§6Ipsa adeo est, quae fidem et subsequitur et antecedit.
It is she indeed who both follows and precedes faith.
denique Abraham deo credidit et iustitiae deputatus ab illo est; sed fidem eius patientia probauit, cum filium immolare iussus ad fidei, non temptationem dixerim, sed typicam contestationem, - ceterum deus quem iustitiae deputasset sciebattam graue praeceptum, quod nec domino perfici placebat, patienter et audiuit et, si deus uoluisset, implesset.
Finally, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness; but patience proved his faith, when, commanded to immolate his son for—I would not say a temptation, but a typical attestation of faith—yet God knew whom He had imputed for righteousness— he both patiently heard so heavy a command, which it did not please even the Lord to be performed, and, if God had willed, would have fulfilled it.
merito ergo benedictus, quia et fidelis; merito fidelis, quia et patiens.
Deservedly therefore was he blessed, because he was also faithful; deservedly faithful, because he was also patient.
ita fides patientia inluminata, cum in nationes seminaretur per semen Abrahae, quod est Christus, et gratiam legi superduceret, ampliandae adimplendaeque legi adiutricem suam patientiam praefecit, quod ea sola ad iustitiae doctrinam retro defuisset.
Thus faith, illuminated by patience, when it was being sown among the nations through the seed of Abraham, which is Christ, and brought grace over the law, appointed patience, its helper, for the amplifying and fulfilling of the law, because she alone had previously been lacking to the doctrine of righteousness.
nam olim et oculum pro oculo et dentem pro dente repetebant et malum malo fenerabant.
For formerly they used to demand an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, and returned evil for evil.
nondum enim patientia in terris, quia nec fides.
For patience was not yet on earth, because neither was faith.
scilicet interim impatientia occasionibus legis fruebatur.
Obviously, in the meantime, impatience enjoyed the opportunities of the law.
facile erat absente domino patientiae et magistro.
It was easy while the Lord and teacher of patience was absent.
qui postquam suqeruenit et gratiam fidei patientia composuit, iam nec uerbo quidem lacessere nec \'fatue\' quidem dicere sine iudicii periculo licet.
But after He arrived and composed the grace of faith with patience, it is no longer allowed even to provoke with a word or even to say 'fool' without the danger of judgment.
prohibita ira restricti animi, compressa petulantia manus, exemptum linguae uenenum.
Anger is prohibited to restrain the mind, the petulance of the hand is compressed, the poison of the tongue is removed.
plus lex quam amisit inuenit.
The law found more than it lost.
dicente Christo: diligite inimicos uestros et maledicentibus benedicite et orate pro persecutoribus uestris, ut filii sitis patris uestri caelestis.
As Christ said: Love your enemies and bless those who curse you, and pray for your persecutors, so that you may be sons of your heavenly Father.
uides, quem nobis patrem patientia adquirat.
You see what kind of father patience acquires for us.
§7Hoc principali praecepto, quo ne digne quidem malefacere concessum, uniuersa patientiae disciplina succincta est.
By this principal precept, by which it is not permitted even to do evil deservedly, the entire discipline of patience is girded.
iam uero percurrentibus nobis causas impatientiae cetera quoque praecepta suis locis respondebunt.
Now indeed, as we run through the causes of impatience, the other precepts also will respond in their own places.
si detrimento rei familiaris animus concitatur, omni paene in loco contemnendo saeculo scripturis dominicis commonetur; nec maior ad pecuniae contemptum exhortatio subiacet, quam quod ipse dominus in nullis diuitiis inuenitur.
If the mind is stirred up by the loss of domestic property, in almost every place the worldly life is warned against in the scriptures of the Lord; nor does a greater exhortation to the contempt of money lie beneath than that the Lord Himself is found in no riches.
semper pauperes iustificat, diuites praedamnat.
He always justifies the poor, and pre-condemns the rich.
ita detriment(or)um patientiae fastidium opulentiae praeministrauit, demonstrans per abiectionem diuitiarum laesuras quoque earum computandas non esse.
Thus patience under losses ministered beforehand a distaste for wealth, showing through the rejection of riches that their injuries also are not to be computed.
quod ergo nobis appetere minime opus est, quia nec dominus appetiuit, detruncatum uel etiam ademptum non aegre sustinere debemus.
