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Chapter 258HildE.1.258

R258: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Prior C. von Cîteaux

The Living Fountain and the Torn Heavens

Christ declares himself the living fountain, mourns the torn heavens and darkened day, and calls Israel to account for corrupting tender love.

Hildegard. I am the living fountain!✦ I say to those who have put on my garment in my name and made it harsh:✦ they are wanderers in the hunt of the world. Oh, it must be wept and mourned—the heavens have been torn open!✦✦ and the day has been darkened.✦ Now, then, the coin must be called back into the treasury of the voice of praise.✦✦ O children of Israel, why do you corrupt the most tender love?✦✦

The Flowing Rod and the Mourning Bride

Divine love flows like living water through a bridal figure who stands as a rod of integrity, yet now mourns because reckless people tear her apart.

What is it that flows into me from on high, into the depths, gazing with the greatest fullness of work? And because she herself flows in me! Therefore waters also flow from her, from the living water. But she stands in the form of a rod.✦ Because just as in a virgin there are the sweetest embraces. On account of her integrity. So also love has the sweetest embraces of the virtues. But now she mourns!

Sons Who Tear Themselves from the Bride

The bride flees from grumbling attackers and grieves her own sons who abandon the royal wedding and separate themselves from her uncorrupted wholeness.

Because reckless people tear her apart with their chattering and the murmuring of their own grumbling. That is why she also flees from them, back up to the height from which she came! And she grieves because her own sons, whom she nourished at her full breasts, are falling away — unwilling to be cleansed of the rottenness of their wandering minds.1 O, they themselves are wretched — why do they attach themselves to the misery of alienation and exile? They are tearing themselves away from the womb of a royal wedding — from the new bride who is always prepared for her bridegroom, as a virgin is for her husband.2 When she has not yet been joined to him in knowledge.3 But when she still remains uncorrupted in her wholeness —4 And because these are separating themselves from that bride —5

Lights That Have Gone Dark

Just as the firmament lights the world and craftsmen work from their materials, God's chosen ought to shine on others and show them the good way.

And so they are darkened and clouded over, as if they had broken the sky itself. What is this? Just as the firmament of heaven illuminates the world with all its ornaments — namely, with the sun, the moon, and the stars — and just as a craftsman makes wooden things from wood and stones from stones and from other instruments, other instruments! so too these ought to shine on the rest of the people. and to show them the good way.

The Twisted Mother and the Pigs' Ways

Love is cut off from them so that virginity and widowhood no longer shine, and a wretched, viper-like woman rears them according to the ways of pigs.

But love is cut off from them. So much so that virginity, which ought to shine in them like the sun, and widowhood like the moon. And the rest of the people should not fail in their own light like the stars. Because a mother's tender womb does not warm them! But a twisted woman, full of wrinkles and blackness. And full of viper-like ways and grating teeth. A dreadful presence in all these things that she does. Most wretchedly she rears them according to the ways of pigs.✦✦

Tearing the Garment of Innocence

Those who should have been holy tear the garment of innocence in thorny manners, anger, and desperation, defiling all their garments through foolishness.

They who should have been holy and chosen, leaving the world behind. They themselves tear the garment of innocence in themselves. in thorny manners. in anger. and they corrupt their vital parts in disgrace. and they break their heads in anger. living their eyes in desperation, blinding. and defiling all their garments through the foolishness of their manners.

Presumption, Schism, and Restless Vanity

God did not establish them as his mystical gift; they eat the serpent's food through schism and restless questioning, seizing upon every vain mountain instead of walking fitting paths.

And you think yourselves wiser than your own teachers. Alas, alas, sons of Israel — right from the very first beginning, God did not establish you as his mystical gift.6 Because the most gentle Father willed that in your angelic order you would overcome the ancient serpent, who vomited up the worst disease of presumption — like a rotting corpse — within himself.✦78 O beautiful flowers and companions of angels, why do you eat the serpent's food — namely, seeking in one another a sluggish and stinking fellowship of great schisms, as though it were a deadly crime?910 And why do you rise to restless habits of constant questioning and investigating many vanities, not discerning that to each person his own gift has been given according to its own measure?✦11 Walk in ways that are fitting and suitable paths.12 Without the flying wind of scattering.13 But you — wherever you find a vain mountain, you seize upon it.14

Seizing Love and the Vision of Armed Riders

The prophet calls her little sons to seize and embrace love, then introduces a vision of armed riders facing west with a valley to their right and a snow-covered forest to their left.

