Judging Rightly

Et factum est verbum Domini ad Zachariam, dicens: Haec ait Dominus exercituum, dicens: Judicium verum judicate, et misericordiam et miserationes facite, unusquisque cum fratre suo. Et viduam, et pupillum, et advenam, et pauperem nolite calumniari: et malum vir fratri suo non cogitet in corde suo. Et noluerunt attendere, et averterunt scapulam recedentem, et aures suas aggravaverunt ne audirent. Et cor suum posuerunt ut adamantem, ne audirent legem, et verba quæ misit Dominus exercituum in spiritu suo per manum prophetarum priorum: et facta est indignatio magna a Domino exercituum. Et factum est sicut locutus est, et non audierunt: sic clamabunt et non exaudiam, dicit Dominus exercituum. Et dispersi eos per omnia regna quæ nesciunt: et terra desolata est ab eis, eo quod non esset transiens et revertens: et posuerunt terram desiderabilem in desertum. LXX: Et factus est sermo Domini ad Zachariam dicens: Haec dicit Dominus omnipotens, dicens: Judicium justum judicate, et misericordiam et miserationem faciat unusquisque ad fratrem suum: et viduam, et pupillum, et pauperem non opprimatis: et malitiae unusquisque fratris sui nolite meminisse in cordibus vestris. Et noluerunt attendere, et dederunt dorsum contemnens: et aures suas aggravaverunt, ut non audirent: et cor suum posuerunt inobediens, ut non audirent legem meam, et verba mea quae misit Dominus omnipotens in spiritu suo, in manibus prophetarum priorum. Et facta est ira magna a Domino omnipotente, et erit sicut dixi, et non audierunt eum. Sic clamabunt, et non exaudiam eos, dicit Dominus omnipotens: et ejiciam eos in omnes gentes quas ignoraverunt: et terra desolata est post eos a perambulante et revertente, et posuerunt terram electam in solitudinem. Haec magis volui, ista quaesivi, quae non facientes, captivitati estis traditi; et non desolationis ac mortis quinti mensis septimique jejunium. Justum judicium judicate, ne audiatis in Psalmis: Usquequo judicatis iniquitatem, et personas peccatorum sumitis? Judicate pupillo et viduae: humilem et pauperem justificate, ne vobis quoque loquatur Isaias: Qui justificant impium propter munera: et quod justum est justo auferunt: et propter vos Abaccuc ex persona eorum qui opprimuntur, Deo faciat invidiam: Contra me factum est judicium, et judex accipit: ideo dissipata est lex, et non pervenit usque ad finem judicium, quia impius opprimit justum. Nec novum putemus Dei esee praeceptum, olim per Moysen ista mandaverat: Sic magnum judicabis ut parvum: personam non accipies, et pauperis non misereberis in judicio: quoniam Dei judicium est. Misericordiam quoque et miserationes faciet unusquisque cum fratre suo. Post judicii serveritatem sequatur in cunctos clementia, et maxime in fratres, quos vel ejusdem sanguinis, vel unius nobiscum fidei esse perspicimus. Viduam quoque et pupillum, de quibus nobis praeceptum est: Esto pupillis pater, et pro viro matri eorum; judicans pupillum, et justificans viduam. Et advenam et pauperem nolite calumniari, quia alterum peregrinatio, alterum egestas humilem facit. Et malum vir fratri suo non cogitet in corde suo, sive ut a Septuaginta dicitur: Et malitiae unusquisque fratris sui non meminerit in cordibus suis. Fratrem autem et proximum, vel omne hominum genus debemus accipere; quia ex uno sumus parente generati, vel eos qui domestici fidei sunt, juxta parabolam Evangelii, quae proximum non consanguineum, sed omnes homines vult intelligi. Quod autem ante debeat ira finiri, quam sol occumbat, et omnium malorum quae ab liis passi sumus, deleri memoria, et in multis locis legimus, et maxime in Jeremia, qui ex persona Dei loquitur: Et malitiae proximi sui unusquisque in cordibus vestris ne memineritis. Cum ego ista praeceperim, illi attendere noluerunt, et verterunt scapulam recedentem, sive dorsum contemnens, ex habitu corporis mea imperia respuentes. Solemus enim quando rugata fronte, et nare contracta contemnimus admonentes, dorsum vertere, juxta illud quod scriptum est: Verterunt ad me dorsa, et non facies suas. Sanctus Hieronymous, Commentariorum In Zachariam Prophetam, Liber II Cap VII Source: Migne PL 25.1461a-1462b

