Rules with regard to correction, discretion, and avoiding lies.
Correction ought to be without passion of anger. 5. much discretion is required in speach, and in silence. 14. Also in geuing, 20. & promising, 29. and in vttering knowlege, where and when it behoueth.
1How much better is it to reprove, than to be angry, and not to hinder him that confesseth in prayer.Quanto è meglio il riprendere, e non proibir di parlare a chi con fessa (la colpa), che il nudrir l'ira!HOW good a thing is it to rebuke, rather then to be angrie, and not to hinder him that confesseth in prayer!Quam bonum est arguere, quam irasci, / et confitentem in oratione non prohibere ! 2The lust of an eunuch shall deflour a young maiden:Un impudico eunuco disonora una verginella:The concupiscence of an eunuch shal defloure a young maide:Concupiscentia spadonis devirginabit juvenculam: 3So is he that by violence executeth of the unwise.Così taluno iniquamente viola la giustizia.so he that by violence doth vniust iudgement.sic qui facit per vim judicium iniquum. 4How good is it, when thou art reproved, to shew repentance! for so thou shalt escape wilful sin.Quanto buona cosa ell'è nella correzione dimostrar pentimento! perocchè così tu fuggirai il peccato volontario.How good a thing is it being rebuked to shew repentance! for so thou shalt auoid wilful sinne.Quam bonum est correptum manifestare pœnitentiam ! / sic enim effugies voluntarium peccatum. 5There is one that holdeth his peace, that is found wise: and there is another that is hateful, that is bold in speech.V'ha chi saggio dimostrasi col tacere: ed havvi chi è odioso per la intemperanza del parlare.There is that holdeth his peace, which is found wise: and there is that is odious, he which is malepert to speake.Est tacens qui invenitur sapiens: / et est odibilis qui procax est ad loquendum. 6There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth not what to say: and there is another that holdeth his peace, knowing the proper time.Uno si tace, perché non ha senno per parlare; e uno si tace, perché sa qual'è il tempo a proposito.There is that holdeth his peace hauing not vnderstanding to speake: and there is that holdeth his peace, knowing the time of fitte opportunitie.Est tacens non habens sensum loquelæ: / et est tacens sciens tempus aptum. 7A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity: but a babbler, and a fool, will regard no time.L'uomo saggio tacerà fino a un dato tempo; ma l'uomo vano, e l'imprudente non badano al tempo.A wise man wil hold his peace vntil a time: but a wanton, and the vnwise wil not obserue time.Homo sapiens tacebit usque ad tempus: / lascivus autem et imprudens non servabunt tempus.
8He that useth many words shall hurt his own soul: and he that taketh authority to himself unjustly shall be hated.Chi molto parla, farà danno all'anima propria, e chi si arroga ingiusto potere, sarà odiato.He that vseth manie wordes, shal hurt his owne soule: & he that taketh authoritie to himself vniustly, shal be hated.Qui multis utitur verbis lædet animam suam: / et qui potestatem sibi sumit injuste, odietur. 9There is success in evil things to a man without discipline, and there is a finding that turneth to loss.La prosperità è un male per l'uomo scorretto: e i tesori trovati gli diventan dannosi.There is proceding in euils to a man without discipline, and there is finding to losse.Est processio in malis viro indisciplinato, / et est inventio in detrimentum. 10There is a gift that is not profitable: and there is a gift, the recompense of which is double.Tal dono v'ha, che è inutile; e ve n'ha tale, che ha doppia mercede.There is a gift, that is not profitable: and there is a gift, the reward whereof is duble.Est datum quod non est utile, / et est datum cujus retributio duplex. 11There is an abasement because of glory: and there is one that shall lift up his head from a low estate.Taluno nell'esaltazione trova l'abbassamento; e a un altro l'umiliazione giova per innalzarsi.There is debasing because of glorie: and there is that from humilitie shal lift vp the head.Est propter gloriam minoratio, / et est qui ab humilitate levabit caput. 12There is that buyeth much for a small price, and restoreth the same sevenfold.Taluno compera molte cose a vil prezzo; ma poi gli tocca a pagarne il settuplo.There is that redemeth manie thinges for a smale price, and restoreth the same seuen fold.Est qui multa redimat modico pretio, / et restituens ea in septuplum. 13A man wise in words shall make himself beloved: but the graces of fools shall be poured out.Il saggio si rende amabile con sue parole, ma le grazie degli stolti sono gettate.A man wise in wordes shal make him selfe beloued: but the graces of fooles shal be powred out.Sapiens in verbis seipsum amabilem facit: / gratiæ autem fatuorum effundentur. 14The gift of the fool shall do thee no good: for his eyes are sevenfold.Il dono dello stolte non sarà utile a te; perocché egli ha sette occhi:The gift of the vnwise shal not be profitable for thee: for his eies are seuen fold.Datus insipientis non erit utilis tibi: / oculi enim illius septemplices sunt.
15He will give a few things, and upbraid much: and the opening of his mouth is the kindling of a fire.Ei darà poco, e molti farà rimproveri, e aperta la bocca, getterà fuoco.He wil geue few thinges, and vpbraide manie: and the opening of his mouth is an inflammation.Exigua dabit, et multa improperabit: / et apertio oris illius inflammatio est. 16To day a man lendeth, and to morrow he asketh it again: such a man as this is hateful.Egli è uno, che oggi da in prestito, e ridimanda domane: un tal uomo è odioso.To day a man lendeth, and to morow he asketh it againe: such a man is odious.Hodie fœneratur quis, et cras expetit: / odibilis est homo hujusmodi. 17A fool shall have no friend, and there shall be no thanks for his good deeds.Lo stolto non avrà un amico, e i suoi doni non saranno graditi:A foole shal haue no freind, and there shal be no thanke to his goodes.Fatuo non erit amicus, / et non erit gratia bonis illius: 18For they that eat his bread, are of a false tongue. How often, and how many will laugh him to scorn!Conciossiachè quelli, che mangiano il pane di lui sono falsi di lingua: e quanti, e quanto spesso si burleranno di lui?For they that eate his bread, are of a false tongue. How often, and how manie wil laugh him to scorne?qui enim edunt panem illius, falsæ linguæ sunt. / Quoties et quanti irridebunt eum ! 19For he doth not distribute with right understanding that which was to be had: in like manner also that which was not to be had.Perché egli senza giudizio dona o quello, che dovea serbare, e quello ancora, che non doveva serbare.For he doth not distribute with right vnderstanding, that which was to be had: in like manner also that which was not to be had.neque enim quod habendum erat directo sensu distribuit; / similiter et quod non erat habendum. 20The slipping of a false tongue is as one that falleth on the pavement: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.Le cadute della lingua fallace, sono come di chi cade dal tetto; così repentina sarà la caduta dei cattivi.The slipping of a false tongue, as he that falleth on the pauement: so the falles of the euil shal come hastely.Lapsus falsæ linguæ quasi qui in pavimento cadens: / sic casus malorum festinanter veniet. 21A man without grace is as a vain fable, it shall be continually in the mouth of the unwise.L'uomo sgraziato è come una favola senza sugo di quelle, che van sempre per le bocche di gente mal allevata.A man without grace is as a vaine fable, it shal be continual in the mouth of them that are without discipline.Homo acharis quasi fabula vana, / in ore indisciplinatorum assidua erit.
22A parable coming out of a fool’s mouth shall be rejected: for he doth not speak it in due season.La parabola non ha grazia in bocca dello stolto, perché egli la dice fuori di tempo.A parable out of a fooles mouth shal be reiected: for he doth not speake it in his time.Ex ore fatui reprobabitur parabola: / non enim dicit illam in tempore suo. 23There is that is hindered from sinning through want, and in his rest he shall be pricked.V'ha chi non pecca, perché non ne ha il modo, e si cruccia di stare nell'inazione.There is that is forbid to sinne for pouertie, and in his rest he shal be pricked.Est qui vetatur peccare præ inopia, / et in requie sua stimulabitur. 24There is that will destroy his own soul through shamefacedness, and by occasion of an unwise person he will destroy it: and by respect of person he will destroy himself.V'ha chi manda in rovina l'anima propria per uman rispetto, e la rovina in grazia di un imprudente, e per riguardo ad un tal uomo si perde.There is thar wil destroy his soule for shamfastnes, and by an vnwise person he wil destroy it: and by acception of person he wil destroy himself.Est qui perdet animam suam præ confusione, / et ab imprudenti persona perdet eam: / personæ autem acceptione perdet se. 25There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend, and maketh him his enemy for nothing.V'ha chi per uman rispetto promette all'amico, e il guadagno, che ne ha, è di farselo gratuitamente nimico.There is that for shamfastnes promiseth to his freind, and hath gotten an enemie of him for naught.Est qui præ confusione promittit amico, / et lucratus est eum inimicum gratis. 26A lie is a foul blot in a man, and yet it will be continually in the mouth of men without discipline.Pessimo vitupero dell'uomo ella è la bugia, ma questa sta di continuo nella bocca dei male allevati.Lying is a wicked reproch in a man, and in the mouth of men without discipline it shal be continually.Opprobrium nequam in homine mendacium: / et in ore indisciplinatorum assidue erit. 27A thief is better than a man that is always lying: but both of them shall inherit destruction.E men cattivo il ladro, che il mentitore perpetuo: tua e l'uno, e l'altro avranno in retaggio la perdizione.Better is a theefe, then the continual custome of a lying man, but both shal inherite perdition.Potior fur quam assiduitas viri mendacis: / perditionem autem ambo hæreditabunt. 28The manners of lying men are without honour: and their confusion is with them without ceasing.I costumi de' mentitori sono disonorati, e si sta sempre con essi la loro ignominia.The maners of lying men are without honour: and their confusion is with them without intermission.Mores hominum mendacium sine honore, / et confusio illorum cum ipsis sine intermissione.
29A wise man shall advance himself with his words, and a prudent man shall please the great ones.Il saggio col suo parlare si accredita, e l'uom prudente sarà accetto ai magnati.A wiseman in his wordes shal vtter himself, and a prudent man shal please great persons.Sapiens in verbis producet seipsum, / et homo prudens placebit magnatis. 30He that tilleth his land shall make a high heap of corn: and he that worketh justice shall be exalted: and he that pleaseth great men shall escape iniquity.Chi coltiva la sua terra, farà più alto cumulo di grasce: e chi fa opere di giustizia sarà esaltato; e chi è accetto ai magnati, fuggirà l'iniquità.He that tilleth his land, shal make an high heape of corne: and who so worketh iustice, he shal be exalted: and he that pleaseth great men, shal avoide iniquitie.Qui operatur terram suam inaltabit acervum frugum, / et qui operatur justitiam, ipse exaltabitur: / qui vero placet magnatis effugiet iniquitatem. 31Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and make them dumb in the mouth, so that they cannot correct.I regali, è i donativi accecano gli animi de' giudici, e rattengono le loro riprensioni, facendoli come mutoli.Presentes, & giftes blind the eies of iudges, and as one dumbe in the mouth turneth away their chastisementes.Xenia et dona excæcant oculos judicum, / et quasi mutus, in ore avertit correptiones eorum. 32O Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is not seen: what profit is there in them both?La sapienza, che si tiene occulta, e il tesoro, che non si vede, a che giovano l'una, e l'altro?Wisdom hid, and treasure not sene: what profit is there in both?Sapientia absconsa, et thesaurus invisus, / quæ utilitas in utrisque ? 33Better is he that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth his wisdom.E più da stimarsi chi nasconde la sua stoltezza, che chi tiene occulto il suo sapere.Better is he that concealeth his foolishnes, then the man that hideth his wisdom.Melior est qui celat insipientiam suam, / quam homo qui abscondit sapientiam suam.
20:1
Calmet
Prayer. A friend's excuses must be heard. (Calmet)
Haydock
Greek, "and he who apologises shall be preserved from ruin." Grabe adds, "how good is it for one who has been rebuked," etc., ver. 4. (Haydock)
Worthington
Thus the guilty merit pardon, and the innocent obtain a greater reward, and satisfy for former offences. (Worthington)
20:2
Menochius
Maiden. Or "woman," (Haydock) who has been entrusted to his care. (Menochius)
St. Augustine
Such people are not free from concupiscence, which must be restrained by the virtue of chastity. (St. Augustine, contra Jul. 6:14.)
20:8
Hated. As the pests of society. See Cicero, off. 1.
20:9
Calmet
Loss. The prosperity of the wicked must not be envied, Psalm 38:1, 8. (Calmet)
20:11
Tacitus
Glory. Galba "would have been universally deemed worthy of the empire, if he had not reigned." (Tacitus, Hist. 1.)
