Prelection
In this lesson, we will be studying Psalm 1 from the Latin Vulgate. This psalm is one of the sacred songs of the Old Testament, traditionally attributed to King David. Psalm 1 serves as a prologue to the entire Book of Psalms and presents a profound meditation on the contrast between the righteous and the wicked. The righteous person is described as one who delights in God’s law and meditates upon it day and night, flourishing like a well-watered tree that bears fruit in its season. The wicked, by contrast, are like chaff blown away by the wind, unable to stand in judgment or in the assembly of the just. This psalm is important for our studies because it teaches us the fundamental principle that righteousness brings stability and blessing, while wickedness leads to destruction and judgment. Through studying this psalm in Latin, we learn both the language of the Church and the timeless wisdom that has guided believers for nearly two thousand years—that our choices matter, that God knows the way of the righteous, and that the path of the wicked will perish.
Text
- Beatus vir, qui non abiit in consilio impiorum et in via peccatorum non stetit et in conventu derisorum non sedit,
- sed in lege Domini voluntas eius, et in lege eius meditatur die ac nocte.
- Et erit tamquam lignum plantatum secus decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo;
- et folium eius non defluet, et omnia, quaecumque faciet, prosperabuntur.
- Non sic impii, non sic, sed tamquam pulvis, quem proicit ventus.
- Ideo non consurgent impii in iudicio, neque peccatores in concilio iustorum.
- Quoniam novit Dominus viam iustorum, et iter impiorum peribit.
Exposition
- Beatus vir, qui non abiit in consilio impiorum et in via peccatorum non stetit et in conventu derisorum non sedit,
- Beatus: adj, nom, sing, masc = “blessed”
- vir: sub, nom, sing, masc = “man”
- qui: pron, nom, sing, masc = “who”
- non: adv = “not”
- abiit: verb, 3rd, sing, perf, ind, act = “he-went”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- consilio: sub, abl, sing, neut = “counsel”
- impiorum: adj, gen, pl, masc = “of-the-wicked”
- et: conj = “and”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- via: sub, abl, sing, fem = “way”
- peccatorum: sub, gen, pl, masc = “of-sinners”
- non: adv = “not”
- stetit: verb, 3rd, sing, perf, ind, act = “he-stood”
- et: conj = “and”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- conventu: sub, abl, sing, masc = “assembly”
- derisorum: sub, gen, pl, masc = “of-mockers”
- non: adv = “not”
- sedit: verb, 3rd, sing, perf, ind, act = “he-sat”
Translation: Blessed man, who not he-went in counsel of-the-wicked and in way of-sinners not he-stood and in assembly of-mockers not he-sat,
2. sed in lege Domini voluntas eius, et in lege eius meditatur die ac nocte.
- sed: conj = “but”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- lege: sub, abl, sing, fem = “law”
- Domini: sub, gen, sing, masc = “of-the-Lord”
- voluntas: sub, nom, sing, fem = “will”
- eius: pron, gen, sing, 3rd = “his”
- et: conj = “and”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- lege: sub, abl, sing, fem = “law”
- eius: pron, abl, sing, 3rd = “his”
- meditatur: verb, 3rd, sing, pres, ind, act = “he-meditates”
- die: sub, abl, sing, fem = “day”
- ac: conj = “and”
- nocte: sub, abl, sing, fem = “night”
Translation: but in law of-the-Lord will his, and in law his he-meditates day and night.
3. Et erit tamquam lignum plantatum secus decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo;
- Et: conj = “and”
- erit: verb, 3rd, sing, fut, ind, act = “he-will-be”
- tamquam: adv = “as-if”
- lignum: sub, nom, sing, neut = “tree”
- plantatum: adj, nom, sing, neut = “planted”
- secus: prep (acc) = “beside”
- decursus: sub, acc, sing, masc = “course”
- aquarum: sub, gen, pl, fem = “of-waters”
- quod: pron, nom, sing, neut = “which”
- fructum: sub, acc, sing, masc = “fruit”
- suum: adj, acc, sing, masc = “its”
- dabit: verb, 3rd, sing, fut, ind, act = “he-will-give”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- tempore: sub, abl, sing, neut = “time”
- suo: adj, abl, sing, neut = “its”
Translation: And he-will-be as-if tree planted beside course of-waters, which fruit its he-will-give in time its;
4. et folium eius non defluet, et omnia, quaecumque faciet, prosperabuntur.
- et: conj = “and”
- folium: sub, nom, sing, neut = “leaf”
- eius: pron, gen, sing, 3rd = “its”
- non: adv = “not”
- defluet: verb, 3rd, sing, fut, ind, act = “it-will-fall-away”
- et: conj = “and”
- omnia: adj, nom, pl, neut = “all-things”
- quaecumque: pron, nom, pl, neut = “whatever”
- faciet: verb, 3rd, sing, fut, ind, act = “he-will-do”
- prosperabuntur: verb, 3rd, pl, fut, ind, pass = “they-will-prosper”
Translation: and leaf its not it-will-fall-away, and all-things, whatever he-will-do, they-will-prosper.
5. Non sic impii, non sic, sed tamquam pulvis, quem proicit ventus.
- Non: adv = “not”
- sic: adv = “thus”
- impii: sub, nom, pl, masc = “the-wicked”
- non: adv = “not”
- sic: adv = “thus”
- sed: conj = “but”
- tamquam: adv = “as-if”
- pulvis: sub, nom, sing, masc = “dust”
- quem: pron, acc, sing, masc = “whom”
- proicit: verb, 3rd, sing, pres, ind, act = “he-casts”
- ventus: sub, nom, sing, masc = “wind”
Translation: Not thus the-wicked, not thus, but as-if dust, whom he-casts wind.
6. Ideo non consurgent impii in iudicio, neque peccatores in concilio iustorum.
- Ideo: adv = “therefore”
- non: adv = “not”
- consurgent: verb, 3rd, pl, fut, ind, act = “they-will-rise”
- impii: sub, nom, pl, masc = “the-wicked”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- iudicio: sub, abl, sing, neut = “judgment”
- neque: conj = “nor”
- peccatores: sub, nom, pl, masc = “sinners”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- concilio: sub, abl, sing, neut = “council”
- iustorum: adj, gen, pl, masc = “of-the-just”
Translation: Therefore not they-will-rise the-wicked in judgment, nor sinners in council of-the-just.
7. Quoniam novit Dominus viam iustorum, et iter impiorum peribit.
- Quoniam: conj = “because”
- novit: verb, 3rd, sing, perf, ind, act = “he-knows”
- Dominus: sub, nom, sing, masc = “Lord”
- viam: sub, acc, sing, fem = “way”
- iustorum: adj, gen, pl, masc = “of-the-just”
- et: conj = “and”
- iter: sub, nom, sing, neut = “path”
- impiorum: adj, gen, pl, masc = “of-the-wicked”
- peribit: verb, 3rd, sing, fut, ind, act = “it-will-perish”
Translation: Because he-knows Lord way of-the-just, and path of-the-wicked it-will-perish.
Idiomatic Translation
An idiomatic translation expresses the meaning of the original text in natural, fluent English, rather than translating word-for-word. Note that an idiomatic translation requires interpretation and may include the addition of auxiliary (helping) words that are not present in the original text. Idiomatic translations are always subject to disputation.
- Blessed (is the) man who has not gone in (the) counsel of the wicked and has not stood in (the) way of sinners and has not sat in (the) assembly of mockers,
- but (rather) his will (is) in (the) law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night.
- And he will be like a tree planted beside (the) course of waters, which will give its fruit in its (proper) time;
- and its leaf will not fall away, and all things, whatever he will do, will prosper.
- Not so (with) the wicked, not so, but (they are) like dust, which the wind casts (away).
- Therefore the wicked will not rise in judgment, nor (will) sinners (rise) in (the) council of the just.
- Because the Lord knows the way of the just, and the path of the wicked will perish.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have studied Psalm 1 from the Latin Vulgate. In the Prelection, we learned of the historical context and significance of this Psalm. We studied a literal translation of every word of the Latin text and an idiomatic translation. Now, it is time for you to study this lesson for mastery and demonstrate that mastery using the graded assessments provided in the course.
If you have questions or need help, please contact us through the Academy website at classicalliberalarts.com. I hope that this lesson has been helpful.
May God bless your studies,
Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.
