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Chapter 31ErudR.1.31

Capitulum XVI, de malis ypocritarum qui sunt in curiis.

The Idol of Hypocrisy in the Courts

The chapter opens by lamenting the vice of hypocrisy as an idol of abomination that defiles the holy place of the court, describing how hypocrites pretend virtue while hiding a cunning fox in their breast.

We would cleanse the sanctuary for a while, unless the idol of abomination should appear, which defiles the holy place — that is, the vice of hypocrisy, which we lament to find in the courts.✦ Because they don't trust in the purity of their own conscience, they flee for refuge to the stronghold of deceit. For the hypocrite pretends what is real and conceals what is not. . . And he carries a cunning fox hidden in his breast.✦

The Hypocrite's False Zeal and Luciferian Pride

The hypocrite in court appears more zealous than the apostles, yet his outward mortification and public rebuke mask a Lucifer-like ambition to exalt his throne above the stars.

For if you go by appearances, he's thought to be more anxious than Paul, more zealous than Peter.✦1 He mortifies the flesh with his vices, fasts constantly, pleads his case in the public squares, rebukes the clergy about morals that need correcting, and stirs up the prince and the powerful men of the court — winning a reputation for justice even as he tears down another's good name. He's a companion and colleague of Lucifer, and while he pushes his way forward like this, he strains to exalt his throne above the stars, just as it is written: 'I will ascend into heaven,' and the rest that follows.✦✦234

Secret Pride and the Fall of the Ambitious

Hypocrites swell with secret pride, judge their superiors unworthy, and are praised by flatterers as worthy of promotion—yet once advanced, God strips them of their false virtues and they fall openly into vice, hearing the reproach once addressed to Lucifer.

People like this first swell with secret pride deep within, and from there look down on those around them. They even reprove their superiors for being caught up in temporal affairs, and they judge nearly all of them unworthy of promotion. So they say, 'I will ascend into heaven' — because, since I am of a heavenly calling, I'm worthy to preside over spiritual matters; but because I sit among lower things, I'm unable to be of use.✦ Reflecting on this, some people say, 'Oh, if only this man were a bishop!' How wise, how eloquent, how merciful he would be — how fervent, how kind! Someone like this, when at length he's gained control of his own ambition and has been advanced to the promotion he'd sought — whether by his own scheming or by the faction of others — is stripped by God's grace of his false virtues and falls openly into clear vices. And so, hated by everyone, he is cast out, with the result that he deserves to hear: 'How you have fallen, Lucifer, who once rose in the morning!'✦

The Hypocrite's Performed Piety and Meddling Tongue

Like Satan transforming himself into an angel of light, hypocrites adopt every outward sign of religious life—pallid face, bowed head, measured gait—while carrying beams in their own eyes, hunting gossip, meddling in all affairs, and abusing a shadowy religiosity to wrong others with impunity.

So it is that the angel of Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, and these false apostles reached for apostolic authority rather than the apostolic life.✦ This is why hypocrites put on a pallid complexion, routinely exploit deep sighs, and suddenly flood their eyes with obedient tears — head bowed, eyes shut, beard nearly shaved, voice lowered, face downcast, lips murmuring, gait unhurried, step measured and deliberate, clad in rags and a filthy habit — they lay claim to affected wretchedness, so that the more thoroughly they appear to have cast themselves into the lowest place, the more easily they rise to the top; and those who diminish themselves strive to grow larger, as if against their will.✦ These are the ones who busy themselves publicizing whatever is stained or rough clinging to the Church, so that by this very act they may be seen to excel in greater love. But while they carry a beam in their own eyes and cannot see the heap of their own crimes, they are blinded; and while they see the slightest venial faults of others with perfect clarity, they scrutinize them with the sharpest gaze.✦ They hunt for gossip, delight in turmoil, probe the secrets of those at odds, and then bring the same things now to their friends, now to their enemies — welcome to both, treacherous to both. Yet they seem all the more suited to these things because, on account of the appearance of religious life, they are held to be less suspect. What should be done in the palace, what in the marketplace, what in the camps — these alone are believed to know, because they seem to care about all these things more than anyone else, since they are constantly meddling in them. Whoever these people have wronged, that person must have patience — with a certain shadowy religiosity whose origin we cannot trace to the workshop of the holy Fathers — and, backed by the authority of the Prince of all, they are seen to have free license.