Adrian VI thought the pontificate the greatest misfortune to which he had been exposed; and this observation was engraven on his tomb.
Estate. By merit.
20:12
Sevenfold. As the merchandise was good for nothing, which the miser had obtained for a little money, thinking to save thereby.
20:13
Graces. Or favours bestowed with ill-nature.
20:14
Calmet
Sevenfold. He expects more. (Calmet)
Worthington
His intention is full of guile, who flattereth and detracteth for the sake of gain. (Worthington)
20:15
Sen.[Seneca?] Ben
Much. As Dido did. "This is to make a display of favours to excite hatred." (Sen.[Seneca?] Ben.)
20:16
Calmet
Hateful. He seems to distrust you, and will not permit his goods to be of any service. (Calmet)
20:17
Have. Greek, "say I have," etc.
Haydock
His. Greek, "my," as also [in] ver. 18. (Haydock)
Such is the language of the fool.
20:19
Calmet
That, etc. Riches and poverty are both wrong to misers and fools. Greek, "he had as well be without any thing." (Calmet)
20:20
Pavement. It is equally destructive.
20:21
Calmet
Grace, (acharis) impolite and importunate. (Calmet)
20:23
Haydock
Shall. Greek adds, "not." Yet if a person has had the will to offend, he must repent, though he could not put it in execution. (Haydock)
20:24
Himself. Being afraid to beg for necessaries, or given too much.
20:25
Calmet
Nothing. People are always displeased, when a promise is broken. (Calmet)
20:26
Aristotle
Man. "It is the vice of slaves." (Aristotle, Ethic.)
20:27
Calmet
Lying. He exposes honour and virtue, without making restitution. (Calmet)
Menochius
He throws all into confusion, and we can trust him with nothing. (Menochius)
20:29
A. Greek adds a title, "discourses of proverbs."
20:30
And....exalted, is not in Greek but explains the meaning of the former sentence.
Haydock
Escape. Greek, "obtain pardon for iniquity." (Haydock)
The great will protect him.
20:31
Calmet
Make. Greek, "like a bit in the mouth, remove corrections," Exodus 23:8. (Calmet)
20:32
Calmet
Both? He who, through a false humility refuses to take charge of others, resembles a man who locks up his corn in time of scarcity. (St. Gregory, Part. 3:26.) (Matthew xxv.) (Calmet)
Worthington
Wisdom must be shewn for the benefit of others. (Worthington)
20:33
Folly. He may still appear to have some sense, and injures none.
Worthington
It is convenient to conceal faults, provided they be amended. (Worthington)
20:4
Eccle. •.
He that taketh reptchension in good part when he is faulty meriteth pardon, and when he is not faultie he satifieth for his other sinnes and meriteth reward.
20:14
His intention is ful of guile that flattereth by shew of loue and of praise, but he wil detract so much the more, & in the end reproch thee when he may gette probable aduantage against thee.
20:30
Concordance Prou. 12.
20:31
Concordance Exo 23.
Concordance Deut. 16.
20:32
VVisdom is to be shewed in vvordes and deedes vvhen it may profite others.
20:33
To conceale faultes, so they be amended, is most conuenient.
20:3
Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance 1
Also in the same: “How good is it for a true heart to show forth repentance! For thus shalt thou escape voluntary sin.”
20:4
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 79
… Even so also doth the rich man. For he hath plenty, and is with her, but cannot satisfy all his desire; but the same result takes place as some wise man mentions; “The lust of eunuch to deflower a virgin;” and, “Like an eunuch embracing a virgin and groaning;”
20:7
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.2
… He is wise, then, who knows how to keep silent. Lastly, the Wisdom of God said: “The Lord hath given to me the tongue of learning, that I should know when it is good to speak.” Justly, then, is he wise who has received of the Lord to know when he ought to speak. Wherefore the Scripture says well: “A wise man will keep silence until there is opportunity.”
20:18
St Peter of Alexandria † AD 311 Fragments from the Writings of Peter 5.5
5. And after a few things. So that also in this respect, since thou hast slumbered, rouse thyself much, and very much, with the scourge of the Preacher, being mindful especially of that passage where he speaks of “slipping on the pavement, and with the tongue.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 260.5
… But for your intelligence little seeds are enough. “Give instruction,” it is said, “to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser.” “If a skilful man hear a wise word he will commend it, and add unto it.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Instructions to Catechumens 1.4
… hence many serious accusations against us. And the ease of these falls through the tongue a certain one showed, when he said, “Many fell by the sword, but not so many as by the tongue.” Now the gravity of the fall the same person shows us again when he says: “To slip upon a pavement is better than to slip with the tongue.”
20:20
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 2
… But if the contrary, often they will even overwhelm the reason. For what winds are to ships, that discourses are to souls. Wherever you will, you may move and turn it. For this reason one exhorting says, “Let thy whole discourse be in the law of the Most High.” (
20:25
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Instructions to Catechumens 1.4
… Better it is, says he, that the body should fall and be crushed, than that such a word should go forth as destroys the soul; and he does not speak of falls merely; he also admonishes us that much forethought should be exercised, so that we should not be tripped up, thus saying “Make a door and bars for thy mouth,”
20:29
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 64
… This hath even burst into the churches, this hath caused ten thousand dreadful things from the beginning, this is the mother of avarice, this malady hath turned all things upside down, and corrupted justice. For “gifts,” It saith, “blind the eyes of the wise, and as a muzzle on the mouth turn away reproofs.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 18
… For it is virtue and the fear of God, and not possessions which give confidence. For these even enslave. For it is said, “Gifts and presents blind the eyes of the wise, and like a muzzle on the mouth turn away reproofs.” (
20:32
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.25
… Let them perceive, then, in what guilt those are implicated who, in withholding the word of preaching from their sinning brethren, hide away the remedies of life from dying souls. Whence also a certain wise man says well, Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is unseen, what profit is in them both (
20:1
1. HOW GOOD IT IS TO REPROVE, RATHER THAN TO BE ANGRY, AND NOT TO FORBID ONE WHO CONFESSES IN PRAYER! — He continues the matter of correction, which he began, or rather resumed what was begun in verse 13 of the preceding chapter at the end thereof, where he said that the angry man ought not to reprove, but to be silent. Whence he here infers that it is better to reprove prudently and gently him who offends you or others, than to be angry with him; for thus corrected, he will acknowledge his fault and confess it, and thus will make satisfaction to the offended party, and will reconcile himself to him by confession of his fault and petition for pardon. He says therefore: "How good," etc., as if to say, O how much better it is to reprove your neighbor sinning in himself or in others, than to be angry with him secretly (as the Greek of the Complutensian edition has it), and thus consequently not to forbid one confessing his sins in prayer, but rather to induce him to do so by reproving! For it is a litotes, because less is said and more is signified: namely, by not forbidding, it signifies to induce and to impel. Thus Lyra. For he who gently reproves the sinner out of charity impels him to confess his sin in prayer, that is, in confession of his fault and deprecation of pardon, whether this be made to the offended man or to God. Jansenius interprets it somewhat differently, as if to say: It is good for the one who reproves, when he who has been reproved confesses his sin together with prayer for pardon, not to forbid him from himself or from pardon, but immediately to admit him to reconciliation and pardon. For thus the anger of the one who reproves will cease, and the fault of the reproved; by whose confession, likewise the offense of both will cease, nay it will be turned into mutual reconciliation. The Greek texts have: How good it is to reprove, rather than to be angry! and ὁ ἀνθομολογούμενος (some wrongly read it in the contrary sense ἀνθολογούμενος), that is, he who confesses in turn (who namely, responding to the reproof, acknowledges his fault), is forbidden from diminution, that is, from impending harm to himself. Whence the Zurich version translates it clearly: How much more honorable it is to reprove than to harbor indignation! for he who confesses anything will be protected from detriment. The Syriac goes off in another direction entirely: "There is no grace to him," it says, "who reproved the wicked, and someone is praised whence it is not fitting for him to be praised." Rabanus also interprets it differently: "Do not forbid," he says, "one confessing in prayer, because he is not to be forbidden who confesses to God in his prayer, and praises him with his mouth; but he is to be instructed that he may employ the harmony of right faith and good works: because praise is not becoming in the mouth of a sinner, but belief is in the heart unto justice; but by the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Therefore the Prophet says: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me bless his holy name. And elsewhere: The lifting up," he says, "of my hands is an evening sacrifice."
20:2
2 and 3. THE LUST OF EUNUCHS SHALL DEFLOWER THE MAIDEN: SO HE WHO DOTH JUDGMENT UNJUSTLY BY FORCE. — This maxim regards what was said in the preceding chapter, last verse: "There is a judgment which is not approved to be good," and it alludes to eunuchs, to whom, as being by nature or art castrated and impotent for generation, virgins and wives were entrusted to be guarded: for these, driven by the stings of lust and concupiscence, shamefully abused the virgins committed to their trust, and by rape deprived them of the flower of virginity. He says therefore: "Just as certain impure eunuchs, although deprived of the power of generation, are not altogether stripped of the power of semen or of concupiscence, and they vitiate virgins entrusted to them: so also unjust judges, whether private or public, vitiate and defile justice (which the ancients depicted as a virgin) by unjust and violent sentences." Whence the Zurich version translates, such is the lust of the eunuch to vitiate a girl, such is he who exercises judgment by force; the Syriac: the eunuch desires to lie with a virgin, so he who makes judgment by force. For many eunuchs sin through base desires, although they are altogether unable and impotent for the act of venery; but some, as I have said, are able and potent for it to some degree. Note: The ancients depicted justice as a virgin (whom they called Astraea, as it were a Heavenly one), holding a balance in one hand for equilibrium, a sword in the other; a virgin, to signify that she ought to be whole and uncorrupted. By the balance they signified that she ought to weigh the law of each party by exact examination, and assign to each the equilibrium of right, so that she distributes rewards to the good according to merit, punishments to the wicked according to demerit in geometric proportion. By the sword they represented vengeance, which justice exercises upon the guilty. Pierius adds, Hieroglyph. 42, cap. LXI, that two women were attached to her, who were led captive by her: one who held forth a broken sword in her hand, the other who leaned upon a staff, to represent two extreme vices subdued by justice, and from the mean of each to establish virtue itself: understanding by the broken sword excessive severity checked and restrained, by the staff excessive slowness renounced, by which judgments were prolonged beyond what was right. Hence the word cunctatio was derived, which signifies delay. But those are slow who are stirred by no crime however atrocious, nor are moved by public or private injuries. See Giraldus De Diis gentium, syntagm. 1, pag. 28. Hence also Chrysippus in Gellius, lib. XIV cap. IV: "The image of justice was wont to be made, he says, in virginal form and appearance, with a vehement and formidable aspect, with keen eyes; neither humble nor fierce, but with the dignity of a certain reverent sadness. From the signification of this image, says Gellius, it was wished to be understood that the judge, who is the guardian of justice, ought to be grave, holy, severe, incorrupt, not to be flattered; and on the contrary toward the wicked and guilty unmerciful and inexorable, upright and lofty and powerful, terrible by the force and majesty of equity and truth." And Plato, lib. XII De Legibus, cap. xxxiv: "He who is about to judge another, he says, ought to beware as much as he can, lest willingly or unwillingly he inflict punishment or fine falsely, and not deservedly; for judgment is said to be a certain modest virgin. But to modesty and judgment by nature falsehood is hateful." Sirach therefore signifies that the violation of justice, as being a most integral virgin, is symbolically a rape, by which both the integrity of justice and the honor of faith or fidelity are corrupted by a base and infamous crime. For judges are entrusted with the guardianship of justice, just as eunuchs are entrusted with the custody of a virgin, so that they keep her whole and undefiled. Wherefore, as it is unworthy and contrary to all right and law that a eunuch should do violence to a virgin entrusted to him, so it is unworthy and an infamous crime that a judge should do violence to justice entrusted to him, so as to absolve the guilty, condemn and punish the innocent. Wherefore Cicero, lib. I, epist. to Atticus, says that judgment was defiled by Clodius an unjust judge: "The republic, he says, is afflicted by judgment bought and defiled." Moreover, they do the same thing not only judges in the tribunal, but also any private persons, who in gatherings and banquets, or separately with associates detracting from a neighbor, judge his acts and morals unjustly and condemn him. For here correction is being treated of. Detraction therefore is the defilement of justice, calumny is the rape of innocence.
