§2#4Aetates denique requietas iam et in portum modestiae subductas splendor et dignitas cultus avocant et severitatem appetitionibus inquietant, compensantibus scilicet habitus inritamenta pro frigore aetatis.
Finally, the splendor and dignity of adornment call back those ages that are already at rest and drawn into the port of modesty, and disturb their severity with desires, the allurements of dress of course compensating for the coldness of age.
Ergo, benedictae, primo quidem ut lenones et prostitutores vestitus et cultus ne in vos admiseritis, tum, si quas divitiarum vel natalium vel retro dignitatum ratio compellit ita pompaticas progredi, ut sapientiam non videantur consecutae, temperare malum huiusmodi curate, ne totis habenis licentiam usurpetis praetextu necessitatis.
Therefore, blessed sisters, in the first place indeed, do not admit clothing and adornment into yourselves as if they were pimps and procurers; then, if the reason of riches or birth or past dignities compels any women to go forth so pompously that they seem not to have attained wisdom, take care to temper this kind of evil, lest you usurp license with full reins under the pretext of necessity.
Quomodo etenim humilitatem, quam nostri profitentur, implere poteritis, non repastinantes divitiarum vestrarum vel elegantiarum usum, quae tantum ad gloriam faciunt? Gloria autem exaltare, non humiliare consuevit. Non enim quaesitis utemur nostris? Quis autem prohibet uti? Secundum apostolum tamen, qui nos uti monet mundo isto, quasi non abutamur.
For how indeed will you be able to fulfill the humility which our people profess, if you do not restrict the use of your riches or elegancies, which serve only for glory? But glory is accustomed to exalt, not to humble. “Shall we not then use our own acquisitions?” But who prohibits using them? Yet according to the apostle, who admonishes us to use this world as if we were not abusing it.
Praeterit enim habitus mundi huius.
For the fashion of this world passes away.
Et qui emunt, sic agant, quasi non possidentes.
And let those who buy act as if they were not possessing.
Cur ita? Quoniam praemiserat, dicens, Tempus in collecto est. Si ergo uxores quoque ipsas sic habendas demonstrat, tanquam non habeantur, propter angustias temporum, quid sentiat de vanis his instrumentis earum? Non enim et multi ita faciunt, et se spadonatui obsignant propter regnum dei, tam fortem et utique permissam voluptatem sponte ponentes? Numquid non aliqui ipsam dei creaturam sibi interdicunt, abstinentes vino et animalibus esculentis, quorum fructus nulli periculo aut sollicitudini adiacent, sed humilitatem animae suae in victus quoque castigatione deo immolant.
Why so? Because he had premised, saying: “The time is wound up.” If therefore he shows that wives themselves also are to be held in such a way as if they were not held, because of the narrowness of the times, what would he think about these vain instruments of theirs? For do not many also do so, and seal themselves to eunuchism for the sake of the kingdom of God, voluntarily laying aside so strong and certainly permitted a pleasure? Do not some forbid themselves God's creature itself, abstaining from wine and animal food, whose fruits are subject to no danger or anxiety, but sacrifice the humility of their soul to God even in the chastisement of diet?
Satis igitur et vos usae estis divitiis atque deliciis, satis dotum vestrarum fructus decidistis ante notitiam salutarium disciplinarum.
Therefore, you have sufficiently used riches and delicacies, and you have sufficiently cropped the fruits of your dowries before the knowledge of salutary disciplines.
Nos sumus, in quos decurrerunt fines saeculorum.
We are they upon whom the ends of the ages have run down.
Nos destinati a deo ante mundum in extimatione temporali.
We were destined by God before the world in temporal estimation.
Itaque castigando et castrando, ut ita dixerim, saecule erudimur a deo.
Therefore, by chastising and, so to speak, castrating the world, we are instructed by God.
Nos sumus circumcisio omnium spiritalis et carnalis.
We are the spiritual and carnal circumcision of all.
Nam et in spiritu et carne saecularia circumcidimus.
For both in spirit and in flesh we circumcise worldly things.
Nimirum enim deus demonstravit sucis herbarum et concharum salivis incoquere lanas.
To be sure, God showed how to dye wools with the juices of herbs and the saliva of shells!
Exciderat illi, cum universa nasci iuberet, purpureas et coccineas oves mandate.
It had escaped Him, when He ordered all things to be born, to command purple and scarlet sheep!
Deus et ipsarum vestium officinas commentus, quae leves et exiles solo pretio graves essent, deus et auri tanta opera produxit, compleotendis et distinguendis lapillis, scrupulosa deus et auribus vulnera intulit, et tanti habuit vexationem operis sui et cruciatus infantiae innocentis tunc primum dolentis, ut ex illis ad ferrum nati corperis cicatricibus grana nescio quae penderent, quae plane Parthi perenibus quoque suis bullarum vice inserunt.