And you strengthen him without delay. And you build in him, not ceasing from him. But you labor in vain in him! Just as a useless craftsman who puts together a useless vessel that cannot stand because it is unstable. Now therefore, O my little sons, seize your beautiful mother, namely my friend love!15 And embrace her. I say to you. Certain ones sitting on swift horses, armed with costly and strong weapons, shining bright.

The Forest, the Fugitives, and the Voice from On High

Small unarmed men flee in terror from the armed riders into the forest, and a voice from on high commands the riders to sheath their swords until the time of uprooting.

They had turned toward the west, to fight against those who were coming from the west. To their right a valley stretched far, like a deep road.16 And to their left was a great, tall forest, entirely covered in snow on its branches. Out of it many small, unarmed men came forth. When they saw those armed men, they fled into the forest in great terror, saying, Alas! Who are these?17 But so that they themselves might strike terror into those same armed men, they made great crashing noises and sounds in that same forest. At this, some of those same armed men grew indignant, drawing out their swords, and brandished them to strike. And a voice came from on high, saying, Sheathe your swords until the time of the uprooting of the ages.18 And they put their swords back into their sheaths.

The Naked Ones and the Games in the Forest

Naked riders appear and the small men play with them; some armed men grow weary, descend into a valley, lay aside their weapons, and watch the games in peace.

And look—certain others came, naked in all their body, sitting on horses, covered only by a small cloth around their chest and belly. When those who were in the forest saw them, they ran toward them. And they were seizing their horses by the neck and by the tail. But they, too, were holding the naked ones by their legs and feet. They were making great leaps and laughs in their games with them, and they with them, saying: O companions, play with us. Then some of those armed men, wearied by their own arms, turned aside into this valley that was near them. And climbing down from their horses, they stripped off their weapons — which were gleaming with a brilliant radiance — and set them aside. And so, sitting at ease in the same valley, they said: Who can keep fighting these little ones forever? So let them play. When the same little ones — the men traveling through the woods — saw this, they ran to them and were making their games all around them. But these men were not playing with them. Nor were they forcing them to leave. Instead, they simply sat at rest, their weapons laid aside.

The Voice Against the Weary Teachers

A voice from on high declares that those who laid down their weapons should not be called chief teachers in the king's palace, for they are worn out for battle.

Watching these games — And again a voice sounded from on high, saying: These are the ones who laid down their weapons. They shouldn't be called the chief teachers in the king's palace! Because they're worn out from battle. Now, O my sons, pay attention. This understanding is for you. For good and useful prelates and the rest who despise worldly things sit armed with diligent vigilance in the swift course of good works.19

Fighters for God and the Way of Uprightness

Good prelates stand armed with vigilance to fight the devil, with uprightness at their right and vicissitudes at their left, yet terrors often strike them until God grants rest.

so that they may fight against the devil. At their right hand is the way of uprightness. and at their left, the restlessness of many vicissitudes, from which many vices proceed. Armed as they are, these same terrors often put them to flight! and often they strike them with their own terror in their madness. So when some of them are angered because they refuse to endure patiently the injury done to themselves, they set themselves to revenge. but divine inspiration warns them so that they may rest.

The Naked Pretenders and the Weary Guardians

Some who seem to despise earthly things are naked of good works beneath pretense, mocked by vices; others grow weary, abandon diligence, and sit in negligence.

until God, through his grace, uproots those very injuries. And so he stops the agitation of his own vengeance. And some others, who seem to have despised earthly things— they show themselves to be running in vain this way, since they are naked of good works. even though they cover themselves with pretense. For this reason those vices also mock them. and with great derision they play their games at their expense. But some of the aforementioned prelates and others, who should have despised earthly things entirely, grow weary with tedium. And along the straight path they abandon the diligence of good guardianship. And idling away their time, they say carelessly. Because since they cannot always fight against those vices.20 And so those same vices mock them. But nevertheless they themselves do not fully take up those things either. Nor do they entirely cast them out of themselves.21 But they sit in the torpor of negligence. For which reason, as is openly shown.22

Neither Teachers nor Fighters

Because they grow sluggish in weariness, they are neither useful as teachers nor as fighters before God, failing to imitate the Lamb who was gentle, mild, humble, chaste, and obedient.