20:4
4. HOW GOOD IT IS FOR ONE WHO IS CORRECTED TO MANIFEST PENANCE! FOR THUS THOU SHALT ESCAPE VOLUNTARY SIN. He has prescribed laws to him who corrects, namely, that he correct in truth and gentleness; now he establishes a law for him who is corrected, namely, that he not excuse himself proudly, but humbly acknowledge his fault, and grieve over it, and show himself penitent, namely by confessing with his mouth in prayer, that is, in supplication for pardon, as he said in verse 1, and by making satisfaction in deed to those whom he has offended or injured. "For thus thou shalt escape voluntary sin." For by penance thou shalt show thyself to have fallen through ignorance, thoughtlessness or weakness, and therefore the fall was in part involuntary; but if impenitent thou defendest thy sin, thou makest it altogether voluntary, because thou showest obstinacy of mind and deliberate malice. Secondly, "thou shalt escape voluntary sin," because by penance thou shalt be freed from sin voluntarily committed, and its guilt and punishment shall be forgiven thee by God as one penitent. This verse is now lacking in the Greek and Syriac; in the Complutensian edition, however, it is placed after verse 8. Truly Bede in Proverbs: "The beginning of good things," he says, "is the confession of evils." And indeed Seneca in Proverbs: "The place nearest to innocence," he says, "is held by shamefaced confession of sin." Note here the power of penance; for there are no chains of sin so iron-bound with which sin binds the sinner that penance does not break, and does not set free the slave of sin. For contrition and sorrow for sin committed against God is implicitly the highest love of God: for it is on account of the love of God that one grieves over the offense to God. Love of God therefore is the measure and standard of sorrow, and as much weight is in one as in the other. For they generate each other; for both sorrow arises from love, and conversely love is born from sorrow. One is the fuel and fire of the other, the nurse and parent; if one grows, both receive increase; if one burns, the flame blazes in both. A mind drunk with love belches forth sorrow; and sorrow in turn sharpens, burns and kindles love. See concerning the utility of confession and penance St. Gregory, book XVIII of the Morals, chapter xi, and St. Augustine, and Ambrose, book On Penance. To this pertains that Hebrew proverb: "Denial of sin is double sin; denial of iniquity is double iniquity;" word for word, "two iniquities are," namely, one perpetrated, the other defended. Therefore he sins doubly and doubles his crime, who denies that to be a crime which he has committed.
20:5
5. HE IS SILENT WHO IS FOUND TO BE WISE; AND HE IS HATEFUL WHO IS FORWARD IN SPEAKING. — This refers to the third of the three things which he said in the preceding chapter, last verse, namely: "He is silent, and he himself prudent;" and this he here pursues at length, and teaches that sometimes it is the part of the wise to be silent, but of the foolish to speak, and sometimes again to be silent is a sign of foolishness. Whence the Greek texts briefly and clearly have it thus: he is silent who is found to be wise; and he is hateful from much talkativeness, that is, as the Zurich version has it, he is who by being silent proves himself wise, and he is who by frequent talkativeness is hateful; others more clearly, he is who by being silent is found to be wise; and he is who by much talkativeness is hateful. St. Chrysostom in Psalm cxl reads: "He who abounds in speech shall be hated." For the common sort of men esteem talkative men, as if they were eloquent and fluent, to be wise; but the taciturn, as if they were dull and tongue-tied infants and foolish. But prudent men judge the contrary of both: for they esteem him who is silent at the right time to be wise; but him who speaks inopportunely to be foolish. For, as the Syriac version renders it, he is who, when he is silent, thinks wisely, that is to say, He is wise who, while he is silent, thinks wisely what he ought to do, what to speak, or to be silent (although for cogitat it seems that cogitatur should be read; for thus the Greek and Latin texts have it); and he is who is hated in the multitude of his words. To this point three Arabic proverbs pertain, century 1, numbers 98, 99 and 100: "Taciturnity wins love for its own. Repentance for silence is better than repentance for speech (for silence has harmed no one, but speech has harmed, says Cato). Taciturnity is wisdom, but rare is he who practices it." And century 2, number 52: "Often silence is an answer. It is said of the man who settles his fault without speaking anything, and answers by omitting an answer." Thus Menander: "To many, he says, silence happens to be an answer." Many accusations and calumnies often have manifest falsehood, and merit neither answer nor apology; wherefore to be silent to their accusations is to answer sufficiently, and to clear oneself. Thus Christ answered the Jews by silence, accusing him of affecting the kingdom of Judea before Pilate. Thus "Susanna, in Daniel, chapter XIII, accomplished more by being silent than if she had spoken. For by being silent among men she spoke to God, nor did she find any greater vindication of her chastity than silence. Her conscience spoke where her voice was not heard, nor did she seek for herself the judgment of men, she who had the testimony of the Lord. From him therefore she wished to be absolved, whom she knew could in no way be deceived," says St. Ambrose, book I On Duties, chapter III. Finally: "It is more glorious to bear an injury by being silent than to avenge it by answering," says Bede in Proverbs 6. HE IS SILENT, NOT HAVING THE SENSE OF SPEECH; AND HE IS SILENT, KNOWING THE FITTING TIME, — namely, for speaking. Whence some read, knowing the time of fitting speech; others, of fitting time, that is to say, There is a twofold silence, one who is silent because he has nothing to speak wisely, because he is not skilled in speaking; another who is silent because he awaits the opportune time for speaking; that silent one is prudent, this one more prudent. It explains what he said: "He is silent who is found to be wise." Let him answer, and he is who is silent knowing (skilled, aware of) the time of speaking and being silent. To this pertains that saying: "The fool, if he is silent, is wise;" which Maximus attributes to Cleanthes in the chapter On Silence. And that of Seneca in the Proverbs: "Taciturnity is to a foolish man in place of wisdom." More excellently St. Chrysostom in Psalm cxl: "Then, he says, one should speak only when what is said profits more than silence." And St. Basil to his spiritual son: "Let fitting words, he says, proceed from you, that they may give grace to those who hear." Also excellently Solomon in Proverbs xxv, 11: "Golden apples in beds of silver, he who speaks a word in his season." Where Bede: "Such words, he says, are apples, because born from the tree of life, that is, from God's wisdom; golden, because they pour charity into the mind of the hearer; in beds of silver, because they bring rest to the souls of the hearers, and shine with the splendor of truth."
20:7
7. A WISE MAN SHALL HOLD HIS PEACE UNTIL IT BE SEASONABLE; BUT A FOOL AND A SENSELESS MAN WILL NOT KEEP TIME. — It is great wisdom to know the opportune time for speaking, which is when it is expedient to speak for the edification of neighbors and the glory of God; but a foolish man does not keep the opportune time, but speaks at any time whatsoever, even if inopportune, because whatever comes to mind he pours forth. Whence the Greek texts have, he will transgress the time; the Zurich Bible, a wise man shall hold his peace until it be fitting, but a trifler and senseless man will miss the opportunity; the Syriac, there is one who speaks where it is not fitting for him to speak, and a wise man observes the time, and a wicked and arrogant man does not observe the time. The Arabic version signifies the same thing by another similitude; for it thus reads, as fat is not eaten (cannot be eaten) without salt: so a word, if uttered outside of time, that is to say, just as fat without salt is insipid and burdens and loosens the stomach: so a word spoken inopportunely is insipid, burdensome, troublesome and harmful. Whence the Apostle says: "Let your speech be always in grace seasoned with salt." Most excellently St. Gregory, in the third part of the Pastoral, admonition 15: "A wise man, he says, shall hold his peace until it be seasonable, so that namely, when he considers it opportune, having set aside the judgment of silence, by speaking what is fitting, he devotes himself to the use of utility. And again it is written: A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. For the times of alternations must be weighed discreetly, lest either, when the tongue ought to be restrained, it flow uselessly through words; or, when it can speak usefully, it sluggishly restrain itself. Which the Psalmist considering well, says: Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door round about my lips. For he does not ask for a wall to be placed before his mouth, but a door, which namely is opened and closed. Whence also we must learn carefully, so that a discreet mouth and voice open at a fitting time, and again at a fitting time taciturnity closes." And St. Ambrose, book I On Duties, chapter II: "But what, he says, ought we to learn before all else than to be silent, so that we may be able to speak, lest my own voice condemn me before another absolves me? For it is written: By thy words thou shalt be condemned. What need is there therefore to hasten to incur the danger of condemnation by speaking, when by being silent thou canst be safer? I have seen many fall into sin by speaking, scarcely anyone by being silent: and therefore to know how to be silent is more difficult than to speak. For I know that many can speak, when they know not how to be silent. It is rare for anyone to be silent, when speaking profits him nothing. He is wise therefore who knows how to be silent. Finally the wisdom of God said: The Lord hath given me a tongue of the learned, that I should know how to uphold by word him that is weary. Deservedly therefore the wise man, who receives from the Lord at what time he ought to speak. Whence Scripture well says: A wise man shall hold his peace until it be seasonable. Therefore the Saints of the Lord, who knew that the voice of man is for the most part joined with sin, and the beginning of human error is the speech of man, loved to be silent." The same, chapter x: "I know that many can speak, when they know not how to be silent. It is rare for anyone to be silent, when speaking profits him nothing. A wise man before he speaks considers much what he shall say, or to whom he shall say it, in what place, at what time. There is therefore both a manner of being silent and of speaking; there is also a manner in deeds. It is therefore beautiful to maintain the measure of duty." Wisely St. Basil, in the sermon On the Ascension, prescribes this norm of being silent and living to those desirous of perfection: "It is fitting, he says, for a monk to understand much, to speak little, to have his eyes cast down to the earth, his mind raised up to heaven, to have patience in tribulation, to rejoice in hope, to pray continently, to give thanks in all things; not easily to believe what is said amiss of another, to be held back by no base desire, not to remember injury, not to return evil for evil, to prefer to receive injury rather than to inflict it, not to be wearied in his institute, but to say: I set the Lord always in my sight; to be fervent in spirit, to love God with all thy heart, to fulfill all commands, and to call himself unprofitable, to do nothing for the sake of glory, but for the sake of God only, so that he may please God." Wherefore elegantly and appropriately a certain wise man depicts a Religious espoused to God through three vows, and his duties and manners through the emblem of birds: A turtledove in the oratory, that it may continually moan. A nightingale in the choir, that it may sing devoutly. A pelican in the chapter, that it may wound itself with its beak. A peacock in the dormitory, that it may walk quietly. A crane in conversation, that it may weigh what is to be said. An eagle in school and study, that it may direct the eyes of the mind. A dove on the journey, that it may meditate on what is read. A hawk in preaching, that it may snatch prey for Christ. A sparrow in the refectory, that it may eat common food.
