Capita 2-3 heads Kapitel 2-3 Chapters 2-3 Capítulos 2-3

Caput II. Qualis Esse Debeat Abbas. |||abbot

Abbas, qui praeesse dignus est monasterio, semper meminisse debet, quod dicitur, et nomen Majoris factis implere. |who|||||always|to remember|||it is said|||greater|deeds| The abbot, who is worthy to preside over the monastery, must always remember what is said, and fulfill the name of the Greater through actions. Christi enim agere vices in monasterio creditur, quando ipsius vocatur praenomine, dicente Apostolo: “Accepistis spiritum adoptionis filiorum, in quo clamamus, Abba, Pater.” Ideoque Abbas nihil extra praeceptum Domini (quod absit) debet aut docere, aut constituere, vel jubere : sed jussio ejus vel doctrina, fermentum divinae justitiae, in discipulorum mentibus conspergatur. of Christ|||roles|||is believed||||by name|||||adoption of sons||||cry out|father dad||And therefore||||||||||||establish decree||command||command|||teaching|leaven|divine|justice|||minds|be sprinkled For it is believed that he acts in the place of Christ in the monastery when he is called by that name, as the Apostle says: 'You have received the spirit of adoption as sons, by which we cry, Abba, Father.' Therefore, the abbot should not teach, establish, or command anything outside of the Lord's command (God forbid): but his command or teaching should be spread as the leaven of divine justice in the minds of the disciples.

Memor sit semper Abbas, quia doctrinae suae vel discipulorum obedientiae, utrarumque rerum in tremendo judicio Dei facienda erit discussio, sciatque Abbas, culpae pastoris incumbere, quicquid in ovibus paterfamilias utilitatis minus potuerit invenire. remember|may be||||||or|students|obedience|both of which|||terrifying judgment|||to be done||discussion|and let him know|father|fault|pastor|incumbent|whatever||sheep|head of household|||| Let the Abbot always remember that there will be a reckoning in the terrifying judgment of God for both the teachings he imparts and the obedience of his disciples; and let the Abbot know that the responsibility for the sheep falls upon the shepherd, whatever he may fail to find of utility in the household. Tantum iterum liber erit, si inquieto vel inobedienti gregi pastoris fuerit omnis diligentia attributa, et morbidis earum actibus universa fuerit cura exhibita : pastor earum in judicio Domini absolutus, dicat cum Propheta Domino: “Justitiam tuam non abscondi in corde meo, veritatem tuam, et salutare tuum dixi, ipsi autem contemnentes spreverunt me.” Et tunc demum inobedientibus curae suae ovibus poena sit eis praevalens ipsa mors. |||||restless||inobedient|flock|||||attributed||sick|||||care|exhibited|shepherd|||judgment||absolved|||||justice|||hide|||||||salvation||I said|||contemning|rejected||||finally|disobedient|care||sheep|punishment|||prevailing||death He will only be free again if all diligence has been attributed to the restless or disobedient flock, and care has been shown for all their sickly actions: their shepherd, acquitted in the judgment of the Lord, may say with the Prophet to the Lord: "I have not concealed your righteousness in my heart, your truth and your salvation I have declared, but they who despised have rejected me." And then finally, let there be punishment for the disobedient sheep of his care, that death itself may prevail over them.

Ergo cum aliquis suscipit nomen Abbatis, duplioi debet doctrina suis praeesse discipulis; id est, omnia bona, et sancta, factis amplius, quam verbis ostendere, ut capacibus discipulis mandata Domini verbis proponat: duris vero corde et simplicioribus, factis suis divina praecepta demonstret. |||takes||Abbot|doubly||teaching||to preside||||||||||||to show||to the capable||commands|||propose|harsh||||simpler|by deeds|||commandments|demonstrate through actions Therefore, when someone takes on the name of Abbot, he should double his teaching for his disciples; that is, he should show all good and holy things more by deeds than by words, so that he presents the Lord's commands in words to the capable disciples: but to those hard of heart and simpler, he should demonstrate divine precepts by his deeds. Omnia vero quae discipulis docuerit esse contraria, in suis factis indicet non agenda; ne aliis praedicans, ipse reprobus inveniatur. all things||||has taught|||in|||indicate||to be done|||preaching||wicked|may be found Moreover, all that he has taught the disciples to be contrary should be indicated in his own actions as not to be done; lest, while preaching to others, he be found a reprobate himself. Ne quando illi dicat Deus peccanti: “Quare tu enarras justitias meas, et assumis testamentum meum per os tuum; Tu vero odisti disciplinam, et projecisti sermones meos post te.” Et “Qui in fratris tui oculo festucam videbas, in tuo trabem non vidisti?” Not|||||sinning|||declare|justices|||assume||||||You||you hated|discipline||cast aside||||||||||eye|speck|you see|||beam||

Non ab eo persona in monasterio discernatur. ||||||may be distinguished Let no person be distinguished in the monastery. Non unus plus ametur, quam alius, nisi quem in bonis actibus, aut obedientia invenerit meliorem. |||is loved|||||||||obedience|he/she/it has found| Let no one be loved more than another, unless someone is found better in good deeds or obedience. Non convertenti ex servitio praeponatur ingenuus, nisi alia rationabilis causa existat. not|converting|||let be preferred|freeborn man|||reasonable cause||exists Let no free person be preferred over someone coming from servitude, unless there is another reasonable cause. Quod si ita, justitia dictante, Abbati visum fuerit, et de cujuslibet ordine id faciat; sin alias, propria teneant locat: quia sive servus, sive liber, omnes in Christo unum sumus, et sub uno Domino aequalem servitutis militiam bajulamus: “Quia non est personarum acceptio apud Deum.” Solummodo in hac parte apud ipsum discernimur, si meliores aliis in operibus bonis, et humiles inveniamur. |||||abbot|||||of anyone||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| If this is so, dictated by justice, if it seems good to the Abbot, let it be done by anyone of any order; if not, let them hold to their own: because whether a servant or free, we are all one in Christ, and under one Lord we bear an equal service of servitude: 'For there is no partiality with God.' Only in this matter are we distinguished before Him, if we are found better than others in good works, and humble. Ergo aequalis sit omnibus ab eo charitas; una praebeatur omnibus, secundum merita disciplina. Therefore let love be equal towards all from him; let it be granted to all, according to the merits of discipline.

In doctrina namque sua Abbas Apostolicam debet illam semper formam servare, in qua dicitur: “Argue, obsecra, increpa.” Id est, miscens temporibus tempora, terroribus blandimenta: dirum magistri, pium patris ostendat affectum: id est, indisciplinatos et inquietos debet durius arguere; obedientes autem, et mites et patientes, ut melius proficiant, obsecrare; negligentes autem et contemnentes, ut increpet et corripiat, admonemus. ||indeed|||||||||||||||||mixing||times||flattery persuasion||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Indeed, in his teaching, the Abbot must always maintain that apostolic form, in which it is said: 'Reprove, entreat, rebuke.' That is, mixing harshness with gentleness: showing the severe aspect of a master, and the loving affection of a father: that is, he should more harshly reprove the undisciplined and the restless; but should entreat the obedient, the meek, and the patient, so that they may progress better; and he is to admonish and correct the negligent and the contemptuous. Neque dissimulet peccata delinquentium, sed mox, ut coeperint oriri, radicitus ea, ut praevalet, amputet: memor periculi Heli sacerdotis de Silo. |||||soon|||||||prevails||||||| Let him not hide the sins of the offenders, but soon, as they begin to arise, let him cut them off at the root, as is fitting: mindful of the danger of Eli the priest from Shiloh. Et honestiores quidem, atque intelligibiles animos, prima vel secunda admonitione verbis corripiat; improbos autem, et duros, ac superbos, vel inobedientes, verberum vel corporis castigatione in ipso initio peccati coerceat, sciens scriptum: “Stultus verbis non corrigitur.” Et iterum: “Percute filium tuum virga, et liberabis animam ejus a morte.” And indeed let him correct the more honorable and intelligible souls with words at the first or second admonition; but let him restrain the wicked, the hard-hearted, the proud, or the disobedient, with the punishment of blows or the chastisement of the body at the very beginning of the sin, knowing the written word: 'A fool is not corrected by words.' And again: 'Strike your son with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from death.'

Meminisse debet semper Abbas, quod est, meminisse, quod dicitur et scire quia cui plus committitur, plus ab eo exigitur: sciatque quam difficilem et arduam rem suscepit, regere animas, et multorum servire moribus. The Abbot must always remember, that is, to remember, that which is said and to know that to whom more is entrusted, more is required from him: and let him know how difficult and arduous a matter he has undertaken, to govern souls and to serve the morals of many. Et alium quidem blandimentis, alium vero increpationibus, alium suasionibus, et secundum uniuscujusque qualitatem vel intelligentiam, ita se omnibus conformet et aptet, ut non solum detrimenta gregis sibi commissi non patiatur, verum etiam in augmentatione boni gregis gaudeat. And let him indeed conform himself to others with flattery, to others with reprimands, to others with persuasion, and according to each person's quality or understanding, in such a way that he not only suffers no detriment to the flock entrusted to him but also rejoices in the increase of the good flock.

Ante omnia, ne dissimulans, aut parvipendens salutem animarum sibi commissarum, plus great sollicitudinem de rebus transitoriis, et terrenis atque caducis, sed semper cogitet quia animas suscepit regendas, de quibus et rationem redditurus est. |||disguising||||||||||||||||perishable things|||||||to be governed|||||| Above all, let him not be indifferent or dismissive of the salvation of the souls entrusted to him, being more concerned about transient, earthly, and perishable matters, but always think that he has undertaken to guide souls, for which he will have to give an account. Et ne causetur forte de minori substantia, meminerit scriptum: “Primum quaerite regnum Dei, et justitiam ejus, et haec omnia adjicientur vobis.” Et iterum: “Nihil deest timentibus eum.” ||let it be caused|||lesser|substance|||||||||||||||||||| And lest he may make excuses about lesser matters, let him remember the writing: 'But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.' And again: 'Nothing will be lacking to those who fear Him.'

Sciatque quia, qui suscipit animas regendas, praeparet se ad rationem reddendam. Et quantum sub cura sua fratrum se habere scierit numerum, agnoscat pro certo, quia in die judicii ipsarum omnium animarum est redditurus Domino rationem, sine dubio addita et suae animae. ||||||||he will know||||||||||||||||||||| And as much as he knows under his care the number of the brothers, let him acknowledge for certain, that on the day of judgment he will be held accountable to the Lord for all of their souls, without a doubt adding also for his own soul. Et ita timens semper futuram discussionem pastoris de creditis ovibus, cum de alienis ratiociniis cavet, redditur de suis sollicitus. ||||||||the sheep|||||||||| And thus, always fearing the future scrutiny of the pastor regarding the entrusted sheep, while he avoids the reasoning of others, he is anxious about his own. Et cum de admonitionibus suis emendationem aliis subministrat, ipse efficitur a vitiis emendatus. |||||||provides||||| And when he provides correction to others through his admonitions, he himself becomes corrected from his vices.

Caput III. De Adhibendis ad Consilium Fratribus. ||||to the brothers

Quoties aliqua praecipua agenda sunt in monasterio, convocet Abbas omnem congregationem, et dicat ipse unde agitur. ||||||||||congregation||||| Et audiens consilium fratrum, tractet apud se, et quod utilius judicaverit faciat. ||||he should deliberate||||||| Ideo autem omnes ad consilium vocari diximus: quia saepe juniori Dominus revelat quod melius est. |||||||||younger||||| Therefore, we said that all should be called to the council: because often the Lord reveals what is better to the younger. Sic autem dent fratres consilium cum omni humilitatis subjectione, ut non praesumant procaciter defendere quod eis visum fuerit, sed magis in Abbatis pendeat arbitrio, ut quod salubrius esse judicaverit, ei cuncti obediant: sed sicut discipulis convenit obedire magistro; ita et ipsum provide, et juste condecet cuncta disponere. |||||||humility|submission|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Thus, the brothers should give counsel with all humility and submission, so that they do not presumptuously defend what seems good to them, but rather let it depend on the Abbot's judgment, so that whatever he judges to be more beneficial, all should obey him: just as it is fitting for disciples to obey their master; so it is also proper for him to wisely and justly arrange all things.

In omnibus igitur omnes magistram sequantur regulam, neque ab ea temere declinetur a quoquam. ||||||||||rashly||| In all things, therefore, let all follow the master’s rule, and let no one rashly deviate from it. Nullus in monasterio sequatur cordis proprii voluntatem, neque praesumat quisquam cum Abbate suo proterve intus, aut foris monasterium contendere. |||||own||||||||||||| Let no one in the monastery follow the will of his own heart, nor should anyone presume to contend boldly within or outside the monastery with his Abbot. Quod si praesumpserit, regulari disciplinae subjaceat. |||||be subject to But if he presumes, let him be subject to regular discipline. Ipse tamen Abbas cum timore Dei, et observatione regulae omnia faciat; sciens se procul dubio de omnibus judiciis suis aequissimo judici Deo rationem redditurum. |||||||observance of|||||||||||||||| Nevertheless, the Abbot himself should do everything with the fear of God and the observance of the rule; knowing that without a doubt he will have to account for all his judgments to the most just judge, God. Si qua vero minora agenda sunt in monasterii utilitatibus, seniorum tantum utatur consilio, sicut scriptum est: “Omnia fac cum consilio, et post factum non poenitebis.” |||||||||of the elders|||||||||||||||you will not regret If, however, there are lesser things to be done for the benefit of the monastery, let him only use the advice of the elders, as it is written: 'Do all things with counsel, and after the deed, you will not regret.'