Title Page

Chapter I Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praisedà

Chapter II And how shall I call upon my God, my God and Lordà

Chapter III Do the heaven and earth then contain Thee, since Thou fillest them? or dost Thouà

Chapter IV What art Thou then, my God? what, but the Lord God? For who is Lordà

Chapter V Oh! that I might repose on Thee! Oh! that Thou wouldest enter into my heartà

Chapter VI Yet suffer me to speak unto Thy mercy, meà

Chapter VII Hear, O God.à

Chapter VIII Passing hence from infancy, I came to boyhood, or rather it came to meà

Chapter IX O God my God, what miseries and mockeries did I now experienceà

Chapter X And yet, I sinned herein, O Lord God, the Creator and Disposer of all thingsà

Chapter XI As a boy, then, I had already heard of an eternal lifeà

Chapter XII In boyhood itself, however so much less dreaded for me than youthà

Chapter XIII But why did I so much hate the Greekà

Chapter XIV Why then did I hate the Greek classics, which have the like tales? For Homerà

Chapter XV Hear, Lord, my prayer; let not my soul faint under Thy disciplineà

Chapter XVI But woe is thee, thou torrent of human custom! Who shall stand against thee? howà

Chapter XVII Bear with me, my God, while I say somewhat of my wità

Chapter XVIII But what marvel that I was thus carried away to vanitiesà

Chapter I I will now call to mind my past foulnessà

Chapter II And what was it that I delighted in, but to loveà

Chapter III For that year were my studies intermitted: whilst after my return from Madaura a neighbourà

Chapter IV Theft is punished by Thy law, O Lord, and the law written in the heartsà

Chapter V For there is an attractiveness in beautiful bodies, in gold and silverà

Chapter VI What then did wretched I so love in theeà

Chapter VII What shall I render unto the Lord, that, whilst my memory recalls these thingsà

Chapter VIII What fruit had I then wretched man! in those thingsà

Chapter IX What then was this feeling? For of a truth it was too foulà

Chapter X Who can disentangle that twisted and intricate knottiness? Foul is ità

Chapter I To Carthage I came, where there sang all around me in my ears a cauldronà

Chapter II Why is it, that man desires to be made sadà

Chapter III And Thy faithful mercy hovered over me afar.à

Chapter IV Among such as these, in that unsettled age of mineà

Chapter V I resolved then to bend my mind to the holy Scripturesà

Chapter VI Therefore I fell among men proudly doting, exceeding carnal and pratingà

Chapter VII For other than this, that which really is I knew notà

Chapter VIII Can it at any time or place be unjust to love God with all hisà

Chapter IX Amidst these offences of foulness and violence, and so many iniquitiesà

Chapter X These things I being ignorant of, scoffed at those Thy holy servants and prophets.à

Chapter XI And Thou sentest Thine hand from above, and drewest my soul out of that profoundà

Chapter XII Thou gavest her meantime another answer, which I call to mindà

Chapter I For this space of nine years from my nineteenth year to my eight-and-twentieth we livedà

Chapter II In those years I taught rhetoric, and, overcome by cupidityà

Chapter III Those impostors then, whom they style Mathematicians, I consulted without scrupleà

Chapter IV In those years when I first began to teach rhetoric in my native townà

Chapter V And now, Lord, these things are passed by, and time hath assuaged my wound.à

Chapter VI But what speak I of these things? for now is no time to questionà

Chapter VII O madness, which knowest not how to love menà

Chapter VIII Times lose no time; nor do they roll idly byà

Chapter IX This is it that is loved in friends; and so lovedà

Chapter X Turn us, O God of Hosts, show us Thy countenanceà

Chapter XI Be not foolish, O my soul, nor become deaf in the ear of thine heartà

Chapter XII If bodies please thee, praise God on occasion of themà

Chapter XIII These things I then knew not, and I loved these lower beautiesà

Chapter XIV But what moved me, O Lord my God, to dedicate these books unto Hieriusà

Chapter XV But I saw not yet, whereon this weighty matter turned in Thy wisdomà

Chapter XVI And what did it profit me, that scarce twenty years oldà

Chapter I Accept the sacrifice of my confessions from the ministry of my tongueà

Chapter II Let the restless, the godless, depart and flee from Theeà

Chapter III I would lay open before my God that nine-and-twentieth year of mine age.à