What therefore we have least need to desire, because the Lord did not desire it, we ought to bear without grief when it is cut down or even taken away.
cupiditatem omnium malorum radicem spiritus domini per apostolum pronuntiauit.
The spirit of the Lord through the apostle pronounced cupidity to be the root of all evils.
eam non in concupiscentia alieni tantum constitutam interpretemur: nam et quod nostrum uidetur alienum est; nihil enim nostrum, quoniam dei omnia, cuius ipsi quoque nos.
Let us not interpret it as consisting only in the desire of what belongs to another; for even what seems ours is another's; for nothing is ours, since all things are God's, whose we ourselves also are.
itaque si damno adfecti impatienter senserimus,. de non nostro amissum dolentes adfines cupiditatis deprehendemur.
And so, if having suffered a loss we feel it impatiently, we shall be detected as kin to cupidity, grieving for what is lost from what is not ours.
. alienum quaerimus, cum alienum amissum aegre sustinemus.
We seek what is another's, when we bear with grief the loss of what is another's.
qui damni impatientia concitatur terrena caelestibus anteponendo, de proximo in deum peccat.
He who is stirred up by impatience of loss, by putting earthly things before heavenly things, sins immediately against God.
spiritum enim, quem a domino sumpsit, saecularis rei gratia concutit.
For the spirit which he received from the Lord, he shakes for the sake of a worldly thing.
libenter igitur terrena amittamus, (ut) caelestia tueamur.
Let us therefore willingly lose earthly things, that we may protect heavenly things.
totum licet saeculum pereat, dum patientiam lucrifaciam.
Let the whole world perish, provided I make a gain of patience.
iam qui minutum sibi aliquid aut furto aut ui aut etiam ignauia non constanter sustinere constituit, nescio an facile uel ex animo ipse rei suae manum inferre possit in causa elemosynae.
Now, he who has resolved not to bear constantly some small thing lost either by theft or by force or even by negligence, I know not whether he can easily or from his heart lay his hand upon his own property in the cause of alms.
quis enim ab alio secari omnino non sustinens ipse ferrum in corpore suo ducit? patientia in detrimentis exercitatio est largiendi et communicandi.
For who, utterly unable to bear being cut by another, himself draws the iron across his own body? Patience in losses is an exercise of giving and sharing.
non piget donare eum, qui non timet perdere.
He does not grieve to give who does not fear to lose.
alioquin quomodo duas habens tunicas alteram earum nudo dabit, nisi idem sit, qui auferenti tunicam etiam pallium offerre possit? quomodo amicos de mammona.
Otherwise, how will one who has two tunics give one of them to the naked, unless he be the same who, to him who takes away his tunic, can also offer his cloak? How shall we make friends for ourselves of mammon, if we love it to such an degree that we do not suffer its loss?
fabricabimus nobis, si eum in tantum amauerimus, ut amissum non sufferamus? peribimus cum perdito qui hic inuenimus ubi habemus amittere.
We shall perish with the lost thing, we who find it here where we have to lose it.
gentilium est omnibus detrimentis impatientiam adhibere, qui rem pecuniariam fortasse animae anteponant. , nam id faciunt, cum lucri cupiditatibus quaestuosa pericula mercimoniorum in mari exercent, cum pecuniae causa etiam in foro nihil f damnationi timendum adgredi dubitant, cum denique ludo et castris sese locant, cum peruia inmemores bestiarum latrocinantur.
It belongs to the Gentiles to apply impatience to all losses, who perhaps prefer money to the soul; for they do this when, with desires for gain, they practice the profitable dangers of merchandise on the sea, when for the sake of money even in the forum they do not hesitate to attempt anything to be feared as condemnation, when finally they hire themselves out to the games and the camp, when they commit highway robbery, forgetful of wild beasts.
nos uero secundum diuersitatem, qua cum illis sumus, non animam pro pecunia, sed pecuniam pro anima deponere conuenit, seu sponte in largiendo seu patienter in amittendo.
But for us, according to the difference we have with them, it is fitting to lay down not the soul for money, but money for the soul, whether voluntarily in giving or patiently in losing.