We are to be liberal to the just: and not to trust the wicked.
Vse beneuolence towards good men. 10. Trust not enemies ouer much.
1If thou do good, know to whom thou dost it, and there shall be much thanks for thy good deeds.Se tu fai del bene, fa di sapere chi è quegli, a cui tu lo fai e ne' tuoi benefizj avrai molto merito.IF thou wilt doe good, know to whom thou doest it, and there shal be much thanke in thy good deedes.Si benefeceris, scito cui feceris, / et erit gratia in bonis tuis multa. 2Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense: and if not of him, assuredly of the Lord.Fa del bene al giusto, e ne avrai gran mercede, e se non da lui, certamente dal Signore.Doe good to the iust, and thou shalt finde great rewarde: and if not of him, assuredly of our Lord.Benefac justo, et invenies retributionem magnam: / et si non ab ipso, certe a Domino. 3For there is no good for him that is always occupied in evil, and that giveth no alms: for the Highest hateth sinners, and hath mercy on the penitent.Perocché non avrà bene chi fa sempre del male, e non fa limosina; perché l'Altissimo odia i peccatori, e usa misericordia con que', che fan penitenza.For it is not wel with him, that is euer occupied in euil thinges, and that geueth not almes: because the Highest both hateth sinners, and hath mercie on them that are penitent.Non est enim ei bene qui assiduus est in malis, / et eleemosynas non danti: / quoniam et Altissimus odio habet peccatores, / et misertus est pœnitentibus. 4Give to the merciful and uphold not the sinner: God will repay vengeance to the ungodly and to sinners, and keep them against the day of vengeance.Sii tu liberale coll'uomo misericordioso, e non accogliere il peccatore; perocché agli empj, ed ai peccatori Dio renderà il loro gastigo serbandogli al giorno della vendetta,Geue to the merciful, and receiue not the sinner: both to the impious, & to sinners he wil repay vengeance, keping them vnto the day of vengeance.Da misericordi, et ne suscipias peccatorem: / et impiis et peccatoribus reddet vindictam, / custodiens eos in diem vindictæ. 5Give to the good, and receive not a sinner.Sii liberale coll'uom dabbene, e non accogliere il peccatore.Geue to the good, and receiue not a sinner.Da bono, et non receperis peccatorem. 6Do good to the humble, and give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not to him, lest thereby he overmaster thee.Fa del bene all'umile, e non donare all'empio; impedisci, che siagli dato del pane, affinchè con questo egli non ti soverchi:Doe good to the humble, and geue not to the impious: prohibite to geue him bread, lest therin he be mightier then thou:Benefac humili, et non dederis impio: / prohibe panes illi dari, ne in ipsis potentior te sit:
7For thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done to him: for the Highest also hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly.Perocché tu troverai doppio male per tutto il bene, che gli farai; perché e l'Altissimo odia i peccatori, e farà vendetta contro degli empj.for thou shalt finde duble euils in al the good, whatsoeuer thou shalt do to him: because the Highest hateth sinners, and wil repay vengeance to the impious.nam duplicia mala invenies in omnibus bonis quæcumque feceris illi, / quoniam et Altissimus odio habet peccatores, / et impiis reddet vindictam. 8A friend shall not be known in prosperity, and an enemy shall not be hidden in adversity.Non si conosce l'amico nella prosperità: e non resterà celato il nemico nell'avversità.A freind shal not be knowen in prosperitie, and an enimie shal not be hid in aduersitie.Non agnoscetur in bonis amicus, / et non abscondetur in malis inimicus. 9In the prosperity of a man, his enemies are grieved: and a friend is known in his adversity.Quando l'uomo è in prosperità, i suoi nemici sono malinconici; e quand'egli è nell'avversità, si conosce chi è suo amico.In the prosperitie of a man, his enimies are in sorow, and in affliction a freind is knowne.In bonis viri, inimici illius in tristitia: / et in malitia illius, amicus agnitus est. 10Never trust thy enemy for as a brass pot his wickedness rusteth:Non ti fidare del tuo nemico giammai; perocché la malizia di lui è come un vaso di rame, che fa la ruggine.Credite not thyn enemie for euer: for as a brasse potte his wickednes rusteth:Non credas inimico tuo in æternum: / sicut enim æramentum æruginat nequitia illius: 11Though he humble himself and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him.E se egli si umilia, e si incurva, sta attento, e guardati da lui.and if humbling himself he goe crouching, be aduised in thy mind, and beware of him.et si humiliatus vadat curvus, / adjice animum tuum, et custodi te ab illo. 12Set him not by thee, neither let him sit on thy right hand, lest he turn into thy place, and seek to take thy seat and at the last thou acknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings.Non te lo mettere accanto, e non sieda egli alla tua destra, affinchè non avvenga, che rivoltosi egli contro di te cerchi di prendere il tuo posto, onde alla fine tu abbi a capire le mie parole, e li miei avvertimenti ti trafiggano.Place him not by thee, neither let him sitte on thy right hand, lest perhaps turning into thy place, he seke after thy seate: and at the last thou know my wordes, and be pricked in my sayinges.Non statuas illum penes te, / nec sedeat ad dexteram tuam, / ne forte conversus in locum tuum, inquirat cathedram tuam, / et in novissimo agnosces verba mea, / et in sermonibus meis stimuleris.
