Sirach 28

But if upon them that are chastised by God it is not right to trample, but to grieve with them, much more with them that have sinned against us. For this is love's sign; love God prefers to all things. For as in the royal purple, those are precious amongst the flowers and dyes, which make up this robing; so here too, these virtues are the precious ones, which preserve love. But nothing maintains love so much as the not remembering them that have sinned against us. "Why? did not God guard the other side also? Why? did He not drive him that hath done the wrong to him that is wronged? Doth He not send him from the altar to the other, and so after the reconciliation invite him to the table?" But do not therefore wait for the other to come, since thus thou hast lost all. For to this intent most especially doth He appoint unto thee an unspeakable reward, that thou mayest prevent the other, since, if thou art reconciled by his entreaties, the amity is no longer the result of the divine command, but of the other party's diligence. Wherefore also thou goest away uncrowned, while he receives the rewards. What sayest thou? Hast thou an enemy, and art thou not ashamed? Why is not the devil enough for us, that we bring upon ourselves those of our own race also? Would that not even he had been minded to war against us; would that not even he were a devil! Knowest thou not how great the pleasure after reconciliation? For what, though in our enmity it appear not great? For that it is sweeter to love him that doth us wrong than to hate him, after the enmity is done away thou shalt be able to learn full well. Why then do we imitate the mad, devouring one another, warring against our own flesh? Hear even under the Old Testament, how great regard there was for this, "The ways of revengeful men are unto death. One man keepeth anger against another, and doth he seek healing of God?" "And yet He allowed, 'eye for eye,' and 'tooth for tooth,' how then doth He find fault?" Because He allowed even those things, not that we should do them one to another, but that through the fear of suffering, we might abstain from the commission of crime. And besides, those acts are the fruits of a short-lived anger, but to remember injuries is the part of a soul that practises itself in evil. But hast thou suffered evil? yet nothing so great, as thou wilt do to thyself by remembering injuries.

If one reminds himself that his soul is mortal and therefore strives to do good, is this not a voluntary gain? It is good to remind oneself of death, for thus one recognizes his own mortality and comes to realize that mortals will not live forever. For someone who is not eternal must surely abandon this world, even if by force. Therefore by continually remembering one's mortality the individual learns to do good according to his own free will. Thus, when one sees mortality before his eyes and does what is good, this is not the same as the one who is continually meditating on it and chooses to do good; rather, if it is out of impending fear of death, then what one does is out of necessity.

If we consider what a good peace is, it is easy to understand the evil of discord. If, in fact, "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God," there is no doubt that the contentious are evil and children of the devil, since, giving birth to enmities, they sow discord among those who are at peace. Principal among these are the heretics and schismatics who, defending their pernicious sects, are not afraid to provoke arguments and scandals. For this reason the apostle Paul exhorted Timothy with these words: "Avoid vain discussions, which are good for nothing but the destruction of those who listen." And, "Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, knowing that they breed quarrels. A servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome but meek toward all, apt to teach, patient, gentle in reproof of those who oppose the truth."

The tongue, by nature restless, does no small amount of harm among mortals so that either it squanders an opportunity by saying too much or wreaks havoc by not saying anything for long periods of silence. But when do quarrels ignite, if the tongue is checked? Or what space is there for enmities where the poison of words has ceased? Indeed, the malicious tongue always acts in this way: it sows quarrels, incites hatreds and leads to death, as Solomon says on the matter: "The tongue has upset the peace of many. It has destroyed cities and ruined families." They certainly are mistaken who think that there is nothing stronger than iron, or more deadly than poison: although these things by their nature would have a particular inclination to cause death, they nonetheless give way when compared with words. Indeed, nothing that is within one's power is more harmful or malicious than the tongue, once it is aroused.

