Chapter II.

Manifold dangers are incurred by speaking; the remedy for which Scripture shows to consist in silence.

5. Now what ought we to learn before everything else, but to be silent, that we may be able to speak? lest my voice should condemn me, before that of another acquit me; for it is written: “By thy words thou shalt be condemned.”8    S. Matt. xii. 37.    Cic. de Off. II. 1. What need is there, then, that thou shouldest hasten to undergo the danger of condemnation by speaking, when thou canst be more safe by keeping silent? How many have I seen to fall into sin by speaking, but scarcely one by keeping silent; and so it is more difficult to know how to keep silent than how to speak. I know that most persons speak because they do not know how to keep silent. It is seldom that any one is silent even when speaking profits him nothing. He is wise, then, who knows how to keep silent. Lastly, the Wisdom of God said: “The Lord hath given to me the tongue of learning, that I should know when it is good to speak.”9    Is. l. 4 [LXX.].    S. Matt. vi. 2. Justly, then, is he wise who has received of the Lord to know when he ought to speak. Wherefore the Scripture says well: “A wise man will keep silence until there is opportunity.”10    Ecclus. xx. 7.    S. Luke xxiii. 43.

6. Therefore the saints of the Lord loved to keep silence, because they knew that a man’s voice is often the utterance of sin, and a man’s speech is the beginning of human error. Lastly, the Saint of the Lord said: “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not in my tongue.”11    Ps. xxxix. [xxxviii.] 1. For he knew and had read that it was a mark of the divine protection for a man to be hid from the scourge of his own tongue,12    Job v. 21. and the witness of his own conscience. We are chastised by the silent reproaches of our thoughts, and by the judgment of conscience. We are chastised also by the lash of our own voice, when we say things whereby our soul is mortally injured, and our mind is sorely wounded. But who is there that has his heart clean from the impurities of sin, and does not offend in his tongue? And so, as he saw there was no one who could keep his mouth free from evil speaking, he laid upon himself the law of innocency by a rule of silence, with a view to avoiding by silence that fault which he could with difficulty escape in speaking.

7. Let us hearken, then, to the master of precaution: “I said, I will take heed to my ways;” that is, “I said to myself: in the silent biddings of my thoughts, I have enjoined upon myself, that I should take heed to my ways.” Some ways there are which we ought to follow; others as to which we ought to take heed. We must follow the ways of the Lord, and take heed to our own ways, lest they lead us into sin. One can take heed if one is not hasty in speaking. The law says: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God.”13    Deut. vi. 4. It said not: “Speak,” but “Hear.” Eve fell because she said to the man what she had not heard from the Lord her God. The first word from God says to thee: Hear! If thou hearest, take heed to thy ways; and if thou hast fallen, quickly amend thy way. For: “Wherein does a young man amend his way; except in taking heed to the word of the Lord?”14    Ps. cxix. [cxviii.] 9. Be silent therefore first of all, and hearken, that thou fail not in thy tongue.

8. It is a great evil that a man should be condemned by his own mouth. Truly, if each one shall give account for an idle word,15    S. Matt. xii. 36. how much more for words of impurity and shame? For words uttered hastily are far worse than idle words. If, therefore, an account is demanded for an idle word, how much more will punishment be exacted for impious language?

CAPUT II.

Multiplex loquendo incurri periculum, cujus remedium Scriptura in silentio demonstrat esse positum.

5. Quid autem prae caeteris debemus discere, quam tacere, ut possimus loqui: ne prius me vox condemnet mea, quam absolvat aliena; scriptum est enim: Ex verbis tuis condemnaberis (Matth. XII, 37). Quid opus est igitur ut properes periculum suscipere condemnationis, loquendo; cum tacendo possis esse tutior? Quamplures vidi loquendo peccatum incidisse, 0025B vix quemquam tacendo: ideoque tacere nosse quam loqui difficilius est. Scio loqui plerosque, cum tacere nesciant. Rarum est tacere quemquam, cum sibi loqui nihil prosit. Sapiens est ergo qui novit tacere. Denique Sapientia Dei dixit: Dominus dedit mihi linguam eruditionis, quando oporteat sermonem dicere (Esai. L, 4). Merito ergo sapiens qui a Domino accipit, quo tempore sibi loquendum sit. Unde bene ait Scriptura: Homo sapiens tacebit usque ad tempus (Eccli. XX, 7).

6. Ideo sancti Domini, qui scirent quia vox hominis plerumque peccati annuntiatio est, et initium erroris humani, sermo est hominis, amabant tacere. Denique sanctus Domini ait: Dixi custodiam vias meas, ut non delinquam in lingua mea (Psal. XXXVIII, 0025C 2). Sciebat enim et legerat divinae esse protectionis, ut homo a linguae suae flagello absconderetur, et a conscientiae suae testimonio (Job V, 21). Verberamur enim tacito cogitationis nostrae opprobrio; et judicio conscientiae: verberamur etiam vocis nostrae verbere, cum loquimur ea quorum sono caeditur animus noster, et mens consauciatur. Quis autem est qui mundum cor a peccatorum habeat colluvione, aut non delinquat in lingua sua? Et ideo quia neminem videbat sanctum os servare posse ab immunditia sermonis, ipse sibi silentio legem imposuit innocentiae; 4 ut tacendo culpam declinaret, quam vix effugere posset loquendo.

7. Audiamus ergo cautionis magistrum: Dixi, custodiam vias meas, hoc est, dixi mihi, tacito cogitationis 0025D praecepto indixi mihi, ut custodirem vias 0026A meas. Aliae sunt viae quas debemus sequi, aliae quas custodire: sequi vias Domini, custodire nostras; ne in culpam dirigant. Potes autem custodire, si non cito loquaris. Lex dicit: Audi, Israel, Dominum Deum tuum (Deut. VI, 3). Non dixit, loquere, sed audi. Ideo Eva lapsa est, quia locuta est viro, quod non audierat a Domino Deo suo. Prima vox Dei dicit tibi: Audi. Si audias, custodis vias tuas: et si lapsus es, cito corrigis. In quo enim corrigit juvenior viam suam, nisi in custodiendo verba Domini (Psal. CXVIII, 9)? Tace ergo prius, et audi, ut non delinquas in lingua tua.

8. Grave malum ut aliquis ore suo condemnetur. Etenim si pro otioso verbo reddet unusquisque rationem (Matth. XII, 36), quanto magis pro verbo impuritatis 0026B et turpitudinis! Graviora enim sunt verba praecipitationis quam otiosa. Ergo, si pro otioso verbo ratio poscitur, quanto magis pro sermone impietatis poena exsolvitur!