Genesis 19:7

Posted on January 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 19:7 Nolite, quæso, fratres mei, nolite malum hoc facere.

“Do not, I beg you, my brothers, do not commit this evil.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nolite do not 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP (NEGATIVE COMMAND)
2 quæso I beg / I pray 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 fratres brothers VOC.PL.M
4 mei my VOC.PL.M.POSS.ADJ
5 nolite do not 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP (REPEATED)
6 malum evil / wrong ACC.SG.N
7 hoc this ACC.SG.N.DEM.PRON
8 facere to do / to commit PRES.ACT.INF

Syntax

Main Commands: Nolite … nolite facere — Two prohibitive imperatives from *nolo* (“not to wish”), meaning “do not.” The repetition heightens the urgency and emotional tone of Lot’s plea.
Interjection of Plea: quæso — A parenthetical insertion meaning “I beg” or “please,” expressing earnest supplication.
Vocative Address: fratres mei — “my brothers,” a conciliatory address to the townsmen, emphasizing kinship to appeal morally.
Infinitive Phrase: malum hoc facere — The infinitive “facere” serves as the complement to “nolite,” forming the prohibition “do not do this evil.” The demonstrative “hoc” specifies the immediate wrongdoing being prevented.

Morphology

  1. Nolite — Lemma: nolo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative, second person plural; Function: negative imperative; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Used with infinitive to form polite or urgent prohibitions in Latin.
  2. quæso — Lemma: quæso; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, first person singular; Function: interjection of request; Translation: “I beg / please”; Notes: Frequently used parenthetically to soften imperatives or appeals.
  3. fratres — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative plural masculine; Function: direct address; Translation: “brothers”; Notes: Reflects social appeal; Lot addresses the crowd with familiarity to dissuade violence.
  4. mei — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: vocative plural masculine; Function: modifies “fratres”; Translation: “my”; Notes: Adds tenderness and emotional weight to the address.
  5. nolite — Lemma: nolo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative, second person plural; Function: negative command; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis, heightening Lot’s emotional resistance.
  6. malum — Lemma: malum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of “facere”; Translation: “evil / wrong”; Notes: Refers to moral wrongdoing, not merely misfortune.
  7. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifier of “malum”; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the present act of wickedness being urged.
  8. facere — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: infinitive complement of “nolite”; Translation: “to do / to commit”; Notes: Completes the prohibition construction; expresses the act being forbidden.

 

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.
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