If a wound is inflicted on the body, or a bone is broken, or the joining of the sinews is dissolved, such wounds are wont to befall bodies within the space of a single hour, and afterward, with very many torments and pains endured, are scarcely healed over a long time; for how great swellings arise in the place, how great torments are generated? But now, if it should happen that in the same wound or in the same fracture one is wounded again and more often and is broken more frequently, with how great penalties can this be cured and with how great torments be medicined? And over how long a time, if indeed it can be, is it brought to health? And scarcely at some point will it be so cured that it escapes either weakness of the body or ugliness of the scar. Pass now from the example of the body to the wounds of the soul. As often as the soul sins, so often is it wounded. And lest you doubt that it is wounded by sins as by darts and swords, hear the Apostle admonishing us to take up the shield of faith, in which, he says, "you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the evil one." You see, then, that sins are the darts of the evil one, which are aimed at the soul. But the soul suffers not only the wounds of darts, but also the fractures of the feet, when snares are prepared for its feet and its steps are tripped up. These, therefore, and such-like wounds, over how long a time do you think they can be healed? O if we could see, through each single sin, how our inner man is wounded, how an evil word inflicts a wound! Have you not read, they say, that swords wound, but not as the tongue does? The soul, therefore, is wounded also through the tongue; it is wounded also through evil thoughts and lusts; and it is broken and crushed through the works of sin. And if we could see all these things and feel the scars of the wounded soul, it is certain that we would resist against sin unto death. But now, just as those who are either filled with a demon or deranged in mind do not feel if they are wounded, because they lack their natural senses, so too we, made senseless either by the desires of the world or intoxicated by our vices, cannot feel how great wounds, how great contusions of the soul we acquire by sinning. And therefore it is a most consistent reckoning that the time of punishment — that is, of cure and of healing — is extended, and that for each single wound, according to the quality of the blow, the spaces of healing also are prolonged. Thus, therefore, both the equity and the kindness of God will become evident even in the very punishments of the soul; and he who has sinned, hearing these things, may come to his senses and sin no more. For conversion in the present life, and repentance fruitfully carried out, will confer a swift medicine on wounds of this kind, because repentance not only heals the past wound, but also does not allow the soul to be wounded by sin any further.

If those who receive silver coins from the king conserve them with zeal and care, they will remain shiny and clean. If instead they neglect them, they will not only rust but also may soon be lost. For the wise man has said, "Lock up your gold and your silver." And I am not only telling you to bind it with a firm faith but also to seal it with humility and the patience of perseverance by which the one who perseveres is saved. What I am saying to you, by God's permission, is an audacious thing. For the great mediator Jesus, Son of the blessed Father, distributor of the holy and life-giving Spirit says to you through me, who am least of all, "Your many sins are forgiven you," from birth up until this very minute. In receiving this great and inexpressible joy, you then love him with all your might, displaying fruit worthy of repentance, proclaiming with Saint Paul those melodious words, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or hunger, or persecution, or nakedness, or danger, or fear or the sword?" And again, "Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughterhouse. But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. I am confident that neither death, nor life, neither angels, nor principalities, nor authorities, nor things present or things future, neither powers, nor height, nor depth nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Make sure you not only meditate on these things in what you say but also in what you do. For Jesus says, "By your patience your soul is acquired." You have become worthy of a great dignity: perform great and worthy works of patience and thanksgiving through which come the expectation of perfection, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Think about these things continually and conscientiously, and you will taste their sweetness, as they become fragrant to your soul and the souls of those who are able to choose them.

We are clearly taught by the Savior that when we read in Leviticus and in Deuteronomy concerning the precepts about clean and unclean meat—the carnal Jews and the Ebionites, who differ little from them, accuse us of disobeying these precepts—we are not to think that the scope of the Scripture is to be found in any superficial material understanding of them. If, in fact, it is not what enters the mouth that renders one unclean but what comes out of the mouth, especially when the Savior in the Gospel of Mark said that "he makes all food clean," it is clear that we do not contaminate ourselves if we eat things that the Jews, wanting to be enslaved by the letter of the Law, say are impure. But it is clear that we do contaminate ourselves when, although our lips should be bound with intelligence and we ought to make for them what we call a balance and weight, we speak whatever comes to mind and talk about things that we should not discuss, which then become the source of sins.

All evil certainly issues from the heart. However harmful in itself, though, this can easily be tolerated if what has been fed by wicked counsel has not led to quarrels. In such a case one suffers silently or simply closes himself in his house and remains quiet. In fact, the infirmity of evil thoughts can be healed to the same degree that what is conceived in the heart is restrained by a taciturn mouth. But once the tongue is loosed and it bursts forth, it is useless to seek a doctor. Indeed, there is no remedy for a misdeed in words, because no amount of tears can eliminate an injury that has entered through the ears and had its effect. Listen to the Lord, who says, "Make gates and bolts for your mouths, and a balance to weigh your words."