§9Quodsi et nos, fratres dilectissimi, in Christo sumus, si ipsum induimus, si ipse est salutis nostrae uia, qui Christum uestigiis salutaribus sequimur per Christi exempla gradiamur, sicut Iohannes apostolus instruit dicens: qui dicit se in Christo manere debet quomodo ille ambulauit et ipse ambulare. item Petrus super quem ecclesia Domini dignatione fundata est in epistula sua ponit et dicit: Christus passus est pro uobis relinqens uobis exemplum, ut sequamini uestigia eius qui peccatum non fecit, nec dolus inuentus est in ore eius, qui cum malediceretur non remaledixit, cum pateretur non minabatur, tradebat autem se iudicanti iniuste.
And if we also, beloved brethren, are in Christ, if we put Him on, if He Himself is the way of our salvation, let us who follow Christ with salutary footsteps walk through the examples of Christ, as John the apostle instructs, saying: "He who says he abides in Christ ought himself also to walk just as He walked." Likewise Peter, upon whom the Church was founded by the condescension of the Lord, lays down and says in his epistle: "Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow His steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges unjustly." In short, we find that the patriarchs, the prophets, and all the righteous who bore the figure of Christ in a prefiguring image, maintained nothing more in the praise of their virtues than that they held fast patience with strong and stable equanimity.
§10Inuenimus denique et patriarchas et prophetas et iustos omnes qui figuram Christi imagine praeeunte portabant nihil magis custodisse in laude uirtutum suarum quam quod patientiam forti et stabili aequanimitate tenuerunt. sic Abel originem martyrii et. passionem iusti initians primus et dedicans aduersus fratrem parricidam non resistit nec reluctatur, sed humilis et mitis patienter occiditur.
Thus Abel, initiating and dedicating the origin of martyrdom and the passion of the righteous first, does not resist or struggle against his parricidal brother, but humble and gentle, is patiently slain.
sic Abraham Deo credens et radicem ac fundamentum fidei primus instituens temptatus in filio non dubitat neque cunctatur, sed praeceptis Dei tota patientia deuotionis obsequitur.
Thus Abraham, believing God and first establishing the root and foundation of faith, when tempted in his son, does not doubt or hesitate, but obeys the commands of God with all the patience of devotion.
et Isaac ad hostiae dominicae similitudinem praefiguratus quando a patre immolandus offertur, patiens inuenitur.
And Isaac, prefigured in the likeness of the Lord's sacrifice, when he is offered by his father to be immolated, is found patient.
et Iacob fugatus a fratre de terra sua patienter excedit et maiore patientia postmodum supplex adhuc magis impium et persecutorem muneribus pacificis ad concordiam redigit.
And Jacob, driven away by his brother, departs from his land patiently, and afterward with greater patience, as a suppliant, brings back to concord with peaceful gifts his brother who was still more impious and a persecutor.
Ioseph uenundatus a fratribus et relegatus non tantum patienter ignoscit, sed et gratuita uenientibus frumenta largiter et clementer impertit.
Joseph, sold by his brothers and banished, not only patiently forgives, but also generously and clemently bestows free grain on them when they come.
Moyses ab ingrato et a perfido populo contemnitur frequenter et paene lapidatur, et tamen lenis et patiens pro eisdem Dominum deprecatur.
Moses is frequently despised by an ungrateful and faithless people and almost stoned, and yet, gentle and patient, he prays to the Lord for them.
in Dauid uero, ex quo secundum carnem Christi natiuitas oritur, quam magna et mira et christiana patientia habuisse in manu saepe ut Saul regem persequentem se et interficere concupiscentem posset occidere et tamen subditum sibi et traditum maluisse seruare nec rependisse inimico uicem, sed occisum adhuc insuper et uindicasse.
But in David, from whom the birth of Christ arises according to the flesh, how great and wonderful and Christian a patience to have had it often in his power to kill King Saul when he was persecuting him and desiring to slay him, and yet to have preferred to spare him when subjected and delivered to him, and not to have repaid his enemy in kind, but even moreover to have avenged him when slain!
tot denique prophetae interfecti, tot martyres gloriosis mortibus honorati, qui omnes ad caelestes coronas patientiae laude uenerunt.
Finally, so many prophets were slain, so many martyrs honored with glorious deaths, all of whom reached heavenly crowns through the praise of patience.
neque enim potest accipi dolorum et passionum corona, nisi praecedat in dolore et passione patientia.
For the crown of sorrows and passions cannot be received unless patience in sorrow and passion precedes.
§11Quam sit autem patientia utilis et necessaria, fratres dilectissimi, ut manifestius possit et plenius nosci, Dei sententia cogitetur quam in origine statim mundi et generis humani Adam praecepti inmemor et datae legis transgressor accepit.
But in order that it may be known more clearly and fully how useful and necessary patience is, beloved brethren, let the sentence of God be considered, which Adam received at the very origin of the world and of the human race, unmindful of the commandment and transgressor of the given law.
tunc sciemus quam patientes esse in isto saeculo debeamus, qui sic nascimur, ut pressuris istic et conflictationibus laboremus.
Then we shall know how patient we ought to be in this world, we who are born in such a way that we labor under pressures and conflicts here.
quia audisti, inquit, uocem mulieris tuae et manducasti ex illa arbore, de qua sola praeceperam tibi ne manducares, maledicta terra erit in omnibus operibus tuis, in tristitia et gemitu edes ex ea omnibus diebus uitae tuae.
"Because you listened," He said, "to the voice of your wife, and ate of that tree of which alone I had commanded you not to eat, cursed shall be the earth in all your works; in sorrow and groaning shall you eat of it all the days of your life.
spinas et tribulos eiciet tibi et edes pabulum agri.
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, and you shall eat the food of the field.
in sudore uultus tui edes panem tuum, donec reuertaris in terram de qua sumptus es: quoniam terra es et in terram ibis. huius sententiae uinculo conligati omnes et constricti sumus, donec morte expuncta de isto saeculo recedamus.
In the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread, till you return to the ground from which you were taken; for dust you are, and into dust you shall return." Bound and constricted by the bond of this sentence we all remain, until, death being paid off, we depart from this world.
in tristitia et gemitu simus necesse est omnibus diebus uitae nostrae, edamus panem necesse est cum sudore et labore.
We must of necessity be in sorrow and groaning all the days of our life, and we must of necessity eat our bread with sweat and labor.