Sacramentum Caritatis - Latin, Italian, English, side by side by side- well sort of

After reading Father Z’s comments about the translation of “aequum est” Puff decided to try and compare first few sections of the Latin, Italian and English versions of the Sacramentum Caritatis to see if there were any further large discrepancies. Here’s a few things that jumped out at us. We have given all three versions below, for you compare. We have bolded the parts in all three about which we will comment below. Warning this is a long one.

EXORDIUM
1. Sacramentum caritatis (1), Sanctissima Eucaristia donum est Iesu Christi se ipsum tradentis, qui Dei infinitum nobis patefacit in singulos homines amorem. Hoc in mirabili Sacramento « maior » manifestatur amor is, qui efficit « ut animam suam quis ponat pro amicis suis » (Io 15,13). Iesus enim « in finem dilexit eos » (Io 13,1). Verbis his infinitae actum humilitatis exhibet Evangelista quem Ille patravit: antequam in cruce pro nobis moriatur, praecingens se linteo, suorum discipulorum pedes lavat. Eodem quidem modo in eucharistico Sacramento Iesus « in finem », usque scilicet ad corpus sanguinemque tradendum, diligere nos pergit. Qui stupor pro illis factis Dominique verbis Apostolorum inter cenandum invasit corda! Quam admirationem in cordibus nostris concitare debet eucharisticum Mysterium!

INTRODUZIONE
1. Sacramento della carità (1), la Santissima Eucaristia è il dono che Gesù Cristo fa di se stesso, rivelandoci l'amore infinito di Dio per ogni uomo. In questo mirabile Sacramento si manifesta l'amore « più grande », quello che spinge a « dare la vita per i propri amici » (Gv 15,13). Gesù, infatti, « li amò fino alla fine » (Gv 13,1). Con questa espressione, l'Evangelista introduce il gesto di infinita umiltà da Lui compiuto: prima di morire sulla croce per noi, messosi un asciugatoio attorno ai fianchi, Egli lava i piedi ai suoi discepoli. Allo stesso modo, Gesù nel Sacramento eucaristico continua ad amarci « fino alla fine », fino al dono del suo corpo e del suo sangue. Quale stupore deve aver preso il cuore degli Apostoli di fronte ai gesti e alle parole del Signore durante quella Cena! Quale meraviglia deve suscitare anche nel nostro cuore il Mistero eucaristico!

INTRODUCTION
1. The sacrament of charity (1), the Holy Eucharist is the gift that Jesus Christ makes of himself, thus revealing to us God's infinite love for every man (and woman). This wondrous Sacrament makes manifest that "greater" love which led him to "lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13). Jesus did indeed love them "to the end" (Jn 13:1). In those words the Evangelist introduces Christ's act of immense humility: before dying for us on the Cross, he tied a towel around himself and washed the feet of his disciples. In the same way, Jesus continues, in the sacrament of the Eucharist, to love us "to the end," even to offering us his body and his blood. What amazement must the Apostles have felt in witnessing what the Lord did and said during that Supper! What wonder must the Eucharistic mystery also awaken in our own hearts!

The first difference is in the translation of the Latin “Sanctissima”. The Italian correctly translates this into “Santissima” (and to be fair, how hard was that?), which the direct English should be “Most Holy”, as opposed to just “Holy”. You may make as much or as little of this as you wish, I would only note at this time that this is a de-emphasis.

Singulos Homines is translated correctly as “every man”, but the translator immediately follows with “and women” parenthetically. The translator(s) do(es) this consistently throughout, as has become common in English. Puff finds that annoying. Bear stopped caring at some point in the nineties.

Next comes “efficit,” which in Italian is rendered “spinge” and in English “led.” “Efficit” translates most literally as “brings to pass”. Spinge is a forceful Italian term meaning to give courage, urging, pushing foward. The English “led” is a rather weak term in comparison, almost passive.

