1A mild answer breaketh wrath: but a harsh word stirreth up fury.Una dolce risposta rompe l'ira: una parola cruda accende il furore.A soft answer breaketh anger: and a hard word rayseth vp furie.Responsio mollis frangit iram; / sermo durus suscitat furorem. 2The tongue of the wise adorneth knowledge: but the mouth of fools bubbleth out folly.La lingua dei saggj da ornamenta alla scienza: la bocca degli insensati versa stoltezza.The tongue of the wise adorneth knowlege: the mouth of fooles boyleth forth follie.Lingua sapientium ornat scientiam; / os fatuorum ebullit stultitiam. 3The eyes of the Lord in every place behold the good and the evil.In ogni luogo gli occhi del Signore contemplano i buoni, ed i cattivi.In euerie place the eies of our Lord behold the good and the euil.In omni loco, oculi Domini / contemplantur bonos et malos. 4A peaceable tongue is a tree of life: but that which is immoderate, shall crush the spirit.La lingua di pace o albero di vita: ma quella, che non ha freno infrange lo spirito.A peaceable tongue is a tree of life: but that which is immoderate, shal breake the spirite.Lingua placabilis lignum vitæ; / quæ autem immoderata est conteret spiritum. 5A fool laugheth at the instruction of his father: but he that regardeth reproofs shall become prudent. In abundant justice there is the greatest strength: but the devices of the wicked shall be rooted out.Lo stolto si burla della correzione di suo padre ma chi fa caso delle riprensioni diventerà più saggio. Nella abbondante giustizia si trova somma fortezza: ma gli empj co' lor disegni saranno schiantati.A foole scorneth the discipline of his father: but he that regardeth reprehensions, shal become more prudent. In abundant iustice there is greatest force: but the cogitations of the impious shal be rooted out.Stultus irridet disciplinam patris sui; / qui autem custodit increpationes astutior fiet. / In abundanti justitia virtus maxima est: / cogitationes autem impiorum eradicabuntur. 6The house of the just is very much strength: and in the fruits of the wicked is trouble.La casa del giusto è ben munita: i guadagni dell'empio son dissipati.The house of the iust is very much strength: and in the fruites of the impious is perturbation.Domus justi plurima fortitudo, / et in fructibus impii conturbatio. 7The lips of the wise shall disperse knowledge: the heart of fools shall be unlike.Le labbra dei saggi semineranno la scienza: il cuor degli stolti sarà variabile.The lippes of the wise shal sow knowlege: the hart of fooles shal be vnlike.Labia sapientium disseminabunt scientiam; / cor stultorum dissimile erit.
8The victims of the wicked are abominable to the Lord: the vows of the just are acceptable.Il Signore ha in abbominazione le vittime degli empj: i voti dei giusti lo placano.The victimes of the impious are abominable to our Lord: the vowes of the iust are acceptable.Victimæ impiorum abominabiles Domino; / vota justorum placabilia. 9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: he that followeth justice is beloved by him.Il Signore ha in abbominazione la via dell'empio: chi segue la giustizia è amato da lui.The way of the impious is abomination to our Lord: he that foloweth iustice is beloued of him.Abominatio est Domino via impii; / qui sequitur justitiam diligitur ab eo. 10Instruction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way of life: he that hateth reproof shall die.La disciplina è ingrata a colui, che abbandona la via della vita: chi odia la riprensione perirà.The doctrine is euil of them that forsake the way of life: he that hateth reprehensions shal dye.Doctrina mala deserenti viam vitæ; / qui increpationes odit, morietur. 11Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more the hearts of the children of men?L'inferno, e la perdizione sono sotto gli occhi del Signore: quanto più i cuori degli uomini?Hel, and perdition are before our Lord: how much more the hartes of the children of men?Infernus et perditio coram Domino; / quanto magis corda filiorum hominum ! 12A corrupt man loveth not one that reproveth him: nor will he go to the wise.L'uomo corrotto non ama chi lo corregge: e non va in cerca dei saggi.The pestilent man loueth not him, that rebuketh him: nor goeth to the wise.Non amat pestilens eum qui se corripit, / nec ad sapientes graditur. 13A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by grief of mind the spirit is cast down.Il cuore allegro esilara il volto: la tristezza dell'anima abbatte lo spirito.A glad hart cheereth the face: in pensifnes of minde the spirit is cast downe.Cor gaudens exhilarat faciem; / in mœrore animi dejicitur spiritus. 14The heart of the wise seeketh instruction: and the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.Il cuore del saggio cerca di imparare: e la bocca degli stolti si pasce di ignoranza.The hart of the wise seeketh doctrine: and the mouth of fooles is fed with vnskilfulnes.Cor sapientis quærit doctrinam, / et os stultorum pascitur imperitia. 15All the days of the poor are evil: a secure mind is like a continual feast.Tutti i giorni del povero son cattivi: ma la mente tranquilla è come un perenne convito.Al the dayes of the poore are euil: a secure minde is as it were a continual feast.Omnes dies pauperis, mali; / secura mens quasi juge convivium.
16Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures without content.Val più un pocolino col timor del Signore, che i grandi tesori, i quali non saziano.Better is a litle with the feare of our Lord, then great treasures and vnsatiable.Melius est parum cum timore Domini, / quam thesauri magni et insatiabiles. 17It is better to be invited to herbs with love, than to a fatted calf with hatred.Val più essere invitato con amore a mangiar dell'erbe, che essere invitato di mala grazia ad un grasso vitello.It is better to be called to herbes with charitie: then to a fatted calfe with hatred.Melius est vocari ad olera cum caritate, / quam ad vitulum saginatum cum odio. 18A passionate man stirreth up strifes: he that is patient appeaseth those that are stirred up.L'uomo iracondo fa nascere le risse: il paziente spegne quelle, che sono nate.An angrie man stirreth brawles: he that is patient appeaseth those that are raised.Vir iracundus provocat rixas; / qui patiens est mitigat suscitatas. 19The way of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns: the way of the just is without offence.La strada dei pigri è quasi cinta di spine; la via de' giusti è senza inciampo.The way of the slothsul is as an hedge of thornes: the way of the iust is without offence.Iter pigrorum quasi sepes spinarum; / via justorum absque offendiculo. 20A wise son maketh a father joyful: but the foolish man despiseth his mother.Il figliuol saggio è la letizia del padre: l'uomo stolto vilipende la propria madre.A wise sonne maketh the father ioyful: and the foolish man despiseth his mother.Filius sapiens lætificat patrem, / et stultus homo despicit matrem suam. 21Folly is joy to the fool: and the wise man maketh straight his steps.Lo stolto gode di sua stoltezza: ma l'uomo prudente è circospetto ne' suoi andamenti.Follie is ioy to a soole: and the wiseman directeth his steppes.Stultitia gaudium stulto, / et vir prudens dirigit gressus suos. 22Designs are brought to nothing where there is no counsel: but where there are many counsellors, they are established.Dove il consiglio manca vanno in fumo i disegni: ma acquistan fermezza dove sono molti consiglieri.Cogitations are dissipated where there is no counsel: but where manie counsellers are, they are confirmed.Dissipantur cogitationes ubi non est consilium; / ubi vero sunt plures consiliarii, confirmantur. 23A man rejoiceth in the sentence of his mouth: and a word in due time is best.L'uomo si affeziona alla opinione detta da lui; ma ottima parola è quella, che è opportuna.A man reioyceth in the sentence of his mouth: and a word in due time is best.Lætatur homo in sententia oris sui, / et sermo opportunus est optimus.
24The path of life is above for the wise, that he may decline from the lowest hell.L'uomo intelligente va in alto pel sentiero della vita per ischivare l'abisso dell'inferno.The path of life aboue the lerned, that he may decline from the lawest hel.Semita vitæ super eruditum, / ut declinet de inferno novissimo. 25The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: and will strengthen the borders of the widow.Il Signore demolirà le case de' superbi: e stabili farà i termini (del podere) della vedova.Our Lord wil destroy the house of the proude: and wil make sure the borders of the widow.Domum superborum demolietur Dominus, / et firmos faciet terminos viduæ. 26Evil thoughts are an abomination to the Lord: and pure words most beautiful shall be confirmed by him.I mali pensieri sono l'abbominazione del Signore: i discorsi casti sono accettissimi, e approvati da lui.Euil cogitations are an abomination to our Lord: and pure speach most beautiful shal be confirmed of him.Abominatio Domini cogitationes malæ, / et purus sermo pulcherrimus firmabitur ab eo. 27He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house: but he that hateth bribes shall live. By mercy and faith sins are purged away: and by the fear of the Lord every one declineth from evil.Chi va dietro all'avarizia mette in iscompiglio la propria casa: colui, che odia i regali, avrà vita. Mediante la misericordia, e la fede si purgano i peccati, e mediante il timor del Signore, l'uomo schiverà il male.He that pursueth auarice disturbeth his house: but he that hateth giftes shal liue. By mercie and faith sinnes are purged: and by the feare of our Lord euerie one declineth from euil.Conturbat domum suam qui sectatur avaritiam; / qui autem odit munera, vivet. / Per misericordiam et fidem purgantur peccata: / per timorem autem Domini declinat omnis a malo. 28The mind of the just studieth obedience: the mouth of the wicked overfloweth with evils.La mente del giusto fa suo stadio dell'ubbidienza: la bocca degli empj ridonda di malvagità.The minde of the iust meditateth obedience: the mouth of the impious redoundeth with euils.Mens justi meditatur obedientiam; / os impiorum redundat malis. 29The Lord is far from the wicked: and he will hear the prayers of the just.Il Signore va lungi dagli empj: ed esaudirà le preghiere de' giusti.Our Lord is far from the impious: and he wil heare the prayers of the iust.Longe est Dominus ab impiis, / et orationes justorum exaudiet. 30The light of the eyes rejoiceth the soul: a good name maketh the bones fat.La luce degli occhi è letizia dell'anima: e la buona fama impingua le ossa.The light of the eies reioyceth the soule: a good name fatteth the bones.Lux oculorum lætificat animam; / fama bona impinguat ossa.
31The ear that heareth the reproofs of life, shall abide in the midst of the wise.L'orecchio, che ascolta le riprensioni salutevoli, avrà luogo nel consesso de' saggj.The eare that heareth the reprehensions of life, shal abide in the middes of the wise.Auris quæ audit increpationes vitæ / in medio sapientium commorabitur. 32He that rejecteth instruction, despiseth his own soul: but he that yieldeth to reproof, possesseth understanding.Chi rigetta la disciplina, odia l'anima propria; ma chi piega il capo alle riprensioni, è padron del suo cuore.He that reiecteth discipline, despiseth his soule: but he that yeldeth to reprehensions, is a possessour of the hart.Qui abjicit disciplinam despicit animam suam; / qui autem acquiescit increpationibus possessor est cordis. 33The fear of the Lord is the lesson of wisdom: and humility goeth before glory.Il timor del Signore è maestro di sapienza: e alla gloria va innanzi l'umiltà.The feare of our Lord, the discipline of wisdom: and humilitie goeth before glorie.Timor Domini disciplina sapientiæ, / et gloriam præcedit humilitas.
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Knowledge. It requires to be proposed in a proper manner.
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Calmet
Life. This comparison was become proverbial for something very excellent. Immoderate. Hebrew, "perverse." (Calmet)
Haydock
Evil discourse kills the souls both of those who speak, and of those who pay attention to it. (Haydock)
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In abundant, etc. Is omitted in Hebrew, Chaldean, and many Greek and Latin copies. The same idea is expressed in the following verse.
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Unlike. The wise, or themselves. Hebrew and Septuagint, "inconstant."
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Wicked. Still unconverted, Ecclesiasticus 34:23. When they repent, and offer sacrifice with sincerity, they will obtain mercy. The Donatists abused this text, to prove that baptism conferred by wicked ministers was unavailing. But St. Augustine shewed them, that Christ was the principal agent, and conferred grace, even though the minister might draw down judgments on his own head. (Con. Parm. 2:6.)
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Haydock
Instruction. Hebrew, "a heavy punishment." (Haydock)
The mind which gives way to vice, must have embraced some false doctrine.
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Calmet
Before. Naked. The state of the damned is known to God, Proverbs 9:18. (Calmet)
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St. Gregory
Down. Compunction is salutary, but worldly grief blameable, Proverbs 25:20., and 2 Corinthians 7:10. (St. Gregory, past. 2:10.)
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Calmet
Feast. Those who repine at their condition are miserable; while the poor may be delivered from many cares. (Calmet)
Luc. Phar. v
-----O vitae tuta facultas Pauperis angustique laris. (Luc. Phar. v.)
Under affliction every thing displeases; but all delights the cheerful temper.
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Content. Septuagint, "fear." Hebrew, "with trouble," which is preferable, 1 Timothy 6:6.
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Calf. Or feast after sacrifice, 1 Kings 17:19., and Luke 15:23.
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Calmet
Thorns. All seems to them impossible. (Calmet)
In agriculture, however, (Haydock) "in domestic affairs, negligence is attended with more labour than diligence." (Colum. 12:2.)
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Calmet
Fool. He thinks himself the most happy of mortals. (Calmet)
Haydock
Septuagint, "the ways of the fools are senseless." (Haydock)
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Counsel. Hebrew, "secrecy."
Calmet
Established. We put in execution without fear, what has been resolved maturely. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Above. Literally, "upon the learned." (Haydock)
Calmet
One path leads to the realms above. (Calmet)
Menochius
The wise must be intent on God. (Menochius)
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Shall by, etc., is not added in Hebrew, etc., nor in several Latin manuscripts.
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Troubleth. With all sorts of temporal misfortunes. A judge who receives bribes, is accursed, Exodus 23:8.
By, etc., is not here in Hebrew, but [in] Proverbs 16:6. St. Cyprian (3 Test.) found it in his copy.
Faith, or fidelity and truth, as it is elsewhere expressed, Proverbs 3:3. These virtues move God to pardon.
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Studieth. And speaks deliberately. Roman Septuagint is more embarrassed in the rest of this, and the nine first verses of the following chapter, than the Complutensian edition.
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Fat. And contributes to health. By less noble motives, the mind is gradually raised to the more excellent.
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Meeknes.
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Discretion.
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Gods omniscience.
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Caulmnes of speach.
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Loue to be corrected.
Desire to fulfil al iustice.
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Diligence in teaching others.
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Puritie of hart.
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Lerne of good men. Al secretes knowen to God. Harken to good admonitions. A cherful hart is desirous to lerne.
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A quiet mind.
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Contentment w••h sufficiencie.
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Patience.
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Diligence.
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Honour of parents.
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D•••r•••on.
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Desire to liue wel.
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Counsel in season.
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To him that is wel trained in good workes, heauen gates are open. Honest thoughts and wordes. A liberal mind
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Mercie and iustice.
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Obedience.
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God assisteth the iust.
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VVordes of edification.
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Loue of discipline.
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and Admonition.
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Humilitie.
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On Jealousy and Envy 17
… Your sacrifices shall be received when you shall come in peace to God. Your thoughts and deeds shall be directed from above, when you consider those things which are divine and righteous, as it is written: “Let the heart of a man consider righteous things, that his steps may be directed by the Lord.”
Commodian † AD 313 The Instructions of Commodianus 71
… I promise that thou shalt live more secure than the rich man. Receive into thy ears the teaching of the great Solomon: God hates the poor man to be a pleader on high. Therefore submit thyself, and give honour to Him that is powerful; for the soft speech—thou knowest the proverb—melts.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.) 35
… I beseech you, therefore, forasmuch as it written, ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath,’ and ‘righteous thoughts are acceptable unto the King
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 3.14
14. For nothing clouds the purity of the reason, and the perspicuity of the mental vision so much as undisciplined wrath, rushing along with violent impetuosity. “For wrath,” says one, “destroys even the prudent.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 2
Prov. xv. 1 , LXX. “Wrath destroys even wise men.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 8.1
… “for,” says one, “mine eye is disturbed by reason of anger.” Nor can we become partakers of wisdom, even though we are considered wise by universal consent, for “anger rests in the bosom of fools.” Nor can we even attain immortal life, although we are accounted prudent in the opinion of everybody, for “anger destroys even the prudent.”
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Lord's Prayer 4
… If a man shall hide himself in secret places, shall I not then see him? Do not I fill heaven and earth?” And again: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.57
In the Wisdom of Solomon: “In every place the eyes of God look upon the good and evil.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Hexæmeron 7.5
… No astrologer, no Chaldæan, reading in the rising of the stars the disturbances of the air, has ever communicated his secret to the urchin: it is the Lord of the sea and of the winds who has impressed on this little animal a manifest proof of His great wisdom. God has foreseen all, He has neglected nothing. His eye, which never sleeps, watches over all.
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.95
… before my mouth had been opened to draw in the Spirit, and opened wide to be filled with the spirit of speaking mysteries and doctrines; and my lips bound,
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.18
… Let us not be carried about with every wind of doctrine ( Ephes. iv. 14 ). Concerning the former it is said through Solomon, They shall eat of the fruits of their own way, and be filled with their own devices ( Prov. i. 31 ); but concerning the latter it is written by him again, The heart of the foolish will be unlike (
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Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 9.122
… Further, how gladly the blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, has accepted the gifts of your Excellency your very life witnesses evidently to all. For it is written, The vows of the righteous are his delight (
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 61.4
… But the divine Scripture testifies that the undisciplined perish, because they do not listen to, nor obey wholesome precepts; for it says, “An undisciplined man loveth not him that correcteth him. But they who hate reproof shall be consumed with disgrace.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 3.43
… Seek for wisdom among the evil and thou shalt not find it. The rash man shall eat of the fruit of his own ways. The wise man by taking heed avoideth the evil; but the fool is confident, and joins himself to it. A long-suffering man is strong in his wisdom; the man of little mind is very unwise. He who oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker.
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) 67
… For as his soul was free from disturbances, his outward appearance was calm; so from the joy of his soul he possessed a cheerful countenance, and from his bodily movements could be perceived the condition of his soul, as it is written, ‘When the heart is merry the countenance is cheerful, but when it is sorrowful it is cast down
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.) 12
Wherefore at least enquire into this matter, and let the accusers understand that your desire is to learn the truth; and see, whether they will not shew their falsehood by their very looks; for the countenance is a test of the conscience as it is written, ‘A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 2.21
… Thus love of money sinks in and as it were dries up every kindly duty; so that men consider everything a loss which is spent beyond the usual amount. But even here the holy Scriptures have been on the watch against love of money, that it might prove no cause of hindrance, saying: “Better is hospitality, even though it consisteth only of herbs.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 1
… But not so, us. In these two things, then, we have the advantage, in freedom, and in honor; which have nothing equal to them in regard of pleasure. For I at least would prefer a crust with freedom, to thousands of dainties with slavery. For, saith one, “Better is an entertainment of herbs with love and kindness, than an ox from the stall with hatred.” (
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 63.24
… But let it be so, let it be natural for one to be angry, or that there is generally a cause, it is a man’s duty to restrain anger, and not to be carried away like a lion by fury, so as not to know to be quieted, not to spread tales, nor to embitter family quarrels; for it is written: “A wrathful man diggeth up sin.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 3.43
… The wise man by taking heed avoideth the evil; but the fool is confident, and joins himself to it. A long-suffering man is strong in his wisdom; the man of little mind is very unwise. He who oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker. The tongue of the wise knoweth good things, but the mouth of fools speaketh evil.
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St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 23
… but, as if in the very moment of their choice they had already touched perfection, their pride has had a shocking fall , and they have been tripped up from madly deluding themselves into thinking that that to which their own mind inclined them was the true beauty. In this number are those whom Wisdom calls the “slothful ones
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 10.21
… of which presently it is said: “Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she rejoices in the latter days.” Of this evil of idleness Solomon thus makes mention again: “The ways of the idlers are strewn with thorns;”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 24.24
… “My people have forgotten, sacrificing in vain, and stumbling in their ways, in ancient paths, to walk in them in a way not trodden.” For according to Solomon’s saying: “The ways of those who do not work are strewn with thorns, but the ways of the lusty are trodden down.”
Pseudo-Clement The First Epistle of the Blessed Clement, the Disciple of Peter the Apostle 10
… These are men from whom the divine apostle kept aloof, because of the multitude of their evil deeds ; as it is written: “Thorns sprout in the hands of the idle;” and, “The ways of the idle are full of thorns.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch 5
… In like manner, exhort my brethren also to be content with their own wives. Watch over the virgins, as the precious treasures of Christ. Be long-suffering, that thou mayest be great in wisdom. Do not neglect the poor, in so far as thou art prosperous. For “by alms and fidelity sins are purged away.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 20.8
… And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.” Sometimes too by the virtue of compassion and faith the stains of sin are removed, according to this passage: “By compassion and faith sins are purged away.”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 7
… for the sinner has a mouth speaking perverse things, as the Proverb saith, ‘The mouth of the wicked answereth evil things
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John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 14.16
… For “from the mouth of a sinner praise is not comely;” as to him it is said by the prophet: “Wherefore dost thou declare My righteous acts, and takest My covenant in thy lips?” of souls like this, who never possess in any lasting fashion the fear of the Lord of which it is said: “the fear of the Lord is instruction and wisdom,”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.17
… Let the humble hear from the authoritative voice of the Truth, Every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted ( Luke xviii. 14 ). Let the haughty hear, Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled ( Ibid .). Let the humble hear, Humility goeth before glory; let the haughty hear, The spirit is exalted before a fall (
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1. A SOFT ANSWER BREAKETH WRATH: BUT A HARSH WORD STIRRETH UP FURY. — In Hebrew, a soft answer turns back (reduces, withdraws) wrath: a word of pain (that is, piercing, causing pain) makes fury ascend; for wrath, like a flame from the heart and bile, through the inflammation of spirits and blood ascends to the head and nostrils, and inflames them; whence the Hebrew אף aph signifies face and nostrils and wrath, which flashes forth in the nostrils and face. Thus Aben-Ezra. The Septuagint: a submissive answer turns away fury, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. For soft, in Hebrew it is רך rach, that is, tender; the Septuagint, submissive; Theodotion, delicate; the Zurich Bible, mild. For harsh word, in Hebrew it is a word of pain; the Septuagint, a harsh word; Aquila, ἄκομψος, that is, harsh; Symmachus, θρασύς, that is, bold; Theodotion, ὠχρός, that is, troublesome; Pagninus, causing pain; the Zurich Bible, rough; Vatablus, atrocious; the Syriac, a word turns away wrath with honey; and a harsh word stirs up fury; the Arabic, wrath destroys the wise, and a well-ordered answer repels wrath; and a cutting word exalts the ambitions of wrath. The sense is, says R. Levi, as if to say: By a soft answer one will calm the indignation with which another was boiling against him; on the contrary, by a harsh word one will stir up the bile of a peaceful man, and will kindle and inflame his fury against oneself. It is similar in nature. For just as the force of a projectile, say a leaden ball, which burning powder from a gun ejects, is broken when it is caught by soft wool: there it expends its force and calms its impetus through the softness of the wool; and just as lightning caught by something soft, like straw, is dissolved and vanishes; but if it strikes something hard, like bones, iron, bronze, it is sharpened and breaks them: so likewise the wrath of another is broken by a gentle answer, but is exacerbated and rages by a harsh one. It is a remarkable teaching, says Jansenius, instructing in the art by which an otherwise untamed wild beast is tamed and made gentle. And whoever, he says, answers an angry man sweetly and kindly, addressing him courteously and honorably, and using calm words, such a soft answer breaks the kindled or disturbed wrath. We have an example in Abigail. On the contrary, a harsh word, that is, bitter, even awakens sleeping and dormant wrath so that it becomes fury. For a soft answer diminishes the matter of wrath, while on the contrary a harsh word increases it; of which we have an example in Rehoboam. For wrath is born from the pride of another, or from true or supposed injury. The pride of the angry man is broken by humility and a humble answer; injury likewise is tamed by submission and a mild answer, by which one subjects and prostrates oneself to the angry man, and is overcome and conquered. For then the angry man and one affected by injury seems to have achieved vengeance, and to have recovered his honor, when he sees the guilty party or rival subjected to him and as it were supplicant. St. Chrysostom gives a similar beautiful comparison, homily 3 On David and Saul: "Just as," he says, "if you blow upon a spark of fire, you kindle a conflagration; if you spit upon it, you extinguish it: the same happens in enmity with one's neighbor; if you direct inflated and senseless words, you kindle fire; but if mild and moderate ones, you will have completely extinguished wrath;" as Anna, the mother of Samuel, extinguished with the same means the wrath of Eli the high priest, I Kings 1:17; and David the wrath of Saul, I Kings 24:9. A famous example is found in Sophronius, or rather John Moschus, in the Spiritual Meadow, the penultimate chapter, concerning Abbot Sergius, who not only pacified a farmer who was injuring and raging with a humble and gentle answer, by which he acknowledged the reproaches cast upon him and confessed himself guilty of them, but even made him a suppliant to him, indeed a monk. The same is related of Abbot Paemen with his Deacon, who was seized by wrath by a demon, in the last chapter. Furthermore, to overcome wrath in this way and to cut off its damages is a matter of great virtue and glory. For, as Bede says in Proverbs: "It is glorious to tolerate injury by silence rather than to avenge it by response. It is better to be well defeated than to win badly." For he, while he is silent, responds, and by his quiet and gentle silence teaches gentleness, and therefore while he is defeated, he conquers, and restores the angry man to peace, and binds and subjugates him to himself. Mystically you adapt this name to God, that is to say: A soft answer, that is a humble confession given in reply to one who rebukes, breaks the wrath of God, as is evident in David, who answering the prophet Nathan rebuking him said: "I have sinned against the Lord," and soon deserved to hear: "The Lord also hath taken away thy sin," II Kings xii, 13. On the contrary, the harsh speech of those who resist one who argues provokes greater wrath of the strict judge, as is evident in Saul, who answering Samuel correcting him harshly said: "Nay, but I have heard the voice of the Lord," etc., and heard that he was cast out from the kingdom of Israel, I Kings xv, 20. Thus Bede: "A soft answer breaks wrath," that is to say: "He who humbly receives the words of one rebuking, already draws near to pardon for the guilt he has committed; but he who proudly resists one arguing, provokes greater wrath of the strict judge against himself." Whence Galatinus, book VIII On the Mysteries of Faith, chapter XII, applies harsh speech stirs up fury to the Jews, who accusing Christ before Pilate and crying out harshly: "Crucify, crucify," provoked upon themselves the fury of God, which therefore through Titus and Vespasian utterly destroyed Jerusalem with the whole Jewish nation. Again, wrath has something of the magnanimous and leonine; but lions, when they see one supplicating, lay aside their angers and spare him, according to that: It is enough for a magnanimous lion to have prostrated bodies. And a generous mind captures easy souls. Moreover, wrath bursting forth is like fire effervescing, which is extinguished by gentle water poured in, that is by a mild and soft answer; and just as a tender worm gradually eats away wood, so too does gentleness eat away wrath. Therefore let the avenging of insult, or rather the victory over it, be either a modest confession of fault; or, if he is not conscious of fault in himself, a humble and gentle answer. Thus Gideon, most mighty, when indignant men of Ephraim spoke harsh words to him, because they had not been called by him to battle after the Midianites were conquered, overcame himself by a modest answer, and also overcame the men of Ephraim: "Better," he said, "is the vintage of Ephraim than the vintage of Abiezer. Into your hands the Lord hath delivered the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeb. What could I do like to that which you have done?" Whence the Scripture, adding the effect, subjoins: "When he had said this, the spirit of them was appeased, with which they were swollen against him," Judges viii, 2. Most excellently St. Gregory of Nazianzus in his poem Against Wrath calls it a demon; for thus he begins: I am angry at wrath, a demon hidden within. And toward the end he suggests remedies for wrath: first, prayer; second, the sign of the cross; third, humility; fourth, to regard the present as nothing; fifth: The reproach, he says, which the angry man hurls at you, is either true or false: if true, acknowledge it; if false, regard it as nothing. Then dissolving objections he adds: But he has harmed me? you beware lest you harm him likewise. But will he be restrained? perhaps from this his fury will grow. But he corrects you? straightway by your words Let him be broken, and by most gentle manners, Loosened like waves to the ground immediately; Or like a storm, when nothing resists, that is to say: Just as the waves of the mad sea dashed upon the sands of the shore are dissolved and absorbed, or rebound: so the fury and threats of the angry man falling upon a mild soul and tongue, are absorbed by its gentleness, dissolved, broken. And below: Do you not endure these raging ones, who are driven by a demon and impelled by force howl terribly? What? Will you not bear those bereft of mind? or drunkards? What? If a rabid dog perhaps runs at you? What? If some fierce camel thunders, Will you stand fighting? Does not he who is wise flee? after some things: Wrath you seek to overcome with jests: Against wrath for nothing is stronger than jest. What exists milder than all things? God. Who burns with wrath? the executioner of mortals. O wrath, heat, horrible house of a demon, Manifest stain of the face, whirlwind of minds, Drunkenness, and a tavern, bearing to the lakes of Tartarus, Horrible legion, manifold blemish of evil.
