R211: Konrad von Reutlingen an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Salutation from Unworthy Priests
Conrad and Bertolf greet Hildegard, identifying themselves as unworthy priests who began in the fear and love of God.
Conrad and Bertolf, priests. To Hildegard. To Hildegard, known to God. And beyond the people of this time, to the admirable virgin. Conrad. And Bertolf. Unworthy priests from Reutlingen. As they began in the fear and love of God to persist.
Joy, Longing, and Rebuke
The priests express joy at Hildegard's words, their longing for consolation, and their sorrow at feeling neglected.
and to illuminate the darkness of the world unceasingly through the living light that it beholds. We rejoiced and were glad at what was said to us. namely, a consoling embassy that would be present to us. And we waited expectantly — and we kept waiting! and you have not yet paid attention to us. That is why we are saddened, waiting for the grace of God. who has not abandoned those who hope in him. But now, because you ordered us to send a legate to you —
Humble Appeal for Intercession
Claiming God's comfort, they humbly beg Hildegard to intercede so God may direct their ways.
We have been made like those who are comforted.✦ But because we long to remember you — beloved of God — and how, in return for this document, in which we desire to be engaged as though we were raw and untrained soldiers, we press forward in confident hope. Therefore we humbly beg you, holy mother, to intercede for us as our helper in our needs and in our trouble, urgently appealing to God, so that he may direct our ways — we who place our trust in you after God — along the right path. Nor do we say these things as though we regret having been burdened beyond measure by this deed! But so that your holiness may obtain from God some consolation — the consolation our sins obstruct — before the merciful God on our behalf. May that consolation stand firm for us who are weak, so that we do not give way. Concerning this matter, we do not presume to press any further point upon you in greater detail! On the contrary, we leave the measure of our petition to the inner Judge, who knows what is fitting for each one.
Entrustment and Lament
They entrust their need to God who knows all things, then cry out against the vanity of the earthly cause and send greetings.
We wish to entrust this to you. For he himself says. Your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask him!✦ He has known what remedies are suited to each person in their own times, and he does not stop providing them. But this alone I want to cry out. Alas, alas, O earthly cause!1 When will you hide yourself before the living eye?2 For the rest, we greet your provost and our sisters and all those dwelling with you in the Lord!
Care for the Poor
The priests ask that Hildegard's community devoutly remember their poor.
And we ask that our people be devoutly mindful of their poor.
Read the original Latin
Cunradus et Bertolfus sacerdotes. hildegardi. Hildigardi deo familiari. et super homines huius temporis admirandę uirgini. Cunradus. et Bertolfus. sacerdotes indigni de ruthdelingun. sicut cepit in dei timore et amore persistere.
et tenebras mundi per uiuentem quam aspicit lucem incessanter illuminare. Exultauimus et letati sumus in his quę dicta sunt nobis. scilicet legationem consolatoriam nobis affuturam. Et expectantes expectauimus! et nondum intendisti nobis. Vnde contristati sumus gratiam dei prestolantes. qui non deseruit sperantes in se. Nunc uero quia mittere legatum nos tibi iussisti.
facti sumus sicut consolati. Uerum quia meminisse te cupimus deo dilecta quemadmodum ad uicissitudinem huius instrumenti in quo uelut rudes ac delicati milites uersari cupimus recta spe properamus! idcirco te mater sancta adiutorem in oportunitatibus in tribulatione instanter pro nobis interpellare ut uias nostras in te post deum confidentium dirigat suppliciter exoramus. Nec ista dicimus quasi nos supra modum grauatos huius facti peniteat! sed ut sanctitas tua apud misericordem deum consolationem aliquam quam nostra peccata prepediunt. nobis infirmis ne deficiamus obtineat. De qua tibi diligentius aliquid non presumimus insinuare! immo interno iudici modum peticionis nostrę qui scit quid cuique expediat.
uolumus committere. Ipse namque ait. Scit enim pater uester celestis quid uobis necesse sit antequam petatis! qui singulis congrua medicamina suis temporibus nouit nec desinit exhibere. Hoc tamen solum libet exclamare. Ue ue terrenę causę. Quando coram uiuente oculo putas abscondet se? De cetero prepositum uestrum et sorores nostras et omnes tecum commanentes in domino salutamus!
et ut nostri pauperum suorum memores sint deuote rogamus.
Scripture echoes
- ↩2Cor.1.4;Rom.15.5 — who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Rom.15.5 — Now may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think the same thing among yourselves, according to Christ Jesus,
- ↩Matt.6.8 — So do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Notes
- 1 ↩terrenę causę is a difficult phrase: 'earthly cause' or 'earthly thing/matter.' The accusative with the double exclamation suggests an apostrophe — a cry against something earthly that hinders or distracts. The manuscript form terrenę causę is ambiguous between 'earthly cause' (causa) and a vocative-like exclamation. Rendered as 'O earthly cause' to preserve the accusative exclamatory force.
- 2 ↩coram uiuente oculo — 'before the living eye' — likely refers to the all-seeing eye of God. The rhetorical question asks when a person will be hidden from God's gaze, implying it is impossible. Rendered as a question to preserve the Latin interrogative force.
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