Gregory the Great (Wisigothic) → John, Abbot of Mount Sinai
Tradução moderna em inglês
The letter of your humility testifies to the holiness of your life, for which we give great thanks to almighty God, because we know that there are still those who can pray for our sins. For we, under the guise of ecclesiastical governance, are tossed by the waves of this world, which frequently overwhelm us; but by the protecting hand of heavenly grace we are lifted from the depths. You therefore, who lead a tranquil life in the great serenity of your quiet, and stand securely as if upon the shore, stretch out the hand of your prayer to us who are sailing, or rather shipwrecked.
Texto latino / grego
Sanctitatem vitae tuae* humilitatis tuae testatur epistola^, unde omnipotenti Deo magnas gratias agimus, quia adhuc esse cognoscimus, qui® pro peccatis nostris^ valeant exorare. Nos enim sub colore ecclesiastici regiminis mundi huius fluctibus volvimur®, qui frequenter nos' obruunt, sed caelcstis gratiae manu protegente de profundo rele- vamur. Vos ergo, qui in tanta quietis vestrae serenitate tranquillam vitam ducitis et securi quasi in litore statis, nobis navigantibus aut potius naufragantibusc^ orationis vestrae manum tendite et conantes ad tcrram viyentium pergere quantis potestis pre- cibus adiuvate^, ut non solum de vcstra vita, sed etiam de ereptione nostra mercedem in perpetuum^ habere valeatis. Sancta trinitas dilectionem tuam suae protectionis dextera protegat detque tibi^ commissum gregem^ orando, anmionendo'", exempla boni operis ostendendo in suo conspectu recte pascere, ut ad aetemae vitae pascua valeas cum ipso quem pascis grege pervenire. Scriptum quippe est: 'Oves meae'^ venient et pascua invenient' ^ Quae^ videlicet pascuai" tunc invenimus, quando huius vitae hieme carentes de aetemae vitae quasi de novi^ veris veritate' satiamur. Filio nostro Simplicio renuntiante cognovimus lectos" vel lectistemia in hiero-