They're no use as teachers, and no use as fighters before God. Because they grow sluggish toward their own salvation in weariness. This understanding, O followers of my tunic, extends to you. O spiritual people who say you walk well and rightly! Why do you not imitate the works of the Lamb who was gentle—✦ mild, humble, chaste and obedient to the command of his father!

Rise Up and Run God's Ways

The prophet calls the faithful to rise up as God's mystical gift, acknowledging their restlessness, failed ambitions, and desire for holiness without merits.

And he suffered for the sacrifice of his body for you. Rise up, therefore! Just as he first planted you as God's mystical gift for the fellowship of angels. You see, sometimes you don't know what you're doing. You want to climb a mountain that you can't possibly reach the top of. Which is why at times you even tumble into a valley. Because you start something you can't finish. But you're also restless in your own thinking.

Reward for the Worker, Not the Mirror-Seeker

They are like strangers who want what they cannot have; therefore they must strengthen their hearts and run God's ways, for reward is given to the worker, not to one who merely sees work as in a mirror.

You want to be holy where there are no merits and no reward for good and upright work. For this reason you are like strangers! You want to have what you can't lay hold of. So strengthen and fortify your hearts, and run the ways of God. Because a reward will be given to the one who works. Not to the one who seeks the work as if seeing it in a mirror! That's why he's also deceived in his own estimation.

Read the original Latin

Hildegardis. Ego fons uiuus! dico ad illos qui propter nomen meum tunica mea induri. peregrini sunt in uenatione mundi. O plangendum et lugendum est quod celum ruptum est. et quod dies obscuratus est. Nunc ergo denarius reuocandus est in atrium uocis laudis. O filij israel quare corrumpitis dulcissimam caritatem.

quę in me alto in profundum aspiciente fluit plenissimo opere? Et quia ipsa fluit in me! ideo fluunt etiam de ipsa aquę uiuę. Ipsa autem stat in forma uirgę. quia sicut in uirgine dulcissimi amplexus sunt. propter integritatem eius. sic etiam caritas habet dulcissimos amplexus uirtutum. Sed modo luget!

quoniam temerarij scindunt illam per garrulitatem murmurationis suę. Unde etiam fugit ab eis in altitudinem illam unde uenit! et plangit quia filij ipsius quos plenis uberibus enutriuit deficiunt nolentes tergi a putredine uolantium mentium. O ipsi miseri quare adiungunt se miserię alienationis et peregrinationis. auferentes se de uisceribus regalium nuptiarum nouę sponsę quę semper preparata est sponso suo sicut uirgo uiro suo. cum illi nondum in cognitione coniuncta est. sed cum adhuc in integritate sua incorrupta manet. Et quoniam isti a sponsa illa se separant.

ideo obtenebrati et obnubilati sunt quasi celum fregerint. Quid est hoc? Sicut firmamentum celi in omnibus ornamentis suis scilicet in sole luna et stellis illustrat orbem. et sicut faber de lignis ligna facit. de lapidibus lapides. et de alijs instrumentis alia instrumenta! sicut et isti deberent reliquo populo lucere. et bonum iter ostendere.

Sed caritas in eis cissa est. ita ut uirginitas quę deberet in eis lucere sicut sol et uiduitas sicut luna. et reliquus populus sicut stellę in lumine suo deficiant. quia dulcia materna uiscera illos non calefaciunt! sed tortuosa mulier plena rugis et nigredine. et plena uipereis moribus et stridentibus dentibus. horribilis existens in his omnibus quę facit. pessime istos secundum mores porcorum enutrit.

qui debuerunt sancti et electi et relinquentes seculum esse. Ipsi enim uestem innocentię in semetipsis scindunt. in spinatis moribus. in iracundia. et corrumpunt uitalia sua in ignominia. et frangunt capita sua in ira. uiuentes oculos suos in desperatione excecantes. et omnia indumenta sua per stulticiam morum coinquinantes.

et se sapientes super magistros suos existimantes. Heu heu filij israel in primo ortu uestro non constituit uos sicut misticum donum dei. quoniam mitissimus pater uoluit in uestro angelico ordine antiquum serpentem superare qui pessimum morbum presumptionis uelut putridum cadauer in seipso euomuit. O pulcri flores et socij angelorum quare comeditis cibos serpentis uidelicet in alterutrum querentes torpentem et fetentem societatem magnorum scismatum quasi mortiferum scelus? Et cur ascenditis inquietos mores frequentis interrogationis et inuestigationis multarum uanitatum non discernentes unicuique homini datum suum secundum mensuram suam? Ambulate conuenientia et apta itinera. sine uolante uento sparsionis. Sed uos ubicumque uanum montem inuenitis illum apprehenditis.

