Augustine. The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Translated by E. B. Pusey. Illustrated by Valenti Angelo. Mount Vernon, N.Y.: Peter Pauper Press, 1951.
晚上從研究室回家後，往往會在網上遊蕩，浪費時間，所以我會借些實體書來閱讀，充實心靈。但老眼昏花，所以只能找字體較大的書來讀，剛讀完的是聖奧古斯丁的懺悔錄。
把 Confessions 譯做懺悔錄其實不甚準確，雖然本書是奧古斯定的自傳，確實包含他自我反省的懺悔，例如偷了鄰居樹上的梨，有一個情人並生下私生子，皈依摩尼教讓他的母親 Monica 傷心不已等。後來他看到摩尼教的教義有不妥之處，又在米蘭聽到 Ambrose 的講道，開始追尋基督信仰。有一次在花園裡, 他聽到小朋友的聲音說 “Tolle, lege” (“Take up and read”)「拿起來讀」，他就拿起手上的聖經，隨意揭到羅馬書 “Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:13–14)，就確定了對基督的信心。(Book VIII.12)
書的最後幾章，其實是哲學、聖經、神學的討論，包括時間的本質，聖經的多重意義，以及對創世記的解讀。Confessions 固然可譯作「懺悔」，但也指信仰的宣告，以及對上主的讚美。
全書是寫給上主的禱告，譯文又是古老英文，人稱有 -st,-th 等後綴，有時相當抽象，讀完了，似懂非懂。
全書最感動我的，是 Monica 對兒子信仰基督的期望，以及最終成真的喜悅。
“For she wept for me to Thee, more than mothers weep the bodily deaths of their children… And Thou heardest her, O Lord; Thou heardest her, and despisedst not her tears, when streaming down, they watered the earth under her eyes in every place where she prayed.” (Book III.11)
“One thing there was for which I desired to linger for a while in this life, that I might see thee a Catholic Christian before I died. My God hath done this for me more abundantly, that I should see thee despising earthly happiness, become His servant. ” (Book IX.10)
警句
犯罪鏈：犯罪意圖→慾望滿足→養成習慣→成為必需。
“My will the enemy held, and thence had made a chain for me, and bound me. For of a forward will, was a lust made; and a lust served, became custom; and custom not resisted, became necessity. By which links, as it were, joined together (whence I called it a chain) a hard bondage held me enthralled.” Book VIII.5
想追求貞潔，但不想太早，因為想先滿足慾望。
“But I wretched, most wretched, in the very commencement of my early youth, had begged chastity of Thee, and said, ‘Give me chastity and continency, only not yet.’ For I feared lest Thou shouldest hear me soon, and soon cure me of the disease of concupiscence, which I wished to have satisfied, rather than extinguished.” Book VIII.7