Latin Text Selections

Having just returned from business training in China, the posts will start again. Watch out for four or more, today. I still seem to have only one reader, although two well known blogs have this one blogrolled. If you are reading this, please type up at least a one word comment on improving the blog. Thank you.

The Latin:

1. Fácere misericórdiam et iudícium magis placet Dómino quam uíctimæ. [3]

2. Qui obtúrat aurem suam ad clamórem páuperis, et ipse clamábit, et non exaudiétur. [13]

3. Mélius est habitáre in terra desérta quam cum mulíere rixósa et iracúnda. [19]

The English:

1. To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.

2. He that stoppeth his ear against the cry of the poor, shall also cry himself and shall not be heard.

3. It is better to dwell in a wilderness, than with a quarrelsome and passionate woman.

The Latin:

1. Propter frigus piger aráre nóluit; mendicábit ergo æstáte, et non dábitur illi. [4]

2. Noli dilígere somnum, ne te egéstas ópprimat: áperi óculos tuos, et saturáre pánibus. [13]

3. Exsultátio iuúenum fortitúdo eórum, et dígnitas senum caníties. [29]

The English:

1. Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.

2. Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.

3. The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.

The Latin:

Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.

The English:

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

[This may have shown here before. I love it. By the way, it's still your option to say it after Holy Mass. To yourself, of course. Taken from here.]

The Latin:

1. Turris fortíssima nomen Dómini ; ad ipsum currit iústus, et exaltábitur. [10]
2. Qui prius respóndet quam áudiat, stultum se esse demónstrat, et confusióne dignum. [13]
3. Frater qui adiuuátur a fratre quasi ciúitas firma, et iudícia quasi uéctes úrbium. [19]

The English:

1. The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.
2. He that answereth before he heareth sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.
3. A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.

The Latin:

Dicis ítaque mihi : Quid adhuc quéritur ? uoluntáti enim eíus quis resístit ? O homo, tu quis es, qui respóndeas Deo ? numquid dicit figméntum ei qui se finxit : Quid me fecísti sic?

The English:

Thou wilt say therefore to me: Why doth he then find fault? for who resisteth his will? O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why hast thou made me thus?

The Latin:

Simíliter autem et Spíritus adiuúat infirmitátem nostram : nam quid orémus, sicut opórtet, nescímus : sed ipse Spíritus póstulat pro nobis gemítibus inenarrabílibus.

The English:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings.

The Latin:

Quid ergo dicémus ? lex peccátum est ? Absit. Sed peccátum non cognoúi, nisi per legem : nam concupiscéntiam nesciébam, nisi lex díceret : Non concupísces.

The English:

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? God forbid. But I do not know sin, but by the law; for I had not known concupiscence, if the law did not say: Thou shalt not covet.

[This subject is deep. I suggest bringing it up during a Bible study.]

The Latin is little and far apart these days. It should remain so for about a week more. My reading has slowed down a bit due to location. More on that later.

The Latin:

1. Coróna senum fílii filiórum, et glória filiórum patres eórum. [6]
2. Qui celat delíctum quærit amicítias; qui áltero sermóne repétit, séparat fœderátos. [9]
3. Éxpedit magis ursæ occúrrere raptis fóetibus, quam fátuo confidénti in stultítia sua. [12]
4. Stultus quoque, si tacúerit, sápiens reputábitur, et si comprésserit lábia sua, intélligens. [28]

The English:

1. Children’s children are the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers.
2. He that concealeth a transgression, seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.
3. It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.
4. Even a fool, if he will hold his peace shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding

[The bracketed numbers are verse numbers.]

The Latin:

Sémita iustórum declínat mala ;
custos ánimæ suæ séruat uíam suam.
Contritiónem præcédit supérbia,
et ante ruínam exaltátur spíritus.
Mélius est humiliári cum mítibus
quam diuídere spólia cum supérbis.

The English:

The path of the just departeth from evils:
he that keepeth his soul keepeth his way.
Pride goeth before destruction:
and the spirit is lifted up before a fall.
It is better to be humbled with the meek,
than to divide spoils with the proud.

The Latin:

Quicúmque enim sine lege peccauérunt, sine lege períbunt : et quicúmque in lege peccauérunt, per legem iudicabúntur. Non enim auditóres legis iústi sunt apud Deum, sed factóres legis iustificabúntur.

The English:

For whosoever have sinned without the law, shall perish without the law; and whosoever have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

The Latin:

Abominátio Dómini cogitatiónes malæ,
et purus sermo pulchérrimus firmábitur ab eo.
Contúrbat domum suam qui sectátur auarítiam ;
qui autem odit múnera, uiúet.

The English:

Evil thoughts are an abomination to the Lord:
and pure words most beautiful shall be confirmed by him.
He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house:
but he that hateth bribes shall live.

