A letter from Jerome (384)

Translated letter:

1. Three days ago, when I was trying to make you aware of the full meaning of the 118th psalm and I said that every moral subject is contained in it and just as philosophers usually divide their arguments into physics and ethics and logic, so in order to investigate divine or natural eloquence, as in Genesis and Ecclesiastes, or morals, as in Proverbs and scattered through all the books, or logic, for which our people claim “theologiken” [Greek letters] for themselves, as in the Song of Songs and the gospels — though the apostle often proposes, adds/joins [minor premise], confirms, and concludes, which pertain to the art of dialectic — you zealously sought out what the Hebrew letters which seemed inserted in the psalm we were reading mean. 2. I answered that it was composed according to the order of letters, that is from the first letters which they call “aleph,” there are eight verses, then from the following “beth,” the same number of verses, and then from “gimel” the same, and so on up to “tau,” which is their last letter, the psalm is written and ought to be understood according to the interpretation of its single letters which it conforms to. You also importuned me to give interpretations of the single letters. I said, I confess, it is true that since the memory slips because of the foreignness of the language, you want everything we said in a little commentary so that if you hesitate over anything, reading can make up for forgetting. 3. But before I speak about the single letters, you should know that four psalms begin according to the order of the Hebrew alphabet: the 110th, the 111th, the one of which we are now writing [118th], and the 144th, single verses connected by the preceding single letters, which are in iambic trimeter, the later in iambic tetrameter, as the canticle of Deuteronomy is written. In the 118th, an octave follows single letters; in the 144th, single verses are allotted to single letters. There are those who think that others are ordered this way but their view is false. You have in the Lamentations of Jeremiah four alphabets, of which the first two are as if in Sapphic meter, since three little lines which are connected begin from only one letter, and conclude with a pause/punctuation in heroic style; the third alphabet is written in trimeter and three verses begin from three letters, but the same letter; the fourth alphabet is similar to the first two. A final alphabet closes the Proverbs of Solomon, which is considered tetrameter. 4. Just as in our letters one can not procede to read and interweave words without beginning from the letters, so we can not in divine scriptures know the greater things unless we begin with ethics according to what the prophet says: "From your commands I have understood" (Ps.118:104), that is after works/deeds he began to have a knowledge of the secrets. Now so that what you asked for can be completed, an interpretation of the sense of each letter is given. 5. “Aleph” is translated doctrine, “Beth” home, “Gimel” fullness, “Deleth” of tablets, “He” there, “Vav” and, “Zai” this, “Heth” life, “Teth” good, “Iod” beginning, “Caph” hand(s), “Lamed” of teaching or heart, “Mem” from them, “Nun” eternal, “Samech” help, “Ain” fountain or eye, “Phe” mouth (“os”) not bone (“osse”) to avoid uncertainty, “Sade” of justice, “Coph” calling, “Res” of the head, “Sen” of the teeth, “Tau” signs. 6. After the translation of the letters, the order of understanding should be spoken. The first sequence is "the doctrine of the home is the fullness of tablets there," that is, the teaching of the church which is the house of god is found in the fullness of divine books. 7. The second sequence is "and this [is] life" for what other life could there be without knowledge of scriptures through which even Christ is known, who is the life of believers? 8. The third sequence has "good beginning," since though we may know everything that has been written, yet "we know only in part and we prophesy only in part" [1Cor.13:9] and "now see through a mirror in a riddle" [1Cor.13:12]. When, however, we are worthy to be with Christ and be like the angels, then the learning of books will cease. 9. The fourth sequence is "hands of the heart" or of "teaching." Hands are understood in works, heart and teaching in the meaning, since we can do nothing unless we first know what should be done. 10. The fifth sequence is "eternal help from them." There is no need for this exposition and it is very clear in every light that eternal help is administered from the scriptures. 11. The sixth sequence has "fountain" or "eye of the mouth of justice," according to what we explained in the third. 12. The seventh sequence which is the last and in the seventh number is mystical understanding, "the signs of teeth are a calling of the head." Through the teeth the voice is articulated and through these signs reaches the head of all, which is Christ. 13. I beseech you, what is more sacred a sacrament? what more joyful a desire? what food is sweeter honey than to know the wisdom of god, to enter into his inner chambers, to examine the meaning of the creator and to learn the full words of your lord with spiritual wisdom, words which are ridiculed by the wise men of this world. Let others have their wealth, drink in their gems, shine in silk, take delight in the applause of the people and be unable to conquer their wealth through a variety of desires. Let our delights be to meditate on the law of the lord day and night, to knock at the door that is not open, to receive the bread of the trinity and trample the turbulence of the world with the lord going before. 14. Greet Blesilla and Eustochium, our novices; greet Felicia, truly happy in the virginity of flesh and spirit; greet the remaining choir of chastity and your house church in which though all things are now safe, I fear that the enemy may sow his tares when the paterfamilias sleeps (cf.Matth.13:25). For though they may boldly say: "I am a strong city, a city which is attacked," no one is safe from the besieging enemy army. "No one," as blessed Cyprian says, "is safe enough from danger." A copy of the letter, if our “philoponotate” [Grk, "workaholic"] Marcella wishes to accept it, imploring with my tribute and memory, that the lord Jesus swiftly grind Satan beneath our feet.

