§8Ipsam animam ipsumque corpus in saeculo isto èXPOsitum omnibus ad iniuriam gerimus eiusque iniuriae patientiam summus: minorum delibatione laedemur? absit \'a seruo Christi tale inquinamentum, ut patientia maioribus temptationinus praeparata in friuolis excidat! si manu quis temptauerit prouocare, praesto est dominica monela: uerberanti te, inquit, in faciem etiam alteram genam obuerte. fatigetur improbitas patientia tua; quiuis ictus illi sit dolore et contumelia constrictus.
We carry our very soul and our very body, exposed in this world to injury from all, and we undertake patience of that injury; shall we be hurt by the sipping of smaller things? Far be it from a servant of Christ such a defilement, that patience prepared for greater temptations should fail in trivial things! If anyone attempts to provoke with the hand, the Lord's admonition is at hand: "To him who strikes you on the face," He says, "turn also the other cheek." Let wickedness be wearied by your patience; let any blow be to him constrained by pain and disgrace.
plus improbum illum caedis sustinendo, grauius a domino uapulaturum; ab eo enim uapulabit, cuius gratia sustines.
By sustaining more of the beating, that wicked man will be beaten more severely by the Lord; for he will be beaten by Him for whose sake you endure.
si linguae amaritudo maledicto siue conuicio eruperit, respice dictum: cum uos maledixerint, gaudete. dominus ipse maledictus in lege est et tamen solus est benedictus.
If the bitterness of the tongue breaks out in a curse or abuse, look back at the saying: "When they curse you, rejoice." The Lord Himself is cursed in the law, and yet He alone is blessed.
igitur dominum serui consequamur et maledicamur patienter, ut benedicti esse possimus.
Therefore let us servants follow the Lord, and let us be cursed patiently, so that we may be able to be blessed.
si parum aequanimiter audiam dictum aliquod in me proteruum aut nequam, reddam et ipse amaritudinis uicem necesse est, aut cruciabor impatientia muta.
If I hear with too little equanimity some word spoken against me that is insolent or wicked, it is necessary that I too return the turn of bitterness, or I shall be tormented by a mute impatience.
cum ergo (re)percussero maledictis, quomodo secutus inueniar doctrinam domini, qua traditum est non uasculorum inquinamentis, sed eorum, quae ex ore promuntur, hominem communicari, item: manere nos omnis uani et superuacui dicti reatum? sequitur ergo, ut a quo nos dominus arcet, idem ab alio aequanimiter pati admoneat.
When, therefore, I have struck back with curses, how shall I be found to have followed the doctrine of the Lord, by which it has been handed down that a man is defiled not by the pollutions of vessels, but by those things which are brought forth from the mouth, and likewise, that the guilt of every idle and superfluous word awaits us? It follows, therefore, that what the Lord restrains us from, He admonishes us to bear with equanimity from another.
hic iam uide patientiae uoluptatem.
Here now see the pleasure of patience.
nam omnis iniuria, seu lingua seu manu incussa, cum patientiam offenderit, eodem exitu dispungetur, quo telum aliquod in petra constantissimae duritiae libratum et obtusum.
For every injury, inflicted either by tongue or by hand, when it strikes against patience, will be discharged with the same result as some weapon hurled against a rock of most steadfast hardness and blunted.
concidet enim ibidem inrita opera et infructuosa et nonnumquam repercussum in eum, qui misit, reciproco impetu saeuiet.
For there the useless and fruitless work will fall, and sometimes, recoiling upon him who sent it, will rage with reciprocal force.
nempe idcirco quis te, laedit, ut doleas, quia fructus laedentis in dolore laesi est.
For surely someone hurts you for this reason, that you may grieve, because the fruit of the hurter is in the grief of the hurt.
ergo cum fructum eius euerteris non dolendo, ipse doleat necesse est amissione fructus sui.
Therefore, when you have overturned his fruit by not grieving, he himself must grieve at the loss of his fruit.
tunc tu non modo inlaesus abis, quod etiam solum tibi sufficit, sed insuper aduersarii tui et frustratione oblectatus et dolore defensus.
Then you not only go away unhurt, which alone is sufficient for you, but moreover you are both delighted by the frustration of your adversary and defended by his grief.
haec est patientiae utilitas et uoluptas.
This is the utility and pleasure of patience.
§9Ne illa quidem impatientiae species excusatur, [in amissione nostrorum] cui aliqua doloris patrocinatur adsertio.
Not even that species of impatience is excused, [in the loss of our loved ones,] for which some defense of grief pleads.
praeponendus est enim respectus denuntiationis apostoli, qui ait: ne contristemini dormitione cuiusquam, sicut nationes, quae spe carent. et merito.
For regard for the declaration of the apostle must be preferred, who says: "Do not grieve for the sleeping of anyone, as the nations, who lack hope." And deservedly.
credentes enim resurrectionem Christi in nostram quoque credimus.
For believing the resurrection of Christ, we believe also in ours.
propter quos ille et obiit et resurrexit.
For whose sake He both died and rose again.
ergo cum constet de resurrectione mortuorum, uacat dolor mortis, uacat et impa* tientia doloris.
Therefore, since the resurrection of the dead is established, the grief of death is empty, and the impatience of grief is also empty.
cur enim doleas, si perisse non credis? cur impatienter feras subductum interim quem credis reuersurum? profectio est quam putas mortem.
For why should you grieve, if you do not believe he has perished? Why should you bear impatiently him who is withdrawn for a time, whom you believe will return? Death, which you think it is, is a departure.
non est lugendus qui antecedit, sed plane desiderandus.
He who goes before is not to be mourned, but clearly to be longed for.
id quoque desiderium patientia temperandum.
That longing also must be tempered by patience.
cur enim. immoderate feras. abisse quem mox, subsequeris? ceterum impatientia in huiusmodi et spei nostrae male ominatur et fidem praeuaricatur.
For why should you bear immoderately that he has departed, whom you will soon follow? But impatience in such matters both bodes ill for our hope and betrays our faith.
et Christum laedimus, cum euocatos quosque ab illo quasi miserandos non aequanimiter accipimus.
And we hurt Christ when we do not accept with equanimity those who are called away by Him, as if they were to be pitied.
cupio, inquit apostolus, recipi iam et esse cum domino.
"I desire," says the apostle, "to be received now and to be with the Lord." How much better a desire he shows!
quanto melius ostendit uotum! Christianorum ergo uotum, si alios consecutos impatienter dolemus, ipsi consequi nolumus.
Therefore, if we grieve impatiently that others have attained the vow of Christians, we ourselves do not want to attain it.