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THE RULE
of BENEDICT
Regula Sancti Benedicti
(c. 530)
Longing and Desire
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In this edition of the RB
bold-face type indicates text unique to Benedict (i.e. not taken from the RM) |
( RM Pr 1-11, 19-22; ThP 6, 24-53, 69-79;ThS 1-4) |
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THE PROLOGUE |
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| 45 WE have therefore, to establish a school of the Lord’s service. | 45 Constituenda est ergo nobis dominici schola servitii. |
| 46 In instituting it we hope to establish | 46 In qua institutione |
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nothing harsh, |
nihil asperum |
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nothing oppressive. |
nihil grave nos constituturos speramus; |
| 47 But if anything is somewhat strictly laid down, | 47 sed et si quid paululum restrictius, |
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according to the dictates of equity |
dictante aequitatis ratione, |
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and for the amendment of vices |
propter emendationem vitiorum |
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or for the preservation of love; |
vel conservationem caritatis processerit, |
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48 do not therefore flee in dismay from the way of salvation, |
48 non ilico pavore perterritus refugias viam salutis |
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which cannot be other than narrow at
the beginning.
(cf. Mat. 7:14) |
quae non est nisi angusto initio
incipienda. |
| 49 Truly as we advance in this way of life and faith, | 49 Processu vero conversationis et fidei, |
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our hearts open wide, |
dilatato corde |
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and with unspeakable sweetness of love |
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we
run on the path of God’s commandments
(Ps 119:32) |
inenarrabili dilectionis dulcedine curritur via mandatorum Dei, |
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50 So that, never departing from his guidance, but persevering in his teaching (Acts 2:42) in the monastery until death, (Phil. 2:8) |
50 ut ab ipsius numquam magisterio discedentes, in eius doctrinam usque ad mortem in monasterio perseverantes, |
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we may by |
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patience |
passionibus Christi per |
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participate in the |
patientiam |
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passion of Christ; |
participemur, |
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that we may deserve also to
be partakers of his
kingdom. Amen.
(cf. 1Pet 4:13; Rom. 8:17) |
ut et
regno eius mereamur esse
consortes. Amen. |
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CHAPTER 4, WHAT ARE THE INSTRUMENTS of GOOD WORKS |
IV.
QUAE SUNT INSTRUMENTA |
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1 First of all to love the Lord God with one’s whole heart, whole soul, whole strength (Matt 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:47).; 2 then, to love one’s neighbor as oneself. |
1 In primis Dominum Deum diligere ex toto corde, tota anima, tota virtute; 2 deinde proximum tamquam seipsum. |
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3 Then, not to kill, 4 not to commit adultery, 5 not to engage in theft, 6 not to ardently desire (Rom. 13:9) , 7 not to give false testimony (Matt 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20); 8 to honor all (I Pet 2:17), 9 and not do to another what one does not want done to oneself (Tob 4:16; Matt 7:12; Luke 6:31). |
3 Deinde non occidere, 4 non adulterare, 5 non facere furtum, 6 non concupiscere, 7 non falsum testimonium dicere, 8 honorare omnes homines, 9 et quod sibi quis fieri non vult, alio ne faciat. |
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10 To deny one’s own self in order to follow Christ (Matt 16:24; Luke 9:23). 11 To chastise the body (I Cor 9:27): 12 not to embrace delicacies; 13 to love fasting. 14 To give new life to the poor; 15 to clothe the naked, 16 to visit the sick (Matt 25:36), 17 to bury the dead (cf. Tob 1:21,2:7-9). 18 To help in tribulation, 19 to console the sorrowful. |
10 Abnegare semetipsum sibi ut sequatur Christum 11 Corpus castigare, 12 delicias non amplecti, 13 ieiunium amare. 14 Pauperes recreare, 15 nudum vestire, 16 infirmum visitare, 17 mortuum sepelire. 18 In tribulatione subvenire, 19 dolentem consolari. |
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Jan 19; May 20; Sept 19 |
(RM 3:22-47) |
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20 To become a stranger to wordly behavior; 21 to prefer nothing to the love of Christ. 22 Not to carry out anger; 23 not to store up wrath, awaiting a time of revenge. 24 Not to cling to deceit within the heart, 25 not to give a false greeting of peace. 26 Not to turn away from love. 27 Not to swear lest you swear falsely (Matt 5:34 & 33); 28 to bring forth the truth from heart and mouth. |
20 Saeculi actibus se facere alienum, 21 nihil amori Christi praeponere.22 Iram non perficere, 23 iracundiae tempus non reservare. 24 Dolum in corde non tenere, 25 pacem falsam non dare. 26 Caritatem non derelinquere. 27 Non iurare ne forte periuret, 28 veritatem ex corde et ore proferre. |