Chapter IV Doth then, O Lord God of truth, whoso knoweth these thingsà

Chapter V But yet who bade that Manichaeus write on these things alsoà

Chapter VI And for almost all those nine years, wherein with unsettled mind I had been theirà

Chapter VII For after it was clear that he was ignorant of those arts in which Ià

Chapter VIII Thou didst deal with me, that I should be persuaded to go to Romeà

Chapter IX And lo, there was I received by the scourge of bodily sicknessà

Chapter X Thou recoveredst me then of that sickness, and healedst the son of Thy handmaidà

Chapter XI Furthermore, what the Manichees had criticised in Thy Scripturesà

Chapter XII I began then diligently to practise that for which I came to Romeà

Chapter XIII When therefore they of Milan had sent to Rome to the prefect of the cityà

Chapter XIV For though I took no pains to learn what he spakeà

Chapter I O Thou, my hope from my youth, where wert Thou to meà

Chapter II When then my mother had once, as she was wont in Africà

Chapter III Nor did I yet groan in my prayers, that Thou wouldest help meà

Chapter IV Ignorant then how this Thy image should subsist, I should have knocked and proposed theà

Chapter V Being led, however, from this to prefer the Catholic doctrineà

Chapter VI-- I panted after honours, gains, marriage; and Thou deridedst me.à

Chapter VII These things we, who were living as friends togetherà

Chapter VIII He, not forsaking that secular course which his parents had charmed him to pursueà

Chapter IX But this was already being laid up in his memory to be a medicine hereafter.à

Chapter X Him then I had found at Rome, and he clave to me by a mostà

Chapter XI And I, viewing and reviewing things, most wondered at the length of time from thatà

Chapter XII Alypius indeed kept me from marrying; alleging that so could we by no means withà

Chapter XIII Continual effort was made to have me married.à

Chapter XIV And many of us friends conferring about, and detesting the turbulent turmoils of human lifeà

Chapter XV Meanwhile my sins were being multiplied, and my concubine being torn from my side asà

Chapter XVI To Thee be praise, glory to Thee, Fountain of mercies.à

Chapter I Deceased was now that my evil and abominable youthà

Chapter II It was enough for me, Lord, to oppose to those deceived deceiversà

Chapter III But I also as yet, although I held and was firmly persuaded that Thou ourà

Chapter IV For I was in such wise striving to find out the restà

Chapter V And I sought |whence is evil,| and sought in an evil wayà

Chapter VI But this time also had I rejected the lying divinations and impious dotages of theà

Chapter VII Now then, O my Helper, hadst Thou loosed me from those fettersà

Chapter VIII But Thou, Lord, abidest for ever, yet not for ever art Thou angry with usà

Chapter IX And Thou, willing first to show me how Thou resistest the proudà

Chapter X And being thence admonished to return to myself, I entered even into my inward selfà

Chapter XI And I viewed the other things below Thee, and perceived that they neither altogether areà

Chapter XII And it was manifested unto me, that those things be good which yet are corruptedà

Chapter XIII And to Thee is nothing whatsoever evil: yea, not only to Theeà

Chapter XIV There is no soundness in them, whom aught of Thy creation displeasethà

Chapter XV And I looked back on other things; and I saw that they owed their beingà

Chapter XVI And I perceived and found it nothing strange, that bread which is pleasant to aà

Chapter XVII And I wondered that I now loved Thee, and no phantasm for Thee.à

Chapter XVIII Then I sought a way of obtaining strength sufficient to enjoy Theeà

Chapter XIX But I thought otherwise; conceiving only of my Lord Christ as of a man ofà

Chapter XX But having then read those books of the Platonistsà

Chapter XXI Most eagerly then did I seize that venerable writing of Thy Spirità

Chapter I O my God, let me, with thanksgiving, remember, and confess unto Thee Thy mercies onà

Chapter II To Simplicianus then I went, the father of Ambrose a Bishop now in receiving Thyà

Chapter III Good God! what takes place in man, that he should more rejoice at the salvationà