et eum confirmatis sine mora. et in eo fabricatis ab eo non cessantes. sed in uanum in ipso laboratis! sicut et inutilis faber qui inutile uas componit quod stare non potest quia instabile est. Nunc ergo o filioli mei apprehendite pulcram matrem uestram scilicet amicam meam caritatem! et amplectimini eam. Dico autem uobis. Quidam in uelocibus equis sedentes et preciosis et fortibus armis armati fulgentes.

ad occidentem se uerterant! ut contra illos pugnarent qui ab occidente ueniebant. Ad dexteram eorum uallis erat multę longitudinis uelut profunda uia erat. et ad sinistram eorum silua magna et alta tota in ramis suis niue perfusa. De qua plurimi homines parui et inermes exeuntes. ut armatos illos uiderunt. in siluam multo pauore fugierunt dicentes. Vvach qui sunt isti?

Sed ut ipsi eisdem armatis terrorem incuterent. magnos strepitus et sonitus in eadem silua faciebant. Vnde quidam eorundem armatorum indignati gladios suos extrahentes. eos ad feriendum uibrabant. Et facta est uox ex alto dicens. Conuertite gladios uestros in uaginas usque ad tempus temporum eradicationis. Et illi gladios suos in uaginas remiserunt. Et ecce quidam alij toto corpore nudi in equis sedentes circa pectus et circa uentrem modico panno tantum obtecti uenerunt.

Quos ut illi qui in silua erant uiderunt ad ipsos cucurrerunt. et equos eorum per collum et per caudas capientes. sed et ipsos nudos per crura et per pedes eorum tenentes. magnos saltus et cachinnos in lusibus suis cum illis et illi cum istis faciebant dicentes. O socij. nobiscum ludite. Deinde quidam illorum armatorum armis suis fatigati. ad uallem hanc quę iuxta ipsos erat diuerterunt!

et de equis descendentes et arma sua quę multo fulgore radiabant exuentes ea deposuerunt. Et ita in ocio in eadem ualle sedentes dixerunt. Quis potest cum his paruulis semper pugnare? Sinamus ergo eos ludere. Quod ut idem paruuli homines in silua euntes uiderunt ad ipsos cucurrerunt et ludos suos circa eos faciebant. Sed isti nec cum illis ludebant. nec eos a se discedere cogebant. sed tantum armis suis depositis in ocio sedebant.

ludos istos inspicientes. Et iterum sonuit uox ex alto dicens. Isti qui arma sua deposuerunt. non debent uocari principales magistri in palacio regis! quia fatigati sunt ad prelium. Nunc o filij mei adtendite. Intellectus iste est ad uos. Nam boni et utiles prelati et ceteri qui secularia contempnunt in ueloci cursu bonorum operum cum diligenti custodia armati sedent.

ut contra diabolum pugnent. Ad dexteram eorum est uia rectitudinis. et ad sinistram inquietudo multarum uicissitudinum de quibus multa uicia procedunt. quę eosdem armatos multociens territa fugiunt! et multociens eis terrorem suum in insania sua incutiunt. Unde quidam eorum indignati cum iniuriam sibi illatam pacienter sufferre nolunt se ad uindictam preparant. sed diuina inspiratio eos monet. ut quiescant.

usque dum deus per gratiam suam easdem iniurias eradicet. Et sic a commotione uindictę suę cessat. Et quidam alij qui terrena despexisse uidentur. in uanum hoc modo se currere ostendunt cum nudi a bonis operibus sint. quamuis se in simulatione tegant. quapropter et uicia illa eos derident. et cum eis in magna irrisione ludos suos exercent. Sed et quidam predictorum prelatorum et ceterorum qui terrena omnino despexisse debuerant tedio fatigantur.

et in recto itinere diligentiam bonę custodię deserunt. et negligenter uacantes dicunt. quod cum uicijs illis semper pugnare non possint. Unde et eadem uicia eis illudunt. sed tamen ipsi nec illa pleniter suscipiunt. nec omnino a se ire faciunt. sed in torpore negligentię sedent. Quapropter ut aperte ostenditur.

