Alcuin de York - Les Vices et les Vertus - Angleterre - 9 eme siecle

( Traduction du livre des vices et des vertus de Alcuin de York – 9 eme siècle)

Traduction - Latin - Anglais - ( Je n`ai pas trouvé ce livre traduit en Français – Merci a Rachel Stone pour cette traduction.)


Alcuin – Poète, savant et théologien anglais de langue latine. Conseiller et figure de première importance à la cour de Charlemagne de 782 a 801. Il est resté diacre et a conseillé de nombreux Rois, Reines, Princes et Princesses. Au Concile de Francfort en 794, il est reçu comme un Évêque. Il est nommé par Charlemagne abbé de St-Martin de Tour en 796.  


Alcuin de York devant Charlemagne



Translation of Alcuin's De Virtutibus et Vitiis Liber (Book about the Virtues and Vices)

Rachel Stone

Department of History, King's College London

Translation

§5. To the dearest son, Count Guy, the humble Levite Alcuin gives greetings.

§6. I am mindful of your request and my promise, in which you entreated me with all your might to write some exhortation in brief words for your occupation, which we know that you have in martial activities, so that you would continually have in your hands words of paternal admonition, in which you would be able to consider yourself, and to arouse zeal for eternal blessedness. To this honest request I willingly confess I assent, wishing the writings of my devotion may help you to perpetual salvation. These writings indeed, although they seem to be less eloquently composed, yet I know very certainly that the same are dictated with the force of holy charity. Since I have separated a series of these words into individual chapters, so that my words were more easily able to stick to the mind of your devotion, knowing that you are occupied in many considerations of secular matters. From whence I ask that the holy desire of your salvation may run very often back to the reading of these letters, as if to a certain comfort; so that the spirit tired out by external troubles may have a return to itself, in which it may rejoice; and that it may know to what it ought chiefly to hasten. Just as you carefully entreated my little letters of pious exhortation, so I humbly request that you often deign to read them. And I pray your love with all my might, dearest son, that you take care to prepare for yourself a habitation of heavenly glory with unwearied will by very great largesse of alms giving and equity of judging and zeal for mercy. In which work and wish may divine mercy always everywhere deign to help you, dearest son.



1) About wisdom ( Sur la Sagesse selon Dieu)



§7. The first thing of all that should be sought by a person is what true knowledge and true wisdom may be: since the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God (1 Corinthians 3, 19) The true knowledge is to withdraw from the servitude of the devil, which are sins; and the perfect wisdom is to worship God, according to the truth of his mandates: since in these two things [another manuscript: mandates] a blessed life is acquired, just as the Psalmist says: Turn from bad and do good (Psalms 33, 15). For it does not suffice someone not to do bad things, unless he also does good things, nor to do good things unless he also does not commit bad things [another manuscript: he also loses bad things]. Anyone, therefore, who is thus wise without doubt will be blessed in eternity; since the blessed thing [life] is knowledge of the Godhead; [indeed] the knowledge of the Godhead is the virtue of good work: the virtue of good work is the fruit of eternal beatitude.


2) About faith ( Sur la Foi)


§8. But this knowledge of the Godhead and knowledge of the truth is to be learned through the catholic faith; since without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11, 6). Truly, he is blessed who both lives well by believing rightly and keeps the right faith by living well. Therefore just as faith is useless without [good] works, so good works profit nothing without right faith. Whence also the blessed apostle James said: What would it profit, my brothers, if someone should say he has faith, but does not do [Some manuscripts: have] works? Will his faith be able to save him? Faith without works is dead [Some manuscripts: useless]. For just as a body without spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead (James 2, 14, 26). The excellence of this is to be discussed at other times; since a summary in brief words, which you asked to be made for you about the mandates of God, [manuscript from the Scots Abbey, Regensburg: since the summary, which we decided to write] will not be able to explain the very profound accounts about the catholic faith.


3) About charity ( Sur la Charité)