13Who will pity an enchanter struck by a serpent, or any that come near wild beasts? so is it with him that keepeth company with a wicked man, and is involved in his sins.Chi avrà misericordia dell'incantatore ferito dal serpente, e di tutti quelli, che si accostano alle fiere? così sarà di chi si accompagna con un iniquo, e si trova involto ne' peccati di lui.Who wil haue pittie vpon the inchanter stricking of a serpent, or of anie that come nere to beastes? so also he that kepeth companie with a wicked man, and is wrapped in his sinnes.Quis miserebitur incantatori a serpente percusso, / et omnibus qui appropiant bestiis ? / et sic qui comitatur cum viro iniquo, / et obvolutus est in peccatis ejus. 14For an hour he will abide with thee: but if thou begin to decline, he will not endure it.Per un ora si starà egli con te; ma se tu anderai in declinazione, non reggerà.For one houre he wil tarie with thee: but if thou decline, he wil not abide it.Una hora tecum permanebit: / si autem declinaveris, non supportabit. 15An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he lieth in wait, to throw thee into a pit.Il nimico ha il miele sulle sue labbra; ma in cuor suo va macchinando per condurti nella fossa.In his lippes the enimie speaketh swetely, and in his hart he lyeth in wayte, that he may ouerthrow thee into the pitte.In labiis suis indulcat inimicus, / et in corde suo insidiatur ut subvertat te in foveam. 16An enemy weepeth with his eyes: but if he find an opportunity he will not be satisfied with blood:Piange per gli occhi fuor il nimico; ma se trova l'occasione egli sarà sempre sitibondo di sangue:In his eyes the enimie weepeth: and if he may finde a time, he wil not be satisfied with bloud:In oculis suis lacrimatur inimicus, / et si invenerit tempus, non satiabitur sanguine. 17And if evils come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first.E se ti succederà del male, troverai, che egli ne sarà il primo autore.and if euils happen to thee, thou shalt finde him there firstEt si incurrerint tibi mala, / invenies eum illic priorem. 18An enemy hath tears in his eyes, and while he pretendeth to help thee, will undermine thy feet.Piange per gli occhi fuor il nemico, e, come per darti ajuto, darà a' tuoi piedi la spinta.In his eyes the enimie weepeth, and as it were helping thee, he wil vndermine thy feete.In oculis suis lacrimatur inimicus, / et quasi adjuvans suffodiet plantas tuas. 19He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.Scuoterà il capo, e batterà palma a palma, e masticando molte cose, cangerà di viso.He wil shake his head, and clappe his hand, and whispering manie thinges he wil change his countenance.Caput suum movebit, et plaudet manu, / et multa susurrans commutabit vultum suum.
12:1
Calmet
To whom. All must not be admitted into the house, nor treated with marks of particular esteem. Yet daily alms must be given without too scrupulous an enquiry, Luke 6:30. (Calmet)
Worthington
It would be wrong to encourage sinners, who would run to their ruin. But we must relieve the penitent. (Worthington)
12:2
Lord. Christ rewards what good is done to his poor brethren.