Original letter:

1. Nudius tertius, cum centesimum et octavodecimum psalmum tibi insinuare conarer et dicerem omnem moralem locum in eo esse conprehensum et, quomodo philosophi solerent disputationes suas in physicam et ethicam logicamque partiri, ita et eloquia divina aut de natura disputare, ut in Genesi et Ecclesiaste, aut de moribus, ut in Proverbiis et in omnibus sparsim libri, aut de logica, pro qua nostri "theologiken" [Greek letters] sibi vindicant, ut in Cantico canticorum et evangeliis -- licet apostolus saepe proponat, adsumat, confirmet atque concludat, quae proprie artis dialecticae sunt --, studiosissime perquisisti, quid sibi velint Hebraeae litterae, quae psalmo, quem legebamus, videbantur insertae. 2. Respondi secundum ordinem litterarum eum esse conpositum, quo videlicet ex prima littera, quae apud eos vocatur aleph, octo versus inciperent, rursus ex sequenti beth totidem versus exordium sumerent ac postea ex gimel idem numerus conpleretur atque ita usque ad tau, quae apud eos extrema littera est, psalmum esse conscriptum et in singulis quibusque elementis secundum interpretationem eorum debere intellegi, quae sequerentur. identidem flagitasti, ut tibi interpretationes singularum edicerem litterarum. dixi, fateor; verum, quia propter barbariem linguae memoria elabitur omne, quod diximus, desideras commentariolum fieri, ut, si in aliquo forte titubaris, oblivionem lectio consoletur. 3. Ac priusquam de singulis disseram, scire debes quattuor psalmos secundum ordinem Hebraeorum incipere elementorum: centesimum decimum et centesimum undecimum et hunc, de quo nunc scribimus, et centesimum quadragesimum quartum, verum in prioribus singulis litteris singulos versiculos, qui trimetro iambico constant, esse subnexos, inferiores vero tetrametro iambico constare, sicuti et Deuteronomii canticum scriptum est; in centesimo octavodecimo in singulas litteras octoni versus secuntur; in centesimo quadragesimo quarto singulis litteris singuli versus deputantur. sunt, qui et alios putent hoc ordine incipere, sed falsa eorum opinio est. habes et in Lamentationibus Hieremiae quattuor alfabeta, e quibus duo prima quasi Saffico metro scripta sunt, quia tres versiculos, qui sibi conexi sunt et ab una tantum littera incipiunt, heroici comma concludit; tertium vero alfabetum trimetro scriptum est et a ternis litteris, sed eisdem, terni versus incipiunt; quartum alfabetum simile est primo et secundo. Proverbia quoque Salomonis extremum cludit alfabetum, quod tetrametro supputatur. 4. Quomodo autem in his nostris litteris non potest quis ad legenda verba texendaque procedere, nisi prius ab elementis coeperit, ita et in scripturis divinis non valemus ea, quae maiora sunt, nosse, nisi ethicae habuerimus exordium, secundum illud, quod propheta dicit: a mandatis tuis intellexi, quo videlicet post opera coeperit habere scientiam secretorum. verum iam conplendum est, quod petisti, ut sensum uniuscuiusque elementi interpretatio adnexa significet. 5. ALEPH interpretatur "doctrina," BETH "domus," GIMEL "plenitudo," DELETH "tabularum," HE "ista," VAV "et," ZAI "haec," HETH "vita," TETH "bonum," IOD "principium," CAPH "manus," LAMED "disciplinae" sive "cordis," MEM "ex ipsis," NUN "sempiternum," SAMECH "adiutorium," AIN "fons" sive "oculus," PHE "os" -- ab ore, non ab osse intellege, ne litterarum ambiguitate fallaris --, SADE "iustitiae," COPH "vocatio," RES "capitis," SEN "dentium," TAU "signa." 