Lessons of humility and moderation in all things.
Wisdom by humilitie meriteth exaltation. 7. Iudge not before examination. 16. Trust not in riches. 14. God sendeth both prosperitie and aduersitie, for the good of his seruants. 31. Take heede of the deceiptful.
1The wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make him sit in the midst of great men.La saggezza dell'umile lo innalzerà, e farallo sedere nel consesso de' magnati.THE wisdom of the humble shal exalt his head, & shal make him sitte in the middes of great men.Sapientia humiliati exaltabit caput illius, / et in medio magnatorum consedere illum faciet. 2Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for his look.Non lodare un uomo per la sua avvenenza, e non disprezzare alcuno per quel, che di lui apparisce:Prayse not a man in his beautie, neither despise a man by his looke.Non laudes virum in specie sua, / neque spernas hominem in visu suo. 3The bee is small among flying things but her fruit hath the chiefest sweetness.Piccola cosa trai volatili è l'ape, ma il suo frutto ogni dolcezza sorpassa.The bee is smal among fowles, and her fruite hath the beginning of sweetnes:Brevis in volatilibus est apis, / et initium dulcoris habet fructus illius. 4Glory not in apparel at any time, and be not exalted in the day of thy honour: for the works of the Highest only are wonderful, and his works are glorious, and secret, and hidden.Non ti gloriare delle vestimenta, e non ti invanire quando sarai innalzato agli onori; perocché solo dell'Altissimo son mirabili le opere; e le opere di lui sono gloriose, e segrete, e non conosciute.In apparel doe not glorie at any time, nor be extolled in the day of thine honour, because the workes of the Highest onlie be meruelous, and his workes are glorious, and secrete, and not seene.In vestitu ne glorieris umquam, / nec in die honoris tui extollaris: / quoniam mirabilia opera Altissimi solius, / et gloriosa, et absconsa, et invisa opera illius. 5Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man would think on, hath worn the crown.Sederono in trono molti tiranni: e tal portò il diadema, a cui nissuno pensava.Manie tyrantes haue sitte in the throne, and he whom no man would thincke hath worne the crowne.Multi tyranni sederunt in throno: / et insuspicabilis portavit diadema. 6Many mighty men have been greatly brought down, and the glorious have been delivered into the hand of others.Molti potenti caddero in grande oppressione; e i magnati furon dati in potere altrui.Manie mightie men haue bene greatly oppressed, and the glorious haue bene deliuered into the handes of others.Multi potentes oppressi sunt valide, / et gloriosi traditi sunt in manus alterorum. 7Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired, reprove justly.Non biasimare nissuno prima di informarti; e quando sarai informato, riprenderai con giustizia.Before thou enquire, blame no man: and when thou hast enquired, chasten iustly.Priusquam interroges, ne vituperes quemquam: / et cum interrogaveris, corripe juste.
8Before thou hear, answer not a word: and interrupt not others in the midst of their discourse.Non risponder parola prima di aver sentito; e non interrompere l'altrui discorso.Before thou heare, answer not a word, and in the middes of ancients adde not to speake.Priusquam audias, ne respondeas verbum: / et in medio sermonum ne adjicias loqui. 9Strive not in a matter which doth not concern thee, and sit not in judgment with sinners.Non contendere per cosa, che nulla a te importa; e non unirti a giudicare con quei, che peccano.Striue not for that thing, which doeth not molest thee: and consiste not in the iudgement of sinners.De ea re quæ te non molestat, ne certeris: / et in judicio peccantium ne consistas. 10My son, meddle not with many matters: and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue after thou shalt not overtake; and if thou run before thou shalt not escape.Figliuolo non impicciarti in molte cose; perocché se diverrai ricco, non sarai esente da colpa. E andando dietro (a molte cose) non verrai a capo di alcuna; e qualunque diligenza tu facci, non potrai trarti fuora.Sonne let not thy doings be in manie thinges: and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sinne. for if thou pursew, thou shalt not attayne: and if thou runne before, thou shalt not escape.Fili, ne in multis sint actus tui: / et si dives fueris, non eris immunis a delicto. / Si enim secutus fueris, non apprehendes: / et non effugies, si præcucurreris. 11There is an ungodly man that laboureth, and maketh haste, and is in sorrow, and is so much the more in want.Taluno si affanna, e si da da fare, e patisce, essendo privo di pietà, e tanto meno arricchisce:There is one that laboureth, and hasteneth, and is a sorowful impious man, and so much the more he shal not abound.Est homo laborans et festinans, et dolens: / impius, et tanto magis non abundabit. 12Again, there is an inactive man that wanteth help, is very weak in ability, and full of poverty:Tal altro è languido, e bisognoso di ajuto, e privo di forze, e ricco di miseria:There is a lither man that wanteth recouerie, more fayling in strength, and abunding in pouertie:Est homo marcidus egens recuperatione, / plus deficiens virtute, et abundans paupertate: 13Yet the eye of God hath looked upon him for good, and hath lifted him up from his low estate, and hath exalted his head: and many have wondered at him, and have glorified God.E l'occhio di Dio mira costui benignamente, e lo solleva dal suo abbattimento, e gli fa alzare la testa, e molti ne restano ammirati, e a Dio ne rendono onore.and the eie of God hath respected him in good, and hath erected him from his low estate, and hath exalted his head: and manie haue merueled at him, and haue honoured God.et oculus Dei respexit illum in bono, / et erexit eum ab humilitate ipsius, et exaltavit caput ejus: / et mirati sunt in illo multi, et honoraverunt Deum.
14Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God.I beni, e i mali, la vita, e la morte, la povertà, e la ricchezza vengon da Dio.Good thinges and euil, life and death, pouertie and honestie are of God.Bona et mala, vita et mors, / paupertas et honestas, a Deo sunt: 15Wisdom and discipline, and the knowledge of the law are with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him.La sapienza, e la disciplina, e la scienza della legge sono da Dio: la carità, e le opere de' buoni sono da lui.Wisdom and discipline, and the knowlege of the law are with God. Loue, and the wayes of good thinges are with him.sapientia, et disciplina, et scientia legis, apud Deum: / dilectio, et viæ bonorum, apud ipsum. 16Error and darkness are created with sinners: and they that glory in evil things, grow old in evil.L'errore, e le tenebre sono ingenite ai peccatori: e quelli, che esultano nel male, invecchiano nella malizia.Errour and darkenes are created with sinners: and they that reioyce in euils, waxe old in euil.Error et tenebræ peccatoribus concreata sunt: / qui autem exsultant in malis consenescunt in malo. 17The gift of God abideth with the just, and his advancement shall have success for ever.Il dono di Dio rimane presso de' giusti, e con vantaggiosi progressi anderà crescendo continuamente.The gift of God is permanent to the iust, and his prospering shal haue successe for euer.Datio Dei permanet justis, / et profectus illius successus habebit in æternum. 18There is one that is enriched by living sparingly, and this is the portion of his reward.Taluno si fa ricco colla parsimonia, e questo sol frutto ha per sua mercede,There is that is enriched by doing sparingly, and this is the portion of his rewardEst qui locupletatur parce agendo, / et hæc est pars mercedis illius. 19In that he saith: I have found me rest, and now I will eat of my goods alone:Che dice: Io son contento, e adesso mangerò de' miei beni io solo.in that he sayth: I haue found me rest, and now I wil eate of my goods alone:In eo quod dicit: Inveni requiem mihi, / et nunc manducabo de bonis meis solus: 20And he knoweth not what time shall pass, and that death approacheth, and that he must leave all to others, and shall die.Ma egli non sa quanto tempo vi sia, perché la morte si accosti, ed egli lasci ad altri ogni cosa, e si muoja.and he knoweth not that time passeth, & death approcheth, and he must leaue al to others, and shal die.et nescit quod tempus præteriet, et mors appropinquet, / et relinquat omnia aliis, et morietur.
21Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and grow old in the work of thy commandments.Tienti costante al tuo patto, e sopra di questo ragiona, e invecchia nell'adempiere quel, che ti è comandato.Stand in thy couenant, and commen therein, and grow old in the worke of thy commandements.Sta in testamento tuo, et in illo colloquere, / et in opere mandatorum tuorum veterasce. 22Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and stay in thy place,Non ti abbagli il fare de' peccatori; ma confida in Dio, e sta al tuo posto;Abide not in the workes of sinners. But trust in God, and tarie in thy place.Ne manseris in operibus peccatorum: / confide autem in Deo, et mane in loco tuo. 23For it is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor man rich.Perocché è cosa facile dinanzi a Dio l'arricchire il povero in un momento.For it is easie in the eies of God sodainly to enrich the poore man.Facile est enim in oculis Dei / subito honestare pauperem. 24The blessing of God maketh haste to reward the just, and in a swift hour his blessing beareth fruit.La benedizione di Dio corre a rimunerare il giusto, e in brev'ora fa, che egli cresca, e fruttifichi.The blessing of God hasteth to the reward of the iust, and in a swift houre his prospering fructifieth.Benedictio Dei in mercedem justi festinat, / et in hora veloci processus illius fructificat. 25Say not: What need I, and what good shall I have by this?Non dire: Che ho io da fare? e qual bene omai avrò io?Say not: What neede I, and what good shal I haue by this?Ne dicas: Quid est mihi opus ? / et quæ erunt mihi ex hoc bona ? 26Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be made worse by this?Non dire: io basto a me stesso: e qual male può mai venirmi?Say not: I am sufficient for my self: and what shal I be made worse by this?Ne dicas: Sufficiens mihi sum: / et quid ex hoc pessimabor ? 27In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils: and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things:Nel dì felice non ti scordare de' cattivi giorni, e nel giorno cattivo non ti scordare del giorno felice:In the day of good thinges be not vnmindful of euils: and in the day of euils be not vnmindful of good thinges:In die bonorum ne immemor sis malorum, / et in die malorum ne immemor sis bonorum: 28For it is easy before God in the day of death to reward every one according to his ways.Ed è cosa facile a Dio il rendere a ciascheduno secondo le opere sue nel dì della morte.because it is easie before God in the day of death to reward euerie one according to his wayes.quoniam facile est coram Deo in die obitus / retribuere unicuique secundum vias suas.
29The affliction of an hour maketh one forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the disclosing of his works.Il male di un'ora fa dimenticare le grandi delizie; perché nella fine dell'uomo si manifestano le sue operazioni.The malice of an houre maketh obliuion of great voluptuousnes, and in the end of a man is the disclosing of his workes.Malitia horæ oblivionem facit luxuriæ magnæ, / et in fine hominis denudatio operum illius. 30Praise not any man before death, for a man is known by his children.Non lodar verun uomo prima della sua morte; perocché l'uomo si riconosce da' suoi figliuoli.Before death prayse no man, because a man is knowen in his children.Ante mortem ne laudes hominem quemquam: / quoniam in filiis suis agnoscitur vir. 31Bring not every man into thy house: for many are the snares of the deceitful.Non introdurre in casa tua ogni sorta di persone; perocché molte sono le insidie degli ingannatori;Bring not euerie man into thine house: for there be manie traynes of the deceitful man.Non omnem hominem inducas in domum tuam: / multæ enim sunt insidiæ dolosi. 32For as corrupted bowels send forth stinking breath, and as the partridge is brought into the cage, and as the roe into the snare: so also is the heart of the proud, and as a spy that looketh on the fall of his neighbour.Perocché come uno stomaco fetido getta dei rutti, e come la pernice è condotta alla gabbia, e il daino al laccio, così va la cosa riguardo al cuor del superbo, che osserva come da una vedetta la caduta del suo prossimo.For as the stomakes belche of stinking breathes, and as the partriche is brought in the cage, and as the doe into the snare: so also the hart of the proude, and as a watche man that seeth the fal of his neighbour.Sicut enim eructant præcordia fœtentium, / et sicut perdix inducitur in caveam, et ut caprea in laqueum: / sic et cor superborum, / et sicut prospector videns casum proximi sui. 33For he lieth in wait and turneth good into evil, and on the elect he will lay a blot.Perocché egli il bene convertendo in male sta tendendo insidie, e agli eletti stessi apporrà delle macchie.For turning good thinges into euil he lyeth in wayte, and on the elect he wil lay a blot.Bona enim in mala convertens insidiatur, / et in electis imponet maculam. 34Of one spark cometh a great fire, and of one deceitful man much blood: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.Da una sola scintilla divampa il fuoco: e un solo ingannatore moltiplica le stragi; perché l'uom peccatore tende a spargere il sangue.For of one sparke fire is increased, and of a deceitful man bloud is increased: and a sinful man lyeth in wayte for bloud.A scintilla una augetur ignis, / et ab uno doloso augetur sanguis: / homo vero peccator sanguini insidiatur.
35Take heed to thyself of a mischievous man, for he worketh evils: lest he bring upon thee reproach for ever.Guardati dall'uomo malizioso macchinatore di guai, affinchè egli non abbia a tirarti addosso infamia perpetua.Take heede to thy self of the pestiferous person, for he forgeth euils: lest perhaps he bring vpon thee derision for euer.Attende tibi a pestifero, fabricat enim mala, / ne inducat super te subsannationem in perpetuum. 36Receive a stranger in, and he shall overthrow thee with a whirlwind, and shall turn thee out of thy own.Ricevi in tua casa lo straniero, ed egli la metterà sottosopra, e ti rovinerà, e ti spoglierà anche del tuo.Admitte a straunger to thee, and he shal ouerthrow thee in an hurlewind, & shal make thee an aliene from thine owne.Admitte ad te alienigenam: / et subvertet te in turbine, / et abalienabit te a tuis propriis.
11:1
Worthington
Those who humble themselves, like Daniel, or fall under the oppression of others unjustly, as Joseph did, shall be exalted by God. (Worthington)
11:2
Cicero
Look. "The most robust is farthest removed from wisdom." (Cicero)
Ovid
The beauty of the soul must be regarded. (St. Ambrose, Virg. 3.) (Calmet) Forma bonum fragile est, quantumque accedit ad annos Fit minor, et spatio carpitur ipsa suo. (Ovid, Art. 2.)
11:3
Sweetness. Honey was more esteemed before sugar became common. As the little bee produces such sweetness, so the less beautiful often by their abilities surpass the comely.
11:5
11:6
Others, like Samson, Sedecias, Bajazet, etc.
