938:1
618 26. Ecclesiæ vigorem, et rectitudinem imperfecti formidant; diligunt perfecti. — Si historiae intendimus, quæ dixit credimus; si allegoriae, quae prædixit videmus. Juvenes namque dici solent qui nulla consilii f gravitate deprimuutur. Senes vero non eos Scriptura sacra vocare consuevit, qui sola quantitate temporum, sed morum grandævitate maturi sunt. Unde per quemdam sapientem dicitur: Senectus enim venerabilis est, non diuturna, neque nuMero annorum computata. Cani autem sunt sensus hominis, et ætas senectutis vita immaculata (Sap. IV, 8). Unde recte quoque Dominus ad Moysen dicit: Congrega mihi septuaginta viros de senioribus Israel, quos tu nosli quod senes populi sunt (Num. XI. 16).
二十六、不完全的人畏懼教會的剛毅與正直；完全的人卻愛它們。——我們若留意歷史，便相信她所說的；若留意寓意，便看見她所預言的。因為那些不被任何計議之持重所壓制的人，慣常被稱為少年人。但聖經並不慣於把那些僅以歲月之多寡而成熟的人稱為老年人，乃是以品德的成熟稱之。故此藉一位智者說：「因為可尊敬的老年，不在於長壽，也不以年歲之數計算。人的聰明就是白髮，無瑕疵的生命就是老年的年歲」（智四8-9）。故此，主也恰當地對摩西說：「你要為我招聚以色列長老中的七十個人，就是你所知道為百姓之長老的」（民十一16）。
26. The imperfect dread the vigor and uprightness of the Church; the perfect love them. — If we attend to the history, we believe what she said; if to the allegory, we see what she foretold. For those are wont to be called young men who are pressed down by no gravity of counsel. But sacred Scripture has not been accustomed to call those old men who are mature only by the quantity of times, but by the ripeness of morals. Hence it is said through a certain wise man: 'For venerable old age is not that of long duration, nor counted by the number of years. But the understanding of a man is gray hairs, and a spotless life is the age of old age' (Wisd. 4:8-9). Hence rightly also the Lord says to Moses: 'Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the old men of the people' (Num. 11:16).
938:2
In quibus quid aliud quam seneclus cordis requiritur, cum tales jubentur eligi qui g senes esse sciuntnr v Si enim senectus iu eis corporis quæreretur, a tantis sciri poterant, a quantis vidcri. Dum vero dicitur: Quos tu nosti quod senes populi sunt, profecto liquet quia senectus mentis, non corporis, eligenda nuntiatur. [Vet. Xl V.j Sanctam ergo Ecclesiam vident nunc juvenes, et absconduntur, senes vero ei assurgentes assistunt, quia vigorem ejus atque recti. sudinem immaturi formidant, grandævi glorificant. II Leves quique sunt, fugiunt; graves vero atque perfecti hanc vitæ suæ meritis assurgendo venerantur. Disciplinam quippe illius perlecti diligunt, imperfecti reprehendunt.
在這些話裡所尋求的，豈非心靈的老練，因為所吩咐揀選的乃是那些被知道為長老的人？倘若在他們身上所尋求的是身體的年老，則凡能看見他們的人都能知道；但既然說：「就是你所知道作百姓長老的人」，這就顯然表明，所宣告當揀選的乃是心智的老練，而非身體的年老。因此，年輕人如今看見聖教會就躲藏起來，而長者卻起身侍立在她面前，因為那些尚未成熟的人懼怕她的剛強與正直，年高德劭的人卻榮耀她。凡輕浮的人都逃離她；莊重而完全的人卻憑其生命的功德起身尊敬她。因為完全的人愛慕她的規訓，不完全的人卻加以指責。
In these words what else is sought but the old age of the heart, when men are commanded to be chosen who are known to be elders? For if bodily old age were sought in them, they could be known by as many as could see them. But since it is said, 'Those whom you know to be elders of the people,' it is surely plain that it is old age of the mind, not of the body, that is proclaimed as to be chosen. And so the young now behold Holy Church and hide themselves, while the elders, rising up, stand by her, because the immature dread her vigor and uprightness, while those advanced in years give her glory. All who are light-minded flee from her; but the grave and the perfect, rising up by the merits of their life, venerate her. For the perfect love her discipline, while the imperfect find fault with it.
938:3
Vident ergo hanc juvenes et abscondunlur, quia deprehendi in suis occultis actiunihus metuunt. Senes vero assurgentes stant, quia perfecti quique ex humilitate indicant, quantum in bona operatione profecerunt. Sed quia haec de suis loquitur, narret quoque qualiter ab exteris timeatur:
所以年輕人看見她就躲藏起來，因為他們害怕在自己隱秘的行為中被察覺。但長者起身站立，因為凡完全的人都從其謙卑中顯明他們在善行上進步了多少。然而，因為他所說的這些話是論到他自己人的，就讓他也述說他如何被外人所懼怕：
Therefore the young behold her and hide themselves, because they fear to be caught in their secret deeds. But the elders rise up and stand, because all who are perfect show forth from their humility how far they have advanced in good work. Yet because he speaks these things concerning his own people, let him also relate how he is feared by those without: