OT § 85

Hand in hand, the evil will not be innocent. He who joins hands does indeed nothing. But hand in hand, the evil will not be innocent, because even if he withdraws his hand from impious action for a time, the evil cannot have the innocence of the heart. Hence it is also said beforehand, The small heart is an abomination to the Lord.

But the seed of the righteous will be saved. This is what is said above, But to him who sows righteousness, there will be a faithful reward. Or surely, the seed of the righteous will be saved, because those who follow the examples of the previous righteous also follow their footsteps to see the joys of eternal salvation. Of whom Isaiah speaks, All who see them will recognize them, because they are the seed which the Lord has blessed.

A golden ring in its nose, etc. Even if you fix a golden ring in its nose, it will still turn the earth with its nose and hurry to immerse itself in a wallow of mud; so, if a foolish woman receives the beauty of the face or dress, she nonetheless turns her face to low things, spreads her beauty everywhere to overthrow the flowers of chastity, and loves to stain herself with the mud of pleasure. Otherwise, he who attains the ornament of divine words by meditation but follows it with a bad life has a golden ring in his nose; but like a pig, he does not cease to turn the earth, because what he perceived by the scent of knowledge, he defiled by an impure action. Therefore, such a soul is considered a beautiful and foolish woman, because, given over to carnal enticements, she is beautiful through knowledge but foolish through action. Otherwise, he who sees heretical doctrine shining with all the brilliance of eloquence, yet does not fit it with the understanding of wisdom, says here that a golden ring in its nose means a beautiful and circumflexed speech in the senses of a foolish mind; to which gold hangs from the speech, yet due to the weight of earthly intention, like a pig, it does not look upwards. Which he then explains by saying, A beautiful and foolish woman, that is, heretical doctrine: beautiful through word; foolish through understanding.

Reason also forbids us to do violence to nature by piercing the lobes of the ear. Why not pierce the nostrils also? The Scriptures would then be accomplished indeed: "As a ring in the nose of the swine, so is beauty in a foolish woman." To conclude, if anyone thinks he is decorated when he wears gold, then he is less than his gold, and he who is less than gold is not its master.

Let eagerness for virginity be put down as the foundation for the life of virtue, but let there be built upon this foundation all the products of virtue. If this is believed to be precious and befitting to God, as it is, but one's whole life does not conform to it and is stained by the rest of the soul's disorder, then this is "the golden ring in the swine's snout" or the pearl trampled under the feet of the swine.

As for those who seem to have some semblance of knowledge and those who do not abandon the sins of the flesh even when they apply themselves diligently to the reading and memorizing of Scripture, Proverbs has the following well-put statement: "The beauty of a woman of evil ways is like a golden ring in the snout of a pig." What use is it for a man to possess the jewel of heaven's words and to give himself over to that most precious loveliness of Scripture if he himself is stuck fast in muddied works and thoughts?

What is a holy appellation without merit but an ornament set in the mud? The holy Scriptures have testified to this in writing: "A golden ring in a swine's snout, a woman fair and foolish." And in us the appellation Christian is like a golden ornament. If we use it unworthily, we seem to be swine with an ornament.

The desire of the righteous is all good, etc. The righteous always desire justice to reign everywhere, but the impious, even when they seem to rest from the execution of impiety, yet with the purpose of a cruel mind, intend to inflict fury on anyone. And this is what is said above, Hand in hand, the evil will not be innocent; likewise, The expectation of the wicked is wrath, because often wrath enclosed in silence boils more vehemently within the mind.

Others divide their own, etc. Because they receive a hundredfold in this time, and in the future age, eternal life (Matt. XIX).

Others seize what is not theirs, etc. He says, They will always be in poverty, not only in torments, where they receive not even a drop of water to be refreshed for a short while (Luke XVI), but even in this life, where although they seize innumerable things, the greedy are always in need.

The soul that blesses will be enriched, etc. He who outwardly blesses by preaching receives inwardly the fatness of increase. And while he ceases not to drench the minds of his hearers with sacred discourse, he himself grows fat with the multiple drink of grace.

