§7Qualis uero est animae tinea, quae cogitationum tabes, pectoris quanta rubigo zelare in altero uel uirtutem eius uel felicitatem id est odisse in eo uel merita propria uel beneficia diuina, in malum proprium bona aliena conuertere, inlustrium prosperitate torqueri, aliorum gloriam facere suam poenam, uelut quosdam pectori suo admouere carnifices, cogitationibus et sensibus suis adhibere tortores qui se intestinis cruciatibus lacerent, qui cordis secreta maliuolentiae ungulis pulsent.
What a moth of the soul indeed, what a consumption of thoughts, how great a rust of the heart is it to envy in another either his virtue or his happiness—that is, to hate in him either his own merits or divine blessings, to convert others' goods into one's own evil, to be tormented by the prosperity of illustrious men, to make the glory of others one's own punishment, and, as it were, to apply certain executioners to one's own heart, to bring tortors to one's own thoughts and senses who tear oneself with internal torments, who beat the secrets of the heart with the claws of malevolence!
non cibus talibus laetus, non potus potest esse iocundus.
No food can be joyful to such persons, no drink can be pleasant.
suspiratur semper et ingemescitur et doletur, dumque ab inuidis numquam liuor exponitur, diebus ac noctibus pectus obsessum sine intermissione laniatur.
There is always sighing and groaning and grieving; and as long as envy is never laid aside by the envious, the besieged heart is torn without intermission day and night.
mala cetera habent terminum et quodcumque delinquitur delicti consummatione finitur.
Other evils have a limit, and whatever sin is committed is finished by the consummation of the crime.
in adultero cessat facinus perpetrato stupro, in latrone conquiescit scelus homicidio admisso et praedoni rapacitatem statuit possessa praeda et falsario modum ponit impleta fallacia.
In the adulterer, the offense ceases when the rape is perpetrated; in the robber, the crime rests when homicide is committed; and the possessed prey sets a limit to the rapacity of the plunderer, and the completed deception puts a measure to the forger.
zelus terminum non habet, permanens iugiter malum et sine fine peccatum, quantoque ille cui inuidetur successu meliore profecerit tanto inuidus in maius incendium liuoris ignibus inardescit.
Jealousy has no limit; it is a continually remaining evil and a sin without end. And by how much he who is envied progresses with better success, by so much the envious person burns into a greater fire with the flames of envy.
§8Hinc uultus minax, toruus aspectus, pallor in facie, in labiis tremor, stridor in dentibus, uerba rabida, effrenata conuicia, manus ad caedis uiolentiam prompta, etiamsi a gladio interim uacua, odio tamen furiatae mentis armata.
Hence arise a threatening look, a grim countenance, paleness in the face, trembling on the lips, gnashing of teeth, rabid words, unbridled insults, a hand ready for the violence of slaughter, even if for the time empty of a sword, yet armed with the hatred of a maddened mind.
et idcirco Spiritus sanctus dicit in psalmis: noli zelare bene ambulantem in uia sua. et iterum: obseruabit peccator iustum et stridet ad eum dentes suos.
And therefore the Holy Spirit says in the Psalms: 'Do not envy him who walks well in his way.' And again: 'The sinner will watch the just man, and will gnash his teeth at him.
Deus autem inridebit eum, quoniam prouidet quia ueniet dies eius. hos beatus apostolus Paulus designat et denotat dicens: uenenum aspidum sub labiis eorum et os eorum maledicto et amaritudine plenum est.
But God will laugh at him, since He foresees that his day will come.' These the blessed apostle Paul designates and points out, saying: 'The poison of asps is under their lips, and their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
ueloces ad effundendum sanguinem pedes eorum, contritio et calamitas in uiis eorum, qui uiam pacis non agnouerunt, nec est. timor Dei ante oculos eorum. §9Multo malum leuius et periculum minus est cum membra gladio uulnerantur.
Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and calamity are in their ways, who have not known the way of peace, nor is there the fear of God before their eyes.' The evil is much lighter and the danger is less when limbs are wounded by a sword.
facilis cura est ubi plaga perspicua est, et cito ad sanitatem medella subueniente perducitur quod uidetur.
The cure is easy where the wound is visible, and that which is seen is quickly brought to health when a remedy comes to help.
zeli uulnera abstrusa sunt et occulta, nec remedium curae medentis admittunt quae se intra conscientiae latebram caeco dolore cluserunt.
The wounds of jealousy are concealed and hidden, nor do they admit the remedy of a healing cure, which have shut themselves up within the hiding-place of the conscience with blind pain.
quicumque es inuidus et malignus, uideris quam sis eis quos odisti insidiosus, perniciosus, infestus.
Whoever you are that are envious and malignant, consider how insidious, pernicious, and hostile you are to those whom you hate!
nullius magis quam tuae salutis inimicus es.
You are an enemy to no one's safety more than your own.
quisque ille est quem zelo persequeris subterfugere et uitare te poterit. tu te non potes fugere.
Whoever he is whom you persecute with jealousy will be able to escape and avoid you; you cannot flee from yourself.
ubicumque fueris, aduersarius tuus tecum est, hostis semper in pectore est, pernicies intus inclusa est, ineluctabili catenarum nexu ligatus et uinctus es, zelo dominante captiuus es, nec solacia tibi ulla subueniunt.
Wherever you are, your adversary is with you, the enemy is always in your breast, destruction is shut up within; you are bound and fettered with the inescapable bond of chains, you are a captive under the dominion of jealousy, nor does any comfort come to help you.
perseuerans malum est hominem persequi ad Dei gratiam pertinentem, calamitas sine remedio est odisse felicem.
It is a persistent evil to persecute a man belonging to God's grace; it is a calamity without remedy to hate a happy man.
§10Et idcirco, fratres dilectissimi, huic periculo consulens Dominus ne quis zelo fratris in laqueum mortis incurreret, cum eum discipuli interrogarent quis inter illos maior esset, qui fuerit, inquit, minimus in omnibus uobis hic erit magnus. amputauit omnem aemulationem responso suo, omnem causam et materiam mordacis inuidiae eruit et abscidit.
And therefore, beloved brethren, the Lord, providing against this danger lest anyone through jealousy of a brother should run into the snare of death, when His disciples asked Him who among them was the greatest, said: 'He who shall be the least among you all, he shall be great.' He cut off all rivalry by His response; He rooted out and cut away all cause and material of biting envy.
discipulo Christi zelare non licet, non licet inuidere.
It is not permitted to a disciple of Christ to be jealous, it is not permitted to envy.
exaltationis aput nos non potest esse contentio.
There cannot be among us a contention for exaltation.
de humilitate ad summa crescimus, didicimus unde placeamus.
From humility we grow to the highest things; we have learned how to please [God].
denique et apostolus Paulus instruens et monens, ut qui inluminati Christi lumine tenebras nocturnae conuersationis euasimus in factis adque in operibus luminis ambulemus, scribit et dicit: nox transiuit, dies autem adpropinquauit.
Finally, the apostle Paul also, instructing and warning us that we, who have been illuminated by the light of Christ and have escaped the darkness of night-time conduct, should walk in the deeds and works of light, writes and says: 'The night has passed, and the day has drawn near.
abiciamus ergo opera tenebrarum et induamus arma lucis.
Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
tamquam in die decenter ambulemus, non in comisationibus et ebrietatibus, non in concupiscentiis et impudicitiis, non in certaminibus et zelo. si recesserunt de pectore tuo tenebrae, si nox inde discussa est, si caligo detersa est, si luminauit sensus tuos splendor diei, si homo lucis esse coepisti, quae sunt Christi gere, quia lux et dies Christus est.
Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.' If darkness has departed from your heart, if night has been dispelled thence, if gloom has been wiped away, if the splendor of the day has illuminated your senses, if you have begun to be a man of light, do the things which are of Christ, because Christ is light and day.