God also devised the factories of those very garments, which, being light and thin, were heavy only in price! God also produced such works of gold, for encompassing and distinguishing little stones! God also inflicted scrupulous wounds on ears, and held the torment of His own work and the tortures of an innocent infant, then first feeling pain, of such value that from those scars of the body, born of the iron, some kind of grains should hang, which indeed the Parthians insert even in their boots instead of bosses!
Quamquam et aurum ipsum, cuius vos gloria occupat, cuidam genti ad vincula servire referunt gentilium litterae.
Although even gold itself, with whose glory you are occupied, is reported by gentile writings to serve a certain nation for chains.
Adeo non veritate bona sunt, sed raritate; artibus autem per angelos peccatores, qui et ipsas materias prodiderunt, inductis operositas cum raritate commissa pretiosilatem et ex ea libidinem possidendae pretiositatis feminarum excitavit.
So much are they good not in truth, but in rarity; moreover, arts having been introduced by the sinning angels, who also betrayed the materials themselves, laboriousness combined with rarity excited preciousness, and from it the desire of women to possess preciousness.
Quod si iidem angeli qui et materias eiusmodi et inlecebras detexerunt, auri dico et lapidum inlustrium, et operas eorum tradiderunt, et iam ipsum calliblepharum vellerumque tincturas inter cetera docuerunt, damnati a deo sunt, ut Enoch refert, quomodo placebimus deo, gaudentes rebus illorum qui iram et animadversionem dei propterea provocaverunt? Nunc ut ista prospexerit deus, deus permiserit, nullam de conchylio vestem Esaias increpet, nullum botronatum retundat, nullas lunulas reprobet, tamen non ut gentiles, ita nos quoque nobis adolemur, institutorem solummodo deum existimantes, non etiam despectorem institutorum suorum.
But if the same angels, who disclosed both such materials and allurements—I mean of gold and illustrious stones—and handed down their works, and already taught, among other things, the eyeshadow itself and the dyes of fleeces, are condemned by God, as Enoch reports, how shall we please God while rejoicing in the things of those who on that account provoked the wrath and animadversion of God? Now, though God may have foreseen these things, though God may have permitted them, though Isaiah may not rebuke any garment of purple, nor crush any cluster-shaped ornament, nor reject any little moons, yet we must not, like the gentiles, adorn ourselves, thinking of God only as the founder, and not also as the despiser of His own institutions.
Quanto enim utilius et cautius egerimus, si praesumamus omnia quidem a deo provisa tunc et in saeculo posita, uti nunc essent in quibus disciplina servorum eius probaretur, ut per licentiam utendi continentiae experimenta procederent? Nonne sapientes patresfamiliae de industria quaedam servis suis offerunt atque permittunt, ut experiantur, an et qualiter permissis utantur, si probe, si moderate? Quanto autem laudabilior qui abstinuerit in totum, qui timuerit etiam indulgentiam domini? Sic igitur et apostolus, Omnia, inquit, licent, sed non omnia expediunt. Quanto facilius inlicita timebit qui licita verebitur?
Quae autem vobis causae extructius prodeundi, cum remotae sitis ab his quae talium indigent.
For how much more usefully and cautiously shall we act, if we presume that all things indeed were provided by God then and placed in the world, so that they might now be things in which the discipline of His servants should be tested, so that through the license of using, the trials of continence might proceed? Do not wise masters of families on purpose offer and permit certain things to their servants, that they may experience whether and how they use what is permitted, if honestly, if moderately? But how much more praiseworthy is he who has abstained altogether, who has feared even the indulgence of his lord? Thus therefore the apostle also says: “All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient.” How much more easily will he fear what is unlawful, who shall stand in awe of what is lawful? But what causes have you for going out more elaborately adorned, since you are removed from those things which require such?
Nam nec templa circumitis, nec spectacula postulatis, nec festos dies gentium nostis.
For you neither go about temples, nor demand spectacles, nor know the feast days of the gentiles.
Propter istos enim conventus et multum videre ac videri omnes pompae in publicum proferuntur, aut ut luxuria negotietur aut gloria insolescat.
For because of these assemblies and much seeing and being seen, all pomps are brought out into public, either that luxury may traffic or glory become insolent.
Vobis autem nulla procedendi causa non tetrica.
But to you there is no cause for going out that is not solemn.
Aut inbecillus aliqui ex fratribus visitatur, aut sacrificium offertur, aut dei sermo administratur.
Either some sick person among the brethren is visited, or the sacrifice is offered, or the word of God is administered.
Quidvis horum gravitatis et sanctitatis negotium est, cui opus non sit habitu extraordinario, et composito et soluto.
Any of these is a business of gravity and sanctity, which has no need of an extraordinary habit, both elaborate and loose.