§35Vos uero, fratres, quorum timor Domini promis est et in ruina licet animus constitutus mali sui memor est, paenitentes ac dolentes peccata uestra perspicite, grauissimum conscientiae crimen agnoscite, ad intellegentiam delicti uestri oculos cordis aperite, nec desperantes misericordiam Domini nec tamen iam ueniam uindicantes.
But you, brethren, whose fear of the Lord is ready, and whose mind, though situated in ruin, is mindful of its own misfortune, repentant and grieving, look closely at your sins, acknowledge the most grave crime of your conscience, and open the eyes of your heart to the understanding of your transgression, neither despairing of the mercy of the Lord, nor yet already claiming pardon.
Deus quantum patris pietate indulgens semper et bonus est, tantum iudicis maiestate metuendus est.
God is as much to be feared in the majesty of a judge, as He is always indulgent and good in the affection of a father.
quam magna deliquimus, tam granditer defleamus.
As greatly as we have sinned, so greatly let us weep.
alto uulneri diligens et longa medicina non desit, paenitentia crimine minor non sit.
Let not a diligent and long medicine be wanting to a deep wound; let not the repentance be less than the crime.
putasne tu Deum cito posse placari quem uerbis perfidis abnuisti, cui patrimonium praeponere maluisti, cuius templum sacrilega contagione uiolasti? putas facile eum misereri tui quem tuum non esse dixisti? orare oportet inpensius et rogare, diem luctu transigere, uigiliis noctes ac fletibus ducere, tempus omne lacrimosis lamentationibus occupare, stratos solo adhaerere cineri, in cilicio et sordibus uolutari, post indumentum Christi perditum nullum iam uelle uestimentum, post diaboli cibum malle ieiunium, iustis operibus incumbere quibus peccata purgantur, eleemosynis frequenter insistere quibus a morte animae liberantur.
Do you think that God can be quickly appeased, whom you denied with faithless words, to whom you preferred to value your patrimony, whose temple you violated with sacrilegious contagion? Do you think He can easily have mercy on you, whom you said was not yours? One must pray and request more intensely, pass the day in mourning, spend the nights in vigils and weepings, occupy all the time with tearful lamentations, cling to the ashes prostrate on the ground, roll about in sackcloth and filth, after the lost garment of Christ wish for no other clothing now, after the food of the devil prefer fasting, apply oneself to righteous works by which sins are purged, and frequently persist in almsgivings by which souls are freed from death.
quod aduersarius auferebat Christus accipiat, nec teneri iam nec amari patrimonium debet quo quis et deceptus et uictus est.
Let Christ receive what the adversary was taking away; and the patrimony by which one was both deceived and conquered ought neither to be held now nor to be loved.
pro hoste uitanda res, pro latrone fugienda, pro gladio metuenda possidentibus et ueneno.
To its possessors, the thing is to be avoided as an enemy, fled from as a robber, and feared as a sword and poison.
ad hoc tantum profuerit quod remansit, ut inde crimen et culpa redimatur.
For this purpose alone will what remains be of use, that through it the crime and guilt may be redeemed.
incunctanter et largiter fiat operatio, census omnis in medellam uulneris erogetur, opibus et facultatibus nostris qui de nobis iudicaturus est Dominus faeneretur.
Let the charitable work be done without hesitation and abundantly; let all wealth be spent on the healing of the wound; let the Lord, who is going to judge us, be lent to with our riches and resources.
sic sub apostolis fides uiguit, sic primus credentium populus Christi mandata seruauit: prompti erant, largi erant.
Thus under the apostles faith flourished; thus the first people of believers kept Christ's commandments: they were prompt, they were generous.
distribuendum per apostolos totum dabant et non talia delicta redimebant.
They used to give everything to be distributed by the apostles, and yet they were not redeeming such great transgressions as these.
§36Si precem toto corde quis faciat, si neris paenitentiae lamentis et lacrimis ingemescat, si ad ueniam delicti sui Dominum iustis et continuis operibus inflectat, misereri talium potest qui et misericordiam suam protulit dicens: cum conuersus fueris et gemueris, tunc saluaberis et scies ubi fueris, et iterum: nolo mortem morientis, dicit Dominus, quantum ut reuertatur et uiuat. et Iohel propheta pietatem Domini Domino ipso monente declarat, reuertimini, inquit, ad Dominum Deum uestrum, quoniam misericors et pius est et patiens et multae miserationis et qui. sententiam flectat aduersus malitiam inrogatam. potest ille indulgentiam dare, sententiam suam potest ille deflectere.
If anyone should make prayer with all his heart, if he should groan with the true lamentations and tears of repentance, if he should bend the Lord to the pardon of his transgression by righteous and continuous works, He is able to have mercy on such persons, He who also offered His mercy, saying: "When you shall have turned and lamented, then you shall be saved, and you shall know where you have been," and again: "I desire not the death of him that dies, says the Lord, but rather that he should return and live." And the prophet Joel declares the affection of the Lord, at the warning of the Lord Himself: "Return," he says, "to the Lord your God, because He is merciful and gracious, and patient, and of much mercy, and who bends His sentence against the evil inflicted." He can grant indulgence; He can bend His own sentence.
paenitenti, operanti, roganti potest clementer ignoscere, potest in acceptum referre quidquid pro talibus et petierint martyres et fecerint sacerdotes.
To the one who repents, who works, who prays, He can mercifully pardon; He can credit as accepted whatever both the martyrs have asked and the priests have done for such persons.
uel si quis eum plus suis satisfactionibus mouerit, si eius iram, si indignationis offensam iusta deprecatione placauerit, dat ille et arma rursum quibus uictus armetur, reparat et conroborat uires quibus fides instaurata uegetetur.
Or if anyone should move Him more by his own satisfactions, if he should appease His anger and the offense of His indignation by righteous prayer, He also gives back arms with which the conquered may be armed, and He repairs and corroborates the strength with which the restored faith may be invigorated.
repetet certamen suum miles, iterabit aciem, prouocabit hostem et quidem factus ad proelium fortior per dolorem.
The soldier will repeat his contest, he will renew the battle line, he will challenge the enemy, and indeed made stronger for the battle through his grief.
qui sic Deo satisfecerit, qui paenitentia facti sui, qui pudore delicti plus et uirtutis et fidei de ipso lapsus sui dolore conceperit, exauditus et adiutus a Domino, quam contristauerat nuper laetam faciet ecclesiam nec solam iam Dei ueniam merebitur sed coronam.
He who shall have thus made satisfaction to God, who through repentance of his deed, who through the shame of his transgression, shall have conceived more of both virtue and faith from the very pain of his fall, being heard and helped by the Lord, will make the Church glad which he had recently made sad, and will deserve now not only God's pardon but a crown.