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2. THE TONGUE OF THE WISE ADORNS KNOWLEDGE: THE MOUTH OF FOOLS BUBBLES FORTH FOLLY. — For adorns, in Hebrew it is תטיב tetib, that is, makes good and beautiful, that is adorns; Pagninus, embellishes; the Septuagint however, knows good things; Zurich, uses knowledge well; R. Levi, makes the minds of hearers good. For bubbles forth, in Hebrew it is יביע iabbia, that is, as the Chaldean, eructates; Aquila and Symmachus, ἀναθλύζει, that is pours forth; the Septuagint, ἀναγγέλλει, that is pronounces, announces, enunciates; the Syrian, vomits; others, gushes forth, overflows, flows like a fountain. Therefore first, the tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, because it itself shows itself to be endowed with wisdom, and through it the wise man possesses the name and glory of being wise. Whence the Septuagint translates, the tongue of the wise knows good things; or, as the author of the Greek Catena translates, the tongue of the wise is skilled in honourable things; but the mouth of the foolish announces evil things. Secondly and properly, because the tongue of the wise speaks wisdom aptly, orderly and wisely in its own time and place; for this is a great glory of wisdom, when it is adorned with this ornament of discretion and prudence; but truly the mouth of fools without discretion of place and time, not considering whether it is here and now opportune to speak such things, or inopportune, like a fountain full of water eructates and bubbles forth its foolish utterances. Whence the Syrian translates, vomits a curse; the Zurich, the tongue of the wise uses knowledge aptly and conveniently; but the mouth of fools bubbles forth folly; Aben-Ezra: "The tongue of the wise uses knowledge opportunely; but the mouth of fools is like a torrent gushing forth and overflowing, as if you were to say: Folly from their mouth never ceases, but flows perpetually from it." Thirdly, because, as Vatablus translates, the speech of the wise is full of knowledge and learning; for, as Christ says, Matthew xii, 34: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Fourthly, because, as R. Levi says, the speech of the wise makes the minds of hearers good and right; but the speeches of fools are the cause that madness is judged, and is seen to emanate from the spring of their hearts, so that they may bring forth their folly, and sprinkle it upon others, and thus make them like themselves, that is foolish, vicious and impious. Fifthly, the tongue of the wise adorns, that is commends and honours knowledge, namely practical knowledge, that is honesty and virtue; for to adorn among the Latins is often the same as to praise: whence Cicero, On the Response of the Haruspices: "By the testimonies, he says, of most illustrious Emperors, the most adorned Deiotarus." Sixthly, the tongue of the wise is seasoned with grace, eloquence and oratory: but this adorns knowledge, as if to say, The eloquence of the wise adorns his wisdom. Thus we see that some wise men excel with marvellous grace of speaking or writing, so that even if they say the same thing as others, yet their utterances or writings taste far more of wisdom, please and influence the minds of hearers much more than those of other learned men, who lack this grace. Therefore the tongue of the wise adorns, in Hebrew, makes good, that is adorned, pleasing, delightful knowledge, as if to say, It is the part of the wise to speak ornately, elegantly, harmoniously, and to bring speech equal to the sense of the mind and to knowledge: on the contrary "the mouth of fools bubbles forth folly," that is as the sense of the foolish is depraved, so also their speech is unadorned and unseemly. Wherefore Cicero, in book III of On the Orator: "Eloquence, he says, is nothing other than wisdom speaking abundantly." And further on: "This method of thinking and pronouncing, and the force of speaking, the ancient Greeks called wisdom. Hence those Lycurguses, hence Pittacuses, hence Solons; and from this similarity our Coruncani, Fabricii, Catos, Scipios were," etc. He moreover considers it absurd, useless and reprehensible, a discord between tongue and heart, so that some teach us to be wise, others to speak. For indeed to speak well is itself to be wise; nor is there any perfect wisdom which lacks illustrious oration and the bright light of words. And, as he has testified elsewhere: "To speak abundantly, provided prudently, is better than to think ever so acutely without eloquence." And finally, he seems to have described in words a useless "treasure of wisdom hidden," and which cannot be seen and shine in the eyes of mortals, nor be adorned with abundant oration or brilliant inscription, in the First Tusculan Disputation, a little from the beginning: "To entrust one's thoughts to writing, one who can neither arrange them nor illuminate them, nor attract the reader with any pleasure, is the act of a man intemperately abusing leisure and letters." Moreover this grace of eloquence is various and manifold, which God therefore distributes variously to various persons. Whence Cicero, in book III of his De Oratore, naming its princes, shows likewise in what gift of it each excelled: namely the sweetness was Socrates', the subtlety Lysias', the acuteness Hyperides', the sonority Aeschines', the force Demosthenes', the gravity Africanus', the gentleness Laelius', the harshness Galba's, the flowing melody of Carbo's, the pleasantness Catulus', the variety and moderation Caesar's, the polished subtlety of Sulpicius', the impetuousness of soul and supreme striving of Cotta's, the vehemence, emotion, acrimony of Antonius': finally Cicero's diction was constant and always like itself, and in it there was diligent care in choosing words and thoughts. Much more does the various tongue and eloquence of the Doctors of the Church, both Greek and Latin, adorn the wisdom of Christians. For, as our Jerome Platus shrewdly observes, in book III of De Bono status Religios, chapter xi, the style of St. Basil breathes forth doctrine, and abounds miraculously in precepts of holiness. Nazianzenus is deeper everywhere, and thrusting himself into the most profound mysteries with great weight of words and things. Athanasius is gentler, but nevertheless full, and always like himself in measured discourse, and teaching much with authority. Epiphanius against heresies is keen. Theodoretus in interpreting Scripture is diligent and clear. Damascenus is most learned, and most apt in unraveling the most difficult dogmas of faith. Chrysostomus truly, as his very name shows forth, is eloquent and popular, and flowing into the minds of his hearers, and with elegant abundance of words as it were impelling in every direction by the full river of eloquence. Among the Latins, Cyprian's oration is pure and copious, yet nothing redundant, full of dignity and weight; finally, as St. Jerome himself testifies of him, proceeding like a most pure fountain sweet and placidly, so that Augustine too rightly calls him the sweetest teacher. Ambrose moreover has his own manner of speaking replete with abundance of thoughts, flowing in choice words, and moreover bound together most aptly by his own rhythms, so that you would plainly seem to hear either a theologian speaking oratorically, or an orator speaking theologically: what greater thing can be said of his sweetness than that it was already prefigured by God himself with a great prodigy, as we have received, when a swarm of bees settled in the mouth of the infant? The discourse of Jerome too is learned and abounding in examples of antiquity and much acuteness; then, which is the chief thing, made most apt for expressing all things, whether Scripture is to be interpreted word for word, or precepts prescribed for all of life, or something is to be praised or blamed, or finally someone is to be exhorted to virtue, in all which things he is so powerful that he plainly appears to be that heavenly eloquence. Augustine moreover is most abundant, most copious, most gentle; equally apt for any difficult questions, equally apt for popular sermons, in which he instructs the mind with much grace and moves the will. But who is graver than Leo, more rhythmic, and, so to speak, more rounded? whose oration is full of majesty, and equipped as it were with certain thunderbolts of words? Gregory is wholly moral everywhere, in which kind he excels wonderfully, and likewise retaining the reader by a most sweet abundance of examples and similitudes, instructing him both in virtue by doctrine, and also soothing him by the gentleness and variety of his style. What shall we say of Bernard, whom we can truly call honeyed, who abounding in spiritual teachings, and those the best and most perfect, has also this as his chief characteristic, that he so mingles and weaves the sacred Scriptures into his own style, that either he himself seems to speak in the very words of Scripture, or Scripture itself seems to sound from his mouth? which thing together with charm has also a wonderful gravity and force. Finally the tongue of the wise, that is of the pious, adorns knowledge, that is virtue and probity, because namely their tongue is the companion of a good life, and therefore adorns it, and in turn is adorned by it; for what they say with the mouth, this they teach by deed; therefore deed and face adorn speech with works. Hear Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration On the Plague of Hail: "He is truly wise indeed, who speaks few words about virtue, but through the things he does, demonstrates much, and gains faith and authority for his discourse through his life. For in my judgment, that beauty which is perceived by the eyes is more pleasing than that which is painted by discourse alone; and riches which hands hold are more valuable than those which dreams fashion; and wisdom which is demonstrated through works is more excellent than that which shines and gleams in discourse." And St. Augustine, Book IV of On Christian Doctrine: "Such a teacher who does not live contemptibly, speaks not only humbly and temperately, but also ornately and grandly." Thus from life into speech, ornament, greatness and majesty overflow. He adds moreover: "But if this indeed is possible, let him conduct himself so that he not only obtains a reward, but also provides an example to others, and his manner of living is, as it were, the form of his manner of speaking: what could be more beautiful?" Note on ebullit, or as the Chaldean, eructat: for the mouth of the foolish boils like a pot, and like a stomach full of foolishness eructates it. For, as St. Basil says in Psalm xliv, at the beginning on those words, My heart hath eructated a good word: "Eructation is a certain hidden exhalation, which from the fervor of food bursts forth in bubbles and exhales." And as St. Jerome: "It is the digestion of food, and the exhalation of digested foods into the belly." And he adds: "According to the quality of foods, eructation bursts forth from the stomach, and is an indication of good or bad odor: thus the thoughts of the inner man bring forth words, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Hence the words themselves can be called experiments of men, the Apostle saying in II Corinthians xiii, 3: "Do you seek an experiment of Christ who speaketh in me?" according to that which is written, Proverbs xv, 2: "The mouth of the foolish shall bubble forth (shall eructate and gush forth as from a fountain) foolishness." For it brings forth what lies hidden within. "The discourse is the image of the soul," says Seneca. Thus Pineda On the Affairs of Solomon, Book V, chapter iv, and Book III, chapter xii. Such are heretics, and other unbelievers, and the impious: "As Porphyry and Julian, who poured forth the streams of their foolishness against the teachers of the Church," says Bede.
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3. IN EVERY PLACE THE EYES OF THE LORD BEHOLD THE GOOD AND THE EVIL. — For behold, in Hebrew it is צופות tsophot, that is, as the Septuagint has it, σκοπεύουσιν, that is, they observe: hence צפית tsaphit is called a watchtower, and צופה tsophe a watchman; such is God, who from the high watchtower of heaven, nay of his eternity itself, observes all things that are done in heaven, earth and the abyss; all things past, present and future; all things both manifest and secret and the hidden things of the heart; whom therefore we ought everywhere to observe with the eyes of the mind and memory in turn, to revere and to worship, according to that which the Church sings in the hymn at Lauds, on Friday, from Prudentius: Let not the tongue be false, nor the hand, Nor let the eyes sin through lust, Nor let wickedness stain the body: A watchman stands above us, Who beholds us on all days, And our deeds he observes From the first light until evening. Furthermore, the Psalmist assigns the end and fruit of this observation of God's eyes, saying, Ps. xxxiii, 16: "The eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers. But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil things, that he may destroy the remembrance of them out of the earth." This was the sense of all the ancients, even of the Poets and Philosophers. Whence Victorinus, in book IV Against Arius (which is found in volume V of the Library of the Holy Fathers), teaches that God was once believed not only to be the eye of the world, but also to be placed at the summit of the world, so that by an unwavering gaze he might behold all things. God therefore observes the good with placid and benevolent eyes, the evil with angry and malevolent eyes; the good, that he may save and make them blessed; the evil, that he may destroy and condemn them; both, that he may judge the thoughts, words and deeds of each. See the words at cap. iii, vers. 6; Eccli. cap. xxiii, 28. Mystically, the eyes of God are providence, favor, grace, and in turn wrath, indignation, vengeance; for the eyes are the indices and therefore the symbols of these. Furthermore, in the Hebrew, as is clear from the accent ethnach, this sentence, equally as the others, is bipartite, and thus sounds: in every place the eyes of the Lord are observing the good and the evil. The first hemistich gives the reason and as it were the cause of the latter, as if to say: Therefore the eyes of the Lord everywhere observe the good and the evil, because everywhere and in every place they are by essence, presence and power. For the eyes here are not understood of the body, but of the mind, namely the very mind and intuition of God, which is nothing other than the very divinity itself. "For God is wholly sense, wholly sight, wholly hearing, wholly soul, wholly mind, wholly himself," says Pliny, lib. ii, cap. vii. St. Francis rightly attributed this verse to himself; for when he was asked by Fr. Masseo to test his humility: "How does it come about that the whole world goes after you, when you are not noble, not rich, not learned," etc.? St. Francis replied: "Do you wish to know how it comes about that the whole world goes after me? This comes to me from those most holy eyes of the Most High God which behold in every place the good and the evil. For these eyes do not see among the evil a greater sinner, or one more vile or more inept than me. And because in order to accomplish this wonderful work which he intends to do on earth, he saw no creature less suited, therefore he chose me; because God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible, and things that are not, hath God chosen, that no flesh should glory in his sight; but he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." Finally, St. Thomas proposes this verse as the theme of a sermon on the feast of St. Michael, and explains it by reviewing the various objects, modes, effects and fruits of God's intuition. Tropologically, if the eyes of God in every place behold us, it is fitting that we in turn behold him in every place, now by praying, now by singing psalms, now by praising and saying with the Psalmist, Ps. cii: "In every place of his dominion bless the Lord, O my soul;"; now by invoking and asking for gifts: for who, being poor, when looked upon kindly by a rich man, does not lift up his eyes to him, that he may receive help for his poverty? If you are always looked upon by the Lord with eyes of mercy, you, who are poor and a beggar, see to it that by constant elevation of mind toward him you always receive from him those things by which you may be rescued from miseries.
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4. A PEACEABLE TONGUE IS A TREE OF LIFE: BUT THAT WHICH IS IMMODERATE SHALL BREAK THE SPIRIT. — "Peaceable," that is, appeasing, peaceful, soothing anger or sorrow, so that the Hebrew מרפא marpe may be derived from רפא rapha by means of ה, that is, to soothe; for the letters א and ה are often interchanged among the Hebrews. Otherwise, if we retain the final א in marpe, it should be translated as health or medicine of the tongue, that is, a healing and medicinal tongue, namely soothing anger or sorrow, is a tree of life, that is, pleasant, agreeable and acceptable like the vital tree of paradise. Whence from the Hebrew you would translate thus word for word: the medicine of the tongue is a tree of life; perversity (that is, a perverse tongue, such as is immoderate and rash) in it, a breaking of the spirit. It is remarkable that the Septuagint translates perversity and breaking contrarily: the health of the tongue, they say, is a tree of life; and he who preserves it shall be filled with spirit; and the Syriac: the health of the tongue is a tree of life; and he who eats of its fruits shall be satisfied by it; and the Chaldean: the medicine of the tongue is a tree of life; and he who eats of it shall be satisfied from its fruits; R. Solomon, however, translates the latter part thus: when someone uses his tongue wickedly, it is a destruction in the wind, that is, he brings upon himself the gravest ruin, which is compared to the Eastern wind; for this is appointed to punish the wicked, according to that passage in Jeremiah xviii, 17: "As a burning wind (in Hebrew, eastern) I will scatter you;"; Psalm xlviii, 8: "In a mighty wind (in Hebrew, eastern) thou shalt break the ships of Tharsis." Similar is Exodus xiv, 21. And R. Levi: "The quietness of the tongue," he says, "is a tree of life, that is, when someone spares his words, is silent and rests, he procures life for himself: for when someone rises to bring harm to another, he will be softened by his words; but he who places perversity and desolation in his tongue will beget for himself the gravest and most unexpected dangers, like a tree which is broken by violent winds; for he will provoke the anger of his adversary." But our author, the Septuagint, the Chaldean, the Syriac and others rightly understand by רוח ruach the spirit, not the wind. Whence our author translates, shall break the spirit; the Septuagint, however, shall be filled with spirit, because the Hebrew שבר scheber signifies both breaking and food by which we are satisfied. Therefore "a peaceable tongue," first, is a peaceful tongue, and the health of the tongue is a tongue healthy in itself: namely one which labors under no diseases of anger, envy, impatience; this therefore, like the fruit of the tree of life, first preserves the very man to whom it belongs in continual peace, serenity and joy. Second, it preserves and prolongs his life, both of body and soul; for death of the soul, and often of the body too, is brought about through detraction, calumny, quarrels, strife, and other crimes of an intemperate tongue, from which a mild and peaceable tongue is cautious. Third, it tempers and composes all the powers of the soul, movements, senses, affections, and the whole man, removing the conflicts of anger and concupiscence with reason; in which matter the health of the soul, and consequently of the body, consists. See what I have said concerning the tree of life at chapter iii, 18, and chapter xi, 30, and Genesis ii, 9. Finally, St. Chrysostom in Psalm cxl, 3, on those words: "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth," teaches that Adam and Eve were cast out of paradise because they did not guard their tongue, but mingled conversation with the serpent: for persuaded by him they ate the forbidden fruit: wherefore the guarding of the tongue is necessary, so that we may recover, as far as is permitted, the happiness of paradise, which Adam lost by speaking. Hence by the Cherubim guarding paradise with a fiery sword, he mystically understands the guarding of the tongue from thought and fear of divine judgment. "What indeed," he says, "could this guarding be, except reason and thought, which urges terribly, having before its eyes the fire that will burn those who have used their mouth rashly?" Second, "a peaceable tongue" and a healing one is a mild and peaceful tongue, which by its gentleness and grace heals and cures the sorrows and sicknesses of the mind in others, just as the tree of life cured all alterations of the body: namely it calms the angry, reconciles the divided, makes friends of the envious, makes the proud humble, raises up the fainthearted, etc. But that which is "immoderate," in Hebrew perverse, namely harsh, wrathful, or infected and corrupted by some other vice, "shall break the spirit," because it fixes the stings of anger, sorrow, vengeance, fainthearted-ness, sadness, anguish, or imprudence and folly in the mind of another, by which the peace, health, vigor and strength of the soul and spirit is broken and crushed. This is a great gift and grace of the tongue, which St. Bernard requires in Prelates, sermon 25 in the Canticles. For explaining that passage, I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, he says these words are of the bride, who, in order to soften those rivals stirred up against her by the stings of envy, calls them in a friendly manner daughters of Jerusalem. And he adds: "This perfection is indeed to be desired by all; but it is properly the form of the best Prelates. For good and faithful Superiors know that the care of the souls entrusted to them is languishing, not pomp. And when they detect the internal murmuring of any of them by the indication of a querulous voice, even if it breaks forth into insults and contumely against themselves, recognizing themselves as physicians and not as lords, they prepare at once against the frenzy of the soul not vengeance, but medicine. This therefore is the reason why the bride calls daughters of Jerusalem those very ones whom she sustains as malevolent and cursing, namely that in gentle speech she may delineate the murmurers, settle the commotion, heal the bitterness. For it is written: A peaceful tongue restrains quarrels." Thus indeed St. Bernard reads, or rather explains what we read: "A peaceable tongue is a tree of life." To this pertains the distinction between the angry and the patient man, which Blessed Antiochus gives in the Pandects: "A branch, he says, when it is green and flexible, is difficult to break, because it yields to the hand; but one that is dry is easily broken, because it does not yield. So likewise a mild man is difficult to be torn away, because he yields and bends gently; but the angry man, not knowing how to bend, is broken by a single word alone." Moreover the Septuagint translates, a sound tongue is a tree of life; whoever shall keep it, shall be filled with spirit, namely of gentleness, peace, charity, just as a heated furnace, if kept closed, is filled with the spirit of heat. But the author of the Catena of the Greeks thus explains the Septuagint: There is, he says, a twofold soundness of the tongue: one by which it heals, another which is healed. That tongue is rightly called sound which does not sin by word; for the disease of the tongue is sin committed through it. But it is filled with spirit, which tongue does not sin, not with any, but with the Holy Spirit. The Wise Man exhorts also below to cautious keeping of the tongue. For he says: "Honeycomb is pleasant to the palate; the sweetness thereof is health to the bones." Doctrine concerning useful and salutary things germinates knowledge; but this is a tree of life.
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5. THE FOOL MOCKETH HIS FATHER'S DISCIPLINE: BUT HE THAT KEEPETH REPROOFS SHALL BE WISER. — The Syriac: but the prudent one keeps the reproofs of his father; the Chaldean: and he who guards himself from his reproof is cunning. For mocketh the Hebrew is ינאץ iinats, that is, despises; the Chaldean, rejects; the Septuagint, scoffs at. The meaning is clear, as if to say: The fool, that is, the unwise and impious one addicted to his own judgment and his own lusts, when he is corrected by his father concerning these things, despises the correction: in which he shows his foolishness, because since this correction proceeds from paternal love, by which the father most greatly desires the good of his son, namely that he teach him wisdom and virtue, he foolishly spurns both this good of his and paternal love, and moreover rushes headlong into vices which will lead him to ruin and hell; for he becomes more foolish day by day, and more obstinate in foolishness, that is, in vices and iniquity. But truly he who keeps reproofs shall be wiser; the Septuagint, wiser, that is, more prudent and more wise shall become, because he will make progress in all honesty and virtue which will procure for him honor and happiness both present and eternal. In Hebrew it is יערים iarim, that is, he shall become astute, cunning like a serpent; for the serpent is accustomed to sharpen the weak and trembling eyes of puppies with the juice of fennel; and hence so keen is the sight in the serpent, as Albert the Great relates, and indeed Pliny, book xxi, chapter xxiii: "Fennel, he says, the serpents have ennobled by tasting it, shedding their old age, and restoring the keenness of their eyes with its juice." The same author, book viii, chapter xxvii: "The serpent, he says, in its winter hiding place with sight darkened, rubbing itself against the herb marathion, anoints and refreshes its eyes; but if the scales have become torpid, it scratches itself with the spines of juniper." In a similar way parents sharpen the prudence and virtue of their children by their reproof. This teaching is inculcated frequently by Solomon, because it is the beginning and cause of all good in children, as chapter i, 1, chapter iv, 1, chapter vii, 1, and specifically chapter xii, 1, chapter xiii, 1. See the sayings there.
