Ecclesiasticus 59:14

Nova Vulgata

Et conversum est retrorsum iudicium, et iustitia longe stat, quia corruit in platea veritas, et aequitas non potuit ingredi.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Et conversum est retrorsum judicium, et justitia longe stetit, quia corruit in platea veritas et æquitas non potuit ingredi.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Et conversum est retrorsum judicium,
et justitia longe stetit,
quia corruit in platea veritas,
et æquitas non potuit ingredi.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Isaiah 59:4, Isaiah 5:23, Isaiah 10:1, Isaiah 10:2, Psalms 82:2-5, Ecclesiastes 3:16, Jeremiah 5:27, Jeremiah 5:28, Jeremiah 5:31, Amos 5:7, Amos 5:11, Micah 3:9-11, Micah 7:3-5, Habakkuk 1:4, Zephaniah 3:1-3

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:21 - men Psalms 60:4 - because Proverbs 18:5 - to overthrow Isaiah 59:8 - no Jeremiah 5:1 - that seeketh Jeremiah 7:28 - truth Daniel 8:12 - and it cast Amos 6:12 - for Matthew 12:34 - how

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off,.... Jarchi interprets this of the vengeance of God, and his righteousness in his judgments, not immediately executed; but it is to be understood of the want of judgment and justice being done among men; and therefore are represented as persons turned back, and standing afar off, rejected, neglected, and discouraged. The Targum renders it,

"they that do judgment are turned back, and they that do justice stand afar off;''

having none to take their parts, but everyone opposing them: this may respect both the want of judgment and justice in courts of judicature; no regard being had to right and wrong; no true judgment being given, or justice done, in any cause; but both banished from the bench: and also in the churches of Christ, or, however, under a profession of his name, where there is no judgment in doctrines, or discerning between truth and error; and no justice inflicted on delinquents according to the rules of Christ; no order nor discipline observed in his house; these are dismissed and discarded:

for truth is fallen in the street; where it used to be preached, exalted, established, and confirmed; but now thrown down and trampled upon, and few or none to help it up, and stand by it; and though it may have some secret well wishers, yet very few, if any, public advocates for it:

and equity cannot enter; either into civil courts, or Christian congregations; the doing of that which is just and right between man and man in things civil; and between Christian and Christian in things religious; or that which is right according to the word of God; can find no place, or cannot be admitted into assemblies that are called by his name. The Targum is,

"they that do truth stumble in the street; and they that exercise faith cannot be made manifest;''

such as are on the side of truth, in the service of it, cannot stand their ground through the violence of their opposers; and those that are faithful, and abide by the doctrine of faith, are forced to hide themselves, and cannot appear in the vindication of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And judgment is turned away backward - The word ‘judgment’ is not used, as in Isaiah 59:9, to denote the divine interposition to avenge and deliver them, but it is used in the sense of justice, or lust decisions between man and man. The verse contains a further confession of the evil of their course of life; and, among other things, they acknowledged that they had been unjust in their legal decisions. They had been influenced by partiality and by bribes; they had condemned the innocent, they had acquitted the guilty. Judgment had thus been lumped back by their sins when it seemed to be approaching and entering the city.

And justice standeth afar off - This is a beautiful figure. justice is represented as standing at a distance from the city. Deterred by their sins, it would not enter. They prevented its approach, and it was unknown among them.

For truth is fallen in the street - Or rather, perhaps, in the gate - the place where justice was administered. The language here is all taken from courts of justice, and the idea is, that there was no justice in their decisions, but that their courts were unprincipled and corrupt.

And equity cannot enter - It stood at a distance, and the impenetrable mass of guilt effectually prevented its approach to the capital.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 59:14. Justice standeth afar off — צדקה tsedakah, righteousness, put here, says Kimchi, for alms to the poor. This casts some light on Matthew 6:1: "Take heed that you do not your alms," ελεημοσυνην. But the best copies have δικαιοσυνην, righteousness; the former having been inserted in the text at first merely as the explanation of the genuine and original word.