Cap. 10, Vers. 8-11
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/15/d/10/q/bon-eccl-c10-v8-11
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#### Secondly a remedy is given against the vanity of security.

*He that diggeth a pit* etc. Above he set forth the vanity of security; here, secondly, he intends *to give a remedy* against that vanity; and because security arose from a defect of just retribution and of the government of providence, which appeared to be: therefore there are two parts here. First he gives a remedy against the defect *of the order of providence;* secondly, against the defect *of just retribution,* below, in the eleventh: *Cast thy bread* etc.

#### First a remedy is given against the security arisen from a defect .of the order of providence.

Now the *disorder* of *government* comes from a threefold cause: either because one is set over others who is *wicked,* or because he is *foolish,*

or because he is *useless and remiss.* First, therefore, he gives a remedy against the *wicked* prelate; secondly, against the *foolish* prelate, at: *The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace;* thirdly, against the *carnal and remiss* prelate, at: *Woe to thee, land, whose king is a child.*

#### First, as regards the defect of government, when a wicked prelate is set over others.

As to the first, then, he proceeds thus. First he says that a good prelate is not to be *removed;* secondly, that a wicked one is not to be *borne* or promoted; thirdly he says that the one promoted is to be *corrected;* fourthly, that he is not to be secretly *detracted.*

(Vers. 8.). First, then, he says that a *good* prelate is not to be removed, neither by *fraudulence* nor by *violence.* Not by *fraudulence;* whence he threatens: *He that diggeth a pit,* namely by preparing a snare for a good prelate, *shall fall into it;* the Psalm: « He hath opened a pit and dug it, and he is fallen into the hole which he made ». Nor is he to be removed by *power;* whence he threatens the one who does the contrary: *He that breaketh a hedge,* that is, a good prelate, who guards his subjects as a hedge; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-sixth: « Where there is no hedge, the possession shall be spoiled ». *A serpent shall bite him,* that is, the devil with the demons, who are biting serpents; Jeremias, the eighth: « Behold, I will send among you most wicked serpents, against which there is no charm, and they shall bite you ».

(Vers. 9.). *He that removeth stones* etc. Here, secondly, he shows that a *hard and useless* prelate is not to be promoted; and he threatens those who promote the *hard* one; whence he says: *He that removeth stones,* that is, promotes the hard and wicked to a greater dignity; *shall be afflicted in them,* that is, through them, or on account of them; Proverbs, the twenty-sixth: « As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury, so is he that giveth honour to a fool »; and after: « He that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him »; and Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-seventh: « He that throweth a stone on high, it shall fall upon his head ». Nor is the *vain and useless* one to be promoted; therefore he says: *He that cutteth trees,* another translation: *He that heweth;* he hews who wishes to set a useless prelate under the building. The useless prelate is compared to a tree, because, as a fruitless tree when cut is given to the fire, so too the prelate; Matthew, the seventh: « Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire ». *He shall be wounded by them,* namely because his conscience is wounded; Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-seventh: « The deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful ». Of these wounds Isaias, the first: « Wound and bruise and swelling sore is not bound up nor fomented with oil ».

(Vers. 10.). *If the iron be blunt* etc. Here he adds, thirdly, that the prelate who has in some way declined into evil is to be *corrected,* because he can avail, although it is needful to labour much. Therefore he says: *If the iron be blunt,* that is, if the edge of goodness and wisdom have been changed through fault in the prelate; *and be not as before,* sharp, supply, *but be made blunt,* through fault; *with much labour,* namely of reproof, *it shall be sharpened,* that is, it shall be brought back to its former rectitude; Proverbs, the twenty-seventh: « Iron is sharpened by iron, and a man sharpeneth the face of his friend ». And through this likeness of bodily things he infers in spiritual things: *And after industry,* that is, the labour of industry, *shall follow wisdom,* as after the sharpening of iron there follow the straightness and fineness of the edge for cutting; Proverbs, the fifteenth: « The ear that heareth the reproofs of life shall abide in the midst of the wise »; and Proverbs, the second: « If thou shalt seek her as money, and shalt dig for her as for a treasure; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and shalt find knowledge ».

