Ps 139 v11: Punishment and repentance

Verse 11 of Psalm 139 is a warning to evilders.

 

11	V	Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.
	OR	cadent super eos carbones ignis in ignem deicies eos in miseriis non subsistent
	NV	Cadant super eos carbones ignis, in foveas deicias eos, et non exsurgant.
	Pian	Pluat super eos carbones ignitos; In foveam deiciat eos, ne resurgant.
	JH	Cadent super eos carbones ignis; deicies eos in foueas, ut non consurgant.
	Sept	πεσοῦνται ἐ{P'} αὐτοὺς ἄνθρακες ἐν πυρὶ καταβαλεῖςαὐτούς ἐν ταλαιπωρίαις οὐ μὴ ὑποστῶσιν

 [Abbreviations: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

Looking at the Latin

Phrase by phrase

 The Vulgate and Douay-Rheims translations are arranged phrase by phrase below:

Cadent super  eos carbónes, in ignem  dejícies eos:   in misériis  non subsístent.

shall fall upon them; Burning coals  into the fire thou wilt cast them down :  in miseries  they shall not be able to stand.

 Word by word:

Cadent (they will fall) super (on) eos (them) carbónes (coals), in ignem (in the fire) dejícies (you will cast/throw) eos (them): in misériis (in miseries/wretchedness) non (not) subsístent (they will endure).

Key vocabulary:

cado, cecidi, casum, ere 3  to fall, esp. in battle; to bow down, fall down, prostrate one's self; to happen, fall, befall.

carbo, onis, m., coal, charcoal; burning or glowing coals.

ignis, is, m. fire; lightning

dejicio jeci jectum ere 3 to cast, throw or hurl down

miseria, ae, f. misery, wretchedness

subsisto ere stiti 3 to exist, last, remain, endure

Calling on God to smite them?

 Although the older Latin versions make the verb future tense (cadent), the Masoretic Text can readily be trnaslated as subjunctive, hence cadant (in the Neo-Vulgate) or pluat (Pian).  The rest of the phrase too, is slightly softer in the Vulgate, enabling the Fathers to interpret the verse as a call to repentance, rather than inviting everlasting final condemnation:

DR	Burning coals shall fall upon them; thou wilt cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
Brenton	Coals of fire shall fall upon them on the earth; and thou shalt cast them down in afflictions: they shall not bear up [under them].
MD	Burning coals shall fall upon them, cast them into the fire, let them perish miserably.
RSV	Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into pits, no more to rise!
Cover	Let hot burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire, and into the pit, that they never rise up again.
Knox	let burning coals rain down on them, be they cast into a pit whence they shall rise no more
Grail	Let coals of fire rain upon them. Let them be flung in the abyss, no more to rise.

[Abbreviations: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

The fires of hell

The obvious, literal, meaning of the verse is that those who do evil will eventually be punished, cast down into hell, and suffering coals raining down on them.

It is a salutary reminder: although unpopular in our time, cultivating a fear of hell is an important part of our spiritual armory, as St Benedict's Rule reminds us, instructing us to 'dread hell' (RB 4).

Salutary remorse

The Latin Fathers, though, refelcting the slightly softer version of the verse in the Vulgate, also interpreted this verse as a reference to repentance in this life: in this take on it, the burning coals are the pricks of conscience that tell us that we have done wrong, and cause us to weep bitter tears for our sins.  St Cassiodorus, for example, commented that:

Coals of fire are the tortures of repentance. Such fire springs from a shower of tears; as was said in Psalm 119: The sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals that lay waste.' Initially grievous remorse falls upon them, and subsequently they are cast into the fire when through the Lord's pity they are ignited by the flame of charity; and though they have long lived in quite idle tepidity, they begin to glow with holy works. The outcome for them is that they do not remain in their miseries, since through God's kindness they are trans­ported to the side of the good.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

You can find the next set of verse by verse notes here.