Fragmenda

Scripture

Ecclesiasticus 25–27

Ecclesiasticus 25

Documents of wisdom on several subjects.

1 

With three things my spirit is pleased, which are approved before God and men:

2 

The concord of brethren, and the love of neighbours, and man and wife that agree well together.

3 

Three sorts my soul hateth, and I am greatly grieved at their life:

4 

A poor man that is proud: a rich man that is a liar: an old man that is a fool, and doting.

5 

The things that thou hast not gathered in thy youth, how shalt thou find them in thy old age?

6 

O how comely is judgment for a grey head, and for ancients to know counsel!

7 

O how comely is wisdom for the aged, and understanding and counsel to men of honour!

8 

Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.

9 

Nine things that are not to be imagined by the heart have I magnified, and the tenth I will utter to men with my tongue.

10 

A man that hath joy of his children: and he that liveth and seeth the fall of his enemies.

11 

Blessed is he that dwelleth with a wise woman, and that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served such as are unworthy of him.

12 

Blessed is he that findeth a true friend, and that declareth justice to an ear that heareth.

13 

How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge! but there is none above him that feareth the Lord.

14 

The fear of God hath set itself above all things:

15 

Blessed is the man, to whom it is given to have the fear of God: he that holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened?

16 

The fear of God is the beginning of his love: and the beginning of faith is to be fast joined unto it.

17 

The sadness of the heart is every plague: and the wickedness of a woman is all evil.

18 

And a man will choose any plague, but the plague of the heart:

19 

And any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

20 

And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate him:

21 

And any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

22 

There is no head worse than the head of a serpent:

23 

And there is no anger above the anger of a woman. It will be more agreeable to abide with a lion and a dragon, than to dwell with a wicked woman.

24 

The wickedness of a woman changeth her face: and she darkeneth her countenance as a bear: and sheweth it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbours,

25 

Her husband groaned, and hearing he sighed a little.

26 

All malice is short to the malice of a woman, let the lot of sinners fall upon her.

27 

As the climbing of a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of tongue to a quiet man.

28 

Look not upon a woman’s beauty, and desire not a woman for beauty.

29 

A woman’s anger, and impudence, and confusion is great.

30 

A woman, if she have superiority, is contrary to her husband.

31 

A wicked woman abateth the courage, and maketh a heavy countenance, and a wounded heart.

32 

Feeble hands, and disjointed knees, a woman that doth not make her husband happy.

33 

From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her we all die.

34 

Give no issue to thy water, no, not a little: nor to a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.

35 

If she walk not at thy hand, she will confound thee in the sight of thy enemies.

36 

Cut her off from thy flesh, lest she always abuse thee.


Ecclesiasticus 26

Of good and bad women.

1 

Happy is the husband of a good wife: for the number of his years is double.

2 

A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

3 

A good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds.

4 

Rich or poor, if his heart is good, his countenance shall be cheerful at all times.

5 

Of three things my heart hath been afraid, and at the fourth my face hath trembled:

6 

The accusation of a city, and the gathering together of the people:

7 

And a false calumny, all are more grievous than death.

8 

A jealous woman is the grief and mourning of the heart.

9 

With a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

10 

As a yoke of oxen that is moved to and fro, so also is a wicked woman: he that hath hold of her, is as he that taketh hold of a scorpion.

11 

A drunken woman is a great wrath: and her reproach and shame shall not be hid.

12 

The fornication of a woman shall be known by the haughtiness of her eyes and by her eyelids.

13 

On a daughter that turneth not away herself, set a strict watch: lest finding an opportunity she abuse herself.

14 

Take heed of the impudence of her eyes, and wonder not if she slight thee.

15 

She will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller to the fountain, and will drink of every water near her, and will sit down by every hedge, and open her quiver against every arrow, until she fail.

16 

The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband, and shall fat his bones.

17 

Her discipline is the gift of God.

18 

Such is a wise and silent woman, and there is nothing so much worth as a well instructed soul.

19 

A holy and shamefaced woman is grace upon grace.

20 

And no price is worthy of a continent soul.

21 

As the sun when it riseth to the world in the high places of God, so is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament of her house.

22 

As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of the face in a ripe age,

23 

As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet upon the soles of a steady woman.

24 

As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God in the heart of a holy woman.

25 

At two things my heart is grieved, and the third bringeth anger upon me.

26 

A man of war fainting through poverty, and a man of sense despised:

27 

And he that passeth over from justice to sin, God hath prepared such an one for the sword.

28 

Two sorts of callings have appeared to me hard and dangerous: a merchant is hardly free from negligence: and a huckster shall not be justified from the sins of the lips.


Ecclesiasticus 27

Dangers of sin from several heads: the fear of God is the best preservative. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it.

