| (a) [In finem. Psalmus David XVIII] Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei, et opera manuum eius annuntiat firmamentum. | (a) [To the end, A Psalm of David] The heavens tell of the glory of God, and the firmament announces the works of his hands |
| (b) Dies diei eructat verbum; et nox nocti indicat scientiam. | (b) Day belches the word to day, and night indicates knowledge to night. |
| Non sunt loquelae, neque sermones, quorum non audiantur voces eorum. | There are no discourses, nor speeches, of which the voices are not heard. |
| In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum. | Their sound has gone out to the entire world, and their words have gone to the ends of the circle of the earth. |
| (c) In sole posuit tabernaculum suum; et ipse tamquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo. | (c) He has put his tabernacle in the sun, and the sun like a bridegroom going forth from his bedroom. |
| Exultavit ut gigas ad currendam viam. | He rejoices like a giant to run the way. |
| (d) A summo caelo egressio eius; et occursus eius usque ad summum eius, nec est qui abscondat a calore eius. | (d) His going forth is from the highest sky, and his going around is right to its top, and there is no one who hides from his heat. |
| (e) Lex Domini immaculata, convertens animas, testimonium Domini fidele, sapientiam praestans parvulis. | (e) The law of the Lord is without blemish, converting souls, and the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to the small ones. |
| Iustitiae Domini rectae, laetificantes corda; praeceptum Domini lucidum illuminans oculos. | The justices of the Lord are right, giving joy to hearts; the precept of the Lord is shining giving light to eyes. |
| (f) Timor Domini sanctus permanens in saeculum saeculi; iudicia Domini vera iustificata in semetipsa. | (f) The fear of the Lord is holy remaining for the age of the age; the judgments of the Lord are true, justified unto themselves. |
| (g) Desiderabilia super aurum, et lapidem pretiosum multum, et dulciora super mel, et favum. | (g) They are desirable more than gold, and much precious stone, and they are sweeter than honey and honeycomb. |
| Etenim servus tuus custodit ea: in custodiendis illis retributio multa. | Indeed your servant keeps them: in keeping them there is much reward. |
| (h) Delicta quis intelligit? Ab occultis meis munda me, et ab alienis parce servo tuo. | (h) Who can understand his own wrongdoings? Cleanse me of my hidden things, and spare your servant from foreign thing. |
| (i) Si me non fuerint dominanti, tunc immaculatus ero; et emundabor a delicto maximo. Et erunt ut complaceant eloquia oris mei: et meditatio cordis mei in conspectu tuo semper. | (i) If they shall not take dominion over me, then I will be without stain, and I will be cleansed from the greatest wrongdoing. And the words of my mouth will be to please, and the meditation of my heart will be in your sight always. |
| Domine adiutor meus, et redemptor meus. | O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer |
| (a) Supra Psalmista multipliciter egit gratias de beneficiis datis, et speratis; hic autem ex consideratione illorum beneficiorum consurgit in laudem benefactoris. | (a) Above the Psalmist has many times offered thanks for benefits given and hoped for; from the consideration of those benefits he rises in praise of the benefactor. |
| Titulus patet: In finem Psalmus David. | The title is clear: To the end, A Psalm of David. |
| Secundum litteram refertur ad David; secundum autem mysterium ad Christum. | According to the letter it refers to David, but according to the mystery it refers to Christ. |
| In finem. | To the end. |
| Dividitur autem Psalmus iste in duas partes. | This psalm is divided into two parts. |
| In prima enim commendatur Deus ex sua eruditione, qua nos instruit. | In the first part God is commended because of the erudition by which he instructs us. |
| Et hoc dupliciter. | This is done in two ways. |
| Una communi, quae se habet aequaliter ad omnes; et haec per opera sua manifestatur. | In one part it is general, relating equally to all, and this is manifested by his works. |