Chapter IV Up, Lord, and do; stir us up, and recall usà

Chapter V But when that man of Thine, Simplicianus, related to me this of Victorinusà

Chapter VI And how Thou didst deliver me out of the bonds of desireà

Chapter VII Such was the story of Pontitianus; but Thou, O Lordà

Chapter VIII Then in this great contention of my inward dwellingà

Chapter IX Whence is this monstrousness? and to what end? Let Thy mercy gleam that I mayà

Chapter X Let them perish from Thy presence, O God, as perish vain talkers and seducers ofà

Chapter XI Thus soul-sick was I, and tormented, accusing myself much more severely than my wontà

Chapter XII But when a deep consideration had from the secret bottom of my soul drawn togetherà

Chapter I O Lord, I am Thy servant; I am Thy servantà

Chapter II And I resolved in Thy sight, not tumultuously to tearà

Chapter III Verecundus was worn down with care about this our blessednessà

Chapter IV Now was the day come wherein I was in deed to be freed of myà

Chapter V The vintage-vacation ended, I gave notice to the Milanese to provide their scholars with anotherà

Chapter VI Thence, when the time was come wherein I was to give in my nameà

Chapter VII Not long had the Church of Milan begun to use this kind of consolation andà

Chapter VIII Thou that makest men to dwell of one mind in one houseà

Chapter IX Brought up thus modestly and soberly, and made subject rather by Thee to her parentsà

Chapter X The day now approaching whereon she was to depart this life which day Thou wellà

Chapter XI What answer I made her unto these things, I remember not.à

Chapter XII I closed her eyes; and there flowed withal a mighty sorrow into my heartà

Chapter XIII But now, with a heart cured of that woundà

Chapter I Let me know Thee, O Lord, who knowest meà

Chapter II And from Thee, O Lord, unto whose eyes the abyss of man's conscience is nakedà

Chapter III What then have I to do with men, that they should hear my confessions --à

Chapter IV But for what fruit would they hear this? Do they desire to joy with meà

Chapter V For Thou, Lord, dost judge me: because, although no man knoweth the things of aà

Chapter VI Not with doubting, but with assured consciousness, do I love Theeà

Chapter VII What then do I love, when I love my God? who is He above theà

Chapter VIII I will pass then beyond this power of my nature alsoà

Chapter IX Yet not these alone does the unmeasurable capacity of my memory retain.à

Chapter X But now when I hear that there be three kinds of questionsà

Chapter XI Wherefore we find, that to learn these things whereof we imbibe nor the images byà

Chapter XII The memory containeth also reasons and laws innumerable of numbers and dimensionsà

Chapter XIII All these things I remember, and how I learnt them I remember.à

Chapter XIV The same memory contains also the affections of my mindà

Chapter XV But whether by images or no, who can readily say? Thusà

Chapter XVI What, when I name forgetfulness, and withal recognise what I name? whence should I recogniseà

Chapter XVII Great is the power of memory, a fearful thingà

Chapter XVIII For the woman that had lost her groat, and sought it with a lightà

Chapter XIX But what when the memory itself loses any thingà

Chapter XX How then do I seek Thee, O Lord? For when I seek Theeà

Chapter XXi But is it so, as one remembers Carthage who hath seen it? No.à

Chapter XXII Far be it, Lord, far be it from the heart of Thy servant who hereà

Chapter XXIII It is not certain then that all wish to be happyà

Chapter XXIV See what a space I have gone over in my memory seeking Theeà

Chapter XXV But where in my memory residest Thou, O Lordà

Chapter XXVI Where then did I find Thee, that I might learn Thee? For in my memoryà

Chapter XXVII Too late loved I Thee, O Thou Beauty of ancient daysà

Chapter XXVIII When I shall with my whole self cleave to Theeà

Chapter XXIX And all my hope is no where but in Thy exceeding great mercy.à

Chapter XXX Verily Thou enjoinest me continency from the lust of the fleshà

Chapter XXXI There is another evil of the day, which I would were sufficient for it.à

Chapter XXXII With the allurements of smells, I am not much concerned.à

Chapter XXXIII The delights of the ear had more firmly entangled and subdued meà

Chapter XXXIV There remains the pleasure of these eyes of my fleshà

Chapter XXXV To this is added another form of temptation more manifoldly dangerous.à

