1 Objection 1: It would seem that angels grieve for the ills of those whom they guard. For it is written Is. 33, 7): The angels of peace shall weep bitterly. But weeping is a sign of grief and sorrow. Therefore angels grieve for the ills of those whom they guard.
1 Ad septimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod Angeli doleant de malis eorum quos custodiunt. Dicitur enim Isaiae XXXIII, Angeli pacis amare flebunt. Sed fletus est signum doloris et tristitiae. Ergo Angeli tristantur de malis hominum quos custodiunt.
2 Objection 2: Further, according to Augustine De Civ. Dei xiv, 15), sorrow is for those things that happen against our will. But the loss of the man whom he has guarded is against the guardian angel's will. Therefore angels grieve for the loss of men.
2 Praeterea, tristitia est, ut Augustinus dicit, de his quae nobis nolentibus accidunt. Sed perditio hominis custoditi est contra voluntatem Angeli custodis. Ergo tristantur Angeli de perditione hominum.
3 Objection 3: Further, as sorrow is contrary to joy, so penance is contrary to sin. But angels rejoice about one sinner doing penance, as we are told, Lk. 15, 7. Therefore they grieve for the just man who falls into sin.
3 Praeterea, sicut gaudio contrariatur tristitia, ita poenitentiae contrariatur peccatum. Sed Angeli gaudent de peccatore poenitentiam agente, ut habetur Lucae XV. Ergo tristantur de iusto in peccatum cadente.
4 Objection 4: Further, on Numbers 18, 12: Whatsoever first-fruits they offer, etc. the gloss of Origen says: The angels are brought to judgment as to whether men have fallen through their negligence or through their own fault. But it is reasonable for anyone to grieve for the ills which have brought him to judgment. Therefore angels grieve for men's sins.
4 Praeterea, super illud Num. XVIII; quidquid offerunt primitiarum etc., dicit Glossa Origenis; trahuntur Angeli in iudicium, utrum ex ipsorum negligentia, an hominum ignavia lapsi sint. Sed quilibet rationabiliter dolet de malis propter quae in iudicium tractus est. Ergo Angeli dolent de peccatis hominum.
5 On the contrary, Where there is grief and sorrow, there is not perfect happiness: wherefore it is written Apoc. 21, 4): Death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow. But the angels are perfectly happy. Therefore they have no cause for grief.
5 Sed contra, ubi est tristitia et dolor, non est perfecta felicitas, unde dicitur Apoc. XXI, mors ultra non erit, neque luctus, neque clamor, neque ullus dolor. Sed Angeli sunt perfecte beati. Ergo de nullo dolent.
6 I answer that, Angels do not grieve, either for sins or for the pains inflicted on men. For grief and sorrow, according to Augustine De Civ. Dei xiv, 15) are for those things which occur against our will. But nothing happens in the world contrary to the will of the angels and the other blessed, because they will cleaves entirely to the ordering of Divine justice; while nothing happens in the world save what is effected or permitted by Divine justice. Therefore simply speaking, nothing occurs in the world against the will of the blessed. For as the Philosopher says Ethic. iii, 1) that is called simply voluntary, which a man wills in a particular case, and at a particular time, having considered all the circumstances; although universally speaking, such a thing would not be voluntary: thus the sailor does not will the casting of his cargo into the sea, considered universally and absolutely, but on account of the threatened danger of his life, he wills it. Wherefore this is voluntary rather than involuntary, as stated in the same passage. Therefore universally and absolutely speaking the angels do not will sin and the pains inflicted on its account: but they do will the fulfilment of the ordering of Divine justice in this matter, in respect of which some are subjected to pains and are allowed to fall into sin.
6 Respondeo dicendum quod Angeli non dolent neque de peccatis, neque de poenis hominum. Tristitia enim et dolor, secundum Augustinum, non est nisi de his quae contrariantur voluntati. Nihil autem accidit in mundo quod sit contrarium voluntati Angelorum et aliorum beatorum, quia voluntas eorum totaliter inhaeret ordini divinae iustitiae; nihil autem fit in mundo, nisi quod per divinam iustitiam fit aut permittitur. Et ideo, simpliciter loquendo, nihil fit in mundo contra voluntatem beatorum. Ut enim philosophus dicit in III Ethic. illud dicitur simpliciter voluntarium, quod aliquis vult in particulari, secundum quod agitur, consideratis scilicet omnibus quae circumstant, quamvis in universali consideratum non esset voluntarium, sicut nauta non vult proiectionem mercium in mare, absolute et universaliter considerando, sed imminente periculo salutis hoc vult. Unde magis est hoc voluntarium quam involuntarium, ut ibidem dicitur. Sic igitur Angeli peccata et poenas hominum, universaliter et absolute loquendo, non volunt, volunt tamen quod circa hoc ordo divinae iustitiae servetur, secundum quem quidam poenis subduntur, et peccare permittuntur.
7 Reply to Objection 1: These words of Isaias may be understood of the angels, that is, the messengers, of Ezechias, who wept on account of the words of Rabsaces, as related Is. 37, 2 seqq.: this would be the literal sense. According to the allegorical sense the angels of peace are the apostles and preachers who weep for men's sins. If according to the anagogical sense this passage be expounded of the blessed angels, then the expression is metaphorical, and signifies that universally speaking the angels will the salvation of mankind: for in this sense we attribute passions to God and the angels. The reply to the second objection appears from what has been said.
7 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod verbum illud Isaiae potest intelligi de Angelis, idest nuntiis, Ezechiae, qui fleverunt propter verba Rabsacis; de quibus habetur Isaiae XXXVII. Et hoc secundum litteralem sensum. Secundum vero allegoricum, Angeli pacis sunt apostoli et alii praedicatores, qui flent pro peccatis hominum. Si vero secundum sensum anagogicum exponatur de Angelis beatis, tunc metaphorica erit locutio, ad designandum quod Angeli volunt in universali hominum salutem. Sic enim Deo et Angelis huiusmodi passiones attribuuntur. Ad secundum patet solutio per ea quae dicta sunt.
8 Reply to Objection 3: Both in man's repentance and in man's sin there is one reason for the angel's joy, namely the fulfilment of the ordering of the Divine Providence.
8 Ad tertium dicendum quod tam in poenitentia hominum, quam in peccato, manet una ratio gaudii Angelis, scilicet impletio ordinis divinae providentiae.
9 Reply to Objection 4: The angels are brought into judgment for the sins of men, not as guilty, but as witnesses to convict man of weakness.
9 Ad quartum dicendum quod Angeli ducuntur in iudicium pro peccatis hominum, non quasi rei, sed quasi testes, ad convincendum homines de eorum ignavia.