§9. Charity obtains first place in the precepts of God; without its perfection, the apostle Paul is a witness that nothing can please God (1 Corinthians 13). He shows that neither martyrdom nor contempt of the world, nor largesse of alms is able to profit [another manuscript: benefit] anything without the service of charity. Therefore the Lord himself, asked by a certain scribe what was his greatest mandate, replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. He also added: The second, however, is similar to this: Love your neighbor as yourself; in these two mandates hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22, 37–40). But when he says: 'with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind', that is, God is to be loved with all your intellect, with all your will, and from the whole memory. Indeed the whole love of God consists in the observation of his mandates, just as elsewhere he says: If someone loves me, let him keep my words (John 14, 23). From whence the Truth himself says elsewhere: By this all will know that you are my disciples: if you should have love for each other (John 13, 35). Likewise the Apostle: Love is the fulfilment of the law (Romans 13, 10) Likewise the evangelist John: We have this mandate from the Lord [another manuscript: God], that he who loves the Lord [another manuscript: God] also loves his neighbor (1 John 4, 21). If perhaps anyone seeks to learn who his neighbor may be, let him know that every Christian is rightly said to be his neighbor, since we are all sanctified in the baptism of the son of God, so that we are spiritually brothers in perfect charity. Spiritual generation is nobler than carnal, about which in the gospel the Truth himself says: Unless someone is reborn [another manuscript: born] from water and the [Holy] Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3, 5). Let a person learn what the precepts of God are and let him keep them as much as he is able: and let him thus know himself to have the charity of God. I will take care to show one by one some of these precepts to your devotedness, dearest son, so that you will more easily have the power to understand the virtues of others from a few inspections. [The manuscript from the Scots Abbey, Regensburg has this last sentence as: It is suitable to demonstrate briefly some of these precepts, so that other virtues may be understood more easily].



4) About hope ( Sur l`Espérance)


§10. The excellent doctor of the gentiles also set out [another manuscript: set out a certain] three things necessary to our souls, saying: Hope, faith, charity, these are three: but the greater from these is charity (1 Corinthians 13, 13) Therefore, no-one, however much he is forced to weigh the enormity of his sins, ought to despair about the goodness of divine piety: but to pray for indulgence for himself with daily tears with hope of his certain mercy [manuscript has: with certain hope of his mercy]. This they are rightly able to expect, if they would cease from the action of wrong works. Therefore we ought neither to sin perseveringly because of hope of mercy, nor, since God justly punishes sins, ought we to despair of mercy: but with both dangers avoided, let us both turn aside from bad and expect mercy from the piety of God. Similarly, in all difficulties of tribulation also, one should run with hope to the solace of supernal piety, since all hope and salvation consists, without doubt, in him alone. As the Prophet says: In God is my salvation and my glory: God is my help and my hope is in God (Psalms 61, 8).



5) About zeal of reading ( Sur le zèle pour l`Étude des Saintes Écritures)



§11. The reading of the Holy Scriptures is the knowledge of divine blessedness. For in these as if in a certain mirror, a person is able to consider himself, what he might be or to what he might aim. Assiduous reading purifies the soul, produces fear of hell, stimulates the heart of the reader to eternal joys. He who wants to be with God always, frequently ought to pray and read. For when we pray we ourselves talk with God: when indeed we read, God talks with us. Reading of the holy Scriptures confers a twin gift: whether because it educates the understanding of the mind or whether it leads a person to the love of God, abstracted from the vanities of the world. The labor of reading is honest and it profits much to the cleansing of the soul. For just as the flesh is nourished from carnal foods, so the inner person is nourished and fed from divine eloquence, just as the Psalmist says: How sweet is your eloquence to my jaws, O God, above honey and honey-comb to my mouth (Psalms 118, 103). But that one is most blessed, who reading divine Scriptures, turns words into deeds. Plainly, all Holy Scripture is written for our salvation, so that we profit in these things in the knowledge of truth. The blind man offends more often than the seeing: thus the one not knowing the law of God sins ignorantly more often than he who knows. Just as a blind man without a leader walks the right way with difficulty, so a person without a teacher.



6) About peace ( Sur la Paix de Dieu)



§12. The Savior returning to the Father, as if as a special gift gave the precepts of peace, saying: I give my peace to you, I leave peace to you (John 14, 27). In peace I send you out, in peace let me find you. Departing, he wished to give those things, which he desired to find in all when returning. He showed marvelously in another place the ornament of this peace: Blessed are the peaceful, since they will be called the sons of God. (Matthew 5, 9). Lo, he begins to be called the son of God, who now begins to be peaceful. He does not want to be called the son of God, who did not want to embrace peace. He denies God is Father to himself, who disdains to be peaceful. But this peace is to be kept with the good and those keeping the precepts of God, not with the iniquitous and wicked, who have peace among themselves in their sins. The peace of Christ profits to eternal salvation. The peace which is in the devil leads to [another manuscript: arrives at] perpetual perdition. Peace should always be had with the good and war with the vices. Since the bad deeds of impious people should be had in odium, not the people themselves, even though they are bad, since they are creatures of God. Indeed, peace, which is in us [another manuscript: in good people] combines concord of brothers and charity of neighbors. Peace specially merits the spirit of God. Peace is the mother of love. Peace is a token of sanctity, about which God says through the prophet: Love truth and peace (Zechariah 8, 19). Peace is the health of the people, the glory of priests and the joy of the country, and the terror of the enemy, whether visible or invisible. Peace is to be kept with all vigor, since it remains in God always. He who remains in holy peace, remains with the holy ones of God. It is for the priests to admonish the people in peace what they ought to do: it is for the people to hear in humility what the priest admonishes. Whatever is not allowed, it is for the pastor to prohibit it being done: it is for the people to hear, so that they do not do.



