R29: Konrad I. von Worms an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Greeting and Blessing
Conrad, Bishop of Worms, greets Hildegard with humble praise, thanking God for her radiant spiritual influence.
The Bishop of Worms. To Hildegard. Conrad, by the grace of God — unworthy though he is — Bishop of the Church of Worms! To Hildegard, beloved sister of the mount of Saint Robert — alas! — with a small offering of prayers. Sweet in every act of service is devotion. We give thanks to God, who has placed you as a most bright lamp upon a golden candlestick, and through you has caused the brightness of his light to shine far and wide in his house.✦ Therefore, sister and most beloved daughter! From the rays by which we believe you are undoubtedly illuminated by the Sun of Justice.
Humble Petition for Prayer and Guidance
Conrad humbly asks Hildegard's prayers against inner turmoil and expresses his desire to receive her admonition.
We earnestly beg that the clouds of our mind—which oppress us from the unfitting whirlwind of tribulations and the flood of various thoughts—be driven away. We earnestly beg that they be driven away. There are indeed very many things we would need to bring to the attention of your holiness. if the lengthiness of words had not stood in the way of explaining these things to you. But as it is, we speak to you in person through a living voice and a present messenger. And we earnestly seek the response of your admonition with our whole heart.
Read the original Latin
Episcopus vvormaciensis. hildegardi. Cunradus dei gratia vvormaciensis ęcclesię indignus licet episcopus! hildegardi dilectę sorori de monte sancti roberti cum heu parua orationum exhibitione! suauem in omni obsequio deuotionem. Deo gratias agimus qui te lucernam clarissimam aureo candelabro imposuit et lucis suę claritatem longe lateque per te in domo sua clarescere fecit. Quapropter soror et filia dilectissima! ex radijs quibus te solem iusticię indubitanter illuminari credimus.
nubila mentis nostrę quę nos obprimunt ex incongruenti tribulationum turbine et diuersarum cogitationum inundatione. depelli obnixe exoramus. Plurima quidem sanctitati tuę necesse haberemus insinuare. si prolixitas uerborum tibi ea explicare non obstitisset! uiua autem uoce per presentem latorem tibi presentialiter loquimur! et responsum admonitionis tuę toto corde exflagitamus.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.5.15;Mark.4.21 — Neither do people light a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Mark.4.21 — And he said to them, 'A lamp is not brought in to be placed under the basket or under the bed, is it? Is it not brought to be placed on the lampstand?'
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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