| Rom. 1. "Invisibilia Dei per ea quae facta sunt, intellecta conspiciuntur." | Romans 1. "The invisible things of God are seen through the things that are made, when those things are understood." |
| Alia speciali, per legislationem, quae est solum ad fideles. | The other way regards what is specific, through law-giving, which is only to the faithful. |
| Secundum ibi, Lex Domini immaculata. Psalmus iste secundum veritatem exponitur de Christo, quia Apostolus de hoc auctoritatem ad mysterium Christi, Rom. I, inducit. | According to the verse, The law of the Lord is without blemish. This psalm according to the truth is expounded about Christ, because the Apostle draws upon this psalm as an authoritative source about the mystery of Christ, in Romans 1. |
| In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum. | Their sound has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the circle of the earth. |
| Nihilominus tamen sicut mysteria Christi repraesentantur figuraliter quandoque in figuris veteris testamenti, ita quandoque figuraliter praemonstrantur in figuris operum sanctorum. | Nonetheless, as the mysteries of Christ are represented figuratively sometimes in the figures of the Old Testament, so sometimes they are shown in the figures of holy works. |
| Et ideo primo exponetur iste Psalmus quo ad figuram, secundo quo ad veritatem. | And thus first this psalm is expounded in terms of the figure, second in terms of the truth. |
| Et primo loquitur de caelis, secundo de sole. | First it speaks of the heavens, second of the sun. |
| Per caelos Apostoli, per solem Christus intelligitur. | By the heavens one understands the Apostles, by the sun, one understands Christ. |
| In sole. | In the sun. |
| Circa hoc duo facit. Primo ponit doctrinam qua nos erudit Deus per caelos, quomodocumque intellectos; secundo excludit impedimenta huius doctrinae, ibi, Dies diei eructat verbum etc. | On this topic he does two things. First he presents the doctrine by which God teaches us by the skies, however one may understand skies; second, he excludes the things that would impede this doctrine, where he says Day belches forth the word to day, etc. |
| Duo necesse est cognoscere de Deo. | One must understand two things about God. |
| Unum scilicet gloriam Dei, in qua est gloriosus; secundo opera eius. | One is the glory of God, in which glory he is glorious; second, his works. |
| Si respiciamus corporales caelos, isti nuntiant nobis gloriam Dei: quia in eis est mira et ordinata distinctio, quae est quaedam redundantia illius infinitae gloriae. | If we regard the physical skies, these proclaim the glory of God to us: because in them is a marvelous and ordered distinction, which is a certain overflowing of his infinite glory. |
| Eccli. 43. "Species caeli gloriae stellarum, mundum illuminans in excelsis Dominus." | Eccli. 43. "The beauties of the sky, the glories of the stars, the Lord giving light to the world in the highest things." |
| Et quia sol illuminans per omnia respicit, et gloria Domini plenum est opus eius; ideo intelliguntur isti caeli materiales indicare nobis gloriam Dei, non quasi animalia materialia, ut Rabbi Moses dicit, sed in eius pulchritudine, qua multo magis iudicatur eorum artifex. | And since the sun as it gives light looks through all things, and the Lord's work is full of his glory; therefore these material skies are understood so as to indicate the glory of God to us, not as material animals, as Rabbi Moses said, but in its beauty, by which their craftsman is much better judged. |
| Et firmamentum demonstrat nobis quantum Deus sit magnificus. | And the firmament shows us how magnificent God is. |
| Firmamentum dicitur caelum, ut dicitur Gen. 1. "Vocavit Deus firmamentum caelum." | The firmament is called the sky, as it says in Genesis 1. "God called the firmament the sky." |
