4:1
De paupertate, ac de cupiditate calcanda. Monachis, quibus pro Christo mundus crucifixus est, et ipsi mundo ( Gal. 6, 14), cupiditas calcanda est: nimirum dum non solum superflua eos habere damnabile est, sed etiam velle: quorum non cen- sus, sed voluntas quaeritur: qui relinquentes omnia, et Christum Dominum cum timoris cruce quoti- diani sequentes, in coelis habent thesauros ( Matth. XVI, 34). Idcirco dum in coelis multum sunt habituri, parvo et extremo necessitatis censu in terris debent esse contenti; scientes lepram esse cupiditatem mo- nachis, imitatoribus filiorum prophetarum, ac disci pulorum Christi proditionem atque perditionem, apostolorum quoque dubiis sectatoribus mortem.
論貧窮，並論踐踏貪欲。修士既為基督的緣故向世界釘了十字架，世界也向他們釘了十字架（加六14），就當踐踏貪欲：因為對他們而言，不僅擁有多餘之物是該受咒詛的，連存此心願也是如此；因為所尋求的不是他們的財產，乃是他們的意志。他們撇下一切，背負每日敬畏的十字架跟隨基督主，便在天上有財寶（太十九21）。因此，既然他們將要在天上擁有許多，就當在地上以微小而僅夠需用的供應為足；他們知道貪欲對修士——就是眾先知之子的效法者——乃是痲瘋；對基督的門徒乃是出賣與滅亡；對使徒們搖擺不定的跟隨者也乃是死亡。
On poverty, and on trampling down covetousness. By monks, to whom the world is crucified, and they to the world, for Christ's sake (Gal. 6:14), covetousness is to be trampled down: for indeed it is damnable for them not only to possess superfluous things, but even to wish to; for it is not their wealth, but their will, that is sought. They who, leaving all things and following Christ the Lord with the cross of daily fear, have treasures in heaven (Matt. 19:21). Therefore, since they are to possess much in heaven, they ought to be content on earth with a small and meager provision of necessity; knowing that covetousness is a leprosy to monks, the imitators of the sons of the prophets; and the betrayal and ruin of the disciples of Christ; and death to the wavering followers of the apostles as well.
4:2
Ideo ergo nuditas et facultatum contemptus prima perfectio est monachorum; secunda vero purgatio vitiorum; tertia perfectissima Dei continuata dile- ctio, ac divinorum jugis amor, qui terrenorum suc- cedit oblivioni. Quae cum ita sint, paucis nobis opus est, juxta verbum Domini ( Luc. X, 42), aut etiam uno. Pauca namque sunt necessaria vera, sine qui- bus non transigitur, aut etiam uno, quasi cibo juxta litteram; puritate autem sensus indigemus per gra- tiam Dei, ut intelligamus spiritaliter quae sunt illa pauca charitatis, quae Marthae a Domino sugge- runtur.
因此，赤身與輕看財物乃是修士的第一重全備；而第二重乃是諸惡的潔淨；第三重、也是至為完全的，乃是對上帝持續不斷的愛，並對神聖之事不歇的愛慕，這愛繼之而來、取代了對地上事物的遺忘。既然如此，照著主的話（路十42），我們所需用的事甚少，甚或只需一件。因為真正必需、缺之便無法度日的事甚少，甚或只需一件——就字面而言，彷彿是食物；但我們藉著上帝的恩典需要悟性的純潔，好叫我們屬靈地領會主向馬大所提示的、那關乎愛德的少數幾件事是什麼。
Therefore nakedness and contempt of possessions is the first perfection of monks; but the second is the purgation of vices; the third the most perfect, continual love of God, and unceasing love of divine things, which succeeds to the forgetting of earthly things. Since this is so, few things are needful for us, according to the word of the Lord (Luke 10:42), or even one. For few are the things that are truly necessary, without which there is no getting on, or even one—as it were, food according to the letter; but we have need of purity of perception through the grace of God, that we may understand spiritually what those few things of charity are which were suggested to Martha by the Lord.