Sermons to the People 13.1–14.10

Latin text: PL 38 (Latin text: Migne, PL 38, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: NPNF 1/6: Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (R. G. MacMullen, ed., 1888).

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Chapter 13

13.1PL 38:107

Erudimini, omnes qui judicatis terram. Terram judicare, est corpus domare. Audiamus Apostolum judicantem terram: Non sic pugno, inquit, tanquam aerem cædens; sed castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo, ne forte aliis prædicans ipse reprobus efficiar ( I Cor. ix, 26 et 27). Audi ergo, terra, judicantem terram; et judica terram, ne sis terra. Si enim terram judicaveris, cœlum eris, et in te factam gloriam Domini enarrabis. Cæli enim enarrant gloriam Dei ( Psal. XVIII, 2). Si autem terram non judicaveris, terra eris. Si autem terra fueris, ad eum pertinebis cui dictum est, Terram manducabis. Audiant ergo judices terræ: corpus castigent, libidines frenent, ament sapientiam, vincant concupiscentiam: et ut hoc faciant, erudiantur.

"Be instructed, all you who judge the earth." To judge the earth is to tame the body. Let us hear the Apostle judging the earth: "I do not fight," he says, "as one beating the air; but I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps, having preached to others, I myself become reprobate." So hear, earth, one judging the earth; and judge the earth, so that you may not be earth. For if you judge the earth, you will be heaven, and you will tell the glory of the Lord done in you. For "the heavens tell the glory of God." But if you do not judge the earth, you will be earth. And if you are earth, you will belong to him to whom it was said, "Earth you shall eat." Let the judges of the earth hear, then: let them chastise the body, rein in lusts, love wisdom, conquer desire: and that they may do this, let them be instructed.

Ps 2:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:26–27 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 19:1 (18:2 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:14 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: "You who judge the earth" means those who master their bodies, as Paul did; whoever does not judge the earth becomes earth, the serpent's food.

  • Ps 2:10; 1 Cor 9:26-27; Ps 19:1 (Latin Ps 18:2); Gen 3:14.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Nou sic pugno → Non sic pugno; terram; ct judica → terram; et judica; lihidines → libidines.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.1 (PL 38:107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.2PL 38:107

Hæc est autem summa eruditionis: Servite Domino in timore, et exsultate ei cum tremore. Exsulta ei, non tibi: ei a quo es quod es, et quod homo es, et quod justus es; si tamen jam justus es. Si autem putaveris quod ab illo quidem homo es, a te autem justus es; non servis Domino in timore, nec exsultas ei in tremore, sed tibi in præsumptione. Et quid tibi fiet, nisi quod sequitur? Ne quando irascatur Dominus, et pereatis, inquit, de via justa. Non enim ait, Ne quando irascatur Dominus, et non intretis in viam justam; sed, pereatis de via justa. Jam enim videris tibi justus non rapiendo alienum, non adulterando, non homicidium faciendo, non falsum testimonium adversus proximum dicendo, patrem et matrem honorando, unum Deum colendo, idolis et daemoniis non serviendo: de hac via peribis, si tibi ista præsumpseris, si tibi ista a te ipso esse putaveris. Infideles enim non intrant in viam justam, superbi pereunt de via justa. Quid enim ait? Erudimini, omnes qui judicatis terram. Et ne forte vires et potentiam, qua judicatis terram, vobis tribuatis, et a vobis ipsis eam vobis esse credatis; nolite sic: Servite Domino in timore; exsultate, non vobis in praesumptione, sed ei in tremore. Ne quando irascatur Dominus, et pereatis de via justa, cum exarserit cito ira ejus. Quid ergo faciendum est, ne pereamus de via justa? Beati omnes qui confidunt in eum. Si beati qui confidunt in eum; miseri qui confidunt in se. Maledictus enim omnis homo qui spem suam ponit in homine. Ergo nec in te, quia et tu homo es. Si enim spem tuam posueris in alio homine, inordinate humilis eris: si autem spem tuam posueris in te, periculose superbis. Quid autem interest? Utrumque perniciosum: nihil horum eligendum. Inordinate humilis non levatur: periculose superbus præcipitatur.

And this is the sum of instruction: "Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in him with trembling." Rejoice in him, not in yourself: in him from whom you have it that you are, and that you are a man, and that you are righteous, if indeed you are already righteous. But if you think that you are a man from him, but righteous from yourself, you are not serving the Lord in fear, nor rejoicing in him with trembling, but in yourself with presumption. And what will happen to you but what follows? "Lest the Lord be angry," it says, "and you perish from the just way." For it does not say, "Lest the Lord be angry, and you do not enter the just way," but, "and you perish from the just way." For you already seem to yourself righteous, not seizing another's goods, not committing adultery, not committing murder, not bearing false witness against your neighbor, honoring father and mother, worshipping one God, not serving idols and demons: you will perish from this way if you attribute these things to yourself, if you think these things are from yourself. For unbelievers do not enter the just way; the proud perish from the just way. For what does it say? "Be instructed, all you who judge the earth." And lest perhaps you attribute to yourselves the strength and power by which you judge the earth, and believe you have it from yourselves, do not do so: "Serve the Lord in fear; rejoice," not in yourselves with presumption, but "in him with trembling. Lest the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way, when his anger is quickly kindled." What, then, must be done so that we do not perish from the just way? "Blessed are all who trust in him." If those who trust in him are blessed, those who trust in themselves are wretched. For "cursed is every man who puts his hope in man." So not in yourself either, since you too are a man. For if you put your hope in another man, you will be wrongly humble; but if you put your hope in yourself, you are dangerously proud. What difference does it make? Both are ruinous: neither is to be chosen. The wrongly humble is not lifted up; the dangerously proud is thrown down.

Ps 2:11–12 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 17:5 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The righteous must serve God in fear, crediting their righteousness to him; whoever trusts in himself perishes from the just way, and to trust in another man is as ruinous as to trust in oneself.

  • The opening words of the digital text, "Fidendum in Dominum. Inordinate humilis," are Migne's marginal heading and are removed. Ps 2:11-12; Jer 17:5. Augustine's Latin of Ps 2:12 reads "perish from the just way."

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Fidendum in Dominum. Inordinate humilis. Hæc est autem → Hæc est autem; homo es. et quod justus es; si tamcn jim → homo es, et quod justus es; si tamen jam; jUstus → justus; nee exsultas ei in tremorc → nec exsultas ei in tremore; sequUur → sequitur; etpereatis, inquit, devia justa → et pereatis, inquit, de via justa; via juata → via justa; servienilo → serviendo; pereunt devia justa → pereunt de via justa; Servile Domino → Servite Domino; vobisin → vobis in; et.pereatis → et pereatis; omned qui confidunt in cum. Si bcati → omnes qui confidunt in eum. Si beati; posucris in alio hemine, inordinate humilis cris → posueris in alio homine, inordinate humilis eris; Quidautem → Quid autem; levatnr → levatur.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.2 (PL 38:107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.3PL 38:107

Denique ut noverit Sanctitas vestra, propter istum sensum redarguendum et consumendum, quod in se quisque confidit, dicta esse ista verba, Servite Domino in timore, et exsultate ei cum tremore; Apostolum audite hæc ipsa verba dicentem, et sententiam cur dicta sint, explanantem. Ecce Apostoli verba sunt: Cum timore et tremore vestram ipsorum salutem operamini. Quare ergo cum timore et tremore meam salutem operor, cum sit in potestate mea operari salutem meam? Vis audire quare cum timore et tremore? Deus est enim qui operatur in vobis. Ideo cum timore et tremore: quia quod impetrat humilis, amittit superbus. Si ergo Deus est qui operatur in nobis, quare dictum est, Vestram ipsorum salutem operamini? Quia sic in nobis operatur, ut et nos operemur: Adjutor meus esto ( Psal. XXVI, 9 ). Designat et se operatorem, qui invocat adjutorem. Sed voluntas, inquit, bona, mea est. Fateor, tua. Sed et ipsa a quo data, a quo excitata? Noli me ipsum audire: Apostolum interroga. Deus est enim, inquit, qui operatur in vobis et velle et operari pro bona voluntate. Quid est ergo quod tibi arrogabas? Quid est quod superbus ibas, et peribas? Redi ad cor tuum, inveni te malum; et ut sis bonus, invoca bonum. Non enim in te placet Deo, nisi quod habes ex Deo: quod autem habes ex te, displicet Deo. Si bona tua cogitas, quid habes quod non accepisti? Si autem accepisti, quid gloriaris, quasi non acceperis ( I Cor. iv, 7)? Solus est ille qui non novit nisi dare. Non habet datorem, qui non habet meliorem. Quo tu si inferior es, imo quia inferior es, gratulare quod ad ejus imaginem factus es; ut in illo inveniaris, qui in te peristi. Non enim potuisti in te, nisi perdere te; nec scis invenire te, nisi ille qui fecit te, quærat te.

