extirpamus enim sentos de pectore vepres, ne vitiosa necent germen vitale flagella, ne frugem segetemque animae spinosa malorum inpediat sentix scelerum peccamine crebro, glarea ne tenuis ieiunis siccet harenis marcentem sub corde fidem, ne pectoris aestus flagret et effetis urat charismata venis, denique ne iecoris detrita in parte relinquat vilis cura Deum, ne spem, qua vescimur intus, deserat obscenisque avibus permittat edendam, et proiecta fides hosti sit praeda volucri talis nostrorum sollertia centiplicatos agrorum rediget fructus, quibus acrius instat, nec metuit ne congestum populetur acervum curculio vel nigra cavis formica recondat.
For we root out the rough thorns from the heart, lest their vicious trailers kill the shoot of life and the prickly brier of hurtful wickedness choke the fruit that is the crop of the soul with many a sin, or light gravelly soil with barren sand dry up the faith and wither it in our heart, or heat burn in the breast and scorch the spiritual gifts in the exhausted flesh, or poor attention leave God where the hearts affections are worn away, and abandon the hope on which our inner nature feeds, leaving it to be eaten up by ill-boding birds, and the faith be cast away and become the prey of our winged enemy. Skill like this will bring returns an hundredfold from our lands, where it applies itself with ardour, fearing not lest weevil lay waste the gathered store or black ant stow it away in its holes.
final_alignments\Prudentius_Reply_to_Symmachus_Book2.json