Chapter XXXVI And Thou knowest how far Thou hast already changed meà

Chapter XXXVII By these temptations we are assailed daily, O Lordà

Chapter XXXVIII Yet the word which cometh out of the mouthà

Chapter XXXIX Within also, within is another evil, arising out of a like temptationà

Chapter XL Where hast Thou not walked with me, O Truthà

Chapter XLI Thus then have I considered the sicknesses of my sins in that threefold concupiscenceà

Chapter XLII Whom could I find to reconcile me to Thee? was I to have recourse toà

Chapter XLIII But the TRUE Mediator, Whom in Thy secret mercy Thou hast showed to the humbleà

Chapter I Lord, since eternity is Thine, art Thou ignorant of what I say to Thee? orà

Chapter II But how shall I suffice with the tongue of my pen to utter all Thyà

Chapter III I would hear and understand, how |In the Beginning Thou madest the heaven and earth.à

Chapter IV Behold, the heavens and the earth are; they proclaim that they were createdà

Chapter V But how didst Thou make the heaven and the earth? and what the engine ofà

Chapter VI But how didst Thou speak? In the way that the voice came out of theà

Chapter VII Thou callest us then to understand the Word, Godà

Chapter VIII Why, I beseech Thee, O Lord my God? I see it in a wayà

Chapter IX In this Beginning, O God, hast Thou made heaven and earthà

Chapter X Lo, are they not full of their old leavenà

Chapter XI Who speak thus, do not yet understand Thee, O Wisdom of Godà

Chapter XII See, I answer him that asketh, |What did God before He made heaven and earth?|à

Chapter XIII But if any excursive brain rove over the images of forepassed timesà

Chapter XIV At no time then hadst Thou not made any thingà

Chapter XV And yet we say, |a long time| and |a short time|à

Chapter XVI And yet, Lord, we perceive intervals of times, and compare themà

Chapter XVII I ask, Father, I affirm not: O my Godà

Chapter XVIII Permit me, Lord, to seek further.à

Chapter XIX Thou then, Ruler of Thy creation, by what way dost Thou teach souls things toà

Chapter XX What now is clear and plain is, that neither things to come nor past are.à

Chapter XXI I said then even now, we measure times as they passà

Chapter XXII My soul is on fire to know this most intricate enigma.à

Chapter XXIII I heard once from a learned man, that the motions of the sunà

Chapter XXIV Dost Thou bid me assent, if any define time to be |motion of a body?|à

Chapter XXV And I confess to Thee, O Lord, that I yet know not what time isà

Chapter XXVI Does not my soul most truly confess unto Theeà

Chapter XXVII Courage, my mind, and press on mightily.à

Chapter XXVIII But how is that future diminished or consumed, which as yet is not? or howà

Chapter XXIX But because Thy loving-kindness is better than all livesà

Chapter XXX And now will I stand, and become firm in Theeà

Chapter XXXI O Lord my God, what a depth is that recess of Thy mysteriesà

Chapter I My heart, O Lord, touched with the words of Thy Holy Scriptureà

Chapter II The lowliness of my tongue confesseth unto Thy Highnessà

Chapter III And now this earth was invisible and without formà

Chapter IV How then should it be called, that it might be in some measure conveyed toà

Chapter V So that when thought seeketh what the sense may conceive under thisà

Chapter VI But I, Lord, if I would, by my tongue and my penà

Chapter VII But whence had it this degree of being, but from Theeà

Chapter VIII But that heaven of heavens was for Thyself, O Lordà

Chapter IX And therefore the Spirit, the Teacher of Thy servantà

Chapter X O let the Light, the Truth, the Light of my heartà

Chapter Xi Already Thou hast told me with a strong voiceà

Chapter XII These things considered, as much as Thou givest, O my Godà

Chapter XIII This then is what I conceive, O my Godà

Chapter XIV Wondrous depth of Thy words! whose surface, behold! is before usà

Chapter XV |Will you affirm that to be false, which with a strong voice Truth tells meà