Finally, so that your Holiness may know that these words, "Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in him with trembling," were said to refute and do away with this attitude by which each one trusts in himself, hear the Apostle saying these very words and explaining why they were said. See, these are the Apostle's words: "With fear and trembling work out your own salvation." Why then do I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, when it is in my power to work out my salvation? Do you want to hear why with fear and trembling? "For it is God who works in you." That is why with fear and trembling: because what the humble obtains, the proud loses. If, then, it is God who works in us, why was it said, "Work out your own salvation"? Because he works in us in such a way that we also work. "Be my helper." He who calls on a helper shows that he too is a worker. "But the good will," he says, "is mine." I admit it: yours. But by whom was it given, by whom aroused? Do not listen to me: ask the Apostle. "For it is God," he says, "who works in you both to will and to work for his good will." What is it, then, that you claimed for yourself? Why were you walking proudly and perishing? Return to your heart, find yourself bad; and so that you may be good, call on the good one. For nothing in you pleases God except what you have from God: what you have from yourself displeases God. If you think of your good things, "what do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" He alone knows nothing but giving. He who has no one better has no giver. And if you are inferior to him, or rather because you are inferior, rejoice that you were made in his image; that you may be found in him, you who perished in yourself. For in yourself you could do nothing but lose yourself; nor can you find yourself unless he who made you seeks you.

Ps 2:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:12–13 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 27:9 (26:9 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 19:10 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: We work out our salvation with fear because God works in us both to will and to work; the good will itself is God's gift, and whoever was lost in himself is found only when his Maker seeks him.

  • Ps 2:11; Phil 2:12-13; Ps 27:9 (Latin Ps 26:9); 1 Cor 4:7; Gen 1:27; Luke 19:10. Augustine's teaching that the good will is given and aroused by God is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Deniquc → Denique; Sanctilas vestra, prol'ter istum sensum redarguendum ct → Sanctitas vestra, propter istum sensum redarguendum et; verbi dicentem → verba dicentem; selutem → salutem; timore ct tremore meam salutem opcror, cuin → timore et tremore meam salutem operor, cum; salutem meam Ą Vis → salutem meam? Vis; Deus eat enim qui operatur in vobis. Ideo → Deus est enim qui operatur in vobis. Ideo; Adjutor meus tato → Adjutor meus esto; Dcsignat ct se operatorem I, → Designat et se operatorem,; tua.Sed → tua. Sed; Deus eat enim, inquit → Deus est enim, inquit; pcribas → peribas; malum; ct ut → malum; et ut; Non babet → Non habet; inferior cs → inferior es; nee scis → nec scis; fccit te → fecit te.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.3 (PL 38:107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.4PL 38:107–109

Alloquamur tamen et eos qui secundum istam visibilem et popularem intelligentiam judicant terram. Judicant enim terram reges, duces, principes, judices: unusquisque pro munere quod accepit in terra, judicat terram. Quid est autem quod dicitur, Judicat terram, nisi, Judicat homines qui sunt in terra? Nam si terram proprie non accipias, nisi quam calcas; agricolis ergo dictum est, Qui judicatis terram. Porro autem si reges judicant terram, et quisquis sub regibus potestatem accepit a regibus; erudiantur et ipsi: quia terra judicat terram; et timere debet eum qui est in cœlo terra judicans terram. Parem quippe suum judicat, homo hominem, mortalis mortalem, peccator peccatorem. Si enim procedat in medium dominica illa sententia, Qui sine peccato est, prior in illam lapidem mittat; nonne omnis judicans terram terræ motum patitur? Evangelicum capitulum recolamus. Pharisæi tentantes Dominum, adduxerunt ante eum mulierem in adulterio deprehensam; de quo peccato pœna fuerat Lege definita, Lege scilicet data per Moysen famulum Dei ( Levit. xx, 10 ). Hac ergo complexione dolosa et fraudulenta ad Dominum Pharisæi accesserunt, ut si juberet lapidari mulierem diffamatam, perderet mansuetudinem; si autem quod Lex jusserat prohiberet, peccasse teneretur in Legem. Sicut autem interrogantes de tributo Caesari reddendo, ore suo cepit, vicissim interrogans cujus esset prolatus nummus, cujus haberet imaginem et superscriptionem. Respondentes enim ipsi qui interrogaverant, in nummo esse imaginem Cæsaris; respondit eis secundum os ipsorum, Reddite Cæsari quæ Cæsaris sunt, et Deo quæ Dei sunt ( Luc. xx, 22-25); ut admoneret sic reddendam Deo in homine imaginem Dei, quemadmodum in nummo imago sua redditur Caesari. Ita et in ista adultera interrogatores interrogavit, et ideo judices judicavit. Non prohibeo, inquit, lapidari quam lapidari Lex jussit; sed quæro a quibus. Non enim resisto, sed Legis ministrum requiro. Denique audite: Lapidare vultis secundum Legem? Qui sine peccato est, prior in illam lapidem mittat.

Let us also address those who judge the earth according to the visible and popular understanding. For kings, generals, princes, judges judge the earth: each judges the earth according to the office he has received on earth. And what does "judges the earth" mean, but "judges the people who are on the earth"? For if you take the earth properly only as what you tread on, then it was said to farmers, "You who judge the earth." But if kings judge the earth, and whoever under kings has received power from kings, let them too be instructed: because earth judges earth; and earth judging earth ought to fear him who is in heaven. For a man judges his equal: man judges man, mortal judges mortal, sinner judges sinner. For if that saying of the Lord comes into the open, "Let him who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her," does not everyone who judges the earth suffer an earthquake? Let us recall the Gospel passage. The Pharisees, testing the Lord, brought before him a woman caught in adultery; for which sin a punishment had been laid down by the Law, the Law given through Moses the servant of God. So the Pharisees came to the Lord with this deceitful and fraudulent dilemma: that if he ordered the defamed woman to be stoned, he would lose his gentleness; but if he forbade what the Law had ordered, he would be held to have sinned against the Law. But just as, when they asked about paying tribute to Caesar, he caught them by their own mouth, asking in turn whose the coin they produced was, whose image and inscription it had (for when those who had asked answered that the image on the coin was Caesar's, he answered them according to their own mouth, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's," to remind them that the image of God in man must be rendered to God just as his image on the coin is rendered to Caesar): so too in the case of this adulteress he questioned the questioners, and so judged the judges. "I do not forbid," he says, "that she be stoned whom the Law ordered stoned; but I ask by whom. For I do not resist, but I look for a minister of the Law." Finally, hear: "Do you want to stone her according to the Law? Let him who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

Ps 2:10 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:3–7 (quotation, high confidence) · Lev 20:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 20:22–25 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Rulers and judges too must remember that they are sinners judging sinners, as Christ showed with the woman taken in adultery, turning the Pharisees' trap back on them as he did over Caesar's coin.

  • Ps 2:10; John 8:3-7; Lev 20:10; Luke 20:22-25. The pun on "earthquake" (terræ motus) is Augustine's. Augustine reads Christ's answer as not abolishing the Law's penalty but requiring a sinless executor; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Judicant cnim terram reges, duces, principes, judices 2: → Judicant enim terram reges, duces, principes, judices:; agri - colis ergo dictum cst → agricolis ergo dictum est; judicant t rram → judicant terram; timere debet cum qui est iit cœlo → timere debet eum qui est in cœlo; adduxcrunt ante cum mulierem → adduxerunt ante eum mulierem; peccaio paena → peccato pœna; mansueludinem → mansuetudinem; ore suo cet pit → ore suo cepit; respondit pis → respondit eis; Deo jn homine → Deo in homine.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.4 (PL 38:107–109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.5PL 38:109

Quando autem hæc audivit, digito scribebat in terra, ut erudiret terram. Quando autem hoc dixit Pharisæis, levavit oculos suos ipse, et inspexit terram, et fecit eam tremere. Proinde cum hoc dixisset, iterum cœpit scribere in terra. At illi compuncti et tremefacti, unus post alterum discesserunt. O terrae motum, ubi sic terra mota est, ut etiam mutaret locum! Illis ergo discedentibus, remansit peccatrix et Salvator: remansit aegrota et medicus: remansit misera et misericordia. Et aspiciens mulierem, dixit: Nemo te condemnavit? Et illa: Nemo, Domine. Sed tamen adhuc sollicita erat. Peccatores enim damnare non ausi sunt: non ausi sunt lapidare peccatricem, qui se ipsos intuentes similes invenerunt. Sed adhuc mulier erat in magno periculo: quia et ille ei judex remanserat, qui erat sine peccato. Nemo, inquit, te damnavit? At illa, Nemo, Domine: si nec tu, secura sum. Cui sollicitudini cita Dominus voce respondit: Nec ego te damnabo ( Joan. VIII, 3-11). Nec ego, quamvis sim sine peccato, nec ego te damnabo. Illos a vindicta repressit conscientia: me ad subveniendum inclinat misericordia.

