“Incline not my heart to words of malice, to make excuses for excuses in sins. O most wretched human race, who excuse our sins, saying, I was overcome by nature: when it is in our power both to sin and not to sin. We always excuse ourselves, and say: I did not want to sin, my flesh overcame me. That woman came to me, s…”
Jerome, 5th c. — Homily 51, on Psalm 140
Original
4Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
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In context
2Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
— Psalms 141:4 —
5Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
6When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.