§22Quando autem ueniat sanguinis iusti diuina uindicta declarat: per Malachin prophetam Spiritus sanctus dicens: ecce dies Domini uenit ardens uelut clibanus, eruntque omnes alienigenae et omnes iniqui stipula, et succendet illos adueniens dies, dicit Dominus. quod item legimus in psalmis, ubi Dei iudicis praedicatur aduentus censurae suae maiestate uenerandus: Deus manifestus ueniet Deus noster et non silebit.
But when the divine vengeance of just blood may come, He declares, the Holy Spirit speaking through the prophet Malachi: "Behold, the day of the Lord comes, burning as a furnace; and all aliens and all the wicked shall be stubble, and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord." Which we likewise read in the Psalms, where the coming of God the judge is proclaimed, to be revered in the majesty of His judgment: "God our God shall come manifestly, and shall not keep silence.
ignis ante eum ardebit et in circuitu eius procella nimia.
A fire shall burn before Him, and a mighty tempest round about Him.
uocabit caelum susum et terram ut separet populum suum.
He shall call the heaven above, and the earth, that He may separate His people.
colligite illi iustos eius, eos qui disponunt testamentum eius in sacrificiis. et nuntiabunt caeli iustitiam eius, quoniam Deus iudex est.
Gather to Him His righteous ones, those who order His covenant with sacrifices." And the heavens shall announce His righteousness, because God is judge.
et Esaias eadem praenuntiat dicens: ecce enim Dominus sicut ignis ueniet, et sicut procella currus eius retribuere in ira uindictam.
And Isaiah foretells the same things, saying: "For behold, the Lord shall come like fire, and His chariot like a tempest, to render vengeance in anger.
in igne enim Domini iudicabuntur et in gladio eius uulnerabuntur. et iterum: Dominus Deus uirtutum prodibit et comminuet bellum. excitabit certamen et clamabit super inimicos suos cum fortitudine: tacui, numquid semper tacebo? §23Quis autem est hic qui tachisse se prius dicit et non semper tacebit? utique ille qui sicut ouis ad uictimam ductus et sicut agnus coram tondente sine uoce non aperuit os suum.
For in the fire of the Lord they shall be judged, and by His sword they shall be wounded." And again: "The Lord God of virtues shall go forth and shall crush war; He shall stir up battle, and shall cry out against His enemies with strength: 'I have held my peace, shall I always keep silence?'" But who is this who says that He has held His peace before, and will not always keep silence? Surely He who, led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer without voice, opened not His mouth.
utique ille qui non clamauit neque in plateis uox eius audita est.
Surely He who did not cry out, nor was His voice heard in the streets.
utique ille qui non fuit contumax neque contradixit, cum dorsum suum poneret ad flagella et maxillas ad palmas, faciem autem suam non auerteret a foeditate sputorum.
Surely He who was not rebellious, nor gainsaid, when He offered His back to the scourges and His cheeks to palms, and turned not away His face from the foulness of spittings.
utique ille qui cum accusaretur a sacerdotibus et senioribus nihil respondit et mirante Pilato patientissimum silentium tenuit.
Surely He who, when accused by the priests and elders, answered nothing, and, while Pilate wondered, maintained a most patient silence.
hic est qui cum in passione tacuerit in ultione postmodum non tacebit.
This is He who, having kept silence in His passion, will not keep silence hereafter in His vengeance.
hic est Deus noster id est non omnium sed fidelium et credentium Deus, qui cum in secundo aduentu manifestus uenerit non silebit.
This is our God, that is, the God not of all, but of the faithful and believing, who, when He comes manifestly in His second coming, will not keep silence.
nam cum in humilitate prius fuerit occultus, ueniet in potestate manifestus.
For whereas He was previously hidden in humility, He shall come manifest in power.
§24Hunc expectemus, fratres dilectissimi, iudicem et uindicem nostrum ecclesiae suae populum et ab initio mundi iustorum omnium numerum secum pariter uindicaturum.
For Him let us wait, beloved brethren, as our judge and avenger, who is to avenge paritly with Himself the people of His church and the number of all the righteous from the beginning of the world.
qui ad uindictam suam nimium festinat et properat, consideret quia necdum uindicatus est ipse qui uindicat. [pater Deus praecepit filium suam adorari et apostolus Paulus diuini praecepti memor ponit et dicit: Deus exaltauit illum et donauit illi nomen quod est super omne nomen, ut in nomine Iesu omnes genu curuent caelestium, terrestrium et infernorum. et] in Apocalypsi angelus Iohanni uolenti adorare se resistit et dicit: uide ne feceris, quia conseruus tuus sum et fratrum tuorum.
Let him who hastens and hurries too much to his own vengeance consider that He who avenges is not yet Himself avenged. [God the Father commanded His Son to be adored, and the apostle Paul, mindful of the divine precept, poses and says: "God has exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth." And] in the Apocalypse the angel resists John wishing to adore him, and says: "See that you do not do this, because I am your fellow servant and of your brethren.
Iesum Dominum adora. qualis Iesus Dominus et quanta patientia ut qui in caelis adoratur necdum uindicetur in terris.
Adore Jesus the Lord." What kind of Lord is Jesus, and how great is His patience, that He who is adored in heaven is not yet avenged on earth!
huius patientiam, fratres dilectissimi, in persecutionibus et passionibus nostris cogitemus.
Let us think of His patience, beloved brethren, in our persecutions and passions.
huius aduentui plenum expectationis obsequium praebeamus nec defendi ante Dominum serui inreligiosa et inuerecunda festinatione properemus.
Let us offer a full service of expectation to His coming, and let us not, as servants, hasten with irreligious and shameless speed to be defended before our Lord.
insistamus potius et elaboremus et toto corde uigilantes adque ad omnem tolerantiam stabiles dominica praecepta seruemus, ut cum ille irae et uindictae dies uenerit non cum impiis et peccatoribus puniamur, sed cum iustis et Deum timentibus honoremur.
Let us rather insist and labor, and watching with all our heart and stable for all endurance, let us keep the Lord's precepts, so that when that day of wrath and vengeance comes, we may not be punished with the impious and sinners, but be honored with the righteous and those who fear God.