But when he heard this, he wrote with his finger on the ground, to instruct the earth. And when he said this to the Pharisees, he raised his eyes, and looked at the earth, and made it tremble. Then, when he had said this, he began again to write on the ground. And they, pricked and made to tremble, went away one after another. O earthquake, where the earth was so moved that it even changed its place! So when they had gone away, the sinful woman and the Saviour remained: the sick woman and the doctor remained: misery and mercy remained. And looking at the woman, he said, "Has no one condemned you?" And she: "No one, Lord." But still she was anxious. For sinners did not dare to condemn her: those who, looking at themselves, found themselves like her did not dare to stone the sinful woman. But the woman was still in great danger, because that judge who was without sin had remained. "Has no one," he says, "condemned you?" And she, "No one, Lord: if you do not either, I am safe." To this anxiety the Lord answered with a quick word: "Neither will I condemn you." Neither will I, though I am without sin, neither will I condemn you. Their conscience held them back from punishment; mercy inclines me to help.

John 8:6–11 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The accusers left, trembling, and only the sinless judge remained with the woman; but mercy moved him to say, "Neither will I condemn you."

  • The opening words of the digital text, "Misericordiam consequitur," are a remnant of Migne's marginal heading and are removed. John 8:6-11. "Misery and mercy remained" (remansit misera et misericordia) is Augustine's well-known wordplay.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Misericordiam consequitur, Quando autem hæc audivit 1, → Quando autem hæc audivit,; erndiret → erudiret; fecit cam tremere → fecit eam tremere; 0 terrae motum → O terrae motum; peccatrix ct Salvator → peccatrix et Salvator; mulicrem → mulierem; sollicita erat, Peccatores → sollicita erat. Peccatores; sinc peccato. Nerno → sine peccato. Nemo; respondit I: → respondit:; misericordja → misericordia.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.5 (PL 38:109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-13-5) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.6PL 38:109

Hæc attendite, et erudimini, omnes qui judicatis terram. Omnes scilicet, quia etiam sic intelligendum est, quomodo et de quibus Apostolus dicit: Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit. Non est enim potestas, nisi a Deo. Quæ autem a Deo sunt, ordinatæ sunt. Qui resistit potestati, Dei ordinationi resistit. Principes enim non sunt timori boni operis, sed mali. Vis autem non timere potestatem? Bonum fac, et habebis laudem ex illa (Rom. XIII, i -5 ). Et si non ab illa, tamen ex illa. Aut enim juste agis, et justa potestas laudabit te: aut juste agentem, etiamsi potestas injusta damnet te, Deus justus coronabit te. Ac per hoc tu justitiam tene, tu bene vive: et sive damnet, sive absolvat, habebis laudem ex illa. Beatus ille, cujus hic sanguis fusus est, nonne ex ipsa potestate, antequam et a qua visus est judicari, laudem invenit? Confessionem prompsit, in fide permansit: mortem non timuit, sanguinem fudit, diabolum vicit.

Pay attention to these things, and be instructed, all you who judge the earth. "All," that is, because it is also to be understood of those of whom the Apostle says: "Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God; and those that are, are ordained by God. Whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God. For rulers are not a terror to good work, but to evil. Do you want not to fear the authority? Do good, and you will have praise from it." And if not from it, still out of it. For either you act justly, and a just authority will praise you; or, if you act justly, even if an unjust authority condemns you, the just God will crown you. And so, you hold fast to justice, you live well: and whether it condemns or acquits, you will have praise out of it. That blessed man whose blood was shed here: did he not find praise out of that very authority, before and by which he seemed to be judged? He made his confession, he persevered in the faith; he did not fear death, he shed his blood, he conquered the devil.

Ps 2:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 13:1–3 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: All who hold authority are ordained by God; whoever does good will have praise, either from a just authority or from God, as the martyr Cyprian did, who was condemned on this very spot.

  • Rom 13:1-3. The sermon was preached at the Mensa Cypriani in Carthage (see the heading), the place of Cyprian's martyrdom (258); "that blessed man whose blood was shed here" is Cyprian. "From it ... out of it" (ab illa ... ex illa): praise not given by the authority but arising out of its judgment.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): quomodo a de quibus → quomodo et de quibus; Quat autem a Deo sunt, ordinatæ sunt '. → Quæ autem a Deo sunt, ordinatæ sunt.; resistit. principes enim non sunt limon → resistit. Principes enim non sunt timori; Vis autem no., timere → Vis autem non timere; tamcn ex ilia → tamen ex illa; tu beue vive → tu bene vive; fusus est I, → fusus est,; visqs → visus; prompsit2, → prompsit,.

Topics: Martyrdom, Persecution

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.6 (PL 38:109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.7PL 38:109

Ut ergo non sitis iniquæ potestatis, quicumque homines vultis habere in homines potestatem; erudimini, ne perverse judicetis, et ante in anima pereatis, quam quemquam in carne perdatis. Judex esse vis ( non potes meritis), vel pecunia nondum reprehendo. Fortasse enim prodesse cupis rebus humanis, et emis ut prosis; ut servias justitiæ, non parcis pecuniæ. Prius propter te esto judex in te: prius judica de te, ut de penetrali conscientiæ securus procedas ad alterum. In te ipsum redi, te attende, te discute, te audi. Ibi te volo probare integrum judicem, ubi non quæris testem. Procedere vis cum potestate, ut alter tibi dicat de altero quod tu nescis; prius intus judica. Nihil tibi de te dixit conscientia tua? Si nolis negare, utique dixit. Nolo audire quid dixerit: tu judica qui audisti. Dixit tibi de te quid feceris, quid acceperis, quid peccaveris. Vellem scire qualem sententiam protulisti. Si bene audisti, si recte audisti, si in audiendo te justus fuisti, si tuæ mentis tribunal ascendisti, si te ipsum ante te ipsum in equuleum cordis suspendisti, si graves tortores adhibuisti timoris; bene audisti si sic audisti; et procul dubio poenitendo peccatum punisti. Ecce et discussisti, et audisti, et punisti; et tamen tibi pepercisti. Sic audi et proximum tuum, si erudiaris sicut admonuit Psalmus, Erudimini, omnes qui judicatis terram.

So, so that you may not be under an unjust authority, whoever of you wants to have power over people, be instructed, lest you judge perversely, and perish in soul before you destroy anyone in the flesh. You want to be a judge (you cannot be one by merit), or by money; I do not yet find fault. For perhaps you want to benefit human affairs, and you buy so that you may benefit; to serve justice, you do not spare money. First, for your own sake, be a judge within yourself: first judge yourself, so that from the inner chamber of your conscience you may go out secure to another. Return into yourself, attend to yourself, examine yourself, hear yourself. There I want to find you an upright judge, where you seek no witness. You want to go out with power, so that one person may tell you about another what you do not know; first judge within. Has your conscience told you nothing about yourself? If you do not want to deny it, it certainly has. I do not want to hear what it said: you judge, who heard it. It told you about yourself what you did, what you took, how you sinned. I should like to know what sentence you pronounced. If you heard well, if you heard rightly, if in hearing yourself you were just, if you mounted the tribunal of your mind, if you hung yourself on the rack of your heart before yourself, if you applied the heavy torturers of fear; you heard well if you heard like this; and without doubt you punished your sin by repenting. See, you have both examined, and heard, and punished; and yet you have spared yourself. Hear your neighbor too in this way, if you are instructed as the Psalm warned: "Be instructed, all you who judge the earth."

