E4Cap17
Chapter — Part IV
Latin
Vincuntur præterea homines etiam largitate, præcipue ii qui non habent unde comparare possint illa quæ ad vitam sustentandam necessaria sunt. Attamen unicuique indigenti auxilium ferre vires et utilitatem viri privati longe superat. Divitiæ namque viri privati longe impares sunt ad id suppeditandum. Unius præterea viri facultas limitatior est quam ut omnes sibi possit amicitia jungere; quare pauperum cura integræ societati incumbit et ad communem tantum utilitatem spectat.
English (Elwes 1883)
Men are also gained over by liberality, especially such as have not the means to buy what is necessary to sustain life. However, to give aid to every poor man is far beyond the power and the advantage of any private person. For the riches of any private person are wholly inadequate to meet such a call. Again, an individual man's resources of character are too limited for him to be able to make all men his friends. Hence providing for the poor is a duty, which falls on the State as a whole, and has regard only to the general advantage.
Modern English
Men can also be won over by generosity, especially those who lack the means to acquire what is necessary to sustain life. But to give help to every needy person is far beyond the power and advantage of any private individual — whose resources are wholly unequal to supplying such needs. One person's capacity is too limited to bind all others to himself in friendship. The care of the poor therefore falls on the whole society and concerns only the common advantage.