“Stupor”, “stupore” and “amazement” are all highlighted because of the connotative meaning Puff noted in the Italian. “Stupore” could amazement, but it is more forceful than the English term given here by the translators. It is more in keeping with stupefied, so amazing as to take one’s breath is taken away, with a sense of shock. Similarly, “Admirationem” and “meraviglia” are again much more forceful terms than “wonder”. Further, given the context of the English, wonder could be taken in the sense of “questioning”, as opposed to awe. The (Most) Holy Eucharist inspires questions, or awe?

Veritatis alimonia
2. In altaris Sacramento, Dominus obviam se dat homini, ad imaginem ac similitudinem Dei creato (cfr Gn 1,27), itineris comitem se praebens. Hoc enim sacramento cibus fit Dominus hominis, veritatem libertatemque appetentis. Una quandoquidem veritas nos liberos revera reddit (cfr Io 8,36), Christus fit pro nobis Veritatis cibus. Cum hominis naturam plane perspiceret sanctus Agustinus, collustravit quemadmodum sua sponte, non vi, moveretur homo, cum coram illa re esset, eum alliciente ac desiderium in eo concitante. Cum tunc quaerat, quid sit quod ex intimo hominem tandem moveat, sanctus Episcopus effatur: « Quid enim fortius desiderat anima nisi veritatem? ».(2) Omnis enim homo indelebile veritatis desiderium, ipsumque ultimum ac consummatum secum fert. Quapropter Dominus Iesus, « via et veritas et vita » (Io 14,6), hominis cordi anhelanti, qui peregrinum sitientem se esse animadvertit, cordi videlicet vitae fontem appetenti, cordi Veritatem mendicanti se praebet. Iesus Christus namque Veritas est quae Persona facta est, quae mundum ad se trahit. « Iesus humanae libertatis est polus: absque eo sua ille de via decidit, quoniam sine veritatis cognitione libertas naturam amittit, se segregat atque inane fit arbitrium. Cum Eo libertas se ipsa reperit ».(3) In eucharistiae sacramento amoris veritatem se nobis potissimum ostendit Iesus, qui ipsa est Dei
essentia. Haec est evangelica veritas quae omnes homines integrumque hominem complectitur. Idcirco Ecclesia, quae in Eucharistia suum reperit vitale centrum, cunctis « opportune, importune » (2 Tim 4,2) Deum amorem esse nuntiare usque studet.(4) Eo quod nobis Veritatis cibus Christus factus est, homini obviam fit Ecclesia, eum ad libere Dei donum suscipiendum invitatura.

Il cibo della verità
2. Nel Sacramento dell'altare, il Signore
viene incontro all'uomo, creato ad immagine e somiglianza di Dio (cfr Gn 1,27),
facendosi suo compagno di viaggio. In questo Sacramento, infatti, il Signore si fa cibo per l'uomo affamato di verità e di libertà. Poiché solo la verità può renderci liberi davvero (cfr Gv 8,36), Cristo si fa per noi cibo di Verità. Con acuta conoscenza della realtà umana, sant'Agostino ha messo in evidenza come l'uomo si muova spontaneamente, e non per costrizione, quando si trova in relazione con ciò che lo attrae e suscita in lui desiderio. Domandandosi, allora, che cosa possa ultimamente muovere l'uomo nell'intimo, il santo Vescovo esclama: « Che cosa desidera l'anima più ardentemente della verità? » (2). Ogni uomo, infatti, porta in sé l'insopprimibile desiderio della verità, ultima e definitiva. Per questo, il Signore Gesù, « via, verità e vita » (Gv 14,6), si rivolge al cuore anelante dell'uomo, che si sente pellegrino e assetato, al cuore che sospira verso la fonte della vita, al cuore mendicante della Verità. Gesù Cristo, infatti, è la Verità fatta Persona, che attira a sé il mondo. « Gesù è la stella polare della libertà umana: senza di Lui essa perde il suo orientamento, poiché senza la conoscenza della verità la libertà si snatura,si isola e si riduce a sterile arbitrio. Con Lui, la libertà si ritrova ».(3) Nel sacramento dell'Eucaristia Gesù ci mostra in particolare la verità dell'amore, che è la stessa essenza di Dio. È questa verità evangelica che interessa ogni uomo e tutto l'uomo. Per questo la Chiesa, che trova
nell'Eucaristia il suo centro vitale, si impegna costantemente ad annunciare a tutti, opportune importune (cfr 2 Tm 4,2), che Dio è amore.(4) Proprio perché Cristo si è fatto per noi cibo di Verità, la Chiesa si rivolge all'uomo, invitandolo ad accogliere liberamente il dono di Dio.