| Secundum autem distinctionem dicitur caelum, et sic in caelorum distinctione apparet divina sapientia: si totum accipiatur simul, sic narrat eius virtutem, et ideo dicit, quod caeli enarrant, idest manifestant, gloriam Dei, et firmamentum nuntiat opera manuum eius: per quae opera apparet eius virtus. | It is called the sky, however, according to distinction, and so in the distinction of the skies the divine wisdom appears: if the whole is taken at once, is thus proclaims his power, and so it says that the skies proclaim, that is, they manifest, the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the works of his hands. |
| Secundum autem veritatem per caelos intelliguntur Apostoli, in quibus tamquam in caelis habitat Deus. | According to the truth, however, by the skies the Apostles are understood, in whom God resides as in the skies. |
| Et dicuntur caeli propter sublimitatem conversationis. | And they are called the skies on account of the sublimity of their behavior. |
| Phil. 5. "Nostra conversatio in caelis est." | Phil. 5. "Our way of life is in the heavens." |
| Item stellati propter multarum virtutum abundantiam. | Again they are covered in stars because of the abundances of many virtues. |
| Eccli. 43. "Species caeli gloria stellarum." | Eccl. 43. "The beauties of the sky, the glory of the stars." |
| Esa. 55. "Sicut exaltati sunt caeli a terra etc." | Isa. 55. "As the heavens are raised above the earth, etc." |
| Quia lucidi per doctrinam, et exemplum. | Because they are shining by teaching and example. |
| Matth. 5. "Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona, et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in caelis est." | Matth. 5. "So let your light shine before men so they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in the heavens." |
| Quia volubiles, per obedientiam, et discursum praedicationis. | They are quickly flying by obedience and by the discourse of preaching. |
| Eccli. 14. "Gyrum caeli circuivi sola, et in fluctibus maris ambulavi, et profundum abyssi penetravi, et in omni terra steti, et in omni populo, et in omni gente primatum tenui." | Eccl. 14 "I alone have gone around the circle of the sky, and I have walked in the waves of the sea, and I have penetrated the depth of the abyss, and I have stood in every land, and in the midst of every people, and I have held first place among every nation." |
| Isti enarrant gloriam Dei, scilicet Patris, in qua est Christus, et quia Christus est aequalis Patri, et quod est Deus, et quod gratis peccata dimittit. | They "proclaim the glory of God", specifically of the Father, in which glory is Christ, and since Christy is equal to the Father, and is God, and forgives sings for free. |
| Esa. 12. "Gratis venundati estis, et sine argento redimemini." | Isaiah 12. "You have been bought for free, and you are redeemed without silver." |
| Item Apostoli dicuntur firmamentum, quia firmati virtute Spiritus Sancti. | Again, the Apostles are called the firmament, because they have been made firm by virtue of the Holy Spirit." |
| Luc. ultim. "Sedere in civitate donec induamini virtute ex alto." | Luke (the end): "Remain in the city until you are clothed with virtue from on high." |
| Et annuntiant opera manuum eius; idest mirabilia quae fecit Christus, scilicet nativitatem, passionem, resurrectionem, et ascensionem. | And they announce the work of his hands; that is, the marvels that Christ worked, namely the nativity, passion, resurrection and ascension. |
| Eccli. 42. "Nonne Deus fecit sanctos enarrare omnia mirabilia eius?" | Eccl. 42: "Has not God made the saints tell all his marvels?" |
| Esa. 12. "Annuntiate hoc in universa terra." Ps. 95. Annuntiate inter gentes gloriam eius, in omnibus populis miriabilia eius. | Isaiah 12. "Announce this through the whole earth." Ps. 95. Announce his glory among the nations, his marvels among all the peoples." |
| Vel, Caeli enarrant etc.. | Or, The heavens tell etc. |
| Quia caeli novam stellam miserunt, ortum Salvatoris nuntiantem. | Since the heavens sent a new star announcing the rise of the Saviour. |
| Matth. 2. "Vidimus stellam eius in oriente." | Matth. 2. "We have seen his star in the east." |
| (b) Dies. | (b) Day. |
| Hic excludit impedimentum doctrinae; et excludit triplex impedimentum. | Here he excludes an impediment to doctrine: and he excludes a threefold impediment. |
