Primo <ponit> hominum jucunditatem, quam comparat prato florenti, quod etiam ridens dicitur, quod quidem habet pulchritudinem in flore: unde dicit deserta, id est terra Judaeorum quae prius vastantibus Assyriis erat hujusmodi, metonimice id est ipsi homines, quasi lilium, quod est pulcherrimus flos et diu durat, Eccli. xxxix florete flores etc.; habet etiam pulchritudinem in germine unde dicit germinans etc., Prov. xi justi quasi virens etc., sicut enim germen ex flore, ita exterior jucunditas ex cordis laetitia.
First, he sets out the cheerfulness of the people, which he compares to a flowering meadow, which is also said to laugh, because it has beauty when it is in flower; hence he says: the land that was desolate, that is, the land of the Jews, which, before, having been laid waste by the Assyrians, was like this, metonymically, that is, the people themselves, like the lily, which is the most beautiful flower, and lasts a long time: send forth flowers, as the lily (Sir 39:19); it also has beauty in its bud; hence he says, it shall bud forth: the just shall spring up as a green leaf (Prov 11:28), for like the bud comes from the flower, so outward cheerfulness comes from the joy of the heart.
Secundo promittit terrae fertilitatem: gloria Libani etc., id est fertilitas diversarum rerum, quae est gloria horum locorum, erit in terra promissionis, Oseae ult. erit quasi oliva etc.
Second, he promises the fertility of the land: the glory of Libanus, that is, the fertility of various things, which is the glory of these places, will be found in the promised land: his glory shall be as the olive tree: and his smell as that of Libanus (Hos 14:7).
Tertio, utriusque propinquitatem: ipsimet, <id est> non differetur ad tempora filiorum, supra xxxiii regem in decore suo etc.
Third, the nearness of both of these: they themselves shall see, that is, it shall not be postponed to the time of their children, above: his eyes shall see the king in his beauty (Isa 33:17).
746. Confortate. Hic ponitur exhortatio confortans, et circa hoc tria.
746. Strengthen the feeble hands. Here a strengthening exhortation is set out, and concerning this, he does three things.
Et primo ponitur officii ad exhortandum injunctio: confortate manus, in quo debilitas ad operandum, genua trementia, in quo debilitas ad sustinendum, Hebr. xii remissas manus etc.
First, he sets out the enjoining of the office of exhortation: strengthen the hands, which are weak for working, and confirm the trembling knees, which are weak for supporting: lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees (Heb 12:12).
Secundo ponitur ipsa confortatio: dicite pusillanimes etc., Lucae xii nolite timere, pusillus etc.
Second, the strengthening itself is set out: say to the fainthearted: fear not, little flock (Luke 12:32).
Tertio assignatur confortationis ratio,
Third, the reason for the strengthening is assigned,
et primo quantum ad remotionem malorum, liberando ab hostibus: ecce Deus vester, Deut. xxxii sanguinem servorum etc.; et sanando a languoribus: tunc aperientur. Et sunt metaphoricae locutiones, si referantur ad tempus post destructionem Assyriorum, ut intelligantur spirituales defectus ut supra; vel ad litteram, si referantur ad Christi adventum in carnem, sicut dicitur <Mt> xi caeci vident etc.
and first, as to the removal of evils, in liberating them from their enemies: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense: he will revenge the blood of his servants (Deut 32:43). And in healing their infirmities, then shall the eyes of the blind be opened. And these are metaphorical expressions, if they are referred to the time after the destruction of the Assyrians, so that they are understood as spiritual ills, as above; or they can be understood literally, if they are referred to the coming of Christ, as it says in Matthew 11:5: the blind see, the lame walk.
Secundo, quantum ad collationem bonorum, quatuor.
Second, as to the gathering of goods, four things.
747. Primo, quantum ad abundantiam aquarum: quia scissae sunt, metaphorice aquae pro consolationibus; vel quia multum pluet ut sit magna fertilitas, Ps. posuit desertum in stagna etc.
