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← Didascalicon de Studio Legendi (On the Study of Reading)/Book 5 · Didascalicon — Liber 5
Chapter 7Didasc.5.7

Quomodo sit legenda scriptura ad correctionem morum.

The Twofold Way of Learning Virtue

Scripture is to be read above all for the love of God and the contempt of the world, and this knowledge is gained through the example of the saints and the teaching of their words.

When you seek knowledge of the virtues and a pattern for living in sacred Scripture, you should read, above all, those books that urge contempt for this world, that set your heart ablaze with love for your Creator, that teach the right path for living, and that show how virtues can be acquired and sins avoided. First, he says, seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness.✦1 It's as if he were saying plainly: 'Desire the joys of the heavenly homeland, and carefully inquire by what merits of righteousness one reaches them.'2 Both are good, both are necessary — love and seek them. If love is real, it can't be idle. How could you desire to arrive — and yet not wish to learn the way?3 Learn how to get there — the place toward which you're tending. This knowledge is gained in two ways: by example and by teaching. By example, when we read the deeds of the saints; by teaching, when we learn their words as they apply to our discipline.

Gregory as a Model of Sweet Reading

The writings of blessed Gregory are singled out as especially sweet and full of love for eternal life.

Among these, I especially judge the writings of most blessed Gregory to be embraced, because they have seemed to me, beyond the others, both sweet and full of the love of eternal life, and so I did not wish to pass them over in silence.

The Warning Against Curious Reading

Reading should nourish good desires rather than feed idle curiosity, as shown by the cautionary tale of a man undone by obscure study until divine mercy restored him through simple reading.

But those who set out on this path should learn, from whatever books they read, to be spurred on not only by the elegance of the writing but by the imitation of virtue — so that what delights them is less the pompous words or polished style than the beauty of truth itself. They should also know that their purpose isn't served by chasing, in a hollow rush of curiosity, after obscure and deeply demanding scriptures, where the mind gets absorbed more than it gets built up — and so held by reading alone that it's forced to let go of good works. For the Christian philosopher, reading should be an exhortation, not an occupation — it should nourish good desires, not starve them. I remember once being told about a man of quite reputable life, who burned with such an intense love for the holy scriptures that he devoted himself to them without interruption. And as his knowledge grew day by day, so did his desire; eventually, in his zeal for wisdom he began, unwisely, to scorn the simpler scriptures and to dig into everything deep and obscure — to puzzle over the prophets' riddles and to press hard into the mystical meaning of the sacraments. But the human mind, unable to bear the weight, soon began to fail under the magnitude of the matter and the relentless strain of the effort — so confused by the burden of this distracting occupation that it gave up not only useful activities but even necessary ones. And so the outcome was reversed: the one who had begun to read the scriptures for the building up of his life now found in them an occasion of error, because he didn't know how to use the restraint of discernment. But by divine mercy he was at last warned in a revelation not to press any further into the study of those scriptures, but to make it his regular practice to read the lives of the holy fathers, the triumphs of the martyrs, and other such works written in a simple style. And so, brought back to his former state in a short time, he received such great grace of inner peace that you would truly say the Lord's promise was fulfilled in him — the same promise by which he himself, seeing to our labor and sorrow, lovingly willed to comfort us, saying: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will restore you; and then: You will find rest for your souls.✦

Readers, Not Hearers, of the Law

Reading in the discipline of virtues must be a source of delight, not occupation, and should lead to doing God's justice rather than prideful study.

I've set up this example for a reason: to show those who are placed in the discipline not of literature but of virtues that reading ought not to be a source of aversion, but of delight. For the Prophet also says: 'I have not known,' he says, 'literature or business; I will enter into the power of the Lord; Lord, I will remember your justice alone.'✦4 God, you have taught me from my youth.✦5 For whoever reads Scripture for occupation and — so to speak — for the affliction of the soul is not philosophizing but conducting business; and a purpose so intense and undiscerning can scarcely be free from the vice of pride.6 But what should I say about the simple reading of Paul, who wanted to fulfill the law before he learned it? This example certainly can be enough for us: not hearers or readers of the law, but rather doers — and just ones — before God.✦7

The Discomfort of Too Much Reading

Reading can distress the soul by its obscurity or its length, so one must not chase after the infinite number of books, where there is no end there can be no rest.