IN ABUNDANCE OF JUSTICE THE GREATEST STRENGTH IS: BUT THE THOUGHTS OF THE WICKED SHALL BE ROOTED OUT IN ABUNDANCE OF JUSTICE THE GREATEST STRENGTH IS: BUT THE THOUGHTS OF THE WICKED SHALL BE ROOTED OUT. — This verse is not in the Hebrew, but in the Septuagint, from which Our author transcribed it. For strength the Greek is ἰσχύς, that is, robustness, fortitude, as if to say: The just man, while he daily makes progress in justice, daily augmenting his strength, strengthens himself likewise in goods both of body and of mind; whence it comes to pass that he overcomes all temptations, persecutions, afflictions with increasing fortitude day by day, and generously transcends all the adversities of this world equally as its prosperities, nor does he allow himself to be drawn away even a hair's breadth from justice and virtue by any promises or threats, because fixing his heart in God and heaven he despises all earthly things; but the thoughts and desires of the wicked, because they are placed in earthly riches, friends, honours, are hence weak, fleeting and evanescent, and therefore will soon be cut down root and branch and perish. It appears that the Septuagint added this sentence for the sake of explanation to the following one, which exists in the Hebrew; it seems to be a paraphrase and interpretation of that one, as is evident to anyone comparing both. Finally, some understand justice here as particular justice, which is the virtue rendering to each his due, and thus explain it, as if to say: Justice is the greatest of the moral virtues, as Aristotle teaches, book V of the Ethics, chapter i, and St. Thomas, II-I, Question lxvi, article 4, who also gives the reason why justice is closer to reason, and that its subject is the will, while its object is operations by which man is rightly and justly ordered toward another; whereas fortitude is in the irascible appetite, temperance in the concupiscible, and its object is food, drink and venereal things. Yet for strength the Greek is not ἀρετή, but ἰσχύς, that is, robustness, fortitude, as I have said.
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6. THE HOUSE OF THE JUST HATH MUCH STRENGTH: AND IN THE FRUITS OF THE WICKED THERE IS TROUBLE. — The Septuagint: In the houses of the just there is much strength; but the fruit of the wicked shall perish. For strength in Hebrew is חסן chosen, that is, robur, strength, likewise riches and treasure laid up and protected. First therefore R. Levi thus explains: The house of the just is fortified and firm for a twofold reason, both by its own strength, and by the special providence of God, by which He embraces the just. But when the wicked shall assail it, it shall be troubled by the same, and shall not escape ruin, and there shall be taken from it both protection and merit. R. Solomon adds: The house of the just, he says, is the temple built by David, or rather by Solomon, which was a most secure fortification and tower of strength for the Israelites. But when Manasses brought an idol into it, then it was troubled, profaned and scattered. Secondly, Baynus, as if to say: Not riches, but justice gives strength to endure adversities; by which therefore the house of the just resists, not the wicked. Thirdly and genuinely, "strength" here signifies not so much robur, as riches and treasure: for here it is directly opposed to fruits, in Hebrew proventibus, of the wicked; and this is signified by the Hebrew chosen, because the strength of the rich is their riches, according to that in chapter x, 15: "The substance of the rich is the city of his strength." Whence Pagninus, Vatablus, Cajetan, Marinus, Aben-Ezra, and others everywhere translate, in the house (or to the house, or in the house) of the just much treasure, that is, great, as if to say: In the house of the just many riches are gathered together and preserved, and they remain and endure, because they are chosen, that is, laid up and protected by wisdom and justice, and by God: but the crops and fruits of the wicked are troubled, that is, are disturbed and scattered either by hail and storms, or by robbers and soldiers plundering them, or by the very household members themselves, who in the house of the wicked are wont likewise to be iniquitous and rapacious, so that each may seize for himself what he can; and thus the fruits of the house and master are scattered and perish. On the other hand, God protects the fruits and riches of the just from storms, from robbers, from all adversity; and the household members of the just are likewise faithful and just, who therefore both labor and conspire together for the good and riches of the house and master. Again, the just man preserves riches, and rightly expends them for his own uses and for alms, on account of which God in turn grants him greater fruits. But the wicked man squanders and dissipates his goods in banquets, games, gambling, harlots: for the greater the fruit and harvest that comes to him, the more freely he sins, and flows into luxury. Whence Baynus: This proverb teaches, he says, that riches shall be to the just a matter of virtue, but to the wicked the fuel of vices. Aben-Ezra indeed: The house of the just, he says, is like a fortification, that is, a storehouse of the just full of grain, as if to say: In the house of the just ample granaries are filled with crops. Moreover chosen, that is, strength, and strong treasure, signifies the riches of the just obtained by just labor laid up, and long preserved in the family of the just, and accustomed to be handed down from father to sons and grandsons; whereas on the other hand the riches of the wicked, being obtained through rapine, usury and unjust contracts, so do not last that they trouble the house, while the heirs litigate over their possession and inheritance, either among themselves, or with those from whom they were unjustly taken. Finally we see peace, love, concord flourishing in the houses of the pious; but the houses of the wicked are troubled by continual hatreds, lawsuits, quarrels. Whence the Zurich Bible translates: In the house of the just there are many treasures; but in the fruits of the wicked there is disturbance; Vatablus: By the fruit of the wicked the house itself is shaken, namely by wicked works; for these are the fruits of the wicked. Mystically, you may understand this of the treasures of virtues and good works, especially of alms, which when they remain with the just, indeed shall lead him to the kingdom of heaven, according to that saying of Christ: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth consume," Matthew vi. Whereas on the other hand the works of the wicked do not endure, either because they are wicked; or if they are good, they are not stable: for that wicked man shall relapse into wickedness. Allegorically, the Author of the Greek Catena: "By the houses of the just, he says, understand the Churches, in which the strength of God exists through the presence of the Holy Spirit: but by the fruit of the wicked their wicked works, on account of which they are certainly about to perish." And Bede: "The house of the just, he says, is the Church of Christ, which hath very great strength, so that by rain, winds and rivers of frequent temptations it can in no way be destroyed; and in the works of the devil continual trouble rages, which attempts to cast down this very house of Christ either through false brethren, or through open adversaries."
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7. THE LIPS OF THE WISE SHALL SCATTER (Heb. scatter; Zurich, sow; Symmachus, guard) KNOWLEDGE: THE HEART OF FOOLS SHALL BE UNLIKE. — In Hebrew, the heart of fools is not thus; the Syriac and Pagninus, it is not right; Zurich, it is not solid; R. Solomon, it is not true; the Chaldean, the lips of the wise make known (Syriac, speak) knowledge, and of fools not thus; the Septuagint, the lips of the wise are bound with sense; but the hearts of the imprudent are not secure; or, as the author of the Greek Catena says, the lips of the wise are bound with judgment and sense; but the hearts of fools are slippery and unstable. For "unlike" in Hebrew is כן ken, which is an adverb signifying thus, so; it is also a noun signifying right, true; likewise firm, solid. For "shall scatter" in Hebrew is יזרו iezaru, which first signifies, by winnowing they shall scatter, shall sow, as our translator, Vatablus, Pagninus and others render it; secondly, they shall constrain, gird, embrace, bind to themselves knowledge, as the Septuagint translates it: for the verb זרה zara is of contrary signification (of which the Hebrews have many), so as to signify not only to scatter, but also to constrain, or to fold together and gird those things which were scattered and loose; so that both in letters (though transposed) and in signification it alludes to אזר azar, that is, he girded, he girt about. Whence R. Solomon renders it, the wise shall be crowned with knowledge; for זר zer signifies a crown. Both significations suit this place, and come to the same thing. The plain sense therefore is, as if to say, The wise so bind wisdom and virtue (for this is the knowledge of the Saints) to their heart, and conversely bind their heart to wisdom, that they thoroughly imbue and fill their heart with it, whereby it comes to pass that they have their heart and mind fixed and stable, and full of wisdom, and then they eruct and scatter the same to others; but the heart of fools is unlike: for it is bound not to wisdom, but to folly; whereby it comes to pass that they have an unstable, wandering and slippery mind, by which they roll from one concupiscence to another and slip away, and so they eruct and scatter to others the folly with which they are full. Whence St. Gregory, III part. Pastor. admonit. 19: "Concerning these," he says, "it is written: The heart of fools shall be unlike. For the heart of the wise is always like itself, because while it rests in true persuasions, it constantly directs itself in good work; but the heart of fools is unlike, because while it exhibits itself as variable in changeableness, it never remains the same as it was." Wherefore, as the philosopher Sixtus says, the wise man is always like himself, the unwise man always unlike. This is to be seen in heretics, who always teach different things, and indeed contrary to their former teachings. See Luther the seven-headed at Cochlaeus. Therefore the Hebrew iezaru signifies that the wise in teaching wisdom, that is, virtue, ought to do what farmers do in sowing seed, according to the parable of the sower set forth by Christ, Matt. xiii, 3: namely first, that just as farmers iezaru, that is, winnow the seed to be sown, so that it may be pure and separated from chaff, so likewise the wise man shall winnow and purge the knowledge and wisdom which he teaches from every error, as much as the mind from cupidity. Secondly, that just as farmers iezaru, that is, gird and bind to themselves the sack of seed to be sown, so likewise the wise man shall bind to himself the knowledge to be taught, so that namely he may deeply imprint it on his heart, so that, while he teaches, not from his mouth, but from the inmost sense, affection and spirit of his heart, he may be seen to utter and breathe it forth. This is what Christ says: "He that soweth went out to sow his seed," who namely makes the seed, that is, the word of God, his own, that is, he has deeply placed and impressed it on his heart. Many teachers and preachers sin in this respect, who recite their sermons composed by themselves word for word from memory, just as if they were reciting a speech of Cicero which they had learned: wherefore their sermon is a dry and cold declamation; but the wise bring forth their words more from the heart than from memory, and therefore they are living, efficacious and burning, by which they kindle the minds of their hearers and impel them whithersoever they will. Third, just as farmers sow seed liberally in hope of a plentiful harvest, so also the wise man spreads and disseminates his wisdom widely, knowing it to be seed, and that it has been given to him by God for sowing, who will exact from him a strict account of this sowing on the day of judgment, especially because he likewise knows that a broad reward has been promised to him by God for his sowing, namely the crown of doctors in heaven, and the conversion of his hearers on earth. For even if hearers do not convert immediately, yet in their own time, mindful of the sermon heard, they will produce fruit not to be regretted either in themselves or in others. Whence St. Chrysostom, homily 41 on Genesis: "A farmer indeed," he says, "does not sow with equal eagerness, thinking that the fruits have hitherto been useless; but we are free from this care. For although by the idleness of hearers we do not obtain fruit from equal seed sown, yet a perfect harvest and reward will be ours." Hence the Wise Man admonishes, Ecclesiastes xi, verse 1: "Cast thy bread upon the running waters, for after many days thou shalt find it again." And verse 4: "He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that considereth the clouds shall never reap." And Isaiah, chapter xxxii, 20: "Blessed are they that sow beside all waters, sending thither the feet of the ox and the ass." Therefore, just as a farmer sows his entire field, and does not distinguish the more fertile part from the less fertile: so also the preacher should not consider whether his hearers are many or few, noble or ignoble, learned or rude; but should say with the Apostle: "I am a debtor both to the wise and to the unwise," and at every opportunity given should strenuously teach and preach. Thus St. Francis, as St. Bonaventure testifies, preached with the same mental eagerness, the same fervor of spirit to few and to many, to rich and to poor, to citizens and to rustics. Such were the Apostles, and apostolic men, of whom it is said in Psalm cxxv: "Going they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves." Fourth, St. Ambrose on Psalm xxxvi: "The lips of the wise," he says, "are bound by understanding, in that all things which they speak appear to accord with true understanding, and by their own prudence they understand what things they ought to speak or to be silent about, so that those things which ought to be silent they restrain by a certain enclosure and binding of the lips; but in those things which ought to be said, they loosen the bonds of the lips." The same on Psalm xxxviii: "The lips of the wise are bound by understanding. When therefore thou seest the wise man silent toward impudent mockers, say: He has bound his lips by understanding, that is, he is prudently silent, lest he be bound by the bonds of his own lips. He hath set a watch before his mouth, he hath hedged in his ears with thorns, he hath applied a bar to the doors of his mouth; he preserves the treasure of his heart, and the silver of his eloquence, so that examined and purified, when it is fitting, he may bring it forth, lest any thief first break into his heart or a disturber rush in, and lead him captive to those to whom he might sell his shameful deeds." The same, book III, epistle to Constantius: "Let thy lips be bound by understanding, that is," he says, "let the manifestation of thy words shine forth, let understanding flash in thy discourse and thy address, and thy treatment need not the assertion of another, but thy speech like arms defend itself, nor let any word of thine go forth in vain, and without understanding. For there is a binding, which is wont to constrain the wounds of souls; which if anyone rejects, he betrays his own salvation as desperate. And therefore toward those who are vexed by a grave wound, use the oil of discourse, by which thou mayest soften the hardness of the mind. Apply a poultice, join the binding of a salutary precept, so that the wandering and wavering concerning faith or the observance of discipline, thou mayest by no means suffer to perish with a loosened spirit and remiss vigor." See more in St. Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, Barradius, Salmerón, and other interpreters explaining the parable of the sower, Matthew xiii, 3.
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8. THE SACRIFICES OF THE IMPIOUS ARE ABOMINABLE TO THE LORD: THE VOWS OF THE JUST ARE PLEASING TO HIM — that is, they are grateful and acceptable to God, and suited to reconcile and appease God. "Vows" here signify not promises made to God, but prayers; for in Hebrew it is תפלה tephilla, that is, prayer, supplications, entreaties. The Hebrews therefore have it thus: the sacrifice of the impious is an abomination of the Lord; and the prayer of the upright is his good pleasure; the Chaldean, and in the prayer of the just he will be pleased; the Syrian, he holds the prayers of the just as pleasing; the Septuagint, in the Catena of the Greeks, The Lord execrates the sacrifices of the impious; but their prayers, those of men who rightly establish the course of their life, are accepted with him. The meaning is clear. The reason is that formerly, before Christ, all the sacrifices of the Jews and Gentiles had their entire power of meriting, satisfying, and obtaining from the work of the one working, that is, from the holiness and dignity of the one offering. But in the new law Christ instituted the sacrifice of the Eucharist, which avails not only from the work of the one working, but far more from the work worked, that is, by itself and by its own power, because both the one offering and its victim is Christ himself, who is most pleasing to God; wherefore even if the one offering, namely the priest, be impious, nevertheless the Eucharistic sacrifice offered by him retains and preserves the power which it has from the work worked, as all theologians teach. And St. Augustine, book II Against Parmenian, chapter vi, when the Donatists and others objected this passage of Solomon to him, and from it contended that baptism conferred by heretics, as impious men, was displeasing to God, and therefore invalid and to be repeated, responds by denying the consequence. They object, he says: "The sacrifices of the impious are an execration to the Lord. For indeed, they say, they offer them unjustly." St. Augustine responds to this: "It has already been answered above, because Christ is not unjust, who offered himself for us, and is our mediator in heaven; under whose governance of his Church the wicked do not harm the good, who are either unknown, or tolerated for the sake of peace, until he himself comes and separates the tares from the harvest with the reapers sent before, and the chaff from the wheat with the winnowing fan." And further below: "Therefore the sacrifices of the impious harm those very ones who offer impiously. For one and the same sacrifice, on account of the name of the Lord which is invoked upon it, is always holy, and becomes such to each one as the heart with which he approached to receive it. For he who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself. He does not say, to others, but to himself." Yet the prayers and oblations of Christians, equally as of Jews, have their power not from the work worked, but from the one working; wherefore if the one working be in a state of mortal sin, and therefore displeasing and hateful to God, his prayer has little power and weight with God, unless he repent of his sin, or begin to repent. For, as St. Augustine says, sermon 19 On the Words of the Lord: "God questions the heart, not the hand," that is, he weighs hearts, not oblations; he esteems holiness, not gifts; he weighs intentions, not prayers. Parallel to this opinion is that passage Ecclesiasticus xxxiv, 23: "The Most High does not approve the gifts of the wicked, nor does he regard the oblations of the wicked, nor will he be appeased for sins by the multitude of their sacrifices." See the things said there. Thus St. Gregory explains this passage, book VII of the Register, epistle 127 to Reccared king of the Visigoths, praising him for gifts sent to St. Peter. His words have been translated into Canon Law, and are found 3, Question vii, chapter v In gravibus, where it is said thus: "In grave sins, when one is placed and pressed by his own, he does not wash away those of others. For we all know clearly that when he who is sent to intercede displeases, an angry mind is doubtless provoked to worse things. For it is written: The sacrifices of the impious are abominable to God, the vows of the just are pleasing. For in the judgment of almighty God, it is not what, but from whom it is given, that is regarded. Hence it is that it is written: The Lord had respect to Abel, and to his gifts: but to Cain and to his gifts he had not respect. For being about to say that the Lord had respect to the gifts, he carefully premised that he had respect to Abel. From which thing it is plainly shown that not the one offering was pleasing from the gifts, but the gifts from the one offering. The Most High does not approve the gifts of the wicked, nor does he regard their oblations, nor will he be appeased for sins by the multitude of their sacrifices. Likewise: The Lord is far from the wicked, and he will hear the prayers of the just." Moreover, the Calvinists from these sayings of Solomon infer that without faith no good work can be done, even a merely moral one, and therefore all the works of the unfaithful and impious are sins. To whom Bellarmine responds most excellently, in book V On Grace and Free Will, chapter x: "There is much difference," he says, "between sacrifices and moral works: for in order that a moral work be done well, it is not required that it be done with detestation of sins, or with a pure conscience, which however is required for a sacrifice to be offered rightly. The reason for this difference is that a sacrifice has as its end to placate and reconcile God, or to obtain some benefits from Him, or to give thanks for benefits received; but he who strives to reconcile God to himself, and yet does not detest his sins, nor abandon them, fights against his own action itself, and does not so much placate God as provoke Him to wrath. So also he who wishes to obtain benefits from God, or to give Him thanks for benefits received, and yet maintains enmity with Him, and does not cease to offend Him by transgressing His law; such a one does not so much honor God as mock Him. Wherefore it is no wonder if his sacrifice does not please God, since it is not offered rightly. But a moral work, such as almsgiving to a poor person, has no end other than to bring aid to the needy, and to achieve this end nothing pertains to the purity or impurity of the life and conscience of him who gives the alms."
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9. THE WAY OF THE WICKED IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: BUT HE LOVETH HIM THAT FOLLOWETH JUSTICE. — The Chaldee: and those following justice He loves. This sentence is clear, and gives the reason for the preceding one, as if to say: Therefore God abhors the sacrifices of the impious, because He abhors their way, that is, their manner of living and acting; therefore He accepts the prayers of the just, because their way, that is, their manner of living, namely their just works, please Him. For "he that followeth" in Hebrew is מרדף meraddeph, that is, he who pursues justice, by which is signified that justice, like a heavenly maiden, flees from men filled with earthly desires, according to that saying of the Poet: Astraea, last of virtues, left the earth. Wherefore those devoted to virtue ought to pursue her as she flees, and this with great contention, effort and zeal, so that they may be able to overtake and seize her as she runs swiftly ahead with swifter running. Therefore, with the same effort with which a hunting dog pursues a hare, accelerating and multiplying his steps until he catches and seizes the hare, so ought we to pursue virtue, nor cease from continuous running, but intensify it, until we attain it.
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10. EVIL DOCTRINE FORSAKING THE WAY OF LIFE: HE WHO HATETH REPROOFS SHALL DIE. — "Of life" is not in the Hebrew, but is understood: for the way of life is the law of God, which leads to long life here, and thereafter to eternal life in heaven. For "doctrine" the Hebrew word is מוסר musar, that is, chastisement, discipline, correction. The sense therefore is, as if to say, Discipline and correction are "evil" to the impious man who, following his desires, forsakes the way of life, that is, the law of God, both because it is ungrateful to him, unpleasant and burdensome: for thus "good" is often taken for pleasant and joyful, "evil" truly for sad and burdensome, as when Christ says, Matt. vi: "Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof," that is, its trouble, its cross, its affliction; and because the law of God threatens the impious with the worst punishments both in this age and in the future, and if it be despised, delivers them to those punishments. But "he" who not only forsakes the way of life, but also "hateth reproofs, shall die," both by untimely death, by which God often punishes the wicked; and by eternal death in hell; whence the Septuagint translates, But they who hate reproofs, die shamefully; for such are incorrigible and as it were desperate, like those who are delirious and lethargic, who wish to sleep in their sins, and sleeping to die. Thus St. Augustine, serm. 50 On the Words of the Lord: "Truly," he says, "such men are like those who are lethargic, who are sluggish to turn their eyes to the light, and are troublesome to those who wish to rouse them. Depart from me, says the lethargic man. Why? I wish to sleep. But he says: You will die. Then he, from love of sleep: I wish to die, he answers. But charity from above: I do not wish it." See the words at verse 5, and the places cited there. That this is the sense is clear from the Hebrew, which thus reads, evil correction to him forsaking the path; and from the Chaldean, discipline of the evil man, he says, causes his way to err; and the Zurich version, of forsaken paths heavy chastisement remains; and Vatable, discipline is heavy and ungrateful to the man who forsakes the right way; and Pagninus, evil scourging is to him forsaking the path of the Lord; and R. Solomon: "Grave punishments," he says, "and penalties appointed and prepared are for him who leaps over the divine path." So also Aben-Ezra, R. Levi, Jansenius, Salazar and others. Furthermore the Septuagint translates differently, discipline is known by the innocent who pass by; and the Syriac, the reproof of those who know not evil is manifest. But in the Septuagint for ἀκάκου, that is, of the innocent, it seems should be corrected to κακοῦ, that is, of the evil, of the guilty: for thus the Hebrew, Chaldean and the others already cited. Baynus explains it otherwise, as if to say, The doctrine of a father or teacher who forsakes the way of life, that is, the law of God, is evil, because just as he himself is vicious, so he teaches the same vices by words and deeds, and impresses them upon his sons and disciples. Hugo also explains it otherwise, as if to say, He teaches badly who teaches by doctrine of the word alone, that is, by mouth alone, when by deed he forsakes the way of life, that is, the law of God; because, as Bede says in Proverbs: "To live badly and teach well is nothing other than to condemn oneself by one's own voice;" and, as Chrysostom says, homil. 47 in Matt.: "His very deeds cry out against the doctrine itself with loud voices." See the author of the Imperfect Work in St. Chrysostom, homil. 9 and 40 in Matt., where among other things he says: "Such a one does not instruct another, but chastises himself. For no one can stand in the valley and speak from the mountain; but either speak from where you stand, or stand where you speak. If your mind is on the earth, why do you speak of heaven?" And further below: "It is better to do and not teach, than to teach and not do: because he who does corrects some by his example; but he who teaches and does not do, not only corrects no one, but moreover scandalizes many. For who is not moved to sin when he sees the very teachers of justice sinning?"
