§10Locupletem te dicis et dinitem.
You say that you are wealthy and rich.
sed iactare diuitias suas uirginem non decet, cum dicat scriptura diuina: quid nobis profuit superbia aut quid diuitiarum iactatio contuli nobis? transierunt omnia illa tamquam umbra, et apostolus rursum moneat et dicat: et qui emunt sic sint quasi non possidentes, et qui hoc mundo utuntur quasi non utantur. praeterit enim figura huius mundi.
But it does not become a virgin to boast of her riches, since the divine Scripture says: "What has pride profited us, or what has the boasting of riches brought us? All those things have passed away like a shadow," and the apostle again warns and says: "And let those who buy be as if they did not possess, and those who use this world as if they did not use it.
Petrus etiam, cui oues suas Dominus pascendas tuendasque conmendat, super quem posuit et fundauit ecclesiam, aurum quidem sibi esse et argentum negat, sed esse se dicit Christi gratia diuitem, esse fide eius et uirtute locupletem, quibus multa magnalia cum miraculo faceret, quibus ad gratiam gloriae bonis spiritalibus abundaret.
For the fashion of this world passes away." Peter also, to whom the Lord commends His sheep to be fed and protected, upon whom He placed and founded the Church, denies indeed that he has gold and silver, but says that he is rich by the grace of Christ, wealthy by his faith and virtue, by which he performed many great deeds with miracles, and by which he abounded in spiritual goods for the grace of glory.
has opes, has diuitias possidere non potest quae se diuitem saeculo mauult esse quam Christo.
She who prefers to be rich for the world rather than for Christ cannot possess these resources, these riches.
§11Locupletem te dicis et diuitem et utendum putas his quae possidere te Deus uoluit.
You say that you are wealthy and rich, and you think you should use those things which God willed you to possess.
utere sed ad res salutares et bonas artes: utere ad illa quae Deus praecepit, quae Dominus ostendit.
Use them, but for salutary purposes and good arts; use them for those things which God commanded, which the Lord showed.
diuitem te sentiant pauperes, locupletem te sentiant indigentes, patrimonio tuo Deum faenera, Christum ciba: ut uirginitatis perferre gloriam liceat, ut ad Domini praemia uenire contingat, multorum precibus exora: commenda illic thesauros tuos, ubi fur nullus effodiat, quo nullus insidians grassator inrumpat: possessiones tibi sed caelestes magis conpara, ubi fructus tuos iuges ac perennes et ab omni contactu iniuriae saecularis inmunes nec rubigo adterat nec grando caedat nec sol urat nec pluuia corrumpat.
Let the poor feel that you are rich, let the needy feel that you are wealthy; lend to God with your patrimony, feed Christ. In order that it may be allowed to bear the glory of virginity to the end, and that it may happen to attain the rewards of the Lord, entreat Him by the prayers of many; commend your treasures there, where no thief digs up, where no insidious robber breaks in; rather, acquire for yourself possessions, but heavenly ones, where no rust destroys, nor hail strikes, nor sun burns, nor rain corrupts your fruits, which are continuous and perennial and immune to every contact of worldly injury.
nam delinquis et hoc ipso in Deum, si ad hoc tibi ab illo diuitias datas credis, ut illis non salubriter perfruaris.
For you sin even by this very fact against God, if you believe that riches were given to you by Him for this purpose, that you should not enjoy them wholesomely.
nam et uocem Deus homini dedit, et tamen non sunt amatoria cantanda nec turpia, et ferrum esse ad culturam terrae Deus uoluit, nec homicidia sunt idcirco facienda: aut quia tura et merum et ignem Dominus instituit, sacrificandum est inde idolis, uel quia abundant pecudum greges in agris tuis, uictimas et hostias inmolare debebis? adquin temptatio est patrimonium grande, nisi ad usus bonos census operetur, ut patrimonio suo unusquisque locupletior magis redimere debeat quam augere delicta.
For God also gave a voice to man, and yet amorous or shameful songs are not to be sung; and God willed iron to be for the cultivation of the earth, yet homicides are not to be committed because of that; or because the Lord instituted incense and wine and fire, must sacrifice be offered to idols therewith; or because herds of cattle abound in your fields, will you have to immolate victims and sacrifices? On the contrary, a large patrimony is a temptation, unless the wealth operates for good uses, so that everyone who is wealthier by his patrimony ought rather to redeem his sins than to increase them.
§12Ornamentorum ac uestium insignia et lenocinia formarum non nisi prostitutis et inpudicis feminis congruunt et nullarum fere pretiosior cultus est quam quarum pudor uilis est.
The insignia of ornaments and garments, and the allurements of beauty, do not become any but prostitutes and immodest women; and there is scarcely any whose attire is more costly than those whose modesty is cheap.
sic in scripturis sanctis, quibus nos instrui Dominus uoluit et moneri, describitur ciuitas meretrix compta pulchrius et ornata et cum ornamentis suis ac propter ipsa potius ornamenta peritura.
Thus in the holy Scriptures, by which the Lord willed us to be instructed and warned, there is described a harlot city, more beautifully adorned and decorated, and destined to perish with her ornaments, and rather because of those very ornaments.
et uenit, inquit, unus ex septem angelis habentibus phialas et adgressus est me dicens: ueni, ostendam tibi damnationem meretricis magnae sedentis super aquas multas, cum qua fornicati sunt reges terrae. et duxit me in spiritu et uidi mulierem sedentem super bestiam: et mulier illa amicta erat pallium purpureum et coccineum et adornata erat auro et lapidibus pretiosis et margaritis, tenens poculum aureum in manu sua plenum exsecrationum et inmunditiae et fornicationis totius terrae.
"And there came," it says, "one of the seven angels having vials, and addressed me, saying: 'Come, I will show you the damnation of the great harlot that sits upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.'" And he carried me away in the spirit, and I saw a woman sitting upon a beast; and that woman was clothed in a purple and scarlet cloak, and was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and of the filthiness and fornication of the whole earth.
fugiant castae uirgines et pudicae incestarum cultus, habitus inpudicarum, lupanarum insignia, ornamenta meretricum.
Let chaste and modest virgins flee the attire of unchaste women, the habit of the immodest, the insignia of brothels, and the ornaments of prostitutes.