§9Sed uereris et metuis ne si operari plurimum coeperis patrimonio tuo larga operatione finito ad penuriam forte redigaris, esto in hac parte intrepidus, esto securus.
But you are anxious and fear lest, if you begin to be very active, your patrimony might perhaps be reduced to penury, being exhausted by your generous practice; be intrepid in this regard, be secure.
finiri non potest unde in usus Christi impenditur, unde opus caeleste celebratur.
That from which expenditures are made for the uses of Christ, from which the heavenly work is celebrated, cannot be exhausted.
nec hoc tibi de meo spondeo sed de sanctarum scripturarum fide et diuinae pollicitationis auctoritate promitto.
Nor do I promise this to you of my own accord, but I guarantee it from the faith of the Holy Scriptures and the authority of the divine promise.
loquitur per Salomonem Spiritus sanctus et dicit: qui dat pauperibus numquam egebit: qui autem auertit oculum suum in magna penuria erit, ostendens misericordes adque operantes egere non posse, magis parcos et steriles ad inopiam postmodum deuenire.
The Holy Spirit speaks through Solomon and says: "He who gives to the poor shall never want; but he who turns away his eye shall be in great penury," showing that the merciful and active cannot want, but rather that the stingy and sterile eventually come to poverty.
item beatus apostolus Paulus dominicae inspirationis gratia plenus, qui administrat, inquit, semen seminanti et panem ad edendum praestabit et multiplicabit seminationem uestram et augebit incrementa frugum iustitiae uestrae, ut in omnibus locupletemini. et iterum: administratio huius officii non tantum supplebit ea quae sanctis desunt, sed et abundabit per multam gratiarum actionem in Domino: quoniam dum gratiarum actio ad Deum pro eleemosynis adque operationibus nostris pauperum oratione dirigitur, census operantis Dei retributione cumulatur.
Likewise, the blessed Apostle Paul, full of the grace of divine inspiration, says: "He who administers seed to the sower will also provide bread to eat, and will multiply your sowing and increase the growth of the fruits of your righteousness, so that you may be enriched in all things." And again: "The administration of this office will not only supply those things which the saints lack, but will also abound through much thanksgiving in the Lord"; because while thanksgiving is directed to God for our alms and works through the prayer of the poor, the wealth of the worker is accumulated by the retribution of God.
et Dominus in euangelio iam tum eiusmodi hominum corda considerans et perfidis adque incredulis praescia uoce denuntians contestatur et dicit: nolite cogitare dicentes: quid edemus aut quid bibemus aut quid uestiemur? haec enim nationes quaerunt.
And the Lord in the gospel, already then considering the hearts of such men, and denouncing the faithless and incredulous with a foreknowing voice, protests and says: "Do not think, saying: 'What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or with what shall we be clothed?' For these things the nations seek.
scit enim pater uester quia horum omnium indigetis.
For your Father knows that you need all these things.
quaerite primo regnum et\' iustitiam Dei, et omnia ista adponentur uobis. eis omnia adponi dicit et tradi qui regnum et iustitiam Dei quaerunt: eos [enim] Dominus, cum iudicii dies uenerit, ad percipiendum regnum dicit admitti qui fuerint in ecclesia eius operati.
Seek first the kingdom and the righteousness of God, and all these things shall be added to you." He says that all things are added and delivered to those who seek the kingdom and the righteousness of God; for the Lord says that, when the day of judgment comes, those who have been active in His church are admitted to receive the kingdom.
§10Metuis ne patrimonium tuum forte deficiat, si operari ex eo largiter coeperis, et nescis miser quia dum times ne res familiaris deficiat uita ipsa et salus deficiat, et dum ne quid de rebus tuis minuatur adtendis, non respicis quod ipse minuaris amator magis mamonae quam animae tuae, et dum times ne pro te patrimonium perdas, ipse pro patrimonio pereas.
You fear lest your patrimony might perhaps fail if you begin to work generously from it; and you do not know, wretched one, that while you fear lest your family property should fail, life itself and salvation are failing; and while you take care lest anything of your possessions be diminished, you do not look to the fact that you yourself are being diminished, being a lover of mammon rather than of your soul; and while you fear lest you lose your patrimony for your own sake, you yourself perish for the sake of your patrimony.
et ideo bene apostolus clamat et dicit: nihil intulimus in hunc mundum, uerum nec auferre possumus.
And therefore the Apostle rightly cries out and says: "We brought nothing into this world, and truly we cannot carry anything out.
habentes itaque exhibitionem et tegumentum his contenti simus.
Having therefore food and covering, with these let us be content.
qui autem uolunt diuites fieri incidunt in temptationem et muscipula et desideria multa et nocentia quae mergunt hominem in perditionem et in interitum.
But those who want to become rich fall into temptation and a snare and many and hurtful desires, which drown a man in destruction and perdition.
radix enim omnium malorum est cupiditas quam quidam adpetentes naufragauerunt a fide et inseruerunt se doloribus multis.
For the root of all evils is cupidity, which some desiring have shipwrecked from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
§11Metuis ne patrimonium tuum forte deficiat, si operari ex eo largiter coeperis? quando enim factum est ut iusto possent deesse subsidia? cum scriptum sit: non occidet fame Dominus animam iustam. Helias in solitudine conus ministrantibus pascitur et Danieli in lacum [ad] leonum [praedam] iussu regis incluso prandium diuinitus apparatur: et tu metuis ne operanti et Dominum promerenti desit alimentum, quando ipse in euangelio ad exprobrationem eorum quibus mens dubia est et fides parua contestetur et dicat: aspicite uolatilia caeli quoniam non seminant neque metunt neque colligunt in horrea, et pater uester caelestis alit illa.
Do you fear lest your patrimony might perhaps fail if you begin to work generously from it? For when has it ever happened that aids could be lacking to a righteous person? Since it is written: "The Lord will not kill a righteous soul with famine." Elijah in the wilderness is fed by ravens serving him, and for Daniel, shut up in the lions' den [as their prey] by the king's command, a meal is divinely prepared; and do you fear lest nourishment be lacking to one who works and earns the Lord's favor, when He Himself in the gospel, to the reproach of those whose mind is doubtful and whose faith is small, protests and says: "Behold the birds of heaven, for they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them.
nonne uos pluris estis illis. uolucres Deus pascit et passeribus alimenta diurna praestantur et quibus nullus diuinae rei sensus est eis nec potus nec cibus deest: tu christiano, tu Dei seruo, tu operibus bonis dedito, tu domino suo caro aliquid existimas defuturum?
Are you not of much more value than they?" God feeds the birds, and daily nourishment is provided to sparrows, and to those who have no sense of divine things neither drink nor food is lacking; do you think that anything will be lacking to a Christian, to a servant of God, to one devoted to good works, to one dear to his Lord?