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29 Not to return evil for evil (I Thess 5:15, I Pet 3:9). 30 Not to cause injury, but rather to bear it patiently. 31 To love one’s enemies (Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27). 32 Not to curse back those who curse one, but rather to bless them (1 Pet 3:9; Luk 6:28). 33 To endure persecution for justice’s sake (Matt 5:10). |
29 Malum pro malo non reddere. 30 Iniuriam non facere, sed et factas patienter sufferre. 31 Inimicos diligere. 32 Maledicentes se non remaledicere, sed magis benedicere. 33 Persecutionem pro iustitia sustinere. |
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34 Not to be proud (Tit 1:7), 35 not given to wine (Titus 1:7, I Tim 3:3); 36 not to be a glutton (Sir 37:32), 37 nor given to sleeping (Pro 20:13), 38 nor lazy (Rom 12:11); 39 not given to murmuring 40 or to speaking ill of others (Wis 1:11) . |
34 Non esse superbum, 35 non vinolentum, 36 non multum edacem, 37 non somnulentum, 38 non pigrum, 39 non murmuriosum, 40 non detractorem. |
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41 To place one’s hope in God (Ps 72:28). 42 To attribute whatever good one sees in oneself to God, not to oneself; 43 but always to clearly acknowledge and take personal responsibility for the evil one does. |
41 Spem suam Deo committere. 42 Bonum aliquid in se cum viderit, Deo adplicet, non sibi; 43 malum vero semper a se factum sciat et sibi reputet. |
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Jan 20; May 21; Sept 20 |
(RM 3:50-67) |
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44 To fear the day of judgment, 45 to dread hell; 46 to desire eternal life with all spiritual ardent yearning, 47 to daily keep death before one’s eyes. 48 To keep custody at every hour over the actions of one’s life, 49 to know with certainty that God sees one in every place. 50 To instantly hurl the evil thoughts of one’s heart against Christ (Ps. 136:9) and to lay them open to one’s spiritual father; 51 to keep custody of one’s mouth against depraved speech, 52 not to love excessive speaking. 53 not to speak words that are vain or apt to provoke laughter (cf. 2 Tim 2:16), 54 not to love frequent or raucous laughter (cf. Sir 21:23). |
44 Diem iudicii timere, 45 gehennam expavescere, 46 vitam aeternam omni concupiscentia spiritali desiderare, 47 mortem cotidie ante oculos suspectam habere. 48 Actus vitae suae omni hora custodire, 49 in omni loco Deum se respicere pro certo scire. 50 Cogitationes malas cordi suo advenientes mox ad Christum allidere et seniori spiritali patefacere, 51 Os suum a malo vel pravo eloquio custodire, 52 multum loqui non amare, 53 verba vana aut risui apta non loqui, 54 risum multum aut excussum non amare. |
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55 To listen willingly to holy readings, 56 to prostrate frequently in prayer; 57 to daily confess one’s past faults to God in prayer with tears and sighs, 58 to amend these faults for the future. |
55 Lectiones sanctas libenter audire, 56 orationi frequenter incumbere, 57 mala sua praeterita cum lacrimis vel gemitu cotidie in oratione Deo confiteri, 58 de ipsis malis de cetero emendare. |
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59 Not to gratify the desires of the flesh, (Gal. 5:16): 60 to hate one’s own will, 61 to obey the precepts of the abbot in everything, even if he should (may it never happen!) act otherwise, remembering that precept of the Lord: What they say, do; but what they do, do not (Matt 23:3). |
59 Desideria carnis non efficere, 60 voluntatem propriam odire, 61 praeceptis abbatis in omnibus oboedire, etiam si ipse aliter - quod absit! - agat, memores illud dominicum praeceptum: Quae dicunt facite, quae autem faciunt facere nolite. |
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Jan 21; May 22; Sept 21 |
(RM 3:68-82; 2:52) |
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62 Not to wish to be called holy before one is so; but first to be holy, so as to be truly called so.63 To daily fulfil in one’s actions the pecepts of God; 64 to love chastity; 65 to hate no one; 66 not to have jealousy, 67 not to act out of envy, 68 not to love contention, 69 to flee from conceit. 70 To reverence the seniors 71 and to love the juniors. 72 In the love of Christ to pray for enemies; 73 to make peace with opponents before the setting of the sun. |
62 Non velle dici sanctum antequam sit, sed prius esse quod verius dicatur. 63 Praecepta Dei factis cotidie adimplere, 64 castitatem amare, 65 nullum odire, 66 zelum non habere, 67 invidiam non exercere, 68 contentionem non amare, 69 elationem fugere. 70 Et seniores venerare, 71 iuniores diligere. 72 In Christi amore pro inimicis orare; 73 cum discordante ante solis occasum in pacem redire. |
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74 And never to despair of the mercy of God. |
74 Et Dei misericordia numquam desperare. |
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75 Behold, these are the instruments of the spiritual art. 76 If we employ them night and day without ceasing and on the Day of Judgement return them, then these will be the wages by which the Lord will recompense us, as he promised: 77 What eye has not seen, nor ear heard, the Lord has prepared for those who love him (1Cor 2:9). 78 For the workshop in which we diligently use all these instruments is the enclosure of the monastery and stability in the community. |