| Aliquando impeditur doctrina, ut non possit addisci ex tempore, aliquando ex linguarum varietate; aliquando ex locorum diversitate. | Sometimes a doctrine is impeded so that it cannot be learned on account of the time, sometimes on account of a variety of languages, sometimes on account of a diversity of places. |
| Primum impedimentum est de nocte. | The first impediment concerns the night. |
| Non est tempus legendi, cum sit tempus quiescendi; et secundum diversa tempora convenit docere, et discere. | The night is not the time for reading, since it is the time for resting, and different times are right for teaching and learning. |
| Et primo dicendum est de materialibus diebus qui causantur secundum naturam ex motu caeli; et ideo non solum substantiam caelorum oportet considerare, sed etiam motum firmamenti; et sic oportet accipere in hac vicissitudine sapientiam. | And first we should speak of the material days that are caused according to nature by the movement of the sky; and thus we should consider not only the substance of the heavens, but also the motion of the firmament, and so we should gather wisdom in this changing. |
| Eccli. 33. "Quare dies diem superat, et lux lecem, et annus annum a sole? A domini scientia separati sunt," idest dispositi supra. | Eccl. 33. "Why is one day better than another day, and one light better than another light, and one year better than another by the sun? They have been separated by the Lord's knowledge," that is, they have been arranged from on high. |
| Et ideo dicit: Dies, succedens, diei eructat verbum, idest diem sapientiae; idest, manifestat ordinem et bonitatem divinae spientiae, inquantum una dies est maior alia etc. | And thus he says: One day, then proclaims the word to another day, that is, the day of wisdom, that is, it manifests the order and goodness of divine wisdom, insofar as one day is greater than another, etc. |
| Una die est maior aestus quam alia; et sic de singulis. | One day is a greater season than another, and so it is with each particular day. |
| Et nox. | And night. |
| Supra ostendit divinam sapientiam, et ordinem dispositionis divinae, quia ordinate nox nocti succedit; et dicit, quia dies eructat, quia tempus diei est tempus loquendi; et ideo est tempus verbi. | He shows above the divine wisdom, and the order of the divine disposition, since one night follows another in orderly fashion, since one day announces, since the daytime is the time for speaking, and so it is the time of the word. |
| Propter quod dicit, Eructat verbum. | On this account he says, It announces the word. |
| Sed tempus noctis est tempus meditationis propter quietem; et ideo in quiete noctis homo meditatur, et adinvenit multa ex quibus fit sciens; et ideo est tempus scientiae. | But the night-time is the time of meditation because of the quiet, and so in the quiet of night a man meditates, and he discovers many things from which he becomes knowledgeable; and so the night is the time of knowledge. |
| Et ideo dicit: Et nox, succedens, nocti indicat scientiam, scilicet Dei; quia in una nocte est alia dispositio temporis quam in alia; et hoc totum a scientia Dei disponente. | And so he says: And one night, then, indicates knowledge to another night, namely the knowledge of God; because there is another arrangement of time in one night that in another; and this all is from God's knowledge which arranges it. |
| Secundum veritatem Apostoli dicuntur Apostoli, eructant verbum, divinae sapientiae, diei, idest perfectis. | According to the truth that Apostles are called Apostles, they announces the word, the word of divine wisdom, to the day, that is, to those who are perfect. |
| Pri. Cor. 2 "Scientiam loquimur inter perfectos." | Cor. 2 (the beginning): "We speak knowledge among those who are perfect." |
| Non enim omnibus omnia praedicantur, sed clara claris; sancta sanctis, magnis magna praedicant. | Not all things are preached to all people, but clear things to those who are clear; holy things to those who are holy, and great things to those who are great. |
