may lawfully curse an irrational creature?

(3) Whether cursing is a mortal sin?

(4) Of its comparison with other sins.
_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 76, Art. 1]

Whether It Is Lawful to Curse Anyone?

Objection 1: It would seem unlawful to curse anyone. For it is
unlawful to disregard the command of the Apostle in whom Christ
spoke, according to 2 Cor. 13:3. Now he commanded (Rom. 12:14),
"Bless and curse not." Therefore it is not lawful to curse anyone.

Obj. 2: Further, all are bound to bless God, according to Dan. 3:82,
"O ye sons of men, bless the Lord." Now the same mouth cannot both
bless God and curse man, as proved in the third chapter of James.
Therefore no man may lawfully curse another man.

Obj. 3: Further, he that curses another would seem to wish him some
evil either of fault or of punishment, since a curse appears to be a
kind of imprecation. But it is not lawful to wish ill to anyone,
indeed we are bound to pray that all may be delivered from evil.
Therefore it is unlawful for any man to curse.

Obj. 4: Further, the devil exceeds all in malice on account of his
obstinacy. But it is not lawful to curse the devil, as neither is it
lawful to curse oneself; for it is written (Ecclus. 21:30): "While
the ungodly curseth the devil, he curseth his own soul." Much less
therefore is it lawful to curse a man.

Obj. 5: Further, a gloss on Num. 23:8, "How shall I curse whom God
hath not cursed?" says: "There cannot be a just cause for cursing a
sinner if one be ignorant of his sentiments." Now one man cannot know
another man's sentiments, nor whether he is cursed by God. Therefore
no man may lawfully curse another.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Deut. 27:26): "Cursed be he that
abideth not in the words of this law." Moreover Eliseus cursed the
little boys who mocked him (4 Kings 2:24).

_I answer that,_ To curse (_maledicere_) is the same as to speak ill
(_malum dicere_). Now "speaking" has a threefold relation to the
thing spoken. First, by way of assertion, as when a thing is
expressed in the indicative mood: in this way _maledicere_ signifies
simply to tell someone of another's evil, and this pertains to
backbiting, wherefore tellers of evil (_maledici_) are sometimes
called backbiters. Secondly, speaking is related to the thing spoken,
by way of cause, and this belongs to God first and foremost, since He
made all things by His word, according to Ps. 32:9, "He spoke and
th