On the Contemplative Life 71

Latin original · 4 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss

71:1

1. Sed jam videamus quae sit proprietas singularum. Temperantia temperantem facit, abstinentem, parcum, sobrium, moderatum, pudicum, tacitum, lserium, verecundum. Haec virtus m si in animo habitat, lib dines frenat, affectus temperat, desideria sancia multiplicat, vitiosa castigat, omnia intra nos confusa ordinat, n ordinata corroborai, cogitationes pravas removet, inserit sanctas, ignem libidinosæ voluptatis exstinguit, animi teporem desiderio fuluræ remunerationis accendit, mentem placida tranquillitate componit, et o totam semper ab omni vitiorum tempestate defendit. Temperantia intemperantiam nostram ad P honestum modum redigit in cibo ipso vel potu, ut contenti simus appositis:

1. But let us now see what is the property of each. Temperance makes one temperate, abstinent, frugal, sober, moderate, chaste, silent, serious, modest. This virtue, if it dwells in the soul, bridles lusts, tempers the affections, multiplies holy desires, chastises vicious ones, sets in order all that is confused within us, strengthens what is ordered, removes depraved thoughts, implants holy ones, extinguishes the fire of lustful pleasure, kindles the lukewarmness of the soul with desire of the future recompense, composes the mind in placid tranquillity, and always defends the whole soul from every tempest of the vices. Temperance reduces our intemperance to an honorable measure in food itself and in drink, so that we are content with what is set before us:

一、現在讓我們察看每一種的特性。節制使人有節制、自制、儉樸、清醒、適度、貞潔、沉默、莊重、謙遜。這美德若住在魂裡，便勒住情慾，調節情感，使聖潔的願望增多，懲治敗壞的願望，整頓我們裡面一切混亂之事，堅固已整頓的，除去邪惡的思念，栽植聖潔的思念，撲滅情慾逸樂的火，以渴慕將來報償激發魂的冷淡，使心思安置於平靜的安寧中，並常常護衛全魂脫離諸惡的一切風暴。節制將我們在飲食上的無度約束到合宜的分寸，使我們以所擺上的為滿足：

71:2

ne poscamus impudenter quod aut ille qui poscitur forte a non habeat; aut alios quod desiderio nostro placet offendat, aut gulæ nostræ intemperans appetitus appareat; nec judicemus eos qui volunt r cibis, quos ipsi percipimus, abstinere; nec eis verecundiam faciamus qui ea quibus ipsi abstinemus, forte percipiunt, et Deo gratias agunt: certi quod satis miserum sit aliquos de civi vel POlUS perceptione damnare, aut nobis arrogare per abstinentiam sanctitatem. 2. Temperantiæ est quod reverentiam senioribus exhibemus, æquales germanitus honoramus, junioribus gratiam g paternae dilectionis impendimus;

that we may not shamelessly demand what perhaps he who is asked does not have; nor offend others by what pleases our desire; nor let an intemperate appetite of our gluttony appear; nor judge those who wish to abstain from the foods which we ourselves partake of; nor put to shame those who perhaps partake of the things from which we ourselves abstain, and give thanks to God: being certain that it is wretched enough to condemn anyone over the partaking of food or drink, or to arrogate sanctity to ourselves through abstinence. 2. It belongs to temperance that we exhibit reverence to our elders, honor our equals as brethren, and bestow the favor of paternal love upon our juniors;

使我們不至厚顏地索求那也許被求的人並沒有之物；不至以那合乎我們私慾之物得罪別人；不至顯出我們貪食那無度的胃口；不至論斷那些願意戒絕我們所享之食物的人；也不至羞辱那些也許享用我們所戒絕之物、並為此向神感謝的人：確知為著飲食的享用而定罪人，或藉著禁戒將聖潔歸於自己，乃是何等可悲。二、向長者表示敬重、像對弟兄那樣尊敬同輩、以父愛之恩慈待幼者，這都屬乎節制；

71:3

quod præstamus loquenti scniori silentium, quod ipsius ad loquendum praestolamur imperium, quod non attollimus immoderatum in collocutionibus sonum, quod a risui prorumpere non permittimus in cachinnum, quod nulli detrahimus, nec b detrahentes aequanimiter sustinemus: scientes, quod tam illi qui detrahunt quam illi qui detrahentibus acquiescunt, vanitatis morbo corrupti sunt; c qui ad hoc alios vites videri volunt, ut se commendent eorum comparatione quos carpunt, et videantur ea vitia non habere, quae malitiose in aliis reprehendunt, quod malum temperantia tollit; cui qui servire voluerit, lion quod reprehendat in fratribus, sed unde Deum laudet attendit.

that we grant silence to the elder who is speaking, that we await his command to speak, that we do not raise an immoderate sound in conversations, that we do not allow ourselves to burst into laughter in guffaws, that we disparage no one, nor patiently endure those who disparage others: knowing that both those who disparage and those who acquiesce in the disparagers are corrupted by the disease of vanity; who wish to seem to others to avoid these things, in order to commend themselves by comparison with those whom they carp at, and to seem not to have those vices which they maliciously reprove in others—which evil temperance removes; and whoever shall wish to serve temperance attends not to what he may reprove in his brethren, but to that for which he may praise God.

當對說話的長者保持靜默，當等候他發言的吩咐，當在交談中不發出無度的聲音，當不容自己爆發成放縱的狂笑，當不毀謗任何人，也不安然容忍那毀謗別人的人：要知道，那毀謗的人和那附和毀謗者的人，都被虛榮之病所敗壞；他們要在人面前顯得避開這些事，為要藉著與所譏誚之人相比而抬高自己，並顯出自己沒有那些他們惡意責備別人的惡——這惡乃是節制所除去的；凡願意服事節制的人，所留意的不是在弟兄身上有什麼可責備之處，乃是有什麼可使他讚美神之處。

71:4

Ac per hoc ipsius temperantiæ est, quod non solum temperantes in omnium membrorum ofliciis sumus, sed etiam quod omnia libenter, quae nos moderatos ac sobrios faciunt, observamus. Sed de temperantia haec dicta sufficiant, d ut et de fortitudine disseramus.

And through this it belongs to temperance itself, that we are not only temperate in the offices of all our members, but also that we gladly observe all things which make us moderate and sober. But let what has been said concerning temperance suffice, so that we may also discuss fortitude.

並且藉著這事，這乃屬乎節制本身：使我們不僅在身體一切肢體的職分上有節制，也甘心遵守一切使我們適度而清醒之事。然而，論到節制所說的話就此夠了，好叫我們也能論述剛勇。

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