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The Confessions of St. Augustin In Thirteen Books

Chapter XXVI.--God Everywhere Answers Those Who Take Counsel of Him.

37. Where, then, did I find Thee, so as to be able to learn Thee? For Thou wert not in my memory before I learned Thee. Where, then, did I find Thee, so as to be able to learn Thee, but in Thee above me? Place there is none; we go both "backward" and "forward," ¹ and there is no place. Everywhere, O Truth, dost Thou direct all who consult Thee, and dost at once answer all, though they consult Thee on divers things. Clearly dost Thou answer, though all do not with clearness hear. All consult Thee upon whatever they wish, though they hear not always that which they wish. He is Thy best servant who does not so much look to hear that from Thee which he himself wisheth, as to wish that which he heareth from Thee.

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Confessiones (PL)

CAPUT XXVI. Ubi invenitur Deus.

37. Ubi ergo te inveni ut discerem te? Neque enim jam eras in memoria mea priusquam te discerem. Ubi ergo inveni te ut discerem te nisi in te supra me? Et nusquam locus, et recedimus, et accedimus, et nusquam locus. Ubique, veritas, praesides omnibus consulentibus te, simulque respondes omnibus etiam diversa consulentibus. Liquide tu respondes, sed non liquide omnes audiunt. Omnes unde volunt consulunt, sed non semper quod volunt audiunt. Optimus minister tuus est, qui non magis intuetur hoc a te audire quod ipse voluerit, sed potius hoc velle quod a te audierit.