Léctio Epístolæ primæ beáti Pauli apóstoli ad Corínthios (7,25-31)
Fratres: De virgínibus autem præcéptum Dómini non hábeo; consílium autem do, tamquam misericórdiam consecútus a Dómino, ut sim fidélis. Exístimo ergo hoc bonum esse propter instántem necessitátem, quóniam bonum est hómini sic esse. Alligátus es uxóri? Noli quǽrere solutiónem. Solútus es ab uxóre? Noli quǽrere uxórem. Si autem accéperis uxórem, non peccásti; et si núpserit virgo, non peccávit. Tribulatiónem tamen carnis habébunt huiúsmodi, ego autem vobis parco. Hoc ítaque dico, fratres, tempus breviátum est; réliquum est, ut et qui habent uxóres, tamquam non habéntes sint, et qui flent, tamquam non flentes, et qui gaudent, tamquam non gaudéntes, et qui emunt, tamquam non possidéntes, et qui utúntur hoc mundo, tamquam non abuténtes; prǽterit enim figúra huíus mundi.
Brethren: As concerning virgins, a commandment of our Lord I have not: but counsel I give, as having obtained mercy of our Lord to be faithful. Ithink therefore that this is good for the present necessity, because it is good for a man so to be. Art thou tied to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loose from a wife? seek not a wife. But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless tribulation of the flesh shall such have. But I spare you. This therefore I say, brethren; the time is short, it remaineth, that they also which have wives, be as though they had not; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as though they used it not. For the figure of this world passeth away.
