On the Contemplative Life 14

Latin original · 6 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss

14:1

i. Qui diligenter ea quæsuperius de vita contemt plativa dicta sunt considerat, et, sufficienter, instructus intelligit quando et ubi possit ejus perfectio comprehendi, non dubitabit Ecclesiarum principes vitæ contemplativae posse ct debere fieri sectatores: quia sive secundum opinionem quorumdam nihil aliud sit vita contemplativa quam rerum l tentium futurarumque notitia, sive a vacatio ab omnibus occupalionibus mundi, sive divinarumstudium litterarum, sive, quod his b probatur esse perfectius, ipsa visio e Dei; non video quid impedimenti sanctis sacerdotibus possit fferri quominus ad haec quatuor quæ commemoravi perveniant.

1. He who diligently considers those things which were said above about the contemplative life, and, being sufficiently instructed, understands when and where its perfection can be grasped, will not doubt that the rulers of the Churches can and ought to become followers of the contemplative life: for whether, according to the opinion of certain ones, the contemplative life be nothing other than the knowledge of hidden and future things, or freedom from all the occupations of the world, or the study of the divine letters, or—what is approved by these to be more perfect—the very vision of God; I do not see what hindrance can be brought against holy priests to keep them from attaining to these four things which I have mentioned.

一、凡殷勤思想上面論到默觀生活所說之事的人，並充分受教、明白其成全何時何地能被把握的人，必不疑惑教會的領袖能夠並且應當成為默觀生活的跟隨者：因為無論按某些人的看法，默觀生活不過是對隱密與將來之事的知識，或是脫離世界一切纏累的自由，或是對神聖經卷的研讀，或是—被這些人所認定為更為完全的—神的異象本身；我看不出有甚麼攔阻能加在聖潔的祭司身上，使他們不能達到我所提的這四樣。

14:2

Duo enim, primum et ullimum, id est, rerum latentium futurarumque notitia, et ipsa visio Dei, incomparabiliter præstantiora erunt in illa vita beata quam in ista, diversis erroribus implicata, quandoquidem tam rerum omnium notitia quam ipsa Dei substantia plene ac perfecte videbitur. Duo autem media, vacationem videlicet ab omnibus occupationibus mundi, et divinarnm studium litterarum, etiam hic possunt habere pontifices:

For two of them, the first and the last—that is, the knowledge of hidden and future things, and the very vision of God—will be incomparably more excellent in that blessed life than in this one, entangled in diverse errors, since both the knowledge of all things and the very substance of God will be seen fully and perfectly. But the two middle ones, namely freedom from all the occupations of the world and the study of the divine letters, even here the bishops can have:

因為其中兩樣，就是第一樣與末一樣—即對隱密與將來之事的知識，並神的異象本身—在那有福的生活中，必無可比擬地比在這糾纏於各樣謬誤的今生中更為卓越，因為對萬有的知識並神的本質本身，都要被完全而成全地看見。但那中間的兩樣，就是脫離世界一切纏累的自由，並對神聖經卷的研讀，連在此世，作監督的也能擁有：

14:3

sed illi qui se ab omnibus implicamentis negotiorum saecularium removentes, non torpent otio, sed insistunt perfectionis suæ negotio, et ab stultitia sapientiae saecularis aversi, verbo Dei infatigabiliter vacant, sapientes veraciter fiunt, coelestia sapiunt, terrena despiciunt, contradicentes sanæ dortrinæ redarguunt, obedientes d instituunt, sanctis virtutibu quibus in dics singulos fiant Deo propinquiores, incumbunt, e et tam suis quam omnium qui f pereos erudiuntur, profectibus clari, hic quidem velut gustum quemdam contemplativæ vitæ, quo ad cam ferventius provocentur, accipiunt; sed ibi jam in æternum felices effecti, de ejus perfectione gaudebunt.

but those who, removing themselves from all the entanglements of secular affairs, do not grow numb in idleness, but press on with the business of their own perfection, and turned away from the foolishness of secular wisdom, untiringly give themselves to the word of God, become truly wise, savor heavenly things, despise earthly things, refute those who contradict sound doctrine, instruct the obedient, lean upon the holy virtues by which they may become daily nearer to God, and being renowned for the progress both of themselves and of all who are taught by them, here indeed receive as it were a certain taste of the contemplative life, by which they may be more fervently provoked to it; but there, being made forever happy, they will rejoice in its perfection.

