On Holy Virginity 56–57
Latin text: Zycha, CSEL 41 (Latin text: Joseph Zycha, De sancta virginitate (CSEL 41, 1900), digitized by Open Greek and Latin (csel-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 3 (1887).
Chapter 56
56CSEL 41:300–301
Bene, quod interiorem uestram pulchritudinem quaerit, ubi uobis dedit potestatem filios dei fieri, non quaerit a uobis pulchram carnem, sed pulchros mores, quibus refrenatis et carnem. non est cui de uobis quisquam mentiatur et faciat saeuire zelantem. uidete, cum quanta securitate ametis, cui displicere falsis suspicionibus non timetis. uir et uxor amant se, quoniam uident se, et quod non uident, timent in se; nec certi gaudent ex eo, quod in manifesto est, dum in occulto suspicantur plerumque quod non est. uos in isto, quem oculis non uidetis et fide conspicitis, nec habetis uerum quod reprehendatis, nec eum metuitis, ne de falso forsitan offendatis. si ergo magnum amorem coniugibus deberetis, eum, propter quem coniuges habere noluistis, quantum amare debetis! toto uobis figatur in corde, qui pro uobis est fixus in cruce; totum teneat in animo uestro, quidquid noluistis occupari conubio. parum uobis amare non licet, propter quem non amastis et quod liceret. sic amantibus mitem et humilem corde nullam uobis superbiam pertimesco.
It is good that he seeks your inner beauty, where he gave you power to become children of God; he does not seek from you beautiful flesh, but beautiful conduct, by which you also bridle the flesh. There is no one who can lie to him about you and make him rage with jealousy. See with what security you love one whom you do not fear to displease through false suspicions. Husband and wife love each other because they see each other, and what they do not see they fear in each other; nor do they rejoice securely in what is in the open, while in secret they often suspect what is not there. In him, whom you do not see with your eyes and behold by faith, you neither have anything true to find fault with, nor do you fear that you may perhaps offend him by something false. If, then, you would owe great love to husbands, how much ought you to love him for whose sake you would not have husbands! Let him be fixed in your whole heart who was fixed for you on the cross; let him hold in your soul all that you would not have occupied by marriage. It is not permitted you to love little him for whose sake you did not love even what would have been permitted. Loving thus the one who is meek and humble of heart, I fear no pride for you.
John 1:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Pet 1:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 11:29 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ seeks inner beauty and cannot be made jealous by lies, so virgins may love him securely and wholly.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Virginit. 56 (CSEL 41:300–301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sancta-virginitate/56/#p-56). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Zycha's Latin text (CSEL 41, 1900); compared afterwards with the NPNF¹ 3 translation (Cornish, 1887).
Chapter 57
57CSEL 41:301–303
Pro modulo itaque nostro et de sanctitate, qua sanctimoniales proprie dicimini, et de humilitate, qua conseruatur quidquid magnum dicimini, satis locuti sumus. dignius autem illi tres pueri, quibus refrigerium in igne praebebat, quem corde feruentissimo diligebant, uos de hoc opusculo nostro uerborum quidem numero longe breuius, sed pondere auctoritatis multo grandius in hymno, quo ab eis deus honoratur, admoneant. nam sanctitati humilitatem in dei laudatoribus coniungentes apertissime docuerunt, ut tanto quisque caueat, ne superbia decipiatur, quanto sanctius aliquid profertur. proinde uos quoque laudate eum, qui uobis praestat, ut in ardore medio saeculi huius, quamuis coniugio non copulemini, non tamen uramini, et orantes etiam pro nobis benedicite, sancti et humiles corde dominum, hymnum dicite et superexaltate eum in saecula.
According to our small measure, then, we have said enough both about holiness, from which you are properly called consecrated women, and about humility, by which whatever great thing you are called is preserved. But those three youths, to whom he whom they loved with most fervent heart gave refreshment in the fire, may admonish you about this little work of ours more worthily, in the hymn by which God is honored by them—far shorter in the number of words, but much weightier in the weight of authority. For by joining humility to holiness in those who praise God, they taught most plainly that each should beware of being deceived by pride the more, the holier the thing he brings forth. So you too, praise him who grants you that in the midst of the heat of this world, though you are not joined in marriage, you are not burned; and, praying for us too, bless the Lord, you holy and humble of heart; sing a hymn and exalt him above all for ever.
Dan 3:25 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:9 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Augustine closes with the hymn of the three youths in the furnace, which joins holiness to humility.
- 'Consecrated women' renders sanctimoniales, a name formed from sanctimonia, 'holiness'. The closing words are from the Song of the Three Young Men (Dan 3:87–88 in the Greek and Latin Bibles). 'Not burned' echoes 1 Cor 7:9.
Extrabiblical texts: Pr Azar (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Virginit. 57 (CSEL 41:301–303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sancta-virginitate/56/#p-57). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sancta-virginitate-57) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Zycha's Latin text (CSEL 41, 1900); compared afterwards with the NPNF¹ 3 translation (Cornish, 1887).