That above all other Gifts they should seek after Charity: as that without which nothing profiteth, 4 and which doth all as it is to be done, and remaineth also in heaven.That aboue al other Giftes they should seeke after Charitie : as that vvithout vvhich nothing profiteth, 4 and vvhich doth al as it is to be done, and remaineth also in heauen.
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.IF I speake vvith the tonges of men and of Angels, and haue not charitie : I am become as sounding brasse, or a tinkling cymbal.¶Si linguis hominum loquar, et angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut æs sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens.
2And if I should have prophecy, and knew 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.And if I should haue prophecie, and knevv al mysteries, and al knovvledge, and if I should haue al faith so that I could remoue mountaines, and haue not charitie, I am nothing.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.
3And if I should distribute all my goods to be cibos: flesh only; food generally, victuals for the poor, and if I should deliver my body so that I burn, and have not charity, it doth profit me nothing.And if I should distribute al my goods to be meate for the poore, and if I should deliuer my body so that I burne, and haue not charitie, it doth profit me 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.
4Charity is patient, is benign: Charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely: is not puffed up,Charitie is patient, is benigne : Charitie enuieth not, dealeth not peruersly : is not puffed vp,Caritas patiens est, benigna est. Caritas non æmulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur,
5is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh not evil:is not ambitious, seeketh not her ovvne, is not prouoked to anger, thinketh not euil :non est ambitiosa, non quærit quæ sua sunt, non irritatur, non cogitat malum,
6rejoiceth not upon iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth:reioyceth not vpon iniquitie, but reioyceth vvith the truth :non gaudet super iniquitate, congaudet autem veritati :
7suffert: beareth, endureth, putteth up with all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, beareth all things.suffereth al things, beleeueth al things, hopeth al things, beareth al things.omnia suffert, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet.
8Charity never falleth excidit: faileth, comes to an end, ceaseth to be: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed.Charitie neuer falleth avvay : vvhether prophecies shal be made voide, or tonges shal cease, or knovvledge shal be destroied.Caritas numquam excidit : sive prophetiæ evacuabuntur, sive linguæ cessabunt, sive scientia destruetur.
9For in part we know, and in part we prophesy.For in part vve knovv, and in part vve prophecie.Ex parte enim cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus.
10But when that shall come that is perfectum: morally flawless; complete, full, brought to its consummation, that shall be made void that is in part.But vvhen that shal come that is perfect, that shal be made voide that is in part.Cum autem venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est.
11When I was a little parvulus: a child, an infant, I spake as a little one, I understood as a little one, I thought as a little one. But when I was made a man, I did away the things that belonged to a little one.Vvhen I vvas a litle one, I spake as a litle one, I vnderstood as a litle one, I thought as a litle one. But vvhen I vvas made a man, I did avvay the things that belonged to a litle one.Cum essem parvulus, loquebar ut parvulus, sapiebam ut parvulus, cogitabam ut parvulus. Quando autem factus sum vir, evacuavi quæ erant parvuli.
12We see now by a speculum: a windowpane or drinking glass; a mirror in a dark ænigmate: obscurely, as in a riddle, darkly: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know as also I am known.Vve see novv by a glasse in a darke sort : but then face to face. Novv I knovv in part : but then I shal knovv as also I am knovven.Videmus nunc per speculum in ænigmate : tunc autem facie ad faciem. Nunc cognosco ex parte : tunc autem cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum.
13And now there remain, faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greater of these is charity.And novv there remaine, faith, hope, charitie, these three : but the greater of these is charitie.¶Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria hæc : major autem horum est caritas.
Annotations
1Not Charity. Without Charity, both toward every particular person, and specially toward the common body of the Church, none of all the gifts and graces of God be profitable.Not Charity. Without Charity, both toward every particular person, and specially toward the common body of the Church, none of all the gifts and graces of God be profitable.
3Deliver my body. Believe (saith St. Augustine) assuredly and hold for certain, that no Heretic and Schismatic that uniteth not himself to the Catholic Church again, how great alms soever he give, yea or shed his blood for Christ's name, can possibly be saved. For, many Heretics by the cloak of Christ's cause, deceiving the simple, suffer much. But where true faith is not, there is no justice, because the just liveth by faith. So it is also of Schismatics, because where charity is not, justice can there be none: which if they had, they would never pluck in pieces the body of Christ which is the Church. Aug. seu Fulg. de fid. ad Pet. c. 39. So saith St. Augustine in divers places, not only of Heretics that died directly for defence of their heresy, as the Anabaptists and Calvinists now a days do (for that is more damnable:) but of some Heretics and Schismatics that may die among the Heathen or Turks for defence of truth or some Article of Christ's religion. Aug. de verb. Do. ser. 50. c. 2. & in Ps. 34. conc. 2 prope finem. Cypr. de unit. Ec. nu. 8.Deliver my body. Believe (saith St. Augustine) assuredly and hold for certain, that no Heretic and Schismatic that uniteth not himself to the Catholic Church again, how great alms soever he give, yea or shed his blood for Christ's name, can possibly be saved. For, many Heretics by the cloak of Christ's cause, deceiving the simple, suffer much. But where true faith is not, there is no justice, because the just liveth by faith. So it is also of Schismatics, because where charity is not, justice can there be none: which if they had, they would never pluck in pieces the body of Christ which is the Church. Aug. seu Fulg. de fid. ad Pet. c. 39. So saith St. Augustine in divers places, not only of Heretics that died directly for defence of their heresy, as the Anabaptists and Calvinists now a days do (for that is more damnable:) but of some Heretics and Schismatics that may die among the Heathen or Turks for defence of truth or some Article of Christ's religion. Aug. de verb. Do. ser. 50. c. 2. & in Ps. 34. conc. 2 prope finem. Cypr. de unit. Ec. nu. 8.
13These three. These are the three virtues Theological, each one by nature and definition distinct from another, and faith is by nature the first, and may be and often is before, and without Charity: and truly remaineth in divers after they have by deadly sin lost Charity. Beware therefore of the Heretics' opinion, which is that by every mortal sin faith is lost no less then charity.These three. These are the three virtues Theological, each one by nature and definition distinct from another, and faith is by nature the first, and may be and often is before, and without Charity: and truly remaineth in divers after they have by deadly sin lost Charity. Beware therefore of the Heretics' opinion, which is that by every mortal sin faith is lost no less then charity.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.