Ps 2:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Whoever seeks judicial power, even by purchase, must first judge himself in the court of his conscience, punishing his sins by repentance, and then judge his neighbor in the same way.

  • The opening words of the digital text, "Judex in se primum, tum in alios jus dicat," are Migne's marginal heading and are removed. Ps 2:10. The phrase "(non potes meritis), vel pecunia" is partly garbled in the digital text; translated by sense. Offices were often bought in Augustine's time.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slips; OCR slip in the digital text): Judex in se primum, tum in alios jus dicat. ut ergo pon sitis iniquæ p otestatis → Ut ergo non sitis iniquæ potestatis; in homines a potestatem → in homines potestatem; judicclis, et anUa in anima → judicetis, et ante in anima; qpemquam → quemquam; meritis), ve) pecunia → meritis), vel pecunia; pecuniæ. prius → pecuniæ. Prius; In te ipsum red;, → In te ipsum redi,; Si nolis pegare → Si nolis negare; feccris → feceris; Vellent scire qualein → Vellem scire qualem; si rectc audisti, si in audicndo → si recte audisti, si in audiendo; si te jpsum ante te ipsum in equulcum → si te ipsum ante te ipsum in equuleum; discussisti, ct audisti → discussisti, et audisti; tjbi pepercisti → tibi pepercisti; proximum tuum a, si crudiaris → proximum tuum, si erudiaris; judicqfis → judicatis.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.7 (PL 38:109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.8PL 38:109–111

Si sic audis proximum tuum, quomodo audis et te; peccata persequeris, non peccantem: et si forte quisquam durus est ad corrigenda peccata, aversus a timore Dei; hoc ipsum in eo persequeris, hoc ipsum corrigere conaberis, hoc perdere et tollere laborabis, ut servetur homo peccato damnato. Duo enim nomina sunt, homo et peccator: hominem Deus fecit, peccatorem se ipse homo fecit; pereat quod fecit homo, liberetur quod fecit Deus. Noli ergo usque ad mortem, ne cum persequeris peccatum, perdas hominem. Noli usque ad mortem, ut sit quem poeniteat: homo non necetur, ut sit qui emendetur. Hanc in corde retinens homo in homines dilectionem, esto judex terræ, et ama terrere sed dilige. Si superbis, superbi in peccata, non in hominem. In illud sævi quod tibi displicet et in te; non in eum qui factus est sicut tu. De una officina existis, unum artificem habuistis, unus limus est vestra materies. Quid perdis non amando quem judicas? Quoniam justitiam perdis, perdis non amando quem judicas. Adhibeantur poenæ, non recuso, non interdico; sed animo amantis, animo diligentis, animo corrigentis.

If you hear your neighbor as you hear yourself, you will pursue the sins, not the sinner: and if perhaps someone is hard about correcting his sins, turned away from the fear of God, you will pursue this very thing in him, try to correct this very thing, labor to destroy and remove this, so that the man may be saved and the sin condemned. For there are two names, man and sinner: God made the man, man made himself a sinner; let what man made perish, let what God made be set free. So do not go as far as death, lest in pursuing the sin you destroy the man. Do not go as far as death, so that there may be someone to repent: let the man not be killed, so that there may be someone to be amended. Keeping this love for human beings in your heart, O man, be a judge of the earth; and love to strike fear, but love. If you are proud, be proud against sins, not against the man. Rage against what displeases you in yourself too; not against him who was made as you were. You have come from one workshop, you have had one craftsman, one clay is your material. What do you lose by not loving the one you judge? You lose justice, you lose it by not loving the one you judge. Let penalties be applied, I do not refuse, I do not forbid; but in the spirit of one who loves, in the spirit of one who cares, in the spirit of one who corrects.

Gen 2:7 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A judge must pursue the sin and not the sinner, stopping short of death so that the man may repent; penalties are allowed, but only in a spirit of love and correction.

  • The opening words of the digital text, "Peccata persequatur, non peccantem," are Migne's marginal heading and are removed. Gen 2:7. Augustine's plea that judges not go "as far as death" is a plea against capital punishment, translated as written. The garbled "et ama terrere sed dilige" and "sivi" are translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip; OCR slip in the digital text): Peccata persequatur, non peccantem. Si sic audis proximum tuum, quomodo audjs → Si sic audis proximum tuum, quomodo audis; boc perdere → hoc perdere; dampatQ → damnato; fecit Dens → fecit Deus; Hanc iu corde retinens homo in hoinincs → Hanc in corde retinens homo in homines; sivi quod libi displicct et in te; non in cum qui factus cst → sævi quod tibi displicet et in te; non in eum qui factus est; perdis2 uon amando → perdis non amando; rccuso → recuso; animo diligcmis → animo diligentis.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.8 (PL 38:109–111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

13.9PL 38:111

Non enim filium tuum non erudis. Et prius agis, ut, si fieri potest, pudore et liberalitate erudiatur, erubescat patrem offendere, non tanquam severum judicem timeat; gaudes ad talem filium: sed si fuerit forte ista contemnens, adhibes et verbera; incutis pœnam, ingeris dolorem, sed quæris salutem. Multi amore, multi timore correcti sunt: sed per tremorem timoris ad amorem pervenerunt. Erudimini, qui judicatis terram. Diligite et judicate. Non enim sic quæritur innocentia, ut pereat disciplina. Scriptum est, Disciplinam qui abjicit, infelix est. Bene potest addi ad istam sententiam, Sicut disciplinam qui abjicit, infelix est: sic disciplinam qui negat, crudelis est. Ausus sum aliquid dicere, fratres mei, quod vobis aliquanto plenius exponere ipsius rei obscuritate compellor. Repeto quod dixi, Disciplinam qui abjicit, infelix est: hoc manifestum est. Disciplinam qui non dat, crudelis est: teneo prorsus, teneo et ostendo feriendo pium, parcendo crudelem; exemplum ante oculos pono. Ubi invenio feriendo pium? Non eo ad alios, ad patrem et filium eo: pater et quando ferit, amat; et non vult puer caedi: contemnit voluntatem, consulit ad utilitatem. Quare? Quia pater est, quia hæreditatem parat, quia successorem nutrit. Ecce feriendo pius est pater, feriendo misericors est. Da mihi hominem parcendo crudelem. Non recedo a personis, eos ipsos ante oculos pono. Sed puer impunitus et indisciplinatus si sic vivat, ut pereat, et pater dissimulet; pater parcat, pater perditum filium disciplinæ asperitate ofFendere timeat, nonne parcendo crudelis est? Erudimini ergo, omnes qui judicatis terram: et bene judicando non a terra praemium, sed ab illo exspectate qui fecit cœlum et terram.

For you do not fail to discipline your son. And first you act so that, if possible, he may be disciplined by shame and generosity, may blush to offend his father, not fear him as a stern judge; you are glad of such a son: but if perhaps he despises these things, you also apply blows; you inflict punishment, you cause pain, but you seek his welfare. Many have been corrected by love, many by fear: but through the trembling of fear they have come to love. Be instructed, you who judge the earth. Love, and judge. For innocence is not sought in such a way that discipline perishes. It is written, "He who rejects discipline is unhappy." To this saying it can well be added: As he who rejects discipline is unhappy, so he who refuses discipline is cruel. I have dared to say something, my brothers, which the obscurity of the matter itself compels me to explain to you a little more fully. I repeat what I said, "He who rejects discipline is unhappy": this is plain. "He who does not give discipline is cruel": I hold it entirely, I hold it and show one who is devoted in striking, cruel in sparing; I set an example before your eyes. Where do I find one devoted in striking? I do not go to others; I go to father and son: the father loves even when he strikes; and the boy does not want to be beaten: he disregards his wish, he considers his good. Why? Because he is a father, because he is preparing an inheritance, because he is raising a successor. See, the father is devoted in striking, merciful in striking. Give me a man cruel in sparing. I do not leave these persons; I set the same before your eyes. But if the boy, unpunished and undisciplined, lives in such a way as to perish, and the father pretends not to see; if the father spares, if the father is afraid to offend his lost son with the harshness of discipline, is he not cruel in sparing? So be instructed, all you who judge the earth: and in judging well, expect a reward not from the earth but from him who made heaven and earth.

Ps 2:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 13:24 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: As a father who loves his son disciplines him, and would be cruel to spare him, so judges must combine love with discipline.

