1 If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.2 And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing.3 And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.4 Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;5 Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil;6 It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;7 Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things.8 Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.9 For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true:10 But when that which is complete is come, then that which is in part will be no longer necessary.11 When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.12 For now we see things in a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now my knowledge is in part; then it will be complete, even as God's knowledge of me.13 But now we still have faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

1 Si linguis hominum loquar, et angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut s sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens. 2 Et si habuero prophetiam, et noverim mysteria omnia, et omnem scientiam : et si habuero omnem fidem ita ut montes transferam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil sum. 3 Et si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes facultates meas, et si tradidero corpus meum ita ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest.4 Caritas patiens est, benigna est. Caritas non mulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur, 5 non est ambitiosa, non qurit qu sua sunt, non irritatur, non cogitat malum, 6 non gaudet super iniquitate, congaudet autem veritati : 7 omnia suffert, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet.8 Caritas numquam excidit : sive propheti evacuabuntur, sive lingu cessabunt, sive scientia destruetur. 9 Ex parte enim cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus. 10 Cum autem venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est. 11 Cum essem parvulus, loquebar ut parvulus, cogitabam ut parvulus. Quando autem factus sum vir, evacuavi qu erant parvuli. 12 Videmus nunc per speculum in nigmate : tunc autem facie ad faciem. Nunc cognosco ex parte : tunc autem cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum. 13 Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria hc : major autem horum est caritas.