tongue。　Now；　whatever　is　done　with　the　tongue　against　a　fellow…man　God
  would　have　prohibited；　whether　it　be　false　preachers　with　their
  doctrine　and　blasphemy；　false　judges　and　witnesses　with　their　verdict；
  or　outside　of　court　by　lying　and　evil…speaking。　Here　belongs
  particularly　the　detestable；　shameful　vice　of　speaking　behind　a
  person's　back　and　slandering；　to　which　the　devil　spurs　us　on　and　of
  which　there　would　be　much　to　be　said。　For　it　is　a　common　evil　plague
  that　every　one　prefers　hearing　evil　to　hearing　good　of　his　neighbor；
  and　although　we　ourselves　are　so　bad　that　we　cannot　suffer　that　any　one
  should　say　anything　bad　about　us；　but　every　one　would　much　rather　that
  all　the　world　should　speak　of　him　in　terms　of　gold；　yet　we　cannot　bear
  that　the　best　is　spoken　about　others。
  Therefore；　to　avoid　this　vice　we　should　note　that　no　one　is　allowed
  publicly　to　judge　and　reprove　his　neighbor；　although　he　may　see　him
  sin；　unless　he　have　a　command　to　judge　and　to　reprove。　For　there　is　a
  great　difference　between　these　two　things；　judging　sin　and　knowing　sin。
  You　may　indeed　know　it；　but　you　are　not　to　judge　it。　I　can　indeed　see
  and　hear　that　my　neighbor　sins；　but　I　have　no　command　to　report　it　to
  others。　Now；　if　I　rush　in；　judging　and　passing　sentence；　I　fall　into　a
  sin　which　is　greater　than　his。　But　if　you　know　it；　do　nothing　else
  than　turn　your　ears　into　a　grave　and　cover　it；　until　you　are　appointed
  to　be　judge　and　to　punish　by　virtue　of　your　office。
  Those；　then；　are　called　slanderers　who　are　not　content　with　knowing　a
  thing；　but　proceed　to　assume　jurisdiction；　and　when　they　know　a　slight
  offense　of　another；　carry　it　into　every　corner；　and　are　delighted　and
  tickled　that　they　can　stir　up　another's　displeasure　＇baseness＇；　as
  swine　roll　themselves　in　the　dirt　and　root　in　it　with　the　snout。　This
  is　nothing　else　than　meddling　with　the　judgment　and　office　of　God；　and
  pronouncing　sentence　and　punishment　with　the　most　severe　verdict。　For
  no　judge　can　punish　to　a　higher　degree　nor　go　farther　than　to　say：　〃He
  is　a　thief；　a　murderer；　a　traitor；〃　etc。　Therefore；　whoever　presumes　to
  say　the　same　of　his　neighbor　goes　just　as　far　as　the　emperor　and　all
  governments。　For　although　you　do　not　wield　the　sword；　you　employ　your
  poisonous　tongue　to　the　shame　and　hurt　of　your　neighbor。
  God　therefore　would　have　it　prohibited　that　any　one　speak　evil　of
  another　even　though　he　be　guilty；　and　the　latter　know　it　right　well；
  much　less　if　he　do　not　know　it；　and　have　it　only　from　hearsay。　But　you
  say：　Shall　I　not　say　it　if　it　be　the　truth？　Answer：　Why　do　you　not　make
  accusation　to　regular　judges？　Ah；　I　cannot　prove　it　publicly；　and　hence
  I　might　be　silenced　and　turned　away　in　a　harsh　manner　＇incur　the
  penalty　of　a　false　accusation＇。　〃Ah；　indeed；　do　you　smell　the　roast？〃
  If　you　do　not　trust　yourself　to　stand　before　the　proper　authorities　and
  to　make　answer；　then　hold　your　tongue。　But　if　you　know　it；　know　it　for
  yourself　and　not　for　another。　For　if　you　tell　it　to　others；　although　it
  be　true；　you　will　appear　as　a　liar；　because　you　cannot　prove　it；　and
  you　are；　besides　acting　like　a　knave。　For　we　ought　never　to　deprive　any
  one　of　his　honor　or　good　name　unless　it　be　first　taken　away　from　him
  publicly。
  False　witness；　then；　is　everything　which　cannot　be　properly　proved。
  Therefore；　what　is　not　manifest　upon　sufficient　evidence　no　one　shall
  make　public　or　declare　for　truth；　and　in　short；　whatever　is　secret
  should　be　allowed　to　remain　secret；　or；　at　any　rate；　should　be　secretly
  reproved；　as　we　shall　hear。　Therefore；　if　you　encounter　an　idle　tongue
  which　betrays　and　slanders　some　one；　contradict　such　a　one　promptly　to
  his　face；　that　he　may　blush　thus　many　a　one　will　hold　his　tongue　who
  else　would　bring　some　poor　man　into　bad　repute　from　which　he　would　not
  easily　extricate　himself。　For　honor　and　a　good　name　are　easily　taken
  away；　but　not　easily　restored。
  Thus　you　see　that　it　is　summarily　forbidden　to　speak　any　evil　of　our
  neighbor；　however　the　civil　government；　preachers；　father　and　mother
  excepted；　on　the　understanding　that　this　commandment　does　not　allow
  evil　to　go　unpunished。　Now；　as　according　to　the　Fifth　Commandment　no
  one　is　to　be　injured　in　body；　and　yet　Master　Hannes　＇the　executioner＇
  is　excepted；　who　by　virtue　of　his　office　does　his　neighbor　no　good；　but
  only　evil　and　harm；　and　nevertheless　does　not　sin　against　God's
  commandment；　because　God　has　on　His　own　account　instituted　that　office；
  for　He　has　reserved　punishment　for　His　own　good　pleasure；　as　He
  threatens　in　the　First　Commandment；　　just　so　also；　although　no　one
  has　a　right　in　his　own　person　to　judge　and　condemn　anybody；　yet　if　they
  to　whose　office　it　belongs　fail　to　do　it；　they　sin　as　well　as　he　who
  would　do　so　of　his　own　accord；　without　such　office。　For　here　necessity
  requires　one　to　speak　of　the　evil；　to　prefer　charges；　to　investigate
  and　testify；　and　it　is　not　different　from　the　case　of　a　physician　who
  is　sometimes　compelled　to　examine　and　handle　the　patient　whom　he　is　to
  cure　in　secret　parts。　Just　so　governments；　father　and　mother；　brothers
  and　sisters；　and　other　good　friends；　are　under　obligation　to　each　other
  to　reprove　evil　wherever　it　is　needful　and　profitable。
  But　the　true　way　in　this　matter　would　be　to　observe　the　order
  according　to　the　Gospel；　Matt。　18；　15；　where　Christ　says：　If　thy
  brother　shall　trespass　against　thee；　go　and　tell　him　his　fault　between
  thee　and　him　alone。　Here　you　have　a　precious　and　excellent　teaching　for
  governing　well　the　tongue；　which　is　to　be　carefully　observed　against
  this　detestable　misuse。　Let　this；　then；　be　your　rule；　that　you　do　not
  too　readily　spread　evil　concerning　your　neighbor　and　slander　him　to
  others；　but　admonish　him　privately　that　he　may　amend　＇his　life＇。
  Likewise；　also；　if　some　one　report　to　you　what　this　or　that　one　has
  done；　teach　him；　too；　to　go　and　admonish　him　personally　if　he　have　seen
  it　himself；　but　if　not；　that　he　hold　his　tongue。
  The　same　you　can　learn　also　from　the　daily　government　of　the
  household。　For　when　the　master　of　the　house　sees　that　the　servant　does
  not　do　what　he　ought；　he　admonishes　him　personally。　But　if　he　were　so
