Judith 16:21
For he will give fire, and worms into their flesh, that they may burn, and may feel for ever.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Dabit enim ignem et vermes in carnes eorum, ut urantur et sentiant usque in sempiternum.
- Septuagint (Swete) shown from Judith 16:17
- οὐαὶ ἔθνεσιν ἐπανισταμένοις τῷ γένει μου· Κύριος Παντοκράτωρ ἐκδικήσει αὐτοὺς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, δοῦναι πῦρ καὶ σκώληκας εἰς σάρκας αὐτῶν, καὶ κλαύσονται ἐν αἰσθήσει ἕως αἰῶνος.
Haydock's commentary
Flesh, which is thus punished for ever, (St. Augustine, City of God xxv. 4.) while the soul is still more tormented with the loss of God's vision. (Worthington)
The bodies of those who persecute God's people, will not only be thrown out with ignominy, but the impenitent shall suffer eternal torments. These worms and fires do not cease. They are not merely figurative, but real, according to the Fathers. (Serarius, q. 1.) (Tirinus) (Essais de Mor.)
Though the damned have not yet their bodies, they are no less affected with pain; as people who have lost a member, often seem to feel pain in it. That our soul should even now suffer, when the body is hurt, depends on God's appointment. The Jews spoke of eternal torments in similar terms, Ecclesiasticus vii. 19., Isaias lxvi. 24., and Mark ix. 45.
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
The Apostolic Constitutions Book VIII. Concerning Gifts, and Ordinations, and the Ecclesiastical Canons, Sec. III. Ordination and Duties of the Clergy
XXV . And I Lebbæus, surnamed Thaddæus , make this constitution in regard to widows: A widow is not ordained; yet if she has lost her husband a great while, and has lived soberly and unblameably, and has taken extraordinary care of her family, as Judith and Anna, those women of great reputation, let her be chosen into the order of widows. But if she has lately lost her yokefellow, let her not be believed, but let her youth be judged of by the time; for the affections do sometimes grow aged with men, if they be not restrained by a better bridle .