To Donatus 16 · Sophia Scriptura

Summary: Cyprian ends the talk and invites Donatus to sing psalms at their evening meal.

Latin text · CSEL 3.1:16–17

Haec interim breuibus, Donate carissime. nam etsi facilem de bonitate patientiam, mentem in domino solidam, fidem tutam salutaris auditus oblectat, nihilque tam tuis auribus gratum est, quam quod in Dominum gratum est, moderari tamen dicenda debemus simul iuncti et saepius locuturi, et quoniam feriata nunc quies ac tempus est otiosum, quidquid inclinante iam sole in uesperam dies superest, ducamus hunc diem laeti nec sit uel hora conuiuii gratiae caelestis inmunis. sonet psalmos conuiuium sobrium: ut tibi tenax memoria est, uox canora, adgredere hoc munus ex more. magis carissimos pascis, si sit nobis spiritalis auditio, prolectet aures religiosa mulcedo.

English · Claude translation

This for now, briefly, dearest Donatus. For although the hearing of saving things delights your patience, easy through goodness, your mind firm in the Lord, your secure faith, and nothing is so pleasing to your ears as what is pleasing to the Lord, still we ought to moderate what we say, since we are together and shall speak often. And since this is now a holiday rest and a time of leisure, whatever of the day remains as the sun sinks toward evening, let us spend it joyfully, and let not even the hour of the meal be without heavenly grace. Let the sober meal resound with psalms; and as your memory is retentive and your voice melodious, take up this task as usual. You will feed your dearest friends better if we have spiritual hearing and religious sweetness draws our ears.

About this passage

Source

CSEL 3.1:16–17 · Wilhelm von Hartel, ed., S. Thasci Caecili Cypriani Opera omnia, Pars 1, CSEL 3.1 (Vienna: Gerold, 1868), 3–16 · Latin text: W. von Hartel (CSEL 3.1, 1868), digitized by Open Greek and Latin, University of Leipzig (csel-dev), CC BY-SA 4.0

Text

As printed in CSEL 3.1. Manuscript variants and the editor's apparatus are not reproduced; no textual problem is noted in this passage.

Translation

Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 · Translated by Claude from the Latin text of CSEL 3.1; made independently of existing English translations.

Compare

Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5 (1886) (an older public-domain English translation, whole volume at CCEL; checked against ours only after ours was made)

Scripture

Eph 5:19 · echo, low confidence
Col 3:16 · echo, low confidence

Topics

Prayer

Cite this passage

Cyprian, Don. 16 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/cyprian-donatum/16/).

Plain text

Cyprian, Don. 16 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/cyprian-donatum/16/).