nec utiles magistri nec utiles pugnatores coram deo sunt! quia ad salutem suam in tedio torpescunt. Intellectus iste o sectatores tunicę meę ad uos tendit. O spiritales populi qui dicitis uos bene et recte incedere! cur non imitamini opera agni qui fuit mansuetus. mitis. humilis. castus et obediens precepto patris sui!

et paciens ad sacrificium corporis sui pro uobis. Surgite ergo! sicut primum uos plantauit misticum donum dei ad consortium angelorum. Uos enim interdum nescitis quod facitis. uolentes montem ascendere quem apprehendere non potestis. unde etiam interdum ruitis in uallem. quia incipitis quod perficere non potestis. Sed et in mente uestra inquieti estis.

uolentes sancti esse ubi non sunt merita nec merces boni et recti operis. Quapropter estis sicut alieni! qui uolunt habere quod non possunt capere. Conualescite ergo et confortate corda uestra et currite uias dei. quoniam merces dabitur illi qui operatur. non illi qui opus querit quasi illud uideat in speculo! unde etiam decipitur in estimatione sua.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩John.4.10-John.4.14 — Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." John.4.11 — The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where then do you get that living water?" John.4.12 — Surely you are not greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his livestock? John.4.13 — Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again." John.4.14 — but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst forever; rather, the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life
  2. ↩Matt.11.30 — For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
  3. ↩Mark.15.38 — And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
  4. ↩Isa.64.1 — Oh, that you would tear open the heavens and come down—so that mountains would quake before you—as when fire kindles brushwood and fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations would tremble before you.
  5. ↩Amos.5.18-Amos.5.20 — Woe to those who long for the day of the LORD! Why is this day of the LORD for you? It is darkness, and not light. Amos.5.19 — As when a man flees from a lion, and a bear meets him; and he enters the house and leans his hand on the wall, and a snake bites him. Amos.5.20 — Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light — thick darkness, and no brightness in it?
  6. ↩Matt.25.14-Matt.25.30 — For it is like a man going on a journey, who called his own servants and entrusted his property to them. Matt.25.15 — And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his own ability, and he went away immediately. Matt.25.16 — The one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more. Matt.25.17 — In the same way, the one who had received two talents gained two more. Matt.25.18 — But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug in the ground and hid his master's silver. Matt.25.19 — After a long time the master of those servants comes and settles accounts with them. Matt.25.20 — And the one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, 'Lord, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.' Matt.25.21 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.22 — The one who had received the two talents also came forward and said, 'Lord, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I have gained two more.' Matt.25.23 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.24 — Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed.' Matt.25.25 — And being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours. Matt.25.26 — But his master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed. Matt.25.27 — Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back what was mine with interest. Matt.25.28 — So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. Matt.25.29 — For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matt.25.30 — And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
  7. ↩Luke.19.11-Luke.19.27 — As they were hearing these things, he added a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was about to appear immediately. Luke.19.12 — He said therefore, 'A certain noble man went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself and to return.' Luke.19.13 — And having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them, 'Conduct business until I come.' Luke.19.14 — But his citizens hated him, and they sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.' Luke.19.15 — And it came to pass, when he was returned, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know what they had gained by trading. Luke.19.16 — The first one came, saying, 'Lord, your mina has produced ten more minas.' Luke.19.17 — And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' Luke.19.18 — And the second came, saying, 'Your mina, Lord, has made five minas.' Luke.19.19 — And to this one also he said, 'And you, be over five cities.' Luke.19.20 — And another servant came, saying, 'Lord, here is your mina, which I kept stored away in a cloth.' Luke.19.21 — for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow. Luke.19.22 — He said to him, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant. You knew that I am a harsh man, picking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow. Luke.19.23 — And why did you not put my money on the table, so that when I came I might have collected it with interest? Luke.19.24 — And to those who were standing by he said, 'Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.' Luke.19.25 — And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas.' Luke.19.26 — I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Luke.19.27 — But as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.
