Cap. LXX
UT NON PRAESUMAT PASSIM ALIUS ALIUM CAEDERE VEL EXCOMMUNICARE

[Ms P, fol. 169v - Paulus Diaconus]

Ch. 70
NOBODY SHOULD PRESUME TO STRIKE OR EXCOMMUNICATE AT RANDOM

Translated by: Daniel Price

Bene, postquam dixerat: Praecavendum est, ut in monasterio non praesumat alter alterum defendere [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 69.t-1], [et] nunc dicit, caedere aut excommunicare non debere, ut, sicut constrinxit et vetuit defendere, vetaret etiam caedere aut excommunicare.

Rightly, after he said: Care must be taken that a monk not presume to defend another in the monastery [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 69.t-1], now he [also] says, they ought not to excommunicate or strike, so that, just as he constrained and forbade one to defend, he also was forbidding either to strike or excommunicate.

Ait enim: ₁Vetetur in monasterio omnis praesumptionis occasio. ₂Ordinamus atque constituimus, ut nulli liceat quemquam fratrum suorum excommunicare aut caedere, nisi cui potestas ab abbate data fuerit - quasi diceret: nullam occasionem habeat aliquis, aut excommunicare aut flagellare.

For he says: ₁In the monastery every opportunity for presumptuousness is to be avoided, ₂and we decree and determine that it is permitted to no one to excommunicate or strike one of his brothers, unless authority has been granted by the abbot - as if he had said: someone should have no opportunity either to excommunicate or to punch.

Et bene dicit omnis praesumptionis occasio, et non dicit solummodo praesumptio, quia nisi occasio, h. e. materia peccati, i. e. unde peccatum illud potest oriri, ablata fuerit, non potest perfecte auferri peccatum.

And he properly says every opportunity for presumptuousness, and he says not only presumptuousness, since if opportunity, that is the material of sin, i.e. that thing which is able to give rise to sin, were not removed, it would not be possible to perfectly remove sin.

Per hunc enim locum, ubi dicit passim, docet, ut nec, abbas aut ille, qui potestatem habet caedendi aut excommunicandi, debeat caedere passim aut excommunicare, nec etiam ille, cui non est commissum, similiter excommunicare vel caedere, quia passim intelligitur leviter vel praesumptive; sive etiam passim intelligitur: prout quis vult, sive vulgo vel ubique.

For through this place where he says at random, he teaches that the abbot or he who has power for striking or excommunicating ought not to strike at random or excommunicate, and also not he to whom it is not commissioned, similarly to excommunicate or strike, since at random is understood as lightly or presumptuously; or at random is understood: as someone wishes, generally or everywhere.

De hoc adverbio, quod est passim, Servius in libro tertio Aeneidos exponit, ubi Virgilius dicit hoc modo de Aenea haec: [page 620]

Concerning this adverb, that is at random, Servius expounded in the third book of the Aeneid, where in this way Virgil says these things concerning Aeneas: [page 620]

Sol ruit interea et montes umbrantur opaci. Sternimur optatae gremio telluris ad undam,Sortiti remos passimque in litore sicco, Corpora curamus, fessos sopor irrigat artus.[Vergil, Aeneid III.508-511]

Meanwhile, the sun falls and the dark mountains are shaded. We are strewn in the lap of the hoped-for ground by the sea, casting. The oars and at random on the dry shore we arrange our bodies, Deep sleep refreshes our tired limbs. [Vergil, Aeneid III.508-511]

Servius: Sortiti remos, per sortem divisi ad officia navigandi. Telluris ad undam, terrae, quae a navigantibus semper optatur. Ad litus passim, i. e. prout quis voluit. Litore sicco, ad discretionem illius, quod aqua adluitur. Corpora curamus, i. e. curam corporibus adhibemus. Fessos, fatigatos, Sopor, somnus. Artus, membra. [cf. Servius, Commentary on the Aeneid III, 509-511]

Servius: ‘Scattered ores’, distributed by fate for the purpose of navigating. ‘The land by the sea’, the land which is always desired by sailors. ‘At random on the shore’, i.e.: as anyone wished. ‘The dry shore’, for a distinction from that which was washed by the water. ‘We arrange our bodies’, i.e. to employ care for the bodies. ‘Tired’ means fatigued. ‘Sleep’ means slumber. ‘Limbs’ means bodily members. [cf. Servius, Commentary on the Aeneid III, 509-511]

Tunc etenim abbas, sicut jam diximus, passim, i. e. leviter et praesumptive excommunicat vel caedit, cum non suo, i. e. congruo tempore sineque consilio excommunicat vel caedit. Sed cum excommunicat vel caedit, coram omnibus debet excommunicare vel caedere, sicut ipse S. Benedictus dicit. Simili modo quando parcere illi vult, quem excommunicavit, coram omnibus debet indulgere.

Then also the abbot, just as we just said, excommunicates or strikes at random, i.e. lightly or presumptuously, when he excommunicates or strikes when it was not his to do so, i.e. he excommunicates or strikes at an inappropriate time and without counsel. But when he excommunicates or strikes, he ought to excommunicate or strike in front of everyone, just as S. Benedict himself says. In a similar way, when he wishes to spare that person whom he excommunicated, he ought to grant indulgence before everyone.

Sequitur: ₃Peccantes autem coram omnibus arguantur, ut ceteri metum habeant. Bene dicit peccantes autem coram omnibus arguantur et rel., quia dignum est, ut ille, qui malum exemplum praebuit aliis, cum peccavit, debet etiam exemplum praebere humilitatis.

It follows: ₃Sinners should be denounced in front of everyone in order to strike fear into the others. He properly says Sinners should be denounced in front of everyone etc., since it is right that he who provided a bad example to others, when he sinned, ought also to offer an example of humility.

