Svatý Ambrož citáty

„Nenávist je vynalézavější než láska.“

„Přátelství nemá být celním úřadem na vybírání povinných dávek, ale zdrojem radosti a krášlení života.“

„Kdo v slunci chodí, stín ho následuje.“

„Zajisté se nerodíme ani s oděvem, ani se zlatem a stříbrem. Nazí na svět přicházíme, a nahé nás opět přijímá země.“

„Země byla stvořena pro všecky, pro bohaté i pro chudé. Proč si tedy, boháči, děláte právo na pozemky? […] Rozdáváš-li chudým, nerozdáváš dary, jen jim vracíš, co jsi jim dlužen. Všem bylo dáno, nad čím si osobuješ právo ty. Země patří všem, nejen boháčům.“

„Víra v Krista je stále nevěsta a stále neprovdaná.“

„Nikdo neposlouchá lépe nežli ten, kdo poslouchá z lásky.“

“When I am here I do not fast on Saturday; but when I am at Rome I do”

“If you are at Rome, live in the Roman style; if you are elsewhere, live as they live there.”
Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more; Si fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi.

“How far, O rich, do you extend your senseless avarice? Do you intend to be the sole inhabitants of the earth? Why do you drive out the fellow sharers of nature, and claim it all for yourselves? The earth was made for all, rich and poor, in common. Why do you rich claim it as your exclusive right? The soil was given to the rich and poor in common—wherefore, oh, ye rich, do you unjustly claim it for yourselves alone? Nature gave all things in common for the use of all; usurpation created private rights. Property hath no rights. The earth is the Lord's, and we are his offspring. The pagans hold earth as property. They do blaspheme God.”

“Accordingly, death is a harbor of peace for the just, but is believed a shipwreck for the wicked.”

“It is not death therefore that is burdensome, but the fear of death.”

“Formerly a lamb was offered, a calf was offered. Christ is offered today…and he offers himself as priest in order that he may remit our sins: here in image, there in truth where, as our advocate, he intercedes for us before the Father.”
Ante agnus offerebatur, offerebatur et vitulus, nunc Christus offertur...et offert se ipse quasi sacerdos, ut peccata nostra dimittat. Hic in imagine, ibi in veritate, ubi apud Patrem pro nobis quasi advocatus intervenit.

“Neither angel, nor archangel, nor yet even the Lord Himself (who alone can say "I am with you"), can, when we have sinned, release us, unless we bring repentance with us.”

“But it is not only of the space in the Church which we ought to be jealous, but also of the interiors of the house of God in us, so that it might not become a house of merchandise, or a den of robbers.”
Sed non solum locum Ecclesiae zelare debemus, sed hanc quoque interiorem in nobis domum Dei; ne sit domus negotiationis, aut spelunca latronum.

“And what else did John have in mind but what is virtuous, so that he could not endure a wicked union even in the king's case, saying: "It is not lawful for thee to have her to wife." He could have been silent, had he not thought it unseemly for himself not to speak the truth for fear of death, or to make the prophetic office yield to the king, or to indulge in flattery. He knew well that he would die as he was against the king, but he preferred virtue to safety. Yet what is more expedient than the suffering which brought glory to the saint.”
Quid autem aliud Ioannes nisi honestatem consideravit? ut inhonestas nuptias etiam in rege non posset perpeti, dicens: Non licet tibi illam uxorem habere. Potuit tacere, nisi indecorum sibi iudicasset mortis metu verum non dicere, inclinare regi propheticam auctoritatem, adulationem subtexere. Sciebat utique moriturum se esse, quia regi adversabatur: sed honestatem saluti praetulit. Et tamen quid utilius quam quod passionis viro sancto advexit gloriam?