88:1
I bid. — Sic faciebat Job cunctis diebus c. 55. Perseverantia necessaria. — Incassum quippe bonum agitur ( De poenit., dist. 3, can. 17, incassum ), si ante terminum vitae deseratur; quia et frustra velociter currit, qui prius quam ad metas veniat deficit. Hinc est enim quod de reprobis dicitur: Vae his qui perdiderunt sustinentiam ( Eccli. ii, 16). Hinc electis suis Veritas dicit: Vos estis qui permansistis mecum in tentationibus meis ( Luc. xxii, 28). Hinc Jo- seph, qui inter fratres usque ad finem justus perseve- rasse describitur, solus talarem tunicam habuisse perhibitur ( Genes. xxxvii, 24, sec. LXX ). Nam quid est talaris tunica, nisi actio consummata?
同處。——約伯常常這樣行。五五、恆忍是必需的。——因為善若在生命的結尾以先被撇棄，便是徒然行的；因為凡在到達終點以前便衰竭的，也是徒然地快跑。因此論到那些被棄絕的人，經上說：那些失去忍耐的人有禍了（傳道經二16）。因此真理對祂的選民說：我在磨煉之中，常和我同在的就是你們（路加福音二二28）。因此約瑟，被描述為在弟兄中持守公義直到末了，據說唯獨他有一件長到腳踝的衣服（創世記三七23，據七十士譯本）。因為那長到腳踝的衣服，豈不就是完滿的行動嗎？
In the same place. — Thus did Job all the days. 55. Perseverance is necessary. — For good is done in vain if it is forsaken before the end of life; because he also runs swiftly to no purpose who fails before he comes to the goal. Hence it is that of the reprobate it is said: Woe to them that have lost patience (Ecclus. 2:16). Hence the Truth says to His elect: You are they who have continued with Me in My temptations (Luke 22:28). Hence Joseph, who is described as having persevered just among his brethren even to the end, is reported alone to have had a coat reaching to the ankles (Gen. 37:23, according to the Septuagint). For what is a coat reaching to the ankles, but action consummated?
88:2
Quasi enim d protensa tunica talum corporis operit, cum bona ac- tio ante Dei oculos usque ad vitae nos terminum te- git. Hinc est quod per Moysen caudam hostiae in altari offerre praecipitur ( Exod. xxix, 22; Levit. iii, 9); ut videlicet omne bonum quod incipimus, etiam perse- veranti fine compleamus. Bene igitur coepta cunctis diebus agenda sunt; ut cum malum pugnando repel- litur, ipsa boni victoria constantiae manu teneatur. 56. Haec itaque sub intellectu triplici diximus, ut fastidienti animae varia alimenta proponentes, aliquid, quod eligendo sumat, offeramus. Hoc tamen magno- pere petimus, ut qui ad spiritalem intelligentiam mentem sublevat, a veneratione e historiae non re- cedat.
因為正如伸展下垂的衣服遮蓋身體的腳踝，善行也在上帝眼前遮蓋我們，直到生命的結尾。因此，藉著摩西吩咐要把祭牲的尾巴獻在壇上（出埃及記二九22；利未記三9）；就是說，凡我們所起首的一切善，也當以恆忍的結尾成全。所以，一旦起首的事理當常常去行；使當惡藉爭戰被擊退時，那善的得勝便被堅忍之手緊緊握住。五六、所以我們用三重的理解講說這些事，好使我們在挑剔的靈魂面前擺上各樣的滋養，獻上一些它可揀選而取用之物。然而這一點我們懇切請求：那把心靈提升至屬靈之悟性的人，不可離棄對歷史字義的敬重。
For as a coat stretched down covers the ankle of the body, so a good action covers us before the eyes of God even to the end of life. Hence it is that through Moses it is commanded that the tail of the victim be offered upon the altar (Exod. 29:22; Lev. 3:9); namely, that every good which we begin, we should complete also with a persevering end. Well therefore are things once begun to be practiced all the days; that when evil is repelled by fighting, the very victory of good may be held fast by the hand of constancy. 56. These things, therefore, we have said under a threefold understanding, that, setting various nourishments before the fastidious soul, we may offer something which it may take by choosing. Yet this we earnestly ask: that he who raises his mind to spiritual understanding may not withdraw from reverence for the history.