75 Ecce haec sunt instrumenta artis spiritalis. 76 Quae cum fuerint a nobis die noctuque incessabiliter adimpleta et in die iudicii reconsignata, illa mercis nobis a Domino reconpensabitur quam ipse promisit: 77 Quod oculus non vidit nec auris audivit, quae praeparavit Deus his qui diligunt illum.78 Officina vero ubi haec omnia diligenter operemur claustra sunt monasterii et stabilitas in congregatione. |
| Mar 31; July 31; Nov 30 | (RM 51:1-3; 52:1-2, 6; 53:12-15) |
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CHAPTER
49: |
XLIX DE QUADRAGESIMAE OBSERVATIONE |
| 1 Although at all times the life of a monk to be a Lenten observance, 2 yet since few have the strength for this we encourage all during these days of Lent to keep themselves in all purity of life, 3 and to wash away the negligences of other times during these holy days. 4 This we will do worthily do if we abstain from all vices and give ourselves to prayer with tears, reading, compunction of heart, and abstinence. 5 Therefore during these days let us augment somewhat our usual quota of service through private prayers and abstinence from food and drink, 6 so that each may offer, above his appointed measure and of his own free will, something to God in the joy of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 1:6): that is, by withholding from his body something of food, drink, sleep, excessive talking, ridiculing; and thus awaiting holy Easter with the joy of spiritual desire. (cf. Lk. 22:15) | 1 Licet omni tempore vita monachi quadragesimae debet observationem habere, 2 tamen, quia paucorum est ista virtus, ideo suademus istis diebus quadragesimae omni puritate vitam suam custodire omnes pariter, 3 et neglegentias aliorum temporum his diebus sanctis diluere. 4 Quod tunc digne fit si ab omnibus vitiis temperamus, orationi cum fletibus, lectioni et compunctioni cordis atque abstinentiae operam damus. 5 Ergo his diebus augeamus nobis aliquid solito pensu servitutis nostrae, orationes peculiares, ciborum et potus abstinentiam, 6 ut unusquisque super mensuram sibi indictam aliquid propria voluntate cum gaudio Sancti Spiritus offerat Deo, 7 id est subtrahat corpori suo de cibo, de potu, de somno, de loquacitate, de scurrilitate, et cum spiritalis desiderii gaudio sanctum Pascha exspectet. |
| 8 Everyone is, however, is to make known to his abbot what he offers, and do it with his prayer and according to his will, 9 because what is done without permission of the spiritual father will be attributed to presumption and vainglory, and will merit no reward. 10 Therefore everything is to be according to the will of the abbot. | 8 Hoc ipsud tamen quod unusquisque offerit abbati suo suggerat, et cum eius fiat oratione et voluntate, 9 quia quod sine permissione patris spiritalis fit, praesumptioni deputabitur et vanae gloriae, non mercedi. 10 Ergo cum voluntate abbatis omnia agenda sunt. |
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Apr 30; Aug 30;
Dec 30 |
(RM ) |
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CHAPTER
72.
THE
GOOD
ZEAL
THAT |
LXXII. |
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1 Just as there is an evil zeal of bitterness which separates from God and leads to hell, |
1 Sicut est zelus amaritudinis malus qui separat a Deo et ducit ad infernum, |
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2 so there is a good zeal which separates from vices and leads to God and to life everlasting. |
2 ita est zelus bonus qui separat a vitia, et ducit ad Deum et ad vitam aeternam. |
| 3 This zeal then, should be practiced by monks with the most fervent love. | 3 Hunc ergo zelum ferventissimo amore exerceant monachi, |
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4
That
is: they should outdo one another in
showing honor.
(Rom
12:10) |
4 id est ut honore
se invicem praeveniant. |
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5 Let them most patiently endure one another’s infirmities, whether of body or of character. |
5 Infirmitates suas sive corporum sive morum patientissime tolerent; |
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6 Let them compete in showing obedience to one another. |
6 obedientiam sibi certatim impendant; |
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7 None should follow what he judges useful for himself, but rather what is better for another: |
7 nullus quod sibi utile judicat sequatur, sed quod magis alio; |
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8 They should practice fraternal charity with a pure love; |
8 caritatem fraternitatis casto impendant; |
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9 to God offering loving reverence, |
9 amore Deum timeant; |
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10 loving their abbot with sincere and humble affection, |
10 abbatem suum sincera et humili caritate diligant; |
| 11 preferring nothing whatever to Christ, | 11 Christo omnino nihil praeponant, |
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12 and may he bring us all together
to life everlasting.
Amen.
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12 qui nos pariter ad vitam aeternam
perducat. Amen. |
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