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11. HELL AND PERDITION BEFORE THE LORD: HOW MUCH MORE THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN OF MEN? — The Septuagint: hell and perdition are manifest before the Lord, how not also the hearts of men? In Hebrew it is אף כי aph ki, which in a comparison, such as this is, signifies how much more, or much more. Thus Pagninus, Vatablus, Marinus, Baynus, Jansenius and others. Wherefore coldly and somewhat inaptly do some translate, hell and perdition before the Lord, and also the hearts of the children of men. It alludes to that passage in Job xxvi, 6: "Hell is naked before him, and there is no covering for destruction." HELL AND PERDITION. — That is, hell destroying all things, so that it is a hendiadys; for hell is called perdition, in Hebrew אבדון abaddon, that is, destruction, consumption, a place altogether hidden from us and wrapped in much darkness, an abyss and precipice, into which when anything descends, it seems to have perished, immersed and buried in the darkness of oblivion and forgetfulness, according to that in Psalm lxxxvii, 13: "Shall thy wonders be known in darkness, and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?" Or more simply, hell is the lowest place of the earth and of the whole world, and the prison of the damned; perdition is death itself, gehenna and eternal damnation of the same. Again, perdition are the very lost, namely the damned both men and demons in hell. Whence in Apocalypse ix, 11, the angel presiding over the abyss is called in Hebrew abaddon, in Greek ἀπολλύων, in Latin the destroyer, or the one who destroys. Wherefore less probably do Cajetan and Jansenius understand by hell the state of the dead; Mercier, the sepulchre; others, death, as if to say, God knows the state of the dead (namely where the dead are, what they suffer), which seems to men in this life most hidden. Therefore much more does he know the hearts of men living here: for these do not seem so hidden to men, although in the nature of the thing they are more hidden, secret and mysterious. But the Hebrew שאול scheel properly signifies hell, not death, nor the sepulchre, especially when אבדון abaddon, that is, perdition, is added to it. Whence the Church condemns Calvin, who denies that Christ descended into hell; and by hell he understood the sepulchre, as if in the Creed it were the same thing: "He descended into hell," which means "and was buried." Indeed the Scholiast of the Septuagint says, discipline is an evil to him who forsakes the way; which plainly agrees with the others already cited. Aben-Ezra and R. Levi connect this verse with the preceding one in this manner: The Lord, in whose sight is hell and perdition, that is, to whom nothing is hidden, proves the thoughts and hearts of the children of men, who forsake the way of discipline, and hate correction, and will give them their reward, so that they may die before their day, and descend into hell and perdition. Solomon therefore instills fear here in those who desert the straight ways, as if they could hide and deceive the eyes of God, who perceive even the most secret things clearly. The same does the father of Solomon, David, in Psalm cxxxviii, 7: "Whither, he says, shall I go from thy spirit, and whither shall I flee from thy face? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I descend into hell, thou art present," etc. It is an argument from the less difficult to the more difficult, as if to say, God knows hell and damnation and the damned; therefore much more does he know hearts, that is, the thoughts and volitions of their hearts, who live in this earth: for that is more difficult, this is easier. The difficulty is, how this statement is true. The reason for doubting is that hell and damnation are physical things, and therefore determined and certain, which can easily be known; but truly the thoughts and intentions of men are free things, and therefore indeterminate, secret and mysterious, and therefore known to God alone. Whence Angels, demons and the damned know hell and the punishments of the damned; but they do not know the secrets of hearts. Jansenius and Cajetan respond first that Solomon speaks of difficulty, which is not on the part of the thing itself, but in the opinion of men; for men think it is more difficult, indeed it is truly more difficult for them to know the secrets of hell than the secrets of hearts, because they have no signs of those, but of these they have signs through words, countenance, gestures, deeds, etc. This response is easy and probable. For Scripture sometimes speaks from the mind and sense of men, and accommodates itself to the phrases and customs of men. Second, R. Levi constructs the argument thus: hell is the lowest place, and most remote from God; but the heart or mind of man is near to God, because created in the image of God. If therefore the eyes of God penetrate even to the lowest hell remote from him, much more will they penetrate the hearts of men near to him. Thirdly, Hugo limits the hearts of men to good men, as if to say: If God regards hell and the damned in it, so that He punishes them according to the measure of the evils committed by them, how much more will He regard the hearts of the good, so that He may reward them according to the good deeds intended in mind and perfected in deed? Fourthly, more genuinely and profoundly understand by hell and perdition damnation and the damned, especially demons, as if to say: God knows the secrets of hell and of the damned, especially of demons; therefore much more does He know the secrets of men living. For demons, just as they surpass men in subtlety of nature, so also in profundity of mind and in concealing secrets; whence they are more crafty, fraudulent and deceitful than men, as is evident from their temptations, by which they often entangle, seduce and overthrow even holy men. Again, God knows all acts, even the internal and secret ones of hearts, both of demons and of damned men, which they had in life; and therefore He inflicted upon each in hell that measure of punishments which each merited by his own acts. Moreover, God knows all the thoughts and volitions of demons and the damned, which they now have, and which they will have throughout all eternity; therefore much more does He know the thoughts and volitions of men, who live miserably and in a limited way on earth. Finally, "before the Lord" signifies not only that the hearts of men are known to God, equally as those of demons and the damned, but also that they are in the hand, power and dominion of God, so that He may do with them what He pleases, so that He may send them whatever thoughts and volitions He will, so that He may give them punishments or rewards and joys, as it pleases Him. For the hearts of all Angels, demons and the damned are in the hand of God just as clay is in the hand of the potter, as Jeremiah says, chapter xviii, verse 6, and as wax is in the hand of the wax-worker. Therefore by the same, indeed by a stronger reason, in the same way the hearts of men are in the hand of God, according to that of St. Paul: "He hath mercy on whom He will, and whom He will He hardeneth," Rom. ix, 18 and 20. Hence God is called by St. Augustine and others "the king of minds," because He entirely penetrates them, possesses them, occupies them, so that He can intimately flow into them, and impart to them whatever thoughts and volitions He will, vitally, which neither demon nor angel can do. Rightly therefore does Solomon argue from the more difficult to the less difficult. If God by His wisdom penetrates, and by His power possesses the minds of demons and the damned in hell, so much so that He torments and burns them with fire, therefore much more does He penetrate and possess the hearts of men still living, who cannot be compared with demons in craftiness and strength. In a similar phrase Abraham says to Lot, Genesis, chapter xiii, 9: "Behold all the land is before thee," that is, it is in thy power and choice to select in it the region which pleases thee more. And David to God, Psalm xxxvii, 10: "Lord, all my desire is before thee," as if to say: It is in thy hand to fulfill it. Isaiah xl, 10: "His work is before Him," that is, it is in His hand and choice. Song of Songs viii, 12: "My vineyard is before me," it is of my right and power.
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12. THE PESTILENT (Septuagint, the undisciplined, who turns away from and rejects discipline and correction) DOES NOT LOVE HIM WHO REPROVES HIM: NOR DOES HE GO TO THE WISE. — Vatablus, approaches; Septuagint, he will not associate with the wise; Syriac, does not walk; for because he thinks it will happen that he be reproved by them, therefore he flees them, says Aben-Ezra. For pestilent in Hebrew is לץ lets, that is, a scoffer, a mocker, who scorns all admonitions and hisses them away with laughter, such as by their contempt, jeers, jests and insults are most pestilent and extremely harmful, because they turn all laws, both divine and human, into a joke, and elude them with laughter; who therefore, like plagues, ought to be avoided by the faithful, and cast out and cut off from their assembly like rotten members, because by the contagion of their malice they infect many, and destroy their souls. Such are heretics, concerning whom the Apostle therefore decrees thus to Titus iii, 10: "A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid, knowing that he that is such, is subverted, etc., being condemned by his own judgment." For, as he says in II Timothy, chapter ii, verse 17: "Their speech creepeth as a cancer."
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13. A GLAD HEART MAKETH A CHEERFUL COUNTENANCE (Pagninus, adorns): BUT BY SORROW OF THE MIND THE SPIRIT IS CAST DOWN. — The Septuagint: the face of a glad heart flourishes (the Complutensian edition: is green; Origen, homily 4 on the Song of Songs, is blooming); but in sorrows it is sad; the Syriac: a cheerful heart makes the body beautiful, a sad heart afflicts the spirit with grief; the Zurich Bible: in the sorrow of the heart the spirit languishes; Vatable: the spirit is broken, darkened, or perishes and fades away. First, Rabbi Solomon expounds it thus, as if to say: If you bring joy to the heart of God by embracing His path, God in turn will show you a benevolent and cheerful countenance, satisfying your desires. But if you give Him cause for sorrow, He in turn will show Himself to you with a troubled spirit, just as we read in the time of Noah that God, touched by sorrow at the crimes of men, said inwardly: "I will destroy man whom I have created," Genesis vi. This sense is out of place here: for here we are dealing with the joy of the human heart, not the divine. Second, Rabbi Levi: A glad heart, he says, wonderfully contributes to contemplation. For this reason Elisha ordered a harp to be brought, so that his mind, cheered by music, might rise to divine things and receive the prophetic spirit, IV Kings iii, 13. Conversely, the Rabbis relate that Jacob the patriarch, mourning for his lost son Joseph, was deprived of the Holy Spirit, namely the spirit of joy and gladness, in which the Holy Spirit rejoices and through which He works great things. Thus Hugo too understands by spirit here the Holy Spirit, whom sadness afflicts and drives out from a sorrowful soul. Indeed, Blessed Antiochus, homily 25 On Sadness, says: "Turn away this sadness from you, and do not sadden the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, lest perhaps He intercede with God and depart from you; for the Spirit of God, who has poured Himself out even into this flesh, does not bear sadness, nor anguish of soul." And again: "Sadness saddens the Holy Spirit, who is given to man in gladness. For just as vinegar mixed with wine brings no pleasant taste: so also sadness mixed with the Holy Spirit makes His consolation unpleasant." Blessed Antiochus borrowed this from the book of the Shepherd, or Hermas, the disciple of St. Paul, who in book II, commandment 10, speaks thus: "Sadness is the most wicked of all spirits, and the worst for the servants of God, and destroys all spirits, and torments the Holy Spirit." And a little later he adds: "Take away sadness from you, therefore, and do not offend the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, lest He ask the Lord and depart from you. For the Spirit of the Lord who is given in flesh does not bear sadness." And finally: "When therefore prayer is mixed with sadness, He will not allow the pure prayer to ascend to the altar of God. For just as wine mixed with vinegar does not have the same sweetness: so also sadness mixed with the Holy Spirit does not have the same pure prayer." Third and genuinely, as if to say: A glad heart not only rejoices in itself, but also pours forth its joy through natural sympathy into the body, and especially into the face: for it makes it cheerful, rosy, comely, flourishing, so that it seems to breathe forth the spirit of gladness; conversely, a sad and sorrowful heart or mind casts down a sad and sorrowful spirit, and consequently disturbs the face and countenance, making it clouded, pallid and dark: for the spirit is accustomed to reveal its affections chiefly in the countenance. Whence the author of the Greek Catena translates from the Septuagint thus: when the heart is glad, the face is green; but when it lies in sorrow, the sad and gloomy spirit walks forth; for it is the spirit that moves the body, and in it displays its affections of joy or sadness through the vital and animal spirits, which it supplies to the body, especially to the face: hence a glad spirit makes the countenance spirited, joyful and rosy, the neck erect, the cheeks lively, the eyes bright, the body agile, the feet swift, the voice silvery: conversely, a sad spirit makes the countenance gloomy and pallid, the neck drooping, the cheeks fallen, the eyes livid, the body heavy, the feet leaden, the voice tremulous. Moreover, the true cause of joy is justice and the pursuit of virtue, says the author of the Greek Catena, just as the true cause of sadness is an evil life and conscience. Solomon therefore tacitly admonishes us to strive for virtue, so that we may always rejoice, and to beware of sin, so that we may avoid sadness. Whence St. Chrysostom, in the homily That it is not given to rejoice equally according to God and according to the world, speaks thus: "The joy of the just is a true recreation of both soul and body, and a foretaste and flower of eternal fruition." Wherefore the Apostle exhorts the faithful, saying: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice," Philippians cap. iv, 4. See the remarks there. Note: For "is cast down" in Hebrew is נכאה nechea, that is, is disturbed, is troubled, is darkened in spirit, as one to whom the light of joy has been taken away; Marinus, is sad; Pagninus, is sorrowful; Zurich, languishes; Vatablus, is broken, perishes, becomes obsolete. For, as St. Augustine says, epistle 20 to Honoratus, chapter xiv, explaining that passage from Psalm xxi: "My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my belly": Sorrow as it were dissolves the heart. Whence it is also called in Greek λύπη, which is said to be called λύπη, that is, sorrow, from the fact that it λύει, that is, dissolves and causes the heart to waste away. And Blessed Antiochus, homily 25: "Sorrow, he says, is the mouth of a lion, which with no difficulty absorbs one consumed by grief." And St. Nilus, oration 3 On Sorrow, declares the same thing with beautiful and apt similitudes of fire, smoke, waters, fever and a woman in travail: "Fire, he says, continually diminishes lead, and worldly sorrow wears away the mind. Smoke dulls the keenness of the eyes, and sorrow obtunds the contemplative power of the soul. The depth of waters does not admit the splendor of the sun, and a sorrowful heart is not gladdened by the contemplation of light. As fever takes away the power of taste, so sorrow takes away the sense of the soul." And again: "A mother is afflicted with pains while she brings forth a son; but after she has brought him forth, she no longer grieves. But sorrow both brings pain in the very act of giving birth, and after it is born, it torments most vehemently." St. Gregory of Nazianzus, in his 15th Iambic, thus defines joy and sorrow briefly: What is joy? A diffusion of the mind; Sorrow? A gnawing of the heart and disturbance. St. Chrysostom, epistle 3 to Olympias: "Sorrow, he says, is a moth not only of bones, but also of the mind, and a perpetual executioner not digging into the side, but weakening the powers of the soul." Wherefore St. Basil, homily On Giving Thanks, teaches that the faithful ought with a generous spirit to drive from themselves the violent impressions and assaults of sorrow. "It is altogether ignoble, he says, and unmanly, and the mark of a soul that leans on God with little steadfast hope, to be broken in such a manner by adversities and to succumb to things not very pleasant. For just as worms are accustomed to be generated most in softer woods, so likewise this anguish of dejection of spirit insinuates itself into the character of men who are of a softer and not steadfast disposition." And further he assigns as a remedy for sorrow hope and the thought of eternal retribution: "Has someone inflicted ignominy upon you? Why then do you not look up to that glory which is laid up in heaven for you to be prepared by the merit of patience. Have you suffered the loss of your possessions? Rather fix your eyes more firmly on those heavenly riches, and on that incomparable treasure which you have set aside for yourself by the price of good works. Have you been shut out from your native land? Yet you have that heavenly Jerusalem as your fatherland. Has your son perished? Yet you have Angels with whom in the circuit of that divine throne you shall exult, to be gladdened with eternal joy." The same, oration 12 On Grief: "For adversities, he says, prove the soul, just as fire proves gold, and indeed for those who are rightly instructed, calamities are as it were certain athletic nourishment and exercises which lead the wrestler to paternal glory. But excessive sorrow is accustomed to be the author of sin, when grief submerges the mind, when lack of counsel brings dizziness, when poverty of thought generates an ungrateful soul. For it is shameful to bless you on account of prosperous things, but to be silent on account of adversities; nay, then especially ought we to give thanks, when we have ascertained that He whom the Lord loves, He chastises; and He scourges every son whom He receives. God indeed snatches His saints from miseries, yet not without trial, but grants them endurance." Finally, following Solomon, Sirach says: "From sorrow death hastens, and it covers virtue, and sorrow of heart bends the neck," Eccles. xxxviii, 19. See the sayings there.
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14. THE HEART OF THE WISE SEEKETH KNOWLEDGE (in Hebrew, science), AND THE MOUTH OF FOOLS FEEDETH ON FOLLY. — In Hebrew, foolishness; Symmachus, feedeth on iniquity; the Septuagint, seeketh correct understanding; but the mouth of the undisciplined knoweth evils; the Chaldean clearly, the heart of the intelligent seeketh science, and the mouth of fools foolishness. "The wise" here is the prudent and just man; "he seeketh knowledge" and science, namely practical, such as prudence, honesty and virtue, so that daily he may grow and make progress in these things; but the fool, that is the sinner, addicted to vices, feedeth on the foolish desires of his concupiscence, and on the allurements of gluttony and vices, by which daily he entangles and inebriates himself more; whence the Syrian translates, the heart of the just seeketh knowledge, the mouth of fools speaketh shameful things; and R. Levi says, by the mouth, he says, of fools the foolishness of the heart is cherished, because speech proceedeth from the heart to the mouth. Jansenius better: as if to say, The wise man desires to hear and learn the prudent doctrines of the wise; but the fool with gaping and open mouth eagerly receives the insipid and carnal fables of the foolish, trifles, filthiness, just as if he were feasting on them as on food. But these feasts are not for men, but pastures for beasts. For this is what the Hebrew ירעה iire signifies, that is, he feedeth, which is said of beasts. Most excellently do you join both together, as if to say, The heart of the wise seeketh knowledge to hear and learn, and when he has learned it, to teach it to others; but the mouth of the fool feedeth on folly, because he desires to hear it equally as to utter it, and to discourse and speak of it continually, so that he may teach it to others and make them foolish, that is carnal and vicious. Whence the Septuagint translate, the mouth of the undisciplined knoweth evils, that is, heareth and uttereth evils; and Symmachus, feedeth on injustice or folly, that is nourisheth, cherisheth and nurtureth wickedness, both in his own mind and in the minds of others, by approving it, praising it, exalting it, teaching it. Symbolically, Hugo: "The mouth of fools, he says, feedeth on folly," that is on vanity and falsehood. Now there are four animals which live on as many elements, the salamander on fire, the chameleon on air, the herring on water, the mole on earth: so also four kinds of fools will be found, who feed on and live by such things. The envious and the wrathful feed on the fire of rage; the proud and the ambitious on the air of vain praise; the luxurious on the water of pleasure; the covetous and the avaricious on the earth of fleeting prosperity: thus he.
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15. ALL THE DAYS OF THE POOR MAN ARE EVIL: A SECURE MIND IS LIKE A CONTINUAL FEAST. — In Hebrew, all the days of the poor man are evil, and a good heart (or good of heart) is a continual feast; the Chaldean, and he whose spirit is cheerful has a continual feast; the Syriac, and the joyful are at rest at all times. Note: A good heart in Hebrew means first, a good, pure and holy conscience; second, a quiet, joyful and cheerful mind and conscience; for these two are connected: purity of conscience begets quietness, quietness begets cheerfulness of conscience. Our translator signified both by rendering it "a secure mind." Furthermore, various interpreters translate and explain this verse variously; all probably and aptly. First, the Zurich Bible translates: all the days of the afflicted man are evil; but a glad heart is a continual feast. For the Hebrew עני ani is poor, miserable, afflicted. And thus the antithesis is clear; for the afflicted and sad man is opposed to the glad, in that the days of the afflicted are evil, that is, miserable; but those of the glad are happy, just as if they were in a continual feast. Thus also Aben-Ezra: עני ani, he says, that is, poor and afflicted, is here called he who allows himself to be overcome by sorrow; for this is opposed to a good heart, that is, a glad and cheerful one. Second, R. Levi, and from him Vatablus, understands by the poor man the foolish; for he is poor and needy not in wealth, but in sense and mind, as if to say: The whole life of the foolish, namely of the impious, who have an evil conscience, is miserable; but the life of the wise, that is, of the just, is festive and cheerful like a perpetual feast. In a similar way St. Chrysostom compares a pure conscience to a sumptuous feast, homily 13 on Matthew: "When the mind is pricked by no stings of conscience, it always enjoys great joy, so much so that no one can express it in words. For what seems to you pleasant and agreeable in the present life? A delicious table? But this, compared to the pleasure that follows virtue, appears bitter and full of sadness." Moreover, Hugo says: "The guests of this feast are virtues, which are all refreshed by their own dishes." Third, R. Solomon thinks that here a rich man is opposed and preferred to a poor man, as if to say: The poor man spends evil, that is, miserable days; but the rich man always has a good, that is, a joyful heart, because he spends his days in perpetual feasts and delights. But this sense is crude and Jewish. Fourth, others understand the poor man properly, and think that the good of his poverty, namely security, is here commended, as if to say: The common people esteem the poor as evil, that is, miserable, and poverty as the greatest of miseries; but I, Solomon, think otherwise, namely that a secure mind, which poverty suggests, is like a continual feast. For, as St. Chrysostom says, homily 30 on Matthew: "The poor man is always secure, and free from all fear; but supreme power is never without fear of danger." The same, in the homily On receiving Severianus: "Poverty, he says, is a safe asylum, perpetual security, a tranquil harbor, delights free from dangers, sincere pleasure." And Seneca, epistle 2 to Lucilius: "Honest poverty is a joyful thing, he says. Indeed, it is no longer poverty, but riches of heart, if it is joyful. In short, he is not poor who has little, but he who desires more. For what does it matter how much lies in his chest, how much in his barns, how much he feeds or lends out, if he hangs upon another, if he counts not what he has acquired, but what is to be acquired? What is the measure of riches, you ask? First, to have what is necessary; second, what is sufficient." To this is added Budaeus in his Remaining Annotations on the Pandects, page 18, who refers to mali not to the days of the poor man, but to a secure mind, as if to say: All the days of the poor man are a mind secure from evil. For thus he says: "Unless I am mistaken, by a certain ignorance of Latin speech, a most beautiful apophthegm of the Wise Man has been corrupted, chapter 15 of Proverbs: All the days of the poor man are evil; a secure mind is like a continual feast: for mali is not an epithet of the poor man, as the scholiasts and glossators understood; but is a substantive noun, in this sense: The whole life of the poor man is a constitution of mind endowed with security from evil." Thus Lucan says in the fifth book of the Pharsalia: O safe resources of the poor man's life and narrow home! O gifts not yet understood of God! to which temples could this happen, or to walls, to tremble at no tumult when Caesar's hand strikes? For securis is joined with the genitive, as in Quintilian in the eighth book, who, speaking of tautology, says: These things, although not greatly avoided by the greatest authors, can sometimes seem a fault; into which Cicero often fell, secure of such small observation. And in Virgil: Secure of loves. And Lucan, in the book of the Pharsalia, concerning the lion: Through iron, secure of so great a wound, he goes forth. Secure, that is, negligent and contemptuous. But this exposition does not fit the Hebrew text, in which it is clear that "all the days" refers to the days of the poor man, not to secure things, or, as it is in Hebrew, a good mind. Fifth, our Salazar thinks that here the poor by necessity are opposed to the poor in spirit, as if to say: A poor man who hates poverty lives a life buried in miseries; but "a secure mind," in Hebrew, a good heart, who namely accepts poverty with an even mind, and living content with his meager lot, he lives pleasantly, and passes as it were in "a continual feast." Whence Seneca, book I On the Remedies of Fortune: "You say poverty is grievous to me; rather, you are more grievous to poverty. The fault is not in poverty, but in the poor man: it is easy, cheerful, safe; you make it seem heavy by your opinion." And epistle 2: "He to whom poverty agrees well is rich. The fault is not in poverty, but in the mind; that which makes poverty heavy for us can also make riches heavy. For just as it makes no difference whether you place a sick man on a wooden bed or a golden one; wherever you move him, he carries his sickness with him: so it makes no difference whether a sick mind is placed in riches or in poverty; for it follows its own evil." This sense is fitting, but narrower; for it narrows the secure mind, which belongs to all the pious and holy, to the poor in spirit. Sixth therefore, adequately and genuinely, Solomon opposes to the evil of poverty, which the common people esteem as the greatest, the good of a secure mind, which is truly the greatest of this life, as if to say: Just as men esteem poverty as the greatest evil, so I on the contrary judge a secure mind and conscience as the greatest good of this life. Wherefore I suggest this remedy to the poor, that they may ward off the evil of poverty, as if to say: All the days of the poor man are evil, that is, laborious, troublesome, miserable; yet if they take care that a secure mind be present to them in poverty, this will alleviate all the miseries of poverty, indeed will absorb them. For a secure mind makes the mind joyful and cheerful, just as if it were in a continual feast. Whence Pagninus translates: All the days of the poor man are evil; but he who is joyful of heart is as if he were in a continual feast. For, as St. Chrysostom says, homily 2 on the Epistle to the Romans: "He who has a pure conscience, though he be in rags and struggle with constant hunger, is nevertheless happier and more tranquil than those who live greatly in delights." Note: "A secure mind" is called in Hebrew a good heart; good, both ethically, that is, pure and holy; and physically, that is, joyful, cheerful, pleasant: for such is the pure and holy: for inseparable companion of purity is joy. Hence secure is said as it were apart from cares, namely he who is free from disturbances of mind, as Budaeus says in the place already cited; for security is opposed to care and anxiety, and is a right and calm constitution of mind, free from care of impending evils. By these words of Solomon therefore that blessed security is signified, which Democritus called euthymia, that is, a right and calm constitution of mind, free from care of impending evils, of which Cicero says, book V On the Ends: "But Democritus's security, which is a kind of tranquility of mind, which they call euthymia, had to be separated from this discussion, because this tranquility of mind is itself the blessed life." The same in V Tusculan Disputations: "But how can anyone have that most desired security (and by security I now mean freedom from pain, in which the blessed life is placed), to whom either there is present, or can be present, a multitude of evils!" Indeed, the cause of this security is the grace of God. For what should the just man fear, who knows himself to be a care and concern to God? Therefore the mind of the just is secure, that is, quiet, serene, tranquil, confident, cheerful, magnanimous, because resting on God. But the Septuagint, reading עיני ene, that is, eyes, for עני ani, that is, of the poor, thus translate, as the Author of the Greek Catena has it: The eyes of the wicked draw in evils at all times; but the good always dwell in peace and tranquility of mind. The same author connects this verse with the preceding one: "A right heart seeks sense and understanding; but the mouth of the unlearned shall experience evils;" and then connects and explains both thus: "Fittingly, he says, the heart is here joined with the mouth and eyes; but evil and unlearned men undergo evils, namely punishment worthy of their deeds. But the good, who keep holiday from vices and sins, are free from adversities, and therefore what seems good according to the sense of their heart, they do peacefully." Morally, learn here how great a good it is to have a secure mind and conscience, namely that it is as it were a continual feast, especially in the new law, where daily in the feast of the Eucharist one banquets with Christ, according to that of the Church from St. Thomas Aquinas in the Feast of the venerable Sacrament: "O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of his passion is recalled, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us!" So that now in Christians that may be fulfilled which is in Isaiah, chapter 66, 23: "And there shall be month after month, and sabbath after sabbath," that is, feast shall succeed feast continually, Christians shall celebrate continual feasts and banquets; for month here signifies the feast of the New Moon. Add that Christians from this banquet on earth expect a perpetual banquet in heaven, promised by Christ, Luke 22, 29: "And I dispose unto you, as my Father hath disposed unto me a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." Wherefore rightly St. Ambrose in Psalm 45: "Who, says he, is a sweeter fruit than purity and simplicity of heart? what food is more pleasant than that which a mind well assured of itself and an innocent conscience enjoys?" Hugh of St. Victor, book III On the Soul, chapter 11: "A good conscience, says he, is the title of religion, the temple of Solomon, a field of blessing, a garden of delights, a golden reclining couch, the joy of Angels, the ark of the covenant, the treasure of the king, the hall of God, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, a sealed and closed book, and to be opened on the day of judgment." St. Bernard, book On Conscience: "Nothing, says he, is more pleasant, nothing safer, nothing richer than a good conscience; let the body be pressed, let the world drag, let the devil terrify, it will be secure. A good conscience will be secure when the body dies; secure, when the soul is presented before God; secure, when both in the day of judgment stand before the terrible tribunal of the just Judge. There is no more useful remedy for future blessing, nor more certain testimony than a good conscience. When the world revolves with all its instability, weeps, laughs, perishes, passes away, a good conscience never withers. Let the body be subjected to punishment, be worn away by injuries, be torn by scourges, be stretched on the rack, be slain by the sword, be fixed to the cross, the conscience will be secure." St. Augustine briefly but forcefully in Sentences, number 90: "No one can be deprived of his delights, says he, to whom Christ is joy. For it is eternal exaltation, which rejoices in an eternal good." Clement of Alexandria, book VII of the Miscellanies: "The entire life of the just, says he, is a certain celebrated and holy festival day." And St. Ambrose, book II of the Duties, 1: "Tranquility of conscience and security of innocence, says he, will make a blessed life." Indeed even Plutarch in the Morals: "As nepenthe, says he, the herb praised by Homer, added to cups dispels all sadness of the banquet: so a good mind implanted in us abolishes all anxiety of life." Excellently St. Cyprian, On the Lord's Prayer: "Who, says he, has fear of the world, to whom God is guardian in the world?" The same, in the Exhortation to Martyrs, asserts: "Injuries and punishments of persecutions are not to be feared, because the Lord is greater to protect than the devil to attack." Indeed even Cicero to Torquatus: "A right conscience, says he, is the greatest consolation of human misfortunes." Wherefore wisely St. Basil, homily On Giving Thanks: "No condition of human affairs, however splendid and brilliant, shall instill into your soul a joy that is immoderate; no afflictive or sad things shall cast it down from the degree of its loftiness, and mature gravity, contracted by sorrow or calamity." See more things in St. Gregory, book VIII, letter 45, and book IX, letter 49, and in St. Chrysostom, homily 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 in the Epistle to the Romans. Well done therefore, O holy soul and secure in your God in holiness: "You are sufficient to your God, let your God be sufficient to you;" there is nothing that you should seek beyond him, and seeking beyond him grieve, and lose the joys of your blessed mind. Join yourself to him alone, enjoy him, banquet with him; he will be a continual companion to you, he will be both a continual banquet. Say therefore: "My beloved is mine, and I to him who feedeth among the lilies, until the day break, and the shadows decline," Song of Songs 2, 16.