  • The opening words of the digital text, "Feriens, pius; parcens, crudelis," are Migne's marginal heading and are removed. Ps 2:10; Wis 3:11; compare Prov 13:24.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Feriens, pius; purcens, crudelis. Non enim filium tuum non erudis. → Non enim filium tuum non erudis.; pudore ct liberalitate crudialur, crubescat → pudore et liberalitate erudiatur, erubescat; faudes → gaudes; pervencrunt 3. → pervenerunt.; crudclis cst. Ausus sum atiquid → crudelis est. Ausus sum aliquid; fratres mci → fratres mei; exponcre → exponere; teneo ct ostendo → teneo et ostendo; Non ce ad alios → Non eo ad alios; pater et. quando → pater et quando; successorcin → successorem; cos ipsos ante → eos ipsos ante; dissimulct → dissimulet; parcendo crudclis est → parcendo crudelis est; benc judicando → bene judicando.

Extrabiblical texts: Wis 3:11 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 13.9 (PL 38:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-13-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

Chapter 14

14.1PL 38:111

Cantavimus Domino, et diximus, Tibi derelictus est pauper, pupillo tu eris adjutor. Quæramus pauperem, quæramus pupillum. Nec mirum sit quod admoneo ut quæramus, quos sic abundare cernimus et sentimus. Nonne pauperibus plena omnia? nonne pupillis plena sunt omnia? Tamen inter omnia quæro pauperem, quæro pupillum. Ac prius ostendendum est Charitati vestræ, id quod putamus, non hoc esse quod quærimus. Qui enim dicuntur pauperes et sunt, in quos a Deo mandatæ eleemosynæ fiunt, de quibus fatemur scriptum, Include eleemosynam in corde pauperis, et ipsa exorabit pro te Dominum: abundat quidem hoc genus hominum; sed altius intelligendus est iste pauper. De illo genere est iste pauper, de quo dictum est, Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum cœlorum. Sunt pauperes non habentes pecuniam, victum quotidianum vix invenientes, alienis opibus et misericordia sic indigentes, ut etiam mendicare non erubescant: si de his dictum est, Tibi derelictus est pauper; nos quid facimus, qui hoc non sumus? Ergo nos qui christiani sumus, non sumus Deo derelicti? Et quæ alia nobis spes est, si non sumus illi derelicti, qui nos non derelinquit?

We have sung to the Lord and said, "The poor man is left to you; you will be the helper of the orphan." Let us seek the poor man; let us seek the orphan. And let it not be surprising that I urge us to seek those whom we see and feel to be so abundant. Is not everything full of poor people? Is not everything full of orphans? Yet among them all I seek the poor man, I seek the orphan. And first I must show your Charity that what we suppose is not what we are seeking. For those who are called poor and are, to whom alms are made at God's command, of whom we confess it is written, "Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it will plead with the Lord for you": this kind of people is indeed abundant; but this poor man is to be understood at a deeper level. This poor man is of that kind of which it was said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." There are poor people who have no money, who barely find their daily food, who so need the help and mercy of others that they are not even ashamed to beg: if it was of them that it was said, "The poor man is left to you," what do we do, who are not such? Are we, then, who are Christians, not left to God? And what other hope do we have, if we are not left to him who does not leave us?

Ps 10:14 (9:35 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:3 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The "poor man" left to God in Psalm 10 is not simply the beggar, of whom there are many, but the poor in spirit, among whom all Christians must be.

  • Ps 10:14 (Latin Ps 9:35), the Psalm sung before the sermon; Sir 29:12 (Vulgate 29:15); Matt 5:3. "Opibus ' misericordia" in the digital text is read as "opibus et misericordia" ("help and mercy").

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): derelictus est. pauper → derelictus est pauper; Nee mirum → Nec mirum; cernimus ct sentimus → cernimus et sentimus; CLaritati vestr;r, id. quod → Charitati vestræ, id quod; paupcres et sunt, in quos a Dco mandatæ elecmosynæ flunt → pauperes et sunt, in quos a Deo mandatæ eleemosynæ fiunt; Dominum. abundat quidem boc genus hominnm → Dominum: abundat quidem hoc genus hominum; genere est. iste → genere est iste; opibus ', → opibus et; crubescant → erubescant; hoc non suinus → hoc non sumus; Et qnae alia → Et quæ alia.

Extrabiblical texts: Sir 29:12 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.1 (PL 38:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.2PL 38:111

Discite ergo esse pauperes et Deo relinqui, o compauperes mei. Dives est, superbus est. Nam et in divitiis istis, quæ vulgo appellantur divitiæ, quibus est contraria vulgaris ista paupertas; in divitiis ergo istis nihil est sic cavendum, quam superbiæ morbus. Qui enim non habet pecuniam, non habet amplissimas facultates; non habet unde se extollat. Si ergo qui non habet unde se extollat, non laudatur pro eo quod non se extollit: qui habet, laudetur, si se non extollit. Quid ergo laudo humilem pauperem, qui unde superbiat, non habet? Quis autem ferat et inopem et superbum? Lauda divitem humilem, lauda divitem pauperem. Tales vult apostolus Paulus, qui scribens ad Timotheum dicit: Præcipe ditibus hujus sæculi, non superbe sapere (I Tim. VI, i7). Novi quid dicam: hoc illis præcipe. Habent enim divitias intrinsecus superbiam persuadentes, habent divitias in quibus laborant esse humiles. Da mihi Zacchæum habentem magnas divitias, principem publicanorum, confessorem peccatorum, statura brevem, animo breviorem, ascendentem lignum, ut transeuntem videret qui pro illo pendebat in ligno. Da mihi dicentem, Dimidium rerum mearum do pauperibus. Sed multum dives es, O Zacchæe, multum dives es. Ecce dimidium dabis: dimidium quare reservabis? Quia si cui aliquid abstuli, quadruplum reddo.

Learn, then, to be poor and left to God, my fellow poor. "He is rich, he is proud." For in these riches too, which are commonly called riches, to which this common poverty is the opposite: in these riches, then, nothing is so much to be guarded against as the disease of pride. For whoever has no money, has no great resources, has nothing to lift himself up with. If, then, someone who has nothing to lift himself up with is not praised for not lifting himself up, let him who has something be praised if he does not lift himself up. Why then do I praise a humble poor man, who has nothing to be proud of? But who would put up with someone both needy and proud? Praise the humble rich man, praise the poor rich man. The apostle Paul wants such people, writing to Timothy and saying: "Command the rich of this world not to be proud-minded." I know what I am saying: "Command them this." For they have riches that persuade them to pride from within; they have riches in which they struggle to be humble. Give me Zacchaeus, who had great riches, the chief of the tax collectors, the confessor of his sins, short in stature, shorter in spirit, climbing a tree to see passing by the one who was to hang on a tree for him. Give me the man who said, "Half of my goods I give to the poor." But you are very rich, O Zacchaeus, you are very rich. See, you will give half: why will you keep half? "Because if I have taken anything from anyone, I restore fourfold."

1 Tim 6:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 19:2–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 19:8 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The great danger of riches is pride; the humble rich man, like Zacchaeus, is the truly poor.

  • 1 Tim 6:17; Luke 19:2-8. "Shorter in spirit": lower in humility.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): relinqui, a compauperes → relinqui, o compauperes; Nam ct in divitiis istis, qu:e → Nam et in divitiis istis, quæ; ferat ct inopem ct superbum → ferat et inopem et superbum; paupercm → pauperem; scri. bens → scribens; Pmcipe → Præcipe; Zacch:cum → Zacchæum; pro ilto → pro illo; dives ea, 0 Zacchæc → dives es, O Zacchæe; dimidiuin → dimidium; si cra aliquid → si cui aliquid.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.2 (PL 38:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.3PL 38:111–113

Sed ait mihi quisque mendicus, debilitate fessus, pannis obsitus, fame languidus; respondet mihi, et dicit: Mihi debetur regnum coelorum; ego enim similis sum illi Lazaro, qui jacebat ulcerosus ante divitis domum, cujus canes lingebant ulcera, et quærebat saturari de micis, quæ cadebant de mensa divitis: ego illi similior sum, inquit. Nostrum genus est, cui debetur regnum cœlorum; non illi generi qui induuntur purpura et bysso, et epulantur quotidie splendide. Talis enim erat ille, ante cujus domum jacebat pauper ulcerosus: et videte exitus amborum. Contigit enim mori inopem illum, et auferri ab Angelis in sinum Abrahæ. Mortuus est autem dives, et sepultus est. Nam pauper forte nec sepultus. Et quid postea? Cum apud inferos dives ille in tormentis esset, levavit oculos suos, vidit pauperem quem contempserat, in Abrahæ gremio quiescentem: desideravit guttam, a quo ille micam; et quoniam dilexit opulentiam, non invenit misericordiam. Voluit subveniri fratribus suis, semper vecors, sero misericors: nihil omnino quod postulavit, accepit.

