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The Confessions of St. Augustin In Thirteen Books
Chapter IX.--Wisdom and the Beginning.
11. In this Beginning, O God, hast Thou made heaven and earth,--in Thy Word, in Thy Son, in Thy Power, in Thy Wisdom, in Thy Truth, wondrously speaking and wondrously making. Who shall comprehend? who shall relate it? What is that which shines through me, and strikes my heart without injury, and I both shudder and burn? I shudder inasmuch as I am unlike it; and I burn inasmuch as I am like it. It is Wisdom itself that shines through me, clearing my cloudiness, which again overwhelms me, fainting from it, in the darkness and amount of my punishment. For my strength is brought down in need, 1 so that I cannot endure my blessings, until Thou, O Lord, who hast been gracious to all mine iniquities, heal also all mine infirmities; because Thou shalt also redeem my life from corruption, and crown me with Thy loving-kindness and mercy, and shalt satisfy my desire with good things, because my youth shall be renewed like the eagle's. 2 For by hope we are saved; and through patience we await Thy promises. 3 Let him that is able hear Thee discoursing within. I will with confidence cry out from Thy oracle, How wonderful are Thy works, O Lord, in Wisdom hast Thou made them all. 4 And this Wisdom is the Beginning, and in that Beginning hast Thou made heaven and earth.
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Confessiones (PL)
CAPUT IX. Quomodo Verbum Dei loquatur cordi.
11. In hoc Principio, Deus, fecisti coelum et terram, in Verbo tuo, in Filio tuo, in Virtute tua, in Sapientia tua, in Veritate tua, miro modo dicens, et miro modo faciens. Quis comprehendet? quis enarrabit? Quid est illud quod interlucet mihi, et percutit cor meum sine laesione; et inhorresco, et inardesco? Inhorresco in quantum dissimilis ei sum; inardesco in quantum similis ei sum. Sapientia ipsa est, quae interlucet mihi, discindens nubilum meum, quod me rursus [Col. 0814] cooperit deficientem ab ea, caligine atque aggere poenarum mearum; quoniam sic infirmatus est in egestate vigor meus 1, ut non sufferam bonum meum, donec tu, Domine, qui propitius factus es omnibus iniquitatibus meis, etiam sanes omnes languores meos; quia et redimes de corruptione vitam meam, et eoronabis me in miseratione et misericordia, et satiabis in bonis desiderium meum; quoniam renovabitur juventus mea sicut aquilae 2. Spe enim salvi facti sumus, et promissa tua per patientiam exspectamus 3. Audiat te intus sermocinantem qui potest; ego fidenter ex oraculo tuo clamabo: Quam magnificata sunt opera tua, Domine, omnia in Sapientia fecisti 4! et illa Principium, et in eo Principio fecisti coelum et terram.