Leviticus 19:35

Posted on April 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 19:35 Nolite facere iniquum aliquid in iudicio, in regula, in pondere, in mensura.

Do not do anything unjust in judgment, in rule, in weight, in measure.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nolite do not 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
2 facere to do PRES.INF.ACT
3 iniquum unjust ACC.SG.N ADJ
4 aliquid anything ACC.SG.N INDEF.PRON
5 in in PREP+ABL
6 iudicio judgment ABL.SG.N 2ND DECL NOUN
7 in in PREP+ABL
8 regula rule ABL.SG.F 1ST DECL NOUN
9 in in PREP+ABL
10 pondere weight ABL.SG.N 3RD DECL NOUN
11 in in PREP+ABL
12 mensura measure ABL.SG.F 1ST DECL NOUN

Syntax

Main Prohibition: Nolite facere (negative imperative with complementary infinitive)

Object Phrase: iniquum aliquid (adjective + pronoun forming the accusative object of facere)

Domains of Application: in iudicio, in regula, in pondere, in mensura (repeated prepositional phrases with ablative specifying spheres of fairness)

Morphology

  1. Nolite — Lemma: nolo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present imperative active; Function: negative command governing an infinitive; Translation: do not; Notes: common construction for prohibitions with facere.
  2. facere — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: complementary infinitive with Nolite; Translation: to do; Notes: expresses the forbidden action in general terms.
  3. iniquum — Lemma: iniquus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: modifies aliquid; Translation: unjust; Notes: denotes what is unfair or morally wrong.
  4. aliquid — Lemma: aliquid; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: direct object of facere; Translation: anything; Notes: broadens the prohibition to every form of wrongdoing.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: indicates sphere or domain; Translation: in; Notes: frames the area where injustice must not occur.
  6. iudicio — Lemma: iudicium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative neuter singular second declension; Function: object of in; Translation: judgment; Notes: includes legal decisions and verdicts.
  7. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: indicates sphere; Translation: in; Notes: continues the list of domains.
  8. regula — Lemma: regula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative feminine singular first declension; Function: object of in; Translation: rule; Notes: can denote a measuring rule or standard for fairness.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: indicates sphere; Translation: in; Notes: introduces the next commercial domain.
  10. pondere — Lemma: pondus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative neuter singular third declension; Function: object of in; Translation: weight; Notes: relates to weights used in trade.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: indicates sphere; Translation: in; Notes: continues the repeated pattern for emphasis.
  12. mensura — Lemma: mensura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative feminine singular first declension; Function: object of in; Translation: measure; Notes: refers to volume or capacity measures, stressing honest commerce.

 

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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