Et hoc sciendum est, quia ita debet distingui, i. e. peccantes autem coram omnibus, et postmodum subjungendum est arguantur, deinde subaudiendum est: coram omnibus, i. e. ut sicut ille peccando coram omnibus malum exemplum praebuit, ita etiam coram omnibus arguatur praebens exemplum correptionis. [Quod enim dicit: Vetetur i. e. prohibetur vel intelligitur.]

And it ought to be known that thus it ought to be distinguished, that is sinners in front of everyone etc. ought to be subjoined to denounced, thence it ought to be understood: in front of everyone, i.e. so that just as he provided a bad example by sinning in front of everyone, so also he should be denounced in front of everyone, providing an example of rebuke. [For he also says: he ought to be shunned, i.e. he ought to be banned or understood.]

Ecce hic dicit S. Benedictus: peccantes autem coram omnibus arguantur, et superius dixit: Si quis frater contumax aut inobediens aut superbus et rel. repertus fuerit, hic secundum Domini nostri praeceptum admoneatur semel et secundo secrete a senioribus suis. [Regula Benedicti, c. 23.1-2]

Behold Saint Benedict says here: sinners should be denounced in front of everyone, and above he said: If any brother is found to be stubborn, disobedient, arrogant etc., he should be privately reprimanded by his seniors once and then a second time, according to the teaching of Our Lord. [Regula Benedicti, c. 23.1-2]

Videtur enim ipse sibi S. Benedictus contrarius, cum hic dicit peccantes autem coram omnibus arguantur, et superius dixit, ut admoneatur semel et secundo secrete a senioribus suis; et si secrete, quomodo coram omnibus? et si coram omnibus, quomodo secrete? [page 621] Verumtamen haec sententia ita solvitur: i. e. si secreta fuerit culpa, admoneatur secrete, sicut superius dixit; si autem publica fuerit, arguatur publice, sicut hic dicit.

S. Benedict seems contrary to himself, since he says sinners should be denounced in front of everyone, and he said above, he should be privately reprimanded by his seniors once and then a second time; and if privately, how in front of everyone? And if in front of everyone, how privately? [page 621] Nevertheless this thought is thus solved: i.e., if the guilt were private, it ought to be admonished privately, just as it says above; however, if it were public, it ought to be denounced publicly, just as it says here.

Sed qualiter sive quando secrete admonere debet quis fratrem suum, B. Augustinus mirificentissime docet, dicens hoc modo: Multum interest inter nudum et iniquum. [omitted in Mittermüller, added from PL: Ille perdidit pecuniam, tu innocentiam. Quaere quis gravius damnum perpessus est. Ille perdidit rem perituram, tu factus es periturus.

But how or when someone ought to admonish his brother secretly, blessed Augustine teaches most wonderfully, speaking in this way: Much lies between ruin and sin [omitted in Mittermüller, added from transl. Edmund Hill: Great is the difference between the two. He has lost his money, you you innocence. Ask which has suffered the heavier loss? He has lost a thing that was sure to perish, and you are become one who must now perish yourself.

[3:4] Ideo debemus amando corripere; non nocendi aviditate, sed studio corrigendi. Tales si fuerimus, optime facimus quod hodie admoniti sumus: Si peccaverit in te frater tuus, corripe illum inter te et ipsum solum. [Matt. 18:15] Quare illum corripis? Quia te doles, quod peccaverit in te? Absit. Si amore tui id facis, nihil facis. Si amore illius facis, optime facis. Denique in ipsis verbis attende, cujus amore id facere debeas, utrum tui, an illius. Si te audierit, inquit, lucratus es fratrem tuum. [Matt. 18:15] Ergo propter illum fac, ut lucreris illum.

[3:4] That’s why we ought to reprove people out of love, not avid to harm them, but eager to correct them. If we are people like that, we can do extremely well what we have been urged to do in today’s gospel: If your brother has sinned against you, reprove him between yourself and him alone. [Matt. 18:15] Why reprove him? Because you are sorry for yourself, because he’s sinned against you? God forbid. If you do it out of self-love, you do less than nothing. If you do it out of love for him, you are doing something very good indeed. In any case, observe in our Lord’s very words for love of whom you ought to do it, of yourself or him: If he listens to you, he says, you have gained your brother. [Matt. 18:15] So do it for his sake, to gain him.

Si faciendo lucraris, nisi fecisses perierat. Quid est ergo quod plerique homines ista peccata contemnunt, et dicunt, 'Quid magnum feci? in hominem peccavi. Noli contemnere. In hominem peccasti: vis nosse quia in hominem peccando peristi?' Si te ille in quem peccasti, corripuerit inter te et ipsum solum, et audieris illum, lucratus est te.

If you gain him by doing it, it means he would have been lost if you hadn’t done it. So why is it that so many people make light of these sins, and say, 'What’s so awful about what I have done? I’ve only sinned against an ordinary person.' Don’t make light of them; you’ve sinned against another person; do you want to make sure that by sinning against another person you have perished, you are lost? If the one you have sinned against rebukes you between himself and you alone, and you listen to him, he has gained you.

Quid est, lucratus est te; nisi quia perieras, si non lucraretur te? Nam si non perieras, quomodo te lucratus est? Nemo ergo contemnat, quando peccat in fratrem. Ait enim quodam loco Apostolus, Sic autem peccantes in fratres, et percutientes conscientiam eorum infirmam, in Christum peccatis: [1 Cor. 8:12] ideo quia membra Christi omnes facti sumus. Quomodo non peccas in Christum, qui peccas in membrum Christi?

What can his gaining you mean, but that if he hadn’t gained you, you would have perished? After all if you hadn’t perished, hadn’t been lost, how could he have gained you? So let none of you make light of it, when you sin against a brother or sister. After all, the apostle says somewhere, But sinning in this way against the brethren and striking their weak consciences, you are sinning against Christ [1 Cor. 8:12], precisely because we have all become members of Christ, parts of his body. How can you avoid sinning against Christ, when you sin against a member of Christ?

