On the Contemplative Life 35

Latin original · 3 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss

35:1

Jam 1 de illis qui, levi suspicione permoti, simpliciter viventes objurgant, ut et illos incondita correptione confundant atque dejiciant, et sibi per hoc nescio cujns districtionis gloriam quærant, non est meum aliquid dicere; super quibus tam perspicue divinus sermo pronuntiat, ut m expositore non egeat. Ait enim in Ecclesiastico Spiritus sanctus: Est correptio mendax in n irn cont umeliosi; et est judicium quod non est bonum (Eccli. XIX, 28). Utique contumeliosi hominis et superbi correptio, quae dicitur mendax, 0 superbiæ est; non alicujus humilitatis r judicium, et ideo non est bonum. Quid potnit evidentius, quid apertius dici, quam q nt contumeliosum diceret mendaciter arguentem ?

Now concerning those who, moved by a slight suspicion, rebuke people of simple and upright life, so that they both confound and cast them down with disorderly reproof, and seek for themselves through this I know not what glory of severity—it is not for me to say anything; for upon such matters the divine word pronounces so plainly that it needs no interpreter. For the Holy Spirit says in Ecclesiasticus: «There is a lying rebuke in the wrath of an insolent man; and there is a judgment that is not good» (Sir. 19:28). Surely the rebuke of an insolent and proud man, which is called lying, is the rebuke of pride; it is not the judgment of any humility, and therefore it is not good. What could be said more clearly, what more openly, than that he should call the insolent man one who reproves falsely?

至於那些被輕微的猜疑所煽動，便去責備生活單純正直之人的人，以致用無理的責備使他們困惑沮喪，並藉此為自己尋求某種我所不知的嚴厲之榮耀——這事就不是我所該說的了；因為神的話對這些事說得如此明白，無需任何解經者。聖靈在便西拉智訓中說：「在傲慢人的怒氣中有虛謊的責備；也有不善的判斷」（便西拉智訓十九28）。傲慢驕傲之人那被稱為虛謊的責備，乃是出於驕傲的；並非出於任何謙卑的判斷，因此並不善。還有甚麼能說得更顯明、更直白，過於說那傲慢之人乃是虛謊地指責人的呢？

35:2

Quia et contumeliosus est qui mendaciter arguit; r et mendaciter arguit qui contumeliam facit. Item in Proverbiis: Testis falsus nam erit impunitus, et qui arquit inique non rffuqiet (Prov. xix, 5). Quis est falsus testis, nisi qui hominem quemlibet de criminibns indiscussis ohjurgat? Quem propterea inique increpantem dicit non impunitum futurum, quia innocenlem nullis provocantibus. meritis arguendo, a videri vult reum. b Quod autem dicit de eo qui inique arguit, non effugiet; quid aliud debet intelligi, nisi quia iram Dei non effugiet, qui aliquem non sic corripit, ut emendet, sed ut se procaciter jaclet ?

For both he who reproves falsely is insolent, and he who acts insolently reproves falsely. Likewise in the Proverbs: «A false witness shall not go unpunished, and he who reproves unjustly shall not escape» (Prov. 19:5). Who is the false witness, but he who upbraids any man whatever for crimes not yet examined? Such a one, reproaching unjustly, he says will not go unpunished, because by accusing the innocent—with no merits provoking it—he wishes to make him appear guilty. But as for what he says of him who reproves unjustly, «he shall not escape,» what else ought to be understood than that he shall not escape the wrath of God, who corrects another not so as to amend him, but so as to vaunt himself shamelessly?

因為虛謊地指責的人就是傲慢的人，行事傲慢的人也就是虛謊地指責的人。同樣，在箴言中說：「作假見證的必不免受罰，吐出謊言的也必不能逃脫」（箴十九5）。誰是作假見證的，豈不是那為尚未審查的罪行而責罵任何人的人麼？他說這樣不義地責備的人必不免受罰，因為他在無人以任何當受的緣由挑釁時去指責無辜之人，竟想使他顯為有罪。至於他論到不義指責之人所說的「他必不能逃脫」，除了該明白為他必不能逃脫神的忿怒之外，還能是甚麼意思呢？因為這人責備別人並非為要使他改過，乃是為要厚顏地誇耀自己。

35:3

Sed de contemptoribus praeceptorum Dei, et de correptionis ac patientiæ virtute, sufliciant ista quæ diximus: ne in uno capituto justo amplius immorati, aut caetera brevius quam necesse sit transcurramus, aut intentionem vestram longitudine nimium protelati voluminis oneremus. Videamus itaque quid nos etiam continentia e capitali sequentis edoceat. Utrum, d inquit, congregandis fratribus, aut alendis expediat facultates Ecclesiæ possideri, an perfectionis amore contemni.

But concerning those who despise the precepts of God, and concerning the virtue of correction and of patience, let what we have said suffice: lest, lingering longer than is right upon a single chapter, we should either run through the rest more briefly than is needful, or burden your attention by drawing out the volume to an excessive length. Let us therefore see what the following chapter of the rule of continence teaches us. It asks whether, for the sake of gathering and supporting the brethren, it is expedient that the resources of the Church be possessed, or, out of love of perfection, be despised.

但關於那些藐視神誡命的人，以及關於糾正與忍耐之美德，我們所說的這些就夠了：免得我們在一章上停留得超過合宜，以致或將其餘的部分草草帶過，或把篇幅拉得過長而使你們的注意力負累。所以讓我們來看下一章關於節制的內容還教導我們甚麼。它問道：為著聚集並供養弟兄，是該擁有教會的資產為宜，還是出於愛慕完全而當輕看這些資產。

← ch. 34ch. 36 →

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