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Boethius
Opuscula Sacra 5
Latin original · 6 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss
5:1
Quaero an Pater et Filius ac Spiritus sanctus de divinitale substantialiter prædicentur, an alio quo. libet modo ; viamque indaginis hinc arbitror esse sumendam, undererum omnium manifestum constat exordium, id est ab ipsis catholicae fidei fundamen lis. Si igitur interrogem an qui dicitur Pater sub- stantia sit, respondetur esse subtantia. Quod si quaeram an Filius substantia sit, idem dicitur: Spi ritum quoque sanctum substantiam esse nemodubi traverit. Sed cnm rursus colligo, Patrem, Filium, Spiritum sanctum, non plures, sed una occurit esse substantia ;
I ask whether Father and Son and Holy Spirit are predicated of the Godhead substantially, or in some other manner; and I think the way of inquiry must be taken from that point from which the beginning of all things is clearly established, that is, from the very foundations of the catholic faith. If therefore I should ask whether he who is called Father is substance, the answer is that he is substance. And if I should ask whether the Son is substance, the same is said; that the Holy Spirit too is substance, no one would doubt. But when again I gather together Father, Son, Holy Spirit, there occurs to be not several, but one substance;
我問，父與子與聖靈是否按本質而被述說於神性，抑或以其他某種方式；而我認為探究之路當從那一點取起，即從萬物之根源所明確確立之處取起，也就是從大公信仰的根基本身取起。所以我若問那稱為父者是否為本質，回答是：他是本質。我若問子是否為本質，所說的也相同；至於聖靈也是本質，無人會懷疑。但當我再把父、子、聖靈合在一起時，所遇見的並非數個本質，而是一個本質；
5:2
una igitur substantia trium nec separari ulo modo, aut disjungi potest, nec velut ex'partibus in unum conjuncta est,sed est una simpliciter. Quae cunque igitur de divina substantia praedicantur, ea tribus oportet esse communia ; idque signi erit, quae sint, quæ de divinitatis substantia prædicentur,quod quaecunque hoc modo dicuntur de singulis in unum collectis, tribus singulariter prædicabuntur hoc modo si dicimus, Pater Deus est, Filius Deus est, Spiritus sanctus Deus est; Pater, Filius ac Spiritus sanctus unus Deus est. Si igitur eorum unadeuas, nna sub stantia est licet Dei nomen de divinitate substantia liter praedicari.
therefore the one substance of the Three can in no way be separated, nor disjoined, nor is it conjoined into one as if out of parts, but it is simply one. Whatever therefore is predicated of the divine substance, these things must be common to the Three; and this will be the sign of what those things are which are predicated of the substance of the Godhead, namely that whatever is said in this manner of the individuals, when gathered into one, shall be predicated of the Three singly in this manner: if we say, the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one God. If therefore there is one Godhead of them, one substance, the name 'God' is indeed predicated of the Godhead substantially.
所以三者的這一個本質絕不能被分割、被拆離，也並非彷彿由各部分結合成一，而是單純地為一。所以凡被述說於神聖本質者，這些事物必為三者所共有；而這便是辨別何為述說於神性本質之事物的記號，即凡以此方式論及各別位格之事物，當合在一起時，便要以此方式單獨地述說於三者：若我們說，父是神、子是神、聖靈是神；父、子、聖靈乃是一位神。所以若他們有一個神性、一個本質，那麼「神」這名稱確是按本質而被述說於神性。
5:3
(a) Ita, Pater veritas est, Filius veri tas est, Spiritus sanctus veritas est: Pater, Filius et Spiritus sanctus, non tres veritates, sed una veritas est. Si igituruna in his substantia, una est verilas, necesse est veritatem substantialiter prædicari : de Lonitate, de incommutabilitate, de justitia, de omni potentia ac de caeteris omnibus, quæ tam de singulis, quam de omnibus singulariter praedicamus, mani festum est subtantialiter dici. Unde apparet ea quæ cum in singulis separatim dici convenit, nec tamen in omnibus dici queunt, non substantialiter prædi cari, sed alio morio : qui vero iste sit, posterius quæram.
Thus the Father is truth, the Son is truth, the Holy Spirit is truth: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not three truths, but one truth. If therefore there is one substance in these, there is one truth, and it is necessary that truth be predicated substantially: concerning goodness, concerning immutability, concerning justice, concerning omnipotence, and concerning all the rest, which we predicate singly both of the individuals and of all, it is manifest that they are said substantially. Whence it appears that those things which it is fitting to say of the individuals separately, yet cannot be said of all together, are not predicated substantially, but in another manner: and what that manner may be, I shall inquire afterwards.
