Time is moving quickly, the struggle is great, and my illness is more severe, reducing me almost to the point where I cannot move. What is left but to pray to God and to appeal to your kindness—praying to the one that He will turn your mind toward gentler decisions, and appealing to the other that you will not harshly reject our appeal, but will receive kindly the wretched Paulus, whom justice has brought into your hands, perhaps so that it may make you more distinguished by the greatness of your kindness, and may commend our prayers (such as they are) to your mercy.
The time is swift, the struggle great, and my sickness severer, reducing me almost to immovability. What is left but to pray to God, and to supplicate your kindness, the one, that He will incline your mind to gentler counsels, the other that you will not roughly dismiss our intercession, but will receive kindly the wretched Paulus, whom justice has brought under your hands, perhaps in order that it may make you more illustrious by the greatness of your kindness, and may commend our prayers (such as they are) to your mercy.