tores suavem, ad interrogandos prudentem, ad instruendos peritum. Tribue, quæso, ad retrahendos a malo solertiam, ad confirmandos in bono sedulitatem, ad promovendos ad meliora industriam : in responsis maturitatem, in consiliis rectitudinem, in obscuris lumen, in implexis sagacitatem, in arduis victoriam; inutilibus colloquiis ne detinear, pravis ne contaminer; alios salvem, meipsum non perdam. Amen.
TRANSLATION.
Grant me, O Lord, I beseech Thee, Wisdom, who sitteth at the right hand of Thy throne; that I may know how to judge Thy people with justice and Thy poor with judgment. Teach me so to handle the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that I may open to none to whom Thou dost close, and close to none to whom Thou dost open. Let my intention be pure, my zeal upright, my charity patient, my labour fruitful. Suffer not in me either a leniency which is lax or a severity which is harsh ; let me never despise the poor, or flatter the rich. Make me sweet to entice sinners into the path of virtue, prudent to interrogate, skilful to instruct. Give me, I beseech Thee, heavenly craft to draw sinners from perdition, constancy to strengthen them in good, zeal to lead them on to perfection; give me, too, judgment in my decisions, uprightness in my advice, light in what is dark, sagacity in what is perplexed, success in what is difficult. Let me not waste time in useless conversations, and let me not be soiled by base. Enable me to save the souls of others and not lose my own.
Amen.
