14. Ps. cxliv. 7-15.
POLITICAL WRITINGS 335 ture calleth strange children, as though they were citizens not of Jerusalem, but of Babylon; for the Psalmist saith in a certain place, Lord, save me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity. For he goeth on and saith. Their sons are like strong young vine trees, their daughters polished like unto the temple: their garners are full and plenteous with all manner of store, their sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: their oxen are strong to labour, there is no decay, no leading into captivity, and no complaining in their streets. Is it sin then to enjoy such happiness as this? No: but to make it the right hand when it is the left. And therefore what goeth he on to say? They called the people blessed that are in such a case.^^ Behold how their mouth hath spoken vanity: they have called the people blessed that are in such a case. Thou indeed art a citizen of Jerusalem, who forgettest not Jerusalem, lest thy right hand forget thee: lo! they who have spoken vanity have called the people blessed who are in such a case; sing thou to me a song of Sion. Blessed, saith he, is the people that hath the Lord for their God. Ask your hearts, brethren, whether ye long for the good things of God, whether ye long for that city, Jerusalem, whether ye desire everlasting life. Let all that earthly happiness be to you on the left hand, let that be on the right which ye will have for ever: and, if ye have that which is left, presume not thereupon. Dost thou not chide him, who chooses to eat with the left hand? If thou thinkest that a wrong is done to thy table when a guest eats with the left, how can it but be a wrong to the Table
14. Ps. cxliv. 7-15.
336 ST. AUGUSTINE of God, if thou makest what is right to be left, and what is left, right? What then? // / forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget me. Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I remember not thee. That is let me be dumb, he saith, if
I remember not thee. For what word, what sound doth he utter, who uttereth not songs of Sion? That is our tongue, the song of Jerusalem. The song of the love of this worid is a strange tongue, a barbarous tongue, which we have learnt in our captivity. Dumb then will he be to God, who forgetteth Jerusalem. And it is not enough to remember: for her enemies too remember her, desiring to overthrow her. 'What is that city?' say they; 'who are the Christians? what sort of men are the Christians? would they were not Christians.' Now the captive band hath conquered its capturers; still they murmur, and rage, and desire to slay the holy city that dwells as a stranger among them; just as Pharaoh desired to destroy the people, when he slew the male children, and left the female: he strangled, that is, the virtues; the lusts he nurtured. Not enough then is it to remember: take heed how thou rememberest. For some things we remember in hate, some in love. And so, when he had said, // / forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget me: let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I remember not thee; he added at once, // / prefer not Jerusalem in the height of my joy. For there is the height of joy where we enjoy God, where we are safe of united brotherhood, and the union of citizenship. There no tempter shall assail us, no one be able so much as to urge us on to any allurement: there nought will delight us but good: there all want will die,