  foolish　as　to　let　the　servant　sit　at　home；　and　went　on　the　streets　to
  complain　of　him　to　his　neighbors；　he　would　no　doubt　be　told：　〃You　fool；
  what　does　that　concern　us？　Why　do　you　not　tell　it　to　him　？〃　Behold；
  that　would　be　acting　quite　brotherly；　so　that　the　evil　would　be　stayed；
  and　your　neighbor　would　retain　his　honor。　As　Christ　also　says　in　the
  same　place：　If　he　hear　thee；　thou　host　gained　thy　brother。　Then　you
  have　done　a　great　and　excellent　work；　for　do　you　think　it　is　a　little
  matter　to　gain　a　brother？　Let　all　monks　and　holy　orders　step　forth；
  with　all　their　works　melted　together　into　one　mass；　and　see　if　they
  can　boast　that　they　have　gained　a　brother。
  Further；　Christ　teaches：　But　if　he　will　not　hear　thee；　then　take　with
  thee　one　or　two　more；　that　in　the　mouth　of　two　or　three　witnesses　every
  word　may　be　established。　So　he　whom　it　concerns　is　always　to　be　treated
  with　personally；　and　not　to　be　spoken　of　without　his　knowledge。　But　if
  that　do　not　avail；　then　bring　it　publicly　before　the　community；　whether
  before　the　civil　or　the　ecclesiastical　tribunal。　For　then　you　do　not
  stand　alone；　but　you　have　those　witnesses　with　you　by　whom　you　can
  convict　the　guilty　one；　relying　on　whom　the　judge　can　pronounce
  sentence　and　punish。　This　is　the　right　and　regular　course　for　checking
  and　reforming　a　wicked　person。　But　if　we　gossip　about　another　in　all
  corners　and　stir　the　filth；　no　one　will　be　reformed；　and　afterwards
  when　we　are　to　stand　up　and　bear　witness；　we　deny　having　said　so。
  Therefore　it　would　serve　such　tongues　right　if　their　itch　for　slander
  were　severely　punished；　as　a　warning　to　others。　If　you　were　acting　for
  your　neighbor's　reformation　or　from　love　of　the　truth；　you　would　not
  sneak　about　secretly　nor　shun　the　day　and　the　light。
  All　this　has　been　said　regarding　secret　sins。　But　where　the　sin　is
  quite　public　so　that　the　judge　and　everybody　know　it　you　can　without
  any　sin　avoid　him　and　let　him　go；　because　he　has　brought　himself　into
  disgrace；　and　you　may　also　publicly　testify　concerning　him。　For　when　a
  matter　is　public　in　the　light　of　day；　there　can　be　no　slandering　or
  false　judging　or　testifying；　as；　when　we　now　reprove　the　Pope　with　his
  doctrine；　which　is　publicly　set　forth　in　books　and　proclaimed　in　all
  the　world。　For　where　the　sin　is　public；　the　reproof　also　must　be
  public；　that　every　one　may　learn　to　guard　against　it。
  Thus　we　have　now　the　sum　and　general　understanding　of　this
  commandment；　to　wit；　that　no　one　do　any　injury　with　the　tongue　to　his
  neighbor；　whether　friend　or　foe；　nor　speak　evil　of　him；　no　matter
  whether　it　be　true　or　false；　unless　it　be　done　by　commandment　or　for
  his　reformation；　but　that　every　one　employ　his　tongue　and　make　it　serve
  for　the　best　of　every　one　else；　to　cover　up　his　neighbor's　sins　and
  infirmities；　excuse　them；　palliate　and　garnish　them　with　his　own
  reputation。　The　chief　reason　for　this　should　be　the　one　which　Christ
  alleges　in　the　Gospel；　in　which　He　comprehends　all　commandments
  respecting　our　neighbor；　Matt。　7；　12：　Whatsoever　ye　would　that　men
  sho