Moralia in Job 872

5. Since every lie is iniquity, it is not even lawful to defend anyone's life by a lie. What he first calls iniquity, he afterwards, repeating, calls a lie. For every lie is iniquity, and every iniquity is a lie, because assuredly whatever disagrees with truth departs from equity. But between what he says, «to speak,» and what he afterwards adds, «to meditate,» there is a great difference. For sometimes it is worse to meditate a lie than to speak it. For to speak is for the most part a matter of precipitancy, but to meditate is a matter of studied depravity. And who does not know by how great a distance the fault is distinguished, whether one lies by precipitancy or by deliberate purpose?

But the holy man, in order that he may perfectly cleave to truth, declares that he lies neither by deliberate purpose nor by precipitancy. For every lie must be guarded against with the utmost care, although sometimes there is a kind of lie of lighter fault, if one lies while conferring a benefit. But since it is written: «The mouth that lieth killeth the soul» (Wisd. 1:11), and: «Thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie» (Ps. 5:7), perfect men shun with the utmost care even this kind of lie, so that not even anyone's life may be defended by their falsehood, lest they harm their own souls while they endeavour to provide life for another's flesh; although we believe that this very kind of sin is most easily remitted. For if every fault is wont to be purged by pious action following upon it,

how much more is that easily wiped away which piety herself, the mother of good works, accompanies? 6. An objection drawn from the lie of the Egyptian midwives is answered. But some try to assert, from the deception of the midwives, that this kind of lie is not a sin, especially because it is written of them as they lied: «Therefore the Lord built them houses» (Exod. 1:21). But rather in this recompense is it recognized what the fault of a lie deserves.

For the reward of their kindness, which could have been repaid to them in eternal life, was, on account of the admixed fault of the lie, diverted into an earthly recompense, so that in their present life—which by lying they wished to preserve—they received the good things they had done, and thereafter had no prize of their reward to look for. For if it be subtly weighed, they lied out of love of the present life, not with the intention of reward. For by sparing, they endeavoured to shield the infants' life; by lying, their own. 7. In the Old Testament a lie was a lighter fault than in the New.

And although in the Old Testament some such things may be found, yet the diligent reader will there almost never find this or such a kind of lie committed by the perfect; although a lie may seem to hold a certain image of truth, and under the Old Testament perhaps could be of lighter fault, in which through the victims of bulls and goats the sacrifice was not the Truth itself, but the shadow of the Truth. For in the New Testament, with the Truth made manifest through the flesh, we advance by loftier precepts; and it is just that we forsake certain deeds which among that people served the shadow of the truth. If, however, anyone wishes to defend his lie by the Old Testament,

because there perhaps it did less harm to certain persons, he must needs say that the seizure of others' goods and the requital of injury—which were there conceded to the weak—cannot be led into use by himself. And it is plain to all with how great animadversion the Truth pursues these things, which, now that the shadow of its signification has been laid aside, is declared to us in true flesh. But since the holy man promises that he will neither speak nor meditate a lie, he subjoins, in his execution, these very things wherein he agrees with truth: