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Chapter 260HildE.1.260

R260: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Klerus

A Call to the Clergy

Hildegard opens with a commanding address to the clergy, urging them to gird themselves for sacrificial service like a mighty warrior.

Hildegard to the clergy of various orders. The voice of the living wings speaks. O you who are the foundation of stones and the girding of the limbs of diverse peoples. Hear these things that I speak to you. Run the straight paths to the office of the sacrifices of the law. And let your limbs be girded at your loins.1 just as this figure shows through the mystical gift of God.2 Gird your sword upon your thigh, O most mighty one.✦3

Christ the True High Priest

Hildegard describes how Divinity rested in humble chastity and how the true man arose without sin, establishing the pattern of priestly appointment from God's own substance through mercy and grace.

Divinity looked with favor on simplicity of character in a humble girl. And there it rested in a most sweet chastity that the greenness of earthly things never touched! But heavenly heat in its own hidden place. Then the true man rose up, as it were from dry ground, which the plough never broke and whose fruit was never sown! But what produced a flower from the heat of the sun.4 That is why he is girded with the most powerful sword — that is, pure and sharp true justice — because no boiling of the flesh was in him through neglect of sins. But as a son comes from a father. Noble from noble. A king from a king, and each one from his own lineage. In this way, priests are appointed from me. Just as the Father granted his own substance to his own Son, as it is also said. My inheritance is Israel. This is reckoned as the highest priesthood — from mercy and grace and truth. This testimony is handed over to you through me.

Imitating the Heavenly Father

Priests are urged to imitate Christ their father and lord in bodily discipline, and those who fall into sin must rise at once and seek healing.

Like a warrior who commands a great army, he leaves it to his own son. So priests should imitate their father and lord, so that just as he walked, they too should walk in the discipline of their body, But if a priest has fallen into sin through corruption of the flesh, or through wantonness, gluttony, and lust, let him rise up at once, seek out a physician, and vomit it out as though he had drunk poison. nor should he keep it any longer within himself like a familiar companion, So listen.

The Parable of the Two Regions

Through an extended allegory of two regions and four lands, Hildegard portrays the varied spiritual conditions of the clergy, from restless labor to secret tyranny.

A certain lord had two regions. Namely, one moist and the other dry. In the moist region, for there are many shifts of diverse business dealings, as it were in Tarsus. Tyre. Macedonia and Ethiopia were in the dry region. In Tarsus, understand those who run swiftly and grow in every undertaking. But nevertheless, toiling greatly. In Tyre, however, they labored in narrowness. And sometimes they fail in great need. But in Macedonia they burn with drought, like that fruit which now appears and now fails. So the wolf shows who it sometimes devours. Sometimes it leaves alone. Sometimes it snatches away, and sometimes it chokes. In Ethiopia, though, they feast in secret, reveling in poisonous tyranny. And they burn in shamelessness.

Contemplatives and Teachers

Hildegard contrasts contemplative figures who remain in the Lord's presence with the teachers God chose for the instruction of souls, culminating in the vision of Christ appearing on a white cloud as King of kings.

In the dry region, however, there were wealthy men who had the beauty of herbs and flowers that no one sowed. and remaining in contemplation of the Lord their own. where there was also the sweetest fragrance and the most pleasant sound. As it was prefigured in Abel. who began to do good. and in Abraham, who showed obedience. and in Moses, who gave instruction for souls through the institutions, precepts, and sacrifices. and in the Son of God, who fulfilled all good things. This understanding is directed toward the world, which grows in the secular people among newborn sons. and who decreases among the spiritual people. who fails in their own seed. But God chose leading teachers over the common people. for the instruction of their souls. And the Son of God has come, a teacher from heaven! as it is written. See, the Lord will appear on a white cloud, and with him thousands of saints! having writing on his garment and on his thigh.

The Incarnation in the Virgin

The Son of God appeared in the innocence of a simple virgin, pitching his tent in the sun, and went forth like a bridegroom, revealing that his flesh came from virgin birth, not human generation, as King of kings.