You should also consider that reading is accustomed to breed disgust in the mind and to distress the soul in two ways: in quality, that is, if it proves more obscure, and in quantity, if it turns out more lengthy. In either case you must use great moderation, so that what was sought for refreshment isn't taken to the point of suffocation. There are people who want to read everything. Don't you strive for that. Let it be enough for you. It makes no difference to you whether you've read all the books or not. The number of books is infinite; don't chase after infinite things. Where there's no end, there can be no rest.

Peace as the Dwelling Place of God

Without rest there is no peace, and without peace God cannot dwell; therefore one must be contemplative rather than consumed with busyness, heeding Solomon's warning that endless study wears down the body.

Where there's no rest, there's no peace. Where there's no peace, God can't dwell. In peace, says the Prophet, his place was established, and in Zion his dwelling.✦ In Zion, yes, but in peace; you must be in Zion, but you must not lose your peace. Be contemplative, and don't be consumed with busyness. Don't be greedy, or you may find yourself always in want. Listen to Solomon, listen to the Wise One, and learn prudence.8 My son, he says, don't seek any more than this: there's no end to making more books, and constant study wears down the body.✦9

The Whole Duty of a Human Being

The end of all reading is simply this: to fear God and keep his commandments, for that is the whole of a human being.

So where is the end? Let's all listen equally to the end of what is being said. Fear God and keep his commandments: that is the whole of a human being.✦

Read the original Latin

Qui virtutum notitiam et formam vivendi in sacro quaerit eloquio, hos libros magis legere debet qui huius mundi contemptum suadent, et animum ad amorem conditoris sui accendunt, rectumque vivendi tramitem docent, qualiterque virtutes acquiri et vitia declinari possint, ostendunt. Primum enim, inquit, quaerite regnum Dei et iustitiam eius. ac si aperte diceret: 'Et caelestis patriae gaudia desiderate, et quibus iustitiae meritis ad ea perveniatur sollerter inquirite. utrumque bonum, utrumque necessarium amate et quaerite. si amor est, otiosus esse non potest. pervenire desideratis? discite quomodo perveniatur quo tenditis.' haec vero scientia duobus modis comparatur, videlicet exemplo et doctrina; exemplo, quando sanctorum facta legimus; doctrina, quando eorum dicta ad disciplinam nostram pertinentia discimus.

inter quae beatissimi Gregorii singulariter scripta amplexanda aestimo, quae, quia mihi prae caeteris dulcia, et aeternae vitae amore plena visa sunt, silentio nolui praeterire.

Oportet autem ut qui hanc ingressus fuerit viam in libris quos legerit, discat non solum colore dictaminis, sed virtutum aemulatione provocari, ut eum non tam verborum pompositas aut concinnatio quam veritatis pulchritudo delectet. sciat etiam ad propositum suum non conducere, ut, inani raptus desiderio scientiae, obscuras et profundae intelligentiae scripturas exquirat, in quibus magis occupetur quam aedificetur animus, ne sic eum sola lectio teneat, ut a bono opere vacare compellat. Christiano philosopho lectio exhortatio debet esse, non occupatio, et bona desideria pascere, non necare. relatum mihi aliquando memini de quodam satis probabilis vitae viro, qui tanto sanctarum scripturarum amore flagrabat, ut eis continuum impenderet studium. cumque in dies crescente scientia cresceret et desiderium eius, coepit tandem sapientiam zelatus imprudenter, spretis simplicioribus scripturis, profunda quaeque et obscura rimari, atque aenigmatibus prophetarum enodandis et mysticis sacramentorum intellectibus vehementer insistere. sed mens humana, tantum non sustinens pondus, coepit mox et rei magnitudine et intentionis iugitate deficere, tantaque huius importunae occupationis cura confundi, ut non solum iam ab utilibus, sed etiam a necessariis actibus cessaret. verso siquidem eventu in contrarium, qui legere scripturas ad aedificationem vitae suae coeperat, quia discretionis moderamine uti non novit, easdem nunc occasionem erroris habebat. sed miseratione divina tandem per revelationem admonitus est, ne amplius harum scripturarum studio incumberet, sed sanctorum patrum vitam et martyrum triumphos, aliasque tales simplici stylo dictatas, frequentare consuesceret, sicque in brevi ad statum pristinum reductus, tantam internae quietis gratiam accipere meruit, ut vere in eo illam Domini vocem impletam diceres, qua ipse nostrum laborem et dolorem considerans, pie nos consolari voluit, dicens: Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos, et deinceps: Invenietis, inquit, requiem animabus vestris.