12:3
Haydock
For. Greek, (4.) "Give to the pious, and receive not the sinner, (6.) Do," etc. (Haydock)
The gospel enjoins us to do good to all. St. Augustine (Dort. 3:16.) and St. Thomas Aquinas (II. 2. q. xxxii. a ix.) explain this in a spiritual sense, that we must not partake in the crimes of others. We may also make presents to the virtuous, and pass over people of a different character, particularly when they would abuse our gifts. The honest poor must be preserved.
12:10
Vatable
Rusteth. So his malice always returns, (Calmet) and he shews what he is. (Vatable)
Calmet
Christianity does not blame due reserve in treating with those whom we know not, or who have formerly injured us. Though we must love them from our heart, yet we need not intrust our secrets to them, nor even to every friend. Joab always retained a hatred for Abner, and Absalom for his brother and father, though they dissembled their resentment. (Calmet)
Haydock
So the wicked commonly act. (Haydock)
Worthington
We must love, but not trust them, being wise as serpents, Matthew 10. (Worthington)
12:11
Haydock
Of him. Greek adds, "and thou shalt be to him as one who has rubbed a mirror, (of brass from the rust. It returns perpetually. Calmet) and shalt know that the rust is not removed for ever. (Grabe) (Haydock)
12:13
Calmet
Beasts. Vipers, etc. Why should they familiarize themselves with such? Some Italians still handle serpents without fear, pretending that they are the descendants of St. Paul. (Calmet)
But he was never married, (1 Corinthians vii.; Haydock) and they are rather of the race of the Marsi, who formerly claimed the same privilege, having made use of some drugs to prevent the poison. The ancients believed that they could charm serpents.
12:16
12:18
Haydock
Eyes. Is taken from ver. 16. It is not in Greek. (Haydock)
Calmet
His tears are like those of crocodiles, which cry when they are going to kill a man. (Calmet)
12:1
It is rather crueltie then mercie to nourish a wicked man persisting in sinne: for so he runneth stil into more wickednes, and into eternal damnation,
12:3
but the penitent is to be comforted and assisted.
12:10
Euerie one is bond to loue his enemie of charitie; but in prudence it be houeth not to credite him. According to our Sauiours rule: Be wise as serpents; and simple as dooues. Mat. 10
12:4
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 3.16
… It is written: “Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 103.10
… For it is forbidden to give unto a sinner, and to receive sinners. Yet how is this, “Give unto every man that asketh of thee”? and this, “if thine enemy hunger, feed him”? This is seemingly contradictory: but it is opened to those who knock in the name of Christ, and will be clear unto those who seek. “Help not a sinner:” and, “give not to the ungodly;”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.20
… 30 ). Lest they should give something, however little to those on whom they ought to bestow nothing at all, let them hear what is written, Give to the good man, and receive not a sinner: do well to him that is lowly, and give not to the ungodly (
12:13
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 9
What then can be less trustworthy than Mammon, seeing that for his sake one travels, and ventures, and is slain? “But who,” it is said, “will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 9
… There is punishment, deathless, unallayed, and no one to stand up for us. “Who will pity,” he says, “the charmer that is bitten by a serpent?” (
12:1
First therefore and properly, that is to say: When you do good, see that you do not do good to him who will abuse your benefit for luxury, gluttony, lust, pride, wickedness, or certainly for sloth and idleness. For many sturdy poor beg, whom it would be better to labor, and to procure their livelihood by the work of their hands: whoever therefore does good to such men, nourishes their idleness and negligence, and the vices that are wont to arise from these. Whence against these there stands a title in the Law concerning able-bodied beggars, and in well-ordered cities such persons are not permitted to beg, both lest they be nourished in idleness, and lest they snatch away alms from others who are unable to labor, and lest they be a burden and danger to the city and its citizens. Secondly, that is to say: When you do good, see that you do not confer a benefit or office upon the unworthy, or upon one less worthy, passing over one more worthy. For this is against distributive justice, and often against commutative justice as well. Similar to this is that saying of Christ: "Give not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine," Matthew VII, 6. Thirdly, that is to say: When you do good, see that you do not do good to the ungrateful, the deceitful, the envious and the proud, who, armed with your benefit and made more powerful, will rise up against you and will supplant you. Fourthly and most excellently, Sirach wishes that a benefit not be cast forth indiscreetly, blindly and without reason upon any chance person, but that consideration be given to whom it is conferred, so that it may have grace. Now grace and honor of a benefit consists in this, that it should befit the giver equally as the recipient, that is, him to whom it is given: for a benefit should be proportioned and measured to the beneficiary, and a gift to the recipient. You give apples to a boy, money to a man, wine to an old man, cattle to a rustic, arms to a soldier, books to a student, office to a learned man, a prefecture to a nobleman: thus therefore a gift is a gift, not a non-gift; and grace is gracious, not graceless. Note: This discourse is not here concerning small and daily alms: "For in the giving of these," says Palacius, "it is not necessary to consider and know who it is to whom we give; but the discourse is concerning greater benefits, which it is necessary should be given to the worthy." The Hebrews teach that in a benefit four things are to be observed. First, that it be given whenever another has need of it. Second, that alms be given secretly and in secret. Third, that it be given with a cheerful countenance: "For God loveth a cheerful giver," as the Apostle says, II Corinthians IX, 7. Fourth, that we address him to whom we give with kind words. To Sirach assent, and as it were in antistrophic response, the axioms of Philosophers answer. Of Mimus: "He who gives a benefit to the worthy receives in giving." Of Ennius: "Benefits badly placed I reckon as misdeeds." Of Democritus: "May you perish badly, because you have made the Graces, virgin goddesses, into harlots."