But some beggar says to me, exhausted by infirmity, covered in rags, faint with hunger; he answers me and says: "The kingdom of heaven is owed to me; for I am like that Lazarus who lay full of sores before the rich man's house, whose sores the dogs licked, and who sought to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table: I am more like him," he says. "The kingdom of heaven is owed to our kind, not to the kind who are clothed in purple and fine linen and feast splendidly every day. For such was that man before whose house the poor man lay full of sores: and see the end of both. For it happened that the poor man died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man died, and was buried." For the poor man was perhaps not even buried. "And what then? When the rich man was in torments in hell, he lifted up his eyes and saw the poor man whom he had despised resting in Abraham's lap: he longed for a drop from the one who had longed for a crumb from him; and since he loved opulence, he found no mercy. He wanted help for his brothers, always senseless, merciful too late: he received nothing at all of what he asked."

Luke 16:19–31 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A beggar objects that the kingdom belongs to the poor like Lazarus, not to the rich like the man who feasted and was tormented.

  • Luke 16:19-31. The objection is put in the beggar's mouth.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): ait milii quisque → ait mihi quisque; respondet milii → respondet mihi; ego cniin similis → ego enim similis; genus cst → genus est; gcneri → generi; dotum → domum; ei auferri → et auferri; divos → dives; 'levavit → levavit; dilcxit → dilexit.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.3 (PL 38:111–113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.4PL 38:113

Discernamus ergo, inquit mihi, pauperes et divites: quid me ad alia intelligenda exhortaris? Aperti sunt pauperes, aperti sunt divites. Audi ergo me de hoc quod proposuisti, domne pauper. Cum enim illum sanctum ulcerosum te esse dicis, timeo ne superbiendo non sis quod dicis. Noli contemnere divites misericordes, divites humiles; et ut citius dicam, quod paulo ante dixi, divites pauperes noli contemnere. O pauper, esto et tu pauper; pauper, idest, humilis. Si enim dives factus est humilis, quanto magis pauper esse debet humilis? Pauper non habet unde infletur, dives habet cum quo luctetur. Audi ergo me. Esto verus pauper, esto pius, esto humilis. Nam si de ista pannosa et ulcerosa paupertate gloriaris, quia talis fuit ille qui ante domum divitis inops jacebat; attendis quia pauper fuit, et aliud non attendis. Quid, inquis, attendo? Lege Scripturas, et invenies quod dico. Lazarus pauper fuit: in cujus sinum levatus est, dives fuit. Contigit, inquit, mori inopem illum, et auferri ab angelis. Quo? In sinum Abrahæ, id est, in secretum, ubi erat Abraham. Nolite enim carnaliter intelligere, quod velut in sinum tunicæ Abrahæ levatus sit pauper. Sinus erat, quia secretum erat. Unde dicitur, Redde vicinis nostris in sinum eorum (Psal. LXXVIII, 12). Quid est, in sinum eorum? In secreta eorum. Quid est, Redde in sinum eorum? Torque conscientiam eorum. Lege, aut si legere non potes, audi cum legitur, et vide Abraham opulentissimum fuisse in terra, auro, argento, familia, pecore, possessione (Gen. XIII): et tamen dives iste pauper fuit, quia humilis fuit. Credidit enim Abraham Deo, et deputatum est illi ad justitiam. Justificatus est gratia Dei, non propria praesumptione. Fidelis erat, bene operabatur. Filium jussus est immolare; neque cunctatus est ei offerre quod acceperat, a quo acceperat (ld. xxn). Probatus est Deo, constitutus est exemplum fidei. Jam Deo notus erat: sed nobis monstrandus erat. Non est inflatus quasi in bonis operibus suis; quia pauper erat dives iste. Et ut scias quia non est inflatus tanquam in bonis operibus suis (sciebat enim quia quidquid habebat, a Deo habebat; et non in se ipso, sed in Domino gloriabatur), audi Paulum apostolum: Si enim Abraham ex operibus justificatus est, habet gloriam, sed non ad Deum.

"So let us distinguish," he says to me, "poor and rich: why do you urge me to understand other things? The poor are obvious, the rich are obvious." Hear me, then, about what you have put forward, my lord poor man. When you say that you are that holy man full of sores, I fear that by being proud you may not be what you say. Do not despise the merciful rich, the humble rich; and to put it more quickly, as I said a little before, do not despise the poor rich. O poor man, be poor too; poor, that is, humble. For if a rich man has become humble, how much more ought a poor man to be humble? The poor man has nothing to be puffed up with; the rich man has something to wrestle with. Hear me, then. Be truly poor, be devout, be humble. For if you boast of this ragged and sore-covered poverty, because such was the man who lay needy before the rich man's house, you notice that he was poor, and you notice nothing else. "What," you say, "do I notice?" Read the Scriptures and you will find what I am saying. Lazarus was poor: he into whose bosom he was carried was rich. "It happened," it says, "that the poor man died and was carried by the angels." Where to? "Into Abraham's bosom," that is, into the secret place where Abraham was. Do not understand carnally that the poor man was carried as it were into the fold of Abraham's tunic. It was a bosom because it was a secret place. Hence it is said, "Repay our neighbors into their bosom." What does "into their bosom" mean? Into their secret places. What does "Repay into their bosom" mean? Torment their conscience. Read, or if you cannot read, listen when it is read, and see that Abraham was very wealthy on earth, in gold, silver, household, livestock, property: and yet this rich man was poor, because he was humble. For "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." He was justified by the grace of God, not by his own presumption. He was faithful, he did good works. He was ordered to sacrifice his son, and he did not hesitate to offer what he had received to him from whom he had received it. He was proved by God, he was made an example of faith. He was already known to God: but he had to be shown to us. He was not puffed up as if in his own good works, because this rich man was poor. And so that you may know that he was not puffed up as if in his good works (for he knew that whatever he had, he had from God; and he boasted not in himself but in the Lord), hear the apostle Paul: "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has glory, but not before God."

Luke 16:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 79:12 (78:12 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 13:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 15:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 22:1–12 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 4:2 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Lazarus was carried into the bosom of Abraham, a rich man who was poor because he was humble, believing God and crediting all his good to God.

  • The opening words of the digital text, "Pauper et dives in eadem sorte felicitatis, si uterque humilis. Sinus Abrahæ," are Migne's marginal heading and are removed. Luke 16:22; Ps 79:12 (Latin Ps 78:12); Gen 13:2; Gen 15:6; Gen 22:1-12; Rom 4:2. "My lord poor man" (domne pauper) is ironic courtesy.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Pauper ei dives in eadem sorte felicitatis, si uterque humilis. Sinus Abrahæ. Discernamus → Discernamus; domne t pauper → domne pauper; timeo se superbieudo → timeo ne superbiendo; NuH contemnere divitcs miscricordes → Noli contemnere divites misericordes; divitcs pauperes → divites pauperes; 0 pauper → O pauper; bumilis → humilis; pnupcr → pauper; Namsi de isla → Nam si de ista; inqnis → inquis; sceretum,ubi → secretum, ubi; intelligcre → intelligere; dicilur → dicitur; Psa/. → Psal.; legitur, ct vide → legitur, et vide; humitis fuit; Credidit → humilis fuit. Credidit; Fidelis crat → Fidelis erat; Probatus est Dco, constitutus cst exemplum fidci → Probatus est Deo, constitutus est exemplum fidei; monstrandus crat Non → monstrandus erat. Non; operibus Ntis → operibus suis; a Deo habcbat; et non in se ipso, sed ill Domino → a Deo habebat; et non in se ipso, sed in Domino; Deuni → Deum.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.4 (PL 38:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.5PL 38:113

Videtis, quia cum abundent pauperes recte quærimus pauperem: in turba quærimus, et vix invenimus. Occurrit mihi pauper, et quæro pauperem. Interim tu manum porrige pauperi quem invenis. Corde quæris, quem quæris. Tu dicis, Pauper sum sicut Lazarus: dives iste meus humilis non dicit, Dives sum sicut Abraham. Ergo tu te extollis, ille se humiliat. Quid inflaris, et non imitaris? Ego, inquit, pauper levor in sinum Abrahæ. Non vides quia pauperem dives excepit? Non vides quia dives susceptor est pauperis? Si enim superbis contra eos qui habent pecuniam, et negas eos ad regnum cœlorum pertinere; cum in eis fortasse inveniatur humilitas, quæ in te non invenitur: non times ne tibi, cum mortuus fueris, dicat Abraham, Recede a me, quia blasphemasti me?