747. First, as to the abundance of the waters: for waters are broken out, metaphorically, in the desert, for consolations; or because it will rain much, so that there will be great fertility: he has turned a wilderness into pools of waters (Ps 106:34[107:35]).
Secundo, pulchritudinem camporum: in cubilibus, id est terra quae prius erat deserta, ut haec animalia inhabitarent, erit culta; viror calami et iunci, quae in locis virentibus orientur, Job xl sub umbra dormit etc.
Second, as to the beauty of the fields: in the dens where dragons dwelt before, that is, the land, which formerly was desert, so that these animals lived in it, will be cultivated; the verdure of the reed and the bulrush, which spring up verdant places: he sleeps under the shadow, in the covert of the reed (Job 40:16).
Tertio, quantum ad restaurationem viarum, ponens viae sanctitatem: et erit ibi, in terra Juda, semita ducens ad templum; pollutus, gentilis sicut ante, vel mystice de Ecclesia militante vel triumphante, Apoc. xxprimo non ingredietur in eam etc. Ponit etiam rectitudinem: et haec erit; stulti, id est quantumcumque simplices, non errent, propter multitudinem transeuntium, Jer. xxxj adducam eos per torrentes etc.; ponit etiam viae securitatem: non erit ibi etc., supra xi non nocebunt et non occident etc.; et ponit viarum frequentationem: et redempti etc., a praecedentibus periculis, Baruch v ecce veniunt filii tui etc.
Third, as to the restoration of the ways, he sets out the holiness of the way: and a path, leading to the temple, shall be there, in the land of Judah; the unclean, the gentile, as before, or mystically, concerning the Church militant or triumphant: there shall not enter into it any thing defiled (Rev 21:27). He also sets out straightness of the way: and this shall be unto you a straight way, so that fools shall not err therein, that is, however simple they may be, they will not err, because of the multitude of those traveling by it: I will bring them from the north country (Jer 31:8); he also sets out the security of the way: no lion shall be there, above: they shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all my holy mountain (Isa 11:19). And he sets out the frequentation of the ways: and the redeemed, those redeemed from the preceding dangers: for behold your children come, whom you sent away scattered (Bar 4:37).
Quarto promittit eis laetitiam cordium: laetitia sempiterna, supra xxv auferet lacrymam etc.; ostenditur etiam condicio laetitiae sanctorum in patria, quia sempiterna, quia plena: obtinebunt, quia pura: fugiet dolor, Apoc. xx absterget Deus omnem lacrymam etc.
Fourth, he promises them joy of heart: everlasting joy, above: he shall wipe away tears from every face (Isa 25:8); the condition of the joy of the saints in heaven is also shown, that it is everlasting; that it is full: they shall obtain, that it is pure: sorrow and mourning shall flee away: and God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of the saints: and neither mourning, nor crying, nor any sorrow shall be any more (Rev 21:4).
748. Sancti comparantur liliis
748. The saints are compared to lilies (see 35:1),
propter stipitis altitudinem, ex quo constantia in adversis, Cant. ii sicut lilium inter spinas etc.;
because of the height of its stem, from which is shown constancy in troubles: as the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters (Song 2:2);
propter odoris suavitatem, ex quo bona fama, Eccli. xxxix florete flores quasi lilium etc.;
because of the sweetness of its scent, from which is shown good reputation: send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace (Sir 39:19);
propter humoris virorem, ex quo virtus mentis, Eccli. l quasi lilia in transitu aquae;
because of the verdure of its humor, from which is shown virtue of mind: as the lilies that are on the brink of the water (Sir 50:8);
propter connexionem, ex quo sanctorum caritas, Cant. vii venter tuus quasi etc.
because of its connectedness, from which is shown the charity of the saints: your belly is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies (Song 7:2).