12:2
Here he shows to whom a benefit should be conferred, namely to the just, the merciful, the humble. For what is conferred upon the just is attributed to Christ, who dwells in the just through grace, and Christ esteems it as attributed to himself. And to show this in reality, he himself at times begged and received alms in the form of a poor man. Whence on the day of judgment he will say: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat," Matthew XXV, 34. And: "As long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me." Whence from this saying of Christ, St. Ignatius rightly concludes in his epistle to the Smyrneans: "Surely," he says, "he who honors one bound in Jesus Christ, the Martyrs, shall receive a reward." Therefore he who receives and nourishes religious men, teachers, apostles, because they are such, shall receive the reward of religious men, teachers and apostles.
12:3
The sense is, that is to say: Do good to the just, not to the sinner, because "it is not well," that is, it is ill, nay most ill, with him who sins constantly, who is constant in sins and as it were fixed in them, and therefore does not think of repentance and almsgiving. Our Interpreter adds: "For the Most High also hateth sinners, and hath had mercy on the penitent." Which words give the reason why it is not well and shall not be well with the sinner, namely because God hates sinners: but from God and God's love all good flows. If however the sinner should turn back from sin and repent, God will receive him into grace.
12:4
Among the just indeed, those are most worthy of beneficence and mercy who are merciful to others, so that namely those may find mercy with us among whom others have found it, according to that saying of Christ: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy," Matt. V, 7. Note: To the merciful is opposed the sinner, because sinners are wont to be unmerciful, as the just are wont to be merciful. You may ask, in what sense Sirach in this verse and the following forbids benefit to be conferred upon the sinner. St. Augustine responds, Book III of On Christian Doctrine, chapter XVI, that this precept is to be understood figuratively: "Do not receive the sinner" understand figuratively stated, for the sinner, the sin, so that you do not receive his sin, that is to say, Do not consent, help, foster the sinner in perpetrating sin. St. Thomas adds, II II, Question XXXII: "In the sinner, he says, there are two things, namely guilt and nature. Therefore aid is to be given to the sinner, as far as the sustenance of nature; but aid is not to be given to him for the fostering of guilt. For this would not be doing good, but rather doing harm." Bellarmine holds that Sirach here does not speak of alms which are given to the poor, but of benefit which is conferred on a friend or relative; wherefore he forbids that money be poured out to actors, harlots, parasites. Likewise lest sons and youths be enriched too much, who will receive from this an occasion for prodigality, luxury, pride. In this matter parents, Prelates, princes often sin, who burden their own whom they love with offices, revenues, riches, benefits, so that they grow fat from them and are as it were suffocated by their own abundance.