You see that, although the poor are abundant, we are right to seek the poor man: we seek him in the crowd, and we scarcely find him. A poor man meets me, and I am seeking a poor man. Meanwhile, you, stretch out your hand to the poor man you find. With your heart you seek the one you seek. You say, "I am poor like Lazarus": this humble rich man of mine does not say, "I am rich like Abraham." So you lift yourself up, he humbles himself. Why are you puffed up, and do not imitate? "I," he says, "a poor man, am carried into Abraham's bosom." Do you not see that a rich man received the poor man? Do you not see that a rich man is the receiver of the poor man? For if you are proud against those who have money, and deny that they belong to the kingdom of heaven, when perhaps there is found in them the humility that is not found in you, are you not afraid that when you die Abraham may say to you, "Depart from me, for you have blasphemed me"?

Luke 16:22–23 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The truly poor are rare; the proud beggar who despises the rich should remember that the rich Abraham received Lazarus.

  • Luke 16:22-23. "Depart from me, for you have blasphemed me" is Augustine's imagined rebuke from Abraham, not a quotation.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): pauper,.. et → pauper, et; Corde quæris, qucm → Corde quæris, quem; dives iste mcus humilis non tii • cit → dives iste meus humilis non dicit; exlollis → extollis; et nou imitaris. → et non imitaris?; paupor → pauper; qnia dives → quia dives; contra cos qui habent pecuniam,ct negas cos ad regnum cœlorum periinere → contra eos qui habent pecuniam, et negas eos ad regnum cœlorum pertinere; Abrabam → Abraham.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.5 (PL 38:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.6PL 38:113

Admoneamus ergo divites nostros, quod Apostolus admonuit. Non superbe sapere, neque sperare in incerte divitiarum, admoniti sumus. Divitiæ illæ, quas putatis plenas esse deliciarum, pleniores sunt periculorum. Pauper erat, et securior dormiebat: somnus facilius accedebat ad duram terram, quam ad lectum inargentatum. Attendite curas divitum, et comparate securitati pauperum. Sed audiat dives iste, ut non superbe sapiat, neque speret in incerto divitiarum. Utatur mundo, tanquam non utens. Sciat se viam ambulare, et in has divitias tanquam in stabulum intrasse. Reficiat, viator est: reficiat se, et transeat; non secum tollit quod in stabulo invenit. Alius viator erit, et ipse habebit, sed non auferet. Omnes hic relicturi sunt quod hic acquisierunt. Nudus, inquit, exii de utero matris meæ; nudus revertar in terram, Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit. Non abstulit, quia tibi derelictus est pauper. Nudus exii de utero matris meæ; nudus revertar in terram.

Let us, then, admonish our rich as the Apostle admonished. We have been admonished not to be proud-minded, nor to hope in the uncertainty of riches. Those riches, which you think are full of delights, are fuller of dangers. He was poor, and slept more securely: sleep came more easily to the hard ground than to a silver-plated bed. Look at the cares of the rich, and compare them with the security of the poor. But let this rich man hear, so that he may not be proud-minded nor hope in the uncertainty of riches. Let him use the world as though not using it. Let him know that he is walking a road, and that he has entered these riches as into an inn. Let him refresh himself; he is a traveller: let him refresh himself and pass on; he does not take away with him what he found in the inn. Another traveller will come, and he too will have them, but will not take them away. All are going to leave here what they acquired here. "Naked," he says, "I came out of my mother's womb; naked I shall return to the earth. The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away." He did not take away "the poor man left to you." "Naked I came out of my mother's womb; naked I shall return to the earth."

1 Tim 6:17 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 1:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 10:14 (9:35 Vulg.) (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Riches are full of dangers and are only an inn on the road; the rich must use them as travellers, remembering that we go naked into the earth.

  • 1 Tim 6:17; 1 Cor 7:31; Job 1:21; Ps 10:14 (Latin Ps 9:35). "He did not take away, because the poor man is left to you" is compressed in the Latin; translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Divitue → Divitiæ; pleniores suni → pleniores sunt; divitum, ct comparate securitati pauperum.Sed audial → divitum, et comparate securitati pauperum. Sed audiat; nou utens → non utens; intrassc → intrasse; reticiat se → reficiat se; non secum tollit qnod → non secum tollit quod; babebit → habebit; matris mece → matris meæ; abatulit. Non abstulit1, quia tibi derelictus eat puuper → abstulit. Non abstulit, quia tibi derelictus est pauper.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.6 (PL 38:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.7PL 38:113–115

Audi alium pauperem. Nihil intulimus in hunc mundum; sed nec auferre aliquid possumus: victum et tegumentum habentes, his contenti simus. Nam qui volunt divites fieri, incidunt in tentationem et desideria multa, stulta et noxia, quæ mergunt homines in interitum et perditionem. Radix est enim omnium malorum avaritia: quam quidam appetentes, a fide pererraverunt, et inseruerunt se doloribus multis. Qui sunt isti qui a fide pererraverunt, et inseruerunt se doloribus multis? Qui volunt divites fieri. Modo mihi respondeat ille pannosus. Videamus, si non vult dives fieri; videamus, interrogemus eum, si non vult dives fieri: respondeat, non mentiatur. Audio linguam, sed interrogo conscientiam. Dicat si non vult dives fieri. Si autem vult; jam incidit in tentationem et desideria multa stulta et noxia. Non enim opes dico, sed desideria. Unde? Quia vult dives fieri. Quid inde? Desideria multa et stulta et noxia, quæ mergunt homines in interitum et perditionem. Vides ubi sis? Quid mihi ostentas nullas facultates, cum ego convincam tantas cupiditates? Ecce jam compara duos. Iste dives est, ille pauper est: sed iste dives, jam est, non vult fieri. Iste dives est, aut de parentibus, aut de donis et hæreditatibus. Ponamus, faciamus: dives est etiam de iniquitatibus. Jam non vult addere, imposuit modum, fixit limitem cupiditati, jam corde militat pietati. Dives est, inquis. Respondeo, Dives est. Iterum tu accusator respondes et dicis, De iniquitate dives est. Quid, si facit amicos de mammona iniquitatis? Dominus noverat quod dicebat: utique non errabat, quando præcipiebat, Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis, ut et ipsi recipiant vos in tabernacula æterna. Quid si hoc facit iste dives? Jam finit cupiditatem, exercet pietatem. Tu nihil habes, sed dives vis fieri; incidis in tentationem. Sed forte inde factus es pauperrimus et egentissimus, quia nescio quid habebas paternum, quod te sustentaret, et calumnia aliqua competitoris abstulit. Gemis, audio; tempora accusas: quod gemis; si posses, faceres. Annon videmus? annon quotidianis exemplis plena sunt omnia? Heri gemebat, quia perdebat sua; hodie pertinens ad majorem, rapit aliena.

Hear another poor man: "We brought nothing into this world; and we cannot take anything out: having food and clothing, let us be content with these. For those who want to become rich fall into temptation and many desires, foolish and harmful, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the root of all evils is avarice: and some, coveting it, have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." Who are these who have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows? "Those who want to become rich." Now let that ragged man answer me. Let us see whether he does not want to become rich; let us see, let us ask him whether he does not want to become rich: let him answer, and not lie. I hear the tongue, but I question the conscience. Let him say whether he does not want to become rich. But if he does, he has already fallen into temptation and many desires, foolish and harmful. For I am not speaking of wealth but of desires. Whence? Because he wants to become rich. What follows? "Many desires, foolish and harmful, which plunge people into ruin and destruction." Do you see where you are? Why do you show me your lack of resources, when I convict you of such great greed? See, now compare the two. This one is rich, that one is poor: but this rich man already is rich; he does not want to become so. He is rich either from his parents, or from gifts and inheritances. Let us suppose, let us grant it: he is rich even from iniquities. He no longer wants to add; he has set a measure, fixed a limit to greed; he now serves devotion with his heart. "He is rich," you say. I answer, "He is rich." Again you, the accuser, answer and say, "He is rich from iniquity." What if he makes friends by means of the mammon of iniquity? The Lord knew what he was saying; certainly he was not mistaken when he commanded, "Make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of iniquity, so that they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles." What if this rich man does this? He now puts an end to greed and practises devotion. You have nothing, but you want to become rich: you will fall into temptation. But perhaps you have become very poor and very needy because you had something or other from your father to support you, and some false charge of a rival took it away. You groan, I hear; you blame the times: what you groan about, you would do if you could. Do we not see it? Is not everything full of daily examples? Yesterday he was groaning because he was losing his own; today, attached to someone more powerful, he seizes what belongs to others.