但那些把自己從世俗事務一切的纏累中除開、卻不在閒懶中麻木、反而勤於自己成全之事業的人，並那些轉離世俗智慧之愚拙、不倦地專心於神之話語的人，必真正成為智慧的，思念天上的事，藐視地上的事，駁倒那敵擋純正教訓的，教導那順從的，倚靠那使他們日日越發親近神的聖潔美德，並因自己與一切受他們教導之人的長進而著名，他們在此固然彷彿領受了默觀生活的某種滋味，藉此更火熱地被激發歸向它；但在那裡，他們既已永遠得福，便要為其成全而歡喜。

14:4

Proinde g non inflantur, quia hic omnium fidelium catholicorum honorantur ut capita; sed lætantur potius, quia ibi Christi, qui est sacerdotum ac fidelium omnium caput, clariora membra futuri sunt. 2. h At si (quod absit) sæcularibus negotiis implicnti, fundorum terminos sine termino cupiditatis extendant, ac se passim exquisitis deliciis i dedans, quæ i animum corpusque debilitant; si gloriam nOR Christi, sed suam, decepti vulgi adulantis honoribus quærant, plusque de se alienae linguae quam suæ conscientiæ credant;

Therefore they are not puffed up, because here they are honored as heads by all the catholic faithful; but they rather rejoice, because there they are to be the more illustrious members of Christ, who is the head of all priests and faithful. 2. But if (which God forbid), being entangled in secular affairs, they extend the boundaries of their lands without bound of greed, and giving themselves everywhere to sought-out delights which weaken soul and body; if they seek not the glory of Christ but their own, by the honors of a flattering crowd that deceives them, and trust the alien tongue concerning themselves more than their own conscience;

所以他們並不自高，因為他們在此被一切大公信徒尊為元首；他們倒要歡喜，因為他們在那裡要成為基督—就是眾祭司並眾信徒的元首—更為光輝的肢體。二、但若（願這事萬不至於）他們糾纏於世俗事務，以毫無節制的貪慾擴張他們地產的界限，並到處放縱於那些削弱魂與身體、刻意搜羅的逸樂；若他們所尋求的不是基督的榮耀，乃是自己的榮耀，藉著欺哄他們、諂媚之群眾的尊崇，並信靠論到自己的別人之口舌，過於信靠自己的良心；

14:5

si omne gaudium suum non in futurorum remuneratione, nec in sanctitate vitæ, sed in sua tantum dignitate constituant, k et dum tales esse quales creduntur, amant, nunquam sibi displiceant, ac placentes sibi non sint de sua 1 cor. rectione sollicili: quis non intelligat, tales, si in talibus perseverent, nec se ante finem viia' præsenlis emendent, contemplativae vitæ participes esse non posse? ad quam non perveniunt, nisi qui studuerint esse quod facti sunt; nec affectant m videri, sed esse quod sunt; non alienis laudibus, sed moribus suis eximii; nec solum de sua dignitate, sed potius de sacerdotatis vitae n nobilitate conspicui:

if they place all their joy not in the reward of future things, nor in holiness of life, but only in their own dignity; and while they love to be such as they are believed to be, they never displease themselves, and being pleased with themselves are not anxious about their own correction: who would not understand that such men, if they persevere in such things, and do not amend themselves before the end of this present life, cannot be partakers of the contemplative life? to which none attain except those who have striven to be what they have been made; and who do not seek to seem, but to be, what they are; distinguished not by others' praises but by their own conduct; conspicuous not only for their own dignity, but rather for the nobility of the priestly life:

若他們將自己一切的喜樂置於並非將來之事的賞報、也非生活的聖潔，乃單置於自己的尊位；並且當他們愛慕被人看為怎樣便果是怎樣的人，他們從不對自己不滿，且既自鳴得意，便不為自己的改正憂慮：誰不明白，這樣的人，他們若在這樣的事上持續下去，並在這現今生活終了之前不改正自己，就不能作默觀生活的有分者呢？惟有那些竭力作他們所已成為之人的，才能達到這生活；他們不求顯出、乃求作他們本是的人；他們之顯赫並非藉著別人的稱讚，乃藉著自己的品行；他們之卓著並非單為自己的尊位，乃更為祭司生活的尊貴：

14:6

qui sunt non appellatione tenue, sed virtute pontifices, vitæ contemplativae capaces, et gaudiorum coelestium cohæredes.

those who are bishops not in name merely, but in virtue, capable of the contemplative life, and co-heirs of the heavenly joys.

這些人乃是監督，不僅在名稱上，乃在美德上；他們能容受默觀的生活，並作天上喜樂的同承受者。

← ch. 13ch. 15 →

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