7) About mercy ( Sur la Miséricorde)


§13. The good of mercy is special, about which the Savior himself says: Blessed are the merciful, since they themselves will obtain mercy (Matthew 5, 7). A sinner cannot expect mercy from God who does not have mercy to those sinning against himself. Therefore let a person forgive a sin in this world, so that he may merit receiving good eternally. If we desire our souls to be cleansed from the filth of sins, we should not deny mercy to those sinning against us, so that in the day of retribution we are helped by works of mercy to the deserved mercy of God. In what way may he expect mercy from God who is cruel to his fellow unfree? Just as anyone desires God to be merciful to him, thus let him be merciful to his debtors. Very certainly he will be able to expect remission, who has learned to remit others. The Lord strengthened us for the work of mercy in the gospel, by the best example, where he says: Be merciful, just as also your Father in the heavens is merciful (Luke 6, 36). He makes his sun to shine on the good and the bad and rains on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5, 45). All mercy will make a place for each single person, according to the merit of his works. He who has mercy offers a sacrifice of salvation [manuscript has: a sacrifice sufficiently] acceptable to God. Mercy and discipline ought to be in a judge, since one without the other could not [manuscript has: will not be able to] be well. For if there were mercy alone it gives security for sinning to subjects. Again, if only discipline were always present, the mind of the delinquent is turned into desperation and the judge will not merit mercy from God: but a person ought to begin this mercy from himself. In what way is he merciful to others, who is cruel to himself? He is cruel to himself who prepares perpetual flames for himself by his sins. He is rightly merciful who starts from himself and keeps himself diligently, so that he is not punished by the devil, and thus he shows to others what he sees to be good for himself.



8) About remission ( Sur le Pardon)



§14. The Lord says in the gospel: Forgive and it will be forgiven to you (Luke 6, 37). Again: If you should forgive people their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you your sins. If you should not forgive people, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you your sins (Matthew 6, 14–15). Indeed this sentence of the Lord utters great mercy about us to these who can understand it correctly. God judges us, therefore, from our judgment and in a measure it is in our power, in what way we are judged by God our judge. If we judge mercifully about those offending against us, God will judge mercifully about us offending against him. Let us turn our attention to his example, just as the doctor of the gentiles says: Forgive among yourselves, if anyone has a quarrel against someone. Just as God forgives [manuscript has: forgave] you in Christ, thus also should you do (Colossians 3, 13). In the way God in Christ forgave us our sins, thus also let us forgive those who sin against us. Again: No-one returning evil for evil. And in another place: Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil in good (Romans 12, 17, 21). It is to be known most certainly that every single person will receive such mercy from God as he also himself should give to his neighbor. A prayer for our sins will come quickly to the ears of omnipotent God if the prayers of offenders [against us] are acceptable to our ears. He who has learned to forgive sinners with clemency will most certainly receive the clemency of divine piety. For thus it is remitted to us, so that we remit those who have done harm to us by whatever malignancy.



9) About patience ( Sur la patience)



§15. In your patience, it is said in the gospel, you will possess your souls (Luke 21, 19). For in all human life patience is necessary. Just as accordingly we ought to suffer patiently injuries brought on us by others, so it is also necessary to suffer patiently the tribulations which will happen to us. Very often in this world the good suffer tribulations from the false. Therefore if anyone at all after good works suffers tribulations, he ought not to say in reflection: I have wasted my good works, which I used to do. For he who should say this is known to have done good work not for the love of God, but for the reward of the happiness of this life or for human praise. For a person will be tested by the whips of God, by which he may benefit in soul, or by the courage with which he may suffer the temptations coming upon him. For God tests you, says the Apostle, so that he may know if you love him. Truly, tribulation produces patience, but patience is a perfect work. For blessed is the man who suffers temptations, since, when he has been tested, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those loving him (James 1, 3, 4, 12). No-one is rightly wise, who does not have patience. The ruler [manuscript has: conqueror] of his mind is stronger than the attacker of cities (Proverbs 16, 32). Indeed the ability of forgiving, not the opportunity of revenging, is to be sought in patience. Such are those, who suffer patiently at the time of the injuries, so that subsequently they may have the strength to revenge more easily. These do not have true patience. True patience is bravely to endure injuries in the face and in the future not to seek revenge, but to forgive from the heart. We can be martyrs without sword or flames if we truly preserve patience in mind with our neighbors. It is more praiseworthy to avoid injury by being silent than to overcome by responding. He who tolerates evils patiently will merit an eternal crown in the future.



