Genesis 4:13
And Cain said to the Lord: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon.
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The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Dixitque Cain ad Dominum : Major est iniquitas mea, quam ut veniam merear.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ εἶπεν Κάιν πρὸς τὸν κύριον Μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל יְהוָ֑ה גָּד֥וֹל עֲוֺנִ֖י מִנְּשֹֽׂא
Haydock's commentary
My iniquity, &c. Like Judas, Cain despairs. The Rabbins make him complain of the rigour of God's judgment, "My sin (or punishment) is too great to be borne." I must then be driven from the land of my nativity, from the society of my brethren and parents, from thy presence, for ever. Why do I then live? Let the first man I meet, kill me. (Liranus)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch, Homily XII
11. Again, in the case of Cain and Abel, the same proceeding is observable. For, in the first place, they set apart the fruits of their own labours to God. For we would shew not from his sin only, but also from his virtue, that man was capable of knowing both these things. Wherefore that man knew sin to be an evil thing, Adam manifested; and that he knew that virtue was a good thing, Abel again made evident. For without having learnt it from any one, without having heard any law promulgated respecting the first fruits, but having been taught from within, and from his conscience, he presented that sacrifice. …