The Latin:

Populus acquisitionis, annuntiate uirtutes eius, alleluia: qui uos de tenebris uocauit in admirabile lumen suum, alleluia.

The English:

But you are a chosen generation, that you may declare his virtues, alleluia: who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, alleluia.

The Latin:

Non loqueris contra proximum tuum falsum testimonium. Non concupisces domum proximi tui nec desiderabis uxorem eius, non servum, non ancillam, non bovem, non asinum, nec omnia quae illius sunt.

The English:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house: neither shalt thou desire his wife, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his..

All the Latin prayers and litanies seem to be here, at the Thesaurus Precum Latinarum.

The Latin:

Eius in obitu nostra praesentia muniamur.

The English:

May his presence strengthen us in the hour of our death.

…the bold script in recent posts is meant to break the longer word strings into little bits. Rather than provide emphasis. This bold script corresponds, of course, in both English and Latin translations. That’s half the reason; it helps correlate the two languages.

Let me know if it helps any.

The Latin:

Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut sis longevus super terram quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi. Non occides. Non moechaberis. Non furtum facies.

The English:

Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be longlived upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal.

The Latin:

Memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices. Sex diebus operaberis, et facies omnia opera tua. Septimo autem die sabbati Domini Dei: tui non facies omne opus, tu et filius tuus, et filia tua, servus tuus, et ancilla tua, iumentum tuum, et advena qui est intra portas tuas. Sex enim diebus fecit Dominus caelum et terram, et mare, et omnia quae in eis sunt, et requievit in die septimo: idcirco benedixit Dominus diei sabbati, et sanctificavit eum.

The English:

Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labour, and shalt do all thy works. But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work on it, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy beast, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day: therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.

The Latin:

Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos,
quemádmodum sperávimus in te.
In te, Dómine, sperávi:
non confúndar in ætérnum.

The English:

O Lord, let Thy mercy be upon us
Who have hoped in thee.
O Lord, in Thee have I hoped;
May I never be confounded.

The Latin:

Expurgate vetus fermentum, ut sitis nova consparsio sicut estis azymi. Etenim pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus. Itaque epulemur, non in fermento veteri, neque in fermento malitiae et nequitiae; sed in azymis sinceritatis et veritatis.

The English:

Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened. For Christ our pasch is sacrificed. Therefore let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

[From the Communio for the day.]

The Latin:

Ipse vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras, adtritus est propter scelera nostra: disciplina pacis nostrae super eum, et livore eius sanati sumus.

Oblatus est quia ipse voluit, et non aperuit os suum: sicut ovis ad occisionem ducetur, et quasi agnus coram tondente obmutescet, et non aperiet os suum.

The English:

He was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.

He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.

The Latin:

Dignáre, Dómine,
die isto sine peccáto nos custodíre.
Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri.

The English:

Find it fitting, O Lord,
to guard us without sin on that day.
O Lord, have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us.

The Latin:

De mundo non sunt, sicut et ego non sum de mundo. Sanctifica eos in veritate. Sermo tuus veritas est. Sicut me misisti in mundum, et ego misi eos in mundum. Et pro eis ego sanctifico me ipsum, ut sint et ipsi sanctificati in veritate. Non pro his autem rogo tantum, sed et pro eis qui credituri sunt per verbum eorum in me.

The English:

They are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in me.

[This is from the great prayer of our Lord on that first Holy Thursday and is a direct reference to the Holy Priesthood. Ave, O Priests of God.]

The Latin:

Vigilate et orate
ut non intretis in temptationem.
Spiritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirma.

The English:

Watch ye, and pray
that ye enter not into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh weak.

The Latin:

Per síngulos dies benedícimus te;
et laudámus nomen tuum
in sǽculum, et in sǽculum sǽculi.

The English:

Day by day we bless Thee
And we worship Thy Name
On earth and in heaven.

The Latin:

Non assúmes nomen Dómini Dei tui in uánum : nec enim habébit insóntem Dóminus eum qui assúmpserit nomen Dómini Dei sui frustra.

The English:

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the name of the Lord his God in vain.

[What's the difference between uanum and frustra? Whitaker's Words define the former as empty, vain, the latter as for nothing, to no purpose. So, then 'without meaning' and 'to no purpose'.]

The Latin:

Ego sum Dóminus Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægýpti, de domo seruitútis. Non habébis deos aliénos coram me. Non fácies tibi scúlptile, neque omnem similitúdinem quæ est in cælo désuper, et quæ in terra deórsum, nec eórum quæ sunt in aquis sub terra. Non adorábis ea, neque coles : ego sum Dóminus Deus tuus fortis, zelótes, uísitans iniquitátem patrum in fílios, in tértiam et quartam generatiónem eórum qui odérunt me : et fáciens misericórdiam in míllia his qui díligunt me, et custódiunt præcépta mea.

The English:

I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: And shewing mercy unto thousands to them that love me, and keep my commandments.