Jerome

In his own words on Wisdom of Solomon

• Wisdom of Solomon 3:13

  The Prophet prays to the Lord and says: "Give them, O Lord." And he himself answers: "What will you give them?" and immediately adds: "Give them a barren womb, and dry breasts," so that they would have no reason for pride and may be confounded in that which they used to glory. It is clear that even teachers with contrary doctrines can be understood, who boast in the multitude of people and in those children whom they have raised to destruction, that they might lead them out of the Church and into the midst of the slayer. For as many children as heretics have produced in error, the devil has killed. Of such a soul it is said: "Blessed is the chaste woman, who has not known the bed of sin." For the Ecclesiastic man is blessed, who in comparison with a heretic, does not beget children in error. And in another place we read, "It is better to not have children with virtue. For from an unlawful union, offspring will perish": and when they have been long gone, they will be considered as nothing and ignoble in their final old age. For the fecund multitude of the impious is unto nothing.

  Commentary on Hosea 9:14

• Wisdom of Solomon 4:8-9

  If it is said of the righteous person and of the member of the church, "Gray hair is a person's wisdom," why is it not said of the heretic's iniquity, "A person's gray hair is his folly"? Of this old age Daniel said to the old man, "You have grown old in evil." Therefore, in the book of the Shepherd (if anyone is willing to accept that it be read), the church appears to Hermas first with gray hair, then as a young woman and a bride, with ornate hair.

  Commentary on Hosea 7:9

• Wisdom of Solomon 6:6

  He will feel within himself that which is written: The powerful endure torments powerfully. And: To whom much is given, much will be demanded from him. Therefore, it is specifically said to priests that if they refuse to listen and hold it in their hearts, so as to give glory to the name of the Lord through good conduct; but on the contrary, his name is cursed among the nations because of them, he will send upon them poverty of all good things, and will turn their blessings into a curse. Those who abuse their health for pleasure, and turn their wealth into luxury, and tarnish their good reputation with impure conduct, they change the blessings of God into curses.

  Commentary on Malachi 2:1-2

• Wisdom of Solomon 14:9

  But perhaps you say: If God is my lover, why then do the lashes of my lover so grievously sadden me with severe wounds, and disturb me by hurting me? If He who loves me torments me with the embraces of scourges, then false love now exercises the parts of hatred: now it would be better for Him to hate, so that He would not torment. Rather, be careful that He does not hate; ask that He agrees to love. For love corrects, but hatred threatens punishment. Love is accustomed to bestow discipline, but hatred, when judgment dictates, recites the guilt. This hatred is propagated from God to man by the birth of the human race. And therefore, it is of man when God hates or is angry: He hates when He is offended, He is angry when, being offended, He is not entreated. For he who by hateful deeds makes himself hateful provokes the Lord to hatred of himself, and scorns to entreat the one he has offended. But God loves man as an artisan loves his work, but He hates evil deeds, by which the work is driven to ruin and forced into destruction. And He who hates evil deeds cannot love the doer of evil deeds: as the most holy Solomon declared: "The impious and his impiety are hateful to God" (Wis. 14:9).

  Epistle 30, PL 211