Thomas à Kempis

Sic ergo patet, quam raro proximum, sicut nos ipsos, pensamus. Si omnes essent perfecti, quid tunc haberemus ab aliis pro Deo pati ?

Volumus, quod alii districte corrigantur, et ipsi corrigi nolumus. Displicet larga aliorum licentia, et tamen nobis nolumus negari, quod petimus. Alios restringi per statuta volumus, et ipsi nullatenus patimur amplius cohiberi.

Si non potes te talem facere, qualem vis, quomodo poteris alium habere ad tuum beneplacitum ? Libenter videmus alios perfectos, et tamen proprios non emendamus defectus.

Stude patiens esse in tolerando aliorum defectus et qualescunque infirmitates, quia et tu multa habes, quae ab aliis oportet tolerari.

Si quis semel vel bis admonitus non acquiescit, noli cum eo contendere, sed totum Deo committe, ut fiat voluntas ejus et honor in omnibus servis ejus, qui scit bene malum in bonum convertere.

Bethink thee that perhaps it is better for thy trial and patience, without which our merits are but little worth. Nevertheless thou oughtest, when thou findeth such impediments, to beseech God that He would vouchsafe to sustain thee, that thou be able to bear them with a good will.

Those things which a man cannot amend in himself or in others, he ought patiently to bear, until God shall otherwise ordain.

Cogita, quod sic forte melius est pro tua probatione et patientia, sine qua non sunt multum ponderanda merita nostra. Debes tamen pro talibus impedimentis supplicare, ut tibi dignetur Deus subvenire, ut possis benigne portare.

Quae rarissime homo in se vel in aliis emendare valet, debet patienter sustinere, donec Deus aliter ordinet.

He ascribeth good to none save to God only, the Fountain whence all good proceedeth, and the End, the Peace, the joy of all Saints. Oh, he who hath but a spark of true charity, hath verily learned that all worldly things are full of vanity.

He who hath true and perfect charity, in no wise seeketh his own good, but desireth that God alone be altogether glorified. He envieth none, because he longeth for no selfish joy; nor doth he desire to rejoice in himself, but longeth to be blessed in God as the highest good.

Nemini aliquid boni attribuit, sed totaliter ad Deum refert, a quo fontaliter omnia procedunt, in quo finaliter omnes Sancti fruibiliter requiescunt. O qui scintillam haberet verae caritatis, profecto omnia terrena sentiret esse plena vanitatis.

Qui veram et perfectam caritatem habet, in nulla re se ipsum quaerit, sed Dei solummodo gloriam in omnibus fieri desiderat. Nulli etiam invidet, quia nullum privatum gaudium amat ; nec in se ipso vult gaudere, sed in Deo super omnia bona optat beatificari.

He doth much who loveth much. He doth much who doth well. He doth well who ministereth to the public good rather than to his own. Oftentimes that seemeth to be charity which is rather carnality, because it springeth from natural inclination, self-will, hope of repayment, desire of gain.

Multum quis facit, qui multum diligit : multum facit, qui rem bene facit : bene facit, qui magis communitati quam suae voluntati servit. Saepe videtur esse caritas, et est magis carnalitas, quia carnalis inclinatio, propria voluntas, spes retributionis, affectus commoditatis raro abesse volunt.

Without charity no work profiteth, but whatsoever is done in charity, however small and of no reputation it be, bringeth forth good fruit; for God verily considereth what a man is able to do, more than the greatness of what he doth.

For no worldly good whatsoever, and for the love of no man, must anything be done which is evil, but for the help of the suffering a good work must sometimes be postponed, or be changed for a better; for herein a good work is not destroyed, but improved.

Sine caritate opus externum non prodest cuiquam : quidquid autem ex caritate agitur, quantumcumque etiam parvum sit et despectum, totum efficitur fructuosum : magis siquidem Deus pensat, ex quanto quis agit, quam quantum quis facit.

Pro nulla re mundi et pro nullius hominis dilectione aliquod malum est faciendum ; sed pro utilitate tamen indigentis, bonum opus aliquando intermittendum est, aut quandoque pro meliori mutandum. Hoc enim facto opus bonum non destruitur, sed in melius commutatur.

If thou rest more upon thy own reason or experience than upon the power of Jesus Christ, thy light shall come slowly and hardly; for God willeth us to be perfectly subject unto Himself, and all our reason to be exalted by abundant love towards Him.

Established custom is not easily relinquished, and no man is very easily led to see with the eyes of another.

Si rationi tuae magis inniteris vel industriae, quam virtuti subjectivae Jesu Christi, raro et tarde eris homo illuminatus : quia Deus vult nos sibi perfecte subjici, et omnem rationem per inflammatum amorem transcendere.

Antiqua consuetudo difficulter relinquitur, et ultra proprium videre nemo libenter ducitur.

Diversity of feelings and opinions very often brings about dissensions between friends, between countrymen, between religious and godly men.

They seem to live in good peace of mind so long as things go well with them, and according to their desires, but if their desires be frustrated and broken, immediately they are shaken and displeased.

But often some secret thought lurking within us, or even some outward circumstance, turneth us aside. Many are secretly seeking their own ends in what they do, yet know it not.

Propter diversitatem sensuum et opinionum satis frequenter oriuntur dissensiones inter amicos et cives, inter religiosos et devotos.

Videntur etiam in bona pace stare, quando res pro eorum velle fiunt et sentire ; si autem aliter fit, quam cupiunt, cito moventur et tristes fiunt.

Sed saepe aliquid ab intra latet, vel etiam ab extra concurrit, quod nos etiam pariter trahit. Multi occulte se ipsos quaerent in rebus, quas agunt et nesciunt.

According as a matter toucheth our fancy, so oftentimes do we judge of it; for easily do we fail of true judgment because of our own personal feeling. If God were always the sole object of our desire, we should the less easily be troubled by the erring judgment of our fancy.