11:7
Man, as David did Miphiboset, 2 Kings 16:4. Constantine the Great grieved for having put his son Crispus to death on too weak evidence; and Theodosius repented for the sentence he had rashly passed on the inhabitants of Thessalonica. Even though the sentence should happen to be just, it would be wrong to pronounce it too hastily.
11:8
Calmet
Discourse. This is a mark of impertinence, Proverbs 18:13. (Calmet)
Worthington
Let others finish their sentence, and wait if there be any elder or better informed to speak. (Worthington)
11:10
Escape. God will grant thee riches without so much solicitude (Lyranus) or rather meddle not with too many things, as that is the way to succeed in none, and destroys all repose.
11:16
Calmet
Sinners. They are all born in sin. But some appear to have worse dispositions than others, Psalm 57:4. (Calmet)
Haydock
God is not the author of iniquity. (Haydock)
Calmet
He punishes in order to save, though he be offended by the wicked choice of man. (Calmet)
Worthington
Blindness of heart and obduracy are punishments of sin. (Worthington)
11:17
Council of Trent
God never abandons first. (Council of Trent, Session 7:11.)
Calmet
The wicked often abuse graces. (Calmet)
11:21
Covenant. All the Israelites partook in the covenants entered into between God and their fathers, which became their own by circumcision, as we become entitled to the alliance of Christ by baptism.
11:22
Place. If God bestow not riches, it may be for thy advantage.
11:24
Calmet
Fruit. Prosperity was a sign of God's favour, under the old law. Now nothing is more equivocal, and the poor are declared blessed. (Calmet)
11:26
Haydock
Myself. Neither the poor nor the rich can be independent of God. (Haydock)
11:28
Death, in old age, (Grotius) or rather after the soul's departure. The pagans had not this consolation. Their hopes were confined to the earth; and as they saw many honest people miserable, they introduced a chimerical idea of happiness, consisting in virtue alone. The views of Christians are chiefly bent on future rewards.
11:29
Hour. The last of life. It demonstrates the vanity of past pleasures. Even a momentary toothache will banish the recollection of such delights.
11:30
Calmet
Children. If they take wicked ways, it is a stain on their father's memory; and though the latter were blameless, it must greatly disturb their repose. (Calmet)
Ovid
Children may here denote the works of man, which can only then be pronounced perfect, when he is incapable of falling from the state of virtue. (Haydock) ------Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet. (Ovid, Metam. iii.)
Solon inculcated this truth to Croesus, and when the latter was about to be burnt to death by Cyrus, he called thrice upon Solon's name; the reason of which being told the conqueror, he took pity on the fallen king, and treated him with great respect. (Laert. 1.; Plut.[Plutarch?] in Solon)
St. Ambrose
These sages only regarded the goods of this life. But the Christian's real happiness commences after death. Mors....gratio missionis est. (St. Ambrose, Mort. viii.)
11:36
Calmet
Own. So Herod destroyed his wife's family, and Paris stole Helen. (Calmet)
11:1
A wisman humbling himself by penance as Daniel did, or being vniustly humbled by others, as Ioseph was shal be exalted by God.
11:8
Expect the end of an other mans speach, before you beginne to answer.
Expect also if anie that is elder, or better able wil answer first.
Concordance Deut. 13.
11:13
Concordance Iob. 42.
11:16
One punishment of sinne is blindnes of hart. Especially where is no remorse of conscience.
11:27
In prosperitie is feare, and in aduersitie hope of change.
11:1
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 15
… iii. 27 .) And again, “Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O Lord.” ( Ps. xciv. 12 .) And another who saith, “Despise not the chastening of the Lord.” ( Prov. iii. 11 .) And “if thou come near to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.” (
11:2
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 17.14
… and this without hurling spear, or letting fly arrow, or unsheathing sword, but doing all with a small pebble! For this reason a certain one exhorts, saying, “Commend not a man for his beauty, neither abhor a man for his outward appearance. The bee is little among such as fly, but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 4
… And why? To hide their ugliness? It is a vain attempt. For when was the natural appearance improved upon by that which is studied and artificial? And why shouldest thou be troubled at thy want of beauty, since it is no reproach? For hear the saying of the Wise Man, “Commend not a man for his beauty, neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.” (
11:3
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 8.12
… and in another the work of the wise bee in forming its cells,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 20
… Seest thou that the Church had all things at her Lord’s hands? By Him was made glorious, by Him was made pure, by Him made without blemish? Turn not thy back on thy wife because of her deformity. Hear the Scripture that saith, “The bee is little among such as fly, but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 10
… For we ourselves receive death first. For by striking them perhaps we have pained them for a little time, but we ourselves shall not live any longer, even as that animal will not. And yet the Scripture commends it, saying that it is a worker, whose work kings and private men make use of for their health. (
11:4
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
Let us then pursue that glory, than which nothing is more venerable; and leave the glory of the world, as beyond anything worthless. “Boast not of thy clothing and raiment.” (
11:5
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Letter to a Young Widow 7
So also a king who is here to-day is dead tomorrow; and again this same wise man illustrating the reversal of men’s hopes says “many tyrants have sat down upon the ground, and one that was never thought of has worn the crown.”
11:7
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 43.11
… For there remained thousands of bishops in countries beyond the sea, before whom it was manifest that those who seemed to distrust their peers in Africa and Numidia could be tried. Have you forgotten what Scripture commands: “Blame no one before you have examined him; and when you have examined him, let your correction be just”?
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistles of Pope Fabian 2.2
… and they that fear the Lord shall be in His eyes. My son, saith Solomon, preserve thy soul in meekness, and give honour to him whom honour beseemeth.” “Blame not any one before thou examinest him; and when thou hast examined him, reprove him justly. Answer not a word before thou hearest the cause; neither interrupt with talk in the midst of thy seniors.”
11:10
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 1.4
Often the care of government, when undertaken, distracts the heart in divers directions; and one is found unequal to dealing with particular things, while with confused mind divided among many. Whence a certain wise man providently dissuades, saying, My son, meddle not with many matters (
11:14
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 21.9
… and thinking her a friend, they are drawn down." Elsewhere, however, it is said, "Good and evil, life and death, riches and poverty, are from the Lord God."
11:15
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 1
… Consider how mighty they were, and now not even a memorial of them is left. For, if you will, every day you may find examples of these things—the successions of rulers,—the confiscations of rich men’s goods. “Many tyrants have sat upon the ground—and he who was never thought on, has worn a diadem.” (
11:25
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 77.6
6. Having found myself aground in the shallows of Fabiola’s sin, I have dwelt thus long upon her penitence in order that I might open up a larger and quite unimpeded space for the description of her praises. Restored to communion before the eyes of the whole church, what did she do? In the day of prosperity she was not forgetful of affliction;
11:28
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 5.2
… For there remains more than what is yet seen to be accomplished, since it is written “Praise not any man before his death;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 3
That is, when those are brought into public view, who have suffered unnumbered ills, deigned to make them apostatize from the faith, and yet have not yielded, but have believed, God is glorified. Then is shown the glory of these men also. “Judge none blessed,” it says, “before his death.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 13.11
Let us, then, speak in the customary way,—no man ought to speak otherwise,—and let us call the time before death come, “before death;” as it is written, “Praise no man before his death.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 100.8
… But there, when we shall reach thereunto, is complete security, when the gates are shut, and the bars of the gates of Jerusalem made fast; there is truly full jubilance, and great delight. Only do not thou feel secure in praising any sort of life: “judge no man blessed before his death.”
