§14Patientia autem, fratres dilectissimi, non tantum bona custodit, \'sed et repellit aduersa.
Patience, however, beloved brethren, not only guards what is good, but also repels adversity.
Spiritui sancto fauens et caelestibus ac diuinis cohaerens contra facta carnis et corporis quibus anima expugnatur et capitur uirtutum suarum propugnaculo reluctatur.
Favoring the Holy Spirit and cleaving to heavenly and divine things, it struggles by the rampart of its virtues against the deeds of the flesh and the body, by which the soul is stormed and captured.
inspiciamus denique pauca de multis, ut de paucis intellegantur et cetera.
Let us then look at a few things out of many, so that from a few the rest may be understood.
adulterium, fraus, homicidium mortale crimen est.
Adultery, fraud, and homicide are mortal crimes.
sit fortis et stabilis in corde patientia, nec adulterio sanctificatum corpus et Dei templum polluitur nec iustitiae dicata innocentia contagio fraudis inficitur nec post gestatam eucharistiam manus gladio et cruore maculatur.
Let patience be strong and stable in the heart, and neither is the body, sanctified and made the temple of God, polluted by adultery, nor is innocence, dedicated to justice, infected by the contagion of fraud, nor after carrying the Eucharist is the hand defiled with the sword and blood.
§15Caritas fraternitatis uinculum est, fundamentum pacis, tenacitas ac firmitas unitatis, quae et spe et fide maior est, quae et opera et martyria praecedit, quae nobiscum semper aeterna in regnis caelestibus permanebit.
Charity is the bond of brotherhood, the foundation of peace, the tenacity and firmness of unity, which is greater than both hope and faith, which precedes both good works and martyrdoms, and which will remain with us always, eternal in the heavenly kingdoms.
tolle illi patientiam, et desolata non durat, tolle sustinendi tolerandique substantiam, et nullis radicibus ac uiribus perseuerat.
Take away patience from it, and being desolated it does not endure; take away the substance of bearing and enduring, and it perseveres with no roots or strength.
apostolus denique cum de caritate loqueretur, tolerantiam illi et patientiam iuncxit.
Finally, when the apostle was speaking about charity, he joined endurance and patience to it.
caritas, inquit, magnanima est, caritas benigna est, caritas. non aemulatur, non inflatur, non inritatur, non cogitat malum, omnia diligit, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet. ostendit inde illam perseuerare tenaciter posse, quod nouerit omnia sustinere.
"Charity," he says, "is magnanimous, charity is kind, charity does not envy, is not puffed up, is not provoked, thinks no evil, loves all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Thereby he shows that it can persevere tenaciously, because it knows how to endure all things.
et alio loco, sustinentes, inquit, inuicem in dilectione, satis agentes seruare unitatem spiritus in coniunctione pacis. probauit nec unitatem seruari posse nec pacem, nisi se inuicem fratres mutua tolerantia foueant et concordiae uinculum patientia intercedente custodiant.
And in another place, he says: "supporting one another in love, careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." He proved that neither unity nor peace can be preserved unless the brethren cherish one another with mutual endurance and guard the bond of concord with patience intervening.
§16Quid deinde, ut non iuras neque maledicas, ut tua ablata non repetas, ut accepta alapa et alteram maxillam uerberanti praebeas, ut fratri in te peccanti non tantum septuagies septies sed omnia omnino peccata dimittas, ut diligas inimicos tuos, ut pro aduersariis et persecutoribus precem facias, poterisne ista perferre nisi patientiae et tolerantiae firmitate? quod factum uidemus in Stephano, qui cum a Iudaeis ui et lapidibus necaretur, non sibi uindictam sed interfectoribus ueniam postulabat dicens: Domine, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum. sic esse oportuit primum martyrem Christi qui martyras secuturos gloriosa morte praecurrens non tantum praedicator esset dominicae passionis sed et patientissimae lenitatis imitator.
Furthermore, that you do not swear nor curse, that you do not demand back what has been taken from you, that having received a blow you offer also the other cheek to the smiter, that you forgive a brother sinning against you not only seventy-seven times but all sins altogether, that you love your enemies, that you offer prayer for your adversaries and persecutors—will you be able to endure these things except by the firmness of patience and endurance? This we see done in Stephen, who, when he was being killed with violence and stones by the Jews, did not demand vengeance for himself but begged pardon for his killers, saying: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Thus it behooved the first martyr of Christ to be, who, preceding the martyrs to come with a glorious death, was not only a preacher of the Lord's passion but also an imitator of His most patient gentleness.
quid dicam de ira, de discordia, de simultate, quae in christiano esse non debent? sit patientia in corde, et haec illic locum habere non possunt, aut si adire temptauerint, cito exclusa discedunt, ut domicilium pacificum perseueret in corde, ubi Deum pacis delectet habitare.
What shall I say of anger, of discord, of enmity, which ought not to be in a Christian? Let patience be in the heart, and these cannot have a place there; or if they should attempt to enter, they are quickly excluded and depart, so that a peaceful dwelling may persevere in the heart, where it may delight the God of peace to dwell.
admonet denique apostolus et docet dicens: nolite contristare Spiritum sanctum Dei in quo signati estis in diem redemptionis.
Finally, the apostle admonishes and teaches, saying: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption.
omnis amaritudo et ira et indignatio et clamor et blasphemia auferatur a uobis. si enim christianus a furore et contentione carnali tamquam de maris turbinibus excessit et tranquillus ac lenis in portu Christi esse iam coepit, nec iram nec discordiam debet intra pectus admittere cui nec malum pro malo reddere liceat nec odisse.
Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and clamor, and blasphemy be put away from you." For if a Christian has escaped from fury and carnal contention as if from the storms of the sea, and has already begun to be tranquil and gentle in the harbor of Christ, they ought not to admit either anger or discord into their breast, since it is not permitted for them either to return evil for evil or to hate.