Letter 10017: Ad Sigoaldum comitem, quod pauperes pro rege paverit

17. To Count Sigoald, because he fed the poor on the king's behalf. By noble deeds the shining heralds of praise gleam forth: let your praise, O Christ, resound whenever anyone performs good works. Therefore do you, O Most High, dispose the race of men to be pleasing, for unless you grant it, no one accomplishes anything prosperous. By chance one is generous to the rich and sparing to the needy; yet the rich man may redeem himself when the needy man is cherished. Sweetly are these the holy exchanges of your kingdom: while the needy man takes food, he increases the wealth of the rich. The poor man, full in belly, satisfies the powerful man with a reward: he takes little on earth, he prepares ample things in heaven. The needy man bestows more upon the rich than the rich man upon the needy: he gives food that is to perish, he receives the riches of God, giving a coin to the earth as one who will send a talent to the stars, that from small grains a tall crop may rise. Let them give, let them cast, let them scatter, let them entrust their seeds to Christ; let them not here hesitate to give those things that remain to be returned. Give: thus Christ will be your treasurer from it; supply to the poor whatever Christ has to repay, animated by this resource and demanding better things from the Thunderer, with faith that does not doubt that God will grant these things. For the flourishing welfare of King Childebert, that he may rise upon the throne, he who was exalted by his forefather, that hence the young man may grow stronger with his vigorous years, and as his great-grandfather flourished, so may the grandson be in the world. Therefore his servant Sigoald, faithful in love, distributed to the poor, that the king's eminence might stand forth. Hence, proceeding to the venerable threshold of Martin, while he himself begs the help of his lord, and while the king, governing there, labors for the realm, he does this, that the saint may aid him with his prayers. Then, going forth to keep the sacred feasts, he himself provided a banquet to the poor of Christ. The dispensed sustenance gives pleasure throughout the ranks of Christ, and the people are fed whom God cherishes in his citadel. A very great throng of blind men is refreshed, for whom in their darkness God is light and the way. Hence the lame man is nourished, whom Christ sets in order, and who, hanging in dependence, fulfills the work of his lord. Who could recount and name in order so many diseases, which his care, meeting them alike, relieves? Therefore, feeding the thousands that gather together in crowds, he pays out that he may possess, and the king too may govern all things. Saluting you from here, O Count Sigoald, I, Fortunatus, pray that you may give better things by the king's help.

XVII Ad Sigoaldum comitem, quod pauperes pro rege paverit Actibus egregiis praeconia fulgida fulgent: laus tua, Christe, sonet, dum bona quisque gerit. unde genus hominum placeat tu, summe, ministra, nam nisi tu dederis, prospera nullus agit. divitibus largus forte hinc et parcus egenis, se ut redimat dives quando fovetur egens. dulciter ista tui pia sunt commercia regni: dum escam sumit egens, divitis auget opes. pauper ventre satur satiat mercede potentem: parva capit terris, praeparat ampla polis. divitibus plus praestat egens quam dives egenti: dat moritura cibi, sumit opima dei, dans terrae nummum missurus ad astra talentum, e modicis granis surgat ut alta seges. dent, iactent, spargant, commendent semina Christo, hic dare nec dubitent quae reditura manent. da: sic Christus erit tibi thesaurarius inde; praesta inopi quidquid reddere Christus habet, hac animatus ope exposcens meliora Tonantis nec dubitante fide quod deus ista dabit. pro Childebercthi regis florente salute, surgat ut in solio qui fuit altus avo, fiat ut hinc iuvenis validis robustior annis, ceu viguit proavus, sic sit in orbe nepos. ergo suus famulus Sigoaldus amore fidelis pauperibus tribuit, regis ut extet apex. hinc ad Martini venerandi limina pergens auxilium domini dum rogat ipse sui et dum illuc moderans rex pro regione laborat, ut precibus sanctus hunc iuvet, illud agit. denique procedens sacra festa tenere pauperibus Christi praebuit ipse dapem. dispensata placent alimenta per agmina Christi, pascitur et populus quem fovet arce deus. plurima caecorum refovetur turba virorum, est quibus in tenebra lux deus atque via. hinc alitur clodus quem dirigit ordine Christus quique sui domini pendulus implet opus. quis referat tantos memorare sub ordine morbos, occurrens pariter quos sua cura fovet? unde catervatim coeuntia milia pascens erogat ut habeat, rex quoque cuncta regat. te Fortunatus, comes , hinc , Sigoalde, salutans regis [ut] auxilio des meliora precor.