King of kings and Lord of rulers. For the Son of God appeared in the innocence of a simple girl, as if in a cloud. And he pitched his tent in the sun. When the mind of that same virgin was wondrously illuminated, where she herself had said: Here am I, the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word. And so a great column arose in her, above all things being born. When the Son of God went out like a bridegroom from his chamber. Born from that most sweet virgin, as if in a sweet sound and in a most sweet desire. Just as a bridegroom joins his own bride to himself sweetly in his mind. And so when many and wonderful virtues appeared with him, surpassing the ancient legal instruction in good works. And so it is written on the garment and on his thigh: King of kings and Lord of lords. Because his flesh sweated sweetly from the virgin, and not from the thigh of a man. Thus ascending above all creatures.

The Living Spring of the Law

Christ, untouched by sin and foreknown before creation, administered the law as a good steward; from the Godhead a living spring burst forth, commanding justice with an iron rod and shattering the proud who innovate with pride.

Like a king who commands people. Because sin did not bring that one forth. But the mightiest power of the strength of divinity, which foreknew all creatures. Before they came forth into the world. And so he himself administered all the institutions of the law to his own members, like a good steward who shows the people subject to him what ought to be present or lacking in their necessities. As it is written again. Kings — with an iron rod. Like a potter's vessel, you will shatter them. For in the strongest power of the Godhead a living spring burst forth, who through himself revealed the purest and most steadfast precepts of the law. commanding justice upon the upright with a rod of iron, and shattering and restoring all things according to what was just.✦5 just as a potter breaks one vessel and makes another. Now listen, O imitators of me. From the beginning of the age my people had predecessors and teachers. Why then do you bring forth indignation and audacity and shifting ways in various customs and in much talk with pride, as though you were making new heavenly things and an ivory height of mountains that the instruments of the wind easily scatter?6 and those things that are trampled by human beings.

Hold Fast to Discipline

Exhorting the faithful to carry the light of good works and hold fast to lawful discipline, Hildegard warns that the Lord's authority demands diligence lest they perish from the righteous way.

So that you would also take ten minas from your souls. And that denarius, which is the recompense of the heavenly kingdom among the upright? But take hold of discipline. That is, the lawful and established precepts in your members. And be such in your thoughts, in your words, and in your works. So that you may be clean, like a burnt offering in priestly service. Beware that venomous words not be among you in the vanity of this age. Because transgressing the law is not good for you. But you who are faithful carry the light in your hands. So that all the people will flock to you.7 These are the precepts of the law, like a great mountain. Once set in place, the light is not hidden. So hold fast to discipline, gird up your loins, and shine through good examples to the other peoples!8 Because you hold the rod of authority over them.9 So be diligent, lest the Lord become angry and you perish from the righteous way.10 Since you ought to walk in the way of good works, following the example of the Son of God.

Prefigured in Sacrifice, Fulfilled on the Cross

All Old Testament sacrifices prefigured Christ, but now the sun of justice has shone forth; clergy must walk in him, keeping chastity, for he was hung on the cross as the true lamb, and the good shepherd was given for them.

All these things were foreshadowed long ago in the sacrifice of calves and lambs under your office. For in the Old Testament, the priests did not grow weak in their loins. Because no one girded in his own loins had gone before them. But now the sun of justice has shone forth. Therefore, walk in him.✦ Keep your chastity, because it is not a calf, not a ram, nor a lamb's victim — but he was hung for you on the wood of the cross!✦ But a great and good shepherd has been given for you, for the suffering of the cross. Imitate him in what you do.

Righteous Anger and True Holiness

Hildegard instructs the clergy to be angry at injustice without sinning, to show mercy to the fallen, and to reject pride in bodily tonsure, recognizing that true holiness comes from God's election and angelic imitation.

Be angry at injustice — but do not sin.11 That is, let it not be hatred. Do not hold onto envy or crushing scorn in the ridicule of your heart.12 When you see people fall because of the foolishness of their ways, still meet them with mercy. And correct them with gentleness. And do not claim this height as your own in your own estimation. As if you were holy because of a bodily tonsure! Where you say in your hearts: The Lord chose us in holiness! And no one should take precedence over you through a pinnacle of virtue. And why do you scorn the brilliant radiance in those who have embraced my garment through the circumcision of their own mind? And those who in their ordination imitate the angels, who are the mirror of my face! So that they themselves may follow them through the mortification of this temporal world? For an angel announced salvation to all people.✦

The Army of Holiness

Hildegard calls the clergy to be soldiers of holiness pierced with compunction, building a tower of virtues so their inner holiness is genuine gold, and concludes with the contrast between Jacob raised to happiness and Esau brought low, urging them to take heart and be strengthened.

