de civitate dei, book X, chapter v, lost in the pronouns

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hlawson38
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de civitate dei, book X, chapter v, lost in the pronouns

Post by hlawson38 »

Context: Augustine explains that Christian ritual performs "outward signs of inward grace," to use the words familiar to me. He quotes the Psalmist, speaking to God: "If You had wanted sacrifices, I would have performed them; [but] You don't want burnt offerings [of dead animals]. The [proper] sacrifice to God [is] a humbled spirit; God will not disregard a humble and contrite heart." Then Augustine moves on to a commentary on the Psalmist's text, just translated.

Quotation: Intueamur quem ad modum, ubi Deum dixit nolle sacrificium, ibi Deum ostendit uelle sacrificium. Non uult ergo sacrificium trucidati pecoris, et uult sacrificium contriti cordis. Illo igitur quod eum nolle dixit, hoc significatur, quod eum uelle subiecit.

(The last sentence is the troublesome one: Illo igitur quod eum nolle dixit, hoc significatur, quod eum uelle subiecit. )

Translation: Let's examine how, where he [the Psalmist] says God does not want sacrifice, there also he shows that God does want sacrifice. Hence God does not want the sacrifice of butchered livestock, but God does want the sacrifice of a contrite heart. By that therefore which the Psalmist says God does not want, the Psalmist adds further down [subiecit], this thing [hoc] is signified, what God does want.

The troublesome sentence presents Augustine speaking; but Augustine is reporting what the Psamlist says about God. So we have three voices: Augustine, Augustine's report of the Psalmists word's, and the Psalmists representation of what God wants. I'm unsure that I have illo and hoc properly translated.
Hugh Lawson

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