King Alfred's Old English Version of St. Augustine's Soliloquies Turned into Modern English · of Hippo Augustine
BOOK I
_R._ Which, then, doth seem to thee better, the true or truth? _A._ Truth; for all that is true is so because of truth; and every thing that is chaste is so because of chastity; _and he who is wise is so because of wisdom_. _R._ _Thanks be to God that thou understandest it so well. Howbeit I would know whether thou suppose, if a wise man were dead, wisdom would be dead._ Or again, if a chaste man were dead, chastity would be dead. Or if a truthful man were dead, would truth then be dead. _A._ Nay, nay, verily; that can not come to pass. _R._ _Well dost thou understand it._ But I would know whether thou suppose that wisdom is gone, or chastity, or truth, when the man passeth away; _or whence they formerly came, or where they are, if they exist? Or whether they be corporeal, or spiritual?_ For no man doubteth that every thing that is existeth somewhere. _A._ _Very searching is thy question, and pleasant for him to know who can know it. What is wanting to him who knoweth that?_ _R._ _Canst thou recognize the righteous and the unrighteous?_ [Sidenote: 52.3--53.19] _A._ _Yea, to some extent; not, however, as I would. But I would like to know what thou formerly didst ask._ _R._ _I wonder why thou hast so completely forgotten what thou only a little before didst admit that thou knewest._ Didst thou not say before that thou knewest truth to be eternal, although the true man passed away? And now thou sayest, 'If it existeth.'
_A._ That same thing I say still. I know that it abideth, although the true man passeth away. _R._ All that is true abideth while it doth exist; _but that which thou callest truth is God. He ever was, and ever will be, immortal and eternal. God hath all knowledge in Himself sound and perfect. He hath made two eternal things, to wit, angels and men's souls, to which He gave some portion of eternal gifts, such as wisdom and righteousness, and many others which it seemeth to us too numerous to count. To angels He giveth according to their capacity, and to the souls of men He giveth gifts according to the capacity of each. These same they need never lose, for they are everlasting, and to men He giveth many and divers good gifts in this world, although they be not eternal. Howbeit they are serviceable while we are in this world. Dost thou yet understand that souls are immortal? If thou hast understood it, do not conceal it from me, but confess it. If it is otherwise, tell me then._ _A._ _Thanks be to God_ for the part I know. I will now consider this and hold it as I best can, and if I have doubts about any thing, I will promptly tell them to thee.
_R._ Believe firmly in God, and commit thyself wholly to God, and seek not too much the fulfilling of thine own will above His; but be His servant, not thine own; and confess that thou art His servant. Then He will raise thee ever nearer and nearer to himself, and will not let any adversity befall thee. Howbeit if He permit any adversity to befall thee, it will be for thy good, although thou canst not understand it. [Sidenote: 53.20--54.6] _A._ That I both hear and believe, _and this instruction I will follow as I best can_, and will pray God that I may fulfil it _as thou long ago didst instruct me; do thou now teach me, if thou wilt_. _R._ Do this for me first, and _tell me again, after thou hast studied this, what thou likest of this; and if thou doubtest aught about any of these things, then tell it to me_. _Here endeth the anthology of the first book._
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.