12:5
Suppose the proud and deceitful: for this one is opposed to the humble: for the humble is worthy of alms, but the proud is unworthy, indeed worthy that he hunger and be in want, so that he may learn to humble himself. The Syrian: give not to him the instruments of thy weapons, lest with them he fight against thee. Hence it is clear that by sinner is understood not just anyone, but the proud and deceitful. For the reason why he forbids giving to the sinner is, lest that one, puffed up by the gift, suppress the giver. Otherwise to the simple sinner in want alms are to be given from the obligation of charity and mercy: because the sinner is of the same nature as we, namely man, our fellow creature. Thus Aristotle when he had shown kindness to a wicked man, said he had given to a man: "Not his character, he says, but a man I pitied." And Seneca: "If you imitate the gods, give even to the ungrateful; for the sun rises even on the wicked, and the seas lie open to pirates." By sinner here understand one constant in evils, that is impenitent and obstinate, especially proud, deceitful and treacherous. Sirach is in accord with Ben-Sira: "Do no good to the wicked, he says, and evil shall not befall thee." But especially to the wicked are honours and dignities not to be conferred; for they themselves are wont to abuse these for the destruction of all good. To this applies the fable of Phaedrus about the wolf and the crane: the crane removed a bone swallowed from the jaws of the wolf by the length of its neck at its own peril; when asking a reward for this, it received this from the wolf: "You are ungrateful, he says, you who have withdrawn your head unharmed from our mouth, and you ask for payment." This therefore is the second and principal reason why benefit is to be done to the sinner, namely so that by benefits we may allure him to the love of God, to repentance, to salvation. Thus we read that St. Vitalis paid harlots such a price daily so that they would abstain from crime every night, as much as they could acquire from crime in the night, and by this charity of his converted many to repentance.
12:7
"Double," that is manifold, and so the more you have done good to him, the more harm you will receive from him. Double, because both you have lost the benefit, and through it you have made a powerful enemy, so that in return for the benefit he may render harm. Hence that saying of Socrates: "Doing good to the wicked, you nourish wolves." "For the Most High also hateth sinners, and will render vengeance to the wicked." This is the second reason, that is to say, Why do you love sinners whom God hates? why do you expend beneficence on the enemies of God, whom God reserves for the most severe vengeance? Truly St. Augustine: "It is more useful, he says, that bread is taken from the hungry, if secure from hunger he neglects justice, than that bread is broken to the hungry, so that seduced by injustice he acquiesces." Thus St. Thomas teaches that each one is bound in conscience to choose the better and more worthy in benefits. St. Augustine: "All men are to be loved equally; but, since you cannot benefit all, those are to be especially cared for who are bound to you more closely as it were by a certain lot." Wherefore in conferring benefit parents are to be preferred to relatives, citizens to foreigners, the grateful to the ungrateful, the worthy to the unworthy, the good to the wicked.
12:8
The reason for the former is that in good things, that is, in prosperity, many simulate friendship who are not true friends, namely so that they might share in your prosperity. But in adversity the false friend withdraws and the true enemy is revealed. Whence Ovid: "When you shall be fortunate, you will count many friends; if times shall be cloudy, you will be alone." And: "He who is a friend loves at all times, and a brother is proved in times of trouble." The maxims of the Philosophers are consonant with Sirach and Solomon. Of Demetrius of Phalerum: "True friends are present in joyful matters when called, in adverse matters both when invoked and of their own accord." Of Ennius: "A sure friend is discerned in an uncertain matter." Of Publilius Syrus: "Prosperity finds friends; adversity proves them."
12:10
He admonishes that an enemy, even if he appear reconciled and simulate friendship, is not easily to be believed or trusted, because just as brass, although polished and shining, easily contracts verdigris if it becomes wet: so likewise an enemy, although he appear reconciled and glitter with the splendor of friendship, easily returns to his former enmities; for the root of malice clings in his mind, which naturally tends to burst forth into his accustomed detraction and malice. Enemity is rightly compared to verdigris: first, because both are a defect and corruption; second, both are biting and corrosive; third, just as verdigris smells bad, so enmity sounds bad; fourth, both are bitter and green; fifth, both are tenacious and often perpetual; sixth, both are acidic; seventh, just as verdigris corrodes brass, so envy corrodes the envious man. Whence Seneca: "Avoid the angry man briefly, the enemy for a long time." Some understand by "brass" a mirror, which was formerly made from polished and burnished brass. For a mirror is an image of friendship: just as the image in a mirror accommodates itself to the object, so a friend conforms himself to the will of his friend. "To will the same and to will the same, that is truly firm friendship," says St. Jerome. But if the mirror is brazen, it represents friendship vitiated, veiled in hypocrisy, deceit and enmity: for it always again vomits forth verdigris. Understand the aforesaid things, unless it be established that the enemy has entirely put away all enmity from his heart. Now indeed after Christ, His example and grace dominate nature; for from Christ we hear: "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you," Matt. V, 44. The charity of Christ is so powerful that it tears out all the fibers of enmity from the soul. Do you wish to overcome an enemy and make him a friend? Do good to your enemy, and do not cease until you have kindled and consumed his hostility with the fire of your charity.