(Vers. 11.). *If a serpent bite* etc. Here, fourthly, he shows that such a prelate is not to be secretly *detracted;* and he shows the greatness of the fault of detraction through a like case in bodily things. Therefore he says: *If a serpent bite in silence,* which is the serpent's own way, because it pours in its venom secretly; *he that secretly detracteth hath nothing less than it,* because, as that is fraudulent, so too is this, because this is *to speak evil of the deaf;* Leviticus, the nineteenth: « Thou shalt not speak evil of the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind ». As that is deadly, so too is this; to the Galatians, the fifth: « If you bite and devour one another, take heed you be not consumed one of another »; Proverbs, the twenty-sixth: « The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, and they reach even to the inward parts of the belly ». As also of old they were delivered by looking upon Christ, according to what is said in Wisdom, the sixteenth: « He that had turned was not healed by that which he saw, but by thee the Lord, the Saviour of all »; so too now. Whence he himself said, John, the fifteenth: « If they have kept my word, they will keep yours also ».

### Question.

It is asked whether secretly to speak evil of someone is detraction and a sin, where it is established that the speaker says what is true. That it is *not,* it seems:

1. Because, as the good man is worthy of praise, so the wicked man is worthy of blame: therefore, as it is just to praise the good, so it is just to blame the wicked: therefore, as he does not sin who praises the good, so neither does he who speaks evil of the wicked.

2. Likewise, as one ought to rejoice with the good, so one ought to have compassion on the wicked: therefore, as someone can recount to another the good of a third, rejoicing with him, without sin, so also the evil, having compassion: therefore he who speaks evil of another secretly, if he has compassion, does not sin.

3. Moreover, the Lord says in Matthew, the eighteenth, that when one's neighbour sins, he is to be corrected before one or before two; and if he does not hear, it is to be told to the Church: therefore at least concerning the incorrigible it seems that a man may speak evil to anyone whatever.

**On the contrary:** 1. *What thou wouldst not have done to thee, do not to another*: therefore what you would not have said of you, you ought not to say of another; but you ought not to wish that someone should speak evil of you, you being absent, since it will profit you nothing: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, he who speaks evil of another takes from him his good name: therefore, since *a good name* is *better than many treasures*, therefore, since a man cannot take treasures from another without sin, likewise etc.

3. Likewise, it is said in Leviticus, the nineteenth: *Thou shalt not speak evil of the deaf;* but he who speaks evil behind one's back speaks evil of the deaf: therefore he acts against that precept.

4. Moreover, a sin done in public scandalizes: therefore he who publishes some sin which is not public scandalizes; but he who speaks against another makes known a sin which lies hidden: therefore he scandalizes him with whom he speaks.

**I respond:** it must be said that he who speaks evil of another speaks either *compelled by necessity,* or *induced by utility,* or *driven by the lust of detracting.* He is then *compelled by necessity* when he is bound by a precept, either *human* or *divine: human,* when he speaks to one who can command and does command that he speak; *divine,* when conscience dictates to a man that he is bound to accuse his neighbour, that he may be corrected, according to that precept of the Lord concerning fraternal correction. — He is then *induced by utility* when he tells another's evil to someone who can profit and not harm, and whom it profits to hear that evil and does not harm, as when someone tells it to a man who loves him and has compassion and has the will to correct him. — But when neither necessity is considered nor utility, even if there be truth, he is not excused from *the lust of detracting;* nay rather he sins with the sin of detraction, even if he speak the truth.

The arguments, therefore, which prove that it is a sin to speak evil of another in his absence are to be conceded, unless necessity or utility intervene; for then it is plain that they do not hold.

1. As to what is objected to the contrary, that it is just to blame etc.: it must be said that, although they be worthy of blame, nevertheless a man ought not to blame them. Nor is the case alike with praise, because a good reputation stirs to good, but a bad one to evil, and therefore evil is not to be published as good is. — Moreover, it is not mine to judge.

2. As to what is objected concerning compassion, it must be said that true compassion is that in which the one who has compassion is wounded, not that in which the wretched man is damaged. And because this man, in this speaking against him, damages the sinner in his reputation, therefore he ought not to accuse.

3. As to what is objected concerning the Lord's command, it must be said that the Lord means that those are to be called who can and will profit; and by *the Church* he does not mean the multitude, but means him who can profit and ought to correct, and to such a one it is to be told.

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