[4:6] Homines autem faciles sunt ad irrogandas injurias, et difficiles ad concordiam requirendam. Pete, inquit, veniam ab homine quem offendisti, ab homine quem laesisti. Respondet: 'Non me humiliabo'. Vel Deum tuum audi, si fratrem tuum contemnis: Qui se humiliat, exaltabitur. [Luke 14:11; Luke 18:17; Matt. 23:12] Non vis te humiliare qui cecidisti? Multum interest inter se humiliantem et inter jacentem. Jam jaces, et humiliare te non vis? Bene diceres, 'Nolo descendere;' si noluisses ruere.

[4:6] But of course people find it easy to give offense, and difficult to restore harmony. Ask pardon, he says, of the person you have offended, the person you have harmed. He replies, 'I won’t humble myself.' At least listen to your God, if you insist on ignoring your brother: Whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. [Luke 14:11; Luke 18:17; Matt. 23:12] You are unwilling to humble yourself, you that have fallen flat on your face anyway? There’s a world of difference between someone humbling himself, and someone flat on his face. You’re already flat on your face, and you refuse to humble yourself? You would have every right to say, 'I refuse to lower myself,' if you had refused to come hurtling down in the first place.

[4:7] Hoc ergo debet facere, qui fecit injuriam. Qui autem passus est, quid debet? Quod audivimus hodie: Si peccaverit in te frater tuus, corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum. Si neglexeris, pejor es. Ille injuriam fecit, et injuriam faciendo gravi se ipsum vulnere percussit: tu vulnus fratris tui contemnis? Tu eum vides perire, vel perisse, et negligis? Pejor es tacendo, qaum ille conviciando. Quando ergo in nos aliquis peccat, habeamus magnam curam, non pro nobis; nam gloriosum est injurias oblivisci: sed obliviscere injuriam tuam, non vulnus fratris tui.

[4:7] So that’s what anyone who has done an injury ought to do. But what about those who have suffered an injury, what ought they to do? What we have heard in today’s gospel: If your brother has sinned against you, reprove him between yourself and him alone. If you neglect to do so, you are worse than he is. He has done wrong, and by doing wrong has inflicted a grave wound on himself; are you going to ignore your brother’s wound? You see that he’s on the point of being lost, or is already lost, and are you not going to bother? You’re worse by keeping silent than he was by noisily abusing you. So when someone sins against us, let us care about it deeply, not for ourselves, because it is splendid to forget injuries done us. Yes, but forget your injury, not your brother’s wound.

Ergo corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum, intendens correctioni, parcens pudori.

So, reprove him between yourself and him alone, to make sure of correcting him and to spare him the shame.

Forte enim prae verecundia incipit defendere peccatum suum, et quem vis facere correctiorem, facis pejorem. Corripe ergo eum inter te et ipsum solum. Si te audierit, lucratus es fratrem tuum: quia perierat, nisi faceres. Si autem non te audierit, id est, peccatum suum quasi justitiam defenderit, adhibe tecum duos vel tres; quia in ore duorum vel trium testium stat omne verbum. Si nec ipsos audierit, refer ad Ecclesiam: si nec Ecclesiam audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus. Noli illum deputare jam in numero fratrum tuorum. [Matt. 18:15-17]

Perhaps, you see, for very shame he may start defending his sin, and so you may end by making him worse, while wishing to put him right. So, reprove him between yourself and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother, because he would have been lost, if you hadn’t done it. But if he doesn’t listen to you, that is, if he defends his sin as though it were an act of justice, bring along with you two or three; because every matter stands on the word of two or three witnesses. If he does not even listen to them, refer it to the Church; if he does not even listen to the Church, let him be to you as an ethnic and a tax collector. [Matt. 18:15-17] Don’t count him as one of your brothers.

Nec ideo tamen salus ejus negligenda est. Nam et ipsos Ethnicos, id est, Gentiles et Paganos in numero quidem fratrum non deputamus; sed tamen eorum salutem semper inquirimus.

That doesn’t mean, however, that you need no longer bother about his salvation. For while we don’t count the ethnics, that is to say the Gentiles and heathens among our brothers and sisters, we are still always seeking their salvation.

Hoc ergo audivimus Dominum ita monentem, et tanta cura praecipientem, ut etiam hoc adderet continuo: Amen dico vobis, quaecumque ligaveritis super terram, ligata erunt et in coelo; et quaecumque solveritis in terra, soluta erunt et in coelo. [Matt. 18:18] Coepisti habere fratrem tuum tanquam publicanum, ligas illum in terra: sed ut juste alliges, vide. Nam injusta vincula disrumpit justitia. Cum autem correxeris, et concordaveris cum fratre tuo, solvisti illum in terra. Cum solveris in terra, solutus erit et in coelo. Multum praestas, non tibi, sed illi; quia multum nocuit, non tibi, sed sibi.

So, we have heard the Lord giving us this admonition, and phrasing the command very carefully, so as to add immediately, Amen I tell you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven. [Matt. 18:18] You start regarding your brother as a tax-collector; you are binding him on earth; but make sure that you bind him justly. Justice, you see, bursts unjust bonds apart. When, however, you have corrected your brother and made it up with him, you have loosed him on earth. When you loose him on earth, he will also be loosed in heaven. You are doing a great service, not to yourself but to him, because he has done great harm, not to you but to himself.

[5.8] Conciliatur Evangelium cum Salomone. Haec cum ita sint, quid est quod ait Salomon, quod hodie ex alia lectione primitus audivimus: Annuens oculis cum dole, congerit hominibus moestitiam: qui autem arguit palam, pacem facit? [Prov. 10:10] Si ergo qui arguit palam, pacem facit; quomodo, Corripe illum inter te et ipsum solum? Metuendum est, ne sibi contraria sint praecepta divina.

[5:8] All this being so, what’s the meaning of what Solomon says, which we heard first today in another reading: One who winks deceitfully with the eyes piles up sadness for men, but one who censures openly makes peace? [Prov. 10:10] So if one who censures openly makes peace, why and how, rebuke him between yourself and him alone? I’m afraid it looks as if divine injunctions are contradicting each other.