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16. IT IS BETTER TO HAVE A LITTLE WITH THE FEAR OF THE LORD, THAN GREAT TREASURES AND INSATIABLE. — In Hebrew, for much treasure and tumult in it; the Chaldean, than treasures of multiplication in which there is disturbance; Vatablus, contriteness, that is in which there is some affliction and tribulation; the Syrian, than treasures of the wicked; the Septuagint, than great treasures without fear. Our translator wisely rendered insatiable: for treasures are insatiable, that is, they do not satisfy the appetite of the rich and avaricious man, because they trouble him, afflict him, torment him with care and anxiety both of increasing and preserving them: for with how many troubles, labors, anguishes, cares is the mind of the rich man lacerated, that he may protect and increase his wealth? They are therefore called insatiable treasures actively, that is, unsatisfying, as Dionysius says, because they do not satisfy appetite, but irritate it. Therefore the reason for this sentence is, first, that the fear of God is a greater good than all treasures; wherefore he who possesses it is richer than all the wealthy who abound in treasures. Whence St. Chrysostom, homily 26 on the epistle to the Hebrews: "Let the fear of God be present," he says, "and nothing will be troublesome, whether you speak of poverty, or disease, or captivity, or servitude, or anything else troublesome; but these very things will bring us aid toward the contrary. Namely, poverty will be more honorable than riches, disease firmer than health, captivity and servitude finally will be more glorious and superior to liberty." Whence such great power of the fear of God to change the circumstances of evils? A little later he adds: "The fear of God uproots concupiscences." Indeed, cupidity is the root of all evils; but the fear of God tears out this root entirely: with it torn out, all evils are changed into good, poverty passes into riches, diseases into health, captivity into liberty. Second, that the fear of God makes the mind quiet, and content with its lot assigned to it by God, joyful and cheerful, according to what preceded: "A secure mind is like a continual feast;" but this quietness and joy of mind is superior to all wealth. Third, that the fear of God fills and satisfies the mind, because it unites it to God; but he who has God, what more does he desire? To whom God is not sufficient, what will suffice? But treasures do not satisfy cupidity, but inflame it; for cupidity is like dropsy, which, always thirsting, the more it drinks, the more it desires to drink, according to that: The more waters are drunk, the more they are thirsted for. Fourth, that treasures bring many disturbances, namely cares, labors, anguishes, lawsuits, quarrels, sorrows, etc., which dry up and absorb all the advantage and joy of wealth. Fifth, that the small substance of the just is more secure and useful than the great substance of the unjust. Whence St. Gregory Nazianzen, oration 26, reads: "Better is a small portion with security, than great with infirmity and uncertainty." To this pertains that saying of Pindar in the Nemean odes, ode 8: "Riches sown by God are more durable to men." Sixth, that moderate wealth makes men modest, humble, sober; immoderate wealth makes them bold, proud, luxurious; whence the Author of the Greek Catena translates, better is a small portion with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures with shameless boldness; for ἀδεεία signifies security, boldness, a mind ignorant of fear, and, as the Complutensian editors translate it, fearlessness. The same author cites a similar saying of Hesiod: "Human friendship makes it so that small things sometimes taste more sweetly, and delight the mind more than great things, especially those badly obtained. For neither genuine glory, nor pleasure, consists in great wealth or expense, but on the contrary in genuine pleasure and grace does great wealth and expense show itself." Finally, Rabbi Levi: "Meager resources," he says, "far excel, with the fear of God and justly obtained, great treasures heaped together with noise and clamor on account of the tears of those who have been defrauded and cheated by force: for meager riches tend toward happiness and durability; great riches on the other hand bring ruin and extreme losses." Mystically the same Author of the Greek Catena explains it thus, as if to say, "Better is small knowledge with just action, than whole or accumulated knowledge with wicked action."
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17. IT IS BETTER TO BE CALLED TO HERBS WITH CHARITY, THAN TO A FATTED CALF WITH HATRED. — In Hebrew, good is the food of herbs and love there, before an ox in the manger (that is in a fattened manger), and hatred there; the Chaldean, it is better to dine on herbs where there is charity, than on fat oxen where there is hatred; the Septuagint, hospitality with herbs is better for friendship and favor, than the serving of calves with enmity; Theodotion, over a fatted ox. First, our Salazar here takes charity and hatred as God's, not men's, as if the cause were given from the preceding verse, as if to say: It is better to have little with the fear of God, than great treasures without the fear of God, because God, the best and greatest, most often sends poverty to his friends out of charity and love, and feeds them with nothing but herbs; but he grants riches to his enemies out of hatred, so that they may be fattened like calves, because riches are the occasion, fuel and cause of all sins, quarrels and evils. Second, St. Chrysostom, homily 1 on the epistle to the Colossians, teaches that the tables of the rich are hateful, although sumptuous; but those of the poor, although meager, are lovable and desirable, so that it is fitting to love and seek these, and to hate and flee those; because the tables of the poor surpass the tables of the rich in three things, namely in honor, pleasure and freedom, and therefore are friendly, benevolent and full of charity; whereas those of the rich are often proud, haughty, malevolent, and therefore worthy of hatred rather than love: "In three things," he says, "we surpass them, namely in pleasure, honor, freedom and grace. For I would rather take bread alone with grace, than innumerable foods with servitude; and I think it better to be called to herbs with charity, than to a fatted calf with hatred." Third, plainly and genuinely, R. Solomon: "It is better," he says, "to offer a meal of herbs to the needy with a sign of benevolence, namely when he is received with a cheerful and benevolent countenance, than when to the same are given fat meats with quarreling and anger." And Aben-Ezra: "It is better," he says, "a gift of friendship than a fatted calf; it is preferable to eat the flesh of a fattened ox so that one may be loved by another, than to feast on a fatted ox, and yet have another pursue you with hatred." The genuine sense therefore is, as if to say: It is better and of greater pleasure and utility to be received with herbs with charity, friendship and benevolence, than with great display of calves and feasts with hatred, enmity or malevolence; wherefore those are to be sought rather than these, especially when one is invited to them. Again Hugo, as if to say: "What is given little is more pleasing when given with cheerfulness, which is a sign of love, than much which is given with sadness, which is a sign of hatred." Whence Ecclesiasticus xxxv: "In every gift," he says, "make your countenance cheerful, and sanctify your tithes with exultation." It is signified therefore here first, to him who seeks lodging or a meal, that he should seek rather a host who is hospitable, that is endowed with a hospitable spirit. The virtue of hospitality is therefore commended here, which Solomon teaches consists not so much in feasts, as in a benevolent and attentive spirit. For there are many who on account of avarice are unwilling to be hospitable; these Solomon here teaches, so that, if they are unwilling or unable to do so at great expense, they may at least be hospitable in spirit and with a frugal table. Thus St. Ambrose, book II of the Duties, chapter xxi: "From this," he says, "avarice has immersed itself, as it were a certain dryness of good deeds, so that they think it a loss to a man, whatever is spent beyond custom. But also against avarice in this, lest what could be brought be an impediment, the venerable Scripture has provided, saying: Because hospitality with herbs is better; and below: Better is bread in sweetness with peace. For Scripture does not teach us to be prodigal, but liberal." Secondly, he who prepares a banquet is taught to furnish it more with love than with food: for if he season it with envy and rancor, he will make not so much a banquet as a quarrel, as Ausonius says in his Ephemeris. For the end, indeed the form and soul of a banquet is love, charity, benevolence, as is evident in the banquet of the Eucharist which Christ instituted, that he might unite all the faithful both to himself and to one another through charity. And for this reason after that the Christians of old were accustomed to prepare a banquet of ordinary food, to which they invited all the faithful even the poor as a sign of charity, and therefore they called it Agape, that is charity, as I said in I Corinthians xi. Wherefore they are malicious who exercise discord, quarrels, brawls at a banquet, indeed they are treacherous and traitors, who invite enemies to a meal that they may kill them, as among these Simon Maccabaeus was slain with his sons by Ptolemy, I Maccabees xvi, 16; and Amnon invited to a banquet by Absalom, was slain by him at it, II Kings xiii, 28. And Christ at the last supper was betrayed, and delivered unto death by the Jews by Judas; which therefore pierced Christ with a great sting of sorrow, so much so that in Psalm liv, 13, he complains grievously of him: "For," he says, "if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it, etc. But thou, a man of one mind, my guide and my familiar, who didst take food sweetly with me, in the house of God we walked with consent," as if to say: Thou, O Judas, who wert my table-companion, hast become my betrayer; this wounds me, this torments me. Mystically first, the Author of the Greek Catena thus explains it, as if to say: It is better to know little with charity than to claim great knowledge and fight with peace. Secondly, it is better to confer small benefits from great charity than great ones from small or weak charity: for a benefit is esteemed chiefly from the mind of him who confers it. Thirdly, it is better to exercise small offices of virtue from great love of God than great ones without it. Whence the widow of the Gospel offering two mites in the treasury is judged by Christ to have offered more than all the others, Luke xxi, 3. But this especially has place in the banquet of the Eucharist; for he who feeds on herbs of penance and compunction in it from charity far surpasses him who feeds on the same fatted calf of proud wisdom and contemplation without love, being in mortal sin. For such a one "eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord," I Corinthians xi. Or simply, as Hugh says: "It is better to eat herbs with charity than to approach the Eucharist with hatred; for Christ in the Eucharist is the fatted calf, of whose fullness we have all received," John i. Fourthly, the Gloss: "It is," it says, "much more useful to preserve the innocence of a simple life with charity than to shine outwardly in virtue with miracles, and not to cleanse the interior of the mind from the filth of hatreds." Fifthly, Hugh understands by herbs the commandments, by the fatted calf the evangelical counsels, as if to say: "It is better to keep the commandments with charity than to fulfill the counsels with hatred."
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18. A MAN OF WRATH (in Hebrew, a man of burning anger) PROVOKES QUARRELS; BUT HE WHO IS PATIENT MITIGATES (the Syriac, extinguishes) THOSE THAT ARE RAISED. — The Septuagint: a spirited man prepares (some read begets) quarrels; but the long-suffering man also mitigates that which was to come. The same translators, repeating, add: "A long-suffering man will extinguish judgments (disputes, which are agitated in judgments and tribunals); but the impious man stirs them up more." Vatablus: an angry man stirs up contention; but the long-suffering man settles the dispute. For provokes, in Hebrew it is יגרה igera, that is, he draws, he attracts; whence מגרה megra is called a saw, as if a drawer, from drawing. Just as therefore a saw by the reciprocal motion of constant drawing cuts even the hardest rocks, so he who repeats and reciprocates injuries with his tongue cuts even the greatest loves, and stirs up quarrels even among the closest friends. Again, gera, that is, he draws with the throat, he gargles, he ruminates and by ruminating he provokes. Whence גרון garon is called the throat, by which we draw food and ruminate. It signifies therefore that, just as the throat in animals draws the rumen, that is, food from the stomach, and chews it again and ruminates it: so also the angry man, that is, he who is prone to wrath, constantly recalls to mind the words or deeds of another in contempt of himself, and from this turns them over in his tongue, frequently speaking of them and exaggerating them, whereby it comes to pass that he stirs up angers and quarrels both in himself and in others. Just as therefore by gargling phlegms are provoked, so by rumination of injuries quarrels are provoked. But the patient man, because he does not ruminate injuries, nor recalls them to mind or tongue, but rather buries them in oblivion and entombs them, or certainly diminishes them, mitigates and settles, as far as he is able, likewise mitigates and settles quarrels. The patient man therefore has a strong stomach of the mind, which immediately digests all hard things; the angry man, on the other hand, has a stomach of the mind infected with bile, which constantly ruminates and eructates injuries done to itself, and thus stirs up disputes. Thus Cassian, book VIII of the Institutes of the Renunciants, chapter 1, where from this and other places in Proverbs he teaches that wrath robs a man of three ornaments: first, gravity; second, counsel; third, peace: "Because, he says, the wrath of man worketh not the justice of God. We shall also in no way be able to possess that very gravity of honesty, which is wont to be familiar even to men of this world, although we think ourselves noble and honest by the prerogative of birth, because an angry man is dishonest. We shall also in no way be able to obtain the maturity of counsel, although we may appear grave and endowed with the highest knowledge, because an angry man acts without counsel. But neither shall we be able to have quiet from harmful disturbances, nor shall we be able to lack sins, although disturbances are in no way brought upon us by others, because a spirited man prepares quarrels, and an angry man digs up sins." Wisely Seneca in Proverbs: "Let dissension always begin from another, reconciliation from you." And Thucydides: "Two things are most adverse to a right mind, haste and wrath." Subordinate to this sentence of Solomon is that other one of his, verse 1: "A soft answer breaketh wrath; but a harsh word stirreth up fury." Most excellently St. Gregory Nazianzen, oration 19: "Nothing, he says, so overcomes a persecutor as patient cheerfulness." And St. Chrysostom, homily 6 on Acts: "Neither does red-hot iron dipped in water immediately lose its heat, as it does if an angry man falls upon a long-suffering soul." The same, homily 19 on the epistle to the Hebrews: "Trees, he says, the more they are fanned and shaken by winds, the stronger and denser they become. And we too, if we are gentle and patient, shall be also strong and mighty." And homily 22: "So exalted is the gentle and patient man, that he does not even receive a blow from a blow." St. Valerianus, homily 12: "It is an infinite virtue, he says, to have overcome hatreds with benefits; for he among others obtains the palm of perfect virtue, who in return for cups of poison composes sweet honey." To this pertains the verse of the Comic poets: Much force snatches trophies, but patience snatches more. Do you seek to be without sin? Be patient, be continent. Nothing so burns the contemptuous as patience. Whatever cannot be amended, patience makes gentler. Whoever strikes adamant strikes himself. The rock by enduring conquers the assaults of the sea. Patience is the queen of all things. Finally St. Bernard, epistle 87 to Ogier: "Humiliation, he says, is the way to humility, as patience is to peace, as reading is to knowledge." The same in the Sentences, at the beginning: "The patient, he says, possess their soul, to whom it is said: In your patience you shall possess your souls," Matthew v. The peacemakers possess not only their own, but also that of others in whom they make peace; whence they are deservedly called sons of God, etc. But even those willing to take away peace love it, as it is written in Psalm cxix: I was peaceable with those who hated peace. Behold these are they in whom He rests, and God makes His dwelling place. Whence the same elsewhere exhorts, saying: "And you, as an Angel of peace, be solicitous to take away scandals, to settle disturbances, to reconcile the dissident and litigant. For Angels are benign in affection, pious in religion, whole in chastity, undivided in unanimity, secure in peace, created by God, devoted to divine praises and services," says the same, book V of Consideration, chapter iv.
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19. THE PATH OF THE SLOTHFUL IS AS A HEDGE OF THORNS; BUT THE WAYS OF THE JUST ARE WITHOUT STUMBLING BLOCK. — In Hebrew, the way of the slothful is like a thornbush; and the path of the upright is paved or levelled; the Chaldean, the way of the slothful is tribulation and thorn; and the way of the upright is clean and pure; the Septuagint, the ways of the idle are strewn with thorns, but those of the strong are well-trodden. He alludes to gardens and paradises enclosed and surrounded by hedges of thorns; for just as a traveller who wishes to enjoy the fruits of gardens must necessarily penetrate those thorny hedges, so he who wishes to enjoy the fruits of virtues must break through the hedge of temptations and difficulties that lie before him. Whence for hedge in Hebrew is משכה mescucha, that is, a thornbush, a thicket, a bramble patch, a spinney. Therefore just as in a spinney or bramble patch there is, first, a multitude of thorns; second, density; third, sharpness; fourth, interlacing—for one is continually interwoven and entangled with another—so also the difficulties which beset and surround virtue are, first, many; second, dense; third, sharp and pricking; fourth, interlaced, so that if you pull out or overcome one, you immediately run into another and another, which thing causes the slothful and faint-hearted to despair; but the just, strong and vigorous, gradually and patiently pluck and overcome one after another, and thus at length pull out and conquer all, as that Abbot advised in the Lives of the Fathers. Now first, the Zurich version translates, the way of the slothful is as if covered with thorns and is foul; but the way of the upright is levelled. Whence our Salazar thus expounds: Solomon, he says, pricks them with these words, who through carelessness and idleness neither visit nor cultivate their estates and lands. And so he says: "The path of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns," that is, their way to estates and lands bristles with thorns and thistles, just as a hedge is tangled with rough brambles, namely because those lying idle through inertia do not clear it, do not tread it; for roads that are not trodden quickly become overgrown with brambles, rough and impassable. "But the way of the just is without stumbling block;" the Chaldean, the way of the just is well-trodden. By the name of the just Salazar understands the industrious and vigorous, who by constant passage and the conduct of business have their roads to their estates levelled and well-trodden. This is the literal and genuine sense. Second, tropologically, Baynus says: The slothful, namely the idle and sinners, imagine difficulties for themselves everywhere in the way of virtue; for sloth always seeks excuses and obstacles; but the way of the just is without stumbling block, because the just everywhere make the way easy for themselves in the path of virtue, and have found it to be a level and levelled journey. Whence the Septuagint translates, but those of the strong are well-trodden, namely the ways. For just as travellers by frequent journeying wear and level a road, so likewise the just, that is, the vigorous, by frequent exercise of virtue make it easy for themselves, indeed pleasant. Third, another reason why the way of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns: because namely the slothful and idle man, just as he leaves his fields and lands desert and uncultivated, so also leaves his soul spiritually uncultivated by vices; hence the thorns of vices grow up in his soul and prick and wound him; but the just and vigorous man, just as he clears his fields of thorns, so also purges his soul of vices and cultivates and adorns it with virtues; hence his way is straight and levelled, in which he walks without stumbling block, that is, without sin. Those who fear they cannot accomplish it; concerning whom Solomon well says: The path of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns. For when they desire the way of God, the opposing suspicions of their fears, like the thorns of obstructing hedges, prick them; which because it does not usually hinder the elect, he well adds immediately after: The way of the just is without stumbling block. And Cassian, Conference XXIV, chapter xxiv: "The way," he says, "according to the judgment of Solomon, of those doing nothing is strewn with thorns, but that of the strong is well-trodden; and thus deviating from the royal road to that metropolis, where our course must always be directed without deviation, they will not be able to arrive. Which also Ecclesiastes expressed quite significantly: Labor, he says, of the foolish shall afflict them who knew not how to go to the city, namely that heavenly Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all." See the properties and distinctions of the lazy and the diligent or fervent, which I have collected from St. Bernard, sermon 6 On the Ascension of the Lord, at Romans XII, 11, on that passage: "Fervent in spirit." The same Bernard, in his sermon On the Threefold Custody of Hand, Tongue and Heart, gives the lazy a sharp goad to courageously cast aside all thorns occurring on the way of virtue: "Let none of us, brothers, he says, make light of the time consumed in idle words. For indeed time is acceptable, and the day of salvation. The word flies irrevocably, time flies irretrievably, and the foolish man does not notice what he loses. It pleases them to chat, they say, until the hour passes. O until the hour passes, o until the time passes! Until the hour passes which the mercy of the Creator grants you for doing penance, for obtaining pardon, for acquiring grace, for earning glory. Until the time passes, in which you ought to have hastened to reconcile yourself with divine mercy, to hasten toward the society of angels, to sigh for the lost inheritance, to aspire to the promised happiness, to stir up your slack will, to weep for the iniquity committed." See what follows. The same, in his sermon On the Manifold Usefulness of the Word of God, assigns as a remedy for sloth to hear or read and ruminate upon the word of God. "For the word which he speaks, he says, is spirit and life. If your heart is hardened, remember the Scripture saying: He shall send forth his word, and shall melt them, Psalm CXLVII; and likewise: My soul hath melted when the beloved spoke, Cant. v. If you are lukewarm, and already fear being vomited out, do not depart from the word of the Lord: and it shall inflame you, because his word is very fiery." For the proper remedy of acedia and sloth is the love of God: for where love is, there is no labor, nor lukewarmness or torpor; but ardor and fervor, according to that: Not so do the flames vomit from Aetna's broken channels, As does one burning, struck by the love of God, glow. I understand the strenuous, because they are opposed to the lazy. Whence the Septuagint translates, the ways of the strong, or strenuous, are trodden; namely, the ways to their estates and lands are most trodden, because while they go to inspect and cultivate them and return, they wear down and trample the path. And the Vulgate: "The ways of the just without offense," that is, their path is expedite and cleared, because as they pass through it more often, they drive out all impediments and obstacles from it. By this paraphrase Solomon signifies that the fields and estates of the lazy and idle become overgrown with forest, but the lands of the diligent are cultivated and worked most carefully. Secondly, the Author of the Catena of the Greeks translates from the Septuagint thus: the ways of idle men are rough, as if beset with thorns; but the paths of the strong are level and well-trodden. Which he explains thus, that is to say: As the idle harm themselves and others, so conversely the diligent benefit themselves and others. Thirdly, others connecting this verse with the preceding one understand by the lazy the foolish, namely the wrathful, whom Solomon said in the preceding verse to stir up quarrels, the cause of which he assigns here, that they are thorny and prickly: for with the thorns and prickles of their sarcasm they so prick others that they stir up quarrels. To this pertains the saying of R. Agada, which R. Solomon cites here: "The way of Esau is like a thorn entangled in wool fleeces, which if you remove it from there, it will emerge from elsewhere." That is to say: No one escapes the hand of the wicked except by means of money: for if you fortify yourself against their assaults on this side, they will prick and afflict you from another. Fourthly and genuinely, that is to say: The path to honest virtuous actions seems to the lazy, torpid on account of greed and sloth, too hard, arduous, intricate and impassable, just as if it were beset and enclosed with thorns: but the way of the just, who proceed eagerly and strenuously in the way of justice, seems to the just themselves, on account of habit and zeal and desire for virtue, as it truly is, "without offense," that is, leveled, easy and trodden: although temptations and difficulties occur in it, yet the just generously overcome and transcend them, since the lazy and impious, terrified by them, lose heart, yield and succumb, according to that in chapter xxii, verse 13: "The sluggard saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lion is in the midst of the streets." Thus Bede, Hugh, R. Solomon, R. Levi, Cajetan, Baynus, Arboreus and others. Whence Vatablus thus translates and explains: the way of the lazy is like a thorny hedge; but the way of the upright is elevated, that is, "the foolish, that is, the impious, is lazy, as if enclosed with thorns: but the wise is diligent, as if walking along a way paved with stones." So also Aben-Ezra and Pagninus. Moreover, St. Gregory also, in book XXX of the Morals, chapter xiii: "We often see many, he says, desiring indeed a life of holy conversation, but in order that they might attain this, sometimes sudden misfortunes rush upon them, sometimes they fear future adversities: those who, while they look ahead at uncertain evils as if cautious, are held back in the bonds of their sins. For they place many things before their eyes, which if they should happen in their conversation, they would not be able to endure Mystically Hugo: The way of the slothful, he says, is the life of present pleasure, which holds those entangled in love of itself and makes them sluggish toward all good. A hedge of thorns consists of thorny and pricking desires of the slothful. Whence just as a hedge of thorns is not crossed without injury to the feet, so neither is present pleasure without pricking of the affections. That present delights are thorns, Job says in chapter xxx: "To reckon delights under thorns." Whence a rustic in the moon laden with a bundle of thorns—what else is it than a man in the mutability of present life under the burden of present pleasures? Whence in Nahum I, 10, it is said: "As thorns embrace one another, so their banquet of those drinking together: they shall be consumed like stubble full of dryness." The way of the just is without stumbling, because it is straight, because it is level, because it is bright, because it is secure: for whatever adversity or difficulty may happen, they bear it with equanimity, according to that in chapter xii: "Whatever happens to the just shall not sadden him." Therefore the just always run in their way, until they reach their homeland, according to that in Isaiah xl: "They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." On the other hand the way of the wicked is full of thorns of avarice, which choke the seed, Matthew chapter xiii, and swords of detraction, according to that in chapter xxiii: "Arms and swords in the way of the proud." Also snares of flattery, according to that in Ecclesiasticus chapter ix: "Know that thou shalt walk in the midst of snares, and shalt walk upon the arms of the grieved." Also stones of contention and rebuke, according to that in Ecclesiastes chapter xxi: "The way of sinners is made plain with stones." Finally St. Ephrem, in the Ascetical Sermon in imitation of Proverbs: "Negligence itself, he says, is betrayal; but negligence is a grave and dire captivity; yet vigilance captures and seizes even captivity leading captives."
15:20
In Hebrew, despises; Symmachus, holds in contempt; the Septuagint, mocks or derides his mother; the Syriac version, is the shame of his mother; so that to despise is the same as to cause to be despised, and as R. Solomon explains, "he is the cause that she is despised by others." Under father understand mother, and under mother understand father. But he attributes joy to the father, contempt to the mother, because fathers, as being of greater spirit and intellect, esteem wisdom more highly, and from this conceive greater joy from wise sons, that is, from virtuous ones: mothers, however, because they are of lesser spirit and are weaker by sex and nature, are more easily despised by unruly sons, and from this they grieve and sorrow, because they love their sons more tenderly than fathers do, in that they have given more to their sons: for a son receives from his mother in the womb almost the whole matter and substance of himself, and the mother forms, organizes and as it were animates it; and then after birth she nurses, swaddles, educates, instructs him, etc.: wherefore in this respect the son owes more to his mother than to his father, and consequently if he despises her, he does her a graver injury. The antithesis required that he should say: "He saddens his mother." But in his manner Solomon assigns the cause of saddening, namely despect. Just as therefore a wise son by his obedience, virtue and goodness gladdens his parents: so an unwise one by his unruly wickedness, gluttony, lust and vices saddens them, especially his mother; in which matter he shows his wisdom, the other his folly, both because just as it is the part of wisdom to cultivate virtues, so it is of folly to enslave oneself to vices, and to make oneself their vile slave; and because just as it is the part of wisdom to honor and gladden parents, so it is of folly to despise and sadden them. For what is dearer, what more intimate, what more closely joined to a son than his parents? wherefore he who honors or despises them, honors or despises himself, nay God himself; for parents are the vicars of God, and as it were his living image and likeness. Whence Plato teaches that they are to be honored by sons as certain earthly gods, and images of the gods, in book XI of the Laws: "It should be held, he says, that we ought to have no image more to be venerated among the gods than aged fathers and mothers together, in honoring whom God rejoices." Hence God promised to sons honoring their parents long life and his blessing; but to the disobedient he threatens death and curse. See the sayings in chapter x, verse 1, and Ecclesiasticus iii, 1 and following, where I have dealt at length with the honor of parents. Tropologically the Author of the Greek Catena: "A wise son, he says, is an honest thought, which gladdens his parent, namely the mind; but a foolish one is that which does not know how to use its own sense rightly, and confuses both itself and others."
15:21
In Hebrew, foolishness is joy to him who lacks heart (to the senseless, to the heartless), and a man of understanding makes himself straight in going; the Chaldean, and a prudent man walks rightly; the Septuagint, the paths of the senseless lacking mind, but a prudent man tending toward straight things goes, or directing walks; the Syrian, the senseless fool is without heart, the prudent walks straight; Aben-Ezra, the prudent seeks a straight path, which he may enter. The plain and clear sense is, as if to say: The fool rejoices in his foolishness, that is in his foolish thoughts, words, works: but truly the prudent man rejoices in his prudence, namely in that he prudently directs and makes his steps straight, that is his actions. The fool like a wanton calf rejoices to caper, to frolic, to leap hither and thither in a disorderly and unseemly manner: but the prudent man walks with a straight and composed step. Thus Rabbi Solomon: "Foolishness itself," he says, "is held in the place of joy among the foolish;"; thus also Rabbi Levi. There is added the Author of the Catena of the Greeks who from the Septuagint thus translates, the paths of the senseless lack judgment and mind; but a prudent man does not walk without caution along the way; and thus he explains: "The paths of the senseless are rightly called foolish; for since such men are destitute of the judgment of mind, they do nothing with reason, but rashly and without deliberation all things." It can secondly, by anastrophe thus be expounded: Joy is foolishness to the fool, as if to say: Foolishness of the fool is his joy, namely in that he knows not how to moderate and direct his joys: for fools pour themselves out into inept gladness, laughter and guffaws. Whence from the Hebrew thus you may translate with Cajetan and others, foolishness to him lacking the joy of heart; which first, Cajetan thus explains, as if to say: Excessive and effusive joy testifies to foolishness and senselessness: for the fool knows not how to moderate his joys, nor indeed his sorrows. Secondly, Vatable, as if to say: The fool rejoices in prosperous things; but the just man walks rightly, because he is moderate and constant in adversities equally as in prosperous things. Thirdly, Salazar, as if to say: Foolishness to him lacking the joy of heart, namely more effusive and intemperate gladness compels a man, who knows not how to moderate his heart, to do many foolish and fatuous things: for a senseless mind relaxed by gladness conducts itself in the most disorderly manner. But a prudent man directs his steps, namely in gladness and joy he does not become foolish and act immoderately, but prudently and cautiously arranges his actions. And so those words of the Vulgate: "Foolishness is joy to the fool," are not to be taken as if they say that the fatuous one rejoices from foolishness, but rather that the fool from joy becomes utterly foolish and acts more foolishly; so that the sense is: Joy is foolishness to the fool, not conversely foolishness is joy or joy is to the fool.
15:22
For "dissipated" in Hebrew is הפר hapher, that is, to make void, to break, to dissipate, or to make void, to break, to dissipate, that is, it makes void, breaks, dissipates the thoughts of lack of counsel: for the Hebrews use the infinitive for the indicative and any other mode; or the infinitive is taken for a noun, as if to say, To dissipate, that is, the dissipation of thoughts is where there is no counsel. Again, for "counsel" in Hebrew is סוד sod, that is, a secret, and thence counsel: for this is wont to be an arcane and secret thing. Therefore first, the Chaldean thus translates, the thoughts are broken or dissipated where there is no secret; and in the multitude of counsellors counsel is confirmed, as if to say, For accomplishing great things two things are necessary, namely secrecy and counsel. Secrecy, lest, if the matter come forth to the public, many oppose themselves to it and hinder it either secretly or openly. Counsel, lest something be done imprudently; but counsel ought to be sought from many counsellors: now, if you share the secret with many, there is danger lest the secret not remain, but be divulged by some of them. Wherefore it is the part of a prudent man to associate these two things in such a way that counsel may not lack secrecy, nor counsel divulge the secret. This will be done if faithful counsellors are chosen, and only those necessary ones who keep the counsel communicated to them or given by themselves secret. Nay, if the matter be manifest and need not consultation, let each one keep the secret to himself alone, and not communicate it with counsellors, or certainly not except with few. For often the whole nerve of the matter consists in secrecy. I remember, when I was in Belgium, Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, the renowned governor of Belgium, communicated to two counsellors a great secret concerning the recovery of a city of the greatest importance, and when it was afterwards betrayed and the matter was overturned, he called both of them and said: Either I or one of you is a traitor. I know that I have not betrayed: therefore one of you must be the traitor; each denied it: whence it could not be known which one had betrayed. Secondly, the Septuagint translates, the thoughts differ of those who do not honour the council or counsels; but in the hearts of those deliberating counsel remains. Or more clearly, as the Author of the Catena of the Greeks translates, those who make the agreement of the prudent of no account, transfer their thoughts from day to day; but in the heart of those deliberating wholesome counsel exists, as if to say, Princes and any others who, trusting in their own judgment, are unwilling to consult others, these transfer their thoughts from day to day, while they feel new difficulties presented to their mind, which they are unable to settle and resolve by themselves: whence it comes to pass that they let slip the opportune occasions for accomplishing the matter from their hands, and attempt the matter either never or at an inopportune time, and therefore in vain and to no purpose; but those who consult others and deliberate with them, these immediately receive sound counsel: whence it comes to pass that they execute the matter at an opportune time, and accomplish it prudently and often happily. I believe the Syrian intended the same, who is wont to follow the Septuagint; wherefore it is read erroneously in it: They make the thoughts void who defer honour to the council; for the negation "not" is lacking, which the Septuagint, the Hebrew, the Chaldean and all the others have. Whence thus it seems it should be read in it: They make the thoughts void who do not defer honour to the council, that is, who do not consult counsellors, as I have already explained. Thirdly, some thus translate: Dissipate the thoughts when there is no counsel; and in the multitude of counsellors thou shalt be confirmed, and thus they explain it, as if to say, Dissipate, that is, spread abroad in public that which thou intendest to do, when thou hast not sufficient counsellors whom thou mayest consult; for thus thou wilt hear the judgments and counsels of many, even wise men, which will teach thee what ought to be done. For either they will confirm that which thou intendest, or certainly they will suggest something better. Thus astute and shrewd princes are wont to do, and Aristotle in Book III of the Politics advises this to be done. For if the matter to be done be spread abroad, the people will either approve that which the prince intends, and then he will be able to execute it securely; or if they do not approve, they will indicate the reason why they do not approve, which being known the prince either ought to follow or certainly to remove. For it is hard and dangerous for a prince if he wish to attempt or undertake anything against the sense of the people; for this is to irritate all, to stir up the hatred of all against himself, and as it were to kick against the prick. But the Hebrew הפר hapher, that is, to dissipate, does not signify to spread abroad in public, but to break, to rupture, to make void and to render vain. Fourth, our [Douay-Rheims] version excellently renders it: "Thoughts are dissipated where there is no counsel; but where there are many counsellors, they are confirmed." In Hebrew: "and in the multitude of counsellors it shall stand"; Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion [render it]: "it shall be confirmed," namely the counsel; Vatablus: "thoughts are frustrated," etc. The sense is, as if to say: Where consultation does not take place, thoughts will not obtain the desired outcome; but when we bring many who have deliberated maturely into counsel, in what manner that which we desire can be accomplished, the matter itself responds to the thought undertaken concerning the accomplishing of the matter. For many suggest many sound and fitting counsels, by which the matter is rightly accomplished and brought to the desired end. Thus R. Solomon, R. Levi and Aben-Ezra. Then therefore thoughts are "confirmed," that is, they receive strength and firmness from the counsels of many. Again, "thoughts are dissipated" undertaken without counsel, because he who turns them over in his mind for a long time finds in them many difficulties and dangers, on account of which he rejects them and seizes upon others that offer themselves as better; but those which are suggested by many counsellors proposing and discussing all difficulties maturely, these are "confirmed," that is, they are made firm, solid and secure.
15:23
This teaching instructs that no one ought to preside over his own judgment, especially in matters concerning himself, in which self-love, cupidity and self-regard blind anyone, but rather one ought to consult others and acquiesce in their counsels. Wherefore among three teachings which St. Bernard left to his own in his will at his death, this was the second: "In the first place," he says, "I wished to give scandal to no one in my life, and if it ever happened, I calmed it as I could. Secondly, I always trusted less in my own sense than in that of another. Thirdly, when injured, I never sought vengeance." Behold the charity, humility and patience of the man. Thus it is in his Life itself. In Hebrew, joy is to a man in the answer of his mouth; and a word in its season how good! The Chaldean: joy is to a man in the word of his mouth; and a word spoken in its season how good! The Syriac: he who speaks in season, it is good for him. Therefore "a word in season" is one which is uttered in a seasonable time, that is, fitting, convenient, useful and apt. For opportune is said from ob and portus, because just as a harbor is most useful and apt to those navigating, so a thing opportune or a word in season is most useful and convenient to those hearing. The sense therefore is, as if to say: Everyone rejoices in his own opinion, which when asked he utters with his mouth: for everyone delights in his own judgment and sense, and prefers it to the judgment of others; for to each his own seems beautiful, to each his own is pleasing: yet not every opinion, but only the opportune one, which namely is uttered in its own time and place, is the best, that is, most pleasing, most convenient and most useful. This proverb therefore teaches prudence to be observed in uttering an opinion, whether in counsel or outside of it, namely that we accommodate our opinion to the time. For often what in itself is good and useful, at this time is not good, but evil and harmful. Wherefore the prudent man avoids an unseasonable opinion, and seizes upon an opportune one, that is, fitting to the time. For prudence in speaking and acting consists in the particular, indeed in the individual circumstance and condition of things; for a prudent action or word is one which is useful and apt to this place and time, and to these persons; an imprudent one, which, although it be prudent in itself, is yet to this place or time, or to these persons incongruous and useless, or even harmful. Whence that passage in chapter xxv, verse 11: "Golden apples in beds of silver, he that speaketh a word in season." Otherwise our Salazar somewhat differently: "A word in season," he says, "is not a word spoken seasonably and timely, but one which utters and counsels things opportune and accommodated," as if you should say: Faith is not to be given to any counselor and counsel, because each counselor prefers his own opinion and counsel to others, and thinks it to be the best; but faith is to be given to a word and counsel in season, which namely is accommodated to accomplishing the matter which is being treated. Solomon therefore admonishes him who has need of counsel, as if to say: Counsels, not which have seemed most pleasing to you because they are yours, but which are best and most apt to accomplishing the matter, even if they be of others, prefer and follow, according to that saying of Solon: "Consult not what is most pleasing, but what is best." Or certainly, says Salazar, a word in season is one which expresses what the mind feels in accommodated and apt words, according to that of St. Augustine, book II of On Christian Doctrine: "To express the thought of the mind in words delights the orator wonderfully; but when proper words escape the speaker, and foreign ones occur, he is thus tormented, as if to a wise and learned envoy a bad interpreter should happen." Mystically Galatinus, book III of The Mysteries of Faith, chapter xxix, by a word or utterance in season understands the Word incarnate at a time fitting and destined by God, that he might eruct to men the mysteries of God hidden from the foundation of the world. Whence the Apostle says, Galatians IV, 4: "But when the fullness of time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might redeem them who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Finally, the Septuagint, connecting these to the preceding verse, go another way. For when in the preceding verse they had said: "In the hands of the counseling remains counsel," in this verse they subjoin, as the Author of the Catena of the Greeks translates: "But the wicked are so disposed that neither do they easily obey, nor do they bring forward anything which is opportune or for the common good," by which they signify that he who desires counsel ought to beware of the wicked and dishonest; for these reject the good counsels of the good, and in their place substitute evil and dishonest ones, which their dishonest mind suggests to them.
15:24
In Hebrew, the way of life is above for the intelligent one, that he may turn aside from the lowest hell; the Chaldean version: the way of life is upward for the intelligent one, that he may turn aside from the lower hell; the Syriac: the way of life is an ascent for the intelligent one. For "above" in Hebrew is למעלה lemaala, that is, the things above, upward, superior, above. It signifies therefore first that the way of virtue, which leads to the blessed life which the learned, that is the prudent one, enters upon and pursues, is by far superior to it, as being high, elevated, heavenly, so that one must always climb upward to heaven; and therefore secondly, that this way is steep and difficult, and surpasses the strength of human nature, because one must depart from hell by a direct opposite course, indeed must climb to the very summit of the heavens, when the way of the impious in pleasure is prone and easy, but leads down to hell. This is what Virgil sings in the sixth book of the Aeneid: Easy is the descent to Avernus. But to recall one's step and escape to the upper air, this is the task, this is the labor; few whom just Jupiter has loved, or burning virtue has raised to the aether, born of the gods have been able to do it. The wise man therefore always has his heart, mouth and hands turned upward, and says with the Apostle: "Our conversation is in heaven," Philippians iii, 20. And that: "Seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God." To this points the immense elevation and distance of heaven from earth, which causes man striving toward heaven to tend upward with great strides continually, if he wishes to reach heaven. For mathematicians teach that the concavity of the firmament, or starry heaven, is distant eighty million miles, and is elevated above the earth. Wherefore, if someone were to live for two thousand years, and daily ascended directly upward at one hundred miles, and did this continuously, after two thousand years he would not yet reach the concavity of the firmament. Again, after another two thousand years ascending the same distance daily, he would not reach from the concavity to the convexity of the firmament: when therefore would he reach from the convexity of the firmament to the empyrean heaven, which is far more distant and elevated? See the words at Genesis i, verse 14. Hence God ordained that we traverse such great spaces not by the steps of the body, but of the mind, so that we go from virtue to virtue, until we see the God of gods in Sion. This sense is required by the antithesis, in which the word lemaala, that is above, is opposed to the lowest hell, in Hebrew, which is below or downward, that is which is the lowest or lowest part of the world. Note here that from this place and similar ones it is clear that the Jews in the Old Testament were promised not only the goods of the earth, but heaven was also promised, and its glory and happiness, and conversely Gehenna of hell was threatened to them if they violated God's laws. Hence also the Septuagint, as the Author of the Catena of the Greeks has it, translates: the thoughts of the prudent man are the ways of life; for they excel in that he may escape from hell. For the prudent think of nothing else than how to flee hell and climb to heaven; and Aben-Ezra: The path of life, he says, למעלה lemaala, that is, is above for the intelligent one, as if to say, "The wise man labors to obey the will of his Creator, so that he may pursue the path of life which is above, that is of the soul, which burns with desire to return to God, avoiding the seats of hell established in the lowest seat;" and R. Levi: "The way of life," he says, "is far superior to the learned one. Wherefore in his contemplations he is raised to more sublime and noble things." These therefore are called by Solomon למעלה lemaala, that is, the more sublime things, which excel in dignity. For the more sublime anything is in this machine of the world, the more noble and excellent it is. Hence heaven excels the elements; and among the elements the higher anything is, the more excellent it is: hence fire excels air, air excels water, water excels earth. The heart of the just man therefore is most excellent, because it is highest, as being fixed in the empyrean heaven, in God himself. Let us therefore always strive to ascend upward through heavenly thoughts, prayers and actions: the more we ascend, the more we recede from hell, and approach God, and approach the security of eternal salvation. Thus Simeon Stylites gradually ascended the column, higher and higher step by step, so that he became progressively more remote from the earth and nearer to heaven. "For first," says Theodoretus in the History of the Holy Fathers, "he ordered a column of six cubits to be built, then twelve, afterwards twenty-two, but now thirty-six. For he desires to fly into heaven, and to be freed from this earthly manner of life." Wherefore the same man preached twice daily to the people, who flocked together in troops to see him, "commanding them to look up to heaven and to fly, and to depart from the earth, and to apprehend by vision the kingdom which is awaited, and to fear the punishments of hell, and to despise earthly things, and to await future things." Indeed, he even died standing upon the column; "and his body did not even then fall, but stood upright in the place of his struggle (looking up to heaven) as an unconquered athlete of Christ, willing no part of his limbs to touch the earth." Thus far Theodoretus. So also St. Francis both in life and in speech preached nothing other than: "Lift up your hearts, to heaven, to heaven." Whence this was his saying: "Those who serve God must reserve nothing of worldly things, but must strip themselves of all things," and, as he himself said, "dispossess themselves." I shall cite more at verse 26, towards the end. Come then, O faithful one, O Christian, O Priest, O Religious, who before the ages of the world were written down by God as a citizen of the house of God, and heir of heaven, co-heir with Christ, despise earthly things, regard heavenly things, live a life higher than the earth, converse with the Angels, emulate their life, soon to be their companion in blessed eternity. Hence thirdly, Bede says: The way of life, he says, is above the learned man, that is, the way of life transcends the powers of human nature; wherefore it needs heavenly light and grace breathed forth by God, so that he may enter upon the path of virtue, which leads to heaven. For faith, hope, charity, and the other Christian virtues, are supernatural, and therefore infused from heaven, by which we tend towards and attain to heavenly glory, avoiding the dangers of hell. Otherwise Dionysius and Arboreus, as if to say: The path of life is the law of God, which is above the just man: for the just man ought to subject himself to it and obey it, if he wishes to turn away from hell, and to enter upon the way to blessed life; the law therefore is superior to the just man, commanding and ordering him, to whom accordingly the just man willingly subjects himself and obeys. Finally, hell is called the lowest, because it is the last and lowest part of the world, and therefore is opposed to heaven, which is the first and highest. Galatinus, in book VI of the Secrets of Faith, chapter ix, teaches that the ancient Hebrews believed there were two receptacles of souls after death, one for the good, the other for the wicked: both however were called hell; but the first was called the upper hell, or the Limbo of the Fathers, the other the lower hell, or the hell of the damned.
15:25
For the proud, the Septuagint translates ὑβριστῶν, that is, the injurious, the contemptuous; the Syriac, the foolish. For "shall demolish" in Hebrew is יסח issach, that is, shall sweep away, just as we sweep away the filth of a house with brooms: for the proud are the filth of the world, and therefore God sweeps them away; the Septuagint, destroyed; the Syriac, shall uproot; others, shall extirpate, that is, shall pluck up by the roots and overturn; R. Levi, shall level to the ground. The plain sense is, as if to say, God is the enemy and antagonist of the proud, their houses, that is, their families, and their things and wealth and estates, He shall lay low and overturn; but He shall raise up and establish the houses, that is, the families and estates of the humble and afflicted, such as especially widows are. For widows, as it were desolate and abandoned by all, are specially the care of God, according to that in Psalm CXLV: "He shall take up the fatherless and the widow." That saying of Aesop the Mythologist is famous, who when asked "what God does," answered: "He humbles the proud, He exalts the humble." St. Ambrose adds, in the book On Widows, two other causes of this divine care. The first is, that they may be univirous, that is, content with one marriage, and after the death of their husband seek not another, knowing that if they remain widows, they pass into the care and protection of God. Whence he adds: "In the divine judgments the Jews are shown to have offended the Lord by no sin more than by violating the grace of widows and the rights of the lesser; this is proclaimed by prophetic voices; this alone is mentioned as the cause of offense that would mitigate envy, if the widow be honored in honors, and justice be shown to her. For thus you have in Isaiah I: Judge for the fatherless, and defend the widow, and come and let us reason together, saith the Lord." The second is, that the widow represents the Church, whose spouse Christ died and went away into heaven; she therefore remains a widow. St. Ambrose says therefore that God cares for widows, because they themselves "represent the widowhood of the Church which lost Christ her husband according to the passion of the body, concerning which that was said in Isaiah: For the children of the desolate are more than the children of her that hath a husband." Whence mystically Bede understands by the proud the heretics, whom God is wont to sweep out of the Church as it were filth; but by the widow he understands the Church, whose boundaries He is wont to establish and propagate. But the author of the Catena of the Greeks understands by the proud the Synagogue of the proud Jews, who killed Christ, and therefore were cut off; but by the widow the Church of the Gentiles, which God preferred to the Synagogue and established. St. Ambrose himself adds a third cause, in the Exhortation to Virgins, that widows present a notable example of chastity not only to the married, but also to virgins; for it is easier for a virgin inexperienced in carnal allurements to preserve virginity, than for a widow experienced in them to preserve widowhood: "The example of widowhood," he says, "is the teaching of virginity." For when a virgin sees a widow preserve her widowhood undefiled, she herself is incited to preserve her virginity undefiled.