1 Tim 6:7–10 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:9 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul, another poor man, shows that the root of evil is the desire to be rich: a beggar who covets riches is worse than a rich man who has set a limit to his greed and makes friends with his wealth.

  • The opening words, "Audi alium pauperem" ("Hear another poor man"), were removed by the importer as a marginal heading; they are Augustine's transition from Job (13.6) to Paul and are restored. Migne's marginal heading "Rursum pauper cum divite comparatur" with its paragraph number, left in the middle of the text, is removed. 1 Tim 6:7-10; Luke 16:9.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; paragraph number and Migne's marginal heading left in the text; removed; restored text removed as a heading): Nihil intulimus in hunc mundum → Audi alium pauperem. Nihil intulimus in hunc mundum; legumentum habentes, hi. → tegumentum habentes, his; Radix eat enim → Radix est enim; inseruerunt te doloribus multis. Qui suni isti qni → inseruerunt se doloribus multis. Qui sunt isti qui; inseruerunt te doloribus multis? Qui volunt → inseruerunt se doloribus multis? Qui volunt; Modo milii → Modo mihi; dives fleri → dives fieri; Dicat si non vult divcs → Dicat si non vult dives; de sideria multa stulta → desideria multa stulta; sed detideria → sed desideria; Quid inde? Detideria → Quid inde? Desideria; compata → compara; pietati. 8 Rursum pauper cum divite comparatur. Dives est → pietati. Dives est; dives est 1. Quid, si facit amicos de mammona iniquitatis Dominus → dives est. Quid, si facit amicos de mammona iniquitatis? Dominus; prseeipiebat → præcipiebat; iniquitatis,ut → iniquitatis, ut; faCit → facit; Irabes → habes; incides → incidis; quidhabebas → quid habebas; auclio → audio; qUod gemis → quod gemis; pertinensad majorem I, → pertinens ad majorem,.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.7 (PL 38:113–115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-14-7) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.8PL 38:115

Invenimus verum pauperem, invenimus pium humilem; non de se fidentem, pauperem verum, membrum pauperis qui propter nos pauper factus est, cum dives esset. Vide divitem nostrum, qui propter nos pauper factus est, cum dives esset; vide illum divitem: Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil. Plus est aurum facere, quam habere. Dives es auro, argento, pecore, familia, fundis, fructibus; tibi ista creare non potuisti. Vide illum divitem: Omnia per ipsum facta sunt. Vide illum pauperem: Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis. Quis digne cogitet divitias ejus? Quomodo faciat qui non fit, quomodo creet non creatus, formet non formatus, mutabilia manens, temporalia sempiternus? Quis digne cogitet divitias ejus? Paupertatem cogitemus, ne forte pauperes vel ipsam capiamus. Concipitur utero feminæ virginali, includitur visceribus matris. O paupertas! In angusto diversorio nascitur, involutus infantilibus tegumentis in præsepio ponitur, fit cibaria jumentis pauperibus; deinde cœli et terrae Dominus creator Angelorum, omnium visibilium et invisibilium creator et conditor sugit, vagit, nutritur, crescit, tolerat aetatem, occultat majestatem: postea tenetur, contemnitur, flagellatur, illuditur, conspuitur, colaphizatur, spinis coronatur, ligno suspenditur, lancea perforatur. O paupertas! Ecce caput pauperum quos requiro, cujus pauperis membrum invenimus verum pauperem.

We have found the true poor man, we have found the devout, humble man; not trusting in himself, a true poor man, a member of the poor man who for our sake became poor when he was rich. See our rich man, who for our sake became poor when he was rich; see that rich man: "All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made." It is more to make gold than to have it. You are rich in gold, silver, livestock, household, estates, crops: you could not create these for yourself. See that rich man: "All things were made through him." See that poor man: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Who can worthily think of his riches? How he makes, who is not made; creates, uncreated; forms, unformed; the changeless making changeable things, the eternal making temporal ones? Who can worthily think of his riches? Let us think of his poverty, if perhaps we can grasp at least that. He is conceived in the virginal womb of a woman, enclosed in his mother's insides. O poverty! He is born in a narrow lodging, wrapped in infant's swaddling clothes, laid in a manger, becomes as it were the fodder of poor beasts; then the Lord of heaven and earth, the creator of the angels, the maker and founder of all things visible and invisible, sucks, wails, is fed, grows, bears the passage of years, hides his majesty: afterwards he is seized, despised, scourged, mocked, spat upon, struck with fists, crowned with thorns, hung on a tree, pierced with a lance. O poverty! See the head of the poor whom I am seeking, of which poor man we have found the true poor man as a member.

2 Cor 8:9 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 27:26–30 (allusion, high confidence) · John 19:34 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The true poor man is a member of Christ, who, rich as the Creator of all things, became poor in his birth and passion for our sake.

  • Paragraph 8 of the edition is merged into 13.7 in the digital text, so this section is in fact paragraph 9. Migne's marginal heading "Paupertas Christi," left in the middle of the text, is removed. 2 Cor 8:9; John 1:3, 14; Luke 2:7; Col 1:16; Matt 27:26-30; John 19:34. The "fodder of beasts" alludes to Christ as bread laid in a manger.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left in the text; removed; OCR slip; OCR slip in the digital text): peripsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum eat nihil → per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil; innabis → in nobis; divitlas → divitias; ejus? Paupertas Christi. Paupertatem cogitemus, IIC forte → ejus? Paupertatem cogitemus, ne forte; 0 paupertas! In angusto → O paupertas! In angusto; lumentis → jumentis; elector et conditor → creator et conditor; pauperum qnos requiro → pauperum quos requiro.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.8 (PL 38:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-14-8) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

14.10PL 38:115

Breviter quæramus pupillum: quia in paupere requirendo fatigati sumus. Domine Jesu, pupillum quæro; fatigatus quæro: cito responde, ut inveniam. Ne vobis, inquit, dicatis patrem in terra. Pupillus in terra, immortalem patrem invenit in coelo. Ne vobis, inquit, dicatis patrem in terra. Inventus est pupillus iste. Oret pupillus iste: audiamus eum, et imitemur eum. Quae est ejus oratio? Quoniam pater meus et mater mea dereliquerunt me. Pater, inquit, meus et mater mea dereliquerunt me: Dominus autem assumpsit me. Si ergo beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum cœlorum (Matth. v; 3); Tibi derelictus est pauper. Si pater meus et mater mea dereliquerunt me, Dominus autem assumpsit me; Pupillo tu eris adjutor.

Let us briefly seek the orphan, since we have grown tired in seeking the poor man. Lord Jesus, I seek the orphan; tired, I seek him: answer quickly, so that I may find him. "Do not," he says, "call anyone your father on earth." The orphan on earth has found an immortal Father in heaven. "Do not," he says, "call anyone your father on earth." This orphan has been found. Let this orphan pray: let us hear him and imitate him. What is his prayer? "For my father and my mother have forsaken me." "My father," he says, "and my mother have forsaken me; but the Lord has taken me up." If, then, "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," "the poor man is left to you." If "my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up," "you will be the helper of the orphan."

Matt 23:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 27:10 (26:10 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 10:14 (9:35 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The orphan is the believer who calls no one on earth father and says, "My father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up."

  • Paragraph 9 of the edition is section 14.8 here (see there); the numbering jumps from 8 to 10. Matt 23:9; Ps 27:10 (Latin Ps 26:10); Matt 5:3; Ps 10:14 (Latin Ps 9:35).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): pupillum 1: → pupillum:; qtfaero → quæro; Pater. inquit → Pater, inquit; dereliqucrunt → dereliquerunt; adjutor 2. → adjutor..

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 14.10 (PL 38:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/13-1/#p-14-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-14-10) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).