But it's also in Abraham and Jacob and in the rod of Aaron. The angels announced the salvation of the people beforehand. Why, then, couldn't and shouldn't imitators of angels provide for the salvation of the people through my tunic, given the pressing necessity of those placed in need?13 But you, be in the army of holiness, and in your beds be pierced with compunction! So that humility in you may build a tower with the windows of the virtues of good works and with the caves of holy medicine, to each one according to their own measure.14 Let them see your inner, hidden things as well. Let them see what works are in you. Provide carefully, therefore, so that holiness in you may be gold and not lead. because Jacob was raised to the summit of happiness. but Esau was hemmed in by the descent into exaltation.15 So your mind is moved in two parts of the spiritual life. Now take heart again and be strengthened in every good thing! so that you don't give out.

Read the original Latin

Ad clericos diuersi ordinis hildegardis. Uox uiuentium alarum dicit. O qui estis sustentatio lapidum et cingulum membrorum diuersorum hominum. audite hęc quę uobis dico. Currite uias planas ad officium sacrificiorum legis. Et membra uestra constrictionem habeant in lumbis uestris. sicut figura hęc per misticum donum dei ostendit. Accingere gladio tuo super femur tuum potentissime.

Diuinitas enim inspexit simplicitatem morum in humili puella. et ibi requieuit in suauissima castitate quam non tetigit uiriditas terrenarum! sed supernus calor in secreto suo. Tunc surrexit uerus homo quasi de sicca terra quam non fregit aratrum et cuius fructus non est seminatus! sed quę de calore solis produxit florem. Unde ipse potentissimo gladio accinctus est id est pura et acuta uera iusticia quia ei non inerat estuatio carnis in negligentia peccatorum. Sed ut filius est de patre. nobilis de nobili.

rex de rege. et quisque de genere suo. sic sacerdotes de me constituti sunt. quemadmodum et pater substantiam suam filio suo tribuit. ut etiam dictum est. hereditas mea israel est. quod computatur ad summum sacerdotium de misericordia et gratia et ueritate. Istud testimonium est per me uobis traditum.

sicut uir preliator magnum exercitum habens. eum filio suo relinquit. Ideo sacerdotes imitentur patrem et dominum suum. ita ut sicut ille ambulauit. sic et ipsi ambulent in constrictione corporis sui. Sed si sacerdos habuerit crimen in putredine carnis aut in petulantia gulę et lasciuię ilico surgat et medicum requirat et illud euomat quasi uenenum biberit. nec in se diutius uelut domesticum suum teneat. Ergo audite.

Dominus quidam duas regiones habuit. uidelicet alteram humidam et alteram aridam. In humida enim multę uicissitudines diuersarum negotiationum quasi in tharso. tyro. macedonia et in ethiopia erant. In tharso intelligite uelociter currentes et in unaquaque re crescentes. sed tamen ualde laborantes. in thiro autem in angustia laborantes.

et interdum in magna necessitate deficientes. in macedonia uero in siccitate estuantes sicut fructus ille qui modo procedit modo deficit. ut et lupus ostendit qui interdum deuorat. interdum relinquit. interdum rapit et interdum suffocat. in ethiopia autem furtiue epulantes et in uenenosa tyrannide bachantes. et in impudicicia ardentes. In arida uero regione erant locupletes homines pulcritudinem herbarum et florum quos homo non seminauit habentes.

et in contemplacione domini sui manentes. ubi etiam dulcissimus odor et suauissimus sonus fuit. sicut in abel prefiguratum est. qui incepit bene facere. et in abraham qui obeditionem ostendit. et in moyse qui instructionem animarum per instituta precepta sacrificiorum dedit. et in filio dei qui omnia bona compleuit. Iste intellectus est ad mundum qui in seculari populo in nascentibus filijs crescit.

et qui in spiritali populo decrescit. qui in semine suo deficit. Sed deus principales magistros super communem populum elegit. ad instructionem animarum eorum. Et filius dei uenit supernus magister! ut scriptum est. Ecce apparebit dominus super nubem candidam et cum eo sanctorum milia! habens in uestimento et in femore suo scriptum.