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing and the True Religious Life

These ravenous wolves hide behind ostrich feathers and sheep's skins, attack true religion under the cloak of zeal, alienate the faithful through sophistry, indulge the criminally entangled, and live in softness and self-will while claiming their state excels religious life.

Alas — I don't accuse the princes who fail to examine what lies within and, while they look at outward appearances, are often deceived. But these windbags and belly-talkers — who, though they are ravenous wolves within, carry ostrich feathers so they can raise themselves on high — nevertheless seem to spread before us a sheep's skin and heron's plumage, and they lie about living a religious life in the habit of religion.✦ Against these men, religion — sharpened beyond all others with the zeal of love — takes up arms, and it is against the injury of religion that all these things are poured back. For if we see that scandal has arisen through such people, it is not the hypocrites who are accused of having done this, but the religious ones. These are the ones who, above all others, attack religion, and — cloaked in the mantle of zeal — they see that those who have grown hot with the purpose of religion penetrate the houses of the faithful by hearing their confessions, and secretly, at the ear, with certain little garments of sophistry they alienate them, and so, mocking men, they keep them in the world. And to those who are entangled in crimes — presuming all the more dangerously about hope — they indulge them to the point of fear and prejudice, through an abundance of excessive facility. The imposture of malice proceeds to such an extent because they dogmatize that their own state excels the state of religion. But while they are clothed in soft things, honored by men, honored with ecclesiastical benefits, they live for pleasure and follow their own will.

The Gospel Ideal and the Hidden Treasure

The chapter closes by contrasting the hypocrite's false ascent with the true gospel ideal of daily fasting, vigil, sobriety, patience, and poverty, and concludes with blessed Bernard's reproach that even a quarter of religious practice would be revered as saintly.

That's no way to climb to the stars. Indeed. Who among them fasts from the Ides of September all the way to Easter, every day shows up for the night vigils, constantly abstains from eating meat, keeps clear of every kind of impurity, never — or at best rarely — misses the appointed hours (and that for a just reason), doesn't overstep the bounds of sobriety, sets a careful watch over his mouth, wipes away each day's excesses with daily atonement, carries out what's commanded without delay and without hesitation, bears sharp words patiently, claims nothing as his own, and is generally lacking in the necessities of life — this is the person who embodies the gospel ideal; this, above all, is what religious life shows forth in its true children.✦5 These are the things I've touched on — matters I'm aware of as if they were common knowledge.6 I would go into more specific matters, except that they shouldn't be made public — if good people have something worth hiding, it's because the person who finds the treasure of the kingdom of heaven hides it.✦7 And this chapter is brought to a close in the words of blessed Bernard speaking to his own religious: 'I believe this,' he says, 'that there is no one who, if he practiced a quarter of the things that religious life performs in the world, would not be worshiped as a saint, would not be regarded as an angel — and yet, day after day, as if they were careless, they are rebuked.'8

Read the original Latin

Purgassemus aliquantisper sanctuarium, nisi occurreretj abhominationis ydolum, quod contaminât locum sanctum, hoc est vitium yprocrisis, quod esse dolemus in curiis. Quia enim in puritate non confidunt propriae conscientiae, confugiunt ad arcem fallaciae. Simulât enim et dissimulât ypocrita quod est et quod non est, . . . Astutamque gerit sub pectore vulpem.

Nam, si faciei creditur, Paulo sollicitior, Petro ferventior reputatur. Mortificat carnem cum vitiis, jejunat assidue, obsecrat in plateis, arguit clerum de moribus corrigendis, sollicitât principem et potentes curiae, testimonium sibi acquirens justitiae si vitae detrahat alienae, Luciferi socius et collega,~dum sic I exaltare nititur solium super astra, sicut scriptum est : Ascendam in cœlum, et caetera quae sequuntur.