  8. ↩Hos.2.14-Hos.2.16 — And I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, which she said, "These are my wages, which my lovers gave me"; and I will make them a forest, and the wild beasts will devour them. Hos.2.15 — And I will punish her for the days of the Baals, to whom she burned incense, and she put on her ring and her jewelry, and went after her lovers, and forgot me, declares the LORD. Hos.2.16 — Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak to her heart.
  9. ↩Jer.2.1-Jer.2.3 — And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Jer.2.2 — Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the LORD: I remember for you the devotion of your youth, the love of your betrothal—your going after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Jer.2.3 — Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who ate of it were held guilty. Disaster came upon them, declares the LORD.
  10. ↩Isa.11.1 — A shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
  11. ↩Prov.11.22 — A gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
  12. ↩2Pet.2.22 — It has happened to them according to the true proverb: 'A dog returns to its own vomit,' and 'A sow, after washing herself, returns to wallowing in the mud.'
  13. ↩Rev.12.9 — And the great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, the one called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
  14. ↩Eph.4.7;1Cor.12.7 — But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 1Cor.12.7 — But to each one the Spirit is made visible for the common good.
  15. ↩John.1.29 — The next day he sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The image of 'full breasts' draws on the nursing-mother metaphor for divine or ecclesial nurture; 'wandering minds' (volantium mentium) suggests unstable, restless thinking rather than deliberate heresy.
  2. 2 ↩The 'royal wedding' and 'new bride' likely refer to the Church or the soul's union with Christ; the Latin is highly compressed (truncated forms), and the precise referent is open.
  3. 3 ↩Cum here is temporal ('when') rather than causal, given nondum ('not yet'); the subject is likely the bride of the previous sentence.
  4. 4 ↩Sed cum here is adversative + temporal: 'but when'. The sentence appears to be incomplete or to continue the thought of the previous verse; the abrupt ending is in the source.
  5. 5 ↩This sentence, like s7, appears incomplete in the source; it sets up a causal clause whose consequence is not stated within this section.
  6. 6 ↩misticum donum dei — 'mystical gift of God': the precise sense is uncertain; it may refer to a divinely given vocation or charism that was not confirmed in them from the outset.
  7. 7 ↩angelico ordine — 'angelic order': likely refers to the monastic community as sharing in the angelic life, a common medieval monastic topos.
  8. 8 ↩antiquum serpentem — 'ancient serpent': the devil, cast as the primordial deceiver whose own presumption became a self-consuming disease.
  9. 9 ↩cibos serpentis — 'the serpent's food': metaphor for the poisonous attitudes of division and mutual recrimination that feed schism.
  10. 10 ↩mortiferum scelus — 'deadly crime': the gravity of schism is likened to a mortal sin.
  11. 11 ↩datum suum secundum mensuram suam — 'his own gift according to its own measure': likely an allusion to the Pauline teaching on diverse spiritual gifts measured individually (cf. 1 Corinthians 12 or Ephesians 4:7).
  12. 12 ↩conuenientia et apta itinera — 'fitting and suitable paths': the double adjective emphasizes both propriety and practical aptness in the monastic way of life.
  13. 13 ↩uolante uento sparsionis — 'flying wind of scattering': a vivid image of restless, dispersing agitation; the exact referent is uncertain — possibly the spirit of division or idle curiosity that scatters the mind.
  14. 14 ↩uanum montem — 'vain mountain': likely a metaphor for any proud, empty preoccupation or occasion of vanity that the monks eagerly take up.
  15. 15 ↩caritas is rendered as 'love' per lexeme policy; the passage personifies love as a 'beautiful mother' and 'friend' — a mystical, affective image. The vocative 'amicam meam caritatem' is compressed: 'my friend love' captures the apposition where caritas is both friend and mother.
  16. 16 ↩Normalized form 'multę' is uncertain; translated as 'far' reflecting likely multum/longitudinis sense.
  17. 17 ↩Interjection 'Vvach' is uncertain; rendered as 'Alas'.
  18. 18 ↩eradicationis is a rare form; rendered as 'uprooting' to preserve the violent, decisive sense. 'Time of the uprooting of the ages' echoes apocalyptic language but is not a direct scriptural quotation.
  19. 19 ↩The clause 'cum diligenti custodia armati sedent' is rendered with the sense of armed, watchful readiness in active service; the image blends spiritual vigilance with the military metaphor carried through the passage.
  20. 20 ↩quod cum with subjunctive possint: causal reading preferred ('because since'), though temporal ('when') is possible.
  21. 21 ↩nec omnino a se ire faciunt: lit. 'nor do they make them go entirely from themselves'; rendered idiomatically as 'cast them out' to capture the causative force.
  22. 22 ↩quapropter ut: result/purpose construction; the clause is left deliberately open as in the source, where the demonstration follows in subsequent sections.

Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion

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