The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-09-23
just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or Ineonsidsrsis

Recently we came upon new TdhSlatlon,--
or at any rate a translation new to us,-of the
well known oratorica eulogy of Lacordaire upon
the holy priesthood. II is worth repeating here.
To live in the world without wishing its
pleasures;
TO be of each home while belonging to
n0ne
To share all sorrows; to sound all secrets;
TO solace every pain;
To 90 daily to God with mans homage and
pleading,
To come from God daily with pardon and
hope
To be bronze for chastity; to be on fire
with charity;
To counsel and guide, to forgive and con
sole to bless always and ever to be
blessed;
Dear God, Wnat WondrOus life is TINS!
And it Is thine, o Priest of Jesus Christi
This version of the old familiar Lacordairean
"squb" may be called paraphrase rather than
strict translation Yet it misses point Of the
original and says it's say compacty and in readily
ineligible English The older version with its cry,
MY God what lfe!" is as likely 20 stir rsibility
as to arouse reverence The French mon Dieu does
not ordinarily call for literal translation. 1T usually
has the force of Dear Lord, and sometimes merely
of good gracious!'
Not one priest in ten comes to his day of
dination or first holy Mass without receiving
framed Cor framabie) copy OF Hbacordaire the
Priesthood" usually embellished with handpainted
posies and SET out in noble Gothic type. Sometimes
eve have with our eyes instance of this)
the printer gets mixed up is furnished with
faulty copy, and up crops phrase like this: ITO
have heart of bronze for charity" And this is
scarcely praiseful comment.
friend who likes to putter about such things,
has several versions of his own mot one with
formal ecclesiastical approbaton) of the Prayer
for Peace taken from the Raccolta. In its Latin
FORM this prayer says much In Few words. The
usual English version found in our prayer-books
has to multiply words to get in all the points. This
is thing unavoidable for Latin is language far
more capable of compactness and concentrated ex
preston than is own noble speech
Hilaire Belloc says that Cranmer had a special
gift of putting into neat and dignifed English
the prayers of the missal Cranmer had other
discernible literary talent for his longer writings
are turgid and lack distinguished style But his
ability to take short Latin prayer and turn 1t
into English wholly worthy of the original, Gran
mer indubitably possessed II is regrettable that
such talent is unavailable for the translation of
the Prayer for Peace,
Well our busly translating friend has done
several paraphraSes OF the prayer in question. We
shall with his leave, present these here. But be
advised: these not approved versions of the
prayer and none of them may be Justly substituted
for the authorized forms found in our prayerbooks.
This is merely private report of a private enter,
prise.
Here, then, are four attempts to say in com
pressed. yet readable English all that the Latin
prayer says in its crisp and competent phrases:
l. 20 God Source of wise eounsels and good
deeds give to Thy servants that peace which
the world cannot give that, faithful to Thy
commandments and free from fear of foes,
they may, in Thy care, live out their days in
peace Through Christ Our Lord Amen" !"
T. 20 God. from Whom come righteous guild
ance and Just works give TO Thy servants
that peace which the world cannot bestow,
SO that they, under Thy protection. may have
peaceful days. ever Steadfast in Thy service
and free from hostile threats, Through Christ
Our Lord. Amen"
g. 20 God, from Whom are safe guidance and
good works grant to Thy servants the peace
that is not of this world that Steadfast
and unafraid, they may serve Thee through
tranquil times. Through Christ Our Lord
Amen"
4 Author of wise direction and good works
grant o God To Thy servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that with frn
fidelity, in in safety from threatening foes
they may render Thee service through un
troubled years Through Christ Our Lord
Amen"
The author of these versions of the Prayer fol
Peace admits their defects He is not satisfied witt
them although he holds that they are, in eacl
case, notable improvement upon the more com
mon and approved lranslat0nS. He is determined
to 60 on with his work; perhaps he will turn on
forty versions instead of four. But he hopes a
last 10 strike one that will roll with the prope
rhythm and express all The points ni the Latin
original with fidelity and grace.