11:30
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 6.16
… For everything that is secured or preserved by care, can also be lost by carelessness. And so we read: “Call no man blessed before his death,”
11:1
For 'humiliated' in Greek is ταπεινοῦ, that is, humble, which can be understood in three ways: first, indeed, humble is said of one who is vile and abject, such as a poor man: thus Palacius; second, one who from the virtue of humility depresses and humbles himself: thus Lyranus and Hugo; third, one who is humbled and depressed by others: thus Dionysius. Therefore, any humble man, if he be wise, and wisely, that is, modestly and humbly, bears his abjection, or willingly undertakes it, may certainly hope for his exaltation: for "whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted." For this is a law sanctioned by eternal Truth, repeated and established a third time by Christ, namely Matthew XXIII, 12; Luke XIV, 11; Luke XVIII, 14. This does not always happen in this life, but often: as may be seen in the election of Roman Pontiffs, Bishops, Prelates, etc. For to these offices are chosen, and are chosen not the noble, not the rich, but the wise, even if born of humble stock. In the other life, however, it will happen to all the humble, and always, indeed eternally. Thus St. Francis, by merit of humility, was raised up in the heavens to the highest order of Angels, and placed among the Seraphim, as God revealed, testified by St. Bonaventure in the Life of St. Francis. Thus wisdom exalted the humiliated Joseph in prison, when it raised him to the principality of Egypt; Moses the fugitive, when it made him leader and liberator of the people; Daniel, when it set him over Babylon after drawing him from the lion's den. Humility, therefore, is the ladder by which one must ascend to sublimity; "for this is the way, and there is no other besides it: whoever goes otherwise falls rather than ascends; for humility alone exalts, humility alone leads to life," says St. Bernard, sermon 2 On the Ascension. A memorable and fitting example is found in the Life of Blessed Alcuin, the teacher of Charlemagne: Charlemagne, for the sake of prayer, wished to visit the sepulcher of St. Martin with his sons Charles, Pepin, and Louis. In that place, holding the hand of Alcuin, he said secretly: "Master, which of these sons of mine seems to you fit to have as my successor in this honor?" But he, turning his face toward Louis, the last of them, but most renowned for humility, on account of which he was despised by many, said: "You will have Louis, humble, an excellent successor." Only Charlemagne heard this then; but when he saw those same kings proceeding with raised head, and Louis with humble bearing for the sake of prayer into the church of St. Stephen, he said to those standing by: "Do you see Louis more humble than his brothers? Certainly you will see him the most exalted successor of his father." That same Louis, most renowned for humility, bowing before all to his holy father, kissed his hand. Then the man of God said: "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted: certainly Gaul will rejoice to have him as Emperor after his father." A similar, but terrible example is found in Blessed Peter Damian, epistle 14, where he relates that a blasphemous cleric said that the sentence of Christ had been found false in his case: "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be humbled." This cleric, while uttering these words, was struck in battle by a fiery sword from heaven. He alludes to and almost cites that saying of Solomon: "Humility precedeth glory," Proverbs XV, 33. The reason which St. Chrysostom gives, homily 15 on Matthew, is: "As pride is the source of all evils, so humility is the origin of all virtues." The wise men of the Gentiles learned this same thing from Solomon, Sirach, and the Hebrews. There is an Arab proverb: "Be humble in youth, that you may be exalted in old age." Among the Greeks, Plato did not think kings should be created unless they be philosophers, that is, ethical and modest men. Among the Romans, Seneca: "Do you wish to be known to all? First make it so that you know no one. Do you wish to have great honor? I will give you great power: Rule yourself. If you wish to be blessed, think of this first: to despise and to be despised." Mystically Rabanus: "Humble wisdom is faith in Christ, which worketh through charity. This does not pursue human philosophy, nor the vain boasting of this world; but always imitates the meekness and modesty of its Lord, who said: Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Whence it will come to pass that it is added: And you shall find rest to your souls. For it will make its possessors sit in the midst of the great, with them the Patriarchs and Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, and other Saints, having granted them to be partakers of the heavenly kingdom."
11:2
That is, on account of his appearance, on account of his visible and contemptible form, if he be deformed, short, bent or hunchbacked. "He forbids," says Rabanus, "anyone to judge the quality of the mind from the appearance of the body, because just as the natures of soul and body are distinct, so also their dignity is different; nor does it follow that the measure of wisdom should correspond to the measure of stature." The first reason is that form and beauty is something feminine, and therefore to be despised by a wise man. The second is that God and nature so distribute their gifts that to whom they give one dowry, they deny another; and to whom they deny one, they give another. Hence to women He gave beauty, but denied them the force of mind and wisdom, which He gave to men less handsome. Whence Cato: "He excels in talent to whom nature denied strength." Form therefore and beauty is a slight and feminine good, and therefore fleeting and to be despised. Theophrastus used to say that "beauty is silent deception," because without words it persuades to illicit and harmful things. And Carneades said "beauty is a kingdom without guards," because the beautiful obtain by its force whatever they wish. The third reason is that force united is stronger than itself divided. Wherefore the soul uniting its force in a small body is more vigorous and powerful than in a large one, in which it is divided and dispersed through vast limbs. Hence we see that small men are magnanimous, acute and ingenious. Thus St. Paul, St. Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, St. Jerome were small in stature, and yet they were lights of the Church. St. Ambrose inquires in his book On the Institution of Virgins, chapter III, why, when God in Genesis I praised all his works, he alone does not appear to be praised regarding man, whose sake nevertheless all things were created. The reason: other things consist in appearance, man in what is hidden. In man nothing is lower than what is seen; what is seen serves, what is not seen rules. "Man therefore is not to be praised beforehand, because he must first be approved, not from the outer skin, but from the inner nature, and thus finally to be acclaimed." Finally God chose small and abject things, "because he chose the weak things of the world, that he might confound the strong; and the base things of the world, and the things that are contemptible, and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his sight," says St. Paul in I Corinthians I, 28. Thus he chose poor and unlearned Apostles; thus he chose David, the last among his brothers, as king of Israel, rejecting great Saul — concerning whom God said to Samuel: "Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to man's look; for man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart," I Kings XVI, 7.