Taies enim prius occulta interius elatione tumescunt, hinc proximos despiciunt, arguimt etiam praelatos quod in temporalibus occupantur, et fere omnes judicant praelatione indignos. Dicunt ergo : Ascendam in cœlum, quod, cum caelestis sim conversationis, ut praesim in spiritualibus dignus sum, sed quia in inferioribus sedeo, prodesse non possum. Quod considérantes quidam inquiunt : O si hic esset episcopus ! Quam sapiens, quam eloquens, quam misericors esset, quam fervidus, quam humanus ! Talis aliquando, cum sui fuerit compos voti, et ad praelationem quam ambierat, aut propria machinatione, aut aliorum factione promotus, Dei gratia spoliatus, de virtutibus fictis ad vitia prolabitur manifesta, et sic exosus omnibus proicitur ut audire mereatur : Quomodo cecidisti Lucifer, qui mane oriebaris ?

Sic ergo angélus Sathanae transfigurât se in angelum lucis et, pseudo apos- , ad auctoritatem apostolicam aspirabant potius quam ad vitam. Inde est quod yprocritae faciei pallorem obstentant, profundis suspiriis consuetudinaliter abutuntur, et obsequentibus lacrimis subito inundantur, flexo capite, oculis interclusis, rasa fere cesarie, voce demissa, vultu demisso, labiis murmurantibus, tranquillo incessu, gradu proportione composito, pannosi et habitu sordidi, affectatam vendicant vilitatem, ut eo facilius ascendant superius quo se in novissimum locum deiecisse videntur studiosius, et qui decrescunt ultronei crescere nituntur velut inviti. Hii sunt qui satagunt publicare quicquid maculosum aut rugosum inhaeret ecclesiae, ut eo ipso cernantur majori excellere caritate. Sed cum trabem portent in oculis, et cum suorum non videant criminum congeriem, excaecantur, et cum aliorum minutissima videant, venialia limpidissime intuentur. Inquirunt rumusculos, tumultibus gaudent, dinidentium sécréta explorant et eadem nunc ad amicos proferunt, nunc ad hostes, utrisque grati, utrisque perfidi. Magis tamen ad ista videntur ydonei quia propter religionis ymaginem minus habentur suspecti. Quid in palatio, quid in foro, quid in castris expédiât, hii soli nosse creduntur, quia universa haec videntur curare prae caeteris, qui istis jugiter immiscentur. Quem isti laeserint hune necesse est habere patientiam cum religione quadam umbratili, quam de sanctorum patrum officina prodire nescimus, et auctoritate fulti principis omnium viden tur habere licentiam.

Vb Non accuso principes qui interiora non discutiunt et exteriora dum respiciunt saepe falluntur, sed hos ventilogos et ventriloquos qui cum sint lupi rapaces, interius struthionis pennas habentes ut in altum se erigant, pellem tamen ovinam et pennas herodii videntur praetendere, et vitam religiosam in religionis habitu mentiuntur. Adversus istos religio prae caeteris amaricata zelo caritatis armatur, in cujus injuriam haecomnia refunduntur. Si enim per taies videmus scandalum emersisse, non ypocritae sed religiosi criminantur id fecisse. Hii sunt qui prae caeteris religionem impugnant, et, operti pallio zeli, quos incaluisse vident religionis proposito, dum eorum confessiones audiendo domos eorum pénétrant, in aure clanculo quibusdam sophismatum tuniculis aliénant, et sic illudentes hominibus eos in saeculo retinent. Et eis qui criminibus involvuntur, periculosius praesumentes de spe, in timons praejudicium, copia nimiae facilitatis indulgent. Procedit ul tenus impostura malitiae, quia statum eorum s dogmatizant statum religionis excellere. Sed dum mollibus induuntur, ab hominibus honorantur,benefîciis ecclesiasticis honorantur, vivunt ad voluptatem, sequuntur propriam voluntatem.

