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Primary sourceBook1892

The Rule of St. Benedict (Henderson translation)

Benedict of Nursia · 1892

An 1892 English translation of Benedict's own Rule for monks, giving students his guidance in readable form.

This is Benedict's own Rule for monastic life, translated into English for students to read directly.

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About this source

What it is

This is an English translation, published in 1892 by Ernest Flagg Henderson, of the Rule written by Benedict of Nursia for monks living together under an abbot. The Latin original is from the Patrologia Latina collection.

Why it matters

The Rule is Benedict's own writing, setting out how monks should live, work and pray together. It became one of the most influential texts in Western monasticism, shaping religious communities for centuries.

Look closer

  • What does the opening of the Rule suggest about Benedict's goals for the people who would follow it?
  • Why might Benedict have described the monastery as 'a school for the Lord's service'?
  • What questions can't this translation answer about Benedict's own voice, since it is translated from Latin?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Benedict on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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