Sed intelligamus esse ibi summam concordiam, non quemadmodum quidam vani sapiamus, qui errantes opinantur contraria sibi esse duo Testamenta in Libris veteribus et novis: ut ideo putemus hoc esse contrarium, quoniam illud est in Salomonis libro, hoc in Evangelio.

But let us be sure about this, that in fact perfect harmony prevails here; don’t let’s share the ideas of some deluded people, who hold the erroneous opinion that the two covenants, represented by the books of the Old and New Testaments, contradict each other. Don’t let us assume, in other words, that there is a contradiction between this thing in Solomon’s book and that thing in the gospel.

Si enim aliquis imperitus et calumniator divinarum Scripturarum diceret, 'Ecce ubi sibi contradicunt duo Testamenta. Dominus dicit, Corripe illum inter te et ipsum solum. Salomon dicit, Qui arguit palam, pacem facit. Ergo nescit Dominus quid praecepit? Salomon vult contundi frontem peccantis: Christus parcit pudori erubescentis. Ibi enim scriptum est, Qui arguit palam, pacem facit: hic autem, Corripe illum inter te et ipsum solum; non palam, sed in secreto et occulte.'

Suppose, you see, some ignorant critic of the divine scriptures were to say, 'Look where the two testaments contradict each other: the Lord says, Rebuke him between yourself and him alone; Solomon says, One who censures openly makes peace. So is the Lord ignorant of what he has himself commanded? Solomon means the bold face of the sinner to be put in its place; Christ is sparing the blushes of someone who is ashamed of himself. I mean, there it says, One who censures openly makes peace, and here, Rebuke him between yourself and him alone, not openly, but secretly and privately.'

Vis nosse, quisquis talia cogitas, non sibi repugnare duo Testamenta, quia illud in libro Salomonis, hoc in Evangelio reperitur? Apostolum audi. Certe Apostolus minister est Novi Testamenti. Audi ergo apostolum Paulum Timotheo praecipientem et dicentem, Peccantes coram omnibus argue, ut et caeteri timorem habeant. [1 Tim. 5:20] Jam non Salomonis liber cum Evangelio, sed Pauli apostoli Epistola videtur confligere.

Do you want to know, whoever you are, entertaining such thoughts, that the two testaments are not at odds with each other, because that is found in Solomon’s book and this in the gospel? Listen to the apostle, the apostle who is of course a minister of the New Testament. So listen to the apostle Paul giving Timothy instructions and saying, Censure those who sin in front of everyone, so that the rest too may learn to fear. [1 Tim. 5:20] Now it’s not the book of Solomon but the letter of Paul the apostle which seems to conflict with the gospel.

Salomonem paululum sine injuria seponamus: Christum Dominum et Paulum servum ejus audiamus. Quid dicis, Domine? Si peccaverit in te frater tuus, corripe illum inter te et ipsum solum. Quid dicis, Apostole? Peccantes coram omnibus argue, ut et caeteri timorem habeant. Quid facimus? Controversiam istam velut judices audimus? Absit. Imo sub judice constituti pulsemus, uti nobis aperiri impetremus: fugiamus sub alas Domini Dei nostri. Non enim Apostolo suo contrarium locutus est, quia et in illo ipse locutus est, sicut dicit: An vultis experimentum ejus accipere, qui in me loquitur Christus? [2 Cor. 13:3] Christus in Evangelio, Christus in Apostolo: Christus ergo utrumque dixit; unum ore suo, alterum ore praeconis sui. Quia quando praeco de tribunali aliquid dicit, non scribitur in Gestis, Praeco dixit: sed ille dixisse scribitur, qui praeconi quod diceret imperavit.

Without prejudice, let’s put Solomon aside for a moment; let’s listen to Christ the Lord and his servant Paul. What do you say, Lord? If your brother has sinned against you, reprove him between yourself and him alone. What do you say, apostle? Censure those who sin in front of everyone, so that the rest too may learn to fear. What are we to do? Listen to this dispute like judges? Surely not. Rather, as subject ourselves to the judge, let us knock, that we may obtain the opening of the door to us; let us flee for refuge under the wings of the Lord our God. I mean, he cannot have spoken against his apostle, because he himself spoke in him, as Paul declares himself: Do you wish to get a taste of Christ who speaks in me. [2 Cor. 13:3] Christ in the gospel, Christ in the apostle. So Christ said both things, one by his own lips, one by the lips of his herald. Because when the herald says anything from the bench, it isn’t written in the record, 'The herald said,' but the one who told the herald what to say is recorded as having spoken.

[6:9] Duo ergo ista praecepta, fratres, sic audiamus, ut intelligamus, et inter utraque praecepta pacati constituamur. Cum corde nostro nos concordemus, et Scriptura sancta in nulla parte discordat. Verum est omnino, utrumque verum est: sed discernere debemus, aliquando illud, aliquando illud esse faciendum; aliquando corripiendum fratrem inter te et ipsum solum, aliquando corripiendum fratrem coram omnibus, ut et caeteri timorem habeant. Si aliquando illud, aliquando illud fecerimus; concordiam Scripturarum tenebimus, et in faciendo atque obtemperando non errabimus. Sed dicit mihi aliquis: 'Quando facio illud, quando illud: ne tunc corripiam inter me et ipsum solum, quando debeo coram omnibus corripere; aut tunc corripiam coram omnibus, quando debeo in secreto corripere?'

