוּ הֲווֹ אִינּוּן חֲסִידֵי אוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם. וְאִינּוּן מַמְזְרֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, דְּקַדְמָן לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא עַמָּא דְּאַרְעָא, וְחָשׁוּב בְּעָלְמָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּעָאל לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים. בָּכָה הַאי סָבָא רִגְעָא חֲדָא, תַּוְוהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, וְלָא אָמְרוּ מִדִי.
356. There is another example of oppressed. This oppressed one is called a bastard. When he is deceased, he is set apart from the holy congregation. This poor, unfortunate illegitmate man pours out tears before the Holy One, blessed be He, with the following complaint: Master of the Universe, if my forbearers sinned, what wrong have I done, my actions are proper before you! Here are "the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter." It is the same with all these oppressed who have reason to complain to the Holy One, blessed be He; with this complaint there is no comforter and no one to soothe their hearts.
356. וְאִית עָשׁוּק אַחֵר, הַהוּא עָשׁוּק דְּאִקְרֵי מַמְזֵר, כַּד נָפַק מֵעָלְמָא, מִיָּד מַפְרִישִׁין לֵיהּ מִקְּהִלָּתָא דְּעַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא. הַהוּא מַמְזֵר, עַנְיָא מִסְכְּנָא, אוֹשִׁיד דִּמְעִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאַטְעִין קָמֵיהּ, מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא, אִי אֲבָהָתַי חָאבוּ, אֲנָא מַה חוֹבָא עֲבִידְנָא, הָא עוֹבָדָאי, מִתְתַּקְּנָן לְקַמָּךְ הֲווֹ, וְהִנֵּה דִּמְעַת הָעֲשׁוּקִים וְאֵין לָהֶם מְנַחֵם. וְכֵן לְכָל אִינּוּן עֲשׁוּקִים, אִית לוֹן טַעֲנָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּמֵהַהִיא טַעֲנָה לֵית לוֹן מְנַחֵם, וְלֵית דְּיָתִיב מִלָּה עַל לִבְּהוֹן.