| Item Apostolus; inquantum est nox, idest in carne vivens et mortalis, infirmitati, et ignorantiae rudium condescendens tamquam nox indicat nocti, idest perfectis scientiam, sed de rebus humanis. | Again the Apostle: insofar as it is night, that is, one is living in the flesh, and mortal, and condescending to the weakness and ignorance of those who are uneducated as one night points something to another night, that is, pointing at knowledge for the perfect, but concerning human matters. |
| Pr. Cor. 3. "Non potui vobis loqui quasi spiritualibus, sed quasi carnalibus. Tamquam parvulis in Christo lac vobis dedi, non escam." | Cor. 3 (beginning) "I could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as if to carnal people. As to little children, I have given you milk in Christ, not food." |
| Vel, Dies, idest Gabriel, eructat verbum diei, idest Virgini Beatae proponit verbum Salvatoris; sed nox, idest diabolus, indicat scientiam nocti, idest Evae. | Or, One day, that is Gabriel, announces the word to another day, that is, to the Blessed Virgin he sets forth the word of the Saviour; but one night, that is the devil, shows knowledge to another night, that is, to Eve. |
| Gen. 3. "Eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum." | Genesis 3: "You will be like gods, knowing good and evil." |
| Item secundo impeditur doctrina secundum varietatem linguarum, sed haec doctrina per hoc non impeditur; quia non sunt loquela, neque sermones; idest, quaecumque sint illae linguae, seu nationes, possunt erudiri de divina sapientia, et virtute, et hoc sive per caelos, sive per Apostolos. | Again, in the second place doctrine is impeded according to the variety of languages, but this is doctrine is not impeded on this account, because there are no phrases, nor words, that is, whatever may be the languages or nations, they can be taught of the divine wisdom and power, whether by the heavens or by the apostles. |
| Sed secundum veritatem dicendum quod non sunt loquelae etc.. quorum non audiantur verba eorum: quia voces, sive praedicationes, sive doctrina Apostolorum auditur a quolibet. | But it should be said according to the truth that there are not speeches whose words are not heard, because the sounds of their voices, or preachings, or the doctrine of the Apostles is heard by each and every one. |
| Sed de loquela Apostolorum duplex est opinio. Quidam enim dicunt, quod Apostoli una lingua loquebantur; sed alii omnes eos intelligebant. | But there are two opinions concerning the speech of the Apostles. Some say that the Apostles spoke in one tongue, but others say that all understood them. |
| Sed contra hoc est Apostolus I. Corin 14. "Gratias ago Deo meo, quod omnium vestrum lingua loquor." | But what the Apostle says in I Corinthians 14 is contrary to this: "I give thanks to my God, that I speak in the language of all of you." |
| Unde non sunt loquela, in quibus non audiantur loqui. | Hence there are no speeches in which they are not heard to speak. |
| Loquelae significant linguas principales, sed sermones significant varietates idiomatum in eadem lingua. | "Loquelae" signify the chief languages, but "sermones" signify the varieties of idioms in each language. |
| Vel loquelae linguae, sermones sunt modi loquendi. | Or, "loquelae" languages, and "sermones" are ways of speaking. |
| Est autem triplex modus loquendi. | There are three ways of speaking. |
| Unus humilis, quam communiter loquimur; alius quando est coloratus, et alius quando est ornatus tantum. | There is the humble way which we speak in common; another way is when our speech is colorful, and another is when our speach is merely ornate. |
| Primus convenit docenti, secundus persuadenti; tertius delectanti; et quolibet illorum modorum loquebantur Apostoli. | The first way is right for one who is teaching; the second way is right for one who is persuading; and the third way is right for one who is seeking to delight his hearers; and the Apostles spoke in all of these modes. |
| Esa. 28. "In loquela labii, et lingua altera loquar ad populum istum." | Isaiah 28: "I will speak to this people in the speach of lips, and in another tongue." |
| Item impedimentum doctrinae est diversitas et remotio loci. | Again, diversity and distance of place are an impediment to doctrine. |