[6:9] So, brothers and sisters, let us listen to these two instructions in order to understand them, and set ourselves in a calm frame of mind between them both. Let us make peace with our own hearts, and we shall find that holy scripture is never and nowhere at war with itself. It is all absolutely true; each point is true. But we have to distinguish; sometimes this is to be done, and sometimes that. Sometimes your brother should be reproved between yourself and him alone, sometimes your brother is to be reproved in front of everybody, that the rest too may learn to fear. If we sometimes do the one and sometimes the other, we shall be maintaining the harmony of the scriptures, and in acting in compliance with them, we shall not be going astray. But someone’s going to say to me: 'When am I to do this, and when that? How am I to avoid rebuking him between myself and him alone, when I ought to rebuke him in front of everyone, or rebuking him in front of everyone when I ought to be rebuking him privately?'

[7:10] Charitas vestra, quid quando facere debeamus: sed utinam facere pigri non simus. Intendite, et videte: Si peccaverit, inquit, in te frater tuus, corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum. Quare? Quia peccavit 'in te'. Quid est, in te peccavit? Tu scis quia peccavit. Quia enim secretum fuit, quando in te peccavit; secretum quaere, cum corrigis quod peccavit. Nam si solus nosti quia peccavit in te, et eum vis coram omnibus arguere; non es correptor, sed proditor.

[7:10] Your graces will see soon enough which we ought to do when, but if only we aren’t sluggishly reluctant to do it. Notice carefully: If your brother, he says, has sinned against you, reprove him between yourself and him alone. Why? Because he has sinned against you. What’s the meaning, precisely, of 'against you'? It means you know he has sinned, because it was something private, not known to other people, when he sinned against you. Look for a chance to do it privately, when you correct him for sinning. After all, if you are the only one who knows that he has sinned against you, and you want to censure him for it in front of everybody, you won’t be reproving him, but betraying him. 

Attende quemadmodum vir justus, Joseph, tanto flagitio quod de uxore fuerat suspicatus, tanta benignitate pepercit, antequam sciret unde illa conceperat: quia gravidam senserat, et se ad illam non accessisse noverat. Restabat itaque certa adulterii suspicio: et tamen quia ipse solus senserat, ipse solus sciebat, quid de illo ait Evangelium? Joseph autem cum esset vir justus, et nollet eam divulgare. Mariti dolor non vindictam quaesivit: voluit prodesse peccanti, non punire peccantem. Cum, inquit, nollet eam divulgare, voluit eam occulte dimittere. Haec eo cogitante, ecce angelus Domini apparuit ei in somnis; et indicavit quid esset, quia non violavit viri torum, quia de Spiritu sancto conceperat Dominum amborum. [cf. Matt. 1:19-20]

Look how that just man, Joseph, showed such goodness in sparing the shameful wrong of which he suspected his wife, before he knew how she had conceived. He saw she was pregnant, and he knew he had not known her intimately himself. So there was a suspicion, amounting to a certainty, of adultery. And yet because he was the only one who had noticed it, the only one who knew it, what does the gospel say about him? But Joseph, being a just man, and unwilling to disgrace her publicly. A husband’s sense of injury did not look for revenge; he wanted to help the sinner, not punish her. Being unwilling, it says, to disgrace her publicly, wished to divorce her privately. While he was thinking about this, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and pointed out the truth of the matter, that she had not dishonored her husband’s bed, because she had conceived the Lord of them both by the Holy Spirit. [cf. Matt. 1:19-20]

Peccavit ergo in te frater tuus; si tu solus nosti, tunc vere in te solum peccavit. Nam si multis audientibus tibi fecit injuriam, et in illos peccavit, quos testes suae iniquitatis effecit. Dico enim, fratres charissimi, quod et vos ipsi in vobis ipsis potestis agnoscere. Quando me audiente, fratri meo quisque injuriam facit, absit ut a me injuriam illam alienam putem. Prorsus et mihi fecit: imo et mihi plus fecit, cui putavit placere quod fecit. Ergo ipsa corripienda sunt coram omnibus, quae peccantur coram omnibus: ipsa corripienda sunt secretius, quae peccantur secretius. Distribuite tempora, et concordat Scriptura.

So, your brother has sinned against you. If you are the only one who knows it, then in fact he has only sinned against you. I mean if he affronted you in the hearing of several other people, then he also sinned against them, making them witnesses of his wickedness. I’m only saying, my dearest brothers and sisters, what you too can easily recognize for yourselves. When someone, in my presence, insults my brother, God forbid I should reckon that insult has nothing to do with me. Of course, he insulted me too; indeed he did me the greater injury, imagining I would be pleased with what he did. Those sins, then, are to be rebuked in front of everybody which are committed in front of everybody. Those which are committed less publicly are to be rebuked less publicly. Distinguish between the occasions, and scripture is at peace with itself.

[8:11] Sic agamus et sic agendum est, non solum quando in nos peccatur, sed quando peccatur ab aliquo, ut ab altero nesciatur. In secreto debemus corripere, in secreto arguere; ne volentes publice arguere, prodamus hominem. Nos volumus corripere et corrigere: quid, si inimicus quaerit audire quod puniat?

[8:11] Let’s act like that, because that’s how we should act, not only when someone sins against us, but also when anybody’s sin is unknown to someone else. We should rebuke privately, censure privately, and not betray people by wishing to censure them publicly. What we are wanting to do is to rebuke and correct; what if some enemy of theirs wants to hear about something he can punish?

Novit enim nescio quem homicidam episcopus, et alius illum nemo novit. Ego volo publice corripere, at tu quaeris inscribere. Prorsus nec prodo, nec negligo: corripio in secreto; pono ante oculos Dei judicium; terreo cruentam conscientiam; persuadeo poenitentiam. Hac charitate praediti esse debemus.

A bishop, for example, knows someone or other is a murderer, and nobody else knows he is. I want to rebuke him publicly, while you are looking for a chance to bring an indictment. Well of course, I will neither give him away, nor ignore his sin. I will rebuke him privately, set God’s judgment before his eyes, terrify his bloodstained conscience, try to persuade him to repent. That is the kind of Christian charity with which we should all be equipped.

Unde aliquando homines reprehendunt nos, quod quasi non corripiamus: aut putant nos scire quod nescimus, aut putant nos tacere quod scimus. Sed forte quod scis, et ego scio: sed non coram te corripio; quia curare volo, non accusare. Sunt homines adulteri in domibus suis, in secreto peccant; aliquando nobis produntur ab uxoribus suis plerumque zelantibus, aliquando maritorum salutem quaerentibus: nos non prodimus palam, sed in secreto arguimus.

That’s why people sometimes find fault with us bishops, because we seem not to reprove sinners. They either suppose that we know what in fact we don’t, or they suppose that we say nothing about what we do know. But perhaps I too know what you know; and yet I don’t reprove it in your presence, because what I want to do is to cure, not accuse. There are people who commit adultery in their own homes; they sin privately. Sometimes they are reported to me by their wives out of extreme jealously, sometimes out of a real concern for their husbands’ salvation. I don’t give them away publicly, but censure them in private.

Ubi contigit malum, ibi moriatur malum. Non tamen vulnus illud negligimus; ante omnia ostendentes homini in tali peccato constituto sauciamque gerenti conscientiam, illud vulnus esse mortiferum: quod aliquando qui committunt, nescio qua perversitate contemnunt; et nescio unde sibi testimonia nulla et vana conquirunt, dicentes, 'Peccata carnis Deus non curat.' Ubi est quod hodie audivimus: Fornicatores et adulteros judicat Deus? [Heb. 13:4] Ecce attende, quisquis tali morbo laboras. Quod dicit Deus audi: non quod tibi dicit favens peccatis tuis animus tuus, aut eadem tecum iniquitatis catena ligatus amicus tuus, vel potius inimicus tuus et suus. Audi ergo quod dicit Apostolus: Honorabiles, inquit, nuptiae in omnibus, et torus immaculatus. Fornicatores autem et adulteros judicat Deus.

Let the evil terminate where the evil happens. I don’t however neglect that wound; I try above all to show a man set in the habit of that sort of sin, and carrying a wounded conscience around with him, that the wound is in itself deadly. Sometimes people who commit this sin treat it lightly out of heaven knows what kind of perversity. They hunt about for heaven knows what null and worthless proofs in their support, and they say, 'God doesn’t mind the sins of the flesh.' Well, what about what we have heard today, Fornicators and adulterers God will judge? [Heb. 13:4] So there you are, pay attention, any of you afflicted with this sort of disease. Listen to what God is saying, not to what your own prejudice is saying in favor of your sins, or your friend, perhaps, chained with the same shackles of wickedness as yourself—though in fact he is more your enemy and his own. So listen to what the apostle says: Let marriage be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed be undefiled. But fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

[9:12] Age ergo, frater, esto correctus. Times ne te inscribat inimicus; et non times ne te judicet Deus? Ubi est fides? Time cum est quando timeas. Longe est quidem dies judicii: sed uniuscujusque hominis dies ultimus longe esse non potest; quia brevis est vita. Et quia ipsa brevitas semper incerta, quando sit dies tuus ultimus, nescis. Corrige te hodie, propter cras. Prosit tibi et modo in secreto correptio. Palam enim loquor, et in secreto arguo. Aures omnium pulso: sed conscientias quorumdam convenio. Si dicerem, 'Tu, adulter, corrige te:' primo forte dicerem quod nescirem; forte quod temere audieram, suspicarer. Non dico, 'Tu, adulter, corrige te;' sed, 'quisquis in hoc populo adulter es, corrige te.' Publica est correptio, sed secreta correctio. Scio quia ille qui timuerit, corrigit se.

[9:12] So come now, brother, let yourself be corrected. You’re afraid your enemy may bring an indictment against you, and aren’t you afraid God may judge you? Where’s your faith? Be afraid while there is time for being afraid. Sure, the day of judgment’s a long way off. But the last day of each and every one of us cannot be a long way off, because life is short. And because it is always uncertain just how short, you don’t know when your last day is going to be. Correct yourself today, ready for tomorrow. Let private rebuke avail you right now. I am speaking publicly, and I’m censuring privately. I’m knocking at the ears of all of you, but I meet the consciences of some of you only. If I said, 'You there, adulterer, mend your ways,' I might in the first place be asserting something I didn’t know; I might perhaps be giving too much credit to something I had heard quite casually. So I don’t say, 'You there, adulterer, mend your ways,' but, 'Whoever you are, adulterer, in this congregation, mend your ways.' The rebuke is public, but the correction is private. I know that the one who fears God is mending his ways.

[10:13] Non dicat in corde suo, 'Peccata carnis non curat Deus.' Nescitis, inquit Apostolus, quia templum Dei estis, et Spiritus Dei habitat in vobis? Quisquis templum Dei violaverit, disperdet illum Deus. [1 Cor. 3:16-17] Nemo se fallat.

[10:13] What he mustn’t do is say to himself, 'God doesn’t mind sins of the flesh.' Do you not know, says the apostle, that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you? Whoever violates God’s temple, God will destroy him. [1 Cor. 3:16-17] Don’t deceive yourselves, any of you.

Sed forte ait aliquis, 'Templum Dei animus meus est, non corpus meum:' adjecit etiam testimonium, Omnis caro fenum, et omnis claritas carnis ut flos feni. [Isa. 40:6] Infelix interpretatio! punienda cogitatio! Fenum dicta est caro, quia moritur: sed quod ad tempus moritur, non resurgat cum crimine. Vis nosse apertam etiam inde sententiam? Nescitis, inquit idem apostolus, quia corpora vestra templum in vobis est Spiritus sancti, quem habetis a Deo?

But someone will say, perhaps, 'God’s temple is my mind, not my body,' adding the proof text, All flesh is grass, and all the splendor of the flesh as the flower of grass. [Isa. 40:6] Miserable interpretation, punishable thought! Flesh is called grass because it dies, but take care that what dies for a time doesn’t rise stained by crime. Do you want to have a completely clear judgment on the point? Do you not know, says the same apostle, that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit in you, which you have from God?

