Confessions, Volume I
Saint Augustine
A Modern English Rendering
First published c. 400 · Lucid Classics edition 2026
Original and Lucid edition, side by side
Pusey translation, 1838
Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and Thy wisdom infinite. And Thee would man praise; man, but a particle of Thy creation; man, that bears about him his mortality, the witness of his sin, the witness that Thou resistest the proud: yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy creation. Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee.
Grant me, Lord, to know and understand which is first, to call on Thee or to praise Thee? and, again, to know Thee or to call on Thee? for who can call on Thee, not knowing Thee? for he that knoweth Thee not, may call on Thee as other than Thou art. Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee? but how shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? or how shall they believe without a preacher? and they that seek the Lord shall praise Him: for they that seek shall find Him, and they that find shall praise Him. I will seek Thee, Lord, by calling on Thee; and will call on Thee, believing in Thee; for to us hast Thou been preached. My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.
Lucid Classics
You are great, Lord, and greatly to be praised. Your power is great, and your wisdom has no end. And yet, man wants to praise you — man, who is only a speck of your creation, who carries his own mortality with him: the proof of his sin, the proof that you resist the proud. And still he wants to praise you, this speck of your creation. You stir us to delight in your praise, for you made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.
Grant me, Lord, to know and understand: which comes first — calling on you, or praising you? And before that — knowing you, or calling on you? Who can call on you without knowing you? Someone who doesn't know you might call on you as something you're not. Or is it that we call on you precisely in order to know you? But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe without a preacher? Those who seek the Lord will praise him — for those who seek will find him, and those who find will praise him. I will seek you, Lord, by calling on you, and call on you by believing in you, for you have been preached to us. My faith calls on you, Lord — the faith you gave me, that you breathed into me through the incarnation of your Son, through the ministry of your preacher.
Pusey translation, 1838
O Thou, my hope from my youth, where wert Thou to me, and whither wert Thou gone? Hadst not Thou created me, and separated me from the beasts of the field, and fowls of the air? Thou hadst made me wiser, yet did I walk in darkness, and in slippery places, and sought Thee abroad out of myself, and found not the God of my heart; and had come into the depths of the sea, and distrusted and despaired of ever finding truth.
Lucid Classics
O you, my hope from my youth — where were you to me, and where had you gone? Had you not created me, and separated me from the beasts of the field and the birds of the air? You had made me wiser than they, yet I walked in darkness and on slippery ground. I sought you outside myself and did not find the God of my heart. I had come into the depths of the sea, and I distrusted and despaired of ever finding truth.
Contents
- Book I
- Book II
- Book III
- Book IV
- Book V
- Book VI
- Book VII
- Book VIII
- Book IX