Qui vivet in æternum creavit omnia simul. Deus solus justificabitur, et manet invictus rex in æternum.

He that liveth for ever created all things together. God only shall be justified, and he remaineth an invincible king for ever.

Naught that is, but God made it; he, the source of all right, the king that reigns for ever unconquerable.

Quis sufficit enarrare opera illius?

Who is able to declare his works?

And wouldst thou tell the number of his creatures,

quis enim investigabit magnalia ejus?

For who shall search out his glorious acts?

trace his marvellous doings to their origin,

virtutem autem magnitudinis ejus quis enuntiabit? aut quis adjiciet enarrare misericordiam ejus?

And who shall show forth the power of his majesty? or who shall be able to declare his mercy?

set forth in words the greatness of his power, or go further yet, and proclaim his mercies?

Non est minuere neque adjicere, nec est invenire magnalia Dei.

Nothing may be taken away, nor added, neither is it possible to find out the glorious works of God.

God’s wonders thou shalt learn to understand, when thou hast learned to increase the number of them, or diminish it.

Cum consummaverit homo, tunc incipiet: et cum quieverit, aporiabitur.

When a man hath done, then shall he begin: and when he leaveth off, he shall be at a loss.

Reach thou the end of thy reckoning, thou must needs begin again; cease thou from weariness, thou hast nothing learnt.

Quid est homo? et quæ est gratia illius? et quid bonum aut quid nequam illius?

What is man, and what is his grace? and what is his good, or what is his evil?

Tell me, what is man, what worth is his, what power has he for good or ill?

Numerus dierum hominum, ut multum centum anni, quasi gutta aquæ maris deputati sunt: et sicut calculus arenæ, sic exigui anni in die ævi.

The number of the days of men at the most are a hundred years: as a drop of water of the sea are they esteemed: and as a pebble of the sand, so are a few years compared to eternity.

What is his span of life? Like a drop in the ocean, like a pebble on the beach, seem those few years of his, a hundred at the most, matched with eternity.

Propter hoc patiens est Deus in illis, et effundit super eos misericordiam suam.

Therefore God is patient in them, and poureth forth his mercy upon them.

What wonder if God is patient with his human creatures, lavishes mercy on them?

Vidit præsumptionem cordis eorum, quoniam mala est: et cognovit subversionem illorum, quoniam nequam est.

He hath seen the presumption of their heart that it is wicked, and hath known their end that it is evil.

If none reads, as he, their proud heart, none knows, as he, the cruelty of their doom;

Ideo adimplevit propitiationem suam in illis, et ostendit eis viam æquitatis.

Therefore hath he filled up his mercy in their favour, and hath shewn them the way of justice.

and so he has given his clemency full play, and shewed them an even path to tread.

Miseratio hominis circa proximum suum: misericordia autem Dei super omnem carnem.

The compassion of man is toward his neighbour: but the mercy of God is upon all flesh.

Man’s mercy extends only to his neighbour; God has pity on all living things.

Qui misericordiam habet, docet et erudit quasi pastor gregem suum.

He hath mercy, and teacheth, and correcteth, as a shepherd doth his flock.

He is like a shepherd who cares for his sheep, guides and controls all alike;

Miseretur excipientis doctrinam miserationis, et qui festinat in judiciis ejus.

He hath mercy on him that receiveth the discipline of mercy, and that maketh haste in his judgments.

welcome thou this merciful discipline of his, run thou eagerly to meet his will, and he will shew pity on thee.

Fili, in bonis non des querelam, et in omni dato non des tristitiam verbi mali.

My son, in thy good deeds, make no complaint, and when thou givest any thing, add not grief by an evil word.

My son, bestow thy favours ungrudgingly, nor ever mar with harsh words the gladness of thy giving.

Nonne ardorem refrigerabit ros? sic et verbum melius quam datum.

Shall not the dew assuage the heat? so also the good word is better than the gift.

Not more welcome the dew, tempering the sun’s heat, than the giver’s word, that counts for more than the gift.

Nonne ecce verbum super datum bonum? sed utraque cum homine justificato.

Lo, is not a word better than a gift? but both are with a justified man.

Better the gracious word than the gracious gift; but, wouldst thou acquit thyself perfectly, let both be thine.

Stultus acriter improperabit: et datus indisciplinati tabescere facit oculos.

A fool will upbraid bitterly: and a gift of one ill taught consumeth the eyes.

The fool, by his scolding, mars all; never yet did eye brighten over a churl’s giving.

Ante judicium para justitiam tibi, et antequam loquaris, disce.

Before judgment prepare thee justice, and learn before thou speak.

First arm thyself with a just cause, then stand thy trial; first learn, then speak.

Ante languorem adhibe medicinam: et ante judicium interroga teipsum, et in conspectu Dei invenies propitiationem.

Before sickness take a medicine, and before judgment examine thyself, and thou shalt find mercy in the sight of God.

Study thy health before ever thou fallest sick, and thy own heart examine before judgement overtakes thee; so in God’s sight thou shalt find pardon.

Ante languorem humilia te, et in tempore infirmitatis ostende conversationem tuam.

Humble thyself before thou art sick, and in the time of sickness shew thy conversation.

While health serves thee, do penance for thy sins, and then, when sickness comes, shew thyself the man thou art.

Non impediaris orare semper, et ne verearis usque ad mortem justificari, quoniam merces Dei manet in æternum.

Let nothing hinder thee from praying always, and be not afraid to be justified even to death: for the reward of God continueth for ever.

From paying thy vows let naught ever hinder thee; shall death find thee still shrinking from acquitting thyself of the task? God’s award stands for ever.

Ante orationem præpara animam tuam, et noli esse quasi homo qui tentat Deum.

Before prayer prepare thy soul: and be not as a man that tempteth God.

And before ever thou makest thy petition, count well the cost. Let it not be said of thee that thou didst invite God’s anger.

Memento iræ in die consummationis, et tempus retributionis in conversatione faciei.

Remember the wrath that shall be at the last day, and the time of repaying when he shall turn away his face.

When his vengeance is satisfied, bethink thee still of his vengeance; of his retribution, when his glance is turned away.

Memento paupertatis in tempore abundantiæ, et necessitatum paupertatis in die divitiarum.

Remember poverty in the time of abundance, and the necessities of poverty in the day of riches.

When all abounds, bethink thee of evil times; of pinching poverty, when thou hast wealth in store.

A mane usque ad vesperam immutabitur tempus, et hæc omnia citata in oculis Dei.

From the morning until the evening the time shall be changed, and all these are swift in the eyes of God.

Between rise and set of sun the face of things alters; swiftly God changes all;

Homo sapiens in omnibus metuet, et in diebus delictorum attendet ab inertia.

A wise man will fear in every thing, and in the days of sins will beware of sloth.

and he is wisest who walks timorously, shunning carelessness in a world where sins abound.

Omnis astutus agnoscit sapientiam, et invenienti eam dabit confessionem.

Every man of understanding knoweth wisdom, and will give praise to him that findeth her.

They are well advised that master wisdom’s secret; much cause for thankfulness she bestows on him who finds her.

Sensati in verbis et ipsi sapienter egerunt, et intellexerunt veritatem et justitiam, et impluerunt proverbia et judicia.

They that were of good understanding in words, have also done wisely themselves: and have understood truth and justice, and have poured forth proverbs and judgments.

Wise man that has the gift of utterance does more than wisely live; no stranger to truth and right, he is a fountain of true sayings and of right awards.

Post concupiscentias tuas non eas, et a voluntate tua avertere.

Go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will.

Do not follow the counsel of appetite; turn thy back on thy own liking.

Si præstes animæ tuæ concupiscentias ejus, faciat te in gaudium inimicis tuis.

If thou give to thy soul her desires, she will make thee a joy to thy enemies.

Pamper those passions of thine, and joy it will bring, but to thy enemies.

Ne oblecteris in turbis nec in modicis: assidua enim est commissio illorum.

Take no pleasure in riotous assemblies, be they ever so small: for their concertation is continual.

Love not the carouse, though it be with poor men; they will be vying still one with another in wastefulness.

Ne fueris mediocris in contentione ex fœnore, et est tibi nihil in sacculo: eris enim invidus vitæ tuæ.

Make not thyself poor by borrowing to contribute to feasts when thou hast nothing in thy purse: for thou shalt be an enemy to thy own life.

And wouldst thou grow poor with borrowing to pay thy shot, thou with thy empty coffers? That were to grudge thy own life.