Direct my tongue, O Blessed Wisdom, that it may not depart from the truth until the end of my life. Warn me by Thy presence, that I may dread to utter a lie. Embolden it by Thy presence, that it may freely speak the truth.
The oath is the witness of the lie in the world. In the kingdom of truth the oath is unknown.
As many evil vapors rise from a deep pit, so from self-delusion proceed all sins, each according to its own color and its own smell.
From self-delusion came pride; from self-delusion, wrath; from self-delusion, the sin of the flesh; from self-delusion, deceit. Deceit has armed itself with the oath.
The lie swears by the truth, and thereby acknowledges truth as reality, and itself as a shadow. The lie does not swear by a lie, for nothing leans upon nothing. In its powerlessness the lie seeks support upon the truth. The more widespread the lie, the more widespread also the oath.
The oath humiliates a truthful man, and kills a lying man. Where the oath is multiplied, the lie is multiplied also. An erring mind always has an oath ready on the tongue. Lying eyes defend themselves with the tongue, but they cannot be defended. Whoever prepares deceit, prepares an oath also.
The sons of adultery are the swiftest forgers of lies and oaths. For adultery is in itself a lie, and a false oath.
The daughters of adultery call upon God as witness, and God withdraws from the courts of men, and by His absence drives all into the lie.
Direct my heart, O Blessed Wisdom, and my tongue will be directed.
Direct my mind, O Blessed Wisdom, and my tongue will be directed.
By Thy presence direct my soul, and my tongue will forget all oaths.
What is it worth, O my God, to be justified before men, and found guilty before Thee?
I will make my tongue slow, and turn it away from the oath, though I remain guilty before men.
Rightness before Thee fills the heart with joy. Rightness before men fills the heart with sorrow. O my God, I am Thy living oath, that Thou wilt be with me until the end. Better that I be at peace with Thee than with the world. Truly, war with the world is easier than war with Thee.
My God, my God, I am Thy living oath, that Thou wilt be with me until the end.