11:3
"Brief," in Greek μικρά, that is, small. "Beginning," in Greek ἀρχή, that is, dominion of sweet things: the bee is small, and yet its fruit, namely the honey which it produces, holds dominion in sweetness. "For what is sweeter than honey?" Judges XIV. Again it is a beginning, that is, a fountain, origin and cause of sweetness. For sugar is indeed sweet, but does not surpass the sweetness of honey. Add that sugar is made by art, but honey is natural; and nature surpasses art and artificial things. He proves that no one who is wise ought to be judged and despised on account of smallness, deformity or vile external appearance, by the example, indeed the type and figure of the bee. For although the bee is small in body, deformed in appearance, harmful with its sting, yet among flying creatures, indeed among all animals it is the wisest, and it produces honey, which holds dominion among sweet things. Hence honey is a type of wisdom, which sweetens all things and renders them savory. Just as therefore honey is found in a small and humble bee, so wisdom often lies hidden in a small, deformed and humble body, as happened in Socrates, Diogenes, and Aristotle. Morally, the bee is a symbol of wisdom and prudence, both ethical, domestic and political. Ethical, because it protects itself with wonderful industry, and because it produces the sweetest honey, and feeds on thyme, the most delicate herbs and flowers. Whence Virgil sings in the Georgics: "Some store the purest honey and fill the cells with liquid nectar." Let man therefore imitate the bee, so that he nourishes his mind with nothing but the best and divine things. Thus St. Cecilia is celebrated by the Church: "Cecilia thy handmaid, O Lord, served thee like a resourceful bee," because by her zeal and sweet discourse she converted to Christ her husband Valerianus, and his brother Tiburtius, indeed four hundred others. Thus in the case of St. Ambrose, when he was an infant, bees settled upon his mouth, so as to portend his future honeyed eloquence. The same happened to Pindar and Plato in infancy. The poet Sophocles on account of the sweetness of his tongue was called the Attic Bee. Domestic, because bees with wonderful industry construct their cells as if they were houses, fill them with honey and wax, preserve and govern them. St. Chrysostom in Psalm CX: "Let one learn diligence and labor from the bee; from it let one learn also the pursuit of honesty, and community, and mutual participation. For the bee itself will teach thee not to admire in vain the beauty of bodies, when virtue of soul is lacking, nor to despise deformity, when the soul is beautifully adorned." Political, because bees have a commonwealth wonderfully ordered, councils, leaders, laws, customs. St. Ambrose in Hexaemeron, book V: "In one bee, or in one ant, the providence of God shines forth more than in many other immense and greatest animals." And: "The discourse indeed concerning bees is longer, because it is more delightful. What in all of them is admirable, that they alone of all kinds of animals have a common soul, common food, common work, common fruit, common flight, and what is more, common generation, common birth, and common virginity of body." St. Gregory Nazianzen, epistle 155 to Nicobulus, wittily reproves him because he despised his wife Alypiana on account of her smallness: "Now at last I have understood that the soul is subject to measure, and that virtue is weighed, and that stones are superior to pearls. But if you consider her temporary silence, strength and vigor, her domestic virtues, how loving of her husband, then you will say that Spartan saying: Certainly the soul does not fall under measure, and one ought to cast the eyes of the outer man upon the inner. If you weigh these things thus with yourself, you will cease to jest and hold in ridicule the small one, and you will judge your marriage blessed and fortunate."
11:4
This is the second species of humility and modesty, by which one conducts oneself modestly in the splendor of garments and dignities. Because the wonderful works are of the Most High alone: God alone works wonders, and His works are glorious, hidden and unseen. Wherefore let no one be exalted in the day of his honor, because that honor comes from God and can be taken away by God at any moment.
11:5
This is the third species of modesty, concerning honor and dignity. Many tyrants have sat upon the throne, and the unsuspected have worn the diadem — so as to teach that the distribution of honors and crowns is in the hand of God, not in human lineage or expectation. Many mighty men have been greatly oppressed, and the glorious have been delivered into the hands of others — showing how quickly fortune changes through God's providence.
11:7
This is the fourth species of modesty, concerning judgment and reproof. Before thou inquire, revile not any man: and when thou hast inquired, reprove justly. Before thou hearest, answer not a word: and in the midst of discourse add not to speak. The wise man hears first before he speaks, examines first before he judges.
11:9
This is the fifth species of modesty, concerning superfluous contentions. Concerning a matter that doth not trouble thee, contend not: and stand not in the judgment of sinners. Let each one attend to his own affairs, nor meddle in those of others.
11:10
This is the sixth species of modesty, concerning many affairs and riches. From the Greek this sentence can first be taken generally, as if spoken against those who are busybodies (πολυπράγμονας), who wish to do all things and to arrogate all things to themselves, and therefore accomplish nothing well, or at least do not bring it to completion: which is equally a vice of presumption and pride, as of imprudence. The sense is: Let not thy actions be in many things, because he who embraces too many things holds few firmly. Hear Rabanus, or rather St. Gregory in the first part of the Pastoral, cap. IV: "For indeed the cares of the office undertaken often tear the heart in different directions; and each one is found unequal to individual matters, while with confused mind he is divided among many things. When care is drawn outward immoderately, it empties itself from the firmness of inner fear, and being anxious about the arrangement of external things, it becomes full of nothing but ignorance of itself." The reason a priori is that the mind and attention of man is finite, indeed very thin and limited; wherefore when divided among many things it is diminished, fails and vanishes, according to that saying: "The sense is less attentive to individual things when intent upon many." It is better to do a few things remarkably than many things hastily. Hence Thales of Miletus said: "Choose one remarkable thing." And Aristotle: "In great matters one work must be devoted to one business, because care intent upon one thing is better than upon many." St. Augustine, Questions LXVIII on Exodus: "How it must be observed that Scripture says: My son, let not thy actions be in many things," is clear from Moses, who, when he wished to hear all the complaints and disputes of the people, heard from Jethro: "Thou dost not a good thing; thou wilt be consumed with foolish labour" (Exodus XVIII, 18). Whence by his counsel he delegated lesser matters to lesser judges and officials, reserving only greater matters to himself. Let prelates and princes do the same. So John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester and Cardinal—than whom Britain, and perhaps not even Christian world, had at that time a holier, more learned, or more vigilant Bishop. When a greater and more opulent bishopric was offered to him by King Henry VIII, he refused it, repeatedly saying that he would be most blessed if he could rightly render an account to the Lord on that day concerning at least this small flock committed to him. A wise man of this age also says elegantly: "Let no mother have more children than milk; nor let a prudent man have more affairs than strength." This sentence can be applied tropologically to many things, as to studies: Do not study many sciences at once, but one only: thus thou shalt become rich and learned. So Francis Suarez did. Indeed St. Thomas Aquinas, when asked by what means one could become learned, answered: "By reading one book." Again it can be applied to virtues and vices: If thou wishest to uproot vices, attack one only and tear it out by the roots—namely that from which the others spring. "For he who pursues two hares captures neither." Secondly, this sentence more strictly concerns riches, and forbids the desire and zeal for multiplying them, as if to say: Do not desire to heap up many things and to become rich, because if thou shalt be rich, thou wilt not be free from sin. For the very excessive desire for riches is a sin, at least venial, and not rarely mortal—namely when it is done through usury, illicit contracts, frauds, etc. Whence St. Bernard: "Do not desire what when possessed burdens, when loved corrupts, when lost torments." And St. Paul expressly: "For they that will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition," I Timothy VI, 9.
11:11
11. There is a man labouring, and hastening, and sorrowful, impious, and by so much the more shall not abound. Notwithstanding all his labour, the impious man does not prosper, because God withholds His blessing. 12-13. There is a man withered, needing recovery, more failing in strength, and abounding in poverty. And the eye of God looked upon him for good, and raised him up from his humility, and exalted his head: and many wondered at him, and honoured God. It teaches that the providence of God, not human labour, is the true source of prosperity and honour.
11:14
14. Good and evil, life and death, poverty and honour are from God. All things are in His hand and are distributed according to His wisdom. 15. Wisdom and discipline, and knowledge of the law are with God. Love, and the ways of the good are with Him. 16. Error and darkness are created together with sinners: but they that glory in evils grow old in evil. 17. The gift of God remains with the just, and his progress shall have success for ever.
