Seniorem ne increpaveris, sed obsecra ut patrem: juvenes, ut fratres:

An ancient man rebuke not, but entreat him as a father: young men, as brethren:

Instead of finding fault, appeal to an older man as if he were thy father, to younger men as thy brothers,

anus, ut matres: juvenculas, ut sorores in omni castitate:

Old women, as mothers: young women, as sisters, in all chastity.

to the older women, as mothers, to the younger (but with all modesty) as sisters.

viduas honora, quæ vere viduæ sunt.

Honour widows, that are widows indeed.

Give widows their due, if that name really belongs to them;

Si qua autem vidua filios, aut nepotes habet: discat primum domum suam regere, et mutuam vicem reddere parentibus: hoc enim acceptum est coram Deo.

But if any widow have children, or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house, and to make a return of duty to her parents: for this is acceptable before God.

if a widowed woman is left with children or grandchildren, she must be warned that their own flesh and blood has the first claim on their piety. They must make due returns to those who gave them birth; that is what God asks of them.

Quæ autem vere vidua est, et desolata, speret in Deum, et instet obsecrationibus, et orationibus nocte ac die.

But she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, let her trust in God, and continue in supplications and prayers night and day.

The woman who is indeed a widow, bereft of all help, will put her trust in God, and spend her time, night and day, upon the prayers and petitions that belong to her state;

Nam quæ in deliciis est, vivens mortua est.

For she that liveth in pleasures, is dead while she is living.

one who lives in luxury would be alive and dead both at once.

Et hoc præcipe, ut irreprehensibiles sint.

And this give in charge, that they may be blameless.

Warn them of this, too, or they will bring themselves into disrepute;

Si quis autem suorum, et maxime domesticorum, curam non habet, fidem negavit, et est infideli deterior.

But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

the man who makes no provision for those nearest him, above all his own family, has contradicted the teaching of the faith, and indeed does worse than the unbelievers do.

Vidua eligatur non minus sexaginta annorum, quæ fuerit unius viri uxor,

Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband.

If a woman is to be put on the list of widows, she must have reached, at least, the age of sixty, and have been faithful to one husband.

in operibus bonis testimonium habens, si filios educavit, si hospitio recepit, si sanctorum pedes lavit, si tribulationem patientibus subministravit, si omne opus bonum subsecuta est.

Having testimony for her good works, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbour, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work.

She must have a name for acts of charity; has she brought up children? Has she been hospitable? Has she washed the feet of the saints? Has she helped those who were in affliction? Has she attached herself to every charitable cause?

Adolescentiores autem viduas devita: cum enim luxuriatæ fuerint in Christo, nubere volunt:

But the younger widows avoid. For when they have grown wanton in Christ, they will marry:

Have nothing to do with younger widows; they will live at their ease at Christ’s expense, and then be for marrying again,

habentes damnationem, quia primam fidem irritam fecerunt;

Having damnation, because they have made void their first faith.

thus incurring the guilt of breaking the promise they have made.

simul autem et otiosæ discunt circuire domos: non solum otiosæ, sed et verbosæ, et curiosæ, loquentes quæ non oportet.

And withal being idle they learn to go about from house to house: and are not only idle, but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Meanwhile, they learn habits of idleness as they go from house to house; nor are they merely idle, they gossip and interfere, and say what they have no right to say.

Volo ergo juniores nubere, filios procreare, matresfamilias esse, nullam occasionem dare adversario maledicti gratia.

I will therefore that the younger should marry, bear children, be mistresses of families, give no occasion to the adversary to speak evil.

So I would have the younger women marry and bear children and have households to manage; then they will give enmity no handle for speaking ill of us.

Jam enim quædam conversæ sunt retro Satanam.

For some are already turned aside after Satan.

Already there are some who have turned aside, to follow Satan.

Si quis fidelis habet viduas, subministret illis, et non gravetur ecclesia: ut iis quæ vere viduæ sunt, sufficiat.

If any of the faithful have widows, let him minister to them, and let not the church be charged: that there may be sufficient for them that are widows indeed.

Meanwhile, if a believer has any widows depending on him, he should undertake their support, leaving the church free to support the widows who are really destitute.

Qui bene præsunt presbyteri, duplici honore digni habeantur: maxime qui laborant in verbo et doctrina.

Let the priests that rule well, be esteemed worthy of double honour: especially they who labour in the word and doctrine:

Presbyters who have acquitted themselves well of their charge should be awarded double consideration; those especially, who bestow their pains on preaching and instruction:

Dicit enim Scriptura: Non alligabis os bovi trituranti. Et: Dignus est operarius mercede sua.

For the scripture saith: Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn: and, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

there is a passage in scripture which tells us not to muzzle the ox while it is threshing grain, and the labourer has a right to expect his maintenance.

Adversus presbyterum accusationem noli recipere, nisi sub duobus aut tribus testibus.

Against a priest receive not an accusation, but under two or three witnesses.

Do not take cognizance of any charge made against a presbyter, unless there are two witnesses or more.

Peccantes coram omnibus argue: ut et ceteri timorem habeant.

Them that sin reprove before all: that the rest also may have fear.

Give a public rebuke to those who are living amiss, and thus put fear into the rest.

Testor coram Deo et Christo Jesu, et electis angelis, ut hæc custodias sine præjudicio, nihil faciens in alteram partem declinando.

I charge thee before God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by declining to either side.

I adjure thee in the sight of God and of Jesus Christ, and the angels he has chosen, to observe these rules without rash judgement, without yielding to partiality.

Manus cito nemini imposueris, neque communicaveris peccatis alienis. Teipsum castum custodi.

Impose not hands lightly upon any man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins. Keep thyself chaste.

As for the imposition of hands, do not bestow it inconsiderately, and so share the blame for the sins of others. Keep thyself clear of fault.

Noli adhuc aquam bibere, sed modico vino utere propter stomachum tuum, et frequentes tuas infirmitates.

Do not still drink water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thy frequent infirmities.

(No, do not confine thyself to water any longer; take a little wine to relieve thy stomach, and thy frequent attacks of illness.)

Quorumdam hominum peccata manifesta sunt, præcedentia ad judicium: quosdam autem et subsequuntur.

Some men’s sins are manifest, going before to judgment: and some men they follow after.

Some men have faults that are plain to view, so that they invite question; with others, discovery follows upon the heels of enquiry;

Similiter et facta bona, manifesta sunt: et quæ aliter se habent, abscondi non possunt.

In like manner also good deeds are manifest: and they that are otherwise, cannot be hid.

so it is, too, with their merits; some are plain to view, and where they are not, they cannot long remain hidden.