Contemnebas corporale peccatum, contemnis quod peccas in templum? Ipsum corpus tuum templum in te est Spiritus Dei. Jam vide quid facias de templo Dei. Si eligeres in ecclesia facere adulterium intra istos parietes, quid te esset sceleratius? Modo autem tu ipse es templum Dei. Templum intras, templum exis, templum in domo tua manes, templum surgis. Vide quid agas, vide ne offendas templi habitatorem, ne deserat te, et in ruinam vertaris. Nescitis, inquit, quia corpora vestra [et hoc de fornicatione loquebatur Apostolus, ne contemnerent corporalia peccata] templum in vobis est Spiritus sancti, quem habetis a Deo, et non estis vestri? Empti enim estis pretio magno. [1 Cor. 6:19-20] Si contemnis corpus tuum, considera pretium tuum.

Now you can’t make light of bodily sins; here you have it that even your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit in you, which you have from God. You were making light of bodily sins, were you, you make light of sinning against a temple? Your very body is the temple of God’s Spirit in you. Now see what you are doing to God’s temple. If you chose to commit adultery in church, within these four walls, could anything be more infamous than you? But now you yourself are God’s temple. A temple you come in, a temple you go out, a temple you stay at home, a temple you get up. Mind what you do, mind you don’t offend the inhabitant of the temple, or he may abandon you and you will fall into ruin. Do you not know, he says, that your bodies [and here the apostle was talking about fornication, in case they should make light of bodily sins] is the temple of the Holy Spirit in you, which you have from God, and you are not your own? For you have been bought for a great price. [1 Cor. 6:19-20] If you make light of your body, just reflect on your price.

[11:14] Scio ego, et mecum omnis homo qui paulo attentius consideraverit, neminem Deum timentem sub verbis ejus non se corrigere, nisi qui putat, quia plus habet vivere. Ipsa res est quae multos occidit, cum dicunt, 'Cras, cras': et subito ostium clauditur. Remansit foris cum voce corvina, quia non habuit gemitum columbinum. 'Cras, cras'; corvi vox. 

[11:14] I myself know, and so does anyone who stops to reflect a little, that nobody who fears God will fail to correct himself at his words, unless he assumes that he has longer to live. This is the thing that kills many people, when they say, 'Tomorrow, tomorrow,' and suddenly the door is shut. He remained outside, croaking like a crow, because he didn’t know how to moan like a dove. 'Tomorrow, tomorrow'; it’s the caw of the crow.

Geme ut columbus, et tunde pectus: sed plagas tibi dando in pectus, caesus correctus esto; ne non videaris conscientiam caedere, sed malam conscientiam pugnis pavimentare, solidiorem reddere, non correctiorem. Geme non inani gemitu.

Moan like a dove and beat your breast; but when you give yourself blows on the breast, take care you emerge from the beating corrected. Otherwise what you may appear to be doing is not beating your conscience, but ramming down a bad conscience into concrete with your fists, making it harder and more solid than ever, not correcting it. Moan and groan, but not with meaningless moans and groans.

Forte enim dicis tibi: 'Promisit mihi Deus indulgentiam, quando me correxero; securus sum: lego divinam Scripturam, Iniquus in qua die conversus fuerit ab iniquitatibus suis, et fecerit justitiam, omnes iniquitates ejus obliviscar. [Ezek. 18:21-22] Securus sum; quando me correxero, dat mihi Deus indulgentiam de malis meis.'

Someone will perhaps say to you, 'God promised me pardon when I have corrected myself; I’m safe, I read the divine scripture, On the day the wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does justice, I will forget all his wickedness. [Ezek. 18:21-22] I’m safe; when I correct myself, God grants me a pardon for my bad deeds.'

Et quid ego dicturus sum? Contra Deum reclamaturus? Dicturus sum Deo: 'Noli illi dare indulgentiam?' Dicturus sum hoc scriptum non esse, hoc Deum non promisisse? Si ista dixero, omnia falsa dico. Bene dicis, verum dicis: indulgentiam correctioni tuae promisit Deus, negare non possum: sed dic mihi, rogo te; ecce ego consentio et concedo et cognosco quia indulgentiam Deus promisit tibi; crastinum enim diem quis tibi promisit? Ubi mihi legis indulgentiam te accepturum, si te correxeris; lege ibi mihi quantum victurus sis. 'Non lego,' inquis. Nescis ergo quantum victurus sis. Esto correctus et semper paratus. Noli timere diem ultimum, tanquam furem qui te dormiente effodiat parietem: sed vigila, et corrige te hodie. Quid differs in crastinum? 'Longa vita erit.'] Ipsa bona longa sit. [Augustine, Sermo 82, c. 2.3-11.14, PL 38, col. 507-513]

And what am I going to say? Am I going to protest against God? Am I going to say to God, 'Don’t grant him pardon'? Am I going to say this wasn’t written, God didn’t make this promise? If I say any of this, what I say is all untrue. What you say is right, what you say is true. God did promise pardon for your correcting yourself; I can’t deny it. But tell me this, please—look, I agree, I know, I grant you, God did promise you pardon. I mean, did anyone promise you tomorrow? That place you are reading to me from, about how you are going to receive pardon if you correct yourself: read to me from it how long you are going to live. 'I don’t read that,' you say. So you don’t know how long you are going to live. Let yourself be corrected now, and so always ready. Don’t be afraid of the last day, like a thief who digs through the wall while you’re asleep, but wake up and correct yourself today. Why put it off till tomorrow? 'Life will be long.' This long life of yours, let it be a good one. [Augustine, Sermo 82, c. 2.3-11.14, transl. Edmund Hill, The Works of Saint Augustine, vol. III.3, Charlottesville, Virginia 2001, pp. 370-377]