20:8
8. HE THAT USETH MANY WORDS SHALL HURT HIS OWN SOUL: AND HE THAT TAKETH AUTHORITY TO HIMSELF UNJUSTLY SHALL BE HATED. — Having explained the former part of verse 4, he now explains the latter: "And he is hateful who is bold in speaking." Therefore he sets forth two species and modes of this boldness: the first is when someone uses many words. Here he "shall hurt his own soul," in Greek βδελυχθήσεται, that is, he shall be abominable, both to God and to men; the Syriac version says, he is one who is hated in the multitude of his words. It is likely that our author read differently in the Greek; for Clement of Alexandria agrees with him, in book II of the Paedagogus, chapter vi, where he reads thus: βδελύττεται τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, that is, he makes his own soul abominable. The second is when someone takes authority to himself unjustly, namely when someone proudly arrogates to himself preeminence and right over others not subject to him, so that he wishes to rule over them by speaking, teaching, and commanding. For this reason, on account of pride, injustice and tyranny, he shall be hated. Whence the Syriac version renders it, and he who is proud shall be hated in his life. Such men are often verbose and talkative, who wish to speak alone and do not give others their turns at speaking, as if they alone were wise and wish to teach everyone. Thus Rabanus, and from him the Interlinear Gloss, who understand by authority the dignity of the magisterial office. He alludes to Proverbs x, 19: "In the multitude of words there shall not want sin; but he that refraineth his lips is most wise;" Hebrew, in the multitude of words transgression shall not cease. The causes are: first, because nothing is so fleeting and unstable as the tongue and speech. Wherefore from necessary words multiplied it slips to superfluous, from useful to idle, from true to false, from benevolent to malevolent, from pleasant to angry and quarrelsome. Second, "because in much speaking the word is not weighed at all: hence it slips imprudently," says St. Ambrose, book I On Cain and Abel, chapter IX. Third, because in much speaking the mind is scattered among various things, by which it is enticed and corrupted; whence it cannot have, or neglects to have, the care of its own speech which it ought to have. St. Gregory gives this, part III of the Pastoral, admonition 15: "Those who are occupied with much speaking," he says, "are to be admonished, that they may carefully observe from how great a state of rectitude they fall away, while they are dissipated through manifold words. For the human mind, like water, when enclosed, is gathered upward because it repeats that from which it descended; and when relaxed it perishes, because it scatters itself uselessly through the lowest things. For as many superfluous words as it is scattered by from the judgment of its silence, by so many streams, as it were, is it led outside itself. Whence also it is not sufficient to return inwardly to knowledge of itself, because scattered through much speaking, it excludes itself from the secret of intimate consideration." Fourth is that which St. Gregory adds in the same place: "But it exposes itself wholly to the wounds of the lurking enemy, because it does not enclose itself with any fortification of guard. Whence it is written: As a city that is open and without walls round about, so is the man who cannot refrain his spirit in speaking. For because he has not the wall of silence, the city of the mind lies open to the enemy's darts; and when he casts himself outside himself through words, he shows himself open to the adversary, whom he overcomes so much the less easily as he himself who is conquered fights against himself through much speaking. But often, because through certain degrees the idle mind is driven to the fall of ruin, while we neglect to beware of idle words, we come to harmful ones; so that first it pleases to speak of others' affairs, afterward through detraction he bites the life of those of whom he speaks, and finally he breaks forth even to open insults of the tongue. Hence are sown goads, quarrels arise, the torches of hatreds are kindled, the peace of hearts is extinguished. Whence well through Solomon it is said: He that letteth out water is the beginning of strife. For to let out water is to relax the tongue into a flow of speech." Fifth is that which St. Dorotheos gives, doctrine 24 On Compunction, because much speaking extinguishes compunction and devotion: "Abstain," he says, "from much speaking; for this extinguishes the rational and heavenly thoughts coming to the heart." For those exhale from the heart, and through an open mouth they vanish, just as the heat of a hypocaust or furnace exhales and vanishes through an open door. Whence St. Antiochus, homily 102 On Silence: "Immoderate," he says, "and unbridled utterance of words, by which the tranquility of the mind is endangered, not only makes it sluggish and lazy concerning spiritual operation, but also delivers it and gives it over to the most troublesome demon of acedia. And just as the doors of a boiling bath, if they are continually open, quickly exhale and expel the inner heat into the things that are outside, so also the soul," etc. Wherefore St. Ambrose wisely admonishes, book I of the Duties, chapter II: "Bind," he says, "your speech lest it run wild, lest it wanton, and through much speaking gather sins to itself. Let it be more restricted, and be confined within its banks. Quickly does a swollen river gather mud."
20:9
9. THERE IS A GOING FORWARD IN EVILS FOR AN UNDISCIPLINED MAN, AND THERE IS A FINDING TO HIS DETRIMENT. — Going forward is a process, progress, success, prosperity; in evils, that is, tending toward evils, as if you were to say: It sometimes happens that a sinner and wicked man prospers, so that all things flow to him according to his wish; but these things will finally turn out for him in evils, that is, toward evils and harms. It is a Hebraism and Graecism: for the Hebrews say ברע bera, that is, in evils, for לרע lara, that is, toward evil; the Greeks put ἐν for εἰς, in evils for into evils, toward evils. This sentence and the following ones pertain to the various and contrary outcome of one and the same thing, and especially to the prosperity of the unwise, that is, of the wicked, ending in adversity and unhappiness. Whence the following verse shows the same thing in gifts and benefits, verse 11 in honor and glory, verse 12 from a comparison of things, verse 13 in the grace of words and deeds. Which he then pursues more fully. 10. THERE IS A GIFT WHICH IS NOT USEFUL: AND THERE IS A GIFT WHOSE RECOMPENSE IS TWOFOLD. — As if to say: A benefit bestowed on another is sometimes useless; sometimes, however, useful, inasmuch as it receives a twofold recompense. It is useless among men when conferred on an ungrateful person; useful when conferred on a grateful one, who in turn compensates it not simply, but with a twofold recompense. It is useless before God when conferred with an evil mind and a wicked intention and with perverse circumstances; useful when bestowed with a good mind, with a due intention and with proper circumstances: for then God remunerates it with a twofold, that is, manifold, recompense. Again twofold, because in the present He gives an increase of grace, and the gift of glory in the future, as Rabanus and Lyranus say. Whence the Zurich Bible translates it, there is a gift which does not profit you, and there is a gift whose compensation is twofold. Otherwise Palacius: "A gift," he says, that is, riches, honors and delights, which God gives to the impious, are not useful to him, since they will avail for greater punishment to him. "But a gift whose recompense is twofold," is a gift for which God the giver requires a twofold compensation. For when God affects a man with some excellent gift, He seeks two things from him, namely, the giving of thanks, and repentance for the sin committed; if the recipient does not render both to him, he will be punished with a twofold penalty, both of ingratitude and of a gift badly placed. Second, the phrase in evils can be taken properly, so that it is the same as in malice, in wickedness. Whence the Zurich Bible translates it, there is when someone wicked achieves success in evil things, and there is when a thing found brings detriment. Hence Lyranus, connecting these with the preceding ones, and referring them to him who unjustly assumes power to himself, thus explains: "There is a going forward in evils," by which someone proceeds from evil to worse, just as on the other hand the just man goes from virtue to virtue, and that is for an undisciplined man: for he wishes to be a master before being a disciple, to teach before learning. And there is a finding, by which such a one strives to find new things to the detriment of himself and others, because commonly the things he finds are erroneous. Thus Lyranus. First, in a similar way, sometimes a finding, that is, a thing found, brings detriment, as if to say: Flowing prosperity which appears to be happiness is not always truly such, but leads to grave evils and losses. That this is the meaning is clear from the Greek, which reads thus, there is εὐοδία (the Complutensians less correctly read σοδοξία, that is, good pleasure), that is, prosperity, in evils for a sinful man, and there is a finding toward diminution, that is, a thing found which does not increase riches, but diminishes them; others say, there is gain tending toward poverty. Thus the prosperity and elevation of Haman turned out to him in evil, because it was for him a step to the gallows and the gibbet, Esther vii, 10. Thus the prosperity of Jeroboam, Jehu, Ahab, and of all the kings of Israel, who were elevated from a humble place to the kingdom, turned out to them in evil, because all were miserably slaughtered with their whole offspring, as is clear from the fourth book of Kings. Thus a finding, that is, treasures found have often turned out to their finders to detriment, because on account of them they were killed by thieves, or by rivals and the avaricious; to others, however, they turned out to spiritual loss, because on account of them they lost their soul and eternal salvation. Whence Palacius thus explains: Going forward, he says, is called an increase in riches or honors, as that passage in Genesis, chapter xxvi, 13: "Isaac went forward and increased, until he became very great." The sense therefore is: An increase of riches for an undisciplined man is not to be reckoned among goods, but among evils; for it is not for his good, but for a heap of greater damnation. And similarly his finding, by which he finds temporal goods, is not for his advancement, but for his detriment. For the more he finds, and the longer he persists in evil, the more acutely will that finding burn him in hell.
20:11
11. THERE IS ONE WHO IS MADE LESS FOR THE SAKE OF GLORY: AND THERE IS ONE WHO FROM HUMILITY SHALL LIFT UP HIS HEAD. — What he said concerning useful good, he now says concerning honest good, namely concerning honor and glory. For minoratio the Greek has ἐλάττωσις, that is diminution, as if to say: There is one who for the sake of glory and dignity, which he has ambitiously obtained, or tyrannically, imperiously, enviously administered, is made less, that is deprived of dignity, riches, and subsequently life. To be made less therefore is to suffer loss, and minoratio is the suffering of loss. And conversely there is one who from humility, that is from a humble lot, place and rank on account of modesty, humility and other virtues lifts up his head, and is elevated to a royal throne, judicial seat, episcopal dignity, and to other honors. In brief, as if to say: Sometimes the glorious are made less and humiliated, and conversely the humble are exalted, according to that of the Mother of God: "He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble," Luke 1:52. And that of the Psalmist, Psalm 112:7: "Raising up the needy from the earth, and lifting up the poor out of the dunghill," as He raised up corporally Joseph, Saul, David, etc., spiritually St. Anthony, St. Hilarion, St. Francis, etc., and before all the Virgin Mother of God, and after her the humble Michael, who cast down the proud Lucifer from his seat, and occupied it by the gift of God. Thus Rabanus. So Job's diminution and humility resulted in doubled honors; but this is most true in Christ, who because "he shall drink of the torrent in the way, therefore shall he lift up his head," Psalm 109. Secondly, the Zurich version translates it: there is one who submits himself for the sake of glory (for the humble who submit themselves are loved, praised and exalted by all), and again one who from humility lifts up his head. Do you wish therefore to be glorious? Submit and humble yourself; for humility shall lift up your head, and shall bring forth glory present and eternal.
20:12
12. THERE IS ONE WHO REDEEMETH MANY THINGS FOR A SMALL PRICE, AND RESTORING (Greek ἀποτιννύων, that is paying back) THEM IN SEVENFOLD, — as if to say: The miser sometimes buys many things for a small price and a price justly less, but afterwards loses sevenfold more, either God avenging this his avarice and injustice, or men plundering (for all hate the miser, and strive to deprive him of his greedily hoarded riches), or judges condemning him to this as a punishment for his sin. Sevenfold, that is much more; for the number seven is a symbol of multitude, fullness and universality, as I said in chapter VII, 3, and Genesis chapter IV, verses 15 and 24. In Greek, there is one who buys many things for a small price, and pays back the same sevenfold; as often happens, when serious and lengthy disputes arise concerning the thing bought, which cost far more than the thing bought. Likewise, when the thing bought is invaded by an enemy or tyrant, it must be redeemed; when on account of flooding by waters it must be rescued, and protected by embankments; when it is devastated or destroyed by some public calamity. Whence the Zurich version: there is one who buys many things for a small price, to whom sevenfold as much must be repaid. The Syrian in place of this sentence has this: there is one who borrows many things as if they were few, and will repay him (from whom he borrows at usury) sevenfold. For usurers through repeated, tripled and sevenfold usuries extort sevenfold from the borrower. Mystically Rabanus: "He redeems many things for a small price," he says, "who through the confession of humility merits to be absolved from every sin; and restores them sevenfold, when in place of vices he inserts a copious number of virtues. For, as the Apostle says: Where sin abounded, grace did more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, so also grace might reign by justice unto life everlasting through Jesus Christ our Lord," Rom. chapter 5:20. Thus also Lyra. But this sense does not accord with the letter, but rather is contrary to it, and therefore cannot truly be a mystical sense. For in order that it be mystical, it ought to correspond to the literal sense in just proportion, indeed to adhere to it, to rest upon it, and as it were to be built upon it, just as walls and houses are built upon foundations.
20:13
13. THE WISE MAN MAKES HIMSELF LOVABLE BY HIS WORDS: BUT THE GRACES OF FOOLS SHALL BE POURED OUT. — "Graces," that is, gracious words, witticisms, charms, by which they seek to win the favor of others. Secondly, "graces," that is, benefits which they confer freely upon others, so that they may win their favor: for the discourse in the following verse is about these, as if to say, Fools make all grace both in words and in deeds ἀχαρίστως, that is, insipidly and ungratefully, and therefore they pour it out rashly like water, cast it away and dissipate it; just as one who pours balm, oil or precious wine into a river, or before swine. Whence the Zurich version translates, the witticisms of the foolish are fleeting; but the Syrian version says, as if you cast a stone at a bird, you cause it to fly away: so you will lose the love of your true friend, and you will not find it. For fools mix with their witticisms jeers and reproaches like stones, by which they offend their friends, and turn all grace into hatred. Most excellently St. Chrysostom in Psalm 140: "Not only," he says, "is it necessary to be silent and to speak opportunely, but also with great grace. Wherefore Paul said, Colossians chapter 4, verse 6: Let your speech be always in grace seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." He adds the cause, as if a goad, saying: "Consider this to be a member by which we converse with God. This is a member by which we first receive a sacrifice worthy of reverence and the highest veneration;" for we receive the sacred Synaxis with the tongue. Add that the tongue is a member like a herald, which establishes peace among all, glues all together with love, imbues all with grace and divine sweetness. It is a proverb of the Hebrews: "He who is loved below is loved above. If you wish to be loved by God in heaven, show yourself lovable to men on earth; for over whomever the spirit of men rests, over him also rests the Spirit of God." Wherefore grace and the ability to speak and persuade lovably is a gift of God. Thus St. Mechtildis spoke as an Angel. Moreover, the source and origin of this lovableness is internal love and sweetness, concerning which truly Bede in Proverbs: "Just as," he says, "many foods profit nothing without salt, so all virtues without charity." For charity makes men benevolent and lovable in words and deeds. This is seen in holy and fervent preachers, says Palacius, who by their sermons extort the love and veneration of the people: whereas on the other hand those who are known to be impious accomplish nothing by their eloquence except to pour forth words. For which reason the divine St. Augustine in De Vita Christiana, volume IX, chapter 9: "Such," he says, "ought to be the worshippers and servants of God, meek, grave, prudent, pious, irreproachable, immaculate, so that whoever sees them may be amazed and say: These are all gods, whose conversation is such. Thus a man of God ought to exhibit and conduct himself, so that there is no one who does not wish to see him, who does not desire to hear him; no one who, when he has seen him, does not believe him to be a son of God, so that truly in him that prophetic word may be fulfilled: Thy mouth is full of sweetness, and thou art wholly desirable;" and chapter 6: "A Christian is one who not only in name but also in deed imitates Christ in all things, who is holy, innocent, uncontaminated, untouched, in whose breast malice has no place, in whose breast only piety and goodness consist, who knows not how to harm or injure anyone, but to bring aid to all."