11:18
18-19. There is one who grows rich by being stingy, and this is his portion of reward. In that he says: I have found rest for myself, and now I will eat of my goods alone. 20. And he knows not that time passes away, and death draws near, and he leaves all things to others, and he shall die. Fittingly does he say that time passes away for the miser, because time does not stand still, but continually flows and passes away. The miser knows not how long he shall live, nor does he consider what opportunity he affords himself for gaining eternal riches. For if he had spent his wealth on the poor and pious causes, he would have acquired the greatest and eternal riches for himself in heaven. But now he does not use this opportunity; death will soon follow, by which he will grieve in vain and too late. Goods do not remain with misers for a threefold reason. The first is that they do not dare to use them, but lock them away in chests. Whence Bion: "This man does not possess his wealth, but his wealth possesses him." The second, that they hope continually to enjoy them, once the thirst of avarice is satisfied—which will never happen, because "the love of money grows as much as the money itself grows." The third, that the miser knows not how much time remains for him. It is illustrated by the Evangelical parable of the rich man who said to his soul: "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thy rest; eat, drink, and make good cheer." But God said to him: "Thou fool, this night do they require thy soul of thee; and the things that thou hast provided, whose shall they be?" Luke XII, 20. St. Basil, in his Homily on the Foolish Rich Man, exclaims: "O most foolish words! O singular madness! For if thou hadst the soul of a pig, what else couldst thou have uttered? For if the soul has virtue, if it is full of good works, if it possesses the grace of God, then truly it has many goods." St. Ambrose, book I of the Duties: "Often what the miser has gathered with the greatest diligence, the prodigal heir squanders with dissolute profusion; and some bankrupt devours in a kind of whirlpool what was sought for a long time." Juvenal, Satires XIV, inveighing against the madness and fury of misers, exclaims: "Whence then are so many riches gathered through torments? When it is certain madness, manifest insanity, to live in poverty so that thou mayest die rich." And Satires XII: "Some do not build their fortunes by the rule of life, but blinded by vice, they live by the rule of fortune." Hence the poets represent the miser through Tantalus, who in the underworld hungers amid sweet foods, and thirsts amid waters and wines. Whence Horace, book I of the Satires, Satire 1: "Tantalus thirsting from his lips grasps at the fleeing streams... Why dost thou laugh? With the name changed, the story is told of thee." Finally, the Septuagint omits τὸ "and he shall die"; Rabanus and others omit it. Hence Francis Lucas thinks it crept into other manuscripts. But the Roman, Complutensian, and other Greek and Latin codices read "and he shall die": for the sick first make their will, by which they leave their possessions to others by bequest, and then they die.
11:21
For testament, in Greek it is διαθήκη, which the Septuagint are accustomed to render for בְּרִית, that is, covenant, pact: whence it comes about that in Greek διαθήκη and in Latin testamentum often signify any pact or covenant whatsoever. Again, for to speak together, in Greek it is ὁμίλει, that is, to associate familiarly, to frequent, to handle, to converse, to speak together, as if he were to say: to dwell continually in it, to meditate, to read through and to examine thoroughly. He said that the avaricious and impious heap up riches, and often become wealthy through right and wrong; hinting that the pious and those who fear God become poor: now, lest any of the pious, from love of riches, should imitate the impious and acquire wealth through right and wrong, he admonishes and strengthens them to persist in justice and the fear of God, because God, if not in this life, certainly in the other soon to come, will enrich them with the eternal riches of heaven. Hence St. Gregory of Nazianzus, in Oration XL, asserts that baptism is nothing other than a certain covenant entered into with God for a second, purer and more excellent manner of life; and that our souls are to be kept with the most vigilant custody, lest we appear to have made a false profession. And St. Chrysostom, in the homily On Martyrs: "Display your strength, fight bravely, contend earnestly in this struggle. Consider the covenant, attend to the condition, acknowledge the service: the covenant which you have made; the condition under which you have earned; the service to which you have given your name." To this pertains the proverb of Ben-Sira, Alphabet 1, letter Gimel: "The bone that fell to your lot, gnaw it." Its interpreter explains this of a wife, as if to say: The wife whom you have obtained, whether good or bad, do not put away but retain her: because divorces, although permitted by the old law, nevertheless displeased many. And that saying of Plato in the Phaedo: "It is not permitted to anyone to depart from what God has commanded." And that saying of Cicero: "It is not permitted to anyone to depart from the post assigned by the supreme Commander." Morally, learn from this how great and how necessary constancy is to man in his vocation, rank, office and virtue. Hence the angel to Daniel, cap. X, 11: "Stand in your rank." For human weakness and mutability is so great that without constant and daily grace of God and strenuous cooperation of man, no one can long persist in good beginnings, especially when so many enticements of the flesh and world allure, increasing daily, with continual temptations of demons. The first means therefore to constancy is humbly to acknowledge one's own inconstancy, and to ask grace from God by which we may overcome it. "For man never remains in the same state," as Job says, cap. XIV, 2. Among the wounds which original sin inflicted upon man, one principal one is instability and inconstancy, which we cannot remove by our own powers, but only by God's grace alone. "I am the Lord," He Himself says in Malachi III, 6, "and I change not." Just as a shipwrecked man tossed by waves clings to a rock and thus remains fixed and constant, so let the faithful amid the storms of this world cling to God, and with the Psalmist say: "But for me it is good to adhere to God. The Lord is my firmament and my refuge, my protector and the horn of my salvation," Psalm XVII, 2. The second means is to mortify the curiosity of seeing and experiencing various things, which is the mother of inconstancy, and on the contrary to exercise oneself in acts of constancy. For if we persevere for a little while in a difficult task or tribulation, God will immediately help us. Thus Paul was comforted by God in chains, Acts XXIII, 11: "Be constant." Just as one who wishes to learn knowledge must study constantly; as one who wishes to learn a craft or medicine must exercise himself continually: much more, so that one may acquire virtue, must he exercise himself in it continually. For virtue and perfection cannot be acquired unless one pursues it assiduously like a hare. Moreover, nothing is so difficult and arduous that constancy does not overcome it. Thus a certain Abbot in the Lives of the Fathers roused a certain lazy disciple, who despaired of rooting out vices. For he led him into a garden overgrown with thistles, and commanded him to clear it. The disciple did so, clearing one part daily, and by persevering finally purged the whole field. And the Abbot added: Do the same in the garden of your soul — now root out one vice, then another: and if you are constant, you will finally eradicate all. Thirdly, to set before oneself examples of constant men and women. Thus the sons of Mattathias stood constantly in the law of God. Thus Clement of Ancyra constantly endured continuous martyrdom under various Emperors for 28 years. Many thousands of Anchorites for 50, 80, 100 years stood constantly in solitude, penance, prayer and poverty. Fourth, embrace not many things, but hold fast to few. St. Paul: "One thing indeed, forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those that are before, I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus," Philip. III, 13. Fifth, prescribe for yourself a certain scheme of the day, namely a distribution of time, by which you assign to each hour its own work and occupation. Thus Father Francis Suarez was accustomed to do, and he commended it greatly, saying that in this way the day passes like a clock in order, peace and joy. Sixth, constancy is first generated by love. For he who loves some work is easily constant in it. Second, before the Eucharist, Angels and Saints, seriously and frequently propose to be constant in it. Third, make a vow, at least for some space of time. Seventh, frequently think this: All virtues contend, but perseverance alone is crowned, says St. Bernard, on that passage: "Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those who have afflicted them," Wis. V, 1. 22. "Be not amazed" — In Greek, μὴ θαυμάζε, that is, do not marvel — "at the works of sinners: but trust in God, and remain in your place." St. Bernard most excellently, serm. 48 in Cantic.: "It is no small title of virtue to live good among the wicked, and to preserve the candor of soul and sweetness of manners among the malevolent; and still greater, to show peace to those who hate peace, and to show yourself a friend even to your enemies."