10) About humility ( Sur l`humilité)



§16. How great the virtue of true humility is may be easily learned from the words of the Lord, who in order to condemn the pride of the Pharisees, said: Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23, 12). One ascends to the height of heaven by steps of humility; since sublime God is approached not by pride but by humility. About whom it is said: God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble (James 4, 6). Whence also it is said in the Psalms: The elevated God both sees low things and recognizes high things from afar (Psalms 137, 6). The 'high things' are cited for the sake of the proud, 'low things' indeed for the sake of the humble [another manuscript: meek]. He sees low things that he may raise up, high things, that is the proud, he recognizes, so that he may put down. Let us therefore learn humility, through which we will be able to approach God, just as he himself says in the gospel: Learn from me since I am mild and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11, 29). Through pride the marvelous creation of the angels fell from heaven: through humility [of God] the fragility of human nature ascended to the heaven. For honest is the custom of humility among people, just as Solomon says: Where there is pride, there also there will be reproach (Proverbs 11, 2) Also another [certain] wise one: However great you are, humble yourself in all things and you will find grace before God (Ecclesiasticus 3, 20). Likewise the Lord said through the prophet: To whom shall I have regard, unless it be the humble, and the quiet and the one trembling at my words (Isaiah 66, 2)? Whoever will not be humble and quiet cannot have the grace of the Holy Spirit live in him. God was made humble for the sake of our salvation, so that humans might be ashamed to be proud. As much as the heart is inclined to the depths with humility, that much it profits in the height. For he who will be humble [another manuscript: he who will have been humble here on earth] will be exalted in [another manuscript: future] glory. The first step of humility is to listen to the word of truth humbly, to retain it accurately, to carry it out voluntarily. He [the truth] flees when he does not find a humble mind. The more someone will be humble from himself, the greater he will be in the eyes of God. But the more the proud man appears more glorious among people, the more he will be cast down before God. For he who does good works without humility, carries dust into the wind. Why is earth and dust proud when that which it seems to collect by fasting and almsgiving is scattered by the wind of pride? Do not glory, O human, in your virtues; since you will have another as a judge, not you yourself; in whose sight it is necessary that you humble yourself in your heart, so that he may exalt you at the time of your repayment. Descend, so that you may ascend, be humble so that you might be exalted, lest exalted, you may be humiliated. For he who is cheap to himself is great [another manuscript: beautiful] before God, and he who is dissatisfied with himself, pleases God [another manuscript: and those who please themselves, displease God]. Therefore be small in your eyes, so that you may be great in the eyes of God. For the more you will be more precious before God, the more you should be more contemptible before your eyes. May humility in the highest honor be the highest thing to you. The praise of honor is the virtue of humility.


11) About compunction of the heart ( Sur la componction)


§17. Compunction of the heart is born from the virtue of humility; from compunction confession of sins; from confession, penance; from true penance will come forth remission of sins. Compunction of the heart is humility of mind, with tears and recollection of sins and fear of judgment. Tears are accustomed to flow from the twin fountains of compunction; one is when it considers diligently the merits of its work [the manuscript: when the mind diligently considers the evils]; the other when it longs for the desire of eternal life. Whence the prophet says: My soul thirsted for the living God. When shall I come and appear before the face of God? My tears have been bread to me day and night (Psalms 41, 3, 4). Again: My soul desires and fails from the courts of the Lord. And: My heart and my flesh exulted in the living God (Psalms 83, 3). There are four qualities of feelings [the manuscript: afflictions] by which thought of the just is pricked by salubrious loathing, that is, the memory of past deeds, the recollection of future punishments, the consideration of our pilgrimage in the misery of this life; the desire of the heavenly country, so that he may be able to reach there as soon as possible. Since therefore those things are made in the heart of a person, it is then to be known that God through his grace is present in the human heart. Whence also it is said in the Psalm: O God I have declared my life to you; I [the manuscript: you] have placed my tears in your sight, just as also in your promise (Psalms 55, 9). May the promise of forgiveness which we have from God rouse tears of repentance from our heart. There is a desirable treasure in the heart of humans, the sweetness of compunction. The soul of a person which is pricked in prayer profits greatly to salvation. When, through prayer, compunction is poured out, it is not to be doubted that the presence of the Holy Spirit is present in our hearts.