20:14
14. THE GIFT OF A FOOL WILL NOT BE USEFUL TO YOU: FOR HIS EYES ARE SEVENFOLD, — that is to say, His eyes for one gift look to and demand seven, gifts or services, which he wishes to be repaid to him. 15. HE WILL GIVE LITTLE, AND WILL REPROACH MUCH: AND THE OPENING OF HIS MOUTH IS A FLAME. — He explains how the gift of a fool is not useful: because, namely, he will give little, but will reproach much, and that with anger, that is with wrath, insults and the flame of his mouth and tongue, which like fire burns up and devours all things, as you will hear cap. xxviii, 14. Whence the Zurich version translates, he will give little, he will reproach much: as if he were vomiting fire with open jaws. But the Syriac, because he gives gradually and exaggerates much (that is reproaches and burdens with insults); and the opening of his mouth is a flame, so that namely the fire which leaps forth from his mouth with wrath and insults may kindle anger and quarrels in his neighbor. Others understand by the opening of the mouth the talk of the common people, as if you were to say, he is vituperated by all and burdened with reproaches. For fools on account of their insipid and insolent manner of giving are a laughing-stock and reproach to all. which he said: "But the gifts of fools shall be poured out," because namely his gift, that is the gift or present, will not be useful to the recipient, but burdensome, first, because his eyes are "sevenfold," that is, as in Greek, manifold, are, that is to say, By many glances of the eyes, winkings and other ways he will show himself intent on gain, so that he may receive much more than he gave: for he speaks of a miser who gives one so that he may receive seven, that is more; secondly, because "he will reproach much," namely that you, not deserving it or ungrateful, have received so many and such great gifts from him; "and the opening of his mouth is a flame," that is burning choler, "is," that is to say, Opening his mouth harshly, sharply, cholerically and angrily he will speak, as if breathing forth fumes and flames of choler and arrogance, by which he will burn and torment you, and will kindle similar choler and wrath in you. Otherwise Jansenius, that is to say, The miser, while he opens his mouth, emits as it were a flame, because he spreads and proclaims far and wide the benefits bestowed by him, just as a flame spreads and diffuses itself far and wide. Whence the Greek texts have, he opens his mouth like a herald. He signifies therefore that a benefit is not to be received from such a one, since it is rather a harm. This sense is indicated by the Greek Complutensian texts, the gift of a fool will not be useful to you who receive it; similarly also of the envious (that is of the miserly, who begrudges the use of wealth to himself and others) on account of his necessity the gift given; for his eyes for one are many for receiving. He will give little, and will reproach much, and will open his mouth like a herald; the Zurich version, the gift of a fool will not profit you received, nor likewise on account of his importunity, etc.; the Syriac, the gift of a fool is not fitting for him, because his eyes are set upon sevenfold repayment. He gives little, and reproaches much, and opens his mouth, and speaks what is evil, he chatters.
20:16
16. TODAY ONE LENDS AT USURY, AND TOMORROW HE DEMANDS IT BACK: SUCH A MAN IS HATEFUL. — What he said concerning a gift, he now says concerning a loan, as if to say: Just as the foolish miser is base and sordid in giving, so also in lending at usury, that is, in making a loan, because today he will give a loan, and tomorrow, that is immediately, he will demand it back with your disgrace, trouble and loss: for avarice does not permit him to be long without his money. Wherefore, in order to satisfy his ruling passion, he will care neither for your poverty, nor for your honour, nor for friendship; but opportunely and inopportunely he will demand back what he gave as a loan, and therefore he will be hateful to God and to men. Whence the Zurich version: he will lend today what he demands back tomorrow; such a man is hated by God and by men alike; and the Syriac: he lends today and demands back tomorrow, and his exaction is an exaction of retribution; those who are such are hateful to God and to men. Note: The Hebrew משה nasa signifies to borrow, either liberally, or with burden and usury, namely usury, that is, to borrow simply and to lend at usury, or to give at usury. Wherefore to lend at usury in Scripture sometimes does not signify to give at usury, but to borrow simply, as I said at cap. viii, 15; Deut. xv, 6, and elsewhere. Hence also the Greek δανείζειν (which Sirach uses here) is ambiguous; for it signifies equally both he who gives a loan without usury, and he who gives at usury. But the miser gives at usury, because he seeks gain everywhere; whence through it he sucks out the wealth of the poor like a leech, until he exhausts him and kills him by hunger. Hence fanus is said by the Latins as if fetus pecuniae, money made fertile from itself; more truly as if funus and the death of the poor. By the Greeks it is called τόκος, that is offspring, because usury is as it were the offspring of money, but unnatural and monstrous: for money from itself is unfruitful, nor can it bear fruit, as a field bears. In Hebrew it is called נשך nesech, that is a bite, a gnawing, because it silently bites and gnaws away the income and substance of a man; others derive it by metathesis from נחש nachas, that is a serpent, because it secretly penetrates the bowels of a man and eats them away; "for usury is not felt, until it increases so much that it exhausts the whole substance of someone," says R. Solomon. Wherefore truly St. Chrysostom, homily 5 on Matthew: "The money of a usurer," he says, "is like the bite of an asp; for he who is struck by an asp, as if delighted, goes into sleep, and by the sweetness of slumber dies, because then the venom secretly runs through all his limbs: so he who receives money under usury, at that time feels it as if it were a benefit; but usury runs through all his faculties, and converts all into debt, that is devours the man."
20:17
17 and 18. A FOOL SHALL NOT HAVE A FRIEND, AND THERE SHALL BE NO GRACE IN HIS GOODS. FOR THEY THAT EAT HIS BREAD ARE DECEITFUL OF TONGUE. HOW OFTEN AND HOW MANY SHALL MOCK HIM? — He spoke of the foolish miser; now he speaks of the foolish spendthrift; for to both extremes is opposed the middle virtue of the wise man's liberality. For this fool is understood practically, namely as vicious and wicked, such as in giving is as much a spendthrift as a miser, especially because the unwise are now miserly, now spendthrifts, according to that saying: "While fools avoid vices, they run into their opposites." And often those who are miserly toward the poor are spendthrifts toward their flatterers. He says therefore: He who foolishly squanders his own through banquets and feasts on parasites and flatterers shall not have a true friend who will repay him with gratitude, because he pours out his wealth on sycophants, who are not friends but flatterers. These therefore who "eat his bread are deceitful of tongue," that is, before his face and in his presence they flatter him falsely and deceitfully, and they praise him as liberal, splendid, magnificent beyond measure, and exalt him to the stars; but behind his back they mock him as a fool and a spendthrift. Wherefore just as the miser receives hatred instead of gratitude, so the spendthrift receives not gratitude but mockery instead of gratitude; for who would not laugh at his foolishness and foolish prodigality? The Greek texts have these in the first person; for they introduce the foolish spendthrift speaking, but with the same meaning: The fool says (that is, as the Zurich version rightly has it, the fool says): I have no friend, nor do I gather gratitude from my goods. Those who eat my bread are of deceitful tongue. How many shall mock this one, and how often! For at length spendthrifts feel themselves mocked by their banquet companions and table followers, and therefore that they are not friends but parasites and flatterers, who repay mockery instead of gratitude. Thus also the Syriac: the fool says: I have no friend, and there is no gratitude for my gratitude; those eating my bread are like the hardest stone; but like him, they shall mock him. He adds the cause:
20:19
Verse 19. 19. FOR INDEED HE DID NOT DISTRIBUTE WITH RIGHT SENSE WHAT OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN RETAINED: SIMILARLY ALSO WHAT OUGHT NOT TO HAVE BEEN RETAINED. — As if to say: The cause of the prodigal's profusion and mockery is that he does not distribute with right sense, that is, not with right prudence, judgment and discretion, but wrongly, imprudently and indiscreetly, and squanders upon flatterers that which ought to have been retained by him, for the honest sustenance of his household and for future necessities; and that in like manner he does not rightly distribute that "which ought not to have been retained," namely, that which he could not lawfully retain, because obtained unjustly through usuries, frauds or illicit contracts, and therefore subject to restitution: for that which was to be restored to its owners, the prodigal unjustly retains and prodigally consumes. Similarly, the superfluous things which were to be given to the poor, he himself pours out upon parasites. Therefore he distributes wrongly both what ought to have been retained and what ought not to have been retained. Many Greek manuscripts do not have this verse; the Complutensian editors, however, have it, but in this manner: nor does he himself take what he has in right sense, and what he does not have is similarly indifferent to him. Which Jansenius thus explains: It is signified, he says, that the prodigal does not with right judgment accept that which he happens to have, and the possession of his goods, because he does not accept it for the use for which he has it: and therefore not to have is the same to him as to have, that is, it is indifferent to him whether he has or does not have; nor does what he has profit him more than what he does not have. According to which sense, what Our author translates, he did not distribute with right sense, seems to be understood, not of the distribution which is made to others through the expenditure of goods, but of that which is made in the mind, and by the judgment of sense discerning within himself how what he has is to be used, so that to distribute is put for to discern and to judge. For indeed that is done "with right sense," or, as it is in Greek, αἰσθήσει; which word does not signify prudence, but that power of sensing, by which we sense differently about different things, as by sight we discern colors and distribute them. And so what ought to have been retained, he did not distribute with right sense, because he does not discern within himself how and where it is to be expended, or what ought to be retained. And similarly what ought not to have been retained, he also did not distribute with right sense, because he neither judges rightly, nor discerns what ought not to be retained, being often solicitous for those things which he ought not to have, negligent in those things which ought to have been retained. Thus Jansenius. To this sense the Zurich version favors, for he does not embrace what he has with right opinion, and it matters no more to him than if he had nothing. But our Interpreter translated the Greek εἶληφε, that is, he received, as distributed, gave: for thus often the Hebrew לקח lacach, that is, he received, by metonymy signifies he gave, as I showed in Ephesians IV, verse 8; whence he translates, for indeed he did not distribute with right sense what ought to have been retained; similarly also what ought not to have been retained. Which is the same as what the Greek has, and what he does not have is similarly indifferent to him; for these words signify that it is indifferent to the prodigal to have and not to have, that is, it matters the same to him what he has as what he does not have, because he abuses both, he squanders both recklessly. Which Our author signifies, saying that the prodigal abuses both that which ought to have been retained and kept, and that which ought not to have been retained and restored. Hence from the Greek some translate thus clearly, for what he has, he did not distribute with right reason. Add that Our author did not read in the Greek τὸ ἀδιάφορον, that is, indifferent. This sense is fuller: for it includes the former sense of Jansenius. For he who badly, prodigally and recklessly distributes his own, he certainly first in his mind thus distributes and decrees the same. The sense therefore is full, as if to say: The prodigal does not with right sense and discretion, in his own mind distinguish what ought to be retained and kept, and what ought not to be retained, but to be expended: and just as in his mind without judgment and recklessly he thus distinguishes it, so also recklessly he distributes and dissipates the same outwardly.