11:23
He confirms what he said, namely that it is easy for God to suddenly enrich the just poor man who serves Him, and God does this when it conduces to his eternal salvation; but when He does not do it, He does not do it because it would harm his salvation. Thus God enriched Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and all the children of Israel fleeing from Egypt. In the new law He promises to those serving Him riches not so much temporal and earthly as spiritual and heavenly. Mystically, Lyra: "Remain in your place, namely through love in God, who is the place of rest of the soul, according to that saying of St. Augustine: You have made us, O Lord, for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." 24. "The blessing of God hastens to the reward of the just," because it does not wait for night; therefore "in the swift hour of his progress it bears fruit," because quickly, in the very hour of labor and sowing the seed of good work, it produces a stalk and causes it to grow, and straightway to ripen and give fruit and reward, namely the increase of grace, and heavenly illuminations, consolations and comforts for striving earnestly in holy works. Morally, the blessing of God hastens to the reward of the just, when the just man seriously and courageously proposes to cut away slight vices, to acquire certain virtues, to pursue perfection, to rise up to great and heroic holiness. Measure yourself against the great Saints; imitate the deeds of St. Paul, St. Francis, St. Mary Magdalene: who suddenly, through intense and heroic acts of penance and charity, attained to the summit of holiness, because they strenuously cooperated with the mighty grace of God.
11:25
Palacius and Jansenius think there are here two voices of two contrary persons: the former of a poor man, who from poverty and hardships loses heart and as it were despairs; the latter of a rich man, who presents himself as arrogant and trusting in his riches. The poor man says: "What do I need? why should I live in this world?" The rich man says: "I am sufficient for myself, and what evil can I suffer?" Therefore Sirach admonishes both to equanimity: namely the poor man, lest he utter this despairing voice, but bear poverty patiently, hoping for a better lot; and the rich man, lest he assume a presumptuous voice for himself, but keep moderation of mind in riches, fearing adverse fortune. 27. "In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils; and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things." This is a most prudent and equally useful saying; for it suggests a remedy for each condition and fortune, namely the memory of the contrary. It can be applied to riches and poverty; to joy and sadness; to desolation and divine consolation; to honor and disgrace; to peace and war. Thus St. Bernard, sermon 21 in the Canticles: "Rather will you take care in the evil day not to be unmindful of good things, nor of evils in the good day. And so in the day of your virtue you will not be pleased with yourself, but will cry out to God with the Prophet. Again in time of temptation you will be consoled and will say with the Bride: Draw me after you. Thus neither in evil time will hope desert you, nor in good time will providence be lacking, and amid the adverse and prosperous changes of mutable times you will preserve a certain image of eternity — namely this inviolable and unshaken equanimity of a steadfast mind, blessing the Lord at all times." St. Gregory gives the reason in book II on Ezekiel, homily XIX: "For if, when we have good things, we remember the evils which we have already suffered or can still suffer, the good things received do not lift up the mind. And if, when we have evils, we remember the good things which we have already received or hope to receive, the weight of evils does not cast down the mind into despair. Both therefore must be joined together, so that one may always be supported by the other." Wherefore God himself revealed to St. Francis: "Francis, embrace harsh things for sweet ones, and utterly despise and reject yourself." Christ intimated something similar to St. Catherine of Siena: "Pursue bitter things as sweet; flee sweet things as bitter." Nay, he offered her two crowns, one of thorns and another of gold, on this condition: that whichever she chose in this life, she would receive its contrary in the other. Wherefore she immediately embraced the thorny one. This saying of Sirach teaches that the passions of the mind must be moderated, namely love and fear, joy and sadness, so that we neither exult too much in joyful things nor grieve too much in sad things; but we temper one by the memory or hope of the other. For God tempers pleasant things with sorrow, so that he may bring the mind to that equilibrium of passions, in which its virtue and perfection consists.
11:28
He gives the reason why in the day of evils we should be mindful of good things, and vice versa: namely because God renders to each one a reward for his merits, often indeed in this life, but always at death. Sirach hints here that God in this life not rarely sends adversities to the pious and prosperity to the impious, according to Ecclesiastes VIII, 14: "There are just men to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the wicked; and there are wicked men who are so secure, as though they had the deeds of the just;" but at death he certainly assigns to each pious man a reward, and to the wicked man a punishment according to his merits. Concerning the wicked the matter is clear: for they at death undergo particular judgment, in which, having received the sentence of damnation, they are immediately snatched away to hell. Concerning the pious the matter is more obscure, because in the age of Sirach all the just descended into the Limbo of the Fathers; for heaven had not yet been opened, but was to be opened through the death of Christ. Now however, after Christ, immediately all just souls fully purged from sins fly into heaven and are beatified by the vision of God. The phrase "it is easy" signifies not only that it is possible for God, but that God renders reward in the day of death with easy work and without labor. For from mere possibility of reward little incentive to labor is drawn; but from the facility with which God renders, a great argument of exhortation is drawn.
11:29
He proves by another argument what he said in verse 27: often after days of good things follow days of evil; in which the malice of the hour, that is an hour lasting and brief, causes forgetfulness of luxury, that is of delights and pleasure, even the greatest. For as Rabanus says: "When violent fever, extreme poverty have seized a man, all the time which he previously spent in health and delights is consigned to oblivion, and only misery or sickness keeps the man occupied." This is often true in life, but always in the hour of death. For death takes from man all sense of past pleasures, and torments him with the sense of present pains equally as of future punishments. Thus the rich man feasting, in the flames of hell, having forgotten all his banquets, thought of nothing else, said nothing else but: "I am tormented in this flame." All the damned do the same, who will weep inconsolably, saying that from Wisdom V, 8: "What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow." "And in the end of the man a laying bare of his works." The hour of death brings forgetfulness of the delights of the whole of life, because in it the soul, separated from the body, undergoes particular judgment, in which all its works are laid bare by Christ the Judge. From which it is evident that immediately after the death of each one particular judgment takes place, nor is the universal judgment awaited.