The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: Judge with true judgement, and show mercy and compassion, each one to his brother. Do not speak ill of the widow, the orphan, the  migrant and the poor man. Let a man not think evil of his brother in his heart. And they did not listen. They turned their shoulders away, they made their ears deaf lest they hear, they hardened their hearts to adamant lest they hear the Law, even the words which the Lord of hosts sent with His spirit through the works of the prophets in times before, and the indignation of the Lord of hosts was great. And it was done as said, they did not hear. So when they called out I do not attend to them, says the Lord of hosts. So it was I scattered them thourgh every land they did not know, and their land was made desolate because of them, a place were no one came or went, for they made a land so fair a waste. The Septuagint has: 'The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: Judge with true judgement, and show mercy and compassion, each one to his brother. Do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the migrant and the poor man, and let no one be mindful of the wickedness of his brother in his heart. And they did not hear, and they gave their backs to scorn, and they made deaf  their ears so they did not hear and they fixed their hearts in disobedience that they not hear my Law, and even the words which the Almighty Lord sent with His spirit through the hands of the prophets in times before. And the anger of the Almighty Lord was great, and it shall be as I have said, and they did not hear him. So they shall cry out, and I shall not hear them, says the Lord Almighty. I shall cast them out among all the people they do not know, and the land will be desolate because of them, for he who comes and goes, they who have made the chosen land a waste.' 1 These things I wished for, these things I sought, and because they were not done, you were handed over to captivity, and not to the desolation and mortification of the fifth and seven month fasts. 2 Judge justly lest you hear as in the Psalm: 'How long will you judge for wickedness, and put on the mask of the sinner? Judge for the orphan and the widow, justify the humble and the poor.' 3 Lest Isaiah also say to you: 'They who justify the wicked for gifts, and strip justice from the righteous man,' 4 and because of you, Habakkuk, in the person of those who are oppressed, shall speak their grievance to God, 'Judgement was made against me, and the judge received it, therefore the law is flouted, and there is no coming to true judgement, because the wicked oppress the righteous.' 5 Nor think this is a new teaching of God, that which was once commanded through Moses: 'So you shall judge the great as the small, you shall not be in awe of persons, and the poor you shall not  indulge in judgement, because it is the judgement of God.' 6 Also let everyone be merciful and compassionate with his brother. After the severity of judgement let clemency follow for all, and especially brothers, who are of your same blood, or who we see to be of the same faith with us. Also with the widow and orphan concerning which we are commanded: 'Be a father to orphans and a husband to their mother, judging for the orphan and justifying the widow.' 7 And do not speak ill of the migrant and the poor man, because you were once wanderers and you were once made needy by want. 8 And let a man not think evil of his brother in his heart, or as the Septuagint says, 'Let no one be mindful of the wickedness of his brother in his heart.' And for 'brother' we should understand a neighbour and every type of man, because we are all descended from one parent, or they are the servants of the faith, according to the parable of the Gospel, that wishes a neighbour to be understood not by blood relation but as all men. But let anger cease before the sun sets, 9 and let us suffer every evil from men, ridding ourselves of the memory of it, as we read in many places, and especially in Jeremiah, who in the person of God says: 'Let no one have the memory of a neighbour's wickedness in his heart.' 10 But when I commanded this, they were unwilling to attend, and they turned their shoulders away, or they scorned me with their backs, disregarding my teaching by a gesture of the body. For we are accustomed to ignore admonishments with the brow furrowed, and the nostrils narrowed, and with the back turned, according to which it is written: 'They turned their backs on me, and not their faces.' 11 Saint Jerome, Commentary on The Prophet Zechariah, Book 2, Chapter 7 1 Zech 7.8-14 2 Zech 7.5 3 Ps 81.2-3 4 Isaiah 5.23 5 Hab 1.3-4 6 Deut 1.17 7 Sirach 4.10 8 Deut 10.19 9 Lk 10.25-37, Ephes 4.26 10 cf Jerem 31.34 11 Jerem 2.27