15:26
"It shall be confirmed by him" is not in the Hebrew, Greek and Chaldean, nor in the Latin of the Complutensian edition, but is understood from the antithesis; for the Hebrew texts have it word for word thus: thoughts of evil, that is of an evil thing (Vatablus: of evil, namely of an evil man) are an abomination to the Lord; and pure words of beauty, that is pure words are beautiful, please the Lord, as if to say: Just as God abhors evil thoughts, so he holds pure utterances in favor, pleasant and beautiful, and is as it were adorned and beautified by them; wherefore he confirms them, that is affirms and establishes them, by his assent and cooperation: thus Vatablus. The Septuagint: an unjust thought is an abomination to the Lord; but the utterances of the chaste ἁγναί, that is grave, pure, honest; Symmachus: ἁγναί, that is chaste; Theodotion: καθαραί, that is clean; the Chaldean: and pure words are sweet; Vatablus: they are pleasing; others: pure are the words of beauty or comeliness; the Syriac: pure words are delightful; Aben-Ezra: pure and sincere words are reckoned as silver separated from all dross, in which God delights. He opposes to evil thoughts a pure word, that is a pure thought: for from this follows a pure word: for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. It is a frequent metalepsis in Solomon. The sense therefore is, as if to say: God abhors evil thoughts, and the evil words proceeding from them; conversely, he loves pure thoughts, and the pure words proceeding from them, which in the eyes of God as much as of men are most beautiful, and therefore greatly please him, and are directed and confirmed by him. Whence Rabbi Levi from the Hebrew thus translates and explains: God detests the thoughts of the wicked, because they always wallow in wickedness, but those which the pure and clean turn over in their mind are nothing other than words which are pleasing to God. He touches here upon the root of all evil and good, namely evil and good thoughts. For from an evil thought of the mind there naturally arises delight in pleasure, from delight appetite, from appetite consent, from consent deed, from deed habit, from habit obstinacy, from obstinacy hell. Conversely from a good thought these same things, but good, arise, and finally heavenly glory and happiness. See here the lineage of good and evil thought, and its sons, grandsons and great-grandsons. Wherefore the greatest care must be taken by man concerning his thoughts, that he turn over in his mind nothing but good ones, and evil ones, whether sent by the demon, or by concupiscence, or by men, he immediately exclude, and as it were destroy them like the eggs of serpents. For he who always turns over good thoughts in his mind can desire nothing but good; for the will follows the intellect and thought. This is what Christ says, Matt. xv, 19: "Out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies; these are the things that defile a man." See how the Gospel agrees with the law; Christ the true Solomon assents to the ancient Solomon. To this pertains that saying of the philosopher Sixtus: A good mind (which thinks good things) is a choir of God; an evil mind (which thinks evil things) is a choir of demons. A holy temple to God is the mind of the pious, and the best altar to him is a pure heart. Again, God embraces or abhors good or evil thoughts, because they themselves are indices and effects of the good or evil love, which God embraces or abhors, according to that saying of St. Augustine: "My love is my weight; by it I am borne, whithersoever I am borne." For the will as it were a mistress moves the intellect, that it may think of a thing dear to it, and may represent to itself its beauty, that it may delight itself in it. Dost thou wish to know what thou lovest? See what thou often thinkest; for this thou lovest. Therefore from thought God measures love, in which the whole moral goodness or malice of man consists. Finally, Solomon teaches here that lingering thoughts, to which the will fully or half-fully consents, are sins, even if they do not pass into deed, according to that saying of Christ: "Whosoever shall see a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart." For they are forbidden by the ninth precept of the Decalogue: "Thou shalt not covet," as I showed in Deut. v, 21, and Rom. vii, 7. Hear St. Gregory, XXI Morals, cap. 11: "Through Moses, he says, lust perpetrated is condemned, but through the author of purity lust thought is condemned. Hence it is that the first pastor of the Church says to his disciples: For which cause gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, perfect, etc. For to gird up the loins of the flesh is to restrain lust from its effect; but to gird up the loins of the mind is to restrict it also from thought. For our adversary is cunning, and while he is driven out externally from the effect of the deed, he strives secretly to pollute the thought. Whence the serpent is told by the Lord: On thy breast and belly shalt thou crawl. The serpent indeed crawls on its belly when the slippery enemy through human members subjected to him reaches even to the completion of the deed; but the serpent crawls on its breast when those whom he cannot overcome in the deed of lust, he pollutes in thought. But because through thought one proceeds to the completion of deeds, rightly is the serpent described first crawling on its breast, and then crawling on its belly." Furthermore, evil thoughts are, first, evil machinations, by which someone plots evil against another; second, simulations, deceits and frauds, concerning which our Salazar explains this passage thus: "Evil thoughts are an abomination to the Lord," that is, God pursues with vehement hatred the deceits and snares which the wicked assume for the destruction of their neighbors. "But a pure word is most beautiful and is confirmed by him," namely a sincere word and free from deceit is by him asserted and esteemed as most beautiful: this indeed is approved and pleasing to him. For men think those words beautiful, witty and clever rather which contain some tricks or deceits or simulations; but to God no word appears more beautiful or more witty and clever than a sincere and candid one, to which nothing of deceit or deception is subject, nothing of falsehood or simulation. Third, evil thoughts are obscene and lustful: for to these the thought and "pure word" directly oppose themselves; Symmachus, chaste; Theodotion, clean. For above all other evil thoughts, those that are lustful are displeasing to God, both because they are supremely contrary to divine purity and holiness; and because they are alluring and easily entice and draw the will to consent, at least imperfect, or tacit and implicit, and this on account of concupiscence innate in us, which in lustful matters is most vehement; just as therefore he who touches pitch is defiled by it, and he who is handled with filth and dung is soiled by it, according to that saying: "Whether I conquer or am conquered, I am always stained;" so likewise he who disputes and struggles with impure thoughts is defiled by them. Wherefore the thoughts of other vices are overcome by resisting, but those of lust by fleeing, according to that of the Apostle: "Flee fornication." Thus Cassian, Climacus, Dorotheus, and St. Augustine, serm. 250 On the Seasons: "Among all, he says, the struggles of Christians, the battles of chastity alone are harder, where the struggle is daily and victory rare. Chastity has drawn a grave enemy, who is conquered and feared daily. And therefore let no one deceive himself with false security, let no one presume dangerously of his own strength, but let him hear the Apostle saying: Flee fornication," 1 Corinth. cap. vi. He proves this by the example of Joseph, who by fleeing the mistress tempting him conquered; and of David, who by not fleeing the temptation succumbed, and committed adultery. Fourth, by evil thoughts understand any vicious ones whatsoever, such as of pride, anger, envy, gluttony, sloth, etc. For the Lord abhors all these; and the soul, that it may please God, ought to purge itself from all of them, so that in his sight it may be pure and bright like a polished mirror, indeed like an angel. Counterparts to this saying of Solomon are the apophthegms of the ancient Fathers. Of Hyperichius saying: "Let thy thought always be in the kingdom of heaven, and thou shalt quickly receive it as an inheritance." Thus it is found in the Lives of the Fathers, book V, booklet xi, number 35; likewise in the meditations of twelve Anchorites, the fourth in order: "I am thus, he says, as if sitting on the Mount of Olives with the Lord and his disciples. And he said to me: Recognize no one according to the flesh; but be always an imitator of heavenly conversation, as the good Mary Magdalene sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing his words. Be ye holy and perfect, as your Father also who is in heaven is perfect. And: Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart." But the ninth in order says: "I daily await the Church of intellectual virtues, I see the Lord of glory in the midst of them shining above all, but when I depart from him, I ascend into heaven, awaiting the admirable beauties of the Angels, so that I may hear the hymns which they send forth unceasingly to God and their sweet songs, and I am delighted by their sounds and voices and sweetness, so that it pleases me to remember what is written: The heavens declare the glory of God, etc. And all things which are upon the earth, I regard as ashes and dung." Behold, these are good thoughts and pure words, which delight God and the Angels, just as impure ones delight Lucifer and demons. Wherefore Barlaam to Josaphat in Damascene in Hist. cap. xix, earnestly exhorts him to purity of thoughts and care: "For not only, he says, our actions, but also our thoughts are reckoned before God, and bring us either crowns or punishments. Indeed we perceive that Christ dwells with the Father and the Holy Spirit in pure hearts. And again we are not ignorant of this, that just as smoke drives away bees, in the same way evil thoughts drive away the grace of the divine Spirit from us. Wherefore strive with the utmost effort in this, that every vicious thought being extinguished and blotted out from thy soul, thou mayest insert the best thoughts into it, and make thyself a temple of the Holy Spirit. For through thoughts we come to actions themselves; and every work proceeding from thought and agitation of mind takes a small beginning at first, and then growing by silent increments becomes at last immense." Abbas John in the Lives of the Fathers, book III, in Rufinus, numbers 208 and 209, teaches that evil thoughts are to be overcome by prayer: "Whenever, he says, a foul thought is kindled by the enemy, then let him pour out the water of prayer and extinguish it." Syncletica likewise, book V, booklet IV, on continence, number 42: "Just as, she says, venomous animals drive away sharper medicines from themselves: so fasting with prayer drives a filthy thought from the soul." Likewise, book VI, near the end, number 25, a certain elder says: "He who binds in his soul the memory of malice is like one hiding fire among straw." Likewise, book V, booklet xi, number 53, another elder says: "The fear of God like fire burns up the reeds of thoughts." And booklet x, number 83, to one asking: "What shall I do, because thoughts trouble me, and I know not how to resist them?" an elder suggests this remedy: "Do not resist against all, but against one; for all the thoughts of monks have one head; it is necessary therefore to consider which and what sort it is (the principal one), and to resist against it; thus indeed the remaining thoughts are humbled." For when the radical and principal thought is conquered, all the rest, which as it were sprout forth from it as fibers, are conquered and cut down. The root of thoughts therefore must be carefully examined and sought out by each one, and when known, the axe of mortification must be applied to it; for when that is cut off, the rest flowing from it are cut off, as the masters of spiritual things teach. Abbas Macarius likewise, book V, booklet xviii, number 9, to Theoctistus being tempted: "If an evil thought, he says, should rise up to thee, never look downward, but always upward, and immediately the Lord will help thee." John Moschus in the Spiritual Meadow, cap. LXIX, relates that apophthegm of Abbot Palladius: "Observation of thoughts is the medicine of salvation." Likewise Abbot Pastor commanded one troubled by various thoughts to seize the wind; and when he said he could not do this, he added: "So neither canst thou prevent thoughts from entering, but it is thy part to resist them." Finally, that ancient custom in Religious communities is that novices lay bare their thoughts and temptations to their Superior; whereby it comes to pass that both by the merit of humility and by the Superior's prudence and counsel they are quickly freed from them.
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The Chaldean: He destroys his own house who gathers together mammon of iniquity; and he who hates a gift of grace (given) shall live. The avaricious man troubles his own house, first, because in order to satisfy his avarice, he compels his household, servants and handmaids to labor more than is fitting, even on feast days and forbidden days, and defrauds them of honest food and clothing, and treats them miserably, harshly and bitterly; whence it comes to pass that they murmur against him, quarrel, and wrangle among themselves, while each one strives to shake off the burden and labor from himself and cast it upon another; secondly, the avaricious man is accustomed to enrich himself through frauds, usuries and unjust contracts, on account of which lawsuits are brought either against him or against his heirs, which bring great losses to them, and strip them of their goods; thirdly, because God is accustomed to punish the avaricious by deprivation of the riches avariciously and wrongly gathered, so that in that wherein they have sinned, in that also they may be punished. For "troubles" in Hebrew is עוכר ocher, by which word he alludes to Achan, who avariciously plundering a mantle from the spoils of Jericho against the commandment of God, troubled his own house, nay the whole of Israel, who on that account was smitten by the Chanaanites. Whence Achan, stoned by Josue in the valley, which was therefore called Achor, that is, of trouble, heard: "Because thou hast troubled us, may the Lord trouble thee in this day," Josue vii, 25. So also Giezi, avariciously and simoniacally receiving gifts from Naaman, whom Eliseus his master had healed of leprosy, brought the same upon himself and his house, that is upon all his posterity, IV Kings v, 27. BUT HE THAT HATETH GIFTS SHALL LIVE. — The antithesis equally required that he should say: "But he that hateth avarice shall live." Yet Solomon, in his manner, puts a species more commonly used for the whole genus of avarice, and understands the whole genus from the species by synecdoche, as if to say: A judge, counselor, and any official who in rendering judgment, or giving counsel, in distributing benefits or public offices, etc., does not allow himself to be corrupted by gifts, but abstains from them, so that he may render a just judgment for justice, so that he may give sound and sincere counsel, so that he may confer office or benefit upon those more worthy and fitting; this man assuredly, God granting it, "shall live," that is shall live a quiet, happy, long life in this age, and eternal life in the future. But what I say concerning him that hateth gifts, the same I understand equally of him that hateth usury, simony and any avarice whatsoever. For from one species of the acceptance of gifts I understand the whole genus of avarice. Hence also the Septuagint, so that they might make the former part equal to the latter by antithesis, putting the same species for the genus of avarice, thus translate: He that accepteth gifts shall destroy himself; but he that hateth the acceptance of gifts shall be saved. So also the Syriac. Our Salazar by him that hateth gifts understands him that hateth usuries; for usury, since it is not owed, is assuredly a gift and present which the usurer unjustly demands and exacts from him seeking a loan. But in order that this be true, usury is only a species of avarice; whence it does not equal the whole of its genus; wherefore the antithesis remains not equal, but defective. Moreover, Jansenius rightly observes that this teaching is especially fitting for Ecclesiastics, who strive eagerly to enrich themselves and their own; for these first sin and defile their soul with avarice, namely through plurality of benefices and pensions (I say nothing of simony, usury, etc.), which in them is graver than in laymen: for their profession is to be vacant for God and heavenly things, and to despise temporal things. Whence when they become clerics, they say with the Levites: "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, and of my cup." If the Lord is their portion, why do they seek portions of the earth? Secondly, they trouble their houses and families with many cares, labors, lawsuits, which avarice brings with it, indeed they impoverish and overturn their own houses and those of their relatives, which they wish to enrich through avarice, by this very thing. For experience teaches that ecclesiastical goods, when transferred to the houses of laymen, consume and devour them and their wealth, just as feathers of eagles mixed with the feathers of other birds are said to consume them. Thirdly, they scandalize the Church of God; for the faithful people say: If celibate clerics consecrated to God aspire to earthly goods, much more should we, who have children, accumulate them. Whence from Climacus, Dionysius says: "The avaricious man, he says, is a mocker of the Gospel; since Christ especially commended the contempt of earthly things by example and word." On the contrary, Pastors and Ecclesiastics, who despise earthly goods and distribute them liberally to the poor, will live through glory in the heavens and through memory, fame and glory on earth, as St. Gregory the Great lives, who was poor to himself, rich to others, and fed all the needy not only in Rome, but throughout all Italy, indeed also through Spain, Gaul, Palestine and the whole world; and in our age St. Charles Borromaeus, whose poverty and contempt of riches and liberality would that all Prelates and Clerics might read and imitate! See the sayings in Ezekiel xxxiv, 3. Cyril adorns this teaching with an allegory of the ape and the fox, lib. III Apolog. moral. cap. XII: An ape, he says, receiving a honeycomb from a juggler as a gift, offered itself to him as a servant to perform jocular games for the people; wherefore by him, lest it flee, bound with a little chain, and exposed to ridicule by the people, it began late to repent of captivity and misery and harsh fate; whence condemning the gift accepted, it exclaimed: "O baited hook of deceptive desire, deadly gift, adoptive of natural gifts, most heavy pledge of obligation, commerce of fool and wise man least, greatest price of purchase, yoke of servitude, leaven of iniquity, indication of captivity, ferment of discords, subversion of civilities, seminary of all evils, beloved poison!" He then brings forth examples of philosophers, who because they spurned the gifts of kings, were superior to kings: "For with how many titles of glory is that Diogenes exalted, because trampling upon royal riches through the midst of the treasures of Alexander of Macedon, poor in bodily care, but rich in virtue, he proceeded? Indeed he shone more wealthy and greater by this very thing, that he was unwilling to accept, than that which he was disposed to give. With how many praises of morals is the cultivator Socrates extolled, when he was asked to be honored with sufficiently great gifts of King Archelaus? and he answered that he did not wish to come to him, from whom he would receive benefits, since he could not render him equal returns. For he wished to be free, while he thought to render before to receive. With how many similar proclamations is Fabricius, most rich in virtue, adorned, while he refused the gift offered to him, a poor man, by Pyrrhus, preferring rather to possess the honor of a free citizen, than the glory of gifts bought by a king? In which matter he certainly shone forth much more, while the king, admiring the remarkable man, exalted him above the sun, saying: He is Fabricius, who can be turned from honor with greater difficulty than the sun from the rectitude of its course." BY MERCY AND FAITH SINS ARE PURGED; BUT BY THE FEAR OF THE LORD ALL MAN DECLINETH FROM EVIL. — This verse is transcribed from the Septuagint. For in the Hebrew it does not exist in this place, but in the following chapter, verse 6, where for faith in Hebrew it is emeth, that is, truth. But truth when it is opposed to mercy is the same as justice, and signifies a work that is due, just as mercy signifies a work that is undue, gratuitous and liberal. The sense therefore is, as if to say: By the works of the virtue of almsgiving gratuitous, and by the works of the virtue of justice in any way due, sins are purged, because by these works done in the grace of God we satisfy for the penalty due to sins; indeed, if we are in guilt and sin, we abolish that by these, if there be true contrition of mind, if namely we offer them to God from a contrite heart for the expiation of guilt. "By the fear of the Lord" truly one "declineth from evil," as if to say: Almsgiving expiates sin already committed; the fear of God however preserves from committing. Do therefore almsgiving, that thou mayest expiate things past, and put on the fear of God, that thou mayest beware of things future: thus shalt thou keep thyself pure from sin, and establish thy salvation in security. Whence St. Cyprian, or whoever is the author of the tract On Work and Almsgiving, teaches that God established two washings of sin, namely baptism for washing away crimes perpetrated before it, and almsgiving for expiating sins committed after it: "We were straitened, he says, and shut up in the narrow bounds of the prescription of innocence. Nor would human frailty and weakness have anything to do, unless divine piety again coming to aid, with the works of justice and mercy shown forth, should open a certain way of preserving salvation, that whatever filth we afterwards contract we may wash away by almsgiving. The Holy Spirit speaketh in the Scriptures and saith: By almsgiving and faith are sins purged; not assuredly those sins which had been contracted before: for those are purged by the blood of Christ and sanctification. Again he saith: As water extinguisheth fire, so almsgiving extinguisheth sin. Here too it is shown and proved, that as by the washing of saving water the fire of hell is extinguished, so by almsgiving and just works the flame of offences is quenched. And because once in baptism remission of sins is given, the constant and unceasing operation, imitating baptism, again bestoweth the indulgence of God." Christ assents to Solomon, Luke XI, 41: "That which remaineth, he saith, give alms; and behold all things are clean unto you." Almsgiving therefore remitteth venial sins and the penalty of mortal sins; moreover it disposeth to the remission of mortal guilt, and in fact abolisheth it, if it be done from contrition. See Origen, St. Ambrose, Bede, Toledo and others on Luke xi, 14. See also what I said on Daniel iv, 24, to those words: "Redeem thy sins with almsgiving."
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The Gloss and others read wisdom for obedience. Whence you may learn that true wisdom is obedience, namely if someone obeys God and Superiors as vicars of God, especially because obedience ought to be seasoned with wisdom so that one may be wise unto God, as St. Bernard says; in Hebrew it is לענות laanoth, which signifies two things: first, to answer, second, to humble oneself. A third meaning is added by R. Levi and R. David, namely to conduct business. Whence first Pagninus, the Zurich Bible, Clarius, R. Solomon and others translate, the heart of the just meditates what it may answer; but the mouth of the wicked eructates or belches forth evils, that is to say, the just man when questioned does not immediately answer, lest by hasty response he say something that is impious toward God or injurious to his neighbor, but meditates what he may answer wisely, according to that saying of St. Bernard: "Words twice to the file, before once to the tongue;" but the wicked man without premeditation belches forth the evils which he bears in his heart, and whatever comes into his mouth he eructates, like a fountain bubbling forth all water, both pure and foul, which it has received. Whence some translate, vomits forth evils. For just as by vomiting there is cast out surfeit, phlegm and filth of the stomach: so the wicked man vomits forth from his mouth cursing, calumny, petulance, pride, anger, etc., which he bears in his heart. Aben-Ezra refers these things to verse 27, which in the Hebrew immediately precedes, that is to say, an uncorrupt judge, who hates gifts, shall live; and therefore his mind, having heard the parties litigating among themselves, meditates what it may answer, so that he may pronounce judgment according to the norm of justice. But others do not restrict these things to a judge, but take them generally as they sound. To this pertains that saying of Demosthenes, to whom, when it was objected that he pronounced with labor, he replied, "that he would not only speak written words, but also carved ones," if he could. And he added: "I consider a citizen wicked who dares to give counsel to the republic without meditation." Second, R. Levi, Vatablus and R. David hold that the Hebrew laanoth is the same as לענין leinian, that is, business. Whence they translate, the heart of the just shall meditate on business or to conduct business, that is to say, the mind of the just is always intent on the thought of a matter and business from which he may gain profit. Or, that is to say, the heart of the just meditates to speak with business and weight of matters, with propriety and pleasantness of things, and with fruit: on the contrary the mouth of the wicked lightly, improperly, rashly and without fruit belches forth all things which it thinks. There is noted therefore the loquacity of the unwise, and the gravity of speech of the wise is commended. Third, our author translates most excellently: "The mind of the just meditates obedience," namely humility, subjection, meekness, that is to say, when anything is commanded to the just man, however hard and difficult, by the law, by God or a Superior, indeed when he himself is admonished by the same or another equal, or inferior, concerning his vices and defects, he immediately humbly and meekly like a lamb subjects his mind to the precept and obedience, or to the admonition and the one admonishing; but the wicked man when something displeasing is commanded, or when he is reproved for his vices, kicks back, murmurs, and eructates a thousand words of impatience, and is like a river overflowing, which fills all neighboring places with the abundance of waters: so indeed he himself from the abundance of his heart continually bubbles forth a stream of cursing, and thereby burdens and overwhelms all. This seems to be what the Septuagint wished when they translate, the hearts of the just meditate faith, and the mouth of the wicked answers evils; and the Chaldean, the heart of the just meditates in faith, and the mouth of the wicked eructates evils. For by faith they understand fidelity, as the Syrian explains, which the inferior owes to his Superior, namely obedience. Moreover, the just man meditates upon obedience, first, by meditating upon the excellence of obedience, its usefulness, its fruit and its necessity, especially of the precept or vow, if he has vowed it. For, as St. John Climacus says, in the Fourth Step: "Obedience is the perfect renunciation of one's own soul and body, voluntary death, life without anxiety, navigation without loss, a voluntary burial of the will; it is to make a journey while sleeping under a burden imposed by others, and to swim upon the shoulders of others without being submerged." Secondly, by meditating upon the reasons which may incline him to obey, and which may temper and mitigate the rigour of the precept, so that, when the Superior calls, or commands something difficult, he may straightway say with Samuel: "Behold, here I am;" and with St. Paul: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" and especially by meditating upon the obedience of Christ, who was made obedient for us unto death, even the death of the cross, so that He might restore us, lost through the disobedience of Adam, by His obedience and example, and might teach us to obey, as it were saying: Behold, and do, and obey according to the pattern which I have shown thee on Mount Calvary. Thirdly, by meditating upon the degrees of obedience, so that he may ascend them gradually. These degrees are three: the first and lowest is to do the work commanded; the second is to will the work commanded, and to love it, and to undertake it willingly, promptly and cheerfully; the third is not only to will, but also to judge that the work commanded is better than any other, so that he submits not only his will but also his judgment to the Superior, and believes that what the Superior commands is better than what his own mind or any other suggests. Fourthly, by meditating upon the means of dexterously executing what has been commanded. Whence St. Bernard, in his sermon On the Virtue of Obedience: "The faithful obedient man," he says, "knows no delays, flees from tomorrow, is ignorant of slowness, anticipates the one commanding, prepares his eyes for sight, his ears for hearing, his tongue for speech, his hands for work, his feet for the journey, and gathers himself wholly together so as to gather the will of the one commanding." And St. Jerome, in his letter to Rusticus: "Believe that whatever the Abbot of the monastery commands is salutary, and do not judge concerning the opinion of your superiors, whose office it is to obey and to fulfil what has been commanded, as Moses says: Hear, O Israel, and be silent." Cassian, in the Fourth Book of the Institutes: "The Egyptian monks hasten to fulfil all things whatsoever have been commanded by their Abbot, as if they had been sent down from heaven by God, without any discussion." And St. Gregory, in the Second Book on the First Book of Kings: "He knows not how to judge whosoever has perfectly learned to obey." St. Basil, in the Monastic Constitutions, chapter twenty-three: "The Apostles," he says, "with submissive neck bent under the yoke of obedience, proceeded with eager spirit into the forums, into insults, into stonings, into ignominies, into crosses, into various deaths. This obedience he who is truly a monk according to God ought to render to his Superior." Again St. Bernard in his sermon On the Virtue of Obedience: "The third degree of obedience," he says, "is to obey cheerfully. Not from sadness, says the Apostle, or from necessity. Serenity in the countenance, sweetness in speech greatly adorn the obedience of the one obeying." Whence also that pagan Poet says thus: Above all things good countenances have approached. "For what place is there for obedience where the sickness of sadness is seen? Outward signs usually show the disposition of the mind, and it is difficult for the countenance not to change when the will has changed." Such was the obedience of Abraham, who was therefore the father of the faithful and the patriarch of the obedient, concerning whom the Apostle, in Hebrews xi, 8, says: "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Greater was his obedience in the immolation of his son Isaac; from which time God had already promised him a very great posterity like the stars of heaven: wherefore then "he believed in hope against hope, etc., being fully assured that whatsoever God hath promised, He is able also to perform;" namely, Abraham believed that if by immolating he should kill his son, God would raise him from death, so as to bestow upon him the posterity promised to him from him. The same St. Bernard in his tract On Dispensation and Precept: "Perfect obedience," he says, "knows not law, is not confined by limits, and not content with the narrowness of profession, is borne forth with a more liberal will into the breadth of charity, and to all that is enjoined with spontaneous vigour of a generous and eager mind, not considering measure, extends itself into infinity." After this verse and this sentence the Septuagint adds: "The ways of the just are acceptable before the Lord; and through them even enemies are made friends," which does not exist in the Hebrew nor in the Latin; the latter part, however, exists in both in the following chapter, verse 7, where I shall explain it. The Author of the Catena of the Greeks gives the reason here: Since indeed, he says, the just unfailingly fulfill the will of God, it comes to pass that they are able to make friends even out of enemies. For when they have once dedicated and consecrated themselves to God, they intercede also for others, and reconcile them to God, the same ones who were enemies, and make them friends. In a similar manner the Septuagint transpose the verses that follow next, and place them in another place and order than they are in the Hebrew and Latin.