20:20
20. THE FALL OF A FALSE TONGUE, AS ONE WHO FALLING ON A PAVEMENT: THUS THE RUIN OF THE WICKED SHALL COME SPEEDILY. — Because verse 18 mentions a false tongue, hence he here incidentally assigns its punishment and ruin. He calls a false tongue one that is mendacious and deceitful, such as that of slanderers and flatterers, of whom he treated in verse 18. For flatterers of one person are wont to be slanderers of another, who is the enemy or rival of the first. For in order to flatter one, from whom they hope for banquets and symposia or other gains, they detract from another, whom they know to be hated by him to whom they flatter themselves, or less pleasing. Now first, Jansenius gives this sense, that is to say, The fall which proceeds from a deceitful tongue is as one who falls on some pavement strewn with stones. For just as on such a pavement someone falls unexpectedly, where there are no stumbling blocks; and just as such a person is gravely injured by the hardness of the pavement: so also deceitful men, while they do not think it, shall fall gravely and be injured. Whence it follows: "Thus shall the ruin of the wicked come speedily," that is, thus it shall happen that the wicked suddenly and beyond their expectation fall into many misfortunes. So also Palacius: If you see, he says, a man fall on a level pavement (where there was no stumbling block), will you not marvel? So marvel that my minister stumbles with his tongue, accusing me, when I feed him well and bestow my goods upon him. Tell me, wicked servant, what reason have you, that you found a stumbling block in good, on account of which you accused me? Do you not fall on level ground by reviling me? For the goods which I confer upon you do not deserve that accusation, but rather either admonition, or certainly silence. But truly, because a fall on a pavement, as it is level and even, so that no stones stand out against which one might strike and fall, is rare, and does not gravely injure a man falling: for it only casts a man standing on the pavement on which he stands prone or supine; hence secondly and more genuinely thus you should expound it, that is to say, The fall of a false tongue, that is the fall of a deceitful flatterer and slanderer, by which namely he himself on account of his deceitful tongue has fallen into grave troubles and calamities, is similar to the fall by which someone from on high falls headlong onto a pavement: for each is unforeseen, sudden, and strikes and shatters the whole man irreparably. Whence just as a fall from on high to below happens quickly and suddenly: so also "the ruin of the wicked," namely of the impious, flatterers and slanderers, shall come speedily. This sense is required by the Greek: ὀλίσθημα ἀπὸ ἐδάφους μᾶλλον ἢ ἀπὸ γλώσσης, οὕτω πτῶσις κακῶν κατὰ σπουδὴν ἥξει, that is, a fall from a pavement rather than from a tongue, thus the ruin of the wicked shall come speedily. This is, as some clearly translate it, a fall from a roof is more tolerable than of the tongue, so swiftly does the ruin of the wicked arrive. For he calls a pavement a roof, because in Palestine roofs were not pointed (as with us), but flat, and so they were pavements, so that on them they were wont to walk, to dine, indeed even in summer to sleep. The sense therefore is: Just as one who slips from the highest pavement of a roof onto the lowest pavement of a house or courtyard is struck with his whole body: so also the fall of a tongue often strikes and overturns the whole man, that is to say, The flatterer, liar and slanderer shall suddenly and harshly and directly fall, when he least thinks it. Somewhat differently the Zurich version; for it translates, a fall from a ceiling (for the Hebrew מלשון millascon, that is from a tongue, is the same as from speech, from utterance and word) is swifter: thus the ruin of the wicked shall come suddenly.
20:21
21. A MAN WITHOUT GRACE (Eusebius the Pope in the epistle cited above reads ungrateful instead of without grace. Hence Rabanus reads both in this way: A man ungrateful as it were without grace) AS A VAIN FABLE SHALL BE CONTINUALLY IN THE MOUTH OF THE UNDISCIPLINED; — others, shall be continually. Acharis is a Greek word (whence the interpreter Graecizes, and was perhaps Greek, as I said in the preface), signifying the same as ungrateful, without grace, unpleasant, insipid, tasteless, troublesome. It refers to what he said in verse 13: "The wise man by his words maketh himself beloved, but the words of fools are swallowed up suddenly." For the wise man bestows grace, but the fool without grace squanders it. In Greek there is a beautiful paronomasia: ἄνθρωπος ἄχαρις μῦθος ἄκαιρος, which cannot be fully rendered into Latin, as if to say, An ungracious man is an unseasonable fable; for ἄχαρις is ἄκαιρος, that is, a man without grace is inopportune and troublesome. The sense is, as if to say, A man without grace, insipid and foolish, is as it were a vain fable, that is, as it were a fabulist (for the abstract is put for the concrete for emphasis, as if to say, A man without grace is so nourished by fabling and fables, that he seems to be sewn together from them, and thus to be mere fable: thus we call a wicked man wickedness) vain, who does nothing but fable, and continually belches forth empty and futile fables, by which he creates tedium for his hearers, and hence hatred for himself, so that he is rejected and hissed at by all the prudent and wise. For fable, or fabling as aforesaid, is pleasing and agreeable, and therefore constant and frequent, only in the mouth of the undisciplined, that is, the unwise and imprudent, namely triflers and fabulists. Whence the Zurich version translates, an ungracious man as an inopportune fable is, with an unskilled mouth frequented; others, an insipid man an unseasonable narrative, with the mouth of the unlearned is continued. For this is what the Greek ἐνδελεχισθήσεται signifies. Whence ἐνδελέχεια is called continuity, assiduity, perpetuity, perennity, and ἐνδελεχισμός is called continuous motion, such as is known in the soul; wherefore the soul is as it were a genus attributed by Aristotle, lib. I De Anima, where he defines the soul to be the actuality (in Greek ἐνδελεχισμόν) of an organic body. Otherwise Lyra, as if to say, A man without grace and insipid is as a fable, because he is in the mouth of all, and all fable about him as if insipid: the insipid indeed and foolish insipidly praising him, but the wise wisely laughing at him as insipid and rebuking him. Thirdly, translate and explain thus clearly: "A man without grace," that is of a man without grace and insipid, "an unseasonable fable in the mouth of the undisciplined shall be continual," as if to say, The undisciplined shall continually remember for sport and laughter, and shall repeat the insipid fable uttered by the insipid man, so that it be a Hebrew antiptosis. For the Hebrews put one case for another, namely the nominative for the genitive, because they lack declension and cases: wherefore they use the same name uninflected and undeclined for any case. Thus the Apostle in II Cor. cap. viii, 23 says: "Whether for Titus, etc., or our brethren Apostles," for or for our brethren Apostles. I have noted many similar instances elsewhere. But because thus the elegant paronomasia between ἄχαρις and ἄκαιρος is lost, which Sirach seems to have regarded, and because Our Author adds τὸ as it were, and because all Interpreters translate in the nominative a man without grace, hence he rather than his fable seems to be understood here. Whence from the Complutensian Greek you translate in the masculine, a man without grace as a vain fable, in the mouth of the undisciplined shall be continual. Wherefore the two former senses are truer, and you should connect them thus and reduce them into one, as if to say, A man without grace on account of his insipid and tasteless words and deeds, is as it were a vain and insipid fable, which is continually turned over in the mouth of all the unlearned and insipid. For the insipid delight in insipid things, fabulists in fables and fabulists, as being like themselves. Therefore a man without grace and insipid is an insipid fable, both metonymically, because he narrates insipid fables; and because on account of them he himself properly becomes a fable and a byword of men, which the unlearned and insipid continually cast about with their mouth, as Lyra said. Both are signified by the Greek μῦθος, that is fable, apologue. Whence Aesop and other writers of fables and apologues are called mythologists. Thus therefore all the senses now given come to the same thing, and conspire into one.
20:22
22. FROM THE MOUTH OF A FOOL SHALL A PARABLE BE REJECTED: FOR HE DOTH NOT SPEAK IT IN DUE TIME. — He calls a parable a maxim or grave, serious, keen and wise saying. He meets an objection. For someone will say: Sometimes a fool speaks very grave and prudent sayings: therefore then he will not be a vain fabulist, but a master of wisdom, or an oracle. He responds that nevertheless he is a fabulist, because he does not utter them in his own time: hence his narration is untimely, importunate and ungrateful, even if he narrate and utter golden sayings. Wherefore it is just as if a pig should bear or pour forth a golden bracelet in its filthy mouth; for this does not adorn it, but disgraces and defiles it: for it is a sow, that is, unclean. Hence the Zurich version translates, a saying from the mouth of a fool loses its grace, because it is not uttered in time; the Syriac, in the mouth of a fool the word strikes, because he does not speak it in his own time. He alludes to Proverbs xxvi, verse 7: "As he that is lame hath beautiful legs in vain, so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools," as if to say, Just as beautiful legs are deformed in a lame man, because they are unequal and cause him to limp, and therefore expose him to the ridicule of those who see him: so beautiful speech in the mouth of a fool is deformed, because it is unequal and limps: for he himself knows not how to fit and adapt it to time, place, things and persons. And verse 9: "As a thorn groweth in the hand of a drunkard, so a parable in the mouth of fools," because the parable of fools, like a thorn, not only disgraces but also harms and wounds, both those who speak and those who hear, while the jests, mockeries and insults which fools imprudently and rashly mix into parables as if drunk drive them into quarrels, brawls, fights and murders."
20:23
23. THERE IS ONE WHO IS FORBIDDEN TO SIN THROUGH POVERTY, AND IN HIS REST SHALL BE TORMENTED. — In rest, that is, in cessation from sin, "shall be tormented," that is, shall be tortured, because he cannot carry out his evil will through poverty, as if to say: Poverty takes away from man the faculty of sinning, but not the will, indeed it inflames it more, because we always strive toward what is forbidden, and we desire what is denied. Such is he who would wish to indulge gluttony and lust, but does not have money by which to procure it. Josephus, book XII of Antiquities, chapter XIII, and certain Rabbis held that the internal will to sin, for example to become drunk, to fornicate, to kill, is not a sin unless it goes forth into external act, so that in fact man becomes drunk, fornicates and kills. Sirach refutes this and condemns the intention of perverse will, as Rabanus says, namely that he torments himself in rest and cessation from sin. See the sayings in Romans chapter VII, 8, and Deuteronomy chapter V, 21. Whence the Zurich version translates: there is one who is prevented from sinning through poverty, who is separately tormented within himself. Hence the common proverb: "Wickedness lacks nothing but the means." The Greek Complutensian and Roman versions read differently, οὐ κατανυγήσεται, that is, shall not be tormented, nor pricked, as if to say: There is one who would wish to sin, but is prevented by poverty; and yet he does not grieve over this evil will of sinning, nor is he pricked. Or rather, as if to say: There is one who is prevented from sin by poverty, who therefore is not tormented by remorse of conscience for sin committed, as if to say: Happy is the poverty which frees man from sin, and consequently from remorse of conscience for sin committed, because it makes him impotent to sin: but unhappy is wealth, which makes man potent to sin, because it gives him the faculty of carrying out his evil will. Thus Plato asserted that the rich man is more unhappy than the poor man, because the poor man has only the will to sin, the rich man also has the faculty. This reading and sense is favored by the Syriac; for it translates: there is one who escapes from sins through his poverty; who is there who was just, and rests in his riches? as if to say: The poor man through poverty escapes the sins into which the rich man falls: for it is difficult to be just and rich at the same time: for the just man places his trust in God, the rich man in riches places his wealth and possessions. But truly the negation must be removed, and it must be read affirmatively, shall be tormented, shall be pricked, as our version reads, with which the Zurich version agrees. 24. THERE IS ONE WHO WILL LOSE HIS SOUL THROUGH SHAME, AND SHALL LOSE IT THROUGH AN IMPRUDENT PERSON; AND THROUGH ACCEPTANCE OF PERSONS SHALL LOSE HIMSELF. — This maxim censures excessive and harmful shame, as if to say: There is one who sins, and therefore "will lose his soul," on account of excessive reverence and shame toward someone, and that "through an imprudent person," that is, on account of an imprudent person: namely because an imprudent, indeed a foolish person, whom he reveres on account of power or authority, asks something illicit of him, namely something base or unjust: lest therefore he offend him he sins, and offends God. Therefore through acceptance of persons he loses himself, because namely he accepts the person of the powerful one, and reveres him more than God. Such are those who in judgment, in persecution, in litigation, etc., do not dare to confess the truth, or to render a just sentence, lest they offend the rich and princes. Of whom Christ says: "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him the Son of man shall be ashamed, when he shall come in his majesty, and that of his Father, and of the holy Angels," Luke IX, 26. The Greek is concise and bipartite as is customary: There is one who will lose his soul, and through acceptance of persons will lose it. Or, as the Complutensian reads: "Through an imprudent person will lose it." Which is a sign that both were once in the Greek, and therefore our Interpreter translated both from it. For there is no affinity of letters between ἄφρονος, that is imprudent, and λήψεως, that is acceptance, so that one could be said to have crept in for the other. It is added that the Latin reading is fuller, and therefore truer; for it plainly completes and fulfills the sense. The Syriac, however, follows the Greek as is customary, indeed translates it more concisely: there is one who will lose his soul through his shame, and through blushing is lost.