rex regum et dominus dominantium. Nam filius dei in innocentia simplicis puellę quasi in nube apparuit. et tabernaculum suum in sole posuit. cum mens eiusdem uirginis mirabiliter illustrata est ubi ipsa dixit. Ecce ancilla domini. fiat mihi secundum uerbum tuum. Et ita surrexit in ea magna columpna super omnia nascentia genera. cum filius dei tanquam sponsus processit de thalamo suo.

natus de ipsa suauissima uirgine quasi in dulci sono et in suauissimo desiderio. uelut sponsus sponsam suam in mente sua sibi suauiter copulat. Vnde et cum eo apparuerunt multę et admirandę uirtutes. antiquam legalem institutionem in bonis operibus superexcellentes. Et sic in uestimento et in femore eius scriptum est. rex regum et dominus dominantium. quia caro eius suauiter sudauit de uirgine et non de femore uiri. ita super omnes creaturas ascendens.

sicut rex qui hominibus imperat. quoniam peccatum illum non protulit. sed fortissima uis potentię diuinitatis quę omnes creaturas presciuit. antequam in mundo prodirent. Unde et ipse membris suis administrauit omnia instituta legis uelut bonus dispensator qui populo sibi subiecto ostendit quid ipsi adesse uel deesse in necessitatibus suis debeat. ut iterum scriptum est. Reges eos in uirga ferrea. tanquam uas figuli confringes eos.

Nam in fortissima potentia diuinitatis uiuus fons emicuit. qui purissima et constantissima legalia precepta per semetipsum ostendit. sic imperans rectis iusticiam in uirga ferrea et confringens ac statuens quęque secundum quod iustum erat. quemadmodum figulus aliud uas friangit et aliud facit. Nunc audite o imitatores mei. Ab inicio seculi populus meus precessores et magistros habuit. Quare ergo profertis indignationem et audaciam et uicissitudinem in uarijs moribus et in multiloquio superbię quasi faciatis noua celestia et eburneam altitudinem montium quę instrumenta uentus facile dispergit. et quę ab hominibus conculcantur.

ita ut etiam auferatis animabus uestris decem mnas. et denarium illum qui est retributio celestis regni in rectis hominibus? Apprehendite autem disciplinam. uidelicet legalia et instituta precepta in membris uestris. et tales in cogitationibus in uerbis et in operibus uestris estote. ut mundi sitis uelut holocaustum in sacerdotali officio. cauentes ne uenenosa uerba sint in uobis in uanitate huius seculi. quia preuaricatio legis non expedit uobis.

Sed fideles lumen portate in manibus uestris. ita ut omnis populus ad uos concurrat. Hęc sunt precepta legis quasi mons magnus. super quem lumen positum non latet. Ideo habete disciplinam in cinctura lumborum uestrorum per bona exempla lucentes ceteris populis! quia uirgam regendi eos habetis. Vnde etiam estote solliciti ne quando irascatur dominus et pereatis de uia iusta. quoniam exemplo filij dei ambulare debetis per uiam bonorum operum.

quę omnia prius in sacrificio uitulorum et agnorum presignata fuerunt de officio uestro. In ueteri enim testamento sacerdotes in lumbis suis non tabescebant. quia nullus in lumbis suis precinctus eos precesserat. Sed nunc sol iusticię effulsit. Ergo in illo ambulate. castitatem uestram seruantes. quoniam non uitulus. non aries nec uictima agni pro uobis in ligno crucis suspensus est!

sed pastor magnus et bonus pro uobis ad passionem crucis datus est. Illum imitamini in operibus uestris. Irascimini autem aduersus iniusticiam et nolite peccare! scilicet non odium. non inuidiam nec opprimentem pressuram habete in irrisione cordis uestri. quando uidetis casum hominum propter stulticiam morum eorum sed iungite illas in misericordia. et corripite eos in mansuetudine. Et nolite in estimatione uestra culmen hoc habere.

quasi sancti sitis propter tonsuram carnis uestrę! ubi dicitis in cordibus uestris. Nos elegit dominus in sanctitate! nec ullus debet nos per culmen uirtutis precedere. Et quare dedignamini preclaram faciem in illis qui tunicam meam amplexati sunt per circumcisionem mentis suę. et qui in ordinatione imitantur angelos qui sunt speculum uultus mei! ita ut ipsi eos subsequantur per mortificationem temporalis mundi? Angelus enim nuntiauit salutem omni populo.

