| Fas et nefas ambulant |
Right and wrong walk |
Right and wrong go hand in hand, |
| pene passu pari; |
almost in stride; |
close together walking; |
| prodigus non redimit |
the spendthrift cannot redeem |
Too much spending can't make up |
| vitium avari; |
the vice of the greedy. |
for a miser's balking: |
| virtus temperantia |
Virtue is temperance; |
Virtue walks a careful liine |
| quadam singulari |
the individual |
through mundane and shocking, |
| debet medium |
should keep to the middle, |
Balance must display, |
| ad utrumque vitium |
to both vices |
Keeping to the narrow way |
| caute contemplari. |
giving careful consideration. |
and not so much as rocking. |
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| Si legisse memoras |
You will recall reading |
Cato's Ethics say it plain; |
| ethicam Catonis, |
inﾂCato・E・EsﾂEthics |
surely you remember |
| in qua scriptum legitur: |
where it reads: |
Reading where he wrote the words: |
| ﾂｫambula cum bonisﾂｻ, |
・E・EWalk with the good・E・E, |
"Walk with goodness ever." |
| cum ad dandi gloriam |
so if you want to receive glory for your giving, |
To be known as generous, |
| animum disponis, |
govern your feelings; |
don't become a spender; |
| supra cetera |
above all else, |
Pause and well perceive: |
| primum hoc considera, |
first consider |
Who's deserving to receive |
| quis sit dignus donis. |
who is worthy of your gifts. |
the things that you surrender? |
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| Vultu licet hilari, |
A smiling countenance |
Everybody give a smile; |
| verbo licet blando |
and a soothing word |
speak to others sweetly, |
| sis equalis omnibus; |
the same to all・E・E |
All the same, but still obey |
| unum tamen mando: |
however, I give you one command: |
one command completely: |
| si vis recte gloriam |
if you want to win glory |
To win credit for your gifts, |
| promereri dando, |
from giving, |
give them all discreetly; |
| primum videas |
first see |
Take your own behalf. |
| granum inter paleas, |
the wheat among the chaff, |
See the grain among the chaff, |
| cui des et quando. |
whom to give to and when. |
and make your choices neatly. |
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| Dare non ut convenit |
To give without benefiting |
Giving with no benefit, |
| non est a virtute, |
is not a virtue; |
giving not astutely, |
| bonum est secundum quid, |
the nature of goodness |
Is a virtue on its skin |
| sed non absolute; |
is not absolute. |
but not absolutely. |
| digne dare poteris |
You are able to give worthily, |
To be famed for charity, |
| et mereri tute |
and you deserve |
make it first your duty: |
| famam muneris, |
fame for your service, |
Learn what I'm about. |
| si me prius noveris |
if you first know me |
Know me in and know me out, |
| intus et in cute. |
both inside and outside my skin. |
and know me most astutely. |
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| Si prudenter triticum |
If wisely the wheat |
If you sift the grain and chaff, |
| paleis emundas, |
from the chaff you sort, |
more adept than any, |
| famam emis munere; |
you will buy fame for your service; |
Fame you buy, so give your gifts, |
| sed caveto, dum das, |
but beware, when you give: |
but take care how many. |
| largitatis oleum |
Too generously the oil |
Pour the oil out sparingly, |
| male non effundas. |
do not pour out badly. |
willing, but not spent free. |
| In te glorior: |
I glory in you: |
In your praise I sing: |
| cum sim Codro Codrior, |
I am more Codrus-like thanﾂCodrusﾂis, |
I am Codrus, Athen's king, |
| omnibus habundas. |
overflowing with all things. |
and everyone has plenty. |
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| Walter of Chﾃ｢tillon |
Carol Anne Perry Lagemann |
Carol Anne Perry Lagemann |