12:11
If you observe well, you will see that his humility is temporary and feigned, and that he has only put away his wickedness outwardly, but inwardly still retains its remnants and roots: just as if you wipe a brazen mirror, you only wipe away the outer surface, from which in time it will again pour forth its accustomed verdigris. 12. "Do not set him beside you, nor let him sit at your right hand, lest he turn and stand in your place, lest perchance he turn to your place and seek your seat." 13. "Who will have pity on the charmer struck by a serpent?" And thus he who keeps company with a wicked man, and is wrapped up in his sins.
12:14
The wicked man, namely the false friend, will remain with you one hour of prosperity; but if you decline from prosperity and fall into adversity, he will not persevere in your friendship, but will desert you, like swallows, which come in spring and fly away in winter. Whence Seneca: "The false friend comes with fortune, and goes with fortune."
12:15
Your enemy speaks sweet things with his lips, but in his heart he cooks bitter snares, by which he may hurl you into a pit, that is, into ruin and destruction. Thus Homer says of Nestor that his speech was sweeter than honey. More divinely the Psalmist pronounces the words of God to be "sweeter than honey and the honeycomb," Psalm XVIII, 11. And Solomon: "For the lips of a harlot are a honeycomb dripping, and her throat is smoother than oil; but her end is bitter as wormwood," Prov. V, 3. Whence Palacius tropologically infers: "Thus therefore our flesh is our enemy; although it speak sweet things, although it shed tears, no faith is to be given to it: for it lays snares to hurl us into the pit of hell."
12:16
The enemy beguiles not only with feigned words, but also with his eyes. But when opportunity for harming you is given, he will rush upon you in a hostile manner, and will destroy you, so much so that he cannot be satisfied with your blood until he has shed it all and killed you; indeed, after your death he will rage against your corpse, sepulcher, reputation, offspring and family. Great is the power of deception in feigned tears. Thus the impious Ishmael went along weeping, and so deceived eighty men, whom he immediately slaughtered, Jeremiah XLI, 6. Here that old saying holds: "The eye of a dove in the heart of a serpent." 17. "And if evils shall befall thee, thou shalt find him there first" — not to feign sympathy, but to truly harm you. If you fall into evils, your enemy will forestall you, and will either stir up those evils or increase those already stirred up. 18. "As one that helpeth shall undermine thy feet" — he will pretend to wish to help you, and therefore will weep as if sympathizing with you, but secretly he will cause you to fall; just as one who digs out the earth beneath someone's feet causes him to fall into the pit beneath.
12:19
Out of joy that he has supplanted you, his enemy, which he so greatly desired, he will wink his head, clap his hands, and secretly muttering many things which he does not dare to speak openly, he will change his countenance from the feigned sadness he showed before into gladness. Tropologically, these things will befall the sinner at the hour of death and judgment. For then the devil, who beguiles him in this life, will insult him, accuse him, and, rejoicing, clapping his hands, mocking and laughing, will snatch him, condemned by Christ, away into the depths of hell. It is as memorable as it is horrible what they write concerning the clapping of the demon and the lamentation of Udo, Bishop of Magdeburg. For when Udo, living impurely, was admonished from heaven by this voice: "Udo, Udo, cease from play, for you have played enough, Udo," he nevertheless persisted, and was snatched to the tribunal of Christ. His soul, snatched away to the depths of hell, was offered to Lucifer, who, mocking it with feigned urbanity, subjected it to the foulest torments. When Udo began to blaspheme out of desperation, all the demons clapped their hands, saying: "Truly this one deserves to remain with us, for he knows our business very well." And they plunged him into the abyss. You who read this, be wise by the example of Udo, and beware of the devil's smooth suggestions, as you would of the snares of a mortal enemy.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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.