Sequitur: ₄Infantibus vero usque ad quintum decimum annum aetatis disciplinae diligentia adhibeatur ab omnibus et custodia sit, ₅sed et hoc cum omni mensura et ratione. ₆Nam in fortiori aetate qui praesumpserit aliquatenus sine praecepto abbatis, vel in ipsis infantibus sine discretione exarserit, disciplinae regulari subjaceat, quia scriptum est: ₇Quod tibi non vis fieri, alii ne feceris. [cf. Tob. 4:16; Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31] 

It follows: ₄There should be supervision and diligent discipline of children up to the age of fifteen on everyone’s part, ₅but this with all moderation and reason. ₆Anyone who presumes in any way against someone older without the abbot’s permission or whose temper flares thoughtlessly at those children should be subject to the discipline of the Rule, for it is written: ₇Do not do to another what you do not want done to yourself. [cf. Tob. 4:16; Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31]

Quod enim dicit infantibus vero usque ad quintum decimum annum aetatis et rel., subaudiendum est: ab omnibus illis, qui non indigent disciplina, sed disciplinam noverunt, disciplina, teneatur. Nam non est consequens, ut illi disciplinam dent, qui indigent disciplina et nesciunt disciplinam.

For when he says children up to the age of fifteen etc., it ought to be understood: discipline should be maintained on everyone’s part who do not need discipline but know discipline. For it does not follow that they might give discipline who lack discipline and do not know discipline.

Et hoc notandum est, quia illis infantibus quindecim annos habentibus dixit, qui vitam cum annis concordant: nam ceteris etiam usque viginti vel eo amplius, donec intelligunt, semper diligentiam habeant et custodiam, nec locum suum in ullo loco teneant inter alios, nisi inter illos, cum quibus in disciplina et custodia sunt. Nam cum exierint de disciplina, locum suum accipiant, i. e. illum, quando in monasterium intraverunt.

And it ought to be noted that he spoke about those children up to the age of fifteen, who harmonize life with years: for to others even up to twenty or more than that, until they have understanding, always they should have discipline and supervision, and should not hold their own place in any place among others, unless among those under whose discipline and custody they are. For when they excel concerning discipline, they should receive their place, i.e., that place when they enter into the monastery.

Quod autem dicit et hoc cum omni mensura et ratione, ad disciplinam attinet et non ad custodiam, quia custodia infantum nullam mensuram debet habere, eo quod regula dicit ubi et ubi custodiam habeant.

When he says but this with all moderation and reason, he refers to discipline and not to supervision, since the supervision of children ought to have no moderation, concerning which the rule says anywhere else they should be under supervision.

Quod vero dicit vel in ipsis infantibus sine discretione exarserit - quasi diceret: si in ipsis infantibus sine mensura et ratione disciplinam adhibuerit. Exarserit, i. e. exardescerit. Sicut enim stipula depascitur ab igne, ita et homo depas [page 622] citur ab ira, cum ab ea superatur, et ex hoc ultra mensuram agit tabescens ira. Istud vero quod dicit regulari disciplinae subjaceat, est per septem gradus ducendus.

And truly he says or whose temper flares thoughtlessly at those children - as if he had said: if he would direct discipline at those children without moderation and reason. Temper flares, i. e., he would be angry. For just as the stalk is cut down by fire, so also is man cut [page 622] down by anger, when he is overcome by it, and from this dwindling anger goes beyond moderation. But he says this important thing too, he should be subject to the discipline of the Rule, which ought to be pursued through seven steps.

V. gr. si aliquis, qui non habet ministerium, videt aliquem male tractare librum, aut aliquem sermonem non recte proferre et cetera his similia, pro disciplina [autem] eum percusserit aut excommunicaverit, iste talis non in graviori culpa teneri debet, sed in leviori. Si vero aliquis per rixam aut pugno vel fuste percusserit aliquem sine discretione aut sine jussione abbatis, iste talis non in leviori tenendus est, sed in majori, h. e. noxa.

For example if someone who does not have an office sees someone to treat a book badly, or not to put forward proper speech or things similar to this, he should for discipline strike him or excommunicate him. Such a thing ought not to be held in a graver sin, but in lighter. But if someone through a brawl or fight or with a stick strikes another thoughtlessly or without the permission of the abbot, such a person ought not to be held in a lighter guilt, but in a major guilt, namely a crime.

Et hoc notandum est, quia, si talis magister infantum fuerit, qui quamvis nimis in ira accensus infantes aut percusserit vel excommunicaverit ultra mensuram aut certe male percusserit, tamen sollicitus est nimis super infantes, iste talis propter iram non est expellendus, sed magis tolerandus est et corripiendus et admonendus et rel. propter suam bonam sollicitudinem. Reddit enim causam, quare, cum dicit quod tibi non vis fieri, alii ne feceris.

And it ought to be noted that if such a teacher of children were to be, who although he struck the struck children excessively, having been kindled in anger, or excommunicated beyond moderation or struck very badly, nevertheless was excessively concerned about the children, such a person ought not to be expelled because of anger, but ought rather to be tolerated and corrected and admonished, etc. because of his good concern. He gives a reason why when he says do not do to another what you do not want done to yourself.

Forte dicit quis: 'quare debeo flagellare infantum aut illum, qui indiget disciplina, eum ego nolo, ut alter me flagellet?' Cui respondendum est: 'quia cuperes tu, qui jam intelligis, ut quilibet flagellasset te, cum non intelligebas.'

Maybe someone might say: ‘why should I whip a child or he who deserves discipline when I would not wish another to whip me?’ To which it should be responded: ‘since you should desire, who now understand, that someone might have whipped you when you did not understand.’

Quod autem dicit in fortiori aetate, ad superiorem sententiam respicit, ubi dicit non praesumat quis alium caedere et rel., eo quod illa est mater istius sententiae, et exinde nata est occasio dicendi postmodum etiam de infantibus.

Moreover he said against someone older, by which he referred to a greater understanding, where he says someone should not presume to strike another etc., because that is the mother of his thought, and thence is born the occasion of speaking later about the children as well.