Si linguis hominum loquar, et angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut æs sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens.

If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

I may speak with every tongue that men and angels use; yet, if I lack charity, I am no better than echoing bronze, or the clash of cymbals.

Et si habuero prophetiam, et noverim mysteria omnia, et omnem scientiam: et si habuero omnem fidem ita ut montes transferam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil sum.

And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

I may have powers of prophecy, no secret hidden from me, no knowledge too deep for me; I may have utter faith, so that I can move mountains; yet if I lack charity, I count for nothing.

Et si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes facultates meas, et si tradidero corpus meum ita ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest.

And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

I may give away all that I have, to feed the poor; I may give myself up to be burnt at the stake; if I lack charity, it goes for nothing.

Caritas patiens est, benigna est. Caritas non æmulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur,

Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up;

Charity is patient, is kind; charity feels no envy; charity is never perverse or proud,

non est ambitiosa, non quærit quæ sua sunt, non irritatur, non cogitat malum,

Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil;

never insolent; does not claim its rights, cannot be provoked, does not brood over an injury;

non gaudet super iniquitate, congaudet autem veritati:

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth;

takes no pleasure in wrong-doing, but rejoices at the victory of truth;

omnia suffert, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet.

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

sustains, believes, hopes, endures, to the last.

Caritas numquam excidit: sive prophetiæ evacuabuntur, sive linguæ cessabunt, sive scientia destruetur.

Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed.

The time will come when we shall outgrow prophecy, when speaking with tongues will come to an end, when knowledge will be swept away; we shall never have finished with charity.

Ex parte enim cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

Our knowledge, our prophecy, are only glimpses of the truth;

Cum autem venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est.

But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

and these glimpses will be swept away when the time of fulfilment comes.

Cum essem parvulus, loquebar ut parvulus, sapiebam ut parvulus, cogitabam ut parvulus. Quando autem factus sum vir, evacuavi quæ erant parvuli.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child.

(Just so, when I was a child, I talked like a child, I had the intelligence, the thoughts of a child; since I became a man, I have outgrown childish ways.)

Videmus nunc per speculum in ænigmate: tunc autem facie ad faciem. Nunc cognosco ex parte: tunc autem cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum.

We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known.

At present, we are looking at a confused reflection in a mirror; then, we shall see face to face; now, I have only glimpses of knowledge; then, I shall recognize God as he has recognized me.

Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria hæc: major autem horum est caritas.

And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.

Meanwhile, faith, hope and charity persist, all three; but the greatest of them all is charity.