The food of truth
2. In the sacrament of the altar, the Lord meets us, men and women created in God's image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:27), and becomes our companion along the way. In this sacrament, the Lord truly becomes food for us, to satisfy our hunger for truth and freedom. Since only the truth can make us free (cf. Jn 8:32), Christ becomes for us the food of truth. With deep human insight, Saint Augustine clearly showed how we are moved spontaneously, and not by constraint, whenever we encounter something attractive and desirable. Asking himself what it is that can move us most deeply, the saintly Bishop went on to say: "What does our soul desire more passionately than truth?" (2) Each of us has an innate and irrepressible desire for ultimate and definitive truth. The Lord Jesus, "the way, and the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6), speaks to our
thirsting, pilgrim hearts, our hearts yearning for the source of life, our hearts longing for truth. Jesus Christ is the Truth in person, drawing the world to himself. "Jesus is the lodestar of human freedom: without him, freedom loses its focus, for without the knowledge of truth, freedom becomes debased, alienated and reduced to empty caprice. With him, freedom finds itself." (3) In the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus shows us in particular the truth about the love which is the very essence of God. It is this evangelical truth which challenges each of us and our whole being. For this reason, the Church, which finds in the Eucharist the very centre of her life, is constantly concerned to proclaim to all, opportune importune (cf. 2 Tim 4:2), that God is love.(4) Precisely because Christ has become for us the food of truth, the Church turns to every man and woman, inviting them freely to accept God's gift.

Next, “fit” “si fa” and “becomes” display a shift from dynamic to passive. “Si fa” is third person reflexive meaning “makes himself”. “Fit” also carries the sense of “made” or “make”. “Becomes” is, again, less active and more passive. This is done twice in close succession, so at least there is consistency.

“Mendicanti” and “mendicante” (gosh those Italian translators had it tough!) both carry the meaning of “begging” or “pleading”, which is an action. The English “longing” is a passive feeling.

“Via” is literally “way” or “road”. “Orientamento” means orientation, direction. In the larger context both these versions are about losing one’s way, one’s path, one’s direction and so on. The English “focus” is, again, passive. It refers to one’s point of view, rather than one’s active path. The other versions are about doing something. The English is a mere state of being. On the other hand, this is part of a quotation, so the English may may used an earlier translation.

“Alienated and reduced to an empty caprice” is actually a fair bit of translating. In the spirit of fairness I wanted to point out something I liked in addition to what I regard as possible errors.

“Suscipiendum” comes from the verb “to take, to receive, to undergo”. “Accogliere” means gather up, but not to be confused with the word for harvest or reap. The English “accept” is passive, which is one of the possible meanings of the Latin, but an active sense could have been adopted here as well.

So far, from what we have yet seen, there are no heinous mistranslations, but a persistent effort at changing activity into passivity, and a de-emphasis where the original calls for force. But this is just the introduction. To say whether or not things improved or did not would require more careful study. However, this pattern can also be found in the translations of the Mass by ICEL, but that is another matter. Does anyone know who did the translating of the exhortation?

Puff would also like to know, what’s the difference between a Motu Proprio and an Exhortation, and what force does an Exhortation have? Are priests free to ignore what has been written?