749. Haec lilia Christus
749. Christ clothes these lilies
vestit quantum ad virtutum dona, Mt. vi considerate lilia agri etc.;
as to the gifts of the virtues: consider the lilies of the field (Matt 6:28);
colligit ad aeterna praemia, Cant. vi dilectus meus descendit in hortum etc.;
gathers them together to their eternal reward: my beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of aromatical spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies (Song 6:1);
in eis requiescit per complacentiam, Cant. ii dilectus meus mihi etc.;
rests in them, for he is pleased in them: I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feeds among the lilies (Song 6:2);
et ideo ipse lilium, Cant. ii ego flos campi etc.
and therefore he himself is a lily: I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys (Song 2:1).
Caput 36
Chapter 36
36:1 Et factum est in quarto decimo anno regis Ezechiæ, ascendit Sennacherib rex Assyriorum super omnes civitates Juda munitas et cepit eas.
36:1 And it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Ezechias, that Sennacherib king of the Assyrians came up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
36:2 Et misit rex Assyriorum Rabsacen de Lachis in Jerusalem ad regem Ezechiam in manu gravi, et stetit in aquæductu piscinæ superioris in via agri fullonis.
36:2 And the king of the Assyrians sent Rabsaces from Lachis to Jerusalem, to king Ezechias with a great army, and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the way of the fuller’s field.
36:3 Et egressus est ad eum Eliacim filius Helciæ qui erat super domum, et Sobna scriba et Joahe filius Asaph a commentariis.
36:3 And there went out to him Eliacim the son of Helcias, who was over the house, and Sobna the scribe, and Joahe the son of Asaph the recorder.
36:4 Et dixit ad eos Rabsaces: dicite Ezechiæ: hæc dicit rex magnus, rex Assyriorum: quæ est ista fiducia qua confidis?
36:4 And Rabsaces said to them: tell Ezechias: thus says the great king, the king of the Assyrians: what is this confidence wherein you trust?
36:5 Aut quo consilio et fortitudine rebellare disponis? Super quem habes fiduciam, quia recessisti a me?
36:5 Or with what counsel or strength dost you prepare for war? On whom dost you trust, that you are revolted from me?
36:6 Ecce confidis super baculum arundineum confractum istum super Ægyptum, cui si innixus fuerit homo intrabit in manum ejus et perforabit eam; sic Pharao rex Ægypti omnibus qui confidunt in eo.
36:6 Lo, you trust upon this broken staff of a reed, upon Egypt: upon which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
36:7 Quod si responderis mihi: in Domino Deo nostro confidimus; nonne ipse est cujus abstulit Ezechias excelsa et altaria, et dixit Judæ et Jerusalem: coram altari isto adorabitis?
36:7 But if you will answer me: we trust in the Lord our God: is it not he whose high places and altars Ezechias has taken away, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem: you shall worship before this altar?
36:8 Et nunc trade te domino meo regi Assyriorum, et dabo tibi duo millia equorum, nec poteris ex te præbere ascensores eorum.
36:8 And now deliver yourself up to my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, and you will not be able on your part to find riders for them.
36:9 Et quomodo sustinebis faciem judicis unius loci ex servis domini mei minoribus? Quod si confidis in Ægypto et in quadriga et in equitibus,
36:9 And how will you stand against the face of the judge of one place, of the least of my master’s servants? But if you trust in Egypt, in chariots and in horsemen:
36:10 et nunc numquid sine Domino ascendi ad terram istam ut disperderem eam? Dominus dixit ad me: ascende super terram istam et disperde eam.
36:10 and am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me: go up against this land, and destroy it.
36:11 Et dixit Eliacim et Sobna et Joahe ad Rabsacen: loquere ad servos tuos syra lingua, intelligimus enim; ne loquaris ad nos judaice in auribus populi qui est super murum.
36:11 And Eliacim, and Sobna, and Joahe said to Rabsaces: speak to your servants in the Syrian tongue: for we understand it: speak not to us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of the people, that are upon the wall.