18:1
Hæc atque P hujuscemodi me prosequente, permoti graviter ingemuistis, vos in eam necessitatem fuisse perductos, quam nec implere aliquo studio, nec sine peccato relinquere valeretis; ac deinde, cum piis gemitibus vestris, ea qua i vobis obstrictus sum cordis affectione compassus, orando vos r dixi posse perficere quod non possetis docendo suggerere; plusque fideles catholicos bonis exemplis, quam tuculentis verbis solere proficere; eamque esse summam perfectamque doctrinam, quam conversatio spiritualis s ostenderit, non quam inanis sermo ja. ctitarit; nec t a nobis in die judicii verba quærenda, sed opera; nec facile u persuaderi esse possibile quod docet lingua, si a lingua vita dissentiat;
As I pursued these and similar things, you groaned heavily, deeply moved that you had been brought into such a necessity that you could neither fulfill it by any effort nor abandon it without sin; and then, sharing in your devout groanings with that affection of heart by which I am bound to you, in prayer I told you that you could accomplish by living what you could not impart by teaching; that the faithful Catholics are wont to profit more from good examples than from polished words; that this is the highest and most perfect doctrine which a spiritual manner of life displays, not the one which empty speech boasts; that at the day of judgment not our words but our works will be sought; and that what the tongue teaches cannot easily be made persuasive if one's life dissents from one's tongue;
當我繼續講述這些以及這一類的事時，你深深地呻吟、極其感動，因為你被引入了這樣一種困境：既不能藉任何努力去完成它，也不能無罪地撇下它。隨後，我以那將我與你聯結的心中情誼，同情你那虔誠的歎息，便在禱告中對你說：你能藉著生活成全你無法藉教導傳達的事；忠信的公教信徒往往從美好的榜樣得益，過於從華麗的言辭；最高且最完全的教訓，乃是屬靈的生活所彰顯的，而非空洞的言語所誇耀的；在審判之日，所要查問的不是我們的話語，乃是我們的行為；舌頭所教導的，若生活與舌頭相悖，就難以使人信服；
18:2
illud autem T probari possibile, quod sive praedices, sive non prædices, faciendo confirmas, et imitari volentibus cum quadam delectatione ipsius possibilitalis x inculcas: vos mea suggestione paululum delectati, hoc protinus, si me non habet oblivio, retulistis.
but that thing can be proved possible which, whether you preach it or do not preach it, you confirm by doing, and which—with a certain delight in its very feasibility—you instill into those who wish to imitate it: you, somewhat delighted by my suggestion, immediately replied this, if memory does not fail me.
然而那事能被證明為可行的，乃是你無論講論與否，都藉著行出來加以印證的，並且帶著某種喜悅，將其本身的可行性深植於那些願意效法的人心中：你聽了我的提議，稍得喜悅，若我記憶無誤，便立時這樣回答了。