20:25
25. HE WHO OUT OF SHAME PROMISES TO HIS FRIEND, AND HAS GAINED HIM AS AN ENEMY FREELY, — that is, rashly, as if to say: He who out of bashfulness (because namely he dares deny him nothing) promises something to a friend which in fact he cannot or will not perform, this man is rash and imprudent, because he makes an enemy out of a friend, when he does not fulfill his promises. Wherefore he gains nothing except the enmity of his friend; who if he had not promised, would have retained both his own property and his friend's friendship. The Zurich Bible: he who out of shame promises to his friend, and of his own accord takes him upon himself as an enemy; the Syriac: he who by his own bashfulness pledges to his neighbor, and acquires for himself an enemy freely. Wherefore Phocion the Athenian wisely used to say, "Great things are not indeed to be promised to men, but great things are to be done." But his saying is inverted today by those who promise men golden mountains and the riches of Croesus; when they do not even perform γρῦ. The saying of Phocion is found in Stobaeus, discourse 1 On Prudence. Again, when Leosthenes had prepared the city of the Athenians for war, raised up by magnificent hopes to the name of liberty and dominion, Phocion used to say that his words were like cypress trees, which, though they are lofty and beautiful, bear no fruit. Nothing could be said more fittingly concerning a discourse that promises splendidly and magnificently, but is unfruitful, just as the cypress tree, with its lofty and conical top, seems to promise something excellent from afar; but it is scarcely any tree more sterile. Thus Plutarch in the Apophthegms of the Greeks. This is the second effect of excessive and perverse bashfulness, namely that through it someone, either when asked or of his own accord, promises something to a friend which he cannot perform, and by that means offends his friend and loses his friendship. For he assigned the former effect in the preceding verse, namely that he loses his soul through offense against God, as if to say: Excessive bashfulness offends God equally and men, loses the grace and friendship both of God and of men.
20:26
26. A REPROACH OF WICKEDNESS IN A MAN IS A LIE, AND IN THE MOUTH OF THE UNDISCIPLINED IT SHALL BE CONTINUALLY. — From the violation of a promise he ascends to lying, as it were from a species to a genus. He therefore teaches how great an evil and reproach, and how infamous lying is. He says therefore that a reproach of wickedness, that is, a wicked reproach, indeed the worst, in a man is a lie; and yet undisciplined men, that is, those badly instructed, unrefined and dissolute, have it continually in their mouth, because they either do not consider this reproach or do not esteem it. In Greek, μῶμος πονηρός ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ψεῦδος, that is, a stain (a reproach, a disgrace) most evil is a lie in a man, it is continued in the mouth of the untaught; the Zurich version, a most wicked crime to a man is a lie, but it is frequently uttered in an unskilled mouth; the Syriac, some evil in a man is a lie, and in the mouth of a fool it is frequent. For this reason Aristotle in the Ethics said that lying is the vice of slaves, and therefore unworthy of a free and noble man. Most excellently St. Thomas, in the opuscule On the Education of Princes, compares a lie to false money, namely to a counterfeit coin, which all reject. And he adds: "He who speaks a lie bears the figure and image of the devil: for he is a liar from the beginning. Therefore a lying prince, who is a false coin, will sometime hear those words: Whose is this image and superscription? and when it shall be answered: The devil's; it shall immediately be said: Render therefore to the devil the things that are the devil's." Wherefore the Emperor Basil thus prescribes to his son Leo in chapter xvi: "You ought to say those things which you know plainly, or which the occasion of the time demands; concerning all other things it will be better to be silent than to speak: for it is fitting that a prince speak only true, and opportune, and weighty words." St. Basil, in the Shorter Rules, Question LXXVI: "It is precisely said," he says, "that a lie is from the devil, nor is any distinction of lying admitted at all." And in epistle 75, "he says that a lie is the offspring of the devil." And Blessed Caesarius in homily 16: "That every liar cannot exist without an evil spirit, Scripture is witness: Thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie." And God so abhorred a lie that He was unwilling for images to be made and painted, Exodus chapter xx, 4. Philo gives the reason, in the book On Giants: "Moses," he says, "rejected from his commonwealth the praised and elegant arts, painting and statuary, because they vitiate truth with lies, deceiving through the eyes souls easily led astray." 27. A THIEF IS BETTER THAN ONE WHO IS CONTINUALLY A LIAR (the Zurich version, than one who frequents lying), BUT BOTH SHALL INHERIT DESTRUCTION. — Better, that is, superior, not positively, but comparatively and negatively, as if to say, Less evil, less harmful is a thief than one who lies continually. Whence the punishment of the liar will be the same as that of the thief, namely destruction, that is, ruin and death, both present and eternal: for although idle and jesting lying is not a mortal sin, and therefore does not incur the guilt of present and eternal death, nevertheless from the frequency of lying idly and jestingly, one easily slips into pernicious lying, by which one soon deprives another either of reputation, or of wealth, or of life. Which therefore deserves both deaths, according to that in Revelation xxi, 8: "To idolaters and to all liars: their portion shall be in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Hence for better the Greek is αἱρετώτερον, that is, more eligible. Whence the Zurich version translates, more tolerable is a thief than one who frequents lying, but both will incur ruin; others, more eligible is a thief than one who becomes accustomed to lying; but both shall be heirs of destruction. Note: He fittingly compares lying to theft, both because these two are usually joined together. Whence that saying: "Show me a liar, I will show you a thief;" and because lying is a kind of theft: for it steals from men truth, reputation, concord, indeed often wealth and life; and because both are shameful and infamous. Moreover a liar is worse than a thief: first, because a thief takes away wealth, but a liar takes away reputation, and often life from a man, and reputation is superior to wealth; second, a thief steals from poverty and hunger, Proverbs vi, 30, but a liar lies from petulance and wantonness; third, because lying disturbs whole families, cities, republics, and stirs up among them quarrels, slaughters and internecine and immortal wars, which theft does not do; fourth, because although one theft may be worse than one lie, nevertheless by one theft the frequency of lying is worse, and this alone Sirach says: for this frequency begets many faults and harms graver than theft; fifth, lying is often added to theft, so that theft may be protected; this therefore, as being a double sin, is graver than theft alone. Whence the Syriac translates, the fool desires to steal and to lie, and both those ways of his bring him shame; Sixth, you can trust a thief with everything except money; with a liar, nothing. For just as all things are safe from a truthful man, so nothing is safe from a liar—not wealth, not honor, not friendship, not anything else. Indeed, I myself would more easily bear with a servant who steals once than with one who always lies, says Palacius.
20:28
28. THE MANNER OF A LYING MAN IS WITHOUT HONOR, AND THEIR CONFUSION WITH THEMSELVES WITHOUT CEASING. — That is to say, the habit of lying makes it so that all the manners and acts of a liar are without honor, vile and contemptible. For manner, in Greek in the singular is ἦθος, that is, manner, countenance, character, nature. "Ἦθος," says Quintilian, lib. VI, "cannot be expressed in Latin by a single word: for in it are contained all the habits of the mind." For without honor, in Greek is ἀτιμία, that is, dishonor, infamy, ignominy. Whence the Complutensian editors translate, the manner of a lying man is ignominy, and his confusion with him without ceasing. For what is more shameful than to be held a liar? Again, ἦθος Aristotle, at the beginning of lib. II of the Ethics, derives from ἔθος, and signifies that which is familiar, proper, customary to a man; likewise a dwelling, a customary place, native soil, a seat. Whence the Zurich edition translates, familiar to a lying man is ignominy, and his own disgrace accompanies him constantly; others, it is proper to a lying man to be infamous, and shame is present to him constantly; others, the seat and native soil of a liar is infamy; the Syriac, the end of a lying man is curse, and ignominy will perish with him. Furthermore, liars once known sustain among other ignominies this one especially suited to them, merited and owed, that they are always suspect to their hearers, and, even if they speak truly, faith is nevertheless not given to them, because by lying they have forfeited faith for themselves. Again, it happens to liars that lying discolors, dishonors and defames all their manners (as Our author translates). For the sense of it is, that is to say, It often happens that someone has honorable manners, worthy of honor, and praiseworthy, and is praised for being just, prudent, temperate, generous, etc.; yet these manners and outstanding virtues lie entirely neglected, and lack the honor due to them, if he who is endowed with them can justly be called a liar: for liars by lying obscure all good manners and virtues. Wherefore the Indians imposed perpetual silence upon him who had lied three times, as Diodorus relates, lib. III of the Library, cap. x, and Arrian, lib. III On the Deeds of Alexander. Philostratus adds, lib. II On the Life of Apollonius, that such men were excluded from office in perpetuity. Xenophon relates nearly the same concerning the Persians in Cyrus, lib. III, and Herodotus, lib. I. For more on the baseness and reproach of lying, see St. Augustine, lib. Against Lying, Climacus, grad. 12, Dorotheus, doctr. 9, St. Bernard, serm. 31.
20:29
29. A WISE MAN SHALL ADVANCE HIMSELF BY HIS WORDS, AND A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING SHALL PLEASE GREAT MEN. — The Greeks prefix to this verse this title: Words of Parables. For Sirach imitates Solomon, who in chapter x, 7, and elsewhere, prefixes the same title to his parables or proverbs. He opposes to the foolish liar a wise truthful man, who by his true and prudent speech advances himself, so that he may please great men, and by them be exalted to honours and rule, as happened to Joseph, Daniel, Mordecai, Ezra, Nehemiah and others. Shall advance, that is, shall lead forward, namely further to greater honours and dignities; for in Greek it is προάξει, that is, shall promote, shall advance. Whence the Zurich version translates, a wise man shall advance himself by his sayings, and a man of understanding shall please the great. He subjoins the manner and cause of advancing himself, saying: "And," that is because, "a man of understanding shall please great men," who certainly, having recognized his wisdom, shall advance him and place him at the helm of the commonwealth. The Syrian somewhat differently, full of the proverbs of wisdom, says, as a small thing shows itself (for he who is truly wise, the same is small and humble in his own eyes, and shows himself small and humble to others), and a wise servant shall rule over great men. 30. HE THAT TILLS HIS LAND SHALL BE FILLED WITH BREAD, AND HE THAT FOLLOWS IDLENESS SHALL BE FILLED WITH POVERTY; AND HE THAT WORKS JUSTICE SHALL HIMSELF BE EXALTED; BUT HE THAT PLEASES GREAT MEN, SHALL POUR OUT INIQUITY; as if to say, Just as the farmer, diligently tilling the land, gathers a great harvest and raises high a heap of grain: so he who cultivates his soul through just works of virtues shall gather a great heap and accumulation of merits and glory, by which he shall be exalted both before God and before men. Wherefore he who wishes to please great men and be exalted by them, ought to flee all injustice and iniquity, and especially beware lest he accept gifts, by which blinded he perverts justice and right judgment, "because gifts and presents blind the eyes of judges," as follows. The Greek, as is its custom, concise and bipartite, has it thus: he that tills the land shall make his heap high; and he that pleases great men, ἐξιλάσεται ἀδικίαν, that is, shall placate or expiate injustice. The Complutensian editors add his, but others omit the his. The sense is, as if to say, Just as he who tills the land gathers a high heap of grain: so he who cultivates princes gathers a high heap of grace and benevolence with them, by which he is able to placate his own and others' offences against them, and reconcile them to the princes. Morally, we are admonished here, by sowing good works, to accumulate high heaps of merits, so that through them we may acquire high treasures of glory in the heavens; for as great as these shall be, so great shall those be also. For the height of glory shall correspond to and be equal to the height of grace and merits, according to that saying: "For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap," Gal. chapter vi, 8. And that saying concerning the Apostles: "Going they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming they shall come with rejoicing, carrying their sheaves," Psalm CXXV, 7.