如此，父是真理，子是真理，聖靈是真理：父、子、聖靈並非三個真理，而是一個真理。所以若在這三者中有一個本質，便有一個真理，且必然真理是按本質而被述說的：論到良善、論到不變、論到公義、論到全能，以及論到其餘一切——這些我們既單獨述說於各別位格、也述說於全體者——顯然都是按本質而說的。由此可見，那些適宜分別述說於各別位格、卻不能合起來述說於全體之事物，並非按本質而被述說，而是以另一種方式：至於那是哪一種方式，我將在後面探究。
5:4
Nam, qui Pater est, hoc vocabulum non transmittit ad Filium, neque ad Spiritum sanctum ; quo fit ut non sit hoc nomen substantialeinditum : nam si substantiale esset, ut Deus, ut veritas, ut justitia, ut ipsa quoque substantia, de caeteris dice retur. Item Filius solus hoc recipit nomen, neque cum aliis jungitur, sicut in Deo, sicut in veritates sicut in caeteris quæ superius dixi. Spiritus quoque sanctus non est idem qui Pater ac Filius. Ex his igiturintelligimus Patrem, Filium ac Spiritum san ctum non de ipsa divinitate substantialiter dici,sed alio quodam modo. Si enim substantialiter praedi caretur, et de singulis et de omnibus singulariter diceretur;
For he who is Father does not transmit this term to the Son, nor to the Holy Spirit; whence it comes about that this name is not bestowed as substantial: for if it were substantial, like 'God,' like 'truth,' like 'justice,' like substance itself also, it would be said of the others. Likewise the Son alone receives this name, nor is he joined with the others, as in 'God,' as in 'truth,' as in the rest which I said above. The Holy Spirit too is not the same as the Father and the Son. From these things therefore we understand that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not said of the Godhead itself substantially, but in some other manner. For if it were predicated substantially, it would be said both of the individuals and of all singly;
因為那為父者並不把這名稱傳給子，也不傳給聖靈；由此可見這名稱並非作為本質性的而被賦予：因為它若是本質性的，如「神」、如「真理」、如「公義」、也如本質本身那樣，便會被述說於其他位格。同樣，唯獨子領受這名稱，他也不與其他位格相連，如「神」那樣、如「真理」那樣、如我上面所說的其餘者那樣。聖靈也並非與父和子相同。所以從這些事我們明白，父、子、聖靈並非按本質而被述說於神性本身，而是以其他某種方式。因為它若是按本質而被述說，便會既述說於各別位格、也單獨述說於全體；
5:5
haec vero ad aliquid dici manifestum est: nam et Pater, alicujus pater est; et Filius, alicujus filius ; et Spiritus, alicujus spiritus : quo fit ut nec trinitas quidem substantialiter de Deo prædicetur. Non enim Pater Trinitas, qui enim Pater est, Filius ac Spiritus sanctus non est; nec Trinitas Filius, nec Trinitas Spiritus sanctus secundum eumdem modum sedTrinitasquidemin personarum pluralitate con sistit, unitas vero in simplicitate substantiae. Quod sit persona; divisæ sunt, substantia vero indivisa, necesse vocabulum quod ex personis originem ca pit, id ad substantiam non pertinere. At Trinita tem personarum diversitas fecit ; Trinitas igitur non pertinet ad substantiam.
but it is manifest that these are said in relation to something: for the Father is the father of someone; and the Son is the son of someone; and the Spirit is the spirit of someone: whence it comes about that not even the Trinity is predicated of God substantially. For the Father is not the Trinity, for he who is Father is not the Son and the Holy Spirit; nor is the Son the Trinity, nor the Holy Spirit the Trinity according to the same manner; but the Trinity consists indeed in the plurality of persons, while the unity consists in the simplicity of substance. But if the persons are divided, while the substance is undivided, it is necessary that the term which takes its origin from the persons should not pertain to the substance. But the diversity of persons made the Trinity; the Trinity therefore does not pertain to the substance.
但顯然這些乃是相對於某物而說的：因為父是某位的父；子是某位的子；靈是某位的靈：由此可見，連三一也並非按本質而被述說於神。因為父並非三一，因為那為父者並非子和聖靈；子也並非三一，聖靈也並非按同樣的方式而為三一；而三一乃在於位格的眾多，合一則在於本質的單純。但若位格是被分別的，而本質卻是不可分的，那麼那從位格而生其根源的名稱，便必然不屬於本質。然而位格的相異造成了三一；所以三一不屬於本質。
5:6
Quo fit ut nequePa ter, neque Filius, neque Spiritus sanctus, nec Tri nitas de Deo substantialiter prædicentur, sed ut dictum est, ad aliquid. Deus vero, veritas, justitia, bonitas, omnipotentia, substantia, immutabilitas, virtus, sapientia, et quidquid hujusmodi excogitari potest, substantialiter de divinitate dicuntur. Haec si se recte et ex fide habent, ut me instruas peto ; aut si aliquare forte diversus es, diligentius in tuere quae dicta sunt ; et fidem, si poteris, ratio nemque conjunge.
Whence it comes about that neither Father, nor Son, nor Holy Spirit, nor the Trinity is predicated of God substantially, but, as has been said, in relation to something. But God, truth, justice, goodness, omnipotence, substance, immutability, virtue, wisdom, and whatever of this kind can be thought of, are said of the Godhead substantially. If these things are rightly and according to faith, I ask that you instruct me; or if perhaps in some respect you are of another mind, look more diligently at what has been said; and join, if you can, faith and reason.
由此可見，父、子、聖靈、三一都不是按本質而被述說於神，而是如前所說，相對於某物而被述說。但神、真理、公義、良善、全能、本質、不變、德能、智慧，以及凡這類所能思想到的，都是按本質而被述說於神性。這些事若是正確且合乎信德的，我求你教導我；倘若你或許在某方面持不同看法，就更加用心察看所說的話；並且，你若能夠，就把信德與理性結合起來。