| Quia doctrina aliquando non vadit ad remotas partes; sed non ita est de ista: quia in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, scilicet caelorum, vel Apostolurm, quia ubique est doctrina, qua caeli erudiunt. | Because a doctrine sometimes does not reach remote places, but this is not the case with this doctrine, because their sound has gone out unto all the earth, namely, the sound of the heavens, or of the Apostles, because the doctrine by which the heavens teach is everywhere. |
| Sed de Apostolis melius dicitur, quia dicit: Exivit, non exierunt, sonus,idest fama, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum, quia sonus pervenit ad remota, et verba ad loca propinqua. | But it is better said of the Apostles, because it says the sound, that is, the reputation or renown, has gone out, not that they have left, and their words unto the ends of the earth, because a sound reaches far-off places, and words reach close places. |
| Sed non est ita de Apostolis, immo etiam verba, idest distinctio soni pervenit ad fines orbis terrarum, vel prophetia aliqua, vel fama miraculorum. | But this is not the case with the Apostles, rather even their words, which is the distinction of sound, have reached the ends of the earth, whether a prophecy or the knowledge of miracles. |
| (c) In sole. | (c) In the sun. |
| Supra Psalmus fecit mentionem de caelis; et hic ad ostendendam laudem creatoris agit de sole. | Above, the psalm mentions the heavens, and here, in order to show the praise of the creator, he mentions the sun. |
| Et sicut per caelos intelliguntur Apostoli, ita per solem intelligitur Christus. | As by the heavens, we understand the Apostles, so also by the sun we understand Christ. |
| Malac. 4. "Vobis timentibus nomen meum orietur sol iustitiae." | Malachias 4: "The sun of justice will arise for you who fear my name." |
| Et quaedam prophetiae dicunt hoc de Christo sub figura solis. | And some prophecies say this of Christ under the figure of the sun. |
| Ideo primo ponit figuram per quam incipit veritatem de Christo explicare. | Thus, he first presents the figure by which he begins to explain the truth about Christ. |
| Circa figuram tria ponit. | He presents three things concerning the figure. |
| Primo situm solis; secundo motum, Et ipse tamquam sponsus; tertio effectum eius, Non est qui qui se abscondat etc. | First there is the position of the sun, then its motion, and he like a bridegroom; and third the effect of the sun There is no one who can hide himself etc..." |
| Primo sciendum est, quod haec diversa littera Hieronymi habet; Soli posuit tabernaculum in eis; quasi dicat: Ita caeli enarrant etc. et pro eis, scilicet caelis, posuit soli tabernaculum, idest collocavit eum in caelis. | First, we should know that Jerome has a different wording for this: He set a tabernacle (a tent) for the sun in them; as if to say: Thus the heavens tell etc. and for them, namely the heavens, he has set his tabernacle (pitched his tent), that is, he has placed him in the heavens. |
| Ponitur convenienter tabernaculum, quia hic mundus est locus viatorum, non habitantium in certo loco, quia sunt in continua motu. | The tabernacle is set, or the tent pitched, fittingly, because this world is the place of the wayfarers, not of those who dwell in a certain place, because they are in continual motion. |
| Nostra autem littera habet: in sole posuit tabernaculum suum. | The words as we have them say: in the sun he has set his tabernacle (pitched his tent) |
| Domus alicuius domini pulchrius fiat in civitate, quam in rure; ita pulchrius in caelo videtur tabernaculum Dei; et ideo dicit: in sole posuit tabernaculum suum; quasi dicat. | The house of a lord would be more beautiful in the city than in the country; and so the tabernacle of God seems more beautiful in heaven. |
| Sol est eius tabernaculum: non quod Deus in loco contineatur, sed quia, et Dionysius dicit, in sole maxime repraesentatur bonitas, et virtus Dei, sive divina. | The sun is his tabernacle: not that God is contained in a place, but because, as Dionysius says, the goodness and power of God, the divine power, are most greatly represented in the sun. |