11:30
"Before death praise" — for in Greek it is μὴ μακαρίζε, that is do not pronounce blessed — "no man whatsoever, for in his children a man is known." St. Ephrem adds an antithesis: "and before death despair of no one." This is a conclusion from what has been said: from the fact that in the end and death of man there is a laying bare and judgment of his works, it follows that before death no one should be pronounced blessed — both because, as long as he lives, he can be changed from good to evil; and because many hypocrites appear good before men who in judgment will be declared evil by Christ; and because in death judgment takes place, in which Christ decrees beatitude to each pious one. Solon, one of the seven wise men of Greece, uttered this saying nearly three hundred years before Sirach. For Solon, being asked by Croesus the very wealthy king of the Lydians whether he had seen anyone more fortunate than himself, answered that he had seen Tellus the Athenian. And so Croesus, captured by King Cyrus, when he was ordered to be placed on a great pyre, called out the name of Solon three times, and set forth to him the vicissitude of fortune. Whereupon Cyrus, reminded of the fragility of human affairs, ordered Croesus to be saved from the pyre. Ovid expressed the same thing: "The last day is always to be awaited by man, and no one should be called blessed before death and the final funeral rites." St. Ambrose, On the Good of Death, chapter VIII: "Before death praise no one. For in his final days each one is known, and is judged by his children. Death therefore is the witness of life. For if a helmsman cannot be praised before he has brought his ship into port, how will you praise a man before he has reached the station of death? The emperor himself does not receive the laurel wreath unless the war is finished: nor does the soldier lay down his arms unless the enemy is defeated. Death therefore is the fullness of reward, the sum of recompense, the grace of discharge." St. Bernard, sermon 5 on the Feast of All Saints: "We are forbidden to praise a man in his lifetime. For how is praise safe where not even life itself is secure? Praise the virtue of those whose victory is already certain: extol them with devout praises, of whose crowns you can rejoice securely." St. Francis understood this, who, as St. Bonaventure relates in his Life, chapter VI, often, when he was called blessed by many, uttered such words: "I can still have sons and daughters; do not praise me as if I were safe. No one should be praised whose end is uncertain."
11:31
He warns that we should not introduce just anyone into our house, nor admit them into our household and familiars, unless they have first been well tested and examined, because many are deceitful, who insinuate themselves into houses so that they may explore them and their masters and inhabitants, plunder them, slander them, accuse them, defame them — indeed so that they may destroy and kill them, just as Judas, received into the house and family of Christ, deceitfully betrayed Him and destroyed Him. By the deceitful one he understands especially the proud man, as is evident from the reason which he subjoins in the following verse. Wherefore Sirach here prudently warns that no one should introduce into his house, for the sake of friendship or private advantage, an unknown man, especially one who is suspect, deceitful and cunning; yet he does not forbid hospitality, especially toward the poor, the fugitive and the wretched. I remember, when forty years ago I lived as a younger man with my parents in the countryside, during a public and general famine of Flanders, that a crowd of poor and wandering people seeking alms flowed daily to our house, and by the will of my parents I distributed alms to each one, omitting none. And if night were approaching, we also received them as guests — yet with this precaution, that after supper we led them to a nearby barn to sleep.
11:32
He proves by four similitudes that a deceitful man ought not to be received into one's house. The first: just as rotten entrails, however much fragrant food you cast into them, always stink, so the heart of the proud man—even if you heap benefits upon him, will always exhale the stench of malice, deceit and perfidy. The second: just as a partridge is led into a cage, and a roe into a snare, so the heart of the proud man is in another's house. Just as a partridge in a cage remains unwillingly and seeks every way of breaking out, and does nothing good in it except to defile it with its own dung, so the heart of the proud man, seeing another's house to be better than his own, envies and murmurs, and devises every way by which he may suppress and cast it down. The last similitude: "Just as a scout"—the proud and envious man, like a spy from a high place, observes, explores and mocks the fall of his neighbour. To this pertains the symbol of Pythagoras: "Do not have a swallow under the same roof." For the swallow is garrulous, brings the host no utility except to defile the roof with its own dung, is altogether unteachable, and inconstant and unfaithful—at the beginning of spring it flies in, at the approach of winter it flies away. The swallow therefore signifies garrulous, slanderous, ungrateful and unfaithful guests who ought not to be received into one's house.
11:33
The proud man, even if he feigns himself a friend, yet from pride, that he may exalt himself and cast you down, will calumniate your good words or good deeds, and convert them into evil words or evil deeds. Thus the Pharisees found fault with the miracles, life and doctrine of Christ, and called Him a demoniac, a drunkard and a friend of publicans. Thus Saul converted the good deeds of David into evil, and laid snares against him even unto death. Thus Pharaoh against Moses and the Hebrews, Haman against Mordecai, and the Babylonians against Daniel laid snares through calumny.
11:34
This new reason why one ought to beware of the deceitful and proud man, namely because one deceitful man is like a spark in stubble, which creeping through his calumnies and whispers kindles a great fire of quarrels, hatreds, brawls and slaughters. Morally, learn from this that small vices ought not to be neglected, but rooted out entirely; for just as one spark cast into gunpowder overturns towers and cities, so a single slight defect, given great occasion, causes grave ruin. "A little leaven corrupteth the whole mass," says Paul, I Corinthians V, 6. Similar to this sentence is that of Sallust: "A small spark, neglected, kindled a great fire."
11:35
For pestilent man the Greek is κακούργου, that is, crafty, malicious, who strives studiously and from malice to harm. Wherefore one ought to beware of him, because such a one, as a craftsman of evils, fabricates and forges nothing but evils, that he may brand you with a perpetual stain of infamy. To this pertains the fable of the lark with a helmet in Aesop. The lark, seeing the fowler laying snares, approached and asked what he was building; to which he replied: "I am building a city." The lark flew up to inspect the new city, and was immediately ensnared and caught by the fowler. To which the lark, now grieving, said: "If you build such a city, you will have few inhabitants." The fable teaches that houses in which snares and frauds are laid for others will be deserted and destroyed.
11:36
Ironically, that is to say, Receive, if you please, into your house an alien whom you do not know nor have sufficiently tested; but know that you expose yourself to grave danger, lest he craftily exclude you from your dwelling and goods, and usurp them for himself, as Jugurtha did, who, received into the royal family by King Masinissa, overthrew his sons and family. And Herod the Ascalonite, admitted into the family of Hyrcanus, extinguished the entire line of the Hasmoneans, and usurped his kingdom, and made himself king of Judaea. I once saw at Louvain a young fox cub, recently taken from its mother's nest, placed in the nest of kittens, that it might be suckled by the cat; but the fox cub, growing up, after a few days killed the kittens and seized the nest for itself alone. The same have done and do aliens. Hence Christ called the younger Herod a fox: "Say to that fox," Luke XIII, 32. Finally, this sentence is often true, but not always: for it signifies what is wont to happen when a greedy and proud stranger is admitted. For there are honest strangers who enrich and bless their hosts. Tropologically: Receive an alien, that is, a work and occupation which is alien from your institute and profession; and he will subvert you in a whirlwind, and will alienate you from the exercises proper to your sanctity. To such St. Basil says, and from him Cassian: "You have lost a senator, and have not made a monk." And that of St. Gregory: "He who grasps at things alien is deprived of his own."
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
11:32
I Reg. 2, 26, "of iniquity": Iob. 34, 36); I Sam. 25, 25; 30, 22; II Sam. 16, 7; 20, 1; I Reg. 21, 13; Prov. 6, 12; 16, 27; 19, 28 (Eccli. 11, 32). Alone, used elliptically (for 'īl b.), b. is equivalent to "wicked" (II Sam. 23, 6; Iob. 34, 18) or "destroyer" (Nah. 2, 1), taking on a concrete sense, as a noun or adjective. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.