§10Qni alios iudicas aliquando esto et tui iudex, conscientiae tuae latebras intuere, immo, quia nullus iam delinquendi uel pudor est et sic peccatur quasi magis per ipsa peccata placeatur, qui perspicuus et nudus a cunctis uideris et ipse te respice.
You who judge others, be at some time a judge of yourself too, look into the hiding places of your conscience; nay, since there is no longer any shame in delinquent behavior and sin is committed as if one were rather pleased by the very sins, you who appear clear and naked to all, look at yourself.
aut enim superbia inflatus es aut auaritia rapax es aut iracundia saeuus aut alea prodigus aut uinolentia temulentus aut liuore inuidus aut libidine incestus aut crudelitate uiolentus: et miraris in poenas generis humani iram Dei crescere, cum crescat cottidie quod puniatur? hostem quereris exurgere, quasi etsi hostis desit esse pax inter ipsas togas possit [hostem quereris exurgere], quasi non, etsi externa de barbaris arma et pericula conprimantur, ferocius intus et grauius de calumniis et iniuriis potentium ciuium domesticae inpugnationis tela grassentur: de sterilitate ac fame quereris, quasi famem maiorem siccitas quam rapacitas faciat, quasi non de captatis annonarum incrementis et pretiorum cumulis flagrantius inopiae ardor excrescat: quereris cludi imbribus caelum, cum sic horrea eludantur in terris: quereris minus nasci, quasi quae nata sunt indigentibus praebeantur: pestem et luem criminaris, cum peste ipsa et lue uel detecta sint uel aucta crimina singulorum, dum nec infirmis exhibetur misericordia et defunctis auaritia inhiat ac rapina.
For you are either inflated with pride, or rapacious with avarice, or savage with anger, or prodigal with gambling, or drunken with wine-drinking, or envious with jealousy, or unchaste with lust, or violent with cruelty: and do you wonder that the wrath of God increases for the punishment of the human race, when that which should be punished increases daily? You complain that an enemy rises up, as if, even if an enemy were lacking, there could be peace among those clad in the toga, [you complain that an enemy rises up] as if, even if external weapons and dangers from barbarians are suppressed, domestic weapons of internal onslaught do not rage more ferociously and heavily within through the calumnies and injuries of powerful citizens: you complain of sterility and famine, as if drought makes a greater famine than rapacity, as if the heat of scarcity does not grow more burning from the cornered increases of grain supplies and the accumulation of prices: you complain that the heaven is closed to showers, when in this way the granaries are mocking on the earth: you complain that less is born, as if those things which are born were offered to the needy: you blame the plague and pestilence, when by that very plague and pestilence the crimes of individuals are either detected or increased, while mercy is not shown to the sick and avarice and plunder gape for the deceased.
idem ad pietatis obsequium timidi, ad impia lucra temerarii, fugientes morientium funera et adpetentes spolia mortuorum, ut appareat in aegritudine sua miseros ad hoc forsitan et derelictos esse ne possent dum curantur euadere: nam perire aegrum uoluit qui censum pereuntis inuadit.
The same people, timid to the service of piety, rash to impious gains, fleeing the funerals of the dying and desiring the spoils of the dead, so that it appears that the miserable in their sickness were perhaps abandoned for this purpose, lest they should be able to escape while being cared for: for he wished the sick to perish who invades the property of the perishing.
§11Tantus cladium terror dare non potest innocentiae disciplinam et inter populum frequenti strage morientem nemo considerat et se esse mortalem.
Such great terror of slaughters cannot give the discipline of innocence, and among the people dying in frequent slaughter, no one considers that he himself is mortal.
passim discurritur, rapitur, occupatur: praedandi dissimulatio nulla, nulla cunctatio: quasi liceat, quasi oporteat, quasi ille qui non rapit damnum et dispendium proprium sentiat, sic unusquisque rapere festinat.
Everywhere people run about, plunder, occupy: there is no concealment of plundering, no hesitation: as if it were lawful, as if it were proper, as if he who does not plunder feels his own loss and expense, so everyone hastens to plunder.
in latronibus est utcumque aliqua scelerum uerecundia, auias fauces et desertas solitudines diligunt, et sic illic delinquitur, ut tamen delinquentium facinus tenebris et nocte ueletur.
Among robbers there is somehow some shame of crimes; they love out-of-the-way passes and deserted solitudes, and though delinquency occurs there, yet the crime of the delinquents is veiled by darkness and night.
auaritia palam saeuit et ipsa audacia sua tuta in fori luce abruptae cupiditatis arma prostituit.
Avarice rages openly, and, secure by its very audacity, prostitutes the weapons of abrupt desire in the light of the forum.
inde falsarii, uenefici inde, inde in media ciuitate sicarii tam ad peccandum praecipites quam inpune peccantes.
Thence falsifiers, thence poisoners, thence in the midst of the city assassins, as headlong to sin as they sin with impunity.
a nocente crimen admittitur, nec innocens qui uindicet inuenitur.
Crime is committed by the guilty, nor is an innocent person found to avenge it.
de accusatore uel iudice metus nullus: inpunitatem consecuntur mali, dum modesti tacent, timent conscii, ueneunt iudicaturi.
There is no fear of an accuser or a judge: the wicked obtain impunity, while the modest are silent, the accomplices fear, and those who are to judge are bought.
et idcirco per prophetam diuino spiritu et instinctu rei ueritas promitur, certa et manifesta ratio monstratur Dominum posse aduersa prohibere sed ne ille subueniat merita peccantium facere.
And therefore through the prophet, by the divine spirit and inspiration, the truth of the matter is brought forth, and a certain and manifest reason is shown: that the Lord is able to prohibit adversity, but that the merits of sinners cause Him not to help.
numquid, ait, non ualet manus Dei, ut saluos faciat, aut grauabit aurem ut non exaudiat? sed peccata uestra inter uos et Deum separant, et propter delicta uestra auertit faciem a uobis ne misereatur.
Does not, he says, the hand of God prevail to save, or is His ear heavy that He should not hear? But your sins separate between you and God, and because of your offenses He has turned away His face from you lest He have mercy.
peccata itaque et delicta reputentur, conscientiae uulnera cogitentur, et desinat unusquisque de Deo uel de nobis conqueri, si quod patitur intellegat se mereri.
Therefore let sins and offenses be reckoned, let the wounds of conscience be considered, and let everyone cease to complain of God or of us, if he understands that he deserves what he suffers.