1 

Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be enriched, turneth away his eye.

2 

As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast.

3 

Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.

4 

Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown.

5 

As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts.

6 

The furnace trieth the potter’s vessels, and the trial of affliction just men.

7 

As the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man.

8 

Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.

9 

If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put her on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she shall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong foundation.

10 

Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that practise her.

11 

The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sins for them that work iniquities.

12 

A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon.

13 

In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be continually among men that think.

14 

The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the pleasures of sin.

15 

The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears.

16 

In the quarrels of the proud is the shedding of blood: and their cursing is a grievous hearing.

17 

He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind.

18 

Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity.

19 

But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him.

20 

For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so is he that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbour.

21 

And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbour go, and thou shalt not get him again.

22 

Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare because his soul is wounded.

23 

Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is reconciliation:

24 

But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope to an unhappy soul.

25 

He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off:

26 

In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumblingblock.

27 

I have hated many things but not like him, and the Lord will hate him.

28 

If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own head: and the deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful.

29 

He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a stone for his neighbour, shall stumble upon it: and he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in it.

30 

A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him.

31 

Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him.

32 

They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die.

33 

Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.

Catechism

An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine, Lesson 26, Question 284

284 Q. Can the bond of Christian marriage be dissolved by any human power?

A. The bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power.

"Dissolved"—that is, can married persons ever—for any cause—separate and marry again; that is, take another husband or wife while the first husband or wife is living? Never, if they were really married. Sometimes, for good reason, the Church permits husband and wife to separate and live in different places; but they are still married. Sometimes it happens, too, that persons are not really married although they have gone through the ceremony and people think they are married, and they may think so themselves. The Church, however, makes them separate, because it finds they are not really married at all—on account of some impeding circumstance that existed at the time they performed the ceremony. These circumstances or facts that prevent the marriage from being valid are called "Impediments to Marriage." Some of them render the marriage altogether null, and some only make it unlawful. When persons make arrangements about getting married they should tell the priest every circumstance that they think might be an impediment. Here are the chief things they should tell the priest—privately, if possible. Whether both are Christians and Catholics; whether either has ever been solemnly engaged to another person; whether they have ever made any vow to God with regard to chastity, the religious life, or the like; whether they are related and in what degree; whether either was ever married to any member of the other's family—say sister, brother, or cousin, etc.; whether either ever was a godparent in Baptism for the other or for any of the other's children; whether either was married before, and what proof can be given of the death of the first husband or wife; whether they really intend to get married; whether they are of lawful age; whether they are in good health or suffering from some sickness that might prevent their marriage, etc. They should also state whether they live in the parish, and how long they have lived in it. They should give at least three weeks' notice before their marriage, except in special cases of necessity. They should not presume to make final arrangements and invite friends before they have made arrangements with their pastor; because if there should be any delay on account of impediments it would cause them great inconvenience. Let me take an example of a fact that would render the marriage invalid or null though the persons performing the ceremony might not be aware of it. Suppose a woman's husband went to the war, and she heard after a great many years that he had been killed in battle, and she, believing her first husband to be dead, married another man. But the report of the first husband's death turns out to be false, and after a time he returns. Then the Church tells the woman—and she knows it now herself—that the second marriage was invalid, that is, no marriage, because it was performed while the first husband was still living. She must leave the second man and go back to her husband. You see in that case the Church was not dissolving or breaking the marriage bond, but only declaring that the woman and second man were not married from the very beginning, although they thought they were, being ignorant of the existing impediment, and the priest also being deceived performed the ceremony in the usual manner. If it ever happens, therefore, that you hear of the Church permitting persons, already apparently married, to separate and marry others, it is only when it discovers that their first marriage was invalid, and by its action it does not dissolve the bond of marriage, but simply declares that the marriage was null and void from the beginning, as you now easily understand. Thus persons might unwittingly marry with existing impediments that would render their marriage invalid or illicit. Such things, however, happen very rarely, for the priest would discover the impediments in questioning the persons about to marry.

Protestants and persons outside the Catholic Church teach that the marriage bond can at times be dissolved, but such doctrines bring great evil upon society. When the father and mother separate and marry again, the children of the first marriage are left to take care of themselves, or receive only such care as the law gives them. They are left without Christian instruction and the good influence of home. Then persons who are divorced once may be divorced a second or third time, and thus all society would be thrown into a state of confusion, and there would be scarcely any such thing as a family to be found. It is bad enough at present, on account of divorces granted by the laws and upheld by Protestants; and only for the influence and good public opinion created by the teaching and opposition of the Catholic Church, it would be much worse. Again, if husbands and wives could separate for this or that fault, they would not be careful in making their choice of the person they wish to marry, nor would their motives be always holy and worthy of the Sacrament.