Two famous passages of Isaac of Nineveh's First Part and their translation

 

 Two famous passages of Isaac of Nineveh's First Part and their translation

In this post, I'll discuss two passages of Isaac of Nineveh's First Part (or 'First Collection') as they appear in an Italian and an English translation.

Excerpt from Homily 27

The Italian translation reads:

“Io dico, infatti, che anche quanti saranno castigati nella geenna, saranno tormentati dalle piaghe dell’amore. Le piaghe che provengono dall’amore, cioè quelle di quanti sentono di aver mancato nell’amore, sono dure e amare! Più dei tormenti che vengono dal timore! La sofferenza che sibila nel cuore perché si è mancato all’amore è più acuta di tutti i tormenti che vi possono essere.

È assurdo pensare che i peccatori nella geenna saranno privati dell’amore per il Creatore. L’amore, infatti, è figlio della conoscenza della verità, che noi confessiamo che sarà concessa all’universo intero. Ma l’amore, con la sua forza, agisce in modo duplice: tormenta coloro che hanno mancato, come accade anche quaggiù tra amici; l’amore però anche allieta coloro che hanno custodito ciò che gli si addice. Così è anche nella geenna: la durezza del tormento io dico che è la compunzione [provocata] dall’amore. La delizia invece che esso [provoca] inebria l’anima dei figli di lassù.” (Discorsi ascetici, 27, p. 279, Prima Collezione trad. Sabino Chialà) 

In English it can be translated as:

“I say that, indeed, even those who will be punished in Gehenna will be tormented by the wounds of love. The wounds that come from love, that is, those of those who feel they have failed in love, are harsh and bitter! More than the torments that come from fear! The pain that hisses in the heart because one has failed in love is more acute than all the torments that can be.

It is absurd to think that sinners in Gehenna will be deprived of love for the Creator. Love, in fact, is the child of the knowledge of the truth, which we confess will be granted to the entire universe. But love, with its strength, acts in a twofold way: it torments those who have failed, as also happens here below between friends; but love also gladdens those who have guarded what is fitting for it. So it is also in Gehenna: the harshness of the torment, I say, is the compunction [caused] by love. The delight it [causes] inebriates the soul of the children above.”

Notice the phrase "love for the Creator". The text seems to say that sinners in Gehenna after being shown the truth, will inevitably love God and from this experience they will realize that they sinned against love and will experience 'compunction' due to love (a similar interpertation was made by Sergius Bulgakov: https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/sergius-bulgakov-hell-as-universal-purgatory/ )

A different translation:

"I also maintain that those who are punished in Gehenna are scourged by the scourge of love. For what is so bitter and vehement as the punishment of love? I mean that those who have become conscious that they have sinned against love suffer greater torment from this than from any fear of punishment. For the sorrow caused in the heart by sin against love is sharper than any torment that can be. It would be improper for a man to think that sinners in Gehenna are deprived of the love of God. Love is the offspring of knowledge of the truth which, as is commonly confessed, is given to all. The power of love works in two ways: it torments those who have played the fool, even as happens here when a friend suffers from a friend; but it becomes a source of joy for those who have observed its duties. Thus I say that this is the torment of Gehenna: bitter regret. But love inebriates the souls of the sons of Heaven by its delectability." (source: https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2021/08/15/st-isaac-of-nineveh-and-the-scourging-of-the-scourge-of-love/ )

Note the ambiguity of the phrase 'love of God'. Is it God's love or the creature's love for God? Also, regret isn't said to be due to love. Here is another English translation made by A.J. Wensinck:

“Also I say that even those who are scourged in Hell are tormented with the scourgings of love. Scourgings for love's sake, namely of those who perceive that they have sinned against love, are more hard and bitter than tortures through fear. The suffering which takes hold of the heart through the sinning against love is more acute than any other torture. It is evil for a man to think that the sinners in Hell are destitute of love for the Creator. For love is a child of true knowledge such as is professed to be given to all people. Love works with its force in a double way. It tortures those who have sinned, as happens also in the world between friends. And it gives delight to those who have kept its decrees. Thus it is also in Hell. I say that the hard tortures are grief for love. The inhabitants of heaven, however, make drunk their soul with the delight of love.” (Mystic Treatises, p. 136)

Excerpt from Homily 45

The Italian text reads:

"Segno di compassione è il perdono di qualsiasi torto, e segno di una cattiva intelligenza è il mutare delle parole rivolte all’offensore. Chi finalizza la correzione alla cura, corregge con amore; chi invece cerca di vendicarsi, manca di amore. Dio corregge con amore e non per vendetta. Non sia mai! Perché egli desidera la guarigione della propria immagine, e non conserva l’ira oltre il tempo necessario a raddrizzare, poiché non desidera vendicare se stesso. Tale è il fine dell’amore! La correzione fatta con amore è volta a raddrizzare, e non si prefigge di ripagare [per il male commesso].

Il giusto sapiente assomiglia a Dio. Non corregge infatti qualcuno per rovistare nella sua stoltezza, ma piuttosto perché si emendi e perché altri siano intimoriti. Diversamente, non sarebbe una correzione! [Agisce] così affinché lo Spirito imprima nell’immagine il proposito che Dio si è prefisso dall’eternità.