Chapter XVI With these I now parley a little in Thy presenceà

Chapter XVII For they say, |Though these things be true, yet did not Moses intend those twoà

Chapter XVIII All which things being heard and well considered, I will not strive about wordsà

Chapter XIX For TRUE it is, O Lord, that Thou madest heaven and earthà

Chapter XX Out of these truths, of which they doubt not whose inward eye Thou hast enabledà

Chapter XXI And with regard to the understanding of the words followingà

Chapter XXII For should any attempt to dispute against these two last opinionsà

Chapter XXIII These things then being heard and perceived, according to the weakness of my capacity whichà

Chapter XXIV But which of us shall, among those so many truthsà

Chapter XXV Let no man harass me then, by saying, Moses thought not as you sayà

Chapter XXVI And yet I, O my God, Thou lifter up of my humilityà

Chapter XXVII For as a fountain within a narrow compass, is more plentifulà

Chapter XXVIII But others, unto whom these words are no longer a nestà

Chapter XXIX But he that no otherwise understands In the Beginning He madeà

Chapter XXX In this diversity of the TRUE opinions, let Truth herself produce concord.à

Chapter XXXI So when one says, |Moses meant as I do|à

Chapter XXXII Lastly, O Lord, who art God and not flesh and bloodà

Chapter I I call upon Thee, O my God, my mercyà

Chapter II For of the fulness of Thy goodness, doth Thy creature subsistà

Chapter III That which Thou saidst in the beginning of the creationà

Chapter IV What then could he wanting unto Thy good, which Thou Thyself artà

Chapter V Lo, now the Trinity appears unto me in a glass darklyà

Chapter VI But what was the cause, O true-speaking Light? -- unto Thee lift I up myà

Chapter VII Hence let him that is able, follow with his understanding Thy Apostleà

Chapter VIII Angels fell away, man's soul fell away, and thereby pointed the abyss in that darkà

Chapter IX But was not either the Father, or the Sonà

Chapter X Blessed creature, which being itself other than Thou, has known no other conditionà

Chapter XI Which of us comprehendeth the Almighty Trinity? and yet which speaks not of Ità

Chapter XII Proceed in thy confession, say to the Lord thy Godà

Chapter XIII But as yet by faith and not by sightà

Chapter XIV Behold, I too say, O my God, Where art Thou? seeà

Chapter XV Or who, except Thou, our God, made for us that firmament of authority over usà

Chapter XVI For altogether, as Thou art, Thou only knowest; Who art unchangeablyà

Chapter XVII Who gathered the embittered together into one society? For they have all one endà

Chapter XVIII So, Lord, so, I beseech Thee, let there spring upà

Chapter XIX But first, wash you, be clean; put away evil from your soulsà

Chapter XX Let the sea also conceive and bring forth your worksà

Chapter XXI And hereby, in Thy Word, not the deepness of the seaà

Chapter XXII For behold, O Lord, our God, our Creator, when our affections have been restrained fromà

Chapter XXIII But that he judgeth all things, this answers to his having dominion over the fishà

Chapter XXIV But what is this, and what kind of mystery? Beholdà

Chapter XXV I would also say, O Lord my God, what the following Scripture minds me ofà

Chapter XXVI But they are fed by these fruits, that are delighted with themà

Chapter XXVII I will then speak what is TRUE in Thy sightà

Chapter XXVIII And Thou, O God, sawest every thing that Thou hadst madeà

Chapter XXIX And I looked narrowly to find, whether seven, or eight times Thou sawest that Thyà

Chapter XXX And I heard, O Lord my God, and drank up a drop of sweetness outà

Chapter XXXI But they who by Thy Spirit see these thingsà

Chapter XXXII Thanks to Thee, O Lord.à

Chapter XXXIII Let Thy works praise Thee, that we may love Theeà

Chapter XXXIV We have also examined what Thou willedst to be shadowed forthà

Chapter XXXV O Lord God, give peace unto us: for Thou hast given us all thingsà

Chapter XXXVI But the seventh day hath no evening, nor hath it settingà

Chapter XXXVII For then shalt Thou rest in us, as now Thou workest in usà

Chapter XXXVIII We therefore see these things which Thou madest, because they areà

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