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| (1) Rationibus omnibus supra positis experientia memorabilis attestatur: status videlicet illius mortalium quem Dei Filius, in salutem hominis hominem assumpturus, vel expectavit vel cum voluit ipse disposuit. Nam si a lapsu primorum parentum, qui diverticulum fuit totius nostre deviationis, dispositiones hominum et tempora recolamus, non inveniemus nisi sub divo Augusto monarcha, existente Monarchia perfecta, mundum undique fuisse quietum. | (1) All the arguments advanced so far are confirmed by a remarkable historical fact: namely the state of humanity which the Son of God either awaited, or himself chose to bring about, when he was on the point of becoming man for the salvation of mankind. For if we review the ages and the dispositions of men from the fall of our first parents (which was the turning-point at which we went astray), we shall not find that there ever was peace throughout the world except under the immortal Augustus, when a perfect monarchy existed. | |
| (2) Et quod tunc humanum genus fuerit felix in pacis universalis tranquillitate hoc ystoriographi omnes, hoc poete illustres, hoc etiam scriba mansuetudinis Cristi testari dignatus est; et denique Paulus «plenitudinem temporis» statum illum felicissimum appellavit. Vere tempus et temporalia queque plena fuerunt, quia nullum nostre felicitatis ministerium ministro vacavit. | (2) That mankind was then happy in the calm of universal peace is attested by all historians and by famous poets; even the chronicler of Christ's gentleness deigned to bear witness to it; and finally Paul called that most happy state "the fullness of time". Truly that time was "full", as were all temporal things, for no ministry to our happiness lacked its minister. | |
| (3) Qualiter autem se habuerit orbis, ex quo tunica ista inconsutilis cupiditatis ungue scissuram primitus passa est, et legere possumus et utinam non videre. | (3) What the state of the world has been since that seamless garment was first rent by the talon of cupidity we can read about - would that we might not witness it. | |
| (4) O genus humanum, quantis procellis atque iacturis quantisque naufragiis agitari te necesse est dum, bellua multorum capitum factum, in diversa conaris! | (4) O human race, how many storms and misfortunes and shipwrecks must toss you about while, transformed into a many-headed beast, you strive after conflicting things. | |
| (5) Intellectu egrotas utruque, similiter et affectu: rationibus irrefragabilibus intellectum superiorem non curas, nec experientie vultu inferiorem, sed nec affectum dulcedine divine suasionis, cum per tubam Sancti Spiritus tibi effletur: «Ecce quam bonum et quam iucundum, habitare fratres in unum». | (5) You are sick in your intellects, both of them, and in your affections; you do not nurture your higher intellect with inviolable principles, nor your lower intellect with the lessons of experience, nor your affections with the sweetness of divine counsel, when it is breathed into you by the trumpet of the holy spirit: "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity". | |