Non sic ad astra conscenditur. Si. quis eorum a Septembris idibus usque ad Pascha jejunet omni die, nocturnis assit vigiliis, jugiter abstineat ab esu carnium, omnem immunditiam nesciat, horis competentibus nunquam desit aut raro, et hoc justa de causa, sobrietatis limites non excédât IO, diligentem ponat custodiam ori suo, diurnos excessus cotidiana satisfactione deleat, et quod praecipitur sine mora expleat incunctanter ", et verborum acrimoniam sufïerat patienter, nihil habens in propriis, plerumque deficiens in necessariis, hic virum evangelicum repraesentat, haec ante omnia religio in veris ejus fîliis manifestât. Haec tangimus quae quasi communia, conscio. Specialiora prosequerer nisi quia propalâre non debent si quid habent homines boni, quia thesaurum regni cœlorum qui invenit homo abscondit. Et in verbis beati Bernardi loquentis ad proprios regulares hoc capitulum terminetur : Credo, inquit, hoc : nullum esse qui, si quartam partem eorum quae hic facit in saeculo actitaret, non adoraretur ut sanctus, non reputaretur ut angélus, nunc autem cotidie tanquam negligens increpatur.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Dan.9.27;Matt.24.15;Mark.13.14 — And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and offering to cease, and on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, and until the decreed end is poured out upon the desolator. Matt.24.15 — So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), Mark.13.14 — But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be—let the reader understand—then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.
  2. ↩Song.2.15;Luke.13.32 — Catch the foxes for us— the little foxes that ruin our vineyards, while our vineyards are in bloom. Luke.13.32 — And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I am finished.'"
  3. ↩1Sam.16.7 — But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For not as man sees does God see, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
  4. ↩Isa.14.13 — And you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; above the stars of God I will raise my throne, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north." Keep the quotation open into v.14 for continuity.
  5. ↩Isa.14.12-Isa.14.15 — How you have fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who laid low the nations! Isa.14.13 — And you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; above the stars of God I will raise my throne, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north." Keep the quotation open into v.14 for continuity. Isa.14.14 — I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'" Close the quotation here so the transition to v.15 lands clearly. Isa.14.15 — But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.
  6. ↩Isa.14.13 — And you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; above the stars of God I will raise my throne, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north." Keep the quotation open into v.14 for continuity.
  7. ↩Isa.14.12 — How you have fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who laid low the nations!
  8. ↩2Cor.11.14 — And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
  9. ↩Luke.14.10 — But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will have glory before all who are reclining at table with you.
  10. ↩Matt.7.3-Matt.7.5 — Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Matt.7.4 — Or how will you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? Matt.7.5 — You hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
  11. ↩Matt.7.15 — Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
  12. ↩Matt.13.44 — The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; and in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
  13. ↩Matt.13.44 — The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; and in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩faciei (genitive of facies, 'face/appearance') rendered as 'appearances' to capture the sense of judging by outward show.
  2. 2 ↩The word 'cum' before 'vitiis' is ambiguous — it could mean 'with' (instrumental) or 'since/because' (causal). The translation reads it instrumentally ('with his vices'), which fits the ironic tone: he mortifies the flesh not by genuine asceticism but by the very vices that consume him.
  3. 3 ↩'Ascendam in cœlum' is a direct quotation from Isaiah 14:13 (Vulgate), spoken by the fallen king of Babylon and traditionally applied to Lucifer's pride. The phrase 'et caetera quae sequuntur' signals the reader should recall the full passage.
  4. 4 ↩The token 'I' (token 33) is uncertain — possibly a scribal error or abbreviation. The translation reads it as part of the ongoing clause ('he pushes his way forward like this') to preserve sense, but the source reading is unclear.
  5. 5 ↩The Latin 'IO' after 'excédât' is uncertain in the source — possibly a marginal exclamation or scribal mark. It is omitted in translation as its function is unclear.
  6. 6 ↩The form 'conscio' is grammatically uncertain in the source. It is taken here as a first-person singular verb ('I am aware'), though some manuscripts read it differently.
  7. 7 ↩Alludes to Matthew 13:44: 'The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field; a man found it and hid it again.'
  8. 8 ↩The quotation attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux is not directly traceable to a known published sermon or letter in the standard critical editions. It may come from a spurious or loosely attributed tradition.

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