Tag: Proverbia

Katastrepsousa

Γλῶσσα, ποῖ πορεύῃ; πόλιν ἀνορθώσουσα καὶ πόλιν καταστρέψουσα· ἐπὶ τῶν διὰ λόγων ἢ ὠφελούντων ἢ βλαπτόντων.
(Zenobius, Vulgata 2.99 = Diogenianus, Paroemiae 4.9)

O tongue where are you going? Answer: to rebuild a city and to tear down a city; in reference to those who are either helping or harming through their words. (tr. Jennifer Benedict)

Γλῶσσα, ποῖ πορεύῃ; πόλιν ἀνορθώσουσα καὶ πάλιν ἀναστρέψουσα, id est ‘Lingua, quo vadis? Erectum civitatem, eandem denuo subversura’. Refertur a Suida, Zenodoto, Diogeniano. Docet linguam plurimum utilitatis adferre mortalibus, et eandem rursum plurimam adferre perniciem, tametsi membrum corporis sit perquam exiguum. Proinde divus Iacobus apostolus eam clavo navis adsimilem facit, quae, cum pars sit minima, tamen totam navem aut servat, aut evertit. Bias, referente Plutarcho in libello ‘De audiendo’, rursum in alio ‘De loquacitate’, Amasidi Aegyptiorum tyranno iubenti, ut sibi, quod esset in victimae, quam illum miserat, carnibus et optimum et pessimum mitteret, linguam resectam misit, innuens huius usum esse praecipuum, sive prodesse cupias, sive nocere. Nec inscite dictum est a Solomone capite decimo octavo: ‘Mors et vita in manibus linguae’ [Proverbia 18:21].
(Erasmus, Adagia 2.2.39 (= 1139))

Γλῶσσα, ποῖ πορεύῃ; πόλιν ἀνορθώσουσα καὶ πάλιν ἀναστρέψουσα, Tongue, whither wouldst thou? To build a city, and then again to overthrow it. Recorded by Suidas, Zenodotus and Diogenianus. Its message is that the tongue can be the greatest benefit to mortals and again can bring on them the greatest disasters, although as a member of the body it is very small indeed. Hence the apostle St James compares it to a nail in a ship’s timbers, which is a very small part of the whole and yet either keeps the ship safe and sound or destroys it. Plutarch in his essay ‘On How to Study’ tells a story of Bias, which recurs in his ‘On Garrulity;’ when Amasis, tyrant of Egypt, told Bias to bring him the best and worst pieces of meat in the victim which he sent him, Bias cut out the tongue and sent that, indicating that it was the outstanding instrument, whether you wish to do good or harm. There is much point in Solomon’s remark in chapter 18, that ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue.’ (tr. Roger A.B. Mynors)

Inebriemur

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Fili mi, custodi sermones meos, et praecepta mea reconde tibi. fili, serva mandata mea—et vives—et legem meam quasi pupillam oculi tui. liga eam in digitis tuis, scribe illam in tabulis cordis tui. dic sapientiae, “soror mea es,” et prudentiam voca amicam tuam ut custodiat te a muliere extranea, et ab aliena quae verba sua dulcia facit. de fenestra enim domus meae per cancellos prospexi, et video parvulos. considero vecordem iuvenem qui transit per plateas iuxta angulum et propter domus illius graditur in obscuro advesperascente die, in noctis tenebris et caligine. et ecce: mulier occurrit illi ornatu meretricio, praeparata ad capiendas animas, garrula et vaga, quietis impatiens, nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis, nunc foris, nunc in plateis, nunc iuxta angulos insidians. apprehensumque deosculatur iuvenem et procaci vultu blanditur, dicens, “victimas pro salute vovi; hodie reddidi vota mea. idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum, desiderans te videre, et repperi. intexui funibus lectum meum; stravi tapetibus pictis ex Aegypto. aspersi cubile meum murra, et aloë, et cinnamomo. veni; inebriemur uberibus, et fruamur cupitis amplexibus donec illucescat dies, non est enim vir in domo sua; abiit via longissima; sacculum pecuniae secum tulit; in die plenae lunae reversurus est domum suam.” irretivit eum multis sermonibus et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum. statim eam sequitur quasi bos ductus ad victimam, et quasi agnus lasciviens, et ignorans quod ad vincula stultus trahatur donec transfigat sagitta iecur eius velut si avis festinet ad laqueum, et nescit quia de periculo animae illius agitur. nunc ergo, fili mi, audi me, et attende verbis oris mei. ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua, neque decipiaris semitis eius, multos enim vulneratos deiecit, et fortissimi quique interfecti sunt ab ea. viae inferi domus eius, penetrantes in interiora mortis.
(Proverbia 7)

My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son, keep my commandments—and thou shalt live—and my law as the apple of thy eye. Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart. Say to wisdom, “Thou art my sister,” and call prudence thy friend, that she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words. For I looked out of the window of my house through the lattice, and I see little ones. I behold a foolish young man who passeth through the street by the corner and goeth nigh the way of her house in the dark when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night. And behold: a woman meeteth him in harlot’s attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering, not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home, now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners. And catching the young man she kisseth him and with an impudent face flattereth, saying: “I vowed victims for prosperity; this day I have paid my vows. Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee. I have woven my bed with cords; I have covered it with painted tapestry brought from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come; let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces till the day appear, for my husband is not at home; he is gone a very long journey; he took with him a bag of money; he will return home the day of the full moon.” She entangled him with many words and drew him away with the flattery of her lips. Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim and as a lamb playing the wanton and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds till the arrow pierce his liver as if a bird should make haste to the snare and knoweth not that his life is in danger. Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways, neither be thou deceived with her paths, for she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death. (Douay-Rheims Translation)