Article II. On the Obligations of Masters and Servants

I. Masters are held toward their servants:

1st. To treat them kindly, that is, by addressing and commanding them decently and humanely, by furnishing good and sufficient food, by not burdening them with excessive works, by suitably caring for the sick. This is clear from natural law and from Sacred Scripture, Ecclus. xxxiii, 31: "If thou hast a faithful servant, let him be to thee as thy soul; treat him as a brother." - Ephes. vi, 9: "And you, masters, do the same things to them (servants), forbearing threats: knowing that both their Lord and yours is in heaven, and there is no acceptance of persons with him."

2nd. To instruct and correct: the master is the head of the servant, as of the whole family; but it pertains to the head to direct where there is need. I Tim. v, 8: "But if anyone has no care of his own and especially of those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." But servants are reckoned among domestics.

3rd. To pay a just wage, for it is a question of an obligation of justice and natural equity, whence the defrauding of such a wage is counted among sins crying to heaven.

II. Servants are held to render to masters:

1st. Reverence. I Tim. vi, 1: "Let servants account their masters worthy of all honor." From this they can sin even gravely who deride masters, spurn them, or manifest their hidden defects.

2nd. Service and obedience in all those things to which they have obliged themselves by virtue of contract, and in those things which regard good morals; thus Ephes. vi, 5: "Servants, obey carnal masters with fear and trembling in simplicity of your heart, as Christ"; and I Pet. ii, 18.

Hence by reason of the matter those sin more or less who, when something is commanded to them, murmur, respond insolently, waste time uselessly, neglect to perform the commanded labor, or labor for themselves with damage to the master; and in one word all those who do not render the service which ordinarily is accustomed to be exacted and furnished from such persons.

3rd. Fidelity, according to the words of Paul to Titus ii, 9: "Let servants be subject to their masters, not defrauding, but in all things showing good faith." Hence those sin, and often gravely against justice, who do not have care of things entrusted to them, who by their fault permit them to become worse.