Sed et in abraham et iacob et in uirga aaron. angeli salutem populi prenuntiauerunt. Quare ergo non possent nec deberent imitatores angelorum et tunicę meę prouidere salutem populi ppter instantem necessitatem in necessitate positorum? Uos autem in milicia sanctitatis estote et in cubilibus uestris conpungimini! ita ut humilitas in uobis turrim cum fenestris uirtutum bonorum operum et cum cauernis sanctę medicinę unicuique secundum mensuram suam edificet. Interiora etiam occulta uestra uideant. quę opera in uobis sint. Prouidete ergo sollicite ut sanctitas in uobis aurum sit et non plumbum.

quia iacob erectus est in culmine felicitatis. esau autem constrictus in descensu elationis. Sic mouetur mens uestra in duabus partibus spiritalis uitę. Nunc conualescite et confortamini in omnibus bonis! ut non deficiatis.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Ps.45.3 — You are more beautiful than the sons of men; grace is poured out upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.
  2. ↩Ps.2.9;Rev.19.15 — You will shatter them with a rod of iron; like a potter's vessel you will dash them to pieces. Rev.19.15 — And from his mouth goes forth a sharp sword, so that with it he may strike down the nations; and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron; and he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
  3. ↩Col.2.6 — Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
  4. ↩John.1.29;1Pet.1.19 — The next day he sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" 1Pet.1.19 — but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
  5. ↩Luke.2.10 — And the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'

Notes

  1. 1 ↩constrictionem rendered as 'girded' to capture the sense of binding/tightening around the loins; the Latin suggests a belt or constriction, not merely clothing.
  2. 2 ↩misticum donum dei — 'mystical gift of God' preserves the visionary/prophetic register of Hildegard's Latin.
  3. 3 ↩Possible echo of Psalm 45:3 (Vulgate): 'Accingere gladio tuo super femur tuum, potentissime.' Final resolution deferred to Moses stage.
  4. 4 ↩Manuscript reads 'quę' (likely = quae); normalized text has 'quę'. Treated as 'quae' (nom pl f or nom sg f). Translation assumes 'what things' or 'that which' produced a flower from solar heat, adversatively contrasting the preceding image.
  5. 5 ↩The participles confringens and statuens are rendered actively ('shattering and restoring') to capture the divine governance alluded to in the surrounding context; the final clause is compressed for natural English flow.
  6. 6 ↩The clause 'quasi faciatis noua celestia … altitudinem montium' is rendered to capture the rhetorical force of the comparison; the precise sense of 'eburneam altitudinem montium' is uncertain, and 'ivory height of mountains' is a provisional rendering.
  7. 7 ↩ut rendered as result ('so that') rather than purpose; both readings are possible.
  8. 8 ↩cinctura lumborum rendered 'girding of your loins' to preserve the biblical image of readiness and self-control; 'discipline' captures disciplina as ordered spiritual practice.
  9. 9 ↩uirga regendi rendered 'rod of authority' to capture both the instrument (uirga) and the governing function (regendi).
  10. 10 ↩Vnde etiam carries both causal force ('for this reason') and additive force ('and so also'); rendered 'So' to capture the combined sense.
  11. 11 ↩autem positioned after the imperative functions adversatively: anger at wrong is permitted, yet the will must not cross into sin.
  12. 12 ↩opprimentem pressuram rendered 'crushing scorn' to capture the compound force of oppression + burden in a single concrete image.
  13. 13 ↩tunicę meę ('my tunic') is a symbolic reference to Christ's tunic; the sense is that those who have embraced Christ's tunic (through the circumcision of their mind, cf. section 17) ought to provide for the people's salvation.
  14. 14 ↩sanctę medicinę ('holy medicine') is symbolic; likely refers to spiritual remedies or the healing power of grace.
  15. 15 ↩descensu elationis is a striking paradox — a 'descent into exaltation' or 'by the downward pull of self-exaltation.' The phrase likely means Esau was constricted/ensnared by the very path that promised elevation, i.e., worldly ambition or pride. The oxymoron is intentional and has been preserved.

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