Account these worthy to be esteemed your rulers and your kings, and bring them tribute as to kings; for by you they and their families ought to be maintained. As Samuel made constitutions for the people concerning a king, in the first book of Kings, and Moses did so concerning priests in Leviticus, so do we also make constitutions for you concerning bishops. For if there the multitude distributed the inferior services in proportion to so great a king, ought not therefore the bishop much more now to receive of you those things which are determined by God for the sustenance of himself and of the rest of the clergy belonging to him? But if we may add somewhat further, let the bishop receive more than the other received of old: for he only managed the affairs of the soldiery, being entrusted with war and peace for the preservation of men's bodies; but the other is entrusted with the exercise of the priestly office in relation to God, in order to preserve both body and soul from dangers. By how much, therefore, the soul is more valuable than the body, so much the priestly office is beyond the kingly. For it binds and looses those that are worthy of punishment or of remission. Wherefore you ought to love the bishop as your father, and fear him as your king, and honour him as your lord, bringing to him your fruits and the works of your hands, for a blessing upon you, giving to him your first-fruits, and your tithes, and your oblations, and your gifts, as to the priest of God; the first-fruits of your wheat, and wine, and oil, and autumnal fruits, and wool, and all things which the Lord God gives thee. And thy offering shall be accepted as a savour of a sweet smell to the Lord thy God; and the Lord will bless the works of thy hands, and will multiply the good things of the land. "For a blessing is upon the head of him that giveth."

He who hides grain in time, etc. He who keeps the words of holy preaching to himself will be cursed among the people, because for the fault of silence alone, he is condemned for the punishment of many whom he could have corrected. He is the wicked and slothful servant, cast into outer darkness for keeping the talent which he received (Matthew 25). But they sell the grain who impart the word of life to those who hear it, from whom they receive the price of faith and confession, as the Lord says, "Trade until I come" (Luke 19). Blessing descends upon their head, while the Lord says to each one returning with such business, "Well done, good and faithful servant; because you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many; enter into the joy of your Lord" (ibid.).

It is well said through Solomon, "He that hideth corn shall be cursed among the people." For to hide corn is to retain with one's self the words of sacred preaching. And every one that does so is cursed among the people, because through his fault of silence only he is condemned in the punishment of the many whom he might have corrected.

It is written, "Men speak evil of him who withholds wheat." One who withholds is without mercy. He does not gather for the sake of mercy. For, unless he gathers, with what can he bestow mercy? Is it not also true that men bless the person who expends and gives, as it is written here and there in the pages of sacred Scripture?

He indeed rises early who seeks what is good, etc. To seek the good things you ought to do, by which you may attain heavenly goods, this is to rise early well, that is, to be girded for good work with the growing light of knowledge. Or certainly, he rises well, that is, to life at the time of resurrection, who now seeks the good things in the time of action. But he who now diligently inquires into the evil which he may say or do, will then be hindered by their weight from reaching the higher kingdoms.

He who trusts in his riches will fall, etc. He who hankers after present goods and does not think of future ones, will lack both in the end. But those who do good in the hope of future rewards, justly receive what they hope for at present. Indeed, a green leaf on a tree signifies the fruits that it does not yet show. And the just flourish like a green leaf, because having been saved by hope, they do not cease to grow in faith and the grace of virtues, until they reach the fruit of the desired retribution, that is, the heavenly homeland.

He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, etc. He who does not fear his mind to be disturbed by the tumult of great thoughts, indeed opens it to the blasts of evil spirits by which it may be overwhelmed. And he who foolishly persecutes the wise, by this ruling over him serves him, because by pressing his patience, he makes him more approved, so that he evidently rewards the prize for which he strived, despite being condemned himself.

The fruit of the just is a tree of life. The reward of the just is the vision of Christ. For He is the wisdom of which it is said, "She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her" (Proverbs 3). And in the Apocalypse, it is said, "To him who overcomes, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God" (Revelation 2). And now the just await this fruit, because long, as it is predicted, they flourish like a green leaf.

And he that wins souls is wise. He who undertakes the care of souls for the Lord, such as to teach the erring, to comfort the mournful, to sustain the needy with temporal goods, to lead the resistant to the remedies of salvation, or to govern those destitute of a shepherd, so that he may bring many to the Lord with himself; he, I say, who undertakes souls in this way, is wise, because he greatly procures for his own soul by these means, whereby he may reign more gloriously with the Lord.