15:29
God is everywhere and in all things really and personally through essence, presence and power; yet He is far removed from the impious through favor and aid, because He hates them, and does not hear those who implore His aid; but He is truly near to the just, namely through love and beneficence, inasmuch as He protects them, directs them, and hears those who invoke Him. This is a customary metalepsis and metonymy: for from God's remoteness is understood His not hearing, because among men remoteness and great distance and separation is the cause why someone does not hear one crying out. This distance and separation the wicked make mystically and spiritually between God and themselves through pride, lust and other sins. God is therefore far from the impious through hatred: for He hates them and abhors them, because they themselves remove themselves from God through crimes which are supremely hateful to God and opposed to Him. Again, God hears the just when they pray, because they themselves hear God commanding and obey Him: because therefore they themselves do the will of God, hence in turn God does the will of theirs, and renders them retaliation. Conversely, the impious do not do the will of God, but of the devil; hence likewise God does not do the will of theirs. The Psalmist gives a third reason, that the impious do not invoke God in truth, that is in true and sincere heart and love, as the just do. For thus he says in Psalm 144, verse 18: "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will do the will of them that fear him, and he will hear their prayers, and save them." Do you wish therefore that God hear you? You first hear God knocking and calling. Do you wish that God do your will? You first do the will of God. Do you wish that God with sincere heart love you, be favorable and do good to you? You first with sincere heart love God. Thus the Author of the Greek Catena: God is not absent, he says, from the impious in place, but in mind, that is in favor and grace, or certainly in manner and way of life, according to that: As far as the heavens are from the earth, so far are my ways from your ways, says the Lord. And Polythronius in the same place: "God is not absent from the impious by distance of space, he says, but by diversity of judgment; for contraries are wont to be very far removed from one another. But as the just are near to God (and it is certain that this does not refer to place), so also they are heard by Him in an easy moment." This is what the Psalmist says, Psalm 36: "Delight in the Lord. And he will give you the petitions of your heart." Wherefore St. Chrysostom, homily 41 on Genesis, teaches that just and holy men bring salvation not only to themselves, but often to the whole city and commonwealth through their prayers. "When therefore you see, he says, a man clothed in outward appearance with vile garment, but inwardly clothed with virtue, do not despise what appears, but contemplate the riches of the soul and the internal glory. Such was Blessed Elias, who had only a mantle: but the purple-clad Achab had need of his mantle. See the poverty of Achab, but the riches of Elias."
15:30
In Hebrew, mouth; the Septuagint, the eye that beholds beautiful things gladdens the heart: but good fame fattens the bones. For fame in Hebrew is שמועה scemua, that is, hearing, message, rumor, fame. Whence first, Aben-Ezra, referring these things to the three following verses, by scemua, that is hearing, understands the correction which one hears, concerning which in the following verse, as if to say: Light, which is drawn in by the eyes, brings pleasure to the heart: but when one has listened to reproof, in which life is situated, and has dwelt among the wise, then rebukes will bring greater increase than if he had heard some good message. In like manner by scemua you may understand the hearings of Holy Scripture, of the law, of sacred doctrine, of pious books, etc.; for the reading or hearing of these things wonderfully fattens the bones, that is, the innermost parts of the soul, and fills them with the marrow of holy thoughts and desires, by which the whole spirit of man grows hot and is strengthened in the love of God. Secondly, others by scemua, that is hearing, understand the fame of the virtues, works and examples of the saints, by which one is well spoken of among others, as if to say: Just as light wonderfully refreshes the eyes, and thereby the heart and soul of the beholder: so the fame of virtues and examples refreshes the hearing, and thereby the mind of the hearer, and strengthens his bones and vigor for hearing similar things: for bones often signify the strength and vigor of the soul, as St. Jerome says in chapter fifty-eight of Isaiah, according to that of Psalm thirty-four, 10: "All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like unto thee?" Whence Christ, Matthew five: "So, he says, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Where St. Chrysostom: "There is nothing, he says, which makes a man so distinguished and conspicuous, even if he should wish to hide with great effort, as this splendor of virtue; for just as one surrounded by the sun itself, so indeed a just man shines forth more brightly; nor does he emit the rays of light to the earth only, but above the very heaven itself he radiates with his own brightness." Furthermore, the fame of virtues fattens the bones of the soul not only of those who hear, who are incited to emulate them, as I have already said from St. Chrysostom and Origen, but also of him who is endowed with virtue itself, of whom the fame is. For he, observing that this good opinion of himself produces admiration and imitation in the minds of those who hear, is gladdened, incited and strengthened, so that he may multiply and increase the works of virtues, which are so much a splendor and example to others. Thirdly and more genuinely, by scemua understand fame, rumor and good message, as if to say: Just as the light of the sun after long darkness of night or winter, rising in the morning or in spring, and shining upon the world, wonderfully delights the eyes of those beholding it, and thereby illuminates, gladdens, refreshes, strengthens and vivifies the heart and soul, so likewise a good message: when namely something joyful is announced, it not only soothes the ears, but also penetrates through the ears even to the heart and mind and its bones, that is, pervades its innermost marrows, gladdens, vivifies and strengthens it; indeed it even refreshes, irrigates and refreshes the very bones of the body. For he compares here two primary senses, namely sight and hearing, in that, just as things seen, especially light, delight the mind, so likewise things heard, namely messages of joyful things, delight the mind, and consequently the body and bones through natural sympathy, by which the affections, for example joy or sadness of the mind, are derived and pass into the body cohering with the soul; for vehement joy so affects the mind that it overflows and abounds in the body. You may therefore understand bones both metaphorically for the innermost parts of the soul, and properly for the bones of the body; for just as a sad message contracts, casts down and fills the mind and body with fear and sorrow; so on the contrary a joyful message, especially one greatly desired, instills and inspires joy, life and vigor both in the soul and in the body of those who hear; as indeed joyful messages concerning the faith throughout the whole world, especially in Germany, France, Ethiopia, Tartary triumphing, wonderfully refresh, encourage and strengthen Catholics. Wherefore among the ancients, messengers of good things were signified by kites, which are messengers of spring and vernal gladness, whom therefore the ancients adored; for it was the custom among certain peoples to adore kites, because they appeared as faithful messengers of the spring season after the severity of harsh winter. Whence the saying: "He throws himself toward the kite." Such was St. John the Baptist, messenger of the Gospel, bridesman, indeed herald of Christ; for he proclaimed peace and the clemency of heavenly truth, announcing that the Saviour and salvation were already at hand. Whence his voice poured forth the wonderful joy of gladness into the ears of all: "The kingdom of heaven, said he, hath drawn nigh. Prepare ye the way of the Lord." Thus our Causinus, book VI of Parables of History, chapter LXXV. Such were the glad messengers the Apostles and the other preachers of the Gospel. For Gospel in Greek is the same as in Latin a good and joyful message, according to that which the Angel announcing to the shepherds the birth of Christ, said: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people; for there is born to you this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord," Luke ii, 10. Such were the messengers the Prophets, and especially Isaias, who concerning Christ and His passion and redemption wove not so much a prophecy as a history, and was not so much a Prophet as an Evangelist, as St. Jerome testifies. Whence concerning the Apostles he saith, chapter lii, verse 7: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and preacheth peace; of him that sheweth forth good tidings, and preacheth salvation; that saith to Sion: Thy God shall reign!" And chapter liii, 1: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" etc. Finally Basil in the Catena of the Greeks, partly mystically, partly literally, expounds this verse thus: "The eye, saith he, then at length beholds good things, when by the contemplation and comprehension of those things which come under view, it is not harmed, but perfected. For indeed the contemplation of created things is wont to strengthen the powers of the soul. But good report is either that which one hears of another; or certainly that which someone hath procured for himself through virtue and learning; or he calls the eye beholding good every just man whatsoever, who hath his mind always intent upon the observance of the commandments of Christ. For such a one delighteth God. Finally, that report and voice will be most pleasing and exceedingly delightful, which the just shall hereafter hear, namely that of Christ: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you. For this will wonderfully refresh and nourish the just, whom on account of the firmness of their faith he calls bones." Indeed, he who receives the message of his own predestination, election and eternal happiness, hath cause to rejoice, hath cause to exult with all the marrow of his soul and bones, because this message brings him the assurance of blessedness and all good. Wherefore St. Francis, when in ecstasy he had been made certain of his predestination, as he returned to himself, straightway exclaimed: "Praised be my Lord, to Him be glory and honour without end;" nay, he so spent the next eight days that he could speak of nothing, and could not even recite the canonical Hours, but had only this on his lips, and repeated it constantly: "Praised be the Lord," with such joy and exultation of mind did he, and rightly and deservedly, exult. St. Mary of Oignies, having received a like message of her predestination, rapt as it were out of herself, jubilantly repeated: "We will go into the holy of holies. And what are the holy of holies?" Thus relates Cardinal James of Vitry in her Life. Blessed Peter of Alcantara, having been given sure hope of salvation, sang at his death with the Psalter: "I was glad when they said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord."
15:31
"Reproofs of life," saith Jansenius, by a Hebrew phrase calls vital reproofs, that is, salutary and life-giving, which both teach how to live rightly here, and lead to eternal life. He who willingly hears such reproofs is said to dwell in the midst of the wise, that is, among the wise, either because he will rejoice to be among them, seeking their company, from whom he may be admonished and corrected; or because he will be made worthy, so that he himself too may be honoured among the wise, and obtain the name and place of a wise man. Thus Bede: "The disciple, saith he, who obediently assents to the reproofs of his teachers, often by profiting ascends even to the chair of the doctor. Finally, Paul, who humbly submitted himself to the reproof of his Creator, afterwards sublimely attained to the seat of Apostolic dignity." To this pertains that saying of Climacus: "Every day drink reproofs as water of life."
15:32
The Septuagint: "He that casteth away discipline hateth his own soul; but he that loveth correction loveth his own soul." The meaning is clear. The reason for it is that discipline, that is, instruction, correction and chastisement of vices, is the supreme good of the soul; for it illuminates, purifies, adorns it, and decorates and perfects it with every virtue. Wherefore he who despises and hates discipline despises and hates his own soul, just as a sick man who hates medicine and the physician hates his own health: for medicine is directed to this end. Thus he who neglects to plough and to hoe his field despises it and its good, because he prevents the fruits which the field would produce, by which it would adorn itself and enrich its master. For what the plough is to a field, the hoe to a garden, the file to iron, the lye to cloth, the furnace to gold, the comb to hair, the carding to flax, the threshing to wheat, the bridle to a horse, the cautery to a wound, the drug to fever, the rod to a boy—this is discipline to a man of flesh and addicted to vices. But he that hearkeneth to reproofs shall possess the heart.—In Hebrew קונה kone, that is, acquirer, buyer, possessor of the heart; as if to say, He who hearkeneth to correction acquires dominion of the heart and becomes its possessor, both because it does not allow it to wander at will and to give itself over to its own liberty and concupiscence; and because he rules over its pride, anger, impatience and other affections and passions, and restrains them and puts them under the yoke of reason and correction; and finally because he bends and rules it at his pleasure. On the other hand, he who does not hearken to reproofs does not possess the heart, but is possessed by the heart's pride, anger, impatience, disobedience; he is the slave and bondsman of his own passions. Therefore he who hearkeneth to reproofs is the possessor of the heart and is master of himself. Such a one therefore first possesses the heart through humility, by which he humbles and subjects it to himself, namely to reason and discipline. Secondly, through meekness, because with meekness he receives the sharp rebuke of correction, according to that saying of Christ: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land," Matthew v. Thirdly, through patience, by which he patiently bears the reproofs of others and allows himself to be admonished and chastised for his vices, according to that saying of Christ: "In your patience you shall possess your souls." Fourthly, through obedience, by which he makes the heart obey him who reproves, whether he be a Superior or anyone else. Fifthly, through wisdom and prudence, because he wisely and prudently corrects the defects for which he is reproved and pursues the contrary virtues. Whence the Chaldean renders it, and he who heareth reproof possesseth wisdom or understanding. "For such a one, says Dionysius, rightly perceives that reproof is a work of mercy, spiritual almsgiving, wholesome healing, a sign of charity, the effect of internal love and holy justice." Therefore, just as a master buying a slave or an ox acquires dominion over it and possesses it with every right, so that it is lawful for him to do anything with it: so likewise he who subjects his heart to correction and discipline enslaves it to himself and makes it his servant, so that he possesses it as a slave and can bend and turn it wherever he wishes. But this servitude of the heart gives him true liberty, because it causes him to be ruled by wisdom, discipline, law and by God himself; for to serve God is to reign. As therefore the heavens, says Philo, though they lack mind and prudence, allow themselves to be ruled and moved by the attending intelligence, and this is their good and that of the whole universe: so likewise younger men and others who have little experience and prudence, if they are wise, should allow themselves to be ruled, taught and governed by a wise man; for thus they will learn from him the wisdom which they do not have of themselves, and will accomplish all their affairs wisely. Hence sixthly, such a one possesses the heart through love, because it compels him to love God and through love of God to subject himself to law and correction. Whence the Septuagint renders it, "But he that keepeth correction loveth his own soul," as if to say, He who hates reproof and the one who reproves hates not so much him as himself and his own good (for such is the correction of vices); but truly he who loves and observes corrections and the one who reproves loves not so much him as himself and his own good and preserves it, because through these he learns to hate vices, to love virtues, to worship and revere God.
15:33
In Hebrew, before glory or before glory humility; in Syriac, the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, and humble praise walks before him, that is to say, The fear of God through discipline, by chastising vices, teaches true wisdom, that is, honesty and virtue, which is the highest dignity and glory of man; wherefore in order that anyone may obtain this glory, it is necessary that humility precede it, by which through fear of God one humbly subjects himself to discipline and correction. Wherefore this is the path to glory, namely: the fear of God leads to discipline, discipline to wisdom, wisdom to glory, both present and eternal. Whence the Septuagint, the beginning, or rather the principality (for both are ἀρχή) of glory shall answer to him, that is to say, The fear of God and discipline at first appear hard, troublesome, humble and abject; but be not afraid, O faithful one who fears God, because at length as fruit, reward and recompense they shall bring to you the principality of glory. Hence also we see that such men are chosen and promoted to the helm, to dignities and prelacies, both secular and ecclesiastical. The Complutensian editors add: "But glory precedes the humble." Which words, as the Roman editors note, appear to be another interpretation of the aforesaid sentence; hence they themselves with Procopius delete them. Moreover, the Author of the Catena of the Greeks thus translates the Septuagint: the fear of the Lord begets discipline and wisdom; both moreover are the beginning of glory which humility precedes, that is to say, No thing could constrain the mind of man, which is free and master of itself, by the laws of discipline as by bonds, except the fear of God. This therefore begets discipline, and through it wisdom and glory, which accordingly humility of discipline precedes. Hence also the Arabic Septuagint, following the custom, translates, the beginning of nobility is his answer, and glory walks, or runs before the humble. For humility in Hebrew is ענוה anava, that is, humility, meekness, modesty; likewise humiliation, oppression, affliction. Whence first, Symmachus and Theodotion translate, before glory modesty, or gentleness; and Cajetan, in the face of honor (or before honor and glory) gentleness, that is to say, "Through gentleness men are elevated to an honorable state. For the gentle are loved, and are deemed fit for governing, as being free from passions of mind. Or before honor, that is, before a man of honor gentleness flourishes, because such a man delights in gentleness both his own and that of others." Thus far Cajetan. Second, others translate, the fear of the Lord is the chastisement of wisdom, and before glory affliction; which St. Peter, in his first epistle, chapter 1, verse 11, renders as παθήματα, that is, afflictions, passions, when he says: "Foretelling those things which are in Christ sufferings and the glories that should follow." See the things said there. Third, Vatable translates, before glory is dejection, that is to say, God, before he glorifies anyone, first casts him down, prostrates and humbles him; which Our author most excellently translates, humility precedes glory, according to the sense assigned at the beginning. Namely, it is sanctioned by an eternal law that through the path of humility one tends and ascends to glory. This is the way, and there is no other. This is what Christ says: "Everyone that humbleth himself shall be exalted." And of Christ Paul says: "He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth," Phil. ii, 9. Conversely, concerning pride Solomon says, in the following chapter, verse 18: "Pride goeth before destruction." Fourth, from the fact that the Hebrew has before it glory humility, the Complutensian Septuagint translates contrarily, humility precedes glory; which the Syriac followed, rendering praise of the humble goes before him; the Chaldean, he who is glorious, let him be humble. Both therefore are true, both that humility precedes glory; and conversely, that glory precedes humility: namely humility precedes glory, as it were the merit of glory; in turn glory precedes humility, as it were the hope and crown and reward of humility; just as therefore merit in the character of merit precedes reward in the class of meritorious cause, so likewise humility precedes glory; and just as reward in the character of reward precedes merit in the class of final cause (whence to one laboring and striving, the reward is wont to be proposed before the labor and striving), so likewise glory precedes humility. These therefore two things are connected, and one follows from the other: namely from the fact that humility precedes glory in the character of merit, it necessarily follows that glory precedes humility in the character of reward. Thus Christ, says the Apostle, Hebrews xii, 2, for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Whence St. Gregory Nazianzen, oration 3: "Glory is preceded by humility, that is, says he, just as calamity is followed by insolence, so splendor and glory are accompanied by humility. For the Lord resisteth the proud, but to the humble he giveth grace: and contraries in turn induce contraries, he who weigheth all things justly." To this pertain the axioms and paradoxes of St. Augustine concerning humility: First: "God, since he is the most excellent of all, is not attained by elation, but by humility:" thus he himself, in the last homily among 50; second: "The Lord is high, and looketh on the low things, and the high things he knoweth afar off, Psalm cxxxvii. He hath set the high things for the proud; those therefore he looketh upon that he may lift up, these he knoweth that he may cast down and overthrow," ibid.; third: "The serpent knoweth that we cannot return (to God) except through humility, by which we fell through pride. He himself was our guide to pride, now let us follow Christ as our guide to humility," ibid. hom. 12; fourth: "By the steps of humility we ascend to the heights of heaven; because God the most high is not attained by pride, but by humility, let us learn humility, by which we shall be able to draw near to God:" thus he himself serm. 213 De Temp.; fifth: "By pride the wonderful creature of Angels fell from heaven: by humility the frailty of God's human nature ascended into heaven," ibid.; sixth: "As much as the heart is inclined downward by humility to the depths, so much doth it profit in the heights: for he who shall be humble shall be exalted in glory," ibid.; seventh: "The more humble a man shall be in his own eyes, the greater shall he be in the sight of God. But the proud man, the more glorious he appeareth among men, the more cast down shall he be before God: for he who doeth good works without humility, carrieth dust into the wind," ibid.; eighth: "Descend that thou mayest ascend, humble thyself that thou mayest be exalted, lest being exalted thou be humbled: for he who appeareth vile to himself is fair before God: they who displease themselves please God: be therefore small in thine own eyes, that thou mayest be great in the eyes of God," ibid.; ninth: "In the highest honor let there be in thee the highest humility. The praise of honor is, the virtue of humility," ibid.; tenth: "Pride made demons of Angels, humility hath made men like unto Angels." Thus the Author serm. ad Fratres in eremo, in St. Augustine, tom. X, serm. 12. To this also pertain the sayings of St. Cyril and St. Ambrose, which Dionysius the Carthusian citeth here. Of Cyril: "Believe me, because he most debaseth himself who accounteth himself great. Just as he who judgeth himself wise becometh foolish. Light is confounded by light, and height is bent down by height. Where therefore is profound humility, there is exalted dignity, and where from thyself is great abjection, there from virtue is the greatest glorification: and while we judge ourselves unworthy of worldly stations, humility straightway rendereth us worthy of eternal and heavenly mansions." St. Ambrose: "Whosoever desireth to hold the heights of divinity, let him seek the depths of humility; whosoever wisheth to go before his brother in reigning in the heavens, let him first go before him in serving on earth, as the Apostle saith: Preventing one another with honor; let him overcome him in services, that he may be able to overcome in holiness." The step therefore to glory is humility and humiliation. On the contrary the step to ruin is pride and exalted self-exaltation. Wherefore wisely St. Bernard, serm. 34 in Cantica: "It is necessary, saith he, for one tending to higher things to think humbly of himself, lest while he exalteth himself above himself, he fall from himself." And a little after: "Without the merit of humility the greatest things are least obtained." And St. Augustine in Sententiis, num. 88: "He doth not approach, saith he, to the height of God, except through humility; the submissive is admitted near, the elated is thrust far away." Again, as the same saith ibid., num. 83: "True humility is faithful not to be proud of any, not to murmur against any; neither to be ungrateful nor querulous; but in all the judgments of God to give thanks to God and to praise God, whose every work is either just or kind." Sirach singeth to Solomon in his manner, cap. xi, 1: "Wisdom, saith he, shall exalt the head of the humble, and shall make him sit in the midst of great men." See the sayings there.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
15:11
The primitive general sense (preserved in Job 31:12) is usually replaced by the metonymic meaning "dwelling of the dead, sheol": Job 26:6 and Prov. 15:11; 27:20 (parallel with sheol); Ps. 88:11 (with "grave"). …
15:13
… It is said, for example, that the Lord will give, in messianic times, a "new rūah" (Ez. 11, 19; 18, 31; 36, 29; Ps. 51 [50], 12); in the rūah thoughts ascend (Ez. 11, 5); the rūah seeks, desires the Lord (Is. 26, 9), is cast down (Is. 66, 2; Prov. 15, 13), humble (Prov. 16, 19; 29, 23), magnanimous (Ps. 51 [50], 14).
15:24
… This interpretation is confirmed by Gen. 37, 35; Num. 16, 30; Deut. 32, 22; Iob. 10, 21-22; Ps. 85, 13; Prov. 15, 24;
"descends" or "plunges" (Is. 14:9-15; 57:9; Ez. 31:15-17; 32:21; Am. 9:2; Ps. 85:13; 138:8; Prov. 15:24). The deep f. is a synonym of "death" that sweeps away (Job 24:19; Ecclus. 14:12; 51:2-9; cf. Apoc. 1:18 and 20:13-14), and "to descend into it" is equivalent to "to die" (Job 14:13; …
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.