Ex 20:14 Non mœchaberis.
You shall not commit adultery.
| # |
Latin |
Gloss |
Grammar Tag |
| 1 |
Non |
not |
ADV INDECL |
| 2 |
mœchaberis |
you shall commit adultery |
2SG.FUT.PASS.IND |
Syntax
Main clause: Non mœchaberis — a complete negative prohibition.
Verb: mœchaberis is future indicative passive, used idiomatically in legal formulae to express an absolute command (“you shall not…”).
Adverb: Non negates the entire verbal idea.
Morphology
- Non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable negative adverb; Function: negates the verb mœchaberis; Translation: “not”; Notes: Standard Latin negator in prohibitions.
- mœchaberis — Lemma: mœchor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent in Classical Latin; here treated with passive morphology); Form: second person singular future passive indicative; Function: main verb expressing a legal prohibition; Translation: “you shall commit adultery”; Notes: Future indicative in the Decalogue functions as an absolute legislative command.
About Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus
Born around 346 A.D. in Stridon, St. Jerome was a scholar fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew whose ascetic discipline and deep engagement with Scripture prepared him for a monumental task: translating the Bible into Latin. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382 A.D., Jerome began by revising the flawed Old Latin Gospels, then expanded his work to the entire Bible. For the New Testament, he corrected Latin texts using Greek manuscripts; for the Old Testament, he translated most books directly from Hebrew—a controversial but principled choice. His final Psalter, however, followed the Greek Septuagint tradition for liturgical use. This composite translation, later known as the Vulgate (editio vulgata), became the authoritative biblical text of the Western Church, formally endorsed at the Council of Trent in 1546.
The Vulgate’s influence extends beyond theology into textual criticism and Latin education. As one of the earliest translations grounded in original-language scholarship, it offers a vital witness to the state of biblical texts in late antiquity. Jerome’s lexical and syntactic decisions are studied to trace manuscript history and assess variant readings. Its elegant Latin, consistent in grammar and rich in vocabulary, became a model for medieval and Renaissance learning, bridging classical and ecclesiastical Latin. More than a translation, the Vulgate helped define Christian doctrine, preserved the Latin language, and laid essential groundwork for the critical study of Scripture—remaining indispensable to students of Latin, theology, and textual history.