Hoc exemplum ideo apposui, ut ostenderem eis, qui in disciplina non litteraturae, sed virtutum positi sunt, non oportere lectionem esse fastidio, sed oblectamento. nam et Propheta: Non novi, inquit, litteraturam, sive negotiationem, introibo in potentiam Domini; Domine, memorabor iustitiae tuae solius. Deus, docuisti me a iuventute. qui enim ad occupationem scripturas et, ut ita dicam, ad afflictionem spiritus legit, non philosophatur, sed negotiatur, vixque tam vehemens et indiscreta intentio vitio superbiae carere valet. quid autem de lectione simplicis Pauli dicam, qui ante implere legem voluit quam discere? quae nobis profecto satis exemplo esse potest, non auditores, neque lectores legis, sed factores potius iustos esse ante Deum.

Considerandum praeterea est, quod lectio duobus modis animo fastidium ingerere solet et affligere spiritum; et qualitate videlicet, si obscurior fuerit, et quantitate, si prolixior exstiterit. in quo utroque magno uti moderamine oportet, ne quod ad refectionem quaesitum est sumatur ad suffocationem. sunt qui omnia legere volunt. tu noli contendere. sufficiat tibi. nihil tua interest, annon omnes legeris libros. infinitus est librorum numerus, tu noli sequi infinita. ubi finis non est, requies esse non potest.

ubi requies non est, pax nulla est. ubi pax non est, Deus habitare non potest. In pace, inquit Propheta, factus est locus eius, et in Sion habitatio eius. In Sion, sed in pace; esse Sion oportet, sed pacem non amittere. contemplare, et occupari noli. noli avarus esse, ne forte semper egeas. audi Salomonem, audi Sapientem, et disce prudentiam. Fili mi, inquit, amplius his ne requiras; faciendi plures libros, nullus est finis, frequensque meditatio carnis afflictio est.

ubi ergo est finis? finem loquendi omnes pariter audiamus. Deum time, et mandata eius observa: hoc est omnis homo.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Matt.6.33 — But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
  2. ↩Matt.11.28-Matt.11.29 — Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt.11.29 — Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
  3. ↩Ps.71.16 — I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of your righteousness, yours alone.
  4. ↩Ps.71.17 — God, You have taught me from my youth, and until now I have declared Your wondrous deeds.
  5. ↩Jas.1.22 — But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
  6. ↩Ps.75.3 — For I will take the appointed time; I will judge with uprightness.
  7. ↩Eccl.12.12 — And beyond these, my son, be warned: making many books has no end, and much study wearies the flesh.
  8. ↩Eccl.12.13 — The end of the matter, after all has been heard, is this: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of humanity.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Echoes Matt 6:33. Candidate allusion preserved; final resolution deferred to Moses stage.
  2. 2 ↩'iustitiae meritis' rendered as 'merits of righteousness' preserves the merit-theology register without endorsing or paraphrasing it away.
  3. 3 ↩Rhetorical question 'pervenire desideratis?' expanded slightly in s7; rendered here as a sharp question that sets up the command in s7.
  4. 4 ↩Candidate allusion to Psalm 71:16 (Vulg. 70:16). The Latin 'Non novi litteraturam' is a paraphrase, not a direct quotation; Moses resolution pending.
  5. 5 ↩Candidate allusion to Psalm 71:17 (Vulg. 70:17). Moses resolution pending.
  6. 6 ↩'afflictionem spiritus' rendered 'affliction of the soul' carries a deliberate ascetical sense (spiritual trial or distress), not mere emotional suffering.
  7. 7 ↩Echo of James 1:22 (be doers of the word, not hearers only). Moses resolution pending.
  8. 8 ↩'Sapientem' (the Wise One) may carry Christological overtones, echoing the New Testament identification of Christ with divine Wisdom.
  9. 9 ↩The phrase 'frequensque meditatio carnis afflictio est' — 'constant study is an affliction of the flesh' — carries the sense that relentless reading and meditation, without rest, becomes a burden on the body rather than a refreshment to the soul.

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