Augustine, Sermon 306: The error is to seek happiness where it is not.
2. 3. Omnis autem homo, qualiscumque sit, beatus vult esse. Hoc nemo est qui non velit, atque ita velit, ut prae caeteris velit; imo quicumque vult caetera, propter hoc unum velit.
2. 3 Every man, whoever he may be, wants to be happy (beatus). There is no one who does not want this and who does not want it above all other things; and even, he who wants something else, wants it only because of this one and only thing [being happy].
3. 3. Diversis cupiditatibus homines rapiuntur, et alius cupit hoc, alius illud: diversa genera sunt vivendi, in genere humano; et in multitudine generum vivendi alius aliud elegit et capessit: nemo est tamen quocumque genere vitae electo, qui non beatam vitam cupiat.
3. 3 Men are seized by different desires (cupiditatibus), one desires this, the other that: there are different ways of living in the human race and in the multitude of different ways of living each one chooses and seizes something else: however, there is no one, whatever kind of life he has chosen, who does not desire a happy life.
Beata ergo vita, omnium est communis possessio: sed qua veniatur ad eam, qua tendatur, quo itinere tento perveniatur, inde controversia est. Ac per hoc si quaeramus beatam vitam in terris, nescio utrum invenire possimus: non quia malum est quod quaerimus, sed quia non in loco suo quaerimus.
So, a happy life is a good shared by all: but how we get there, what we have to strive for, how we try to get there, that’s where we differ. That’s why, if we look for the happy life in earthly realities, I don’t know if we can find it there: not because we’re looking for something evil (malum), but because we’re not looking for it where it is (in loco suo).
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8. 7. Quid est, fratres? Cum quaererem utrum velletis vivere, omnes respondebatis velle vos; utrum velletis sani esse, omnes respondebatis velle vos. Sed sanitas et vita si timetur ne finiatur, iam non est vita. Non est enim semper vivere, sed semper timere. Si semper timere, semper cruciari. Si cruciatus sempiternus, ubi vita aeterna? Tenemus certe non esse beatam, nisi vitam aeternam; imo non esse beatam, nisi vitam: quia si non aeterna, et si non cum satietate perpetua, procul dubio nec beata, nec vita.
8. 7. What is it, brothers? When I asked you if you wanted to live, you all answered that you wanted to; [when I asked you] if you wanted to be healthy, you all answered that you wanted to. But if we fear that health and life will come to an end, that is no longer life: it is not, in fact, always living, but always fearing. To always fear is to always be tormented. If torment is eternal, where is eternal life? We take it for granted that a life is not happy, if it is not eternal; in fact, if it is not happy, it is not a life: since if it is not eternal and perpetually fulfilled, it is undoubtedly neither happy nor a life.
Invenimus, omnes consentiunt. Invenimus plane in cogitatione, nondum in possessione. Haec est possessio quam omnes quaerunt: nemo est qui non quaerat. Malus sit, bonus sit, ipsam quaerit: sed bonus fidenter, malus impudenter. Quid quaeris bonum, male? Nonne tibi respondet ipsa postulatio tua, quam sis improbus, cum quaeris bonum malus? Nonne rem quaeris alienam? Si ergo summum bonum quaeris, hoc est, vitam; bonus esto, ut ad bonum pervenias. Si vis venire ad vitam, serva mandata.
We’ve found it, everyone agrees. We’ve found it all, in reflection, but not yet in possession. It is possession [of this eternally happy life] that all seek: there is no one who does not seek it. Whether it be the wicked or the good, they seek the same thing: but the good with confidence, the wicked with impudence. O wicked one, why do you seek the good? Is not your very request the answer, that you are wicked, when by being wicked you seek the good? Do you not seek what belongs to others? If, then, you seek the highest good, that is life; so be good, so that you may attain it. If you want to attain life, then keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17).
Cum autem pervenerimus ad vitam, quid addam aeternam? quid addam beatam? semel vitam, quia ipsa est vita, quae et aeterna et beata: cum pervenerimus ad vitam, certum nobis erit in ea nos semper futuros. Nam si erimus ibi, et utrum ibi semper futuri simus, incerti erimus; etiam ibi erit timor. Et si erit timor, cruciatus erit, non carnis, sed, quod peius est, cordis. Ubi autem cruciatus, quae beatitudo? Erit ergo nobis certum quia in illa vita semper erimus, et eam finire non poterimus: quia in illius regno erimus, de quo dictum est: Et regni eius non erit finis.
When, however, we have reached life, why should I add eternal? Why should I add happy? There is only one life, since life itself is eternal and happy. Once we’ve reached life, it’s certain that we’ll always be there. Indeed, if we were there and were uncertain of being there forever, then there would be fear. And if there is fear, then there is torment, not a torment of the body, but even worse, a torment of the heart. But where there is torment, what happiness? It will be assured for us that in that life we will be there forever, and that we will not be able to end it: for we will be in the reign of him of whom it was said: “And his reign will have no end.” (Luke 1:33)