20:31
31. GIFTS AND PRESENTS BLIND THE EYES OF JUDGES, AND AS IT WERE A MUZZLE IN THE MOUTH TURNS AWAY THEIR REPROOFS. — He explains what he said: "He that worketh justice, himself shall be exalted," as if to say: That thou mayest work justice, thou must especially beware of gifts, because these bend to themselves the judgment of reason and the sentence of judges, and thus turn them from the right and corrupt them. He cites Exodus xxiii, verse 8: "Neither shalt thou take bribes, which even blind the wise, and pervert the words of the just." See the remarks there. For muzzle in Greek is pipos, which signifies both a bridle and an obstruction of the mouth, which makes a man speechless and mute. Muzzle in the mouth therefore is a bridle in the mouth, or an obstruction of the mouth: for this makes a man mute. It is a Hebraism: for cal is put for hiphil, mute for making mute, obstructing the mouth; for this is what pipos signifies, from phimoo, that is, I obstruct the mouth. Moreover, mute is said from mussando, because he says no more than a mouse. Mutes therefore seem to have a mouse, as it were a bridle, in their mouth, which makes them mutter and murmur. Which the Latins express by a similar proverb: "An ox on the tongue." For formerly the Greeks marked money with the image of an ox; whence it was called Ox. And: "He suffers from a sore throat," which was objected to Demosthenes, when he said he suffered from a sore throat and could not speak against Philip, as if he had been corrupted by money from Philip. Wherefore some read, and as it were a bridle in the mouth, again turns away, that is, turn away. Whence St. Jerome in chapter III of Micah reads thus: "Gifts blind the eyes even of the wise, and as it were a bridle in the mouth turn away reproofs." It is a Hebraism: for the Hebrews often make the verb agree with the nearer noun, even if it should refer to the more remote one: thus here turns away agrees with muzzle, although it looks to gifts and presents. The sense is: Gifts and presents are as it were bridles, which make judges blind and mute, so that they dare not reprove and punish the delinquents who gave them. Whence the Zurich version translates: gifts and presents blind the eyes of the wise, and as it were an obstruction of the mouth inhibit reproofs; the Syriac: largesse and gift obscure the eyes, and obstruct the mouth, and cause reproof to cease, according to that: "Throw a morsel into the mouth of a dog, that it may not bark." Otherwise Dionysius and Lyra: "Muzzle," they say, "is called a species of frog, which is called by the Greeks calamita, and when thrown into the mouth of a barking dog takes away the power of barking," as Strabo teaches, and from him St. Isidore, book XII of Origins, chapter vi, Vincent of Beauvais, Natural History, book XX, chapter LX, Albert the Great, book XXVI On Animals, in Frog, who also adds, if the bone of a frog is thrown into a vessel of boiling water, the water will cease to boil and will no longer bubble: thus however much a judge may boil with love of justice and righteous vengeance, if he takes gold, all his love and zeal will cease to boil, and like the calamita he will become silent. Others think that Sirach alludes to the Seriphian frogs, from the island of Seriphos, where mute frogs are said to be found, as if these judges with their mouth obstructed by gifts, like the Seriphian frogs, become silent. And just as those frogs are monstrous because, unlike others, they do not croak but are silent: so likewise these judges are as it were monsters, because although they ought to be occupied in speaking for the law, yet they are rather occupied in keeping silent. What I said about the Seriphian frogs, Pliny asserts in book VIII, chapter LVIII. Hence also the proverb among Suidas, Didymus and others: Seriphian frog, that is, silent and mute. But pipos does not signify a calamita or a frog; but a bridle, a halter, a bit, by which the mouths of wild beasts and dogs are bound so they do not bite: beasts of burden are also muzzled with baskets so they do not eat the crops, which the Greeks call φιμοῦσθαι. Whence Pliny, book XVIII, chapter xix: "It is necessary," he says, "that oxen be muzzled with baskets, so they do not pluck the tender shoots." Therefore judges accepting gifts, says Palacius, are like a horse and a mule, whose jaws gifts constrain as it were with a bit and bridle. Morally, learn here how much judges must beware of gifts. Wherefore the Emperor Justinian, in the Mandates of the Prince, Auth. collat. 3, and Novell. 25, forbids him altogether any gift: "It is fitting," he says, "that one undertaking administration purely, and without any bribery, should above all others keep his hands clean for God, for us, and for the laws, and should touch no gain, neither great nor small." For, as St. Gregory of Nazianzus says in the Distichs: "Gifts cause even wise men to err; and as birds are caught by snares, so men are caught by gold." And further: "When gold speaks, all speech is idle; for it persuades, even if it utters no sound." St. Chrysostom, homily 64 on John: "Avarice," he says, "is a grave disease; it blinds the eyes and stops the ears, and makes men more savage than any beast." The Gentiles held the same view. Plutarch, in the book On Isis: "At Thebes," he says, "the images of judges are seen without hands, and the eyes of the supreme judge are closed, because justice is neither captured by gifts nor bent by the faces of men." Rightly Cajetan and from him Delrio, adage 86: "Gifts change affection," he says, "and thus bring it about that, if not speculatively, at least practically it seems to the recipient that the party from which he receives gifts should be favored, or excused, or tolerated. Whence Moses in Deuteronomy xvi, verse 19: 'Thou shalt not take," he says, "a person, nor gifts, because gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and change the words of the just,'—namely, however keen-sighted thou art as an eagle, as a serpent, thy eyes shall be plucked out by gifts. For a gift silently flatters and wins over the affection of him who receives it, and as it were steals away his heart while he thinks not, and binds and fastens it to the giver, so that he cannot but love him, favor him, and return the favor. Wherefore the Emperor Basil of Constantinople, in his Exhortation to his son Leo, surnamed the Philosopher, thus ordains concerning gifts in chapter XLV: "Beware lest thou have honors and dignities for sale for gold and gifts, but bestow them freely on the worthy; for he who buys a magistracy with a price buys those subject to that magistracy at a much higher price, so that, relying on the gifts he has given, he himself may more boldly take gifts. Therefore first prove and examine diligently, and only then promote to honors those who seek office without gifts, if thou wishest to banish from the republic every stain of filth and extortion. For he who gives in order to obtain a magistracy seeks gain for himself from the magistracy: for he gives in order to have the right of taking contrary to the laws. Behold, an agent who shall be bound by no laws. For he who has learned to buy a magistracy will never unlearn to take gifts, and will never wish to do anything without gifts; and he will have thee as a teacher of extortion and filth, whom he ought to have had as an avenger: nor will he alone take gifts, but will also force those who are under him to take gifts." Briefly, but forcefully, Demosthenes: "The gifts of princes," he says, "are the price of slavery;" for those whom they favor with gifts they enslave to themselves as it were as servants.
20:32
32. WISDOM HIDDEN, AND TREASURE INVISIBLE (Syrian, hidden; for it is not seen here): WHAT PROFIT IN BOTH?—St. Jerome in chapter II of Zephaniah reads: "Wisdom hidden, and treasure not appearing, what profit in both?" For ἀπαρής means not appearing, not seen, hidden, concealed, obscure, unknown. It refers to what was said in verse 29: "The wise man shall produce himself in his words, and a prudent man shall please the great." Lest anyone, being a lover of idleness and quiet, should hide his wisdom and defraud others of it, he adds: "Wisdom hidden, etc." The Zurich Bible: when wisdom is hidden, or treasure is buried, what is the profit in either? For just as treasure, though precious in itself, is of no use to anyone if it be hidden: so also wisdom, though greatest, is in vain and has no use if it be hidden. Wherefore, just as treasure is given by nature and by God for use, and therefore should be made public and distributed, so also wisdom. The same doctrine Christ teaches in the parable of the talents, by which he teaches that God demands a strict accounting of a talent well and profitably spent, and therefore condemns him who buried the talent or wrapped it in a napkin, Matthew xxv. For, as St. Gregory rightly says, I part. of the Pastoral, chapter ix: "To wrap money in a napkin is to hide the gifts received under the idleness of slow torpor." If therefore thou art learned, but solitary and hidden, whom dost thou teach? if a preacher, whom dost thou convert to good fruit? if wise, to whom dost thou give counsel? if a priest, to whom dost thou minister the Sacraments? if holy, whom dost thou edify? if strong, for whose benefit dost thou labor? Wherefore the Hermits in the wilderness taught their disciples and visitors, and formed them to holiness. Likewise they wrote letters and books, so that by these they might communicate their wisdom to their neighbors. St. Gregory treats this argument excellently in the third part of the Pastoral, admonition 26: "Those are to be admonished," he says, "who, although they are able to preach profitably, nevertheless flee with immodest humility, so that from lesser consideration they may gather how much they fall short in greater matters. For if they were to hide from their needy neighbors the monies which they have, they would assuredly have become the authors of calamity. Let them therefore consider by what guilt they are bound, who, while they withhold the word of preaching from sinning brothers, hide the remedies of life from dying souls. Whence also a certain wise man rightly says: Wisdom hidden and treasure unseen, what profit is in both? He proves the same thing by three similitudes, when he adds: If famine were to wear down a people, and they were to keep hidden grain for themselves, they would assuredly be the authors of death. Let them therefore consider by what penalty they ought to be punished, who, while souls perish from hunger of the word, they themselves do not minister the bread of received grace. Whence also it is rightly said through Solomon: He that hideth up corn shall be cursed among the people. For to hide grain is to retain within oneself the words of holy preaching. But such a one is cursed among the people, because in the fault of his silence alone he is condemned for the penalty of many, whom he was able to correct. If those not ignorant of the medical art were to see a wound needing to be cut, and yet were to refuse to cut, they would assuredly commit the sin of fraternal death from mere torpor. Let them therefore consider what great guilt involves those who, while they know the wounds of minds, neglect to cure them by the cutting of words! Whence also it is rightly said through the Prophet: Cursed be he that withholdeth his sword from blood. For to withhold the sword from blood is to retain the word of preaching from the slaying of carnal life." And a little further on: "Let them hear that he who was unwilling to distribute his talent lost it with the sentence of condemnation. Let them hear that Paul believed himself clean from the blood of his neighbors by this, that he did not spare their vices when striking them, saying: I take you to record this day, that I am clean from the blood of all men; for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Let them hear that John is admonished with an angelic voice, when it is said: He that heareth, let him say: Come; namely, that he to whom the internal voice insinuates itself should also drag others by crying out to that place to which he himself is snatched, lest he find closed doors even when called, if he approaches the caller empty. Let them hear that Isaiah, because he was silent from the ministry of the word, illuminated by heavenly light, reproves himself with a great voice of penance, saying: Woe is me, because I held my peace! Let them hear that through Solomon it is promised to him in whom the knowledge of preaching is multiplied, who in that which he has already obtained is not held by the vice of torpor; for he says: The soul that blesseth shall be made fat; and he that inebriateth shall himself also be inebriated. For he who blesses by preaching outwardly receives the fatness of interior increase; and while he ceases not to inebriate the mind of hearers with the wine of eloquence, he grows drunk with the drink of multiplied gift and increases. Let them hear that David offered this to God as a gift, that he did not hide the grace of preaching which he had received, saying: Behold my lips I will not restrain; O Lord, thou knowest that I have not hid thy justice within my heart; I have declared thy truth and thy salvation. Let them hear that it is said to the spouse in the colloquy of the bridegroom: Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken; make me hear thy voice, Song of Songs, chapter viii. By this doctrine Zozimas persuaded St. Mary of Egypt (as her Life has it in the year of Christ 630) to reveal to the example of others the angelic life which she had sanctly lived in the desert for 47 years, seen by no human being but by God and the Angels alone: "All things," he said, "which are about thee, make known speedily, so that thou mayest make the great works of God manifest; for wisdom hidden and treasure concealed, what profit is in both?" Obeying this doctrine, she recounted her entire life to Zozimas, who then committed it to writing for posterity: by which therefore both others and St. John Colombini, the founder of the Order of Jesuates, were converted to God. 33. BETTER IS HE THAT HIDETH HIS FOLLY (the Syriac, true foolishness) THAN THE MAN THAT HIDETH HIS WISDOM. — The Zurich Bible clearly: better is the man hiding his foolishness than he who suppresses his wisdom. For foolishness is wisely hidden, lest it harm himself or others; but wisdom is wisely brought forth and made public for the usefulness and instruction of others. "Moreover it is evil to hide wisdom," says Palacius, "when God or a Superior commands it to be brought to light, or when it is necessary to make it manifest. Otherwise those most holy Hermits, full of God's wisdom, most wisely cast themselves into the most hidden solitudes. And indeed, if my wisdom is going to be useful to the Christian commonwealth, God takes care to bring it to light. Finally, this must not be passed over in silence: these words (as I think) are a preamble to what is to be said, as if the Author wished to say: I write my wisdom to you in the following chapters; for why should I hide it, when hidden wisdom is useless?" Thus Palacius. The Complutensian editors add to this sentence: better is the unavoidable expectation in seeking the Lord than he lacking the Lord as the pilot of his own life, that is, as the Zurich Bible clearly states, more valuable is the unavoidable (or necessary) patience following the Lord than the governor of his own life without the Lord. Which indeed is a golden sentiment in practice. Others: better is the power which cannot be refused, by him who seeks the Lord, than the manager of his own life without the Lord. But the Greek corrected by the Romans, the Latin and Syriac versions omit it; whence it does not have the authority of the Canon of Scripture.
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.