Augustine of Hippo, on Ps 118:4

“Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently.”

“What means, "You have charged that we shall keep Your commandments too much"? [Psalm 119:4]. Is it, "You have charged too much"? Or, "to keep too much"? Whichever of these we understand, the sense seems contrary to that memorable and noble sentiment which the Greeks praise in their wise men, and which the Latins agree in praising. "Do nothing too much.". ..But the Latin language sometimes uses the word nimis in such a sense, that we find it in the holy Scripture, and employ it in our discourses, as signifying, very much. In this passage, "You have charged that we keep Your commandments too much," we simply understand very much, if we understand rightly; and if we say to any very dear friend, I love you too much, we do not wish to be understood to mean more than is fitting, but very much.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.