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Objection 1: It would seem unlawful to curse anyone. For it is
unlawful to disregard the command of the Apostle in whom Christ
spoke, according to 2 Cor. 13:3. Now he commanded (Rm.
12:14), "Bless and curse not." Therefore it is not lawful to
curse anyone.
Objection 2: Further, all are bound to bless God, according to
Dan. 3:82, "O ye sons of men, bless the Lord." Now the
same mouth cannot both bless God and curse man, as proved in the third
chapter of James. Therefore no man may lawfully curse another man.
Objection 3: Further, he that curses another would seem to wish him
some evil either of fault or of punishment, since a curse appears to be
a kind of imprecation. But it is not lawful to wish ill to anyone,
indeed we are bound to pray that all may be delivered from evil.
Therefore it is unlawful for any man to curse.
Objection 4: Further, the devil exceeds all in malice on account of
his obstinacy. But it is not lawful to curse the devil, as neither is
it lawful to curse oneself; for it is written (Ecclus.
21:30): "While the ungodly curseth the devil, he curseth his
own soul." Much less therefore is it lawful to curse a man.
Objection 5: Further, a gloss on Num. 23:8, "How shall I
curse whom God hath not cursed?" says: "There cannot be a just
cause for cursing a sinner if one be ignorant of his sentiments." Now
one man cannot know another man's sentiments, nor whether he is cursed
by God. Therefore no man may lawfully curse another.
On the contrary, It is written (Dt. 27:26): "Cursed be he
that abideth not in the words of this law." Moreover Eliseus cursed
the little boys who mocked him (4 Kgs. 2:24).
I answer that, To curse [maledicere] is the same as to speak ill
[malum dicere]. Now "speaking" has a threefold relation to the
thing spoken. First, by way of assertion, as when a thing is
expressed in the indicative mood: in this way "maledicere" signifies
simply to tell someone of another's evil, and this pertains to
backbiting, wherefore tellers of evil [maledici] are sometimes called
backbiters. Secondly, speaking is related to the thing spoken, by
way of cause, and this belongs to God first and foremost, since He
made all things by His word, according to Ps. 32:9, "He spoke
and they were made"; while secondarily it belongs to man, who, by
his word, commands others and thus moves them to do something: it is
for this purpose that we employ verbs in the imperative mood.
Thirdly, "speaking" is related to the thing spoken by expressing the
sentiments of one who desires that which is expressed in words; and for
this purpose we employ the verb in the optative mood.
Accordingly we may omit the first kind of evil speaking which is by way
of simple assertion of evil, and consider the other two kinds. And
here we must observe that to do something and to will it are consequent
on one another in the matter of goodness and wickedness, as shown above
(FS, Question 20, Article 3). Hence in these two ways of
evil speaking, by way of command and by way of desire, there is the
same aspect of lawfulness and unlawfulness, for if a man commands or
desires another's evil, as evil, being intent on the evil itself,
then evil speaking will be unlawful in both ways, and this is what is
meant by cursing. On the other hand if a man commands or desires
another's evil under the aspect of good, it is lawful; and it may be
called cursing, not strictly speaking, but accidentally, because the
chief intention of the speaker is directed not to evil but to good.
Now evil may be spoken, by commanding or desiring it, under the
aspect of a twofold good. Sometimes under the aspect of just, and
thus a judge lawfully curses a man whom he condemns to a just penalty:
thus too the Church curses by pronouncing anathema. In the same way
the prophets in the Scriptures sometimes call down evils on sinners,
as though conforming their will to Divine justice, although such like
imprecation may be taken by way of foretelling. Sometimes evil is
spoken under the aspect of useful, as when one wishes a sinner to
suffer sickness or hindrance of some kind, either that he may himself
reform, or at least that he may cease from harming others.
Reply to Objection 1: The Apostle forbids cursing strictly so
called with an evil intent: and the same answer applies to the Second
Objection.
Reply to Objection 3: To wish another man evil under the aspect of
good, is not opposed to the sentiment whereby one wishes him good
simply, in fact rather is it in conformity therewith.
Reply to Objection 4: In the devil both nature and guilt must be
considered. His nature indeed is good and is from God nor is it
lawful to curse it. On the other hand his guilt is deserving of being
cursed, according to Job 3:8, "Let them curse it who curse the
day." Yet when a sinner curses the devil on account of his guilt,
for the same reason he judges himself worthy of being cursed; and in
this sense he is said to curse his own soul.
Reply to Objection 5: Although the sinner's sentiments cannot be
perceived in themselves, they can be perceived through some manifest
sin, which has to be punished. Likewise although it is not possible
to know whom God curses in respect of final reprobation, it is
possible to know who is accursed of God in respect of being guilty of
present sin.
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