etiam sui periculi rem esse non nesciunt

[KsSp]

Here is the second of the last three sentences from Origen's Homilies on Luke.
'Quomodo enim si per curam eorum et industriam salus hominibus comparator, faciem Patris semper attendunt: sic si per negligentiam eorum homo corruerit, etiam sui periculi rem esse non nesciunt.'
It is the last part that is most confusing:
'Because if through their [angels'] diligent efforts humans are saved, they always see the face of the Father; in the same way, if through their negligence a man dies, also their dangers the world has do not know.'
The context si close to the one for the previous sentence: that is why kind angels are concerned, as they know that if they govern our affairs well and lead us to salvation, they themselves will hope to see the face of the Father. And then comes this sentence.
Could you please comment on the meaning of the sentence?
Thank you.

 

[Scholiast]

saluete iterum!

I think 'comparator' should be 'comparatur'.

The key to the thought and structure of this is that quomodo...sic... work as correlatives: 'Just as...in the same way...'.

'For just as, if through their care and diligence salvation is obtained for mankind, they are constantly hoping for/awaiting the presence of the Father: so too, if through their inattention a human being comes to ruin, they are not unaware that this circumstance [rem] represents a danger for them too.'

I am off to watch the penultimate Stage of the Tour de France on the television, but will return to KsSp's other queries later.

Σ

 

[KsSp]

Hello again!
Sorry if this question is silly, but could you please explain why 'attendunt' is translated here as 'hoping'? It's just that we have other meanings in our dictionary, but it clearly must be us missing something. Of course, this is not to doubt what you have written - in some cases the choice of a meaning for a word in a particular context remains unclear due to the lack of this skill, and here an explanation would definitely help understand how to deal with such confusing things. Thank you!

 

[Scholiast]

доброе утро, KsSp

Not a silly question at all. The angels here 'wait upon' (an old-ish English expression) the Face of the Father, in the sense that they hope to see the Lord in person, as a reward for carrying out their good services; that is, they want to be in His presence, and stand waiting for the opportunity to do so. It's a bit like the French attendre here, if that makes any sense to you.

Σ

 

[almeriensis]

Hello again!
Sorry if this question is silly, but could you please explain why 'attendunt' is translated here as 'hoping'? It's just that we have other meanings in our dictionary, but it clearly must be us missing something. Of course, this is not to doubt what you have written - in some cases the choice of a meaning for a word in a particular context remains unclear due to the lack of this skill, and here an explanation would definitely help understand how to deal with such confusing things. Thank you!

You`re right with your doubt, KsSP. "attendunt" can't be translated as "hoping", basically because its a third-person plural of a present-indicative tense. Besides, Attendere { Ad tendere = 'Look at'. "They look at the face of the father".

 

[Scholiast]

saluete de nouo!

Our collegial almeriensis is being, or trying to be, a bit too literal here. As I have remarked elsewhere, sometimes a paraphrase is more useful than a word-for-word translation, which can be misleading: while it may convey the words it can distort the thought.

'To attend upon' someone, at least in conventional polite English, means 'to serve', 'to minister to', as a courtier might in an ancient or mediaeval monarchical setting. 'Hoping', or 'expecting' to see his kingly lord face-to-face at some point is part and parcel of the job.

In the context, the angels 'wait upon' God, like courtiers in an antechamber, in the hope and expectation of seeing Him, face-to-face, at an opportune moment.

Σ