Chi preferisce figurarsi un Dio esattore, che spera di ristabilire l’equità, lo accusa di essere privo di bontà. Non sia mai che in una tale fonte di amore e oceano colmo di bontà trovi spazio [il desiderio] di ripagare [per il male commesso]! Fine del suo proposito è raddrizzare gli uomini. E se non fosse per non privarci dell’onore della libertà, forse neppure ci curerebbe rimproverandoci." (Isacco di Ninive, Discorsi Ascetici, Prima Collezione, 45, pp. 412-413, trad. Sabino Chialà)

An English translation (bolded added):

"A sign of compassion is forgiveness for any wrong, and a sign of bad judgment is a change in one's words toward the offender. He who seeks healing by correction corrects with love; he who seeks revenge, however, lacks love. God corrects with love, not for revenge. Far from it! For He desires the healing of His own image, and does not retain anger beyond the time necessary to right, for He does not desire to avenge Himself. Such is the purpose of love! Correction given with love is aimed at righting, and does not seek retribution [for the evil that has been done].

The just man resembles God. He does not correct someone to delve into their foolishness, but rather to reform them and to intimidate others. Otherwise, it would not be a correction! [he does] this so that the Spirit may imprint on the image the purpose that God has set for Himself from eternity.

Those who prefer to imagine God as an exactor, hoping to restore fairness, accuse him of being devoid of goodness. God forbid that in such a source of love and such an ocean of goodness there should be room for [desire] of retribution [for the evil that has been done]! The purpose of his purpose is to set men straight. And if he were not intent on not depriving us of the honor of freedom, perhaps he would not even bother to reproach us."

An alternate English translation can be found here: https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2021/08/09/st-isaac-the-syrian-and-the-punitive-god-of-the-scriptures/

The text is nearly identical except for the bolded part, which is rendered as: "And he does not harbor wrath until a time when correction is no longer possible, for He does not seek vengeance for Himself. This is the aim of love.". Note that in this translation, the possibility that correction 'is no longer' possible, whereas the Italian translation says that 'anger' is a mean for correction.

Unfortuntely, since I don't know Syriac (and I don't have access to the Syriac text) I can't verify which translation is better. Here is Wensinck’s translation which seems to confirm the Italian translation:

“He that combines with healing chastisement, chastises with love. He whose demand bears the character of revenge, is destitute of love, God chastises with love, not for the sake of revenge, this is far from Him. He demands that His image be healed; His anger does not endure until guidance is no longer possible; for He does not seek personal revenge. This is the intention of love; the chastisement of love aims at guidance; it does not aim at retribution.

The righteous who is wise resembles God. He never chastises man in retaliation for his sin, but either in order that he may be guided aright, or that others may be deterred. Other than this is no chastisement. But this is regarded as its image by the Spirit, the thought that was with God from eternity. He that is pleased to think of God as the revenger, thinking that he acknowledges His justice, denounces Him as destitute of bounty. It is far from the fountain of love, the ocean full of bounty, that the idea of retribution should be found with Him. His aim is the guidance of men; and if it were not that we would be bereft of the honour of freedom, perhaps He would even not heal us by vituperation. The domain of freedom regarding our deeds is the power with which frankness supplies reason. And also the latter adores the greatness of His bounty, because it is not His will that we rejoice at what is His, but as it were at the merits of our own deeds. And though all is His, it is not His pleasure that we should think that we delight in what is His, but rather in what is ours.” (Mystic Treatises, p. 216)

Excerpt from Homily 50:

I think that it helps somewhat if I also add an excerpt from Homily 50 where Isaac says what he means by 'fairness':

"Fairness is impartiality, applying equal measure, giving to everyone what they deserve, without leaning toward one side, so that they receive a retribution that takes their condition into account. Compassion, on the other hand, is a passion moved by goodness, which bends over all things with a view to forgiveness: it does not repay the one who deserves evil, but to the one who deserves good, it gives double in abundance. While [compassion] is on the side of justice, [fairness] is on the side of wickedness.

Just as stubble and fire cannot remain in the same house, so neither can farness and mercy remain in the same soul. Just as a grain of sand does not balance a great quantity of gold, so the equity that God uses does not balance His compassion. Like a handful of sand falling into the open sea, such are the sins of all flesh before the understanding of God. Just as a spring of water cannot be blocked by a handful of dust, so the mercy of the Creator cannot be overcome by the evil of creatures."

I believe that the term 'fariness' (Italian: equità) is often translated as 'justice'. It seems it means something like "exactly what people deserve".

Italian text:

“L’equità è l’imparzialità che applica un’uguale misura, che dà a chiunque ciò che merita, senza piegarsi verso una parte, così che questa riceva una retribuzione che tenga conto [della sua condizione]. La compassione, invece, è una passione mossa dalla bontà, che si curva su tutto in vista della remissione: non retribuisce colui che merita il male e, a colui che merita il bene, dà in abbondanza il doppio. Mentre la [compassione] sta dalla parte della giustizia, l’[equità] sta dalla parte della malvagità.

Come la stoppia e il fuoco non possono restare in una medesima casa, così neppure l’equità e la misericordia in una medesima anima. Come un granello di sabbia non bilancia una gran quantità di oro, così l’equità che Dio usa non bilancia la sua compassione. Come un pugno di sabbia che cade in mare aperto, tali sono i peccati di ogni carne dinanzi all’intelligenza di Dio. Come una fonte ricca di acque non può essere otturata da una manciata di polvere, così la misericordia del Creatore non può essere vinta dal male delle creature.” (ibid., pag. 439)

Wensinck’s translation again:

“Compassion is an affection which is stirred by bounty and which goes out to every one for their support. It does not repay him that has deserved evil. To him that has deserved good, it gives a double portion. If the former stands on the side of righteousness, then the latter is on the side of evil. As stubbles and fire cannot remain together in one room, so justice and compassion cannot in one soul.

As a grain of sand does not balance a load of gold, so the effect of God's justice does not counterbalance His compassion. As a handful of sand thrown into the ocean, so are the sins of all flesh as compared with God's mind. As a fountain that flows abundantly is not dammed by a handful of earth so the mercy of the Creator is not vanquished by the wickedness of the creatures.” (Mystic treatises, p. 231)