§1#2Scio scripturam Enoch, quae hunc ordinem angelis dedit, non recipi a quibusdam, quia nec in armarium Iudaicum admittitur.
know that the scripture of Enoch, which assigned this order to the angels, is not received by some, because it is not admitted into the Jewish archive.
Opinor, non putaverunt illam ante cataclysmum editam post eum casum orbis omnium rerum abolitorem salvam esse potuisse.
I suppose they did not think that that scripture, published before the deluge, could have survived after that ruin of the world which abolished all things.
Si ista ratio est, recordentur pronepotem ipsius Enoch fuisse superstitem cataclysmi Noë, qui utique domestico nomine et haereditaria traditione audierat et meminerat de proavi sui penes deum gratia et de omnibus praedicatis eius, cum Enoch filio suo Matusalae nihil aliud mandaverit, quam ut notitiam eorum posteris suis traderet.
If that is the reason, let them remember that the great-grandson of Enoch himself, Noah, was a survivor of the deluge, who indeed, by family name and hereditary tradition, had heard and remembered concerning his great-grandfather’s grace with God and all his preachings, since Enoch had commanded his son Methuselah nothing else than to hand down the knowledge of them to his posterity.
Igitur sine dubio potuit Noë in praedicationis delegatione successisse, vel quia et alias non tacuisset tam de dei conservatoris sui dispositione quam de ipsa domus suae gloria.
Therefore, without doubt, Noah could have succeeded in the delegation of preaching, or else because on other occasions he would not have kept silence as well concerning the disposition of God his preserver as concerning the glory of his own house.
Hoc si non tam expedite haberet, illud quoque assertionem scripturae illius tueretur.
If this were not so easily managed, that other point also would defend the assertion of that scripture.
Proinde potuit abolefactam eam violentia cataclysmi in spiritu rursus reformare, quemadmodum et Hierosolymis Babylonia expugnatione deletis omne instrumentum Iudaicae litteraturae per Esdram constat restauratum.
Hence, he could have restored in the spirit that scripture which had been destroyed by the violence of the deluge, just as it is well known that, after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian conquest, every instrument of Jewish literature was restored through Ezra.
Sed cum Enoch eadem scriptura etiam de domino praedicarit, a nobis quidem nihil omnino reiciendum est quod pertineat ad nos.
But since in the same scripture Enoch preached also concerning the Lord, nothing at all which belongs to us is to be rejected by us.
Et legimus omnem scripturam aedificationi habilem divinitus inspirari.
And we read that every scripture useful for edification is divinely inspired.
A Iudaeis potest iam videri propterea reiecta, sicut et cetera fere quae Christum sonant.
It can now be seen to be rejected by the Jews for that very reason, just as almost all other things which sound of Christ.
Nec utique mirum hoc, si scripturas aliquas non receperunt de eo locutas quem et ipsum coram loquentem non erant recepturi.
And indeed this is not surprising, if they did not receive some scriptures that spoke of him, when they were not going to receive him even when he himself spoke in their presence.
Eo accedit, quod Enoch apud Iudam apostolum testimonium possidet.
To this is added, that Enoch possesses a testimony in the apostle Jude.
Nulla nunc muliebri pompae nota inusta sit praedamnationis de exitu auctorum.
Let no mark of pre-condemning be branded now upon feminine pomp on account of the end of its authors.
Nihil angelis illis imputetur praeter repudium caeli et matrimonium carnis: rerum ipsarum qualitates examinemus, ut consilia quoque concupiscentiae earum deprehendamus.
Let nothing be imputed to those angels except the repudiation of heaven and the marriage of the flesh: let us examine the qualities of the things themselves, so that we may detect also the counsels of their concupiscential nature.
Habitus feminae duplicem speciem circumfert, cultum et ornatum.
A woman’s garb carries a double appearance, attire and adornment.
Cultum dicimus quem mundum muliebrem vocant, ornatum, quem immundum muliebrem convenit dici.
We call attire what they call 'womanly worldliness', and adornment what is fittingly called 'womanly unworldliness'.
Ille in auro et argento et gemmis et vestibus deputatur, iste in cura capilli et cutis et earum partium corporis quae oculos trahunt.
The former is assigned to gold, silver, gems, and garments; the latter to the care of hair, skin, and those parts of the body which attract the eyes.
Alteri ambitionis crimen intendimus, alteri prostitutionis: ut iam hinc prospicias, dei ancilla, quid ex his disciplinae tuae conveniat, quae de diversis institutis censearis, scilicet humilitatis et castitatis.
To the one we direct the charge of ambition, to the other of prostitution: so that from this point you may foresee, handmaid of God, which of these is consistent with your discipline, you who are judged by different standards, namely, of humility and chastity.
Aurum et argentum principes materiae cultus saecularis id sint necesse est unde sunt, terra scilicet, plane gloriosior, quoniam in maledictorum metallorum feralibus officinis poenali opera deplorata nomen terrae in igni reliquit, atque exinde de tormentis in ornamenta, de suppliciis in delicias, de ignominiis in honores metalli refuga mutatur.
Gold and silver, the chief materials of worldly attire, must be what they are from, namely earth—obviously more glorious, since in the dismal workshops of accursed metals, through a deplorable penal labor, it has left the name of earth in the fire, and from then on, from tortures into ornaments, from punishments into delicacies, from ignominies into honors, the metal refugee is transformed.
Sed et ferri et aeris et aliarum vilissimarum materiarum par conditio est, et terreni generis et metallici operis, quo nihilo generosior iudicari possit auri et argenti substantia penes naturam.
But the condition of iron, brass, and other most worthless materials is equal, both in their earthly origin and in metallic work, by which the substance of gold and silver can be judged in no way more noble according to nature.
Quod si de qualitate usus gloria est auro et argento, atquin magis ferro et aeri, quorum ita disposita est utensilitas, ut et proprias operas plures et necessariores exhibeant rebus humanis et nihilominus auri et argenti de suo vicem accommodent iustioribus causis.
But if the glory of gold and silver is from the quality of their use, it belongs rather to iron and brass, whose utility is so arranged that they both display more numerous and more necessary works for human affairs, and nevertheless supply from their own the place of gold and silver for more righteous causes.
Nam et annuli ferro fiunt, quaedam esui et potui vascula ex aere adhuc servat memoria antiquitatis.
For rings too are made of iron, and the memory of antiquity still preserves some small vessels for eating and drinking made of brass.
Viderit, si etiam ad spurca instrumentis auri et argenti demens copia deservit.
Let it see to it, if a mad abundance of gold and silver also serves for filthy instruments.
Certe nec ager auri opere paratur, nec navis argenti vigore contexitur.
Certainly neither is a field prepared by the work of gold, nor is a ship put together by the strength of silver.
Nullum bidens aurum demergit in terram, nullus clavus argentum intimat tabulis.
No golden hoe plunges into the earth, no silver nail drives into boards.
Taceo totius vitae necessitates ferro et aere innixas, cum ipsae illae divites mate riae, et de metallis refodiendae et in quocunque usu procuden dae, sine ferri et aeris operario vigore non possint.
I say nothing of the necessities of the whole of life leaning upon iron and brass, since those very rich materials, both to be dug out of the mines and to be forged for whatever use, cannot exist without the working strength of iron and brass.
Iam igitur aestimandum est, unde obveniat tanta dignitas auro et argento, cum et consanguineis, quantum ad genus, et potioribus, quantum ad utensilitatem, materiis praeferantur.
Now therefore we must estimate whence such great dignity comes to gold and silver, since they are preferred to materials that are both of the same family as to origin and superior as to utility.
Sed et lapillos istos, qui cum auro superbiam iungunt, quid aliud interpreter, nisi lapillos et calculos et eiusdem terrae minutalia, nec tamen aut fundamentis demandandis aut parietibus moliendis aut fastigiis sustinendis aut tectis densandis necessaria? Solum hunc mulierum stuporem aedificare noverunt, quia tarde teruntur ut niteant, et subdole substruuntur ut floreant, et anxie forantur ut pendeant, et auro lenocinium mutuum praestant.
But as for those small stones which join pride with gold, what else should I interpret them to be than pebbles and gravel and tiny bits of the same earth, yet not necessary either for laying foundations, or for building walls, or for supporting gables, or for tightening roofs? They know only how to build up this madness of women, because they are slowly ground to shine, and deceitfully structured to bloom, and anxiously bored to hang, and perform a mutual allure for gold.
Sed si quid de mari Britannico aut Indico ambitio piscatur, conchae genus est, non dico conchylio aut ostreo, sed nec peloride gratius de sapore.
But if ambition fishes anything from the British or Indian sea, it is a kind of shell, not to say more pleasing in taste than a purple shell or an oyster, but not even than a peloris.
Ad hoc enim conchas noverim maris poma.
For to this end only should I know shells, as the fruits of the sea.