6. Post interpretationem elementorum intellegentiae ordo dicendus est. Prima conexio est "doctrina domus plenitudo tabularum ista," quo videlicet doctrina ecclesiae, quae domus dei est, in librorum repperiatur plenitudine divinorum. 7. Secunda conexio est "et haec vita." quae enim alia potest esse vita sine scientia scripturarum, per quas etiam ipse Christus agnoscitur, qui est vita credentium? 8. Tertia conexio habet "bonum principium," quia, quamvis nunc sciamus universa, quae scripta sunt, tamen ex parte cognoscimus et ex parte prophetamus et nunc per speculum videmus in aenigmate; cum autem meruerimus esse cum Christo et similes angelis fuerimus, tunc librorum doctrina cessabit. 9. Quarta conexio est "manus cordis" sive "disciplinae." manus intelleguntur in opere, cor et disciplina interpretantur in sensu, quia nihil facere possumus, nisi prius, quae facienda sunt, scierimus. 10 Quinta conexio est "ex ipsis aeternum adiutorium." hoc explanatione non indiget et omni luce manifestius est ex scripturis aeterna subsidia ministrari. 11. Sexta conexio habet "fons" sive "oculus oris iustitiae" secundum illud, quod in tertio numero exposuimus. 12. Septima conexio est, quae et extrema, quo et in ipso quoque septenario numero sit mysticus intellectus, "vocatio capitis dentium signa." per dentes articulata vox promitur et his signis ad caput omnium, qui Christus est, pervenitur. 13. Oro te, quid hoc sacratius sacramento? quid hac voluptate iucundius? qui cibi, quae mella sunt dulciora dei scire prudentiam, in adyta eius intrare, sensum creatoris inspicere et sermones domini tui, qui ab huius mundi sapientibus deridentur, plenos docere sapientia spiritali! habeant sibi ceteri suas opes, gemma bibant, serico niteant, plausu populi delectentur et per varias voluptates divitias suas vincere nequeant: nostrae deliciae sint in lege domini meditari die ac nocte, pulsare ianuam non patentem, panes trinitatis accipere et saeculi fluctus domino praeeunte calcare. 14. Saluta Blesillam et Eustochium, tirunculas nostras; saluta Felicianen, vere carnis et spiritus virginitate felicem; saluta reliquum castitatis chorum et domesticam tuam ecclesiam, cui omnia, etiam quae tuta sunt, timeo, ne dormiente patre familias inimicus homo zizania superseminet. quamvis enim dicere audeant: ego civitas firma, civitas, quae obpugnatur, nullus hostili exercitu obsidente securus est. nemo, ut beatus Cyprianus ait, satis tutus periculo proximus. exemplar epistulae, si accipere voluerit "philoponotate" [Grk] nostra Marcella, tribuito et memento mei obsecrans, ut dominus Iesus conterat satanan sub pedibus nostris velociter.

Historical context:

This letter is in response to a session Paula and Jerome had just had studying the 118th psalm, in which she pressed him to write a commentary on the Hebrew letters inserted in it, so that she could consult it if she forgot anything.

Printed source:

Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Epistulae, ed. Isidorus Hilberg, 3 v. (New York: Johnson, 1970, repr.1910-18), ep.30

Date:

384