The fruit of righteousness and the tree of life is Christ. He alone, as man, fulfilled all righteousness. And with His own underived life He has brought forth the fruits of knowledge and virtue like a tree, whereof they that eat shall receive eternal life, and shall enjoy the tree of life in paradise, with Adam and all the righteous. But the souls of the unrighteous meet an untimely expulsion from the presence of God, by whom they shall be left to remain in the flame of torment.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? [Proverbs 11:31] Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

"If the righteous receives [retribution] on earth, how much more the wicked and sinner?" This is to say clearly, "If the frailty of mortal life is so great that not even the righteous who are to be crowned in heaven pass through this life without tribulations on account of the countless slips of [our] flawed nature, how much more do those who are cut off from heavenly grace await the certain outcome of their everlasting damnation?

If the just on earth receive, etc. If the holy martyrs endured so much as the just, how much torment do you think awaits those who unjustly afflicted them? If Job and Tobit, and others chosen by God, received so many adversities in this life, why are you troubled if a slight affliction reaches you, who lie so far beneath their traces? And indeed you, even if you should not say and believe that you are impious, you should not deny that you are a sinner, that is, to have some sins, small or great, open or hidden. Rather, you must confess so as not to deceive yourself, and the truth may not be in you (1 John 1). If, therefore, the just received on earth, Abel the martyr and Job the example of patience, how much more the impious, Antiochus and Herod! And sinners in the Gospel, the paralytics, could be healed by the Lord only after their sins were first forgiven. Note that Peter, in his Epistle according to the old translation, placed this sentence, saying: And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear (1 Peter 4)?

Conversion from both impiety and iniquity is commanded. For both provoke the wrath of God against one, because God detests and condemns both, as Paul says, "The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and human wickedness." And Solomon says, as the blessed Peter had also inserted among his own words, "And if the righteous one is barely saved, when will the godless and the sinner appear?"

"If the righteous are saved with difficulty, where will the impious and sinners appear?" Consider that life is long, a lasting residence with many dangers. And he [Solomon] does not say these words about those who lived righteously. But if by any chance he said something about them, he would speak in the best of terms. Indeed if God has bestowed something upon us, what we have done with it will be examined, and who will be justified except the one who is purer than the sun? By "righteous" he [Solomon] means the one who organizes his life in righteousness. The one who hates God is "impious." The "sinner" is the one who acts wickedly.

He who is good will draw grace from the Lord, etc. The connection of these verses is as follows: He who is good does not trust in his own thoughts, but seeks the grace of the Lord, and through it receives the ability to live piously. However, he who trusts in his own thoughts cannot be good. For he who does not care to seek the grace of the heavenly Helper, rightly endures in an impious action.

Not from men, but with the Lord, will he obtain favour.

A diligent woman is a crown to her husband, etc. The meaning of the letter is evident because a good and chaste woman gives honor to her husband in all things, and by well managing the household with his virtues, she, as it were, adds grace to the crown; but indeed an adulteress, although she may appear beautiful outwardly, internally defiles her limbs with the stench of luxury. Indeed, spiritually, the Church offers Christ a crown, none other than herself.

For all who are around him, etc. And the son of Sirach concerning the high priest: He himself standing next to the altar, and around him a crown of brothers. But the bones, that is, the virtues, which can be seen in the faction of heretics, the rot of evil doctrine corrupts.

When you are going to take a wife, do not only look for a companion in life but also for a companion in virtue. It is inevitable that the husband of a depraved wife perishes in the same way. Therefore look for virtue and not for money. And a well-behaved wife will become a crown of glory because she is strong; [whereas] an evil wife, as if a worm dwells inside her heart, will cause destruction gradually and silently. And what is even more dreadful is that this does not appear externally, but this sort of wife injects the poison inside and consumes an unhappy soul. In the opposite way, virtue adorns the one who follows it, whereas iniquity makes the iniquitous even more detestable. "The reflections of the righteous are judgments." They are, in fact, discreet and simple: either because the righteous always reflect on the judgments and commands of God or because they always turn judgments over inside their mind. Our mind sits like a judge, judging the different virtues and arguing with the opposing vices, approving one, condemning the other.

The thoughts of the righteous are judgments, etc. The righteous judge their actions by diligent meditation, to see if they please the Lord, lest, by any chance, being less careful, the heavenly arbiter dispenses adversities against them invisibly; according to that of the Apostle, If we judged ourselves, we would not be judged (I Cor. XI). But the wicked, forgetting divine fear, devise their plans from the fraud they commit.