383:1
V ers. 8. Interroga enim generationem pristinam, et diligenter investiga patrum memoriam. 63. Antiquorum patrum auctoritate abutuntur. Generationem pristinam, ac patrum memoriam ne- quaquam videri, sed investigari admonent: quia hoc in ea nolunt conspici, quod liquido cunctis pa- tet. Nonnunquam vero, more bonorum, quaedam moraliter docent, et qualiter ex praeteritis praesentia colligantur insinuant, atque ex his quae jam a nostris oculis pertranseundo subtracta sunt quam nulla sint quae videntur demonstrant. Unde et adhuc subditur: V ers. 9. Hesterni quippe sumus, et ignoramus quoniam sicut umbra dies nostri sunt super terram. 61.
Verse 8. For inquire of the former generation, and diligently search the memory of the fathers. 63. They abuse the authority of the ancient fathers. They admonish that the former generation and the memory of the fathers be by no means seen, but searched out; because they do not wish that to be discerned in it which lies clearly open to all. Sometimes, however, after the manner of the good, they teach certain things morally, and intimate how from things past the present may be gathered, and from these things which have already by passing away been withdrawn from our eyes they demonstrate how these things which are seen are nothing. Whence it is still subjoined: Verse 9. For we are but of yesterday, and are ignorant that our days upon the earth are as a shadow. 61.
第8節。請你查問前代，殷勤查考列祖所遺留的。63. 他們濫用古代教父的權威。他們勸人絕不要「看見」前代和列祖的遺留，而要「查考」；因為他們不願人在其中看見那向眾人清楚敞開之事。然而，他們有時效法善人的樣式，在道德上教導某些事，暗示如何從過往之事推知現今之事，並藉那些已因過去而從我們眼前撤去之物，證明這些看得見的事乃是虛無。因此仍接著說：第9節。我們不過是昨日才有的，並不知道我們在地上的年日如同影兒。61.
383:2
Quae jam transacta sunt nos docent quam cele- riter caetera sint transitura. Generatio itaque pri- stina interroganda proponitur, ut transire tempus vitae praesentis sicut umbra monstretur; quia videli- cet si ea quae erant, et jam transacta sunt, ad me- moriam reducimus, patenter agnoscimus quam ce- leriter hoc quoque fugiat quod tenemus. Saepe vero haeretici eosdem 273 nobiscum patres, quos vene- ramur laudant, sed intellectu depravato, ipsis nos eorum laudibus impugnant. Unde et adhuc subditur:
The things which have already passed teach us how swiftly the rest are about to pass away. The former generation therefore is set forth to be inquired of, that the time of the present life may be shown to pass away as a shadow; because, namely, if we bring back to memory those things which were and are now passed away, we plainly recognize how swiftly this too flees which we hold. But often the heretics praise the same fathers together with us, whom we venerate, but with a depraved understanding they assail us by the very praises of them. Whence too it is still subjoined:
那些已經過去的事教導我們，其餘的事將何等迅速地消逝。所以前代被提出來受查問，好叫今生的時光被顯明如影兒般消逝；這是因為，我們若把那些曾經存在、如今已過去之事帶回記憶，就清楚看出我們所持有的這事也何等迅速地逃逝。但異端者常與我們一同稱讚我們所尊崇的同一批教父，卻以敗壞的悟性，藉著對他們的稱讚來攻擊我們。因此仍接著說：