322:1
V ers. 7. Quae prius tangere nolebat anima mea, nunc, prae angustia, cibi mei sunt. 18. Prae amore coelestis patriae exsilii poenas ama- mus.—Mens enim justi proficiens, quae prius, dum sola propria curaret, ferre aliena fastidiebat, quae minus alienis compatiens, convalescere contra ad- versa non poterat, cum ad toleranda proximi infirma se attrahit, ad adversa superanda convalescit; ita ut pro amore veritatis praesentis vitae cruciatus tanto post a fortius appetat, quanto prius infirma fugiebat. Inclinatione namque sua erigitur, attractione ten- ditur, compassione roboratur; cumque in amorem proximi se dilatat, quasi ex meditatione colligit quanta fortitudine in auctorem surgat.
第七節：我的心從前不肯觸碰之物，如今因困苦，竟成了我的食物。十八、為著屬天家鄉之愛，我們愛慕放逐之苦。——因為義人的心靈長進時，它從前只顧念自己之事，便厭惡承擔他人之事，又因少同情他人之事，便不能得力抵擋逆境；及至它自我引向忍受鄰舍的軟弱時，便得力勝過逆境；以致它從前越是逃避軟弱，此後就越發勇敢地為真理之愛切慕今生的酷刑。因為它藉俯就自己而被高舉，藉靠近而被伸展，藉同情而被堅固；當它擴展自己進入對鄰舍之愛時，便彷彿從默想中領悟，它可以何等的剛毅上升歸向它的創造主。
Verse 7. The things which before my soul refused to touch, now, because of anguish, are my food. 18. For love of the heavenly homeland we love the penalties of exile. — For the mind of the righteous, advancing, which before, while it cared only for its own concerns, loathed to bear the things of others, which, having less compassion on the things of others, could not gain strength against adversities — when it draws itself to endure the infirmities of its neighbor, gains strength to overcome adversities; so that for love of truth it afterward seeks the more bravely the torments of the present life, the more it before fled from infirmities. For by its own bending down it is raised up, by drawing near it is stretched out, by compassion it is strengthened; and when it enlarges itself into love of neighbor, it gathers as it were from meditation with how great fortitude it may rise up to its Author.
322:2
Charitas nam- que, quae nos ad vim compassionis humiliat, altius in culmine contemplationis levat; et multiplicata jam majoribus desideriis aestuat, jam pervenire ad vitam spiritus, etiam per cruciatus corporis, anhelat. Quod ergo prius tangere nolebat, hoc post prae angustia comedit, qui desideria sua vix capiens, et ipsas quas dudum timuerat, jam prae amore coelestis patriae poe- nas amat. Si enim mens in Deum forti intentione dirigitur, quidquid sibi in hac vita amarum fit, dulce aestimat, omne quod affligit requiem putat; transire et per mortem appetit, ut obtinere vitam plenius possit; funditus in infimis exstingui desiderat, quo verius summa conscendat.
因為那使我們謙卑至同情之力的愛德，卻在默觀的巔峰上將我們更高地舉起；如今它既倍增，便以更大的渴慕火熱燃燒，喘息切望達到聖靈的生命，甚至甘經肉身的酷刑。所以那從前它不肯觸碰之物，此後因困苦竟吃了；因這人幾乎容納不下自己的渴慕，如今為著屬天家鄉之愛，竟連他曾懼怕的那些苦刑也愛慕了。因為心靈若以剛強的心志歸向上帝，凡今生於它成為苦的，它都視為甘甜；凡使它受苦的，它都當作安息；它渴望甚至經死亡而過去，好能更完滿地得著生命；它渴望在卑下之處被完全消滅，好能更真實地升到高處。
For charity, which humbles us to the force of compassion, lifts us higher on the summit of contemplation; and, now multiplied, it burns with greater desires, and pants to arrive at the life of the spirit, even through the torments of the body. What therefore before it refused to touch, this afterward it eats because of anguish, who, scarcely containing his own desires, now loves for the love of the heavenly homeland even those very penalties which he once feared. For if the mind is directed to God with strong intention, whatever becomes bitter to it in this life, it deems sweet; it reckons everything that afflicts to be rest; it desires to pass even through death, that it may more fully be able to obtain life; it desires to be utterly extinguished in the depths, that it may more truly ascend to the heights.
322:3
Sed haec de cujuslibet justi animo, haec de beati Job mente mentior, nisi ipse subjungat:
然而，我論到任何義人的靈魂，論到蒙福的約伯的心靈所說的這些話，若非他自己接著補述，便都是虛言：
But these things I would speak falsely concerning the soul of any righteous man, falsely concerning the mind of blessed Job, unless he himself subjoin: