Cap. L
DE FRATRIBUS QUI LONGE AB ORATORIO LABORANT AUT IN VIA SUNT

[Ms P, fol. 134v – Paulus Diaconus –
Ps.-Basil: Ms K¹, fol. 140v; Ms E¹, fol. 152v; Ms. E², fol. 231v]

Ch. 50
CONCERNING BROTHER WHO WORK FAR FROM THE ORATORY OR WHO ARE ON A JOURNEY

Translated by: Corinna Prior

₁Fratres, qui omnino longe sunt in labore et non possunt occurrere hora competenti ad oratorium, ₂et abbas hoc perpendit, quia ita est, ₃agant ibidem opus Dei, ubi operantur, cum tremore divino flectentes genua. ₄Similiter qui in itinere directi sunt, non eos praetereant horae constitutae, sed ut possunt, agant ibi¹ et servitutis pensum non negligant reddere.

₁Let brothers who work far away and who are unable to return to the oratory at the appointed hour—₂the abbot deciding that this is the case—₃perform the office (opus Dei) there where they work, bending their knees with divine trembling. ₄Likewise those who have been sent on a journey may not miss the appointed hour, but rather let them perform it there as they are able and not neglect to render the task of servitude.

Superius enim dixit, orationes peculiares debere fieri; adhuc in eadem intentione perseverat, cum hoc capitulum subjunxit, in quo de oratione dicit; nam ait: Fratres qui omnino longe ab oratorio laborant et reliq.

For he says above that specific prayers ought to be made; thus he persists in the same thought when he added this chapter in which he speaks about prayer; for he says: Let brothers who work far away from the oratory and so on.

Quod autem dicit hora competenti, i. e. apta. Perpendit, i. e. intelligit.

Moreover, when Benedict says, at the appointed hour, he means 'at the proper hour'. When he says, (the abbot) decides, he means 'he understands'.

Agant ibidem etc.; ita in opere debent fratres agere tertiam et reliq. sicuti in monasterio.

When he says, let them perform (the office) there etc., thus the brothers ought to perform Terce in their work and so on, just as in the monastery.

Similiter et eos, qui in via sunt et reliq. Iste locus varie intelligitur a quibusdam. Sunt enim alii, qui intelligunt, ut, sicut in oratorio, ita etiam in via agere debent, propterea, quia dicit similiter. Et iterum sunt alii qui intelligunt, ut non ita debeant agere, sicut in monasterio, quia non dixit ut possint, sed: (sic) ut possunt; ut possunt, i. e. sicut possunt.

The sentence, likewise also those who are sent on a journey and so on, is understood differently by certain people. For there are some who understand that they ought to perform (the office) on a journey just as they would in the oratory because Benedict says likewise. And again there are others who understand that they ought not to perform (the office) just as they would in the monastery, since he did not say 'that they should be able', but: just as (ut) they are able, that is, 'just as (sicut) they are able'.

Quamvis sensum proprium S. Benedicti proprie nesciamus, tamen melius est, ut, si possunt, qui equitant, in terram descendant, et officium suum flectentes genua faciant.

Although we do not know exactly the particular meaning of saint Benedict, still it is better that if those who ride on horseback are able, that they dismount to the ground and bending their knees perform their office.

Praetereant horae constitutae, i. e. non debent illos praeterire illae horae suo tempore, si possunt; nam si necessitas cogit, faciant, ut possunt.

Let them not¹ miss the appointed hour, that is they ought not to miss the appointed hour on their own time if they are able to perform it; for if necessity compels them, they may do just as they are able.²