Bernard of Clairvaux
Medieval
c. A.D. 1090–1153
“Consider therefore now with me how great the care and solicitude with which we ought to repel from ourselves both these ignorances, of which the one begets the beginning of every sin, the other the consummation; just as of the two kinds of knowledge on the other side, the one begets the beginning of wisdom, the other the perfection: the one the fear of the Lord, the other love. But this concerning the two kinds of knowledge was shown above. Now see concerning the ignorances. For just as the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, so the beginning of all sin is pride; and just as the love of God claims for itself the perfection of wisdom, so despair claims for itself the full consummation of all wickedness. And just as from knowledge of yourself the fear of God comes into you, and from knowledge of God the love of God likewise; so on the contrary, from ignorance of yourself comes pride, and from ignorance of God comes despair.”